Madagascar 2: Escape 2 Africa Blu-ray Disc (Eric Darnell & Tom McGrath, 2008)

Paramount (USA)
1.85:1 1080p
89 minutes
Audio: Dolby TrueHD 5.1 English, DD 5.1 French, DD 5.1 Spanish
Subtitles: Optional English, English SDH, French, Spanish
Extras: audio commentary; The Animators’ Corner; trivia track; It’s a Family Affair: The Cast of Escape 2 Africa; The Making of Escape 2 Africa; Crash Landing; African Adventure; Jambo Jambo: Swahili Speak; The Bronx Zoo: Madagascar; Popcorn Panic; Gone in a Flash; music videos and music-related featurettes; Test Flight of Air Penguin Game; Easter Eggs; previews for other programs; BD Live

Released: 6 February 2009

The first Madagascar followed a group of zoo animals from New York City to their exile into the wild. The animals landed on the island of Madagascar. In Madagascar 2: Escape 2 Africa, the animals try to head back to NYC on a fixer-upper airplane, but they get only as far as...well, the main African continent. Similar hi-jinks ensue, so you get a lot of low-brow jokes, motor-mouth dialogue, crazy penguins, and animated buttocks swaying left-to-right-and-back. You also get some digs at Disney’s The Lion King with Alex the Lion re-connecting with his family and bonding with his father.

Wired magazine used the first Madagascar as a case study of DreamWorks Animation’s industrial approach to its competition with Pixar Animation. CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg essentially conceded the quality field (storytelling, visual and aural aesthetics, acting, etc.) to Pixar, focusing instead on crowd-pleasing antics and churning out two movies a year to Pixar’s one. This is not to say that DreamWorks’s employees aren’t proud of their work; rather, they’re simply not given an opportunity to establish unique, individual imprints. For example, Pixar’s movies are heavily-associated with their directors (i.e. John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton, Brad Bird), but DreamWorks Animation’s movies each have at least two directors and are clearly products of committee filmmaking. In the long term, this approach dilutes their memorableness--even with big hits like the Shrek series and Kung Fu Panda.

Video:
I just bought a new TV, and Madagascar 2 looks amazing on it. The 1.85:1 1080p is very, very sharp and crisply detailed. Though the animal designs look obviously fake and plastic, the three-dimensionality of the images is fascinating.

Audio:
This isn’t an action movie per se, but the Dolby TrueHD 5.1 English is enveloping, immersive, and frequently thunderous. Deep bass is produced in conjunction with primal-sounding songs, the operation of heavy machinery, rushing water, a fiery volcano, and sporadic gunfire. Be prepared to keep up with effects bouncing from one speaker to another.

Extras:
Upon loading, the disc plays previews for other programs.

You can watch the movie with several commentary options. The audio commentary and “The Animators’ Corner” are practically the same extra, with “The Animators’ Corner” providing a Picture-in-Picture window showing the commentators sitting in a booth and watching their movie. (The audio commentary comes with optional English, French, and Spanish subtitles.) Less redundant is the trivia track, which provides “fun facts” about real-life animals, Africa, and the movie.

“It’s a Family Affair: The Cast of Escape 2 Africa” and “The Making of Escape 2 Africa” introduce viewers to how this sequel came to life. “Crash Landing” focuses on a key sequence that was the centerpiece of the movie’s trailer campaign.

“African Adventure” looks at a trip to Africa to observe animals in their natural environs. “Jambo Jambo: Swahili Speak” teaches viewers how to say key phrases in Swahili. “The Bronx Zoo: Madagascar” surveys some of the zoo’s attractions.

“Popcorn Panic” and “Gone in a Flash” appear to be two episodes from the forthcoming TV show featuring various characters from the Madagascar theatrical releases. There are various music videos and music-related featurettes.

“Test Flight of Air Penguin Game” is a game that you play using your Blu-ray player’s remote control.

According to Paramount’s press website, there are six Easter Eggs, so happy hunting.

--Miscellaneous--
You have to use the BD Live function in order to download “The Heart of a Lion”, a documentary about lions that is included on the “The Penguins of Madagascar” SD DVD disc.

Paramount did the same thing with the Tropic Thunder Blu-ray; you have to access the BD Live function in order to watch various featurettes. This is very frustrating; a Blu-ray edition should have all of the extras found on their DVD counterparts, with BD Live reserved for materials not found anywhere else.

