Okay, okay. I admit, I'm lousy at writing out reviews for movies. But that won't stop me from recommending a good flick when it comes across my living room, and Hugo is one of those. I saw it in the theater and rented it again with Anna on Blu-Ray and loved it both times. It's fun, it's well written, and the cinematography…
Another one of Anna's and my favorite movies from 2011 was The Help. The movie is well directed, well written, and well acted. It's based on the bestselling novel by Kathryn Stockett, and it tells the story of the tensions and difficulties between housewives and maids in the small town of Jackson, Mississippi during the 1960s. (Also available on iTunes.)
Based on a true story about the Oakland A's, spreadsheets, and the business of baseball, Moneyball is a great film. Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill are fantastic together; it's no doubt why they are nominated for the Golden Globe awards of best actor and best supporting actor respectively. (Also available on iTunes.)
Band of Brothers is one of the most powerful, eye-opening, well-done TV miniseries I have ever seen. Better than any movie I have seen, Band of Brothers attempts gives an honest look at what it was like to serve during World War II as it follows the story of Easy Company and is based on interviews of the men who actually served.…
Written and directed by J.J. Abrams and produced by Steven Spielberg, Super 8 was one of my favorite movies of 2011. Like a combination of E.T. and The Goonies (but with lens flare and CGI), Super 8 was both suspenseful and playful. (Also available on iTunes.)
No doubt about it, Samsung makes fantastic home electronics. I have a Samsung television and it's fantastic. I would have bought a Samsung Blu-ray player but I couldn't justify spending hundreds of dollars on something I don't use that often. Well, I'm kicking myself now because this top-of-the-line Blu-ray player (which also supports 3D Blu-ray) is on fire sale at Amazon for…
Marvel's comic book movies have been hit and miss. Some are stellar, some are duds. But I'm not going to lie to you — I thought Captain America was a lot of fun. It was comic book-like, clean, and full of adventure. (Also available on iTunes.)
The Art of Pixar is now shipping and it looks fantastic. It's a thick, hardcover, book that's jam packed with behind-the-scenes tours of every Pixar film to date. For the first time ever, this book has the complete color scripts for every film published, as well as samples of the visual development art. Moreover, it's sure to be added to the short…
A few winters ago Anna and I borrowed Planet Earths from a friend and watched the DVD series on our old, 20-inch CRT television. Even with such an old-fashioned setup like that the films were still striking and awe inspiring. After saving for a few Christmases, we have a Blu-ray setup now and I would love to re-visit these films. This new…
This little black beauty is an oldie but a goodie. I purchased an Apple TV last fall when these new ones came out, and it though it's the cheapest addition to my home entertainment center, it is perhaps the most important. Well, other than the TV and stereo. But that's just it: you don't need much more than a TV and an…
Advertising is not a dirty word my friends. And this fun and entertaining (as well as award-winning) documentary is all about the power and importance of the creative professional. Designers and writers and photographers and editors are all vital contributors to a good marketing campaigns, and this film is all about them. If you have even the slightest interest in the creative…
[Insert Star Wars Theme Song here.] I have a habit of collecting classic trilogies on Blu-Ray. First it was Back to the Future, then it was Lord of the Rings, and now, both Star Wars trilogies are coming out in a single dual-trilogy box-set: the good trilogy and the bad trilogy. The set comes out in two weeks. It's cheapest on Amazon,…
It only took 10 years until the extended edition of the Lord of the Rings Trilogy was released on Blu-Ray, but it was worth every minute. This box-set has 12 hours of high-definition video and audio of what is arguably one of the best trilogies ever made. For those without a Blu-Ray player you can snag LOTR on DVD version or even…