Lionsgate to Americans: No 3D Version of 'Mockingjay' For You

How many of you out there are looking forward to seeing "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2" this November?! Why?  Didn't you hear, the last movie sucked (alright, that's not fair; it might be good).  Now then, who here has been looking forward to seeing it in RealD 3D or IMAX 3D?  Well, if you were, you are just plain out of luck, because the 3D release has been canceled.  Why?  Um... honestly, I don't know.  This is a very strange case.  The movie was announced early on as being in 3D, the 3D was completed, according to the director it looked pretty good, and the rest of the world (including the very lucrative Chinese market) will be getting it.  Heck, many of the posters you see in movie theaters still proudly proclaim that it will be released in 3D.  So, seriously, what the heck happened?

According to director Francis Laurence in an interview with Forbes Magazine; “I love the 3D format and I know that Mockingjay part 2 will play perfectly in 3D and 2D internationally – but I’m pleased that we’re maintaining the 2D only (and IMAX) formats domestically. It is the best of all worlds!”  *sigh* Again, what the heck happened?!  The 3D is finished.  The director likes it.  Yet it won't be coming to America?  Some might expect that this is the result of 3D not being the big deal in America it once was.  Yes, chances are we are never going to see the format account for more than 80% of the box office like it did with "Avatar" in 2010.  I know that.  The format experienced a rebirth of sorts with that movie, and we're unlikely to repeat that in the anytime in the near future.  There was even a period where 3D was making up less than 50% of the box office results.

Times have changed though, with many major films getting a significant boost in box office because of the 3D surcharge.  For "Gravity," "Life of Pi," and "Frozen," over 70% of the box office was accounted for through 3D screenings.  This year "Avengers: Age of Ultron," "Jurassic World," and "Inside Out" have all opened with 3D screenings accounting for at least half of the tickets sold (and maybe more by the time they run their course).  If those movies did not have 3D as part of the release, their opening numbers would have been much, much lower.  And yet... we see more studios cutting back on 3D.  Even when the movie has been edited and finished.  What gives?  This isn't like "Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows - Part I," where the 3D was so terrible Warner Bros. felt like they had no choice but to cancel the release because it would damage the perception of 3D films greatly.

I own those movies on BluRay 3D and... yeah, they weren't lying; the 3D in those movies are terrible.  However, those movies came out a few years ago when up-conversion was still new.  The process has gotten much better now, to the point where "The Amazing Spider-Man 2's" up-conversion looks compatible to "The Amazing Spider-Man's" natural 3D look.  And, again, according to the director, the 3D for 'Mockingjay - Part 2' looked fine.  I also take offense to his 'best of all worlds' comment, as the best of all worlds would be to offer the film in both formats, and let the consumers choose which version they want to see.  This isn't like other movies that have had international 3D releases that were forced on the movie due to popular demand: This was a movie shot with the 3D in mind from the get go.

I'm still going to see "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2." Chances are you will as well.  I mean, if everyone went to see the pointless 'Part 1' despite poor reception, they are going to see this one as well, 3D or not.  Its just frustrating that the studio is nixing a (reportedly) perfectly acceptable 3D release of their biggest franchise, all while being vague about why the decision was made in the first place.  Lionsgate, you have some explaining to do.

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Spongebob Pops and More Bad News for "The Seventh Son"

Hey everyone, I'm back!  I know I've been ignoring this blog the past several months, but I'm going to be getting serious about updating more often.  For the most part I haven't been updating because we have been getting most of our favorite films on BluRay 3D these days, with the very few non-releases to have not been received being bad movies (and Disney films, of course).  This is a bad way to run the site though.  If a movie was released in 3D, it deserves to be seen in 3D, whether the movie (or the 3D itself) was good or not.  This week proves that more than any other week.  On one hand, I want to applaud Nickelodeon for releasing "The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water" in it's native 3D presentation tomorrow.  The film (which I found to be largely enjoyable) was sold as a 3D event film, with cutting edge CGI you'd see in movies like "Yogi Bear" and "Alvin & the Chipmunks." What is ironic about this...

...is that the movie itself barely has any reason to be in 3D.  The images that virtually all the commercials and print ads showed off take up a mere twenty minutes of the movie, and don't come into play until VERY late into the film (more than an hour to be exact)!  Almost the entire film is traditionally hand drawn, giving the technique it's first real hit in years.  Truthfully, because of this format, the 3D actually looks pretty awful for most of the film, and this is one time when the 2D version might be the preferable one to watch.  Kudos to Paramount for giving fans of the film the choice though, since it costs them very little and goes a long way to providing goodwill to fans of the format.  I will still be buying it in BluRay 3D tomorrow.  Partially because I might want to watch the one sequence where the 3D matters again, and partly because the format could use all the support it can get, and the difference is going to be a measly $3.

Less lucky is the release of "The Seventh Son" we got last week. 

Despite being announced for BluRay 3D along with the 2D versions of the film, despite having the disk up for pre-order for months, and despite many of the disks already being pressed, the movie hit store shelves without a BluRay 3D release, with a new date to be determined.  There is no word on what happened in this case, but the fact that many sites (including Amazon) were taking pre-orders until two weeks ago suggests that the decision to forgo/delay the release of the 3D version came late in the game.  "The Seventh Son" has not been the luckiest of movies, having been delayed almost a full two years after being filmed and being widely panned by critics.  The 3D was tacked on at the last minute of filming to take advantage of the booming 3D craze.

Course, that was two years ago, and it's hard to deny that the format has taken a hit in popularity since then.  Most TV's still have 3D capabilities, but almost none of the manufacturers use it as a major selling point anymore.  Still, the format has it's fans, there is more content for it than ever before, and since there have already been disks pressed, it's all the more strange that it didn't ship to stores.  That said, Vudu has once again come to the rescue by providing a 3D digital download on their service (though only to rent at the moment... oddly enough).  I don't like buying things digitally, but it's nice that there is an option of sorts out there.  Stay tuned for more developments on the situation as they develop.

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Warner Bros. 'Diamond Lux' Line is Ignoring the Most Important Aspect of a BluRay: The Movie

Buyer beware: Real movie NOT included!
 

There are several new releases popping into retailers this week, but chances are the only one most of you are interested in is "The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies." The ending of Peter Jackson's (some would say needlessly extended) trilogy based on Tolkien's beloved children's book (which the movies are certainly not made for), this was by far the best installment in the trilogy and contained one of the best uses of 3D any movie has seen to date. The movie is being made available in 3D by Warner Bros. And MGM in a joint effort.  It's sort of funny to think that when 'The Hobbit' was first announced as a 3D trilogy, it was going to be the movie that saved 3D.  While it did get some decent business in 3D, it did not save the format at the movies or at home.

In fact, in the theaters, two films brought a lot more business to the 3D format than any of 'The Hobbit' films did: "Gravity" and "Frozen." Both movies, I'm sorry to say, have been treated with absolute disrespect when it came to preserving their original looks on BluRay.  We've already discussed "Frozen" at great length here and how Disney still refuses to release their high in demand BluRay 3D in America (though they can take time to release a sing-along DVD instead).  "Gravity" has been treated a little better by mere virtue that we got a BluRay 3D release at all.  That is about to change greatly with the "Gravity: Diamond Lux Edition" BluRay Warner Bros. is releasing.  What is 'Diamond Lux?' It's a fancy term for "special edition."

This is a new lineup for Warner Bros. to present some of their classic movies in a package that is fancy, has great special features, and (usually) a newly remastered 4K print of the film.  The lineup is off, as it includes movies like "The Green Mile," "Batman," and "Gremlins," movies that are all very popular, but might be more up for debate on which of these can truly be considered groundbreaking films (if any at all).  I think including "Gravity" in this lineup shows some very smart forward thinking on Warner Bros. part.  However, there is a strange omission when it comes to the release: There is no 3D included.  This is baffling and unacceptable for a number of reasons.  First of all, "Gravity" is a 3D movie. Period. There is no debating this.

