Hey folks, Harry here… With the big surprise news of the Home Video Market being that Warner Brothers shifted from a neutral stance in the High Def Wars – to supporting BLU-RAY – I find it equally interesting looking at what is hitting in the HD world this Tuesday. There’s lots of library titles – and some Grindhouse Exploitation titles hitting the market. Never mind all of that though – this is the first week that we get a great selection of material to nab… in about 3 weeks. So let’s get to it. As always, you click on the pictures or titles – and it’ll take you to AMAZON – where you can learn more or purchase the title in question… and yes, we do get a small piece of whatever you puchase at the end of that link, so buy if you feel like supporting this column. Now – here’s what’s hitting this Tuesday…

Tuesday, January 8th, 2008

3:10 TO YUMA (BLU-RAY)

This is one of my favorite films of 2007. James Mangold absolutely nailed how an Action Western should be handled. The casting was absolutely perfect… Russell Crowe and Christian Bale are at the top of their game here. And Peter Fonda was fantastic as the railroad’s bounty hunter. But my favorite character in this film is played by Ben Foster. He was the surprise for me watching this film. Everything about this film is fantastic, from the score to the design to the cinematography… The film looks great on BLU-RAY… but you can also pick it up on Standard Def.

SUNSHINE (BLU-RAY)

This film came out while Yoko and I were on the Rolling Roadshow this year, so I never did see it until I got this Blu-Ray disc. It is an exceptional film… The science may be iffy, at least according to my Astrophysicist buddy, Copernicus… He just doesn’t understand the need for a manned mission – when obviously the route to go is robotic. That said – the film is wonderful, the sound on this disc is revelatory… and the extras are non-stop. A dozen deleted scenes – 21 video diaries and finally – a Picture in Picture viewing mode, that you’ll need to upgrade your firmware for. The Surround Sound Mixer is a trip… but ya know what – you really should pick this up just for the film alone. It really is quite something.

THE ROCK (BLU-RAY)

This is the movie that made me fall in love with Michael Bay and made me anticipate ARMAGEDDON so much. I love THE ROCK… Especially Ed Harris’ badass… and then Connery and Cage… the mineshaft, the underwater invasion… it’s like a crazed hyper-version of a James Bond film… cuz just seeing Sean kick ass like this was just too much fun. It’s a gorgeous film for HD – I just wish they had gone crazier with the extras, but damn it looks good!

ZODIAC (Two Disc Director’s Cut) HD DVD

In my opinion – Fincher’s best straight film, and overall my third favorite Fincher flick. The director’s cut is a few minutes longer and overall adds to the atmosphere of the piece, along with a degree of paranoia. Also, is it me, or does this cut make Jake Gyllenhaal’s character seem slightly less insane? I love the film and the HD print is definitely the way to go with it, very nice blacks here. Lots of extras – and if you don’t have an HD DVD player – you should definitely pick up the Standard Def Director’s Cut - don’t you love the packaging on this title? It’s Criterion quality work!

CON AIR

A classic Bruckheimer Formula Over-The-Top Bad movie… favorite shot is the slow motion manacles being carried by that bohemeth of a marshall. Everything about this movie is ludicrous, from the dialogue to the action to every iota of Buscemi’s character – but it’s a bad movie that I can’t stop myself from watching every second of. What is it? Probably the choice of filters and that crazy long haired Nick Cage! Most eclectically cast gargantuan budgeted bad movie. Love how much I hate to love it.

DRAGON WARS – D-WAR

It sort of underlines the bad year it was for the Korean film industry that this was their big American release for the year – but ya know what… They made a huge budget giant monster movie for a fraction of what it would cost us round eyes – and it is kinda fun. No where near a good movie, but it is better than Con Air. If only for the Dragons.

MAN ON FIRE (BLU-RAY)

This is the best film Tony Scott has turned in – in recent years and it works. The very pulp, very hyper-Boorman Point Blank feel of this movie has me very happy. Denzel is a badass and only a 1000 times more PUNISHER than Thomas Jane was in THE PUNISHER and I’m hoping that the new PUNISHER sets it into this sort of direction. Dakota is creepy great in this film and I love everything about this film. Also – let it be noted that this film changed Tony’s style forever it seems. Gorgeous in Blu Ray!!!

THE ALL-NEW SUPERFRIENDS HOUR: SEASON ONE, VOL. 1

About Five and a half hours of SUPERFRIENDS glory. I may be in the minority – but I love love love Zan and Jayna… the Wonder Twins… but I loathe Gleek the space monkey. That said – can anything equal the greater glory of Apache Chief with Giant Man’s power? Or that his arch nemesis was a giant woman that he laid the smack down on? I love this! It really doesn’t get better than the campy cheesy joy of the SUPERFRIENDS!!!

EAGLE VS SHARK

If you love awkwardly beautiful comedic love stories about how dysfunctionally awesomely socially retarded folks fall for exactly the right opposite – then look no further than EAGLE VS SHARK. In the tone of THE FOOT FIST WAY and NAPOLEON DYNAMITE. Really good. Really good!

PERSONAL BEST

Written and directed by the writer of CHINATOWN – Robert Towne – and if you ever had a crush on Mariel Hemingway (hand shoots up quickly) – this is the film for you. It features Mariel having sex with her coach as well as female teammate and competitor… it deals with lesbianism and drugs and the Olympics… and this is an Olympic year – so what better way to get ready for some hot female atheletic fantasies? Right? This is it!

THE PIANIST

A fucking brilliant movie by Roman Polanski! The film that announced Adrien Brody and that got him that Halle Berry kiss. I just watched this today on HD DVD and love how positive and soul warming this bleaker than bleak film is. To show how much the human spirit can take – and yet talent and brilliance can remain intact… it’s amazing. I love everything about this film. I love how evil and good can reside in your own people as well as those that are supposed to be evil. How this film plays with the grays of the war and reveals an amazing story of survival and perserverence. A great film on a great format!

MAMMOTH

Tom Skerritt and Summer Glau end up face to tusk with an ice age nightmare… I’m sure its crap… but killer wooly mammoths are a weak spot.

THE ROAD TO RIO / THE ROAD TO BALI (Double Feature) HD DVD

And the award for my favorite HD release of the week goes to…. THIS double feature title. Here you get a black & white classic and a Technicolor glory packaged together. How could one not love this? Hope and Crosby are one of the greatest cinematic comedy teams ever and these are the best of that team up – in the best possible format! How lucky are we this week?

BIG BANG LOVE, JUVENILE A

Directed by Takashi Miike this is a fantastic crazed film. This is a challenging and rewarding film experience. It’s a fascinating prison story and oddly Buddhist in it’s portrayal. This isn’t like those old Warner prison flicks, it’s a Miike take – so the violence is extreme and realistic… and oddly beautiful. This is one for you daring viewers!

I'll try to catch up - but being sick sucked like hell - I might just list last weeks, and write about this coming Tuesday's releases - just to catch up, else I'll just feel overwhelmed. Sorry folks.