Blu-Ray Best Of The Best - for discussing releases only

[Geezer]

I just received my first batch of US discs. They are all in thinner cases than the UK ones I have. Why the different standard?

[Lyris]

No idea. Maybe the Euro cases are thicker to anticipate multilingual booklets.

[Lyris]

You'd have thought that a movie like The Dark Knight would benefit from Black Stretch

No no no!
Options like these are gimmick modes; fodder for TV salespeople. "Black stretch" alters the Gamma of the image so you get less detail in dark areas. In other words, a range of gradations of black to dark grey will ALL get approximated into black.

I keep seeing blu-rays like Kungfu Panda being shown off in stores like Currys on sets just like mine, so bright and clear,

I wouldn't use Currys as a reference to what video should look like.

I still believe that Toshiba's pre-built custom setting 1 (ultra bright as some people call it) is best for me. Blu-ray is meant to be all about bright, vibrant colours

What's best for you is what's best for you, can't argue with that - but just remember you're not seeing the film as it was intended.

Blu-ray is not meant to be about bright, vibrant colours as such. The point is to give high resolution, high quality video at home. Most of the companies producing BD equipment have extended this and are making claims of cinematic integrity ("see films the way they were intended", "the most cinematic experience yet", etc.) The two usually go hand in hand.

(which is what I get with this setting, not smeared, cloudy trash with custom ones, apparently calibrated with God knows what.)

I'm not sure I understand the last part; you mention calibration but then say that you got settings from somewhere else, copied them into your TV, and altered them? Just to clarify: when a TV is calibrated, it means that the most accurate settings for that particular TV in that particular system are measured and set accordingly.

Each TV differs: two Sony KDL-40V4000s will not necessarily be the same as each other, due to manufacturing tolerances. And each player differs: two different BD players might well have differing correct Brightness settings, for example. So, although changing the settings based on what other people are using is a good way to learn what the settings are doing, remember that they won't necessarily be bang-on.

It sounds to me like you're very used to watching very unfilm-like, artificial, processed TV pictures, which is OK if that's what you prefer. But nothing you ever watch is going to be 'reference quality'. 'Reference quality" refers to the original masters which look nothing like your TV will be making them.

[Brad]

Just watched Leon. Really strong transfer and the film's still as good as ever

Excellent. My DVD version isn't even anamorphic!

[Lyris]

I have the US Superbit DVD of "Leon The Professional" which is a bit of a turd all things considered. That version is anamorphic, but that's really the only thing in its favour!

The German BD is a big improvement detail-wise, but has clipped whites and a few other smaller problems. I hope Sony release it in America and finally nail it so we can get a version on home video that checks all the boxes...

[Shozuki]

Saw Max Payne as I now have it on Blu-Ray. Why are the critics so harsh? I thought the film was good and looked and sounded excellent. Not that i'm an expert!

[mr_sockochris]

Question - Anyone know if Dead Space: Downfall (UK version) is region free? I've heard the US version is locked but the UK one isn't. Can anyone confirm?

[ezee ryder]

It is indeed. I have the UK one and it plays fine on my Japanese PS3.

[mr_sockochris]

Lovely, many thanks

[JP]

To go with their official Bond releases in March, MGM are also releasing Never Say Never Again.


Also on the way at the same time as the Star Trek new film are a couple of releases for the fans.

[Salsa Party Animal]

When there will be a bond film boxset for every bond film on blu ray to buy ? (For Region A)

[JP]

They've not announced it but I'd expect all the EON films to be included in some way. There's been 22 so far so the sets of 3 (US) 6 (UK) will possibly mean that a smaller final set is released.

MGM (Not sure why as Warner own that one) have already stated that Never Say Never Again won't be available in the main collection and it's very unlikely that the original Casino Royale would be included at any time. I believe that Columbia still hold the full rights to that film so there may be some arrangement as the remake & Quantum of Solace were both a joint release by MGM & Columbia.

[NekoFever]

Further to my earlier posts, it looks like we've got some confirmed details for the Bourne trilogy in the UK. It's coming out on 30th March as three individual releases, and the cheapest at the moment seems to be Amazon for ?13.69 each (Identity, Supremacy, Ultimatum). That's a bit more like it than the ?60 box set on Movietyme

[Lyris]

Watched DOMINO tonight, nice film and for once from Warner, a fantastic BD as well!

[Strider]

Has anyone else noticed the insane prices that DVDslimited is now charging? They want £30 for Madagascar 2!!!