Mr. Funktastic. That is an actual character in Bulletproof Monk, played by Marcus Jean Piare. He has a group of pickpockets working for him, although how a group of street kids actually find “Mr. Funktastic” in anyway dominating remains a mystery.

Thankfully, this ridiculous character is dropped in the first act, saving the audience of dealing with such idiocy any longer. That is a benefit to the film, because with him, Bulletproof Monk would be completely unbearable. As it stands, this is merely mediocre fantasy.

The film is directed by Paul Hunter, this his first and last feature film. As Monk is trying to imitate (or blatantly rip-off) Chinese martial arts films, Hunter is incapable of handling the work required. The jump cuts, frenzied editing, and close-ups cannot capture the necessity of a choreographed fight. The camera needs to pull away and focus, something it never does in this film.

One can forgive the contrived script, explained away as legend. Seann William Scott plays Kar, a pick-pocket who happens to meet an ageless monk with no name (Chow Yun-Fat) in a subway system while saving a little girl after she falls on the tracks. What follows is a familiar story of master and student, neither of whom carry much charisma to instill the film with energy.

Karel Roden is stuck in a thankless role as Strucker, a Nazi soldier desperately seeking an ancient scroll that could give him limitless powers, one Fat’s character possess. Depth in these characters is not provided. You hate Strucker because he is a Nazi, a perfect villain for sure, but not enough to carry the forcefulness of a lead foe.

The always dependable Mako is one of the few bright spots, a theater owner who shows classic martial arts films for a hungry audience. While the character is thin, he is a lively, inviting, and friendly old man, his performance quirky and enjoyable.

Bulletproof Monk ends with a fun, energetic brawl on the top of a swinging glass sign. Despite the editing, hokey effects, and general lack of character, it is inventive. That’s more than can be said for the characters, who feel pulled out of a children’s movie given their lack of depth.

Movie ★★☆☆☆ 

One of the earliest Blu-ray releases, this MPEG-2 transfer is dated and ugly. Flesh tones are awful, mostly pink and unnatural. Some minor specks on the source are forgivable, especially considering the severity of the edge enhancement used throughout.

Contrast is flat, offering little depth. Black levels are fine, while the whites never attain the necessary brightness. Grain is noisy and clumpy, certainly not natural. Some DNR is undoubtedly at work, as the wholly digital look is consistently maintained. Fine detail is visible in extreme close-ups only.

Video ★★☆☆☆ 

A powerful, full DTS-HD mix greets viewers from the opening scene. The score uses deep, rich drums that at times do overwhelm the action, but sound superb. A wide front soundstage tracks the frantic action well, and the surround channels are consistently involved.

Gunfire whips through all channels, and glass breaks with wonderful clarity. Street level ambiance is appreciated, and even inside a taxi, all channels maintain atmosphere. While it can sound somewhat forced or overdone, this is a fine mix.

Audio ★★★★☆ 

A round of trailers make up the miniscule extras menu.

Extras ★☆☆☆☆ 

Blu-ray Movie Review from : DoBlu.com

Bulletproof Monk Review

Black Hawk Down is barely short of two and a half hours. During that running time, audiences are given nearly two hours of gunfire, bloodshed, and brutality.

Director Ridley Scott is able to keep the audience engaged in an incredible amount of action, gunplay that in the hands of someone else would be repetitive. Black Hawk Down never gives the audience a chance to breathe, much like the soldiers in Somalia fighting off rebel forces.

The film’s setup, that of soldiers relaxing and preparing for a brief mission before coming back, is rapidly paced. Despite a loaded cast including Josh Hartnett, Eric Bana, Ewan McGregor, Orlando Bloom, and more, in combat they’re difficult to distinguish. Once the guns start firing, picking out individuals is difficult, if not impossible. Scott chose to write the names of the soldiers on their helmets despite the inaccuracy, but it only goes so far.

