Shutter Island Blu Ray Review

The trailer for the Shutter Island was little misleading about the overall plot of the movie. While people that read the book would recognize the story, the rest of us would think it is a little super natural mystery. Never the less, you usually can’t go wrong with Martin Scorsese films. This psychological thriller seems to have combined great elements from previous films like Silence of the Lambs and other great psychological thriller movies. You get hint of Hitchcock’s influence in suspense and overall atmosphere. This isn’t to say Scorsese ripped off other great works. It just feels like a very well constructed film.

Without giving away the twist, the plot involves a U.S. marshal named Teddy Daniels. In 1954 he is assigned to investigate the disappearance of a patient from a mental hospital located on Shutter Island. He has personal reason to want this assignment. The rumors or crazy experiments and cruel treatment of mentally ill patients propel him to further his investigation of the disappearance. Once at the island, he pursues the missing patients as well as a man related to his past. While on the Island, a hurricane cuts off communication with the mainland forcing him to extend his stay and finally figure out the mystery behind Shutter Island.

After watching the movie, I felt I had similar experience watching the Sixth Sense. After you watch the film, you want to rewind and watch each conversation and each interaction between the main character and everyone around him. You know the twist is coming from a mile away. You just don’t know which side is on the sane side. You get nothing less than a stellar performance from the lead and the legendary director.

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Outlander Blu Ray Review

Released in 2008, Outlander had limited release and didn’t receive too much attention. It was a shame more people didn’t get to watch this very entertaining movie. I recently had chance to watch this film in Blu ray and because I didn’t know too much about this movie, I expected B grade movie. Instead of SyFy channel grade movie, Outlander turned out to be very well made science fiction movie. It had high production feel to it as well as very good acting.

The tag line of “Beowulf meets Predator” is a very apt for Outlander. The story takes place in Viking kingdom of Herot in 709 BC. A spacecraft crash lands in the middle of the Viking kingdom. The sole survivor of the crash, Kinan, does not know that one of the fierce alien life form called Moorwen has secretly hitched a ride with him. Moorwen are a creature that inhibited a world that Kinan’s race took over for mining purpose. In a fierce battle, Moorwen destroyed the colony and left Kinan as sole survivor. Kinan tried to go home but crashed on Earth without knowing that Moorwen was on board. Once he lands on Earth, he befriends the local people and to find his way home. But, Moorwen starts to kill off the inhabitant one by one. Determined not to let Earth fall victim to Moorwen, Kinan decides to help the Vikings kill Moorwen.

This is without a doubt a great science fiction movie. The lack of wide release in 2008 is puzzling as it should have seen a wide release. The movie is simply too good to be released in limited basis and go straight to DVD/Blu ray. James Caviezel and Sophia Myles as the two main characters are pretty amazing together. The ancient setting for a battle between advanced civilization alien and some type of Alien monster is a fantastic idea. Every science fiction fan should watch this movie. The lack advertisement and promotion does not mean a B grade movie.

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Invictus Blu Ray Review

Two Hollywood legends team up to tell the story of Nelson Mandela’s involvement with Rugby match. In Invictus, Clint Eastwood directs Morgan Freeman in the story about Mandela’s drive to bring the country together through the 1995 Rugby World Cup. To be honest, I did not need any prodding or selling to watch this film. I would watch a movie about paint drying if Clint Eastwood and Morgan Freeman were involved. It’s no secret Eastwood wanted to direct a story about Nelson Mandela. However, there are so many chapters of Mandela’s life that it would be close to impossible to tell life story of Mandela in a movie. So, Eastwood settled on Mandela’s involvement in the 1995 Rugby World Cup.

Based on true story, Invictus tells story of Nelson Mandela and the captain of South Africa’s Rugby team to unite the newly formed government in South Africa. After finally achieving a free election, President Mandela faced a tough task of bringing together the divided country in the wake of apartheid. Even with the end of apartheid, the mistrust between minority whites and majority blacks were just as prevalent. To bridge the gap, Mandela decides to push for the unity via backing of the South Africa’s national rugby team in the upcoming Rugby World Cup.

As stated earlier, the life story of Nelson Mandela couldn’t possibly be told in one movie. But, Clint Eastwood does admirable job of telling the overall story. While focusing on the Rugby World Cup, Eastwood does not forget the background setting. While you are interested in the Rugby World Cup, there is no mistake what the real story is. It is about Mandela and his drive to forgive and forge a new nation. You get glimpse of Mandela’s past and his marital problem. Eastwood does not shy away from both subjects. While there were some changes made from the real story, the overall story and plot does not stray far from the actual event. Overall, it’s a definitely a must see film.

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Avatar Blu Ray Review

James Cameron’s last film, Titanic, was the highest grossing film in the history. Cameron’s latest film eclipsed Titanic at the box office. Taking in over 2 billion dollars, Avatar has become the highest grossing movie of all time. Like Titanic, the big budget and overly hyped, Avatar had some worried that it might bomb at the box office. However, like Titanic, Avatar raked in massive amounts of money across the globe. James Cameron waited over 10 years since his last film to work on Avatar. As soon as you watch Avatar, you understand why he waited so long. 10 years ago, technology didn’t exist to create all the effects shown in Avatar. More than half of the movie is done purely on computer generated form. In the past, you could tell CG from reality in distinct form. Watching Avatar, you forget that you are watching CG.

In terms of plot, there isn’t too much to distinguish itself in originality. A lot of people have compared to Dances with Wolves and rightly so. The plot is not much different from Kevin Costner’s epic western movie. The story opens up with Jake Sully taking on a mission previously assigned to his twin brother. His twin brother was to go to Pandora on a project to get to know the natives through the usage of avatar. The natives, Navi, are resisting the mining company that intends to mine for a highly valuable ore. The avatars are made to look like the native Navi. The controllers are connected to their avatars and are able to control them. While getting to know the Navi, Jake Sully come to respect and love them. Thus, he sides with Navi to fight the evil corporation.

While not completely derivative, Avatar does borrow heavily from other movies. But, in terms of technical achievement, there is no equal. Even with known plot line, Cameron does excellent job of telling the story. The movie’s appeal is not just aesthetic, the story as well as the actors all make for a great entertainment. James Cameron’s patience has paid off. While we have seen some great CG effects in the past movies, none have come close to what Avatar has achieved. Avatar has blurred the line between real actors and computer generated actors. While real actors provide the basis, Avatar is one step closer to a completely generated actors on big screen.

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Minority Report Blu Ray Review

Released back in 2002, Minority Report is perhaps the second best movie based on Philip K. Dick’s novel or stories. I’m not sure if any movie can compete with the greatness of the Blade Runner. But, Minority Report gives it a good run as far as the overall story and acting. Combine great story, acting, and a legendary director in Steven Spielberg makes this a must watch for any science fiction fan. Like most of Philip K Dick’s stories, the movie makes you think long after the end of the movie. Also, like other Philip K Dick’s stories, the story involves the advancement of technology and how humans interact with the new technology. However, the story also involves little bit of super natural element outside of pure science.

In the year 2054 A.D. all of the crime is eliminated with the formation of Precrime unit. Precrime unit is able to see any crimes before they happen. Anyone caught by the Precrime unit are sentenced according to the crime they will have committed. To foresee the crimes, Precrime units use genetically altered humans called Pre-Cogs that have special power to see crimes in the future. Leading the Precrime unit is the John Anderton. The real story begins when Anderton is seen committing a crime in the future. Anderton goes on the lam and tries to figure out a way of his predicament.

The morality of predestination is the main theme of the movie. The movie asks question whether we have power to change the future if we know the one outcome. We see how John Anderton follows the trail of minority report and figure out the real purpose of his supposed murder. The trail leads to John’s sad past as well as the future of Precrime. This is one of the best science fiction films of the decade. Few science fiction films can match the action and plot. Steven Spielberg does masterful job of converting the short story into a very watchable and though provoking film. This is a must for any Blu ray movie collector.

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Apollo 13 Blu Ray Review

It’s always nice to see a great movie get the Blu ray release. Apollo 13 is a prime example of such release. Released back in 1995, Apollo 13 is one movie I’ve been looking forward to watching in high definition. Everyone can appreciate this human drama about space travel gone wrong. Even if you are not a science fiction or the history of space exploration, you should be able to appreciate the story. The film presents excellent performances and a very accurate portrayal of the events.

The movie is based on a true story about the 13th Apollo mission. The well known story is about the astronauts Lovell, Haise, and Swigert on the 13th Apollo mission that goes terribly wrong. The mission comes after several successful moon landing missions. The American public has grown little bored with the Apollo mission and has tuned out the latest one in the 1970. However, they are captivated and horrified when there is an accident aboard the space ship. The space ship has small accident which cripples the space vehicle. Stranded in space, the three astronauts must work together and somehow limp home.

Movies based on historical events tend to use a lot of dramatic license. The Apollo 13 stays very true to the original events. The director and everyone involved in the movie paid great tribute to these heroes by accurately portraying the events. No detail was too small to be included or over looked. The all star cast including Tom Hanks Kevin Bacon, Bill Paxton, Gary Sinise, and Ed Harris deliver solid performances. You can really feel the desperation by the astronauts as well as all the people involved in the mission. This is a must for any movie collectors. You can watch this over and over and not get tired of the story.

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The Blind Side Blu Ray Review

You don’t have to be a sports fan to appreciate and enjoy The Blind Side. As a big sports fan, I’m little biased toward any decent sports movies. So, I was pretty excited to watch The Blind Side. While the movie lacked a true sports movie moments, it was one of the best movie offered by the sports genre. If you are expecting a big underdog or a true battle on the field between two teams, you will be disappointed. Instead, the movie offers a genuine human interest story. The fact that the movie is based on true story makes it even more remarkable.

The Blind Side is based on a true story about Michael Oher and the Tuohy family. Mike Oher comes from a bad background. He has mother who is addicted to drugs and a father he has never met. He struggles to live each day. One night, Anne Tuohy sees him walking home in a cold weather. She takes him home to shelter him and eventually helps him through school as well as acting as his mother. He eventually joins the football team and becomes one of the most sought after player in the country with the help of Tuohy family.

As stated earlier, this is not a true sports movie. Instead, it is an inspirational story revolving around Michael Oher and Tuohy family. There are some sports integrated into the story as it is a story about a football player. But, the majority of the film focuses on the Tuohy family and Michael Oher. While this is billed as a Michael Oher story, it is also about the kindness of Tuohy family. They take in a total stranger and treat him as their own family. Sandra Bullock received a well deserved Oscar for her portrayal of Anne Tuohy. Even if you are not a sports fan, you should have no problem enjoying this film.

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Sherlock Holmes Blu ray movie review

I was fairly skeptical when I heard about Guy Ritchie’s remake of the one of the greatest character ever. Sherlock Holmes is without a doubt one of the most memorable and famous fictional character ever created. This isn’t mean to slight Guy Ritchie or his movie making skills. Guy Ritchie has made his name making a gritty British gangster films. I didn’t know what to expect from his version of Sherlock Holmes. Upon watching the film, I was pleasantly surprised. I didn’t think Ritchie’s style would translate well into a Sherlock Holmes movie. I was wrong. It is a fantastic update.

While the movie does not follow any of the Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s novels, it does retain the overall spirit of the character. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s fascination with occultists is the main focus of the film. The story begins with the capture of Lord Blackwood by Sherlock Holmes and his assistant Watson. But, Blackwood somehow escapes and goes on a killing spree. This baffles the police force and forces them to ask Holmes for his help. However, Watson’s impending wedding and the ineptitude of Scotland Yard forces Holmes to figure out the mystery on his own until Watson joins him again.

You can see Guy Ritchie’s influences all over this film. The movie has grittier overall feel to the movie. Also, most of Ritchie’s gangster films included a lot of humors even in the face of criminal subjects. This is no exception in Sherlock Holmes. The banter between Holmes and other characters are very amusing. The banter between Holmes and Watson is especially humorous. Even so, the overall tone does not take away from a classic Sherlock Holmes story. The way Holmes solves the mystery is classic in the mold of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Holmes solves the mystery with power of deduction and science. There is already a talk of sequel and you can see why. This is one of the most entertaining film of the year.

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Blu ray movie review of Ninja Assassin

Produced by Wachowski brother and Joel Silver, Ninja Assassin is predictably an action packed movie. This isn’t to denigrate the movie or downgrade it compared to other cinema. Instead, we know what to expect from the people involved in this movie. While this movie won’t make you think long after the movie is over, it will give you a very satisfying and entertaining 100 minutes. If you grew up watching anime, you will most likely love any movie involving ninjas. The iconic anime movie Ninja Scroll could have been the inspiration behind the bloody Ninja Assassin. Like the anime, Ninja Assassin is very violent and action packed. While the setting and characters aren’t carried over from the anime movie, the overall tone and feel of the movie is generally accurate.

The plot is not overly complicated. Razio is trained to be a deadly assassin since his childhood. As an orphan, Razio was trained by the Ozunu clan. He endures his friend being murdered at the hand of Ozunu clan. But, once he is asked to murder a young girl, he turns on Ozunu clan. Through mutual hatred of Ozunu clan, Razio teams up with Europol investigator named Mika. Both of them end of fighting for their lives in order to bring down Ozunu clan.

The straight forward plot is nothing to be excited about. It’s not really original or inventive. However, it’s not the plot that drives this film. Instead, it is the action and the gore. The over the top action sequence and the way body parts fly around the screen is simply entertaining. And, the whole ninja fighting against other ninja in modern setting is incredibly fun to watch. The Korean entertainer Rain does well as the vengeful Razio seeking revenge on Ozunu clan. While he won’t win any plaudits for his acting chops, he does display good skills in martial arts. Overall, this is really a fun movie to watch if you can stomach weak plot.

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2012 Blu Ray Review

Only thing you need to know about 2012 is that it was directed by Roland Emmerich. You get the entire Roland Emmerich experience in the movie 2012. That is to say, you get exciting CGI, End of the World scenario, shallow character development, shallow plots, and things blowing up every other minute. If you have watched Independence Day and Day After Tomorrow, you will have good idea of what to expect from 2012. This isn’t to totally disparage Roland Emmerich’s film. He does good job with the End of the World scenarios with the help of heavy CGI. What he fails to achieve is good plot and good character development. You watch The Day After Tomorrow or 2012 and you realize you’ve just watched bunch of explosions and catastrophes in epic proportion. But, you fail to sympathize or get a good sense of each character’s development.

The plot of 2012 is fairly similar to The Day After Tomorrow. Like The Day After Tomorrow, we witness the beginning of epic disaster at the start of the movie. You watch cities get razed and massive number of people dying within short span of time. The 2012 takes this to next level compared to The Day After Tomorrow. Somehow, the Earth gets “cooked” and the disasters start with earthquakes and massive volcanoes. We primarily follow a writer named Jackson Curtis as he stumbles across some information and sees the impending doom. He desperately tries to save his family including his ex-wife’s husband. What he fails to recognize is the fact that the governments have known about the impending doom and have started creating massive ships akin to Noah’s ark to save the humanity. Curtis must race against the time to reach the ships to save his family.

The overall premise sounds very exciting. And, the trailers and sneak peeks were all amazing. Until you watch the actual film. You go from one disaster to another with very little character development. Also, the trailers and sneak peeks are half of the movie. You can just watch them without having to miss too much of the plot. However, the movie does boast impressive CGI and great casts. John Cusack, Amanda Peet, Thandie Newton, Oliver Platt, Woody Harrelson, Danny Glover and Chhiwetel Ejiofor are all excellent actors. If there was some better character development and little better plot, the movie could have surpassed The Day After Tomorrow in every aspect. Instead, we get a shallow sequel to that movie.

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