It was filmed in 3D, it was built around 3D, and many people who saw the movie in 2D didn't even like it compared to the people who saw it in 3D, which should give you all the information you need to know.  To take the 3D away is the same as colorizing "Casablanca." Yes, you can technically still watch these movies in these forms, but you are not watching the movies the film makers intended for you to see.  Now, unlike Disney, Warner Bros. is not denying you the chance to watch "Gravity" in the way it was intended to be seen, but to make a BluRay edition that is touted as being the definitive way to own the movie (in so many words) while not including a very important aspect of the film is not only wrong, it's outright lying.

How would you feel if you bought Paramount's ultimate edition of "The Godfather" trilogy on BluRay, only to find the iconic opening scene from the first movie wasn't included?  The Diamond Lux edition of "Gravity" looks very nice by all accounts.  It has a new 4K transfer.  It has new audio commentaries and other special features.  The packaging is so very beautiful.  But it does not contain the option to view the film in 3D, which is how the film was conceived and shot.  There is no way any serious movie fan can make the claim that this is the ultimate edition of the movie when the look and feel of the movie itself has been compromised.  Neither can the studio.  Therefor, the Diamond Lux lineup is seriously compromised because Warn Bros. has ignored the most important aspect of the product: The presentation of the movie itself. And that, ultimately, is a huge problem.

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Why Can't More BluRay's be Like "The Polar Express?"

I know December isn't until tomorrow, but tonight I decided to start my Christmas movie watching season with "The Polar Express.". Being one of the best 3D films ever made, I of course chose that format to watch it in (and since my therapist has challenged me to look on the positive things in my life, I consider it a blessing to be able to still be able to view this film in 3D).  Unlike most BluRay 3D releases, this set only comes with one disk.  If your BluRay player doesn't detect a 3D TV it informs you of your need for one to view the film in 3D, then switches to a 2D menu so you can watch it without the third dimension.  If the disk senses the 3D TV it will go straight to 3D with the option of switching to 2D if (for some crazy reason) you decide this is how you want to watch the movie.

Oh, and all of the special features are included as well (most of which are in standard definition, but what can you do).  All of this on one disk.  I find this fascinating because this release shows just how pointless all these multiple releases are.  Every 3D movie you buy on BluRay comes on it's own disk.  Usually the movie is all you'll get.  Once in awhile you'll get a trailer for a 3D movie or a commercial recommending you buy a 3D TV (yeah, I know), for the most part, though, all your getting is the movie.  I'm not sure why this is.  Some people who work in the industry tells me it's because giving the 3D version it's own disk gives the manufacturers the space they need to make it look the best the movie can look.  I have no problems with this response.  However, when you watch "The Polar Express" in 3D it looks great.  I mean, it looks demo worthy. 

The thing is, when you compare this to Disney's "A Christmas Carol" (also a 3D motion capture film directed by Robert Zemeckis, ironically enough), both of the disks feature demo worthy presentations. Maybe there's a difference in the sound quality, but it all sounds great as well.  Yet "A Christmas Carol" has it's own disk for the 3D, where "The Polar Express" shares it's 3D with everything else.  I bring this up because it occurred to me: Why can't more studios do this?  Look, if giving the 3D version it's own disk results in a better presentation then I say go for it.  I'm paying lots of money for these disks, so I want them to look and sound as good as they can.  Yet the reality is that studios are starting to cut back on 3D releases because they don't want to pick up the extra costs associated with extra disks for a version that might sell a fraction of the regular version.

If there is a movie where these extra costs don't seem to make financial sense on the outside, then they need to put the 3D version on the same disk as the 2D version.  Really, there is no excuse not to.  We know the studios can do this.  We know it can look great even without the extra space on the disk.  Heck, when Sony released their first BluRay 3D's they all included the 2D version to assure people who didn't have 3D TV's at the time (which was pretty much nobody) that these disks would be future proof.  They would work on their current TV's, you didn't have to upgrade to watch them, but the 3D version was there for when you did.  Somewhere along the line that line of thinking stopped, and I feel it's time to bring it back.  The studios need to insure that if I movie was made with 3D in mind, that there is a way to put the 3D version on disk.

Even if it has to share space with the 2D version and give up some of the quality (of which there is some debate it will), I think most film lovers would prefer to have it at a compromised level than to not have it at all.  Back when there was the big "widescreen debate" going on, studios would have to cater to two types of people: Film lovers who wanted to watch their movies in the format the directors originally filmed them in, and the everyday consumer who didn't like "black bars" and insisted the image be cropped so they wouldn't have to look at them.  Most studios made two versions available to appease both groups (I also want to mention practically all those full screen versions are practically un-sellable now).  When economics dictated that it would be financially cumbersome to do that, the studio would have to choose which version.

Sometimes they picked the consumer friendly full screen version.  In fact, they did this a lot.  Just ask Disney, who would almost always choose to compromise how the film was intended to look in favor of the more commercially friendly (but incorrectly looking) version... whoa, I just got a huge sense of déjà vu there.  Some studios put both the widescreen and full screen versions on the same disk.  Yes, this compromised the picture quality a little, but given the choice between that and no widescreen at all, it was an easy compromise for most film lovers out there.  I think the compromise of the 3D and 2D sharing the same disk is one that fans of, say, "Frozen," would be more than willing to make.  Also, from a marketing perspective, this would make a lot of financial sense as well as help push the market towards selling more 3D TV's.

There would be less disks to make, only one version of the product on the shelves (thus eliminating consumer confusion about different versions), and if more people had more movies in 3D (whether they intended to buy them or not) they would likely consider making sure their next TV they got would have 3D capabilities to insure they could watch them.  In short, it's a win-win for everyone.  Of course, the whole idea of the combo packs was also to do this very thing, but it doesn't work when you sell the products outside of the combo packs.  That's another topic for another day... and possibly another blog.  Anyway, I think this is something that is worth bringing up to the studios as a compromise if they insist on holding back on 3D releases because that extra $0.25 BluRay disk is just going to cost too much money.

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Best Buy Has Exclusive "Planes: Fire & Rescue" 3D...Cover

Most people are already aware that Disney has skimped on releasing a BluRay 3D of "Maleficent" this week, what most of you might not be aware of is that Disney also skipped on releasing a BluRay 3D of "Planes: Fire & Rescue."  Unlike "Maleficent" though, "Planes: Fire & Rescue" does not have an international release for important.  Vudu does have a 3D stream available as is the custom, however what's amazing about this is that Vudu is also giving you the 2D stream and special features this time!  You know, like how they should have been doing these releases all along instead of price gouging on a crummy 3D stream without special features.  Never mind, that's another post for another day.  If you want the cherry on top of this very strange affair check out this photo I took while I was at Best Buy today:

At first glance it looks like they might have negotiated to have exclusive rights to the 3D version, but a closer look reveles that they simply have an exclusive 3D cover.  I couldn't help but laugh at the irony in this.  Of course this isn't the first time Best Buy has spent money to secure the rights to an exclusive cover.  Heck, this seems to be one of the more bizzar attempts retailers make to try and lure fans of movies away from Amazon.com and convince them to trek to the store and make their purchase.  Does the cover make that much of a difference?  I personally don't think so, but I would probably be wrong in that assumption.  Anyway, I find it annoying that Best Buy would spend money on the rights to an exclusive cover but not on the 3D version.  I also want to warn potential buyers that if they see this in the store it just LOOKS like a BluRay 3D, but it's not!  Of course, considering how quietly this came to video, there's probably not many people who want "Planes: Fire & Rescue" in the first place.

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BluRay 3D This Week

This week we have two major 3D exhibited movies being released with only one of them getting a BluRay 3D release.  That release would be for "Hercules.". The Dwayne Johnson vehicle isn't what I would call a particularly good movie, but it's still nice that the 3D version is being made available for those who want it.  The much bigger release (which also had 3D was used to much better effect) is "Maleficent" (which also isn't very good).  This is the much bigger release of the two, yet Disney still insists on releasing their BluRay 3D's everywhere in the world except America.  Per the custom though, Vudu has the 3D version available in digital release.  It doesn't look as good as a BluRay would and good like having a connection that is consistent enough to stream it properly, but I suppose it's better than nothing.  Actually, considering the recent events, I'm starting to wonder if the reason Disney has cooled on releasing BluRay 3D disks is because Vudu has paid for exclusive rights to the 3D versions?  It's worth looking into at the very least.

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"The Book of Life" Makes Great Use of 3D! Will We Get a BluRay 3D?

Reel FX's "The Book of Life" is one of the most unique animated films in years (along with "The Tale of the Princess Kaguya" by Studio Ghibli).  The film was also released in 3D.  Animation and 3D tend to compliment each other greatly, and in this case it has resulted in the best use of 3D all year so far.  Chances are I will be seeing it a second time for a couple reasons.  The first is that it's just a great movie that deserves to be seen more than once.  The second is that I want to see it in 3D again should I not have the chance.  I am a little fearful that we might not get a BluRay 3D release despite the obvious need to view the film in three dimensions.  I worry about this because Reel FX's previous film "Free Birds" also made great use of 3D yet became one of the first mainstream 3D titles to only get a 2D release state side (Europe got the 3D though).

Granted, "The Book of Life" is critically acclaimed and a likely Oscar contender for Best Animated Feature where "Free Birds" was a critical bomb.  Yet if you look at the box office between the two films you'll notice there isn't much difference in how the two performed in their first couple of weeks in release.  It's hard to know if "Free Birds" 3D release was nixed because of box office, poor reviews, or a little of both, but common sense indicates that money is the driving factor behind most decisions in Hollywood.  So far the box office for "The Book of Life" gives me concern that a BluRay 3D release might not happen, so if you want to see the film the way it was intended to be seen you might want to catch it in theaters while you have the chance.

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MIA Last Week: "Legends of Oz: Dorthy Returns"

Now that I'm back in the full wowing of things here, I have to mention that we got another BluRay release last week whose 3D version is Missing In Action: "Legends of Oz: Dorthy Returns." Both a critical and box office failure, the film was released on DVD and BluRay combo packs last week.  However, no BluRay 3D was made available.  This is especially disappointing for fans of the film (if there are indeed any out there feel free to comment and let us know why you liked it) because the movie was made with 3D in mind, and many of the shots look distorted in 2D.  The fans are extra screwed in this case as there is no international BluRay 3D release of any kind (so no importing on this one), and Vudu doesn't have a digital 3D download.  In fact they don't sell the film at all... which probably speaks volumes to how big of a disaster this really was.  So, again, if there are indeed any fans of this movie that exist, hopefully you don't mind the odd looking 2D version of this film.

Edit: If you really need your Oz 3D fix I want to remind you that Warner Bros made a 3D version of the classic 1939 film "The Wizard of Oz" recently.  I'm not a huge fan of watching older movies forced be in 3D, however this was a surprisingly good upconversion, so for what its worth that's an option.

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DreamWorks Animation Continues Strong Support for BluRay 3D

While most of the Hollywood industry has started to downplay 3D's future, Jeffery Katzenberg of DreamWorks Animation is still one of the most high profile fans of the format.  During a 20th Anniversary party held in London, Katzenberg reminisced on his career in the movie industry, his firing from Disney and helping Steven Spielberg and David Geffen found DreamWorks SKG, then he spent some time at the end confirming that DreamWorks is still dedicated to the 3D format and see's it as being very profitable in the long term.  Course, talk is cheap in this industry, and the best indication that DreamWorks is still fully backing the format shows up today in their release of "Mr. Peabody & Sherman."

The movie is being release in DVD, BluRay, and BluRay 3D combo packs (all versions come with UltraViolet, the format that studios are trying to force down your throat gradually introduce you to so they can take ownership away from consumers ride the digital revolution).  The BluRay 3D Deluxe Edition stands out for a couple reasons.  The first is that it has a cover that resembles the teaser poster very closely.  The second thing is that the cover proudly proclaims that the set "Includes All-New 'Rocky & Bullwinkle' Adventure!" (it should be noted that the short was supposed to accompany the film in theaters, however those plans were scrapped for some reason). 

