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Blu-ray Demand Surpassing Supply - Street Dates May Suffer[teaser]Even with Blu-ray replicators working nonstop, the increased demand for Blu-rays may result in a production backlog. [/teaser] With videogames, movies and now a ramp-up in the production of Blu-ray/DVD combo packs, the industry is reaching a point where the discs being produced aren't enough to keep up. Jim Bottoms, Futuresource co-founder, says that by the end of this year, we'll be using 80 percent of our Blu-ray production capacity, causing street date delays and limited supply. "The industry needs to invest more than $100 million in new plant and equipment this year in addition to upgrading older replication lines," says Bottoms. "even with this level of investment, [the fourth quarter] is still going to present some peak season challenges to avoid missing street dates on some of the key titles." Source: Home Media MagazinePosted Thu Mar 3, 2011 at 07:00 AM PST by: -
'The Dilemma' Blu-ray Announced[teaser]Ron Howard brings a quirky predicament to Blu-ray this May. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Universal has slated 'The Dilemma' for Blu-ray on May 3. The comedy stars Vince Vaughn and Kevin James and received mostly a chilly reception from critics. Specs and supplements have yet to be revealed, but suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $39.98. You can find the latest specs for 'The Dilemma' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under May 3.Posted Thu Mar 3, 2011 at 06:00 AM PST by: -
The Top Ten Blu-ray Deals Under Ten Bucks!by Michael S. Palmer [teaser]Everyone loves a good deal, and with the economy limping along, Blu-rays often have to take a backseat to more important purchases like "food," "electricity," and "rent." Or so we've been told.[/teaser] Fret not, dear readers, High-Def Digest has you covered with a variety of comedies, thrillers, foreign films, action movies, family films and veritable classics that'll sit pretty in any collection. Oh, and they can all be snagged for less than $10! So, lets jump in! Here's High-Def Digest's list of The Top Ten Blu-ray Deals Under Ten Bucks (in no particular order, given the multiple genres). While a couple of titles occasionally fluctuate on Amazon, all can be found for less that $10: 'Mongol: The Rise of Genghis Kahn' It's really exciting to see historical Asian epics competing with the hundred million dollar (and then some) Hollywood blockbusters, and holding their own. 'Mongol,' as its post colon title reveals, is Genghis Kahn's origin story. As someone who went into this one blind, I was really blown away; the cinematography is grand, but the smaller moments work well too. 'Final Destination' The original 'Final Destination' works for a number of reasons. First, because I was in high school at the time, it tapped into the phobias surrounding the 1996 TWA Flight 800 disaster. But more so, it's just a really interesting story that is very well directed. Not only does it feel creepy in a cerebral way, exploring the notions of fate and destiny and how they relate to death, but the set pieces themselves are elongated, edge-of-your-seat sequences of bubbling tension. There's a reason why this spawned a franchise of much crappier sequels. 'Blazing Saddles' No one could ever make a movie like this today. Mostly because it would be called 'Western Movie!' and have tangential references to the Kardashians and Charlie Sheen's "Goddesses" for no reason. There's also some fantastic satire, which treads in some always controversial subject matter. 'Blazing Saddles' may be the best spoof ever, and arguably Mel Brooks' best film. It remains as funny and as razor sharp today as it was when it premiered in 1974. Remastered for the 2004 30th Anniversary DVD, it looks pretty great in high definition as well. 'Spy Game' As we pointed out a couple weeks ago, every list needs a Tony Scott picture on it. 'Spy Game' isn't perfect, and as a thriller, most of the tension is reduced by the multiple story lines, but the real mystery is figuring out who these two spies (Robert Redford and Brad Pitt) are, and what their friendship means to each other. There's also some good fun to be had in sticking it to the bureaucrats. I also like the way the different eras get different film temperatures, and there's only one director in the world that would film a discussion between two men…on a rooftop…using a circling helicopter as the scene's main camera. Hazzah. '3:10 to Yuma' '3:10 to Yuma' proved to the world that we don't have to say goodbye to the western as an exciting and profitable genre. Russell Crowe and Christian Bale are fantastic here, but the real winner is the 7.1 channel PCM soundtrack. As Josh Zyber put it in his review, it's "a flat-out stunner." It terms of pure demo material, there's not much better for less than $10. 'Magnolia' I'll always remember 'Magnolia' for the summer I spent taking classes at USC in Los Angeles. My roommates were huge Paul Thomas Anderson fans, and were out here to write the next suburban epic. I had no idea what they were talking about, so they dragged me to a second run screening of 'Magnolia'. I was glued to my seat from the first reel. There's nothing really quite like this combination of odd characters, kinetic camerawork, and melodrama. It's all depressing, yet so very engrossing. There's even a musical number and a supernatural event. This really has it all, and at three hours in length, it might be the cheapest film on this list, per minute. 'The Neverending Story' Okay, admit it, you're humming the theme song now. Me too. This is a film I'll always associate with childhood (that and 'N.I.M.H.') because it captured my imagination so fully. Storybook worlds and bullies and monsters and magical heroes, I still love this film today despite its faults. And even though the book's author complained about this adaptation, I recently went back and read the novel, and to be honest, Wolfgang Petersen and his team picked the perfect place to end the movie. Do any of our readers have kids? If so (and if they are old enough to watch this), what do they think about this one? Does it still work, or has the pristine perfection of Pixar ruined older, handmade special effects? 'Orphan' Dark Castle movies (the film's production company, a division of Joel Silver's Silver Pictures) haven't really been breaking box office records and to be honest, some of them haven't been that great. And then came 'Orphan'. I avoided it in the cinemas because it looked like another "evil kid movie." But, after some strong word-of-mouth, I gave it a rent on Blu-ray. This movie is actually tense. Actually scary. And actually has good twists and turns on what should be a very predicable genre. It's also a visually interesting film with a muted color palette accentuated by the occasional popping neon color. File this one under, "I never thought it would work, but damn I enjoyed it." 'Bullitt Steve McQueen is the coolest man that has ever lived. Ever. And here he is in the film with one of the most famous car chase sequences, shot on location in San Franscisco, caught on celluloid. It's almost as exciting to watch the film for the story as it is to be transported through time to the late sixties when muscle cars prowled the streets, burning rubber, and breaking continuity. 'The Searchers' Originally filmed in VistaVision, 'The Searchers' is one of Martin Scorsese's go-to demo Blu-rays because this Blu-ray version is the best the film has looked since its original release. This is an example of how well a studio should treat their catalog titles, and how well the Blu-ray format can reproduce an unparalleled film-like experience in the home. In fact, the only way to beat it would be to buy an actual film projector. No one makes them like John Ford use to make them. Well, there we have it, Dear Readers, The Top Ten Blu-ray Deals. As always, there are certainly more films to mention than what's considered on this list of favorites -- yet remember, we're only considering currently available Blu-ray Discs. What's on your list of cheap films that are must-haves?Posted Wed Mar 2, 2011 at 01:40 PM PST by: -
'Scream' Trilogy Dated and Detailed for Blu-ray![teaser]Helloooo... Ssssssydney! The horror franchise that changed the face of the slasher genre is finally being released on Blu-ray at the end of the month! [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Lionsgate is preparing 'Scream,' 'Scream 2,' and 'Scream 3' for a Blu-ray release on March 29. From the master of horror, Wes Craven ('A Nightmare on Elm Street'), these horror fan favorites feature an all-star cast of victims including Courteney Cox (TV's "Cougar Town"), Jada Pinkett Smith ('Collateral'), Liev Schreiber ('X-Men Origins: Wolverine') and Neve Campbell ('Wild Things'). The brand new fourth film will also hit theaters on April 15. The Blu-rays will feature 1080p video, a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack, and supplements on 'Scream' include an audio commentary, a production featurette, behind the scenes footage, a Q&A with cast and crew plus the theatrical trailer. 'Scream 2' will include an audio commentary, deleted scenes with optional audio commentary, outtakes, a featurette and the theatrical trailer, and 'Scream 3' will have an audio commentary, deleted scenes and an alternate ending, outtakes, behind the scenes footage and the theatrical trailer. Suggested list price for each Blu-ray is $19.99. You can find the latest specs for 'Scream,' 'Scream 2,' and 'Scream 3' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where they're indexed under March 29.Posted Wed Mar 2, 2011 at 12:50 PM PST by: -
The iPad 2 Features HDMI Out, Coming March 11[teaser]In addition to plenty of new apps, the iPad 2 offers dual cameras, a new processor, and an HDMI output accessory. [/teaser] Apple is known for a lot of things, and big announcements is one of them. The reveal of the iPad 2 is no different. Sure, it has amazing capabilities, but the first big shocker was the release date. It's coming out next Friday. Of course, there's plenty more to love about the iPad 2. For starters, it features a brand new dual-core processor known as the A5. It boasts up to twice the speed for tasks requiring the CPU and up to nine times the speed for graphics. The iPad 2 features cameras on both the front and the back of the device to allow FaceTime calls to be made between iPads, iPhones and computers. It's a pretty slick setup. In the home theater realm, one of the most useful new features is the adapter that allows you to output 1080p video from your iPad 2 to your TV via HDMI. It detects orientation, shows exactly what you have on the screen and you can even charge your iPad while you do it. Of course, that adapter is going to cost you an extra $39. The iPad 2 starts at $499 and goes up to $829 for a 32GB model with 3G. Versions are available for AT&T and Verizon. Source: ApplePosted Wed Mar 2, 2011 at 12:35 PM PST by: -
'American Graffiti' Blu-ray Dated and Detailed[teaser]George Lucas' 1973 classic is getting a special edition Blu-ray this May! [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Universal Studios is preparing 'American Graffiti' for a Blu-ray release on May 31. The film stars Richard Dreyfuss and Ron Howard and was nominated for five Academy Awards including Best Supporting Actress (Candy Clark), Best Writing/Story/Screenplay, Best Film Editing, Best Director (George Lucas), and Best Picture. The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack, and supplements will include The Making of American Graffiti, additional screen tests, and the theatrical trailer. Exclusive to the Blu-ray will be a U-Control: Video Commentary with George Lucas, U-Control: The Music of American Graffiti, My Scenes, Pocket Blu, and BD-Live functionality. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $26.98. You can find the latest specs for 'American Graffiti' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it is indexed under May 31.Posted Wed Mar 2, 2011 at 11:45 AM PST by: -
'The Hit List' Announced for Blu-ray[teaser]Be careful what you wish for when Cuba Gooding Jr. is around on Blu-ray this May. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Sony has revealed the direct-to-video action film 'The Hit List' will be headed to the Blu-ray format on May 10. The story is about a down-on-his-luck businessman (Cole Hauser) who races against time to save the people he unwittingly marked as targets for a professional hit man (Gooding Jr.). Specs and supplements have yet to be revealed, but suggested list price for the Blu-ray is set at $30.96. You can find the latest specs for 'The Hit List' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under May 10.Posted Wed Mar 2, 2011 at 11:30 AM PST by: -
Panasonic Prices and Dates 2011 LCDs[teaser]As of now, there's still no official word on 2011 plasmas. [/teaser] Even though Panasonic's 2011 line of plasmas has already started heading out to retailers, we still don't have any official word. What Panasonic has revealed pricing on however is the company's 2011 line of LCD sets. At the top of the food chain is the DT30, a 3D set that's going to be available in both 37 and 32 inch models. It features wireless internet connectivity thanks to an included Wi-Fi adaptor, access to a variety of streaming sources including Netflix, Amazon and Hulu Plus. Pricing is $1,199 for the 32 incher and $1,299 for 37. Both will be available in April. They scale down from there, with sets 42 inches and down and mostly priced under $1,000. The sets will hit market between now and April. You can check out full details at the link below. Source: Panasonic (via Engadget)Posted Wed Mar 2, 2011 at 11:00 AM PST by: -
Best Buy Pulls 'Burlesque' Blu-ray Due to Pack-In Corset[teaser]The corset is in the ads for the Blu-ray, but you won't find it in stores. [/teaser] We have a High-Def Digest reader named Perry to thank for this tip. In his email to us he writes, " I just went to pick up my copy of 'Burlesque' on Blu-ray with the free corset and I was told they were pulled off the shelf this morning with top priority." After doing a bit of checking up, it turns out this is the case at more than just one Best Buy. Though the ad for 'Burlesque' clearly indicates a pack-in corset for those that purchase the Blu-ray/DVD combo pack, stores aren't selling them. In fact, some stores have gone as far as pulling the discs completely off the shelves. Our tipster Perry reported that he was only given the Blu-ray after putting in an order on BestBuy.com. At that point, they removed the corset and then handed over the Blu-ray. Currently, the disc's page on Best Buy's website doesn't show anything about the Corset, which it did previous to today. Best Buy has not confirmed the reason for the pull, but an employee who chooses to remain anonymous has told us that the company received complaints from a parent's group and caved to the pressure.Posted Wed Mar 2, 2011 at 10:30 AM PST by: -
'Fiddler on the Roof' Blu-ray Detailed[teaser]Norman Jewison's 1971 award-winning musical coming to Blu-ray this April has been fully detailed. [/teaser] As previously reported, MGM has revealed 'Fiddler on the Roof' will hit Blu-ray on April 5. This lavishly produced and critically-acclaimed screen adaptation of the Tony Award®-winning Broadway sensation tells the life-affirming story of Tevye (Academy Award®-nominee Topol, 'For Your Eyes Only'the), a poor but soulful milkman whose love, pride and faith help him face the oppression of turn-of-the-century Czarist Russia. Tevye and his wife Golde (Norma Crane, '1984') attempt to arrange suitable marriages for their five strong-willed daughters in poignant—and often amusing—moments that celebrate life and love. The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, a DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 soundtrack, and supplements will include: Audio commentary by Director Norman Jewison and star Topol, Deleted Song, Featurettes, and Historical background. You can find the latest specs for 'Fiddler on the Roof' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under April 5.Posted Wed Mar 2, 2011 at 10:00 AM PST by:
