AVForums Podcast: Episode 209 - 12th February 2018

Phil Hinton

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This week:

00:00:26 – The team return from illness
00:02:49 – Current competitions
00:03:58 – You can still get a case of eight craft beers for free
00:10:00 – Steve’s thoughts on the Sony Trade Show
00:22:29 – Samsung launch world’s first 3D Cinema LED screen at ISE
00:27:25 – Ed’s album, vinyl release and playlist of the month
00:30:48 – Upcoming reviews
00:36:47 – Films opening this week – Black Panther, The Shape of Water, Lady Bird and Father Figures
00:45:10 – Disc releases – The LEGO Ninjago Movie, The Deuce The Complete First Season
00:48:45 – What did we think of the Solo: A Star Wars Story trailer?
00:51:27 – Game of Thrones show runners to create new Star Wars trilogy
01:10:10 – Has Netflix changed the game for cinema releases?
01:17:39 – Goodbyes

Presented by Phil Hinton with Steve Withers, Mark Hodgkinson, Ed Selley and Mark Botwright

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Time: 01:18:33 | File Size: 103mb | Direct Link
 
Really good podcast guys.

So the straight into the home film releases. On one hand I think it's a great thing. However, I dont have a home cinema. That means I would be unlikely to buy the film for cinema prices to watch on a 65" TV fi it was via a streaming channel/company. The studios I dont think would charge that much less either if at all. And dont underestimate the clout of the cinema chains either.

The danger as you mentioned was that we could get 10 different streaming subscriptions which would be a nightmare if you dont have or want to pay for them all. It could get all very messy when there is money stake. Netflix is slowly increasing prices, but for now they do seem to be taking the Amazon route and caring less about profit and more about market share. The actual studios are entirely different and IMO, if we get each studio offering their own service, people will be turned off.

There has been the view of wanting a'la carte subscriptions for while now by those not wanting to pay for stuff they dont want to watch. Be careful what you wish for as it you might have choice, but it's going to cost you.

But the market is for changing and as you guys said, at some point I'm sure it'll happen. But in addition, I think it would be wise to offer a greater cinema experience, therefore I'm sure everyone would appreciate having better cinemas. I'd be very happy to have a proper IMAX or DV cinema I dont have to travel 3 hours to see.


But following on from that with regard to "10 hour movies". I think this is going to be a huge deal in the future. I'm not so fussed about the comic book themed stuff, which really suits this style of production. But for the last 2 maybe 3 years, the best things I've seen have been on high end TV series. I'd be really happy if this continues. Forget the 3-hour-but-still-not-long-enough-films. Give me the 10 hour film where by your not rushing it and we actually have time to dissect and explore the world we are being shown.


Oh and really? At least another 6 new Star wars films?! Sigh. Remember when after VI we all wanted to see I-III and more? Again, be careful for what you wish for.
 
Thank you again for a very entertaining, informative and useful podcast.

Credit to AVFORUMS (Steve W), for:
1. Clearly acknowledging consumer issues with Sony TV’s, includes DV update catastrophe.
2. Trying to Push Sony UK for information on Prices, Availability, DV update status, dimming zones.

MY EXPERIENCE IN 2017 HAVING OWNED SONY ZD9 & S0NY XE9305.
Sony just don’t seem to care about Existing Customers, especially in the UK. WORST CUSTOMER SUPPORT EVER.
- I asked them about HDR and they did not know what it was."
- I asked them about issues with Android I/everyone was happening and they told me TO CONTACT GOOGLE.
Many many many more incidents as above and finally I wrote email to UK Sony Directors, after which a special cases department agreed to refund me. Now I have 2 x LG OLED’s which are great and UK Support is not bad.




My advice is that even if Sony had the best TV’s with a super OS and support for DV you should stay away from them because after 30 days retail return window, Sony just will not care. You will be stuck with a faulty product. Unless you email Sony Directors.


Sony owners have been complaining about Android OS issues on Sony Forums in the Sony website. Hundered of complaints. Then Sony Moderators decided to shut down the thread. Wow.
 
Excellent podcast as per usual,
I'm totally super heroed out and couldnt really careless about any of the upcoming..cgi fests that are going to flood the market this year...only one I really enjoyed last year was Thor and that was largely due to the unexpected highly comedic approach...just never again in 4DX!

I think there is still a place for cinema, and nothing can match a well behaved shared experience....on such a scale, but I can see why the at home approach will and is gaining traction.

Films Seem to be running out of steam the Oscar ones are all pretty uninspiring maybe 10 hour tv films are the future?
 
2018 is not the year for you cinema wise if you don't like Marvel/DC films I'm afraid.

As mentioned in the 2018 film thread, we're at the stage where those who have put in the time to go and see all these Marvel films at the cinema and bought the BR/UHD's over the years, are now being rewarded in that the characters can appear in other films much like the comic books seamlessly and the overlying arc that begun back in 2008 is now coming to it's conclusion 10/11 years later.

I wasn't that much of a comic book fan growing up but the fact that Marvel Studios made the gamble to go this route with the films has made me appreciate the comic books that have been adapted in some shape or form into what for the most part have been 17 (soon to be 18) fantastic films.

You say that you're lost with it all, but it's broken down fairly easily:

Phase 1: IM1, The Incredible Hulk, Iron Man 2, Thor, Captain America: The First Avenger, The Avengers/Avengers Assemble.

Phase 2: Iron Man 3, Thor: The Dark World, Captain America: The Winter Solder, Guardians of the Galaxy, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Ant-Man.

Phase 3 (so far): Captain America: Civil War, Doctor Strange, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Spider-Man Homecoming, Thor: Ragnarok, Black Panther.

They are there to be watched if you want to watch them. But then you say you're not a fan of the MCU so why would you.

I guess I then find it very strange that someone who has no interest in the MCU and is "bored to tears" with it all, would still go and see an MCU film merely to justify a £17.99 Limitless subscription...

Lol, comes across as a full on comic-book fanboy type of response, but it's more of the same with Star Wars/Disney to be honest... The Last Jedi and now Solo - Steve had it best when saying that maybe you just aren't the demographic they are targeting now.

In regards to the straight to film discussion - I'm behind that 100%. For those people who cant get to a cinema for the latest releases, it would be a revelation.

I've always said that I'd be willing to for example, go onto the Warner Bros website, click on link for a newly released film (even if it was only for 24 hours) and pay the same as I would as if I was going to the cinema, if it meant I could enjoy the film at home. Being a parent like myself, there have been plenty of times where we've wanted to see a film but have been unable to for whatever reason.

I imagine the likes of Apple and Amazon would take issue with the above however so would be interesting to see if they'd be the front end like they are now, just with newly released films instead of the two/three month wait that it currently is.

Interesting times ahead.

Thanks for the podcast as always - makes the Monday morning commute a lot more tolerable. :smashin:
 
Good podcast guys.

On the Cloverfield Paradox (no spoilers) and Bright films, I caught up with both over the weekend. Bright was ok, not great, although there were flourishes (picking words carefully) in the film that were different and an interesting take on things. Cloverfield was really quite weak, a shame really as it had potential.

I am surprised Phil is so down on the MCU universe, when he appears a sci fi fan. Perhaps watch a few of the films (BMox81 summarises the phases well) and come back and give us your view. I think you might enjoy a few of them so it would be interesting to hear your take.

As a fan of sci-fi, I am really enjoying the latest Star Trek: Discovery and also The Orville. Looking forward to Altered Carbon. Lots of TV, but good times, so much to choose from.
 
The problem with so much choice and so many ways of getting that dreaded word I hate so much 'CONTENT!' Is that nothing is given time, so much is rushed and quality inevitably suffers ....so you end up with lots of high cost filler such as Bright, Cloverfield, Altered Carbon that whilst maybe ok enough rarely amazing....

I dread to see what rubbish Disney is going to come up with for Star Wars in the Next 10 years
 
Funny, but I have a huge amount of good stuff to watch but not always the time to watch it all.
 
Good podcast guys.

On the Cloverfield Paradox (no spoilers) and Bright films, I caught up with both over the weekend. Bright was ok, not great, although there were flourishes (picking words carefully) in the film that were different and an interesting take on things. Cloverfield was really quite weak, a shame really as it had potential.

I am surprised Phil is so down on the MCU universe, when he appears a sci fi fan. Perhaps watch a few of the films (BMox81 summarises the phases well) and come back and give us your view. I think you might enjoy a few of them so it would be interesting to hear your take.

As a fan of sci-fi, I am really enjoying the latest Star Trek: Discovery and also The Orville. Looking forward to Altered Carbon. Lots of TV, but good times, so much to choose from.
I'm in the same boat in regard MCU. But I've only watched Iron Man 1 and 2 and Nolan's Batman films. Once you miss so many, the prospect of watching 15 odd films to catch up puts me off.
 
I'm in the same boat in regard MCU. But I've only watched Iron Man 1 and 2 and Nolan's Batman films. Once you miss so many, the prospect of watching 15 odd films to catch up puts me off.

People are going on like watching these films are a chore....

You could watch 1 a week up until April and be totally up to date when Infinity War comes out so im sure you can spare a couple of hours a week to catch up.
 
People are going on like watching these films are a chore....

You could watch 1 a week up until April and be totally up to date when Infinity War comes out so im sure you can spare a couple of hours a week to catch up.

Depends if it's something you'd like. Would you want to watch all the Twilight films? I've watched a few but not my thing, so yes for me, watching them all would be a chore...
 
Depends if it's something you'd like. Would you want to watch all the Twilight films? I've watched a few but not my thing, so yes for me, watching them all would be a chore...

That was my point though. I haven't seen any of the Twilight films, nor do I want to. But I wouldn't use my Limitless card to see them for the sake of it like Phil is suggesting that he's going to do with Black Panther....

If you feel a couple of hours a week is a chore then fair enough. All I've done is lay out the Phase order and suggest that if Phil does want to see how it all fits together then he can do it once a week until the end of April.
 
I see the Marvel Movies as superb special effects movies that visually impress. Especially on a good TV or Cinema.
From that perspective you can still enjoy Black Panthers without necessarily having seen all previous Marvel Movies.


However Dark Knight trilogy has scenes of deep character intensity and real drama which should be appreciated when watching. So story line is critical.

By the way, "I’m Batman".............
.................................................
.....Not really, I was only Joking. I am not Batman.
 
People are going on like watching these films are a chore....

You could watch 1 a week up until April and be totally up to date when Infinity War comes out so im sure you can spare a couple of hours a week to catch up.
Yes you are right. But also, I don't particularly want to. I'm just not interested enough. I saw Iron Man One and yeah I quite enjoyed it. But after the end I realised it was just a huge trailer for Iron Man 2. I didn't like Iron Man 2, a lot.

So while it seemed like its something I half wanted to do, I wasn't clear enough. The comic book films are just not something I'm really into that much.

If they were all available to stream on Netflix or Prime, I'd might make the effort, but I'm not about to pay to watch each film when I barely have time to watch films I actually want to watch.
 
I see the Marvel Movies as superb special effects movies that visually impress. Especially on a good TV or Cinema.
From that perspective you can still enjoy Black Panthers without necessarily having seen all previous Marvel Movies.

I agree that the films are very well made that can be seen as standalone entries.

But it was said on this very podcast that he doesn’t like the MCU. So why would you see a film you don’t really have any interest in...?

He’s also said that he feels lost because there have been so many made over the last decade. I’ve given him the order of which to watch them in so that he’d feel a little less lost.

Yes you are right. But also, I don't particularly want to. I'm just not interested enough. I saw Iron Man One and yeah I quite enjoyed it. But after the end I realised it was just a huge trailer for Iron Man 2. I didn't like Iron Man 2, a lot.

So while it seemed like its something I half wanted to do, I wasn't clear enough. The comic book films are just not something I'm really into that much.

If they were all available to stream on Netflix or Prime, I'd might make the effort, but I'm not about to pay to watch each film when I barely have time to watch films I actually want to watch.

You’re personally not into them so you aren’t going to watch them. Totally valid reasoning. Which furthers my point as to why someone would watch a film that they don’t have any interest in.
 
You’re personally not into them so you aren’t going to watch them. Totally valid reasoning. Which furthers my point as to why someone would watch a film that they don’t have any interest in.

Because lots of people say many of them are frick'n great. Captain America gets rave reviews, but by the end of 3 it's introducing all the other characters and I'd have no clue as to who they are/what they can do etc, and to find out I'd have to watch all the films that they are in......and so on. I just don't want to get lost in it all, what order to watch them all in, which poorer ones I can avoid and not miss anything major from the universe.

Like I said, if they were all available to watch at no extra cost, then I'd give them a go. I do have enough interest in them to do that, but not enough buy or rent them all.
 
Because lots of people say many of them are frick'n great. Captain America gets rave reviews, but by the end of 3 it's introducing all the other characters and I'd have no clue as to who they are/what they can do etc, and to find out I'd have to watch all the films that they are in......and so on. I just don't want to get lost in it all, what order to watch them all in, which poorer ones I can avoid and not miss anything major from the universe.

Like I said, if they were all available to watch at no extra cost, then I'd give them a go. I do have enough interest in them to do that, but not enough buy or rent them all.

So you don't want to put the time in to get lost in it all, but if they were free, you'd give them a go therefore putting in the time in....?

Right.
 
If Disney do buy Fox, it'll be interesting to see what they do with their properties for streaming services. Disney have already said they don't want any of their own R-rated filth like Ed Wood, Crimson Tide and The Rock on their family-friendly streaming service since it's mainly going to be aimed at kids.

Fox owns a share in Hulu so it would make sense for Disney to drop their violent and sexy stuff on there, but given that Hulu is only in North America and given market saturation, unlikely to launch worldwide anytime soon, it be easier to just keep Netflix and Amazon paying for more mature Disney/Fox content.
 
So you don't want to put the time in to get lost in it all, but if they were free, you'd give them a go therefore putting in the time in....?

Right.
What is it you don't get?

I'm not desperate to see them, but I am intrigued enough by the huge hype and following to maybe give them a go if it takes zero effort for me to watch them, especially if they were listed in the best order to watch them. As it is, I wouldn't know where to start now.
 
What is it you don't get?

I'm not desperate to see them, but I am intrigued enough by the huge hype and following to maybe give them a go if it takes zero effort for me to watch them, especially if they were listed in the best order to watch them. As it is, I wouldn't know where to start now.

I don't understand your logic.

I'm not interested in Horror films. I'm sure there are plenty of horror films on Netflix that, to use your analogy: "would take zero effort for me to watch them", but I'm not going to start watching them just because they are there like you are suggesting regarding the MCU ones. That would be a waste of my time like you alluded to.

My initial point was that if you're not that interested in the films, or don't/haven't had a vested interest in them after 10 years now, then why bother seeing them at all.

I've posted the Phase order of which you'd need to watch them in in my first post. Given the overall arc, going in order (from Phase One) is the best method.
 
Thanks gents for this week's edition and a number of interesting discussions. With regards to the Sony debacle and companies hiding behind the small print, surely there must be a point where that is not a legal get out clause. If not, companies could never be held liable and could claim their sets were capable of producing anything. I think the moment is fast approaching when consumers should consider this course of action and make a formal complaint to Trading Standards.

Definition of an actionable misrepresentation is a false statement of fact
 
Thanks gents for this week's edition and a number of interesting discussions. With regards to the Sony debacle and companies hiding behind the small print, surely there must be a point where that is not a legal get out clause. If not, companies could never be held liable and could claim their sets were capable of producing anything. I think the moment is fast approaching when consumers should consider this course of action and make a formal complaint to Trading Standards.

Definition of an actionable misrepresentation is a false statement of fact


My background is 15 years in Product Marketing for Tech Companies and people are wrong to assume that Sony has protected themselves. For a huge Tech Fortune 500 I worked for we had to change so much Marketing content when ‘Miss Selling’ became illegal. Some time between 2011-2014.

Sony is mis selling because they promised Dolby Vision would be Available by 2017end, so yes they can be taken up on this as ‘Miss Selling’.

When I worked for Samsung we even had a legal department which used to spot check Marketing content for:
1. Miss Selling.
2. Competitive Law adherance.
 
Streaming (Netflix and such) will never replace the cinematic experience... TV will never do what film can...

The form is different, the artistic sensibility is different. Form matters.

TV doesn't stop, it's incedent after incident, plot point after plot point, exposition and information... episode after episode... There is no climax, nor a conclusion, therefore it doesn't really mean anything, the way a movie does...

TV has little in the way of mood and atmosphere... There are no dreamlike TV shows... All series eventually devolve into melodrama... Even a basic genre movie is able to avoid this and have mood, but the best TV shows don't...

Streaming movies relies on brand appeal and tie ins to existing series and "content", due to a lack of the theatrical event... So Netflix movies are serialised, or have to fit into a collection of existing movies and shows.. the comicbook universe effect... This turns standalone movies into episodic TV... Forever compromised...
 
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