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A Few Words About A few words about...™ Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates -- in 4k UHD Blu-ray (1 Viewer)

Robert Harris

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That can one say about Szymanski's Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates?

I guess kudos must go to Fox for stepping to the fore, and being the first major studio to release a 4k UHD disc with a merkin, affixed to the lovely and diminutive, Sugar Lyn Beard, bringing to mind the beloved character in Mr. Kubrick's Dr. Strangelove...

Viewing the film without any research, I presumed that it would fall into the mode of other productions dealing with the fun, unlikely upshots and general debauchery of any number of "drunk weekend" comedies.

But this one is different.

Certainly not a wonderful film, but generally entertaining, except that it ran on all twelve cylinders for its entire 98 minutes. It can get tiring when ever actor is working on an adrenaline rush, and capping every, over the top, line of dialogue with an exclamation point. There were times, that I almost felt as if Anna Kendrick, who I find enormously talented, might have walked onto the wrong set.

Being a 4k UHD release, mit HDR, it also got me thinking about when and when not to use 4k, and when to adapt it, basically sending it back to post for a necessary touch-up.

Here's what I'm seeing. And it affects many large (and normal) format films, that are no longer ready for prime time without fixes to lower resolution or make digital repairs for anomalies that would have never been seen on print stock of the time.

For example, before 2001 can make an appearance on 4k, the Scotch reflective backgrounds in the prologue will have to be examined, along with the circular glass on which a pen rotates as a traveler naps on his PanAm flight.

On Patton, George Scott's eyebrows will need some help in the opening sequence to lower resolution.

Similar situation with the wire moving Bert Lahr's tail in Wizard of Oz, and several sequences in The Godfather films, in which squibs and wires are exposed in a 4k scan of the original negative.

In Mike and Dave, two things took me out of the film, both due to 4k, without a bit of digital help.

First, there were close-ups of the ever-energetic Aubrey Plaza, which in 4k, (the film was shot on 4k and 2k, and finished as a 2k DI), exposed some problematic facial skin, which makeup could not conceal. We're actually seeing too much detail. Similarly, with Ms Beard's merkin sequence, she's nude, and one might wonder whether her nipples are always at attention, or if the sequence was shot on a chilly night in Hawaii? And this visible in a long shot. Point being, far too much detail than one needs. And my overriding reaction was, "would someone please pass her a blanket?"

The wonders of 4k.

Although not my intent, I've probably just sold a few hundred units for Fox.

Actually, nudity in the film is non-existent aside from that sequence, and a sole shot of a breast in another, that didn't really belong there. It seemed cut in as an afterthought, obviously a body double, and totally unnecessary. I can only presume that someone in corporate or on the production, felt that the film was a breast short.

For those who must own a copy, is the 4k release a better bet than the standard issue Blu-ray?

In this case, yes.

Fox has done a superb job in their use of HDR. Their colorist never hits you over the head with a "Hey, look! We're using HDR!" It's just enough to bring out details and sky, water and other things that come along with shooting in Hawaii.

It's a gorgeous 4k Blu-ray.

Does anyone really need Mike and Dave in 4k?

Probably not, but if you're going there, at least in this case, 4k is the way to go.

A fun, if overly acted, and overly energetic film, that according to Deadline was designed as "counter-programming targeted to the millennials."

I have no idea what that means, but it apparently has something to do with late-night screenings.

Audio is beautifully rendered, and huge, in DTS-HD MA 7.1

Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates is one of those films that are so frenetic, that at the end of the film, one can use a stiff drink or two, and a week's vacation, possibly unless one if a millennial.

Image - 5

Audio - 5

4k - 5

Pass / Fail - Pass

RAH
 
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Robert Harris

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Richard Todd in 2001?Am I missing something here.

As told you folks, before. My mind is going. If not Todd, who is on the Pan Am flight, and takes the phones call?

Hands?

Anyone?

Floating pen?

Was that Airplane? Airport? No Highway?

Robert Beatty?
 

usrunnr

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As told you folks, before. My mind is going. If not Todd, who is on the Pan Am flight, and takes the phones call?

Hands?

Anyone?

Floating pen?

Was that Airplane? Airport? No Highway?

Robert Beatty?


William Sylvester as Dr. Haywood R. Floyd
 

KeithDA

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For example, before 2001 can make an appearance on 4k, the Scotch reflective backgrounds in the prologue will have to be examined, along with the circular glass on which a pen rotates as a traveler naps on his PanAm flight.

Are you saying that the original 70mm print was not detailed enough for the glass to be seen whilst a digital 4k with HDR presentation would..?
 

Mike Wadkins

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So a brand new 4k Sony cinema install from the Dcp showed less than this prebaked upscale?
Yeah, no you are confusing analogue and digital
 

Robert Harris

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So a brand new 4k Sony cinema install from the Dcp showed less than this prebaked upscale?
Yeah, no you are confusing analogue and digital

Sorry, but not certain what those words mean.

What are you attempting to say?
 

Mike Wadkins

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Sorry, but not certain what those words mean.

What are you attempting to say?

A brand new 4k projector
Showing the 2k dcp
In a brand new state of the art install
Will show less detail projected
Than this disc
With its more made upscale from 2k
 

Robert Harris

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A brand new 4k projector
Showing the 2k dcp
In a brand new state of the art install
Will show less detail projected
Than this disc
With its more made upscale from 2k

Let's begin again, please.

Are we discussing 2001 or Mike and Dave?

Or comparing the two?

If you're comparing them, then yes...

The overall image resolution of Mike and Dave uprezzed to 4K, will be appreciatively greater than the DCP of 2001, projected in 4K.

No contest!
 

Mike Wadkins

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This is the Mike and Dave review, I was mentioning that movie.
I had not realised everything has focused on the 2001 part of your review.

You imply that there is more detail on disc then seen theatrically, this is wrong in this case.
It's not a photochemical dupe
 
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Robert Harris

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This is the Mike and Dave review, I was mentioning that movie.
I had not realised everything has focused on the 2001 part of your review.

You imply that there is more detail on disc then seen theatrically, this is wrong in this case.
It's not a photochemical dupe

You're entering an entirely different realm.

And we're not discussing anything photochemical, as the film probably doesn't exist in that form, except possibly for protection.

I'm unable to speak to anything theatrical regarding M & D, especially as every theater is different.

My comments referenced, in both general as well as specific terms, the potential need to "recalibrate," for a better word, what is being imaged, taken to DI, and then up-rezzed, be it via a 2k player to 4k projection in home theater, or via the Fox 4k disc.

Far too many variables.
 

Mike Wadkins

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You said more may be seen in this disc release, as in the nipples.
I was saying that it will be identical to the DCP projected in 4k upscaled on the fly
 

Robert Harris

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You said more may be seen in this disc release, as in the nipples.
I was saying that it will be identical to the DCP projected in 4k upscaled on the fly

And I'm saying that I'm unable to give accurate reference, not knowing how something is being up-rezzed.

Please understand that the term "upscaled on the fly" is not helpful.

And then we get into optics. The glass that Sony provides with their 665 is adequate, but in no way superior.

Theatrical glass should be able to reproduce more line pairs.

Had I means of upgrading my optics...
 

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