Monsters University (DVD)

Why the lessons in `Monsters University' are Pixar's most bold yet
UPDATE 11/4/13: Blu-ray details review.

QUALITY: Unsurprisingly, the video quality is stunning. Little else needs to be said about the transfer. It's flawless.

EXTRAS: There are a TON of extras!

If you like the behind-the-scenes process of filmmaking, the extras here are about as extensive as I've seen before. Not only do the shorts give a background of life on Pixar's campus (Campus Life), but plenty of dedication to each aspect of making the film. Of course, there's also some deleted scenes.

What's nice about the scenes is that director Dan Scalon talks you through the scene in detail and why it was cut. They are of course unfinished, but still interesting to see what could have been part of the movie.

If I have one complaint, it's the layout of the bonus features menu. Despite the features being on a blu-ray disc, the menu does not operate like a blu-ray menu. Typically, you're able to operate within the menu while the movie...

Pixar returns to its magical ways.
Dumb me! Dumb, dumb, dumb, dumb, dumb, dumb me! All summer I put my faith and hope in the big blockbuster films, the Iron Man 3's and Star Treks of the world. And from Man of Steel to Pacific Rim almost without fail these over budgeted, underwritten explosiony action films left me feeling disappointed and underwhelmed. Except for World War Z there is not a single movie I've seen this summer that I can truly say was a great film. Some were better than others (Oblivion and Pacific Rim were both pretty good) but considering their competition was Iron Man 3 and Star Trek Into Darkness that's not saying much. All the while I put off seeing Monsters U for weeks. "It looks silly" I said, "Pixar has lost its mojo" the idiot side of my brain insisted. Well, that sure teaches me. I will never doubt Pixar again. Even if they make another mediocre film like Brave, they have more than proven themselves still capable of making a damn good film.

Wall E will always be my favorite Pixar...

A clever film
This movie is good, not as good as Monster Inc, but good. The kids and I greatly enjoyed it. There are life's lessons to be learned from this movie if you think about it.

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Spring Breakers [HD]

A highly disturbing, yet fascinating, social satire.
First off, this film is intended to be disturbing, and to create knee jerk reactions. Sometimes art wants us to examine ourselves, and often, through that process, things may hit a little too close to home. This movie is a huge commentary on the "party" scene and the absolute idiotic, reckless, behavior college age adults will put themselves into in the meaning of having fun. I have no doubt parents out there will be mortified to think their teenager is on Spring Break participating in the hedonistic lifestyle choices portrayed in the movie, or more mature older adults will think back to their own shameful mistakes of their youth, which is kind of the point. The characters are mostly one dimensional, plot is sparse, violence, nudity, drugs use, and hedonism are abundant but it's obvious all of these factors contribute to the message of the movie and Harmony Korine's comments on the the culture he is mocking. I also love that the slow paced "art" film quality of this movie is a...

what.
I watched this because I like Ashley Benson and because I saw a VICE piece on the ATL twins. What a waste of time. There's little to no character development, plot, or even acting, just a lot of slow-mo montages of coeds partying on the beach or red-lit places. There's probably less than 20 minutes total of dialogue. It's like a long Skrillex music video (seriously half the soundtrack is Skrillex singles) except I'd rather watch a Skrillex music video. I guess Franco just wanted to be K-Fed and simulate sex with some young girls and Harmony wanted to shoot some boobs. This is a satire in the way Blurred Lines is a satire: it isn't. Party movies usually have no soul but this took it to a whole new level with banal, semi-existential bits of dialogue and cheap 'trippy' editing for cocaine sequences. It wasn't fun but didn't leave you with anything.

Skipped through some of the montages, ended with a headache, didn't see any acting except Franco's accent for maybe 5...

Awful
Don't waste your time. I expected more. Had some humor and dark Tarantino style to it but overall was disappointing.

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Man of Steel (Blu-ray+DVD+UltraViolet Combo Pack)

Needs more respect.
While I can see and understand some of the complaints against this film, some of them, on the other hand, are hypocritical nonsense.

The internet isn't the best way to put a films reception into perspective. From perusing comic book message boards you would think this is the most hated film of all time. Not so. It is mostly met with favorable praise. But the vocal minority is REALLY vocal on this one. Complaints about structure and editing are one thing (I don't agree with them at all but they are legitimate) but the huge hubbub over the destruction in this film is over the top and frankly all out misguided and downright false.

