New to Blu: March 20 – 26

Peppermint

➢ “The 2.39:1/1080p/AVC-encoded transfer is expectedly competent. This digitally shot film offers strong fine-object detail and texture. Some wider shots are slightly soft, but the film looks good in motion. Colours are nicely saturated and black levels are generally strong, save a couple of shots in which they push toward purple. I noticed minor aliasing and some digital noise, which is not unexpected in low-light scenes with digital photography. Skin tones are accurate, highlights never bloom and I noticed no digital noise reduction.” — DVD Talk.

➢ “Overall sharpness remained good. A smattering of wider elements could seem a little soft, but those didn’t create real distractions. Instead, the movie tended to be accurate and concise. I noticed no shimmering or jaggies, and the film lacked edge haloes or source flaws. The palette opted for a mix of the usual orange and teal. Within stylistic choices, the hues looked fine. Blacks were deep and dense, while low-light shots depicted appropriate clarity.” — DVD Movie Guide.

➢ “Lighting schemes are effectively used in this film to help set the tone/setting based upon the mood of the scene and characters within it. The chroma range isn’t diverse but hues can vary from being sullen and inanimate to warm and inviting. Skin tones are appropriately bland with natural highlights and descriptive variation. Images onscreen are exquisitely detailed and sharp with superb depth of field and visible texture during wide angle shots. Contrast is spot on and blacks are deep with revealing delineation.” — AVS Forum.

● Also new are Cry Freedom (“the HD transfer shows off good colours, depth, and detail throughout, and has been cleaned leaving little damage such as specs and dust”), Walkabout (“the image here is very strong“*), The Medallion and Hideaway.

* Walkabout’s transfer appears to be from the same source as the Criterion edition’s but the only extra it shares is the director’s commentary.