However, in a way, that’s a positive. The amount of fighting, spread across numerous locales, is an excellent way to keep the film moving. As one location slows down, Scott can move to the next. Taking the usual war film approach, that of a few singular heroes, would make this feel too familiar.

Black Hawk Down screams production values, with regular explosions, countless rounds fired, a stunning amount of extras, and elaborate set pieces which put all $90 million on screen. It looks and feels authentic, able to put the audience into these battles with the soldiers.

Emotional content is high, even with the confusion in regards to characters. Performances are superb, and bullets hit soldiers and Somalians with brutal impact. Gore is high, and the film uses its R rating to push as much violence as is necessary. It’s hard to imagine this one being any more realistic or involving.

Video ★★★★★ 

Black Hawk Down was one of the earliest Blu-ray releases, and does show its age slightly. This is a MPEG-2 encode with a few problems, the worst of the lot being black crush. The film is dark, which is fine, but the gray scale is completely gone, leaving only overly hot whites and crushed blacks.

There is also an overprocessed look to many of the scenes, including some light edge enhancement. It’s minor although notable. Some flickering is evident on the US flag patches on the uniforms.

On the other hand, this is a wonderfully detailed transfer, down to individual beads of sweat. Faces are loaded with texture, as the film goes on, cuts, bruises, and dirt are superbly clear (for better or worse). Sharpness is typically consistent.

Video ★★★★☆ 

As expected, this is a truly immersive PCM mix. Helicopters are heard flying through the soundfield, gunfire rings in all channels, and explosions are incredibly convincing in the low end. Dialogue is always clear and distinct, never lost to the action. The high end is remarkably clear, holding strong even when the gunfire hits its peak. Directionality is stunning. The only notable complaint comes from before the action starts, where helicopters fly by the screen with no noticeable surround accompaniment, a contrast to when the action picks up.

Audio ★★★★★ 

Is it possible to complain about a disc with three commentaries and a 150-minute documentary? Yes. Sure, the depth of the material here is incredible, but it’s still missing information (such as deleted scenes) available on an elaborate three-disc DVD set.

Whether or not you’ll miss any of it depends on the type of completionist you are. Author Mark Bowden and screenwriter Ken Nolan discuss the book and how it was adapted to the screen in their commentary. Ridley Scott and producer Jerry Bruckheimer have the technical aspects of the shoot covered, while veterans tell of their real experiences in the third.

The Essence of Combat is the documentary, split into six sections. This is an exhaustive piece, one that runs longer than the film itself. Fans have certainly seen it before, but it’s actually worth seeing again. Sony also included a long since discarded feature that lets the viewer select a playlist for the special features, but if you can just pick them from the menu, why bother? Apparently Sony saw the light too.

Extras ★★★★☆ 

Blu-ray Movie Review from : DoBlu.com

Black Hawk Down Review

Kubrick’s take on the Vietnam war isn’t so much about that war, but about war in general. His distinctly non-Hollywood approach to the action is unique, as is the shifting tone. Full Metal Jacket is tough for first-time viewers who don’t know what to expect, and the drastic shifts in storytelling are the problem.

It’s not as if changing the film from a comedy that’s character-focused to a movie about what war can do to people is awkward. In fact, even with the jarring shifts, the film still manages to flow. Characters you may have connected with in the first act, particularly R. Lee Ermey in what is undoubtedly his career-defining role, disappear.

Full Metal Jacket doesn’t simply focus on one particular battle either. It follows Matthew Modine as he tours the landscape of the war, meeting new characters in various mental states. Nearly every line has something to say about the effects of war on the human psyche, and it’s a powerful statement. Tim Colceri has a small role as a helicopter gunner, and his statements are the most provocative of the entire film.

Those expecting the usual array of battle scenes are bound to be disappointed. Kubrick instead offers only two scenes of action, one of which only has one enemy. However, these scenes are bleak, tense, and the static direction works for them rather than against. The strong development of its main characters strengthens the impact of these scenes as well, while the build-up helps even more.

