What Blu-Ray did you watch last night?

[Graham Ritchie]

We have our granddaughter staying with us, down from the North Island, so the other day she wanted to watch "Super8 the movie" again, since the last time was a few years back. The next night "The Book Thief" a brilliant movie. Last night by myself this time, the directors cut "Das Boot" 3hours and 27minutes to be exact, and tonight on my own, Bill Nighy in "Living" I only have this one on DVD but would highly recommend watching this one as well.

A couple of past screen shots.





Here is a trailer on "Living"

[Graham Ritchie]

The Arrow release is region "B" so I had a look as to what is a available in the US. I only see The Criterion Collection once had it. This is the type of film that should get a 4K release but not sure that will ever happen.

Last night it was "Non-Stop" blu-ray, what a brilliant script, so many twists and turns, nothing is how it seems, Lian Neeson in the making of, talks about the director being a fan of Alfred Hitchcock. "Non- Stop" is really a brilliant who done it film, that will keep you guessing right to the end, highly recommend it.

[Ed Gordon]

I upgraded my earlier blu-ray release with the Arrow release, you do notice an improvement in picture quality "Koyaanisquatsi" in certainly an impressive movie and well worth getting. Its a real thought provoking film, watched it two nights ago, highly recommend it.

Graham, this one looks interesting. Thanks for the tip!

[Graham Ritchie]

I upgraded my earlier blu-ray release with the Arrow release, you do notice an improvement in picture quality "Koyaanisquatsi" in certainly an impressive movie and well worth getting. Its a real thought provoking film, watched it two nights ago, highly recommend it.

[Ed Gordon]

... I have converted all my optical media to digital files so I can save them on my Plex Media server and project them with my digital projector via wifi on Roku. My films and digital media all project from the same permanent location which makes it easy to switch from one to the other. The 16mm, 8mm, and digital projector all use the same sound system which I can easily alternate via a switcher.

I have done the same thing Janice. I use JRiver instead of Plex. Isn't it wonderful to have thousands of hours of curated media just one click away?

RE: Star Wars, the original trilogy has held up pretty well over the years. The prequel trilogy can easily be replaced by a good 30 minute digest. The ending trilogy was a nice funeral for SW fans, but like all funerals, once is enough.

[Janice Glesser]

Last night I had my oldest son and the three grandsons over for movie night. By popular demand we watched "The Empire Strikes Back." I have converted all my optical media to digital files so I can save them on my Plex Media server and project them with my digital projector via wifi on Roku. My films and digital media all project from the same permanent location which makes it easy to switch from one to the other. The 16mm, 8mm, and digital projector all use the same sound system which I can easily alternate via a switcher.

I realized that my oldest son was only 1-year-old when Empire came out in 1980 and my younger son was born later that year. Amazing how popular Star Wars still is today.

[Steve Carter]

Soldier Blue special collectors edition German Blu-ray.
I have a special place in my memory of this film it was a British X certificate, so we knocked off from school and got into see the matinee I was about 13 years old at the time I loved westerns, because of the scenery bluer than blue skies. Yes the film was shocking the slow motion gunshot scenes, the mutilation of the Native American Indians. What made it more easy on the eye was the lovely Candice Bergen.
The Blu-ray is better than the previous DVD release running at 115 mins, the British cinema release and DVD had a running time of 110 mins, the original uncut version ran for 135 mins, this version never went on release and cuts had to be made for it to get a certificate.The source material is better and at last the correct aspect ratio, detail is not too bad some long shots are a bit soft focus, colours are bright the final scenes of the attack on the Cheyenne village by the the US cavalry is the nearest uncut version we are likely to see, as a teenage boy watching it in the cinema I didn't really understand the history, now I'm watching it with older eyes, I can say nothing in our World has really changed regarding what humans are capable of doing to each other. The other stars in the picture are Peter Strauss (Rich Man, Poor Man) and Donald Pleasence as a gun runner, music score by Roy Budd and one of my favourite theme songs Soldier Blue by Buffy Sainte-Marie. There is a nice little booklet attached to the cardboard gatefold case, text in German but some very nice stills from the film.

[Brian Fretwell]

Last night Pinnochio, Disney cartoon, not a bad disc, but second hand and stuttered a couple of times due to surface marks. Still at £2 no complaints from me!!

[Graham Ritchie]

Arrived this week and watched it the other night. based on the novel by Ernest Hemingway. The film is very well done, excellent story, George C Scott is outstanding. The transfer is not up to the high standard you might expect, but in saying that, its still a very good indeed, so don't let me put anyone off.

