4k-UHD/Movie Review: Flashdance

 

Flashdance is the 1983 romantic drama directed by Adrian Lyne, based on a screenplay by Tom Hedley and Joe Eszterhas. The film stars Jennifer Beals and Michael Nouri in the leading roles. The supporting cast includes Lilia Skala, Sunny Johnson, Kyle T. Heffner, Lee Ving, Ron Karabatsos, and Belinda Bauer. The plot follows an 18-year-old woman named Alex Owens (played by Beals) who works as a welder at a steel mill by day and as a dancer at a local bar by night. Alex dreams of being accepted into a prestigious dance conservatory, but she lacks formal training and is intimidated by the audition process. While she is not a stripper, she and some of the other dancers at the bar are constantly being recruited to work at a local strip club by its owner, Johnny C. (played by Ving), who is a regular at the bar. Along the way, Alex catches the eye of her older boss at the steel mill, Nick Hurley (played by Nouri), and the two begin a relationship that helps her find the courage to pursue her goals.

The 4K set is a two-disc set containing a UHD disc and a standard Blu-Ray. It also comes with a digital code that can be redeemed on Movies Anywhere. The A/V quality of the UHD disc is okay, but not great. It did not receive a high-quality transfer and is not a huge upgrade over the 1080p version. All of the bonus content is located on the standard Blu-Ray disc and totals about a half hour of runtime. Those extras include a short interview with director Adrian Lyne, a couple of making-of featurettes, and the theatrical trailer.

While the movie was a massive commercial hit when it was first released, it remains a very uneven film. The story does eventually get from point A to point Z, but it gets there in a very haphazard manner, with some of the characters' actions making absolutely no sense. The movie also feels very much stuck in the 1980s, relying heavily on several music montages, including a very out-of-place, cheesy workout sequence that slows down the narrative. Additionally, the storyline of an 18-year-old employee who starts dating her older boss feels a bit creepy nowadays and would not make for a romantic story in the modern day. The acting across the board was okay, and the writing was definitely uneven. Beals did a decent job given that this was her first major acting role, after having done some modeling and having a very small part in one movie before she was cast in this film. It was a pretty big deal to have a biracial lead actress in her first major role, which still makes the movie somewhat groundbreaking. Ultimately, the movie's soundtrack, which features several popular 80s songs, is much better than the film itself, which is dated and does not hold up particularly well. However, it is still worth checking out for fans of 1980s movies, as long as you accept it for what it is and do not expect more than that.

4k-UHD/Movie Review: Disclosure Day

 

Disclosure Day is the 2026 science-fiction thriller film directed by Steven Spielberg from a screenplay written by David Koepp. The film stars Emily Blunt, Josh O'Connor, and Colin Firth in the leading roles. The supporting cast includes Eve Hewson, Colman Domingo, Wyatt Russell, Elizabeth Marvel, and Henry Lloyd-Hughes.

The plot follows a television meteorologist, Margaret Fairchild (played by Blunt), and a cybersecurity analyst, Daniel Kelner (played by O'Connor), who unexpectedly find themselves thrown together on a high-stakes mission that neither fully understands. All while being chased by a shadowy organization and helped by an underground resistance group. The movie starts with little setup, starting off with a standoff between O'Connor and Firth's characters. We learn that Kelner has stolen evidence of an extraterrestrial cover-up and plans to disclose the definitive existence of alien life to the entire world. Firth plays a government contractor named Hugo, who is trying to prevent the secret from being released. Margaret begins exhibiting weird behavior and feels a pull to find and help Kelner, all to the dismay of everyone around her, including her boyfriend, Jackson (played by Russell). 

The 4K set is a two-disc set containing a UHD disc and a standard Blu-Ray. It also comes with a digital code that can be redeemed on Movies Anywhere. The A/V quality of the UHD disc is outstanding, and the digital effects are so good that it is genuinely hard to tell what was done with practical effects and what was done digitally. The bonus content is completely included on the UHD disc itself. It features a making-of featurette that runs just under an hour, as well as a short feature focusing on the long-term working relationship between Spielberg and his legendary composer, John Williams. Both features are good and are well worth a look for people who like watching the bonus content on physical releases.

The movie is good, with a nice blend of action, drama, and suspense. It was very well acted, with Blunt and Firth being the clear standouts of the production, although all of the actors did a very good job in their respective roles. The writing was good overall but got a bit cheesy and silly in parts, especially toward the end of the film during the climax. It seems like this is what Spielberg likely would have done with Close Encounters of the Third Kind if the special-effects technology had been good enough back in the late 1970s. While it is not a direct sequel to Close Encounters, it feels like a modern update of that story. Ultimately, it is a very entertaining sci-fi thriller that is absolutely worth watching.

4k-UHD/Movie Review: Fight Club

 

Fight Club is the 1999 psychological drama film directed by David Fincher and based on the debut novel by Chuck Palahniuk, who also assisted with the story adaptation alongside screenwriter Jim Uhls. The film stars Brad Pitt, Edward Norton, and Helena Bonham Carter in the leading roles. The supporting cast includes Meat Loaf Aday, Jared Leto, Zach Grenier, Peter Iacangelo, and David Andrews.

The story follows an unnamed narrator (played by Norton) who is an unfulfilled, insomniac corporate worker looking for meaning in his consumer-driven life. His world changes completely after he crosses paths with a charismatic and eccentric soap salesman named Tyler Durden (played by Pitt). Together, the two men establish an underground, no-holds-barred sparring circuit called "Fight Club" as a form of radical male psychotherapy for other disgruntled men. The club quickly evolves into a widespread, anti-corporate vigilante organization known as Project Mayhem. The plot is definitely a bit mind-bending, but very good, blending action, drama, and comedy while operating as an intense social commentary. The story touches heavily on deep thematic concepts like mental illness, the desperate human need to be a part of something larger than oneself, and the internal struggle of striving to be completely different from who you are. 

The 4K set is a two-disc set containing a UHD disc and a standard Blu-Ray. This specific release is packaged in a collectible Steelbook edition, though a standard 4K non-steelbook version is also available. The A/V quality of the UHD disc is outstanding, and both the video and audio transfers are at or near reference-quality for 4K discs. There are four different full-length commentary tracks, all of which are included on the UHD disc itself. The first track features Fincher alone, the second brings together Fincher, Pitt, and Norton in the same room with Bonham Carter recorded separately, the third features the novel's author Chuck Palahniuk and screenwriter Jim Uhls, and the fourth is a highly technical commentary track by several members of the production team. While there is definitely some narrative overlap in the information shared across the different tracks, for the most part each track maintains its own unique feel and tone. The second track featuring Fincher and the main cast members is easily the most entertaining of the bunch.

The rest of the extensive bonus content is on the standard Blu-Ray disc and is carried over entirely from the film's original physical media release. There is a massive amount of behind-the-scenes and making-of material included, alongside some highly functional interactive features that provide a lot of material for people who love going through bonus content. This includes a robust search index that allows you to select specific production topics to either jump straight to the exact point in the movie where it is mentioned or immediately play a corresponding segment from the bonus features. There is also a dedicated commentary guide option that plays the film with visual on-screen pop-ups that tell you exactly what is being discussed on each of the four individual commentary tracks at that precise moment in the timeline.

The film remains great and was exceptionally well acted, especially by the core cast members. The film is rated R, earning its rating for strong violence, frequent swearing, sexual content, and some brief nudity. Looking back at the production, it is almost amazing that Pitt, Bonham Carter, or Norton did not develop and die of lung cancer during the shoot because they were all either heavily smoking or actively breathing in second-hand smoke in nearly every single scene. The writing includes many iconic lines, and Fincher's distinct cinematic style holds up incredibly well. Ultimately, it is a unique, offbeat film that holds up well and is worth watching. If you are someone who collects physical media, this reference-quality 4K release is well worth adding to your collection.

4k-UHD/Movie Review: The Fifth Element

 

The Fifth Element is the 1997 science-fiction action film written and directed by Luc Besson. It stars Bruce Willis, Gary Oldman, and Milla Jovovich in the leading roles. The supporting cast includes Ian Holm, Chris Tucker, Luke Perry, Brion James, Tom Lister Jr., and Lee Evans.

The story opens in Egypt in 1914, but the bulk of the movie is set 300 years later, in 2214. The plot follows a futuristic New York City cab driver and former special forces major, Korben Dallas (played by Willis), who accidentally becomes responsible for the fate of the world when a mysterious woman named Leeloo (played by Jovovich) falls into his flying taxi. Leeloo turns out to be the physical embodiment of the supreme being, known as the fifth element, who is destined to combine with four elemental stones to defeat a great cosmic evil that threatens to destroy the universe every 5,000 years. Dallas must protect Leeloo from the evil corporate tyrant Jean-Baptiste Emanuel Zorg (played by Oldman) and a band of mercenary aliens, leading to a massive showdown at a luxury resort in space.

The 4K set is a two-disc set containing a UHD disc and a standard Blu-Ray. This release is a collectible Steelbook edition, though a standard 4K non-Steelbook edition is also available. The A/V quality of the UHD disc is very good. I would not say the transfer is as high-quality as some older films have received, but it still looks and sounds quite good, especially if you have a large screen and a decent sound system. The only extra feature included on the UHD disc itself is a short introduction and interview with director Luc Besson discussing the film. The rest of the extras are on the standard Blu-Ray disc and carry over from the original physical media release. There is a ton of behind-the-scenes and making-of material included, which provides a lot of interesting information about the production. One of the most interesting facts revealed is that the movie would not be picked up by a studio until after the massive success of Besson's prior movie, Léon: The Professional. The standard blu-ray also lets you play the movie with a "fact track" that uses captions to insert facts about the actors, the production, particular scenes, etc., throughout the film. 

The movie itself remains a great blend of sci-fi action, humor, drama, and romance. Bruce Willis filmed this movie at the peak of his fame, and he did a great job in the leading role as the sarcastic, down-on-his-luck, but capable hero. This was actually the fifth film in the careers of both Chris Tucker and Milla Jovovich, and both of them were great in their respective roles. Tucker steals nearly every single scene he is in as the very flamboyant radio host Ruby Rhod, a character he modeled as a combination of Michael Jackson and Prince. The film was made just before digital effects took off in Hollywood, so it relies on a unique mix of practical model effects and early digital effects that give it a distinct visual charm. The film is rated PG-13, but it definitely skirts the line with some heavy sexual innuendo and brief nudity. Ultimately, it is a great film that was underrated when it was first released and is worth watching. If you are someone who collects physical media, this release is well worth adding to your collection.

4k-UHD/Movie Review: A Few Good Men

 

A Few Good Men is the 1992 legal drama film based on the Broadway play by Aaron Sorkin, who also wrote the screenplay. The movie was directed by Rob Reiner and features an incredible all-star cast. The film stars Tom Cruise, Jack Nicholson, and Demi Moore in the leading roles. The supporting cast includes Kevin Bacon, Kiefer Sutherland, Kevin Pollak, James Marshall, J.T. Walsh, Christopher Guest, J.A. Preston, and Wolfgang Bodison.

The movie mixes drama and suspense with a bit of humor, and it stands as one of the best courtroom dramas ever made. Cruise plays Lieutenant Daniel Kaffee, a callow Navy lawyer who is known for plea-bargaining cases rather than going to trial. He is assigned to defend two U.S. Marines stationed at Guantanamo Bay who are accused of murdering a fellow Marine, William Santiago. Kaffee is joined by Lieutenant Commander JoAnne Galloway (played by Moore) and Lieutenant Sam Weinberg (played by Pollak). Galloway suspects the two Marines were acting under orders from their superiors, specifically the commanding officer, Colonel Nathan R. Jessep (played by Nicholson), in what is known as a "Code Red" hazing ritual. The best sequence comes in the last 20 minutes of the film, where Kaffee and Jessep square off in an explosive, high-stakes courtroom confrontation that delivers some of the most memorable dialogue in film history.

The 4k set is a two-disc set containing a UHD disc and a standard Blu-Ray. The A/V quality of the UHD disc is excellent, and the 4K transfer was done very well. If you have a high-end setup, the crisp visual detail and balanced audio will not disappoint. The bonus content is good, featuring a couple of production documentaries, including an interesting featurette on adapting the play to film. It also includes an excellent audio commentary track by director Rob Reiner. The commentary provides great insight into the production, though it is also a bit sad, especially when Reiner discusses the fact that he brought his son to the set, who is the very same son who was later arrested for his murder.

The casting for this film was absolutely perfect. Everyone in the main and supporting cast was excellent in their roles, and a case can be made that this was actually each actor's best performance to date. While I am personally not a fan of what is known about Tom Cruise's personal life, he is a wonderful actor, and he did some of his best work here. It is also fun to look back at the smaller roles in the film. This was one of Noah Wyle's first film roles, and he would, of course, go on a couple of years later to become a breakout star in the TV series ER. The film also featured an early role for Cuba Gooding Jr. before his career exploded. This was also the very first acting role for Wolfgang Bodison, who played Lance Corporal Harold Dawson. He was actually working as an assistant to Rob Reiner, who liked his look and asked if he had ever acted and if he wanted to read for the part. Given that his role as Dawson was relatively large, he did an excellent job with the part, especially since he had never acted before. While everyone shines, Jack Nicholson is a complete tour-de-force, dominating the screen every single time he is on it. Ultimately, this is a must-see movie and, if you collect physical media, it is worth adding to your collection.