Angels Sing Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		0.0
Overall		3.5

Angels Sing Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman December 13, 2013

It’s a little surprising that Angels Sing didn’t just flat out premiere on The Hallmark Channel, for it seems tailor made for the greeting card’s kind of generic holiday themed fare which crops up with great regularity at this time of year. But the film actually had a limited theatrical release and played the SXSW Festival, perhaps because it was filmed in and around Austin and features many Austin notables in the cast. This is a familiar tale of regret and redemption, a genre that stretches back at least to Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, but it’s actually better than might initially be assumed, due to an excellent cast and a tight directorial hand by Tim McCanlies, who refuses to wallow in bathos or similarly to let slapstick completely overpower the heart of the piece.

Harry Connick, Jr. portrays Michael Walker, an Austin professor who refuses to celebrate Christmas because it brings up too many painful memories of the death of his little brother, who expired on that day when Michael was a boy himself. When a mysterious stranger named Nick (Willie Nelson) more or less gives Michael and his family a much needed new home to live in, Michael learns to reconnect with his childhood sense of wonder when he finds out the neighborhood is a showcase for the Christmas spirit. Connie Britton is on hand as Michael's wife, and Kris Kristofferson and Fionnula Flanagan have nice turns as Michael's parents. Little Chandler Canterbury as Michael's son (whose plot arc also plays into Michael's rebirth) is also very good. The film is patently predictable and maybe more than a bit manipulative, but it's sweet and ultimately surprisingly affecting fare.

Angels Sing Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Angels Sing is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Lionsgate Films with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.78:1. This is a nice looking high definition presentation, even if the somewhat barren Austin locations don't exactly scream "Christmas". Primaries are quite vivid, especially reds which of course show up in abundance here. Fine detail is excellent in close-ups, where things like the miniscule patterns on Lyle Lovett's sweater can easily be discerned. This Red One shot feature has no compression issues whatsoever to report.

Angels Sing Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Angels Sing has a very nicely rendered DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 mix that makes good use in the many musical sequences (though this isn't a traditional "musical", there's a fair amount of sung material scattered throughout the film). Dialogue is very cleanly presented and some of the crowd scenes (like an ice skating sequence) offer nice immersion.

Angels Sing Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

No supplements other than trailers for other Lionsgate releases are offered on this Blu-ray disc.

Angels Sing Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

I frankly expected Angels Sing to barely rise to Movie of the Week levels, so I was pleasantly surprised at how effective this small scale film is. The performances are very nicely modulated and if the eventual outcome is never much in doubt, the film doesn't overstay its welcome and will certainly engender the holiday spirit in willing hearts. Recommended.