| BLU-RAY NEWS TAGGED "DICK WARD" | Receive Blu-ray News via RSS |  |
High-Def Holidays: April Blools Day!
Tue Apr 03, 2012 at 04:55 PM ETTags: High-Def Holidays, Dick Ward (all tags)
by Dick Ward
2012 is just flying by, isn't it? We're into the fourth month already, and all the holidays that come with it. If you're reading this, that means we all survived another April Fool's Day – the day when everyone tries to be funny and fails miserably instead of just leaving it to the professionals who can come up with things like "April Blools Day." The first of the month may not be a holiday worth celebrating, but there are plenty of others that give you a good enough reason to pick up and watch a new Blu-ray or two.
It's a scientific fact – any male holding a guitar gets instantly more attractive to women. Any male holding a gun gets instantly cooler to men. Now take Antonio Banderas and give him a guitar case full of guns. 'Desperado' pushes the amount of awesome that can be put on one screen to dangerous levels.
You know how it is. It's been a long day at work so you stop off for a Coke and the price is weird so you take out a bazooka and blow up a construction site. 'Falling Down' is the ultimate in vicarious stress relief.
April 3rd – Find a Rainbow Day
Finding a rainbow is one thing, but it's what you do with it that's important. If you need, I've got a guy – yeah, you probably saw him in 'Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory' – who can take a rainbow, wrap it in a sigh, soak it in the sun and make a strawberry lemon pie. If you ask for it "Sammy style" you can get a groovy lemon pie instead.
April 6th – North Pole Discovered
It's confusing being a kid. When I learned – spoiler alert – the truth about Santa Claus, I just assumed the North Pole wasn't real either. Celebrate all the confusion that comes with the whole Santa Claus thing with the ' Rifftrax: Live! Christmas Short-Stravaganza!' Mike, Kevin and Bill help ease the pain.
April 11th – US Navy Acquires First Submarine
Sure, there are submarine movies that you could watch to celebrate the US's first acquisition of the vessels, but I prefer to go with 'Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan,' which is still one of the finest submarine combat films ever made, even if it did take place in space.
April 15th – Leonardo Da Vinci's Birthday
You may know Leonardo Da Vinci from his works like The Mona Lisa, his study of human anatomy which includes the Vitruvian Man, or his various inventions. He's also famous for 'The Da Vinci Code,' if you don't choose to delve so deep. Not the best tribute to a great man, but you could do worse.
Will Smith seems like he might be a good ambassador to our alien brothers and sisters – if they have traditional genders – but he's a man of mixed messages. Take a look at 'Independence Day.' After knocking out an alien with his fist, he shouts out "Welcome to Earth!" Now Mr. Smith, that doesn't seem as welcoming as I think you might intend.
April 23rd – International Sing Out Day
This lined up so perfectly. 'Harold and Maude,' with its Cat Stevens soundtrack, was supposed to hit shelves on April 17th so you could watch the movie in time to join the chorus of "If You Want to Sing Out" for International Sing Out Day. The movie was pushed back to June, sadly, but that doesn't have to stop you from singing!
April 25th – National Telephone Day
I watch a lot of movies, and I find myself focusing on weird things. For example, I've found that the greatest telephone conversation ever on film is in 'Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb.' Surprise: Peter Sellers is brilliant.
High-Def Digest-Digest: April 3rd, 2012
Tue Apr 03, 2012 at 04:25 PM ETTags: High-Def Digest-Digest, Dick Ward (all tags)
by Dick Ward
There's been plenty happening over the last month – so much that even we have a bit of trouble keeping up with it all. While March may not have had the biggest Blu-ray or videogame releases, it did play host to some significant reveals in both movies and gaming.
Blu-ray News
'The Secret World of Arrietty' Blu-ray Announced
The latest Ghibli film will be hitting disc on May 22nd in a DVD/Blu-ray combo pack. The full details haven't been revealed, but we do know that we'll be seeing a storyboard feature as well as trailers and TV spots.
'Sherlock: Season Two' Announced for Blu-ray
The BBC knocked it out of the park with 'Sherlock' and now the second season of the series is slated to hit Blu-ray. You'll be seeing it on May 22nd along with audio commentaries and more.
Blu-ray Player Penetration Exceeds a Quarter of Homes
Blu-ray player penetration is up significantly, from 18% of homes in 2011 to 26% of homes in 2012. Interestingly, DVD player penetration also increased a bit over the year.
'Smokey and the Bandit' Blu-ray Dated and Detailed
Well it's about time! 'Smokey and the Bandit' hits Blu-ray on June 5th and will include Loaded Up and Truckin': Making Smokey and the Bandit as well as a CB radio tutorial.
'Harold and Maude' Blu-ray Delayed
If you want to sing out, wait until June 12th. The classic black comedy was just bumped back two months with no explanation given.
Gear and Industry News
New Onkyo Receivers May Suffer From Defects – Free Repairs Offered
Specific receivers made between November 2011 and January 2012 carry performance affecting issues that Onkyo is fixing for free. Click through to the full story for more information and a list of specific models.
Best Buy Loses Big in 4th Quarter – Closing 50 Stores
Out of the 1,000 stores Best Buy currently operates, 50 will be closing before the year is over. They'll be opening 100 mobile kiosks though, and another 50 stores in China.
