4.8 | / 10 |
Users | 3.2 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
The relationship between mortal Bella and vampire Edward is continuing to blossom and grow even though ancient secrets are in line to destroy them. When Edward leaves in order to keep the love of his life Bella safe; she takes it upon herself to test her life in many reckless ways. Things don't go as she planned though when her good friend Jacob ends up saving her which opens her eyes and mind to many more secrets that could threaten all their existence.
Starring: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner, Ashley Greene, Anna KendrickFantasy | 100% |
Romance | 60% |
Teen | 53% |
Supernatural | 31% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.40:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
English: Dolby Digital 2.0
Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1
English SDH, Spanish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Bonus View (PiP)
BD-Live
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A (locked)
Movie | 3.0 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
I honestly don't know how to live without you.
It's not wizards and wands, but
Author Stephenie Meyer's Vampire series Twilight is maybe the next biggest thing, her
quartet of books surrounding the whirlwind relationship between young human girl Bella Swan
and the cool-as-ice Vampire Edward Cullen are certainly the hot properties of the minute.
The series may be complete (or at least those that grow weary of the hype certainly hope) but
the movies are just getting started, with Twilight having
sparkled at the box office and its sequel, New Moon, bleeding many a young girls' purses
dry with a domestic theatrical run that raked in close to $300,000,000. Meyers' series has
certainly been a cash cow for up-and-coming Summit Entertainment, the studio rolling in cash
and also cleaning up at the
Academy Awards with the newest Best Picture winner The Hurt Locker to
its credit. While neither of the first two films in the Twilight series
garnered any Academy Award nominations, the popular pictures -- now on their second
director with a third fresh name behind the camera for the upcoming Eclipse --
nevertheless prove
competently made and passably entertaining movies, even for casual viewers that know the
series
only through
the first two films and by the reputation of the novels alone.
Ghosts of boyfriends past.
New Moon rises on Blu-ray with a good-looking 1080p, 2.40:1-framed transfer. The first thing that fans are bound to notice is the drastic shift in visual tone between this and Twilight; gone is that picture's heavy blue tint, replaced here by something of a more neutral and natural look that's a touch dark and perhaps with a slight golden hue about it. As with the previous Twilight picture, flesh tones waver from character to character; Edward appears as a ghastly pale shade, Jacob features a decidedly orange tint, and Bella is usually seen with a more neutral tone, all of which are deliberate in presentation and not any fault of the transfer process. However, skin sometimes looks a bit overly smooth, and background details, too, sometimes appear as smudgy and smeared. Generally, however, fine detail in foreground shots impresses. The film exhibits wonderfully natural detailing and texturing on plenty of objects, including clothing; scrapes, dents, and dirt on vehicles; and building façades. Still, the image often cannot escape from what is a generally flat appearance, though again this seems more in-line with the intended look of the picture. Also sporting beautifully deep and inky blacks and retaining a fine layer of grain, New Moon isn't the prettiest image out there, but it delivers a capable 1080p experience that should satisfy both and fans and videophiles alike.
New Moon bursts onto Blu-ray with a supercharged DTS-HD MA 5.1 lossless soundtrack. Although the track is defined by several loud, aggressive, and satisfying action sequences, it's comprised of plenty of subtle atmospherics that make this a truly complete listen. The many exterior shorts in the film's idyllic woodland settings come alive with the sounds of nature in every scene; a cacophony of chirping birds, rustling leaves, or blowing breezes positively immerse the listener in every environment. Additionally, the film's musical presentation is beautifully rendered; the score pours into the soundstage with a positive front-channel presentation and a noticeable but not overwhelming rear-channel support structure. The aforementioned action pieces, however, truly stand apart from the rest of the mix. Creature-on-creature combat sound effects spill into the listening area from all directions and traverse the soundstage with pinpoint precision, all accompanied by what is nothing short of a prodigious low-end that rattles the floorboards and reverberates through the chest cavity. The picture's action scenes translate into some of the most impressive listens available on the Blu-ray format; it's a shame that there aren't more of them to enjoy. Rounded out by perfectly-balanced and consistently stable and clear dialogue reproduction, Summit Entertainment has yielded yet another in what is a growing line of top-notch DTS-HD MA lossless soundtracks for their growing library of Blu-ray releases.
This Blu-ray release of New Moon yields several extras, chief among them an audio commentary track and a documentary. The commentary features Director Chris Weitz and Editor Peter Lambert. The duo -- with Weitz leading the charge -- covers a wide swath of information that's heavy on the technical aspects behind the making of the film, from small nuances that he points out to more sweeping and generalized insights into the construction of various parts of the movie. Topics include the special effects, working with author Stephenie Meyer, the various thematic elements and dramatic developments throughout the movie, shooting locations, and plenty of other information that fans will devour. The track is breezy and informative, easily digestible and a worthwhile listen for both fans and those interested in some nuts-and-bolts insight into the world of big-movie filmmaking. The other highlight of this package is a six-part documentary that explores the making of New Moon (1080p, 1:05:28). The piece looks at how the actors' lives have changed since starring in the Twilight films and moves on to an in-depth examination of the making of New Moon, intercutting interview snippets with the cast and crew with plenty of behind-the-scenes video clips. Topics include the work of Director Chris Weitz; the film's wardrobe and set design; the change in mood and slight alterations between the two Twilight films; the story of and themes explored in the film; the crafting of the picture's extensive special effects; and an exploration of post-production work, including editing the film together and crafting its score. Also included is a special behind-the-scenes rehearsal of the song "I Belong to You" by Muse (480p, 1:32); three full-length music videos: "Meet Me on the Equinox" by Death Cab for Cutie (480p, 3:48), "Satellite Heart" by Anya Marina (480p, 3:47), and "Spotlight" by Mutemath (480p, 3:42); and BD-Live functionality.
New Moon isn't a bad movie. It's got its share of problems as a standalone picture, but considering the change in director, the talk- and emotion-heavy nature of the story, and the incredible level of expectation surrounding the movie, it manages to keep an even keel and deliver a watchable 131-minute marathon of a Tweeny Vampire love story, at least when viewed as part of a growing series and not as a standalone entity. It's an almost impossible task to watch a movie like New Moon without some kind of expectation going in. For readers of the books, there's bound to be equal parts joy and sorrow as the story unfolds on the screen. For those choosing to enter the world of Bella, Edward, and Jacob through the movies alone, it's difficult to separate the hype from what the story and the accompanying movie really have to offer. Despite its issues and many challenges, New Moon plays as a confident-in-feel picture that does well to bridge the gap between the series' first entry and its final two, all the while delivering a movie that's well worth a watch, warts and all. Summit's high definition release of New Moon delivers a quality Blu-ray experience. Both the picture and sound presentations reside amongst the upper-echelons of the Blu-ray quality tiers, and fans shouldn't be too disappointed with the available supplements. New Moon fanatics and hardcore Blu-ray collectors shouldn't hesitate to make a purchase, but more casual viewers might want to hold out for some future boxed set of all four films or an expanded special edition of New Moon.
Two-Disc Deluxe Edition
2009
G1
2009
Ultimate Fan Edition
2009
Blockbuster Exclusive
2009
2009
2009
2009
2009
Special Edition
2010
2008
Special Edition - Theatrical Version
2011
2012
Alternate Cut
2011
2009-2017
2013
2013
2011
2011
La Belle et la Bête
2014
Charlie St Cloud
2010
Combo Pack
2012
2014
2013-2014
2009
2014
2010
1988
2013