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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Friday, January 15, 2010

Critically acclaimed 'Hurt Locker' on DVD


By BOB BLOOM
Lafayette (Ind.) Journal & Courier

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Jeremy Renner, left, and Anthony Mackie act in "The Hurt Locker," about a squad of bomb-disarming soldiers in Iraq.

Summit Entertainment

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Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Left to Right: "Fame" is a remake of the original musical about high school performing arts students' aspirations. Sam Rockwell stars in the sci-fi thriller "Moon."

MGM, Sony Pictures Classics

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A close look at the war in Iraq, a remake of the original high school musical and an odd science-fiction thriller arrived on Blu-ray and DVD on Tuesday.

'The Hurt Locker,' R, graphic violence, strong language

One of the most acclaimed movies of the year, a sure best picture Oscar nominee, focuses on an elite squad of soldiers in Iraq whose main mission is to disarm bombs. The feature is part war movie, part psychological thriller. It is an intense experience.

The movie did not do well at the box office, taking in $12.6 million domestically and $3.4 million overseas. Critically, "Locker" blew away reviewers, who gave it a 97 percent positive rating at http://www.Rottentomatoes.com. The strong audio and visual transfers complement the nerve-shattering action.

Don't miss: Bonus features include a look at the making of the movie and a commentary track.

'Fame,' PG

Like the original, this remake tries to cram too much into its running time, covering the lives of many students as they go through their four years at the New York City High School of Performing Arts. The joy is watching the talented young performers do their things.

BothDVD and Blu-ray formats offer the theatrical version and an extended cut of the film. The movie cost $18 million to produce, earning $22.4 million in the United States and $19.2 million overseas. The digital transfers in both formats are splendid; the sound, especially, is impressive.

Don't miss: Bonus offerings include deleted scenes, a music video, character profiles, the movie's dances, the national talent search and a digital copy of the film.

'Moon,' R, language

Sam Rockwell stars in this science-fiction thriller about the effects of isolation. Rockwell's character has been living alone for three years on the dark side of the moon, mining minerals. But as his time to leave nears, he experiences a growing sense of paranoia, abetted by a terrible accident on the lunar surface.

"Moon" took in a paltry $5.1 million domestically and $2.1 million overseas. The movie did much better with critics, who gave it an 89 percent positive rating at Rottentomatoes. The Blu-ray's audio and visual transfers are excellent. The picture is very sharp, the sound noise-free and quite clear.

Don't miss: The main extras include a making-of featurette, a couple of commentary tracks, a look at the special effects and a question-and-answer session at the Sundance Film Festival.