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HDD Special Event: "FoxPop" Bows on 'Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian'
Thu Nov 12, 2009 at 04:45 PM ET
On December 1st, be on the look out for 'Battle of the Smithsonian' in a BD combo pack, featuring a Blu-ray (along with the special features), a DVD, and a digital copy, as well as a new exclusive feature!
By Michael S. Palmer
As a franchise, 'Night at the Museum' (one & two) has earned over $1 Billion Dollars at the box office, and (the original) has sold 16 million units on home video. On December 1, be on the look out for ‘Battle of the Smithsonian’ in a BD combo pack, featuring a Blu-ray (along with the special features), a DVD, and a digital copy. Like this week’s release of ‘Up,’ studios are really pushing “portability and convenience.” There will be DVD versions available, but I won't tarnish the hallowed halls of High-Def Digest reporting about -- sigh -- standard definition.
The main focus of the event was to introduce “FoxPop,” an interactive feature (available to any viewer; Blu-ray, DVD, digital copy, or even in the future on television) that provides trivia as the movie plays. Using a film’s audio soundtrack, FoxPop figures out a film’s “time code” (the digital time measurement for where you are in a movie), and provides pop up trivia to either a computer screen, or an iPhone. Think of it like VH1’s ‘Pop Up Videos,’ only the pop ups aren’t superimposed onto the image. Demo’ing FoxPop was fun, easy and intuitive (much like their LiveLookup). In addition to trivia, there’s a chance to comment on the film itself. Connect FoxPop to Facebook or Twitter, and any of your friends who also watch a movie in FoxPop will get your comments, at the exact moment in the film you made them.
Head over to www.foxpop.com now to download the FoxPop application (apparently it works for other films as well, though I’m not sure how many, and you don’t get exclusive Fox content with it), or FoxPop will be free on the iPhone app store starting December 1 (day and date with the release of ‘Battle.’ Future Fox titles featuring FoxPop include ‘500 Days of Summer’ and ‘Jennifer’s Body.’
Director Shawn Levy was on hand to discuss the film and its special features. He was thrilled to have found a franchise like ‘Museum,’ saying it offers not only a chance for escapist entertainment, but includes educational elements (such as historical figures). He’s proud to have helped boost museum attendance both in New York and D.C. Levy went on to speak about how much he enjoys bringing together an ensemble cast of huge comedy talents, and that his first test audience is always his 10-year-old daughter.
Levy then previewed a handful of the special features, including:
--“Directing 201.” A follow up to the first film’s special feature, Directing 101, this is a 20-minute “day in the life” of Shawn Levy, during the film’s production.
--“Cherub Bootcamp.” A mockumentary about the Jonas Brothers training to become the film’s three flying, singing, stone cherubs. You may have already seen this on YouTube, as it was released online in lieu of a traditional press release to media outlets regarding the casting of said Brothers Jonas.
--“Phinding Pharaoh With Hank Azaria.” The master voice artist of The Simpsons (Moe, Apu, Chief Wiggum, Comic Book Guy, Carl Carlson, Cletus, Professor Frink, Dr. Nick Riviera, Lou, Snake, Kirk Van Houten, the Sea Captain, Superintendent Chalmers, Disco Stu, Duffman, and many more!) discusses (in character) the many accents his character could have had.
--“Deleted Scenes.” There are 12 deleted, or expanded, scenes on the BD. We saw one where Ivan the Terrible interrogates Larry (Ben Stiller) while trying to prove (badly) that Ivan isn’t so terrible. There’s also an alternate ending, and a seven-minute version of Larry’s run in with Jonah Hill’s “Brunden” (two minutes was all that made it to the final movie).
--“Museum Scavenger Hunt Game.” Exclusive to the Blu-ray, there are two levels, with the goal of either finding artifacts (easy), or answering clue-revealing trivia questions to find said artifacts (hard) to fill in the tablet. Successful scavengers will be rewarded with bonus, silly content.
--“Augmented Reality.” Using a webcam, a downloadable software application, and the cover of the DVD or Blu-ray, you can watch characters from ‘Battle’ come alive in your own hand.
--“Monkey Mischief”. Capuchin Monkey Movie Star, Crystal, was in person for a photo op (woo hoo, I now have a picture with a monkey on my shoulders!!!), but this featurette is about how Crystal starred as both Dexter and Able in ‘Battle’. Apparently, training monkeys is quite easy, but it takes a certain temperament to have them not freak out on busy (loud) film sets. Crystal does have an understudy, Squirt, but poor Squirt has never worked because Crystal’s performances has been too solid on both movies. Look for Crystal next in MGM’s ‘The Zookeeper’.
Levy is currently finishing up ‘Date Night’ for next spring, but what’s on the horizon? ‘Night at the Museum 3’ “may be” in the works, but they haven’t found the right story/setting yet. ‘Hardy Men’, which would star Ben Stiller and Tom Cruise as grownup versions of the Hardy Boys who hate each other, is still in the script stage. And his company’s live action / CGI production (Levy is not yet attached to direct) of the classic ‘Berenstain Bears’ is in very early stages. At present, they are meeting with screenwriters and hearing “takes” (movie industry lingo for pitches, or “How I would Write Your Movie, by Johnny Screenwriter”).
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'The House of the Devil' Announced for Blu-ray
Thu Nov 12, 2009 at 01:00 PM ETTags: Disc Announcements, MPI (all tags)
Ti West's acclaimed horror film, an official selection at Tribeca Film Festival 2009, will possess Blu-ray in February.
MPI has announced 'The House of the Devil' is coming to high-definition on February 2.
Specs and supplements haven't been revealed yet, but suggested list price for the Blu-ray has been set at $34.98.
You can find the latest specs for 'The House of the Devil' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under February 2.
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- Discs mentioned in this article: (Click for specs and reviews)
- The House of the Devil (Blu-ray)
FoxPop Debuts for 'Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian'
Thu Nov 12, 2009 at 11:00 AM ET
Fox will debut a new application for iPhone and PC that will sync with movies and offer information as well as social activity.
Remember that VH1 show Pop up Video, where little facts and tidbits assaulted the screen while music videos played? Twentieth Century Fox does, and they’re bringing it to Blu-ray. It’s not a new concept, and certainly we’ve seen pop up trivia on DVD and Blu-ray before, but by using the iPhone or PC, Fox is eliminating the screen clutter.
After downloading FoxPop on an iPhone or PC and starting the program, users can simply play a compatible Blu-ray disc or DVD and FoxPop will automatically sync up using audio cues. From there, the program will pop up with trivia about the movie and offer insight into each scene, from the filming location to the name of the song in the background.
Additionally, FoxPop will provide Facebook and Twitter access, and let viewers share and chat with friends while watching the movie.
Mary Daily, EVP of Marketing at Fox, says that the new application will create a new, powerful connection between a film and its viewers. She also adds, “FoxPop furthers our commitment to providing consumers with the most exceptional home entertainment experience possible.”
FoxPop will be available on December 1st, right alongside the release of Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian.
Watch for further coverage of FoxPop later today!
'Halo Legends' Blu-ray Detailed
Thu Nov 12, 2009 at 09:00 AM ETTags: Warner Brothers, Disc Announcements (all tags)
As previously reported, the animated anthology based on the best-selling video game is slated for a high-definition release this February, and now the disc has been detailed.
Warner Brothers' 'Halo Legends' is headed to Blu-ray on February 9.
The movie will be comprised of animated shorts in the same style as the 'Animatrix' and 'Batman: Gotham Knight.'
The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, a Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack, and supplements will include: The Making of Halo Legends - An introduction to Halo Legends followed by a making-of segment for each episode; Halo: Gaming Evolved - Explaining the Halo phenomenon from its inception as an Xbox video game to a present day entertainment franchise; and an audio Commentary with directors Frank O'Connor and Joseph Chou.
Exclusive to the Blu-ray is "Halo: The Story So Far," an overview of the Halo universe up until the end of Halo 3.
Here's a look at the packaging:
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Suggested list price for the Blu-ray has been set at $34.99.
You can find the latest specs for 'Halo Legends' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under February 9.
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- Discs mentioned in this article: (Click for specs and reviews)
- Halo Legends (Blu-ray)
3D Blu-ray Coming Next Year
Wed Nov 11, 2009 at 06:00 PM ETTags: 3D, Industry Trends, Michael S. Palmer, Blu-con (all tags)
Our recap of Blu-con 2.0 continues with a look at the emerging world of Blu-ray 3D!
By Michael S. PalmerExtra! Extra! Read all about it!
3D is the hottest thing in movies right now. It’s a box office buoying premium experience that has captured audience attention around the globe (internationally, ‘Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs’ is the third highest grossing movie of all time, behind only ‘Titanic’ and ‘Return of the King’). And next year, it could be in your friggin' living room!
The Blu-ray Disc Association, a 170-company conglomerate responsible for establishing Blu-ray standards, is currently finishing up specs (a.k.a. requirements) that will usher Blu-ray into the 3D era. They plan to announce these new specs next month (before the end of this year), with the hope that manufacturers can produce equipment by Christmas 2010, perhaps even sooner. Panasonic was in house to say that they consider 3D a “revolution, not just a small feature.” They’re planning to get to “mass market pricing” as soon as possible. 3D won’t simply be for “the exotic few” who can afford luxury.
What do we know?
Though the standards are not finalized, we know we’ll be getting full 1080p video projected to both the right and left eyes. And they’re building in backwards compatibility on hardware AND software. Meaning, not only will 3D Blu-ray players be able to play CDs, DVDs, Blu-rays, and 3D Blu-rays, but 3D Blu-rays will also play in 2D Blu-ray players (but ONLY in 2D).
Wait, so none of my current equipment will play 3D?
Correct. The BDA wants you to know that your current devices aren’t going to be obsolete (which is why they built in the backwards compatibility onto the discs themselves), this is just an added layer for those who want it. Meaning, 3D at home requires the purchase of a 3D Blu-ray player as well as a 3D Blu-ray compatible TV and 3D glasses (which will be handled by the TV manufacturers).
So how does it look (a.k.a. is it worth it to wear silly glasses)?
As a fan of all things high def and a rampant early adopter. Ohhhhh yeah! Panasonic had a slick demo at Blu-Con 2.0 displaying 1080p to each eye, 120 frames-per-second. They’re planning to have their 3D devices available as a bundle (player, plasma TV, and glasses) when the technology hits the big box stores next year. We screened the trailer for Disney’s ‘A Christmas Carol’, footage from the 2008 summer Olympics / a preview for the 2010 winter games, and the teaser trailer of James Cameron’s ‘Avatar.’ Having recently seen both trailers in 3D cinemas (‘A Christmas Carol’ was on the ‘Toy Story 1 & 2’ double feature), they looked exactly as they did in the theatre. Both the good and bad aspects. The 3D effects were great, but sometimes the focus was hard to find and the image could be occasionally dim (thanks to wearing glasses; Roger Ebert wrote about this in his review of ‘Up’). But the 3D HD video footage of the sporting events was breathtaking. I’ve never seen anything like it (except for IMAX, which stands seven stories tall). It literally felt like there was a portal in the wall of this demo truck, and that I could have leapt through it into the stadiums of Beijing, or onto the snowy ski trails outside of Vancouver. It was so bright, clear, and crisp (sign me up for the first 3D Super Bowl).
One of the themes of the Blu-Con is that Blu-ray needs that wow factor to break into the mass market beyond the ten or so percent it has currently reached (interesting note, no video format has ever hit 10% of a market share and NOT gone on to mass adoption). That Blu-ray and its BD-Live technology need to be so exciting, people forcibly drag friends and families over to see it, and say, “you gotta get Blu-ray, look at what it does.” It’s been a huge obstacle to get people away from, “yeah, well my DVDs look good, so why do I need Blu-ray?”
3D Blu-ray is the game changer. Anyone and everyone will see the difference, whether or not they understand data rates, bandwidth, or other tech terms. This is the leap forward DVD brought to the home entertainment world over VHS in 1997. Look out cinemas. We may soon have a reason to never leave the house again.
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Review: Netflix Streaming on Sony’s PlayStation 3
Wed Nov 11, 2009 at 05:20 PM ETTags: Netflix, PS3, PlayStation 3, Sony, Michael S. Palmer (all tags)
Michael Palmer got his hands on a Netflix Streaming Disc for the PS3 and gave it a whirl. Here's what he thought of it...
By Michael S. Palmer
Following Sony’s new marketing campaign (“It Only Does Everything”), Netflix Streaming has finally arrived on the PS3. When announcements were made last month that we’d finally be joining the ranks of the Xbox 360 as well as various LG, Samsung, and Insignia networked Blu-ray Disc players, I immediately signed up for my free Netflix “Instant Streaming Disc.” I wasn’t exactly sure why they were sending me a disc, thinking that it would be some type of firmware update. But it turns out (or, if I had read the announcement further than “go here to sign up for your free disc”) the Instant Streaming Disc is actually a Blu-ray, which uses BD-Live to stream movies and television episodes from the Netflix server. Meaning, every time you want to stream content, the Instant Streaming Disc must first be inserted into the PS3.
Setting It Up.
Netflix Streaming on the PS3 rquires: a Netflix membership subscription plan with unlimited viewing included (1-at-a-time DVDs with unlimited streaming is $8.99/month, and $10.99/month for a 1-at-a-time with Blu-ray Disc access), the free Netflix Instant Streaming disc, and a broadband internet connection (hard wired or wireless).
For installation and title selection, you’ll at first need both a computer and your PS3 (in the future, one could use the PS3’s internal internet browser). First, insert the Instant Streaming Disc into the PS3. An unlocking code will show up on your TV’s screen. From there hop over to your Netflix account, in the “Watch Instantly” tab, where it will ask you for that code. Once entered, the PS3 will sync up your Instant Queue. Selected titles can be arranged as you see fit, just like your DVD Queue. It’s handy to pick carefully here, because if you have a lot of titles, scrolling over to the last one can be a bit time consuming.
Daily Use.
Running the disc brings you to your Instant Queue. Clicking to the right (using either a remote, or a PS3 game controller – I personally am using a Harmony 880 via the Nyko PS2 USB adapter. Logitech now makes a PS3 adapter for their remotes) scrolls you through your Queue. Click UP and then to the right to access other categories, such as Recently Watched, New Arrivals: Movies, New Arrivals: TV, Comedy, Drama, Action, and a myriad of other genres.
Click (or press down) on any title to “play,” give the title a star rating, or “remove from Instant Queue.” Once a movie is started, options will change to “resume playing” or “play from the beginning.” TV shows are organized by season, so play options include “Play Episode 1” or “Choose Episode.” “Play,” “pause,” “fast forward” and “rewind” buttons work as they should (though fast forward and rewinding require 10 or so seconds to buffer). But pressing stop will exit you out streaming all together (taking you back to the PS3’s menu); to go back to your Instant Queue, simply press “menu” and then click “up.”
Movies and TV episodes are available in “HD” (AVC encodes oscillating between 1.5 and 5 Mbps) and SD (running just under 600 kbps), with all audio in two-channel, stereo Dolby Digital. There are over 17,000 movie and TV titles. TV shows are a mix of old and new; movies are generally older, given contracts movie studios have in place with pay cable outlets which streaming would violate. “Starz Play” titles are newer releases (anything that’s currently playing on the Starz network), but they don’t appear to be in “HD.”
Impressions.
For anyone savvy enough to have a Netflix account and a PS3 already, this is a no brainer. It’s free (well, included in your subscription), and easy for those of us who have no trouble surfing the web. For folks less technically savy, this service is more difficult than using cable or satellite On Demand services because you can’t manage your account from one location.
Quality-wise, Netflix Streaming certainly isn’t a Blu-ray killer, let alone even competitor, but I suppose that’s not really the point. This is an added feature to allow subscribers more content and added value. Quote-unquote HD content is “serviceable.” Not as good as HD cable/satellite, but a bit more resolution than DVD. I checked out ‘Pan’s Labyrinth’ (a fantastic Blu-ray, btw) and the opening sequence of ‘Scorpion King 2’. These two features weren’t as clear as the Vudu HDX titles I’ve seen, nor as good as Quicktime HD movie trailers. They suffered from banding, blocking, and digital artifacts. Once my expectations were in the proper place, I was generally pleased. This would be a good way to see a title when you didn’t want to wait for Netflix to send out your next disc. The one thing to mention here is that my Internet connection did drop out once, and so ‘Pan’s Labyrinth’ paused, and started replaying in SD, which was no comparison. To get it back up to “HD”, I hit “menu”, and “resumed playing” which re-buffered the feed, and brought it back in “HD.”
On my 52” Sony LCD, the SD streaming content was subpar (but truthfully, most SD content doesn’t look great). It’s like watching a non-anamorphic widescreen DVD, and “zooming in” your TV to make it fill more of the screen. Images and text are hazy, fuzzy, and colors are muddy. Here I checked out ‘Armageddon’ (which was in anamorphic widescreen), ‘Dead Space: Downfall’ (non-anamorphic widescreen) and ‘Big Bry’s Western Style BBQ’ (1.33:1). Each title had its own disappointment. ‘Armageddon’ was blocky, and less engaging without its 5.1 mix; ‘Dead Space’ looked clear, but it had letterboxing and pillar boxing happening at the same time; and ‘Big Bry’s’ audio was out of sync for the entire presentation (though, this might not be the fault of the service).
Despite its ease of use, and the fact that it’s free (Xbox 360 owners have to pay over $50/year for Xbox Live Gold service), my biggest complaint is the necessary Instant Streaming Disc. Sure it’s a nifty use of BD-Live, and no doubt there’s a specific, genius-computer-programmer reason as to why it had to be designed this way, but frankly, it’s cumbersome. Is it really THAT hard to get up off the couch and insert a disc, like when playing any Blu-ray or DVD? Of course not, but like the PlayStation Store or Network, streaming content seems better served for when you can exit out of a movie or game, and then click over to something else. Now streaming is forced to be a conscious choice, and given the quality of the service, it might be a better value to pop in another Blu-ray or in some cases, a DVD. At least with many DVDs, you’re getting a discreet surround sound mix.
Bottom Line.
Though Netflix Streaming may have its uses (digging back in to childhood classics like ‘Voltron’!), and it’s great to bring another feature to the PS3, video/audiophiles need not apply. The current lack of quality will be bothersome. Hopefully, with time, the streaming / video encoding quality will grow along with the selection of “HD” content. For now, enjoy what you can.
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Save $8 on 'Monsters Inc.' Blu-ray
Wed Nov 11, 2009 at 05:10 PM ETTags: High Def Deals (all tags)
If you already own the hit Pixar film on DVD or VHS, you can upgrade to the Blu-ray of 'Monsters Inc.' and save $8.
Just head to the Disney Movie Rewards website and enter your UPC to print out a coupon valid from now through November 29 in the U.S. and Canada.
Pssst... The UPC is 786936164886.
If haven't already done so you can read our "must-own" review here.
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- Discs mentioned in this article: (Click for specs and reviews)
- Monsters, Inc. (Blu-ray)
HDD Spotlight Bargain: 'Wings of Desire' Blu-ray $19.99 at Amazon
Wed Nov 11, 2009 at 03:00 PM ETTags: Amazon (all tags)
Amazon has a fantastic deal on another Criterion Blu-ray.
The online retailer has just reduced the price of Wim Wenders' 'Wings of Desire' to $19.99 (50% off suggested list price).
Click here to check out the sale and you can read Josh Zyber's "highly recommended" review here.
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- Discs mentioned in this article: (Click for specs and reviews)
- Wings of Desire (Blu-ray)
Get 3 Blu-rays Free with the Purchase of an LG Blu-ray Player
Wed Nov 11, 2009 at 11:00 AM ETTags: Amazon, High Def Deals (all tags)
Amazon has another great deal for anyone looking to take the plunge into high-definition.
From now through November 21, purchase an LG BD-370 Blu-ray player and receive three Blu-ray movies for free.
Some of the applicable titles include 'Troy: Director's Cut,' 'Beetlejuice,' and more!
For complete details on this offer and the selection of titles that qualify click here.
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- Discs mentioned in this article: (Click for specs and reviews)
- Troy: Director's Cut (Blu-ray)
- Beetlejuice (Blu-ray)
'Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs' Streams Free for New Sony Owners
Wed Nov 11, 2009 at 09:00 AM ETTags: Sony, Industry Trends, High-Def Retailing (all tags)
New owners of Sony internet connected televisions and Blu-ray players will get free access to an early stream of 'Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs' in 720p. Existing Sony owners, you’ll have to pay $25.
To show off the streaming capabilities of their new hardware, Sony is hooking new Bravia owners up with a free rental of 'Cloudly With a Chance of Meatballs.' Customers will be able to watch the movie in a 24 hour window, anywhere from December 8th until January 5th.
This availability marks a unique offering from Sony, as the streaming rentals will start nearly a month before the film’s January 5th DVD and Blu-ray release date. The rental will be in a 720p resolution, rather than the 1080p of Blu-ray discs, and while pausing and rewinding will be possible, recording will not.
Existing Sony owners will not have access to the free rental. Sony isn’t completely leaving these customers in the lurch though, as they can opt to pay a $24.95 rental fee for the same 24 hour viewing window. That’s right, for around the same price as the Blu-ray disc of the same movie, you’ll be able to rent it in 720p for a whole 24 hours.
Information is fuzzy at best, as it is entirely unclear exactly which TVs and Blu-ray players will qualify to receive the free stream, and whether there is a certain time during which these purchases must take place. Sony has stated that PS3s will not have access to the film.
Source: Associated Press
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