So that's it then? (A post-mortem)

Budd: So, which "R" you filled with?
Elle Driver: What?
Budd: They say the number one killer of old people is retirement. People got 'em a job to do, they tend to live a little longer so they can do it. I've always figured warriors and their enemies share the same relationship. So, now you ain't gonna hafta face your enemy on the battlefield no more, which "R" are you filled with: Relief or Regret?
Elle Driver: A little bit of both.




So that's it then?

These first two months of 2008 has seen some dramatic changes. Two months ago there were still 2 (potentially) viable high-def media formats each claiming to be the future. Two months ago, the major Hollywood studios were split between the two. Two months ago, we were all expecting something major to happen at CES in Las Vegas. In about two weeks Warner Bros. will be the only studio releasing movies on HDDVD (and only until the end of May).

Which "R" am I filled with? Well, obviously relief. Relief that the monetary and emotional invest I've made into Blu-ray and Sony can continue. Relief that I don't have to look like an idiot for having 50 movies in a dead format. (sorry Albert, cheapshot)

But there's also regret. Regret that this thing didn't a bit longer. Victories always feel more gratifying when they feel earned. Maybe it's because I never doubted Blu-ray's inevitable dominance, but it would've been much more cathartic if Blu-ray was the underdog in this. There is also the disappointment of knowing that Blu-ray sales will become ever more rare now. Maybe I've missed my chance to get Cruel Intentions on Blu-ray for half off, but at least I don't have to buy a new player now.

So which "R" am I filled with? Reassured. Reassured that as the industry moves forward under a unified format, we will start to see richer content both fronts of movies and games. (LOTR on Blu-ray anyone?) Blu-ray will remain the best format on which to watch films and play games for at least the next decade. DVD upscaling will make your DVDs look better, but the HD information is simply not there and it is literally impossible to make something out of nothing. Then there's HD on demand. Before video streaming, downloading, or even cable can deliver 1080p video and 7.1 uncompressed master audio in a reasonable way (how long does it take to download 50 gigs of information now?), drastic infrastructure updates have to be made by Comcast and Verizon. Blu-ray won't just be relevant for the next decade, it will be the dominant way of enjoying HD content. And seriously, transparent blue cases are hot.



So as we move forward, we can look forward to content, not format. The magic of Blu-ray isn't that you can fit 10X the data on the same space, it's the way it allows you to watch movies you've enjoyed in detail and clarity that wasn't available to you before.

lets be friends.

Dear Universal and Paramount,
It's been a month since the WB announced Blu-ray exclusivity. It is the speculation of many, nay it is FACT that this iteration of the format wars is over. Holding out now doesn't make you look like the good guy, staying loyal to HDDVD as it slowly dies does nothing for the task at hand. It is time to be of a single mind as we move forward into the HD era.

Today we ask you to forget your egos and do what is right for this country. It is time to forget corporate egos, it is time to release Serenity on Blu-ray.



-xoxoxo
red vs blu

the same. but different.

Yes. The format more is for all intents and purposes over. No. I haven't gloated as much as as my asshole-ish attitude towards Albert and his failed format in the past has dictated I would. But, all in due time. (Plus I'll be slowly rubbing it in for the next few years or you know... until the next format upgrade)

We talk about the HD platform so often as an amazing experience and how it redefines much of the media we've enjoyed. But rarely do we talk about the content and how it affects us. Today I had a sort of profound thought in the shower, where all my profound thoughts come to me, about the convergence of how we experience stories in movies and television.

I've been re-watching season 3 of LOST (Blu-ray exclusive) and been struck by how satisfying it has been for me, and I mean besides how incredible it looks. I think really, with the start of 24, and so on with shows heavily involved with plot have outdone movies in their ability to get people attached. And it actually makes a lot of sense why.

Really, at the core of any story are characters and how we relate to them, how that relation moves us, and what that says about ourselves. Those are the elements that makes a story memorable. The relationships we build with characters in a story work much the same way as relationships we build with people in our own lives. In a movie or show we will deem the characters flat and unrelateable in which case we reject the story or we find the characters intriguing and become invested in their journey or actions. Attachment to a movie or show centers around the investment we make, emotionally, monetarily, and most importantly with our time. The last piece of personal capital is what I think determines our attachment to a character. In the way a long time friend brings feelings of comfort and mutual support, characters and stories we are familiar with illicit these same emotions. Television shows by the nature of their storytelling creates these long-term relationships.

