Film CRITIC: Tron: Legacy (Blu - ray)

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1982's Tron showed us what might be going on inside computers, where programs live in The Grid, and fight for survival against the evil Sarc and his Master Control Program.? At the end of that film, creator Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges) - who had been sucked into the computer - managed to escape and take control of ENCOM.? As Tron: Legacy opens, seven years later in 1989, we see that Flynn now has a son, Sam, and has made ENCOM an enormous software giant. But then, one night, he vanished and his shares in the company transferred to Sam, who grew up without a father.? Now twelve years later, Sam (Garrett Hedlund) is the largest shareholder of ENCOM, but hasn't really been involved.? He's been more interested in living on the edge, hacking into ENCOM for fun, and generally making life difficult for executive Alan Bradley (Bruce Boxleitner).? But when Bradley gets a page from Flynn's office at the old arcade - which had been shut down for years - Sam goes in to explore.? He finds a secret lab, with a computer that has been running for over two decades - and then promptly gets sucked into the digital realm when he runs the last command that had been typed into the system.

The Grid is not anything like the Internet; this is a digital realm that evolved independent of anything online; it's all in Flynn's mainframe.? Promptly captured, Sam is sent to compete in the gladiatorial games, where his identity is revealed to the Grid's dictatorial ruler, Clu (a younger digital Jeff Bridges).? After an exciting lightcycle chase, Sam is rescued by Quorra (Olivia Wilde), who is working in league with Flynn to foment a rebellion against Clu.? Finally reunited with his father, Sam learns that Flynn felt that he could make a digital frontier to reshape the human condition. Flynn created Clu to help build the perfect digital world, with the help of Tron (Boxleitner) - but a new life form, isometric algorithms (ISOs) were spontaneously created.? Clu felt that ISOs were an imperfection in the perfect system - so he went bad - causing a genocide of the ISOs, defeating Tron, and forcing Flynn into exile.?

The only way to get Flynn back to the real world is to get to the portal that opened when Sam was sucked in (Flynn had been trapped for 22 years), but Clu sees it as an opportunity to get the army he has been building out into the physical world, if he can steal Flynn's identity disc.? So the race is on, as Sam tries to find a way to the portal and get him and his dad out before Clu can get there.?

Tron: Legacy is, at its heart, a father-son story.? The emotional and rebellious nature that Sam exhibits clearly stems from growing up without a father figure, under the mistaken pretense that Flynn abandoned him - when in actuality he was trapped in The Grid. ?Beyond that, the simplicity of the story allows for the visuals to dominate - and oh boy, do they!? The effects in Tron were groundbreaking at the time, and with visual effects having evolved in leaps and bounds since then, it was necessary to show us something in Tron: Legacy that looked like Tron, but with a slickness that 2011 audiences would demand.? Director Joseph Kosinski gives the film a dark look, allowing the glowing neon lights to dominate, with lens flares, reflections, and plenty of glossy figures. It's got a lot of eye candy, (Olivia Wilde in skin tight spandex? Sign me up!) and makes for a fun ride. ?Adding to the experience, aside from the stellar and punchy sound mix, is the musical score by Daft Punk.? With a few solid themes, and punchy rhythms and grooves, it might be borrowing a little stylistically from Inception at times, but overall it sticks with you when the lights come up.? Bridges at times sounds like he's more like The Big Lebowski than an aged version of the computer nerd we saw in Tron, Michael Sheen's portrayal of Zeus, the club owner who Sam goes to for help, is completely over the top and ridiculous, and the young digital Jeff Bridges has some issues with the lips which feels a bit odd and makes the effect stand out.? It's by no means a perfect film, but it's sure as heck an entertaining one.

Released in two flavors on Blu-ray (3D and 2D), Tron: Legacy is one of those movies that is more style than substance - but oh, what style it is!? The visual quality is, to put it mildly, near perfection.? Sure there might be the slightest hint of banding in the blue-hued world of The Grid, but everything looks so slick and reflective that it's hard not to revel in the glory of the 3D animation.? I don't have a 3D television or 3D Blu-ray player, so I can't review that aspect of the film, but the 2D presentation does not disappoint.? In theaters, the film was shown at a 2.35:1 aspect ratio in 3D.? But if you were lucky to see it in IMAX, then - like The Dark Knight - certain sequences would open up completely, with the enormous 3D image filling the IMAX screen from floor to ceiling, making it an overwhelming and awe-inspiring affair.? We don't have personal IMAX screens, yet, but the 2D (and I would assume 3D) Blu-ray release of Tron: Legacy recreates the IMAX experience by opening up to the full 1.78:1 aspect ratio of the HDTV, at the appropriate times (again, like The Dark Knight Blu-ray).? It's not distracting in the least, and actually adds nicely to the experience.

Paired with the excellent visual presentation is an eardrum shattering audio mix. The primary culprit: an English 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio track that will crack your foundations.? Be warned, your subwoofer might strain on this one. It's one of the most energetic and immersive audio mixes I've heard on Blu-ray.? The sound design was insane, certainly worthy of its Oscar nomination for Best Sound Mixing.? Daft Punk's aggressive score fills the soundscape, and there are at least half a dozen sequences in the film that you'll want to show off to your friends.? Additional audio options include a somewhat useless English Dolby Digital 2.0 track, an English Descriptive Video Service track, and French and Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1 tracks.

The extras on Tron: Legacy are substantive, but not as in-depth as I would have hoped.? First off, there is no audio commentary, something that a film with this level of technical prowess clearly was calling for. Secondly, the only real "making-of" production featurette is less than 12 minutes long.? More on that later.? The first major extra comes in the form of "The Next Day: Flynn Lives Revealed" (HD).? After a lengthy introductory montage of fake newsreel footage, interview clips and other media about the "Flynn Lives" underground movement that was happening around the time of the film, we find out a little bit more about what went on after the events in Tron: Legacy.? Full versions of these segmented clips are available by accessing a high-score screen and typing in any of the names on the list - it's clever and gives a little more depth to the story and legend of Kevin Flynn.

The next major extra is the innovative "Disney Second Screen".? Like the one on Bambi, this is an excellent way of adding additional supplemental material to the home theater experience, as you get more information via your computer or iPad in sync with the film as you watch it.? In the case of Tron: Legacy, hundreds of storyboards, filmmaker annotations, visual effects progressions, test animations, 3D rotations, interactive panoramas, behind-the-scenes videos, and much more.? It's a shame I can't make the window a little bigger on my computer screen, but that's my problem - not Disney's!? After a quick tease "First Look at Tron: Uprising, the Disney XD Animated Series" (HD, 1-minute), we finally start to get into the behind-the-scenes supplements.

"Launching the Legacy" (HD, 10-minutes) is a short but informative look at how the filmmakers came up with a sequel to a 1982 cult hit, with interviews of the key cast and crew. The key moment in this segment is the inclusion of the original VFX test that was done to help promote the film at Comic-Con.? "Visualizing Tron" (HD, 12-minutes) is shamefully short, considering how visually mind-blowing the film is.? Still, we learn a lot about the look of the film, with director Joseph Kosinski, as they explore the set design, how they filmed it in 3D, and some of the visual effects. I wish they had spent a little more time on the visual effects technologies developed for the film, but what can you do?? "Installing the Cast" (HD, 12-minutes) is a look at the characters in the film, and how the various actors came to be attached with the film.? The most interesting part was how they managed to get both Bridges and Boxleitner back, and what it was like for them to revisit the world of Tron.?? (The rest of the actors were barely old enough to see it in theaters when it came out!)

"Disc Roars" (HD, 3-minutes) is a short fun bit showing how the director used the Comic-Con audience to record crowd chants for the film - much like what Peter Jackson did with a rugby game for The Lord of the Rings.? (Hey, a captive audience can be useful!) I wish they had put a featurette together exploring the music of Tron: Legacy, but instead the only music-related extra is a music video: "Derezzed" (HD, 3-minutes), which was written, produced and performed by Daft Punk. It's a neat video, since they made it look like the old 1982 Tron instead of this new polished film, but it would have been nice if they included something about the production of the score, which they reportedly worked on for over two years.

The lack of an audio commentary and comprehensive documentary makes me wonder if there might be something more planned down the road for Tron: Legacy.? I don't think so, but you never know. In the meanwhile, a stunning presentation on Blu-ray, along with a reasonable amount of extras and a very impressive Disney Second Screen function, adds up to an entertaining popcorn movie that is a feast for your eyes and ears.

Film CRITIC: Fantasia / Fantasia 2000 (Blu - ray Combo Pack)

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When it was released in 1940, Walt Disney's progressive and experimental animated feature Fantasia was unlike anything that audiences had ever seen.? A cinematic blending of classical music with interpretive animation, Fantasia didn't immediately grab the audiences that Disney had hoped for, but over time it would become a beloved and cherished viewing experience.

The segments in the film are well known by now.? Hosted by Deems Taylor, with performances by Leopold Stokowski conducting the Philadelphia Orchestra, Fantasia contains eight well known segments.? First up is the abstract interpretation of J.S. Bach's "Toccata and Fugue in D Minor".? Tchaikovsky's "Nutcracker Suite" is depicted as a change of seasons, with dancing mushrooms, fish, fairies, leaves, and flowers.? The most narrative segment, Paul Dukas' "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" features Mickey Mouse dealing with magical brooms gone amuck.? "The Rite of Spring", by Igor Stravinsky, is conceived of as a condensed history of the beginnings of life on earth, through the extinction of the dinosaurs.?

After an intermission, we get "Meet the Soundtrack" - an interpretive jazz piece involving artist's renditions of sound waveforms. Beethoven's "The Pastoral Symphony" (Symphony No. 6) is presented as a depiction of Greek mythology, with centaurs, fauns, cupids, and others gathering for a festival to celebrate Bacchus, the God of Wine. "Dance of the Hours" by Ponchielli is shown as different animals dancing for each of the different times of the day: ostriches for the morning, hippopotamus for the daytime, elephants for the evening, and alligators for the night. The climax of the film comes with the powerful depiction of the intensely powerful demon Chernabog in Mussorgsky's "Night on Bald Mountain".? After daylight comes, Schubert's "Ave Maria" concludes the film with a spiritual uplifting finale.

Released initially as a "roadshow" version running 124-minutes, Fantasia?was ultimately trimmed down to a shockingly short 81-minutes release, and over the subsequent decades, for various re-issues, pieces were added back in.? For the DVD release in 2000, the original roadshow version was compiled again; but a loss of Deem Taylor's audio elements meant that a voice actor had to re-dub his part.?

Disney conceived of Fantasia as an ever-going work-in-progress, with the idea that new animated segments would constantly be added, and old ones swapped out.? As it stood, for sixty years, Walt's vision of the project was static.? At least, until Fantasia 2000 came out. ?A completely different film, Fantasia 2000 retained only one previous segment from the original film, "The Sorcerer's Apprentice".? Released in 1999, the film has no singular host; instead, each segment is introduced by a different celebrity.? With James Levine conducting the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Fantasia 2000 starts off with an abstract interpretation - much like the first film - of? Beethoven's "Symphony No. 5 in C Minor". Respighi's "Pines of Rome" shows us a family of humpback whales given the ability to fly, and uses CGI to aid in animating the graceful creatures. Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue" shows us a slice of life in 1930's New York City, stylized after the great caricaturist Al Hirschfeld. "Piano Concerto No. 2" by Dmitri Shostakovich is shown as a narrative interpretation of Hans Christian Anderson's "The Steafast Tin Soldier".

A bit of levity is found with Camille Saint-Saen's "The Carnival of the Animals, Finale" in which a group of dancing flamingos deal with a rebellious member of the flock who has a yo-yo.? From there, we have the archival segment of "The Sorcerer's Apprentice".? Not content to let Mickey steal the show, Donald Duck gets his own segment, a re-telling of Noah and the Ark, set to Edward Elgar's "Pomp and Circumstance".? Finally, the story of nature in a forest - with life and death- is told through Igor Stravinsky's powerful "Firebird Suite - 1919 Version".? This is one of the best segments of all, and is an absolutely stellar way to end the film.

Both Fantasia and Fantasia 2000 offer different experience to the viewer.? Some might enjoy the more abstract pieces, and others might prefer the narrative ones. As a way to expose people to classical music, both films are absolutely mandatory viewing for everyone.? The biggest problem I had with Fantasia 2000 was the campiness of the introductions; they just don't hold up as well ten years later. Fortunately, you can skip right over them.

Newly released on Blu-ray, Fantasia and Fantasia 2000 come together in a combo pack that also includes DVD versions, and a sizeable number of extras.? The films have been cleaned up and colors are vibrant, solid and bursting off the screen.? Presented in the original 4:3 aspect ratio, Fantasia is quite a sight to behold, and the detail is so great that you can see the individual brush strokes. It's very easy to appreciate the artistry that went into this film. The live action elements of the orchestra are incredibly clean with no noticeable film grain at all.? Fantasia 2000 looks cleaner and is presented in the full 16x9 aspect ratio, but due to some of the computer rendering, there is a bit of banding in some sequences. Particularly in the depths of the ocean during the "Pines of Rome" segment, it's easy to see the limitations of the technology at the time. It's not a compression/authoring issue with the Blu-ray; it's just the nature of CGI in the late 1990s.

Audio for Fantasia is presented in an English 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio track.? It doesn't really seem to take advantage of the full surrounds, however.? Range is pretty good, but this is a seventy-year old recording, and it's hard to expect a lot of "oomph" from the speakers.? I do wish an archival 4.0 tracks (the original roadshow presentation of "Fantasound") would have been presented, but instead we just get French and Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital "Enhanced Home Theater" mixes.? Fantasia 2000 fares better in the audio department, mainly because it was so much more modern. The music is much more immersive and clean, and when the "Firebird Suite" really kicks in, it's a bold and amazing experience, thrusting you into the middle of the orchestra. Turn up your subwoofer, because it's epic!

Supplements for this combo pack of Fantasia and Fantasia 2000 are a mix of old and new. Starting with Fantasia, we first have three audio commentaries.? The first one is a newly recorded on by Disney Historian Brian Sibley, and it's amazingly informative and well presented.? The other two are archival DVD commentaries, first featuring Walt Disney himself (from archival recordings and interviews), hosted by John Canemaker, and the third and final commentary is also from the original DVD release, featuring Executive Producer Roy E. Disney, Conductor James Levine, Animation Historian John Canemaker, and Film Restoration Manager Scott MacQueen.? Between all three commentaries, there is a wealth of detail about how this rather progressive animation project came to light.

Two new featurettes are included.? "Disney Family Museum" (HD, 4-minutes) is a brief look at the new Walt Disney Family Museum in San Francisco, hosted by Disney's daughter, Diane Disney Miller.? "The Schultheis Notebook: A Disney Treasure" (HD, 14-minutes) explores the amazing scrapbook recently rediscovered that Disney employee Herman Schultheis had created back in the late 1930s that impeccably and meticulously documented how some of the fascinating ad groundbreaking animation effects were created for Fantasia. The only other extra on Fantasia is the "Interactive Art Galleries", where you can browse and search through tons of images and artwork pieces from both Fantasia and Fantasia 2000, all in HD.? Missing are the documentaries that were included on the Fantasia Anthology DVD release, but more on that later.

In Fantasia 2000, we get only the same two audio commentaries from the DVD release: one with Executive Producer Roy E. Disney, Conductor James Levine, and Producer Don Ernst, and a second one with the directors and art directors for each segment in the film.? The first commentary is a nice overview of the entire project, and the second one is a bustling track overflowing with tons of information. We are then given three more video extras.? "Musicana" (HD, 9-minutes) is a look at what was to have been a direct sequel to Fantasia; "Dali & Disney: A Date with Destino" (SD 16x9, 82-minutes) is a feature-length documentary (running longer than Fantasia 2000!) about the rather unexpected collaborative efforts between two of the 20th Century's greatest artists.? This is followed by a recently completed presentation of their animated short film, Destino (HD, 7-minutes).? To call it bizarre is an understatement.

Finally, we get to "Disney's Virtual Vault".? This is where all those documentaries on the original DVD can be found as well as much, much more.? Over five hours of material in all? and it's all provided through streaming over BD-Live.? Now I don't mind BD-Live for streaming content, but the way this is presented is a bit frustrating. Firstly, everything plays in a small window on the screen - you can never watch the material full-screen.? Secondly, because it's BD-Live, everything takes a few seconds longer to start buffering, and for all we know, the studio could take material down as they see fit.? There is a lot of stuff here, though, including the trailers, animation tests, alternate sequences, archival featurettes, and much more. And you can build a playlist to cherry-pick what you want to watch.? But it's still frustrating that it's all done online, and all played back in a smaller window.? So for those who were thinking of retiring your Fantasia Anthology DVD set, you might want to reconsider.

Overall, it couldn't hurt to get the new Blu-ray combo pack release of Fantasia / Fantasia 2000.? Issues with the extras aside, there's enough new material provided, and the improved video and audio presentation is worth picking it up, even if it were a bare-bones release.

Film CRITIC: A violin on the roof (40th anniversary Blu - ray)

The beginning of the 1970s, the musical film began to peter out. Studios were not seen as much of a return on their investments and some films, such as Sweet Charity, Paint Your Wagon, Dr. Dolittle, Camelot, and Goodbye, Mr. Chips were not well received at the box office. ? so when United Artists decided to make a version large screen of the popular 1964 Broadway musical Fiddler on the RoofIt was certainly seen as a gamble. ? based on the stories of author Yiddish Shalom Alechem, the film tells the story of slag Tevye (Topol) and his colleagues community of Jews in the small Russian village of critic at the turn of the life Century ? of the 20th is difficult - Tevye and his family are poor, the Jewish community in Tsarist Russia has take care of the growing Orthodox Christian community and Tevye is in the hope of having her older daughters married the rich Boucher - but it is love of the poor tailor ? instead these issues, and the imminent Soviet Revolutionmore love prohibited, ?and growing oppression of less tolerant neighbors, retains of Tevye and his community on edge, and has the potential to tear his family.

Directed by Norman Jewison (in the heat of the night), a violin on the roof is one of these musicals of classic film that has succeeded where others failed. The characters are instantly sympathetic, and it is unlikely that most of the audience could relate to the Jewish Russian Tsarist shtetl, themes generalized traditions and conflict between generations resonates culture ? Toss in a little humorsome romance, drama and memorable musical numbers by Sheldon Harnick and Jerry Bock, and you have all the ingredients right for an excellent film. In addition, the scope of the film - filmed in mainly in Yugoslavia and starring Oscar gorgeous images by Oswald Morris and musical arrangements by John Williams - makes it that much more a filmed version of a stage musical. ? a violin on the roof is a period film has timeless themescharacters that can affect people and great stimulation (you do not have the duration of three hours).

For the release, the Blu - ray, a violin on the roof was given a new transfer. ? HD, unfortunately, it does not appear as any kind of restoration of the film was made - the impression is sometimes a bit grimy and it is almost constant subtle gate-weave in the image. ? that saidthe anamorphic image is crisp and only a suspicion of IND and enhancement but it changes nothing at all. ? colors are never too saturated, and Brown palette of the film comes in nicely. However, if the source material exists, it is a film which would certainly benefit from a treatment ? appropriate restoration, that it should be noted that this is not yet true theatrical film version - the logo of United Artists, at the beginning of the film is not the version seen in cinemas that used (from what can speculate experts) has been a piece of music that Williams wrote. Also, there is no intermission title card, which leaves very little room to catch our breath after emotional Act I final before happy intermission music comes in. ? may be for the 50th anniversary in ten years?

Audio is presented in a brilliant new DTS - HD MA 7.1 English track. ? it's not going to blow the roof, however - the major part of the film is front-heavy and the dynamic range is rather limited in view of the material. 1971 however source ?the occasional use of sound effects in the back helps a little to the ambience of the film and musical arrangements of John Williams benefit greatly from the presentation. ? without loss of additional audio tracks include mono Spanish, French DTS 5.1, Mono Portuguese, Italian DTS 5.1German Castellano DTS 5.1 and DTS 5.1.

While it is presented as a "40th anniversary" Edition, this version Blu - ray a violin on the roof has not any new extras, recycling rather the extras of the 1998, 2001 and 2007 DVDs. ? 1998 in previous version, a feature-length commentary track featuring Director Norman Jewison and main actor Topol is certainly a highlight. ? While they recorded separementet there are occasional breaks as they watch the film, each offers a unique insight into the production of the film and the challenges encountered during the filming of the Communist Yugoslavia. Version of 2001, the Canadian "Norman Jewison, filmmaker" documentary (SD, 49, 5 - minutes) is a 1971 doc which really shows Jewison to work ?, it is not a piece of puff at all, and it's fascinating to see how he has handled himself many barriers. ? This was followed in 2001 with "norman jewison Looks back" (SD 16) (x 910 minutes), five small segments with Jewison reflecting on some additional aspects: "on directing", "Stronger memory", "grand challenge", Casting "and"A classic?"."

A "Storyboard of the comparison to the Film" (SD, 21 minutes) shows five scenes along with storyboards, but absent from this version is the 2001 reading Jewison film and discuss the "shalom alechem stories" and "Historic" which provided the source story. ? of the film of the 2007 Special Edition, we have a few featurettes. ? music-related "John Williams: creation of a musical Tradition" (SD, 11.5 minutes) is a large piece of archives where Williams talks about the challenges in the adaptation of the popular music scene for the big screen. ? "Songs of a violin on the roof" (SD15 minutes) is a good look at the musical origins of the film, with the creators of Joseph Stein, Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick. ? This stage is followed by "Deleted song - Any Day Now" (SD, 3 minutes), a song of love deleted which is presented by Jerry Bock as fully orchestrated demo, value still photos of the film.

Continuing the 2007 film is "Girls of Tevye" (SD, 16, 5 - minutes), a beautiful look back on three actresses who played the girls: Rosalind Harris, Michele Marsh and Neva Small. ? they recount their experiences to jump and work on the film - indeed, it would have been nice to have all three to make a new comment for the 40th anniversary trail, since it seems that they have much more to say that what is revealed in 16 minutes. "Set in reality Production Design" ? (SD10 minutes) is a short but very interesting look at the impressive work of Robert Boyle, creation of the period set-pieces on place in Yugoslavia. Presentation of the "dream of Tevye in color" ?A (SD 16 x 9, 6 minutes) starts by Jewison explaining the reason to show the scene desaturee in the final film, followed by the original version of the color. You can also watch the segments of the scene in one ""side by comparison"(SD 16 x 9, 1, 5 - minutes)." ? Finally, a selection of trailers and television (all SD) complement the extras.

It is a shame that no extras news have been created for the release of anniversary 40th 2011 Fiddler on the Roof. ? While the transfer is relatively solid, he could have received a proper restoration, but the best audio presentation and video is really the only reason to upgrade your version of DVD of the film ? it is possible that has restored the version with new extras are coming for the 50th anniversary, but we just wait and see if this classic will be finally get the treatment it deserves.

Film CRITIC: Christmas Carol (Blu - ray), A

Charles Dickens of redemption, A Christmas Carol classic tale, has been of many film adaptations made years. ? probably the best and most revered is 1951 Scrooge, starring Alastair Sim: the year Ebenezer Scrooge stingy primary last ?., Director Robert Zemeckis - who has avoided traditional techniques of cinema for motion capture technology - has brought us a new version of the classic day, re - imagine as a 3D "multi-sensory adrenaline." ? is a little stretch, really, but this animated 3D version of A Christmas Carol, starring Jim Carrey in the main roles of Scrooge (of all ages) and two from the ghosts, has a unique history approach - taking us places.

Adapted by Zemeckis himself, the story is the same, but the film benefits from use of the camera rain around through the 19th century London. ? Gimmicks side, the visual aspect of the film is a little better, since the "uncanny valley" was adroitly averted this time through caricature charactersinstead of trying to render the realistic humans (unlike The Polar Express and Beowulf). ? the sequence with ghost Marley is actually dark, bringing to mind the work of the Zemeckis on Tales from the Crypt. ? Carrey does a good job in the roles, never play it too hammy and his accent for Scrooge is deliciously shows Bitter. ? smaller by Gary OldmanCarey Elwes and Bob Hoskins are remarkable as well. ? still, I wonder what it would have been as if this is live-action 3D.

Help efforts score of Alan Silvestri, who uses a mixture of nice songs of holiday classic is merged with its dramatic orchestral moments, but it is the spectacular final involving the ghost of Christmas yet to come that packs a powerful blow with Orchestra and choir. ? its new main theme - in the end title song sung by Andrea Bocelli - is a Christmas. instant classic ? A Christmas Carol is certainly more effort than The Polar Express and visually seems better than Beowulf. ? still, it has to ask why Zemeckis is just mater combinations of motion capture and let his actors act. ? when he is out in the Christmas Carol sallesA has shown only in 3D and for good reason - it is fanciful, but fun and the 3D improves really experience. ? While the film is now on Blu - ray or DVD this is 2D (unless you are one of those few lucky to have a 3D TV and 3D drive Blu-rayauquel case you can view the film as Zemeckis for). ? It still holds, mainly because the story itself is such a classic, but many wild camera moves and compositions creative lose a bit of their luster in 2D.

Release of Blu - ray and DVD 2D has a small but effective number of supplements, leaving the presentation to dominate the disc. ? from a Visual point of view, the 2D of A Christmas Carol on Blu - ray is rock solid. ? There is an intentional gentle lightingwith deep shadows and many night scenes lit by candlelight, infusing the film with a heat which is offset by the cold winter local. ? Daylight scenes are packed with detail and Victorian London looks quite good. ?, but this is the detail that emerges from the shadows and blacks which is most impressive with this transfer. ? digital Audio is presented as a DTS - HD Master Audio 5.1 French track, which provides clear dialog that stands out nicely against mix. ? fully immersive sound effects orchestral Alan Silvestri benefits greatly from this track, all the speakers in some of the moments more exciting in the film ? above that of filling, a Descriptive Dolby 2.0 of the Digital Service English video track is provided, and the French and Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1 tracks.

Blu - ray release is delivered with a splash of extras, some more interesting that it is not. The main strong point is "Behind the Carol: The Full Motion Capture Experience" (HD, 96 minutes). ? that plays the movie with images of original motion capture - showing the actors in their suits of mocap "volume" - which allows you to obtain a stronger appreciation for the process of creating Christmas Carol a. ? you can view it with the capture of images in a small window against the films finish or enlarge it and have it full-screen. ? Unfortunately you don't have an option that the video full screen with the film mocap ended in a small window ?, you can watch this as well with a very informative by Director audio commentary and screenwriter Robert Zemeckis? this his first feature-length commentary track in the anneeset shows - while there are a large amount fascinating information and details on the process, sometimes it will be rehashing everything what is happening on the mocap stage and continually praise the performance of actors. He speaks as a bit of music by Alan Silvestri, including the new song "God Bless Us everyone".

The remaining bonus start with "capture Dickens: A novel narrative" (HD, 15 minutes). ? hosted by actress most too exuberant and not as funny as she thinks Jackie Barnbrook (Mrs. Fezziwig), it is a short but well balanced blow of eye adaptation of the classic Dickens novel and how they made the most accurate representation of Dickens vision a reality through advances in technology. ? "on the value with Sammi" (HD)(, 2 minutes) is a very quick look at the experience of this young actress Sammi Hanratty (girl Crachit) going through the motion capture shoot. ? "Deleted scenes" (HD, 8.5 minutes) we show six scenes that were cut from the final filma stage very rough development ? finally, "Countdown to Christmas Interactive calendar" is an advent calendar interactive by which you take the numbers in order (one for each day in December before Christmas), you get a "toy" virtuelet then at the end (after every 25 numbers have been selected)you have a scene. ? fully decorated Christmas

No trailers or promotional material for the film is presented, nothing on music (not even a video clip), and no talk pre-production artwork look of the film is provided. ? Oh well. ? that do us, however, obtain an interview "Discover Blu - Ray 3D with Timon & Pumbaa" (HD4)(, 5 minutes) we tongue on the reconstruction of our theatres hosts once again to take advantage of the latest technology.

Would not the instant-classic that filmmakers have been in the hope of becoming, but Robert Zemeckis of A Christmas Carol version is probably the most faithful to the original novel, providing a visual treat that immerses the viewer into the classic redemption ? tale a stellar on Blu - ray presentation is disturbed only by the lack of background extras. ? but A Christmas Carol is certainly useful to check if you have the possibility to take advantage of a 3D presentation. Moreover, it is recommended that you first rent before deciding to buy.

Film CRITIC: Alice in Wonderland (60th anniversary Blu - ray)

Based on the classic Lewis Carroll novels Alice Adventures in Wonderland and its follow-up Through the Looking-Glass, animated film 1951 Walt Disney Alice in Wonderland country remains one of the more disjointed Studio projects, even 60 years after it hit theaters. ? a Disney project s years before etreAlice in the land of wonders follows the exploits of Young Alice (doubled by Kathryn Beaumont) after she falls into a rabbit hole and ends up by y Wonderland ? she met in fact a variety of unique creatures in an endless array of situations and the songs ?Alice in most of the songs of any Disney features musical entertainment Wonderland - fourteen musical numbersto be precise. ??, while the novels were clearly used more as a source of inspiration for the plot rather than a traditional straight up adaptation, Alice the country wonders was clearly attempting to Disney to try to do challenging work used for a wider public. And he succeed - the film is entertaining and light, even when there is no moments of Classic sense. ? - the Mad Hatter (Ed Wynn) and his party of tea, the Queen of hearts (Verna Felton) and its game of croquet played with storks - are present in abundance in this film. ? the number of songs stands also, with the film coming across more like an opera of light as a musical. ? it is a pleasure to watch films and for the 60th anniversary of its release on time, it comes out on Blu - ray with a new HD transfer and healthy number of extras.

I do not know of the restoration and cleaning on the Disney animated HD Blu - ray versions, but they should get a price for their efforts. ? seriously, this image is perfect. ? once more, we now have yet another classic Disney animated feature film that would say that it is filmed this year. ? While the style of animation is decidedly "old school", there is no grain to indicate the rate of film 24 fps and each inked line is solid, really dynamic colours and bursting off the coast of the ? screen, as was one of the earlier released by the studio featuresIt is presented in a windowboxed 1.33: 1 aspect ratio, but a "disneyview" allows to watch with works of art original by Michael Humphries on the sides created in various scenes gently support color palettes.

Audio is initially presented in a track mono Dolby Digital 2.0 restored, which has been cleared enough enough satisfactory recreate a very strong but heavy center presentation. Of course, a new runway English DTS - HD Master Audio 5.1 dynamic was created at the liberation, and it is very beautiful. The dialogue is usually the Centre channel, with sound effects and music incorporating a large part of the sides and surrounds. Music composed by Oliver Wallace appears to be own and takes advance of the entire audio range. Similarly, the 14 songs of exceptionally clean sound film. Given the age of the source material, it certainly seems solid enough, but do hold many candle of recent animated films.

Supplements for Alice in Wonderland country are quite extensive. ? all documents from the DVD were included here, and a few new goodies for the departure of Blu - ray. ? with "backstage Disney", the new content begins with the greater inclusion: "Through the Keyhole: Guide a companion to the country of wonders" (HD, 76 minutes). ? After a video introduction by actress Kathryn Beaumont, the film plays while various content in the image explores the life of Lewis Carroll, his development of Alice, the history of version Disney film, animation, music, development of the song production and much more. It is a kind of as a "maximum movie Mode", and more than just one normal picture-in-picture. ? is definitely an item. ? inevitable "video reference: Alice and the handle" (HD, 2 minutes) is a short sample of some live-action material which was filmed for the animators to use as referenceet "test pencil". ": Alice reduced" (HD, 1 minute) is a rare look at a pencil test 60 original years for a classical sequence in the film.

The "Family Play" section contains two elements. "Walt Disney color TV Introduction (1959)" (HD, 1 minute) an introduction ever released for the Walt Disney film. There are two of these introductions, in the section "classic DVD features". More on this later. ? the only item in this section is the "painting the Roses red game interactive". Using your remote control, you try to paint roses of Red Queen in a game of logic where you need to enable/disable groups of colors. flowers ? not your average kid of the game, it can be difficult!

The majority of the extras is located in the "Classic Bonus DVD features" section. "Reflections on Alice" (SD, 13 minutes) is a short film is to focus on the development of the film ? "Operation Wonderland" (HD, 11 minutes) a small newly updated following Walt Disney during a visit to the production of the film as they worked at it ? "I'm odd".: Newly discovered Cheshire Cat Song "(SD,_4_minutes) is a recreated version of one of the many Demo songs that did not appear in the film. ? final" through the mirror: Mickey Mouse animated short "(HD,_8_minutes) is a classic Mickey Mouse cartoon of 1936 in glorious HD in which Mickey goes through the mirror and encounters all sorts" creatures bizarre ? "One hour in Wonderland" (SD, 59, 5 - minutes) is a television special of 1950 hosted by Walt Disney, featuring some of the actors in the film, voice and appearances special by Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy. ? It the weird but entertaining than actors travel try to get a glimpse at the film in progress. ? ' year Alice comedy: Wonderland Alice "(SD,_8_minutes) is a 1923 silent short film based loosely on the story of Alice." Two "Original theatrical Trailers" (SD, 4 minutes) are included, and two other of these "Walt Disney TV Introductions" (SD, 2.5 minutes), from 1954 to B & W and another colour, 1964. "The Fred Waring Show (excerpt)" (SD, 31 minutes) is a variety show, hosted by the Orchestra leader Fred Waring focused on the country of wonders, with songs and scenes of the live ? of the film

The characteristics of "Scenes" article deleted "deleted scene: pig and pepper" (SD, 3 minutes), told through storyboards. "From Wonderland to Neverland: the evolution of a song"(SD,_7_minutes) is a rather fascinating insight into a song ("Beyond the Laughing Sky") which has been written for Alice in the country of the finished but wonders be reworked to Peter Pan as "the second star to the right;" "" "". Deleted Storyboard Concept: Alice Daydreams in the "(SD,_2_minutes) Park shows what might be a slightly different opening of the film;" "" "Original song demos" has six demos of songs that have been demolished in the end. Finally, there is an "Interactive Art Gallery", whose work features 81 high definition scan.

Alice in Wonderland is certainly one of the animated films more rambling out of Walt Disney Animation. ? If you check your brain at the door, you're more likely to enjoy the ride, and I think it is that Disney had in mind when he adapted the stories of Lewis Carroll. With a spectacular presentation on Blu - ray - and a copy of bonus DVD of the film - and a satisfactory wealth of extras, Alice in Wonderland country will find home on your platform.

Film CRITIC: Tron: the classic Original (Blu - ray)

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1982's Tron is a rather unique film. Released at the dawn of the personal computer era, most moviegoers were unfamiliar with the world of computing, especially the lingo. ? So the idea to make a film about a guy who gets sucked into a computer was certainly rather "out there". ? But the core of the story is one about a man versus the system - an underdog story. ? Genius computer programmer Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges) never got the credit from software giant ENCOM that he was due for creating the hit video game, Space Paranoids. ? In fact, he's convinced that senior executive Ed Dillinger (David Warner) had stolen his code, presenting it as his own and rising to the top of the company ? As Flynn hacks into the mainframe looking for evidence of the theft, he comes up against the rather powerful Master Control Program, the AI security system which seems to be protecting Dillinger. ? When an increase in security makes it impossible for Flynn to hack in from the outside, he enlists the help of his friends, current employees Alan Bradley (Bruce Boxleitner) and Lora Baines (Cindy Morgan), to sneak him in. ? But the MCP uses laser being developed for quantum teleportation to digitize Flynn and suck him into the ENCOM mainframe.

Now in this digital world, where computer programs visually look like their programmers, Flynn is force to compete in a series of gladiatorial games for his survival. ? The MCP and its leader, Sark (Warner again) have been intimidating programs into disavowing their belief in "users". ? However, since Flynn is himself a user, he discovers that he has more power than the average program, and manages to escape with two other programs, Tron (Boxleitner) and Yori (Morgan). ? As they travel through the computer landscape, encountering obstacles, they try to reach the CPM so that they can find the evidence that Flynn is seeking to prove he coded the hit video game.

Suffice it to say, Tron is quite a mind trip. ? Once you get past the heavy level of technological jargon, you'll find that there's a pretty solid story going on. ? As Flynn, Bridges is likable and it's fun to explore this new frontier with him. ? The computer graphics - while dated by today's standards - were groundbreaking in their use for filmmaking, and once you let yourself get sucked into the story, you don't really dwell on the minimalistic aspects of the visuals. ? It drags at times, and you find yourself waiting for the next action sequence. ? ?The film's highlight, the lightcycle chaseis just as fixe to watch today as it was 29 years ago. Sporting a rather psychedelic visual style and a somewhat dated Wendy Carlos score, the truth is that Tron is still a niche film that would only really appeal to a certain audience. It's a product of its times, and that's not a bad thing - it just is what it is.

Tron comes to Blu - ray in a cleaned-up 1080p image that looks leagues ahead of the previous 2002 DVD release. ? The stylized look for scenes in The Grid, which in shooting 65 mm B & W, and then required extensive hand-rotoscoped animation, results in a bit of constant flicker on the image ? It's not distracting., it's just a sign of the times. ? Similarly, while much of the CGI work is crude by modern standards, it was quite groundbreaking at the time - and to get it on film, they literally filmed a high resolution computer monitor. ? The result is a bit of grain and video noise. ? goal don't let those fault discourage you; This is the best Tron has ever looked, and the colors are bold, vibrant and flashy. ?

The audio for Tron on Blu - ray is probably better than it deserves. ? It's a rather dynamic and punchy Francais DTS - HD MA 5.1 audio track that clearly benefitted from the remix, even though it feels a bit more front-loaded than immersive. ? Some of the dialogue and source sound effects are a bit limited in their rangebut there's still enough low - end to keep your home theater. lush ? Wendy Carlos' synth heavy score uses the surrounds nicely, and although it's not a score that aged well, it sounds quite good on Blu - ray.

All of the extras for Tron have been ported over from the 2002 DVD release, with only two new supplements for the Blu - ray. ? "the tron phenomenon" (hd, 10-minutes) has the cast and crew of the sequel, Tron Legacy, discussing their memories of the original film, and the impact it's had on their lives. ? "tronology Photo" (hd, 12-minutes) is a nostalgic glimpse at the Tron materials in the Disney Archive, as director/writer Steven Lisberger and his son Carl explores the materials that had been vaulted.

Archival supplements start off with an excellent feature-length audio commentary track featuring director/writer Steven Lisberger, producer Donald Kushner and visual effects supervisors Harrison Ellenshaw and Richard Taylor. ?It's a highly informative track, with tons of details and trivia bits. ? The banter is nonstop and always interesting, and it really gives a great sense of what it was like to get this unique film made. "the making of tron" ? (SD)(, 88 minutes) is a 2002 archival documentary looking at the making of the film. It's quite extensive and paired with the documentary, one gets the sense that there is very little left untold about how Tron was made.

In the "development" section (sd, 8-minutes), we have a few featurettes totaling 8-minutes: "early development of tron", "early lisberger Studios Animation", "Computers Are people too" and "early video Tests". Additionally, a "gallery" provides access to designs, early concept art, storyboards, and publicity/production photos. ? "Digital imagery" gives us a look at how the "backlight Animation" came about, the use of "Digital Imagery in Tron", an excerpt from a television special called "beyond tron" periodand a short look at "the role of Triple I", and a resulting antiquated "Triple I demo" animation test.

The "music" section (sd, 8-minute) provides two samples of sequences where Wendy Carlos' music was dropped from the film. ? Now we get to watch the "lightcycle scene" with the music she wrote for it, as well as the second half of the end credits Suite ? Interestingly you can use this as a good reference of the Blu - ray restoration, since the SD video quality certainly shows some wear and tear on the 2002 film transfer. ? "publicity" (sd, 13-minutes) gives us four trailers, a work-in-progress real and the National Association of Theater Owners pitch reel. ?Three "deleted scenes" (sd, 6 minutes) are included, with an introduction by Lisberger. ? A bunch of small featurettes on "Design" (sd, 3 5-minutes) explores Syd Mead's designs and Magi's animation tests for the lightcycles, and two versions of Space Paranoids game footage. ? Finally, "storyboarding" (sd, 9-minutes) explores the process of storyboarding, the main title storyboards, and provides a storyboard-to-film comparison of the lightcycle chase.

While it might not be everyone's cup of tea, Tron is a rather unique cult film. It was leagues ahead of its time, has a visual style unlike anything seen in Hollywood, and while the jargon might be dated, the story itself - an underdog creator trying to get his proper due while going up against the minions of the corporate overlords - still resonates today. ? With a pretty solid visual transfer (this is about as good as) (it will get), and an audio remix worthy of today's home theaters, as well as a nice selection of extras archival, Tron is definitely something fans should be checking out.

Film CRITIC: tangled (Blu - ray)

Entangled is not only to Walt Disney 50th animated feature, but it is also the most expensive animated film (to date). ? early history of the studio, Walt Disney wanted to on the adaptation of the fairy tales classic in new stories. ? the story of Rapunzel was in development at the studio since the 1940s, but is this year, he finally screen ? big Tangled begins with some story. ? dos Gothel (doubled by Donna Murphy) is an old woman who discovers a magic flower - when she sings, she has the power to make his young again. ? for hundreds of years, she did it - until the pregnant Queen falls ill, and the King sets everyone to find this mystical flower with the power to heal. They find it and use to heal the sick mother. ? baby resulting, Rapunzel, a golden hair who retained the healing and rejuvenating power - flower but if his hair is cut, it turns brown and loses its power. ? therefore kidnapped Rapunzel and him away locked in a tower of Gothel, preventing cut his hair and use its powers to keep its young. ? each year, the anniversary of the Rapunzel, the King and the Queen release golden lanterns into the sky in the hope that it will be bringing their daughter to them ?.

Eighteen, Rapunzel (doubled by Mandy Moore) now asks its mother Gothel if she can leave the tower to see the lights that appear each year on his birthday. Gothel request flatly refuses. ? but when dashing young thief Rider Flynn (doubled by Zachary Levi) discovers the Tower while escaping from guards Castle (and fellow thieves which he betrays) stealing the missing Princess tiara, Rapunzel knocks him out and hides the loot. ? stolen, but soon she sees an opportunity to see the work on an agreement mondeet - it takes him to see lanterns in person and he will restore his research as mother Gothel. treasure stolen ? Rapunzel and Flynn tries to stay a step ahead of the guards and the brothers of Stabbington evil (Ron Perlman). ? soon the evolution of the relationship between Rapunzel and Flynn, real mode Disney, one of the reasons of convenience, to a more romantic - but will take it?

Tangled is a well made film, even though it strongly adheres to the formula. ? of Disney, the characters are sympathetic, Rapunzel is to see the world for the first time, and it is fun to see through his eyes. The overconfident Flynn provides with some nice action sequences, and serves as a romantic lead appropriate as well. ?? While Gothel is not really a "bad evil", it is always pleasant to hate to take advantage of the na?ve Rapunzel. ? but I based the more fun to be hadin the two roles non-verbal animals ?, the Chameleon is Pascal small friend of Rapunzel and a pleasure to look at - but not as much as Maximus, the horse of the head of the Palace Guard. Animated as if he were a dog, Maximus (and his rivalry with Flynn) are certainly only a strong point of the film ? also noted that apart from the impressive technological aspects (hair simulation and rendering, etc.), is music. ? of Alan Menken, taking a page from the beauty and the formula of the beastThere is a lot of different musical numbers in Tangled, who are all top notch, and incredibly catchy. ? the culmination, of course, is named the Oscar "I see the light". ? his musical underscore character is so strong and shiny.

Released in cinemas in Disney 3D, Tangled comes home video 3D Blu - ray (for those who) and the rest of us commoners get to deal with a flat standard 2D Blu - ray. Obviously, ? is not a bad thing - the transfer is stellar. ? like almost every other release Disney Animation Blu - ray before elleEnchevetresIt is a pleasure to see. Lighting is soft, and colors have a warmth. ? golden appropriate, that it is a testimony to the artistic direction that they did not go overboard trying to emulate a photorealiste look, but rather kept things mainly in the area of the territory of Pixarwith incredibly detailed textures and design of the sympathetic characters that make the world of Tangled one you can almost touch. ? the highest point is naturally the simulations of hair moving and incredible realism and detail. ? when things are dark (night scenes)(, scenes of the underwater cave in sportetc.), transfer Gets a somewhat lower, with some occasional bands (there are only so many color values, I guess). ? again, tangled looks phenomenal.

And it sounds phenomenal, leads the audio track too ? year English DTS - HD MA 7.1, with a mix very immersive sound ? Dialogue is clear, music by Alan Menken lava on nearby and well placed sound effects and highly dynamic (your subwoofer get certainly a bit of a workout during action scenes)all lend themselves to acoustic journey through the film.

Hit video at home, taking a simple four months after released in theatres, Tangled is delivered with a selection of small and decent Extras, but is clearly begging for more. ? three "deleted scenes" (HD, 12.5 minutes) are introduced by Nathan Greno and Byron Howard co-directors. These are presented in a storyboard phase, since they have never animated. ? two "Original Storybook openings" (HD, 8 minutes) are displayed, giving us a more traditional Disney for the movie, instead of the narrated prologue opening, they end up using. ? "50th Animated Feature Countdown" (HD2 minutes) gives us a quick look at the ?legacy of Walt Disney Feature Animation in showing us a brief overview to animation ever a done. ? studio film two "Extended Songs" (HD, 8 minutes) are presented in rough, once again with introductions by Director: "when my life begins" and "mother Knows Best". ? It is a shame that the Alan Menken has no involvement with these supplements.

Menken is noticeably missing from "untangle: the manufacture of a Fairy Tale" (HD, 12.5 minutes), a look rather short on the taking of Tangled. ? hosted by Mandy Moore, Zachary Levi stars, this is a brief look at the production of the filmhow that relates to other Disney projects, character design and a bit of a look at the advances in the technology used to make the simulation. ? hair unfortunately nothing discussed music or songs, which is odd, given the involvement of how high - profile Menken was at the time of release. ? of the film then that no trailers are included, "Tangled Teasers" (HD, 9 minutes) provide a multitude of parody teases for the film.

Finally, a short "Discover Blu - ray 3D with Timon & Pumbaa" (HD, 4.5 minutes) talks about the next generation of entertainment - at home and an advertisement for a digital copy of Disney "learn how to take your favorite movies on the Go" (HD)(, 1 minute)-round on the supplements. ? I wonder if the road, there will be a more substantial version of Tangled, with comments, more in-depth documentary and even Disney second Screen?. But I feel that this may be all that we'll get.

Tangled is a fun film that fits perfectly in the canon. Disney Animation ? a good adventure story based on a classic tale, he led sympathetic, a clever villain, a romantic aspect affecting and a delicious audio and video presentation. ? If only he had more extrasIt would be rather a must - have. ? If you have seen Tangled, you should consider picking up - if not, give it a rent first. ?

Film CRITIC: Bambi (Diamond Edition Blu - ray)

Based on the beginning of the 20th century Austrian novel Bambi: a life in the Woods by Felix Salten, fifth feature-length film of Walt Disney Bambi animated film was in fact intended to be the second animation studio. ? feature this environmental history tells the story of the coming of age of a young fawnBambias he grew up in the forest. ? He makes friends with various creatures living there, including his friends Thumper the rabbit and flowering Skunk and a young doe named Tel. His absent father, the great King of the forest rarely appears, so he taught the way of life in the Woods mainly by his mother. ? but there is a danger lurking below, as man casual treads on their domain and soon Bambi must cope with living on his own. ?He transforms into a mature deer and his friends discover love, Bambi is seeking "twitterpated" - but eventually falling love with Tel, an act which itself brings new challenges.

Bambi is regarded as a classic tale of life, with more honesty more animated films have dared to tread. ? emotional and inspiring, Bambi is also a tour of beautifully painted backdrops and superbly moving music. Animated with a sense of realism, years to study the movements of the animals is immensely pay, and while the animals talk, the film is still used today still as point of reference to animate creatures. ? While he was not considered a financial on the original success (1942 - in the second world war)It was reissued in 1947, and several times during the next 50 years. ? released in DVD in 1997, Bambi now comes high definition in a Pack Blu - ray and DVD Combo stellar Diamond Edition, and even if owned you the old DVDIt's the inevitable release.

As with the other Disney animated features, the good people of Walt Disney Home Entertainment have spared no expense in making this really worthy of the name. ? Edition Diamond Edition version he did y no grain at all on this new transfer restored, and while the animation style is decidedly vintage at the time that it has been drawn, you would be hard-pressed to know that; the film is nearly 70 years, and yet it looks as if it was today. ? colors are lush and deep (forest green contain as many shades and nuances that it is just a feast for the eyes!)., and Blacks are darkwithout losing details in the shadows. ? it is, once again, a Visual presentation which was thrown out of the Park.

Audio is presented in a format English audio 7.1 DTS - HD HR, which is not without loss, but you really need to strain to notice a difference. 2 MB/s audio is very good. Sound effects are not really important in the vicinity and what benefits the more audio remix is incredibly mobile and lush musical score by Frank Churchill and Edward Plumb, who have also a few songs with a choir. additional audio tracks ? understand English Original Soundtrack restored (in Dolby Digital mono) as well as the French and Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1 Tracks. (Even the choral songs are in foreign languages, which are an additional benefit!)

This version of Diamond Edition includes all the features previously published DVDs, and a staggering amount of new material - including some supplements. ? rather innovative and somewhat revolutionary first, you can watch the film with an optional introduction for the film by Diane Disney Miller, and with DisneyView, which puts the new illustrations by Lisa Keene on the sides for those who want to experience in a window box. The extra first new major is the "Bambi: Inside Story Walt meetings - Enhanced Edition"(HD,_70_minutes) feature. ? This allows you watch the movie with picture-in-picture interactive experience that is similar to the "via the Keyhole" extra on the recent AlIce in Wonderland Blu - ray. ? all sorts of aspects of the production ".development history, animation, music, etc., are all explored here, but by an amazing recreation of transcripts of meeting real history with Walt Disney and his team ? go a little further, in many cases through the experience, you are able to branch to additional supplementary materialincluding a few short films of classic animation, all in HD. This is a phenomenal extra. ? is then up to the truly amazing "screen second Disney." ? with technology Spot411, you can dig deeper in the archives of Bambi as the movie plays, synchronized on your computer or the iPad. ? is really overwhelming, and I can only imagine what this will lead in the future. ?two "deleted scenes" (HD, 5 ?minutes) are included, and a sound recording of a song of lost demo, "Twitterpated" (HD, 2 minutes) is also included. ? "Bambi interactive galleries" provides a stunning wealth of artwork under the microscope. For children, there is an interactive game: "Disney's great book of knowledge", which is a book-like exploration of the forest of Bambi, where meet you friends and try to collect stickers through a series of mini-games.

As mentioned, all the previously released "classic DVD bonus" are included as well. ? two more "deleted scenes" (SD, 3 minutes) are included. ? in the documentary "the manufacture of Bambi: A Prince is born" (SD, 52 minutes), we get a look nice on the way in which everything is gathered. ?Much of it duplicates stories told in the meetings of the history feature, but it presented in a more traditional format here, and looks at the different areas of production, of history, the development of the character actors, Art Design, music, and the historic legacy of the film ? "Tricks of the trade" (SD, 7 minutes) is an old piece of archiving where Walt Disney explained how the Multiplan camera works, as well as its approach to the animation for the film. ? This leads nicely turned classic of animation "The old mill" (SD9 minutes), a film citizen 1937 who took advantage high camera Multiplan, and animation. environmental ? "Inside the Disney Archives" (SD, 8.5 minutes) is a look at the Animation Research Library to finally to the Studios. Disney Walt ? in this section, we have the original theatrical trailer, 1942 (SD, 2 minutes).

Playful, beautiful, emotional, touching, source of inspiration - are all adjectives that describe the film. ? This is no secret (in fact, Don Hahn discusses it in the "Making of Bambi" doc) that the film directly inspired the Lion King, and I can only wait with bated breath to see how Disney manages this film when it comes out on Blu - ray later this year. If it's something like what they have done here, it will be really surprising. Sporting a transfer beautiful, beautiful music, a touching history and a wealth of supplements new and classic, Bambi is one of those classic Disney features Animation that deserves a place in each video library. ?

Film CRITIC: Exorcist: extended cut (DVD), Director the

Released in 1973, the Exorcist is still considered one of the most frightening films ever made. ? directed by William Friedkin and written by William Peter Blatty, based on his novel of the same name, there were two versions of the movie - the original version of 1973, and then in 2000, after a limited theatrical run, a version titled The Exorcist: the Version you've never seen is exit, which Friedkin reinstated cut and added scenes subliminal visual and sound effects to improve the voltage. ?, the film follows two scenarios that ultimately converge. ? Father Damien Karras (Jason Miller) begins to cope with a crisis of faith while dealing with his mother ? Terminal at the same time, 12 year Regan (Linda Blair), the daughter of actress Chris MacNeil (Ellen Burstyn) begins to exhibit unusual behaviorsuch as seizures, increased resistance and extreme rudeness. Do not display medical tests that anything out of the ordinary and even Psychiatry does not display anything wrong. As the incidents turn more paranormal, and Chris is at the end of his mind, she turned to Karras for help. Believe that there is something unholy with the girl, Karras asks the permission of the Church to perform an exorcism. Father Merrin (Max von Sydow) - character - then arrives, intent to hunt the demon possessing the girl.

In an era of films which are intended to scare through moments "boo!", the Exorcist may seem rather slow and tame the current criteria. However, use of Friedkin slow tension, with some disturbing images, enables the public standing in the shoes of Chris as it attempts to deal with the abnormal behavior of his daughter ? in fact, it is not until well after the point at halfway of the film which begins to something really surnaturelet it is then that we are properly attached to the characters and can really enter the scenario emotional and spiritual.

Simultaneous with a new Blu - ray release of the film (which includes both versions), a DVD version only of the Exorcist: Cut the Extended Director "(essentially the Version you've never seen)") was published, with most of the same extras as the original DVD of 2000 release, but with a new transfer of the source remastered for Blu - ray.

The image quality is solid, with a few grains and no significant improvement edge or DNR or other objects that are usually used to tighten up a DVD transfer. The contrast is deep, with a large number of dark scenes filled with blackness. ? inky Audio is presented in English Dolby Digital 5.1 EX (with French Dolby 5.1 Surround and stereo Spanish) and while it doesn't feel quite as immersive as it might be, sound effects and music certainly take advantage of the surrounds. ?, but the quality of the mixture is top notch, remastered for the 2000 "Version you ve never seen", giving us plenty of dynamic range. It is certainly a film in which lights and activate the sound.

Extras on this release are unfortunately anemic. ? comment of 2000 followed by William Friedkin is included, but it was not a very good track. ?, he spent most of the time telling what you watch on screen. ? in the sense, it works as a nice "English for the visually disabled" track, but glean you information it little beyond that. ? previous DVD out of the theatrical version of the film (the 25th Anniversary Edition) included not only a comment trail much better with Friedkin and Blatty, but was also a documentary, and many more on the production ? even the "Version you ve never seen" release included more extras, including the notes to production and filmographies, none is included here. ? Instead we get two theatrical trailers, four television spotsfor theatrical reissue limited film.

Aside from restoring again an improved image quality, it is unfortunately little reason to get this DVD. ? coming at a time when Blu - ray is starting to take off - especially with a version which includes two versions of the film in HD and a wealth of extras - this is a rather disappointing and unnecessary version.

Film CRITIC: Scott Pilgrim vs. the world (Blu - ray)

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"This is happening, right?"

That's the phrase that kept running through my head as I watched Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, the latest film from Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz director Edgar Wright.? Fortunately, the title character himself (played by Michael Cera) says those very words about 2/3 through the film, solidifying the fact that, yes, this was indeed happening.? Based on the popular graphic novel by Bryan Lee O'Malley, the film starts out simply enough: 22-year old Scott Pilgrim (Cera) is the bass player in Sex Bob-omb, an indie rock band. He's dating a 17-year old Asian high schooler, Knives Chau (Ellen Wong), mainly to get over a failed relationship with Envy Adams (Brie Larson), who has become a successful rock star. ?While at a party, Scott sees Ramona Flowers (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), and is instantly smitten with her.? He starts to woo her behind Knives' back, but soon things take a turn for the unexpected when, during a concert, Ramona's first ex-boyfriend shows up demanding a duel.? Let me correct that - her first evil ex-boyfriend.? The film take a major left-turn into surrealism, and now Scott must successfully defeat all seven members of "The League of Evil Exes".?

To say that Scott Pilgrim vs. the World takes a lot of inspiration from videogames is an understatement.? From the opening 8-bit version of the Universal Studios - replete with 8-bit rendition of Jerry Goldsmith's fanfare - it's safe to say that the audience is going to be in for a very unique experience. Once the battles begin, it's even more apparent that this is a live-action videogame, with hyper-fast camera cutting, wild visuals, and plenty of adherences to videogame principles. When an ex is defeated, they explode into a shower of coins, and Scott "level-ups". The different exes all have different fighting styles, allowing Wright to film a rather versatile number of sequences.? It borders on too-much at times, and this film definitely requires multiple viewings to take it all in.

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is not like anything you've ever seen.? People might shy away from it based on the trailer (and honestly, overexposure of Michael Cera), but the supporting cast - from Scott's gay roommate Wallace (Kieran Culkin), his sister Stacey (Anna Kendrick), to the various "League" members, including Chris Evans, Brandon Routh and Jason Schwartzman - keep things fresh and engaging. The score, by Radiohead producer Nigel Godrich, references video game scores, and keeps things decidedly indie and fun. Additionally, the songs in the film (that the various bands, including Sex Bob-omb, play) were written by such artists as beck, Metric, Broken Social Scene, and others.

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is a surface-deep film that doesn't take itself too seriously, but there's nothing wrong with that.? It's silly fun, and with no expectations, it was one of those truly amazing viewing experiences.? Fortunately, with the new Blu-ray release, there are enough extras that you'll definitely be going back and watching it multiple times (more on that later).? The look of the film, as presented in HD for the home, is solid.? The film has a very processed look to it at times, given the graphic novel and video game nature of the story, but contrast is solid, with deep blacks, and color is slightly desaturated at times, and overblown at others. A light veneer of grain keeps things very film-like, and there was no compression artifacting at all to speak of. All in all, this is an excellent transfer.

Audio is presented in a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 English track, and oh boy does it rock the house.? There is so much happening in this track that it's difficult to know where to keep your ears.? The "bass battle" between Scott and Todd (Routh's character) will have your subwoofer working on overtime.? The music takes center stage, sounding excellent, and even during some of the more frenetic sequences, dialogue is clearly audible.? This is a demo-worthy track.? Additional audio options include Spanish and French DTS 5.1 tracks, and a Descriptive Video Service track, for the hard of seeing.

The amazingly extensive supplement package for Scott Pilgrim vs. the World starts out with four (yes, four!) commentary tracks. A feature commentary with Director/Co-Writer Edgar Wright & Co-Writer Michael Bacall and Author Bryan Lee O'Malley is the best one. Fast paced, fun and engaging, there's a lot of information disseminated here.? We then get a Technical Commentary with Wright and Director of Photography Bill Pope, focused on the shooting of the film, the look of it, the locations, and more.? Pope is a great talent, and it's always good to hear his reasoning on things, though Wright clearly was in control. A Cast Commentary with Michael Cera, Jason Schwartzman, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Ellen Wong and Brandon Routh is a decent but not necessary track; Cera dominates it, and there are a few dead spots where they all seem to be watching the film.? This track should have been combined with the final commentary track, which is another Cast Commentary, with Anna Kendrick, Aubrey Plaza, Kieran Culkin and Mark Webber.? This final track is the weakest of the lot, and feels unnecessary given the amount of extras that we still have yet to dive into.

The disc then presents a large selection of "Deleted Scenes" (HD, 27-minutes), which is a whole slew of unused, alternate or extended scenes (not just deleted ones), provided with optional commentary by Edgar Wright.? A "Blooper Reel" (SD, 9.5-minutes) showcases some amusing flubs, and "Alternate Footage" section contains "Alternate Edits" (SD, 12.5-minutes) which gives us different scene edits, and "Bits and Pieces" (SD, 7-minutes) which contains a bunch of different takes for some of the funnier lines in the film.

One might initially think that the heart of the supplements is the "Documentary" section, with three documentaries.? Starting with a two-part documentary, "Making of Scott Pilgrim vs. the World" (HD, 49.5-minutes), this is a rather in-depth and fast paced look at the evolution of the film, from the graphic novel to film development, stunt choreography, camaraderie between the actors, and much more. "Music Featurette" (SD, 16.5-minutes) talks about the importance of music in the film, showcasing the fictional bands in the film, the hit artists who provided songs for the bands, and the actors who play them rehearsing and learning how to actually play the musical numbers.? "You Too Can Be Sex Bob-omb" (SD, 2.5-minutes) is a quickie featurette that teaches the viewer how to play one of the film's songs on guitar.?

But no, all of that just scratches the surface.? The real meat of the supplemental material is in the "Pre-Production" section. From there we have "Pre-Production Footage" (SD, 15-minutes), "Animatics" (SD, 36-minutes), Rehearsal Videos (SD, 9-minutes), "Props, Rigs & Set Montages" (SD, 2.5-minutes), "Casting Tapes" (SD, 13.5-minutes), and finally, "Hair and Make-up Footage" (SD, 11-minutes).? This totals up to a whopping 87.5 minutes of pre-production material.? Wowza.

But we're not done yet.? Next up are four "Music Videos" (SD, 10-minutes), and seven "Audio Visual Remixes by OSYMYSO" (SD, 9.5-minutes), a really entertaining and clever mashup of some of the best dialogue bits from the film, remixed! Very catchy.? From there we head over to post-production, with the "Visual Effects" section.? "VFX Before & After" (SD, 14.5-minutes) looks at a few of the film's more effects-heavy sequences.? "Roxy Fight / Ribbon Version" (SD, 1-minute) is the in-camera shot version of the Roxy fight scene (pre-VFX), and "Phantom Montage: Hi Speed Footage" (SD, 4-minutes) is a surreal collection of various super slow motion shots against blue screens.

"Soundworks Collection: Sound for Film Profile" (SD, 5.5-minutes) is a short but really interesting look at the film's sound effects. ?For promotional stuff, three theatrical trailers (SD, 5.5-minutes), ten "TV Spots" (SD, 8.5-minutes), and four "Video Game Trailers" (SD, 5-minutes) are included, as well as "Adult Swim: Scott Pilgrim vs. the Animation" (SD, 4-minutes) is a quick animated short that aired on Cartoon Network to promote the film, and? "Scott Pilgrim vs. the Censors: TV Safe Version" (SD, 4-minutes) shows what the television version might sound like, with re-dubbed dialogue. In the "Blogs" section, we gain access to Edgar Wright's eight-part production diary (SD, 46-minutes), which provides even more behind-the-scenes material.? The "Galleries" section gives us access to production stills, artwork, publicity material, and much more, a U-Control "Storyboard" picture-in-picture track, and finally (yes, really!), there's a trivia track that provides us with a lot of info and background on everything, even what music cue is playing, as you watch the movie.

Whew.

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World might not be everyone's cup of tea. It's a rather eccentric and bizarre film, but it instantly won a place in my heart. If you're not sure about it, rent it first - but definitely see the film.? If you like it, then absolutely buy it; the wealth of extras is overwhelming and substantive, and definitely worth having in your collection.

Film CRITIC: beauty and the beast (Diamond Edition Blu - ray)

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Walt Disney's Beauty and the Beast is easily one of the best animated features of the last few decades.? Coming at a time when the hand-drawn animated feature was slowly making a comeback (with help from the previous Disney film, The Little Mermaid), Beauty and the Beast was an instant classic.? With its solid storyline, top notch animation, excellent music and memorable characters, Disney's 30th full-length animated film was the first animated feature to be nominated for a Best Picture Academy Award - and justifiably so.

Loosely based on the classic fairy tale of the same name, Beauty and the Beast tells the story about the bookish Belle (Paige O'Hara), who is being wooed by the obnoxious swaggering local hunter Gaston (Richard White), but she wants something more in her life than the quiet humdrum life she lives in the village with her inventor father, Maurice (Rex Everhart).? When he gets lost in the woods en route to show off his new invention at a fair, he stumbles across a castle, inhabited by the Beast (Robby Benson).? The Beast is a bitter character, formerly a prince who was put under a curse due to his inability to show a little compassion to an old beggar woman (actually an enchantress) who needed shelter for the night.? If he doesn't find true love before he turns 21, he will remain cursed forever.? The Beast holds Maurice captive, and when Belle comes looking for her father, she is led to the castle where she offers to take her father's place.?

The transformed servants in the castle, candlestick Lumi?re (Jerry Orbach), clock Cogsworth (David Ogden Stiers) and teapot Mrs. Potts (Angela Lansbury) all try to keep Belle happy, but when she accidentally angers the Beast, he scares her, and she tries to escape. ?Attacked by wolves, the Beast rescues Belle from danger, but is injured in the process.? Belle helps the Beast heal, and gradually the two become friendly. Meanwhile, Maurice has tried to get Gaston and the villagers to mount a rescue attempt, but they don't believe his story about the Beast - so he goes off to try to rescue Belle himself.? Will love bloom between Belle and the Beast before his 21st birthday?

The way that the film unfolds is classic, from the tension and mystery of the dark forest, to the blossoming romance between Belle and the Beast, to the adventure and excitement of Gaston and the mob's attack on the castle.? Helping the story along are the original songs by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman.? The pair had a previous success with The Little Mermaid, and the songs they came up with for Beauty and the Beast help move the story forward through music, giving the audience a lot of information in a fun and entertaining way - resulting in a lot of story and character development happening within the 84-minute runtime.

Beauty and the Beast also marked a huge leap forward in animation technique, taking advantage of the digital ink-and-paint CAPS (Computer Animation Production System) process, resulting in the second 100% digital feature film produced (after The Rescuers Down Under).? It also allowed the filmmakers to try out a fully computer-generated background for one particular sequence, the ballroom scene, now considered a classic moment in animation.

Beauty and the Beast went on to win numerous awards, including Golden Globes for Best Picture (Musical or Comedy), and Academy Awards for Best Song and Best Score.? Re-released in 2002 as a "Special Edition", the film had a formerly deleted musical number ("Human Again") re-inserted into the film.? Both the theatrical and "special edition" versions of the film - as well as the storyboard-based New York Film Festival "preview" version - are now available in a newly restored and remastered Blu-ray release.