There’s a lot to dissect and discuss about the message and meaning of Full Metal Jacket. That’s worth discussing in something far more complex than a simple review. Regardless of how you view its purpose, this is still a solid piece of dramatic and comedic filmmaking despite the wildly varying tone shifts.

Movie ★★★★★ 

Full Metal Jacket carries a rather dishonorable distinction of being one of the fastest double dips in the short history of hi-def discs. Part of the problem was the original transfer, which was mastered at 1080i instead of 1080p. What that led to was a flat, uninspired, and lifeless video transfer.

Thankfully, this new 1080p edition fixes a lot of those problems. Colors are deeper, richer, and bolder. Black levels remain inconsistent causing the picture to go flat in multiple shots. Softness is a source issue, particularly on distance shots. Up close, detail isn’t the best you’ll see on the format, but it is an improvement. Clarity is up and notable. Flesh tones can veer slightly pink. It’s not mind blowing, but it’s an improvement.

Video ★★★☆☆ 

Warner goes with a PCM mix, and this flat, low-fidelity presentation is under whelming. The rear channels only have some minor notable uses, and the front channels showcase only mild separation. R. Lee Ermey’s screams fall apart at their peak, and bass is non-existent.

Audio ★★☆☆☆ 

A commentary with some of the cast (Adam Baldwin, Vincent D’Onofrio, and R. Lee Ermey) and the writer Jay Cocks is the beginning of a meager extras set, which is still more than the original release which offered nothing. A fine documentary is the other feature in the extras menu called Between Good and Evil. At around a half hour, this could certainly be longer as the film warrants in-depth discussion, but what’s here is excellent.

Extras ★★★☆☆ 

Blu-ray Movie Review from : DoBlu.com

Full Metal Jacket Review

Ghost Month is based on a Chinese belief that ghosts come back for one month out of the year, and offerings are performed to make their journey back easier. The movie apparently wants to be a take on the recent Asian horror craze, so it uses some Asian people… which sort of misses the point. Production values are in the gutter, and stilted, unnatural explanatory dialogue doesn’t help matters.

Anyway, Alyssa (Marina Resa) accepts a house keeping job in the middle of nowhere, stupidly ditching her cell phone on the side of the road during the drive there. The house belongs to two Asian women who initially seem like nice people, if stuffy in their beliefs.

Multiple subplots are intertwined, including a crazy ex-boyfriend and creepy neighbor, both of which exist for no reason other then to push the running time to feature length. It’s bad enough the film has to deal with murderous ghosts, but murderous ex-boyfriends too?

In-between various cheaply done ghost attacks, Alyssa begins to discover things in the house, breaking rules set forth by Miss Wu (Shirley To) in the process. Mysterious dresses, pictures of a house keeper, and other suspicious items that could eventually lead to convicting Wu and her Aunt Chen (Akiko Shima) of serious crimes.

The question then is why wouldn’t the Chinese women fire Alyssa the moment she becomes suspicious? She has broken rules, they have a reason to let her go without raising suspicion, and the potential of their nonsensical crime being discovered is high. These people are idiots.

No wonder ghosts keep trying to kill them. Even the spirits know they’re too stupid to live.

Movie ☆☆☆☆☆ 

Ghost Month comes to Blu-ray from North American Motion Pictures with a MPEG-2 transfer that is sorely lacking. Banding is a consistent problem, along with extensive video noise. Color is flat, and sharpness non-existent. Part of that could be the camera going out of focus on a regular basis.

Detail or texture is rarely found. Aliasing is noticeable multiple times, and an embarrassingly awful sunset is beyond pixelated before the closing moments of the movie. Black levels are inconsistent, although usually strong.

Video ★★☆☆☆ 

Audio is presented in a flat, poorly recorded 2.0 PCM mix. Dialogue being hard to hear is not a fault of the disc, but the source. A speech around the 80-minute mark is nearly inaudible. The constant musical backdrop is not only annoying, but mildly strained as it comes through the speakers. Some minor positional dialogue and stereo effects are noted.

