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Terminator: Salvation Blu-ray review roundup
It didn't crack the podium on our most anticipated Blu-ray poll behind current number one selling Star Trek, but Terminator: Salvation's feature-laden release December 1 has already made the review circuit and come away with some widely varying opinions. The good news is the picture doesn't disappoint, with a clear transfer and elaborate special effects, although BigPictureBigSound's reviewer found a few issues with a bluish matte line appearing at times, plus a few notes about compression and noise in clouds of dust and smoke also noted in other reviews. On the audio front, the DTS-HD MA soundtrack by all accounts is an impressive treatment, with the only "problem" that viewers might want to dial back slightly on the bass to avoid waking the neighbors. Of the extras included in the U.S. release of the film, the only real issue seems to be a lack of seamless branching, requiring viewers to forego the Director's Cut and its extra few minutes of Moon Bloodgood in order to walk through the flick in Maximum Movie mode with director McG and others showing how they pulled off many of the shots. The European edition released by Sony does feature seamless branching, although CNET UK and DVD Times both complained of slow loads and glitches on their players as a result, with the latter also finding some possible compression issues from being squeezed on one disc. Whatever your choice, check the reviews and make it soon as Warner is planning a one time only BD-Live community screening with the director answering questions via audio December 5.
Warner's DVD2Blu trade-in swaps Blu-rays for your DVDs, Leland Gaunt approves
After baptizing the remaining HD DVD faithful, Warner has moved on to teaching new Blu-ray converts the five pillars of faith with a trade-up program. Send in your old DVDs (just the box art won't cut it this time around, better buy some blanks and get to ripping if you still enjoy Training Day on long car trips), $7.95 - $9.95 per movie plus $4.95 for s&h (orders over $25 ship for free) and expect HD versions back in 4 - 5 weeks. Is it worth it? Depends on how many of the 55 flicks on the approved list you own (included after the break) but for most you're probably better off keeping the ones you have and eyeing budget bins carefully, nabbing catalog flicks like Harold & Kumar for less than $15 without any mail-in shenanigans shouldn't be too hard for the truly thrifty.
Paramount, Lionsgate, Warner Bros. & Sony Pictures movies finally available (legitimately) in DivX
Over the last few years we've witnessed a slew of DivX Certified devices including HDTVs, DVD & Blu-ray player, set-top boxes, game consoles and even cell phones, but until now, despite several content agreements, in the U.S. there hasn't been any content available in the format from the major studios. That changes today now that online store FilmFresh.com, has signed up Paramount, Lionsgate, Warner Bros. & Sony Pictures to offer new release and archive movies for purchase as DivX formatted downloads. The bad news? For now at least, they'll be standard definition (stereo audio) only. Rick Bolton, CEO of Film Fresh as well as Eric Grab and John Greene of DivX filled us in on the details, and from what we've learned -- if you'll stand for lower res video -- the combination of compatibility and portability could make this download service a competitor against the likes of iTunes, CinemaNow and Zune.
Watchmen Director's Cut movie / PlayStation 3 game Blu-ray combo now available
If you have the dominant high-def optical storage format -- which can serve both movies and games with equal aplomb -- built right into your consoles, shouldn't you be leveraging that synergy? Well, the assimilation is now complete, as Watchmen Director's Cut launched today with The End is Night Parts 1 and 2 for PlayStation 3 in tow. The price of admission here is a penny under $50 before tax / shipping -- and considering both parts of the game cost $30 total on their lonesome, that's none too shabby of a deal. It'll be interesting to see what film and tie-in game make the merge next -- anyone up for a Charlie and the Chocolate Factory re-release?
Watchmen 5 disc UCE scheduled for the holidays
This double dipping is getting out of control. The Watchmen Blu-ray disc hasn't even released in standard and Collector's Edition form, and Warner is already plotting a 5-disc set due for the holidays. As shown in the flier there will be 2+ hours of more bonus content, new commentary track plus the Watchmen Motion Comics packed in, with Tales of the Black Freighter integrated into the director's cut of Watchmen for an even longer movie. Because what Watchmen needed was to be longer.
Watchmen BD-Live director's chat set for Comic-Con
Beyond its Facebook ties, the Watchmen Blu-ray set will include the opportunity to participate in a BD-Live session with the director while he's live at Comic-Con four days after its release on July 25. Hopefully able to do a better job of creating a live experience for home viewers than our experience with Hellboy II: The Golden Army or The Dark Knight, Video Business reports event attendees can watch the movie and observer director Zack Snyder's responses. Other details revealed during a media presentation yesterday included the Blu-ray cut's Maximum Movie Mode, a session that takes the run time up to three hours so Snyder can step in and explain various behind the scenes details of the movie -- only hardcore fans need apply.
Comcast extending VOD window to two days on Warner, Lionsgate & Disney flicks
Looks like the studios are finally beginning to loosen their digital distribution grip, now that Warner Bros. and Lionsgate are allowing Comcast to offer extended two day viewing windows this month, with Disney and Summit productions following next month. That coincides with a slew od day and date with the DVD HD VOD postings including He's Just Not That Into You, Gran Torino, Friday the 13th and more. Check the PR for the full list, any ideas how long it is before we see 48 hour replay windows on other cable providers and movie delivery services?
Batman: Arkham Asylum Joker DLC will be free
What's with the goofy grin? Did you dip into the jar of Smilex, or are you just giddy that playing as the Joker in Batman: Arkham Asylum won't cost you a dime?Eidos has confirmed that the PS3-exclusive DLC will be free, allowing players to frolic about in the game's challenge maps as the Clown Prince of Crime when Batman: Arkham Asylum swoops onto store shelves this August.
300: The Complete Experience double dips on Blu-ray July 21
It appears Warner has finally gotten around to this double dip, with the (re)release of 300: The Complete Experience. For fans (who will probably be in stores at launch July 21 picking up Zack Snyder's Watchmen: Director's Cut) there should be plenty to make up for the extras left out last time around. Besides the formerly HD DVD-only blue screen picture-in-picture video track, there's three new Blu-ray exclusive PiP features: Creating a Legend, Bringing the legend to Life and The History Behind the Myth. No word on price, but the three disc set will include a digital copy DVD, BD-Live My Community Screening and My WB Commentary support, all the old extras included with previous releases, a Dolby TrueHD soundtrack and 50 page collectible booklet. That enough to get you to buy again?
Warner uses Facebook to sync up Watchmen BD-Live viewing sessions
In July, BD-Live is going beyond the players when Warner Bros. includes a Facebook tie-in on the Watchmen: Director's Cut Blu-ray release. Probably not enough to turn around BD-Live's rep with this crowd, but others may be surprised to find community screening invites wedged between their Mafia Wars invites and status updates. Also exclusive to the Blu-ray is "Maximum Movie Mode" for a split screen view of the action and video commentary from director Zach Snyder, plus Watchmen: Focus Points, Real Super Heroes, Real Vigilantes and Mechanics: Technologies of a Fantastic World extras. Due either July 21, The Hollywood Reporter says we can expect the theatrical version on VOD, Xbox and PlayStation movie stores, while iTunes and Amazon will deliver the Director's Cut without the disc.Read - Watchmen Gets Heroic on DVD and Blu-ray on July 21stRead - Warners teams with Facebook for 'Watchmen'
Waiting for HD syndication on your local affiliates? CBS, Warner and Ascent Media can fix that
We've seen your complaints about many of the syndicated shows that have switched to HDTV broadcasts lately, wondering why they don't show up like that in your area. The fact is, many local affiliates can't / haven't spent the cash on equipment capable of handling all the syndicated programming out there in HD, but Ascent Media, Warner Bros. and CBS are creating a joint venture to fix that, ensuring their hard work creating all that HD (& HD ads, lets not forget) doesn't go to waste. We spoke to Senior VP of Ascent Media Rich Fickle and he broke down the plan where the joint venture will pay for and distribute the equipment to more than 800 affiliates (Which ones? Expect major network affiliates, top 100 markets and many others with a list out before the service launches) that will allow them to receive one MPEG-4 HDTV formatted copy via satellite -- instead of the dual SD and HD feeds distributed currently -- that can then be downconverted for SD broadcasts at their location as well as broadcast the way they were meant to be seen. The equipment will start shipping out in the coming months but it's likely the service will launch around the beginning of the fourth quarter of this year. Who's ready for some remastered Star Trek: TOS, Jeopardy & Seinfeld?
Warner reintegrates HD DVD faithful with Red2Blu trade-in program
U.S. HD DVD fans that passed up Best Buy's offer of $3 per disc, or just those who stocked up on cheap movies after the format gave up the fight have another option coming from Warner Bros. Send in the cover art sleeve (keep the disc) including UPC from your HD DVD case (plus $4.95 per movie and $6.95 / $8.95 per order S&H) and it will send you back a brand new Blu-ray copy. There's a few other restrictions, like 1 copy per movie and 25 different movies per household, but the biggest decision is likely to be whether giving up your precious I Am Legend sleeve is worth the trade, hit up Red2Blu.com for all the details and necessary forms. It seems to us like a decent offer to make HD DVD owners whole, we'd be surprised if Paramount and Universal came through with similar plans.[Via DVDTown]
Warner Bros. 'Archive' brings obscure films to DVD on-demand
Being the digital aficionados that we are, we still prefer Criterion's Online Cinematheque over this approach, but those not quite ready to give up physical media will absolutely (and understandably) disagree. At any rate, the studio has just fired up its Warner Archive, a nice little web portal where film fanatics can surf over and locate niche titles to be placed on a DVD and shipped out. Most of the flicks are priced at $19.95, but that's still far cheaper than scouring eBay for hours in hopes of finding the original reel, having it converted and then watching it. Head on over to see if there's anything you like, but don't be shocked if you leave a few Benjamins poorer.
Warner Bros. plans to support CBHD, the format war is back on -- at least in China
It seems appropriate that after striking the fatal blow in the war between HD DVD and Blu-ray, Warner is the first to break rank and ally itself with the China Blue HD team. Ready to enter the ordinary Chinese consumer's family, according to Managing Director Tony Vaughan, the Harry Potter series, Speed Racer and others will launch for 50-70 yuan ($7.30 - $10.22) per disc. Excuse us while we pick our jaws up from the floor, but with at least one Hollywood studio in pocket and 1999 yuan ($292) players on the way the son of HD DVD looks closer to a real Blu-ray competitor -- and less like the destined for the scrap heap reject we predicted -- than ever. With DVD sales shrinking and Blu-ray not quite ready to pick up the slack, how long until another studio decides the Chinese market has enough potential to publish movies on CBHD? [Disclosure: Engadget is part of the Time Warner family][Via Format War Central]
F.E.A.R. 2 advertising with billboard-infused cats
It's official -- when promoting video games, regular-sized advertising structures just don't cut it anymore. LittleBigPlanet's bite-sized billboards were a step in the right direction, though Warner Bros. just took the miniature advertising game to a smaller, mobile and more adorable level. In the future, when rookie industry analysts inquire as to how F.E.A.R. 2 became the best-selling game of all time, their weathered superiors will become lost in a haze of nostalgia, muttering through a slight grin -- "Catvertising."If you live in foggy Londontown, keep an eye out over the next few days for black cats who are unknowingly promoting F.E.A.R. 2's Friday the 13th release date. Before PETA flips their easily flippable lid, we should mention that the cats aren't being painted, or treated inhumanely. They're just wearing little F.E.A.R. 2-branded kitten coats, which you can order for your own precious lil' guy, provided you live in the London area, and you don't have a morbidly obese house cat.[Thanks, Ben S.]
Watchmen: The Complete Motion Comic Blu-ray disc includes early movie teaser
Can't wait to see Watchmen when it comes out March 6? Watchmen: The Complete Motion Comic is set to hit shelves on DVD and Blu-ray three days earlier and will include a sneak peek of the "Prison Break" scene from the motion picture. C'mon, after obsessively reading and re-reading the graphic novel and watching and re-watching every trailer you're going to let a mere $34.99 MSRP keep you from a high quality early preview of the movie? That the Motion Comic is included on the disc is probably just an added bonus to some.
The Dark Knight Blu-ray sells 1.7 million in a week, shows Iron Man a magic trick
Just like it did to the one day Blu-ray sales record, The Dark Knight Blu-ray disc jumped even Warner's projections for its first week, selling 1.7 million copies worldwide, topping Iron Man's 500,000. Apparently undeterred by any claims of issues fans jumped on the release, with DVDs added it moved a total of 13.5 million on both formats. No word yet whether there's still space to chat with director Chris Nolan on the 18th, but Warner's also claiming 300,000 digital copies activated, and the number on spot on iTunes. Not enough celebratory back slapping for you? Check the press release after the break while we try to figure out what movie has a chance of breaking the #1 sales figure next.
The Dark Knight shatters sales record, moves 600,000 Blu-ray Discs on day one
The numbers are in, and they're big. Just as predicted, Warner Brothers' The Dark Knight was a huge day-one success, with consumers in the US, Canada and UK snapping up three million copies during the first 24 hours (give or take a few) that it was on sale. More germane to our conversation, however, is this 600,000 figure, which tells exactly how many Blu-ray Discs were sold. We already know that around one-sixth of those were moved in the UK, leaving us to determine that North America did some serious shopping. The studio has now projected it to sell one million BDs by Saturday, and curiously enough, current sales have been "especially strong at grocery stores, indicating that the format is broadening beyond early adopters to more mainstream buyers, notably women." Needless to say, this title took down Iron Man's record of moving 250,000 BDs on day one, which just ratchets up the bar for the next big one to take down.[Thanks, Geoff]
The Dark Knight fan commentary BD-Live feature shown on video
So, you and hundreds of thousands of others picked up your Blu-ray copy of The Dark Knight today, huh? We know you haven't had time to fiddle with the BD-Live extras just yet, but one Joe Lynch from G4 TV has. One of the most intriguing aspects of the flick's interactive feature set is the fan commentary; put simply, users hook up a USB webcam to their player (PS3 included) and then commentate as the film progresses. From there, you can upload your take(s) to the BD-Live servers for others to enjoy. Granted, we aren't too sure how you'll actually find someone bored enough to listen to you jabber on about a film they purchased, but we reckon that's beside the point. Vid's waiting after the break.
Warner gets official with The Dark Knight BD-Live extras
Not like we haven't heard about these much anticipated features already, but it's always refreshing to get it straight from the horse's mouth. Or Warner Home Video's mouth, in this case. The Dark Knight marks the studio's very first foray into the controversial world of BD-Live, and what's apt to be the best selling BD of the year will pack quite the interactive punch. Owners with Profile 2.0 players will be able to "host their own Live Community Screenings with friends, record and post user-generated commentaries over the film using My WB Commentary, access more The Dark Knight content exclusive to Warner Bros. BD-Live, get sneak peeks and trailers of upcoming Warner Bros. films, create an online library of Blu-ray movies, manage a wish list for upcoming releases and connect to the WB store." As we've already seen in a number of instances, there's also a hint of a BD-Live-assisted interview with director Christopher Nolan "during a special Live Community Screening." For the full spill, give that read link a gentle tap.
