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4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray Review: “Elysium”

ELYSIUM
Starring: Matt Damon and Jodie Foster
Directed by: Neill Blomkamp
Rated: R
Running time: 1 hr 49 mins
Tri Star Pictures

Neil Blomkamp’s futuristic action popcorn ride is very impressive with visual effects. One thing’s for sure, subtlety has never been an inspiration in Blomkamp’s body of work. “Elysium” addresses a sociopolitical concern, very similar to Blomkamp’s earlier gem, “Districkt 9.:” the policing of a state where the socially unequal, i.e. the poor, suffer grave depravities. “Elysium” takes place in a futuristic Los Angeles where the state has separated it’s citizens, with the majority remaining in Los Angeles while the wealthy 1% live free of the world’s anxieties in a halo-like space habitat orbiting Earth called Elysium.

Matt Damon stars as Max, a parolee dying of radiation poisoning who is fighting to be smuggled to Elysium in order to take advantage of the advanced Healthcare system that exists there. He still works at the industrial plant where he got the radiation poisoning and is told that it will kill him in 5 days. The society is partially policed by robots, which Max consistently has unfavorable encounters with. Max realizes he has little time left to live but Elysium has machines that can cure him which motivates him to get to the orbiting station. Max teams up with a rebel group to steal information from a company that can free the citizens of Los Angeles and make everyone a citizen of Elysium. But in order for this to happen, Max has to be tagged with bionic parts to his arms and back while a computer chip needs to be implanted in his brain. This allows him to be more agile in fighting and the chip to his brain will give him access to the company, He also has to get through Defense Secretary Delacourt, played by Jodie Foster, who will stop at nothing to keep the citizens of Los Angeles out of Elysium. The results pits the rebels against the state in a battle that is full of great visuals and action.

I watched the film on a UHD 4K Blu Ray, and the picture and sound are astounding. A notable upgrade from the previous Blu Ray release where contrast and brightness are improved delivering a sharper image with vivid whites and deeper blacks. Sound is amazing with plenty of activity in the surround fields and lots of LFE activity for the subwoofer. The sub-woofer sound is smooth as the low level sounds will not overextend your speaker. The 2160p picture, which is double that of a Blu Ray picture produces breathtaking imagery, showcasing the visual effects with remarkable clarity. The Elysium station has to been seen to be believed! The orbiting station is a wonderful work of digital effects. And seeing it on 4K Blu Ray will astound you. It took me back to Star Trek Beyond (which I also have on 4K Blu Ray) where the docking station is a mixture of ship technology and citizenry. I had a great time with “Elysium.” It’s films like this that make me glad that I invested in a 4K Blu Ray player.

SPECIAL FEATURES

Exoskeletons, Explosions, and the Action Choreography of Elysium
The Hero, The Psychopath, and the Characters of Elysium
The Art of the Elysium Miniatures
Bugatti 2154
Theatrical Trailer 1
Theatrical Trailer 2
International Trailer
Visions of 2154 Interactive Gallery
Extended Scene: Kruger Wakes Up
The Journey to Elysium: Part 1 – Envisioning Elysium ()
The Journey to Elysium: Part 2 – Capturing Elysium
The Journey to Elysium: Part 3 – Enhancing Elysium
Collaboration: Crafting the Performances in Elysium
The Technology of 2154
In Support of Story: The Visual Effects of Elysium
Engineering Utopia: A Society in the Sky

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Filed Under: DVD/Blu-Ray Reviews Tagged With: 4k, elysium, hdbluray, review, ultra

4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray Review: “Last Action Hero” (Steelbook)

LAST ACTION HERO
Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Austin O’Brien
Directed by: John McTiernan
Rated: PG 13
Running time: 2 hrs 10 mins
Columbia Pictures

It was THE movie event of 1993. A movie starring the world’s biggest action star, directed by the guy who directed “Die Hard,” and featuring an amazing array of celebrity guest stars. Hell, they even launched a rocket into space with the film’s title on the side. That film was “Last Action Hero,” and, at a cost of $85 million was one of the most expensive films made at the time. Even though it made over $134 million world-wide, it was considered a dud by the bean counters in Hollywood and was not met well by critics. However, as a 32 year old movie theatre manager, I LOVED IT. Almost 30 years later, I still love it.

Danny (O’Brien) is a young boy who lives with his mother and spends most of his free time at the movies, where he has made friends with the projectionist, Nick (Robert Prosky). One of the benefits of the friendship is Danny being allowed to screen new films before they open. This night he is getting set to watch the latest Jack Slater adventure, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. Nick give Danny a “magic ticket,” goes into the booth and starts the film. But tonight is different. Danny isn’t watching the movie, he’s IN the movie.

A fun buddy comedy (even though there is 30 years age difference between the buddies), “Last Action Hero” is everything it was advertised to be, which made its poor box office in the U.S. surprising (it mad $15 million it’s opening weekend but ended up only making another $35 million before it was out of most theatres). The fun comes from the fact that Jack Slater (Arnold, of course) has never heard of Arnold Schwarzenegger. He thinks Danny is just some crazy kid who somehow ended up in the back of his car during a high speed chase.

Jack thinks Danny is delusional. A trip to the video store features a lobby display for TERMINATOR 2, but this version stars Sylvester Stallone. Introduced to another cop (F. Murray Abraham), Danny instinctively recognizes him as the guy who killed Mozart in “Amadeus.” Having never heard of the film, Slater tells the cop that Danny thinks he killed someone named Moe Zart!

