I’ve discovered a lot of great movies reading Dr. Svet’s reviews over the span of many years but in the last few years I find more than a few of his video scores very uneven and I’m writing this review not to deter anyone from buying this film based on Dr. Svet’s video score of Twisted’s new 4K transfer.

First off , interiors AND exteriors look great, ESPECIALLY exteriors. Fine detail, depth and delineation are exceptional THROUGHOUT the whole movie. This is just hands down a FANTASTIC looking transfer and it even looks like a 4K UHD presentation at times. Sound is great too.

Is this the best movie ever? No it’s not but it’s still a well-directed and well-acted movie and it looks damn good. Also, kudos to Kino Lorber for continually releasing this types of movies on physical media.

Buy with confidence. Highly recommended.

I’ve discovered a lot of great movies reading Dr. Svet’s reviews over the span of many years but in the last few years I find more than a few of his video scores very uneven and I’m writing this review not to deter anyone from buying this film based on Dr. Svet’s video score of Twisted’s new 4K transfer.

First off , interiors AND exteriors look ... display full review

Really good 3D here, medium throughout. Depth & separation is good and always apparent. While there isn’t much in the form of pop-outs, (except the final Scare Games challenge, where the roars of each contestant pops out of the screen), the 3D always takes advantage of the foreground to offer a layered and immersive presentation.

Monsters University has probably the best 3D Pixar had to offer before they went for more stronger 3D for Elemental onwards.

Of course Monsters University doesn't hold a candle to the original Monsters Inc, it's an excellent prequel with a great message that often gets overlooked.

Really good 3D here, medium throughout. Depth & separation is good and always apparent. While there isn’t much in the form of pop-outs, (except the final Scare Games challenge, where the roars of each contestant pops out of the screen), the 3D always takes advantage of the foreground to offer a layered and immersive presentation.

Monsters Univer... display full review

The picture quality is a noticeable improvement over the standard Blu-rays that came before, but I noticed a downgrade in the sound, specifically with the music by Bruce Broughton. It sounds horribly gargled. I compared this with the Shout! Factory version and that one sounded fine, so the issue is with the Arrow edition and it’s very distracting, especially if you watch with headphones. The special features are great, mixing legacy features with new interviews. I think the deleted scenes were upscaled with AI because they look a little better but I noticed the AI-face anomaly with some of them. Not a complaint, as I’ve always wanted to see these scenes upscaled. I just wish they’d found the original negatives for them. All in all, though I’m glad I bought this, I’m disappointed by the terrible sound mix. The music was absolutely butchered for no apparent reason, seeing as this wasn’t an issue with the previous Blu-ray releases.

The picture quality is a noticeable improvement over the standard Blu-rays that came before, but I noticed a downgrade in the sound, specifically with the music by Bruce Broughton. It sounds horribly gargled. I compared this with the Shout! Factory version and that one sounded fine, so the issue is with the Arrow edition and it’s very distracting, ... display full review

Is this a bluray of Boss,or Boss Nigger?

Is this a bluray of Boss,or Boss Nigger? display full review

Finally The Sea Chase aka Der Seefuchs arrived on bluray with a Mediabook which contains some pages with interesting infos about the movie/story.

The Picture Quality is very good aswell the german Track. Clean and Sharp.

Finally The Sea Chase aka Der Seefuchs arrived on bluray with a Mediabook which contains some pages with interesting infos about the movie/story.

The Picture Quality is very good aswell the german Track. Clean and Sharp. display full review

Hope everyone is enjoying the extra long weekend, which has given me some time to catch up with releases, including one of the more "mold changing" Japanese films of all time, Proof of the Man.

This is an interesting film that really changed the ways film would be seen in Japan with Haruki Kadokawa deciding it was time to bring back audiences to theaters with a big budget huge cast film. In an era where films were mainly made for men who wanted to see nudity and violence, Proof of the Man was one of the early Kadokawa films that brought kids, women, and men to the theaters.

Explaining the plot is a bit trickier with this one, but essentially an American citizen is killed in Japan during a fashion show while only hours later a Japanese woman is killed in a hit and run. Both deaths are connected and it's up to Yûsaku Matsuda to solve both in one of his roles where he's not an anti-hero/villian, but a straight up hero.

This is not a perfect film by a long shot. You have a TON of characters played by a lot of iconic Japanese actors who literally only show up for a second or two. You like Hideo Murota? There he is he! Well, for about 8 seconds. Junzaburô Ban from A Fugitive From the Past? Yeah, he shows up, for seconds. Director Kinji Fukasaku is in the movie? I guess so, but I didn't see him! This happens about 20 times. The film is also full of out of this WORLD story conveniences that might make you shake your head in disbelief. With that being said...I LOVE this film. Let me repeat that LOVE IT.

