Bandai Visual USA has announced that Freedom Vol. 3 will be available to own in high-definition exclusively on HD DVD, this December 11.
Freedom Vol. 3
* 1 Single-sided disc (HD DVD/DVD Twin Format Disc) / $39.99 SRP
* Main feature on the HD DVD will be presented in 1080p High Definition Widescreen 16x9 (VC-1 Encode) video with Dolby Digital-Plus 5.1 (Japanese) & L-PCM 2.0 (Japanese) audio options.
* English subtitles are provided.
* Web-enabled features.
The HD DVD/DVD Twin format disc is a single-sided disc with both the high-definition and standard definition versions of the main feature on one side. When the disc is inserted into an HD DVD player, you may select the version you would like to watch. On a DVD player, it will just play back the standard definition version stored on the DVD layer of the disc.
Bandai Visual USA has also provided a list of bonus materials for Freedom Vol. 1 & 2 HD DVDs that can be downloaded to your HD DVD player over the Internet via the HDi network functionality present on every HD DVD player.
I'm glad they're continuing to push the series forward despite the financial difficulties of that studio. I'll pick up the second disc when there's a good HD DVD deal going on.
Also:
Universal Studios' First Wave Of HD DVDs for January '08
Mobsters (1991)
* 1080p High Definition Widescreen 1.85:1
* Dolby TrueHD 5.1 (English)
Dolby Digital Plus (5.1 English and 2.0 French)
* English [SDH] & French subtitle options
The Pianist (2002)
* 1080p High Definition Widescreen 1.85:1
* Dolby TrueHD 5.1 (English)
Dolby Digital Plus 5.1 (English & French)
* English [SDH] & French subtitle options
* Bonus Material include:
- The Story of Survival
White Noise (2005)
* 1080p High Definition Widescreen 2.35:1
* Dolby TrueHD 5.1 (English)
Dolby Digital Plus 5.1 (English & French)
* English [SDH] & French subtitle options
* Bonus Material include:
- Feature Commentary with Director Geoffrey Sax and Michael Keaton
- Making Contact: E.V.P. Experts
- Recording the Afterlife at Home
- Hearing is Believing: Actual E.V.P. Sessions
- Deleted Scenes with Optional Director's Commentary
Just getting the news outta the way, carry on with the drooling over the unbelievable deals.
Oh, and congrats to White Man and GuessWho for jumping in to the HD DVD side. I hope to go format neutral at some point as well. I hope you guys get to try out a movie with good iHD stuff (like 300) to see what the format is really capable of.
It's on its way from Amazon. I can't wait!! Hopefully I'll have a Transformers viewing party with family/friends this Saturday night. *crosses fingers*
And you know I'll be all over that web enabled stuff. I already put 300 and Freedom Vol. 1 through its paces.
I picked up Transformers, but couldn't bring myself to get a router to check out the online features. Even the most basic, wired ones are $45... Crazy!
Just had to share this story about how the whole Hi-Def movie and TV wars are a big clusterfuck to the average consumer.
I was in Best Buy tonight behind a 50-something year old woman who was buying Tranformers on HD-DVD and the following conversation ensued.
Me: I've got a PS3 at home with a blu-ray player. I wish I was able to buy it and watch it in hi-def tonight.
Clueless: (looks at me sort of confused) Well, my son has an HDTV in his room so I'm sure he'll enjoy this.
Me: Is he a gamer? Does he have the Xbox 360 add-on or a standalone HD-DVD player.
Clueless: (starts looking away from me uncomfortably) He's got an Xbox 360.
Me: How long has he had the HD-DVD player for it?
Clueless: Well he's just got the game system and the HDTV.
Me: So does he have a special High Definition DVD player to watch that movie? There's a special Hi-def player you have to buy to watch movies like that.
Clueless: No he doesn't have that. You mean this won't work in his Xbox 360?
Me: Not unless he has the HD-DVD add-on drive for it. Are you sure he doesn't have one sitting by his game system? Its a little white drive that looks like a DVD player that's the size of a book. You plug it into the 360 to watch Hi-Def movies.
Clueless: No I dust and vacuum his room every other week and he's got a HDTV and the Xbox 360 and that's all he's got on the shelf.
