* Did you watch a film last night (on Blu or DVD), and what was it? *

[andromedaaudio]

I just watched the last episode of the hobbit series : the batlle of the 5 armies , great trilogy , although Harry potter stays on number one for me .
It really is a blast on the convergent/ XPE speakers , i just need a isolated , noisefree sound bunker , to fully enjoy it, and cranck the volume up
The meitner dac is excellent as well , it gives a more controlled clearer overall sound with a bit more detail

 

[Ronm1]

I just watched the last episode of the hobbit series : the batlle of the 5 armies , great trilogy

I'm still waiting for the extended edition on this one.

 

[NorthStar]

I thought the Coen remake was outstanding...

'True Grit' (2010) ... fantastic remake. ...Totally agree with you.

I just watched the last episode of the hobbit series : the batlle of the 5 armies , great trilogy , although Harry potter stays on number one for me .
It really is a blast on the convergent/ XPE speakers , i just need a isolated , noisefree sound bunker , to fully enjoy it, and cranck the volume up
The meitner dac is excellent as well , it gives a more controlled clearer overall sound with a bit more detail

Not long ago I revisited 'The Hobbit' trilogy on Blu-ray and in 3D. I also have all the 'Harry Potter' movies on Blu-ray and with the last two ones (Part 1 and 2) in 3D. I just love movies, all movies, and on Blu-ray, and in 3D.

I'm a sucker for absorbing storylines, and concepts, and the fantasy world, and science-fiction flicks, and best picture and sound quality, high production values, great acting, great directing, character's developments, performances all around by the entire cast, great vistas, locales, decor sets, CGI visual effects well integrated with the story and film's atmospheric cadence, great musical scores of highest proportions, incisive sounds, clear intelligibility (dialog), intelligent scripts, precise and enveloping surrounding space, ...brief everything well done artistically and genuinely bravura.

I am simply amazed by 'The Hobbit' trilogy on BR and in 3D. ...For me it is the ultimate experience that fully engulfs me in a totally new world,
and more often than not, better than the real one (reality). ...Well, almost. :b
Technically speaking, it is in a much higher plateau than the full 'Harry Potter' saga. ...The blacks are much more inky and detailed in 'The Hobbit'.
In 'Harry Potter' they are often crushed and indistinct.
Plus, the music score in 'The Hobbit' is much more majestic and involving and better recorded and reproduced. ...Vaster emotional impact.
Plus, the 3D rendition in 'The Hobbit' trilogy is one of the very bests, period. ...In the two last 'Harry Potter' flicks the 3D rendition is very poor, much too dark with obscured images.

Movies are like music; it is an acquired taste. Some like classical orchestral and opera music (I do) and others prefer Bob Dylan (I do too), or Frank Sinatra (me too).
But 'The Hobbit' is technically much more refined. ...Blu-ray, and in 3D as well in 2D. ...This is supreme movie watching.

Just my personal opinion, and as I said I have all the 'Harry Potter' Blu-ray titles.
{I also love 'The Lord of the Rings' trilogy; the extended edition on Blu-ray.}

I'm still waiting for the extended edition on this one.

Same here Ron; I will double dip, again. ...Am I over excessive? ...No, I just want the u!timate Best in my movies, and in my music too.
My soul is the best part of me; I have to take great care of it. :b

____________
____________

? Last night I watched this ::

<<>> Fantasy film, on Blu-ray, in its original Norwegian language, with English subtitles. ...DTS-HD Master Audio lossless 5.1 surround sound.
I really enjoyed it. ...All around; story, acting, involvement, picture, sound, locales, magnificent vistas, ...everything.
'The Hobbit' it ain't, not to the same high production's values and level, but still very rewarding nonetheless.
If I had to rate it overall, my score would be in the neighborhood of 667.21 stars out of 1,000 of them. ...For me it represents a recommendation (anything above 650.00).

__________

 

[TBone]

re: True Grit ...

The casting of rookie Hailee Steinfeld, as Mattie Ross, was a pure stroke of Coen's genius. She was truly magnificent, perhaps a once in a lifetime performance. This is one remake which I consider much superior to the original.

Speaking of a memorable films, this afternoon I watched the doc ...

Director/Writer Brett Morgen comprehensive winding of news reports, diaries, interviews, home video's, animated saga's ... becomes the narrative. In some ways, it reminded me of PF The Wall movie.

 

[NorthStar]

I re-watched this guy last night (on Blu) ::

It's different. It's theater. It's funny. It's cool in a strange way, and I can connect with it because theater I know a bit about. ...Keaton (Batman, Beetlejuice) is a funny bird for sure.
First time I saw it, after ten minutes or so I was ready to give up, but I stuck with it mainly because of that drummer (music score) following our main actor around his zigzagging set of emotional turbulence. ...And from that moment on I simply followed him along for the ride. ...And what a ride it was.
To revisit it is to again dance to that drummer's rhythm. I like it; it's incisively sounding and straight to the heart of the matter (the brain).
It don't really matter much to me (not @ all) what others took from it; I just loved this different ride and enjoyed the moments...and funny @ times...mostly funny...all the time.

How can you rate (score) a film like that! ...Well, @ the Academy Awards night (Oscars 2015); they didn't seem to have much difficulty.

But my own personal score, and please realize that it's just me, and just a film among a billion more. ...Tomorrow there will be another one.
Anyway, overall score for "everything": 827.91 stars (out of 1,000).
Recommended only for people who did and did not see it, and with a wide open mind. :b ...Remember, we only live once, and what we've seen is nothing compared to what's comin' up next. ...I just like this flick.

______

 

[NorthStar]

If Gary (Protein) read this post here that I'm just about to write; then I'm in trouble. ...But it's ok because "Sci-Fi Operas" in movies are not for everyone.

Last night I revisited this ::

I believe this is the fourth time (perhaps fifth) that I watched it. It is a special film, very visual, and spiritual. ...Makes you travel through time and space.
It is philosophical too. ...And it rings so true. I commented on it before, here, couple times, so I won't repeat it. ...With the search function, or smart google, everything is accessible nowadays, for researchers.
My own personal overall rating score (real value): 912.78 stars. ...I just wish that it would be in 3D. ...Then my score would add another 50-60 stars.

And yes I know; some people cannot stand it (it is complicated with six different stories @ different time and space), and very few appreciate it as much as I do. ...The main lesson is one of verity and humility. ...A life's value that should be emphasized @ school and in everyday's life. It's a very powerful film.

______

 

[cjfrbw]

Bob, (Northstar) you're back on WBF. Did they kick you off of Audio Shark, or did you just apply bribes to the proper WBF authorities?

 

[NorthStar]

This is only a test, we're all doing our best. ...Did you see 'Cloud Atlas' ? ...'Birdman' ?

Life is good Carl?

 

[TBone]

I've been meaning to see Cloud Atlas, but I must admit that my hesitation has indeed been fueled by some pretty terrible reviews. Birdman is in Q ... this weekend I may have some younger family members to entertain, so I have a double bill planned that I'm hoping they'll find fun/appreciate.



Duel, 1971, this will be the first time I've seen it in 1080p wide screen. This made for TV movie remains one of my favorite Spielberg flics, it influenced many ...

Jeepers Creepers ...


and it's very similar sinister "Duel" scene ...

 

[NorthStar]

I'm revisiting 'The Matrix' ...full complete ultimate collection trilogy (4 films with 'The Animatrix'), on Blu, ...I started last night with the best, the first one.
...Would have been cool in 3D.
...In anticipation to 'Jupiter Ascending' next week (June 2nd), on Blu, in 3D, and in Dolby Atmos.
...By the same brothers (brother and sister now) who directed 'The Matrix'.

 

[NorthStar]

I just finished re-watching 'The Matrix' third installment last night; 'The Matrix Revolutions'

'The Matrix' original is the best. The sequel, 'The Matrix Reloaded' is the second best. And the third of the trilogy, 'The Matrix Revolutions' is the last/third best.
Tonight I'll revisit 'The Animatrix' with a twist; 2D>3D conversion. ...As an experiment.

________

Overall Score Rating (out of 1,000 stars) | on Blu-ray:

1. The Matrix: 866.98
2. The Matrix Reloaded: 725.44
3. The Matrix Revolutions: 646.71
? The Animatrix (2D Animation): 695.33

 

[NorthStar]

Some people listen to new music; they love to discover new artists, musicians, singers, ...
Most people play the same albums, CDs, ...more than once, twice, thrice, multiple times over long extended period of time; Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins, Billie Holiday.
Some Pink Floyd albums I played several times, more than twenty times.

Some people watch new films; they love to see newer films, and they watch a film only once. ...Very rarely twice.
Other people watch some films more than once, twice, and even thrice...and like music recordings (LPs, CDs, SACDs, ...) films become part of their medium movie collection; VHS Tape, Laserdisc, DVD, Blu-ray.

Entertainment of the senses; we all like, more, or less.

? Last night I revisited 'Gravity' | Diamond Luxe Edition on Blu (2D and Dolby TrueHD 7.1 core audio soundtrack; it is in Dolby Atmos...no Atmos decoder yet).

I saw it too @ the IMAX theater in 3D, and I also have the 3D Blu-ray version...so all together I saw it probably @ least five times.
I'm like that with some flicks, like I am with Pink Floyd and John Coltrane music.
And each time, I discover new elements of satisfaction. ...I dissect and ingest my music and movies from my sensory pleasures.

'Gravity' has a terrific music score, very pleasing imagery of vast expansion and depth.
Do I like it for other aspects? In 3D it's very well done, in 2D it is nice too, the acting and storyline is missing a little, but I respect the director's intended impact.
In space as on Earth we're all alone and we get by from what we've learned. ...People live, people sacrificed themselves, people die, people survive.

For this Diamond Luxe Edition (2D) my overall rating score (everything): 849.76 stars (out of 1,000).

<<>> The positive elements are a major contributor to that overall score.
I give you a quick example: Say that the technical picture and sound quality plus the music score is worth 9.5 (out of 10), and that the storyline, acting, directing, ...is worth 6.5 (out of ten); the technical attributes for this particular film are the main menu, the main entry, and as such are taking more emphasis than with other films, and remain the strong point.
Every film has its own set of main and secondary and third reflections (values), just like in music listening from different pairs of loudspeakers.
The sound quality, the visuals, the moving pictures, the emotional state @ the time, ...everything recorded and perceived by our brain is a function of our own personal transformation...entertaining world. ...And in time and in that space of that moment.

So, that's my score, from last night's particular viewing.

- Some people cannot put themselves in a new discovery mode from the same film, or from the same music; others don't have any trouble with either both.
I'm from the second camp, and from the first camp when the music/film is over (RAP music, ...truly awful B movies...)

 

[NorthStar]

Oh, and 'The Animatrix' (2D>3D conversion experiment); it works best with the better animated shorts (realistic designs). ...Roughly one third.
['The Animatrix' is a compilation of nine animated short films].

* No rating here; this was a simple experiment. It's not like the real thing in 3D. ...But it ain't bad either, for about a third. ...The rest...best still in original 2D.

 

[NorthStar]

Biography/Documentary (2014).

* My overall score rating: 897.98 (out of 1,000).

______

 

[NorthStar]

I revisited couple films on Blu-ray the last two nights, starting with last night ::

* Directed by a very young French-Canadian (Montreal, Quebec) actor/filmmaker, Xavier Dolan (born in 1989).
It's an emotional film (2014) with some great performances by the lead actresses. It's an actor's premises, where their art is the direction.
...No CGI effects here, no guns, no violence, no blood, no Hollywood comic books and robots. ...And no Artificial Intelligence, but raw human emotions.

It's in French, but has English subtitles...if you can handle it.

The best way to describe it is to simply view it and go along with the ride. The young director is experimenting; with his actors, and with various screen aspect ratios. It's not for everyone; but it's a good film with great/convincing performances. I certainly recommend it; for the human sociology factor, emotional value. - I give it 763.48 stars out of 1,000 and that includes everything, technical aspects and film content.

________

And the night before ::

* It's a longer film (less than four hours), and it's a masterpiece in its own right. ...Made in 1980 the later restoration by Criterion was a tour-de-force.
The vistas are beautiful, the direction executed with panache, and the actors/actresses shine with their entourage.
I might have commented on it here before; I just don't remember. Anyway, a 35-year old film and highly recommended, on Blu-ray.
...981.32 stars out of 1,000 from the sky above.

? Movie critics are like sound critics; it's only their opinion @ a given moment in time and in a determined space. ...A state.
We can write few lines, few paragraphs, few books...fact is that viewing films and listening to the music is in itself the true pure essence, the real experience...emotionally and technically.
...The science of an art form, the creation of imagination. ...And sometimes "magic" happens, and from many ways...mysterious and deliberated meticulously from hard labor of passion and love. ...Just like here.

 

[NorthStar]

By the way, this is not a solo thread; it's for everyone who love movies and want to share what they watch once-in-a-while or often. /// @ home.
...Just a simple reminder. :b

 

[Drikus]

Why these strange ratings? Doesn't make any sense...

 

[NorthStar]

Why these strange ratings? Doesn't make any sense...

You mean out of 1,000? ...Because it gives me more leeway, more expansion, and because it's my own choosing. ...Nothing strange, just numbers, larger than what you are used to.

It's very simple; divide it by any number you like...10 or even 100. :b

? Question: Did you watch a film recently, @ home, and if yes what was it and what did you think of it?

 

[NorthStar]

Last night I revisited this (1952) ::

I'm/was/still in the mood; black and white, the 50s, Summer time, relaxing watch. ...My score rating: 749.87 (or 7.5 - out of ten). ...Recommended.

P.S. I mentioned in the past that I don't rate movies with scores. I only started couple weeks ago or so. It was suggested to me; I thought about it and said to myself; alright, why not.
We see score ratings varying from out of four (4) stars, out of five (5) stars, out of ten (10) stars, and in percentage (up to 100%).
Scores are also varying; film's value (storyline, acting, etc.), technical aspects (picture and sound), 3D, Dolby Atmos (new), CGI effects, casting, direction, second camera units, movements (fluidity, camera work, shaky camera, lenses used, color's modification, enhancement, removal of blemishes or film pellicule scratches, restoration, focus, screen aspect ratios, fps, ...), dialog intelligibility, decor sets, locales, cameos, and several other aspects from a full film crew. I already mentioned this couple weeks ago, to help understanding my own rating scores (out of 1,000).
For me it's just a number, without specific importance, just a guide, my own personal guide.

I am now going to change that, for the third time since I started this thread; from no score rating @ all, to out of 1,000, and now out of 100 (but not percentage like %; 100 stars). ...Starting tomorrow. ...And if anyone has other suggestions; please feel free to share them because I want everyone happy. Is 100 a fair number? ...Or would 10 be preferable? ...About the decimals...only one or two?

? I just revisited some of my older posts from this thread; scores were given sometimes, and none often, and my scores varied a lot too, with sometimes more emphasis on the film itself, and @ other times on technical aspects.
And from the first viewing to a revisit, my mood/assessment has slightly evolved somehow...like if with time my vision had become clearer.

Consistency; we all feel more secured with it, but life, films, history, stock markets, audio, music, ...are not consistent with time. Reality is not consistent; it changes, it follows today's culture, new developments, improved technologies, new advancements, new visions, etc.

Out of 100 from now on. ...Like life span of humans on Earth, if we get lucky to live that long.
<<>> Lindeman, is 100 good for you; like that film just above...75 out of 100 (no decimals)? ...Yes, I'm sure it is.

 

[NorthStar]

Any Terry Gilliam's fans here; I am myself big time...all his films...and last night I revisited this guy ::

Lol, what a cool ride; colorful, fun, mysterious, enigmatic, bizarre, vivid, futuristic in an older world, dreamy, creamy, ...waiting for a phone call. ...About existence...
If you like humorous sci-fi flicks of inventiveness; that's one of them, 'The Zero Theorem'.

Words alone cannot describe the cinematic experience; you just have to see it to find out...recommended, very.

? Technical merits (visuals and auditory): 70/100
? Film's real content (entertainment value): 92.5/100
? Overall: 85.5 (out of 100).
? Last word: Imaginative.