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

MadFloyd

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He did kill himself; he couldn't find more work, he couldn't pay his mortgage, he was depressed. He shot himself in the face but was still alive and shot himself again and was dead.
It happens that some suicides they have to shoot themselves more than once; not everyone is an accurate shooter, even @ close range. And particularly when emotionally down.
His wife confirmed his depression, and knew how deep it was.
The CIA had no motive to kill him because everything has already been exposed publicly two or more years before.

Who are you referring to?
 

NorthStar

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NorthStar

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We all love movies, we all love entertainment in our lives. ...Same with music and movie soundtracks.
We even love Star Wars movies, some more than others. If we don't love Star Wars, like the first original one and that last one; The Force Awakens, and that we say so, we are going to hit a wall of many many hard core fans. And that's the last thing you want to do in a movie thread.

Now with that said, I am going to point out some of The Force Awakens weaknesses. ...And that wall I am going to face it with all my heart and brain.

Last night I re-watched The Force Awakens in a more analyzing mode, technically and story wise.

First of, this episode VII was made for the fans and for Disney's business investment strategy.
Everything that I'm going to say here is from myself only, my own vision, my own opinion, and nobody else.

The film starts alright, with the normal Star Wars recipe, the yellow titles slowly disappearing in space.
Then a big spaceship with a planet behind it slowly approaching and crossing over and with that low frequency under our chair/couch; cool, but nothing to sweat over.

The desert scenes are mainly clear and the cameras are standard fare, without anything special or newly created to wow us. ...I'm talking angles and focus here. And her goggles for scavenging inside dark wrecked spaceships for food exchange suits her well.
The darker scenes are missing clarity and definition and even focus @ times; they are subpar...many of them.
The sounds are nothing extraordinary, but rather blend for the most part...the action scenes don't have that sync impact. ...They do for some, like the fans, but not to technical audiophiles and videophiles. And just in case here; I'm talking the Blu-ray version @ 1080p and in 2D.
If you want visuals check Star Wars Episode III - Revenge of the Sith, and if you want audio check Episode I and II.
Episode VII simply doesn't have what it takes technically to surpass previous Star Wars works.

The story; new young characters with Rey, and the deserter guy; "because it's the right thing to do." ...The pilot guy (ex_machina) is ok. Max's cool but not for long. The old 40-year old characters...out of space. The robots...memory lane. BB-8...a rolling one this time...faster.
Now, we all know the great talent of George Lucas when scripting his movies with cheesy dialog.
Do you think it's better here? I don't think so. But Star Wars fatal attraction is for the masses, and it's all part of it...two point one billion of it.
And don't forget, this is the first of the third trilogy, and by the end it'll surpass in dollars the total number of people living on planet Earth (7.35 billion). The Jedi, the new force, the awakening, the discovery, the adventure, the memory, the road to a far far away galaxy, all is in us the kids of tomorrow and today and yesterday. ...The hope, the ray of light, Rey.

Disney bought Lucas for $4 billion. That is a lot of dough, and it'll pay off too. ...Two more to go, plus all the stuff that comes with it; DVD, Blu-ray, Blu-ray 3D, and UHD Blu-ray, plus the merchandises and Disneyland...

Back to the movie, and the story, acting and characters. I like Rey, she's young (23), fresh, independent in her facial expression, pretty, and she can run graciously in the desert sand. Her outfit is casual, kind of stuff you wear riding a camel in the desert, or a spaceship in space.
The other characters? Ok, look @ the deserter; for a guy employed by the dark side he's quite emotionally sensitive. It's ok, forget about him and look @ his boss; is he scary, authoritative, with a menacing voice and body language? Does he wear his mask right? Not for one cent, they should have put that guy in the lion's pit with the rest.
About his first general in command? Don't ask me to tell you their names because I'm just not there yet...heck I don't even know if that voice is from a woman or a young dude.

Listen, the first time I saw that film I just didn't know what to truly think of it, or what exactly happened. Now with the second time it felt like I fell of my chair and the space around me shrunk. I simply wasn't wow. And that's why it's scary and that I'm afraid, very. Am I losing it...my virginity again! Am I getting too old for this delicatessen?

