John & I watched the new Blu-ray Star Wars (the original) last night with friends, and WOW. Their TV allows you to increase the film's frame rate from 30 to 60, and when you combine that feature with the Blu-ray's quality, it shows you every pore, every hair, & every single background detail - it was actually kind of creepy! The movie looked completely different, and we kept making them stop & replay sections while I yelled, "And look at THAT!"
Things like the baby-pink eyeshadow Leia wore stood out in razor sharp detail (did YOU know she wore pink eyeshadow? 'Cuz I didn't!), and C3PO is *covered* in dents and scratches and gunk I never saw before last night. Lots of the background also jumped into focus, so much so it was hard to track the action sometimes; I was too absorbed in staring at the sets and prop dressings. Hard to believe all that detail was on the original film, and we've just never seen it before now!
Oh, and the best part? In the final dogfight, you can CLEARLY see Darth Vader's eyes through his helmet in several scenes. It was surreal; you could literally see behind the mask! (And his eyeshields are dark red, not black. Yeah. Like, whoah.)
I know I sound like a raving fangirl - and I'll admit this was my first time seeing a movie on Blu-ray, so I'm ridiculously late to this party - so allow me to temper my review by saying that Obi Wan's new "dragon call" is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. It sounds like a drunk frat boy falling over in the shower, dying, and then zooming off as a new poltergeist. Srsly.
Don't believe me? Take a listen:
Really. THAT is the "new and improved" version?!
Plus, all the CGI stuff Lucas added in ten years ago looks like it was added about fifteen years ago. So, so bad. I wish he's just taken it out for this latest release; it's just embarrassing, not to mention reaaallly distracting from the original film.
That said, now I can't wait to see all of my favorite films on Blu-ray, to see what else we've been missing! Although I wonder if we'll have to get a new TV for that special frame rate feature. We turned it off at one point to compare, and while the Blu-ray quality was still quite impressive, it wasn't quite as smooth and pop-off-the-screen-at-you-ish. Hmm... (And I'm sure John would just HATE getting a new TV. You know, because all guys hate upgrading their electronics.)
Ok, rave/rant over. So tell me, Blu-ray aficionados: which movies do we HAVE to see on Blu-ray now?
That said, now I can't wait to see all of my favorite films on Blu-ray, to see what else we've been missing! Although I wonder if we'll have to get a new TV for that special frame rate feature. We turned it off at one point to compare, and while the Blu-ray quality was still quite impressive, it wasn't quite as smooth and pop-off-the-screen-at-you-ish. Hmm... (And I'm sure John would just HATE getting a new TV. You know, because all guys hate upgrading their electronics.)
Ok, rave/rant over. So tell me, Blu-ray aficionados: which movies do we HAVE to see on Blu-ray now?
I agree the new dragon call is ridiculousness.
ReplyDeleteHOWEVER! To make up for it, Han now shoots first. Or at least at the same time. My hubby's still annoyed because Greedo shoots AT ALL, but eh, it's something. I still hate the scene with Han and Jabba, though.
Have you watched any of the "tributes"? Donny and Marie, they were ahead of their time (brother and sister playing Luke and Leia =).
We have been working our way through the Star Trek Movies and the Star Wars Movies on BluRay. What we really need to do is go watch them on the big screen we have. We installed a projector. Insert Angels singing here. Even better, I love watching my football team on it. I can actually see what is going on. So when you do upgrade your tv, I recommend ditching it and going projector. Totally worth it!
ReplyDeleteWe bought the original on Blu-ray too and seriously, that Obi-Wan call freaked me out. And by the time they had Han shoot Greedo first I was pretty much tuned out and pissed off.
ReplyDelete(But not too tuned out to put on my WTF face when Darth Vader screams "Noo!" at the end. Sigh.)
Funny, that's the sound I make when someone asks if I want to watch Episodes 1 thru 3.
ReplyDeleteFirefly on bluray is a revelation. :D
ReplyDeleteYour description is SPOT ON! Makes me wanna re-watch the movies again...so many things were missed.
ReplyDeleteWe watched Inception as our first BlueRay movie ... wild!
ReplyDeleteAs a costumer who has worked on set, I know that there is always WAY more detail that is lost on camera than your eyes see in person. Sometimes this is a good thing, but it is really frustrating when you can't see the amazing costume details that you worked so hard to make perfect! Same for all the set painting, set dressing, props, and hair & makeup.
ReplyDeleteBut I'm still not sure I want to see the "new" version of Star Wars. I love the original so much!
And unless something was actually shot to be in high-def it can look really over-done (especially with makeup) - very distracting! I'm not surprised you had trouble focusing on the action!
@crydwynn: now firefly with blu-ray detail - that sounds amazing!
Ooooooh. Now I must save up for a new T.V. and a BluRay player. I bet the original Alien film would be fabulous with that much detail. A Swiss surrealist designed the alien and the a lot of the sets. Also, Blade Runner would be pretty sweet too.
ReplyDeleteI have yet to see Star Wars on Blu Ray. Can't wait to get it and see everything that has been changed. I have seen How to train your dragon, Toy Story, Up and the Lion King on Blu Ray. Toy Story in blu ray blew me away. So amazing. Sorry, don't have any non-kid movies (want to say adult movies but I really don't want to watch "adult" movies in blu ray - heh).
ReplyDeleteSherlock Holmes (the 2009 one) and League of Extraordinary Gentlemen! Oh, and Big Touble in Little China is a good one as well!
ReplyDeleteWe bought the Star Wars entire saga on BluRay as well, you are completely right, it's amazing!!
ReplyDeleteOne thing you HAVE to see on BluRay is the BBC series Planet Earth. It looks so real on BluRay, that when the part about the elephants comes on, my Boxer makes these little scared whiny noises, and when the Polar Bears come on, he gets up and tries to lick the screen, as if he thinks he can go play with them! It's like looking through a window!
One of the Star Wars podcasts I listen to played one of Harry's yells from Harry and the Hendersons and they sure sounded the same to me!
ReplyDeleteWe have the LOTR films on BluRay. the scenery shots alone are amazing! Definitely worth the upgrade.
ReplyDeleteMy hubby subscribes to the notion that a man's TV should reflect his age (he had a 13 inch TV when he was 13, a 26 inch at 26, and so on...)so we keep having to find a bigger space for our TVs. We now have a wall-mounted flatscreen LED TV (I'm not allowed to mention the screen size, but it's BIG!)and much as I hate to admit it, it is fantastic! We only have a few things on blueray so far and they are a little obscure (500 Days of Summer, Castaway, Soul Surfer) but they look so amazing. I think I know what we'll be getting each other for Christmas this year; all our favourited on blueray!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the very helpful review. My hubby and I were debating if we should get Star Wars on BD or not. We hate that Lucas keeps futzing with the movies and adding stuff, but we're suckers for remastered Blu-Rays. Based on your review, we'll probably have to check it out now.
ReplyDeleteAs for recommendations, if you've never seen Gone with the Wind on BD, wow. Like you said, you can see every pore, like you could reach out and touch Scarlett's face. It's unbelievably crisp. Same with Sound of Music, African Queen, Casablanca, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, and The Shining. Those classics have been meticulously restored and remastered, and are spectacular on BD. LOTR is awesome on BD, too. And you can get the like 50-hour director's cut and just watch straight until your eyes bleed.
Also, any of the recent Pixar releases are super crisp on BD, like Up and Wall*E. And while The Matrix picture is crisper on BD, the really amazing thing about it is the digital sound on the BD. That bank lobby scene with the shell casings hitting the ground? If you have a halfway decent surround sound system, you will hear every single ping with amazing clarity. It's crazy crisp!
Unfortunately, Ghostbusters was not remastered when they put it on BD, so it's not much of an improvement over DVD.
Anybody know if there are any plans to remaster Buffy or X-Files and release them on Blu-Ray? We've been watching both lately, and noticing how grainy they are on our HD TV. We'd love to see those get some TLC and a re-release (as long as they don't add dumb CG stuff that wasn't in the original).
