BLU RAY: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly
Prints that are fabulous, sort of good and those that suck...
1. Back To The Future
Trilogy. The three "Back To The Future" films are remembered with great affection and rightly so (the first especially).
But little will prepare you for how good they look on this 4-disc Lowry Digital
Restoration Box Set. Great extras too - see review...
2. Pride And Prejudice – The Film. Formerly only available in HD-DVD with the dodgy US
ending, this March 2010 UK Blu Ray reissue finally allows this superb
adaptation room to shine. Massive improvements over the DVD - see review....
3. The Prisoner (TV
Series). First aired in Sept 1967, this iconic 35mm-filmed masterpiece has
enthralled & divided ever since. This stunning Sept 2009 6-Disc Box Set
won’t. Gobsmacking to look at -see review…
4. Brief Encounter.
David Lean's 1945 morality tale of repressed England love in a train station finally
given a properly great makeover by the British Film Institute. People say
things like "frightful" and "beastly". The loveliest this
absolute classic has ever looked. See review…
5. Kelly's Heroes.
Released in 1970 after "M.A.S.H." and in the same month as "Catch 22"
- this 3rd slice of WW II irreverence has been beloved by movie fans
ever since. The Blu Ray print is a revelation. See review…
6. Shakespeare In
Love. Re-watching this film in 2011 and you get its 13 Academy Award
nominations. But now it has a fabulous transfer too onto Blu Ray - bringing out
endless detail in the clothing and sets. See review…
7. Band Of Brothers.
I bought "Pacific" on Blu Ray but haven't finished it. This, however,
is a different ball game. "Band Of Brothers" is truly astonishing on
Blu Ray and one of the format's best bargain-buys. See review...
8. Chitty Chitty Bang
Bang. A 1968 family film given a frame-by-frame Lowry Digital
Restoration and reissued on a 2010 Blu Ray with spectacular results. A
benchmark even for Lowry. See review…
9. Road To Perdition.
You would think a film like this would be absolute Blu Ray heaven – but I found
it an ever so slightly disappointing print. Although it’s a great re-watch as a
film, the definition never rises to it
10. Green Zone. Filmed
in a hand-held documentary way to get gritty realism and huge swathes of it at
night, unfortunately what you get on Blu Ray is a really bad film with a
rubbish unwatchable print.
11. 2010: The Year We Make Contact. A very good
Sci-Fi film from 1985, but unfortunately it has an awful transfer to Blu Ray
that completely undermines your enjoyment of the watch. See review…
12. The Adventures Of
Baron Munchausen. Another great film with ingenious and unique Gilliam visuals
let down by a very so-so transfer. This should be a winner on Blu Ray. See
review…
13. Stargate: The
Ultimate Edition. Improved in places, but still with real problems in others.
However, has hours of genuinely expanded extra features and a good price - both
make it tempting. See review…
14. Amadeus. A
sumptuous period piece about the musical genius and fall of Mozart. And yet
this is another film that should be gob-smacking on Blu Ray, but only manages
slightly better. Very, very disappointing…
15. The X-Men
Quadrilogy. Each of the first 3 films is a double-edition whilst
"Wolverine" is a single-disc version (7 total). Superlative transfers
to Blu Ray (way better than the DVDs) with a shed load of extras and a good
price.
16. Ray (Ray Charles
Biopic with Jamie Foxx). The reason I bought so completely into High Definition
was viewing the HD-DVD of this Ray Charles biopic. A great film sensationally
rendered. So good you can even see their wig lines!
17. Coraline. Weird
and wonderful animation (very Tim Burton) complete with 2D and slightly
gimmicky 3D Versions (& several viewing glasses). An immaculate print and
it's reasonably priced too. See review…
18. Taken. A very good
example of an ordinary print on DVD – but extraordinary on Blu Ray. It’s
taught, beautifully filmed and endlessly re-watchable. The people’s rental/to
buy champ for 2008. See review...
19. Intolerable
Cruelty. 2011 Blu Ray reissue of a Coen Brothers film that divides fans. I
think it deserves reappraisal and it’s fabulous to look at on the new format.
See review…
20. Quo Vadis.
Restored print with beautiful clarity, however, this bloated 1951
sand-and-sandals epic is a bit of a bore – even with Peter Ustinov and Leo
Genn’s scene stealing. See review
21. Rio Bravo. A 1959
Western in Colour with great performances from the Duke and Walter Brennan. But
the real revelation is Dean Martin. The print is very good too despite the
vintage. See review...
22. Despicable Me. Saw
this at the cinema in 3D - what a blast!
The yellow big-eyed Minions engendered incredible laughs and
affection. Up close, this 2D Blu Ray reveals the beautifully realized artwork.
Fresh & fun. (Triple Pack, Blu Ray, DVD & Digital Copy)
23. Out Of Sight.
Another HD-DVD only title I owned – Blu Ray has the same stunning visual
quality (big improvement on DVD), zippy script, chemistry between Clooney &
Lopez & making-of with the cool cast interviewed.
24. Live And Let Die.
All 22 of the Bonds got Lowry Digital Restoration (still only 9 on Blu Ray).
The opening New Orleans segment has best-ever clarity. From Russia With Love,
Dr. No, Thunderball – all the same…
25. The Lake House. Initially only on the defunct
HD-DVD format, this Blu Ray reissue mimics that entirely (even the menus are
the same) and gives you a lovely print of a lovely movie. See review…
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