Blu-ray Discs: Reviewer's Recommendations

Greetings,

I have put together a list of Blu-ray Discs that I consider to be top notch in audio, video or both audio/video quality. There are four categories as I included a list of personal favorites as well. Some I have formally reviewed and some are in my collection but I have not reviewed them. These are not meant to be completely comprehensive lists. I wanted to offer readers a chance to check out some Blu-ray discs that in my opinion look and sound great. I will add new discs to these lists as I come across them and will make note of that in future reviews.




Have fun !






Audio:








Here are a few quotes from some of my reviews:


Master and Commander: "This is a powerfully engaging audio mix that will test the limits of your audio system."

Cloverfield: "This in an aggressive and invigorating surround mix that incorporates a plethora of aurally stimulating effects to create a captivating and sometimes frightening listening experience."

Hitman: "Man, this is a great mix ! Bass fans will love its aggressive low end and those who appreciate genre films like this that kick butt and take names are in for a real treat."

Rambo:"Gunfire and explosions had a tactile and dynamic impact that could be felt from any point in the room. The rich and immersive quality of the audio enhanced the experience to a higher level of realism".


Terminator Salvation: "The listening position is submerged into a 360 degree web of sound that is sometimes riveting as it bombards the senses with a combination of discretely placed near field and panning sound effects."

Tron: Legacy: "The action based sequences rock as the room is transformed into a three dimensional soundstage that pulsates with room energizing bass that attains room shaking levels."

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part 1: "This is a wonderfully involving and dynamically energized sound design that features high level sonic detail, superb directional correlation, seamless integration, and rhythmically charged bass extension that is sure to stimulate the senses."







Video:

Here are a few quotes from some of my reviews:


No Country For Old Men: "Whether in the desert or within the limit’s of a small town image quality was delivered with superb resolve and an almost endless depth of field."

The Fall: "Bolder use of contrast and bright vivid colors helped to propel images to an elevated level of vibrancy and three dimensional quality that was unwavering. Images were impeccably detailed with fine articulation and visual acuity that seemed infinite when looking at long panning shots."

Kill Bill Vol. 1: "Images have a sparkling clarity that makes them visually enticing. Detail is impeccable from nearly every perspective which allows clear perception of the various elements within each frame".

Speed Racer: "This is a stylized video presentation that boasts a broad color palette that features beautifully lush pastels and vibrant hues that are vivid, bold and look incredible in high definition. The video has a wide dynamic range with deep, inky blacks and excellent shadow detail. The video had a consistently razor sharp quality that left images looking pristinely resolved with flawless rendering of fine detail."


Audio & Video:

Here are a few quotes from some of my reviews:


The Chronicles of Narina: "This is a first rate video presentation that is near flawless." "The audio presentation is superbly crafted and offers a diverse representation of the things that we as listeners look for in a good audio mix."

I, Robot: "Inky noise free blacks, superb shadow detail with high delineation, an eye popping visual design, along with vibrant colors and beautiful flesh tone reproduction." " There is enough sub 30 hz bass contained in this track to keep bass heads happy. The chase scene in the tunnel is delivered with room shaking authority as it drives the entire system to create an immersive and ultra rich surround sound experience."

Jumper: "The scenes shot in Italy at the Coliseum were visually arresting as images were razor sharp with incredible dimensional depth and lifelike texture." "This is an aggressive mix that contains demonstration level material that will test just how good your system can sound."

Saawariya : " Every detail is clearly audible within the mix which rests on a cushion of crystal clear sound that ebbs and flows with precision." "There is a plethora of colors in various tones and hues that look simply stunning in high definition. Flesh tones are highlighted by the beautiful complexions of the cast and come across with succulence and subtle texture."

Transformers: "Images exhibited high level detail, razor sharpness and resolute definition that brought out the lifelike textures captured by the camera. Dimensional perspective had an infinite appeal that was visually arresting at times. ""This is an aurally stimulating sound design that is truly capable of creating a thrilling home theater experience."

Iron man: "I appreciated the attention to detail that enabled even seemingly small background sounds and effects to be distinctly audible. This is an aggressive surround mix that makes extensive use of the entire sound platform.""Resolution is excellent as images are well detailed, vibrant and dimensionally proportionate. Close up camera shots are particularly striking at times and reveal lots of fine minutia and visible nuance."

The Incredibles: "The quality of the images onscreen can be visually arresting. Detail and definition is impeccably rendered as images have a resplendent and sparkling clarity that is appreciably three dimensional. This lossless soundtrack earns of perfect technical rating and improves upon the lossy Dolby Digital version in every way. This is not an aggressive or action style sound mix but its ability to deliver a visceral home theater experience is not to be underestimated."



Personal Favorites & Guilty Pleasures:

Well that wraps things up. As I said this is not meant to be a comprehensive list but rather food for thought. Be sure to check back as the list will be updated. I would love to hear from others regarding their own favorites as well.

*Here at AVS the membership has assembled The PQ Tier Thread and Audio Quality Tier Thread which is a rated list of top quality Blu-ray Discs. These lists are great resources. You can check them out by clicking on the links.



Cheers,