The first disc of the three-disc set starts out with all the versions of the feature film.? The Special Extended Edition (HD, 92-minutes), the Original Theatrical Release (HD, 84-minutes), and the Original Theatrical Release with Story Reel Picture-in-Picture (HD, 84-minutes).? The video quality for all of these is spot-on.? Colors are incredibly vibrant, and the remastered image - output directly from the CAPS system - is essentially perfect. Details are abundant, from the painted backgrounds to the cleaned up line art, every freeze-frame looks spectacular.? For a hand-drawn animated film that is nearly 20 years old, this looks like it was made yesterday. (It's certainly on par with, if not a bit better than, last year's Blu-ray transfer for The Princess and the Frog!)

Audio is presented in only three flavors: an English 7.1 "Disney Enhanced High Definition Sound" version (i.e. DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1), as well as Dolby Digital 5.1 French and Spanish.? The soundscape is immersive and full of details. The environmental sounds are completely lifelike and transport you to the forest locales.? Dialogue moves all around you depending on the scene, feeling naturally placed. Most impressively, the clarity of Alan Menken's score (and songs) is amazing, and the orchestra washes over you as though they were right there with you in the room.

Extras on the Blu-ray release border on overwhelming.? Let's start with the first disc, where there are the two versions of the film (along with the picture-in-picture storyboard version for the Theatrical release).? Then, we have a feature-length commentary track on the Special Edition version featuring producer Don Hahn and co-directors Kirk Wise and Gary Trousdale discussing nearly every aspect of the film.? It's a highly informative must-listen track.? A "sing-along" subtitle track is also included, but just shows the subtitles during the songs.

Within the "Backstage Disney: Diamond Edition" section, on Disc 1, we have a new featurette, "Composing a Classic: A Musical Conversation with Alan Menken, Don Hahn & Richard Kraft" (HD, 20-minutes) features composer Menken, along with with producer Hahn, and Menken's film music agent (and self-avowed Disney fanatic) Richard Kraft.? The trio talks about the importance of the music in the film, as well as the challenges that Menken and Ashman faced writing the songs and composing the score for the film. It's a great look at the music, supplemented with some rare behind-the-scenes photos and footage.? "Deleted Scenes" (HD, 28-minutes) contains a rather different "Alternate Story Opening" (HD, 18.5 minutes), with an introduction by former Disney Studios chairman Peter Schneider, and "Belle in the Library" (HD, 8.5-minutes), with an intro by story supervisor Roger Allers.

In the "Family Play" section, we have another new featurette, "Broadway Beginnings" (HD, 13-minutes) which looks at the development of Beauty and the Beast on Broadway, as well as a few of the famous actors who partook in the production. Finally, a "Music Video" (HD, 3.5-minutes) contains the new Jordin Sparks rendition of the classic title song, "Beauty and the Beast".

Popping in the second disc, we get to the meat of the supplements.? First up in the "Backstage Disney: Diamond Edition" (on Disc 2) is "Beyond Beauty" (HD, 157-minutes).? This feature-length documentary covers nearly every aspect of the production, with all new interviews, archival footage, illustrations, ad much more.? The documentary can be viewed in many different ways. Like the Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time extra, as you watch the piece, you can interactively "dig deeper" when prompted, seamlessly branching to the extra. A handy index also keeps track of what you have and have not seen, letting you go back and watch bits you might have missed.? It is truly a wealth of information. "Family Play" lets you play a trivia game ("Enchanted Musical Challenge") and "Bonjour - Who Is This?" is a "Disney TelePlay Game" - a secret identity BD-Live powered game that requires people to use their phones.

The "Classic DVD Bonus Features" contains all of the previously released extras.? "The Story Behind the Story" (SD, 26-minutes) is a look at the source material that inspired seven different classic Disney films, hosted by Celine Dion.? She also introduces the original Celine Dion / Peabo Bryson music video for "Beauty and the Beast" (SD, 4.5-minutes).? The "Early Presentation Reel" (SD, 3-minutes), hosted by Don Hahn, is here, as well as an alternate version of "Be Our Guest" (SD, 5-minutes), an alternate score moment for "The Transformation" (SD, 2-minutes), "Human Again" (SD, 7-minutes) - at the time a deleted song only in storyboard form and demo vocals - gets two introductions, one by Hahn, and one by Menken. "Animation" contains animation tests and more, a "Camera Move Test" (SD, 2-minutes) showcases the CGI development of the ballroom set, and finally, two theatrical trailers and four television spots are included. Unfortunately, these are all in standard definition.? Finally, the third disc contains the DVD version of the film, so you can still enjoy the movie at a friend's place even if they don't have a Blu-ray player.

Beauty and the Beast is a classic animated masterpiece. With a solid storyline, excellent characters, memorable songs, the film alone is worth having. Toss in the incredible presentation on Blu-ray, two versions of the film, and a rather overwhelming amount of extras - including all of the previous DVD extras - and you have a Blu-ray package that is absolutely a must-have.

Film CRITIC: creation (DVD)

In the creation, the idea of corporate espionage is taken to the next level. Dominic Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) is a "Extractor" - a person who, thanks to technology developed by the military, shared dreaming steals information of a sensitive nature of his targets. ? with his man point Arthur (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), Cobb was attempting to extract information from Japanese businessman Saito (Ken Watanabe), but things went wrong when the subconscious representation of evil dead wife (Marion Cotillard) is presented and ruined the plan. ?, it turns out that Saito was hearings Cobb and his team for to make them an offer - to try and "creating"., the concept of planting an idea in mind of a person and making them think that it was their own idea.

Cobb - who was a fugitive wanted by the justice of the United States suspicion of the death of evil - has been unable to see her two children, and Saito for him cleared of all charges in exchange for the caregiver is too attractive to pass up. ? Saito intention is to have Robert Fisher (Cillian Murphy)the son of rival corporate terminal of Saito, dissolve empire from his father. ?But, they can not simply to plant the idea in mind of Fisher; in a dream they need give the suggestion in a more metaphorical State, many dream-deep layers, to allow to give the idea. ?

To help out Cobb, it recruits Eames (Tom Hardy), a forger who can change his appearance in dreams, Ariane (Ellen Page), an architect of the student to assist in designing the dream and Yusuf (Dileep Rao), a chemist who came with a special formula to keep people under sedation in the state. ? dream shared in a sedative State, to wake up after a dream, you must be killed in the dream (and the pain is very, very real), or awakened by a "kick" - that sensation of falling. ? the problem with the three levels of deep pass - they need to do to cause the "creation" Fisher - ?is time stretches exponentially by means of each layer, and finally know the difference between reality and the dream could be nearly impossible. ?, aggravating the situation is the guilt of Cobb on the death of Mol, which seems to be occurring in the form of Mol invade dreams. ? Ariadne seems to be the only one to recognize the precarious situation, and while the team tent "creation", they are all run the very real risk of being lost in the dream.

Directed by Christopher Nola, creation was one of the films more original I've seen in a long time. ? One pass you the unexplained concept share the dream, the story becomes very involved, and performance of the engaging. ? DiCaprio, as a man who is torn up the Interior of the death of his wife and the loss of her childrenwhile trying to keep together and lead a team with a mission dangerous, is quite solid ? the visual aspect of the film is large, with of beautiful nightmares in reality but have something just a little "off" on them. ? climax together - alternating between three different nightmares - is a tremendous achievementhelped in no small way by score. excellent ? by Hans Zimmer, there are a lot of subtlety for the film, and he brandishes very well on multiple views.

Recently, the film was released in DVD and Blu - ray, and I must say, I was extremely disappointed with the Visual presentation of creation on DVD. ? colors are not very saturated (they have mastered in the original theatrical presentation), but it is in the dark where live details. Nothing is really bright in this transfer; even the snowscapes look grey and lifeless. Compression on DVD feels too high. the average flow appeared to be about 4 MB/s - well below what they could have done, even for a film that runs for 2.5 hours. ? instead of the maximum amount of space to use disk for video output (something easily achievable due to the lack of extras) creation feels pressedcompressed, and suffers from a soft image with blocky artifacts. ?It almost as well as the people of Warner Brothers were intentionally trying to exit in DVD encoding below standards, to push Blu - ray quality. ?faring a little better than the visual aspect, audio creation is presented in English, French and Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1. ? This is a fairly good piece with an excellent mix. ? dialog is clean and understandable, even among the sequences. ? action more frantic and powerfulthe surrounds and subwoofer will get a workout, and Hans Zimmer score gets much attention.

Supplements on the output DVD creation are clearly - as video quality mixed - to push people to the Blu - ray release. ? where Blu - ray release contains 45 minutes of "Extraction Mode focus Points", only four of these articles - for a total of 12 minutes - have been included on the DVD release. ? "The creation of creation" (SD) (16 x 93 minutes) is a short glance with film director and screenwriter Christopher Nolan and producer Emma Thomas on how Nolan has designed premise. ? of the film "the castle of Japanese: The Dream is Collapsing" (SD 16 x 9, 3.5 minutes) explores Saito dream scenery design, and how they made it look like, it was destroyed. "Construction paradoxical Architecture" (SD 16 x 9, 2.5 minutes) examines how they created the illusion of the Penrose steps, which are infinitely extending back in a loop in a very clever optical illusion. "Freight Train" (SD 16 x 9, 3 minutes) looks at how they created a physical to a truck and taken goods through traffic train in downtown Los Angeles. ?

That's all it is on the DVD. ?, no other extras, remain "Talking Points", preview 5.1 of 40 minutes of the score by Hans Zimmer, the long 45 minute documentary on the dreams, the prequel comic motion for 15 minutes, the Gallery of conceptual art, as well as trailers and television spots are all absent of the ? of DVD release, but they are all on Blu - ray release. ? combined with the poor film visual presentation, if it is not an indication of the studio they want that pass you to Blu-rayJe know not what is. ? creation is a large film and he has a solid Blu - ray release. ? release Too bad the DVD is like a bad dream.