The fun continues until the pair chase a baddie (Dance) back into Danny’s world, where Slater learns that you can’t punch a window without cutting yourself and you are no longer magically bulletproof.

The film is an amazing combination of action and humor and one that doesn’t live up to it’s rep. Check it out with an open mind and I think you’ll agree with me.

Both the picture and sound on this release are amazing and the film comes in a special steel case. This is a fun film I highly recommend.

Special Features:

Commentary with Director John McTiernan

Deleted & Alternate Scenes

Alternate Ending

“Big Gun” Music Video by AC/DC

Original Behind-the-Scenes Featurette

Theatrical Teaser

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4K ULTRA HD/Blu-ray Review: “Big Fish’

BIG FISH
Starring: Ewan McGregor, Albert Finney and Billy Curdup
Directed by: Tim Burton
Rated: PG 13
Running time: 2 hrs 5 mins
Columbia Pictures

There is simply no film like a Tim Burton film! This visually arresting film also has a great story.

. Ewan McGregor is one of those actors that is interesting in anything he’s in. Here he plays a protagonist in a make-believe world. Or is it make-believe? As I watched this, I was reminded of the character of Forrest Gump, a man having adventures in everything he was involved in.

The story involves Willll Bloom (Billy Crudup), who seems to harbor animosity against his father, Edward (Albert Finney). Will feels that he really doesn’t know his dad, who is noted for telling great stories which seem too far fetched for reality. As Edward tells one story after another, we flashback to his younger self (played by Ewan McGregor) who seems to have adventures that put him at an advantage to his peers.

Edward longs for Sandra, whom he instantly falls in love with despite her already being engaged. Edward soon finds himself joining the circus, simply because Sandra is also part of the same circus. As Edward tries to woo Sandra for her hand in marriage, he must meet conditions that he can only ask Amos Calloway (Danny DeVito) for, learning one thing about Sandra each month. This is to ensure that he knows all about her in his pursuit. This lasts for three years until it is revealed that Amos is secretly a werewolf (I’ll stop here so I will not ruin the film for the viewer).

This is just one example of how the story weaves and the viewer is treated to breathtaking locales and a very interesting plot.

Visually, as usual, Tim Burton is quite amazing. The man shows extreme creativity and his films hold up very well for repeat viewing. There is much to see in “Big Fish,” and you will do this film an injustice by renting it for one viewing. It has to be bought, taken home and enjoyed over and over.

“Big Fish” is a perfect blend of heartfelt sentimentality and visual splendor. In lesser hands, “Big Fish” would’ve gone off the rails as another goofy drama. In the hands of Burton, with John August’s script and with McGregor as the protagonist, it is the perfect blend of storytelling and fantasy. This film has some very colorful characters but that’s Burton’s recipe for a great film.

The film is now on HDR 4K Blu Ray, with an impressive transfer by Sony. The film is nearly 20 years old but it holds up well with an HDR10 transfer that doesn’t disappoint. The audio is beautiful with a Dolby Atmos track that definitely increases atmosphere in a film that’s already captivating. “Big Fish” is a big winner that is surely presented with that Tim Burton signature that fans have come to expect and love. It’s a masterpiece!

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Filed Under: DVD/Blu-Ray Reviews, Film Reviews Tagged With: 4k, big, fish, hdbluray, review, ultra, ...

4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray Review: “Speed”

SPEED
Starring: Keanu Reeves, Sandra Bullock and Dennis Hopper
Directed by: Jan de Bont
Rated: R
Running time: 1 hr 56 mins
20th Century Fox

“Pop quiz, hotshot. There’s a bomb on a bus. Once the bus goes 50 miles an hour, the bomb is armed. If it drops below 50, it blows up. What do you do? What do you do?”

That’s pretty much the story in this intense action film that’ll keep you on the edge of your seat! After seeing this, you’ll never look at buses the same (much less ride one). LAPD officer Jack Traven (Keanu Reeves) was just doing his job when he and his partner (Jeff Daniels) rescued an elevator full of hostages from a mad bomber (Dennis Hopper). They were true heroes of the hour but when the bomber sets another trap on a commuter bus – if the speed of the bus in question drops below 50 MPH it will explode – it’s game on. The bomber demands millions of dollars in ransom. Now Jack must find a way to get on board the bus, rescue the hostages and stop the maniac bomber once and for all.

The story is a combination of thrills that, when added up,equals nerve-wrecking tension. The bus cannot stop whatsoever and there are times when you think “okay how in the world are they going to survive this?” Former cinematographer Jan de Bont’s (“Cujo,” “Ruthless People”) directorial debut comes through a true winner.

For action fans, there’s plenty of it here. Narrative moves at a suspenseful pace where the speedometer on the bus is a factor. I had the privilege of watching Speed on a 4K Blu Ray copy and for a 1994 film, it shines with a great picture and sound, even though the disc does not have a Dolby Atmos track. Still, this film is a great time.

EXTRAS

Disc One (4K)

Audio Commentary by Jan de bont
Audio Commentary – by screenwriter Graham Yost and producer Mark Gordon.

Disc Two (Blu-ray)

Action Sequences
Inside Speed
Extended Scenes
Music Video – “Speed” by Billy Idol.

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Filed Under: DVD/Blu-Ray Reviews Tagged With: 4k, hdbluray, review, speed, ultra

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