Universal

The 82nd Oscar Winners on Blu-ray

By brenden ⋅ March 8, 2010 ⋅ One comment

Most of the films that took home an Oscar statue are either already available on Blu-ray or have been announced to be released on the format soon ….Continued…

Spartacus announced for release on Blu-ray

By brenden ⋅ February 24, 2010 ⋅ Post a comment

Kubrick! Douglas! Gladiatorial action!! Spartacus has got it all. And now, thanks to Universal, we’re about to get it all on Blu-ray. Spartacus will hit shops on May 25th in a new 50th Anniversary edition that should best its HD-DVD counterpart in every way. Sadly, as nice as this edition looks, it’s still not going to beat out the previously available Criterion DVD, which features a commentary track by producer-actor Kirk Douglas, actor Peter Ustinov, novelist Howard Fast, producer Edward Lewis, restoration expert Robert A. Harris, and designer Saul Bass among a lot of other great stuff not to be found on the Blu-ray. I mean, I’m sure it’s going to look and sound better than ever but I’m going to want to hold onto my DVD for all those great extras. And the much cooler cover art! …Continued…

Elizabeth and sequel, Elizabeth: The Golden Age coming to Blu-ray

By brenden ⋅ February 11, 2010 ⋅ Post a comment

I loved Shekhar Kapur’s Elizabeth when I saw it in theatres years ago. So much so that I picked up the DVD when it was released. I’m not sure what kept me from the cinema when its sequel, Elizabeth: The Golden Age was released but I’m so pleased to see that both films will finally be making their way to Blu-ray this April thanks to Universal. Details below: …Continued…

Top 5 New Blu-ray releases for the Week of February 9

By brenden ⋅ February 9, 2010 ⋅ Post a comment

I’ve been writing this “Weekly Picks” column now for over a year now (on and off.) It’s time to switch things up. Instead of simply highlighting a random selection of the weeks new Blu-ray releases, it seems to me that it might prove more useful to present an ordered list of the best of the best. So, starting this week, the “Weekly Picks” column will become a “Top 5 New Releases” article! How do you like them apples? …Continued…

Universal bringing David Lynch’s Dune to Blu-ray

By brenden ⋅ February 3, 2010 ⋅ Post a comment

Holycrapholycrapholycrap…This is big news for me. Universal has revealed that they’re finally going to release David Lynch’s Dune on Blu-ray on April 27th! I’m such a huge fan of this film. I know, I know…it’s not perfect. It’s got a lot of problems. It’s not exactly like the book. It’s ridiculous and weird. I’ve heard it all before. But I grew up with this adaptation of Frank Herbert’s sci-fi classic and like a lot of failed genre films from the 80s, it has a very special place in my heart. I’m excited to finally get to see it in beautiful 1080p. …Continued…

Blu-ray Picks for the Week of February 2

By brenden ⋅ February 2, 2010 ⋅ 2 comments

Okay, this is just ridiculous. I can’t afford all of these discs in one week! I had no idea that February would be such a big release month. I thought March was going to be my bank-breaker and that I’d have another month to save up for the big titles but this week is going to make me reevaluate. …Continued…

UPDATED: Back To The Future Trilogy Blu-ray Discs in 2010

By brenden ⋅ January 5, 2010 ⋅ Post a comment

Back to the Future is coming to Blu-ray sometime in 2010! Despite the earlier rumour and the fake trade ad trumpeting the details, date and artwork, studio sources claim we WILL see a trilogy release on Blu this year! …Continued…

Coen Brothers’ A Serious Man Blu-ray Announced and Detailed

By brenden ⋅ January 4, 2010 ⋅ One comment

I loves me some Coen Brothers!! But then again, who doesn’t these days? Chances are that you’ve really enjoyed at least one of their numerous cinematic extravaganzas in the last number of years. And I, for one, am truly excited that we’re about to get their latest effort, A Serious Man on Blu-ray this February 9th! Details below: …Continued…

Blu-ray Picks for the Week of December 29

By brenden ⋅ December 30, 2009 ⋅ Post a comment

It’s almost the end of 2009 but the year has a few more choice Blu-ray releases for us! …Continued…

Blu-ray Picks for the Week of December 15

By brenden ⋅ December 16, 2009 ⋅ Post a comment

I’m a day late getting my Blu-ray picks posted. Sorry ’bout that. Yesterday was pretty packed with news and with the limited time I had, I could only squeeze so many posts in. But here we are now, a little light on titles overall but with some quality Blu-ray discs nonetheless. Guess which boxed set I’m most excited about this week… …Continued…

Universal Monster Legacy: clips, large crisp images, texts, factoids

By brenden ⋅ December 9, 2009 ⋅ Post a comment

Universal Monster Legacy: clips, large crisp images, texts, factoids: http://bit.ly/8QjcHz (via @theauteursdaily)

