Tag: native 4K

Better than Streaming: Top Gun: Maverick 4K Blu-ray all set for November 1, 2022 release

Better than Streaming: Top Gun: Maverick 4K Blu-ray all set for November 1, 2022 release

carlocarrasco

Welcome back, fellow geeks, Blu-ray collectors and movie buffs! Whether you are a fan of Tom Cruise, or a fan of the 1986 classic Top Gun or if you want something new and exciting to add to your collection of 4K Blu-ray movies, November 1, 2022 will be an important for you as Top Gun: Maverick 4K Blu-ray will be released on that very day. Here are some good news…Top Gun: Maverick 4K Blu-ray will come with native 4K visuals and if you are convinced to go for it, you can order it in advance right now!

Top Gun: Maverick 4K Blu-ray cover.

To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the 4K Blu-ray announcement at Blu-ray.com. Some parts in boldface…

Paramount Home Media Distribution has officially announced that it will release on 4K Blu-ray and Blu-ray Joseph Kosinski’s Top Gun: Maverick (2022), starring Tom Cruise, Val Kilmer, Miles Teller, Jennifer Connelly, and Bashir Salahuddin. The two releases will be available for purchase on November 1.

Studio synopsis: Tom Cruise stars in the global phenomenon Top Gun: Maverick, the film of 2022 with over $1.3 billion in worldwide box office and the highest grossing film of the producer/actor’s acclaimed career. Top Gun: Maverick has been hailed as “spectacular” (Brian Truitt, USA Today), “breathtaking” (Don Kaye, Den of Geek) and “jaw-dropping” (Sean O’Connell, Cinemablend).

After more than thirty years of service as one of the Navy’s top aviators, Pete “Maverick” Mitchell (Tom Cruise) is where he belongs, pushing the envelope as a courageous test pilot and dodging the advancement in rank that would ground him. When he finds himself training a detachment of Top Gun graduates for a specialized mission the likes of which no living pilot has ever seen, Maverick encounters Lt. Bradley Bradshaw (Miles Teller), call sign: “Rooster,” the son of Maverick’s late friend and Radar Intercept Officer Lt. Nick Bradshaw, aka “Goose.”

Posted below are the specs of Top Gun: Maverick 4K Blu-ray…

Video

Codec: HEVC / H.265

Resolution: Native 4K (2160p)

HDR: Dolby Vision, HDR10

Aspect ratio: 2.39:1, 1.90:1

Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1

Audio

English: Dolby Atmos

English: Dolby TrueHD 7.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)

Subtitles – English SDH, French

Discs – 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray Disc, Single disc (1 BD-100)

Digital – Digital copy included

Packaging – Slipcover in original pressing

Playback – 4K Blu-ray: Region free

As for the special features and technical specs, posted below are the details sourced from Blu-ray.com…

  • DOLBY VISION/HDR PRESENTATION OF THE FILM
  • DOLBY ATMOS AUDIO TRACK
  • Cleared For Take Off—Witness the most intense film training program as the cast prepare themselves for filming while pulling multiple G’s in a fighter plane.
  • Breaking New Ground – Filming Top Gun: Maverick—Prepare to take flight as you go behind-the-scenes with the cast and crew of Top Gun: Maverick on a journey to capture the most spectacular aerial sequences ever!
  • A Love Letter To Aviation – Tom Cruise shares his passion for aviation as he pilots his own aircraft, a vintage World War II P-51 Mustang, which would have been the Top Gun aircraft of its day.
  • Forging The Darkstar – Pushing the limits beyond Mach-10, the future of aviation is unveiled through an impressive experimental aircraft specially designed for the movie.
  • Masterclass with Tom Cruise – Cannes Film Festival—Tom Cruise discusses his incredible career at the flagship event of the 75th Cannes Film Festival.
  • “Hold My Hand” – Lady Gaga Music Video—Watch Lady Gaga’s music video for her standout lead single hit on the Top Gun: Maverick soundtrack.
  • “I Ain’t Worried” – OneRepublic Music Video—Check out the music video to the original new song from OneRepublic.
  • Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One Teaser Trailer – We all share the same fate. Watch the official teaser trailer for Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One starring Tom Cruise. Coming to theatres 2023.

Top Gun: Maverick was released more than thirty years after its predecessor first came out. The 1986 Top Gun itself did not just make a tremendous amount of money in terms of ticket sales as it also made its mark in American pop culture complete with a memorable soundtrack and having notable actors like Val Kilmer, Michael Ironside (note: check out my retro review of V: The Final Battle plus my article about its Blu-ray release), Meg Ryan and Tim Robbins as supporting cast members. To know more about the 1986 classic, watch Oliver Harper’s in-depth retrospective by clicking here.

More on Top Gun: Maverick, the movie’s success during this COVID-19 pandemic age is astounding as it grossed past $1 billion worldwide and literally it reinvigorated movie theaters around the world! For context, posted below is an excerpt from a recent Forbes.com article regarding the theatrical success. Some parts in boldface…

Top Gun: Maverick’s exceptional success supplied a giant lifeline to theaters and cover for studios willfully underdelivering regular theatrical products in an uncommonly sparse summer. Top Gun: Maverick accounted for 23% of the domestic summer movie line-up. That is partially because it earned around $500 million more than even the rosiest projections.

Top Gun: Maverick also came with the benefits of advanced cinematography technologies and methods which made its flight scenes very pleasing to watch. Practical effects and daring flying methods were used which added to the organic nature of the movie’s visuals which is something that computer-generate imaging (CGI) cannot do. The production team also used IMAX cameras and if the movie is still playing in the near IMAX cinema near you, I encourage you to go watch it while you still have time.

Another notable thing about Top Gun: Maverick is that it defied the wokeness of Commiewood (Communist Hollywood) and emphasized American patriotism. For the newcomers reading this, be aware that there are many millions of socialists, Marxists, Communists and unpatriotic people among young people in America who were brainwashed by the socialists who worked as so-called educators in colleges. Take note from the excerpt posted below sourced from The Daily Mail. Some parts in boldface…

Top Gun is a straightforward action movie that celebrates all that is good about our country and our military.

Add to that the handsome leading men, a romantic drama with Cruise’s love interest Jennifer Connelly, and a new generation of actors and ‘pilots,’ like Miles Teller, and you have darn sequel.

There is also a really moving scene between Maverick and Iceman (Cruise and Val Kilmer) and I am woman enough to admit I cried through it.

But above all else — the movie isn’t overly political, it isn’t depressing, it isn’t focusing on the flaws of the United States of America and why we suck and why our flag and national anthem aren’t worth honoring.

The filmmakers also took a stand against the sickening Hollywood trend of pandering to the demands of the totalitarian Chinese government.

In the 1986 original movie, there is a patch depicting the Taiwanese flag on Maverick’s flight jacket. But during 2019 previews, the patch had been removed to alleged appease Chinese censors.

Movie-goers were happy to see the flag had been restored in the film — a signal that neither the filmmakers nor Cruise are content with being lapdogs to the Chinese regime.

I absolutely loved the movie and I felt good leaving the theatre that evening.

Hollywood must wake up to the reality that ‘go woke, go broke’ is real.

Considering its major achievements that go beyond ticket sales, Top Gun: Maverick is the modern-day entertainment marvel just waiting to be discovered by a lot more people who still have not seen it. Expect Top Gun: Maverick to be among the most wanted titles on Blu-ray and 4K Blu-ray formats this coming Christmas shopping season. Watching the Tom Cruise-led movie in the cinemas, on 4K Blu-ray and Blu-ray is simply better than streaming.

Watch out for Top Gun: Maverick 4K Blu-ray on November 1, 2022.

In closing this Better than Streaming piece, posted below are Top Gun: Maverick-related videos and a few Top Gun videos for your viewing pleasure.

If you wish to join a group of movie enthusiasts and talk about cinema, visit the Movie Fans Worldwide Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/322857711779576

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. If you want to support my website, please consider making a donation. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco/.

Better than Streaming: Heat Ultimate Collector’s Edition 4K Blu-ray coming out on August 9, 2022

Better than Streaming: Heat Ultimate Collector’s Edition 4K Blu-ray coming out on August 9, 2022

carlocarrasco

Welcome back, fellow geeks, Blu-ray collectors and movie buffs! If you are a fan of Hollywood legends Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, Val Kilmer and director Michael Mann, then you should be delighted to know that the 1995 epic movie Heat will be released on 4K Blu-ray format (with special features and extra stuff, plus a steelbook edition is available) on August 9, 2022! Already, you can order it online right now!

The cover of Heat Ultimate Collector’s Edition 4K Blu-ray.

According to the Blu-ray.com page of the movie, Heat Ultimate Collector’s Edition 4K Blu-ray will be released with native 4K visuals. Posted below are the technical specs for your reference…

Video

Codec: HEVC / H.265

Resolution: Native 4K (2160p)

HDR: HDR10

Aspect ratio: 2.40:1

Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1

Audio

English: Dolby Atmos

English: Dolby TrueHD 7.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)

French: Dolby Digital 5.1

Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1

Subtitles – English SDH, French, Spanish

Discs – 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray Disc, Three-disc set (1 BD-66, 2 BD-50)

Digital

Movies Anywhere

Packaging – Slipcover in original pressing

Playback – 4K Blu-ray: Region free, 2K Blu-ray: Region A

As for the special features and technical specs, posted below are the details sourced from Blu-ray.com…

  • PREVIOUSLY REMASTERED IN 4K
  • HDR PRESENTATION OF THE FILM
  • DTS-HD MASTER AUDIO 5.1 TRACK
  • Academy Panel reuniting Mann, Pacino and De Niro and moderated by Christopher Nolan
  • Toronto International Film Festival Q&A with Mann
  • Audio Commentary by Michael Mann
  • The Making of Heat
    • True Crime
    • Crime Stories
    • Into the Fire
  • Pacino and De Niro: The Conversation
  • Return to the Scene of the Crime
  • Additional Footage – Deleted Scenes
    • Scene 5 – Season’s starting early
    • Scene 42 – Nicest guy on the block
    • Scene 55 – Albert and Hanna (Alternate Take)
    • Scene 62 – Shakedown
    • Scene 76 – Murder in C-Block
    • Scene 96A – Let’s Dance
    • Scene 125 – Late arrival
    • Scene 148/147 – Where’s Anna?
    • Scene 177B – Double the worst trouble
    • Scene 191 – Nate delivers
    • Scene 204A – No response
  • Theatrical Trailers
    • Surprise of a Lifetime
    • Two Actors Collide
    • Closing In
  • Optional English SDH, Spanish, and French subtitles for the main feature

For the newcomers reading this, Heat was released in late-1995 and it told a very compelling story about crime and law enforcement with De Niro leading a gang of proficient thugs and Pacino leading a team of law enforcers. On both sides, obsession is a major factor as seen in the respective performances of the two Hollywood legends. Apart from the story, the film also has very notable actors supporting the two top actors such as Jon Voight, Tom Sizemore, Ashley Judd and Dennis Haysbert to name some. Each member of the cast performed well on-screen.