Me: Then you probably need to get the regular DVD version because if you get home and open that movie, Best Buy won't take it back and you'll be out 30 bucks.
Clueless: But he's got a HDTV.
Me: Yeah but regular DVD players won't read that movie because its a special Hi-Definition movie that can only be read by a Hi-Def DVD player.
Clueless: (looks like she just got knocked out by Confusion in the 5th round) Ok, will you hold my place in line while I get the other one?
Just had to share this story about how the whole Hi-Def movie and TV wars are a big clusterfuck to the average consumer.
I was in Best Buy tonight behind a 50-something year old woman who was buying Tranformers on HD-DVD and the following conversation ensued.
Me: I've got a PS3 at home with a blu-ray player. I wish I was able to buy it and watch it in hi-def tonight.
Clueless: (looks at me sort of confused) Well, my son has an HDTV in his room so I'm sure he'll enjoy this.
Me: Is he a gamer? Does he have the Xbox 360 add-on or a standalone HD-DVD player.
Clueless: (starts looking away from me uncomfortably) He's got an Xbox 360.
Me: How long has he had the HD-DVD player for it?
Clueless: Well he's just got the game system and the HDTV.
Me: So does he have a special High Definition DVD player to watch that movie? There's a special Hi-def player you have to buy to watch movies like that.
Clueless: No he doesn't have that. You mean this won't work in his Xbox 360?
Me: Not unless he has the HD-DVD add-on drive for it. Are you sure he doesn't have one sitting by his game system? Its a little white drive that looks like a DVD player that's the size of a book. You plug it into the 360 to watch Hi-Def movies.
Clueless: No I dust and vacuum his room every other week and he's got a HDTV and the Xbox 360 and that's all he's got on the shelf.
Me: Then you probably need to get the regular DVD version because if you get home and open that movie, Best Buy won't take it back and you'll be out 30 bucks.
Clueless: But he's got a HDTV.
Me: Yeah but regular DVD players won't read that movie because its a special Hi-Definition movie that can only be read by a Hi-Def DVD player.
Clueless: (looks like she just got knocked out by Confusion in the 5th round) Ok, will you hold my place in line while I get the other one?
I don't blame her for being confused. The whole state of the HD format wars is really a big huge clusterfuck and while the studios and hardware manufacturers fight amongst themselves, nobody is bothering to educate Joe Q. Public
Just had to share this story about how the whole Hi-Def movie and TV wars are a big clusterfuck to the average consumer.
I was in Best Buy tonight behind a 50-something year old woman who was buying Tranformers on HD-DVD and the following conversation ensued.
Me: I've got a PS3 at home with a blu-ray player. I wish I was able to buy it and watch it in hi-def tonight.
Clueless: (looks at me sort of confused) Well, my son has an HDTV in his room so I'm sure he'll enjoy this.
Me: Is he a gamer? Does he have the Xbox 360 add-on or a standalone HD-DVD player.
Clueless: (starts looking away from me uncomfortably) He's got an Xbox 360.
Me: How long has he had the HD-DVD player for it?
Clueless: Well he's just got the game system and the HDTV.
Me: So does he have a special High Definition DVD player to watch that movie? There's a special Hi-def player you have to buy to watch movies like that.
Clueless: No he doesn't have that. You mean this won't work in his Xbox 360?
Me: Not unless he has the HD-DVD add-on drive for it. Are you sure he doesn't have one sitting by his game system? Its a little white drive that looks like a DVD player that's the size of a book. You plug it into the 360 to watch Hi-Def movies.
Clueless: No I dust and vacuum his room every other week and he's got a HDTV and the Xbox 360 and that's all he's got on the shelf.
Me: Then you probably need to get the regular DVD version because if you get home and open that movie, Best Buy won't take it back and you'll be out 30 bucks.
Clueless: But he's got a HDTV.
Me: Yeah but regular DVD players won't read that movie because its a special Hi-Definition movie that can only be read by a Hi-Def DVD player.
Clueless: (looks like she just got knocked out by Confusion in the 5th round) Ok, will you hold my place in line while I get the other one?
No but seriously i feel bad for people like that. Sure they could know, but its confusing and unnecessary and they just dont want to know and i dont blame them one bit.
