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Here’s a look at the latest DVD and Blu-ray Disc releases:
BLU-RAY DISC:
Baby on Board (National Entertainment Media)
Fatal Attraction (Paramount)
Fired Up (Sony)
Gran Torino (Warner)
Indecent Proposal (Paramount)
The International (Sony)
Predator 2 (Fox)
The Siege (Fox)
Time Warp: Season 1 (Image)
Woodstock: Director’s Cut (Warner)
DVD:
Baby on Board (National Entertainment Media)
Crossing Over (Weinstein/Genius)
Fired Up (Sony)
Gran Torino (Warner)
The International (Sony)
Jack Lemmon Film Collection (Sony)
Nobel Son (Fox)
Spinning Into Butter (Screen Media)
Strike (Anchor Bay)
Woodstock: Director’s Cut (Warner)
TV-on-DVD:
The Cleaner: Season 1 (Paramount)
Father Knows Best: Season 3 (Shout! Factory)
Get Smart: Season 3 (HBO)
Open All Hours: Complete Series (BBC/Warner)
Perry Mason: Season 4, Vol.1 (Paramount)
Reaper: Season 2 (Lionsgate)
The Shield: Season 7 (Fox)
Survivorman: Season 3 (Image)
Time Warp: Season 1 (Image)
Waiting for God: Season 4 (BBC/Warner)
Whose Line Is It Anyway: Best Of (Warner)
HIGHLIGHTS:
Fatal Attraction – Younger fans of this year’s Obsessed would do well to check out its inspiration, Adrian Lyne’s Fatal Attraction. Ali Larter can certainly fill out a silk teddy but no one does the psychotic, jilted lover routine better than Glenn Close. As catalog releases go, this Blu-ray from Paramount looks above average with a respectable assortment of SD featurettes and an HD trailer.
Fired Up – Or F.U. as the theatrical posters so eloquently put it. The latest high school sex comedy, Fired Up follows a pair of jocks as they skip football camp to instead spend their time with the ladies at cheerleader camp. Though hardly groundbreaking, I can watch and enjoy anything starring the delightfully-goofy John Michael Higgins (Best in Show). Sony’s Blu-ray looks particularly vibrant and well-detailed and is further helped by an assortment of extras, several of which are presented in HD.
Indecent Proposal – Paramount gives Adrian Lyne fans a double treat this week with their Blu-ray releases of both Fatal Attraction and Indecent Proposal. In lesser hands with an inferior cast, this could easily have been a Cinemax movie of the week. Instead, Robert Redford gives the film a healty dose of gravitas as a millionnaire who offers a financially-strapped David Murphy (Woody Harelson) and his wife Diana (Demi Moore) one million dollars for one, no-questions-asked night of romance with Diana; moral and fiscal dilemmas ensue. Proposal looks merely adequate in this 1080p presentation but it is a step up from what my DVD has offered until now. Extras are limited to a Lyne commentary track.
The International - Clive Owen and Naomi Watts wade hip-deep through big banking conspiracy in this intelligent and well-acted thriller from Sony. Although it’s not a film you’re apt to revisit often, this one’s worth a rental if only for the superb climactic shootout. And better yet, Sony’s Blu-ray is a stunner boasting exceptional 1080p video and a crisp, effective Dolby TrueHD mix.
Nobel Son – In a bizarre twist, this is the second recent film to star both Alan Rickman and the lovely Eliza Dushku (TV’s Dollhouse) – the first being the exsquisite and underrated Bottle Shock. Nobel Son offers a twisty, compelling story about a Nobel Prize winner (Rickman) and the opportunely-timed kidnapping of his son (Prime‘s Bryan Greenberg). Available only on DVD from Fox, this one’s definitely worth at least a rental.
Predator 2 – Gone are Ahnuld and the jungles of Central America. In their place we get Danny Glover, Gary Busey and downtown Los Angeles. No, it’s not the same, but it’s also not as bad as you might think. As a matter of fact, Predator 2 stands head and shoulder-mounted lasers above both of the AVP abominations. The 1080p video looks significantly better than my old DVD and the action-packed soundtrack also gets a boost thanks to a new DTS-HD mix.
Woodstock - Woodstock was before my time so I’m hardly the right person to comment on its momentous place in our music and cultural history. However, fans will absolutely delight over this lovingly-assembled, deerskin fringe-tipped Blu-ray box from the folks at Warner. Michael Wadleigh’s Woodstock: 3 Days of Peace and Music receives the royal treatment here, the highlight being a 224-minute director’s cut of the film. Extras and collectible memorabilia items abound.
Greg’s Pick of the Week:
Gran Torino (Blu-ray)
Warner Home Video | Rated R | 116 mins | $35.99
Leave it to Clint Eastwood to take a phrase as simple as "Get off my lawn" and fill his audience with fear, respect and dread. Granted the gangbangers who hear this line are staring at the business end of Clint’s rifle when it’s spoken, but Eastwood’s weathered, gravelly voice make it all the more menacing. The film, about a widower (Eastwood) struggling to cope with his minority neighbors and his decaying neighborhood, isn’t Eastwood’s best effort to date, but it certainly is an appropriate one at this juncture in his esteemed career. Reportedly Eastwood’s final acting performance, Gran Torino is a thought-provoking and well-acted drama that’s well worth your time. It may hit you over the head a few times too many while making its point, but when Clint Eastwood is the guy who’s hitting you, you just have to take it like a man and accept the fact that you’ll be wiser for it when all is said and done.
As for Warner’s Blu-ray, the 1080p video is solid enough but it does appear a bit on the soft side. Skin tones appear natural and contrast is very good. The Dolby TrueHD soundtrack is perfectly fine, though there were definitely a few times when I found myself straining to make out Eastwood’s slur-filled mutterings. Extras are minimal, but you do get a handful of HD featurettes and a Digital Copy on Disc Two.
Though not what I’d call a reference disc, Gran Torino is an exceptional film and it also makes for a grand Father’s Day gift. Does he really need another tie? No.
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
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