Sharp 7-Series Shipping Now – 8-Series Coming in Late March/Early April
Sharp's new TVs are on the way to stores now, including the 80" 8-Series set complete with full array LED backlighting.
Onkyo Announces Mid-Range Receivers for May
The latest from Onkyo offer 4K upscaling, networking features, 3D support, and 7.2 channels of audio. The higher end of the two packs a dual-core video engine and Audyssey MultiEQ XT32.
Netflix Secures Original Series From Writer/Director Eli Roth
The new series will be known as 'Hemlock Grove' and follows in the tradition of recent supernatural thrillers and dramas. It's set to debut on the streaming service in 2013.
Videogame News
Rumor: An Elder Scrolls MMO is On the Way
Nothing has been announced or confirmed yet, but rumor has it that Bethesda's new online game will be themed around the 'Elder Scrolls' universe.
'Fez' Finally Comes Out April 13th
The indie game 'Fez' was first announced for a 2010 release date, but it's finally on the way to the Xbox Live Arcade at a price of 800 Microsoft Points.
An 'Adventure Time' DS Game is On the Way
Algebraic! A videogame version of the absolutely bonkers cartoon 'Adventure Time' is on the way for the Nintendo DS. Series creator Pendleton Ward says that he'll be heavily involved in creation.
Blizzard Reveals New 'Mists of Pandaria' Info and Trailers
Now that the beta has started to open up for some players, Blizzard has dumped a huge amount of info on our laps, including more on pet battles, farming and, of course, the new Monk class.
NECA's Portal Gun Replica Available May 18th
In mid May you'll finally be able to get your hands on a portal gun of your own. The 1:1 replica will run $139 when it starts selling on Think Geek.
Beyond the Blu: March 2012
Tue Mar 06, 2012 at 03:30 PM ETTags: Beyond the Blu, Dick Ward, Fun Stuff (all tags)
by Dick Ward
There's a line that separates fans from fanatics. Movie fans already have the Blu-rays of their favorite flicks pre-ordered and are ready to watch them as soon as they come in. Fanatics need more. They need collectables, information and maybe a few other weird things as well. Beyond the Blu is your guide to the kind of periphery that the truly obsessed - and I mean that as a compliment - just can't live without.
'The Muppets' is one of those few movies that surpassed my expectations. It was as true to the Henson era Muppets as I had hoped and funnier than I imagined, and I'm a nut for the Muppets. So is Kevin Clash, the man behind Elmo. His difficult journey and eventual success are chronicled in the moving documentary 'Being Elmo,' which is available for preorder on Amazon and is streaming on Netflix now. It gives you more than just the story of Kevin Clash - it gives you a look into everything going on behind the Muppets, including some really touching moments with Jim Henson.
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011)
I don't know a tremendous amount about 'The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.' I know it's a pretty dark book series and probably a pretty dark movie, but that's about all. Oh, and I know, or at least feel safe in presuming, that there is a girl in the movie that has a dragon tattoo. You could do the obsessed fan thing and get a "fer real" tattoo to match, but if you're not feeling that crazy, get yourself a henna kit and create a temporary version.
I first saw the musical version of 'Little Shop of Horrors' when I was pretty young and the only thing in the world that I wanted afterwards was an Audrey II of my very own. Sadly, they don't exist. Actually, that's not sad at all - that plant was going to take over the world and eat everybody. Still, I ended up getting myself the next best thing, a venus fly trap . Plants that eat meat? It's just plain cool.
Before 'The Room,' before 'Birdemic' and before 'Manos: The Hands of Fate' there was 'Plan 9.' It's the first movie hailed as "so bad it's good" and is required viewing for anyone with a love of terrible flicks. 'Plan 9' was never featured on Mystery Science Theater 3000, but it did end up getting love from Rifftrax - Kevin, Bill and Mike from MST3K - a few years back. You can watch the movie with Rifftrax commentary streaming on Amazon or shell out for the DVD version of the ridiculously funny live show, featuring guest stars Jonathan Coulton, Rich "Lowtax" Kyanka and Veronica Belmont. I strongly recommend the live version - the jokes are essentially the same but the energy is so much better.
Monty Python and the Holy Grail
'Monty Python and the Holy Grail' is one of the most quotable movies there is, and still one of the most oft referenced anywhere that nerds gather. You've got the Knights Who Say Ni, the rude Frenchman, Sir Robin's bard and countless other characters that just can't be forgotten. There's also, of course, the killer rabbit, which is available in plush form. Get the plush and display it on your shelf with your other collectables. Take it out of the house if you must, but don't be that guy that goes up to everyone at work and pushes the rabbit up against people's necks and pretends that it's eating them. Seriously, everyone hates that guy. Well, I hate that guy. You know who you are.
I freaking love Iron Maiden. They're consistently good - well, not during the Blaze Bayley days, but I just pretend those albums don't exist - and they continue to put on some of the best live shows I've ever seen. Bruce Dickinson at 53 still runs and jumps around a massive stage and retains his incredible voice. He's essentially the opposite of another metal frontman who managed to run out of breath after one lap back and forth across the stage and then completely miss his notes. I'm not naming any names. Yes I am, it's Axl Rose.
There's so much cool Iron Maiden memorabilia out there, but I'm partial to the Eddie figures that have been released over the last few years. The latest is, as is fitting with the new album, Final Frontier Eddie. The coolest, and the one I wish I had picked up before the price skyrocketed, is The Trooper Eddie, complete with a battle-worn Union Jack. So cool.
Wizards: 35th Anniversary Edition
Being crazy enthusiastic about any of those other titles is one thing, but if you're a ridiculous fan of 'Wizards' then you're some kind of super nerd. That's not an insult - that's an honor. The movies of Ralph Bakshi are unique and some of the most creative ever made. Get some insight into the man and his films in the book Unfiltered: The Complete Ralph Bakshi, written by Jon M. Gibson who went on to create iam8bit, a production company specializing in videogame and pop culture art.
High-Def Holidays - Blu-ware the Ides of March
Fri Mar 02, 2012 at 01:30 PM ETTags: High-Def Holidays, Dick Ward (all tags)
by Dick Ward
March is a month that tends to be associated with green beer, melting snow, and regular colored beer. It's a beer heavy month, but light on traditional holidays. Luckily, we've got plenty of non-traditional holidays to celebrate and some crazy good Blu-rays to go along with them.
I pride myself on not tackling the obvious holidays each month, and I contend that Irish-American Heritage Month is much different than St. Patrick's Day. To celebrate, the movie that comes right to mind is 'Gangs of New York.' It's not my favorite film, but it captures the struggles the Irish had to deal with when immigrating to the U.S. I also pride myself on being funny, which this last paragraph isn't. So... woozle wuzzle?
When some people think of frozen food, their minds go to TV dinners and bags of vegetables that never actually get eaten. For whatever reason - maybe it's because I've had too much coffee and not enough sleep over the past few years - my mind goes straight to Eddie from ' The Rocky Horror Picture Show'. "A rather tender subject. Another slice anyone?"
March 1st - Peanut Butter Lover's Day
'Funny People' is one of my current favorite movies and has been since it came out. Apatow's more serious look at the world of comedy is refreshing, and there's a lot that seems so true to life that I'm left wondering if it's some sort of comedy 'Citizen Kane.' I like to recommend this flick wherever I can, no matter how tenuous the link. So here you go - there's a scene in the movie where a dog licks peanut butter off of Adam Sandler's face.
March 5th - Multiple Personality Day
My mind is blown right now. There are so many movies that I'm waiting to pick up on Blu-ray - many of which were and are popular titles. Little did I know that on May 3rd of last year, one of my favorite little-known comedies made it to Blu-ray. 'Jekyll & Hyde Together Again' is a crazy funny movie starring Mark Blankfield, who you'll at the very least recognize as Blinkin from 'Men in Tights.' Dude's hilarious, and he's quite the singer too.
March 6th - Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simon's Birthday
Look, I really didn't want to go with the easy gag here. I wanted to talk about the 'Arrested Development' episode in which George and George Michael Bluth are set to pose as The Creation of Adam, but for some reason the series hasn't come to Blu-ray. So whatever, I'm linking to 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.' For what it's worth, the birthday of the real-life Casey Jones is March 14th, so you're getting kind of a double-whammy here.
Hey, I'm all for the celebration of these weird holidays, but if ' The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy' taught me anything, it taught me not to panic. On March 9th, I suggest shirking your Panic Day responsibilities and openly not-panicking. Also watching Sam Rockwell be amazing.
March 13th - Uranus Discovered
The name of the planet Uranus will never stop being funny. It's childish, but there's no getting around it. Of course, we're expected to act like adults and find laughing at such a sophomoric word to be below us. We know it's funny though, so we invent fictional characters like 'Beavis and Butthead' who laugh at it for us and let us enjoy the silliness through them. Heh-heh, I said "below us."
March 22nd - National Sing-Out Day
"If you want to sing out, sing out." If for nothing else, I would love 'Harold and Maude' just for that song. Of course, that's not the only reason to love Hal Ashby's incredibly dark comedy - the movie is nothing short of great. On April 17th, the Criterion Collection Blu-ray will hit shelves.
March 27th - National "Joe" Day
National "Joe" Day is a bit of an odd one. It's not made to celebrate people named Joe, nor does it exist to celebrate the army toys and cartoons from the 80s. "Joe" Day is for people who hate their names. Hate your name? Change it to Joe for the day. It's the sort of day that would help out Michael Bolton in 'Office Space,' though his stubborn personality would certainly mean that he'd expect the other Michael Bolton to change first.
There are doctors and then there's The Doctor. As much as I love folks in the medical profession, they're not time travelling aliens, or at least none that I've met are. 'Doctor Who: The End of Time' is a brilliant two-part episode and easily the best of the 'Doctor Who' reboot. It's The Doctor's day - his final adventure. Not only does Tennant leave the series here, but the amazing writer Russell T Davies does too.
High-Def Digest-Digest: March 1st, 2012
Thu Mar 01, 2012 at 04:30 PM ETTags: High-Def Digest-Digest, Dick Ward (all tags)
by Dick Ward
The leap year really helped February out. What will probably be the biggest Blu-ray release of the year was announced on the 29th, earning February a place in history. Were it a normal year, those honors would have gone to March. We've got that announcement and plenty of other news from last month here in the High-Def Digest-Digest. And yes, I do labor under the assumption that months fight against one another to be the coolest.