What the cover fails to mention is how exclusive to this edition the short is.  Not only do you have to buy the Deluxe Edition to get the short, but it's only available to view in 3D. The reason the short is not included on the 2D BluRay or the DVD is not because there is a lack of space on the disks to include it.  I can tell you that there was ample space on all the disks to include the short and it would not have been very difficult.  No, the reason the short is only the 3D disk is that DreamWorks likes the format and wants to help it succeed.  It's not difficult to see why this is, seeing that they are probably the only company consistently putting out quality 3D in their movies (even Pixar seems to be struggling to figure out what to do with the format).  It gives them a reason to sell up-charged tickets and people who pay for them actually feel like they get their money's worth (just ask anyone who saw "How to Train Your Dragon 2" in IMAX 3D this year).

While most studios are tacklessly making a 3D combo available (or in some cases just skipping the 3D release altogether), DreamWorks is making a strong statement that they prefer you to buy their movies in 3D.  If people are lukewarm about the format, then they will include features that you can only get if you buy the 3D version.  And make no mistake, including a full seven minute short as a 3D exclusive is a substantial stance on where you should spend your money.  Chances are some people will buy the Deluxe Edition just because they'll want the short.  If they don't have a 3D TV, they might keep things like this in mind when it comes time to buy a new TV.  If more 3D releases had exclusives like these, stuff that would make people want to spend the extra few dollars for them, it would help the format out greatly.  When BluRay came out special features started to mainly become BluRay exclusives, and I see no reason why more studios can't give their movies a little 3D love to help sweeten the pot.

There was also a Best Buy BluRay 3D exclusive, and I'll discuss the importance of that in my next post.

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"Transformers: Age of Extinction" Coming to BluRay 3D

Paramount has announced that those pesky robots that just won't go away will be invading our living rooms once again in 3D.  Below is the press release for "Transformers: Age of Extinction."

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

THE YEAR’S #1 MOVIE IN THE WORLD ARRIVES ON
BLU-RAY 3D™ & BLU-RAY™ COMBO PACKS WITH
OVER THREE HOURS OF EXPLOSIVE SPECIAL FEATURES

TRANSFORMERS: AGE OF EXTINCTION

$1 Billion Global Smash Hit Debuts on Blu-ray 3D, Blu-ray, DVD & VOD September 30, 2014

Own the Must-See Blockbuster of the Year Two Weeks Early on Digital HD September 16 

(August 26, 2014) – From director Michael Bay and executive producer Steven Spielberg and in association with Hasbro, Inc.,  Paramount Pictures’ $1 billion worldwide blockbuster Transformers: Age of Extinction makes its highly-anticipated debut September 30, 2014 on Blu-ray, Blu-ray 3D, DVD and VOD. The film will be available to own two weeks earlier on Digital HD September 16, 2014.     The Transformers: Age of Extinction four-disc Blu-ray 3D Combo Pack and three-disc Blu-ray Combo Pack feature more than three hours of illuminating bonus content. From selecting fierce new cars and designing new TRANSFORMERS characters to constructing elaborately detailed sets, this comprehensive footage truly takes viewers inside the fun, hard work and excitement of making an electrifying global blockbuster film.      The spectacular Combo Packs also include an in-depth interview with Michael Bay about his approach to the film’s jaw-dropping action sequences, a crash course on the “Bayhem” of being on set for the massive, global production, a revealing look at the design process inside Hasbro Headquarters, and more. Plus there’s even more than meets the eye with the hilarious TRANSFORMERS KREON trailer where KREON figures take you through all of the blockbuster TRANSFORMERS movies. In addition, the Combo Packs include a brand new Angry Bird TRANSFORMERS trailer where birds and pigs turn into Autobots and Deceptihogs, creating havoc on Piggy Island. The Blu-ray 3D includes expanded images as seen in IMAX™ theaters. Blu-ray Combo Pack       The Transformers: Age of Extinction Blu-ray is presented in 1080p high definition with English 7.1 Dolby TrueHD, English 5.1 Discrete Dolby Digital, English 2.0 Discrete Dolby Digital, French 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital, Portuguese 5.1 Dolby Digital and English Audio Description and English, English SDH, French, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles. The English 5.1 and English 2.0 tracks were each individually mastered to ensure optimal sound for the home entertainment experience.       The DVD is presented in widescreen enhanced for 16:9 televisions with English 5.1 Dolby Digital, English 2.0 Discrete Dolby Digital, French 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital and English Audio Description and English, French, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles. The disc breakdown is as follows: Disc 1 (Blu-ray):       ·       Feature film in high definition Disc 2 (Blu-ray):       ·      Bay On Action—In-depth interview with Michael Bay about his vision and approach to the film’s mind-blowing action sequences.       ·       Evolution Within Extinction:                  o       Generation 2—A look at where the fourth film picks up as we meet new faces—both man and machine—and a Transformers world after the Battle of Chicago.                  o       Drive Like Hell—Two entirely re-envisioned models of OPTIMUS PRIME and BUMBLEBEE appear in the film, along with an intimidating new nemesis, LOCKDOWN, as a Lamborghini Aventador plus other incredibly cool cars including a sophisticated Bugatti Veyron and a sleek Pagani Huayra. Check them out and see how actor Jack Reynor learned how to drive his Sonic rally car for the intense chase sequences.                  o       Small Town, Big Movie— When Transformers rolls into some small Texas towns, the normally quiet and picturesque countryside is suddenly alight with explosive action. Explore the different locations with members of the show's art department and hear from robotics students whose designs appear as part of Cade’s lab.                  o       Shadow Protocol Activated— Follow the production to Detroit with unprecedented access to GM's Lansing plant and Milford Proving Grounds test track; watch an impressive indoor car chase created in an auto parts factory; return to Chicago where location managers discovered a historical movie theater that served as the backdrop for Cade’s fateful first encounter with OPTIMUS PRIME; and finally travel to Washington state and the unlikely site of a never-used nuclear power plant.                 o       The Last Stand—A vacant lot in downtown Detroit is turned into a square block of Hong Kong. Watch as it literally takes shape from the ground up—then marvel as the crew blows it up piece by piece.                 o       The People’s Republic— China plays an extremely prominent role in the film both on-screen and behind-the-scenes; in fact, four Chinese actors were chosen from thousands of applicants on a reality TV show to appear in the movie. In addition, the production traveled to Hong Kong, the beautiful valley of Wulong Karst National Park in Chongqing and the Great Wall in Beijing to capture breathtaking footage.                 o       Rise of the DINOBOTS—Several new TRANSFORMERS characters make their live-action debut in this film. Get a brief history of the new recruits and then go inside Industrial Light & Magic to see how they were designed and conceptualized for the film.                 o       The Finishing Touch— Watch Michael Bay work like you’ve never seen him before. The director connects virtually with his Santa Monica headquarters, visits the editing bay and then checks in on the visual effects house in San Francisco—all from the comfort of his Miami home office. Also, get an in-depth look at the music contributions of Imagine Dragons as they collaborate with the film's composer Steve Jablonsky. Finally, get exclusive red carpet access to the film's world premiere in Hong Kong.       ·      Just Another Giant Effin’ Movie—Discover the fun, frenetic and amazing way a movie like Transformers: Age of Extinction gets made.       ·      A Spark of Design— Enjoy an exclusive look inside Hasbro's creation of TRANSFORMERS: Age of Extinction Stomp and Chomp Grimlock action figure from concept and development to sculpting and painting, and then ultimately to the assembly line.       ·      T.J. Miller: Farm Hippie — Actor/comedian T.J. Miller never imagined he’d be part of a massively successful franchise like Transformers so he sets off to personally thank the people who made it possible. Come along as he visits Bay Films, gets some pointers from Kelsey Grammer, and even stops by Mark Wahlberg’s house in this funny piece.       ·      KRE-O TRANSFORMERS: Take Us Through the Movies! – OPTIMUS PRIME will bring you up to speed on all of the TRANSFORMERS movies one by one in this hilarious, animated short where the TRANSFORMERS KREON figures act out the movies while building and rebuilding each scene…brick by brick.       ·      The Angry Birds TRANSFORMERS: Origin Story - Bonus content tells the origin story of how the EggSpark has landed on Piggy Island causing the eggs on the island to turn into evil Egg-bots, wreaking havoc across the whole island. The EggSpark has also caused the Birds and Pigs to turn into Autobots and Deceptihogs, who must team up in order to stop the Egg-bots before it's too late!       ·      Trailers Disc 3 (DVD):       ·       Feature film in standard definition Blu-ray 3D Combo Pack       The Blu-ray 3D Combo Pack includes all of the above, as well as a Blu-ray 3D with expanded images as seen in IMAX theaters presented in 1080p high definition, English 7.1 Dolby TrueHD, English 5.1 Discrete Dolby Digital, English 2.0 Discrete Dolby Digital, French 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital, Portuguese 5.1 Dolby Digital and English Audio Description and English, English SDH, French, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles. The English 5.1 and English 2.0 tracks were each individually mastered to ensure optimal sound for the home entertainment experience.       The Blu-ray 3D Combo Pack and Blu-ray Combo Pack available for purchase include a Digital Version of the film that can be accessed through UltraViolet™, a new way to collect, access and enjoy movies. With UltraViolet, consumers can add movies to their digital collection in the cloud, and then stream or download them—reliably and securely—to a variety of devices. DVD       The Transformers: Age of Extinction DVD is presented in widescreen enhanced for 16:9 televisions with English 5.1 Dolby Digital, English 2.0 Discrete Dolby Digital, French 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital and English Audio Description and English, French, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles. The disc includes the feature film in standard definition.

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Disney Officially Backing off on 3D

I would have reported this several days ago, but the sad news of Robin Williams passing away took a toll on me and I feel behind on my writing.  Thankfully writing is very therapeutic for me, so after I wrote an obituary of sorts for one of my favorite actors I took a few days off and resumed work.  I also remembered that on Monday the Digital Bits more or less confirmed some of our fears:

On a related note, Disney seems to have backed away from their commitment to Blu-ray 3D, releasing only select theatrical 3D titles on the format, often only in Europe or in the U.S. as retail exclusives. Probably, this is the studio attempting to save a buck and get its retail partners to pay for 3D when they can. This is a shame, because while we know the audience for Blu-ray 3D is limited, it is a very dedicated enthusiast audience eager for more BD3D content.

This is disappointing but not really surprising.  The lack of BluRay 3D releases from Disney is the main reason I started to put this site together in the first place.  So now we pretty much have confirmation that Disney - who used to be one of BluRay 3D's biggest supporters - is backing off on the format.  Of course, it should be noted that Disney is likely doing this to save a few pennies.  They have also discontinued the popular combo packs for most of their movies.  So no more DVD's in the BluRay sets.  Just a digital copy.  Oh, and while those digital copies used to be redeemable at iTunes, Amazon, and Vudu, starting with "Muppets Most Wanted" it appears you can only redeem them on one service: Disney Movies Anywhere.  You can certainly see the Mouses attempt to control the movies you "buy" these days.

Let's get back to BluRay 3D though.  Bill Hunt thinks that another reason Disney has cooled on the releases is that Disney wants to sell the 3D version as retailer exclusives to get someone else to foot the bill for the disks.  That actually sounds like a really nice dream because it would be better than nothing.  But no, I don't think this is the case.  If it was then they are doing a VERY poor job at this!  This is the sort of thing Amazon and Best Buy get into bidding wars over.  Yeah, it's a niche product, but if you're the only retailer who has the product then you officially own a monopoly on that whole market for that movie.  Who wouldn't want to have that for "Frozen?"  We'll be speaking more about this in the near future.  For now though, start writing those letters to Disney and continue flooding their Facebook and Twitter page.

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