HTF REVIEW: "Big Fat Liar" (with screenshots) (1 Viewer)

[William Waits]

With the pro-OAR attitude shown here by everyone here, why is this film even being reveiwed? I say that non-OAR films should not be reveiwed here.

What do you say folks?

 

[Dave Scarpa]

I agree. Nothing wrong with the topic to say its not being reviewed and why. As long as Ron comes out and states that any MAR Product will not be reviewed ans he states that to the studios.

 

[Lance Nichols]

Ron, can you confirm that the menus are Wide-screen? If so who the hell decided to create wide-screen menus and a MAR presentation?

I am completely baffled by the "logic" behind this.

BTW, I support you doing the review, and giving it a negative review because of the MAR. I would have done it a much greater savaging, with a big fat DO NOT BUY in the subject, much like you do with your highly recommended titles. If you have to review titles due to studio obligations and totally slam them for being MAR when you do, maybe this will help get the message across.

To bad that this is a MAR, I enjoyed Amanda's show, and sort of looked forward to renting this disc.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

Guys,
Trust me, I put a lot of thought into the
decision to review this title.
I decided to review Big Fat Liar for
the following reasons...
1. I wanted to see the film. Simple as that.
I stated how much a fan I was of Paul Giamatti.
2. I am under obligation by marketing firms
to review products they send. I don't get many
titles from Universal anymore because the studio
has cut back considerably on what they make
available to websites. Refusing to review this
title could jeopardize my opportunity to receive
bigger title slike E.T. and Back To
The Future.
Sometimes you gotta eat a little sh*t to get
to the dessert.
3. Finally, I felt this review would serve a
far better purpose as a reminder to the studio
that releasing a MAR release is not going to be
held in high regard by the internet community.
My plan worked, because your negative replies to
Universal are certainly going to provide some
insightful feedback to their people who read my
reviews and your opinions.
This review has certainly become a far more
powerful statement than if it had not been written
at all.
As far as the menus are concerned....
Yes, funny as it seems, the menus are anamorphic.
That is why I nearly fell out of my chair after
pressing the PLAY button off the MAIN MENU.

 

[Lance Nichols]

Ron, thanks for the reply. Now I wonder why the heck they would create a DVD with Anamorphic wide-screen menus, then put the video (sorry a MAR'ed title is NOT a film) on as MAR. Could the DVD be authored as a anamorphic title, then flagged to MAR on the fly?

I still don't know why they would do this, it simply boggles the mind. Guess what I won't be buying, or renting?

 

[Ricardo C]

Way to go, Universal. I started reading Ron's review without having heard anything about the film before, and was interested by the premise. Then BAM! you slap me with a full-frame transfer. Hear that? That's my $20 finding their way back into my wallet
Maybe I'll set up a jar in my room and put a $20 in every time a title I wanted comes out in P&S only. I wonder how much money Universal and Co. are saving me.

 

[Sam E. Torres]

Now I wonder why the heck they would create a DVD with Anamorphic wide-screen menus, then put the video (sorry a MAR'ed title is NOT a film) on as MAR

probably because on a regular tv they would not have black bars, but the movie would(something i never really understood).

 

[Jason Whyte]

I just got my screener of this, was already sad to hear about the 16x9 menus and the full frame transfer, yet was startled at the following:

The theatrical trailer included on the disc is 1.85:1 non-anamorphic widescreen!!!! Talk about bad, Universal!!!!

Jason

 

[Dave Scarpa]

I was about to start a thread entitled "Well DVD File is at it again" documenting yet another semi recommensation given to a film that has a modified aspect ratio. That's when I saw your review. I Just have to shake my head. The review should go something like this.

"Big Fat Liar" could've been a decent family movie released to DVD, but then I popped it in my player to review it and saw it was not OAR. So back into the pile along with "A Midnite Clear" and "A Road to Wellville"

And that should have been the extent of the review. Why does a studio that slaps us Home Theater Enthusiasts deserve your time given to a disk they've decided to release MAR. That time could be devoted reviewing products from studios that release either films in OAR or at least provide an OAR Alternative.

Studios should be made aware that this forum supports only product in it's original Aspect ratio, and that all others will not be reviewed Past a Paragraph stating why it was not. Either we embrace OAR or we don't. Either we support studios that give us a choice or we don't.

There is no middle ground.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

Dave,

I think I esplained my position on this already.

Read Above.

 

[Dave Scarpa]

I think I was sleepy and responded to this message twice Sorry Ron...

Still wish you would'nt review MAR disk thou