Blu-ray News
'The Complete Indiana Jones Blu-ray Collection' Announced for Fall 2012
You didn't think the big announcement was going to be about 'Dirty Dancing,' did you? We're still waiting on the release of some of the biggest action movies of all time, but we'll be getting closer this fall when 'Indiana Jones' finally goes HD.
'Dirty Dancing Collection' Blu-ray Announced
With the 'Indiana Jones' movies you get three great movies and one really bad one. The 'Dirty Dancing' collection contains the same amount of terrible movies, but since there are only two, the ratio isn't quite as good. Still, you'll be able to get your Swayze on in HD when May 8th rolls around.
'Being John Malkovich' Dated and Detailed for Criterion Blu-ray
When I went to see 'Being John Malkovich' I had no idea what I was in for, I just knew the guy who directed Weezer's music videos made the movie. Turns out a 16 year old me got a dose of Charlie Kaufman's brilliant insanity - something that's explored further in the Criterion Blu-ray due out May 15th.
'Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol' Blu-ray Announced
Anyone else notice how 'Mission: Impossible' got completely snubbed at the Oscars? It was an easy pick for sound editing and even more for visual effects. It's also a damn good movie that's going to be hitting Blu-ray sooner than you might expect - April 17th.
'Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close' Announced and Detailed for Blu-ray
Max von Sydow picked up a Best Supporting Actor nomination for his role in this Best Picture nominated drama set against the backdrop of the terrorist attacks of September 11th, 2001. You'll find it on store shelves May 27th.
Gear and Industry News
Blockbuster Will Close 500 Stores in the First Half of 2012
A third of the remaining Blockbuster retail locations will be shutting their doors in the next few months. CEO Joe Clayton seems optimistic that profitable stores will be able to remain open, but these underperforming locations have to go.
Over-the-Air TV is Gaining in Popularity
Sales of antennas are up in the wake of cord cutting consumers who use the internet as their main source of entertainment. One business in particular expects to double its antenna sales in 2012.
Starz Play Leaves Netflix this Week
There's a whole lot of good content that's being removed from Netflix this week due to a licensing agreement, or lack thereof, between Starz and Netflix. The streaming service has more on the way, but this big content hit will certainly affect the current customer base.
Google TV Patent Shows Voice Control is on the Way
Voice control seems impractical when compared to the alternative. It feels like it might be more time consuming than simply using a remote. Being able to call your Google TV while on your way home and set up your favorite show or get some romantic music playing though, that's something we can all get excited about.
Certain models of Samsung TVs ran into issues with a very specific capacitor. If you happen to have one of those TVs and you ran into the problem you can get a free fix or, if you prefer, money.
Videogame News
'Borderlands 2' is Coming September 18th
The original 'Borderlands' was an easy pick for my favorite game of 2009 and thanks to the extensive and exciting DLC, it was also my favorite of 2010. 'Borderlands 2' packs new characters, more skills and 96.5% more wub wub.
Capcom, Namco and Sega Teaming for... Something.
Your guess is as good as ours on this one, or better if you've got a particular talent for guessing things. The group effort was announced by Nintendo and that's about all we know so far.
'Jet Grind Radio' is Coming to XBLA and PSN
The Dreamcast favorite is getting an HD makeover for release on the PlayStation Network and Xbox Live Arcade. With all the graphical advances and new cel shading techniques since the original release, this game is certain to look stunning.
'Assassin's Creed 3' Coming Out October 30th
Finally we're getting the next installment of the 'Assassin's Creed' franchise. We'll be moving on from the Italian Renaissance to something new. The new game comes out in October so you can expect to see a full reveal of the game when E3 comes around.
Team Ninja Will Tame 'Dead or Alive 5' - Possible Crossover with 'Virtua Fighter'
Itagaki is off of Team Ninja and, for better or for worse, the fighting game developer is going to try and clean up its act. The next 'Dead or Alive' game will feature toned down sex and violence - the only question is "what else is there?"
High-Def Digest-Digest: February 13, 2012
Mon Feb 13, 2012 at 04:00 PM ETTags: Dick Ward, High-Def Digest-Digest (all tags)
by Dick Ward
A whole lot has happened this week, and while we have a team of people digging up and reporting all the news that's fit to print - er, publish digitally - you're only one person, and it's easy to miss some of the cool stuff that's been going on. Well, it's High-Def Digest-Digest to the rescue, filling you in on what's worth knowing.
Blu-ray News
Sales Report: Blu-ray the Majority Format for 3 of the Top 5 Movies Last Week
'Drive,' 'In Time,' and 'The Thing' all had Blu-ray outselling DVD, while 'Real Steel' came in at 42% Blu-ray, 58% DVD. 'Treasure Buddies' only had 18% of its sales come from Blu-ray, but a low-budged family film isn't exactly the kind of thing you need in high-def.
'Plan 9 from Outer Space' Dated for Blu-ray
Back before 'Troll 2,' 'The Room,' and 'Manos: Hands of Fate,' came a movie that earned a reputation for being the worst that still holds up today. This brilliantly bad movie will be available on March 6th.
'Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy' Dated and Detailed for Blu-ray
Few films have as impressive a cast as this one, and even fewer offer commentary by one of the most impressive stars in the film. Gary Oldman joins director Tomas Alfredson for the commentary on the Blu-ray which is set to come out March 20th.
Alicia Silverstone stars in the 1995 comedy alongside Paul Rudd, Brittany Murphy, Jeremy Sisto, and Breckin Meyer. The Blu-ray is set to be released on May 1st.
