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Tinker Bell (Blu-ray) Official AVSForum Review

10K views 26 replies 16 participants last post by  Icehouse 
#1 ·


The Review at a Glance: (max score: 5 )

Film:


Extras:


Audio/Video total rating:

( Max score: 100 )

87






Studio and Year: Disney - 2008
MPAA Rating: G
Feature running time: 78 Minutes
Genre: Family/Animation

Disc Format: BD-50
Encoding: AVC (MPEG-4)
Video Aspect: 1.78:1
Resolution: 1080p/24


Audio Format(s): English 5.1 uncompressed PCM, English Dolby Digital 5.1
Subtitles: English SDH
Starring: Mae Whitman, Angelica Houston, Lucy Liu, Jeff Bennett, Raven Symone, America Ferrera
Directed by: Bradley Raymond
Music by: Joel McNeely
Written by: Cheryl Abood & Carter Crocker
Region Code: A

Blu-ray Disc release Date: October 28, 2008







"Enter the world of Fairies"



Film Synopsis:


Tinker Bell explores the origins of everyone’s favorite fairy. Born into the fantastic world of Pixie Hollow, Tinker Bell discovers her fairy-talent is ‘tinkering.’ As the fairies prepare to bring spring to the world, Tink learns that tinkers must stay behind in Pixie Hollow to create wonderful things for the other fairies to use as they deliver the seasons to the mainland. Stubborn, sassy Tink thinks this means she isn’t special or important, so she asks her new friends Fawn, Iridessa, Rosetta and Silvermist to teach her their talents so she can go to the mainland, too. Turningher back on who she is inside, Tinker Bell’s attempts to switch her talent only lead to disaster, even endangering the arrival of spring! Yet, with encouragement from her friends, Tinker Bell learns that when she is true to herself, magical things can happen!




My Take:


This is the first in a series of Disney films that will feature Disney Fairies. I have fond memories of Tinker Bell from my younger years when I used to watch the wonderful world of Disney on Sunday nights. She would always fly in and wave her wand during each show’s beginning. She has been portrayed by several actresses (including Julia Roberts) over the years and is easily one of the most recognizable and beloved of the Disney characters. This is Tink’s first full length feature and it was indeed an enjoyable introduction to the Disney Fairy series. The visualization of the characters was subtly brought up to date by the style of dress, hair and ethnic variety. The story was wonderfully balanced and voiced by a great cast. Joel McNeely’s beautiful music score provided an excellent backdrop for the film which certainly enhanced the aspect of its telling. Viewers are sure to fall in love with these cute and cuddly characters that are truly staked in Disney tradition. I thoroughly enjoyed it and I am sure that your family will as well.




Parental Guide:


This is a Disney film that the whole family can watch.





AUDIO/VIDEO - By The Numbers:
REFERENCE = 92-100 / EXCELLENT = 83-91 / GOOD = 74-82 / AVERAGE = 65-73 / BELOW AVERAGE = under 65

**My audio/video ratings are based upon a comparative made against other high definition media/blu-ray disc.**


(Each rating is worth 4 points with a max of 5 per category)


Audio: 84


  • Dynamics:

  • Low frequency extension:

  • Surround Sound presentation:

  • Clarity/Detail:

  • Dialogue Reproduction:





Video: 90


(Each rating is worth 4 points with a max of 5 per category)

  • Resolution/Clarity:

  • Black level/Shadow detail:

  • Color reproduction:

  • Fleshtones:

  • Compression:

Tinker Bell comes to Blu-ray from Disney featuring 1080p AVC encoded video that has an average bitrate of 28 mbps and lossless uncompressed 5.1 channel PCM audio that has a constant bitrate of 6.9 mbps.

Disney animated features have a reputation for strong visual presentations and Tinker Bell is no different. The first thing that jumps out at you is the beautifully rendered colors. Pixie Hollow is awash with lustrous and vibrant hues that are wonderfully diverse. Greens are particularly vivid with visible gradational stages that bring out subtle degrees of separation. Each of the characters has distinctive physical qualities that are attributable to the color of their clothing, hair, eyes, or skin. Things such as the deep blue of Tink’s eyes, the smooth light brown luster of Iridessa’s skin, or the deep black of Rosetta’s long flowing pony tailed hair were reproduced with succulent texture that was eye catching. Images were immaculately resolved with pristine quality and fine minutia that showed strict attention to detail regardless of perspective. In chapter 6 as Tink is sitting at a table she lays her head down on the table. As she does, her hair buckles which reveals flowing, individual strands of hair that are clearly defined. The facial features of the various characters had a nice supple quality that allowed them to display a varied range of emotions. Contrast and black levels strike a great balance so whites are detailed and punchy while blacks have respectable depth and noticeable delineation. I didn’t notice any signs of video related artifacts associated with the encoding.

The soundtrack for this film is not the type that contains powerful low frequency transients or extended dynamics. Its strengths lie in its attention to detail and beautifully crafted music. Joel McNeely’s music is the centerpiece of the surround mix and features well articulated instrumentation that doesn’t rely on the power of the bass drum or timpani. It relies on the subtle delicacy of strings and brass which is mixed with the variety of nature’s sound effects to create an aurally resplendent surround experience. Dialogue is definitively authoritative with excellent clarity and room penetration through the center channel. Off camera directional cues and panning sequences are spot on which help create a believable and stable sound stage. The surrounds are actively engaged either in support of the music or to handle the films associated sound effects. Low frequency effects were not in your face but there was enough bass present that it could be felt when appropriate. An example is during the stampede of the thistles. As they rush by the camera they are split in two rows starting at the back of the room and going toward the front. The sequence had excellent channel separation that divided the room in two and converged at the front. The pounding of their “feet” as they charged onward had solid tactility and tight bass response. I was impressed with the amount of subtle nuance that was clearly audible even during busier sound sequences. Things like the soft flutter of a single fairy’s wings or the sound of Tink’s delicate feet walking on the surface of the sand on the beach were detectable. I was very pleased with the quality of this presentation as a whole.



Bonus Features:

  • (HD)Magical guide to Pixie Hollow – Interactive map with descriptive narration by Tinker Bell and Queen Clarion

  • (HD) Tinker Trainer – Test your Tinker Fairy skills in this interactive activity

  • (HD) Ever wonder – See how fairies put the wonder in natural wonders

  • (HD) “Fly to your heart” music video by Salena Gomez

  • (HD) 6 deleted scenes with optional introduction by Director Bradley Raymond and Producer Jeannine Roussel

  • (HD) Creating Pixie Hollow – A 10 minute Making of documentary

  • BD-Live access





Final Thoughts:




Tinker Bell is a wonderful family movie from Disney that is a fitting tribute to this long standing Disney icon. Fans can look forward to her continuing adventures in later Disney Fairy Series films. Disney has established a reputation for strong high definition audio/video quality in their animated Blu-ray Disc releases and Tinker Bell continues in that vein. The bonus supplements are average but do offer young viewers the chance to interact with Tink in the magical realm of Pixie Hollow. This is a film that not only looks and sounds great but can be enjoyed by the whole family.













Ralph Potts
AVS Forum Blu-ray Reviews





Reference Review System:



JVC DLA-RS1x 1080p High Definition Front Projector

Carada Precision Brilliant White 96" Screen

Oppo 970HD universal disc DVD Player (480i HDMI)

Toshiba HD-XA2 HD DVD Player (HDMI Audio/Video)

Panasonic DMP-BD55K Blu-ray disc Player (HDMI Audio/Video)

Sony Playstation 3 Blu-ray disc Player (HDMI Audio/Video)

Marantz DV7001 Universal Disc Player

Denon AVR 5308CI THX Ultra 2 Preamp/Video Processor

B&K Reference 200.7 Series 2 seven Channel amplifier

Canton "Ergo" Series speakers

Axiom Audio QS8 Quadpolar speakers

SV Sound PB-13 Ultra (Rosenut finish)

APC AV S15BLK Power Conditioner/Surge Protector

Furman SPR-20i Stable Power Regulator

Wireworld, VizionWare, Audioquest, Best Deal Cables - Audio/Video/Speaker Cabling

Cool Components - CP-CP102 cooling package
 
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14
#2 ·
Good to hear that this is actually a watchable straight to video Disney release. My 6 yr old daughter saw the preview & asks about it almost daily. Since she lacks BluRay in her room, it'll be the DVD version for her, but the review was much appreciated.


Thanks!
 
#3 ·
Thanks Ralph. Sounds like a nice alternative for when my niece and nephew visit; well, my niece anyway. Lael would rather watch dinosaurs when he finally tires of playing ball. Journey... in 3D should keep his attention.
 
#4 ·
Just curious how does a movie get docked points for compression if you saw no artifacts due to encoding? Just curious what the problem was, especially considering this movie is all CGI, seems like it would be pretty hard to mess anything up as far as PQ goes.


As always great review, keep it up!
 
#5 ·
Thanks for the Heads up..

Great review
 
#6 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by reallynotnick /forum/post/14939679


Just curious how does a movie get docked points for compression if you saw no artifacts due to encoding? Just curious what the problem was, especially considering this movie is all CGI, seems like it would be pretty hard to mess anything up as far as PQ goes.


As always great review, keep it up!

CG isn't immune to artifacting. Case in point: Ice Age 2, Monster House, and The Corpse Bride to name a few. Whether byproduct of rushed or sloppy compression, using monitors inadequate to the task, or something problematic of the master, as was reported the case with Corpse Bride and an issue with Nemo that Disney reportedly hopes to quick-fix using VC-1's dithering capability, is hard to be certain, if not impossible as a third party viewer.


Basic logic implies that if the bitrate is high, noise is either innate to the source or caused by the equipment being viewed on. But, some films don't require maxed out bitrates, just as random noise is not the only dynamic that warrants a greater budget.
 
