LATEST ADDITIONS

Blu-ray
Lawless
Anton van Beek  |  Mar 06, 2013  |  0 comments

Director John Hillcoat and writer Nick Cave (yes, the musician) team up once again for this Prohibition-era tale of outlaws and illegal booze. It doesn't match up to the lofty standard of their previous collaboration, The Proposition, but still captivates as it recounts the true exploits of the Bondurant brothers.

Continue Reading »
Soundbars/Soundbases
Samsung HW-E450 review
Adrian Justins  |  Mar 06, 2013  |  0 comments

Samsung's HW-E450 is a classic soundbar design with its electronics, full-range drivers and tweeters built in to the main 'bar, complemented by a wireless subwoofer. The soundbar itself is long and thin, meaning it can happily sit in front of a tabletop-mounted screen without affecting the viewing area, or fixed to a wall.

Continue Reading »
Blu-ray
American Mary
Anton van Beek  |  Mar 05, 2013  |  0 comments

Filmmaking duo The Soska Sisters made a bit of a splash with their debut outing Dead Hooker in a Trunk. So much, it would appear, that Universal picked up the UK distribution rights for their second film – a twisted tale starring Katherine Isabelle as a medical student with a talent for 'body modification'. Behind the ugly Blu-ray menu lurks a very attractive AVC 2.40:1 1080p encode full of rich colours and inky shadows, although the DTS-HD MA 5.1 mix is disappointingly front-heavy. Extras are limited to on-set footage and a video of the filmmakers attending FrightFest 2012 in London.

Continue Reading »
Blu-ray
Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning
Anton van Beek  |  Mar 05, 2013  |  0 comments

This franchise continues along its curious route of serving up made-for-DVD sequels that actually improve on the 1992 original. This fourth in the 'official' series brings back Van Damme and Lundgren, but its mix of action and psychological horror follows a new protagonist played by English martial artist Scott Adkins. The Blu-ray's 2.40:1 1080p encode can be watched in 2D or 3D, with the latter working particularly well (it was actually shot stereoscopically). Extras are limited to the trailer and short interviews with the stars and director.

Continue Reading »
Blu-ray
The Sweeney (2012)
Anton van Beek  |  Mar 04, 2013  |  0 comments

The end always justifies the means – that appears to be the message Nick (The Business) Love wants to impart in this celebration of police brutality masquerading as a cinematic update of the '70s TV show. But, while the film may be brain-numbingly banal, this BD proves that you can polish a turd by delivering gleaming AVC 2.40:1 1080p visuals that get the best out of the film's Dark Knight-inspired glass and steel cityscapes. The DTS-HD MA 5.1 audio also punches above its weight whenever the gunfire and/or shouting starts. Extras are numerous, if not always interesting.

Continue Reading »
Televisions
Philips 55PFL6007 review
John Archer  |  Mar 04, 2013  |  0 comments

While some may have had concerns about Philips' TV business, it's safe to say that things appear firmly on track following its deal with TP Vision. Last issue we marvelled at the pictorial delights – at least in 2D mode – of the brand's latest Moth Eye filter TV, the 46PFL9707. And now we find ourselves face to face with the more value-conscious but still pretty spectacular 55PFL6007.

Continue Reading »
Blu-ray
Fear & Desire (Masters of Cinema)
Anton van Beek  |  Mar 04, 2013  |  0 comments

Pretentious and muddled, Fear and Desire would surely have faded into history if it wasn't the little-seen 1953 directorial debut from Stanley Kubrick. Judged on those terms this hour-long war drama is a fascinating curiosity that teases viewers with glimpses of the greatness he would eventually achieve. This Blu-ray serves up an impressive AVC 1.37:1 1080p restoration, alongside three of the filmmakers' other short films and an informative interview with Kubrick scholar Bill Krohn.

Continue Reading »
Blu-ray
Beasts of the Southern Wild
Anton van Beek  |  Mar 03, 2013  |  0 comments

Oscar-nominated indie film that's either a heart-warming piece of fantasy-drama or a cynically romanticised look at black rural poverty, depending on your point of view. Here at HCC we're caught somewhere in the middle. While the 16mm source hardly makes for the glossiest hi-def experience, those who take to the film's pop music video aesthetic will find plenty to admire in the accuracy of the textured, grainy AVC 1.78:1 1080p encode. The DTS-HD MA 5.1 mix is far more cutting-edge, bringing the film's reanimated prehistoric creatures (seriously) to life with relish. Extras include a 22-min Making of..., a 15-min featurette on the cast, nine deleted scenes with optional commentary, the trailer and a 26-min short film.

Continue Reading »
Blu-ray
The Imposter
Anton van Beek  |  Mar 02, 2013  |  0 comments

In 1994, 13-year-old Texan Nicholas Barclay disappeared. Three years later police in Spain contacted the family saying that they found him. In fact they had been taken in by 23-year old French con-man Frédéric Bourdin, but the Barclay family still accepted him as their own despite all of the evidence to the contrary. Equal parts thriller, family drama and true crime story, this unsettling documentary relates a tale so weird that you simply wouldn't believe it if it hadn't actually happened.

Continue Reading »
Blu-ray
Misfits: Series Four
Anton van Beek  |  Mar 01, 2013  |  0 comments

E4's 'superheroes with ASBOs' show finds itself trapped in a transitional point as old characters leave and a host of newcomers are introduced. It's therefore not always smooth sailing, lacking the cohesive storytelling of earlier runs – but still funny and filthy.

Continue Reading »

Pages

X