August Winds Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		3.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		1.0
Overall		3.0

August Winds Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf August 22, 2016

“August Winds” is not a film that one can fight. Director Gabriel Mascaro crafts a meditative look at the ways of life in Brazil, and he’s going to take his time doing it, taking in every stare, storm, day of labor, and rolling wave for as long as he can get away with. There’s a story in here somewhere, but “August Winds” isn’t concerned with capturing an audience through drama. It trusts in natural beauty, sending the movie on a long journey of observation where frame details are more valued than the narrative.

Those capable of submitting to Mascaro’s leadership are offered a mildly interesting tale of daily life disrupted by oddities and obsessions, watching Shirley (Dandara de Morias) interact with boyfriend Jeison (Geova Manoel dos Santos), with the pair working on a coconut farm. They struggle with the concept of aging, they take in the beauty of the land (unexpectedly, Shirley uses Coca-Cola as tanning lotion when out in the sun), and struggle with parents. There’s a meteorologist who arrives in their village to measure the wind. A corpse eventually shows up on shore, unnerving Jeison, who tries to locate some type of closure for the dead man.

August Winds Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.78:1 aspect ratio) presentation suffers some during night sequences, revealing pockets of noise and posturization. Daylight is somewhat kinder to the viewing experience, with brightness struggling to secure detail on faces and locations, but equipment limitations are noticeable, resulting in a softer image. Colors are vivid and true, and the ample amounts of skintones on display look natural.

August Winds Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 5.1 DTS-HD MA sound mix enjoys a more atmospheric presence than the average movie, offering a series of storms to fill out the surrounds and provide some low-end rumble. Dialogue exchanges are crisp and clean, with direct emotions and identifiable group activity. Soundtrack selections are managed well, delivering clear instrumentation. Nature's presence is heard throughout, keeping details lively.

August Winds Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• A Theatrical Trailer (1:54, HD) is included.

August Winds Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

While it's not entirely disconnected, "August Winds" feels like a production that's more about the director's needs than satisfying an audience, with long takes and slow performances filling up an impressively short run time. Cinematography is evocative and harrowing as it showcases the unstoppable nature of ocean water, but "August Winds" isn't something to be viewed casually. Elements of humor survive and it's easy to slip into a trance-like state while watching it, but it doesn't stick to the soul like many films in this style are capable of doing, missing a human element to make all the thousand yard stares meaningful.