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Top 5 / Bottom 5: Gwyneth Paltrowby Aaron Peck [teaser]It's a well-known fact that High-Def Digest editor-in-chief Mike Attebery has a special fondness for Gwyneth Paltrow (and by fondness, I mean blinding hatred largely inspired by goop). That's why for this week's Top 5 / Bottom 5 article I decided that we'd take a look at Gwyneth Paltrow's filmography and see if we couldn't point out the good and the bad.[/teaser] I know everyone has been chomping at the bit to get 'Shakespeare in Love' on Blu-ray. It comes out today, which is why we're highlighting Mrs. Paltrow here. Now let's check out the best and worst that Paltrow has to offer while Mike is out buying his third and fourth copies of 'Bounce.' The Best 'Contagion' I have to admit, this takes some lady-balls. That's right, I went there. Paltrow is an international star. She's known everywhere, and she usually headlines whatever movie she's in. So it was just a bit crazy that not only was she the first one to die in Soderbergh's worldwide plague movie, but she also was part of the Best Scalping Scene of 2011. It was truly a gasp moment when the autopsy doctors flopped the top part of her head over onto her face. Didn't they know they were operating on Mrs. Coldplay?! For a movie star with her recognition, taking on a role like the one of Patient Zero, Beth Emhoff, was a pretty gutsy move. 'Iron Man' It's one of those movies where she's not the main focus and that's a good thing. She's a great Pepper Potts and adds a nice calming feeling to the manic world of Tony Stark. She doesn't have to do much other than run errands and conveniently find herself in peril at the end, but that's exactly what a damsel in distress should do anyway! 'The Royal Tenenbaums' Ah, Wes Anderson's comedic masterpiece. Even if her role was completely miniscule in this movie I'd still have it on her list. 'The Royal Tenenbaums' is a movie like 'The Big Lebowski' which will continue to be loved year after year. People, such as myself, often revisit the Tenenbaum household because the movie is that good and that funny. Isn't it about time that we got a 'Royal Tenenbaums' Blu-ray? 'Se7en' She's hardly in this and even for her most pivotal moment in the movie – you know, "What's in the boooooox!" – she's not even around. However, I'd be remiss if I didn't recognize one of the best modern day thrillers on this list. Yeah she may have only about 10 full lines of dialogue, but she plays an important role in a fantastic movie. 'Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow' Every so often I'll revisit 'Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow' and realize all over again how much I really enjoy watching it. It's just so fun and so inventive. Even in the days of Zack Snyder green screen mayhem, there's something different about Kerry Conran's sepia-toned 40s-themed future. It's full of life. It's fun. And after nearly 10 years, it's still visually stunning. The Worst 'Country Strong' Did you even watch this movie? My guess is no. I'd like to tell you right now that you're better off. This movie reeks of shameless self-promotion. It's no secret that Gwyneth Paltrow is pursuing a career in music, because being a mega-movie star with an empire of goop just isn't enough apparently. She's even starred on 'Glee' and gone on tour with them. She like totally wants to be a singer. Beyond the trite screenplay and the awful, flat characters, 'Country Strong' was simply made so Paltrow could show off her singing prowess, which isn't all that great anyway. 'Great Expectations' Directed by Alfonso Cuarón this all style and no substance drama failed to click in so many ways. It's been quite a while since I've seen this movie. I remember renting it as a teenager because Paltrow was lying half-naked on the cover staring at me. Beckoning me to rent it. None of my boyhood fantasies ever panned out and I was left watching a middling effort from a director who would soon go on to direct some fantastic films. 'Hush' I reviewed 'Hush' a few months ago and laughed much of the way through it. If it wasn't for Jessica Lange's hilariously great overacting the movie would've been completely unwatchable. Paltrow sulks around on screen doing nothing more that screaming and gasping whenever she figures out some new horrid information about her sociopath of a mother-in-law. 'Hush' is a corny as thrillers get. 'Shallow Hal' I put 'Shallow Hal' on the Worst List for Jack Black, so it only makes sense to include it on Paltrow's Worst List too. This movie is so offensive on so many levels. The sad part is that it thinks it's somehow standing up for obese individuals and people who look different, when in reality it's driving an even bigger wedge between them and society. I literally hated almost every moment of 'Shallow Hal'. 