Good post, David. I do disagree with you about the sound effects being too loud. To me, that just means a nice, wide dynamic range (I read similar comments about the Watchmen BR). I find it quite exciting.
No problems on my BD55. I do have the latest firmware update.
I thought those things were quite minor, and I'll take a few FILM based artifacts over EE and DNR up the wazoo ANY day. They simply remind me what the SOURCE was, instead of a digital makeover that destroys the look.
I just watched it, and it looks superb. It really does look as much like a HIGH quality film print as anything I've ever seen on Hidef. The detail, the lack of DNR/EE, the colors, the black level...everything, is all one could ask for. It would be absurd in the extreme for ANYONE to say "I...