The Blu-ray Blog » New Line Home Entertainment

The Blu-ray Blog » New Line Home Entertainment http://www.theblurayblog.com Blu-ray disc news, reviews, releases, movies, films on PS3, Playstation, players, drives, Apple, Mac, OSX, HD, HDTVTue, 04 Jan 2011 16:58:41 +0000enhourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4Top 5 New Blu-ray releases for the Week of September 14 http://www.theblurayblog.com/2010/09/top-5-new-blu-ray-releases-for-the-week-of-september-14/ http://www.theblurayblog.com/2010/09/top-5-new-blu-ray-releases-for-the-week-of-september-14/#commentsTue, 14 Sep 2010 14:58:41 +0000Brendenhttp://www.theblurayblog.com/?p=11864

Just scroll down this page quickly, and take a look at all the discs being released today. Crazy, isn’t it?! I don’t have actual numbers to back this up but September 2010 seems like it’s the most balls-out bonkers Blu-ray disc extravaganza on record! Making it super tough to pick only the five best titles of the week. Well, as you’ll see when you take a closer look, I’ve cheated a little bit. What you’ll also note is that the title that will most likely be the best-seller of the week, Prince of Persia didn’t rate anywhere near the top of the list. Honestly, there’s no way that modern CGI pablum like that can compete with one of the best films of all time or one of the best TV shows of all time, nevermind classic Fincher, Jeunet or 80s sci-fi/horror! This weeks Top 5 features some pretty amazing stuff!

I’m going to be a whole lot poorer when the day is done…

1. BREATHLESS

Professor of Film, Dudley Andrew writes, “Breathless is the definitive manifesto of the New Wave.” This is the film that broke all the rules. That marked the birth of a movement. The point at which nothing would ever be the same again for film and for filmmakers worldwide. I know there’s a lot of shiny new titles on Blu today – titles that will look a lot slicker, vibrant and detailed on your big-screen, high-def display – but Godard‘s Breathless is hands-down the most critical buy of the week. Yes, it’s grainy, it’s black and white and it’s raw. But if you’re at all a film fan, you’re going to absolutely love this new Criterion Collection release.

From the package:

There was before Breathless, and there was after Breathless. Jean-Luc Godard burst onto the film scene in 1960 with this jazzy, free-form, and sexy homage to the American film genres that inspired him as a writer for Cahiers du cinéma. With its lack of polish, surplus of attitude, anything-goes crime narrative, and effervescent young stars Jean-Paul Belmondo and Jean Seberg, Breathless helped launch the French New Wave and ensured cinema would never be the same.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

Restored high-definition digital transfer, approved by director of photography Raoul Coutard (with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray edition)
Archival interviews with director Jean-Luc Godard and actors Jean-Paul Belmondo, Jean Seberg, and Jean-Pierre Melville
New video interviews with Coutard, assistant director Pierre Rissient, and filmmaker D. A. Pennebaker
Two video essays: filmmaker Mark Rappaport’s Jean Seberg and critic Jonathan Rosenbaum’s “Breathless” as Criticism
Chambre 12, Hôtel de Suède, an eighty-minute French documentary about the making of Breathless, with members of the cast and crew
Charlotte et son Jules, a 1959 short film by Godard featuring Belmondo
French theatrical trailer
New and improved English subtitle translation
PLUS: A booklet featuring an essay by scholar Dudley Andrew, writings by Godard, François Truffaut’s original treatment, and Godard’s scenario

Amazon: $29.99

2. DELICATESSEN

The top two films on Blu-ray this week are French!! How about that?

They might share the same country of origin but Jeunet and Caro‘s Delicatessen couldn’t be further from Godard’s new wave masterpiece. It’s a colourful, neo-futuristic fantasy that serves as the stylistic precursor to Jeunet’s later hit Amelie. This Studio Canal Collection Blu-ray disc serves as a welcome upgrade from all previously available home video incarnations. It looks fantastic, sounds great and has just enough special features to keep you out of trouble.

Amazon: $28.49

3. THE TWILIGHT ZONE: SEASON 1

If all the early reviews of this Twilight Zone boxed set are accurate, it’s in the running for Blu-ray release of the year. Sporting absolutely stunning new high-def transfers of the first season episodes and more bonus features than you can shake a stick at, The Twilight Zone: Season 1 is a must-buy for all fans of the popular black and white series and of tv-on-blu releases in general.

Read all about it here: The Twilight Zone: Season One comes to Blu-ray

Amazon: $69.99

4. SE7EN

Are you one of those unfortunate souls who picked up the Canadian Blu-ray release of Se7en? Yeah, we got hosed with that one – bad transfer, incorrect framing and no extras. Well, thank the good lord for New Line who, today are finally releasing their director approved, feature packed edition of the film, correctly framed in a sparkling new transfer that might just border on perfection. Four commentary tracks, alternate/deleted/extended scenes, title sequence exploration and more all a dual-layer disc bound in a beautiful hardcover digibook package.

Drool.

Amazon: $24.99

5. THE RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD and INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS

Okay, here’s where I really cheated. I couldn’t just pick one of these new MGM horror/sci-fi Blu-ray disc releases, so I went for both!

Before the 1985 Return of the Living Dead, no zombie had ever moaned the word “Brains!” Or articulated any word, for that matter. Director Dan O’Bannon‘s send-up of Romero‘s famous zombie films doesn’t take itself too seriously, set to a pounding 80s rock score and featuring more loquacious walking dead than any film before or since. It’s such a fun ride that it has since become a cult classic.

Conversely, the 1978 remake of the classic 50s Invasion of the Body Snatchers couldn’t take itself more seriously. As a child, I actually found this adaptation starring Donald Sutherland, Jeff Goldblum and Leonard Nimoy to be rather terrifying. That final scene with Sutherland and frightened Brooke Adams gave me nightmares and still sticks with me today. What an ending!!

Amazon: $18.99, $16.99

BLU-RAY 3D: Monster House 3D

I don’t even know how to talk about the upcoming onslaught of 3D Blu-ray releases. I don’t have a 3D display and don’t plan on getting one. Personally, I feel this is a big misstep by the home entertainment industry. One that I’m hoping won’t snap back and bite Blu-ray on the ass.

My feelings on the tech aside, Monster House is a great little animated film. And early reviews of the disc note that its 3D presentation is spectacular. Those who have yet to upgrade but are considering it in the future can feel confident picking up this disc as it also contains the 2D version of Monster House. Good move, Sony!

Amazon: $27.99

TV ON BLU

WHV DOUBLE FEATURES

ALSO AVAILABLE ON BLU-RAY THIS WEEK
Clicking an image will take you to Amazon.com where you can learn more about and purchase the Blu-ray disc:

]]>http://www.theblurayblog.com/2010/09/top-5-new-blu-ray-releases-for-the-week-of-september-14/feed/1Top 5 New Blu-ray releases for the Week of April 6 http://www.theblurayblog.com/2010/04/top-5-new-blu-ray-releases-for-the-week-of-april-6/ http://www.theblurayblog.com/2010/04/top-5-new-blu-ray-releases-for-the-week-of-april-6/#commentsWed, 07 Apr 2010 02:44:35 +0000Brendenhttp://www.theblurayblog.com/?p=9189

Annnnnd we’re back. It’s been a long, long weekend for The Blu-ray Blog. Everyone was taking some time off, spending the days with family and just taking the opportunity to get in some rest and relaxation. I traveled back home to Ontario to celebrate my nephew’s tenth birthday! Many video-games were played. Many Blu-ray discs were watched. Many cupcakes were scarfed down. I think, between the sedentary celebrations and the cornucopia of food this weekend I probably put on a few pounds. Time to work them off by…writing this exciting Top 5 Blu-ray discs column? I think I’d probably burn more calories by playing more Tekken 6.

1. THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE MOTION PICTURE TRILOGY

This is, without question, the release of the week. But it sure isn’t for everyone. Aside from the ongoing arguments regarding the potentially flawed picture quality of the discs, The Lord of the Rings: The Motion Picture Trilogy set only features the theatrical cuts of all three films. Now, that’s not a big problem for guys like me, who enjoy watching both these and the longer, truer-to-the-book extended cuts, but I understand that this is heresy to some. Rest assured, the extended editions will make their way to Blu in due time. But if you count yourself among the few fans who aren’t crying “double dip” and can’t wait for the longer cuts to hit the shops, you can grab your own copies of the films on Blu today.

Amazon: $59.99

Also available today from Warner: Ralph Bakshi‘s animated version of The Lord of the Rings.

Amazon: $19.99

2. BAD LIEUTENANT: PORT OF CALL NEW ORLEANS

Absolute, bat-shit crazy Werner Herzog adaptation of Abel Ferrara‘s bat-shit crazy, original cult film. This time around, featuring a mind-altering performance by Nicolas Cage that reminds us, for the first time in years, that the man is actually talented and can bust it up onscreen when he feels so inclined. I can’t speak to the quality of the Blu-ray disc itself but at this super-low Amazon price, I doubt you’ll go wrong by taking the risk and buying blind.

Amazon: $14.99

3. THE NATURAL

Once upon a time, before the days of Sphere and Jimmy Hollywood, director Barry Levinson made films as great as The Natural. This is one I didn’t think we’d see on Blu-ray any time soon, as I assumed it would need a lot of t.l.c. to make it shine in 1080p. I’m not sure what magic elixir Sony used to bring it to life in high-def but man, this is a beautiful Blu-ray disc! Packed with tons of extras, an incredible transfer and a killer lossless audio track, The Natural is a…home run.

Sorry. I couldn’t resist….it really is that good!

Full review later in the week!

Amazon: $17.49

4. THE THOMAS CROWN AFFAIR

Another adaptation this week which sees a classic film being recreated into a second, more contemporary yet still awesome film. The Thomas Crown affair took the Steve McQueen/Faye Dunaway original and gave it a slicker, more action packed pace, along with some electric chemistry between stars Pierce Brosnan and Rene Russo. Much like the Bad Lieutenant film, I haven’t given this one a look yet so I can’t attest to the quality of the audio and video. But priced at only $11.99 on Amazon, how can you possibly pass this one up?

Amazon: $11.99

5. COCOON

Ahhhh…Steve Guttenberg, aliens and old people. The ideal mix of ingredients to make cinema magic, right? Uhhhh… I was never a big fan of Cocoon growing up but it’s a really well done, classic 80s film from director Ron Howard, finally available on Blu-ray this week. For less than twenty bucks you get the film, an Opie commentary, a bunch of featurettes and trailers. Sounds pretty good for those of you who are fans of 80s movies, Ron Howard or magical grandparents.

Amazon: $18.49

HONOURABLE MENTION: Shaw Brothers Films on Blu-ray

Amazon: $16.49 – $16.99

DEAL ALERT: BATTLESTAR GALACTICA: THE COMPLETE SERIES

As it has been for a while now, the brand new boxed set edition of the BSG: Complete Series is priced well below the MSRP on the Canadian Amazon site. As well as being priced well below its US counterpart. If you’re at all interested in this Blu-ray set, updated with BSG: The Plan and a trimmer, more practical case, you should jump on this low price now before Amazon.ca jacks up their price.

Amazon.ca: $149.99 CDN
Amazon.com: $209.99 US

ALSO AVAILABLE ON BLU-RAY THIS WEEK
Clicking an image will take you to Amazon.com where you can learn more about and purchase the Blu-ray disc:

]]>http://www.theblurayblog.com/2010/04/top-5-new-blu-ray-releases-for-the-week-of-april-6/feed/3Lord of the Rings Blu-ray transfer and encode issues? http://www.theblurayblog.com/2010/03/lord-of-the-rings-blu-ray-transfer-and-encode-issues/ http://www.theblurayblog.com/2010/03/lord-of-the-rings-blu-ray-transfer-and-encode-issues/#commentsThu, 25 Mar 2010 18:55:02 +0000Brendenhttp://www.theblurayblog.com/?p=8987

Members of the AVS Forum who have had a chance to preview the upcoming Lord of the Rings Blu-ray set are reporting that the transfer/encode does not live up to expectations. The first film in the series, The Fellowship of the Ring is noted as purportedly being particularly soft and subject to overuse of Digital Noise Reduction (DNR), which causes faces to look waxy and detail to disappear.

Member eric.exe has posted a lot of screenshot examples, comparing the new Fellowship of the Ring Blu-ray with a previous HD broadcast of the film. He goes further to show the differences between the same shots used initially in Fellowship and then repeated in a montage sequence in its sequel, The Two Towers. Here are a only a couple of his many examples:

CLICK TO ENLARGE: Fellowship of the Ring Blu-ray

CLICK TO ENLARGE: Fellowship of the Ring HDTV Broadcast

CLICK TO ENLARGE: Fellowship of the Ring Blu-ray

CLICK TO ENLARGE: The Two Towers Blu-ray

Please visit the discussion thread on AVSForum.com for further screencap examples.

I don’t know about you but I’m going to hold off judging this release until I can inspect it in person. For the record, writer/director Peter Jackson has signed off on these new Blu-ray editions of his film trilogy and in most cases, that should be a ringing enough endorsement for anyone. There could be any number of reasons for these anomalies in image quality, from poor post-production on original film elements to a simple change in colour timing and contrast. It’s even possible that some DNR was added to cover up sloppy CGI in places. But like I said, at this point, for me, it’s too early to tell.

I’ll still be picking up the boxed set in a couple of weeks. I’ll let you know what I think of it at that time.

Previously on The Blu-ray Blog: Lord of the Rings Blu-ray Box Set Details

]]>http://www.theblurayblog.com/2010/03/lord-of-the-rings-blu-ray-transfer-and-encode-issues/feed/17[VIDEO] Lord of the Rings Blu-ray Trailer http://www.theblurayblog.com/2009/12/video-lord-of-the-rings-blu-ray-trailer/ http://www.theblurayblog.com/2009/12/video-lord-of-the-rings-blu-ray-trailer/#commentsWed, 16 Dec 2009 15:03:19 +0000Brendenhttp://www.theblurayblog.com/?p=6867

We’ve told you all you need to know about the upcoming Lord of the Rings Blu-ray boxed set. But just in case you need a video to sell you on the high-def upgrade, take a gander at Warner Home Video‘s new Lord of the Rings Blu-ray trailer!

]]>http://www.theblurayblog.com/2009/12/video-lord-of-the-rings-blu-ray-trailer/feed/0Lord of the Rings Blu-ray Release Date Confirmed…again. http://www.theblurayblog.com/2009/12/lord-of-the-rings-blu-ray-release-date-confirmedagain/ http://www.theblurayblog.com/2009/12/lord-of-the-rings-blu-ray-release-date-confirmedagain/#commentsMon, 14 Dec 2009 13:29:08 +0000Brendenhttp://www.theblurayblog.com/?p=6747

Don’t toy with my emotions here, Warner! I’m telling you, I can’t take any more teasing. We first reported on the Lord of the Rings Blu-ray set last June, when it was set for a November release. Then we ran down the full Blu-ray disc details of the set. But all the while, the studio remained mum, refusing to confirm release date. Then came word that the set had been pushed back to 2010. And that word was confirmed by Warner. And Christmas was ruined forever.

But now it’s for real. Warner Home Video has announced an April 6th release date for the 9-disc box set. Disc details remain unchanged, with each films theatrical cut contained on a single Blu-ray disc, the other two discs related to each film being DVDs – one containing the digital copy of the film and the other a mere carbon-copy of the special features disc included with the original DVD release. I’ve got to admit, I am a bit disappointed that we’re not getting a little more. I mean, I understand that Warner is holding most of the special features for the Extended Edition releases, sometime in the future. But just rehashing the same old special feature DVD just seems lame. At least give us the content in HD! It’s a small consolation that the feature discs will be BD-Live enabled and contain a preview for the upcoming video game, The Lord of the Rings: Aragorn’s Quest (Wii, DS, PSP, PS2 – June 30).

Warner Home Video has also announced that it will follow the Lord of the Rings set with a release of Ralph Bakshi‘s classic animated Lord of the Rings in a brand new Deluxe Edition a week later, April 13. No details on this one yet, but we’ll let you know if we hear anything!

]]>http://www.theblurayblog.com/2009/12/lord-of-the-rings-blu-ray-release-date-confirmedagain/feed/1Magnolia announced for Blu-ray, Boogie Nights to follow in 2010 http://www.theblurayblog.com/2009/09/magnolia-announced-for-blu-ray-boogie-nights-to-follow-in-2010/ http://www.theblurayblog.com/2009/09/magnolia-announced-for-blu-ray-boogie-nights-to-follow-in-2010/#commentsTue, 22 Sep 2009 13:41:38 +0000Brendenhttp://www.theblurayblog.com/?p=4763

I love P.T. Anderson‘s films. I agree that, yes, he could probably use a stronger hand in the editing suite but the man always delivers. And Magnolia was no exception. Maybe I love this movie more because I’ve been an Aimee Mann fan since Much Music came to Canadian cable. I remember loving Mann’s band, ‘Til Tuesday. Particularly the song Voices Carry. And I think that love of her music influenced my affection for Magnolia, which is steeped in it. Nevertheless…great movie, great songs. That’s why I’m excited that Warner plans to release the film on Blu-ray.

Magnolia comes to Blu-ray on January 19th, 2010. Anderson’s previous film and great success, Boogie Nights is set to follow later in the year. Magnolia details:

MAGNOLIA
(January 19, 2010)
(German Temp art shown)
Video: 2.39:1
Audio: Dolby TrueHD 5.1

Special Features:

Magnolia video diary
Frank T.J. Mackey Seminar
Seduce and Destroy infomercial
Aimee Mann music videos: “One” and “Save Me”
Theatrical trailers and TV spots

]]>http://www.theblurayblog.com/2009/09/magnolia-announced-for-blu-ray-boogie-nights-to-follow-in-2010/feed/0Confirmed: No Lord of the Rings until March 2010 http://www.theblurayblog.com/2009/09/confirmed-no-lord-of-the-rings-until-march-2010/ http://www.theblurayblog.com/2009/09/confirmed-no-lord-of-the-rings-until-march-2010/#commentsFri, 11 Sep 2009 15:03:24 +0000Brendenhttp://www.theblurayblog.com/?p=4643

Why? WHYYY?! Sometimes life isn’t fair. I guess Warner/New Line really wants me to watch my old DVD versions of Lord of the Rings one last time because, according to Bill Hunt at The Digital Bits (best site in the universe, BTW!), the boxed set of the theatrical cuts has been pushed back.

“The Lord of the Rings Trilogy Blu-ray release HAS been pushed into early 2010. Sources at the studio tell me that it’s now tentatively set for release in March of next year. There’s no official reason for the delay, because again the title hasn’t even officially been announced. But the sense we’re getting is that the studio already has a number of big 3rd and 4th quarter titles coming on Blu-ray this year – think Wizard of Oz, Gone with the Wind, North by Northwest, etc – and they didn’t want Rings to get lost in the crowd. Pushing it back five months into early 2010 gives them more time to prepare and promote the title, and there will be still more BD players in people’s homes after the holidays anyway.”

Cry…

]]>http://www.theblurayblog.com/2009/09/confirmed-no-lord-of-the-rings-until-march-2010/feed/1NOOOO!!! Lord of the Rings Blu-ray set pushed to 2010?!? http://www.theblurayblog.com/2009/09/noooo-lord-of-the-rings-blu-ray-set-pushed-to-2010/ http://www.theblurayblog.com/2009/09/noooo-lord-of-the-rings-blu-ray-set-pushed-to-2010/#commentsMon, 07 Sep 2009 14:10:34 +0000Brendenhttp://www.theblurayblog.com/?p=4543