It seems the internet can't make up it's mind on what they want their Superman to be. For YEARS all fans ever did was say they wanted a Superman movie where he can really show off his powers. They begged and whined and pleaded for a Superman film to deliver the action that the character deserves on screen. And when Superman Returns came...

Man of Steel...
Let me say right away that I am fan, so if you imagine that there may be some bias about this film, you'll be right. As much as I enjoy the work done by Zack Snyder and Christopher Nolan I am, first and foremost, a fan of Superman the character. Beyond the super powers and god like awe that surrounds the character, he is inherently a symbol for the potential good of the human race. He represents the best of both his worlds and acts as a guide for others. Superman is often referred to as the "constant boy scout". It's easier to understand when you truly see the kind of temperament and control he exhibits on a nearly constant basis. When faced with adversity how easy would it be for him to destroy his opponent in the blink of an eye, and yet he refrains from doing so. He is a symbol for all that we can achieve, good and bad. In some ways he is the embodiment of hope; hope for the future, hope for the world, and hope in our own personal lives. So, when I say that I am a fan I...

Nolan Plot and Snyder Action Makes for the Best Movie This Year
The "Man of Steel" movie is both action and plot heavy, dealing with complex spiritual issues as well as what it means to be human. On the other hand, the action is heavy-handed, with punches, bullets, and other weaponry being thrown at people on a regular basis. This combination of depth and intensity creates a powerful film, both visually as well as in theme. The performance of the story was breathtaking. As expected, the visuals were stunning; the special effects were phenomenally crisp and the scope of the camera was often wide, presenting the scenery itself as a spectacle. The acting was exceptional as well. Shannon's Zod was angry, driven, and resourceful, everything a good soldier is meant to be. His lines were powerful and his intentions and thoughts were practically visible on his face as he acted. Cavill's Superman also performed exceptionally. Each line was delivered with honesty to the character. His part was not really dialogue heavy, but his role was emotionally...

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Despicable Me 2

A greatly succesful sequel with even more hilarity, despicability, girl power and minions - and agent Lucy Wilde...
I loved this movie and both my daughters loved it even more. It is AS GOOD as the first part, therefore this review follows the main lines of my review of the first "Despicable me". This review contains very limited SPOILERS.

1. Hilarity - Exactly as the first film, this sequel is HILARIOUS! There is hardly any 15 seconds in this movie that would not contain a really good gag, children or/and adult oriented. Whoever wrote the scenario was a genius!

2. Despicability - in this film Gru is a little bit different from what he was in the first part. He is no more so grumpy, mean, petty and permanently aggravated - he certainly smiles more and all his attitude softened. He remains however exactly as insecure as in the first film. That being said, there are moments in this film when the old Gru resurfaces, when his heart is broken or when somebody REALLY upsets him. His geriatric sidekick and only friend (well, kind of) doctor Nefario didn't take all this change easily...

Despicably Entertaining in the Summer of Animated Sequels
The summer of 2013 will likely be remembered as a period of sequels for the computer generated animated feature film segment. Sure there are some original pieces sliding into the fray (Epic & Turbo for example) but the lion's share of the media attention falls squarely on Pixar's Monsters University, Universal Pictures'/ Illumination's Despicable Me 2 and already the trailers are beginning to circulate for Disney's third entry into the Cars universe: Planes.

Depending on who you are, the animated sequel thing can work- look at the Toy Stories and Shreks, Kung Fu Panda, Madagascars, and so on. That said, it didn't come as too much of a surprise when rumors started circulating a couple of years back that 2010's surprise breakaway hit about a villain turned good guy would be getting a direct sequel as well as a spin-off film featuring the minions a year after that.

That brings us to the sequel itself- Despicable Me 2 does away with fancy tag lines and usual sequel...

