"Now Is Good" on BLU RAY - A Review Of The 2012 Film And Which Version To Buy ...

 "...There Has To Be Some Perks To Being Terminally Ill..."

Tessa Scott is a normal 17-year old girl living in the South of England in the coastal town of Brighton. Her slightly older pal - the gorgeous and effortlessly sexy Zoey has no problems with 'doing' her boyfriend Scott - she's just not so good at keeping what his young loins have deposited (nicely played by Kaya Scoldelario). Tessa hasn't been so naughty yet but she wants to be. She wants to have sex, swill beer, pop a few pills, hit a racist, ride a wave in Hawaii, ski down a mountain and on a boring weekday maybe even engage in a bit of shoplifting in the mall (breaking the law). The only problem with Tessa's 'bucket list' of moments is that she's running out of time because she has acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Worse Tessa couldn't stand the chemotherapy for such an aggressive cancer and has chosen to opt out - so now she desperately wants to fulfill her list ("as much as I can...as fast as I can...").

Her father and mother (a superlative combination of Paddy Considine and Olivia Williams) are separated and poles apart. Uber-responsible loving Dad cares too much - suffocating Tessa with his need to control every part of her life in a bid to protect her from pain - while flighty Mum can't even seem to turn up on time for a crucial hospital appointment. Her 9-year old younger brother Cal worries too in his own soppy way (Edgar Canham) "are you gonna haunt me..." But then hope arrives in the shape of a handsome and genuine English lad who literally moves in next door with his Mum (Jeremy Irvine generously giving the screen and movie to Fanning). Adam's father has died the year earlier and Tessa and Adam's initial meets are awkward and even reluctant (occasionally funny) but then the two slowly move towards each other despite their pasts and her lack of a future. And on it goes. This is a girl wanting love and finding it - wanting to matter - and realizing that she actually does...

Written and Directed by Ol Parker (adapted from Jenny Downham's book "Before I Die") - "Now Is Good" is a bit of a weepy for sure - but what makes it life-affirming and special are the beautifully realized performances by all of its lead actors (especially the phenomenal Dakota Fanning who never once lets that American accent slip and maintains a perfectly judged calmness throughout) and the depth in the script. As you can imagine material like this could be mawkish if handled badly - but "Now Is Good" never feels manipulative. The sentimentality is kept in check by candid and at times brutal exchanges between Tessa and her father and the new visiting home nurse Phillippa (superb work by Rayke Ayola).

"Now Is Good" is also that rare thing - tender and observant - full of great moments - seeing a daughter and mum at the front door of their home connect ("don't be afraid..."), sitting on a bench in the sunshine overlooking the White Cliffs of Dover, holding her first proper boyfriend on the bus home, fireworks at night in the garden with family, cooking breakfast for Dad ("who are you and what have you done with my daughter..."), Adam carving a snow angel in the ground, horses running free beside a set in railings in a park as they return home from Dover once more on a motorbike, Nurse Phillippa humanely describing to Tessa how the end will come...

Special mention should also go to the exceptional music by Dustin O'Halloran that fills so many scenes with emotion - fun and flighty one minute - aching and broken the next - an amazing piece of work.

A BLU RAY of "Now Is Good" is not available in the UK or USA. My copy is a German issue that I purchased on the GERMAN AMAZON SITE (use Barcode Number 887654313492 in their Search Bar). For some reason this reasonably priced version is not for sale on Amazon UK? When you do get your copy - as the movie starts - you will need to go to the Audio button on your remote and actually seek out the English 5.1 DTS-HD Audio track - or it'll play the film overdubbed in German.

Defaulted to 2.35:1 aspect ratio (bars on top and bottom) or even stretched to full screen - the picture quality is absolutely beautiful throughout and as already mentioned - the audio is warm, full and gorgeous.

