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I saw tis video from the library and will buy it at Amazon. Love the music. Just wonderfully beautiful..North America's National Parks [Blu-ray]
Thursday, December 5, 2013
North America's National Parks (As Seen In IMAX Theaters) Review
I have been lucky enough to visit and stay at many of the National Parks for years but I have never experienced the National Parks from the angle that this IMAX documentary is shot. Patrick O'Hearn is just the right music for this IMAX documentary as well since not too many musicians have been able to give me the joy of music as much as Patrick has in the National Parks, by just laying down and looking at millions of the stars in the sky after a long day of hike after a fine outdoor dinning with loved ones. What a privilege to live in North America and be able to visit such unbelievable places and knowing that no one can take those away from anyone of us for years to come... Bravo, bravo, bravo. An absolute feast for a healthy mind.
North America's National Parks [Blu-ray]
North America's National Parks [Blu-ray]
Best Adventure Coral Reef 3D - Under the Sea of Egypt (Blu-ray 3D & 2D Deals
I have over 50 3d movies and documentaries and i've seen 1 star 3d's and this is not one of them. granted it's not IMAX UNDER THE SEA ( which is the best of them all) or IMAX DEEP SEA (second best) but it's not terrible. Though the negatives do outweigh the positives. CONS: Some scenes do have what appears to be smudge marks on the lens, it looks blurry and there is some glare now and then. Also 80% of this is just fish swimming around, there is a sea turtle that looks great and a few dolphins, so the content is a little boring. But the number 1 annoyance is the narration, believe everything you read from other reviews about it. from pronunciation, childlike tone, uninteresting comments, it's all true. The solution for this is to go into the settings and change to MUSIC ONLY setting, it's so much better. PROS: there are some really good 3d scenes, nothing really WOW (like IMAX UNDER THE SEA) but decent, the dolphin scenes look really good. Overall the majority of the picture quality is quite good. The music is fine. So in conclusion if you factor in the low price, and you watch this with MUSIC ONLY setting, I would have to recommend it. But if you can get only one underwater 3d definitely get IMAX UNDER THE SEA. Although this one is only a third the price of IMAX UNDER THE SEA. So you get what you pay for.
Received MUCH less than expected! Many more products....at a lesser price....available for your pleasure!
SAVE YOUR MONEY!
Unfortunately this film is not even worth the $10 cost.
While it is filmed using 3D technology the overall quality is amateur at best, such as:
No post color correction, so the images are mostly green and lack the true colors of the reef.
Improper or no color filters were used so the color spectrum is false, flat and lackluster.
When used, video lights are too close to the lens resulting in excessive and distracting backscatter.
The editing is silly, the same shots are repeated, scenes jump back and forth with little or no continuity to the script.
The script is like a student reading from a first year book on ichthyology.
Save your money and see better videos at your local dive club or shop for free.
Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>
Expected MUCH more quality.Received MUCH less than expected! Many more products....at a lesser price....available for your pleasure!
SAVE YOUR MONEY!
Best Deals for Adventure Coral Reef 3D - Under the Sea of Egypt (Blu-ray 3D & 2D
Probably not filmed with the best 3D equipment. Didn't pop out of the screen as I expected. The narration is not very pleasant since the voice is too high pitched. Oprah, Morgan freeman, David Attenborough have a smooth voice that makes the narration almost a background noise. The narration on this draws attention to itself and takes away from the experience.Honest reviews on Adventure Coral Reef 3D - Under the Sea of Egypt (Blu-ray 3D & 2D
I cannot believe this film is from the Peter Lord, maybe just someone else with the same name!Unfortunately this film is not even worth the $10 cost.
While it is filmed using 3D technology the overall quality is amateur at best, such as:
No post color correction, so the images are mostly green and lack the true colors of the reef.
Improper or no color filters were used so the color spectrum is false, flat and lackluster.
When used, video lights are too close to the lens resulting in excessive and distracting backscatter.
The editing is silly, the same shots are repeated, scenes jump back and forth with little or no continuity to the script.
The script is like a student reading from a first year book on ichthyology.
Save your money and see better videos at your local dive club or shop for free.
Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Adventure Coral Reef 3D - Under the Sea of Egypt (Blu-ray 3D & 2D
So, the camera equipment was top notch, but narration and general setting was pathetic. There are so many better ones out there, and it really seems like people are just rushing to make a quick buck on 3D content without focusing on quality at all.
Wednesday, December 4, 2013
Buy White Lion (2010)
List Price: $14.98
Sale Price: $7.17
Today's Bonus: 52% Off
This story is about a young White Lion cub named Letsatsi. Letsatsi is destined to be revered by the Shangaan.
A white lion cub must beat the odds to become an adult. According to legend, white lions are the messengers of the gods, but Letsatsi's uniqueness just makes him vulnerable.
He is cast out from the pride and, close to starvation, befriended by Nkulu. The older lion helps him survive but is killed by a farmer, leaving Letsatsi to survive on his own.
He learns to hunt and grows into a formidable adult. But before he can take over a pride of his own, Letsatsi must face his greatest foe the trophy hunter, for whom legends are worthless and rare skins priceless.
This is a Real-Life LION KING MOVIE!! It is for anyone who also loved the movie about two tiger cubs in "Two Brothers."
I have been waiting for this movie to come out on DVD and I am glad that it finally did!! I plan to purchase this amazing DVD about Letsatsi's Journey Home and recommend it to anyone who loves animals, particularly lions.
This movie is one of the greatest achievements in Film since the movie "Born Free" about a lioness named Elsa.
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I recently got to watch an advance showing of "White Lion" and can only say that if you aren't already an animal lover, this film should make one of you! My first comment after watching the film was that it was as good as any comparable Disney flick I've ever seen (and that says a LOT!)I recommend the "White Lion" for everyone!
Best Deals for White Lion (2010)
All who are interested in the conservation of the great cats of the wild should be directed to this film. Photographically, it stands up to anything filmed in Africa.To an African tribe in South Africa, the white lion is revered...and the disappearance of such an animal spells hardship for the land. A young African male discovers a young white lion cub and through his lifetime acts as a secret protector of this sacred being.
Parts of the story are a coming of age tale of the young cub who gets lost from his mother, finds an older lion friend, and then
is compelled to strike out and hunt on his own. [All the animals in the Disney animated film The Lion King are actually filmed in this story but the true conflicts between these creatures in the great wild are quite thrilling). Yes, there are several cinematic shots that can only be described as "hold your breath" moments.
As explained in the special feature, no one has "ever" filmed these lions so intimately before. The movie took years to make and it is the result of the special bonding of the caretakers in South African parks with the white lions themselves.
Whether you are eight years old or eighty I highly recommend this gorgeous film... obtain the Blu-Ray if you can. The emotions it stirs is a respect for the sacredness of all life. Given the choice I actually preferred this movie to [National Geographic's} "The Last Lions" (released in 2011)...but both are extremely impressive cinematic achievements.
And for those interested in human stories of the people of Africa and their relationship to the lion, I do recommend "Masai: The Rain Warriors."
Honest reviews on White Lion (2010)
I bought "White Lion" when I was in a local music shop, because I heard a French couple ask the assistant for a good local (South African) movie. When the assistant recommended this movie, the couple said they'd already seen it and it was "excellent!"Curious, I bought it...and from the moment Letsatsi, as is the nature of lions in the wild, was cast from his pride until he has to face his greatest challenge, I went through every emotion. I laughed at his youthful explorations; cried at his hunger; was so angry at the very real threat trophy hunters pose to all the lions of Africa (lion numbers have been so drastically reduced in recent years, they will shortly be on the endangered species list!) and was constantly in awe at the beauty of these magnificent creatures.
This story, redolent with the mystique of the bush, is a tale of that speaks of myths and legends, of spirits and heroes. Letsatsi's struggles, the dangers he faces from both cruel nature and even crueller mankind, could be the conflict that any person must overcome. But Letsatsi is a white lion, a messenger from the ancestral spirits who guard this land of ours and, although he loses one friend, he finds another, sent by the ancestors. Getsani, a young Shangaan, is called to protect this symbol of hope and helps guard Letsatsi from the terrible dangers he must overcome.
Although there are not many humans--the real stars of this show are the lions--the acting, as one expects of the likes of John Kani, is excellent. Showing the sweeping vistas of this beautiful country, the photography is breath-taking. In its respect and love for these animals, the well-written script is touchingly sincere and, while avoiding any proselytizing, clearly emphasises the importance of protecting our wild life from senseless slaughter by callous killers.
To say I was proudly South African throughout this film is an understatement, because this movie combines an evening of good family entertainment with an emotional melancholy at what one fears is an endangered and rapidly disappearing natural world.
Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for White Lion (2010)
This is a great film and a wonderful story, in the making, in the telling, and in the seeing. Filming real cats (who could easily have us for lunch, even with their handlers around) while coaxing them to "perform" in front of a camera crew was not an insignificant accomplishment. Talking about herding cats, the blu-ray "extra" featurete on the making of the film tells that part of the story.Along the lines of Winged Migration, or March of the Penguins, the main characters are the animals (real cats from the lion preserve in South Africa). The visuals are stunning, the cinematography is amazing and the musical score is quite a treat. This movie has become an immediate big hit with my children, though much like Winged Migration it was never intended to be a children movie. You can see how the jungle is not a place suitable for human habitation. Predators prowling at night looking for food will not hesitate to kill any number of two or four-legged creatures they find... with all the unfortunate consequences associated with such encounters...
I'd much rather the school districts pick this one up and show it to our second and third graders. It will be quite an education. The moms and dads should see it too. It is an invaluable journey and experience for city-folk like me.
Buy Malaya (1949)
List Price: $19.98
Sale Price: $9.88
Today's Bonus: 51% Off
these two great actors had chemistry in making malaya james stewart and spencer tracy expound the main reason for the defeat of japan in w w 2 RUBBER this movie shows the courage and ingenuity of america to snatch rubber from japans back yard in 1942. the planters were heavily in favor of the allies and with the risk of their lives smuggled rubber out of malaya to the open sea onto allied ships. tracy and stewart in an unholy alliance run the show with valentine cortese playing the role of a broken french chanteuse in the far east adds to the intrigue along with sidney greenstreet a great movie.
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I purchased this movie as I hadn't seen it since I was a kid. I still haven't seen it as the Amazon ad does not say that this DVD "WILL NOT PLAY" on a DVD player that also records. I sent my first one back in exchange for another one. I tried to play the second one and it also wouldn't play. I got suspicious and took a magnifying glass and read the "fine print" on the back of the case and it clearly states that it will not play on a DVD device that also can record. It would have been nice had the little tidbit would have been in the original ad description. Now I will have to ship it back for a refund. Also I am out the return postage "TWICE!"Best Deals for Malaya (1949)
With James Stewart and Spencer Tracy starring together, "Malaya" seemed a good bet to be a movie worth seeing. It is a rather decent movie for its' time but there were some issues I had with its' factual content. I mention that because the movie does a good job of dealing with an actual issue that existed during the war; the shortage of raw rubber. If I'm not mistaken, the need for other habitats for the rubber plant (Brazil) and the development (out of necessity) for synthetic rubber, led to the eventual demise of the Southeast Asian rubber market. However, that came later and, at the outset of WWII, Japanese control of the rubber producing area caused a critical shortage for the US and its' Allies.The objection I had with "Malaya" was the cosy relationship that existed in the Malayan setting between the Japanese, the Dutchman, and the Americans. In case you missed any other clues that the US was already at war with Japan, Stewart's remark about his brother dying at Wake Island ought to have let you know that war was already underway. The Dutchman, played with his usual excellence by Sidney Greenstreet, was just as much a target of the Japanese as the Americans. The quick demise of The Netherlands in the initial days in Europe often obscures the role the Dutch soldiers played in the Pacific Theater of War. So what? Well, I had the feeling that "Malaya" was meant to be a cross between "Casablanca" and "Across the Pacific" with Sidney Greenstreet, rather than Humphrey Bogart, being the connection between the three movies. However, this was not a neutral site to those involved and that kept me distracted throughout the bulk of the movie.
Other than the probably overstated objection, the movie moves along well. There's a lot of tough guys in this film including Gilbert Roland playing a person of Hispanic descent made up to look like a Frenchman. (I guess that confused me as well). Nonetheless, he did well in his schizophrenic role.
Enjoy the movie and not the historical issues. It's not one of Hollywood's classics by any means but it's still worth a look.
Honest reviews on Malaya (1949)
Strange characters compared to the usual Tracy and Stewart roles. More so Stewart, a hard bitten, bitter, no nonsense man on a mission to liberate rubber under the nose of the Japanese. Sydney Greenstreet also has a major roll as a saloon keeperFind helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Malaya (1949)
This movie is a classic the onlu place I could nind it on DVD was at AmazonBuy Rise of the Guardians - Limited Edition Easter Gift Pack (DVD +2
You'll have to just see it to believe.
I'm 47 years old. I normally walk out of animated films which sound too noisy for me.
I not only stayed the entire movie. I watched it again 4 times -alone even, just to experience it again and again.
The magic of childhood is the magic of wonder, play, dream, believing. And if you still have that imagination left in you,
then maybe you could still sit down, laugh, cry, cheer with your kids while watching this movie.
The quirky premise leads into an enchanting tale of faith and self-discovery. Jack Frost, whose heart is as warm as his magical powers are cold, is the reluctant Guardian-elect. Invisible to children, bereft of memories, and unclear as to his purpose, he wanders through life making mischief (the Easter Bunny is still deeply unhappy about the blizzard on the Easter of '64) and racking up more naughty than nice points. But when Pitch Black, the boogeyman, schemes to wipe out the faith of children in Santa Claus and the other Guardians, Jack Frost teams up with the Guardians to bring laughter and joy back to the children of the world. In the process, naturally, he finds himself and his innermost gift.
The premise and plot, though simple, is beautifully written and wonderfully presented. The animation is dazzling and exciting (I'd be first in line for the ice-slicked roller coaster ride through the town, as seen in an early action scene) and the characters are charming and international in their appeal. Santa Claus speaks with a Russian accent and wields double blades. The Easter Bunny is over-sized at eight feet; he wields a boomerang and speaks Australian-ese. It would have been too much, I suppose, to hope that the Sandman would look like Morpheus from Neil Gaiman's Sandman series, but little Sandy kicked some serious booty with his Indiana Jones-style whips. The Tooth Fairy smiles too much; she raves and swoons over pearly white teeth. Jack Frost is at turns whimsically charming and heartbreakingly lonely.
Rise of the Guardians will appeal to any young child who still believes, children/adults of any age who want to believe, and cynical adults (like me) who don't believe but who can appreciate a great story and awesome animation.
"Rise of the Guardians" continues the trend by turning the dial on iconic characters like Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy, and the Sandman up to 11. Each of these characters gives a gift to children, which in turn causes the children to believe in them and bestows a form of immortality. It's an oddly parasitic relationship that was prominent in Wizard of the Coast's "The Primal Order" supplement, in which deities need worshippers to gain power. Our heroes may not be all that powerful, but they are certainly popular. At least some of them are.
One of the questions weighing on my mind in bringing my five-year-old to this film was how "Rise" would deal with Santa Claus. It's one thing to question the existence of the Tooth Fairy (I never liked her anyway), the Easter Bunny (does anyone believe he exists?), and the Sandman (pretty sure NOBODY believes he exists)...but Santa Claus? That's some tricky turf right there.
Parents needn't worry. Santa is a jovial, dual saber-wielding slavic warrior full of wisdom, jolly humor, and generosity. As voiced by Alec Baldwin, this is a Santa I can get on board with!
The Sandman doesn't speak, but he pantomimes through thought-forms that lend themselves well to 3-D viewing.
The Easter Bunny is voiced by Hugh Jackman, which seems oddly natural. He's a combative, boomerang-wielding humanoid rabbit that can throw egg-smoke bombs like a ninja. He's also pretty adorable.
Isla Fisher (yes, the nymphomaniac from "Wedding Crashers") plays the Tooth Fairy as a neurotic workaholic who has been "out of the field" for so long that she no longer knows how to relate to kids. She also moons over Jack Frost (Chris Pine, AKA Captain Kirk).
Frost is the teenager of the bunch, frustrated by his lack of fame which makes him literally invisible to children. Frost is on a personal journey to discover how he became who he is and in doing so, accepting his role as a new Guardian of children.
And that's what "Guardians" is secretly all about: aging gracefully into parenthood. The older adults (the existing Guardians) worry about being forgotten, uninvolved in their children's lives. Pitch the Boogeyman (voiced by an unctuous Jude Law) craves attention so much that he would be happy to just be feared because it means he will be remembered. And Frost has to deal with his own childhood before he can become a parent.
There are some amazing set pieces, plenty of clever quips, and enough magical battles to keep the movie clicking along. But Frost is something of a bland catch-all for every rebellious "cool kid" in the history of movies (he wears a hoodie, he MUST be cool!) and his big revelation about his past isn't much of a revelation at all. "Rise of the Guardians" is clearly just getting beginning to launch a franchise, and this is a good start. But I'll take a movie about just good ole sword-swinging Claus any day.
I'm 47 years old. I normally walk out of animated films which sound too noisy for me.
I not only stayed the entire movie. I watched it again 4 times -alone even, just to experience it again and again.
The magic of childhood is the magic of wonder, play, dream, believing. And if you still have that imagination left in you,
then maybe you could still sit down, laugh, cry, cheer with your kids while watching this movie.
Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>
The previews for this movie looked fun and funny; seeing this movie in full-length was an even broader experience. This is one of those movies like "Finding Nemo" or "Toy Story" that will be timeless because of the content, the humor, and the wise message inherent in the storyline. I loved it . . . and so did my 29-year-old daughter and my four-year-old grandson.Best Deals for Rise of the Guardians - Limited Edition Easter Gift Pack (DVD +2
A great and ancient evil is rising in the land, and it is up to the guardians-Santa Claus, the Sandman, the Tooth Fairy, and the Easter Bunny-to convince the reluctant Jack Frost to fight for the innocence and imagination of the children of the worldThe quirky premise leads into an enchanting tale of faith and self-discovery. Jack Frost, whose heart is as warm as his magical powers are cold, is the reluctant Guardian-elect. Invisible to children, bereft of memories, and unclear as to his purpose, he wanders through life making mischief (the Easter Bunny is still deeply unhappy about the blizzard on the Easter of '64) and racking up more naughty than nice points. But when Pitch Black, the boogeyman, schemes to wipe out the faith of children in Santa Claus and the other Guardians, Jack Frost teams up with the Guardians to bring laughter and joy back to the children of the world. In the process, naturally, he finds himself and his innermost gift.
