Happy New Year!

Best wishes for 2008.

The Year of the Rat begins on 7 February 2008.

Zodiac: Director’s Cut HD DVD (David Fincher, 2007)

Paramount (USA)
2.35:1 1080p
162 minutes
Audio: DD+ 5.1 English
Subtitles: Optional English, English SDH, French, Spanish
Extras: audio commentary by David Fincher; audio commentary by Jake Gyllenhaal, Robert Downey Jr., Brad Fischer, James Vanderbilt, and James Ellroy; Zodiac Deciphered (HD); The Visual Effects of Zodiac (HD); Previsualization; theatrical trailer (HD); This Is the Zodiac Speaking (HD); Prime Suspect: His Name Was Arthur Leigh Allen (HD)

Released: 8 January 2007
slim double HD DVD case
27 chapters

Note: Zodiac: Director’s Cut is only about four to five minutes longer than the theatrical version. Therefore, it is not a substantially different experience. The most-noticeable change is the addition of a minute-long black screen with music cues that indicate the passage of four years. While I admire the artistic reasoning for this decision, I think that it hurts the movie as only people who are really into music will understand what’s happening. The other changes involve minor scene extensions and a minor dialogue deletion. Fans will want this edition for the numerous extras, but if you’ve seen the theatrical version, then you’ve basically seen this one.

Director David Fincher made his mark on Hollywood with 1995’s Se7en, a grim thriller about a serial killer. Fincher used a very dark, muted palette for Se7en (and Alien3), and he continued to hone black-on-black cinematography with The Game, Fight Club, and Panic Room to the point where, while everything looked stylish, I sometimes couldn’t see what was happening. Mercifully, Fincher reined in his predilection for the “no lighting at all” scheme with 2007’s Zodiac.

Zodiac returns to the serial-killer territory mined by Se7en, though this one is based on a real-life murderer who terrorized the San Francisco Bay Area during the 1960s and 1970s. The movie’s first half follows at least seven policemen and newspaper employees as they attempt to track down the Zodiac, whose killings are not necessarily bizarre but whose letters to area newspapers create an appreciable sense of panic among the public. As the leads grow cold, fewer and fewer people continue to track the Zodiac until only one--cartoonist Robert Graysmith (played by Jake Gyllenhaal)--begins writing a book about the entire ordeal. Graysmith gets closer to discovering the Zodiac’s real identity than anyone else, but since he’s not a law-enforcement officer, his options are limited.

The biggest surprise for me was the way that Fincher shot and edited Zodiac as if it had been made during the 1960s/1970s, beginning with the use of vintage studio logos from Paramount and Warner. Most shots last for several seconds (approaching 10) rather than less than 2, thereby distinguishing the movie from the jackhammer experiences that you get with most studio productions today. Colors are muted the way that film stock from 30-40 years ago would be (much like how Munich emulated the feel of a 1970s’ thriller).

Some set pieces demonstrate Fincher’s genuine skill as a moviemaker. In one sequence, Graysmith visits the home of a man who plays the organ in a movie theatre that plays silent films. This sequence becomes genuinely terrifying as Graysmith slowly concludes that the organist may actually be the Zodiac. I watched most of the movie reclined comfortably on sitting pillows, but as this sequence unfolded, I sat up straight prepared to jump with a startle.

I really enjoyed the leisurely pacing, which allows viewers to become familiar with the interior psychology of the many lead characters. In fact, this is the first American movie in a long time that made me feel as if I inhabited the mise-en-scene along with the people on the screen. I felt the same frustrations and tensions on display.

Unfortunately, the movie is also very, very long. A lot of scenes are meant to show us how futile the investigative work was. However, we don’t need to be reminded every five minutes that the policemen and the journalists only have dead ends on their hands. In this instance, the pacing and the length are two separate matters. The leisurely pacing is welcome, but the length is not. Its length is Zodiac’s greatest weakness, and the running time really hurts the movie. What could’ve been a return to form for David Fincher feels like a rough cut.

Video:
While muted, the 2.35:1 1080p image is not as oppressively dark as Fight Club or Panic Room. This is a very clean transfer, though it’s a bit soft in some places. The warm amber lighting in some of the settings probably contributed to the softness. Also, Fincher shot the movie to resemble a 1960s/1970s picture, so the sharpness is probably intentional.

