6 | / 10 |
Users | 1.0 | |
Reviewer | 1.0 | |
Overall | 1.0 |
A collection of twentysomethings try to cope with relationships, loneliness, desire and their individual neuroses.
Starring: Ben Affleck, Dave Chappelle, Casey Affleck, Guillermo Diaz, Kate HudsonComedy | 100% |
Holiday | 20% |
Period | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English SDH
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A, B (C untested)
Movie | 3.0 | |
Video | 0.5 | |
Audio | 3.5 | |
Extras | 0.0 | |
Overall | 1.0 |
The ensemble picture is one way for any filmmaker to help guarantee audience interest, especially when the thespians collected are young and hungry for work, accepting roles to help their careers and limit their professional obligation, playing a small part in a larger puzzle of personalities. For 1999’s “200 Cigarettes,” the professional mission was to support the directorial debut of Rise Bramon Garcia, who made her mark on the industry as a casting director, filling movies such as “True Romance,” “Uncle Buck,” and “Born on the Fourth of July” with noted talent and future stars, making her popular with actors. “200 Cigarettes” provides ample opportunity for the talent to display some charm, with screenwriter Shana Larsen (this being her one and only credit) providing a tale of mismatched lovers, accidents, and smoking with the endeavor, which imagines the tangled ways of neurotics as they make their way to a New Year’s Eve party, ringing in 1982 while stomping around New York City. Garcia wallpapers the feature with soundtrack selections and tries to summon a period feel for the comedy, which maintains a flow of mental health issues, but laughs and heart at a little harder to find.
The good news is that those who've previously purchased the "200 Cigarettes" DVD don't have to upgrade to a Blu-ray. The AVC encoded image (1.78:1 aspect ratio) presentation doesn't represent Paramount's finest home video hour, with the release resembling an upscaled DVD. This is an ancient scan from the company, with fine detail almost completely eliminated, lost in a weirdly blurry viewing experience. Faces lack texture, approaching waxiness, and city distances are softened, hurting the urban feel of the endeavor. Decoration, which this movie is filled with, is also diminished. Colors are feeble, offered hazy replication with a washed-out appearance. Distinct hues, such as pinks and blues, are underwhelming, and skintones are often bloodless. Delineation slips into solidification at times. Grain is zombified. Source doesn't display major areas of damage.
The original DVD release of "200 Cigarettes" listed a 5.1 Dolby Digital mix, but the 2022 Blu-ray presents a 2.0 DTS-HD MA mix. It's a slightly strange listening event, as the non-stop performances are often competing with the non-stop soundtrack selections. Music varies in volume, mostly respectful of dialogue exchanges, which are challenged at times, but never lost completely. The tunes retain compelling instrumentation and power. Atmospherics largely deal with street activity and crowd bustle.
While Monica's party is established as the endgame for the screenplay, Larsen is more about the journey than the destination, piecing together communication problems and relationship worry along the way. It doesn't make for an especially impressive understanding of lonely hearts, but the busy nature of "200 Cigarettes" manages to hold attention, with a few breakout moments. The production also offers time capsule appeal, as many ensemble endeavors do, showcasing young talents trying to work with what they've got, hoping to play into the range of emotion and tone Larsen creates while paying tribute to Garcia and her career interest in actors.
2015
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Totally Irresponsible Edition
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Extended Cut | Extra Dope Edition
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