SUPER 8 Blu-ray Review

Bad things happen, but you can still live.

J.J. Abrams has moved on from "flavor of the week," has excelled far beyond "flash in the pan," and has proven to be every bit the "next big thing" and that he's definitely here to stay. And there couldn't be better news for fans of original thinking and great vision in a modern day Hollywood that's almost otherwise devoid of both. His storytelling ability, creativity, and naturally keen sense of filmmaking authenticity have turned him into one of Tinseltown's elite. His "Lost" is the very definition of sensational television. It was arguably the best, most complex, most comprehensive, most enthralling, and best-conceived program ever made. His Mission: Impossible III positively defines the summer Action movie spectacle. His Star Trek did the seemingly impossible, revitalizing and at the same time both re-imagining and staying true to the roots of a longstanding and unequivocally adored franchise. His latest, Super 8, is a movie that brings childhood fantasy to life. It's a movie born of a youthful imagination, a throwback picture that's modern-slick but classic fun. It's the fantastic personified, a picture that embodies everything that's good about the connection between filmed entertainment and the human imagination. Isn't that what moviemaking is really all about?

Let's make a movie.

It's a sad time in the small steel town of Lillian, Ohio. A worker at the local mill has died in a tragic accident, leaving behind her husband, deputy Jackson Lamb (Kyle Chandler), and her young son, Joe (Joel Courtney). Fast-forward four months to the end of the school year. Jackson and Joe are still grieving, but beginning to move on with their lives. Jackson wants to send Joe away to summer baseball camp, but Joe would rather stay at home and help his best friend Charles (Riley Griffiths) make a Super 8 Zombie movie that he hopes to enter into a regional amateur filmmaking contest. Joe's the group's expert makeup man, but it looks like a critical re-written scene won't get made when Alice (Elle Fanning) learns that Joe's part of the team. Fortunately for Charles, his lead man Martin (Gabriel Basso), background player Preston (Zach Mills), and zombie specialist/pyromaniac Cary (Ryan Lee), Alice chooses to shoot the scene, anyway, despite her misgivings which stem from her family's frayed relationship with Joe's. The scene is tremendous; Alice proves to be a wonderful actress, and Charles can't believe his luck when a speeding train approaches the station just as they're about to shoot the final take (production values!). But tragedy strikes when a pickup truck pulls in front of the train, derailing it and causing a spectacular wreck. The children are safe but badly shaken, even when they learn the identity of the truck driver and hear his ominous warning. Soon enough, the U.S. military is on the scene and things quickly unravel in their sleepy Ohio town. Things go missing, the power flickers, and people disappear. How is it all connected to the crash? Did Charles capture anything critical on film? Can the intrepid child filmmakers crack the case and discover why the town has descended into chaos and what could be behind the madness?

There's just so much to love about Super 8, but if one were forced to boil the entire thing -- story, characters, technical merits -- down to one word, that word would have to be balance. The film plays with an almost mystic harmony. It's so polished but at the same time seen through something of a rough filter, the eyes of children who come to understand human emotions and values well beyond their years. The story is as touching as it is exciting, as well developed and smartly assembled as it is rollickingly fun, as emotionally involved as it is fast-paced and superficially engaging. But it's that latter element -- the picture's genuine sense of heartfelt emotion, born of fantastic characters and a wonderful foundation -- that's its single greatest asset. From the film's incredibly moving opening shots forward, the picture's fundamental structure is built on a tragedy that will give rise to both the realization of and an appreciation for the purpose of forgiveness, the importance of letting go, and the need to move forward, all of which ultimately yield freedom from the past, a freedom that will figuratively -- and literally -- set a soul free. It's all personified throughout the film and its brilliantly simple finale, and that the film is as honestly heartfelt and touching as it is monster movie exciting is a testament to just how smartly conceived and brilliantly assembled a picture this really is.

Super 8, in a way, has a feeling of Abrams' own "Lost" in how the story is slow to reveal and in how its characters, themes, and situations take different shapes and meanings as the story unfolds. But it's probably more like a modern Stand By Me than it is anything else. Ultimately, Super 8 is a film of childhood discovery, a story of togetherness and an unbreakable bond formed in a time of great adventure that's made by and seen through, mostly, a child's perspective. Certainly the film strays from Rob Reiner's coming-of-age masterpiece with its Sci-Fi/Monster movie twist, but at its core Super 8 is a similar movie about the bonds of friendship and, more importantly and as explored through the wonderfully conceived connection between characters Joe and Alice, a story of discovery not necessarily of the external kind, but of the far more rewarding inward variety, of a connection made, a friendship formed, an unspoken love created through the prism of great tragedy. It's so simple but at the same time so brilliantly assembled. Super 8 never relinquishes its spell over its audience no matter where it goes, for it always comes back to that one simple truism that speaks on basic values that hold true no matter the circumstances, no matter the time or place, no matter how fantastic something may be. The characters are superbly realized, and the level of acting and palpable chemistry are nearly second-to-none for a movie built around child actors.

For as emotionally satisfying as it may be, Super 8 also succeeds at the same time as a classic throwback monster movie. It's deliciously corny in places and revels in building this part of its narrative with cookie-cutter characters and clichéd dialogue that hearken back to the simpler Science Fiction films of yore. That's the beauty of this piece of the puzzle, though, the realization of just how good the movie is at capturing the very essence of a worn-out genre and mixing it with honest heart, dazzling special effects, unbeatable characters, and a great story. It's perhaps best described as a classic B-movie given the high dollar modern-slick A-level treatment. Abrams can get away with this style because the monster movie angle is but a device used to bring the story's greater elements to the forefront, but at the same time have some big-budget fun. And fun he has. Super 8's meshing of retro amateur filmmaking, throwback Sci-Fi elements, and modern technical wizardry is a real treat for audiences who can appreciate the alchemic skill required to pull it off. Really, this is a complete package that has everything a movie of this sort should. "Fun," "fantastic," and "heartfelt" only scratch the surface of what this one is about. Here's to what may very well be the best movie of 2011.

Super 8 Blu-ray, Video Quality

Super 8's 1080p Blu-ray transfer is typical of Paramount new releases. It's gorgeous. This is a beautifully filmic transfer that retains a very light and balanced layer of grain that accentuates all the positives and gives it that fresh-from-theaters veneer. Colors are many, vibrant, and balanced. The palette is extremely well balanced, even if the movie favors a very slight warmth, which carries over to what are sometimes slightly rosy or bronze flesh tones. Black levels are exceptional, appearing deep and accurate but never crushing out fine foreground details. Clarity is superb, which in turn aids in the transfer's ability to yield balanced details and textures throughout. Clothing and faces take on natural, almost tactile textures, while general objects around the frame -- brick façades, weathered wear and tear on painted surfaces, clumps of trees and other outdoor vegetation -- are all wonderfully complex and realistic. The image also yields fine natural depth, which is evident even in the film's many dark, nighttime segments. It's a rather basic image, but that doesn't take away from the sheer beauty of it. This is one of those transfers that so wonderfully captures the essence of the theatrical presentation for home viewing, which is part of what Blu-ray is all about and everything a modern release should be.

