Game Of Thrones Blu Ray Review: Easily A Must Own.

FINALLY. All of you non HBO subscribers out there who are sick of hearing about how awesome Game of Thrones is, without the ability to watch it, it is the dawn of a new era. An era where Game of Thrones Season one is out on DVD and all is right with the world. If you haven't seen the show yet, you may want to hold your horses now, as spoilers in this review are fairly inevitable - but heed these very important words: go buy or rent this blu-ray immediately and watch every episode. Don't walk, run. Don't drive, speed. Don't glide, fly. Don't take a mule, take a horse. I don't even KNOW WHAT I'm SAYING, just go WATCH IT.

For those of you who watched season one and are on the fence about picking up this Blu-Ray set? Well you can keep on reading and then your fate shall reveal itself. After the jump.

The Packaging

While not something like a mini Castle Black or King's Landing, that usually gets saved for the complete box set, the packaging for season one isn't half bad. An emblazoned slip cover brings a regal sense to this five disc set. Open it up and remove it from another protective piece of packaging and main characters grace the inside covers. Each disc contains episodes and bonus features, and a booklet with house/family trees and a map of Westeros is included to keep things straight for you first timers. Or second timers. Or any timers. Things can get confusing. Nothing too grand, but still a nicer than your standard Blu-Ray packaging.

The Episodes

Each episode has 5 options - play, play with in episode guide, play with commentary, recap of previous episodes, and preview of current episode, if you can't stay awake for that next episode cause it's 4am, but you need a little morsel of what's to come.

The Show

Few, if any television programs, have ever been made on this kind of scale, at this intense level of consistent quality. Granted we've only had ten episodes so far, but with full support from author George R.R. Martin and a creative team as talented as it gets, there is little doubt in my mind that when all is said and done, Game of Thrones will be widely regarded as one of the best television shows of all time. It is perhaps the only television adaptation to ever be so faithful to the source material, it is practically word for word, and staying true to this material is weaved into the very fabric of the series' existence. It would not exist were it not 100% faithful. It would make no sense. For a lot of shows based on books, it's the premise and characters that matter, with borrowed plot lines here and there, case in point Gossip Girl, True Blood or The Vampire Diaries. But Game of Thrones takes more of a filmic approach to adaptation. You wouldn't put Lord of the Rings on the big screen and change what happens to the characters. That would be sacrilege. Same with Game of Thrones. So far the only changes from the book have been whatever would facilitate it's journey into a new medium, but that's it. It's truly something wonderful to be behold, for fans of the book and non fans alike. Rewatching the show is just as riveting as the first time around, as there was endless foreshadowing of certain events that went right over my head the first time around.

Audio Commentary

With a show like this, commentary is a must. There is just SO much to learn, about the sets, locations, the costumes, the actors, the weapons, storyboarding, similarities and differences to the book, the process, continuity errors, fixing those errors, addressing specific complaints, and so on. There are mild spoilers for the books, but just little things like, mentioning that a character is still around in book five. The commentary is not only filled with information about the technical aspects of the show, but hooks you back in emotionally by mentioning when a scene is the last time two characters might see each other, or the only time three characters ever have a scene together. Very disappointed there is no commentary for episode nine, probably the biggest negative in the entire box set.

There are seven commentaries in total,

*Winter is Coming. Executive producers/writers David Benioff & D.B. Weiss - informative, production wise, especially about the differences between the original and reshot pilot.

*The Kingsroad. Lena Headey (Cersei), Mark Addy (Robert) and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Jaime) - Hilarious. Be sure to count how many times Lena Heady calls various characters "shits", especially Joffrey.

*Lord Snow. Sophie Turner (Sansa), Maisie Williams (Arya) and Isaac Hempstead Wright (Bran) - Adorable. They sing along to the opening theme, and keep talking about how nice everyone is. I mean, amazing.

*Cripples, Bastards and Broken Things. Writer Bryan Cogman and Kit Harington (Jon Snow) - Where to get the writer's perspective on adapting specific scenes, introductions and relationships.

*A Golden Crown. Director Daniel Minahan, Peter Dinklage (Tyrion), Emilia Clarke (Daenerys) and Harry Lloyd (Viserys) - This is where to go for a lot of clever laughs and intelligent commentary and discussion, has a nice flow to it. Worth it just to hear them praising Maisie Williams.

*The Pointy End. Co-executive producer/author George R.R. Martin. Fantastic. This is where to go to hear most about the parallels to the books, and what didn't make the final cut deliberately, and what Martin wishes was still there.

*Fire and Blood. Benioff, Weiss and director Alan Taylor. A very comprehensive commentary track that goes into more technical aspects as well as discussing elements of the story and providing behind the scenes anecdotes. Also, keep your eyes peeled for George W. Bush's head on a pike.

Now, This is a given, but you know, worth saying. DO NOT watch the commentary if you haven't seen the show yet.  If you haven't seen the show, you can feel free to use the Inside Guide feature if you find yourself very confused.

In Episode Guide

Aside from audio commentary, the blu ray offers an In-Episode Guide, which follows the action and provides you with helpful hints regarding characters, lands and histories, letting you know who is in every scene and where they are, plus gives you the option of hearing one of 24 legends of Westeros told by the characters themselves, also watchable in the Complete Guide (see below) to help fill in some of the gaps. Even for someone who has seen all of season one and read the book, being able to get real time details on where you are and who you are watching at any given time was very cool. At any time you can exit into the Complete Guide and get even more in depth. If you are wondering, yes you can have the guide on while you listen to commentary, you just have to turn it on after the episode is already playing.

Recaps

You have the option of watching the "previously on Game of Thrones" recaps, which if you aren't watching every one in a row, is pretty helpful, as it reminds you of the specifics you need to know going into each episode, though I know some people consider this a spoiler.

Extras

Complete Guide to Westeros (Disc 1, over an hour)

FAVORITE ALERT: As I touched on earlier, at any time during the In Episode Guide, you can exit into the Complete Guide, which features all of the information on characters and maps that shows up in episode, but with a bit more detail, especially when it comes to the extensive maps that lay out and explain the land, plus thorough and engaging accounts of the houses and histories. The characters themselves are the ones recounting these stories with fantastic voiceover set to beautiful lightly animated sketches or art resembling a story book or stained glass. Pretty much the greatest thing ever. Helps you to understand any reference that has come up or will come up. Here, we also different perspectives on things like the Night's Watch, when the Targaryens overtook Westeros, and the Mad Kind Aeyrs. Seeing the history of just how Robert took the throne and getting a real sense of the scene for how Ned's father and brother were killed by the Mad King and witnessed by Jamie Lannister and the whole court, made my heart break thinking of Ned's own fate that would come years later, after surviving through Aerys demanding his head. FUCKING JOFFREY. The first person accounts, Mark Addy and Harry Lloyd in particular, do a stellar job with their memories of the rebellion. Plus, with the sketches, we get an idea of what they looked like when they were younger, which is kind of fun. You really get a sense of why everyone feels the way they do about everyone else.  This guide is so brilliantly stuffed with information, it'll make you feel like an expert by the time you are finished and have you completely prepped for the second season.

Character Profiles (Disc 1, 30:42)

Profiles on 15 characters that feature footage and interviews with each actor talking about their characters and how they feel about everyone else. The profiles play in alphabetical order: Arya, Bran, Catelyn, Cersei, Daenerys, Jamie, Jon Snow, Khal Drogo (the most amusing one since his normal accent is so pedestrian), Ned, Littlefinger, Robb, Robert Baratheon, Sansa, Tyrion, Viserys. Definitely worth watching all the way through.

Anatomy of an Episode: A Golden Crown (Disc 3, about 61)

One of the best features of the entire Blu-Ray and one I hope is added for every episode for season two. This reminded me a lot of Maximum Movie Mode, an extra I loved on the Harry Potter blu rays. It's essentially commentary with visual aids, picture in picture style, and getting to see every person talking allows a host of folks to speak about what's on screen, because it's not up to us to try and discern their voices from one another. This allows us to find out about specific fights, sets, special effects, and more, from almost every member of the production staff. My favorite bit of information was learning how four departments came together to make the golden crown sequence work.

Making Game of Thrones (Disc 5, 30:02)

A behind the scenes featurette with footage allegedly unavailable anywhere else - on set interviews with cast, crew, and Martin himself, plus tons of behind the scenes footage. We learn how the creators got involved (their love of the source material is so so evident), and about casting, locations (they scouted 14 countries!), score, production design, set decoration, art direction, construction managing, why the different kingdoms look the way they do and how they look the way they do, special effects, costumes, animal wrangling, fight direction, stunt coordination, prop managing, and more, talking to every member of the crew involved in any of that. Here we also learn that the composer is pretty hot. Plus, PUPPIES!

From the Book to the Screen (Disc 5, 5:14)

Interviews with Martin, Benioff and Weiss on adapting the books. Mostly an overlap with the longer Making Of featurette, but definitely goes into a tiny bit more depth on this specific subject for the last two minutes. I love how included Martin was in this entire process.

Creating The Show Open (Disc 5, 5:07)

Reasons behind the Emmy winning opening credit design with concept art and details on creation and development. Interviews with Benioff and Weiss, plus Hameed Shaukat, the producer of the credits, Rob Feng, the art director, Chris Sanchez, the lead designer, and Angus Wall, the creative director who conceived of the whole idea.

Creating the Dothraki Language (Disc 5, 5:27)

Some of this reuses footage from the featurette, but not as much as the Book to Screen bit. This section goes way more into the specifics of how the language was created. The man who came up with it was David J. Peterson from the Language Creation Society, based on the information about the Dothraki in the books. Fascinating what was taken into consideration while developing this language. Every translation had the spelling, plus the phonetic pronunciation and an mp3 of Peterson speaking it. Also a look at how speaking the language worked for the actors and were aided by the on set dialogue coach. This section rules.

The Night's Watch (Disc 5, 8:07)

More on the Night's Watch, the wall, the Wildlings, the Whitewalkers, and what lies north of the wall, from Martin, Weiss, Benioff, and the actors playing the men who have taken the black. Any extra featuring Martin talking about his creation is awesome in my book, and this definitely qualifies. Emphasizes one of the coolest things about the Night's Watch that I didn't realize - it's really the only place in Westeros where hard work can get you to rise in the ranks - doesn't matter where you came from, only what you do once you're there.

Hidden Dragon Eggs (Disc ??, ?:??)

So there are hidden dragon eggs spread across the 5 discs that offer more exclusive content, but HBO warned that they require skill, and I couldn't find any :(

This is one of those rare occasions where I would recommend buying this right now, no matter what. If you've seen the show and read the book, getting to hear the commentaries (especially George R.R. Martin's) and a look into the filmic aspects of the experience and how they adapted the books will be a dream. If you haven't read the books, it's worth it not only for that, but for the complete histories, that will help provide background and context. If you haven't watched the show, stop reading this immediately, go buy it, and watch the whole series in one day, and then enjoy all of the extras. You have till April 1st to be caught up! I wouldn't even wait for the box set of the complete series as people often do, because the extras are too good and informative to ignore before season two begins. Fantastic box set, clearly everyone involved with Game of Thrones cares about it to their very cores.

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Blu Ray Review: Griff The Invisible

 

The Movie
An instant favorite of mine in the everyday superhero sub-genre, Griff The Invisible is the story of a mild mannered, oft-bullied office worker who leads a secret life as a vigilante superhero. His existence is thrown through a loop when he meets his brother's not-girlfriend Melody, a loner scientist with fantastical interests & aspirations of her own, including figuring out how to walk through walls. The connection between the two presents itself after Melody reveals her multiverse theories to a stumped Tim and fascinated Griff during an unexpected visit. The romance that unfolds is sweetly off-beat and combats any predilection towards the twee with a unique sense of humor, strong chemistry and genuine portrayals of of these innocently unhinged people. We root for their impossible dreams to come true and most importantly, root for them to pursue these dreams together.

With a seamless blending of fantasy and reality, clever knack for storytelling, pitch-perfect casting and soundtrack, and unique take on what is now a somewhat tired subgenre, Leon Ford shines in his directorial debut. The Blu-Ray, giving 16mm the 1080p treatment, looks fantastic, maintaining the gritty nature of the 16mm film without sacrificing clarity. If you’re a fan of Kwanten’s work as Jason Stackhouse on True Blood, this is an easy recommendation, but I believe this indie romance has an appeal that reaches far beyond the fan base of its lead. Maeve Dermody almost steals the show and it’s baffling that this unearthly beauty with such a precise and honest talent hasn’t yet been discovered on this side of the world. Patrick Brammall, as Griff’s obnoxious but caring brother who displays slightly more socially acceptance oddities in his personality, shows a great handle of comedic timing, obvious especially after watching the extras and hearing his contribution to the commentary.

For any of us with secret fantasies, whether they are walking through walls, saving the day or something even closer to the plane of reality we are familiar with, Griff The Invisible is meant for us. It’s a love letter to our potential and finding someone to reach it with, no matter how difficult life becomes or how much the outside world may fight against us.

Special Features

Commentary with writer/director Leon Ford, producer Nicole O’Donohue, and actor Patrick Brammall
This is where the meat of the Blu-Ray really lies if you want to learn about the shoot. We learn where the idea came from, how Kwanten got involved, insights into the music choices, including Lenka and Lykke Li, shooting locations, set dressing, which scenes were used to audition the actors, actor Toby Schmitz’s hair, how certain effects were achieved, and more. One of my favorite bis of information, since the special features left me craving a look at the technical aspects and design of the shoot, was learning about “Hero Mode”, the shorthand for all departments noting the moments when Griff becomes the superhero version of himself, with blue and yellow lights, wide, comic book-like camera lens, Ryan in the suit, and more. Brammall keeps the commentary light and littered with jokes between the anecdotes, and technical dissection.



Featurette (4:08)
Begins with the trailer then jumping to a standard featurette, featuring Kwanten talking about his connection to Griff (with an endearing confession), the leads on acting together, info on the suit and how the story was formed, and more. Short but sweet.

Anatomy of a Scene  Opening Sequence (3:16),  All-In-One Shot (2:16), Anyhoo (2:00)
Dissection of three different scenes, from storyboard to final cut, with some behind the scenes footage thrown in, including the director figuring out how to tackle one scene on location and a couple shots from the rehearsal process. Opening Sequence is very much about the action, a complicated sequence. All In One is particularly super cool, cause I wondered about they shot it myself while watching (so much simpler than I assumed it would be!). I won’t get into details so as not to spoil the moment, but you’ll see when you get there. Anyhoo is more about the actors and moments, showing on set footage, and Ford watching the monitor, and an ADR session with Patrick Brammall.

Appear Calm: Diary of a First Time Director Pre-Production (1:25), The Shoot (3:11), and Post Production (2:42)
A short self-made piece documenting Ford's first time making a feature film. Divided into three sections, pre-production, the shoot and post, it's mostly comprised of his thoughts, recorded with a webcam, paired with behind the scenes footage. Pre-Production is about a minute long, just a quick bit about beginning the rehearsal and read through process. The Shoot picks up after the first day, where we see a genuine reaction from Ford, impressed with the work of the actors across the board, and picks up again the Sunday before the final week. In Post Production, we see shots of the editing room and gain insight into the tedious process. We see him deal with needing to cut the film down, screening to producers, then holding screenings, finishing the final sound mix, getting picture lock, figuring out how to compromise and his journey to utter exhaustion.

While this feature doesn’t go particularly in depth or anything, but it’s still nice to hear tidbits about the shoot and hear from the man behind it all. Things get blurry the further you get from them, so it’s nice to have interviews filmed with only himself in the room, done *at* the time. I like some authenticity in my Blu-Ray extras.

Rain Stops Play (1:16)
During a pause in shooting while it was raining, Brammall and Ford jump into a improvised comedy bit that is genuinely hilarious. Or maybe it’s just cause Brammall's accent reminds me of New Zealander Rhys Darby that I think he's so funny, but this featurette was enough to make me research whether Brammall is well known comedian or anything, so well done Patrick Brammall!

Patrick’s Set Tour (1:24)

Patrick Brammall takes us on a brief but humorous tour of the set.

Deleted Scenes (7:36)
Here we see another clip showing Tim’s mild idiocy (and complete lack of connection to Melody), more of Griff’s scheming, Melody being awkward, many elongated scenes, including one in the office, one of Melody with her parents, and one of Griff with her parents and a sweet scene between Griff and Melody, getting to know each other, which was perhaps the only one that I wondered about being cut.

Music Video: Don’t Give Yourself Away by the Shadow Bureau
Oddly, one of my least favorite songs of all the music used in the film, which is overall incredibly strong, but it gets to be the official music video for some reason. The lyrics have a relevant and nice message, so I guess I see it, but of all he songs I was dying to hear in their entirety, this one was at the bottom of the list.

Overall, the features are fun, but I would have liked a lot more behind the scenes info, especially on the acting process and design elements. The film is so stylistic and specific, I would have loved to learn more about the way it was shot and put together. Commentary is definitely the place to go to for even a taste of this information, but sadly won't illuminate anything as far as acting is concerned, as the two leads do not participate.

Film: B+
Extras: B
Buy, Rent or Skip? Buy. It's a wonderful little movie that I can't help but think could use our support. I'm giving two copies, so if you're interested in winning the film, just head here and enter the contest.

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Blu Ray Review: Insidious

 I shouldn't have watched this right before bed. I really shouldn't have watched this right before bed.

Today marks the DVD/Blu-Ray release of Insidious, an original horror film from Saw writer/director team James Wan and Leigh Whannell, produced by Oren Pell of Paranormal Activity fame. I found this unexpectedly genre bending film to be kind of delightful in its originality. Equal parts naturalism and theatricality, I must say I had no idea where it would end up when it began. Even though at every twist I'd think to myself "I knew it!" then wonder, "Wait...did I?" (And sometimes, yes I did, thanks for spoiling part of the whole movie, blurb on the back of the DVD case...) Somehow the structure of the film is such that it completely envelops you and often tricks you into thinking you're one step ahead.

But don't worry, this isn't a film based in twists and turns. What makes it truly terrifying is the slow burn, the build, the tension, the glimpses of what's truly going on, and some very disturbing imagery bringing up the rear. For me personally, I'm glad I saw it at home for the first time, rather than in the theater, because haunted house movies are practically meant to be watched at home. That's when they become the most tangible and frightening. And this film was no exception.

Another plus of watching at home was utilizing my surround sound system to enhance such an unsettling score paired with incredibly dynamic sound design. The sounds were so effective, we kept finding them bleeding into reality, becoming increasingly convinced that some of the creaks were coming from outside of the screen. It helped create an all too terrifying atmosphere.

Now this movie wasn't perfect for me. It was almost too dark at times to see what was going on and the comic relief fell a little flat as it was just too little too late and almost unwanted at that point but despite those small gripes, the film is worth seeing, for its interesting blend of genres alone. Then throw in the fact that it's low budget, well made, original and legitimately scary and it becomes a full on recommendation.

But to buy the Blu-Ray? I'm not sure I'm convinced.

There are only three extras, Horror 101: The Exclusive Seminar, which gives a little background on the idea of the film and the genres it delves into, On Set with Insidious, which features behind the scenes footage and bits about the on-set relationships, stunts, bits that were cut and more, and Insidious: Entities, a closer look at all of the Entities. While these extras aren't bad, they are nowhere near enough. The total under a half hour and only feature interviews with six people - a very enthusiastic Wan & Whannell in all three, and in Insidious: Entities, the Production Designer, Costume Designer, Head of the Makeup Department and Head of the Hair Department as well. The featurettes are are all informative and fun to watch, but ultimately don't go as in depth as I've come to expect from my blu-rays. There is no commentary, and no equivalent. Plus you're practically forced into watching multiple trailers before even getting to the main menu. Weren't we past that, as a people?

But because the film is such an interesting little combo of unique and bone chilling, I at least recommend a rental. To be watched at night. With the surround sound on high. I guarantee you will have trouble sleeping. And according to Wan & Whannell, that's the mark of a horror movie doing its job. So, mission accomplished boys. I'm using a night light tonight.

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Blu Ray Review: Lord of the Rings: Extended Editions

Cross-posted and commissioned by Film.com

Today marks the release of one of the best things to happen to Blu-ray since Blu-rays blu made their blu way into existence: The Blu-ray Extended Editions of the Lord of the Rings Trilogy.

Digitally remastered from the films’ original 2K files (unlike the theatrical cut Lord of the Rings Blu-ray release), these movies can now look as beautiful on a television as they did in theaters, no matter the size of your screen. My breath was just as taken away with the stunningly crisp picture (approved personally by Peter Jackson) on an 82-inch TV as it was on a 42-inch, as it was on a 23-inch. And the sound, now presented in 6.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, is powerful, all encompassing, sleek and dynamic. Watching with surround or not, I still felt like I was chillin’ (or as the case mostly was, fighting/traveling/arguing/rescuing) in Middle Earth. The quality is definitely maintained here partly because the film is still on more than one disc, allowing more room for the smallest of details to come through in both picture and sound.

Including the two containing the film itself, each title brings with it five discs. The nine discs of extras are perhaps the most extensive I’ve ever seen. The first disc of extras for each film focuses on the process of book to screen/pre-production. The second disc of extras for each film focuses on the production itself, post production, and theatrical release. The third disc of extras house each correlating part of the Costa Botes documentary.

Now, are the 26 hours of extras also in HD? No. They aren’t Blu-ray, just DVDs. But I almost wonder if this is a sneaky way of immediately pointing out how impressive the remaster actually is. Going from 1080p to DVD-upgraded-by-Blu-ray-player is a very noticeable switch. An even bigger shock is going from the films’ rich HD images to the behind the scenes video footage, so low quality, even the faces in the foreground are slightly blurry. But because you get used to the low quality rather quickly, it thankfully doesn’t remain a nuisance.

Another important note here is that the 26 hours of extras are all exactly the same as the ones on the Extended Edition DVDs, save digital copies and some trailers for Lord of the Rings: War of the North. The downside here, obviously, is if you already own the DVDs, you are paying a lot of money *only* for the Blu-ray discs. But at the same time, I almost appreciate the lack of new extras as it means those who aren’t fortunate enough to own Blu-ray players don’t have to fear that they are missing out on any actual additions to the set they cannot own.

But for those of you who haven’t memorized the extras on the original extended editions, here is a handy dandy breakdown of what you’ll be getting for your $120.

Disc 1/Disc 2 – The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring – Extended Edition
-The Fellowship of the Ring Extended Edition in HD/6.1 DTS-HD Part One (105 min) and Part Two (123 min)
-Four Commentaries, Directors/Writers, Design Team, Production/Post-Production team, Actors
-War of the North Trailer on Disc 1
-MTV Movie Awards Clip on Disc 1
Council of Elrond spoof with Jack Black and Sarah Michelle Gellar

A recommendation here that applies to each of these movies – because each commentary so specifically touches on different aspects of the films, they really allow you to create your own educational experience. Curious about the lighting and absence of color in Moria or about any of the digital effects? Click over to the Production track. Want to know how on earth Faramir and Eowyn holding hands could have been cut or why certain other elements were added or deleted? Listen to the Director/Writers track. Want to learn about Elijah Wood’s love of beer or hear what was going through each character’s head after Gandalf’s fall? Switch to the Actors track. And if you are curious about the design of the Ringwraiths or what was done to Frodo’s Elvyn cape to make it look like a rock, click over to the Design Team track. Although the names of those speaking only pop up based on which commentary you selected at the beginning, so if you *do* go track hopping, you won’t necessarily know who is speaking when. My personal favorite track was the Actors because not only do you get fun anecdotes and get to hear about the acting process, you also get bits and pieces of what would appear on the other tracks. For example, if you’re curious about King Theoden’s transformation, you’d think you’d get the most info from Design or Production, but it’s actually Bernard Hill on the Actors track that goes into it the most.