The premise and plot, though simple, is beautifully written and wonderfully presented. The animation is dazzling and exciting (I'd be first in line for the ice-slicked roller coaster ride through the town, as seen in an early action scene) and the characters are charming and international in their appeal. Santa Claus speaks with a Russian accent and wields double blades. The Easter Bunny is over-sized at eight feet; he wields a boomerang and speaks Australian-ese. It would have been too much, I suppose, to hope that the Sandman would look like Morpheus from Neil Gaiman's Sandman series, but little Sandy kicked some serious booty with his Indiana Jones-style whips. The Tooth Fairy smiles too much; she raves and swoons over pearly white teeth. Jack Frost is at turns whimsically charming and heartbreakingly lonely.
Rise of the Guardians will appeal to any young child who still believes, children/adults of any age who want to believe, and cynical adults (like me) who don't believe but who can appreciate a great story and awesome animation.
Honest reviews on Rise of the Guardians - Limited Edition Easter Gift Pack (DVD +2
As a father of a three year old, I pick our movies based on vibrant colors, humour and a child like sense of wonder. This movie has it all. Definitely worth keeping in a childs library and watching all year.Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Rise of the Guardians - Limited Edition Easter Gift Pack (DVD +2
Ever since "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen" comic (not the movie), I've been intrigued by the basic premise: legendary characters from other genres are given the superhero treatment and then brought together under unlikely circumstances to face a global threat. This structure is the standard plot of just about every Avengers and Justice League comic, but only recently -perhaps a sign of the times -has cobbling together a diverse cast of characters become movie entertainment."Rise of the Guardians" continues the trend by turning the dial on iconic characters like Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy, and the Sandman up to 11. Each of these characters gives a gift to children, which in turn causes the children to believe in them and bestows a form of immortality. It's an oddly parasitic relationship that was prominent in Wizard of the Coast's "The Primal Order" supplement, in which deities need worshippers to gain power. Our heroes may not be all that powerful, but they are certainly popular. At least some of them are.
One of the questions weighing on my mind in bringing my five-year-old to this film was how "Rise" would deal with Santa Claus. It's one thing to question the existence of the Tooth Fairy (I never liked her anyway), the Easter Bunny (does anyone believe he exists?), and the Sandman (pretty sure NOBODY believes he exists)...but Santa Claus? That's some tricky turf right there.
Parents needn't worry. Santa is a jovial, dual saber-wielding slavic warrior full of wisdom, jolly humor, and generosity. As voiced by Alec Baldwin, this is a Santa I can get on board with!
The Sandman doesn't speak, but he pantomimes through thought-forms that lend themselves well to 3-D viewing.
The Easter Bunny is voiced by Hugh Jackman, which seems oddly natural. He's a combative, boomerang-wielding humanoid rabbit that can throw egg-smoke bombs like a ninja. He's also pretty adorable.
Isla Fisher (yes, the nymphomaniac from "Wedding Crashers") plays the Tooth Fairy as a neurotic workaholic who has been "out of the field" for so long that she no longer knows how to relate to kids. She also moons over Jack Frost (Chris Pine, AKA Captain Kirk).
Frost is the teenager of the bunch, frustrated by his lack of fame which makes him literally invisible to children. Frost is on a personal journey to discover how he became who he is and in doing so, accepting his role as a new Guardian of children.
And that's what "Guardians" is secretly all about: aging gracefully into parenthood. The older adults (the existing Guardians) worry about being forgotten, uninvolved in their children's lives. Pitch the Boogeyman (voiced by an unctuous Jude Law) craves attention so much that he would be happy to just be feared because it means he will be remembered. And Frost has to deal with his own childhood before he can become a parent.
There are some amazing set pieces, plenty of clever quips, and enough magical battles to keep the movie clicking along. But Frost is something of a bland catch-all for every rebellious "cool kid" in the history of movies (he wears a hoodie, he MUST be cool!) and his big revelation about his past isn't much of a revelation at all. "Rise of the Guardians" is clearly just getting beginning to launch a franchise, and this is a good start. But I'll take a movie about just good ole sword-swinging Claus any day.
Tuesday, December 3, 2013
Buy Terminator 2 - Judgment Day (The Ultimate Edition DVD) (1991)
This new "Ultimate Edition DVD" of Terminator 2 Judgement Day, one of the biggest box office smashes of all time, is truly The Ultimate Edition. Unless you get this outside of the US (which I did) you have two disks. One disk is the movie (THREE versions of the movie, in fact), and the next disk is all the special features. And it takes DAYS getting through every feature. I mean, three documentary, 8 trailers and TV spots, an entire script, interviews that you can access separately, and 52 chapters of behind the scenes footage, from makeup to visual effects, from editing to restoring deleted scenes. There are so many special features, this is what DVD was made for! You can also look at the original drawings of certain scenes, awesome!!!!
However, I find the real highlight of this disk (or disks) to be the movie itself, I mean WOW!!! You get three, I repeat, three, versions of the movie. One is the original theatrical version, featuring no cut out scenes (the worst), the special edition, featuring 16 minutes of additional footage (second best) and the Extended Special Edition that you need a code for (the best) which features 18 minutes of additional footage, as well as an alternate ending. Here, now, I will give you a step-by-step description of how to get this extended special edition. I'm sure most of you people reading this know how to already, but this is for those who didn't know this version existed, or don't know how to get it. What you do is, you go to the features menu. It'll say "Theatrical Version" and "Special Edition". Click on "Special Edition". Then, you highlight "Play Special Edition" and type in (you may have to type ENTER in-between each number) EIGHT TWO NINE NINE SEVEN (8 2 9 9 7) and then, the "Go To Theatrical Version" option changes to "Play Extended Special Edition". This is the definitive version of the movie. I believe that every single little, tiny scene that they cut out is in this version. Well, thats the code, now back to my review.
The picture and audio on this disk are SO awesome, you won't believe it. Crystal clear picture, and sound so loud that it's like you're in a movie theatre. The additional, restored scenes are remastered as well, and slip perfectly into the movie. If you haven't even seen the film, you won't even notice these scenes put into it. Usually, on additional scenes, the picture is dirty and shakes. Not in these added scenes. And, to make it even better, the scenes are presented in 2:35:1 widescreen anamorphic format. Yes!! Just the first disk makes this DVD the ultimate edition!! Also, there's an audio commentary by 26 members of the cast and crew, however, this commentary is just interviews put together to sound like a commentary. However, there's a noticable glitch in the theatrical version, due to the commentary. Well, if you watch this commentary on one of the special editions, you'll notice it's the same commentary as the theatrical version, but they talk about deleted scenes as well. You may, also, notice that they continue talking about the deleted "Dream Sequence" at the hospital, when it goes into the next scene. So, now, when you watch the theatrical version, you'll notice that the beggining scene with Sarrah Connor watching the tape from six months ago, the beggining of the scene is cut off!!! Oops! Well, that's forgivible. Now, the second disk (or the second side of the disk) has lots of special features. The three documentarys include "The Making Of Terminator 2 Judgement Day", "T2 More Than Meets The Eye", where they talk about deleted sequences and the reason they were cut. The last is "The Making Of Terminator 2 3-D Breaking The Screen Barrier", about the making of that 3-D terminator ride. I loved that ride (yes, I went on it) and this documentary is really interesting. The rest of the features, well, I'm not sure I kinow all of them. Maybe YOU should discover all the features on this disk. If you own the previous DVD release of T2 (which had no extras), then trash it and get this "Ultimate Edition". You WON'T be dissipointed.
If you found my review helpful, please be sure and vote for me! Thank You Very Much!
Terminator 2 THE ULTIMATE EDITION DVD actually has 3 different versions of the movie; the original theatrical release lasting 136 minutes, the special edition version lasting 153 minutes and an extended special edition clocking in at 155 minutes and 43 seconds which is accessed by an "Easter Egg" discussed below.
You can access the extended special edition version by selecting special edition from the menu and then entering 82297 on your remote's numeric keypad. You may have to press "enter" after each number on certain DVD players. An easier method is to just select title number 3 from your remote.
The picture quality and sound quality are top-notch on this DVD and it is my top choice for showing off my system to friends and family! It includes Dolby Digital 5.1 EX, DTS 5.1 ES and Dolby Digital 2.0 mixes. The EX and ES designations refer to a new standard that includes a sixth channel of sound that is designed to emanate from a rear center speaker. I have a 5.1 setup, so I couldn't test this feature, but it's nice to know it's there.
This release comes in two formats; either a DVD-18 disc or two DVD-9 Discs. The DVD-18 is a double-sided, double layer disc and contains the entire 6 hours of material on one disc that needs to be flipped and the DVD-9 is a single-sided, double-layer disc which has the material on two discs. Don't worry, the content on both versions is the same. The two disc version might be preferable for DVD changer users. Due to manufacturing limitations with the newer DVD-18 format, the DVD-9's were created to better meet demand.
One really cool thing about this title is that the trailers for Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS play according to which audio setting is selected. These are nice to demo your system with! Also, the THX trailer at the beginning was customized for T2 as a bonus.
If you love this movie, get this version now! It has enough bonus materials to warrant a purchase even if you already own the previous release on DVD. This is an awesome special edition that betters the Laser Disc special edition at a quarter of the list price! There are English and Japanese trailers, 700 storyboards, a 26 person audio commentary, making of T2 and T2 3D featurettes and DVD-ROM material as well.
Last, but not least, you get "THX Optimode," a tool to properly adjust your home theater audio and video settings for optimum enjoyment. I recommend Video Essentials or Avia Guide to Home Theater DVDs for critical system adjustment, but this is a great tool for free! To access "THX Optimode," select "Sensory Control," click your remote's left button and click on the highlighted THX on the endoskeleton's skull.
This is a great DVD with my highest recommendation!
This review is about technical issues some users and reviewers seem to have (which included myself)
I think I figured out what the issue with the disc not playing on certain blu-ray disc players is here we go:
First let me explain that several movie companies (Warner Bros., Paramount, Universal, ... etc.) at times offer a feature on their blu-ray discs which is called "BD Live".
BD Live is a special feature which offers additional online content, accessible from the Internet through your Blu-Ray Disc Player.
Usually this feature is optional and you can access it through the Special Features section on the disc or it has its own category on the disc menue.
However it means that your Blue Ray Disc Player needs to be "BD Live ready" to be able to access that content. So the first thing to check is if the blu-ray disc player you own has the "BD Live readiness"!
Well, my blu-ray disc player is a Vizio and does offer BD Live so far so good. However when I tried accessing the BD Live feature on various blu-ray discs (e.g. 'Sherlock Holmes', 'Terminator:Salvation') I always got a message from my player stating "no storage media available"...
It took me over three months (until yesterday) to figure out that the error message practically meant that I have to put a Flash drive in the USB port of my Vizio blu-ray disc player.
Once I had put a 2 GB flash drive in the USB slot the BD Live feature of my 'Terminator Salvation' Blue Ray disc worked.
And be warned: It takes minutes for the features to download from the Internet if you have a slow Internet connection like I do (DSL)
After I was successful in getting the BD Live option to work I returned to my T2 disc, which refused to play in the past and simply locked up my player, ready to give it another try.
Voila! This time the disc played and the features are really awesome and stunning!
So the crux with the T2 Skynet Edition is that usually the BD Live feature is OPTIONAL (which makes sense, since not all blu-ray disc players offer the BD Live access), but in the case of the T2 disc the BD Live feature is MANDATORY!
This means your blu-ray Disc Player needs to have two things for the disc to work (= play):
1) The Player needs to have the BD Live readiness
2) The Player needs to have a storage device (such as a flash drive) connected to the USB port. (I don't know if there are possibly players on the market that have storage space internally, mine doesn't)
If you don't have both features your disc simply won't play, which is a shame and a stupid concept on the part of Warner Bros. They should have made the BD Live content optional or at least offer a bypass option.
This is my theory gotten out of my personal experience and I hope it is helpful for buyers of the blu-ray disc to avoid frustration over the issue!
Directions:
The hidden alternate version is 156 minutes. It contains the Future Coda ending and the cut of the movie is the special edition. To get to this third cut of the movie, click on Special Edition from the main menu. Highlight Play Special Edition and press 82997 on your remote. The words The Future Is Not Set will appear in the right hand portion of the setup screen and the left eye of the Terminator will light up. Now you can click on Play Extended Special Edition. If this does not work try 8 enter 2 enter 9 enter, 9 enter, 7 enter to achieve the same effect. Or, press title 3 and it plays the hidden alternate version.
There you go... you've got it all. Enjoy.
However, I find the real highlight of this disk (or disks) to be the movie itself, I mean WOW!!! You get three, I repeat, three, versions of the movie. One is the original theatrical version, featuring no cut out scenes (the worst), the special edition, featuring 16 minutes of additional footage (second best) and the Extended Special Edition that you need a code for (the best) which features 18 minutes of additional footage, as well as an alternate ending. Here, now, I will give you a step-by-step description of how to get this extended special edition. I'm sure most of you people reading this know how to already, but this is for those who didn't know this version existed, or don't know how to get it. What you do is, you go to the features menu. It'll say "Theatrical Version" and "Special Edition". Click on "Special Edition". Then, you highlight "Play Special Edition" and type in (you may have to type ENTER in-between each number) EIGHT TWO NINE NINE SEVEN (8 2 9 9 7) and then, the "Go To Theatrical Version" option changes to "Play Extended Special Edition". This is the definitive version of the movie. I believe that every single little, tiny scene that they cut out is in this version. Well, thats the code, now back to my review.
The picture and audio on this disk are SO awesome, you won't believe it. Crystal clear picture, and sound so loud that it's like you're in a movie theatre. The additional, restored scenes are remastered as well, and slip perfectly into the movie. If you haven't even seen the film, you won't even notice these scenes put into it. Usually, on additional scenes, the picture is dirty and shakes. Not in these added scenes. And, to make it even better, the scenes are presented in 2:35:1 widescreen anamorphic format. Yes!! Just the first disk makes this DVD the ultimate edition!! Also, there's an audio commentary by 26 members of the cast and crew, however, this commentary is just interviews put together to sound like a commentary. However, there's a noticable glitch in the theatrical version, due to the commentary. Well, if you watch this commentary on one of the special editions, you'll notice it's the same commentary as the theatrical version, but they talk about deleted scenes as well. You may, also, notice that they continue talking about the deleted "Dream Sequence" at the hospital, when it goes into the next scene. So, now, when you watch the theatrical version, you'll notice that the beggining scene with Sarrah Connor watching the tape from six months ago, the beggining of the scene is cut off!!! Oops! Well, that's forgivible. Now, the second disk (or the second side of the disk) has lots of special features. The three documentarys include "The Making Of Terminator 2 Judgement Day", "T2 More Than Meets The Eye", where they talk about deleted sequences and the reason they were cut. The last is "The Making Of Terminator 2 3-D Breaking The Screen Barrier", about the making of that 3-D terminator ride. I loved that ride (yes, I went on it) and this documentary is really interesting. The rest of the features, well, I'm not sure I kinow all of them. Maybe YOU should discover all the features on this disk. If you own the previous DVD release of T2 (which had no extras), then trash it and get this "Ultimate Edition". You WON'T be dissipointed.
If you found my review helpful, please be sure and vote for me! Thank You Very Much!
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This is the most feature packed DVD I own!Terminator 2 THE ULTIMATE EDITION DVD actually has 3 different versions of the movie; the original theatrical release lasting 136 minutes, the special edition version lasting 153 minutes and an extended special edition clocking in at 155 minutes and 43 seconds which is accessed by an "Easter Egg" discussed below.
You can access the extended special edition version by selecting special edition from the menu and then entering 82297 on your remote's numeric keypad. You may have to press "enter" after each number on certain DVD players. An easier method is to just select title number 3 from your remote.
The picture quality and sound quality are top-notch on this DVD and it is my top choice for showing off my system to friends and family! It includes Dolby Digital 5.1 EX, DTS 5.1 ES and Dolby Digital 2.0 mixes. The EX and ES designations refer to a new standard that includes a sixth channel of sound that is designed to emanate from a rear center speaker. I have a 5.1 setup, so I couldn't test this feature, but it's nice to know it's there.
This release comes in two formats; either a DVD-18 disc or two DVD-9 Discs. The DVD-18 is a double-sided, double layer disc and contains the entire 6 hours of material on one disc that needs to be flipped and the DVD-9 is a single-sided, double-layer disc which has the material on two discs. Don't worry, the content on both versions is the same. The two disc version might be preferable for DVD changer users. Due to manufacturing limitations with the newer DVD-18 format, the DVD-9's were created to better meet demand.
One really cool thing about this title is that the trailers for Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS play according to which audio setting is selected. These are nice to demo your system with! Also, the THX trailer at the beginning was customized for T2 as a bonus.
If you love this movie, get this version now! It has enough bonus materials to warrant a purchase even if you already own the previous release on DVD. This is an awesome special edition that betters the Laser Disc special edition at a quarter of the list price! There are English and Japanese trailers, 700 storyboards, a 26 person audio commentary, making of T2 and T2 3D featurettes and DVD-ROM material as well.
Last, but not least, you get "THX Optimode," a tool to properly adjust your home theater audio and video settings for optimum enjoyment. I recommend Video Essentials or Avia Guide to Home Theater DVDs for critical system adjustment, but this is a great tool for free! To access "THX Optimode," select "Sensory Control," click your remote's left button and click on the highlighted THX on the endoskeleton's skull.
This is a great DVD with my highest recommendation!