'Sylvia' No really, she starred in a movie called 'Sylvia' which told the story of literary icon Sylvia Plath. From what I remember of this movie it was A) dreadfully boring and B) one of the most overly dramatic, biopics I've ever watched. It's an almost unbearable two hours in runtime. There's nothing worse than watching a sappy melodrama that runs on into the 120 minute range. Gwyneth Paltrow has had some good movies (Yes, Mike, it's true), movies I even enjoy watching, but her bad movies are really, really, really bad. What do you think of the list? Are there movies that would've made your top five that weren't included? Or are you like Mike, thinking that we should've just done a Bottom 20 List? Let us know in the forums by clicking the link below.Posted Tue Jan 31, 2012 at 01:50 PM PST by: -
High-Def Digest-Digest: January 31st, 2012by Dick Ward [teaser]January has been a crazy busy month. The first week was all about recovering from New Year's and Christmas celebrations, and right when it was time to get things back on track, in comes CES. After CES, of course, comes another week of recovery. If your January was anything like ours, you probably had a difficult time keeping up with the big news. Lucky for you, we've gathered up all the really juicy bits and compiled them for you in the High-Def Digest-Digest.[/teaser] Blu-ray News 'The Adventures of Tintin' Blu-ray and Blu-ray 3D Pre-orders Live Peter Jackson produces, Steven Spielberg directs, Steven Moffat and Edgar Wright were among the writers. Add to that a star studded cast and you've got 'The Adventures of Tintin,' which is available for pre-order now. A release date has yet to be announced, but we're hearing sometime in March. 'The Muppets' Dated and Detailed for Blu-ray "Life's a Happy Song" when you've got a brand new Muppet movie on Blu-ray. No longer will the memories of the movie be "Pictures in my Head!" I'll have a "Me Party" and watch the movie on repeat until I can't decide if I'm a "Man or Muppet". It doesn't matter though, because there's a "Rainbow Connection" between the Muppets and I. Also the song "Mah Na Mah Na" is on the soundtrack but I couldn't think of a way to use it in a sentence. 'Harold and Maude' Dated and Detailed for Blu-ray 'Harold and Maude' is a classic dark comedy that's getting a Criterion Collection Blu-ray release complete with a 1080p transfer, commentary by producer Charles B. Mulvehill and Hal Ashby biographer Nick Dawson, and a brand new interview with Yusuf Islam/Cat Stevens. This one hits April 17th. 'Chinatown' Blu-ray Detailed Polanski's classic film starring Jack Nicholson, Faye Dunaway and John Huston is coming to Blu-ray on April 3rd. You get commentary by Robert Towne and David Fincher as well as a retrospective and a few other juicy tidbits. Vizio Launches a Google TV Powered Blu-ray Player and Streamer Vizio is bringing Google TV to a streaming device, but also to a new Blu-ray player this year. The Blu-ray player does 3D movies, Vizio Internet Apps and comes with a QWERTY remote. Gear and Industry News Aaron's Sundance 2012 Journal If you haven't been checking out Aaron Peck's daily recaps of his experience at Sundance, you've been missing out. He's seen a crazy amount of films in one week and he has opinions on all of them. Aaron has also snagged some really cool pictures, in case you're not the readin' type. Panasonic Reveals Six New Blu-ray Players - Four of Which are 3D Capable You don't have to like or even care about 3D, it's getting to the point where you won't have much of a choice. The majority of Panasonic's new players are 3D capable and can convert 2D video into the third dimension - even from sources like Netflix. Samsung's 2012 Blu-ray Player Lineup Includes One Compact and One Sporting HDMI Inputs Samsung is trying something a little different with the two players its decided to highlight this year. The E6500 gives you HDMI inputs so you can change sources directly through your player while the ES6000 goes for the smallest footprint possible. Panasonic Unveils 2012 Plasma TVs All but one of Panasonic's new sets are 3D capable, but only the VT50 offers the Infinite Black Ultra Panel, built in Wi-Fi, Viera Connect and 2D to 3D conversion all in one package with ISFcc calibration software and 8-Train speakers. Sony Announces Three New TV Lines for 2012 Sony is trying something new this year. Instead of introducing a huge range of TV lines that are just barely different from one another, Sony simply has three - the entry level BX, the step-up EX and the top-of-the-line HX. Videogame News 'Resident Evil 6' Announced for November - Includes Co-Op Play You'll be waiting until November, but 'Resident Evil 6' looks like it will be well worth it. You and your buddy will take on the roles of Chris and Leon as you fight the classic 'Resident Evil' enemy - zombies. 