Ghostbusters (Blu-Ray)
Rating:
Reviewed by: Eric Alt


The Skinny: Seriously?

The Good: You can say with some degree of confidence that this is the best Ghostbusters has ever looked. Improvements have been made on the so-called "remastered" DVD editions from 2005, and a buttload of new extras have been added to this release. There's even some promotional material centered around the new video game, if you're into that sort of thing.

The Bad: Odds are you own several copies of Ghostbusters already, and the thought of shelling out for another is as appealing as a one-on-one with Walter Peck. But, hey, you Xbox 360 owners will get the featurettes that are only on the PS3 version of the game. So there's that.

Best Extra: As gimmicky as it is, "Slimer Mode"—a feature that frames the movie with a cool looking border and plays a picture-in-picture track with interview clips and trivia—is actually kind of neat.

Miracle (Blu-Ray)
Rating:
Reviewed by: Eric Alt


The Skinny: Miracle dramatizes the story of the 1980 U.S. Men's hockey team and their David-v-Goliath showdown with the Russian Red Army squad at the Lake Placid Olympic games. Kurt Russell stars as coach Herb Brooks, who whipped a bunch of college kids into world beaters.

The Good: First of all, this is one of the best hockey movies made yet. Not just a great story, but the most accurate on-ice depiction of the game you'll see this side of NHL Films. On Blu-Ray, the blood-red Red Army sweaters and the crisp ice pop like never before. Your sound system will also have you wincing at every board-rattling hit.

The Bad: Despite the gorgeous new HD transfer, the Blu-Ray doesn't give you anything that wasn't on the standard DVD release of the film. So the main selling point is: Just how badly do you want to see this in HD? It's impressive, but that's all you're going to get.

Best Extra: That said, you can't beat the roundtable with the actual members of the '80 team (and Russell). Nothing tops the true story.

Buy, Rent, or Ignore: Rent it first just to make sure the HD eye candy is worth it for you. We think it will be, but take the test drive.

Dr. Strangelove: 45th Anniversary Edition (Blu-Ray)
Rating:
Reviewed by: Eric Alt


The Skinny: Even after Glasnost, Dr. Strangelove is still regarded as one of the ballsiest, most quotable, and most scathing political satires ever made. If you haven't seen it, you've heard about it. If you have seen it, you'll gladly see it again.

The Good: This is a classy package worthy of one of Stanley Kubrick's finest films (which is, you know, saying something). Not only does the black and white look as sharp as the jokes, but the extras are cobbled together with an eye and ear towards exploring every inch of this movie's production, cast, and historical context. Good stuff.

The Bad: Nothing to complain about here. This is solid stuff all around. You'll be surprised at how much of this movie is still relevant today, which is horrifying.

Best Extra: The Picture-in-Picture and pop-up trivia track is great for illustrating the social and political context surrounding the making of Strangelove. You'll have renewed respect for the movie's brass ones.

Buy, Rent, or Ignore: This is a buy.

Transformers: The Complete First Season—25th Anniversary Edition
Rating:
Reviewed by: Eric Alt


The Skinny: Man, has it really been 25 years? This new edition from Shout! Factory restores the original 1984 TV series with an eye towards a total fanboy nostalgia orgy. It succeeds.

The Good: A few years ago, Rhino released a Season One box set that was decent, but the hardcore fans soon began noticing animation inconsistencies and even missing scenes. Well, Shout! has gone back and fixed a lot of this, presenting a version of Season One so pristine you'll be wondering why you aren't in jammies eating sugary cereal in your mom's living room. (Unless, you know, you still are).

The Bad: Unfortunately, the shows were never a model of sophistication, so you might find some of the episodes a little tough to sit through now that you're in your 30s. But for nostalgia junkies or even new nerd dads, this is a fun trip to take.

Best Extra: "Triple Changer: From Toy To Comic To Screen" brings in the toys, thus completing your total inner child immersion.

Buy, Rent, or Ignore: This is a good pick-up, especially after your kids get all amped up after seeing Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.