When it comes to action, the city bank heist and street shootout scenes are still great to watch even by today’s standards. If you had seen Heat and you played either Grand Theft Auto IV and Grand Theft Auto V, you will realize that the games’ respective bank heist scenes obviously took a lot of inspiration from the movie. Heat is also the subject of countless video reviews, film analysis videos and trivia-type videos on YouTube.

Watch out for Heat Ultimate Collector’s Edition 4K Blu-ray on August 9, 2022.

In closing this Better than Streaming piece, posted below are Heat-related videos for your viewing pleasure.

If you wish to join a group of movie enthusiasts and talk about cinema, visit the Movie Fans Worldwide Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/322857711779576

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco/

Better than Streaming: Red Dawn Collector’s Edition 4K Blu-ray coming out on August 16, 2022

Better than Streaming: Red Dawn Collector’s Edition 4K Blu-ray coming out on August 16, 2022

carlocarrasco

Welcome back, fellow geeks, Blu-ray collectors and movie buffs! If you are sick and tired of the modern-day wokeness-filled garbage of Communist Hollywood (Commiewood) and if you are nostalgic about 1980s Hollywood cinema, then you should be interested to learn that the Red Dawn Collector’s Edition 4K Blu-ray will be released on August 16, 2022 and already pre-orders are being accepted online.

Red Dawn Collector’s Edition 4K Blu-ray is set for an August 16, 2022 release.

According to the Blu-ray.com page of the movie, Red Dawn 4K Blu-ray disc will have native 4K visuals and a brand new 4K restoration of the film from its original negative has been reported. These details are very much welcome because I have Red Dawn on Blu-ray disc (1080p) and its visuals were not very good. Moving forward, posted below are the specs for Red Dawn 4K Blu-ray…

Video

Codec: HEVC / H.265

Resolution: Native 4K (2160p)

HDR: Dolby Vision, HDR10

Aspect ratio: 1.85:1

Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1

Audio

English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)

English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 (48kHz, 24-bit)

Subtitles – English SDH

Discs – 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray Disc, Two-disc set (1 BD-100, 1 BD-50)

Packaging – Slipcover in original pressing, Inner print

Playback – 4K Blu-ray: Region free, 2K Blu-ray: Region A (B, C untested)

For the newcomers reading this, Red Dawn is a 1984 action movie directed by John Milius that explores what would happen in America – specifically at a Colorado town surrounded by wilderness – once World War III breaks out and the nation gets invaded by the Soviet Union (Russians) and their South American Commies. A small group of teenagers manage to escape the invasion of their town and moved into the wilderness with limited supplies to survive with. As the Leftists impose order in the town, the group slowly organizes itself into a force of opposition with one objective: freedom.

This movie starred the late Patrick Swayze, Charlie Sheen, C. Thomas Howell, Lea Thompson and Jennifer Grey when they were much younger. As the 1980s had lots of Hollywood movies about teenagers presented in comedies and drama films, Red Dawn easily stands out among them all as it deals a very serious concept related to the Cold War back then. Its story is a powerful reminder that Communists and the Satanic Left are essentially evil.

Given the fact that America today has several millions of young people brainwashed by socialists in schools, the fact that Leftist terrorists groups like Black Lives Matter (BLM) and Antifa are tearing down American society, the fact that Hollywood has lots of Commies and SJWs among its members, the fact that gun owners’ rights are being attacked a lot by the Left, the fact that Democrats prioritize illegal immigrants over American citizens, and the fact that lots of politicians abuse their governmental powers to emphasize socialism, Communism, Marxism and other wicked values on the people, Red Dawn of 1984 is still highly relevant. This is the movie that liberals and people poisoned with political correctness cannot tolerate. Watch out for Red Dawn Collector’s Edition 4K Blu-ray on August 16, 2022.

In closing this Better than Streaming piece, posted below are Red Dawn-related videos for your viewing pleasure.

If you wish to join a group of movie enthusiasts and talk about cinema, visit the Movie Fans Worldwide Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/322857711779576

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco/

Better than Streaming: Alligator 4K Blu-ray coming out on February 22, 2022

Better than Streaming: Alligator 4K Blu-ray coming out on February 22, 2022

carlocarrasco

Welcome back, fellow geeks, Blu-ray collectors and movie buffs! If you are fond of old-school creature features, suspense and horror for your home viewing, then you might be interested to know that the 1980 film Alligator will be released in 4K Blu-ray format on February 22, 2022 according to a Blu-ray.com update. Alligator 4K Blu-ray is an upcoming release prepared by Scream Factory and interested costumers can order it right now online.

To put things in perspective, posted below are key details from the Blu-ray.com article about Alligator 4K Blu-ray combo. Some parts in boldface…

The 4K Blu-ray cover.

