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'REO Speedwagon: Live in the Heartland' Blu-ray Announced[teaser]We're gonna keep on loving Blu this September. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Image Entertainment is prepping 'REO Speedwagon: Live in the Heartland' for a high-definition release on September 6. Captured in high-definition and mixed in 5.1 surround sound. REO Speedwagon: Live in the Heartland presents Kevin Cronin (lead vocals, guitar), Bruce Hall (bass), Neal Doughty (keyboards), Dave Amato (lead guitar) and Bryan Hitt (drums) performing a full-throttle, 16-song set that spans the band’s celebrated 35-year career – from the Number 1 charting "Keep on Loving You" and "Can't Fight This Feeling" to hits from their most recent album release "Find Your Own Way Home." The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack, and supplements include a bonus interview with Kevin Cronin and Neal Doughty. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $17.97. You can find the latest specs for 'REO Speedwagon: Live in the Heartland' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under September 6.Posted Tue Jun 21, 2011 at 10:00 AM PDT by: -
'Supernatural: The Complete Sixth Season' Blu-ray Dated and Detailed[teaser]The soul searching begins in the sixth season of the hit CW series hitting Blu-ray in September. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Warner Brothers is planning to release 'Supernatural: The Complete Sixth Season' starring Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles on Blu-ray on September 13. As the Winchester brothers struggle to reunite, they must also battle deadly supernatural forces. Demons. Angels. Vampires. Shapeshifters. And a terrifying new foe called the Mother of All. The 4-disc set will include all 22 episodes with 1080p video, a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack, and supplements include: Jensen Ackles: A Director’s Journey; Supernatural and the Quest for the Soul; Audio Commentary on “Clap Your Hands if you Believe” with EPs Robert Singer, Sera Gamble, and Ben Edlund; Audio Commentary on “The French Mistake” with EP's Robert Singer, Sera Gamble and Ben Edlund; “The French Mistake” Alternate Takes and Outtakes; Gag Reel; and two bonus episodes from 'Supernatural: The Anime Series'(“All Hell Breaks Loose” Parts 1 & 2). Exclusive to the Blu-ray will be a pop-up trivia track and A Hunter’s Guide to Season 6. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray set is $69.99. You can find the latest specs for 'Supernatural: The Complete Sixth Season' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under September 13.Posted Tue Jun 21, 2011 at 08:00 AM PDT by: -
HDD Spotlight Bargain: 'Vengeance Trilogy' Blu-ray $32.99 at Amazon![teaser]Today's spotlight deal serves up Park Chan-wook's acclaimed trilogy of films for nearly fifty percent off! [/teaser] The online retailer is selling 'Vengeance Trilogy' for $32.99 (49% off suggested list price). The set includes 'Oldboy,' 'Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance,' and 'Lady Vengeance.' Click here to have that sweet taste of revenge!Posted Tue Jun 21, 2011 at 06:19 AM PDT by: -
'Top Gun' Blu-ray Double Dip Release Date Changed[teaser]Guess the "25th anniversary" Goose won't be getting cooked until late August. [/teaser] As previously reported, Paramount was to reissue 'Top Gun' starring Tom Cruise on Blu-ray back in May, but now the date has been pushed to August 30. The story of an elite group of pilots competing to be the best in their class and earn the title of “Top Gun” captured the imagination of a generation and earned a worldwide box office of over $350 million. Tom Cruise is superb as the cocky but talented pilot known as Maverick and Kelly McGillis sizzles as the civilian instructor who teaches Maverick a few things you can’t learn in a classroom. Featuring a sensational soundtrack with unforgettable songs from the 80s including Berlin’s “Take My Breath Away” and Kenny Loggins’ “Danger Zone”, the film also stars Val Kilmer, Anthony Edwards, and Meg Ryan. The release appears to be exactly the same as the current edition available on Blu-ray except for the addition of a Digital Copy and new suggested list pricing at $19.99. You can find the latest specs for 'Top Gun' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's now indexed under August 30.Posted Tue Jun 21, 2011 at 06:00 AM PDT by: -
HD in the Clouds: A Streaming State of the UnionBy Michael S. Palmer Let it be said that, as of the summer of 2011, there is no greater home theater medium to watch high definition film and television content than Blu-ray. And yes, I'm especially serious about the television part. Anyone who has fired up 'Lost' or 'Breaking Bad' or 'Sons of Anarchy' in true 1080p HD with lossless or uncompressed sound knows the limitations of broadcast/satellite/cable television make for some pretty meager "HD." Blu-ray remains the King of Bandwidth and the holy grail of home entertainment quality. All of that aside, Blu-ray won't be king forever. Gone are the days where the masses would migrate from one format to the next (VHS to Laserdics to DVD to Blu-ray); we live in a world where platform and format are secondary to Content. And our HD content of the future, if we trust in Steve Jobs and this guy, will likely live in "The Cloud." [teaser]Downloads and Streaming and VOD (Video On Demand) are, as you all know, already available, but, what's particularly frustrating is that one service doesn't simply provide everything. Each service listed below has strengths and weaknesses in terms of overall quality, content availability, and subjective-to-each-user value. As such, we here at High-Def Digest thought it might be time for a quick refresher course. [/teaser] Hopefully, it'll add some clarity to first timers or to those who are trying to figure out what's best for them. While none of these services approach the bandwidth capabilities of Blu-ray disc and are therefore lesser, more compressed forms of HD, I have broken down each service by maximum resolution available. My apologies if I've made any mistakes in these categories. Hit up the forums to let me know, and I'll fix it post haste. Enjoy! 1080p (or BUST!) Vudu We begin our Streaming tour with a service that offers both 720p HD as well as its proprietary 1080p "HDX" service. Josh Zyber reviewed the service a couple years ago. You can read his review right here. Simply put, and from what I've seen, Vudu's HDX with 5.1 Dolby Digital Plus is the next best thing to Blu-ray. As for convenience, Vudu is available on many devices, including the Playstation 3, a number of Blu-ray players and HDTVs, and Boxxee. The user interface is simple to use, and movies generally release day-and-date with their Blu-ray counterparts. The two caveats here are pricing (it's $5.99 per new release HDX movie for a 24 hour rental) and bandwidth requirements (4.5Mbps or more for HDX). With my fast-as-they-sell-at-AT&T DSL, I just barely make the cut, but it's so, so worth it for those who appreciate quality. Cable / Satellite OnDemand. In my case, DIRECTV CINEMA Next, we have our Satellite and Cable providers On Demand services. Unfortunately, I can't be hugely specific on pricing and picture/audio quality for every cable provider. What I will say is that movies here also often premier day-and-date with their Blu-ray counterparts. Pricing ranges from $3.99 to $7.99 per film. Expect to pay at least $4.99 for HD movies. Cable subscribers, you're generally in a better position to watch any of your movies instantly with no lag. I happen to be a DirecTV subscriber (which isn't always pleasant, but I have to have the NFL package, and the HD-DVR is much better than any cable DVR I have ever used). For us, it requires patching my HD-DVR into a broadband internet source, and when selecting a film, it will start downloading and eventually prompt you to watch it. I recently enjoyed the Magnet Films release of 'Troll Hunter' (which debuted day-and-date with its limited theatrical U.S. distribution) in 1080p and 5.1 Dolby Digital surround sound. Compared to how "HD" cable channels like FX look on DirecTV, my DirecTV CINEMA rental was clear and generally artifact-free. It cost $7.99 (because the movie is still in theaters), but was well worth it at less than half of my wife and I actually going to the cinema. The best part about cable or satellite On Demand is there's not extra "set-top box" to purchase. If you have an HD-DVR, you're already ready to rock n' roll. Zune / Xbox 360 While the Zune service itself includes music and works on many different devices, Zune on Xbox 360's Xbox LIVE is a full freight 1080p / 5.1 surround sound service with brand new HD movies and TV series available to buy and/or rent. What's really cool about here is the recently introduced Kinect functionality. Meaning, you can control and search for content using voice and hand gesture commands. Just keep in mind that HD streaming will require a broadband connection capable of 4-7Mbps, and in addition to the $6 you'll be spending on the movie rentals, you also have to buy an Xbox LIVE Gold membership, which will run you about $50 for a year. Since I don't own an Xbox 360, I have no idea, personally, how good the Zune content looks and sounds. Hit up the forums to let me know. Sony Playstation Store Movies are also available for purchase or rental on PS3s via the Playstation Network in full 1080p. Earlier this year, I rented the film 'Monsters' long before it came out on Blu-ray. The picture was sparkling, and because I had downloaded the whole film in advance, there was no lag or buffering time. 'Monsters' was another $7.99 rental (also still in cinemas), but HD movie content will generally run you around $4.99. The two big hurtles I find with the PS3 system: 1) two-channel audio only (it's been a while since I check, perhaps this has changed?), and 2) super-slow downloading time. As I've said, I can handle running Vudu HDX streaming service, but it took my PS3 over 8 hours to download 'Monsters', which was so long, I almost wasn't in the mood to watch the film anymore. Maybe you've had a better experience than me, but for now, I don’t think this is the service for me. Netflix Netflix HD Streaming remains a subscription based service, with plans (in the US) starting at $7.99 for unlimited streaming. Toss in one or two Blu-rays out at time, and it'll cost you $11.99 or $17.99 per month, respectively. With each passing week, Netflix material is looking more like real "HD". At the same time, better content is being added; next year, for example, Netflix will start exclusive distribution David Fincher's 'House of Cards', a television series starring Kevin Spacey. However, quantity doesn't always mean quality or New for that matter; if you want a new release, you won't find it on Netflix (though this may be changing, or differ for independent distribution companies). They do have some new-ish titles, thanks to their Starz Network deal (most movies or TV shows on Starz can be found on Netflix Streaming), but the Starz movies are all in smudgy standard definition. And SD streaming on large HDTVs looks hideous. Netflix is available on many devices, including TVs, Blu-ray Players, Game Consoles, mobile phones and tablets, and PC and Macs. It should also be said that Netflix's 1080p streaming capabilities is, for now, limited to the Playstation 3, with other services capable of providing 1080i HD. 720p iTunes / Apple TV Taking a step down into H.264 720p, there are two ways to enjoy "HD" content from the iTunes store. 1) you can buy or rent HD content directly from your PC or Mac (should it meet all of Apple's requirements), or 2) you can rent HD content on the Apple TV, which in its latest incarnation is a streaming-only device. HD movies typically debut day-and-date on iTunes; and HD TV shows generally appear within 24 hours of their initial TV broadcast. HD movie purchases cost around $17.99-19.99 and come with 5.1 surround Sound; HD rentals are $4.99. HD television show seasons run from $32.99-$38.99(and up), while individual episodes will cost around $2.99. Mac/PC purchases and rentals sometimes include "iTunes Extras", along the lines of Blu-ray special features, but these don't appear to work with on newer Apple TVs. In terms of quality, I've only ever rented a few things to view on my laptop. Generally, the quality was good, but prone to macro-blocking. How have your experiences been? Hulu Plus While Hulu Plus has some movies available, this subscription service is mostly known for its access to new TV shows, with content debuting the morning after a show's initial broadcast. At $7.99/month, you get access to HD content from Fox, ABC, NBC, Comedy Central, and a few others. Check here to see if you have a capable device. Like Netflix, you have the option to watch Hulu Plus from TV-enabled devices as well as mobile phones, tablets, gaming consoles, and of course, any computer. Much like iTunes, my Hulu experience is limited to the computer environment, but all available content here is in 720p and, if I'm not mistaken, stereo sound. MLB.tv Want to stick it to your cable or satellite provider, Baseball Fans? Here's what I just realized. The MLB Extra Innings package costs around $200/season from the DirecTVs and TimeWarnerCables of the world. Granted, this is 1080i with 5.1 surround sound, but for half that price -- $99.99 for a year -- you can get MLB.tv Premium (available on these devices), which allows you to not only watch any baseball game in 720p HD on your TV, but also on any Mac or PC. I haven't gotten a chance to check this out personally on my PS3, but the reviews have been so enthusiastic, I may have to consider how necessary 5.1 really is to my baseball watching. I say to those of us who can, let's call our cable networks and tell them we'll only pay $100 to watch or baseball! Agitation aside, MLB.tv is also available for $19.99-$24.99/month, or for $79.99/year for the non-Premium version of the service. HD playback requires your broadband network to be running 3Mbps or more. Have any of you used MLB.tv on the PS3 or any other device? Hit the forums and let me know how it is. Amazon Instant Video / Amazon Video On Demand Amazon Instant Video is an interesting mix of Netflix meets iTunes or Vudu. It requires a $79/year subscription to Amazon Prime, which gives subscribers perks like two-day shipping, and includes some free HD content. However, newer movies that come out day-and-date, or a few weeks after the Blu-ray release will still run you an extra $3-$5 each. Click here to check out how to watch Amazon Instant Video. This is the only service I've never used -- all I know is that the HD content is rated to 720p and 5.1 audio is available on some titles . So Amazon Prime members, please let me know what you think of this service. The only thing I wanted to address is that, on my computer searching side of things, it was a little cumbersome trying to figure out what movie titles were actually in HD and/or included 5.1 sound (the TV content was well marked). With each title, you'll need to scroll down underneath the product details to find a box like this: It's my understanding, however, that when you're actually using Amazon Instant Video from a set-top device like a TiVo, it's quite easy to see which titles are available in HD. Not HD, but hopefully someday Other services I was excited to talk about include Best Buy's CinemaNow (available devices listed here), Blockbuster OnDemand, Sony's Crackle (available on these devices) and even YouTube. They all stream movies from around $3.00 (actually, Crackle content is ad-supported / free), but alas, I was unable to find any HD movies available. If I've missed something, if these companies offer HD, be sure to hit up the forums, and I'll be happy to adjust. *** There we have it. The current state of the HD Streaming Union. It's a giant mess of options out there, with strengths of quality verses available content verses pricing all vying to grab our attentions. The good news is that so many of our modern home theater gadgets come with multiple versions of these services built-in, so you can pick and choose as needed. Now it's your turn, if you wish. What's your favorite streaming service? What would make it better? Also, please let me know if I've missed a service you love; I'll be happy to add it.Posted Mon Jun 20, 2011 at 12:40 PM PDT by: -
'Les Cousins' and 'Le Beau Serge' Announced for Blu-ray[teaser]Two French films by Claude Chabrol will be getting the Criterion Blu-ray treatment this September. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Criterion says 'Les Cousins' is planned for Blu-ray on September 20. In 'Les Cousins,' Chabrol crafts a sly moral fable about a provincial boy who comes to live with his sophisticated bohemian cousin in Paris. This dagger-sharp drama won the Golden Bear at the Berlin Film Festival and was an important precursor to the French New Wave. The Blu-ray will feature 1080p, an uncompressed monaural soundtrack, and supplements include: Audio commentary featuring film scholar Adrian Martin; A 2011 documentary by filmmaker Pierre-Henri Gibert about the making of Les cousins, featuring director Claude Chabrol, star Stéphane Audran, assistant directors Charles Bitsch and Claude de Givray, and others; theatrical trailer; and a booklet featuring an essay by film critic Terrence Rafferty. On the same day, Criterion will also be bringing 'Le Beau Serge' to Blu-ray. The remarkable and raw Le beau Serge heralded the arrival of a cinematic titan who would go on to craft provocative, entertaining films for five more decades. The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, an uncompressed monaural soundtrack, and supplements include: New audio commentary featuring Guy Austin, author of Claude Chabrol; Segment from a 1969 episode of the French television series L’invité du dimanche in which Chabrol revisits Sardent, the town he grew up in and the film’s location; theatrical trailer; and a booklet featuring an essay by film critic Terrence Rafferty. Suggested list price for each of the Blu-rays is $39.95. You can find the latest specs for 'Les Cousins' and 'Le Beau Serge' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where they're indexed under September 20.Posted Mon Jun 20, 2011 at 12:00 PM PDT by: -
'3 Women' and 'My Life as a Dog' Announced for Blu-ray[teaser]Altman and Hallström will get the Criterion treatment in August. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Criterion has just revealed '3 Women' is being prepared for Blu-ray on September 13. In a dusty California resort town, a naïve Southern waif finds her role model in a fellow nurse, but her hero-worship evolves into something stranger and more sinister than either could have anticipated. Robert Altman’s dreamlike masterpiece careens from the humorous to the chilling to the surreal. The Blu-ray will feature 1080p, an uncompressed mono soundtrack, and supplements include: Audio commentary by director Robert Altman, Rare production and publicity stills, original theatrical trailers and television spots, and a booklet featuring an essay by critic David Sterritt. Criterion is also readying 'My Life as a Dog' for Blu-ray on the same date. 'My Life as a Dog' tells the story of Ingemar, a working-class twelve-year-old sent to live with his uncle in a country village when his mother falls ill. Once there, Ingemar finds refuge from his misfortunes and unexpected adventure with the help of the town’s warmhearted eccentrics. The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, an uncompressed mono soundtrack, and supplements will include: Shall We Go to My or Your Place or Each Go Home Alone? (1973), a fifty-two-minute film by Hallström; Video interview with Hallström from 2003; original theatrical trailer; and a booklet featuring an essay by film critic Michael Atkinson and an appreciation by the late author Kurt Vonnegut. Suggested list price for each of the Blu-rays is $39.95. You can find the latest specs for '3 Women' and 'My Life as a Dog' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where they're indexed under September 13.Posted Mon Jun 20, 2011 at 11:00 AM PDT by: -
'Carlos' and 'The Phantom Carriage' Announced for Blu-ray[teaser] Films by Olivier Assayas and Victor Sjöström are coming to Criterion's Blu-ray library in late September. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Criterion says 'Carlos' is planned for Blu-ray on September 27. 'Carlos,' directed by Olivier Assayas, is an epic, intensely detailed account of the life of the infamous international terrorist Ilich Ramírez Sanchez—also known as Carlos the Jackal. The Blu-ray will feature 1080p, DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack, and supplements include: new video interviews with director Olivier Assayas, Lenoir, Le Saux, and actor Édgar Ramírez; Twenty-minute making-of documentary on the film's OPEC raid scene; original theatrical trailer; and a booklet featuring essays by critics Colin MacCabe and Greil Marcus, plus biographies on selected historical figures portrayed in the film, written by the film's historical adviser, Stephen Smith. On the same day, Criterion will also be bringing the Swedish silent film 'The Phantom Carriage' to Blu-ray. Based on a novel by Nobel Prize winner Selma Lagerlöf, this extraordinarily rich and innovative silent classic (which inspired Ingmar Bergman to make movies) is a Dickensian ghost story and a deeply moving morality tale, as well as a showcase for groundbreaking special effects. The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, two scores - one by acclaimed Swedish composer Matti Bye and the other by the experimental duo KTL, and supplements will include: Audio commentary featuring film historian Casper Tybjerg; Interview with Ingmar Bergman excerpted from the 1981 documentary Victor Sjöström: A Portrait, by Gösta Werner; The Bergman Connection, an original visual essay by film historian and Bergman scholar Peter Cowie on The Phantom Carriage's influence on Bergman; and a booklet featuring an essay by screenwriter and filmmaker Paul Mayersberg. Suggested list price for 'The Phantom Carriage' is $39.95 while 'Carlos' is $49.95. You can find the latest specs for 'Carlos' and 'The Phantom Carriage' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where they're indexed under September 27.Posted Mon Jun 20, 2011 at 10:00 AM PDT by: -
'Bereavement' Announced and Detailed For Blu-ray[teaser]The acclaimed film, based on the semi-autobiographical novel of the same name by Rula Jebreal, is planned for Blu-ray in July. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Starz/Anchor Bay will release 'Bereavement' on Blu-ray on August 30. The highly-anticipated prequel to the 2005 cult hit 'Malevolence,' 'Bereavement' stars Michael Biehn ('Terminator,' 'Aliens,' 'The Abyss,' 'The Rock,' 'Tombstone'), John Savage ('The Deer Hunter'), Alexandra Daddario ('Hall Pass,' 'Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief,' “White Collar”), and Brett Rickaby ('The Crazies,' 'The Assassination of Richard Nixon'). In 1989, six-year-old Martin Bristol (Spencer List) was kidnapped from his backyard swing in Minersville, PA. Graham Sutter (Rickaby), a psychotic recluse, kept Martin imprisoned on his derelict pig farm, forcing him to witness and participate in unspeakable horrors. Chosen at random, his victim’s screams were drowned out by the rural countryside. Martin’s whereabouts would have remained a mystery, until 17-year-old Allison Miller (Daddario) comes to live with her Uncle Jonathan (Biehn). While exploring her new surroundings, Allison discovers things aren’t quiet at the farmhouse down the road. What started as an innocent exercise in satisfying her curiosity will soon disturb a hornet’s nest of evil and despair. For everyone involved, there can only be two outcomes: bereavement or death! Like the critically-acclaimed 'Malevolence,' 'Bereavement' already wowed audiences during its theatrical run earlier this year. Michael Gingold from Fangoria Magazine gave the film “3-out-of-4 skulls,” saying “For fans of Stevan Mena’s accomplished, classical slasher opus 'Malevolence,' his prequel Bereavement is worth the long wait,” while Mike Snoonian from All Things Horror called it “an intelligent in-depth look at a tortured killer.” The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, Dolby TrueHD 5.1 soundtrack, and supplements include: Commentary track with director/writer Stevan Mena, Behind-the-Scenes Featurette, Deleted Scenes, and a Theatrical Trailer. . Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $34.98. You can find the latest specs for 'Bereavement' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under August 30.Posted Mon Jun 20, 2011 at 08:00 AM PDT by: -
'Top Gear: The Complete Season 16' Announced for Blu-ray[teaser]The complete 16th season of the long-running BBC series will fill 'er up with unleaded on Blu-ray this August. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Warner Brothers/BBC has just revealed 'Top Gear: The Complete Season 16' for a Blu-ray release on August 9. The series begins with Jeremy, Richard and James embarking on a monster three-part US road trip which starts with America's greatest driving road and ends with a race through New York. Later in the series Jeremy subjects the Skoda Yeti to a remarkably thorough road test while James May makes a rare visit to the test track in the insane Aerial Atom V8. The boys also head to Albania to test the super luxurious Rolls-Royce Ghost, a Mercedes S65 AMG and a rather unusual Bentley Mulsanne; back home, they discover some of the unusual pitfalls to watch out for when buying second hand convertibles. And Jeremy races the new Jaguar XJ against something even bigger and more powerful–the rotation of the Earth itself. “Celebrities in a Reasonably Priced Car” include standup comedian John Bishop, tennis legend Boris Becker, Jonathan Ross, Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, and Amber Heard. The Blu-ray will include all seven episodes on 3 BD-50 Blu-ray discs with 1080p video, a stereo soundtrack, and supplements will include: US Road Trip "Director's Cut", "Middle East Road Trip" Special, "Celebs in a Reasonably Priced Car" extended scenes, Chats, Outtakes, and a Studio Tour. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $29.99. You can find the latest specs for 'Top Gear: The Complete 16' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under August 9.Posted Mon Jun 20, 2011 at 06:00 AM PDT by:
