End of the Century Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		3.0

End of the Century Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Stephen Larson April 17, 2022

There's a feeling of familiarity that a lot of us get when when we recognize someone and subconsciously think we've seen this person many years prior. This "strange sensation" is what writer/director Lucio Castro conjures up in his feature debut End of the Century (2019). Argentinian poet Ocho (Juan Barberini) is visiting Barcelona from New York after ending a twenty-year relationship he had with another man. Ocho is also taking a break from his job as an ad writer for an airline. After getting off the train, Ocho spends his time soaking in the sights and sounds of Barcelona before settling into an Airbnb apartment he's renting. At the beach one afternoon, Ocho sees a handsome guy he considers approaching but doesn't. Atop his balcony, Ocho gets another chance when he spots the same fellow walking the streets and sporting a T-shirt by the band KISS. Ocho yells, "Kiss!" and the younger man jaunts up to his apartment. Javi (Ramón Pujol) and Ocho engage in friendly conversation over drinks. The former is Spanish and works as a director in Berlin for a children's television show. Before long, Ocho and Javi energetically jump into bed together for a sweaty sexual encounter. While Javi is married, his husband and he have an open relationship. During a post-coital moment, Ocho tells Javi that he looks strangely familiar. Javi all-but confirms that the two knew each other twenty years earlier.

The film flashes back to 1999 when Javi was dating opera singer Sonia (Mía Maestro), with whom he later has a daughter with. Ocho knows Sonia courtesy of her ex-boyfriend, an old buddy of Ocho's. Javi and Ocho were both closeted at the time. They also partake in passionate lovemaking then so the romantic encounter they have two decades later feels like déjà vu. For the movie's third act, Castro puts an imaginary spin on the narrative, speculating what Javi and Ocho's relationship would be like had they remained together after first meeting each other in '99.

Have a cerveza.

Castro chose to use the same actors to portray Ocho and Javi for the scenes set in 1999 that he does for the present-day scenes (2019). This helps to seamlessly integrate all the scenes so they're part of the same narrative fabric. While Ocho and Javi don't physically change between the time periods, they undergo changes in their maturation and growth. I don't have a problem with this as leads Juan Barberini and Ramón Pujol have good chemistry. I do take issue with what the audience learns about them on cultural and intellectual levels. The movie's best scenes are when the pair visit the Museo del Perfum and National Art Museum of Catalonia where they discuss works of art. I don't feel that the characters are as sufficiently developed as they could have been. I like that Castro features some of the writings of artist and AIDS activist David Wojnarowicz. The movie needed a lot more about what makes Ocho and Javi intelligent beyond the physical passion they have for the other.

End of the Century Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The Cinema Guild has brought End of the Century to HD for its global debut on Blu-ray. The movie appears in its original theatrical aspect ratio of about 2.39:1 on this MPEG-4 AVC-encoded BD-50 (disc size: 37.23 GB). It appears that it was shot using HD cameras and the solid encode supports a very healthy standard video bitrate of 31575 kbps. There are no compression-related artifacts or image stability problems to report. Sight & Sound's Maria Delgado has observed that the image boasts a "slightly washed-out palette," which you can see in Screenshot #s 3, 9, and 10. Other outdoor scenes are sunny and bright (frame grabs 8 and 17) as well as verdant (capture #s 12-13, 18, and 20). The extreme close-up on Ocho (Screenshot #6) shows very good detail.

The Cinema Guild has provided eleven scene selections for the 84-minute feature.

End of the Century Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The Cinema Guild has supplied a DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Stereo mix (2155 kbps, 24-bit) in Spanish. For the first twelve minutes of End of the Century, there's no dialogue. I thought the 2.0 track picked up the ambience on the streets of Barcelona very well. There isn't much of a musical underscore. The stereo really comes to live when Ocho and Javi dance to the "Space Age Love Song" by A Flock of Seagulls. The rest of the film is dialogue heavy so the mix is very front-oriented.

The optional English subtitles, displayed in a white font, are clear and easy to read.

End of the Century Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Audio Commentary with Director Lucio Castro and Composer Robert Lombardo - Castro leads the track and Lombardo is along as a supporting contributor. The director talks about the actors he chose and how he went about filming certain scenes. Lombardo explains how he executed the sound design elements. Castro and Lombardo both speak in English, not subtitled.

• Trust Issues (2017) (14:28, 1080p) - filmed in Woodstock, this short is about an older therapist who spies on her patients. She has an adoptive daughter who she later learns a shocking secret about. There's a disgusting scene that I found completely revulsive. The picture is presented in 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen (average video bitrate: 33223 kbps) and Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo (192 kbps). In English, not subtitled.

• With Mustard (2015) (3:30, 1080p) - this earlier short is about a guy who attends a concert featuring a New York band by deciphering cryptic messages in his deli sandwiches. It's in black and white, presented in about 1.33:1 (average video bitrate: 25437 kbps), and is accompanied by Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo (192 kbps). In English, not subtitled.

• Q&A with Cast and Crew from the New Directors/New Films Premiere at Film at Lincoln Center (28:44, 1080p) - this is a post-screening discussion about End of the Century that took place at Lincoln Center a few years ago. Writer/director Lucio Castro is joined by his cast members Juan Barberini, Ramón Pujol, Mía Maestro, as well as a translator and Lincoln Center moderator. While Castro does much of the talking, his cast also deliver some comments. All speak in English except for Barberini, whose remarks are translated. There are also questions from the audience but all except one are difficult to hear. I turned my volume way up to hear all the words.

• Theatrical Trailer (1:59, 1080p) - a post-festival trailer for End of the Century presented in 2.39:1 anamorphic widescreen with Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo in Spanish with English subtitles.

• Also from Cinema Guild - trailers for eight other titles from the label's catalog. Arrow over and click on a thumbnail poster to view that trailer.

• Booklet - a twelve-page booklet featuring several stills from End of the Century and an extended essay on the movie by film critic and author Michael Koresky. The latter is a big admirer of the film as he claims it perfectly captures what it's like to be gay and maintain queer identity through different time periods.

End of the Century Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

I didn't feel that End of the Century was as engaging as it could have been, nor were the characters fully fleshed out. I was reminded of I Carry You with Me, which I recently reviewed, and believe it's a superior picture. The Cinema Guild delivers a stellar transfer of Bernat Mestres's very fine cinematography and that's a reason to pick up this disc. Extras include a solid commentary track with the director and sound designer/composer, two of Lucio Castro's short films, and a nearly half-hour Q&A with Castro and his cast. A MODERATE RECOMMENDATION for End of the Century.