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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Be Kind Rewind—New Line (Blu-ray)
Kris Deering  |  Jun 23, 2008
Video: 3.75/5
Audio: 4.25/5
Extras: 2.75/5
I've been a huge fan of Michel Gondry's direction in both music videos and motion pictures for sometime now. The trailers for Be Kind Rewind made this film out as a bit more inventive than it turned out to be but it still showcases Gondry's knack for storytelling and imagination. After a struggling video stores inventory of VHS tapes are erased by a magnetized Jack Black, Black and Mos Def recreate famous films by request using a home video camera. The local community gets behind the duo when the Hollywood big wigs cry foul due to copyright laws. The film does a great job of capturing the spirit of films and how a great story goes beyond a production budget.
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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
The Dirty Harry Collection—Warner Bros. (Blu-ray)
Kris Deering  |  Jun 23, 2008
Video: 3.75/5
Audio: 3.25/5
Extras: 3.75/5
The Dirty Harry films solidified Clint Eastwood as a mainstream Hollywood tough guy and created an icon in gritty police drama. "Go Ahead, Make my Day" is a line everyone knows and I must say this Blu-ray box set did just that. It had been awhile since I'd seen any of the Dirty Harry films and I had forgotten how much I enjoyed them back in the day. The box set includes all five films in the series or you can purchase the original Dirty Harry in a coffee book edition on its own. While these films do show their age a bit in pacing and production they are still some of my favorite crime thrillers of yesteryear.
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Audio Video News
One BEEELION Dollars
SV Staff  |  Jun 23, 2008
Dr. Evil had it right. One billion dollars is a lot of money. Apparently, it's also the lucky number that Hollywood execs are looking for to call Blu-ray a success. They believe they'll hit that number, and are aiming for $2.5 billion at the end...
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Audio Video News
Petite Pico Projector
SV Staff  |  Jun 23, 2008
You're at a business lunch and you realize you need to show your clients a picture of your marketing plan for their hot new widget. You have a picture of your ad idea stored on your phone, or it's stashed on your iPod. So there you are, huddled...
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Audio Video News
TVs Must Add Features to Compete. Surprised?
SV Staff  |  Jun 23, 2008
It's the same in every business. You have to keep adding features to keep the sales flowing. You need a new camera because the new ones do so much more than your old one. Your old cellphone worked just fine, but the new ones have so much more...
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Projector Reviews
Planar PD8150 DLP Projector
Kris Deering  |  Jun 23, 2008
DLP goes dynamic.

Planar is a relatively new name in the home theater market, but it is by no means a new company. The Oregon-based manufacturer has been around for over 20 years and has deep roots in the imaging industry, with a long history of flat panels and commercial displays. Last May, Planar made a big investment in the home theater industry in acquiring Runco International, one of the leaders in high-end home theater displays.

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Audio Video News
A DVD Collector's Dream
SV Staff  |  Jun 23, 2008
Scientists say the human brain can process only between five and nine things at once. To that postulate, we'd add that the human brain can catalog only 25 DVDs. Here's proof: Have you ever rented a DVD that you later realized you own? Have you ever...
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On-Wall Speaker Reviews
MartinLogan Fresco i On-Wall Speaker System
Gary Altunian  |  Jun 23, 2008
High-resolution speakers for high-definition video.

When it comes to high-end loudspeakers, MartinLogan stands out as a clear favorite of music enthusiasts. Avid fans of MartinLogan’s electrostatic speakers listen with rapt attention to their superior clarity, transparency, and detail. I admit, I appreciate the same natural sound qualities.

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Audio Video News
D&M Goes Private
Mark Fleischmann  |  Jun 23, 2008
The audio wing of the consumer electronics industry has seen a spate of realignments over the past few years. D&M Holdings is the latest player to change ownership. The public company will likely go private, following a tender offer by Bain Capital.
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Audio Video News
8 Million TVs and Nothing's On
SV Staff  |  Jun 23, 2008
On February 17, 2009, the entire fleet of RVs, all 8 million of them, will be thrown into disarray. Campers and retirees from Happy Isles campground in Yosemite, to the Wal-Mart parking lot in Yonkers, will run into the streets in full panic mode,...
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