Horrible Bosses (Rated R, Warner Bros., $35.99 on blu-ray combo pack, $28.98 on DVD, 3.5 out of 5 stars) and the Green Lantern (Rated PG-13, Warner Bros., $40.99 3-D blu-ray combo pack, $35.99 blu-ray combo packs, $28.98 DVD, 3-out-of-5 stars) represent some of the first discs to be released with UltraViolet technology.
UV is allows streaming by six people on multiple devices for what should ultimately be a three-screen experience. It’s currently available for many mobile devices, but not for TVs. The studios – Sony, Paramount, Lionsgate, and 20th Century Fox - promise that will come soon. Notice the absence of Walt Disney Studios and Universal. Until then, what’s the upside? Complete portability as long as you have an Internet connection and the right device.
I set up Bosses on my HTC EVO 4G smartphone run through the WiFi on my home and boom, a quality streaming experience – albeit in standard definition. I put the flick through its paces via the Flixster movies app that I download from the Android Market and there were no noticeable problems. Flixster is required for use on portable devices. For the record, I also own an HTC Flyer tablet, but current software limitations prevent using it there.
The primary advantage of this technology? For anyone familiar with getting digital copies from iTunes, you know that you’re limited to a single device. That’s not the case here. Although iCloud will probably eventually take care of that.
Is this system perfect? Nope, but in a world of complicated digital rights management issues, I’m willing to give it a shot. The only downside is ensuring that your UV account information doesn’t get out. In short: read privacy notices regarding sharing of information, etc.
And what about the films themselves?
Green Lantern, which will hit store shelves Friday, can’t be labeled anything but a disappointment, creatively and financially.
The blu-ray contains an extended cut of the movie that adds some perspective overall, but not enough to save it from two weak villains, a cardboard performance from Blake Lively and direction from Martin Campbell who doesn’t seem to know what to do with the characters or a script that feels a bit messy. What’s there to recommend? Ryan Reynolds as Hal Jordan/Green Lantern.
Here’s hoping that he gets another shot at another Green Lantern film that corrects these problems.
Extras: For comics fanboys and sci-fi geeks such as me there is a smorgasbord of extras to enjoy here. Most notably is the Maximum Movie Mode in-film experience. Right now in the world of home disc releases, no one does this better than Warner Bros. studios. It lends a movie perspective, even when it’s of questionable quality such as this. Surprisingly enough, I also enjoyed the sneak peek of the upcoming Green Lantern: Animated Series.
Horrible Bosses proved a more enjoyable flick for yours truly. It’s that wallow-in-inappropriateness kinda of movie that you watch with your buds while enjoying some cold beverages.
The story of dealing with bosses who are complete and utter d-bags is a universal one. Everyone has had such a boss at some point in their careers. It’s how you deal with him or her that makes the difference. In this flick, three friends decide to kill off theirs. Jason Bateman, Charlie Day and Jason Sudeikis are hilarious as the put-upon underlings while Colin Farrell and Kevin Spacey deserve, a slow torturous death given their characters overall scumminess. However, it’s Jennifer Aniston who takes the prize as the sexy boss who needs an itch scratched and refuses to take no for an answer.
Extras: The extended version – dubbed The Totally Inappropriate Edition – adds some uproarious moments to the mix. Beyond that, the extras prove pedestrian – deleted scenes and a couple of documentaries about bad bosses and being mean.
Source is
http://www.examiner.com/movie-in-cleveland/video-stream-bosses-lantern-benefit-from-uv-technology
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