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'The Boy' Will Arrive on Blu-ray in March[teaser]David Morse and Rainn Wilson star in this thriller coming to Blu-ray in March. [/teaser]In an early announcement to retailers, Shout Factory is preparing 'The Boy' for Blu-ray on March 1. In the summer of 1989, nine-year-old Ted Henley (Jared Breeze, Cooties) and his father John (David Morse, True Detective, World War Z) are the proprietors of the Mt. Vista Motel, a crumbling resort buried in the mountains of the American West. Since Ted's mother left, John has drifted into despondency – leaving Ted to fend for himself. In this isolation, unchecked by the bounds of parenting, Ted's darker impulses begin to manifest. The arrival of a mysterious drifter, William Colby (Rainn Wilson, Cooties, The Office), captivates young Ted and the two form a unique friendship – setting the stage for Ted's final, unnerving metamorphosis. Specs and supplements have not been detailed yet. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $19.97. You can find the latest specs for 'The Boy' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under March 1. Order the Blu-rayPosted Tue Dec 29, 2015 at 10:00 AM PST by: -
Giulio Ricciarelli's 'Labyrinth of Lies' Blu-ray Announced[teaser]The acclaimed historical drama is planned for Blu-ray in February. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Sony says 'Labyrinth of Lies' will be available on Blu-ray on February 16. Germany 1958. In those years, "Auschwitz" was a word that some people had never heard of, and others wanted to forget as quickly as possible. Against the will of his immediate superior, young prosecutor Johann Radmann (Alexander Fehling) begins to examine the case of a recently identified teacher who was a former Auschwitz guard. Radmann soon lands in a web of repression and denial, but also of idealization. He devotes himself with utmost commitment to his new task and is resolved to find out what really happened. He oversteps boundaries, falls out with friends, colleagues and allies, and is sucked deeper and deeper into a labyrinth of lies and guilt in his search for the truth. But what he ultimately brings to light will change the country forever. Specs have yet to be revealed, but supplements include: Commentary with Director Giulio Ricciarelli and Actor Alexander Fehling; Jewish Film Festival Q&A with Director Giulio Ricciarelli and Actor Alexander Fehling; and Deleted Scenes. You can find the latest specs for 'Labyrinth of Lies' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it is indexed under February 16. Order the Blu-rayPosted Tue Dec 29, 2015 at 06:00 AM PST by: -
HDD Gear Deal Spotlight: Up to 62% off Headphones & Speakers[teaser]Amazon is offering big discounts on select audio gear! [/teaser] As part of the online retailer's ongoing holiday promotions, Amazon is running a limited time sale on audio gear from Sennheiser, MEE Audio, and Yamaha. Sennheiser CX 300 II Precision Enhanced Bass Earbuds - Currently $30 (62% off). Sennheiser PXC 250 II Collapsible Noise-Canceling Headphones - Currently $100 (62% off). MEE audio Runaway 4.0 Bluetooth Stereo Wireless Headphones - Currently $40 (60% off). Yamaha YST-SW012 8-Inch Front-Firing Active Subwoofer - Currently $90 (31% off). Yamaha YHT-5920UBL MusicCast Home Theater in a Box - Currently $550 (21% off). These deals will only be active for a limited time while supplies last. Make sure to stay tuned to High-Def Digest for more sales and promotions!Posted Mon Dec 28, 2015 at 01:30 PM PST by: -
Apple TV Adds Littlstar App with 360-Degree Immersive Videos from Disney, Showtime & More[teaser]The new app offers 360 video content. [/teaser] Apple has announced the addition of Littlstar to its app lineup. The service features a growing collection of 360-degree videos from several studios and brands. "Littlstar's app for Apple TV brings an immersive 360 video experience to the television screen," commented Tony Mugavero, founder and Chief Product Officer of Littlstar. "We wanted to give audiences the ability to consume this content from their living rooms and in a social environment. With Littlstar's app, users can now view 360 videos on their televisions, and experience immersive video the same way they would a traditional TV program." Littlstar offers 360-degree videos from companies like Showtime, Disney, Discovery, PBS, Mountain Dew, National Geographic and Red Bull, providing a variety of content categories including travel, sports, and music. Users can control the angle of each video by using the trackpad on the newest Siri remote, allowing them to rotate their view as they wish to create a fully immersive experience. The Littlstar app is now available for free from the Apple TV app store. Users can also watch 360 clips on their computers via Littlstar.com. Source: Littlstar via EngadgetPosted Mon Dec 28, 2015 at 12:30 PM PST by: -
Blu-ray Will Uncover the 'Truth' this February[teaser]James Vanderbilt's acclaimed drama will be getting a Blu-ray release in February. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Sony says 'Truth' will hit on Blu-ray on February 2. Robert Redford and Cate Blanchett star in Truth, based on a riveting true story of one of network news' biggest scandals. As a renowned producer and close associate of Dan Rather (Redford), Mary Mapes (Blanchett) believes she's broken the biggest story of the 2004 election: revelations of a sitting U.S. President's military service. But then allegations come pouring in, sources change their stories, document authenticity is questioned, and the casualties begin to mount. This dramatic thriller goes behind the scenes to expose the intricacies of journalistic integrity and what it takes to reveal the Truth. The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, lossless 5.1 audio, and supplements include: Featurette: The Team; Q&A with Cate Blanchett, Elisabeth Moss and James Vanderbilt; Commentary with Director James Vanderbilt, Producers Brad Fischer and William Sherak; plus Blu-ray exclusive Deleted Scenes and Featurette: The Reason For Being. You can find the latest specs for 'Truth' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it is indexed under February 2. Order the Blu-rayPosted Mon Dec 28, 2015 at 12:00 PM PST by: -
'Rage of Honor' Blu-ray Announced[teaser]The action movie will seek vengeance on Blu-ray in March. [/teaser]In an early announcement to retailers, Arrow Video is preparing 'Rage of Honor' for Blu-ray on March 15. Following his star turns in 80s actioners 'Enter the Ninja' and 'Revenge of the Ninja,' Sho Kosugi continued his domination of the US martial arts movie with 1987's 'Rage of Honor' helmed once again by 'Pray for Death' director Gordon Hessler (The Golden Voyage of Sinbad). Federal agent Shiro Tanaka (Kosugi) used to live for his job now, he lives only for revenge. When his partner is killed during a bungled drug bust, Shiro throws away his badge and the rule book with it: arming himself with an array of deadly weaponry including nunchucks, blades and ninja stars he sets out to Buenos Aires to settle the score with the bad guys. Packing explosions, flying kicks and somersaults aplenty (as well as some truly logic-bending stunt sequences), 'Rage of Honor' sees Kosugi at the top of his game as he battles his way from the streets of the urban jungle to the very literal jungles of South America. Specs have not been detailed yet, but supplements will include: Sho and Tell Part 2: The Domination brand new interview with star Sho Kosugi on Rage of Honor and the later stages of his film career; Sho Kosugi Trailer Gallery: Enter the Ninja (1981), Revenge of the Ninja (1983), Pray for Death (1985) and Rage of Honor (1987); Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Matthew Griffin; and the first pressing includes a collector's booklet featuring new writing on the film and an extract from Kosugi s upcoming book. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $29.95. You can find the latest specs for 'Rage of Honor' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under March 15. Order the Blu-rayPosted Mon Dec 28, 2015 at 10:00 AM PST by: -
Arrow Video Details 'Death Walks Twice' Blu-ray[teaser]The double feature will arrive on Blu-ray in March. [/teaser]In an early announcement to retailers, Arrow Video is preparing 'Death Walks Twice' for Blu-ray on March 29. Emerging at the peak of the giallo boom of the early 70s, Luciano Ercoli's Death Walks films are two superlative examples of the genre linked by their shared casting of the stunning Nieves Navarro (billed under her adopted stage name of Susan Scott) as the lead woman in peril. In 'Death Walks on High Heels' (1971), exotic dancer Nicole (Navarro), the daughter of a murdered jewel thief, finds herself terrorised by a black-clad assailant determined on procuring her father s stolen gems. Fleeing Paris and her knife-wielding pursuer, Nicole arrives in London only to discover that death stalks her at every corner. Returning in 'Death Walks at Midnight' (1972), Navarro stars as Valentina a model who, in the midst of a drug-fuelled photoshoot, witnesses a brutal murder in the apartment opposite hers. But when it becomes clear that the savage slaying she describes relates to a crime that took place six months earlier, the police are at a loss - forcing Valentina to solve the mystery alone. Offering up all the glamour, perversity and narrative twists and turns that are typical of the giallo genre at its best, Luciano Ercoli's 'Death Walks on High Heels' and 'Death Walks at Midnight' anticipate the super-stylized trappings of Brian De Palma's early psycho thrillers (most notably, Dressed to Kill). The Blu-ray/DVD combo pack will feature 1080p video, Italian and English LPCM mono soundtracks, and supplements will include: Limited Edition 60-page booklet containing new writing from authors Danny Shipka (Perverse Titillation: The Exploitation Cinema of Italy, Spain and France), Troy Howarth (So Deadly, So Perverse: 50 Years of Italian Giallo Films) and writer Leonard Jacobs, illustrated with original archive stills and posters; Newly-edited archive interview with director Luciano Ercoli and actress Nieves Navarro ('Death Walks on High Heels'); Master of Giallo brand new interview in which Gastaldi discusses Death Walks on High Heels and offers up his thoughts as to what constitutes a good giallo ('Death Walks on High Heels'); An interview with composer Stelvio Cipriani ('Death Walks on High Heels'); Original Italian trailer ('Death Walks on High Heels'); Original English trailer ('Death Walks on High Heels'); Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Gilles Vranckx ('Death Walks on High Heels'); Audio commentary by film critic Tim Lucas ('Death Walks on High Heels'); Introduction to the film by screenwriter Ernesto Gastaldi ('Death Walks on High Heels'); Audio commentary by film critic Tim Lucas ('Death Walks at Midnight'); Introduction to the film by screenwriter Ernesto Gastaldi ('Death Walks at Midnight'); Extended TV version of the feature [105 mins] ('Death Walks at Midnight'); Crime Does Pay brand new interview in which Gastaldi discusses Death Walks at Midnight and a career script-writing crime films ('Death Walks at Midnight'); Desperately Seeking Susan a visual essay by Michael Mackenzie exploring the distinctive giallo collaborations between director Luciano Ercoli and star Nieves Navarro ('Death Walks at Midnight'); and Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Gilles Vranckx ('Death Walks at Midnight'). Suggested list price for the 4-Disc Limited Edition (3000 copies) Blu-ray is $69.95. You can find the latest specs for 'Death Walks Twice' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under March 29. Order the Blu-rayPosted Mon Dec 28, 2015 at 08:00 AM PST by: -
'Black Mama, White Mama' Starring Pam Grier Bound for Blu-ray[teaser]The Blaxploitation flick is making a break for it on Blu-ray in March. [/teaser]In an early announcement to retailers, Arrow Video is preparing 'Black Mama, White Mama' for Blu-ray on March 22. Before her iconic turn in 'Coffy,' Pam Grier starred alongside Margaret Markov in a grindhouse spin on Stanley Kramer's 'The Defiant Ones,' fusing the Women in Prison film with the emerging Blaxploitation movement for a riotous romp of bullets, babes and blood! Lee (Grier), a tough prostitute and Karen (Markov), a revolutionary, are admitted to a tough women's prison where almost immediately (after some playful showering that prefigures Porky's) they clash. Packed off to a maximum security prison, their transport is ambushed by Karen's guerrilla friends and the two escape into the Filipino jungle. Chained together and with differing escape plans their clash intensifies as Lee wants to retrieve a stash of stolen cash to get her off the island and Karen wants to re-join her revolutionary group. Escape isn't easy as they come up against a series of obstacles including a corrupt cop, a bounty hunter, a sadistic Drug Lord and guerrillas who threaten to turn everything upside down. Chock full of girl fights, gun battles, nudity and humour, 'Black Mama White Mama,' which was also known as Women in Chains and Hot, Hard and Mean, lives up to all its titles as well as featuring a brilliant Sid Haig (Spider Baby, House of 1000 Corpses) as a cowboy bounty hunter and Lynn Borden (Frogs, Dirty Mary Crazy Larry) as a lesbian guard from a script co-written by Jonathan Demme (Caged Heat) and a score sampled by Quentin Tarantino for 'Kill Bill.' The Blu-ray/DVD combo pack will feature 1080p video, an LPCM mono soundtrack, and supplements will include: Commentary by filmmaker Andrew Leavold, director of The Search for Weng Weng; White Mama - An interview with star Margaret Markov; Sid's Filipino Adventure - An interview with star Sid Haig; The Mad Director of Blood Island - A previously unseen archive interview with director Eddie Romero; Trailer; Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Sean Phillips; and the first pressing also includes a booklet featuring brand new writing on the film by Temple of Schlock s Chris Poggiali and extracts from the original press book, illustrated with archive stills and posters. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $29.95. You can find the latest specs for 'Black Mama, White Mama' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under March 22. Order the Blu-rayPosted Mon Dec 28, 2015 at 06:00 AM PST by: -
The Force Awakens: IMAX 3D vs Dolby Cinema at AMC PrimeA long, long time ago in our very own galaxy, 'Star Wars' wowed audiences around the world by fusing classical mythology and old Hollywood serial storytelling with cutting edge production techniques. As creator George Lucas wove his interstellar family saga, he helped pioneer what was cinematically possible, visually and aurally. He also fought to ensure presentation quality for as many cinema-goers as possible. To do this, he sometimes partnered with companies like Dolby Laboratories, for immersive audio, or Sony, to push the boundaries of digital filmmaking. Other times he founded his own companies, including ILM, THX, and Skywalker Sound. Either way, 'Star Wars' is more than a movie. It is a cinematic universe. A springboard for toys and other merchandize. And it is a guarantee that audiences are still going to be wowed, even forty years later, with the latest production and exhibition innovations. [teaser]As 2015 comes to an end, and with the staggering launch of 'The Force Awakens' this last weekend, I thought it would be fun to compare and contrast what are arguably the two best exhibition formats available today: IMAX and Dolby Cinema. [/teaser] IMAX First developed in the 1960s, IMAX is synonymous with big screens and big sound. In the beginning, science museums played documentaries captured in 15-perf 70mm film ("15/70"). The effect, at times, was nothing short of going on a roller coaster ride. In the early 2000s, IMAX ventured into exhibiting Hollywood feature films thanks to a remastering technique allowing conventionally photographed film projects to be uprezzed for IMAX. Soon filmmakers like Christopher Nolan would shoot portions of their movies on IMAX cameras. IMAX also forged a partnership with AMC Theaters to retrofit large auditoriums into IMAX Digital screens using a dual 2K projection system aimed at screens not quite as grand as those capable of showing 15/70. This, of course, happened as the whole film exhibition industry converted from film to digital. During much of this time, IMAX stuck with a proprietary 5.1 surround sound system that includes large full range speakers and massive amounts of power. Earlier this year, IMAX debuted two new technologies. On the visual front, they launched IMAX Laser and IMAX Laser 3D. This system uses dual 4K laser projectors that are 50% brighter than traditional digital projectors while offering Rec.2020 color gamut capability and double the contrast ratio of 15/70 IMAX film. This means brighter whites, deeper blacks, and more lifelike and saturated colors. On the sound front, IMAX has developed a 12-channel surround sound system that takes their previous 5.1 setup and adds two side-surround and four ceiling-surround speaker channels. For those familiar with Dolby Atmos, it is effectively a 7.0.5 configuration with large full range speakers and massive amounts of power. IMAX Laser 3D is among the first group of projectors that allow for true 3D projection at a 4K resolution. While previous generations were capped at 2K, next gen dual-headed laser projection systems -- like the Christie® 6P which was installed at the Seattle Cinerama and the Arclight Hollywood Cinerama Dome -- are changing the game. Which brings me to our other laser projection system: DOLBY CINEMA Dolby