"TRON: THE ORIGINAL CLASSIC"
Blu-ray Review by Kevin Carr
MOVIE: ****1/2 (out of 5 stars)
BLU-RAY EXPERIENCE: ***** (out of 5 stars)
I was in grade school when “Tron” first hit the theaters in the summer of 1981, and while the story was rough and the pacing was awkward, it was a mind-blowing experience. I remember sitting in the theater after the film and asking my mother if movies would be made in the future without actors and sets. Little did I know that full CGI films were only a few decades away.
“Tron” is essential 80s, and it’s glorious in that respect. Everything about this film screams that decade – from the matte-work designed to look like computer generated images to the actual ultra-perfect look of the digital frontier. The music is so pop synth for the time that it sounded futuristic but is horribly dated, and that’s part of the charm. For someone like me who grew up on a steady diet of Pac Man and Donkey Kong, this was the coolest movie around, and it marked the future of digital cinema. When the sequel was announced, it was impossible to get your hands on a copy of this film, but now it’s on glorious Blu-ray, and it’s a hoot and a half to revisit.
The Blu-ray comes in a combo pack, which includes the DVD with most of the bonus features. These include audio commentary, deleted scenes, plus several featurettes: “The TRON Phenomenon” and “The Making of Tron,” both lengthy and informative about the film. Exclusive to the Blu-ray is “Photo Tronology,” which features director Steven Lisberger and his son looking over photo memories of this Disney classic.
"TRON LEGACY"
Blu-ray Review by Kevin Carr
MOVIE: ****1/2 (out of 5 stars)
BLU-RAY EXPERIENCE: ****1/2 (out of 5 stars)
As a wide-eyed child, I loved the hell out of the original “Tron.” Thirty years later, I was in the IMAX theater, taking my kids to see the 3D experience of the new movie. And now it’s on Blu-ray, looking positively brilliant in that format.
The film has the same problems of the original, including a somewhat clunky script, awkward pacing and some slow moments. But what it lacks in these elements, it makes up in visual stimulation and soundtrack. The effects are as mind-blowing now as the original’s were three decades ago, and Daft Punk’s soundtrack captures the wonderment and 80s flavor of the digital frontier. “Tron Legacy” made my list of ten best films of 2010 simply for its theatrical experience. And on Blu-ray, it’s just as fun.
The Blu-ray comes with a DVD of the film, including the bonus featurettes “First Look at TRON: Uprising,” “Visualizing TRON” and “Installing the Cast.” The Blu-ray disc comes with a special tag for the end of the film: “The Next Day: Flynn Lives Revealed.” There’s also a Daft Punk music video as well as the featurettes “Disc Roars,” “Launching the Legacy” and “Disney Second Screen: Tron Legacy.”
"I AM NUMBER FOUR"
Blu-ray Review
by Kevin Carr
MOVIE: ***1/2 (out of 5 stars)
BLU-RAY EXPERIENCE: ** (out of 5 stars)
With both the “Harry Potter” and “Twilight” series coming to a close, studios are scrambling to find the next big young adult book adaptations. “I Am Number Four” is what DreamWorks and Touchstone have thrown into the ring. The story follows a young man who is actually an alien hiding on Earth. When his location has been uncovered by the evil Mogadorian assassins hone in on his location, he discovers he has some amazing powers to defend himself.
“I Am Number Four” is a great little action flick for middle school and high school kids. It’s relatively safe in terms of violence, with most of the action displaying itself in explodey goodness. Alex Pettyfer, who seems to be the go-to guy for the spring of 2011, looks good in the part of John Smith, the boy on the run. Unfortunately, he’s nothing that jumps off the screen. At least he’s balanced by the fetching Teresa Palmer, who is another being from his planet. Oh, and Dianna Agron from “Glee” is in the film too, though her sidestory is just a bit too whiney and angsty for my tastes.
The disc set comes with the Blu-ray, the DVD and a bonus Digital copy disc. Sadly, the special features are alarmingly scant, offering only a blooper reel, deleted scenes and a short featurette on Teresa Palmer called “Becoming Number Six.”
