DISC JUST IN for 9/22/09

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Here’s a look at the hottest new DVD and Blu-ray Disc releases for the week of September 22, 2009:

BLU-RAY MOVIES
Adam Resurrected (Image)
Battle for Terra (Lionsgate)
Clive Barker’s Book of Blood (Lionsgate)
Ghosts of Girlfriends Past (Warner)
Gojira (Classic Media)
The Haunted World of El Superbeasto (Anchor Bay)
Hot Fuzz (Universal)
Lymelife (Screen Media)
Observe and Report (Warner)
Pierrot Le Fou (Criterion)
Scooby Doo: The Mystery Begins (Warner)
Shaun of the Dead (Universal)
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (Paramount)
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (Paramount)
Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (Paramount)
Star Trek VIII: First Contact (Paramount)
Star Trek: TNG Movie Collection (Paramount)
Streets of Blood (Anchor Bay)

DVD MOVIES
Adam Resurrected (Image)
Battle for Terra (Lionsgate)
Clive Barker’s Book of Blood (Lionsgate)
Ghosts of Girlfriends Past (Warner)
The Haunted World of El Superbeasto (Anchor Bay)
Lymelife (Screen Media)
Observe and Report (Warner)
Paul Newman: Tribute Collection (Fox)
Pierrot Le Fou (Criterion)
Scooby Doo: The Mystery Begins (Warner)
Streets of Blood (Anchor Bay)
Tulpan (Zeitgeist)

TV-on-DISC
30 Rock: Season 3 (Universal)
Brotherhood: Final Season (Paramount)
Castle: Season 1 (Disney)
Friday the 13th: The Final Season (Paramount)
The Ghost Whisperer: Season 4 (Paramount)
Law & Order SVU: Season 10 (Universal)
The Mentalist: Season 1 (Warner)
Star Trek: Original Series: Season 2 (CBS/Paramount) (BD)
Taxi: Season 4 (Paramount)
Terminator: Sarah Connor Chronicles: Season 2 (Warner) (BD)
Ugly Betty: Season 3 (ABC/Disney)
Wallace & Gromit: Complete Collection (Lionsgate) (BD)

HIGHLIGHTS

Battle for Terra – It’s something of a mystery how certain films can put together a fantastic and impressive production, amass solid on-screen (voice) talent and yet completely fly under the radar for most moviegoers. Lionsgate’s Battle for Terra is just such a film and it’s one you should seek out. Fans of intelligent sci-fi and animated films in particular will find a lot to like here, and get a load of this voice cast: Brian Cox, Justin Long, Amanda Peet, Evan Rachel Wood, Dennis Quaid, Chris Evans, Luke Wilson, Danny Glover, James Garner – and I could go on!  Odds are, you’re saying what most of my friends have said when I mentioned the film: "Battle for Terra? Never heard of it!" If so, check out the trailer and give it a spin; you won’t be disappointed.

Ghosts of Girlfriends Past – One of these days Matthew McConaughey will give us a sit-up-and-take-notice performance akin to his work in Dazed and Confused and A Time to Kill.  Today is not that day. Instead, we get another "pretty boy bachelor who never grew up needs to mature quickly if he’s to win the girl of this dreams" movie. If this was yet another McConaughey/Kate Hudson romance I’d cry foul, but I’m willing to give Girlfriends a pass, largely because this time out "the girl" in question is the lovely Jennifer Garner ("Alias"). And despite my occasional wish to see her give McConaughey a Sydney Bristow-style spin kick to the head, Girlfriends - a modern rehash of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol – does have its charms. As a matter of fact, the film is worth watching if only for Michael Douglas’ hilarious work as McConaughey’s womanizing Uncle Wayne. Romantic comedy fans should find plety to like here and everyone else can simply enjoy the flat-out gorgeous Blu-ray presention Warner has given the film.

Gojira - Kudos to Classic Media for bringing the 1954 original Japanese version of Gojira (a.k.a. "Godzilla ") to the Blu-ray Disc format. Growing up in the 1980s, Saturday mornings often played host to the ridiculous "Godzilla Vs." (insert your favorite mutant monster) movies of the 1960s and 70s. Consequently when I finally saw the original 1954 Japanese film, you can imagine my suprise when I found it to be a somber anti-war movie that likened the "King of the Monsters" to the atomic devastation of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. If you’ve only seen the severely-edited, Americanized version of this film, which features newer footage with Raymond Burr, you owe it to yourself to check out the film Ishiro Honda actually crafted in 1954. Presented in a bizarre 1.47:1 aspect ratio, Classic Media’s Blu-ray doesn’t look or sound a whole lot better than it did on DVD, but its affordable price tag makes this the version to pick up.      

