Nick and some friends head to the racetrack for the weekend to watch a car race. , when the terrifying accident flies into the audience at 180 mph. People will splatter and be ripped apart, one girl gets her head knocked off by a flying tire, massive explosions, and eventually the entire stadium collapses onto the rest of the audience. Then Nick discovers it was just a vision that’s about to happen, and he gets himself and about 12 other people ejected from the stadium. But Death returns to finish off the survivors, with the freak accidents being more brutal than ever.

After a strange premonition causes friends to abandon their day at the speedway, just before a crushing pileup hurtles cars into the bleachers, they believe that they have cheated Death.  But Death is only getting started.   While the group thinks they have a new lease on life, unfortunately for Nick and Lori, it is only the beginning. As Nick’s premonitions continue and the crash survivors begin to die one-by-one–in increasingly gruesome ways–Nick must figure out how to survive before he, too, reaches his final destination.

In the Final Destination series, however, Death is seen as much more of a whiny “must-win” high school jock type of a character. He frequently neglects to tell his participants a) that they are playing, and b) the rules of the game. He squashes them all mercilessly — and, should one (or more) of his contestants inadvertently win the game, Death becomes a passive-aggressive little bitch and changes the rules just so that he can win.

At first, one must wonder if Death really has it in for anyone. Take the folks in the latest Final Destination entry for example (which has dispensed with a tried-but-true, well established numerical system and opted to use the modern-day we-know-nothing-about-the-English-language-because-we-text-message-each-other-via-weird-non-words-interlaced-with-digits formula, adding a previously superfluous article into the mix — hence this one is entitled The Final Destination). From tobacco-chewin’ mechanics to sultry soccer moms, and from recovering alcoholics to preppy college-aged kids in love: Death has won another shopping spree and is out to squeeze as many souls into his cart as possible.

On Blu-ray, the movie receives a more-than-adequate 1080p/VC-1 transfer, presented in a 2.40:1 aspect ratio. Colors are bright and distinguishable, especially during the film’s many bloody moments, and black levels are solid all the way through. The disc boasts both a flat 2D version of the film as well as a anaglyphic 3D presentation, to which two pairs of glasses are included in the packaging. The 2D version is a lot easier on the eyes than the 3D one, as a majority of the effects simply don’t seem to work all that well. This, of course, is nothing new: we haven’t seen a good home video presentation of 3D since…well, ever.

The 82-minute film is so ultimately nihilistic towards its own existence that its claim to camp fame becomes effectively lost in the tons of human jelly it washes onto the screen.

On January 5, Disney DVD will release the beloved and heartwarming classic, Winnie the Pooh: a Valentine for You Special Edition. This Valentinethemed animated collection features three Winnie the Pooh stories including a new-to-DVD adventure (“My Hero) a fun bonus feature (“Catch the Love Bug” game), Pooh-themed Valentines cards inside each DVD plus all features from the original.

In Un-Valentines Day, it’s that warm and wonderful time when Pooh and his pals like to show how much they care. But Rabbit wants to cancel Valentine’s Day because last year, he was up to his ears in the flood of cards that littered the Hundred Acre Wood. Reluctantly, everyone agrees — until someone anonymously sends Pooh a pot of honey. Suddenly, the Valentine rush is again out of control, much to the delight of all — including Rabbit. In A Valentine for You, Pooh, Piglet, Tigger, and Rabbit see Christopher Robin making a valentine for a girl and find he’s been bitten by a “Smitten” and is lovesick. Worried that he’ll no longer have time for them, and hoping a second bite from the love bug will cure him, they set out on a wild adventure to capture the Smitten. My Hero is a new-to-DVD adventure that shows the lesson of two friends truly helping each other. When Piglet saves Tigger’s life, Tigger decides to repay the favor by being Piglet’s servant. But Tigger’s new job causes Piglet more harm than good. When Tigger saves Piglet’s life, his obligation to be the servant is erased and all is back to normal.

“A Valentine for You” tells the unusual tale of Pooh and his friends in search of a “smitten,” or a love bug, in order to cure Christopher Robin of his first crush. The tale is unusual in its lack of a sensible story. The transitions which send our friends on their search make little sense, as do the turn of events once the smitten is captured. Though the very young may enjoy the tale like a shiny new toy, parents may find that said toy will not keep the young ones entertained long.

Recommendation: There simply may not be enough material here to warrant the purchase, and certainly not enough new material for those who own the previous release. If it’s on sale, it’s hard to go wrong with anything from the Hundred Acre Wood.

BONUS FEATURES
*”Catch the Love Bug Game” – Flying “Love Bugs” are on the loose in the Hundred Acre Wood and
it’s up to the viewer to catch as many as possible
*Pooh-themed Valentine’s Day cards

In every school there’s one girl, every girl wants to be friends with…and every guy would die for.  Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment presents a “student body” with a ferocious bite when Jennifer’s Body arrives on unrated Blu-ray Disc (BD) and DVD December 29.  Sexy temptress Megan Fox (Transformers) is hotter than hell as Jennifer, a gorgeous, seductive cheerleader who takes evil to a whole new level after she’s possessed by a sinister demon. Steamy action and gore galore ensue as the male student body succumbs to Jennifer’s insatiable appetite for human flesh. Now it’s up to her best friend (Amanda Seyfried; Mamma Mia!) to stop the demonic diva’s reign of terror before it’s too late!

Fueled by the satiric wit of Oscar-winning writer Diablo Cody (Juno), the sexy horror directed by Karyn Kusama (Aeon Flux) features a strong supporting cast of young Hollywood stars including Adam Brody (“The O.C.”), Johnny Simmons (Hotel For Dogs) and Chris Pratt  (Bride Wars) as well as J.K. Simmons (Juno) and Amy Sedaris (“Strangers With Candy”).  Killer bonus features include an unrated extended cut packed with more sex and terror in addition to writer and director commentary, deleted scenes, gag reel, video diaries, a Megan Fox PSA and much more.

The Blu-Ray version is presented in 1.85:1 widescreen with DTS-HD Master Audio and includes two discs. The first disc is a digital copy for your computer. The second disc includes both the theatrical and extended versions of the film, plus all of the bonus features. The video quality of the disc is a little grainy, but with most of the scenes shot with limited lighting the quality didn’t matter as much. There were some issues with the sound mixing. The dialogue was much too quiet compared to the music. I had to have the remote control in hand throughout the film as the music would suddenly just start blasting at full volume from my stereo system. I even checked the settings of my equipment just to make sure it wasn’t my fault. The actual sound quality seemed just fine, but I must confess that I am not a big fan of any of the songs on the soundtrack.

The Bonus Features include:

A commentary by director Karyn Kusama and writer Diablo Cody on the theatrical version only and a commentary by Kusama on the extended version.

Deleted Scenes: most of these scenes were deleted for good reason, but there is a scene in the girls’ locker room that should have been left in. It’s actually pretty important as it helps make sense of why Needy is afraid of Jennifer going to the dance, and why Jennifer goes after Chip.

Gag Reel: there’s just a couple of bloopers and then it becomes a music video mixed in with random footage.

“Jennifer’s Body: The Dead Pool” is an in-depth discussion and behind-the-scenes look into the film’s climax where the two girls fight one another in a pool to save Chip’s life. Not only does it discuss the motivation, but it also shows you how all of the special effects were done.

Video Diaries of the cast members as they run around with handy cams taking uneventful home videos.

“Megan Fox is Hot” is not really a feature, but 30 seconds of Megan Fox close-ups from the movie.

“Megan Fox Peer Pressure PSA” starts off as a serious PSA announcement about peer pressure in school that talks about how you should be yourself and then completely changes gears when you realize it’s being told from Jennifer’s demonic point of view.

“Fox Movie Channel presents Life after Film School with Writer Diablo Cody“: three film students do a serious interview with the writer. They discuss how she became a writer, her life as a stripper, and what it was like to win an Oscar.

Overall, Jennifer’s Body is kind of a blah film as it feels like everyone is just going through the motions. The acting is pretty uninspiring and Megan Fox’s performance is just terrible. The storyline is just a regurgitated version of prior horror genre films that did a better job of telling the story the first time around.

A surprisingly mundane effort from Mike Judge, Extract seems to be one of those movies that the filmmakers believe has more going on under the surface than is really there.  Judge populates his film with a typically eclectic group of quirky characters, but then doesn’t give them anything to do.  In one of the Blu-Ray extras, he expresses a belief that there is a subtlety to the characters and the story.  To me, the script goes beyond subtlety into pointlessness. 

With a story revolving around a disenfranchised factory owner (they make food flavor extracts) who hires a well-meaning gigolo to seduce his wife, giving him an excuse to sleep with a new hire who is actually a con artist, Judge has crafted a humorously convoluted setup.  On paper, this sounds like a perfect story for his sensibilities.  Unfortunately, the laughs are few and far between.  The movie’s not necessarily boring or bad; it’s just not funny.

Considering the terrific cast he assembled, I was really surprised at how lackluster everything was.  Jason Bateman is terrific in the lead as Joel. Very similar to Michael Bluth, his character from the sadly cancelled Arrested Development, Bateman plays Joel as a frustrated everyman.  He’s desperate to move onto the next phase of his life and to rekindle an all-but-dead physical relationship with his wife, played by the unusually restrained Kristen Wiig (SNL).  Also featuring great performances from Ben Affleck as his stoner best friend, David Koechner as the obnoxious next-door-neighbor, JK Simmons as his co-worker, and Mila Kunis as the con-artist love interest, there’s no reason that this movie wasn’t more entertaining than it was.

As I sat there watching the story play out, I never felt invested in what was happening.  It was as if Judge was just going through the motions, getting us from Point A to B to C with no real motivation for the progression, beyond the fact that that is what stories do.

With a history that includes Beavis and Butthead, King of the Hill, Office Space, and the highly underrated Idiocracy, this is probably Judge’s most straightforward project to date.  All of these other works contain a scathing satire often hidden just under the surface.  That satire is what elevates his material beyond what it appears to be.  Extract plays it safe, to the detriment of the entire film.
I suppose if this exact movie was made by a first-time writer/director, I might be more forgiving.  It would be just as bland and forgettable, but it wouldn’t be so frustrating. However, this is Judge’s film, and he didn’t reach the bar he has set for himself.

Reinforcing the mediocrity of the film is the newly released Blu-Ray.  Beyond a few “extended scenes” that barely add more than an occasional sentence, and a completely pointless deleted scene, there is only one extra. Entitled “Mike Judge’s Secret Recipe Featurette-The Ingredients for a classic Mike Judge film,” this feature runs about ten minutes, and interviews the primary cast while showing the actual factory they used to film the movie.  And that’s it. 

This lack of material is indicative of the apparent lack of enthusiasm in the entire production. Nothing stands out about this movie, and this is why it will be quickly forgotten, destined to become just a footnote on the resumes of everybody involved.

Charging home on December 15th comes Walt Disney Pictures’ actionpacked comedy-adventure G-Force. Packaged as an exciting Disney “Combo Pack” (a Blu-ray™ + DVD + DisneyFile Digital Copy of the movie in a single package), families can finally look forward to enjoying this thrilling story about a covert group of feisty furball Guinea Pigs anytime, anywhere and on a compatible format of their choice –Blu-ray player, car, PC and/or portable device. Produced by Jerry Bruckheimer (National Treasure, Pirates of the Caribbean), G-Force takes audiences on a deliriously entertaining thrill ride with a whole new breed of hero, featuring a stellar cast including Nicolas Cage (National Treasure), Sam Rockwell (Moon), Jon Favreau (I Love You, Man), Penelope Cruz (Vicky Christina Barcelona), Tracy Morgan (“30 Rock”), and Steve Buscemi (Charlotte’s Web), with live performances by Bill Nighy (Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End), Will Arnett (Ratatouille) and Zak Galifianakis (The Hangover). Academy Award®-winning visual effects master Hoyt H. Yeatman, Jr. (1989 winner for Best Effects; Visual Effects, The Abyss) makes his directing debut. Destined to be the family comedy hit of the season, and released just in time for the holidays, G-Force includes a fascinating line-up of behind-the-scenes features, hilarious deleted movie scenes and a collection of music videos featuring songs from the film. And exclusively for Blu-ray owners, there are three CGI effect bonus features that will satisfy their quest to join the rodent spy world.

In case you haven’t figured it out by now, parents aren’t going to get much from G-Force. Almost every joke has been told before, every moment of dramatic tension culled from another film, every slapstick pratfall telegraphed, every heartstring pluck orchestrated by the genre gods themselves. In fact, the only area in which G-Force readily excels is its action sequences, and that’s only because director Hoyt Yateman transforms each set piece into an epic, madcap spectacle brimming with squealing wheels and high-flying rodents. Otherwise, the script is fairly uninspired and the characters, though sharp-tongued and light-footed, suffer from bland voice acting and slightly cartoonish CG. I know, I know… kids aren’t going to notice or care about such shortcomings, but that doesn’t mean every children’s film should automatically get a pass.

No surprises here: G-Force is the talking-guinea-pig-super-spies flick of the year. Adults will grit their teeth and wait for it all to be over, kids will giggle with delight at everything that graces the screen. The Blu-ray edition features a striking video transfer, a solid DTS-HD Master Audio track, and a decent, family-oriented supplemental package with a number of exclusives. In short, G-Force represents yet another reliable children’s release from Disney that packs ample kid appeal.

On a positive note the digital animation is stellar. The rodents are amazingly rendered and seamlessly inserted into the film. The voice cast is solid as well and director Hoyt Yeatman did a fine job of bringing these super rodents to life.

And since this is a Disney production there are a few moral messages woven neatly into the plot of the flick. The first one is of course drives home the fact that family is extremely important. With family on your side anything is possible. The second message is that everyone, no matter how small, is special in their own way.

Bonus Materials are presented in High Definition 1080i video, using Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo (and Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround for the Theatrical Trailer).

• Cine-Explore with Darwin, Blaster & Their Creator: This is a behind-the-scenes picture-in-picture that runs along side the film.
• Bruckheimer Animated: A Look Back at his CG Work: This runs 3min12sec and has Bruckheimer speak on the film’s visual effects.
• Access Granted: This runs 7min52sec and has director Yeatman give us a behind-the-scenes tour into the labs that helped create the film.
• G-Farce: This is a series of bloopers and flubs that run a total of 1min49sec.
• Deleted Scenes: Here we get a series of deleted scenes that, surprisingly, aren’t that bad.
• Music Videos: 3 Music Videos for different songs are included here. “Jump” by Flo-Rida ft. Nelly Furtado, “Ready to Rock” by Steve Rushton and “Go G-Force“.
• Blaster’s Boot Camp: This runs 4min41sec and gives a glance into what it takes to become a member of G-Force.
• G-Force Mastermind: This runs 4min13sec and shows us how the film’s original concept was developed thanks in part to Yeatman’s son.
• DVD of the Film: Here, on the 2nd disc, is a DVD copy of the film.
• Digital Copy: Found on the 3rd disc is a Digital Copy of the film that is playable on PC, iPod, etc.

Five seasons down.  One to go.  Less than two months away from the premiere of the sixth and final year, the fifth season arrives on Blu-Ray early enough for anyone out of the loop to catch up on one of the greatest television shows of all time.  This is the epitome of water-cooler television.  Featuring one of the most compelling ensembles in recent memory, Lost consistently evolves its fantastical story while always remaining intriguing.  And it does so while providing a steady stream of action, comedy, drama, romance, and basically everything that makes good television.  Revisiting the fifth season only reinforces just how consistently strong this show has been.

As any Lost fan knows, every season has had a specific thematic component that drove the story.  Whether it’s the Hatch, the Others, the Flash-Forwards, etc., there is always a central component to the story.  Season 5’s theme was time travel.  While watching Season 1, I would never have guessed that that is where the show was going.   Yet somehow, it felt completely natural when it got there. 

As a concept, time travel can be very tricky.  Many movies, shows, books, etc. have had great success with it, and many have crashed and burned.  The Lost writers have thoroughly thought out the concepts, and while the story does feel convoluted on occasion, this is only because they are seriously mapping out the ramifications of every move through time.  It can be confusing, but it makes sense. 

In introducing time travel, the writers brilliantly devised a way to bring our cast of characters into the situations often discussed but never seen. It turned out that events previously alluded to ended up playing a much more direct and pivotal role in the character’s stories.  Locations and characters were presented that brought the whole story into focus.

One of the many extras on the Blu-Ray is a feature demonstrating the cast and crew’s attempts at keeping track of all the time travel in the story.  While the core writers obviously had a grasp on everything, not everyone involved in the production understood exactly what they were filming.  It’s a fun feature, but like most of the extras, not incredibly substantial.  With a show like Lost, it would be nice to have extras that explored the more story-based aspects of the show. 

Unfortunately, most of the extras are of the standard making-of variety.  That’s not entirely a bad thing.  It’s always interesting to see a film or show in production.  Particular highlights are seven features in a section called “Lost on Location.”  These run 5 to 7 minutes each, and show a specific sequence being filmed from 7 different episodes.  There’s some great stunt work and some fascinating set pieces in the show, and it’s a lot of fun to see the work that goes into creating these individual moments. 

There’s also a feature where Michael Emerson, who plays Ben Linus, tours the offices of the writing staff as well as the post-production team.  While there is absolutely no insight into the show itself, it’s pretty neat to see the Lost staff in their work enviornments.  Other extras include deleted scenes, a lame gag reel (almost exactly the same as every other gag reel), and a faux 70’s documentary called “Mysteries of the Universe” that focuses on the Dharma Initiative. 

If you’ve never seen the show, you’re coming up on your last chance to watch the story as it unfolds on a week-by-week basis.  The Blu-Ray looks and sounds incredible, and is a fantastic way to catch up before the show returns.  While the extras could have been better, the set is worth getting just for the episodes.  I go into the last season with a mixture of excitement and sadness, but if this last year is anything like what came before, then we’re in for an amazing season.

Coming directly off the heels of “Sorcerer’s Stone,” “Chamber of Secrets” ups the ante across all areas – the production design is richer and more intricate, the cinematography more deeply dramatic, and the script more focused (despite the film being the longest so far). The three principal actors also seem to be growing more comfortable with their characters and with the work in general. Though not the best film of the series, like the novel on which it’s based, it is surprisingly good when it probably could have gotten away with just doing more of the same.

The Ultimate Edition includes the theatrical and an extended version of the film. The latter adds 13 minutes to the run time, reinstating the scenes that were first made available on the DVD release (and which are available for viewing in two locations in this edition’s extras). The additional footage doesn’t add much to the film as a whole (and in some cases seems redundant), but those wanting more of the Harry Potter universe actualized on screen will probably be pleased.

The In-Movie Experience is engaging, the second part of the documentary is entertaining, the book and trading cards are nice, and the construction and design of the packaging is first rate. The Ultimate Edition makes for a nice package, but individuals will have to figure out for themselves how much more they are willing to pay for it. Currently, the Ultimate Edition is priced about $15 more than the standard single-disc BD. Probably worth it if the extras will be revisited, but if not, that $15 can buy a whole other BD title that is certain to be watched again. Given the choice, I imagine many will opt for the standard BD edition, making this Ultimate Edition only for the most ultimate of Potter fans.

Keep an eye out for Years 3-7  — if my guess is right 3 and 4 will come out around the time part 1 of Deathly Hallows hits theaters, 5 and 6, around the same time in 2010, and 7 about a year later.

Disc-Based Extras

Disc One

In-Movie Experience: The picture-in-picture video commentary feature incorporates still image galleries, storyboard comparisons, behind-the-scenes footage, and director Chris Columbus explaining technical and logistical challenges of numerous scenes. Though there is not a separate way to access the storyboards and image galleries, it does allow the viewer to skip to the next commentary segment without having to sit through the entirety of the film. It’s an improvement to the accessibility issues but still not a perfect solution.

BD-Live: Includes a streaming trailer and information about two BD-Live events on December 7th and December 12th. December 7th is a preview of the upcoming “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” and December 12th is a live community screening of “Half Blood Prince” with Daniel Radcliffe and David Yates. Go to www.harrypotter.com/blu-ray for more information.

Disc Two

Creating the World of Harry Potter Part 2: Characters (1:20:03, HD): The second installment begins and ends with the experience and development of the three main actors, from their total lack of experience when the franchise began to where they are now as seasoned professionals. In between these topical bookends, the documentary addresses practically every character from the first six films, usually with recollections and analysis from the actors who played them. Though the piece uses a fair amount of previously produced material, a nice organic flow to the narrative and enough recent interview footage keeps it from feeling like just a re-purposed set of clips. Though there aren’t necessarily any fresh insights, it makes a pretty familiar topic feel surprisingly unexplored.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Revealed (13:02, SD): The HBO “First Look” promotional special from 2002 hits the requisite topics of story and characters.

Teaser Trailer (2:06, SD)

Theatrical Trailer (2:11, HD)

TV Spots (9:01, SD): Seventeen commercials made for television.

Screen Tests of Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson (11:53, HD): First screen tests of the actors, as featured in Part One of the “Creating the World…” documentary. Radcliffe’s solo test runs 7:57 and the test with the trio runs 3:55.

Deleted Scenes (17:02, HD): Nineteen scenes, the same as those found on Disc Three.

Disc Three

Additional Scenes (16:25, SD): Nineteen scenes total.

Spellcaster Knowledge: Answer trivia about the various spells cast in the film.

Lockhart’s Classroom (1:28, SD): A guided tour of various items in Lockhart’s classroom, including his photos, awards and certificates, and his collected works.

A Conversation with J.K. Rowling and Steve Kloves (16:09, SD): Rowling and Kloves talk about adapting the novels to film, differences between the two mediums and their feelings about how “Chamber of Secrets” turned out.

Dumbledore’s Office: Take a walk-around tour of the office set or “build a scene,” which leads to a documentary (17:20, SD) that gives an overview of film production, including production design, set decoration, props, visual effects, cinematography, wardrobe, hair and makeup, and post-production.

Interviews with Students (8:43, SD): The child actors answer various questions, including the evolution of their characters, how they’ve developed as actors and experiences on set.

Interviews with Professors and More (10:35, SD): The adult actors talk about their respective characters.

Gallery of Production Sketches: Eighteen sets of sketches showing various treatments of the characters and scenes.

Activities (SD): Includes the Chamber Challenge (answer trivia), the Forbidden Forest Challenge (test your reflexes), Colin’s Darkroom (create a photo slideshow), and a walk-around tour of Diagon Alley.

Game Preview: Watch various clips from the “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets” video game from Electronic Arts.

Disc Four

Digital Copy: Download a digital file of the theatrical version for playback on a computer or portable device. Compatible with Mac and Windows.

In the aftermath of Judgment Day and the machine takeover, resistance leader John Connor (Christian Bale) must counter Skynet’s plan to terminate mankind. Rallying his underground street fighters for a last, desperate battle, he realizes that to save the future he must rescue his own father Kyle Reese (Anton Yelchin). But the most shocking discovery comes with the arrival of Marcus Wright (Sam Worthington), a mysterious loner from the past who challenges Connor with an impossible choice and leads them both on a brutal journey into the heart of the enemy.

Witness the battle between man and machine in the gritty action epic as TERMINATOR SALVATION blasts its way onto Blu-ray and DVD on December 1st from Warner Home Video.  The newest installment in the adrenaline-fueled hit Terminator franchise stars Christian Bale (Batman Begins, The Dark Knight) as John Connor, leader of the human resistance in a post-Judgment Day world ravaged by deadly Terminators.

The TERMINATOR SALVATION 2-Disc Blu-ray includes both the theatrical version (PG-13) and the Director’s Cut (Rated R) with explosive additional footage not shown in theaters.  Packed with over 2 hours of spectacular bonus, the Blu-ray version features the immersive Maximum Movie Mode, an interactive viewer experience where the entire film is examined using “Walk-On” technology that enables viewers to see Director McG deconstruct key moments from the film. Also included is over 40 minutes of Picture In Picture (PiP) commentary with cast and crew, 11 mini featurette focus points, storyboard comparisons, still galleries, and a Terminator mythology timeline.  Additionally, the Blu-ray contains Re-Forging the Future, a behind-the-scenes look at the film’s production, and The Moto-Terminator, a featurette revealing how the film’s visual effects crew and motorcycle manufacturer Ducati partnered to create the slick and deadly Moto-Terminators.  The Blu-ray will also include a theatrical version of the film available on a Digital Copy disc.

Additional content available via BD-Live includes a compilation of 10 viral videos from the alternate reality game “Resist or Be Terminated” revealing SKYNET’s secret plans, the first episode of Terminator Salvation Machinima Series, and a digital version of Issue #1 of the Terminator Salvation official movie prequel comic.  Plus, viewers can organize Live Community Screenings, and record their own commentaries using the “My Commentary” BD-Live feature.

Terminator Salvation is not only a loud, action-packed, and special effects-heavy summer extravaganza, but also a pitch-perfect extension to the series while also offering a somewhat meaningful look at what it means to be human and man’s superiority to machine. Terminator Salvation also introduces new characters and technologies but never leaves the confines of established franchise lore, and the result is an exciting visual spectacle that also carries on the series’ legacy while simultaneously creating its own identity within the Terminator universe. Warner Brothers’ Blu-ray release of Terminator Salvation delivers a stunning 1080p transfer and a deafening reference-quality soundtrack that’s among the very best Blu-ray has to offer.

TERMINATOR SALVATION BLU-RAY AND DVD ELEMENTS
SD Content:
•    Theatrical Version of the Film:

Exclusive to Blu-ray™ Content:
•    Two Versions of the Film:
o    Theatrical Cut (Rated PG-13)
o    Director’s Cut (Rated R) – Includes explosive new footage not seen in theaters.
•    Maximum Movie Mode featuring Director McG deconstructing the film’s key moments, 11 mini featurette focus points, over 40 minutes of Picture (PiP) commentary with cast and crew interviews, storyboard comparisons, still galleries, Terminator mythology timeline and more.
•    “The Moto-Terminator” – See how the Terminator Salvation visual effects crew and Ducati partnered to create the slick and deadly Moto-Terminator!
•    “Re-Forging the Future” – Go behind the scenes of Terminator Salvation with an exclusive set tour.

BD LIVE Content Includes:
•    Compilation of 10 viral videos from the “Resist or Be Terminated” alternate reality game revealing SKYNET’s secret plans.
•    The first episode of Terminator Salvation Machinima Series
•    Digital version of Issue #1 of the Terminator Salvation official movie prequel comic.

Digital Copy on Disc
•    Theatrical version of the film

While the first Night at the Museum was an enjoyable enough piece of escapism, I never felt the need for a sequel.  I loved the setup, and yet by film’s end was pretty much ready to move on.  Everybody had learned a valuable lesson, as per tradition in these type of films, and I didn’t really think there was a lot left to do with the premise.  Because of this, I began watching Night at the Museum 2: Battle of the Smithsonian, newly released on Blu-Ray, with a decided lack of excitement.  And yet I ended up loving it.

Both films revolve around Ben Stiller’s character of Larry Daley, and what happens to him over the course of a single evening in a museum where the exhibits come to life.  The first film took place at the Museum of Natural History, and as indicated in the title, the sequel takes place in the Smithsonian.  In typical sequel fashion, this means that everything is bigger, better, and with a lot more of it.

But instead of just throwing more stuff at us and seeing what sticks, the filmmakers actually manage to utilize the expanded world.  Part of what makes this work so well is the interaction between the exhibits that would serve no logical purpose being together.  By placing the action in the Smithsonian there is a great deal of variety between the exhibits, and seeing them come together in such a way is a great deal of fun.

Being able to actually enter the paintings and interact with the sculptures brings a whole new level to this museum.  And when Daley takes a chase sequence into a classic WWII photograph, everything about this movie begins to click.  The creativity on display is way beyond anything in the first film.  Helping fuel this creativity is an amazing cast of new actors including Hank Azaria, Jonah Hill, Bill Hader, and on and on.

Everybody from the first film returns as well, but the absolute highlight is one of the new additions.  Amy Adams is brilliant in the role of Amelia Earhart (or at least a wax replica of her).  Playing a caricatured version of Earhart, Adams fast-talks her way through every scene leaving Stiller’s character desperate to keep up.  When he tells her that one of her exclamations sounds made up even for her, she replies “it’s how I speak.”  She then gives a normal line of dialogue as comparison and questions “where’s the fun in that?”

That brief exchange encapsulates everything that works about this film.  Everybody seems to be having fun.  There is not one weak link in the cast and everybody gets a moment to shine.  On top of this, the special effects are a blast to watch.  There is nothing revolutionary about them, but they are perfect for this type of film.  By manipulating real art and exhibits we are all familiar with and putting them in the context of this story, the effects begin to actually feel special.

There are several features on the Blu-Ray that showcase these effects, as well as demonstrating the genuine excitement the cast and crew seem to have for the material.  Not all of the extra features are winners, but there are some surprisingly interesting segments demonstrating what goes into creating a film of this scope.  Director Shawn Levy’s enthusiasm frequently comes through in these segments as he demonstrates how they filmed the WWII sequence, the Air and Space sequence, etc.  One of the best features on the set is a segment that follows Levy around for an entire day of filming.  I love watching filmmakers at work, and this feature provides a great insight into the several aspects of being a director. 

Unfortunately, not all of the extras are quite as interesting as this one.  There are a lot of generic behind-the-scenes features, including a couple of Fox Movie Channel segments, a gag reel that consists of everybody laughing at themselves, and three (!) features on the monkey from the film.  Overall, it’s a pretty uneven set of extras, alternating between the terrific and the bland. 

But the features that do work, as well as the film itself, make this a Blu-Ray worth purchasing.  Despite all odds, this ended up a thoroughly entertaining movie.  Unlike after the first film, I will keep an open mind when they announce the inevitable Part III, and I might find myself actually looking forward to seeing the further museum-based adventures of Larry Daley and friends.  Especially if Amelia Earhart is going with him.