-
The Gripping Eco-Thriller 'Racing Extinction' Dated for Blu-ray[teaser]The documentary from the Academy Award-winning filmmakers of 'The Cove' is planned for Blu-ray in February. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Lionsgate will be releasing 'Racing Extinction' on Blu-ray on February 23. Director Louie Psihoyos and the Oceanic Preservation Society go on the most high-tech, covert operation ever for an inside look at the hidden world of endangered species and a detailed analysis of the astronomical industrial growth that is changing the chemistry of the entire planet. Using hidden cameras and numerous high-tech tactics to infiltrate the world's most dangerous black markets to document the link between carbon emissions and species extinction, the documentary reveals stunning, never-before-seen images that truly change the way we see the world. The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, lossless 5.1 audio, and supplements have yet to be revealed. You can find the latest specs for 'Racing Extinction' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it is indexed under February 23.Posted Thu Dec 17, 2015 at 08:00 AM PST by: -
'Close Range' Blu-ray Dated for January[teaser]The action thriller is gearing up for Blu-ray in January. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Xlrator is preparing 'Close Range' for Blu-ray on January 5. After rescuing his kidnapped niece from a powerful drug cartel, Colton MacReady (Scott Adkins) begins a relentless fight to save his family. The cartel has descended upon his secluded ranch with a thirst for revenge. In tow are a corrupt local sheriff and his crew of deputies, ensuring that help won't be coming any time soon. What ensues is a non-stop assault on the ranch, a blow-by-blow survival marathon for Colton to protect his loved ones and save his life. Supplements have not been detailed yet, but the Blu-ray will feature 1080p video and a DTS-HD MA 5.1 soundtrack. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $20.99. You can find the latest specs for 'Close Range' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under January 5. Order the Blu-rayPosted Thu Dec 17, 2015 at 06:00 AM PST by: -
Paul Weitz's 'Grandma' Headed for Blu-ray[teaser]The dramedy starring Lily Tomlin and Julia Garner will be available on Blu-ray in February. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Sony has revealed that 'Grandma' will arrive on Blu-ray on February 9. Elle Reid (Lily Tomlin) has just gotten through breaking up with her girlfriend when her granddaughter Sage (Julia Garner) unexpectedly shows up needing $600 before sundown. Temporarily broke, Grandma Elle and Sage spend the day trying to get their hands on the cash, as their unannounced visits to old friends and flames end up rattling skeletons and digging up secrets. Refreshingly unapologetic and candid, Grandma navigates the intricacies of relationships between three generations of women. The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, lossless 5.1 audio, and supplements include: A Family Portrait: The Making of Grandma; Q&A with Lily Tomlin, Sam Elliott, and director Paul Weitz; and Commentary with Lily Tomlin, Sam Elliott, Julia Garner and Paul Weitz. You can find the latest specs for 'Grandma' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it is indexed under February 9. Order the Blu-rayPosted Wed Dec 16, 2015 at 12:00 PM PST by: -
BBC's 'Doctor Who: The Complete Ninth Series' & 'The Husbands of River Song' Announced for Blu-ray[teaser]The 12th Doctor and his TARDIS will materialize on Blu-ray in April. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, BBC is preparing 'Doctor Who: The Complete Ninth Series' for Blu-ray on April 5. In addition, the upcoming Doctor Who Christmas Special, 'The Husbands of River Song,' will be released on February 23. 'Doctor Who: The Complete Ninth Series' - Peter Capaldi returns as the Doctor alongside Jenna Coleman and guests including Game of Thrones Maisie Williams. Now that the Doctor and Clara have established a dynamic as a partnership of equals, they re relishing the fun and thrills that all of space and time has to offer. Tangling with ghosts, Vikings and the ultimate evil of the Daleks, they embark on their biggest adventures yet. Missy is back to plague the Doctor once more, the Zygons inspire fear as they shape-shift into human clones, and a new arrival moves in cosmic ways. Specs and supplements have not been detailed yet. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $89.98. You can find the latest specs for 'Doctor Who: The Complete Ninth Series' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under April 5. Order the Blu-ray 'Doctor Who: The Husbands of River Song' - It’s Christmas Day on a remote human colony and the Doctor is hiding from Christmas Carols and Comedy Antlers. But when a crashed spaceship calls upon the Doctor for help, he finds himself recruited into River Song’s squad and hurled into a fast and frantic chase across the galaxy. King Hydroflax is furious, and his giant Robot bodyguard is out-of-control and coming for them all! Will Nardole survive? And when will River Song work out who the Doctor is? All will be revealed on a starliner full of galactic super-villains and a destination the Doctor has been avoiding for a very long time. Specs and supplements have not been detailed yet. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $19.98. You can find the latest specs for 'Doctor Who: The Husbands of River Song' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under February 23. Order the Blu-rayPosted Wed Dec 16, 2015 at 10:00 AM PST by: -
Piers Haggard's 'Venom' Planned for Blu-ray[teaser]The 1981 film starring Klaus Kinski, Oliver Reed, and Susan George will sink its fangs into Blu-ray in the new year. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Blue Underground will be releasing 'Venom' on Blu-ray in the new year. It was supposed to be the perfect crime: the sexy maid (Susan George of Straw Dogs), a psychotic chauffer (Oliver Reed of Revolver) and an international terrorist (the legendary Klaus Kinski) kidnap a wealthy ten-year-old boy from his elegant London townhouse. but they didn't count on a murdered cop, a desperate hostage siege and one very unexpected houseguest: a furious Black Mamba, the most lethal and aggressive snake known to nature. It can attack from ten feet away. It's bite brings excruciating death, and it is on the loose. Now, terror knows no antidote... and the ultimate in slithering mayhem is Venom. No other details have been revealed at this time. You can find the latest specs for 'Venom' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it is indexed under PENDING.Posted Wed Dec 16, 2015 at 06:00 AM PST by: -
'The Peanuts Movie' Blu-ray & Blu-ray 3D Up for Pre-Order![teaser]Charlie Brown, Snoopy, and the gang are heading to Blu-ray next year. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, 20th Century Fox is preparing 'The Peanuts Movie' for Blu-ray and Blu-ray 3D in Spring 2016. An additional 2D version with a Plush Toy will also be released. Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Lucy, Linus and the rest of the beloved "Peanuts" gang make their big-screen debut, like they've never been seen before, in state of the art 3D animation. Charlie Brown, the world's most beloved underdog, embarks upon an epic and heroic quest, while his best pal, the lovable beagle Snoopy, takes to the skies to pursue his arch-nemesis, the Red Baron. From the imagination of Charles M. Schulz and the creators of the ICE AGE films, THE PEANUTS MOVIE will prove that every underdog has his day. Specs and supplements have not been detailed yet. Suggested list prices for the Blu-ray and Blu-ray w/Plush Toy are $39.99 each. Suggested list price the Blu-ray 3D is $49.99. You can find the latest specs for 'The Peanuts Movie' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under PENDING. Order the Blu-ray Order the Blu-ray w/Plush Toy Order the Blu-ray 3DPosted Tue Dec 15, 2015 at 12:00 PM PST by: -
James Spader in 'Jack's Back' Blu-ray Announced[teaser]Rowdy Herrington's 1988 crime thriller is planned for Blu-ray in January. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Scream Factory says 'Jack's Back' will hit Blu-ray on January 26. One hundred years ago, Jack the Ripper slashed his way through London's red light district. Now, a modern-day maniac is honoring the event by mutilating L.A.'s ladies of the evening. Has Jack the Ripper been reborn? The police are stumped and the prostitutes of L.A. are scared. The only person with a chance of solving the murders has a problem of his own – he's the LAPD's number one suspect.... Specs have yet to be revealed, but supplements include: NEW audio commentary with writer/director Rowdy Herrington; NEW The Making of Jack’s Back - interviews with writer/director Rowdy Herrington, producer Tim Moore, actress Cynthia Gibb and director of photography Shelly Johnson; and Theatrical Trailer. You can find the latest specs for 'Jack's Back' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it is indexed under January 26. Order the Blu-rayPosted Tue Dec 15, 2015 at 10:00 AM PST by: -
