Animation on Blu-Ray

The Secret of Kells Coming to Blu-ray in October

Tommy — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 17:28:41 +0000

The Academy Award-nominated film The Secret of Kells is being released on Blu-ray on October 5th, thanks to New Video Group. I didn’t get a chance to see this when it was released, so I am very excited to finally be able to watch it. It is stylized after Medieval art and it looks beautiful.

It was produced by Cartoon Saloon in Ireland, and I’m sure everyone is going to be looking forward to their next independent feature.

Dragon Ball Z Kai Season One Part One Review

John — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 16:55:34 +0000

Dragon Ball Z Kai, is essentially a “remastered” version of the original 80′s anime Dragon Ball Z. There are a number of small tweaks and additional animation added to this version of Dragon Ball Z. If you have experienced this series before, whether that be from the US airing on Cartoon Network during the 90′s and 00′s, or the original Japanese version aired during the 80s, you pretty much know what to expect. If you are one of the 3 people who discovered Dragon Ball by watching the abortion of a movie known as Dragon Ball Evolution, then you will be surprised to see that Dragon Ball Z Kai is actually watchable unlike the live action travesty. One of the most obvious things fans will notice about this version of DBZ are the new opening and ending credits complete with new animation and theme songs. If anyone has seen the original series you know how catchy the Japanese theme song “Chara hey chara!” and the US surf rock intro were, unfortunately the new opening and ending songs for Kai are pretty atrocious. You will most likely want to skip these, unless you have a taste for ultra generic j-pop. The animation done for the new opening and ending on the other hand is very well done and fits in with the rest of the show’s animation style.

The Show

The series begins with a recap of the original Dragon Ball series which was essentially a modern retelling of the classic Chinese myth called The Monkey King. We find that our main character: Goku, is living happily with his wife Chi Chi and son Gohan. Goku’s old friends come to hang out and see what he’s been up to since they last parted ways. Then suddenly the happy reunion is interrupted when a mysterious alien with a monkey tail comes down to pick a fight leading to some of the most kinetic martial arts put to animation.

Dragon Ball Z fans will be getting the entire 1st season on this Blu-ray which is an incredible deal. If this is your first time experiencing the series you are in luck, as this is the best way to see this classic anime. Hard core fans will not be disappointed.

The Video

The video quality is top notch, the animators at Toei also went so far as to replace damaged animation cells with newly drawn ones. Even though I hardly noticed the difference, more dicerning anime fans are sure to appreciate that it doesn’t effect the flow of the episodes in the least.

Anyone wishing for a 16:9 aspect ratio to go along with the newly remastered video however will be disappointed. Dragon Ball Z Kai is shown in a 4:3 aspect ratio unlike the newly remastered Evangelion.

The Audio

The audio is presented in Japanese language as well as in English. The Japanese track is featured in 2.0 stereo sound and the voices sound kind of muffled, most likely because it is the same audio used from the original 80s version. The English language track sounds much clearer and benefits from some awesome 5.1 surround sound.

Voice work for the Japanese audio is great if you prefer high pitched Goku (as I do) but the muffled sound quality take away from otherwise classic anime voice work. The English dub is great but can sometimes get cheesy in the wrong places, if you are used to the Cartoon Network airing if the series you will be right at home here.

The music here is from the original japanese series, those hoping for the synth rock from US Cartoon Network airing will be disappointed. The music used in this bluray release is what was originally intended for the series and to me it seems to be a perfect fit.

Special Features

Unfortunately, the only “special features” are the intro and ending without the credits, which seems to be the norm with most US anime Blu-ray releases.

The Verdict

If you are a fan of martial arts, 80s anime, Capcom fighting games like Street Fighter, or all of the above you will most likely fall in love with this series as I had years ago. Dragon Ball Z Kai is light on story and heavy on ridiculous comedy and martial arts action with a Sci-Fi twist. Buy it!

Dragon Ball Z Kai: Part One [Blu-ray]
Price: $29.99

43 used & new available from $14.00

Disclaimer: This review was based on a free review copy. Read my blog disclosure statement for more.

It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown Blu-ray in September

Tommy — Sat, 22 May 2010 16:58:16 +0000

Following up on the release of A Charlie Brown Christmas on Blu-ray, Warner Bros is releasing another Peanuts holiday classic on September 7th. It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown will be released on Blu-ray and include a bonus TV special, and will probably also include a new short-form HD documentary.

Warner will also be releasing a new CG Tom and Jerry movie on Blu-ray called Tom and Jerry Meet Sherlock Holmes. Warner has stated recently that they are examining their entire library of animated properties for Blu-ray, so hopefully if this new Tom and Jerry does well they will consider releasing some classic toons in HD.

Via Blu-ray.com

The Lord of the Rings Review

Tommy — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 08:40:33 +0000

When I first started the site and I decided to do a series of posts revealing animated films that I wish were on Blu-ray, Ralph Bakshi’s 1978 animated adaptation of The Lord of The Rings was the first title that came to mind. Luckily, I never had to make that post because shortly after (to my surprise) it was announced. This movie is far before my time, but I watched it a zillion times my freshman year in high school when I was reading LOTR and prepping for the films that were to come out the next year.

I think with Ralph Bakshi’s version of the Lord of the Rings, you either love it or you hate it; there’s not much middle ground. His style and use of rotoscope isn’t for everyone. I’m a much bigger fan of traditional “full” animation, but there’s something about this movie that makes me not care. Bakshi had a vision and he stuck to it, and didn’t let studios dictate his films.

I was excited to get my hands on Bakshi’s Lord of the Rings on Blu-ray since I hadn’t seen it in over five years, but this release leaves much to be desired.

The Movie

Ralph Bakshi intended his version of the Lord of the Rings to be a two-part set of movies. That never happened, so we’re left with an unfinished tale that cuts off during the second book, The Two Towers. That aside, the film is surprisingly serious in tone and has the cinematography of a live action film. There are many shots that seem to have inspired Peter Jackson’s trilogy.

Bakshi famously shot the entire movie in live action to aid in his rotoscoping process, and as a result there are many sequences where it looks like you’re watching live action that’s been xeroxed and tinted different colors. It makes for a trippy, 70s version of the Lord of the Rings, and I think that’s fine.

The Presentation

I imagine Warner wanted to get this title out in time to coincide with the release of the live action trilogy, and it appears they didn’t take the time that was needed to do a proper restoration. Throughout the whole film, dust and scratches are all over the print. I doubt there are many good original 35mm prints left of this film, and I’m glad we have it on Blu-ray at all, but hopefully sometime in the future we can see a clearer restoration.

The Bonus Features

Besides a trailer for the Clone Wars Season 1 Blu-ray, there is a thirty minute feature called Forging Through The Darkness: The Ralph Bakshi Vision for ‘The Lord of The Rings’.

It is in standard definition and it revolves mainly around Bakshi’s career, and only talks about this film for a portion. I felt the feature was very bitter in tone, as all the people interviewed were either relatives of Bakshi’s, people who worked with him, or authors of his biographies. They all had the same opinions about the state of animation with an attitude that I didn’t agree with, and I wish they had attempted to include some animation historians to get a less biased take on his career.

All in all, it’s not going to be the nicest looking Blu-ray in your library, but if you want to watch Bakshi’s Lord of the Rings, it will beat your old VHS tapes and DVDs.

The Lord of the Rings (1978 Animated Movie) [Blu-ray]
Price: $20.49

52 used & new available from $8.50

Disclaimer: This review was based on a free review copy. Read my blog disclosure statement for more.

Toy Story Mini-Review

Tommy — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 01:39:52 +0000

I was ten years old when Toy Story was released, and I’ve been a huge Pixar Fanboy ever since. With Toy Story being this generations’ Snow White, I’ve been looking forward to it’s eventual Blu-ray release for a long time. The presentation is pixel-perfect, but I was left wanting more new bonus features. I imagine after the release of Toy Story 3, we may see a huge trilogy box set that may have new bonus features, and if so, I’ll gladly buy the movie again.

The new bonus features on the Toy Story Blu-rays aren’t really about the movies much at all. That being said, they are still fun to watch and most of the features from the previous DVD are included as well.

There are sneak peeks at Toy Story 3 and several anecdotal type interviews with various Pixar staff, but nothing really about Toy Story, so sadly, there is not any new, high definition bonus content that directly relates to the film. Still, I love Pixar and I really buy these Blu-rays for the films themselves, and no amount of bonus features would ever be better than finally being able to watch Buzz and Woody in 1080p at home whenever I want.

The Verdict

Toy Story is one of my favorite movies of all time, and I’ve owned it on VHS, DVD, and now Blu-ray. The first feature-length computer animated movie holds up great, and is infinitely more entertaining than most new CGI movies (from non-Pixar studios that is). I’d pick it up today if you haven’t already.

Toy Story (Two-Disc Special Edition Blu-ray/DVD Combo w/ Blu-ray Packaging)
Price: $23.99

87 used & new available from $13.47

Fantastic Mr. Fox Review

Tommy — Sat, 03 Apr 2010 04:00:53 +0000

Fantastic Mr. Fox is a perfect example of why 2009 was such a great year for animation; it provided a healthy dose of variety in the animated movie landscape. Directed by Wes Anderson of Rushmore and The Royal Tenenbaums fame, the film is a gorgeous mix of his style and a vaguely retro stop-motion style that fits the book in which it’s based perfectly.

The Movie

Fantastic Mr. Fox hit a nerve with me. Its dialogue, art direction, animation, and music all seemed to be created just for me, and I can’t get enough of it. I’ve been a big Wes Anderson fan for a long time, and I honestly think this is my favorite film. Despite the stop-motion animation, it feels like the most Wes Anderson-esque movies out of his entire filmography.

That being said, it’s not for everyone. After seeing a sneak peek in theaters, my wife and I convinced our moms and a few siblings and nieces to go see it over Thanksgiving. Some of them liked it, but others thought it was dull or weird. In its defense, however, I’ve only met a few people who didn’t like the movie.

The casting and voice acting is spot-on. George Clooney plays the title character with the right mix of charisma and dry humor. Bill Murray plays a lawyer-Badger with the coolest office in the forrest. Jason Schwartzman, Meryl Streep, Owen Wilson, and Willem Dafoe round out the ensemble.

The Presentation

Like most stop-motion features, Fantastic Mr. Fox looks awesome on Blu-ray. The handmade puppets and sets are filled with detail, and I wouldn’t want to watch this movie in anything less than full HD. The audio sounds great on my average setup, and the Blu-ray menus are minimalistic, which seems appropriate for this movie.

The Bonus Features

I’m hard to satisfy when it comes to bonus features, because if I love a movie I could watch hours and hours of it. Luckily, the bonus features on the Fantastic Mr. Fox Blu-ray left me feeling pretty satisfied, as they offer a pretty technical behind-the-scenes look into the making of the film. On the Blu-ray set, you’ll find:

Making Mr. Fox Fantastic

The Look Of Fantastic Mr. Fox
From Script To Screen
The Puppet Makers
Still Life (Puppet Animation)
The Cast
Bill And His Badger

Other Bonus Features

A Beginner’s Guide To Whack-Bat
Fantastic Mr. Fox: The World Of Roald Dahl

The segments offer plenty of commentary from Wes Anderson and a lot of the animators and designers who worked on the film, as well as a healthy dose of Bill Murray (which is always a good thing). The section on the cast could have been fleshed out more, and the “whack-bat” feature is downright pointless. Still, it was great seeing behind the scenes of this movie (the cotton smoke is amazing).

The Verdict

Buy this Blu-ray if you haven’t already. It’s a great film and it looks amazing in HD. What better reason do you need? I should note that the Blu-ray also comes with a DVD and a digital copy, so all your whack-bat bases are covered.

Hot box!

Fantastic Mr. Fox (Three-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo + Digital Copy)
Price: $26.99

46 used & new available from $16.75

Disclaimer: This review was based on a free review copy. Read my blog disclosure statement for more.

Beauty and the Beast: Diamond Edition Blu-ray on October 5th

Tommy — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 18:57:54 +0000

Disney just sent an official announcement letting us know that Beauty and the Beast will be making it’s Diamond Edition Blu-ray premier on October 5th, with the standard-def DVD to follow on November 23rd.

Read the full press release below:

Burbank, Calif., March 29, 2010 – Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment (WDSHE) proudly announces the Blu-ray high-definition debut of Disney’s animated masterpiece, Beauty and the Beast on October 5, 2010.

Disney’s most requested film, Beauty and the Beast, arrives for the first time on Blu-ray Hi-Def as the second installment to the company’s new Diamond Collection. The Blu-ray transformation reveals the magic, music and majesty of the film as never before experienced with state-of-the-art picture restoration, pristine 7.1 Digital Surround Sound and hours of additional viewing experiences that include behind the scenes features, deleted scenes, enhanced music tracks, immersive games and more.

The first of only two animated films ever to be nominated for an Academy Award® for Best Picture (the second is 2009’s Up), Beauty and the Beast earned six Academy Award® nominations and won two Oscars® in 1992 for Best Original Song (“Beauty and the Beast”) and Best Original Score.

Unavailable in any form since 2003, Beauty and the Beast will be released from the Disney vault for a limited time only, arriving on a Blu-ray + DVD Combo Pack (2 Blu-ray Discs + DVD) October 5, followed seven weeks later with the release of a 2-Disc standard definition DVD on November 23.

The Beauty and the Beast Blu-ray™ + DVD Combo Pack has a U.S. suggested retail price of $39.99 and the 2-Disc DVD set has a U.S. suggested retail price of $29.99.

Film Synopsis:

Set in and around a quaint French village during the late 18th century, Beauty and the Beast follows the fantastic adventures of Belle, a bright and beautiful young woman who finds escape from her ordinary life, and the advances of a boorish suitor, Gaston, by reading books. Meanwhile, off in a castle in the distance, a cruel young prince is cast under the spell of an enchantress who turns him into a tormented beast, while transforming his servants into animated household objects. In order to remove the curse, the Beast must discover a true love who will return his affection before the last petal falls from an enchanted rose. When Belle’s inventor father stumbles upon the Beast’s castle and is taken prisoner, Belle comes to the rescue and agrees to take her father’s place. With the help of the castle’s enchanted staff, she sees beneath the Beast’s exterior and discovers the heart and soul of a human prince.

Film Accolades:

Beauty and the Beast received two Academy Awards® for music in 1992, three Golden Globes® for Best Motion Picture, Best Original Score and Best Original Song in 1992, and two Grammy Awards in 1993. Listed as number seven on the American Film Institute’s Top 100 Animated Films, Beauty and the Beast helped define Disney animation for a new generation as the second film in the “Disney Animation Renaissance” (1989-1999) which launched with The Little Mermaid and revitalized animated features by captivating mature audiences while still delighting young viewers.

Beauty and the Beast features a cast of top vocal talent. Veteran stage actress and singer Paige O’Hara is the voice of Belle, one of Disney’s most beloved and independent heroines, and Robby Benson (TV’s “American Dreams”) delivers a powerful portrayal of the Beast. Three-time Oscar®-nominated screen star (The Manchurian Candidate in 1963, The Picture of Dorian Grey in 1946, and Gaslight in 1945) and six-time Golden Globe® award winner (TV’s “Murder, She Wrote” in 1992, 1990, 1987 and 1985, The Manchurian Candidate in 1963, and The Picture of Dorian Grey in 1946), Angela Lansbury gives a bubbly performance as Mrs. Potts. The late Jerry Orbach (TV’s “Law and Order,” “House of Mouse”) shines as the voice of Lumiere, the passionate candelabra, and David Ogden-Stiers (TV’s “M*A*S*H,” Lilo & Stitch) is Cogsworth, the tightly-wound mantel clock who functions as the head of the household.

Beauty and the Beast was also the first Disney animated film to inspire a Broadway stage production by the same name. Highlighting the film’s music by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman, seven new songs were written for the stage musical. Beauty… was nominated for nine Tony Awards in 1994 and ran on Broadway for 5,464 performances until 2007, becoming Broadway’s sixth-longest running production in history.

It lists the set with an MSRP of $39.99, 1.78:1 aspect ratio, and a 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio track. After I saw the trailer in HD on the Toy Story Blu-rays, I’m pretty excited. This is going to look great on Blu-ray.

Deal Alert: Get Toy Story 1 & 2 for $2 Each

Tommy — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 16:05:21 +0000

Here’s a quick tip to anyone who hasn’t picked up Toy Story or Toy Story 2 on Blu-ray yet, but plans to. Over at Pixar Fanboy I’ve detailed how you can snag each for less than $7 total, and get 2 free movie tickets for Toy Story 3 in the process! I walked out of Toys R Us with both for under $7, and the cashier was amazed!

How to Get Toy Story 1 & 2 for $2 Each | Pixar Fanboy

Animated Blu-ray Releases for Mar. 23rd

Tommy — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 13:11:31 +0000

Today is a good day for Animation on Blu-ray. The first two Toy Story films are available for the first time in HD as DVD/Blu-ray combo packs, as well as one of my favorite films from last year, Fantastic Mr. Fox. Rounding out this Tuesday is the Trinity Blood Complete Series Box Set from Funimation.

I’ve been looking forward to Toy Story and Toy Story 2 on Blu-ray for a long time. I’m a huge Pixar Fanboy (even though the site is way out of date) and the Toy Story films are some of my favorites from that awesome studio. Unfortunately I didn’t get any advance copies of the films, so my reviews will have to wait until I pick them up and give them a watch.

Fantastic Mr. Fox was one of my favorite films of 2009, and I’ve been waiting patiently for it to arrive on Blu-ray as well. I think it’s my second favorite Wes Anderson movie after Rushmore, but it could be my top choice. The style, dialogue, and humor just about matches what I like 100%. I haven’t received my copy yet, but I should have a review soon.

Are you picking up any animated Blu-rays today? If so, tell us in the comments!

Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Rescue Blu-ray Detailed

Tommy — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 20:50:44 +0000

For those interested, Disney just sent info on the latest Tinker Bell Blu-ray: Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Rescue. The latest animated movie will hit the shelves on September 21st, 2010 in Blu-ray/DVD Combo Packs.

Here’s the full press release:

BURBANK, Calif. March19, 2010 – Tinker Bell, the world’s favorite fairy, will be spreading her mirth and magic for audiences of all ages, as the worlds of fairies and humans meet for the first time in Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Rescue. An all-new, original full-length CG animated film featuring breathtaking animation, spectacular music and an all-star cast of voice talents debuts September 21st, 2010 on Blu-ray Combo Pack (includes Blu-ray and bonus DVD of the film & movie download).

Before she was ever introduced to Wendy and the Lost Boys, Tinker Bell met Lizzy, a girl with a steadfast belief in fairies. Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Rescue begins in summertime in the beautiful English countryside. An enchanting encounter unfolds when Tinker Bell is discovered by Lizzy, and as their different worlds unite, Tink develops a special bond with the curious girl in need of a friend.

As her fellow fairies launch a daring rescue, Tinker Bell takes a huge risk, putting her own safety and the future of the fairies in jeopardy. This action-packed adventure takes the fairies of Pixie Hollow on a daring flight to London to save Tinker Bell and all of fairy kind.

Produced by DisneyToon Studios, Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Rescue is a captivating and exciting adventure for all the family.

Disney Fairies has become one of the Walt Disney Company’s most successful franchises– driven on multiple platforms and across numerous business units of The Walt Disney Company, including Disney Consumer Products, Parks and Resorts, Disney Interactive Media Group, and Disney Channel.

We’ll bring you more news about Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Rescue when we get it.