Heavenly Creatures Blu-ray review

            Before Peter Jackson made the Lord of the Ring films, he made a number of gruesome special-effects driven horror films in New Zealand. After those films he made a surprisingly intriguing film about a shocking crime, one in which he cast Kate Winslet in her big-screen debut. Though the reality based human drama storyline was atypical for the director, he uses the fantasy world of these two criminal girls as an opportunity to throw in some of those special effects he is best known for. This is one reason for owning this spectacularly eerie film on Blu-ray.

            Melanie Lynskey and Kate Winslet stars as two schoolgirls who meet and instantly become best friends with each other. They share an imaginary world together that nobody else can understand; an entire kingdom of clay-made people with a full storyline and lineage. This fantasy world is threatened when the parents decide that their friendship is not healthy, and endangered when they are threatened with the news of separation. Living in their imaginary world, these girls begin making real plans to free themselves from the oppression of their parents.

            The Blu-ray release includes the uncut version of the film, though this is not nearly as exciting as simply having this movie in high definition. In particular, the segment in which Orson Welles is placed on screen, chasing the girls home. The special features are lacking, with only a trailer included, but the high definition is still worthwhile.