Nevertheless, I want to point out that a flyover of the Port of San Francisco at the beginning of the movie looks like a CGI creation. It looks fake and terrible. Even if the moviemakers actually flew over the Port of San Francisco, the shot still looks like fake, terrible, plastic CGI nonsense.

Audio:
The DD+ 5.1 English track is rather dialogue-heavy due to the movie’s emphasis on police-procedural work. Therefore, this is a very quiet audio experience, though the few gunshots in the movie are loudly effective. The movie features several jaunty music cues, though these are spread across the front rather than to the rears. Indeed, for the most part, the rears are rather quiet.

The creative team must’ve paid a great deal of attention the sound design (par for the course with Fincher). The opening studio logos are accompanied by snaps, cracks, and pops, mirroring the condition of the footage.

Optional English, English SDH, French, and Spanish subtitles support the audio.

Extras:
Disc 1 offers two audio commentaries, one with David Fincher flying solo and one with various people who worked on the movie as well as novelist James Ellroy, the author of The Black Dahlia and L.A. Confidential.

The extras on Disc 2 are split into two categories: “The Film” and “The Facts”.

“The Film”:
“Zodiac Deciphered” is an hour-long, eight-part examination of the production, including numerous behind-the-scenes footage of rehearsals and actual shooting.

“The Visual Effects of Zodiac” reveal how even a quiet, low-key drama like this one can require the use of complicated CGI.

“Previsualization” is a collection of three before-and-after clips showing how computer animatics were used to plan shooting and editing.

Finally, you get the theatrical trailer.

“The Facts”:
“This is the Zodiac Speaking” is a four-part feature-length documentary about the real-life events that inspired the movie.

“Prime Suspect: His Name Was Arthur Leigh Allen” is a forty-two minute featurette comprised of interviews with people who knew the case and Arthur Leigh Allen well enough to consider him to be the Zodiac.

--Miscellaneous--
The theatrical cut is available only on DVD in the United States. Warner has international rights, so it’ll be interesting to see what that studio does with Zodiac on home video.

A Theatrical Release Is Just a Commercial for Home Video

By now, the theatrical window is practically non-existent for major theatrical features. I’m not referring to using indie flicks as marketing experiments (such as Steven Soderbergh’s Bubble, which hit theatres, cable TV, and DVD in the same week). I’m not referring to movies that were released in theatres in some countries but went straight to home video in other territories. I’m referring to honest-to-goodness movies with big-name directors, big-name stars, big-money budgets, and big-time expectations.

This year, Michael Bay’s Transformers (a blockbuster hit by most measures) arrived on DVD and HD DVD three months after its theatrical bow. While Paul Greengrass’s The Bourne Ultimatum was still in theatres and before The Kingdom was even released, Universal posted an Internet promo showing what those movies’ HD DVD interactive menus would look like. Essentially, optical-disc masters are being prepped as their movies’ film prints are being struck in laboratories. This is quite a far cry from when people were surprised that Tim Burton’s Batman hit home video six months after its theatrical appearance in 1989.

This year, the most-extreme example of a major production appearing on DVD and HD DVD mere weeks after playing in theatres is probably The Heartbreak Kid. Co-directors Peter and Bobby Farrelly usually hit box-office jackpots, as does star Ben Stiller. This time was a no-go, so I guess DreamWorks (and parent Paramount) is trying to use first-month sales of the DVD and HD DVD to recoup costs.

The logic is simple. Your studio has already spent millions on trailers, TV commercials, radio time, posters, banners, print & Internet ads, press junkets, and sending directors and cast members to various appearances. Why waste additional promotional funds several months down the line to refresh consumers’ minds? Instead, use the theatrical run as a glorified commercial. After all, if a movie was “good” enough to play in theatres, then it must be “good” enough to buy/rent for home viewing, right?

Nah.

The Heartbreak Kid HD DVD (Peter & Bobby Farrelly, 2007)

Paramount (USA)
2.35:1 1080p
114 minutes
Audio: Dolby TrueHD 5.1 English, DD+ 5.1 English, DD+ 5.1 French, DD+ 5.1 Spanish
Subtitles: Optional English, English SDH, French, Spanish, Portuguese
Extras: audio commentary by the Farrelly Brothers; deleted scenes; gag reel; The Farrelly Brothers in The French Tradition; Ben & Jerry; Heartbreak Halloween; The Egg Toss; theatrical trailer (HD); Easter Egg

Released: 26 December 2007
HD DVD case
16 chapters

The Heartbreak Kid was directed by brothers Peter and Bobby Farrelly, re-united with Ben Stiller from the trio’s There’s Something About Mary. Magic did not strike twice. Released in October, The Heartbreak Kid grossed a miserable $36 million and is out on DVD and HD DVD just two months later. The movie mines the same R-rated territory as the Farrelly’s early efforts, but the potty language sounds stale. There’s a visual gag involving pubic hair that is so similar to a gag in Scary Movie that I wonder why the brothers even bothered using it.

The movie is a re-make of 1972’s The Heartbreak Kid, directed by Elaine May and written by playwright Neil Simon. I haven’t seen the original, but every movie deserves a chance to be judged on its own merits.

The good:
1) Ben Stiller is usually a likable guy, and he’s better than any other American comic at playing a person whose pent-up frustrations lead to volcanic eruptions.
2) Michelle Monaghan is a wonderful presence as a sweet girl.

The bad:
1) The dialogue is stunningly un-funny. The two or three times that I laughed took place during the first five minutes of the movie, but even Jerry Stiller (Ben’s real-life dad) isn’t funny using the same epithets for female genitalia over and over and over again.
2) This is supposed to be a comedy, right? Well, how come the best bits involve Ben Stiller and Michelle Monaghan talking and falling in love without any bits of humor?

The ugly:
1) The movie’s misogynistic attitude towards women in general is a major turn-off. Misogyny is neither funny nor acceptable, period, no matter how many tickets the Austin Powers series or Judd Apatow’s screenplays sell.

To be fair, The Heartbreak Kid is about as good/bad as similar movies, but maybe after Knocked Up and Superbad this summer, this movie was simply too much and too late.

Video:
Most of the movie is set in sunny Mexican locales, so the best thing about this movie--indeed, the best thing about this disc--is the 2.35:1 1080p video transfer. Flawless, razor sharp, and crystal clear, the picture made watching this movie feel like being there on vacation with the characters. Dark color hues are deep and rich, which is not always the case with movies that use bright palettes.

Audio:
This disc sports both lossless Dolby TrueHD 5.1 English and DD+ 5.1 English tracks. As this is a dialogue-driven movie, the audio is front-loaded and is basically a mono mix with some stereo separation for music. All of the scenes take place during pleasant weather days, so the subwoofer doesn’t even get a chance to boom thunder. There are some surround effects during a wedding and when the main characters tour a Mexican town, but the rear channels are mostly quiet.

You can also watch the movie with DD+ 5.1 French and DD+ 5.1 Spanish dubs. Optional English, English SDH, French, Spanish, and Portuguese subtitles support the audio.

Extras:
There is a straightforward audio commentary by the Farrelly Brothers. Most of their comments are direct reports are the production history and returning to R-rated material after a couple of PG-13 movies.

The deleted scenes don’t add anything to the movie, and the gag reel is comprised of minor flubs that aren’t funny.

“The Farrelly Brothers in The French Tradition” is basically an interview with the Farrellys (shot separately) about how they got started in movies, their approach to filmmaking, and their (joking) comparison of the movie’s sex jokes to sophisticated French sex humor.

“Ben & Jerry” is a brief tribute to the two Stillers working together.

“Heartbreak Halloween” shows the production team having fun with Halloween costumers. “The Egg Toss” looks at the production team playing a game throughout shooting.

You also get the theatrical trailer.

Finally, there’s an Easter Egg. In the Deleted Scenes menu, highlight the words “Play All”, and press the right-arrow button. This highlights a hidden jellyfish icon that leads to a featurette about Peter Farrelly’s practical jokes.

--Miscellaneous--
The DVD is basically the same as the HD DVD--with reduced technical specs. The DVD specs are 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen video; DD 5.1 English, French, & Spanish audio; English, French & Spanish subtitles; the extras on the HD DVD (including the Easter Egg) minus the theatrical trailer; and previews for other movies.

Note: Both the HD DVD and DVD are labeled as modified versions. I did not see the movie when it was in theaters, so I’m unable to report on what was altered for its home-video bow. However, I do know that the movie was rated R for both its theatrical release and its home-video release.

Cat People HD DVD (Paul Schrader, 1982)

Universal (USA)
1.85:1 1080p
119 minutes
Audio: Dolby True HD 5.1 English, DD+ 5.1 English
Subtitles: Optional English SDH, French
Extras: audio commentary by Paul Schrader; Cat People: An Intimate Portrait; On the Set With the Director; Special Makeup Effects by Tom Burman; Cat People Matte Paintings; Robert Wise on Producer Val Lewton; production photographs; theatrical trailer

Released: 23 December 2007
HD DVD case
20 chapters

Many people who meet a beautiful young virgin want to find some way to be her first sexual experience. When that beautiful young virgin happens to be Nastassia Kinski, however, there are certain risks. What if she turns into a panther and devours you to replenish her post-coital energy?

That is what happens to Ms. Kinski in 1982’s Cat People, a remake of a 1942 film with the same title. Irena (Kinski) finds herself inexplicably attracted to zoos and wild animals. A brother (Malcolm McDowell) she never knew that she had contacts her and tells her about their family history. It turns out that they are the last of the “cat people”, beings that turn into panthers after sex. Coupling with normal humans usually leads to disaster as the “cat person” often kills the human. Even if the human partner survives, the “cat person” is in danger of being hunted by frightened humans.

Irena must choose between surrendering to her brother’s wishes or revealing her true nature to a scientist (John Heard) devoted to animal research. This isn’t just a bizarre love triangle, however--there’s also the scientist’s girlfriend (Annette O’Toole) in the picture. For nearly 2 hours, “cat people” and humans engage in adventures that lead to plenty of scratching, biting, and lurking in the dark.

Paul Schrader’s film relies on a dense atmosphere to sustain viewer interest. There are plenty of ominous signs, wet streets, and shots of snarling animals. Every frame drips with carnality--you just know that a sex scene lurks right around the corner. At one point in time, I’m sure that there was a lot more mythology that delved into the history of the “cat people”, and the mythological elements are the most interesting aspects of the story.

Malcolm McDowell and Nastassia Kinski deliver compellingly watchable performances as the “cat people”. McDowell always manages to find a sympathetic dimension in the villains that he plays in science fiction films (A Clockwork Orange, Star Trek: Generations), and in Cat People, he explains his character’s logic in a way that makes sense despite the fact that the script treats him as the villain. Many viewers don’t see past Kinski’s beauty, but that’s their loss. As she demonstrates in Roman Polanski’s Tess and An American Rhapsody, Kinski ably mixes wide-eyed vulnerability and a stubborn streak to convey a sense of mystery and emotional depth.

In all honesty, the basic premise of Cat People (at least Schrader’s interpretation) is little more than an adolescent’s incomplete assemblage of supernatural elements. There’s no genuine allegorical meaning in the film (“the beast within” is too trite and obvious), a sharp contrast to the way fully-realized fantasy worlds provide lessons about our own societies. As it stands, Cat People is an attractive package that promises a lot more than it delivers. When the movie’s over, you’ll think, “Huh? That’s it?”, but while it’s playing, you’ll soak up the stylish sexuality exuded by the costumes, the darkly Romantic sets, and Nastassia Kinski herself.

Video:
Universal released this movie on DVD in 2002, and I was very disappointed with the video quality. The DVD’s picture was soft, faded, and “tired”. The HD DVD’s 1.85:1 1080p image is a stunning improvement. While the film print still has the kind of color fade that we’re used to seeing with 1980s movies, it’s no longer a hazy affair. You can see the fine detail of distant objects, and close-ups of the actors’ faces are frequently stunningly clear. The film print has some blemishes, but they’re not serious enough to distract you from the experience.

Audio:
The 2002 DVD sports a DD 2.0 surround English track that is front-heavy and rather subdued. This HD DVD release has a lossless Dolby TrueHD 5.1 English option in addition to a DD+ 5.1 English track. The audio is not a dramatic upgrade. In fact, I wonder if there are any real gains as the sound elements are as thin, brittle, and hollow as ever. After adjusting the volume to a setting higher than I normally use in order to understand the dialogue, I found myself constantly fidgeting with the volume buttons because sudden loud noises, such as animal growls and roars, were excessively startling. Low frequencies were harsh, flat, and distorted.

Optional English SDH and French subtitles support the audio.

Extras:
The extras are carryovers from the 2002 Special Edition DVD.

Paul Schrader contributed an audio commentary. As Schrader sounds rather subdued, the commentary may be a tough listen. He offers a couple of interesting insights, but I couldn’t sit through the entire commentary without dozing off.

