New Blu-ray Reviews

Africa's Lost Eden Blu-ray Movie  

National Geographic | 2010 | 50 min | Not rated | Apr 13, 2010 | Jeffrey Kauffman

This National Geographic documentary journeys deep into the heart of Mozambique to chronicle the resurgence of Gorongosa National Park, a formerly idyllic wildlife sanctuary devastated by the country's long civil war. Charting the efforts of conservationists to revitalize the park, the film gets up close and personal with zebras, wildebeests, elephants, hippos and other critters as they roam Gorongosa's breathtaking landscape.

Documentary / Nature

Hiromi Kanda: Hiromi in Love Blu-ray Movie  

Alternative Distribution Alliance | 120 min | May 25, 2010 | Jeffrey Kauffman

Hiromi Kanda. Honolulu Symphony Orchestra.

Music

Passchendaele Blu-ray Movie    

High Fliers | 2008 | 114 min | Rated BBFC: 15 | Jan 25, 2010 | Dr. Svet Atanasov

Follows the exploits of Canadian soldiers leading up to one of the key battles of World War I that was fought over nearly four months in 1917.

Drama / History / Romance / War

Michael Bolton: Live at the Royal Albert Hall Blu-ray Movie  

Eagle Rock Entertainment | 2010 | 110 min | Not rated | May 04, 2010 | Dr. Svet Atanasov

Recorded at the famed venue in October 2009, this 110-minute Blu-ray offers an array of tunes, spanning Michael Bolton's 25-year career.

Music

Dune Blu-ray Movie  

Universal Studios | 1984 | 137 min | Rated PG-13 | Apr 27, 2010 | Jeffrey Kauffman

A Duke's son leads desert warriors against the galactic emperor and his father's evil nemesis when they assassinate his father and free their desert world from the emperor's rule.

Action / Adventure / Fantasy / Sci-Fi / Epic

Scenic Walks Around the World: Historic Pathways Blu-ray Movie  

Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy

Questar | 2009 | 117 min | Not rated | Apr 20, 2010 | Jeffrey Kauffman

Machu Picchu, Italy, France, the Great Wall of China.

Documentary / History / Nature / Other

Mona Lisa Smile Blu-ray Movie  

Sony Pictures | 2003 | 119 min | Rated PG-13 | Feb 02, 2010 | Martin Liebman

In 1953, a time when women's roles were rigidly defined, free-spirited, novice art history professor Katherine Ann Watson (Julia Roberts) begins teaching at the prestigious all-female Wellesley College--which despite its academic reputation, is an environment where success is measured by 'how well' the students marry. Encouraging these women to strive for a more enlightened future, Watson challenges the administration and inspires her students to look beyond the image of what is, and consider the possibilities of what could be--contrary to popular belief.

Comedy / Drama / Romance

Dirty Harry Collection Blu-ray Movie  

Dirty Harry / Magnum Force / The Enforcer / Sudden Impact / The Dead Pool

Warner Bros. | 1971-1988 | 5 Movies | 530 min | Rated R | Feb 16, 2010 | Kenneth Brown

See individual titles for their synopses. Clint Eastwood plays the intrepid San Francisco Police Department Inspector "Dirty" Harry Callahan. Box set contains all five movies in the series: Dirty Harry (1971), Magnum Force (1973), The Enforcer (1976), Sudden Impact (1983 - directed by Eastwood himself) and The Dead Pool (1988).

Action / Crime / Drama / Film-Noir / Mystery / Thriller

NOVA: Becoming Human Blu-ray Movie  

PBS | 2009 | 180 min | Not rated | Feb 09, 2010 | Casey Broadwater

Nothing is more fascinating to us than, well, us. NOVA's groundbreaking investigation explores how new discoveries are transforming views of our earliest ancestors. Featuring interviews with renowned scientists, footage shot as fossils were unearthed, and stunning computer-generated animation, Becoming Human brings early hominids to life, examining how they lived and how we became the creative and adaptable modern humans of today.

Documentary

Danton Blu-ray Movie    

Gaumont | 1983 | 136 min | Rated U Tous publics | Feb 09, 2010 | Dr. Svet Atanasov

Action opens in November of 1793, with Danton returning to Paris from his country retreat upon learning that the Committee for Public Safety, under Robespierre's incitement, has begun a series of massive executions, The Terror. Confident in the peoples' support, Danton clashes with his former ally, but calculating Robespierre soon rounds up Danton and his followers, tries them before a revolutionary tribunal and dipatches them to the guillotine.

Biography / Drama / History / Foreign

Nine Blu-ray Movie  

Sony Pictures | 2009 | 119 min | Rated PG-13 | May 04, 2010 | Martin Liebman

'Nine' is a vibrant and provocative musical that follows the life of world famous film director Guido Contini as he reaches a creative and personal crisis of epic proportion, while balancing the numerous women in his life including his wife, his mistress, his film star muse, his confidant and costume designer, an American fashion journalist, the whore from his youth and his mother.

Drama / Musical / Romance

The Italian Job Blu-ray Movie  

Paramount Pictures | 2003 | 111 min | Rated PG-13 | Oct 24, 2006 | Kenneth Brown

The plan was flawless, the job executed perfectly and the escape clean. The only threat mastermind thief Charlie Croker never saw coming was from a member of his own crew. After pulling off an amazing gold bullion heist from a heavily guarded palazzo in Venice, Italy, Charlie and his gang — inside man Steve, computer genius Lyle, wheelman Handsome Rob, explosives expert Left-Ear and veteran safecracker Bridger — can't believe it when one of them turns out to be a double-crosser. Now, with the help of Stella, a beautiful nerves-of-steel safecracker, they plan to re-steal the gold by tapping into Los Angeles' traffic control system, manipulating signals and creating the biggest traffic jam in L.A. history.

Action / Adventure / Crime / Thriller / Heist

The Bucket List Blu-ray Movie  

Warner Bros. | 2007 | 97 min | Rated PG-13 | Jun 10, 2008 | Casey Broadwater

Corporate billionaire Edward Cole and working class mechanic Carter Chambers are worlds apart. At a crossroads in their lives, they share a hospital room and discover they have two things in common: a desire to spend the time they have left doing everything they ever wanted to do before they "kick the bucket" and an unrealized need to come to terms with who they are. Together they embark on the road trip of a lifetime, becoming friends along the way and learning to live life to the fullest.

Adventure / Comedy / Drama

Straightheads Blu-ray Movie    

Verve Pictures | 2007 | 77 min | Rated BBFC: 18 | Mar 22, 2010 | Dr. Svet Atanasov

A parable of rebirth, in which a middle class couple are subjected to an horrific assault, and embark on a spree of random violence themselves in an attempt to allow themselves to recover by negating their own consciences.

Drama / Horror / Thriller / Psychological thriller

Phantom Punch Blu-ray Movie  

Screen Media | 2009 | 104 min | Rated R | Mar 23, 2010 | Dustin Somner

Chronicles Sonny Liston's rise to fame as a boxer and the "phantom punch" he took at the hands of Cassius Clay (Muhammand Ali) that led to the demise of his career.

Biography / Drama / Sport

Flight of the Intruder Blu-ray Movie  

Lionsgate Films | 1991 | 115 min | Rated PG-13 | Apr 06, 2010 | Dustin Somner

Lt. Jake Grafton, a U.S. Navy pilot who has become cynical about the current state of military affairs, is convinced that if the Vietnam War were left to the soldiers rather than the politicians overseeing the Pentagon, United States victory would be swift and assured. Grafton shares this opinion with Virgil Cole, a supremely confident new pilot under his command, and together they commandeer an A-6 Bomber, known as The Intruder, for an unauthorized bombing raid against Hanoi.

Action / War

The Drawn Together Movie: The Movie! Blu-ray Movie  

Paramount Pictures | 2010 | 71 min | Not rated | Apr 20, 2010 | Martin Liebman

Eight housemates on a fake animated reality TV show realize they've been canceled and set off on a journey to get back on the air

Action / Animation / Comedy / Mystery

NFL Super Bowl XLIV Champions: New Orleans Saints Blu-ray Movie  

Warner Bros. | 2010 | 75 min | Not rated | Mar 09, 2010 | Martin Liebman

The AFC champion Indianapolis Colts and the NFC champion New Orleans Saints meet for the championship of the National Football League.

Sport

Dirty Dancing Blu-ray Movie  

Twentieth Anniversary

Lionsgate Films | 1987 | 100 min | Rated PG-13 | May 08, 2007 | Martin Liebman

In the summer of 1963, innocent 17-year-old Baby vacations with her parents at a Catskill's resort. One evening, she is drawn to the staff quarters by stirring music. There, she meets Johnny, the hotel dance instructor, who is as experienced as Baby is naive. Baby soon becomes Johnny's pupil in dance and love.

Drama / Music / Romance / Teen / Coming of age

Incognito: Live in London - The 30th Anniversary Concert Blu-ray Movie  

in-akustik | 2009 | 210 min | Not rated | Apr 20, 2010 | Jeffrey Kauffman

In a staggering set lasting almost three hours, the group traverses through 23 songs barely stopping long enough to catch their collective breath.

Music