Disc 3: The Appendices, Part 1: From Book to Vision

-JRR Tolkien: Creator of Middle Earth (22min)
Brief biography on Tolkien and history of books & fandom
-From Book To Script (20)
Hear the relationship of many of the actors and crew members to the books, then learn about the process of initially adapting the books to screenplays.
-Storyboards and Pre Viz: Making Words into Images (20)
Learn about the importance of story-boarding and the many different ways of creating them
-Three Storyboards that didn’t quite make it into the film (11)
-Two Pre Viz Animatics (3)
-Two Storyboard/Pre-Viz to film side by side comparisons (4)
-Bad End Set Test (6)
FAVORITE ALERT. Peter Jackson and some crew members act out a couple scenes that take place in the newly built (but not yet dressed) home of the Baggins’. The highlight is getting to watch Peter Jackson throw his all into his performance of Bilbo.
-Designing Middle Earth (41)
Going through the production design of the film from start to finish
-Weta Workshop (43)
In depth look at all of the armor, weapons, special makeup effects, prosthetics, creatures and miniatures, it’s the coolest doc on the disc. I swear, co-founder of Weta, Richard Taylor with his loud, bizarrely accented voice could lead a really eccentric cult or something. And, well, I guess he kind of does.
-Costume Design (12)
Learn about the design for many of the characters’ costumes and get some perspective on just how much work goes into costumes for a project like this. If you’d like to know why 40 duplicates had to be made of every single costume, this is the one to watch.
-Galleries with optional slideshows of people and realms
If you ever plan on dressing up as a character from Lord of the Rings, this feature is your saving grace. Sketches, close ups of detailing, the actual pieces on actors – the best reference guide you could possible ask for
-Middle Earth Atlas
Interactive map of Earth. Pick the path of either Frodo or Gandalf and follow their journey on the map, complete with clips
-New Zealand As Middle-Earth (8)
Your guide to visiting Lord of the Rings set sites when you visit New Zealand! A map pointing out which realms where shot where, with location scouting footage and thoughts from location scout and Supervising art director, Dan Hennah

More - way more - after the jump!



Disc 4: The Appendices, Part 2: From Vision to Reality

-The Fellowship of the Cast (35)
FAVORITE ALERT. Actors on actors. Curious why Ian McKellan and Hugo Weaving got along so well? Or what everyone thought of Viggo Mortenson? Or in which ways Sean Astin went above and beyond to relate to Elijah Wood the way Sam related to Frodo?
-A Day In The Life of the Hobbit (13)
What it is like for the actors playing Hobbits on a typical day
-Cameras in Middle Earth (50)
Behind the scenes footage of production
-Gallery of production photos with Slideshow option
-Scale (15)
How they made a bunch of people who are more or less all the same height, look like hobbits and dwarves, elves and humans, all in the same shot
-Big-Atures (16)
Details on the incredible miniatures
-Weta Digital (25)
Goes over the 550 digital shots in the first film
-Editorial: Assembling an Epic (13)
A look at the editing process. One of my favorite facts here is that Peter Jackson and the editing crew would watch 3-4 hours of dailies every night. Every night!
-Editorial demo – Council of Elrond
Six windows of raw footage, featuring 36 takes in all. An example of what it’s like in the editing room. Nice to see some of the actors takes unedited – the moments between the moments.
-Digital Grading (12)
Explanation for why they went with digital color grading, plus editing bay demonstrations and mind blowing side by side comparisons
-The Soundscapes of Middle Earth (13)
Specifics on the sound mixing and editing process, the team for which ended up winning two Oscars. This especially makes sense when you realize the dialogue in the film is 85% ADR. This is what to watch if you’re curious about what was used to create the aural landscape of individual creatures, as well as the ring and freaky outy Galadriel
-Music for Middle Earth (12)
Goes through different themes, explaining the origins of each and how they were recorded. My favorite is The Fellowship Theme, duuuuuh.
-The Road Goes Ever On…(7)
Footage from the various premieres and a few retrospectives.

Disc 5: The Fellowship of the Ring: Behind-the-Scenes 

The Fellowship of the Ring: Behind-the-Scenes Doc (85)

The first of three Costa Botes documentaries, really makes you feel like you are on set, highly recommended. But as the docs are widescreen without being anamorphic, multiple sources have advised me to zoom in on the picture when watching with my BR player in order to get the most out of the images. I personally didn’t mind, but thought I should impart that knowledge onto you just in case.

Disc 6/Disc 7 – The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers – Extended Edition

-The Two Towers Extended Edition HD/6.1 DTS-HD Part One (107) Part Two (129)
-Four Commentaries, Directors/Writers, Design Team, Production/Post-Production team, Actors (this time with 100% more David Wenham, Mirando Otto, Karl Urban, John Noble, Brad Dourif, Bernard Hill and Andy Serkis!)
–War of the North Trailer on Disc 6
-MTV Movie Awards Andy Serkis Acceptance Speech on Disc 6

I must take a moment here to note the actors commentary in particular once again. During the credits, Billy Boyd and Dominic Monaghan talk about every name as it comes up, then start listing which movies to watch next and it’s nothing short of hilarious. During the flashback scene between Faramir, Boromir and Denethor, John Noble speaks to Denethor’s motivations for disliking Faramir so and it sounds like you happened to step into an acting master class for a moment. And almost nothing on any of the commentary on any movie is better than hearing Andy Serkis speak about his extremely unique experience on set.
Disc 8: The Appendices, Part 3: The Journey Continues

-J.R.R. Tolkien: Origins of Middle-Earth (30)
More on Tolkien, specifically on how he drew from his experience in the war in writing Two Towers and his relationship with C.S. Lewis
-From Book to Script: Finding the Story (21)
FAVORITE ALERT. Learn about the reasons behind the changes from book to movie, including giving Faramir a proper Hero’s Journey, and the change that almost happened involving Arwen that thankfully got pulled.
-Designing Middle-Earth (46)
-WETA Workshop (44)
-The Taming of Sméagol (40)
FAVORITE ALERT. Tracing the development of Gollum from start to finish. Andy Serkis is a revelation / genius / greatest human being ever. But the animators who ultimately brought Gollum alive are nothing to sneeze at either. If you can only watch one extra for some reason, this is the one. Even Andy Serkis’ audition makes me want to throw up out of sheer admiration and awe.
-Andy Serkis Animation Reference (2)
Animation and Serkis’ performance, side by side. What would they have done without him?!
-Gollum Stand-in (3)
A look at the day producer Rick Porrus had to stand in for Andy Serkis
-Middle-Earth Atlas
Follow the paths of Sam and Frodo, Merry and Pippin, Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli, or Gandalf
-New Zealand as Middle-Earth (15)
-Production design galleries
-Gollum design gallery

