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- First reviewApril 1, 2014
- Last reviewDecember 30, 2014
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- Average rating4.7
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BigA's Reviews
![Django Unchained - BLU-RAY [Standard]](https://pisces.bbystatic.com/prescaled/500/500/image2/BestBuy_US/images/products/91587ec2-2df4-4cdc-93d9-761eb264e8a7.jpg)
Directed by Quentin Tarantino. Starring Christoph Waltz, Jamie Foxx, Leonardo DiCaprio.
Customer Rating
5
Another Excellent Genre Film from Tarantino.
on December 30, 2014
Posted by: BigA
from Rochester, MN
Verified Purchase:Yes
As far as the film itself goes, I think I will categorically state, that if you like Tarantino's other recent films, you will like Django:Unchained. Tarantino again takes a 60s, 70s genre, like the martial arts move in "Kill Bill", only this time focusing on the spaghetti western. More specifically Sergio Corbucci's "Django" released in '66. He takes the archetype of that genre, infuses it with his brand of rapid fire dialogue, humor, and bouts of graphic violence to deliver something that feels both vintage and fresh. That balancing act is made possible by excellent performances from Jamie Foxx, Leonardo Dicaprio, and Christoph Waltz, and even a solid turn from Samuel L. Jackson.
The Blu-ray transfer here is excellent in both video quality and audio. The dialogue is clear and the front soundstage dances nimbly between the channels, the LFE channel provides the needed bass weight to the gunshots.
The one real weakness, if one is to be found, is the lack of strong extra material. Solid commentary tracks or something, anything, would have been nice. But sadly, all we get is a rather generic documentary.
For Tarantino fans, and fans of the gene in general, buy without hesitation. Those on the squeamish side should probably look elsewhere, as the movie does deliver the blood, guts and profanity we've come to expect.
The Blu-ray transfer here is excellent in both video quality and audio. The dialogue is clear and the front soundstage dances nimbly between the channels, the LFE channel provides the needed bass weight to the gunshots.
The one real weakness, if one is to be found, is the lack of strong extra material. Solid commentary tracks or something, anything, would have been nice. But sadly, all we get is a rather generic documentary.
For Tarantino fans, and fans of the gene in general, buy without hesitation. Those on the squeamish side should probably look elsewhere, as the movie does deliver the blood, guts and profanity we've come to expect.
My Best Buy number: 0411615107
I would recommend this to a friend!
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![Big Trouble in Little China [Blu-ray] [1986]](https://pisces.bbystatic.com/prescaled/500/500/image2/BestBuy_US/images/products/304b2327-370a-41e7-956a-951dd4939472.png)
Customer Rating
5
Truly an '80s gem.
on December 30, 2014
Posted by: BigA
from Rochester, MN
Verified Purchase:Yes
Having grown up in the '80s myself, I may be a bit biased, but they just don't make movies like this anymore. 80's movies, and the 80s in general can be cheesy, but balancing the right amount of that with some witty dialogue and outlandish characters made for a hell of a movie.
Kurt Russell is great as 'ol Jack Burton, who has been eloquently described as the sidekick who doesn't know he's a sidekick. On a trip to Chinatown to collect the domino winnings he's owed, he and his compatriot Wang, are beset by the three storm lords, working for the evil immortal sorcerer Lo Pan as they kidnap Wang's fiancé in an effort to break an ancient curse binding their master. You just don't get movie plots like this anymore.
Watching Jack Burton, with all his bravado be largely ineffective against his sorcerous adversaries is hilarious. This John Carpenter film, takes the cheesy, the outlandish, and tempers it with enough snappy dialogue, action, and some over the top stereotypes, to make a wildly entertaining movie.
The transfer on this Blu-ray is particularly good for an older film. There is a healthy amount of grain in the transfer, but the overall detail is still quite excellent.
On the audio side, this transfer doesn't employ the surrounds much at all, and is a little light in the bass department. I think the soundstage could use a bit of remixing for the modern home theater. It isn't bad, but it could have been better.
So that's it, for a price of $5 you can't really go wrong here. Also, the audio commentary is great, especially if you are already a fan of the film.
Kurt Russell is great as 'ol Jack Burton, who has been eloquently described as the sidekick who doesn't know he's a sidekick. On a trip to Chinatown to collect the domino winnings he's owed, he and his compatriot Wang, are beset by the three storm lords, working for the evil immortal sorcerer Lo Pan as they kidnap Wang's fiancé in an effort to break an ancient curse binding their master. You just don't get movie plots like this anymore.
Watching Jack Burton, with all his bravado be largely ineffective against his sorcerous adversaries is hilarious. This John Carpenter film, takes the cheesy, the outlandish, and tempers it with enough snappy dialogue, action, and some over the top stereotypes, to make a wildly entertaining movie.
