Death Wish 3 [Blu-ray]

This is meant to be a parody, right?
I know that Michael Winner got his start making comedies, then turned to making blunt and chilling action movies such as The Stone Killer, The Mechanic and the first Death Wish. However Death Wish 3 is so over the top that I have to wonder if Winner wasn't winking at the audience - and one or two scenes seem to be making some kind of satirical statement about this kind of entertainment catharsis. Paul Kersey returns to New York City to visit an old war buddy, but finds his friend dying from a beating given by the local thugs. Kersey is arrested and, while in the local jail, has a run in with the gang leader, a psychotic named Fraker (played with just the right amount of swagger by Gavan O'Herlihy). The police chief (Ed Lauter) is so frustrated with Fraker's gang running (and ruining) the neighborhood that he releases Kersey and wishes him happy shooting. "You're turning me loose?" Kersey asks. "I'm turning you loose." The cop replies. What follows is a...

Violent. Violent. Violent. And Funny.
DEATH WISH 3 is, for its time, an extremely violent movie. Paul Kersey (Charles Bronson) is a seemingly placid soul who goes about killing several hundred thugs and crooks in 1980's NYC. The "plot" finds Kersey returning to NYC where he visits an old war buddy, whom Kersey finds dying on his apartment floor, a victim of intruding gangs. Having lost his friend, Kersey decides to move into his buddy's old apartment and take up a war against the gangs overrunning the neighborhood. I wouldn't even say this is a tale of revenge, because you never get the sense that Kersey gives a damn about his friend's death. It's basically an invitation to kill, something Kersey accepts when a police commissioner asks for "help" in thinning out the criminal herds.

Kersey, a character born from the "silent majority" of the Nixon Era, has no character arc, no narrative, no place to go where he will eventually find peace. This movie is a showcase for violence-- funny, absurd, over-the-top...

SHAME ON YOU MGM!
... for messing up such a great movie! Movies like this one need special treatment. Putting this out in fullscreen is like giving it no attention at all. It's a shame because today even ultra-low budget films are being properly remastered for DVD releases. It seems that MGM does not realise at all the cult status of this movie- I mean there are countless people out there who have been waiting for a decent release of this movie. I don't consider this an upgrade to my old, fullscreen VHS so I won't be buying it.

As for the movie itself... no words could possibly describe it. It just reaches perfection.

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Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers [Blu-ray]

Whats in the DVD
Halloween is the best horror movie series. This DVD will be perfect even if it only included the High Def transfers. I hope they are working on the Blu-Ray Halloweens.

What is included:

* Widescreen Presentation enhanced for 16x9 TVs

* Audio commentary with director Dominique Othenin-Girard and actors Danielle Harris and Jeffrey Landman (HALLOWEEN 5)

* Inside Halloween 5: Documentary featuring rare behind the scenes footage, a cut scene, and interviews with Danielle Harris, Ellie Cornell, Don Shanks, Executive Producer Moustapha Akkad and Cinematographer Rob Draper

* Introduction by stars Danielle Harris and Ellie Cornell

* On-Set Halloween 5 Footage: Rare, never-before-seen footage taken on the set

* Theatrical trailer

one of the better halloween films
I have noticed that Halloween 5 tends to absorb a lot of abuse. I believe that happens because people judge it by inappropriate standards. After all, this is a story about the Bogeyman. This is horror fantasy. Halloween 5 makes no pretense of being a realistic crime drama. I judge films of this sort by atmosphere and suspense. Halloween 5 is very strong by the first standard and pretty good by the second. The film is shot in such a way that it actually feels like Halloween. The lighting and coloration are beautifully done. As regards suspense, no slasher film can match the original Halloween, but this one does have a couple of exceptional moments. The part where Michael Myers pursues the little girl, and also where he kills Tina, are presented in such a way that it feels like people are actually dying.Contrast that with the by-the-numbers feel of most slasher films, where you see so many killings that they kind of become a blur. And Donald Pleasence is brilliant as Dr. Loomis. He is...

A movie I like a lot more than I should
This review is a little long, so please bare with me. There are also Spoilers.

Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers is a movie that has the fans split in the middle. A lot of people see this as the downfall of the series, while others praise it as the last great Halloween movie. I have to admit Halloween 5 is a movie I like a lot more than I should and I sometimes think I like the movie for more what it could have been instead of what it is. The one thing I will say is Halloween 5 is probably the most flawed of the series.

The script written by Michael Jacobs, Dominique Othenin-Girard & Shem Bitterman was rather weak and filled with numerous clichés; John Carpenter & Debra Hill they aren't. While not the worst script ever written, Halloween 5 has a lot of great ideas that never quite seem to work as well as they should. Bottom line is Halloween 5 feels more like a first draft rather than final shooting script.

They had some excellent ideas...

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Los Lobos: Kiko Live

Outstanding!
If you are a Los Lobos fan of a Kiko fan this is an absolute must have. Just buy it.

I'm not sure what the negative reviewer is talking about. The BD is well produced, the editing is very watchable with no quick cuts, shaky cam or ultra close-ups as is fashionable these days. The DTS 5.1 mix is a very good, balanced mix that sounds great on my system. The video is good. Maybe not reference quality but good enough.

The album is preformed in it's entirety and Los Lobos does an outstanding job recreating the studio album on stage. The songs are very true to the originals while some get stretched out a bit and extended. David Hidalgo has been one of my favorite guitarists for some time and this concert does nothing to change that image for me. He really lays it down in several songs and continues to impress. Really, the whole band does an excellent job. Cougar Estrada on the drums is outstanding.

The show can be viewed as the concert only or the concert...

A Wonderful Musical Experience!
I'm not sure what blu ray the others watched, but this performance of Kiko is amazing. Kiko in my opinion is Los Lobos at their best and they are at their best in recreating it live in concert. David Hidalgo is a great guitarist and really shines. They get the sounds of each wonderful song, using harp, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, sax, keyboards and traditional Mexican instruments. Enrique Gonzalez on drums and percussion almost steals the show. He is that good.
I liked the behind the scene stories of the recording and of the band's history that were interspersed between the musical numbers. And the three bonus songs are a lot of fun.
Bottom line; if you love Kiko, you will love this album.

Inspired Performance of a Gem
I bought this DVD because I am a Los Lobos fan (I think David Hidalgo is one of the most underrated performers in rock), and I like the album KIKO. But I wasn't really expecting too much, thinking that it might not be as dynamic as some Lobos performances. Turns out I was totally wrong--this DVD catches the boys on a night when they're all "bringing it," and Hidalgo in particular stands out. While all of the players have great moments, there are several instances where Hidalgo just amazes everyone--I even get the feeling that the rest of the band is joining us in admiring Mr. Hidalgo's stellar musicianship.
In short, I believe any fan of good rock'n'roll will want to see this, but if you are a Los Lobos fan, you definitely do not want to miss it. Incidentally, I saw them a few nights before this was filmed, but the performance captured here (in San Diego, I believe) is even better than what I was lucky enough to see.

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The Rescuers: 35th Anniversary Edition (The Rescuers / The Rescuers Down Under) (Thee-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo in DVD Packaging)

Bonus DVD Packaging
This review is not about the Blu Ray, which is outstanding in both the picture & sound. Instead, the review is about the packaging of the 2 bonus DVD's. Disney decided to go with a double case instead of a triple case. This resulted in the 2 bonus DVD's being stacked on one spindled on-top of each other, resulting in the top DVD being scratched. Surely Disney could have spent a few more cents & gone with the proper case to accommodate the 2 bonus DVD's & the 1 Blu Ray. A little disappointing for a company that always stood for quality.

The Mouse Giveth, the Mouse Taketh Away. Original Bonuses are dropped!
WHAT'S MISSING from the original DVDs?
The Rescuers' biggest casualty is the loss of a 15-page Scrapbook holding concept art, character designs, behind-the-scenes production photos, and publicity artwork. Also dropped, and of lesser interest, is "Under the Hat Villains", a 90-second Toon Disney short celebrating the studio's animated villains (including Medusa) with clips and some animator comments. The last omission from the original movie's DVD is "The Ultimate Case" set-top game, which let you sleuth around rooms to find Penny's missing teddy bear (with the Devil's Eye Diamond inside) à la Bernard and Bianca with clues from "Orville."

Lost from The Rescuers Down Under's original Gold Classic Collection DVD are its original theatrical trailer, a virtual DVD storybook, and a 16-question trivia game. And expectedly not resurfacing from inside its case are an Animals of the Outback booklet and chapter insert.

You may want to hold on to your original...

Disney Animated Classics #23 and #29: Two wonderful films that look better than ever!
The Rescuers was the last feature produced by Walt's legendary team of animators (the nine old men) and is easily their best since Walt's death in 1966. Released in 1977, The Rescuers is a delightful and heartfelt story full of adventure, poignancy and great characters. Both Bernard and Miss Bianca are wonderful creations that compliment each other. Madame Medusa may seem like Cruella De Vil but is not at all forgettable. The voice cast is spot on with Bob Newhart, Eva Gabor, Geraldine Page and the rest giving memorable performances and bringing unforgettable characters to life. The story of these two mice rescuing a little girl keeps you invested the whole time and you care for them very much. The Rescuers may seem a like a little obscure film but the truth is that is a Disney classic through and through.

Released 13 years later in 1990, The Rescuers Down Under was Disney's first official sequel produced by the main studio (not to be confused with a cheapquel). With high...

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