7 | / 10 |
Users | 2.7 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.2 |
We are in the midst of the greatest era of space discovery. 21st century spacecraft and sophisticated imaging technology are venturing into un-chartered territory every day--and much of the extraordinary phenomenon is happing right in our own cosmic backyard. Take an exhilarating, unprecedented 3D tour of the seven most amazing wonders of our solar system.
Narrator: Erik ThompsonDocumentary | 100% |
Nature | 80% |
History | 42% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 MVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.78:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
None
25GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Blu-ray 3D
Region free
Movie | 4.5 | |
Video | 3.5 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 0.0 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
In the beginning, there was darkness. And then, 'bang.'
Two thousand years ago, three wise men traveled the countryside in search of a newborn baby boy, using the heavens as their guide. Their journey
began and ended with wonders greater and far larger than man, though just how awesomely complex those heavens above really were was
something they probably never considered along their journey. Sure, they may have wondered what they were -- they had to be something more
than pinpricks in a black covering -- but never could they have imagined the true wonders that not only must exist around each of those stars,
but the otherworldly phenomena that call this very solar system home. A&E's The Universe: 7 Wonders of the Solar System,
now with the benefit of 2,000 years worth of knowledge and technology at its beck and call, reveals some of the great places and occurrences that,
celestially speaking, are but a stone's throw from Earth itself. From the surface of the sun to the rings of Saturn and beyond, this enlightening and
entertaining 3D short film explores several of the most interesting things within the Earth's own solar system, and truth be told, probably represent
but a fraction of the awe-inspiring places and events yet to be discovered both here and beyond. Still, The Universe: 7 Wonders of the Solar
System is on the cutting
edge of both scientific thought and technological advancement, the film not only packed with the latest in heavenly observations but made possible
both in the stars and on televisions with some of the most impressive hardware to date. The Universe: 7 Wonders of the Solar System is
scientific in nature but approachable by design, the film and its narrators speaking intelligently but in layman's terms, inviting in viewers to be
dazzled as much by the knowledge as by the computer animations and real-life astronomical footage. As the countdown of the most wonderful
places and phenomena traverses downward from seven to one, viewers will be left highly satisfied and even quite a bit enlightened about the
otherworldly events from the beyond, wishing only that there was more for this film to explore in the deeper reaches of space.
This world we live in.
The Universe: 7 Wonders of the Solar System is a success as not only a film but as a 3D release. It's far from the best currently on the
market,
but this A&E disc is priced right and more often than not looks quite good for what it is and all it has to work with. The film is made primarily from
computer animated graphics. A small digital spaceship takes viewers around for a jaunt through the solar system, heading on out towards Saturn and
making a U-turn back towards Jupiter, Mars, and the sun before heading back home to Earth. The graphics look quite nice, though it's clear the bulk
of the
money went into the heavenly bodies, leaving the spacecraft to fend for itself in graphics that might have looked good in a video game from a few
years
back. Still, the general detailing of it all is quite good; the image is extraordinarily crisp throughout, and colors, whether the bright blue waters of
mother Earth or the fiery orange shades of the sun's photosphere, are all exceptionally bright and satisfying, particularly when offset against the
perfectly black backgrounds. Back on Earth, the film's primary live action attraction comes in the form of several scientists offering their thoughts on
the
various places and events highlighted throughout the film. The image takes on a satisfying if not visually routine HD video sheen, revealing seamless
detailing and fine colors. Unfortunately, slight banding, occasional shimmering, moderate blocking, and a few jagged edges bring down the score by
half a point or so, but none
are necessarily causes for alarm; they're never obtrusive and likely only to be noticed by the most eagle-eyed and demanding of audiences.
The Universe: 7 Wonders of the Solar System's 3D elements are generally strong, but don't fare quite as well as the best Blu-ray 3D
discs. The disc is packed with some amazing 3D images, though viewers may be disappointed by the rather extreme amount of "ghosting" that may
be as visibly distracting on their sets as it was on the Panasonic 3D plasma hardware used to help craft this review. Still, The Universe: 7 Wonders
of
the Solar
System delivers some jaw-dropping 3D assets that put the format through its paces and ultimately prove its worth as a viable and entertaining
option. Various celestial bodies -- the sun in particular -- appear perfectly spherical in Blu-ray 3D, seeming to poke out of the screen and hover against
the black backdrop of space, perfectly revealing the shape and size of every one. Depth is fantastic in most every scene, with various planets and
asteroids and rings and moons and stars and all sorts of heavenly material floating not only in but, it would seem in 3D, behind and in front of the
screen, too. In one early scene, asteroids seem to hurtle towards the audience; as the rocks appear to propel out of the television, viewers may
find themselves shifting around the sofa in an effort to avoid being smacked by one. A scene in chapter five takes viewers to a movie theater as the
film analyzes the role of the Asteroid Belt in Science Fiction cinema. With the camera positioned in the back of the theater, viewers will find
themselves in awe at how
the rows of seats seem to stretch on far past the limits of the television and on through the wall and down an imaginary isle towards the screen. Back
in space, debris is so thick in one scene -- with every one of the objects seeming to occupy its own little three-dimensional space within the
television -- that viewers will feel like they could almost swim through it. The film's live-action 3D segments fare well, too; the outdoor shots reveal a
lifelike image that sees the scientists offset against their backgrounds, with the Berkeley professor standing out form the rest as foreground grasses
absolutely appear closer to the camera than he, with the background behind him seeming to extend on as far as nature and the human eye allows.
This is a quality 3D transfer that might not enjoy perfect consistency and the absolute seamlessness of others -- thanks in large part to the heavy
reliance on midlevel CG graphics -- but 3D fans will get a kick out of all there is to experience in this excellent Blu-ray 3D release.
The Universe: 7 Wonders of the Solar System's DTS HD-MA 5.1 lossless soundtrack is effective and satisfying. This is a big, almost hulking presentation that offers spacious music and bass-heavy narration, both of which are delivered crisply and effectively. Music booms out of the front half of the soundstage and is accompanied by a perceptible but not overwhelming rear channel presence. The surrounds also carry various sound effects, notably the roaring engines of the digital spacecraft that oftentimes seems to hurtle through the listening area, beginning in the back and, as it traverses the solar system to its next destination, straight on through the living room and winding up in the front portion of the soundstage. It's a decidedly Sci-fi-ish sound effect, but it fits in perfectly with the film's smart but accesible and almost playful tone. There's not much else to this track; it's quite good, but not necessarily great, and is ultimately a fine companion to the 3D visuals and the quality and tone of the film it accompanies.
Unfortunately, no supplements are included.
The Universe: 7 Wonders of the Solar System is an exceptionally entertaining and solidly educational film that briefly examines what the filmmakers consider to be the seven most wondrous places and events currently shaping the destiny of this solar system. The film has no real faults outside of its midbudget graphics and far too short runtime, but neither interferes with the dazzling display of otherworldly phenomena and galactic history that's come to define over the course of billions of years the shape of things as they are and will be in this little insignificant speck of the universe. Presented in 3D to boot, The Universe: 7 Wonders of the Solar System is a fantastic little title that's sure to please the youngest of budding astronomers and seasoned stargazers alike. A&E's Blu-ray 3D release of The Universe: 7 Wonders of the Solar System features a good-but-not-quite-great 1080p 3D transfer, a solid lossless soundtrack, but no extra content. Still, the absence of extras shouldn't dissuade buyers, and what better compliment to that out-of-this-world 3D TV than a 3D Blu-ray disc explores the furthest reaches of the solar system? Recommended.
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