Precious (Blu-ray) Official AVSForum Review
The Review at a Glance: (max score: 5 )
Film:
Extras:
Audio/Video total rating:
( Max score: 100 )
84
Studio and Year: Lionsgate - 2009
MPAA Rating: R
Feature running time: 109 minutes
Genre: Drama
Disc Format: BD-50
Encoding: AVC (MPEG-4)
Video Aspect: 1.85:1
Resolution: 1080p/24
Audio Format(s): English DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio, French Dolby Digital 5.1
Subtitles: English SDH, English, Spanish
Starring: Mo’Nique, Paula Patton, Gabourey Sidibe, Sherri Shepard, Lenny Kravitz
Directed by: Lee Daniels
Music by: Mario Grigorov
Written by: Geoffrey Fletcher based upon the novel “Push” by Sapphire
Region Code: A
Blu-ray Disc release Date: March 9, 2010
“For precious girls everywhere”
Film Synopsis:
Precious Jones, an inner-city high school girl, is illiterate, overweight, and pregnant… again. Naïve and abused, she responds to a glimmer of hope when a door is opened by an alternative-school teacher. She is faced with the choice to follow opportunity and test her own boundaries.
My Take:
Based on the novel “Push” by Sapphire and set in Harlem in 1987, Precious is the story of Claireece “Precious” Jones, a sixteen-year-old African-American girl born into a life no one would want. She’s pregnant for the second time by her absent father; at home, she must wait hand and foot on her mother, a poisonously angry woman who abuses her emotionally and physically. School is a place of chaos, and Precious has reached the ninth grade with good marks and an awful secret: she can neither read nor write. Beneath her impassive expression is a watchful, curious young woman with an inchoate but unshakeable sense that other possibilities exist for her. Threatened with expulsion, Precious is offered the chance to transfer to an alternative school, Each One/Teach One. Precious doesn’t know the meaning of “alternative,” but her instincts tell her this is the chance she has been waiting for. In the literacy workshop taught by the patient yet firm Ms. Rain, Precious begins a journey that will lead her from darkness, pain and powerlessness to light, love and self-determination.
Wow. This is a gripping and powerful film that exposes the underbelly of the life led by some inner city teen girls. In this case it focuses on parental abuse and hits the worst as Precious endures sexual, physical, and mental abuse. I think that for many of us we could never imagine or understand the cyclical lifestyle that befall people like this or the strength required to break it. The film depicts some of the problems inherent in urban ghetto environments, some urban city schools and the welfare system but it also conveys that there is hope and how one caring act can make a difference. I was blown away by the performances of Mo’Nique and new comer Gabourey Sidibe. Mo’nique’s portrayal of Mary, Precious’ mother was nothing short of amazing. I understand that she pulled from her own life experiences and I found the outcome to be riveting, passionate, and evocative. Gabourey Sidibe in the title role needed to sell this character in order to legitimize her plight. I thought that her performance nearly rivaled that of Mo’Nique as I believed every word, every emotion, and every gesture. These two actors enlivened these women by drawing us into the difficult, painful and seemingly inescapable world they inhabit with performances that resonate well after the credits have rolled. Once again all I can say is..Wow.
Parental Guide:
The rating is for scenes of child abuse including sexual assault, and pervasive language.
AUDIO/VIDEO - By The Numbers:
REFERENCE = 92-100 / EXCELLENT = 83-91 / GOOD = 74-82 / AVERAGE = 65-73 / BELOW AVERAGE = under 65
**My audio/video ratings are based upon a comparative made against other high definition media/blu-ray disc.**
(Each rating is worth 4 points with a max of 5 per category)
Audio: 80
Video: 88
(Each rating is worth 4 points with a max of 5 per category)
Precious comes to Blu-ray from Lionsgate featuring 1080p AVC encoded video that has an average bitrate of 35 mbps and lossless DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio sound that has an average bitrate of 3.4 mbps.
This is a high quality video presentation that boasts deep, stable blacks and bold dynamic contrast. Colors range from vividly saturated to intentionally reserved/muted. Fleshtones are lustrous with appreciable tonal delineation that highlights subtle variations in the complexions of the largely African American cast. Images are exquisitely detailed, three dimensional, and razor sharp regardless of the camera’s perspective. Shadow detail is strong which provides an appreciable sense of depth during the low lit interior sequences. Grain is well preserved with variable texture that becomes prominent at times but never rises to objectionable levels. The DTS-HD MA soundtrack delivered dialogue that was crisp, tonally descriptive and well articulated. The front three channels delivered the bulk of the sound and did so with excellent clarity and imaging. The surround channels and sub saw occasional use and appropriately supported this dialogue driven presentation with ambient effects and the bass reproduction that matched those required by the film’s elements.
Bonus Features:
- Audio commentary by director Lee Daniels
- (HD) From “Push” to Precious – 15 minute featurette with author Sapphire
- (HD) A Precious ensemble – 18 minute featurette on the cast/casting of the film
- (HD) Oprah & Tyler: A project of passion – 9 minute featurette
- (HD) A conversation with author Sapphire and director Lee Daniels – 8 minutes
- (HD) Audition: Gabourey Sidibe – 2 minute screen test footage
- (HD) Deleted scene: The incest survivor meeting
- (HD) Reflections on Precious – featuring Lee Daniels, Paul Patton and Gabourey Sidibe
- (HD) Theatrical trailer
Final Thoughts:
Precious is a powerful, evocative and poignant dramatic film that tackles difficult subject matter. Based upon the novel “Push” by American author Sapphire, it examines the life of an inner city teen girl as she struggles against a system that offers little hope and copes with a mother raised in that system who fails her on every level imaginable. While her life is fraught with unhappiness she learns through the kindness of a few that a glimmer of hope is sometimes all that is needed to realize that “we are all good at something”. The Oscar nominated performances by Mo’Nique and newcomer Gabourey Sidibe are riveting and solidify the films Academy Award nomination for best picture. Precious comes to Blu-ray Disc from Lionsgate featuring a strong audio/video presentation and a decent compliment of bonus supplements. Some may find Precious to be difficult due to the nature of its subject matter and visceral telling. Those who decide to give it a spin are in for a rewarding film experience bolstered by two incredible performances built around a poignant story of survival under deplorable circumstances. Recommended!
Ralph Potts
AVS Forum Blu-ray Reviews
Reference Review System:
JVC DLA-RS20 1080p High Definition Front Projector (Calibrated by Jeff Meier)
Stewart Filmscreen - Studiotek 130 G3 100” 16×9 Screen
Anthem AVM50v THX Ultra 2 Preamp/Video Processor
Sherbourn Technologies - 7/200 Seven Channel Amplifier
Oppo BDP-83 Universal disc/Blu-ray Player (HDMI Audio/Video)
Toshiba HD-XA2 HD DVD Player (HDMI Audio/Video)
Sony Playstation 3 Blu-ray disc Player (HDMI Audio/Video)
Oppo 970HD universal disc DVD Player (480i HDMI)
Philips TSU9400 Pro Series Touch Panel Remote Control
Canton “Ergo” Series speakers
Axiom Audio QS8 Quadpolar speakers
SV Sound PB-13 Ultra (Rosenut finish)
APC AV S15BLK Power Conditioner/Surge Protector
Furman SPR-20i Stable Power Regulator
Wireworld, VizionWare, Audioquest, Best Deal Cables - Audio/Video/Speaker Cabling
Cool Components - CP-CP102 cooling package
UFC: Best of 2009 (Blu-ray) Official AVSForum Review
The Review at a Glance: (max score: 5 )
Film:
Extras:
Audio/Video total rating:
( Max score: 100 )
75
Studio and Year: Zuffa/Anchor Bay - 2009
MPAA Rating: TV-14
Feature running time: 128 minutes
Genre: TV/Sports/MMA
Disc Format: BD-50
Encoding: AVC (MPEG-4)
Video Aspect: 1.78:1
Resolution: 1080i/60
Audio Format(s): English Dolby Digital 2.0
Subtitles: English SDH
Starring: Brock Lesnar, Matt Hughes, Anderson Silva, Georges St-Pierre, Lyoto Machida, BJ Penn, Toto Ortiz, Chuck Liddell, Randu Couture, Frank Mir
Directed by: NA
Music by: NA
Written by: NA
Region Code: A
Blu-ray Disc release Date: March 9, 2010
“Mixed Martial Arts at its highest level”
Film Synopsis:
Another exciting year in the Ultimate Fighting Championship is in the books, and now you can relive all the action with The Best of 2009 on Blu-ray. This hard hitting collection brings you all the best fights and fighters of the UFC, as well as the most memorable knockouts and submissions of the year.
My Take:
2009 was a monumental year for the UFC that saw the organization put on its historic 100th event, as well as welcoming many popular mixed martial arts veterans back into the UFC fold. This retrospective of the year includes incredible fights from the Octagon including the heavyweight unification title bout between Brock Lesnar and Frank Mir, BJ Penn vs. Kenny Florian, Rashad Evans vs. Lyoto Machida, and many others. There is also a special in-depth look at hall of famer Chuck Liddell, the contenders in each weight class as well as the rising stars who emerged from the Ultimate Fighter reality series.
I haven’t followed the UFC since the mid 1990’s but after watching this 2009 recap I see it hasn’t lost any of its visceral edge. These guys are literally tough as nails and watching the expertise and physical fitness/preparedness that goes into their bouts makes for an incredibly engaging spectacle. Like any other contact sport there are rivalries, grudges and personal vendettas. There is also a level of respect not just for one another but for the sport which helps to preserve its legitimacy. I enjoyed checking this one out and it makes for a great season recap for fans looking forward to 2010 in the world of Ultimate Fighting.
Parental Guide:
This series contains martial arts action/violence.
AUDIO/VIDEO - By The Numbers:
REFERENCE = 92-100 / EXCELLENT = 83-91 / GOOD = 74-82 / AVERAGE = 65-73 / BELOW AVERAGE = under 65
**My audio/video ratings are based upon a comparative made against other high definition media/blu-ray disc.**
(Each rating is worth 4 points with a max of 5 per category)
Audio: 70
Video: 80
(Each rating is worth 4 points with a max of 5 per category)
UFC: Best of 2009 comes to Blu-ray Disc from Anchor Bay HE featuring 1080i AVC encoded video that has an average bitrate of 20 mbps and lossy Dolby Digital Stereo sound that has a constant bitrate of 320 kbps.
This season recap boasts vibrant and pleasing colors that stand out well against the indoor and almost static imagery of the backgrounds/UFC octagon. Fleshtones generally appear lifelike and quite natural in depiction. Resolution is good but can be a mixed bag depending on the camera angle. Images are resolved well in most cases as detail rendering and depth are appreciable. Blacks are stable but not noticeably strong but again this has more to do with the visual style of the video. There is some intermittent digital noise that is primarily visible against light backgrounds but it isn’t detrimental. The majority of this presentation looks great and is exactly what you might expect of a sporting event/documentary like this that. The Dolby Digital 2.0 audio presentation is open, clear, and easily conveys the dialogue heavy elements of the subject matter. The running commentary and recorded sounds of the fight segments are firmly entrenched in the center channel. The crowd noise and or music flank it through the left/right speakers with notable channel separation and good imaging. This isn’t a particularly engaging audio presentation but I never felt it was lacking in any way.
Bonus Features:
- Hughes VS Serra
- Condit VS Ellenberger
- Marquardt VS Maia
- Franklin VS Belfort
- Quarry VS Credeur
- Silva VS Griffin
- Evans VS Machida
- Liddell VS Rua
- Jardine VS Silva
- Feature: Georges St-Pierre
- Feature: Chuck Liddell
- Feature: Welterweight contenders
- Bonus fights:
- St-Pierre VS Penn
- Swick VS Hardy
- Akiyama VS Belcher
- Machida VS Silva
- Nogueira VS Cane
- Bonnar VS Jones
- Sanchez VS Guida
- Couture VS Nogueira
- Lesnar VS Mir
- Feature: The Ultimate Fighter – US versus UK
- Feature: Lightweight contenders
- Feature: The Ultimate Fighter - Heavyweights
- Feature: Heavyweight contenders
- Bonus fights:
- Griffin VS Franca
- Diaz VS Guillard
- Sherk VS Edgar
- Stevenson VS Diaz
- Penn VS Florian
- Carwin VS Gonzaga
- Velasquez VS Kongo
- Cro Cop VS Dos Santos
- Behind the scenes featurette – 20 minutes
- Jump to fight mode
All of the bouts including the bonus segments, and additional features are presented in 1080i high definition.
Disc 1:
Disc 2:
Final Thoughts:
For those that enjoy the gritty, visceral and fast paced action that is mixed martial arts few things compares to the Ultimate Fighting Championship which has become extremely popular with enthusiasts. UFC: Best of 2009 captures the seasons highlights and represents a fans delight with plenty of action, thrills and some of the best that UFC has to offer. This high definition presentation from Anchor Bay Home Entertainment appears faithful to the show’s originally recorded elements and includes over 3 hours of bonus fights, a look behind the scenes and interactive features that make access to the additional footage a snap. It has been quite a while since I have been exposed to UFC and this collection served to wet my appetite for more. I will have to try and catch them in 2010. Highly recommended for fans.
Ralph Potts
AVS Forum Blu-ray Reviews
Reference Review System:
JVC DLA-RS20 1080p High Definition Front Projector (Calibrated by Jeff Meier)
Stewart Filmscreen - Studiotek 130 G3 100” 16×9 Screen
Anthem AVM50v THX Ultra 2 Preamp/Video Processor
Sherbourn Technologies - 7/200 Seven Channel Amplifier
Oppo BDP-83 Universal disc/Blu-ray Player (HDMI Audio/Video)
Toshiba HD-XA2 HD DVD Player (HDMI Audio/Video)
Sony Playstation 3 Blu-ray disc Player (HDMI Audio/Video)
Oppo 970HD universal disc DVD Player (480i HDMI)
Philips TSU9400 Pro Series Touch Panel Remote Control
Canton “Ergo” Series speakers
Axiom Audio QS8 Quadpolar speakers
SV Sound PB-13 Ultra (Rosenut finish)
APC AV S15BLK Power Conditioner/Surge Protector
Furman SPR-20i Stable Power Regulator
Wireworld, VizionWare, Audioquest, Best Deal Cables - Audio/Video/Speaker Cabling
Cool Components - CP-CP102 cooling package
Where The Wild Things Are (Blu-ray) Official AVSForum Review
The Review at a Glance: (max score: 5 )
Film:
Extras:
Audio/Video total rating:
( Max score: 100 )
85
Studio and Year: Warner - 2009
MPAA Rating: PG
Feature running time: 101 minutes
Genre: Fantasy-Adventure
Disc Format: BD-50
Encoding: VC-1
Video Aspect: 2.40:1
Resolution: 1080p/24
Audio Format(s): English DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio, English/French/Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1
Subtitles: English SDH, French, Spanish
Starring: Catherine Keener, Mark Ruffalo, Max Records, voices of: James Gandolfini, Lauren Ambrose, Forrest Whitaker, Chris Cooper, Paul Dano, Catherine O’Hara
Directed by: Spike Jonze
Music by: Carter Burwell & Karen Orzolek
Written by: Spike Jonze & Dave Eggers based on the book by
Region Code: A
Blu-ray Disc release Date: March 2, 2010
“It’s hard being a family”
Film Synopsis:
“Let the wild rumpus start!” Nine-year-old Max runs away from home and sails across the sea to become king of the land Where the Wild Things Are. King Max rules a wondrous realm of gigantic fuzzy monsters – but being king may not be as carefree as it looks! Filmmaker Spike Jonze directs a magical, visually astonishing film version of Maurice Sendak’s celebrated children’s classic, starring an amazing cast of screen veterans and featuring young Max Records in a fierce and sensitive performance as Max. Explore the joyous, complicated and wildly imaginative wild rumpus of the time and place we call childhood.
My Take:
Where the wild things are is a film based on the children’s book, written by Maurice Sendak in the early 1960’s, about a boy named Max who frolics about his home making mischief while wearing his wolf costume. As a result his mother sends him to bed without dinner. In his room, a mysterious, wild forest and sea grows out of his imagination, and Max sails to the land of the Wild Things. The Wild Things are fearsome-looking creatures, however Max is able to control them by staring them down. Afterward he is made “the king of all wild things”, and begins dancing with them in a “wild rumpus”. After a while he finds himself lonely and homesick and he returns home to his bedroom where he finds his dinner waiting for him still hot.
Writer/director Spike Jonze and co-writer Dave Eggers adaptation coincides with the original story’s theme which centers around familial issues arising from adolescent anger stemming from frustration over parental divorce, which leads to feelings of anxiety, fear, and a child’s need for comfort, stability and love. The film adds quite a bit more detail to the story especially once Max arrives on the island of Wild Things. Once he arrives there he encounters the group of Wild Things, Carol, KW, Douglas, Ira, Judith, Alexander and Bernard the bull. Carol (voiced by James Gandolfini) is the fiercest of them which inevitably makes him the leader. Following his lead, the entire group, with the exception of KW, is in the process of destroying their “houses” in the woods. Max decides to join in which stops the ruckus as everyone surrounds him wondering who/what he is. When they contemplate eating him, Max convinces them with a lie that he is a “great king with magical powers” capable of bringing harmony to the distraught group. They promptly crown him as their new king and introduce themselves. K.W. (voiced by Lauren Ambrose) shows up and Max declares a “wild rumpus”, in which the Wild Things smash trees and tackle each other, ending with them all piling on one another (with Max at the center) then going to sleep. The next day Carol takes Max on a tour of the island, showing him an intricate model he built out of sticks, depicting what he wishes the island looked like. Inspired by Carol’s model, Max convinces everyone to build an enormous and fantastical fort, with Carol in charge of the construction. Carol and Max become close and Max notices that there is some sort of friction between Carol and KW. Each of the Wild Things seem to have individual traits they bring to the group’s dynamic however they all recognize Carol’s dominating presence and concede his propensity for anger when things don’t go his way. This surfaces after the fort is completed and KW arrives with her two friends (who are not members of the Wild Things circle) Bob and Terry. Max intervenes and finds himself faced with Carol’s resentment over Bob and Terry’s presence as well as his inability to deliver on a promise that he made when the Wild Things deemed him King. With the group’s solidarity fractured Max comes to see that perhaps he judged his own family to harshly and misses them. The question is will he be able to return them?
I went into this review completely blind to the original story and having only caught brief glimpses of the trailer on television. My initial reaction to the story early on was lukewarm at best. Once it progressed and I began to understand the relationship of the characters to Max’s interpretation of the things that have gone on in his life I appreciated the nature of how the story is reflective of how a child like Max sees things. This is the nucleus of the film’s strength and I think that Jonze and Eggers do an excellent job of imparting that to the audience. I thought that young Max Records did a terrific job in the lead role and his performance coupled along with the wonderful voiceovers by the cast of notables added to the movie’s charm. Simply viewing this film on the surface as a fantasy/adventure may leave it feeling cryptic, odd and unsatisfying. Understanding the relationship of the island and its inhabitants to the psyche of an imaginative 9 year old from a broken home helps to make it more of a rewarding experience.
Parental Guide:
The rating is for mild thematic elements, some adventure action and brief language.
AUDIO/VIDEO - By The Numbers:
REFERENCE = 92-100 / EXCELLENT = 83-91 / GOOD = 74-82 / AVERAGE = 65-73 / BELOW AVERAGE = under 65
**My audio/video ratings are based upon a comparative made against other high definition media/blu-ray disc.**
(Each rating is worth 4 points with a max of 5 per category)
Audio: 86
Video: 84
(Each rating is worth 4 points with a max of 5 per category)
Where the wild things are comes to Blu-ray from Warner featuring 1080p VC-1 encoded video that has an average bitrate of 20 mbps and lossless DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio sound that has an average bitrate of 4 mbps.
This 2.40:1 framed video presentation offers good high definition resolution that has a filmic quality that works very well with the film’s fantasy based theme. Images are stable and relatively sharp with plenty of visible texture and revealing nuance during close-ups. This isn’t a very bright film however images can be snappy and effervescent and sullen and muted where appropriate. Many sequences are shot in uneven and low lighting. Shadow delineation is excellent which provides scenes like the one where Max arrives on the island and climbs the embankment with strong depth and dimension as the shapes and texture of the surface/rocks is noticeable. White and black levels are well balanced so that both light and dark elements have good dynamic range and discernible gradational highlights that enhance the level of perceptible detail within objects and backgrounds. In the scene where it begins to snow, the camera centers on Max, the shot has excellent dimensionality as the crisp white snow flakes fall against the dark pitch of the background. Prior to Max’s arrival on the island colors are natural but not overly prominent. The island and its inhabitants have a decidedly limited palette that is made up of sepia tones, stages of gray, and white that give it a purposefully distinct visual aesthetic that coincides with the story. Grain is present with a mild veil that is primarily visible light bright backgrounds which provides texture without overemphasis. While not always visually engaging, I found this film to look beautiful in high definition.
The lossless DTS-HD Master Audio sound mix featured definitive front channel separation and opulent clarity. Soundstage depth and imaging across the left, right and center channels was excellent. This gave the multitude of directional sounds and dialogue deep room penetration, high level perception of detail, and appropriate near field placement. It also elevated the sonic refinement of the film’s eclectic music. The surround channels were used primarily to augment the sound field emanating from the main channels and to solidify directional panning sequences via use of ambient and discrete sound placement. The delivery was quite good and never felt shallow or lacking in spatial dimension. The dirt clod war sequence serves a great example of this track’s use of the entire soundstage. Low frequency effects had solid weight and deep extension that resonated well in the room with tangible authority. This was an invigorating audio presentation that mated well with the source material and seemed to accurately reflect the film’s theatrical performance.
Bonus Features:
- Higgelty Piggelty Pop! An all-new short featuring the voices of Meryl Streep and Forrest Whitaker
- (HD) HBO First Look – 13 minute featurette
- (HD) Maurice and Spike – 3 minute featurette
- (HD) Max and Spike – 7 minute featurette
- (HD) The Records family – 7 minute featurette
- (HD) Carter Burwell – 5 minute featurette
- (HD) The absurd difficulty of filming a dog – 6 minute featurette
- (HD) The big prank – 3 minute feature
- (HD) The kids take over the picture – 5 minute feature
- (HD) Vampire attack – 1 minute short
- Digital Copy Bonus Disc
Final Thoughts:
Where the wild things are isn’t your average run of the mill children’s fantasy/adventure film. Adapted from the children’s book of the same name by Maurice Sendak it presents us with an imaginative look into the mind of a child that is faced with life’s complexities and his interpretation of them while he sorts out his own feelings of resentment, anger, fear, and frustration. Coming from a broken home myself this film struck a chord with me and I ultimately found it to be rewarding. Speaking of rewarding its debut on Blu-ray Disc from Warner is a good one that features excellent lossless surround sound, admirable high definition video quality and an unusual but pertinent bonus supplement package. I think that Where the wild things are has attributes that can be enjoyed by the entire family. I enjoyed it and recommend that you take it for a spin on movie night.
Ralph Potts
AVS Forum Blu-ray Reviews
Reference Review System:
JVC DLA-RS20 1080p High Definition Front Projector (Calibrated by Jeff Meier)
Stewart Filmscreen - Studiotek 130 G3 100” 16×9 Screen
Anthem AVM50v THX Ultra 2 Preamp/Video Processor
Sherbourn Technologies - 7/200 Seven Channel Amplifier
Oppo BDP-83 Universal disc/Blu-ray Player (HDMI Audio/Video)
Toshiba HD-XA2 HD DVD Player (HDMI Audio/Video)
Sony Playstation 3 Blu-ray disc Player (HDMI Audio/Video)
Oppo 970HD universal disc DVD Player (480i HDMI)
Philips TSU9400 Pro Series Touch Panel Remote Control
Canton “Ergo” Series speakers
Axiom Audio QS8 Quadpolar speakers
SV Sound PB-13 Ultra (Rosenut finish)
APC AV S15BLK Power Conditioner/Surge Protector
Furman SPR-20i Stable Power Regulator
Wireworld, VizionWare, Audioquest, Best Deal Cables - Audio/Video/Speaker Cabling
Cool Components - CP-CP102 cooling package
Law Abiding Citizen (Blu-ray) Official AVSForum Review
The Review at a Glance: (max score: 5 )
Film:
Extras:
Audio/Video total rating:
( Max score: 100 )
87
Studio and Year: Overture Films - 2009
MPAA Rating: R
Feature running time: 109/118 minutes
Genre: Crime thriller
Disc Format: BD-50
Encoding: AVC (MPEG-4)
Video Aspect: 2.40:1
Resolution: 1080p/24
Audio Format(s): English Dolby TrueHD 5.1
Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish
Starring: Jamie Foxx, Gerard Butler, Colm Meany, Bruce McGill, Leslie Bibb, Michael Irby, Regina Hall
Directed by: F. Gary Gray
Music by: Brian Tyler
Written by: Kurt Wimmer
Region Code: A
Blu-ray Disc release Date: February 16, 2010
“The system must pay”
Film Synopsis:
Clyde Shelton (Gerard Butler) is an upstanding family man whose wife and daughter were brutally murdered during a home invasion. When the killers are caught, Nick Rice (Jamie Foxx), a hotshot young Philadelphia prosecutor, is assigned to the case. Against his will, Nick is forced to offer one of the suspects a light sentence in exchange for testifying against his accomplice. Fast forward ten years. The man who got away with murder is found dead and Clyde Shelton coolly admits his guilt. Then he issues a warning to Nick: either fix the flawed justice system, or key players in the trail will die. Soon Shelton follows through on his threats, orchestrating from his jail cell a string of spectacularly diabolical assassinations that can be neither predicted nor prevented. Nick finds himself in a desperate race against time facing a deadly adversary who always seems to be one step ahead.
My Take:
I had heard good things about Law abiding citizen and seeing as I like its headlining cast I went in with fairly high expectations. The film’s opening is a little graphic but necessary to set up what is to come. There is no background provided on Clyde or his family prior to this so you have to hope that the connection will come later. The same is true of the two men that force their way into Clyde’s home. Darby (Stolte) is clearly the ring leader and the worse of the two from what you can glean from the short opening segment. Things move forward and the two men have been arrested for the murder of Clyde’s family. Prosecutor Nick Rice (Foxx) has an unblemished record without ever having lost a case in court. He is under pressure to maintain that status and opts for a plea bargain with Darby in exchange for his testimony against his accomplice Ames. Clyde meets with Nick and expresses his desire that the case go to trial however Nick refuses stating that the burden of proof requires a settlement. The agreement is reached and Darby gets a minimal sentence while Ames goes to death row. It is obvious that Nick isn’t fond of the outcome however pressures from within and time allow him to forget and move on. Unfortunately Clyde has not forgotten or moved on. Ten years goes by. Darby is out of prison and living the same putrid existence and Nick remains on top at work while his home life with his wife and daughter takes a back seat. Clyde resurfaces and those involved in his case, starting with Darby, beginning meeting grisly ends. Clyde doesn’t hide the fact that he may, and I emphasis may, be involved which leads Nick and the cops to him. He is taken into custody and meets with Nick. Clyde makes it clear that in his opinion the justice system failed and corrections/adjustments need to be made. He implies that until they are bad things will continue to happen. Nick doesn’t acquiesce and Clyde makes good on his promise.
To this point I felt that the film had built up a decent head of steam. Clyde was a sympathetic character with a worthy cause and the juice to back it up. Unfortunately the story takes a darker turn which derails Clyde’s quest for justice and becomes more of one for vengeance even if that involved leveling the entire city. Convenience’s all of the sudden become extreme and Clyde goes from sympathetic with a cause to callous with a penchant for blood. It then turns into this race against the clock good guy bad guy routine that just felt contrived. The ending is disappointing, conventional, and not consistent with the intelligence displayed by Clyde earlier in the film. I think that Law abiding citizen could have been much more had it stayed the course set by the first half. I would liked to have seen the Clyde character remain more the protagonist with a visceral edge rather than what he became. In spite of that I found the level of suspense, character interaction, and the performances by Butler, Foxx, and my main man Bruce McGill elevated this to an above average watch. Both the extended director’s cut (which contains an additional ten minutes) and the theatrical cut are included. Each is on a separate BD50 with the extended version (which I evaluated) located on Disc 1 and the theatrical version on Disc 2.
Parental Guide:
The rating is for strong bloody brutal violence and torture, a scene of rape, and pervasive language.
AUDIO/VIDEO - By The Numbers:
REFERENCE = 92-100 / EXCELLENT = 83-91 / GOOD = 74-82 / AVERAGE = 65-73 / BELOW AVERAGE = under 65
**My audio/video ratings are based upon a comparative made against other high definition media/blu-ray disc.**
(Each rating is worth 4 points with a max of 5 per category)
Audio: 86
Video: 88
(Each rating is worth 4 points with a max of 5 per category)
Law abiding citizen comes to Blu-ray Disc from Overture/Anchor Bay featuring 1080p AVC encoded video that has an average bitrate of 26 mbps and lossless Dolby TrueHD 5.1 channel audio that has an average bitrate of 2.9 mbps.
This is a strong video presentation that is reflective of the type associated with newer release films on Blu-ray Disc. Colors appear accurate with a noticeably subdued palette that coincides with the dark subject matter. Skin tones are mildly affected by this but otherwise look fine. Images are rendered with excellent visual penetration, resolute sharpness and defining detail that is particularly striking during brighter sequences. Some of the darker scenes aren’t quite as definitively resolved and appear less dimensionally convincing. Blacks are nice and deep with appreciable visibility in uneven light and shadows. Contrast is boosted slightly which overdrives some of the bright sequences. This wasn’t damaging and in most instances wasn’t an issue at all. There is a light veil of grain that gives the video noticeable texture but never infringes upon fidelity. I noticed one or two noisy backgrounds but this was minor and would probably be missed if not looking for it.
The Dolby TrueHD soundtrack did a great job in balancing the mix of dialogue and action based elements in the recording. I never had trouble discerning the soft spoken and interpreted dialogue used in the film. It was crystal clear and slightly forward in presentation which made it more readily discernible. Dynamic range was strong and explosions and gunfire had palpable impact and energy. This is predominantly a dialogue driven film however the surround platform is utilized to excellent effect during several action based sequences. This results in good quality sound that is both immersive and vigorous as it fills the room with a nice blend of deep bass energy and 360 degree surround quality.
Bonus Features:
- Disc 1:
- Extended Director’s Cut of Law abiding citizen
- (HD) Featurettes:
- The justice of Law abiding citizen – 6 minutes
- Law in black and white: Behind the scenes – 15 minutes
- (HD) Preliminary arguments – Visual effects progressions (5 segments)
- (HD) The verdict – winning: trailer mash-up
- (HD) Theatrical trailer
- BD Previews
- Disc 2:
- Theatrical Cut of Law abiding citizen
- Audio commentary – With producers Lucas Foster and Alan Siegel
Final Thoughts:
Law abiding citizen is a thriller that features good performances and plenty of potential, unfortunately the strength of the plot wanes and leaves it feeling more ordinary than rewarding. It isn’t without merit though and makes for a decent popcorn flick when you’re in the mood. Its high definition debut on Blu-ray from Anchor Bay HE is a strong one that offers excellent imagery and engaging lossless surround sound. The inclusion of the theatrical and extended cuts is always appreciated. The remaining bonus features aren’t especially comprehensive but do offer a glimpse into the making of the film and its production. If you are already a fan feel free to pick this up otherwise I would recommend a rental first.
Ralph Potts
AVS Forum Blu-ray Reviews
Reference Review System:
JVC DLA-RS20 1080p High Definition Front Projector (Calibrated by Jeff Meier)
Stewart Filmscreen - Studiotek 130 G3 100” 16×9 Screen
Anthem AVM50v THX Ultra 2 Preamp/Video Processor
Sherbourn Technologies - 7/200 Seven Channel Amplifier
Oppo BDP-83 Universal disc/Blu-ray Player (HDMI Audio/Video)
Toshiba HD-XA2 HD DVD Player (HDMI Audio/Video)
Sony Playstation 3 Blu-ray disc Player (HDMI Audio/Video)
Oppo 970HD universal disc DVD Player (480i HDMI)
Philips TSU9400 Pro Series Touch Panel Remote Control
Canton “Ergo” Series speakers
Axiom Audio QS8 Quadpolar speakers
SV Sound PB-13 Ultra (Rosenut finish)
APC AV S15BLK Power Conditioner/Surge Protector
Furman SPR-20i Stable Power Regulator
Wireworld, VizionWare, Audioquest, Best Deal Cables - Audio/Video/Speaker Cabling
Cool Components - CP-CP102 cooling package
riding GIANTS (Blu-ray) Official AVSForum Review
The Review at a Glance: ( max score: 5 )
Film:
Extras:
Audio/Video total rating:
( Max score: 100 )
78
Studio and Year: Sony Pictures Classics - 2004
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Feature running time: 101 minutes
Genre: Documentary/History/Sport
Disc Format: BD-50
Encoding: AVC (MPEG-4)
Video Aspect: 1.85:1
Resolution: 1080p/24
Audio Format(s): English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, English Stereo
Subtitles: English SDH, English, Hindi
Starring: Greg Noll, Jeff Clark, Laird Hamilton
Directed by: Stacy Peralta
Music by: Various
Written by: Stacy Peralta, Sam George
Region Code: Free
Blu-ray Disc release Date: January 5, 2010
“It doesn’t get any bigger than this”
Film Synopsis:
From acclaimed director Stacy Peralta comes ‘riding GIANTS’, the story of big wave surfing. Breaking the mold of traditional documentary filmmaking, ‘riding GIANTS’ uses its dynamic, cross-generational approach to profile the lives and times of the intrepid surfers who, over the decades, have dedicated their lives to finding and successfully challenging the biggest waves on Earth.
My Take:
I’m not into surfing or extreme sports and wasn’t excited when plopping this Blu-ray in. Much to my surprise I really enjoyed ‘riding GIANTS’. It did what a good documentary should: it made me interested and captivated while educating me on a subject I knew nothing about, “Big Wave Surfing”. Giving a brief history of surfing, we end smack-dab in the 50’s and meet a crew of guys who, led by Greg Noll, started the surfing counter culture of Southern California. We also get a good reason to hear a lot of 50’s surfer rock (thanks Dick Dale!). From there we meet Jeff Clark who found the famous and dangerous Maverick’s break in Northern California. This is where I got hooked. Watching these guys and their dedication, not only to the sport but to each other is inspiring. There is portion of the documentary where the guys were talking about wiping out and getting swallowed under these huge waves. It was filmed and edited such that I felt out of breath… It was pretty cool! Dogtown and Z-Boys skateboarder, Director Stacy Peralta really shows a passion and grasp on the subject. He ends us with Surfing’s most famous personality, inventor of “tow-in” surfing, Laird Hamilton. Hamilton has surfed some of the most insane waves you will ever see. They are so big and fast he has to be towed into the wave by Jet Ski to have enough speed to catch it. To see him surf and own one of these waves is awe-inspiring. I really enjoyed this documentary and am excited to see more of Stacy Peralta. ‘riding GIANTS’ is well-paced, captivating and sure is narly, dudes.
Parental Guide:
Rated PG-13 for brief strong language.
AUDIO/VIDEO - By The Numbers:
REFERENCE = 92-100 / EXCELLENT = 83-91 / GOOD = 74-82 / AVERAGE = 65-73 / BELOW AVERAGE = under 65
**My audio/video ratings are based upon a comparative made against other high definition media/blu-ray disc.**
(Each rating is worth 4 points with a max of 5 per category)
Audio: 80
Video: 76
‘riding GIANTS’ comes to Blu-ray Disc from Sony featuring 1080p AVC encoded video that has an average bitrate of 27.8 mbps and lossless DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio sound that has an average bitrate of 2.9 mbps.
With mostly archival footage, ‘riding GIANTS’ looked better than an up-converted DVD, however, I was expecting amazing visuals of huge waves and HD surfing shots that would blow me away. It didn’t. It did do a good job with the resolution of the old and often non-pro footage. The newer filmed interview segments were over stylized and overly full of film grain, which I suspect was intentional so I can’t knock too much it for that. Colors and black levels were natural and consistent with the source material. All in all it’s a competent release but not the visual stunner I was anticipating. The audio was good but again, the sources left it without much oomph. The voice overs were clear and not lost in the eclectic soundtrack. Never did the crunch of Soundgarden’s “My Wave” or Dick Dales “Misirlou” overpower the mostly dialogue driven track. The music did sound really great, giving the track a dynamic it really needed. The effect channels were limited, but I did hear some waves roll by every once and a while. I was expecting the crashing waves to give my sub-woofer a workout or even a minor challenge, but other than the intro to the film, it was the low end in the soundtrack that utilized the LFE. Like the video, the audio was above average but nothing to show your system off with.
Bonus Features:
- Audio Commentary Director Stacey Peralta and Editor Paul Crowder
- Audio Commentary Track with Commentary with Writer Sam George and Surfers Greg Noll, Jeff Clark and Laird Hamilton
- (HD) Making-of ‘riding GIANTS’
- (HD) Fuel TV’s Blue Carpet Special
- BD Live Enabled
Final Thoughts:
Even if not the big blue Blu-ray experience I was hoping, ‘riding GIANTS’ is a winner. It made a fan out of a naysayer and kept my attention for its entire 100 minutes. Not packed with the most supplements I have come across, what it does have are quality- check out the audio commentary with Stacey Peralta and Editor Paul Crowder. After seeing this documentary I am going to be watching Stacey Peralta’s, ‘Dogtown and Z-Boys’. I am excited to see if he can pull it off again. This one is an easy rental recommendation and if you are a fan of the subject matter go ahead and grab a copy, you will watch it more than once.
Lee Weber
AVS Forum Blu-ray Reviews
Reference Review System:
Anthem LTX 500 1080p High Definition Front Projector
Prismasonic HE1500R Anamorphic Lens
Custom 1.3 Gain 128″ 2.37:1 CinemaScope Screen
Pioneer SC07 Receiver
Pioneer BDP-320 Blu-ray Player (HDMI Audio/Video)
Triangle Zerius Speakers (7.1)
SVS PC13-Ultra Subwoofer
The Hangover (Blu-ray) Official AVSForum Review
The Review at a Glance: (max score: 5 )
Film:
Extras:
Audio/Video total rating:
( Max score: 100 )
84
Studio and Year: Warner - 2009
MPAA Rating: R/Unrated
Feature running time: 100/108 miinutes
Genre: Comedy
Disc Format: BD-50
Encoding: VC-1
Video Aspect: 2.40:1
Resolution: 1080p/24
Audio Format(s): English Dolby TrueHD 5.1, English/French, Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1
Subtitles: English SDH, French, Spanish
Starring: Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis, Heather Graham, Justin Bartha, Jeffrey Tambor
Directed by: Todd Philips
Music by: Christophe Beck
Written by: Jon Lucas & Scott Moore
Region Code: A
Blu-ray Disc release Date: December 15, 2009
“Some guys just can’t handle Vegas”
Film Synopsis:
They planned a Vegas bachelor party that they would never forget. Now they really need to remember what exactly went down! A baby? A tiger? Why is one of them missing a tooth? And most of all, where is the groom?! What the guys did while partying can’t compare to what they must do sober in an outrageous caper that has them piecing together all their bad decisions from the night before– one hazy clue at a time.
My Take:
Writing reviews allows me the opportunity to view a wide array of movies. Being a film enthusiast I appreciate that opportunity and am always pleased whenever I come across a film that I haven’t seen that I find enjoyable. The hangover is just such a film and after hearing from many that found it very funny I am happy to report that I am now one of them. Conceptually it doesn’t really break new ground as it is a bro flick about a group of friends celebrating the impending marriage of one of them by heading to Vegas for a bachelor party type overnight getaway. Doug (Bartha) is getting married and his long time buddies Phil (Cooper) a teacher, and Stu (Helms) a dentist decide that a boys bachelor trip to celebrate his last moments of freedom are in order. Doug opts to invite his future brother in law Alan, ( Galifianakis) an odd nerd nick, along for the trip. Future father in law Sid (Tambor) insists that Doug take his prized vintage Mercedes Benz for transportation as long as he doesn’t let Alan or Phil (“I don’t like that Phil guy”) drive it. After arriving and checking into Caesar’s Palace the four men sneak up onto the roof for a quick celebratory drink before heading out. The scene switches to the next morning, Phil, Alan, and Stu awaken in their Caesar’s Palace villa completely hung over. The place is in shambles, Stu is missing a tooth, there is a live, full grown tiger in the bathroom and a small bundle of joy hidden away in a closet. On top of that, Doug the groom to be, is no where to be found. None of them has any recollection of the events that transpired and after collecting themselves seek to unravel what happened during the night in order to find Doug and get him back in time for his wedding. The story begins at the end and is told in a series of segmented flashbacks that comes full circle arriving back at the opening point.
Ed Helms is probably best known recently for his role as “Andy” on NBC’s The Office is my favorite in the role of Stu. He is the hen pecked boyfriend of a domineering, bitch on wheels who he is so afraid of that he has to lie to her about where they are going for the weekend (he tells her they are going to Napa Valley). He has convinced himself that life with her is normal. Did I mention that she slept with a bartender while they were away on a cruise and beat Stu up last year? Phil is married with a child both of whom he rarely speaks of. He did manage to talk his students into paying 90 bucks each for an upcoming class trip which he takes the money for to help finance this Vegas expedition. Then there is Alan, a beard wearing, overweight, pager/man purse carrying nerd nick who has an IQ of under 20. As an add on there is Doug who is really the only normal one among them, but of course the problem being he is MISSING! As they retrace their steps more and more of the incredible events that took place the night before are revealed. The last of two of which are how Stu lost his tooth and Doug’s whereabouts. What happens in between is silly but engagingly funny as the three of them encounter a host of ridiculous situations which include meeting former heavyweight champ Mike Tyson (he plays himself), a couple of angry patrol car missing Vegas cops, a stripper (did I mention that she is now married to Stu?) and a group of pissed off Asian thugs. All of this and they still haven’t found Doug!
Warner has included both the theatrical and unrated versions on this Blu-ray Disc release which is a plus for fans. I watched the unrated version which adds 8 minutes to the original’s runtime. This movie is a hoot and features some laugh out loud moments of hilarity. It really doesn’t much rely on graphic shock style comedy (although there are a few) but derives its humor from its well drawn characters in Phil, Alan, and Stu as well as a script teaming with clever, witty dialogue and awkward situations that are primed for laughs. Their interaction plus their perception of the events going on around them are priceless. Each adds an important element to the group and the balance simply works. Phil, the sarcastic voice of reason who basically says what everyone else is thinking. Stu, the lovable, loyal, but blind dumb ass that allows himself to be bullied not only by his girlfriend but Phil as well. Alan is the odd man out that provides the catalyst for the film’s awkward moments which ultimately result in everyone’s troubles. I thought that this was the funniest movie I have seen all year and can’t wait to take it for another spin. It is one of those films that will have you laughing at all the same parts each time you watch it. I had a blast…
Parental Guide:
The film contains pervasive language, sexual content including nudity (graphic nudity in the unrated version) and some drug material.
AUDIO/VIDEO - By The Numbers:
REFERENCE = 92-100 / EXCELLENT = 83-91 / GOOD = 74-82 / AVERAGE = 65-73 / BELOW AVERAGE = under 65
**My audio/video ratings are based upon a comparative made against other high definition media/blu-ray disc.**
(Each rating is worth 4 points with a max of 5 per category)
Audio: 80
Video: 88
(Each rating is worth 4 points with a max of 5 per category)
The hangover comes to Blu-ray Disc from Warner featuring 1080p VC-1 encoded video that has an average bitrate of 15 mbps and lossless Dolby TrueHD 5.1 channel audio that has an average bitrate of 1.3 mbps.
High definition detail is notable as images are firmly resolved, with defining sharpness and two dimensional depth. Colors are beautifully rendered with revealing delineation tonal warmth and vibrant textures. This is especially apparent during the sequences shot in the various Las Vegas venues featured in the film. Fleshtones appear descriptive with discernible complexional variety that brings out the finest gradations in the differing complexional types among the cast. Blacks are a solid shade of deep black with excellent dynamic range and discernible highlights. Contrast is well balanced which enriches both light and dark onscreen elements.
The lossless audio soundtrack rendered clear, well articulated dialogue that maintained a notable position of prominence within the front soundstage. Sound effects had good dynamic energy so that they sounded full bodied and definitive. This is not a film that requires heavy use of surround sound to deliver its message but it appropriately conveys the films elements via a convincing front soundstage which is supported by occasional splashes of atmosphere from the rear channels. Detail was rendered with aplomb which attenuated slight environmental cues and augmented the subtle texture of voices and sound effects. There was no real deep bass associated with the sound track but it contained low frequency impact where appropriate.
Bonus Features:
- Theatrical and Unrated versions of the film
- Behind the story: PiP commentary (theatrical version only)
- (HD) Map of destruction - Interactive feature linked to clips & behind the scenes info/interviews based upon locations in Las Vegas visited by characters in story
- (HD) The madness of Ken Jeong - 8 minute featurette
- (HD) Action mash-up - 35 second summary of the action based moments in the film
- (HD) Three best friends song - featuring Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, and Zach Galifianakis
- (HD) The Dan Band - performing “Fame“ based on a scene from the film
- (HD) Gag reel - 8 minutes
- More pictures from the missing camera - Filling in more of the gaps in the events of the mysterious night out
- WB BD-Live enabled
- Digital Copy Bonus Disc
Final Thoughts:
I thoroughly enjoyed The hangover. It may not offer anything new from a conceptual standpoint but has a fresh appeal that I found entertaining. I think that much of its success can be found in its well drawn characters and facetious narrative that had me in stitches on more than one occasion. It comes to Blu-ray Disc day and date with DVD from Warner and shines with a great looking high definition video transfer and good lossless sound quality. The Bonus features do little to enhance the experience although the 8 minute gag reel is worth a watch if you liked the film. I appreciate the inclusion of a Digital Copy which allows those with portable media players to take the film on the go. If you enjoy a good comedy The Hangover on Blu-ray Disc will make a worthwhile addition to your collection. Enjoy!
Ralph Potts
AVS Forum Blu-ray Reviews
Reference Review System:
JVC DLA-RS20 1080p High Definition Front Projector (Calibrated by Jeff Meier)
Carada Precision Brilliant White 96″ Screen
Anthem AVM50v THX Ultra 2 Preamp/Video Processor
Sherbourn Technologies - 7/200 Seven Channel Amplifier
Oppo BDP-83 Universal disc/Blu-ray Player (HDMI Audio/Video)
Toshiba HD-XA2 HD DVD Player (HDMI Audio/Video)
Sony Playstation 3 Blu-ray disc Player (HDMI Audio/Video)
Oppo 970HD universal disc DVD Player (480i HDMI)
Philips TSU9400 Pro Series Touch Panel Remote Control
Canton “Ergo” Series speakers
Axiom Audio QS8 Quadpolar speakers
SV Sound PB-13 Ultra (Rosenut finish)
APC AV S15BLK Power Conditioner/Surge Protector
Furman SPR-20i Stable Power Regulator
Wireworld, VizionWare, Audioquest, Best Deal Cables - Audio/Video/Speaker Cabling
Cool Components - CP-CP102 cooling package
Star Trek (Blu-ray) Official AVSForum Review
The Review at a Glance: (max score: 5 )
Film:
Extras:
Audio/Video total rating:
( Max score: 100 )
97
Studio and Year: Paramount - 2009
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Feature running time: 126 minutes
Genre: Sci-Fi/Action/Adventure
Disc Format: BD-50
Encoding: AVC (MPEG-4)
Video Aspect: 2.35:1
Resolution: 1080p/24
Audio Format(s): English Dolby TrueHD 5.1, French/Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1
Subtitles: English SDH, English, Spanish, French, Portuguese
Starring: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Bruce Greenwood, Karl Urban, Zoe Saldana, John Cho, Simon Pegg, Leonard Nimoy, Eric Bana, Anton Yelchin, Winona Ryder
Directed by: J.J. Abrams
Music by: Michael Giancchino
Written by: Robert Orci & Alex Kurtzman
Region Code: A
Blu-ray Disc release Date: November 17, 2009
“The future begins…”
Film Synopsis:
The greatest adventure of all time begins with Star Trek, the incredible story of a young crew’s maiden voyage onboard the most advanced starship ever created: the U.S.S. Enterprise. On a journey filled with action, comedy and cosmic peril, the new recruits must find a way to stop an evil being whose mission of vengeance threatens all of mankind. The fate of the galaxy rests in the hands of bitter rivals. One, James Kirk (Chris Pine), is a delinquent, thrill-seeking Iowa farm boy. The other, Spock (Zachary Quinto), was raised in a logic-based society that rejects all emotion. As fiery instinct clashes with calm reason, their unlikely but powerful partnership is the only thing capable of leading their crew through unimaginable danger, boldly going where no one has gone before.
My Take:
I don’t think I would necessarily qualify as a tried and true Trekkie since I am not the type to visit conventions and so forth. However I have been watching Star Trek in its various incarnations beginning with the original series since I was little and have been hooked ever since. The original series is nearest and dearest to my heart. Seeing the cast of the original show in their own series of films was rewarding because it gave us a chance to see them in a sort of continuance of their adventures that ended after the TV show went off the air. Harkening back to the original series, I always found it fun but also somewhat necessary to look past its cheap sets and low budget effects. I mean it wasn’t THAT big of a deal but watching today you can’t help but wonder what the creative minds and cast from back then could have done with a budget similar to shows of today. Well we will never know however Paramount and director/producer J.J. Abrams have given us the next best thing. Star Trek 2009 takes us back to the story’s beginning, taking place before the original series, and details the assemblage of the crew that would become the heart of the Enterprise. Don’t expect this film to resemble the TV series in execution or theme but it captures its essence and reinvigorates the fun, adventure, and excitement that the series conveyed. The story revolves around a rogue Romulan Captain named Nemo (Bana) that is seeking retribution against the Federation and ambassador Spock for the death of his family and the destruction of his world. The problem is that this event occurred in another time and he is using advanced technology and black holes in space to move through time in order to seek his vengeance. The film opens with his appearance on the date of James T. Kirk’s birth, where he savagely attacks and destroys the Federation Starship Kelvin, killing Kirks father but not before he manages to save the lives of over 800 of its crew (including newborn Jim). Years later Jim reluctantly joins the Federation after being reminded by Federation Captain Christopher Pike of his father’s heroism as Pike challenges him to “do better”. Once in the Academy Jim’s innate knack for getting the job done, damn the cost, along with his cocky arrogance puts him at odds with his superiors, including a half human half Vulcan Federation Commander named Spock. When Nemo once again surfaces and attacks Vulcan, with earth as his next target, Jim finds himself facing the same destructive force that killed his father years earlier. He will have to rely on more than just confidence and luck. He will need the help of those who will ultimately become the most trusted people in his life for years to come.
I saw this theatrically and really liked it. I thought the screenplay was extremely well written and appreciated the references to the original series and the enhanced use of action style elements to ignite the story. The characters were sort of brought up to date and drawn well. The Uhura/Spock spin was interesting and added something new. I thought that the cast, especially Zachary Quinto (Spock), Chris Pine (Kirk), and Simon Pegg (Scotty) were well matched to their respective characters. If I had to pick one “bone” it would be with Karl Urban’s McCoy. I think he tried too hard to sound like Deforest Kelly which at times I found distracting. Be that as it may it certainly didn’t detract from the enjoyment of this grand scale production that resurrects one of the most beloved TV series/characters to ever grace both the big and little screen. Seeing it for a second time I found that I enjoyed it even more. I suspect that part of the reason for that is attributable to its awesome high definition presentation on Blu-ray Disc (see below). I look forward to the next installment as I can’t wait to see what lies ahead for the crew of the NCC-1701.
Parental Guide:
The rating is for sci-fi action and violence and brief sexual content.
AUDIO/VIDEO - By The Numbers:
REFERENCE = 92-100 / EXCELLENT = 83-91 / GOOD = 74-82 / AVERAGE = 65-73 / BELOW AVERAGE = under 65
**My audio/video ratings are based upon a comparative made against other high definition media/blu-ray disc.**
(Each rating is worth 4 points with a max of 5 per category)
Audio: 100
Video: 94
(Each rating is worth 4 points with a max of 5 per category)
Star Trek comes to Blu-ray Disc from Paramount featuring 1080p AVC encoded video that has an average bitrate of 32 mbps and lossless Dolby TrueHD 5.1 channel audio that has an average bitrate of 4 mbps.
This is a high bitrate and stunning reference quality audio/video presentation from Paramount. Images onscreen exhibit high level detail, razor sharpness and resolute definition that bring out the lifelike textures captured by the camera. At times dimensional perspective has an infinite appeal that is captivating. Primary colors are deeply saturated and vivid with wide variable textures and eye catching quality that are accentuated by the video’s higher contrast which made them stand out among the remaining spectrum colors used. Whites are on the hot side but maintain definable delineation so that details aren’t lost during brightly lit scenes. Flesh tones are mildly affected by this, especially those with lighter complexions, but overall tonal balance isn’t compromised. There are a variety of dark segments in the film and its ability to clearly render its elements under those conditions is essential to getting the most out of it. Well you can rest assured that this Blu-ray disc delivers some of the richest, deepest and velvety textured blacks that I have seen. Shadow detail and visibility in low lighting is quite convincing. I was able to clearly make out the metallic and grimy surfaces within the interior backgrounds aboard the Romulan Narada and the uneven and rocky texture of the walls in the darkened cave on Vulcan. Grain is noticeable and appears in fine, even layers that I never found to be intrusive. I never saw any overtly ill effects from mixing CGI content with real people/objects other than a few instances where I noticed that the picture appeared less definitively resolved. This wasn’t to a point where I would say it softened as the effect was more than likely inherent and not encoding related. Lastly, I detected what could have been the presence of faint digital noise in one or two backgrounds. This was primarily aboard the Romulan ship which had a sort of smoky haze that when mixed with the low lighting and light grainy texture may have exacerbated it making it more prominent. It is far from problematic and unless you go looking for it you probably won’t notice. Bottom line is that this is a superlative video presentation that appears to faithfully mimic the film’s theatrical elements.
The high resolution Dolby TrueHD soundtrack is one of the most technically proficient that I have heard and sounds terrific. This is a supremely articulated and commanding presentation that will reward those with systems capable of thoroughly reproducing its elements. This is not an ostentatious or boisterous presentation but it definitively produces powerful dynamics and deep infrasonic bass transients that occasionally could be best described as skin tingling. This soundtrack produces smooth, ultra low and refined bass that can be felt more than heard as it pressurizes the room with incredible tactility that may extend beyond the limits capable of subwoofers not up to the task. This is an extremely engaging and purposeful sound design. It transforms the room into a three dimensional soundstage that creates an immersive 360 degree web of sound capable of bombarding the aural senses by encapsulating the sweet spot (s) with its plethora of sounds and effects that seem to emanate from every direction during the films active moments. Superb imaging and channel separation draw out both large and small sounds and allow their directional correlation based upon the onscreen events to be definable within the room’s acoustic boundaries. Michael Giancchino’s music score drives the story and helps set the stage with its perfect blend of evocative instrumentation and rousing orchestration. Dialogue is reproduced with lucid expression and exacting clarity. I never had any trouble distinguishing even the slightest changes in the pitch or tonal inflection of voices. Don’t be fooled by the fact that this is not a loud, overtly aggressive action style sound mix. It is an involving, dynamically energized and superlative audio presentation that features high level sonic detail, superb dimensional interrelation, and sublime bass extension that makes for one of the best home theater presentations to date. Star Trek as presented on Blu-ray Disc is an end to end experience that delivers on the potential and promise of the Blu-ray format. Turn it up, sit back and enjoy the ride!
Bonus Features:
- Commentary with J.J. Abrams, Bryan Burk, Alex Kurtzman, Damon Lindelof, Robert Orci
- BD-Live enabled access to running news feed from NASA’s website
- (HD) To boldly go – 16 minute featurette (plus 4 branching pod segments)
- (HD) Casting – 29 minute featurette
- (HD) A new vision – 19 minute featurette (plus Savage pressure branching pod)
- (HD) Starships – 24 minute featurette (plus 7 branching pod segments)
- (HD) Aliens – 16 minute featurette (plus 5 branching pod segments)
- (HD) Planets – 16 minute featurette (plus 2 branching pod segments)
- (HD) Props and costumes – 9 minute featurette (plus Klingon wardrobe branching pod segment)
- (HD) Ben Burtt and the sounds of Star Trek – 11 minute featurette
- (HD) Score – 6 minute featurette
- (HD) Gene Roddenberry’s vision – 8 minute featurette
- (HD) 9 deleted scenes with optional commentary
- (HD) Star Fleet vessel simulation – interactive feature that includes The Enterprise and the Romulan Narada
- (HD) Gag reel – 6 minutes
- (HD) 4 trailers
- Digital Copy Bonus Disc – Includes a standard definition version of Star Trek that can be downloaded from a compatible PC to a portable media device as well as a demo of the Star Trek D-A-C video game
Disc 1:
Disc2:
Disc 3:
Final Thoughts:
Star Trek presents Trek fans as well as unfamiliar genre fans with an superbly crafted theatrical experience that capably reinvigorates one of the most beloved TV shows and sets of characters in entertainment history. Its presentation on Blu-ray Disc from Paramount represents one of the best high definition audio/video presentations released on the format to date. It features a bonus supplement package that offers a thorough dissection of the production including behind the scenes footage, cast/crew interviews, Blu-ray Disc exclusives and a digital copy. This complete package belongs in your collection and gets my highest recommendation. Enjoy!
Ralph Potts
AVS Forum Blu-ray Reviews
Reference Review System:
JVC DLA-RS20 1080p High Definition Front Projector (Calibrated by Jeff Meier)
Carada Precision Brilliant White 96″ Screen
Anthem AVM50v THX Ultra 2 Preamp/Video Processor
Sherbourn Technologies - 7/200 Seven Channel Amplifier
Oppo BDP-83 Universal disc/Blu-ray Player (HDMI Audio/Video)
Toshiba HD-XA2 HD DVD Player (HDMI Audio/Video)
Sony Playstation 3 Blu-ray disc Player (HDMI Audio/Video)
Oppo 970HD universal disc DVD Player (480i HDMI)
Philips TSU9400 Pro Series Touch Panel Remote Control
Canton “Ergo” Series speakers
Axiom Audio QS8 Quadpolar speakers
SV Sound PB-13 Ultra (Rosenut finish)
APC AV S15BLK Power Conditioner/Surge Protector
Furman SPR-20i Stable Power Regulator
Wireworld, VizionWare, Audioquest, Best Deal Cables - Audio/Video/Speaker Cabling
Cool Components - CP-CP102 cooling package
Rocky: The Undisputed Collection (Blu-ray) Official AVSForum Review
The Review at a Glance: (max score: 5 )
Film:
Extras:
Audio/Video total rating:
( Max score: 100 )
77
Studio and Year: Fox/MGM/Sony – 1976, 1979, 1982, 1985, 1990, 2006
MPAA Rating: PG, PG-13
Feature running time: 634 minutes
Genre: Drama/Sports
Disc Format: BD-50, BD-25 (Rocky only),
Encoding: AVC (MPEG-4), MPEG-2 (Rocky only)
Video Aspect: 1.85:1
Resolution: 1080p/24
Audio Format(s): Rocky: English DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio, French Dolby Digital 5.1, English/Spanish mono. Rocky II, III, IV, V: English DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio, French DTS 5.1, Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1, English Dolby Surround. Rocky Balboa: English uncompressed 5.1 PCM, English/French Dolby Digital 5.1
Subtitles: English SDH, French, Spanish
Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Talia Shire, Burt Young, Carl Weathers, Tony Burton, Burgess Meredith
Directed by: Sylvester Stallone (Rocky II, III, IV, Rocky Balboa) John G. Avildsen (Rocky, Rocky V)
Music by: Bill Conti (Rocky, Rocky II, III, V, Rocky Balboa), Vince DiCola (Rocky IV)
Written by: Sylvester Stallone
Region Code: A
Blu-ray Disc release Date: November 3, 2009
“Gonna fly now….”
Film Synopsis:
Rocky:Rocky Balboa is a struggling boxer trying to make the big time. Working in a meat factory in Philadelphia for a pittance, he also earns extra cash as a debt collector. When heavyweight champion Apollo Creed visits Philadelphia, his managers want to set up an exhibition match between Creed and a struggling boxer, touting the fight as a chance for a “nobody” to become a “somebody”. The match is supposed to be easily won by Creed, but someone forgot to tell Rocky, who sees this as his only shot at the big time.
Rocky II: It’s the rematch of the century as Rock Balboa takes on Apollo Creed in this powerful follow-up to one of the most acclaimed movies in film history. After club fighter Rocky Balboa (Stallone) goes the distance with heavyweight champ Apollo Creed (Weathers), boxing fans clamor for a rematch. But Rocky, having sustained massive injuries in the bout, announces his retirement. He concentrates on his relationship with Adrian (Shire), marring her and attempting to settle into the routine of family life. But as Rocky tries to make a new start for himself, he realizes that he can’t escape his true calling. The ring beckons once more, and the “Italian Stallion” must prepare for the fight of his life.
Rocky III: Rocky battles his most powerful adversary yet-the ferocious Clubber Lang (Mr. T)-in this hard-hitting actioner that comes out swinging with adventure, humor and emotionally charged human drama. For what may be the most exciting and fast-paced film in the series, Sylvester Stallone writes, directs and stars with explosive passion and intensity. As Rocky Balboa (Stallone) fights his way into the hearts of millions, life couldn’t be better. He scores ten consecutive wins, lands lucrative endorsement contracts, and becomes famous throughout the world. But when Clubber Lang K.O’s Rocky in a humiliating defeat, it becomes apparent that the “Italian Stallion” has lost his edge. Considering hanging up his gloves, Rocky receives encouragement from an unlikely ally: his old nemesis, Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers). With Creed’s help, Rocky strives to regain the “eye of the tiger” before confronting Lang in a grueling rematch for the world heavyweight championship.
Rocky IV:When Rocky’s old friend Apollo Creed is killed during a fight with a super fit Russian boxer, Ivan Drago, Rocky blames himself for the death when he could have thrown in the towel before the crucial moment. Fuelled by the Russian’s arrogance, Rocky arranges a fight with the new champion, only this time in Russia.
Rocky V:Upon returning home from his latest triumph, Rocky (Stallone) learns that all of his money has been lost by an unscrupulous financial advisor. To make matters worse, his fight related injuries force his retirement from the ring. So, Rocky, his wife Adrian (Talia Shire) and his son Rocky, Jr. (Sage Stallone) move to their old low-rent neighborhood in South Philadelphia. There, the fighter must resolve the deep-rooted resentment held by his son, a bitterness that grows when Rocky trains Tommy Gunn (Tommy Morrison), a young boxer who soon rises to national prominence. When Tommy turns against his mentor and publicity taunts him, Rocky knows he must fight once more.
Rocky Balboa:When he loses a highly publicized virtual boxing match to ex-champ Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone), reigning heavyweight title holder Mason Dixon (Antonio Tarver) retaliates by challenging the Italian Stallion to a nationally televised, 10-round exhibition bout. To the surprise of his son (Milo Ventimiglia, TV’s Heroes) and friends, Rocky agrees to come out of retirement and face an opponent who’s faster, stronger and thirty years his junior. With the odds stacked firmly against him, Rocky takes on Dixon in what will become the greatest fight in boxing history, a hard-hitting, action-packed battle of the ages!
My Take:
Rocky holds a very special place in my heart. I have been a fan since 1976 (at 12 years old) when my mother took me to see it in the theater. I have seen every sequel theatrically since. Before home video I watched them every chance I got when they were broadcast on television. For me Rocky is the most complete of them and could easily have stood on its own as a masterful cinematic work. Then again, what fun would that have been? The original film is multifaceted with an intrinsically engaging and heartwarming story that remains as powerful today as it did 30 plus years ago. Rocky, the underdog, uneducated, local boy whose name was drawn for a title shot and simply wants to go the distance against the heavyweight champion of the world. The establishment of his relationship with Mickey, Adrienne, and Paulie is cemented into place and builds the foundation that will carry on throughout the series. It also connects us with them in a personal way through the wonderfully crafted script. This film introduces us to the first of Rocky’s “opponents” in Apollo Creed, the training montage, and the use of stirring, thematic music that conjoin the dramatic build up/fight sequences and encapsulates the tone of each of the films. Bill Conti’s memorable music graces all but one of the Rocky movies and is simply awesome at evoking the mood, energy, excitement, and drama in each. The story builds to a natural yet visceral climax which culminates in Rocky achieving his goal of going the distance. He and Adrienne come to realize the depth of their feelings for one another and everyone comes to see that he isn’t just another bum from the neighborhood.
Rocky II was written and directed by Stallone and gives us the chance to pick up where Rocky left off. It satisfies our need to see Rocky succeed both in life and in the ring. Its story is nearly as good as the original film at eliciting emotion as we follow the trials and tribulations that eventually lead Rocky back into the ring against Apollo. Carl Weather’s gives a solid performance as the embittered and ultimately unsuccessful Apollo Creed. We see Rocky and Adrienne marry, grow closer, and have their son Rocky junior but not before a complication with her pregnancy lands her in a coma. The scene at the conclusion of the title fight when Rocky holds up the championship belt and says “yo Adrienne, I did it!” meaning he kept his promise to win, chokes me up every time (no idea why). Outside of Rocky, my favorite of the five remaining films is Rocky III. This one squeezes so much into 91 minutes that it literally seems like no time is wasted. Stallone’s slimmed down and beefed up appearance, The exhibition wrestling match against Thunderlips, Mickey’s death, Apollo the unlikely hero stepping in to help, the eye of the tiger/ building of their friendship, the seemingly indomitable opponent in the hungry “wrecking machine” Clubber Lang, their two fights, the second of which is my favorite out of all of the films.
I don’t mind Rocky IV but its story is too over the top with the death of Apollo, the USA/Russian theme, and of course an even bigger, impregnable opponent in Ivan Drago. Vince DiCola composed the music for Rocky IV, with Survivor returning with “In the burning heart” as the theme song. Rocky V just doesn’t work for me. The story, script and performances seem hollow and although I understand what Stallone was trying to achieve from a conceptual standpoint I simply can’t sit through it. The last installment Rocky Balboa surprised me as I had low expectations prior to seeing it. I had no idea how Stallone was going to pull off stepping into the ring with the reigning heavyweight champion at his age. After seeing it I felt that overall he told the story with humility and morality that helped it feel genuine (although obviously still a stretch). The fight sequence was far from the most engaging but the film’s strength lies in the fulfillment of the elements that occur around that. Quite frankly I am happy that things weren’t left to end with Rocky V. For me Rocky represents an iconic figure featured in compelling films that I grew up watching. His ability to overcome insurmountable odds both in life and in the ring while thrilling us with exciting training montages in preparation to extinguish larger than life opponents that may have stretched the limits of plausibility but still kept us coming back for more. This character leaves an endearing and lasting legacy that Sylvester Stallone will forever be known for. The ensemble cast of Talia Shire, Burt Young, Carl Weathers, Burgess Meredith, and Tony Burton provided us with plenty of memorable moments. Regardless of which film may be your favorite there is no denying that as a whole they are special. I own the previously released Rocky I through V collection on DVD and am happy to now own all six films in high definition on Blu-ray Disc.
Parental Guide:
The ratings are for thematic material, brief sensuality, boxing violence and some language.
AUDIO/VIDEO - By The Numbers:
REFERENCE = 92-100 / EXCELLENT = 83-91 / GOOD = 74-82 / AVERAGE = 65-73 / BELOW AVERAGE = under 65
**My audio/video ratings are based upon a comparative made against other high definition media/blu-ray disc.**
(Each rating is worth 4 points with a max of 5 per category)
Audio: 76
Video: 78
(Each rating is worth 4 points with a max of 5 per category)
Rocky: The undisputed collection comes to Blu-ray featuring 1080p MPEG-2 (Rocky only) and AVC encoded video that has average bitrates of 18mbps (Rocky) and 32 mbps. The films feature lossless DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio and uncompressed 5.1 channel PCM audio (Rocky Balboa only) with average/constant bitrates of 3.1 and 4.6 mbps respectively.
In looking at these films, specifically, Rocky, Rocky II, Rocky III and Rocky V they essentially offer similar video quality although of the four I would perhaps give the edge for better overall quality to Rocky. Resolution is fair with patches of crisp delineation that offers clear refinement and average depth. At other times fine detail is limited and images appear noticeably lacking in sharpness and resolvable texture. In the case of Rocky this is less of an issue but not by a large margin. Blacks are plenty deep however depending on the lighting they can appear gradationally hindered and therefore lacking in punch. Contrast is elevated which pumps up bright colors and gives certain scenes an overly dynamic aesthetic. Color balance with the exception of red is very good with natural rendering that is pleasing to the eye. Reds tend to lean toward orange which I found distracting. Fleshtones are primarily on the warm side but otherwise look fine. Grain is prominently on display and takes on heavier emphasis in low lit backgrounds (Rocky II & III). Rocky/Rocky V have a lighter veil of grain that appears more consistent and evenly textured. Rocky IV offers improved overall quality that results in improved sharpness, better refinement and slightly punchier colors. As with the others grain can be quite noticeable with occasional over emphasis. With the exception of Rocky the prints all exhibit a fair amount of white speckles and debris that is simply unacceptable. These should have been cleaned up and re-mastered for a high profile release of these films on Blu-ray. Rocky’s print is in appreciably better condition with only an occasional fleck here and there. I noticed what appeared to be digital noise here and there but honestly between the print imperfections and grain it’s hard to determine exactly what I was seeing. I didn’t notice any overt signs of digital manipulation, although I thought the statue dedication ceremony sequence in Rocky III might have been touched up. I really wanted these to look top notch and while they aren’t I don’t think it would be fair to say that I am completely unsatisfied with them.
I think that over the span of the first five films the lossless sound quality is essentially the same with quality of the recorded elements being defined by their age. Dialogue is crisp, well intonated and mixed to a prominent position within the front soundstage. Sound effects and panning sequences emanating from the main channels were integrated with discernible separation and average sound field penetration. The films includes some active elements that didn’t have the feeling of authority and quantifiable dynamics that you might find with today’s digital soundtracks but exerted tangible influence with a fair level of impact and clarity. There was no deep bass contained in these soundtracks however low frequency detail is present and detectable here and there. The surround channels are used mainly for atmospheric ambience that provides a good sense of envelopment but not to the level of being engagingly immersive.
Rocky Balboa was released on Blu-ray Disc in 2006 and offers excellent high definition video quality. I decided to rate it separately from the others for audio/video. Blacks are inky, stable and gradationally satisfying. Colors are visually pleasing with crisp texture and dynamic highlights. Resolution is strong as image penetration is deep with discernible subtle refinement and long range acuity that is visually enticing. The mix of film and high definition video gives the source a varied yet nuanced perspective that is rewarding. I didn’t notice any signs of video related artifacts or extraneous noise and felt the video had a pristine quality. The uncompressed lossless sound is superior to the first five films in terms of depth, dynamic range and detail. The difference isn’t night and day but comes in the form of update to date sound effects, higher intelligibility and newly recorded elements coupled along with an improved surround mix. Rating for video = 90 rating for audio = 84 total rating = 87.
Bonus Features:
- Rocky (Disc 1) - (HD) 5 trailers - Flyboys, Rocky, Windtalkers, Usual suspects, Bulletproof monk
- Disc 7 Bonus features:
- Feeling strong now! Interactive game
- Three rounds with legendary trainer Lou Duva - 4 minutes
- Interview with a legend - Bert Sugar: Author/commentator/historian - 7 minutes
- “The opponents“ - 16 minute featurette
- In the ring: Three part making of documentary
- Steadicam: Then and now with Garrett Brown - 17 minutes
- Make up! The art and form with Michael Westmore - 15 minutes
- Staccato: A composer‘s notebook with Bill Conti - 11 minutes
- The ring of truth - 9 minutes
- Behind the scenes with John Avildsen - 12 minutes
- Tribute to Burgess Meredith - 8 minutes
- Tribute to James Crabe - 3 minutes
- Video commentary with Sylvester Stallone
- Sylvester Stallone on Dinah! 1976
- Rocky anthology trailers, TV Spots
- Commentary by Sylvester Stallone
- (HD) 7 deleted/alternate scenes and an alternate ending
- (HD) Blooper reel
- (HD) 17 minute making of featurette
- (HD) 15 minute featurette on the fight sequence
- (HD) Creating the virtual/animated fight, including the uncut sequence (5 minutes)
- (HD) Trailers for Casino Royale, Talladega Nights, Stranger than Fiction, Gridiron Gang, Pursuit of Happyness
Rocky Balboa bonus features:
Final Thoughts:
I can’t speak for everyone but for me the Rocky films will forever hold a nostalgic and special place in my heart. In growing up I can remember the various stages during my life when each was released and how much I enjoyed watching them. Rocky: The undisputed collection from Fox/MGM includes all six and comes to Blu-ray with the first 5 five films offering video quality that while fair, doesn’t approach the level of the best catalog titles released in high definition, which is a shame as I feel that these films deserve better. Rocky Balboa stands on its own and offers excellent audio/video quality. The bonus supplements are wonderful and well worth the three plus hours to view them all. Regardless of its intermittent video quality this collection is absolutely a must have for fans and comes highly recommended.
Ralph Potts
AVS Forum Blu-ray Reviews
Reference Review System:
JVC DLA-RS20 1080p High Definition Front Projector (Calibrated by Jeff Meier)
Carada Precision Brilliant White 96″ Screen
Anthem AVM50v THX Ultra 2 Preamp/Video Processor
Sherbourn Technologies - 7/200 Seven Channel Amplifier
Oppo BDP-83 Universal disc/Blu-ray Player (HDMI Audio/Video)
Toshiba HD-XA2 HD DVD Player (HDMI Audio/Video)
Sony Playstation 3 Blu-ray disc Player (HDMI Audio/Video)
Oppo 970HD universal disc DVD Player (480i HDMI)
Philips TSU9400 Pro Series Touch Panel Remote Control
Canton “Ergo” Series speakers
Axiom Audio QS8 Quadpolar speakers
SV Sound PB-13 Ultra (Rosenut finish)
APC AV S15BLK Power Conditioner/Surge Protector
Furman SPR-20i Stable Power Regulator
Wireworld, VizionWare, Audioquest, Best Deal Cables - Audio/Video/Speaker Cabling
Cool Components - CP-CP102 cooling package
Cars (Blu-ray) Combo Pack Gift Set Official AVSForum review
The Review at a Glance: (max score: 5 )
Film:
Extras:
Audio/Video total rating:
( Max score: 100 )
97
Studio and Year: Disney/Pixar - 2006
MPAA Rating: G
Feature running time: 116 minutes
Genre: Family/animation
Disc Format: BD-50
Encoding: AVC (MPEG-4)
Video Aspect: 2.39:1
Resolution: 1080p/24
Audio Format(s): English uncompressed 5.1 PCM, English Dolby Digital 5.1
Subtitles: English SDH
Starring: Owen Wilson, Bonnie Hunt, Paul Newman, Cheech Marin, Tony Shaloub, Jenifer Lewis, Michael Keaton, Jeremy Piven, Katherine Helmond, John Ratzenberger, Larry the cable guy
Directed by: John Lasseter & Joe Ranft
Music by: Randy Newman
Written by: John Lasseter & Joe Ranft
Region Code: A,B,C
Blu-ray Disc release Date: November 10, 2009
“Gear up!”
Film Synopsis:
Hotshot rookie race car Lightning McQueen (Owen Wilson) is living life in the fast lane until he hits a detour on his way to the most important race of his life. Stranded in Radiator Springs, a forgotten town on the old Route 66, he meets Sally, Mater, Doc Hudson (Paul Newman), and a variety of quirky characters that help him discover that there’s more to life than trophies and fame. Revved up with a sensational soundtrack, featuring Rascal Flatts, Sheryl Crow, John Mayer, James Taylor and others, plus exciting bonus features, including the exclusive short movie “Mater And The Ghostlight,” Cars is full of freewheeling fun for everyone.
My Take:
Believe it or not I had never seen Cars prior to receiving it for this review. When I was offered the chance to do so via this Ultimate Cars Gift Pack I couldn’t resist. This is the third Disney/Pixar review I have written in the last couple of days. I will forego any further commentary on my affinity for their lovable characters, superbly crafted elements and fan pleasing lineage. Cars has been available on Blu-ray since late 2007. This is the same version but also includes a DVD version of the film as well as two limited edition die-cast collectibles cars. Here is an overview:
Steer your family toward the future of home entertainment fun with the all-new CARS: Blu-ray Combo Pack Gift Set. This limited edition Gift Set from Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment includes the stunning Blu-ray transfer of the high octane adventure comedy, featuring eye-popping visual clarity, petal-to-the-metal sound and hours of innovative special features. Also included are a Standard Widescreen DVD version of the film for playback on portable devices, plus two very special, limited edition die-cast cars of the beloved characters “Lightning McQueen” and “Mater.” Arriving just in time for the holidays, the CARS: Blu-ray Combo Pack Gift Set is guaranteed to fuel hours of fun for everyone in your family and is the perfect way to rev up your Blu-ray collection!
Experience the freewheeling adventures of hotshot race car Lightning McQueen with CARS on Blu-ray and DVD! Featuring the ultimate in high definition picture and sound, the Blu-ray edition of CARS also includes the uniquely interactive features “Cine-Explore,” for the ultimate behind-the-scenes experience; “Car Finder,” an immersive game in which viewers can discover hundreds of “Car-acters”; Deleted Scenes; Radiator Springs Featurettes and Movie Showcase. The Standard Widescreen DVD of CARS also arrives souped-up with hours of entertaining bonus features, including the Animated Short: “Mater WDSHE – CARS Blu-ray Combo Pack Gift Set, p. 2 And The Ghostlight”; the Academy Award® Nominated Animated Short: “One Man Band”; “John Lasseter’s Inspiration For Cars”; Deleted Scenes and more!
I really enjoyed Cars! It’s sends a positive message built around a story that resonates with both young and adult audiences (especially those that have an appreciation for Nascar!). The Limited Edition die-cast collectibles come with custom Ransburg paint featuring crusin’ Lightning McQueen and Rescue Squad Mater fire truck. Both are sturdily built and very detailed. The two disc set comes in the traditional Blu-ray slim profile case. This will make a wonderful gift and provides a great way to experience this entertaining and spectacular looking animated film.
Parental Guide:
This film is appropriate for all ages.
AUDIO/VIDEO - By The Numbers:
REFERENCE = 92-100 / EXCELLENT = 83-91 / GOOD = 74-82 / AVERAGE = 65-73 / BELOW AVERAGE = under 65
**My audio/video ratings are based upon a comparative made against other high definition media/blu-ray disc.**
(Each rating is worth 4 points with a max of 5 per category)
Audio: 96
Video: 98
(Each rating is worth 4 points with a max of 5 per category)
Cars is presented on Blu-ray disc from Disney featuring 1080p AVC encoded video that has an average bitrate of 19 mbps and lossless uncompressed 5.1 PCM audio that has a constant bitrate of 6.9 mbps.
This is a reference quality high definition presentation that has justifiable received praise for its incredible imagery. Colors are rich, vibrant, well balanced and visually stimulating. Blacks are stable, with ink like depth, and visible gradational stages. Lighter segments look great but darker ones mixed with lighter onscreen elements is where this presentation excels. The nighttime scene at the beginning of chapter 29 when Lightning McQueen leaves Radiator Springs for LA provides a great example of this. This segment looks stunning as the wide array of bright, crisp colors within the neon lighting/cars within the frame popped against the contrasted and deep dynamic black of the sky background. White and black levels are stable and strike a wonderful balance that highlight the multi-layered grays and delineated whites within the video. Crisp definition and razor sharp focus allow all of the texture, subtle delineation and high resolution inherent in this digitally created film to be fully realized. Depth is excellent but not quite as three dimensionally acute as some of the most recent animated films that I have seen. Otherwise this is a marvelous and pristinely rendered presentation that truly capable of outstanding video quality.
The lossless uncompressed multi-channel PCM soundtrack is on par with the video and is a real treat. This is an engaging mix that utilizes the entire system to create a truly theater like experience. Sound staging is excellent as both the front and rear channels are seamlessly integrated so that sound effects literally traverse the room. Surround activity is abundant and immersive as both directional and spatial information mixed to the rear channels weaves an enveloping pattern of sound. Dynamics are energetic and forceful which lends weight to the plethora of impact felt racing sequences featured in the movie. This is a fairly aggressive mix that makes regular use of the subwoofer to accentuate its already powerful dynamic range. The result is impressive low frequency effects that have authoritative depth and response that can be felt throughout the listening area. Dialogue is rendered with aplomb and sonic details are refined and clearly articulated regardless of their position with the sound field. This is an encompassing and sophisticated surround mix that makes for a fun, involving and demonstration level home theater experience.
Bonus Features:
- (HD) Movie showcase – Filmmakers chosen scenes (4) to highlight the high definition audio/video
- Cinexplore – Documentary shorts (33 minutes total) :
- Radiator Springs -
- Character design
- Animation and acting
- Real world racing: Getting geeky with the details
- Hudson hornet
- Graphics
- Darrell Waltrip museum tour
- The inspiration for Cars: featurette 16 minutes
- 5 Deleted scenes
- (HD) Mater and the ghostlight – 7 minute short
- (HD) One man band – 4 minute short
- Boundin’ Cars – 1 minute short
- (HD) Epilogue – 4 minutes
- Car finder – Interactive game
Final Thoughts:
Cars on Blu-ray Disc needs no real introduction as many have sung its praises for breathtaking high definition video and reference quality audio. I wholeheartedly concur and am pleased to have had the opportunity to finally experience it in my theater room. Disney is offering it to fans in this Ultimate Cars Gift Pack which includes the original Blu-ray release, a DVD version of the film, and two limited edition die-cast collectibles featuring Lightning McQueen and Rescue Squad Mater. This will surely make a welcomed gift for the Cars fanatic in your life. Enjoy!
Ralph Potts
AVS Forum Blu-ray Reviews
Reference Review System:
JVC DLA-RS20 1080p High Definition Front Projector (Calibrated by Jeff Meier)
Carada Precision Brilliant White 96″ Screen
Anthem AVM50v THX Ultra 2 Preamp/Video Processor
Sherbourn Technologies - 7/200 Seven Channel Amplifier
Oppo BDP-83 Universal disc/Blu-ray Player (HDMI Audio/Video)
Toshiba HD-XA2 HD DVD Player (HDMI Audio/Video)
Sony Playstation 3 Blu-ray disc Player (HDMI Audio/Video)
Oppo 970HD universal disc DVD Player (480i HDMI)
Philips TSU9400 Pro Series Touch Panel Remote Control
Canton “Ergo” Series speakers
Axiom Audio QS8 Quadpolar speakers
SV Sound PB-13 Ultra (Rosenut finish)
APC AV S15BLK Power Conditioner/Surge Protector
Furman SPR-20i Stable Power Regulator
Wireworld, VizionWare, Audioquest, Best Deal Cables - Audio/Video/Speaker Cabling
Cool Components - CP-CP102 cooling package
Easy Rider (Blu-ray) Official AVSForum Review
The Review at a Glance: (max score: 5 )
Film:
Extras:
Audio/Video total rating:
( Max score: 100 )
80
Studio and Year: Columbia/Sony - 1969
MPAA Rating: R
Feature running time: 95 minutes
Genre: Drama
Disc Format: BD-50
Encoding: AVC (MPEG-4)
Video Aspect: 1.85:1
Resolution: 1080p/24
Audio Format(s): English/French/Portuguese Dolby TrueHD 5.1, Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1, English Dolby Mono (Original)
Subtitles: English, English SDH, French, Portuguese, Spanish
Starring: Peter Fonda, Dennis Hopper, Jack Nicholson, Karen Black, Phil Spector
Directed by: Dennis Hopper
Music by: Various
Written by: Peter Fonda, Dennis Hopper, Terry Southern
Region Code: A,B,C
Blu-ray Disc release Date: October 20, 2009
“A man went looking for America. And couldn’t find it anywhere…”
Film Synopsis:
Experience the real ’60s counterculture in this compelling mixture of drugs, sex and armchair politics. Academy Award®-winner Jack Nicholson (Best Actor, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, 1975; Best Supporting Actor, Terms of Endearment, 1983; Best Actor, As Good As It Gets, 1997) stars with Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper (who also directs) in this unconventional classic which Time Magazine hails as “one of the ten most important pictures of the decade.” Nominated for an Academy Award® (1969) for Best Original Screenplay (written by Peter Fonda, Dennis Hopper and Terry Southern), EASY RIDER continues to touch a chord with fans everywhere.
My Take:
Easy rider is considered to be a classic film that at the time of its release delivered a message from a generation of young people that needed a voice. The anti-establishment/counterculture during the time pervades the film’s theme as it speaks to stereo typical treatment of those who wanted to express themselves. Wyatt/Captain America (Fonda) and Billy (Hopper) are a couple of retired drug dealers that decide to motorcycle from Los Angeles to the Mardi Gras in New Orleans Louisiana (with plans to settle in Florida). On their journey they encounter a variety of people and experiences. These include a hard working rancher and his large family, a hippie commune, an arrest for “parading with a permit”, encountering small town prejudice/violence, and dropping acid with two southern hookers at Mardi Gras. While incarcerated they meet up with a young lawyer named George (Nicholson) who is having an identity crisis of sorts as he attempts to conform to his parent’s image of who he should be. George decides to tag along with plans to take Wyatt and Billy to a high profile brothel located in New Orleans. George discovers that freedom can be found on the back of a motorcycle and a destiny unknown. The film depicts the fear, misunderstanding and treatment of countercultural types as well as ushering in a differing Hollywood perspective on films about the youth of the day. This was also the first film to eschew use of a music score in favor of using popular music as a background. To quote the text from the graphic booklet that comes with the Blu-ray disc “While most films are enhanced by their soundtracks, some come to be defined by them.” The film used music performed by Steppenwolf, The Bryds, The Band, Jimi Hendrix, Fraternity of man, Roger McGuinn and more. There is no question that this film’s music epitomized its generational message.
Writer/director/actor Dennis Hopper and writer/producer Peter Fonda’s vision is aptly conveyed through use of straight forward storytelling, visual stimulation and honest conviction. Is this a movie about motorcycles, sex, and drugs? You bet, but it is more than that. It came at a time when Hollywood’s portrayal of youth was relegated to frolicking, cutesy actors, singing and dancing on the beach without a care in the world. Young people who strove to make a statement that went against the societal perception of “be seen and not heard” saw this classic piece of American cinema as their voice and perfectly timed for those Born to be wild.
Parental Guide:
The rating is for pervasive drug use, violence, language and sexuality/brief nudity.
AUDIO/VIDEO - By The Numbers:
REFERENCE = 92-100 / EXCELLENT = 83-91 / GOOD = 74-82 / AVERAGE = 65-73 / BELOW AVERAGE = under 65
**My audio/video ratings are based upon a comparative made against other high definition media/blu-ray disc.**
(Each rating is worth 4 points with a max of 5 per category)
Audio: 76
Video: 84
(Each rating is worth 4 points with a max of 5 per category)
Easy rider comes to Blu-ray from Sony featuring 1080p AVC encoded video with an average bitrate of 27 mbps and lossless Dolby TrueHD 5.1 audio with an average bitrate of 2.4 mbps.
Sony has consistently released their catalog titles in high definition on Blu-ray with great looking video quality and this release is no exception. From the film’s opening moments it was clear that this had lots of potential. Detail is excellent for a 40 plus year old film. Minute detail was rendered articulately as were the characteristic structure of objects and landscapes onscreen. This provided visuals that appeared clearly defined and dimensionally proportional. Any fluctuations in apparent resolution were innate to the original photography. The beautiful sequences filmed against the wide angle shots of the mountainous/rock formed backdrops looked excellent in high definition. I was pleasantly surprised at how well details in dark areas were rendered. There are a few sequences that are shot in low light with only the dusk sky/moon as the light source. I was able to discern the various shapes and outlines within the dark segments of the clothing worn by cast and the outlining areas. Colors appeared vivid and tonally pleasing with eye catching primaries that looked great. Grain is pervasive throughout and appears consistently textured and natural. The only noticeable variation takes place in the Mardi Gras/acid trip sequences which were intentionally shot with an overexposed/dynamically contrasted and granular aesthetic. I didn’t notice any signs of digital noise reduction or compression related artifacts.
The Dolby TrueHD soundtrack had no trouble handling the film’s recorded elements. The front three channels (primary focused on the center channel) carried the majority of the film’s audio. I never had a problem understanding dialogue or hearing sounds or effects as the presentation exhibited notable clarity, channel separation and dimension. This was especially obvious during the sequences featuring the film’s superlative music as it tool center stage. It almost seemed as though the score utilized a separate sound mix as it sounded airy, detailed, and dynamic. It was spread across the front three channels with light ambience bled to the surrounds. There was a noticeable difference when the film switched from a sequence involving music back to those without. The dated aspects of the recording were apparent but it sounded fine. There was no deep LFE mixed to the subwoofer however bass contained within the track accentuated its dynamic elements and music.
Bonus Features:
- Audio commentary with Dennis Hopper
- Easy rider: “Shaking the cage” documentary film by Charles Kiselyak – 65 minutes
- BD-Live enabled
- (HD) BD Previews:
- The DaVinci Code extended cut
- Close encounters of the third kind
- Ghostbusters
- A river runs through it
- Blood: the last vampire
- Moon
- Tyson
- Comes packaged in a 35 page book with photos, talent files, production background and more
This title includes Sony’s Movie IQ features which requires a BD-Live connection and allows fans the option of viewing continuously updated details on the cast and crew and to explore relevant trivia such as production facts, music, and soundtrack information which are tied into scenes in the movie. This can be turned on or off and is activated by the press of a button on your player’s remote.
Final Thoughts:
Easy rider is a classic cinematic work that many of its generation identify with. It didn’t make use of a high budget or star studded cast but instead spoke volumes with its humanization of counterculture, candid/nonjudgmental depiction of drug use and open sexual expression. For later generations it probably feels less relevant however its impact as a cinematic work is still significant even today. Sony appears to have faithfully preserved the film’s original elements in this excellent high definition rendering that looks and sounds great. The bonus supplements include an entertaining and informative documentary that provides background on the production from a soup to nuts perspective as told through interviews with the cast and crew. MovieIQ functionality and BD-Live access round out a strong Blu-ray Disc catalog offering from Sony that comes highly recommended.
Ralph Potts
AVS Forum Blu-ray Reviews
Reference Review System:
JVC DLA-RS20 1080p High Definition Front Projector (Calibrated by Jeff Meier)
Carada Precision Brilliant White 96″ Screen
Anthem AVM50v THX Ultra 2 Preamp/Video Processor
Sherbourn Technologies - 7/200 Seven Channel Amplifier
Oppo BDP-83 Universal disc/Blu-ray Player (HDMI Audio/Video)
Toshiba HD-XA2 HD DVD Player (HDMI Audio/Video)
Sony Playstation 3 Blu-ray disc Player (HDMI Audio/Video)
Oppo 970HD universal disc DVD Player (480i HDMI)
Philips TSU9400 Pro Series Touch Panel Remote Control
Canton “Ergo” Series speakers
Axiom Audio QS8 Quadpolar speakers
SV Sound PB-13 Ultra (Rosenut finish)
APC AV S15BLK Power Conditioner/Surge Protector
Furman SPR-20i Stable Power Regulator
Wireworld, VizionWare, Audioquest, Best Deal Cables - Audio/Video/Speaker Cabling
Cool Components - CP-CP102 cooling package
