LATEST ADDITIONS

Audio Video News
B&W's Society of Sound
SV Staff  |  May 23, 2008
Audiophiles, get your downloading fingers ready. Finally, a music download service with a sound we can all be excited about. Peter Gabriel and his Real World Studios are joining forces with Bowers & Wilkins (B&W) speaker manufacturers to...
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Audio Video News
Survey Says...
SV Staff  |  May 23, 2008
While LCD televisions are seeming to reign supreme in the marketplace, a surprising figure was revealed in a recent survey conducted by DisplaySearch, a North American research firm, about the number two spot. Picture-tube CRT TVs, in all their...
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Audio Video News
Tube TVs Return from the Dead
Mark Fleischmann  |  May 23, 2008
Direct-view sets have supplanted plasmas as the second most popular television category in North America, according to DisplaySearch sales figures quoted by The New York Times.
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Audio Video News
Has The Whole Grain Trend Gone Too Far?
SV Staff  |  May 22, 2008
The very thing that people love about Blu-ray could very well be the thing that people are going to hate. For the first time, home theaters are able to display every single, subtle detail of your favorite old films, as they've only been visible...
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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Next—Paramount Pictures (Blu-ray)
Kris Deering  |  May 22, 2008
Video: 4/5
Audio: 4.25/5
Extras: 3.5/5
Based on a story by sci-fi novelist Philip K. Dick, this is an interesting premise on future sight and what could be achieved with it. The story is interesting enough and I never got bored, but the production had its limitations. The special effects could have been a bit better, and at times they were almost embarrassingly bad. My wife even commented on how fake things looked. Aside from that though, this is a fun popcorn film.
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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
V For Vendetta—Warner Bros. (Blu-ray)
Kris Deering  |  May 22, 2008
Video: 3.75/5
Audio: 4.5/5
Extras: 4/5
V for Vendetta was different than I expected. Its tones on fear and controlling population through it touch the nerve of a lot going on in our own country, though probably not quite to the extent of what is portrayed here. It is a theme that has been in more and more media lately including an excellent book I just read from Michael Crichton.
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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Face/Off—Paramount Pictures (Blu-ray)
Kris Deering  |  May 22, 2008
Video: 2.5/5
Audio: 4/5
Extras: 3.5/5
John Woo had definitely done some great action work over the years. But I will be the first to admit that not all of his films grab me. While I found this one entertaining, it was never one of my favorites by him. Probably because I went through a basic hate relationship with Travolta films for awhile. After Pulp Fiction it seemed like every other movie out there had him in it, and he always acted exactly the same. Since I've had a bit of a break from all that now, I will say the film sat a bit better with me this time around, but I still think it is one of Woo's weaker titles.
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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World—20th Century Fox (Blu-ray)
Kris Deering  |  May 22, 2008
Video: 3.75/5
Audio: 5/5
Extras: 3/5
I've been in the Navy for 13 years now and I've been to sea on several occasions during that time. Fortunately for me that time was spent under the water as I am a proud submariner. Peter Weir's Naval epic may not show the life of a modern submariner, but I think it is a testament to enduring life at sea and the comradely that blooms from it. The tale pits an English boat captain against a faster and more capable French ship, but the day to day struggle of the ship's crew is really the focus of this masterful film. The production values are stunning and I'm actually shocked we haven't seen more films like this since after seeing how well they executed it this time around. Here's hoping for more!
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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Twister—Warner Bros. (Blu-ray)
Kris Deering  |  May 22, 2008
Video: 3.25/5
Audio: 4/5
Extras: 3.5/5
Twister is one of those big budget popcorn films that audiences just flock to during the summer movie season. I was just as excited as everyone else to see it, since the special effects looked amazing in the trailers. Years later the film is still a fun ride, but with technology and special effects where they are now, this film doesn't have the technical flair it used to. For those who haven't seen it (if there are any), the film follows a group of storm chasers who have developed a measuring device for tornadoes. The bad part is, they have to get right in the path of the twister to use it. ILM did some phenomenal work on the special effects for the time and this is still a pretty intense ride.
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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Blades of Glory—Dreamworks Pictures (Blu-ray)
Kris Deering  |  May 22, 2008
Video: 4/5
Audio: 4/5
Extras: 3.5/5
I had a strong feeling going into this film that I wouldn't be a fan. I am not big on Ferrell's brand of comedy (though I did love Stranger than Fiction) and Heder hasn't done anything particularly good since Napoleon Dynamite. The comedy is a bit too over the top for me, and they borrowed a lot from comedies of the past. There are some good laughs here and there, but not nearly enough of them to warrant a purchase. I would stick with a rental on this one.
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