Oh, and The Godfather trilogy. Remastered, crisp, pristine. Still depressing, though. :)
ReplyDeleteI just got my husband the Lord of the Rings trilogy on blu ray, and it is pretty great. But I would go as far as to say any movie with great scenery, or crazy action is worth taking a look at on blu ray. Or anything Disney/Pixar has done. I thought Walle was really pretty to watch.
ReplyDeleteDisney and especially the Pixar films are great on Blu-ray. Finding Nemo looks great. Beauty and the Beast and Alice in Wonderland are also good picks.
ReplyDeleteIf there's anything you love, but the last time you saw it was on VHS, I'd check that out. You and John will probably appreciate the big leap in quality there.
Not to make a plug, but once you've gotten your Blu-ray player, if you want to dip a toe into the pond first, you can rent Blu-ray movies from a redbox kiosk for $1.50/night.
Finally, I'll just advocate for Samsung as a brand if you're upgrading your electronics. I've been really happy with the quality of all my Samsung tv/DVD/Blu-ray stuff.
I get a headache when I stop to look at the the BluRay displays at stores, I can't imagine sitting through a whole movie...
ReplyDeleteBut that's just me.
A friend of mine had these insightful comments on what George Lucas has done with Star Wars in the years since its original release. I think he hit it right on the nose.
I HATE that Lucas keeps changing all this stuff. It pisses me off to no end. I will not buy the Blu-Ray until the original theatrical releases are out.
ReplyDeleteThat being said, I think it's AWESOME that your first Blu-Ray experience was with the most epic sci-fi films of all time!
@Meaghan, ROTFFUL! I totally agree! That dragon call is ridiculous.
I did notice that Vader's eye covers are red and I have seen his eyes behind the mask before. It was clear to me in the DVDs. But I did not know about the pink eye shadow! I will have to pull out the DVD to watch for it again!
I love seeing the POTC films on Blu-Ray, even though I don't own them on Blu-Ray yet. Although, I will tell you that DVD on a Blu-Ray player is incredible as well. We have an LCD TV and a Blu-Ray player that streams Netflix. Our brand of choice is LG--I LOVE their quality and longevity.
The key to Blu-Ray, however, is to make sure that the film has actually been reformatted to work on Blu-Ray. Just copying it from DVD to Blu-Ray doesn't cut it, which is what a lot of the cheap Blu-Rays have done. We picked up The Last Starfighter on Blu-Ray and it'd been reformatted and it looks great!
WV: Obion. Obi-Wan's brother.
"Pirates of the Carribean: Curse of the Black Pearl" looks beautiful on Blu Ray. you can see every stitch on the costumes.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of Star Wars. I came across this hilariously cute pic in my google reader feed:
ReplyDeletehttp://cuteoverload.com/2011/10/08/ladies-and-gentlemen-the-best-pet-halloween-costume-of-all-time/
That framerate-doubling and interpolation "feature" of new TVs is about the worst thing invented in decades. When watching movies, that should most definitely be turned OFF. The film was not shot like that! Looks like a cheap daytime soap when interpolation is on.
ReplyDeleteThat's not the image quality you're looking for. (Move along, move along.)
Now I will forever have in my brain an image of Alec Guinness going "WOO!!!"
ReplyDeleteThanks a bunch, George Lucas!
"It sounds like a drunk frat boy falling over in the shower, dying, and then zooming off as a new poltergeist. Srsly."
ReplyDeleteWhen I read this, I thought, "Wow, that's incredibly descriptive. I wonder what it sounds like."
And you know what it sounds like? Exactly what you said it would, which is both absurd and hilarious. I played it over and over again for 5 minutes just because I was imagining a frat boy falling over in the shower, dying, and coming back as a new poltergeist.
Thank you. That was amazing.
The "dragon call"? I laughed til I cried. The first time I heard that sound was when my snow ski instructor was telling me how to get off the lift. "Just stand up slowly and allow the lift chair to gently push you along." Well, I did what he said but that isn't what happened. The "dragon call" is what happened. Plus it echoed off the surrounding mountains for what seemed like forever AND in stereo...
ReplyDeleteJean-Claude Killy I am not.
My husband also made a very similar noise when he put on a pair of jeans straight out of the clothes dryer without waiting for them to cool...
@Meaghan, I thought that was just me!
ReplyDeleteHonestly my tele is to small to fully enjoy BluRay so I can't suggest anything.
But I can't wait for an update on the new tube!
please, oh please, if you love your fans at all, watch firefly/serenity on blueray. it was AMAZING.
ReplyDeleteand no one had to go in and change things later. /rant
inception :)
ReplyDeleteJust a few words: Han shot first.
ReplyDeleteOK, I can't tell if my first comment went through or not, so here it is again:
ReplyDeleteJust a few words: Han shot first, Greedo not at all.
Lord of the Rings and Lost on Blu Ray are absolutely gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteI'd repeat what many others are saying about Lord of the Rings and anything Pixar as amazing on BluRay. I agree Planet Earth would probably be visually insane too!
ReplyDeleteI've yet to see Star Wars on BluRay, but it sounds awesome. And I don't know that they are all available, but any Hayao Miyazaki film would be breathtaking on BluRay. All the detail and color from something like Spirited Away or Princess Mononoke? Stunning!
(...goes off to make Christmas wish list on amazon...)
Star Trek blu ray. Play "Find R2D2". Truly awesome. Oh, and yes, I have found him. He's really there. And yes, I may have had to use google as an assist in finding him. Still totally awesome when I spotted him. XD
ReplyDeleteAnything CGI is amazing on Blu-ray, and also anything special effects heavy. Anything else you can skip on Blu0ray.
ReplyDeleteMonsters, Inc was my blu-ray initiation - you won't BELIEVE how much hair they can put on an animated monster! Sully makes me look bald. sigh...
ReplyDeleteYou know, they could have saved a lot of money by using the "Dean Scream."
ReplyDeleteAs far as recommendations, I agree with anything Pixar.
@Katie, I disagree. I love fantasy and sci-fi movies that go into great detail on sets and costumes, those are the movies that I think look best in blu-ray. Phantom of the Opera (2005) looks fantastic. I never realized the detail of the Opera house until blu-ray.
ReplyDeleteAvatar would be my choice :)
ReplyDeleteSucker Punch is a great BluRay movie. Also Tron.
ReplyDeleteYessss my first blu-ray was Sherlock Holmes (RDJ version, natch). Pirates of the Caribbean and Fight Club benefit greatly, as well.
ReplyDeleteMy personal bluray favourite is Sleeping Beauty, it's like watching a moving piece of art. The detail in the backgrounds is simply stunning and it's amazing to be able to see the quality of the ink and paint work on the animation itself. It was the final movie before they started xeroxing the lineart and you can really see how they were at the top of their craft.
ReplyDeleteIf you watch any of the Disney movies in bluray I'd definitely start with this one, since it has by far the best quality and the most detail.
We are old hats at Blu-Ray, and even with our extensive collection of action movies (which are always the first things to be recommended, natch), my husband (the Best Buy Geek Squad Agent) insists that Disney does Blu-Ray the best. Especially any of the Pixar stuff that was already razor-sharp computer animation.
ReplyDeleteSeriously, watch a regular DVD (or Netflix *shudder*) of Tangled or Toy Story 3, then switch to Blu-Ray... it is unbelievable.
I am such a sentimental geeky purist that I cried the first time I saw the 'revised' ending to StarWars Episode VI. Loved me some cheesy Ewok "yub nub song" and chubby Ewok dancing, I did. It was what I saw on the big screen when I was thirteen years old and it's THE ending that I will always hold dear.
ReplyDeleteThe huge cast of CG thousands cheering in the revised for DVD version made me sick at heart. I've always loved the (at least implied to me)message that even the smallest among us may make a difference and that perhaps the people of all the empire might did not need to be celebrating en masse. The small humble Ewok celebration hit the right note for me, somehow. Silly, I know. But there it is.
Maybe I'm the only one, but I honestly couldn't tell that much difference between Blu-Ray and regular dvd. I don't really want to be able to count the nose hairs or wrinkles on the characters...
ReplyDeleteHow to Train Your Dragon is stunning on Bluray - as are most recent animated releases. Anything big budget special effects heavy. All Disney big releases are perfect in picture and audio. Inception as has been mentioned. A big part of BD is better sound, especially if you have surround sound. Inception will blow you away aurally. Band of Brothers on blu is a must own.
ReplyDeleteMy husband and I have refused to buy an new versions of the film. Lucas just pooped all over our childhoods with his "improvements.". We watch the original, un blemished version on good old laserdisc. The quality is great and no silly stuff.
ReplyDeleteI don't care how you feel about nature films in general, Planet Earth and Life are absolute musts. They're shot completely in HD, then add to that the blueray format and a 1080p HD TV, and it is, in short, amazing. My pets are all amazed by it too, I think because of just how lifelike it is. It sure doesn't help that the filmmakers have mad skillz at finding animals doing amazing things.
ReplyDeleteFirefly- yes. Sherlock Holmes- yes. I can't believe nobody's said this- 300 on Blu Ray will knock. Your. Socks. Off. I turned to the hubby and said "There's actually craters on that moon!"
ReplyDeleteAlso- the new Star Trek is great, extraneous lens flares notwithstanding.
My husband is what you'd call an "early adopter" so we had Bluray before the format war even ended! Bluray is AMAZING, and I love it! The must-see movies on Bluray would be anything Disney P*I*X*A*R. And while I think the movie itself is ridiculous, Avatar is unbelievably beautiful. But my most favorite Bluray has to be Nightmare Before Christmas. But of course you would need to upgrade your sound system as well, because the only way to really get the full Bluray experience is with Dolby Digital. :)
ReplyDeleteThis makes me want to get our new tv now!! My husband has been teasing for weeks about getting a new television that won't kill you if it falls on you.
ReplyDeleteBesides watching awesome movies like Star Wars and Firefly, I'm really looking forward to a flat screen so I won't have to hear the humming of the tubes in our 100lb tv. I can seriously hear the tubes humming/whinig every time it is turned on. It's so annoying and any time there is a quiet moment in a movie or show, that's what I hear.
What kind of tv was it?? I must have one.
ReplyDeleteSee The Fall on BlueRay. Great great movie and the visuals are breathtaking.
ReplyDeleteThe Nightmare Before Christmas is amazing on Blu-ray!
ReplyDeleteWhat was the type of tv? Brand? I must have one!! NOW
ReplyDeleteBack to the Future on BluRay looked fantastic. But we were incredibly distracted by how wrinkly everyone's necks were. Favorite: How to Train Your Dragon.
ReplyDeleteMy husband used to work for a home theater install company, so our second bedroom is painted dark red with a black ceiling, has heated/massage recliners, and is decked out with top of the line electronics including 7.1 surround sound with our high def 3D 82" TV. I couldn't tell you the last time we went out to the movies.
ReplyDeleteThings you need to see on Blu-ray:
ReplyDelete* Tangled
* Tron
* How to Train Your Dragon
* Lord of the Rings (I haven't seen it on Blu-Ray, but I can just imagine...)
* Someone said Firefly, and now I have to get it on Blu-Ray. That just sounds awesome.
* Iron Man
* Planet Earth (the BBC version - the pictures will blow your mind. This is what Blu Ray was made for)
* The new Star Trek
And you do want to upgrade your TV. I got a 42" LG for around $600 at Best Buy because it was an open box. That and a new sound system (one of the sound bars and wireless bass) for around $250 open box.
Overall I'd recommend a Samsung or LG LCD-LED TV - those are hands down the best for cost, energy efficiency, and picture quality.
Oh, as for the actual Blu-Ray player, I swear by Samsung. They have the quality, the price point, and the small sleek box. They also integrate wireless really well, so you can stream all your Netflix films painlessly :)
ReplyDeleteBack to the Future trilogy is awesome on Blu-Ray! There's a huge difference compared to DVD, both image and sound.
ReplyDeleteHubby didn't want to get a blu-ray player to go with our new TV he didn't think it would be that much better, skip to Christmas where we got one as a gift, within minutes of watching our first blue-ray DVD (Prince of Persia) my dear hubby was a converte man :-)
ReplyDeleteI have yet to see blue ray too.
