Die Hard Collection (Die Hard/ Die Hard 2: Die Harder/ Die Hard with a Vengeance/ Live Free or Die Hard) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)First, let me start by saying I love the Die Hard movies. So when I saw this collection on BD, I just couldn't refuse!
You already know the movies, so let's get to the overall package.
Positives:
+ DTS MA on every movie that really reinvigorates the films
+ Good set of extras, not a single feature from the standard DVDs is left out, making you think these are the definitive versions to have
+ Special box saves you space on shelf and keeps discs safe. It's a little bigger than the Planet Earth - The Complete BBC Series [Blu-ray] boxset (without the slipcase).
+ Exactly the same discs as individual releases, so you're not getting gimped versions of the already released BD movies --they're the same.
+ Live Free or Die Hard is a total show-stopper, demo material, A+ reference disc. Both in terms of video and audio, this is one of the best movies to showcase what High Definition is all about (and the movie itself is a great ride, btw)
Negatives:
- In the first three movies, both subtitles and dubs in spanish are CASTILLIAN, not Latin American. Why on earth did FOX included castillian dubs/subs on an AMERICAN, region locked disc, goes beyond me. They should know by now that most latin people HATE the castillian dubbing, specially when these movies have such great voice acting. Granted, I always prefer to watch movies in their original languaje w/subs, but there's always the chance to borrow or watch the movie with people that prefer to hear it in their own language. Even the regionalized castilian subtitles are distracting. This is not a problem on the 4th movie. The voice acting and subs are the way they should be for an american release.
- The first 2 movies look downright awful, to the point it seems you put the SE DVD and upconverted it. Time is totally not an excuse: just look at the impressive video quality of Batman: The Movie [Blu-ray]: a 40 yo movie that looks absolutely fantastic (more than it deserves, if I may be so bold). And that flick is probably just being released to make a quick buck on the batman fever, so FOX, you're telling me you couldn't give a AAA movie such as Die Hard a proper transfer? Come on...
- The 3rd movie looks way better, but still does not compare to the visual blast that is Live Free or Die Hard.
- The 4th movie is the theatrical, PG-13 version, not the UNRATED one. Again, what's going on here! Simply put, FOX could have put both version on the same disc via seamless branching. This has been a reality since the days of DVD, and there are a couple BD that have this feature already, so NO excuse.
- The special features on every disc are Standard Def. only to the point most of them look like VHS (this is no exaggeration). Not a single drop of remastering love (let alone HD treatment) has been poured on even the alternate endings.
Bottom line? This is looking like a future double dip. If you don't care for extras or hearing the movies in a language other than English, this will probably suit you fine, even without the unrated cut of Live Free or Die Hard.
However, this is far from being the Definitive version of the movies to have, to the point of getting me wondering if FOX actually knows the fact that this edition of the movie should be the one for all the american continent. Moreso, I'm left guessing if they care about what their public wants: both their High Definition users and their non-north american audience.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Die Hard Collection (Die Hard/ Die Hard 2: Die Harder/ Die Hard with a Vengeance/ Live Free or Die Hard)

Disc 1: DIE HARD BLU-RAY Disc 2: DIE HARDER BLU-RAY Disc 3: DIE HARD WITH A VENGEANCE BLU-RAY Disc 4: LIVE FREE OR DIE HARD BLU-RAY

Get 49% OFF

Click here for more information about Die Hard Collection (Die Hard/ Die Hard 2: Die Harder/ Die Hard with a Vengeance/ Live Free or Die Hard)

The Da Vinci Code (Two-Disc Extended Cut + BD Live) (2006) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)The Da Vinci Code is a movie that has been the object of critics' scorn since Cannes. Therefore when I went in my expectations were quite low. I was pleasantly surprised. I enjoyed this intellectual treasure hunt. Action sequences boldly intertwine with quieter scenes where codes and symbols are being deciphered to lead to the next clue. At times we get the back story of what has happened to a persecuted religious sect through out the ages. The flashbacks to ancient Rome are brief but beautiful. In addition there are some gorgeous locations for filming, among them the Louvre and Rosslyn.
Hanks and Tautou perform like the pros that they are--it is interesting that two actors known for their whimsical charms were cast in such serious roles. Generally actors starring in thrillers will be those known for their laconic delivery and quietly passionate intensity. However, Tom Hanks was playing a professor of symbology and as such he did a fine job.
The supporting cast reads like a list of international superstars: Alfred Molina, Ian McKellen, Jean Reno and Jurgen Prochnow--all were superb.
One of things I liked about this film is how it gave the audience the opportunity to view the world from the perspective of someone who is used to looking at symbols and their meanings, in particular of things that most of us don't even notice most of the time. It was an unusual and fascinating angle on perception.
This a movie that tries to pack some very deep concepts into the thriller/treasure hunt genre. Overall I think it succeeds rather well.

