A Few Words About A few words about...™ The Good Dinosaur -- in Blu-ray (1 Viewer)

[Robert Harris]

You've got to love the concept.

That asteroid that we all know wiped out the dinosaurs somewhere around 5,000 years ago, misses Earth, and early man co-exists with a more evolved (and lovable) species.

What immediately caught my eye (or didn't), perusing this film, was that I didn't know what I was seeing. Eye and brain were out of sync with one another.

I knew this to be a Disney / Pixar product, which should mean Animated, but that's not what I was seeing. Exterior locations, trees, especially water, looked...

well - real.

Have we, as humans, or more properly Pixar / Disney, reached a point at which it's almost impossible to tell animated from real?

The answer will be revealed when you screen The Good Dinosaur.

As a Blu-ray, the film is technically perfect, and up-rezzing to 4k, a magnificent velvety screen dream.

As entertainment, I don't feel it's up to Pixar's best. Let's call it second level.


Image - 5

Audio - 5

4k Up-rez - 5*

Pass / Fail - Pass

Recommended (for technical wizardry)


RAH

 

[Johnny Angell]

Second level Pixar is still better than most first level from others. I missed it in the theaters but plan on buying this. If the backgrounds are photo real and the dinosaurs are not, that sounds kinda strange. Oh well, talking dinosaurs are strange too.

 

[Dick]

There will also be a 3D edition here in the States. I have it on order at the Disney Movie Club.

 

[Dick]

Second level Pixar is still better than most first level from others. I missed it in the theaters but plan on buying this. If the backgrounds are photo real and the dinosaurs are not, that sounds kinda strange. Oh well, talking dinosaurs are strange too.

The dinosaurs in this film are kid-friendly designs with huge eyes and big, goofy smiles. Watching them talk does not bother me, whereas with the earlier Disney film DINOSAUR, in which the backgrounds actually are photographic, the much more lifelike dinos seem incongruous (often ridiculous) when they talk. Worth having for the first fifteen minutes, though. Wish they'd stuck to the no-dialog model of that great opening

 

[RMajidi]

Second level Pixar is still better than most first level from others. I missed it in the theaters but plan on buying this. If the backgrounds are photo real and the dinosaurs are not, that sounds kinda strange. Oh well, talking dinosaurs are strange too.

I saw this in a quaint movie-house in NZ not so long ago. Took my 20 year-old son there to experience the Ma and Pa atmosphere of the tiny, rustic theatre after I'd watched Spectre there by myself the day before.

This was the only movie showing [2D], so we bought tickets not knowing anything about it other than it was a Pixar. We were hooked from the hilarious opening scene and greatly enjoyed ourselves.

Much of the panoramic landscape shots looked photo-realistic and quite magnificent. They didn't feel out-of-place though. The only thing that concerned me about it was the thought that in future, studios might dispense with exotic location shoots if they can concoct it so convincingly in the studio. [The underwater scenes were something to behold too]

Loved the fur-ball human character, 'Spot'.

 

[Sam Posten]

Weird that this rates a 3D release and some of their others didn't. Worth the $28 blind buy?

 

[Wayne_j]

Just a note: I read in another review that the audio defaults to a lossy DTS track. Please be sure to change your audio option before listening.

 

[Johnny Angell]

Weird that this rates a 3D release and some of their others didn't. Worth the $28 blind buy?

This is Pixar isn't it? Pixar always releases a 3D version.

 

[TravisR]

This is Pixar isn't it?

Yep.

 

[Walter Miner]

This is Pixar isn't it? Pixar always releases a 3D version.

I believe Pixar's "Up" 3d Blu Ray was released a year or two after the 2D release.

 

[Colin Jacobson]

Second level? I think that's too high praise. "Dinosaur" is pretty low on the Pixar list - maybe above "Cars 2" but that's it...

 

[revgen]

I got around to watching my copy last night.

Absolutely enjoyed it again. It's not only the best 3-D Pixar has ever done, the shots in the film were composed with 3-D in mind, so although it doesn't sport the strongest 3-D ever done, it's still enjoyable to watch the artistry and animation at work. The earliest example is the opening shot of the asteroid belt and the asteroid hurling towards earth before passing by. In almost every shot the filmmakers made sure to have objects or animals in the foreground, middle, and background to give 3-D viewers a sense of depth in every shot. Hopefully, future 3-D films from Pixar take note of what Peter Sohn and his crew performed with the The Good Dinosaur and expand on it.

Some reviewers have said that the story falls short of previous Pixar titles. They're entitled to their opinion, but the scene of Spot and Arlo representing their families with sticks is one of the most emotionally powerful scenes I've ever seen in a Pixar film. I also liked the way that the film used more cinematic techniques to tell the story and not relying so much on facial expressions and dialogue reminiscent of previous Pixar films like Toy Story and recently with Inside Out. Spot, one of the key characters in the film, doesn't even talk at all, yet communicates with body language, actions, and sounds. Cinematic language, body language, and spoken language can all be used together in perfect harmony, and the The Good Dinosaur does a great job of it.

Even if you don't like "Kid's Movies", I recommend picking this up, especially if you love 3-D and westerns.

 

[haineshisway]

Second level? I think that's too high praise. "Dinosaur" is pretty low on the Pixar list - maybe above "Cars 2" but that's it...

And here is what's known as opinion. Why the need for the "Second level?" as if THAT opinion is somehow worth less? For you Dinosaur is pretty low on the Pixar list - others may and do feel differently.

 

[Mike Frezon]

Isn't that what we do here? Post opinion about movies?

 

[Robert Crawford]

Isn't that what we do here? Post opinion about movies?

Mostly, with a few facts thrown in every now and then.

 

[Mike Frezon]

To paraphrase Mark Twain: Never let the facts get in the way of a good opinion.

 

[Stephen_J_H]

I believe Pixar's "Up" 3d Blu Ray was released a year or two after the 2D release.

Considering the BD 3D spec wasn't announced until December 2009 (around the time Up was released on BD), it would've taken a year or two to get it out on disc anyway. Disney upgraded titles like Chicken Little, Meet the Robinsons, Bolt and G-Force in similar fashion.

 

[Colin Jacobson]

And here is what's known as opinion. Why the need for the "Second level?" as if THAT opinion is somehow worth less? For you Dinosaur is pretty low on the Pixar list - others may and do feel differently.

Of course it's an opinion - what's your point? Are you going to offer this reply to each and every opinion stated on this board?

 

[haineshisway]

Isn't that what we do here? Post opinion about movies?

Certain opinions here are worded in such a way like the person is speaking for everyone or as if it were fact rather than opinion. Such was the case in my interpretation of that post.

 

[haineshisway]

Of course it's an opinion - what's your point? Are you going to offer this reply to each and every opinion stated on this board?

No, because not everyone writes things like "Second level?" as if that were a bad thing that someone thought that. Just the way it seemed to me.