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'Hell and Back Again' Announced for Blu-ray[teaser]The acclaimed war documentary by Danfung Dennis is planned for high-definition release this January. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, New Video Group has scheduled 'Hell and Back Again' for a Blu-ray release on January 24. The film won the Cinematography and Grand Jury Prizes at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival. Specs and supplements haven't been revealed yet, but suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $34.95. You can find the latest specs for 'Hell and Back Again' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under January 24.Posted Mon Oct 24, 2011 at 08:00 AM PDT by: -
'Elite Squad' Blu-ray Dated[teaser]José Padilha's 2007 crime thriller also known as 'Tropa de Elite' will hit Blu-ray next Valentine's Day. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, New Video Group has revealed 'elite Squad' for a high-definition release on February 14. The Golden Bear Award winner at the Berlin International Film Festival is the highest-grossing film in Brazil history and will have a U.S. theatrical release on November 11 at the AMC Empire 25 in New York City as well as November 18 at Laemmle's Sunset 5 in Los Angeles. Specs and supplements haven't been revealed yet, but suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $34.95. You can find the latest specs for 'Elite Squad' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under February 14.Posted Mon Oct 24, 2011 at 06:00 AM PDT by: -
HDD Deal of the Week: 'The Rocky Horror Picture Show' Blu-ray $14.99 at Amazon[teaser]Dammit, Janet! The Blu-ray deal this week at Amazon features a sweet transvestite from T-T-T-Transylvania! [/teaser] The online retailer has just lowered the price of 'The Rocky Horror Picture Show' starring Susan Sarandon, Barry Bostwick, Meat Loaf, and Tim Curry to $14.99 (57% off suggested price). The Blu-ray digibook release features loads of new material including: Rocky-oke: Sing It!; Don't Dream It, Be It: The Search for the 35th Anniversary Shadowcast, Part I; An-tic-i-pation: The Search for the 35th Anniversary Shadowcast, Part II; Mick Rock (A Photographer); Mick Rock's Picture Show (A Gallery); Pressbook and Poster Gallery; The Midnight Experience: The Late Night, Double Feature, Picture-in-Picture Show, Vintage Callback Track (Unrated), Prop Box, Trivia Track; and BD-Live. Click here to do the Time Warp and own Jim Sharman's devilishly twisted musical on Blu-ray! This offer is in effect from now through October 29.Posted Sun Oct 23, 2011 at 08:48 AM PDT by: -
Bonus View Digest - October 21, 2011[teaser]Our TV coverage over on The Bonus View is still going strong as new shows continue to premiere throughout the month of October. However, with all the TV talk we still managed to squeeze in a lot of worthwhile articles about everything from the hard-to-solve technical problems of 3D home viewing to the true scariness of movie monsters.[/teaser] It's been a wild week, but we hope that you'll join us over on the blog for some of the latest discussion on your favorite high-def topics. Theatrical News Luke has been busy, seeing just about every film opening up this weekend. Last week he say 'The Thing ' and raved about it, while this week he saw two turds in 'Johnny English Reborn ,' and 'Paranormal Activity 3 .' Luke also talked trilogies , and how that word really doesn't mean that much in our modern theatrical world of endless sequels. Don't trust Michael Bay, he's planning on making as many 'Transformers' movies as possible. Josh took on a more somber topic to discuss this week. It's something that we don't really think about all too often, but something that happens to be happening right before our eyes. Cinema is turning the digital corner for good . Production of film-based cameras has all but stopped. What does this mean for the industry? What does this mean for movie lovers like us? Read on and find out. Home Theater News This week Josh took a good hard look at the 3D crosstalk problem and wondered if there are any solutions. It seems that it's going to be a tough problem to solve, but if you feel like you have the answers hop on over to the article and join in on the spirited discussion. Make sure to check out our weekly features about what's new on the Netflix and Vudu streams. It may help you find something to watch this weekend without having to venture out in the frigid autumn air. In Wayne's One From the Vault column, he took a look at the nerdy classic 'Wizard' starring Fred Savage and 'Mario Bros. 3.' TV Recaps We've continued to cover quite a few shows on the blog. Check out recaps of 'Fringe,' 'American Horror Story ,' 'Modern Family,' 'Psych ,' 'Terra Nova ,' and 'It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia .' Also check out our featured post for the season premiere of 'The Walking Dead .' Did it live up to the hype or fall a bit flat? You decide, and then come on over and join in on the heated discussion with the readers and writers. Special Features In this week's Mid-Week Poll we asked you if you are prone to collecting movie sets with extra-special packaging. The Weekend Roundtable took a look at movies that actually need to be remade. What movies would you remake? Come on over and tell us in the comments. That's it for this week. We promise another full seven days of fun this upcoming week. Until then enjoy your weekend and watch some movies.Posted Fri Oct 21, 2011 at 11:30 AM PDT by: -
'Tucker and Dale vs. Evil' Blu-ray Detailed[teaser]The sleeper hit dark comedy coming to Blu-ray in November has now been fully detailed! [/teaser] As previously reported, Magnolia will release 'Tucker and Dale vs. Evil' on Blu-ray on November 29. The film stars Alan Tudyk and Tyler Labine as a pair of mountain folk who are trying to enjoy their vacation when they are attacked by preppy college kids. The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, a lossless 5.1 soundtrack, and supplements will include: Making of Tucker & Dale vs. Evil featurette and commentary with Alan Tudyk, Tyler Labine, and director Eli Craig. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $29.98. You can find the latest specs for 'Tucker and Dale vs. Evil' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under November 29.Posted Fri Oct 21, 2011 at 10:45 AM PDT by: -
High-Def Digest Attends Virtual Roundtable with Pixar's Rob Gibbsby Tom Landy [Teaser]The director of the all-new Mater short included in the upcoming DVD and Blu-ray release of 'Cars 2' recently hosted a Q & A roundtable and High-Def Digest was there! [/Teaser] Rob Gibbs has been a director for numerous shorts found in Pixar’s 'Cars Toons: Mater’s Tall Tales' featuring the lovable rusted tow truck voiced by Larry the Cable Guy. Gibbs co-directed 'Rescue Squad Mater,' 'Mater the Greater,' 'El Materdor,' and 'Tokyo Mater' with John Lasseter and Victor Navone, and also teamed up with Lasseter again on 'Unidentified Flying Mater,' 'Monster Truck Mater,' and 'Heavy Metal Mater.' But that's not all, he also buckled up in the driver's seat for 'Moon Mater,' 'Mater Private Eye,' and 'Air Mater' -- the latest addition to the "tall tales" series that also serves as a sort of tie-in to the upcoming 'Cars' spinoff, 'Planes.' After treating us to a sneak peek of the full 'Air Mater' short, Rob spent a good two hours answering questions at the virtual roundtable (including a few submitted by High-Def Digest). We've included a full transcript of the Q & A session below for our readers. Q: Your daughter Mary is the voice of Boo in 'Monsters, Inc.' Her performance of the voice of Boo was really great, and we were so moved. What is she doing now? Rob Gibbs: She is now 15 years old and in her second year of high school. She has been doing cheerleading and gymnastics and recently started playing ice hockey. You can also hear her voice in the 'Monsters Inc.' ride at Disneyland. Q: What is your impression of John Lasseter? What is he like to work with? Rob Gibbs: Besides his nice collection of Hawaiian shirts, he has been a great mentor to me. He knows everything there is to know about animation and filmmaking, and watching him direct has helped me develop my craft. Q: What is the difference between directing short films and feature films? Rob Gibbs: The biggest difference with short films is that you have to setup the situation quickly and "pay it off" in a short amount of time. In a feature you can go a little deeper in developing the story and characters. The attention to detail and quality of work is the same as working on a feature. Q: Would you be interested in directing full length feature films? If so, what kind of feature films would you like to direct? Rob Gibbs: Yes. I've enjoyed the short format, it has been fun, but if given the opportunity, I would jump at the chance to direct a feature project. The kind of film that would interest me would be one that's awesome! Q: What is the attraction for you to create short films? Rob Gibbs: I have always loved short animated films from Popeye to Bugs Bunny. I love going to the theater and seeing a short before the movie. I have always admired the Pixar shorts and I'm glad they continue to make them. Q: You have been directing a lot of 'Mater’s Tall Tales,' would you please let us know the how you were assigned the Mater’s Tall tales projects? Rob Gibbs: It started out with developing short ideas for the 'Cars' world. I drew the storyboards and worked with an editor to create story reels. Fom there, they thought it would be a good idea for me to direct them. Q: Do you think you resemble Mater yourself? Are there any similarities or do you relate more to another character in Cars? Rob Gibbs: Sure, there's a little Mater in all of us. My teeth might not be as big, but like Mater tells his tall tales, I like to tell a few tales of my own. I'm a little rusty but all my stories have a hook. Q: What is your most favorite character in Disney animation and in Pixar animation? Rob Gibbs: In Disney animation, I have always admired Pinocchio but one of my favorite