There are some great films out there on Blu-ray. I wish I had more time to see them. Instead I look for quality instead of quantity. I rate Blu-ray films on a two-tier basis; first and foremost is the story and secondly is the shear jaw dropping, stop the viewer in their tracks Blu-ray visuals. Each tier is rated on a sliding 5 star rating; the more stars the better. There we go. That’s it. Here’s what I’ve been watching.
District 9: 4.5 Stars / 4.5 Stars. This is a gem of a film. It is not pretty in its depiction of the human race – just accurate. If this fantastic situation were to present itself as a reality, this is how it would play out. Here is what I had to say about it in the theaters: http://evilchickenscratch.blogspot.com/2009/08/on-district-9.html and I still stand behind it now.
Pride and Prejudice (A&E): 5 Stars / 3.5 Stars. This was under the Christmas tree this year. It was addressed to my wife, “Mother Hen” but in all actuality it really is for both of us. Adaptations of Jane Austin’s story of Victorian romance have been done scores of times on film in various incarnations. This 6 hour, A&E version is where it was done correctly. Every year we watch it together. We have had it on VHS, DVD, and now Blu-ray. It is simply a timeless story.
9: 3.5 Stars / 4 Stars. I love Tim Burton and he loved the short film, “9” directed by Shane Acker, which is also included on the Blu-ray disc. Mark Twain (or at least I’m giving him the credit) once said, “A novel is a short story… padded.” The same can be said for this film. The short is direct and lets the viewer fill in the blanks while the movie takes away this opportunity, which in a strange way detracts from the whole. This is not to say that it is a bad film; it is watch-able and the details of the computer animations are striking on Blu-ray. Rent it. Let me know what you think.
Inglorious Basterds: 5 Stars / 4.5 Stars. For my money this is one of the BEST Quentin Tarantino films I have ever seen. That is saying something. From the pages of Tarantino’s script to the way that the cast delivers in each and every performance this sizzles; the dialogue, the acting are just superb. Brad Pitt’s performance as Lt. Aldo Raine is worth the purchase of this Blu-ray alone. Christoph Waltz who plays Hans Landa the “Jew Hunter” should be up for an Oscar on for this one. Seriously. Tarantino has an eye for the camera and he knows how to tell a story. There is an eye for detail in that storytelling. He is a cinema fan and a brilliant filmmaker. If this does not get some Oscar nods then something is wrong with the Academy. This is not in my collection yet but it will be. I keep reading rumors that Q.T. is thinking about a prequel film. I truly hope that this is the case. I’d love to see another go round with the Basterds.
That’s what’s been buttering my popcorn as of late. I am still diggin’ the Blu-ray experience. Even after this, the fourth installment of the Blu-Ray Dossier it has not lost it’s glorious 1080p sparkle.
