20th Century Fox / 2011 / 105 Minutes / Rated PG-13
Street Date: December 13, 2011
Overall Grade 
A must have. Period!Genres: Action, sci-fi
Starring: Anton Yelchin and Colin Farrell
Director: Rupert Wyatt
Plot Synopsis: A galaxy's worth of nihilism buried under a '70s Velveeta topping, the Planet of the Apes series stands today as a dark marvel of pop cinema, a group of wildly variable films that combine to form a giant inescapable kiss-off to the human race. (That said message was able to withstand such distractions as ever-cheapening makeup and Charlton Heston loudly pounding sand makes its achievements even more impressive, really.) Boasting a keen awareness of its predecessors' particular charms and a gem of a central CGI performance by Andy Serkis, Rise of the Planet of the Apes makes for a rather miraculous summer movie: a big-budget special effects extravaganza that also delivers a killer backhand. Sort of redoing 1972's Conquest of the Planet of the Apes, the film follows the events set in motion when a bereaved scientist (James Franco) attempts to create a cure for Alzheimer's, resulting in a supernaturally intelligent chimp named Caesar. The old bit about science tampering in God's domain quickly applies. Director Rupert Wyatt (The Escapist) displays an admirable sense of pacing, deftly levying the escalating action scenes with small character moments from the likes of John Lithgow and Brian Cox. That said, the film belongs to Caesar, whose path from wide-eyed innocent to reluctant revolutionary generates the ironic pulp empathy that gave the original series such a kick. Watching the climactic confrontation on the Golden Gate Bridge, it's distressingly easy to figure out which side to root for. Chuck Heston would no doubt grit his teeth in approval. Note: Those skeptical that this revamp could wholly retain the original's doomy backbeat would do well to stick around during the end credits.
Disc Features:
- 11 Deleted Scenes(HD, 12 mins) -- Some interesting, but redundant scenes. The real treat is seeing Andy Serkis on the set.
- The Genius of Andy Serkis (HD, 8 mins) -- Everyone loves Andy Serkis. And they should, because he's a remarkable performer. This is a montage of that performance with the cast and crew talking about how wonderful he is. There's also a breakdown of how scenes were filmed using multiple plates.
- Scene Breakdown (HD, 2 mins) -- Toggle between the final scene with a picture-in-picture of the human performers in mo-cap suit (default, red button), the mo-cap only performance footage (yellow button), and early animation (green button).
- A New Generation of Apes (HD, 10 mins) -- Weta and the filmmakers talk about how they decided not to use real live apes, and in their place created CGI apes with a cast of human performers and digital wizards. Follow them through "Ape School" to final composites.
- Breaking Motion Capture Boundaries (HD, 2 mins) -- the Golden Gate bridge is the largest mo-cap set ever constructed, and the first one ever set up outside during the day. Pretty cool stuff for anyone interested in VFX.
- The Great Apes (HD, 23 mins) -- A combination of a few parts. There's a tour through the 3D models of chimps, gorillas, orangutans while facts scroll up on the side. There's also three mini nature documentaries about them.
- Mythology of the Apes (HD, 7 mins) -- The filmmakers talk about their love of the original film, and what ideas and themes went into creating the seed of what would eventually become Charlton Heston's world.
- Composing the Score with Patrick Doyle (HD, 8 mins) -- Patrick Doyle has been one of my favorite composers since I first heard his work on Kenneth Branagh's 'Henry V'. Mr. Doyle chats here about the movies themes and what choices went into his musical sound design.
- Audio Commentaries
- Character Concept Art Gallery (HD) -- A quick look at all the characters, showing their sketches versus photos of real ape species.
- Theatrical Trailers(HD via download, 7 mins). 4 different trailers in 5.1 Dolby Digital. Do yourself a favor, if you blind buy this disc, do not watch any of these first.
'Rise of the Planet of the Apes' is equipped with a few BD-Live exclusive features, including "What's New" to fill you in on all Fox theatrical and home entertainment products. We also have:
- LIVE LOOKUP Fox's .
- Ape School (HD via download, 2 mins) -- Exclusive to BD-Live, this is an extension of the mo-cap documentary above . Watch this if you want to learn how to move like an ape. Fun for all.
- Theatrical Trailer(HD via download, 2 mins).
- Blu-ray Highlight: The Genius of Andy Serkis
DreamWorks / 2011 / 91 Minutes / Rated PG
Street Date: December 13, 2011
Overall Grade 
Strongly recommended
Genres: Animation, family, comedy
Starring: Anton Yelchin and Colin Farrell
Director: Craig Gillespie
Plot Synopsis: Kung Fu Panda 2 is a sequel that definitely lives up to its predecessor, thanks to excellent animation and a great mix of action, comedy, and important life lessons. Dragon Warrior Po (Jack Black) has matured and mastered many new challenges since learning the art of kung fu and defeating the snow leopard Tai Lung, but he hasn't lost his penchant for steamed buns, nor has he achieved what his teacher Master Shifu (Dustin Hoffman) describes as true inner peace. Before he can settle into the arduous task of self-discovery, word arrives that a nearby town of musicians has been attacked and their leader Master Thundering Rhino (Victor Garber) killed by a newly invented weapon that breathes fire and spits out metal--a weapon that is a harbinger of the end of kung fu and the domination of all of China by Lord Shen (Gary Oldman). Po and the Furious Five (Angelina Jolie, Seth Rogen, Jackie Chan, David Cross, and Lucy Liu) set out to destroy the mysterious weapon and save kung fu, encountering the imprisoned and very dispirited kung fu legends Master Oxen (Dennis Haysbert) and Master Croc (Jean-Claude Van Damme) along the way, but the group quickly discovers that their task is far from simple. Even as Soothsayer (Michelle Yeoh) adamantly foretells Lord Shen's defeat at the hands of a warrior of black and white, Po struggles with the realization that he must come to terms with his adoption in order to let go of the past and become who he chooses to be. Only then can he achieve the inner peace that will empower him to triumph over his personal insecurities and Lord Shen. Kung Fu Panda 2 offers excellent animation and 3-D effects, nice brisk pacing, great voice talent, life lessons that ring true, and a healthy dose of comedy that includes everything from wisecracks to a dragon that eats unsuspecting villagers and then poops them out, and a radish trained in the art of kung fu.
Disc Features:
- Audio Commentary – Nelson is joined by Producer Melissa Cobb, Production Designer Raymond Zibach, and Supervising Animator Rodolphe Guenoden to offer up the commentary for 'Kung Fu Panda 2.' The important thing here is that even though it covers much of the same material as the picture-in-picture Animator's Corner special features discussed below in the Blu-ray exclusives, it isn't the exact same. Here the filmmakers talk technically about creating a 3D/2D hybrid film. Nelson also discusses the script and story. It's origins, characters, and purpose.
- 'Kung Fu Panda: Secrets of the Masters' (HD, 23 min.) – This short film, done mostly in 2D animation (although there is some 3D too) is about the masters from Gongmen City. We learn the backstory of Masters Storming Ox, Master Croc, and Thundering Rhino. True to Dreamworks' short movie form it does tend to be a bit cornier than it really should be, but it may be a good distraction for the little ones.
- 'Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness' (HD, 24 min.) – This is a single episode from the Nickelodeon series. The episode is entitled "Has Been Hero" and is obviously a sneak peek in order to get you to start watching the show.
- Kickin' It with the Cast (HD, 13 min.) – The standard look behind the scenes at the famous voices having fun recording their lines in the sound booth.
- Deleted Scenes (HD, 4 min.) – Not much here, except for a few test scenes that never made it into the final cut. Director introductions are included with each of the three scenes: Fight Club: Bartender Scene, Po Chasing the Crow, and Po in Gongmen City.
- Panda Stories (HD, 8 min.) – This is a short look at the real-life plight of endangered pandas.
- Kung Fu Shuffle (HD) – There are two versions of the classic shell game here. One with Po and his crates and the other with barrels and bunnies.
- Ni Hao (HD) – A beginner's course in writing and speaking Mandarin.
- Animation Inspiration (HD) – This interactive map, which is introduced by Director Jennifer Yuh Nelson, shows us the fact-finding mission that the movie's creative team went on to China in 2008. The options on the map, which you can select to learn more about are: "Panda Village," "Musicians Village," "Valley of Peace," "Journey Across China," "Gongmen City," "Tower of the Sacred Flame," "Valley of Peace Town," and "The Harbor."
- The Animators' Corner (HD) – This is a great picture-in-picture commentary that plays along with the movie. This is where you're going to learn about all the behind-the-scenes stuff that is worth learning about. You'll get to know how some of the cool 2D animation was produced (especially the movie's neat looking prologue). You'll get to see some of the cast and crew as they explain various things about the filming, characters, animation, and story. This is definitely a must-see if you're a fan of the movie or animation in general.
Disney/Buena Vista / 2011 / 106 Minutes / Rated R
Street Date: December 13, 2011
Genres: Suspense, thriller. horror
Starring: Anton Yelchin and Colin Farrell
Director: Craig Gillespie
Plot Synopsis: Arriving amid a flurry of dopey sequels and dudes with power tools, 1985's Fright Night came as a welcome blast of fetid air for the horror genre: an affectionate spoof of classic monster movies that also managed to deliver some genuine scares, as well as a pair of top-notch performances by Chris Sarandon and Roddy McDowall. The 2011 revamp (apologies for the pun) can't boast the same novelty factor, but it does a surprisingly good job at speaking for itself, just the same. Director Craig Gillespie's film follows the same basic blueprint as the original--high-school kid (Anton Yelchin) suspects that his next-door neighbor (Colin Farrell) may be a Creature of the Night, enlists celebrity (David Tennant) for help--but with a number of smart alterations, particularly the decision to move the setting to the desolate outskirts of Vegas, where unexplained disappearances and nocturnal lifestyles are par for the course. (Kudos to cinematographer Javier Aguirresarobe, who gives the nighttime scenes a musty, tangible vibe.) Writer Marti Noxon, a Buffy vet, keeps the dialogue light, while also delivering some sharp insights about the state of today's Twilight-savvy teen. (In perhaps the biggest switch from the original, the barely veiled gay subtext has been replaced with a cautionary tale about outgrowing your friends.) On the debit side, Gillespie and Co. can't always replicate their source material's atomic-clock timing, with a few promising scares undone by miscued comic relief. Still, a horror movie ultimately lives or dies by its villain, and Farrell delivers a beaut, as a hilariously type-A vampire who'd rather chug a beer than pose languorously. At a time when the undead are notable mainly for their romanticism and supernatural hair-care prowess, Fright Night does its best to bring the fangs back into the equation.
Disc Features:
- Peter Vincent: Come Swim in my Blood (HD, 2 min) - In character teasing. Silly stuff.
- The Official "How to Make a Funny Vampire Movie" Guide (HD, 8 min) - A funny little feature that quickly hits on a number of themes, introducing would be watchers to the film. Really don't see the value in this feature if you watch it after the film. Before? Could be fun, a great advertisement.
- Squid Man: Extended & Uncut (HD, 3 min) - Some insane stuff, somewhat reminiscent of something Kenny Powers would make.
- Bloopers (HD, 3 min) - Unrated bloopers, flubs, laughs, fubars, and other mistakes.
- Music Video (HD, 5 min) - For Kid Cudi's No One Believes Me. A bizarre track, for sure.
Recommended