Madagascar 2: Escape 2 Africa DVD 2-pack (Eric Darnell & Tom McGrath, 2008)

Region 1 Paramount (USA)
NTSC, 1.85:1 16x9 enhanced
89 minutes
Audio: DD 5.1 English, DD 2.0 surround English, DD 5.1 French, DD 5.1 Spanish
Subtitles: Optional English SDH, French, Spanish
Extras: audio commentary; trivia track; It’s a Family Affair: The Cast of Escape 2 Africa; The Making of Escape 2 Africa; Crash Landing; African Adventure; Jambo Jambo: Swahili Speak; The Bronx Zoo: Madagascar; Popcorn Panic; Gone in a Flash; music videos and music-related featurettes; Test Flight of Air Penguin Game; Easter Eggs; previews for other programs

Released: 6 February 2009

The first Madagascar followed a group of zoo animals from New York City to their exile into the wild. The animals landed on the island of Madagascar. In Madagascar 2: Escape 2 Africa, the animals try to head back to NYC on a fixer-upper airplane, but they get only as far as...well, the main African continent. Similar hi-jinks ensue, so you get a lot of low-brow jokes, motor-mouth dialogue, crazy penguins, and animated buttocks swaying left-to-right-and-back. You also get some digs at Disney’s The Lion King with Alex the Lion re-connecting with his family and bonding with his father.

Wired magazine used the first Madagascar as a case study of DreamWorks Animation’s industrial approach to its competition with Pixar Animation. CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg essentially conceded the quality field (storytelling, visual and aural aesthetics, acting, etc.) to Pixar, focusing instead on crowd-pleasing antics and churning out two movies a year to Pixar’s one. This is not to say that DreamWorks’s employees aren’t proud of their work; rather, they’re simply not given an opportunity to establish unique, individual imprints. For example, Pixar’s movies are heavily-associated with their directors (i.e. John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton, Brad Bird), but DreamWorks Animation’s movies each have at least two directors and are clearly products of committee filmmaking. In the long term, this approach dilutes their memorableness--even with big hits like the Shrek series and Kung Fu Panda.

Video:
Although the 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen image looks very good for an SD DVD, it looks like a melted version of the Blu-ray. Detail and sharpness suffer drastically, especially since this movie frequently features frantic, rapid action. The picture also seems to have less depth compared to what the Blu-ray offers.

Audio:
This isn’t an action movie per se, but the Dolby TrueHD 5.1 English is enveloping, immersive, and frequently thunderous. Deep bass is produced in conjunction with primal-sounding songs, the operation of heavy machinery, rushing water, a fiery volcano, and sporadic gunfire. Be prepared to keep up with effects bouncing from one speaker to another.

Extras:
--Main Disc--
Upon loading, the disc plays previews for other programs.

You can watch the movie with an audio commentary, though you don’t get “The Animators’ Corner” option found on the Blu-ray edition. (The audio commentary comes with optional English, French, and Spanish subtitles.)

“It’s a Family Affair: The Cast of Escape 2 Africa” and “The Making of Escape 2 Africa” introduce viewers to how this sequel came to life. “Crash Landing” focuses on a key sequence that was the centerpiece of the movie’s trailer campaign.

“African Adventure” looks at a trip to Africa to observe animals in their natural environs. “Jambo Jambo: Swahili Speak” teaches viewers how to say key phrases in Swahili.

There are various music videos and music-related featurettes.

“Test Flight of Air Penguin Game” is a game that you play using your DVD player’s remote control.

According to Paramount’s press website, there are six Easter Eggs, so happy hunting.

--Penguins Disc--
“Popcorn Panic” and “Gone in a Flash” appear to be two episodes from the forthcoming TV show featuring various characters from the Madagascar theatrical releases.

“The Heart of a Lion” is a documentary about lions.

“The Bronx Zoo: Madagascar” surveys some of the zoo’s attractions.

“Alex’s Dance-Off” is yet another music video.

--Miscellaneous--
You can use a computer to access various DVD-ROM activities.