The transfer on this Blu-ray is particularly good for an older film. There is a healthy amount of grain in the transfer, but the overall detail is still quite excellent.
On the audio side, this transfer doesn't employ the surrounds much at all, and is a little light in the bass department. I think the soundstage could use a bit of remixing for the modern home theater. It isn't bad, but it could have been better.
So that's it, for a price of $5 you can't really go wrong here. Also, the audio commentary is great, especially if you are already a fan of the film.
My Best Buy number: 0411615107
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Customer Rating
5
Superb Blu-ray Transfer for this Excellent Film
on December 30, 2014
Posted by: BigA
from Rochester, MN
Verified Purchase:Yes
Silver Linings Playbook is an exceptionally crafted film, and one of the better releases in 2012. All the characters are represented with their various quirks and flaws, giving them the depth needed to make this tale about two genuinely damaged people so engaging.
If you haven't seen it yet, I would highly recommend it. In the romantic comedy vein, it will appeal to anyone who likes their movies generally uplifting.
On the technical side of things, the Blu-ray reproduction is brilliant. No grain is to be found in this film, with spectacular detail on close-ups and even background objects. There is a bit of a dark crush in some of the darker scenes, but it isn't overpowering.
On the audio side, this is a dialogue heavy film as many films in the genre tend to be. With that said, there isn't much surround action going on here. The surround effects only really kick in with the music, but the dialogue is clear and crisp and the mix is solid for this type of movie.
In summary, if you like romantic comedies, or just stories about people overcoming their own failings to find happiness with one another, I think you'll enjoy this film.
If you haven't seen it yet, I would highly recommend it. In the romantic comedy vein, it will appeal to anyone who likes their movies generally uplifting.
On the technical side of things, the Blu-ray reproduction is brilliant. No grain is to be found in this film, with spectacular detail on close-ups and even background objects. There is a bit of a dark crush in some of the darker scenes, but it isn't overpowering.
On the audio side, this is a dialogue heavy film as many films in the genre tend to be. With that said, there isn't much surround action going on here. The surround effects only really kick in with the music, but the dialogue is clear and crisp and the mix is solid for this type of movie.
In summary, if you like romantic comedies, or just stories about people overcoming their own failings to find happiness with one another, I think you'll enjoy this film.
My Best Buy number: 0411615107
I would recommend this to a friend!
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![The Silence of the Lambs [Blu-ray] [1991]](https://pisces.bbystatic.com/prescaled/500/500/image2/BestBuy_US/images/products/204cf865-e76a-49fa-a812-6b9db8489ce6.jpg)
Customer Rating
4
Excellent film, okay Blu-ray transfer.
on December 30, 2014
Posted by: BigA
from Rochester, MN
Verified Purchase:Yes
By now, most of you will be familiar with this film. Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins are both excellent in this thrilling and dark adaptation of the Thomas Harris novel.
It has now been over 5 years since this film was release on Blu-ray, and this adaptation stands above any of the DVD or VHS versions that preceded it. However, it is by no means perfect. The picture in this film, while sharper and more detailed than the DVD release, still suffers from inconsistent black levels and a fair amount of noise in the picture. It isn't terrible for a 23 year old film, but compared to modern films on Blu-ray, shot with digital cameras, the age definitely shows. This movie could benefit from a remastered edition, but currently I don't believe one is in the works.
On the audio side, the score is haunting and engaging, but the Lossless 5.1 audio track has few discrete surround effects, and makes little use of immersive surround elements in general.
Overall, the movie is excellent, and I would recommend it. While still flawed, it is the best transfer of the film to date. As a reference disc for what Blu-ray can do on the technology side it still falls woefully short. At the current price of $4.99 at Best Buy however, I would recommend it even to those unfamiliar with the film. You won't be disappointed.
It has now been over 5 years since this film was release on Blu-ray, and this adaptation stands above any of the DVD or VHS versions that preceded it. However, it is by no means perfect. The picture in this film, while sharper and more detailed than the DVD release, still suffers from inconsistent black levels and a fair amount of noise in the picture. It isn't terrible for a 23 year old film, but compared to modern films on Blu-ray, shot with digital cameras, the age definitely shows. This movie could benefit from a remastered edition, but currently I don't believe one is in the works.
On the audio side, the score is haunting and engaging, but the Lossless 5.1 audio track has few discrete surround effects, and makes little use of immersive surround elements in general.
Overall, the movie is excellent, and I would recommend it. While still flawed, it is the best transfer of the film to date. As a reference disc for what Blu-ray can do on the technology side it still falls woefully short. At the current price of $4.99 at Best Buy however, I would recommend it even to those unfamiliar with the film. You won't be disappointed.
My Best Buy number: 0411615107
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Customer Rating
5
Remastered Version Delivers
on December 30, 2014
Posted by: BigA
from Rochester, MN
Verified Purchase:Yes
Hello!
For the purposes of this review I will be discussing the remastered 2014 release of Fargo and how it compares to the original 2009 release on Blu-ray. As for the movie itself, I think there have been enough other reviews exalting this excellent picture.
As I mentioned earlier, Fargo was already released once on Blu-ray in 2009. That version, while superior to the DVD release and generally a good transfer, did suffer from quite a bit a grain and noise in the image to the disappointment of more than a few fans. The audio tracks and additional material are identical to the previous release, so the main selling point of this remastered version will be the improvements to the overall image quality.
I can happily add that those aforementioned improvements really are quite substantial. Gone is much of the heavy grain, and video artifacts that we so noticeable on the often white background of snow. So often though, editors get smooth happy in reducing grain and noise, but the detail on faces and clothing remains wonderfully intact. No heavy hand was used here, and the result is nothing short of excellent.
As I said before, this reproduction of Fargo, is identical to the previous Blu-ray release save the remastered picture. If you are a fan of this movie, I think it is worth the upgrade. If you are a first time buyer, I would definitely recommend this version, easily the best to date.
For the purposes of this review I will be discussing the remastered 2014 release of Fargo and how it compares to the original 2009 release on Blu-ray. As for the movie itself, I think there have been enough other reviews exalting this excellent picture.
As I mentioned earlier, Fargo was already released once on Blu-ray in 2009. That version, while superior to the DVD release and generally a good transfer, did suffer from quite a bit a grain and noise in the image to the disappointment of more than a few fans. The audio tracks and additional material are identical to the previous release, so the main selling point of this remastered version will be the improvements to the overall image quality.
I can happily add that those aforementioned improvements really are quite substantial. Gone is much of the heavy grain, and video artifacts that we so noticeable on the often white background of snow. So often though, editors get smooth happy in reducing grain and noise, but the detail on faces and clothing remains wonderfully intact. No heavy hand was used here, and the result is nothing short of excellent.
As I said before, this reproduction of Fargo, is identical to the previous Blu-ray release save the remastered picture. If you are a fan of this movie, I think it is worth the upgrade. If you are a first time buyer, I would definitely recommend this version, easily the best to date.
My Best Buy number: 0411615107
I would recommend this to a friend!
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No one can stop death. The Prime Evil rages within the Black Soulstone, its essence screaming for vengeance and release. Before the artifact can be sealed away forever, Malthael ~ the Angel of Death ~ manifests in the mortal realms with a deadly new purpose: to steal the Black Soulstone and bend its infernal power to his will. So begins the end of all things...Charge forth against the onslaught of death itself as the Crusader, the unbreakable new hero of the mortal realms, who is shielded with indestructible, impenetrable armor and wields polished, intimidating weapons. You can immediately play as the new Crusader character or take your current hero directly into Act V, where you'll ferociously battle a host of deadly new enemies ~ from the sprawling streets of Westmarch to the ancient walls of the Pandemonium Fortress. Advance your hero of choice through additional levels of supremacy by slaying demons with an unforgiving, masterful hand. Enjoy a host of thrilling features, such as updated loot rewards, all-new class skills and abilities, Mystic and Adventure Mode and highly replayable content in the form of Bounties and Nephalem Rifts. Find out if death will ultimately reign victorious in Diablo III: Reaper of Souls.
Customer Rating
4
RoS Improves many of its predecessors flaws
on April 1, 2014
Posted by: BigA
from Rochester
Age:25-34
Gender:Male
Verified Purchase:Yes
While I did enjoy Diablo III, I ultimately didn't stick with the game do in large part to the redundant content. Diablo III forced you to play through the same content over and over again to try and get better gear. The main problem with that model being the content wasn't so replayable (Azmodan's threats wear thin quickly), and often the gear drops weren't useful for my class. Even crafted gear cost a large sum of resources and weren't necessarily useful for your class. Because of all that, it was more rewarding just to buy whatever you needed off the auction house, which would give you something you know you wanted for your gold.
In Reaper of souls, the auction house has been removed. But the crafting mechanics and loot algothrims have been redone, such that you acquire loot which is suitably stated for your class of choice. This makes it far more likely a crafted item or random drop will be useful for your class, and helps ease the loss of the auction house. However, you still have to spend time farming the game.
The new Act V brings some variety to the farming process, although the story is standard Blizzard fare. Those familiar with WoW will be all to familiar with the "This character has been corrupted, now you must fight them" style of storytelling. As Arthas, Illidan, Malygos, Neltharion, etc. before him, the former Angel of wisdom has been corrupted and now must be fought. Uninspired story notwithstanding. Act V provides some atmospheric environments and interesting new enemies. Upon completing the ACT V the first time, adventure mode becomes available, that brings a lot of variety to the process of leveling through gear.
While not perfect, Reaper of Souls does address most of my complaints with the original Diablo III. And with adventurer mode, the replayability is increased by orders of magnitude. So grab your friends and try out Reaper of Souls, which ultimately gives a much improved and complete Diablo III experience.
In Reaper of souls, the auction house has been removed. But the crafting mechanics and loot algothrims have been redone, such that you acquire loot which is suitably stated for your class of choice. This makes it far more likely a crafted item or random drop will be useful for your class, and helps ease the loss of the auction house. However, you still have to spend time farming the game.
The new Act V brings some variety to the farming process, although the story is standard Blizzard fare. Those familiar with WoW will be all to familiar with the "This character has been corrupted, now you must fight them" style of storytelling. As Arthas, Illidan, Malygos, Neltharion, etc. before him, the former Angel of wisdom has been corrupted and now must be fought. Uninspired story notwithstanding. Act V provides some atmospheric environments and interesting new enemies. Upon completing the ACT V the first time, adventure mode becomes available, that brings a lot of variety to the process of leveling through gear.
While not perfect, Reaper of Souls does address most of my complaints with the original Diablo III. And with adventurer mode, the replayability is increased by orders of magnitude. So grab your friends and try out Reaper of Souls, which ultimately gives a much improved and complete Diablo III experience.
My Best Buy number: 0411615107
What's great about it: Classes are varied, and combat is engaging.
What's not so great: Story is standard Blizzard fare.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Other Best Buy Products I Recommend
Diablo III - Mac, Windows
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BigA's Answers
Looking for a new computer but don't know what to get.
I'm looking into getting a new laptop. I really want a laptop since I don't have a place for a desktop. I want it to be able to play the new Elder Scrolls Online but I'm so confused on what is needed and what is useless. I'm not a big gamer I just want something that can run the game. So I don't want anything to extreme. Also I need something below the $2,000 range. Any suggestions?? Thanks!
Hello!
The first thing to consider with games is the type of processor. AMD processors can provide a better gaming experience in some games, due to better built in graphics, but highly multiplayer games tend to bottleneck on the CPU side. It would be better to go intel for that sort of game.
You can fine decent gaming laptops under $2,000. I have listed the Razer Blade below as a great example. With a solid state harddrive, Core i7, 870M discrete graphics and 8GB of memory you will be extremely happy.
However, for the more budget conscious the MSI laptop listed is a good option. It also provides a core i7, 8gb of memory, and excellent Nvidia 870M discrete graphics. I would recommend purchasing a 250Gb SSD and replacing the standard 1Tb harddrive. Most vendors provide tools to backup thier files onto a flash disc and then reinstall on a new harddrive. Even with the SSD you are looking at $1,540 for the MSI laptop as opposed to $1,800 for a Razer blade.
Look for at least a core i5 processor, Nvidia GPU 870M or higher, and at least 8 Gb of RAM and you should have a solid gaming experience. An SSD is required, but is highly recommended for improving boot times and general resposiveness of the laptop. It is often more cost effective to purchase one seperately and replace the exisiting HDD with it. Hope this helps!
The first thing to consider with games is the type of processor. AMD processors can provide a better gaming experience in some games, due to better built in graphics, but highly multiplayer games tend to bottleneck on the CPU side. It would be better to go intel for that sort of game.
You can fine decent gaming laptops under $2,000. I have listed the Razer Blade below as a great example. With a solid state harddrive, Core i7, 870M discrete graphics and 8GB of memory you will be extremely happy.
However, for the more budget conscious the MSI laptop listed is a good option. It also provides a core i7, 8gb of memory, and excellent Nvidia 870M discrete graphics. I would recommend purchasing a 250Gb SSD and replacing the standard 1Tb harddrive. Most vendors provide tools to backup thier files onto a flash disc and then reinstall on a new harddrive. Even with the SSD you are looking at $1,540 for the MSI laptop as opposed to $1,800 for a Razer blade.
Look for at least a core i5 processor, Nvidia GPU 870M or higher, and at least 8 Gb of RAM and you should have a solid gaming experience. An SSD is required, but is highly recommended for improving boot times and general resposiveness of the laptop. It is often more cost effective to purchase one seperately and replace the exisiting HDD with it. Hope this helps!
Products from my answer
Razer - 14" Blade Notebook - 8 GB Memory and 256 GB Solid State Drive - Black
Samsung - 840 EVO 250GB Internal Serial ATA III Solid State Drive for Laptops
MSI - GT60 Dominator-424 15.6" Laptop - Intel Core i7 - 8GB Memory - 1TB Hard Drive - Aluminum Black
(2)12 years, 2 months ago
by
BigA
Rochester, MN