My Movie Reviews (updated consistently)

[ThisIsNot]

I watch a bunch of movies on a weekly basis, it is kind of my thing. I constantly have at least one movie on reserve from Amazon.com. I thought I would review the movies that I do get after I have watched them (at least once) and gone through the special features. I will likely only review Blu-ray movies as I refuse to buy DVDs anymore (I will only rent them). You can pretty much transfer my review over for the DVD release though. Most well mastered movies, that look good on Blu-ray, also look good on DVD.

My first review will be for the three disc Watchmen release on Blu-ray. I will review the movie itself, the Blu-ray packaging, the special features, the video quality, the audio quality, and then come up with a final verdict.



The movie:
People often criticized Watchmen because it went against the grain when compared to other comic book/superhero movies. I can understand that but the movie follows the graphic novel which also showed people a different view of superheros. I won't give away any plot spoilers but I really enjoyed the movie. The 3 hour director's cut adds an additional 20 some odd minutes of footage not seen in the theatrical cut. I never saw Watchmen in the theaters so I can't comment on the new footage. The movie opens up with a great montage while flashing the credits, this is easily one of the best movie opening montages I have ever seen. It is quite simple but that is the beauty of it. My only complaint about the movie is the ending (and main villain). I just felt like it was stretched and rather dumb. I never read through the graphic novel so I don't know if the movie follows that or not. Either way, the villain and ending just didn't do it for me. Watchmen challenges typical superhero portrayals by showing off violent, sexy, adult characters. 8/10

Packaging:
The Blu-ray packaging is pretty nice. It uses a standard Blu-ray case but three discs are packed inside of it. The same type of case was used for The Dark Knight Blu-ray release. The outside slipcase features a 3D image of the theatrical poster. It is very nice. 9/10

Special Features:
There are tons of special features on this release. An additional dual-layer (50GB) Blu-ray disc was thrown in just for them. It took me longer to go through all the special features than it did the 3 hour movie. I can't help but feel that it should have included the "animated" graphic novel walk through and possibly the animated movie released earlier. I was saddened to learn that a 5 disc collector's edition will be released this Fall on both DVD and Blu-ray. It will contain even more special features along with an even longer cut of the movie. I quickly got over that after further learning that the Blu-ray edition will go for around $75 while I ended up paying $19.99 for what is out now. All of the special features are in 1080i/p HD, this is a nice change as most movies come with at least some 480i/p special feature content. The third disc is a standard DVD that contains digital copies of the movie for iPod/iPhone/iTunes and Windows (Play4Sure) users. 9/10

Video Quality:
This is a sharp representation of the movie. I could almost reach out and touch the grit on the streets, the blood, and the characters. A small level of grain is present but this just helps add to the overall feel of the movie. Many people hate grain in their movies without realizing what it actually does. The grain in Watchmen only enhances the experiences. 10/10

Audio Quality:
The audio quality is really nice. My home theater system (powered by 7 Klipsch speakers, one Klipsch subwoofer, and a Yamaha receiver with a 1500 watt amp) was constantly booming. The dialog was crystal clear as well. I just wish that it used 7.1 channels instead of 5.1. Additionally, there were some instances where I had to turn the volume up to hear the characters speak and then turn my system down because the explosions rattled my house. I don't like it when movies do this. I realize that the directors are just trying to emphasize certain aspects of the movie but I feel that it takes away from the dialog. 8/10

Final Verdict:
I highly recommend this release if people are looking for a superhero movie that breaks the mold. The characters are all adults, go through some extreme acts of violence, and like having sex. Watchmen doesn't try to skirt around the edges or water the plot down to get a PG-13 rating. It goes at the audience full blast and never lets up (until the strange ending). The three disc Blu-ray release is nicely packages, comes with tons of special features, offers great video quality, and immerses the audience in a clear soundtrack. Overall, I give it a 9/10 (not an average). Go to Amazon.com and buy it today, the Blu-ray release is only $19.99. That is the same price that many stores are charging for the standard DVD version. This is a movie that would go good with beer, pizza, popcorn, and soda. It is a popcorn flick with but also sophisticated. The beer and pizza go good with the sexy parts.

My next review will be of the two disc Blu-ray release of Coraline.

How To Get This Movie On Your Netbook:
Watchmen was released on single-disc DVD, special edition two-disc DVD, two-disc Blu-ray (one Blu-ray disc and one DVD), and is available through legal services such as the iTunes Store and Amazon Unbox service. The two-disc releases all came with a free digital copy that can be redeemed for iTunes/iPod users as well as a Windows Media Player compatible version. So no need to buy the movie again if you purchased the special editions.