This film oozes style and despite a bit of a dragging intro fashion show, once the first body hits the elevator floor, the film breezes by. There is a pretty iconic soundtrack, good acting, and a very twisty turvy plot. You get a good hearted Yûsaku Matsuda working along American acting legend George Kennedy as a morally complex police detective. Kennedy plays a character with a troubled past, but ultimately seems to want to actually make the world a better place, although in a morally grey way. However, the star of this film is Mariko Okada. She plays the part in the film that requires the most ingenuity from the cast and she plays it well. I don't want to spoil much, but you will appreciate her as an actress once the credits roll.

Again, not the perfect film, but this was a HUGE hit in Japan, and I think for good reason. It has an intriguing plot with some really powerful performances. Arrow does an excellent job with the encode and features with some of Tony Stella's best works. I truly hope 2026 gives us more Japanese classics from Arrow as they really nailed this one.

Hope everyone is enjoying the extra long weekend, which has given me some time to catch up with releases, including one of the more "mold changing" Japanese films of all time, Proof of the Man.

This is an interesting film that really changed the ways film would be seen in Japan with Haruki Kadokawa deciding it was time to bring back audiences to... display full review

Moana is now a little older and wiser. Moana sets out to find other islanders and to discover why they have never encountered other people. She finds evidence that they do exist. Moana, with the help of a crew sets out on a bigger boat to rescue Maui and solve the mystery of their disconnected people.

I enjoyed this almost as much as the first one. A fun story that continues the adventure of Moana and a whole new cast of friends and family all of them together with their god Maui.

The disc has some short documentaries on the making of this story. I don't think it included a short cartoon as Disney usually does in the extras.

Moana is now a little older and wiser. Moana sets out to find other islanders and to discover why they have never encountered other people. She finds evidence that they do exist. Moana, with the help of a crew sets out on a bigger boat to rescue Maui and solve the mystery of their disconnected people.

I enjoyed this almost as much as the firs... display full review

Comedies have yet to really get the proper, respectable post image processing they deserve to be properly preserved, and Three Amigos! is no exception to the generalization. Who am I? A professional high-end major motion picture editor and post production expert. From my viewpoint, this looks like they took a version of the film printed to HDSR tape, scanned that tape, and put it on Blu-Ray. We don't really see much film grain throughout, and the color looks way off (like it really could use a touch up throughout).

Comedies have yet to really get the proper, respectable post image processing they deserve to be properly preserved, and Three Amigos! is no exception to the generalization. Who am I? A professional high-end major motion picture editor and post production expert. From my viewpoint, this looks like they took a version of the film printed to HDSR tap... display full review

I purchased this version as soon as it was available in the US, and as a Post Production Professional, I am disappointed with some of the picture degradation that happened in creating the Blu Ray print. Especially during the opening credit swirls, there are times when the textures of the oil paint strokes become so textured that the digital scan makes it look like it's low-compression rate MPEG artifacts. The majority of this presentation looks amazing, though. The sound is great. I would love to see a 4k remastered print of this, done by high-end technicians, but I am not sure if or when that will ever happen.

I purchased this version as soon as it was available in the US, and as a Post Production Professional, I am disappointed with some of the picture degradation that happened in creating the Blu Ray print. Especially during the opening credit swirls, there are times when the textures of the oil paint strokes become so textured that the digital scan ma... display full review

The audio, especially the score, sounds amazing!

The picture in this version of the blu-ray is disappointing. There are noticeable pixelation artifacts throughout, but are especially noticeable during the opening credits, and various scenes throughout. It's a mixed bag. Some of the shots look absolutely perfect digitally scanned, but a lot have the same jagged edges from whatever post-processing they chose to create this Blu-Ray.

Tons of extras though!

The audio, especially the score, sounds amazing!

The picture in this version of the blu-ray is disappointing. There are noticeable pixelation artifacts throughout, but are especially noticeable during the opening credits, and various scenes throughout. It's a mixed bag. Some of the shots look absolutely perfect digitally scanned, but a lot have ... display full review

This is the best-looking Blu-Ray in my collection. The masterful filmmaking skills and composition of Stanley Kubric shines its brightest in this remastered version of his 1975 epic. The colors are vivid, the shots lit with candles look incredible even today. Apparently they shot and mastered the whole thing in Mono audio, which is why I'm giving it a 4.0. It sounds fantastic, but just maybe doesn't have has many of those epic, sparkling effects sound can have today (5.1, 7.1 surround sound, deep LFE ultra bass). Tons and tons of special features too!

This is the best-looking Blu-Ray in my collection. The masterful filmmaking skills and composition of Stanley Kubric shines its brightest in this remastered version of his 1975 epic. The colors are vivid, the shots lit with candles look incredible even today. Apparently they shot and mastered the whole thing in Mono audio, which is why I'm giving i... display full review

Who am I? Professional, high-end, high-budget major motion picture editor and post production finishing. When I say that this is the worst-looking Blu-Ray I have yet seen, I can get really specific.

Unlike every other Blu-Ray I own, this one looks like they digitally scanned a cut of the film that was printed to HDSR Tape. While it is true 1080p, the picture is not crisp, and the sound is ok. I am reviewing the Blu-Ray on an LG OLED with Mackie Studio Pro speakers with a subwoofer. The color is a bit flat (especially if you compare it to the new 4k Special Edition Version), and instead of getting that nice, 35mm Film Grain, we're getting tape interlacing artifacts. It almost* looks like MPEG compression (it's that bad). The sound is crunchy.

While, granted, this is not "the greatest film of all time," if you're even looking to buy this chances are you're a film buff. I highly recommend you cough up the extra $10-15, and just get the Special Edition 4k Blu-Ray.

Who am I? Professional, high-end, high-budget major motion picture editor and post production finishing. When I say that this is the worst-looking Blu-Ray I have yet seen, I can get really specific.

Unlike every other Blu-Ray I own, this one looks like they digitally scanned a cut of the film that was printed to HDSR Tape. While it is true 1080... display full review

I've seen my Blu Ray of the 4K scan of Trainspotting about 4 times, and I've come up with what I love about the transfer, along with a few issues, and why nI would recommend this version over the previous HD masters.

A lot of the complaints that I have heard about this transfer is the "change" in the color palette compared to what fans of the film are used to. There's a video on YouTube from 2018 that shows what the 35MM print of the film looks like, and it looks like this transfer. I believe in the early days when transferring the film to Standard Def, they must have added an orange tint to most of the film to make it easier to see on TV screens. And I think most people who saw it for the first time are nostalgic or prefer that look.

This transfer has a look to it that is true to the original cinematography, and still looks great, in most aspects. There are a few scenes that are a bit dark, or the image is difficult to see. I made sure the TV settings weren't the issue, and tested this copy out on multiple screens to test it out.

And I know bad Criterion transfers when I see them. I'll review each of the films in the Wong Kar Wai box set soon.

But that being said, I think this is the new definitive way to watch this masterpiece, and this has technical merits that previous releases can only wish to achieve.

Film: 5/5

Video: 4.5/5

Audio: 5/5

Extras: 5/5

Overall: 4.5/5

I've seen my Blu Ray of the 4K scan of Trainspotting about 4 times, and I've come up with what I love about the transfer, along with a few issues, and why nI would recommend this version over the previous HD masters.

A lot of the complaints that I have heard about this transfer is the "change" in the color palette compared to what fans of the fi... display full review

Irreversible is an amazing film with horrific scenes of cruelty and violence.

That being said, the picture quality looks better than ever, as the film was shot on 16MM film and has an upgraded 2K restoration over the pretty awful Accent Blu Ray release from 2014, which I also own and tested.

The audio was fantastic and immersive with deep DEEP bass in a few scenes.

A must buy for Noe fans and fans of this film. For any newcomers, BE WARNED. Look into this one before blindly viewing it. It is NOT an easy watch. But amazing film.

Film: 5/5

Video: 4/5

Audio: 5/5

Extras: 3.5/5

Overall: 4.5/5

Irreversible is an amazing film with horrific scenes of cruelty and violence.

That being said, the picture quality looks better than ever, as the film was shot on 16MM film and has an upgraded 2K restoration over the pretty awful Accent Blu Ray release from 2014, which I also own and tested.

The audio was fantastic and immersive with deep D... display full review

Peckinpah's WW² film is a controversial one, especially back in the day because it's taken from the Nazi's perspective. I personally do NOT feel this way. I feel as though it's taken from the soldiers perspective, NOT the enemy perspective. I had missed this one back in the day and now I know why. It's because it's was seen as controversial and theaters and cable channels alike didn't play it much. It is now one of my favorite WW² films along with The Great Escape and a couple others. Studio Canal did a great job on the restoration and 4K transfer of this great film. The HDR grade looks fantastic and the DTS MA 2.0 mono audio is clean and clear, it also actually has pretty good dynamic range considering it's age and it being a mono mix. If you are a Peckinpah fan or just a WW² war film enthusiast then this is a must buy for your 4K library.

Peckinpah's WW² film is a controversial one, especially back in the day because it's taken from the Nazi's perspective. I personally do NOT feel this way. I feel as though it's taken from the soldiers perspective, NOT the enemy perspective. I had missed this one back in the day and now I know why. It's because it's was seen as controversial and the... display full review

The Outfit is a unique take on a simple man who runs a clothing shop and makes costly suits for the elite only to have his establishment frequented by members of the Chicago mob. What follows is a series of encounters that determine the fate of the shop, the owner and some of its patrons. UHD disc specs feature a beautiful HDR-10 presentation with smooth details and colors. Lots of browns and dark lite scenes shine. The Atmos track is clean and clear with no extras included.