To sum up its another gem release from "Imprint" and well worth getting.

PS...Added an extra video below just look at them all

[Ed Gordon]

I saw the first Hobbit movie in the cinema with 60hz + 3D, people were right, it looked like a video taped TV show on a big screeen!

My old 2K digital video camera supports multiple frame rates. The 24fps speed is referred to as "Cinema Mode". The user manual suggests that the Cinema Mode minimizes the video effect they call, "the live TV Soap Opera" look.

[Brian Fretwell]

I saw the first Hobbit movie in the cinema with 60hz + 3D, people were right, it looked like a video taped TV show on a big screeen!

[Steve Carter]

Your comment on preference for the mono track on Jaws makes sense. There are so many bad multi-channel sound mixes out there that require turning the volume way up, or switching to mono. I have just re-watched the Hobbit trilogy, and the Atmos sound mix is fantastic, and I found the dialogue does have to compete with the noise of the battle scenes. All of the LOTR films are too long, but they manage to hold you attention regardless. Having said that, I found the TV series The Wheel of Time to be more challenging intellectually.

Regarding the sound on the Jaws 4k version the dialogue is very clear, and there's plenty of low end thump when the shark rams the Orca, the John Williams music score is well rounded and sits well in the mix.
Ed I have the Hobbit Trilogy in 3D, I haven't watched it yet. I know what you mean about The Wheel of Time, I watched season 1, and I'm 2 episodes into season 2, but prime has took the Dolby Vision off you can only watch in DV if you pay for the new Advert free Prime. I would rather purchase the disc and keep it, I think more people are going back to buying discs rather than streaming.

[Ed Gordon]

Graham and Ed, the projector is quite inexpensive for what you get, it's the Xgimi Horizon Ultra, it uses a dual light system, a laser as it's main light source plus red, green and blue led lights, and as it's a dlp it does away with the colour wheel so no rainbows. There is no colour fringing or speckles, that is associated with 3 laser systems. The projector is so bright I have to set the optical Iris to 2 or 3, bearing in mind it goes right up to 10, the projector is very quiet, I have never heard the fan and I sit very close to the projector. It's a heavy projector weighing in at 6kg if I remember correctly.You will read that the 3d is outstanding on this projector, and I can tell you it is, I love 3d and this is the best that I have seen in the home, no crosstalk whatsoever lovely depth and bright it's the brightest 3d I have seen even dark/night scenes, the colour is true and because it's 4k, you get a true 1080p hd 3D picture. Polar Express 3D is so good, in the train carriage the depth is so good the sides of the carriage really do appear to be in your side vision just like you are in there if that makes sense?. I do not use any presets or auto features, I prefer my own. It has a real optical zoom lens, not digital zoom, the picture is pin sharp right across the entire screen corner to corner edge to edge sharp. I prefer Dolby Vision rather than HDR 10, DV looks more natural compared to HDR 10 that can make colours pop too much but if you like that short of thing. 1080p Blu-rays look so good on this projector, I watched The Book Thief the other day I have never seen this picture look so good the detail was outstanding, also The Shawshank Redemption 4K the detail in the picture skin, clothing weave etc, it's like looking at a detailed still photograph. There are 2 HDMI inputs, one being eARC, 2 USB ports and a optical digital audio out, I use the eARC for DTS and Dolby sound output. My Blu-ray player inputs into my AV amp which then runs to the projectors eARC HDMI using a 10m optical fibre HDMI certified cable. It has an Android based system, but I do not use the onboard apps for streaming, I use a 4k Fire Stick powered from one of the USB ports, streaming Prime 4k, Disney+, YouTube 4k and 3D the picture is outstanding.The projector may not be to everyone's taste and there are good and bad thing's about it, but for me at the moment and dipping my toe into 4K UHD projection also my other half loves it which is half the battle (all you married men will know what I'm talking about I had to sit through An Officer and a Gentleman the other Sunday afternoon) I would say for the price point you get a lot of bang for your buck.
4k Blu-ray player is the Sony UBP X700 it's won so many awards but the thing that sold it to me, was not it's low price tag, it's a 3D player, hard to come by these days and compared to my Panasonic 1080p 3D Blu-ray player it's night and day in the 3D department.
Dual light source.

