Across The Universe
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Released: 2/05/08
Review By: Joshua Noyes
Picture Quality – 4.75/5
Audio Quality – 5/5
Special Features – 3/5
Overall – 4.75/5
Comments: Sony did an EXCELLENT job with this transfer. This film is encoded using AVC on to a BD50 and Sony used Dolby True HD for sound. The colors are sharp and vivid and really "pop" off the screen. The film grain is minimal and I saw absolutely no noise or macroblocking. The daytime scenes were simply stunning, especially the greens and blues. This is one of the best films I have seen in-terms of PQ in quite sometime that was not an animated film.
In-terms of audio quality I would say this was a great representation of what Dolby True HD is capable of. The Surrounds were used frequently, to the point of feeling you were like you were in the film. The LFE too was used to perfection and helped created an encompassing effect. The center channel is where this release excels. Dialog can be heard loud and clear, as if the characters of the film were in your living room with you. Simply put, the sound quality of this release was perfect; so all Beatles fans should be VERY Happy!
This release has very nice special features. Here is a look at what you get:
Audio commentary with director Julie Taymor and composer Eliot Goldenthal.
Eight Extended Musical Performances.
Deleted Scene: “And I Love Her” (with Dana Fuchs and Martin Luther McCoy).
5 featurettes: "Creating the Universe," "Stars of Tomorrow," "All About the Music," "FX on the Universe," "Moving Across the Universe."
In conclusion, if you are a fan of this film or of new takes on Beatles music, I can highly recommend this purchase as the story is solid, the special features are good and the picture and sound quality are top notch.
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