Don't get me wrong, it's not near a fiasco, how could that be with $2.1 billion @ the world box office. And I rated it very highly for everything (picture/audio quality and film value itself) with 80 out of 100. But it's just no way that I'll give it anything in the 90s, in all aspects, just no way. Perhaps later this year the BR 3D version will help me out here, because I'm big in 3D. And perhaps the 4K version will help too...but I truly doubt it...even with a Dolby Atmos or DTS:X audio soundtrack.
The hope, the wish, the expectation of a higher force taking over can only be fully realized in the reality of what we see onscreen and hear around.

I got all Star Wars movies (seven of them) on Blu-ray; the Empire and the Sith are my favs...I simply had to have the others to follow the flow, just like Mad Max series and the Man with no Name trilogy.

SW - The Force Awakens is not a masterpiece, and no disaster either. It's somewhere between depending of the type of helmet you're wearing over your head and the type of goggles that comes with it.

I told you that everything I just said above is coming up from me only; and anything else you might read from the fans and movie critics are their own.
The year is 2016, and it's a beautiful day.

Looking forward to The Revenant on Blu-ray.

*** Everyone loves movies, everyone loves music and film scores, everyone has some audio/video gear, everyone has some movies and music recordings.
Some loves to talk 'bout, others 'bout somethin' else. ...Like the weather, or the universe, or the rest of the news on CNN...all that jazz.
But movies and film music scores are still the world on entertainment. And the rating scores we give are the same ones we're used to rate ourselves.

This film (The Force) is a philosophy of life in our own galaxy in disguise. We take the parts that we like and we create the world we love with.

Some talk about their movie experiences, others don't. It's the same with music, ...with life.
 
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NorthStar

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Deleted; double post. Glitch issue with WBF's vBulletin®

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NorthStar

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I revisited Dracula last night, starring Gary Oldman and directed by Francis Ford Coppola.

It's the latest from Sony Cinema Series, mastered in 4K, and with Dolby Atmos. But it's not the real 4K stuff, just scanned over, and with improved sound.
And speaking of sound, even without an Atmos decoder you'll hear this very very special soundtrack with subliminal small voices around...very special indeed, as it is unique to this film.
It may not sounds like much but to my ears I can definitely say that whoever did the sound mix he had a very good guide, and I wouldn't be surprised @ all that Francis Coppola was the man who wanted to create this very special and unique atmosphere for his film. ...Chapeau!

Some scenes are fantastically composed. Keanu is young and I don't know if this was the intended direction for him, but he's no match to his elders...Gary Oldman, Anthony Hopkins and Tom Waits. All the young girls are pretty and gorgeous in their dresses. Keanu's performance is simply not convincing @ all. That's my honest opinion, but the film remains nonetheless a very special one...coordinated with a master hand, by the man himself...Francis. ...Sumptuous, mysterious, sensual, eye captivating, tricky, decors, movements, sounds, music (wow, the music score), Tom Waits, the girls, the colors, the shades, ...
And the replay value is strong.

Overall (film, sound and picture, plus actors/actresses and high production values): 82

 

NorthStar

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I revisited this last night; this particular BR version (Mastered in 4K and with Dolby Atmos - Dolby TrueHD 7.1 for me):



I don't usually post a review from another website but today I am making an exception; because it has reflective value.

? http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/The-Fifth-Element-Blu-ray/138634/#Review
_________

Lol, I must have a bunch of disc and tape versions of that movie's title.
And yes, this is the best version, so far, till a 4K one shows up, eventually.
And yes, I love that flic, so I invested quite a bit of money and time in it.

I won't review the film because everyone knows it just like Terminator and Lawrence of Arabia.
The visuals are awesome, and the audio soundtrack spectacular. This new BR version is also inexpensive, very...only eight bucks @ amazon Canada.
-> https://www.amazon.ca/Fifth-Element...kCode=xm2&m=A3DWYIK6Y9EEQB&tag=bluraycom0c-20

Overall (everything): 90
 

NorthStar

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I revisited this last night (3D) :

The-Walk-br-us-3D-243x300.jpg

http://www.whatsbestforum.com/showt...-what-was-it-*&p=367829&viewfull=1#post367829
________

I noticed something very different than in the past in this thread now: Half of the pictures are gone! I cannot see them anymore.
It's unfortunate because some posts don't mention the movie's title...so it's up in the air as to reader's guesses.
I guess it's no big deal because who anyway would google movie reviews and end up here? ...Most likely not many, but I did see WBF before as one of the main entries, so you truly never know how much traffic there could be.
________

* EDIT: 45 film picture covers gone in the last 20 pages alone. ...The beginning fares better; still 185 pages here...my estimate would be between 300 and 400 pictures to restore! ...Not for the faint of heart. :b
 
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MadFloyd

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I think you should always mention the name of the movie in the post, Bob. I often rely on my email to read new posts on threads I'm subscribed to and they don't show the pictures - so I read often read your reviews and don't know what movie you saw :)
 

NorthStar

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I agree Ian, and now more so after what you've just said.
_________

Last night I revisited Jurassic World in 3D.

134032_front.jpg

The 3D effects are not the best, I would recommend the 2D version.
The picture quality is very polished (that blue helicopter in the air was nice, in 3D).
Yes, the colors are better in 2D for this one.

It's not a bad flick overall, to me; it has enough teeth to keep you entertained.
I found my original short review: 3D ? http://www.whatsbestforum.com/showt...-what-was-it-*&p=345942&viewfull=1#post345942
2D ? http://www.whatsbestforum.com/showt...-what-was-it-*&p=350510&viewfull=1#post350510
__________

If motivated, slowly, with time...I might restore the pictures missing from my own posts. ...No rush.
 

NorthStar

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Ok, I spent about an hour or so restoring the few pictures missing from the first 50 pages. That wasn't so bad, and another day the next 50 shouldn't be so bad either. But it's after that that more work has to be done; I'll take my time over a more extended period.

Two things I encountered (discovered) performing this task:
1. My quota run out; meaning no more picture attachments for me. I am maxed ... @ 95.36 MB (which was even more than normally allowed).
2. The images that were missing was mainly because their URL addresses were slightly changed, or they were simply gone from their place of origin; pictures on the Internet don't last forever, they can be stolen or burned just like in real life, like all my family pictures were stolen by a guy running a storage facility.
_____________

I revisited Everest (3D) last night:



That's what I said ? back in January:

"Based on a true story; the big mountain and the little people climbing it in all kind of unexpected circumstances...extreme challenges occasionally...like here...and death. Mother nature is unforgivable, no matter how strong and smart we all are.

This based account is in the "Hollywood" tradition; not my favorite type. Too much forcing...from the actors, the CGI effects, and the artificial sound pushing. Sure it's dramatic, but it doesn't grab you realistically.

I like snow, I like white snow...it always look great on our screens, and in 3D 'Everest' has its shining moments, just not the consistency...if you get my drift. ...On a scene to scene basis, with the blurriness of the tempest @ high altitude with winds hurling and blasting.

Oh, your subs and surrounds will be enjoying the climb along with your ears, just don't expect miracles as if you were truly climbing yourself because it's not exactly the way it is. It's ok, it is someone's own vision and with the tools provided (Pro Tools). ;-)

The imagery is impressive...@ times (many times). The acting is not particularly my bag; that's my affair.

? Overall (film only): 69 ...and with the technical merits (3D image illusion and sound's fabrication): 80 (the sum of it all).

Last word: Go for it, go for the climb, just don't fall."
 
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NorthStar

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I revisited Pan in 3D last night:



Here's what I said about it before:

"It's the 3D film's visuals with accompanying audio that is the true movie ride here.
If you're looking for John Wick @ The Red Circle discotheque you won't find him.
If you're looking for that child inside you you have a much better chance of discovering him/her...in 3D.

It's not a Quentin Tarantino's construction film in deconstructing time.
It's not a 'Sicario' film's genre either. ...From Denis Villeneuve...French Quebecois filmmaker.

'Pan' - overall rating (film plus technical aspects, including 3D picture effects, and overall 'sound' ride): 78.5
Way underrated because most critics cannot put themselves in a real entertainment chair @ the 3D movies. ...Plus nobody who write film critics is younger than twelve. But! I am, ha!

Anyway, Mad Max it ain't, but the 3D ride is still fun nonetheless. Be true, be an adult inside your favorite child. ...Eat good, sleep well, live with verve and feverish tenacity.
Enjoy the Holidays 360° around. ...Warm holidays with films that exhibit "warmth". ...Short of living in the dinosaur's age.

? Last word: Pan & Scan 'Pan' in 3D. Look above in the sky for that shining star, ...Peter Pan, in a new 3-Dimensional magic ride."
 

NorthStar

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I revisited The Martian (3D) ? http://www.whatsbestforum.com/showt...-what-was-it-*&p=369844&viewfull=1#post369844



Happy Mother's Day!

_______________

Lol, Mom is happy, she went to see Le Cirque du Soleil yesterday, and she was blown away • https://www.cirquedusoleil.com/LUZIA/
{Very very hard to find videos of their latest spectacle, LUZIA, ...it's impossible. _ But she described it to me...the best moment...}

I hope everyone told their Mom that they love ? her, and with music and pictures and flowers.
Our Moms are SUPER important; when things get tough, just think about your Mom, and the Mom of all other people on this planet.

Munich High End Audio show is awesomely good looking with the very best in the world. ...Same with our Moms.
The music must be top quality sounding, and the components are top designed grade. No Mickey Mouse stuff there, very lush and serious investment of the soul...the music ?

So, what have you been watching recently that is worthy to share with us? ...Other than your Mom's face when you spread her with flowers and presents of love. After all, we're all worthy...so is the music we listen to and the films and music videos and documentaries and news we watch. Yeah, we take care of our Moms like we do of each other and of the music and films that we love. Without our Moms...no music, no films, no audio forums where we meet other music lovers...like WBF...and the rest. Without our Moms we simply wouldn't exist, but just a vaporized dream inside a black hole. Our Moms are like the sea (mer in French) of the universe. Love you Mom (she's 81, very young like me).
 
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NorthStar

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I was restoring some more BR front picture covers of movies I watched over the years when I realized that all the hours I spent restoring some already have vanished again! This is very annoying.

Anything Canadian from bluray.com and amazon.ca (Canada) has been blocked because of suspicion!!??!! Wow!

Ok, all pictures restoration from USA from now on. Go USA go go go! :D


_______

EDIT: Oops! Even the USA side from blu-ray.com and amazon make their BR front cover pictures disappeared!!!

In about ten years, this is a first. That one above (The Martian) is still there, but I just restored three that were from the US side! Wow!
I can always go with HighDefDigest, or AreaBlu-ray, or Blu-rayVerdict, or Blu-rayLibrary of World United Nations. ...To get the BR front picture covers from movie studios in Hollywood.

What is Ajax, a detergent for the toilet? I thought Javex (Java) was more friendly? :b ...Beats me man, we live in a very strange world of cumulus confusious. ...Almost if Caesar from Rome was back and ruling over the mountains crossing the world's deserts and highways.

Who's watching a film recently? ...A sandal film. Yeah, it inspires me to do just that tonight...a sandal flick.
Another type of film I like to watch is one on very ultra high end audio. Anyone knows one? ...Or even a documentary.
Pictures and videos are abundant, but films/documentaries?
 
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NorthStar

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View attachment 11974

___________

This is the type of errors I get often now.

This browser is NOT AJAX compatible
http://images.static-bluray.com/movies/covers/130894_front.jpg Failed to load resource: the server responded with a status of 403 (Forbidden)
http://images.static-bluray.com/movies/covers/105043_large.jpg Failed to load resource: the server responded with a status of 403 (Forbidden)
vbulletin-core.js?v=421:11 Firing System Init
vbulletin-core.js?v=421:11 Fire vB_XHTML_Ready
vbulletin-core.js?v=421:11 Fetch Cookie :: vbulletin_collapse (null)
vbulletin-core.js?v=421:11 Fetch Cookie :: vbulletin_multiquote = '394172,394213'
VM760:1 'webkitAudioContext' is deprecated. Please use 'AudioContext' instead.
2chrome-extension://enhhojjnijigcajfphajepfemndkmdlo/cast_sender.js Failed to load resource: net::ERR_FAILED
VM787:1 'webkitIDBKeyRange' is deprecated. Please use 'IDBKeyRange' instead.
2chrome-extension://fmfcbgogabcbclcofgocippekhfcmgfj/cast_sender.js Failed to load resource: net::ERR_FAILED
4chrome-extension://enhhojjnijigcajfphajepfemndkmdlo/cast_sender.js Failed to load resource: net::ERR_FAILED
4chrome-extension://fmfcbgogabcbclcofgocippekhfcmgfj/cast_sender.js Failed to load resource: net::ERR_FAILED


_______
_______

Image completely gone from BR site:


12 Monkeys Blu-rayCanada
26455251
Twelve Monkeys
Universal Studios | 1995 | 130 min | Rated CA: 14 | Jul 28, 2009

12 Monkeys (Blu-ray)
Large: Front Back
 
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MadFloyd

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