7 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
At the peak of her international career, Maria Enders is asked to perform in a revival of the play that made her famous twenty years ago. But back then she played the role of Sigrid, an alluring young girl who disarms and eventually drives her boss Helena to suicide. Now she is being asked to step into the other role, that of the older Helena. She departs with her assistant to rehearse in Sils Maria; a remote region of the Alps. A young Hollywood starlet with a penchant for scandal is to take on the role of Sigrid, and Maria finds herself on the other side of the mirror, face to face with an ambiguously charming woman who is, in essence, an unsettling reflection of herself.
Starring: Juliette Binoche, Kristen Stewart, Chloë Grace Moretz, Brady Corbet, Johnny FlynnDrama | 100% |
Video codec: VC-1
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.40:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0
French, French SDH
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Slipcover in original pressing
Region B (locked)
Movie | 4.5 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 5.0 | |
Extras | 2.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Nominated for the prestigious Palme d'Or Award at the Cannes Film Festival and winner of Cesar Award for Best Supporting Actress, Olivier Assayas' "Clouds of Sils Maria" a.k.a. "Sils Maria" (2014) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of French label Orange Studio. The supplemental features on the disc include Arnold Fanck's short film "Le Phenomene nuageux de Maloja" (1924); filmed conversation with the French director; and photo gallery. In English, with optional French subtitles for the main feature. Region-B "locked".
The other woman
Presented in an aspect ratio of 2.40:1, encoded with VC-1 and granted a 1080p transfer, Olivier Assayas' Clouds of Sils Maria arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of French label Orange Studio.
The film looks fantastic in high-definition. It was shot at different locations in Switzerland, Italy, and Germany and there are some tremendously beautiful panoramic vistas. Detail and image depth are exceptional, with many of the outdoor panoramic shots actually looking like carefully designed postcards (see screencapture #5). Some minor contrast fluctuations exist, but they occur when footage is shot under different conditions (the film is broken into three contrasting sections). There are no stability issues. The encoding is also excellent. I must mention, however, that on my disc around the 17-minute mark I noticed a very quick skip, but it could be only on my disc. All in all, Clouds of Sils Maria is one of the best looking new films to reach my desk this year. Hopefully, it won't take too long for a U.S. distributor to release it on Blu-ray. (Note: This is a Region-B "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-B or Region-Free PS3 or SA in order to access its content).
There are two standard audio tracks on this Blu-ray release: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. For the record, Orange Studio has provided optional French and French SDH subtitles for the main feature. When turned on, they split the image frame and the black bar below it.
The film does not have a prominent music score. However, there is a fantastic range of nuanced dynamics and clarity and depth are outstanding. The dialog is crisp and easy to follow, but some of the actors have rather thick accents. Also, there are a couple of lines in French and German (in the back), but they are not part of the main exchanges, which are in English. There are no audio dropouts or digital distortions to report in this review.
Thirty years ago, Olivier Assayas wrote the script for André Téchiné's Rendez-vous, which launched Juliette Binoche's career. The two have reunited in Clouds of Sils Maria, an elegant and thought-provoking film about an aging star who accepts a role from a play that launched her career. A preliminary date for a U.S. Blu-ray release is yet to be revealed, but I would be very surprised if this excellent film does not enter Criterion's catalog via its partnership with IFC Films. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
(Still not reliable for this title)
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