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Blu-ray Reviews

I write reviews of Blu-ray discs for Australian HI-FI and Sound and Image. My editors have kindly permitted me to post them here after each issue has passed its shelf life.

The reviews aren't long. I typically have to average around 350 words of body text, for page layout reasons, so they can be bit of a challenge. Some of the early reviews were of HD DVD discs, before that format's demise. The columns show which relate to HD DVD, which to Blu-ray (the great majority) and which to both.

I have also been doing DVD/Blu-ray screen shot comparisons, and this seemed like the obvious place to put them. So some of these entries have my reviews, some have the comparisons and some have both. They are marked appropriately in the table below so you know what you're getting.

Asterisked reviews have a downloadable scan of the published review.

Enjoy.

Movie Year Company Format 3D Review Screen shots
12 Monkeys 1995Universal Blu-ray--Yes
2001: A Space Odyssey 1968Warner Blu-ray--Yes
2008 High Definition Audio Demonstration Disc 2008DTS Blu-ray---
2010 AFL Grand Final - The Draw - 3D 2010VEG Blu-rayYesYes-
2012 2009Sony Blu-ray-Yes-
28 Weeks Later 200720th C Fox Blu-ray--Yes
The 6th Day 2000Sony Blu-ray--Yes
9 2009Madman Blu-ray-YesNo
Across the Universe 2007Sony Blu-ray-Yes-
The Adventures of Tintin - added 21 February 2013 1991Madman Blu-ray-Yes*-
The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn - added 21 February 2013 2011Paramount Blu-rayYesYes*-
The African Queen 1951Beyond Blu-ray-Yes*Yes
After.Life 2009Roadshow Blu-ray-Yes-
Alien 197920th C Fox Blu-ray-Yes-
Aliens 198620th C Fox Blu-ray-Yes-
Alien3 199220th C Fox Blu-ray-Yes-
Alien: Resurrection 199720th C Fox Blu-ray-Yes-
Aliens vs Predator - Requiem 200720th C Fox Blu-ray-Yes-
Almost Famous 2000Sony Blu-ray-YesYes
Amadeus 1984Warner Blu-ray-YesYes
Amélie 2001Icon Blu-ray-Yes*Yes
An American in Paris 1980Warner Blu-ray-Yes-
An American Werewolf in London 1981Paramount Blu-ray--Yes
Animal Kingdom 2010Madman Blu-ray--Yes
Apocalypse Now 1979Universal Blu-ray-Yes*-
The Artist - added 24 February 2013 2011Roadshow Blu-ray-Yes*-
Atonement 2007Universal Blu-ray-Yes*-
Babel 2006Paramount HD-DVD-Yes-
Batman Begins 2005Warner Blu-ray--Yes
Beauty and the Beast 1991Disney Blu-ray-YesYes
Beetlejuice 1988Warner Blu-ray--Yes
Big Fish 2003Sony Blu-ray--Yes
Black Hawk Down 2001Sony Blu-ray--Yes
Black Sheep 2006Icon Blu-ray-Yes*-
Bonnie and Clyde 1967Warner Blu-ray--Yes
Boogie 3D 2009Icon Blu-rayYesYes*-
The Book of Eli 2010Sony Blu-ray-Yes-
The Bourne Identity 2002Universal Blu-ray--Yes
The Bourne Ultimatum 2007Universal HD-DVD-Yes-
The Box 2009Icon Blu-ray-Yes-
Brotherhood - added 21 February 2013 2010Eagle Blu-ray-Yes*-
Bram Stoker's Dracula 1993Sony Blu-ray--Yes
Bran Nue Dae 2009Roadshow Blu-ray-Yes-
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid 196920th C Fox Blu-ray-YesYes
Carmen in 3D 2011Select Blu-rayYesYes*-
Cars 2006Disney Blu-ray--Yes
Cars 2 2011Disney Blu-rayYesYes*-
Casablanca 1942Warner Blu-ray--Yes
Chicago 2002Disney Blu-ray-YesYes
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe 2005Disney Blu-ray-YesYes
Close Encounters of the Third Kind 1977Sony Blu-ray-YesYes
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2009Sony Blu-rayYesYes-
Cloverfield 2008Paramount Blu-ray-Yes-
Cool Hand Luke 1967Warner Blu-ray-Yes-
Coraline (& Coraline 3D) 2009Universal Blu-rayYesYes-
Corpse Bride 2005Warner Both-YesYes
Crash 2004Icon Blu-ray--Yes
The Crow 1994Roadshow Blu-ray-YesYes
The Da Vinci Code 2006Sony Blu-ray-Yes*-
Dark City 1998Reel Blu-ray--Yes
The Dark Knight 2008Warner Blu-ray-Yes-
The Day the Earth Stood Still 200820th C Fox Blu-ray-Yes-
Death Race 2008Universal Blu-ray-Yes-
The Deer Hunter 1978Universal Blu-ray-YesYes
Deliverance 1972Warner Blu-ray-YesYes
The Departed 2006Warner Blu-ray--Yes
Despicable Me 2010Universal Blu-rayYesYes-
Die Hard 4.0 200720th C Fox Blu-ray-Yes-
Disaster Movie 2008Icon Blu-ray--Yes
District 9 2009Sony Blu-ray-Yes*-
Dog Day Afternoon 1975Warner Blu-ray--Yes
Doghouse 2009Eagle Blu-ray-Yes-
Donnie Darko 2001Anchor Blu-ray-Yes*Yes
Dr. No 196220th C Fox Blu-ray-YesYes
Dumbo 1941Disney Blu-ray-Yes-
DVE HD Basics 2008Beyond Blu-ray-Yes-
Easy Rider 1969Sony Blu-ray-YesYes
Edward Scissorhands 199020th C Fox Blu-ray-Yes*Yes
The Elephant Man 1980Paramount Blu-ray--Yes
Eraser 1996Warner Blu-ray--Yes
The Fall 2006Umbrella Blu-ray-Yes*-
Falling Down 1993Warner Blu-ray-Yes-
Fame 1980Warner Blu-ray-Yes-
Fantasia 1940Disney Blu-ray-YesYes
Fantasia/2000 1999Disney Blu-ray-Yes*-
Felon 2008Sony Blu-ray-Yes-
The Fifth Element 1997Sony Blu-ray-YesYes
The Fighter 2010Roadshow Blu-ray-Yes*-
First Blood 1982Universal Both-YesYes
Forrest Gump 1994Paramount Blu-ray-Yes-
Fringe (The Complete First Season) 1980Warner Blu-ray-Yes*-
The Fugitive 1993Warner Blu-ray--Yes
Full Metal Jacket 1987Warner Blu-ray-YesYes
Full Metal Jacket (Deluxe Edition) 1987Warner Blu-ray--Yes
Gamer 2009Roadshow Blu-ray-Yes-
Gattaca 1997Sony Blu-ray-YesYes
George Harrison: Living in the Material World 2011Roadshow Blu-ray-Yes*-
Gigi 1958Warner Blu-ray-YesYes
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo 2009Roadshow Blu-ray-Yes-
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo - added 24 February 2013 2011Universal/Sony Blu-ray-Yes*-
The Girl Who Played With Fire 2009Roadshow Blu-ray-Yes-
Gladiator 2000Universal Blu-ray-Yes*Yes
Gnomeo and Juliet 2011Disney Blu-rayYesYes*-
The Godfather 1972Paramount Blu-ray-YesYes
The Godfather: Part II 1974Paramount Blu-ray--Yes
The Golden Compass 2007Roadshow Blu-ray-Yes-
Gone With the Wind 1939Warner Blu-ray-YesYes
Great Expectations 1946Beyond Blu-ray--Yes
Hairspray 2007Roadshow Blu-ray-YesYes
Halloween 1978Beyond Blu-ray--Yes
The Hangover 2009Warner Blu-ray-Yes*-
Happy Feet 2006Roadshow Blu-ray-YesYes
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince 2009Warner Blu-ray-Yes*-
Heroes 2006Universal HD-DVD-Yes-
A History of Violence 2005Roadshow Blu-ray-Yes*Yes
Hollow Man 2000Sony Blu-ray--Yes
Hugo - added 24 February 2013 2011Paramount Blu-ray-Yes*-
The Ides of March - added 21 February 2013 2011Roadshow Blu-ray-Yes*-
Independence Day 199620th C Fox Blu-ray-YesYes
In the Line of Fire 1993Sony Blu-ray--Yes
In the Loop 2009Madman Blu-ray-Yes-
Inglourious Basterds 2009Universal Blu-ray-Yes*-
Into the Blue 2005Sony Blu-ray-Yes-
Iron Man 2008Paramount Blu-ray-Yes-
Jumper 200820th C Fox Blu-ray-YesYes
Jurassic Park 1993Universal Blu-ray-Yes*
Jurassic Park III 2001Universal Blu-ray-Yes*
Kick-Ass 2010Universal Blu-ray-Yes*-
The King's Speech 2010Paramount Blu-ray-Yes*-
Knowing 2009Icon Blu-ray-YesYes
L.A. Confidential 1997Warner Blu-ray-YesYes
Law Abiding Citizen 2009Roadshow Blu-ray-Yes-
Led Zeppelin: The Song Remains the Same 1976Warner Blu-ray-YesYes
The Lion King 1994Disney Blu-ray-Yes*-
Logan's Run 1976Warner Blu-ray--Yes
The Longest Day 196220th C Fox Blu-ray--Yes
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring 2001Roadshow Blu-ray-YesYes
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers 2002Roadshow Blu-ray-YesYes
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King 2003Roadshow Blu-ray-YesYes
The Lost World: Jurassic Park 1997Universal Blu-ray-Yes*
The Loved Ones 2009Madman Blu-ray-Yes*-
Mad Max 1979Roadshow Blu-ray-Yes*Yes
The Mask 1994Roadshow Blu-ray--Yes
The Matrix 1999Roadshow Blu-ray--Yes
Men in Black 1997Sony Blu-ray-YesYes
Metropolis 1927Madman Blu-ray-Yes*Yes
Melancholia - added 23 February 2013 2011Madman Blu-ray-Yes*Yes
Michael Jackson's This Is It 2009Sony Blu-ray-Yes-
Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol - added 23 February 2013 2011Paramount Blu-ray-Yes*-
Miss Potter 2006Icon Blu-ray-YesYes
The Mist 2007Roadshow Blu-ray-Yes-
Monsters, Inc. 2001Disney Blu-ray-YesYes
Monsters vs Aliens 2009Paramount Blu-ray-Yes*-
Moonwalker 1988Warner Blu-ray-Yes-
Moulin Rouge! 200120th C Fox Blu-ray-Yes*-
Nanny McPhee 2005Universal Blu-ray--Yes
Nine 2009Sony Blu-ray-Yes-
Nowhere Boy 2009Icon Blu-ray-YesYes
The Omega Man 1971Warner Blu-ray-Yes-
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest 1975Warner Blu-ray-YesYes
Pan's Labyrinth 2006Foreign Blu-ray-YesYes
The Phantom of the Opera 2004Warner Blu-ray-YesYes
Phone Booth 200220th C Fox Blu-ray--Yes
Picnic at Hanging Rock - added 24 February 2013 1975Umbrella Blu-ray-Yes*-
Pink Floyd: Dark Side of the Moon 1973EMI Blu-ray-Yes*-
Piranha 3D 2010Roadshow Blu-rayYesYes-
Powaqqatsi 1988Umbrella Blu-ray-Yes*-
Pride & Prejudice 2005Universal Blu-ray--Yes
Psycho 1960Universal Blu-ray-YesYes
Pulp Fiction 1994Roadshow Blu-ray-Yes*Yes
Pushing Daisies - The Complete First Season 2007Warner Blu-ray-Yes*-
The Queen 2006Icon Blu-ray--Yes
Rambo 2008Sony Blu-ray-Yes-
Ratatouille 2007Disney Blu-ray-Yes*-
Red 2010Icon Blu-ray-Yes*-
The Road 2009Icon Blu-ray-Yes-
RoboCop 198420th C Fox Blu-ray-YesYes
Saw 3D 2010Sony Blu-rayYesYes-
The Searchers 1956Warner Blu-ray-YesYes
Serenity 2005Universal Both-YesYes
A Serious Man 2009Universal Blu-ray-Yes-
Se7en 1995Roadshow Blu-ray--Yes
Shakespeare in Love 1998Universal Blu-ray--Yes
Shame - added 23 February 2013 2011Transmission Blu-ray-Yes*Yes
Shaun of the Dead 2004Universal Blu-ray-Yes-
The Shawshank Redemption 1994Warner Blu-ray--Yes
Sherlock Holmes 2009Warner Blu-ray-Yes-
Shine a Light 200820th C Fox Blu-ray-Yes-
Shrek the Third 2007Paramount HD-DVD-Yes-
Shutter Island 2010Paramount Blu-ray-Yes-
The Siege 199820th C Fox Blu-ray--Yes
The Simpsons Movie 200720th C Fox Blu-ray-Yes-
Sin City 2005Disney Blu-ray-YesYes
The Sixth Sense 1999Disney Blu-ray-YesYes
Sky High 2005Disney Blu-ray-Yes-
Sleeping Beauty 1959Disney Blu-ray-YesYes
Slumdog Millionaire 2008Icon Blu-ray-YesYes
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs 1937Disney Blu-ray-YesYes
The Social Network 2010Sony Blu-ray-Yes*-
The Sound of High Definition 2008Dolby Blu-ray---
The Sound of Music 196520th C Fox Blu-ray-Yes*Yes
Speed 199420th C Fox Blu-ray-YesYes
Spy Kids: All the Time in the World 4D 2011Roadshow Blu-rayYesYes*-
Star Trek 2009Paramount Blu-ray-Yes*-
Star Trek Season One 1966Paramount Both-YesYes
Stardust 2007Paramount HD-DVD-Yes-
Step Up 3D 2010Universal Blu-rayYesYes*-
Super 2010Roadshow Blu-ray-Yes*-
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street 2007Warner Blu-ray-Yes-
Taxi Driver 1976Sony Blu-ray-Yes*-
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre 1974Foreign Blu-ray--Yes
This is Spinal Tap 1984Universal Blu-ray-YesYes
Tomorrow, When the War Began 2010Paramount Blu-ray--Yes
Total Recall 1990Universal Both-YesYes
Toy Story 1995Disney Blu-ray-YesYes
Toy Story 2 1999Disney Blu-ray-Yes-
Toy Story 3 2010Disney Blu-ray--Yes
TRON: Legacy 2010Disney Blu-ray-Yes*-
The Transporter 200220th C Fox Blu-ray--Yes
The Tree of Life 2011Icon Blu-ray-Yes*-
TT3D: Closer to the Edge - added 23 February 2013 2011Icon Blu-rayYesYes*-
Tucker and Dale vs Evil 2010Icon Blu-ray-Yes*-
Two Hands 1999Icon Blu-ray--Yes
Wake in Fright 1971Madman Blu-ray-Yes-
Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story 2006Sony Blu-ray-Yes-
WALL-E 2008Disney Blu-ray--Yes
Watchmen 2009Paramount Blu-ray-Yes*-
West Side Story 196120th C Fox Blu-ray-Yes*-
We Were Soldiers 2002Icon Blu-ray-YesYes
The Wicker Man 2006Sony Blu-ray-Yes-
The Wild Bunch 1969Warner Blu-ray--Yes
The Wizard of Oz 1939Warner Blu-ray-YesYes
Woodstock: 3 Days of Peace and Music 1970Warner Blu-ray-Yes-
X-Men: First Class 201120th C Fox Blu-ray-Yes*-
xXx 2002Sony Blu-ray--Yes
Y tu mamá también 2001Icon Blu-ray--Yes
Zombieland 2009Sony Blu-ray-Yes-