* Did you watch a film last night (on Blu or DVD), and what was it? *

[NorthStar]

I like Passengers (4K), and have watched it a few times. I always wondered why they weren't like Adam and Eve, and had a slew of kids for the other passengers to meet when they awoke. I remember the first time I watched it and I was thinking I bet JL will be mad as Hades when she finds out her awakening was not accidental.

Their youngest would have been 88-years old when the other passengers awoke.
The tree in the middle of the spaceship was like the tree of Eden.

The French president gave a tree as a present to the US president, Donald, he helped him in the presence of both their wives to plant it in the garden, white house backyard.

I was wondering, just for a very brief moment, a light bolt moment, why they weren't like Donald and Melania, and had a slew of kids for the other passengers to meet when they awoke.

Aurora was so mad that she almost killed Jim with a crowbar.
It's a general story of human nature. But this one is in space. I'm waiting for my ride, Elon's ride. :b

 

[audioguy]

I (re)purchased all 5 of these in 4K/HDR and the last 2 are in Atmos. Watched the first one tonight. tom Cruise was a LOT younger then.

 

[NorthStar]

1996, Tom was twenty-two years younger.

* I only purchased the two last ones (4K) from this popular franchise.
And of course I had all five on regular Blu-ray already, plus the three first ones on HD DVD. ...DVD? That too.

** Chuck, only the last one, 'Rogue Nation' (2015), has the Dolby Atmos treatment.
'Ghost Protocol' (2011) doesn't, but still sounds very very good in Dolby TrueHD 7.1 (48kHz/24-bit)
___

Now, for a preview (4K Blu) from this guy:

https://youtu.be/d0256s4c1-Q

(((3D))) Blu version:

https://youtu.be/p54GYSGnDwU

https://youtu.be/xmV3mSOMMpQ
___

Bonus ( ):

https://youtu.be/9YyrDzoMC3A

 

[NorthStar]

I've watched the 3D version on Blu.

https://youtu.be/lh5MbZq39N4

My expectation was higher right from the bat, but there was also many surprises, like references to past films that had an historical impact in cinema.

It's the type of film where taste can swing between CGI effects and CGI effects, meaning it's mostly CGI.
It's not as polished as some other CGI films but it's easier to get into because that's the point.

It's a ride into the past in a virtual world. Even the real world has become virtual.
Young and older people will appreciate some of the visual attributes.
The ride is mouvementée (dementedly moving) @ times in some action sequences. Nothing is concise or precise but saccadé en sursaut (fast broken camera frames) in those particular scenes, and in general. It's to replicate the effects of gaming, so it's part of the conception.

Steven Spielberg said that it was his third hardest film to make of his career.
Most of it of course was made on computers (James Cameron's expertise).

Overall breakdown - Film: 70

Technical - 3D Visuals: 77
- Audio: 84

Final word: Go for the ride, open your eyes in the virtual world, sense the vibes surrounding your space...auditory and visually, you have nothing to lose except the real world.
___

P.S. Not only I would need to revisit it again in 3D, but I will also visit both the 4K and 1080p 2D versions.
Because . . . . . It's fun.

 

[BlueFox]

Finally got around to watching this. It certainly had some good scenes, but I need to rewatch it again just to make sure I didn't miss any symbolism. For a while I thought I was in the Matrix since there is so much green in the sets.

 

[NorthStar]

I love 'The Shape of Water'. I will revisit.
_____

I watched 'Ready Player One' few nights ago, the 4K version.

Overall (film): 66

Technical - 4K Visuals: 87
- Audio: 92

Last word: Technically the 4K version is slightly superior. But the 3D version makes for a more dimensional overall film presentation. ...A more enriching experience. Don't put too much weight on numbers, an additional four points for the film in a circumstance like this speaks for itself in term of being a better film in 3D, in my red book of cinema maison.

Some we go with the flow, others we go with the blow.

 

[dminches]

Annihilation

Slight spoiler in my review so don't read it if you haven't seen the movie and plan on it.



I watched Annihilation last night. It certainly kept my interest but I guess I am getting tired of these sci-fish movies which all seem similar. In some ways this was another version of Interstellar where "lay people" join others on a mission to explore the supernatural and that person is the only one to figure things out.

Arthur Clarke's version still cannot be beat.

 

[NorthStar]

• https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2018/01/annihilation-paramount-netflix/551810/
• https://heavy.com/entertainment/2018/02/annihilation-netflix-when-us-uk-release-date/

_____

International: https://www.whatsbestforum.com/show...Trailer-(2018)&p=470897&viewfull=1#post470897

 

[NorthStar]

It's summertime and there is a gentle breeze caressing my face today near the Pacific Ocean.
I'm listening to some Billie Holiday music.
_____

I decided to complete my M:I series on 4K by adding the first three.
Of course I've already have them on HD DVD and on Blu-ray, and on DVD too.
What the heck, now the five of them on 4K.

This one is "The Dark Knight" of them all, meaning it has power and charisma.
I just revisited it last night.

Why I called it "The Dark Knight" of the bunch?
Philip Seymour Hoffman is in it, plus Michelle Monaghan, Maggie Q, Keri Russell, Laurence Fishburne and Tom Cruise of course, the stuntman.
And the director is J. J. Abrams.

In M:I-lll we lost a great actor, Philip.
In The Dark Knight we lost a great actor, Heath.