Be sure and mention if these are beer and pizza movies, popcorn and cola (or buttery Chardonnay) movies, or Champagne movies.

[ThisIsNot]

Tonight's review: Coraline (two disc Blu-ray edition)



The Movie:
Coraline is one of those strange movies that both kids and adults can like. It is a stop motion flick from the director of The Nightmare Before Christmas (not Tim Burton, he wrote and produced Nightmare). It is also the first stop motion/claymation movie to be originally filmed in 3D. Coraline is interesting as it is able to take a very common topic and turn it around. The movie is basically about tween angst of someone not fitting in. However, Coraline is still able to come out as a genuinely original movie despite the main subject matter. Again, I won't go over the plot details. There were some moments where the plot came off as being a little kiddy but I could easily overlook those parts. 8/10

Packaging:
Traditional two disc Blu-ray packaging with a cardboard slipcase and four 3D glasses (more on the 3D later). Nothing really special about it but the packaging is better than previous Universal Blu-ray releases. I have never liked Universal's or Paramount's generic discs though. They tend to use generic disc art. Come on, people are paying $25+ for these movies, they least they could do is put a nice picture on the disc. 7/10

Special Features:
Coraline comes packed with a bunch of special features all on a single dual-layer Blu-ray disc. However, the second disc is a standard dual-layer DVD containing two digital copies of the movie (one for iTunes/iPod and another for WMP) and the 2D version of the movie. This comes in handy for parents who don't want their kids to ruin the Blu-ray version of the movie. They can simply let their kids take the DVD to their rooms without worrying. The Blu-ray disc comes with commentary, a bunch of interviews, and a bunch of "behind the scenes" features. The best feature that the Blu-ray disc comes with is a 3D version of the film. As previously stated, this release comes with four cardboard 3D glasses. They use translucent sheets of plastic just like those older 3D glasses. However, one lens is red with another one being blue. This allows for greater color to come through the glasses and for a more accurate 3D representation. 10/10

Video Quality:
The 2D version of Coraline is crystal clear and even expresses some depth (it is 3D-like). Colors are accurate and the master shows off every detail and flaw of the stop motion characters. This is easily one of the highest quality video releases on the market. I would put it right up there with Pixar CGI animated movies in terms of clarity. The real star here is the 3D version of the movie. The colors are a little washed away (due to the nature of the 3D technology being used) but that doesn't take away from the experience. This is a 3D release that actually works. My TV felt like a carved out box with the characters acting out the scenes inside. The opening sequence really shows off the 3D technology. There is one scene where a needle is being threaded through a button hole. The needle come right out of the screen and I felt like it was right in my face. The viewing experience was only further enhanced by watching it on my 1080p digital projector. I literally felt like I could reach out and grab the needle. This is my first 3D Blu-ray purchase. I will likely buy more so long as they use this red-green technology since it actually works. 10/10

Audio Quality:
This is a center speaker heavy release as it contains a bunch of dialog. The other channels are really only used during scenes with music. Still, the audio was crystal clear and well balanced. I didn't have to turn up my system every time a character spoke and I didn't have to turn it down whenever music played (unlike Watchmen). I would give this a perfect score had the other audio channels been used more. 9/10

Final Verdict:
People of all ages can appreciate this movie. I doubt it will have the following that The Nightmare Before Christ has but that is alright. I want to punch every Hot Topic tween in the face whenever I see them wearing Jack Skelington shirts, hoodies, and beanies (especially down here since those tweens will wear beanies in 100 degree weather). It is a movie that deals with a common subject yet still gives an original experience. This is easily one of the best looking Blu-ray movies on the market and the 3D version is actually 3D. Coraline is a popcorn and soda movie mixed with a touch of red wine. It is definitely a movie that the whole family can watch. 9/10

How To Get This Movie On Your Netbook:
Coraline was released on single-disc DVD, special edition two-disc DVD, two-disc Blu-ray (one Blu-ray disc and one DVD), and is available through legal services such as the iTunes Store and Amazon Unbox service. The two-disc releases all came with a free digital copy that can be redeemed for iTunes/iPod users as well as a Windows Media Player compatible version. So no need to buy the movie again if you purchased the special editions.