Lymelife - I haven’t had a chance to check this one out yet but if "30 Rock" has taught me one thing, it’s that you should watch Alec Baldwin in everything he does. Part comedy, part drama and set on 1970s Long Island, Lymelife is a low-budget independent film about life, family and the quest for the American dream. Joining Baldwin is the brothers Culkin (Kieran and Rory), Jill Hennessy ("Crossing Jordan"), Timothy Hutton ("Leverage"), Emma Roberts (Hotel for Dogs) and Cynthia Nixon ("Sex in the City").

Observe and Report – Not to be confused with that other "mall cop" movie, Observe and Report is a decidedly blacker comedy starring Seth Rogen, Anna Farris and Ray Liotta. And unlike Paul Blart - an outright attempt at comedy – Observe and Report may have you looking over your shoulder to check if anyone saw you laughing at the insanity on display here. Although the film is sure to be a love it or hate it title, Warner’s superb Blu-ray presentation will draw few complaints.  Video is bright and punchy with natural skin tones and the Dolby TrueHD 5.1 soundtrack is suitably active with intelligible dialogue throughout.

Shaun of the Dead – Horror comedies just don’t get any better than this. Simon Pegg and Nick Frost are a pair of lazy bums for whom the the perfect evening entails downing a few pints at The Winchester Tavern. As a result, when the world becomes overrun by flesh-eating zombies, who else would you rather see picking up their cricket paddles and record collections to fight the good fight? Universal’s Blu-ray Disc looks and sounds utterly fantastic and the disc is completely overflowing with entertaining bonus materials. Highly recommended.

Star Trek TNG – I didn’t receive a screener on this one, but "Next Generation" (TNG) fans should swoon over this 4-movie, Blu-ray collection. Included is Generations, First Contact, Insurrection and Nemesis. Although First Contact is clearly the superior film in this assortment, Paramount’s affordable price tag makes this high def collection a no-brainer for Trekkies and Trekkers alike.

GREG’S PICK OF THE WEEK

Hot Fuzz (Blu-ray)
Universal Studios Home Entertainment | Rated R | 2007 | 121 mins | $29.98

“Have you ever fired two guns whilst jumping through the air?”

After Shaun of the Dead, I will watch ANYTHING these guys do. The “guys” I am referring to are actors Simon Pegg and Nick Frost plus writer/director Edgar Wright; each is a gifted comedian and together they know what it takes to make a hilarious picture. After tackling the zombie comedy genre, this time out it’s a buddy cop picture by the name of Hot Fuzz. And for starters, how great is that title?

Pegg stars as Detective Nicholas Angel – a cop who’s so at good at what he does, his boss (the great Bill Nighy) reassigns him to the quiet countryside so Angel can stop making everyone else look bad. In the picturesque town of Sandford, Angel gets paired up with Danny (Frost) and together they tackle 9-1-1 emergencies ranging from shoplifting to runaway swans. And finally there’s Timothy Dalton chewing up the screen as an ominous grocery store manager who may or may not be a serial killer.

Hot Fuzz runs for a hair over two hours and consequently it feels about twenty minutes too long. However, while it does take a while to get going, stick with it because the final half hour is absolutely gangbusters. And as impressive as the film itself is, this new Blu-ray edition from Universal delivers the goods and then some. A flat-out gorgeous 1080p transfer accompanies a bloody brilliant DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack and the combination makes for a
 reference caliber technical presentation. This is a truly impressive film to experience on Blu-ray.

From video blogs to featurettes to trivia tracks to press tour footage to audio commentaries – you name it, it’s on this disc. My favorite extras include a short segment called “Plot Holes” – where Wright and Pegg point out the problems and inconsistencies with the story – and a short film Wright made as a teenager called Dead Right, which served as the inspiration for Hot Fuzz. And I could go on – there’s just too much to write about here. Whether you’re a Simon Pegg/Nick Frost fan or you just love action movies, don’t miss this one. And while you’re at it, pick up the equally enjoyable Shaun of the Dead.

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 HDMI interconnects
UltraLink speaker wire