Dolby Atmos

‘Superman’ Five-Film Collection on 4K Review

Posted on by The Ultimate Rabbit

The following review was written by Ultimate Rabbit correspondent, Tony Farinella.

The idea of being a superhero is something which appeals to people all across the world.  They want the chance to start out as an ordinary individual and transform themselves into something special and magical.  1978’s “Superman” is a perfect example of this, especially with its leading man, Christopher Reeve.  It’s an iconic role and performance which continues to stand the test of time.  It also achieved the rare feat of being both a financial and critical success.  When that happens in Hollywood, everyone is pleased as punch. It’s the magic formula Hollywood is always trying to achieve as they want to do quality work which is meaningful to an audience while also making a lot of money.

There are so many things which make “Superman” great.  Of course, as mentioned previously, you have the tremendous performance by the late, great Christopher Reeve. However, you also need a really, really effective villain, and it’s hard to find a better Hollywood villain than the legendary Gene Hackman as Lex Luthor.  He oozes with charisma, personality, and you love to root against him. As far as the supporting cast, it is filled with some of the greatest working actors and actresses in Hollywood history, such as Marlon Brando, Margot Kidder, Glenn Ford, Jackie Cooper, Terence Stamp, Ned Beatty, Jack O’Halloran, Maria Schell and Sarah Douglas.

It also doesn’t hurt when you have a director like Richard Donner behind the camera as well.  He knows how to pace the film, allow his actors room to breathe, and he is also respectful of the source material. There was also the magnificent score by the iconic John Williams. When you have all of the right pieces in place like Donner did such as the script, the actors and the budget, you have to stay on track and basically not screw it up. He was just the right man for this big budget affair.  During its release, it had the highest budget for a film at the time, coming in at $55 million.  It’s funny to hear that number now, considering how much budgets have increased in Hollywood since then.

What speaks to me about the first “Superman” film is the idea of having a double life and people not knowing who you really are.  During the day you are Clark Kent, a mild-mannered reporter, but you also have the ability to be Superman.  It shows we all have something special inside of us.  It is up to us to really find that, harness it, and use it for good.  Superman is your all-American, clean cut, good guy.  He’s very likable and effortlessly charming.  On paper, this idea might sound ludicrous, but because the filmmakers took it seriously and had the right actors and participants involved, they really had lightning in a bottle.  Even to this day, the film holds up incredibly well.  When you see the special effects, they were really ahead of their time and they helped pave the way for a lot of the effects we see today, only they are now taken up a notch. Most importantly, this film has a big heart and a big soul attached to it. This is why the film is beloved by so many.

With this tremendous release from Warner Brothers Home Entertainment, we are also treated to “Superman II” in two different versions. We get the original theatrical cut by Richard Lester and the Richard Donner Cut on 4K. To this day, people still debate which version they like better and which is more worth watching.  If you ask me, it’s best to watch both versions.  I see things in Donner’s film I like more than in Lester’s and vice versa, but overall, I felt like Lester’s version was a much more polished, easy to follow, and complete film. Donner’s version is flawed with moments of greatness, and it deserves to be seen. Thanks to this set, you can watch both versions, which, as stated previously, I highly encourage you to do as I love a good film discussion.  Film is subjective and there is really no right or wrong answer. 

In “Superman II,” Mario Puzo is back once along with fellow screenwriters, David and Leslie Newman, again with a really good story, and this is a great thing for the audience.  All three really know how to flesh out a story and create unique and interesting characters. It doesn’t hurt when you have actors like Beatty, Kidder and Hackman completely invested in the material. While not as good as the first one, and it’s rare for a sequel to be as good as its predecessor, it’s still a very, very good movie. There is some great humor here, and even in a superhero movie where the stakes are high and we are in a fictional world, some levity is very much appreciated!  Sometimes it is nice to have a different vision and a new voice in a franchise while also staying true to what made the first film successful.  Richard Lester was not put in an ideal situation, but he made it work, and you have to give him credit for that.

By “Superman III,” it seemed like the magic was starting to disappear, and they totally shifted the focus of the franchise into a campy, goofy and comedic realm which really rubbed audiences the wrong way.  I understand they were going for something different, and they brought in Richard Pryor, but the script, the jokes and the material are just really, really bad. There is no denying that Pryor is a funny man with great comedic timing, but his abilities didn’t lend themselves to this film franchise. Overall, “Superman III” was doomed because of behind-the-scenes issues, script issues, and a film in search of the right tone.  The filmmakers seemed to have lost the plot all together as well as their love for the character and the franchise.  When a franchise has success, many times it is how the filmmakers handle that success which defines how it will carry on and continue.  It is clear they didn’t know how to handle success here.

It didn’t get any better with “Superman IV: The Quest for Peace.” It was so poorly made and received that they didn’t make another Superman film until 2006. As is often the case with sequels, they went cheap.  Even though Hackman returns and Kidder receives more screen time, this film was dead on arrival.  The plot is incoherent, messy, and just plain dumb.  It was a cash-grab sequel, and when you are focused on money over quality work, you end up with “Superman IV: The Quest for Peace.”  It’s a very frustrating film and incredibly hard to follow. As you can see with the “Superman” franchise, you have the law of diminishing returns.

4K Info: The “Superman” 5-Film Collection 1978-1987 is in a terrific box set with all the films getting their own individual dual 4K case which also includes a Blu-ray version of the them. I was really happy they didn’t stack the discs in the set here, as that is always a pet peeve of mine. I was also very happy they gave each film its day in court with artwork and its own individual dual case. “Superman” was previously released on 4K, but this is the first time the other four films have been released in this format.  You also a digital code for all of the films as well.

Video Info: If you already own the first “Superman” 4K, please know they have not added anything new to it here.  It’s the same “Superman” 4K that had been released in its standalone edition.  That being said, it’s hard not to be stunned and blown away by the beautiful Dolby Vision look of the original film.  I had not previously owned the first “Superman” film, so I had no qualms about there not being anything new here. It’s just something to keep in mind for those who already own it on 4K. Overall, this is far and away the best these five films have ever looked on home video.  They look sharp, clean and free of grain or mess. They have cleaned these films up very, very nicely.  I was very impressed with these transfers. Warner Brothers has really been knocking it out of the park with their releases this year during their 100-year anniversary celebration, and this “Superman” box set is no exception.

Audio Info: We are treated to Dolby Atmos on all five films which is fantastic news!  I am a huge fan of Dolby Atmos, and the sound is such a vital part of these films.  The audio sounds crystal clear, concise, and it comes in at just the right pitch without being too loud or in-your-face.  I’m always happy when I can leave it on one volume setting and still get the same impact throughout. That was the case with all five films. They also all come with subtitles in French, English and Spanish as well.

Special Features:

“Superman: The Movie” Special Features:

  Commentary by Ilya Salkind and Pierre Spangler

  The Making of Superman – vintage featurette

  Superman and the Mole-Men – vintage featurette

  Super-Rabbit – 1943 WB cartoon

  Snafuperman – 1944 WB cartoon

  Stupor Duck – 1956 WB cartoon

  TV Spot

  Teaser Trailer

  Theatrical Trailer

‘Superman II” Special Features:

    Commentary by Ilya Salkind and Pierre Spengler

    The Making of “Superman II” – 1980 TV Special

    Superman’s Soufflé – Deleted Scene

    First Flight

    Fleischer Studios’ Superman vintage cartoons:

        Superman

        The Mechanical Monster

        Billion Dollar Limited

        The Arctic Giant

        The Bulleteers

        The Magnetic Telescope

        Electric Earthquake

        Volcano

        Terror on the Midway

    Theatrical Trailer

“Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut” Special Features:

    Commentary by Richard Donner and Tom Mankiewicz

    Introduction by Richard Donner – featurette

    Superman II: Restoring the Vision – featurette

    Deleted Scenes

        Lex and Ms. Teschmacher Head North

        Lex and Ms. Teschmacher Head South

        The Villains Enter the Fortress

        He’s All Yours, Boys

        Clarke and Jimmy

        Lex’s Gateway

    Famous Studios vintage cartoons:

        Japoteurs

        Showdown

        Eleventh Hour

        Destruction, Inc.

        The Mummy Strikes

        Jungle Drums

        The Underground World

        Secret Agent

“Superman III” Special Features:

    Commentary by Ilya Salkind and Pierre Spengler

    The Making of “Superman III” – 1983 TV Special

    Deleted Scenes:

        Save My Baby

        To the Rescue

        Making Up

        Going to See the Boss

        Hatching the Plan

        The Con

        Rooftop Ski

        Boss Wants This to Go

        Superman Honored

        Gus’ Speech

        Hanging Up on Brad

    Theatrical Trailer

“Superman IV: The Quest for Peace” Special Features:

    Commentary by Mark Rosenthal

    Superman 50th Anniversary Special – 1988 TV Special

    Deleted Scenes:

        Clark’s Morning

        Jeremy’s Letter

        Superman’s Visit

        Nuclear Man’s Prototype

        Metropolis After Hours

        Lex Ponders

        Flying Sequence (Extended Scene)

        Battle in Smallville

        Battle in the U.S.S.R.

        Nuclear Arms Race

        Superman’s Sickness

        Red Alert

        By My Side

        Lark and Lacy Say Goodbye

        No Borders

    Theatrical Trailer

Should You Buy It?

Last time I checked, this set is going for about $90, which is a great price for five films. Granted, you are really paying for “Superman,” “Superman II” and “Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut,” so you need to own all of the Christopher Reeve “Superman” films if you are a completist like myself. I’ve heard a lot of people in the film community complain about some of the special features from other releases not being included on this set but they are included in the other Blu-ray releases.  This did not bother me as there are still plenty of special features to shift through here. I’m happy they included the Blu-ray discs for all of the films and didn’t just include the 4K’s.  The good films in this franchise leave me with a warm and fuzzy feeling.  When films make me feel this way and put a smile on my face, I’m a happy camper.  There is also something to enjoy about the total and complete absurdity of the bad films as well.  If you have a sense of humor and come in with the right mindset, you can enjoy them on the level of they are aiming at.  All the films come with Dolby Atmos tracks, which is a great perk.  My one minor nitpick is the fact that not all these films include Dolby Vision except for the first one.  However, in 2023, when physical media is hard to come by in stores but very much appreciated by us hardcore film historians and lovers, I don’t want to be too overly critical or negative over the little things.  Warner Brothers and other studios are really going all out to preserve important pieces of cinematic history.  We shouldn’t look a gift horse in the mouth.  This set comes highly recommended, and I enjoyed revisiting these films in 4K.  It gave me a whole new appreciation for these films, Christopher Reeve’s performance, and the intense feelings of happiness and joy the first two (three if you are counting the Richard Donner cut) films brought to me. You can’t put a price tag on that. This set comes highly recommended!

* * * ½ out of * * * *

**Disclaimer** I received a copy of this film from Warner Brothers to review for free.  The opinions and statements in the review are mine and mine alone.

‘Creed III’ Movie and 4K UHD Review

Posted on by The Ultimate Rabbit

The following review was written by Ultimate Rabbit correspondent, Tony Farinella.

I saw “Creed III” in theaters when it came out in March, and I walked away very impressed by the directorial debut of Michael B. Jordan. Even though we were only three months into the new year, I felt it was an early candidate for one of the best films of 2023. I enjoyed his creative and inventive approach to filmmaking, the tremendous acting throughout the film, and the way it was paced just perfectly.  Here we are, almost half-way through the year, and I feel even stronger about “Creed III.”  It really surpassed any and all expectations I had for the film, and it also shows the “Rocky/Creed” franchise is in very good hands. Much like the “Scream” franchise did with “Scream 6,” it proved you can leave a key player or two from the franchise behind and not miss a beat if you have your heart in the right place, a good script, and you forge your own path while also remembering the pulse of the franchise.

I think by now it is common knowledge that Sylvester Stallone is not in “Creed III.”  Stallone expressed his reasons why in interviews, and while I would have enjoyed him in this film, even if it was only in a minor role, I can’t say he was missed.  I say this as a huge fan of Stallone and his contributions to the “Rocky/Creed” franchise.  It says more about the fact that Jordan took the bull by the horns and really ran with it when it came to “Creed III.”  He’s in front of and behind the camera here, and from what he showed me as a director, I can’t wait to see what he does with his next project.  He has a keen visual sense and tremendous style without losing the heart and emotional weight of the film.

“Creed III” opens by showing us a young Adonis Creed hanging out with his friend from his group home, Damian Anderson.  They are like brothers to one another, and Damian looks out for Adonis.  Damian is on the rise as a young up and comer until he finds himself in prison for pulling out a gun while defending a young Adonis.  Adonis ran away and never faced any jail time.  Damian, on the other hand, spent almost two decades in prison and saw his chance go by the wayside.  Adonis is ready for retirement after winning his final fight and leaving as the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world.  He’s now a family man with a beautiful house, wife, and young daughter.

Adonis is also running his own gym with the help of Little Duke (Wood Harris) and helping promote a fight for the world heavyweight champion Felix “El Guerrero” Chavez (José Benavidez Jr.) against Viktor Drago (Florian Munteanu).  On his way out of the gym one day, he runs into Damian (Jonathan Majors) who is out of prison and looking to make up for lost time.  He wants to fight for the heavyweight championship of the world, as he was a top prospect and a Golden Gloves champion before he ended up in prison. Adonis agrees to let him hang around the gym and spar with Felix, but he feels uneasy about having him around and wonders what his true intentions are, especially after all these years.

As a matter of fact, Mary-Anne (Phylicia Rashad) is not too keen about Damian being around, as she remembers some of the trouble he and Adonis would get into as youngsters.  Adonis is also dealing with parenthood as his hearing-impaired daughter Amara, played perfectly by Mila Davis-Kent, is having trouble expressing herself in school. When she is being bullied by another student, she resorts to violence instead of working things out in a more peaceful way.  This is very troubling to her mother Bianca, played by the lovely Tessa Thompson. She is looking to raise their daughter to express her emotions in a more productive way instead of resorting to violence.  For Bianca, she’s been adjusting to her career as a producer. While she enjoys it, she also misses performing and doing her own thing.  However, she must also be protective of her hearing as she doesn’t want to cause further damage.  She’s also noticing Adonis is pulling away from her and that something is bothering him.  It’s clear he has unresolved guilt and anger from his past with Damian. Until he deals with those feelings, he will never be able to move forward in his life and will be stuck in the past.

I have to give major credit to the women of “Creed III” from Rashad to Thompson to Davis-Kent. They are attempting to help Adonis see the forest from the trees and learn that it’s okay for him to open up about his past and talk about his regrets and his pain.  It’s not good for him to bottle it all up inside.  The two main male characters played by Jordan and Majors are also terrific together on screen. Jordan is fantastic at expressing his emotions on his face and not overacting.  That being said, he knows when to tap into an emotion, anger, and turmoil when the scene calls for it. His facials here are terrific, and he knows how to tap into whatever the screenplay needs out of him. Majors reminded me and others of a young Mike Tyson. He will do whatever it takes to win, and he is physically imposing and carries a tremendous presence on screen.  When he’s on screen, you can’t take your eyes off him.

 For a film which is nearly two hours long, there is rarely a dull moment.  There is something dramatic which occurs in the film (no spoilers) that seemed to get glossed over and moved on from very quickly. It seemed rather unnecessary, and that is my only gripe with the film.  As with any “Rocky” or “Creed” movie, the best scenes are not in the ring.  The best scenes are the characters talking to one another, figuring out their inner conflict, and dealing with the past and the present.  Yes, it’s a boxing movie, but the boxing ring serves as a therapeutic canvas for them to work out their pain.  That being said, the boxing scenes are beautifully shot and are the best kind I’ve seen in a boxing film in a long time. Jordan makes some really interesting choices as a director, and they worked out perfectly for him.

“Creed III” is a feel-good film with a big heart behind it.  It has a great soundtrack with some real bangers on it.  It also has some fantastic acting from everyone in the cast.  There isn’t a bad performance to be found here.  The stakes also seem very high throughout.  There is an urgency here. For a first-time director, this is a very, very impressive debut.  I can see them carrying on the “Creed” franchise with Jordan working both behind-the-scenes and in front of the camera.  He really hit a home run here, and I loved this movie from start to finish.

 * * * ½ out of * * * *

4K Info: “Creed III” is released on a two-disc 4K/Blu-ray combo pack from Warner Brothers Home Entertainment.  It is rated PG-13 for intense sports action, violence and some strong language. It has a running time of 116 minutes.  The 4K combo pack also comes with a digital code for the film.

Video Info: I loved the way this film looked in 4K.  Warner Brothers has become one of the top studios for 4K releases, and they do not disappoint here with “Creed III.”  I’m always happy when a film gets the Dolby Vision treatment, and this film is spectacular looking. We get a detailed, clean, and smooth look with dark darks to set the mood for the emotional trauma Creed is dealing with inside of him.  This film really, really pops on 4K.  Dolby Vision and Warner Brothers are always a match made in heaven.  I truly was impressed by this 4K transfer and how it lends itself to the film.

Audio Info: More good news—we also get a Dolby Atmos track! For a film like this with great music and intense boxing action, you have to have a good Atmos track.  The Atmos track makes the film sound absolutely perfect.  Warner Brothers really did the right thing by “Creed III,” and I’m very thankful for that.

Special Features:

 Michael B. Jordan: In the Ring/Behind the Camera – Featurette

There’s No Enemy Like the Past: Donnie and Dame – Featurette

Deleted Scenes

Should You Buy It?

If you saw it in theaters like I did, I’m happy to report it holds up very, very well on a second viewing.  It’s one of the reasons why I love to watch a movie in the theater and then at home.  It’s two totally different viewing experiences, and you pick up on certain things you might have missed initially.  It was actually better on a second viewing.  I highly recommend you pick this film up on its release date on 4K.  It is truly the best way to watch this great film.  With Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, Warner Brothers really did a magnificent job of putting this film together for a great home-viewing experience.  The supplements are a little light, and I would have liked a commentary with director/actor Michael B. Jordan, but still, this is a day-one purchase. I’m not sure how the rest of the year will play out, but this film is still one of the best of 2023, in my opinion.  I loved the powerful performances, incredible emotion, ingenious boxing sequences, and how much fun this movie was. I highly recommend “Creed III” as a movie to proudly own on 4K.  You won’t be disappointed.

 **Disclaimer** I received a copy of this film from Warner Brothers to review for free.  The opinions and statements in the review are mine and mine alone.

‘Edge of Tomorrow’ Movie and 4K/Blu-ray Review

Posted on by The Ultimate Rabbit

The following review was written by Ultimate Rabbit correspondent, Tony Farinella.

“Edge of Tomorrow” is a film that, on paper, had all the ingredients for a film I would enjoy.  Tom Cruise has always been an actor who has never been afraid to really throw himself into a project.  He takes his work seriously, and it shows with the films he releases.  He has great quality control.  Emily Blunt is one of the best-working actresses in Hollywood with a ton of range and depth.  When you throw in director, Doug Liman (known for action films such as the “The Bourne Identity” and “Mr. and Mrs. Smith”), it seemed like a recipe for a fun action film featuring some impressive action sequences and top-notch performances by its leads. However, the film forgot one of the most important ingredients of any truly successful action film: a great story.  It uses the Groundhog Day gimmick of repeating the same day over and over again.

A group of aliens, which are known as “Mimics,” are coming to destroy Earth.  They are fast, smart, and incredibly difficult to defeat. U.S. Army Major William Cage (Tom Cruise) is thrown into the fire by General Brigham (Brendan Gleeson) to help what is essentially a suicide mission against these Mimics. William Cage makes sure to tell him he has no combat experience, and he is not fit for any type of action. Brigham, however, is only looking out for himself, and he is looking to make Cage the fall guy. When he’s arrested and sent to Heathrow Airport, Cage soon discovers he is in way over his head. He’s part of a ragtag group of misfits known as the J-Squad.

Cage is killed instantly and starts to have the same day over and over again.  If this sounds familiar, it is because this formula has been used countless times in other films, most recently with the “Happy Death Day” franchise. During one of his multiple trips to France, he ends up meeting Sergeant Rita Vrataski (Emily Blunt).  It doesn’t take long for them to connect, and she reveals to Cage she also once had the same power he now possesses, where she had to repeat the same day over and over again.  She has since lost it.  If the two of them can team up, maybe together they can figure out a way to save the world from the Mimics.

“Edge of Tomorrow” is a very complicated film to follow at times. All of this talk about Mimics, alphas, betas, superorganisms and loops starts to become quite tedious after a while.  This should have just been a fun, easy-to-follow film with some action and laughs thrown in the mix.  There is plenty of action, in fact, there is too much of it.  At times, it really took me out of the film. A little bit of character development and a little time to stop and smell the roses would have been appreciated. Any great action film takes the time to really let us get to know about our main characters. We know absolutely nothing about them. Cruise and Blunt are entertaining when paired together, but it doesn’t take long for the film to resort to wall-to-wall action right away.

Between the convoluted story, the non-stop action and lack of character development, I found it hard to really get into “Edge of Tomorrow.” I can’t deny the special effects are impressive and the Mimics look really good, but I didn’t sign up for either of them though, I realize I’m in the minority on this 2014 film, which made quite an impression with a majority of critics. I truly wanted to like this film, and I was prepared to sit back and shut my brain off and enjoy myself for two hours. I just couldn’t suspend my disbelief for that long because the film was throwing too much at me with little rhyme or reason.  It didn’t take the time to explain things or to make us care about what was happening on screen.

* * out of * * * *

4K Info: “Edge of Tomorrow” is released on a two-disc 4K Combo Pack from Warner Brothers Home Entertainment. It comes with the 4K, Blu-ray, and a digital copy of the film.  It has a running time of 113 minutes and is rated PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi action and violence, language, and brief suggestive material.

Audio Info: The audio formats for this film are Dolby Atmos-TrueHD: English, DTS-HD MA: French, Dolby Digital: English Descriptive Audio, French, and Spanish. The film has subtitles in English, French, and Spanish. I’m always a huge fan of Dolby Atmos audio, and it really stands out in a film like this.

Video Info: The 4K is released on 2160p Ultra High Definition. The High Dynamic Range really makes the film look moody, dark, and shadowy. It’s an impressive looking 4K. The Blu-Ray is in 1080p High Definition.

Special Features:

Operation Downfall – Adrenaline Cut

Storming the Beach

Weapons of the Future

Creatures Not of This World

On The Edge with Doug Liman

Deleted Scenes

Should You Buy It?

Sadly, I can’t recommend you go out and purchase “Edge of Tomorrow.”  However, if you are a fan of the 2014 film, I would encourage you to upgrade from the Blu-ray to the 4K.  There is a noticeable difference between the two formats in terms of picture quality and audio.  It had been eight years since I watched the film, and I didn’t think much of it back then.  I thought maybe a second viewing would give me a new appreciation for the film.  I’m sad to report that is not the case.  It’s still not a film I enjoy or can recommend you pick up unless you own the Blu-ray and want the 4K experience.  I like all of the participants in the film, but the storyline has been done before and done better. The actors are really hampered by the exhausting script. It’s too much movie and there is no brain behind it.  The characters are also written without a lot of thought behind them. The film is simply eye candy with its special effects.

**Disclaimer** I received a copy of this film from Warner Brothers to review for free.  The opinions and statements in the review are mine and mine alone.