Directed by: Terry Miles
Starring: Steve Austin, Danny Trejo, Serinda Swan
Distributed by: Vivendi Entertainment
MPAA Rating: R
Release Date: March 6, 2012
Running Time: 93 minutes

Film: 3 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2.5 out of stars

When it comes to Steve Austin, the guy knows action and can definitely kick some ass. He never got the mainstream attention like The Rock but he deserves it. Of course then you thrown in Danny Trejo, who is known for amazing roles like “Machete”. He is one scary son bitch but he is also just an awesome baddie. The film itself is nothing special and falls into the cheesy action genre.  Luckily the film has a key cast and is worth watching just for that and also a few great action sequences.

The film follows Ryan Varrett (Austin) who is on a revenge mission to find the criminals who murdered his family. Ryan takes it upon himself to punish those responsible…and anyone who gets in his way. When he meets the killer Drayke (Trejo), the two go head to head in an all out blood vendetta.

For a low-budget action film, the video is very impressive with its 1080p transfer especially with its kick-ass action scenes. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track is also impressive with the action.

The special features included are short but not completely terrible. There is a brief but interesting featurette “The Making of Recoil” looking into the film’s production. There are also a few deleted scenes, which run about 5 minutes and focus on Steve Austin’s character. Lastly there is the film’s trailer included.

Starring: Buster Keaton
Distributed by: Kino Lorber
MPAA Rated: Not Rated
Release Date: March 20, 2012
Run Time: 306 minutes

Shorts: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 1 out of 5 stars

In 1934, Buster Keaton signed a contract with Earle W. Hammons Educational Pictures which focused on comedy short subjects. This Blu-ray release is very impressive and includes over five hours within its 16 educational shorts. In fact, the reason why this is amazing set is because 14 of these shorts have never been available. Fans of Buster Keaton needs to check this out as it is one very cool set.

The video looks great with its 1080p transfer. These shorts were remastered in HD from 35mm negatives, so they are high quality but some of the shorts still show their age. The audio includes an LPCM 2.0 Mono track, which works well with the content but is really nothing special.

The films included are “The Gold Ghost”, “Allez Oop”, “Palooka From Paducah”, “One Run Elmer”, “Hayseed Romance”, “Tars and Stripes”, “The E-Flat Man”, “The Timid Young Man”, “Three on a Limb”, “Grand Slam Opera”, “Blue Blazes”, “The Chemist”, “Mixed Magic”, “Jail Bait” and “Ditto and Love Nest on Wheels”.

There are very few special features but I feel that the shorts are enough to make this release worth purchasing.    On the first disc, there is a photo gallery with sixteen stills.  On the second disc, there is a funny but short feature called “Why They Call Him Buster”, which features Buster falling. Inside the Blu-ray case, there is a booklet with overviews of each film in the set.

Directed by: David Gordon Green
Starring: Jonah Hill, Sam Rockwell
Distributed by: 20th Century Fox
MPAA Rating: R
Release Date: March 20, 2012
Running Time: 81 minutes

Film: 2 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2.5 out 5 stars

Recently Jonah Hill is a hit and miss when it comes to comedy. After “Superbad”, he seemed like a sure bet for laughs but this totally feels like him going from A to F and seems a very sad role. I do not believe he really deserved an Oscar nomination for “Moneyball” but I think he looks hysterical in “21 Jump Street”.  The film features a supporting case that is funnier including a crew performance by Sam Rockwell. David Gordon Green is a great director but he doesn’t really show up in this film at all. Lastly, the film barely runs 80 minutes and I am all for short comedies but it feels like a 2 hour movie easily.

Jonah Hill stars as Noah, a slacker with no drive that ends up doing his mom a favor by babysitting his neighbor’s children (Max Records, Landry Bender, Kevin Hernandez). He is completely unqualified but get’s overtaken by the kids. While sitting, his girlfriend (Ari Gaynor) promises sex if he brings her some cocaine to a party. This causes him to take the kids out on the town and get caught up with crazy drug dealer (Sam Rockwell).

