New to Blu: October 16-22

The Place Beyond the Pines spruces up superbly on Blu-ray.

“It arrives in a 2.40:1 HD AVC encoded transfer and is top notch.

“All of the colours are well saturated and come across clean and clear.

“There are very strong greens here in the scenes out in the woods.”

“The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track values realism above all else, as does the film’s sound design, which features a subtle but absorbing soundscape bristling with small touches that make all the difference.”

“Technically the Blu-ray release is very impressive, serving up gorgeous visuals accompanied by a very strong soundtrack, but the supplemental features let the side down somewhat …

“Don’t let the relative lack of extras put you off though, as the quality of the film and its presentation are the overriding factors here.”

“Mud carries a very strong 1080p/AVC MPEG-4 encode that’s presented in a 2.35:1 aspect ratio.

“Aside from a handful of shots – not scenes – it’s extremely close to high-def perfection.”

“Mud’s lossless DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 mix may be unassuming, but it’s rather nuanced and very immersive, especially with regard to the nonstop use of ambient environmental sounds.”

Also going direct to disc are:

❑ “Chasing Mavericks brings a visceral surfing twist to the tried-and-true Karate Kid formula … The video and audio are a little inconsistent, but both manage to impress greatly during the numerous surfing sequences.”

❑ “Whatever its limitations as a film, Day of the Falcon certainly shines on Blu-ray. Sumptuously photographed by French cinematographer Jean-Marie Dreujou using primarily film, with an occasional shot acquired in HD and the sources harmonised in post-production on a digital intermediate, the film has epic sweep.”

❑ “A Haunted Place tries to scare up a few laughs on Blu-ray with a middling, slightly less-than-satisfying but still passable 1080p/AVC MPEG-4 encode.”

❑ “Stand Up Guys really looks rather lovely on Blu-ray with life-like dimension and a crisp high-def sheen that offers a modern style while still evoking classic 70s cinema.”

The week’s other newcomers range from The Internship, Sucker and Saving General Yang, to The Clone Wars – Season 5 and Star Wars: The Clone Wars – The Complete Seasons 1-5, to Bryan Ferry – Live in Lyon and Caro Emerald – In Concert.