My contact at Universal just got me the following movies. Look here for some mini-reviews.

Hot Fuzz
Picture Quality - 4.5/5
Audio Quality - 3.5/5
Overall - 4/5

Comments: For this release Universal went with a VC-1 encode on to an HD30 disc. For the most part this transfer looks good. The film grain is kept in check and the image is sharp. In my opinion the PQ of this release is the best we have seen from Universal in quite some time. In many of the brighter/outdoors scenes the image "pops" and is very vibrant. As far as AQ goes, I listened using the Dolby Digital Plus (DD+) option and it sounded good. The Center Channel presented the dialog in a clear and powerful manner, the Surrounds received consistent action and the LFE was used in a precise and effective manner. In conclusion this is a nice presentation, so if you are a fan of this film I can recommend this purchase.



Darkman
Picture Quality - 2/5
Audio Quality - 3.5/5
Overall - 3/5

Comments: For this release Universal went with a VC-1 Transfer on to an HD30. Unfortunately this transfer is a mess in-terms of PQ. I do not beleive I have ever seen this much film debris on any release from either format. There is debris in nearly every scene of the movie. Sometimes you can even see fibers/hairs in the print. I also noticed this transfer seems to bounce ever so slightly up and down, much like "Field Of Dreams" did. The image was also inconsistent. Some scenes were as sharp as a razor and some as soft as a tissue. Colors also seemed somewhat washed-out and less vibrant as compared to other HD releases of movies from this timeframe. Grain also comes and goes. It becomes very evident in dark scenes where as noise becomes evident in bright/white scenes. I am VERY let down by the PQ of this release. As far as AQ goes, I lsitened using the Dolby TrueHD option and it sounded good. The Center Channel presented the dialog in a clear and powerful manner, the Surrounds received consistent action and the LFE was used in a precise and effective manner. I can not however recommend this purchase as there was little to no effort put in to this release from Universal.
****Also, there are no Special Features on this release****

http://img120.imageshack.us/img120/3252/729071ok1.jpg

http://img263.imageshack.us/img263/7347/729072xl3.jpg

~Josh

Nice. Please view Darkman next, I really want to hear what this came out to be PQ and AQ wise espically with a TrueHD track.

"Darkman" better kick ass in the PQ/AQ department (within reason) since its the only title of the four featured that didn't receive one stinkin' bonus feature/extra. If Universal ever goes neutral "Darkman" will fit right in with Blu-ray's many barebone catalogue titles out now ("Flatliners" anyone?).

I'm curious as to what you didn't like about Hot Fuzz's audio. If you don't mind, could you elaborate?

I'm curious as to what you didn't like about Hot Fuzz's audio. If you don't mind, could you elaborate?

I thought the audio was fine. I just felt it is average for the current state of releases.

~Josh

I thought the audio was fine. I just felt it is average for the current state of releases.

~Josh
Fair enough.

Personally, I found it to be one of the liveliest sound tracks in recent memory. I thought that it perfectly conveyed the aural experience one would expect from an over the top action movie. Aside from its persistent aggressiveness, there were some good subtle sound effects as well. For instance, in the scene where they are preparing to watch a DVD, you can distinctly hear the player's tray open and the disc hitting the tray from directly behind you. That's one example of how even the small things became part of the audio mix.

Fair enough.

Personally, I found it to be one of the liveliest sound tracks in recent memory. I thought that it perfectly conveyed the aural experience one would expect from an over the top action movie. Aside from its persistent aggressiveness, there were some good subtle sound effects as well. For instance, in the scene where they are preparing to watch a DVD, you can distinctly hear the player's tray open and the disc hitting the tray from directly behind you. That's one example of how even the small things became part of the audio mix.

I agree with what you have said, however it did not encompass or have that same "fullness" to me as a PCM or TrueHD track does.

~Josh

I agree completely with Josh on the Hot Fuzz PQ:

Presented in a 1080p, VC-1 Encoded, 1:85:1 Widescreen Aspect Ratio, Hot Fuzz contains a fantastic transfer that has no real problems.

The biggest positive about this one is the film’s sheer usage of bright colors. Whites, sky blues and yellows fill the screen for a majority of the picture with a solid, clear image. In fact, a lot of this film takes place during the day with the exception of the graveyard sequence. Anyhow, grain was pretty much nowhere to be found (or at least nothing that was noticeable), while EE is present (just a tad bit) during the church sequence before the 3rd death. The film’s print, benefiting from being just recently released into theaters, is near immaculate condition with no evidence of print damage, scratches, washed out colors or video noise. All in all, this is a fantastic transfer that rates up there with some of the best HD titles to date. 4.5/5

I agree with what you have said, however it did not encompass or have that same "fullness" to me as a PCM or TrueHD track does.

~Josh


So, since it's not a TrueHD track, it gets a point reduction?

Completely disagree with you about Darkman.

So, since it's not a TrueHD track, it gets a point reduction?

A 3.5 is in the average range, so there is no deduction. It gets it score based on its performance, not what it is.

~Josh

A lot of raving about Darkman in this thread (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=878493&highlight=darkman) . "Stunning" and "Reference material" are terms used to describe it. Yet only a 2/5 from the OP claiming it a "mess." Somebody sure is WAY off. I would like to know who is right so I know who to trust for information. :rolleyes:

A lot of raving about Darkman in this thread (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=878493&highlight=darkman) . "Stunning" and "Reference material" are terms used to describe it. Yet only a 2/5 from the OP claiming one of the worst PQ in recent memory. Somebody sure is WAY off. I would like to know who is right so I know who to trust for information. :rolleyes:
Considering his track record and obvious (admitted) bias, I don't know how anyone could take his opinions seriously. I'm looking forward to Darkman and I'm picking it up regardless of what Josh claims.

A lot of raving about Darkman in this thread (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=878493&highlight=darkman) . "Stunning" and "Reference material" are terms used to describe it. Yet only a 2/5 from the OP claiming it a "mess." Somebody sure is WAY off. I would like to know who is right so I know who to trust for information. :rolleyes:

Not really a lot of raving - the OP seems to be the only person who's seen the disc!

Darkman's PQ does waver, but it seems completely obvious it's the source, not the transfer. Shots can be soft, though some shots are matte shots, so of course they'll look softer. An extensive restoration could have helped, but then again, who really knows by just how much and whether if would be worth the effort. Also maybe it was just me, but I didn't notice that much film debris and I'd much rather have that than edge enhancement or DNR.

One thing is sure, you can burn the DVD after seeing the HD DVD. It's a pleasant surprise.

Elfman's score is massively helped by the TrueHD track. The music sounds so good it's distracting. ;)

http://img504.imageshack.us/img504/1064/dm1mv6.jpg
If you look at this picture you can clearly see film debris on the right side of the screen and a verticle film line running down the left/center of the screen.



http://img442.imageshack.us/img442/9760/dm2tb9.jpg
In this shot only a few seconds later you can see film debris throughout.



http://img504.imageshack.us/img504/3116/dm3od7.jpg
And again if you look in the upper-righthand corner it is full of film debris.

Believe me, this transfer is full of film debris throughout. It is by far the worst I have seen on either format in terms of film debris. Calling this release "reference" material is just a flatout lie.

~Josh

Hmmmm, no.

Darkman easily beats the completely mangled Traffic and The 40 Year Old Virgin.

Hmmmm, no.

Darkman easily beats the completely mangled Traffic and The 40 Year Old Virgin.

That's not saying much. I have DVD's that beat those.

~Josh

Wasn't that interested in Darkman anyway unless it was a stunning reference disc. After seeing those screen shots, I think I'll pass on it.

Hot Fuzz, however, seems consistently good from the reports I've read thus far. I guess I'll pick that up.

Isn't beatboy the guy who's batting .000 when it comes to reviews?

Isn't beatboy the guy who's batting .000 when it comes to reviews?

So, you're saying that "Hot Fuzz" is actually really bad? You think he's wrong?

So, you're saying that "Hot Fuzz" is actually really bad? You think he's wrong?

:rolleyes:

You know what I mean. The last 10 post have been about Darkman not Hot Fuzz.

You guys crack me up :p You "completely agree" with me when I give an HD-DVD a solid score for PQ, yet I am "biased" or "batting .000" when I give an HD-DVD a poor score for PQ.

~Josh

You guys crack me up :p You "completely agree" with me when I give an HD-DVD a solid score for PQ, yet I am "biased" or "batting .000" when I give an HD-DVD a poor score for PQ.

~Josh

I think they're just upset because you're a known BD supporter. With few exceptions, I think your assessments are right on target -- at least what I have read. But I'm still confused how somebody thought Darkman was "stunning" and "reference material". I think, from what I can see, that was wrong and it obviously has some PQ issues. I would expect the professional reviews to say the same. We'll see.

I think they're just upset because you're a known BD supporter. With few exceptions, I think your assessments are right on target -- at least what I have read. But I'm still confused how somebody thought Darkman was "stunning" and "reference material". I think, from what I can see, that was wrong and it obviously has some PQ issues. I would expect the professional reviews to say the same. We'll see.

I will say what I have said before, the Transfer of Darkman is a mess. I am a stickler for film debris. I feel it absolutely should not be in either of the two format's releases as it is a product of the encode process not the source they had to work with. This film is absolutely covered in film debris.

To call this release "reference" is completely laughable.

~Josh

Hi guys, I'm new to the forum. After waiting patiently for the format war to end, I ended up jumping over to the HD-DVD camp because of the Hot Fuzz and Shaun of the Dead releases. They are two of my favorite films and I just couldn't resist so here I am with the 360's HD-DVD add-on.

Anyway, thank you Josh for your little review on Hot Fuzz and I await your review for SoTD. If it's not too much trouble, I'd really appreciate some screen shots from those two movies. :)

I agree with what you have said, however it did not encompass or have that same "fullness" to me as a PCM or TrueHD track does.

~Josh
Interesting. I found the Hot Fuzz track to be much more encompassing and fuller than many of the recent TrueHD and PCM tracks that I've listened to. The sound imaging here is very impressive; there is a great sense of directionality.

It doesn't quite hit tight lows like the POTC BDs do, nor does it hit crisp highs like the Casino Royale BD, but its mid-range qualities impress. I can't see how anyone could call this audio track average, but difference of opinion is indeed what makes life interesting.

By the way, if you don't mind me asking, what is your audio setup?

As much as some people disagree with his reviews it is still one thing.....His opinion.... Reviews are subjective. If you don't like his review wait for another person to review the movie. We don't have to Bash Josh in every review he puts up. At least have some dignity to not insult him in his own review thread.

Interesting. I found the Hot Fuzz track to be much more encompassing and fuller than many of the recent TrueHD and PCM tracks that I've listened to. The sound imaging here is very impressive; there is a great sense of directionality.

It doesn't quite hit tight lows like the POTC BDs do, nor does it hit crisp highs like the Casino Royale BD, but its mid-range qualities impress. I can't see how anyone could call this audio track average, but difference of opinion is indeed what makes life interesting.

By the way, if you don't mind me asking, what is your audio setup?

I use the new Onkyo 605 running in to an Infinity Beta 7.2 speaker system. I use an HD-A1 for HD-DVD and a PS3 for Blu-ray hooked up via HDMI.

~Josh

mmmm Darkman and Hot fuzz are definitely going to be mine :D.

You guys crack me up :p You "completely agree" with me when I give an HD-DVD a solid score for PQ, yet I am "biased" or "batting .000" when I give an HD-DVD a poor score for PQ.

~Josh
1. I don't recall every "completely agreeing" with you on any of your reviews. Besides, as the saying goes - even a broken clock is right twice a day. As for giving HD DVDs "solid scores," your record stands for itself. You dole out 5/5's for PQ like crazy when you're reviewing BDs (hell, you gave Waiting... a 5/5 for PQ!) yet I don't recall a single HD DVD review where you've deemed the PQ worthy of a perfect score. You're quick to link to other sites when the reviewer agrees with you, but when they don't, you abandon the thread in the hopes that the discussion will die.
2. Are you honestly going to claim for even a second that you don't have a bias towards BD? Really? Even after those two ill-fated (and poorly written) petitions you started? Even after saying numerous times that you want HD DVD gone? Really?

It is encouraging to read the consistently positive reviews for "Hot Fuzz" with respect to both presentation and content. This is one of those releases missed by many during its theatrical run that should benefit greatly from positive buzz around the 'net. HF is a definite purchase for me.

Personally, I have no problem with Josh's reviews, Peter Bracke's reviews or Bill Hunt's opinion of Blu-ray, etc...it's a subjective matter and each is entitled to their respective opinion. As a consumer it's up to an individual to filter through the information circulating around the 'net and decide what's important to you and make a rental or purchase decision accordingly.

1. I don't recall every "completely agreeing" with you on any of your reviews.

Look no further then post #8 of this very thread :)

~Josh

Am I the only one who could give a crap about his mini reviews? I would much rather read reviews from Chad and David at HTSpot and Kris at hthifi that use high quality 1080p front projectors. Why does this guy always has to start a thread whenever he receives movies ahead of street date? If I wanted to read his lame reviews I would just go to his review site. No other reviewer on the net has to post their reviews on this forum so why does he feel compelled to do so?

Then by all means do not participate/read these threads. I actually receive quite a few PM's from both Blu-ray and HD-DVD supporters thanking me for the mini-reviews, so they will keep coming.

I too use a high quality 1080p front projector. I use the Mitsubishi HC5000 onto a 110" Da Lite High Power screen. Doesn't get much better then that.

~Josh

I am a huge fan. I use these reviews to determine if I will order these films.

Because of these threads, I passed on Born on the 4th (rented), bought Big Lebowski and now will pass on Darkman.

Since the major sites seem a little backlogged on reviewing these before release I can't tell you how I appreciate these snapshot reviews.

Thanks.

I am a huge fan. I use these reviews to determine if I will order these films.

Because of these threads, I passed on Born on the 4th (rented), bought Big Lebowski and now will pass on Darkman.

Since the major sites seem a little backlogged on reviewing these before release I can't tell you how I appreciate these snapshot reviews.

Thanks.

Thank You Doug! :)

~Josh

I too use a high quality 1080p front projector. I use the Mitsubishi HC5000 onto a 110" Da Lite High Power screen. Doesn't get much better then that.

No offense Josh, but saying it doesn't get much better is more wishful thinking than anything else. You just have to accept that it always gets better and some have better equipment and are used to quality you can't get out of some equipment. I'm not going to comment on Shaun and Hot Fuzz, since I'm waiting for the UK versions to arrive and didn't get around to order Darkman yet. But personally, I think the HC5000 is as low as it gets when it comes to 1080p... and I'm sure others think the same and just demand something better for a review. The same can be said for the Onkyo receivers or speakers. So there is nothing wrong about posting reviews, just list your used equipment. Those with a similar system will probably trust your reviews, those with better systems will probably wait for reviewers with better systems to post their opinion as well. Nothing wrong about that. :)

Hey beatboy. Don't worry. We appreciate your reviews though some of it are not correct. Unfortunately those some has fallen under the HD DVD umbrella which is provoking some of us. Keep up your good work.

People on this forum really need to lay off the Haterade and just appreciate the fact that someone took the time to review some discs for us. It's just another opinion to base your purchase on, and honestly, how does that hurt at all?

Am I the only one who could give a crap about his mini reviews? I would much rather read reviews from Chad and David at HTSpot and Kris at hthifi that use high quality 1080p front projectors. Why does this guy always has to start a thread whenever he receives movies ahead of street date? If I wanted to read his lame reviews I would just go to his review site. No other reviewer on the net has to post their reviews on this forum so why does he feel compelled to do so?

Then by all means do not participate/read these threads. I actually receive quite a few PM's from both Blu-ray and HD-DVD supporters thanking me for the mini-reviews, so they will keep coming.

I too use a high quality 1080p front projector. I use the Mitsubishi HC5000 onto a 110" Da Lite High Power screen. Doesn't get much better then that.

~Josh

I want to say that I dont always agree with josh, but I really appreciate his reviews. He is a blu-ray supporter and has alway been upfront about that so he's not trying to decieve anybody. His reviews are fair and when someone challenges him he provides proper evidence. He's not forcing you to read anything.

THANK YOU FOR THE REVIEWS JOSH! :)

1. I don't recall every "completely agreeing" with you on any of your reviews.
Look no further then post #8 of this very thread :)

~Josh
That's not my post, smart guy. Reading comprehension is fundamental on an internet forum.

It's very telling that the only response to my post had nothing to do with the issues at hand.

1. I don't recall every "completely agreeing" with you on any of your reviews. Besides, as the saying goes - even a broken clock is right twice a day. As for giving HD DVDs "solid scores," your record stands for itself. You dole out 5/5's for PQ like crazy when you're reviewing BDs (hell, you gave Waiting... a 5/5 for PQ!) yet I don't recall a single HD DVD review where you've deemed the PQ worthy of a perfect score. You're quick to link to other sites when the reviewer agrees with you, but when they don't, you abandon the thread in the hopes that the discussion will die.


So, what score would you give "Waiting"? Because, you've watched it, right?

I swear, some of you act like HD-DVD is a religion and you just want to hang anyone that "worships" any other format.

Wanna do some fact checking while you accuse someone of propaganda in reviews?

Here's some PQ scores Josh has given for Blu-Ray discs lately...

The Patriot - 4/5 (find any other review to disagree with this - you'll find he's probably on the low end of the average for that rating)
Wild Things - 4.5/5 (it's not Sony's fault if it looks good)
Flatliners - 3/5 (uh oh! The Blu-Ray fanboy gave a Sony catalog title a 3! Let's just ignore that since someone might think he's not as biased as you had hoped...)
Premonition - 4/5
Weeds Season 2 - 4/5
Shooter - 4/5
Waiting - 5/5 (again, have you seen it to question the validity of that score?)
Disturbia - 4/5

His HD-DVD scores...

Shooter - 4/5 (huh. The same as the Blu-Ray score.. some fanboy...)
Hot Fuzz - 4.5/5 (4.5? I'm sorry, but if this is the future of Blu-Ray fanboyism, he's gonna get kicked out of the club)
Darkman - 2/5 (uh oh... the real point of contention. He found a Universal catalog title that didn't look great! Even screen shots of obvious film debris aren't enough to back-up his "claims". Heck, his screen is probably just dirty!)
The Bourne Identity - 4/5
Distubria - 4/5 (again, same as the Blu-Ray score)
The Mummy - 8.5/10

So, really... that reads like his preference for Blu-Ray is coloring his HD-DVD scores? Because he has ONE low score on the HD-DVD side?


2. Are you honestly going to claim for even a second that you don't have a bias towards BD? Really? Even after those two ill-fated (and poorly written) petitions you started? Even after saying numerous times that you want HD DVD gone? Really?

What if he does? The review RIGHT BEFORE the Darkman review included one of the higher PQ scores he's given on either format. But, his reviews are irrelevant because he thought Darkman looked bad?

I support both formats and buy discs for each. Which one do I prefer? Blu-Ray.
Why? The simple reason is because, in my experience, I have had problems with too many HD-DVD discs and have had zero problems with Blu-Ray discs. I'm sure some have had the opposite experience, but I'm talking about me. Still, in cases where the Blu-Ray version doesn't have the advantage, I'll pick up the HD-DVD version as I have recently done with Coming to America, 300, and Shooter (for audio - yes, I know beatboy said he heard no difference, which I'm sure adds a point to his Blu-Ray fanboy score). I own more HD-DVDs than Blu-Ray discs. But, since I have a preference to Blu-Ray, my opinion on HD-DVD is irrelevant?

As far as PQ/AQ goes, it's all dependent on the studio/master/transfer, NOT the format. Some of us know that. Many don't. BeatBoy apparently does, since you can see he gives the same scores on dual-format releases. See, if he really wanted to be biased, he'd be giving the HD-DVD version LOWER scores.

So, what score would you give "Waiting"? Because, you've watched it, right?
I would say 4/5 for PQ. I actually posted the same thing in the thread he started, but he let it die when I and several others pointed out that his 5/5 movie had visible noise (not grain) in several scenes. And yes, I've watched it twice - once with the telestrator commentary. Guess that wasn't quite the "gotcha" you thought it would be, was it?
I swear, some of you act like HD-DVD is a religion and you just want to hang anyone that "worships" any other format.
Yeah...

You're in the HD DVD area. If you're not here for HD DVD, move on.
Wanna do some fact checking while you accuse someone of propaganda in reviews?
My accusations of bias are based on his own posts - he freely admits that he wants HD DVD to die. Also, I've read several of his little mini-reviews, as well as the ones on the site he works for. He's given several BD titles 5/5 for PQ (including Waiting...) and has never (to my knowledge) given a single HD DVD disc a 5/5 for PQ. My opinion stands.
I support both formats and buy discs for each. Which one do I prefer? Blu-Ray.
Why? The simple reason is because, in my experience, I have had problems with too many HD-DVD discs and have had zero problems with Blu-Ray discs. I'm sure some have had the opposite experience, but I'm talking about me.
Take your propoganda to the BD side, please. You know it's not welcome over here.
As far as PQ/AQ goes, it's all dependent on the studio/master/transfer, NOT the format. Some of us know that. Many don't. BeatBoy apparently does, since you can see he gives the same scores on dual-format releases. See, if he really wanted to be biased, he'd be giving the HD-DVD version LOWER scores.
So sad...

Guys, lets get this thread back on topic. It is not about me, it is about these four movies.

~Josh

Though biased he may be, let's not attack him. It is one thing to disagree with his posts but a whole other thing to attack his character. Take the high road, guys.

Josh --

I do disagree about the Hot Fuzz soundtrack. Though it is "only" 1.5mbs DD+, it is probably the best 1.5mbs DD+ I've heard and easily rivals some of the PCM/TrueHD tracks. It is definately better than your average of 3.5. I would give it a 4-4.5. The bass is deep and powerful, surrounds are active, highs are nice and tight, and dialog is clear. This is a great soundtrack.

I don't have Darkman but if those screenshots are representative of the whole, then in likely deserves a crappy PQ rating. It is a great campy movie and even with those scores I'll still buy it.

Keep up the mini reviews and try to be as objective as possible.

Guys, lets get this thread back on topic. It is not about me, it is about these four movies.

~Josh

I agree with you on that Josh. Also, I would like to apologize for my comments about you earlier and have deleted those posts. To treat a fellow member who is going out of his way to help others on this forum is not what this forum is about. Just review all the movies in your threads and I will be a Josh convert. :)

I sure hope Sea of Love doesn't have that terrible Universal catalog title edge enhancement. I own both formats but Universals terrible EE is starting to make me prefer Blu-Ray.

Tom

Yeah...

You're in the HD DVD area. If you're not here for HD DVD, move on.


That's hilarious. Go through most of the threads in this forum and check out who the first people to bring up Blu-Ray always are. Yep, that's right - the HD-DVD fanboys. Who brought it up in this thread? Josh? Me?

That's kinda my point - I actually agree with you. If you're not here for HD-DVD, move on. I pop into these threads to read the mini-reviews and have to sift through the HD-DVD evangelists bringing Blu-Ray into the discussion and throwing anyone under the bus who has the slightest negative thing to say about an HD-DVD release. The general culture of the HD-DVD Software forum seems to be to fight (and is what would normally happen here is someone will say "They do it in the Blu-Ray forum, too!" I don't like it anymore when it happens there, either). If a fight doesn't exist, many will just create one. I can see debating the review and offerring up a personal opinion of the transfer, but this whole thing where someone's character is attacked because they didn't go nuts over an HD-DVD is getting old. There should just be a separate forum called HD-DVD VS. Blu-Ray where everyone can fight all day long.

But, I'm guilty, too, since the worst thing one can do is respond to the fanboy posts. That's what the ignore function is for, I guess.

The only thing this thread is about are the mentioned titles. The OP and his preferences really shouldn't be up for discussion unless he's here spewing some off topic pro-Blu propaganda, spreading fud, or antagonizing pro-HD DVD avs'ers.

I'm curious about Shaun of the Dead. Great movie that I'm really looking forward to viewing once I get my copy. Please post your thoughts after viewing.

Also, guys, HD DVD and Blu Ray both have some pretty bad transfers, as well as the great ones. Don't jump on beatboy because he's calling a spade a spade. A crappy transfer is a crappy transfer, regardless of his pro-Blu stance.

I'm curious about Shaun of the Dead. Great movie that I'm really looking forward to viewing once I get my copy.
Agreed. My copy gets here next Wednesday and it will be spending quite a lot of time in my player. Great flick.
Also, guys, HD DVD and Blu Ray both have some pretty bad transfers, as well as the great ones. Don't jump on beatboy because he's calling a spade a spade. A crappy transfer is a crappy transfer, regardless of his pro-Blu stance.
With all due respect, I believe that he allows his personal bias to taint his reviews - for both formats. He tends to point out flaws in HD DVD releases that no one else can find (or he exaggerates minor flaws to make them seem worse than they really are) and overlooks flaws on BD titles that everyone else notices right away. The Bourne Identity thread is a perfect example. The Waiting... thread is another.

I bought "Darkman" yesterday (before street date) and watched it today. I have to agree with Beatboy on this one (as much as it pains me! ;)) and say that "Darkman" looks rather bland and is an unimpressive HD-DVD (and an HD-30/VC-1 encode to boot). This is totally the fault of Universal for not properly cleaning the master and the low-budget of the 18 year-old production (Raimi was clearly trying to do a "Spider-Man"-like action film on a shoestring budget without CG), not HD-DVD technology. "Darkman" used a lot of "matted" shots (actors standing in front of green screens) that had footage on the background previously shot. Unlike today's CG (which is 100% digital) 'matted' shots back then resulted in crappy second-generation film masters. Throw in "Darkman's" low-budget flaws (probably low-quality film stock) and a small army of film debris (inexcusable back in 1990 as much as right now) and this ain't a pretty showpiece of HD-DVD technology. It's a toss-up if this or Raimi's own "Army of Darkness" HD-DVD looks beter/worse than the other.

That said this movie has always looked bad every time I've seen it on pay cable, regular TV, VHS and DVD. On that regards the HD-DVD of "Darkman" is the sharpest, most colorful and best this movie is ever going to look (unless Universal blows millions on a frame-by-frame restoration) and the True HD soundtrack is top-notch (not "Batman Begins" good but good enough). If you're a fan of the film and have an HD-DVD player this is at the very least a must-rent (got Netflix? :)) and a safe buy knowing there isn't a better version of this movie anywhere else (unlike the HD-DVD of Army of Darkness which is blown away by the Hong Kong DVD version of the Director's Cut that Anchor Bay butchered for the US DVD R1 release).

My $0.02.

Josh, thanks for the reviews, and especially the screenshots. It's too bad about Darkman, but I don't think I'm gonna be able to help myself- I'm a lover of all things Raimi. Maybe on my smaller display it won't be quite so bad. Universal is just pumping these things out at this rate with zero effort. After Netflixing The Untouchables on Blu this weekend, there is just no reason a movie made within the last 20 years shouldn't look excellent in high def. I don't think Paramount did a full restoration of the Untouchables, they just put some effort into it, and that makes all the difference in the world.

I AM pleased the TrueHD sounds good, as I figured it wouldn't be too active due to the age of the source material. I also found the AoD HD-DVD to be a significant improvement over every SD version (and I have owned and seen them all, both domestic and import), so at the least Darkman should be an improvment in that regard.

Unlike the HD-DVD of Army of Darkness which is blown away by the Hong Kong DVD version of the Director's Cut that Anchor Bay butchered for the US DVD R1 release.
Actually Raimi himself cut the film down to its theatrical version, not Anchor Bay.

The Hot Fuzz transfer is true the film. However, it has a look where the color temperature varies from scene to scene and in some cases the whites are really blown out. The transfer is very sharp and the print is very clean. I'm sure the look is intentional, but it makes the HD DVD far from reference and I wouldn't use this movie to show off HD. The HD DVD blows away the standard DVD version and certainly the non existent Blu-ray version. The movie is very entertaining and one of my favorite HD DVDs so far.

On a side note how his Sea of Love movie wise???

With the release date around the corner this might be a title I pick up but I have no idea if its even worth it. The trailer makes the movie look interesting but I'd like to hear what you guys think before I make my decision. Thanks

On a side note how his Sea of Love movie wise???

With the release date around the corner this might be a title I pick up but I have no idea if its even worth it. The trailer makes the movie look interesting but I'd like to hear what you guys think before I make my decision. Thanks

Sea of Love is a very good movie. It put pacino's career back on track after a decade of flops (scarface was considered a failure in 1983 and critics hated it). If you like sexy thrillers, like basic instinct then you will like this movie.

Yes, I actually enjoyed Basic Instinct. I might blind buy this title but still would love to hear some more comments on it. Thanks

But personally, I think the HC5000 is as low as it gets when it comes to 1080p... and I'm sure others think the same and just demand something better for a review.

The HC5000 is better than the Sony and Panasonic of the same class.

Anyway, you can see a bad transfer/encode even on a 720p/1080i display!! Demanding more than a quality 1080p projector for reviews is just ridiculous.

Yes, I actually enjoyed Basic Instinct. I might blind buy this title but still would love to hear some more comments on it. Thanks

I'd definitely see it, but I wouldn't buy it...it's a very good movie, a solid Pacino performance, and a suspenseful enough mystery. But at the same time, it has little repeat viewing potential after you've seen it, as it unfolds at a deliberate pace and once you know where it's going, you've got it figured out. Then again I felt the same about BASIC INSTINCT (i.e. once I'd seen it, I had little motivation to sit through it again).

If that's your kind of genre, though, definitely give it a whirl -- and it's sure a good enough film to warrant a view in any event :)

On a side note how his Sea of Love movie wise???

With the release date around the corner this might be a title I pick up but I have no idea if its even worth it. The trailer makes the movie look interesting but I'd like to hear what you guys think before I make my decision. Thanks

My wife and I both really like this film. My only hesitation is edge enjancement that has been the norm for Universal's recent catalog releases. I am very anxious to find out from Josh if the EE is bad or not. For me this movie has replay value but I am a HD disc addicted collector so you may feel differently.

Tom

Guess I'll take a chance. Tuesday will be a HUGE day for me!!!

Damn....I was hoping for a good transfer of Darkman. Oh well!

^^^ It is a good transfer (the best "Darkman" has ever received on home video) and much better than the DVD and VHS versions. It's just not a top-tier, "King Kong"-caliber, Tier 0 transfer. Given the movie's low-budget and lack of extras (not even a freaking trailer) we should count ourselves lucky Universal even sprung for the TrueHD audio mix. Definitely rent it before buying if you've got concerns, but I consider my copy of "Darkman" $23 well spent. :rolleyes:

No offense Josh, but saying it doesn't get much better is more wishful thinking than anything else. You just have to accept that it always gets better and some have better equipment and are used to quality you can't get out of some equipment. I'm not going to comment on Shaun and Hot Fuzz, since I'm waiting for the UK versions to arrive and didn't get around to order Darkman yet. But personally, I think the HC5000 is as low as it gets when it comes to 1080p... and I'm sure others think the same and just demand something better for a review. The same can be said for the Onkyo receivers or speakers. So there is nothing wrong about posting reviews, just list your used equipment. Those with a similar system will probably trust your reviews, those with better systems will probably wait for reviewers with better systems to post their opinion as well. Nothing wrong about that. :)
Yes, I'm sure better projectors will actually hide the appearance of film grain and bad transfers. Right. I'm sure the more expensive projectors actually have blurrier, less detailed pictures.

I noticed scratches and dirt on the print of The Hulk, and it didn't refrain from having one of the best HD transfers around.

Demanding more than a quality 1080p projector for reviews is just ridiculous.

That's the point, I don't consider the HC5000 to be a quality projector. Many others have the same opinion. If it rocks your world, so be it. Others just want something much better. To each his own.



Yes, I'm sure better projectors will actually hide the appearance of film grain and bad transfers. Right. I'm sure the more expensive projectors actually have blurrier, less detailed pictures.

This is not about hiding film grain or bad transfers. Grain is a part of film and should always be seen when it's in the source. If the director does not want grain in the movie, he should choose a different film stock, maybe even with a finer structure.

Please stack up the HC5000 against a properly installed, calibrated and tweaked RS-1, 9" CRT, Ruby or HT5000 (the Sim2) and then report back. The difference is night and day between each of those and the HC5000. But as I said, to each his own. Just accept that some people want something better and others settle for something less. Nothing wrong about that. :)

Guys, lets get this thread back on topic. It is not about me, it is about these four movies.

~Josh


Yeah, so get on the other two already, Josh! :D

Yeah, so get on the other two already, Josh! :D
I see that he is selling Sea of Love, so don't expect a very short review of that. ;)

I really like Sea of Love, but at this point given Universal's recent track record with catalog transfers, I'm cancelling my pre-order and waiting for multiple reviews before I get it. My DVD of this will be fine for now.

I really like Sea of Love, but at this point given Universal's recent track record with catalog transfers, I'm cancelling my pre-order and waiting for multiple reviews before I get it. My DVD of this will be fine for now.
Here's one review. (http://avplay.avforums.com/index.php?showmediareview=8917)

A better written review of Darkman can be read here (http://avplay.avforums.com/index.php?showmediareview=8916).

A better written review of Darkman can be read here (http://avplay.avforums.com/index.php?showmediareview=8916).

He gives PQ a 6/10, AQ a 6/10, Special Features a 0/10 and gives the Overall Score an 8/10 :confused:

~Josh

He gives PQ a 6/10, AQ a 6/10, Special Features a 0/10 and gives the Overall Score an 8/10 :confused:

~Josh
Well, at least he gave a justification for it. He clearly states that the film itself carries the score, and that it probably hasn't looked or sounded as good since its initial theatrical release.

This is why consumers expect reviewers to fully disclose what they feel. A few ratings and one small paragraph doesn't really tell us much. ;)

I really like Sea of Love, but at this point given Universal's recent track record with catalog transfers, I'm cancelling my pre-order and waiting for multiple reviews before I get it. My DVD of this will be fine for now.

I cancelled my pre-order for this title for the very same reason. Until I read a review by a front projection user like Josh about EE etc., I will just live without it in my collection. I hate to waste a netflix rental on it if it looks like crap.

Tom

Here's one review. (http://avplay.avforums.com/index.php?showmediareview=8917)


Unfortunately, he viewed it on a small display with no mention of the edge enhancement that has plagued their recent catalog titles.

Tom

Josh,

Will you be posting a mini review of Sea of Love today?

Thanks,
Tom

Unfortunately, he viewed it on a small display with no mention of the edge enhancement that has plagued their recent catalog titles.

Tom
I use a 1080p front projector setup myself, but I've come to understand that those with good sense and use a small display are much better reviewers than those with little to no sense and use a large display.

Thanks for the reviews.

Keep 'em coming.

I use a 1080p front projector setup myself, but I've come to understand that those with good sense and use a small display are much better reviewers than those with little to no sense and use a large display.

I have a 40" 16x9 HD set in my living room and a 45"x108" 2.40 CIH FP setup in my movie room and especially with scope films there is no comparison as far as seeing flaws in the picture. If you sit very close to a small non FP display you will start to see the structure of the screen. I doubt these guys sit just a few feet in front of their screens. I have read too many reviews done on small displays that look dramatically different when played on a FP setup. I think David and Chad at htspot, Kris at hthifi and Thomas Norton at Ultimate are 4 of the best in the reviewers in the business, all use FP. I would trust their reviews over one on a 32" screen any day of the week. I even saw a review of 40YIV HD DVD from a guy usin a small display and he didn't even mention the horrible edge enhancement.

Tom

Tom,

I just got done watching Sea Of Love. It does have some EE from time to time, however not excessive. Again though, this is a poor transfer. It appears no restoration of any type was put in to this release.

~Josh



Josh,

Will you be posting a mini review of Sea of Love today?

Thanks,
Tom

^^^ It is a good transfer (the best "Darkman" has ever received on home video) and much better than the DVD and VHS versions. It's just not a top-tier, "King Kong"-caliber, Tier 0 transfer. Given the movie's low-budget and lack of extras (not even a freaking trailer) we should count ourselves lucky Universal even sprung for the TrueHD audio mix. Definitely rent it before buying if you've got concerns, but I consider my copy of "Darkman" $23 well spent. :rolleyes:

well, thats good! that's all i was hoping for.

Tom,

I just got done watching Sea Of Love. It does have some EE from time to time, however not excessive. Again though, this is a poor transfer. It appears no restoration of any type was put in to this release.

~Josh

Thank you very much for taking out the time to share this info. :) I may rent this sometime but will pass on a purchase. It's a shame they don't seem to care about these titles enough to do a decent transfer. Boy, Universal catalog titles sure are hurting HD DVD's cause. Blu-ray only owners aren't missing out on much lately.

By the way, thanks for saving me $17.95 ;)


Tom

Tom,

I just got done watching Sea Of Love. It does have some EE from time to time, however not excessive. Again though, this is a poor transfer. It appears no restoration of any type was put in to this release.

~Josh

Figures. The last DVD edition came out I think in 2003, so it appears Universal probably didn't do much with the transfer since then. Disappointing.

I'm starting to fear for When Dreams May Come and Elizabeth.

I'm curious about Shaun of the Dead. Great movie that I'm really looking forward to viewing once I get my copy. Please post your thoughts after viewing.


I don't think Shaun of the Dead is a patch on Hot Fuzz in the PQ stakes. I've also found the image doesn't fill my screen (the sides) like every other HD-DVD has.

Not really a lot of raving - the OP seems to be the only person who's seen the disc!


I've had the DARKMAN HD DVD for about a week and half. I watched it right away and thought it looked stunning. The print was clean, there was fine detail, the blacks were solid, the color hues and flesh tones on target, and the sound watch quite good. I started a thread about how good It thought it looked.

Here's (http://www.dvdtown.com/reviews/hot-fuzz/4974/1) a review of Hot Fuzz that I can agree with. At least someone other than me really appreciates this HD DVD's sound track.

It's a toss-up if this or Raimi's own "Army of Darkness" HD-DVD looks beter/worse than the other.

If it looks like AoD then it can't be too bad. AoD is a great example of what film should look like. It may have minor color problems, but I never understood why people belittle it so much. It's a great transfer. Only a ground up restoration LoA style would make it better. However, if there is as much film debris throughout the movie as in those screens AoD would take the cake easily.

Well, at least he gave a justification for it. He clearly states that the film itself carries the score, and that it probably hasn't looked or sounded as good since its initial theatrical release.

This is why consumers expect reviewers to fully disclose what they feel. A few ratings and one small paragraph doesn't really tell us much. ;)

Amazing. Josh didn't disclose how he felt? With multiple screenshots?

So, it's a good review because the reviewer jacked up the overall score because of how much he likes the movie. Ok. Gotcha.

I don't think you'll find one person who will argue that all of these Universal releases are the best each movie has ever looked on home video. That almost goes without saying. If that is the only criteria for giving a disc a high rating (it's better than the DVD!), then there isn't much point in reading any review. And there honestly isn't a problem with that being someone's criteria - I was going to buy The Frighteners whether it was a minor improvement over the DVD or a major improvement. As long as it's the best version out there, I was getting it.

I have no problem at all with Josh's mini-reviews and they are just as valid as anything else you're going to find. It's just so odd that someone gets some discs early, shares their thoughts in a forum devoted to such an action, then gets blasted for it.

I've had the DARKMAN HD DVD for about a week and half. I watched it right away and thought it looked stunning. The print was clean, there was fine detail, the blacks were solid, the color hues and flesh tones on target, and the sound watch quite good. I started a thread about how good It thought it looked.

How is the print clean when the pictures beatboy provided us shows dirt? Are you sure your love for the movie and/or format isn't clouding your judgement?

Amazing. Josh didn't disclose how he felt? With multiple screenshots?

So, it's a good review because the reviewer jacked up the overall score because of how much he likes the movie. Ok. Gotcha.

I don't think you'll find one person who will argue that all of these Universal releases are the best each movie has ever looked on home video. That almost goes without saying. If that is the only criteria for giving a disc a high rating (it's better than the DVD!), then there isn't much point in reading any review. And there honestly isn't a problem with that being someone's criteria - I was going to buy The Frighteners whether it was a minor improvement over the DVD or a major improvement. As long as it's the best version out there, I was getting it.

I have no problem at all with Josh's mini-reviews and they are just as valid as anything else you're going to find. It's just so odd that someone gets some discs early, shares their thoughts in a forum devoted to such an action, then gets blasted for it.

Why are you even here? It's the HD DVD forum.

Anyway, since you claim you're reading his mini-reviews over here, you can see that in some cases he is way off base on his reviews. The Bourne Identity is a classic example where he said it was a dirty print. It wasn't, and has been backed up by a TON of people looking for it.

Plus, if you read his review, it's all about the negative points of the PQ even though he gave it a 4/5.

Make no mistake, he's doing his job in the format war. Part of that is to make BluRay look more desirable than HD DVD with his reviews. He can't give everything 2s and 3s because he'd be dismissed immediately.

Bottom line: Before defending him as you do, compare the majority of his reviews to other review sites and tell me if they are more similar than not.

Looks like High-Def Digest/Peter Bracke disagrees (http://hddvd.highdefdigest.com/darkman.html#Section3) with your opinion of Darkman, beatboy. They gave it a 4/5 for PQ:
'Darkman' hits HD DVD timed with a new standard-def DVD re-issue of the film. Both editions seem to share a new remaster, and as presented here in 1080p/VC-1 (in its original 1.85:1 theatrical aspect ratio), the results easily fall in the higher tier of Universal's more recent catalog releases.

Though 'Darkman' never looked bad on previous disc editions, in this case the print is noticeably cleaner and perkier. Though the source is still not quite pristine -- there is the occasional instance of dirt and grit -- it remains quite spiffy. And while I've always found the film's cinematography somewhat reminiscent of an overlit TV movie, but 'Darkman' on HD DVD is nothing if not resplendent with great detail and clarity. Blacks are very solid, and contrast has great whites that never look too severe.

Colors are also very bright and late '80s -- lots of ugly fashions with generally hideous shades of orange, green and pink. Still, hues on this HD DVD remain very solid and free of any discernible noise. Shadow delineation is above average for a title of this vintage, with only slight loss of detail in the darkest areas of the image. Sharpness is also superior. All things considered, 'Darkman' is a quite attractive, four-star catalog effort from Universal.
Odd that there's such a disparity between their conclusions and your own...

Looks like High-Def Digest/Peter Bracke disagrees (http://hddvd.highdefdigest.com/darkman.html#Section3) with your opinion of Darkman, beatboy. They gave it a 4/5 for PQ:

Odd that there's such a disparity between their conclusions and your own...

Well, Peter is being branded as an HD DVD fanboy, so we will need to take his review with as much salt as Josh's at the moment. Hopefully other sites will post reviews reinforcing one or the other.

I'm not sayin', I'm just sayin'!

I have no problem at all with Josh's mini-reviews and they are just as valid as anything else you're going to find. It's just so odd that someone gets some discs early, shares their thoughts in a forum devoted to such an action, then gets blasted for it.

He gets blasted for it because

a) he makes no qualms about being a staunch Blu-ray proponent, which has to make you question his "reviews" of HD-DVDs. Let's face it: The only reason Josh posts on this forum is because he gets the discs sent to him and he has to justify the freebies by reviewing them.

b) Time and again, his assessment of these discs has been proven flat-out wrong. Not different, as in a matter of opinion, but COMPLETELY INCORRECT. His review of the DARKMAN HD-DVD is about as far off the mark as any review I have read of any hi-def media since the two formats launched. I say this having watched the disc myself, not just basing it on other reviews. But here's another opinion, just for the record:

http://hddvd.highdefdigest.com/darkman.html

Also, notice the way he points out how the DARKMAN HD-DVD has no extra features whatsoever, yet doesn't even mention the slew of supplements on the HOT FUZZ disc.

And I don't know what Josh demands out of his audio tracks, but the Dolby Digital mix on HOT FUZZ is one of the best I've ever heard.

So yeah, he's gonna keep getting blasted for his unfair, biased and obviously slanted reviews, especially when the thread fills up with people saying they're canceling their orders, etc., based on what he's writing. You can't be a critic without expecting to get some criticism in return.

Well, Peter is being branded as an HD DVD fanboy,"
By whom? BD-only fanboys? :rolleyes:

I've read his reviews and he doesn't seem to have any problem giving an HD DVD a low score and/or a BD title a high score. I certainly don't agree with his taste in movies, but I really don't see a bias towards HD DVD.
so we will need to take his review with as much salt as Josh's at the moment. Hopefully other sites will post reviews reinforcing one or the other.
The member reviews on this site, such as the one found here, (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=882772) seem to agree with highdefdigest. The movie just came out today (officially) so hopefully we'll get one from DVD Talk and a few others soon...

In light of the fact that beatboy gave Hot Fuzz such a mediocre score for AQ (despite protestations from members claiming it was a great track,) I thought it would be fitting to see what another site had to say:
Sound:
The HD-DVD side of "Hot Fuzz" contains a Dolby Digital Plus 5.1 EX soundtrack in both English and French. The standard definition side of the disc removes the ´Plus´ from the soundtrack listing, but also adds a Spanish track. The impressive visuals of the film are matched with an impressive sounding mix that is both lively and loud. A number of scenes throughout "Hot Fuzz" are quite bombastic and mix deep and potent bass with an enveloping array of sounds providing ambient noise, sound effects and solid and clear dialogue. The earlier moments when Angel is speeding around in his police car provide the first moments of effective surround usage. The murder scenes captured on screen are sonic highlights as well. The film kicks into high gear during the final third of the film when Angel and Danny have to face off against numerous townsfolk and their massive array of weapons. Gunshots echo from every direction and show off the transfers solid imaging and movement across channels. When the big explosions take place in the film, the .1 LFE channel rumbles deeply and powerfully. This is not a film that can go toe-to-toe with the biggest Hollywood blockbusters when it comes to pure sound content, but it is a technically sound and very strong mix.
Final Scores:

Video 10
Audio 9
Extras 10
Film value 10

Source. (http://www.dvdtown.com/reviews/hot-fuzz/4974/1)

Also, Dave Vaughn - a reviewer over at Home Theater Spot - has said: (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=11174556&&#post11174556)
I have to agree. I will have a review up later today. The audio is exceptional as well on this disc and is just short of reference.

I created a post over a week ago saying I thought DARKMAN looked terrific, and I guess nobody read it. Yet, another posts a negative review and everybody goes nuts, starts cancelling orders, begins the Universal bashing again etc. Today, High Def Digest gives it high marks and there still seems to be debate.

In light of the fact that beatboy gave Hot Fuzz such a mediocre score for AQ (despite protestations from members claiming it was a great track,) I thought it would be fitting to see what another site had to say:

Final Scores:

Video 10
Audio 9
Extras 10
Film value 10

Source. (http://www.dvdtown.com/reviews/hot-fuzz/4974/1)

Also, Dave Vaughn - a reviewer over at Home Theater Spot - has said: (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=11174556&&#post11174556)


As expected. Josh saw it wasn't "lossless" audio so it sounded "good" and got a slightly above average rating.

I wonder if Brandon will still defend him when all the cards are on the table.

By whom? BD-only fanboys? :rolleyes:



I agree, but I was just playing devil's advocate and creating a level field for the comparison. The BD folks would easily throw out his review as biased, just as some do with Josh.

I agree, but I was just playing devil's advocate and creating a level field for the comparison. The BD folks would easily throw out his review as biased, just as some do with Josh.

I hope this comes today from Amazon, so I can have my 300/Hot Fuzz double feature. It is interesting that Josh gave a 5/5 for the lossy soundtrack to Night at the Mueseum . I guess that one 'performed' better than Hot Fuzz.

As expected. Josh saw it wasn't "lossless" audio so it sounded "good" and got a slightly above average rating.

I wonder if Brandon will still defend him when all the cards are on the table.

I'll defend him even if I think Darkman is the best looking catalog title Universal has released. There is a way to disagree with his opinion without making personal attacks or bringing Blu-Ray into it. As I had mentioned before, most of his HD-DVD reviews are very positive, so I find it odd that his preference for Blu-Ray keeps getting thrown into the mix. Basically, if you like Blu-Ray, your opinion on HD-DVD is absolutely worthless, right? You HD-DVD evangelists do know that Blu-Ray is just another HD storage medium, right? STORAGE. Universal can actually dump all of the contents that are on the HD-DVD disc onto a Blu-Ray disc if they were so inclined and... guess what? It will look and sound the same.

And you don't know what he thought. Your review of his review is pure speculation. And his comments about Hot Fuzz were still very positive! They just weren't positive enough, I guess.

Josh backed up why he didn't like the Darkman reviews with images of things that bothered him. Well, unless those are photoshopped (anyone come up with that one yet?) Maybe the instances of print blemishes turned him off of the overall PQ more than everyone else. The positive reviews do still mention some defects here and there - they just find them minor in light of the positives. But, turning one "bad" HD-DVD review into some proof that all of his comments are biased in light of the overwhelming positive comments he has made is silly.

I can tell you that you can find differing opinions on many of these Universal catalog titles. I remember reading posts about how great Happy Gilmore and Midnight Run looked. I didn't think either of them looked "great". But, since I wasn't overly impressed by them, it's because I have to have a Blu-Ray bias. There is no other explanation. Every HD-DVD release is either perfect or near-perfect. No exceptions.

Anyone ever read any of those old tier threads where many people argued over which tier a certain title should go into? Any explanation why everyone in these forums doesn't just automatically have the exact same opinion/experience with every title?

I'll defend him even if I think Darkman is the best looking catalog title Universal has released.
Yeah, we can see that. It's "cute" that you continually come running to his defense like that - it really is.

Do you even have an HD DVD player? If not, why do you keep popping up over here?

Personally I would have liked to see a review from Josh or Adam at DVDTalk as they tend to be a bit more accurate than Bracke.

I have Sea Of Love and Darkman shipping to me today from Netflix.

I will evaluate for myself if I think they're worth buying.

I won't presume that my opinion will matter to anyone, but I will be viewing on a 61" 1080p Sammy DLP calibrated by Eliab/Avical. I'll be happy to share my thoughts if anyone's interested.

I'll defend him even if I think Darkman is the best looking catalog title Universal has released. There is a way to disagree with his opinion without making personal attacks or bringing Blu-Ray into it. As I had mentioned before, most of his HD-DVD reviews are very positive, so I find it odd that his preference for Blu-Ray keeps getting thrown into the mix. Basically, if you like Blu-Ray, your opinion on HD-DVD is absolutely worthless, right? You HD-DVD evangelists do know that Blu-Ray is just another HD storage medium, right? STORAGE. Universal can actually dump all of the contents that are on the HD-DVD disc onto a Blu-Ray disc if they were so inclined and... guess what? It will look and sound the same.

And you don't know what he thought. Your review of his review is pure speculation. And his comments about Hot Fuzz were still very positive! They just weren't positive enough, I guess.

Josh backed up why he didn't like the Darkman reviews with images of things that bothered him. Well, unless those are photoshopped (anyone come up with that one yet?) Maybe the instances of print blemishes turned him off of the overall PQ more than everyone else. The positive reviews do still mention some defects here and there - they just find them minor in light of the positives. But, turning one "bad" HD-DVD review into some proof that all of his comments are biased in light of the overwhelming positive comments he has made is silly.

I can tell you that you can find differing opinions on many of these Universal catalog titles. I remember reading posts about how great Happy Gilmore and Midnight Run looked. I didn't think either of them looked "great". But, since I wasn't overly impressed by them, it's because I have to have a Blu-Ray bias. There is no other explanation. Every HD-DVD release is either perfect or near-perfect. No exceptions.

Anyone ever read any of those old tier threads where many people argued over which tier a certain title should go into? Any explanation why everyone in these forums doesn't just automatically have the exact same opinion/experience with every title?

No one said every HD-DVD release is perfect, etc., etc. Why are you taking such an arrogant, above-you-all attitude? Condescend much?

It's very simple: Josh's reviews are suspect because he's a tireless Blu-ray booster. So when he takes a crap on a disc that other people then watch and realize looks nothing like how he described.... well, sorry, but that makes him look biased.

No one said every HD-DVD release is perfect, etc., etc. Why are you taking such an arrogant, above-you-all attitude? Condescend much?

It's very simple: Josh's reviews are suspect because he's a tireless Blu-ray booster. So when he takes a crap on a disc that other people then watch and realize looks nothing like how he described.... well, sorry, but that makes him look biased.
+1

My only gripe with Hot Fuzz is that it's a damn combo disc. When are studios going to get a clue? I don't want a combo disc. It's like throwing away $5.

Here's a link to Dave Vaughn's full review of Hot Fuzz. (http://www.***************.com/fusionbb/showtopic.php?fid/226/tid/138058/)

He gave the audio portion a 4.5/5 and said:
AUDIO:
What good would a stellar video encode be without a stellar audio mix? Luckily, we are treated to a good audio mix on this one though, although I was disappointed not to see a Dolby TrueHD mix on the disc. I’m not sure if it was because of lack of space due to the plethora of bonus features or Universals lackluster support of the lossless codec, but I would have loved to have heard a TrueHD mix because the robust Dolby Digital Plus EX(1.5 Mbps) mix was outstanding in and of itself.

From the opening credits be prepared for you audio senses to be assaulted from this aggressive mix that shines throughout the movie. Since the film is a spoof on the buddy films previously mentioned, you can’t have an action movie spoof without action scenes, and there are plenty included in the two-hour movie. Imaging is excellent throughout and I love that every speaker in my room was utilized with a very active rear soundstage and the stellar workout that my sub received. Dialogue was intelligible throughout, although some of the accents were rather strong (some intentionally so), but if you are up on your British lingo, you won’t have too much difficulty understanding them. Dynamics were excellent throughout though and one can only imagine what the TrueHD mix could bring to the table?

My only gripe with Hot Fuzz is that it's a damn combo disc. When are studios going to get a clue? I don't want a combo disc. It's like throwing away $5.

Untill there is a portable HD-DVD player.. I like the combo discs, as my wife does not like the 'extras' on disc's and I can view {most of} them while I eat my lunch as work... using my portable dvd player while my co-workers spend all their time on their cell phones yelling at (pick one: family member, billing company[aka: credit card, elect, phone] over error)..

--David

The 4/5 stars is encouraging.....

Guys, its simple, this transfer is littered with debris. When you watch for yourselves you will see this. It is VERY noticeable on a FP set-up of 90" or larger. I have supplied several pictures with timestamps proving this. It is obvious that other films from this time-period are capable of looking stellar and are free of film debris, Darkman is however not one of them.

How anyone can not be distracted by the debris in this transfer is unknown to me.

~Josh

so how is the PQ/AQ for shuan of the dead?

Guys, its simple, this transfer is littered with debris.
Yeah, and you said nearly the same thing about The Bourne Identity: (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=878097)
I was very surprised though to see the amount of film debris which I saw. In many of the brighter/outdoors scenes it is very evident.

so how is the PQ/AQ for shuan of the dead?

Pretty Good. Same level as Bourne Identity IMO. I give it a 4/5. Not quite as good as Hot Fuzz, but good none the less.

~Josh

so how is the PQ/AQ for shuan of the dead?
To expound a little more information that may be useful to you, I said the following about Shaun of the Dead.

"Universal did a terrific job with this video transfer. The picture is consistently sharp and full of detail. There is a noticeable layer of film grain throughout, which ensures that Universal didn't attempt to filter it out using DNR. On the other end of the spectrum, I didn't notice any edge halos that often result from the edge enhancement process. Indeed, it seems that Universal allowed this movie's picture to shine through without alteration.

Colors favor a more natural palette. Black levels are usually deep, but get a bit murky during low light conditions towards the end. I only noticed a few print defects in the form of scratches. Overall, the image quality here is pristine and sure to satisfy videophiles.

The 5.1 Dolby Digital Plus track goes beyond the call of duty in conveying a convincing atmosphere for this movie's content. Dialog is clear and authoritative. The surround channels are used to great effect; sounds like sirens, glass breaking, and zombies moaning come from all areas of the sound stage. LFE is often very tight and powerful. The classic ominous music tone taken straight from George A. Romero's "Dead" films comes through with a satisfying amount of heft. This is a very good sounding audio mix that does far more than get the job done."

In short, you can be sure that this is a faithful representation of the movie's theatrical showing.

I have reservations about BB's reviews knowing his bias.
But I still want to hear them.
and bitching about his bias won't do anything to change his bias.
I still appreciate a review from various sources/perspectives.
I would never buy/or not buy a disc solely on his review - nor would I of anyone elses.
and I don't want to discourage anyone from posting reviews - especially if it's a title not yet reviewed.

So once again - thanks for taking the time to post your review Josh.

To expound a little more information that may be useful to you, I said the following about Shaun of the Dead.

"Universal did a terrific job with this video transfer. The picture is consistently sharp and full of detail. There is a noticeable layer of film grain throughout, which ensures that Universal didn't attempt to filter it out using DNR. On the other end of the spectrum, I didn't notice any edge halos that often result from the edge enhancement process. Indeed, it seems that Universal allowed this movie's picture to shine through without alteration.

Colors favor a more natural palette. Black levels are usually deep, but get a bit murky during low light conditions towards the end. I only noticed a few print defects in the form of scratches. Overall, the image quality here is pristine and sure to satisfy videophiles.

The 5.1 Dolby Digital Plus track goes beyond the call of duty in conveying a convincing atmosphere for this movie's content. Dialog is clear and authoritative. The surround channels are used to great effect; sounds like sirens, glass breaking, and zombies moaning come from all areas of the sound stage. LFE is often very tight and powerful. The classic ominous music tone taken straight from George A. Romero's "Dead" films comes through with a satisfying amount of heft. This is a very good sounding audio mix that does far more than get the job done."

In short, you can be sure that this is a faithful representation of the movie's theatrical showing.

Does the image fill the sides of your screen?
Every HD-DVD I have viewed on my system so far has used the full width of the screen except Shaun of the Dead, I get small borders down either side.
If I turned overscan back on it would probably solve it but I find it strange it's the only disc to do this.

Just got done watching Darkman and Sea Of Love.

Darkman in my opinion is a 3.5/5. There is a decent amount of debris, but I would not say it's excessive, or even distracting. And I was looking for it. The transfer itself is inconsistent in terms of color and sharpness, but I credit that to the source and the obviously low-budget compositing of many of the effects. The day time scenes look pretty nice IMO, and overall, I think this is probably about the best they could do with this film without doing some kind of major restoration. I still won't be buying it, mostly because this viewing is enough for me for a while, so I'll get it if and when I ever want to see it again.

On Sea Of Love, I was surprised how much older the film looks than its age. I would never guess it any later than 1983 based on how it looks. Still, I forgot how much I like this film. There were parts that looked nice and "HD-like" but mostly it's a fairly drab and dark looking movie. Again I think this is due to the source. I still have my 2003 DVD, and the HD-DVD is a nice improvement over it IMO. I'll be picking this up for my collection since it's one of my favorite Pacino performances. I'd say 3/5 on PQ, since even though it's probably the best it's going to get, I don't think people looking for an HD experience from this disc will be satisfied fully.

Sending both back to Netflix tomorrow, so hopefully if someone's waiting for them, you'll get them soon!

I also watched Sea of Love last night. I thought it had a pretty good picture. I don't have anything to compare it to though. I had never seen the movie until last night. It is definitely not crisp looking, but the picture was still pleasing to look at. I thought PQ-wise it was much bettter than recently watched Purple Rain. I would rate it about 3.5 -3.9 PQ. There is some very good looking scenes in this.

On a side note I really enjoyed the movie itself. I somehow never heard of it until now. Ellen Barkin is very kind to the eyes in this movie. :)
Recommended for viewing if you have not seen it before.

Hot Fuzz is easily the funniest movie i've seen this year yet, but you have to have an appreciation of Brittish humor to get the full effect.The PQ of the disc is excellent,though the sound could have used a little extra work.All in all a great addition to an HD DVD library, especially one that only may have a few good comedies.

Anyone else notice that Darkman defaults to the TrueHD track? First time I've seen this on any disc. Good job Universal.

Does the image fill the sides of your screen?
Every HD-DVD I have viewed on my system so far has used the full width of the screen except Shaun of the Dead, I get small borders down either side.
If I turned overscan back on it would probably solve it but I find it strange it's the only disc to do this.

Please take a look here:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=824240

isn't he talking about bars on the SIDES?

He shouldn't see that unless it's 4:3. So unless I read him incorrectly that link isn't going to help him. The mere fact that he mentioned turning overscan off clued me in on the fact he probably knows aspect ratio basics.

I'm sorry, Josh, but you really should have given Hot Fuzz 5/5 for video and extras.

18 hours of extras.
Reference quality video as evidenced by a number of reviewers that say more than a few lines total in their review. Colors are sharp and accurate, there is no debris, no EE, no artifacts. It looks great!

I've stood up for you in the past but when you can't admit that an HD DVD looks perfect and is called "the best high def disc on both formats" by 2 other reviewers...I have to question your reviews. If nothing else, write more than a pitiful paragraph. If you can back up your opinion with a thorough, detailed description then it helps your review.

Perhaps you should take a step back and see if you really are biased. You seem like a good guy and I know you take a LOT of crap on here....but there is a reason it seems.

Just my $0.02.

Watch Darkman last night, I never had it on DVD just a VHS recorded from a movie channel. I love the movie as a guilty pleasure but I don't regret it, but do not blind buy it even if you love Sam Raimi. Rent it it won't waste your time.

Anyone else notice that Darkman defaults to the TrueHD track? First time I've seen this on any disc. Good job Universal.


Yes, I played it tonight for the first time and it was a pleasant surprise.