Home Media Magazine - November 9-November 15, 2008 - (Page 22) REVIEWS BLU-RAY SPOTLIGHT I THE ULTIMATE MATRIX COLLECTION Warner, Sci-Fi, $129.95 seven-disc Blu-ray, ‘R.’ Stars Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, Laurence Fishburne. Edited by John Latchem www.homemediamagazine.com his high-definition extravaganza, previously released on HD DVD, is a great example of what Blu-ray Disc has to offer. Pop in any of the three movies (the second and third look better, thanks to their larger budgets), or The Animatrix (in many ways better than the sequels, and in high-def for the first time), and you have an instant way to show off your home entertainment system. The three films are among the best-looking I’ve seen on Blu-ray, especially considering how dark they are and how well drab greens, blues and blacks come to life. The Dolby TrueHD 5.1 audio track lives up to the visual excellence. While The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions failed to live up to expectations, Andy and Larry Wachowski have been masters at offering an extensive and intimate look at how they created all of these films. The bonus material in this collection is unprecedented. Unfortunately, it’s also all in standard-definition with Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo sound. Warner also has its In-Movie Experience available with each film, re-authored in BD Java, which allows a picture-in-picture version of the extras to be viewed while the movie is playing. The 35 hours of bonus materials are far too exhaustive to list, although by reading the written introduction by the Wachowski Brothers, fans can get a sense of what’s in this boxed set. Though the films went down in content quality while improving in visual fidelity, this ultimate collection is a must-have for any BD owner. The films look and sound amazing, and there’s such a vast array of in-depth bonus materials that fans will definitely get their money’s worth. A digital copy of the original Matrix, the best of the trilogy, is a nice bonus. – John Gaudiosi T I STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS Street 11/11 Warner, Animated, B.O. $35.1 million, $28.98 DVD, $34.99 two-DVD set, $35.99 Blu-ray, ‘PG’ for sci-fi action violence throughout, brief language and momentary smoking. Voices of Matt Lanter, Ashley Eckstein, Tom Kane, Ian Abercrombie, Corey Burton. s it possible to overcommercialize “Star Wars”? After six live-action films, DVDs, books, comics, video games and merchandise lines that include countless action figures, the latest addition to George Lucas’ cash cow is the animated movie The Clone Wars. That it was released in theaters implies it’s at a similar level in status to the six blockbuster live-action epics. It isn’t. The under-promoted theatrical exhibition didn’t amount to much more than a marketing tool for Cartoon Network’s excellent new animated “Clone Wars” cartoon series. The movie is really little more than a pilot for the show, and plays like a marathon of several episodes. The pacing is reminiscent of similar projects such as the direct-to-video “Futurama” mov- I ies that are clearly intended to be broken into episodes. The Clone Wars will probably meet a similar fate. The home video release continues that marketing push. The special-edition set offers several featurettes that are basically commercials for the TV series, as the behind-thescenes focus is spread over the making of several episodes. All the home video versions also include commentary with the film’s creators, who discuss at length their thrill of working on a “Star Wars” movie and receiving input from Lucas. The movie (and show) takes place during the famed Clone Wars set between Episode II and Episode III, territory briefly covered in the earlier “Clone Wars” cartoon shorts produced by Genndy Tartakovsky, and also in several books and comics. In fact, the movie has the feeling of such spinoff material, offering several sly references to established “Star Wars” mythology that often originate from creators more observant of and reverential toward the “Star Wars” universe than Lucas seems to be. – John Latchem I A VIKING SAGA: SON OF THOR Prebook 11/11; Street 12/9 Koch/SKD, Adventure, $24.98 DVD, NR. Stars Ken Vedsegaard, Peter Gantzler, Erik Holmey. I KATT WILLIAMS: IT’S PIMPIN’ PIMPIN’ Street 11/11 Vivendi/Salient, Comedy, $19.99 DVD, $29.99 Blu-ray, NR. opular actor and comedian Katt Williams (First Sunday, American Hustle) riffs on the personal, political and absurd in his latest standup special, filmed at Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C. Williams constantly reminds the members of the crowd to look out for themselves, urging them to “treat your star player a little better in 2008.” The comedian uses that self-help plea as a springboard for his observations, which are delivered with equal doses of profanity and energy. Overall, the special is en- P joyable and definitely not for kids. Williams jokes about presidential politics, steroids, the importance of men honing their sexual technique, and his admiration for Kevin Federline for “following the pimp manual line by line” in his relationship with Britney Spears. Williams also recalls his experiences emceeing the roast of reality TV star/former rap star Flavor Flav, smoking pot with a vaporizer, and riding a motorcycle (unsuccessfully). The DVD also includes a short segment in which Williams meets the real people of Washington, D.C. Williams rides about the city in a limo as he is escorted by sullen men who are obviously bodyguards. Way to keep it real, Katt. – Pete Croatto alling squarely in the category of something you don’t see everyday, A Viking Saga is an intense, atmospheric drama