The Incredibles: Another Pixar title gets the HD treatment

The Incredibles (animation, action, adventure)

Directed by Brad Bird

Starring the voices of Craig T. Nelson, Holly Hunter, Samuel L. Jackson and Jason Lee

Disney / Buena Vista | 2004 | 115 min | Rated PG | Released Apr 12, 2011

Video:

Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC

Video resolution: 1080p

Aspect ratio: 2.39:1

Audio:

English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 ES Matrix

French, Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1 EX

English: Dolby Digital 2.0

Subtitles:

English SDH, French, Spanish

Discs:

50GB Blu-ray Disc

Four-disc set (2 BDs, 2 DVDs)

DVD copy

Digital copy

The Film 4/5

Pixar has given us lovable monsters, fish, ants, rats, toys, cars, a service robot and a floating house. None of those subjects sounded particularly interesting to me, but I ended up loving every film. It’s hard to select a favorite because every one has merit, but I would pick Ratatouille if forced to choose. That was written and directed by Brad Bird who also wrote and directed The Incredibles.

I’m not a fan of superhero movies in general. They tend to focus on the special powers of the superhero and tell us very little else. The characters are usually little more than sketches. That said, each one is highly anticipated and almost guarantees success at the box office. It’s the most popular genre. Christopher Nolan elevated the genre to a new level with Batman Begins and the hugely popular Dark Knight. They remain my favorite superhero movies by far, but why do I believe that?

Nolan gives his characters depth and we understand why they do what they do. He also makes it seem possible that they can do what they do. Quite simply, I believe that such characters could exist. 

The Incredibles uses a similar technique and puts the characters in today’s world. What happens to superheroes that grow old and fat? What do they do when they aren’t foiling crimes? What if they try to help someone who doesn’t want to be helped? Do superheroes marry and start a family? If they did, would their children also have special powers?

All of these things are addressed and more.

We learn some of the character’s motivations at the beginning of the movie when they are interviewed on TV. Each superhero is introduced. We meet Mr. Incredible (strength), Elastigirl (flexibility) and Frozone (freezes things). There’s also a boy who calls himself Incrediboy and wants to be Mr. Incredibles’ sidekick, but he’s rejected and not allowed to become part of the team.

After a series of incidents end in people suing the superheroes, the government forces them to retire, relocate and live as normal people. Mr. Incredible and Elastigirl marry and have three children. Violet can become invisible and make force shields, while her brother, Dash, runs at an incredible speed. Baby Jack-Jack is still developing his powers.

They are known as the Parr family and try to remain inconspicuous. Mr. Incredible and Frozone pine for the old days and secretly fight crime by lying to their wives and claiming to go bowling. They are being monitored and Mr. Incredible is given a solo mission by an unknown agency. He succeeds, but almost dies in the process. We learn that Incrediboy has never recovered from the rejection 15 years earlier and that he’s been scheming to get his revenge under his new name, Syndrome.

The movie is full of invention. Although many of the characters seem to have been inspired by the Fantastic Four, they use their powers in unpredictable ways. The family members are particularly good at combining their skills and there’s a lot of humor in the film. Some of it is quite subtle and best appreciated by adults, but there’s plenty for the kids too. It’s an action-packed story filled with explosions and battles. Syndrome’s hideout looks like something out of a James Bond movie, as do many of the gadgets.

The conclusion is satisfying and paves the way for a sequel should Pixar ever decide to make one. This is a movie that has the potential to appeal to viewers of any age and it’s a lot of fun. If I learned one thing it’s that wearing a cape can be a dangerous business.

Video Quality 5/5

Disney consistently produces wonderful transfers. Some of the classic titles were made 70 years ago and look better than ever. Pixar hasn’t been around that long and the animation looks modern and three-dimensional. Every Pixar movie to date has been just about perfect and The Incredibles is no different.

Audio Quality 5/5

The Incredibles is a good choice to show off your home theater system. As well as a stunning transfer, the sound quality will satisfy any movie enthusiast. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 ES mix is capable of shaking the room at times, but doesn’t disappoint with the finer details. Dialogue and ambient sounds are all crystal clear.

Special Features 5/5

There are over eight hours of special features spread across two Blu-ray discs:

Audio commentary with director Brad Bird and producer John Walker.

Audio commentary with the animators.  

Bounding (short film, 4:40)

Jack-Jack Attack (short film, 4:42)

Jack-Jack Attack Exploded (the short with a commentary track, 4:43)

The Incredibles Revisited (22:06)

Paths to Pixar: Story Artists (5:53)

Studio Stories: Gary’s Birthday (1:24)

Ending with a Bang: Making the End Credits (1:35)

The New Nomanisan: A Top Secret Redevelopment Plan (3:30)

Deleted Scenes in HD (35 minutes)

Incredibles Teaser (2 minutes)

Classic Content: A 27-minute making of feature and around 70 minutes looking at the design of the movie.

Art Gallery

Trailers for The Lion King and Cars 2

Free movie ticket for Cars 2 (enter your DMR code and print the ticket – expires Aug. 7)

Disney titles look wonderful on Blu-ray. The studio pulls out all the stops once again to deliver a package that any fan of the movie will be delighted with. Perfect video and audio, a good story, eight hours of extras, a DVD copy, a digital copy and a free movie ticket. Now all we need is Finding Nemo. 

Add this to your collection if you haven’t already done so.

Overall score 4.5/5

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Blow Out: Travolta excels in an early role

Blow Out (crime, drama, mystery)

Directed by Brian De Palma

Starring John Travolta, Nancy Allen, John Lithgow and Dennis Franz

Criterion | 1981 | 108 min | Rated R | Released Apr 26, 2011

Video:

Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC

Video resolution: 1080p

Aspect ratio: 2.40:1

Audio:

English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0

Subtitles:

English SDH

Disc:

Single 50GB Blu-ray Disc

The Film 4.5/5

Jack Terry (Travolta) is a sound-effects man who works on B-movies for a Philadelphia-based studio. One night, he decides to go out to record some new effects. He captures the sound of leaves rustling in the wind, a frog croaking, an owl hooting and a couple’s conversation. They mention that someone is watching them from a nearby bridge.

Jack inadvertently records a car accident and a gunshot heard before it veers off the road into a creek. He runs over and leaps into the water, pulling a woman from the car, but too late to save the man she is with. The woman, Sally (Allen), survives the accident with no apparent injuries. The dead man turns out to be Governor McRyan, a potential presidential candidate.

The police write the crash off as an accident, but Jack knows what he heard and reconstructs the scene in his mind by listening to his recording. We find out that someone caught the crash on film and sold it to various publications. Jack matches the images to the sounds and is certain the crash was caused by a bullet hitting a tire. None of the authorities seem interested so he seeks Sally’s help to prove his theory.

De Palma builds suspense throughout and a plot to discredit the Governor is gradually revealed. Sally was working for Manny (Franz), a private eye, and they have a history of using her to ruin people’s public images with the help of a henchman known as Burke (Lithgow). Burke has an agenda of his own and exceeds his authority.

Nobody wants to admit that McRyan had a woman in the car and a full cover-up is set in motion. Burke is out to tie up any loose ends and silence the potential threat from Jack and Sally.

De Palma brings to mind Michelangelo Antonioni’s Blow Up as well as a number of Alfred Hitchcock’s movies. He confirms in the special features that the film was inspired by the JFK shooting and subsequent events.

The resulting mix is an intriguing mystery, filled with suspense and a little action. Will Jack be able to prove his theory and make it public, or will it be buried? The final shot is a memorable one and the film doesn’t have a traditional Hollywood ending. It works for me.

Video Quality 4/5

It’s difficult to grade Criterion’s newly-restored presentation because the quality varies. In brightly-lit scenes, detail is exceptional considering the age of the film. Some of the scenes are dark and filled with heavy grain. I didn’t notice any dirt or debris, but did see vertical lines on the screen a couple of times. Overall, I was pleased. Criterion does everything possible with its transfers and didn’t let me down here.

Sound Quality 5/5

Sound understandably plays an important part in the film and the DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 track delivers. Some scenes are made up of a multitude of different sounds, presumably to draw our attention to what we are hearing. It’s particularly evident when Jack is recording his sound-effects tape and captures the car’s crash. Dialogue is clear throughout and it’s hard to imagine a better quality track than this one.

Special Features 5/5

A 58-minute interview with De Palma conducted by Noah Baumback (1080p). De Palma talks about many technical aspects of the film including the split diopter and Steadicam, as well as some of the difficulties faced during filming. He also mentions Alfred Hitchcock and some of the things that influenced the story.

De Palma’s 1967 film, Murder a la Mod, appears here in full (81 minutes, 1080p).

Interview with Nancy Allen (26 minutes, 1080p).

Interview with Garrett Brown, inventor of the Steadicam (16 minutes, 1080p).

Louis Goldman photographs showing stills from Blow Out.

Trailer (2 minutes, 1080p)

34-page booklet

Criterion’s recent release does justice to an important film and is thoroughly worth the upgrade to Blu-ray. You’re actually getting two De Palma films in this package and Blow Out is one of Travolta’s best films. I wonder how influential his performance here was in convincing Quentin Tarantino (a huge De Palma fan) to cast him in Pulp Fiction? 

At the time of writing, the Blu-ray is available at the bargain price of $18.99 at Amazon.com.

Overall score 4.5/5 

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Au revoir les enfants: One gesture can be fatal

Au revoir les enfants (drama, war)

Directed by Louis Malle

Starring Gaspard Manesse, Raphael Fejtö and Francine Racette

Criterion | 1987 | 104 min | Rated PG | Released Mar 15, 2011

Video:

Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC

Video resolution: 1080p

Aspect ratio: 1.66:1

Audio:

French: LPCM Mono

Subtitles:

English

Disc:

Single 50GB Blu-ray Disc

The Film 4.5/5

Au revoir les enfants is a semi-autobiographical story from director Louis Malle who was born in 1932 and lived through many of the events depicted on the screen. Because it’s based on the truth, it has added meaning for the viewer. It’s about school, friendship, racism and regret.

The story begins with a 15-year-old boy, Julien Quentin (Manesse), leaving his mother and taking the train to a Catholic boarding school. The school is run by monks and all of the students are boys. It’s set in the 1940s during the German occupation of France. A new boy, Jean Bonnet (Fejtö), takes the bed next to Quentin.

Most of the students tease Bonnet and make his life a misery. As you have probably experienced, this is typical treatment for a new student in any school. In addition to the teasing, he finds that the water is cold, baths have to be taken in the local town, and air raids disrupt the lessons. Bonnet's life becomes more tolerable when a monk tells Quentin to befriend him without explaining why. After a while, Bonnet’s ability in a wide range of school subjects such as music, math and French, earns Quentin’s respect. The two become friends.

The portrayal of school life is realistic and reminds me somewhat of The 400 Blows. It gradually becomes clear that Bonnet has a secret. He claims to be a protestant and mentions that his father is a prisoner. Quentin searches Bonnet’s locker and uncovers the secret, but he’s not completely aware of its significance at the time. 

When his mother visits, Quentin persuades her to include Bonnet on a trip to a local restaurant. She likes him although he doesn’t say much. While they are eating, we are shown a group of collaborators harassing a Jewish man who simply wants to have dinner. Jews are not allowed in the restaurant. Quentin is puzzled by this treatment and isn’t even sure what a Jew is and why they should be hated.

Quentin matures throughout the film and his awareness of events happening in his life increases. It’s a coming-of-age tale of sorts, and the seemingly innocent existence of the students is overshadowed by something more sinister.

This sad tale will emotionally affect viewers who allow themselves to be drawn into the story. I can only imagine what Malle must have gone through in order to make it. Perhaps it was his way of confessing?

I don’t want to reveal anything more as it might ruin the experience for anyone yet to see it.

Actress Irène Jacob made her film debut in the role of a piano teacher which ultimately led to her being noticed by director Krzysztof Kieslowski. As a result, he cast her in The Double Life of Veronique and Three Colors Red. Both films are essential viewing for film fans who enjoy stories encouraging thought and speculation.

Video Quality 4/5

Criterion’s transfer is strong and has plenty of detail without ruining the intended look of the film. Instances of dirt, debris and scratches are kept to a minimum. The colors are particularly impressive despite the muted setting. 

Audio Quality 4.5/5

This is a quiet film for the most part and the French LPCM 1.0 presentation is clear throughout. The subtitles for the French dialogue are properly paced and easy to follow, while any German spoken in the film is not supposed to be understood and is not subtitled.

Special Features 4/5

Pierre Billard – Film critic and author of Malle’s biography talks about Malle’s career (31 minutes, 1080i)

Candice Bergen – Malle’s wife for 15 years talks about his life and passion for film (14 minutes, 1080i)

Charlie Chaplin’s The Immigrant – Talks about the reason for its appearance in the film (26 minutes, 1080i)

Louis Malle at AFI – Audio only speech (in English) from Malle’s 1988 appearance at the AFI (53 minutes)

Trailers (3 minutes, 1080i)

22-page booklet

One of the best films of the 80s gets the Criterion Blu-ray treatment and the results are stunning. Buy it if you like emotional dramas.

Overall score 4.5/5

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Kes: Another triumph for Criterion

Kes (drama)

Directed by Ken Loach

Starring David Bradley, Colin Welland, Brian Glover

Criterion | 1969 | 110 minutes | Rated PG-13

Video:

Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.66:1

Audio:

English: LPCM Mono
English: Dolby Digital Mono

English: LPCM Mono
English: Dolby Digital Mono (less)

Subtitles:

English SDH

English SDH (less)

Disc:
Single 50GB Blu-ray Disc
Region A locked

The Film 4.5/5

The film contains brief nudity and scenes which may disturb young children.

Kes is a very British film, winning two BAFTA awards from its five nominations. Colin Welland won for best supporting actor and was the only professional actor in the film. David Bradley won for most promising newcomer.

The story deals with a troubled young boy, Billy Casper (Bradley). He is bullied by his older brother at home and similarly treated by his peers in school. He’s insolent, not above lying or stealing and does little to encourage people to like him. He’s a loner.

The setting is Barnsley, Yorkshire, in the north of England. If you have ever seen this part of England depicted in other films, you’ll know that it’s a poor area populated largely by working-class people. In the 1960s, that was very much the case. Billy’s brother worked in a coal mine, as did most of the town. The two had to share the same bed, so you can imagine how poor they were. 

Anyone unfamiliar with British accents may find the thick Yorkshire dialect hard to follow. It’s the main reason that Kes wasn’t given a wide release outside England. I’m completely at home with the accent because my grandfather came from Barnsley. He often talked about his tough upbringing and it gives the film additional meaning for me. His father was a miner and my grandfather only escaped that fate by joining the army.

We see Billy on his paper route, taking time off to read his comic. He also steals eggs from the milkman. Milk is still delivered to each home in the UK in this manner. When his mother and brother go out to a bar on the weekends, Billy is left at home on his own. His brother beats him and the house is generally filled with the sound of his mother and brother arguing loudly. He doesn’t say much at school, but is often the target of bigger boys. 

Early in the film, Billy is taking a walk through the countryside and spies a kestrel. He watches for a while and sees that two kestrels are taking food to a nest. After stealing a book about falconry from a local bookstore, he climbs up to the nest and steals a young kestrel. The bird provides an escape from his unpleasant existence and quickly becomes the focus of his life. This seemingly uneducated boy has discovered his passion. He reads the stolen book and trains the kestrel.

One day, in class, he is asked by a teacher, Mr. Farthing (Welland), to tell the other kids a true story about his life. He’s reluctant and says that he doesn’t have any, but one of the kids mentions his kestrel. This leads to one of the strongest and most emotional scenes in the film. He’s disinterested in everything he is taught and the people around him, but talking about the bird is a different matter. Billy comes alive when he describes how he devotes his time to feeding and training the bird, who he names Kes. Farthing is engrossed in the story and sees for the first time that there’s more to Billy than he imagined. He starts to look out for the boy and even visits him to watch him train Kes. It’s a strong performance from Welland and he deserved his BAFTA award.

The other teachers wouldn’t have a job in modern society. They shout continually and are deeply suspicious of the kids’ behavior. The headmaster uses the cane and doesn’t seem to mind whether those being punished were truly to blame. The gym teacher cheats at soccer and punishes Billy with a cold shower for conceding a goal. Farthing is the only one who looks at the kids as if they are young people with a chance to make something of their lives.

There’s a strong political message in the film, confirmed during interviews in the special features, that many kids have no chance to escape their miserable reality. Billy visits a careers officer who only seems interested in placing him in a pigeon hole. He’ll either work in an office if he has the aptitude, or he’ll become a miner. The writers talk about how two-thirds of their generation suffered a similar fate. When we see Billy so animated, talking about Kes, it’s a sign of his true potential. Will it be recognized or will his life be written off by others as insignificant? This is the essence of the film, along with how Billy substitutes friendship with his love for Kes.

Billy’s dishonest nature eventually becomes a problem for him and there are some extremely sad scenes. 

The story is based on the book A Kestrel for a Knave by Barry Hines. Bradley was 14 when the film was made and was chosen from pupils who attended the school mentioned in the book. All of the children came from one of three schools in the town. The gym teacher (Brian Glover, Alien 3) was a real teacher at the time and Kes was his first film.

Video Quality 4.5/5

The film was made in 1969 on a low budget, but looks wonderful. Criterion's restoration was approved by director Ken Loach. There are occasional white speckles and softness, but the new transfer looks natural and full of detail. This is exactly what I would expect from Criterion, who, along with Disney, continue to maintain the highest possible standards.

Audio Quality 4/5

Two options are offered on the menu: The filmmaker’s original soundtrack with production dialogue (English LPCM 1.0) and the internationally released soundtrack with postsync dialogue (English Dolby Digital 1.0). I recommend the original version. Everything is clear, including the dialogue, but some viewers may benefit from the English subtitles due to the heavy Yorkshire accent.

Special Features 5/5

Making Kes (45 minutes, 1080p) tells you everything you might want to know about the film. Criterion interviewed director Ken Loach, producer Tony Garnett, actor David Bradley and cinematographer Chris Menges in 2010 to discuss their recollections.

The South Bank Show (50 minutes, 1080i) looks at the career of Ken Loach.

Cathy Come Home (77 minutes, 1080i) is an early film from Loach and Garnett shown here in its entirety.

Trailer (3 minutes, 1080p)

Booklet (22 pages) including an essay by Graham Fuller

Kes is a wonderful human interest story with a number of deeper themes thrown into the mix, although the story ends rather abruptly. The largely amateur cast was authentic and did a good job of portraying life in Barnsley. It’s on record at IMDB as being director Krzysztof Kieslowski’s (The Double Life of Veronique, Three Colors Trilogy) favorite film. I wouldn’t quite go that far, but it’s certainly worth owning. Amazon.com has it at the bargain price of $18.99 at the time of writing. I’m glad I took advantage.

Overall score 4.5/5

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Black Swan: Good film, average Blu-ray presentation

Black Swan (drama, mystery, thriller)
Directed by Darren Aronofsky
Starring Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis, Vincent Cassel, Barbara Hershey and Winona Ryder 

20th Century Fox | 2010 | 108 min | Rated R | 

Video:
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.40:1

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

Subtitles:
English SDH, Spanish 

Disc:
Single 50GB Blu-ray disc

The Film 4.5/5

With five Oscar nominations (cinematography, best picture, best director, editing and best leading actress), Black Swan took home the best actress statue for Natalie Portman. The $13 million budget meant that certain sacrifices had to be made, but the result is still a film of high quality.

Aronofsky's films are always challenging and frequently show the ugly truth behind an apparently glamorous existence. The Wrestler is the most glaring example. He's also no stranger to obsession as The Fountain clearly demonstrated.

It's almost impossible to write a meaningful review without revealing some of the plot elements, so stop reading now if you want to see the film without knowing anything.

Black Swan is a psychological drama along the lines of Psycho, rather than a film about dance. Nina (Portman) is a ballet dancer who wants the leading role in a new adaptation of Swan Lake. The role consists of two elements; the white swan and the black swan. She's apparently the best candidate for the role and performs the white swan better than anyone, but is encouraged to abandon her self-control in order to access the emotions needed to dance the black swan. In order to do so, she toughens up mentally, becomes more assertive and confrontational and explores her sexuality.

Like Mulholland Dr. and Fight Club, the line between what is real and what is imagined is not obvious on first viewing. Nina is a disturbed young woman who has trouble staying grounded in reality. She imagines terrible things and obsesses about winning the role. Her duality is gradually revealed throughout the film and will frighten some people who allow themselves to become fully involved with the story.

I won't spoil things further, but Black Swan is an interesting tale of Nina's search for perfection in her art.

The technical aspects of the film are superb. The camera is frequently used to follow the dancers on stage and puts the viewer among the action. It's quite breathtaking in places. The editing and digital manipulation both convince the audience that Portman is performing all of the moves a ballet dancer might make.

Portman trained for 10 months to learn how to move like a dancer. She also dieted so that her body looked the part. She fully deserved her Oscar win for this performance. The supporting cast is strong in all areas, with her mother (Hershey), and her closest rival for the part of the swan queen, Lily (Kunis), both doing good work.

Video Quality 4/5
Shot partially in 16mm and also digitally, Black Swan lacks the level of detail normally associated with a Blu-ray presentation. Many of the scenes are dark, while others are stylistic and intentionally soft. Heavy grain is present, but the look is very similar to the theatrical presentation. This is not a poor transfer; it's an accurate reproduction of the film's original look. Many of the softer shots were probably intended to convey the dream-like quality of certain scenes. Don't expect to be blown away.

Audio Quality 4.5/5
Sound is an important part of Black Swan. Clint Mansell's score enhances the experience considerably and the ambient sounds add to the mood. The sound of rustling feathers is particularly effective and disturbing. I'm left with the impression that Aronofsky lovingly crafted every component of the film.

Special Features 4/5
The special features are not exhaustive, but what's included is excellent. There are interviews with Aronofsky, Portman, Hershey, Cassel and Ryder. There's also a 49-minute featurette on how the film was made, including the music, cinematography and special effects. Well worth a look if you're a fan.

Similar films
It's hard to talk about Black Swan without thinking about The Red Shoes (1948). Both films feature ballet dancers who are striving to perfect their art. I'm also reminded of films dealing with blurred reality and mental illness such as Psycho, Persona and Repulsion.

Black Swan draws you into its world. If you let it happen, you will be affected emotionally. It was one of the best five films of 2010.

Overall score 4.5/5 

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American Beauty: Kevin Spacey's finest role?

American Beauty (drama)

Directed by Sam Mendes

Starring Kevin Spacey, Annette Bening, Chris Cooper, Thora Birch, Wes Bentley, Mena Suvari

Paramount Pictures | 1999 | 122m | Rated R | Sep 21, 2010

Video:

MPEG-4 AVC | 1080p | 2.35:1

Audio:

English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1

French, Portuguese, Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1

English: Dolby Digital 2.0

Subtitles:

English, English SDH, French, Portuguese, Spanish

Disc:

Single 50GB Blu-ray disc, region free 

The Film 5/5

American Beauty won five Oscars: Actor in a leading role (Kevin Spacey), cinematography (Conrad L. Hall), best director (Sam Mendes), screenplay (Alan Ball) and best picture (Bruce Cohen and Dan Jinks). It’s a weird tale told in an unusual way.

The film contains nudity, violence, bad language, drug use and smoking, so the R-rating is warranted.

We learn during the opening narration that our protagonist, Lester Burnham (Spacey), is going to die. The events leading up to his eventual death are funny, moving, sad and unpredictable. Burnham is a pathetic character entering a mid-life crisis and the film shows how his character changes, as well as the lives of the people around him. There is a significant amount of character development in this story. The choice to use Burnham as a narrator was inspired and adds to the feel of the story.

It’s not strictly a comedy, but it’s full of dark humor that is hard to predict. In short, it's the funniest kind of humor. If you found Fargo or any of Quentin Tarantino's films amusing, you’ll probably laugh at this too.

Burnham changes his life by becoming more assertive and ceasing to care what other people might think. This catalyst for this rebellion is a meeting with his new neighbor, Ricky Fitts (Wes Bentley) who gets high with him before quitting his job on the spot.

One of the most important themes of the film is beauty, as you might guess from the title. What is beauty? How do different people define beauty? The contrast between how the characters view other people is startling in places. Some like what they are told to like and dress how they are told to dress. Others are true individuals and express themselves differently. It’s interesting to see. You might even find yourself changing your own opinion of what is beautiful as the events unfold.

Another theme is the dysfunctional family. The two main families – the Burnham’s and Fitts’ – couldn’t be more different. The one thing they do have in common is that they are living a lie and mostly playing the roles assigned to them by society. They gradually change throughout the movie and try to bring meaning to their lives. we all do this to some extent in our own lives. Why do you do what you do? What do you really want from life and why? Do you set goals in order to get there, or just let things happen? Burnham tries to make things happen.

I’m probably in the minority, but I consider this Spacey’s best role. American Beauty just makes my Top 10 of all time and it’s largely due to his performance. The supporting cast also does good work. His wife (Annette Bening) deals with Burnham’s change in her own way while their daughter (Thora Birch) ignores both parents and lives her own life. Chris Cooper has a small but important role as Mr. Fitts.

Mendes has taken a look beneath the surface of the American family. It seems that everyone has secrets and chooses to hide them from almost everybody else. The film has humor, sadness, an air of mystery and considerable tension, despite the revelation of Burnham's impending death in the opening narration.

Video Quality 3.5/5

The Sapphire Series is off to an inconsistent start. While Braveheart was given an exceptional transfer, Gladiator was not so lucky. There was also an audio problem on Saving Private Ryan. The good news is that Paramount offered a free upgrade to fix the problems. Unfortunately, many people will be disappointed with American Beauty on Blu-ray.

There’s no question that the picture quality is significantly better than that of the DVD. The problem is it’s inconsistent. The majority of the film is plagued by frequent white speckles on the image and occasional print damage. Detail is vastly improved, but the images still look a bit drab and subdued due to the source material. Colors look good throughout and red is boosted in some scenes as Mendes intended.

The few scenes involving Ricky’s camcorder look terrible. I know that it’s due to the source material, but the contrast between those scenes and the main movie is huge. 

Audio Quality 4.5/5

The DTS-HD Master Audio track is a big improvement. Ambient sounds such as rain falling are easy to pick out. Thomas Newman’s haunting score sounds impressive and adds to the overall mood of the film. Dialogue is always easy to understand and the louder scenes, such as Burnham rocking out while driving, have considerable punch. No complaints at all about the sound presentation.

Special Features 3/5

Commentary by Sam Mendes and Alan Ball

American Beauty Look Closer (21:52)

Storyboard with Sam Mendes and Conrad L. Hall (1:01:20)

Theatrical Trailers (3:00 and 1:22)

Similar Movies

American Beauty has a unique feel so it’s hard to suggest similar movies. Revolutionary Road, also directed by Mendes, is another movie exploring dysfunctional families and people living a lie. It’s not as good though and the characters don’t have the same appeal. Strangely enough, I’m also reminded of Wes Anderson’s Fantastic Mr. Fox. While it’s stop motion, the themes and quirkiness of the story are similar. And finally, check out Magnolia. It’s a sprawling study of several different characters and the threads are drawn together expertly by director Paul Thomas Anderson.

Overall, I was pleased with the presentation, but the white speckles were too frequent to be overlooked and were a distraction. I’m not sure whether that could be fixed without a full restoration. If you’re a fan of the film, buy the Blu-ray and enjoy the enhanced presentation, but temper expectations. There’s no guarantee we’ll ever see a better version.

Overall score 4.5/5 

See where American Beauty ranks in my Top 20 dramas.


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Mulholland Dr. will either fascinate you, or you'll hate it

Mulholland Dr. (drama, mystery, thriller)

Cast: Naomi Watts, Laura Harring, Justin Theroux

Director: David Lynch

Optimum Home Entertainment | 2001 | 147m | Rated R | Sep 13, 2010

Video:

MPEG-4 AVC | 1080p | 1.85:1

Audio:

English, French, Italian: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1

Subtitles:

French, Dutch, Italian

Discs:

Single 50GB Blu-ray digibook, Region B (UK import)

The Film 5/5

Mulholland Dr. is a wild ride and it's best to experience it without knowing anything the first time you see it. The plot is non-linear and the ending isn't typical Hollywood fare. Most of my friends hated it and thought it was a waste of their time. But for those who like it, the experience is up there with the best that film has to offer. If you are analytical and curious enough to watch the film two or three times in quick succession, you're the type of person who may end up loving this film. If you haven't seen it and think you fit that description, I hope you will give it a try.

Mulholland Dr. is my favorite film of all time. The prospect of seeing the Blu-ray both excited and scared me as I wondered whether the presentation would be worthy of the film.

It elevated it to a different level.

The story is full of mystery and unfolds like a detective story for the first two-thirds of the film. Betty (Naomi Watts), an aspiring actress, wins a jitterbug contest and uses it as an opportunity to fly to Los Angeles to seek out an acting career. Immediately after, we see a car crash in which Rita (Laura Harring) suffers amnesia and seeks refuge in Betty’s empty home. The two soon meet and Betty tries to help Rita remember who she is.

The film was intended to be a television series and the first two acts were formed by the aborted pilot. Eventually, new funding allowed Lynch to finish the film and it evolved into an entirely different story. The plot isn’t linear, and the distinction between dream and reality becomes increasingly blurred.

This is a complex puzzle that is very hard to take in on the first viewing and is therefore not for everyone. If you like fast-paced action and straightforward stories wrapped up neatly by the end of the movie, you probably won’t appreciate the film. If you enjoy mysteries and being confused and unsettled, it may interest you.

It changed the way I watch movies.

This is the kind of film that possesses you. The best way to view it is to let it carry you along and wash over you. Save your analysis for repeat viewings. And if you have an inquisitive mind, there will be many repeat viewings.

I first saw this film without understanding all of it, but I found myself going over it in my mind and watching it again the next day. Then I wanted to tell all my friends about it. Over time, it has surpassed everything I have ever seen. It’s full of intrigue and makes me feel so many different emotions. It’s quite brilliant and Lynch’s best work, although all of his projects are valuable and important.

Watching one of Lynch’s films takes you on a journey into a different world. There’s something not quite right with the world, but it’s hard to identify exactly what it is. But it adds to the feeling of unease. In Mulholland Dr., he uses interesting camera angles to show you a glimpse of what is ahead. As a result, you become part of the story and see it unfold as the main characters do.

There’s a lot going on in this strange world. We are shown several different characters, initially unconnected, with no explanation of their overall role in the story. This probably happened because the threads were meant to be expanded on in the television series. You will meet film directors, detectives, a hit man, and a whole host of minor characters.

The film is punctuated by moments of bizarre humor. Some of the comedic scenes make me laugh out loud, and that’s not an easy thing to achieve. There are also moments of violence and mystery and ultimately true desolation.

The final act turns everything on its head. Betty and Rita become Diane and Camilla. It’s initially confusing, but everything becomes clear when you think about what you have seen and felt.

It’s full of symbols and metaphors and has an underlying theme which examines the Hollywood industry as a whole.

Lynch creates a mood better than any director I have ever seen. The colors, settings and actions of the characters all enhance the atmospheric presentation, and Angelo Badalamenti’s haunting score completes the experience. Mulholland Dr. has many of the elements that made Twin Peaks my favorite television show of all time. If you like one, you will almost certainly like the other.

I’m not going to expand any further on the plot, such as it is, because it may put you off seeing the film. It’s complex, but it’s very rewarding when you examine the experience after the fact. It’s the kind of film that encourages people to develop their own theories. Lynch refuses to explain it, preferring that you develop your own idea about what it represents.

The film can be viewed as a series of interesting scenes. In fact, that’s probably a good way to view it for the first time. The final act isn’t a predictable occurrence. If you’re someone that finds that refreshing, like me, then you should check out Mulholland Dr. if you haven’t already done so. Several film magazines voted it the best film of the last decade. It’s certainly something that can be appreciated even if you have other favorites.

Video Quality 4/5

The disc opens with trailer in SD, highlighting other StudioCanal titles, but don’t let that worry you. We see Rita in a car crash early in the film and the scene is shot in the dark and looks soft, as are several other scenes in the film. The film is supposed to look that way. But the majority has good detail and better lighting. I didn’t see any dirt or print damage and the overall presentation was extremely clean and pleasing. I didn’t expect the video quality to be great, but I was pleasantly surprised. The opening shots deserve 3.5 due to the lighting and softness, but other scenes reach 4.5. Overall I’ll give it a 4.

Audio Quality 5/5

The opening jitterbug scene gives you an idea of how Mulholland Dr. is going to sound; in a word, wonderful. The ensuing car crash is loud and full of detail. Lynch is obsessive about choosing exactly the right sounds to match the scene, and getting the volume exactly right. The sounds of gravel, doors opening and dialogue are all perfect. When it comes to louder scenes, such as Rebekah Del Rio singing, or the rumbling undercurrent during aerial shots, it’s also handled perfectly. I don’t think I have ever heard a better presentation in terms of sound quality. I imagine it’s exactly as Lynch intended.

Special Features 3.5/5

An Introduction to the film by Thierry Jousse (9:54 HD)

In the Blue Box (27:33 HD)

On the Road to Mulholland Dr. (23:40 SD)

Interviews with Mary Sweeney (SD) and Angelo Badalamenti (SD and audio only)

Back to Mulholland Dr. (23:52 in SD)

20-page booklet

Some of the features are excellent and include interviews with Lynch and members of the cast. The most enlightening feature for the first-time viewer is Back to Mulholland Dr., which includes a simplified interpretation of the film. Please don’t watch it until you have seen the film or it will alter the experience.

Similar Movies

The closest thing to Mulholland Dr. is Lynch’s other work such as Lost Highway and Inland Empire. Ingmar Bergman’s Persona also includes similar themes as does Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo.

Firstly, be aware that the Optimum BD is locked to Region B, so only buy it if you can play it. I’m not going to tell you to buy this before you’ve seen it, despite my glowing praise. As I have already mentioned, it’s not for everyone. If you are a fan of the film and can play Region B material, buy it without hesitation. If this is the first time you have heard of it, rent the DVD or catch it on cable. Try to watch it on the biggest screen you can, without pausing, and with no other distractions. Watts and Lynch deserved Oscars for their work, but I guess there weren’t enough explosions, dumb jokes, or people getting hit in the groin.

Overall score 5/5 

See where Mulholland Dr. ranks in my Top 20 dramas.


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