Hi-Def Preview

Ratatouille

Walt Disney Home Entertainment

Released: 11/06/07

Review By: Joshua Noyes

Picture Quality - 5/5

Audio Quality - 5/5

Special Features – 3/5

Overall – 5/5

Comments: Much to my surprise this morning I found both “Cars” and “Ratatouille” on the shelf ready for purchase at a local retailer.

After watching Ratatouille it is clear that Disney has hit another one out of the park! Disney used an AVC encode on to a BD50 disc and the results for PQ are very impressive. There were no hints of noise, macroblocking or even banding, which is some times evident in these animated releases. The element, which struck me most, was the colors. The colors were incredibly vibrant and uniform and really enhanced the viewing experience. Also this image was razor sharp, perhaps the sharpest I have seen thus far on HDM, even beating out “Crank.”

In-terms of AQ, this too was a very impressive showing by Disney. I listened using the PCM 5.1 6.9 Mbps option and it was AMAZING! This is one of the best I have heard thus far on HDM. The Center Channel presented the dialog perfectly. It was as though the characters were sitting on your couch with you. The Surrounds too were used to perfection and used frequently. At times I found myself almost jumping from what appeared to be sounds headed in my direction. Finally the LFE was used to perfection as well, albeit in a more discrete manner. It really added a “fullness” to many scenes and clearly enhanced the overall viewing experience.

The Special Features on this disc follow both the PQ and AQ in that they raise the bar for future HDM. The disc contains your typical Documentary and Deleted Scenes, however it features a very interesting BD-J enabled game titled, “Gusteau’s Gourmet Game.” This should appeal to both Children and Adults. There are some neat Special Features, which round out the overall presentation of this disc, which will appeal to most viewers.

In conclusion, the purchase of this disc simply put, is a no-brainer. It is reference material for both PQ and AQ, the story is strong, the Special Features are fun and the entire family will enjoy it!