Friday the 13th Blu-ray Disc (Sean S. Cunningham, 1980)

Paramount (USA)
1.85:1 1080p
95 minutes
Audio: Dolby True HD 5.1 English, DD 2.0 mono English, DD 2.0 mono French, DD 2.0 mono Spanish
Subtitles: Optional English, English SDH, French, Spanish
Extras: audio commentary; Fresh Cuts: New Tales From Friday the 13th; The Man Behind the Legacy: Sean S. Cunningham; Friday the 13th Reunion; Lost Tales From Camp Blood--Part 1; The Friday the 13th Chronicles; Secrets Galore Behind the Gore; theatrical trailer

Released: 3 February 2009

Hollywood keeps re-making the same stories over and over again, and the same concepts are so abused that “re-boots” and “re-imaginings” have to take place because setting the clock to zero is about the only avenue left for the creatively-challenged. Still, one can’t blame Hollywood for this behavior. The recent “new” take on Friday the 13th--released on Friday, 13 February 2009--grossed more than $40 million at the North American box office over a four-day weekend. This parallels what happened with the “original” (itself a rip off of movies like Halloween) released in 1980; as director Sean S. Cunningham explains over and over again in various special features, he just wanted to make a financially successful movie so that he could keep working and pay the bills.

In conjunction with the 2009 version’s theatrical release, Paramount is re-visiting the series on home video. The first one gets a new Deluxe Edition DVD and a Blu-ray. Friday the 13th Part 2 and Friday the 13th 3-D are only available as Deluxe Edition DVDs for now, with the latter including 3-D glasses in case you want to re-live the red-green headaches that you got in theatres back in the Eighties.

Video:
You’re going to have to temper your expectations with this title. The movie was shot on the cheap with low-cost film stock, so the 1.85:1 1080p video transfer is usually filled with grain and exhibits severely faded colors. Dark greens and reds fare best. The overall quality is not much better than the day-and-date Deluxe Edition DVD.

Audio:
The Dolby TrueHD 5.1 English track is harsh and brittle. This is due in large part to the movie’s modest origins and the recording technologies of the time, though the thin music cues are particularly hard on the ears. You also get mono English, French, and Spanish tracks which aren’t as grating as the 5.1 “boost”, though the Spanish track is heavily muffled compared to the other selections.

Extras:
There’s a pieced-together audio commentary that’s “hosted” by Peter Bracke. Yes, that Peter Bracke, the one who can’t even be bothered with reading the back cover of a Blu-ray case when writing about a title’s specs and extras. The commentary is actually fairly informative, though Bracke’s presence was a turn off for me.

“Fresh Cuts: New Tales From Friday the 13th” is a compilation of interviews with some of the movie’s key principals. “The Man Behind the Legacy: Sean S. Cunningham” gives the director plaudits, though he’s the first to admit that he was only one of several people responsible for the movie. “Friday the 13th Reunion” is a recording of a media event attended by various members of the cast and crew.

“Lost Tales From Camp Blood--Part 1” is a new short film inspired by the movie, though you’ll have to get the new Friday the 13th, Part 2 Deluxe Edition DVD for the next short film.

“The Friday the 13th Chronicles” is a retrospective featurette about the production, and “Secrets Galore Behind the Gore” reveals how some of the special effects were created.

Finally, you get a theatrical trailer.

Friday the 13th Deluxe Edition (Sean S. Cunningham, 1980)

Region 1 Paramount (USA)
NTSC, 1.85:1 16x9 enhanced
95 minutes
Audio: DD 5.1 English, DD 2.0 mono English, DD 2.0 mono French, DD 2.0 mono Spanish
Subtitles: Optional English SDH, French, Spanish
Extras: audio commentary; Fresh Cuts: New Tales From Friday the 13th; The Man Behind the Legacy: Sean S. Cunningham; Friday the 13th Reunion; Lost Tales From Camp Blood--Part 1; theatrical trailer

Released: 3 February 2009

Hollywood keeps re-making the same stories over and over again, and the same concepts are so abused that “re-boots” and “re-imaginings” have to take place because setting the clock to zero is about the only avenue left for the creatively-challenged. Still, one can’t blame Hollywood for this behavior. The recent “new” take on Friday the 13th--released on Friday, 13 February 2009--grossed more than $40 million at the North American box office over a four-day weekend. This parallels what happened with the “original” (itself a rip off of movies like Halloween) released in 1980; as director Sean S. Cunningham explains over and over again in various special features, he just wanted to make a financially successful movie so that he could keep working and pay the bills.

In conjunction with the 2009 version’s theatrical release, Paramount is re-visiting the series on home video. The first one gets a new Deluxe Edition DVD and a Blu-ray. Friday the 13th Part 2 and Friday the 13th 3-D are only available as Deluxe Edition DVDs for now, with the latter including 3-D glasses in case you want to re-live the red-green headaches that you got in theatres back in the Eighties.

Video:
You’re going to have to temper your expectations with this title. The movie was shot on the cheap with low-cost film stock, so the 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen video transfer is usually filled with grain and exhibits severely faded colors. Dark greens and reds fare best. There’s not much of a difference between the DVD and Blu-ray’s video presentations.

Audio:
The DD 5.1 English track is harsh and brittle. This is due in large part to the movie’s modest origins and the recording technologies of the time, though the thin music cues are particularly hard on the ears. You also get mono English, French, and Spanish tracks which aren’t as grating as the 5.1 “boost”, though the Spanish track is heavily muffled compared to the other selections.

Extras:
There’s a pieced-together audio commentary that’s “hosted” by Peter Bracke. Yes, that Peter Bracke, the one who can’t even be bothered with reading the back cover of a Blu-ray case when writing about a title’s specs and extras. The commentary is actually fairly informative, though Bracke’s presence was a turn off for me.

“Fresh Cuts: New Tales From Friday the 13th” is a compilation of interviews with some of the movie’s key principals. “The Man Behind the Legacy: Sean S. Cunningham” gives the director plaudits, though he’s the first to admit that he was only one of several people responsible for the movie. “Friday the 13th Reunion” is a recording of a media event attended by various members of the cast and crew.

“Lost Tales From Camp Blood--Part 1” is a new short film inspired by the movie, though you’ll have to get the new Friday the 13th, Part 2 Deluxe Edition DVD for the next short film.

Finally, you get a theatrical trailer.

--Miscellaneous--
You also get a holographic cardboard slipcover.

Body of Lies Blu-ray Disc (Ridley Scott, 2008)

Warner (USA)
2.40:1 1080p
128 minutes
Audio: Dolby TrueHD 5.1 English, DD 5.1 English, DD 5.1 French, DD 5.1 Spanish, DD 5.1 Portuguese
Subtitles: Optional English, English SDH, French, Spanish, Portuguese
Extras: audio commentary by Ridley Scott, William Monahan, and author David Ignatius; Focus Points; Interactive Debriefing; additional scenes with optional audio commentary

Released: 17 February 2009
Blu-ray case

Body of Lies is the fourth collaboration between director Ridley Scott and Russell Crowe. Gladiator had its moments but was filled with some of the worst CGI used in a major production, A Good Year was both a financial and artistic failure, and American Gangster was so-so. Body of Lies is probably the best of the four, but the lead role is played by an unconvincing Leonardo DiCaprio who uses the same constipated expression that he deployed for The Departed. DiCaprio can be very engaging when he turns on the charm (see his performance in Titanic), but when he scowls and screams, he just looks like a child throwing a temper tantrum.

Crowe is barely in the movie as he plays a CIA analyst who’s usually observing events in faraway hotspots from the safety of his offices in Langley, Virginia. He’s rather amusing as a portly father figure whose poor physical condition makes seem like an ineffective spy and whose malevolent actions at work make seem like someone who shouldn’t be trusted with raising young kids. The character’s incongruity is a mirror image for the movie’s take on American activity in the Middle East; our purported goals and methods are at cross purposes with each other. We say that we want to bring democracy to the world, but then we overturn democratically elected governments that are anti-American. One wonders if we should bother spreading democracy at all if other people vote for dictators and if we don’t accept democratic results anyway.

The movie has some strong plusses. First of all, you’ll admire the attention to detail, such as surgeons removing bone fragments from a third party after a bombing. The movie also shows how relationships have to be cultivated between spy agencies and local assets; there are times when personal ties mean more than money and plane tickets to America. Finally, there’s a memorable performance by Mark Strong, whom I saw mere days before in Guy Ritchie’s RockNRolla; I almost didn’t recognize Mr. Strong even though all he did appearance-wise was to add some facial hair.

Video:
Although the 2.40:1 1080p image is filled with the golden glow associated with Middle-Eastern desert vistas, the movie primarily has a cold, steel-blue vibe. This is most apparent when Crowe is sitting behind banks of video monitors, obviously, but most interior settings seem to be very chilly even in the middle of the summer.

