Scenic National Parks [Grand Canyon]

You know that Blu-ray has come of age when niche marketing embraces the new format. And it doesn't get any nichier than these offerings from Questar Entertainment. Questar has developed a DVD boxed set called "Treasures of America's National Parks," but, filming and mastering the discs in High Definition, they're also releasing a series of three discs in Blu-ray. These are shows that were produced in partnership with and aired on the Travel Channel in 2006.

"Scenic National Parks" features three Blu-rays that are available singly or in a specially priced three-pack. The first, "Yellowstone," also includes neighboring Grand Teton National Park and features segments on whitewater rafting, working a dude ranch, and hiking numerous trails. "Yosemite" shows those granite peaks, towering sequoias, and thundering waterfalls that are among the world's tallest, with bears putting in an appearance and a canyon-floor view of "rattlesnake country." The third disc, "Grand Canyon," is the one that I was sent to review. And I have to say, straight off, that I found the production values, script, and editing to be impressive. This is no amateur effort, but neither is it an Imax experience that's designed to take your breath away. There are breathtaking shots here too, but the camera angles and the narrative itself are less auspicious than "Planet Earth" narratives and more down to earth, if that makes any sense. It's all more matter-of-fact than it is scripted "ooos" and "aahhhs."

Maybe it's the inclusion of activities one is apt to encounter that makes this seem more like a tourism sampler than a Blu-ray that exalts nature's grandeur. But I found that refreshing. After all, most people who enjoy nature like to experience it first-hand, and this series includes the kind of adventures you might have if you were to travel to one of the featured National Parks.

"Scenic National Parks: Grand Canyon" is a nice blend of facts, aerial footage, and up-close-and-personal shots of people experiencing the park. We're told that Grand Canyon occupies some 1.2 million acres and spreads 18 miles from rim to rim across the northern corner of Arizona. There are just enough talking heads here to add a little authority, but not so many that they begin to vie for screen time with the scenery itself, and that's another plus. The "heads" are also judiciously selected. We hear from a Northern Arizona University historian and geologist, a whitewater rafting operator, a livery manager who's in charge of maintaining the mules that are used to ride down to the canyon floor, a "rim runner," a park ranger, and even a Hualapai tribal historian who talks about the sacredness of the canyonlands that are not part of the National Park.

What's nice about this collection is that it meanders, rather than rushes through. Instead of just a few seconds' clip about exploring the canyon via mule train, we see and hear the instructions that the riders are given before they mount up, and we follow them down the zig-zap path to their eventual destination: Phantom Ranch. Instead of just a quick burst of footage showing the highlights of a whitewater rafting trip, we're again treated to a fuller sense of what it entails-from the preparation and "doldrums" through the rapids and finally the quieter (or sillier) moments. You'll know after watching this Blu-ray whether hopping in a car and signing up for a whitewater trip or mule ride is the thing for you.

There's history here, too, from former Illinois Wesleyan University professor John Wesley Powell's early excursions-he was the first professor to take students on field trips, and what field trips they were!-to a more current pioneer, a woman named Georgie White Clark who was the first to design a bigger raft to accommodate more people at more affordable prices. There's footage of the people responsible for protecting the hikers and adventurers, too, and we learn that there are 400 emergencies per year, several daily during the peak summer months. It's more than a little interesting to see proactive "rangering," as rangers stop hikers on their way down the canyon to ask them about how far they plan on going, and to gauge whether they have the stamina, the time, the weather conditions, and the food and water to enable them to carry out their plan. Or else, they talk them into "Plan B." Only 10 percent of the park's visitors make it to the north rim, we're told, and so I can imagine people watching footage of Grand Canyon Lodge and thinking, I've got to be one of the few who actually gets there.

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He-Man and the Masters of the Universe [Volume 3]

Many action figure lines that hit the market are usually in conjunction with, or after the release of, a successful television series or blockbuster movie. Just off the top of my head I've seen toys of Captain Caveman from "The Flintstones," Captain Kirk from "Star Trek: The Original Series," and most recently Captain Jack Sparrow from "Pirates of the Caribbean." But in the 1980s, it was a common occurrence for the reverse to happen. Classic toy lines such as G.I. Joe, Transformers, and He-Man and the Masters of the Universe became so popular that it wasn't long before they found a home on the Saturday morning cartoon line-up.

"He-Man and the Masters of the Universe" was originally intended to be a line of figures based on Arnold Schwarzenegger's breakout film, "Conan the Barbarian," back in the spring of 1982. Due to the graphic violence and nudity in the picture, Mattel wisely opted to sever the "Conan" ties since youngsters would probably need therapy after seeing bloody beheadings and group palace orgies in a restricted movie. Instead, Mattel decided to make a few tweaks keeping the classic medieval fantasy aspect of "Dungeons & Dragons," and blending in some futuristic "Star Wars" elements to create a brand-new and exciting property.

