Celine Dion: A New Day Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.0

Celine Dion: A New Day Blu-ray Movie Review

Flooding the stage with more colors than I thought existed...

Before tackling Celine Dion: A New Day, what little I knew about the French Canadian sensation was limited to a Titanic music video and a recurring Saturday Night Live impression by a lip-pursing Ana Gasteyer. That's right, this is going to be one of those reviews; a layman's first legitimate encounter with an international superstar whose career stretches far beyond the confines of director James Cameron's Oscar-winning romance or a late night comedy show. So rather than rehashing Dion's background, or blathering on and on about her penchant for collecting Grammys and Felix awards, allow me to focus on the performance at hand. Regardless of whether her music makes you perk up or cringe, spending even five minutes with A New Day makes one thing abundantly clear: the expressive singer knows how to transform a simple concert into an eye-gouging musical spectacle.

This is one of the more restrained performances in the concert. Seriously.

It's impossible to deny Dion's vocal prowess. There's genuine power bottled up within the singer's lanky frame, and she releases it without a hint of effort or exhaustion. Bounding from high note to higher note, she clambers to the heights of her range and lingers there for what seems like a breathless eternity. She exudes a level of passion and clarity of purpose that renders her young pop contemporaries veritable pups in her shadow; settling into the stage as if it were her living room (which, based on her enormous wealth, is probably much bigger). Of course, no level of talent, not even the sort exhibited by a master vocalist like Dion, will convert anyone who isn't already enamored with her lyrical sensibilities, but it's easy to see how fans could get wrapped up in such an engaging performance. Having recently endured the antics of the fainting adolescent fanatics who populated the audience of the Jonas Brothers' 3D Concert Experience, it was a relief to see a crowd respond to expertise rather than swagger; to talent rather than the whirlwind of mounting adulation.

Still, there's a limit. Dion's stunning display of talent is often undermined by the blazing, at-times pretentious nonsense erupting behind her. Dozens of dancers grin and leer as they leap and twirl across the stage, searing lights pierce every shadow, giant LED screens flame and fizzle with various images, trees ignite in green flame, cities appear as if from nowhere, gigantic musical instruments dangle from the ceiling, a conductor incessantly flashes a Cheshire smile, lightning strikes, an ornate oversized picture frame dips into view, and Dion's visage looms on the walls over her own shoulder. Honestly, the entire production borders on self-absorption. If I hadn't watched the three documentaries accompanying the concert, I would have furrowed my brow and unleashed a rant to end all rants. Thankfully, the "All Access" documentary reveals the more innocent intentions behind every element of the dazzling stage show.

Ultimately, fans will be blown away by Dion's performance and completely caught up in her Las Vegas extravaganza. Newcomers like myself will be less enthusiastic, left to wonder why a vocal talent like Dion feels the need to surround herself in such unnecessary pageantry. Ah well, as concert releases go, this one should please anyone approaching it with appropriate expectations.

Songs on Celine Dion: A New Day include:

1. A New Day Has Come
2. The Power Of Love
3. It's All Coming Back To Me Now
4. Because You Loved Me
5. To Love You More
6. I'm Alive
7. I Drove All Night
8. Seduces Me
9. If I Could
10. Pour Que Tu M'aimes Encore
11. I Surrender
12. Ammore Annascunnuto
13. All The Way
14. I've Got The World On A String
15. I Wish
16. Love Can Move Mountains
17. River Deep, Mountain High
18. My Heart Will Go On

Celine Dion: A New Day Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Aside from some dodgy fine textures and a few waxy close-ups, Sony Music's 1080i/VC-1 transfer does a fine job capturing the vibrancy, depth, and motion of Dion's shockingly elaborate stage show. The palette isn't just vivid, it's commanding, flooding the screen with golden hues, haughty reds, and stunning blues. Likewise, blacks are absorbing and delineation is revealing, making it easy to ignore the minor crushing and source noise that besets the wide-eyed crowd throughout the performance. Detail is quite impressive as well, rendering the most distant background dancer with the same care as the sequins on Dion's silver dress. More importantly, the complexity of the costumes and set design is on full display -- a dark jacket is brimming with minuscule stitches and lacy delicacies, the sets are bombarded with small slivers of light and shadow, and the dancers' costumes are covered in tiny touches that bless each one with personality. It helps that the image is so proficient. While faint artifacting and banding appear on occasion, they rarely linger long enough to become a distraction. For the most part, such digital nonsense is nowhere to be found. All things considered, A New Day looks fantastic and should easily please Dion fans and videophiles alike.

Celine Dion: A New Day Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Sony Music presents A New Day with an enveloping Dolby TrueHD 5.1 surround track and an engrossing uncompressed PCM stereo mix, both of which, quite simply, match Dion's every note with flawless technical pomp and precision. While I prefer the lossless 5.1 track -- the sheer immersiveness of its soundfield is so breathtaking (with all its 24-bit/96kHz pizazz) that I had a hard time sticking with its two-channel counterpart -- each one delivers the sort of experience that will send audiophiles into convulsions of joy. Treble tones are exceedingly clean and stable, low-end output took my floor to task with earthy bass pulses and stunning heft, and Dion's voice never falters. Moreover, fidelity and dynamics are exquisite, granting each track a level of clarity and presence I associate with top-tier sonics. Whether you're fond of the overactive stage show or holding a washcloth on your forehead to prevent a headache, it's impossible to deny A New Day's technical supremacy. Even though it was released in early 2008, few concert releases have matched its pitch-perfect audio presentation.

Celine Dion: A New Day Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Boasting far more supplemental content than I expected, the 2-disc Blu-ray edition of Celine Dion: A New Day has a lot to offer fans of the Canadian powerhouse. Not only does it come packaged in an attractive digibook keepcase, it includes a high-quality collector's book and features a trio of lengthy documentaries (presented in high definition, no less).

"A New Day: All Access" is a two-hour monster that digs into the conception, production, blocking, and endless hard work that went into making the concert a memorable affair. Before it's all said and done, viewers even get to spend time backstage and beneath the madness as technicians and artisans scramble to ensure everything springs to life on cue. "Tribute to the Fans" is a forty-minute reality show of sorts in which a group of uber-enthusiasts are treated to the ultimate Celine Dion experience. Granted, the participants' obsession with the singer is fairly creepy, but fans will find it to be an amusing addition nonetheless. Last but certainly not least, "The Secrets" is a fifty-minute glimpse into the illusions, tricks, effects, and sleight of hand used to create the flashy stage show that unfolds behind Dion.

All in all, anyone who enjoys the performance itself will be completely enthralled by this extensive tour of the production. In many ways (particularly for a casual observer like myself), it's even more satisfying the concert.

Celine Dion: A New Day Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

I'm still not sold on the migraine-inducing stage show, but Dion delivers a fine performance, gliding from song to song with the grace of an industry icon. The Blu-ray edition is even more impressive. It features an excellent video transfer, an astonishing audio package, and a surprising, four-hour cache of supplemental content. Dion fans and live performance junkies will find a lot to enjoy in this 2-disc set. If nothing else, it offers tremendous value for your hard-earned money.