What are you watching?

socfan12 said:
What do you think of 'The Avengers' on Blu Ray?
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Allen, I got that (3D); kids stuff. :)

- Movie: For kids, and adults still trapped in their kid's suits. ...Like me. :D
- Visuals: It's a clean picture for sure on Blu-ray; the colors, the suits, the city streets, the cars, Scarlett and all.
- Sounds: Do you know how the real Avengers truly sound like when they are fighting the evil dudes? :D
{It's a "Comics based" movie, so expect the extraordinary, of course, and kids love it!}

* I still prefer 'Kick-Ass' and 'Watchmen'. :)

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Just like that:

* Action (mayhem): 'Live Free or Die Hard' - Picture & Sound quality = Pretty good. ...A little over-the-top though.
* Western: 'True Grit' with Jeff Bridges - Picture & Sound quality = Very good, realistic. ...I like very much.
 
Haha, it's a fun movie, and Scarlett looks fantastic throughout.

On my TV, Avengers gives me one of the best looking pictures I've seen.
 
socfan12 said:
Haha, it's a fun movie, and Scarlett looks fantastic throughout.

On my TV, Avengers gives me one of the best looking pictures I've seen.
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I believe that's because it's a personal visual preference more than any big difference with several great looking Blu-ray titles. ...And even from better looking ones.

The Blu-ray of 'The Avengers' has a screen aspect ratio of 1.78:1 so it fills your HDTV's screen completely, which helps a lot I think. ...Like 'Avatar'.
And the resolution of the images is excellent, very clear and detailed.
But! The first half of that flick is very dark, and if your HDTV is on the good side of calibration (the dark; black side), then you won't see no crushing.
The second half is a jewel; pure brightness and colors and details (faces and suits).

'Iron Man' and 'Iron Man 2' also have a great picture quality, on Blu-ray of course. ...And some dark scenes as well.
'Oblivion' too has a great picture quality to it. ...Sharp, shiny, and solid. ...And 'Prometheus' as well (I like the 3D version).

* I still stand by my list (those previous ten titles). ...And for something more I get from them, not just picture wise, but with the picture more more than just the eyes .... it goes beyond, it adds inside, it transports me, in visual awe and in ecstatic/comfortable internal pandemonium.
 
Bob, I trust your opinion more than I trust my own eyes! Good list. I just wanted to know what you thought as I thought Avengers looked great on BR (does it look over sharpened to you, though?). It must be the Scarlet Johansen effect.:P:heart:
 
The Averngers is one damn good movie, I enjoyed every minute of it. From beginning to end you say “wow!” My favorite comic book movies were the Richard DonnerSuperman and his version of Superman II. This is up there with them. I give it an A+.
the Avengers features the super-heroes of the last few Marvel movies: Thor, Captain America, Iron Man and the Hulk. Clint Barton as Hawkeye, the Black Widow and Nick Fury, are also here.
The major plot line carries over from the Thor movie. Loki comes to Earth (just as he did in Avengers Comics #1) and causes an event so big that the heroes have to unite to save him. The event features him trying to gain custody and control of the Cosmic Cube, which is a cross-over from the plot of the Captain America movie (and several Captain America comics).
One of the strongest attractions of this movie is that you did NOT have to see these other movies to completely understand what was going on. And rather than take a huge amount of time showing the origins of all the characters, their origins and powers were just simply explained, bring everyone up to date, quickly.
Robert Downey Jr. is so perfect and appealing for the role of “leader” and Iron Man that there is a danger of this becoming Iron Man III, especially when the other heroes, so as Thor, played by Chris Hemsworth arrive a bit late. But as strong as Downey is, director Josh Whedon seems to have carefully balanced the scenes with Chris Evans (Captain America) and especially Mark Ruffalo (Bruce Banner and the Hulk) so well that Downey helps bring out the best, and inner truths of these characters. And boy does Evans look like Kirby’s Cap.
The Hulk is perhaps the most complex and trickiest of these characters to portray and Ruffalo is the fourth actor (or fifth if you count Bill Bixby) to play him. Ruffalo’s Hulk far exceeded my expectations for a number of reasons. The Hulk in this movie is a supporting character, while Banner is more than that. Whedon plays with the audience, he knows you know about the Hulk, so much is handled with great fun and humor. The Hulk finally looks like Banner and you can believe the two entities are the same man.
Scarlett Johansson and Jeremy Renner play the non-super members of the Avengers. But as in the comics, their participation is essential for the team’s success.
I was surprised to discover that the beautiful and talented Gwyneth Paltrow is in the movie. She has a long scene with Tony Stark and agent Coulson who is played with great comic timing by Clark Gregg. This scene is important because it adds great depth all the characters involved. And Mr Cregg will be in his own TV show in a few weeks (Ms. Paltrow was in the movie Sky Captain, which copied the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier and gave Angela Jolie the role of a spy leader with an eye-patch, like Nick Fury’s, in 2004.)
Samuel Jackson was wonderful and gives a strong performance. If I have one small objection to the movie it is simply that this character faces ethical choices that have become typical, if not formula, to leaders of law enforcement.
I am saving some of the best for last. Tom Hiddleston, in his second movie as Loki, just nails the character. He is delightful wonderfully cruel, devious, tricky and gives a simply powerful and memorable performance as an actor. He takes us through the entire movie.
In the past, many movies based on comics had weak writers, weak actors and weak production. Not so here. This is a grand cast, a great director, first class production, with great writing and special effects.
The era of my comics is long over. The creativity and originality, the artists and writers, are forever gone, and, though I never discuss it, you don’t know how sad that makes me feel. While I can see bits and pieces of the past on the silver screen, I urge everyone one here to celebrate those who we still have left and just enjoy those comics. We shall not see their like again.
This movie will be a big hit. My theatre was swamped with people and had four rooms showing the movie, one in Imax, two in 3D and one “regular.”
I originally saw the movie in Imax 3D. The 3D was done right here and added to the picture and did not detract in the no-action sequences. And the 3D on my Home Theatre looked great

I really didn't like Kick Ass and I thought the Watchman was just OK.
 
See, movies are like wines; some prefer this one, others that one. :)

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* I just talked with a movie director and expert in picture & sound (in person); big action here where I am right now as the daughter of my good friend is getting married in less than three hours.
And we both agree: Sound is 50% of the total cinematic experience (Moving Picture).

And for me, I much much much prefer a beautiful musical score over a cacophony of sound effects. ...But that's me, all of me.
So, if the soundtrack is just too noisy (mayhem over mayhem over mayhem), then the movie lose its real appeal overall.
You know what I'm talkin' 'bout; those big Hollywood blockbusters, 'The Avengers' and all.
...Very rare that some of them are done intelligently to please our ears. ...The ones I like more are the last three 'Batman' movies, and the last three James Bond 007 flicks. LOTR EE trilogy is great too. ...For action/diversion/fantasy films.

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<<<>>> Last night I watched the first part of this Four-disc Blu-ray set (2 BDs, 2CDs) and the performances were great, the performers are some of my favorites, and the picture quality is ok (can't expect too much from a live music concert as the lights aren't optimum): it's a 1.78:1 aspect ratio and 1080i (interlaced).
But! The audio is a big letdown (Time Life's decision)! Why? Because it comes only in DD 5.1 and DD 2.0 !!!
I understand; Time Life is not after quality sound but after inferior sound for the people who don't put consideration into quality sound (the masses).
...Just look at their albums (LPs) and CDs for example.

Anyway, I got this Blu because of the artists and the emotional connection with them and that missing jazz.
Of course DTS-HD MA would have been much better. But I knew what I was getting into, and the 3 hours live music concert, with two Blu-ray discs, and the two music CDs, helped me make my final decision on my purchase.
Plus I'm an explorer; in everything creatively/intelligently artistic. ...In the pure sense of the true essence.
* The DD 5.1 soundtrack is serviceable still. ...And I got that LPCM stereo from the two CDs.

And like I said, some of these musicians/singers are some of my favorites. :heart: ...For the true music hardcore people, like me. ...& with the knowledge of an inferior audio surround soundtrack (heavily compressed in Dolby Digital terms; Lossy).

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P.S. Barry, I'm real glad you're here. :)
 
Bob,

It is so much fun to be here. I thank Allen for inviting me.

I just heard Bill Maher on his TV HBO show last night, talking about how rude people can be on the internet. Rude is the polite word for what these people are. Here we can see things a bit differently but no one is ever rude. orf Pushy. And we encourage people to try out what we like. That's great. I mention this because on another site, I said that I did not think the last Star Trek movie was very original and i got called a few names, beleive it or not.

I am looking forward to iron man III later this week!
 
Lefisc said:
Bob,

It is so much fun to be here. I thank Allen for inviting me.

I just heard Bill Maher on his TV HBO show last night, talking about how rude people can be on the internet. Rude is the polite word for what these people are. Here we can see things a bit differently but no one is ever rude. orf Pushy. And we encourage people to try out what we like. That's great. I mention this because on another site, I said that I did not think the last Star Trek movie was very original and i got called a few names, beleive it or not.

I am looking forward to iron man III later this week!
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Very glad you are here, Barry.:heart: Love your thoughtful posts about HT and movies. Very insightful!:scholar:
 
Watched the rest of it last night, plus few interviews on the second Blu-ray disc ::

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Bob,

I remember as a kid the Emmys and the Oscars were a big deal. First, of course, with just three networks, there wasn’t; much competition. This often meant that I had seen a least one episode of the nominated shows, often during rerun summers. Now, even the Emmy awards are against Football, baseball and movies on the cable channels. I don’t know who most of these people are. Oops not sure usually know the actors they highlight who have died this year.

As with the Oscars, I don’t care who won. I used to. Perhaps I had a rooting interest, but that is long gone.

Yeah, I’ll look at the newspaper today and see who won, but it won’t make me turn on any of these shows. Or go to any of those movies.
 
Barry, I don't watch the Oscars, or the Emmys, or the Sports, or the soap operas ever! ...I just don't watch TV anymore now for the last twelve years and more.
I don't have cable or anything remotely similar where you pay someone to show you stuff that they elected to show you for you!
Plus I cannot stand adds!

My plasma TV (eventually a 4K front projector) is only for Movies and Music concerts and Documentaries on Blu-ray (2D & 3D); and only one or two DVDs per year. Life is too short to be bored with all that TV crap.
And if I want to see a great Documentary, or PBS, or the Knowledge Network, or National Geographic, Nature shows, Live concert Music shows, ...; I just tune on the Internet with my 27" PC's screen (thanks to Mike), or I can transfer it to my 60" plasma but I don't because the resolution (picture & sound) is inferior to Blu-rays.

I am a different animal than the rest of North Americans, and besides I live in an igloo. :)
{When I was a kid my Dad had a TV, then I was watching it.}

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Last night (the first concert) ::

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Bob, our back and forth is great. We actually agree here, but we do have different perspectives. But you have an open invitation to visit, have dinner and movie, if you are ever in NY. I have been to Vancouver several times….even to the Wax Museum, and it is one of my most favorite places in the world.

First, I love Baseball and NO other sport whatsoever. I suspect though, if you did like sports, you’d have cable and be happy with it. I am. So I am not plugging things into computers, but watching cable. But I do not used video on demand, pay per view, Roku (although I have one) or whatever.

I love movies and have the Verizon movie HD package and have 50 or so movies playing at any time. I’ve mentioned here the movies and documentaries (Animal Planet, Smithsonian, Discovery, History, Cartoon Network :). I have seen one on the Wizard of Oz last night, which, by the way is how I discovered Jewel.

I find that I like TV also for news and when a disaster happens. It was essential for me during Sandy last year. I watch the Newshour and 60 minutes. And there really are a few TV shows that I like. I record them on the DVR and, like you, I hate the ads so I skip over them.

Where we agree, honestly, is that we want to see quality TV, no ads and believe that “Life is too short to be bored with all that TV crap. “ I watch only want I want, not what’s one and could not be happier about it….and I never thought I would have these great options.

PS: I will post a few pictures of Vancouver as time goes on. I took an airplane tour of the island, complete with flying over the dead volcanos. I loved it.
 
OOPS!

A long time ago, in a record store far away, I walked into the jazz dept. They were playing the Wizard of Oz in Concert and playing Dorothy was a new singer named Jewel. I fell in love with her voice immediately.
 
I love sports; the Olympics.

When I was a kid I was playing football (we won the Championship four years in a row), I was in a hockey club too, and in a baseball team too.
I did a lot of sports, and I was a fast runner and good long jump jumper at the college games. I took cross country skiing, I downhill skied, I planted trees for almost 30 years, in all the mountains and islands over British Columbia, I was a highballer, I was also a top gun at picking apples, ...Barry I excelled at many physical activities during my entire life. I started working when I was seven (golf caddie and paper boy).

I loved watching hockey on TV with my Dad and brothers (the Montreal Canadians), during my entire youth, and after.
Golf too I love to watch, and play, and tennis too, basketball, soccer, ping pong, pool, snooker, darts, ...you name it, I did it and watched it!

Then came something in my life, something powerful, something that changed me, for the best.
Now I am where I want to be; in heaven with the angels (music and cinema). ...And it also has been part of my entire life.

I keep track with the world around me; I get the news on the Internet. I know what's going on in my own country, from and ocean to the other. I'm in touch too with the USA; politics, economics, sad news (guns and all), and Hollywood with the latest.
I'm an International person; I see and hear what's happening everywhere.

I love sports; backgammon, chess, checkers, cards, poker, etc.

I love movies; all, from comedies to dramatic animations and re-animations.

I love music; all, from World, Flamenco, Gypsy, Blues, Classical, Abstract Jazz, Classic Jazz, Obscure Alternative, New & Old Age, African, Brazilian, European, French, Irish Folklore, to Trip-Hop, Subterranean Cool, Acid Electronic, Archangel Wisdom, ...

I love it all, and I'm free of it all. :)

P.S, I started bicycling when I was three (three wheeler), and I still bicycle now (two cycle), and I will till I die.
- Thx for the invite, I might fly East sometimes, when the wind is just right.
 
Just to fill you in….

Super-hero comics were product of the depression and their popularity waned by the early 1950s. Only characters from the DC Universe, Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman remained on the newsstands, with Batman on his last legs.

The original Captain America, published by Timely Comics (now Marvel) was cancelled in 1950. He was brought back for a handful of issues in 1954, but then went under again.

Spurred by the success of DC’s Justice League, Marvel re-entered the super-hero filed in 1961 with the Fantastic Four. Then Marvel introduced most of the heroes we know today including Iron Man, The Hulk, Ant-Man and Thor. In 1963 the new heroes then combined into a group called “The Avengers” and with issue #4 re-introduced Captain America. As he did with the Fantastic Four’s Human Torch, Stan Lee, writer and editor, erased the blackboard of previous continuity and treated Cap as a new, not established character. Marvel’s new Captain America had his past redone. Yes, he had been given the super solider serum, but unlike Timely’s original model, this Cap would not make it to 1950. While saving the world in 1944, the story goes, he managed to be caught in an explosion over the ocean and was a frozen Capisicle for twenty years. He was found by the Avengers in 1963 and was defrosted.

Since only twenty years had gone by and Cap was able to reunite with old friends including Nick Fury and his former girlfriend, Peggy Carter. Peggy, now two decades older, long thought Cap was dead. Soon Cap would meet her sister, Sharon Carter, a SHIELD agent and a romance began.



50 years later:

There is a newer Marvel Universe and it is on our movie screens. To make Cap current, the story has him frozen for 70 years and waking up in the year 2011. Although aging in comics is a funny and inconstant concept, Cap’s W II buddies and girlfriend would be too old to be the supporting characters they once were. Samuel L. Jackson is the new Nick Fury. This Fury was not around in 1940 and Marvel cements him firmly in their current universe.

So whatever happened to the Peggy Carter?” Marvel answers that in a new 15 minute film on the Iron Man III disc.

In a 15 minute short, director Luis Esposito fills us in. Its 1945, one year after Captain America had disappeared and WW II is over. Peggy Carter, played by Haley Atwell, is working for a top secret government spy agency, but only doing menial work. She is treated very badly. When the “guys’ all go out for drinks, she is not invited. And good thing too! Alone, in the dark office, she is handed an important mission, designed for three or four people, but she goes it alone (and without permission.)

After her success, Howard Stark (sitting next to Dum Dum Dugan, played by Neal McDonough) invites her to help run his new organization: SHIELD!
TOS 96 Cap Remembers.jpg
This is a fun, inexpensive, 15 minute short with no special effects. While there is nothing surprising in the plot here, the whole thing works because of Hayley Atwell. She is just terrific. In the Captain America movie her character was not the center of attention, but on her own she does a memorable and wonderful job. And it finds a proper place for a great Marvel character that could have been lost in time.
Hayley-Atwell.jpg
If Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD takes off, there is a rumor that this could be turned into a series.
I already reviewed the Iron Man movie so let discuss the other aspects of the DVD/Blu Ray.


  • The picture and sound are perfect; both get a 5 on a 1 to 5 rating. The 3D effects were Okay, nothing special. This was obviously not made to be a 3D movie.
  • The DVD extras show how the airplane sequence was done. To my surprise it was NOT most computer generated effects, but they actually had people jumping out of the airplane. This was done by the same person who did it in the opening of the movie Moonraker, 30 years ago!
  • The gag real is short and barely OK, but you can see that the actors knew they were doing a gag reel.
  • The delete scenes actually show a storyline left out and was fun to watch.
  • A 10 minute behind the scenes look at the movie.
  • There is an interesting commentary that strays a bit from the customary here is how we did this scene and talks about the concepts of the movie.
 
Last night I watched the 3D version :::

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* I prefer the two previous ones. ...And the 3D picture quality is not up to it; too dark, too broken down.
The soundtrack is loud, and mixed for your subwoofer's aural pleasure. ...You can still hear the actors though, even when the house got shaken a bit.

Another day I'll watch the 2D version. ...When the right mood settles in. ...Should be more dimensional (in this case).

Did I like it more than 'Star Trek - Into Darkness'? Unfortunately, and fortunately, yes. ...The flick itself.
 
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