Home Theater Movie Renter’s Guide – May, 2014

“Son of Batman” (Blu-ray) – Reviewed by Jim Milton

movies-May-2014-Batman

Synopsis

Son of Batman, the 20th DC Universe Animated Original Movie and an adaptation of Grant Morrison’s comic series “Batman and Son”, finds the Dark Knight (voiced by Jason O’Mara) discovering that he has a child with Talia Al Ghul (Morena Baccarin). Filled with great action, witty dialogue, and superb animation, Son of Batman satisfies on many levels. Damian has been trained his entire life to inherit Ra’s title as head of the League of Shadows, and possesses wisdom and skill far beyond his ten years. However, it falls to Bruce to teach him respect, restraint and control, as when Damian lands on the doorstep of Wayne Manor he’s essentially an entitled, petulant child. All the while, a killer is stalking the boy.

Specifications

  • Warner Home Video
  • 2014, Color, Rated: PG-13, 1 hour 14 minutes
  • DTS-HDMaster Audio 5.1
  • 1080p, 1.78:1 ratio
  • Starring the voices of Jason O’Mara, Morena Baccarin and others.

Rating

  • Entertainment:
  • Video:
  • Audio:
  • Extras:
  • Violence: Yes
  • Sex: No
  • Language: No

Commentary

Though I am not a comic book nerd, I do appreciate a good action flick with superheroes. Don’t ever call these films “cartoons”. They are animated adaptations of “graphic novels” (also not to be confused with “comic books”). Got that? In any case, this film is one of DC’s shorter ones and contains plenty of action, blood (but no gore), surprises and advance the storyline of the fabled caped crusader. The story introduces Damian Wayne, Bruce’s son with Talia Al Ghul, who is Ra’s daughter. Apparently she seduced Batman with a drug and had her way with him some time ago. So, Damian possess the mind and skills of his father and grandfather which leads to good fight scenes with samurai, man-bats and an arch-criminal named Deathstroke. Did I mention the return of Robin? Perhaps too violent for the little kiddies, early teens will find plenty to cheer about and you yourself will not be too bored watching it with them.

Technical

Picture quality looks fantastic. I noticed some minor banding in the darker scenes, but nothing that would distract the average viewer. Sound is clear and aggressive in all chancels, including the sub woofer. Colors are clean and punchy. Dialog is crisp and centered.

Extras

Four featurettes on the development of the story and characters. A preview to an up-coming movie: Assault on Arkham. A digital copy and DVD are also included.

“Odd Thomas” (Blu-ray) – Reviewed by Jim Milton

movies-May-2014-Odd

Synopsis

Small-town fry cook Odd Thomas (Yelchin) is an ordinary guy with a paranormal secret: he sees dead people, everywhere. When a creepy stranger shows-up with an entourage of ghostly bodachs – predators who feed on pain and portend mass destruction – Odd knows that his town is in serious trouble. Teaming up with his sweetheart Stormy (Timlin) and the local sheriff (Dafoe), Odd plunges into an epic battle of good vs. evil to try to stop a disaster of apocalyptic proportions. Based on the Dean Koontz book.

Specifications

  • Image Entertainment
  • 2014, Color, Rated: PG-13, 1 hour 36 minutes
  • DTS-HDMaster Audio 5.1
  • 1080p MPEG 4, 1.78:1 ratio
  • Starring: Anton Yelchin, Willem Dafoe, Addison Timlin
  • Directed by: Stephen Sommers

Rating

  • Entertainment:
  • Video:
  • Audio:
  • Extras:
  • Violence: Yes
  • Sex: No
  • Language: Mild

Commentary

I put this movie in the same category as John Dies in the End. It combines spooky imagery with some quirky humor while delivering enough suspense to keep you glued to the story. You might remember Yelchin as Chekov in the Star Trek re-boot and this film gives him a chance to show his acting skills. The storyline mirrors some of today’s headlines so it has a bit of punch added to it. The ending, though not without more than a bit of sadness, leaves itself open to a sequel…or perhaps a weekly TV series. The CGI is not exactly top notch, but it is passable. The acting is quite good and the storyline is very close to Dean Koontz novel from which it is derived. Recommended.