Audio:
Well, this is an action thriller, so the Dolby TrueHD 5.1 English should blow you out of your chair. Bass response is deep and throaty, with surround and directionality effects zinging every which way. Dodge a few bullets along with Leo if the intense audio doesn’t drive you from the room after the first half hour.

Extras:
First up is a snooze of an audio commentary by Ridley Scott, William Monahan, and author David Ignatius. The problem with this commentary is that all three men tend to be low-key and withdrawn, so you have to strain to hear/understand them, especially since commentaries tend to be mixed with the movie’s soundtrack still audible instead of having only the commentators’ voices.

“Focus Points” is a collection of behind-the-scenes featurettes. You can branch to these featurettes while watching the movie, or you can select them via the Extras menu.

“Interactive Debriefing” is an unnecessarily fussy presentation of a some interview snippets with Ridley Scott, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Russell Crowe.

Finally, there are a couple of additional scenes with optional audio commentary by Ridley Scott.

--Miscellaneous--
You also get a cardboard slipcover and a Digital Copy disc.

Body of Lies (Ridley Scott, 2008)

Region 1 Warner (USA)
NTSC, 2.40:1 16x9 enhanced
128 minutes
Audio: DD 5.1 English, DD 5.1 French, DD 5.1 Spanish
Subtitles: Optional English, French, Spanish
Extras: previews for other movies

Released: 17 February 2009
keepcase

Body of Lies is the fourth collaboration between director Ridley Scott and Russell Crowe. Gladiator had its moments but was filled with some of the worst CGI used in a major production, A Good Year was both a financial and artistic failure, and American Gangster was so-so. Body of Lies is probably the best of the four, but the lead role is played by an unconvincing Leonardo DiCaprio who uses the same constipated expression that he deployed for The Departed. DiCaprio can be very engaging when he turns on the charm (see his performance in Titanic), but when he scowls and screams, he just looks like a child throwing a temper tantrum.

Crowe is barely in the movie as he plays a CIA analyst who’s usually observing events in faraway hotspots from the safety of his offices in Langley, Virginia. He’s rather amusing as a portly father figure whose poor physical condition makes seem like an ineffective spy and whose malevolent actions at work make seem like someone who shouldn’t be trusted with raising young kids. The character’s incongruity is a mirror image for the movie’s take on American activity in the Middle East; our purported goals and methods are at cross purposes with each other. We say that we want to bring democracy to the world, but then we overturn democratically elected governments that are anti-American. One wonders if we should bother spreading democracy at all if other people vote for dictators and if we don’t accept democratic results anyway.

The movie has some strong plusses. First of all, you’ll admire the attention to detail, such as surgeons removing bone fragments from a third party after a bombing. The movie also shows how relationships have to be cultivated between spy agencies and local assets; there are times when personal ties mean more than money and plane tickets to America. Finally, there’s a memorable performance by Mark Strong, whom I saw mere days before in Guy Ritchie’s RockNRolla; I almost didn’t recognize Mr. Strong even though all he did appearance-wise was to add some facial hair.

Video:
Although the 2.40:1 anamorphic widescreen image is filled with the golden glow associated with Middle-Eastern desert vistas, the movie primarily has a cold, steel-blue vibe. This is most apparent when Crowe is sitting behind banks of video monitors, obviously, but most interior settings seem to be very chilly even in the middle of the summer. Given the rapid camera action and sometimes furious editing, the video quality takes a huge nosedive when compared to the Blu-ray.

Audio:
Well, this is an action thriller, so the DD 5.1 English should blow you out of your chair. Bass response is deep and throaty, with surround and directionality effects zinging every which way. Dodge a few bullets along with Leo if the intense audio doesn’t drive you from the room after the first half hour.

Extras:
Upon loading, the disc plays previews for other movies. Otherwise, you get nada. For real extras, you’ll have to buy the Two-Disc Special Edition DVD or the Blu-ray.

--Miscellaneous--
You also get a Digital Copy code.

Nights in Rodanthe Blu-ray Disc (George C. Wolfe, 2008)

Warner (USA)
2.40:1 1080p
97 minutes
Audio: DD 5.1 English, DD 5.1 French, DD 5.1 Spanish, DD 5.1 Portuguese
Subtitles: Optional English SDH, French, Spanish, Portuguese
Extras: alternate scenes with director commentary; The Nature of Love; A Time for Love: Keeping Up With Nicholas Sparks; An Intimate Look at “In Rodanthe”; “Love Remains the Same” music video

Released: 10 February 2009
Blu-ray case

I thought that I was going to be bored to tears by Nights in Rodanthe. In fact, I was prepared to hate it. The title sounds pretentious and self-important, and while I’m not opposed to love stories, Hollywood has a way of heavy-handing even the most basic themes to death. Yet, I was close to shedding honest tears during the Third Act.

