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'Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs' Blu-ray Full Details and Box Art

Thu Nov 19, 2009 at 10:00 AM ET
Tags: Disc Announcements, Sony (all tags)

As previously reported, the animated feature based on the best-selling children's book will rain down on high-definition this winter -- and now we have full details.

Sony is prepping 'Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs' starring the voice talents of Bill Hader, Anna Faris, Bruce Campbell, and many more for Blu-ray on January 5.

The Blu-ray release will feature 1080p video, a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack, and special features will include: Directors' commentary with Bill Hader; A Recipe for Success: The Making of Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs; Key Ingredients: The Voices of Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs; Flint's Food Fight Game - enhanced for Blu-ray; Extended scenes; Early development scenes; Progression reels with introductions by visual effects supervisor Rob Bredow; “Raining Sunshine” music video by iCarly's Miranda Cosgrove; Interactive "Raining Sunshine" sing-a-long; Behind the scenes of Miranda Cosgrove's "Raining Sunshine" music video; Make It Rain Food.

The Blu-ray will also include a DVD copy of the film as well as an interactive "Splat" button enabling viewers to throw food at the screen during the movie.

Here's a look at the front cover:


And the back cover:


Suggested list price for the Blu-ray has been set at $39.95.

You can find the latest specs for 'Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under January 5.

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Discs mentioned in this article: (Click for specs and reviews)
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (Blu-ray)

'Soul Power' Announced for Blu-ray

Wed Nov 18, 2009 at 01:00 PM ET
Tags: Disc Announcements, Sony (all tags)

The documentary chronicling the 1974 music festival in Zaire which promoted the now historic fight between Ali and Foreman is coming to Blu-ray early next year.

Sony is preparing 'Soul Power' featuring James Brown, B.B. King, and more for Blu-ray on January 26.

The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack, and supplements will include a commentary with director Jeffrey Levy-Hinte and music/festival producer Stewart Levine; as well as deleted scenes.

Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $34.95

You can find the latest specs for 'Soul Power' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under January 26.

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Discs mentioned in this article: (Click for specs and reviews)
Soul Power (Blu-ray)

'Halloween II (2009)' Blu-ray Detailed

Tue Nov 17, 2009 at 05:00 PM ET
Tags: Disc Announcements, Sony (all tags)

Rob Zombie's horror follow-up coming to high-def early next year has been detailed.

As previously reported, Sony Pictures is preparing 'Halloween II (2009)' starring Tyler Mane and Malcolm McDowell for Blu-ray on January 12.

The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, likely a lossless audio track, and supplements will include: Commentary with writer/director Rob Zombie; deleted and alternate scenes; blooper reel; audition footage; Michael - Interior; Uncle Seymour Coffins' stand-up routines; Captain Clegg and the Night Creatures Music Videos; movieIQ; and BD-Live.

Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $38.95.

You can find the latest specs for 'Halloween II (2009)' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under January 12.

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Discs mentioned in this article: (Click for specs and reviews)
Halloween II (2009) (Blu-ray)

'District 9' Blu-ray Comes Early

Mon Nov 16, 2009 at 05:00 PM ET
Tags: Sony, Disc Announcements (all tags)

Now the invasion will hit Blu-ray before Christmas.

As previously reported, Sony announced 'District 9' for a high-definition debut on December 29, but now the release date has been pushed up a week to December 22.

Nothing else about the release has changed: The Blu-ray will feature 1080p/AVC MPEG-4 video, a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack, and supplements include: Metamorphosis: The Transformation of Wikus; Innovation: Acting and Improvisation; Conception and Design: Creating the World of District 9; and Alien Generation: Visual Effects.

The Blu-ray will also include: Director's Commentary; Joburg From Above: Satellite and Schematics of the World of District 9 - Interactive Map; Koobus Big Gun; The Alien Agenda: A Filmmaker's Log Three-Part Documentary; The Alien Agenda: A Filmmaker's Log - Chapter 3: Refining District 9; Cinechat; Sony's MovieIQ and BD-Live.

Here's a look at the packaging:


Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $39.95.

You can find the latest specs for 'District 9' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under December 29.

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Discs mentioned in this article: (Click for specs and reviews)
District 9 (Blu-ray)

Review: Netflix Streaming on Sony’s PlayStation 3

Wed Nov 11, 2009 at 05:20 PM ET
Tags: 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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'Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs' Streams Free for New Sony Owners

Wed Nov 11, 2009 at 09:00 AM ET
Tags: 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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Sony Preps 'Last Action Hero' for Blu-ray

Wed Nov 04, 2009 at 02:30 PM ET
Tags: Sony, Disc Announcements (all tags)

Arnold Schwarzenegger will be back on Blu-ray this January.

Sony says the 1990s action/adventure flick 'Last Action Hero' will be coming to Blu-ray on January 12.

The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack, and the disc will also include Sony's MovieIQ and BD-Live.

Suggested list price for the Blu-ray has been set at $24.95.

You can find the latest specs for 'Last Action Hero' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under January 12.

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Discs mentioned in this article: (Click for specs and reviews)
Last Action Hero (Blu-ray)

'Michael Jackson: This Is It' on Blu-ray in 2010

Wed Nov 04, 2009 at 02:00 PM ET
Tags: Sony, Disc Announcements (all tags)

The final farewell for one of the greatest performers of our time is rumored to be making its way onto Blu-ray early next year.

According to the Los Angeles Times, Sony hopes to release 'Michael Jackson: This Is It' on DVD and Blu-ray sometime in early 2010.

Sony had originally planned to release the film just in time for the holidays, but it seems theater owners had some concerns feeling a home video release this soon would have an impact on theatrical attendance.

Specs and supplements have yet to be finalized, but the suggested list price for the Blu-ray will be $39.95.

You can find the latest specs for 'Michael Jackson: This Is It' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under PENDING.

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Discs mentioned in this article: (Click for specs and reviews)
Michael Jackson: This Is It (Blu-ray)

'Cliffhanger' Bound for Blu-ray

Wed Nov 04, 2009 at 09:00 AM ET
Tags: Sony, Disc Announcements (all tags)

Whatever you do, don't look down when this nineties thriller climbs onto the high-definition format in the new year.

Sony is slating up the Sylvester Stallone thriller 'Cliffhanger' also starring John Lithgow for Blu-ray on January 12.

The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack, and supplements will include: commentary with director Renny Harlin and Sylvester Stallone; technical crew commentary; Stallone on the Edge: The Making of Cliffhanger; special effects featurettes; storyboard comparisons; and deleted scenes.

The Blu-ray disc will also include Sony's MovieIQ and BD-Live.

Suggested list price for the Blu-ray has been set at $24.95

You can find the latest specs for 'Cliffhanger' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under January 12.

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Discs mentioned in this article: (Click for specs and reviews)
Cliffhanger (Blu-ray)

'Universal Soldier: A New Beginning' on Blu-ray

Tue Nov 03, 2009 at 10:00 AM ET
Tags: Disc Announcements, Sony (all tags)

Jean-Claude Van Damme and Dolph Lundgren are together again on Blu-ray this January.

In an early announcement to retailers, Sony has revealed 'Universal Soldier: A New Beginning' will be coming to Blu-ray on January 5.

Specs and supplements are still unknown at this time, but suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $34.95.

You can find the latest specs for 'Universal Soldier: A New Beginning' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under January 5.

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Discs mentioned in this article: (Click for specs and reviews)
Universal Soldier: A New Beginning (Blu-ray)


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