Band of Brothers [Blu-ray]
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Movie Reviews of Band of Brothers [Blu-ray]
Movie Review: The best reason to have bluray
Summary: 5 Stars
First of all if this isn't your genre then I won't convince you to get this movie, but if it is and you already have the dvd set as I do why get the bluray version?
Well other than the added content the best reason is quality of the audio and video. I'm watching this on a sony 1080p 42" tv and Yamaha receiver for audio. Right away I noticed the clarity in the audio, the new audio improvements are obvious on my setup and that's where the all the goodness begins. As for the improved picture quality, my bluray player up converts rather well but in the first few minutes of the first episode, where Sobel picks the loose thread of Lipton's shirt from his new chevrons, you actually see the thread, and I was sitting 6 feet away, later on in other episodes you see the beads of sweat on some of the characters faces and can read the names on uniforms etc. I immediately popped the dvd version in the bluray player and couldn't see any of this on the dvd version, up converted by the player or the receiver which both do decent up converting. The added clarity in the audio, sharpness and detail in the picture makes watching this series over very worth while.
Highly recommended, if you enjoy the series already, I won't try and convince you to like the show itself if you already don't but if you do like it the bluray version is worth it over the dvd box set, hell it's even worth it to get a bluray player to watch it if you already like it :-)
Movie Review: You can't miss this.
Summary: 5 Stars
The sign of any truly engaging piece of entertainment -- and I firmly believe Band of Brother to transcend such a label -- is an overwhelming sadness as the credits roll. Expound tenfold upon such an emotion, and that's what the entire final episode is like; you've grown to enjoy the characters so intensely that simply the knowledge of this miniseries' end is heartbreaking.
Now... remember that these aren't 'characters' -- they are actual people.
This isn't pure fantasy -- it's a recreation of actual events.
Band of Brothers is so eloquently presented, so dynamically directed and produced, that I cannot watch this without feeling displaced. Every aspect of this series is crafted painstakingly, from the casting choices to the actors' performances to the glimpses of "things you've always heard about" to sets and locations which completely immerse you in the storylines; this is a must-have for anybody interested in war movies, WWII, history... or just plain ol' good drama. Feel free to keep a copy of Saving Private Ryan or Black Hawk Down nearby, in case you get inspired. ;o)
The only drawback? It comes in a nice metal case... and mine was dented during delivery, without option for an exchange. In retrospect, I should've done the "buy it at a store and return the damaged copy" shenanigan, but a pair of pliers and my case went from 'damaged' to 'with personality'. Woot.
-EMM-
Movie Review: Was skeptical about the bluray difference...
Summary: 5 Stars
First , let me say that I watched the original HBO series when it first aired in 2001. It began just after 9/11 and was especially gripping, partly due to the "mood" of the nation and the fear of what lay on the horizon. I became totally absorbed by the series and never missed an episode. When it was finally released on DVD, I gladly ran to the store and paid $120 for the set, and enjoyed it all over again.
When the Bluray was announced, I deliberated about the value of investing in the upgraded version. Most of the scenes are intentionally gritty, and all battle scenes have a choppy, grainy, scratched-film effect to them. I decided to rent the Bluray from Netflix, to see if it was worth the difference.
WOW! I never would have believed that Bluray sharpness and clarity could add so much to a film shot with so many intentional shortcomings. I'm now on disc 2, and the set has been added to the top of my Christmas wish list, highest priority.
One thing I noticed immediately, the increased detail adds more emotional contrast between the battle scenes and the shots of the calm, beautiful landscapes and villages. Also, the facial expressions are also more intense. Finally, the horror of war is even more gruesome. It's like seeing the movie for the first time, all over again. To me, that is the true mark of a great Bluray. Enjoy, I will. I'll wait and review the audio after I receive my 5.1 headphones...
Movie Review: The best "commercial" WWII story put on film
Summary: 5 Stars
I own the regular DVD version of Band of Brothers and I plan to purchase the Blu-ray version as well. First I have to say that I am a WWII buff and have recently visited Normandy (including Ste-Mère-Église and Brécourt Manor) and the extermination camp in Auschwitz, Poland. Most of the WWII films made to this day are cheesy and while they are meant to explore and show what happened during the war, the bad acting (e.g. The Longest Day) and lack of financial means these movies generally suffer from cannot possibly render justice to the WWII history. Enter Band of Brothers. It must be said that Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg had ZERO financial interest in the making of this series (unlike Saving Private Ryan) and truly wanted to portray these events as faithfully as possible just for the sake of educating the viewing public. The veterans who have seen the series and are part of it have all approved it (except for a couple of events that didn't necessarily involve the 101st but still took place), I myself have spoken with many specialists who confirm the authenticity of the storyline, and it is easy to verify these events and how they happened just by surfing the web and reading a few books. Finally, a WWII reference piece! I have to wonder what would motivate anyone to qualify this masterpiece as abysmal filmmaking. Indeed, Band of Brothers is the finest WWII "commercial" film ever made.Movie Review: Awesome
Summary: 5 Stars
Stunning in HD, and uses the technology well.
The new features for BD are great --- the time line is cool, but the extra interview footage from the real paratroopers is outstanding.
As the action happens to the characters on-screen, the actual person will pop up to talk about it in interview footage not aired with the original series or on DVD. It includes some individuals that weren't shown previously at all, like a brief clip with Col. Robert Strayer.
I watched the series to see it on BD, then I watched the whole series again with the in-program interviews. I wasn't bored for a second. I only wish there was more.
I only have two gripes:
1. There is a glitch in Episode 8 @ 48:35. I have found it on multiple copies of the BD. I have not found evidence that it is due to a layer break. This did not come from the digital film transfer for HD DVD (released in Japan), which is seemingly being used again for BD, pointing to manufacturing issues in the BD edition. The producers opted to use the VC-1 video codec over H.264/AVC, which was arguably the right choice (at least at the time) to preserve film grain.
2. The BD takes unusually long to load --- 2 full minutes, even on a well-equipped PC --- and you are forced to watch several title screens.