I took a break yesterday from the dark, gritty, and emotionally charged movies of late and watched Moana on Blu-Ray. I didn't spring for the 3D version since those have been a bit of a let down recently. It doesn't seem to add too much to most films, but I think Doctor Strange may be worth it: if it ever comes available...

Moana was another masterful tale by Disney. Production quality, the story, the script/screenplay, and the cast all work together with a synergistic effect: becoming more than the sum of its parts. Dwayne Johnson did a great job as the Demi-god Maui. 5/5 for the film itself.

SQ and PQ were darn near perfect as well. The picture lacked a bit of texture and the characters almost looked a bit plastic. The ending credits highlighted this fact as all of the CGIs were hyper realistic and had a great deal of texture. Other than that, PQ was fantastic. On the sound side, dialogue was a bit unclear from time to time and the use of surround channels seemed a bit limited. This one was a Master HD title, and was lacking Atmos or DTX:X. What can I say, I'm definitely preferring the object based surround mixes. 4.5/5 of for PQ and 4/5 for SQ.

I definitely enjoyed this movie and highly recommend it. It would be great for family night as the kids will love it and there was enough adult humor mixed in to appeal at multiple levels. To me, this was one of Disney's better efforts in the last several years.

Cheers,

T Cobe

OK Bro T. and Bro Imahawki,
I finally got and watched "Girl on a Train" tonight.
You guys were spot on with your reviews/comments.
I really enjoyed (IF I can use that word) it, and did not see the end coming until, well, nearly the end. Turned out to be a bit of a chick flick.
Ha ha
Good call. This was NOT a Disney film!!!!!
God Bless,
Wayne

It's new release Tuesday and Amazon sent Passengers to my doorstep. I opted for the 4K version that included 3D Blu-ray and regular Blu-ray movie discs in addition to the UHD version. As has been the norm, the blu-ray version did not include Atmos or DTS:X. BUMMER! That's a half point deduction for bad form!

I normally hate movies with a small cast and limited locations. They feel a bit artificial and very small budget to me, except for the very best ones. This, like Castaway, was well done and watching a half naked Jennifer Lawrence is way better than a half naked Tom Hanks. I suspect the ladies would prefer Chris Pratt as well. The production value and the acting sold the movie. This was well done and kept my attention throughout. 4.5/5 for the film itself.

PQ was great! Every aspect of a great picture was on point. Great color and skin tones. Plenty of pop due to contrast and shadow detail. Tons of fine detail that really brought the characters and story to life. 5/5 for PQ. I suppose it didn't hurt having Jennifer Lawrence. Wait, did I already say that...

SQ was pretty good. There was a $h1t ton of LFE on this one (last time I said considerable and was called out for under emphasizing). If only it had object based surround, it may have been perfect though I think it lacked some of the dynamics of the very best reference movies. Maybe the actual UHD version will be better. 4/5 for SQ.

In conclusion, I definitely recommend this one. It's a bit of a psychological sci-fi love story with just enough action and intrigue to keep your interest, despite the anemic cast and limited locations. This is probably not something that would appeal to kids or even teenagers. Some of these concepts like grief, loneliness, sorrow, hopelessness, betrayal, and our mortality are hard to comprehend when your young. Those of us that have been around a while may be familiar with some of these concepts. Pratt and Lawrence both do a great job of portraying each emotion.

Cheers,

T Cobe

Thanks Bro T. for the good review.
Of course this one is on my list to buy.
I forget, are you set up for ATMOS or DTS X? 3D? You are not there for UHD yet are you?
IF I remember you are still working on that. Are you also waiting for the new Oppo UDP 205? I am really unsure about that step, not sure Ultra is gonna make it. (I think HDR is. I really think it is all about copy protection for Sony and the big boys).
And I really don't think I care.
I am more interested in what's for dinner than I am in having any better equipment than what I have now. Took me a long time and lots of money to get here though.
Anyway, looking for this movie.
Thanks, God Bless,
Wayne

Wayne,

I am setup for 3D, but not Atmos or UHD. The projectors for UHD are simply too expensive. I'm not interested in paying the premium for being an early adopter. I do think UHD and HDR will improve on the big screen experience. At 110", I expect to see a significant difference as long at the source content is good quality. A 4K TV at 45" or less seems like a bit of a waste. I have no intention of upgrading my TVs until they kick the bucket.

I'm debating on the Oppo 203 versus 205. I like the idea of the upgraded audio, but my 2-channel setup is several feet from the rest of my components, so I'm not sure I would use the upgraded capabilities. I am considering adding the Sonica DAC to my 2-channel setup.

My Anthem AVM 60 is ready for the system upgrade and I did buy the additional amp I would need for the Atmos speakers. The HTR7000s will probably be my next upgrade, followed by a sub. Unfortunately, I've had several financial set backs, so upgrades are taking a back seat. I had to drop $4K on a new furnace yesterday. That would have paid for the Atmos and sub!

In the meantime, I continue to enjoy my theater. I think it's important to enjoy what you have versus agonizing over what you do not. I suspect we are on the same page. I'll make gradual upgrades as I go, staying within the budget I've established to make sure I'm taking care of what's most important. In the meantime, I'm happy with the color of my grass!

Cheers,

T Cobe

Hey, T

Nothing wrong with your priorities! Gotta' stay warm! A failing furnace in Wisconsin in March doesn't sound like a lot of fun.

Happy WARM listening to your already great system!

Rick