Master and Commander, U571 & Gladiator.... These are my movie reference material. Master and Commander has great surround effects as well as cannon blasts. U571 has the huge depth charge explosions and I just love Gladiator.

For music:

DVD-A
Antonia Vivalid: The Four Seasons - Anne - Sophie - Mutter

CD: Pink Floyd - Dark Side of The Moon
CD: The Orb - Adventures Beyond The Ultra World
CD: The Orb - UFORB
CD: John Mayor - Room For Squares
CD: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - Symphony Number 40.

The opening scene in M&C is amazing. The sounds of the ship creaking seem to be coming from overhead at times.

Another movie that I reach for for a system check is "Transporter." It does not seem to have reached a lot of people's short list, like M&C, Gladiator and U571, but it's very well mastered and really shines on a good surround sound system. Like M&C, it's got good low bass as well as sweeping sound effects.

I absolutely love the ship-fighting scenes in M&C. Great movie, great material...

U571 is a popular in my family as well...the depth charge scenes can really push a system to its limits.

I couldn't agree more with the opening scene from M&C. The creaks are great.

Funny thing about U571. Every time I watch it with my buddies we end up laughing and looking around during the depth charge scenes. Probably shouldn't have the sub turned up so high, but I love it.

I'll have to check-out Transporter again. Wasn't super hip on the movie itself, but it did have good actions scenes. I liked the BMW short films more.

I was surprised at how much I enjoyed those the first time I watched them. Every now and then I find myself tossing that disc in...

Gonk,

I still can't figure out how I got on their mailing list, but it showed up in the mail one day.

Did you every follow the clues within the movie and call the numbers? I got a good portion of the way through the treasure hunt, but didn't quite solve it. I know a few people did. It was pretty crazy and fun. They never announced who won the car if anyone did.

I never even tried to follow the clues - by the time I came across it, I don't know if the contest was still even going.

It was years ago when the movies first came out. It was really odd to see a real phone number in a movie and hey, why not give it a call. hehe

Retep,
Another movie that is actually pretty good and is recorded really well is the Italian Job - remake.
I only mention it to go w/ the transporter - which i agree w/ you.
Later

Retep:

Transporter is definitely an action movie through-and-through. Not a cinematic or artistic achievement by any stretch! Which is a good segue into this question:

What are some interesting or off-beat DVDs you've seen in 2007 that you liked based on their acting/flim making merits, not the strengths of their surround sound tracks. Here are a few of mine to start off the discussion...

The Last King of Scotland
Bubba Ho-Tep
The Count of Monte Cristo (Bravo mini-series)
Grizzly Man
Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels
The Machinist
the Sailor Who Fell from Grace with the Sea

Well, my girlfriend has been renting all the movies, so I've seen quite a few oddballs. I think the one movie that has really stood out is Apocalypto. I have the Last King of Scotland, but haven't watched it. I liked Casino Royale, but thought the ending was a bit lame. I think Daniel Craig makes a good James Bond, much better than the last few.

There were a couple other's, but I can't remember the names.

Probably one of my favorite fighting/comedies is The Kong Fu Hustle, classic.

videodrome,
Notes on a Scandal was brought home by the wife and turned out to be pretty good.
Lead Acresses are Darne Judy Dench (M in James Bond) and Kate Blanchard.

It is kind of movie that once you start .... you kinda want to keep watching just to see what happens.

Later....

Here's some oddball movies that I would recommend - odd being a fairly loose term...

Pi - B&W indie film
Pan's Labrynth (sp?) - Spanish movie, award winner fantasy movie
Tigerland - another older indie film about army bootcamp in the 60's. Very good acting considering the budget

I also enjoyed these more mainstream movies this year:

Casino Royale
The Illusionist
25th Hour
Beerfest (what can I say, I like to laugh)
The Black Dahlia

Oh...one other recommendation. The Superbit version of The Boat (Das Boot) is a most own for you U-571 fans.