The extras feature interviews with all the lead cast filmed in Hi Def (how they approached the roles and working with the other actors) and Director Ol Parker heaping praise on his cast (especially Dakota Fanning 'going for it'). There's also Deleted Scenes and a very long behind the cameras B-Roll segment with the actors and crew (shots of Brighton Beach and Town, White Cliffs Of Dover, Epping Forest, Leyton Ice Rink).

Like many - I came to this movie not expecting much and was more than surprised - I was moved. Using the parlance - "Now Is Good" is smart enough to keep it real - and by doing so - has captured in film and sound a loveliness that is rare. Well done to all involved.

"Girl Most Likely" – A Review Of The 2013 Film Now On A 2014 BLU RAY.

This Review and many more available in...

"…Lived A Life So Exciting…It Sounds Made Up…"

Thirtysomething modern-day New York lady Imogene Duncan (Kristen Wiig) has the lot - a well-to-do boyfriend who once stated they were Soul Mates (he'd say it again if only if he could stay off his mobile long enough to remember), an apartment in the right address with a unformed doorman (none of your riff raff here), society friends who wear Jimmy Choos and sip cocktails (their spitefulness makes the real housewives of Beverley Hills look positively saintly) and even a possible writing career outside of the magazine she works for (if she could only get that Play she was supposed to write 8 years back down on paper). What could possibly go wrong? Well, try everything...

And then the diced carrots really hit the fan when brash Zelda her bed-hopping gambling-addicted mother shows up from New Jersey in a stolen car...on loan from her new younger boyfriend who goes under the pseudonym George Bousche and claims to be an undercover CIA agent with possible Samurai consciousness tie-ins (hilarious turns by Annette Bening and Matt Dillon). Imogene rapidly loses her boyfriend, her job, her apartment and her fair-weather socialite pals - eventually ending up back in Ocean City in rental Hell in her "Friends" teeshirt instead of snazzy clothes.

Only now her old room has been let out by gambler Mom to a complete stranger who doesn't change the sheets that often (a handsome turn by Darren Criss) and Imogene has also to live and deal with Ralph - her almost mentally challenged younger brother who won't go any further than the boardwalk and whose fixated on crabs and the invention of a human shield like the outer crusts of molluscs (a part that could so easily have been awful superlatively played by Christopher Fitzgerald). Then it gets worse. Only now does Imogene learn that Mum's hopeless parenting might even extend to lies about her supposedly dead father. Maybe he's a genius author right now - very much alive and well and living like a millionaire in a plush townhouse back in the New York area she just lost...

Co-Directed by Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini and written by Michelle Morgan from her own experiences - "Girl Most Likely" as you can imagine is a bit all over the place story-wise - but it's undeniably witty and at times very touching - a hard combo to get right. And it has superb roles for women - hitting a lot of those mid-life crisis points along its convoluted but merry way. A lot of the fun credit has to go the two superlative women leads  - Kristen Wiig and Annette Bening whose scenes together are electric - Bening getting the look, the swagger and the god-awful garish clothes of Zelda absolutely spot on. But they're not to be outdone by the men in what was obviously a 'nice' movie to work on - good material made by good people.

The BLU RAY picture quality is beautiful throughout and stretched to the full screen. But don't watch the 'making of' extra first - it rather stupidly gives away too many key scenes - especially those featured towards the end of the movie.

Not a masterpiece by any stretch of the cinematic imagination - but this little film has heart and laughs and is a lot better than most. Luckily you won't get crabs off "Girl Most Likely" - but you'll be glad after you watched it that you addled up to it's plentiful charms in the first place...

"Almost Famous – Extended Edition" – A Review Of The 2000 Cameron Crowe Movie On BLU RAY.

"…One Day…You'll Be Cool…"

Californian William Miller is 11 and naked in the school shower when his classmates rip into him about his lack of pubes. He quickly discovers two things  – he needs to grow up fast - and he has a gift for getting out of jams by convoluting the truth (like all the best writers do). And this is before he has to deal with his overbearing potty mother who seems obsessed with him not doing anything - let alone having promiscuous sex and copious amounts of hallucinogenic drugs (what a meanie).

Then one afternoon in hair-curlers and to the backdrop of Simon & Garfunkel’s “America” his older sister Anita has finally had enough of 'no' Mum and exits the nest leaving young William a parting gift that will shape his whole life – a carry bag full of vinyl albums under his bed (dialogue above). Inside is – Crosby, Stills & Nash’s self-titled debut from 1969 on Atlantic, The Rolling Stones "Get Your Ya Ya's Out" (1970), Led Zeppelin's "II" (1969), Joni Mitchell's "Blue" (1971) and The Who’s double "Tommy". Lighting a candle as instructed by sis (an early part for the gorgeous Zooey Deschanel) - William puts the needle down on the original 1969 US Decca vinyl of The Who and is transformed…

Written and Directed by Cameron Crowe – “Almost Famous" (2000) is his homage to Rock and a touchstone for suckers like me. I know all the references – all the feelings – all the inexplicably gorgeous women way out of your desert-boots reach. Why – because like so many of my generation – I lived it. And like many of us Crowe also seems to feel that something changed between 1973 and 1975 – Rock 'n' Roll somehow died and got replaced with pomposity and drugs and dumb Rock Stars as Gods who had no answers anymore – corrupted by a hard in their pants and an itch in their arms…

Sporting a fantastically cast ensemble group of actors - soppy-faced Patrick Fugit (as William) does well to keep up with Kate Hudson, Billy Crudup, Jason Lee, Noah Taylor, Anna Paquin, Fairuza Balk and Frances McDormand. But you also forget just how good Philip Seymour Hoffman was (even then). He plays Rock Critic Lester Bangs with a relish and character accuracy that is astonishing. As he eyes with horrified insider knowledge the naivety of the now 15-year old William hustling for a career in Rock journalism – Lester correctly surmises that the icons William loves so much will eat him up and spit him out a truly sullied being. But the kid is just so damn earnest…so Lester tells him "to be honest and unmerciful…" and hopes he'll survive a tour with rising rock band Stillwater who are supporting Black Sabbath on a US tour. Cue tour bus rides with paperbacks of Ray Bradbury, Circle magazine, sexy girls with long flowing hair boogieing to The Allman Brothers and the most fantastic use of an Elton John song in any movie – ever ("Tiny Dancer" from 1971's "Madman Across The Water"). There follows spaced-out DJs, dodgy promoters, electrified mike stands, trashed hotel rooms, Rolling Stone magazine deadlines, band squabbles and his ever-present mother phoning about drugs every ten minutes (and she’d be right too). There’s even an early but memorable cameo from Modern Family's Eric Stonestreet as Sheldon The Hotel Desk Clerk (he gets about 4 lines)…

The BLU RAY picture quality is lovely (if not unremarkable) throughout and at 1.85:1 aspect ratio – fills the entire screen. Audio is English TrueHD 5.1 while Subtitles include Arabic, Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, English For The Hard Of Hearing, English, Hebrew, Hindi, Hungarian, Icelandic, Korean, Mandarin, Polish, Portuguese (Brazilian), Romanian, Slovak, Slovene, Spanish (Latin American), Thai and Turkish. But the two extras are a major let down – "Love Comes And Goes" features the cast goofing about on sets without any dialogue to camera which is awkward and uninformative (although Nancy Wilson's demo of the rock song "Love Comes And Goes" is great) - while the "Lester Bangs Interview" features the real Creem Magazine writer in archive footage bitching about the vacuous nature of Bryan Ferry and ELP (it's good but last mere minutes - not enough of it).

It should also be noted that this BLU RAY features only the half-hour more 'Extended Cut' of the film (2000 DVD has the original film at 122 minutes). It would have been better to include both versions - but at least the longer 'Director's Cut' does feature material that expands the fictional band’s relationship with their fans and more of William's coming-of-age – and it genuinely adds rather than detracts.

