A Few Words About A few words about...™ Transformers: Age of Extinction -- in Blu-ray (1 Viewer)

Robert Harris · Sep 16, 2014

Transformers: Age of Extinction is, as far as I'm aware the first Blu-ray release encoded for Dolby Atmos.

While I'm not yet able to play back Atmos, I found that it defaults to standard issue 7.1.

Transformers is a loud -- take that back -- very loud production, that will clean the lint out of speakers.

Image quality is, as one would expect, perfect.

The release comes in several flavors.

Blu-ray 3D, which has the "IMAX" effect of ever-changing aspect ratios, standard Blu-ray in plain old vanilla scope, and then DVD.

Try as I could, I was unable to figure out why aspect ratios were changing. There are three of them, scope, something akin to 1.66 and then 1.78. Since there seems to be neither rhyme nor reason as to why the ratios change, or for what purpose, I would propose that someone was hired and informed that over a 164 minute period, they would be paid several hundred dollars, if they continuously pushed buttons, that I presume would have been marked big, bigger, biggest, and somehow made the changes with their eyes closed, with software holding the changes until there was a cut.

I'm certain that there are fanboys out there who will exult to one another whilst viewing the IMAX version, and softly giggle inwardly at every aspect ratio change.

An absolutely gorgeous Blu-ray, with magnificent image and audio...

and a methodology of strangely changing aspect ratios.

For Transformer fans, and I know there are many, this is a treat for the senses.

RAH

John Hermes · Sep 16, 2014

Three cheers for you to be able to sit through these things. I watched the first one, gave the disc away, and won't go near them anymore. Where's John Wayne when I need him?

Colin Jacobson · Sep 16, 2014

I watched the 3D Blu-ray today as well and also felt perplexed by the aspect ratio changes. When the "Dark Knight" flicks and "Star Trek: Into Darkness" broadened for their IMAX shots, those choices made sense. In "Age of Extinction", the use of the IMAX ratio seemed nearly random. Shots that made sense IMAX - ie, big fights - would be 2.40:1, and then simple dialogue shots would go 1.90:1. Weird, wild stuff!

DavidJ · Sep 16, 2014

When I saw this in the theater, I was annoyed by those aspect changes as well. In addition to the ratio changing, the image quality also dipped a bit. It is strange that they occur within scenes. It's a distracting lack of continuity.

Colin Jacobson · Sep 17, 2014

DavidJ said:
When I saw this in the theater, I was annoyed by those aspect changes as well. In addition to the ratio changing, the image quality also dipped a bit. It is strange that they occur within scenes. It's a distracting lack of continuity.

The changes from IMAX to 2.40:1 occurred within scenes for the 3 other varying ratio films I've seen, but those changes weren't as frequent - and they were more logical. For instance, when Nolan went IMAX for an action scene, he STAYED IMAX for the action scene - he didn't cut back to 2.40:1 in the middle!

When I started to watch "Extinction", I planned to keep track of the amount of time devoted to IMAX shots but I bailed early - the AR changed so frequently that it would've driven me insane to constantly check/note the time span.

It seemed like a LOT of the movie went 1.90:1, though - I'd estimate more than half. Does anyone know a more accurate timing for the movie's IMAX material?

Colin Jacobson · Sep 17, 2014

BTW, I also wonder if 1.90:1 is the "IMAX aspect ratio of the future". Hope not - part of the appeal of IMAX is the height of the image, which obviously gets lost a lot if it now becomes 1.90:1...

FoxyMulder · Sep 17, 2014

Colin Jacobson said:
BTW, I also wonder if 1.90:1 is the "IMAX aspect ratio of the future". Hope not - part of the appeal of IMAX is the height of the image, which obviously gets lost a lot if it now becomes 1.90:1...

As far as i am aware the IMAX aspect ratio for films can be 1.43:1 or upto 1.9:1, link below.

https://www.imax.com/about/experience/aspect-ratio/

JoshZ · Sep 17, 2014

Colin Jacobson said:
BTW, I also wonder if 1.90:1 is the "IMAX aspect ratio of the future". Hope not - part of the appeal of IMAX is the height of the image, which obviously gets lost a lot if it now becomes 1.90:1...

Age of Extinction is the first movie (partially) shot with IMAX's new digital camera, which captures a 1.9:1 aspect ratio to match IMAX digital theaters.

FoxyMulder · Sep 17, 2014

JoshZ said:
Age of Extinction is the first movie (partially) shot with IMAX's new digital camera, which captures a 1.9:1 aspect ratio to match IMAX digital theaters.

Are these the theaters they are calling IMAX Lite. ?

TonyD · Sep 17, 2014

This Imax lite or liemax thing is a mut thing to worry about anymore. They are all that way now. Only a small percent will have real film ability.

JoshZ · Sep 17, 2014

FoxyMulder said:
Are these the theaters they are calling IMAX Lite. ?

Yes, IMAX has been working to phase out the old film-based theaters with the 1.43:1 aspect ratio for a long time now. Very few are left. With the new digital camera, they want to phase out the 15/70 film entirely. Interstellar may wind up being the last movie to include footage in that format.

Colin Jacobson · Sep 17, 2014

JoshZ said:
Age of Extinction is the first movie (partially) shot with IMAX's new digital camera, which captures a 1.9:1 aspect ratio to match IMAX digital theaters.

Thanks. I knew "Extinction" used the digital cameras but I wasn't sure that it was "native" 1.90:1 - for all I knew, it could've gone 1.44:1 but Bay simply chose to mask at 1.90:1.

Kinda defeats the purpose of IMAX if it's not gonna use the traditional 1.44:1 ratio, doesn't it?

Colin Jacobson · Sep 17, 2014

JoshZ said:
Yes, IMAX has been working to phase out the old film-based theaters with the 1.43:1 aspect ratio for a long time now. Very few are left. With the new digital camera, they want to phase out the 15/70 film entirely. Interstellar may wind up being the last movie to include footage in that format.

If that's the case, I'm sad. Seeing the 2 "Dark Knight" movies IMAX was arguably the most impressive movie-going experience I've ever had.

I initially greeted the notion of digital IMAX as a positive because I thought it would make the format more accessible and filmmakers would be able to shoot more Hollywood flicks IMAX. But that was when I thought the AR would be standard IMAX 1.44:1. If it's gonna be 1.90:1, I don't see a reason to pay the tab for true IMAX screens - I might as well just see those movies on good "standard" screens...

PaulDA · Sep 17, 2014

JoshZ said:
Yes, IMAX has been working to phase out the old film-based theaters with the 1.43:1 aspect ratio for a long time now. Very few are left. With the new digital camera, they want to phase out the 15/70 film entirely. Interstellar may wind up being the last movie to include footage in that format.

This will be a very sad day. There is still one in Montreal and when a film offers IMAX in full 15/70, like the Nolan films, I make the trek from the burbs to downtown to catch it. If they all go to 1.90, I'll save some money on parking and gas (we have a "lite" IMAX very close by), but I'll also be less likely to catch them at the cinema. Oh well.

The one thing the local "lite" IMAX cinema has going for it is excellent sound--best of any cinema I've gone to in the Montreal area. But the cinema house uses red "track" lighting for the steps and it is too bright--it's bothersome in the lower corners of the screen in dark scenes. A softer, blue set of lights would be far more effective but my comments to the management were greeted with "red is a cooler colour", so I have little hope it'll change.

davidmatychuk · Sep 17, 2014

DavidJ said:
When I saw this in the theater, I was annoyed by those aspect changes as well. In addition to the ratio changing, the image quality also dipped a bit. It is strange that they occur within scenes. It's a distracting lack of continuity.

That's just what happens when digital files start deciding for themselves what they're going to look like.

schan1269 · Sep 17, 2014

I wonder how many love this...and hate The Roosevelts.

