Limitless: Everything is possible when you open your mind

Limitless (thriller, mystery, sci-fi)

Directed by Neil Burger

Starring Bradley Cooper, Robert De Niro and Abbie Cornish

20th Century Fox | 2011 | 105 min | Rated PG-13 | Released Jul 19, 2011

Video:

Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC

Video resolution: 1080p

Aspect ratio: 2.40:1

Audio:

English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1

French: Dolby Digital 5.1

Subtitles:

English SDH, French, Spanish

Discs:

Single 50GB Blu-ray Disc

Digital copy

The Film 4/5

Eddie Morra (Cooper) is a loser. He looks like he sleeps on the streets and his girlfriend is his main source of income while he struggles to write a novel. He lives in a seedy apartment and is more likely to be eating pizza and drinking alcohol than working on his book. His girlfriend (Cornish) finally decides it’s time to leave, but Eddie’s life is about to change for the better.

In a chance meeting with Vernon, the brother of his ex-wife, Eddie is offered a pill. He’s suspicious because Vernon was dealing drugs the last time the two met. After thinking about it, Eddie decides that life can’t get much worse and takes the pill. Within 30 seconds, he starts to feel different. The color palette changes from dull and muted to bright and clear and represents the change in Eddie. 

We are told that we use a fraction of our brain on a daily basis. The pill is supposed to enable us to use one hundred percent of our brain. Eddie finds that he can think clearly and work out solutions to difficult problems. He writes a book in four days without pausing to think how the plot should progress and his editor loves the result. We see him learn how to play piano and become fluent in the Italian language.

Eddie feels like he suddenly knows everything.

It’s interesting how a positive mental attitude can change your life. Instead of living like a slob, he cleans his apartment. Then he focuses on ways to use his intelligence to make enough money to permanently change his life. His new confident attitude attracts the girlfriend who dumped him. Eddie’s life is starting to look pretty good.

After making the news with a series of shrewd investments, Eddie attracts the attention of Carl Van Loon (De Niro). Van Loon is an ambitious businessman who craves money and power. He has no time to waste on losers, but gives Eddie a chance to impress. He reminds me of Gordon Gekko in Wall Street.

Eddie’s main problem is securing a regular supply of pills. He also has to adapt to their effects and discover a way to moderate his reaction. Like any drug, there are side effects to deal with. I won’t reveal anything else, but the plot is more complicated than I have made it sound.

The movie is advertised as an action thriller and Rolling Stone describes it as a “Full-tilt adrenalin rush.” Although there some action scenes, I wouldn’t describe it as an adrenalin rush. There are chase scenes, but the focus is on Eddie’s fortunes and there’s always an element of mystery. I found it enjoyable because I wanted to see what would happen next, but I rarely found myself sitting on the edge of my seat in anticipation.

The acting is good across the board. Cooper pulls off his role well. He’s serious when he has to be and whimsical in the lighter scenes. De Niro doesn’t get a great deal of screen time, but his scenes are memorable. Cornish is effective as Eddie’s girlfriend.

I found Limitless to be an enjoyable way to spend 105 minutes. There are two versions included on the Blu-ray; the theatrical and the unrated extended version. There is only a few seconds difference in running time between the two.

Video Quality 4.5/5

Limitless looks very good on Blu-ray. Detail is strong throughout, although we see more during scenes where Eddie is feeling the effects of the drug. Contrast and brightness are boosted during such scenes. Although the other scenes appear drab by comparison, there’s good detail and no problem with the transfer. Most viewers will be pleased with the look of the movie.

Audio Quality 4.5/5

The English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track is more than adequate. The action scenes are limited, but the track delivers when needed. Dialogue is crisp and clear and I didn’t detect any problems with the sound. The commentary track uses English: Dolby Digital 2.0.

Special Features 2.5/5

The additional features all appear in full HD.

Audio Commentary with Director Neil Burger.

A Man without Limits (4:29)

Taking it to the Limit: the Making of Limitless (11:38) – It would have been nice to see a more extensive feature.

Alternate Ending (5:14) – I prefer the original ending, but it’s nice to see another possibility.

Digital copy

Theatrical Trailer (2:25)

Limitless has a few plot holes, but it works as a piece of entertainment. Cooper does a great job as Eddie and you’ll want to see him succeed. It’s hard to pin down the genre as it includes mystery, drama, action, sci-fi and comedy, but it’s more of a thriller than anything. I didn’t see the film in the theater, but I’m glad it found its way into my Blu-ray collection. It won’t change your life, but few people will regret seeing it.

Overall score 4/5

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Lost Highway: Journey into the mind of a killer

Lost Highway (drama, mystery, thriller)

Directed by David Lynch

Starring Bill Pullman, Patricia Arquette, Balthazar Getty and Robert Loggia

Concorde Video | 1997 | 135 min | Rated FSK-16 | Released May 05, 2011

Video:

Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC

Video resolution: 1080p

Aspect ratio: 2.35:1

Audio:

English, German: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1

Subtitles:

German (optional)

Disc:

Single 50GB Blu-ray Disc

The Film 4.5/5

The DVD release from Universal Studios claims a 2 hour 25 minute running time, but that's actually a printing error. Both that and this Blu-ray version clock in at 2 hours 15 minutes. All of the original DVD scenes are intact.