This movie will remind viewers of A Walk to Remember, in large part because they’re both based on novels by Nicholas Sparks. However, Nights in Rodanthe has a big advantage over A Walk to Remember--the actors’ ages. Whereas Mandy Moore and Shane West probably didn’t have the life experience needed to portray certain emotions and responses, Diane Lane and Richard Gere convey exactly what one would feel in their circumstances even though the roles are underwritten. The story’s easier to swallow than Remember’s because, given the characters’ ages, the movie focuses on specific regrets and longings rather than the vague optimism of youthful love. It may sound sad to mention it, but a love story seems more “real” when the characters are talking about do-overs rather than possibilities.

I could do without the very last few minutes (the movie should’ve ended with a shot of a mother and a daughter on a porch), but I was pleasantly surprised by Nights in Rodanthe.

Video:
The 2.40:1 1080p video transfer is quite lovely, especially during a breathtaking aerial circle of a fairty-tale-esque inn that sits on the beach. Close-ups of Diane Lane’s face are very pleasing. Colors are strong and naturalistic without being over-saturated.

Audio:
Not that this movie needed it, but the Blu-ray does not have a lossless audio track. Instead, you have to make do with a DD 5.1 English mix, which is fine considering that dialogue dominates proceedings. A hurricane doesn’t last very long, so you’re not going to be pining for a Dolby TrueHD option. Stereo separation is used primarily for music cues across the front.

Extras:
First up are some alternate scenes with optional director’s commentary. “The Nature of Love” offers interviews with the director and the two leads regarding why they teamed up for this production. “A Time for Love: Keeping Up With Nicholas Sparks” salutes the best-selling author. “An Intimate Look at ‘In Rodanthe’” is a profile of singer/songwriter Emmylou Harris and her contributions to this movie. Finally, there’s the “Love Remains the Same” music video.

--Miscellaneous--
You also get a cardboard slipcover and a Digital Copy disc.

Nights in Rodanthe (George C. Wolfe, 2008)

Region 1 Warner (USA)
NTSC, 2.40:1 16x9 enhanced and 1.33:1 Pan-&-Scan
97 minutes
Audio: DD 5.1 English, DD 5.1 French, DD 5.1 Spanish
Subtitles: Optional English, French, Spanish
Extras: previews for other movies

Released: 10 February 2009
keepcase

I thought that I was going to be bored to tears by Nights in Rodanthe. In fact, I was prepared to hate it. The title sounds pretentious and self-important, and while I’m not opposed to love stories, Hollywood has a way of heavy-handing even the most basic themes to death. Yet, I was close to shedding honest tears during the Third Act.

This movie will remind viewers of A Walk to Remember, in large part because they’re both based on novels by Nicholas Sparks. However, Nights in Rodanthe has a big advantage over A Walk to Remember--the actors’ ages. Whereas Mandy Moore and Shane West probably didn’t have the life experience needed to portray certain emotions and responses, Diane Lane and Richard Gere convey exactly what one would feel in their circumstances even though the roles are underwritten. The story’s easier to swallow than Remember’s because, given the characters’ ages, the movie focuses on specific regrets and longings rather than the vague optimism of youthful love. It may sound sad to mention it, but a love story seems more “real” when the characters are talking about do-overs rather than possibilities.

I could do without the very last few minutes (the movie should’ve ended with a shot of a mother and a daughter on a porch), but I was pleasantly surprised by Nights in Rodanthe.

Video:
You get a 1.33:1 Pan-&-Scan hack job on Side A while the OAR 2.40:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer is relegated to Side B. As with the Blu-ray, colors are strong and naturalistic without being over-saturated. However, you can see a big difference in the levels of fine-object detail. Faces look smudged with the DVD, but you can see pores and skin creases with the Blu-ray.

Audio:
The DD 5.1 English mix consists mostly of dialogue between Lane and Gere. A hurricane doesn’t last very long, so your sound system isn’t going to be tested much. Stereo separation is used primarily for music cues across the front.