TIN man, both of the movies you have reviewed come with included iPod size files. This is the same size file I use on my netbook. Can you just copy it from whatever you use to play blu-ray over to your netbook (with whatever are the proper connections) and play it with VLC? Does this included file have any type of DRM or activation fee? Can you move it into iTunes and onto an iPod - if you have one? Are there any limits to the number of times the file may be used, played or moved?

[ThisIsNot]

Each file can be "downloaded" only once and played back on up to 5 activated computers an unlimited number of times. Basically, you pop in the DVD, enter the code, and iTunes will copy the movie off of the bonus DVD. It will then download the DRM and apply it once the download is finished. The movie can be played back only by iTunes or QuickTime on an activated computer, no VLC support whatsoever.

Additionally, you can sync the video to an unlimited number of iPods. You can have 39857938475 video capable iPods all piled up and you can sync these "digital copy" movies to every single one of them. The movie can be played back an unlimited number of times and you can move it around all you want. The DRM will prevent you from playing it back on anything other than Apple hardware (iPods, iPhones) and Apple software (iTunes, QuickTime).

It sucks but you shouldn't have any issues playing these movies even on an Atom N270-GMA 950 netbook with 1GB of RAM. I like these digital copies as there are many times when I want to watch a movie on my iPod or on my netbook but don't feel like breaking the law. I just wish that they offered an HD version of the movie as a digital file. The 480p videos look nice and all (especially on a netbook LCD panel) but, with the advent of HD capable netbooks, I would like at least a 720p digital copy to play around with.

Isn't that iTunes DRM so clever? Steve Jobs bad mouths Blu-Ray at the conferences, doesn't offer it on Macs and then locks his iTunes on the disc.

Even though I've stopped buying Apple, I don't want to get into de-DRM talk on the forum. What happens at home, stays at home.

I go to the theater once a year for a movie. I'm not good with movies.

For one thing, my cable feed pushes a variety of languages plus my two satellite dishes bring in programs from their country of origin language. I get German, Russian, Spanish, French, Korean, Chinese, Japanese and once in a while English. I even get broadcasts from Mongolia. My wife channel surfs the news when there is a big story so we get multi-national perspectives. Sometimes I just tune it all out and run life movies in my head.

For another thing, I am too aware of lighting in a movie. I can tell set lighting at a glance and what camera placement is trying to do. I lose track of the story. Like the Watchmen special effects. I watched some of it online (while I was drinking tea) trying to figure out what it was trying to get me to see. Instead of the unbelievable, I prefer new ways of seeing reality.

Your reviews show a lot about you as a person. Keep up the good work. Looks like you are going to be around for awhile and a major player on this forum. It's good to know about you. Excellence is always appreciated.

Originally Posted by ThisIsNot

Each file can be "downloaded" only once and played back on up to 5 activated computers an unlimited number of times. Basically, you pop in the DVD, enter the code, and iTunes will copy the movie off of the bonus DVD. It will then download the DRM and apply it once the download is finished. The movie can be played back only by iTunes or QuickTime on an activated computer, no VLC support whatsoever.

[ericinboston]

I also do not want to get into the DRM topic as it has been discussed for billions of man hours yet the world is still where it is.

Me? I have owned a dvd player since the mid 90's and use a Sony PS3 for my bluray.

I have hundreds of dvds that I have purchased or received as gifts and they all still look and sound awesome on my hidef tv and surround sound system.

I own about 10 blu ray titles and have to say that although technically the BR format can hold much more data, I'm not impressed enough to go dump my entire dvd collection for $27 BR titles (of which many of mine don't exist). And I can easily backup/copy my existing dvds...I'm not about to reinvent that wheel either (which costs more money for computer BR burners, media, software, etc).

I am a techie...and I know very FEW people that have BR players because of a lot of reasons (economy, lack of titles, price of titles, price of player, lack of advantages over the dvd format, many movies (like comedies) don't require super duper killer hi-def specs, etc,). I have a feeling that BR is going to be another Sony Minidisc...nice idea, but just not enough reasons to convince the masses to make a total switch combined with high prices and consumer confusion.

-Eric

[ThisIsNot]

Alright, I am going to review the first season of True Blood on Blu-ray.