The Blu-ray release is well packaged and contains not only the Blu-ray but also a DVD and a digital copy. It also includes both the theatrical and unrated versions of the film, even though neither work. The 1080p transfer on the Blu-ray is impressive and looks good especially for a comedy. The same goes for the audio DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track, it works with the music and action scenes the best.

The special features included are good but run very short and seems like one long gag. There are ten deleted/extended scenes, which run about 25 minutes. There is a gag reel, which I always love. “Sits-N-Giggles” is a collection of the film’s improvised lines, which is also very funny. These two features are funnier than the whole film together. “For Your Consideration” is a waste of time joke about Blake beat-boxing. “The Making of The Sitter” is a basic/decent behind-the-scenes featurette. “Jonah the Producer” features Jonah trying to teach kids. Lastly there is the theatrical trailer included.

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Directors: Lars Von Trier
Actors: Kirsten Dunst, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Kiefer Sutherland, Alexander Skarsgard, Brady Corbet
MPAA Rating: R
Distributed by: Magnolia Home Entertainment
Release Date: March 13, 2012
Running Time: 135 minutes

Film: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3 out of 5 stars

If you are not already familiar with Danish director Lars von Trier, this may not be the best film for you to watch. Especially after von Trier’s last film “Antichrist”, I approach his film’s gently. This one isn’t even half as disturbing as his last but it is extremely deep, a little bit confusing, a bit long and also mega depressing. So if you get over that then I say got give “Melancholia” a shot. I mean if not just for Kirsten Dunst amazing performance (and she is also nude, so that’s a plus obviously guys!). Fans of von Trier, this will be a must see if you haven’t seen it already don’t get ready for a very filling movie.

The film follows Justine (Kirsten Dunst) and Michael (Alexander Skarsgård) who are getting ready to attend their recent marriage at a party thrown by Justine’s sister Claire (Charlotte Gainsbourg) and brother-in-law John (Kiefer Sutherland). Of course like any family gathering there is drama and issues arrise that put a damper on the night. Of course to add to all that there is a planet a planet called Melancholia that is heading on a collision course with Earth and is possible to destroy all of humankind.

The 1080p transfer is what I loved most about this film. The video is so absolutely beautiful to look at, the CG effect shots are absolutely breathtaking. I wish they had an isolated score track because I would just leave on all day. Even though the film is based on the end of the world it is not an action packed more and is quite the opposite. The audio is still very impressive with its DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track and perfectly accompanies the films score.  This is a must to watch on HD Blu-ray for sure, if you have the choice.

The special features are good but missing some of the extras from the British release including the commentary track. “About Melancholia” features Lars von Trier, Kirsten Dunst, Charlotte Gainsbourg and a psychologist Irene Oestrich as they discuss the film’s themes. Since the film is very “Special Effects” heavy, this is a great feature to see how it was done during post production. “The Visual Style” is another important feature because director Von Trier definitely has one of the most unique vision of any directors I know. “The Universe” is another visual effects feature, short but worth checking out. There is the typical HDNet promo included “HDNet: A Look at Melancholia”, only feature not in HD. Lastly there are two theatrical trailers wrapping up this disc.

Directed by: Ed Wood
Starring: Bela Lugosi, Tor Johnson, Vampira
Distributed by: Legend Films
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Release Date: March 6, 2012
Running Time: 79 minutes

Film: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Legend Films is known for colorizing classic films and they their restoration of “Plan 9 from Outer Space” is very impressive. The coloring on the film is looks like it was done with care and very sharply with each scene. Even though this film is considered one of the “worst films of all-time”, I really have sweet spot for it and always enjoy watching it. This is technically the first time that this film has been properly released on Blu-ray. The first being by Rifftrax as a glorified commentary track, though that release wasn’t restored or cleaned up at all. Legend Films really did a great job restoring it in both color and black-and-white.