ReplyDeleteHowever just moving from a 20inch TV to a 42 inch tv and suddenly I see a thousand things I never caught before.
Also did you know that C3P0 is a monkey. My two year old told me so.
Avatar. Fo sho.
ReplyDeleteFunny that you loved the higher rate so much.... I've heard many people say they didn't like it, my husband included. He said it was TOO realistic and removed him from the movie too much. Huh. I haven't seen one of those TVs yet though, so I can't say for myself!
I picked up the BR Star Wars at Sams a couple weeks ago but haven't watched them yet. Now I am seriously considering a marathon this weekend. Even cartoons look better in BR, like Tangled and Beauty and the Beast. I really need to get X-Men First Class on BR. That's the one I'm most looking forward to right now.
ReplyDeleteThe Fifth Element is stunning in blu-ray.
ReplyDeleteLord of the Rings must be seen on Blu-Ray, no doubt!
ReplyDelete4 words: Lord of the Rings. Just don't forget the seatbelt! And something behind which to cower during the stampede-type scenes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteBAHAHAHAHAHA! the dragon call! MADE.MY.DAY!
ReplyDeletei definitely think you should watch Tron on blu-ray.
ReplyDeletethat being said, i'm a big fan... not a big fan of the derogatory "frat boy" comment though.
The Matrix (only the first one because y'know, the rest of them suck). LOTR Trilogy. All the Pixar films. And yes, I agree about the Obi-Wan thing--wtf? And what was with the green halo on the lightsabers when they were fighting? Totally distracting!
ReplyDeleteum, so not really a movie, but the original Star Trek series on Blu-Ray with the updated special effects is AWESOME! Hubs and I have just started on the second season - they did a really good job on them! (Now if they would only work the same magic on TNG...)
ReplyDeleteAvatar, Harry Potter, Indiana Jones...really any good action flick. And any Disney flick, especially Aladin.
ReplyDeleteWe LOVE Polar Express on BD in 3D. My daughter would watch it every day during summer vacation if we had let her.
ReplyDeleteI know I'm in a very small majority here, but the changes made to the older SW films don't bother me. I guess I understand where Lucas is coming from because I look at my own writing or graphics and always see flaws I can improve upon. I also don't think any of the changes dampened the overall magic of the films. Although I do agree Obi-Wan's new sound effect is slightly unnerving to listen to. LOL
ReplyDeleteI've been a blu ray enthusiast for a couple years now with a collection over 150+ titles. I highly recommend checking out Blu-ray.com. It's a great resource for information on discs, home theater equipment and more. I use their rating system frequently to determine if a film meets my quality standards to warrant purchasing on BR.
Pssh, Leia never wore any eyeshadow in the original release. Now when the "help me Obi Wan" scene comes up, I can't concentrate on anything besides her neon eyeshadow. :(
ReplyDeleteForgot to mention, the Back to The Future trilogy is on BR and I've read that it's pretty easy on the eyes. :)
ReplyDeletePersonally, I love the quality of Avatar, Iron Man, Transformers, Fantasia, Disney's Beauty & The Beast and Wall-E.
I don't think every movie is worth paying extra bucks for blu-ray.
ReplyDeleteThat being said...A few had me in a constant state of WOW
*The Nightmare Before Christmas (hands down... floored me with the details I never saw before...colors I didn't know were intended to be seen, textures that popped out of nowhere)
*Corpse Bride (yes, I have a thing for Tim Burton)
*Monsters Inc. (I never knew Sulley had such detail)& really any Disney/Pixar that you love
*LOTR (I believe it's a given and your fans concur)
*Planet Earth (BBC version IS awesome as a previous poster mentioned)
*Disney's Earth (drool)
*Fantasia/Fantasia 2000
My advice is rent/borrow before you buy blu-ray to save some $$ because some of them really aren't worth the extra bucks. Some, however, are amazing.