'Guild Wars 2' Coming in 2012, Beta Testing Starts in Spring In February, select press members will be invited to a closed Beta of ' Guild Wars 2.' in March and April, beta invites will ramp up so that more people have the opportunity to get in on the action. The Vita 3G Launch Bundle Packs an 8GB Card, a Free Game and 250MB of Free 3G While the 3G version of the PlayStation Vita may not appeal to everyone, the launch bundle might be difficult to pass up. You'll get around $50 worth of bonuses in addition to the ability to activate 3G service if you should feel the need. Namco Bandai Says Your Cries for a 'Dark Souls' PC Port Have Been Heard 'Dark Souls' is a surprising console hit, considering the game's grueling difficulty and deep, complex systems. That's the sort of thing usually found on PC - a place where 'Dark Souls' doesn't exist. Thanks to a fan petition, Namco Bandai has heard the demand for a PC port and will hopefully listen to the 83,000 fans that signed. Insomniac is Done with the 'Resistance' Franchise We knew that Insomniac was breaking off from making Sony exclusive titles, but it's now been confirmed that the company is done with 'Resistance' completely. The company will be looking at new IPs moving forward.Posted Tue Jan 31, 2012 at 12:30 PM PST by: -
'A Bullet for the General' Blu-ray Announced[teaser]The 1967 film Spaghetti Cinema hails as "one of the greatest spaghetti westerns ever made" is planned for a high-definition release in May. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Blue Underground is working on 'A Bullet for the General' for Blu-ray on May 22. At the height of the Mexican revolution, a mysterious young American (Lou Castel of 'Fist in His Pocket') joins a gang of marauders led by El Chucho (Gian Maria Volonte of 'A Fistful of Dollars') on a series of savage raids to steal guns for a powerful rebel general. But when the Gringo brings his own cold-blooded ideals to the bandits, El Chucho discovers that the real weapons of war belong to no army. In a land ravaged by poverty and violence, can true freedom be bought with a single bullet? Klaus Kinski ('For a Few Dollars More') and Martine Beswick ('Dr. Jekyll and Sister Hyde,' 'Thunderball') co-star in this legendary western directed by Damiano Damiani from a powerful screenplay co-written by Oscar-nominee Franco Solinas ('The Battle of Algiers,' 'The Big Gundown'). Also know as 'Quien Sabe?,' this thrilling epic features some of the most surprising performances, radical politics and shocking violence of any 'Spaghetti Western' ever made. Specs and supplements have yet to be revealed, and suggested list price for the Blu-ray is still undetermined at this time. You can find the latest specs for 'A Bullet for the General' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under May 22.Posted Tue Jan 31, 2012 at 12:00 PM PST by: -
Beyond the Blu - January 2012by Dick Ward [teaser]Sure, the normal fans can get the special edition Blu-ray and call it a day, but some of us are cut from a more obsessive cloth. We don't just want the movie and the commentary and the special features. We want even more. [/teaser]We want memorabilia and books and even things that are only tangentially related. That's what Beyond the Blu is all about - the cool and weird stuff you can pick up with your brand new Blu-rays. This installment focuses on the movies released last month. Yeah, a touch later than usual, but with CES and all it's been a busy month! Real Steel Sure, it wasn't a great movie, but 'Real Steel' had some very cool things going for it, like robots. Robots fighting one another. It's also not a 'Transformers' movie, which is an added bonus. Sadly, we don't yet have our own fighting robots, but we can pretend we do by picking up some classic Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots to play with. If a hot date asks why you have them, just tell them it's for when your nephew comes over to play. Or just explain how awesome it is. The former seems like a safer bet. Adaptation This probably isn't breaking news, but Charlie Kaufman is awesome. He was going layers deep into weirdness with movies like 'Synecdoche New York' before Nolan got all ham fisted with the idea. He also wrote the incredible 'Adaptation,' wherein Nicholas Cage plays Charlie Kaufman, who is struggling with writer's block in trying to adapt a book. The movie was inspired by Charlie Kaufman's struggle with writer's block while trying to adapt a book. The dreaded inability to create helped the screenwriter in this case, but few of us can get away with completely ditching our assignment to write about writing our assignment, so Overcoming Writer's Block is for us. Dutch Remember how I said the word "tangentially" in the intro? This is what I'm talking about. 'Dutch' was one of my favorite movies when I was a kid and the last time I saw it, the flick still held up. A lot goes on in the movie, including a cameo by Arnold Palmer, inventor of the Arnold Palmer, which you can totally drink while watching this movie. When he wasn't revolutionizing the way we see iced tea and lemonade, Arnold Palmer likes to play golf. Twister / Poseidon / The Perfect Storm It's not a great three pack, but 'The Perfect Storm' at least borders on good. There's a nice little speech or two in there and George Clooney does his whole "being unreasonably handsome" thing, so it's worth a watch. If you want a better insight into the story though, check out the book ' The Perfect Storm: a True Story of Men Against the Sea.' Don't feel like reading? The audiobook is read by Stanley Tucci. Se7en / Copycat / Taking Lives There are two other movies in this three-pack, but 'Se7en' stands out from the pack. Despite the whole number in the name thing, it's an excellent film and the score was created by none other than the great Howard Shore. Shore's music for 'Se7en' is good, but his most celebrated work to date is for the 'Lord of the Rings' trilogy. If you're a Shore fan, check out the ' Lord of the Rings Symphony.' It's not a symphony, technically, but it's still awesome. Above the Law / Under Siege / Under Siege 2 I love Steven Segal. I'm not afraid to say it - the man makes damn entertaining movies. I trend to his newer faire, which is so bad as to be hilarious, but the old flicks are worth checking out too. Point is, you can't love someone - idolize them even - without wanting to be them. I've got long hair so it's easy for me, but for those that don't, get yourself a Steven Segal ponytail. You know you want to. Friday the 13th / Nightmare on Elm Street / Freddy vs. Jason If you're picking up this three-pack then, well, you're doing something wrong. Unless you absolutely need all the movies in the series, there's no reason to buy, rent or even watch these flicks for free. Instead, pick up the original 'Nightmare on Elm Street' and the original ' Friday the 13th.' You'll be glad you did.Posted Tue Jan 31, 2012 at 11:16 AM PST by: -
Unused TV Frequencies Become Free Wi-Fi in North Carolina[teaser]The TV White Space network has gone live in Wilmington, providing citizens with Wi-Fi, and law enforcement with broadband. [/teaser] When television made the switch to digital, we were left with a pressing question - what do we do with all those unused frequencies? The folks in Wilmington, North Carolina are now getting to take advantage of the first commercial TV White Space (TVWS) network. The new tech gives people Wi-Fi in city parks, which is certainly a well received improvement. No need to use your 3G service when you can connect up with your phone, laptop or tablet to proper Wi-Fi. The biggest benefit, at least at this point, goes to law enforcement. The freed up space allows for better video surveillance, traffic surveillance and mitigation as well as security for both people and property. "This technology has proven to be an unobtrusive, environmentally friendly way to offer services to our citizens and the visitors at our parks and to give our staff more efficient ways to manage these locations," says New Hanover County chairman Ted Davis. "We are extremely pleased with the installations of the white spaces systems." Source: EngadgetPosted Tue Jan 31, 2012 at 11:00 AM PST by: -
'Splintered' Announced for Blu-ray[teaser]The award-winning teen horror film will haunt Blu-ray in March. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Well Go USA is prepping 'Splintered' for a Blu-ray release on March 20. The film stars Stephen Martin Walters (TV’s “Skins”), Holly Weston, Sacha Dhawan (TV’s “Outsourced”), Sadie Pickering, Jonathan Readwin ('Dread'), Sol Heras and Colin Tierney. The film won six awards at the Screamfest Horror Film Festival, including Best Picture, Best Directing, Best Editing, Best Score, Best Special Effects and Best Make-Up. In addition, it was nominated for Best Horror Film at the 35th Annual Saturn Awards and for Most Memorable Mutilation for the arm removal scene at Spike TV's 2009 Scream Awards. Specs have yet to be revealed, but the release will be a Blu-ray/DVD combo pack and supplements will include a behind the scenes featurette, deleted scenes, and trailers. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $26.98. You can find the latest specs for 'Splintered' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under March 20.Posted Tue Jan 31, 2012 at 10:00 AM PST by: -
