7.1 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
A couple deals with the aftermath of an adoption that goes awry as their household falls apart.
Starring: Mariana Di Girolamo, Gael García Bernal, Santiago Cabrera, Paola Giannini, Cristián SuárezForeign | 100% |
Drama | 63% |
Music | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.38:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
Spanish: DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1
Spanish: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0
English
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 3.5 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 5.0 | |
Extras | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
Pablo Larraín is an often intentionally provocative filmmaker, and for anyone needing proof of that statement who hasn't yet seen Larraín's current outing, Spencer, look no further than Ema, Larraín's (apparently interstitial) return to Chilean production after having helmed another biopic about a traumatized woman in a marriage to a famous government sort, Jackie. Ema is (hopefully) fictional, the story of dancer Ema (Mariana Di Girolamo) and her estranged husband Gastón (Gael García Bernal), who have had the misfortune to adopt a seriously troubled little boy named Polo (Cristián Suárez). Polo's tendency toward pyromania and other acts of sabotage have resulted in some horrifying consequences, with the result being that Ema and Gastón have finagled his return to the orphanage, a decision which has only resulted in more consequences, including nonstop recriminations between the spouses as to what may have gone wrong. Now, all of this plot machinery may seem positively soap operatic, and there in fact is that kind of element wafting in and out of the story, but what helps to make Ema so viscerally compelling despite what some may feel are at least occasional narrative flaws is its emphasis on dance, something that gives Ema a sense of freedom and emotional well being that her "real" life doesn't.
Ema is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Music Box Films with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 2.38:1. There's no technical information provided in the insert booklet, and unfortunately the IMDb is also largely moot, though I will say some internet sleuthing disclosed that cinematographer Sergio Armstrong seems to have used Arri cameras on several films, at least if my minimal Spanish skills have correctly translated some sites I found. One way or the other, this is a really striking looking presentation that delivers a richly saturated palette a lot of the time, including scenes that are almost drenched in pinks, purples and greens, giving an almost alien appearance to certain sequences. Detail levels are consistently precise looking throughout the presentation, with fine detail admittedly occasionally ebbing in some of the darkest moments, as in some nighttime material or club dance scenes. I'm frankly not sure if some of the flame effects were CGI or not, which is probably testament to how good they look.
Ema has a frequently propulsive soundtrack that is delivered with considerable gusto on this disc's DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 track (a less punchy but still completely fine DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 track is also offered). For those not that well acquainted with Reggaeton (and I count myself among that group), it (at least in this film) utilizes hip hop beats along with kind of trance like EDM synth washes and the result is a really immersive, enveloping listening experience during the dance sequences. The film's use of outdoor environments also provides good opportunities for smartly placed ambient environmental effects. Dynamic range is appealing wide on this often exciting sounding track. Dialogue is rendered cleanly and clearly throughout. Optional English subtitles are available.
My father and his siblings were orphaned at a very young age and endured years of foster care and/or adoptions, resulting in significant emotional scars for several of them (my Dad managed to get through it all amazingly intact, though his younger sister ended up committing suicide). I kind of wish Ema had focused more on little Polo (who only appears, and then fitfully, when the film is already about halfway over) rather than the endless bickering and recriminations between his erstwhile adoptive parents. The whole dance angle in this film is just flat out weird, but also undeniably forceful and riveting. One way or the other, chances are you probably haven't seen anything quite like Ema. Technical merits are solid, and with caveats duly noted, Ema comes Recommended.
(Still not reliable for this title)
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