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05.03.08 - Finally got around to adding a few more reviews. Still more to come, but stop by my 2008 Reviews page in the meantime!

03.02.08 - Just slam-dunked a review of Semi-Pro. Be careful around all the shattered glass...

2.25.08 - Just posted some late reviews of In Bruges and Definitely, Maybe. You should absolutely, possibly check them out while you're practicing your Flemish dialect!

2.22.08 - Before I get started, swing on in to the Reviews section to read my take on Charlie Bartlett.

Well, it certainly has been an interesting week on the video front. As a longtime home theater enthusiast (stop here for my essay about my love for Laserdiscs), I've been keeping an eye on the next-generation High Definition optical disc format war for some time. Just this past December I made the jump into the realm of Sony's Blu-ray Disc technology (it came with the PS3, plus Sony has the rights to the Bond series - so a no brainer there!).

It is indeed much better than DVD, and better even than the compressed Hi Def channels from your local cable or satellite service. Warner's Blade Runner 5 disc set among other stellar releases give the viewer a truly theatrical home experience. It's pretty amazing that home video has gotten this good, and that people like myself can actually afford it!

Speaking of Warner, they were previously format-neutral, but delivered a crippling blow to Toshiba's HD-DVD camp by going Blu-exclusive recently. This left Universal and Paramount/Dreamworks as the only remaining major studios in support of Sony's enemy. While most of us thought this would be one of the final volleys that would eventually destroy the other product, I never thought that the retailers would be as aggressive in making a stand.

But in the past few weeks Best Buy, Wal-Mart and online rental facility Netflix all came out with Blu capes on, proving that even with its minimal studio support, HD-DVD could no longer carry on if there was nobody selling it. So just this week Toshiba made their final announcement, bowing out of the next generation video market. Shortly thereafter, Universal jumped into the Blu-boat, and now the consumer can finally buy Hi Def discs without worry.

Not that everything is perfect however - naysayers (and the media) are in love with pointing out that digital downloads are the way of the future (key word - future!), and that there's no reason to invest in optical discs while standard definition DVD is good enough already. Downloading and/or streaming may eventually replace the rental market, but there's no way the film lovers among us will abandon the capacity to own and view their favorite films whenever they want. Just think of the massive amount of titles that regularly go out of print on home video - at least you can still buy them used. If you're counting on a massive digital server to supply you with films, you're going to be screwed when your favorite disappears off of the list.

Other people say that we should just place our entire collections onto multi-terabyte hard drives (and smile gladly when they crash and erase our entire library!), but I can't really buy into all of this overhyped convergence nonsense. Right now there's an awesome Hi-Def disc format that I can purchase and own, not to mention that import-crazy minded film nuts like myself can enjoy the fact that Blu-ray's regional coding system is far more friendly than that of DVD. And while plenty of people don't care about extras, there are a number of films in my collection (the Lord of the Rings 4-disc sets, the Alien Quadrilogy etc.) that sport amazing extra features that probably wouldn't see the light of day in an On-Demand market.

So I can officially care less about the 'future of downloading'. The future is here already in my living room, and I don't look forward to the day when digital convenience destroys the quality of my home theater experience like it's doing to high end audio. Others are grumbling over the fact that the Blu-ray format is still in flux, and that when version 2.0 arrives (which includes internet capability), many of the current players (sans the wi-fi enabled PS3) won't be able to upgrade. I could be wrong, but I don't think that future Blu-ray discs won't play in these older units, but that certain features will not be available to the early adopters.

And people forget that DVD itself was a snaky, ever-changing beast itself when it first arrived. How many people had audio lip sync issues and were told that it was the fault of their player, not of the software. When seamless video branching first arrived, numerous players couldn't perform that function, and therefore couldn't play the film without glitching. Many DVD players were also routinely offering firmware upgrades, so this whole issue regarding evolving Blu-ray stats isn't exactly shaking my foundations.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not some Blu-blood Sony fanatic or anything (but this sure must feel good for them - finally ridding their mouths of the taste of bitter defeat at the hands of VHS back in the day!), and experienced the amazing looking Bourne Ultimatum HD-DVD on my system not too long ago. I'm just excited that the war is over, and perhaps the deep discounts on software titles will ensue!

This past weekend, I had the opportunity to check out Walt Disney Studios and Panasonic's touring Blu-ray eduction demo, called the Magical Blu-ray Disc Tour. Having the Big Mouse on your side is definitely a plus on the video front, because kids are going to want what they have - and the adults are going to want Hi-Def versions of every Pixar film! The demonstration was in town at the Westfarms Mall for a few days, and sported a couple of walls adorned with numerous flat screen displays and various Blu-ray playback devices. There was also a special presentation wherein a representative interacted with the audience while showing clips of Disney vids on a 7.1 surround sound system.

Unfortunately, Mall dynamics prevailed, and the loudly driven Muzak emanating from the ceiling made the listening experience less than perfect, but it certainly enabled people to get the point. The demo walls were set up with interactive games, such as the cooking game from the Ratatouille disc (a must have!), and Liar's Dice from Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest. While these are fun enough, interactive games were present on DVD as well, so I don't think they give a definitive feel for the superiority of next-generation software.

It also would have been nice to see more actual video footage, for I think checking out Disney's Ratatouille Blu-ray in person would prove to be highly persuasive. Likewise, it would have been great to see a looping demo of the difference between HD and SD DVD releases. Still, for the casual consumer wondering what all the fuss is about, it certainly serves its purpose and allows people to get up close and personal with the hardware. For the uber-nerds out there already steeped in knowledge about 1080p, HDMI and format 1.1's PIP capabilities, you're probably not going to learn much you don't know already. You might have fun, though.

Another plus at the Westfarms exhibit was that the informative Blu-ray magazines they were handing out contained coupons for discs at FYE. On the minus side, that chain tends to be wildly expensive, so if someone were jazzed up enough to run right up to check out the discs, they might be dissuaded by the seemingly outrageous cost. (Which need not be so - Amazon has some amazing deals regularly, and some of the discs I've purchased locally have been as cheap as if not cheaper than their standard def DVD counterparts!). On the plus side, the coupon did not exclude used discs, so I managed to pick up a pair of new releases cheap.

There was also a kiosk where you could sign up to win a Blu-ray player and a Panasonic Plasma TV. If this exhibit hits your town soon, definitely check it out! Here are some photos I snapped at the event - I apologize ahead of time for the lousy camera I was using, since it tends to blur easily.

Many thanks to everyone who took time to show me around the place and answer questions - I had a great time!

2.12.08 - The strike is over, so get writing! Download your 2008 WWUHFFIES ballot today and tell us what ruled Hartford in '07!

1.25.08 - You can't catch me - I'm Untraceable! I also posted my late review of There Will Be Ham, I mean There Will Be Blood. Read it or I just might drink your MILKSHAKE!

1.24.08 - I finally got around to posting my review of Cloverfield, so do dig in! Stay tuned for reviews of There Will Be Blood and Untraceable!

1.22.08 - Just got the horrible news that Heath Ledger passed away. I had obviously been excited about a followup to Batman Begins, but when I heard he was cast as The Joker I turned into a rabid fanboy. Having seen him completely melt into his character Skip in Lords of Dogtown, I just knew that he had a supreme talent that was going to see him evolve into a 'legacy' actor sooner or later.

I always thought Jack Nicholson was all wrong for The Joker in the 1989 Batman, and I felt that finally Heath was going to really get to the core of the character and surprise a hell of alot of people. Granted he still will, but now the film will have that creepy aura about it much like 1994's The Crow did following the untimely death of Brandon Lee. It's awful to hear of anyone going at such an early age, and especially so knowing what kind of work he had still yet to deliver.

I don't drink, but this swig of soda's for you, Heath - Cheers, Mate!

1.2.08 - Happy New Year! Let us fondly remember the year that was 2007 with Sam and Kevin's Top Twenty Films of '07 lists!

- News compiled and spouted by Sam Hatch