Surprisingly, this was not a Disney or Pixar film though it certainly felt like the latter. This was a fun film that is safe for the whole family and I definitely recommend it. 4.5/5 for the film itself.

PQ was about as good as you can get with an animated film. Plenty of great qualities here and certainly demo worthy. The look of the film certainly seemed like Pixar, and that is a compliment in my book. 5/5 for PQ.

Sound quality was good, but maybe a bit lacking if you're looking for demo material. Voices were captured perfectly (in the studio) and are clear throughout. They sounded natural and not boxy like many studio tracks tend to sound. Surround material was good and it supported the film well. There may have been a bit more dynamics and LFE for my liking. 4.5/5 for SQ.

Cheers,

T Cobe

I had high expectations when I went to see Suicide Squad in the theater. I was hoping it would capture a bit of the same magic as Deadpool. I left the theatrical version fairly disappointed as the movie seemed like a hacked up graphic novel: jumping from scene to scene with little continuity and a lack of depth in story and character development. DC Comic's movies struggle to capture the same experience as Marvel, and that may be intentional as there seems to be as big a divide in comics as there is between Star Trek and Star Wars fans. Anyways, I was disappointed at what could have been with Suicide Squad.

Extended cuts frequently contain material that should have stayed on the cutting room floor. They often seem like a studio ploy to generate further revenue versus righting some editing wrong that damaged the vision for the film. That was certainly not the case for the Extended Cut version of Suicide Squad.

This new version of the film did a better job at capturing the character of the team members and better developed their bond by the end of the film. I was still left wanting in terms of the story line and the flow of the film, but this was a definite improvement! The theatrical version scored a 3.5/5 for an overall film rating for me. This latest version is a 4/5 due to the improved depiction of the characters. Which is what the film should be about.

From a technical stand point, this was a very good Blu-Ray. The picture and sound were very near demo quality. 4.5/5 for both. I can see this one getting play time for home theater demonstrations. This one was fun to watch!

Cheers,

T Cobe

I'm not going to waste a lot of time on this one. This was a dud. 3.5/5 for PQ and SQ and 3/5 for the film. The film was dry and dull, like a Saltine cracker. The "surprise" ending was obvious from the beginning. I kept waiting for more twists to make the story more interesting, but they never came. Sadly, I ate the saltine plain wishing for some peanut butter or cheese whiz... I'd recommend waiting and watching this one when it's free if you're still interested. A swing and a miss by Mr. Scott.

Cheers,

T Cobe

Jeff Bridges, Chris Pine, and Ben Foster star in a well written bank heist drama set in a dusty and economically depressed West Texas. The characters were well developed with great dialogue. Bridges and Foster really steal the film. It had the feel of a Cohen Brothers film. Despite being low budget and not being marketed very well, this was a good film. I definitely recommend it. 4.5/5 for the film. Had the story and characters had a bit more depth, it would have been a home run.

PQ and SQ were decent, but you could certainly tell this was not a top dollar blockbuster. The sound failed to excite: lacking dynamics and LFE. Additionally, dialogue was not captured well. There were scenes where Chris Pine and Ben Foster were talking while driving and their voices sounded like they were recorded at separate times and locations. PQ was quite a bit better with plenty of detail, contrast, depth, sharpness, and lifelike color. 4.5/5 for PQ and 3.5/5 for SQ.

This one is definitely worth the price of admission!

Cheers,

T Cobe

Yes, I'm playing catch up here. A little time off of work over a quiet holiday season makes for a perfect time to catch up on some films I missed at the theater. There will be a few more following this one over the next couple of days.

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children is Tim Burton's most recent film. The cast is deep and filled with recognizable faces including Eva Green and Samuel Jackson. This was a whimsical and fun fantasy adventure film. It felt similar to Big Fish, but targeted towards teens and pre-teens. 4.5/5 for the right audience.

PQ was outstanding. There was plenty of visual interest/eye candy. All of the critical elements required for a great picture were present. 5/5 for PQ.

SQ was very good as well. The surround sound was engaging, dialogue clear, and action sequences were dynamic. 4.5/5 for SQ. On a side note, though I don't have a UHD setup in my theater, I have started purchasing UHD versions of the films I am collecting. With the availability of a UHD Oppo and my AVM 60, all I am waiting for is a reasonably priced 4K projector. These purchases include Blu-Ray versions of the film but these versions have been absent the Atmos or DTS:X sound that is available on the UHD version. I suspect when I go back and watch the UHD version that the sound will be improved.

This one is another definite recommendation! It definitely earns the PG-13 rating, but other than that, this one is good for family night.

Cheers,

T Cobe

Man, T. Cobe, I had to go WAY back to find your review of the Ghostbusters remake.
It was right on, but I guess it did not scare me away enough. We tried to watch it last night,
my wife and daughter fell asleep, I almost did, BORING!!!!!!
I had hoped for much more from this cast.
2017 should be better, Happy New Year every one!!!!!
I am still getting caught up on Game of Thrones, two more seasons to watch. Only watched GB because it was family movie night.
God Bless,
Wayne