In M:I-lll there are several scenes happening @ night, just like in The Dark Knight.
Plus, some of those scenes have similarities...you have to see to realise.
Also, some of those darker scenes have extra juice, the camera work is splendid, just as in The Dark Knight except for the full aspect ratio and absolute beauty of the IMAX scenes in The Dark Knight, plus the incredible dynamic audio range of the later; it would rip you apart if you are not careful, like adjusting the dialog so that you hear clearly during the entire running time, and without turning the volume down during the action scenes. Trust me I know what I'm talking about, and if you can do that you have a much more elevated tolerance level than I.

The intensity of emotional impact is unforgivable, in both flicks.
There is one scene you can't escape in M:I-lll; it happened inside an helicopter. It is emotional and it is superbly constructed/shot by a master. Some of the cinematography is among the best.

Overall (film and all else): 77

https://youtu.be/tWZVtKNnqGI

Last word: Great replay value, makes you more appreciate what we lost and what is onscreen. IMO this film is a little underrated.

 

[audioguy]

Last night:

My wife had not seen this so I watched again. She enjoyed it. And I like Sharon Stone .....

Tonight:

I had watched it a long time ago but have seen the plane crash scene about a million times as it is part of a demo disc I have. I had forgotten much of it but remembered a lot of the ending. Interesting movie. I'll put it away for another few years and have another watch later.

 

[NorthStar]

Last night:

My wife had not seen this so I watched again. She enjoyed it. And I like Sharon Stone .....

Tonight:

I had watched it a long time ago but have seen the plane crash scene about a million times as it is part of a demo disc I have. I had forgotten much of it but remembered a lot of the ending. Interesting movie. I'll put it away for another few years and have another watch later.

Two good flicks I really like too Chuck. ...Regular Blu for me.

 

[NorthStar]

Sixteen years ago (2002) Steven Spielberg directed a sci-fi flick with Tom Cruise in it.

Sure he repeated it with War of the Worlds three years later (2005). And the year before (2001) he directed A.I. Artificial Intelligence.
With some Mission: Impossible talk recently I decided to revisit. Wow, we're in 2002 here, that's a long time ago in movies, but some of the gadgets were high tech back then and still used today.

Technically it's not like Ready Player One in 3D or in 4K, the picture is grainy (good) but nothing polished as today. The overall color emphasis is bluish overcast. The audio is prehistoric, antique.

But it's the film I'm mostly interested. And it delivers.
Overall: 82

There are some flaws, like saccaded movements...Tom Cruise moving too energetically when flipping pictures on the transparent screen, and some camera work. But it comes with the territory of 2002. It's more technical than film merit. Some scenes are unfocused, others fitting of 2016 or around. With patience you are rewarded...movie magic. ...Replay value included, if only you can remember the last time you saw it and everything that was in it.

It was fun because it reminded me of other films, and it made me aware of the evolution of some big names and movies over the years and through film history in the science fiction genre.

The concept is sound, the premises of this planet, and the possibilities real.
What else can you ask from a good sci-fi flick.

https://youtu.be/__oEU4P_rL8

 

[NorthStar]

Tom Cruise doesn't appear in that sci-fi movie directed by Steven Spielberg.
I'm on a mission.

It's seventeen years ago, and it's only 1080p and 2D.
So it's old and you can tell the age from an inferior video medium.

But it's the movie I'm first interested in.
I had to revisit, because of Ready Player One and Minority Report, and other stuff too. That's my mission, the one I chose.

Overall: 77

It's fun to look @ Steven Spielberg's evolution over the years in the sci-fi adventure genre.
New films can do that to you; making you revisit older films by the same director.
It sure did to me. And I'm amazed @ the imagination of yesterday compared to today, and not just about science and fiction but also about reality, true and false.

I could write three books regarding artificial intelligence, but I won't.

https://youtu.be/m2ErD2N0SRA

 

[NorthStar]

Back in 2005 Steven Spielberg and Tom Cruise joined forces in War of the Worlds.
That's thirteen years ago today.

I revisited it last night on Blu (Blu-ray).
It is one of my favorite sci-fi flicks because the overall atmosphere is tangible and feels real.

Technically the cinematography is top-notch. The sound quality is devastatingly gripping.

Overall (everything): 86
Film only with acting: 77

Good replay value; it rekindles the senses. ...Visuals and auditory and atmospherically.
There are wow movie magic moments, without a doubt, moments that not only play on your screen but also in your ears and brain.

Good stuff, fun to revisit, to re-experience when predisposed, or not.

https://youtu.be/6WyVv--043o

Last world: All that red human blood covers all the land. It's a bloody mess, scary aliens with demonical machines.

 

[NorthStar]

Revisited:

Enough said; highly distracting/entertaining.

For this type of extremely violent and humor flick, overall: 80

https://youtu.be/ChpLV9AMqm4

Rated R.

 

[NorthStar]

Revisited:

All she wrote; with a no-mercy vengeance for a good cause.

For this type of retribution (John Wick was no audiophile), overall: 70

https://youtu.be/kscFLualjbI

Rated R.

 

[Tango]

This movie has all the songs l love.

Tang

 

[Tango]

 

[NorthStar]

That is one of the attractions of 'Atomic Blonde', the tunes.

Because you share the love ...

https://youtu.be/5IzDbekQ-5E

I don't know how many WBF members are familiar with New Order music albums, but that makes two of us. ...Sade no sweat, everyone.

If we like the music with our movies, it is a natural that it makes them more attractive.

 

[NorthStar]

Some older films I admit I'm a slave of.

I just couldn't resist; I wanted some cheese. Actually it was only the first original I was interested in, because all my previous versions look like nightmares. I figured for only few dollars more I might as well get the FOX trio.

It's the best so far, not perfect but better than all the rest.

Overall (4K picture and fun): 70

Last word: Anytime.

https://youtu.be/JZgfBDWYjZE