Blu-ray

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Anton van Beek  |  Jan 29, 2013  |  0 comments

One of the extras on this Blu-ray release finds Martin Scorsese waxing lyrical about the film's digital restoration and thanking those involved (both technically and financially). The plaudits are entirely deserved. Powell and Pressburger's classic military satire looks sensational on this new Blu-ray platter, with the AVC 1.37:1 1080p encode breathing new life into the Technicolor imagery. This limited edition steelbook also includes a 24-minute featurette, photo gallery and bonus DVD copy.

Anton van Beek  |  Jan 29, 2013  |  0 comments

Back in 2010, Avatar was the hottest film around and home cinema enthusiasts couldn't wait to get their hands on a copy of the film in its native 3D.

Anton van Beek  |  Jan 28, 2013  |  0 comments

More laboured and parochial than either funny or scary, Cockneys vs Zombies is less a film than a collection of punchlines desperately searching for a narrative to hang on to. While this Blu-ray release's AVC 2.40:1 1080p imagery is sharp, it can't do anything to compensate for the film's rather drab colour palette. Slightly more worthwhile is the DTS-HD MA 5.1 soundtrack, which has plenty of fun with all of the gunshots – although even this feels rather limited in scope at times. Seven short behind-the-scenes featurettes, an instructional video and trailer make up the lacklustre extras.

Anton van Beek  |  Jan 28, 2013  |  0 comments

Smash hit comedy Ted stars Mark Wahlberg as John, an amiable slacker whose best friend just happens to be a teddy bear that he wished to life when he was a kid (voiced by MacFarlane in full-on Peter Griffin mode). Which would be fine, if continually blowing off work to get stoned with a stuffed toy wasn't the kind of thing that might spoil things with the love of your life (Mila Kunis).

Anton van Beek  |  Jan 28, 2013  |  0 comments

What this introspective Antipodean drama about a mercenary hired to hunt and kill an extinct animal (the Tasmanian Tiger) lacks in immediate thrills, it more than makes up for with its gorgeously moody cinematography. So it's a good job that Artificial Eye's Blu-ray release features a rich, natural-looking AVC 2.40:1 1080p image. Matching this perfectly is a DTS-HD MA 5.1 mix that's adept at bringing life to the film's wild locations. While the chat-track and deleted scenes from the US disc have gone walkabout, the UK BD does include a Making of… and 16-minute interview.

Anton van Beek  |  Jan 25, 2013  |  0 comments

Violent. Scary. Sexy. Blimey, this latest series from producers Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk couldn't be more different from their previous smash hit, Glee.

Anton van Beek  |  Jan 25, 2013  |  0 comments

Frank Henenlotter's gory skid row shocker about a young man and his monstrous Siamese twin doesn't seem like an obvious choice for a hi-def remaster. But we're pleasantly surprised by the fidelity of the AVC 1.33:1 1080p encode and how it helps reinforce the grain and grime of the original 16mm footage. The two bigger-budget sequels fare better in terms of AV, although the quality of the actual films dips with each instalment. A refreshingly frank 79-minute examination of the making of the trilogy is the pick of the set's copious extras.

Anton van Beek  |  Jan 25, 2013  |  0 comments

Equal parts hypnotic, claustrophobic and didactic, Cronenberg's latest film sees the 69-year old filmmaker at his most experimental. While unlikely to find favour with fans hoping for a return to his g(l)ory days as a purveyor of body horror, it's still an oddly irresistible piece of cinema, and the Blu-ray it arrives on is equally impressive. Admittedly, the DTS-HD MA 5.1 mix isn't given too much to work with in terms of dynamics, but the AVC 1.85:1 1080p encode revels in the original digital photography. Best of all though is the fascinating 110-minute Making of… doc.

Anton van Beek  |  Jan 24, 2013  |  0 comments

Fans of Toshiya Fujita's blood-soaked 1973 tale of revenge and its equally entertaining 1974 sequel (Lady Snowblood: Blood Song of Vengeance) are in for a treat with this hi-def outing. The AVC 2.35:1 1080p encodes look extremely faithful to the source material and show no signs of overt digital manipulation. Likewise, the Japanese LPCM 2.0 audio for both is excellent, with both offering considerably more depth and range than I ever expected. Given that both films have been squeezed onto a single disc, it's hardly surprisingly that extras are limited to trailers and a 11min featurette.

Anton van Beek  |  Jan 22, 2013  |  0 comments

This post-Lord of the Rings take on Snow White pushes many of the more familiar story elements (like the seven dwarves) into the background, in favour of a two-hour saga of fantastical creatures and armies at war.

Anton van Beek  |  Jan 22, 2013  |  0 comments

Even director John 'The Plague of the Zombies' Gilling can find nothing new to do with the mummy genre in this third of Hammer's forays into the sub-genre. But, even if the film itself is a little bit of a yawn-fest, Hammer fans can at least take comfort in the fact that it certainly looks better than it has in decades thanks to this Blu-ray's beautifully restored AVC 1.66:1 1080p encode.

Anton van Beek  |  Jan 21, 2013  |  0 comments

Shot back-to-back with Dracula: Prince of Darkness, this account of the infamous Russian mystic plays fast and loose with facts, but gives Christopher Lee yet another mesmerising lead role. As well as the lovingly restored AVC 2.35:1 1080p Cinemascope presentation, this Blu-ray also offers up a hi-def open-gate version framed at 2.55:1 (complete with inherent concave warping of the image at the edge of the screen).

Anton van Beek  |  Jan 19, 2013  |  0 comments

James Cameron's $200million disaster movie may lack a little polish in terms of storytelling and be responsible for unleashing My Heart Will Go On on the world, but in terms of sheer spectacle and scale there are first films that prove as satisfyingly epic. An entertaining film that has been transformed into a genuine cultural milestone.

Anton van Beek  |  Jan 18, 2013  |  0 comments

The brainchild of two former 24 writers, this excellent drama series is akin to a more mature and thoughtful attempt at addressing similar post-9/11 concerns. Fox's three-disc Blu-ray makes the most of the show's digital photography, with the AVC 1.78:1 1080p transfers showcasing excellent clarity and colour reproduction. Just as impressive is the DTS-HD MA 5.1 audio. A chat-track for episode one, deleted scenes, a 34-min Making of… and a prequel to the next season are also included.

Anton van Beek  |  Jan 18, 2013  |  0 comments

Christopher Lee gets a chance to play the good guy in this excellent tale of black magic. However, while the film is a fan favourite, this Blu-ray release could prove very divisive. The problem isn't the restoration (yet another wonderfully rich and detailed AVC 1.66:1 1080p encode) or the extras (which are as copious as you could hope for). Instead it's the decision to replace a number of the film's visual effects with new CG ones. While an interesting experiment, it's a real shame that there's no option to switch to the original effects (either via seamless branching or by including the original edit in its entirety). You can check out a couple of 'before and after' examples below.

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