Extras:
Upon loading, the disc plays previews for other movies. Otherwise, you get nada. For real extras, you’ll have to buy the Blu-ray. It’s obvious that Warner is positioning the DVD as a rental.

--Miscellaneous--
You also get a Digital Copy code.

Obama: All Access (Interviewer: Steve Kroft, 2008)

Region 1 CBS/Paramount (USA)
NTSC, 1.33:1
240 minutes
Audio: DD 2.0 stereo English
Subtitles: none
Extras: key speeches

Released: 10 February 2009
transparent keepcase

President Barack Hussein Obama II assumed the highest elected office in the United States on Tuesday, 20 January. CBS and Paramount went straight to DVD replication plants right after Obama’s Inaugural Address to manufacture Obama: All Access, which is a compilation of 60 Minutes segments during Obama’s successful presidential campaign. Most of these segments were the results of sit-down interviews with Obama conducted by 60 Minutes correspondent Steve Kroft.

Kroft’s questions are probing and professional, even when he’s confronting mis-informed voters about their belief that Obama is a Muslim. However, there’s not much that Kroft can do in terms of Obama’s use of these interviews. Obama is simultaneously substantive, informative, and thoughtful but also propagandistic. This is to be expected of any political candidate, as they’re in the business of selling their ideas as much as they are in the business of governing. Some of these interviews feature extensive interactions with Obama’s wife Michelle, whose remarks shed light on the President’s private life but aren’t necessarily “news” considering how similar all presidential hopefuls are (they tend to be self-confident and ambitious...few people nowadays become world leaders by accident). Overall, this DVD is a valuable “first record” of Obama’s hopes for his first days in office; history will tell if he managed to attain his lofty goals.

Video:
The image is presented in 1.33:1, as if to indicate that this is most definitely an old-school, serious journalistic effort. The picture looks like a high-quality over-the-air broadcast. Foreground objects (usually Obama and Kroft’s faces) are fairly detailed, though backgrounds tend to blur into indistinct blobs.

Audio:
The no-frills audio mix matches the low-key video presentation. You get a basic DD 2.0 stereo English track that is usually comprised of Obama and Kroft’s voices. Crowd scenes are front-biased, which seems a bit disorienting when the viewer is positioned somewhere deep in a mass of people. I guess surround sound has spoiled me.

Extras:
This DVD presents six of Obama’s key speeches during his presidential campaign: Candidacy Declaration in Springfield, Illinois; Speech on Race in Philadelphia; Foreign Policy Address in Berlin; Nomination Acceptance Speech; Victory Speech in Chicago; Inaugural Address in Washington, DC.

--Miscellaneous--
The disc is kept in a transparent keepcase, which showcases a panoramic view of the crowd in front of Obama during his Berlin speech.

Coming to America -- “I Love the 80’s” (John Landis, 1988)

Region 1 Paramount (USA)
NTSC, 1.85:1 non-anamorphic widescreen
114 minutes
Audio: DD 5.1 English, DD 2.0 surround English
Subtitles: none
Extras: trailer; music CD

Released: 3 February 2009
keepcase

Like most movie distributors, Paramount regularly re-releases its catalog titles with new cover art, new “branding”, new extras, and new price points in order to maximize profits. The current batch of “I Love the 80’s” titles are mostly goofy comedies from the 1980s, though there are several serious dramas such as Gallipoli and Lady Jane. These discs are little more than re-issues of previous pressings, though pressing the Nostalgia Button is usually effective in getting people to make impulse purchases.

The 80s were Eddie Murphy’s heyday, and he starred in several big hits for Paramount (such as the Beverly Hills Cop series). This time around, Murphy is represented by several titles, including Coming to America (which grossed more than $120 million at the North American box office). Despite having a smug, self-satisfied reputation in real life, Murphy is charming and winning as an African prince who hopes to find a wife in Queens, New York City. Murphy’s joy and earnestness are infectious, especially when he raves about his character’s love interest. (For once, a movie star isn’t wallowing in “Me! Me! Me!” but in “Her! Her! Her!” moments.) Arsenio Hall delivered the best performance of his career in this movie as the Prince’s sidekick, and Shari Headley is memorable as the sweet Lisa McDowell. Watch for cameos by Samuel L. Jackson and Cuba Gooding Jr. as well as Murphy and Hall playing several different roles.

Paramount has released Coming to America on DVD at least twice. Surprisingly, this edition is a port of the first, bare-bones disc that is a disappointment in just about every respect. If you like this movie, then you’ll want to get the Special Edition with anamorphic video and actual extras or the Blu-ray.

Video:
The 1.85:1 non-anamorphic widescreen image is an eyesore in this day and age. Colors are faded, and print damage is prevalent in most scenes. Some shots are very soft. What’s really galling is how small the picture is when displayed on a 16x9 TV.

Audio:
The DD 5.1 English and DD 2.0 surround English tracks don’t sound all that different from each other. The mix generally favors bombastic music cues over sound effects and sometimes even the dialogue, which unfortunate since this DVD doesn’t have English subtitles. If your DVD or Blu-ray player isn’t usually set to 480i, then you’re not even going to be able to watch the movie with optional English closed captions.

Extras:
You get a theatrical trailer as well as a music CD with four pop songs from the 1980s.

--Miscellaneous--
You also get a cardboard slipcover.

Private Practices (Kirby Dick, 1985)

Region 1 Zeitgeist (USA)
NTSC, 1.33:1
75 minutes
Audio: DD 2.0 mono English
Subtitles: Optional English SDH
Extras: audio commentary by Kirby Dick

Released: 27 January 2009
transparent keepcase

Private Practices is an eye-opening, humanistic, compelling, and ultimately very moving work. Ostensibly, the documentary is about a sex surrogate and two of her patients, but like all good movies, Private Practices transcends its subject matter and limitations to become a piercing examination of fundamental human issues.

Director Kirby Dick frequently covers sensationalistic material (such as the MPAA ratings system in This Film Is Not Yet Rated), but there’s no sense of exploitation in Private Practices. Rather, the movie shares sex surrogate Maureen Sullivan’s objective approach to sexuality. Sullivan worked with people who had severe self-image problems and people who were unable to develop healthy physical relationships. Various therapies included simply touching arms and legs while talking, with advanced sessions including self-analysis in front of a mirror and various sexual activities. Throughout these sessions, Sullivan maintains a professional but warm, reassuring demeanor that draws her patients out of their shells.

The movie features a fair amount of nudity and sexual situations, though they’re not really arousing or lurid. Rather, sexuality is presented as what it ideally should be--relaxing, intimate, and capable of creating deep emotional connections. Sexuality is about communication and self-acceptance. For example, one of Sullivan’s clients is a man who hasn’t thought much about a woman’s sexual needs and desires. When he learns to pay attention to what his partners want, he discovers reciprocal joys from women, women who don’t deride his penis size the way that his ex-wife did. Yet, during a dinner with the man and his ex-wife, the ex-wife describes various frustrations and anguishes which clearly indicate that the man’s penis size wasn’t the real problem. Rather, she felt trapped in a marriage at a time when women weren’t encouraged to speak their minds about their feelings.

Ultimately, the movie turns its focus to why Maureen Sullivan became a sex surrogate. A frank, brutally honest interview with Sullivan, her father, and her brother is devastating but reflective of many families. Sullivan tells her father that she became a sex surrogate in part because she was rebelling against him and in part because she grew up watching her father beat up on her mother. Sullivan sought to fill in the blanks in her emotional composition, and she discovered that she could learn as much about herself as her patients did during their sessions.

I didn’t know what to expect of Private Practices before I viewed it, but I’m glad that I saw this profound movie.

Video:
Although it’s clear that the 1.33:1 video source could not be restored to resemble something looking like Doctor Zhivago, the picture is clean and tidy enough to convey the participants’ actions and emotions. As such, although the faded colors and picture softness reveal the movie’s age, you don’t really notice the image’s relatively poor quality after the first ten minutes.

Audio:
Likewise, the simple audio presentation--DD 2.0 mono English--does not have a negative effect on the movie’s impact. The participants’ voices are clearly intelligible for the most part, and the DVD has English SDH subtitles in case you think you mis-understood what was said. The audio gets a little noisy when the participants are in open or public spaces (such as in a convertible or a restaurant), though this is to be expected of a low-budget production.

Extras:
The only extra is an audio commentary by Kirby Dick that’s really an interview. Prodded by Tanner Barklow, Dick discusses his fascination with the issues pertaining to the sex surrogacy field as well as his work in general.

--Miscellaneous--
The transparent keepcase showcases double-sided artwork with film and DVD production credits printed on the inside. A glossy insert contains an interview with Maureen Sullivan Ward as well as chapter listings.