Set in the fictional world of Eternia, "He-Man and the Masters of the Universe" follows the adventures of young Prince Adam and his friends as they heroically defend the land from evil forces including a wicked sorcerer named Skeletor. To aid in his fight, Adam wields a mystical sword that transforms the teen into He-Man: the most powerful man in the universe. The transformation grants him enhanced strength, speed, and the ability to shazam-up his timid green tiger Cringer into the mighty Battle Cat. Adam's secret is only known by a select few, namely the Sorceress, Man-At-Arms, and a bumbling, comic-relief wizard known as Orko.

This DVD release from BCI Entertainment features the third animated series for the franchise that aired on Cartoon Network in 2002, and is a huge improvement over Filmation's original from the early 80s. The anime-style artwork is eye-catching and sometimes has a three-dimensional feel. I thought the mist and snowstorm effects were a nice touch, and the extravagant backgrounds for Castle Grayskull and Snake Mountain are simply gorgeous. The writing is another step in the right direction, with interesting plot-driven storylines jam-packed with highly detailed action sequences.

Some parts of the show are still a bit cheesy, but purists prefer having some things stay true to the original. The way Prince Adam chants those famous words, "by the power of Grayskull..." is still present, as is He-Man's "I... have... the POWER!" Some of the sound effects have a familiar 80s ring to them, and we also have the transitional clips that connect one scene to another via a brief "He-Man" jingle.

This collection contains the final thirteen episodes of the series:

Disc One:
27) "The Last Stand." While Castle Grayskull is under assault by the allegiance of The Council of Evil and the Evil Warriors, Prince Adam is swallowed by the abyss. Orko shows up in the nick of time to help bearing a gift... but will it be enough?

28) "To Walk With Dragons." Once Skeletor learns that the Eternian Council has the power to control the fate of Eternia, he unleashes dragon-like serpintaurs to stop them. In order to battle the army, the Masters of the Universe turn to the Dragon Walkers for assistance.

29) "Out of the Past." After Teela becomes stranded in a village of small peaceful beings known as Pelleezeeans, she begins to piece together her destiny while unaware of the evil lurking in the midst.

30) "The Rise of the Snake Men - Part 1." The Masters reluctantly joins forces with Skeletor to a halt the resurgence of the Snake Men, but find themselves walking into a trap. This gives Kobra Khan and Rattlor the opportunity they were looking for to unleash King Hssss and his cohorts from the bowels of Snake Mountain!

31) "The Rise of the Snake Men - Part 2." Evil-Lyn forms an allegiance with King Hssss, who has poisoned the Sorceress. He-Man and Zodak must hurry to try and stop the Snake Men from gaining full control of Eternia before it's too late.

32) "The Price of Deceit." With Evil-Lyn's treacherous ways out in the open, she's forced to flee or suffer the wrath of Skeletor. The Faceless One seeks the help of the Masters to protect his daughter, and the Masters learn that an ancient evil is on the verge of being unleashed from the Forsaken Realm. This episode also concludes Skeletor's origin story.

33) "Of Machines and Men." Eternia suffers a massive power failure causing Queen Marlena's ship to crash at the Corridors of Lithos, while an alien named Sortech seeks out the help of He-Man to thwart an assault led by Skeletor. King Randor and Battle Cat venture off to search for Marlena, and He-Man might end up with a powerful reward for aiding the stranger.

Disc Two:
34) "Second Skin." King Hssss has returned and plans to get his slippery scales on the Serpent's Ring, an artifact with the power to transform the citizens of Eternia into snakes. He-Man, Roboto, and Orko form a fellowship in an effort to secure the ring and save the world.

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Dark City [Director's Cut]

What do you get when you combine film noir, mystery, fantasy, and science fiction? You get "Blade Runner," of course. OK, I mean what else do you get? You get "The Matrix." Let me try again. You get "Dark City." Not that I dislike film noir, mystery, fantasy, or science fiction. I like these genres a lot. And I like "Blade Runner," "The Matrix," and "Dark City" a lot. In fact, I'm pleased as punch with this new, Blu-ray edition of "Dark City" with its longer Director's Cut, improved, high-definition picture, and additional bonus items. It's a good deal all the way around.

I wasn't always so happy with the movie, though. When it first came out in 1998, I thought it was a little too derivative of the aforementioned "Blade Runner" as well as its biggest inspiration, Fritz Lang's classic "Metropolis." I didn't mind "Dark City" paying tribute to the older films; I just thought it had gone too far in imitating them. "Dark City" seemed to me at the time a perfect example of style over substance. Today, I still think the movie is mostly style, but it's a style so engrossing, it more than makes up for any lack of substance.

The fact is, the filmmakers mean for the viewer to look closely at everything in the movie, and they mean to remind the viewer of other things in film history. Its dark, curiously futuristic city of the past evokes images of the noir settings of the 40s and 50s in general and Lang's "Metropolis" from 1927 in particular; but I'd bet the movie conjures up even more-recent memories for a majority of its younger viewers. "Dark City" looks like bits and pieces of "Blade Runner," "Batman," "Hellraiser," "Phantasm," "Brazil," and director Alex Proyas's own previous film, "The Crow," with the added glumness of "Dune" thrown in for good measure.

There is no doubt that "Dark City" is as entertainingly bizarre a film as you'll find, a story that finds a strange, psychological surrealism in a nightmarish world of perpetual night. It's grim, fascinating, always absorbing, wildly imaginative, and not a little scary.

The story revolves around John Murdoch (Rufus Sewell), who wakes up one night lying naked in a strange bathtub in a strange room in a strange apartment in a strange city. An unknown man phones to tell him that somebody has erased his memory. He discovers the body of a murdered woman nearby. Then, to add insult to injury, he finds a group of dark, frightening figures chasing after him.

From here, the plot of "Dark City" follows two threads: Murdoch searches the city trying to figure out who he is, while a police detective, Inspector Frank Bumstead (William Hurt), searches the city for a serial killer, with Murdoch his most likely suspect.

I suppose one could argue that like a lot of somber-toned video games, the snoop-and-shoot action of "Dark City" is fun for a while but becomes wearisome with repetition for anyone but a devotee. That's the way I felt the first time I saw the movie. Fortunately, I've come to view it differently over time, discovering new and varied depths in its story and characters I never noticed before. How could it be otherwise when "Dark City" offers a ton of special effects, singular events, and peculiar characters. Kiefer Sutherland, for instance, does a wonderful Peter Lorre mad-scientist turn as Dr. Daniel Schreber, a fellow who claims to know all about Murdoch and his predicament. Jennifer Connelly is a beautiful, unwitting, 1940s' style, nightclub singer femme fatale, who claims to be Murdoch's wife. And Ian Richardson plays a menacingly sinister figure lurking in a shadowy underground of heaven-knows-what portent. Great, spooky stuff.

Psychologists are fond of saying that people create and order their own universe. Certainly, "Dark City" creates such a universe for itself and its characters. It explores the questions of what is illusion, what is reality, and what is the substance and meaning of the soul. The story poses some intriguing "what if" premises; the alleyways, the shadows, the camera angles, and the lighting all bespeak of vintage film noir; and the landscape would make H.P. Lovecraft and Edgar Allan Poe proud.

My only minor quibble about "Dark City" is that it winds up spelling out too much. Better to have left some things unexplained and let imagination do the rest. But that's OK. The trip is well worth the travel time.

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Ferris Bueller's Day Off [I Love the 80's Edition]

Note: In the following joint review, both John and Justin wrote up their comments on the movie, with John also writing up the Video, Audio, Extras, and Parting Thoughts.

The Film According to John:
The thing about "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" from a retired high school English teacher's point of view is that if kids are going to cut, I wish they'd do it the way Ferris did it. I mean, do it right, for heaven's sake!

"This is my ninth sick day this semester. It's pretty tough coming up with new illnesses. If I go for ten, I'm probably going to have to barf up a lung, so I better make this one count." --Ferris Bueller

Paramount, knowing a good thing when they see it, have released "Ferris" in a number of different editions over the years, this latest release being a part of their "I Love the 80's" collection. The 1986 picture gets new packaging and comes with a CD of 80s' music. Otherwise, it's the same old, which if you don't have it is still a must.

Matthew Broderick plays Ferris Bueller, a teenage con artist supreme, a fellow who knows how to manipulate people and the world around him for maximum personal benefit. Not that he's manipulative in a bad way, though. He doesn't try to cheat anyone. Indeed, he tries hard to make the lives of those around him happier, at least those who will accept his help. His sister, played by Jennifer Grey, is one of only two people in the film who knows Ferris for the con man he is, and she can't stand it. She's envious. She can't bear that he's getting away with something she can't get away with, or is too afraid to try.

John Hughes wrote and directed "Ferris Bueller," a movie that is funny, satiric, bright, and inventive, sagging around the two-thirds mark but coming through with an exhilarating finish. Hughes practically owned the 80's, with movies like "Sixteen Candles," The Breakfast Club," "Weird Science," "Planes, Trains and Automobiles," and "Uncle Buck." "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" was the high-water mark of his career.

The story follows Ferris's adventures one school day in the spring of his senior year when he decides enough is enough, he needs a break (another break). He must cut. But he needs accomplices, so he talks his cheerleader girlfriend, Sloane, played by Mia Sara, and his hypochondriac best friend, Cameron, played by Alan Ruck, to go along with him. Cameron is in special need of Ferris's help; his ego is at an all-time low. They make their escape from suburbia to the big city, Chicago, in Cameron's father's pride and joy, a bright red 1961 Ferrari 250 GT California Spider, a car the father loves more than life itself.

Leaving school and their economics teacher, famously played by Ben Stein ("Anyone? Anyone?"), far behind, they set out on their escapades. They visit the world's tallest building; stop in on the Stock Exchange; eat lunch at a snobby restaurant; attend a big-league baseball game; go to an art museum; and sing and dance in a street parade, which features the movie's showstopping production numbers, Ferris lip-synching to Wayne Newton's "Danke Schoen" and the Beatles' "Twist and Shout."

Some of the movie's funniest characters, however, appear in supporting roles, such as Mr. Rooney, the school's principal played by Jeffrey Jones, who, like Ferris's sister, suspects Ferris is getting away with something and is determined to catch him in the act, pursuing Ferris all over town, always one step behind. Then, too, we find Charlie Sheen as a laid-back delinquent in a police station, Richard Edson as a parking-garage attendant, Edie McClurg as Mr. Rooney's secretary, and Jonathan Schmock as a snooty maitre d' all contributing to the fun.

The film is rated PG-13 for periodic profanity, but I hope that triviality doesn't stop anybody from enjoying it.

John's film rating: 8/10

The Film According to Justin:
Who would have ever thought I would find a movie that centers around an admittedly ingenious slacker who breaks the fourth wall and converses directly with the audience entertaining. The problem is that Matthew Broderick as the titular Ferris Bueller is just so damned affable that you can't help but fall in love with him. He's the kind of kid that everyone wanted to have as a friend in high school, despite being an utter deviant. As John said in his review, when Ferris cuts school he does it right.

He's missed eight days of school during the course of his senior year and Ferris is determined to make his ninth one to remember. After faking out his parents, Ferris has to concoct a plan to spring his best girl, Sloane (Mia Sara), and live it up in the Windy City. To do so, Ferris needs his best friend, who also happens to be (legitimately) missing school due to illness, Cameron (Alan Ruck). You see, Ferris is without transport, and he relies on his pal to get about. And they do it in style, in Cameron's father's pretty red Ferrari.

Ferris and his crew do, indeed, make the most of their time together. They scam their way into a snooty restaurant, scale the Sears Tower, catch a Cubs game, and interlope on a parade. But it's not all roses as there are forces conspiring to bring Ferris to justice, including the school principal Mr. Rooney (Jeffery Jones) and Ferris's jealous sister Jeanie (Jennifer Grey). Their misadventures in attempting to catch Ferris in the act of skipping school account for about a third of the movie. Similarly, Ferris has some near misses with his mother and father out in the city.

Most of the film is a series of climactic vignettes that feature Ferris plying his trade, namely conning people, and having a good time. They are linked by an overarching narrative that tells the story of the day. In the end, this is the story of a day, one which Ferris is determined to make the best.

The movie's three leads have a wonderful dynamic that makes this film an absolute pleasure to watch. The subtext about this being the group's last chance to really cut loose before they spread out for college becomes heartbreaking when you realize how much they mean to one another. These characters grow nicely through the course of the movie. Cameron starts to understand that his existence isn't nearly as horrible as he thinks and learns to adapt to the pressures of life. Sloane learns what it means to love, and Ferris learns what it means to be a true friend. They may not be life-altering adjustments, but they are wonderful beats.

I honestly wonder what happened to these characters after this film concluded; it is a sign of just how compelling they are. We spend a nice amount of time with them, just enough to fall in love with Ferris and his motley crew. "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" is a wonderful, and somewhat timeless movie that addresses issues of teen anxiety (about growing up and growing old) and dealing with life. And to cap it all off, in case I haven't focused on it, it's insanely funny and infinitely quotable.

"Ferris Bueller's Day Off" is a seminal 80's film and one of the funniest, most heartfelt movies to come out of the period. Watch, and enjoy.

Justin's film rating: 9/10

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