set, unexpectedly, in Scandinavia in the ancient Viking age. When marauding hordes invade a peaceful village, a boy watches as the barbarians destroy the village and murder almost every man, woman and child. As he lies dying, the boy’s father instructs him to escape and find a long lost uncle. The boy leaves the village, two steps ahead of the barbarians, believing that everyone he loves has died. He eventually finds the uncle, who adopts and raises the boy to adulthood. Years later, he encounters the people who destroyed his village. He also finds a girl, now grown into a lovely young woman, whom he loved as a boy and whom he believed had died at the hands of the barbarians. A Viking Saga is shot in a dreamy impressionistic style that makes the film feel almost like a Viking home movie. Toggling back and forth between the Q U I C K TAK E hero’s childhood and his adult years, the film evokes the ancient Vikings and also has an almost modern sensibility. Although the young actors are a bit stiff, the cast of adults finds the humanity in characters that border on mythic. Viewers who are interested in historical dramas, especially historical dramas that think outside the box, should be steered toward A Viking Saga. – Anne Sherber All the Whos in Whoville he recent announcement that David Tennant will be stepping down from his role as The Doctor on “Doctor Who” has left a lot of fans disappointed. Although Tennant is slated to appear in several specials before leaving the show in 2010, his decision likely means Doctor Who: The Complete Fourth Series, due Nov. 18 at $99.98 from BBC Video, represents his last full season as The Doctor. It was an interesting year of galaxy-spanning T adventures with new companion Catherine Tate, culminating with a super-crossover involving almost every character from the modern incarnation of the franchise and its spinoffs, “Torchwood” and “The Sarah Jane Adventures.” Also due Nov. 18 is the animated adventure Doctor Who: The Infinite Quest, featuring the voice talent from the stars of the show. The special compiles various webisodes used to promote the series and at $9.98 offers a nice – John Latchem value for the fans. Home Media Magazine November 9–15, 2008 http://www.homemediamagazine.com
Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Home Media Magazine - November 9-November 15, 2008 Home Media Magazine - November 9-November 15, 2008 Contents News High-Def News Electronic Delivery News TV DVD Cine Mercado Reviews Pipeline Research Top 20 DVD Sellers Top 20 Rentals and Top 10 Charts Just Announced Home Media Magazine - November 9-November 15, 2008 Home Media Magazine - November 9-November 15, 2008 - Home Media Magazine - November 9-November 15, 2008 (Page Cover1) Home Media Magazine - November 9-November 15, 2008 - Home Media Magazine - November 9-November 15, 2008 (Page Cover2) Home Media Magazine - November 9-November 15, 2008 - Home Media Magazine - November 9-November 15, 2008 (Page 1) Home Media Magazine - November 9-November 15, 2008 - Home Media Magazine - November 9-November 15, 2008 (Page 2) Home Media Magazine - November 9-November 15, 2008 - Home Media Magazine - November 9-November 15, 2008 (Page 3) Home Media Magazine - November 9-November 15, 2008 - Home Media Magazine - November 9-November 15, 2008 (Page 4) Home Media Magazine - November 9-November 15, 2008 - Home Media Magazine - November 9-November 15, 2008 (Page 5) Home Media Magazine - November 9-November 15, 2008 - Home Media Magazine - November 9-November 15, 2008 (Page 6) Home Media Magazine - November 9-November 15, 2008 - Contents (Page 7) Home Media Magazine - November 9-November 15, 2008 - News (Page 8) Home Media Magazine - November 9-November 15, 2008 - News (Page 9) Home Media Magazine - November 9-November 15, 2008 - High-Def News (Page 10) Home Media Magazine - November 9-November 15, 2008 - High-Def News (Page 11) Home Media Magazine - November 9-November 15, 2008 - Electronic Delivery News (Page 12) Home Media Magazine - November 9-November 15, 2008 - Electronic Delivery News (Page 13) Home Media Magazine - November 9-November 15, 2008 - Electronic Delivery News (Page 14) Home Media Magazine - November 9-November 15, 2008 - Electronic Delivery News (Page 15) Home Media Magazine - November 9-November 15, 2008 - TV DVD (Page 16) Home Media Magazine - November 9-November 15, 2008 - TV DVD (Page 17) Home Media Magazine - November 9-November 15, 2008 - Cine Mercado (Page 18) Home Media Magazine - November 9-November 15, 2008 - Cine Mercado (Page 19) Home Media Magazine - November 9-November 15, 2008 - Cine Mercado (Page 20) Home Media Magazine - November 9-November 15, 2008 - Cine Mercado (Page 21) Home Media Magazine - November 9-November 15, 2008 - Reviews (Page 22) Home Media Magazine - November 9-November 15, 2008 - Reviews (Page 23) Home Media Magazine - November 9-November 15, 2008 - Reviews (Page 24) Home Media Magazine - November 9-November 15, 2008 - Reviews (Page 25) Home Media Magazine - November 9-November 15, 2008 - Pipeline (Page 26) Home Media Magazine - November 9-November 15, 2008 - Pipeline (Page 27) Home Media Magazine - November 9-November 15, 2008 - Top 20 DVD Sellers (Page 28) Home Media Magazine - November 9-November 15, 2008 - Top 20 Rentals and Top 10 Charts (Page 29) Home Media Magazine - November 9-November 15, 2008 - Just Announced (Page 30) Home Media Magazine - November 9-November 15, 2008 - Just Announced (Page 31) Home Media Magazine - November 9-November 15, 2008 - Just Announced (Page 32) Home Media Magazine - November 9-November 15, 2008 - Just Announced (Page Cover3) Home Media Magazine - November 9-November 15, 2008 - Just Announced (Page Cover4)
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