“Cat People: An Intimate Portrait” is an interview with Paul Schrader. Anything important that Schrader mentions here is duplicated in the commentary, so this is a redundant bonus. “On the Set With the Director” is an interview shot during filming in 1982, and it doesn’t offer much worth visiting.

The “Special Makeup Effects by Tom Burman” and “Cat People Matte Paintings” featurettes look at the creation of the look of the movie. Also, filmmaker Robert Wise (who edited Citizen Kane and directed The Sound of Music) talks briefly about Val Lewton, the producer of the original Cat People.

Finally, you get a selection of production photographs and a theatrical trailer.

--Miscellaneous--
This HD DVD drops the DVD’s text production notes.

Timecop HD DVD (Peter Hyams, 1994)

Universal (USA)
2.35:1 1080p
98 minutes
Audio: DD+ 5.1 English, DD+ 5.1 French
Subtitles: Optional English SDH, French
Extras: none

Released: 23 December 2007
HD DVD case
16 chapters

Even though I grew up during the 1980s and 1990s, I was not a big fan of reactionary right-wing macho fantasies featuring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone, Bruce Willis, etc. Thus, I’ve never watched an entire movie starring Jean-Claude Van Damme until now for this review of the Timecop HD DVD. The “Muscles from Brussels” is a surprisingly gifted martial artist, and I much preferred his take on the grieving widower when compared to Arnie’s version in End of Days (coincidentally also directed by Peter Hyams). The script does a good job of dealing with time-travel paradoxes, the special effects have held up well, and the salvation and redemption themes are developed without inducing groans.

However, the movie is essentially undone by an over-the-top, one-dimensional villain played by Ron Silver (who’s bad in every movie) and a protracted climactic fight sequence that takes place in near total darkness. I couldn’t see what was happening, and I almost shut off my TV in bored disgust. It’s a shame that the movie couldn’t sustain its early momentum.

Video:
Universal’s catalog titles have been hit or miss in the video department when they appeared on HD DVD. This one is one of the hits. Although I saw a few instances of minor print damage, on the whole, this disc offers an excellent 2.35:1 1080p image. Colors are naturalistic, small object detailing is high, and blacks are rich and deep (sometimes too rich and deep as with the climactic fight). The picture is smooth and sharp while still retaining a film-like “look” without veering into over-processed “video” territory.

Audio:
Recently, Universal has been in the habit of offering lossless Dolby TrueHD audio for its catalog titles (probably to make the “upgrades” appear to be worth your money), but alas, Timecop only has an expected DD+ 5.1 English mix. While dialogue is carried well, the sound is fairly front-loaded. Surround effects are rather sparse and artificial; this track lacks the transparency and gee-whiz abilities of recent mixes. Bass response is heavy and aggressive but a bit messy.

Judging by the sound design, it’s possible that a TrueHD track would not have been an improvement over the included DD+ flavor, but considering the lack of extras, an extra audio selection would’ve been nice.

You can also watch the movie with a DD+ 5.1 French dub. (I wonder if Van Damme dubs himself for French audio tracks?) Optional English SDH and French subtitles support the audio.

Extras:
From what I can find on the Internet, it looks like Timecop hit DVD with a few basic extras such as text production notes, cast & crew bios, and a trailer. The HD DVD has nothing other than the movie itself.

The Kingdom HD DVD/DVD Combo (Peter Berg, 2007)

Universal (USA)
2.35:1 1080p
110 minutes
Audio: DD+ 5.1 English, DD+ 5.1 French
Subtitles: Optional English SDH, French
Extras: U Control: The Mission Dossier; U Control: Picture-in-Picture; U Control: Character by Character (The Apartment Shootout); audio commentary by Peter Berg; deleted scenes (HD); Constructing the Freeway Sequence; Creating The Kingdom; The Mission Dossier: Surveillance (HD); History of The Kingdom: An Interactive Timeline; Internet connectivity features

Released: 23 December 2007
HD DVD case
20 chapters

I took a pass on watching The Kingdom in a movie theatre as it looked like another loud, brain-dead action movie. Well, the movie is certainly loud, but it’s not brain-dead. Surprisingly for a mainstream vehicle with many big-name stars (Jamie Foxx, Chris Cooper, Jennifer Garner), this one isn’t afraid to push sensitive buttons about the United States’s relationship with Saudi Arabia. The terrorist attacks and action set pieces are played for “real” with a minimal amount of sensationalism, and the American FBI team manages to think its way out of metaphorical handcuffs instead of resorting to the usual “My way or the highway” swaggering. The ending is rather unnerving, suggesting that both modern governments and radical extremists see zero-sum scenarios as the most-likely outcomes of the war on terror.