Thanks for the detailed review Steve! Your new projector appears to be bright enough to run in a small auditorium, not just a small home theater. Your discussion of the laser is helpful. I kept reading about "the screen door" effect with some on the early laser system. I totally agree with you on 3D. It has to be seen to be believed. The Minions movies in 3D are fun to watch, and I found Star Trek Into Darkness has some nice "gotcha" 3D scenes. All the husbands wanting to upgrade to 4K UHD will be happy to hear that they are likely get approval from their better half.

[Ed Gordon]

I totally agree Ed, to see the original in 3D which I understand from those lucky enough to see this conversion, it sounds good, hopefully one day we will see it arrive on blu-ray. Regarding JAWS and JAWS 2, I have watched them both. The original is still the best, JAWS 2 mmmm fairly ho hum compared to the original. This might sound strange but I prefer to listen to the original mono track of JAWS rather than the 5:1, sitting close to the screen the original mono just sounds better with my hearing for some reason.

Regarding LOTR to date I have not watched any of them right through, even though we ran the first three at the cinema, I never got around to it, they just seemed to long for me, but in saying that I might sit down one day and watch one of them on the VP, folk used to think that if you worked in a cinema that we watched films all the time, not true, to much to do in fact I was glad to switch things off and get away from the place at night, same goes for all the Harry Potter films I never watched any of them, looking at the screen was to check the focus, so you only saw bits and pieces for that purpose only.

Your comment on preference for the mono track on Jaws makes sense. There are so many bad multi-channel sound mixes out there that require turning the volume way up, or switching to mono. I have just re-watched the Hobbit trilogy, and the Atmos sound mix is fantastic, and I found the dialogue does have to compete with the noise of the battle scenes. All of the LOTR films are too long, but they manage to hold you attention regardless. Having said that, I found the TV series The Wheel of Time to be more challenging intellectually.

[Steve Carter]

That's sounds great Steve any chance of providing some details on the laser projector?

Graham and Ed, the projector is quite inexpensive for what you get, it's the Xgimi Horizon Ultra, it uses a dual light system, a laser as it's main light source plus red, green and blue led lights, and as it's a dlp it does away with the colour wheel so no rainbows. There is no colour fringing or speckles, that is associated with 3 laser systems. The projector is so bright I have to set the optical Iris to 2 or 3, bearing in mind it goes right up to 10, the projector is very quiet, I have never heard the fan and I sit very close to the projector. It's a heavy projector weighing in at 6kg if I remember correctly.You will read that the 3d is outstanding on this projector, and I can tell you it is, I love 3d and this is the best that I have seen in the home, no crosstalk whatsoever lovely depth and bright it's the brightest 3d I have seen even dark/night scenes, the colour is true and because it's 4k, you get a true 1080p hd 3D picture. Polar Express 3D is so good, in the train carriage the depth is so good the sides of the carriage really do appear to be in your side vision just like you are in there if that makes sense?. I do not use any presets or auto features, I prefer my own. It has a real optical zoom lens, not digital zoom, the picture is pin sharp right across the entire screen corner to corner edge to edge sharp. I prefer Dolby Vision rather than HDR 10, DV looks more natural compared to HDR 10 that can make colours pop too much but if you like that short of thing. 1080p Blu-rays look so good on this projector, I watched The Book Thief the other day I have never seen this picture look so good the detail was outstanding, also The Shawshank Redemption 4K the detail in the picture skin, clothing weave etc, it's like looking at a detailed still photograph. There are 2 HDMI inputs, one being eARC, 2 USB ports and a optical digital audio out, I use the eARC for DTS and Dolby sound output. My Blu-ray player inputs into my AV amp which then runs to the projectors eARC HDMI using a 10m optical fibre HDMI certified cable. It has an Android based system, but I do not use the onboard apps for streaming, I use a 4k Fire Stick powered from one of the USB ports, streaming Prime 4k, Disney+, YouTube 4k and 3D the picture is outstanding.The projector may not be to everyone's taste and there are good and bad thing's about it, but for me at the moment and dipping my toe into 4K UHD projection also my other half loves it which is half the battle (all you married men will know what I'm talking about I had to sit through An Officer and a Gentleman the other Sunday afternoon) I would say for the price point you get a lot of bang for your buck.
4k Blu-ray player is the Sony UBP X700 it's won so many awards but the thing that sold it to me, was not it's low price tag, it's a 3D player, hard to come by these days and compared to my Panasonic 1080p 3D Blu-ray player it's night and day in the 3D department.
Dual light source.