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3D Blu-ray Movie Reviews
The Polar Express 3D (Blu-ray 3D)
David Vaughn  |  Jan 21, 2011
A boy (Daryl Sabara) has lost the Christmas spirit and doesn't believe in Santa Claus. He awakes on Christmas Eve to the sound of a train arriving in his front yard. Invited to join the Polar Express on its journey to the North Pole by the train conductor (Tom Hanks), a magical world opens his eyes to the spirit of Christmas.

I'm the only one in my family that isn't in love with this picture and I can't say the 3D experience improved it for me that much, if at all. The story is somewhat tedious and forced, so I was paying more attention to the technical details of the presentation and while the audio is outstanding, the Blu-ray 3D presentation wasn't as good as other titles I've watched the past couple of weeks.

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Audio Video News
UltraViolet to Arrive This Summer
Mark Fleischmann  |  Jan 21, 2011
Buy it once, play it on any device: That's the promise of UltraViolet, a cloud-based computing scheme. While the Consumer Electronics Show was in full swing this month, it was reported that UltraViolet is launching this summer.

As we've previously reported, this is a big deal. UltraViolet will let you access content you've paid for once across multiple platforms including TVs, PCs, gaming consoles, smart phones, and any kind of computer.

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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Open Season 3—Sony Pictures Entertainment
Kris Deering  |  Jan 20, 2011
Video: 4/5
Audio: 3/5
Extras: 2.5/5
Boog, Elliot and all their forest friends return with an all-new adventure that is their fastest and furriest yet - this time in a big top circus! When Boog's buddies can't make their annual guys-only getaway, he decides to take a trip by himself. Stumbling across a visiting circus, Boog switches places with a look-alike circus grizzly and takes over his part in the act. But when the circus decides to go back to Russia, it's a race against time for Elliot, McSquizzy, Mr. Weenie and the gang to rescue Boog before it's too late.
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Blu-ray Movie ReviewsAudio Video News
Star Wars Trilogy Hitting Blu-ray September 27th According to Amazon
Stan Horaczek  |  Jan 20, 2011

We managed to catch the trailer for the upcoming release of the Star Wars saga on Blu-ray out at CES. During the presentation, which was put on by Panasonic, they marched out an Amazon exec to announce that pre-orders were going live, but there was still no release date to be had.

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Review: Bang & Olufsen BeoSound 8
Geoffrey Morrison  |  Jan 20, 2011

It might just be my eyes, but the BeoSound 8 has a certain visual resemblance to a Fiat 500, or maybe a Frogeye Sprite.

Or Peter Lorre.

There's just something visually arresting about the two connected discs. To be honest, I'm not sure if I like it. Then again, what do I know? My idea of high style is putting on shoes.

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Premiere Design
Trenner & Friedl Duke Speaker
Scott Wilkinson  |  Jan 20, 2011
As always, there was no shortage of ultra-high-end speakers at CES this year. Among the most impressive was the magnificent Duke from Austrian speaker maker Trenner & Friedl.
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AV Receiver Reviews
Pioneer VSX-1120 A/V Receiver
Mark Fleischmann  |  Jan 20, 2011
Price: $749 At A Glance: Top model in regular line • THX Select2 Plus certification, proprietary auto setup • Marvell video processing, DPLIIz height enhancement

Not Elite but Neat

Like Sony, Pioneer maintains two separate A/V receiver lines. Pioneer Elite emphasizes build quality and power while providing all the latest features. The line simply known as Pioneer emphasizes value while providing nearly as many of the latest features as Elite. They both succeed handsomely. Over the summer, Pioneer updated both lines. Having already dived into the bottomless pool of joy that is the Elite SC-37 [HT, December 2010], top model among the new Elites, I was ready to slide the regular Pioneer line’s top model into my rack’s guest AVR berth.

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Audio Video News
Folks Fuss Over FCC's CNBCU Deal
Mark Fleischmann  |  Jan 20, 2011
The Federal Communications Commission's conditions for the merger of Comcast with NBC-Universal are attracting comment. Media giants are dreading what will happen at the negotiating table as they cut deals for their own content. At the same time, others are saying that the FCC's net neutrality rules don't go far enough.

The initial fussing is coming from Disney and News Corp., both of whom own motion picture studios, TV networks, and cable channels. One of their concerns is that the FCC's requirement that Comcast make available programming it owns to online video services it doesn't own. This could complicate their ongoing negotiations with the likes of Netflix and Apple, pointed out The Wall Street Journal.

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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Life As We Know It—Warner Bros.
Kris Deering  |  Jan 20, 2011
Video: 3/5
Audio: 4/5
Extras: 3.5/5
Holly is an up-and-coming caterer and Messer is a promising network sports director. After a disastrous first date, all they have in common is their dislike for each other and their love for their goddaughter Sophie. But when they suddenly become all Sophie has in this world, Holly and Messer must set their differences aside. Juggling career ambitions and competing social calendars, they'll have to find common ground while living under the same roof.
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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Let Me In—Hammer/Anchor Bay
Kris Deering  |  Jan 20, 2011
Video: 4.5/5
Audio: 4.5/5
Extras: 3.5/5
In bleak New Mexico, a lonely, bullied boy, Owen, forms a unique bond with his mysterious new neighbor, Abby, who moves from town to town with the man who appears to be her father. Trapped in the mind and body of a child, however, Abby is forced to hide a horrific secret of bloodthirsty survival. But in a world of both tenderness and terror, how can you invite in the one friend who may unleash the ultimate nightmare?
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