7.1 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
Dan, a charming but reckless young poet who has fallen in love with Candy, a beautiful young art student from a comfortable middle-class family who is attracted to the bohemian lifestyle that Dan has long since embraced. In order to get closer to Dan, Candy, whose previous drug use has been casually experimental, starts shooting up. Their passionate relationship then alternates between bursts of ecstatic oblivion and bouts of despair and self-destruction. Hooked as much on heroin as one another, their story becomes a love triangle -- a boy, a girl, and a drug.
Starring: Abbie Cornish, Heath Ledger, Geoffrey Rush, Adrienne Pickering, Nathaniel DeanDrama | 100% |
Romance | 60% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: LPCM 2.0 (48kHz, 16-bit)
None
25GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region B (locked)
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 3.5 | |
Audio | 3.5 | |
Extras | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
Screened at the Berlin International Film Festival and winner of two FCCA Awards at the Film Critics Circle of Australia Awards, Neil Armfield's "Candy" (2006) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of British distributors Drakes Avenue Pictures. The supplemental features on the disc include behind the scenes featurette, trailer, and interviews with Heath Ledger, Abbie Cornish, and Geoffrey Rush. Not subtitled in English. Region-B "locked".
Lovers
Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Neil Armfield's Candy arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of British distributors Drakes Avenue Pictures.
Generally speaking, fine object detail and clarity are pleasing. Contrast levels also fairly consistent. There are a few scenes, however, where digital noise is an issue of concern. Some of the more prominent examples are during the second half of the film, after Candy is admitted in the hospital. Mild edge-enhancement occasionally creeps in. Macroblocking, however, is not an issue of concern. Blown through a digital projector, Candy remains tight around the edges, though its color-scheme isn't always as stable as I thought it should have been. For the record, I did not detect any large cuts, splices, debris, or stains to report in this review. (Note: This is a Region-B "locked" release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-B or Region-Free PS3 or SA in order to access its content).
There is only one audio track on this Blu-ray disc: English LPCM 2.0. For the record, Drakes Avenue Pictures have not provided optional English subtitles for the main feature.
There are no serious technical issues with the English LPCM 2.0 track to report in this review. The dialog is clean and stable, but I have to admit that often times I could not understand well Heath Ledger's lines. This said, I did not detect any disturbing pops, cracks, or hiss to report in this review. There were no problematic dropouts either. To sum it all up, I cannot help but think that a more elaborate audio track would have been a lot more appropriate. Optional English subtitles should have been included as well.
Interviews -
-- Heath Ledger talks about what attracted him to Candy, whether he believes that the film is actually a love story, his character, his collaboration with Neil Armfield, etc. In English, not subtitled. (PAL, 6 min).
-- Abbie Cornish also discusses her character, the story the film tell, how she prepared for her role, etc. In English, not subtitled. (PAL, 3 min).
-- Geoffrey Rush comments on the message of the film, the main characters, his character, what attracted him to the project, etc. (PAL, 7 min).
Behind the Scenes - raw footage from the shooting of the film. (PAL, 6 min).
Trailer - the original theatrical trailer for the film. (PAL, 2 min).
Candy is definitely not an easy film to watch. It is raw and gritty, deeply unsettling and tragic. It has quite a legacy now, but its message remains the same. See it if you can. The Blu-ray disc herein reviewed, courtesy of British distributors Drakes Avenue Pictures, looks and sounds good, but I certainly felt that there was room for improvement. RECOMMENDED.
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