ALL THINGS BLU

INDIANA JONES: THE COMPLETE ADVENTURES REVIEW BY BILL HOWARD

Mon, 17 Sep 2012 12:27:51 -0400

The mere fact that George Lucas’ brain is responsible for the existence of Luke Skywalker, Darth Vader, Han Solo, Yoda, and all the other memorable characters in the Star Wars universe should be more than enough to ensure his legacy and importance to pop culture and storytelling. But when you factor in that he is also the creator of Indiana Jones, the man should be worshipped. The Indiana Jones films perfectly encapsulate the adventure film. All of the swashbuckling of the classic serials with a modern sensibility. And Harrison Ford in the role he was born to play.

There doesn’t really seem to be a need to recount the stories for the four films again, rest assured we all know them. But for this reviews sake, I will recount what each adventure is seeking. Raiders of the Lost Ark finds Indy with his old flame Marion Ravenwood in search of the Ark of the Covenant, which is believed to hold the Ten Commandments. Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom is actually a prequel to Raiders with Indiana and his sidekick Short Round stumbling upon a tribe whose children are being stolen my a cult in search of magical stones. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade finds Indy reuniting with his estranged father Henry, played by the imitable Sean Connery, to find the Holy Grail, the cup that Christ drank from at the Last Supper. And lastly we have Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, with Indy once again reunited with Marion and her son, Mutt to uncover the secrets of an ancient and mysterious crystal skull. So there you go, a recounting of all the treasures Indy seeks out across the quadrilogy. I personally like the films ranked 1,3,2,4 although many people dismiss the last film completely. While I don’t think it stacked up to the other films, I still found it hugely entertaining and it contained some great classic Indy moments.

Among the series, Raiders is the most accomplished and the most perfect film of them all. There simply is not a missed beat in the entire film. The action is spectacular; the dialogue sharp and witty, the acting is pitch perfect for the style of the film. This one just knocks it out of the park on every level. Temple of Doom is similar perfection, but of a different style. Doom is a little more brainless, but not in a bad way. It is an adrenaline rush of an adventure, with nonstop excitement throughout. Everything is bigger in scale and it all works very well. The mine cart chase, the rope bridge sequence, the bugs, the room with spikes, every scene is a memorable and well-staged action masterpiece. It lacks a little of the smarts and maturity of the original, but as a popcorn adventure movie, it soars. Last Crusade was an ingenious return to form. Filled with heart and regaining that smart and more adult vibe, the pairing of Ford and Connery was pure gold. Add to that an opening sequence showing Indy as a boy and where he got his start was a stroke of genius. Again filled with spectacular action and great humor, Last Crusade also returned to the realm of religious artifacts, which was more than welcome as it is the arena in which Indiana Jones truly shines. Crystal Skull took the series in a whole other direction with incorporating the idea of aliens into the mix. Reactions to this premise were mixed at best, and it did feel slightly out of place, but the action and adventure within still worked really well. The highlight was actually one of the opening scenes with Indy racing around fighting bad guys in the same warehouse we saw in the closing shots of the original Raiders. And Ford still nailed the character bringing great waves of nostalgia to fans.

The Blu-ray set from Paramount is a holy grail itself. Packaged in the same great thick cardboard box set packaging as Fox’s Alien Quadrilogy, the artwork throughout is great and suits the series perfectly. As for the films themselves, fans should rejoice. Raiders of the Lost Ark is a revelation. The opening shots in the jungle still look a little dark and murky, but that is a result of the filming itself. Once the story goes inside and Indy confronts the fertility idol, the picture is stunning. Colors are bold and deep, blacks are inky, and best of all, clarity and detail are amazing. The soundtrack is booming and immersive, with John Williams’s iconic score coming through front and centre and sounding better than ever. The quality keeps up through the other three films, naturally getting better and better with each film. This is a stellar presentation for the Indiana Jones series and by far the best the films have ever looked. It is time for us all to take a fresh look at Indiana Jones and hold them in the high regard they deserve. Incredibly highly recommended, a 100% must own set.

THE VICTIM REVIEW BY BILL HOWARD

Mon, 17 Sep 2012 12:25:57 -0400

Michael Biehn has always been one of my favorite actors. He is often looked over in his performance or overshadowed by more showy actors in the same flick. But when you actually sit down and look at his work, he is very prolific, very versatile and very good. My favorite performances of his are, of course, Kyle Reese in James Cameron’s The Terminator (as well as his cut scene in T2), and perhaps my favorite is in Cameron’s The Abyss. His unhinged performance and transformation from guardian to villain is extraordinary. Two others that are favorites of mine are not even available on DVD let alone Blu-ray. Timebomb from 1991 with Patsy Kensit is a fast paced and excellent little action thriller concerning a watchmaker who may have had his past memories of being a killer erased. And a huge absence from Biehn’s catalog would have to be William Friedkin’s Rampage, a very well done and disturbing serial killer film from 1987. Biehn is great and is supported by a great cast including Alex McArthur, Nicholas Campbell and Art LaFleur. A very underrated gem. Now after 35 years in the business, Biehn is turning his eye to directing and writing his own features. Along with his wife, Jennifer Blanc, the couple is turning indie filmmaking on its head by producing films themselves, mostly in the horror/thriller genre, and making films their own way.

Annie (Jennifer Blanc) and Mary (Danielle Harris) are hanging out in the woods with two cops they have befriended. Their party includes drugs and firing one of their guns at the trees. But when Mary heads off into the woods for some alone time with one of the men, the session takes a turn for the worse and Mary is killed. Determined to cover up the entire event, the two cops must now find Annie and get rid of all evidence of their wrongdoing. Annie finds herself at the door of recluse Kyle (Biehn) who lives in a house in the middle of the woods. Kyle takes her in and pledges to help her sort out her situation, but all may not be as it seems as the cops must fight to cover their crimes, Annie must fight to stay alive, and Kyle must fight to get out of the whole situation with his life intact.

With The Victim, Michael Biehn has set out to capture the essence of the grindhouse horror films of the seventies. And he succeeds. The Victim is violent, seedy, exploitative and rough. But all in a good way. The look of the film is low budget, but well filmed. The acting is slightly over the top, but appropriately. And the violence is brutal and intense, as intended. The story of survival of the fittest has long been a staple of the horror genre, and especially the grindhouse sub-genre. In The Victim, Biehn has masterfully captured the bravado and starkness of grindhouse and twisted it to his own story. Both he and Blanc are suitable dramatic in their roles, and carry the movie well making it a fun nostalgic romp. Likewise for Biehn’s script, with some nice twists and turns blended into the framework of what could have been a straightforward survival flick. Gritty, tough and bloody fun, The Victim confirms that Biehn and Blanc are on the right path with their venture of producing films themselves. Bring them on!

The Blu-ray from Anchor Bay is perfect for what the film is. The transfer is very straightforward and stark. Colors and black levels are decent enough and there is some nice detail throughout, but essentially the transfer echoes that of the grindhouse films of the past. Stark, harsh and to the point. For fans of the genre, this is a nice addition to the horror collection and a peek into what might be in store from the movie making couple in the future. Recommended.

TITANIC REVIEW BY BILL HOWARD

Tue, 11 Sep 2012 13:54:20 -0400

James Cameron is that rare breed of filmmaker that has the world at his fingertips with all the money to make a movie he could ever need and a track record that speaks for itself, but he always operates with the heart of a small indie filmmaker. He is a visionary and an innovator and has done much more for the technology of films than most filmmakers. When he was making Titanic, all of the buzz in the movie community and among movie goers was that it was going to be one of the most expensive flops of all time. I remember seeing it opening weekend and the theatre wasn’t even two thirds full. In the US, it did $28 million in its opening weekend, which isn’t huge but isn’t bad, but for a $200 million dollar movie, it was bad news. But word of mouth spread after that first weekend and the box office started to do something it rarely does after an opening weekend. It went up. Low and behold, when its theatre run had ended, Titanic was the biggest box office hit of all time and held that title for twelve years until it was overtook by another film that was not predicted to be such a massive hit. James Cameron’s Avatar.

Rose DeWitt Bukater (Kate Winslet) was a passenger on the most luxurious ship of its time in 1912. Along with her mother Ruth (Frances Fisher) and her fiancé, Caledon Hockley (Billy Zane), Rose set sail on April 10th, 1912, on the maiden voyage of the Titanic. Jack Dawson (Leonardo DiCaprio) was also a passenger, but not in upper class like Rose. Jack was an artist and drifter and won third class tickets with his friend Fabrizio (Danny Nucci) in a game. When Jack and Rose meet, it is destiny and they are instantly drawn to each other. But what starts as a whirlwind affair ends with one of the most famous disasters in history as the Titanic collides with an iceberg in the Atlantic and starts a slow sinking of the massive ship. 84 years later, Rose recounts her story, the love of her life, and the sinking of the Titanic.

James Cameron is smart that he wrapped the story of the sinking of the Titanic with a fictional love story that was simple but extremely effective. Jack and Rose put a face to the passengers of the Titanic and represented the people that survived as well as the ones who didn’t. The result is a beautiful tale of romance and a staggering story of survival. One thing Cameron is known for is his attention to detail, and now that Titanic has arrived on Blu-ray, it is on full display. I almost found myself not even paying attention to the action on screen throughout the film as I was too busy taking a detailed tour of the ship and its intricacies. Every single inch of Cameron’s set design is on full display here and it is fascinating to look at. There was simply nothing missed in replicating the ship in every way. Production design aside, I forgot how much I enjoyed this movie and its love story. The characters of Jack and Rose are totally relatable to everyone in one way or another. So for the first half of the film when no disaster has struck yet, you do not find yourself bored or waiting for it. It is simple but effective storytelling at its best. As the narrative flows around the main characters, we also meet many of the other people aboard the ship, from the Captain to the men working in the engine rooms. It really is an engaging bunch of characters. But when the action does start, it is even more breathtaking on Blu-ray that it ever was. The way Cameron shoots the disaster through every step of the sinking is heart pounding and exciting. It is also sad, frightening and touching. If ever there was a realistic and terrifying depiction on film of a disaster, Titanic is it.

The Blu-ray from Paramount is easily one of the best Blu-ray releases of the year, maybe even ever. The picture is stunningly flawless. There are many colors aboard the Titanic, from décor in the ship to the period clothing to the ocean itself. All of them are rendered perfectly in gorgeous detail. The colors are bold and deep, black levels are inky and solid, and detail is simply astounding. You can practically count the dishes on the shelves. Cameron himself supervised the transfer and his attention to detail really shows. The picture is matched perfectly with the amazing soundtrack. The first half of the movie is subtle surround and natural sound, but when the accident happens, all hell breaks loose in your home theatre. Surround is crazy active with water rushing all around you and the creaks and groans of the dying ship always present and haunting. The set is loaded with tons of great special features that are actually entertaining and informative and not at all filler as well. This is in the top 3 must own Blu-rays of the year for sure. Very highly recommended.

CLEANSKIN REVIEW BY BILL HOWARD

Tue, 11 Sep 2012 13:44:17 -0400

Sean Bean has got to be one of the most beloved character actors out there. He has starred in some of the biggest movies, but has always remained a character actor and a humble actor. Even after starring in the Lord of the Rings films, then helming a hit show like Game of Thrones, he still manages to do smaller interesting films as well, always bringing a certain gravitas to any role he plays.

Ewan (Sean Bean) is a secret service agent that has been deep undercover for some time. He has been tracking a terrorist cell that threatens to strike at any time. When the service learns that the terrorist cell is recruiting ‘cleanskins’, terrorists with no records or traceable history, they turn Ewan loose with no restrictions in pursuing and eliminating a British born Asian suicide bomber Ash (Abhin Galeya). Ewan must stop at nothing to find Ash and stop him and his cell from killing thousands of innocent people.

From the trailer for Cleanskin, I was expecting a fairly by the numbers action movie about a rogue going after a terrorist. Much to my surprise and delight, Cleanskin was much more than that. The film really takes a close and intimate look at how a terrorist cell operates and how they recruit new members who end up willing to sacrifice their lives for the cell’s cause. Seemingly ordinary people who are somehow convinced that the cell’s mission is worth everything they have. A greater good. The character of Ash is identifiable and relatable. He is not an extremist caricature of a terrorist as we are used to seeing in films with this subject matter. He is a regular guy who is pulled into this life and essentially brainwashed into carrying out their orders. Galeya’s performance is one that should really have garnered more attention as he is sympathetic and realistic, which is not a common way for a terrorist to be portrayed in film. As usual, Bean is excellent as well. His character of Ewan is a guy who wants to do the right thing and clean as much evil off the earth as he can, but he struggles with the ways in which he must do it. But he does not hesitate, he is as focused and determined to fight for his cause as those he pursues. And sometimes he is as brutal and ruthless. Cleanskin really does not take sides in telling a story of terrorism and those who fight it. Instead it just shows you two examples of men on either side of the story and presents them to the viewer to draw their own conclusions.

The Blu-ray from eOne is very nice. While the film is not full of colors, it does have a nice level of detail and clarity. The color palette is slightly washed out, but it looks like that is the intention of the filmmaker. Still, the colors that are there are solid, black levels are average and the surround is decent as well. Not a showy presentation, but a solid one nonetheless. A great thriller with a nice twist on the terrorist story and some great action make Cleanskin a hidden gem among this month’s releases. Recommended.

THE PROPHECY/PROPHECY II REVIEW BY BILL HOWARD

Mon, 10 Sep 2012 19:04:16 -0400

Many horror series have gone on to countless sequels, many times for movies that weren’t that fantastic in the first place. We have seen countless sequels for The Children of the Corn, The Howling and even Dracula 2000. One series I have thoroughly enjoyed though and doesn’t seem to get nearly enough attention is the Prophecy series. Starting in 1995 with Gregory Widen’s original film, The Prophecy, the series spawned 4 sequels and for the most part, none of them sucked.

The Prophecy starts with an angel named Simon (Eric Stoltz) who is hiding from something or someone. He has been injured and has within him the soul of a very evil man. There has been a war raging in heaven for a long time and the wrong side of that war is led by the archangel Gabriel (Christopher Walken). Gabriel wants the soul to empower his legions of angels and take over heaven. Simon transfers the soul into the body of a young girl at a school in New Mexico run by Katherine (Virginia Madsen). There is also a cop (Elias Koteas) on Gabriel’s trail after finding a weird, eyeless, hermaphroditic corpse in an alley. As it turns out, the cop used to be a priest until he lost his faith, a faith which will be tested once more as he faces the angel Gabriel and his evil plot.

The story of the angel’s war continues through the entire Prophecy series. Walken returns for parts 2 and 3 but is absent from Uprising and Forsaken. Prophecy II: God’s Army picks up after the events of the original; with the angel Gabriel (Walken) searching out a child conceived of another angel and a human mother, Valerie (Jennifer Beals). Gabriel will stop at nothing to win his war of the heavens, and with the help of a resurrected girl who committed suicide (Brittany Murphy); Gabriel will wage war with the other angels in a battle in Eden.

Prophecy II is almost as good as the original, which is really saying something. In addition to the amazing Walken reprising his role as the ruthless Gabriel, and Murphy as an undead sidekick, we also get a stellar supporting cast including Re-Animator’s Bruce Abbott as a monk, Eric Roberts and Glenn Danzig as angels, and the always entertaining Tom Towles as a detective. The action is great, the makeup and effects are creative and well done as in the first film, especially for such low budget features. The Prophecy films are pure religious horror fun, and neither of these first two films disappoints.

The quality of the discs is not as good as we have come to expect from catalog releases, the picture quality is rather soft and grainy but still retains a good amount of detail. Both films are presented in widescreen, which they were not on some DVD editions, and they are at least equal in quality to the DVD’s if not slightly better. If you do not have the films, the Blu-ray’s are worth the price as they contain similar transfers. Not the upgrade I was hoping for with such a cool series, but a solid DVD quality presentation. Recommended for sure if you haven’t picked up the films yet, you get both films for about $13, no complaints here.

THE HUMAN STAIN/THE CROSSING GUARD REVIEW BY BILL HOWARD

Mon, 10 Sep 2012 19:00:51 -0400

When I am reading other review sites, I often find people complaining about releases from Echo Bridge in terms of the quality presented in their Blu-ray’s. While many of their releases lack the mastering and pop of major studio releases, most of the time I am still happy with their presentations, especially when it is on films that we may not have seen otherwise, many times being films that have never even seen a widescreen presentation until they released them. Not to mention you often get more than one film in a package for less than the price of one Blu-ray. Today we look at a heavy drama two pack, The Human Stain and The Crossing Guard.

The Human Stain is the story of Coleman Silk (Anthony Hopkins), a classics professor with a terrible secret that threatens to shatter his life in his New England town. Silk has an affair with a young janitor (Nicole Kidman), which is soon ousted and Silk’s life is put under the microscope by a writer colleague, Nathan Zuckerman (Gary Sinise). Silk’s secret, which he has hidden for over 50 years, holds devastating consequences Silk and his family. As Zuckerman digs deeper and finds out more about the seemingly eminent man, he tries to understand his contrived life and the decisions he made.

I absolutely loved The Human Stain. The whole film has such a mysterious and alluring feel to it. Hopkins and Kidman are fantastic, with Hopkins turning in one of his most understated performances. The supporting cast is phenomenal, featuring Gary Sinise, Ed Harris, Wentworth Miller, Clark Gregg, Kerry Washington, Ron Canada and Margo Martindale. The whole film carries a sense of dread as Silk’s past is dug into deeper and deeper and his secrets come spilling out. This is one of those films that is just a beautiful showcase for some of the best actors around.

The Blu-ray, while not a big HD popping film, is a much cleaner print than the previous DVD counterpart. A little soft, the picture is still full of stable colors, decent blacks and nice detail. And with the price point and getting The Crossing Guard as well, you can’t go wrong.

The Crossing Guard was written and directed by Sean Penn. Freddy Gale is a seedy jeweller who has lost his daughter in a hit and run accident. After six years in prison, John Booth (David Morse), the man responsible, is being released, and that is the day Freddy has been waiting for. When Booth gets out, Freddy confronts him and tells him that in one week, he is going to kill him. The Crossing Guard tells the story of that week and the consequences it brings for both of them.

Upon my first viewing, I wasn’t particularly taken with The Crossing Guard, but viewing it a second time, I found a new appreciation for it. It may be that now I have a daughter of my own, it may just be that my taste has expanded and matured, but whatever the reason, I quite liked The Crossing Guard this time out. Nicholson gives an emotional and tortured performance here, being quite a bit more vulnerable than we are used to seeing. David Morse, one of the most underrated actors out there, is also great here, playing the character in such a way that you despise him and feel bad for him simultaneously. The story unfolds slowly and very darkly, thanks mostly to Sean Penn’s dark and heavy esthetic. As a director this was only his second feature, but he already had a pro’s confidence behind the camera, taking every shot very intentionally and confidently. Penn and Nicholson must have enjoyed the experience because they reunited 6 years later for Penn’s next directorial feature, The Pledge.

The Blu-ray for The Crossing Guard is pretty much the same results as with Human Stain. A good upgrade from a rather poor DVD released previously, the picture is stable and decent, but with little HD pop. Still, it is nice to have a clean print of the film and detail is improved. For an asking price of just over $10, you can’t really lose with this double from Echo Bridge. Recommended.

GHOSTS OF THE ABYSS REVIEW BY BILL HOWARD

Mon, 10 Sep 2012 18:57:57 -0400

It is not too often that we see someone dominate two separate areas of expertise. James Cameron is a filmmaker who doesn’t really know the meaning of half assed or failure. Except for his directorial debut (Piranha 2: The Spawning), every film he has directed has gone on to be a massive hit, with two of them holding top spots for biggest earners ever (Titanic & Avatar). In addition to his successes in the film industry, he has become one of the top technology innovators in film as well as in the realm of undersea exploration. Ever since his research for the film Titanic, and his visits to the actual wreck, he has had an unstoppable obsession with the infamous ship. In 2003, along with his Titanic actor Bill Paxton, Cameron set out to make a film that would share the experience of visiting the wreck with the world.

Along with a team of the world’s best history and marine experts, James Cameron and his friend Bill Paxton embarked on a documentary journey to the wreck of the Titanic, where almost 1500 people lost their lives almost a hundred years ago. Using cutting edge technology that Cameron himself helped develop specifically for the film, Cameron and his team were able to visit parts of the wreckage never before explored. Filmed with 3D technology, the film took viewers into the Titanic in the closest way possible to actually being there.

The time, energy and money spent on the technology for Cameron’s exploration of the Titanic were not wasted. The footage in Ghosts of the Abyss is breathtaking. Even in 2D, you feel as if you are there in the sub exploring the wreck, eerily travelling to areas never before seen, all in crystal clear HD. The sights within the ship are haunting; you can actually feel where people would have been, enjoying the luxuries of the vessel, or working hard in the belly of it. Small details leave lumps in the throat, shoes, jewellery, dishes, some of them completely intact as if ready to be used again. Cameron tackles his subject with a clear and concise love for it and it shows through in the detail and care with which he approaches the construction of the film. It is a loving testament to an event that not only captured Cameron’s imagination, but that of the entire world.

The Blu-ray from Disney is stunning. Even in 2D, the clarity of the picture is astounding. Even in the murky ocean waters, the detail is amazing to behold, with every barnacle and dirt covered inch of the wreck coming through brilliantly. The soundtrack is immersive as well, which you would not necessarily expect from a documentary. If you have 3D, you are in for what may be the best 3D disc you will own as you are taken right into the wreck as you have never experienced. A fascinating documentary and a visual treat, Ghosts of the Abyss is highly recommended.

SNOW WHITE & THE HUNTSMAN REVIEW BY BILL HOWARD

Mon, 10 Sep 2012 18:53:15 -0400

Often in Hollywood, there are similar properties that end up hitting theatres around the same time, usually with only one of them reigning supreme. 2012’s competition was between two new takes on the story of Snow White. Tarsem Singh’s Mirror Mirror with Julia Roberts and Rupert Sanders’ Snow White and the Huntsman with Kristen Stewart. Originally my money was on Mirror Mirror just because Singh is such a talented director with such a striking visual style. Both films did okay, taking in about double their budgets, but neither was a smash.

Snow White (Kristen Stewart) is the princess of Tabor, daughter of King Magnus (Noah Huntley) and Queen Eleanor (Liberty Ross). After his wife's death, King Magnus marries the beautiful Ravenna (Charlize Theron) after rescuing her from the Dark Army, an invading force of glass soldiers. Magnus falls in love with the beautiful Ravenna, but is killed on their wedding night, leaving Ravenna in command of the kingdom. Not wanting anyone to know her true intentions, Ravenna locks the young Snow White in the tower of the castle, never to be seen again. After years of Ravenna’s tyrannical rule, the kingdom is in ruins as Ravenna regularly drains the youth from young women in order to maintain her beauty. Ravenna learns that Snow White is destined to destroy her unless she consumes Snow White’s heart which will make Ravenna immortal. Snow White escapes into the Dark Forest where Ravenna sends a Huntsman (Chris Hemsworth) to find and kill her, promising him she will resurrect his dead wife. When the Huntsman finds out Ravenna cannot do this, he joins Snow White in her campaign to destroy the evil queen.

