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What are the most overlooked/under-rated HD DVDs? - Page 7

post #181 of 207
Quote:
Originally Posted by jostenmeat View Post

good to hear, mine is on its way.

Mine just arrived! That Amazon Prime... expensive but fun!
post #182 of 207
I would have to go with "The Thing", I always loved the film, but the HD version really brings new life to it, with color and shadows I just never saw in the VHS or DVD's of the Film. For an older film done before C.G.I., I think it stands up really well.
post #183 of 207
Dawn of the Dead has a nice transfer to it, and is something I would recommend on HD-DVD to anyone looking to get last minute titles.
post #184 of 207
Quote:
Originally Posted by dad1153 View Post

Stardust (agree with everyone, overlooked modern day classic);
Cat People (looks extremely sharp for an early 80's studio horror flick, and a constantly-naked Nastassja Kinski doesn't hurt either ... also John Carpeneter's The Thing qualifies for outstanding early 80's horror that looks so much sharp and better in high-def);
What Dreams May Come (the movie is uneven but the painting-coming-to-life scenes truly shine in high-definition);
Warner classics not yet on Blu-ray (Grand Prix, Adventures of Robin Hood, Mutiny on the Bounty, Casablanca, Forbidden Planet... why wait months and pay more for Blu-ray versions when the HD-DVD versions are cheaper and will look/sound the same);
Lost in Translation (it doesn't look dramatically better in high-def than on regular DVD but the flick is a masterpiece, and it will only be in high-def on this format for a good long time while Uni gets its Blu-ray act together);
Zodiac: Director's Cut (slow-paced but gripping tale of the serial killer that terrorized San Francisco for two decades... extras in high-def that are as interesting as the flick itself seal the deal);
Pan's Labyrinth (also on Blu-ray but worth owning on HD-DVD as the first and last New Line title released on the format... alas, like HD-DVD, New Line Cinema itself disappeared in early '08).

Yeah, I only checked out Stardust because of this site. Sort of Princess Bride II it seems. I guess the PB didn't really gather all it's fame until after it owas out of theaters either.

Lost In Translation, the thing is the PQ is so, so, so marginally better than the SD DVD that I simpyl can't call it an overlooked HD DVD. Great movie, but one of the only hidef titles I have felt was probably not worth the money over the SD DVD.
post #185 of 207
Quote:
Originally Posted by bjmarchini View Post

Oh well then that is completely different. I think one of the best is the Last Starfighter. I can watch that movie over and over. It suffers from what my kids call "the fuzzies" that most of the pre 90's films have in HD, but the difference is night and day between the HD and SD. I own both and it is one of the first that I directly compared.

Highdefdigest ripped it as a bad transfer, but the original stock was not that great and I think they intentially "fuzzied" the earth scenes to give a nostalgic effect like Tatooi in Star Wars as the Rylos scenes are much better looking.

The biggest difference that I saw when I set the scene paused in the beginning where Alex is standing in front of the Starfighter arcade with his brother lewis overlooking him in the daylight. What you really notice is not so much graphical improvement in resolution but the night and day in color saturation and accuracy. The HD version almost makes the SD version look B&W in comparison. Even my daughter was wowed by how much better it looked which is hard to get from 13 year old girl.

As far as the story goes, I think it is one of the best storylines of the 80's and is a true hidden jewel. Much like the Princess Bride which was another amazing film that never really took off.

Other ones with great replay value

Matrix trilogy
Thirteen Monkeys
2001
Dune
Coming to America
National Lampoons Christmas

Pitch Black is another incredible one. Although even the SD is really good. But The changes in colors with the multiple suns makes it look just incredible. Especially the all blue/violet light part IMO.

Another one that is supposed to be good and I can't wait to get is I am Legend. I think alot of people knock it too much for the special effects in the latter half. From what I have read, the new ending is much better too.

oh man Last Starfigher is one of the single least rewatcheable IMO. Anyway, obviously opinions differ. That is one movie that I avoid like the plague. I don't evne like hearing the name, haha.

Princess Bride did end up getting a pretty huge following not long after it left the theaters though. It defintely way took off, just not until after the theatrical release.

Yeah, Pitch Black looks great on HD DVD.

I don't know that I Am Legend can be called overlooked when it ws near top of HD DVD sales charts. I actually strongly disliked the new (original apparently) ending. It was a decent movie to watch, but I don't see it being a repeat and I probably should've rented it.
post #186 of 207
Quote:
Originally Posted by bjmarchini View Post

What makes planet earth great IS the story. they present it and the story is the diversity of the earth itself. Which is why it is so much better than other ones like blueplanet.

