7.4 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
"Corpus Christi" is the story of a 20-year-old Daniel who experiences a spiritual transformation in a Youth Detention Center. The crime he commits prevents him from applying to the seminary and after his release on parole he is sent to work at a carpenter's workshop. However Daniel has no intention of giving up his dream and dressed as a priest he decides to - minister a small-town parish.
Starring: Bartosz Bielenia, Aleksandra KoniecznaForeign | 100% |
Drama | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
Polish: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
Polish: Dolby Digital 5.1
English
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A, B (C untested)
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 2.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Between the young Catholic novitiate who finds out she’s a “secret” Jew in Ida, which was Poland’s entry in the Best Foreign Language Film sweepstakes in 2013’s Academy Awards, ultimately becoming that nation’s first win in that category, and the ex-con pretending to be a priest in Corpus Christi, Poland’s entry in the most recent Academy Awards, albeit in the somewhat renamed Best International Feature Film category (an award it ultimately lost to the Parasite juggernaut), Polish believers of any stripe had best be cautioned to check the references of any “official” involved in any kind of service. That’s said with tongue firmly planted in cheek, of course, but one of the things that is so especially interesting about Corpus Christi is the veritable ruckus it raised when it was released, with one guy claiming it was obviously based on his life (the film comes replete with an all important "based on real events" imprimatur), to which a whole host (no pun intended) of Poles responded that “fake” priests are evidently a common occurrence over there (the prevalence of secretly Jewish nuns in training is currently unknown, at least to this reviewer).
Corpus Christi is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Film Movement with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 2.39:1. The IMDb lists Arri Alexas and a 2K DI as relevant datapoints, and while this is often an intentionally almost desaturated, kind of dreary and drab looking presentation some of the time, it offers consistently high levels of detail and some very appealingly sharp and clear imagery. Some of the outdoor material tends to favor teals and what I'd almost call aquamarines, a color scheme which is repeated at least a bit inside the cloisters of the church where Daniel pretends to be the priest. That said, real pops of color are pretty rare here, though that doesn't mean there isn't a realistic accounting of both natural environments and some of the interior spaces. Close-ups reveal abundant fine detail. I noticed no compression issues of any note.
Corpus Christi features an enjoyable DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track in the original Polish (with optional English subtitles). This is a bombastic film from a sound design perspective, but it offers some nice and at times rather nuanced surround activity, with expected items like environmental ambient effects in outdoor scenes populating the side and rear channels realistically, but even some of the clamor in crowded church services providing some noticeable immersion. Dialogue is rendered cleanly and clearly throughout, and the film makes use of some fun (maybe even cheeky) source cues at times that also swell through the surround channels.
Corpus Christi seems to be about one thing, but delves into at least one major sidebar while alluding to veritable droves of subtext about the meaning of salvation, especially within the context of "fraud" or at least cheating a little. The film benefits from some visceral performances, and is both thought provoking and a bit unsettling in about equal measure. ( A propos of nothing other than a personal observation, Bielenia's appearance, especially his face, reminded me for some reason of Renée Jeanne Falconetti in The Passion of Joan of Arc.) I think the whole "town trauma" element might have been better developed, or at least better resolved, but the basic story here is instantly compelling one way or the other. Technical merits are solid, and Corpus Christi comes Highly recommended.
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