I think the thing that shocked me the most about Snow White and the Huntsman is that Rupert Sanders managed to somehow outdo Tarsem Singh in the visual style of his film. Mirror Mirror looked good, but this film was astoundingly beautiful, one of most visually arresting films I have seen in ages. Add to that a solid and entertaining story and excellent performances by the entire cast, especially by Stewart, Theron and Hemsworth, and you get one heck of a surprisingly good film. The fantasy realm that Sanders creates here harkens back to some of the best fantasy films of the 80s and their ability to create entire worlds that sucked the viewer in, films like Legend, Excalibur, Labyrinth and The Dark Crystal. Snow White is a gorgeous film to look at with jaw dropping visual effects, makeup and set design. The dwarfs, populated with some of the best character actors out there including Ian McShane, Bob Hoskins, Ray Winstone, Nick Frost, Eddie Marsan, and Toby Jones, are the best small character effects since The Lord of the Rings, and almost as memorable. There really is nothing not to like here, great fantasy twist on the Snow White tale, amazing visuals, and a bevy of the best actors out there.

The Blu-ray from Universal is one of the finest HD presentations I have seen this year. There is literally nothing bad to say here. Rock solid blacks, bright vibrant colors, incredible detail, perfect clarity and an immersive surround track makes Snow White and the Huntsman THE Blu-ray of the fall. I find it hard to believe anything coming out after it will be a better presentation. This is flawless. Highly recommended.

THE WALKING DEAD THE COMPLETE SECOND SEASON REVIEW BY BILL HOWARD

Tue, 4 Sep 2012 16:52:20 -0400

When AMC’s The Walking Dead hit out television screens in 2010, it was an instant success. Zombies had long been a favorite of horror film fans, but The Walking Dead was different. Based on the hugely successful and popular comic books, written by Robert Kirkman, it gave horror fans what they had hoped for; tons of undead walking the streets, gory scenes unprecedented for television, blood by the gallons in every episode. But what no one expected was an incredible show with writing of such a high caliber that it was rarely seen accompanying horror, and relatable, likable characters that viewers would instantly be embraced by television viewers of all kinds as well as the horror fans.

The first season won the Emmy® Award for Outstanding Prosthetic Makeup for a Series,
Miniseries, Movie or Special and was nominated for Emmys® in Outstanding Sound Editing for a Series and Outstanding Special Visual Effects for a Series. Season 1 also garnered a Golden Globe® nomination for Best Television Series - Drama, and was named to the American Film Institute’s (AFI) Top 10 Programs of the Year (2010), among other accolades.

The Walking Dead Season 2 premiered on AMC to 7.3 Million viewers, which was unheard of for a basic cable TV series and a 40% increase on the previous season. It even became the ratings record holder for 18-49 adult demographic; The Walking Dead was officially a phenomenon.

The second season begins where Season 2 left off with Rick and his group of survivors leaving Atlanta after the events at the CDC and heading to Fort Benning. Along the way, they come across abandoned vehicles scattered all along their route on the I-85. While scavenging the vehicles for supplies, a large horde of walkers migrate through and the group are forced to hide under vehicles. Sophia gets chased into the woods by two remaining walkers and Carl is accidentally shot while they are searching for her. Rick and the group take Carl to a large, isolated farm owned by a veterinarian named Hershel Greene and his family. Hershel allows the group to stay at the farm, but only while Carl recovers, then he insists Rick and Co. find their own way. As the group begin to realize the safety the farm provides, disagreements over leadership cause tensions to rise. Glenn finds love on the farm, Lori finds security for Carl, and the group as a whole sees the farm as a safe haven where they might actually find a chance to survive. But not everyone agrees with the plan. Shane grows increasingly agitated with Lori’s reluctance to acknowledge their relationship, and finds Rick’s leadership lacking. Shane thinks they should overtake the farm for their own safety and tempers escalate with the impending request by Hershel for the group to leave. With tensions running high regarding the future safety of the group, secrets about the farm are revealed and personal relationships will be tested, and the walkers may not be the only thing to fear.