David Lynch is my favorite director, although Quentin Tarantino isn’t far behind. Lynch appeals so much because his films create worlds with a distinct feel. He’s very precise and chooses the exact sound or image needed to complete his vision. When I watch Mulholland Dr. or Blue Velvet, my normal world ceases to exist; it’s pure escapism. For that reason, I chose to import Lost Highway from Germany. Who knows when we’ll see a North American release?

All of Lynch’s films are challenging. He rarely uses a linear plot structure and the line between what is real and what is imagined is usually blurred. Lost Highway is one of the most difficult films to interpret, but it can still be enjoyed even if you don’t fully understand everything on the screen.

The film opens with the image of a road. We’re traveling down it at night to the sound of David Bowie’s I’m Deranged. This was not a frivolous choice and is a major hint at what you can expect to follow. This is a film about madness. In fact, I believe it is a look inside the mind of a killer. Think about how difficult that is to achieve.

There are thousands of films about killers, but how many of them show the true motivation for murder? Lost Highway hints at motivation and gives an idea of how such a person might think. That’s one reason why the plot is such a mess. Insane thoughts wouldn’t always follow a logical pattern.

We see a glimpse of how Fred (Pullman) and Renee (Arquette) Madison live. He’s a musician and fears that his wife is being unfaithful. He wants to go out, but she prefers to stay home. When he calls, she doesn’t answer and his suspicion grows. The next morning, she discovers a yellow envelope outside the front door. There’s no address or note, but it contains a video showing the outside of the house. Another envelope shows up the following day and this time it shows Fred and Renee asleep in bed. The police are called in, but don’t discover anything out of the ordinary.

Fred tells the police that they don’t own a video camera. In fact, he hates them because he likes to remember things his own way rather than how they happened. That’s another clue that we can’t rely on anything shown from Fred’s viewpoint.

One of my favorite scenes happens early in the story. Fred and Renee go to a party and Fred talks to a weird looking man. The man informs him that they previously met at Fred’s house and that he’s there right now. That sounds crazy, but the man gives Fred a phone and tells him to call him at the house. The man appears to answer. He says that Fred invited him and he never goes where he’s not wanted. As it’s impossible to be in two places at once, this clearly represents something else. I think the man represents Fred’s emotions. He’s suspicious, jealous and angry.

A third tape shows Fred standing over Renee’s corpse. Remember that he hates video cameras because they show what happened? I think Lynch is saying that what happens on video is Fred’s reality and everything else is unreliable. There’s further proof of this when Fred is arrested for the murder of his wife.

All of these events occur in the first 40 minutes of the film. From that point on, things start to get really weird. If I were to analyze every scene it would ruin the film if you haven’t seen it, so I’ll stop there. All I can say is that events take a dramatic turn and initially seem impossible. But the more you think about it, the more it makes sense. 

Mulholland Dr. also deals with identity and blurred reality. The two films are similar in feel in many ways. We see actors playing dual roles and we are not always sure whether any events are real. The film works as a collection of interesting scenes, but it’s even more effective when you realize what is being portrayed. I won’t pretend to understand everything and I am not sure I am supposed to.

The choice of music perfectly matches the mood. We hear from Rammstein, Trent Reznor, Marilyn Manson, Lou Reed, This Mortal Coil, and many others. The whole thing is held together by Angelo Badalamenti’s haunting score.

The acting is very good. Pullman pulls off Fred’s nervous demeanor perfectly and Arquette is suitably mysterious. I particularly liked Robert Loggia’s performance and he oozed menace every time he was on the screen. Robert Blake as the Mystery Man sent shivers down my spine and he didn’t always seem human. As well as a cameo from Marilyn Manson, watch out for a glimpse of Henry Rollins as a prison guard.

I enjoy all of Lynch’s films. While Lost Highway doesn’t quite hit the heights of Mulholland Dr. and Blue Velvet, it’s still among my Top 25 from any genre. It won’t appeal to everyone, but if you enjoy experiencing unsettling worlds, this might work for you too.

Video Quality 4.5/5

The DVD looks soft and I wasn’t expecting Lost Highway to look very good on Blu-ray, but I was in for a surprise. Concorde Video has produced a wonderful transfer. Detail is exceptional for most of the film and I didn’t detect any print damage or dirt. There were a few very infrequent white speckles, but I’m thrilled with the look of the Blu-ray. I can’t imagine any future releases looking any better. The film is region free, but the special features are PAL. So you can watch the film in all its glory, but you won’t have an image during the special features unless you use a region B or region free player. For the record, the Blu-ray includes chapters.

Audio Quality 4.5

The Blu-ray defaults to German: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 so you’ll need to use the pop up menu to change to English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1. It’s a great track and displays the atmospheric scenes very well. This is a lively soundtrack, but the quieter scenes also benefit. The overall presentation is excellent. German subtitles are optional rather than forced.

Special Features 1/5

The PAL special features appear in standard definition. German subtitles are optional.

Making Of (9:28) – This isn’t a typical making of feature. We’re shown snapshots of Lynch directing a few scenes, but he doesn’t talk to the camera. You’ll see how he works, but don’t expect him to explain his decisions.

Interview with David Lynch (4:53) – Lynch talks about Pullman and Arquette and how their acting ability helped the film.