So many have tried to figure out the actually plot of this film and how it actually comes together as a film. The film itself and Ed Wood’s life even inspired the 1995 Tim Burton directed bio-pic with Johnny Depp as Ed Wood (one of my personal favorites). In “Plan 9”, it is just plain simple fun or madness or both as aliens resurrect the dead as zombies in order to stop human kind from creating a sun-driven bomb. The film has many issues during production including the death of Bella Lugosi. I wish Ed Wood could see this film today as it has become such a cult classic. Love it or hate it, this film will always be around.

The video resolution looks really sharp in its 1080p transfer. The only main concern is that the aspect ratio on the Blu-ray is 1.33:1 compared to the original aspect ratio of 1.85:1. Nothing major missed though. Theaudio is actually quite decent as it includes an DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 track. Since this film is considered one of the “worst”, you might not expect much but in video and audio this release definitely succeeds, thanks to Legend Films.

The special features are impressive for this release. Starting off is a commentary track by MST3K’s Mike Nelson, which definitely delivers some great laughs. There is trivia subtitles, which I enjoyed quite a bit about the film. There are also a few features on Ed Wood. The first is called “Ed Wood Home Movies”, it is presented in HD even though it is old grainy footage. It is short but definitely worth checking out for a rare look into some personal moments with Ed Wood. Then there is “Ed Wood Commercials”, also in HD included some really priceless shorts, definitely in the spirit of Ed Wood. Lastly if you prefer the classic black and white version of the film, as with all Legend releases they included the original black and white version as well, so everyone is happy.

Directed by: Roger Corman
Starring: Dick Miller, Jack Nicholson, Jonathan Haze, Mel Welles
Distributed by: Legend Films
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Release Date: March 6, 2012
Running Time: 70 minutes

Film: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2 out of 5 stars

Legend Films is known for colorizing classic films and they did a very notable job with 1960’s “The Little Shop of Horrors”. The color is very subtle and feels like it was beautiful hand panted on each scene. I have seen this film many times and I am big fan of Roger Corman and this film still works well for me. This is the first time that this film has been released on Blu-ray and Legend films really did a great job restoring it in both color and black-and-white.

Everyone knows the classic story of “The Little Shop of Horrors”. This 1960 film was also one of Jack Nicholson’s first roles. Seymour grows an exotic plant that has an insatiable appetite for blood and people. As the plant grows larger and larger and hungrier and hungrier, things start to get out of the control for the local flower shop and their bloodthirsty plant.

The video resolutions looks really sharp in its 1080p transfer. The only main concern is that the aspect ratio on the Blu-ray is 1.33:1 compared to the original aspect ratio of 1.85:1. Nothing major missed though. The audio is nothing special but includes a DTS-HD Master Audio Mono track.

The special features only included a commentary track by MST3K’s Mike Nelson, which definitely delivers some great laughs. Lastly if you prefer the classic black and white version of the film, as with all Legend releases they included the original black and white version as well, so everyone is happy.

Directed by: Ralph Bakshi
Starring: Bob Holt, Steve Gravers and Jesse Welles
Distributed by: 20th Century Fox
MPAA Rating: PG
Release Date: March 13, 2012
Running Time: 81 minutes

Film: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2 out of 5 stars

If you are a fan of Ralph Bakshi then you would be excited for this release, if not then you probably have never heard of this film. Bakshi is the director of film’s like “Fritz the Cat”, “The Lord of the Rings (1978)” and “Cool World”. His animation style is so unique and very interesting to watch. This film holds up well over the years and looks decent on Blu-ray. The real draw on this release has to be the Digibook packaging. The release comes with a 24-page full-color digibook. It includes a note from Ralph Bakshi, a short essay on the film, and lots of sketches and concept art. Definitely worth picking up if you are fans of Bakshi and the film.

The film itself follows the battle between Avatar and his evil brother Blackwolf. Avatar is an eccentric but kind sorcerer-ruler of Montagar, which is a magical place inhabited by elves and fairies. Blackwolf has plans to dominates Montagar. But with the help from fairy Elinore, a robot assassin named Peace, and Elfin spy Weehawk, Avatar must save his world from darkness.

