A Few Words About A few words about...™ Life of Pi -- in Blu-ray & 3D (1 Viewer)

[Robert Harris]

For those who long for films about the inner strengths found in religion and mysticism, Ang Lee's Life of Pi is a great film.

For those with little or no interest in religion or mysticism, Life of Pi is a great film.

Shot as data on an Arri Alexa, and finalized in multiple aspect ratios via a 2k DI, viewers will find Life of Pi a miraculously beautiful visual experience.  Not that this is a 2k film.  Get that new 4k hardware, and this one won't do a great deal for you.  Most films are being finished as 2k, at least outside of Sony.

If we take a serious look at where the industry is going, it almost seems to have a bi-polar disorder.

While we're being inundated with great news about the 4k gear, delivery via hard drives, and potential new disc-based software, another camp is pushing the cloud, downloads, and the viewing of major feature productions on pads and laptops.

Don't look to me for an answer.  I'm into the highest quality obtainable, and that appears to be 4k, if and when it actually happens.

But where do all of those productions like Life of Pi go?

A tale of a shipwrecked young man, who shares his lifeboat with animals from his parents zoo --  or does he? -- is a beautiful film, and as data, is unquestionably a magnificent Blu-ray experience.

The DTS-HD MA 7.1 works beautifully, although I have no idea how it sounds in 5.1, and the 3D is stellar and reference quality.

My recommendation is to pick this up in 3D -- the flying fish sequence is worth the price of admission alone -(especially rendered in 7.1) - and relish in its beauty.

Highly Recommended.

RAH

 

[mikeyhitchfan]

I loved this in 3D in the theater, but since I don't have it at home I'll probably wait for a price drop on the 3D BD. It has extras that the 2D release does not like deleted scenes, which are in 2D as well. It's a great viewing experience which hopefully will look great in 2D.

 

[Steve Tannehill]

This was released to iTunes 3 weeks prior to blu-ray, and I couldn't wait to see it again, so I purchased a digital copy. I was surprised that the movie held up as well as it did in 2D. (And the high-def video from iTunes, although compressed, still looked stellar.)

Since then I have picked up the 3D blu-ray and watched it. It is my favorite 3D film so far this year, although I suspect The Hobbit will be taking the favorite spot later today.

 

[AlexF]

I picked this up as a blind buy (read the book a few years ago, and it was ok, but nothing special I thought) based on comments and reviews here on HTF. We're looking forward to watching it tonight or tomorrow night.

 

[Tino]

An absolutely beautiful film and awesome in 3D. My #3 film last year after Les Miserables and Silver Linings Playbook.

 

[MikeJ]

Beautiful movie, incredible 3D and a must have for anyones collection! My family and I enjoyed this so much and you hit the nail on the head Robert.

For those who long for films about the inner strengths found in religion and mysticism, Ang Lee's Life of Pi is a great film.

For those with little or no interest in religion or mysticism, Life of Pi is a great film.

 

[Reed Grele]

A friend brought this over the day it came out on Blu-ray and we watched it in 2D. We were blown away!

Then I went to Costco a few days later and saw that it was in 3D! I could have kicked myself! I know it's hard to believe, but I had forgotten that this was a 3D film.

But since I had enjoyed it so much, I decided to buy the 3D version and watch it "correctly" the second time. My sister and brother-in-law, and my niece and nephew were invited to attend the 3D showing, and when it was over, some applauded, some were sitting in stunned silence, but no one had fallen asleep during the unfolding of this amazingly engrossing tale.

Whether you see it in 2D or 3D.... SEE IT!

 

[AdrianTurner]

People wondered why Ben Affleck didn't pick up the Best Director Oscar for Argof***********f. The reason, I think, is clear with The Life of Pi. I really think Ang Lee pushed the boundaries here.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

I thought, overall, Life of Pi was an above average 3D presentation.

While it does have its moments of fun pop-out, I wasn't that impressed by the depth.
There were times I felt the picture looked more flat than 3D.

Despite this, I am going to place it somewhere on my top list of 3D titles available
(when I have the opportunity to update the list), simply because I do feel it is one
of the essential 3D titles that belong in the home collection.

 

[Stephen_J_H]

Went into this blind and loved it. I enjoy all sorts of films, but the ones that stay in your mind for a few days after are the ones I enjoy most. Life of Pi fits in that category.

 

[dpippel]

I'm probably in the minority here, but while I did enjoy Life of Pi I didn't love it. Don't get me wrong, I thought it was a very good film. It just failed to resonate with me the way it seems to have done with most people. I was also unimpressed with some of the visual effects. Much of the CGI work looked exactly like what it was - CGI - and some of it wasn't very well done IMO. I guess what I'm trying to say is that after all of the hype surrounding the movie my expectations were high, but I felt let down after seeing it. To each their own I suppose...

 

[Ronald Epstein]

I am with you. The boat sequence was drawn out much too long. It reminded me of Castaway.

 

[Gary Seven]

I was blown away with this film. Reference quality sound with reference 3D presentation. This is the best 3D I have seen so far. A blind buy that was a big surprise.

 

[AlexF]

Well, we finally were able to watch it last night (various other things came up since the 23rd, *sigh*), and we were astounded at the presentation. The flying fish scene was absolutely fantastic in 3D, and I didn't even realize that the tiger was 95% CGI until reading up about it after the fact.

I found that it was an excellent adaptation of the book, and the gf's first comment post-film was "I see why he won best director".

 

[Douglas Monce]

I'll have to pass on this one until the visual effects artist are finally paid for their work.

Doug

 

[Howard Tom]

I'll have to pass on this one until the visual effects artist are finally paid for their work.

Doug

R & H appear to have been bought, though not by India's Prime Focus Group, the original corporate suitor.

 

[Douglas Monce]

R & H appear to have been bought, though not by India's Prime Focus Group, the original corporate suitor.

I will still wait and see if the people who worked on this film are paid what they are owed. So far that hasn't been the case.

Doug

 

[Winston T. Boogie]

I am also in the group that did not really find this film to be more than average. Did not enjoy the CGI and in fact it mostly took me out of the film to the extent where I lost any feeling for the characters. The whole thing to me played like a big preachy cartoon and I left the theater feeling like I never want to see it again. I did not feel this film should have won an award for best direction and I would probably not have even included it in that category.

I will say that I think with this story this was probably about the best way it could have been done for the screen but overall I did not find it a particularly interesting piece of work.

 

[Kevin EK]

I'm not certain that the pending lawsuit by the Rhythm & Hues artists is for wages owed from during the making of Pi. I believe that has to do with wages from the final month before the company declared bankruptcy in February. There is also some dispute about the suit as I've heard other accounts saying that the wages will be paid out of the bankruptcy action.

Either way, I was not pleased to see the VFX artists being played off the Oscars with the Jaws theme. That was unfortunate, to say the least.

But if you look at the Oscars the movie picked up, they are all of a theme, and I believe an appropriate one: Director, Cinematography, Score, VFX. These are all fairly direct ways for the director to tell his or her story - sans dialogue, sans performance, sans all but the most basic materials. And this story was beautifully told.

 

[RolandL]

Fry's has Life of Pi for $14.99