The Blu-ray Blog

Top 5 New Blu-ray releases for the Week of August 31

Brenden — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 17:05:56 +0000

Well, it’s not really the strongest week of new Blu-ray releases but given that it’s the end of summer and nobody wants to launch a film at the lowest sales-point of the year, I’m not terribly surprised. That said, we’re beginning to see boxed sets of last years TV seasons crop up in anticipation of their upcoming 2010 network debuts which will lead us into the veritable explosion of titles through September and October.

As always, we appreciate any purchases you make on Amazon through our links. Your clicks help keep The Blu-ray Blog alive! Happy Tuesday!

1. THE VAMPIRE DIARIES: THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON

I never in a million years thought I would put a show called The Vampire Diaries in the number one slot. Not being a Twilight fan (I’m more of a Bela Lugosi/Christopher Lee kind of vampire lover!) I kept my distance from the CW series this past year, avoiding what I perceived to be another network television dud. I couldn’t have been more wrong!

This is one hell of a show! I only got my review copy in a few days ago and have been trying to burn through the episodes as quickly as possible but sadly wasn’t able to make it to the end before having to talk about it. But let me tell you, I’m past the halfway point and I’m having a blast with the series! It starts off with a thud – another CW-tween clunker from the mind of Kevin Williamson, the creator of Dawson’s Creek. Those first few episodes are really clunkers, playing more like a rancid mixture of the worst parts of Gossip Girl and Twilight than quality horror/drama. Thankfully, the series takes a quick 180, and busts out an intriguing plot-line with enough gory twists and turns to satisfy even the most discriminating soap-operatic TV viewer. With it’s central human-girl and vampire-boy love story, coupled with more supernatural supporting characters and sub-plots than you can shake a stick at, the first season of The Vampire Diaries ends up playing more like a satisfying True Blood-lite than Twilight knock-off.

The image on the Blu-ray is pretty but also pretty inconsistent, with detail waxing and waning, colours running hot then cold and black crushing the crap out of everything. Not technically the picture of a reference release but very appropriate for the style of the series. As such, I’ve got to believe that the show was shot this way and not a product of a bad transfer. Audio is sadly only offered in a compressed Dolby Digital 5.1 surround mix, WHV standard for TV releases.

Despite a weaker-than-expected A/V polish for the Blu-ray release of The Vampire Diaries, the special features on the discs really shine. Along with a pretty compelling collection of featurettes and a commentary track from the series creators, the discs feature a downloadable audiobook of the first novel in the L.J. Smith series that the TV show is based on. Check out the full list of extras below.

Special Features:

Pilot commentary
Into Mystic Falls: bringing vampire lore and the high school experience from page to screen
When Vampires Don’t Suck!: the popularity of vampires and the fans who love them
The Vampire Diaries: A New Breed of Vampires — Casting the Series
The Vampire Diaries: Vampires 101 – The Rules of the Vampire
Unaired scenes
The Vampire Diaries: A Darker Truth webisodes
Second Bite: gag reel
Downloadable audiobook of the bestselling novel The Vampire Diaries: The Awakening by L.J. Smith

Amazon: $44.99

2. THE EVIL DEAD

Completing the famous tongue-in-cheek horror trilogy in high-def, the original Evil Dead is now on Blu-ray and from what I’ve seen the transfer is out of this world! Sam Raimi fans shouldn’t hesitate to pick up this first-ever 1080p presentation of the film, as it appears to be the absolute best the film will ever look. Most of the extras are relegated to an unfortunate SD presentation, stuck on the bonus DVD in the package but the Blu-ray itself features a brand-spanking-new commentary track from the director and star Bruce Campbell. Highly recommended!

Amazon: $17.49

3. RED RIDING

I’m pretty bummed out that IFC crammed all three films of the Red Riding trilogy onto one disc. Based on David Peace‘s books about serial murder and police corruption in Britain over a period of time between the 70s and 80s, these made-for-TV efforts are so well done that they actually saw a limited theatrical release here in North America! After such critical acclaim, I’m really surprised they weren’t afforded more pomp and circumstance in their Blu-ray release.

Amazon: $24.99

4. SONS OF ANARCHY: SEASON TWO

I know very little about this show aside from the fact that it’s about guys on bikes. And that people love the crap out of it! Reviews have been fairly positive and seeing as how there isn’t a whole heck of a lot out on BD this week, I thought it was probably the most deserving of the number four slot this week. Am I wrong? Should I run out and grab this second season set when I’m through with my Vampire stories?

Amazon: $41.99

5. HARRY BROWN

Michael Caine packing heat, out for revenge in Get Carter mode, cracking the skulls of those who have wronged him — That’s all you need to know about Harry Brown. I haven’t seen it yet, though I’ve heard that it doesn’t quite live up to it’s Gran-Torino-UK premise. But negative reviews aside, this is exactly the sort of film that I’m a sucker for.

Amazon: $21.49

ANIME OF THE WEEK: Black Blood Brothers: The Complete Series

We must be inching closer to Halloween because all the vampire fliks are crawling out of the crypt! This weeks big anime release from our pals at FUNimation is the complete Black Blood Brothers series on Blu-ray and, while it’s a much different beast from its fanged high-def companion, it’s equally as entertaining.

The story is a deeply textured affair, following an ancient, powerful vampire named Jiro who is traveling with his young brother to the secret “Special Zone” where humans and vampires live together in peace. Caught up in the struggle to stop bloodthirsty creatures from the Kowloon Bloodline, Jiro uncovers a conspiracy to resurrect their dead king and infect both vampires and humans in the Zone.

The plotline sounds like adolescent trash but plays out to a fairly satisfying conclusion. Combined with a reasonable up-ressed transfer, booming Dolby TrueHD 2.0 English and Japanese audio and a lengthy collection of special features, this Blu-ray set is bound to be a hit with anyone who enjoys anime, battling vampires or battling anime vampires.

Special Features:

Episodes 1 – 8 Commentary
Episodes 9 – 12 Commentary
Original TV Spots (1.33:1, 480i/60; 0:02.27)
Original Commercials (1.78:1; 480i/60; 0:04.29)
Sneak Peeks (1.33:1; 480i/60; 0:05.16)
Textless Opening Song — Ashita no Kioku
Textless Closing Song — Shinkirou
Trailers:
- Corpse Princess/Shikabane Hime
- Dragon Ball Z Kai
- Nabari no Ou
- My Bride is a Mermaid
- Full Metal Panic!

Amazon: $33.99

ALSO AVAILABLE ON BLU-RAY THIS WEEK
Clicking an image will take you to Amazon.com where you can learn more about and purchase the Blu-ray disc:

The Sound of Music: 45th Anniversary Edition Blu-ray officially announced and detailed

Brenden — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 15:08:19 +0000

At long last, Fox has officially unveiled the details of their epic The Sound of Music: 45th Anniversary Edition Blu-ray disc sets, due on store shelves this November! You’ll have your choice of a reasonably priced 3-disc Blu-ray/DVD combo pack or a gargantuan gift set, packed to the living-hills with commemorative stuff like a 100-Page “My Favorite Things” scrapbook and a copy of the films soundtrack.

From the press release:

Meticulously Restored and Re-mastered, The Sound Of Music 45th Anniversary Edition is presented with new 7.1 audio and offers BD-LIVE: Live Lookup Powered by IMDb; Your Favorite Things: An Interactive Celebration featuring a Sing-A-Long, behind-the-scenes images, trivia and a location quiz; A City of Song with a virtual map of filming locations and interactive tour of the movie’s locale of Salzburg, Austria; vintage programs including a hilarious send-up of The Sound of Music from Carol Burnett and Julie Andrews herself; an enchanting interview with the real Maria von Trapp on The Julie Andrews Hour; and, for the very first time in home entertainment format, a spectacular full-length documentary, Rodgers & Hammerstein: The Sound of American Music, hosted by Mary Martin; and much more.

We’re still waiting on the final package art to come in from Fox. In the meantime, here’s a look at some early UK Blu-ray packaging.

UPDATE: PACKAGE ART!!!

THE SOUND OF MUSIC: 45TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION
(November 2, 2010 – Blu-ray/DVD combo pack MSRP $37.99, Limited Collector’s Set $99.99)
Video: 2:20:1 1080p
Audio: English 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio

Special Features:

Limited Edition Collector’s Set

2-Disc Blu-ray with all extras as detailed below
Standard Definition DVD
45th Anniversary Soundtrack
100-Page “My Favorite Things” scrapbook
Snapshots from Salzburg
Reproduction of the original 1965 Souvenir program
Exclusive “My Favorite Things” Music Box with letter of authenticity

Blu-ray Details: Blu-ray Disc 1:

Feature Film Remastered in 1080p Hi-Def with 7.1 DTS-HD Sound
Your Favorite Things: An Interactive Celebration — All-New Immersive Viewing Experience with Behind-the-Scenes Images, On-Screen Lyrics, Trivia Track and Location Quiz
Music Machine Sing-Along
Audio Commentaries with Julie Andrews, Christopher Plummer and Director Robert Wise
BD-LIVE**: Live Lookup™ Powered by IMDb®

Blu-ray Disc 2:

Musical Stages: Creating The Sound of Music — All-New Interactive “Backlot Tour” with In-Depth Featurettes on the Songs, the Stage Show & Movie, the Film and Sound Restoration and the Real-Life von Trapp Family
A City of Song — Virtual Map of Filming Locations in Salzburg, Austria
Vintage Rodgers & Hammerstein and The Sound of Music Programs
Screen Tests, Rare Treasures, Interviews, Photo Galleries & More!

DVD Disc:

Feature Film In Standard Definition
- Newly Remastered Picture and Sound
- Optional Sing-Along Track
Music Machine Sing-Along
The Sound of Music Tour – A Living Story

Stargate SG-U: 1.5 Blu-ray Disc Review

Howard — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 14:30:43 +0000

STARGATE SG-U: 1.5 (2010, Blu-ray released July 27, 2010 – MSRP $39.99)

I’ve never been a huge fan of studios releasing a season one half at a time, but this time, it worked out nicely. Watching the first half of Stargate Universe on Blu-ray during the mid-season break turned out great for me. I was able to catch up and then continue along with the show as the new episodes aired (Yes, I still watch TV shows as they air). Even after watching the episodes on TV, I was super glad when the Stargate Universe 1.5 Blu-ray set was released. I am now a fan.

What can I say?–More of the same goodness. In the second half of this first season of SGU, we travel and explore a little more with the crew of the star-ship Destiny… Perhaps this is a good time for a “Previously on Stargate Universe” moment (Don’t worry, Disc 1 let’s you know where you left off). Our cast is made up of unfortunate military and civilian personnel, trapped on a mysterious ship traveling through space, millions of light-years from Earth. When the ships drops out of faster-than-light speed, the crew can visit planets and collect supplies and samples using the Stargate on board. They can also get into a air amount of trouble.

The first half of the season ends with a cliffhanger of sorts: The commanding officer, Col. Young (Justin Louis), strands his main rival, Dr. Rush (the ever-incredible Robert Carlyle), on a planet, after his attempt to frame the Colonel for murder. As you watch, the feeling of being on the ship is still present. The hand-held style of filming keeps you in the action, with a front seat view as the crew interact; either discussing the realities of their predicament, sneakily sharing secrets, and recounting stories unfolding back home, on Earth (thickening plots discovered with the use of the “communication stones”). There is plotting both among the crew and how best for them to deal with the new alien race obsessed with the ship.

Since the beginning of the season, the crew has started finding ways to deal with their situation. They have been forced to contend with the usual stuff, sources of food, replacement medical supplies, in addition to the unexpected, like wrestling back control of the ships navigation. Clearly, some of the crew are better at adapting to their situation than others. Some allegiances have proved surprising, and with new discoveries come new obstacles to overcome.