DISC ONE: 4K BLU-RAY – THEATRICAL VERSION

  • EXCLUSIVE NEW 4K RESTORATION FROM THE ORIGINAL CAMERA NEGATIVE
  • Audio Commentary With Director Lewis Teague And Actor Robert Forster
  • Optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature

DISC TWO: BLU-RAY – THEATRICAL VERSION

  • EXCLUSIVE NEW 4K RESTORATION FROM THE ORIGINAL CAMERA NEGATIVE
  • NEW Everybody In The Pool – An Interview With Actress Robin Riker
  • NEW Wild In The Streets – An Interview With Director Lewis Teague
  • NEW It Walks Among Us – An Interview With Screenwriter John Sayles
  • NEW Luck Of The Gator – An Interview With Special Makeup Effects Artist Robert Short
  • NEW Gator Guts, The Great River, And Bob – An Interview With Production Assistant, Now Famous Actor/Director/Producer, Bryan Cranston
  • NEW Newspaper Ad Still Gallery By Drive-In Asylum
  • Audio Commentary With Director Lewis Teague And Actor Robert Forster
  • Alligator Author – An Interview With Screenwriter John Sayles
  • Additional Scenes From The TV Version
  • Promotional Materials
    • NEW Teaser Trailer (New 2K Scan)
    • NEW Theatrical Trailer (NEW 2K Scan)
    • NEW TV Spots (NEW 2K Scan)
    • Trailers From Hell – Filmmaker Karyn Kusama (Jennifer’s Body) On ALLIGATOR
    • ALLIGATOR Game Television Commercial
  • Still Gallery (Movie Stills, Movie Posters, Lobby Cards, And Behind-The-Scenes Photos)
  • Optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature

DISC THREE: BLU-RAY – EXTENDED TELEVISION VERSION

  • NEW 4K RESTORATION FROM THE OCN WITH ADDITIONAL FOOTAGE FROM AN INTERPOSITIVE
  • The extended television version is presented in high-definition for the first time ever.

Posted below are the other details from Alligator’s own page at Blu-ray.com…

Video

Codec: HEVC / H.265

Resolution: Native 4K (2160p)

HDR: Dolby Vision, HDR10

Aspect ratio: 1.85:1

Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1

Audio – English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono (48kHz, 24-bit)

Subtitles – English SDH

Discs – 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray Disc, Three-disc set (1 BD-100, 2 BD-50)

Packaging – Slipbox, Reversible cover

Playback – 4K Blu-ray: Region free, 2K Blu-ray: Region A

The movie poster from 1980.

Personally, I saw Alligator on home video way back in the 1980s and sometimes on cable TV afterwards. In American pop culture, the Lewis Teague-directed movie was one of several creature feature movies that got released as part of a wave of imitators who were inspired by the massive success of Steven Spielberg’s Jaws. Alligator had a mixed-to-positive reception from the movie critics in 1980 and its ticket sales were almost four times its production budget.

How this old movie will look like in 4K interests me, and the 4K visuals have been confirmed to be native 4K. As typical with other Scream Factory releases, Alligator will come with lots of extra stuff that fans and movie buffs will eventually enjoy. Watch out for this 4K Blu-ray release on February 22, 2022.

In closing this Better than Streaming piece, posted below are Alligator-related videos for your viewing pleasure.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/

If you wish to join a group of movie enthusiasts and talk about cinema, visit the Movie Fans Worldwide Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/322857711779576

Dolby Vision on Xbox Series consoles makes home entertainment more pleasing

Dolby Vision on Xbox Series consoles makes home entertainment more pleasing

carlocarrasco

In my previous article, I made a short reference to the availability of Dolby Vision on Xbox Series S and Xbox Series X. For the newcomers and games still wondering what Dolby Vision’s relevance with the modern Xbox consoles is all about and how it can benefit gamers who have the means, we can take a close look at the details through the September 28, 2021 article published on Xbox.com.

Before examining the said article, let’s start first with a view of Dolby Vision on Xbox Series S and X via this official video released on September 23, 2021.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Xbox.com article written by XGP Senior Program Manager Katie Slattery. Some parts in boldface…

At Xbox, we want to give gamers the best gaming experience at full audio and visual fidelity. That is why we partnered with Dolby to bring immersive spatial audio to our platform with Dolby Atmos in 2017, and ultra-vivid picture quality for movies and streaming with Dolby Vision in 2018. Then in 2020 with Xbox Series X|S, we launched the first consoles ever to support gaming in Dolby Atmos and with the future capability to support Dolby Vision.

Dolby Vision gaming now available on Series XIS

Starting today, gamers with compatible Dolby Vision-enabled TVs will be able to enjoy full-spectrum visuals with the rollout of Dolby Vision gaming on Xbox Series X|S. With Dolby Vision, epic worlds – such as lush rainforests or neon futuristic cities – are brought to life in more vivid color. Dolby Vision deepens your immersion into the experience by enabling you to see an enemy hiding in the shadows or spot hidden clues through expanded contrast and better clarity in both bright and dark scenes.

To ensure a growing library of games are available, Dolby and Xbox are working together closely with developers to provide the tools they need so their titles can take full advantage of Dolby Vision. They can do this through built-in features within the Xbox platform or they can choose to implement the technology directly into a game’s engine.

There are more than 100 next-gen HDR titles optimized for Series X|S that will feature Dolby Vision, and in the future you’ll see more games like Halo Infinite taking full advantage of Dolby Vision.

Get the complete Dolby experience with Dolby Atmos by downloading Dolby Access today. Pair with Xbox headphones for the ultimate spatial sound experience.

Xbox Series XIS will deliver improved visual experience to thousands of classic games

In addition to this curated set of Xbox Series X|S optimized titles, we also wanted to ensure the robust library of games previously released in HDR or Auto HDR would benefit as well. This led us to work with Dolby to bring new visual enhancement capabilities that utilize Dolby Vision technology to deliver an improved visual experience for thousands of existing HDR10 and Auto HDR games. When you are connected to a Dolby Vision enabled TV and Dolby Vision is enabled on Xbox Series X|S, the consoles will automatically enhance your existing games to deliver a rich, immersive experience unrivaled by any other game console.

How Series XIS and Dolby Vision make your gaming experience better

Dolby Vision takes gaming to the next level through incredible brightness, color, contrast, and detail.  Games in Dolby Vision automatically map to any display that supports Dolby Vision, delivering players the benefit of seeing the best possible picture available. Dolby Vision is also compatible with next-generation features available on Xbox Series X|S such as DirectX Raytracing, automatic low-latency mode (ALLM), Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), and up to 120FPS depending on the capabilities of your TV*.

The article also has other notable details such as the confirmation that Microsoft and Dolby are collaborating closely with the companies that manufacture HDTVs/smart TVs and enable them to update the firmware to enable Dolby Vision at 120 Hz. That being said, if you own an Xbox Series S or Xbox Series X connected to that high-tech HDTV or smart TV in your household, you might want to check right now if it is indeed a Dolby Vision-enabled machine. There will be some adjustments to be made with the settings of your HDTV and you can see how at the very end of the Xbox.com article at https://news.xbox.com/en-us/2021/09/28/dolby-vision-gaming-now-available-on-xbox-series-x-s/

More on this technological breakthrough, I love the fact that it has been confirmed that thousands of classic games (games from previous Xbox console generations) will have visual enhancements covered by Dolby Vision. In short, when you play an old game on your Xbox Series console via the backward compatibility feature, there will be visual improvements as well as a better use of your TV’s Dolby Vision capability. With regards to the games of this current console generation, there are over a hundred HDR (high dynamic range) games optimized for the Xbox Series consoles using Dolby Vision benefits. Such enhancements and benefits will be present in future games like Forza Horizon 5, Halo Infinite, Starfield, Elder Scrolls 6, Fallout 5, the next Forza Motorsport, Avowed, The Outer Worlds 2, Perfect Dark and a whole lot more!

In closing this piece, posted below are Xbox-related videos for your viewing pleasure.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com

Better than Streaming: The Karate Kid Collection 4K Blu-ray coming out on December 7, 2021

Better than Streaming: The Karate Kid Collection 4K Blu-ray coming out on December 7, 2021

carlocarrasco

Welcome back, fellow geeks, movie buffs and fellow Blu-ray/4K Blu-ray collectors!

For those of you who love The Karate Kid trilogy of movies (1984-1989) as well as the acclaimed sequel Cobra Kai, mark your calendars for December 7, 2021 as The Karate Kid Collection 4K Blu-rayset will be released on that very day! You can order it online right now!

[Blu-ray cover]

The Karate Kid Collection 4K Blu-ray set comes with six discs as each movie has a 4K Blu-ray disc and a Blu-ray disc (for 1080p viewing). As seen above, the box really has nicely made artwork showing the trilogy characters and the 1980s vibe. Unsurprisingly, Ralph Macchio and the late Pat Morita are featured on the front as the iconic duo of Daniel and Mr. Miyagi.

Posted below are key details of The Karate Kid Collection 4K Blu-ray from its Blu-ray.com page.

Video

Codec: HEVC / H.265

Resolution: 4K (2160p)

HDR: HDR10

Aspect ratio: 1.85:1

Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1

Audio

English: Dolby Atmos

French: Dolby Digital 5.1

Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1

Subtitles

English, English SDH, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish, Arabic, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Greek, Hindi, Korean, Mandarin (Simplified), Mandarin (Traditional), Norwegian, Polish, Slovak, Slovenian, Swedish, Thai, Turkish

Discs

4K Ultra HD

Blu-ray Disc

Six-disc set (6 BD)

Digital

Digital copy included

Playback

4K Blu-ray: Region free

2K Blu-ray: Region A

As stated in the Blu-ray.com announcement, the first two Karate Kid movies were previously restored in 4K from the original camera negative while the third movie comes with a new 4K restoration from the original camera negative. As of this writing, however, there is no clear indication if each movie will have native 4K visuals.

The first movie is a true classic in my honest view. As it was directed by the same man responsible for the first Rocky movie, The Karate Kid shares certain elements with it but still it went on to establish its own legacy adding variety to the teen culture movies released by Hollywood in the 1980s and helped made martial arts become a cultural phenomenon again in that same decade. As the 1984 movie proved to be successfully critically, commercially and culturally, it went on to spawn sequels in 1986 (story set mostly in Japan) and 1989 (set again in California and an attempt to make the trilogy go full circle creatiely). Beyond the film format, an animated series was made as well as a computer game and a video game. Come December 7, The Karate Kid Collection 4K Blu-ray will resonate with Blu-ray collectors who grew up with The Karate Kid movies.

In ending this piece, posted below are Karate Kid-related videos for your enjoyment.

For more entries of my Better than Streaming series of articles, check out my pieces on The Beastmaster 4K Blu-ray, The Transformers: The Movie 4K Blu-ray, Mortal Kombat 2021 4K Blu-ray, Space Jam 4K Blu-ray, V: The Original Miniseries Blu-ray (read my retro review), V: The Final Battle Blu-ray, Highlander 4K Blu-ray, The Suicide Squad, Super Dimension Century Orguss Blu-ray, Unbreakable 4K Blu-ray, Injustice 4K Blu-ray, The Suicide Squad 4K Blu-ray, Terminator 2: Judgment Day 30th Anniversary 4K Blu-ray, Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within 4K Blu-ray,  Mad Max Anthology 4K Blu-ray and Night Shift Blu-ray.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com

If you wish to join a group of movie enthusiasts and talk about cinema, visit the Movie Fans Worldwide Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/322857711779576

Space Shooter Chorus set for release on Xbox consoles on December 3, 2021

Space Shooter Chorus set for release on Xbox consoles on December 3, 2021

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Are you looking for a new and exciting shooter-type video game on your Xbox? You might want to check out Chorus (stylized as Chorvs)as it was recently announced that it will be released on Xbox platforms (Xbox One, Xbox Series S and Xbox Series X) on December 3, 2021, and the good news is that you can order a copy of it now online and receive the Elder Armor Skin Set.

In case you are wondering, Chorus is a science fiction 3D space shooter developed by Deep Silver FISHLABS and published by Deep Silver. You get to play as the female pilot named Nara and you must guide her on a quest to destroy the dark cult that made her. You will get to fly an AI-controlled spaceship called Forsaken and together you will not only travel through the depths of space and engage in battle, but also explore lots of places that will test your abilities to fly and figure which paths to take.

To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the game’s official announcement published on Xbox.com written by Deep Silver’s Global Community Manager David Robson. Some parts in boldface…

This flight into an asteroid field looks really intriguing and suspenseful.

Chorus is an exciting sci-fi adventure where you play as Nara, an ace pilot with a haunted past, alongside her sentient starfighter, Forsaken, as you unravel their mysterious backstory and join their fight for redemption.

A cinematic single-player experience, Chorus empowers you with devastating weapons and mind-bending abilities, known as the Rites of Power, to fight to free the galaxy from the oppressive cult, the Circle.

Huge structures like that are just waiting to be explored.

Nara’s journey spans across the galaxy and beyond the boundaries of reality in a dark new universe teeming with mystery and rife with conflict. Explore epic locations, such as sprawling space stations and strange plains of existence beyond our own, and experience thrilling zero-g dogfights; the fast-paced spectacular action evolves the spirit of classic space shooters.

Originally unveiled during last Summer’s Inside Xbox event, Chorus will support Smart Delivery on the Xbox family of consoles, ensuring players get the best experience on both Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S with a single purchase.

The game is also fully engineered to take advantage of Xbox Series X|S hardware, you can enjoy glorious sci-fi visuals, 4K resolution at 60fps, advanced enemy ship destruction, higher quality volumetrics, and richer environmental effects.

Nothing like communicating with someone while enjoying a magnificent view of space.

Based on the 2020 unveiling video and the most recent video, Chorus sure looks flashy and it is easily the most eye-catching 3D polygonal space shooter of this new console generation. Games of this kind are not too many and if the game turns out to be very good, it could win the approval of game critics and the gamers themselves. I personally am interested with Chorus but also cautious. While its art direction and use of 3D polygons and effects look great, I am concerned that the gameplay might lack variety and end up being repetitive. Will there be many interesting objectives to accomplish within the game apart from the typical fly-search-attack approach seen in many other shooter-type games? Will the story cutscenes be compelling for gamers when it comes to following the story? Will the in-flight communication with other characters be varied and interesting? Will there be a lot of customization options for your spaceship? Will there be options for players to make decisions that would affect the story? We can only find out this December.

Players will be offered options to customize their spaceship.

To its credit, Chorus has a story concept that looks promising on face value and if the game developers could strike a fine balance between storytelling and gameplay to ensure bouts of fun for gamers complete with a good amount of variety, then the game might just be a hit waiting to be realized. As stated in the official announcement above, this game has been made to take advantage of the advanced technologies of the Xbox Series consoles ensuring that gamers will have a truly great looking game on both 1080p and 4K. The version on Xbox Series X is, unsurprisingly, the 4K60 (4K resolution with 60 frames-per-second frame rate) experience gamers will find. Anyone looking forward to Chorus should mark their calendars for December 3, 2021!

In closing this piece, posted below are Xbox-related videos for your viewing pleasure. Also do not forget to watch out for the Xbox livestream of the Tokyo Game Show on September 30, 2021.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com

Better than Streaming: Mad Max Anthology 4K Blu-ray coming out on November 2, 2021

Better than Streaming: Mad Max Anthology 4K Blu-ray coming out on November 2, 2021

carlocarrasco

Welcome back, fellow geeks, film enthusiasts and fellow Blu-ray/4K Blu-ray collectors!

I should state that it has been over forty years since Mad Max was first released in cinemas in Australia and because it achieved a lot of success, it went on to establish its own entertainment franchise with three cinematic sequels and has branched out to other entertainment media forms like video games and comic books.

Warner Bros. just announced that all four Mad Max movies (1979-2015) will be released in a 4K Blu-ray set titled Mad Max Anthology set for release on November 2, 2021 and you can order it online right now!

The cover.

Mad Max Anthology 4K Blu-ray has Mad Max, Mad Max: The Road Warrior (AKA Mad Max 2), Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome and Mad Max: Fury Road. These four movies combine for more than 400 minutes screen time. For the newcomers reading this, the Mad Max films follow the stories of Max Rockatansky who encounters several violent people and found himself in the wasteland. The film franchise not only helped Mel Gibson climb the ranks among the many movie stars of Hollywood, it also established Australia’s place in cinema. I should state that director George Miller is the creator, the definitive Mad Max storyteller as well as one of the very best action film directors. The Mad Max film franchise is also very well known for having many great car chases!

Posted below are key details of Mad Max Anthology 4K Blu-ray from its Blu-ray.com page. Take note that as of this writing, it is not yet clear if the visuals will be native 4K or upscaled 4K.

Video

Codec: HEVC / H.265

Resolution: 4K (2160p)

HDR: HDR10

Aspect ratio: 2.40:1, 2.34:1

Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1

Audio

English: Dolby Atmos

English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1

Subtitles

Mad Max 4K

English SDH

Mad Max: The Road Warrior 4K

English SDH, French, Spanish

Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome 4K

English SDH, French, Spanish

Mad Max: Fury Road 4K

English SDH, French, German SDH, Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish

Discs

4K Ultra HD

Blu-ray Disc

Four-disc set (4 BD)

Digital

Digital copy included

Playback

4K Blu-ray: Region free

The rear of the cover.

I’ve seen these movies and in my view the 2015 film Mad Max: Fury Road is truly the best action film of the decade of 2010-2019. I own a Blu-ray disc copy of the film that starred Tom Hardy and Charlize Theron and I still replay it as it truly is a great movie. My only disappointment is that the 4K Blu-ray of Mad Max: Fury Road only had upscaled 4K visuals. I really hope that the Mad Max Anthology 4K Blu-ray will have all four movies with native 4K visuals complete with proper color grading.

In ending this piece, posted below are some Mad Max-related videos for your enjoyment. Beware of potential spoilers.

For more entries of my Better than Streaming series of articles, check out my pieces on The Beastmaster 4K Blu-ray, The Transformers: The Movie 4K Blu-ray, Mortal Kombat 2021 4K Blu-ray, Space Jam 4K Blu-ray, V: The Original Miniseries Blu-ray (read my retro review), V: The Final Battle Blu-ray, Highlander 4K Blu-ray, The Suicide Squad, Super Dimension Century Orguss Blu-ray, Unbreakable 4K Blu-ray, Injustice 4K Blu-ray, The Suicide Squad 4K Blu-ray, Terminator 2: Judgment Day 30th Anniversary 4K Blu-ray and Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within 4K Blu-ray.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com

If you wish to join a group of movie enthusiasts and talk about cinema, visit the Movie Fans Worldwide Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/322857711779576

Better than Streaming: Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within 4K Blu-ray coming out on November 16, 2021

Better than Streaming: Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within 4K Blu-ray coming out on November 16, 2021

carlocarrasco

Welcome back, fellow geeks, film enthusiasts and Blu-ray/4K Blu-ray collectors!

All those who love the 2001 computer-generated movie Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within should be aware, and excited, that it will be released in a 4K Blu-ray combo on November 16, 2021. 4K Blu-ray collectors who have not seen the said movie will have their chances to add it to their collection and the good news is that it can be ordered online right now!

The 4K Blu-ray combo cover.

Posted below are key details of Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within 4K Blu-ray combo from its Blu-ray.com page. Take note that as of this writing, it is not yet clear if the visuals will be native 4K or upscaled 4K.

Video

Codec: HEVC / H.265

Resolution: 4K (2160p)

HDR: HDR10

Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1

Audio

TBA

Subtitles

None

Discs

4K Ultra HD

Blu-ray Disc

Two-disc set (2 BD)

Digital

Digital 4K

Digital copy included

Playback

4K Blu-ray: Region free

2K Blu-ray: Region A

Posted below are the special features and technical specs of Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within 4K Blu-ray…

  • HDR PRESENTATION OF THE FILM
  • BRAND NEW DOLBY ATMOS TRACK + original theatrical 5.1 audio
  • Original Special Features:
    • Two Feature-Length Commentaries
    • Interactive Documentary: The Making of Final Fantasy
    • Original Opening
    • Aki’s Dream Reconstruction
    • On the Set with Aki
    • Character Profiles
    • Vehicle Scale Comparisons
    • Compositing Builds
    • Joke Outtakes
    • The Gray Project
    • Theatrical Trailers

I first saw Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within on a Friday night at the local theater in July twenty-o-one. While social media was not yet common back in those days, the movie still was hyped a lot through the Internet and traditional media.

As for the theatrical experience, I found the movie to be not so engaging mainly due to the story’s pacing (note: it was directed by Final Fantasy series creator Hironobu Sakaguchi and Motonori Sakakibara), the sentimental stuff within the script, the not-so-interesting characters and the lack of true connection between the vocal performances and the motion-captured moves of the digital characters. Being one of the first major movies to be fully made with computer-generated images (CGI) complete with digital human characters and the approach to achieving photo-realism, Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within was indeed a flashy and fancy looking picture but it really did not have much to appeal to me with regards to my interest in cinema and even with Final Fantasy games. The movie ended up being hollow for me personally.

For the newcomers reading this, Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within was a tremendous box office failure and it led to the closure of Square Pictures. Still the movie could find new life in 4K Blu-ray format and I know it has its own following of dedicated fans. Perhaps the fans of Ming-Na Wen, Alec Baldwin, Donald Sutherland, James Woods, Ving Rhames, Peri Gilpin and Steve Buscemi would be interested to experience the movie in 4K.

For more entries of my Better than Streaming series of articles, check out my pieces on The Beastmaster 4K Blu-ray, The Transformers: The Movie 4K Blu-ray, Mortal Kombat 2021 4K Blu-ray, Space Jam 4K Blu-ray, V: The Original Miniseries Blu-ray (read my retro review), V: The Final Battle Blu-ray, Highlander 4K Blu-ray, The Suicide Squad, Super Dimension Century Orguss Blu-ray, Unbreakable 4K Blu-ray, Injustice 4K Blu-ray, The Suicide Squad 4K Blu-ray and Terminator 2: Judgment Day 30th Anniversary 4K Blu-ray.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com

If you wish to join a group of movie enthusiasts and talk about cinema, visit the Movie Fans Worldwide Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/322857711779576

Better than Streaming: Another 4K Blu-ray of Terminator 2: Judgment Day coming out December 6, 2021 (for the British market)

Better than Streaming: Another 4K Blu-ray of Terminator 2: Judgment Day coming out December 6, 2021 (for the British market)

carlocarrasco

Welcome back, fellow geeks, film enthusiasts and Blu-ray/4K Blu-ray collectors!

If you are based in England and you love the works of Arnold Schwarzenegger and James Cameron, as well as the bastardized Terminator film franchise, then you might be interested in the just announced new 4K Blu-ray of Terminator 2: Judgment Day coming from StudioCanal which you can order online right now for £60.00. It is set for a December 6, 2021 release as of this writing.

Coming out this December.

To be more specific, this newest 4K Blu-ray of the 1991 blockbuster film is a commemorative edition highlighting its 30th anniversary.

Posted below are key details of Terminator 2: Judgment Day 4K Blu-ray combo from its Blu-ray.com page.

Video

Codec: HEVC / H.265

Resolution: Native 4K (2160p)

HDR: HDR10

Aspect ratio: 2.35:1

Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1

Audio

English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1

English: Dolby Digital 2.0

Subtitles

English SDH

Discs

4K Ultra HD

Blu-ray 3D

Blu-ray Disc

Five-disc set (1 BD-66, 2 BD-50, 2 LPs)

Packaging

Slipbox

DigiPack, Inner print

Playback

4K Blu-ray: Region free

2K Blu-ray: Region B

And here are details of the special features and technical specs from the Blu-ray.com announcement…

  • PREVIOUSLY COMPLETED 4K RESTORATION OF THE FILM
  • T2: Reprogramming The Terminator documentary (including exclusive interviews with James Cameron, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Edward Furlong and many more) – 55 mins
  • 2 Feature Commentaries; 23 Members of Cast & Crew (1993)/Director James & Co-Author William Wisher
  • The Making of T2 (1993)
  • Seamless Branching Of The Theatrical Version (137 mins approx.)
  • Special Edition Version (154 mins approx.)
  • Extended Special Edition Version (156 mins approx.)
  • 2 Deleted Scenes With Audio Commentary
  • Trailers – T2:3D (2017)
  • T2 Theatrical Trailer ‘This Time There Are Two’/’Same Make New Mission’/’Building The Perfect Arnold
  • Optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature

Extra stuff and fine packaging aside, the above-mentioned “PREVIOUSLY COMPLETED 4K RESTORATION OF THE FILM” confirms that the new 4K Blu-ray will not have a brand new remaster which alone concerns me as a collector and fan of the movie. I’ve read Blu-ray.com’s review of the previous 4K Blu-ray of Terminator 2 (the product released by Lionsgate Films) which rated its 4K video quality with a score of 2.5 out of 5 while the 2K video quality was rated 3/5. In that same review, it was mentioned that there was a near absence of film grain and an altered color palette resulting “a kind of greenish-teal tone to several scenes that never had them before.”

Personally I’m not too confident about this upcoming release from StudioCanal. The picture quality for 2K and 4K viewing should be nothing less than excellent. As for you movie fans and Blu-ray collectors reading this, you will have to do your analysis before making the crucial decision to buy this 4K Blu-ray of Terminator 2.

For more entries of my Better than Streaming series of articles, check out my pieces on The Beastmaster 4K Blu-ray, The Transformers: The Movie 4K Blu-ray, Mortal Kombat 2021 4K Blu-ray, Space Jam 4K Blu-ray, V: The Original Miniseries Blu-ray (read my retro review), V: The Final Battle Blu-ray, Highlander 4K Blu-ray, The Suicide Squad, Super Dimension Century Orguss Blu-ray, Unbreakable 4K Blu-ray, Injustice 4K Blu-ray and The Suicide Squad 4K Blu-ray.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com

If you wish to join a group of movie enthusiasts and talk about cinema, visit the Movie Fans Worldwide Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/322857711779576