The Blu-ray presentation is good but not amazing. The video looks good in 1080p transfer but is not perfect. The color really pop and the animation looks sharp even though its shows a little age. The audio boasts an impressive DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track and also includes a English Dolby Digital mono track. Note: this US release does not include the score-only audio track like the UK release unfortunately.

Since this is the 35th Anniversary release, I was hoping for some new special features but there is nothing new and everything is only presented in standard definition. There is a commentary track from Bakshi, which was used on the 2004 DVD release. It is a good commentary track though and very informative. There is a 35 minute making-of feature called “Ralph Bakshi- The Wizard of Animation Featurette”, definitely worth checking out and wish this was in HD. Lastly there is two trailers, TV spot and a photo gallery included.

Directed by: Angelina Jolie
Starring: Zana Marjanovic, Goran Kostic, Rade Serbedzija, Dzana Pinjo, Nikola Djuricko
Distributed by: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
MPAA Rating: R
Release Date: March 27, 2012
Running Time: 127 minutes

Film: 3 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3 out of 5 stars

When you hear that Angelina Jolie is writing/directing a film, the first thing that pops into my head isn’t a foreign film. Well she did a really great job with “In the Land of Blood and Honey”, it is directed with a sharp eye and written very smartly. The content of the film is very intense consisting of rape and violence but she is still able to intertwine her romance into the story. I felt the film drags a little in the second half and gets a little confusing but overall I would say I enjoyed it.

The film is set in the in the 1990s during the Bosnian War. It locks conflicted romance of Danijel and Ajla, two people from different ethnic backgrounds. Danijel, a soldier fighting for the Serbs, and Ajla, a Bosnian held captive in his camp. Shortly before the war though the two knew each other and were one their way to possibly falling in love. As the war develops the their relationship gets more complicated as war drives them apart.

This combo back includes the Blu-ray and also a DVD of the film. The authentic language version is available on the BD with English subtitles, and the newer before released English language version is available on the DVD. If I had the option to watch it I would highly recommended the foreign language version. The Blu-ray presentation is superb. It looks great with its 1080p transfer, very sharp and very realistic. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track is also very impressive and works well with the war scenes and the film’s beautiful score.

The extras are decent but lacking commentary from Angelina Jolie. “The Making of In the Land of Blood and Honey” Featurette takes you behind-the-scenes through filming in two languages and the local cast reflections on the actual the war. There are a few deleted scenes also included. Lastly exclusively available on the Blu-ray version is a Q&A with Jolie and Actress Vanesa Glodjo. Definitely worth checking out to get more insight into the film.

Directed by: Alexander Payne
Starring: George Clooney, Shailene Woodley, Amara Miller, Nick Krause, Patricia Hastie
Distributed by: Fox Searchlight
MPAA Rating: R
Release Date: March 13, 2012
Running Time: 115 minutes

Film: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3.5 out of 5 stars

As much as I love the film “The Artist”, it is obvious that George Clooney should have won the Oscar for his role in this movie. It is hard for an actor to be able to both make you laugh and cry in the same 2 hours and Clooney does it. When this film first came out I really had no interest in it but once it started picking up some pace, it grabbed my interest. Clooney’s performance seems to come so naturally and feels really laid back just like the Hawaii setting in the film. The film also features great performances from Beau Bridges and Matthew Lillard, though overall this is a real ensemble.

Following an accident of his wife leaving her in a coma, Matt King (Clooney), a high-powered Hawaii real estate lawyer (George Clooney) finds himself in charge of their young daughters (Shailene Woodley, Amara Miller) that he barely knows. Matt is also on the verge of making a very important family decision of selling a large portion of Hawaii’s beaches for hotel space. While spending time with his daughters, reflecting his wife’s situation he realizes that there are things that he has never noticed before about his family and his wife. With his daughters help he is able to find a way to change his life and theirs on the process.