Surprised and Delighted
Actually, this review is of the theatrical performance of DESPICABLE ME 2. We hadn't planned on seeing it this weekend but we were running early at the multiplex and the next showing of MONSTERS U was full. Neither of us had seen D.M. 2's predecessor but it didn't matter once we caught onto the fact that the Minions are kind of like Gremlins or Ewoks except they have very little hair, there are tons of them, some have only one eye, and all of them love to go into costume. The plot has superspy overtones, as the formerly despicable main character Gru (voice of Steve Carrell) is shanghai'd by the international Anti-Villain League to find out who is about to enslave the world (the likely culprits have been winnowed down to the proprietors of the stores at the local shopping mall). Lucy, a way over-the-top near-novice girl spy (Kristen Wiig) joins our hero and at the beginning there is no love lost between them . . . but things develop. So what you have is basically a...

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Flight [HD]

A Contemplative Adult Drama About Addiction Featuring One Of Denzel Washington's Most Complex Performances
I know that some viewers might feel like there is a bit of a bait-and-switch when sitting down to watch the very adult drama "Flight." I was primed to see a movie about a harrowing plane crash. And indeed, this initiating sequence is staged with tremendous suspense and gut wrenching detail. It may be one of the more memorable scenes you are likely to see this year. But "Flight" is not really about this crash. It is, instead, a character study about addiction, about faith, and about taking responsibility. The heroic pilot that acted on that day is none other than Denzel Washington. But this is no ordinary hero, this is a mess of a man who fuels his life with drugs and drink. He is estranged from his family, defying propriety, and thinks that the rules don't apply to him. He's a great pilot, to be sure, that saved many souls. But he was also completely out of control when he did so. That is the moral dilemma at the heart of the movie. He is a hero. His bad acts did not...

One of the best films I've ever seen
Now, when I first saw this movie I had no idea what it was about. I only knew that it had a tremendous Oscar-winning actor playing the role of a pilot. I had no idea I was in for such a wild ride. I will point out first and foremost that this is a very well put together piece of cinema. The acting, pacing, cinematography, character development is nothing short of top-notch. That being said, I can understand how marketing and trailers could have caused many people to become mislead to what the film would be covering as many of the negative reviewers seemed to have missed the point. This movie was about a plane crash in the way that The Shawshank Redemption was about escaping prison. Yes, those are both the fundamental plot points but they're more like a side effect of the central themes. (Not to say that the crash scene in Flight wasn't one of the most intense scenes I'd seen in years or that the prison escape scene in Shawshank didn't give me an all encompassing feeling of joy). But...

Not a movie about a plane crash
This is a powerful movie about a man you to want to love's struggle with alcoholism, he just happened to be in a plane crash. This is not a courtroom drama, not an action flick (the plane crash happens in the first 30 min of the movie and lasts maybe 5-10 minutes tops, after that all drama.

The movie starts out with an epic plane crash scene, one of the best I've ever seen in a movie. Denzel's character takes control of the plane like a pro, with every ounce of drug and alcohol seemingly vaporized from his system and his instincts as an ex-Navy fighter pilot take over.

The movie is great in it has you rooting for this guy throughout, but he keeps letting you down as the viewer, as well as all of the characters in his life. You saw how awesome this guy was in the cockpit, he was a hero, yet he cannot overcome this addiction. How can a man who could do such extraordinary things be so vulnerable to addiction? The movie does this part very well.

The most...

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Marvel's The Avengers [HD]

...And there came a day, a day unlike any other...
I am more giddy than my giddy aunt. I saw the midnight showing of the AVENGERS last night and, at the end, my face hurt and warped from grinning so big. I am so wired I can't form a coherent thought. Here's a salvo of stream-of-consciousness impressions, in whatever order.

Mark Ruffalo is simply terrific as the Hulk's alter (and calmer) ego. I actually prefer his interpretation of Dr. Banner over Bana's and Norton's. Ruffalo steers away from the deadening angst that made me fidget in earlier Hulk pictures. He finds a balance. This Banner exhibits a dry sense of humor but exudes this quirky, low simmer edginess. And I love Ruffalo's interactions with Downey, Jr., two swaggerful eggheads matching their test tubes against each other and applying big, sciency words. I like that there's respect between their two characters. There's an intriguing twist involving Banner's relationship with the Hulk, of which I won't say more. The Hulk - and this seems to be a unanimous impression...