The Show:
For those that don't know, True Blood has become a smash hit for HBO. It is a show that follows Sookie Stackhouse, a character who lives in a supernatural world. Vampires have come out of the "closet" and are living open lives after a Japanese company invented an artificial blood drink called Tru Blood. I won't give away any spoilers but the show is filled with all sorts of supernatural elements. Be warned though, this is not that family friendly material. The show is rated TV MA and it has many scenes involving "foul" language, lots of blood, sex, and nudity. This is everything that Twilight isn't. I will be honest here, I hated the Twilight movie and wish that the book series would die off already. Vampires should not sparkle in the sunlight, they should not be Disney caricatures, and they should not act like 12 year old tweens. Vampires should drink blood, be violent, and have lots of sex. That is exactly what True Blood shows us. The show is filled with many corny elements as well but that makes the show. 10/10

Packaging:
HBO tends to be hit or miss with their packaging. For example, Band Of Brothers features excellent packaging while Big Love is generic. True Blood is kind of in between. It has a small cardboard slipcase followed by a thicker cardboard slipcase that houses another cardboard and plastic case for all of the Blu-ray discs. The artwork on the thicker slipcase and the inner disc case is pretty good. It isn't perfect but I have seen a lot worse. 9/10

Special Features:
Surprisingly, there aren't very many special features. There are a couple of features, some picture-in-picture commentaries, and other audio commentaries. That is pretty much it. I was expecting the final disc to have hours upon hours of special features, that wasn't the case and I am a little disappointed. HBO/Warner Bros. should have done a better job for one of their most successful shows (it beat out The Sopranos in terms viewers). 5/10

Video Quality:
This show looks great. HBO broadcasts it in HD so the video quality was already great. The Blu-ray release improves on that even further by allowing us to see every detail of the show. There is also a fine layer of grain over each episode. However, the director/cinematographer like to play with the grain. Some scenes will come across with nearly a speck while others are use heavy amounts of grain. They do this to play with out emotions. Still, this show looks great and is easily one of the best looking shows out there. 10/10

Audio Quality:
The show relies heavily on the center speaker since it is mainly dialog driven. Some musical elements come through the back speakers but there isn't much else. The audio comes in clear and it is well balanced. I never had to turn my system up during the dialog scenes only to turn it back down when music came on. The main title song is also catchy and is crystal clear on the Blu-ray release. 10/10

Final Verdict:
I have decided to king of alter my final verdict. I will now add one of three options: buy it, rent it, or pass. True Blood is a must buy, there is no way around that. The show is unique and gives us a view of true vampires that aren't afraid of being confined by a PG-13 rating. Go buy it now! Even on DVD, I give this a highly recommended rating. Granted, some people may not like the thick layer of cheese and this definitely isn't family friendly material. Older, more mature audiences should take this as a welcome change to the sparkly vampires that have become famous. Amazon.com currently sells the DVD edition for $38 and the Blu-ray version for $46. This is easily worth those low prices ($46 is actually pretty low for a complete season of a TV series). 10/10

Edit: I forgot to mention that this TV series goes good with popcorn, beer, and a little chardonnay or a nice merlot. On a side note, there will be a real Tru Blood drink coming next month. It is basically orange soda but they are making it with blood oranges instead of typical oranges. This means that it will look like the synthetic blood drink on the show though it won't be as thick. You can purchase a 4-pack from HBO.com for $16 and a 24-pack for a staggering $96. Some stores are going to sell it but that list hasn't been revealed. I plan on watching the season finale on September 13th while drinking Tru Blood and wearing a t-shirt that says "Sookie Is Mine." Yes, I am officially a True Blood fanboy.

How To Get This Show On Your Netbook:
True Blood was released on DVD and Blu-ray without digital copy bonuses. You can either rip all the DVDs to your netbook or purchase them through the iTunes Store. I believe that the iTunes Store is the only way to download digital copies of these movies.

Originally Posted by ThisIsNot

Edit: I forgot to mention that this TV series goes good with popcorn, beer, and a little chardonnay or a nice merlot. On a side note, there will be a real Tru Blood drink coming next month. It is basically orange soda but they are making it with blood oranges instead of typical oranges.

I saw your review when it was first posted so I downloaded some from online. That is one serious style/topic movie. Looks like they needed peyote to make it and we need peyote to watch it. I don't think I could eat while watching it nor sleep after watching it.

Your reviews are introducing me to a new world of home viewing. Thanks for that but do you have any comedy? Or is True Blood comedy to you?

[ThisIsNot]

I watch comedies all the time. I haven't purchased a comedy is quite a bit of time though, the next one that I plan on getting is The Hangover. That is about it. One of the last comedies that I purchased was Superbad, that tells you how long ago that was. Most comedies just don't interest me. I can't get into PG-13 rated comedies at all.

Also, True Blood has many comedic elements to it. The first season has some really subtle moments and the second season is a bit more out there.