Trailer (1:46)

The region free Blu-ray version of Lost Highway from Concorde Video is well worth your money and it’s unlikely that future releases will produce anything better. It’s available from Amazon Germany, but I acquired mine from Grooves Inc. for around $17 delivered. Give them a try if you’re interested in importing the film. It won’t appeal to everyone, but hopefully my review will help you decide whether it’s for you. It’s one of the best titles I have added in 2011.

Overall 4.5/5

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Salt: Delivers exactly what you would expect

Salt (action, crime, mystery)

Directed by Phillip Noyce

Starring Angelina Jolie, Liev Schreiber and Chiwetel Ejiofor

Sony Pictures | 2010 | 101 min | Unrated | Released Dec 21, 2010

Video:

Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC

Video resolution: 1080p

Aspect ratio: 2.40:1

Audio:

English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1

English: Dolby Digital 2.0

French: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1

Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1

Subtitles:

English, English SDH, French, Spanish

Disc:

Single 50GB Blu-ray Disc

BD-Live

The Film 4/5

Salt is full of action and includes an air of mystery. The opening scene takes us back two years and we see Evelyn Salt (Jolie) interrogated in North Korea. She’s in pretty bad shape after being beaten, but refuses to talk, even when a tube is forced down her throat and gasoline is poured in. She’s eventually released as part of a prisoner exchange and returns to work as a CIA agent. This all happens at the start of the movie and sets up what is to come.

The final thing I’m going to reveal is an encounter with a Russian defector. She’s selected to interview him and discovers that there’s a plan underway to substitute certain Americans with Russians. They become sleepers who will eventually act on behalf of Russia. He informs any agents who might be listening that Evelyn Salt is the name of one such agent.

Salt has a decision to make. Which of her colleagues can she trust? Should she stay and answer the accusations? Would it be better to run and try to prevent other sleeper agents from fulfilling their purpose? She decides to run and most of her colleagues see it as an admission of guilt. We’re placed in her position and it’s one with no obvious solutions. It has the same feel as the Bourne movies, with confusion surrounding her identity.

The CIA isn’t happy that she evaded capture and sends agents to bring her back. This results in a huge chase scene in which Salt makes some unlikely decisions. If you’re a fan of action movies, this is where the story really takes off. The first chase scene happens on a highway and sees Salt making improbable leaps between moving vehicles to evade capture.

Jolie looks capable of making some of the jumps, and we see her continually revise her plan as she flees her pursuers. The story keeps us guessing about the level of her involvement and we can’t be sure what her motivations are. She’s resourceful and uses her intelligence in order to predict the moves of her pursuers and discover the motivations of the Russian group.

If you enjoy movies such as Taken, Wanted, Bourne or Die Hard, this is your kind of story. The first adrenalin rush comes early and we rarely have time to breathe. There is a plot, although it’s secondary to the action. This is a movie that entertains because of its pacing and spectacular chase scenes. There’s not a great deal of thought required, but you will see that everything makes some kind of sense if you think about what you have just seen. Well, it makes as much sense as the average James Bond movie.

If you want to see Jolie running around, climbing, jumping and engaging in hand-to-hand combat, grab your popcorn and enjoy the ride. The loose ends are tied up neatly and the conclusion is satisfying. The acting is convincing, although Jolie never has to show the range of emotion that she achieved in Changeling. Schreiber and Ejiofor are always good and both play their roles well.

Video Quality 5/5

It’s hard to fault the look of the movie. Colors appear natural and detail is strong. There’s a fine layer of grain and the picture has considerable pop. I felt like I was in the middle of the action. Sony has delivered another great transfer.

Audio Quality 5/5

There’s a lot happening on the screen and the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track handles everything that’s thrown at it. Chase scenes sound incredible, while scenes involving explosions and gunfire have the appropriate impact. Dialogue doesn’t suffer either, and the surrounds are active throughout the duration of the movie. The score adds to the action scenes and completes the experience. You won’t have any complaints about the presentation.

Special Features 4.5/5

The additional features all appear in full HD.

Spy Cam: Picture-in-Picture – The movie includes three cuts and this feature is only available on the theatrical version.

Filmmakers’ Commentary

The Ultimate Female Action Hero (8:05) – Showing some of the stunts that Jolie performed.

The Real Agents (12:33) – Former spies talk about their experiences.

Spy Disguise: The Looks of Evelyn Salt (5:26) – A look at the various appearances Jolie used in the movie.

The Modern Master of the Political Thriller: Phillip Noyce (9:15) – Noyce explains why he has good insight into the life of a spy, and describes how he tries to capture the attention of the audience.

Salt: Declassified (29:47) – A thorough “making of” feature that goes into more depth about some of the things covered in the other features.

“The Treatment” Radio Interview with Phillip Noyce (27:12) – Elvis Mitchell interviews Noyce.

Previews

BD-Live

Salt is a well-crafted spy movie that’s heavy on the action, although there are a couple of twists in there too. Jolie looks the part and is convincing in her role and the supporting cast does a great job. If you want to be thrilled for 100 minutes without having to think too much, this will get the job done. The Blu-ray presentation is excellent and the special features contain a wealth of additional information if you’re curious.

Overall Score 4.5/5

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Unknown: Don't expect Taken 2, but see it anyway

Unknown (drama, mystery, thriller)

Directed by Jaume Collet-Serra

Starring Liam Neeson, Diane Kruger and January Jones

Warner Bros. | 2011 | 113 min | Rated PG-13 | Released Jun 21, 2011

Video:

Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC

Video resolution: 1080p

Aspect ratio: 2.40:1

Audio:

English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1

French, Portuguese, Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1

Subtitles:

English SDH, French, Spanish, Portuguese

Discs:

50GB Blu-ray Disc

DVD copy (with digital copy)

The Film 4/5

Unknown’s plot is extremely simple once you know a key piece of information, but that’s not revealed until late in the movie. As a result, you’ll find yourself confused and having to guess what’s really going on. On first viewing, Unknown is full of mystery and puts the viewer in the position of the main protagonist, Martin Harris (Neeson). Like Memento, the story keeps letting us see events in a new context and their meaning changes as a result.

Harris flies into Berlin with wife Liz (Jones) for a biotechnology conference. He’s one of the speakers. While getting into a taxi at the airport, he leaves behind a briefcase containing his passport and vital documents. Does that seem like the act of a man with the supposed intelligence of Harris? He notices that it's missing when they arrive at the hotel and jumps into another taxi while his wife checks in. There’s no signal for his phone (really) so he can’t explain his actions.

The taxi is involved in an accident and plunges into a river. The driver, Gina (Kruger), pulls him out and then runs off leaving him in the hands of the medics. He wakes up in hospital and all he can remember is his name and that he’s married to Liz, who doesn’t know where he is. The doctor tells him that he’s been in a coma for four days.

Luckily, he sees a story about the conference on TV in his room and remembers that he’s supposed to be attending. It shows the hotel where he was supposed to check in. How convenient. After checking out and going to the hotel, he sees his wife at a reception. The problem is she says that she doesn’t know him. She even introduces another man as her husband, Martin Harris. The hotel security men throw him out. Are you confused yet? Is he really Martin Harris? Is everything we are seeing just some coma-induced dream? Is he crazy?

The story continues with Harris trying to prove his identity. He finds Gina and she agrees to help him. He also phones a friend in the US who he knows can confirm his identity. His memories slowly start to return and he notes everything he can remember. One piece of information tells him that he has a meeting arranged with Professor Bressler, who he communicated with by phone and email for a while. Maybe Bressler can confirm his identity? It wouldn’t explain his wife’s actions, but it would be a start.

I won’t reveal any more of the story because it would ruin the mystery, but it contains a few glaring plot holes. The exposition is also laughable at times and assumes that the audience is pretty dumb. My favorite example is: “So that’s got all your secrets in it, right?”

You might be wondering why I gave the movie such a high score if it’s full of so many plot holes and stupid dialogue. The reason is it somehow works. Neeson is such a good actor that he pulls it off. I found myself actually caring about his predicament and wanting to see him resolve it. Most of the supporting cast does a great job too and I was especially impressed with Bruno Ganz and Frank Langella.

Did you see the movie posters advertising the theatrical run? It showed Neeson holding a gun and looking ready to take on the world. In short, it was marketed as Taken 2. If you buy the movie on the strength of that image, you may be disappointed. Neeson doesn’t touch a gun at any point in the movie. There are a couple of car chases and scenes full of action, but this is nothing like Taken. Neeson does get into a couple of fights, but this is more a mystery than an action movie. Fans of Taken might like Neeson enough to enjoy this too, but be aware that the two movies are very different.

I found myself invested in the story, even though I could see that parts of it were contrived or even ludicrous. Neeson plays it dead straight and is believable in his role. Kruger did a good job as his sidekick. I’ve watched the movie twice now and will be happy to watch it again despite its flaws.

Video Quality 4.5/5

I have no complaints about the picture quality. Fine grain is present throughout and detail is always strong. I detected one slightly noisy image in a dark scene, but that’s a minor quibble. Colors look accurate and the presentation is clean and bright. You’ll be very happy when you see it.

Audio Quality 5/5

The movie starts quietly, but gradually increases in volume as the action rises. Dialogue is always clear, but the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track really starts to shine when we see the car crash. The action scenes in the final act all benefit from heavy use of the surrounds and you’ll feel like you’re in the middle of the action. The audio presentation is flawless.

Special Features 1/5

There are two HD features which run for a total of nine minutes and the content of each overlaps with the other. I hoped for much more.

Liam Neeson: Known Action Hero (4:33) – Brief interviews with the cast and crew about the making of the film.

Unknown: What is Unknown (4:24) – Similar in content to the opening feature, but it’s more of an extended advertisement and appears to have been shot before the movie was released.

I’m not sure what Unknown is supposed to be. There are too many holes for it to be a serious drama or compelling mystery, but there’s not really enough action for it to fall into that genre. If you go into it with the right attitude, you’ll probably enjoy it. I had fun watching it the first time and enjoyed seeing it on Blu-ray. For fans of Neeson, it’s worth adding to your collection. For action fans, it could fail to meet expectations. The Blu-ray presentation certainly won't disappoint, but there's very little in the way of special features.

Overall score 4/5

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The Omen: Relying on suspense rather than gore and special effects

The Omen (horror, mystery)

Directed by Richard Donner

Starring Gregory Peck, Lee Remick and Billie Whitelaw

20th Century Fox | 1976 | 111 min | Rated R | Released Oct 07, 2008

Video:

Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC

Video resolution: 1080p

Aspect ratio: 2.35:1

Audio:

English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1

French, Spanish: Dolby Digital Mono

Subtitles:

English SDH, English, Spanish

Disc:

Single 50GB Blu-ray Disc

The Film: 4/5

Modern horror movies are very different from films such as The Omen. Released 35 years ago, the movie wasn’t gory and certainly wasn’t a slasher movie. It relied on creating suspense and tension and was in the tradition of Hitchcock. The characters have proper motivations for their actions and we are shown what those motivations are. It justifies some of the difficult choices made by Robert Thorn (Peck) as he learns the truth about his son.

Director Richard Donner’s next movie was Superman, but The Omen, was easily the biggest project of his career at that point. Peck’s involvement proved to be a huge draw and the remainder of the cast was happy to join the project.

The story opens in Rome. Thorn is the American ambassador and his wife, Katherine (Remick), is giving birth in hospital. The doctors tell him that his baby has died, but offer him another baby who lost its mother during the birth. Thorn reluctantly accepts, but hides the fact from his wife. Thorn is made ambassador to Britain and the family relocates to London. Things seem normal until Damien is five years old, when his nanny commits suicide at his birthday party.

Father Brennan, a priest from Rome, pays Thorn a visit. He claims that Thorn must take communion and accept Christ if he is to fight the son of the devil. Thorn dismisses him as a lunatic.

A new nanny, Mrs. Baylock (Whitelaw), shows up at the house to take care of Damien, but the Thorns realize that neither of them arranged it. She is allowed to keep the job and tells Damien in private that she’s there to protect him. He smiles. The Thorns take him to church against the wishes of Baylock, but he throws a fit and they abandon the trip. He’s visibly shaking at the thought of entering the church.

Thorn realizes that Damien has never been ill for a single day in his life and considers it odd. Baylock starts to take over the running of the house and allows in a black dog which seems to be another guardian for Damien. Thorn tells her to get rid of it, but she never does.

Nothing has really happened up to this point. Donner gives us clues that there’s something weird about Damien, but it’s all speculation. We don’t actually see him do anything, but things happen to others around him. This is developed when Damien and his mother visit Windsor Safari Park and the animals act scared and run away from the boy. Now both parents are suspicious of Damien.

Father Brennan sees Thorn again and insists that Thorn’s wife will die if he refuses to hear what Brennan has to say. He only wants five minutes. Thorn reluctantly agrees to listen, but Brennan sounds crazy once more, insisting that Damien isn’t human and must die. Thorn still isn’t convinced, but reads about Brennan’s mysterious death in the newspaper the following day. Katherine is convinced that Damien is evil and that he’s not her child.

Brennan claimed before he died that Katherine was pregnant again, and that she would lose the baby and then her own life. When Thorn learns that she is in fact pregnant, he begins to think about everything that Brennan has said. He teams up with a local photographer who has more information about Brennan and the two begin to look into Damien’s origins.

It’s incredible how little action there is throughout the movie. Donner relies on the audience’s imagination and keeps building suspense. There’s very little blood in the story and Damien hardly does anything to suggest that he’s evil. Any problems he causes could be genuine accidents. Baylock is a more sinister character and does take direct action when she thinks that Damien is threatened.

The one thing that doesn’t quite ring true is how quickly Damien’s parents come to consider him evil. The bond between parent and child is usually strong enough for parents to love and forgive their children. Imagine telling any parents that their child is evil or the son of Satan. The likely reaction would be anger and the parents would defend their child against such a crazy accusation. In this instance, both parents come to the same conclusion. Why are they able to see that Damian is evil? Robert does eventually question the logic when he’s ultimately tasked with killing the child, but it seems too late to be authentic.

The journey to uncover the truth sees Thorn visit two other countries as he tries to piece together Damien’s past. We meet some unusual characters along the way and there’s a little more action when he searches for the identity of the child’s real mother.

The story has a resolution of sorts, but The Omen eventually became the first part of a trilogy. The other two movies never matched the suspense of the first and didn’t attract any actors on Peck’s level. Peck was excellent as Thorn and the most interesting part of the story was seeing how he approached the problem.

Video Quality: 3.5/5

The opening shots are weak and lacking in definition. Some shots are intentionally soft, but the movie is grainy and the colors subdued for the most part. Things pick up in the second half when we see more outdoor scenes. It’s hard to pin down the quality because it varies so much. Some shots seem barely above DVD standard, while others border on impressive considering the age of the film. It's obviously as good as it has ever looked, so worth picking up if you are a fan.

Audio Quality: 3.5/5

Jerry Goldsmith won an Oscar for best original score and the demonic singing adds a lot of atmosphere to the story. It sounds impressive on the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track, as do some of the more subtle sounds such as gravel crunching underfoot. The track is front-heavy and a little quiet, but it does the job. I did watch it at a slightly higher volume level than most movies, but clarity was good once I had the level sorted out.

Special Features: 5/5

With over three hours of special features and three commentary tracks, you can satisfy your curiosity about the movie. It's a comprehensive package. 

Commentary – Three different tracks.

Isolated Score Track (5.1 Dolby Digital)

Richard Donner on The Omen (14:36)

The Omen Revelations: Bonus View with Trivia Track

Introduction by Director Richard Donner from 2006 (1:55)

Deleted Scene: “Dog Attack” (1:26)

666: The Omen Revealed (46:34)

Screenwriter’s Notebook (14:51)

An Appreciation: Wes Craven on The Omen (20:17)

The Omen Legacy (1:41:37)

Curse or Coincidence? (6:19)

Jerry Goldsmith on The Omen Score (17:41)

Theatrical Trailer (2:19)

Still Gallery

The original part of the trilogy remains one of the best horror movies ever made, but it won’t appeal to everyone. The pacing will seem slow by today’s standards and the story relies on suspense, characterization and acting ability, rather than gore and special effects. Well worth seeing if you want to see how the genre has developed over the past four decades.

Overall score 4/5

Click here to see where The Omen ranks among my Top 10 horror movies.


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Blow Out: Travolta excels in an early role

Blow Out (crime, drama, mystery)

Directed by Brian De Palma

Starring John Travolta, Nancy Allen, John Lithgow and Dennis Franz

Criterion | 1981 | 108 min | Rated R | Released Apr 26, 2011

Video:

Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC

Video resolution: 1080p

Aspect ratio: 2.40:1

Audio:

English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0

Subtitles:

English SDH

Disc:

Single 50GB Blu-ray Disc

The Film 4.5/5

Jack Terry (Travolta) is a sound-effects man who works on B-movies for a Philadelphia-based studio. One night, he decides to go out to record some new effects. He captures the sound of leaves rustling in the wind, a frog croaking, an owl hooting and a couple’s conversation. They mention that someone is watching them from a nearby bridge.

Jack inadvertently records a car accident and a gunshot heard before it veers off the road into a creek. He runs over and leaps into the water, pulling a woman from the car, but too late to save the man she is with. The woman, Sally (Allen), survives the accident with no apparent injuries. The dead man turns out to be Governor McRyan, a potential presidential candidate.

The police write the crash off as an accident, but Jack knows what he heard and reconstructs the scene in his mind by listening to his recording. We find out that someone caught the crash on film and sold it to various publications. Jack matches the images to the sounds and is certain the crash was caused by a bullet hitting a tire. None of the authorities seem interested so he seeks Sally’s help to prove his theory.

De Palma builds suspense throughout and a plot to discredit the Governor is gradually revealed. Sally was working for Manny (Franz), a private eye, and they have a history of using her to ruin people’s public images with the help of a henchman known as Burke (Lithgow). Burke has an agenda of his own and exceeds his authority.

Nobody wants to admit that McRyan had a woman in the car and a full cover-up is set in motion. Burke is out to tie up any loose ends and silence the potential threat from Jack and Sally.

De Palma brings to mind Michelangelo Antonioni’s Blow Up as well as a number of Alfred Hitchcock’s movies. He confirms in the special features that the film was inspired by the JFK shooting and subsequent events.

The resulting mix is an intriguing mystery, filled with suspense and a little action. Will Jack be able to prove his theory and make it public, or will it be buried? The final shot is a memorable one and the film doesn’t have a traditional Hollywood ending. It works for me.

Video Quality 4/5

It’s difficult to grade Criterion’s newly-restored presentation because the quality varies. In brightly-lit scenes, detail is exceptional considering the age of the film. Some of the scenes are dark and filled with heavy grain. I didn’t notice any dirt or debris, but did see vertical lines on the screen a couple of times. Overall, I was pleased. Criterion does everything possible with its transfers and didn’t let me down here.

Sound Quality 5/5

Sound understandably plays an important part in the film and the DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 track delivers. Some scenes are made up of a multitude of different sounds, presumably to draw our attention to what we are hearing. It’s particularly evident when Jack is recording his sound-effects tape and captures the car’s crash. Dialogue is clear throughout and it’s hard to imagine a better quality track than this one.

Special Features 5/5

A 58-minute interview with De Palma conducted by Noah Baumback (1080p). De Palma talks about many technical aspects of the film including the split diopter and Steadicam, as well as some of the difficulties faced during filming. He also mentions Alfred Hitchcock and some of the things that influenced the story.

De Palma’s 1967 film, Murder a la Mod, appears here in full (81 minutes, 1080p).

Interview with Nancy Allen (26 minutes, 1080p).

Interview with Garrett Brown, inventor of the Steadicam (16 minutes, 1080p).

Louis Goldman photographs showing stills from Blow Out.

Trailer (2 minutes, 1080p)

34-page booklet

Criterion’s recent release does justice to an important film and is thoroughly worth the upgrade to Blu-ray. You’re actually getting two De Palma films in this package and Blow Out is one of Travolta’s best films. I wonder how influential his performance here was in convincing Quentin Tarantino (a huge De Palma fan) to cast him in Pulp Fiction? 

At the time of writing, the Blu-ray is available at the bargain price of $18.99 at Amazon.com.

