The Adjustment Bureau: An unconventional love story

The Adjustment Bureau (Romance, Sci-Fi, Thriller)

Directed by George Nolfi

Starring Matt Damon, Emily Blunt and Anthony Mackie

Universal Studios | 2011 | 106 min | Rated PG-13 | Released Jun 21, 2011

Video:

Video codec: VC-1

Video resolution: 1080p

Aspect ratio: 1.85:1

Audio:

English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1

French: DTS 5.1

Spanish: DTS 5.1

Subtitles:

English SDH, French, Spanish

Discs:

50GB Blu-ray Disc

DVD copy

Digital copy (on disc)

The Film 4/5

I almost went to see The Adjustment Bureau at the theater, but generally negative reviews made me decide to wait for the Blu-ray release. The same was true of Clint Eastwood’s Hereafter, also starring Matt Damon. I’m going to have to trust my instincts more because I found both movies entertaining.

So why the negative reviews?

What do you expect from a Matt Damon movie? His biggest role was as Jason Bourne in the hugely successful trilogy and I think he’s expected to be an action hero in every role he plays. That’s simply not the case. The man can act and he has a lot more to offer than some give him credit for. The marketing for The Adjustment Bureau is selling it as an action movie, but it’s actually a love story with a science fiction element. The front cover shows Damon and Blunt running. They do run in the movie, but that’s not the point of the story.

This is not an action movie.

David Norris (Damon) is running for Senate and he’s losing. He meets Elise (Blunt) in a bathroom and they kiss. A brief conversation influences his concession speech and he decides to be completely honest with the assembled crowd. This is not typical behavior for a politician. The entire meeting was arranged without his knowledge just for the purpose of influencing his speech.

We are introduced to four men in suits and hats. They look like the Men in Black. What is their origin and why and how are they trying to influence events? One has an assignment to delay Norris by making him spill coffee on his shirt, but he fails to intervene in time. As a result, Norris walks into his office and sees the men altering the memories of his colleagues. He runs, but is quickly caught. They make him promise to keep their secret. They also demand that he drops any interest in Elise as the two aren’t supposed to be together.

Norris isn’t ready to give up on Elise and feels strongly attracted to her. He searches for years and eventually tracks her down. The Adjustment Bureau fails to anticipate his resourcefulness and level of determination. In order to prevent the relationship, other methods are tried to tear the two apart. Norris is given some strong reasons to walk away from Elise. Will they be enough, or will his attraction toward her prove to be too strong?

Philip K. Dick wrote the short story on which the movie is based. He was also responsible for Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep, which resulted in Blade Runner being made. I’m not saying that the Adjustment Bureau is on the same level, but it’s certainly a thought-provoking story worthy of your time.

Think about fate and predestination for a moment. Do you live your life thinking that every step has been mapped out? If that were the case, why bother to do anything? Do you think that your overall destination has been decided, but it’s up to you how you get there? That would at least give your actions some meaning. Or do you think that everything is random and there’s no reason or purpose behind anything we do? The Adjustment Bureau raises similar questions. You might be able to predict how the movie ends, but the fun is experiencing the journey.

Emily Blunt has good chemistry with Damon and the casting was spot on. She had to learn how to look like a ballet dancer for the part and she was utterly convincing in the role.  

I love the Bourne movies, but I’m a fan of Damon’s acting in general. It dates back to Good Will Hunting and Rounders. In fact, I’ve rarely seen Damon disappoint. Hereafter and The Adjustment Bureau will stay in my collection and I’m happy to own them. If you give The Adjustment Bureau a try without expecting an action movie, you might end up enjoying it as much as I did.

Video Quality 4/5

While most recent releases use the MPEG-4 AVC codec, The Adjustment Bureau uses VC-1. The result isn’t bad, but I’ve seen more striking presentations. Grain is moderately thick and detail is average. Many of the scenes have an intentional blue tint, but colors are otherwise accurate. I wouldn’t complain about the picture quality, but it’s far from exceptional.

Audio Quality 4/5

The English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 mix does a good job for the most part. Dialogue is clear, apart from in noisy settings when it’s not supposed to be. When Norris is talking to the crowds of people, the atmosphere seems realistic and sounds are separated well. There are no gunshots or explosions, but the sound quality is good throughout.

Special Features 2.5/5

Audio Commentary by Writer/Director George Nolfi.

Deleted and Extended Scenes (6:54)

Labyrinth of Doors – A Google Map allowing you to explore various parts of New York. Each door offers a small feature; normally under a minute long. It’s a lot of work to navigate through everything and the reward doesn’t seem worth it.

Leaping Through New York (7:36) – Showing the wide range of locations used during the shoot.

Destined to Be (4:51) – Damon and Blunt talk about the casting process and their characters.

Becoming Elise (7:08) – How Blunt learned how to become a dancer for the role. Acting can be hard!

The Adjustment Bureau asks some interesting questions. It’s well-acted and kept my interest for the 106-minute duration. The mystery element and slow exposition have the effect of placing the viewer in the same situation as David Norris, and it works effectively. If you go in with the right expectations (not anticipating explosions and constant action), the story has a lot to offer.

Overall score 4/5

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My Blueberry Nights: A delicious morsel from Wong Kar-Wai

My Blueberry Nights (drama, romance)

Directed by Wong Kar-Wai

Starring Jude Law, Norah Jones, David Strathairn, Natalie Portman and Rachel Weisz

Optimum Home Entertainment | 2008 | 95 min | Rated BBFC: 12 | Released Jun 23, 2008

Video:

Video codec: VC-1

Video resolution: 1080p

Aspect ratio: 2.35:1

Audio:

English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1

Subtitles:

English

Disc:

Single 50GB Blu-ray Disc

The Film 4/5

The first thing to mention is that My Blueberry Nights is not yet available on Blu-ray in North America. This review refers to the Region B UK disc.

In the opening scene, we are introduced to Jeremy (Law), who runs a diner in New York. He’s originally from Manchester, England, but seems at home in his surroundings. He knows people by what they eat. Elizabeth (Jones) is a customer who is asking whether her boyfriend has been in the diner. Jeremy confirms that he was there and had dinner with another woman. 

The two begin to talk on a regular basis. Elizabeth leaves her keys at the diner so that Jeremy can give them to her boyfriend. He listens to everything she says and is part friend, part psychiatrist and part restaurant owner. The two share a bond of sorts and he also reveals details of his own previous relationships. He keeps her keys in a jar with countless others and Elizabeth learns that he knows the story behind each set.

Jeremy also talks to her about food, explaining what sells well and what doesn’t. He offers her blueberry pie and ice cream and mentions that the blueberry pie is often untouched at the end of the day. There’s nothing wrong with it, but people just make other choices. I think Wong Kar-Wai is comparing people to food with that observation. There’s nothing wrong with Elizabeth or Jeremy, but both are alone.

The camera on the diner wall serves as Jeremy’s diary. He likes to watch the recordings at the end of the day to see what he’s missed. Wong Kar-Wai’s camera doesn’t miss anything. When Jeremy and Elizabeth are talking, we see them from afar. There’s often a counter or something in the way of the camera so that we feel like voyeurs, spying on an intimate conversation. Other notable techniques include the use of vivid colors and the blurring of motion, as well as slow motion and images which are sped up. Wong Kar-Wai uses the same techniques in other films such as Chungking Express and Fallen Angels.

Without declaring anything, it becomes obvious that Jeremy and Elizabeth care about each other. But Elizabeth seems wary of relationships after her recent experiences and decides to take some time to think about what she really wants. She works in various bars and diners and eventually winds up in Memphis. It’s there that she meets Arnie (Strathairn), who drinks in her bar. She listens to Arnie, talks about her dreams and gives him advice. I like Strathairn’s performance and consider him one of the most interesting characters in the film. Is it a coincidence that Elizabeth becomes someone who will listen to people’s problems, just as Jeremy did with her?

Elizabeth writes to Jeremy regularly, but never reveals her address or phone number. He misses her and tries randomly calling bars and diners to find her. Later, he decides to send postcards, and ends up sending hundreds.

