AVS Discussions
Movie and TV Discussion => Movie reviews => Topic started by: David Vaughn on February 15, 2024, 06:34:01 PM
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(https://i.imgur.com/yKXFiT9.jpg)
Studio: Lionsgate
Release Date: February 13, 2023
Rating: PG-13
Film: 3.5/5
Plot
64 years before Katniss Everdeen volunteered as tribute, and decades before Coriolanus Snow became the tyrannical President of Panem, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes follows a young Coriolanus as he unites with Lucy Gray Baird in the 10th Hunger Games, and battles his instincts for both good and evil.
My Thoughts
I enjoyed the original Hunger Games films but wouldn’t exactly call myself a fan of the franchise. That being said, new releases are quite rare these days and I’ve been looking for some new movies to watch and while I didn’t expect to be blown away by the film, I thought it would be mildly entertaining after seeing how well it scored on Rotten Tomatoes.
I watched the film with my wife and mid-twenties daughter who read the original books when she was a teenager and we both agreed on one thing—the first 20 minutes of the film were tough to get through. The filmmakers did their best to make you care about the characters, but in all honesty, it was a hard sell. Thankfully, we kept with it—and yes, there was discussion to turn it off—because once it found a firm footing, it was actually quite entertaining.
The highlight of the show is the A/V presentation, which is reference quality from beginning to end. The video was shot in 4K and presumably has a 4K DI because I couldn’t find one thing to complain about. Black levels are inky and deep, colors are accurate and consistent, and the detail is off-the-charts good. Not to be outshined is the Dolby Atmos track, which utilizes every speaker in the room to great effect. There are moments that come from above that will have you ducking for cover and the sound designer does a great job of placing voice cues throughout the room.
Video 10/10
Audio 10/10 (Dolby Atmos)
Special Features:
- Audio Commentary
- Predator or Prey: Making The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes
- The Hanging Tree: Song by Rachel Zegler
- A Letter to Fans
- Three Theatrical Trailers
- 4K + Blu-ray + Digital Copy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NxW_X4kzeus&ab_channel=LionsgateMovies (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NxW_X4kzeus&ab_channel=LionsgateMovies)
Conclusion
While not a perfect film, it is entertaining. The start of the film is a bit rough and at over 2.5 hours, probably a good 30 minutes too long, but technically speaking, it’s worth watching just for the audio/video quality alone. If you watched the original movies, you may want to check it out to fill in some of the blanks on the characters, but even if you haven’t seen the original films, it does a good job of standing on its own. Recommended for fans.
Reference Review System:
JVC DLA-RS3100 4K Ultra High-Definition Front Projector
(Calibrated with Portrait Displays CalMAN color calibration software & C6-HDR Meter from Portrait Displays)
Stewart Filmscreen - Firehawk 110” 2.35:1 Screen
Trinnov Altitude 16 Audio/Video Processor
ATI AT527NC Powering Bed Channels
ATI AT524NC Powering Atmos Speakers
Kaleidescape Strato + Server
Panasonic DP-UB820 Ultra HD Blu-ray Player
System Controller: URC MX-990
M&K S-150 THX Ultra (R-C-L Speakers)
M&K SS-150 x4 (Surround Speakers)
Atlantic Technology IC6-OBA x 4 Overhead Speakers
Dual Rythmik FV15HP2
Mini DSP HD controlling all subwoofers
Audioquest and Monoprice - Audio/Video/Speaker Cabling
PureAV PF60 Power Conditioner
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I just got this. I've been wanting to rewatch the original movies ever since I got them on 4K, and I think I'll schedule this movie followed by the other 4 soon.
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I just got this. I've been wanting to rewatch the original movies ever since I got them on 4K, and I think I'll schedule this movie followed by the other 4 soon.
Craig, you'll probably like it just for the eye/ear candy alone. Some great demo sequences for sure.