Redbox Buys Blockbuster Express Kiosks and NCR Entertainment Division
It's been a good week or two for Redbox, starting with the purchase of NCR's entertainment division which includes the Blockbuster Express kiosk business. They've also decided to ignore the demands of an extended deadline by Warner and start renting Warner films the day that come out on DVD and Blu-ray.
Gear and Industry News
Verizon and Redbox Join up for Netflix-Like Disc and Streaming Service
If the purchase of Blockbuster Express wasn't enough, Redbox is also starting its own subscription based streaming service with Verizon.
Vizio Announces $3,499 MSRP for 58" 21:9 CinemaWide TV
The middle of the road CinemaWide TV from Vizio is coming in at an unsurprising $3,499. We're just waiting for the price reveal of the 70" version.
Panasonic Prices and Dates Plasmas and LCDs for Japan
The Japanese pricing doesn't reflect the US price completely accurately, but it's a nice way to get a prediction.
New Sony President and CEO Kaz Hirai Says Sony Could be in "Serious Trouble"
The company's new CEO is going to work hard to turn things around, but he knows it's not going to be an easy road ahead.
Netflix Launches 'Lillyhammer' - its First Original Series
The success or failure of 'Lillyhammer' could help to determine what Netflix plans to do with original content move forward.
Game News
The folks over at Double Fine studios were looking for $400,000 to make a new adventure game. A campaign on KickStarter has raised over four times that amount. Meanwhile, 'Minecraft' creator Markus "Notch" Persson is in talks to help fund 'Pyschonauts 2 .'
Oklahoma State Rep Wants to Tax Violent Videogames
Will Fourkiller is upset about 'Grand Theft Auto' and the 2001 release 'Bully.' His new bill would introduce an additional tax on games rated Teen, Mature or Adult Only.
'MLB 2K12' and 'NBA 2K12' $69.99 Combo Pack Coming to Xbox 360
If you're planning on picking up 'MLB 2K12' you'll be able to spend a mere $10 more and pick up 'NBA 2K12' right along with it. Sadly for PS3 owners, the combo pack is for Xbox 360 only.
Activision Blizzard Says 'Diablo III' Coming This Spring - New 'Call of Duty' Out This Year
'Diablo III' has been delayed from its expected release date yet again and Activision says there's a new 'Call of Duty' on the way for 2012. No big surprises there!
Namco Bandai is Forming a Studio Focused Solely on Game Development
The company behind games like 'Soulcalibur,' 'Tekken' and the 'Tales' series is splitting off a development company so they can better focus on game development.
High-Def Holidays: February - It's Blu Love!
Thu Feb 02, 2012 at 03:15 PM ETTags: High-Def Holidays, Dick Ward, Fun Stuff (all tags)
by Dick Ward
So it's February. It's a month full of holidays and Blu-rays to celebrate them with, but there's one day we're not going to worry about in this list. If you're looking for something to cuddle up in front of with your significant other, this one isn't for you. This list is for the rest of the holidays - the strange and underappreciated ones that get overlooked in favor of chocolates and flowers. Nothing against chocolates, mind you.
If you're seeing heart shaped boxes of chocolate and greeting cards and candies, that's probably because February is American Heart Month. It's a month set aside to educate people on heart disease and raise funds for organizations dedicated to that cause. If there's one man who can appreciate the concern over heart problems is Tony Stark, who had to imbed a reactor into his chest to fix his. Yes I'm talking about 'Iron Man'. Who else?
February 4th - Create a Vacuum Day
Before you get all science-y on me, yes, I know that a black hole isn't really a giant vacuum in space. I don't care, I'm still recommending 'Star Trek,' because Spock makes a black hole to suck up a supernova. Also because the movie is great and if you don't own it, you should.
Surely Disaster Day is meant to recognize disasters where people suffer physical harm, but there's such a thing as emotional trauma too. All kidding aside, George Lucas created a trilogy of films that made millions of people angry. Those people then took that anger out somewhere and in a million small ways the world got just a little bit worse. So watch the 'Star Wars' prequels in remembrance of May 19th, 1999, when millions of excited voices cried out in excitement, and were suddenly silenced.
Feb 5-11 - Freelance Writers Appreciation Week
Freelance Writers Appreciation Week is coming up and that means two things. First, you should really be appreciating me. Are you appreciating? Good. Now it's time to watch a movie about one of the most famous freelancers ever. 'Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas' an exciting tale, and if you take out the drugs and the drinking and the adventure, it's pretty much what all of us freelance writers do on a daily basis. Take out Tobey Maguire too. He's creepy.
There are an awful lot of Boy Scouts in movies, but few of them are cool or heroic or even respected. While Russel in 'Up' isn't technically a Boy Scout, he starts out with the stereotypical Boy Scout behavior. He's dorky and dumpy and he doesn't have much going for him. In the end though, he kind of kicks ass.
Who the devil thought it would be a good idea to celebrate toothaches? Sick people. Crazy people. Still, there's at least one man that a toothache worked out for and that's Charles Foster Kane. Thanks to a toothache he got himself a hot new mistress that soon became a hot new wife. If you ignore the end of the relationship, it's actually kind of a sweet story. You really can't blame the character's descent in 'Citizen Kane' on the toothache.