Click Here to see more reviews about: The Da Vinci Code (Two-Disc Extended Cut + BD Live) (2006)

Dan Brown's international bestseller comes alive in the film The Da Vinci Code, directed by Ron Howard with a screenplay by Akiva Goldsman. Join symbologist Robert Langdon (Academy Award® Winner Tom Hanks, 1993 Best Actor, Philadelphia, and 1994 Best Actor, Forrest Gump) and cryptologist Sophie Neveu (Audrey Tautou) in their heart-racing quest to solve a bizarre murder mystery that will take them from France to England – and behind the veil of a mysterious ancient society, where they discover a secret protected since the time of Christ. With first-rate performances by Sir Ian McKellen, Alfred Molina and Jean Reno, critics are calling The Da Vinci Code "involving" and "intriguing," "a first rate thriller."

Get 28% OFF

Click here for more information about The Da Vinci Code (Two-Disc Extended Cut + BD Live) (2006)

The Pursuit of Happyness (Widescreen Edition) (2006) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)"The Pursuit of Happyness" is an unabashed tearjerker about the American Dream and commitment to family in the face of great odds. It was inspired by the true story of Chris Gardner, who spent some time in the 1980s homeless while trying to care for his young son and make it through a stockbroker internship. The film is fictionalized but stays true to Gardner's struggle for success and dedication to his son. Gardner's autobiography, which goes by the same title, was actually published after the film was written. In San Francisco, 1981, Chris Gardner (Will Smith) can't make ends meet selling portable bone density scanners, while his embittered wife Linda (Thandie Newton) waitresses 2 shifts a day. Chris spies a man with an enviable sportscar on the street one day and asks him what he does for a living. He's a stockbroker. So Chris decides that's what he'll be. He must be at the top of his class after 6 months in Dean Witter's competitive internship program to be hired. Meanwhile, Chris has no wife, no money, no paying job, and a 5-year old son (Jaden Smith).
A story of hardship and hard work, paternal love and frustration, could easily be too saccharine for words. It's saved from this fate by Chris Gardner's desperation. Behind his indomitable pluck, Gardner is truly desperate. He has no money, no home, uncertain prospects, and the responsibility of providing for a young child. He hides his circumstances from his colleagues. He's spends an inordinate amount of energy chasing errant bone scanners around town. He compromises his ethics. His single-mindedness eventually takes a toll on his son. Chris is struggling for his life. And his financial problems are something the audience can understand and may themselves fear. That's why "The Pursuit of Happyness" works so well. Credit is due Will Smith's Oscar-nominated performance and Italian director Gabriele Muccino's understanding of intense emotions painted with small strokes.
The DVD (Sony 2007): There are 4 featurettes, the song "I Can" by Bebe Winans and Dave Koz (5 min, audio), and a feature commentary. "Making Pursuit: An Italian Take on the American Dream" (17 min) interviews Gabriele Muccino, Will Smith, and the producers about choosing Muccino to direct. Muccino talks about filming in San Francisco and working in English. "Father and Son: On Screen and Off" (7 min) recounts casting Jaden Smith after auditioning hundreds of other children, and Will Smith talks about working with his son. "The Man Behind the Movie: A Conversation with Chris Gardner" (12 min) interviews Gardner about his participation in the film, and Will Smith talks about learning from him. "Inside the Rubik's Cube" (6 min) is a fun short documentary on the persistent popularity of the Cube. There is a nice audio commentary by director Gabriele Muccino, in English. Muccino tells us how he got the job, discusses themes, recreating the 1980s, Will Smith's trust, locations, and some technical details. Subtitles are available for the film in English, French, Spanish. Dubbing available in French.

Click Here to see more reviews about: The Pursuit of Happyness (Widescreen Edition) (2006)

Will Smith stars in the inspirational true story of Chris Gardner, a San Francisco salesman who's struggling to make ends meet. When his girlfriend Linda (Thandie Newton) walks out, Chris is left to raise their 5-year-old son Christopher (Jaden Smith) on his own. Chris' determination finally pays off when he lands an unpaid internship in a brutally competitive stockbroker-training program, where only one in twenty interns will make the cut. But without a salary, Chris and his son are evicted from their apartment and are forced to sleep on the street, in homeless shelters and even behind the locked doors of a metro station bathroom. With self- confidence and the love and trust of his son, Chris Gardner rises above his obstacles to become a Wall Street legend.

Get 44% OFF

Click here for more information about The Pursuit of Happyness (Widescreen Edition) (2006)