Audio demos:
Serenity (opening credits)
War of the Worlds (DTS) (low-flying jets/field battle sequence)
Lord of the Rings, Return of the King (DD-EX)
Gladiator (DTS-ES) (opening battle sequence)
Saving Private Ryan (opening scene)

Animated category (audio/visual):
The Incredibles (DTS-ES)
Cars
Monsters Inc.

Concert category:
Pink Floyd: Pulse

Indie/Low-budget/Oddball category:
Primer

Garcianc2003,

Saving Private Ryan is a tough movie to watch. I saw it in the theatre for the first time and it hit me hard. The scene where the German and the Jewish kid are struggling and he slowly sticks the knife in his heart is really powerful.

I definitely agree that the opening scene is powerful.

I debated whether to put it on my list, since that is one of two movies I own that I can't really watch. The other one is The Passion of the Christ.

Interesting story, I saw Saving Private Ryan in a theater in Pearl Harbor, HI, a few years before I retired from active duty. The movie theater was thoughtful enough to leave the lights off during the end credits because no one in the audience was in condition to go outside. IMHO the ending was the most powerful part, particularly to anyone with a deep sense of patriotism.

Ironically, this movie which was a technical masterpiece of sound and visuals when it released in 1998, provided the most powerful experience I have ever felt in a movie theater with the close up of an old man's face and the question "have I done enough to deserve this?"

Think what you will. After all, that is your freedom. Those of us in that theatre knew that Private Ryan was everyone of us and that "this" thing, this precious gift that we were given was Freedom. Sorry for getting sentimental. Now you know why I can't watch.

No, totally understand. The movie effected me for a while. I thought the passion was very well done as well.

I never served, but come from a long line of people who have - Saving Private Ryan, for some reason, and also Band of Brothers, hit a nerve with me. The people who served, and who serve, who go through hell on earth to provide this freedom, are truly remarkable people. Sorry for going off-topic, but I fully agree with you guys. I can watch, even as difficult and heart wrenching as those scenes are, because even in those difficult parts, one thing that stands out to me is how the art of filmmaking has the ability to affect the viewer in such a profound way. I just love good films. They're really something special when you "that feeling" watching a production.

RedSIinPA,
You mention Band of brother .....
Really well done - everything: sound, story, visual.

This will really get us back on track.

Call this category Movies that I absolutely hate but are cool demos

Hustle and Flow
Underworld
Top Gun (it's a Tom Cruise thing...)
Blade I, II, III, ...

Absolutely. Y'know, most people don't seem to talk about this series as demo material but there are some scenes that have some really great sound. The episode covering the shelling during the Battle of the Bulge, has been coined by my wife simply as "Incoming!" as it's become a regular part of my demo to anyone that will listen.

You do know about "The Pacific" which is supposedly in production now...Hanks and Spielberg have been planning a counterpart series for the Pacific campaign.

http://www.zap2it.com/tv/news/zap-hbogreenlightsthepacific,0,1573322.story

Garcia - I know what you mean about Top Gun. I was never a Blade watcher so I don't know of it's value as a demo. But Top Gun is a great way to shake up the sound. Pearl Harbor, even with all it's butchery of history, is still a good demo too.

Hey cats. Probably shouldn't crash your party seeing as I don't have an HT system, but I was partaking of a friend's not long ago, and the movie whose sound kinda floored me was Collateral, with Tom Cruise and Jamie Fox. I thought there was something really visceral about the way Michael Mann, the director, captured the sound of L.A.—especially this one frenzied nightclub-execution sequence. I don't know...it didn't sound like other films to me. I'd be curious to hear if anyone else experienced that...or not.

...just $.02.

tru blu - I've never actually watched Collateral all the way through and never on my system. You've just given me a reason to spend $15.

Wow. This thread really got rolling. In response to some previous comments, I, like most folks, have tired of Tom Cruise, but Top Gun (DTS) is truly amazing for a demo. Not bad as a movie either. Collateral I really enjoyed. The fight scene in the night club was amazing.

I really liked the tangent on movies that are tough to watch, or that elicit powerful emotional responses. To that, I would also add disturbing films that tend to haunt your thoughts for a few days. So here's a stab at some of those:

House of Sand and Fog (the ending)
The Elephant Man
Straw Dogs
21 Grams
Pixote
Deliverance
Eraserhead
Illsa, She Wolf of the SS
A Clockwork Orange
Freaks
El Topo

Videodrome. Really interesting selection there, but what jumped out at me was the Brazilian movie Pixote. Harrowing and intense. Makes me think that you might want to check out City Of God, a more recent thing that also deals with kids/gangs in Rio. If I remember correctly, it's also sonically interesting.

Saw City of God. It's worth watching.

Wow, Videodrome. That is quite a list.

I would like to add Donnie Darko (Special Edition Director's cut) to that category. I love the 80's rock soundtrack too. I like when the kids jump out of the back of the school bus in slow motion while Tears for Fears' "Everybody wants to rule the world" is playing. The bunny's voice coming from all speakers saying "wake up Donnie" is eerie and haunting.

As far as "haunting", not "disturbing", tops on my list is The Fountain. I have been so absorbed every time I have seen it that I am not even sure about the sound. The visuals are amazing. Pan's Labyrinth, which has been mentioned here already, is close behind.

I forgot to add one to the "hated it, but..." category: Titanic.

Here's my list of movies that stimulate your brain (or your patience), in order of demand:

Primer (black and white. budget: $7K)
The Fountain
Memento
Eternal Sunshire of the Spotless Mind
12 Monkeys (DTS)
Donnie Darko
Run Lola, Run

What do they have in common? IMHO, none of them make good demos...

Pixote is defintely a gritty and disturbing movie. In a classic example of life imitating art, I understand the kid who played Pixote was murdered.

I will look for City of God. Thanks for the tip!

I love that movie. And that scene resonated with me as well, I kept playing it over and over. I think, in part, because the Tears for Fears song brought back a lot of memories from my college years.

More like art imitating life imitating art, Videodrome. Hector Babenco, the director, found the kid who played the title role on the streets (I think of Sao Paulo), and when all the hoopla surrounding the film was over the kid slowly gravitated back to his old lifestyle. He was killed by the police before he was out of his teens. Pretty sad...

Speaking of Tom Cruise. Now that it's been confirmed that he lost his mind. I think The Last Samurai was pretty good. I don't use it as reference material.

Movies I really like and can watch several times: The Shawshank Redemption, Stand By Me,Leon The Professional, Sideways, Good Will Hunting and Kapax. None of them are Epic's, but fun movies to watch.

If you want to hear a CD that's a great blend of different Styles, then checkout Tripswitch: Circuit Breaker. It's a cross of Electronic Ambient/House with some great guitar mixed in. It's a very unique album. Very relaxing IMO. They do have it on iTunes.

Retep: That's the thing about Mr. Cruise. He's the actor you hate to like. Utterly bizarre on a personal level, but he can deliver on screen. You can't take that away from him.

That said, I'll never forget a comedian's reponse to a girl who, when asked what her favorite actor was, said "Tom Cruise." To which his retort was: "I love that movie where he plays the young cocky guy."

Glad to see there's another person out there who likes ambient and electronic music. With the advent of Internet radio and my Squeezebox, I'm hearing a lot of interesting stuff that's never played on FM.

Best,

- VD

Anyone who might like beats, jazz, funk, or all 3 combined, I would advise to check out the Greyboy Allstars (more jazzy/funk) or just DJ Greyboy (a.k.a. Greyboy a.k.a. Andreas Stevens) (more funk/beats/taste of hiphop.)

You might find yourself surprised.

Greyboy is my musical ace-up-the-sleeve. Good for whipping out at your parties. People are alwayys asking 'who's that.' Keep it a secret. :p

Videodrome,

Nice setup in your place. Is that your craftsmanship?

If you do checkout Tripswitch and like it, then definitely checkout Mirror System with an album by the same name. Here's their website: http://www.a-wave.com/mirrorsystem/#

Just picked up "Curse of the Golden Flower" on Blu-Ray in preparation for the imminent arrival of my Playstation 3.

I've seen it on standard def DVD already, and the colors were just amazing.

Oscar