Absolutely. Film is generally best. Not always, but generally.
But the things to watch out for are:
- Recent movies shot on HD and migrated progressively to film have a smeary, soft look to my eye that isn't pleasing. Look at Bourne Ultimatum and Superman Returns. Decidedly odd, I think. They'd've looked so much better shot on 35mm.
- I don't get Cloverfield. Shot on HD tape. Migrated to film for theatrical release, and then shoved onto BD with a film effect. Shouldn't it actually LOOK like video? Anyway, I digress.
- Avoid low budget 'indie' movies on BD. They're probably shot on 16mm or cheaper 35mm stock that has a lower resolution so there's no real benefit over an upscaled DVD.
- Watch out for movies made before the mid/late-70's. Film stock before then had better grain and looks stunning in HD. Look at Bonnie and Clyde, The Wild Bunch. Beautiful.
- Collect large format, film-produced movies. 2001 was partially shot in 70mm and designed to be screened in 70mm theatres. Zulu (remastered by paramount and Sky into HD and yet to be released on BD) was also shot in 70mm. The Searchers was shot in VistaVision, which is the only true 16:9 HD film format and that's why it looks so beautiful and detailed. Just wait until North By Northwest appears next year. That'll be a reference disc if ever there was one.
- Look at some really old classics. The Adventures of Robin Hood ('39) was shot in Academy (4:3) Technicolor and looks beautiful. Original three-strip Technicolor is a gift for HD, because of the vivid colours and high detail within the film frame, so let's hope MGM and Warners are working their way through the classic Technicolor musicals of the 40's and 50's, for example. They will release the '54 Garland version of A Star Is Born next year, I understand. Shaw Brothers have released some of their classic 70's Kung Fu actioners on HD, and as some of the last movies to be shot in Technicolor, they are simply beautiful. 'Casablanca' is also gorgeous to look at. Yes, it's black and white and Academy, but the level of detail from the beautifully restored high grain print is dazzling. On the other hand '20 Million Miles To Earth' (in both b/w and colorized versions on the same BD) has waaaaay too much grain and looks decidedly average.
The thing is to check out on-line reviews. Remember the early days of DVD? Distributors were shoving out bare bones, dodgy transfered discs in the early days only to re-issue them as 'proper' versions down the road. The same thing's happening here with BluRay. Not to the same degree, but there's a obvious lack of care with some titles. 'Dirty Harry' should look a whole lot better.
Caveat Emptor, as they say.