Takk's Blu Reviews

[Takk]

This will be a thread where I review Blu-Ray releases. More than just movie reviews, I will be reviewing each aspect of the Blu-Ray release to let those with the capability of playing them (or those thinking about obtaining such) should bother paying the extra cost for the Blu-Ray... but as superior sound and picture quality are already a given, I'll try to focus more on the other features, specifically those features that are exclusive to the format.

First up: THE DARK KNIGHT

Movie: The Dark Knight is cinematic perfection.

From beginning to end, this film is absolutely awe inspiring… the visuals are intense, the story is wonderfully played out, and extremely full. In fact, there was literally not a single moment of wasted time on screen… no filler, no pointless relief, nothing. Plus the cast was by far the most impressive ever assembled for a feature film. I could not give this film enough praise… its intensity shocked the system, the truth to the characters was preserved brilliantly, and the whole thing was so magnificent and emotionally charged that certain parts of it brought me to tears… including an ending that is so poetic and amazing that… wow… it was just simply… wow.

Package: The Joker has had some fun.

The outer sleeve (pictured above) is nice, but the superior cover design is in the Blu-Ray case, itself. The Joker standing on the front cover is a much more enticing image, imo, than Batman on in the air riding the Batpod. Thus, why they decided to give it a sleeve, is honestly beyond me. Anyway, the back cover is where the packaging design actually shines. Seemingly with colored pens, the back cover creates the illusion that the Joker has written all over your case. Words are scribbled out, the words "Batman" and "vigilante" are circled and connected, the word "HA" is written countless times, and Batman's picture has been given a Joker face. Its very simply really cool.

Presentation: This is the IMAX experience.

Unlike the DVD release of the film, the Blu-Ray features the full IMAX version of the film. This creates an interesting set of circumstances. First, the aspect ratio of the film changes from time to time. We have msot of the movie in the regular 2.4:1 ratio, but when the IMAX sequences are displayed, they are presented in their full IMAX aspect ratio of 1.78:1, and take up the entire 16:9 TV screen, unlike the rest of the film. Second, the video is already 1080p, which is no surprise, and the whole film looks clean and crisp, but compared to the IMAX sequences, which are so breathtakingly life like, the already superior regular parts of the film look less perfect... still better than the DVD, but not quite as awesome as those scenes. It can be a little distracting, but its quite an amazing view, and superior to the regular DVD all the more, and add in the usage of Dolby TrueHD 5.1 sound, and you have the best experience home entertainment can offer. Thus, the presentation of the film alone is reason enough to buy the film on Blu-Ray rather than DVD, in my opinion.

Features: Not all that different from the DVD.

Like the 2-Disc DVD, the Blu-Ray contains a bunch of great special features including: Batman Tech, Batman Unmasked, Six Gotham Tonight Specials, and some image galleries. But unlike the DVD, Batman Tech and Batman Unmasked (which were both TV Specials) are presented in full 1080p HD, which is cool, but really... its not the movie so its not really needed. The only included exclusive is the Gotham Uncovered feature where the makers of the film take you behind the scenes to see their staging, planning, designing, and execution, all during the film, as it is called up much like the IME on the Batman Begins Blu-Ray release. All in all, its a nice set of features, but I think I'm not alone in the thought of wishing there was more to it. There is also some BD Live features, but I didn't bother with those.

Overall: Well worth the extra cash.

Even though the special features aren't exactly awe-inspiring, the fact remains that the IMAX presentation of the film is extremely beautiful and a wonder to behold, and that alone makes this Blu-Ray truly one to own.


Next Up: BAND OF BROTHERS

 

[Takk]

Series: Brilliantly crafted series based on fact.

Based on the book of the same name, and based on the factual accounts of those involved, Band of Brothers proves to be a powerful, gripping, and intimate tale of an Airbourne company in the midst of the European front of WWII. From the hills of Curahee to the streets of Austria, this series will keep you captivated and entertained throughout its dramatic entirity. There isn't enough praise to be given to this series, so I won't even bother trying.

Package: Just a smaller version of what we've seen before.

With a tin case and the out-folding disc slots, this is pretty much an exact replica of the DVD packaging... just smaller... and with BD icons replacing the DVD ones. Sure its still a great package design, but its uninventive and pretty uninspiring. If you've seen the DVD case, you've seen the Blu-Ray case... which isn't surprising, but... whatever.

Presentation: HD causes both benifits and problems.

While the 1080p resolution is the expected wonder to behold on most scenes, especially the intense combat sequences, due to the resolution expansion needed to be done for the film, the scenes that are consumed with shadow become overly grainy... sure they were Grainy on the DVDs, too, but that grain wasn't this crisp and noticable. Nowhere is this more distracting than during the first parts, after they're drop, of the second episode and during the last patrol in the eighth. Overall the picture is great, but those extra grainy sequences are still a noteworthy complaint. That said, the sound is perfect, and I have absolutely no complaints about that part of the presentation whatsoever.

Features: Only two additions from the DVD.

Aside from the features on the Special Features disc, which are the same as those found on the DVD, theere are only two new features... they are both absolutely great, but they aren't essential. The first is an optional timeline that plays at the bottom of the screen while the episodes are played... periodically this timeline will pop up facts adn trivia about the war and the persons involved on screen. This is interesting in asmuch that you get a bit of extra info, as well as photos of the actual people the actors are portraying, but overall, it plays out as more of a distraction, that I think only hard-core history buffs would bother watching throughout the entire series. The second one is a nice PiP interviewed commentary with the surviving men we see depicted throughout the series. This is the better of the two new features, and one I think I might actually have on the next time I watch the series, as the 30 minutes of the first episode I watched with it on was quite interesting, and I'd like to hear more of what tehy have to say about the days they spent making history. That said... those two features aren't what I would actually call selling points. They're great, yeah... but really... I don't think they're enough to push for an upgrade.

Overall: Not worth an upgrade, but still superior.

If you don't have the series on DVD, and are looking to get it, you should most definately pick up the Blu-Rays as they are better... however, they are not so much better that they should entice an upgrade from the DVD set.


Next Up: KINGDOM OF HEAVEN