Nooooo! Say it ain’t so! This can’t be happening, right? It’s all a dream, isn’t it? Sigh…

I have to admit, I’ve been getting a little worried that the Lord of the Rings Boxed set might not come out this year. After all, we’re well into September and Warner has yet to issue an official press release announcing it. That’s totally unlike them. And look, they’re being quite vocal about the Gone With the Wind set that hits stores on November 17th, a full couple of weeks after the proposed LOTR release date of November 2nd. Urgh. This sounds like it might be true. This is depressing…

So, now news has come from overseas that Aurum, the studio that handles the Rings films in Spain, has confirmed that they will be releasing the LOTR Blu-ray set next year because the films have been delayed until 2010 in the USA. I can also confirm that a Holiday GIft guide sent to me from Warner PR here in Canada, and which featured a handful of titles not yet officially announced, DID NOT include the Rings box set. This is too much evidence to simply ignore. I think I’m going to have to brace myself for a standard-def viewing of the trilogy this holiday season. Why is this happening, you might ask?

Blu-ray.com reports that a settlement was reached earlier this month between the Tolkien estate and New Line, which may be the cause of the delay but also confirms that Warner Germany will be releasing Ralph Bakshi‘s animated Lord of the Rings in November 2009. Sounds to me like there might be another issue if the Bakshi film is sneaking out. Perhaps Warner/New Line is rethinking the theatrical cut/ extended cut double dip?

Are you happier not having the box set of the theatrical cut of the Rings films and waiting another year for an ultimate set or would you rather have something, anything LOTR to watch this holiday season?

(BTW – Amazon.com is still pre-selling the Lord of the RIngs Blu-ray set for $69.99)

Previously on The Blu-ray Blog: Lord of the Rings Blu-ray Box Set Details

Via: Blu-ray.com

]]>http://www.theblurayblog.com/2009/09/noooo-lord-of-the-rings-blu-ray-set-pushed-to-2010/feed/4Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: 25th Anniversary Collector’s Edition Blu-ray Disc Review http://www.theblurayblog.com/2009/08/teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-25th-anniversary-collector%e2%80%99s-edition-blu-ray-disc-review/ http://www.theblurayblog.com/2009/08/teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-25th-anniversary-collector%e2%80%99s-edition-blu-ray-disc-review/#commentsTue, 18 Aug 2009 02:01:38 +0000Brendenhttp://www.theblurayblog.com/?p=4398TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: 25TH ANNIVERSARY COLLECTOR’S EDITION (1990, 1991, 1992, 2007, Blu-ray released August 4, 2009 – MSRP $84.99)

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: 25th Anniversary Collector’s Edition Blu-ray Disc

I watched four Ninja Turtle films in less than two days. Six of approximately thirty-six hours of last weekend given over to karate-men in suits with animatronic faces (well, to be purely honest, eighty-seven of those minutes were CGI animation….but, well y’know…) I’m not sure any review I could give this Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Film Collection Blu-ray box would be fair or sane under those circumstances. But I’m about to give fairness and sanity a good old college try here.

Right off the top, I’ll tell you the two things you really want to know (I’m making assumptions about your desire to see these films, based on the fact that you’ve already read down this far):

#1 – Yes, the fourth film, disc four in the set, the 2007 Imagi animated film, TMNT is presented in exactly the same way as on the Blu-ray disc previously released that year by Warner. Same transfer. Same extras.

#2 – And, yes. All the films look like a million bucks on Blu-ray! If you like these movies, you’ll love this box set! Amazing to see the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles from way back in 1990 looking so good. So detailed and fresh!

Whew. Got that out of the way. Let’s get on to the good stuff. I remember these first three, live action films being much better than they actually are. Granted, I was very young a the time I watched them but wow. They really haven’t aged well. Okay, I shouldn’t make a blanket statement like that. Certain elements (*cough*…THE MUSIC!!…*cough*) really stink. A lot of stuff is actually quite good. Take the first film, for instance. It’s really not that bad! A bit corny and clearly made for children. But I’ve got to say, Elias Koteas rules the planet as hockey-mask wearing vigilante, Casey Jones. He really grounds the film. Just about every scene he’s in is a delight to watch. And the Turtles themselves are quite charming, bristling with personality that sometimes feels forced but other times comes off as surprisingly natural. I can honestly say that there are moments here that feel more genuine than some of the dramas I’ve been forced to sit through in the past year.

Sadly, it’s all down hill from the first film. The sequel, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze finds Koteas M.I.A. (sniff!) and replaced with martial arts wunderkind, Ernie Reyes Jr. The kid’s not half bad! He’s a kick-ass martial artist and fairly fun to watch in action but his acting chops and his character are no replacement for Koteas as Casey. This film also introduces us to the Ninja Rap, as “sung” by Vanilla Ice. Groan. ‘Nuff said. Also bad, the giant mutated snapping turtle and wolf the Turtles have to fight at the climax of the film. Oh crap. Did I just spoil that for you? Sorry. One more point against: this is the weakest and softest of all the transfers. Still, pretty decent looking, all things considered.

I barely have anything to say about the third film, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time, other than it sported a great, clean transfer that let me see clearly that the filmmakers made a critical error by not continuing their relationship with Jim Henson‘s creature shop. The animatronic Turtles look like ass in this movie. Dirty ass. It’s really tough to watch. My personal opinion? The cheap looking, poorly puppeteered Turtles in this film single-handedly killed the franchise. Despite the return of Koteas as Casey Jones and Corey Feldman as the voice of Donatello, this movie is really hard to sit through. Then again, it’s possible that I hit critical mass at three hours of Turtles viewing. We’ll never know…

The animated film, TMNT is pure delight. The best fight scenes in the set. The best script. The best (and only) Patrick Stewart appearance. Awesome. Great disc. Great Transfer. Did I say that already? Did I really just watch, like six hours of Ninja Turtles? Uhhhhhh….

All four films aside, the real deal-breaker here for those interested in film or the history of the franchise, is the sorry lack of bonus content. I feel like there’s nothing on these discs outside of the films! I know, I know. That’s not entirely fair. The animated TMNT film disc sports all the extras from the previously available release (commentary, animation tests, deleted scenes…some pretty good stuff!) But what about the other three films?! Y’know, the ones that started it all!? There’s pretty much nothing on those three discs outside of the trailers. I guess it’s cool for the kids that the box set comes in a neat-o faux-pizza box that opens up to four Blu-ray discs designed to look like pizzas. Also inside, a comic book, a sketch, character cards and a “radical” beanie. But I would gladly trade all of that swag for a single sixty-minute doc about the franchise and how the films came into being. Hell, even a ten-minute featurette on Henson and the puppeteering of the Turtles would have been welcome. Sigh…Have I lost my mind yet? I can’t tell. I’m seeing green…

]]>http://www.theblurayblog.com/2009/08/teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-25th-anniversary-collector%e2%80%99s-edition-blu-ray-disc-review/feed/1Lord of the Rings Blu-ray Box Set Details http://www.theblurayblog.com/2009/06/lord-of-the-rings-blu-ray-box-set-details/ http://www.theblurayblog.com/2009/06/lord-of-the-rings-blu-ray-box-set-details/#commentsThu, 25 Jun 2009 18:37:51 +0000Brendenhttp://www.theblurayblog.com/?p=3255Here we go! A full list of the special features to appear in the Lord of the Rings Box-set, hitting shelves this November 3rd. You’ll notice, if you ever owned any of these in their theatrical cut DVD editions, that the Blu-ray versions are almost identical in every way. We’re not getting anything new here, outside of brand new, high def transfers of the films. And to be honest, that’s pretty much enough for me!

THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE MOTION PICTURE TRILOGY
(THEATRICAL EDITIONS)
(November 3, 2009 – MSRP $99.98)
Video: 2.40:1 (1080p)
Audio: TBA
Subtitles: Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, English, French, German, Hungarian, Latvian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Slovenian and Spanish

Special Features:

• LOTR.net featurettes
• Previews, theatrical trailers and TV spots
• Documentaries:

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