{"id":53605,"date":"2013-07-15T06:00:36","date_gmt":"2013-07-15T13:00:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.highdefdigest.com\/blog\/?p=53605"},"modified":"2014-03-05T21:44:45","modified_gmt":"2014-03-06T05:44:45","slug":"bluray-highlights-jul-14-2013","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.highdefdigest.com\/blog\/bluray-highlights-jul-14-2013\/","title":{"rendered":"Blu-ray Highlights: Week of July 14th, 2013 &#8211; Math Is Hard"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>What do you get when you multiply 3840 x 2160, divide by 4, and then add 42? You get some of this week&#8217;s notable Blu-ray releases.<br \/>\n<!--more--><\/p>\n<div id=\"polls-452\" class=\"wp-polls\">\n\t<form id=\"polls_form_452\" class=\"wp-polls-form\" action=\"\/blog\/index.php\" method=\"post\">\n\t\t<p style=\"display: none;\"><input type=\"hidden\" id=\"poll_452_nonce\" name=\"wp-polls-nonce\" value=\"73318dc21c\" \/><\/p>\n\t\t<p style=\"display: none;\"><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"poll_id\" value=\"452\" \/><\/p>\n\t\t<p style=\"display: none;\"><input type=\"hidden\" id=\"poll_multiple_ans_452\" name=\"poll_multiple_ans_452\" value=\"27\" \/><\/p>\n\t\t<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>Which Blu-rays Interest You This Week (7\/16\/13)?<\/strong><\/p><div id=\"polls-452-ans\" class=\"wp-polls-ans\"><ul class=\"wp-polls-ul\">\n\t\t<li><input type=\"checkbox\" id=\"poll-answer-4660\" name=\"poll_452\" value=\"4660\" \/> <label for=\"poll-answer-4660\">'<a href=\"http:\/\/bluray.highdefdigest.com\/9325\/42.html\">42<\/a>' (Warner Bros.)<\/label><\/li>\n\t\t<li><input type=\"checkbox\" id=\"poll-answer-4661\" name=\"poll_452\" value=\"4661\" \/> <label for=\"poll-answer-4661\">'<a href=\"http:\/\/bluray.highdefdigest.com\/9154\/affair_heart.html\">An Affair of the Heart<\/a>' (Breaking Glass)<\/label><\/li>\n\t\t<li><input type=\"checkbox\" id=\"poll-answer-4662\" name=\"poll_452\" value=\"4662\" \/> <label for=\"poll-answer-4662\">'<a href=\"http:\/\/bluray.highdefdigest.com\/9502\/anthem.html\">Anthem<\/a>' (R Squared)<\/label><\/li>\n\t\t<li><input type=\"checkbox\" id=\"poll-answer-4663\" name=\"poll_452\" value=\"4663\" \/> <label for=\"poll-answer-4663\">'<a href=\"http:\/\/bluray.highdefdigest.com\/9272\/black_sabbath_63.html\">Black Sabbath <\/a>' (Kino Classics)<\/label><\/li>\n\t\t<li><input type=\"checkbox\" id=\"poll-answer-4664\" name=\"poll_452\" value=\"4664\" \/> <label for=\"poll-answer-4664\">'<a href=\"http:\/\/bluray.highdefdigest.com\/9383\/boondock_saints_2_dc.html\">The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day - Director's Cut<\/a>' (Sony)<\/label><\/li>\n\t\t<li><input type=\"checkbox\" id=\"poll-answer-4665\" name=\"poll_452\" value=\"4665\" \/> <label for=\"poll-answer-4665\">'<a href=\"http:\/\/bluray.highdefdigest.com\/9324\/bullet_head.html\">Bullet to the Head<\/a>' (Warner Brothers)<\/label><\/li>\n\t\t<li><input type=\"checkbox\" id=\"poll-answer-4666\" name=\"poll_452\" value=\"4666\" \/> <label for=\"poll-answer-4666\">'<a href=\"http:\/\/bluray.highdefdigest.com\/9217\/erased.html\">Erased<\/a>' (Starz\/Anchor Bay)<\/label><\/li>\n\t\t<li><input type=\"checkbox\" id=\"poll-answer-4667\" name=\"poll_452\" value=\"4667\" \/> <label for=\"poll-answer-4667\">'<a href=\"http:\/\/bluray.highdefdigest.com\/9082\/eve_destruction.html\">Eve of Destruction<\/a>' (Sonar)<\/label><\/li>\n\t\t<li><input type=\"checkbox\" id=\"poll-answer-4668\" name=\"poll_452\" value=\"4668\" \/> <label for=\"poll-answer-4668\">'<a href=\"http:\/\/bluray.highdefdigest.com\/9329\/evil_dead_2013.html\">Evil Dead (2013)<\/a>' (Sony)<\/label><\/li>\n\t\t<li><input type=\"checkbox\" id=\"poll-answer-4669\" name=\"poll_452\" value=\"4669\" \/> <label for=\"poll-answer-4669\">'<a href=\"http:\/\/bluray.highdefdigest.com\/9307\/gangster_empire.html\">Gangster Empire: Rise of the Mob<\/a>' (Mill Creek)<\/label><\/li>\n\t\t<li><input type=\"checkbox\" id=\"poll-answer-4670\" name=\"poll_452\" value=\"4670\" \/> <label for=\"poll-answer-4670\">'<a href=\"http:\/\/bluray.highdefdigest.com\/9538\/godzilla98_4k.html\">Godzilla (1998) (Mastered in 4K)<\/a>' (Sony)<\/label><\/li>\n\t\t<li><input type=\"checkbox\" id=\"poll-answer-4671\" name=\"poll_452\" value=\"4671\" \/> <label for=\"poll-answer-4671\">'<a href=\"http:\/\/bluray.highdefdigest.com\/9001\/heavytraffic.html\">Heavy Traffic<\/a>' (Shout! Factory)<\/label><\/li>\n\t\t<li><input type=\"checkbox\" id=\"poll-answer-4672\" name=\"poll_452\" value=\"4672\" \/> <label for=\"poll-answer-4672\">'<a href=\"http:\/\/bluray.highdefdigest.com\/9139\/hell_wheels_s2.html\">Hell on Wheels: The Complete Second Season<\/a>' (One)<\/label><\/li>\n\t\t<li><input type=\"checkbox\" id=\"poll-answer-4673\" name=\"poll_452\" value=\"4673\" \/> <label for=\"poll-answer-4673\">'<a href=\"http:\/\/bluray.highdefdigest.com\/9000\/jackie_battle_hunter.html\">Jackie Chan: Battle Creek Brawl \/ City Hunter<\/a>' (Shout! Factory)<\/label><\/li>\n\t\t<li><input type=\"checkbox\" id=\"poll-answer-4674\" name=\"poll_452\" value=\"4674\" \/> <label for=\"poll-answer-4674\">'<a href=\"http:\/\/bluray.highdefdigest.com\/4455\/lord_flies.html\">Lord of the Flies<\/a>' (Criterion)<\/label><\/li>\n\t\t<li><input type=\"checkbox\" id=\"poll-answer-4675\" name=\"poll_452\" value=\"4675\" \/> <label for=\"poll-answer-4675\">'<a href=\"http:\/\/bluray.highdefdigest.com\/9043\/mm_endeavour_s1.html\">Masterpiece Mystery: Endeavour Series 1<\/a>' (PBS)<\/label><\/li>\n\t\t<li><input type=\"checkbox\" id=\"poll-answer-4676\" name=\"poll_452\" value=\"4676\" \/> <label for=\"poll-answer-4676\">'<a href=\"http:\/\/bluray.highdefdigest.com\/9430\/endeavour_s1.html\">Masterpiece Mystery: Endeavour Series 1 <\/a>' (PBS)<\/label><\/li>\n\t\t<li><input type=\"checkbox\" id=\"poll-answer-4677\" name=\"poll_452\" value=\"4677\" \/> <label for=\"poll-answer-4677\">'<a href=\"http:\/\/bluray.highdefdigest.com\/9542\/meninblack_4k.html\">Men in Black (Mastered in 4K)<\/a>' (Sony)<\/label><\/li>\n\t\t<li><input type=\"checkbox\" id=\"poll-answer-4678\" name=\"poll_452\" value=\"4678\" \/> <label for=\"poll-answer-4678\">'<a href=\"http:\/\/bluray.highdefdigest.com\/9541\/moneyball_4k.html\">Moneyball (Mastered in 4K)<\/a>' (Sony)<\/label><\/li>\n\t\t<li><input type=\"checkbox\" id=\"poll-answer-4679\" name=\"poll_452\" value=\"4679\" \/> <label for=\"poll-answer-4679\">'<a href=\"http:\/\/bluray.highdefdigest.com\/8920\/orphan_black_s1.html\">Orphan Black: Season One<\/a>' (BBC)<\/label><\/li>\n\t\t<li><input type=\"checkbox\" id=\"poll-answer-4680\" name=\"poll_452\" value=\"4680\" \/> <label for=\"poll-answer-4680\">'<a href=\"http:\/\/bluray.highdefdigest.com\/9017\/patlabor_tv_c1.html\">Patlabor TV: Collection 1<\/a>' (Section 23)<\/label><\/li>\n\t\t<li><input type=\"checkbox\" id=\"poll-answer-4681\" name=\"poll_452\" value=\"4681\" \/> <label for=\"poll-answer-4681\">'<a href=\"http:\/\/bluray.highdefdigest.com\/9539\/pineappleexpress_4k.html\">Pineapple Express (Mastered in 4K)<\/a>' (Sony)<\/label><\/li>\n\t\t<li><input type=\"checkbox\" id=\"poll-answer-4682\" name=\"poll_452\" value=\"4682\" \/> <label for=\"poll-answer-4682\">'<a href=\"http:\/\/bluray.highdefdigest.com\/8886\/regular_show_s1_s2.html\">Regular Show: The Complete First and Second Seasons<\/a>' (Warner Brothers)<\/label><\/li>\n\t\t<li><input type=\"checkbox\" id=\"poll-answer-4683\" name=\"poll_452\" value=\"4683\" \/> <label for=\"poll-answer-4683\">'<a href=\"http:\/\/bluray.highdefdigest.com\/9237\/solomon_kane.html\">Solomon Kane<\/a>' (Starz\/Anchor Bay)<\/label><\/li>\n\t\t<li><input type=\"checkbox\" id=\"poll-answer-4684\" name=\"poll_452\" value=\"4684\" \/> <label for=\"poll-answer-4684\">'<a href=\"http:\/\/bluray.highdefdigest.com\/9540\/spiderman2_4k.html\">Spider-Man 2 (Mastered in 4K)<\/a>' (Sony)<\/label><\/li>\n\t\t<li><input type=\"checkbox\" id=\"poll-answer-4685\" name=\"poll_452\" value=\"4685\" \/> <label for=\"poll-answer-4685\">Other (Tell us in the Comments)<\/label><\/li>\n\t\t<li><input type=\"checkbox\" id=\"poll-answer-4686\" name=\"poll_452\" value=\"4686\" \/> <label for=\"poll-answer-4686\">Nothing for me this week.<\/label><\/li>\n\t\t<\/ul><p style=\"text-align: center;\"><input type=\"button\" name=\"vote\" value=\"   Vote   \" class=\"Buttons\" onclick=\"poll_vote(452);\" \/><\/p><p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"#ViewPollResults\" onclick=\"poll_result(452); return false;\" title=\"View Results Of This Poll\">View Results<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n\t<\/form>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"polls-452-loading\" class=\"wp-polls-loading\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.highdefdigest.com\/blog\/wp-content\/plugins\/wp-polls\/images\/loading.gif\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\" alt=\"Loading ...\" title=\"Loading ...\" class=\"wp-polls-image\" \/>&nbsp;Loading ...<\/div>\n\n<h5>New Releases<\/h5>\n<p>Not that I have anything against Brian Helgeland (whose batting average as both a screenwriter and director has hovered somewhere around .260), but it just feels wrong to me to let a white guy make the Jackie Robinson bio-pic &#8216;<strong>42<\/strong>&#8216;. No, I&#8217;m not saying that you need to hire Spike Lee to direct <em>every<\/em> movie about black historical figures, but surely there must be some other talented black director in Hollywood who might be suited to the project? In any case, most reviews claim that &#8217;42&#8217; is a pretty standard, formulaic bio-pic, livened up by a standout performance from Harrison Ford (actually giving a damn for the first time in a long while) as Brooklyn Dodgers GM Branch Rickey.<\/p>\n<p>Word-of-mouth from horror fans was pretty mixed about this year&#8217;s &#8216;<strong>Evil Dead<\/strong>&#8216; remake. Some absolutely loved the movie&#8217;s attempt to rework the property as straight horror, stripping out most of the campy comedy that the original series is famous for. Others found it a dull, rote schlock-fest. I don&#8217;t have any strong attachment to the franchise one way or the other, but I find it encouraging that the filmmakers at least <em>attempted<\/em> to respect the material and do something interesting with it, rather than just churn out another cynical cash-in. That counts for something, right?<\/p>\n<p>Are audiences finally tiring of over-the-hill action stars desperately trying to stay relevant in the modern era? Both Schwarzenegger&#8217;s &#8216;The Last Stand&#8217; and Sylvester Stallone&#8217;s &#8216;<strong>Bullet to the Head<\/strong>&#8216; were major flops this year. The most interesting thing about the latter is that Stallone also dragged Walter Hill (&#8217;48 Hrs.&#8217;, &#8216;Red Heat&#8217;) out of semi-retirement to direct it for him, not that it helped any. Oh, and &#8216;Fairly Legal&#8217; hottie Sarah Shahi reportedly has a gratuitous topless scene in it. Lest we worry too much for Stallone or Schwarzenegger, the stars have another shot at redemption with their team-up movie &#8216;Escape Plan&#8217; later this year, and I&#8217;m sure another dopey &#8216;Expendables&#8217; sequel is in development.<\/p>\n<h5>Catalog Titles<\/h5>\n<p>This week, Sony delivers another wave of its &#8220;Mastered in 4k&#8221; line of Blu-rays. As I <a href=\"https:\/\/www.highdefdigest.com\/blog\/bluray-highlights-may-12-2013\/\">explained back in May<\/a>, these discs are not really 4k resolution. They are more accurately described as &#8220;Superbit&#8221; Blu-rays, still encoded at standard 1080p resolution (and playable in any Blu-ray player on any HDTV) but stripped of bonus features and authored with high bit rates. This batch brings us the 1998 &#8216;<strong>Godzilla<\/strong>&#8216;, &#8216;<strong>Men in Black<\/strong>&#8216;, &#8216;<strong>Moneyball<\/strong>&#8216;, &#8216;<strong>Pineapple Express<\/strong>&#8216; and &#8216;<strong>Spider-Man 2<\/strong>&#8216;. Aside from &#8216;Moneyball&#8217; (which I still haven&#8217;t seen, but that doesn&#8217;t strike me as a movie overly-dependant on the quality of its visuals), nothing here interests me in the slightest. Your mileage may vary.<\/p>\n<p>From smaller distributors, the Criterion Collection brings us Peter Brooks&#8217; famous 1963 adaptation of &#8216;<strong>Lord of the Flies<\/strong>&#8216;, Kino unleashes Mario Bava&#8217;s &#8216;<strong>Black Sabbath<\/strong>&#8216;, and Shout! Factory gets animated with Ralph Bakshi&#8217;s &#8216;<strong>Heavy Traffic<\/strong>&#8216;.<\/p>\n<h5>Television<\/h5>\n<p>If TV box sets are your thing, you&#8217;ll have a lot of viewing ahead of you with the first season of the sci-fi mystery &#8216;<strong>Orphan Black<\/strong>&#8216;, Season 2 of the Western &#8216;<strong>Hell on Wheels<\/strong>&#8216;, and the first two seasons of the cult animated hit &#8216;<strong>Regular Show<\/strong>&#8216;.<\/p>\n<p>&#8212;<\/p>\n<p>&#8216;Lord of the Flies&#8217; goes on my wish list. I may rent &#8217;42&#8217; or &#8216;Evil Dead&#8217; (or, hell, perhaps even &#8216;Bullet to the Head&#8217;), though I don&#8217;t expect to buy them. What grabs your attention this week?<\/p>\n<!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on the_content --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on the_content -->","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What do you get when you multiply 3840 x 2160, divide by 4, and then add 42? 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