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'Cloud Atlas' Dated for Blu-ray[teaser]The epic blockbuster based on the New York Times best-selling novel written by David Mitchell arrives on Blu-ray in February. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Warner Brothers has scheduled 'Cloud Atlas' for Blu-ray on February 5. Future. Present. Past. Everything is connected. An exploration of how the actions of individual lives impact one another in the past, present and future, as one soul is shaped from a killer into a hero, and an act of kindness ripples across centuries to inspire a revolution.The story is a time-shifting weave of six interlinking narratives, with diverse settings from the savagery of a Pacific Island in the 1850s to a dystopian Korea of the near future. Specs and supplements have yet to be revealed, but suggested list price for the Blu-ray/DVD/Ultraviolet combo is $35.99. You can find the latest specs for 'Cloud Atlas' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under February 5.Posted Wed Dec 5, 2012 at 12:00 PM PST by: -
'Celeste and Jesse Forever' Announced for Blu-ray[teaser]Lee Toland Krieger's acclaimed rom-com is bound for Blu-ray just in time for Valentine's Day. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Sony says 'Celeste and Jesse Forever' will hit Blu-ray on February 5. Celeste (Rashida Jones) and Jesse (Andy Samberg) met in high school, married young and are growing apart. Now thirty, Celeste is the driven owner of her own media consulting firm, Jesse is once again unemployed and in no particular rush to do anything with his life. Celeste is convinced that divorcing Jesse is the right thing to do -- she is on her way up, he is on his way nowhere, and if they do it now instead of later, they can remain supportive friends. Jesse passively accepts this transition into friendship, even though he is still in love with her. As the reality of their separation sets in, Celeste slowly and painfully realizes she has been cavalier about their relationship, and her decision, which once seemed mature and progressive, now seems impulsive and selfish. The two come to learn that in order to truly love someone, you may have to let them go. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray set is $35.99. You can find the latest specs for 'Celeste and Jesse Forever' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under February 5.Posted Wed Dec 5, 2012 at 10:00 AM PST by: -
Westinghouse Will Reveal a 110-Inch 4K LED LCD at CES 2013[teaser]The manufacturer is planning on making a big name for itself at this year's show, thanks to a TV that's absolutely gigantic. [/teaser] What fun is a Consumer Electronics Show without some one-upmanship? We expect to see TV makers announcing bigger and better sets as the show approaches, but we didn't necessarily expect it from Westinghouse, which generally seems comfortable in the entry-level TV spot. Westinghouse took a break from making affordable TVs to work on an absolutely massive 110 inch 4K display – bigger than any we've seen so far. Details outside of that are scarce, but we'll find out much more about the new set in just about a month. Westinghouse says that there are more surprises in store as well, but we'll have to wait and see. Source: EngadgetPosted Wed Dec 5, 2012 at 09:00 AM PST by: -
HDD Deal of the Day: 'Indiana Jones: The Complete Adventures' Blu-ray $39.99 at Amazon[teaser]Today's Blu-ray Gold Box deal at Amazon is the box set of all four films starring Harrison Ford! [/teaser] Amazon has reduced the price on the reissued 'Indiana Jones: The Complete Adventures' Blu-ray for $39.99 (60% off suggested retail price. Also, get FREE 1-day shipping on this item by purchasing with your Discover Card or Cashback Bonus. Enter code DSCVRHSP at checkout. Click here to be linked to this incredible offer!Posted Wed Dec 5, 2012 at 08:03 AM PST by: -
'Undefeated' Blu-ray Announced[teaser]The inspirational Academy Award-winning documentary will tackle Blu-ray in February! [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Starz/Anchor Bay is working on 'Undefeated' for Blu-ray on February 19. A true story about courage and character, 'Undefeated' follows the Manassas Tigers – a severely underfunded and underprivileged high school football team – as they endeavor to reverse their fortunes with the help of a volunteer coach, Bill Courtney. The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack, and supplements include: Audio Commentary with directors Dan Lindsay and TJ Martin; Deleted Scenes; a Black and White Teaser Trailer; and a “The Making of Undefeated” featurette. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $24.99. You can find the latest specs for 'Undefeated' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under February 19.Posted Wed Dec 5, 2012 at 08:00 AM PST by: -
Samsung, LG, Philips and More Fined for Price Fixing in Europe[teaser]The total of the fines comes to just under two billion dollars spread out among the companies. [/teaser] The European Commission announced a ruling today that fines six different companies for price-fixing and are fining them a total of $1.92 billion. According to the commission, between 1996 and 2006 executives from Samsung, LG, Philips, Panasonic, Toshiba, Chunghwa Picture Tubes and Technicolor would meet to fix prices and divide up the markets for their TVs. The biggest fines go to Philips and LG, both of who are paying around double what Panasonic is paying. Philips has some legitimate beef here since they sold off that part of the company in 2001, but they intend to make a payment on the fine this year. Panasonic is pretty unhappy about this as well. "Panasonic believes the EU decision is factually and legally erroneous," says a statement released by the company. They also say that they "will carefully review the decision and consider our options for appeal to the European courts." Source: ReutersPosted Wed Dec 5, 2012 at 07:00 AM PST by: -
Poll: Best Theatrical 3D FormatToday in the blog, we're running a poll to determine which theatrical 3D format provides the best experience. Please join us to weigh in with your opinion.Posted Wed Dec 5, 2012 at 06:15 AM PST by: -
'Die Hard: 25th Anniversary Blu-ray Collection' Announced and Detailed for Blu-ray[teaser]The boxed set containing the first four films featuring the ultimate action hero is getting a Blu-ray double dip this January. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, 20th Century Fox is preparing 'Die Hard: 25th Anniversary Blu-ray Collection' for Blu-ray on January 29. Celebrate 25 years of Bruce Willis playing John McClane with this 5-Disc Collection featuring the first four 'Die Hard' films and an all-new bonus disc, “Decoding Die Hard.” It’s the ultimate tribute to the tough-as-nails cop with a wry sense of humor and a knack for explosive action. Wrong place. Wrong time. Right man. Yippee ki yay! The 5-Disc Blu-ray Collection will feature 1080p video, a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack, and supplements include: Modern-Day Hero — Casting, evolution and legacy of John McClane, Along For The Ride — Engaging sidekicks who have teamed up with McClane, Bad To The Bone — McClane’s well-armed and formidable foes, Punishing Blows — Creating the intense action sequences, fistfights and stunts, Explosive Effects — Role of groundbreaking visual and special effects including some of the biggest explosions on screen, Reinventing The Action Genre — Development of the franchise from concept to character to story, and The Right Hero For The Right Time — Appeal and influence of Die Hard films on pop culture. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray set is still undetermined at this time. You can find the latest specs for 'Die Hard: 25th Anniversary Blu-ray Collection' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under January 29.Posted Wed Dec 5, 2012 at 06:00 AM PST by: -
HDD's First Look at 'The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey' in HFR 48fps 3Dby Michael S. Palmer [teaser]There will be plenty of full reviews in the coming days before 'The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey' opens in US cinemas on December 14th, so I won't bore you with too many thoughts about the film itself, but I was fortunate enough to attend a High Frame Rate 48fps 3D (RealD) screening last night. Here are all the details...[/teaser] Moments before the lights darkened, a theater employee confirmed we were going to see HFR. I was pretty excited, not having seen any of the early controversial footage. So, how does it look? Does it ruin the movie or blow all projection formats out of the water? Will it drive people away, or call them back to cinemas? Tragedy or triumph? Neither, actually. But before I explain my reaction in detail, it's worth noting the movie's visual effects are nothing short of astounding. Everything that impressed in 'LOTR' -- from orcs to monstrous wargs to "bigature" underworld sets to Gollum to extended vistas -- has been upgraded visually. More detail, more texture, and more color. Even the places we've been before, like Rivendale, have never looked this jaw-droppingly stunning. Granted, these improvements may have more to do with technical and visual advancements made over the last decade than the shooting format, but I bring this up because some early reviews reported HFR made things appear cheap. That you could see makeup on the actors' faces. That the magic had somehow been sucked out of this cinematic universe. And perhaps it was true. I didn't see the test footage, which may have lacked any of the world-extending visual effects and color correction. Having seen 'The Hobbit' in HFR, I say it's still the same 'LOTR' world we know and love. It doesn't feel cheap or fake, and it doesn't make the effects stick out. On the contrary, I'd argue 'An Unexpected Journey' looks ultra-real. How so? Well, oddly enough, many of you already know exactly what it's like to watch HFR. I forget which exact forum thread it was, but I remember everyone arguing about this over and over again, and here's the truth: Native 48fps looks very much like "TrueMotion" or any of those LCD technologies that create new frames and reduce motion blur. While you certainly settle into it after a few minutes, HFR has that kinda-slow-motion-but-kinda-fast-motion look. Not all the time, of course, I felt it most in close to medium shots (an actor from the waist to head) where the performer would sit down or turn around or cross the frame. In the wider, epic shots, that "plastic" feeling wasn't as prevalent. Before anyone flips out, remember I said "very much like," not "exactly like." It's simply the best analogy; something many of our readers have seen. And while there can be some "unnatural smoothness" in HFR, detail and color were astoundingly vivid, much more so than what a TV algorythm produces. Swooping through action shots above and underground, or as hordes of digital warriors clashed on battlefields, I could see everything. In a word: breathtaking. Another technology of which HFR reminded me was watching Blu-ray 3D on my Panasonic VT50 series plasma, which uses active shutter technology. If I set my TV to 96hz, a multiple of 24p, it's very juddery with tons of flicker. In 60hz, the motion is much smoother, but there can be a little bit of that exceedingly-smooth feeling to it all, while remaining more natural than what was described above. Watching HFR was very much like seeing 'Up - 3D' or 'Finding Nemo - - 3D' last week on my plasma in 60hz mode. As I haven't seen the 24fps version of 'The Hobbit', I don't want to make any declarations or pronounce one a winner. I know my wife wasn't as impressed as I was, but generally speaking, the film looks terrific in HFR. Is it the best-new-thing-EVER? Nope. Will it change the way we watch movies? Of course not. Does it ruin movies forever? Not even close. Could much of what I liked about the movie's appearance owe more thanks to technological advancements than frame rates? I'm not sure yet; I'd just wanted to give you an honest impression with as little hyperbole as possible. It's probably also important to mention that, while the 3D itself is very good, it's not nearly as striking or beautifully immersive as 'Life of Pi'. Everything stays "behind" the screen and, actually, you forget about the 3D after a while, but perhaps that's the point. It's just a story, regardless of the format. Which leaves us with one final question: should you see HFR or not? If you enjoy ultra-sharp HD -- that infinite depth, those crisp textures from something like super-slow-motion cinematography -- and aren't the biggest fan of natural motion blur or noise or grain, you'll probably enjoy HFR. However, if you despise the way your TV can smooth things out via TruMotion type settings -- that odd motion it gives performers in motion -- you probably won't be the biggest HFR fan. Regardless, it's a decision every film fan or HD junkie will have to make him or herself. So go see 'The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey' however you like, but I would encourage at least checking out the new format. You might love it; you might hate it; you might not care. But it's certainly different. As for the film itself, I'll leave it to my esteemed HDD Blog partners to debate the film's ultimate merits. I would say, if you're the type of person who speaks Elvish and alternates between reading J.R.R. Tolkien's tomes and watching the Blu-ray LOTR extended cuts over and over, you'll likely love this movie too (especially all the references to the previous trilogy). For me, one third of the way through the trilogy, it doesn't quite feel as personal as the LOTR and, since the film looks exactly like what we've seen before, it feels somewhat less fresh. However, my guess is, like a miniseries or TV show, the more time we spend in Middle Earth, the more we'll love these characters and, by series' end, the entire story will be better than its individual parts. I really enjoyed it, though. Tons of action and spectacle, and the music is great (listen to it at RollingStone.com), a mix of familiar and new themes! I hope to go check it out one more time in ATMOS, which, along with HFR 48fps, is apparently Peter Jackson's preferred method for seeing/hearing 'The Hobbit' as intended. What's amazing, though, is how many different ways you can see 'An Unexpected Journey': IMAX HFR 3D, HFR 3D, IMAX 3D, 3D, and 2D in either 5.1, 7.1, or ATMOS depending on your cinema's configuration. Crazy, right? First world problems.Posted Tue Dec 4, 2012 at 04:25 PM PST by: -
'The Terminator (Remastered)' Announced for Blu-ray[teaser]James Cameron's 1984 sci-fi thriller will be back on Blu-ray in a new remastered edition this February. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, MGM/UA will finally release the remastered edition of 'The Terminator' on Blu-ray on February 19. In this newly remastered film, Arnold Schwarzenegger stars as the most fierce and relentless killing machine ever to threaten the survival of mankind! An indestructible cyborg — a Terminator (Schwarzenegger) — is sent back in time to kill Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton), the woman whose unborn son will become humanity’s only hope in a future war against machines. This legendary sci-fi thriller from pioneering writer/director James Cameron, written with Gale Anne Hurd, fires an arsenal of action and heart-stopping suspense that never lets up! The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack, and supplements include: 7 Deleted Scenes, Creating The Terminator: Visual Effects & Music, and Terminator: A Retrospective. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is still undetermined at this time. You can find the latest specs for 'The Terminator (Remastered)' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under February 19.Posted Tue Dec 4, 2012 at 12:00 PM PST by:
