DISC JUST IN for 6/16/09

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Here's a look at the latest DVD and Blu-ray Disc releases:

BLU-RAY MOVIES:
The Cell 2 (Warner)
The Diary of Anne Frank (Fox)
Dr. Strangelove (Sony)
Fracture (Warner/New Line)
Friday the 13th (2009) (Warner)
Friday the 13th: Part 2 (Paramount)
Friday the 13th: Part 3 3-D (Paramount)
Ghostbusters (Sony)
The Greatest Game Ever Played (Disney)
Kickboxer (Lionsgate)
Miracle (Disney)
Morning Light (Disney)
No way Back (Sony)
The Seventh Seal (Criterion)
Spaceballs (MGM)
Striking Distance (Sony)
Sword of the Stranger (Bandai)

DVD MOVIES:
Bergman Island (Criterion)
The Cell 2 (Warner)
The Diary of Anne Frank (Fox)
Forbidden Games (Criterion)
Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (Paramount)
Friday the 13th: Part V (Paramount)
Friday the 13th: Part VI (Paramount)
Friday the 13th (2009) (Warner)
Hydra (First Look)
Jesse Stone: Thin Ice (Sony)
Morning Light (Disney)
The Seventh Seal (Criterion)
The Strange One (Sony)
Tyler Perry's Madea Goes to Jail (Lionsgate)
What Goes Up (Sony)
What's Up, Tiger Lily? (Image)

TV-on-DISC:
Burn Notice: Season 2 (BD) (Fox)
Family Guy: Vol. 7 (Fox)
Generation Kill (BD) (HBO)
John Adams (BD) (HBO)
Lost: Season 1 (BD) (Disney)
Lost: Season 2 (BD) (Disney)
saving Grace: Season 2 (Fox)
Secret Life of the American Teenager: Season 2 (Disney)
Transformers: Season 1 (Shout! Factory)

HIGHLIGHTS:

Friday the 13th – With Warner's recent remake and Paramount's vintage Parts 2 and 3 now on Blu-ray Disc, it'a a great time to be a fan of Camp Crystal Lake's most notorious hockey player. Paramount's Part 3 includes both the 2D and 3D versions of the film and includes a pair of snazzy glasses to boot.

Fracture - This is one of those great little movies that people tend to skip in the theater and only discover on DVD or cable. As luck would have it, Warner has brought the Anthony Hopkins/Ryan Gosling film to Blu-ray and it's been given quite a handsome presentation. Do check it out.

Ghostbusters - “Ray, when someone asks you if you're a god, you say YES!” At long last, Sony brings the sci-fi comedy classic to Blu-ray. Although not a total home run in the picture department, this 1080p transfer is definitely an improvement over that of my aging DVD. Extras are numerous and include a handful of BD-exclusive featurettes presented in HD. You also get online features such as “Cinechat” which enables you to view the film while chatting with connected friends.

The Greatest Game Ever Played – Contrary to what you may have heard, Shia LaBeouf does play with things other than giant robots and Megan Fox; he's also pretty handy with a golf club. Disney gives this underrated underdog flick a superb 1080p transfer and a handful of extras including an audio commentary with director Bill Paxton (Twister).

Kickboxer - Before he was “JCVD,” Jean-Claude Van Damme was just Jean-Claude Van Damme. And a Jean-Claude Van Damme movie typically meant corny acting, slow-motion spin kicks and several cans of whoop ass.  Exhibit A:  this bare knuckle bruiser from Lionsgate.

Miracle - The story of the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team is a great one and deserving of an equally great film. As luck would have it, Disney's Miracle is more than up to the task, thanks in large part to Kurt Russell's convincing portrayal of famed coach Herb Russell. And, like so many other Disney high def releases, Miracle looks and sounds fantastic on Blu-ray.

Morning Light – Another Disney sports flick, Morning Light is a documentary-style film following the true adventures of the fifteen sailors aboard the Morning Light during the grueling Transpac Yacht Race. A mix of film formats makes this one tough to evaluate but the obviously high def footage looks mighty fine.

The Seventh Seal - Criterion continues to raise the bar for what a Blu-ray Disc can and should be. Their latest offering is Ingmar Bergman's landmark import starring Max von Sydow as a knight who engages in a game of chess with none other than Death. The Blu-ray features a fully restored picture with uncompressed mono sound and numerous extras including a 1998 Woody Allen tribute to Bergman and a 2003 introduction to the film by Bergman himself.

Spaceballs - Mel Brooks has created timeless classics in Blazing Saddles, Young Frankenstein, The Producers and History of the World: Part I. Yet despite all of that, it's the sight of Brooks' President Skroob, head on backwards, scratching his “frontside” that always leaps to mind whenever I think of the comedic genius. Go figure. And seriously, how can you not laugh at a bespectacled Rick Moranis beneath a Darth Vader helmet? Blu-ray? Yes please!

Striking Distance – This Bruce Willis/Sarah Jessica Parker thriller may feel like a Cinemax late night movie, but it does have one thing going for it. It has one of the most memorable movie songs of all time in “Li'l Red Riding Hood” by sam the Sham & the Pharaohs. This Blu-ray from Sony has nada in the way of extras save BD Live for online access to trailers, etc.

Greg’s Pick of the Week:

Dr. Strangelove
Or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (Blu-ray)
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment | Rated PG | 95 mins | $38.96

Peter sellers, Peter Sellers and Peter Sellers star in one of Stanley Kubrick's finest – and funniest – cinematic achievements. Celebrating its 45th anniversary, Sony has pulled out all the stops with this one. In addition to making this their first “DigiBook” edition with a 32-page booklet, Sony has also cooked up a new BD-exclusive picture-in-picture track entitled “The Cold War.” This track is expertly-executed and a must watch for any fan of the film.  And most importantly, Sony's newly-restored 1080p transfer makes this black and white beauty look better than ever. Highly recommended.

EVALUATION SYSTEM:
Epson PowerLite Home Cinema 1080 projector
Carada Masquerade screen system (92″)
Panasonic DMP-BD35 Blu-ray Disc player
Oppo DV-983H DVD player
Onkyo TX-SR805 A/V receiver
Noble Fidelity L-55 LCRS speakers
Datacolor SpyderTV PRO 2007 video calibration
Monster Power HTS5100 power center
BetterCables interconnects
UltraLink speaker wire