They’re almost here, so I wanted give you my thoughts on the new “must own” Up and Monsters, Inc. Blu-rays (available on November 10th). I absolutely adore both films (and these Blu-rays), so I will stick to the picture, sound, extras and a few missed opportunities for this review.
Up
Image: The 1080p picture is absolutely gorgeous. The 1.85:1 image (here composed at 1.78:1) is really flawless. Colors “pop” and you won’t find a better HD transfer out there.
Audio: Dialogue and music are crisp and clear. The DTS-HD really gives Michael Giacchino’s score a chance to soar. This is also the first Pixar Blu-ray with descriptive audio and it’s a great feature for the hearing impaired. The separate audio track describes everything that is happening on screen!
Extras: The power of Blu-ray is put to full use here. Up includes a Blu-ray exclusive Picture in Picture (PIP) commentary with director Pete Docter and co-director Bob Peterson. Both Peter Sohn’s Partly Cloudly and Ronnie del Carmen’s Dug’s Special Mission are presented in HD. Disc 2 is filled with wonderful documentaries (mostly in HD). My favorites include the trip to South America (Adventure is Out There!) and the fascinating look at the marriage montage (Married Life). A detailed breakdown of all the disc contents and extra features can be found on my Up Blu-ray page. P.S. Don’t miss the easter egg!
Missed Opportunities: I really would have like to see The Up teaser trailer included (you can find it on the WALL-E Blu-ray). I also think a “Geek Track” (similar to the one included on WALL-E) would have been a nice addition to discuss the more technical details of the film.
Summary: You really don’t need me to tell you. This is the one of the best Blu-rays to date and reason enough to run out and buy a Blu-ray player if you don’t have one. Blu-ray is the best way to see (and hear) movies in High Definition and nothing else compares at this point!
Monsters, Inc.
Image: I really didn’t think Monsters, Inc. could look this good. It’s a huge step up from the standard DVD and the high definition picture will knock your socks off. Pete Docter again favors the 1.85:1 image (composed at 1.78:1) and you won’t be disappointed by the amount of detail and clarity on display.
Audio: Dialogue and music are top notch and the audio really envelops you. The 2nd half of the film (and the door vault sequence) will really give your home theater a work out!
Extras: The Blu-ray includes all the extras from the previous DVD. New exclusive additions include the wonderful filmmakers roundtable with Pete Docter, Lee Unkrich, Darla K. Anderson and Bob Peterson at the Hidden City Cafe (with lots of Lee Unkrich chimp love?!). I also enjoyed the look at the Monsters, Inc attraction in Tokyo. A detailed breakdown of all the disc contents and extra features can be found on my Monsters, Inc. Blu-ray page. P.S. Don’t miss the easter egg included on Disc 2!
Missed Opportunities: Again, the wonderful Monsters, Inc. teaser trailer has been left off (it’s partially shown and discussed during the filmmaker roundtable). We really need to see all these wonderful teasers on Blu-ray (and in high definition). A feature on the Walt Disney World and Disneyland Monsters, Inc. attractions would have been a nice addition.
Summary: Monsters, Inc. has never looked or sounded better and the new extras are insightful. A worthy upgrade to your standard DVD.
