Watchmen, One Of The Best Blu-ray Movies of 2009

Watchmen, One Of The Best Blu-ray Movies of 2009

Number 9 on the list of the 10 best Blu-ray movies of 2009 is Watchmen, a movie about a popular comic book from the 1980s. 

Watchmen features an excellent visual presentation and extras called Maximum Movie Mode. I haven't seen them but I have read that they are quite possibly the best special features ever. In Maximum Movie Mode, the Director shared an in depth look at the film with comparisons of the comic and film versions of the story, information about the timeline of the movie, movie trivia and more.

In terms of sound, Sound and Vision magazine said that this movie was a bass lover's delight with the sound being not punchy but rather stupendous.  Be cautioned that his movie is rated R and considered extremely violent, not a superhero movie for just anyone but one which Watchmen followers have been happy to embrace.


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Brenda









Slumdog Millionaire, One Of The Best Blu-ray Movies of 2009

Slumdog Millionaire, One Of The Best Blu-ray Movies of 2009

Number 8 on Sound & Vision magazine's list of the 10 top movies in 2009 is Slumdog Millionaire.  Despite the huge buzz that this movie generated, I have to admit that I was unable to watch it because of the violence and I do, therefore, assume that it is not for everyone.

Amazon customer reviews of Slumdog Millionaire were mixed, too. I assume for the very same reason, that this movie was a bit hard to take. 

In terms of quality of the Blu-ray disc, Sound & Vision said, "dazzling visuals and exhilarating sonics" and that the "two extended sequences are remarkably revealing" so from that perspective, it sounds like it is worth checking out Slumdog on Blu-ray.

If you are interested in this movie, I hope that I have not put you off and I would love to hear what you have to say about it if (or when) you watch it. 

Order your copy of Slumdog Millionaire here from Amazon.

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Brenda






Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, One Of The Best Blu-ray Movies of 2009

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, One Of The Best Blu-ray Movies of 2009
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is one of the best blu-ray movies of 2009, placing seventh on Sound & Vision magazine's list of 10 top movies in 2009.

It is one of the most important Disney films in my mind and I do not think Disney could afford to transfer it poorly. Don't worry though, they did not let us down.

Disney used the original 1937 negative to create the blu-ray and Sound and Vision said, "the movie completely surrounds you in music and song" and "the extras take you into the heart of Walt's studio."

The blu-ray is well done PLUS Disney went further and offered us a choice of how we could add it to our movie collections. We can choose the two blu-ray disc and DVD combo shown above or we can choose any one of the special packages shown below.  Personally, I've loving (but not yet owning) the wonderful Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs plush blu-ray gift set.

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Brenda

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The Prisoner, One Of The Best Blu-ray Movies of 2009

The Prisoner, One Of The Best Blu-ray Movies of 2009

A popular television series called The Prisoner from 1968 holds the next spot on Sound & Vision magazine's list of 10 top movies in 2009.

The Prisoner is the story of a man who resigned from a secret position only to be kidnapped from his home in London and taken to a place called The Village where individuals are referred to by number and held prisoner because of their specific knowledge. The Prisoner (or Number Six) tries to save his mind while struggling to figure out who Number One is and to escape.

Intrigued? I wouldn't be surprised if you are, I certainly am. However, maybe you are already aware of this series and maybe you are one of the individuals who have given this television series a cult-like following.

The Blu-ray contains all 17 episodes and four hours of bonus features which North Americans have never been privileged to see before. The disc is considered incredible with a sharp image and vivid colors.

Order your copy of The Prisoner from Amazon here.

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Brenda

Coraline, One Of The Best Blu-ray Movies of 2009

Coraline, One Of The Best Blu-ray Movies of 2009

The Star Trek Blu-ray movie was actually next on Sound & Vision's list of 10 top movies in 2009 but I have already written about that on my blog so I will not do so again today. If you want to see what I had to say about that Blu-ray, just click right here.

Next on the list then is Coraline. Coraline was an unusual Tim Burton-ish movie not by Tim Burton. I enjoyed it, as I do Tim Burton's films, and I called it 'delightfully creepy.' I'm not crazy about 3D and so we watched it in 2D. Interestingly, Sound & Vision recommends watching Coraline on Blu-ray in 2D instead of 3D and called it a "truly high-def experience of rich color and impressive detail."

Order your copy of Coraline from Amazon by clicking here. It is available in a wide assortment of formats including Prime Video, Blu-ray, DVD, 3D and 4K.

