Benicio Del Toro

[VIDEO] Three Reasons: Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas – The Criterion Collection

By Brenden ⋅ May 4, 2011 ⋅ Post a comment

Did you pick up a copy of Terry Gilliam’s Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas on Blu-ray last week? If not, the video above will give you “Three Reasons” to add it to your collection. And if, by some fluke you weren’t convinced of the quality of the Blu-ray presentation after reading my raves about it last week, this video embed actually provides a sense of the colour and the detail in Criterion’s exceptional new HD transfer. So what are you waiting for?! …Continued…

Top 10 New Blu-ray releases for the Week of April 26

By Brenden ⋅ April 27, 2011 ⋅ One comment

This weeks new Blu-ray releases include ‘HUMAN PLANET’ from Warner, ‘BLOW OUT’ and ‘FEAR AND LOATHING IN LAS VEGAS’ from Criterion, ‘THE HOLY MOUNTAIN’ and ‘EL TOPO’ from Anchor Bay, ‘THE SCENT OF GREEN PAPAYA’ from Kino, ‘THE GIRL WHO LEAPT THROUGH TIME’ from Bandai, ‘EDEN OF THE EAST: THE KING OF EDEN’ from FUNimation and many, many more!

Criterion April Blu-ray titles: Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Blow Out, Le Cercle Rouge, more

By Brenden ⋅ January 14, 2011 ⋅ 2 comments

From the looks of things, The Criterion Collection will be gracing us with another brilliant slate of Blu-ray discs come April. I’m particularly excited about upgrading my DVD copy of Terry Gilliam‘s Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, because, as I feared over a year ago, Universal‘s Blu-ray release of the film just didn’t cut the mustard. I’m expecting great things from this new director approved transfer! Oh yeah, and Blow Out in HD! And more Melville! And Ken Loach! …Continued…

Top 5 New Blu-ray releases for the Week of June 1

By Brenden ⋅ June 1, 2010 ⋅ Post a comment

Oh geez. I’m all confused here. There are just too many titles hitting shelves again this week but no obvious “must-buy” disc, as far as I’m concerned. The new Hollywood blockbuster remakes all stumble in the storytelling department, the catalogue titles feature far-from-perfect presentations and there are just no damn Criterion titles as far as the eye can see! But don’t fear, if none of the brand spanking new titles do it for you this week, I’m sure you can find something in the massive batch of Eastwood newly released or re-released, as the case may be, on Blu-ray! Seriously, how many movies did has that guy made?! …Continued…

The Wolfman (2010) coming to Blu-ray in June (UPDATED!)

By Brenden ⋅ March 29, 2010 ⋅ One comment

Has this film really been in theatres so long now that it’s already on the verge of being released on Blu-ray? This is almost depressing! I still haven’t found the free time to get out and see The Wolfman in the cinema and I’ve been pretty bummed about that. But now, seeing that the Blu-ray edition of the film is being listed for sale in the UK this coming June 14th, I feel it’s a pretty safe bet that it’ll turn up on this side of the Atlantic around the same date, guaranteeing that I’ll have a chance to check it out before Halloween 2010 rolls around. …Continued…

Blu-ray Picks for the Week of February 2

By Brenden ⋅ February 2, 2010 ⋅ 2 comments

Okay, this is just ridiculous. I can’t afford all of these discs in one week! I had no idea that February would be such a big release month. I thought March was going to be my bank-breaker and that I’d have another month to save up for the big titles but this week is going to make me reevaluate. …Continued…

Che – Collector's Edition Blu-ray Disc Review

By Brenden ⋅ February 1, 2010 ⋅ 2 comments

I wasn’t prepared for the sheer awesomeness of Che. I honestly didn’t think Steven Soderbergh had it in him. But by the time I had finished viewing Part 1 of the film, I was convinced. This is some of his best work and some of the best cinema of 2009! …Continued…

Snatch Blu-ray Disc Review

By Stone ⋅ December 5, 2009 ⋅ Post a comment

I feel like I’ve been watching a lot of visually dark movies the last little while. And maybe not enough movies with that serious sense of Blu ray “awesome” to them. That dazzle of visual pop the format does best. And it seems that Snatch, despite its better qualities follows that trend. …Continued…

Universal brings Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas to Blu-ray

By Brenden ⋅ November 25, 2009 ⋅ 2 comments

All right, Universal. Just because you’re issuing a Blu-ray edition of Terry Gilliam’s Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas doesn’t mean you can make me give up my Criterion DVD of the film. Your new disc will no doubt eclipse the DVD in every aspect of the films presentation (and if you use the same master as the UFA German Blu-ray release, you’ll have a real winner on your hands!) But without those Criterion supplements, any Blu-ray version of Fear and Lathing will never really feel complete. It’s worth hanging onto the DVD for the Hunter S. Thompson commentary track alone, never mind the bounty of additional supplemental content! If I were you, Universal, I’d either renew Criterion’s license to the title, or release the Blu-ray in a package fit to store the DVDs along side their new high-def counterpart. Sigh…A fan can dream. Release details below… …Continued…

New Criterion Blu-ray Announcements: Che, 8 1/2 and Paris, Texas

By Brenden ⋅ October 16, 2009 ⋅ One comment

Holy crap! I think Christmas just came early. This new batch of Criterion titles, just announced for release in January 2010, includes one of the finest films ever made and is the first title from my list of Top 10 Criterion DVDs that deserve a Blu-ray upgrade to graduate to high-def! And that film is Fellini’s brilliant 8 1/2 (clocking in at #6 on my list!) On any other day, the announcement of Soderbergh’s epic Che and Wenders‘ Paris, Texas on Blu-ray would, alone be great cause for celebration. But 8 1/2 coming to Blu eclipses just about any other news you’re going to hear this month! …Continued…