characters is Thumper from 'Bambi.' In Pixar animation, Boo from 'Monster's Inc.' shares a special place in my heart. HDD: What is your personal favorite character in the 'Cars' universe and why? Rob Gibbs: I've worked more on Mater then any of the other characters, but in the world of 'Cars,' Guido the little fork lift is always fun to have around. He even has a small part in 'Air Mater.' Q: My six year old twins who are big fans of the "Tales" wanted to know "How did they think up the idea to have them [Mater's Tales]?" Rob Gibbs: We were exploring a lot of ideas for shorts with the 'Cars' characters. One of our animators, Bobby Podesta, suggested that the shorts could be about Mater telling tall tales. That opened the door for endless possibilities. I don't think we could ever run out of situations to put Mater in. Q: What is your favorite "tall tale" and why? Rob Gibbs: 'Heavy Metal Mater' is an awesome one because of the music and how over the top it goes. 'Mater Private Eye' was a fun one to work on because of the dialogue and homage to film noir. However, the most recent one always becomes my new favorite, so, right now, that's 'Air Mater.' Q: Do you still love creating these Mater shorts or are you hoping to do something new? Rob Gibbs: I love being involved in the Mater shorts but I'm always open to exploring other possibilities. Q: What is your favourite Disney/Pixar film of all time? Rob Gibbs: 'Toy Story' blew me away when I first saw it and it remains my favorite Pixar film. Q: What do you believe is the most rewarding aspect of your job/career? Rob Gibbs: I've been drawing storyboards for Pixar and Disney films for years, and I love doing that, but when I've completed a sequence it's out of my hands. As a director I get to stay involved past the storyboard process and work with the people that make these films so beautiful. HDD: How long does it usually take to complete an animated short like 'Air Mater'? Rob Gibbs: 'Air Mater' was unique in that we were starting a new studio in Vancouver, Canada and it was to be their first project, so it took a little longer then the previous shorts. From start to finish we worked on it for about a year. Q: What was the inspiration to get Mater up in the air? Rob Gibbs: We've taken Mater so many places so to the air seemed like the next step. We loved the idea of Mater becoming a part of an elite formation flying team. One of the challenges was turning Mater into an airplane and a jet, while still keeping him Mater. In order to show Mater's progress, we designed him as an airplane keeping him rusty with a leather cap and goggles. When he becomes a Falcon Hawk, he has a shiny new paint job with awesome graphics. Q: You've cited 'Looney Tunes' as an influence on your work. How do you think it's made its way into 'Cars' and 'Air Mater?' Rob Gibbs: As with 'Looney Tunes,' we've tried to maintain that quick comedic timing for 'Mater's Tall Tales.' We also enjoy putting Mater in ridiculous situations. Q: Since you are dealing with known characters in 'Cars' is there a fine line between not introducing anything new that could interfere with the main story, but still continuing to develop their character, or do you try to just stick with their established character? Rob Gibbs: At first, we set out to create ideas using only the characters that we had from the original 'Cars.' John Lasseter pointed out, there's no reason to continue these shorts unless we expand the world of 'Cars.' So that opened up all sorts of possibilities to create new characters and fun environments. HDD: Have you ever run into a situation where you had an idea in mind for something to look a certain way in an animated feature, but just couldn't get it the way you wanted to? Rob Gibbs: With 'Air Mater,' we went through a lot of different steps. Our production designer started with sketches where Mater looked more like a jet than a tow truck. John Lasseter's input was, "don't lose Mater in the design." It was a big challenge to make it believable that Mater could become a plane. With all the films, we get there eventually, but it's not always where we started. Q: When a new Pixar release is going to be released in both 2D and 3D, is any of the storyboarding process centered around the 3D element, or is it just handled as its own element after 2D production? Rob Gibbs: We don't make our films with the idea that it will be in stereoscopic 3D, but at the time we're working on them we may think "oh this will look awesome in 3D!" We don't intentionally do gimmicky things such as jumping out of the screen at you. We use it to add depth to our films. Q: 'Finding Nemo' is being re-released theatrically next year. Are you excited to see it on the big screen again? How do you think Pixar films have evolved since 'Finding Nemo?' Rob Gibbs: I loved 'Finding Nemo,' and can't wait to see it on the big screen. With each film, we try to build off of what we learned from the previous film and make it better. For example, what we learned in making water for 'Finding Nemo' we were able to utilize in 'Cars 2.' HDD: I love all the different styles of textures in Pixar animation. Is that a complicated process? Rob Gibbs: We have a lot of really smart people who work at Pixar that figure out a solution to our complicated requests. So when an artist goes to them with an idea like how to make a car's paint job extra reflective, they figure out a way to do it. Q: What kind of an audience did you have in mind when you make a movie like 'Cars 2?' Rob Gibbs: We try to make our films appealing to audiences of all ages. Q: Was directing this animated short any more demanding or challenging than other productions you have done? Rob Gibbs: 'Air Mater' had different challenges then any of the other shorts that I've worked on. We had to design the world of Propwash Junction, not only from the ground, but what you see in the sky. Another challenge was getting a sense of movement in the sky without it being a cloudy day. Q: Mater and Lightning McQueen's friendship came under fire in 'Cars 2.' What do you think kids can learn about the value of friendship and teamwork from these characters? Rob Gibbs: Mater and Lightning McQueen are very different from each other, but are able to look passed their differences and accept each other for who they are. Q: Will Pixar Canada ever do a full feature film? Rob Gibbs: We started the Pixar Canada studio to work on the 'Cars' and 'Toy Story Toons.' At this time there are no plans for them to do a feature. Q: I know there are a few Pixar employees with flight experience, and Mark Andrews knows an F-18 pilot. Did you pull in their knowledge to make 'Air Mater?' Rob Gibbs: Our lead story artist on 'Air Mater,' Jim Capobianco, has extensive knowledge of planes and flying. Bob Pauley, our character designer, also knows a lot about planes. So much of the attention to detail came from their knowledge of airplane design. Even the language was heavily researched. Knowing that we can't slip anything past John Lasseter keeps us on our toes to remain authentic. Q: What first inspired you to want to work in animation? Rob Gibbs: My passion for drawing as a kid and a love of cartoons inspired me but it wasn't until I discovered the animation program at Cal Arts that I learned this could actually be a career. Q: Is there a sequence in Air Mater you're particularly proud of? Why? Rob Gibbs: So many of the aerial shots that showed off Propwash Junction. Pay particular attention to all the corn! Q: Are you a big fan of cars in real life? What car do you drive yourself? Rob Gibbs: I love cars, although I'm not mechanically inclined. I can change a mean flat tire. I've had more sporty cars in the past, I currently drive an Acura MDX. In the past I've had a convertible, Volkswagen and Jeep. But my first car was my grandmother's 1964 Plymouth Valiant. Q: Rob, any final thoughts on 'Cars 2' and 'Air Mater,' as we close out this virtual roundtable? Rob Gibbs: What I enjoy so much about 'Cars 2' and 'Air Mater,' is how we've put our characters in exciting situations and brought them to new worlds.Posted Fri Oct 21, 2011 at 09:20 AM PDT by: -
'Metal Shifters' Blu-ray Announced[teaser]Another Syfy Channel original movie will invade Blu-ray in February. [/teaser] In another early announcement to retailers, Starz/Anchor Bay is working on 'Metal Shifters' for Blu-ray on February 7. 'Metal Shifters' is an out of this world tale that will have you watching the skies, and your back. Two brothers desperate to keep the family business afloat soon find their prayers answered when a Russian satellite dislodges from orbit and crashes into the middle of a nearby field. Unaware the satellite carries a mysterious alien substance; the brothers sell the satellite to a local artist who uses the wreckage in his giant sculpture. But soon the substance brings the giant sculpture to life, creating an iron monster whose only mission is to kill. The cast includes Colby Johannson ('Final Destination 3,' 'Freddy Vs. Jason'), Kavan Smith (“Stargate: Atlantis,” “Eureka”) and Jesse Moss ('Dear Mr. Gacy,' 'Final Destination 3'). The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, a Dolby TrueHD 5.1 soundtrack, and there doesn't appear to be any supplements. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $24.99. You can find the latest specs for 'Metal Shifters' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under February 7.Posted Fri Oct 21, 2011 at 08:00 AM PDT by: -
'Ice Quake' Blu-ray Dated and Detailed[teaser]The Syfy Channel disaster flick will end Blu-ray's world this January. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Starz/Anchor Bay is working on 'Ice Quake' for Blu-ray on January 3. In 'Ice Quake,' we witness nature’s unforgiving power unleashed, as melting Alaskan permafrost is about to drastically alter a tranquil Christmas Eve. The permafrost thaws underground rivers of volatile liquid methane and creates a succession of violent and destructive earthquakes. The crack now leaks a deadly gas from deep within the earth’s core, and the world could end before New Year’s Eve! It’s up to a single geologist and his family to save the world by stopping this crack from spreading and the gas from getting into a nearby cave system that would destroy the planet. The cast includes Brendan Fehr (“Bones,” “CSI – Miami”) and Victor Garber (“Alias,” 'Titanic'). The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, a Dolby TrueHD 5.1 soundtrack, and The Making of Ice Quake. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $24.99. You can find the latest specs for 'Ice Quake' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under January 3.Posted Fri Oct 21, 2011 at 06:00 AM PDT by: -
High-Def Digest-Digest: October 20, 2011by Dick Ward [teaser] It's been a big month so far, what with all the happenings and goings on. We finally get to see the trailer for 'The Avengers,' 'Arrested Development' is coming back, and Sony Bravia TVs are catching fire. Yeah, it's not all good news.[/teaser] Blu-ray News 'Star Wars' and 'Thor' Mark a Dramatic Surge in Blu-ray Sales We're giving some credit to 'Thor' here, but I think we can all tell which of the two brought record Blu-ray sales numbers. 'Rise of the Planet of the Apes' Blu-ray Announced Behind the scenes footage, documentaries, featurettes, and commentary from the director and writers are all on disc with 'Rise of the Planet of the Apes.' You can get your stinking paws on it December 13th, you damn dirty ape. Ha! 'Godzilla (1954)' Gets Criterion Blu-ray Treatment Now that's what I'm talking about. Classic artsy fartsy movies may be enough for some, but a little Criterion love for 'Godzilla' is nice to see. You'll get features like crazy, a new 1080p digital transfer, and an uncompressed mono soundtrack when the disc hits shelves January 24th. 'Good Morning Vietnam' and 'Dead Poets Society' Dated and Detailed for Blu-ray January 17th will be a good day for Robin Williams fans, or anyone who likes good movies really. 'Good Morning Vietnam' delivers the comedy while 'Dead Poets Society' gets a little more serious with it. Both movies will carry an MSRP of $20. 'The Avengers' Official Trailer Now Available Alright, so it's not technically Blu-ray news. But hey, it'll come to Blu-ray eventually and if it's anywhere close to as good as it should be, you'll be buying it. The music isn't great, but otherwise the trailer is incredibly cool. Watch it now, then watch it again and again until the movie is finally out. Gear and Industry News 40 Inch Bravias May Catch Fire - Sony Issues Recall If you have a 40 inch Bravia you need to click the link, check your model numbers, and make sure your TV isn't going to overheat and burn down your house. At the bare minimum, get one of those Jiffy Pop thingies with the handle and set it by the remotes. If you don't have this TV, move along - nothing to see here. 10 New Episodes of 'Arrested Development' are In the Works - Netflix Among Bidders One of the most beloved comedies of all time (and yet another brilliant show canceled by Fox) is finally coming back on the air. Until that happens, feel free to watch the series again like I do once every few months. Comcast Introduces "MyTV Choice" No-Contract Channel Packages Based on Interests Instead of Tiers It ain't perfect, but it's a damn good start. Eliminating tier based packages in favor of these new interest-based packages makes a lot more sense for consumers. Now if only we could build our own cable packages by selecting only the channels we wanted then we'd have a winner on our hands. Premium On Demand Version of 'Tower Heist' Cancelled Due to Theater Pressure I was really interested to see how 'Tower Heist' performed as a premium on demand title - a good response could mean a step forward towards early home distribution. As it turns out, we're not going to know quite yet. Netflix Changes Back - No Qwickster After All Netflix is back to one service and Qwickster is canned. The newest problem is solved but the price change remains in place. Anyone else get the feeling this is a New Coke sort of scenario?Posted Thu Oct 20, 2011 at 12:00 PM PDT by: -
'The Guard' Blu-ray Announced[teaser] The acclaimed independent buddy cop movie will arrest Blu-ray in January. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Sony has slated 'The Guard' for Blu-ray on January 3. The crime comedy that was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival stars Brendan Gleeson as an unorthodox Irish policeman with a confrontational personality who is teamed up with an uptight FBI agent (Don Cheadle) to investigate an international drug-smuggling ring. The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack, and supplements include: Commentary with John Michael McDonagh, Don Cheadle, and Brendan Gleeson; The Second Death featurette; Making of The Guard featurette; Outtakes; Deleted and extended scenes; and Q&A with Cheadle, Gleeson, and McDonagh. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is still undetermined at this time. You can find the latest specs for 'The Guard' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it is indexed under January 3.Posted Thu Oct 20, 2011 at 10:00 AM PDT by:
