Not to compare it in any way story-wise to the TV show “The Prisoner,” but it left me with the same impression that it’s something you need to watch with another person and then afterward discuss it to see what meaning came across.

Yeah, from what I read, it looks to be somewhat challenging. I kinda like that! I'll see if I can talk my SO into watching it with me.

Amélie on Blu-ray. I wouldn't say the picture is perfect, but I'm satisfied. It's certainly enough of a step up from the DVD. I just watched the first 10 or 15 minutes. I'll watch the whole thing this weekend. Right now the central heat is too loud to really enjoy the audio. Too bad I don't have radiant floor heating.

Just watched the “Public Enemies” Blu-ray. I really wanted to like this movie. Technically it seems to do pretty much everything right, good picture, cinematography, audio, acting but left me wanting to fast forward more times than I can remember.

Overall the video quality was good. Some scenes were almost lifelike but then others were somewhat dull and graining. It was like looking through a stack of mostly glossy pictures and occasionally coming to one with a matte finish. When this happened I found the difference enough to be distracting. Lots of dark scenes which really showed off the AE4000s ability to handle shadow detail.

The audio was solid. No one thing really stood out for me in the audio which is actually a complement because it enhanced what was happening on the screen rather than calling attention to itself. It didn’t give my system any real workout but everything just sounded right. One noteworthy aspect of it was the gunfire which I found sounded quite like the actual weapons being used.

Also of note was that the bank robbery scenes were well done. It’s nice when a 2 minute bank robbery doesn’t last 20 minutes on screen. However, there was just something overall that was missing. For me the movie seemed like a bunch of mostly well done scenes, a few of which I found boring, strung together but lacking any real continuity.

Just watched the “Princess Protection Program.” What can I say . . . I like escapist entertainment and Disney does a good job of making it. Like most made for TV movies it moves along pretty quickly and stays fairly shallow but that’s what it’s suppose to do. If you like this sort of light hearted fluff this one is just about straight down the middle, not to good and not to bad either.

I just watched “Gunslinger Girl” season 1. Read this reviewers comment before proceeding.



I must say I really liked this show. Although many talk about how controversial it is I think “Elfin Lied” has more potential to turn people off. Perhaps it’s the less fantastical nature of “Gunslinger Girl” that bothers the reviewers.

First off this is a drama not action adventure. Despite it’s mostly slow pace I found the characters and there interaction fascinating and more than enough to keep me engaged. Reviewers say that the plot isn’t coherent but I think they miss the point that it is a character study and that the plot is nothing more than a backdrop to showcase the character interactions and I believe intentionally left vague and disjointed so as not to distract from this.

This show can grab you on both an intellectual (character study) and emotional (character) level. I’m not prone to bursts of emotion but can say without shame that I broke into tears when the girls are out watching a meteor shower and start singing the “Ode to Joy.”

These reviews can better describe what’s going on than I can. If you read the first one also read the second as the reviewer softens his take on the series as he gets further into it. Note there are 3 disks to the season.

DVD 1

DVD 2

I'll have to check that one out sometime. I see it's coming out on Blu-ray in March.

I'm going to be getting Samurai Champloo on Blu-ray next week. I haven't seen it yet, but coming from the creator of Cowboy Bebop, along with the sparkling reviews I've encountered (haven't really done more than glance at them, though, since I don't want anything spoiled), I'm pretty sure I'll like it.

Tonight I was re-watching the first season of Friday Night Lights. It still weirds me out that I like it so much.

Like to hear what you think of "Samurai Champloo. I’ve been close to ordering it a couple times but Hip Hop music is not my favorite so I’ve been hesitant.

Just watched “National Treasure 2” and “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.

The video quality of both movies was great with a slight advantage going to “National Treasure 2” but mainly because there was more variety to show off. Also “Half-Blood Prince” is a mostly dark movie and once again I’m appreciating the shadow detail on the AE4000.

Both also have great sounding audio. They were about the same in technical quality and I didn’t hear anything to indicate demo material. However, the clear winner for me was “Half-Blood Prince” because of how the music and sound effects just blended setting the mood and not drawing your attention away from the movie.

As for entertainment value “Half-Blood Prince” wins easily. I was worried I wouldn’t care for the characters and story as much with the characters getting older but I think it’s progressing well. I’m curious how someone the same age as the characters feels about the progression of the series. OTOH “National Treasure 2” was like a connect the dots puzzle where you already know what the picture is going to be. I had to fast forward through parts of it I got so bored.

Another plus for “Half-Blood Prince” is Helena Bonham Carter shows up again. While not in many scenes, any sighting is worth the price of admission. And it looks like she’s also in the next two movies as well.

Inglourious Basterds

I was entertained. The scene with Samm Levine running while firing a gun was absent, or I really wasn't paying attention. I think it simply must have been an earlier cut of the film that the trailer was made from. I wouldn't call it Tarantino's best, by any means, but yeah, I liked the movie. I can't comment on the audio too much. I was watching it too late to be able to play at theater levels. I'll try again this weekend.