Super 8 Blu-ray, Audio Quality

Super 8's Dolby TrueHD 7.1 lossless soundtrack is the stuff of Blu-ray legend. This is one stout, enveloping, energized, satisfying, and dare say perfect listen. The track handles both extremes and everything in between with equal flair, vigor, and authenticity. The track yields phenomenal ambience throughout. The light background clatter and chatter at the funeral home as heard at film's start practically transports the listener to the somber locale. Light background music in a diner plays with a realistic authenticity that might have listeners believing the jukebox is in the house, not on the disc. Outdoor ambience is wonderful, too, whether the din of a small town floating on by in the background or the most delicate trace of a chilly wind blowing through the soundstage. On the other end, the track delivers a wonderfully robust low end that will test the limits of the subwoofer, wake the neighbors, and plaster a smile across the faces of every listener. Whether heavy footsteps on an old rickety wooden platform at the train station or the sounds of destruction and chaos that define the film's climactic action scene, there's no shortage of crisp, accurate, and deep bass. The surround channels are extensively used in support of the film's action, ambience, and satisfyingly spacious and crisp music, both score and popular alike. Indeed, sounds maneuver through the listening area with such ease and natural flow that the listener will be pulled into every scene, whether in Charles' bustling and loud house or in the streets of Lillian that have transformed into a war zone. The track amazingly excels no matter the scene, even when it goes practically silent save for the ever-so-slight buzzing of an electric sign outside of a gas station in chapter six.

But for all the wonderful moments in Paramount's champion lossless soundtrack, there's one that stands above the rest: the train derailment sequence. It's not only the highlight of this track, it's a sonic marvel and a perfectly engineered moment that's frighteningly authentic, devastatingly potent, and chillingly enveloping, all of which make it, arguably, the finest demo-worthy scene ever. The scene yields incredibly tight and heavy bass. It offers a terrifyingly immersive structure that takes full advantage of all seven speakers, sending everything from debris to complete train cars, from whooshing fire to screaming children, all over the listening area. Both the bass and the seamless directional effects come together in perfect harmony to create a sonic marvel, a naturally high-energy, eardrum-devastating, and infinitely enjoyable moment, a powerhouse scene that should be the reference audio clip for some time. But what's perhaps best about this track is that, for as wonderful a moment as this is, it doesn't feel detached from the rest of the presentation. The track is so well-engineered and the movie so well-constructed that the entire thing just works together seamlessly, from this moment all the way down to that flickering sign in an otherwise silent environment. Supported by perfect center-focused dialogue that's never garbled or lost under the heavy effects, Paramount's track is an unequivocal winner and is well on its way to being the year's finest.

Super 8 Blu-ray, Special Features and Extras

Super 8 arrives on Blu-ray packed with extras, including a good audio commentary track, several high quality featurettes, and plenty of deleted scenes.

• Audio Commentary: Director J.J. Abrams, Producer Bryan Burk, and Cinematographer Larry Fong deliver a satisfying and thorough commentary. They discuss the picture's scope, shooting locales, filmmaking equipment and techniques (including shooting in both digital and 35mm), the quality of the cast and mix of veteran and novice actors, Steven Spielberg's involvement in the production, special effects, and plenty more. This is a good, engaging commentary. Fans wild definitely want to give it a listen.
• The Dream Behind Super 8 (1080p, 16:28): This piece begins with J.J. Abrams discussing his childhood love of filmmaking and the parallels between his youth and elements of the film. It also looks at his work with Cinematographer Larry Fong, Bryan Burk, Matt Reeves; the contributions and influences of Steven Spielberg on the filmmakers; the film's plot and development; and it meshing of styles and genres.
• The Search for New Faces (1080p, 17:46): This supplement examines the casting of the child actors and Abrams' decision to cast relative unknowns for the picture. It includes cast and crew interviews and authentic audition clips.
• Meet Joel Courtney (1080p, 14:35): An introduction to the film's lead actor, looking at his early life, auditioning for the part, learning his lines with his mother, working with his fellow actors, his life on the set, shooting various scenes, his hopes for the future, and more.
• Rediscovering Steel Town (1080p, 18:24): A look at the benefits of shooting in Weirton, West Virginia and a brief history of the town.
• The Visitor Lives (1080p, 12:22): This detailed extra introduces viewers to the in-depth process of creating the film's creature, from initial concept to final rendition in the film.
• Scoring Super 8 (1080p, 5:29): An all-too-brief piece focusing on the life and contributions of Composer Michael Giacchino.
• Do You Believe in Magic? (1080p, 4:29): A short, playful feature with Cinematographer/Magician Larry Fong.
• The 8mm Revolution (1080p, 8:15): A look at the importance of childhood 8mm films on the current crop of filmmakers, an enlightening history of the format, and its role in Super 8.
• Deconstructing the Train Crash (1080p): This interactive extra offers viewers a comprehensive examination of the entire process of creating a massive special effects sequence with three main areas of focus: pre-production, production, and post-production. Clicking through the various selections yields interviews, storyboards, and more.
• Deleted Scenes (1080p, 12:47): Inside the 7-Eleven, Joe Writes New Pages, Joe Gives Charles New Pages, Jack Searches the Gas Station, Inside the Car Dealership, Joe Gets in Trouble, Lucy Goes Missing, Dry Brush Technique, Army Navy Store, Joe Watches Home Movies, Saying Goodnight, Cubes Shake the Red Trucks, Jack Finds Joe's Backpack, and Joe and Cary Discover the Coffins.
• D-Box.
• Digital Copy: Sampled on an iPhone 4, this digital copy yields surprisingly rich sound. Music is full and balanced, light ambience is nicely integrated, dialogue is steady, and heavy sound effects -- including the train derailment -- are fair but obviously a bit muddled and absent the precision the Blu-ray offers. The image is crisp, colorful, and nicely detailed. It holds up rather well on the small screen and displays minimal compression issues.
• DVD Copy.

Super 8 Blu-ray, Overall Score and Recommendation

Super 8 may represent the very essence of cinema. It's thrillingly escapist but grounded in real human drama and emotion. It has characterization to spare, wonderful acting, and perfect chemistry between its child leads. It boasts fantastic visual effects and all those glorious production values! that make a movie complete. It's basically a movie that embodies all of those simple elements that Charles wants to incorporate into his own Super 8 movie, and one can't help but wonder how much of J.J. Abrams' own childhood has found its way into Charles and his filmmaking buddies. Super 8 shows just how simple a formula it really is to make a good movie. It's all about heart, plot, and characters, with its supporting elements just that, supporting the bigger picture that's superficially dominated by the film's scope and special effects but thematically overwhelmed by the core story. Indeed, Super 8 is the embodiment of that one-word definition -- balance -- and is also positively a joy to watch and a modern marvel of real, genuine filmmaking. Paramount's Blu-ray release of Super 8 is every bit as excellent as the movie. Perfect video, perfect audio, and a nice assortment of extras round this into one of the year's finest must-own releases. Super 8 earns my highest recommendation.by martin liebman

Blu-ray Sales Oct 31-Nov 6 Cars 2 Finishes On Top

In the week ending 11/05/2011, Cars 2 displayed plenty of horsepower as it took the checkered flag in the race for the home video sales championship. Not as beloved nor as successful as other Pixar features, Lightning McQueen and Mater still managed to outsell their nearest competitor by a 5-1 margin in both the Blu-ray and the overall package media sales charts. Cars 2 received 47% of its total disc sales from Blu-ray with 17% of the total units sold attributed to Blu-ray 3D.

Captain America: The First Avenger dropped one spot to No. 2 on the Blu-ray sales chart. The popular superhero film continued its strong showing for the HD format by earning 54% of its total disc sales from Blu-ray buyers.

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides also slipped one slot and ended the week at No. 3 on the Blu-ray sales chart. Released exclusively in a Blu-ray/DVD combo pack, On Stranger Tides concluded its third week in stores as the No. 5 seller on the overall package media sales chart.

Two new releases, Crazy, Stupid, Love. and Water for Elephants, finished the week at No. 4 and No. 5 on the Blu-ray bestsellers chart.

1. Cars 2
2. Captain America: The First Avenger
3. Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
4. Crazy, Stupid, Love.
5. Water for Elephants
6. The Lion King
7. Green Lantern
8. Fast Five
9. Transformers: Dark of the Moon
10. Thor

by tony sanchez

Band of Brother/The Pacific on Blu-ray 11-11-11

Band of Brothers

  (2001)

Band of Brothers Blu-ray comes close to perfection with top scores all around making it one of the best Blu-ray's ever
Based on the bestseller by Stephen E. Ambrose, the epic 10-part miniseries Band of Brothers tells the story of Easy Company, 506th Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division, U.S. Army. Drawn from interviews with survivors of Easy Company, as well as soldiers' journals and letters, Band of Brothers chronicles the experiences of these men who knew extraordinary bravery and extraordinary fear. They were an elete rifle company parachuting into France early on D-Day morning, fighting in the Battle of the Bulge and capturing Hitler's Eagle's Nest at Berchtesgaden. They were also a unit that suffered 150 percent casualties, and whose lives became legend.

For more about Band of Brothers and the Band of Brothers Blu-ray release, see the Band of Brothers Blu-ray Review

Band of Brothers Blu-ray Review

'Band of Brothers' arrives on Blu-ray as a must-own package.

Reviewed by Martin Liebman, November 26, 2008

I did things, I didn't do them for medals, I didn't do them for accolades, I did them because that's what had to be done.

"Band of Brothers," an ambitious, grandiose, and above all else moving World War II-based miniseries that debuted on HBO in 2001, remains the quintessential story of not only the Company portrayed therein, but perhaps of the War on the whole. The series showcases effortless character development, incredible action sequences in both scope and detail, and many of the War's most significant developments through the eyes of Easy Company, from their training regimen in the United States through the end of the conflict in the European theater, all over 10 episodes that together run more than 10 hours in length. Saving Private Ryan colleagues Tom Hanks (Cast Away) and Steven Spielberg (Close Encounters of the Third Kind) produced the series based on the text of the same title by noted historian Stephen Ambrose. "Band of Brothers" is a product forged from hands both capable and loving. The material offers not only incredible value from an entertainment and production perspective, but it makes a valuable contribution to the understanding of World War II in Europe. It is a series that serves as a tribute to those men who served the world in perhaps its greatest undertaking, and is a reminder to current and future generations as to the sacrifices, courage, and love of freedom and country that shaped history, and the world, forever.

Easy Company takes the fight to the Germans on D-Day.

The aptly-titled "Band of Brothers" follows the progression of the Second World War through the experiences of Easy Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division. From their Beginning at Camp Toccoa, Georgia, two years prior to the invasion of Normandy, to the capture of Hitler's "Eagle's Nest" compound at Berchtesgaden, Germany, and experiencing much of the War in between, Easy Company seemed the spearhead of the Allied War effort. Involved in several of the most memorable engagements of the War, Easy dropped in and fought behind enemy lines during the Allied invasion of France in June of 1944; the Company participated in the failed Allied attempt to win the War by Christmas of 1944, known as Operation Market Garden; Easy participated in the long, cold, hard battle of Bastogne in the winter of 1944-1945. Besides the fighting, Easy Company also experienced some of the most heart-wrenching moments of the War first-hand, including the public humiliation of Hollander Nazi sympathizers and their discovery of a concentration camp deep inside Germany. While each man's unique personality, outlook, and skill added to the makeup and effectiveness of the unit, it was nevertheless their collective bravery, dedication, and sense of purpose that made them a Band of Brothers.

"Band of Brothers" excels at many levels, both through its visual presentation and its stirring emotional overtones. As a War picture, or in this case series, the filmed action sequences offer viewers a spectacle like nothing before it, matching and arguably besting in scope, tension, and gritty realism, outings like Saving Private Ryan and Black Hawk Down. Most episodes showcase a major confrontation, each a unique entity with its own character, hardships, and challenges. The action never feels repetitive nor clumsy. If anything, the series' visual style places viewers in the middle of the action thanks to its complete sense of immersion through both its visuals and world-class sound design, both of which are improved on by this Blu-ray set. While the chaos of the sequences sometimes leaves viewers in a state of confusion, unsure of what is exactly happening to whom, that sense seems to capture the essence of combat perfectly. It is anything but an exact science, a calm, easily understood organism that is structured and precise. The fighting takes place at night, in daylight, in cities and towns, in fields and forests. "Band of Brothers" does all filmmaking can to recreate the dread and disorder of combat with striking realism.