True – the album date lines are a bit screwed about with and careful scrutiny will reveal continuity problems – but none of that stops “Almost Famous” being magical to someone like me. And as you sit there - marvelling at just how truly gorgeous Led Zeppelin’s acoustic “That’s The Way” from “III” is – you’re transported to a time when music could change the world and expand your horizons and record shops were places you stood in shaking with excitement at what new thrill you would find… 

"Now's the time to look again…" Robert Plant sings on that lovely song (Track 3 on Side 2). 
Turns out that even in 1970 - one of Blighty’s best ever singers was right…

PS: Crowe went on to make the equally wonderful music-laden “Elizabethtown” in 2005.

"Moondance" by VAN MORRISON (2013 Warner Brothers 2CD 'Extended Edition' Reissue And Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"…Let Your Soul And Spirit Fly…Into The Mystic…"

First things first – the reissued album "Moondance" by VAN MORRISON is presented in two versions. The other is a 'Deluxe Edition 4CD/1BLU RAY' set in a book that has received derision for its packaging faults. 

This review is for the October 2013 'Expanded Edition' 2CD version of "Moondance" in a three-way foldout card digipak on Warner Brothers R2 536561 (Barcode 081227963842).  I love the way this reissue looks, feels and sounds. Here are the fantabulous details…

1. And It Stoned Me [Side 1]

2. Moondance

3. Crazy Love

4. Caravan

5. Into The Mystic

6. Come Running [Side 2]

7. These Dreams Of You

8. Brand New Day

9. Everyone

10. Glad Tidings

Disc 1 has the 10-track album "Moondance" in 2013 remastered form (38:56 minutes). The original self-produced vinyl LP was released March 1970 on Warner Brothers WS 1835 in the USA and UK.

1. Caravan (Take 4)

2. Nobody Knows You When You’re Done And Out (Outtake)

3. Into The Mystic (Take 11)

4. Brand New Day (Take 3)

5. Glad Tidings (Alternate Version)

6. Come Running (Take 2)

7. Crazy Love (Mono Mix)

8. These Dreams Of You (Alternate Version)

9. Moondance (Take 22)

10. I Shall Sing (Take 7)

11. I’ve Been Working (Early Version, Take 5)

Disc 2 (52:12 minutes) is an 11-track Bonus CD with Sessions, Alternates & Outtakes. The three-way card digipak houses CD1 in the left flap with pictures of the master tape boxes beneath – the 24-page sepia-effect booklet sits in a centred lip pouch with a photo of Van out walking amongst Autumn trees and Disc 2 is on the right – again with tapes boxes beneath the see-through tray. The booklet also features Janet Planet’s original notes, a new essay by Alan Light, photo outtakes from the cover session and notes on the recording and master tapes.  But then you get to the real meat and potatoes – the huge overhaul in sound...

The original tape engineer ELLIOT SCHEINER has been recalled for the remaster and he gives 3 pages of warm and detailed explanation. The album was recorded in Mono in two gulps - September and November 1969 - and then mastered into Stereo on the latest equipment of the day - an 8-track. There is faintly detectable hiss on some of the songs inherent to the original tapes - but the clarity on his vocals and the individual instruments is now truly fantastic – warm, sweet and allowed to breath. I don’t detect any compression here - nor is it over trebled for effect – it’s just beautifully handled and allowed to simply be.

While "And It Stoned Me" is a good sonic opener – the remaster really kicks in with "Moondance" and "Crazy Love" where John Kleinberg’s bass and Jeff Labes’ Piano are suddenly alive - while the fabulous threesome of backing singers Emily Houston, Judy Clay and Jackie Verdell add so much Soul to these renditions. Then you're hit with "Caravan" and everyone's Soul igniter – "Into The Mystic". And wow is the only appropriate response. Like so many fans I've waited too long to hear these joyous songs sound this good. And when he launches into that abandoned vocal during "Into The Mystic" ("…I Wanna Rock Your Gypsy Soul…Just Like Way Back In The Days Of Old…") – I'm blubbing like a teenager confronted by Ryan Gosling…. 

I hadn't expected the bonus to be so brilliant. It hits you on many fronts - the intimacy - sound engineers talking in the takes - classics in beautiful full-studio sound quality. Take 3 of "Brand New Day" is shockingly gorgeous and he may have lost something in the final translation. As if to reinforce that Take 2 of "Come Running" is even better – the band and song fresh – a truly lovely outtake (I'll re-play this cut more than the album version). Even the finger-clicked in "Crazy Love" which is Mono is lovely (possibly the mix used for the 7" single B-side to "Come Running"). The only one that sounds slightly off is the out-of-whack piano and vocal to Take 22 of "Moondance" – a jazz-based rock track he seemed to struggle with feel-wise.

Listening to Take 11 of "Into The Mystic" is as spine-tingling as the finished track and while the Jimmie Cox cover version "Nobody Knows You When You’re Down And Out" is a bit of a let down – the new song "I Shall Sing" is properly fabulous stuff and only hammers home the huge contribution the horn section of Jack Schroer (Alto and Tenor Sax) and Collin Tilton (Trombone and Flute) made to the album. In fact it sounds like The Mavericks only 30 years before their time. The last entry is a genuinely unexpected high - the band fully rocking it out on Take 5 of "I've Been Working" which goes a little Beefheart in its quirky guitar parts. Its ten-plus minutes is cooking ("I've been working for Jesse James…") and ends Disc 2 with a feeling that you’ve been treated to something very special indeed. In fact in some respects I prefer the single disc of alternate versions and outtakes rather than the overload of the 5-disc version that for me actually spoils the magic of the original album.

In truth Van Morrison fans have been waiting more than 40 years to hear one of their favourite albums sound this good and finally be presented with a degree of packaging dignity its always deserved at least in the 2-disc version). The only real mystery is why it wasn’t combined with a series of releases – one of which would be the masterpiece that preceded it – "Astral Weeks"? But that's another man's licensing headache.

"Switch on your electric light" Van sings on "Caravan". Well after all this time - "Moondance" is burning brighter than ever. Don't hesitate - buy this beautiful reissue...

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"About Time". A Review Of The 2013 Film Now On A 2014 BLU RAY.

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ABOUT TIME the 2013 Movie on on BLU RAY

"…Big Cupboards Are Very Useful…"

Richard Curtis' Sixth Film "About Time" (2012) opens with a killer monologue that establishes Tim’s largely crackpot family living out an all weathers idealized existence in a house by the sea in Cornwall. Book-loving table-tennis playing Father and unsentimental solid Mum are portrayed by the formidable British talent of Bill Nighy and Lindsay Duncan - while Tim’s scatological but adorable sister Catherine (nicknamed Kit Kat) kisses her equally absent-minded Uncle Desmond on the cheeks at every possible opportunity (lovely work by Lydia Wilson and Richard Cordery). But then Tim ("too skinny…too ginger…") gets called into Dad’s library on his 21^st birthday to be told the big secret – all the males in the family can travel back in time to their own past and alter/relive it (you can’t shag Helen of Troy unfortunately – too far back - damn). All you need to do is to find a dark place somewhere (dialogue above), clench your fists, think about the time and place you want to be – and boom - you’re suddenly there.

At first Tim uses this newfound tool to fix his nerd-like behaviour with Polly in a New Year’s Eve Party blunder (a midnight kiss he should have engaged in first time around) and second - he deftly rubs suntan lotion into the bikinied-back of the visiting American lustbucket Charlotte (the stunning Margot Robbie) instead of spilling it all over her like a twat. But then Tim twigs that he can use his cupboard jaunts to get to his real quest – the 'motherlode' – love. And after he meets the magical American girl Mary (Rachel McAdams) in the London cellar of a blind person's café – Tim (Brendan Gleeson’s son Domhnall Gleeson) realizes that this woman is his future and must bend all things (including time) to that purpose. And on it goes to moving in, marriage, children, car-crash scares with sister Kit Kat and medical problems with a father who can manipulate the clock too but not outrun it…

This is Richard Curtis so when "About Time" is funny – it’s blindingly so. Tom Hollander’s character Harry gets the lion’s share of great lines. Blocked writer and perpetual curmudgeon Harry points to a picture - "This is my daughter. Would you like to have sex with her? Apparently everyone else has…" As his new much-anticipated West End Play bombs because two huge stage actors go dry – Tim nips back in time and 'does' both so that they remember their lines and 'genius' appears in the newspaper reviews instead of 'disaster of Titanic proportions' (short but priceless cameos from Richard Griffiths and Richard E Grant). And of course there's the music score with beautifully chosen songs by Paul Buchanan of The Blue Nile and members of The Waterboys busking on the London underground. All seems well – all the boxes are ticked - but then there are those one-too-many 1 to 4 star reviews for this movie – some even loathing it from a height.

“About Time” has its problems for sure…about half way through - the endless ducking back in time starts to become tedious (more than a passing resemblance to "Groundhog Day") and the story gets darker to a point where it doesn’t seem to know what it is anymore. And all too many scenes feature tea by the beach and skimming stones and pretty London locations that no mere mortal can afford. Worse – its hard to believe the dweeb lead would ever score a babe like Mary or Charlotte in the real world (so credibility is stretched throughout) and all those clunky nerd mannerisms that once seemed so endearing start to irritate instead of please. But – and this is again a Richard Curtis film – there’s truly beautiful and touching scenes in amongst all the forced madcap – moments with his sister and father – moments with his children – moments with his friend Rory (Joshua McGuire) where he savours life and all that surrounds them instead of being too busy to notice it…

Defaulted to 1080p Widescreen 2.40:1 - there are bars above and below – but even stretched the picture quality is really lovely - especially on the coastal home scenes and the night locations in the West End. Audio channels are English DTS-HD 5.1, French, Italian, German, Spanish DTS Surround 5.1 and finally English Audio Description 2.0. Subtitles include English SDH, French, Italian, German, Spanish, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Icelandic, Norwegian, Portuguese, Swedish and Arabic.

The extras are impressive and very enjoyable:

1. Four Deleted Scenes with introductions by Richard Curtis

2. Blooper Reels: Making Movies Is A Serious Business

3. About Tim and Time Travel

4. The World Of Richard Curtis

5. "The Luckiest" Music (a short piece about Ben Folds and his new version of the song)

6. Ellie Goulding “How Long Will I Love You” Video

7. Feature-length commentary with Director Richard Curtis and Actors Domhnall Gleeson, Bill Nighy, Vanessa Kirby (who plays Joanna – Mary’s friend), Lydia Wilson and Tom Hollander

"Four Weddings And A Funeral", "Notting Hill", "Bridget Jone's Diary", "The Boat That Rocked" and especially "Love Actually" – I'd say that’s a pretty impressive run. I don’t know if "About Time" will get the repeated viewings those illustrious predecessors do – but it has more real charm in it than most trite rom-coms and the theme of his father's love and loss moved me more than I care to admit to.

There are some who see Richard Curtis and his writing as a Great British National Treasure. Well I'm Irish and I'd be one of them. Spend a few hours with "About Time" – it will reward you for doing so…

"The Adjustment Bureau". A Review Of The 2011 Film on BLU RAY.