Audio ★★☆☆☆ 

Ghost Month’s menu doesn’t even need to exist. The only option is “Play Movie,” which begs the question as to why the movie simply doesn’t auto play. Note there are no subtitles, pop-up menu, or any other standard features.

Extras ☆☆☆☆☆ 

Blu-ray Movie Review from : DoBlu.com

Ghost Month Review

“His pulse never went above 85, even as he ate her tongue.”

That line, spoken by Anthony Heald, happens moments before the audiences first meeting with Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins). It sets an eerie, dark mood, one enhanced by a long walk down a hallway toward Lecter’s holding cell partially in first-person.

It’s an unforgettable moment, and leads into an intense psychological showdown between the serial killer Lecter and Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster). Mind games are key to the classic horror/thriller Silence of the Lambs, instead of graphic gore. Silence of the Lambs uses its blood for effect, not shock.

The film even avoids showing graphic mutilated bodies, instead choosing to linger on the characters discussing what they see while the audience is forced to pain a vivid picture in their own minds. Specifically, the autopsy sequence is brilliant, able to convey horror after the victim has already been killed off-screen.

Everything in Silence is a mind game. Director Jonathan Demme chooses to put the camera in front of the actors. Not only does this prevent them from playing off their co-stars, it’s as if Lecter is speaking directly to the viewer, with a cold blue-eyed stare that is horrifying by itself. Hopkins performance is unforgettable.

While Hannibal Lecter may be an icon of cinematic horror, Silence is a film about Jame “Buffalo Bill” Gumb (Ted Levine). While not as memorable as Hopkins, Levine’s performance is an undoubtedly believable deranged maniac who skins his victims to wear their flesh.

Masterful tension and atmosphere makes situations the audience knows are safe feel stressed. As Foster searches the home of a victim, her slow movements are aided by effective camera angles as the audience waits for her next gruesome discovery. There’s not a moment in the film where anyone feels completely safe.

Silence does give the audience a taste of Lecter’s madness as he escapes confinement, yet it’s easy to imagine the film without his violent outburst. His eerie facial mannerisms and cold, heartless stares are just as effective as watching him bash someone’s face in with a nightstick. When a serial killer can be feared without killing anyone on-screen, you have something to be remembered for.

Movie ★★★★★ 

Numerous DVD editions of the film have certainly made fans tired of having to re-buy the film, but hopefully a later Blu-ray release to fix this transfer. While some film grain is still apparent, there’s a rather obvious layer of DNR at work here, leveling facial textures and giving skin tones an unnatural pink glow. Some fine detail is evident in close-ups, although these shots are rare. Detail is relatively muted otherwise.

Black levels remain solid throughout, and contrast is fine. Colors are flat and muted by design. A few minor specks on the print are not worth complaining about. Some light artifacting is visible on this MPEG-2 encode, especially on Jodie Foster’s face during her first sit down with Hopkins outside his cell. Sharpness is fine, although not top-tier.

Video ★★★☆☆ 

A DTS-HD encode does little to bring the film to life. Fidelity is excellent, certainly impressive for a film pushing 20 years old. Sound design sits in the center channel, with zero surround use. Minor action uses the stereo channels for mild effect. The low end remains quiet, leaving the subwoofer with nothing to do. Adequate.

Audio ★★★☆☆ 

Many features have been brought over from prior DVD editions, the notable one being Inside the Labyrinth, an hour long documentary with numerous interviews from cast and crew (oddly missing Foster). Understanding the Madness is a 20 minute look at the psychology of the film, and the methods used by the FBI.

Page to Screen aired on TV, detailing how the novel was brought to the screen. It’s just over 40 minutes. A featurette used to promote the film back in 1991 is included for completeness. Twenty minutes of deleted scenes offer additional insight into the Lecter/Starling “relationship,” and a brief selection of outtakes are mildly amusing (especially Hopkins’ Rocky impersonation).

An oddity is Breaking the Silence, which a feature stuck in BD Profile 1.1. It plays a standard definition version of the film with various pop-up trivia and interviews. Why the studio felt it was necessary to include an entire version of the film in SD, taking up space that could have been put to better use elsewhere, is somewhat confusing. Some trailers and a funny answering machine message from Hopkins are the final special features.

Extras ★★★★☆ 

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Blu-ray Movie Review from : DoBlu.com

Silence of the Lambs Review

Even with a number of things going for it, Invincible feels too familiar. It’s a movie that’s been done to death, with the underdog sports star finally getting his chance to make something of himself. Despite the energy and charisma of Mark Wahlberg, Invincible is little more than an average sports movie.

It’s not that Vince Papale’s story doesn’t deserve to be a feature film. And it’s not as if Invincible is terrible. In fact, there’s a decent movie here, but after seeing this same story in both fiction and non-fiction so many times, is there any need for it?

If you are going to go ahead and give the underdog sports movie a chance, then at least do something with it. Miracle was an excellent example, bringing the film to life with incredible action on the ice that brought forth the emotion and style of the game. It also helped it stand out.

With Invincible, first time director Ericson Core doesn’t try to separate his film from the pack. The football scenes are overloaded with slow motion that becomes overdone and grating. The camera angles are nothing NFL Films hasn’t done before in the past, and some of the edits do a poor job of establishing time. The games outside of the pro stuff, including one in a park between friends, must be the most violent games ever played.

The characters are also clichés, with the coach’s wife doing little other than standing idly by while her husband works under increasing stress. There are the jealous players, the doubters, and the inspiring father. Oh, and don’t forget the hot girlfriend played by Elizabeth Banks.

Mark Wahlberg looks like a natural for this role. There’s no lack of enthusiasm, and his performance is all around excellent. It’s not enough to make the film a recommendation, although fans will have something to look forward to. Also, die-hard Eagles fans know and love this story, so it’s an easy sell to them as well. Regardless, this is another “me too” effort of the type that Disney simply loves to death lately.

Movie ★★☆☆☆ 

Much of Invincible is filmed in a rather garish orange, warm hue. It skews flesh tones incorrectly, and makes the film ugly to look at. The transfer preserves this, which makes it difficult to judge, although the softness is obvious. Things pick up in the second half as Papale makes it onto the team. The colors take on a natural tone, the transfer sharpens up, black levels increase, and the detail becomes spectacular. All of the flaws in the first half can easily be forgiven when you see how spectacular the game footage is, but alas, it doesn’t completely compensate.

Video ★★★☆☆ 

Disney offers up a high fidelity uncompressed mix for this football story, and uses it well. The presentation excels in subtlety and aggressiveness. Bar scenes are loaded with activity in all channels, and a sequence of destruction inside an empty house is spectacular for its echo. Into the stadium, the crowd literally fills the room and the hits deliver exceptional (if somewhat lacking) bass. There’s some minor demo material here, although the director’s choice means sound cuts out for dramatic effect during slow motion scenes.

Audio ★★★★☆ 

Two commentaries begin the extras. The best of the lot features Papale himself, producer Mark Ciardi, and writer Brad Gann. The second, with director Core and his editor, is technical, without any insight into the events that led to the film’s creation. Two featurettes follow. Recreating the Vet is a seven minute piece on how the Eagle’s former stadium was recreated, and the second is a decent 26-minute making-of entitled Becoming Invincible.

Extras ★★★☆☆ 

Blu-ray Movie Review from : DoBlu.com

Invincible Review

It’s one thing to offer up stylish visuals to astound audiences. You also need to have the right director to handle all of the action and visual effects wizardry, not to mention a budget that can produce results. Ulraviolet has the visuals, but neither of the latter to make it work.

Set in one of those oppressed futures humans keep finding themselves in, Milla Jovovich finds herself struggling to survive after being granted some sensational powers that also seem to let the motorcycles she’s riding in defy gravity as well. Short on logic and heavy on action, Ultraviolet is all missed potential.

The problem is that the movie might have worked as mindless action. However, the action that is here is either overdone (glass armor… really?), impossible to follow, or filled with hokey effects that give this a made-for-TV feel. Long shots of the cityscape fall flat, failing to generate the intended effect. Costuming is hilarious, including nose plugs that would never catch on even if your life depended on it.

At a brisk 87 minutes, this one should have flown by. It feels a lot longer. Interaction between Jovovich and a small child she rescues (Cameron Bright) is rushed, but when they’re on screen, it’s not interesting either. Obnoxious techno blares behind everything, ruining its fair share of sequences.

The other visuals, those that bring out incredible color, also flatten out faces. Half the scenes look as if the cast has pasty white make-up smeared across their faces, doing nothing to aid the incoherent and ridiculous dialogue. 2004’s Sky Captain handled all of this much better (albeit with less color), and provided a decent narrative to go along with it.

In a movie era where we’re bombarded with visual treats, Ultraviolet is instantly forgettable. The superhero/comic book genre is too crowded for lackluster efforts such as this. Maybe if director Kurt Wimmer had his way and the studio didn’t edit this down severely (you can see many of the cuts online), this would have fared better. Either way, what we’re given is sloppy and uninteresting.

Movie ★☆☆☆☆ 

With all of its attempts at style, judging this HD transfer is difficult. Yes, the transfer is wonderfully sharp, offering rich color and rock solid black levels. Yes, there are countless scenes of immense detail, many of which make the hefty flaws in the visual effects even more obvious. Yet, the constant close-ups that reveal smudged faces are glaring, though it’s a source issue. It looks blurred, so consistency is a problem… maybe. Also, some significant artifacting can be found on long shots, especially those of the medical truck with its bright red hues.

Video ★★★★☆ 

The soundtrack delivers much of the bass, so the action sadly sounds somewhat flat. Explosions are not beefy enough. On the other hand, the sound field is active, and tracks with the firefights amazingly well. Even close combat with weapons shines, as thrusts and swings move through appropriate channels. The high ends are crisp and clear.

Audio ★★★★☆ 

With his battle over the film, Kurt Wimmer doesn’t offer a commentary. Instead, that job goes to star Milla Jovovich. She seems happy with the film and happy to have worked on it. Secondly and finally, a 30-minute making-of titled UV Protection is fairly average, but does dish out some fun footage from the green screen-loaded sets.

Extras ★★☆☆☆ 

Blu-ray Movie Review from : DoBlu.com

Ultraviolet Review

Stir of Echoes is the perfect example of a release date blunder. One month after Sixth Sense entered pop culture canon, the Kevin Bacon vehicle Echoes was pushed into theaters, and immediately rejected by audiences for its startling similarities, even though it’s based on a novel from 1958. It’s just poor timing, which is a shame considering Echoes is just as entertaining and effective as M. Night Shyamalan’s debut.

There’s no question a viewer unaware of the original story would fail to grasp how this wasn’t a cheap knock-off. A child can see dead people. That’s one of the centerpieces of the plot for Stir of Echoes. It’s every bit as creepy as Sixth Sense as well, even though the kid is younger and can’t quite turn in the performance.

The kid may start things off, but it’s Kevin Bacon’s character, Tom Witzky, who takes over. After being put into a trance, he begins to have strange visions of a dead girl who is trying to tell him something. Bacon is completely believable as Witzky, adding both a sense of comedy as he realizes how absurd this all is to a true emotional breakdown when things don’t go his way. It affects his family and the relationship with his wife, but he’s an average guy who firmly believes he’s found his purpose.

The mystery isn’t that strong, and a plot point about halfway through makes it obvious as to what happened to the girl Witzky is looking for. Direction from David Koepp doesn’t have the edge in style either compared to Shyamalan’s work, but does deliver some effective creep-outs and scares. Stir of Echoes is well worth a look if you know what came first and can ignore the obvious similarities.

Movie ★★★★☆ 

With a video transfer like this, Stir of Echoes has no business being on Blu-ray. This is, in blatant terms, a garbage transfer. Colors are oversaturated to the point of bleeding. The look is overly soft, flat, and bland. There is little or no noticeable detail in any shot. Compression artifacts creep in on solid colors, and noise can be a problem in a few shots. Flesh tones tend to head into orange territory. This doesn’t even look like the resolution has a benefit to this presentation.

Video ★☆☆☆☆ 

A DTS-HD Master 6.1 mix is rarely put to use in the film. There are a few small moments of surround use, including outside prior to a high school football game and some voices that swivel around the viewer. Bass is hardly noticeable except for some loud scares. A jackhammer used by Witzky should have sent the LFE to work, but it remains flat.

Audio ★★☆☆☆ 

A commentary begins a meager set of extras, this one from director Koepp. Sight of Spirits looks at the “job” of parapsychology for 10 minutes. Around five minutes of deleted scenes are all that remains. There are no features, aside from the commentary, that deliver behind-the-scenes details, which is a shame.

Extras ★★☆☆☆ 

Blu-ray Movie Review from : DoBlu.com

Stir of Echoes Review

Rapidly establishing its lead Ben Stiller playing Larry Daley, the pacing is spot on as he takes a job at the Natural History Museum to appease his ex, who feels he’s going nowhere. While this leads to a moral lesson at the end, Daley’s personal issues are sent into the background to make room for the wild adventure inside the confines of his new place of employment.

Night at the Museum avoids many of the clichés typical of many fantastical films of this nature. Daley accepts that the museum comes alive at night with little explanation. An amulet causes the attractions to fill with life and the movie continues on. While Daley second guesses his new job, he quickly adapts, and his solutions to some of the tormenting living wax creations are hilarious.

This is unusual for a modern Hollywood effort. Movies today tend to go on and on about why things are, convoluting the story and creating plot holes. Museum is fine with saying “it just is.” The suspension of disbelief is easily crafted in this manner, and helps keep the kids in their seats as the special effects take hold of their imaginations.

Employing loads of computer-generated creations, the $100 million put forth to craft them was well spent. Of special note are a set of lions that are nearly indistinguishable from the real thing. A wailing T-Rex skeleton is the highlight of the trailers, and deservedly so. It’s an inspired creation.

Alongside Ben Stiller is an excellent supporting cast, including Robin Williams (surprisingly under control compared to his usual antics) and Owen Wilson taking part in a hilarious rivalry with a Roman enemy. Dick Van Dyke, Mickey Rooney, and Bill Cobbs are brilliant, meshing together as the previous guards Stiller’s character replaces.

Many small dialogue exchanges make the film worth watching twice to catch it all, and kids will surely wear this one out with repeated viewings. A harsh PG rating from the MPAA is on the over-protective side, with only minor scares that are eventually worked out into fun sub-plots or lively minor characters. Superb choreography (especially with the special effects mixed with live action) and tightly crafted chases are only a few of the highlights.

While Shawn Levy carries a spotty resume, his direction here led to a massive box office and deservedly so. Night at the Museum is simply a loaded film, captivating any and all audiences looking to spend an evening being thoroughly entertained. It’s impossible not to have fun here.

Movie ★★★★☆ 

The DVD edition of the film was a mess video-wise. While not perfect, this Blu-ray does quite a bit to correct it. The major problem here is black crush. While the blacks establish a fantastic level of rich depth, shadow delineation is poor.

The bright contrast also helps, and colors are enormously bold. Texture detail is exceptional, including excellent facial definition. This MPEG-2 encode also picks up the subtle stitching on clothing. Some flickering as Stiller first notices the T-rex skeleton is missing is a minute flaw. Limited edging on high contrast edging is barely evident. The film’s grain structure is handled nicely, and light artifacting is only noted on the brightest reds.  

Video ★★★★☆ 

Like the DVD, this is a fantastic audio presentation, producing an array of spectacular effects in all channels. Awesome bass shakes the viewer whenever it’s called on. Thunderous footsteps and a forceful score from Shawn Levy loads the LFE with work.  The soundtrack nicely bleeds into the rears. Positional audio is always spot on. Listen during the first T-rex appearance. You can hear the water fountain in the rear left channel. Dialogue nicely fits into the heavy action, and remains audible without the need for a volume adustment. Non-action scenes are dry, though there’s not much to expect or opportunity for ambiance.

Audio ★★★★★ 

Fox has chosen not to port over many of the extras from the two-disc DVD. Instead, two commentaries are included along with a trivia track. That’s it. Shawn Levy controls the first commentary, always speaking on a technical and personal level. Writers Robert Ben Garant and Thomas Lennon handle the second. They have a little more fun along with providing solid information. A Blu-ray exclusive trivia track is non-imposing as you watch the film, and color coded to let you know what the factoid is referring to (production, history, etc.).

Extras ★★☆☆☆ 

Blu-ray Movie Review from : DoBlu.com

Night at the Museum Review

Unintentionally campy, Species is a load of creature feature fun. While the special effects are terribly dated and the performances impossible to be taken seriously, this gory romp offers adequate entertainment value.

Ben Kingsley, who is completely out of place here, stars as a government agent tasked with tracking down an alien species whose DNA has been merged with a human. The problem is this hybrid critter is in desperate need of male companionship to breed and do what all aliens do: try to take over the world. That’s what Species does best, blatantly exploiting Natasha Henstridge’s finest assets in her first starring role.

The science side of things, well paced and explained, doesn’t slow down the minuscule plotline. There’s enough action and chase sequences to see this one through the end. The finale, loaded with some of the earliest motion capture animation effects in Hollywood, may fumble in that regard, but provides plenty of fire and intensity. Eerie and disgusting practical effects are effective on the other hand, including some gruesome splatter effects that should satisfy any gore hound.

You can’t dissect Species to find some deeper meaning or justify its existence with any actual purpose. It’s goal was to make an erotic, goofy creature flick loaded with boobs and blood. Species has that market cornered, and unless your morals tell you otherwise, this is stupidly fun entertainment.

Movie ★★★☆☆ 

Species looks decent in its Blu-ray debut. Black levels are rich and bold. Colors tend to waver between over-saturated and flat. They’re hardly consistent. Some minor edge enhancement in the early going is quickly erased as the film moves on. The transfer is sharp and at times finely detailed in close-ups. Like the rest of this presentation though, details are also inconsistent and at times murky.

Video ★★★☆☆ 

Strong, powerful bass is the highlight of this audio mix. That’s about the best thing it has going for it. While there is some noticeable separation, the rear speakers are left out. Only minor bits and pieces of action find their way into all channels, disappointing given the potential for atmosphere in the closed corridors of the finale.

Audio ★★★☆☆ 

Two commentaries lead the extras, one with director Roger Donaldson, Michael Madsen, and Natasha Henstridge discussing the film from their points of view. The second also has Donaldson leading the visual effects crew through the process of crafting the creature effects and gore.

Two featurettes culled from a Species DVD box set are included. The first is Designing a Hybrid, a 15 minute piece on the effects that lauds the arrival of motion capture. The second is H.G. Giger at Work which takes fans into the artist’s home (he designed the creature here and for Alien) and the studio where he works. It’s excellent fan service during its 12 minute run.

Extras ★★★☆☆ 

Blu-ray Movie Review from : DoBlu.com

Species Review