New to Blu: March 16-22

The direct-to-Blu-ray release of Cyrus looks to be miles better than what else is new this week.

Its HD bow is to be applauded less for its technical specs, which critics acknowledged were what you’d expect for a low-budget, offbeat romantic-comedy, than what it says about Blu-ray’s emergence from niche to mainstream.

Aussie site MichaelDVD says the local release is identical to other regions: “The Blu-ray quality will keep fans happy even if it is not sensational. It certainly is accurate to the film.”

Concurred High-Def Digest. “Let’s not fault the transfer, but the source definitely is lacking the high definition detail that makes Blu-ray pop off the TV screen.”

“Details are occasionally spotty, and black levels aren’t always the deepest,” Home Theater Forum conceded, “but it’s an overall very pleasing visual presentation.”

Jackass 3 was released theatrically in 3D but is being released only on 2D Blu-ray. According to Blu-ray.com, it “eschews an actual Blu-ray 3D transfer and doesn’t even bother to offer a 1080p anaglyph 3D image; that’s reserved for the included standard-definition DVD.

“The 2D image is solid, as is the lossless audio, but no doubt fans will cry foul over the 3D fiasco and the absence of a broader grouping of extras.”

At the time of its US release, Paramount Pictures said it decided to offer Jackass 3 in anaglyph 3D on DVD so “as wide an audience as possible” could view it in 3D at home. With that kind of logic, it’s a wonder Paramount ever embraced DVD.

The rest of the week’s slate include direct-to-Blu-ray horrors, Tell-Tale and My Soul to Take, Jeff Beck – Rock ‘n’ Roll Party: Honouring Les Paul and the 1982 SAS adventure, Who Dares Wins, starring ex-Professional Lewis Collins and Edward Woodward.

Blu-ray.com called the 30-year-old image “pleasing but … very inconsistent” while AV Forums thought it a “tad soft” and “not as good as it might have been” — which also sums up the movie.