Disc 9: The Appendices, Part 4: The Battle for Middle Earth

-Warriors of Middle-Earth (21)
FAVORITE ALERT. All about the stunt men and combat training for the actors. As someone who was once certified in both broadsword and hand to hand combat, I was helplessly glued to the screen during this one
-Cameras in Middle-Earth (68)
Just like the behind the scenes featurette of the same name on Fellowship, but taking us through Two Towers instead, which was a completely different experience, now tracking more than one storyline and containing more than one epic battle.
-Big-atures (22)
FAVORITE ALERT. Wow. I’ve never seen that many toy soldiers in my life. Holy crap, the detailing of these structures! This people are magicians.
-WETA Digital (28)
Learn about the roughly 791 digital shots in The Two Towers, over 200 more than the number in Fellowship
-Editorial: Refining the Story (22)
Featurette on cutting The Two Towers, featuring editor Mike Horton. Fascinating to see how many decisions that affected the whole movie were made in the editing room, including making the choice to do extensive Gollum pick-ups with Andy Serkis, that ended up truly defining the character
-Music for Middle-Earth (25)
In depth look at the score and individual themes for The Two Towers, the most difficult movie to score of the three, as it has no real beginning, middle or end
-The Soundscapes of Middle-Earth (21)
A look at the creation of specific sounds in this film, including Treebeard, the blended ADR introduction of the White Wizard and the wolves of Isengard. Plus, get to watch some Foley work in action
-The Battle for Helm’s Deep is Over… (9)
On the film’s release with footage from various premieres
-Production photo gallery
-Big-atures galleries
-Pre-Viz Animatic – The Flooding of Isengard
There is something particularly sweet about this animatic, especially when watching it side by side with the sequence from the finished film
-Abandoned concepts galleries
-Interactive sound demonstration
Listen to seven different audio tracks including on set, live effects with foley, computer sound effects, dialogue and music, then hear the finished product at your leisure. VERY cool. I particularly recommend track 4 during the close combat. Weapon sounds are epic cool on their own.

Disc 10 – The Two Towers: Behind-the-Scenes

-The Two Towers: Behind-the-Scenes Doc (106)
The next part in the Costa Botes documentary

Discs 11/12 – The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King Extended Edition

-The Return of the King Extended Edition HD/6.1 DTS-HD Part One (128) Part Two (135)
-Four Commentaries, Directors/Writers, Design Team, Production/Post-Production team, Actors
-War of the North Trailer on Disc 11
-Dominic Monaghan as Hans Jensen interviewing Elijah Wood on Disc 11
This. Is. Hilarious. Watch it now.
-MTV Movie Awards Spoof on Disc 12
Vince Vaughan and Ben Stiller pitching Lord of the Rings sequels to Peter Jackson

Disc 13 – The Appendices, Part 5: The War of the Ring
-J.R.R. Tolkien: The Legacy of Middle-Earth (30)
More on the life of Tolkien and his experience writing and developing Lord of the Rings, including the creation of the Elvysh languages and dialects
-From Book to Script: Forging the Final Chapter (25)
Goes through combining the end of The Two Towers with the beginning of Return of the King so the events actually play out chronologically, as well as other adaptation tidbits like the choice to separate Sam and Frodo before Shelob’s lair and the choice to add, then remove, a physical fight between Aragorn and Sauron and how the footage was re-purposed. And yes, the multiple endings are addressed.
-Aragorn Battles Sauron abandoned animatic concept
-Designing Middle-Earth (40)
-WETA Workshop (47)
-Big-atures (20)
Can I just have these? And play with my action figures and/or cats on them all day? I’m in awe.
-Costume Design (12)
This featurette mostly addresses characters introduced in The Two Towers, as well as the costume changes the main characters finally get to experience in Return of the King. MAN, the attention to detail on these costumes is staggering. And MAN do I want to own everything Eowyn wore. FYI, Ngila Dickson (and Richard Taylor) would finally and rightfully win an Oscar in 2003 for her work on Return of the King.
-Home of the Horse Lords (30)
FAVORITE ALERT! All about the horsies! Training, riders, the two Shadowfaxes and the best part, the bond Viggo Mortensen developed with Uraeus, the horse who played Brego. Viggo loves him some horsies.
-Middle-Earth Atlas
This time follows the journies of Frodo and Sam, Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli, Merry, or Gandalf and Pippin
-New Zealand as Middle-Earth (16)
The final destinations you need to know about in order to fully design your Lord of the Rings tour
-Design galleries
For costumes, realms and an entire one dedicated to miniatures!

Disc 14 – The Appendices, Part 6: The Passing of an Age
-Cameras in Middle-Earth (73)
Finally, the behind the scenes footage that contains one of my absolute favorite bits of Lord of the Rings production lore – that the scene where Sam and Frodo separate before Shelob’s lair took over a year to shoot. Sean Astin’s half was shot in November of 1999 and Elijah Wood’s half was shot in December of 2000. To know why, be sure to check out this feature. Another favorite bit is about how Viggo and Billy tried to help Sean Astin with the Sam/Rosie wedding scene, which leads into the reveal that for some reason Billy Boyd has kissed five members of the Fellowship. Hilarious section around the 40 minute mark. I highly recommend watching this one in its entirety as it ends with the emotional conclusion to production. I promise the hug between Peter and Elijah after his last shot of the pick ups will have you in tears.
-WETA Digital (42)
Detailing the 1500+ digital shots of Return of the King
-Mûmakil Battle Demo
Visual effects demo w/ optional commentary. Breaks down the steps of the effects intro Pre-Viz, environment, live action, animation, massive, rough composite and then the final film.
-Editorial: Completing the Trilogy (22)
This time around with longtime Jackson collaborator Jaime Selkirk editing, the featurette chronicles the work done on the three million feet of film chronicling five different storylines produced by the third film
-Music for Middle-Earth (22)
More of the same, but for Return of the King, this time including a look at Howard Shore’s cameo shot during pick ups and details on my personal favorite piece, Pippin’s Song, which I used to listen to on repeat because I’m a cool person.
-The Soundscapes of Middle-Earth (22)
-The End of All Things (21)
Chronicling the completion of Return of the King in post-production, which was barely finished in time
-The Passing of an Age (25)
FAVORITE ALERT! Extensive footage of the World Premiere in Wellington, which most closely resembled a royal wedding, but bigger. For realsies. WTF. It’s awesome. Here you will also find footage from the rest of the premieres, the most impressive of which is oddly Oslo and the sweep at the Oscars. It’s quite an emotional thing to watch after being engrossed of 26 hours of behind the scenes footage, seeing each department win their Oscar, recognizing every face. Plus, when is the last time a film won Best Picture and everyone on stage was crying? Nothing gets me like teary eyed Hobbits.
-Cameron Duncan: The Inspiration for “Into the West” (32)
Two shorts directed by Cameron Duncan, DFK6498 and Strike Zone

Disc 15 – The Return of the King: Behind-the-Scenes
-The Return of the King: Behind-the-Scenes Doc (112)
The third and final installment of the Costa Botes documentaries.

