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Win The Adjustment Bureau on Blu-ray!
Wed Jun 15, 2011 at 04:05 PM ETTags: The Bonus View, Contests, Fun Stuff (all tags)
Time for another contest over at High-Def Digest's The Bonus View! Thanks to the generosity of Universal Studios Home Entertainment, we have two Blu-ray copies of 'The Adjustment Bureau' to give away! How do you win? Read on to find out.
For this contest, two lucky winners will each receive one Blu-ray + DVD Combo Pack copy of 'The Adjustment Bureau' starring Matt Damon and Emily Blunt.
The theme of this contest is adjustments. For your chance to win, we want you to post in the Comments section over on the blog, with your answer to this question: What one element or aspect of an existing movie do you wish you could adjust? Even the best of movies typically have something wrong with them. Maybe it’s a miscast actor, or a bad musical score, or shoddy visual effects, or just one bad scene that stands out and derails an otherwise good movie. If you had the power to go back in time and alter the course of one movie, what would you fix?
For example: If we had this power, we’d like to replace Keanu Reeeves in 'Bram Stoker's Dracula' with… anybody, really. Reeves is terribly miscast in that movie, and his wooden performance stands out badly among an otherwise stellar cast. How about we take Carey Elwes (who has another part in the movie) and put him in the Jonathan Harker role, and then grab Tim Roth and put him in the smaller role that Elwes plays? That would do. That’s what we would fix.
We're allowing up to three entries per person, but please keep them short. (Less than 200 words would be good.)
The two winners will be selected based on our own subjective discretion. This contest is only open to entrants from the domestic United States. We will not ship internationally (whether you’re a U.S. citizen or not). Employees of High-Def Digest or Internet Brands and their families are not eligible. Standard contest rules and conditions apply. People who have won any of our previous contests within the past one year are also not eligible to win, but may get Honorable Mentions.
The deadline for entry is this Friday, June 17th. The winner will be announced next week. Good luck, everyone!
Hurry over to The Bonus View's contest announcement to add your entries!
The Bonus View Digest - June 10, 2011
Fri Jun 10, 2011 at 02:30 PM ETTags: The Bonus View, The Bonus View Digest, Aaron Peck, Fun Stuff (all tags)
This was one of the most eventful weeks we've had on The Bonus View. We had numerous stories that featured double-digit comments from our wonderful movie loving community we have here. See what kind of camaraderie you're missing out on when you don't tune into The Bonus View?
Movie Madness
The Tournament O' Death has finally wound down, and we crowned a winner. Darth Vader took home the championship, but not before we had quite a few hotly contested matchups. To see how we go to the final match that saw a victorious Vader crushing the life out of a helpless Batman, check out the links below.
Movie Madness 2011: A Look Back
Fans of the Movie Madness tournament, don't fret. We've got some great things in the works, like a Tournament O' Death for some of our favorite TV characters. Keep updated on The Bonus View to find out when it's going to happen.
TV Recaps
As always The Bonus View tracks and blogs about your favorite shows. For many shows we do weekly recaps just in case you missed anything. It's a time to discuss the show with fellow fans and talk about where it's going. This week we had recaps for shows like 'Franklin & Bash', 'The Killing', 'Game of Thrones', and a special interview from the creator of 'Community'.
As the summer TV season heats up you better believe we'll be covering some of the hottest shows. You'll have to keep a lookout to see which shows we'll be covering.
Video Game News
Not only did our intrepid video game reporter, Dick Ward, keep up updated on the video game releases this week; he also brought it to our attention that we could get up to two free games from Sony Playstation Network. This was good news for a guy like me who rarely buys video games but loves to play them. Right after reading Dick's report I went onto PSN and downloaded Little Big Planet for free!
Theatrical News
This was a big week at the theater. Luke Hickman gave us some great Weekend Box Office Updates. He also provided us with an early review of 'Super 8', which seems to be the movie to see this summer. He also wrote a nice review for Woody Allen's new flick 'Midnight in Paris'.
Last, but definitely not least, Luke wrote up a controversial piece on theatrical 3D and if it was facing a downward slide in box office numbers. It sparked a great debate between the readers that's still raging on right now. Check it out and add your two cents.
Home Theater News
Our resident HD expert Josh Zyber is always tweaking his home theater setup. This week he gave us a glimpse of the new Vizio 3D TV he purchased to compliment his 3D projector he just installed a few weeks ago. He also gave us a heads up on a setback he had with his 3D setup, which is something all people who were wondering about installing a 3D home theater should read.