Laboratories is synonymous with high quality audio and surround sound. Founded by Ray Dolby 50 years ago, the company started with noise reduction, moved on to stereo and stereo surround, and then developed AC-3 or Dolby Digital in the 1990s where the codec was used for theatrical exhibition, home entertainment products like DVDs, and finally as the broadcast standard for HDTV. The company has also developed 3D projection systems as well as advanced multi-channel and object-based surround sound system technologies. Basically, thanks to Dolby, you can now see a movie in theatres mixed in the ultra immersive Dolby Atmos format and then, months later, watch that movie on Blu-ray with the exact same mix tuned for your living room. For 2015, Dolby launched Dolby Cinema, a premium large screen exhibition format. While standalone Dolby Cinema locations first debuted in Europe, Dolby partnered with AMC Theaters here in the United States for the initial rollout. We covered this in our post, HDD First Look: Dobly Cinema at AMC Prime, but the short version is this: AMC is retrofitting existing ETX and AMC Prime auditoriums into Dolby Cinema auditoriums. This combines large screens and lush leather recliners with two key Dolby technologies. Dolby Atmos handles the sound and boasts individual speaker amplification for pin-point sound placement, added full-range speakers, more subwoofers, and ceiling speakers. Dolby Atmos doesn't just surround listeners; it envelops them in a hemisphere of sound. Dolby Cinema visuals are handled by a new Dolby Vision projection technology that was developed with Christie®. This dual 4K laser projection offers a million to one contrast ratio, 31fL of light (twice conventional projection systems), and an expanded HDR color gamut capable of Rec.2020. Like IMAX Laser, this projection system is incredibly bright and accurate, with extraordinary black level and color reproduction capabilities. However, it is noted that "Dolby Cinema at AMC Prime" locations will be 2D-only. THE FORCE AWAKENS I saw 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' twice over the weekend. My first screening was at the historic TCL Chinese Theatre, which was not only the location of the first 'Star Wars' premiere in 1977, but also boasts the second largest screen in North America, IMAX Laser 3D projection, and 12-Channel Surround Sound. One day later, I snagged a ticket to Dolby Cinema at AMC Prime's newly opened Century City location, which is the second one in the Los Angeles area and ninth overall in the country. My initial idea for this article was to pit the two theatres against one another and declare a winner. But at the end of the day they're both exceptional ways to see movies and I'll eagerly buy tickets to both. Regardless, I thought it would be fun to break down how each theatre handled the movie along with any observed strengths and weaknesses. It goes without saying that this isn't a very scientific experiment, since there was a 24-hour delay between screenings, I'm comparing 3D to 2D, and because your local IMAX and Dolby Cinema locations may have slight visual and acoustical variations versus the ones I visited. SIZE & SCOPE In comparing IMAX to Dolby Cinema, size is going to vary by location. In Los Angeles, the TCL Chinese IMAX is the Starkiller Base; its 94' x 46' screen offers an absolutely engulfing experience. Dolby Cinema at AMC Prime offers a wonderfully large screen (north of 60 feet, I believe) and terrific visual experience that's slightly smaller than IMAX, but one where every seat feels like a sweet spot. PICTURE 'The Force Awakens' was primarily shot on 35mm film and mastered digitally in 4K for both IMAX and Dolby Vision. It is presented in a continuous 2.35:1 (or 2.40:1) aspect ratio despite one sequence being filmed on IMAX cameras. The 3D was converted by Stereo 3D, who also converted 'Titanic', 'Jurassic Park', 'Pacific Rim', and the more recent Marvel movies including 'Winter Soldier' and 'Guardians'. As we're dealing with 3D and 2D, it's a little unfair to compare the two formats as a contest. What I will say, however, is that 'Episode VII' offers an engaging sense of depth, dimensionality, color, and resolution in both formats. The effects work is generally spectacular, though some of the CGI felt a little light. Also, there is some softness inherent to the production, particularly in close ups of Carrie Fisher, visible in both formats. Either way, this is a very attractive movie that will look awesome on Blu-ray and Ultra HD Blu-ray. Ducking into non-laser auditoriums over the weekend, the movie looked very good, but brightness, color saturation, and black-levels were much stronger in both IMAX and Dolby Cinema. The IMAX 3D conversion is a stunner. The added sense of depth sucks you into the Star Wars universe like never before and there's a real sensation of flying in many of the action sequences. My favorite shot, however, involved a Star Destroyer jutting out into the audience. It was so lifelike I almost tried to touch it. Brightness was very good for 3D, and black-levels are surprisingly deep at the expense of some minor crush. Dolby Cinema's presentation is excellent too. Though the letterboxing above and below the screen could have been a truer black (minor nitpick alert!), the real strength of Dolby Vision is overall dynamic range. All of the film's sets and different worlds seemed incredibly lifelike and present. Colors were extremly rich, and shadow details were extraordinary, particularly on space ships and other darkly lit interior sets. I was also taken by how Dolby Vision reproduced bright objects such as explosions, offering improved details within the visual effects rendering. In terms of nitpicks, neither of my two screening venues were able to display visible details of Adam Driver's dark hair towards the end of Kylo Ren's confrontation with Han Solo (black hair above a black costume in front of a dark wall is one hell of a challenge, I assume), but my guess is that this is likely due to color grading choices, ie filmmaker intention. 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' Red Carpet World Premiere from Dolby Laboratories on Vimeo. AUDIO 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' has been encoded in multiple surround sound formats. Some of you will experience the film in 5.1 or 7.1 or one of the new object-based surround sound systems. As described above, the TCL Chinese IMAX is configured with 12-channel surround, while the Dolby Cinema at AMC Prime offers Dolby Atmos. I'm not sure of the exact configuration, but there were at least eight pairs of speakers and four subs mounted to the ceiling, as well as a two dozen or so speakers mounted on the walls and behind the screen. This was my first time screening an IMAX film with height speakers and I have to say I couldn't really tell. I was seated close to the screen, so perhaps the front channels overwhelmed the sensation of overhead immersion. That aside, the IMAX sound mix is excellent. I enjoyed the overall tone of this system, felt it hand a excllent low end grunt, and preferred this auditorium's speakers over those in Century City. IMAX has always been known for powerful sound and this one replicated all frequencies in an enveloping way. The Dolby Atmos mix was much more accurate at surround panning and world building immersion. X-Wing and TIE Fighter dogfights came to life in an incredible way, with laser blasts exploding overhead. This mix also has some wonderful quiet moments -- forest scenes evoke animals in the trees and wind whips through empty cavernous spaces and snow blows with delicate fury. It's all very lifelike, and a reminder that Dolby Atmos is more than just brute power; it's also precise in a way I've not heard in any other commercial sound system. The other thing Dolby Cinema at AMC Prime has going for it is in-seat transducers. You can't beat a rumbling seat for every boom, rattle, and bang. I suppose some might find it distracting, but to me it makes the LFE come to life. My only nitpick on the audio side is related to this particular theatre, which I personally think has always been a little bright. A minor complaint only because I've been fortunate enough to demo material at professional Dolby Atmos mixing stages and because the Burbank Dolby Cinema at AMC Prime is hands down the best sounding commercial cinema in my area. Whether you go with IMAX or Dolby Cinema, you're in for a reference quality sound mix that's sure to make for excellent demo material in the home. We can only hope Disney elects to use the Dolby Atmos mix on Blu-ray (something Disney has yet to do). ATMOSPHERE I attended a matinee for each screening, which might not be reflective of full adult pricing. Either way, these are premium tickets. I paid $19.50 to see 'The Force Awakens' in IMAX Laser 3D, and $18.59 to see it in Dolby Cinema at AMC Prime. I only saw one cell phone come out in each screening, thank the maker. The TCL Chinese IMAX is the type of theatre you must-must visit if you ever come to Los Angeles. It is a one-screen palace where stars -- young, old, and wars -- have attended premieres for almost ninety years. Where your favorite actors have their hands and feet stamped into cement. The auditorium is luxuriously appointed, adorned with artwork and carvings and miles of red velvet. It has always offered state-of-the-art projection and sound, but as an IMAX, it's world class. The seats are all brand new, and fairly comfortable. The food typical of any movie theatre in the country. The location, while fun for tourists, is a bit of a pain to access because of all those fun-having tourists. The one bummer here: there is an aisle where one might place the best -- centered -- seats in the house. I'm sure it was about balancing fire code with maximizing the number of seats, but for shame. The AMC Century City 15 takes up the corner of an upscale mall on the west side of Los Angeles. It too can be challenging to access, but only during peak shopping seasons. However, unlike Hollywood, unless you work in one of the neighboring high rises, there's little to do nearby. Visually speaking, this auditorium doesn't offer the full experience of the Burbank location (no video wall as you enter, and it didn't have lit speaker lights before the show), but reserved leather recliners are pretty much the best way to see movies ever. I only wish there was enough room to extend the foot rests a little more. Food offerings are plentiful, but it's not as good as AMC's Dine-In locations (which I love). FINAL THOUGHTS I set out this weekend to crown a cinema king by pitting two great theatres against one another, but instead came away in awe of both. Dual 4K laser projection systems capable of HDR and Rec.2020, with double the brightness of conventional digital projection, are the future. IMAX offers an unparalleled sense of scope, while Dolby Cinema offers an incredible about of fidelity in its visual dynamic range -- strong colors, a bright image, and loads of shadow detail. Again, it's important to remember this is partially an apples to oranges comparision because I wasn't able to compare two 2D sources, so there is more experimenting to be done, much of it subjective. In terms of sound, Dolby Atmos immerses the audience with an articulate and specific sense of world-building, and IMAX offers a wonderfully, deep sonic experience. Lastly, both of these theatres offer excellent movie-going experiences. At the end of the day, both formats represent tremendous value to film fans who want to experience something home cinemas will never be able to fully replicate. The TCL Chinese IMAX is a must-visit historic location (there's only one), while Dolby Cinema is a must-experience theatrical auditorium (and hopefully AMC is building one near you now). To locate a theatre in your area playing IMAX Laser 3D, click HERE. To find Dolby Cinema at AMC Prime locations, click HERE. *** Did you see 'The Force Awakens' this weekend? Let us know what format(s) you experienced and what you thought below or in our forums. Cheers. NOTE: This article has been updated to correct a few facts and clarify language.Posted Thu Dec 24, 2015 at 05:00 PM PST by: -
BenQ Details Monitor & Projector Lineup for CES 2016[teaser]Several monitors and projectors will be on display at the upcoming show. [/teaser] BenQ has announced its product lineup for CES 2016. The company plans to show off a variety of devices, including three monitors and three projectors. First up, is the 23.8-inch VZ2470H minimalist monitor due for release in January. The 1080p VA panel features an asymmetrical design, an ultra-slim bezel, a 3000:1 contrast ratio, 4ms GTG response time, and BenQ's Eye-Care technology. In addition, the company will also be highlighting its currently available XR3501 35-inch curved-screen 21:9 monitor. Likewise, the 27-inch XL2730Z will be on display as well. The monitor offers a QHD screen with a 144Hz refresh rate, 1ms GTG response time, Adaptive Sync tech, and Gaming Refresh-rate Optimization Management (GROM). Meanwhile, on the projector front, BenQ will be demonstrating its 1080p Colorific HT4050, HT3050, and HT2050 projectors. BenQ's CES 2016 product lineup will be on display at the company's booth on January 6-9 in Las Vegas. Source. BenQPosted Thu Dec 24, 2015 at 10:00 AM PST by:
