The Sessions Blu-ray Review

***SYNOPSIS***


Paralyzed and confined to an iron lung since childhood, poet-journalist Mark O'Brien (Hawkes) has overcome adversity time and time again. But now, at age 38, he faces his toughest challenge yet: losing his virginity. With the help of a beautiful therapist (Hunt), a sympathetic priest (Macy), and his own unbridled sense of optimism and humor, Mark embarks on an extraordinary personal journey to discover the wondrous pleasures that make life worth living.





***VIDEO QUALITY***


The Sessions arrives on Blu-ray with a 1080p transfer in the aspect ratio of 1.85:1 - This beautiful and touching movie looks lovely in HD. The film was shot digitally with the Red One camera and there are nos gins of artificial enhancement or any anomalies to speak of. Colors have a warm tone with perfect saturation. Fine detail was superb. Facial closeups, clothing and furniture all exhibited natural textures and perfect clarity. Blacks were deep with good shadow delineation throughout the film. Contrast was balanced well. This Oscar nominated film is a stunner and so is it's Blu-ray transfer. 9.5/10


***AUDIO QUALITY***


Audio is provided by a DTS -HD Master Audio 5.1 track. - The excellent script has so many funny, touching moments and the dialogue used to convey that was crisp and clear throughout. Surrounds are used sparingly for ambient effects. Marco Beltrami's score fills the listening room when called upon. This is for the most part though a front heavy , dialogue driven track. 8/10


***SPECIAL FEATURES***


* Writer/Director Ben Lewin Finds Inspiration (1080p, 4min) - A quick look at how the Director became involved with the project.
* John Hawkes Becomes Mark O'Brien (1080p, 4min25sec) - The brilliant John Hawkes gives a lot of insight into the actorly tricks he used to portray a paralyzed man.
* Helen Hunt as the Sex Surrogate (1080p, 4min13sec) - Helen Hunt also brings the viewer into her process for bringing her caring and tender sex surrogate to life.
* A Session with the Cast (1080p, 4min) - A brief featurette with clips, cast interviews and overview of the story.
* The Women Who Loved Mark O'Brien (1080p, 4min25sec) - Interviews with the female cast
* Deleted Scenes (1080p, 3min34sec) - Two scenes that wouldn't have benefited staying in the film.
* Theatrical Trailer (1080p, 2min26sec)

A Late Quartet Blu-ray Review

***SYNOPSIS***


Academy Awardr Winners Christopher Walken and Philip Seymour Hoffman strike all the right chords with Academy Awardr Nominee Catherine Keener and Mark Ivanir in this powerful story that blends raw emotion with fiery passion to form an unforgettable cinematic masterpiece. After 25 years together, the members of a world-renowned string quartet learn that their beloved cellist (Walken) may soon be forced to retire. But the news stirs up equally painful challenges when competing egos, harbored resentment, and irrepressible lust threaten to derail the group as they struggle to maintain harmony in their music - and their lives.





***VIDEO QUALITY***


A Late Quartet arrives on Blu-ray with a 1080p transfer in the aspect ratio of 2.35:1. The film exhibits a warm palette that brings the viewer into the drama unfolding onscreen. The movie was shot digitally which leads to a few instances of noise in darker scenes. Otherwise this is a beautiful and crisp image. Detail was rendered strongly with instruments and facial closeups looking very lifelike.

Black levels were deep. Shadow delineation was solid. Contrast was well balanced. There were no sings of artificial enhancement or artifacts. A real joy to watch. 9/10


***AUDIO QUALITY***


Audio is provided by a DTS -HD Master Audio 5.1 track. - This is a beautifully balanced aural experience. Dialogue was crisp and clean throughout. Surrounds are used sparingly for subtle ambient effects until the musical compositions kick in. As most know the string section of an orchestra is the one that tugs at the heart and the striking clarity with which the violin and cello fill the soundstage and swept me away. All instruments are gorgeously represented in the mix. The LFE channel won't rattle your rafters but added pleasing depth tot he melodies. I plan on turning off putting the disc in with picture off just to demo the music. It's that good. 9/10


***SPECIAL FEATURES***


* Discord and Harmony: Creating A Late Quartet (1080pHD, 8 min) - A well made but all too brief look into the making of the film that mixes cast and crew interviews with some very interesting stories.

Own The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey on Blu-ray Combo Pack 3/19

Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has officially announced they will be bringing the worldwide blockbuster The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey in 3D Blu-ray Combo Pack and Standard Blu-ray Combo Pack forms on March 19,2013 Technical attributes will include an DTS-HD MA 7.1 and the widescreen , theatrical cut version of the film. Below is the official press release and details:


**SPECIAL FEATURES**

New Zealand: Home of Middle Earth
Video Blogs
* Start of Production
* Location Scouting
* Shooting Block One
* Filming in 3D
* Locations Part 1
* Locations Part 2
* Stone St. Studios Tour
* Wrap of Principal Photography
* Post-production Overview
* Wellington World Premiere
Theatrical Trailers
Video Game Trailers
Standard DVD
UltraViolet Digital Copy


“THE HOBBIT:AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY,”

A PRODUCTION OF NEW LINE CINEMA

AND METRO-GOLDWYN-MAYER PICTURES,

ARRIVES ON DIGITAL DOWNLOAD ON MARCH 12

AND ON BLU-RAY COMBO PACK,

BLU-RAY 3D™ COMBO PACK

ON MARCH 19 FROM WARNER BROS. HOME ENTERTAINMENT

Unlock a Sneak Peek of “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug”

on March 24 When You Purchase the Movie on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital Download at Select Digital Retailers


From Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Peter Jackson comes “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey,” a production of New Line Cinema and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures (MGM), arriving on Digital Download on March 12 and on Blu-ray Combo Pack, Blu-ray 3D Combo Pack and 2-Disc DVD Special Edition on March 19 from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment. All disc versions feature UltraVioletÔ and more than 130 minutes of bonus content. The first of a trilogy of films adapting the enduringly popular masterpiece The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien, “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey,” which is nominated for three Academy Awards*, is an epic adventure that immerses audiences once again in the fantastical world of Middle-earth. The March 19 home entertainment release will be followed by an Extended Edition available just in time for the holidays.

In addition, Peter Jackson will host a live first look at “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug,” the second film in The Hobbit Trilogy, on Sunday, March 24 at 3:00 p.m. Eastern/Noon Pacific. Content will be streamed live and an edited version will be archived on the Trilogy’s official website. Access to the live event will be limited to holders of an UltraViolet code available by purchasing “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” Blu-ray Combo Pack, Blu-ray 3D Combo Pack or 2-Disc Special Edition DVD. Select digital retailers will issue access codes upon purchase of the film. Visit www.thehobbit.com/sneak for more information.

Ian McKellen returns as Gandalf the Grey, the character he played in “The Lord of the Rings” Trilogy, with Martin Freeman in the central role of Bilbo Baggins, and Richard Armitage as Thorin Oakenshield. Also reprising their roles from “The Lord of the Rings” in “The Hobbit” Trilogy are: Cate Blanchett as Galadriel; Ian Holm as Old Bilbo; Christopher Lee as Saruman; Hugo Weaving as Elrond; Elijah Wood as Frodo; and Andy Serkis as Gollum. The international ensemble cast also includes James Nesbitt, Ken Stott, Sylvester McCoy, Barry Humphries, Aidan Turner, Dean O'Gorman, Graham McTavish, Adam Brown, Peter Hambleton, John Callen, Mark Hadlow, Jed Brophy, William Kircher, Stephen Hunter, Lee Pace, Benedict Cumberbatch, Manu Bennett and Conan Stevens.

The screenplay for “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” is by Fran Walsh & Philippa Boyens & Peter Jackson & Guillermo del Toro, based on the novel by J.R.R. Tolkien. Jackson also produced the film, together with Carolynne Cunningham, Zane Weiner and Fran Walsh. The executive producers are Alan Horn, Toby Emmerich, Ken Kamins and Carolyn Blackwood, with Boyens and Eileen Moran serving as co-producers.

New Line Cinema and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Present a WingNut Films Production, “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.” All three films in “The Hobbit” Trilogy, also including “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug,” and the final film, “The Hobbit: There and Back Again,” are productions of New Line Cinema and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures (MGM), with New Line managing production. Warner Bros. Pictures is handling worldwide theatrical distribution, with select international territories as well as all international television distribution being handled by MGM.

“The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” was released on December 14, 2012, with the second film, “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug,” releasing December 13, 2013, and the third film, “The Hobbit: There and Back Again,” slated for July 18, 2014.

“The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” will be available on 3-Disc Blu-ray Combo Pack for $35.99, on 5-Disc Blu-ray 3D Combo Pack for $44.95, and on 2-Disc DVD Special Edition for $28.98. The Blu-ray Combo Pack features the theatrical version of the film in hi-definition on Blu-ray, and the theatrical version in standard definition on DVD. The 3D Blu-ray Combo Pack features the theatrical version of the film in 3D hi-definition on Blu-ray, the theatrical version of the film in 2D high definition on Blu-ray and the theatrical version in standard definition on DVD. The Blu-ray Combo Pack, Blu-ray 3D Combo Pack and the 2-Disc DVD Special Edition all include UltraViolet, which allows consumers to download and instantly stream the standard definition theatrical version of the film to a wide range of devices including computers and compatible tablets, smartphones, game consoles, Internet-connected TVs and Blu-ray players.*

SYNOPSIS

The adventure follows the journey of title character Bilbo Baggins, who is swept into an epic quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor from the fearsome Dragon Smaug. Approached out of the blue by the Wizard Gandalf the Grey, Bilbo finds himself joining a company of 13 Dwarves led by the legendary warrior, Thorin Oakenshield. Their journey will take them into the Wild, through treacherous lands swarming with Goblins, Orcs and deadly Wargs, as well as a mysterious and sinister figure known only as the Necromancer.

Although their goal lies to the East and the wastelands of the Lonely Mountain, first they must escape the Goblin tunnels, where Bilbo meets the creature that will change his life forever...Gollum.

Here, alone with Gollum, on the shores of an underground lake, the unassuming Bilbo Baggins not only discovers depths of ingenuity and courage that surprise even him, he also gains possession of Gollum's “precious” ring that holds unexpected and useful qualities...A simple, gold ring that is tied to the fate of all Middle-earth in ways Bilbo cannot begin to know.

Argo: Declassified - Video Feature

Warner Bros Home Entertainment have released a 28 minute video feature ARGO: Declassified, a special in-depth look at the real events that inspired the Oscar nominated film ARGO. Own the Ben Affleck directed Argo on Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD and Digital Download February 19, 2013.






Click on the link above to purchase your copy of ARGO