Even in this economy, lots of people will buy flat-panel TVs this holiday season, and after hooking them up, will face the same question any giddy HDTV upgrader loves to ask: “What movies should I cue up to show off the new set?” At any given time, I have a stack of go-to Blu-ray discs that I call upon any time I want to impress visitors with my TV’s high-def prowess. Here’s a current list of my favorite demo material, along with the exact chapters and times of the sequences I usually play.
The Dark Knight
Chapter 21 (1:18:05-1:23:00)
Destined to become the demo disc for videophiles for years to come, TDK is chock full of demo-worthy moments. My favorite is the one in which the caped crusader mounts his Bat-bike and plays chicken with the Joker.
Wall-E (pictured)
Chapter 29 (1:20:15-1:24:15)
The red of the fatties’ leotards really stand out in this sequence in which the Captain uses maximum effort to seize control of the Axiom.
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
Chapter 5 (33:30-36:58)
It’s best to pick a scene that steers clear of the shockingly-sub-par CG effects in this film, so Indy’s motorcycle chase through the stately grounds of Marshall College is your best bet.
Iron Man
Chapter 10 (1:15:00-1:19:27)
Perhapsthe best geek moment of ’08 — watching Tony Stark don the familiar redand gold armor for the first time — is in this scene (and when helater gets medieval on some terrorists).
Tropic Thunder
Chapter 10 (50:51-55:32)
This hilarious scene has it all: one-liners, eye-popping colors, and even a shout-out for the Blu-ray format.
Lost: The Complete Fourth Season
Disc 2, “The Shape of Things to Come,” Chapter 2 (6:15-11:52)
Lostin HD is great for showing off every little wrinkle and piece ofstubble on people’s faces. This scene not only gives you detailedclose-ups of some of the regulars, but also features a shootout andexplosion to light up your HDTV screen.
Die Another Day
Chapter 1 (08:30-13:12)
CrappyBond film; excellent video demo material. Cue up this part of theopening sequence — 007 escapes the North Korean army in a hovercraft — fora home theater spectacle. Just be ready to hit the stop button on theremote before the Madonna theme song starts polluting your home.
Earth: The Biography
Disc 2, Chapter 5 (40:01-45:26)
HostIain Stewart swims with millions of golden jellyfish in the waters ofthe South Pacific.
Kung-Fu Panda
Chapter 13 (42:35-45:44)
Master Oogway bids farewell in this picturesque scene punctuated with a steady cascade of flower blossoms.
After running through this sequence of Blu-raygoodness, I feel like hugging my HDTV. What about you Popwatchers? Whatdiscs do you spin in your Blu-ray or DVD player when you want to showoff your fancy flat-panel TV? I limited my choices to 2008 releases,but feel free to dig back through your catalog.
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I’ll let you know for sure when Band of Brothers gets delivered to me, but I suspect it will be the Brecourt assault in Episode 2.
Though nobody saw it but me, Speed Racer should be the first purchase every Blu-ray owner makes. Of course, after the race through the desert, your eyeballs may be too fried to watch anything else!
Planet Earth!!!! Come on, nothing displays high def better than that.
The opening scene of Underworld, when Selene is crouching looking down at the world through a curtain of rain. Amazing.
The Maelstrom scene at the end of Pirates 3 is pretty great. Also the drive through Ornament Valley in Cars. Ooh, and the entire third act of The Incredible Hulk.
The very first shot of “A Clockwork Orange” – that orange screen. Watching it on an HDTV, 120 Hz cranked up to high. I didn’t think any color could look that pure.
I pick the opening of ‘The Godfather: The Coppola Restoration’ in the Don’s office and Connie’s wedding. Hell, the whole movie was great looking.
I’ll never know about Blu-ray because my traditional DVD collection is way too large for me to be stupid enough to start over with a new format. I refuse to fall for this new marketing play to get me to needlessly spend my money on things I don’t need.
This Erik guy below me is an idiot. Saying this is a gimmick to spend his money. Apparantly he hasn’t done ANY research to know this his old DVD collection will play even BETTER in a blu ray, and there is no need to “start over”. And he also must not be a fan of incredible sound or HD picture, as as soon as I saw Dark Knight (my first Blu Ray experience), I wondered why I have lived without for this long. Stick to being an idot Erik… more fun for the rest of us!
Blu-Ray and Planet Earth were meant for eachother.
why isn’t Hellboy part 2 getting any respect. their are some great hi def movie moments in this movie and its one of the few blu rays that actually has 7.1 surround sound. just listen to the opening credits with clock gears and cogs- its awesome in 7.1 surround and that’s only the beginning of the movie. put hellboy 2 on the must see list.
Plante Earth definitely has some beautiful images. I’d also add the opening images of LA in BladeRunner
This is going to sound weird, but the shot in Pride & Prejudice (2005) of the cliffs in Darbyshire is breathtaking. And, of course, Planet Earth was made for HD.
SPEED RACER ALL THE WAY!!! Best movie of the year, best Blu Ray to date, it will be the standard for all future releases to be judged by.
Die Another Day over Casino Royale??? The free running screen near the beginning of C.R is so much better than the opening sequence of D.A.D. and looks stunning on blu ray.
“Planet Earth” was my first Blu-Ray purchase when I bought my new TV and PS3 last spring. Still my favorite!
While not the best movie in the series … queue up Live Free or Die Hard and watch the scene where Bruce Willis drive a cab into the helicopter! Outrageous!!!!!
Equally impressive on my system is the scene in The Matrix where Neo and Trinity blast their way through a secured building lobby to rescue Morpheus
The sequence with the giant field of pink clovers in “Horton Hears a Who!” I could watch that bit over and over again.
The shootout in the street scene from Heat, even more so when you’ve got the sound system to match the beauty of the screen.
I love watching the scene from Across the Universe where Jude is painting with strawberries. The reds in that scene are so vivid.
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For me, the moment of truth for Blu-Ray occurred when I watched the ‘Smilebox’ version of “How the West Was Won”. For decades, this movie has been seen in truncated full-frame or ugly mismatched widescreen. Finally, cinephiles get a chance to see the film as it was originally intended and the ‘Smilebox’ process makes it all the more authentic.
Is the movie perfect?
Not by a longshot — but it’s a beautiful restoration that will open even a skeptical viewer’s eyes.
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