2008 Woodie Awards
Reviews of Recent and Upcoming DVD Releases
Billy O’Keefe / Knight Ridder Tribune
Issue date: 10/24/05 Section: Entertainment
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Batman Begins: Deluxe Edition (PG-13, Warner Bros., October 18)
That loud noise you heard seeping from movie theaters this past summer was millions of Batman fans issuing a collective sigh of relief after watching their beloved franchise return to form. Batman Begins is a monstrously successful superhero film for the simple fact that it ISN'T a superhero film. Batman wasn't bitten by a bat or engulfed in radioactive matter as a kid - he doesn't even have any special powers, really. And Begins finally addresses these matters, beautifully documenting Bruce Wayne's transformation without cutting corners or beating any dead horses. What follows is a stylish, mature caper with a dream team (Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman, Gary Oldman, Liam Neeson) of supporting players. Christian Bale is extremely worthy as the Caped Crusader's darkest onscreen iteration yet; Cillian Murphy makes an outstanding foil. Be sure to pick this masterpiece up - it is without doubt the best Batman film since the 1989 original.
Extras: A generous assortment of dossiers, galleries and behind-the-scenes features (some hidden, some not), glued together by an extremely clever interface that doubles as an interactive comic book. Also: MTV's Tankman Begins spoof and a slick 72-page comic book featuring three classic Batman stories.
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Project Grizzly (NR, Studioworks/Microfilms/Reaction)
Canadian Troy James Hurtubise is not the first man in history to be attacked by a grizzly bear. But he may be the first man in history to dedicate his life to creating a suit durable enough to withstand a second - and in this case, intentional - encounter. Project Grizzly is his story. And if you have an open mind and can appreciate the pursuit of a dream, however peculiar, it's an extremely inspiring one. Hurtubise's progress is remarkable, and the "field tests" the suit undergoes are a riot. But Grizzly is as introspective as it is funny, and you'd have to be a real scrooge not to root for Hurtubise after getting to know him.
That loud noise you heard seeping from movie theaters this past summer was millions of Batman fans issuing a collective sigh of relief after watching their beloved franchise return to form. Batman Begins is a monstrously successful superhero film for the simple fact that it ISN'T a superhero film. Batman wasn't bitten by a bat or engulfed in radioactive matter as a kid - he doesn't even have any special powers, really. And Begins finally addresses these matters, beautifully documenting Bruce Wayne's transformation without cutting corners or beating any dead horses. What follows is a stylish, mature caper with a dream team (Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman, Gary Oldman, Liam Neeson) of supporting players. Christian Bale is extremely worthy as the Caped Crusader's darkest onscreen iteration yet; Cillian Murphy makes an outstanding foil. Be sure to pick this masterpiece up - it is without doubt the best Batman film since the 1989 original.
Extras: A generous assortment of dossiers, galleries and behind-the-scenes features (some hidden, some not), glued together by an extremely clever interface that doubles as an interactive comic book. Also: MTV's Tankman Begins spoof and a slick 72-page comic book featuring three classic Batman stories.
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Project Grizzly (NR, Studioworks/Microfilms/Reaction)
Canadian Troy James Hurtubise is not the first man in history to be attacked by a grizzly bear. But he may be the first man in history to dedicate his life to creating a suit durable enough to withstand a second - and in this case, intentional - encounter. Project Grizzly is his story. And if you have an open mind and can appreciate the pursuit of a dream, however peculiar, it's an extremely inspiring one. Hurtubise's progress is remarkable, and the "field tests" the suit undergoes are a riot. But Grizzly is as introspective as it is funny, and you'd have to be a real scrooge not to root for Hurtubise after getting to know him.