Elizabeth rarely stays in one place for long and has a series of adventures. The most prominent one happens when she encounters Leslie (Portman), who plays poker for high stakes. Elizabeth learns more about herself as the film progresses, especially from Leslie.

Will Elizabeth and Jeremy ever meet again? I won’t reveal that here.

Norah Jones did a great job on her acting debut. The story is stylish, intimate and a little unconventional. If you like other Wong Kar-Wai films, you’ll almost certainly like this. Ry Cooder’s score is incredible and perfectly matches the mood. There are some other well-placed songs, especially the two haunting numbers from Cat Power. If you’re a fan of Cat Power, look out for a cameo appearance by Chan Marshall.

Video Quality 4.5/5

Optimum’s Blu-ray presentation looks great. The stylized color scheme is striking and the detail strong. There are no obvious problems such as dirt or print damage. The film looks clean and almost perfect. Any blurring is purely intentional and a regular occurrence in Wong Kar-Wai's films.

Audio Quality 4.5/5

The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track delivered everything I hoped for. Although the film is primarily a dialogue-heavy story, the use of music enhances the atmosphere. Cooder’s guitar is wonderful and the other songs all come across well. You won’t have to strain to hear any of the dialogue and I couldn’t detect any faults in the mix.

Special Features 3/5

10,279 Miles Since Hong Kong: My Blueberry Nights – A good “making of” feature with cast and crew.

Cannes Press Conference – Director Wong Kar-Wai and actress Norah Jones face the Cannes media.

Character Study – A short piece featuring comments from cast and crew.

Theatrical Trailer

My Blueberry Nights will appeal to lovers of film for its interesting use of color and unusual camera angles. It’s a romance of a sort, but less conventional than most. Some of the discussions will stay with you if you’re the sort of person who analyzes what you have just seen. The Blu-ray presentation is fantastic, but you’ll need a Region B or Region Free player to view it. The Amazon UK price at the time of writing is £4.61, or £1.79 from third party sellers. Fans of Wong Kar-Wai shouldn’t hesitate. If this is your first Wong Kar-Wai film and you liked it, Chungking Express is well worth checking out. I consider it his masterpiece.

Overall score 4/5

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Midnight in Paris: A magical story that will make you laugh and think

Midnight in Paris (comedy, fantasy, romance)

Directed by Woody Allen

Starring Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams, Michael Sheen, Marion Cotillard, Kathy Bates and Adrien Brody

2011 | 94 min | PG-13 | 1.85:1 | Theatrical Release Date June 10, 2011

The Film 5/5

Woody Allen has directed more than 40 movies and Midnight in Paris is one of his best. It’s a gentle comedy with a strong fantasy element. Like most of Allen’s movies, it relies on good writing and clever dialogue.

The fantasy element changes the entire feel of the movie, and although it’s revealed early in the story, I don’t want to ruin it for anyone. However, this would be a very short review if I didn't mention it at all. So please be warned that the remainder of the review contains spoilers. If you don’t want to know, it’s time to stop reading.

The story is built around Gil Pender (Wilson), who arrives in Paris with his fiancée, Inez (McAdams). He’s a writer hoping to find inspiration and she wants to see some of the local sights. The two explore the city with friends Paul (Sheen) and Carol. Paul claims to be an authority on everything and Gil is annoyed by him, but Inez used to have a crush on Paul and enjoys his company.

One evening, Gil decides that he will take a walk alone to get away from Paul. He’s a little drunk and manages to get lost, and eventually finds himself sitting on some steps at midnight. It’s here that the entire movie changes. A vintage car stops and the people inside urge Gil to get in. They take him to a party and he discovers that Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald are among the guests. He’s surprised at their names, and even more baffled when he’s introduced to Ernest Hemingway.

Gil has traveled back into the 1920s.

What would you say to Fitzgerald and Hemingway if you were an aspiring writer? Gil is both astonished and thrilled to be in their presence and mentions that he’s also a writer. The trip to the past isn’t permanent and he wakes up in the present the next morning. Was it just a dream, or was it real? Allen never explains how Gil returns from the past.

He tries to reenact the event, taking Inez with him, but she leaves before midnight. When the clock strikes, the car appears again and he’s back in the past. He’s introduced to other famous artists, singers and writers, and Gertrude Stein (Bates) critiques his manuscript. Gil seems at home in the 1920s and happier than when he is with Inez in the present. The people seem to understand him better and he fits right in. 

The story is filled with interesting encounters. The characters spend a lot of time talking, and Allen’s imagination keeps things more than interesting. I found it quite gripping. I particularly enjoyed the scenes with Hemingway and was reminded of Dan Simmons’ fictional book about him, The Crook Factory. Every encounter with people from 1920s Paris was both charming and intriguing. I found myself imagining how they must have lived, and what it would be like to exist in such a creative environment.

The audience in my theater laughed often and everyone left with a smile on their face. It was a magical experience seeing people such as Dali (Brody) and Picasso before they were famous. The setting was perfect, showing the contrast between modern Paris and the city as it was almost a century ago.

Wilson was as good as I have ever seen him in the role that Allen presumably would have played in his youth. I like Wilson’s quirky delivery and his character wasn’t too far removed from the one he played in The Darjeeling Limited. Gil enjoys defying expectations and isn’t understood by his friends and potential in-laws.

All of the acting impressed me and Sheen was just about perfect as the insufferable Paul. The story was imaginative and different, and not at all what I expected. I left the theater grinning and charmed by the whole story. Allen’s last Oscar came in 1987 when he won for Best Screenplay (Hannah and Her Sisters). I wouldn’t be surprised if Midnight in Paris received a couple of nominations, and he might just win a fourth Oscar.

If you enjoy Woody Allen at all, Midnight in Paris is well worth a trip to the theater. Its charm will draw you in and the dialogue will make you laugh.

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Four Weddings and a Funeral: Good observational humor

Four Weddings and a Funeral (comedy, romance, drama)

Directed by Mike Newell

Starring Hugh Grant, Andie MacDowell, Simon Callow and James Fleet

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer | 1994 | 117 min | Rated R | Released Jan 11, 2011

Video:

Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC

Video resolution: 1080p

Aspect ratio: 1.85:1

Audio:

English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1

French, Italian, Spanish: DTS 5.1

Polish, Portuguese, Spanish: Dolby Digital 2.0

Subtitles:

English SDH, Catalan, Danish, Dutch, French, Greek, Hebrew, Italian, Norwegian, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish

Discs:

Single 50GB Blu-ray Disc

The Film 3.5/5

Four Weddings and a Funeral was released in 1994 and was a breakout role for Hugh Grant. If you have seen Notting Hill, Love Actually or the Bridget Jones movies, you’ll know that Grant plays similar characters in every movie. Writer Richard Curtis wrote all of those screenplays and understands what Grant can do. He typically plays eloquent characters who are a bit confused about what they want in life. He has great comic timing and plays his roles with a lot of charm.

The movie opens with Charles (Grant) late for a wedding. We see him dash around with his flatmate, Scarlett, and drive like a maniac to reach the church on time. He’s the best man, but he’s forgotten to bring the rings. This opening sequence is pretty funny and sets the scene well.

Almost all of the action takes place at the four weddings and the funeral mentioned in the title. We are introduced to Charles and his friends, and they appear at every wedding. Tom (Fleet) is one of the richest men in Britain, but is clueless about women and doesn’t have a girlfriend. He’s amusing and harmless and reminds me of Colin Firth’s character in Love Actually. Gareth embraces life and throws himself into any situation without stopping to worry whether he’s making a fool of himself, while Matthew is his lover.

The story is full of good observations about human behavior. If you have ever been to a wedding, you’ll recognize the types of character portrayed in the movie. Some are there because they genuinely want to be, but others tag along as an excuse to get drunk or to seek romantic partners of their own. Some are touching and others are embarrassing or annoying.

At the first wedding, Charles encounters Carrie (MacDowell). He likes her instantly and changes his plans so that he stays at the same inn. They have a romantic moment, but it quickly ends when Carrie announces that she has to return to America.

The rest of the movie shows meetings between Charles and Carrie at each of the weddings. Their situations change each time, but it’s clear that they like each other. Charles runs into previous girlfriends continually, but considers marriage as something to be avoided for the most part. In contrast, Gareth thinks marriage is a good way to get out of a boring conversation.

Charles has a brother, David, who is deaf and communicates through sign language. That sets up a few of the funnier scenes when Charles lies about what David is saying. Another interesting character is Father Gerald; a young priest played by Rowan Atkinson. Most American viewers will know him as Mr. Bean, but he’s appeared in numerous movies of this type as well as Blackadder, which was a TV series also written by Curtis. Father Gerald isn’t a very good priest, but he’ll probably make you laugh.

The movie succeeds because the characters are believable and similar to people we have encountered in our own lives. It’s easy to identify with the main characters because the story rings true. It’s above average in terms of romantic comedies and also works as pure comedy. Even if you don’t care about Charles and Carrie, there’s plenty to smile at. I wouldn’t rate Four Weddings and a Funeral up there with Love Actually, but it’s worth seeing.

Video Quality 3.5/5

Unless you bought Target’s exclusive version in January, this is the first time you’ll have had the chance to see Four Weddings and a Funeral on Blu-ray. The result is a clear upgrade, as you would expect, but it’s not a stellar transfer by any means. The movie is plagued with minor scratches and dirt throughout the 118 minutes. The image is soft at times and clarity never threatens to dazzle the viewer. Colors are accurate, but a little subdued. I briefly considered a 3/5 rating, but I think most of the presentation deserves the extra half point. Fans of the movie should buy it, but temper expectations.

Audio Quality 4/5

The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 is more than adequate, but this isn’t the kind of movie that makes full use of sound. It consists of dialogue-driven scenes for the most part, although the surrounds do add depth in the wedding reception scenes. I thought I detected minor sync issues in a couple of places, but they were brief.

Special Features 3/5

The special features are all presented in standard definition and were included on the DVD version of the movie.

Commentary with Director Mike Newell, Producer Duncan Kenworthy and Writer Richard Curtis.

In the Making (7:45)

The Wedding Planners (29:48) – A longer look at how the movie was made.

Two Actors and a Director (5:41) – Explaining how Grant and MacDowell were chosen for the lead roles.

Deleted Scenes (4:02) – Six brief scenes.

Promotional Spots (3:26)

Theatrical Trailer (2:08)

Four Weddings and a Funeral is a lot of fun, and works well for fans of British humor. Grant and MacDowell play their roles well. The Blu-ray offers a reasonable upgrade and is worth adding to your collection if you’re a fan of the movie or if you like romantic comedies. The price is very attractive at the moment and is readily available for under $12. The best price at the time of writing is $8.49 at Barnes & Noble. 

Overall score 3.5/5 

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Delicatessen - Cannibalism can be funny

Delicatessen (comedy, romance, fantasy)

Directed by Marc Caro and Jean-Pierre Jeunet

Starring Dominique Pinon, Marie-Laure Dougnac and Jean-Claude Dreyfus

Lionsgate Films | 1991 | 99 min | Rated R | Released Sep 14, 2010

Video:

Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC

Video resolution: 1080p

Aspect ratio: 1.85:1

Audio:

French, German, Spanish: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0

Subtitles:

English, Dutch, Finnish, French, German, Japanese, Norwegian, Spanish, Swedish

Discs:

Single 50GB Blu-ray Disc

The Film 4/5

Delicatessen is an unusual film. If you have seen any of Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s other works, you’ll have an idea of what to expect. There are no jokes, but there is a lot of weird visual humor. It’s like meeting a French version of Quentin Tarantino or David Lynch.

The plot, such as it is, is set in an apartment complex above a delicatessen. The butcher, Clapet, hires people to do odd jobs. We are never told what year it is, but the action takes place in a post-apocalyptic world where food is scarce. Clapet’s motive for hiring people is to kill them and feed their body to the building’s inhabitants. The movie’s opening scene shows one such murder.

A new man arrives to apply for the now vacant position. He’s Louison (Pinon), an ex-circus clown. He has no money so pays for his taxi with his shoes, and then wears clown shoes for the remainder of the film. Clapet hires him. Pinon has appeared in every Jeunet film in the past 20 years and seems perfectly at home with the director’s quirky style.

The building is falling apart and Louison has plenty of work. He is generally well-liked and soon attracts the attention of the butcher’s daughter, Julie (Dougnac). An unlikely romance blooms between the two and she begs her father not to kill Louison. She wears glasses and can barely see without them, but takes them off for her first date with Louison. The results are hilarious. She tells him that people in the building get eaten, but he has fallen asleep and misses the warning.

If you have seen the trailer, you’ll be familiar with a sequence in which the butcher has sex on a squeaky bed. We are shown various odd characters engaging in weird activities, and they all synchronize their actions with the sound of the springs squeaking. I don’t think I have seen anything else like it.

Sound travels through the building’s pipes and is used to develop parts of the plot. In an early scene, the camera takes us through a pipe to show where it leads. Very Lynchian.

Jeunet is original, creative, weird and genuinely funny, in a dry sort of way. The overall mix is unique. The film plays more like a series of vaguely connected scenes than a fluid story, but each element has something interesting. I couldn’t take my eyes off the screen.

Video Quality 4.5/5

The world of Delicatessen is filled with mist and grime. Outdoor scenes are deliberately murky and the image looks a little soft and noisy, but such scenes are infrequent. Detail is strong in the remaining scenes and shines during the frequent close-ups. Jeunet’s films have unusual color palettes too. For example, Amelie is full of greens and reds. Delicatessen has a reddish-brown tint and it fits the atmosphere well. Apart from the few misty shots, the overall quality is excellent for a film with such a low budget.

Audio Quality 4/5

The French DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 mix does its job well. Dialogue is clear and it’s easy to hear frogs croaking and water rushing, as well as the unusual musical duets performed by Julie and Louison. The score has a distinctly French feel to it and adds something to the overall mood. Subtitles are displayed in white text and appear inside the frame.

Special Features 4/5

There’s plenty of background information to be found for those wanting to know more about the film:

Making of: Fine Cooked Pork Meats (13 minutes)

Trailer and Teaser (4 minutes)

Main Course Pieces (65 minutes)

Audio Commentary (Jeunet’s comments in French with optional subtitles)

Jean-Pierre Jeunet's Archives (9 minutes)

What is Delicatessen? Is it a comedy? A romance? Fantasy? Horror? It’s a wonderfully unique mess served up as only Jeunet can. If you are already a fan of his work, this fits right in. For those new to it, this is a good place to start. I prefer Amelie and A Very Long Engagement, but Delicatessen has a lot of replay value and I’m happy to have it in my collection. Give it a try if you don't mind foreign language films.

Overall score 4/5  

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Lolita: Kubrick's controversial film finally available on Blu-ray

Lolita (drama, romance)

Directed by Stanley Kubrick

Starring James Mason, Peter Sellers, Shelley Winters and Sue Lyon

Warner Bros. | 1962 | 154 min | Released May 31, 2011

Video:

Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC

Video resolution: 1080p

Aspect ratio: 1.66:1

Audio:

English: DTS-HD Master Audio 1.0

French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish (Castillan and Latin): Dolby Digital 1.0

Subtitles:

English SDH, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Norwegian, Portuguese, Portuguese (Brasil), Spanish (Castillan and Latin), Swedish

Disc:

Single 25GB Blu-ray Disc

The Film 4/5

Stanley Kubrick was capable of working in any genre, ranging from historical epics to futuristic science fiction. He gave us serious drama and dark comedy. Lolita certainly has its serious moments, but it’s also filled with dark humor and is arguably his most controversial film.

Vladimir Nabokov’s book was about a 12-year-old girl and would have been an even more controversial film if Kubrick had kept Lolita at that age. In the film, Lolita (Lyon) is a 14-year-old and it changes the overall tone somewhat.