Picture and sound on the Blu-ray disc are impeccable…near perfect, once again. With every changing scene location, set décor and new extraterrestrial vista, you see that the transfer is crisp, that colors are convincing and the contrasts maintain mood beautifully with deep blacks and sharp detail. The lossless soundtrack keeps dialogue clear and skirmishes thrilling as all channels fully fire, creating an audible experience not felt with many films.

As a second-half of a complete season, SGU 1.5 has new material assembled as the same features: The in-character, personal KNO Diaries and the Destiny Star Map & Logs (SML) are expanded and, similar to the SGU 1.0 Blu-ray disc set, there is plenty of commentary where cast and crew participate. What is completely new this time is an interactive game called “Survival Instinct“, which, using actual footage from the show, tests your survival skills based on the decision you make in situations where there is a perceived threat. Another added bonus is the extra packaging provided to keep both SGU 1.0 and 1.5 together as a set. It’s a handy sleeve that will ensure that they are never far apart.

I, for one, am looking forward to start of Season 2 of Stargate Universe. It has had a strong start; standing out from the other Stargate shows in the franchise, while upholding the serious, story-oriented history behind them.

Lost in Translation Blu-ray available for pre-order

Brenden — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 21:36:04 +0000

This is some damn-hot news! I don’t have a lot of time on my hands to wax rhapsodic about it today, but I’ve got to let you know that Amazon has just listed Sofia Coppola‘s brilliant Lost in Translation for release on Blu-ray this December 7th!! I’m so stoked! That’s right – I just wrote the word “stoked.” That’s how out-of-my-mind this news makes me.

This is honestly on of my all time favourite films and while I don’t believe it’s going to be the picture of a perfect Blu-ray disc (not as crisp and detailed as we’d hope, due to the low-budget manner in which it was produced) I’m still excited to have a copy of it in high-def. No details or package art are available yet, outside of the MSRP of $26.98. Pre-order on Amazon now for only $18.99.

I have!

Baz Luhrmann’s Moulin Rouge and Romeo + Juliet officially announced for release on Blu-ray

Brenden — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 14:53:16 +0000

We got a peek at these releases last week in the form of a couple of trailers promoting the UK releases of Baz Luhrmann‘s Moulin Rouge and Romeo + Juliet on Blu-ray disc. Now we’ve got the official North American release details for the titles and they look absolutely grand!

If the press release is any indication, I think we can safely say that these will be Blu-ray discs done right. Here are a few words from the director, Luhrmann himself, to assure you that these will be discs worth owning:

“As a fan, I’ve seen examples where the technology is so powerful, a much-loved film goes in for a Blu-ray treatment and, somewhat like a friend who has had too much surgery, you no longer recognize them.

“Mindful of the relationship evolved with many fans of these two films, the esteemed digital intermediate colorist Jan Yarbrough, who recently completed color restorations of North by Northwest and the Godfather films, and I sat together day in and day out seeking to maintain the color philosophy forged in the cauldron of shooting, while giving full reign to the power of high-definition technology to deliver a Moulin Rouge and an R+J that audiences will recognize but are nevertheless realized at the highest possible visual quality.

“As a filmmaker you never know whether you will ever have a chance to revisit movies again, and so we have gone about this with the attitude that this could be for the last time.”

Jan Yarbrough worked on these discs? That’s all I need to know to confidently pre-order them on Amazon. Just in case you need some more convincing, here are all the details:

MOULIN ROUGE
(October 19, 2010 – MSRP $34.99)
Video: 2.39:1 1080p
Audio: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1

Special Features:

Spectacular, Spectacular: Picture-in-Picture mode with audio commentary by Baz Luhrmann, Catherine Martin, Donald M. McAlpine and Craig Pearce, and featuring behind-the-scenes footage and stills
All-new featurette: A Creative Adventure, with introduction by Baz Luhrmann A Word from Baz
Uncut footage from the Bazmark vault including:
- Father & Son: a look at an alternate opening
- Nicole Kidman’s first vocal test
Production featurettes and interviews:
- The Stars
- The Writers
- The Design
- The Dance
- The Music
- The Cutting Room
The Making of Moulin Rouge
BD-Live
- Live Lookup™ powered by IMDb®

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE’S ROMEO + JULIET
(October 19, 2010 – MSRP $34.99)
Video: 2.39:1 1080p
Audio: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1

Special Features:

Shaking Up Shakespeare: Picture-in-Picture mode with audio commentary by Baz Luhrmann, Catherine Martin, Donald M. McAlpine and Craig Pearce and featuring behind-the-scenes footage and stills
Uncut Footage from the Bazmark Vault
Documentary: Romeo + Juliet: The Music
Filmmaker and interview galleries
BD-Live
- Live Lookup™ powered by IMDb®

[VIDEO] Back To The Future: 25th Anniversary Trilogy Blu-ray Trailer

Brenden — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 13:33:22 +0000

It’s Blu-ray trailer day, here at The Blu-ray Blog! Here’s a look at another big October release – possibly *THE* October release – the trailer for the Back To The Future: 25th Anniversary Trilogy set.

That 1:16-minute trailer zooms by pretty quickly, making the film and special features look like a million bucks but I’ve got to tell you, more than anything else, those little sneak-peeks behind the scenes have got me salivating for more BTTF. I haven’t watched the films in an age but they were among my favourites growing up and, never having owned the DVD editions, getting a chance to watch all of that on-set footage for the first time is going to be a thrill. By all accounts, it looks like these new “restored” Blu-ray editions are going to be definitive. The Back To The Future: 25th Anniversary Trilogy Blu-ray boxed set hits store shelves on October 26th.

[VIDEO] Apocalypse Now Blu-ray Trailer

Brenden — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 13:08:29 +0000

The Apocalypse Now Blu-ray sets are some of the most highly anticipated of the year. And in a year where we’re seeing the debut of film collections like The Alien Anthology and The Back to the Future Trilogy on Blu, that’s saying something.

I anticipate that these transfers are going to be rock solid, reference quality jobs, much like Coppola‘s Godfather set, with little-to-no DNR and edge enhancement used to process the image. We’ll know for sure in just under two-months! In the meantime, until the Blu-ray discs hit store shelves on October 19th, check out this trailer promoting the Lionsgate releases.

The Complete Metropolis Blu-ray officially announced and detailed

Brenden — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 13:32:51 +0000

We got our first look at the UK Masters of Cinema Metropolis Blu-ray boxed set back in May and holy crap did it appear to be the best thing ever. I was really, really hoping that the North American version from Kino International would be an exact copy, complete with commentary track and comparable packaging (take a look at the gorgeous MoC version here.) Sadly, it seems the Kino edition might be a bit more of a stripped down affair.

From the looks of things, the Kino Blu-ray will only have a single feature to hold over its UK counterpart – an interview with the museum curator where the new footage from Fritz Lang’s classic of the silent cinema was discovered. As nice as that sounds, I have to lament that we won’t be getting the David Kalat and Jonathan Rosenbaum commentary track or the incredible-looking 56-page book of the MoC boxed set on this side of the Atlantic. Those seem like fairly significant extras to miss out on – a couple hours of analytical discussion as well as pages upon pages of essays, photos and art.

But I really shouldn’t complain. I mean, at the end of the day, the film is the thing, right? And it shouldn’t really matter who gets what extras. We’re all getting a Blu-ray disc with a transfer of the film based off of this brand new, best-ever print, so it’s Christmas-time for all of us! I think we’re all very fortunate to have as much. And perhaps the Kino edition will actually live up to the MoC at the end of the day. Either way, I can’t wait to get my hands on Metropolis on Blu-ray. November can’t come soon enough!!

THE COMPLETE METROPOLIS
(November 16, 2010 – MSRP $39.95)
Video: 1.33:1 1080p
Audio: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (original Gottfried Huppertz score, performed by the Rundfunk Symphony Orchestra, Berlin, conducted by Frank Strobel)

Special Features:

Voyage to Metropolis, a 50-minute documentary on the making and restoration of the film (in HD)
Interview with Paula Felix-Didier, curator of the Museo del Cine, Buenos Aires, where the missing footage was discovered
2010 re-release trailer
Limited Edition Collectible 3-D Lenticuar Box Packaging

Via: The Digital Bits.com

Top 5 New Blu-ray releases for the Week of August 24

Brenden — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 04:47:57 +0000

This weeks best Blu-ray releases deliver us a healthy dose of TV shows, classic films and animation. But nothing can compete with the juggernaut of a series that is Lost! It’s an easy call for the number one slot this week.

