LATEST ADDITIONS

Adrian Justins  |  Jan 19, 2013  |  0 comments

Pioneer's SC-2022 AV receiver proudly ditches the VSX prefix of its predecessor (the VSX-2012) to join the more illustrious company of its SC-toting brethren, although it doesn’t quite make it into the elite LX club, falling short 
in its construction and lacking Air Studios calibration. It gains its SC credentials largely through the adoption of an all-digital Direct Energy HD amplifier, which uses shorter signal paths and has more efficient cooling, leading Pioneer to claim a better performance and lower power consumption.

Anton van Beek  |  Jan 19, 2013  |  0 comments

James Cameron's $200million disaster movie may lack a little polish in terms of storytelling and be responsible for unleashing My Heart Will Go On on the world, but in terms of sheer spectacle and scale there are first films that prove as satisfyingly epic. An entertaining film that has been transformed into a genuine cultural milestone.

Anton van Beek  |  Jan 18, 2013  |  0 comments

The brainchild of two former 24 writers, this excellent drama series is akin to a more mature and thoughtful attempt at addressing similar post-9/11 concerns. Fox's three-disc Blu-ray makes the most of the show's digital photography, with the AVC 1.78:1 1080p transfers showcasing excellent clarity and colour reproduction. Just as impressive is the DTS-HD MA 5.1 audio. A chat-track for episode one, deleted scenes, a 34-min Making of… and a prequel to the next season are also included.

Ed Selley  |  Jan 18, 2013  |  0 comments

Cabasse is one of the elder statesmen of the French audio industry. Since its founding in 1950 it has gone on to become France’s largest speaker manufacturer and produces some extremely impressive speakers. It's perhaps best known for the extraordinary La Sphere flagship, which manages to combine some seriously clever technology with looks that make most science-fiction props appear a little conservative.

Anton van Beek  |  Jan 18, 2013  |  0 comments

Christopher Lee gets a chance to play the good guy in this excellent tale of black magic. However, while the film is a fan favourite, this Blu-ray release could prove very divisive. The problem isn't the restoration (yet another wonderfully rich and detailed AVC 1.66:1 1080p encode) or the extras (which are as copious as you could hope for). Instead it's the decision to replace a number of the film's visual effects with new CG ones. While an interesting experiment, it's a real shame that there's no option to switch to the original effects (either via seamless branching or by including the original edit in its entirety). You can check out a couple of 'before and after' examples below.

John Archer  |  Jan 18, 2013  |  0 comments

It’s been quite a year for Sony. The Japanese brand has set new standards in the TV world, and introduced a whole new product category with its 4K TVs and projectors. And now it’s continuing this return to form with its latest mid-range projector, the VPL-HW50ES.

Anton van Beek  |  Jan 17, 2013  |  0 comments

Sex and violence (often at the same time) remain the driving forces behind this highly-stylised TV series. Having left the gladiatorial arena behind, this latest series follows Spartacus (Liam McIntyre, replacing the late Andy Whitfield) and his band of rebels as they begin their war with the Romans. The AVC 1.78:1 1080p encodes are every bit as remarkable as those of the previous seasons, while the lossless 5.1 audio makes full use of the soundstage. The set also includes plenty of extras.

Anton van Beek  |  Jan 16, 2013  |  0 comments

Ignoring the forgettable made-for-DVD sequels, this latest slice of …Pie picks up the story of the original characters as they return to their home town for a high school reunion. Cue a contrived and lacklustre comedy that fails in its goal of recapturing the charm and wit of the original film. This generous hi-def package serves up two cuts of the movie with richly coloured AVC 1.85:1 1080p imagery and front-heavy DTS-HD MA 5.1 audio. Extras include an audio commentary from the writers and directors, an on-screen cast commentary and much, much more.

Anton van Beek  |  Jan 15, 2013  |  0 comments

The Burnout franchise might have been left cooling its tyres since 2008, but developer Criterion Games still has what it takes to nab pole position, if its take on the perennial Need for Speed series is anything to go by.

Anton van Beek  |  Jan 15, 2013  |  0 comments

Even the marvellous Elizabeth Olsen can't save this abominable remake of the Spanish-language thriller of the same name (reviewed in HCC issue 198). While it pulls off the same 'entirely shot in one take' style as the original version, it makes a total mess of everything else (particularly the climax). And while this Blu-ray's DTS-HD MA 5.1 mix proves satisfying, the clarity of the AVC 1.85:1 1080p only highlights the ugly digital photography which is plagued by extreme banding in areas of bright light.

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