TonyD · Sep 17, 2014

schan1269 said:
I wonder how many love this...and hate The Roosevelts.

What does one have to do with the other. Two completely different types of entertainment and that's Why there is more than one form of entertainment.How many people would rather watch The Roosevelts then read the book or go to a class to learn about them.

Mark-W · Sep 17, 2014

Robert Harris said:
Transformers: Age of Extinction is, as far as I'm aware the first Blu-ray release encoded for Dolby Atmos.

While I'm not yet able to play back Atmos, I found that it defaults to standard issue 7.1.

Transformers is a loud -- take that back -- very loud production, that will clean the lint out of speakers.

Image quality is, as one would expect, perfect.

The release comes in several flavors.

Blu-ray 3D, which has the "IMAX" effect of ever-changing aspect ratios, standard Blu-ray in plain old vanilla scope, and then DVD.

Try as I could, I was unable to figure out why aspect ratios were changing. There are three of them, scope, something akin to 1.66 and then 1.78. Since there seems to be neither rhyme nor reason as to why the ratios change, or for what purpose, I would propose that someone was hired and informed that over a 164 minute period, they would be paid several hundred dollars, if they continuously pushed buttons, that I presume would have been marked big, bigger, biggest, and somehow made the changes with their eyes closed, with software holding the changes until there was a cut.

I'm certain that there are fanboys out there who will exult to one another whilst viewing the IMAX version, and softly giggle inwardly at every aspect ratio change.

An absolutely gorgeous Blu-ray, with magnificent image and audio...

and a methodology of strangely changing aspect ratios.

For Transformer fans, and I know there are many, this is a treat for the senses.

RAH

Having to watch this film in order to evaluate the quality of the Blu-ray constitutes a hostile work environment as far as I am concerned.

andySu · Sep 17, 2014

No way. Absolutely not will, I buy this.

I might buy GRAVITY again for Dolby TrueHD 5.1 or 7.1 what ever it may be? Not rushing out in hurry to buy atmos as its not a true 3d sound format their and Auro are selling it at. I know what 3d sound is and frankly, this artificial version doesn't cut it with me with the money being wasted on it for x4 extra channels that it can claim 3d. There is no upper or lower stage channels or below surround channels. Now if they had only put more thought into it, I wouldn't be so half snotty or cynical about it.

liemax in my home no way. Aspect ratio switching is like watching BRAINSTORM and I'd sooner watch that classic film over another trans-fungus film. The last one was dreadful on bluray Dolby 7.1 worst mix I listened too. I'd sooner watch COMA in mono on MGM region 1 DVD.

I find a good set-up tune EQ with THX sound system playing a mono film to be more immersive. I can hear the mix not have other soundtrack channels playing sheer loud and masking other channels. Transformers 3, I found the opening to be rushed like all typical "curved 4K dimension Bay screens" when the film cut from moon scene to sloppy love interest I just wanted to shoot the tv like, Elvis.

My friends came around and they soon got bored with the film when it was projected on the screen and left 30 mins before it finished. Maybe if I showed STAR WARS laserdisc CBS/FOX letterbox they would have stayed to the last end credit.

I can't stand Zimmer music in transformers or that rock music f-ing loudness!!!

This is many reasons why I have stopped going to cinema or buying crap on bluray when I can spend the money on cat food rather than being selfish and spending it on rubbish Micheal explosions Bay trash that will only be watched once.

andySu · Sep 17, 2014

FoxyMulder said:
Are these the theaters they are calling IMAX Lite. ?

Its all absolutely true. Personally their shooting themselves in the foot. imax is like the black plague of London its ruined the Empire, or maybe the Fall of The Roman Empire. imax-lite without the sugar, :lol:

feels a bit flat for soft drink and I find the imax name to bleak and morbid with what it did to the Empire. I bet that £1 pound that cinema is never full each day. What great loss to London cinemas. :mellow:

Up in Scotland I doubt there is any liteMax drinks being served. :lol:

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