BLU-RAY REVIEW

Pixels 3D

Featured In Issue 202, December 2015

3D Picture5
Picture4.5
Sound5
WSR Score3.5
Basic Information on new release titles is posted as soon as titles are announced. Once reviewed, additional data is added to the database.
(Studio/Distributor):
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
(Catalog Number):
46308
(MPAA Rating):
PG-13
(Rating Reason):
Some language and suggestive comments.
(Retail Price):
$44.99
(Disc Type):
Single Side, Dual Layer (BD-50)
(Widescreen Edition):
Yes
(Full Screen Edition):
(Running Time In Minutes):
106
(Color Type):
Color
(Chaptered/Scene Access):
Yes
(Closed Captioned):
Yes
(Regional Coding):
A
(Theatrical Year):
(Theatrical Release):
Yes
(Direct-To-Video Release):
(Disc Release Date):
10/27/2015
(THX® Digitally Mastered):
(Director):
Chris Columbus
(Screenplay/Written By):
(Story):
(Music):
(Director Of Photography):
(Production Designer):
(Visual Effects):
(Costume Designer):
(Editor):
(Supervising Sound Editors):
(Re-Recording Mixers):
(Executive Producers):
(Co-Producers):
(Producers):
(Academy Awards):
(Principal Photography):
(Theatrical Aspect Ratio):
(Measured Disc Aspect Ratio):
(Disc Soundtrack):
Dolby Atmos, Dolby TrueHD 7.1
(Theatrical Sound):
(Theatrical Re-Issue Soundtrack):
(DTS Bit Rate):
(Dolby Digital Bit Rate):
(Additional Languages):
(French Language):
(Spanish Language):
(Subtitles):

Pixels is about a world in which aliens misinterpret video-feeds of classic arcade games as a declaration of war against them. They attack the Earth using games like PAC-MAN™, Donkey Kong™, Galaga™, Centipede®, and Space Invaders™ as models for their various assaults. President Will Cooper (Kevin James) has to call on his childhood best friend, '80s video game champion Sam Brenner (Sandler) to lead a team of old-school arcaders (Dinklage and Gad) to defeat the aliens and save the planet. Based on the short film by Patrick Jean. (Gary Reber)

Special features include eight featurettes: Q*Bert (HD 02:32), Dojo Quest (HD 04:20), The God Of The Machine (HD 01:36), The Space Invader (HD 01:40), PAC-MAN (HD 04:32), Donkey Kong (HD 04:07), Centipede (HD 03:36), and Galaga (HD 03:33); the “Game On” music video by Waka Flocka Flame Ft. Good Charlotte (HD 03:59); a photo gallery; and upfront previews

The 2.39:1 1080p MVC 3D picture was produced in View-D™ by Prime Focus Vancouver and India, with the 3D conversion by Generic Digital Media Services. The 3D image quality is excellent, with superb natural depth and perspective. Throughout there is a tremendous sense of spatial dimensionality, especially during the alien pixel attacks. Objects fly throughout the field of vision in all directions, with objects also projecting tastefully out of the screen. Also impressive is the sense of volume and scale, not only with respect to the humans, but also the pixel aliens and the scene backdrops. The picture is pristine throughout, without noticeable crosstalk artifacts. The color palette is wonderfully saturated with hues that pop and all sorts of variation. The 2D version perhaps exhibits a bit warmer rendering but not significant. Contrast is superb, with ink-black animated backgrounds and revealing shadow delineation. And the pixel invaders are consistently distinct during night and other darker backdrops. Fleshtones are naturally hued throughout. Resolution is often impressive, with fine detail exhibited in the alien pixels, facial features, hair, clothing, and the array of objects, including the effective use of graphics. This is a fun 3D visual experience that combines both animation and real life within a three-dimensional world. (Gary Reber)

The Dolby Atmos/Dolby TrueHD 7.1-channel soundtrack is only on the 2D Blu-ray Disc, while the 3D version is limited to the DTS-HD Master Audio™ 5.1-channel presentation. Fidelity is excellent throughout, as is clarity. Henry Jackman's orchestral score is dynamic and powerful, with a richness and warmth that is impressive. The music not only spans the frontal soundstage but aggressively extends to the surrounds, for a sense of holosonic® immersion. Action scenes, which are numerous, sound dynamic with strong, deep bass extension to sub-25 Hz in the .1 LFE channel. This enhances the sense of heft and weight, yet the bass consistently sounds natural. Atmospherics and sound effects are nicely rendered, especially the intense directional positioning and panning of the alien pixels during the battle engagements. Dialogue is naturally conveyed, though, at times is wanting in spatial integration. This is a fun and exciting sonic adventure that really plays on the aggressive use of the surrounds, to provide a fully enveloping and directionalized soundfield. (Gary Reber)