1. LOST: THE COMPLETE SIXTH AND FINAL SEASON

Well, this is a no-brainer. If the final Blu-ray season collection of the Lost tv series isn’t on your radar this week you’re missing out. This is one of the strongest releases of the year, featuring one of the best shows ever to air on network television in a damn-near perfect video and audio presentation. Not to mention the incredible and robust set of special features included in the set. I’ll save my musings about this final season of the series for a full review of the season set where I can go on at length about the controversial decisions the production team made to bring the series to a close along with my thoughts on the story in general.

But!

If, by chance, you happen to be one of those rare people who hasn’t had a chance to watch any of the series yet, you’re in luck…

Amazon: $47.99

ALSO AVAILABLE ON BLU-RAY TODAY -

LOST: THE COMPLETE COLLECTION

…because the entire series, all six-seasons are now available in one amazing and convenient boxed set! Owners of individual seasons may even want to trade up to this big, bad-boy as it offers an extra secret disc of bonus content as well as tons of collectibles and goo-gahs.

Amazon: $194.99

2. THE SIMPSONS: THE 13TH SEASON

Hardcore fans might look at this thirteenth season of the long-running animated show as something of a mixed bag as it marks the beginning of Al Jean‘s first season as Show Runner and the subtle (to some, drastic to others) shift in tone from The Simpsons of previous seasons to the style of stories we still see from Jean’s team today. Either way, collectors will be happy to add another season to their shelves and fans will praise the return of creator commentary tracks. Here’s hoping Fox gets us more Simpsons on Blu-ray soon!

Amazon: $39.99

3. SHOGUN ASSASSIN (30TH ANNIVERSARY COLLECTOR’S EDITION)

I used to collect the Lone Wolf and Cub comic books back in the 80s, when they were first issued in English with those great Frank Miller and Bill Sienkewicz covers (yeah, I’ve still got ‘em!) Shogun Assassin is an American edit of the first two Japanese film adaptations of the series, smushed together into one slick package with a brand new rock soundtrack. It might not be as pure as the original versions but it’s still all kinds of fun. Read all about it in our previous post, here: Shogun Assassin coming to Blu-ray.

Amazon: $14.99

4. MACHINE GUN MCCAIN

Okay, this is a gangster film you’ve probably never seen. Why should you care about Machine Gun McCain? I’m going to throw some names at you here to see if I can can convince you – the film stars John Cassavetes, Peter Falk, Gena Rowlands and the always stunning Britt Ekland, with music by…get ready… the master, Ennio Morricone!!! The disc is produced by the Criterion of b-movies, Blue Underground so you’re guaranteed something nice to look at. I mean, aside from the lovely miss Ekland.

Amazon: $17.49

5. HANDMADE FILMS COLLECTION – TIME BANDITS, MONA LISA, WITHNAIL AND I, THE LONG GOOD FRIDAY

Oh man, I was so so so excited for these four classic British movies produced by Handmade Films to make their way onto Blu-ray. But not like this. All four of these should be Criterion releases. Hell, they’ve all been Criterion titles at some point and I wish they would goddamn well get their asses back there, to a studio that will treat them with some respect. Image has just chucked them all unceremoniously onto single-layer discs, compressed to hell with very few extras. And the worst offense? Time Bandits is only presented in 1080i. That’s right. Interlacing on a disc of a movie shot on film, in this day and age. Despite my reservations about the quality of the discs, all of these films are wonderful and most have never looked as good as they do on these cheapo discs.

Amazon: $12.99 each

ANIME OF THE WEEK: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, Part 2

If you picked up Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, Part 1 back in May (it was one of our recommended Blu-ray discs for the week of May 25th!) you’ve no doubt been counting the days until you could get your hands on the follow-up thirteen episodes. Well, anime fans, the day has come and let me tell you, if you’re into this sort of thing, this second boxed set featuring the adventures of the Elric brothers is going to blow your mind!

While the first thirteen episodes were all about set-up, covering familiar ground and essentially condensing the first 30-or-so episodes of the original series into a small, more palatable chunk, the episodes found on the Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, Part 2 Blu-ray discs find their way into new, unexpected and exciting territory. Al and Ed Elric are Alchemists – young magicians of a sort – who lost some significant body parts to their forbidden experiments. Their quest to find the mysterious Philosopher’s Stone which can make them whole again now takes a dark turn, leading them to lose dear friends and face painful secrets that could lead the boys to ruin. To speak more specifically about the story would spoil a host of surprises but rest assured, if anime is your thing, you won’t feel cheated by Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, Part 2.

The Blu-ray discs look pretty good, for upconverted content and sound great in both Japanese Dolby TrueHD 2.0 and English Dolby TrueHD 5.1. I only wish there were more substantial bonus materials in the Blu-ray set, beyond the two commentary tracks from the English language voice cast.

Amazon: $33.99

ALSO AVAILABLE ON BLU-RAY THIS WEEK
Clicking an image will take you to Amazon.com where you can learn more about and purchase the Blu-ray disc:

Predators Blu-ray release date and details announced

Brenden — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 19:39:41 +0000

It was only a couple of weeks ago that I pointed you toward the Predators pre-order on Amazon.com and showed you the cover art for the upcoming Blu-ray disc. Well, now Latino Review.com has all the info on the release and it looks feature packed! I didn’t love the film when I saw it in the cinema but enjoyed it well enough to give it another crack when it turns up on Blu in October. How about you? Did you think that Predators lived up to its pedigree? Will you be picking it up on Blu?

PREDATORS
(October 19, 2010 – MSRP $39.99)
Video: 1080p
Audio: 5.1 DTS-HD Master

Special Features:

Commentary by Producer Robert Rodriguez and Director Nimrod Antal
Motion Comics
- “Moments of Extraction” – Robert Rodriguez presents exclusive prequel vignettes voiced by the cast of Predators. Witness the secret adventures that turned our world’s most ruthless killers into the ultimate Predator prey.
  - Noland Intro (part 1)
  - Isabelle
  - Cuchillo
  - Hanzo
  - Mombasa
  - Noland Ending (part 2)
- Crucified
Evolution of the Species: Predators Reborn
- Bloodline
- De-Cloaking the Invisible: Alien Terrain
- Intelligent Design: The Hunting Camp
- Predators as Prey
- Yuatja Transformed
- Rite of Passage
The Chosen Featurette
Fox Movie Channel presents Making a Scene
Deleted and Extended Scenes
- Dead Man’s Parachute
- Cuchillo and Isabelle
- Team “Orientated” Group
- Third Most Wanted
- Cuchillo Unleashes
- “Why Are You Here?”
- “They’re Smarter Than That”
- Stans and Isabelle Naked
- “They’re Still Coming”
BD-Live Extras
- Exclusive Predator Features
Live Lookup – Powered by IMDB

The Blu-ray Blog

Top 5 New Blu-ray releases for the Week of August 31

Related posts

The Sound of Music: 45th Anniversary Edition Blu-ray officially announced and detailed

Related posts

Stargate SG-U: 1.5 Blu-ray Disc Review

Related posts

Lost in Translation Blu-ray available for pre-order

Related posts

Baz Luhrmann’s Moulin Rouge and Romeo + Juliet officially announced for release on Blu-ray

Related posts

[VIDEO] Back To The Future: 25th Anniversary Trilogy Blu-ray Trailer

Related posts

[VIDEO] Apocalypse Now Blu-ray Trailer

Related posts

The Complete Metropolis Blu-ray officially announced and detailed

Related posts

Top 5 New Blu-ray releases for the Week of August 24

Related posts

Predators Blu-ray release date and details announced

Related posts