Take for instance 24 and Die Hard. Both are high action stories with improbable plots and even more improbable heroes. However, whereas Jack Bauer saves the world on a weekly basis for six years. John McClean shows up 4 times in fifteen years, hardly a consistent and reliable friend. (Lets just say for the sake of the analogy 24 and its audience had big fights during the first half of season 3 and most of season 6) Again the key here is quality of the relationship as well as time invested. As another example, take the dry, shallow, and just plain boring Heroes and match it against either of the first two X-men films and the movie would still outweigh. My point is, when a connection is made to a movie or TV show the duration of that connection is a strong determinant of the emotional enjoyment derived from that story. Which is why its so difficult to match the emotions generated from a film to that of a TV show. As a final example: Remember Lord of the Rings? Remember how your introduction to Frodo, Gandalf, et al. began around September 2001 with the marketing blitz, remember the near constant relationship you had with a theatrical release or a DVD release every six months for 3 years? Had the film been a one-off film, even 4 hours of cinematic perfection, would the same sort of cathartic climax have been possible?

(I reckon not.)

Warner Goes Blu-ray Exclusive

(January 4, 2008 – Burbank, CA) – In response to consumer demand, Warner Bros. Entertainment will release its high-definition DVD titles exclusively in the Blu-ray disc format beginning later this year, it was announced today by Barry Meyer, Chairman & CEO, Warner Bros. and Kevin Tsujihara, President, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group.

“Warner Bros.’ move to exclusively release in the Blu-ray disc format is a strategic decision focused on the long term and the most direct way to give consumers what they want,” said Meyer. “The window of opportunity for high-definition DVD could be missed if format confusion continues to linger. We believe that exclusively distributing in Blu-ray will further the potential for mass market success and ultimately benefit retailers, producers, and most importantly, consumers.”

Warner Home Video will continue to release its titles in standard DVD format and Blu-ray. After a short window following their standard DVD and Blu-ray releases, all new titles will continue to be released in HD DVD until the end of May 2008.

“Warner Bros. has produced in both high-definition formats in an effort to provide consumer choice, foster mainstream adoption and drive down hardware prices,” said Jeff Bewkes, President and Chief Executive Officer, Time Warner Inc., the parent company of Warner Bros. Entertainment. “Today’s decision by Warner Bros. to distribute in a single format comes at the right time and is the best decision both for consumers and Time Warner.”

“A two-format landscape has led to consumer confusion and indifference toward high definition, which has kept the technology from reaching mass adoption and becoming the important revenue stream that it can be for the industry,” said Tsujihara. “Consumers have clearly chosen Blu-ray, and we believe that recognizing this preference is the right step in making this great home entertainment experience accessible to the widest possible audience. Warner Bros. has worked very closely with the Toshiba Corporation in promoting high definition media and we have enormous respect for their efforts. We look forward to working with them on other projects in the future.”

We saw this coming for awhile. Warner has been teetering between HD DVD and Blu-ray, and they have finally chosen the format. It does shake the foundation of HD DVD quite a bit, meaning I've lost a bit of faith in HD DVD, but surely does not mean I'll stop supporting HD DVD. It won't kill HD DVD, but it's definitely made a solid statement of who's winning the war.

My actions? I'm going to wait a bit and see how well Universal and Paramount will let me ease into Blu-ray. If they decide to re-release some of these titles on Blu-ray, then I'll definitely be looking for a Blu-ray player and unloading my collection onto Ebay. But I'll probably hold off until May 2008 when the Warner titles are fully killed off. Because hopefully by then, Blu-ray will have a decent and cheap player to pick up (no, I will not get a PS3). I stay true to my allegiance towards Toshiba, Universal, Paramount and HD DVD. I'll ride this horse out until it falls.

Siyu will rub this in my face like no other. And I will be ready to bash his annoying face in.

Red: Resolutions for 2008

Happy New Years from the red side of Red VS Blu. It's a new year; a new school semester, a new number to memorize for writing dates, and most importantly, resolutions. I've decided to keep mine simple, so that I can accomplish these goals for sure, rather than have twenty untouched commitments.