Special Features
This week we seemed to be brimming with all kinds of featured posts that garnered quite a lot of response from readers. Last week's Roundtable asked the writers which franchises were in need of a reboot. The Mid-Week Poll was a doozy, as we decided once and for all (kind of) who is the worst director out of Michael Bay and Stephen Sommers.
Posterizing is a new featured post we're doing where we take a look at recent movie posters, discuss them, and mainly just enjoy the artwork that goes along with movie marketing.
Finally we had a fun little post about the Alamo Drafthouse Theater and their policy on kicking texters out of movies. You just have to see the video that goes along with the post. It's hilarious.
Thanks again for another successful week on The Bonus View. If you haven't made your way over yet make sure you do. It's a place where you can casually chat with other movie fans, all the while reading great posts from our crack team of writers. Hope to see you here soon!
HDD Breaking News: Secret 'Super 8' Showings TONIGHT!
Wed Jun 08, 2011 at 03:00 PM ETTags: Luke Hickman, Fun Stuff, Twitter (all tags)
Can't wait until Friday to see 'Super 8'? You're in luck! Twitter and Paramount Pictures have teamed up for the first-ever "Tweet Movie Sneak Preview" of 'Super 8' for one day only on over 300 IMAX and standard screens across the nation.
The ultra secret 'Super 8' sneak previews will be taking place on June 9, one day before the film's theatrical release. Since Twitter is partnering for the sneak previews, the only way you can find out about showing information is via Twitter. Go to the official page of the preview and share the info with your friends on Twitter by using #Super8Secret. Based on the screenings in our theatrical reviewer Luke Hickman's area, it looks like all secret screenings will be taking place late tonight at 12:01AM (technically falling on June 9).
Directed by J.J. Abrams ('Star Trek') and produced by Steven Spielberg ('Indiana Jones'), 'Super 8' is a widely anticipated adventure film that follows a group of children as an unknown beast forces a military take-over of their small town. Trailers and TV spots have revealed nearly nothing about the film, causing a curiosity to drive the pre-release buzz.
Since Luke is under embargo to not review 'Super 8' until it's opening, he can't yet tell you how great it is. What he can tell you is that he has already seen it twice, and he's contemplating going back to a secret screening in Salt Lake City tonight. 'Super 8' needs to be seen on the big screen. Check The Bonus View very soon for his review.
See what people are saying about this story in our forums area, or check out other recent discussions.
Have you "Liked" High-Def Digest on Facebook yet?
Tue Jun 07, 2011 at 05:10 PM ETTags: High-Def Digest, Facebook, Industry Trends, Fun Stuff, Mindblowingly Awesome Things (all tags)
Have you visited the High-Def Digest Facebook page lately? If not, why not swing by and let your friends know that you like us? In return, we'll make sure you never miss a Blu-ray bargain or a great review.
Please check out the High-Def Digest Page on Facebook, click "like," and spread the word, so you and your friends can always find the best Blu-ray and High-Def news and reviews online.
Our Facebook page is still going strong, and we'd love you to join in the fun. In addition to our reviews, highlights from The Bonus View, and priceless witticisms, we use the page as one more way of spreading the word about the best high-def releases on the market.
If you haven't joined the fun yet, you can check it out here.
Hope to see you there soon!
HDD Exclusive: Our Interview With 'Beginners' Writer/Director Mike Mills
Tue Jun 07, 2011 at 04:20 PM ETTags: Luke Hickman (all tags)
by Luke Hickman
Few directors have the ability to show something on screen that puts you in the role of the characters and truly makes you experience their same emotions. Mike Mills is one of those rare directors. Not a moment passes in his latest feature film, 'Beginners', where you aren't emotionally connected to everything on screen.
While promoting the film in Denver, Mills took a few minutes to chat with me over the phone to tell me how 'Beginners' came about, what the writing process was like, and how much the superb cast affected the outcome of his intimately personal film.
Mills' first feature-length narrative ('Thumbsucker') was an adaptation from a Walter Kirn novel of the same title. 'Beginners', his first feature-length original screenplay, it is a semi-autobiographical telling of his relationship with his father. In the film, Ewan McGregor plays the role of the son (Oliver) and Christopher Plummer plays the father (Hal).
'Beginners' is told in a non-linear fashion that bounces back and forth through three different periods of Oliver's life. Each time we shift to another period we learn things that help us better connect to the characters. The earliest of those times in his life is the period we see the least - Oliver's childhood. The other two periods are closer together in time and share the remainder of the film's runtime. The first of those two takes place when, just six months after his wife's passing, Hal tells Oliver that he is gay. The other takes place shortly after Hal's death when Oliver meets and falls for a beautiful French actress, Anna (Mélanie Laurent).
"Writing [an original] screenplay is wildly different from adapting." Being based on such influential moments from his own life, Mills recalls the experience of writing 'Beginners' as "exciting, depressing and difficult to stare at for any length of time."
"When writing something based on your memories … you see it from your particular slant on the situation. You see them the way you remember them - not the way they were. … 'Beginners' is the memory of my dad, his coming-out and his passing [told] with a funny hybrid of facts and fiction. Oliver is the cross-reference. I never intended for it, but he [ended up being] a slice of myself that I ran with."
Casting became an important factor for Mills. Making sure the actors were able to fully convey the intended emotion, he went for "live in the moment actors." McGregor and Plummer were quickly selected, but Anna's casting proved a little more difficult. Mills knew what he wanted from an actress, but didn't have one in mind. He was "looking for a European - someone far from home, strong, fiery, intelligent." She had to possess "independence and strength."
While Mills was seeking his Anna, Laurent was still unknown in the U.S. because 'Inglourious Basterds' had not yet opened. Based on suggestions from friends, Mills began scouring the Internet for European actresses who could display the previously mentioned characteristics. When he can across footage of Laurent, he immediately knew she was Anna.
"I found an interview with her. She was smoking and talking up a storm. The way she sat there and carried herself - even though I didn’t understand a word - I knew she was it."
Once she was cast and rehearsing began, Mills felt vindicated in his casting decisions. "Ewan and Chris were a great duo [that] formed a great relationship. Ewan admired Chris … [and] that translated to film. … Ewan and Mélanie really liked working together. Since we shot the film on digital RED cameras, we could shoot as much as we wanted. [Ewan and Mélanie] liked playing with each other. They would ask to do takes again just to play with the scenes. Those two went through emotional rollercoasters together. Both are very professional." Mills isn't exaggerating. The relationship between Oliver and Anna is so genuine and honest that it will make you experience falling in love for the first time again.
The 'Beginners' trailer opens with Ewan McGregor talking to a dog who, in return, responds through subtitles. Mills' wife, fellow filmmaker Miranda July, premiered her latest film 'The Future' at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival. With 'The Future' narrated by a cat, I couldn't help but ask Mills about the talking animals in their films. According to him, "the dog came before the cat."
See what people are saying about this story in our forums area, or check out other recent discussions.
High-Def Digest and AVRev are looking for Volunteers!
Wed Jun 01, 2011 at 04:50 PM ETTags: AVRev, Fun Stuff (all tags)
WHAT WE NEED
We know most of you are probably busy ranking westerns by True Grit/No Grit, so we'll make this quick: We're looking for enthusiastic HDD readers who want to be interviewed about their gear and home theater systems!
WHY?
Over at High-Def Digest's sister site, Audio|Visual Revolution (AVRev), we're starting up a new article series entitled Share Your Setup (<-- Click to see the very first article). Imagine show-and-tell for home theater enthusiasts. A way for all of us to display our home theaters, media rooms, family rooms, living rooms, and whatever other electronicafied spaces we may have.
WHO CAN DO THIS?
Anyone and everyone who loves home theater and/or home audio.
WHAT IF MY GEAR ISN'T FANCY?
No problem! We don't care if you're rocking your first home theater in a box system that cost less than a hundred bucks, or you have a home-IMAX powered only by McIntosh amps. From apartment dwellers to condo creatures to home owners to man-cave monsters...
All are welcome!
SWEET, I WANT TO BE FAMOUS ON THE INTERNET! HOW DO I SIGN UP???
Great question, awesome HDD reader. All it takes is three easy steps:
1) Answer the following questions (and remember, the more you write, the better ! Also, we're happy to help edit whatever you want to write) :
--AUDIOPHILE, VIDEO/CINEPHILE, OR BOTH? AND WHY?
--TELL US ABOUT YOUR CURRENT SETUP(S)! (2.0, 5.1, 7.1, 9.2? HDTVs, PROJECTOR? DEDICATED OR A MULTIPURPOSE ROOM? MULTI-ROOM OR WHOLE HOUSE AUDIO? APARTMENT / HOUSE?) WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT IT? WHAT DO YOU WISH WAS BETTER ABOUT IT?
--HOW LONG DID IT TAKE TO BUILD, OR HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN COLLECTING AND TWEAKING FOR THIS CURRENT SETUP? CALIBRATED?
--WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE PIECE OF GEAR, AND WHY?
--HOW AND WHEN DID YOU FALL IN LOVE WITH AUDIO/VIDEO (if there's a story here, tell it)?
--WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST SETUP?
--WHAT'S YOUR DREAM SETUP?
--WHAT GEAR ARE YOU GETTING NEXT?
--FAVORITE DEMO DISCS (audio or video) AND WHY?
--HOW MANY BLU-RAYS/DVDS/CDS/LASERDISCS, VHS TAPES, VIDEO GAMES DO YOU OWN?
--FEEL FREE TO ADD YOUR OWN QUESTIONS HERE.
--YOUR GEAR LIST (DIVIDE BY SETUPS, IF MORE THAN ONE):
2) Snap some pictures of your gear. Racks, entertainment centers, couches, take it all. Don't worry about being an expert shutter bug, but have a look-see at this gallery to see what types of shots you can take. As you'll see there, it's really nice to see how the room functions - that is, to see the seating in relation to the projector or television(s). Also, don't forget to take a shot or two of your Blu-ray collections and/or get a pick of you standing with your gear. Feel free to be artistic.
3) email us your answers and pictures at questions@avrev.com
That's it. We hope to hear from many of you soon! Cheers.
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'Gantz' Announced for Blu-ray... and HD DVD??!
Mon May 16, 2011 at 01:00 PM ETTags: Warner Brothers, Disc Announcements (all tags)
The live-action adaptation of the Japanese anime looks to be available in a combo pack (which seems to include a disc from the defunct format) this August!
In an early announcement to retailers, Warner Brothers says 'Gantz' will have a Blu-ray release on August 30.
The story follows two teens who try to rescue a man on the subway tracks and wake up in a room dominated by a mysterious black sphere that sends them to hunt down and kill aliens hiding on Earth.
The release will apparently be a three disc set (Blu-ray/HD DVD/DVD) with 1080p video, Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtracks in English and Japanese, and supplements will include interviews and a trailer.
Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $29.99.
You can find the latest specs for 'Gantz' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under August 30.
See what people are saying about this story in our forums area, or check out other recent discussions.
- Discs mentioned in this article: (Click for specs and reviews)
- Gantz (Blu-ray)
Win a $100 Gift Card From eBay and HDD for Mother's Day
Mon May 02, 2011 at 02:50 PM ETTags: eBay, Contests, High-Def Digest, Fun Stuff (all tags)
Mother's Day is this weekend! THIS WEEKEND! If you're anything like us, these floating holidays have a maddening way of sneaking up on you. Every year we find ourselves scrambling at the last second to find the perfect Mother's Day presents.
eBay always makes last minute gift giving a snap, because we can find just about anything on there. Now they're making it even easier to get your mom the perfect present, because in a partnership with High-Def Digest, eBay is giving away a $100 eBay gift certificate in this exclusive contest.
Now, you're just dying to learn how to win one hundred bucks of free eBay merchandise, aren't you? Well, the contest rules are pretty simple. Head on over to eBay's Mother's Day page and pick out three of your favorite Mother's Day items. Probably the items that you would buy if you were lucky enough to win the gift card. Then come on back to the forums on High-Def Digest and post your choices in the eBay giveaway thread linked below. The winner will be selected at random.
That's it. That's all you have to do. Now you're entered into a contest that will possibly make you the best son or daughter ever. That is assuming you actually use the gift card on your mother!
Check out the eBay Mother's Day contest here, then visit the forum discussion below to post your gift picks and enter the contest!
See what people are saying about this story in our forums area, or check out other recent discussions.
Have you "Liked" High-Def Digest on Facebook yet?
Tue Apr 19, 2011 at 05:40 PM ETTags: Fun Stuff, Mindblowingly Awesome Things, High-Def Digest, Industry Trends (all tags)
Have you visited the High-Def Digest Facebook page lately? If not, why not swing by and let your friends know that you like us? In return, we'll make sure you never miss a Blu-ray bargain or a great review.
Please check out the High-Def Digest Page on Facebook, click "like," and spread the word, so you and your friends can always find the best Blu-ray and High-Def news and reviews online.
Our Facebook page is still going strong, and we'd love you to join in the fun. In addition to our reviews, highlights from The Bonus View, and priceless witticisms, we use the page as one more way of spreading the word about the best high-def releases on the market.
If you haven't joined the fun yet, you can check it out here.
Hope to see you there soon!
Top 5/Bottom 5: Jeff Bridges
Tue Apr 05, 2011 at 02:20 PM ETTags: Aaron Peck, Top 5/Bottom 5, Fun Stuff (all tags)
by Aaron Peck
Jeff Bridges has had a very long career. With the release of 'Tron: Legacy' and the original 'Tron' on Blu-ray this week, we thought we'd take a look back at Mr. Bridges filmography and decide where he went right and where he went very, very wrong.
He's played some of the most memorable characters in cinema, and he's also been in some serious disasters, but the great thing with Bridges is that even when a movie is an utter mess, he's always doing something interesting with the role he's playing. He takes on a different way of speaking, often doing something almost indefinable with his jaw, just watch for it. The mannerisms, the pitch of his voice, the way he approaches the other actors, the guy isn't Nicholson, who often plays some variation of "Jack." No, a Bridges character is always original. The Dude is not Rooster Cogburn, and Rooster Cogburn sure as hell isn't Bad Blake. When Bridges' character and the movie itself come together, there are few more satisfying films. Here are some of the best and some of the worst.
The Best
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Confession time. I've never been that big a fan of 'The Big Lebowski' as a movie, but Bridges' performance as The Dude is arguably the best of his career, and it's definitely the most memorable. The movie as a whole never grabbed me like it grabbed so many other fans, but I couldn't leave this one off the list for fear of 'Lebowski' fans calling for my little toe in an envelope. Don't watch this one if you don't have the fixings for a white Russian in the house. Trust me!
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Another classic movie that, despite its dated graphics, has stood the test of time and has continued to gain fans over the decades, enough fans and support that Disney saw it fit to make a sequel almost 30 years later!
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Who knew that Jeff Bridges could sing country music so well? He was also able to make a romance between a grizzled old country singer and Maggie Gyllenhaal seem genuine. He capped off his performance as Bad Blake by taking home the Best Actor award at the Oscars that year.
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Some have said that Jeff Bridges was even better than John Wayne in the role of Rooster Cogburn. Whether that's true or not, doesn't negate the fact that Bridges was superb in this movie. Many people thought he deserved to win back to back Best Actor awards. If it hadn't been for Colin Firth and his stammering performance, I think Bridges would have walked home with a second golden trophy.
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I was surprised how imposing Jeff Bridges is with a shaved head and full beard. He made a great villain, which surprised me even more because I've become so accustomed to Bridges being the consummate good guy.
The Worst
'How to Lose Friends & Alienate People'
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Sandwiched between 'Iron Man' and 'Crazy Heart' was this turd of a movie that was hastily thrown together to capitalize on Megan Fox's popularity. You know your movie is a piece of garbage when you have Jeff Bridges, but your main focus is on Megan Fox. Not to mention Bridges sported one of the worst wigs ever.
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This was a promising movie. Terry Gilliam was directing, and Jeff Bridges was starring, but as so often happens with Gilliam productions, somewhere something went very, very wrong. Gilliam got too weird for his own good, and made 'Tideland' an almost unwatchable mess.
'Blown Away'
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One of those movies that you see on TBS or some other basic cable channel Saturday morning and after watching about ten minutes you realize why you never actually think of it unless it's on Saturday morning. Even with Bridges and Tommy Lee Jones, 'Blown Away' failed to establish much suspense at all. Just another bland thriller from the early 90s.
'Scenes of the Crime'
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Like 'Blown Away' only duller. 'Scenes of the Crime' is that movie where you wonder what in the world an actor like Bridges is doing in a movie like this. It just doesn't make any sense.
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Full of notable actors, 'The Amateurs' tried its hardest to be a sex-centric comedy with heart, but instead the movie ends up being a complete and utter mess. Even with a good performance by Bridges, this movie is still mired in an ugly heap of euphemisms that it mistakes for comedy.
Bridges has plenty more movies that could go in as Honorable Mentions like 'Starman,' 'The Door in the Floor,' 'Arlington Road,' and 'Fearless' (can we please get a Blu-ray for this Peter Weir masterpiece?!) He's had quite the career, and he's treated us to some wonderful performances over the years. Even the dregs of Bridges' filmography still harbor serviceable performances from him.
So what do you think? Please visit the forums and tell us your own Top 5/Bottom 5 for Jeff Bridges!
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