So what does this all add up to? A box set that is a must own for any movie lover. No question.

I still love these films so much. Cate Blanchett’s booming voice during the prologue of Fellowship still knocks me on my feet, and the fight on Weathertop still legitimately terrifies me. (Plus, after watching Game of Thrones for so many weeks, I got a lot of joy out of seeing young Ned Stark in action.) The very existence of Gollum in The Two Towers is just as impressive now as it was ten years ago and the friction he causes between Sam and Frodo is just as painful. Return of the King is still a sob fest of epic brilliance and my favorite of the trilogy.

All in all, despite one or two effects that seem somewhat outdated, particularly the admittedly rushed CGI of the wolves of Isengard, the Merry, Pippin and Treebeard blue-screen shots and that one shot in Return of the King of digital Legolas climbing up the Mûmakil, the effects in these films hold up outstandingly. This trilogy is truly a landmark, so many firsts, so many effects invented and perfected. It’s easy to forget, because of the effects heavy blockbusters that have now become commonplace and the relative ease with which epic fantasies can now be created, even for television. But these films paved the way for so much, it’s important to remember and honor that from time to time. It is also astonishing to realize that cameras were on set and taping for almost the entire process, pre-production, production, post-production, and pick-ups. How wonderful to know that we can safely expect something similar with The Hobbit.

On that note, yes, in five years I wouldn’t be surprised to see a a brand new twenty five disc set combining both Hobbit films as well as the three Lord of the Rings movies released today. I’d even expect more extras that time, retrospectives perhaps, the one thing really missing from this set. (You’d think there would be more advantage taken of the fact that these are being released ten years after Fellowship came out. My only explanation is that these will pop up on that inevitable Ultimate Crazy Complete Blu-ray Collection, out sometime in 2015.) But five years is a long time to wait to re-watch the Lord of the Rings trilogy, especially if you intend to revisit the world before seeing The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey at midnight, December 14th, 2012. So with that in mind, I absolutely recommend this box set, duplicate extras and all. Because damn, are they good extras and daaaaaaaaaaamn, are these amazing movies.

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Blu Ray Review: Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows Part One

Crossposted and commissioned by Film.com

As a die hard Harry Potter fan whose first blu-ray purchase was the gift pack containing the first six Harry movies, you can imagine how ecstatic I was at the prospect of reviewing the blu ray for the seventh film - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part One. I loved this movie when I saw it in theaters and - surprise - loved it just as much watching it again in gorgeous high definition on my 82 inch screen. But the question at hand here isn't so much "Is the movie good?" because we know the answer to that. Yes. It's great. (If for some reason you don't like it, read the books, then watch it again. If you're one of those people who refuses to read the books, I'm not sure we can be friends.) The real question is, "Should I buy the blu-ray?" So here is a breakdown of what the three disc combo pack has to offer and if it's worth the $34.00 list price.

Disc 1 Special Features:

Maximum Movie Mode

In lieu of a standard commentary, this blu-ray has the option of "Maximum Movie Mode", apparently a feature that can be seen all over the place these days, but not by me, as this one was my first experience. Jason Isaacs hosts a journey through the entire film, extending it to almost three hours. Every so often, a snippet of a behind the scenes "Focus Point" pops up (along with the option to pause Maximum Movie Mode and watch the entire 2-4 minute piece, see below) and even more frequently, various actors & crew members pause the action to really go in depth in regards to what we're watching, whether it's an actor on his motivation, makeup effects designer, Nick Dudman, on creating Harry's swollen face or the details of Voldemort, someone from the fx department teaching us about the seamless effects we didn't know existed, or the (genius) production designer, Stuart Craig, specifying his inspirations, from Citizen Kane to Nazi propaganda. We are also treated to history lessons of sorts, seeing a recap of Harry's love life, where we've seen items like the deluminator and the Gryffindor Sword before, and at last being told who the creators of the Maurader's Map were, all providing context we may have forgotten or for those who haven't read the book, never knew in the first place, and my favorite bit, passages from the book read aloud (quite well, I might add) by Tom Felton, that provide a bit more insight into the current scene.

Keep an eye out for the commentary pause during the Ministry of Magic sequence - the escape at the end was the last shot ever filmed of the entire series and the footage of the wrap is really wonderful. Perhaps my favorite shot of the entire blu-ray is contained here, when a tear-filled Emma Watson & Rupert Grint share a hug. During Maximum Movie Mode, we're also informed of the original ending of the film. I think you'll agree with me when you see it that extending the film through to where it *did* end was ESSENTIAL.

Needless to say, I absolutely adored watching the movie in this fashion. I was most taken with the parts about the special effects and makeup that literally never occurred to me as existing (Three Words. Mad-Eye. Moody's. Eye.) The attention to detail on this film was astounding and it got me especially hoping that Part Two will get to take home a ton of Oscars next year to reward the entire crew for 10 years worth of hard work.

But Maximum Movie Mode wasn't perfect. There was a little too much focus on the experiences of actors who played extremely small roles, and while I loved hearing their stories, I found myself yearning for something similar from Rupert Grint, Emma Watson (complete with post-Harry pixie cut), or Helena Bonham Carter. This is the type of film I would watch with commentary of all kinds, so not having after the fact reflection from the main characters was kind of disappointing. My only explanation for this is that they are holding off on the big guns for the blu-ray release of the final film, or for the inevitable complete series package.

But regardless of what's missing, Maximum Movie Mode is still a must watch for any fan, especially right before seeing Deathly Hallows Part Two. The whole thrust of this mode of watching is preparing the viewer for the final movie, so if you don't get around to rewatching every film or rereading every book before July, the Maximum Movie Mode of Deathly Hallows Part One makes a totally suitable substitute.

More on the rest of the special features after the jump!



Each of the Focus Points in Maximum Movie Mode can be viewed separately on disc one. They include,
-The Last Days of Privet Drive (2:36)
 Some nice on set footage of the Dursley family out of character on their last day, which is especially humorous in the case of Richard Griffiths, so prim and proper and delightful when he's being himself.
-Hagrid's Motorbike (4:01)
A dissection of all the different elements that went into the motorbike scene. It's quite astounding to see it broken down the way it his here and simultaneously watch how perfectly it all flows together in the finished product.
-Magical Tents (2:18)
Goes in to the design of and inspiration for the various magical tents, including the one used for Bill & Fleur's wedding, and the one Harry, Hermione and Ron stay in while in the forest.
-Death Eaters Attack Cafe (2:51)
Revolves around the scene in scene in London where Ron, Harry and Hermione engage in a wand fight with two death eaters, shedding light on elements like wand mechanics and stunt fighting.
-Creating Dobby and Kreacher (3:48)
 Shows the progression of the elves over the many films. What started as an actor talking to a stick with a tennis ball for a head has transformed into actual little people, in costume, saying the lines and communicating with the actors, to bring more of a sense of realism and connection to the screen. Here we also hear from Toby Jones, the voice of Dobby.
-The Return of Griphook (3:45)
Veteran actor Warwick Davis talks about getting to don a copious amount of makeup to double up and play Griphook as well as Professor Flitwick and what it meant to him that he got to play both roles.

Disc 2 Special Features

Disc two offers a whole new slew of behind the scenes bits, as well as eight deleted scenes and an opening scene from Deathly Hallows Part 2, omitted from the blu-ray review copies. The whole disc only took about an hour, which on the one hand was great, cause you know, I'm a busy gal, but on the other hand was disappointing in that I wanted MOAR. (I just keep having to remind myself  "Big guns for the second movie. Big guns for the second movie.") Here's what's included,

-The Seven Harrys (5 min)
A look into what went into the Polyjuice Potion scene. Absolutely fascinating. Dan Radcliffe studied every actor doing the movement he was meant to imitate, and then did it himself, each time in front of a green screen with a camera on a special rig that made sure it moved in the exact same way every single time. 
-On The Green with Rupert, Tom, Oliver and James (13 min)
The actors who play Ron, the Weasley Twins, and Draco, head to a resort to play a game of golf and reminisce about their ten years shooting Harry Potter films. A really nice peak into the relationship between these four boys who have literally grown up together, along with clips of them from the past movies, when they were actual tiny children. 
-Dan, Rupert and Emma's Running Competition (3 min)
A glimpse into the relationship between the three leads and how one upping each other in a chase scene almost eclipsed the point of the scene itself. At one point someone has to remind Emma that it isn't a race and maybe she shouldn't be zooming past the boys in every single shot. It's pretty adorable.
-Godric's Hollow/The Harry and Nagini Battle (6 min)
A look at the Godric's Hollow set, which to my surprise, was a set, not an actual place. Seriously. WHAT. Gorgeous. This is followed by a couple minutes on how the Nagini fight was prepped and shot. 
-The Frozen Lake (4 min)
Here we get to see how the crew used a giant water tank to film the frozen lake scene. Nice to see director David Yates' concern for Radcliffe, reassuring him that they would only do one or two takes, and then almost an entire minute of Radcliffe listening intently to his stunt double give him tips, advice and instruction on how to nail it. Can I just say Daniel Radcliffe comes across in all of these as simply the greatest of human beings? Always up for talking to the behind the scenes crew, always happy on set, always ready to work, full of self-depricating humor, really seems like a stand up guy.
-HP&DH1: Behind The Soundtrack (4 min)
An informative look into the creation of the score, featuring footage of Alexandre Desplat conducting the orchestra, and interviews with both Desplate and producer David Heyman on the importance of the score and what Desplat brought to the table.
-The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Promo Trailer (6 min)
Promo about both the creation of the theme park and the astonishing opening celebration. Features great footage of the cast seeing the theme park for the first time, and later, riding the rides with small schoolchildren who won a contest to be the first members of the public allowed in on opening day. I want to go to there.

Deleted Scenes

Here we are treated to eleven minutes of deleted scenes, all of which are a joy for Potter fans to see and provide a little bit more insight and information for the non die hard fans. We see Arthur showing Ron the radio that he later uses in the tent in the woods to make sure his family is safe, a nice moment between Mrs Dursley and Harry where they briefly share sadness over the loss of Lily Potter, a recap scene of sorts regarding the horcruxes, what they are, where they found them, and who they belonged to, a death-eater discovering the empty Granger house, Harry and Ron trying to blow off steam in the woods, and a sweet scene between Ron and Hermione, where he teaches her how to skip stones.

But my favorite of the group was Dudley's redemption scene, one of my favorite parts of the book, that I endlessly complained about being cut from the movie. In Maximum Movie Mode, the producer explained that leaving the scene in took away from the ominous urgency of the opening, which I suppose I can understand, but thank goodness the scene was filmed anyway, because it was a thrill to see come to life.

So is it worth the buy?

Here's the thing. While I absolutely enjoyed every special feature and recommend watching them, this particular blu ray is only worth buying in the very specific cases of you-already-have-the-blu-rays-for- movies-one-through-six or I-just-need-to-watch-it-over-and-over-right-now. If you only have the DVDs, or only have a blu-ray here or there (let's say, given as gifts), then just wait for the giant Blu-Ray combo pack or AT LEAST wait for parts 1 and 2 to be bundled together. The special features can only get better with the release of the final movie. But don't worry, if you are a Potter completionist and plan on owning this in any event, you will not be disappointed. I'm so jazzed for part two. Three months to go!

Grade: B+
Movie: A- (I love this movie. I love Harry Potter.)
Picture/Sound: A (Blu-ray, I love you too. Yes it's dark, but I have zero problem with that)
Special Features: B (Great effort, what's there is more or less stellar, just wanted A LOT more)

Release Date: April 15, 2011

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