"Band of Brothers" is perhaps the most emotionally charged and positive series ever made. Even before the series begins to play, as images and the series' score loop over the main menu of the first disc, it is difficult not to become overwhelmed by the emotion conveyed by the visuals and the segments of the score that accompany them. Michael Kamen's score is an astounding tribute to the men, and a fitting theme for the series. It is both powerful and exiting, conveying the raw emotions of each and every scene it accompanies with amazing grace. The knowledge of what these men did for everyone then and now and tomorrow, the sacrifices they made, the hardships they endured, and the friends they lost, all in the name of freedom, often stirs the soul and brings a tear to the eye. Despite its power, it is not the reenacted series that offers the most dramatic and touching elements to the "Band of Brothers" experience. It is the interviews with the real-life veterans that precede each episode that provide the foundation for the series and set the tone for the emotional underpinnings of the episode to follow. The words, the eyes, and the souls of these veterans, as they briefly recount their tales, provide the real significance of the series. No actor, no camera, no set, no sound, no special effect can capture the essence of the experience better than these heroes who serve not only as the inspiration for the series but provided to their country and their world the freedom to tell their story through their actions as portrayed in the ten episodes of "Band of Brothers."

Encapsulating the series, the War, and the men who fought in it is the series' third episode, "Carentan." The episode centers around the experiences of a mostly anonymous Easy Company rifleman named Albert Blithe. Blithe is certainly not a hero but is rather an everyman with real emotions, real problems, and an honest outlook on both life and death. He is neither excited nor depressed to be in the War. Lost in the shuffle, he simply is unsure of himself, of the world, and of the War exploding around him. His story focuses on his experience in combat, the terrors of War, and his coping with the realities of his situation. His is a story of becoming a true soldier as, through the episode, he runs the gamut of life as a combatant: contemplating the meaning of the War, dealing with fear, trying to earn the respect of others, killing an enemy solider, and himself receiving a wound. The themes of the episode are tied around the edelweiss flower that adorns many a German soldier's lapels, described to Blithe as "the mark of a true soldier." Indeed, Blithe, and his Company, see their emergence as "true soldiers" and "The Greatest Generation" as a result of their experiences fighting in World War II.

Band of Brothers Blu-ray, Video Quality

"Band of Brothers" arrives on Blu-ray with what is nothing short of a spectacular 1080p, 1.78:1-framed image that offers a significant upgrade over the previous DVD release. Certainly, viewers in search of nothing short of grain-free, brightly colored high definition eye candy will be sorely disappointed with this release. "Band of Brothers" is nevertheless eye candy of its own variety, offering a natural, as-intended look that lends a harsh, gritty, desaturated look to set the mood and period of the series from a visual perspective. Much of "Band of Brothers" is devoid of bright primary colors. Awash in greens, browns, tans, grays, and blacks, the color scheme lends to the film a throwback look that has seemingly become the de facto presentation for World War II movies; a practically identical look was chosen for Saving Private Ryan, and perhaps a somewhat more extreme variation accompanies Clint Eastwood's Letters From Iwo Jima. What makes this look successful for these types of films and series is that it not only punctuates the horrors and gritty reality of war, but it seemingly brings viewers into the middle of the action. The rough, sometimes handheld, hyperactive appearance offers perhaps the closest visual approximation of the ugliness and chaos of war possible through the filmed medium.