I don't blame her for being confused. The whole state of the HD format wars is really a big huge clusterfuck and while the studios and hardware manufacturers fight amongst themselves, nobody is bothering to educate Joe Q. Public
A friend of mine got a new Gateway laptop recently, which has a widescreen screen and can run "high definition material." Because of this, she is always asking to borrow some of my Blu-ray movies to watch on it. I've told her numerous times that her PC needs a Blu-ray drive to watch them, but she keeps telling me that "Oh no, they'll run, my laptop can do high definition stuff."
transformers is a very very strong disc.. maybe the best Ive seen for audio.. the mix in this thing is just killer. My sub was going ballistic during the movie last night. GREAT.
The picture is tier 0 as well. The movie has some wierdness inside the house at night with grain, but it was this way in the theater as well, and I suspect lighting/postprocessing is to blame. Everything else looks spot on looking through a window perfect.
bonus features are pretty cool. I kicked the PIP on for part of the movie, and it was standard fair. I played with the internet features (the Section 7 classified video is hokey).. the downloadable skin where the movie has a HUD that shows you the location of a scene on the map, along with triva facts and a life gauge for the transformers is pretty cool stuff. I watched the bridge scene with that turned on and it was pretty nifty.
One of my favorite movies this year, really glad it got a good xfer.
Mine had it playing up front with 2 TVs playing the DVD and 2 playing the HDDVD right as you walked in (its one of the old style CC's where you get funnelled in by a display.. no checkout lines, just the return/customer service desk up front not the big box best buy look alikes)... man is it a huge improvement too. on the dvd everything just looked off, whenever someone moved they had this wierd blur to them and they didnt blend in with the scene at all. The HDDVD just knocked its socks off.
Very very happy with this disc so far. All the bonus content being HD is a big plus as well, I loved 300 for the same reason. More discs should go this route.
I also know why space was an issue with this disc if that really is their reason for not including True HD.. 3 DD+ soundtracks.
Thanks for the pics Maynerd. All these positive impressions leave me bummed that I don't have it yet. There's only one place here that sells HD discs (plus Blockbusters, which rents BR), so I have to depend on Amazon and Ebay to get my movies.
If I get it by this weekend, I'll be fine. I get The Fugitive HD DVD today from Netflix, so I guess that will have to do until Transformers.
Thanks for the pics Maynerd. All these positive impressions leave me bummed that I don't have it yet. There's only one place here that sells HD discs (plus Blockbusters, which rents BR), so I have to depend on Amazon and Ebay to get my movies.
If I get it by this weekend, I'll be fine. I get The Fugitive HD DVD today from Netflix, so I guess that will have to do until Transformers.
Luckily with a Frys in town I dont have to rely on Amazon.. but without a Frys selling movies at amazon prices, I would never buy a HDDVD at a B&M. Heck, CC made me cringe yesterday. If I wasnt getting BOGO those prices were highway roberty. 35 bucks for hot fuzz? 25 bucks for the cheapest movie?
In store only, not advertised, only on movies under 30 bucks (this last part is per the person at the checkout.. I asked her to try Hot Fuzz anyway, but she wouldnt do it and said she would only ring it up as a seperate purchase, which leads me to believe it will work on titles over 30, but they've been told not to, so if you get lucky you may be able to pull it off too).
Its not a true BOGO, its a buy two get 50% off. So it you buy a 30 dollar movie and a 25 dollar movie, you'll pay 27.50, not 30. So, it actually works out well, means you dont have to buy 2 movies the same price to get the most out of the deal.
Went to CC last night, they had tiny little signs in the blu-ray/hd-dvd area about the sale! Pretty good selection cause I live in a hick town.
I picked up Corpse Bride, Vacancy, Silent Hill (needed some horror for my halloween party) and Casino Royale (been meaning to buy that ever since I rented it). I wanted to pick up Black Snake Moan and Final Fantasy but they didn't have it.
I watched my HD DVD copy last night at 1080p in 5.1 Dolby Digital plus matrixed into 7.1 It sounds and looks incredible. I didn't hear it in when watching the movie in theaters but when Xbox360-ticon transforms it makes that whooshing noise? during your 360 boot up screen. Thought that was pretty nifty.
transformers is a very very strong disc.. maybe the best Ive seen for audio.. the mix in this thing is just killer. My sub was going ballistic during the movie last night. GREAT.