The Outfit is a unique take on a simple man who runs a clothing shop and makes costly suits for the elite only to have his establishment frequented by members of the Chicago mob. What follows is a series of encounters that determine the fate of the shop, the owner and some of its patrons. UHD disc specs feature a beautiful HDR-10 presentation with ... display full review

Director Michael Mann's theatrical debut film Thief is a triumph in style and performances by James Caan, Tuesday Weld and Robert Prosky. A gritty take on the life of a jewel thief who gets wrapped up into a much more bigger underworld of heists and corruption. This 1981 offering became an instant classic do to the nature of its setting within the tough streets of Chicago and do to excellent directing by Michael Mann. Arrow Video's UHD selection of this title is also well done with a solid PQ & AQ presentation. Tangerine Dream's soundtrack sounds awesome with added Legacy bonus features all good for a once over and including the BD release of the original theatrical cut makes this a worthy double-dip for fans!

Director Michael Mann's theatrical debut film Thief is a triumph in style and performances by James Caan, Tuesday Weld and Robert Prosky. A gritty take on the life of a jewel thief who gets wrapped up into a much more bigger underworld of heists and corruption. This 1981 offering became an instant classic do to the nature of its setting within the ... display full review

Columbo: The Return respectfully represents the shows eighth through tenth seasons which consists of 24 final episodes all of which clock in around 90 mins each. The formula that made the original run so successful remains the same as Peter Falk doesn't miss a beat as the seminal Lt. who always figures out the murders. Disc specs feature natural grain and soft details. Each volume features six discs with 2 episodes each. Of course these releases contain no extras which is a shame, but nonetheless for fans of the show this set looks and sounds nice.

Columbo: The Return respectfully represents the shows eighth through tenth seasons which consists of 24 final episodes all of which clock in around 90 mins each. The formula that made the original run so successful remains the same as Peter Falk doesn't miss a beat as the seminal Lt. who always figures out the murders. Disc specs feature natural gr... display full review

FIRST DISC AUDIO VIDEO 3.5 . SECOND MOVIE 4.5 AUDIO VISEO. BUY AND ENJOY.

FIRST DISC AUDIO VIDEO 3.5 . SECOND MOVIE 4.5 AUDIO VISEO. BUY AND ENJOY. display full review

Movie:
Despite having seen "Tron: Legacy" and loved it, I confess that I've never seen the first movie of 1982. With the release of the third movie coming, I decided to watch the movie of 1982 and "Tron" is a great movie, even that doesn't find a balance between the fantastic visuals with its confusing screenplay. Interesting in the visual construction of its universe, the movie fails to never properly present the rules of its universe, leaving us somewhat lost in the script that takes a while to make any sense and even ends without properly explaining what happened. Aware of that, the production focuses all its efforts on the visuals, that for its time were extremely innovative, and while ocasionally dated (specially in the videogame graphics), the result manages to make us immerse inside that universe (as happened in its sequel) and enchant us with the beauty of the colors, the spectacular visuals of its computerized images, and the incredible production design, complemented by an immersive and perfect sound design. Also featuring good performances, a beautiful cinematography, and an excellent soundtrack, it's a great movie.

Video:
I've never seen any other editions of "Tron" (whether on VHS or DVD), but at least on Blu-ray, the film has an excellent visual presentation, which seems to be very true to the source, being very faithful to the colors and the visuals presented, also maintaining the quality of the special effects of the time and some granulation that gives a cinematic experience.

Audio:
I watched the movie in English - DTS-HD MA 5.1 and it's a surprisingly excellent lossless track. While the voices are clear, some dialogue level flutuates in its volume on some moments, fortunately, the score is reproduced perfectly and the sound effects are perfectly spread across the channels with some powerful LFE output and amazing use of the surrounds, which showcases why the movie was nominated for the Oscar 1983 for Best Sound.

Extras:
I watched all the special features (except the Audio Commentary) and while a bit exhausting in quantity, at least, is a very good package of special features that digs deep into the making of something truly ahead of its time and quite a bit complex movie to create.

Overall:
A great movie received perfect audio and video presentation with great special features.
Overall, it's an excellent BD.

Movie:
Despite having seen "Tron: Legacy" and loved it, I confess that I've never seen the first movie of 1982. With the release of the third movie coming, I decided to watch the movie of 1982 and "Tron" is a great movie, even that doesn't find a balance between the fantastic visuals with its confusing screenplay. Interesting in the visual constru... display full review

This disc is a BD-r. The images are ok but not great.

This disc is a BD-r. The images are ok but not great. display full review

Probably one of the more romantic projects in the Michael Mann canon, ‘Thief’ immediately sets the cinematographic tone with its acute use of visual and sonic understanding of the medium.

With the timeless and irreplaceable score of Tangerine Dream, the theme is paralleled and so supported by the narrative, as the tension slowly ratchets alongside the painful struggles of both James Caan and his love interest.

All in all, ‘Thief’ is nothing short of a cinematic masterclass of both directional control and the nouse to know when some things are best left undisturbed; and so, for what it’s worth, this frankly unrivalled heist epic is exactly what current cinema tries hard to recreate, yet so often falls short, which rightfully suggests that ‘Thief’ is a clear indication that “they just don’t make ‘em like this anymore”.

Probably one of the more romantic projects in the Michael Mann canon, ‘Thief’ immediately sets the cinematographic tone with its acute use of visual and sonic understanding of the medium.

With the timeless and irreplaceable score of Tangerine Dream, the theme is paralleled and so supported by the narrative, as the tension slowly ratchets alongsi... display full review

Disney has treated us to another amazing 4K presentation of an animated classic. In celebration of the release of the live-action remake, Disney's 2002 animated Lilo & Stitch was released in this fantastic set! The movie looks amazing, the colors really pop off the screen, and make the movie come to life like never before. The biggest upgrade however was the soundtrack. The beginning of the movie was action-packed, and the remastered sound made you feel like you were in the middle of the action. Elvis Presley's songs never sounded this good either.

When it comes to bonus features, nothing new was made for this set, but it includes all the great features that were found on the movie's previous releases, so no complaints here.

Recently, it was announced that The Emperor's New Groove will be released in December, and a 4K transfer is already available on Disney+. Keep them coming, Disney!

Disney has treated us to another amazing 4K presentation of an animated classic. In celebration of the release of the live-action remake, Disney's 2002 animated Lilo & Stitch was released in this fantastic set! The movie looks amazing, the colors really pop off the screen, and make the movie come to life like never before. The biggest upgrade howev... display full review

The Amateur isn't anything new in terms of plot. It does feature a clever premise in which a CIA decoder takes matters in his own hands when his wife becomes a victim of a terrorist attack and his employer doesn't seem to want to take action. Rami Melek leads this thriller with Laurence Fishbourne lending his chops for added gravitas. UHD specs feature a sharp and clean image with a robust Dolby Atmos audio track. No extra's on the 4K disc save for a few on the included blu. Bottom line a solid thriller that is worth your while.

The Amateur isn't anything new in terms of plot. It does feature a clever premise in which a CIA decoder takes matters in his own hands when his wife becomes a victim of a terrorist attack and his employer doesn't seem to want to take action. Rami Melek leads this thriller with Laurence Fishbourne lending his chops for added gravitas. UHD specs fea... display full review

The great Terrance Stamp has left us. He leaves behind a terrific selection of films covering many genres and this particular gem from 1999, The Limey. In it he goes on the hunt for the folks responsible for his daughters death and unleashes his violent way to do so. Lionsgate brings this to 4K in a nice Steelbook package with disc specs carrying a lovely Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos audio track. Images are clean and detailed well, as audio is clean and clear. Audio Commentaries count as the bonuses thus making this a must own flick!

The great Terrance Stamp has left us. He leaves behind a terrific selection of films covering many genres and this particular gem from 1999, The Limey. In it he goes on the hunt for the folks responsible for his daughters death and unleashes his violent way to do so. Lionsgate brings this to 4K in a nice Steelbook package with disc specs carrying a... display full review

Tupac Shakur was slowing building himself a nice movie resume by the time Gang Related came to be. He had already proven his chops in the films Poetic Justice and Above the Rim. The movie is the typical corrupt cop genre movie with James Belushi playing dirty as this plot unfolds. Its got some small grit to it and decent performances to keep you interested as the plot plays out. 101 Films handles this region free blu with decent results. The image is clean and low key details throughout. The audio mix is a downer for a LCPC 2.0 track as you need to crank it up for clarity. No extra's are included. Bottom line a solid movie that could sound a bit better!

Tupac Shakur was slowing building himself a nice movie resume by the time Gang Related came to be. He had already proven his chops in the films Poetic Justice and Above the Rim. The movie is the typical corrupt cop genre movie with James Belushi playing dirty as this plot unfolds. Its got some small grit to it and decent performances to keep you in... display full review

Highlander Endgame which served as the fourth entry in the Connor McCloud storyline played once again by Christopher Lambert and as the film launch of the Highlander television series focused on Duncan McCloud played by Adrian Paul. Together they must take down a more powerful Immortal but also staying true to the Immortal way of there can be only one. Endgame works well enough for the pairing of the two as well as a foe that is a tough one to take out. Lambert still brings it with Paul rounding out the duo. Disc specs feature a nice 1080p presentation and an effective 5.1 DTS audio track. No extra's are included. This region A locked disc is nice to have on blu as this series itself closed out the early 2000's with a mild success.

Highlander Endgame which served as the fourth entry in the Connor McCloud storyline played once again by Christopher Lambert and as the film launch of the Highlander television series focused on Duncan McCloud played by Adrian Paul. Together they must take down a more powerful Immortal but also staying true to the Immortal way of there can be only ... display full review

I'm not going to be talking about how good the film is because that has been said like a million times, but I'm gonna talk about the video and audio. First off, the video quality differs from scene to scene, with the video often times being blurry and looking a bit low quality but sometimes looking absolutely amazing. But it also seems like there is a bit of DNR applied to the film, with in one scene the characters faces looking a bit waxy, but that might be just me. The audio with being sourced from a mono track being turned into a 5.1 one is very front heavy, but luckily numerous times through the movie the music and sound effects go into the surround channels making the original mono sourced track sound absolutely amazing. The music sounds amazing, like I'm in the room listening to it, but occasionally the voices of the characters in the movie sound like they're coming from a tin can, but that is most likely because of the original sound mix Stanley Kubrick used for the original sound mix.

I'm not going to be talking about how good the film is because that has been said like a million times, but I'm gonna talk about the video and audio. First off, the video quality differs from scene to scene, with the video often times being blurry and looking a bit low quality but sometimes looking absolutely amazing. But it also seems like there i... display full review

I'm not going to be talking about how good the film is because that has been said like a million times, but I'm gonna talk about the video and audio. First off, the video quality differs from scene to scene, with the video often times being blurry and looking a bit low quality but sometimes looking absolutely amazing. But it also seems like there is a bit of DNR applied to the film, with in one scene the characters faces looking a bit waxy, but that might be just me. The audio with being sourced from a mono track being turned into a 5.1 one is very front heavy, but luckily numerous times through the movie the music and sound effects go into the surround channels making the original mono sourced track sound absolutely amazing. The music sounds amazing, like I'm in the room listening to it, but occasionally the voices of the characters in the movie sound like they're coming from a tin can, but that is most likely because of the original sound mix Stanley Kubrick used for the original sound mix.

I'm not going to be talking about how good the film is because that has been said like a million times, but I'm gonna talk about the video and audio. First off, the video quality differs from scene to scene, with the video often times being blurry and looking a bit low quality but sometimes looking absolutely amazing. But it also seems like there i... display full review

This is a great family film with so many lessons , so many protagonists to enjoy from young to older and is charming and satisfying. I take exception with the Blu Ray dot com reviewer that found it wanting of substance. The casting I also found to be really wonderful from the young boy , Johathan Brandis to his teacher , dad, and Gym coach, his older instructor and goodness Joe Piscopo chewing scenery in the best ways.. Norris plays himself in a very restrained and perfectly respectful way. The bonus features are lengthy and worthy. I didn't see this in it's theatrical release as it seemed youth aimed and I was already an adult, but I'm sad I missed it. Glad I took the chance and bought the expensive and expansive Vinegar Syndrome release. 5 stars all the way

This is a great family film with so many lessons , so many protagonists to enjoy from young to older and is charming and satisfying. I take exception with the Blu Ray dot com reviewer that found it wanting of substance. The casting I also found to be really wonderful from the young boy , Johathan Brandis to his teacher , dad, and Gym coach, his ol... display full review

Overall: The Blu-Ray.com review is spot on and I will also say highly recommended if you like this film, which I enjoy more than the original. I am only reviewing the 4K disc.

Picture Quality:
-Very solid presentation that keeps that film-like quality
-This is not a disc that you will break out to show off the format but there are a few scenes that really pop and take advantage of HDR/DV- grain is nicely managed
-The only problematic moment I noticed was at around the 15 min mark when the mother and son are hiding in the closet - at the top center of the screen there are compression artifacts in the pitch black (about the size of two hot dogs on my 77” screen). I didn’t notice the issue for the rest of the runtime.

Audio Quality:
-This is main reason why this disc is worth the price of admission; I put it at 4.75
-All the channels on the Atmos track are banging away
-Particularly enjoyed the whirling of the helicopter above

Extras / Packaging:
-Fantastic extras with Lionsgate really going all out- the 2025 interview with the Director is excellent
-Very nice Steelbook and sleeve - top quality

Overall: The Blu-Ray.com review is spot on and I will also say highly recommended if you like this film, which I enjoy more than the original. I am only reviewing the 4K disc.

Picture Quality:
-Very solid presentation that keeps that film-like quality
-This is not a disc that you will break out to show off the format but there are a few scenes... display full review

GREAT MOVIE. SEEN IT IN MY LOCAL THEATER. AUDIO AND VIDEO ARE GREAT . BUY AND STAY HEAVY !

GREAT MOVIE. SEEN IT IN MY LOCAL THEATER. AUDIO AND VIDEO ARE GREAT . BUY AND STAY HEAVY ! display full review

I ABSOLUTE LOVE THIS MOVIE. VIDEO IS REFERENCE QUALITY ! AUDIO IS GREAT ! BUY AND ENJOY . STAY HEAVY !

