Blu-Ray, where have you been all of my life!?! Honestly, watching a movie in true HD 1080i is wonderful.  Sure, some films are not that visually interesting and therefore don’t have that “Wow” factor, but those that do really shine.  For instance, this past week, I watched Inkheart and Notorious. (I loved both films, by the way.)  Notorious is a gritty street film about murdered rapper Biggie Smalls. We follow his life from early adolescence through his murder and funeral.  This is an intense, gritty film that takes a compelling look at what life is like for many inner-city boys.  Visually, however, Notorious is sort of flat.  There is little imagination in shot composition, just the dirtiness of the street.  I should have felt the oppression of the sky scrappers pushing down and the thick staleness of the air wafting through the alleyways.  Don’t get me wrong, this is a very good movie, but watching it in HD exposed the weakness in visuals that is Notorious’ greatest flaw.
    Inkheart, on the other hand, is visually interesting throughout.  A family fantasy in the vein of The Princess Bride or Labyrinth, this film centers on Brendan Frasier’s character who, when reading aloud, brings fictional characters into our world.  What is great about watching this in HD is that even the non-fantastic elements pop off of the screen.  The Italian countryside is an amazing backdrop to the thrills and chases of Inkheart.  The story is recognizable to feel timeless and original enough so that it isn’t cliché.  The cast is excellent: Helen Mirren, Paul Benttan, Andy Serkis, Jim Broadbent & Rafi Gavron all excell as supporting characters to Frasier and Eliza Bennett, who plays his daughter.

My wife didn’t care for Inkheart but loved Notorious.  She’s not into fantasy, so that’s understandable, I suppose.  I would recommend both films, just make sure not to make it a double feature for the kiddies; Notorious is one F-Bomb from being NC-17! 

Thought I’d share some links I’ve come across this week that you may enjoy.  If you like this, we’ll try to make it a regular feature.  Leave me a comment & let me know what you think.


www.slashfilm.com/2009/07/07/iphone-apps-for-movie-geeks/
IPhone users who love movies will find this a must read.  I already had most of these and use them regularly. 

www.411mania.com/movies/columns/109476
A weekly column about the latest movie news, mainly dealing with blockbusters. I’ve been reading it since it started.

www.cc2k.us/
Great pop culture site.  It’s not updated as often as I’d like, but the detail these reporters go into is amazing.  You could spend a week just going through past articles and still not scratch the surface.

www.aintitcool.com/node/41626
Head Geek Harry Knowles’ weekly DVD release review.  I usually agree with about him about 60% of the time.  If nothing else, it’s a great way to see what’s hitting the shelves this Tuesday.

I suppose that will be a wrap for this Director’s Chair.  Next time, with school starting soon, we may look at some of my favorite films about college. I’ll see you at the box office!