7.1 | / 10 |
Users | 3.8 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
A look at the lives of the strong-willed women of the Weston family, whose paths have diverged until a family crisis brings them back to the Oklahoma house they grew up in, and to the dysfunctional woman who raised them.
Starring: Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts, Chris Cooper, Ewan McGregor, Margo MartindaleDrama | 100% |
Dark humor | Insignificant |
Comedy | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.40:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1 (448 kbps)
French: Dolby Digital 5.1 (448 kbps)
English SDH, Spanish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (1 BD, 1 DVD)
UV digital copy
DVD copy
Region A (locked)
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 5.0 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 2.5 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
The "family reunion" film, long a staple of the Comedy genre but also one that frequently delves into dark humor and deep drama, finds one of its most thematically challenging and dramatically complex films in August: Osage County, Director John Wells' (The Company Men) picture sourced from Tracy Letts' Pulitzer Prize-winning play of the same name. Though the film plays around with the occasional burst of subdued humor, it's primarily a sobering look at a dysfunctional family and the off-kilter individuals who make it so. In-fighting, anger, disappointment, and confusion reign as the family struggles to manufacture even the façade of friendly decorum when tragedy reunites them in the sweltering Oklahoma summer heat. An all-star cast and two Oscar-nominated performances lead the charge in one of the most well-acted films of the year, so well acted, in fact, that the performance authenticities might feel a little too real and revealing, leaving the film too dark and the audience too shaken by a nearly endless barrage of negativity.
Smoking has had no negative impacts on my life.
August: Osage County looks incredible. Anchor Bay's gorgeous 1080p transfer presents viewers with a beautiful and consistent film-quality transfer. Light grain hovers over the image in an even, appealing field and accentuates every frame, whether the darker and warmer interiors or the hot and sticky exteriors. Indeed, fine detail impresses across the board. The transfer is at its visually appealing best when it's showcasing with pinpoint clarity and attention to detail the finest visual nuances on grasses, bales of hay, chipped paint, worn wood, and general accents in and around the Weston house. Every frame is gorgeously composed and wondrously filmic in presentation. Of course, the primary objects such as skin and clothing textures enjoy top-level accuracy, too. Colors aren't often particularly bold. There's a warmth to much of the picture, a lower-light overlay with golden and bronze shades seeping through, particularly in and around the house where darker woods and earthy grasses and hay dominate. The transfer nevertheless shows some beautiful splashes of color -- a red sports car, green vegetation -- with accuracy and when necessary. Black levels are deep and detailed, and flesh tones reflective of the film's slightly warm color scheme. There are no visible technical flaws of note. In short, a breathtaking cinema-quality effort from Anchor Bay.
August: Osage County sports a high-end DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack. Musical delivery is steady and inviting, widely spaced but not aggressively forced. Clarity across the entire range ranks highly, particularly the balanced supportive low end. The opening title music practically dances through the speakers. The track enjoys a few momentary pushes of high energy support elements, such as bass-heavy music thumping out of a sports car in a few different scenes. Generally, however, this is a dialogue-intensive film that delivers the spoken word -- whether normal conversation or aggressive shouts -- with commendable accuracy and evenness. Light supportive ambient effects are implemented in several key outdoor scenes. This is something of a straightforward track but one that handles its duties commendably and effortlessly.
August: Osage County contains several extras. DVD and UV digital copies are included in the case.
Most audiences experience this kind of thing every Thanksgiving. Does cinema really need to lay it all out in the open for two hours of teeth gnashing and fire breathing? August: Osage County does just that, but it does it exceptionally well. It's smartly acted, very well written, and expertly crafted, but there's not a whole lot of joy inside. The film often feels like it's dragging its audience across a floor covered by broken glass while a harsh, hot light pushes down from the ceiling and someone runs their fingernails down a chalkboard just to add insult to injury. It's uncomfortable cinema, but it's the proverbial train wreck from which one cannot look away. The truth is that the film does what it does with a brilliance and focus quite unlike any of its kind before it. That said, it's just too much if one's not in the proper frame of mind for it. Anchor Bay's Blu-ray release of August: Osage County does deliver spectacular video, excellent sound, and a fair array of extra content, including an excellent commentary track. The Blu-ray cover art also wins the award for "worst Photoshop job of the month." This is a film worth seeing, but it may require a little psyching up ahead of time.
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