Best Deals for Terminator 2 - Judgment Day (The Ultimate Edition DVD) (1991)
As I opened my Amazon.com box revealing a shiny outer metal casing for this DVD, I knew I was in for something special. This "Ultimate Edition" impressed me even before opening the plastic wrapping! Soon, I slid off the metal T2 casing revealing a beautiful 2 disc DVD package. The graphics on the outer casing and on the discs themselves are quite creative. The booklet is also impressive....30 pages of photos and interesting facts concerning James Cameron, his crew and the film. It also has a detailed list of the chapters and a list with information on the restored footage. OK...so far I have a huge smile on my face, and I haven't even popped the DVD into my player yet. By the way, if you plan to keep the booklet inside the DVD case, make sure you close it tightly! This booklet is so thick, you'll have problems keeping the package closed! Anyway, I finally pop in Disc 1. The animated graphics are terrific! Disc 1 contains the theatrical release of the film, the special edition with restored footage, and the magic "easter egg" ending. It also gives you an assortment of audio options including Dolby Digital 5.1 EX, DTS 5.1 and Dolby Surround 2.0. You also have the choice of audio commentary by 26 cast and crew members! What I thought was really great about the commentaries was that the name of the person talking is shown on the screen with their credit, so you always know who is talking without getting confused. That was a pleasant surprise. You also have the choice of English subtitles and "Mission Profiles", which are biographies of many cast and crew members. You can also jump to any scene you want with an impressive "timeline" graphic. Being THX certified, this disc also contains a THX set-up. OK...so lets talk about the DVD. I decided to watch the "Special Edition". After a very impressive new THX logo, I sat back and watched the film. Instantly, the sound was top notch. If you have a subwoofer, you may have to make sure that anything hanging on your walls are securely fastened. The remastering job on this film is amazing. The stereo separation, the ambience, vocals and music all sound incredible. This film really set a new standard for sound design when it was first released, and this DVD compliments the sound department to the fullest. You are thrown into a surround sound environment that is addicting and thrilling. Even those with simple 2 speaker set-ups will be happy, but those with advanced surround systems will have some explaining to tell the neighbors. This DVD is a great test for your system. A true audiophonic, stereophonic thrill. OK...enough about the sound...what about the picture? Well, the picture is also superb, with incredible detail and beautiful deep blacks. Color saturation is beautiful with deep blues throughout the film. The transfer is incredibly clean. Can you believe that I can STILL see the wires suspending Arnolds motorcycle as he jumps into the canal!!?? (Chapter 21, I believe.) Anyway, the widescreen presentation of T2 is definitely the "ultimate DVD experience." **By the way, SLOWLY type in 8-2-9-9-7 in the main menu AFTER you choose "Special Edition". This accesses the secret "Extended Special Ediion." (different DVD players may require you to press 'enter' after each number, while others may not.)** OK...let's talk about disc 2 which contains all the supplemental material. The opening graphic animation is really great. This animation brings you to the main menu. The main menu is subdivided into 3 sections...."Information Programs" which has 3 featurettes, "Making of T2", "T2, More then meets the eye", and "The making of T2 3D". The second section, "Visual Campaigns", has a "Teaser Trailer", two "Theatrical Trailers", and a "T2 Special Edition Trailer". The thrid section, The "Data Hub", has all other supplemental material. This includes 574 still frames of the final shooting script, original storyboard sequences, a bunch of video sequences including videos of James Cameron, the co-writer, the effects designer, stunt coordinator, interviews with cast and other crew members and a BUNCH of other stuff that will keep you watching until T3 is released! The "Data Hub" also contains an impressive graphical behind the scenes story of T2, or you can choose a video featurette with behind the scenes footage....both very impressive. For you PC people, you can also watch the film while reading the script and looking at the storyboards. You can also link to online T2 websites. I won't ruin all the surprises of this disc, but I recommend you to experiment with this disc...there are a few other surprises that I won't go into detail about. In conclusion, I want to applaud everyone involved in the making of this DVD, especially the Creative Supervisor Van Ling. It is simply one of the BEST DVD's available and gives everyone a reason to own a DVD player. Much time was spent in producing this package, and it is worth every penny. Full of surprises, top notch audio and video quality with THX certification, and an attractive outer case too! This is what all future "ultimate editions" should be compared to, because "Terminator 2-The Ultimate DVD Edition" is why DVD was created. I recommend this DVD to EVERYONE....especially to those who are DVD fanatics, fans of the Terminator films and/or James Cameron, or you simply want to 'show off' your home entertainment system. Buy this DVD package and enjoy!Honest reviews on Terminator 2 - Judgment Day (The Ultimate Edition DVD) (1991)
This review is not about the movie itself or the special features on the blu-ray disc there are many other reviwes who already covered that part. For that I gave the movie the rating of 5 stars.This review is about technical issues some users and reviewers seem to have (which included myself)
I think I figured out what the issue with the disc not playing on certain blu-ray disc players is here we go:
First let me explain that several movie companies (Warner Bros., Paramount, Universal, ... etc.) at times offer a feature on their blu-ray discs which is called "BD Live".
BD Live is a special feature which offers additional online content, accessible from the Internet through your Blu-Ray Disc Player.
Usually this feature is optional and you can access it through the Special Features section on the disc or it has its own category on the disc menue.
However it means that your Blue Ray Disc Player needs to be "BD Live ready" to be able to access that content. So the first thing to check is if the blu-ray disc player you own has the "BD Live readiness"!
Well, my blu-ray disc player is a Vizio and does offer BD Live so far so good. However when I tried accessing the BD Live feature on various blu-ray discs (e.g. 'Sherlock Holmes', 'Terminator:Salvation') I always got a message from my player stating "no storage media available"...
It took me over three months (until yesterday) to figure out that the error message practically meant that I have to put a Flash drive in the USB port of my Vizio blu-ray disc player.
Once I had put a 2 GB flash drive in the USB slot the BD Live feature of my 'Terminator Salvation' Blue Ray disc worked.
And be warned: It takes minutes for the features to download from the Internet if you have a slow Internet connection like I do (DSL)
After I was successful in getting the BD Live option to work I returned to my T2 disc, which refused to play in the past and simply locked up my player, ready to give it another try.
Voila! This time the disc played and the features are really awesome and stunning!
So the crux with the T2 Skynet Edition is that usually the BD Live feature is OPTIONAL (which makes sense, since not all blu-ray disc players offer the BD Live access), but in the case of the T2 disc the BD Live feature is MANDATORY!
