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'Jarhead 3: The Siege' Dated for Blu-ray[teaser]The war film starring Charlie Weber, Scott Adkins, Dennis Haysbert is planned for Blu-ray in June. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Universal will be releasing 'Jarhead 3: The Siege' on Blu-ray on June 7. Assigned to protect a seemingly safe U.S. Embassy in the Middle East, elite Marine Corporal Evan Albright (Charlie Weber) thought he wasn’t going to see much action. But when a hostile and extreme military group launches a surprise attack aimed at killing an Embassy informant, Albright’s team is caught off guard. Out-gunned and outnumbered, the Marine’s routine assignment escalates into an all-out war. With national security at stake, an international crisis ensues in this riveting film directed by William Kaufman (The Hit List) starring Dennis Haysbert and Scott Adkins. Jarhead 3: The Siege also stars Tom Ainsley (“The Royals”), Erik Valdez (“Graceland”), Sasha Jackson (Journey to the Forbidden Valley), Romeo Miller (Madea’s Witness Protection), Joe Corrigall (Kilo Two Bravo), Hadrian Howard (“Sons of Anarchy”), Charlie de Melo (“The Interceptor”) and Dante Basco (“Avatar: The Last Airbender”). The unrated Blu-ray combo pack will feature 1080p video, lossless 5.1 audio, and supplements include: Making Jarhead 3: The Siege – Go behind the scenes of Jarhead: The Siege for an inside look at the making of the film. Hear from the cast as they discuss why they were interested in joining this enthralling franchise, what it was like to shoot the battle scenes, and how the filmmakers' vision and collaboration brought this impactful war film to life. We'll also hear from the actors on what it was like working with one another while playing soldiers who have to overcome differences and come together for the greater good. You can find the latest specs for 'Jarhead 3: The Siege' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it is indexed under June 7.Posted Tue Mar 22, 2016 at 10:00 AM PDT by: -
'The Rift' Bound for Blu-ray[teaser]The 1990 science fiction thriller will surface on Blu-ray this year. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Scorpion Releasing will be releasing 'The Rift' on Blu-ray later this year. An experimental submarine, the "Siren II", with a very experienced crew is sent to find out what happened to the "Siren I", mysteriously disappeared in a submarine rift. Things go awry when they begin to find things that shouldn't be there... No other details have been revealed at this time. You can find the latest specs for 'The Rift' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under PENDING.Posted Tue Mar 22, 2016 at 08:00 AM PDT by: -
'Judas Priest: Battle Cry' Blu-ray Announced[teaser]The rock band will hit the stage on Blu-ray in March.[/teaser]In an early announcement to retailers, Epic Records is preparing 'Judas Priest: Battle Cry' for Blu-ray on March 25. Judas Priest's tour in support of their 17th studio album overall, Redeemer of Souls, was one of the most extensive of the group's entire career - consisting of 130 shows in 33 countries, and offering a setlist that touched upon selections from nearly all of their classic albums. And now, fans can relive the live Priest experience once more, with the release of the new Blu-ray, Battle Cry.Recorded live on August 1st, 2015 at Germany's Wacken Festival in front of an audience of 85,000, Battle Cry is available on a 15-track CD, with the entire show on Blu-ray (and DVD, running over 94 minutes), as well as digital audio and video formats. The Blu-ray (and DVD) also contains 3 bonus tracks shot in Poland on December 10th, 2015 at The Ergo Arena, Gdansk, Poland.What makes the show's track listing so appealing is it balances new classics ("Dragonaut," "Halls of Valhalla," "Redeemer of Souls") along with headbanging classics ("Metal Gods," "Electric Eye," "You've Got Another Thing Coming"), as well as key album tracks from yesteryear ("Devil's Child," "Beyond the Realms of Death," "Jawbreaker").Originally formed during the early '70s in Birmingham, England, Priest is responsible for offering metal fans worldwide some of the genre's most influential and landmark albums (1980's 'British Steel,' 1982's 'Screaming for Vengeance,' 1990's'Painkiller,' etc.), while helping spread metal music to audiences not normally associated with the genre (Live Aid in 1985, and a surprise appearance on American Idol in 2011), and helping popularize the now instantly recognizable "denim and leather" look.For decades, Judas Priest has been one of the greatest live bands in the entire heavy metal genre. And as evidenced by Battle Cry, Priest rock harder and more ferociously than ever. Specs and supplements have not been detailed yet. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $21.98. You can find the latest specs for 'Judas Priest: Battle Cry' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under March 25. Order the Blu-rayPosted Tue Mar 22, 2016 at 08:00 AM PDT by: -
Hands On First Look: VIZIO Launches New P-Series with Dolby Vision & SmartCast[teaser]Some exciting news on the display front, once again proving 2016 to be a very good year for considering a 4K Ultra High Definition upgrade.[/teaser]VIZIO has not only launched a major overhaul to its well-reviewed P-Series 4K UHD displays, but is releasing this new iteration as the first product to run on a new wireless, entertainment ecosystem dubbed SmartCast.On top of the announcement, HDD got to demo each model in-person and the results -- eye-popping colors with deep black levels all controlled by a next generation interface -- are indeed promising. Look for a full review in the coming weeks. For now, let's cover what we know: SmartCast P-Series Ultra HD HDR Home Theater Display VIZIO has a history of making budget-friendly TVs, but in the last two or three years, they've redefined what it means to be affordable by offering penny-pinching price points for performance features more akin to their competitors' flagship displays. Specifically, I'm talking about Full Array Local Dimming (FALD) -- arrays of individual LEDs that can be turned on and off with more precision -- giving LCD displays better contrast ratios and the ability to hit deeper black levels. Without FALD, LCD simply can't compete with Plasma or OLED technologies.Previous gen P-Series UHD models boasted up to 72 Active LED Zones, but the new 2016 models feature as many as 128, a nice boost that helps prevent "blooming" -- a flaw caused when smaller bright objects light up against dark backgrounds.With four sizes entering the lineup -- 50", 55", 65", and 75" -- P-Series UHD Home Theater Displays are the second VIZIO models, after the Reference Series, to offer Dolby Vision high dynamic range with a wider color gamut; Dolby Vision content can be accessed via streaming or HDMI. HDR10 compatibility, a first for VIZIO, is coming too -- about 90 days after product launch. Three out of the four models are built with VA (Vertical Alignment) panels, which according to VIZIO, offer better black levels and overall picture quality when viewed straight on. However, you will lose visible color saturation if seated too far off to the side. Because viewing angles are important to some customers, VIZIO always offers one IPS panel per series. In this case, that's the 55-incher. The trade-off is at the expense of black levels.The new P-Series can reproduce about 95% of the DCI P3 cinema color space, which is where theatrical and UHD HDR / WCG content is currently being graded (basically, to achieve the wider color space of Rec 2020 today, you'd need a professional laser projection system, and only one scene in the history of cinema -- from 'Inside Out' -- has ever been graded to that space). P-Series displays are also capable of outputting up to 600 nits across their entire screen (emphasis on the entire screen). However, smaller bright objects like bomb blasts or fireworks can exceed that measurement. By how much, I'm not sure; VIZIO didn't specify. Technically, this means the P-Series doesn't meet the Ultra HD Premium specification, but VIZIO says whole-screen performance is more important, and a much truer, way to measure peak luminance. In other words, some displays claiming 1,000-nit peak luminance may not be able to achieve such brightness across the entire screen. I'll have to spend more time with one at home, but in our demonstration -- with all the lights off, then all the lights on -- the P-Series looked plenty bright.The hands-on demo consistent of streaming UHD Dolby Vision content via USB sticks as well as directly from VUDU (click on the image above to see a full list of available titles), highlighting scenes from 'Mad Max Fury Road', 'Man of Steel', and 'Pan'. Each one was awash in detail and rich colors, whether I was six feet away or pixel-peeping close. 'Fury Road' offered more detail in its explosions as well as in the spectral highlights of chrome, and deeper reds pouring out of the flame-thrower guitar. 'Pan' rendered saturated colors exceptionally well. And 'Man of Steel' showed off high dynamic range during the Krypton opening sequence -- dark regions next to a sunset and even brighter, fiery explosions. Also, a Dolby Vision logo -- a painted color wheel against a black background -- showed no hints of blooming. SmartCast, Google Cast & a Tablet Remote But wait there's more! Yes, the televisions themselves are potentially exciting -- I can't imagine many other brands competing with these features at these price points (see below) -- but the P-Series is much more than an UHD display, it's the first product to launch as part of the VIZIO SmartCast ecosystem.What is SmartCast, exactly? If you're familiar with Google Cast, it's based on that platform. If you don't know Google Cast, here's a LINK, but the quick version is this: Google Cast is a feature already built into many iOS and Android streaming apps like VUDU, Netflix, Pandora, and HULU where, at the click of a button, your smartphone or tablet plays content on an external device. It's a little like AirPlay, but rather than the content running ON your phone and streaming OUT to the display, the display itself does the streaming. Which is how you get access to UHD content with multi-channel surround sound, not to mention Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos. In this sense, VIZIO has re-imagined what it means to have a smart interface. Gone is the standard suite of streaming a/v apps. In fact, outside of a settings menu, the VIZIO P-Seires doesn't have an in-display interface. Instead, P-Series displays run on, and stream content from, the SmartCast app or any app with Google Cast enabled. Meaning, all Android and iOS devices are ready to become P-Series remote controls. Also, you'll never have to -- outside of firmware -- update the display's streaming apps if you keep your smartphone or tablet up-to-date. And, not only can the SmartCast app control the P-Series, it's going to be the cornerstone for a host of VIZIO products from displays to audio gear (more on this below), allowing customers to create whole-home a/v integration.Oh, and if for some reason a customer doesn't already own an iOS or Android smartphone or tablet, VIZIO's got you covered there too.Remember that demo I mentioned earlier? About halfway through, there I was ogling the Dolby Vision content and the VIZIO reps start controlling the displays with what looked like an Android phone. Only it wasn't. It was one of two included P-Series remotes.Say what? Yup, every VIZIO SmartCast P-Series Ultra HD HDR Home Theater Display includes one 6" Android Tablet Remote (plus a standard IR remote), which comes with a wireless charging station, the SmartCast app pre-installed, and features Full 1080p HD resolution, the Android Lollipop OS, a V8 octa-core processor, stereo speakers, and 16GB of storage. Meaning, not only is the included-tablet a remote for the P-Series, but you can use it as a standalone tablet. Want to watch 'Mad Mad Fury Road' on VUDU, but the Kiddo prefers 'Thomas & Friends' on Netflix? No problem, get 'Mad Max' running on the P-Series, and hand the tablet off to Junior. Battery life is reportedly excellent, with a stand-by charge lasting weeks. In terms of functionality, when you're searching for content to stream, the remote will search mulitple services to let you know where you can watch (or listen).SmartCast is a different concept for TVs. Heck, without a built-in TV tuner, the P-Series aren't technically TVs. Regardless, these home theater displays are quick to learn and works remarkably well for what limited use I saw. We are definitely looking forward to exploring the SmartCast / Google Cast ecosystem over the next few months. SmartCast Audio As mentioned above, the SmartCast ecosystem isn't limited to watching Ultra High Definition content with HDR/WCG -- it's also a solution for whole-home audio that VIZIO plans to integrate into their upcoming soundbars and speakers. Pricing, availability, and full specifications have yet to be announced, but we demoed three of the early SmartCast Audio products:The first was a 5.1 SmartCast Soundbar (not pictured). Similiar in many ways to the VIZIO SB4051 Soundbar we reviewed earlier this year, the new 41" SmartCast Soundbar featured a three-channel soundbar paired with a wireless, powered subwoofer that has connections for the the two rear-channel speakers. Particularly fun to note -- the 8" sub can be laid flat and placed under couches. We didn't get to demo too much of the full surround experience, but based on VIZIO's history with this product line, this new, slimmer soundbar would make a great option for those who stream a lot of content, want a clean setup, and who aren't interested in Dolby Atmos or DTS:X. It also has the capability to switch between multiple audio sources without disrupting video playing on the P-Series. Next we saw the SmartCast Crave 360 wireless speaker. It's a 2.1 speaker that throws stereo sound into a 360 space, and features both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. It's ultra portable too. See that clean metal portion under the VIZIO logo? It's actually a flush-mounting charging station. Users can leave the Crave 360 plugged in, or take the speaker on the go. I believe VIZIO mentioned 8 hours of playback. Design quality and functionality are solid -- the speaker's upper metallic ring is actually a volume control, and its top surface acts like a track pad -- tap to pause or play, swipe to go to the next track.Lastly, we saw the SmartCast Crave Pro wireless speaker (pictured above this section). This one trades portability for sonics. It's a larger 2.1 system with more base, and meant to stay in one place. It too features Wi-Fi and Bluetooth for SmartCast integration, as well as a smaller version of the volume dial / track pad controls. P-Series Specifications Pricing & Availability VIZIO SmartCast P-Series Ultra HD HDR Home Theater Displays are available NOW. Go to VIZIO.com to find your local P-Series retailer; we'll hopefully get some Amazon links up soon. Pricing is as follows: The 50" model (P50-C1) has a $999.99 MSRP.The 55" model (P55-C1) has a $1,299.99 MSRP.The 55" model (P65-C1) has a $1,999.99 MSRP.The 75" model (P75-C1) has a $3,799.99 MSRP. Pricing or availability has not been announced for the SmartCast Crave Pro, Crave 360, or any SmartCast Soundbars. Final Thoughts In talking to VIZIO reps last week, they said one of the main reasons they developed the Reference Series displays (the 65" model with costs $6,000) was to trickle down technologies into their more affordable product. With the P-Series you get 90% of the Reference's performance capabilities at one-third the price (when comparing 65" models). And, as far as I'm aware, the Reference Series can't do HDR10 at all, and Dolby Vision is limited to streaming.The P-Series instantly impresses in terms of picture quality, performance features, and pricing. The SmartCast ecosystem and included-tablet are icing on the UHD cake. I can't wait to test it out in my own home. If you can't afford OLED, and don't mind the lack of 3D support, it's going to be hard to find a better value for UHD with HDR in 2016.Posted Tue Mar 22, 2016 at 06:00 AM PDT by: -
Aleksandr Sokurov's 'Francofonia' Bound for Blu-ray[teaser]Director Aleksandr Sokurov will take viewers on a unique tour of the Louvre Museum in June. [/teaser]In an early announcement to retailers, Music Box Films is preparing 'Francofonia' for Blu-ray on June 28. Set against the backdrop of the Louvre Museum’s history and artworks, master director Alexander Sokurov (Russian Ark) applies his uniquely personal vision onto staged re-enactments and archives for this fascinating portrait of real-life characters Jacques Jaujard and Count Franziskus Wolff-Metternich and their compulsory collaboration at the Louvre Museum under the Nazi Occupation. These two remarkable men - enemies then collaborators - share an alliance which would become the driving force behind the preservation of museum treasures. In its exploration of the Louvre Museum as a living example of civilization, FRANCOFONIA is a stunning and urgently relevant meditation on the essential relationship between art, culture, and history. Specs and supplements have not been detailed yet. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $34.95 You can find the latest specs for 'Francofonia' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under June 28. Order the Blu-rayPosted Tue Mar 22, 2016 at 06:00 AM PDT by: -
'Doctor Who' Set to Materialize on Amazon Prime[teaser]The Doctor and his TARDIS are heading to Amazon's streaming service later this month. [/teaser] Amazon and BBC Worldwide North America.have announced a new deal for the US streaming rights to 'Doctor Who.' As part of the multi-year partnership, Amazon Prime will become the exclusive streaming home to all of the show's contemporary (2005 and on) episodes. The first eight seasons and holiday specials will be available to stream for Amazon Prime members starting March 27. In addition, season nine and the 2015 Christmas special, 'The Husbands of River Song,' will arrive on the streaming platform in the fall. The show's tenth season is due to premiere on the BBC in 2017. This will be the last season for current showrunner Steven Moffat. The series was previously available to stream on other platforms, including Hulu Plus and Netflix. The Doctor is an alien Time Lord from the planet Gallifrey who travels through all of time and space in his TARDIS with his companion. Instead of dying, the Doctor is able to "regenerate" into a new body, taking on a new personality with each regeneration. In season nine, Peter Capaldi returns as the Doctor alongside Jenna Coleman and guests including 'Game of Thrones' Maisie Williams. Now that the Doctor and Clara have established a dynamic as a partnership of equals, they’re relishing the fun and thrills that all of space and time has to offer. Tangling with ghosts, Vikings and the ultimate evil of the Daleks, they embark on their biggest adventures yet. Missy is back to plague the Doctor once more, the Zygons inspire fear as they shape-shift into human clones, and a new arrival moves in cosmic ways. An Amazon Prime membership currently costs $99 per year and includes: FREE Two-Day Shipping with no minimum order size on over 20 million items Unlimited, ad-free access to over a million songs and hundreds of playlists Instant streaming of thousands of movies and TV episodes with Prime Instant Video Unlimited photo storage with anywhere access Over 500,000 books to borrow for free, as frequently as once a month, with no due dates through the Kindle Owners' Lending Library 30-minute early access to Lightning Deals on Amazon and limited time events on MyHabit.com Source: VarietyPosted Mon Mar 21, 2016 at 04:45 PM PDT by: -
The Critically-Acclaimed 'The Witch' Descends on Blu-ray[teaser]The ground-breaking horror film “Certified Fresh” by Rotten Tomatoes and winner of the 2015 Sundance Film Festival Directing Award heads to Blu-ray in May. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Lionsgate will be releasing 'The Witch' on Blu-ray on May 17. New England, 1630: William and Katherine lead a devout Christian life with their five children, homesteading on the edge of an impassible wilderness. When their newborn son mysteriously vanishes and their crops fail, the family begins to turn on one another. The Witch is a chilling portrait of a family unraveling within their own fears and anxieties, leaving them prey to an inescapable evil. The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, lossless 5.1 audio, and supplements include: Audio Commentary with Director Robert Eggers; Salem Panel Q&A; Design Gallery; and more! You can find the latest specs for 'The Witch' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under May 17.Posted Mon Mar 21, 2016 at 12:00 PM PDT by: -
Apple Announces 9.7-inch iPad Pro, Prices Start at $599[teaser]The company's newest iPad model has been detailed. [/teaser] Apple has revealed the latest addition to its iPad lineup. The new 9.7 inch iPad Pro model now joins the previously released 12.9-inch model. "iPad Pro is a new generation of iPad that is indispensable and immersive, enabling people to be more productive and more creative. It’s incredibly fast, extremely portable, and completely natural to use with your fingers, Apple Pencil and Smart Keyboard. And now it comes in two sizes," said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. "The 9.7-inch iPad Pro has a new Retina display with True Tone technology, four-speaker audio system, blazing fast A9X chip, 12-megapixel iSight camera, 5-megapixel FaceTime HD camera, faster wireless, and support for Apple Pencil and Smart Keyboard. It is the ultimate upgrade for existing iPad users and replacement for PC users." The 9.7 inch iPad Pro uses a Retina Display with 500 nits of brightness, a wide color gamut, and the lowest reflectivity of any tablet. In addition, the screen includes the new True Tone Display feature which uses a four channel sensor to automatically adjust the white balance of the display based on the ambient color temperature of the room. Under the hood, the tablet it is powered by an A9X 64bit chip and integrated M9 coprocessor, providing robust performance for gaming, professional applications, and multitasking. A 12MP iSight camera with 4K video recording and a 5MP FaceTime HD camera are integrated as well, along with four speakers. Available accessories include a smart keyboard and the Apple Pencil stylus. The 9.7 inch iPad Pro will be available in 32GB ($599), 128GB ($749), and 256GB ($899) models. Orders start on March 24 and shipments will begin on March 31. Source: ApplePosted Mon Mar 21, 2016 at 11:15 AM PDT by: -
Apple Details iPhone SE 4-inch Smartphone, Pricing Starts at $399[teaser]A new 4 inch iPhone model has been revealed. [/teaser] Apple has unveiled the latest addition to its iPhone lineup. The upcoming iPhone SE is now the company's most powerful 4 inch smartphone model. "iPhone SE is an exciting new idea — we started with a beloved, iconic design and reinvented it from the inside out. The result is the most beautiful and powerful phone with a four-inch display in the world," said Philip Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. "iPhone SE is packed with a stunning four-inch Retina display, advanced 64-bit A9 chip with M9 motion co-processor, longer battery life, 12-megapixel iSight camera with True Tone flash, Live Photos, 4K video, faster LTE and Wi-Fi, and Touch ID with Apple Pay. Everyone who wants a smaller phone is going to love iPhone SE." The iPhone SE is powered by a 64-bit A9 chip with an embedded M9 Motion Core Processor, offering powerful performance for apps and games. The always on M9 also allows users to track their fitness all day long and use the "Hey Siri" feature. A 12MP iSight camera with Focus Pixels, True Tone Flash, a new signal processor, and support for Panorama up to 63MP is included as well. In addition, the camera offers 4K video recording and the ability to edit two 4K streams simultaneously. 802.11ac Wi-Fi is integrated as well, along with Touch ID and built in Apple Pay support. Apple's iPhone SE will be available in 16GB ($399) and 32GB ($499) models. Orders start March 24 and shipments will begin on March 31. The iPhone SE now joins the previously released iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus. The iPhone 6s features a 4.7-inch Retina HD display with a resolution of 1334x750 at 326ppi, while the iPhone 6s Plus features a 5.5-inch Retina HD display with a resolution of 1920x1080 at 401 ppi. A 12MP iSight camera with 4K video recording and a 5MP FaceTime HD camera are also included. In addition, the camera is capable of taking new Live Photos, which capture motion and sound 1.5 seconds before and after the picture. Finally, the new iPhones also feature Apple's 3D Touch technology, allowing the screens to recognize force as well as touch, providing new navigation and selection options. Source: ApplePosted Mon Mar 21, 2016 at 11:00 AM PDT by: -
Dan Mazer's 'Dirty Grandpa' Planned for Blu-ray[teaser]The comedy starring Robert De Niro and Zac Efron will hit the high-definition road in April. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Lionsgate is preparing 'Dirty Grandpa' for Blu-ray on April 26. Being bad has never felt so good as Robert De Niro and Zac Efron get down and dirtier in this outrageously funny unrated version of Dirty Grandpa! Uptight Jason (Efron) is a week away from marrying his boss's daughter. But everything changes when Jason's fooled into driving his foul-mouthed, free-living granddad (De Niro) to Florida for spring break-and thrown into a series of frat parties, bar fights, and epic misdeeds on a road trip that gives new meaning to family bonding. Specs have yet to be revealed, but supplements will include: The Filthy Truth: The Making of Dirty Grandpa" Featurette; "Daytona Heat" Featurette; "Filthy Filmmakers Who Have No Shame" Audio Commentary; "Lessons in Seduction" Featurette; "I Got Nothin' to Hide: A Look at Daytona's Most Vibrant Drug Dealer" Featurette; and Gag Reel. You can find the latest specs for 'Dirty Grandpa' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under April 26.Posted Mon Mar 21, 2016 at 10:00 AM PDT by:
