Tagged: DVD

20th Century Fox Announces 75th Anniversary Video Releases

  • News
  • April 18, 2010

Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment has kicked off a 12-month marketing, promotions, publicity and media campaign to honor and promote the studio’s legacy and library. The celebration will include the release of more than 300 films on Blu-ray Disc and DVD, showcasing a remarkable, rich and unparalleled heritage of great movies, Academy Award®-winners and box office smashes featuring a cast of the greatest movie stars and directors from yesterday and today.

Fox’s year-long celebration will include extensive catalog releases of more than 300 of the studio’s most notable films on Blu-ray Disc and DVD and will be supported by event publicity campaigns, national advertising, retail and account specific promotions, internal and studio driven special events and limited-edition gift with purchase promotions.

The studio has launched a dedicated Web site that will feature information about upcoming Blu-ray Disc and DVD products, theatrical releases and national and local events and promotions tied to the 75th Anniversary campaign.

The website provides consumers with a chance to win a prize daily from Fox Home Entertainment. Prizes include a chance to instantly win $75,000 or a special limited edition poster, Blu-ray Disc or DVD.

PRODUCT HIGHLIGHTS

Fox Home Entertainment will release a selection of seasonally timed singles, double and triple features and classic quads on DVD representing some of Fox’s most recognizable films. Each product includes a gift with purchase offer to redeem a limited edition 75th anniversary commemorative movie poster. Each poster features a globally recognized and iconic film image from Fox’s 75 years of glamour, dynamic duos, rebels, cult classics, screams, sci-fi and music.

The first product wave representing critically acclaimed films timed to awards season is available in stores now. (more…)

Review: ‘Merlin Season One’ on DVD

When the BBC series [[[Merlin]]] debuted two years ago, it was quickly described as a British version of [[[Smallville]]], that is a reimagining of the classic tale skewed towards teen characters for a more mass audience.

The difference, though, is that when Smallville debuted nine seasons ago, it was one of the sharpest written series on the air. The messages conveyed through dialogue, the foreshadowing, and rich experience of watching Clark Kent master his powers was slowly revealed.

Merlin, which aired in America on NBC last summer and returns this summer on SyFy, has had poor writing and lazy character development. The first season is released as a five disc DVD set on Tuesday and you can decide for yourself how palatable this look at the Arthurian legend is.

Rather than a Merlin who ages backward, this teen is a bit of a doofus, prone to gaffes but is a loyal and steadfast friend to the court. At a time when Uther Pendragon has forbidden the use of magic, Merlin comes to the court to train under Gaius, the King’s physician. As a result, every episode involves him using magic at great risk, and every episode has him learning some valuable lesson.

To be kind, the series has been very liberal in its interpretation of the characters with most being recognizable in name only. In addition to goofus Merlin, there’s gallant Arthur (Bradley James), the apple of Uther’s eye and being trained to succeed the king. He’s a callow youth only now beginning to understand the gravity of his destiny thanks to Merlin. Then there’s Guinevere (Angel Coulby), a peasant’s daughter and handmaiden to Morgana (Katie McGrath), a ward of the king and herself trying to comprehend the magic growing within her. Of course, Merlin likes Gwen, Gwen likes Arthur and Arthur likes himself. It’s complicated.

In addition to Gaius (Richard Wilson) being new to the story, there’s the chained dragon Kilgharrah, who seems to know Merlin’s destiny and provides counsel. Often, Merlin ignores it and makes the dragon, voiced by John Hurt, cry mournfully.

These thirteen episodes are largely repetitive as one or another gets into trouble, the others rally to his/her defense, Merlin does good but often pays for it in comical ways. There’s very little in the way of true danger or variety making the season a tedious one. Word is, the second season is far stronger, but they’re already lost me.

The cast, headed by Colin Morgan, is an attractive one and several guest stars could have enriched the show, starting with Michelle Ryan’s witch Nimueh. No doubt they’d all be more interesting to watch if they had good storylines or dialogue. Anthony Stewart Head is wasted as Uther, given a largely one-dimension bastard of a character to play. When his reasons for banning magic are revealed, it makes sense, but makes us sympathize with him no more.

All the tropes from [[[Excalibur]]] to [[[Mordred]]] are present, foreshadowing the legendary times ahead, all adapted in vaguely recognizable ways.

The episodes are accompanied by two making-of featurettes adding up to over an hour of information on the cast and the production. A 16 minute featurette also explores the episode focusing on the Black Knight in addition to a photo gallery, wallpapers, and a set of video diaries which are mildly amusing.

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Review: ‘The Thomas Crown Affair’

rsz-thomas-crown-8420147Forget about whether or not this is a good remake of the beloved Steve McQueen. This is a smart, stylish drama that treats its characters like adults as it also respects its audience. The Thomas Crown Affair was released in 1999 and remains one of Pierce Brosnan’s most popular films because of his nuanced interpretation of Crown, a wealthy businessman who steals because the challenge keeps him alive.

When he steals from an art museum, insurance investigator Catherine Banning (Rene Russo) assists Detective Michael McCann (Denis Leary) in the investigation. Banning, an American based in Europe, pretty quickly targets Crown as her man. As she lays her sexy trap, we see them toy with one another, leading to a sexually charged sequence that continues to smolder on the Blu-ray release, out this week from MGM Home Entertainment.

The film is based on the 1968 McQueen box office hit which had Crown portrayed as a bank robber, committing two crimes before the story reached its climax.  The film’s original downbeat ending was tweaked for something more satisfying as you find yourselves rooting for Brosnan and Russo. Faye Dunaway, McQueen’s love interest, returns as Brosnan’s psychiatrist for a handful of scenes that don’t really move things along. In fact, we never really get into Crown’s head; never really get to understand why he needs to break the law to feel alive. Nor do we understand why he never married or had family, great challenges themselves.

Still, the film has interesting twists and while the stakes are high. No one is dead serious, they allow themselves to live and even be humorous.

The climax, as Brosnan honors his commitment to restore the painting without being caught, remains a delight to watch again.

Brosnan’s suave demeanor made him perfect for the remake but he held out for director John McTiernan to come aboard and make sure this was done right. The director insisted on numerous story changes, distancing itself further from the original and keeping it more in line with modern day sensibilities.

No one was happy with the video transfer when the DVD was initially released and people were leery of the Blu-ray’s release given MGM’s spotty reputation. The good news is that this is a superior image compared to the DVD. Not the sharpest Blu-ray release, but certainly an improvement. Additionally, Bill Conti’s excellent score and soundtrack sounds fabulous. Even his choice of songs, such as Nina Simone’s “Sinnerman” shows a decision to appeal to the older viewers, rather than filling it with soft rock or pop numbers. The soundtrack stands out on its own.

Oddly, the only extra is McTiernan’s 1999 commentary, which can be found on the Standard DVD disc. Yes, this is released in the combo pack so Blu-ray, standard and digital discs for a reasonable price of $24.95.

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Review: ‘Adam’ on DVD

It used to be, actors could stretch by performing “ugly”, burying themselves under layers of makeup or by playing disadvantaged people such as Dustin Hoffman’s [[[Rain Man]]] or Larry Drake’s Benny on LA Law. The current favorite seems to be playing people with Asperger syndrome as popularized with Christian Clemson’s award winning work on [[[Boston Legal]]]. As with anything on a David E. Kelly series, the portrayal tended to be over-the-top or poignant and rarely anything in between.

A more authentic performance can be found on Adam
, a small movie you probably overlooked last year. 20th Century Fox released the movie in the fall and the DVD is being released Tuesday. The film stars Hugh Dancy ([[[Beyond the Gates]]]) as the title character and Rose Byrne ([[[Damages]]]) plays his neighbor. The movie won the Alfred P. Sloan Feature Film Prize at Sundance and is well worth a look.

The disorder is considered by many to be some form of high functioning autism but it means the person has difficulty “reading” people and is prone to repetitive patterns of behavior. Adam has been cared for by his father since his mother died when he was eight, but the film opens at his father’s funeral. Left alone, the only one seeming to look out for him is Harlan ([[[The Wire’s]]] Frankie Faison), Adam’s dad’s war buddy. Without him, Adam is the kind of person who would fall through the cracks in society’s safety net. While capable, Adam still doesn’t fit in well with others so he loses his job at a toy company and is left adrift.

During this time, he meets his new neighbor, Beth, a budding children’s author and school teacher. She thinks he’s cute and just a little weird, but he also opens her eyes to the wonders of the world, beginning with a tour of the universe starting with the Big Bang. When she learns of his condition, rather than be repulsed, she reads up on it and a romance begins.

While Adam struggles to find a new job and adjust to Beth being a part of his life, she is tormented by her father (Peter Gallagher) being tried for fraud, shattering her rock steady belief in him. When she needs Adam the most, he is incapable of giving her the emotional support she craves.

The film was shot in 28 days and the chemistry between Dancy and Byrne helps make the movie work. Both give solid performances and Dancy of course, shines by making Adam sympathetic and real. The movie was written and directed by Max Mayer, who ComicMix readers know from Alias
and he clearly has affection for these people but wisely avoids predictable moments, including the ending.

The movie is accompanied by a fine commentary track and the original Sundance ending among the bonuses. Five deleted or alternate scenes are included, complete with Mayer’s commentary. Of them, we see that Faison’s Harlan was trimmed from a more substantial part and it’s a shame since he helps keep things warm. Fox Movie Channel also ran a nine minute piece where the Australian-born Byrne talks about the acting craft with three college students.

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Review: ‘Robin Hood: Season Three’ on DVD

BBC’s retelling of the [[[Robin Hood]]] legend began in 2006 and quietly ended in 2009, never quite living up to the hype and expectations. The series was incredibly anachronistic and its budgetary limitations were clearly evident throughout its 36 episodes. When the series was good, it was highly entertaining and when it was less good, it was tolerable.

BBC Video has just released the third season on DVD in the states so if you missed it on BBC America, here’s your chance to see for yourself how it all wrapped up.

The series began teetering during its second season, especially when Lucy Griffiths chose to leave the show and they killed Maid Marian, making for a major departure from the legend. Then we heard that Robin himself, Jonas Armstrong, announced he was leaving after the third season. As a result, we began hearing them all chant “We are Robin Hood”, setting up the expectations that once Armstrong left, the Merrie Men would carry on, keeping his spirit (and the series) alive. The BBC went so far as to announce a producer had been asking for a fourth season revamp but the third season ratings changed their minds.

We open the third season with Robin and company returning from the Holy Land where Marian was buried. He’s still smoldering with hatred, wishing nothing more than to gain revenge against Gisborne (Richard Armitage) for his love’s murder. And here’s the problem, for two seasons now, Robin, Gisborne, and the Sheriff (Keith Allen) have all had one opportunity or another to dispatch the other, ending the misery. In every case, they back off or get thwarted and by episode 27, it’s gotten very tiresome. Similarly, I’ve lost track of the number of times the villagers have thought ill of Robin and the men when they know better. Then there are the anachronisms in dialogue to appeal to modern day viewers.

On the other hand, this season set up several threads that at least provided a more interesting spine to stir things up than the second season did. The arrival of Friar Tuck (David Harewood) and Gisborne being sent away to explain his failures to Prince John in person start things off nicely. The return of the Sheriff’s sister, Isabella (Lara Pulver) and seeing her replace her brother changed things up nicely. On the other hand, the later revelation that Gisborne and Robin shared a heretofore unknown half-brother, Archer (Clive Standen), doesn’t do anything but shift the focus away from the regulars.

And that’s been a consistent problem along with the earlier issue over the enmity between our hero and the Sheriff. The Merrie Men (Alan, John, and Much) have been ill-served with little time spent on their characters. They fight, get captured, get freed, argue, and bring supplies to the townsfolk. We never circle back to John’s wife and son or learn more about the others. The writers and producers certainly did these three actors (Joe Armstrong, Gordon Kennedy, and Sam Troughton respectively) a disservice. Also, the fun byplay between Robin and Sheriff from previous years is all but missing. If anything, the actor to really shine throughout the three seasons is Armitage who has been conflicted between his upbringing, his loyalty to the crown and the Sheriff, and the unrequited love for Marian.

The show builds up to a major climax, bigger than the previous seasons and actually adds a punctuation mark that nicely brings down the curtain on the series.

The five disc set comes with A Legend Reborn a self-congratulatory behind-the scenes featurette, A New Look (a nice piece on the costuming), a piece on the Trebuchet: Creating Chaos and video diaries that are mildly entertaining.

As this entertaining but less than satisfying series ends, we can turn our attentions to yet another look at the legend with the big budget Ridley Scott/Russell Crowe feature this spring.

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2010 home entertainment preview: not what you will be watching but how

The future for home video in 2010 is taking shape
and as 2009 winds down, ComicMix, like everyone else, is looking ahead. The VHS
tape is gone, replaced by DVD and that too is now quickly getting replaced by
the Blu-ray. The Digital Entertainment Group says Blu-ray Disc set-top player
sales grew 112 percent over the same period last year. Blu-ray devices are at
the top of many consumers’ holiday wish lists this year are projected to be in
15 million U.S. homes by the end of this year.

With players now as cheap as $150, the penetration rate is
skyrocketing and the studios are cognizant of this. They also know that people
are reluctant to pay more for Blu-ray discs to replace their standard DVDs so
these new discs are coming in fancier packages and with lots of extras.

One of the key differences between standard DVD and Blu-ray
is that the BD Live function allows studios to continue offering fresh content
even after the disc goes on sale. McG, for example, did a live screening of Terminator Salvation with questions from viewers. As more filmmakers figure out
how to gain maximum mileage from this direct communications, it will keep the
Blu-ray more vital.

Over the past year, Walt Disney has been collecting their
films in two and three packs. Like most studios these days, you get the DVD and
a digital copy presuming you wish to download the film to watch on your device
of choice. Disney then added the Blu-ray, DVD, and digital disc to form the
mega set, so there’s just one version to sell to one and all – of course,
up-priced so the profits are fatter.

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Review: ‘Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince’ on DVD

A series of films based on a wildly popular series of books walks the tricky line between total fidelity to appease the fans and making the hard choices to create a successful movie-going experience. The vast majority of your audience, the filmmakers presume, have read the source material and/or seen the previous films in the series, so can take for granted that much of the backstory is understood, negating the need for extensive crawls, flashbacks, or expository scenes.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince was released to its eager audience in 2005, but moviegoers had to wait four years before the film version was released. This film opened two years after the last film so the trick for director David Yates was in knowing how much needed refreshing for the audience. After all, some of us read the book only once; others may only know the film version. The movie, now available on DVD from Warner Home Video, makes a large number of alterations from the book and also fails to properly place the film in context; Yates expects too much recall from his audience. As a result, the brewing war between the forces of good and Lord Voldemort isn’t as front and center as it should be and his agents of darkness are barely named let alone given anything to do.

Similarly, Yates short-changes the supporting cast as Maggie Smith’s McGonagall and Robbie Coltrane’s Hagrid, for example, are little better than window dressing. He chose, instead, to focus on the teen heartthrob storyline showing the raging hormones now coursing through our heroes’ veins. The relationship between Harry and the poor, doomed Dumbledore, is the second storyline and intertwined they’re good stories, but lacks the full scale and spectacle of the book or previous films. An underdeveloped third thread is the evolution of Draco Malfoy, now a Death-Eater and he fumes his way through the film, feeling too important to remain at Hogwarts but assigned there and when called to deliver the killing blow to the wizard, finds himself conflicted. In many ways the relationship between Draco and Snape and that of Harry and Prof. Slughorn should have been the counterpoints to the film but its an opportunity missed.

The one thing he does get right is the look and feel of impending doom. Each book got more sophisticated in its plotting and characterization, reflecting the maturation of the Hogwarts students, while also growing more malevolent in tone. This film is bleaker looking than the previous quintet, the colors muted and washed out – even joyous scenes such as the Quidditch match, are somber in appearance. You just know things are not right.

Since the move opened this summer, there has been much complaining about liberties taken and favorite scenes removed. It’s been the most grumbling since the series began and as each book has grown in size, adapting the tale for the screen has proven troubling.  While the final book is being split into two films and released relatively close together, one wonders if the same should not have been done here, and treat the films as more of a linked miniseries, which seemed to work, after all for [[[Lord of the Rings]]].

The film can be purchased for home viewing in a variety of formats from a standard single-disc DVD with no extras, to a 2-Disc Digital Copy Special Edition which offers up a bunch of extras made largely for its younger audience and not fans of filmmaking. There are six and a half minutes of additional scenes, none of which would have changed the comments above. You can then enjoy the nearly thirty minute Close-Up with the Cast and Crew of Harry Potter special, which is a light look at a day on the set. Better is the 50 minute-long J.K. Rowling: A Year in the Life, which gives the series creator her due. Other extras are playful ones with the cast and an unnecessarily long look at Universal’s “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter”.

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Review: ‘Robot Chicken Season 4’ on DVD

robot-chicken-s41-9662355I don’t know how I missed [[[Robot Chicken]]] when it debuted several years back. I heard the buzz, I saw the ads in the comics and still, I somehow never got around to watching. When the Cartoon Network sent over their second [[[Star Wars Special]]] for review, I finally indulged and was delighted.

Now, they sent over the two-disc set collecting the complete fourth season, which goes on sale Tuesday, and watched with great delight. The season, which ran from December 7, 2008 through December 6 (last week!), has 20 episodes and the set also includes [[[The Robot Chicken Full-Assed Christmas Special]]].

The show is a riotous tour through the pop culture zeitgeist, presuming the viewers know the players from Tila Tequila to the torturous relationship between Thor and Loki. Many of the episodes are loosely connected vignettes while others feel entirely like a collection of whatever was finished in time got included. When handling a single theme, such as Christmas or [[[[Star Wars]]], they manage to make that work as well, with a broad array of talents coming together to keep things loose and very, very funny.

To me, many of the funniest bits shows the before or after events from favorite scenes such as the natives building the temple deathtraps we saw Indiana Jones avoid in [[[Raiders of the Lost Ark]]] or the day in the life of Jason Voorhees.

Seth Green and Matthew Senreich have certainly developed an eclectic following which has allowed them to bring onboard writers and performers to work with them. In fact, one of the best Video Blogs included in the Extras shows the range of actors who come in and let loose. I can’t decide who was having more fun, Billy Dee Williams or Katee Sackhoff. Among the writers to contribute, beyond the usual suspects from previous seasons is comic book darling Geoff Johns.

Back during [[[Star Trek]]]’s 20th Anniversary, there was talk of an Opera which was partially written before wiser heads canceled the project. But, thanks to one bit, we have a good idea of what it would have sounded like. The hysterical [[[Star Trek II: The Opera]]] is one of the highlights.

No, not every bit works and some episodes feel wildly uneven, but in
each episode I find myself laughing out loud at the absurd
juxtaposition of elements or seeing revered icons poke fun at
themselves.

No one and nothing is sacred to these creators so[[[ Babar]]], [[[Hannah Montana]]], [[[James Bond]]] and just about everyone else you’ve grown up with is fair game. The DVD presents the episodes without censorship so there’s additional graphic violence, nudity and many instances of foul language.

In addition to the 21 episodes, there are Chicken Nuggets (the creators offer commentary), appearances at 2008’s Comic-Con International and 2009’s New York Comic-Con plus when the team promoted the show across Australia. There are way-too-brief Day in the Life glimpses at the many talented technicians who take the wacky scripts and bring them to life. There are a handful of deleted scenes with introductory material to explain how anything manages to get cut plus deleted animatics, early tests showing how a script might look. If you like, the show, these Extras continue the entertainment and are commended to your attention.

‘Terminator Salvation’ Ducati and DVD giveaway

  • News
  • December 5, 2009

The real winner of the summer movie sweepstakes may well be motorcycle manufacturer Ducati, which managed to have their sleek cycles appear in two of the box office behemoths: Terminator Salvation and Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. In the latter, the Hypermotard merged with two other cycles to create the female Autobot Arcee.

In Terminator, the DVD of which went on sale this week, the film featured a Moto-Terminator, inspired by the Ducati Hypermotard 1100 bike. To celebrate this fact, Ducati, Warner Bros. and ESPN have teamed up to offer a contest, ending today. The winner receives a 2010 Ducati Hypermotard 796 Motorcycle, worth a cool $10,340.

To learn more about the cycle and how it was turned into a Terminator, check out the featurette on the DVD.

What? You haven’t rushed out to get it yet? ComicMix can help. Warner Home Video has given us a standard format DVD to award to one of our fans.

Here’s the deal: like the ESPN contest, we’ll give you until Saturday, midnight Eastern time, to post a comment in this topic using your name and e-mail address. We will select a lucky winner at random who will have the DVD mailed out in time for holiday enjoyment.

Universal Announces ‘Flipper’ Format for Home Video

  • News
  • December 1, 2009

We think the following press release from Universal is pretty cool and could be a game changer for those quibbling about being forced to upgrade to Blu-ray.

Universal City, California, December 1, 2009 – In a move that is poised to elevate the Blu-ray™ Hi-Def format and provide consumers with the ultimate in convenience and viewing flexibility, Universal Studios Home Entertainment (USHE) announced the introduction of groundbreaking dual-format discs containing both Blu-ray™ Hi-Def and DVD versions of some of Hollywood’s most iconic films.  An industry first, the new “flipper” discs will launch on January 19, 2010 with the blockbuster superspy thrillers The Bourne Identity, The Bourne Supremacy and The Bourne Ultimatum, starring Matt Damon, premiering as individually packaged Blu-ray™ discs.

For the first time ever, consumers will have the ability to choose between Blu-ray™ and DVD formats, simply by flipping a single disc.  With complete utility in one convenient package, the revolutionary medium can be used on any DVD or Blu-ray™ compatible player, game platform or computer, making it ideal for anyone planning to upgrade to Blu-ray™ at a future date as well as current owners of both Blu-ray™ and DVD systems.  Each side of Universal’s flipper discs includes the entire movie as well as all available bonus features, with the Blu-ray™ side featuring exciting BD exclusives such as U-Control and BD-Live™.

“Universal’s flipper discs are the perfect way for consumers to future-proof their collections while still enjoying their favorite movies on all their existing DVD players,” said Craig Kornblau, President of Universal Studios Home Entertainment.  “The flipper disc offers an easy way for viewers to convert to Blu-ray now or at any time in the future, confident in the fact they will be able to experience their home entertainment purchases in the highest quality picture and sound when they do.”

The release will mark the first time the Bourne trilogy, one of the highest grossing action movie franchises in history, is available individually in Blu-ray’s™ renowned perfect picture and purest digital sound.  Each film is accompanied by an array of exciting bonus features that plunge viewers deeper in to the shadowy world of international espionage, including top-secret files, challenging strategy games,  fascinating filmmakers and actor profiles, commentary, deleted scenes and Universal’s renowned BD-Live™ functionality.

Riddled with deception, intrigue and high-octane thrills, each chapter of the globe-hopping search for Jason Bourne’s true identity raises the stakes another lethal notch as the undercover killer settles old scores and uncovers new secrets.  A commanding roster of acclaimed actors accompanies Damon on his quest, including Chris Cooper, Clive Owen, Brian Cox, Julia Stiles, Franka Potente, Joan Allen, David Strathairn and Albert Finney.

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