Pretty darn good entertainment!!!

This Batman film just shows that the who idea still works. Quite frankly, after the Michael Keaton/Val Kilmer/George Clooney efforts I was beginning to have my doubts.

Sure, there are one or two places where this film may be a bit slow, but on the whole I think that even those patches serve the purpose of explaining how Batman became Batman ... i.e. why the Bat bit. As always the gadgets are brilliant, the one liners excellently delivered and Batman's escapes truly unbelievable - in other words a proper Batman film!

Christian Bale is excellent as Batman, and Michael Caine just about perfect in the role as Alfred the butler - in fact, when I win the lottery and have to hire my own butler Michael Caine will be top of my list of candidates!!

In short this is a very good film. Brilliant entertainment, and one which you can easily watch more than once. Just go for it!!!

ghost rider ignites the screen

Most reviews of this film have been apathetic at best but i'd be inclined to be a little more generous.
Compared to some of Cage's recent efforts it's a step up. He has a passion for this comic, which he mentions in interview, he even has a tattoo of it and this enthusiasm comes through in his performance. Graphic novel anoraks will tell you that this is one of the most faithful adaptations to screen yet, they'll probably also tell you that having eye-candy like Eva Mendes in the film didn't do it any harm either...and they'd be right.
Mark Steven Johnson (also director of Daredevil) has done a good job with the adaptation, but having watched either Daredevil or Ghost Rider it's obvious that dialog isn't his strong point. Despite Cage's passion for the role, if you're expecting academy award winning acting from this flick, you're gonna be sorely disappointed. That said, Peter Fonda is very well cast as Mephistopholes and Wes Bentley does a good job at playing the bad-guy particularly in comparison to his slightly wet counter-parts.
The order of the day then; sit back, disengage the brain and enjoy the action as Ghost Rider literally ignites the screen with perpetual flames, even when not literal the fire imagery is ever present.
On Blu ray this looks even sharper than in the cinema, it really is stunning.
The extended cut runs for about an extra 13 minutes, and there are some nice featurettes on the extras disc. On the whole, a worthwhile purchase if you're a Marvel fan, or if you just fancy a good action flick.

20 minutes for love

A T.S. Eliot quote. A swinging pendulum and spinning hands on a monstrous clock. Countless faded figures moving quickly by.

And in the center of the crush, a man in a cop uniform says (in German),"The ball is round. The game lasts 90 minutes. That's a fact. Everything else is pure theory." He kicks it into the sky.

Well, Tom Tykwer certainly knows how to get our attention. And it's only a few minutes in the kinetic, high-octane, colourful world of"Run Lola Run" -- a wild action/romance that studies the ripple effect of our lives, and the changes we can make in the name of love.

Lola (Franka Potente) receives a call from her boyfriend Manni (Moritz Bleibtreu), a drug courier. Because Lola's moped was stolen, Manni had to take the subway home -- and he accidentally left behind a bag of money. Now he has twenty minutes to somehow get 100,000 marks, or his boss Ronnie is going to kill him.

Lola races across Berlin to her father's bank -- only to find him with his mistress, and hear that he's leaving his other family. Desperate, she runs to where Manni is waiting, and helps him rob a convenience store. But as they flee, the police catch up to them -- and Lola is shot.

"But I don't want to. I don't want to leave," she mutters. And time rewinds to where she left her apartment -- and this time, Lola's determined to do things differently. As she runs from one end of Berlin to another, she sends ripples through the lives of those she passes -- and she'll keep running until she finds a hundred thousand marks to save herself and Manni.

"Run Lola Run (Lola Rennt)" was what propelled Tom Tykwer to international fame. And given that his other movies tend to be slower and more dreamlike -- though no less striking visually -- this movie is striking not only for its speed, but the sweet romance and the lesson about the old"butterfly's wings" adage. (Also see:"Happenstance")

Admittedly, a woman running through Berlin is not terribly interesting in itself. But the world of Lola is filled with brilliant rave colours -- Lola's blazing red hair, colourful room, the sights of Berlin -- and her race against the clock is punctuated by little vignettes of the future lives of various people she bumps into. That momentary contact is enough to change their lives -- sometimes for better, or worse.

And Tykwer's style is a spicy mix -- arty shots (going through a clock mouth or an apartment building?), German techno, cartoon interludes with an animated Lola running for it, Lola changing reality with her screeches, and the snapshots of people's futures, seen only for a second -- but very revealing. Not to mention the equally colourful, MTVesque cartoons of Lola running down stairs, evading dogs, et cetera.

But even aside from Tykwer's artistic flair, it's a great movie -- the atmosphere is painful and taut during the scenes in the bank, including Lola's robbery. And periodically, we see some sweet red-tinted interludes of Manni and Lola in bed, discussing their feelings for each other. They're little oases of calm and love, in the middle of all the running.

Franka Potente does a solid job as Lola, an ordinary punky girl who loves Manni more than anything, and must find the RIGHT way out of their shared dilemma. She gets some nasty surprises from her uptight, adulterous dad, though. And Bleibtreu does magnificently as Manni, who is overcome with fear, frustration and anguish because he knows that his boss is going to kill him.

"Run Lola Run" is a kinetic, vibrant, and a romantic little look at how a moment can change your life. Everything else is pure theory.

Subtitles?!

Why is so difficult to write a list of aviable subtitles in description of product? World is big, man!

"Not These Guys Again."

It's 1933, and the O'Connells are at it again. The now married Rick (Brendan Fraser) and Evy (Rachel Weisz) are back in Egypt exploring a long sealed tomb. They've even brought their eight year old son Alex (Freddie Boath) along for the ride. They're hear because of a bunch of strange dreams Evy has been having. Exploring the tomb, they find the bracelet of the Scorpion King (The Rock).

Unfortunately, they aren't the only people looking for it. A group of diggers has found the mummy of Imhotep (Arnold Vosloo). They intend to revive him and allow him to kill the Scorpion King, thereby allowing him to control the Scorpion King's army and rule the Earth. But, in order to do all that, they need the bracelet.

Which is why the O'Connells are attacked when they return home to London. And since Alex has just put the bracelet on, he becomes a target. Joining forces with Evy's brother Jonathan (John Hannah) and Magi Ardeth Bay (Oded Fehr), they set out to save the world again. But in this race again time, will they win?

Having been a surprised fan of the first, I was looking forward to the second. I was disappointed the first time around, but a second viewing made me see it with new eyes. The plot, while a little complicated, is actually more original then I gave it credit for being. It definitely starts faster then the original did. The story actually holds together well and the acting is fine. Once again, this really isn't a horror movie but an action flick with super natural elements.

Having said that, I do have definite problems with this movie. The introduction of the reincarnation back story still makes me roll my eyes. It might help explain why everyone from the first film is back, but it slows the movie down at times, too. The computer effects aren't up to par either. There were so many of them it grew quite distracting. Finally, I loved the jokes and wise cracks of the first, but this one doesn't have the same comedic flare.

I'm surprising myself by saying this sequel isn't bad. But it isn't great either. If you haven't seen it, you aren't missing much, but if you liked the first you'll be glad you gave this one a try.

pirates of the caribbean the curse of the black pearl

I have just seen the bonus materials on disc 2. Disc 1 will not play ?
on my BLU-RAY DISC PLAYER?

Region B Only

Not an all region disc as described. It is region B only. I can't play it and I can't return it. I contacted the vendor about it and got no reply. Don't trust the product descriptions. I learned the hard way.
There are sites where you can look up the region status for blu-ray movies.

If I only had one DVD this would be it

First watched the Terminator at the cinema, it made a big impression. Now I am a little older I wondered if it would seem as good. I didn't need to worry even on the small screen it is still brilliant.

If you only watch one of the Terminator films this is the one to watch but I would recommend that you watch them all.

Quick Reviews!

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

Luc Besson shows again why he was one of the most stylish and innovative directors of the nineties with this effort. Bringing together a wildly varied cast, from action stars to stage actors to supermodels to cult heroes, and putting them in a genre defying film about the salvation of earth in the future, he gives one of the most visually impressive films of the era, as well as one of the most entertaining.

The story begins in the early 20th century with an archaeologist and friend uncovering proof of aliens, and of a mysterious fifth element, the only thing capable of saving the world from destruction. Aliens arrive and take the apparent device, leaving Luke Perry to pass on the secret through the generations. Flash forward a few centuries and we meet a group of scientists who have found the Fifth Element. It is a beautiful young woman, and half the galaxy is after her, including evil aliens, and the tyrannical Gary Oldman. The young woman escapes, only to literally crash into washed up taxi driver and ex soldier Bruce Willis. She speaks in an alien language, but together they find Ian Holm, a descendant of the original archaeologist. Thus begins a frantic race to save the world from an approaching black ball of shadow, while protecting the fifth element from capture.

The film has much to give- the sets, effects, and costumes are all wonderful, giving one of the best visions of the future since Blade Runner, and borrowing many ideas from such sci-fi classics. There are brilliant performances from all, though Oldman, Johovich, and Tucker stand out. The film is bursting with ideas and imagination, there are many funny moments, and the message that love can conquer all, though slightly glossy, is still relevant. At times bizarre, but always highly watchable, the Fifth Element is a film which everyone with a heart and soul should enjoy, or at least find something worthwhile in it.

This DVD has plenty of extras- intersting features on the production of the film, lots of trailers, interviews, and a commentary. A must have for sci-fi fans, and if you have a few pounds going spare this is one everyone should try.

Lies, Cons And The Case

Ronin is, in my opinion, is John Frankenheimer's best film - even picked up a few awards along the way. Robert De Nero's take on Sam is excellent, and even Sean Bean does well in this, as the crazy gun toting Spence. The star of the movie has to be Natascha McElhone as Deirdre; desperate to get that case no matter what. Was really pleased to see Jean Reno in this, his French flair being a centrepiece.