Professor Humbert Humbert (Mason) is a British author looking for a home in New Hampshire. He visits Charlotte Haze (Winters) who is looking to rent a room. Humbert is on the verge of leaving and looking elsewhere, but sees her daughter, Lolita, sunbathing in the garden. He decides to stay and becomes obsessed with her. From his viewpoint, Lolita is flirting with him. She kisses him and plays with her hula hoop right in front of him. Meanwhile, Charlotte is hoping to start a relationship of her own with Humbert and doesn’t notice the attention he gives Lolita.

Humbert’s obsession grows and he keeps a secret journal about his feelings, but he’s dismayed when Charlotte sends Lolita to summer camp 200 miles away. Charlotte then writes a letter to Humbert declaring her love for him and issues an ultimatum. She tells him to leave, or stay and marry her. He finds the letter hilarious and has no interest in her, but marries her to be close to Lolita. This act shows the extent of his obsession.

After the marriage, Charlotte decides to send Lolita to boarding school. Humbert fantasizes about killing her and spending the rest of his life with Lolita. Charlotte discovers his diary and true feelings and decides that she can’t live with the knowledge, leaving Humbert to pursue his plan.

Another key character is that of Clare Quilty (Sellers). The opening scene of the film shows Humbert tracking down Quilty and shooting him. The remainder of the film shows the events leading up to Quilty’s murder. Sellers plays the part well and tries to manipulate Humbert by pretending to be several different people. In Dr. Strangelove, the characters he portrays actually are separate individuals, but that’s not the case here. Sellers writes plays and wants Lolita to appear in one, but seems to have an ulterior motive.

We see everything from Humbert’s point of view and he’s also the narrator at times. Was Kubrick trying to make us empathize with Humbert’s feelings by placing us in his position? Was he trying to get us to root for Humbert and hope that he would somehow end up with Lolita?

The film is long at 154 minutes, but never seems to drag. Although we know that Humbert shoots Quilty, we don’t know why until we see the preceding events. Kubrick makes some of Lolita’s actions deliberately ambiguous so that we’re left wondering whether she was flirting with Humbert. The overall impression is that she’s not as innocent as she may appear.

The film is mainly about obsession and its impact on people’s lives. Humbert’s thoughts are far from pure. He wants Lolita and, although he doesn’t kill Charlotte, he certainly considers doing so. The choice to make Lolita 14 helped avoid some of the controversy, but this is still a film that will be emotionally upsetting for some. Much of its impact depends on our imagination and will vary from one viewer to the next.

Mason is particularly effective as the polite Englishman, while Sellers and Winters also play their parts well. Lyon doesn’t get much time on screen considering she’s the motivation for everything that Humbert does, but she’s believable in the role.

With the release of Lolita and Barry Lyndon, and The Killing announced for August (with Killer’s Kiss among the special features), all of Kubrick’s films will be available on Blu-ray with the exception of Fear and Desire which he disowned.

Video Quality 3.5/5

Lolita looks a little disappointing on Blu-ray. The 154-minute running time is contained on a single-layered disc with a modest bitrate, making me wonder whether the quality was compromised. The black and white presentation is lacking in detail and generally looks soft. It doesn’t hold up well alongside a title such as Psycho. Grain is light and some scenes do look quite impressive, but I hoped for more. It’s still a clear upgrade over the DVD of course.

Audio Quality 4/5

The DTS-HD Master Audio 1.0 track is a definite upgrade. The mono presentation packs quite a punch and dialogue is clear throughout. We can also hear background effects such as water filling Charlotte’s bath. There are no disturbing pops or crackles. The sound quality couldn’t have been much better considering the limitations of the source.

Special Effects 0/5

With the exception of a 1-minute trailer in SD, there’s nothing included apart from the film.

Lolita demonstrates the variety of Kubrick’s subject matter and challenges the audience. I would recommend the Blu-ray to any Kubrick fan as I believe it’s one of his best films. It has drama, a sense of mystery and a lot of humor. It’s an easy decision for fans of the film with Amazon.com’s asking price of $14.99 at the time of writing.

For those new to the film, be aware that the presentation is merely adequate. The story won’t be for everyone and could drag if you aren’t familiar with Kubrick’s style.

I’m delighted to have it in my collection, but did hope for a release with better video quality and extensive special features.

Overall 4/5

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You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger

You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger (comedy, romance)

Directed by Woody Allen

Starring Anthony Hopkins, Naomi Watts, Josh Brolin, Gemma Jones and Freida Pinto

Sony Pictures | 2010 | 98 min | Rated R | Released Feb 15, 2011

Video:

Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC

Video resolution: 1080p

Aspect ratio: 1.78:1

Audio:

English, French: DTS-HD Master Audio 3.0

Subtitles:

English, English SDH, French

Disc:

Single 25GB Blu-ray Disc

The Film 4/5

When you watch a Woody Allen film, you can expect several things: There will almost certainly be a narrator, the story will be dialogue-driven, the cast will be fantastic and there will be a few insights about human nature. He'll probably make you laugh too. There’s an honesty about his writing that’s often lacking in similar films.

You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger is about an old married couple, a younger married couple and a few single people who are woven into the mix. They all live in London, England. The older couple is Helena (Jones) and Alfie (Hopkins) and they are separated. Helena reacts by trying to commit suicide and Alfie by proposing to Charmaine; a woman half his age.

Their daughter, Sally (Watts), has a relationship with both parents and is married to Roy (Brolin). Sally and Roy have become bored with each other and are starting to notice other people. Sally has a crush on her boss, Greg (Antonio Banderas), while Roy has his eye on an attractive neighbor, Dia (Pinto).

Helena regularly visits a psychic who assures her that her life is about to get better. She will find a new love and be happy. Sally plays along to keep her mother happy and hopeful.

We learn that Alfie’s wife-to-be is called Charmaine and he lies about how they met. She was actually a call girl. Her motivation seems to be to take Alfie for all the money he has. Roy meets Dia for lunch and continues to pursue her even when he learns that she’s engaged. Sally doesn’t notice Roy’s behavior because she’s too busy spending time with Greg.

Roy’s other motivation in life is finding a publisher for his latest book. His first was a success, but he’s having trouble selling his fourth. When tragedy strikes some of his friends, Roy’s true nature becomes clear.

The four principal characters are all flawed. They lie routinely to protect their fragile relationships and we rarely see a true exchange between them. When we do, the outcome is usually damaging to their relationships.

Each character has hopes and dreams and is willing to make big changes in order to fulfill them. All four suffer setbacks when their lies and unethical behavior catches up with them. These are not bad people; they are just tired with their boring existence. It’s human nature to reach for something better, but it’s not always easy to do so without hurting people you are supposed to love.

Allen is a master at exposing the weaknesses in people. He realizes that we all have them to some degree. His actors all do the material justice and I would expect nothing less from such a talented group.

The stories and subplots held my attention throughout. I found myself wanting to see what happened to these well-defined characters. There are a few twists and turns and Allen doesn’t tell us what happens to every character. He doesn’t need to. This is a fascinating snapshot of people’s lives and it’s entertaining as it is.

As our narrator tells us at the end, “sometimes the illusions work better than the medicine.”

How many people are doing exactly that in their lives? It’s often easier to fool yourself rather than face up to the truth.

Video Quality 4/5

The Blu-ray presentation of the film isn’t something you would choose to show off your home theater, but it looks decent enough. Detail is moderate, but the images are clean and natural-looking. I have seen similar settings in London and felt completely at home.

Audio Quality 3.5/5

It’s rare for a film to feature a DTS-HD Master Audio 3.0 mix, but it works. Sort of. Allen’s films tend to focus on dialogue and this track presents it clearly. Where it misses the mark is in scenes featuring background noise. The rear speakers won’t enhance the sound of heavy rain or traffic in the way that you would expect. That doesn’t detract from the experience too much because of the nature of the film.

Special Features 0/5

Aside from a trailer and a few promos, there’s nothing included apart from the film itself.

Would I recommend the film? If, like me, you enjoy Woody Allen’s films, this is well worth seeing. Its structure is similar to other Allen films or something like Mike Nichols’ Closer (which is superior). Casual viewers might be disappointed as the film deals with the subtleties of human nature. It’s interesting rather than thrilling.

Overall score 4/5 for Allen fans, 3/5 for those unfamiliar with his work.

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