Since many of us are buying so many cheap HD-DVD's I figure we should also have a thread where we talk about the handful of them we actually watch from time, and whether we liked the flick/concert/TV show/etc. or not. It's clear that a lot of us buy way more HD-DVD's than we watch (with few exceptions). So here's a place where we can say 'it stunk,' 'it rocked' or simply 'it was OK' about the actual movie, not the deal. Since most HD-DVD's now cost less than a Blockbuster rental fee we can also be honest with ourselves and say whether the movie was worth the cost and effort. I'll start with a few I've watched recently.

I just saw Midnight Run (1988) over the weekend and WOW, it was pretty mediocre. Neither violent-enough or funny-enough to be mentioned in the same breath as Martin Brest's "Beverly Hills Cop." It doesn't help that Danny Elfman delivers an 80's rock soundtrack so generic and filled with punctuations/guitar riffs to highlight the so-called funny moments that during the first half of "Midnight Run" I felt I was watching a movie sitcom. I hated the forced Grodin-DeNiro banter and ridiculous circumstances in George Gallo's screenplay that sent them on their cross-country road trip. At the halfway mark the movie gets better though: Grodin becomes a little more endearing, DeNiro's then-new comedic persona eases up a bit and the action scenes/banter (particularly with John Ashton's rival bounty hunter) get better and better. Some rather unbelievable leaps-of-movie-logic notwithstanding (why doesn't Yaphet Kotto see Walsh and Mardukas from his helicopter when he's surveying the wrecked cop cars just a few yards behind where the duo crashed their car?) and a too-convenient happy ending aside "Midnight Run" is polished-but-still-brain-dead typical 80's buddy formula template material. The high-def transfer is very soft and mediocre for HD-DVD; it only shows its true colors during the nighttime Vegas outdoor scenes (which rock). For less than four bucks though I can't complain I was stiffed because I got exactly that: $4 worth of entertainment... barely! :(

I just saw Galapagos (2007) and WOW, it was really good. Much better than Disney's "Earth" movie, this 150 min. travelogue about the natural life in Ecuador's coastlines is good enough to have along "PE." Tilda Swinton's narration is better than Sigourney Weaver's for the US version of "Planet Earth" (though not as good as Sir Attenborough's in the BBC version) but it takes a backseat to the stunning high-def photography that shows you little details on turtle shells, lava sparks and water ripples that seem tailor-made for flat screen displays. Nothing original here (just another National Geographic nature special) but a good-looking time capsule of a spot on Earth with unique-enough animal/weather combinations to make me want to schedule my next vacation down in Ecuador. For $9.99 it was money well spent. :)

I just saw Midnight Run (1988) over the weekend and WOW, it was pretty mediocre. Neither violent-enough or funny-enough to be mentioned in the same breath as Martin Brest's "Beverly Hills Cop." It doesn't help that Danny Elfman delivers an 80's rock soundtrack so generic and filled with punctuations/guitar riffs to highlight the so-called funny moments that during the first half of "Midnight Run" I felt I was watching a movie sitcom. I hated the forced Grodin-DeNiro banter and ridiculous circumstances in George Gallo's screenplay that sent them on their cross-country road trip. At the halfway mark the movie gets better though: Grodin becomes a little more endearing, DeNiro's then-new comedic persona eases up a bit and the action scenes/banter (particularly with John Ashton's rival bounty hunter) get better and better. Some rather unbelievable leaps-of-movie-logic notwithstanding (why doesn't Yaphet Kotto see Walsh and Mardukas from his helicopter when he's surveying the wrecked cop cars just a few yards behind where the duo crashed their car?) and a too-convenient happy ending aside "Midnight Run" is polished-but-still-brain-dead typical 80's buddy formula template material. The high-def transfer is very soft and mediocre for HD-DVD; it only shows its true colors during the nighttime Vegas outdoor scenes (which rock). For less than four bucks though I can't complain I was stiffed because I got exactly that: $4 worth of entertainment... barely! :(



Ironically I watched this just last night for the first time, and I am going to have to disagree. I absolutly loved this film, and I actually loved all the things that rubbed you the wrong way such as the banter and the score. It was a fun film for a brainless evening that moved at a good pace and kept me entertained. Great cinema? No, but it was a whole lot of fun. Always nice to see Joey Pants and a young Deniro. If I have to complain, I will complain about Moron #1 and Moron #2, as well as the lead FBI agent, they were pretty bad and overdone, but the good made up for the bad. To each his own. HD-DVD Quality is what I would expect from a film I had never heard of, better than DVD, and it looked like 80's cinema. Couldn't ask for more.

Eastern Promises - gritty showcase for one of my favorite actors, Viggo Mortensen great story, outstanding PQ and AQ.

I've been trying to watch as many of my HD-DVD's as I can, but the at the volume I've bought, it'll take a bit.

So far in the last month or so:

That's Entertainment
Robin Hood
Terminator 3
Matrix (defective disk :mad:)
V for Vendetta
Viva las Vegas
Galapagos

Any more and my wife files.

A sample of still unwatched purchases on HD-DVD (not all):

Elizabeth the Golden Age
Zodiac
Hot Fuzz
Black Snake Moan
The Ant Bully
Grand Prix
The two later Matrix movies
Casino
.
.
.
etc.

This is a pretty neat idea. I'll have to watch some movies this weekend so I can post about it.

The Skeleton Key was a "different" movie. It definitely had the shock factor going though if I don't see another lock and key in my life it'll be too soon. lol. The ending, I gotta say, I didn't see it coming. I mean I REALLY didn't see it coming and usually I'm good at that. Pretty good flick and the picture quality and sound was great IMO. The plot twists were good and didn't seem "forced" like alot of movies. They pretty much blended in. Now I'm off to buy some red bricks. ;) lol

I just watched Smokin Aces and WOW i really liked it. Not sure what kind of expectations people set for themselves when they watch these types of movies, but it was fast paced and filled with A list actors, very pleased.
I also liked the Interpreter, despite the bad reviews it got. Nice hd on both movies!

I also didnt think I would like Black Snake Moan as much as I did due to the content/storyline, but I really liked it as well. Super hd as well.

I watched Hot Rod a week ago. I haven't laughed that hard in a long time. Glad I picked it up.

I watched Hot Rod a week ago. I haven't laughed that hard in a long time. Glad I picked it up.

"This is my hat." (kicks trash can).

I watched Rio Bravo a couple days ago and the pic quality was AWFUL. It was no better than the SD version.

Ironically I watched this just last night for the first time, and I am going to have to disagree. I absolutly loved this film, and I actually loved all the things that rubbed you the wrong way such as the banter and the score. It was a fun film for a brainless evening that moved at a good pace and kept me entertained. Great cinema? No, but it was a whole lot of fun. Always nice to see Joey Pants and a young Deniro. If I have to complain, I will complain about Moron #1 and Moron #2, as well as the lead FBI agent, they were pretty bad and overdone, but the good made up for the bad. To each his own. HD-DVD Quality is what I would expect from a film I had never heard of, better than DVD, and it looked like 80's cinema. Couldn't ask for more.

+1
I love it. It is actually a critically acclaimed film, particularly for its humour and the Deniro / Grodin banter! But its not for everyone, I'm sure!

I owned it on DVD before but the HD DVD looks way better!

I also liked the Interpreter, despite the bad reviews it got. Nice hd...

Also saw "The Interpreter" recently (last month) on HD-DVD for the first time and liked it with some reservations. Equals parts political thriller and character study between the leads (Kidman and Penn bring their 'A' game to their roles even as the script lets them down), Sydney Pollack's last movie as director is a handsome-looking studio production that feels a tad preachy and short on actual thrills (except for that standout bus sequence, which was scary). Watching the anamorphically shot movie in high-def brings the best from its actual UN locations, which only makes Pollack's plea in a bonus featurette to eliminate full-screen butchering of widescreen movies all the more reasonable. Pollack didn't go out with a directorial bang (the movie is kind-of a dud) but at least he went out classy.

Other HD-DVD's I've seen recently (not recent-enough for a full review) that I only bought because they were cheap: The Untouchables (as an A-to-Z story it's pretty shallow and superficial, but the signature pieces/action scenes and good casting sell it; one of the better-looking catalogue titles on either HD format), Flags of Our Fathers (preachy, clunky and everything that "Letters from Iwo Jima" was but this one can't be: memorable, touching, disturbing and even uplifting; Adam Beach steals the movie), Letters from Iwo Jima (a slightly-flawed but finely-crafted masterpiece; both "Flags" and "Letters" look good in HD but the draining of color from both masters doesn't to the high-def transfer any favors), Bonnie and Clyde (never seen it before and experiencing it for the first time in high-def was a revelation; funny, touching and disturbing in equal measure, this landmark movie is an awesome catalogue title to show-off high-def can enhance the enjoyment of an already-loved classic), Pride & Prejudice (not as good as "Atonement" but a classy cliffnotes version of the classic Austen novel; great visuals, nice camera work and great performance by Keira Knightly) and a couple more that I've forgotten.

For my most watched HD DVDs, music concerts lead the way. However most cost over $10 so I'll leave them out. And of course classic movies are much watched but there are so many I can't begin to list them. Instead I'll go with cheap movies I hadn't seen but recently gambled on.

For dirt cheap HD DVDs that performed way above their pay grade, I have to tip my hat to Shooter, Black Snake Moan, The Manchurian Candidate, Transformers and Dreamgirls. I hadn't seen any of these and for about $5 they are excellent additions to my HD library, great PQ and AQ and interesting enough you'll want to watch again or show to friends. You gotta say WOW seeing Shooter's girl in bra and panties with her 12 gauge pump shotgun!

Glad to see totalownership's recommendation of The Skeleton Key. Thanks, I have it but haven't watched it yet. Moving it to the top of the "to watch" list.

Forgot about Traffic, WOW...got to be the worst looking "hd" movie ever, intentional or not. Not really big on the subject matter either. I turned it off after ffwd-ing thru most the movie and sold it the next day.

Thumbs up on Skeleton Key as well^^^! Actually a pretty cool movie, looks great!

I just saw Next (2007) over the weekend and WOW, it sucked. Here's a big-budget action sci-fi flick (loosely based on Philip K. Dick's 'The Golden Man') so enamored with its own CGI-enhanced stunt sequences and/or visualization of lead character Cris Johnson's ability to see two minutes into his own future that it steamrolls over a stellar cast of supporting actors (Peter Falk, José Zúñiga, etc.) to rush to an ending that, while quite clever, feels like one of those great ideas on paper that don't translate as envisioned to the screen. If I had been in a movie theater when the ending of "Next" happened I would have been half-tempted to march to the box office and ask for my money back (something I never even think of). Only Julianne Moore (as a Scully-like FBI agent) completely sells the motivation behind her character's actions like if she actually believes Johnson's future-seeing ability will help her save Los Angeles from nuclear terrorists. Everyone else (Nicolas Cage, Jessica Biel, director Lee Tamahori, etc.) seems to be on auto-pilot and/or thinking about the studio paycheck they'll cash as soon as filming of "Next" wraps up. That Cage's character doesn't care about and is forced to track down the terrorists against his will (not because he wants to help save fellow Americans from being nuked) is another strike against a movie with too many cakes baking in its already overheated boilerplate of a crammed narrative.

For the couple of bucks it cost me though I got a handful of decent action scenes (the log avalanche scene was pretty cool) and some high-def sights of the always-pleasing-to-the-eye Ms. Biel. But man, what a waste of everybody's time (and Paramount's money).

watched The Host last night and it was pretty good, but the WOW is for the picture quality. Definitely reference material for me, and it's not too hard to get for around $5.

The Searchers is one of the best discs ever in red. It's amazing how good an older film can look if it gets a great restoration and transfer. Double WOW for this one.

I don't know where you guys are finding these movies but everytime I look on bestbuy.com or even amazon (i think) hd dvd's are like $30! I wish i could buy the Elizabeth movies on hd dvd, i own about 20 but still want certain titles on hd dvd. Any of you saw "kiss kiss bang bang" with robert downey jr? I thought it was a fun movie

John Carpenter's the thing - of the 100+ I've bought over the last few months, might be my favorite on this format. Something about the subtle yet definitely apparent video and audio improvements.

Makes me really wish Alien (very similar atmospheric sci-fi horror flick with a killer score) was available in HD.

I don't know where you guys are finding these movies but everytime I look on bestbuy.com or even amazon (i think) hd dvd's are like $30!

Specific vendors within amazon sell much cheaper than the 'general' price that appears on amazon when you type 'HD-DVD.' Traderbora is such a seller: http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&rs=&me=A2Q7JFWUPSYRTJ&rh=&page=1. Check out the prices for the "Elizabeth" HD-DVD movies at Traderbora, add shipping and see if it's more within your range. Internet stores like InetVideo (they have an ad running on AVS right now), eBay and a few discount stores around the country is where most of us have been getting out HD-DVD's. Check them out.

Any of you saw "kiss kiss bang bang" with robert downey jr? I thought it was a fun movie
I love it. I've been meaning to watch it again lately, making it the 4th time I've seen it.

I don't know where you guys are finding these movies but everytime I look on bestbuy.com or even amazon (i think) hd dvd's are like $30! I wish i could buy the Elizabeth movies on hd dvd, i own about 20 but still want certain titles on hd dvd. Any of you saw "kiss kiss bang bang" with robert downey jr? I thought it was a fun movie

Inetvideo is also a good source, I've combined that and the lower priced vendors on Amazon to good effect. I also have the Amazon prime membership that has saved me a bundle on shipping, since a lot of the titles from traderbora and others qualify for free shipping if you're a Prime member.

Specific vendors within amazon sell much cheaper than the 'general' price that appears on amazon when you type 'HD-DVD.' Traderbora is such a seller: http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&rs=&me=A2Q7JFWUPSYRTJ&rh=&page=1. Check out the prices for the "Elizabeth" HD-DVD movies at Traderbora, add shipping and see if it's more within your range. Internet stores like InetVideo (they have an ad running on AVS right now), eBay and a few discount stores around the country is where most of us have been getting out HD-DVD's. Check them out.

what is the deal on avs from inetvideo?

I don't know where you guys are finding these movies but everytime I look on bestbuy.com or even amazon (i think) hd dvd's are like $30! I wish i could buy the Elizabeth movies on hd dvd, i own about 20 but still want certain titles on hd dvd. Any of you saw "kiss kiss bang bang" with robert downey jr? I thought it was a fun movie


You should check around here more often. It's been a feeding frenzy of close out sales for over a year.

what is the deal on avs from inetvideo?

They have an ad running on AVS right now. Check around the advertisements when you go around the site.

I picked up Daylight from Amazon for 3.53 shipped this week. Cheaper than renting it.. :D

I picked up Daylight from Amazon for 3.53 shipped this week. Cheaper than renting it.. :D
Where can you rent Daylight?

:p

Just watched The Skeleton Key and Wow! An intelligent thriller for a change. Great story, great surprise ending and the acting was quite good. Beautiful locations, looks terrific and the soundtrack draws you in. Hats off to all involved! I'm going to watch this one again soon.

Thanks for previous recommendations here, you guys are dead on about this movie. And I noticed it's only $2 at Amazon for a new copy. Wow again!

Inetvideo is also a good source, I've combined that and the lower priced vendors on Amazon to good effect. I also have the Amazon prime membership that has saved me a bundle on shipping, since a lot of the titles from traderbora and others qualify for free shipping if you're a Prime member.

90% of my orders are from inetvideo, I agree with this post. Was surprised to see ads here too, who hasnt heard of them? lol

Some of the of HD DVD's I have watched in the past few months

12 Monkeys
300
Atonement
Constantine
Elizabeth
Elizabeth, The Golden Years
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
Harry Potter and the Golbet of Fire
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Happy Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
King Kong
Knocked Up
Lady in the Water
Music and Lyric
No Reservations
Out of Sight
Pride and Prejudice
Rumour Has It
Serenity
Skeleton Key
Stardust
Terminator 2, Judgment Day
The 40 Year-old Virgin
The Bourne Identity
The Bourne Supremacy
The Bourne Ultimatum
The Holiday
The Lake House
The Last Samurai
The Prestige
The Reaping
Transformers
Van Helsing
V for Vendetta


The Bourne films are my favorite closely followed by Transformers and Terminator 2.

I got most of my films from HMV but their list is getting smaller by the day and I already have most of the ones they stock.

:)"iamian Where can you rent Daylight?""":)

If you live in the UK HMV still have it for sale £2.99

Where can you rent Daylight?

:p

The only rentals on hd dvd is blockbuster on line

but they donot have that many
man let me tell u sonething
they are slow as sick snail
iam trying to get

bonecollecotr
derailed
scary movie 4
dantes peak
casino
timecop
the island

which they don't have any
iam trying to get under 2.50 w/shpping to buy

iam trying to get under 2.50 w/shpping to buy
Good luck with that, considering shipping costs about that much.

wow... $2.50? now that's cheap!

Yeah that's real low. Even at 47 cents like Amazon (pieceofmindbooks) has Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets right now the shipping adds $2.98 to that. Still a steal for a new copy.

:)"iamian Where can you rent Daylight?""":)

That's what I was asking, only place I know is Blockbuster online :confused:

This post and replies to it don't really belong here, but I will indulge you...
The only rentals on hd dvd is blockbuster on line
iam trying to get

the island

which they don't have any

Blockbuster won't have The Island HD DVD. It was an import. Back in the day, I bought a copy from HD Addicts and it was well worth the price.

Ok, getting back on topic:

I just saw Serenity and WOW, it's pretty good. Fun movie and certainly much more fun if you've seen the canceled TV series Firefly (which I haven't). The PQ and audio are good but not jaw dropping like some other Sci-Fi titles so you won't choose this disc to show off your system to friends. Of course to be fair it's a low budget film so can't compete with Transformers, etc. The story does keep you awake and the cast and characters are very good. As usual having Adam Baldwin in the cast keeps things lively.

Anyway, thumbs up! For $3.94 new with free shipping from traderbora if you place a $25 order you can't go wrong with this one. Certainly worth adding to your collection if you like Sci-Fi.

I just saw Transformers(2007) last night and WOW.

I've seen it once before, but since then I have replaced my entire 5.1 speakers. Trust me, it makes a huge difference. The visuals and sound effects were absolutely amazing and I greatly look forward to seeing the sequel tonight with the wife.

The story kind of sucks and I hate the style of the TFs themselves, but the fight scenes are great. Optimus Prime stabbing Bonecrusher in the face still remains my favorite part of this film.

ABBA the movie!!!, looks and sounds great.

The wife and I have been re-watching our HD DVD's of Harry Potter 1-5 and yeah, the wow is still there. GoF and OotP have some real oompf in both the picture and sound departments. The IME (in movie experience) are also worth a chuckle.

Too bad we'll never see six and seven (part 1 & 2) in red cases. :(

I bought 4 imports thru ebay at $5 per disk. We just watched KKBB and laughed all the way thru it. My wife decided it was a keeper. Now I just need to get a cover for it as 3 of these came w/o covers.

I know this is old hat for a lot of you, but I just got my media room set up with 5.1 and HD-DVD player and I popped in Transformers. I always liked the movie but now I have a better appreciation for what I was missing. The Ironhide jump scene is absolutely awesome! Truly like watching it for the first time. WOW!!!

Regards,

RTROSE

Not at all. We welcome those that score a good deal with high-def media (whether it's HD-DVD or BD, although BD gets its own side of the street to gloat ;)) and get to experience HD goodness for just pennies a serving. :)

Just saw PAN'S LABRYNTH and got to bitstream to get the DTSMA 7.1 track and was very impressed!! The picture quality was nearly always stellar and the surrounds were quite involving. Got it for $6 so i'm quite happy with my purchase.

I just saw The Wicker Man hd dvd last night and WOW it looked/sounded GREAT! I would go as far to say reference video/audio, great use of surrounds. This movie wasn't half as bad as I'd read. Yes, there were some laugh out loud moments from Cage(un-intentinal I'm sure) like "step away from the bike!", but all in all this was a great way to kill 90 min on a week nite. Not nearly as bad as "Knowing" as far as I'm concerned. Check it out!

And: meh. I'm a Peter Hyams fan (Outland, 2010, etc), but this one was pretty average. Picked this title up in the last Inetvideo blowout sale along with Carlito, Casino, Tremors, King Kong, Inside Man & Dante's Peak. I thought the picture quality was very good and the TrueHD track was very involving.

And: fantastic. Laughed my ass off again. Love Michael Gross and Reba McIntyre in this film. I know there are all sorts of complaints about EE, but on my 50" Sony, I thought it looked fabulous. The sound mix for the film was very front-heavy and ok at best.

And: rockin'! :D Seriously though, finally got around to opening my $5 "Dazed and Confused" HD-DVD over the weekend. I appreached this flick expecting a 'stoner' comedy (the cover and its reputation strongly suggest it) but instead got a 'day in the life/wall on the fly'-style dramedy that does for the 70's what Lucas' "American Graffitti" did for the 50's. Nothing important happens and there's really nothing remarkable about the 20+ young characters in this movie as they go through their last day/night of school in 1976 Austin (TX). And that's a good thing because, in real-life, important-days-that-change-our-lives-forever are few and rarely on the significant dates (like end of school) that you expect them to be. Surprisingly the then-unknown actors that went on to become stars (Jovovich, Posey, London, J.L. Adams, etc.) are overshadowed by the lesser-known actors except for McConaughey's and Affleck's scene-stealing turns as Woodstone and O'Bannion, respectively. Anthony Rapp and Christin Hinojosa, in particular, make a strong impression as a 'Jim and Pam'-type young couple of shy insecure-but-not-dorky people falling in love. Wiley Wiggins has an Edward Furlong presence about him (that's not a complement) but at least for "Dazed and Confused" he's the perfect Mitch.

The classic 70's soundtrack is nice but, 16 years removed from its release, feels a tad formulaic (probably because it helped set a template for retrospective movie soundtracks). I expect repeat viewings of this movie to yield lots more quotable lines like my favorite, 'I'm here to kick ass and drink beer, and we're all out of beer' plus a wealth of small moments that will add to the experience. I need a few more viewings to fall enough for the movie to want to know more about it's production/behind-the-scenes anecdotes. Disappointing high-def transfer though, barely above the DVD picture on the other side of the combo disc. Is the remastered Criterion transfer in SD DVD so much improved that it could actually look better than the HD-DVD picture?

And: WOW! :) It helps that I saw the prequel, "Mad Max," on a cable SD recording right before the stunning high-def treat that the HD-DVD transfer provides. Solid picture, great sound and a kick-ass 'post-apocalypse' flick with one hell of an action scene in that road chase at the end that seems to last a good long while. The location shoot, crazy costumes and good atmosphere come together for an awesome adult graphic novel-come-to-life flick in the same vein as "Conan The Barbarian" (the early 80's rocked). Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell stole Mad Mel's look in "The Road Warrior" for "Evil Dead 2" (the final five minutes) and "Army of Darkness" though, which broke my heart for five seconds. :rolleyes:

The wife and I have been re-watching our HD DVD's of Harry Potter 1-5 and yeah, the wow is still there. GoF and OotP have some real oompf in both the picture and sound departments. The IME (in movie experience) are also worth a chuckle.

Too bad we'll never see six and seven (part 1 & 2) in red cases. :(

I agree.

Unfortunetly I must buy on BLU the last HP movies.

I have the complete series (1-5.) on HD.Warner did a good job with HP series on HD-DVD.The picture quality is superb and the TrueHD soundmix is reference quality. :cool:

Yeah I know, the HD version contains only TrueHD audio track and HP BLU version has a better PCM track,but I don't care. :rolleyes:

I love that series.Especially on HD-DVD. :)

I picked up Daylight from Amazon for 3.53 shipped this week. Cheaper than renting it.. :D

Daylight!? I was very unhappy with this movie. Stallone is great fun to watch but those other characters should have been left underground to die, they were all jerks and I did not enjoy seeing him save them. :p

I got more of a 'thrill' out of collecting HD-DVD and had a better experience with the format than I have had with Blu-Ray. The most recent HD-DVD watched was Omega Man! Looked better than the DVD.

I expect repeat viewings of this movie to yield lots more quotable lines like my favorite, 'I'm here to kick ass and drink beer, and we're all out of beer'

The one line that I disliked, as it was a rip-off of a line from Carpenter's THEY LIVE. 'I'm here to kick ass and chew bubble-gum, and I'm all out of bubble-gum'

I watched that movie last night on HD.

LAND OF THE DEAD

The picture is great.The sound is good.But I think it's not a reference title on HD-DVD. Of course It was better than my old standard DVD version. :)

And what about the movie ?

It's was'nt too bad.This movie is watchable but nothing more... :rolleyes:

Months after selling my HD-DVDs off last spring, I was quite surprised to find one I hadn't while rummaging through some boxes yesterday, Poseidon.

I remember this as the first high-definition movie I ever watched on my Kuro and it left me speechless. The opening was quite the scene.

Will watch tonight.

^^^ That's a common problem for HD-DVD bargain hunters: so many titles that a few grow legs and hide in the most inconvenient places. ;)

And: MEH! The visuals are to die for (no pun intended) in high-def but you have to be in a Halloween mood or be a Burton fan to appreciate the macabre little humor touches throughout the flick. I wasn't in either camp so except for a couple of chuckles I sat bored through most of "Corpse Bride's" mercifully short running time. It feels almost like a movie adaption of the old PC graphic adventure "Grim Fandago" but sponsored by Modern Bride magazine. Danny Elfman's songs are lame though, character design is hedious and lead character Victor (Johnny Depp) an unlikable douche of a hero to hang around with. It cost me less than five bucks with shipping so it's not like I didn't get my money's worth, but other than checking the bonus features there's no reason I'd ever want to watch this HD-DVD again. :(

TROY - Director's cut

Great movie & a perfect HD-DVD. :cool:

The Disc contains a brutally TrueHD 5.1 sound.It sounds almost perfectly.

The picture (1080p/VC-1) encode looks marvellous.Great job dear Warner. :)

The disc contains many extra bonuses for the fans.I sold my Troy DVD for a long time ago.I don't need it anymore because the HD-DVD version definitely was a REAL upgrade and I'll want to see this version in the future. ;)

My opinion:

This director's cut version is much more better,longer (and more bloody) than the previous theatrical cut.

It's a great epic movie with many good actors (Brad Pitt,Eric Bana,Orlando Bloom,Sean Bean,Peter O'Toole,Brendan Gleeson) and with many monumental battle scenes.Wolfgang Petersen (director) made a really good film. :cool:

Troy is a "must have" Disc for every HD-DVD fan/collector.

TROY - Director's cut

It's a great epic movie with many good actors (Brad Pitt,Eric Bana,Orlando Bloom,Sean Bean,Peter O'Toole,Brendan Gleeson) sd

Can't agree re: Brad Pitt. His blank stares made me think he was a surfer dude looking for the next wave.

when I have seen troy it the theaters I hated it, but when I have seen the director`s cut I was sold. right from the beginning it drags you in the story much better.

when I have seen troy it the theaters I hated it, but when I have seen the director`s cut I was sold. right from the beginning it drags you in the story much better.

Yeah.Just like KINGDOM OF HEAVEN.Yeah,I know It's not an HD-DVD edition but the same problem. :)

Whatever:

I didn't like that movie when I have seen in the cinema.But when I bought the Extended version on DVD (and later on Blu) and I have seen the director's cut I was suprised.

I sad:Wow.I remember.It was a bad movie.I didn't like it.What happened ? :eek:

The KINGDOM OF HEAVEN re-cut was amazing.The storyline the characterization (Eva Green's personal tragedy).The WHOLE movie.It's not an another "fake" director's cut with some additional stupid scenes.This is the real version of the film.

The same effect just like Troy.The Director's cut is the winner. :cool:

I watched Forbidden Planet this past weekend. Man, for a 1950's film, I was completely blown away! I really enjoyed the film as well as the image clarity.

Yeah.Just like KINGDOM OF HEAVEN.Yeah,I know It's not an HD-DVD edition but the same problem. :)

Whatever:

I didn't like that movie when I have seen in the cinema.But when I bought the Extended version on DVD (and later on Blu) and I have seen the director's cut I was suprised.

I sad:Wow.I remember.It was a bad movie.I didn't like it.What happened ? :eek:

The KINGDOM OF HEAVEN re-cut was amazing.The storyline the characterization (Eva Green's personal tragedy).The WHOLE movie.It's not an another "fake" director's cut with some additional stupid scenes.This is the real version of the film.

The same effect just like Troy.The Director's cut is the winner. :cool:

gonna check it out then man:)

I watched Forbidden Planet this past weekend. Man, for a 1950's film, I was completely blown away! I really enjoyed the film as well as the image clarity.

indeed it`s a stunner, as it is the tin case :D

ALEXANDER REVISITED - THE FINAL CUT

This is a reference HD Disc.

The pics is superb and the DD+ sound is bombastic.Especially in battles scenes.

Unfortunately I didn't like the film.However Colin Farrell played great the role of Alexander and Val Kilmer was brilliant.

About the movie:

It's a little bit boring,but it wasn't too bad.Sometimes I have felt it's too long.I have never seen the movie version so I don't know this FINAL CUT version is better or worse than the theatrical cut.Anybody ? :confused:

But it think It's not a good Oliver Stone movie.Stone has made really good movies in the past (Platoon,Natural born killers,JFK) but he should be take some rest.He's a tired director. :rolleyes:

Then again I have 2 good news:

Angelina Jolie looks like a real goddess in this film and this edition contains an additional bonus disc with a lot of extras.It was a wise move from Warner. :cool:

"Troy: Director's Cut" and "Alexander Revisited: Final Cut" back-to-back? Dude, you've had your fill of thousands of muscled oily men in cloths killing each other and hotter-than-Goddesses actresses disrobing for you in high-def. Expand your viewing choices! ;):D

And the 2nd one (for today):

THE LAST SAMURAI:

I saw that movie many-many times (on HD-DVD,DVD).

Of course the HD version is my favourite(the only one).It has brilliant quality and the all movie is amazing.

When I have seen first time on HD I was impressed.This film is a wonderful journey (and an epic tale).I think this is the best Tom Cruise movie I've ever seen & the HD-DVD edition is absolutely perfect.

The picture quality the details and everything else:amazing.Unfortunately this edition doesn't contains lossless sound (TrueHD or DTS HD),but Warner did a really good job with this DD+ mix on the disc.

However I have the EU new Blu-ray version and It contains TrueHD English sound. I'm very lucky. :cool:

LAST SAMURAI is a must have buy on HD-DVD...or on Blu.

"Troy: Director's Cut" and "Alexander Revisited: Final Cut" back-to-back? Dude, you've had your fill of thousands of muscled oily men in cloths killing each other and hotter-than-Goddesses actresses disrobing for you in high-def. Expand your viewing choices! ;):D

Yeah,It's my fault. :)

I like history/epic/war movies.

Next time I'll post my opinions about only horror or sci-fi movies. :D

And "Last Samurai" makes it THREE epic war movies back-to-back-to-back for argento77. Dude, time for a girlie romantic comedy or a sobering documentary. Enough with the war epics! ;)

Just saw Dead Silence around Halloween and it is scary!!! PQ/AQ is reference, must own!
I thought this was a great horror flick, not sure why the bad reviews? Cheap too!!!!

I saw a really good movie today.

Everybody just stay calm.It wasn't a war epic movie. :D

TERMINATOR 2:ULTIMATE HD EDITION - GERMAN STEELBOOK

It was an unopened,brand new HD-DVD so I think it's time to watch it. :)

The STEELBOOK case looks marvellous.

The first time I had some problem because I have wanted to try the Quiz(or Spy ?) mode under the movie.But the German smart guys made it only for German language users.Why ?? :confused:

The Sound:

The DTS-HD 7.1 English sound was'nt too bad.

Yeah I know It's just a lossy sound but sounds really good. :cool:

The pics:

It's not a reference HD picture quality like the French or UK Studio Canal versions (the VC-1 bitrate is a little bit low).

I think the german distributor used a different encode method on this release.

However It looks definitely better than the brand new Skynet edition BD "DNR" transfer.:cool:

And have some good news:

I found many bonuses on the Disc.It contains a lot of extra materials from the previous DVD releases. :cool:

It was a "must have" buy for me and of course It's a real classic from james Cameron. :)

Finally getting around to watching some flicks I picked up the past few months (toddler in the house makes it hard to find time). Watched half of Dune yesterday and thought the pic quality was fantastic, but it was soooo boring I turned it off half way through. Saw it in the theater when it came out and didn't really care for it back then either.

Just watched The Thing and thought it was exactly as a high def transfer should look. Very pleased with how that was put together and the movie actually was still fun to watch.

Finally getting around to watching some flicks I picked up the past few months (toddler in the house makes it hard to find time). Watched half of Dune yesterday and thought the pic quality was fantastic, but it was soooo boring I turned it off half way through. Saw it in the theater when it came out and didn't really care for it back then either.

Just watched The Thing and thought it was exactly as a high def transfer should look. Very pleased with how that was put together and the movie actually was still fun to watch.

THE THING HD-DVD PQ is much better than the BD version.The BD transfer contains too much DNR.It's a real reference quality HD-DVD title.

But I agree with you.THE THING HD transfer looks damn so good. :cool:

"Watched half of Dune yesterday and thought the pic quality was fantastic, but it was soooo boring I turned it off half way through."

The DUNE was "boring" ?? Why ???

It's was a real classic dude. ;)

Just took Grand Prix out of the out of the shrink wrap and WOW! Filming on 65mm sure does make a difference. Print & transfer are nothing short of fantastic PERIOD. Now factor in that it was filmed in 1966 and that really just drops my jaw to the floor.

It's a MUST HAVE title.

Saw 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), The Bourne Identity (2002) and The Bourne Supremacy (2004) the past couple of days. Visiting my father for Christmas vacation and giving his 52" 120Hz Sammy LCD a spin. He and his wife are still reeling from the experience of watching "2001" up close and personal in high-def, and I'm talking about the movie and not the extremely pretty pictures. :p

I finally watched Children of Men two days ago on HD-DVD. Fantastic movie, sound and PQ. In the middle of the movie one of my children got up and I had to pause the movie to put them back to bed. When I got back, to my surprise, a Universal screen saver kicked in. I then got all teary eyed and remembered how much I missed HD-DVD- some functions are still ahead of blu-ray.

Saw 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), The Bourne Identity (2002) and The Bourne Supremacy (2004) the past couple of days. Visiting my father for Christmas vacation and giving his 52" 120Hz Sammy LCD a spin. He and his wife are still reeling from the experience of watching "2001" up close and personal in high-def, and I'm talking about the movie and not the extremely pretty pictures. :p

I wanna see Space Odyssey.

Unfortunately I haven't got this masterpiece yet.It's a rare HD-DVD.

l'll buy It in 2010.I hope. :)

I wanna see Space Odyssey.

Unfortunately I haven't got this masterpiece yet.It's a rare HD-DVD.

l'll buy It in 2010.I hope. :)

You better get the blu-ray it's easily findable for at least half the price, it's the same transfer.

I don't see the point of buying an hd-dvd if it's much cheaper on blu, I bought 100s during the clearance sale but I have all I need that was released in that format.

. . . When I got back, to my surprise, a Universal screen saver kicked in. I then got all teary eyed and remembered how much I missed HD-DVD- some functions are still ahead of blu-ray.

I had a similar experience just the other night. Sigh! :(

:)

You better get the blu-ray it's easily findable for at least half the price, it's the same transfer.

I don't see the point of buying an hd-dvd if it's much cheaper on blu, I bought 100s during the clearance sale but I have all I need that was released in that format.

Ok.

I'll buy the BLU version.

Ok.

I'll buy the BLU version.

Or just rent it. I heard a rumor that there will be a new SE of 2001 comning later in the year.

I finally watched Children of Men two days ago on HD-DVD. Fantastic movie, sound and PQ. In the middle of the movie one of my children got up and I had to pause the movie to put them back to bed. When I got back, to my surprise, a Universal screen saver kicked in. I then got all teary eyed and remembered how much I missed HD-DVD- some functions are still ahead of blu-ray.

:confused: I've had the Universal screensaver kick in on some of my blurays.

Watched Kubrick's Full Metal Jacket (1987) last week (the Deluxe Edition) and the results were predictable for my folks seeing it for the first time (versus my umpteen millionth time seeing it): great first half (Pyle's confrontation with Hartman caught them completely off-guard and nearly made them want to stop watching), OK second half (they really bonded with Cowboy and Joker) and overall great but imperfect war flick. But damn, after so many viewings I had never made the connection between the speech by Hartman about Whitman/Oswald being motivated marines with sharpshooting skills and the sharpshooter in the final act of the flick. I literally felt like the 'Sucker/Jackass' visual joke in a Looney Tunes cartoon. :D Maybe the ever-improving high-def transfers on Blu-ray are spoiling me but damn, "FMJ" looks soft in HD-DVD. Not "Clockwork Orange" or "Eyes Wide Shut" soft but much more soft and bland than "2001" and "The Shining."

I just saw A Room With A View on HD-DVD for the first time and WOW, I loved it! Great flick with a neat (but not overwhelming) high-def transfer that brings the Florence and English countryside locales to life. The writing/story are simple yet deep but it's the acting that stands out. I can't belive that's Daniel Day Lewis as Cecil (soo mannered and nebbish it's hard to belive it's the same guy that played Bill The Butcher in "Gangs of New York"). Julian Sands, Simon Callow, Maggie Smith, Judi Dench (in what amounts to a glorified cameo at the beginning of the film), Denholm Elliott... just one standout Brit actor after another bringing Forster's charming eccentric characters to life. Helena Bonham-Carter is merely OK as the young lady the movie revolves around but the performances around her are so fine you kind-of buy that Helena is as good as them (which she isn't). Great HD-DVD blind buy. :)

... You gotta say WOW seeing Shooter's girl in bra and panties with her 12 gauge pump shotgun!
..

+2

My favorite scene in that movie!

Saw Wyatt Earp on HD-DVD for the first time, and... it's A-OK. I felt the weight of every second that entails watching a Kasdan-Costner co-production though (ponderous James Newton Howard score, solemn close-ups of Costner with fireworks in the background, etc.) but it was worth it. Seeing a still-youthful Kevin in high-def at the top of his game is always a treat. The pre-CGI sets/costumes and attempt to be a character study about Wyatt along with his friends/relatives at the expense of cool gunfights are all well done and entertaining if you're patient. Loved the way the movie shows Wyatt trying to de-mystify the then-contemporary myths about him that still endure today. Dennis Quaid's Doc Holliday is a scream (he steals the movie whenever Doc's on-screen) and the cast of bad-asses in supporting roles (Fahey, Madsen, Sizemore... even "NCIS" star Mark Harmon as a comic relief sheriff) only highlights how cliched and underwhelming the female characters/actresses are (the former more than the latter since top actresses like O'Hara and Rossellini are given little to work with) compared to the men's. Hackman's screen presence is shockingly short and underdeveloped (plus his Earp patriarch disappears before we're halfway through the flick) but Gene still delivers the goods.

Saw Wyatt Earp on HD-DVD for the first time, and... it's A-OK. I felt the weight of every second that entails watching a Kasdan-Costner co-production though (ponderous James Newton Howard score, solemn close-ups of Costner with fireworks in the background, etc.) but it was worth it. Seeing a still-youthful Kevin in high-def at the top of his game is always a treat. The pre-CGI sets/costumes and attempt to be a character study about Wyatt along with his friends/relatives at the expense of cool gunfights are all well done and entertaining if you're patient. Loved the way the movie shows Wyatt trying to de-mystify the then-contemporary myths about him that still endure today. Dennis Quaid's Doc Holliday is a scream (he steals the movie whenever Doc's on-screen) and the cast of bad-asses in supporting roles (Fahey, Madsen, Sizemore... even "NCIS" star Mark Harmon as a comic relief sheriff) only highlights how cliched and underwhelming the female characters/actresses are (the former more than the latter since top actresses like O'Hara and Rossellini are given little to work with) compared to the men's. Hackman's screen presence is shockingly short and underdeveloped (plus his Earp patriarch disappears before we're halfway through the flick) but Gene still delivers the goods.

Wyatt Earp was not a bad movie but i prefer the other Earp movie:Tombstone.It was a much better western, i think.

Just saw SAHARA (2005) on HD-DVD for the first time and WOW, it (mostly) stinks! I know its a popcorn 'leave the brain at the door' type of flick but the preposterous set-pieces, music video-style presentation (a pop song during every other montage) and impossible coincidences just became too much to sustain the movie's weight. Only the triple-whammy finale involving a solar panel plant, a helicopter chase and a Civil War boat stranded in the Sahara desert (!) achieve the kind of madcap excitement "Sahara" promised, but by then I had already given up on the flick being any good. Matthew McConaughey seems like a genuinely nice guy but an Indiana Jones-type adventure star he ain't. Steve Zahn and Rainn Wilson score few laughs as the comic-relief sidekicks, and poor Penelope Cruz looks like she wants to catch the next plane out of this movie and into another Almadovar project. William H. Macy and Delroy Lindo also phone in their performances. Pretty coold HD pic/sound but this one turned out to be a waste of cash. :(

Other HD-DVD's I watched over the long July 4th holiday weekend (in the USA): AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON (1981), THE UNTOUCHABLES (1987) and QUEEN ROCK MONTRAL & LIVE AID (2007). :)

Other HD-DVD's I watched over the long July 4th holiday weekend (in the USA): AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON (1981), THE UNTOUCHABLES (1987) and QUEEN ROCK MONTRAL & LIVE AID (2007). :)

Agree strongly with AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON (1981) and THE UNTOUCHABLES (1987)! Both are really great entertainment.

Just watched HALF-BAKED (1998) on HD-DVD for the first time and WOW, it was barely OK. I'm not a fan of drug comedies (cannot relate to them since I never drank or did drugs growing up; not being preachy or anything, just saying why I couldn't relate to the material) and this one had amusing moments here and there. Bob Saget steals the movie with a super-filthy cameo and half-a-dozen recognizable names (Jon Stewart, Willie Nelson, Jerry Garcia, etc.) drop by for their minute or two of fun. I was surprised that Guillermo Diaz (an unknown actor) steals the movie from comedy veterans like Chappelle and Breuer with his ridiculous role of Scarface. Overall though this one runs out of steam way before it's 80 minutes are up. The HD-DVD combo began skipping at odd intervals, so much so that I had to flip over to the DVD side to finish the flick. To my disappointment the SD picture looked only marginally worse than the high-def version, meaning the HD-DVD wasn't as big a jump in quality as what I paid for (less than five bucks). Yes, I'm spoiled. :D

Agree strongly with AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON (1981) and THE UNTOUCHABLES (1987)! Both are really great entertainment.

I still haven't watched my HD DVD of An American Werewolf in London, but strongly agree about The Untouchables. I have the LaserDisc which was a very good transfer, but never noticed that in a bunch of scenes Kevin Costner had pretty bad razor burn. Well not until I watched the HD DVD.

i just finally watched FACE OFF on hd-dvd and wow it looked great and sounded fantastic.really enjoyed it as i had never watched the hd-dvd or bd version of face off.it does have a somewhat far fetched plotline but-hey what the heck i liked it anyway!

I just saw GALAXINA (1980), A ROOM WITH A VIEW (1985) and SAHARA (2005) on HD-DVD -all three repeat viewings with commentary tracks on- and WOW: it stank ("Galaxina"), delighted ("Room") and proved that movies which are the funnest for filmmakers end up being the least-enjoyable experiences for audiences ("Sahara").

Just saw SAHARA (2005) on HD-DVD for the first time and WOW, it (mostly) stinks! I know its a popcorn 'leave the brain at the door' type of flick but the preposterous set-pieces, music video-style presentation (a pop song during every other montage) and impossible coincidences just became too much to sustain the movie's weight. Only the triple-whammy finale involving a solar panel plant, a helicopter chase and a Civil War boat stranded in the Sahara desert (!) achieve the kind of madcap excitement "Sahara" promised, but by then I had already given up on the flick being any good. Matthew McConaughey seems like a genuinely nice guy but an Indiana Jones-type adventure star he ain't. Steve Zahn and Rainn Wilson score few laughs as the comic-relief sidekicks, and poor Penelope Cruz looks like she wants to catch the next plane out of this movie and into another Almadovar project. William H. Macy and Delroy Lindo also phone in their performances. Pretty coold HD pic/sound but this one turned out to be a waste of cash. :(

Other HD-DVD's I watched over the long July 4th holiday weekend (in the USA): AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON (1981), THE UNTOUCHABLES (1987) and QUEEN ROCK MONTRAL & LIVE AID (2007). :)

I bought some turds but I agree with you on SAHARA and luckilly I decided to rent it first. I was glad I made that decision, otherwise I would have wasted $10 or so when the format was ending. One I did buy and regret was I NOW PRONOUNCE YOU CHUCK AND LARRY. Just terrible.

I watched a couple of HD DVDs lately.

The Fountain, looked nice, but was way too trippy to really get my approval.

Children of Men. Great film! Not too crazy about the ending, but it's a good film nonetheless.

Ocean's 13. Awesome movie! I love how the film is a straight up revenge film and it works quite well.

One Six Right

I thought I had purchased by last HD DVD in 2009. Then a week ago I purchased "One Six Right" which appears to still be an HD DVD exclusive. What a treasure this documentary is. It features stunning aviation footage along with a fascinating story about general aviation in America and specifically the Van Nuys airport.

Saw Roman Polansky's The Pianist (2002) on HD-DVD for the first time over the weekend and WOW, what a freaking masterpiece! Yes, Holocaust movies have become a cliché shortcut by actors/directors/studios to Academy Award recognition. But when they're as heartfelt, memorable and well-made as "The Pianist" you can't argue with the results. This is a fine motion picture that yes, won plenty of Oscar love back in 2002. But, seen in 2010, "The Pianist" still has the power to make me angry, sad, depressed and happy that the real Wladyslaw Szpilman (a believable nuanced Adrian Brody) was able to find the inner-fortitude (and luck) to live through the insanity of the Warsaw guetto uprising. The last meal of Szpilman's family (you know it when you see it from watching plenty of Holocaust films prior) is moving and, with the knowledge I've acquired about Polansky's body of work (and childhood) over recent years, I could even see the absurd black humor (dark and depressing but vintage Roman) of the Nazi machine recruiting Jews to torture and abuse their own kind (or, in the case of Szpilman, save him) and randomly choosing who lives or dies. The last-minute Thomas Kretschmann appearance feels weird and disconnected from the movie up to that point but, alas, that's how the real Szpilman's memoir goes. Great HD-DVD too but a commentary track (the 31 min. documentary feels too short) would have made this aces.

Watched The Perfect Storm last week (it had been sitting on my shelf over a year along with a bunch of other cheaply bought HD DVDs--thought it was time to actually watch one of them). It was a decent movie (the score was very derivative of Braveheart in a number of places, though--same composer) with fantastic effects. As a native New Englander (though, admittedly, not from a coastal town like Gloucester), I found the characters reasonably accurate, if somewhat shallow. A good entry into the "man vs. nature" genre and certainly gives the A/V gear a good workout.

Meet Joe Black.. Don't know why I have a soft spot for this movie.

This movie is the only reason I have still hung on to my HD-XA2. There is no blu Ray edition. Boots slowly but still plays all.

I just moved it to a different spot in my rack and what a beast!! Heavy!

Saw Howard Hawks' RIO BRAVO (1959) on HD-DVD for the first time and WOW, it was good. My first Hawks' movie and it was a blast. Walter Brennan steals every scene in which Stumpy says or does anything (which is often) and he's the only reason I'm dying to see Hawks' "Red River." John Wayne transitions into 'older' John Wayne mode with grace and movie-star charisma (Wayne's always been wooden but he always commands the screen), Dean Martin makes for a believable-in-Western-flicks struggling drunk (research? ;)) and Angie Dickinson is a firecracker beaut that catches Sheriff Chance's eye (loved when Wayne just lifts Angie and carries her up the stairs, "Gone With The Wind" style). Claude Akins and John Russell make for hiss-worthy but not cartoony villains. What surprised me most is that, even with Ricky freaking Nelson as the skilled new young gun and a scene in which our gang of heroes sings (except Wayne, thank Goodness, although Brennan belting a tune seems like a gag), "Rio Bravo" doesn't feel like a studio movie taking advantage of two popular singers in the cast to score a few easy song hits. At every turn you can feel Hawks in complete control of his movie as Peckinpah was of his own brand of 'tough man' cinema. Great introduction to a filmmaker's potentially interesting body of work. Looks OK in high-def, and can't wait to hear John Carpenter's commentary.

Rewatched SUPERMAN: THE MOVIE (1978/2000) on HD-DVD with the Richard Donner/Tom Mankiewicz commentary track on. Even though it doesn't look leaps and bounds better than DVD (too many optical and second-pass shots on top of Geoffrey Unsworth's soft photography) the colors just pop out in high-def; Christopher Reeve's peepers have never looked bluer, or Supes' suit more yellow/red/blue pretty. And listening to Donner and Mankiewicz (R.I.P.) defend their version of events about what took place during the turbulent, lengthy and protracted shoot of the first (and most of the second) "Superman" movie remains one of my favorite 'go to' commentary tracks ever released.

Afterwards I rewatched SUPERMAN II: THE RICHARD DONNER CUT (1981/2006) on HD-DVD twice, once by itself and second time with a second heaping of Donner/Mankiewicz commentary goodness. With Lester cut of the movie fresh in my mind (saw it on DVD) the many differences (big and small) in Donner's version stand out for doing a lot of things right (bringing Jor-El back into the narrative with restored never-before-seen Brando footage, making Zod more evil by showing the joy in his face as he shoots a rifle inside the White House, less campy performances, diminished slapstick, Supes and Lois Lane at their most romantic, etc.) while also needlessly complicating the narrative (butchering of the needed-because-they're-the-only-existing-version Lester-shot scenes, adding/removing slow-motion, altering music cues, removing the 'effect' from the Super Villains' voices, etc.). Also, brief scenes and/or extensions of existing scenes that would have probably ended in the cutting room floor if Donner had been allowed to finish "Superman II" (examples: Jimmy Olsen bringing Perry a drink and Lex Luthor snatching it for himself, Supes' 'freedom of the press' line outside the Daily Planet, etc.) have been used by Donner at the expense of not using the better footage/scenes shot by Lester because of the decades-long dispute between the director and the Salkinds. Shoot, there are even alternate takes from shots of the first "Superman" movie that don't seem to belong to any other previous version of any previously-released version.

It's a miracle a Donner version of "Superman II" even exists at all, but the final product would have benefited from an impartial third-party picking and choosing the best scenes from both Lester and Donner for a definite version of "Superman II" that, sadly, will never exist because it wasn't properly shot back in the late 70's. I'll take Lester's 'kiss' over Donner's 'world turning' ending for "Superman II" any day, but I also prefer to have Brando and not Susannah York hanging out at the Fortress of Solitude. Highlight of the Donner cut: Jor-El giving Lois Lane the 'evil eye' when Kal-El chooses to become human. :D

Reunited for another commentary track Dick Donner and Tom 'Creative Consultant' Mankiewicz are looser and more fun to listen to than in the first "Superman" commentary (even though they repeat a couple of the same stories); when Mankiewicz lets loose a 'yahoo' scream (you have to listen to the context to understand why) the laughter from these two old friends is as contageous as listening to a John Carpenter/Kurt Russell track. Also, considering its been stored in cannisters locked in warehouse over in the UK for decades, the restored footage looks surprisingly sharp and colorful in high-definition except in scenes with modern CG plates replacing backgrounds that were never shot (very prevalent in the big Metropolis fight between Supes and the Super Villains).

Eastern Promises - gritty showcase for one of my favorite actors, Viggo Mortensen great story, outstanding PQ and AQ.

I've been trying to watch as many of my HD-DVD's as I can, but the at the volume I've bought, it'll take a bit.

So far in the last month or so:

That's Entertainment
Robin Hood
Terminator 3
Matrix (defective disk :mad:)
V for Vendetta
Viva las Vegas
Galapagos

Any more and my wife files.

A sample of still unwatched purchases on HD-DVD (not all):

Elizabeth the Golden Age
Zodiac
Hot Fuzz
Black Snake Moan
The Ant Bully
Grand Prix
The two later Matrix movies
Casino
.
.
.
etc.

I really enjoyed Hot Fuzz with Simon Pegg. The same crew that did Shaun of the Dead.

Saw - US Director's Cut (Kinowelt/Germany)

I've bought It a few months ago but I just watched this HD yesterday.

The 1080p HD transfer looks superb.The original 7.1 dts-HD audio track sounds powerful and clear ("Dr. Gordon.This is Your wake up call...":D).

This German edition contains a lot of extra materials (includes the original Saw short movie),so if You're a hardcore Saw fan,this is the edition what You need.

House Of Wax:

The HD pics is average but It's not a really good-lookin' reference quality.I've seen some really beautiful daylight scenes in the beginning,but It's a dark movie with many night-scenes.Sometimes I've felt this is just an upconverted DVD,not a real HD-DVD presentation.

The sound:Where is a lossless sound for this release ? The HD standard DD plus soundtrack was lifeless and powerless.It's not strong enough to fear under the whole movie.Too bad,this movie really deserves a lossless TrueHD sound. :(

However the movie was Ok.I really liked it.It has a nice soundtrack (Prodigy,Disturbed,Marilyn Manson)and we can see some really brutally murders and chasing scenes.But this HD DVD edition was far away from prefect.

V for Vendetta:

Another "Wow" HD-DVD.Warner did a really nice job with this release.Perfect pics and finally a ,lossless trueHD sound what we have.

Good movie and a perfect HD-DVD. :)

Saw TREMORS (1990) on HD-DVD and WOW, it's... OK I guess. It's not "Patton"-on-BD bad but man, Universal went crazy with the DNR on this transfer. Everyone looks like a wax statue on close-up, but at least the underground creatures look even more icky and disgusting up-close. Considering there's not a lick of CGI anywhere (it's all miniatures, puppets and/or animatronics) special effects for the giant underground worms look stellar in high-def and don't give away any secrets. Some pretty graphic violent scenes for an early 90's PG-13 movie, but the humor deflates their impact. A fun 'B' horror movie that knows what it is ("Jaws" in the desert) with a cast that's game and plays it with the tongue firmly in cheek, particularly Kevin Bacon and Fred Ward.

Universal went crazy with the DNR on this transfer. Everyone looks like a wax statue on close-up, but at least the underground creatures look even more icky and disgusting up-close

Yeah, I really hate DNR affected HD transfers.Unfortunately many Universal HD-DVD and BD transfer looks ugly because they use DNR technology to kill film grain.But why ? :mad:

^^^ The studio heads that decide about transfers are afraid people will complain that the more visible grain (a product of high-def brining out details in a print previously hidden-in-plain-sight or invisible) is ugly and doesn't show the sharpness and clarity people tend to assocaite with HD (i.e. what they see in the newest, latest Hollywood flicks). It takes the skill of a techninian doing the transfer or the pull of a director with clout (a Spielberg, Scorsese, Cameron or the better Scott brother ;)) to get a film that looks grainy in HD to allow that to come across in the HD transfer. I don't mind DNR if it's done in measure (like with the new "Apocalypse Now" Blu-ray) but for "Tremors" the DNR button was set to 'ON' for the duration of the movie whether any particular scene needed it or not. And that same transfer was recycled and passed along for the BD "Tremors." :mad: :(

^^^ The studio heads that decide about transfers are afraid people will complain that the more visible grain (a product of high-def brining out details in a print previously hidden-in-plain-sight or invisible) is ugly and doesn't show the sharpness and clarity people tend to assocaite with HD (i.e. what they see in the newest, latest Hollywood flicks). It takes the skill of a techninian doing the transfer or the pull of a director with clout (a Spielberg, Scorsese, Cameron or the better Scott brother ;)) to get a film that looks grainy in HD to allow that to come across in the HD transfer. I don't mind DNR if it's done in measure (like with the new "Apocalypse Now" Blu-ray) but for "Tremors" the DNR button was set to 'ON' for the duration of the movie whether any particular scene needed it or not. And that same transfer was recycled and passed along for the BD "Tremors." :mad: :(

The US release has a TrueHD lossless track.Is it true ? Because I have the UK edition and it has only a simple DD+ lossy sound.But it's also DNR affected just like the US version. :(

My "Tremors" HD-DVD box says Dolby TruHD, but I don't have a surround sound hooked-up to test this. Sorry. :(

Grand Prix

First saw it in the theater at age 13 in 1966 I think. Could not wait to see it at the time and likely bugged my parents until they could not stand it. I also remember getting the soundtrack on vinyl. (Still have it!)

Go it on DVD and then HD DVD. It is always a great experience when I watch it on HD DVD. Great picture and sound. Better than 1966 and in our home whenever I want. We are spoiled by our technology today.

Grand Prix

First saw it in the theater at age 13 in 1966 I think. Could not wait to see it at the time and likely bugged my parents until they could not stand it. I also remember getting the soundtrack on vinyl. (Still have it!)

Go it on DVD and then HD DVD. It is always a great experience when I watch it on HD DVD. Great picture and sound. Better than 1966 and in our home whenever I want. We are spoiled by our technology today.

This is a particularly good transfer. It's great to show off ultra high cr projectors with as well as being a great movie.

I saw Ironman 2 in HD DVD and was really surprised about the high quality. one of my favorite

Ironman 2 on HD DVD? Really??

Saw THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT! (1974) on HD-DVD and WOW, what a nostalgia trip (even though I was too young to have seen the featured movies in theaters). It's a really fun time capsule of both the golden era of MGM musicals (1920's-1950's) and the dilapidated 1970's when the abandoned studio sets served as backdrops (and sharp contrasts) to the introduction of the colorful movie clips. There's a so-bad-its-good standard definition hour-long network TV special chronicling the movie's premiere and MGM's 50th anniversary (hosted by stiff and out-of-their-league George Hamilton and wife). The difference between the movie clips in this old TV special and the remastered-for-HD clips in the actual movie (with their appropriate aspect ratios) is like the darkness of space contrasted with bright sunshine. The parade of stars introducing clips, performing on the clips or both (Sinatra, Kelly, Astaire, Taylor, Minelli, etc.) makes the hammy staging/dialogue tolerable. Even if you don't like the whole of "That's Entertainment!" (and there are two more of these to go) there are enough classic songs/scenes/moments to make sitting through the boring one's worthwhile.

Saw Sam Raimi's FOR LOVE OF THE GAME (1999) on HD-DVD and WOW! It's... it's... I don't know. :confused:

I really, really wanted to like this one because its 'self-doubting, down-to-Earth big celebrity meets self-doubting, down-to-Earth average person of the opposite sex' plot reminded me of "Notting Hill" (a film I adore). Kevin Costner (baseball star) & Kelly Preston (the "normal" person) are clearly meant for each other but the movie throws every cliche' in the romantic genre playbook (misunderstandings, inability to communicate, nutty friends/relatives, etc.) on its way to a predictable conclusion. So did "Notting Hill's" romantic fantasy but, unlike "For Love of the Game's" baseball soap-opera (which unfolds as flashbacks during a single baseball game), "Notting Hill" didn't take itself too seriously and used humor to difuse the romantic tension. By contrast Sam Raimi's deadly-serious and workmanlike treatment of Michael Shaara's baseball novel (Costner's Bill Chapel might as well wear a CG halo above his head) borders on being joylless despite depicting alleged romantic entanglements and a fun baseball game. You can tell the bitter aftermath of the then-recent MLB lockout season was still on people's minds from some of the dialogue (particularly Brian Cox's). John C. Reilly, Jena Malone and JK Simmons inject precious little bits of fun into the increasingly-tiresome romantic back-and-forth between Bill and Jane (about 75% of the movie).

"For Love of the Game" is a personal guilty pleasure of mine precisely because it embraces the chick flick view of sports (right down to an ending where achieving baseball perfection is secondary to the love of a woman) and is so atypical from every other movie Raimi has directed, before or since. I also have a soft spot for Kevin Costner bombs because I've found them to be decent flicks that didn't deserve to tank as hard as they did at the time (although let's be honest here, Kevin coasted on his "Dances With Wolves" laurels/persona for way too long). Movie looks OK in HD-DVD (the CG baseball crowds at Yankee Stadium haven't aged well but the camera angles are perfect), razor-sharp and vibrant in high-definition. More than anything though, Chapel driving through a deserted piece of NYC road (where he meets Jane for the first time) and wondering through empty corridors/locker rooms at Yankee Stadium right before the last game of the season completely took me out of the movie as totally unrealistic. Guess where I live? ;)

Ironman 2 on HD DVD? Really??

I hope so. :D

I picked up these 2 beauties yesterday. :)

http://kepfeltoltes.hu/110223/tn_DSC02809_www.kepfeltoltes.hu_.jpg

End Of Days:

Another WOW ! HD DVD title.

The HD transfer looks great but the whole movie is really dark.Sometimes maybe is too darkm, however this transfer is a really big upgrade from the previous DVD version.The audiotrack is Dolby TrueHD (it was a good move from the studio) and It sounds better than ever. :)

A lots of extra materials are included so this HD DVD is a really must buy 4 every Arnold fan just like me. :D

U-571

Reference pics & sound quality.

The BD version has a much better lossless sound (dts-HD MA) but this HD DVD has better HD pics quality (without any DNR applied).

So It was a good deal I think. :rolleyes:

I just picked up The Adventures of Robin Hood and all I can say is WOW! This HD DVD transfer is awesome, the Technicolor is beautiful and the soundtrack is outstanding. I've been a fan of this movie since I was a kid in the '60s, watching it in B&W on a 19" screen. I have a VHS tape somebody gave me years ago and on a 27" TV that was okay, but the only way I could imagine this being better would be a fresh print in a movie theater, something I doubt I will ever have the chance to see.

I have a 58" Panny plasma (last gen of the 768p), an HD-A2 and an older Onkyo receiver using optical cable for 5.1 DTS. I couldn't imagine it getting much better for a home viewing experience than this. Oh yeah, I picked this up for only $5.99 including shipping from that bidding site. Pretty good deal for the definitive Robin Hood movie (IMHO).

Nice may have to pickup Robin Hood. I knew it had superior quality release but its better to hear it from another AVS member. I still want to pickup Pitch Black hddvd as Chronicles of Riddick looked and sounded so nice. Last hd dvd I watched was Serenity. I highly recommend it for sci-fi fans as its a good movie with nice HD visuals and sound.

Saw FORBIDDEN PLANET (1956) on HD-DVD and WOW!, I really liked it. First saw this one a couple of years ago (http://www.dvdverdict.com/juryroom/viewtopic.php?f=50&t=3059&p=39200&hilit=Forbidden+Planet#p39200) and, revisiting it recently, what used to annoy me I found dated but charming. Either I'm getting older or I'm more appreciative of classic sci-fi... or both! :( I even found Walter Pidgeon's exposition-laden dialogue (which is almost all his character spews) and the 'cheat' of what the monster is (which I felt was underwhelming before) combined into a decent sci-fi twist on the Jekyll/Hyde dynamic, a proto "Incredible Hulk" narrative with Altair IV replacing gamma radiation. And damn, I didn't notice before but Anne Francis is literally barefoot in the kitchen of her (and Pidgeon's) home. If she were pregnant (and who says Leslie Nielsen didn't take care of that on the way back to Earth :o) she would have been the perfect 50's sci-fi woman. :eek:

Decent high-def picture and, for '56, the SFX work and production values are off-the-charts retro cool. My HD-DVD copy of "FB" has a glitch in which the picture stutters and freezes around Chapters 10/11 (when Robbit zaps the monkey at the kitchen in Pidgeon's futuristic house) on my three players. I can only watch the rest of the movie that comes after the 'monkey zap' by skipping to a chapter after and slowly rewinding before it freezes again. Does anybody else have this problem? If it's widespread then it's an authoring mistake that affects all copies. If it isn't then my three HD-DVD compatible devices really, really hate me. :rolleyes:

My HD-DVD copy of "FB" has a glitch in which the picture stutters and freezes around Chapters 10/11 (when Robbit zaps the monkey at the kitchen in Pidgeon's futuristic house) on my three players. I can only watch the rest of the movie that comes after the 'monkey zap' by skipping to a chapter after and slowly rewinding before it freezes again.Mine doesn't do this, nor have I read about any such problem before (if it were a mastering error there would have been a huge stink about it for sure).

The "monkey zap" scene (Chapter 12) is iirc followed by the "nude bathing" (not!) scene and then the two astronauts getting caught looking at Morbius' notes. At this point the playback file changes from PEVOB_1.EVO to PEVOB_2.EVO where I expect there is a disc layer change. I would look for a speck of dirt or damaged disc somewhere around the periphery of it.

I guess you have never played your disc before but it does sound damaged to me, sorry.

Going through some I havent seen in a while, I watched Meet Joe Black the other night. I like it a lot better than I remember, funny how that works...anyway, very film like and looks great in 1080p. I was on a 55"/1080i Mits RPTV when I started collecting all these hd-dvd's so alot of them havent been viewd on my new 52" Sammy LCD in 1080p, I love it!

I just saw Eagles Farewell I Tour: Live From Melbourne and WOW!

The video transfer is like looking through a window and the 5.1 DTS soundtrack is stellar! One hell of an audio mixing job if you ask me!

Even thought this is The Eagles 30 years later, this is an awesome concert. Also enjoyed the more recent stuff out of their catalog and the included solo material of the principals is a big bonus!

Completely agree! This is one of the few HD DVDs that I paid a fair price for, and I absolutely love it. Great track list, very good a/v experience, and a joy to put into the player. Definitely my personal favorite concert disc, although the Jimi Hendrix Monterey disc is up there for historic reasons, even with the SD looking video...

I just saw Eagles Farewell I Tour: Live From Melbourne and WOW!

The video transfer is like looking through a window and the 5.1 DTS soundtrack is stellar! One hell of an audio mixing job if you ask me!

Even thought this is The Eagles 30 years later, this is an awesome concert. Also enjoyed the more recent stuff out of their catalog and the included solo material of the principals is a big bonus!

I just watched Next 2007 with Nick Cage. I have an HD-A1 to a JVC HD250 on a 140" scope screen and I was disappointed in the quality. Lots of jaggies and very digital looking. I just got my system up and running so I might have not had something set just right. Anybody else think this looked a little disappointing?

Stace

I just watched Next 2007 with Nick Cage. I have an HD-A1 to a JVC HD250 on a 140" scope screen and I was disappointed in the quality. Lots of jaggies and very digital looking. I just got my system up and running so I might have not had something set just right. Anybody else think this looked a little disappointing?

It looked fine on my 47" 1080p LCD last time I saw it, but dude, you've got a 140" scope screen? That's sick! :p Other than the obvious digital boosting/manipulation of the color palette for the flick to look a little too OTT colorful (and Nic Cage's hair... seriously, what is wrong with this guy's weave?) the movie looks fine on regular HDTV's. On a screen as large as yours though though even the smallest digital errors will be amplified tenfold, especially since you're feeding a 1080i signal from an HD-1 player. Throw in a reference HD-DVD to see if it gives you jaggies/errors, and if that's the case then your JVC projector or HD-DVD player aren't communication properly and there's bad de-interlacing going on somewhere. Try a reference HD-DVD to eliminate that as a problem. Let us know how it goes. :)

dad1153: The disc shows jaggies, regardless of player or TV. THey're for real.

Saw FORBIDDEN PLANET (1956) on HD-DVD and WOW!, I really liked it. I just picked this up used off Amazon and have to agree. It's been so long since I had last watched this movie, it was almost like seeing it for the first time. I mostly remember watching it on a B&W TV as a kid, though I'm sure I have seen it in color on a small screen also. Seeing it now in HD on a widescreen let me finally appreciate what an excellent job the film makers did in 1956. These were some great special effects! Color and clarity on this transfer are quite good.

Decent high-def picture and, for '56, the SFX work and production values are off-the-charts retro cool. My HD-DVD copy of "FB" has a glitch in which the picture stutters and freezes around Chapters 10/11 (when Robbit zaps the monkey at the kitchen in Pidgeon's futuristic house) on my three players. I can only watch the rest of the movie that comes after the 'monkey zap' by skipping to a chapter after and slowly rewinding before it freezes again. Does anybody else have this problem? If it's widespread then it's an authoring mistake that affects all copies. If it isn't then my three HD-DVD compatible devices really, really hate me. :rolleyes:
No glitches with mine, thankfully. I don't know a thing about how optical discs are produced commercially but barring scratches and dirt as a cause of freezes on an HD DVD disc, I have to believe some of these are glitches in the process, apparently plaguing entire runs of some of these discs.

I recently ran into this problem with Mutiny On The Bounty (also a high WOW factor!) and went through four discs before I got one that doesn't freeze on my HD-A2, however, they all would play without freezing on an XBox 360 add-on. Different tolerances between the players? IDK

Last January my 2 1/2-year old (released in mid-'07, purchased in mid-'08) Toshiba Qosmio F45 AV-423 HD-DVD notebook (http://www.amazon.com/Toshiba-F45-AV423-15-4-inch-Processor-Premium/dp/B000VVHUEC) took a turn for the worse when it started shutting off after 20-30 minutes of use from overheating. After a few weeks limping along I decided to take it to a local Toshiba authorized dealer to see if it could be fixed. Long story short: after several weeks without a computer (seriously flirted with buying a new notebook), approx. $500 worth of repairs/parts (including a new 500GB drive, a new motherboard that got replaced with the original because the laptop kept crashing with the new one, new fan belts and finally a new CPU) and the loss of everything saved on the Hard Drive to a crash my Qosmio is back, working as it used to. I didn't know it would cost $500 to fix when I started; after the first $200 I doubled-down hoping for the best, and then it was too late to give up. For the $500 I spent plus a couple of extra hundred bucks I could have bought a Tosh Satellite laptop with BD playback and an iCore5 Intel chip. :( On the other hand I still have a "portable" HD-DVD player to take with me on long trips and which will play a handful of discs ("Atonement," "The Host," etc.) that won't play on my HD-A20 or Xbox 360 drive. The crazy things I still do for this high-def format. :rolleyes:

Which brings me to GALAXINA: 25th ANNIVERSARY EDITION (one of those discs that won't play on my other HD-DVD devices). I watched it over two days (once with commentary) hooked-up to my 47" LCD with HDMI, primarily to make sure the HD-DVD playback still worked on the Qosmio, and WOW... this is a really, really stupid movie. It knows it's stupid, I know it's stupid, the people that made it/appear in it know its stupid... but there's something kind-of endearing about the fact these cash-strapped filmmakers had to sweat and create on the cheap their silly space SFX/sets (i.e space bird ship) circa 1980. That effort (which I appreciate more than current filmmakers relying on cheap CGI to save their flicks), the presence of familiar faces (Avery Schreiber, Dorothy Stratten looking smokin' hot as the titular robot, etc.) and the director/lead actor being semi-candid about just how stupid the movie is (plus some cool behind-the-scenes gossip about Stratten before her untimely death) made it a tolerable viewing. Picture is atrocious and vomit-inducing though, easily among the worst "HD" (notice the quotes) transfers to ever appear on HD-DVD since the master clearly wasn't cleaned or remastered for HDTV. Blacks are milky, undetailed and full of analog noise (bad original cinematography = bad PQ). Even Dorothy Stratten's numerous close-ups (the only reason this film even exists at all on home video) look soft and undetailed. Ughh!

I only mentioned the above-story about fixing the computer because, until I notch many more HD-DVD viewings on the Qosmio, theoretically I spent $500 just for the privilege of watching "Galaxina" on HD-DVD. :eek: The only other HD-DVD I tested on the thing was "Forbidden Planet" to see if it had the same skipping moments as it did on the A20 and 360 drive (it did, which means the disc is bad). :(

Last January my 2 1/2-year old (released in mid-'07, purchased in mid-'08) Toshiba Qosmio F45 AV-423 HD-DVD notebook (http://www.amazon.com/Toshiba-F45-AV423-15-4-inch-Processor-Premium/dp/B000VVHUEC) took a turn for the worse when it started shutting off after 20-30 minutes of use from overheating. After a few weeks limping along I decided to take it to a local Toshiba authorized dealer to see if it could be fixed. Long story short: after several weeks without a computer (seriously flirted with buying a new notebook), approx. $500 worth of repairs/parts (including a new 500GB drive, a new motherboard that got replaced with the original because the laptop kept crashing with the new one, new fan belts and finally a new CPU) and the loss of everything saved on the Hard Drive to a crash my Qosmio is back, working as it used to. I didn't know it would cost $500 to fix when I started; after the first $200 I doubled-down hoping for the best, and then it was too late to give up. For the $500 I spent plus a couple of extra hundred bucks I could have bought a Tosh Satellite laptop with BD playback and an iCore5 Intel chip. :( On the other hand I still have a "portable" HD-DVD player to take with me on long trips and which will play a handful of discs ("Atonement," "The Host," etc.) that won't play on my HD-A20 or Xbox 360 drive. The crazy things I still do for this high-def format. :rolleyes:

Which brings me to GALAXINA: 25th ANNIVERSARY EDITION (one of those discs that won't play on my other HD-DVD devices). I watched it over two days (once with commentary) hooked-up to my 47" LCD with HDMI, primarily to make sure the HD-DVD playback still worked on the Qosmio, and WOW... this is a really, really stupid movie. It knows it's stupid, I know it's stupid, the people that made it/appear in it know its stupid... but there's something kind-of endearing about the fact these cash-strapped filmmakers had to sweat and create on the cheap their silly space SFX/sets (i.e space bird ship) circa 1980. That effort (which I appreciate more than current filmmakers relying on cheap CGI to save their flicks), the presence of familiar faces (Avery Schreiber, Dorothy Stratten looking smokin' hot as the titular robot, etc.) and the director/lead actor being semi-candid about just how stupid the movie is (plus some cool behind-the-scenes gossip about Stratten before her untimely death) made it a tolerable viewing. Picture is atrocious and vomit-inducing though, easily among the worst "HD" (notice the quotes) transfers to ever appear on HD-DVD since the master clearly wasn't cleaned or remastered for HDTV. Blacks are milky, undetailed and full of analog noise (bad original cinematography = bad PQ). Even Dorothy Stratten's numerous close-ups (the only reason this film even exists at all on home video) look soft and undetailed. Ughh!

I only mentioned the above-story about fixing the computer because, until I notch many more HD-DVD viewings on the Qosmio, theoretically I spent $500 just for the privilege of watching "Galaxina" on HD-DVD. :eek: The only other HD-DVD I tested on the thing was "Forbidden Planet" to see if it had the same skipping moments as it did on the A20 and 360 drive (it did, which means the disc is bad). :(

Galaxina is one of the worst sci-fi I've ever seen and You paid $500 to watch this crappy movie ? You're my hero mate ! :D

Galaxina is one of the worst sci-fi I've ever seen and You paid $500 to watch this crappy movie ? You're my hero mate ! :D

Ohh... I almost forgot. :eek:

I watched Daylight on HD DVD for the 1st time.The HD pics is superb,ok It's not an Avatar but It looks fine for me.The DD plus track sounds bombastic I really enjoyed It.

My judgement: Daylight is a must own (and WOW ! :D) HD DVD for every HD collector.

Saw Martin Scorsese's GOODFELLAS (1990) on HD-DVD over the weekend and WOW, the 2 1/2 hour running time just went by so fast (just like every other time I've seen it). Very little else needs to be said about this one (classic rags-to-riches-to-rags mob movie with memorable scenes/soundtrack/performances/endlessly-quotable dialogue) but just a couple of observations. The next-to-final flashback shot of Tommy shooting at the camera, is this meant to be a tribute to the bandit shooting at the audience in 1903's "The Great Train Robbery"? And, when Henry returns home looking for the drugs after being freed on bail from the events of the 'May 11, 1980' montage/scene (a masterpiece of music/editing choices, maybe the best thing Thelma Schoonmaker has ever cobbled together for Martin), did he really expect the drugs to not have been found by the cops? I know the answer but damn if Liotta doesn't completely sell Henry's certainty the drugs are in the house with a believability and conviction that still gives me doubts when I watch.

I hate to say it but the HD-DVD transfer (the same used for the BD versions, but we on the red team got it first back in '07 :D) is beginning to show its age. Close-ups are fine (the opening shot of young Henry's eye looking at the mobsters on the taxi stand is razor-sharp) but most medium and distant shots look a little soft and smeared, as if shot through vaseline-stained lens (which maybe they used to hide DeNiro's and Pesci's age during the young Jimmy Conway/Tommy scenes). Maybe there will be a remaster for the 25th anniversary BD but this is Warner we're talking about. :rolleyes:

Saw BLOOD DIAMOND (2006) on HD-DVD recently and WOW, its not as good as I remember it. I really liked it when it came out in theaters and when it debuted in HD-DVD (back when Warner clearly liked the red lady more). Five years later and I'm sad to say the movie hasn't aged well in its attempt to mix gruesome/realistic war in Sierra Leone with cliche' action-movie heroics (Leo gunning down dozens of armed men by himself, last-second driving escapes, etc.) all wrapped in the politically-safe message that the blood diamond industry is evil incarnate. There's no Earthly reason for Jennifer Connelly to be this homely-looking and as worthless a character as she is in "Blood Diamond," other than the producers' need for an exposition-spewing dex-ex machina character the audience could relate to (all for naught since the movie bombed theatrically). Djimon Hounson does the best with what he's given to humanize Solomon Vandy's plight (and largely succeeds) while DiCaprio, bless his acting heart, makes Danny Archer's transformation from devil-may-care African mercenary to soft-hearted armed humanitarian as plausible in a big-budget Hollywood movie will allow. Movie looks great in HD, sounds good and the bonus/extras are stacked. The subject matter and director Ed Zwick's penchant for humorless message epics though (from the classic "Glory" to the silly "Last Samurai") doesn't invite many repeat viewings for "Blood Diamond."

I'd have to say "Wow" just for your Blood Diamond HD-DVD being playable.

I'd have to say "Wow" just for your Blood Diamond HD-DVD being playable.

It was a miracle. :)

Saw ERIN BROCKOVICH (2000) on HD-DVD for the first time earlier this week and WOW... it was OK. I expected a little more grit and cinematic craftmanship from a Steven Soderbergh movie, but sometimes the most basic stories make for entertaining-enough mainstream flicks (which help pay the bills and finance Soderbergh's 'out there' indie work). "Erin Brockovich" isn't great shakes storywise (underdog sharp-tongued won't-take-crap-from-anyone Mom fights life and her employer for the sake of her kids and poor people's health affected by a bad evil corporation... yawn!) but (a) Julia Roberts rises up and owns this star-vehicle, (b) Albert Finney & Aaron Eckhart give excellent supporting performances and (c) the movie looks/sounds good in high-def. I was entertained for its 132 min. running time and only paid a few bucks for the disc. Money (and time) well-spent, though I doubt I'll ever see this flick again unless it's impress-the-date night. ;)

Well I just watched Swordfish and I wouldn't sat Wow but I did experience guilty pleasure watching it, especially the scene with Halley Berry:)

I watched two ways. On my HD-A2 in 1080i on a 1080P projector and DD+ audio of course and a ripped version with no compression from my server played with a Popcorn Hour, this time in 1080P to the same projector.

Without A/B comparisons I can't say the 1080i upscaled to 1080P by my HK AVR was not as good as true 1080P (I presume the HD-DVD had 1080P content) but it did bring back memories how slow HD-DVD players (well at least my Toshiba) are in starting up and navigating discs versus BD players.

it did bring back memories how slow HD-DVD players (well at least my Toshiba) are in starting up and navigating discs versus BD players.

Well, now... THAT all depends on which BD player you're speaking of. :) I love my Pioneer BPD-51, but it's slow as mole's @$$es.

Oppp BDP-80 and PS3

Viewed Sea Biscuit (A2) on my 50xbr1 still looks stunning!

Watched Grand Prix and it looked great

i just watched RESCUE DAWN on an hd-dvd import and WOW was it a great looking movie.sharp and crystal clear video and a dts-hd master audio sound track.just great and a fine example of a film done right by hd-dvd.

Saw John Carpenter's THE THING (1982) on HD-DVD over the weekend and WOW, it still kicks all kinds of ass. Was seriously considering going to see the new prequel/remake in theaters, so I decided to pop the disc in the ol' HD-DVD player to freshen-up in my mind about the Norwegian backstory. I ended up watching the whole flick twice (second time with the commentary) then all the bonus features. That's 2 hrs plus of documentaries/featurettes/art-still galleries MIA from the DNR'ed-to-death Blu-ray version. Needless to say I didn't bother to go see the new "Thing" because this one is the real deal. Great acting (manly Kurt Russell, hammy Wilford Brimley, no-nonsense Richard Dysart, etc.), memorable characters (is Windows the unluckiest SOB ever or what?), good production values (from Morricone's Carpenter-esque synth score to the refrigerated sets and on-location British Columbia camp) and still-impressive special effects (Rob Bottin's creature/head-with-legs thing, Stan Winston's alien dog thing, etc.) all come together to make a memorable monster/horror movie that stands the test of time. Might rent the new "Thing" when it hits Blu-ray just to see how well/badly they implemented the backstory with which Carpenter starts his remake and hits the ground running. But it'll be a cold day when they pry my HD-DVD copy of "The Thing" from my cold dead hand.

Saw John Carpenter's THE THING (1982) on HD-DVD over the weekend and WOW, it still kicks all kinds of ass. Was seriously considering going to see the new prequel/remake in theaters, so I decided to pop the disc in the ol' HD-DVD player to freshen-up in my mind about the Norwegian backstory. I ended up watching the whole flick twice (second time with the commentary) then all the bonus features. That's 2 hrs plus of documentaries/featurettes/art-still galleries MIA from the DNR'ed-to-death Blu-ray version. Needless to say I didn't bother to go see the new "Thing" because this one is the real deal. Great acting (manly Kurt Russell, hammy Wilford Brimley, no-nonsense Richard Dysart, etc.), memorable characters (is Windows the unluckiest SOB ever or what?), good production values (from Morricone's Carpenter-esque synth score to the refrigerated sets and on-location British Columbia camp) and still-impressive special effects (Rob Bottin's creature/head-with-legs thing, Stan Winston's alien dog thing, etc.) all come together to make a memorable monster/horror movie that stands the test of time. Might rent the new "Thing" when it hits Blu-ray just to see how well/badly they implemented the backstory with which Carpenter starts his remake and hits the ground running. But it'll be a cold day when they pry my HD-DVD copy of "The Thing" from my cold dead hand.

Yeah... it's a classic and the transfer is one of the best HD-DVD's. It's staying in MY collection for sure!

Saw James Gunn's SLITHER (2006) on HD-DVD and WOW, it still holds up well. This was the first HD-DVD I ever bought (from Target.com, who hasn't stopped sending pesky e-mails ever since! :rolleyes: ) and, though no longer reference, the PQ/AQ are still solid high-def media. Everything that Fred Dekker tried to do in his 1986 "Night of the Creeps" (off-kilter humor, nod to early horror cinema, subversive storylines, etc.) James Gunn does slightly better in this so-similar-Sony-might-just-sue unofficial remake of "Creeps." It helps that, unlike the no-name cast of "Creeps" (except for Tom Atkins and maybe Dick Smith) "Slither" has Nathan Fillion doing the leading-man hero s*** with his tongue firmly in cheek while spewing hilarious dialogue with the most deadpan of deliveries. From the outer-space capsule packing people-festering slugs to some scary set-pieces (including Michael Rooker essentially turning into the monster from Carpenter's "The Thing") that become bloody goofy (i.e. the giant bloated woman) writer/director Gunn, as he did recently with "Super," skews the very type of genre film he's also lovingly recreating.

"Slither" and "Night of the Creeps" (available in a lovely Sony BD) go together like corn candy on Halloween night: once or twice a year is fine, any more on any other date is just too much.

Saw John Carpenter's THE THING (1982) on HD-DVD over the weekend and WOW, it still kicks all kinds of ass. Was seriously considering going to see the new prequel/remake in theaters, so I decided to pop the disc in the ol' HD-DVD player to freshen-up in my mind about the Norwegian backstory. I ended up watching the whole flick twice (second time with the commentary) then all the bonus features. That's 2 hrs plus of documentaries/featurettes/art-still galleries MIA from the DNR'ed-to-death Blu-ray version. Needless to say I didn't bother to go see the new "Thing" because this one is the real deal. Great acting (manly Kurt Russell, hammy Wilford Brimley, no-nonsense Richard Dysart, etc.), memorable characters (is Windows the unluckiest SOB ever or what?), good production values (from Morricone's Carpenter-esque synth score to the refrigerated sets and on-location British Columbia camp) and still-impressive special effects (Rob Bottin's creature/head-with-legs thing, Stan Winston's alien dog thing, etc.) all come together to make a memorable monster/horror movie that stands the test of time. Might rent the new "Thing" when it hits Blu-ray just to see how well/badly they implemented the backstory with which Carpenter starts his remake and hits the ground running. But it'll be a cold day when they pry my HD-DVD copy of "The Thing" from my cold dead hand.


I watched this for the first time this Halloween. It was definitely a great horror film that stands up well over time. Sad ending though.

Saw Ridley Scott's BLADE RUNNER: THEATRICAL CUT (1982) on HD-DVD for the first time over the weekend and WOW, it wasn't that good despite having a lot of good stuff in it. Knowing there are better versions of this same movie to watch (I own the five-disc HD-DVD set) this first exposure to the acknowledged-as-flawed original version of "Blade Runner" left me startled with the badness of Harrison Ford's voice-over narration. Simultaneously sounding too casual and too poe'd to be taken seriously as Deckard's recollection of what we're watching take place, Ford is already sounding as bored and tired in '82 as his late-career phoned-in movie work. S***ty narration and bored look aside, the acting is all-around decent (Rutger Hauer, William Sanderson and Daryl Hannah stand out) but the performers seem secondary and swallowed-almost-whole by the overdesinged-to-death futuristic world they inhabit. "Blade Runner's" look, production design, SFX (great model work) and sound is spectacular and every bit as impressive/influential as expected (the "Metropolis" of the 1980's in cinematic/pop culture influence, right down to box office underperformance). After a confusing opening 20 minutes where I had no idea what/who I was watching though, I wondered why Ridley and his production crew went through so much trouble to create such a rich futuristic world to then concentrate on what amounts to one 'neo-noir story out of a thousand taking place in the naked city at night' detective story.

Not until the last 30 minutes, when Roy Batty goes ape s*** and Deckard realizes his personal truth, does the movie fall into place and saves itself from being a dull futuristic procedural with looks/effects far above the tale its trying to tell. I look forward to the alternate/improved "Blade Runner" versions, because this theatrical cut felt compromised (the 'driving' ending feels like its from a tourism commercial) and at constant odds with itself. HD picture/sound even in this original version are incredibly sharp and crisp though, hardly looking like a 29-year old movie. :)

Also rewatched FAST TIMES AT RIDGEMENT HIGH and THE ROAD WARRIOR (yes, all three flicks from 1982... don't ask!), which I enjoyed and had a lot more fun with than I did with "Blade Runner."

I just saw Babysitters on HD-DVD and WOW..... ;) lol