FALCOR!
ATREYU!
FALCOR!
ATREYU!
BLURAY?
Bastian?
ATREYU!
Shut up Falcor, I'm writing here…
FALCOR!
Not you too, Bastian.
…
Ok, now that the cast has quieted down…

Turn around and look at what you see.  Nothing?  Damn.
Ok, turn around again, this time METAPHORICALLY, and look really, really far back, to the long lost year of 1984.  No, squint a little, you can totally see it in the mirror of your dreams.

That's right, it's The Neverending Story, and it is back for the 21st century in Blu-ray form.

The film is about a young daydreamer named Bastian who has some serious troubles.  His mother has died, his father doesn't understand him and the kids and teachers at his school think he's a weirdo because he draws horses in his notebooks.  What's that, Bastian?  They're unicorns?  Okay, Bastian, they're unicorns.  That couldn't be the reason they think you're a weirdo, could it?

Anyway, one day, whilst running from his troubles, Bastian hides in a bookstore, where he discovers a book unlike any he has encountered before, The Neverending Story.  Upon arriving at school and discovering that he is late for a math test, he decides to run from his troubles again and spends the day reading in his school's attic.  In the story, he discovers the world of Fantasia.  The people of Fantasia are beset with a particularly troublesome problem.  Their land is being rapidly engulfed by Nothing.
 
The only hope for the people of Fantasia is a young warrior named Atreyu, who must journey alone to find a cure for an unspecified illness affecting the Empress of Fantasia, so that she can save the world.  Bastian follows Atreyu as the journey takes him across this fantastic world, through wonder and adversity, and past many strange and dangerous creatures. (Editor's note: Artax the Horse is Emo.  Just think about it.  It all makes sense now, doesn't it?)

The Neverending Story is certainly an 80s fantasy movie, and while some of the special effects can't compare to more recent efforts, the artistry in the design is iconic, and still holds a lot of its appeal.  There is a certain level of cheesiness about it, but if you're the type who is curious about 80s fantasy movies, that cheesiness is a large part of what makes the film so endearing.  However, if it's been, say, 25 years since you've seen the film, you might want to be prepared for a movie that might not be everything you remember.  MAYBE.  If it IS everything you remember, then watching it in 1080p will definitely make you cheer with excitement (I admit, I was cheering). Falcor in 1080p is a glorious thing.

So let's talk about the obvious white elephant (or dragon) in the room.  Are there Special Features?  No, there are not.  Instead, you get to enjoy the entire movie in crystal clear audio and video quality (again, I need to point out FALCOR IN 1080P!).  While it would be cool to have a new commentary or "Making of…" feature, the fact that this movie is now in HD is pretty awesome – you have to admit it.

This is a ridiculously fun movie to watch and can appeal to the child in all of us.  I am a big child so I loved it.  This is a solid release and is a great addition to our movie collections.  I highly recommend checking out this release of The Neverending Story on Blu-ray.  Bring your friends.  Have a party.  You will all be cheering when you see how great the HD quality is.
 

ComicsOnline gives The Neverending Story on Blu-ray 4.5 out of 5 times that I wish I could ride on Falcor!
 

(Fun Fact: According to the IMDB trivia page for the film, "You can 'ride' on Falcor's back on location at the Bavaria Filmplatz Munich, Germany.")

Want all the awesomeness for yourself?  Click here to buy it on Amazon today!

Keep it here at ComicsOnline.com for more Movie news and everything geek pop culture.
 

-Matt Sernaker and Erin Hatch