Thomas J. Norton
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Epson PowerLite Home Cinema 5020UBe 3D LCD Projector
3D Projector Reviews, Projector Reviews
Thomas J. Norton • May 08, 2013 • 5 comments

2D Performance
3D Performance
Features
Ergonomics
Value
Price: $3,000 At A Glance: Superior 2D color and adjustability • Crisp resolution • Outstanding value

Epson is one of the world’s most prolific projector manufacturers, serving both the business and home markets. The company’s current flagship home theater model, the PowerLite Pro Cinema 6020UB, sells for $4,000. But for $2,700, you can buy the PowerLite Home Cinema 5020UB. The latter omits the spare lamp, ceiling mount, additional warranty year, and all-black case that come standard with the 6020UB.

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Brave
3D Blu-ray Movie Reviews, Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Thomas J. Norton • Apr 25, 2013 • 0 comments
Picture
3D-ness
Sound
Extras
Young Merida may be a princess in the misty highlands of Scotland, but she isn’t happy with her lot. She wants only to practice her horsemanship, archery, and all other manner of un-princess-like behavior. Her father is delighted, but her mother is beside herself and arranges for the neighboring clans to vie for Merida’s hand in marriage. Our heroine, however, isn’t all that thrilled by the idea—and even less by the suitors. Fleeing into the woods, Merida stumbles upon a witch and has her cast a spell to make her mother change. Her mother does change, but unfortunately not exactly as Merida intended.
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Review: The Amazing Spider-Man
3D Blu-ray Movie Reviews, Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Thomas J. Norton • Apr 16, 2013 • 0 comments
Picture
3D-ness
Sound
Extras
It’s not exactly a secret that Sony Pictures produced a fabulously successful trilogy of Spider-man films from 2002 to 2007. All three were directed by Sam Raimi and starred Tobey Maguire as the resident arachnid. Though the last of the three laid something of a critical egg, it was nevertheless a golden one at the box office. The Amazing Spider-Man is not a sequel but instead a complete reboot, origin story and all. Clearly, Sony was hoping to re-invigorate the franchise. Judging from its commercial success, I’d say it succeeded.
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Empire Of The Sun
Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Thomas J. Norton • Mar 26, 2013 • 0 comments
Picture
Sound
Extras
It’s 1941. Eleven-year-old Jamie Graham is living a privileged life in Shanghai’s International Settlement with his English parents. Japanese troops have occupied much of mainland China over the previous four years but remain outside of some of the country’s major population centers, including Shanghai. Following Pearl Harbor, however, the Japanese move into the city. Panic erupts and Jamie becomes separated from his parents and ends up in a Japanese prison camp for Allied civilians.
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Little Shop of Horrors
Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Thomas J. Norton • Mar 26, 2013 • 0 comments
Picture
Sound
Extras
When Seymour Krelborn, a schlub working at Mushnik’s Skid Row Florists, finds a strange and exotic plant, his life suddenly takes a turn for the better. But when the plant begins to speak, it offers him a Faustian bargain, promising Seymour fame, fortune, and Audrey, Mushnik’s flower arranger and Seymour’s secret love. In exchange, Seymour must provide the plant, which he has named Audrey II, with the food it needs to grow—human blood.
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Screen Innovations Black Diamond G2 4K Projection Screen
Projection Screen Reviews
Thomas J. Norton • Mar 13, 2013 • 1 comments

Performance
Setup
Value
Price: $2,899 At A Glance: viewable with ambient lighting • Works best with carefully planned lighting • Image dims significantly from center screen to the side

The best projection quality has always required a completely darkened room. This takes the edge off that Super Bowl party, with guests stumbling around in the dark spilling their buttered popcorn and drinks in your lap.

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Elite Lunette Curved Projection Screen
Projection Screen Reviews
Thomas J. Norton • Mar 13, 2013 • 3 comments

Performance
Setup
Value
Price: $1,600 At A Glance: Outstanding picture at any viewing angle • Cinematic curvature • Excellent value

At one time, two of my favorite Los Angeles–area theaters were in Westwood: the Village and the National. The Village had, and still has, a huge, flat screen. The National (tragically closed and torn down in 2008) had a gently curved one of about the same size. While the Village had the more awesome audio, I always preferred the subtly more immersive visual presentation at the National.

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Panasonic PT-AE8000U 3D LCD Projector
3D Projector Reviews, Projector Reviews
Thomas J. Norton • Feb 14, 2013 • 2 comments
2D Performance
3D Performance
Features
Ergonomics
Value
Price: $3,499 At A Glance: Crisp and detailed picture • Good black levels • Thorough but com- plex calibration controls

Panasonic entered the home theater projector market in 2001. But the company already had decades of experience in the business projector world, beginning with CRTs in 1975 and later moving into its current mix of LCDs and DLPs. All of the company’s home theater designs have used LCD imaging chips, however, and the PT-AE8000U is the latest link in a long chain dating back to that 2001 model, the PT-AE100.

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Cinderella
Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Thomas J. Norton • Feb 11, 2013 • 0 comments
Picture
Sound
Extras
Interactivity
If you don’t know the Cinderella story, you must have had a deprived childhood. It goes like this: Girl’s father dies, leaving her to live with her evil stepmother and two noxious stepsisters; royal ball is held for all the eligible young women, but Cinderella is left out; cue fairy godmother, coach, dancing with the prince, midnight magic hour, quick exit, search for who fits the glass slipper, yadda, yadda, yadda; wedding bells.
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The Avengers
3D Blu-ray Movie Reviews, Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Thomas J. Norton • Feb 05, 2013 • 2 comments
Picture
3D-ness
Sound
Extras
When Marvel Comics’ gang of superheroes—Captain America, Thor, Iron Man, The Hulk, Black Widow, and Hawkeye—get together after the first four of them starred in their own movies, you know something big is up. And it’s no surprise that Loki, Thor’s adopted brother, who teamed up with an army of nasty aliens, is behind it.
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