Still confused by Prometheus? I enjoyed it, purely from an artist standpoint, but sadly felt that the story left much to be desired. Perhaps that’s the reason I’m excited for the Blu-ray release of Ridley Scott’s latest – deleted scenes and alternate beginning and ending clips might help make the story feel a bit more cohesive. But these new features on the disc, while neat, probably won’t fix everything. I did crack up at the dramatic music that started playing when the trailer mentions you can use your tablet with the film to see extra content. Read more…
The first season of Star Trek: The Next Generation in HDshould finally be available at store near you. My copy arrived earlier today, and I couldn’t wait to marathon a few of the discs. Of course, watching the first season of Star Trek the Next Generation can almost seem like a chore — the writing wasn’t incredible, the props and costumes needed some work, and the acting left plenty to be desired — so I had to pace myself. I was a bit worried that the experience would be much akin to chewing on a stick of Fruit Stripe gum — you know, ‘oos’ and ‘ahs’ for the first few minutes then suddenly ‘aww’. However, it actually isn’t that bad.
It’s been a long time coming, but the wait is almost over. Set for release this September, Indiana Jones: The Complete Adventuresdelivers all four Indy films in stunning high-definition for the very first time. Each film will feature full 1080p restorations, and new 5.1 DTS-HD audio tracks. They even restored Raiders of the Lost Ark using a 4k scan of the original negatives, so I’m sure it’ll look absolutely stunning. Unfortunately, the collection also includes Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, but as if to make up for that fact, Amazon has discounted the box set from its list price of $100 to just $75. Read more…
For the longest time, I’ve been wanting to see Star Trek: The Next Generation receive its much-needed facelift, and after picking up a copy of Star Trek: The Next Generation -The Next Level Blu-ray sampler earlier this year, I’ve become conflicted. Not because I don’t want them to finish remastering the series, but because I honestly loathed the first two seasons — at least, in comparison to the series as a whole, which I found brilliant. The writing was often sub-par, the acting absolutely atrocious at times, and the visuals (props, sets, costumes) — yikes, do we really need to see those in high definition? Read more…
Who doesn’t want some awesome hi-def Indiana Jones action? Finally, after much waiting, we’ve gotten an official announcement of Indiana Jones arriving on Blu-Ray this fall. Sadly, there aren’t really any other details aside from the announcement itself and an Amazon listing for the package that features the pricetag of $75. I’d pay more if Crystal Skull was left out. I kid, I kid. Check out the 720p trailer after the jump. Read more…
The comedy epic Monty Python and the Holy Grail is finally making Blu-ray debut. The film’s been “digitally remastered for high-definition,” so I imagine that means they did more than just upscale the previous DVD release. The Blu-ray release will also include several exclusive features, such as “Second Screen Experience” compatibility, along with extended scenes, outtakes, lost animations and more. Finally, the disc features UltraViolet compatibility, granting its owner a digital license for the product. The owner can then instantly stream, or download a digital copy of the film. Monty Python and the Holy Grail will be available March 6th and retails for $19.99, but you can pre-order it via Amazon for just $12.99. Read more…
For those in need of a Doctor Who fix, 2011 Christmas special, The Doctor, The Widow and the Wardrobe, is set to hit stores on February 14th, just in time for Valentines day. Some of you might have caught my mini-review back in December, and while I felt it wasn’t the Doctor at his best, the special certainly had its moments. For some of you it’ll make an awesome alternative to flowers or chocolates, and for others it might just serve to hold you over till the Doctor returns to BBC later this year. For those of you who want to pre-order it, Amazon is selling the Blu-ray for $15.99, or if you’d rather have it on DVD, just $10.99. Amazon prime members can select free 2-day shipping to receive their copy on the 14th instead of having to wait.
I’ve never been big on owning box sets while a franchise is still on-going, but in this instance, I might make an exception. It’s true that James Bond has always remained a controversial character, and while he’s often described as misogynistic, sexist, and even a tad juvenile, he remains one of the most iconic heroes to ever grace the silver screen. For the first time ever, all twenty two 007 films will be made available for Blu-ray, nine of which have never been released in high definition — that is, until now.
As many of you are already aware, Star Trek: The Next Generation – The Next Level is set for release later this month. The Blu-ray sampler includes three recently remastered HD episodes from the series, including the full feature length version of the series premiere “Encounter at Farpoint.” If you’re wondering what to expect, check out this sweet side-by-side comparison of the original and remastered version. The colors really pop, and you can tell they spent some time polishing those special effects. I’d like to believe the changes could make that entire first season bearable, but short of inventing a time machine and rewriting the scripts, its not likely. Nevertheless, they’ll also be including “Sins of the Father,” as well as the critically acclaimed “The Inner Light,” both of which are exponentially better both in terms of writing and pacing. The disc goes on sale January 31st, and will retail for just $21.99.
Here’s the latest trailer for the upcoming Star Trek: the Next Generation – The Next Level Blu-ray sampler set to be released on January 31st. The trailer starts with the teaser footage released a few months back, and the new content starts around a minute and seventeen seconds in, detailing the restoration process, and showing clips from the episodes included on the disc. You’ll probably notice that the episodes are still in 4:3 format, rather than 16:9, but that’s actually intended. They haven’t really said why, but there could really be any number of reasons, such as unintended crew or equipment being present in the shots, etc. That said, the show is still being completely recomposited from scratch using the original negatives and transferred to 1080p, so it’ll still look amazing. Once again, the sampler will retail for $21.99 and should include five full episodes. It’s been confirmed that the rest of 178 episodes will eventually follow.