This means your blu-ray Disc Player needs to have two things for the disc to work (= play):
1) The Player needs to have the BD Live readiness
2) The Player needs to have a storage device (such as a flash drive) connected to the USB port. (I don't know if there are possibly players on the market that have storage space internally, mine doesn't)
If you don't have both features your disc simply won't play, which is a shame and a stupid concept on the part of Warner Bros. They should have made the BD Live content optional or at least offer a bypass option.
This is my theory gotten out of my personal experience and I hope it is helpful for buyers of the blu-ray disc to avoid frustration over the issue!
Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Terminator 2 - Judgment Day (The Ultimate Edition DVD) (1991)
After nearly ten years T2 is still snappy. And with this new DVD ULTIMATE EDITION, you can't really go wrong. If you already have bought T2 on DVD before this release, you will not feel cheated if you buy it again... because this one is the complete package. As for bells and whistles and added value, T2 is a ten all around. Excellent menu interfaces (level by level inside SKYNET HQ), a host of extras that will keep both DVD and PC/DVD ROM owners busy for hours on end... and I mean hours (from script, to movie(s) three in all, to 700 storyboards, inside MAKING OF's the film and the T2 3D ride, audio commentary and on and on and on...). Also, it comes complete with a metal slip case... real metal, real nice, and very cool... and I mean cold (when I bought this the other day the stores air conditioning had chilled the slip case to ice cold... my hand fogged it up when I was holding onto it). T2 ULTIMATE promises and delivers just that. The tranfer is sharp (the images in the film are very clear... very percise and dead on). The sound, very visual when you have the right system (and even if you don't it's still very nice). One of the best packages out there... highly recommended. PLUS! we have an EASTER EGG, for those of you who don't know what that means... we do have a hidden MODE to play with. It's an extra run of the film (making it three in total for the disk). It's the SPECIAL ADDITION, but with the FUTURE CODA scene replaced at the end. For those who don't know the FUTURE CODA scene and why it was cut... you'll have to review the DVD and movie. To get to the E.E. follow these instructions:Directions:
The hidden alternate version is 156 minutes. It contains the Future Coda ending and the cut of the movie is the special edition. To get to this third cut of the movie, click on Special Edition from the main menu. Highlight Play Special Edition and press 82997 on your remote. The words The Future Is Not Set will appear in the right hand portion of the setup screen and the left eye of the Terminator will light up. Now you can click on Play Extended Special Edition. If this does not work try 8 enter 2 enter 9 enter, 9 enter, 7 enter to achieve the same effect. Or, press title 3 and it plays the hidden alternate version.
There you go... you've got it all. Enjoy.
Cars Director's Edition (Cars / Cars 2 / Mater's Tall Tales) Reviews
List Price: $119.00
Sale Price: $75.28
Today's Bonus: 37% Off
I picked up this set yesterday. I felt I paid a decent price for it when I compared it to buying the movies separately. I haven't actually watched any of the discs yet but I'm sure they'll be fine. I liked the first Cars and love Michael Caine so I'm looking forward to the sequel. Mater's Tall Tales should be cute as well, it was really just a bonus anyway, it was the other two that I wanted. What I was not happy with was the packaging. It looked nice enough in the store but upon getting home with it and opening it, its a super cheap way to package this 11 disc set. I assumed the cardboard would house some sort of container inside that would hold the discs. Nope. Once you open the box, there's a flimsy piece of packaging plastic that sits on top, it is in no way anchored or attached, of a piece of foam that has slits in it to hold the discs so that they don't rub against each other. That's it. No blu-ray cases or anything else. Wow, Disney, you would think with an $100 list price (I got it for $75, Best Buy had it for $80 plus I had a $5 off coupon) they could come up with something a little sturdier. Plus if you have kids and they want the car that's included, your going to have to tear open what packaging you do have to get it out and then how will your discs be kept? Really pretty disappointed here. I would have taken it back and bought the individual discs if not for the digital copies, I wanted them and you only get them for all three in this set. Bad form, Disney. Bad Form!
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We're Disney fans, and already had Cars (1), but not the other two, so we opted for this set. It's a bit of overkill, but we have extras for all the different devices. Plus a couple of "oops, the kids scratched the heck out of this disc somehow" copies.The kids enjoyed the movies. Since they're the intended audience, I'm not going to review the scripts/movies. I'm going to specifically talk about the packaging.
I'm all about reducing my plastic consumption. But I do NOT like the storage box these are in. I wish they had sleeves or something. The foam block inside the box holds all the discs (the silver box with the checkerboard "top" to it. The checkerboard thing is actuall a flap of fabric). Anyway, this foam cheapens it. And this was not a cheap set. The foam has slits cut in in to store the disc. I suppose they're supposed to be kept pristinely apart from each other, but when I opened the box, they were all rubbing against each other. Also, the notches are all deformed, so it's not as if I can somehow "fix" it. I can get every disc but one in the box without touching its neighboring discs.
Best Deals for Cars Director's Edition (Cars / Cars 2 / Mater's Tall Tales)
I really enjoy the Cars movies and loved the idea of having them on blu-ray, DVD and a digital copy. You get a lot for your money in the end but if I were to do it over I would have bought them separately just to have them in better cases. Once you get into the box you find out that they are stored in a little box with soft foam that is shaped to slide the discs in and out of. It is not very user friendly, especially if you have little ones. The so called lid doesn't stay secure or really even fit for that matter. It is bulky and really a pain to try and fit it in with the other movies on the shelf. I say buy them separately and avoid the hassle of having to buy cases later.Honest reviews on Cars Director's Edition (Cars / Cars 2 / Mater's Tall Tales)
Bought this as a gift for my grandson, and he loves having the whole set. The little car is fun for him to play with, and is packaged so that I can put it back in place when he's finished, thus saving the 'collector' aspect.Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Cars Director's Edition (Cars / Cars 2 / Mater's Tall Tales)
My son got this as a gift for his birthday and he loves that it's every Cars movie especially the Cars Toons! However, just as stated with most other reviews, the packaging is really lousy. I can't even put the dvd's in correctly in that little soft foam holder.
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