The video looks absolutely fantastic and really shines in it 1080p transfer. The film was shot in stunning Hawaii and this film literally transports you to the beaches and just feels really laid back. The audio in this release packs a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track. It is not really pushed hard but it works well with the ambient sounds in the film and just seems to work well overall.

The special features are good though lacking any commentary track from Payne or Clooney. Since the film is all about George, so is this feature “Everybody Loves George”. “Working with Alexander” is lead by the director as he takes us through the production himself. “The Real Descendants” tells the real story story behind this film. “Hawaiian Style” focuses on the production side of shooting on location in Hawaii. Alexander Payne chats about the “Casting” in the next feature to come up with this dream-team cast. “Working with Water” deals with the difficulties of shooting on water.

More features include three music videos featuring footage from Hawaii: “Will I Ever See You Again”, “Postcards from Paradise” and “Honolulu’s Whisper”. My least favorite feature is “Waiting for the Light”, which a short montage of behind-the-scenes footage. From least to favorite, the next one is “The World Parade: Hawaii”. which is shows a reel of silent documentary like footage from turn-of-the-century Hawaii. “A Conversation with George Clooney and Alexander Payne” is a sit down with director and its star and ends up being a lot of fun. There are two short deleted scenes that were included, an explanation of each is given from the director. Lastly there is a theatrical trailer included.

Director: Merlin Crossingham
Distributed by: Lions Gate
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Release Date: March 13, 2012
Running Time: 174 minutes

Series: 2 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2 out of 5 stars

I was very disappointed when I started watching this “Wallace & Gromit” release especially since it doesn’t really feature much of the duo. Instead it is a science-based show hosted by them, only introduced and closing segments. Though the show is light on the science aspect as well. It only really features brief rather useless clips that discuss a variety of scientific facts and gizmos. While Wallace introduces each of the inventors from around the world, he also reveals a few of his own creations. I wish it was a lot more of that and a lot less of the cheesy science clips.

The Wallace and Gromit animated sections looks great even though only presented in 1080i. Since the series uses a lot of stock and archive footage there is a lot of graininess in those segments and they don’t look great on Blu-ray. The audio track uses an DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and works well but doesn’t blow you out of the water. I do not think that there is a rush for BBC One to create a second season of this show, one was plenty.

There is only one extra on this release but it is not completely worthless. There are six “World of Invention Shorts” presented in HD and running almost 40 minutes. They are a consisted of fun do-it-yourself construction experiments. Kids might need some help from their parents but overall they are pretty cool. The six segments are: Atmosphere Railway, Wind-Powered Sprinkler, Fin Ray Grabber, Air Rocket, Spy Camera and Upside-Down-O-Scope.

Directed by: Olallo Rubio
Starring: Edward Furlong, Peter Coyote, Edi Gathegi
Distributed by: Kino Lorber
MPAA Rating: R
Release Date: March 20, 2012
Running Time: 99 minutes

Film: 1.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2 out of 5 stars

The title says it all this is not a movie, this is the Edward Furlong show. He plays not only one role but three. You need to have a real tolerance for him to enjoy this film. It deals with the end of the world but its scope doesn’t leave the hotel room where he is staying. I was very interested in the first 10 minutes with this film and then I realized it was going nowhere. The only thing that made this film watchable was its fake trailers like “The System Strikes Back”, “Regan Force” and “The Jesus Chainsaw Massacre”.

This movie is really about nothing, it is a surreal, psychedelic, apocalyptic trip into nothing. With the end of the world less than 48 hours away, Pete Nelson (Furlong) spends it inside a Las Vegas hotel with his alternate personalities. He spends it fighting with them and just wasting time but like I said overall doesn’t really do anything. Edi Gathegi from “Twilight” pops in as a ghost for a split second and I have no idea why he was necessary in the story.

The Blu-ray presentation was ok with not much really pushing its limits.  The video itself looks clear and well presented though overall. The audio track was also nothing special.  The music in the film was by Slash (former Guns ‘n’ Roses) but it isn’t mind-bending and doesn’t really stand out.  I expected this kick-ass soundtrack but was left disappointed.

The bonus features are nothing special either like the movie. There are a few few deleted scenes nothing that would have helped this movie though. There is an interview with Peter Coyote and Slash, worth checking out. Lastly there is a photo gallery and trailer for the film. I would have liked a see a directors commentary to get some back insight as to what the hell was the point of this film.

Directed by: Alan Birkinshaw
Starring: Anthony Forrest, Tom Marshall, David Jackson, Hilda Braid
Distributed by: Kino Lorber/Redemption
MPAA Rating: Unrated
Release Date: March 13, 2012
Running Time: 90 minutes

Film: 2 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2.5 out of 5 stars

This film reminds me of a poor combination of “A Clockwork Orange” and “I Spit On Your Grave”. They film was banned in the UK with a X-rating back in the day due to its rape and gore scenes but in comparison to today’s films they are tame. The story is also tame and has no direction causing the film to drag on for its short 90 minutes. It doesn’t really get a chance to take off and therefore falls flat quickly.

The film follows a group of school girls that become stranded in the woods and looking for a place to spend the night, they are unaware that they are actually in a lot of danger. There are being stalked by four mental patients, who escaped from their clinic and to make it worse are also being used as medical experiments. They are stuck in a dream-like state and believe that there is no consequence to their actions.

The remaster is from the original 35mm negatives. It looks good with its high def upgrade but not overall impressive. The audio is like the video nothing really impressive boasting an uncompressed LPCM 2.0 track. Redemption is usually know for their impressive remastered editions but this one really doesn’t cry out amazing.

The special features are not really great either besides the audio commentary track. It features James Blackford from Redemption chatting with director Alan Birkinshaw and actress Joanna Good about the film and their recollections. Besides that there are two trailers that are in HD and photo gallery also in HD. Then there is two separate interviews with the director Alan Birkinshaw and actress Joanna Good. They are only in standard definition and run about 12-15 minutes each. Even those the features aren’t packed it is much better than the last few releases from Redemption like “Virgin Witch” and “Hills Have Eyes: Part 2”, which had none.

Directed by: David Cronenberg
Starring: Viggo Mortensen, Michael Fassbender, Keira Knightley, Vincent Cassel
Distributed by: Sony Pictures Classics
Release Date: March 27, 2012
MPAA Rating: R
Running time: 94 minutes

Film: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3.5 out of 5 stars

David Cronenberg is honestly one of my favorite directors of all-time. Even though I feel that he has lost his bizarre charm that made me love him so much with films like “Naked Lunch”, “Videodrome” or “eXistenZ”, but he still really knows how to direct the hell out of a film. To make it even easier he has gotten a super A-list cast on this film with Viggo Mortensen, Michael Fassbender and Keira Knightley. They all give these amazing performances that are award worthy. The film is also a short 94 minutes, so I really enjoyed that. It wasn’t another drawn out 2+ hour period piece. It is not Cronenberg’s best film ever but it delivers the goods for sure.

The film is an adaptation of Christopher Hampton’s play which focuses on on the dissipating relationship between Sigmund Freud (Mortensen) and Carl Jung (Fassbender). Carl Jung is a disciple of Freud and has been using his teachings for his patients. Though Jung’s develops a relationship with his Russian-Jewish psychiatric patient Sabina Spielrein (Keira Knightley) and as it develops, it causes issues with his relationship with Freud.

The video resolution is sharp 1080p and is presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1. The film doesn’t really push the Blu-ray format but it definitely doesn’t disappoint. The audio in the film is mostly dialogue but works well the score works really well with the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track.

The special features are great and working checking out for fans of Cronenberg. There is a great commentary from the director himself. It is very informative about the film’s production and development. Next up there is a feature called “The Making of ‘A Dangerous Method'”, it is a behind the scenes looks into the film with the cast and crew, definitely worth checking out. Lastly there is AFI’s Master Seminar with David Cronenberg includes. His directing style is so unique and this is a very interesting feature.

Directors: Roman Polanski
Actors: Jodie Foster, Kate Winslet, Christoph Waltz, John C. Reilly
MPAA Rating: R
Distributed by: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Release Date: March 20, 2012
Running Time: 80 minutes

Film: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3 out of 5 stars

I never had the chance to see the play “Gods of Carnage”, which this film is based on but I am sure happy to get a chance to see this film. I really enjoyed it. I felt that it was very intelligent and sharp. The film really carries a stage feel basically stay inside one apartment the entire time. Though I think that was the feel that director Roman Polanski was aiming for. The film works best as a stage play, so I say keep it in stage play format.

The cast is so extraordinary in this as well. Of course I can’t compare to the various Broadway casts. Prior to this film, I was at a point where I would honestly avoid an film from Jodie Foster…well this just changed it. She was absolutely hysterical and necrotic at the same time. Kate Winslet is also hysterical as well and really nails the role. Christoph Waltz shows his comedic side very well after his amazing performance in “Inglorious Basterds”. Last but not least John C. Reilly delivers yet another notable comedic performance.

The story itself feature two sets of parents that come together to discuss an incident between each of their sons. The incident starts off civil but then slowly stirs out of control into this comedic explosion of events.  The group going from have a drink of water to liquor to fighting up a storm.  It is really well directed by Polanski and perfectly executed by its cast.

The Blu-ray presentation is decent but doesn’t really get challenged. It does looks good with its 1080o high def resolution and its carries a slightly modified aspect ratio of 2.34:1. The film is all dialogue and definitely contains a clear DTS-HD Master Audio 5.0 track.

The special features are decent overall and lacking any notable commentary tracks. The first feature is called “Actors’ Notes” which runs about 10 minutes and features the four stars talking about the film and its production. “An Evening with John C. Reilly and Christoph Waltz” runs almost 40 minutes and features a Q&A with the actors about the film. There is a short feature with cast/crew interviews called “On the Red Carpet”. Lastly there just the film’s theatrical trailer.

Directed by: David Fincher
Starring: Daniel Craig, Rooney Mara
Distributed by: Sony Pictures Entertainment
MPAA Rating: R
Release Date: March 20, 2012
Running Time: 158 minutes

Film: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2 out of 5 stars

Stieg Larsson’s “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” is one of the best novels released in the recent years. The series has spanned two sequels, both which have Swedish films already made. This film is a US remake of the Swedish film based on the novel…get all that. I am sure I don’t have to explain though because of America’s wide awareness of this film. Rooney Mara really does an amazing job taking the role of Lisbeth Salander from Noomi Rapace. Although Noomi’s portrayal just feels a little more rigid and brutal. Daniel Craig just a match up job with his role of Mikael Blomkvist. Very impressive job overall from both. The aspect of this film that I loved the most was easily the cinematography, some shots are just downright breathtaking. You really get Fincher’s vision coming through with the film and it adds a lot to the film itself.

My only issue with the film is that it felt a little too much like the Swedish films. I enjoyed them both equally in fact with this film. I really can’t compare the two because they are so a like. In fact, after viewing this film, I spent a lot of time comparing the two and I was able to pick out bits and pieces of each from each film that I really enjoyed. The score is by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross (known for the Oscar-winning “The Social Network” score) is so stunning, haunting and really intense. “The Immigrant Song” cover by Trent Reznor and Karen O is truly an instant classic and will be used for many years following. It really drives this film and adds a lot of direction. The film is also 158 minutes but easily feels like it is only 90 minutes.

The only special feature available on the DVD is a commentary with David Fischer. It is a great feature in fact but I assume that the Blu-ray will have tons more features covering the film’s production more in depth. Also as I said that the film’s has such amazing shots, which would also looks much better on Blu-ray than DVD. Overall though this film is worth the purchase easily no matter what format you are able to view it on. I really hope that Fincher is able to make the other two books in the series because I would like to see how his vision is portrayed in them as well.