Home Media Magazine - September 21, 2008 - (Page 34) REVIEWS I IRON MAN Street 9/30 Paramount, Action, B.O. $318 million, $29.99 DVD, $39.99 two-DVD set, $39.99 Blu-ray, ‘PG-13’ for some intense sequences of sci-fi action and violence and brief suggestive content. Stars Robert Downey Jr., Jeff Bridges, Terrence Howard, Gwyneth Paltrow. Edited by John Latchem www.homemediamagazine.com I THE MINDSCAPE OF ALAN MOORE Street 9/30 W hat turned out to be a pretty good year for superheroes kicked off back in May with this witty, fun and topical take on one of Marvel Comics’ lesser-known core characters. Iron Man is the first movie financed by Marvel Studios, and with all due respect to Spider-Man, it’s the best film based on a Marvel character. Robert Downey Jr. turns in an effortless performance as Tony Stark, a billionaire weapons merchant who experiences a literal change of heart when he is captured by terrorists. Guilt-ridden over his contributions to war, and forced to wear an electromagnet in his chest to stay alive, he builds a weapons-laden suit of armor to combat evil, pitting him against his business partner (Jeff Bridges) and setting the stage for some flawless special effects sequences. In terms of extras, the DVD presentation is nearly perfect, lacking only a commentary. Just as the box art for the two-disc set reflects the duality of Tony Stark, the content is neatly divided between the discs into that which reflects the world of the film, and that which delves behind the scenes. The centerpiece of the second disc is the seven-part featurelength documentary I Am Iron Man, which chronicles all the aspects of making the film, up to the premiere. It’s somewhat amusing to see director Jon Favreau fret about the potential success or failure of the film, considering its subsequent and quite enormous box office take. This idea of the movie’s potential is explored to humorous effect in a short video clip from The Onion, which pokes fun at fan obsession with trailers by reporting Paramount’s plans to adapt the Iron Man trailer into a feature film. Disc two also offers a featurette that focuses on the special effects, and a documentary about the history of the character. Downey’s audition and some rehearsal footage is thrown in for good measure. Hardcore fans will consume these extras rabidly, leaving the singledisc version to the casual fan. Accompanying the film on the first disc are some deleted scenes that shouldn’t be classified as anything special, but will appeal to fans looking for more material that takes place in the world of Tony Stark. The Blu-ray version adds to these extras an interactive guide to the armor suits depicted in the film, and a BD Live trivia game for fans. – John Latchem Disinformation, Documentary, $29.95 two-DVD set, NR. f you’ve ever wondered what kind of mind is behind the dark, class-conscious talesturned-films such as V for Vendetta, From Hell and the fanciful The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, graphic novelist Alan Moore is finally on disc to explain himself. This two-disc set is built around a droll interview with the brilliant storyteller, who might otherwise have been written off because of his humble beginnings in Northampton, England, and the meager opportunities they afforded. But that bleak origin, in landscape as well as class, was the very fuel for the creative fire that brought such colorful champions of justice to life, first for DC Comics and later in films (though he disavows the movie versions of his work). It’s a little distracting that Moore continually pushes back his long, I bushy hair with silver-clad fingers (“rings” doesn’t begin to describe it) during a 76-minute interview that is otherwise fascinating. But it’s forgivable since the real treat in this set is the extended special effects punctuating the interview and 206 minutes of extras. Those include a near-speechless but entertaining making-of featurette; interviews with the documentary director, special effects artist and composer; trailers for the documentary; and a second disc of interviews with six comic-industry rebels and icons that help give context. It’s a treasure trove for the ComicCon set. But don’t let the comic book theme fool you, this is also a thoughtful documentary that helps establish and explain comic art’s place in the broader, ongoing march of art history. This is a great DVD for any fan of comic books and graphic novels and should also get more interest when the movie of Moore’s graphic novel Watchmen releases next March. – Holly J. Wagner I UNFORGOTTEN: TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AFTER WILLOWBROOK Street 9/30 City Lights, Documentary, $24.95 DVD, NR. BLU-RAY SPOTLIGHT I BARAKA Prebook 9/22; Street 10/28 MPI, Documentary, $29.98 DVD, $34.98 Blu-ray NR. I stretch of 14 months, this film is a technological marvel. This film brings you places you’d likely never experience in life. And it’s an experience you’ll likely want to view again and again, taking in every last visual detail of this spectacle of sight and sound. It’s remarkable how the high-def visuals, natural sound and emotional music (all restored in uncompressed DTS HD Master Audio 5.1) can provide such narrative scope. The disc also comes with 80 minutes of exclusive new bonus content in the form of two making-of documentaries that explore how the filmmakers made the movie and how the film was upgraded to BD. Even if you own the DVD version, this HD upgrade and the new bonus materials make it worth the price. It also comes with ecofriendly packaging. – John Gaudiosi W hen it comes to visual fidelity, Baraka sets a new standard on Bluray Disc. Although this 70mm documentary was originally released in 1992 and later released on DVD in 2001, director Ron Fricke and producer Mark Magidson (creators of the Imax film Chronos) turned to FotoKem Laboratory to scan and restore every frame of film. This first-of-its-kind HD transfer (2.21) has resulted in a breathtaking, flawless visual tour of the world. Without a word of dialogue, Baraka takes viewers from Nepal to Kenya, from Australia to Brazil and around the globe. Shot in 24 countries on six continents over a n 1972, New York television reporter Geraldo Rivera exposed the horrors inside Staten Island’s Willowbrook State School, an institution for more than 5,000 mentally challenged adults and children. Residents, who lived more like cattle than human beings, were subjected to diseases, severe understaffing, and an almost total lack of educational and social stimulation. Twenty-five years after Rivera’s historic reporting, director Jack Fisher examined a handful of families whose loved ones endured Willowbrook in the absorbing Unforgotten. The movie makes a plea for the fair treatment of the developmentally disabled — an argument that can’t be made enough, though it’s done a little heavy-handedly here. Unforgotten’s biggest service is showing how these families stay together. It’s a must-see film for anyone who cares about the human experience. Fisher turns his attention on two past Willowbrook residents, Luis Rivera and Patty Ann Meskell, and how their families have bonded post-Willowbrook. It hasn’t been easy. Patty’s sister remembers with anguished regret how she left Patty in a store after a tantrum, while Luis’ brother’s life plans are on hold since caring for Luis is a non-stop affair. Through the remembrances of interview subjects, the movie also shows the past cultural attitudes that allowed Willowbrook, against all common sense, to prosper. The DVD contains Rivera’s original reporting on the subject in New York and later as a correspondent for “20/20,” so viewers can see for themselves just how far society has come. Fisher’s film alone, however, is a stirring, all-tooreal reminder. – Pete Croatto Home Media Magazine September 21–27, 2008 http://www.homemediamagazine.com
Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Home Media Magazine - September 21, 2008 Home Media Magazine - September 21, 2008 Contents News High-Def News Electronic Delivery News Women in Home Entertainment Reviews Research Top 20 DVD Sellers Top 20 Rentals and Top 10 Charts Just Announced Home Media Magazine - September 21, 2008 Home Media Magazine - September 21, 2008 - Home Media Magazine - September 21, 2008 (Page Cover1) Home Media Magazine - September 21, 2008 - Home Media Magazine - September 21, 2008 (Page Cover2) Home Media Magazine - September 21, 2008 - Home Media Magazine - September 21, 2008 (Page 1) Home Media Magazine - September 21, 2008 - Home Media Magazine - September 21, 2008 (Page 2) Home Media Magazine - September 21, 2008 - Home Media Magazine - September 21, 2008 (Page 3) Home Media Magazine - September 21, 2008 - Home Media Magazine - September 21, 2008 (Page 4) Home Media Magazine - September 21, 2008 - Contents (Page 5) Home Media Magazine - September 21, 2008 - News (Page 6) Home Media Magazine - September 21, 2008 - News (Page 7) Home Media Magazine - September 21, 2008 - High-Def News (Page 8) Home Media Magazine - September 21, 2008 - High-Def News (Page 9) Home Media Magazine - September 21, 2008 - High-Def News (Page 10) Home Media Magazine - September 21, 2008 - High-Def News (Page 11) Home Media Magazine - September 21, 2008 - Electronic Delivery News (Page 12) Home Media Magazine - September 21, 2008 - Electronic Delivery News (Page 13) Home Media Magazine - September 21, 2008 - Women in Home Entertainment (Page 14) Home Media Magazine - September 21, 2008 - Women in Home Entertainment (Page 15) Home Media Magazine - September 21, 2008 - Women in Home Entertainment (Page 16) Home Media Magazine - September 21, 2008 - Women in Home Entertainment (Page 17) Home Media Magazine - September 21, 2008 - Women in Home Entertainment (Page 18) Home Media Magazine - September 21, 2008 - Women in Home Entertainment (Page 19) Home Media Magazine - September 21, 2008 - Women in Home Entertainment (Page 20) Home Media Magazine - September 21, 2008 - Women in Home Entertainment (Page 21) Home Media Magazine - September 21, 2008 - Women in Home Entertainment (Page 22) Home Media Magazine - September 21, 2008 - Women in Home Entertainment (Page 23) Home Media Magazine - September 21, 2008 - Women in Home Entertainment (Page 24) Home Media Magazine - September 21, 2008 - Women in Home Entertainment (Page 25) Home Media Magazine - September 21, 2008 - Women in Home Entertainment (Page 26) Home Media Magazine - September 21, 2008 - Women in Home Entertainment (Page 27) Home Media Magazine - September 21, 2008 - Women in Home Entertainment (Page 28) Home Media Magazine - September 21, 2008 - Women in Home Entertainment (Page 29) Home Media Magazine - September 21, 2008 - Women in Home Entertainment (Page 30) Home Media Magazine - September 21, 2008 - Women in Home Entertainment (Page 31) Home Media Magazine - September 21, 2008 - Women in Home Entertainment (Page 32) Home Media Magazine - September 21, 2008 - Women in Home Entertainment (Page 33) Home Media Magazine - September 21, 2008 - Reviews (Page 34) Home Media Magazine - September 21, 2008 - Reviews (Page 35) Home Media Magazine - September 21, 2008 - Reviews (Page 36) Home Media Magazine - September 21, 2008 - Reviews (Page 37) Home Media Magazine - September 21, 2008 - Top 20 DVD Sellers (Page 38) Home Media Magazine - September 21, 2008 - Top 20 Rentals and Top 10 Charts (Page 39) Home Media Magazine - September 21, 2008 - Top 20 Rentals and Top 10 Charts (Page 40) Home Media Magazine - September 21, 2008 - Top 20 Rentals and Top 10 Charts (Page 41) Home Media Magazine - September 21, 2008 - Just Announced (Page 42) Home Media Magazine - September 21, 2008 - Just Announced (Page 43) Home Media Magazine - September 21, 2008 - Just Announced (Page 44) Home Media Magazine - September 21, 2008 - Just Announced (Page Cover3) Home Media Magazine - September 21, 2008 - Just Announced (Page Cover4)
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