Let me start by saying that since primarily making the switch to HD DVD and/or Blu-ray (high definition versions of movies) I've watched very few movies on DVD. I kept telling myself that HD DVD and/or Blu-ray is better, even if I couldn't see that much difference in most cases. Tonite was one of the first opportunities where I could (basically had to, but more on that in a minute...) compare between both the HD DVD version and the DVD version of a movie. All I can say, after the fact, is that having to switch from the HD DVD version over to the DVD version gave me the opportunity to compare the products fairly well and yet again I have to say man (and ladies!) DVD really doesn't compare. It was tolerable on DVD, but the loss in quality and detail was irritating and quite noticable. Images that popped on HD DVD were quite soft and lacked detail in the background on the DVD side and the difference is quite astonishing and very, very noticable.
Now, as to why I had the opportunity to compare versions, let me say argh! and @#$@!^#$@ for the Netflix copy of the movie Next (on HD DVD) that wouldn't play beyond the middle of the 10th chapter of the movie. My wife and I were both seriously engrossed in the movie and enjoying the ride, and unfortunately the disc just wouldn't play beyond that part no matter what I tried.
A couple of notes here: first, fair warning to Netflix users, if you get this same copy it might not work for you. I would report it as damaged, but I really can't tell if it is as there's nothing that is that obvious when I do a visual inspection of the disc, except... well, again, more in a second. Second, for my Xbox HD DVD add-on drive, there was an update for this title (which continues to amuse me as the updates are labelled as 'for this game') that took just a few seconds to download. I don't believe the update was at all related to the lack of the title playing successfully beyond the 10th chapter. I really think in this case it was due to a disc that had been mishandled by prior Netflix users, which sadly I've seen more and more of as I request titles that have been out for a while rather than being lucky enough to get titles that were fresh, unhandled and undamaged, new releases. There were some signs that the disc surface on the Netflix copy had been touched up (swirl marks as if from a scratch remover), but again no obvious defects unlike another recent rental I had gotten from Netflix where the disc was cracked along the outer edge (damage that looked like it might have come from Postal sorting equipment).
Anyway, for once, my local Blockbuster came through and saved the day though only in DVD format rather than HD DVD. Even with the lateness of the hour, I was able to make a quick run to the local brick and mortar Blockbuster store and snagged one of the half dozen copies that they had on hand, and brought it home so that we could keep watching. We were both really glad we did as the movie never really let up.
Next is a nice, tight and tense sci-fi action thriller. Another word that could be used: taut. Featuring the lovely to look at Ms. Jessica Biel, the mesmerizing Julianne Moore as a no-nonsense federal agent, and Nicholas Cage as a guy that can see into his future. Reviews for the movie were mixed when it was out in theatres, and though I had gotten it on DVD before, I didn't sit and watch it at the time (returned it unwatched as I was more interested in new releases that were due out the following week). With what looked like a slight lull in releases, I tossed it on my Netflix list figuring to pack this weekend with Nicholas Cage movies (as we went to see National Treasure 2 in the theatres).
Really enjoyable provided you can get past the fantasy aspect of things. Put it into the genre of Time Cop, Deja Vu, and other similar movies. At least worth a rental, probably worth buying. Includes some gorgeous shots of areas in and around the Grand Canyon, including some you'd likely never see, that are really impressive on HD DVD.