I ABSOLUTE LOVE THIS MOVIE. VIDEO IS REFERENCE QUALITY ! AUDIO IS GREAT ! BUY AND ENJOY . STAY HEAVY ! display full review

I had never seen this movie before I purchased the blu-ray. I think that for a "lost classic" such as Lifeguard, getting picked up by Fun City Editions is about as good as it gets. Fun City Editions is my favorite label currently, as I have ventured into the world of blu-ray blind buys. Fun City makes it easy with good pricing and a respect for the source and art. Excellent packaging and it seems like they try to include a commentary track when possible. Perfecto, imo.

Lifeguard is a film that, upon viewing, reminds me of reading a book from the 70's. Our hero is the man we all wanted to be when we were 20 years old: living alone, working at the beach, and handsome enough for anyone. Well, the point of this potentially pointless film is one of making good choices despite the pressures of quasi-adult life in the modern world. Is Rick living his best life, or is he spiraling to rock bottom and dragging people who care about him down?

It's not a film for the immature, and I'm sure a lot of people saw this movie and left the theater confused. Lifeguard is fairly honest storytelling, and it doesn't spoon feed the audience any moral resolution.

Thank you, FCE! See you next blind buy

I had never seen this movie before I purchased the blu-ray. I think that for a "lost classic" such as Lifeguard, getting picked up by Fun City Editions is about as good as it gets. Fun City Editions is my favorite label currently, as I have ventured into the world of blu-ray blind buys. Fun City makes it easy with good pricing and a respect for the... display full review

Disney continues to churn out their beloved animated features into live action spectacles. Lilo & Stitch is the latest. This one had a fair shake at the box office and turned out to be a hit as the premise remains the same as the animated but with some altercations to pad a longer runtime. The use of CGI for Stitch works well as the other characters just go through the motions. The trailer made it look a lot more fun then it turned out to be. UHD specs feature a good Dolby Vision presentation with natural colors and OK details. The Atmos track is the usual subtle mix most all Disney titles get. No extra's on the UHD save for some on the BD. This Steelbook only 4K is basic in design and look for cover art. Bottom line a decent offering for those interested.....

Disney continues to churn out their beloved animated features into live action spectacles. Lilo & Stitch is the latest. This one had a fair shake at the box office and turned out to be a hit as the premise remains the same as the animated but with some altercations to pad a longer runtime. The use of CGI for Stitch works well as the other character... display full review

def better than the 3 disc set

def better than the 3 disc set display full review

If you have the first two this is def worth a grab to finish the series way better than the 3 disc set thats out der.

If you have the first two this is def worth a grab to finish the series way better than the 3 disc set thats out der. display full review

Summary: A simple blacksmith becomes part of a key fight to protect Jerusalem.

Review: The word "Epic" can be used too much, but not here. The definitive cut of this 2005 movie lives up to that title. From incredible fights to amazing character moments, had this version of the film been the theatrical cut, I wouldn't be surprised if it was nominated, maybe even go onto win, Best Picture, Best Director, Best Supporting Actor (Edward Norton), Best Supporting Actress (Eva Green), among other awards. What makes this still relevant even after 20 years is how peace is still elusive in the Kingdom of Heaven, especially with the war between Israel and Hamas.

Video: For the film's 20th Anniversary, Disney/Sony has given the director's cuts (one with roadshow elements and one without) a brand new 4K restoration with Dolby Vision, and it looks as if it was shot today. I have rented the 2014 blu-ray, and it looked pretty good. This new 4K blows the old blu-ray out of the water. Detail is abundant, whether it would be on faces, costumes, and/or the various set pieces. Dolby Vision does a great job bringing out the cold colors of France as well as the warmer color scheme in Jerusalem. My only problem with this transfer is that a few shots, especially during the big battles, come across a little flat, like they were shot on a blue/green screen, but it's not enough to dock a half point.

Audio: The new Atmos audio blows the old 5.1 track out of the water. Battles now feel even bigger with two additional surround channels, not to mention the overhead channels. Fireballs and arrows fly overhead, swords clash and slice in the lower channels, and impacts from fireballs hit with some great bass. The thunderstorm as Balian heads towards Jerusalem is another highlight of the mix.

Extras: Let's talk about the extras missing in action. The biggest thing missing from the 2014 blu-ray is the theatrical cut, but let's be honest, we are here to watch the director's cut. Some the extras that were included in 2005 DVD are also missing, but they can be found on digital, along with the theatrical cut, at least on Movies Anywhere. However, the special features that were included on the director's cut DVD are here, albeit in standard definition, but give amazing insight into the production on its own separate disc. For the feature discs, there are some commentaries as well as The Engineer's Guide which gives some insight into the actors.

Steelbook: Overall, it's a nice simple steelbook. The cover is a nice change from the standard posters seen on the 2005 DVD and the 2014 Blu-ray, although it does make an appearance on the inside.

Overall: An excellent movie gets a terrific 4K, if you can find it.

Summary: A simple blacksmith becomes part of a key fight to protect Jerusalem.

Review: The word "Epic" can be used too much, but not here. The definitive cut of this 2005 movie lives up to that title. From incredible fights to amazing character moments, had this version of the film been the theatrical cut, I wouldn't be surprised if it was nomin... display full review

From Vinegar Syndrome, CASTLE OF EVIL 1966, is finally available on Blu-Ray. I wore out my VHS copy many years ago. Someone was selling a horrible dvd copy on eBay years ago. I bought it thinking it would never be available, being such an obscure film. The copy on YouTube was somewhat cleaned up, but that did me no good as I couldn't download it. Well, it’s now available on a limited pressing. When I saw that it could be pre-ordered on the Vinegar Syndrome website, I jumped on it.

So, the story is really a basic one, 6 people who were involved with an evil genius get together for the reading of his will. He was involved in a laboratory accident which grossly mangled his face. The genius was convinced that one of the 6 was involved with the accident. There’s an equally evil housekeeper, who sports a live lizard on her shoulder (Rosario from Will & Grace). I hardly recognized her. She was a real looker back in the day. But, I digress. The evil genius made a robot in his image with all of his evil intact, and the housekeeper reprogramed him to kill the 6, so she could be the only heir to his fortune. I won’t go on any further. It’s a good story and the 6 people are good fun with their various quirky personalities, including Virginia Mayo as an aging worldly-wise trollop who spouts some funny lines.

The print, is really clean. The colors are vibrant, there is very little grain. The audio could have been better. Some of the actors voices are a bit hard to understand. There is literally a second of silence at the 58:21 mark. But, it is quickly remedied. There are English subtitles. If you’re having trouble understanding the dialogue….use the subtitles. There are 2 separate commentaries with film historians Jonathan Rigby and Kevin Lyons, and on another track Bill Bria and Ashley Coffin from 'Bill & Ashley's Terror Theater' podcast which are both interesting and fun. However, there is only one video extra, "Preserving the Legacy of Francis D. Lyon" (10 min) - an interview with professor Paul V.M. Flesher at the American Heritage Center. The movie trailer would have been ideal. Although I found the featured interview extra a bit dry. At least there is one.

All in all, I would definitely say it was worth the wait. The film is a guilty pleasure of mine. I saw it on a late stormy night years ago on a defunct UHF station that’s no longer on the air. I was 12. The film has atmosphere. Some good chase scenes in the spooky castle. The end is a bit abrupt. But, again, it was 1966 on a shoe string budget. Leonard Maltin was quoted as saying “they should’ve taken the budget and bought a candy bar.” Oh well....not my sentiments at all.

My advice, get a copy while they’re still available, it's a keeper and a lot of fun.

From Vinegar Syndrome, CASTLE OF EVIL 1966, is finally available on Blu-Ray. I wore out my VHS copy many years ago. Someone was selling a horrible dvd copy on eBay years ago. I bought it thinking it would never be available, being such an obscure film. The copy on YouTube was somewhat cleaned up, but that did me no good as I couldn't download it. W... display full review

As time becomes more fleeting, I haven't had the chance to really write about anything in a little bit, but every once in awhile a new title release will motivate me to dust off the old cobwebs and put some of my thoughts down. The title this time? The Great Chase.

During the booming era of DVDs and Japanese cinema I always wondered why this one was neglected. It has action, horror, some comedy, and a man in a bear suit raping and murdering women. Yes, you read that correctly. Well, after years of wondering why this never hit home media outside of Japan, I can finally never have to ask myself that question again.

The film stars Etsuko Shihomi in what I would consider her best role EVER. Yes, better than Sister Street Fighter. If there was ever a role that she could show off a variety of skills in its in this film as Shinobu Yashiro. She works for a secret service whose goals align with her own. Avenge the death of her father while also stopping the evil organization that set up the hit, but murder is not their only game of deceit and corruption. There will be numerous obstacles in her way and friend and foe alike will meet grizzly deaths.

This is a perfect representation of Toei films of the 70's as it pretty much serves you a little bit of everything. It's also very well shot, and with a score that will make you think you're watching a 70's giallo film. Lots of Toei regulars show up in brief roles, but the standout outside of Shihome is Bin Amatsu as the lead villain. The man had a career playing downright sleazy characters, but this is his standout. He's a man who wants money, power, and to rape and kill women while in a bear suit. I guess every villain needs their own fetish right?

PQ looked great, and pretty sure it's a new master as the film looks better than I've ever seen. We get a nice interview with a Japanese man of knowledge and it all comes in a very nice pretty package. NEV second Japanese release is another slam dunk, and hopefully the wait for the next one isn't too long.

As time becomes more fleeting, I haven't had the chance to really write about anything in a little bit, but every once in awhile a new title release will motivate me to dust off the old cobwebs and put some of my thoughts down. The title this time? The Great Chase.

During the booming era of DVDs and Japanese cinema I always wondered why this... display full review