Marketing can make or break a file, and in some cases, change the way a film is initially perceived. Such is the case with today's Blu-ray release of
The Adjustment Bureau, where a post-
Inception landscape forced marketers to focus on the entire "reality isn't real" aspects of the film, even though core theme is a love story that will appeal more to fans of
The Notebook than of Christopher Nolan's aforementioned masterpiece.
For the
The Adjustment Bureau Blu-ray review , staff reviewer Kenneth Brown commented, "Your personal appreciation and enjoyment of The Adjustment Bureau is most likely going to be geared more than usual to your expectations of what kind of film you think you're about to see." He continues, "If… you want nothing more than an OK chick flick, with lovers fighting against impossible (and even supernatural) odds, you'll probably find a lot to like in The Adjustment Bureau, despite its logical deficiencies and tonal imbalances."
When released,
Taken was a surprise box office hit, grossing nearly ten times its budget worldwide. So it was no surprise that when trailers were released for Liam Neeson's
Unknown, it looked very much in the same style as
Taken, though it shares most of its theme with an even more popular action film -
The Borne Identity. Even though the film takes its influences from two highly regarded films, it fails to meet the same level of refinement action fans have come to expect.
Staff reviewer Kenneth Brown commented in his
Unknown Blu-ray review , "It's fun, twisty and entertaining, sure. But it's also fairly forgettable; another convoluted genre pic bolstered by terrific performances. Sadly, plot holes, leaps in logic and unhinged implausibility prevents it from being much more. Luckily, Warner's Blu-ray release is a different matter altogether. While its supplemental package is a near-barebones bore, its AV presentation is a near-perfect stunner worthy of its thriller roots."
Rome fans will recall the very first episode, where Vorenus and Pullo set out to find the stolen Aquila. Now, if you take that episode, remove the political drama, and stretch the story to two hours, you get
The Eagle, which is out today on Blu-ray. The film never gained traction in the box office, but makes a decent addition to anyone's collection who appreciates Roman drama.
For the
The Eagle Blu-ray review , staff reviewer Kenneth Brown concluded, "There's something refreshing about The Eagle's minimalism. It doesn't revel in excess, doesn't stray too far from its source and doesn't try to rise above its means." He continues, "Armed with a faithful video transfer and an able-bodied DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track, The Eagle doesn't go into the night as quietly as it might otherwise."
And of course, any fan of Michael Bay's over-the-top thematic need to pick up a copy of
The Island today. No, Bay doesn't make the deepest or artsy films out there, but they sure are fun to watch! So get yourself a few cold ones, pop a bag of popcorn, and enjoy the ride.
Staff reviewer Martin Liebman commented in his
The Island Blu-ray review , "Like the best of Science Fiction, its future storyline hauntingly rings as plausibly true both today and in the near future, and it's accentuated by incredible action pieces that only Michael Bay can achieve. Despite a few flaws -- it's overlong, primarily -- The Island holds up not as a treasure of cinema or anything of the sort, but as a commendable all-around effort that's sure to withstand the test of time. Paramount's Blu-ray release of The Island features strong technical presentations and a handful of extras."