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http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B004PYD6P8

"…Your Future Is About Your Choices…Not Theirs…"

"The Adjustment Bureau" is that rare beast– a future-bending Sci-Fi romance blockbuster with heart and warmth and quite possibly two of the most likeable lead actors in the world - both exuding a genuine and believable chemistry…

After the loss of his entire family and an 8-year career climb as the youngest ever Congressman - US Senate hopeful David Norris is poised for the throne of New York State when a barroom moon years earlier conveniently makes the front page of The Post. Preparing his defeat speech by himself in the men’s toilet of a plush hotel – David meets a woman’s who’s crashed a wedding on a dare and is hiding out in the cubicles from Security. Earthy, natural and everything his crafted campaign strategy isn’t – the flighty and talented British ballet dancer Elise is a breath of fresh air. He is stunned and smitten after only minutes of electrifying conversation and they quickly launch into a mutually uncontrollable snog…

But mystery men who stalk the top of Manhattan buildings wearing 1940’s style Trilby hats and immaculate overcoats - have other ideas. They carry with them books that show every-changing grids and expanding street maps like they’re controlling people’s lives. They are convinced their all-powerful ‘chairman’ has decreed that these two people’s pathways must not converge no matter what the personal cost. So David and Elise need to be subtly adjusted.

Adapted from another ingenious Philip K Dick story (other adaptations include "Blade Runner", "A Scanner Darkly", "Minority Report" and "Total Recall") – the look of the film is cleverly not futuristic. Director George Nolfi uses glossy uptown locations, clean-lined buildings and real world sets so that it doesn’t feel like the mind-bending world of "Inception". And the ‘God’ angle doesn’t get in the way of the story or the romance but only adds to it. Damon’s struggle with his heart versus politics is brilliantly handled. His suddenly honest speech to the party faithful about "Phrases that pulled traction with focus groups…" and why his ties and shoes have the right colour and correct mount of scuffing to secure the workingman’s vote - is properly brilliant writing. Then a dozing operative (a great part for David Mackie) forgets to spill coffee on Norris’ shirt at exactly 7:05 a.m. one morning before he boards a bus to work – and thus begins the dance of David and Elise towards each other as they meet yet again and click like before.

As you can imagine with subject matter as ropey as this – it could all have gone horribly wrong in the hands of some ‘name’ stars that might look good but share no real vibe. But the naturalness of both lead actors goes a long way to making the audience care. There are many moments between them as characters that are genuinely touching – giggling over coffee and mobile phones – racing each other down a night street in the wet. Then David stumbles on a mind recalibration in progress in his offices and runs like any scared man would. But he’s cornered in a car park by these angels of sorts and is told that not only is his relationship with Elise verboten but if he tells anyone of their existence – he’ll be memory-lobotomised (but in a nice way). But love has taken hold of his heart and hers - and they make a run for a future together despite the overwhelming odds.

Will freedom of choice and protecting your soul mate win the day? Well after a few trips to Yankee Stadium and the Statue of Liberty via doors that act as portals and a little help from an angel who feels his assignment is just plain wrong – they might just stand a chance - despite the efforts of a fearsome Terrance Stamp and a bumbling John Slattery (both superbly cast in their parts).

Original issues are a Triple Play package coming with a Blu Ray, DVD and Digital Copy. The BLU RAY 1080p picture is defaulted to 1.85:1 so fills the screen and is visually beautiful throughout. This is a big movie and has those huge production values screaming off every frame. The audio is English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, English Audio Description Track 2.0, Latin American Spanish and Canadian French DTS. The subtitles are English SDH, Latin American Spanish and Canadian French.

The extras are pleasingly comprehensive too:

1. The Labyrinth Of Doors: Interactive Map Of New York

2. Leaping Through New York

3. Destined To Be

4. Becoming Elise

5. Deleted and Extended Scenes

6. Feature Commentary

"The Adjustment Bureau" is a lovely upbeat film with wit, charm and cleverness in its storyline that will keep you coming back for more. Chuck away those false clip-on ties people and tip an old-fashioned hat at Director George Nolfi - because this is one cinematic door you should definitely open…