Blu-Ray Movies

Four years before he revived and elevated the Western in Stagecoach, director John Ford guided this atmospheric melodrama to multiple Academy Awards, proving that his underlying skills as a storyteller, visual designer, and dramatic guide didn’t need epic scale, sweeping action, or favorite star John Wayne to achieve dramatic impact. Based on Liam O’Flaherty’s novel set during the Sinn Fein rebellion in 1922, Dudley Nichols’s script offers an intimate portrait of Gypo Nolan, a violent, alcoholic Dubliner who betrays a friend (Wallace Ford) for £20, setting in motion a downward spiral of fear, anger, and drunken oblivion.

The Imposter captures Ford and filmmaking at an evolutionary balance point between the purer visual storytelling of silent film and the emerging literary possibilities of sound: on the one hand, Ford paints a nocturnal Dublin of deep shadows and billowing fog in which his characters are placed in pointed tableaux, and project their actions and attitudes with stylized, theatrical gestures that seem naive alongside later, more naturalistic films; on the other, the director pushes his star, Victor McLaglen, past traditional stagecraft toward a truly harrowing, authentic performance. Pauline Kael has noted the Hollywood legend that Ford induced McLaglen’s Oscar-winning turn by keeping him too drunk to embellish his work. Whatever the cause, the actor achieves a lumbering, out-of-control power that traces the rage, confusion, and ultimate despair that Nolan’s descent describes. That gripping performance is the film’s most modern aspect and riveting dramatic hook and more than justifies watching. –Sam Sutherland

One of the big Elizabethan-era films of 1998, Shekhar Kapur’s Elizabeth serves up a brimming goblet of religious tension, political conspiracy, sex, violence, and war. England in 1554 is in financial and religious turmoil as the ailing Queen “Bloody” Mary attempts to restore Catholicism as the national faith. She has no heir, and her greatest fear–that her Protestant half-sister Elizabeth will assume the throne after her death–is realized. Still, the late Queen Mary has her loyalists. The newly crowned Elizabeth finds herself knee-deep in dethroning schemes while also dodging assassination attempts. Her advisers (including Sir William Cecil, superbly played by Richard Attenborough) beg her to marry any one of her would-be suitors to stabilize England’s empire. No matter that she already has a lover. The passionate Robert Dudley (Joseph Fiennes) is married, however, and shows he cannot stand up to the growing strength of the Queen. With the help of her aide Walsingham (Geoffrey Rush), Elizabeth strikes against her enemies before they get to her first. But her rise ultimately entails rejecting love and marriage to redefine herself as the indisputable Virgin Queen.

Cate Blanchett’s Oscar-nominated performance as the naive and vibrant princess who becomes the stubborn and knowing queen is both severe and sympathetic. Her ethereal, pale beauty is equal parts fire and ice, her delivery of such lines as “There will be only one mistress here and no master!” expressed with command rather than hysterics. As striking as Blanchett’s performance is the film’s lavish and dramatic production design. The cold, dark sets paired with the lush costuming show the golden age of England’s monarchy emerging from the Middle Ages. Rich velvet brushes over the dank stones while power is achieved at any price, and with such attention to physical detail, Elizabeth fully immerses you into its compelling chronicle of pioneering feminism and revisionist history. –Shannon Gee

A history of love and death. – Full Mini-series

This is the official Korean Blu-ray of Bong Joon-ho’s 2009 film “MOTHER”. It is Region A and will play on all American and Asian Blu-ray players. The film is in Korean with English subtitles (special features may not be subtitled)

The most critically acclaimed Korean film of 2009, MOTHER tells the story of a widowed mother who lives alone with her only son. He is a 28 year-old shy and quiet young man. In the aftermath of a terrible murder, the woman’s hopeless, helpless son becomes the prime suspect. There is no real evidence against him, but the police throw groundless suspicion at him simply because there is no way he can prove his innocence. Eager to close the case, the police are happy with their cursory investigation and arrest the boy. His defense attorney turns out to be incompetent and unreliable, making a conviction seem inevitable. Faced with no other choice, his mother gets involved, determined to prove her son’s innocence.

