FOUR CHRISTMASES: (2008) "If anyone could tell me how a film that features Vince Vaughn and five – that’s right, five - Oscar-winning actors could be as awful as Four Christmases, I’d love to hear the explanation. Despite an interesting concept and all that talent, the movie adds up to little more than a collection of violent/gross gags with some phony relationship drama tacked on to make it more “meaningful”. The DVD provides consistently average picture and audio but lacks any extras. There are far too many good Christmas movies for me to recommend this insulting nonsense." Starring Vince Vaughn, Reese Witherspoon. New Line, $28.98, 11/24/2009.

LOGAN'S RUN [BLU-RAY]: (1976) "It probably doesn't take a fortune teller to see where the conclusion to this review will go. Logan’s Run offers a goofy, extremely dated piece of sci-fi cheese. It borders on unwatchable. The Blu-ray presents very good audio and picture. Extras seem light, but at least we get a terrific audio commentary. I think this is an awful film, but fans should be pleased with the Blu-ray, as it’s by far the best home video presentation of Run." Starring Michael York, Richard Jordan. MGM, $28.98, 11/10/2009.

FIGHT CLUB [BLU-RAY]: (1999) "As for the Blu-ray, its picture and sound quality are top-notch, and it includes a stellar roster of extras. This is a great release, and it definitely improves on the original 2000 DVD, especially in terms of visuals. New fans will love the set, and it’s a worthwhile upgrade for those who already own the old DVD." Starring Edward Norton, Brad Pitt. Fox, $39.99, 11/17/2009.

NATIONAL LAMPOON'S CHRISTMAS VACATION [BLU-RAY]: (1989) "I don’t think Christmas Vacation offers the worst holiday movie I’ve seen, but it seems pretty blah nonetheless. It just rehashes the same old formula and doesn’t do anything particularly amusing or noteworthy. The Blu-ray offers good picture and audio with some minor extras. This is a competent release for a weak flick." Starring Chevy Chase, Randy Quaid. Warner, $49.99, 11/3/2009.

SAY ANYTHING [BLU-RAY]: (1989) "As a movie, I think Say Anything… is somewhat overrated. However, it provides a fairly charming and moderately realistic tale that helps distinguish itself from other teen-oriented flicks of the period. The Blu-ray provides consistently good picture and sound plus a positive compilation of extras. A rare teen film that works beyond its audience and era, Say Anything… isn’t without flaws, but it still provides an entertaining experience. The Blu-ray gives us a fine presentation that is a “must-have” for fans, even the ones who already own the prior DVD." Starring John Cusack, Ione Skye. Fox, $34.99, 11/3/2009.

NORTH BY NORTHWEST [BLU-RAY]: (1959) "For fans who already own the DVD, the Blu-ray deserves an upgrade… but not as clearly as one might expect. While the Blu-ray looks very good, the old DVD remains more than competent in terms of its visuals. The Blu-ray’s an improvement but not a killer upgrade. However, it also throws in some nice new supplements and it’s a satisfying package that Hitchcock fans will want to pursue." Starring Cary Grant, Eva Marie Saint. Warner, $34.99, 11/3/2009.

ANGELS & DEMONS [BLU-RAY]: (2009) "Perhaps I enjoyed Angels & Demons due to the exceedingly low expectations I felt after the dull Da Vinci Code, but I don’t think so. I’ve now seen it twice, and I think it offers a fairly lively, taut little adventure. The Blu-ray gives us very good picture and audio along with a decent set of supplements. Even if you didn’t care for Code, Demons deserves a look." Starring Tom Hanks, Ewan McGregor. Sony, $39.95, 11/24/2009.

MONSTERS, INC. [BLU-RAY]: (2001) "As one who adored the first three films from Pixar, I expected great things of Monsters, Inc. However, while I enjoyed the movie as a whole, it lacked the spark that made the earlier flicks so special. Monsters provided a reasonably fun experience, but it never took off and became something truly special. On the other hand, the Blu-ray looked absolutely amazing, and it also featured excellent audio and many interesting supplements. The exceedingly high quality of the visual presentation makes this Blu-ray a great upgrade." Starring Billy Crystal , John Goodman. Disney, $39.99, 11/10/2009.

Colin Jacobson (Publisher and Senior Reviewer): colinjacobson@dvdmg.com

David Williams (Webmaster and Reviewer): dwilliams@dvdmg.com