Computer animation has allowed storytellers to create fantastic dream worlds where imaginations can fly through the air just as easily as they can converse under water. Rarely is the technology used to manifest nightmares of post-apocalyptic war zones, an unfortunate result of incorrect labeling of CG as always having to be child friendly. Today's Blu-ray release of ‘9' is an excellent example of a more adult focused animated film, and it goes a long way to change that stereotype.
After the human race successfully destroys itself in a war to end all wars, the only creatures that remain are nine sock-puppets. They must fight for survival against the death machines that survived the war while trying to discover their purpose in a world that seems to no longer have any.
While ‘9' makes huge headway in the animated film genre by appealing to an older audience, it fails to deliver the impact that the nightmare world suggests. For as much detail that went into designing the creatures (and it is quite impressive), the story is relatively simplistic. Typically a failure more akin to the video game industry, the graphics far eclipse the story they are used to tell, leaving a shallow crater and endless speculation of what could have been done better.
The Blu-ray presentation is grand, successfully bringing the highly detailed animation to home theaters with as much clarity and contrast as ever seen in theaters. Blacks, which make up a large part of the overall picture, are strong and never are an issue. Audio was also well represented, though I almost felt like the surround channels could have been better utilized in certain scenes. Overall, a very strong Blu-ray release from Universal.
Every once in a blue moon (which coincidentally occurs this New Year's Eve), a film that cost nearly nothing to make ends up being a huge commercial success. It's a sharp poke in the eye to studios that spend tens of millions to see similar success, but a pain they love to feel as it fills their vaults with seemingly endless profits. Today's Blu-ray release of ‘Paranormal Activity' by Paramount is a great example of such a film, costing only $15,000 to make, but has generated over $100M in the box office.
Also being released today is ‘Jennifer's Body', a film that begs the question, “what the hell happened to Diablo Cody?” After writing one of my favorite films from 2007 in ‘Juno', she penned a high school horror film that lacks all the qualities that made ‘Juno' such a successful. The only people who should even consider purchasing this film are Megan Fox fans, and after only making $16M in the box office, that appears to be pretty limited.
For a complete listing of all the Blu-ray titles released today, click here.
nothing for me this week, I've yet to see 9 or paranormal activity. but i'm not gonna lie when I say I really have no want to see either of those films
I might rent Jennifer's body this weekend if i'm in the mood for some Megan fox spank bank material. but thats all i would be expecting from that film
I like how they knock Jennifer's Body and then write something such as "she penned a high school horror film that lacks all the qualities that made ‘Juno' such a successful" ...err, next time you mock someone, make sure what you have written is a logical sentence
Wal*Mart sucks! No new blu-ray titles this morning. It was OK to have 20+ copies of the Paranormal Activity DVD out on Sunday but they can't even have 1 blu-ray copy out this morning. Off to Best Buy.
Of course Wal*Mart sucks. They have for years now. Went in one a few weeks back to see IF they had any Blu selection...realized I hadn't been inside one for literally years !?!? And no...no selection at all compared to online, and what they did have was WAY overpriced !!!
Nothing for me this week. I'll pick up Paranormal Activity some day, but I expect the price on that to drop like a rock, much like the Blair Witch DVD did 10 years back.
That was the "must have" DVD and it wasn't long before used copies were available for $2 and you couldn't give it away. I see the same thing happening here once the hype dies down. $20+ is too much for that.
Was curious enough about 9 to give it a shot. The others aren't really all that appealing to me, particularly at 20+ a pop; maybe when their prices come down to earth. 2009, RIP.
why people like Paranormal activities i do not understand/ i could have made that movie in a week in After effects / horrible movie-the only good thing was the sound efx-that's it
Watched Jennifer's Body last night. Thought the trailer looked horid but actually liked the movie. Some of the dialog was funny and the scenes were cool. Just watched A Perfect Getaway. I really liked this. I really didn't know what it was about or who was in it but when I started watching and saw Zahn and Milla, I was like oh cool. Then was pleasantly surprised at how entertaining it was.