#7 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by reallynotnick /forum/post/14939679


Just curious how does a movie get docked points for compression if you saw no artifacts due to encoding? Just curious what the problem was, especially considering this movie is all CGI, seems like it would be pretty hard to mess anything up as far as PQ goes.


As always great review, keep it up!

Greetings,


There were two instances where I noticed what appeared to be video noise. Both occured during scene transitions. I couldn't say for sure that it was related to the encoding but it wasn't really something that I have seen before and each lasted a millisecond in duration. I didn't want to rate it perfectly as a result but couldn't say for certain that it was a compression related issue.

Quote:
CG isn't immune to artifacting. Case in point: Ice Age 2, Monster House, and The Corpse Bride to name a few. Whether byproduct of rushed or sloppy compression, using monitors inadequate to the task, or something problematic of the master, as was reported the case with Corpse Bride and an issue with Nemo that Disney reportedly hopes to quick-fix using VC-1's dithering capability, is hard to be certain, if not impossible as a third party viewer.


Basic logic implies that if the bitrate is high, noise is either innate to the source or caused by the equipment being viewed on. But, some films don't require maxed out bitrates, just as random noise is not the only dynamic that warrants a greater budget.

Good info Chad..thanks.


Regards,
 
#8 ·
My wife is 23 and is asking about this one. She loved the Sleeping Beauty Blu-ray and this one should be no different. Good to know I can sit back, turn my brain off, and watch the color pop.
 
#9 ·
Ralph,


Thanks so much not only for your review on Tinkerbell but all of your reviews. I am a member at dvdtalk.com and they do not have a dvd version reviewed let alone a blu ray version of Tinkerbell. Your review brought much relief to me as my 9 year old daughter has been looking forward to this one.
 
#10 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by rcavictor1956 /forum/post/14944098


Ralph,


Thanks so much not only for your review on Tinkerbell but all of your reviews. I am a member at dvdtalk.com and they do not have a dvd version reviewed let alone a blu ray version of Tinkerbell. Your review brought much relief to me as my 9 year old daughter has been looking forward to this one.


Greetings,


Glad it was helpful...



Regards,
 
#13 ·
Quite a disc, this one, your review is right in target. The wife is rarely interested in the HT goings-on, but as the "camera" pulled away from the flower in the opening shot with the Panasonic DMP-BD35 feeding my trusty AE900 shining on the new Da-Lite High Power, I was treated to a whispered "holy ****...".
 
#14 ·
Breathtaking video on my 110" screen, HC5000, BD30 combo.


This movie does my system justice, parents and kids alike from 3 families

were speechless through the entire movie in my 3 row batcave DYI basement

theater.
 
#15 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by bobpaule /forum/post/15595903


Breathtaking video on my 110" screen, HC5000, BD30 combo.


This movie does my system justice, parents and kids alike from 3 families

were speechless through the entire movie in my 3 row batcave DYI basement

theater.

Greetings,






Cheers,
 
#21 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ralph Potts /forum/post/17136448


Greetings,


Glad that your daughter enjoyed this one Frank.




Regards,

My daughter (just turned 3) likes it a lot, too. Enough so that I'm going to pick the next one up, too.


My kids have a nascent conspiracy theory over the facial similarities of Terence and Peter Pan...
 
#22 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by coati858 /forum/post/17148547


My daughter (just turned 3) likes it a lot, too. Enough so that I'm going to pick the next one up, too.


My kids have a nascent conspiracy theory over the facial similarities of Terence and Peter Pan...

Greetings,


I expect to receive the new one for review as well so keep an eye open.




Regards,
 
#24 ·
My, now four year old, daughter loves this movie and is anticipating the new one as well. When we first got this last Christmas I was a little leary of how much I would get enjoy the movie. While it is no Pixar or latest Dreamworks effort it was much more enjoyable and well done than I thought it would be.
 
#25 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by GoCaboNow /forum/post/17286602


My, now four year old, daughter loves this movie and is anticipating the new one as well. When we first got this last Christmas I was a little leary of how much I would get enjoy the movie. While it is no Pixar or latest Dreamworks effort it was much more enjoyable and well done than I thought it would be.

Yeah, this and (God help me) Beverly Hills Chihuahua were better than I was expecting.



BTW, what was up with the hawk? Did the animal-talent faeries just drop the ball and offend an entire species? Shouldn't they have come to some sort of arrangement by now?
 
#26 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by coati858 /forum/post/17286937


Yeah, this and (God help me) Beverly Hills Chihuahua were better than I was expecting.



BTW, what was up with the hawk? Did the animal-talent faeries just drop the ball and offend an entire species? Shouldn't they have come to some sort of arrangement by now?

Oh man, Chihuahua! Fist time, yeah it was better than I anticipated. I am not into Drew Barrymore. But my 4 year old has to watch this several times a month. I have drew's whiny voice ringing in my head "Delgado!" Delgado!.."
 
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