Technical

No issues with the picture or sound. Lots of ghostly activity in the rears and dialog is always well focused. Picture quality is bright and clean. I found the night scenes to be a bit too well lit, but that is a personal quibble and not a filming issue. The sub kicks in during the scary scenes…meaning every few minutes!

Extras

None. Now that’s odd!

 “Rear Window” (Blu-ray) – Reviewed by Chris Eberle

movie-may-2014-rearwindow

Synopsis

Photographer L.B. Jeffries (Stewart) is bound to a wheelchair thanks to a broken leg suffered while shooting an auto race. Out of utter boredom, he takes to watching his neighbors through his apartment’s rear window. Providing a foil to his activities are nurse Stella (Thelma Ritter) and girlfriend Lisa (Kelly). One night he hears a scream and one of the neighbors, a certain Lars Thorwald (Raymond Burr), begins acting strangely.

Jeffries is convinced Thorwald has killed his wife so he brings in a detective friend to investigate. He can’t come up with any evidence but soon Lisa and Stella are convinced too and they go looking for clues. The suspense builds until the very end when Jeffries and Thorwald confront each other and the truth is revealed.

Specifications

  • Paramount/Universal
  • 1954, Color, Rated PG, 1 Hr 55 mins
  • DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono
  • 1080p VC-1, 1.66:1 ratio
  • Starring: James Stewart, Grace Kelly, Thelma Ritter
  • Directed by: Alfred Hitchcock

Rating

  • Entertainment:
  • Video:
  • Audio:
  • Extras:
  • Violence: Brief
  • Sex: No
  • Language: No

Commentary

This is classic golden-age Hitchcock where the characters and scenery are simple but the plot is complex. It could almost take place on a stage as easily as it does on film. James Stewart and Grace Kelly are a perfect example of the axiom “opposites attract.” They come from different worlds but once the sleuthing begins, they find they have a lot in common. Hitchcock uses faces to great effect. There are lots of close-up shots and you can really see the talent of all the actors as they portray different feelings with just a flick of an eyebrow or pursing of the lips. They really don’t make movies like this anymore so I’m glad we can enjoy this classic on a superbly-transferred Blu-ray. Highly Recommended.

Technical

With the exception of a few seconds of soft film elements, this restoration is reference-quality. You’d think the movie was shot recently it’s so clean and clear. Color is beautifully saturated and natural without any of the stylization so popular today. There are a few dark scenes that show extra film grain but that’s not the fault of the transfer. Hitchcock’s legendary lighting is front and center thanks to superb contrast and I saw no evidence of digital scrubbing or added edge enhancement.

There’s only so much one can do with a 60-year old monaural sound track recorded to magnetic tape. Despite that, there is no harshness or obvious compression. Dynamic range is small as you’d expect but it always sounds natural. Dialog is the most important element and it’s handled with deftness and care. The sound design obviously takes into account the limitations of mid-twentieth century technology. One might lament the lack of a surround mix but I don’t think it would add anything here.

Extras

Bonus features total over two-and-a-half hours. There are interviews with Alfred Hitchcock, a documentary on the restoration process, and commentary from the film’s screenwriter. Also included are production stills and theatrical trailers.

 “Vertigo” (Blu-ray) – Reviewed by Chris Eberle

movie-may-2014-vertigo

Synopsis

James Stewart returns to Alfred Hitchcock’s camera as police detective John “Scottie” Ferguson. One night while chasing a criminal across San Francisco’s rooftops, he discovers he has a crippling fear of heights when he almost falls to his death in an alley. He quits the force right then and there.

Sometime later, a college friend, Gavin Elster, asks him for a special favor. He believes his wife has been possessed by the spirit of a dead woman and fears she might harm herself. Ferguson follows her as she wanders around the city until she indeed does jump into the bay. Scottie is there to save her from drowning and takes her to his home to recover. He quickly finds himself drawn to Madeleine and soon falls in love with her.

Scottie and Madeleine go to an old mission where she, seemingly in a trance, runs up a bell-tower and kills herself. Scottie can’t make it to the top before freezing in panic and is unable to help. After an inquest clears him of fault, we find out the woman he fell for is an imposter and that the real Madeleine was thrown off the tower by Gavin. Scottie was set up to be the witness to a suicide that was in fact a murder.

After months in recovery, Ferguson returns to his life and immediately crosses paths with the imposter. She falls for him all over again and Scottie finally realizes he’s been played. Before he can fully resolve his feelings, the imposter falls from the same bell-tower and is killed.

Specifications

  • Paramount/Universal
  • 1958, Color, Rated PG, 2 Hrs 9 mins
  • DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
  • 1080p VC-1, 1.85:1 ratio
  • Starring: James Stewart, Kim Novak, Barbara Bel Geddes
  • Directed by: Alfred Hitchcock

Rating

  • Entertainment:
  • Video:
  • Audio:
  • Extras:
  • Violence: Brief
  • Sex: No
  • Language: No

Commentary

This film is almost grand in scope as it takes place all around San Francisco and at an old mission outside the city. There are long sequences where we only see Ferguson following Madeleine around. It’s definitely driven more by action and visuals than dialog. The suspense builds slowly for about 90 minutes until the actual plot behind Madeleine’s death is revealed. Then we see Ferguson gradually realize what was done to him. The ending is a major climax and a tragedy at the same time. One can only imagine Scottie’s mental state after all he goes through. Although it’s hard not to feel for him, there’s an element of obsession as well. Even though Ferguson doesn’t believe in spirits, he gets drawn in to Madeleine’s “possession” very quickly. Once the two characters are linked, you can’t help but stay with the film to find out what’s really going on. This is one of Hitchcock’s best films by far. Highly Recommended.

Technical

The image is somewhat inconsistent in quality. Most of the indoor scenes are nice and sharp with great color saturation and contrast. But the outdoor material is very grainy and even hazy at times. Some of it is intentional soft focus but this technique doesn’t translate well here. I also saw a fair amount of black crush and murkiness during the sequences taking place at dusk. While the overall restoration is a good one, I suspect the original film material was in poor shape giving the telecine artists a real challenge.

Audio is quite good thanks to a full surround mix. It’s made from a monaural original so don’t expect too much action in the surrounds. The overall soundstage is nice and wide with dialog firmly anchored in the center channel. A lot of the film is set only to music and that sounds great thanks to legendary composer Bernard Herrmann. His masterful score builds tension and suspense as well as anything happening on-screen.

Extras

Bonus features total about three hours and include audio commentary by film-maker William Friedkin, a documentary about the restoration process, a 1962 interview with Alfred Hitchcock, four featurettes about Hitchcock’s various collaborators, an alternate ending, and a theatrical trailer.

 “Her” (Blu-ray) – Reviewed by Stephen Hornbrook

movie-may-2014-her

Synopsis

Theodore, as played by Joaquin Phoenix, lives a lonely life, dealing with the final stages of divorce to a woman he still loves. He works as a writer, creating “personalized” letters for all occasions.  In his search for companionship Theodore purchases a new operating system knows as OS1, deemed as the first OS with consciousness.  The connection with his OS1 persona, Samantha is nearly instant.  It isn’t long before Theodore falls in love with Samantha and travels down a road unknown to both humankind and artificial intelligence.

Specifications

  • Warner Bros.
  • 2013, Color, rated: R, 2 hours 6 Minutes
  • DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
  • 1080p VC-1, 1.85:1 ratio
  • Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Amy Adams, Rooney Mara, Olivia Wilde
  • Directed by: Spike Jonze

Rating

  • Entertainment:
  • Video:
  • Audio:
  • Extras:
  • Violence: No
  • Sex: Yes
  • Language: Yes

Commentary

Her further solidifies Spike Jonze as one of the finest modern day directors.  Her is an intelligent film, that proposes a lot of interesting questions about the future of artificial computing.  What I really appreciate about the film is its realistic take on how things might be 10 or even fewer years from now.  Great care was taken into the look of the movie and every shot can be broken down and appreciated both compositionally and from a photography standpoint.  The performances are lively and full of feeling.  Scarlet Johanson is never on screen, but she creates a solid character just from her voice and Joaquin shoulders the movie brilliantly.  Easily one of the best movies of 2013 and my personal favorite.  Unfortunately this is the kind of movie that really deserves a lot more extras!  

Technical

Cinematographer Hoyte Van Hoytema chose the digital Arri Alexa cam to film Her and boy was that the right choice. The Alexa has a higher dynamic range which allows for bright lights in a scene without under exposing everything else. Just about ever shot in the movie is gorgeous and the transfer is impeccable. Easily one of the best looking films I have ever seen, period.

The audio is simple, mostly dialog with a beautiful score by Arcade Fire. Great soundstage and atmosphere though.

Extras

Short Film by Lance Bangs on creating Her. Love in the Modern Age: Intimate Conversations about Love and Relationships in our Time. Short on How to share your life with somebody.”Her” (Blu-ray) – Reviewed by Stephen Hornbrook

movies-may-2014-Memphis

Synopsis

The “Memphis Belle” is a World War II bomber, piloted by a young crew on dangerous bombing raids into Europe. The crew has only to make one more bombing raid (their 25th) before they have finished their duty and can go home. In the briefing before their last flight, the crew discovers that the target for the day is Bremen, a heavily-defended town that invariably causes many Allied casualties. Will they complete their last mission, or will fate intervene?

Specifications

  • Warner Home Video
  • 2014, Color, rated: PG-13, 1 hours 47 Minutes
  • DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
  • 1080p VC-1, 1.77:1 ratio
  • Starring: Matthew Modine, Eric Stoltz, Tate Donovan, John Lithgow, Billy Zane
  • Directed by: Michael Caton-Jones

Rating

  • Entertainment:
  • Video:
  • Audio:
  • Extras:
  • Violence: Yes
  • Sex: No
  • Language: Mild

Commentary

Based loosely on actual events (there was a B-17 called “Memphis Belle”), the story seems to condense all 24 previous missions into a nearly disastrous final flight over Germany. Though some artistic liberties were taken to keep the story fast paced and exciting, I did enjoy and appreciate the fact that very young men on both sides of the Great War fought and died with distinguished bravery. The war claimed the lives of over 200,000 airmen. The B-17 bombers suffered huge casualties and the crews got up the next morning and did it again and again. Yes, some of the scenes are a bit cliched, but I still enjoyed the action and camaraderie of the young crew. Here is a brief interview with Matthew Modine on his perspective of the making of “Memphis Belle”.

How did you prepare for the role of Captain Dennis Dearborn in Memphis Belle? MODINE: Before we began filming, the director, Michael Caton-Jones arranged for the actors to go to a “boot camp” in Southern England. The entire crew of actors were put through 10 days of rigorous training. The goal was to get the actors to learn to work together in a similar fashion that a B-17 crew that had been through 24 combat missions. Of course it is impossible to even approximate the actual horrors the Memphis Belle crew would have been witness to. But the British SAS team that put the actors through obstacle courses and physical training did a great job making the actors a cohesive team. It was tough at the time. But from the rearview mirror of time, it was fantastic! When we finished our training, we traveled from Southern England to an airbase where we would film the exterior shots for the film. It was in Lincolnshire that we all had the amazing opportunity to meet the real men we were going to portray. Everyone had so many questions for the real servicemen. We wanted to hear from them about the challenges they faced. We all wanted to be as honest and as “real” as possible. To honor them. Hoping to convey the emotions they faced. Meeting Robert Morgan, the pilot of the Memphis Belle, and the role I was portraying, was a highlight of the entire process. Perhaps the most emotional aspect of filming for me was having the opportunity to tell my Uncle Wylder that I was going to be in a film about him. Wylder was a Captain in the 8th Army Air Force and piloted a B-17. Now I would be doing the same in a film. I had so many questions for him and he shared stories the way men from that generation did. Very sparingly. Humbly. No bravado. I believe my Uncle and the others that have lived through the wars don’t speak colorfully about their experiences because they deeply understand the tremendous human cost of war. In Memphis Belle, you can’t help but root for the boys in the war.

The World War II B-17 bomber pilots faced a particularly life-threatening challenge and many didn’t come home. What was it like to portray this weighty sense of mortality? And, was there a sense of camaraderie on the set that contributed to the chemistry of the cast on screen? MODINE: When I told my Uncle Wylder that I was doing the film, one of the things he did was take out his dress uniform. I tried it on and it fit like it was made for me. It was incredible to put on this piece of history. To wear a uniform that a Purple Heart recipient and a hero from the war had actually worn. He told me to take it with me to England. To wear it in the film. I asked him if there was a secret we could have. Something I would do or touch that would be a “wink” to my Uncle. Something he would know was me tipping my hat to him. He said, “No. But when you put on that uniform, don’t disrespect it.” That gave me a tremendous sense of responsibility. I shared this story with the other actors on the way to our first day of filming. I told them about the uniform and how my Uncle had been shot down, nearly losing his right arm completely and how he’d asked us not to “disrespect the uniform.” I think my Uncle’s request is apparent in every actors’ performance in the film.  

Technical

Overall the picture quality is good with lots of fine details. The film grain is a bit thick in some scenes, but never distracting. Some elements show their age,and some of the special effects stick out, like in the B-17’s flying in formation. You can tell that they are a matte painting. The sound was mainly assigned to the fronts, with only an occasional rear channel fly over.

Extras

A Theatrical trailer and commentary about making Memphis Belle.

“Lone Survivor” (Blu-ray) – Reviewed by Chris Eberle

movie-may-2014-lonesurvivor

Synopsis

This is the true story of Operation Red Wings which took place in the mountains of Afghanistan in 2005. It focuses on the four members of SEAL Team 10 who are sent in to recon and assess an important Taliban target. After insertion, the team treks to a position overlooking the village where Taliban leader Ahmed Shah is hiding. The mission is suddenly compromised when the team is discovered by goat herders. They must decide whether to execute the villagers or follow the rules of engagement and release them; which will mean certain discovery by Shah’s men.

The decision is made to release the villagers and the team is shortly thereafter ambushed by a large force. Their only escape route is down a mountainside and after several hard falls and a hail of bullets, three of the team members are killed leaving Marcus Luttrell as the only survivor. When a Quick Reaction Force flies in to attempt a rescue, their helicopter is shot down killing all aboard.

Luttrell is then rescued by local villagers who are fighting against the Taliban. They risk their lives to hide and protect him until word of his position finally reaches the American base. A large force flies in and manages to bring him home.

Specifications

  • Universal Studios
  • 2013, Color, rated: R, 2 Hrs 2 mins
  • DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
  • 1080p AVC, 2.40:1 ratio
  • Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Taylor Kitsch, Emile Hirsch, Ben Foster
  • Directed by Peter Berg

Rating

  • Entertainment:
  • Video:
  • Audio:
  • Extras:
  • Violence: Extreme
  • Sex: No
  • Language: Yes

Commentary

There are two kinds of war movies; the kind that stylize events for the sake of entertainment and the kind that focus on actual events and the bravery of those who took part in them. Lone Survivor is the latter. Even though I gave it five stars for Entertainment, it’s difficult to call a film like this entertaining. It is extremely well-made and in my opinion it honors the memory of Soldiers whose bravery and dedication is well above and beyond the call of duty. In fact, the film-makers added in relevant footage of SEAL training as a prelude, and a beautiful tribute to the actual men involved in Operation Red Wings at the end. It’s the kind of movie that inspires you to learn more about what actually happened. After reading several articles and watching an interview with the real Marcus Luttrell, I believe the movie depicted events with reasonable accuracy. For anyone with even a passing interest in what our Soldiers are actually living through in Afghanistan, I can’t recommend this Blu-ray highly enough.

Technical

The image quality is easily at reference level. Detail, contrast, and color are all flawless. Even fast-motion scenes looked extra smooth with no apparent blur or loss of resolution.

The DTS-HD Master Audio sound track is on a level above pretty much anything else I’ve watched lately. The battle sequence is loaded with incredibly realistic sound effects. Coupled with the best use of surround speakers I’ve ever heard and a tremendously wide sound-stage, the feeling of being immersed in the fire-fight is palpable.

Extras

Bonus features include documentaries about both the making of the film and the actual events that inspired it. There is also a tribute to the fallen heroes of Operation Red Wings.