One of the world’s biggest and best live bands release an incredible document of their return to Madison Square Garden, New York City’s most iconic venue. 19 years to the day after the band first performed there, they returned to the same stage for the last date of their historic Lost Highway tour, officially the biggest tour on the planet in 2008. Created by award winning Director, Anthony M. Bongiovi and shot with 23 High Definition cameras, Live From Madison Square Garden features a career spanning set list including “Have A Nice Day”, “Always”, “Wanted Dead Or Alive”, “Livin On A Prayer” and even a cover of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” that Cohen himself rates as his favourite version. This is a snapshot of a band 25 years into a record breaking career and still hitting their peak in the live arena.

The Blu-ray version contains a special extra, filmmaker Phil Griffin’s recently released Bon Jovi documentary When We Were Beautiful. Following the band on 2008′s world tour and panning back through their history, it is a fascinating insight into the workings, art, camaraderie, ups and downs of a truly megastar rock band.

bluray3.com”title=”blu-ray” >Blu-ray Plus Combo Pack-

In addition to the Blu-ray disc, this combo pack also includes:

1. DVD version of the program(s) that you can play in your DVD player, vehicle or computer.

2. Digital copy of the program that you can download to your computer and/or transfer to your mobile devices.

Program One: Our Dramatic Planet: Kilimanjaro s Kibo Summit, New Zealand s Hollyford Track, and Grand Canyon – Kilimanjaro is not only the highest mountain in Africa, it is also one of the biggest volcanoes on Earth, covering an area of approximately 9.6 million acres. At 19,340 feet, the Kibo Summit is the highest point in Africa and the goal of just about every Kilimanjaro trekker. Step into the most beautiful hiking adventure in New Zealand: Hollyford Track sits near Milford Sound on New Zealand s South Island. The hike there promises you everything from snow-capped mountains and glaciers, to rainforests, rivers and waterfalls, to sand-dunes, reefs and surf. The dramatic diversity of wildlife in this valley is unparalleled, a world unto itself. Nearly five million people visit the mile deep Grand Canyon each year–yet most of them see it from their car. Here we take a deeper look into the Canyon as the world s top HD cinematographers take you deep inside one of nature s great wonders. Over 6 million years ago, the deep-cutting waters of the Colorado River began to carve out the Canyon.

Program Two – Romance With Nature: Ireland s Dingle Way, Alaska s Chilkoot Pass, and Austria s Salzkammergut – Situated in the remote south west of Ireland, the Dingle Way is one of over thirty Irish long-distance walking trails. The trail is 111 miles long and takes an average of eight-nine days to walk. The diversity of different landscapes makes the Dingle Way a very popular trail to many. Then, we see Alaska s most famous trail and its most historic. Alaska s Chilkoot Trail spans thirty-three miles and reveals a storied history of early prospectors, as part of the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park. Finally, we travel to a popular destination in Austria–Salzkammergut, a diverse region of sparkling lakes and thick, forested hills flanked by small romantic towns and villages.

The “Nut Up or Shut Up” Special Edition includes bonus DVD featuring “Shootin’ Zombies with Ruben Fleischer” and behind-the-scenes footage.

Nerdy college student Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg) has survived the plague that has turned mankind into flesh-devouring zombies because hes scared of just about everything. Gun-toting, Twinkie-loving Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson) has no fears. Together, they are about to stare down their most horrifying challenge yet: each other’s company. Emma Stone and Abigail Breslin co-star in this double-hitting, head-smashing comedy.

This recording commemorates the 50th anniversary of Joaquín Achúcarro’s debut with the London Symphony Orchestra after winning the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic International Competition in 1959. Recorded at Jerwood Hall, St Luke’s, London, with Britain’s eminent conductor Colin Davis at the helm, Achúcarro delivers a consummate performance that brilliantly expresses his delicate and passionate style. Extra features include a substantial documentary about Achúcarro s career and performances of solo piano pieces by Brahms, Chopin, Scriabin and Albéniz filmed in the beautiful setting of the Prado museum.

From the mega-hitmakers who produced and directed The Rock and Pearl Harbor comes Armageddon. And now, these mind-blowing action-adventure explodes on Blu-ray for the first time ever! Bruce Willis (Surrogates, Sin City) and Academy Award winners Ben Affleck (1997, Best Original Screenplay, Good Will Hunting) and Billy Bob Thornton (1996, Best Adapted Screenplay, Sling Blade) head an all-star cast that incudes Liv Tyler (The Lord of the Rings trilogy), Steve Buscemi (Con Air) and Will Patton (Gone in 60 Seconds). When NASA’s director (Thornton) realizes the Earth has 18 days before it’s destroyed by a metor the size of Texas, he has only one option; land a ragtag team of roughneck oil drillers on the asteroid and drop a nuke into its core. With spectacular special effects, laugh out loud humor, a riveting story and a rockin’ soundtrack featuring Aerosmith and Bon Jovi, this adrenaline-pumping thrill ride now boasts the staggeringly intense picture and incomparable theater quality sound of Blu-ray high definitition. Bonus Features include: Aerosmith’s music video I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing, theatrical trailer, teaser trailer.

A psychopath nicknamed Buffalo Bill is murdering women across the Midwest. Believing it takes one to know one, the FBI sends Agent Clarice Starling (Foster) to interview a demented prisoner who may provide clues to the killer’s actions. That prisoner is psychiatrist Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Hopkins), a brilliant, diabolical cannibal who agrees to help Starling only if she’ll feed his morbid curiosity with details of her own complicated life. As their relationship develops, Starling is forced to confront not only her own hidden demons, but also an evil so powerful that she may not have the courage or strength to stop it!

Region Free French Import Blu-ray

Released almost exactly 11 years after Clint Eastwood’s Unforgiven, Kevin Costner’s Open Range proved yet again that the Western is the classic American genre. While it lacks the thematic impact of Eastwood’s masterpiece, Costner’s first film since 1997′s ill-fated The Postman returns the actor/director of Dances With Wolves to the open prairies of America–in this case the free-range frontier of 1882–where legal “free-grazing” cattle drives were falling prey to empire-building land-owners. In the wake of territorial murder, free-grazing cowboys Boss (Robert Duvall) and Charley (Costner) seek vengeful justice against the ruthless rancher (Michael Gambon) who threatens their law-abiding survival. A feisty ally (the late Michael Jeter, in his next-to-final film role) and a doctor’s sister (Annette Bening) offer support during climactic shootouts, masterfully staged with the shock and suddenness of real-life gunfire. Rich in character development and thick-hided humor, this handsome production redeemed Costner’s directorial career with a well-told story (by Craig Storper, based on Lauran Paine’s novel The Open Range Men), flawless performances, and stunning Canadian locations. –Jeff Shannon

Follow the epic twists and turns of LOST as it is time for our characters to finally learn their ultimate destiny in LOST, The Final Season.

The nervous charisma of indie leading man Jesse Eisenberg (The Squid and the Whale, Adventureland) carries The Education of Charlie Banks, a story of doomed ambition, hopeless yearning, and lingering guilt. When teenaged Charlie Banks (Eisenberg) witnessed a handsome bully named Mick (Jason Ritter, Freddy Vs. Jason) beat up two other boys, he tells the police–but then, feeling like a rat, withdraws his testimony so that Mick gets released. A few years later, when Mick suddenly appears at Charlie’s dorm for a visit, Charlie lives in dread that his betrayal will be revealed. But as Mick successfully woos the girl Charlie’s in love with, Charlie and Mick grown enmeshed in mutual envy and reluctant admiration. The Education of Charlie Banks aspires to be a preppy version of The Great Gatsby (just to make that clear, the characters twice make references to F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic novel), peppered with philosophical allusions to Hannah Arendt and Jacques Derrida. Unfortunately, despite Charlie and Mick’s backstory, these kids just don’t have enough of a past to seem driven or haunted–they just flounder like any other bunch of boozing, horny college students. Mick comes across as a junior-varsity Tom Ripley, more stalker than star-crossed. Still, it’s a surprisingly smooth-flowing movie from Fred Durst, the former lead singer of rap-metal band Limp Bizkit. Also featuring Eva Amurri (Saved!). –Bret Fetzer

Get to Know the Cast From The Education of Charlie Banks

Eva Amurri (Mary)

Jason Ritter (Mick)

Jesse Eisenberg (Charlie)

Stills from The Education of Charlie Banks  (Click for larger image)