You must have the robotic sigourney discovery version I guess, because the excitement the english narrator on the BBC version is great.

To me, Planet Earth is not so much about picture quality. It is learning about things that most people never knew existed or still existed.

I never realized that Great White Sharks could really get as big as Jaws as all the docs that I have seen were much smaller. I was amazed how large some of the herds of animals really were. who knew a salimander could get so big!

I was really hesitant to get this. I finally gave in... and I am glad I did. but this is a film you need to buy and not rent. The kids and I spent about 8 weeks making it through all the footage. You need to take it in slowly because there is alot there.

If you only like high action films like Transformers or tear jerkers like the the Green mile, I don't know that you will like Planet Earth. But if you like the History Channel, Discovery Channel or fantasy films like Lord of the Rings then you NEED to get Planet Earth. It really is important in my opinion that you spend a few more dollars and get the BBC version as well. I love Sigourney Weaver. Who doesn't? But the narration was made for the English narrator. As good as Sigourney is, it is kinda like when they remake a film like planet of the apes. Mark plays a great lead character in the remake, but you just can't replace Charleston Heston. Or even remake Godzilla with CGI - I still think the guy in the rubber suit did a better job chasing down all the tokyo residents and stepping on toy tanks. Not to mention walking into laundry lines, oops I ment Power lines. Or when you see the big Lizard literally puts up his dukes when an enemy is found.

I think it's about simply spectacular photography of amazing things in the natural world. I think it is THE single most rewatcheable of all titles.
post #187 of 207
I picked up Adventures of Robin Hood thanks to this thread. Really great movie and amazing picture quality.
post #188 of 207
I'll throw some into the ring:

Black Snake Moan

The Manchurian Candidate

The Amateurs

Talk to Me

Breach

PQ was ok and I found them to have intriguing stories as well..
post #189 of 207
Quote:
Originally Posted by skibum5000 View Post

oh man Last Starfigher is one of the single least rewatcheable IMO. Anyway, obviously opinions differ. That is one movie that I avoid like the plague. I don't evne like hearing the name, haha.


Agreed...Many shots looked worse than most SD channels on my tv..much less DVD!
post #190 of 207
Quote:
Originally Posted by SbWillie View Post

Agreed...Many shots looked worse than most SD channels on my tv..much less DVD!

actually i was talking about just the movie itself I didn't dare try to watch that thing on hidef . Anyway, that movie is just an old pet peeve of mine, I know there are some who do love it, but well whatever, jsut say I have no intentions of watching it on SD, VHS, DVD, HD DVD, Bluray or holographic chip storage. But sorry that it may be a bad transfer if you, or whoever else, likes it.
post #191 of 207
Based on recs here, I got The Rundown and thoroughly enjoyed watching it last night. Good PQ and AQ also!
post #192 of 207
Did a search and didn't see this title mentioned, so I'll give it a plug:

Warner/BBC Video "A Room With a View"

A 1985 release, based on the novel by E.M. Forster. Very nice PQ and excellent DTS-HD High Resolution audio. In checking Amazon, the HD DVD is less than the standard DVD @ $16.95.
post #193 of 207
Quote:
Originally Posted by bjmarchini View Post

Am I the only who actually likes movies that Kevin Costner was in.

Field of Dreams
Robin: Prince of Thieves
Dances with Wolves
Tin Cup (OMG he is so good in this movie)
Wyatt Earo
JFK

He hasn't just done much in the way of good movies in the last... oh 5-7 years. Even Sean Connery had a slump you know. Not that he is a Sean Connery

Best Sean Connery clip

When he asks Alex Trebec in Celebrity Jeopardy for a "Pen is Mightier". LOL

To this day, my kids are still convinced that was really him.


How about when he selects from the category "AN ALBUM COVER" and says to Trebek: "I'll take Anal Bum Cover for 200 Alex".
post #194 of 207
Got Dante's Peak for a good price after some recommendations for it. Another good movie I overlooked getting on HD DVD. Watched it last night and thoroughly enjoyed it again as I did on SD DVD several times.
post #195 of 207
[quote=bjmarchini;13428435]Am I the only who actually likes movies that Kevin Costner was in.QUOTE]

No, I loved him in the Big Chill. He played the corpse and had no speaking lines!! My next two favorites of his are Waterworld (got it in HD) and Postman. I would say that Dances w/ Wolves is dead last as his monotonous delivery went on and on and made the movie seem to last 3 hrs or more. Robin Hood and some of the other movies also had the same monotone delivery IMHO.

Brett
post #196 of 207
[quote=brettwf;13771454]
Quote:
Originally Posted by bjmarchini View Post

Am I the only who actually likes movies that Kevin Costner was in.QUOTE]

No, I loved him in the Big Chill. He played the corpse and had no speaking lines!! My next two favorites of his are Waterworld (got it in HD) and Postman. I would say that Dances w/ Wolves is dead last as his monotonous delivery went on and on and made the movie seem to last 3 hrs or more. Robin Hood and some of the other movies also had the same monotone delivery IMHO.

Brett

Well maybe Costner's monotonous delivery was a blessing if it "made the movie seem to last 3 hrs or more", since the movie actually runs for a full 4 hours!
post #197 of 207
Don't know if it's available on HD DVD, but Costner's Open Range was very decent.
post #198 of 207
[quote=coolstrategist;13771694]
Quote:
Originally Posted by brettwf View Post


Well maybe Costner's monotonous delivery was a blessing if it "made the movie seem to last 3 hrs or more", since the movie actually runs for a full 4 hours!

4 hrs?!!! I must have fallen asleep somewhere in the middle then!

Field of Dreams was also enjoyable.
post #199 of 207
Rented HD DVD of "The Interpreter" last night and was very pleasantly surprised. Good thriller, with the (for me) always-watchable Nicole Kidman and despite the always-scary Sean Penn (he's terrific as I have to admit he usually is). Excellent PQ and at least one very good explosion (I played the DTS track)!

IIRC this movie got poor reviews for what some believed to be heavy-handed politics. Just a recommendation to all you (fellow) rednecks out there that you needn't pass on this one just because the United Nations is involved!
post #200 of 207
I bought Next as part of the MG twofer 20 as my wife wanted to see the unedited version after she had seen it on TV and then resell it. The movie has good entertainment value and I would want to rewatch it at least once to see if I can catch some of the twists. It may end up being a keeper. The extras about the Indian reservation in the Grand Canyon was informative and now have it marked as a place to visit. Can't say that the PQ or AQ was superior to any reference HD titles but I consider the entertainment value as 4 stars out of 5. We may keep it.

Brett
post #201 of 207
"Next' is a pretty good adaptation of a short Phillip K. Dick. story, obviously stretched to fill an entire movie. I don't see how the guy could have searched that building by "splitting" himself repeatedly though. He only had a single consciousness to predict the future with.
post #202 of 207
Just thought i'd throw in my 2 cents. I picked up Wolf Creek at Best Buy for $7.99 Canadian the other day. I've seen it already so I watched some of the extras first. Apparently it was shot on HD VIDEO so I checked out the first 10 minutes again in HD and the movie looks great. Now if you've seen the movie already you know the first 10 minutes are alot "brighter" than the rest so I'm not sure how the "darker" scenes look, but for $7.99 who cares.
post #203 of 207
[quote=brettwf;13777604]
Quote:
Originally Posted by coolstrategist View Post


4 hrs?!!! I must have fallen asleep somewhere in the middle then!

Field of Dreams was also enjoyable.

Field of Dreams is one of my favorites. High replayability IMO.
post #204 of 207
Quote:
Originally Posted by scowl View Post

I don't see how the guy could have searched that building by "splitting" himself repeatedly though. He only had a single consciousness to predict the future with.

Time Dilation / Special Effects. He searched each possibility one at a time. But the camera overlapped it to show all the possible permutations since the whole search took less than a second and to show each outcome would have added 15 minutes to the movie.
post #205 of 207
If you have teh chance to get it Das Parfum (German Import) is visually stunning, great story, pretty good audio (it is a dialog driven (well scent driven is a better term) so not a lot of "surround" needs. Probably one of the best films I have watched in a while not to mention a stellar transfer
post #206 of 207
Quote:
Originally Posted by moviegeek View Post

The Untouchables
Reference quality transfer.

Bumping this one up. I TOTALLY agree with you on this one. I don't understand how the studios can get it right with a film like this (age wise) and think they have to apply filtering and DNR to other titles. If every HD release looked this good, I would never leave my theater.
post #207 of 207
Well since this has been bumped I'll add Ray and Dreamgirls as highly overlooked/underrated HD DVDs. Fantastic PQ and AQ along with great acting and great music. How can you go wrong for about $5 used at Amazon? We Were Soldiers is fantastic too. Really works out your subwoofer! Don't think any of these were mentioned before.

Lots of great HD DVDs mentioned in this thread...
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