Love the movie, cheated by 4-disc set.
Don't get me wrong, it's one of my favorite movies and I highly recommend it as a Blu-ray purchase for any action and/or hero fan. The problem is that this 4 disc set is nothing but a sham, and on multiple levels:

Digital Copy:
First, the only supported tablet is the Ipad, so for all of us Android tablet users, don't dream about taking the movie with you on the go through legitimate means.
In fact, even if you choose the WMP version which can only be seen on your computer, you might face difficulties. My Laptop apparently needed a security update (which I couldn't get no matter how much I tried), in spite of the fact that it's running on the latest version.

Digital Music Download:
Why not simply include the music within the set in MP3 files? Here's why. Although you've already paid a higher price for a set that should provide the soundtrack, they feel that you still haven't actually paid enough. After giving my authentication code online, I was...

"Are you sure about this?" "Yeah, it'll be fun."
....And what fun it is.

*Spoilers Ahead*

Marvel's "The Avengers" is an expertly-crafted movie that makes 2 1/2 hours fly by like....well....I don't really know...SOMETHING FAST. My thoughts on seeing this movie--the first time (yes, you WILL go to see this more than once)--were: "This was just as good as 'The Dark Knight'....how is THAT even possible?" Well...consider first that Marvel has always had the best storylines, and the know-how to mix all of their characters' comic books together into one, all-encompassing storyline. Then, consider they decided to apply said formula to their movies. Third, they went out and expertly casted the parts.

How could this NOT be good?

Who else but Robert Downey, Jr could be a multi-billionaire, techno-wizard, armor-wearing snark-artist? Acts like he doesn't care, but is willing to sacrifice his life to save New York.

Chris Evans is Captain America. A 1940s guy living in the present...

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Despicable Me 2 (Blu-ray + DVD + Digital HD with UltraViolet)

A greatly succesful sequel with even more hilarity, despicability, girl power and minions - and agent Lucy Wilde...
I loved this movie and both my daughters loved it even more. It is AS GOOD as the first part, therefore this review follows the main lines of my review of the first "Despicable me". This review contains very limited SPOILERS.

1. Hilarity - Exactly as the first film, this sequel is HILARIOUS! There is hardly any 15 seconds in this movie that would not contain a really good gag, children or/and adult oriented. Whoever wrote the scenario was a genius!

2. Despicability - in this film Gru is a little bit different from what he was in the first part. He is no more so grumpy, mean, petty and permanently aggravated - he certainly smiles more and all his attitude softened. He remains however exactly as insecure as in the first film. That being said, there are moments in this film when the old Gru resurfaces, when his heart is broken or when somebody REALLY upsets him. His geriatric sidekick and only friend (well, kind of) doctor Nefario didn't take all this change easily...

Despicably Entertaining in the Summer of Animated Sequels
The summer of 2013 will likely be remembered as a period of sequels for the computer generated animated feature film segment. Sure there are some original pieces sliding into the fray (Epic & Turbo for example) but the lion's share of the media attention falls squarely on Pixar's Monsters University, Universal Pictures'/ Illumination's Despicable Me 2 and already the trailers are beginning to circulate for Disney's third entry into the Cars universe: Planes.

Depending on who you are, the animated sequel thing can work- look at the Toy Stories and Shreks, Kung Fu Panda, Madagascars, and so on. That said, it didn't come as too much of a surprise when rumors started circulating a couple of years back that 2010's surprise breakaway hit about a villain turned good guy would be getting a direct sequel as well as a spin-off film featuring the minions a year after that.

That brings us to the sequel itself- Despicable Me 2 does away with fancy tag lines and usual sequel...

Surprised and Delighted
Actually, this review is of the theatrical performance of DESPICABLE ME 2. We hadn't planned on seeing it this weekend but we were running early at the multiplex and the next showing of MONSTERS U was full. Neither of us had seen D.M. 2's predecessor but it didn't matter once we caught onto the fact that the Minions are kind of like Gremlins or Ewoks except they have very little hair, there are tons of them, some have only one eye, and all of them love to go into costume. The plot has superspy overtones, as the formerly despicable main character Gru (voice of Steve Carrell) is shanghai'd by the international Anti-Villain League to find out who is about to enslave the world (the likely culprits have been winnowed down to the proprietors of the stores at the local shopping mall). Lucy, a way over-the-top near-novice girl spy (Kristen Wiig) joins our hero and at the beginning there is no love lost between them . . . but things develop. So what you have is basically a...

Click to Editorial Reviews