TopGun Maverick… It’s here!

[Todd Anderson]

So, TG Maverick has hit both digital and Kaleidescape. I watched the K-scape version this AM. The film is GORGEOUS. Sound is out of this world.

Only complaint is that it flips between 1.85 and 2.40 aspect ratios. But, all-in-all that’s a small nitpick for what is likely the biggest home release of the year!

 

[Michael Boeker]

I haven't decided yet if I like having the IMAX aspect ratio included. Most Kaleidescape movies with IMAX theatrical releases have only been 2.40 (I think). I know that Mission Impossible Fallout has both ratios, though. I have a madVR Envy Extreme so it can do Non Linear Stretch and make both aspect ratios fill the screen. This video provides a good demonstration:

 

[Todd Anderson]

I haven't decided yet if I like having the IMAX aspect ratio included. Most Kaleidescape movies with IMAX theatrical releases have only been 2.40 (I think). I know that Mission Impossible Fallout has both ratios, though. I have a madVR Envy Extreme so it can do Non Linear Stretch and make both aspect ratios fill the screen. This video provides a good demonstration:

Does the non-linear stretch make the image look funky at all?

 

[Michael Boeker]

Does the non-linear stretch make the image look funky at all?

Did you notice anything funky in the YouTube video? I actually haven't played around with it much on my system, but so far it seems to work very well.
You usually crop a little bit of the image and then can setup the horizontal and vertical areas that get the most stretch. Sometimes it is still best to leave some black bars and not do a full stretch. The NLS setup guide has some more examples of stretched images and the football one looks very natural: Envy NLS Setup Guide

 

[Todd Anderson]

TBH, I couldn’t quite tell on the YT video. I’ll have to watch again.

Super interesting idea… !

What’s your take on the Envy versus, say, a Lumagen?

 

[Todd Anderson]

Ok, gave it a second watch. So, essentially, it's stretching the IMAX image across the screen, correct? It looks that way on the edges, where the rounded parts of the rocket are slightly off on the curvature you might expect to see.

Is three an option for the IMAX image to be displayed normally (where it spills off the top and bottom), but the ENVY removes the spillover so it isn't visible?

 

[gp4Jesus]

So, TG Maverick has hit both digital* and Kaleidescape. I watched the K-scapeversion…

please explain*?

I thought I knew what “the digital** version**” meant because I’ve seen them included w/Blu-Ray releases. But I’ve never pursued “viewing” them**. I doubt I know how because my BDP works.

Kaleidescape? NEVER heard of it until today!

 

[Todd Anderson]

please explain*?

I thought I knew what “the digital** version**” meant because I’ve seen them included w/Blu-Ray releases. But I’ve never pursued “viewing” them**. I doubt I know how because my BDP works.

Kaleidescape? NEVER heard of it until today!

By digital, I really meant streaming and digital download. I can see how you might find that confusing.

And for K-scape, that’s a disc-quality or better download. You can learn all about it, here: https://www.avnirvana.com/threads/t...scapes-strato-c-terra-multi-room-system.9107/

 

[Travis Ballstadt]

So I've now watched this twice. Both times at 2.40:1 aspect ratio, and a mask on the projector to turn off the top 135 rows and the bottom 135 rows. I don't know where the IMAX shots are, and I really don't care to know. There's no part of me that feels like I missed anything. This was shown theatrically in 2.40:1 on non-IMAX screens, so you can't convince me there's anything in those extra pixels that actually add anything other than some size.

The second time through I was specifically looking for things that were cut off, or "should I be seeing another plane here or anything" and it's just not there. As much as people want to say "oh, this is the movie where those variable aspect ratio scenes really ADD to the movie." I just don't see it.

Now, as for the movie itself, everyone is calling it the best movie of the year, etc. Now, I don't disagree, but I'm trying to figure out what it is about this movie that would make it the best of the year. It's a great movie. But there's really nothing there that's groundbreaking. Good action, great cinematography and editing. Good story. Great movie.

I think it's just so solid. They didn't attempt to do anything new, there's no groundbreaking special effects, there's no mind-blowing new techniques or anything. But they just NAILED every single aspect of traditional movie-making. Rather than try to see what outrageous gimmick they could pull off (not talking about the VAR gimmick), they just wrote a great story and knocked every single aspect out of the park. Everyone on that film excelled at their role.

There's no "one thing" about that movie that's mind-blowing and spectacular. It's just a complete package, which are hard to come by this year. I loved it, even though it might sound like I didn't. I really did. There's no weakness to it, and there's nothing dragging any aspect of it down.

Hopefully filmmakers can learn from this. Find a good story and execute it to perfection. Skip all the gimmicky garbage and execute. That's enough.

 

[Todd Anderson]

I need to set up the projector masking – never took the time to do it. My front walls are all black, so 80% of the spillover is soaked up. BUT, I still find it distracting.

I think this film qualifies as best of the year simply because of its in-your-face blockbuster appeal. It actually got butts in theater seats, which hasn't been easy to do in the past 3 years. It also delivered incredible realism to the cockpit, which makes the OG TG look seriously dated.

I'm hopeful that it spawns new life into commercial theater, helping to move us away from Marvel and DC films. Too much to ask? Probably!