Hou Hsiao-hsien's 'The Assassin' Dated for Blu-ray[teaser]The critically-acclaimed martial arts drama arrives on Blu-ray in January. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Well Go USA will be releasing 'The Assassin' on Blu-ray on January 26. Back with his first film in eight years, award-winning Taiwanese director Hou Hsiao-hsien (Flight of the Red Balloon, Three Times) wowed this year’s Cannes Film Festival (where he won Best Director) with his awe-inspiring 'The Assassin'. Rich with shimmering, breathing texture and punctuated by brief but unforgettable bursts of action, THE ASSASSIN is a martial arts film like none other. The visually stunning, action-packed film blends tragic historical drama with thrilling swordplay and martial arts in this story of an exiled assassin (Shu Qi, Tai Chi Hero, The Transporter) who must choose between love or duty when she receives orders to kill a man (Chang Chen, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, The Grandmaster) from her past. With a Certified Fresh rating of 83% on Rotten Tomatoes, THE ASSASSIN also stars Zhou Yun (Let the Bullets Fly) and Tsumabuki Satoshi (The Vancouver Asahi). In addition to winning Best Director at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival, THE ASSASSIN also won the Cannes Soundtrack Award for Composer Giong Lim and was nominated for the prestigious Palme d’Or. At the 2015 Golden Horse Film Festival, the film was nominated in 10 categories, taking home prizes for Best Director, Best Feature Film, Best Cinematography, Best Makeup & Costume Design and Best Sound Effects. THE ASSASSIN is Taiwan’s submission for Best Foreign Language Film at the 88th Academy Awards®. In 9th-century China, Nie Yinniang is a young woman who was abducted in childhood from a decorated general and raised by a nun who trained her in the martial arts. After 13 years of exile, she is returned to the land of her birth as an exceptional assassin, with orders to kill her betrothed husband-to-be. She must confront her parents, her memories, and her long-repressed feelings in a choice to sacrifice the man she loves or break forever with the sacred way of the righteous assassins. Specs haven't been revealed yet, but supplements include a behind the scenes featurette. The suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $29.98. You can find the latest specs for 'The Assassin' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it is indexed under January 26.Posted Tue Dec 15, 2015 at 08:00 AM PST by: -
Michael Reeves' 'Revenge of the Blood Beast' Bound for Blu-ray[teaser]The 1966 horror flick starring Barbara Steele is planned for Blu-ray in 2016. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, RaroVideo says 'Revenge of the Blood Beast' will arrive on Blu-ray sometime in the new year. A young woman is driving alongside a lake. She has an accident and the car plunges into the water. Her body is then possessed by the spirit of an 18th-century witch who was killed by local villagers, and is bent on avenging herself on them... No other details have been released at this time. You can find the latest specs for 'Revenge of the Blood Beast' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it is indexed under PENDING.Posted Tue Dec 15, 2015 at 06:00 AM PST by: -
