HTF BLU-RAY REVIEW: WALL-E - Page 3

Re: HTF BLU-RAY REVIEW: WALL-E

Has anyone tried the video adjustment/test patterns? My setup is calibrated with the old sd Avia disc and was way off according to the patterns on the disc.

Re: HTF BLU-RAY REVIEW: WALL-E

I also rather dug Atlantis. It had some issues, and it certainly wasn't as good as the likes of Aladdin or The Lion King, but I thought it was great fun. I actually revisited it a couple of months ago after not having seen it since the DVD was first released (I have that two-disc special edition Phil mentioned).

My main problem with the film is its pacing. I think it's probably 20 or 30 minutes too short, and could use a good bit of breathing room. Other than that, I couldn't find much to dislike. It had some great visual design and exciting action set-pieces. I understand why some would dislike it, but I enjoyed it and am glad to have it in my collection. It should make a great Blu-ray disc.

Re: HTF BLU-RAY REVIEW: WALL-E

Ok I can go the 5 on the video but I got to severely disagree on the audio.

First issue is I always bitstream and i've heard films in 5.1, 6.1 and 7.1 in dtsma. I keep reading this 6.1 track but mine is only showing 5.1.

I'm sorry, I felt the rocket takeoffs and windstorms were disappointing. Clarity was nice and there was a fair amount of discrete information but less than I was expecting.

Have to say after experiencing the sound behind KUNG FU PANDA, this one comes up short!

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Damn! This is what I was afraid of! I watched KFP today and the AQ was incredible. I am watching Wall*E tom and I thought after today movie that Wall*E has a VERY tough act to follow.

Re: HTF BLU-RAY REVIEW: WALL-E

is there a hidden feature called geek-a-rama on disc 1 about al the geeky gadgets people who worked on the film?
it doesnt appear to e listed on the features, list.
about 4 min.

does the movie start right in the middle of a word in the opening song?

also is this a 7.1 or a 6.1 track

front display on denon says 7.1 - ps3 display says 6.1.

Re: HTF BLU-RAY REVIEW: WALL-E

^It's an easter egg. If I remember correctly, you just push up on your remote from 'Play movie' and then press enter.

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It shouldn't.

Re: HTF BLU-RAY REVIEW: WALL-E

Just throwing in my two cents here:

I'm not so sure I agree with this premise. IMO, the music (particularly the Giacchino scores on "The Incredibles" and "Ratatouille") has been very well done, if a little sappy for the "Toy Story" films. The animation is something dependent on the medium, and some of the early rotoscoping does not look good to me. But I disagree most with the stories being better and more "emotionally engaging".

Most of the Disney films, both older and newer, were of a highly derivative nature (i.e., came from existing stories) and left little or nothing to the imagination. Anyone not obviously pretty, cuddly, or of certain species—or, most egregiously in 1960+ releases, certain races—had pretty much no chance of being a protagonist. This is especially notable in the "big name" releases like "Cinderella", "Bambi", "Snow White", etc. For instance, in the old Disney films, a shy plain girl like Violet Parr (from "The Incredibles") wouldn't have been given any significant characterization, she'd be an ugly stepsister. Just counting Pixar films, we've had empathetic characters from toys (including mangled ones), bugs and spiders, an entire society of monsters, sharks, turtles, cars, rats (in a kitchen, no less!), and robots with 3-word vocabularies and their pet cockroaches. Most of these characters had back-stories and motivations made up pretty much from scratch. And that doesn't even get into Disney's unconventional animations (the Halloween-Town characters from "The Nightmare Before Christmas” are a prime example) or CGI efforts from other companies like “the “Shrek” films. Some of the more “daring” Disney films actually managed to at least try to step outside the norm, like “The Sword in the Stone”, and they got better about not stereotyping characters with newer films where the good guys could be Beasts and humpbacks and warthogs.

To not even bother to break out of pre-existing molds is to me a poor example of storytelling and engaging with an audience. Perhaps it’s because I’m of a different generation (although even my parents feel Pixar films are superior to the older Disney ones), but I tend to respect ideas and stories that come from someplace outside centuries-old European/American tales more.

Re: HTF BLU-RAY REVIEW: WALL-E

LMAO. After we screened the film, I was messing around in the menus and found the Geek stuff mentioned. But I had NFI how we got there, and was not able to get it to play again.

I would agree with the previous column that the audio (low bass in particular) was somewhat of a let down.

There were a few scenes that really rocked the house (the Axiom's return to earth was the winner for us), but overall, WALL-E was no "Iron Man".

Disclaimer: My Panny 10a does not do DTS HD MA, so I had to live with the DTS core via the 5.1 analogs.

Brian

Re: HTF BLU-RAY REVIEW: WALL-E

My impressions exactly...although I still have the second half of the film to watch so I haven't seen the Axiom's return to Earth.

I am also using the analog outs on a Panasonic BD-10 and while the audio in the first half of the film was as clear and perfect as could be, I was actually struck by how little I was getting from my subwoofer as Wall-E and Eve were blasting off from Earth to the Axiom.

In fact, I did something I never do and actually went and checked my sub to make sure it was working! I even adjusted it's level--something else I never do.

I have a modest little system (the sub is a Sony SA-WM40)...but you tend to know when you expect a certain level of bass...

And it just wasn't there. I'll be interested now to hear how things sound when the Axiom returns to Earth.

Re: HTF BLU-RAY REVIEW: WALL-E

Next time we screen it, I will probably switch to the optical connection, which, while still DTS Core, will be an interesting comparison.

Brian

Re: HTF BLU-RAY REVIEW: WALL-E

Where did they hide The Pixar Story? Can't find it. I have the two-disc BR. Don't tell me it's on the third disc of the digital copy set...

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I was planning on doing the very same thing, Brian...except for me it will be a coaxial connection. Hopefully I'll have time to get to it tonight.

I have been absolutely wowed by most BD audio over the analog connections. It will be a looooong time before I upgrade to a receiver with an HDMI connection.

Re: HTF BLU-RAY REVIEW: WALL-E

It would be funny to tell you that it was on the 3rd disc. But im not mean like that Jay. Its on disc 2, human section, scroll to the bottom. I watched it last night, fun doc.

Re: HTF BLU-RAY REVIEW: WALL-E

Depends on how you have things set. It was doing it on my set up when I had all the audio options ON on the PS3. Turn OFF *ALL* the 7.1 PCM options and you'll be golden.

Depending on how you have the PS3 set you can get (or at least have the PS3 indicate) 6.1, 5.1, DTS 1.5 mbps core...

I'm not smart enough to figure it out but a lot of people are saying maybe some flags aren't right.

Another Easter Egg on disc 1 is an early WALL•E title thingy (with 1 'L' I think).... hightlight setup and press left arrow then enter.

The best Easter Egg is on disc 2. It's an early test with WALL•E working. Highlight Humans. Hit left arrow until a camera icon appears. Hit enter.

Re: HTF BLU-RAY REVIEW: WALL-E

I'll also through in my 2 cents. Without taking anything away from the old classics, because I love them too, the new Pixar films are new classics already. The animation is top notch and and the stories are very emotionally engaging and clever. After watching several Pixar extras and now half of the Pixar Story, it it clear that at Pixar, the story is king.

That's not to say I don't enjoy the old stuff. My eyes haven't quite popped back into their sockets after watching Sleeping Beauty on BR. The richness of the scene design is just absolutely amazing.

I am looking forward to owning many of the classics of BR, but that includes the new and the old.

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I have not watched "The Pixar Story" yet, but there is a pretty solid Pixar documentary on the "Pixar Shorts" collection. I found that totally facscinating, in particulr the early years.

Can anyone that has seen them both comment on the differences? I may be a while before I have time to screen it.

Brian

Re: HTF BLU-RAY REVIEW: WALL-E

Finally watched this yesterday, and I tend to agree w/ Ron's comments although I did also find the sound to lack the oomph like some others mentioned. Was this one encoded w/ the dial norm flag (like w/ Iron Man)? If so, maybe that would explain the diff in comments about the sound.

_Man_

Re: HTF BLU-RAY REVIEW: WALL-E

I always hesitate to comment on PQ & SQ, Man, because of the limitations of my system compared to the higher-end stuff most forum members seem to have.

But since Brian made his remarks which so closely mirrored my experience and he was also passing the audio on analog outs from his receiver, I figured I would simply validate what he noticed. I certainly had no experience of my room shaking madly as Ron described in his remarks.

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I can't agree with a word of this, considering that Pixar's goal has always been to bring computer animation up to the organic look and fluid motion of Disney's classic animated films. Disney's 2D animated films have always excelled at creating the "illusion of life". Pixar's goal was to reach that plateau with computer animation. They are almost there, but their films still have a sameness of texture that says computer animation. Ratatouille is probably the closest that Pixar has ever gotten to creating the classic look of a Disney 2D feature, while still creating a "3D" look.

Even Pixar's storytelling has been an effort to attain the quality of storytelling that occurred in Disney's golden age.

Re: HTF BLU-RAY REVIEW: WALL-E

I can't dispute what sort of story one person find compelling and another does not. But Jesse's point is correct in that the storytelling style of Disney in the Sleeping Beauty/Snow White era could hardly be more different than Pixar's today. At one extreme (let's say Finding Nemo) you can find a Pixar story that is simply a modest updating of the classic lost-child quest. But when you watch something like Wall-E or The Incredibles you're experience the influence of a very different storytelling muse than ever visited the writers and directors of the Disney classics.

And there's absolutely no objective criteria on which to base an assumption that one or the other is better. I will say that for my part the fairy tales seem a part of my childhood and the modern Pixar stories resonate completely. But that's just one 40-something person's experience.

Re: HTF BLU-RAY REVIEW: WALL-E

I totally agree w/ that. Thanks for saying what I was trying to find words to describe -- saved me the effort there.

_Man_

Re: HTF BLU-RAY REVIEW: WALL-E

Are you sure about this? I've never heard Pixar state that their goal was to emulate Disney. In fact, from everything I've seen and read about Pixar, they were all about breaking new ground in the technological world as well as the storytelling one regardless of what Disney or others had done. After all, Pixar was an offshoot of ILM and other Lucasfilm divisions, not Disney. If anything, the relationship with Disney (especially in regard to development) was tenuous or even rocky most of the time.

I could be wrong here, so if you've got a link or reference to Pixar management and/or founders saying they always wanted to make CGI a xerox of classic Disney animation, I'd be interested.
I'm not sure where you see any of this, since every Pixar film apart from sequels has a different visual style from the one before it. Not to mention, one could make the same argument about the Disney 2D features, because of "Nine Old Men" dictating art styles for 50+ years.
Like I said before, I believe this to be very far from the truth. Almost every single one of Disney's animated features has been a retelling of a story that was already well-entrenched in folktales or literature, and then almost always the most "popular" or "accepted" version of that story. I mean, when's the last time you saw the Grimm Brothers version of any of their stories? And that's when they're not out-and-out stealing styles (see also: "Aladdin") or entire movies (like "The Lion King") shamelessly.

To me, these stories--"classic" as they may be--are just not in the same league as Pixar, which can take a general theme but go in a completely different direction with it than anybody else. This isn't to say I don't appreciate the older Disney films (like Brent, I'm amazed at "Sleeping Beauty"), but to say that they're high-quality examples while Pixar is essentially bankrupt of innovation or storytelling compared to fairytale retreads is, IMO, misguided and in most cases the opposite is true. Not to one's taste, sure, but that's completely different.

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I think this is a good example of how part of a film's creative process is supplied by the audience. I feel the portion of the film up to leaving the earth is it's best part.

My goodness, I think the Pixar films are much more organic than the 2D films. I find as much life or more, in Pixar animation. The only film of Pixar's that I didn't buy into was Cars. What's not fluid in Pixar films? Starting with Toy Story, the movements of the characters are very realistic (if one can use that word with animated toys). They even got me to accept the toy soldiers would really walk that way.

Re: HTF BLU-RAY REVIEW: WALL-E

We watched this last night and the bass response shook several items off the shelves in the HT and adjacent rooms. No fatalities, however. Anyone who finds the bass to be weak might be having issues with system compatibility or the likes.

HTPC Arcsoft TMT, 7.1 channel analog audio.

4 subs, 2 SVS PB12 Ultra and 2 Klipch +tactile transducers in the couch.

Vern

Re: HTF BLU-RAY REVIEW: WALL-E

Re: HTF BLU-RAY REVIEW: WALL-E

We've created a creative brain trust at this studio and it's all the directors plus the key story people. And it's making these movies as best as we can make them. Everything is focused on the story, the characters, and that's what we've always had at Pixar as well. And frankly, at Pixar we've always made our movies in the model of Walt Disney anyway. The type of films where they're great for families, for kids, as well as adults and for teenagers and young adults. We make the movies for ourselves. Walt Disney always said for every laugh there should be a tear.

From an interview with John Lasseter. Bolding is mine. I don't know about you but it is clear to me that Pixar has always seen Disney's animated films as the gold standard to aim for. The interview was mostly about his doings at Walt Disney animation and his involvement with BOLT, but the bolded paragraph is telling to me. Also I never said that Pixar was trying to create xerox copies. I said that Pixar has always tried to move the bar of computerized character animation closer and closer to that of Disney's traditionally animated character. Pixar has always striven to get rid of the sterile look of computer animation and make it look more like traditional 2D animation but with 3D textures. Disney's Golden Age animation is the model because no other animation studio has ever matched those films for a perfect melding of story and "life-like" animation.




Yes, Pixar films have different visual styles, but the 3D textures always give the films a "computerized" look. Things still do not look completely organic. Human characters, especially, still have a plasticity to them that looks odd. The same can't be said about human characters in Disney's hand drawn animated features.


Guess we'll disagree as, to me, Pixar has used Disney's classics as the template for deciding what elements go into making a good story. Also, I never said that Pixar is bankrupt of innovation or storytelling. Pixar makes very good movies. They have essentially recreated the Disney animation studio of the 30s and 40s, but with a modern take.

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I can understand what you mean by "computerized" look, but I still don't quite follow what you mean by "organic" for the traditional hand-drawn stuff. If you just mean "2D analog" or "film" or "(water)painting-like", that's one thing, but "organic", I'm not sure. It still just sounds like a matter of personal preference which look works better (for a given film or given type of film).

_Man_

Re: HTF BLU-RAY REVIEW: WALL-E

Quite a few STRONG LFE scenes. Ones that come to mind are when the rocket first lands bringing EVE, when the rocket takes off with WALL E clinging on, the big ships that get blown up on Earth (by EVE as I remember) and the biggest one of all which is the finaly with the huge ship landing on Earth......this one was foundation threatening!

SVS 12/2 Ultra + DUAL PB13 Ultras + DUAL Buttkickers mounted to a custom mini riser which the couch sits on.....no lack of LFE here

Re: HTF BLU-RAY REVIEW: WALL-E

I rented and watched it Friday night. The film played much better for me at home than it did at the theatre. At the theatre it felt like it was playing a little long, but at home it felt like no time had passed at all as it finished. The earth sequences in this film are still a marvel to look at. The attention to detail is incredible. The use of depth of field and the lighting really gave you the feeling of looking at a real world.

The extras on the disc were worth watching too, especially "The Pixar Story" documentary. I would have liked to watch the entire film with the Geek track on, but I had to take the film back to avoid late charges. What I sampled of the Geek track wasn't too bad. I never had a chance to listen to any of the commentary. All in all a good disc with great PQ and AQ and some worthwhile extras, along with a few duds.