While the look of the series may be gritty and devoid of an abundance of bright colors, "Band of Brothers" on Blu-ray nevertheless offers viewers a remarkable level of clarity and definition through virtually every inch of the series. Each episode features remarkable attention to lifelike detail and historical accuracy, and the painstaking realism of the series is brought to life like never before on this Blu-ray edition. The transfer reveals fine definition in the lines, contours, and dirt on faces; it features high resolution and clarity through every patch, seam, fray, and accessory that make up the uniforms; and the wear on the weapons seen throughout, particularly the absence of bluing on the barrels and actions of weapons and the nicks and scratches visible on the wooden furniture of the Garands, Thompson submachine guns, and other armaments make them look well-used and appropriately battle-worn. Even smaller nuances, like the various scenes in the first episode that feature the men running up Currahee, reveals small details in the dirt and gravel of the well-beaten path, not to mention the various greenery and weeds that surround it. Black levels are also deep and accurate in virtually every instance; several dark scenes feature the heaviest amounts of grain seen throughout, a fine example being the nighttime drop into Normandy the night before the sea-based invasion on the morning of June 6, 1944. While "Band of Brothers" features a rough look that, upon first glance, might not seem to be the sort of programming that would benefit from the increased resolution Blu-ray has to offer, quite the opposite is in fact true. This Blu-ray edition simply demolishes the DVD edition in its presentation of the series' inherent grain, not to mention a remarkable increase in visible fine detail, texture, and depth.

Band of Brothers Blu-ray, Audio Quality

"Band of Brothers" explodes onto Blu-ray with a reference quality track that is so good, it's more of an experience than a listen. Presented via a DTS-HD MA 5.1 lossless mix, there is rarely a dull moment throughout the series' 10+ hour runtime. Obviously, it is the series' intense combat sequences that make up the backbone of the track and offer the most activity throughout the soundstage, but there is also a lighter side to the track, a more subtle, environmental, organic portion that creates a perfectly seamless domain in between those scenes featuring exploding shells and incessant machine gun and rifle fire. Ambient effects spread out nicely across all five channels, allowing even the calmest of scenes to bring a lifelike vitality to the experience. Dialogue reproduction is accurate throughout the series. The track also offers a nice sense of spacing and dimensionality amongst the various sound effects. Take the nighttime engagement as seen through flashbacks in episode five; long distance gun shots feature a nice crack, and a resulting echo works its way across the soundstage as the shot lingers and fades into the night. One can almost feel the origins of each shot, the sense of being in the hectic firefight a very real one.

The discs' strength lies in the chaos and commotion of the up-close-and-personal combat as depicted throughout the series. The first gun shots of the series are heard in chapter five of the first episode during training exercises, providing listeners with a preview of what is to come, each shot cracking out with pitch-perfect precision. Audiences will feel the rumble of the aircraft propellors as Allied planes fly towards the coast of France, signaling the beginning of the, in the words of General Eisenhower, "Great Crusade." The track provides a sense of total immersion as the scene places the listener in the belly of the craft. As the German flack explodes around the formation of planes, audiences experience one of the most frightening attack sequences they may ever hear. Soon thereafter, audiences are practically dropped out of the plane and onto the ground below where artillery, machine gun fire, and explosions go off all around the listening area. The beginning of a Naval bombardment off the coast of Normandy the following morning sends shells screaming across the soundstage with an accompanying rumble that must be both heard and felt to be believed. Later in the episode, Easy company's assault on the German 88s firing on the Allies storming the beaches represents one of the sonic high points of the series; the heavy guns pound away as the men approach the position, and the firefight that follows is a true marvel of sound technology, seemingly replicating the combat experience with precision. Leaves, terrain, and trees shatter all around; the thuds of the German MG-42s reverberate throughout the soundstage; grenades and explosives demolish the German guns with excellent power; the sequence leaves audiences everything but deaf. Episode six, "Bastogne," offers perhaps the most thunderous, Earth-shaking hour yet on Blu-ray. The sound of exploding trees amidst the cold, lifeless forrest features deep and tight bass that literally shakes the windows. Artillery shells and gunfire emanate from every corner. An air raid sequence on the town itself in chapter seven features explosions as buildings crumble all around and anti-aircraft fire blasts from every corner, making for a terrifying, realistic experience if ever there was one. Needless to say, "Band of Brothers" offers an exquisite, hard-hitting, yet graceful soundtrack that places audiences in the middle of the action like never before.

from blu-ray.com