2011 Was a Record Setting Year for Projectors[teaser]Nearly 10 million projectors shipped last year, with strong gains in both the US and Canada[/teaser] 2011 was a good year for home theater projectors. Nearly 10 million were shipped and a good chunk of that came from "New Era" projectors - those below 500 lumens. In 2010, 1.1 million of these New Era projectors shipped out - not a bad number, but small compared to the 1.8 million that hit shelves in 2011. Ultra-short throw and interactive projectors also increased by nearly 50% thanks to growth in the US and Western Europe. High-end projectors outperformed the mainstream market - nothing surprising there. Digital cinema projectors hit 30,000 shipped in the fourth quarter of 2011, which brought the total for the year to 70,000. Mainstream projectors, meanwhile, did fine overseas. France, Spain and Russia were among the leading buyers in this category. Source: Big Picture Big SoundPosted Tue Jan 31, 2012 at 09:00 AM PST by: -
'Murdoch Mysteries: Season 1' Blu-ray Dated[teaser]The first season of the Canadian crime drama is coming to Blu-ray in April. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Acorn Media has just revealed 'Murdoch Mysteries: Season 1' for Blu-ray on April 17. In the late 1890s, police Inspector William Murdoch (Yannick Bisson) takes a new, more scientific approach to solving crimes. Assisted by coroner Dr. Julia Ogden and Constable George Crabtree, Murdoch introduces such concepts as finger marks and lie detecting machines. He has the support of his somewhat doubtful superior, Inspector Brackenreid, though at times, even he finds Murdoch's methods - and claims - somewhat astounding. Specs and supplements have yet to be revealed, but suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $69.99. You can find the latest specs for 'Murdoch Mysteries: Season 1' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under April 17.Posted Tue Jan 31, 2012 at 08:00 AM PST by: -
Runco Announces its Most Affordable 3D Projector Yet[teaser]Of course, what Runco considers affordable and what the rest of us consider affordable can be two very different things. [/teaser] The folks at Runco don't make cheap projectors. Their high-end products aren't the kind of thing that most people can afford, and even those that can have to think a bit about before they dive in. Recently though, Runco has been reaching towards lower price points and the LS-12d is the result. The $27,995 LS-12d. The LS-12d offers 3D capabilities and a 1080p picture. You can choose to go with active or passive 3D since the projector handles both, but the three pairs of active glasses make the choice fairly easy. The LS-12d also comes with the DC-300 video processor, scaler and controller, packed full of calibration tools. If you pick up the DC-300 on its own it's 9,995. "With the release of the LS-12d and DC-300, Runco delivers exceptional 2D and 3D at an affordable price for dedicated or flex-theaters," says marketing VP Jennifer Davis. "The wide range of throw ratios, combined with Runco's CineGlide anamorphic lens options and customizable FinishPalette options make it a truly exciting 3D offering perfect for virtually any environment." Source: Big Picture Big SoundPosted Tue Jan 31, 2012 at 07:00 AM PST by: -
'Django Kill...If You Live, Shoot!' Blu-ray Announced[teaser]The controversial 1967 cult spaghetti western from director Giulio Questi will gun down Blu-ray at high noon in June. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Blue Underground is preparing 'Django Kill...If You Live, Shoot!' for Blu-ray on June 19. "SHOCKINGLY VIOLENT AND SURREAL... A MASTERPIECE OF THE GOTHIC WESTERN!" - Spaghetti Cinema "SO EXTREME IN EVERY WAY - IT IS ONE OF THE HANDFUL OF GREAT ITALIAN WESTERNS!" - Alex Cox, Director of Repo Man and Sid & Nancy Tomas Milian ('Traffic,' 'Run Man Run') stars as a half-breed bandit double-crossed and left for dead who rises from the grave to seek his revenge. But when his quest leads to a bizarre town called The Unhappy Place, he is plunged into an odyssey of gruesome torture, graphic violence and relentless sexual depravity. This is the landmark movie that fans and critics still consider to be the strangest and most controversial Spaghetti Western ever made. This is 'Django Kill!' Specs and supplements have yet to be revealed, and suggested list price for the Blu-ray is still undetermined at this time. You can find the latest specs for 'Django Kill...If You Live, Shoot!' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under June 19.Posted Tue Jan 31, 2012 at 06:00 AM PST by:
