Freedom Writers: Much more interesting than it sounds

Freedom Writers (drama, biography, crime)

Directed by Richard LaGravenese

Starring Hilary Swank, Patrick Dempsey, Imelda Staunton and Scott Glenn

Paramount Pictures | 2007 | 122 min | Rated PG-13 | Released May 22, 2007

Video:

Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC

Video resolution: 1080p

Aspect ratio: 1.85:1

Audio:

English, French, Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1

Subtitles:

English, English SDH, French, Spanish

Disc:

Single 50GB Blu-ray Disc

The Film 4.5/5

It’s unlikely that many people know about Freedom Writers. The title makes it sound boring; how can writing be an exciting spectacle? The other problem is the first 30 minutes of the movie. It’s almost exactly what you would expect and covers familiar ground. There’s a chance it would lose viewers who think that the whole movie is going to be predictable.

It isn’t.

The movie opens with riot scenes in Los Angeles and we hear a brief narration from one of the key characters, Eva (April Lee Hernandez). It shows her father being wrongly-convicted of a crime. This event confirms in her mind that she is right to hate all white people (as the cops were white) and anyone from another culture. She’s a member of a gang and happy with her role in life.

Then we meet Erin Gruwell (Swank), who is a first-time teacher at Woodrow Wilson High School. She teaches English and is naive about what she’ll face in the classroom. She believes that none of the rules apply to her because she cares, and that she can succeed where everyone else has failed. She thinks she can change the world. The movie is based on a true story and the real Erin Gruwell is interviewed for the movie’s special features.

Gruwell’s first day is a rough one. The desks and books she has to work with are old and falling apart and a fight breaks out during her first lesson. The class is divided into groups: there’s one white kid and groups of black, Latino and Cambodian kids. They hate each other and don’t want to sit near anyone not in their ethnic group.

How do you go about breaking down those boundaries? It’s no different outside the classroom. There’s division and hatred everywhere.

Gruwell starts to think of ways to connect with the kids. She starts by trying music, thinking it could unite them. Then she changes the seating arrangements and breaks up the groups. Some of the students stop attending.

There’s an incident in a local store one night in which Eva witnesses a murder. Her culture requires her to lie and blame someone else. The resolution is an important part of the movie, but I won't reveal it here.

So we’re 30 minutes into the story and all we have seen is a fairly predictable setup. But stick with it. This is where things start to improve. The power of the story is in the methods Gruwell uses to unite these kids. A drawing is passed around in class, showing a kid with big lips. Everyone laughs, apart from the target of the joke. Gruwell is outraged and compares the drawing to the drawings of Jews made by the Nazi’s, calling the Nazi's the greatest gang of all time. She mentions the Holocaust and someone asks what it was. She’s shocked and discovers that only one student has heard of it.

Think about that for a moment. How would you try and connect with people who had such limited knowledge? Their immediate world is dangerous and that's all that they care about. Living another day is a little victory for them. She asks anyone who has been shot at to raise their hand and almost everyone does.

Next class, she tapes a line in the middle of the classroom floor. She makes a game of it by asking people to step up to the line if they answer yes to a series of questions. The questions become increasingly serious: Do you know someone in a gang? Who has lost someone to gang violence? More than one? Some have lost four or more. The different ethnic groups step up to the line and stare at those opposite them. These people do have something in common after all.

Her colleagues won’t let her give the kids new books because they will likely destroy them, but Gruwell takes a second job and buys them anyway. She gives each student a journal, on the condition that they write in it every day. She won’t read it unless they give permission, but there’s a secure cupboard to put it in if anyone does want her to read what they have written. Her husband isn’t happy that she’s taken a second job and is sick of hearing about what she does at school.

Parents’ night arrives and nobody shows. She’s about to leave, but checks the cupboard first. It’s full of journals. We are gradually shown the stories behind many of the kids and what they have to live with each day. It’s probably the first time they have ever opened up to anybody. The stories are powerful and feel real. She gains a deeper understanding of her students.

The kids are awed when she presents them with new books. Then she arranges a school trip, but has to take a weekend job to finance it herself. Her husband is even more unhappy. The trip is to a museum commemorating the Holocaust. Her father goes with her and the kids all behave. The museum experience touches them deeply when they see how many died. Many of the victims were just a few years old. It’s important for them to see where their actions might lead and how misguided their reasoning is. She definitely makes a connection. 

I have found that if you give someone with a bad reputation a chance to be a better person, they usually respond positively. That’s exactly what happens in Freedom Writers.

It would be wrong of me to outline the entire story, but I wanted to go into enough depth to describe just how powerful and important this movie is. Gruwell achieved something significant, and you’ll see the impact she had if you watch the movie. Her methods have been widely introduced in schools throughout America.

It’s incredible to see what can be achieved when people work together instead of wasting their time hating others. Racism is one of the biggest problems in today’s world. Although there have been improvements, there’s a long way to go. What is the answer? It’s easy to say that the problem is too vast to ever be eradicated, but people like Gruwell have made a tiny dent by refusing to give up.

How do you unite the entire world when it’s divided by wealth, religion and politics? I’m not sure it will ever happen, but almost anything would be possible if it could be done. Maybe if the human race was threatened by malevolent aliens and was forced to work together? It has to start somewhere. What better place than in schools? It’s not easy because patterns of behavior become ingrained and older generations pass on their beliefs to their children.

Swank was superb in the role of Erin Gruwell. I’m always impressed by her acting, but I think this is my favorite role of hers. Freedom Writers is an uplifting film and inspires hope and change. The actors playing the students had very little experience and were chosen because their lives were similar to those depicted in the movie. I think they did a great job and a few will go on to better things.

I think I’ve watched Freedom Writers four times this year. Don’t be put off by the title or the first 30 minutes. If you like drama, this is one of the best you’re likely to see.

Video Quality 4/5

The Blu-ray was released in 2007, but it looks pretty good. The image is damage-free, bright, and has good detail throughout. It doesn’t match some of the recent releases, but there’s no reason to complain about the picture quality.

Audio Quality 3.5/5

The dated Dolby Digital 5.1 track sounds about as good as a compressed audio track can. Music is heavily featured and comes across well. Dialogue is clear and the surrounds are frequently used during scenes portraying conflict. Don’t avoid this release just because it doesn’t have lossless audio.

Special Features 3/5

All of the special features are in standard definition with the exception of the theatrical trailer.

Commentary with Richard LaGravenese and Hilary Swank.

Deleted Scenes (11:01) – There are a few good scenes which should have made it into the film. One is a class trip to see Schindler’s List and kicks off a sequence which ends in a restaurant. It shows how supportive Gruwell’s father became.

Making a Dream (5:25) – Showing how the main theme song was created and how the movie affected the creators.

Freedom Writers Family (19:21) – Director and cast talking about the script and how their trip to the Museum of Tolerance helped them bond.

Freedom Writers: The Story Behind the Story (10:03) – Director, cast and crew are joined by the real Erin Gruwell and talk about the situation in Long Beach.

Trailer (2:31)

Freedom Writers is a rewarding movie for anyone who likes emotional drama. Swank and the young cast draw you in and it’s hard not to empathize with their situations. This should be mandatory viewing in schools and would be a valuable part of any lesson plan for teachers. It's also an important movie with a strong message. Just viewing it could have an impact on the way you view the world and make a tiny difference in the fight against racism. I hope that you give it a try.

The Blu-ray is out of print, but still easy to track down. Don't wait too long to pick it up if you end up liking the story.

Overall score 4/5

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The Fighter: More drama outside the ring than in

The Fighter (biography, drama, sport)

Directed by David O. Russell

Starring Mark Wahlberg, Christian Bale, Melissa Leo and Amy Adams

Paramount Pictures | 2010 | 116 min | Rated R | Released Mar 15, 2011

Video:

Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC

Video resolution: 1080p

Aspect ratio: 2.40:1

Audio:

English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1

Subtitles:

English, English SDH, French, Spanish

Discs:

50GB Blu-ray Disc

Digital copy (on disc)

DVD copy

The Film 4/5

It’s not easy to make a movie about boxing. The fights have to look realistic and there’s the problem of the plot.

Rocky won three Oscars and tells the story of an underdog who overcomes the odds. That’s the obvious feel-good storyline that will suck in most viewers. Then there’s Scorsese’s Raging Bull, with two Oscars, which some regard as the best movie of the 80s. Clint Eastwood bravely showed the dangers of boxing in Million Dollar Baby and the movie scooped four Oscars.

So there’s clearly plenty of interest in boxing among moviegoers. Is The Fighter in the same league as the three boxing movies mentioned above? What could it possibly do that hadn’t been done before? The Academy liked it, nominating it in seven categories and awarding Oscars to supporting actors Christian Bale and Melissa Leo, but why should you watch it?

Like Raging Bull, The Fighter portrays real events, showing the lives of brothers Micky Ward (Wahlberg) and Dicky Eklund (Bale). The movie also has strong characterization. This is not a story focusing on boxing; it’s a story about how the dynamic in Micky’s family influences his career.

Early in the movie, we get a feel for how things will develop. Dicky is the focus of attention and completely overshadows Micky in every situation. Alice (Leo), their mother, clearly favors Dicky. She barely acknowledges anything that Micky says. The family group is completed by Micky’s sisters who always seem to be shouting and trying to attract attention. The result is utter chaos when the whole family appears together on-screen. Instead of shouting even louder to make himself heard above the din, Micky tends to keep quiet. I adopt the same strategy when I’m in a room full of people that don’t have any interest in what I’m thinking.

Dicky is famous in Lowell, Mass. for once knocking down Sugar Ray Leonard, but at 40, his dreams of a comeback have little chance to become a reality. He spends his time smoking crack and is unreliable. He’s supposed to be training Micky, but often fails to show. Dicky and Alice arrange Micky's fights and match him with an opponent who is 20 pounds heavier. Micky takes a beating and loses his fourth fight in a row.

Micky’s fortunes improve when he dates Charlene (Adams), who works in his local bar. She’s intelligent, brutally honest, and actually seems to care about what he thinks. Micky’s family hates her, but she’s strong and stands up to their abuse. When Dicky is arrested and jailed, Charlene persuades Micky to work with a new manager. He is matched against weaker opponents and starts to win. His career quickly improves and he is given the chance to face tougher opponents for more money.

It’s here that the movie starts to show real character development. Micky’s confidence grows and he starts making more of his own decisions. Alice vows to be a better mother. The biggest change of all concerns Dicky. Prison changes him and he avoids drugs and starts to train. He wants to leave prison a better man and be a positive influence on Micky’s life. There’s a huge power struggle when he’s eventually released.

All of the main actors turn in good performances. Wahlberg trained four years for the part because the movie was continually delayed. Bale portrays Dicky well and it’s hard to argue with his Oscar win (although Geoffrey Rush gave a great performance in The King’s Speech). Leo was annoying throughout, but that’s the whole point. Her character was supposed to be the main cause of conflict. Adams did well with her limited role, but it was too small to merit serious Oscar consideration. She’ll have better roles than this.

The boxing scenes look real and were filmed using HBO crews. Although he didn’t say much, Wahlberg looked like a boxer.

What is the movie really saying? Is it showing us that it’s never too late to change? Is it asking us to question choices between career, family and romantic partners? Is it saying that you should never give up on your dreams? It touches on many themes.

Video Quality 4.5/5

The transfer is strong in every department, displaying the gritty world of The Fighter accurately. Detail is good and colors look natural. This is a drab world, but it seems full of life. Take a look at bricks or clothing and it’s easy to see intricate details.

Audio Quality 4.5/5

The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 mix matches the picture quality. Some of the song choices were inspired and I particularly enjoyed hearing The Breeders’ Saints included on the track. All of the songs sound strong and affect the mood. This is a noisy movie, whether it’s a family argument, a bar scene, a street brawl or action in the ring. The surrounds will get a good workout and place you right in the middle of the action.

Special Features 3/5

The extras are all presented in full high definition:

Commentary – Director David O. Russell gives his thoughts on the movie and the reason behind some of the choices.

The Warriors Code: Filming The Fighter (29:57) – A good “making of” feature.

Keeping the Faith (8:33) – The real Ward and Eklund families talk about boxing.

Deleted Scenes (16:53) – With optional commentary.

Theatrical Trailer (2:32)

DVD (with digital copy)

The Fighter isn’t an easy movie to watch. That’s not because it is bad; it’s a reflection on the subject matter. It would be hard to exist within such a chaotic family unit and it’s actually painful to experience at times. The setting is drab and gritty and it’s not a particularly pleasant journey. That’s all intentional and is a compliment, but it’s not exactly fun to experience. If you like drama, character development and boxing, you’ll love The Fighter. If you just want boxing action, there are a few better options. Russell has crafted a good film worthy of its Best Picture nomination.

Overall score 4/5

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127 Hours: Well worth its six Oscar nominations

127 Hours (drama, biography, adventure)

Directed by Danny Boyle

Starring James Franco, Clémence Poésy, Amber Tamblyn and Kate Mara

20th Century Fox | 2010 | 94 min | Rated R | Released Mar 01, 2011

Video:

Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC

Video resolution: 1080p

Aspect ratio: 1.85:1

Audio:

English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1

French, Portuguese, Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1

Subtitles:

English SDH, French, Spanish, Portuguese

Disc:

Single 50GB Blu-ray Disc

Digital copy (on disc)

The Film 4.5/5

Danny Boyle’s Slumdog Millionaire won eight Oscars and many of his team return for 127 Hours. I’m always impressed at the variety of Boyle’s subject matter. He’s not afraid to tackle crime, drama, comedy, romance, horror or science fiction. This time he gives us a film based on a true story, dealing with events in the life of Aron Ralston.

Ralston likes adventure. He’s seen climbing and canyoneering in Utah and it’s clear that he loves what he does. The events took place in 2003 and the title refers to the amount of time he was trapped in a canyon. Although that’s a bit of a spoiler, it’s the way he approaches the situation that makes this film a gripping story. Like Apollo 13, the drama depends on his actions rather than the known outcome.

There’s a scene near the start of the film in which Ralston reaches up into a cupboard. He touches a Swiss Army knife, but fails to retrieve it. That simple failure causes him a lot of trouble.

We see Ralston reach the canyons and set off on his bike. When he crashes, we briefly consider the fact that he’s out there alone, but he’s able to continue. I think Boyle used the scene to prepare us for Ralston’s eventual accident.

Ralston meets two girls and we start to learn more about his true nature. He guides them to their destination, but by a route that isn’t marked on the map. It leads to a scene in which the three deliberately drop into an underground pool of water. Boyle uses the scene as a contrast to those in which Ralston is trapped. Instead of being surrounded by water, he’ll soon be relishing every single drop.

The girls invite him to an upcoming party and eventually part ways. He travels on alone and soon suffers his accident. A loose boulder is dislodged when he steps on it and tumbles down a crevice after him, trapping his arm in the process. It’s here that the film really starts. In fact, the title is displayed on the screen 17-minutes into the story to prove that point.

What would you do if you were trapped, alone, and running out of food and water? Ralston tries anything he can think of. Brute force is his first thought, but he tries just about everything before considering his final options. Franco’s acting is excellent throughout and he deserved his Oscar nomination.

It doesn’t sound like much of a visual feast, does it? A man trapped in a canyon. But Boyle uses all the tricks he can think of to make things interesting. We see a variety of unusual camera angles, such as a shot from the bottom of Ralston’s flask while he’s drinking. Boyle also zooms out to show the overall predicament and the surrounding terrain.

Going 127 hours with hardly any food or water also means that Ralston is prone to dreaming or hallucinating. We also see flashbacks of his childhood and some more recent memories. He has a video camera with him and makes messages for his parents. Some are serious and others aren’t.

It’s a brilliantly conceived way of telling the story.

Can there be anyone who doesn’t know Ralston’s ultimate solution? I won’t mention it in case it ruins the experience. A few of the scenes may be hard to watch for some viewers, but it would ruin the story if I mentioned which ones.

Video Quality 4.5/5

Boyle uses a variety of cameras and the picture quality depends on the source. When we first see the Utah scenery, the presentation is reference quality. Detail is strong and colors striking. But other scenes, shot with the cameras used in Slumdog Millionaire, are often dimly-lit. When Ralston uses his video camera, the image is deliberately grainy and washed-out. So this is a mixed bag, but the high rating is given because I think it’s largely presented the way Boyle intended.

Audio Quality 4.5/5

Most of the film takes place when Ralston is alone and so quiet scenes dominate the film. But when there is noise, it’s heightened. The clink of metal on rock, running water, or the movement of insects is all clearly defined in the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track. I enjoyed A.R. Rahman’s score and it matches the scenes well. There’s a sense of adventure while Ralston is exploring, and more intense themes when he’s trapped and trying to break free.

Special Features 3.5/5

The special features are all presented in high definition:

Commentary by Director Danny Boyle, Producer Christian Colson and co-writer Simon Beaufoy.

Deleted Scenes (34:13)

Search and Rescue (14:51) – Meeting some of the people involved in the rescue, as well as Ralston, his friends and family.

127 Hours: An Extraordinary View (35:30) – Easily the best of the features. Boyle shows the set and explains how some of the scenes were shot. Franco gives his take on how Boyle approaches things.

Short Film: God of Love (18:46) – An Oscar-winning short from the same studio, but not otherwise connected with 127 Hours.

BD Live Exclusive (3:53)

Sneak Peek

Digital Copy

I saw five of the Best Picture nominations in three days, including three in one day. The first of those three was 127 Hours and I have to admit that I wasn’t looking forward to seeing it. But I was hooked within 15 minutes and it proved to be one of the best films of 2010. I would rank it in my Top 5. 

Franco has to carry the film in the way that Will Smith does in I Am Legend and Tom Hanks does in Cast Away. I like all three because it makes me feel like I’m sharing their predicament. Unless you are squeamish, 127 Hours is a great film with plenty of replay value. This was my fourth viewing and I’m very happy with this Blu-ray presentation.

Overall score 4.5/5 

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Conviction: True story of the fight to free a wrongly-convicted man

Conviction (drama, biography)

Directed by Tony Goldwyn

Starring Hilary Swank, Sam Rockwell, Minnie Driver and Melissa Leo

20th Century Fox | 2010 | 102 min | Rated R | Released Feb 01, 2011

Video:

Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC

Video resolution: 1080p

Aspect ratio: 1.85:1

Audio:

English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1

French, Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1

Subtitles:

English SDH, Spanish

Disc:

Single 50GB Blu-ray Disc

The Film 3.5/5

Conviction tells the true story of Betty Anne Waters (Swank) and her 18-year fight to free her brother Kenny (Rockwell), who was convicted of murder. She was a young woman with two children, working in a bar at the time of Kenny’s conviction. Instead of accepting it, she decided to study law part-time so that she could access evidence and fight the case on his behalf.

The story is told with the use of a few flashbacks. The first shows us how Kenny is arrested by police officer Nancy Taylor (Leo), while others show us the relationship between Kenny and Betty Anne when they were small children. Kenny is originally cleared of suspicion, but is arrested a second time two years later. After a series of damning testimonies, he receives a life sentence.

Both siblings struggle to adjust. Kenny tries to commit suicide in prison and Betty Anne almost flunks her class. She splits with her boyfriend and is dismayed when her two boys ask to live with their father because she doesn’t spend enough time with them. Imagine having to give up your children in that way. Her decision to help her brother consumed her.

Betty Anne is given new hope when she learns in school that DNA testing has freed other wrongly-convicted prisoners. She passes her exam and qualifies as a lawyer, enlisting the help of classmate Abra Rice (Driver) and a group specializing in freeing prisoners with the help of DNA evidence.

One of the biggest problems she faces is tracking down evidence that is so old. She eventually discovers some disturbing facts about the case and fights to reveal the truth. Kenny is powerless to help, but Betty Anne gives him the courage to go on with his life. She’s his inspiration.

The main theme of the story is the love between a brother and sister and how it impacts each of their lives. It’s an inspirational tale and Swank and Rockwell nail their roles. While all the ingredients are there to make a moving drama, something doesn’t quite work.

Betty Anne sacrifices so much and we should feel elated when she achieves her goal, but the setup was lacking and I wasn’t completely drawn in. Maybe it’s that we are never totally sure that Kenny is innocent? Or perhaps it’s because all the childhood flashbacks involve scenes in which the siblings are breaking the law in some small way? Maybe it’s because Swank and Rockwell are so good in other roles that I had unrealistic expectations?

Video Quality 4.5/5

The film looks great. Detail is sharp throughout and I couldn’t detect any obvious problem with the presentation. There isn’t a lot of beauty in the film as the settings were drab and grimy for the most part, but everything looks natural and real.

Audio Quality 4/5

The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 mix does everything it is supposed to. This is a story driven by dialogue and it comes across clearly in every scene. There’s nothing flashy and the rear channels are used sparingly, but the track is free of any blemishes.

Special Features 1/5

There’s just one feature included in the package and it only lasts 10 minutes. Director Tony Goldwyn talks to the real Betty Anne Waters. We learn how long it took for the film to be made and some of the problems encountered along the way. The feature includes a rather sobering fact: Kenny died in an accident just six months after being released.

This is a good film. It’s well-acted and easy to follow. There are some strong scenes, especially when Swank and Rockwell are on screen together. But it’s not a great film, and I can only recommend it as a rental.

Overall score 3.5/5 

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Papillon: A true story of a man's determination to be free

Papillon (drama, biography, crime)

Directed by Franklin J. Schaffner

Starring Steve McQueen and Dustin Hoffman

Warner Bros. | 1973 | 151 min | Rated PG | Released May 24, 2011

Video:

Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC

Video resolution: 1080p

Aspect ratio: 2.40:1

Audio:

English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1

Subtitles:

English SDH, French, Spanish

Disc:

Single 50GB Blu-ray Disc digibook

The Film 4/5

Papillon is a film I hadn’t seen for approximately 30 years, so I was eagerly awaiting this Blu-ray release. I was a different person back then and my tastes have evolved a great deal since first seeing the film. What was a masterpiece in my memory is now simply a good film.

The story is set in a prison in French Guiana and is based on the true story of Henri Charriere. He was known as Papillon because of the butterfly tattooed on his chest. Steve McQueen plays the role and does an excellent job.

The other key character is Louis Dega (Hoffman), who is a forger and not well-equipped to fend for himself in prison. He hires Papillon for protection and promises to finance Papillon’s escape attempt. It proves to be a wise decision.

On reaching the prison, the new inmates are given a welcome speech. They are told that their first escape attempt would result in two years of solitary confinement being added to their sentence. A second attempt would mean five more years in solitary. Extreme cases would result in death by guillotine.

Nearby islands contain prison work camps and Dega and Papillon are sent there. The swampy conditions are full of natural dangers such as crocodiles and snakes. Any escapees are hunted by former prisoners for a reward. Papillon makes an early attempt and is quickly recaptured, resulting in the promised two years in solitary confinement.

The rations in solitary are barely enough to support human life and Dega bribes guards to smuggle Papillon extra food. When this is discovered, the warden wants the name of the person sending him food. Papillon refuses and is put on half rations. This is equivalent to a death sentence, but Papillon eats whatever creatures stray into his cell and manages to survive the two-year ordeal.

When he recovers his strength, Papillon makes another escape attempt. Dega and another prisoner join him and they arrange to leave the swamp by boat. The three set sail for Honduras. On reaching land they eventually become separated and Papillon is forced to fend for himself. This leads to an extended sequence, largely without dialogue, where Papillon lives with some of the indigenous population. It’s a happy time for him and is a stark contrast to his life in prison.

I won’t reveal any more of the story, but there are a few more twists and turns before it ends.

The story is essentially about the strength of the human spirit and the desire to be free. Papillon has to endure harsh conditions, but something inside him makes him go on. It also shows that some criminals are not all bad. The friendship between Papillon and Dega is powerful and lasting. The final sequence shows both the friendship and Papillon’s determination to live as a free man.

Video Quality 3.5/5

The opening scene contains heavy grain and looks terrible, but isn’t representative of the remainder of the film. It soon settles down and delivers a fairly pleasing transfer. The film is nearly 40 years old and doesn’t look like a recent release, but the Blu-ray offers a big upgrade over previous releases. Just take a look at the trailer to see how the original film must have looked. Although the detail isn’t as strong as I would have liked, it’s adequate. Brighter outdoor scenes benefit the most. Colors are strong and accurate and the print looks fairly clean.

Audio Quality 4/5

An early conversation between Papillon and Dega aboard the prison ship is problematic. The dialogue appears rather distant and there are minor synchronization issues. This is an isolated incident and the quality quickly improves. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 mix does a good job of adding to the brooding atmosphere of the film. Heavy rain sounds like it’s supposed to and jungle sounds come across in the rear speakers. The Oscar-nominated score sounds impressive and it’s a good presentation overall.

Special Features 2/5

Aside from a trailer, there’s only one additional feature:

The Magnificent Rebel (12:19) is brief and shot in SD, but explains some of the problems involved in shooting the film. Some of the locations were hard to reach and had never been seen on camera before. There’s also a sequence showing the reaction of the real Papillon, Henri Charriere, visiting the set and talking about how authentic it was.

34-page digibook

Papillon is a long film at 151 minutes, and some of it isn’t pleasant to watch. It’s not supposed to be. If you have seen Midnight Express, you’ll have some idea of what to expect. The story takes its time to develop, but the payoff is worth it. McQueen may have been chosen because of his character in The Great Escape, but he has to show more range here and pulls it off well. Hoffman is familiar as the nervous Dega and the friendship is believable. While imperfect, the Blu-ray presentation offers a considerable upgrade and the digibook looks great. Fans of the film shouldn’t hesitate to pick it up.

Overall score 4/5

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Control: A fitting tribute to Ian Curtis

Control (drama, biography, music)

Directed by Anton Corbijn

Starring Sam Riley, Samantha Morton and Alexandra Maria Lara

Alliance | 2007 | 122 min | Rated R | Released Mar 08, 2011

Video:

Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC

Video resolution: 1080p

Aspect ratio: 2.35:1

Audio:

English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1

English, French: Dolby Digital 5.1

Subtitles:

None

Discs:

50GB Blu-ray Disc

DVD copy

The Film 5/5

Control won 25 awards, including three at Cannes, and was nominated for two BAFTA awards in the UK. The film is yet to receive a Blu-ray release in the US, but has been released in Germany and Canada. This review covers the Canadian version, which is locked to Region A.

The film made just under $8 million worldwide owing to the dark subject matter and the fact that Joy Division’s music still isn’t widely known. That’s a shame because Corbijn (The American) has made a wonderful film.

This is the story of Ian Curtis who was the lead singer for Joy Division until his suicide in 1980. He died on May 18, so it was 31 years ago today at the time of writing.

I wanted to see the film because Joy Division is still one of my Top 5 bands 30 years later. I know who made me the tape so that I could hear debut album Unknown Pleasures for the first time and I remember who I was with and where I was when the news leaked that Curtis was dead.

It wasn't easy to find a theater which was showing the film when it was released so I ended up hunting down an obscure run-down cinema in downtown Toronto to even see it. About six other people showed up. Every single one appeared deeply moved and on the verge of tears after the film. I’m happy to finally own it on Blu-ray.

The main problem I have with this review is that I went in loving the band and knowing most of the story. Did it work for me because of that, or is it truly a great story that will appeal to people who know nothing about Curtis or Joy Division? It partly depends on whether you like the dark, brooding music, but it works for some people who don’t like the band at all.

The film is bleak. It appears in black and white and is set in a northern town in England (Macclesfield). The houses are small, the streets are narrow and it rains often. This is all true. It's a depressing part of the country. The dreary setting matches the atmosphere of the music and the band’s tale. The film shows how the band came into existence and their early successes such as recording, getting a recording contract and appearing on TV, but this isn’t a true biopic.

Although I knew the lyrics and understood what the words meant before I saw the film, I didn't know the origin of those lyrics. The film ties together some of the events in the life of Curtis with the origin of the songs. When you see what She's Lost Control is really about, it adds new layers of meaning. If you think Love Will Tear Us Apart sounds like a pop song, it takes on a more sinister tone when you understand why he wrote it.

The actors rehearsed together to get the songs right so that they could play them in the film rather than miming. Corbijn never intended to include real performances of the music, but the "band" convinced him. The first time I heard the first note of the first song played in the film, I felt a huge surge of emotion.

Sam Riley manages to look very similar to Curtis and must have spent a long time studying the few examples of Curtis performing the songs. He mimics the actions perfectly and sounds like him too. It was almost like stepping back in time and experiencing a Joy Division concert. Samantha Morton gives a strong performance, managing to look like a young girl and then his wife and the mother of his child.

There's a lot of truth in this film too. Deborah Curtis (his wife) wrote the book Touching From A Distance which tells what really happened. The screenplay was adapted from that book and the details are as true as possible. Corbijn shot some of the iconic photographs of Curtis and the band while working as a photographer for the New Musical Express in England. This was a labor of love.

The result is a moving drama detailing the final few years of Curtis’s life. It doesn't hold much back, showing his faults as well as his redeeming qualities. It's the story of a young man (23 when he died) who was in a situation he couldn't control. Loving and hating two different women, a parent at a young age, success at a level that was hard to imagine and all the while dealing with epilepsy. His character says in the film that the audience didn't realize how much he gave during a performance, or how draining it was and how painful to access the emotions to perform those songs. To the audience, they were songs. To Curtis, they were hideous parts of his life.

I found the film incredibly moving, haunting, captivating, happy and sad. I'm glad that Curtis will be introduced to new audiences through this film. Joy Division is important to me and Control is one of the most prized Blu-rays in my collection.

Video Quality 4.5/5

The film was shot in color and transferred to black and white and the images suit the mood of the film perfectly. Detail is sharp throughout and the print is clean and natural in appearance. I have also seen the German release and the presentation is similar. It’s hard to imagine the film looking any better.

Audio Quality 5/5

The sound is the best I have ever heard where music is concerned. It’s as good as listening to a CD on high quality equipment. The songs have a lot of depth and range and it’s easy to pick out individual instruments. The dialogue is also clear.

Special Features 4/5

Audio commentary with director Anton Corbijn.

Making of Control, featuring interviews with Corbijn, the writer and some of the actors (24 minutes).

Extended live performances from the film:

Transmission

Leaders of Men

Candidate

Music Videos:

Atmosphere – Joy Division

Transmission – Joy Division

Shadowplay – The Killers

Two theatrical trailers.

Joy Division’s music isn’t for everyone, but this is an interesting look at the life of Ian Curtis whether you are a fan or not. The presentation from Alliance is superb and I would recommend it to anyone capable of viewing Region A material. The actors do a wonderful job and the music sounds authentic. It will send shivers down your spine.

Overall score 5/5

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The World's Fastest Indian: Weak title, wonderful film

The World's Fastest Indian (biography, drama, sport)
Directed by Roger Donaldson
Starring Anthony Hopkins, Diane Ladd

Magnolia Pictures | 2005 | 127 min | Rated PG-13 | Released Feb 13, 2007

Video:
Video codec: MPEG-2
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Original aspect ratio 2.35:1

Audio:
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
English: Dolby Digital 5.1

Subtitles:
English SDH, Spanish

Disc:
Single 50GB Blu-ray disc (region free)

The Film 4.5/5

This film wasn't on my radar until a friend recommended it. The title seemed meaningless and I really couldn't imagine what it might be about. As a fan of Anthony Hopkins, I decided to buy it and give it a chance.

Good decision.

Forget that it's labeled as a sports movie or a biography. It's a great human interest story showing how passion and determination can overcome the odds.

The film opens with a shot of Burt Munro (Hopkins) waking up. Until he speaks, he's just Anthony Hopkins. Then the New Zealand accent comes out and Munro starts to emerge.

Burt Munro lived in Invercargill, New Zealand and had a dream to go to Bonneville Flats, Utah to see how fast his motorcycle could go. He tinkered with the bike for 25 years to make it as fast as possible. He was born in 1899 and first visited Bonneville in 1956, setting the speed record for bikes under 1,000cc in 1967. So while the choice of Hopkins looks strange, he was the right age and a perfect fit for the part.

Munro held several speed records in New Zealand before making his first trip and was something of a celebrity. He annoyed his neighbors by working on his bike in the early mornings and urinating on his lemon tree. He was quite a character.

Hopkins plays him as an eccentric with passion for his hobby and a lot of charm. He has the ability to win people over to his way of thinking and borrows the money he needs to make the trip to the US from the local bank. He also has heart trouble, but hides that from most people. His honesty and the way he accepts when he is wrong makes him easy to like.

The film really takes off when he makes the trip. He travels by boat and pays for the passage by working as its chef. After arriving in the US, he has to face the reality of the high prices and the chance that people will try to rip him off. He books into a motel, more often used by prostitutes, and befriends the night clerk.

Although he's initially naive, he turns out to be perfectly capable of surviving in his new surroundings. He buys a car and negotiates well, making another friend in the process, then makes the trip to Utah. The Indian in the title is a type of motorcycle manufactured in 1920. He tows it on a trailer that he made and somehow gets it to Bonneville on time.

Having made the long trip from the other side of the world, he's informed that he can't race because he hadn't registered.

Another friend, who he met casually on his arrival in Utah, tries to persuade the officials to let him race. They say no because not only did he fail to register, his bike is totally unsafe and he doesn't even have safety gear. Munro isn't having any of it and persuades a couple of people to help him test the bike one morning. The officials agree to the test to shut him up, but his passion and determination convince them that he knows what he's doing. He's allowed to race.

The rest is history. He's accepted and admired by the fans and made the trip several more times.

The special features show the real Burt Munro and Hopkins played him perfectly. Hopkins is also on record as saying it's probably the best thing he has ever done. Quite a statement when you look at the roles he has had throughout his career. I don't quite agree, but it's certainly up there.

This is one of those films that shouldn't work. It reminds me of Seabiscuit in some ways. Few people would think they have any interest in the subject matter, but the story and the acting make you care.

You don't have to be a fan of bikes. Just give this a chance and see what magic Hopkins has worked to bring Munro's character back to life.

Director Roger Donaldson had wanted to film this story for 25 years. His script is excellent and his passion for the subject matter comes shining through. 

Video Quality 4/5
The presentation is decent for the most part although some of the scenes set in the dark of Munro's shed are thick with grain. It didn't stop me enjoying this unusual story. Although the MPEG-2 Blu-ray was an early release for the format, it's actually pretty good. The decision to change from the film's original aspect ratio was the choice of director Roger Donaldson.

Sound Quality 4/5
The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 mix is up to the task. It is particularly effective once the story reaches Bonneville Flats and we hear Munro revving the engine to see what the Indian can achieve. The film is shot in such a way that you feel as if you're riding the bike, and the sound completes the effect.

Special Features 4/5

Audio commentary with writer/directer Roger Donaldson.

The making of The World's Fastest Indian (45:27) - Comprehensive feature.

Deleted scenes (4:08) - Four additional scenes.

Burt Munro: Offerings to the god of speed (27:30) - Meet the real Burt Munro. Hopkins doesn't look much like him, but sounds like him and captures his personality.

Southland: Burt's hometown of Invercargill ( 2:55).

Soundtrack promo.

I would recommend this film to anyone. It doesn't matter whether you are male, female, young or old. Hopkins will charm you and hold your interest for the whole two hours.

Overall score 4.5/5

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The King's Speech: Unexpected appeal

The King's Speech (biography, drama, history)
Cast: Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush, Helena Bonham Carter, Guy Pearce, Derek Jacobi
Director: Tom Hooper

Starz/Anchor Bay | 2010 | 118 min | Rated R | Apr 19, 2011

Video:
M-PEG4 AVC | 1080p | 1.78:1

Audio:
English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1

Subtitles:
English SDH, Spanish

Discs:
Single 50GB Blu-ray Disc

Film 5/5

Have you ever been involved in public speaking? Even a small audience can be enough to take you out of your comfort zone. Imagine that you stammer and you're required to speak live to more than a quarter of the Earth's population. Throw in the fact that your audience is frightened due to the impending war against Hitler's Germany. A confident, optimistic and inspirational speech is essential.

That's the situation King George VI found himself in.

Historical dramas generally bore me. I'm not particularly interested in the royal family, despite living in the UK for the first 43 years of my life, and have no love for them at all. But for some reason, this works.

Tom Hooper directed the excellent The Damned United, but this is even better. He chose to shoot most of the film in dark rooms rather than focus on the potential splendor offered by Buckingham Palace. Apart from a scene inside Westminster Abbey, most of the rooms are drab. The story is character-driven and works because of the acting rather than the setting.

Colin Firth gives a brilliant performance as King George VI, although he isn't king when the film begins; he's the Duke of York. We see him stumble over an early speech in the 1920s and his wife, Queen Elizabeth (Carter), seeks a speech therapist to help him overcome his impediment.

Doesn't that sound boring?

She finds Lionel Logue (Rush), who has a practice in London's famous Harley Street, and forces her husband to see him. Rush is great as the Australian therapist and supplies much of the humor in the film. The two initially enter into a doctor/patient relationship and eventually become friends.

If I had read that premise without knowing anything else about the story, there's no way you could have convinced me I would care about the characters or the outcome. But the quality of the acting overcomes all that and I did end up caring about a historical speech delivered by a monarch in whom I had zero interest. That says something about the power of this film.

Fans of the Harry Potter movies will be familiar with Michael Gambon, Timothy Spall and Helena Bonham Carter. It's interesting to see them here in serious roles.

The driving force of the story is the friendship between Logue and the future king. Indeed, Logue insists that the two function as equals and calls the Duke Bertie. He apparently has little respect for the monarchy and makes fun of it throughout. Strangely, I'm reminded of The Shawshank Redemption. The two main characters are in a difficult situation and yet manage to form an unlikely friendship, with each sustaining the other.

We are shown early attempts by renowned physicians to cure the Duke's stammer, but no progress is made. The Duke's wife finds Logue and arranges an appointment. Logue's methods are unconventional to say the least and provide some of the film's humor. It's a big step for the Duke to trust this irreverent foreigner and relax enough to make progress.

If you allow yourself to be drawn into the story, a peculiar thing happens. Rather than focusing on Firth's technique for stammering, you will start to think about the man he's portraying. There are scenes showing how he behaves when he's alone with his wife and his two little girls, and how they accept him for who he is.

Firth's portrayal isn't over the top. He's a reserved man who isn't used to speaking up for himself. Over the course of the story, we see him grow. He finds that he has a voice.

The R-rating is for language and it absolutely has to be there for the story to work so effectively.

The technical aspects of the film are superb. The sets, costumes, casting, sound and pacing are close to perfect. It won four Oscars: best picture, best director (Hooper), actor in a leading role (Firth) and original screenplay (David Seidler). During his acceptance speech, Seidler revealed that he used to stammer. That explains why he was able to portray that fear so well.

The film won't appeal to everyone. It succeeds because of the dialogue and the strength of the story. There's no action and very little romance. If you like human interest stories, give it a try. It's among the best in that category.

Video Quality 4/5
The video presentation isn't spectacular. The color palette is faded and wintry, filled with grays and blacks. There's occasional noise, such as in the dark shots taken in Logue's elevator. Detail is inconsistent, but strong in places. Most of these appear to be the intended look of the film, but it's slightly disappointing overall.

Audio Quality 4/5
The sound does exactly what it's supposed to do. There are a few instances of crowd noise and background sounds in the streets of London, but this is a film rich in dialogue. It comes across as clear and even throughout.

Special Features 3.5/5
The features appear sparse, but what's present is certainly worth checking out. I would be interested in a more comprehensive package in the future.

Director Tom Hooper's audio commentary is extremely informative.

There's a 23-minute feature with cast and crew detailing the making of the film.

A 22-minute Q&A session with Hooper, Firth, Carter, Pearce and Claire Bloom seems to end all too quickly.

Two speeches from the real King George VI show exactly what Firth achieved. As well as the stutter, Firth had to incorporate a slight impediment when using the letter R. One of the speeches appears at the end of the film, so you can see just how accurate Firth's portrayal was.

The Real Lionel Logue is a 10-minute feature with his grandson Mark. We learn that he discovered some of Logue's diaries containing actual accounts of the meetings with the Duke. A few lines of dialogue were taken from those accounts and used in the film.

And finally, a Public service announcement from the Stuttering Foundation.

It's hard to compare this to any other movie. There's nothing quite like it. I have already mentioned that the friendship reminds me of The Shawshank Redemption, but the overall tone is very different. The Diving Bell and the Butterfly is another brilliant film about a man trying to overcome his inability to communicate, although in a more extreme way.

I saw every best picture nomination last year and this was top of my list. Inception and Black Swan both impressed, but for a combination of an engaging story and the technical aspects of making a film, The King's Speech deserved its Oscar success. See it if you enjoy dramas or period paces driven by dialogue.

Overall score 4.5/5 

Click here to find out where The King's Speech ranks in My Top 20 Dramas.


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