February 13th - Get a Different Name Day
I thought to mention some of my favorite secret agents here, but both James Bond and Sterling Archer don't hide their names. In fact, they seem to go to great lengths to publicize them. So I turn to 'Fight Club,' because it teaches us that in death, a member of Project Mayhem has a name. His name is Robert Paulson.
February 14th - Ferris Wheel Day
Movies with Ferris wheels exist, but none of them come to mind. Why? Because the word Ferris brings up memories of what might be the best movie John Hughes ever penned - 'Ferris Bueller's Day Off.' That dreadful Honda commercial got me nostalgic, I'll admit.
February 20th - Toothpick Patented
I was recently reading '
Writing Movies for
Fun and Profit
' by Ben Garant and Thomas Lennon and they told a terrific story about Jackie Chan. When the pair was pitching 'The Pacifier,' Jackie Chan suggested a
bit of business where he would flick a toothpick at someone. He did so by flicking a toothpick past one of the writers and it "hit the opposite wall
of the restaurant so hard you could hear it." It's a cool story, but 'The Pacifier' and 'The Spy Next Door' are terrible so get 'The Legend of Drunken Master' instead.
February 24th - Dia de la Bandera
I'm well aware that Dia de la Bandera is Mexico's Flag Day, but I also know that Antonio Banderas is awesome. Pick up the 'El Mariachi/Desperado' two-pack as well as ' Once Upon a Time in Mexico' if you're so inclined. I'm sure there's a flag in there somewhere, so appreciate it if you happen to notice it.
High-Def Digest-Digest: January 31st, 2012
Tue Jan 31, 2012 at 03:30 PM ETTags: High-Def Digest-Digest, Dick Ward (all tags)
by Dick Ward
January has been a crazy busy month. The first week was all about recovering from New Year's and Christmas celebrations, and right when it was time to get things back on track, in comes CES. After CES, of course, comes another week of recovery. If your January was anything like ours, you probably had a difficult time keeping up with the big news. Lucky for you, we've gathered up all the really juicy bits and compiled them for you in the High-Def Digest-Digest.
Blu-ray News
'The Adventures of Tintin' Blu-ray and Blu-ray 3D Pre-orders Live
Peter Jackson produces, Steven Spielberg directs, Steven Moffat and Edgar Wright were among the writers. Add to that a star studded cast and you've got 'The Adventures of Tintin,' which is available for pre-order now. A release date has yet to be announced, but we're hearing sometime in March.
'The Muppets' Dated and Detailed for Blu-ray
"Life's a Happy Song" when you've got a brand new Muppet movie on Blu-ray. No longer will the memories of the movie be "Pictures in my Head!" I'll have a "Me Party" and watch the movie on repeat until I can't decide if I'm a "Man or Muppet". It doesn't matter though, because there's a "Rainbow Connection" between the Muppets and I. Also the song "Mah Na Mah Na" is on the soundtrack but I couldn't think of a way to use it in a sentence.
'Harold and Maude' Dated and Detailed for Blu-ray
'Harold and Maude' is a classic dark comedy that's getting a Criterion Collection Blu-ray release complete with a 1080p transfer, commentary by producer Charles B. Mulvehill and Hal Ashby biographer Nick Dawson, and a brand new interview with Yusuf Islam/Cat Stevens. This one hits April 17th.
Polanski's classic film starring Jack Nicholson, Faye Dunaway and John Huston is coming to Blu-ray on April 3rd. You get commentary by Robert Towne and David Fincher as well as a retrospective and a few other juicy tidbits.
Vizio Launches a Google TV Powered Blu-ray Player and Streamer
Vizio is bringing Google TV to a streaming device, but also to a new Blu-ray player this year. The Blu-ray player does 3D movies, Vizio Internet Apps and comes with a QWERTY remote.
Gear and Industry News
If you haven't been checking out Aaron Peck's daily recaps of his experience at Sundance, you've been missing out. He's seen a crazy amount of films in one week and he has opinions on all of them. Aaron has also snagged some really cool pictures, in case you're not the readin' type.
Panasonic Reveals Six New Blu-ray Players - Four of Which are 3D Capable
You don't have to like or even care about 3D, it's getting to the point where you won't have much of a choice. The majority of Panasonic's new players are 3D capable and can convert 2D video into the third dimension - even from sources like Netflix.
Samsung's 2012 Blu-ray Player Lineup Includes One Compact and One Sporting HDMI Inputs
Samsung is trying something a little different with the two players its decided to highlight this year. The E6500 gives you HDMI inputs so you can change sources directly through your player while the ES6000 goes for the smallest footprint possible.
Panasonic Unveils 2012 Plasma TVs
All but one of Panasonic's new sets are 3D capable, but only the VT50 offers the Infinite Black Ultra Panel, built in Wi-Fi, Viera Connect and 2D to 3D conversion all in one package with ISFcc calibration software and 8-Train speakers.
Sony Announces Three New TV Lines for 2012
Sony is trying something new this year. Instead of introducing a huge range of TV lines that are just barely different from one another, Sony simply has three - the entry level BX, the step-up EX and the top-of-the-line HX.
Videogame News
'Resident Evil 6' Announced for November - Includes Co-Op Play
You'll be waiting until November, but 'Resident Evil 6' looks like it will be well worth it. You and your buddy will take on the roles of Chris and Leon as you fight the classic 'Resident Evil' enemy - zombies.
'Guild Wars 2' Coming in 2012, Beta Testing Starts in Spring
In February, select press members will be invited to a closed Beta of ' Guild Wars 2.' in March and April, beta invites will ramp up so that more people have the opportunity to get in on the action.
The Vita 3G Launch Bundle Packs an 8GB Card, a Free Game and 250MB of Free 3G
While the 3G version of the PlayStation Vita may not appeal to everyone, the launch bundle might be difficult to pass up. You'll get around $50 worth of bonuses in addition to the ability to activate 3G service if you should feel the need.
Namco Bandai Says Your Cries for a 'Dark Souls' PC Port Have Been Heard
'Dark Souls' is a surprising console hit, considering the game's grueling difficulty and deep, complex systems. That's the sort of thing usually found on PC - a place where 'Dark Souls' doesn't exist. Thanks to a fan petition, Namco Bandai has heard the demand for a PC port and will hopefully listen to the 83,000 fans that signed.
Insomniac is Done with the 'Resistance' Franchise
We knew that Insomniac was breaking off from making Sony exclusive titles, but it's now been confirmed that the company is done with 'Resistance' completely. The company will be looking at new IPs moving forward.
Beyond the Blu - January 2012
Tue Jan 31, 2012 at 02:16 PM ETTags: Beyond the Blu, Dick Ward, Fun Stuff (all tags)
by Dick Ward
Sure, the normal fans can get the special edition Blu-ray and call it a day, but some of us are cut from a more obsessive cloth. We don't just want the movie and the commentary and the special features. We want even more. We want memorabilia and books and even things that are only tangentially related. That's what Beyond the Blu is all about - the cool and weird stuff you can pick up with your brand new Blu-rays. This installment focuses on the movies released last month. Yeah, a touch later than usual, but with CES and all it's been a busy month!
Sure, it wasn't a great movie, but 'Real Steel' had some very cool things going for it, like robots. Robots fighting one another. It's also not a 'Transformers' movie, which is an added bonus. Sadly, we don't yet have our own fighting robots, but we can pretend we do by picking up some classic Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots to play with. If a hot date asks why you have them, just tell them it's for when your nephew comes over to play. Or just explain how awesome it is. The former seems like a safer bet.
This probably isn't breaking news, but Charlie Kaufman is awesome. He was going layers deep into weirdness with movies like 'Synecdoche New York' before Nolan got all ham fisted with the idea. He also wrote the incredible 'Adaptation,' wherein Nicholas Cage plays Charlie Kaufman, who is struggling with writer's block in trying to adapt a book. The movie was inspired by Charlie Kaufman's struggle with writer's block while trying to adapt a book. The dreaded inability to create helped the screenwriter in this case, but few of us can get away with completely ditching our assignment to write about writing our assignment, so Overcoming Writer's Block is for us.
Remember how I said the word "tangentially" in the intro? This is what I'm talking about. 'Dutch' was one of my favorite movies when I was a kid and the last time I saw it, the flick still held up. A lot goes on in the movie, including a cameo by Arnold Palmer, inventor of the Arnold Palmer, which you can totally drink while watching this movie. When he wasn't revolutionizing the way we see iced tea and lemonade, Arnold Palmer likes to play golf.
Twister / Poseidon / The Perfect Storm
It's not a great three pack, but 'The Perfect Storm' at least borders on good. There's a nice little speech or two in there and George Clooney does his whole "being unreasonably handsome" thing, so it's worth a watch. If you want a better insight into the story though, check out the book ' The Perfect Storm: a True Story of Men Against the Sea.' Don't feel like reading? The audiobook is read by Stanley Tucci.
Se7en / Copycat / Taking Lives
There are two other movies in this three-pack, but 'Se7en' stands out from the pack. Despite the whole number in the name thing, it's an excellent film and the score was created by none other than the great Howard Shore. Shore's music for 'Se7en' is good, but his most celebrated work to date is for the 'Lord of the Rings' trilogy. If you're a Shore fan, check out the ' Lord of the Rings Symphony.' It's not a symphony, technically, but it's still awesome.
Above the Law / Under Siege / Under Siege 2
I love Steven Segal. I'm not afraid to say it - the man makes damn entertaining movies. I trend to his newer faire, which is so bad as to be hilarious, but the old flicks are worth checking out too. Point is, you can't love someone - idolize them even - without wanting to be them. I've got long hair so it's easy for me, but for those that don't, get yourself a Steven Segal ponytail. You know you want to.
Friday the 13th / Nightmare on Elm Street / Freddy vs. Jason
If you're picking up this three-pack then, well, you're doing something wrong. Unless you absolutely need all the movies in the series, there's no reason to buy, rent or even watch these flicks for free. Instead, pick up the original 'Nightmare on Elm Street' and the original ' Friday the 13th.' You'll be glad you did.
High-Def Holidays: Ringing in the Blu-Year!
Wed Jan 04, 2012 at 02:00 PM ETTags: High-Def Holidays, Dick Ward (all tags)
by Dick Ward
It's January and all the holiday hubbub is over. Well, the major, well recognized mainstream holidays are over anyway. Me, I'm sort of a holiday hipster. I was into Talk Like a Pirate Day before it was cool and I dug National Catfish Month before the corporations ruined it. So let's talk about these obscure or strange holidays and the Blu-rays you can watch to celebrate them.
If there's an easier gag than linking vampires to Blood Donor Month than I'd like to hear it. I'm certainly hoping that if you give blood it's going to be voluntary, but if not then here's hoping you'll be giving it to some sexy vampires like the ones on ' True Blood.'
When trapped in a car with a serial "I love you man" kinda guy, there's only one escape. Learn from Garth Algar in ' Wayne's World' and just say "thank you." It's so much better than the alternative.
January 2nd - Run it up the Flagpole and See if Anyone Salutes Day
This is a phrase not too many people use these days but it's used when someone has an idea that's not quite conventional, typically in a business setting. It means, basically, to try it out and see what happens. Take, for example, the business of ghost busting undertaken by the aptly named ' Ghostbusters.' They ran it up the flagpole and it worked like a charm. Mostly.
I'm sure this day has something to do with actual rocks, but I'm going to use it to pay tribute to my favorite old rocker, Billy Mack. Mack, played by the consistently awesome Bill Nighy in 'Love Actually,' has that kind of wonderful honest attitude that you only get from someone who's been around long enough to get cynical.
January 8th - Elvis Presley's Birthday
It seems natural to celebrate someone's life by experiencing their work again, but I prefer the idea of celebrating as they did. The King may have had a little bit of an ego, but I find it hard to believe he'd sit and watch one of his own flicks during his party. More likely, he'd be taking in one of his favorites, like 'The Pink Panther,' a comedy classic.
January 13th - Poetry Break Day
You could celebrate the whole poetry thing by going out to an open mic night but those can be painful affairs full of pretentious wannabe artists and folks giving awful readings of awful poems. Instead, sit inside and check out 'So I Married an Axe Murderer' where you'll get your fill of earnest attempts at beat poetry. Jane, get me off this crazy thing... called love.
January 16th - National Nothing Day
Nothingness is a concept that's way too heavy for a light-hearted list like this, so let's turn our focus to nihilism. Since there hasn't been a movie made out of the Rancid song of the same name - hey, it happened to Convoy! - I'm singling out 'The Big Lebowski.' It's a great film and features a few discussions on nihilism. "Say what you want about the tenants of National Socialism, at least it's an ethos!"
January 20th - Penguin Awareness Day
This Penguin Awareness Day, share the hit documentary 'March of the Penguins' with someone else who isn't aware of penguins. Who on earth isn't aware of penguins? I mean, my nephew knows what a penguin is and he's four. You know what? Skip it. If you have a friend who doesn't know what a penguin is, they don't deserve to know. Watch it on your own.
Beer, 'Crocodile Dundee' and Yahoo Serious jokes aside, Australia has contributed some great things to cinema and even more to low budget exploitation flicks. 'Mad Max' is the best known contribution and definitely worth checking out on Blu-ray. If you're a Netflix streamer, give 'Not Quite Hollywood' a watch - it's a great documentary on Ozsploitation movies and features plenty of clips from Quentin Tarantino who, surprise, loves every single one of them.
For Backwards Day I'm going to go ahead and recommend some movies that are just plain bad. ' Avatar' is the easy choice here. It's just plain bad, no matter what anyone says. And no, I'm not complaining about the plot - the plot is fine and it's not a ripoff of anything else. I can name plenty of movies and books with the same basic story structure. If you're one of those people that actually liked 'Avatar,' give 'Catwoman' a try. It's so bad that a room of my friends and I couldn't make fun of it. Few movies are bad enough that I won't watch them on bad movie night, but 'Catwoman' bested me.
MORE BLU-RAY NEWS TAGGED "DICK WARD":
- High-Def Digest-Digest: January 3, 2012 Jan 03, 2012
- High-Def Holidays: Ho-Ho-Hi-Def! Dec 01, 2011
- High-Def Digest-Digest : November 28, 2011 Nov 28, 2011
- High-Def Holidays: Remember, Remember the Blus of November Nov 03, 2011
- Beyond the Blu: October 2011 Oct 24, 2011
- High-Def Digest-Digest: October 20, 2011 Oct 20, 2011
- HDD's Interview With 'The Dark Knight Rises' Executive Producer Michael Uslan Oct 11, 2011
- High-Def Holidays: The Hunt for Blu-October Oct 03, 2011
- High-Def Digest-Digest: September 28th Sep 28, 2011
- High-Def Digest-Digest: September 13, 2011 Sep 13, 2011
- Beyond the Blu: September 2011 Sep 12, 2011
- High-Def Digest-Digest: August 29, 2011 Aug 29, 2011
- Beyond the Blu: August 2011 Aug 16, 2011
- High-Def Digest-Digest: August 8, 2011 Aug 08, 2011
- High-Def Holidays: August - Ain't No Cure for the Summertime Blus Aug 01, 2011
- High-Def Digest-Digest: July 26, 2011 Jul 26, 2011
- High-Def Digest-Digest July 11, 2011 Jul 11, 2011
- High-Def Digest-Digest: April 14, 2011 Apr 14, 2011
- High-Def Digest-Digest: February 7, 2011 Feb 07, 2011
- "High-Def Digest-Digest" - January 18, 2011 Jan 18, 2011
- "High-Def Digest-Digest" - November 5, 2010 Nov 05, 2010
» High-Def Digest home page