Albert's 2008 New Year's Resolutions

1. Spend less money.
Yes, the absolute worst plan for me as an HD DVD supporter. I've decided to cut down my spending habits, buying every piece of clothing or every single HD DVD that interests me. Sorry HD DVD. You may have to fare on your own for a little bit.

2. Invest in some stocks.
It's something I've been meaning to get back into. Had some stocks earlier, made an easy $1,000 off of them, and now I realized that stocks are probably a better investment than pretty much everything I spend my cash on. Already I've been investigating two stocks, one which will go public in the next few months.


3. Try not to miss out any days at the gym.
This was hard for me at the end of this semester because of finals, but I feel really out of shape now. So no more skipping days at the gym. Time to get back into shape.

Reporting from the motherland

So the little asian kid near me on the plane was watching me play FF 7 and sneezed on me and I subsequently got sick somewhere over Alaska. The following conversation more or less took place over Siberia:
me: Can you buy me dayquill and a bottle of water when we get to the airport?
mother: no i don't think they have it and i'm not going to look
me: OMFG I'M GOING TO SHOOT MYSELF AND IT'LL BE LIKE YOU PULLED THE TRIGGER.

in HD related news I saw ads for Bravia and Aquos plastered all over Beijing Airport so HD does exist in China... somehwere. As for Blu-ray and PS3, I will be doing some investigative journalising. So stay tuned.

Albert's Top 10 Films of the Year

Top 10 Films of 2007

#10: 3:10 to Yuma


Originally, I despised this movie because I'm not a huge fan of Westerns, but this was just a kickass movie with two incredible actors.

#9: The Bourne Ultimatum


The perfect ending to the Bourne Trilogy.

#8: The Darjeeling Limited

It's Wes Anderson. That is all.

#7: Michael Clayton

Another political thriller that distinguishes itself from the many others.

#6: Knocked Up

Apatow's second film direction and he succeeds once again. It was the perfect mix of the outrageous comedy of Apatow and decent narrative.

#5: Gone Baby Gone

I'm surprised by this Affleck Brothers collaboration. A well-constructed mystery/thriller, which is a triumph for Ben Affleck's directorial debut.

#4: Eastern Promises

Viggo Mortenson puts on a stellar performance in another Cronenberg masterpiece.

#3: Juno

I walked in with high expectations and walked out with these expectations met. Sure, the pregnancy story has been done, but film is about Ellen Page crafting a wildly awesome character. She is so lovable, and her performance is far better than any of her bigger Hollywood co-actors/actresses in the movie, nearly outshining them by miles. It made me laugh. It made me smile. And it is the year's best comedy.

#2: Sunshine

Probably the best experience I've had in an empty theater. The emptiness of the audience helped create the solitary emotions of outer space. While the film itself has some glaring issues with the actual narrative itself (plot holes and a ridiculous third act), it kept me at the edge of my seat. But most importantly, I fell in love with the visual art direction. It has a distinct 2001: Space Odyssey semblance that reminds me of the sheer beauty and loneliness of space. Not to mention, the gold suits are totally kickass.

#1: Once

I call this "Damien Rice: The Movie". While some of Damien Rice's tracks are questionable, he captures me through his raw emotion, and Once is filled with musical warmth. Despite the fact that the two actors have no training whatsoever, their performance is the most realistic portrayal of their own characters I've seen in years. Shot in the stylistics of a documentary, everything is more believable as I feel like I'm watching the blooming of an upcoming artists from behind the scenes, or even a two hour music video. In addition, Glen Hansard being a real musician of The Frames who wrote the entire soundtrack, the music is beautifully arranged, creating possibly the best OST in ages. A touch of passion, intensity, and heart makes this film my favorite film of 2007.

Barely missed the cut

- Before the Devil Knows You're Dead
- Hot Fuzz
- 1408
- Superbad
- Walk Hard

Movies I missed

- The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
- Perseopolis
- No Country for Old Men
- Rescue Dawn
- First Snow
- Sweeney Todd
- Lars and the Real Girl
- I'm Not There
- There Will Be Blood
- The Assassination of Jesse James