If you don't know what Ronin is about then prepare for a whirlwind plot, dodgy plans and wasted opportunities (by the gang, not direction), oh and probably the best car chases I've seen in the 90s. The best one being in Paris, closely followed by the one in Nice.

The film has a lot of twists and turns, and is a pleasure to watch, with De Nero, Reno and Bean this is an all star cast, with a great landscape and storyline.

The blu-ray is a total let down, only the film and the trailer is included. This is a joke as the Definitive Edition has an alternative ending, so why can't this BD? After all, it's only a 2hr film, and it's in MPEG-2 running at a steady 20Mbps - AVC would have been so much better. The uncompressed PCM is a blessing though, and it's commendable of Fox to use it. I would have liked MORE extras though, they should have included them no matter what definition they were in. The alternative ending is as good as the original, some have even argued better, so why oh why did they omit it?

Not a very good BD, if you have a passion for this film, then get it, it's all you could ask for movie wise. Otherwise if you want extras, and are not fussed about HD then do get the Definitive Edition, which is nearly a tenner cheaper and richer in content. The difference between the two transfer wise is noticeable, but only to the avid eye, and the sound is obviously better on blu-ray.

4/5 for the film, 2/5 for the blu-ray extras, 4/5 for HD transfer.

It's a film of two halves

The first half of this film is a blisteringly intense, gore-filled war film on a par with the opening scene of Saving Private Ryan. The second half is completely different, following the fortunes of Captain Gu Zidi, the only survivor of the battles of the first half, who struggles over many years to prove his identity and establish the honour of his company.

As others have said it probably helps to know something about the Chinese civil war but regardless of this it is a thoroughly enjoyable movie.

I didn't like it!

The only thing that came out of this movie for me, was the fact that I really must read reviews, etc.. before I choose a film to watch!

I never liked this film at all. All I kept saying to myself the whole way through was 'why?'. The film really had no content and it did nothing for me, except make me wish I had never bought it.

This is just my opinion. However, if you are concidering buying this movie, please don't waste the extra money buying it on blu-ray. Buy it on DVD, as the visuals were really not impressive at all.

Personally, I would have given this movie a half a star rather than a 1 star, but I am unable to. And, I really cannot see how people would like this. Overall, very disappointing.

Not A Bad Transfer

Bruce Willis is John McLane - a cop from New York, home visiting his wife and kids in California. When a bunch of European terrorists take over the corporation his wife works for, John is forced to take control, and help the cops sort this out.

There's a lot that's been said about Die Hard, so I won't really go on about the movie, it's plot and the relationships therein, but more the HD transfer. Lets face it, if you're looking at this you know Die Hard, and want a better copy, as you're a fan. Well it's not a bad transfer, the colours are good, but not as exciting and vivid as The Pursuit Of Happyness: so far, the best BD transfer for me. The video is AVC, with an average of 20MB/s - which isn't bad. I would have expected a bit higher - as there's not much on the disk, 8 trailers for Die Hard and a couple for the other Fox films. There's also the newscasts, but they're in a pretty bad shape. I am surprised there's no featurette like on the DVD.

The audio is to die for though, DTS 5.1 - running at 1.5MB/s, not too bad at all. There's a few languages too, but no AD, which is a pity, as it's well worth the description.

The film itself is worth the £18, but the extras are thin on the ground, and the picture could have been better really, after all it's only 20 years ago since Die Hard was made.

4/5 for the film, 3/5 for the HD transfer and 1/5 for the extras.

Probably best to stick to the DVDs unless you're a real Blu-Ray die hard

Don't buy

Terrible picture quality. Give this one a miss, even if you're a die-hard fan of the film. I made a mistake and went for it before the reviews came out, and when they did, they reinforced my view that this is a very poor Blu-ray.

Very good but very long

A classic film that gets the blueray revival, Although if u have this on dvd then u wont see a lot different here, good picture quality and sound that by no means will blow you away ! but will help u to immurse your self into the world of the goodfellas and you will be hard pressed to pull your self away once you have started watching.
I would say get this if u don't own it on dvd but u will have to be a big scorsese or de niro fan to want to buy this again.

What I watched it on.
Panasonic 42px60 (plasma 1080i)
playstation 3 blu-ray player (HDMI)
JVC th-v70r surround sound (optical) (dolby digital 5.1) (inc tannoy m1 front L/R speakers)

Movie: 3.75/5 Picture Quality: 3.5~4.25/5 Sound Quality: 4.25~4.75/5 Extras: 2.5/5

Version: U.S.A / Region Free
MPEG-4 AVC BD-50
1:46:30
Movie size: 30,361,669,632 bytes
Disc size: 38,909,174,642 bytes
Average Video Bit Rate: 24.48 Mbps
LPCM 5.1 4608Kbps (48kHz/16-bit) English / Japanese
DD AC3 5.1-EX 640Kbps English / Japanese / French
DD AC3 AC3 2.0 256Kbps Spanish