Category: Home Video

It is no secret that I love Guillermo del Toro‘s Pacific Rim, so it should has come as no surprise that I am now in possession of the Blu-Ray.  I am not going to review the movie again, but I am going to give my thoughts on the disk(s).

The technical presentation of the film is great!  Much like Speed Racer this is a movie that you can show your friends to show off how great your TV is.  There is almost no grain, and the colors really pop.  The only downside of the film is that no matter how large your TV is, it isn’t as big as a theater, and this film demands big screens, so the film is a little worse on my 60″ Samsung than it was in theaters.  It is still awesome, but just not as awesome.

The special features are cool.  They are full of bloopers, deleted scenes, artwork and storyboards, and my personal favorite, excerpts from Guillermo del Toro‘s notebook along with some video of del Toro explaining what we are looking at.  It is a great collection of extras that are actually worth watching.

If you did not see the film in theaters, please see the film now that it is on home video.  If you love Pacific Rim like I do, then this Blu-Ray set is a must own.

Much Ado About Nothing is movie a Joss Whedon filmed in 2011 based on Shakespeare’s famous play.  The movie came out in US theaters in June 2013, and has received a lot of critical praise for its fun adaption using Shakespeare’s classic language showcased in a modern day setting, and I have to agree.

For those of you that did not have to read the play in school, it is about a bunch of Nobles that get together for a weekend of feasts and drinking, and more than a little bit of wooing.  There is an evil Prince who wants nothing more than to keep love from occurring, so tries to sabotage the whole weekend.  Everyone is drunk and witty.

The movie was filmed quickly and at Whedon’s house, and since it stars all the regulars from Joss’s films and shows, It feels like a family get together.  I would love to hang out and be witty with all of them.  It seems like a lot of fun.  It is a shame Nathan Fillion’s role is so short because he is a hoot to watch, and he really brings the incompetent constable Dogberry to life.

Since the movie uses the original langue it can be a little hard to follow at times, but everyone is having such a good time that I just smiled and followed along as best I could, and since there is not a lot of substance to the play you don’t to need know a lot anyway.  Joss should film all Shakespeare’s plays at his house.  It would make a great box set.  PBS should call him and get on that.

If you want something a little low key, but still gives off a little culture Much Ado About Nothing is fine choice.  It is probably one of the best screen adaptations of Shakespeare’s work, even though Much Ado About Nothing is really pretty much about nothing.

Jack the Giant Slayer is a 2013 film directed by Brian Singer (X-Men).  It had a large budget, and it was a pretty massive failure for Warner Bros/Legendary Pictures, so I went in with low expectations.  I was pleasantly surprised.

The story is about Jack (Nicholas Hoult) who since he was a child has dreamed about giants and adventure, but since he is a peasant farm-boy has little hope of ever fulfilling his dreams, but as fate would have it he runs in to a monk who gives him some magic beans, and he is soon on the adventure he has always dreamed of.

This film could have been just another overwrought special effects “epic”, and it kind of still is, but Brian Singer is able to bring in an element of fun that saves this film from just being a 3D slug fest.  He is able to get the cast to have just as much fun as he is having, and it carries through the screen.

Nicholas Hoult is pretty good as the title character Jack, and for his major leading role he does an admirable job, but back up cast really shines.  Ewan McGregor as Elmont the captain of the king’s guard plays the role with an wink and a nod, and he is always having such a good time that it is contagious.  Stanley Tucci is also having fun as the villainous Lord Roderick, he seems to enjoy being over the top evil.

Despite the good efforts by the cast and Singer, this movie still feels like it was designed in a boardroom to try and cash in on a popular fairy tale that they tried to prop up in to something bigger than it is, so at times its sudo-epic nature can make it feel dull and contrived.  We were just lucky that they decided to hire good talent for this particular cash grab, and it ended up better than it had it any right to be.

Jack the Giant Slayer is not a great movie, but it is a fun way to spend a couple of hours.