Displaying items by tag: Ultra HD Bluray

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We’ve got more new announcement news for you this morning...

First up today, we’ve confirmed with 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment that The Martian: Extended Edition will be available in 2 SKUs on 6/7 – a 2-disc Blu-ray version and a 3-disc 4K Ultra HD version (which will include a 4K disc plus the 2-disc Blu-ray set). We’ve asked the studio some additional questions about the content of those discs (including whether or not the discs will include both the theatrical cut and Extended Edition versions of the film or just the latter, and whether or not the disc will include the previous BD extras as well as the new features). We’ll let you know as soon as we hear back. Note that there are currently no plans for a Blu-ray 3D release. Meanwhile, we do have the final cover artwork for the 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray version, which you can see to the left and below (with the Amazon.com pre-order link). [Read on here…]

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We’ve got a pair of new disc reviews for you this afternoon, including my own look at Shout!’s Journey to Space, which is the studio’s first 4K Ultra HD disc, as well as Jim’s take on Sony Pictures Classics’ Son of Saul on regular Blu-ray.  [Read on here…]

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All right, first things first today… I want to thank all those of you who have wished me well on Facebook, Twitter, and via e-mail over the weekend. You’ll be happy to know that my face survived its encounter with a falling picture frame (see Friday’s post here) and that, other than some bruising, soreness and swelling, my eye is a-okay. Every damn one of those 14 stitches is itching like crazy though. What can you do?

Anyway, we’re kicking things off today here at The Bits with a new Blu-ray review from our own Jim Hemphill, this time featuring his thoughts on Michael Winner’s Chato’s Land (1972). The classic western stars Charles Bronson and Jack Palance and is now available on Blu-ray from Twilight Time. Do give it a look.  [Read on here…]

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All right... yesterday’s editorial column on the new 4K Ultra HD format was a lot of work as you can imagine, but I’ve been very gratified at the positive reaction to it. If you missed it, you can find it here. I’m going to have more 4K coverage and reviews soon, but I’m just trying to balance it all out with the regular Blu-ray news and whatnot.

On that score, we have a pair of new Blu-ray reviews for you to check out today, including Tim Salmons’ thoughts on The Zero Boys from Arrow Video, as well as Jim Hemphill’s take on In the French Style from Twilight Time. Both titles are now available and are well worth a look.

Also today, in case you missed it when we posted it earlier this week, our own Mario Boucher has delivered a great new Inside Cinema column on the subject of “Duelity” in modern cinema. I think you’ll find it well worth a read, so do check it out here.  [Read on here…]

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This has been an interesting couple of months for me, to say the least. As you may be aware, I’ve just spent the last eight weeks completely immersing myself in all the various ins, outs, and nuances of the new 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray format. I’ve watched disc and after disc, and have reviewed nine of them so far (you can find them here, with more on the way). I’ve put the format’s first player, the Samsung UDB-K8500 (which I’ll review more fully soon, but about which I’ve got some key things to say below) through its paces. I’ve spoken with many of the leading studios, engineers, and content producers (who are really starting to work with the format) about the format. And I’ve come to a number of what I believe are well-informed conclusions about it, based on my nearly two decades of experience doing what I do. [Read on here…]

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All right, I’m still working on that 4K coverage. The delay is not from lack of effort, I assure you. Samsung recently updated the UBD-K8500 player’s firmware, so I’ve been working to see what the result is in terms of player performance.

Meanwhile, we do have some great new 4K and Blu-ray news for you today: 20th Century Fox has just officially announced the 6/7 Blu-ray, DVD, Digital HD, and 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray release of Ridley Scott’s The Martian: Extended Edition (the SRP appears to be $39.99 for either BD or 4K).  [Read on here…]

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All right, I’m working on more of that 4K coverage I promised earlier this week, but meanwhile we’ve got a pair of regular Blu-ray reviews for you today. Jim Hemphill has delivered a look at Shout! Factory’s The Gong Show Movie, a long-sought after home video rarity on disc in HD, and Tim Salmons checks in with a review of Arrow Video’s Region A version of The Stuff on Blu. Do give them both a look.  [Read on here…]

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All right, we’ve got two more 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray reviews for you this afternoon and they’re both animated: Fox’s The Peanuts Movie and Warner’s The LEGO Movie. Neither is native 4K but the High Dynamic Range really makes a big difference on them – especially on The LEGO Movie – so they’re both worth checking out if you’ve joined the early adopter ranks on this format. I’m going to try to look at a couple Sony titles on the format tomorrow, so do check back. [Read on here…]

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All right, this week is going to be all about 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray here at The Bits. I’ve been watching a ton of discs and working on title reviews, as well as making additional notes on my forthcoming Samsung UBD-K8500 player review and also my general thoughts on my experiences this far with the format. I’ll have new reviews each day, and I’m targeting Thursday for the player review and general thoughts. Sarah and I have had family visiting for the past week, so there’s only so much time in the day. And these things do take time.

Nevertheless, we’re kicking things off today with my look at a pair of titles that should be among the first that any new 4K adopter picks up on the Ultra HD format: Lionsgate’s Sicario and Fox’s The Revenant, both in full native 4K. Sicario also includes Dolby Atmos audio. And while The Revenant doesn’t have object-based audio, its 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio is demo-quality. More importantly, with its gorgeous Oscar-winning cinematography, it is the single best looking title I’ve seen on the format thus far. It’s a real HDR stunner. Check out my reviews (here and here) for more on all that.  [Read on here…]

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First things first today: We’re hearing from readers that Samsung’s UBD‑K8500 UHD Blu-ray player is now starting to appear for sale on retailer shelves – including Best Buy – in at least some places around the country. Additionally, Best Buy employees are suggesting in-store that the first UHD Blu-ray titles will start to become available tomorrow (2/11), probably from Lionsgate but maybe also from Fox.

Meanwhile, I’ve now received word from 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment that the studio’s first round of UHD Blu-ray titles, including The Martian, Kingsman, Exodus, and Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials, will officially be available starting on Sunday 2/14 at Best Buy stores. Note, however, that it’s possible some stores will begin selling them earlier, or that some stores will not have their stock in yet by then. [Read on here…]