Blu-ray Picks for the Week of December 8

By brenden ⋅ December 8, 2009 ⋅ Post a comment

Oh, what a weird day today! Was awakened at 5AM by bad porch kitten, iPhone died around 7AM, almost choked on a Cinnamon Streusel Mini-Wheat at 9AM, now I’m left exhausted, out-of-touch and coughing, to wade through this weeks new Blu-ray releases. Thankfully, there aren’t a lot of quality discs out today (there is a whole pile of crap, direct to video kind of stuff I’ll just ignore) but the discs worth noting are most certainly worth rushing out to pick up. …Continued…

Blu-ray Picks for the Week of December 1

By brenden ⋅ December 2, 2009 ⋅ Post a comment

A day late and still a copy of Terminator Salvation short. The Blu-ray Blog was up and down yesterday, thanks to a flood of traffic from Blu-ray fan and celebrity gossip hound, www.egotastic.com, so it wasn’t possible to get our weekly release list online. Here we are a day later with a collection of titles not quite as numerous as previous weeks but quite vital all the same. …Continued…

Universal brings Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas to Blu-ray

By brenden ⋅ November 25, 2009 ⋅ Post a comment

All right, Universal. Just because you’re issuing a Blu-ray edition of Terry Gilliam’s Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas doesn’t mean you can make me give up my Criterion DVD of the film. Your new disc will no doubt eclipse the DVD in every aspect of the films presentation (and if you use the same master as the UFA German Blu-ray release, you’ll have a real winner on your hands!) But without those Criterion supplements, any Blu-ray version of Fear and Lathing will never really feel complete. It’s worth hanging onto the DVD for the Hunter S. Thompson commentary track alone, never mind the bounty of additional supplemental content! If I were you, Universal, I’d either renew Criterion’s license to the title, or release the Blu-ray in a package fit to store the DVDs along side their new high-def counterpart. Sigh…A fan can dream. Release details below… …Continued…

Brüno Blu-ray Disc Review

By brenden ⋅ November 22, 2009 ⋅ Post a comment

I really enjoyed comedian Sacha Baron Cohen’s film Borat. I had the pleasure of viewing it in Poland while on tour with my band at the time. An amazing experience. Watching his follow up film, Brüno from the comfort of my living room theatre was certainly not anywhere near as magical. It was, however, just as cringe-inducing and hilarious! …Continued…

Blu-ray Picks for the Week of November 17

By brenden ⋅ November 17, 2009 ⋅ Post a comment

It’s Tuesday and once again we’re faced with a potential wallet-emptying video store/amazon shopping experience! I hope you’ve been saving up because today is a doosey! …Continued…

[VIDEO] Bruno Blu-ray Deleted Scene - La Toya won’t imitate Michael Jackson

By brenden ⋅ November 13, 2009 ⋅ 2 comments

I’m not sure what makes me more uncomfortable here: the naked, portly man covered in sushi or the strange, inhuman laughter from La Toya Jackson as she’s pressed for information on her brother Michael. Urgh. I can see why they chopped this scene out the film, which reached theaters mere weeks after the singer’s June 25th death. Check the cut scene out for yourself. …Continued…

Animated 9 comes to Blu-ray in December

By brenden ⋅ November 6, 2009 ⋅ Post a comment

Shane Acker made an animated short film called 9 in 2005. It was nominated for an Academy Award. In 2009, Universal and Focus Features released Acker’s updated, big-budget, CGI, feature length take on his story, replete with Hollywood stars voicing the characters and Tim Burton and Timur Bekmambetov (Wanted) as producers. This December 29th, 9 makes its way to Blu-ray. Details below: …Continued…

Blu-Con 2.0 - Blu-ray Conference News Round-up

By brenden ⋅ November 5, 2009 ⋅ One comment

I really wish I could have attended Blu-Con 2.0 yesterday but I’m playing in a new band and we’ve got a big show tonight. Rushing back to Montreal from Los Angeles this morning would have left me a bit exhausted for our performance tonight so I decided to skip out on Blu-Con this year in the hope that the conference would receive ample coverage from other outlets … Continued…

[VIDEO] Halloween Wish List - Karloff & Lugosi: Horror Classics on Blu-ray

By brenden ⋅ October 28, 2009 ⋅ Post a comment

As I just mentioned in my review of the Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein Blu-ray disc, I’m a passionate fan of the Universal Monster films of the 30s and 40s. And through them, I’ve become fascinated with the actors who played many of the starring roles. In particular, Bela Lugosi and Boris Karloff, most famous for their iconic portrayals of Dracula and the Frankenstein monster, respectfully. Watching the newly released Karloff & Lugosi: Horror Classics on DVD over the last few evenings has just led me to feel overjoyed that we’ve finally got access to these fantastic films on home video while at the same time, frustrated that we haven’t seen a single horror classic from their era in high-def yet! …Continued…