Top 5 Dolby Atmos Demos in 'Minions'As Dolby Atmos achieves greater saturation in cinemas and homes, it's been fascinating to see how filmmakers choose to evolve their sound mixes for specific productions. Some sound designers elect to vault the entire soundstage skyward, placing music and sound effects objects above the listener for a sense of hemispherical immersion, while others embrace the format's ability to have an ultra-wide front soundstage. In cinemas, this is wider effect is achieved because Dolby Atmos requires inserting extra, individually-powered speakers in the gap between front channels and side-surround speakers. At home, the best way to recreate these mixes is with a 9.1.2 or 9.1.4 Dolby Atmos configuration; i.e., by adding a second pair of ear-level speakers out wide and in front of the main listening position. 'Minions' (also available in 3D) boasts such a mix. While height objects are generally reserved for a few key sequences, this Dolby Atmos mix takes special care in panning all the Minion character voices -- particularly Kevin, Stuart, and Bob -- as they run on and off screen, from right to left or left to right. Outside of 2.0 stereo mixes, I don't think we've ever heard a sound design that so heavily relied on front L and front R placement, which expands even further with the addition of front wide speakers. [teaser]If you recently purchased (or plan to purchase), 'Minions' on Blu-ray, here's a go-list of the Blu-ray's top five demonstration-worthy moments. [/teaser]Warning: some SPOILERS ahead. Scarlet Overkill Chapter 6: 00:27:15 - 00:32:30 The first immersive demo on the disc. The Minions travel to Villain Con hoping to find a new Boss. There, the first female super villain, Scarlet Overkill, gives the keynote speech where she challenges all of the attending villains to steal a stone to earn a chance to be her henchmen. Audio geeks will perk up at this sequence thanks to its sense of place and location. After flying in on a jet-powered dress, Scarlet's voice echoes off a vast auditorium, making the audience feel as though we too are at Villain Con. A complex multi-character fight sequence follows, offering up numerous pans as characters come in and out of frame. La Crowna! Chapters 9-10: 00:45:30 - 00:48:20 After being thwarted in the Tower of London, Kevin, Bob, and Stuart set off in mad dash to capture to capture the crown from the Queen of England herself. Chase sequences are usually a lot of fun for surround sound enthusiasts. What makes this track a Dolby Atmos demo is the Slinky-eqsque sound tone of Bob's robotic arms and legs (courtesy of the Overkill weapons lab). They whoosh and clink around the audience and above. Police sirens, horse carriage noises, and Minion voices provide a lot of ear-level activity too, while a passing train roars overhead. The whole complex sequence builds into a fury that releases with a Sword in the Stone gag that involves choral music and a flew flapping bird wings. This is Torture Chapter 12: 00:55:40 - 00:57:00 Unable to trust the Minions, Scarlet Overkill sentences Kevin, Bob, and Stuart to death in a medieval torture chamber. But Dungeon Master "Definitely Not Herb Overkill" is unable to off the talking bananas, so the wholly thing devolves into a photoshoot. This is a fun Dolby Atmos demo thanks to excellent Minion voice placement, subtle surround panning, and one excellent effect where Scarlet uses an older metallic speaker system to summon Herb, which comes from the top left. Very lifelike (you know, for an animated movie). Weapon Initiated Chapters 16-17: 01:08:50 - 01:15:30 Seven minutes is a crazy-long demo, I know, but this entire sequence is not only pretty spectacular in term of dynamic range, LFE performance, and surround sound panning, but also offers the most active engagement of height speakers in the entire movie. After Kevin steps into an experimental weapon, which turns him into Monster Kevin, a mighty yellow beast that towers over London buildings who wants to save his friends. As Kevin stomps through the city and battles Scarlet Overkill, your subwoofers will flex their bassy might. Score elements and echoing voices fill the sound stage. Explosions roar with a hefty punch. Sound effects like sirens and horns are perfectly placed, while Scarlet's flight movements track wonderfully overhead. I'm sure there are a few mini-demos within this section, but Dolby Atmos fans are going to love this entire sequence. Their New Boss Chapter 18: 01:20:00 - 01:21:15 This final gag -- for movie and sound mix alike -- involves the Minions chasing after the next potential villain Boss. It begins with the Minions running, their voices again babbling around the front sound stage. There's warm-toned voice over. And the aural highlight involves a craft transforming and taking off overhead as the credits roll. This demo highlights an entire range of Dolby Atmos' spacial capabilities in a shorter run time than some of our other demos.Posted Mon Dec 14, 2015 at 05:39 PM PST by:
