-
'Amen.' and 'Capital' Blu-rays Announced[teaser]Two films from acclaimed director Costa-Gavras will make their Blu-ray debut in June. [/teaser]In an early announcement to retailers, Cohen Media Group is preparing 'Amen.' and 'Capital' for Blu-ray on June 10.'Amen.' - When newly-commissioned SS Lieutenant Kurt Gerstein (Ulrich Tukur) witnesses the chemical disinfectant he's helped perfect being used to systematically murder interred Jews, he has no choice but to act. The only sympathetic ear Gerstein is able to find is that of a young Father Riccardo (Mathieu Kassovitz), a priest with deep ties to the Vatican. While Riccardo takes on the obstructive Vatican hierarchy, Gerstein must walk a tightrope between documenting and enabling the atrocities his fellow SS officers cold-bloodedly commit. As the two unlikely allies fight to reveal the truth to the Church and the world, they discover that the fates of a man of conscience committing treason for the sake of humanity and a man of God committing heresy to thwart genocide are ultimately the same. 'Capital' - When the CEO of France's Phenix Bank collapses on the golf course, Machiavellian young executive Marc Tourneuil (Gad Elmaleh) is crowned as his replacement. A whirlwind of ruthless ambition, power struggles, greed and deception ensues as Tourneuil's brutal ascent is jeopardized by a hostile takeover attempt from a large American hedge fund led by Dittmar Rigule (Gabriel Byrne), erotic distractions from international supermodel Nassim (Liya Kebede), and adversaries with an agenda for destruction. Specs, supplements, and suggested list prices for the Blu-rays have not been announced yet.You can find the latest specs for 'Amen.' and 'Capital' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where they are indexed under June 10.Posted Fri Mar 14, 2014 at 06:00 AM PDT by: -
Twilight Time Reveals Spring Titles[teaser]The company has announced its latest collection of limited edition Blu-rays, including Woody Allen's 'Broadway Danny Rose' and David Lynch's 'Wild at Heart'. [/teaser]In an early announcement to retailers, Twilight Time is preparing fifteen titles for Blu-ray throughout April, May, and June. The full lineup includes: April 8 'Broadway Danny Rose' - In his attempts to reconcile a lounge singer with his mistress, a hapless talent agent is mistaken as her lover by a jealous gangster. 'Mr Hobbs Takes A Vacation' - Mr. Hobbs wants to spend a quiet holiday at the beach, but his wife has invited all their family to stay with them. 'Rita, Sue, And Bob Too!' - Realistic story of working class Yorkshire life. Two schoolgirls have a sexual fling with a married man. Serious and light-hearted by turns. 'Used Cars' - When the owner of a struggling used car lot is killed, it's up to the lot's hot-shot salesman to save the property from falling into the hands of the owner's ruthless brother and used-car rival. 'Wild At Heart' - Young lovers Sailor and Lula run from the variety of weirdos that Lula's mom has hired to kill Sailor. May 13 'Fate is The Hunter / To Whom It May Concern: Ka Shen's Journey' - A man refuses to believe that pilot error caused a fatal crash, and persists in looking for another reason. 'Rollerball (1975)' - In a corporate-controlled future, an ultra-violent sport known as Rollerball represents the world, and one of its powerful athletes is out to defy those who want him out of the game. 'The Firm (2009)' - Football hooligans organize themselves into firms that represent their favorite team. 'Thunderbirds Are Go (1966) / Thunderbird 6 (1968)' - Zero-X, a manned exploration mission crashes during lift-off on its maiden flight. Two years later an investigative committee finally concludes sabotage, and decides to call on the services of International Rescue to oversee security at the impending second launch. The second Zero-X successfully reaches its destination, but encounters unexpected hazards, ultimately leading to another call for assistance on its return to Earth. International Rescue respond, and once again Thunderbirds are GO! 'Two Rode Together' - John Ford directs this classic western story of two lawmen who enter a Comanche camp to rescue white captives. Leaving with only two they return to the U.S. Army fort with tragic consequences. June 10 'Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison' - A Marine and a Nun, both shipwrecked on a Pacific Island, find solace in one another as the two wait out the war. 'The Man from Laramie' - A stranger defies the local cattle baron and his sadistic son by working for one of his oldest rivals. 'The Mechanic (1972)' - An aging hitman befriends a young man who wants to be a professional killer. Eventually it becomes clear that someone has betrayed them. 'The Train' - In 1944, a German colonel loads a train with French art treasures to send to Germany. The Resistance must stop it without damaging the cargo. 'Resurrected' - True story of a British soldier (David Thewlis), who is left behind in the Falklands after the war with Argentina. He travels on a journey from the Falkland Islands, to his army barracks in England where he is severely beaten and ostracized by his fellow soldiers. Specs, supplements, and suggested list prices have not been detailed yet, but like all Twilight Time releases, these discs will be limited to 3,000 units.You can find the latest specs for all of the titles listed above linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where they are indexed under April 8, May 13, and June 10.Posted Thu Mar 13, 2014 at 03:00 PM PDT by: -
More 'Godzilla' Films Set for Blu-ray[teaser]Four 'Godzilla' double features are stomping their way to Blu-ray in May. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Sony is preparing 'Godzilla Vs Destoroyah / Godzilla Vs Megaguirus,' 'Godzilla Vs King Ghidorah / Godzilla Vs Mothra,' 'Godzilla Vs Mechagodzilla II / Godzilla Vs Space,' and 'Godzilla: Final Wars / Godzilla: Tokyo SOS' for Blu-ray on May 6. 'Godzilla Vs Destoroyah' - The aftermath of the Oxygen Destroyer brings forth Destoroyah, a beast intent on killing Godzilla, who is on the verge of a nuclear meltdown. 'Godzilla Vs Megaguirus' - Godzilla returns to terrorize Japan! This time, however, Japan has two new weapons to defend themselves. The Gryphon, a high-tech ship, and the Dimension Tide, a device that creates artificial black holes! 'Godzilla Vs King Ghidorah' - Time travelers use Godzilla in their scheme to destroy Japan to prevent the country's future economic reign. 'Godzilla Vs Mothra' - In the midst of another rampage by Godzilla, Mothra emerges to save the human race from Battra. 'Godzilla Vs Mechagodzilla II' - The United Nations assembles the ultimate weapon to defeat Godzilla, while scientists discover a fresh pteranodon egg on a remote Japanese island. 'Godzilla vs. Space Godzilla' - Godzilla is threatened by two new forces: Mogera - another UN built machine; and Space Godzilla - a beast spawned from Godzilla's particles in space. 'Godzilla: Final Wars' - Godzilla's 50th Anniversary project, in which Gojira (Godzilla) travels around the world to fight his old foes plus a new, mysterious monster named Monster X. 'Godzilla: Tokyo SOS' - One year after the fight between Godzilla and Mechagodzilla, the two monsters along with Mothra face off in a conclusive battle royale. Specs and supplements have not been announced yet, but suggested list price for each Blu-ray double feature is $19.99. You can find the latest specs for all of the titles listed above linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where they are indexed under May 6.Posted Thu Mar 13, 2014 at 02:00 PM PDT by: -
'Tosh.0: Collas & Exposed Arms' Blu-ray Detailed[teaser]The popular Comedy Central series will bring more viral humor to Blu-ray in June. You can pre-order the show now. [/teaser]In an early announcement to retailers, the Comedy Central is preparing 'Tosh.0: Collas & Exposed Arms' for Blu-ray on June 17. 'Tosh.0' delves into all aspects of the Internet, featuring razor sharp humor and biting commentary from comedian Daniel Tosh. From the absolutely absurd to the incredibly ingenious, the series features viral clips, sketches, and "Web Redemptions" which give subjects of infamous viral videos a second chance to redeem themselves from the embarrassment with which they've become synonymous. It's cable TV's most trusted source for exhibitionist weirdos, injurious idiots and all things Web. The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, a Dolby TrueHD 5.1 soundtrack, and supplements will include: Extended Redemption Interviews and Tiptoes Spoiler Uncut. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $22.98.You can find the latest specs for 'Tosh.0: Collas & Exposed Arms' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under June 17.Posted Thu Mar 13, 2014 at 12:00 PM PDT by: -
Amazon Prime Subscription Fee Increases to $99[teaser]The online retailer has raised its Amazon Prime fee by $20. [/teaser] After discussing a possible price increase back in January, Amazon has finally made it official. The cost for a Prime membership is now $99 a year, a $20 increase from the previous $79 fee. Likewise, the company's Student membership price will increase as well, going up $10 to $49 a year. This is the first time Amazon has increased Prime membership since the service launched in 2005. The $20 increase is likely a result of rising fuel and transportation expenses and the costs of running Amazon's growing library of streaming content. First word of a possible Prime subscription hike came a few months ago, with rumors indicating a rise as high as $40. Amazon Prime benefits include free 2-day shipping, unlimited access to streaming movies and TV shows, and one free Kindle book to borrow each month. The new Amazon Prime pricing goes into effect on March 19. New customers who sign up before that date can still snag the original $79 fee for one year. Likewise, existing customers who have a renewal date before April 17 can also receive another year for the lower pricing. Source: EngadgetPosted Thu Mar 13, 2014 at 11:00 AM PDT by: -
'Revenge of the Nerds' Blu-ray Up for Pre-Order![teaser]The classic 1984 comedy is finally bound for Blu-ray in May! Pre-order here! [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, 20th Century Fox is preparing 'Revenge of the Nerds' for Blu-ray on May 6. In this hilarious classic, a group of misfits decides to start their own fraternity after being rejected by every house on campus. But when the football jocks try to crush their nerd counterparts, a battle royale erupts between brains and brawn and the nerds devise the perfect plan to gain the upper hand. Specs and supplements have yet to be revealed, but suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $14.99. You can find the latest specs for 'Revenge of the Nerds' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under May 6.Posted Thu Mar 13, 2014 at 10:00 AM PDT by: -
'The Time Machine' Heading to Blu-ray[teaser]The 1960 adaptation of H.G. Wells' classic novel will make its Blu-ray debut in July, and you can pre-order it now. [/teaser]In an early announcement to retailers, Warner Bros. is preparing 'The Time Machine (1960)' for Blu-ray on July 8. From H.G. Wells' landmark novel comes this beloved adventure about an inventor (Rod Taylor) who builds a time-travel device that whisks him through a war-ravaged 20th century and into a far-off era where humans are enslaved by evil subterranean mutants. Specs and supplements have not been announced yet, but suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $19.98.You can find the latest specs for 'The Time Machine (1960)' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under July 8.Posted Thu Mar 13, 2014 at 09:00 AM PDT by: -
DTS-Sponsored Study Shows Audio Has Biggest Influence on Enjoying Mobile Video[teaser]DTS recently sponsored the "Sound Matters" neurological study, which was run by a company called Neuro-Insight in New York. The purpose of the study was to see whether increasing audio quality using DTS Headphone:X, or increased video resolution was more important to the audiences watching "mobile content" on a smartphone or tablet. [/teaser] As you can see in the above video, Neuro-Insight invited one hundred 18-35-year-old men and women, who regularly watched audio visual content on smartphones or tablets, to participate. As the participants watched four pieces of content at various audio and/or video resolutions, Neuro-Insight used their proprietary SST technology to monitor the participants brain activity along five different metrics: Long-term memory encoding: A measure of how much the brain is remembering Engagement: A measure of content’s personal relevance The Hedonic Index: A measure that equates broadly to how likeable an experience is Emotional Intensity: The strength of any emotional response Attention: Measures how much visual attention is being paid to the content The Sound Matters Results Audio matters more. Overall, when participants upgraded from standard-quality audio to Headphone:X, the particpants' Hedonic Index jumped an average of 42 percent, which means the test subjects were enjoying the content that much more. To break it down, the study used 280p, 480p, and 1080p video content. When Headphone:X was added to 280p, the Headonic Index rose by 29 percent; with 1080p, there was a 35 percent increase in enjoyment. However, in that 480p mid range (common for many YouTube clips), the Hedonic Index rose by a whopping 66 percent. As for increasing video resolution, the "impact of changes in video quality on tablets was statistically insignificant." "Headphone:X audio was the clear winner in this study," said Pranav Yadav, CEO of Neuro-Insight. "When we switched to enhanced audio, the patterns of brain activity seen were similar to those seen when we eat something we find enjoyable, hear a funny joke or, for that matter, anticipating the ‘high’ associated with an addictive drug. Increasing the video quality did not achieve the same results or reactions." So why should you care? Frankly, my dear HDD Reader, you're probably already an audio enthusiast. You probably already know how a wonderful surround sound mix can turn an ordinary Blu-ray into the one you can't wait to show your friends. I'm also guessing many of our readers aren't particularly big fans of watching mobile content away from the home cinema. But here's where this DTS-sponsored study catches my eye: Bandwidth. When you ramp up from 480p to 1080p on your tablet, you need a dataplan-sucking 77 percent more bandwidth, but neurologically speaking, you're only enjoying the content about two percent more (again, we're talking on a hand held tablet, not your plasma or projector). For only a 15% increase in bandwidth, you can use an audio application like DTS Headphone:X and enjoy your content -- music, movies, and games -- by upwards of 66 percent. Imagine yourself on the never-ending transcontinental flight, the train ride into work every morning, the extended family dinner with that one drunk uncle who never shuts up… In these situations, you can't bust out the Blu-ray 3D, nor can you fire up your Xbox One or PS4 to immerse yourself in discrete multi-channel sound. But, assuming more content is encoded in the format and the app(s) improve, you can fire up a DTS Headphone:X to hear upwards of 11.1 surround sound from the headphones you already own. I would think, for casual movie and viewing, and even more so for the mobile gaming communities, the benefits are clear. I guess you could say the study is both surprising, in the sense that they were able to quantify the experience so clearly, but also not surprising at all because who doesn't love high-quality audio over digitally compressed garbage. DTS, you're preaching to the choir here, my friends. We constantly talk about how "sound is at least half the experience." Well, thanks to DTS and Neuro-Insight, we can revise this for small-screened mobile applications: Sound Matters… more than video.Posted Thu Mar 13, 2014 at 09:00 AM PDT by: -
'Flying Tigers' & 'Home of the Brave' Blu-rays Dated[teaser]Two classic war dramas are gearing up for Blu-ray in May. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Olive Films is preparing 'Flying Tigers' and 'Home of the Brave (1949)' for Blu-ray on May 13. 'Flying Tigers' - They were the terror of the sky, a small daring band of American mercenaries who soared into battle against the Japanese in defense of China's freedom. They were aces, adventurers and heros, America's hottest fighter pilots - The Flying Tigers! Possessing unmatched skill and bravery, Jim Gordon (John Wayne), the Tigers' commander, is the top gun of China's skies. But he faces a battle on the ground when his good friend Woody Jason is suspected of recklessly causing the death of a fellow pilot and is accused of stealing Jim's fiancee. Jim's fight to retain his respect for Woody while maintaining the solidarity of his pilots is an explosive battle of courage and heroism that lights up the sky with action. 'Home of the Brave' - A black soldier faces the bullets of the Japanese and the arrows of racial prejudice in this powerful WWII drama staring Frank Lovejoy and Lloyd Bridges. Specs and supplements have not been announced yet, but suggested list price for each Blu-ray is $29.95. You can find the latest specs for 'Flying Tigers' and 'Home of the Brave (1949)' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where they are indexed under May 13.Posted Thu Mar 13, 2014 at 08:00 AM PDT by: -
'Rob Zombie: The Zombie Horror Picture Show' Blu-ray Bound[teaser]Prepare to rock out with Rob Zombie on Blu-ray in May. You can pre-order the disc now. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Univeral Music is preparing 'Rob Zombie: The Zombie Horror Picture Show' for Blu-ray on May 20. This live concert event features performances from Rob Zombie filmed during the 2013 Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival. The track list includes: 1. Teenage Nosferatu Pussy2. Superbeast3. Super Charger Heaven4. Living Dead Girl5. We're An American Band6. More Human Than Human7. Sick Bubblegum8. Never Gonna Stop9. Ging Gang Gong De Do Gong De Laga Raga10. Meet The Creeper11. Angry Red Planet12. Mars Needs Women13. House Of 1000 Corpses14. Lords Of Salem15. Dead City Radio16. Thunder Kiss '6517. Dragula Specs and supplements have not been revealed yet, but suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $24.98. You can find the latest specs for 'Rob Zombie: The Zombie Horror Picture Show' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under May 20.Posted Thu Mar 13, 2014 at 06:00 AM PDT by:
