The 2001 that Arthur C. Clarke wrote about and Stanley Kubrick brought to the screen was a time quite different from our actual turbulent year. Heralded as one of the greatest films of all-time, Kubrick's film is a visual masterpiece that is undoubtedly done in excess. Nevertheless, it's hard not to like this film, even if you don't know what's going on. The classical music, the beautiful visuals, the journey. By far, the most revolutionary film in the sci-fi genre, Kubrick's epic leaves much to be interpreted while holding you on the edge of your seat throughout the final act. Two years after its initial DVD release, Warner gave the film a much-needed touchup, and the visuals look even more spectacular now in the 2.20:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer. Sound is also important, and the 5.1 track is wonderful too. It's a shame that Warner lost the animated menus and Arthur Clarke interview from the original release, but the remastered video and audio do make up for it. The fact that this DVD made the Top 50, being a relatively barebones disc, speaks much about how beloved this film is.
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After writing and directing one of the biggest surprise blockbusters of all-time (The Sixth Sense), M. Night Shyamalan wanted to match his efforts with another Bruce Willis film involving the supernatural in ordinary situations. Well, the situations in Unbreakable aren't as ordinary, and the result is not as good as The Sixth Sense, but most would agree that it wasn't at least a total letdown. Able to maintain the viewer's interest without much going on, Shyamalan's style is unique and talent is definitely there. For the first entry in Disney's top-of-the-line Vista Series, the 2-disc release of Unbreakable was somewhat of a letdown in terms of Disc 2's extras, which for some reason left off all trailers & TV ads. However, viewers still felt that the movie, with its impressive video quality and a nice DTS track, in addition to the few extras that are here made Unbreakable one of the year's best DVD releases. Shyamalan fans are also looking forward to the January 15th 2-disc Vista Series re-release of the superior Sixth Sense, which in addition to a handful of new extras offers the removal of the forced ads for terrible movies (Mission to Mars?! A sequel to From Dusk Till Dawn?!) that plagued the inital release of the 1999 hit.
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Remember that Seinfeld episode where everything went backwards and like it kept on saying "10 minutes earlier" or Kramer would be talking about how FDR wished that he would drop dead? Do you remember that? Well, Memento is kind of like that. Except that instead of a wedding in India, this backwards movie is about this guy Leonard ("Lenny!" - no, not the Ghostbusters mayor) who is looking for some character "John G." who supposedly raped and killed his wife.
It's a pretty cool movie, but it's not exactly like that Seinfeld episode. For example, was Joey Pantaliano in that Seinfeld episode?! No, didn't think so.
The DVD's okay, but most people voted this one because they liked the movie and they thought it was cool the way it went backwards. If a Special Edition comes out, that would be cool.
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John Carpenter's trailblazing slasher is streets ahead of its scores of imitators, possessing dazzling camerawork, minimal violence and a sense on contextual space and time that only a true auteur brings to filmmaking. A perfect marriage of sustained tension and slow-build-up, heart-jolting scares and (often forgotten) irreverent humor. The Anchor Bay 2-disc set presents two different cuts of the movie: the original theatrical release and the extended, cut-for-violence TV version. Some of the extra scenes in the latter make for interesting viewing but the original is best. A great transfer (sound and vision) and an extensive documentary make for a killer release.
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Alfred Hitchcock's suspenseful thriller about a man who is mistaken for someone else is considered one of the greatest genre films of its time. The DVD also features one of the most highly praised video transfers for a film that is forty years old. In fact, North by Northwest is considered the measuring stick for how good of a restoration has been done on a older film when released on DVD.
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British director Sam Mendes struck a chord with audiences worldwide with his stirring and funny depiction of American life today in American Beauty. The main reason the film works is Kevin Spacey as Lester Burnham, a 40something father and husband in the middle of a mid-life crisis. Quitting his job and changing his lifestyle takes many forms, and the 1999 Best Picture winner is both poignant and hilarious. Supporting performances all hold up, and the film manages to mix dark comedy, social satire and a genuine dysfunctional family drama. Shortly before the DVD release, Mendes stepped in and made sure that the alternate ending and deleted scenes would not be included on the disc, as he felt that they would taint his work. Nevertheless, there are other extras on the disc, including a commentary from Mendes and award-winning screenwriter Alan Ball, a making of featurette, and storyboards with commentary. The film itself sports a winning 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer and both DD and DTS tracks. With its retail price recently reduced to just $19.99, American Beauty is a pleasing disc that is definitely worth taking a look closer.
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