***side note, had NO idea Leia wore pink eye shadow either!! Amazing detail. :)
"300" on blu ray should be near the top of your list. As should "Troy" (seriously, how high-def do you think Brad Pitt's naked behind can get?!?) Both are awesome movies made more awesome by blu ray--and I'm not a huge blu-ray fanatic like my husband :)
ReplyDeleteI would recommend the newest Neon Genesis Evangelion Movie (Evangelion 1.0: You Are Not Alone). If you aren't into anime, I would rent it anyway. The color and animation are dazzlingly brilliant. If you have played video games in HD and loved it, you will love, love, love the graphics.
ReplyDeleteThe three original movies have all been released in 2-disc sets on DVD that have the remastered version along with the original version as it was in the theaters. No updates, no changes, exactly the same! Here is the link for the first one on Amazon.com: link
ReplyDeleteANY PIXAR FLICK!!!especialy Finding Nemo!!!!!
ReplyDeleteThis may only be marginally relevant to your Star Wars post here, but I can't access my email right now and I wanted to show you something cute and robot-themed that I just got. I thought you might like it. Robot chocolate mold
ReplyDeleteI'll be making sooo many robot candies this winter!
Also, I'll try to talk the boyfriend into getting a BluRay player. You made me curious.
The Fifth Element, all the Harry Potter movies, the Indiana Jones movies, Dark City, Firefly and Serenity!!!
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with anything Disney/Pixar or just any recent animation. 9 on BluRay was one of the first my husband and I watched last year when we got BluRay and a decent TV with our wedding gift money, and it is still the one that really shows me the difference between DVD and BluRay. Up and Wall-E also incredible.
ReplyDeleteI would highly recommend Serenity and Star Trek, as have so many others. My husband and I are massive movie fans, and we use our BluRay player and BIG TV regularly. Well worth it for a geek movie buff. I say go as big as you can reasonably afford, you will not be sorry.
WV: aveny - Aveny of you heard that terrible scream in the bluray version of Star Wars?
My husband and I agree, turn off the interpolation when viewing films. While it may make non-film look better, such as sporting events, it tends to make film based media look wonky. We specifically avoided that feature on our television because films are not intended to be viewed that way.
ReplyDeleteIt isn't just the TV that makes the Blu-ray movies look amazing. You need to get a quality player and high quality cables; remember the size of the TV/distance between you and the TV matters in order to get the best experience out of your Blu-ray movies.
I completely agree with previous postings, anything Disney and/or Pixar is superb in the Blu-ray format (Finding Nemo and Aladdin are not available on Blu-ray/Hi-Def as of yet, unfortunately). I didn't notice the difference until my husband compared the DVD of Toy Story and the Blu-ray of Toy Story (he flipped back and forth between the players). I couldn't believe the detail on the floor boards in Andy's room. That movie was made in 1995, and we are just now seeing the amazing detail. This is why I suggest watching the remastered movies like The Wizard of Oz, and other classics like The Princess Bride on Blu-ray.
That being said, three movies you HAVE to see in Blu-ray are: The Dark Knight, The Wizard of Oz, and Back to the Future.
Whatever you do, shop around and do your homework, and enjoy your hi-def experience.
North by Northwest
ReplyDeleteI can totally hear that frat boy scream. Why, Lucas? Why?
ReplyDeleteThe first movie I saw on Blu-Ray was Iron Man (I accidentally typed Iran Man - I think would make an excellent movie!) - and I totally recommend it. Serenity, of course, is worth the investment. How to Train Your Dragon is another "wow!" movie for Blu-Ray. And Planet Earth, of course. We often keep Planet Earth playing in the background when we have parties - it's always a hit!
I'm a little late to the party, but I would say the best transfers from normal DVDs to Blu-rays have got to be Braveheart, Gladiator, and Kingdom of Heaven!
ReplyDeleteI didn't read through all the comments, so I'm not sure if someone already suggested this, but if not - a must see is Serenity. I alost peed my pants the first time we watched it, it's so eye-poppingly wonderful on BluRay!!
ReplyDeleteHow about The Secret Life of Machines?
ReplyDeleteI actually don't know if that's even available on VHS, let alone DVD, let double-alone Blu-Ray. But if that was available, I would probably need to buy a TV.