Blu-ray Review HTF BLU-RAY REVIEW: Big Trouble in Little China (1 Viewer)

[ManW_TheUncool]

IMHO, this is precisely the kind of fun, popcorn flick that defies rating, not that I find a simple composite score rating works all that well in general anyway. And comedy is as subjective (if not more so) as any other entertainment to boot.

Anyway, I was kinda hoping (and expecting) the quality of this BD to be not so great so I wouldn't feel an urge to upgrade, but based on the various reports, sounds like I won't be able to resist if I can find a good price for it.

And thanks for the fine review, Matt...

_Man_

 

[Michael Warner]

I bought it last week and have watched it three times with various groups of friends and family so it's already my most watched, non-kid oriented BR disc. And while it looks very good it's clearly not from a new master as many of the quirks of the earlier DVD are still in evidence. Just setting expectations for those who may be expecting an absolute top-tier AV experience.

 

[Frank Ha]

Oh man, you guys are making it really hard for me not to buy this movie. I want it, but like Man, my plan is to wait and get it when it's cheaper. I've just gotta remind myself, I can wait, I can wait, I can wait...

 

[Ray_R]

Originally Posted by Frank Ha

Same exact thing goes for me. Dammit I really want to buy this but I'm also holding on finding a better price for it. Shame it doesn't have the text extras from the Cinefex and other magazine article from the Laserdisc/DVD.

 

[TravisR]

Clearly, I don't know everyone's finances but the thing is $20. I'd like to have spent $15 on it but sometimes you have to live a little.

 

[ManW_TheUncool]

Originally Posted by TravisR
RE: the comment about this being a "non-kid oriented" flick, I don't know about that. Sure, it's not specifically targeted toward kids, but it probably entertains much the same as say Ghostbusters does. And incidentally, it didn't take too long for the Ghostbusters BD to drop to the ~$15 level either although that's in large part a Sony pricing thing -- and Fox is not as generous w/ pricing although the MSRP seems to be the same.

_Man_

 

[Frank Ha]

Originally Posted by Man-Fai Wong /forum/thread/291296/htf-blu-ray-review-big-trouble-in-little-china#post_3595732

 

[Colin Jacobson]

Originally Posted by DaveF


So I didn't mean to kick up so much dust with my snarky comment early. I celebrate diversity and I'm willing to accept that there are movie reviewers who aren't mid 30's, didn't grow up on Big Hair bands, have no love for denim mini-skirts, and subsequently didn't have the proper upbringing to fully appreciate Jack "Tell 'em the check's in the mail" Burton.

I'm not upset with Matt. He has my full sympathy and I hope he can otherwise have a rich and fulfilling life, despite his 80s deprivation.

So how do you respond to someone who was in his teens in 1986 but still thinks "BTILC" is a pretty weak movie? I've seen this movie at least four times and I always think I'm gonna like it - or at least that I SHOULD like it. Nope - I think it's a muddled, boring mess. It's not exciting enough to be a good action film, smart enough to be a good parody, or funny enough to be a good comedy...
So how do

 

[Michael Warner]

RE: the comment about this being a "non-kid oriented" flick, I don't know about that. Sure, it's not specifically targeted toward kids, but it probably entertains much the same as say Ghostbusters does.

My kids dig it too but what I meant was that it's my most watched BD that isn't primarily a kid flick like, say, "Kung Fu Panda."

 

[Edwin-S]

Originally Posted by Colin Jacobson




So how do you respond to someone who was in his teens in 1986 but still thinks "BTILC" is a pretty weak movie? I've seen this movie at least four times and I always think I'm gonna like it - or at least that I SHOULD like it. Nope - I think it's a muddled, boring mess. It's not exciting enough to be a good action film, smart enough to be a good parody, or funny enough to be a good comedy...
So how do

Why would ;you bother watching a movie that you don't like four times? If I thought it was weak and boring I wouldn't bother after the first viewing. MAGNOLIA comes to mind as an example of a film that, on a personal basis, I could never rewatch. I think BTILC is a fun, mindless romp, but I wouldn't criticize someone who doesn't like it. If a movie doesn't stirke a chord with a person then it doesn't strike. It is nothing that you or this reviewer or anyone should be critcized for.

This film really didn't hit it off with the reviewer but he still gave a good accounting of the important factors; the video and audio quality. Those factors are the important information for anyone who is a fan of the film. The reviewer's personal opinion does nothing to change my mind regarding the quality of the movie since I happen to like the film; however, it is still interesting to read why a film doesn't work for a particular person.

 

[Colin Jacobson]

Originally Posted by Edwin-S
And

 

[TravisR]

I just got a chance to sit down and watch this from beginning to end today and I was very impressed by the transfer.

 

[DaveF]

Originally Posted by Colin Jacobson

Seriously, I'm not being serious, and people hopefully understand that. Of course, I don't understand having BTiLC reviewed by someone who doesn't appear to "get" where it's from. It's a cult-fav from the 80s, and I'd expect a fanboy to review it.

Can you imagine if they let me review Spinal Tap, and I noted that it's a tedious movie that devolves into what it's supposed to be mocking? The internets would 'splode. So I expected a similar approach with BTiLC. But that's just my thing

 

[ChadMcCallum]

Does the movie review really matter? Maybe I'm wrong but I always thought the reviews on this site were more for the dvd itself and not so much for the movie, especially an older film like BTILC that is fairly well known. Its not like the film was completely trashed in the review either. A 3/5 isn't a bad score and the disc itself scored well. Seems like a lot of discussion over nothing to me.

 

[TravisR]

When I listed what was and wasn't ported over from the DVD on the last page, I made a mistake. The TV spots ARE on the Blu-ray. They're right there with the rest of the special features so I don't know how I missed them. Apologies to all.

So the only stuff missing from the DVD is the text based features and the Blu-ray has a shorter version of Trailer B.

 

[Doug Otte]

Originally Posted by TravisR

When I listed what was and wasn't ported over from the DVD on the last page, I made a mistake. The TV spots ARE on the Blu-ray. They're right there with the rest of the special features so I don't know how I missed them. Apologies to all.

So the only stuff missing from the DVD is the text based features and the Blu-ray has a shorter version of Trailer B.

No worries, Travis. You probably missed it because the extras are listed in a little box, but you have to page down in that box to see the last few, including the TV spots. I don't know why it was designed that way. There was certainly enough room on the screen to have a bigger box listing everything without paging down.

Doug

 

[DaveF]

Originally Posted by ChadMcCallum

Does the movie review really matter?

It must, as the film review is half the content of the DVD review and is done for every single DVD review. I mean, reviewers wouldn't waste half their effort on pointless writing, would they?

Seriously, the movie review doesn't "matter" for those who already dis / like it. But it's a guide for those who don't know the movie and undecided on whether to buy / rent / ignore.

This is a lot of to-do over nothing. But it's all (at least my part of it) good natured, tongue-in-cheek. Can't get too worked up over a movie that is laughing at itself beginning to end.

 

[Jesse Blacklow]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaveF

Seriously, the movie review doesn't "matter" for those who already dis / like it. But it's a guide for those who don't know the movie and undecided on whether to buy / rent / ignore.

The problem was that the people that got in the uproar were all people who do know the movie and had already decided.

 

[ScottJH]

Originally Posted by TravisR



So the only stuff missing from the DVD is the text based features and the Blu-ray has a shorter version of Trailer B.

Under the TV spots there is a listing for "Teaser". Could this be the longer Trailer B? It runs for 1:32. Don't have the 2 disc DVD to compare.

 

[TravisR]

^ On the DVD, 'Teaser' is listed in the TV commercials as well so I don't think they've mixed it up with Trailer B. That being said, I'm going to double check both the DVD and Blu-ray and will report back in a couple hours.