Aside from the excellent writing and acting, the production values on display here are top notch, looking better than half of the films at your local movie theatre. Beautiful cinematic camerawork and set design, with giant orchestral scoring and some pretty damn interesting character arc's make Walking Dead the show that shouldn't have worked. But damned if it didn't. It's smart, fast, funny, gory, scary, intriguing, romantic, epic and intimate, with most of these descriptors falling into each and every episode.

The Blu-ray is possibly even better than the Season One set, which is saying a lot. The HD picture is near flawless with deep blacks, rich colors, amazing detail, especially in the zombie makeups, and excellent overall clarity. Among the excellent special features are some real treats for fans of the show. First off are the engaging webisodes. The webisodes are a continuing story that takes place while the events in the show were taking place, an alternate storyline if you will. But there are many references and hints to the show throughout, and the end result of the storyline in the webisodes is just awesome. A definite must watch for fans.

Also included are some great deleted scenes which again, provide a little deeper story and insight into the world of The Walking Dead. Some real treats here as well. The featurettes provide an excellent and in depth look at the making of the show, from the groundbreaking makeup effects by show producer Greg Nicotero (who also steps into the director’s chair in Season 2); to the digital effects that are so good, we didn’t even know they were in there. Every detail from makeup to sound design to costumes to sets is covered and exhaustive. An amazing look at an amazing show. Overall, you just can’t lose with this phenomenal show. Highly recommended.

RE-ANIMATOR REVIEW BY BILL HOWARD

Tue, 4 Sep 2012 16:50:30 -0400

In my beloved horror genre, there are films that are staples. Must own films that define the genre and represent the best it has to offer. Dawn of the Dead. Halloween. Evil Dead. Friday the 13th. And while it may not be as universally know, Stuart Gordon’s Re-Animator is one as well. Perfectly blending crazy gore with laugh out loud humor, Re-Animator was a benchmark in horror.

In a tale from H.P. Lovecraft, Herbert West (Jeffrey Combs) is a brilliant scientist who has discovered a mysterious green fluid that can re-animate dead tissue. When his mentor dies suspiciously in Switzerland, West relocates to Miskatonic University in Arkham, Massachusetts to continue his research. After renting a room in a house with fellow student Dan Cain (Bruce Abbott), West moves his research into the basement of the house to keep it away from the prying eyes of Dr. Carl Hill (David Gale). But when West want to experiment on body’s from the University’s morgue, things start to spin out of control. West and Cain must keep Dr. Hill at bay as well as Dan’s suspicious girlfriend Megan (Barbara Crampton), who is also the Dean’s daughter. When the fluid works all too well on the corpses, things spiral out of control as West and Cain try to keep a lid on their new discovery.

Simply put, you just cannot have more fun than you will with Re-Animator. Chock full of fall off the couch laughs and gags, Re-Animator is a horror comedy classic. Jeffrey Combs is at his over the top best as Herbert West, chewing up his scenes with a gusto rarely seen. The gore is insane and about as extreme as you can get, but partnered with the silly vibe, it is just hilarious and fun to watch how extreme they can get. The pacing is brilliant, keeping the gags and gore coming at a breakneck pace all the while upping the ante as you get closer to the phenomenal finale. Re-Animator has everything you could ever want all wrapped up in a blood soaked bow.

The Blu-ray from Image is a solid upgrade from previous DVD editions. Most noticeable is the improvement in overall clarity. The picture is a little soft, which is expected from a film of this age and budget, but it really doesn’t hamper the wonderful HD picture quality here. Black levels are good, colors are nice, especially the blood reds, and detail in close ups is very nice indeed. A noticeable improvement in quality, a nice batch of extras and a horror classic finally on Blu-ray is reason enough for me to celebrate. Re-Animator is highly recommended.