3D Blu-ray Movie Reviews

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3D Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Tron / Tron Legacy 3D: Two Movie Collection (Blu-ray/Blu-ray 3D)
David Vaughn  |  Apr 04, 2011
When Sam (Garrett Hedlund) was seven years old, his father (Jeff Bridges) left for work one night and was never seen again. Some thought he couldn’t handle the pressure of being CEO of Encom and fled the country, but little did anyone know he had left our world and was trapped in a digital realm he had created. Now 20 years later, Sam is sent to his father’s old shop to investigate a mysterious page from the abandoned building. It’s there he discovers a hidden room and before he knows it he’s transported into a digital reality he must join forces with his father in order to defeat a rogue program that has overtaken the digital paradise.

I was 13 when I first saw Tron and was disappointed with the story, although I was a huge fan of the video game. The technology talk in the script went over my head because I didn’t discover computers until a couple years later. Surprisingly, the film holds up quite well by today’s standards if you discount the rudimentary special effects and my kids and I really enjoyed it a lot (although my wife fell asleep).

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Blu-ray Movie Reviews3D Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Tron/Tron Legacy 3D: Two Movie Collection—Walt Disney Pictures
Kris Deering  |  Mar 28, 2011
Video: 4.5/5
Audio: 5/5
Extras: 5/5
When Flynn, the world's greatest video game creator, sends out a secret signal from an amazing digital realm, his son discovers the clue and embarks on a personal journey to save his long-lost father. With the help of the fearless female warrior Quorra, father and son venture through an incredible cyber universe and wage the ultimate battle of good versus evil.
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3D Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Tangled 3D (Blu-ray 3D)
David Vaughn  |  Mar 28, 2011
Pursued by the King's troops, Flynn Rider (voice by Zachary Levi) takes refuge in a mysterious tower, but he's not alone. Before he knows it, he's tied to a chair by Rapunzel (Mandy Moore), a spirited teen with 70 feet of magical golden hair. Looking for her ticket out of the tower she's been trapped in for years, she strikes a deal with the handsome thief, and the duo set off on an adventure pursued by a determined horse, a pair of thugs, and an evil woman who doesn't want to lose her fountain of youth.

This is Disney's 50th full-length animated feature, and while I wouldn't consider it to the level of The Lion King or Beauty and the Beast, it's very entertaining. There are a lot of laughs, especially from the horse and overprotective chameleon, but the musical numbers are a mixed bag.

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3D Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Tangled 3D—Walt Disney Pictures
Kris Deering  |  Mar 22, 2011
Video: 5/5
Audio: 4.5/5
Extras: 5/5
When the kingdom's most wanted - and most charming - bandit Flynn Rider hides in a mysterious tower, the last thing he expects to find is Rapunzel, a spirited teen with an unlikely superpower - 70 feet of magical golden hair! Together, the unlikely duo sets off on a fantastic journey filled with surprising heroes, laughter and suspense.
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3D Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Yogi Bear 3D (Blu-ray 3D)
David Vaughn  |  Mar 18, 2011
When Yogi (voiced by Dan Aykroyd) finds out that Jellystone Park is being sold, tossing him, Boo Boo (Justin Timberlake), and all their friends out of the only home they've ever known, he and Boo Boo join forces with is long-suffering nemesis, Ranger Smith (Tom Cavanagh) in order to save the park from an evil politician.

This one certainly caters to a younger audience and I doubt viewers without kids would want to give it a look. Regardless, it actually isn't that bad and features surprisingly good 3D effects, a decent story, and the cartoon characters of Yogi and Boo Boo blend seamlessly with the live-action actors.

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3D Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Clash of the Titans 3D (Blu-ray 3D)
David Vaughn  |  Jan 26, 2011
As a war rages between men and kings and kings and god, the battle amongst the gods is the one that could ultimately destroy the world. Hope rests with Perseus (Sam Worthington), son of Zeus (Liam Neeson), who was raised as a man and sets off on a hazardous journey deep into forbidden worlds to avenge the death of his family and defeat Hades before he can seize power from Zeus and unleash hell on earth.

With only a 29% favorable rating on Rotten Tomatoes, I had extremely low expectations. I wouldn't consider the movie a classic, but it's a hell of a lot of fun and features adequate acting, a compelling story (revenge is a dish best served cold), and tons of action, especially compared to the slow-paced original from 1981. There's an occasional line of cringe-inducing dialog, but the positives far outweigh any negatives and even with a second watching I found myself drawn into the story.

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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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3D Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Despicable Me (Blu-ray 3D)
David Vaughn  |  Jan 19, 2011
Looking to gain the title of "World's Greatest Villain," Gru (voiced by Steve Carell) adopts three orphans in order to steal a shrinking machine from his nemesis, Vector (Jason Segel). What he didn't count on was the three girls changing his outlook on the world and he'll stop at nothing to protect them.

The marketing campaign for this film stunk and I had no desire to see it in the theaters (and neither did my kids) but was willing to give it a try on Blu-ray. Surprisingly there's a touching story behind the fantastic animation as the villain becomes the hero and discovers he does have a heart buried beneath his evil exterior.

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3D Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Resident Evil: Afterlife 3D—Screen Gems
Kris Deering  |  Jan 17, 2011
Video: 4.5/5
Audio: 4/5
Extras: 3.5/5
In a world ravaged by a virus infection, turning its victims into the Undead, Alice, continues on her journey to find survivors and lead them to safety. Her deadly battle with the Umbrella Corporation reaches new heights, but Alice gets some unexpected help from an old friend. A new lead that promises a safe haven from the Undead takes them to Los Angeles, but when they arrive the city is overrun by thousands of Undead - and Alice and her comrades are about to step into a deadly trap.
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3D Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Step Up 3D—Touchstone Pictures
Kris Deering  |  Jan 17, 2011
Video: 4.5/5
Audio: 4.5/5
Extras: 4.5/5
When a tight-knit group of New York City street dancers are pitted against the best hip hop dancers in the world, it's a high stakes dance battle that'll change their lives forever.
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3D Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole 3D (Blu-ray 3D)
David Vaughn  |  Jan 17, 2011
Young owl Soren (voiced by Jim Sturgess) marvels at tales of the Guardians of Ga'Hoole, mythic winged warriors who battled to save all owlkind from the evil Pure Ones. When he and brother Kludd (Ryan Kwanten) fall into the talons of the Pure Ones, it's up to Soren to make a daring escape with the help of other brave owls and seek out the Great Tree, home of the Guardians.

The marketing for this film wasn't very enticing, but the story has a lot of heart and is very entertaining. Director Zach Snyder (300, Watchman) makes his animation debut with this fantasy adventure based on the beloved books by Kathryn Lasky.

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3D Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Coraline (Blu-ray 3D)
David Vaughn  |  Jan 15, 2011
Eleven-year-old Coraline Jones (voiced by Dakota Fanning) has just moved with her parents (Teri Hatcher and John Hodgman) to a new home in Oregon. With her parents distracted by work and no one to play with except an annoying boy, Wybie Lovat (Robert Bailey Jr.), she spends her time visiting her older neighbors. When she convinces herself that her new home is the most boring place on earth, she uncovers a secret door that leads to a parallel world much like her own—but much better. Is the grass greener on the other side or is it all an illusion?

Pixar has changed the way animated films are made, but the days of stop-motion are far from over as director Henry Selick (The Nightmare Before Christmas) proves with this visually stunning and wildly entertaining tale of a young girl in search of attention. One caveat—this isn't really a kid's movie. There are some intense sequences in the "other world" that may frighten younger viewers, so a prescreening is recommended for parents with young children.

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3D Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Imax Deep Sea 3D (Blu-ray 3D)
David Vaughn  |  Jan 14, 2011
Narrated by Johnny Depp and Kate Winslet, Imax Deep Sea guides you on an astonishing adventure that lets you swim alongside our planet's most exotic creatures. You'll follow green sea turtles as they gather at the cleaning stop so surgeonfish can strip harmful algae from their shells, see Humboldt squid change color four times per second like a strobe light, and witness a mantis shrimp fight off an octopus.

This is the second time I've seen this documentary on home video, but experiencing it in 3D blows away the DVD. Our oceans house some of the most interesting creatures on our planet and this Imax presentation takes you right into the action with freakishly realistic visuals.

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3D Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Imax Under the Sea 3D (Blu-ray 3D)
David Vaughn  |  Jan 13, 2011
Imagine a world of incredible color and beauty. Of crabs wearing jellyfish for hats or of fish disguised as frogs, stones, and shag carpets. Journey into the waters of the Great Barrier Reef and other South Pacific realms and immerse yourself into 3D from the comfort of your own home.

Here's the first of many Blu-ray 3D reviews you'll be seeing at UltimateAVmag.com. For the sake of full disclosure, our household was divided about 3D. My wife and daughter have always enjoyed it, while my son and I haven't, with one exception—Avatar. Everyone enjoyed the 3D experience of James Cameron's blockbuster at our local theater.

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3D Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole 3D—Warner Bros. Pictures (Blu-ray)
Kris Deering  |  Jan 04, 2011
Young owl Soren marvels at tales of the Guardians of Ga'Hoole, mythic winged warriors who battled to save all owl kind from the evil Pure Ones. When he and brother Kludd fall into the talons of the Pure Ones, it's up to Soren to make a daring escape with the help of other brave owls and seek out the Great Tree, home of the Guardians.

This was one of the best looking animated films on Blu-ray with its 2D release, and the 3D sacrifices nothing in terms of contrast, clarity of depth. The 3D aspect isn’t as aggressive as some of the other titles on the market, but it does add some immersion to the experience. I didn’t see any troubling artifacts such as ghosting or line twitter, and the depth of the 3D presentation adds a lot to the overall dimensionality of the film. The DTS-HD Master Audio mix is also first rate with incredible dynamic range and an immersive sound mix.

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