7.5 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
An artist embarks on a a cross-country trip with his young nephew.
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Gaby Hoffmann, Elaine Kagan, Woody Norman, Scoot McNairyDrama | 100% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.66:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.66:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English SDH, Spanish
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Digital copy
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A (locked)
Movie | 3.5 | |
Video | 5.0 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 2.0 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
Though it was later co-opted as a standalone series hosted by a performer whose reputation has since taken a pretty serious drubbing, Kids Say the Darndest things began life as a recurring segment on Art Linkletter's House Party, a daily entertainment offering which kind of incredibly began life on radio in 1945 and continued being broadcast in that medium even after a television version was started in 1952. Also kind of incredibly, the radio version managed to last until 1967 and the television version until 1969, and, as indicated above, at least Kids Say the Darndest things has had a pretty substantial post-Linkletter shelf life, as many will no doubt remember (it's kind of interesting that aside from the former and now arguably disgraced host alluded to above, another revival featured a woman who is currently in the news as this review is being written vis a vis her reaction to a certain "incident" on the most recent Academy Awards). Linkletter was often able to coax astoundingly funny comments out of the mouths of tots, typically with more than a bit of a wink in his eye, but one of the subtexts of Kids Say the Darndest Things is how patently insightful young 'uns could be if they were simply allowed to freely express their thoughts. That kind of foundational element is at play throughout C'mon C'mon, an often intriguing if kind of formless film that features Joaquin Phoenix as a radio guy named Johnny who does in fact travel the United States in pursuit of interviews with younger folks. As writer and director Mike Mills gets into in his commentary included on this disc as a supplement, all of the interview segments seen in C'mon C'mon feature what Mills kind of jokingly refers to as "real children", though he overtly mentions how odd it is to call non-performers that. Mills also talks about wanting to invest his films with "texture" and differing approaches, and how he loved including a kind of quasi-documentary aspect to this outing, something that is perhaps subliminally supported by the film's evocative black and white cinematography.
C'mon C'mon is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of A24 and Lionsgate Films with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.66:1. Captured with Arri Alexa Minis and finished at 4K, this is an incredibly moody, lustrous presentation that has gorgeous and often really evocative cinematography. The film has a number of "self announced" locations, with some, like Detroit and Los Angeles, providing clear differentiations in terms of literally elemental things like weather and lighting conditions, and this transfer supports those changes effortlessly. Mills gets into his appreciation for cinematographer Robbie Ryan's work on the commentary track included on this disc, and the kind of subtle polish of the look here, while arguably maybe subliminally undercutting the story's perceived "verite" qualities, still is one of the most appealing aspects of C'mon C'mon in my estimation.
C'mon C'mon features a nicely immersive DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track that features good engagement of the side and rear channel courtesy of some of the effulgent cues by Aaron and Bryce Desser, along with a glut of rather eclectic source cues which can vary from classical to Motown. A number of outdoor scenes also provide good accountings of ambient environmental sounds. A lot of the film can play out either in more confined interview situations or on the phone, and as such some of the surround activity can be limited or on the subtle side. Dialogue is rendered cleanly and clearly throughout. Optional English and Spanish subtitles are available.
Vis a vis nothing other than my personal curiosity, it's kind of interesting that this film is getting released via Lionsgate's traditional retailer strategy, while other A24 outings like Lamb and Midsommar's director's cut were deemed special enough to be A24 retailer exclusives (interestingly, Lionsgate released the theatrical version of Midsommar. This is certainly not of the same general "ilk" as the at least somewhat horror or fantasy infused Lamb and/or Midsommar, but in its own way I'd argue it's certainly as "special". Don't go into this experience expecting a traditional three act structure with a definitive "target" for its plot machinations, and instead simply enjoy a really appealing if kind of languid family tale that is often quite touching. Technical merits are solid and C'mon C'mon comes Recommended.
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