Video:
The sun-bleached desert vistas could’ve been a nightmare to behold, but instead, we get a very sharp, clean and vibrant 2.35:1 1080p video transfer. While the camerawork is jittery, this movie’s visual style is not as extreme as The Bourne Ultimatum’s. Therefore, the detail and clarity impart a visual “pop” that helps you feel like you’re in the same environs as the actors.

Audio:
While Universal opted not to grant The Kingdom a Dolby TrueHD option on HD DVD, the DD+ 5.1 English track packs quite a wallop. Directionality effects are as plentiful and aggressive as one would expect from a recent contemporary action film. Dialogue and localization are always intelligible and accurate. Bass response is a tad less powerful than I expected, but I’m grateful that I didn’t have to fidget with my remote control’s volume buttons all the time.

You can also watch the movie with a DD+ 5.1 French dub. Optional English SDH and French subtitles support the audio.

Extras:
This is a very packed release that easily outclasses the already impressive stand-alone DVD.

There are three U Control extras. “The Mission Dossier” provides informative text and graphics, giving viewers background information about the Middle East as well as the movie’s diegesis. “Picture-in-Picture” is a video stream of interviews and behind-the-scenes footage. “Character by Character (The Apartment Shootout)” allows you to follow an action sequence from different characters’ perspectives. (“Character by Character” is presented as a collection of alternate takes on the DVD side.)

The various U Control extras will occupy most viewers for some time, but the immersion continues with an informative audio commentary by director Peter Berg. Although Berg can be a bit Michael-Bay-ish when enthusing about his action scenes, he is able to convey the difficult realities of filming with Arab actors and in the Middle East.

Next up are several good (but understandably) deleted scenes.

“Constructing the Freeway Sequence” is a detailed look at the different elements that comprised a key moment in the movie’s final act.

“Creating The Kingdom” is a multi-part documentary that covers most aspects of the production, though post-production is neglected.

“The Mission Dossier: Surveillance” is an extension of the U Control extra of the same name. You’re given several graphics panels that represent different action sequences. Clicking on them yields animatics-like breakdowns of the various fight participants and location information.

“History of The Kingdom: An Interactive Timeline” is a simple brief on the history of Saudi Arabia.

If your HD DVD player is connected to the Internet, then you can access Universal’s HD DVD portal for downloadable video clips.

--Miscellaneous--
An insert booklet explains how to use the HD DVD’s interactive functions.

The DVD side of this combo disc is identical to the stand-alone widescreen DVD. The DVD specs are 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen video; DD 5.1 English, Spanish, & French audio; English SDH, Spanish, & French subtitles; the extras on the HD DVD side minus The Mission Dossier, U Control, & Internet connectivity; and previews for other movies.

Stardust HD DVD (Matthew Vaughn, 2007)

Paramount (USA)
2.40:1 1080p
127 minutes
Audio: DD+ 5.1 English, DD+ 5.1 French, DD+ 5.1 Spanish
Subtitles: Optional English, English SDH, French, Spanish, Portuguese
Extras: Good Omens: The Making of Stardust (HD); deleted scenes; bloopers; theatrical trailer (HD)

Released: 18 December 2007
HD DVD case
18 chapters

After Time Warner’s hugely successful launches of the Harry Potter (Warner Bros.) and The Lord of the Rings (New Line, a division of Time Warner) movie franchises, every other Hollywood outfit has tried to play the fantasy game. However, for every hit like Disney’s The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, there are at least ten duds like New Line’s The Golden Compass and Paramount’s Stardust. To be fair, most of these are noble efforts that aren’t outright stinkers. On the other hand, Stardust is rather too busy for its own good--over-plotted, over-populated, over-earnest, over-sentimental, and just plain over-the-top.

Video:
The 2.40:1 1080p transfer is a huge improvement over the SD DVD’s picture. While some outdoors shots are still a bit soft due to the heavy amount of CGI manipulation, the level of detail and clarity is excellent and compares favorably with other HD DVDs. Bright colors are very vivid and life-like, and the transfer also handles dark scenes very well (dark scenes look dark but aren’t dim).

Audio:
The DD+ 5.1 English track is very robust during the action scenes, but this is not a dynamic track during quiet/talky moments. When there isn’t a battle, the sound mix mostly collapses to the center channel. While the audio is an improvement over the SD DVD’s DD 5.1 offerings, the difference isn’t as dramatic as what’s observed with the video.

You can also watch the movie with a DD+ 5.1 French or a DD+ 5.1 Spanish dub. Optional English, English SDH, French, Spanish, and Portuguese subtitles support the audio.

Extras:
“Good Omens: The Making of Stardust” is a run-of-the-mill promotional featurette. There are some deleted scenes and bloopers. Finally, you also get the theatrical trailer.

Balls of Fury HD DVD/DVD Combo (Robert Ben Garant, 2007)

Universal (USA)
1.85:1 1080p
91 minutes
Audio: Dolby TrueHD 5.1 English, DD+ 5.1 English, DD+ 5.1 French
Subtitles: Optional English SDH and French
Extras: deleted scenes (HD); alternate ending (HD); Balls Out: The Making of Balls of Fury (HD); Under the Balls: The Life of a Ball Wrangler; “Bridge Stunt” Internet featurette; “Bamboo Fight” Internet featurette; Internet connectivity features

Released: 18 December 2007
HD DVD case
20 chapters

Balls of Fury is a goofy send-up of movies as disparate as Enter the Dragon, The Karate Kid, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, and any number of martial-arts brawlers or inspirational-sports dramas. Christopher Walken is a hoot, and it’s clear that the yellow-face casting ridicules yellow-face casting of the past. Maggie Q acts too seriously, as if she were still in Mission: Impossible 3 or Live Free or Die Hard, but maybe her earnestness is part of the movie’s charm. Tell you what--I was in the mood for some silly laughs, and this movie gave me what I wanted. Have fun with this one, guys.

Video:
Much of this movie is set indoors in gymnasiums and Christopher Walken’s ping-pong palace, so the 1.85:1 1080p image frequently varies between dim and dark. However, yellows and reds are very vibrant. Outdoors shots look a tad blown out and grainy, but on the whole, the picture looks like what one would expect of something from the past year.

Audio:
Once again, we get a new release with lossless Dolby TrueHD 5.1 English. However, this isn’t the kind of movie that takes full advantage of the technology. As this is not an out-and-out action fest, the audio is center-channel heavy. As such, you get always intelligible dialogue and smooth, crisp delivery of music cues. Occasionally, there are some rear-channel effects, but deep ends appear very sporadically (such as during the title credits sequence with fake fire).

You can also watch the movie with a DD+ 5.1 English track or a DD+ 5.1 French dub. Optional English SDH and French subtitles support the audio.

Extras:
This is a slight movie, so the extras are suitably slight, too. You get deleted scenes and an alternate ending, and “Balls Out: The Making of Balls of Fury” is a fluffy promo piece. “Under the Balls: The Life of a Ball Wrangler” is a mockumentary piece about the girl who takes care of the balls used for this movie, but we’ve already seen this kind of shtick elsewhere.

Upon connecting to Universal’s HD DVD Internet portal, you can watch the “Bridge Stunt” and “Bamboo Fight” featurettes. You can also access downloadable video clips.

--Miscellaneous--
The DVD side of this combo disc is identical to the stand-alone widescreen DVD. The DVD specs are 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen video; DD 5.1 English & French audio; English SDH, Spanish, & French subtitles; the extras on the HD DVD side minus Internet connectivity; and previews for other movies.

Mr. Bean’s Holiday HD DVD/DVD Combo (Steve Bendelack, 2007)

Universal (USA)
1.85:1 1080p
90 minutes
Audio: Dolby TrueHD 5.1 English, DD+ 5.1 English, DD+ 5.1 French
Subtitles: Optional English SDH and French
Extras: deleted scenes; French Beans; Beans in Cannes; The Human Bean; Internet connectivity features

Released: 27 November 2007
HD DVD case
20 chapters

Rowan Atkinson is back in his career-defining role, but not all is well. In the Mr. Bean TV series, Atkinson displayed a remarkable sense of timing when performing physical comedy. Some of Atkinson’s invention is still on display (for example, he says “Gracias” when a lady tells him that his French is very good), but many of the gags in Mr. Bean’s Holiday are basically repeats or extended versions of his TV skits.

