UHD Review A Few Words About A few words about...™ - Avatar - The Way of Water -- in 4k UHD & 3D (2 Viewers)

[Josh Steinberg]

This set has both
See on Amazon

Yep, but it's equivalent to about US$85 before shipping costs are added. You'd pay less to buy the separate sets in the U.S.

And also, as I’ve mentioned before:

Japanese MovieNex branded discs are meant for Japanese audiences, not American ones. These releases omit the English language translation subtitles/forced subtitles/burnt-in text that appears onscreen during subtitles scenes. In the Avatar films, there is a tremendous amount of non-English dialogue that is subtitled, and the viewer would be lost without it.

 

[Stephen_J_H]

Gonna go check the local Sprawlmart before breaking down and ordering from Amazon. The struggle for physical media availability in smaller centres is real.

 

[JoshZ]

Much like Christopher Nolan, to whom audio aspects of filmmaking seem to be unimportant. Audio mixes on his films are always kind of muddled.

I think Christopher Nolan cares very much about the audio in his films. Unfortunately, what he cares about is that they have brain-liquifying intense bass while all dialogue be completely unintelligible. Those are his priorities, and he adheres to them very strictly.

 

[maxfabien]

I was wondering about this, which is why I made a pre-order for the 3D version which I almost never do. But I have no evidence that this was the intention. My 3D copy was supposedly delivered today from Best Buy. I imagine pre-orders/demand for 3D may have been higher than expected.

I wouldn't pay Ebay prices yet. Amazon says "temporarily out of stock". Not exactly sure if that's their usual game they play with Disney new releases, or if they're really just temporarily out, but I'd expect more on the way. I don't recall it being touted as a "limited edition".

Looks like Target is not carrying 3D at all, in stores or online, but Walmart and Best Buy online both say 3D unavailable (hopefully temporary).

Available now from DeepDiscount.com Low price too.

 

[Malcolm R]

Available now from DeepDiscount.com Low price too.

So there must be more stock trickling out, as I'm pretty sure I checked with them yesterday and it was not available.

 

[ManW_TheUncool]

I received my 3D release today from Disney Movie Club. i plan on taking it for a spin this weekend.

Hmmm... wonder if they'll ever allow that as a membership intro selection -- I haven't gotten around to rejoining in ages, but maybe that would finally get me to do so...

_Man_

 

[CC95]

Yep, but it's equivalent to about US$85 before shipping costs are added. You'd pay less to buy the separate sets in the U.S.

This has been the point of some debate in the Marvel disc threads, as this has been the only way to get a 3D version of Marvel releases for the past couple of years. Is it worth the cost? Up to the individual.

Then there's the subtitle issue that Josh notes below, and that Amazon JP seems to only take pre-orders for shipments to the U.S. Once the title is in general release, they won't accept orders from U.S. based customers.

There is also a 3D steelbook from Amazon.de - and it is listed to have English subs.
If not- I can always download the subs onto a USB and sideload them with my Oppo!
but yes- buying 4k/3d separately is probably the better move.
That Japanese version (nice as it is) is just too pricey.

 

[KeithDA]

Image – 5 (Dolby Vision)

Wasn't it DV for the streaming version but is only HDR10 for the 4K disc release..?

 

[sbjork]

Wasn't it DV for the streaming version but is only HDR10 for the 4K disc release..?

HDR10 only on the disc.

 

[CC95]

High bitrate HDR10 disc > Low bitrate DV stream

 

[Gary Seven]

I found the 3d disappointing considering it was filmed with 3d cameras. Pure depth, nothing got exploited in the 3d realm. I found the 4k presentation with hdr to be a superior view.

 

[JoshZ]

I found the 3d disappointing considering it was filmed with 3d cameras. Pure depth, nothing got exploited in the 3d realm.

The first Avatar was all depth behind the screen as well. Cameron is of the school that loves 3D but thinks that popout effects from the screen are "gimmicky."

 

[Tino]

I thought there was plenty of subtle pop-out in both films.

 

[sbjork]

While I understand that everyone has their own preferences regarding 3D presentations, and that's fine, I do struggle a bit with the phrase "pure depth, nothing got exploited in the 3d realm." Obviously, if there's depth, the 3D realm is indeed being exploited. Just not necessarily the way that you prefer.

I haven't put my Blu-ray 3D in yet to check it out, but I did see The Way of Water in HFR 3D theatrically, and there was plenty of depth to the presentation, so it was quite effective as a 3D film. No, there aren't a ton of pop-out effects, and if that's what you want, you may indeed be disappointed. But some of the 3D planes of the surface of the water were quite extraordinary. Every time that something surfaced out of the water, it was genuinely lifelike.

 

[jayembee]

The first Avatar was all depth behind the screen as well. Cameron is of the school that loves 3D but thinks that popout effects from the screen are "gimmicky."

Well, I can't think of a single scene in either Avatar film that would've been bettered by the inclusion of a paddle-ball...

 

[Stephen_J_H]

Well, I can't think of a single scene in either Avatar film that would've been bettered by the inclusion of a paddle-ball...

Wouldn’t have objected to a spear through the screen, though.

 

[Jeff Cooper]

Well, I can't think of a single scene in either Avatar film that would've been bettered by the inclusion of a paddle-ball...

I dunno. Givovanni Ribisi explaining what Unobatinium is could have been great if he was playing it while explaining it.

 

[sbjork]

Counterpoint: I don't know if there's a single movie that's ever been made that wouldn't be bettered by the inclusion of a paddle ball.

Andre De Toth and Mel Brooks were onto something.

 

[dpippel]

I didn't get a "harrumph" outta that guy.

 

[Tino]

Harrumph!!