Monster House (2006/Sony Blu-ray 3D format)

 

3-D Picture: B+     2-D Picture: B     Sound: B+     Extras: B-     Feature: B-

 

 

The second-ever REAL D's digital 3D theatrical release becomes Sony’s second-ever Blu-ray 3D release as Robert Zemeckis’ Monster House (2006) arrives in the format to show off its additional depth and fun.  We covered the 2-D only Blu-ray early on in the format’s debut at this link:

 

http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/4441/Monster+House+(Blu-ray)

 

 

That will tell you all about the film and storyline if you are not familiar, but this is a haunted house comedy made with motion-capture as part of completing a computer animated feature film.  Though I am not a fan of the limits of this way of making CG features, I will say that the 3-D version is more entertaining than the 2-D edition, both available here and the 3-D offers interesting depth and fun effects as designed that make this a release that should only be seen in 3-D or not at all.

 

This is not to say that I like the overall results any more than before, but when all is said and done, this feels more in its element than it would be otherwise and this version is an absolute successor to the older Blu-ray for a few reasons.  The same 2-D picture is here, but with a better soundtrack and the 3-D option, even if it means a few less extras.

 

 

The 1080p 2.35 X 1 MVC-encoded 3-D – Full Resolution digital High Definition image may have some softness, but not as much as the 2-D versions here and on the older Blu-ray, which are a bit on the soft side because of the all-digital system used and some of its styling.  Color is still somewhat limited by the digital palette and detail is still mixed, but the 3-D version seems freer and you can see the rubbery animation making sense in its logic of the world presented here, not unlike the old Fleischer animated shorts.  I was a little more impressed than I expected to be and this makes for another solid Blu-ray 3-D demo disc.

 

The DTS-HD MA (Master Audio) lossless 5.1 mix offered here is superior to the PCM 16bit/48kHz 5.1 mix offered on the 2-D Blu-ray (which is better than the Dolby Digital 5.1 mixes they also offered) with the usual tricky sounds and solid sound envelopment typical of Zemeckis’ live-action work.  I could hear a little more detail and a little more of a full soundfield, so when added to the 3-D makes overall viewing more entertaining.

 

Extras repeat previous extras including an art stills gallery in three sections covering the initial designs, feature length audio commentary by several of the filmmakers involved, seven featurettes and an Evolution Of A Scene focusing on a human vs. house scene made to typify what the feature delivers best.  BD Live interactive functions and Blu-ray 3-D trailers for Open Season and Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs are new additions.

 

Meatballs is Sony’s first Blu-ray 3D title and you can read more about that in our coverage at this link:

 

http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/10254/Cloudy+With+A+Chance+Of+Meatball

 

Zemeckis’ A Christmas Carol with Jim Carrey is also now out in the Blu-ray 3D format, which you can read more about at this link:

 

http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/10520/Disney%E2%80%99s+A+Christmas

 

 

In the meantime, Monster House is another high quality Blu-ray 3D release and one worth your time, adding onto a growing list of pleasant experiences early on in the Blu-ray 3D format.

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo