Had a couple of rentals from Netflix and Blockbuster with a few notes and comments.

First, I saw reviews of Live Free or Die Hard (which was supposed to have been a review of trilogy, but wound up just covering the single movie) over on HighDefDigest.com. Interestingly enough there was a note talking about a major difference between the current Blu-ray version and the DVD version.  I don't have the Blu-ray version to check, but reportedly the Blu-ray edition does not include the Unrated version of the film and instead only includes the PG-13 version! {eek!!!}  If you get the DVD version it's a 'branching' DVD where you can choose either version from the main menu and get to an unrated version or the PG-13 theatrical release.  Personally, I think it's incredibly wrong to censor the Yipee Kay Yay, M------ F----- from John McClane {insert MAD!!! smiley here}.  I'm glad that Netflix passed me over for the Blu-ray rental and I wound up snagging the DVD (with the unrated version available) from Blockbuster for that one.  Having seen the movie in the theatres, I rate this latest film in the Die Hard collection a 3 out 5 stars, maybe a 3.5 out of 5.  Not bad at all, but not necessarily the greatest either.

Movie number two: I got Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause with plans to take it to a friends house and watch on their big Sony screen (at least I think the screen was a Sony).  Followed through on those plans and sat down with my friends to watch what we hoped would be a good movie.  While the movie offered up a nice 1080p picture through HDMI out from their PS3 (playing the Blu-ray version as the movie is not available in HD DVD at present) the quality of the movie wasn't as good as the quality of the picture.  As an HD DVD fan, the non-availability of this movie in that format might be a good thing.  The movie was, to my tastes, so-so at best. The first Santa Clause movie was pretty good, since it was new, cute, surprising, etc.  The second Santa Clause movie stretched a good thing a little further.  The third went off the deep end to me.  Putting Martin Short in the film as Jack Frost was pretty much a big shark jump.  2 (out of 5) stars at best.  Definitely rent and don't buy unless you absolutely have to, and even then consider the other options carefully.

Finally, the last movie of the week that I snagged (from Netflix) was Hairspray on Blu-ray disc.  The new version with Nikki Blonsky as wannabe dancer Tracy Turnblad, John Travolta in drag as her mother, and Christopher Walken as her father.  Again, Blu-ray only currently though in this case I would count that as a loss for the HD DVD format.  I had seen the older version years ago, but couldn't remember any of it.  Mrs. Terpfan1980 loved the new movie in the theatre.  She saw it with friends of the African-American persuasion who were somewhat shocked by some early sequences in the movie, but who came around as the movie kept going.  The film looked great on Blu-ray, nice, bright and colorful throughout.  Some excellent effects in spots (the Harry Potter talking -- in this case singing -- picture effect as an example).  If you like Musicals, this version is very entertaining.  If you hate musicals, then skip it.  Worth owning if you are a John Waters fan, but personally I rate it a 4/5 star rental.