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Brenda


Wizard of Oz The Movie, One Of The Best Blu-ray Movies of 2009

Wizard of Oz The Movie, One Of The Best Blu-ray Movies of 2009

The Wizard of Oz is another excellent Blu-ray movie choice and it was the third movie that Sound & Vision magazine featured on their list of the 10 top movies on Blu-ray from 2009.

The Wizard of Oz is one movie that I and many individuals my age (which I'm not saying) watched every year, once a year, without fail. It is an iconic movie to me and one that had the potential to be one of the best-ever Blu-ray movies.

Thank goodness the studio did it properly. They gave the Wizard of Oz the Blu-ray transfer that it was deserving of and they did it as a 70th anniversary celebration. Sound & Vision said it was no less than "miraculously restored." What more could a lifelong fan ask for?

Find your copy of The Wizard of Oz by clicking here to Amazon where it is available on Blu-ray disc and DVD.

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Brenda


The Seventh Seal One of the Best Blu-ray Movies of 2009

The Seventh Seal Blu-ray Movies (2009)


The Seventh Seal was voted one of the best blu-ray movies by Sound & Vision magazine on their list of the 10 top movies on blu-ray from 2009.

The Seventh Seal is an iconic Swedish film by Ingmar Bergman from 1957 which is considered a classic film and which changed the boundaries of cinema. It is a Criterion movie which lives up to Criterion's reputation for top-quality blu-ray transfers.

Blu-ray.com says, "I have not seen anything like The Seventh Seal yet. A perfect presentation. Very highly recommended."

Find my full review of The Seventh Seal Blu-ray Special Edition here.

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Brenda

Up On Blu-ray Was One of the Best Blu-ray Movies of 2009

Disney Pixar's Up Animated Movie on Blu-ray Disc

Up was definitely one of the best Blu-ray movie releases of 2009. It featured right at the top of Sound & Vision magazine's list of the best Blu-ray movies of 2009 based on sound, vision and feature quality. Sound & Vision said that you could almost feel the texture in this film and that the sound, well, it was like a real presence in the room.

To find your copy of UP on Blu-ray disc and to read more about it, find it here on Amazon.

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Brenda

Paul Newman in Cool Hand Luke on Blu-ray

Paul Newman in Cool Hand Luke on Blu-ray

Cool Hand Luke is a 1967 Paul Newman movie that was nominated for four and won one Academy Award. It is one of Newman's most memorable performances and tops many all-time movie favorites lists.

The Cool Hand Luke Blu-ray? Well, it is reported to be quite good with an excellent video transfer and a not-quite-so-good audio. (It is mono only.) It does feature some great new features and, since it is a classic movie, is well worth considering on Blu-ray. Click here to buy Cool Hand Luke From Amazon.

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Brenda





The Videotape & Rare Movies

Did you know that there are many movies that did not make the transfer from VHS to DVD? I was surprised at the statistics. An article I read about a year ago from the Austin Chronicle said that a mere 25 percent of movies made before the advent of VHS were ever released on VHS and that only 50 percent of those movies that were released on VHS became available on DVD. That makes for a lot of lost film footage...

Some of the rare VHS movies that I know about were not blockbusters but they were important to many people. They include films like The Adventures of Dudley the Dragon, which many children grew up with in the 1990s; Miss Rose White, a Hallmark movie about Polish refugees; and Disney's Adventures in Wonderland, yet another unique take on Alice in Wonderland.

Fortunately, some important films like Barbra Streisand's Yentl did finally, finally make it to DVD.

What movie would you like to see on DVD that hasn't already been transferred?

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Brenda



A Very Unlucky Leprechaun Movie Review

A Very Unlucky Leprechaun Movie Review
Yesterday, I was doing a bit of research on movies featuring Leprechauns. I chose to ignore the modern series of Leprechaun movies because I was looking for nice, family-frendly movies.

I found seven movies that sound interesting and created a page about them called Looking For A Family Friendly Leprechaun Movie For St. Patrick's Day. I also created a page about The Magical Legend of the Leprechauns which gives a more indepth discussion of that particular leprechaun movie.

One of the movies that I found intriguing was A Very Unlucky Leprechaun. The story is of a 9-year old named Molly who moves with her dad into a house that they inherit and which is known to bring bad luck to everyone who lives in it. Of course, they are soon under the curse and are unable to pay the taxes. Molly discovers a leprechaun who it turns out, is also down on his luck. He needs to eat a four-leaf clover and he has not had one for more than a hundred years. But, as the cover states, luck can change in the twinkle of an eye...

All of the Amazon customer reviews are positive, with comments like "It will make you laugh, how this Leprachaun brings bad luck, not good to a girl who has just moved to a small town," "My girls (ages 9 and 6) watched this movie for the first time and fell in love with it," and "It has just every thing I could wish for in a film like this; I do so LOVE this film!"

The combination of three items ~~ the positive comments, the humor and the intriguing cover art ~~ means that I am definitely adding this one to my watch list.

How about you? Do you have a favorite leprechaun film?

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Brenda

Quick Links:

Buy A Very Unlucky Leprechaun from Amazon.
The Magical Legend of the Leprechauns Movie Review

The Big Bang Theory: The Complete Series on Blu-ray

The Big Bang Theory The Complete Series Blu-ray
Funnily enough for a person who sees a fair number of movies, I am not always very up-to-date on my television shows and every now and then one of my friends introduces me to a new one.

This time my friend Dianne is trying to convince me to watch Big Bang Theory, the television series which is available on Blu-ray and DVD. She says that it is about two geeky, young and socially inept physicists who are both professors. The world of these two men is changed when they meet a beautiful blonde waitress and the mix of these three individuals is a catalyst for the humor in the show.

Find your copy of The Big Bang Theory: The Complete Series on Blu-ray and DVD by clicking right here.

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Brenda


The Time Traveler's Wife Blu-ray Movie Review

The Time Traveler's Wife Blu-ray Movie Review

The Time Traveler's Wife movie was the ultimate in romantic movies, perfect for Valentine's Day or for anytime when you want to see a chick flick. Definitely a woman's movie, I do not mean to imply that it will not appeal to the men in your life.

I am certain that my husband and my 16-year old son would not have picked this movie for themselves but they picked it for me on Valentine's Day and I appreciated their generosity in doing so. However, when the movie was over my son said, without any prompting from me, that it was a good movie.

Tonight at suppertime we discussed the movie a bit more and my husband added his confirmation that he did enjoy the movie so don't let the fact that this is a love story put you and your male folk off. If your husband is fairly broad minded and enjoys a wide variety of movies, he just might enjoy this one. Not, of course, that it would ever be his first choice.

Find your copy of The Time Traveler's Wife here on Amazon. You will find it on Prime Video, Blu-ray and DVD. 

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Brenda

Alice TV Mini Series (2009) Movie Review

Was the Alice TV mini series that aired in December, 2009, weird enough for you? It certainly was a unique two-part movie that appealed to a fair number of people. A modern version of Alice's world. (Check out the number of five-star reviews from Amazon's customers.)

I watched it and would concur that it was unusual, as Wonderland was originally intended. My 16-year old son watched it and enjoyed it.

If you saw it, I cannot help but wonder what you thought of it. (Make sure you let me know by leaving me a comment in the box below.)

If you did not see it when it aired on television in December of 2009 but you are curious about it, you can read a slightly longer review at my new page, Alice TV Mini Series (2009) Movie Review.

If you loved Alice and are simply looking to buy your own copy, I suggest you check out Amazon, where the blu-ray and DVD versions are available, already deeply discounted, for pre-order for shipping on March 2nd, 2010, the release date.

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Brenda

Quick Links:

Order your own copy of the Alice TV Mini Series (2009) from Amazon.
Read my movie review of Alice, the miniseries.

2010 Vancouver Olympic Winter Games

Tonight's movie is not exactly a movie but rather the opening of the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Winter Games...three of us here tonight watching the teams come into the stadium at B.C. Place in Vancouver and wondering how the entire Olympics will go. It is an exciting time here in Canada although we are saddened by the loss in practice today of the young Luge athlete from Georgia.

Unusual for me to feature a book on this blog, but it seems appropriate to highlight this one, The Complete Book of the Winter Olympics, 2010 Edition. Amazon, of course, has an interesting and fairly extensive line of 2010 Winter Olympic merchandise available, which you can visit by clicking right here.

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at the Olympics!
Brenda

Quick Link:


Do You Still Own Any VHS Videotapes?



Do You Still Own Any VHS Videotapes?
Are you hanging onto any videotapes? There are certainly some rare ones worth keeping. Movies and films that have never been released on DVD and may never be...

Are you aware that:
  • Only approximately 25 percent of movies that were filmed before VHS were ever released on VHS videotape.
  • And only about 50 percent of the films that were transferred to VHS were ever released on DVD.
That means a large number of films never made it to VHS and only half of the ones that did were ever released on DVD.

Are you still hanging onto any videotapes?

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Brenda


Valentine's Day Movie Soundtrack

Valentine's Day Movie Soundtrack

Still stuck on what to give your lady friend for Valentine's Day? I recommend a romantic movie soundtrack like the Valentine's Day movie soundtrack.

Adrienne Jenkins, formerly of Top Movie Soundtracks, calls this soundtrack a "a delicious box office bon bon." It features a fantastic mix of musicians including Taylor Swift, Willie Nelson, Jewel, Amy Winehouse, Maroon 5, Joss Stone, Nat King Cole and Steel Magnolia as well as a host of other artists that I do not recognize but that you might.

I'd recommend you assemble a 'pink' gift with a pair of movie tickets to see Valentine's Day and a copy of this CD. What a lovely movie-themed Valentine's Day gift...and she will think you dreamed it up all by yourself.

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at the movies.
Brenda

Quick Links:

Buy the Valentine's Day movie soundtrack CD from Amazon.
Download music from Valentine's Day for your MP3 player from Amazon.



French Kiss Movie & Soundtrack, Perfect Valentine's Day Choices

French Kiss Movie Soundtrack

Many, many years ago, in 1995 to be exact, the movie French Kiss came out. It was a movie that I really wanted to see with my husband.

In 1995, however, we were the parents of two children under the age of five and my husband had a job that required quite a bit of travelling. Needless to say, we never made it to the movie theatre to see this movie and we even had a hard time watching it together at home.

Such a hard time, in fact, that I eventually gave up waiting for him and watched it on my own. He was incredulous when he heard that I had watched it without him and I felt bad (for years, LOL.)

It is an excellent movie, one worth watching with your husband if he is willing and my purpose for bringing it up here is to recommend it to you as a potential romantic movie for Valentine's Day.

At the same time, I really want to recommend the French Kiss movie soundtrack. It is a quintessential French soundtrack filled with songs like 'La Vie en Rose' by Louis Armstrong, 'I Love Paris' by Ella Fitzgerald and 'Someone Like You' by Van Morrison. It is absolutely my all-time favorite CD (unless I am looking for something louder) and one that my husband slips into the CD player whenever we are having a special dinner, even with teenage boys hanging about. You just might like to slide it into your CD player for your romantic Valentine's Day dinner.

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at the movies.
Brenda

Quick Links:

Buy the French Kiss DVD from Amazon. (Sorry it is NOT available yet on blu-ray.)
Buy the French Kiss movie soundtrack from Amazon.


Comfort TV: Movies For Women On Valentine's Day

We have all heard of comfort food but have you heard of comfort TV? That's what you call it when you settle in to watch a romantic movie and your husband (or whomever) gently and lovingly massages your feet.

If you are a member of the male species reading this and looking for a movie for that special woman in your life, you might want to consider The Time Traveler's Wife blu-ray or DVD which is available February 10th, just in time for Valentine's Day. (And if you are a movie-loving female, you just might want to order it for yourself.)

An old-fashioned romance with a twist, The Time Traveler's Wife is, according to the product description, a "gloriously romantic story of the journey of two hearts." A drama, this movie is recommended for anyone who enjoys romance, science fiction and time travel. An even better gift, in my mind, would be the movie coupled with the book...

Admittedly, I have not seen the movie but I did read and love the book and I am really looking forward to seeing the movie. I don't suppose my husband might be reading this? You could forward it to him and then he would get the hint...and his Valentine's Day shopping difficulties would be taken care of. Never mind, maybe I will send it to him myself.

See you
at the movies.
Brenda

Quick Links:

Click here to order your copy of The Time Traveler's Wife from Amazon.
Click here to see Amazon's collection of romantic blu-ray movies.

How Do You Spell Bluray?

Confused about how to spell blu-ray? I can understand if you are as I certainly was when I first started learning about this new technology.

That's not to say that a search for 'blue-ray' will not bring up any quality information (Heck, Google actually shows my most popular page in fifth place based on that incorrect spelling.)

So, if you are searching for information on blu-ray, be it movies, players or general information, you CAN search for blue-ray, blue ray or bluray and you will find lots of information. You can, however, choose to spell it correctly as blu-ray, without an 'e', with a hyphen and with a lowercase 'r.'

I cannot help but think that looking for the best information on blu-ray will be easier if you start with the correct spelling.

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Brenda

Photo courtesy of Creations du Net.

Clint Eastwood's Gran Torino Blu-ray Movie

Clint Eastwood's Gran Torino Blu-ray Movie

The original theme song from Gran Torino by Jamie Cullum reminded me today of how I enjoyed Clint Eastwood's Gran Torino movie. The movie is not really about the car (although the car is HOT) but rather is about a grumpy old widower who is estranged from his family and eventually develops a relationship with his neighbors, a Hmong family, who live in his evolving neighborhood.

If you haven't seen Clint Eastwood's Gran Torino, I do recommend it with the caution that it is an R rated movie because of violence. There were definitely moments that made me uncomfortable. The violence, however, is not gratuitous and the story, well, let's just say that it will make you make you cringe, it will make you sad and it will make you happy.

A simple but powerful story, well executed with an excellent Blu-ray transfer that just happens to feature an iconic actor in the perfect role.

Find your copy of Gran Torino by clicking here to Amazon where it is available in a wide variety of formats including Prime Video, Blu-ray and DVD.

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Brenda

Anne Frank Blu-ray Movies

Anne Frank Blu-ray Movies

Recently, I wrote a page about our visit to Anne Frank's House in Amsterdam last summer and that page inspired another one called Anne Frank Movie Reviews on DVD and Blu-ray. This second page is about many of the top-rated Anne Frank movies and documentaries that have been made.

After I did some research, I managed to gather six of these films together and watch them. While there was some repetition, it was definitely worth watching them all. Discover my page, Anne Frank Movie and Documentary Reviews here.

You might also like to join us on our visit to Anne Frank's House by clicking here.

Anne Frank Remembered as shown here, includes "vintage newsreels, photographs and even a rare home movie." Find it by clicking here to Amazon where it is available on Prime Video, Blu-ray, DVD and even VHS.


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Brenda


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John Wayne Movies on Blu-ray

Okay, Susan52, I reckon it is all your fault. At your recommendation, we watched John Wayne's True Grit and we loved it. Now you have me wondering what else with John Wayne that we could watch along the same vein and how it would measure up.

Of course, I looked first for a John Wayne blu-ray boxed set and found none. I did find a number of interesting John Wayne boxed sets on DVD including the one shown here, the John Wayne Western Collection.

I did, however, find five blu-ray movies featuring John Wayne including Rio Bravo, The Cowboys, The Green Berets, The Longest Day and The Searchers all of which are available from Amazon at discounted prices by clicking right here and Rio Bravo is listed at an amazing $7.99.

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Brenda


True Grit Movie Remake Coming in 2010

A friend pointed out that True Grit is being remade this year. With a scheduled release date of December 25, 2010, that leaves you and I lots of time to schedule our viewing of the original.

Not necessarily my ordinary choice of movie but, as I've said before, I'm up for trying a lot of different movie genres. This 1969 Western film starred John Wayne as the infamous Rooster Cogburn. As a matter of fact, Wayne won the Academy Award for Best Actor in this film.

Apparently, the book by Charles Portis is good as well so, if you like the movie, you might want to check out the book, too.

So if you'll excuse me now, I'm off to check out the movie with my teenage son. I'll be back.

See you
at the movies.
Brenda

Quick Links

Buy your copy of True Grit on DVD.
Buy the book True Grit by Charles Portis.

Best Blu-ray Movies of 2008: A List

Best Blu-ray Movies of 2008: A List
Wondering what were the best Blu-ray movies of 2008? Well, from the point of view of quality of vision, sound and extras, Sound and Vision Magazine ranked the best Blu-ray releases of 2008 as follows:

WALL-E
Batman: The Dark Knight
Iron Man
Baraka
A Passage To India
The Third Man
Mad Men: Season 1
The Godfather: The Coppola Restoration
James Bond Dr. No
Lost: Season 4, The Expanded Experience

I have not seen them all but I do think Batman: The Dark Knight was an excellent choice. I remember thinking I took more away from watching the movie in my home theatre than I did from watching it at the movie theatre.

What about you? What were your top picks of the best Blu-ray movies available in 2008?

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Brenda

2001 A Space Odyssey Blu-ray Movie

Stanley Kubrick's 2001 A Space Odyssey Blu-ray Movie

Some people consider 2001: A Space Odyssey to be one of the most important movies in science fiction history, even if it is not a film that appeals to everyone. The special effects have stood up well to the test of time and the movie was given a great transfer to Blu-ray. A reviewer on DVDTown.com, which does not seem to be available anymore, said the sound was "so good it tingled his heart." Besides such great quality, the disc also features extensive special effects.

It was one of the Blu-ray movies discussed on my very first Blu-ray movie list, Top 10 Blu-ray Movies For Best Picture & Sound Quality, and it has proven to be surprisingly popular. Even if you are not usually taken by science fiction films, you should check this Blu-ray disc out to see what it is about.

Order your copy of 2001: A Space Odyssey here on Amazon where you will find it available on Prime Video, Blu-ray and DVD.

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Brenda


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