The picture is tier 0 as well. The movie has some wierdness inside the house at night with grain, but it was this way in the theater as well, and I suspect lighting/postprocessing is to blame. Everything else looks spot on looking through a window perfect.
bonus features are pretty cool. I kicked the PIP on for part of the movie, and it was standard fair. I played with the internet features (the Section 7 classified video is hokey).. the downloadable skin where the movie has a HUD that shows you the location of a scene on the map, along with triva facts and a life gauge for the transformers is pretty cool stuff. I watched the bridge scene with that turned on and it was pretty nifty.
One of my favorite movies this year, really glad it got a good xfer.
Don't. The movie is shit and I'm not caving and buying a HDDVD player simply becuase this has a great picture and sound. mostly because I'm being a stubborn bastard plus my wife would kill me if I came home with another box.
Doesn't paramount sublicense its home entertainment releases to warner or sony in any foreign country?
Don't. The movie is shit and I'm not caving and buying a HDDVD player simply becuase this has a great picture and sound. mostly because I'm being a stubborn bastard plus my wife would kill me if I came home with another box.
Doesn't paramount sublicense its home entertainment releases to warner or sony in any foreign country?
sorry, the last 30 minutes of that movie is 12 year old stooges wildest hopes and dreams come true. No matter how bad the rest of the movie may be (not really bad, just standard Bay fair) I will defend the movie to the end based on the end.
Also, I cant wait for the skins to be released (you can skin the in movie menu to your favorite transfomer.. I hope they have Jazz)
If I used a webcam and filmed myself smashing two transformers toys together, really close to the camera so you can't really see anything, thats transformers the movie.
There was one bit in the movie that I begrudgingly admire, and thats the avoidance of the obvious and cliched outcome in the final act. Worked pretty well.
Anyway, good that its a solid release. Sounds like reference material. Haven't had too many of those recently (looks at my robocop tracking info...)
If I used a webcam and filmed myself smashing two transformers toys together, really close to the camera so you can't really see anything, thats transformers the movie.
upon watching this again, the shakycam/out of the shot action wasnt as bad as I recall in the theater. Its still there, but the quick cuts arent as fast as I remember and there is alot of action shown in focus and in frame for extended (30 seconds +) shots very often at the end of the movie.
The scene where starscream transforms, slides through the parked cars while chasing sam in particular is just amazing looking from a CG level.
The only CG that really looked weak was megs flicking the human against the car. The human looked really fake. But was so funny, I dont mind :lol
This isnt Bourne Supremacy or anything :lol
I only wish they didnt have as many jokes in the movie and removed some of the charachters completely (hacker dude). The action and main story Im still very satisfied with. Its just some of the visual gag jokes dont work.
Also wish they had cleared up the Barricade plot whole.. 1) Im pretty sure that they showed bumblebee kill him. 2) He shows back up at the highway scene then just disapears... also, they shouldnt have
killed Jazz. Why did my favorite as a kid have to be the only one to bite the dust
Meijer has announced that they will no longer be selling HD DVD titles via their online store. This decision comes after an internal review showed Blu-ray titles outselling HD DVD titles 4-to-1. Meijer has also expanded their Blu-ray online offerings to 300 titles, nearly the entire Blu-ray catalog. While they don't rule out adding HD DVD titles back at some point, consumer spending currently doesn't warrant them stocking the items.
I picked up Transformers yesterday. I have to agree with Stooge the pq is amazing Tier 0. I can't coment on the sound as I dont have sound system. Those of you sitting on the fence about getting HD player really should jump in. The movie is not nearly as bad (not bad at all actually) as those trying to convince themselves that its bad would have you believe.
I picked up Transformers yesterday. I have to agree with Stooge the pq is amazing Tier 0. I can't coment on the sound as I dont have sound system. Those of you sitting on the fence about getting HD player really should jump in. The movie is not nearly as bad (not bad at all actually) as those trying to convince themselves that its bad would have you believe.
yeah, Transformers looks really good, but I don't think it's Tier 0 material. The sound didn't blow me away at first until I made some level calibration adjustments on my Onkyo then it really opened up a bit
I'm disappointed that the DVD is the exact theatrical cut.
So it still has the Barricade plot hole in it. :/ Also, Brawl is still referred to as Devastator. I thought they were going to change those. Perhaps on a double dip?
upon watching this again, the shakycam/out of the shot action wasnt as bad as I recall in the theater. Its still there, but the quick cuts arent as fast as I remember and there is alot of action shown in focus and in frame for extended (30 seconds +) shots very often at the end of the movie.
The scene where starscream transforms, slides through the parked cars while chasing sam in particular is just amazing looking from a CG level.
You know with movies with extreme action, I actually can see more detail at home. I've only been able to see about a half of the movie because of school, but the close-up's aren't as jarring as they were in the theater.
I also picked up Million Dollar Baby and The Bourne Supremacy at CC, and although I like those movies better, it doesn't take anything away from the "oh shit" moments that occur when you hear Prime's voice in the intro, and the autobots "roll out." Some of the scenes are straight references to the cartoon, but BETTER. I feel bad for people who watch movies and can't leave enough of their disbelief at the door to actually enjoy what is good in a movie, because there's a lot to like about Transformers.
So it still has the Barricade plot hole in it. :/ Also, Brawl is still referred to as Devastator. I thought they were going to change those. Perhaps on a double dip?
I'll probably enjoy Transformers, I didn't mean to be running it down. But I'm too old to have been into the cartoon so to me it's just a big (presumably fun) action movie. There was too much good stuff at the theater this SUmmer so I skipped it-- I'll certainly rent it at some point. But without the nostalgia factor, it's hardly a platform seller to me. That's why I mentioned Bourne. And if the Matrix weren't (eventually) headed to BluRay, that too.
his presence in the Decepticon rally in the end, only to have no show time of his fate. They didn't show what happened to him when he joined Bonecrusher on the highway.
I'll probably enjoy Transformers, I didn't mean to be running it down. But I'm too old to have been into the cartoon so to me it's just a big (presumably fun) action movie. There was too much good stuff at the theater this SUmmer so I skipped it-- I'll certainly rent it at some point. But without the nostalgia factor, it's hardly a platform seller to me. That's why I mentioned Bourne. And if the Matrix weren't (eventually) headed to BluRay, that too.
upon watching this again, the shakycam/out of the shot action wasnt as bad as I recall in the theater. Its still there, but the quick cuts arent as fast as I remember and there is alot of action shown in focus and in frame for extended (30 seconds +) shots very often at the end of the movie.
This is always the case going from theatres to DVD/HD/BRD. Shakey cam and extreme closeups are much harder to follow on a 70 foot screen. On a 40-60 inch screen at home, not too bad at all.
DoctorWho said:
I heard a rumor that Canada was supposed to get this. :/
This is the type of deal that would make me jump on the 360 HD-DVD add-on.... if only they were offering some decent titles. There are maybe 2-3 out of those 15 that Id want to own, free or not.
For gods sakes, who cares? Enjoy the robot on robot action, the CGI, and Megan Fox. Its Transformers, not The Godfather. Dont worry about plotholes in a movie that barely had a plot to begin with.
For gods sakes, who cares? Enjoy the robot on robot action, the CGI, and Megan Fox. Its Transformers, not The Godfather. Dont worry about plotholes in a movie that barely had a plot to begin with.
Its not a plothole its a blatant error that got Michael Bay got mad over 'cuz it was in the movie and said would be fixed and it wasn't. Its pretty trivial but I'm sure the real devestator is going to be in one of the TF sequels then you guys are gonna be like. ZOMG HOW COME THERE R 2 DEVESTATORS!
I'll probably enjoy Transformers, I didn't mean to be running it down. But I'm too old to have been into the cartoon so to me it's just a big (presumably fun) action movie. There was too much good stuff at the theater this SUmmer so I skipped it-- I'll certainly rent it at some point. But without the nostalgia factor, it's hardly a platform seller to me. That's why I mentioned Bourne. And if the Matrix weren't (eventually) headed to BluRay, that too.
I see where you are coming from. It has HUGE nostalgic significance to most of us, which propels the movie into greatness where otherwise it would be just nice. For me, I think I was expecting a trainwreck when I walked into the theater, and I was very pleasantly surprised.