Video:
Although a new release, Mr. Bean’s Holiday was processed to resemble a 1960s movie with a predominantly yellow tinge. The 1.85:1 1080p image also has a grain structure that enhances the movie’s throwback look. There are some small nicks on the source film print, but they’re not distracting to the point of irritation.

Audio:
It looks like Universal has paid attention to the bellyaching from fans of HD DVD regarding the lack of lossless audio for many titles, so this disc carries a Dolby TrueHD 5.1 English mix in addition to DD+ 5.1 English and DD+ 5.1 French tracks. However, aside from placating tech-spec bean counters, I don’t really see the point of using lossless audio for a title such as this one. All of the tracks might as well be stereo mixes. The main character doesn’t say much, so there isn’t all that much dialogue. You do get a lot of music cues and the expected sound effects from the front three speakers, but with the exception of zooming trains, you’re not going to get a lot of sonic action out of viewing this movie.

Optional English SDH and French subtitles support the audio.

Extras:
First up are more than twenty minutes of deleted scenes. Most of them are short inserts/extensions, and they’re all presented in non-anamorphic widescreen.

“French Beans” follows the production from England to southern France.

“Beans in Cannes” highlights the extensive filming that took place during the Cannes Film Festival.

“The Human Bean” celebrates Rowan Atkinson.

If your HD DVD player is connected to the Internet, then you can access Universal’s HD DVD portal for downloadable video clips.

--Miscellaneous--
The DVD side of this combo disc is identical to the stand-alone widescreen DVD. The DVD specs are 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen video; DD 5.1 English & French audio; English SDH, Spanish, & French subtitles; the extras on the HD DVD side minus Internet connectivity; and previews for other movies.

Eastern Promises HD DVD/DVD Combo (David Cronenberg, 2007)

Universal (USA)
1.85 1080p
101 minutes
Audio: Dolby TrueHD 5.1 English, DD+ 5.1 English, DD+ 5.1 French
Subtitles: Optional English SDH, French
Extras: Secrets and Stories (HD); Marked for Life (HD); Internet connectivity features

Released: 23 December 2007
HD DVD case
20 chapters

Eastern Promises is my first exposure to David Cronenberg. (I’m not counting the director’s re-make of The Fly, which was clearly a populist effort rather than what Cronenberg’s reputation promises.) Color me impressed. This movie is a slick, brutal drama about Russian gangsters in London. Naomi Watts plays Anna, the heroine who stumbles upon nefarious deeds when trying to return an orphaned baby to her family. I’ve always been bored by Viggo Mortensen’s somnambulant performances, but in this movie, he’s enjoyably sly and funny. He’s also credible as a man of action in a memorable steam-bath fight scene. In fact, all of the performances are first rate. I consider this an ensemble piece.

Unfortunately, this isn’t a perfect effort. For some reason, the filmmakers decided to get mushy and sentimental during the finale. The best way to describe the ending is, “Love conquers all.” (Blech.) Also, Vincent Cassel is the same loud, two-dimensional oaf that we’ve seen in movies as disparate as Irreversible and Ocean’s Twelve. I kept wishing him out of the movie, but alas, I’m no blue genie.

Video:
This 1.85:1 1080p image is very good considering how dark and glum London is in the movie. Blacks are solid and deep. There is a light sprinkling of grain, but the grain is attributable to photochemistry and the lighting conditions necessitated by the weather.

Of course, the happy ending is very sunny and cheery.

Audio:
This is yet another title to hit HD DVD with a lossless Dolby TrueHD 5.1 English mix. However, due to the low-key nature of the sound design, it doesn’t sound very different from the expected DD+ 5.1 English track.

Even though Vincent Cassel is his usual loud self, the audio is mostly a quiet affair. The movie is dialogue-driven, so you get an essentially mono mix with some stereo separation for effects like street traffic and some music cues. The audio is most-alive during the steam-bath fight scene as bodies and weapons fly all over the place and bounce off of ceramic tiles.

You can also watch the movie with a DD+ 5.1 French dub. Optional English SDH and French subtitles support the audio.

Extras:
“Secrets and Stories” is a brief overview of the production.

“Marked for Life” focuses on the extensive tattoos used in the movie.

--Miscellaneous--
The DVD side of this combo disc is identical to the stand-alone widescreen DVD. The DVD specs are 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen video; DD 5.1 English & French audio; English SDH, Spanish, & French subtitles; the extras on the HD DVD side minus Internet connectivity; and previews for other movies.