Carl Johnson

Posts by Carl:

Custom Artwork is the Answer

Blu-ray Daily is building a massive archive, and we want your covers!

Ever notice how horrendous the covers of some really great films look when they finally reach store shelves? Attribute that to greedy distributors trying to capitalize on star power with last-minute headshot compilations that are passed off as acceptable. Well this is the information age, and we don’t have to settle for what the studios feed us!
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Knowing Blu-ray review

Sci-fi fans not afraid to suspend your disbelief, this is your movie!

Nick Cage sets the world on fire with his intense gaze.

Director Alex Proyas might be best known for the Will Smith vehicle I, Robot, but it’s his fan-favorite Dark City that earns massive respect in my book. While Knowing is designed to appeal to wider audiences than Dark City, it takes several risks that make it stand out from similar pictures. And it looks really, really fantastic on Blu-ray.
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Ghostbusters Blu-ray review

Should excessive grain keep you from buying this beloved classic?

The Ghostbusters franchise is seeing a resurgence for the first time since Ghostbusters 2 hit theater screens in 1989. Twenty years later Ecto-1 has been restored, Ghostbusters is finally playable as a next generation videogame, contracts are being signed for a third installment, and the Blu-ray release of the classic original has hit store shelves. In short, it’s a totally freaking awesome time to be a Ghostbusters fan!

A symbol of my youth.

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Gran Torino Blu-ray review

Clint Eastwood is tough-as-nails and old-as-dirt in his latest outing.

The years have been fair to Clint Eastwood. In the twilight of his life he has starred in and directed motion pictures that have garnered massive acclaim, he has won Oscar gold, and with Gran Torino he returns to a tough-and-gruff character reminiscent of the roles of his prime. Directed by and starring Eastwood, Gran Torino is a strong finale in his tough-guy film portfolio.

A man and his car. And a shotgun.

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Revolutionary Road Blu-ray review

The follow-up to Titanic this Blu-ray is not.

Kate Winslet and Leonardo Dicaprio created enough chemistry in Titanic to break just about every international box office record. Girls all around the globe organized sob parties in which they would listen to the film’s soundtrack and cry over the death of Jack and the end of a storybook romance as the legendary ship sank into icy waters. James Cameron created the perfect cinematic vehicle for two young actors to make a real name for themselves. Now, roughly fifteen years later Kate and Leo reunite and have another go at love. But this is no storybook love. Fans of Titanic looking for a sequel need not apply.
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Our Most Anticipated Blu-ray Trilogies

Not just a wish list, but a take-no-prisoners list of demands! Torture tactics employed. You’ve been warned.

Epics that demand Blu-ray resolution.

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Better 3D Headed to Blu-ray, Eventually

The Blu-ray Disc Association wants to put an end to all this red/blue crap.

Back in the early days of anaglyph 3D films (think red/blue headache glasses from hell), the extra dimension was more of a gimmick than a supporting mechanism for the story. These days more films are sporting 3D than ever before, more theaters are installing 3D systems, and with polarized and other stereoscopic methods the experience is mostly comfortable and highly enjoyable. Blu-ray’s large storage capacity and high resolution makes it a potentially powerful 3D medium, but the exact means of delivery are still up in the air with lots of consumer money at stake. Read full»

The Dirt-Cheap Blu-ray Player

U.S. Wal-Mart stores have begun selling a nice player for almost no money at all. Sounds like an evil plan to me.

The new Magnavox NB530MGX is going dirt cheap.

Wal-Mart, the friendly little retail chain responsible for destroying small businesses all over the world (but mostly in the U.S.) has launched a killer deal on a Blu-ray player in their U.S. stores just in time for Father’s Day (the plot thickens). The Magnavox NB530MGX is selling for $128, just a little more than high-end DVD players, and even features a 24 frames per second playback mode for a more theatrical experience. We did a little investigation and found Wal-Mart’s U.S. locations to be stocked to the ceiling with the new budget players. 

Slumdog Millionaire Blu-ray review

So much hype that I didn’t want to like it, yet I ended up loving it. Crap.

Slumdog Millionaire doesn’t seem like the type of film that would be enjoyable. A tale of loss, struggle, corruption, crime and overcoming, Slumdog manages to be hip, funny, fast paced, and full of enjoyable performances that are never too stuffy. All too often “it” film’s are unfairly voted for Oscar gold, and Slumdog was certainly an “it” film. Fortunately though, it deserved to be.

Finally, I agree with the Academy.

Dexter Season 2 Blu-ray review

Does this killer show get the Blu-ray treatment it deserves?

Beware Dexter Season 2, a Blu-ray set that will viciously murder a dozen hours of your life with all the precision of a surgeon, and smile the whole time doing it. In his second year of killing the bad guys for his own twisted pleasure, Dexter has the tables turned in ways that make the show a strong addiction for any viewer that might dare cross its path.

Who would suspect that face?