Overall score 4.5/5 

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Black Swan: Good film, average Blu-ray presentation

Black Swan (drama, mystery, thriller)
Directed by Darren Aronofsky
Starring Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis, Vincent Cassel, Barbara Hershey and Winona Ryder 

20th Century Fox | 2010 | 108 min | Rated R | 

Video:
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.40:1

Audio:
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
French: Dolby Digital 5.1
Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1

Subtitles:
English SDH, Spanish 

Disc:
Single 50GB Blu-ray disc

The Film 4.5/5

With five Oscar nominations (cinematography, best picture, best director, editing and best leading actress), Black Swan took home the best actress statue for Natalie Portman. The $13 million budget meant that certain sacrifices had to be made, but the result is still a film of high quality.

Aronofsky's films are always challenging and frequently show the ugly truth behind an apparently glamorous existence. The Wrestler is the most glaring example. He's also no stranger to obsession as The Fountain clearly demonstrated.

It's almost impossible to write a meaningful review without revealing some of the plot elements, so stop reading now if you want to see the film without knowing anything.

Black Swan is a psychological drama along the lines of Psycho, rather than a film about dance. Nina (Portman) is a ballet dancer who wants the leading role in a new adaptation of Swan Lake. The role consists of two elements; the white swan and the black swan. She's apparently the best candidate for the role and performs the white swan better than anyone, but is encouraged to abandon her self-control in order to access the emotions needed to dance the black swan. In order to do so, she toughens up mentally, becomes more assertive and confrontational and explores her sexuality.

Like Mulholland Dr. and Fight Club, the line between what is real and what is imagined is not obvious on first viewing. Nina is a disturbed young woman who has trouble staying grounded in reality. She imagines terrible things and obsesses about winning the role. Her duality is gradually revealed throughout the film and will frighten some people who allow themselves to become fully involved with the story.

I won't spoil things further, but Black Swan is an interesting tale of Nina's search for perfection in her art.

The technical aspects of the film are superb. The camera is frequently used to follow the dancers on stage and puts the viewer among the action. It's quite breathtaking in places. The editing and digital manipulation both convince the audience that Portman is performing all of the moves a ballet dancer might make.

Portman trained for 10 months to learn how to move like a dancer. She also dieted so that her body looked the part. She fully deserved her Oscar win for this performance. The supporting cast is strong in all areas, with her mother (Hershey), and her closest rival for the part of the swan queen, Lily (Kunis), both doing good work.

Video Quality 4/5
Shot partially in 16mm and also digitally, Black Swan lacks the level of detail normally associated with a Blu-ray presentation. Many of the scenes are dark, while others are stylistic and intentionally soft. Heavy grain is present, but the look is very similar to the theatrical presentation. This is not a poor transfer; it's an accurate reproduction of the film's original look. Many of the softer shots were probably intended to convey the dream-like quality of certain scenes. Don't expect to be blown away.

Audio Quality 4.5/5
Sound is an important part of Black Swan. Clint Mansell's score enhances the experience considerably and the ambient sounds add to the mood. The sound of rustling feathers is particularly effective and disturbing. I'm left with the impression that Aronofsky lovingly crafted every component of the film.

Special Features 4/5
The special features are not exhaustive, but what's included is excellent. There are interviews with Aronofsky, Portman, Hershey, Cassel and Ryder. There's also a 49-minute featurette on how the film was made, including the music, cinematography and special effects. Well worth a look if you're a fan.

Similar films
It's hard to talk about Black Swan without thinking about The Red Shoes (1948). Both films feature ballet dancers who are striving to perfect their art. I'm also reminded of films dealing with blurred reality and mental illness such as Psycho, Persona and Repulsion.

Black Swan draws you into its world. If you let it happen, you will be affected emotionally. It was one of the best five films of 2010.

Overall score 4.5/5 

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Mulholland Dr. will either fascinate you, or you'll hate it

Mulholland Dr. (drama, mystery, thriller)

Cast: Naomi Watts, Laura Harring, Justin Theroux

Director: David Lynch

Optimum Home Entertainment | 2001 | 147m | Rated R | Sep 13, 2010

Video:

MPEG-4 AVC | 1080p | 1.85:1

Audio:

English, French, Italian: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1

Subtitles:

French, Dutch, Italian

Discs:

Single 50GB Blu-ray digibook, Region B (UK import)

The Film 5/5

Mulholland Dr. is a wild ride and it's best to experience it without knowing anything the first time you see it. The plot is non-linear and the ending isn't typical Hollywood fare. Most of my friends hated it and thought it was a waste of their time. But for those who like it, the experience is up there with the best that film has to offer. If you are analytical and curious enough to watch the film two or three times in quick succession, you're the type of person who may end up loving this film. If you haven't seen it and think you fit that description, I hope you will give it a try.

Mulholland Dr. is my favorite film of all time. The prospect of seeing the Blu-ray both excited and scared me as I wondered whether the presentation would be worthy of the film.

It elevated it to a different level.

The story is full of mystery and unfolds like a detective story for the first two-thirds of the film. Betty (Naomi Watts), an aspiring actress, wins a jitterbug contest and uses it as an opportunity to fly to Los Angeles to seek out an acting career. Immediately after, we see a car crash in which Rita (Laura Harring) suffers amnesia and seeks refuge in Betty’s empty home. The two soon meet and Betty tries to help Rita remember who she is.

The film was intended to be a television series and the first two acts were formed by the aborted pilot. Eventually, new funding allowed Lynch to finish the film and it evolved into an entirely different story. The plot isn’t linear, and the distinction between dream and reality becomes increasingly blurred.

This is a complex puzzle that is very hard to take in on the first viewing and is therefore not for everyone. If you like fast-paced action and straightforward stories wrapped up neatly by the end of the movie, you probably won’t appreciate the film. If you enjoy mysteries and being confused and unsettled, it may interest you.

It changed the way I watch movies.

This is the kind of film that possesses you. The best way to view it is to let it carry you along and wash over you. Save your analysis for repeat viewings. And if you have an inquisitive mind, there will be many repeat viewings.

I first saw this film without understanding all of it, but I found myself going over it in my mind and watching it again the next day. Then I wanted to tell all my friends about it. Over time, it has surpassed everything I have ever seen. It’s full of intrigue and makes me feel so many different emotions. It’s quite brilliant and Lynch’s best work, although all of his projects are valuable and important.

Watching one of Lynch’s films takes you on a journey into a different world. There’s something not quite right with the world, but it’s hard to identify exactly what it is. But it adds to the feeling of unease. In Mulholland Dr., he uses interesting camera angles to show you a glimpse of what is ahead. As a result, you become part of the story and see it unfold as the main characters do.

There’s a lot going on in this strange world. We are shown several different characters, initially unconnected, with no explanation of their overall role in the story. This probably happened because the threads were meant to be expanded on in the television series. You will meet film directors, detectives, a hit man, and a whole host of minor characters.

The film is punctuated by moments of bizarre humor. Some of the comedic scenes make me laugh out loud, and that’s not an easy thing to achieve. There are also moments of violence and mystery and ultimately true desolation.

The final act turns everything on its head. Betty and Rita become Diane and Camilla. It’s initially confusing, but everything becomes clear when you think about what you have seen and felt.

It’s full of symbols and metaphors and has an underlying theme which examines the Hollywood industry as a whole.

Lynch creates a mood better than any director I have ever seen. The colors, settings and actions of the characters all enhance the atmospheric presentation, and Angelo Badalamenti’s haunting score completes the experience. Mulholland Dr. has many of the elements that made Twin Peaks my favorite television show of all time. If you like one, you will almost certainly like the other.

I’m not going to expand any further on the plot, such as it is, because it may put you off seeing the film. It’s complex, but it’s very rewarding when you examine the experience after the fact. It’s the kind of film that encourages people to develop their own theories. Lynch refuses to explain it, preferring that you develop your own idea about what it represents.

The film can be viewed as a series of interesting scenes. In fact, that’s probably a good way to view it for the first time. The final act isn’t a predictable occurrence. If you’re someone that finds that refreshing, like me, then you should check out Mulholland Dr. if you haven’t already done so. Several film magazines voted it the best film of the last decade. It’s certainly something that can be appreciated even if you have other favorites.

Video Quality 4/5

The disc opens with trailer in SD, highlighting other StudioCanal titles, but don’t let that worry you. We see Rita in a car crash early in the film and the scene is shot in the dark and looks soft, as are several other scenes in the film. The film is supposed to look that way. But the majority has good detail and better lighting. I didn’t see any dirt or print damage and the overall presentation was extremely clean and pleasing. I didn’t expect the video quality to be great, but I was pleasantly surprised. The opening shots deserve 3.5 due to the lighting and softness, but other scenes reach 4.5. Overall I’ll give it a 4.

Audio Quality 5/5

The opening jitterbug scene gives you an idea of how Mulholland Dr. is going to sound; in a word, wonderful. The ensuing car crash is loud and full of detail. Lynch is obsessive about choosing exactly the right sounds to match the scene, and getting the volume exactly right. The sounds of gravel, doors opening and dialogue are all perfect. When it comes to louder scenes, such as Rebekah Del Rio singing, or the rumbling undercurrent during aerial shots, it’s also handled perfectly. I don’t think I have ever heard a better presentation in terms of sound quality. I imagine it’s exactly as Lynch intended.

Special Features 3.5/5

An Introduction to the film by Thierry Jousse (9:54 HD)

In the Blue Box (27:33 HD)

On the Road to Mulholland Dr. (23:40 SD)

Interviews with Mary Sweeney (SD) and Angelo Badalamenti (SD and audio only)

Back to Mulholland Dr. (23:52 in SD)

20-page booklet

Some of the features are excellent and include interviews with Lynch and members of the cast. The most enlightening feature for the first-time viewer is Back to Mulholland Dr., which includes a simplified interpretation of the film. Please don’t watch it until you have seen the film or it will alter the experience.

Similar Movies

The closest thing to Mulholland Dr. is Lynch’s other work such as Lost Highway and Inland Empire. Ingmar Bergman’s Persona also includes similar themes as does Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo.

Firstly, be aware that the Optimum BD is locked to Region B, so only buy it if you can play it. I’m not going to tell you to buy this before you’ve seen it, despite my glowing praise. As I have already mentioned, it’s not for everyone. If you are a fan of the film and can play Region B material, buy it without hesitation. If this is the first time you have heard of it, rent the DVD or catch it on cable. Try to watch it on the biggest screen you can, without pausing, and with no other distractions. Watts and Lynch deserved Oscars for their work, but I guess there weren’t enough explosions, dumb jokes, or people getting hit in the groin.

Overall score 5/5 

See where Mulholland Dr. ranks in my Top 20 dramas.


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