5.2 | / 10 |
Users | 2.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.4 |
What if your daughter’s imagination was the secret to your success? When a highly competitive money mogul (Eddie Murphy) finds his financial kingdom slipping, he turns to his 7-year-old daughter (Yara Shahidi) and her fantasy world of imaginary princesses for help. Embarking on a whirlwind journey of comic proportions, father and daughter are about to discover that sometimes all you need is a little imagination – and a lot of love.
Starring: Eddie Murphy, Thomas Haden Church, Yara Shahidi, Ronny Cox, Stephen RannazzisiComedy | 100% |
Fantasy | 15% |
Drama | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: Dolby TrueHD 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
French: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps)
Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps)
English, English SDH, French, Portuguese, Spanish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A, B (C untested)
Movie | 3.5 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 2.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
Ain't nothin' but a thing.
Imagine that. An Eddie Murphy Comedy with heart, and it didn't get its just due. Though
something of an under-the-radar
picture and released in the midst of the summer 2009 blockbuster season in the shadows of Star Trek, Angels & Demons,
Terminator
Salvation, Night at the Museum: Battle
of the Smithsonian, Up, and The Hangover, it's
no surprise the movie flopped not based on its own merits but under the avalanche of
competition
that devoured anything in its path. Earning back less than a third of its budget in domestic gross,
the film seemingly vanished from theaters without a trace and now arrives on home video with
little fanfare. That's a shame, because Imagine That is a touching,
funny, and magical Family Comedy, and the best live-action Eddie Murphy film to come along
since The Nutty Professor.
Caution: imagination at work.
Imagine That dazzles on Blu-ray with a wonderfully cinematic 1080p, 2.35:1-framed transfer. Typical of a new, fresh-from-theaters release from Paramount, this disc delivers quality imagery across the board, and it should satisfy even the most discerning of home theater aficionados. Though a vibrant, colorful, and sharp transfer, this one seems just the slightest bit dim, but otherwise, it excels throughout. Colors are slightly warm, but they are also abundant and tend to pop off the screen; whether the interior of the boardroom or the sights of downtown Denver, Imagine That's color palette dazzles in every setting. The transfer exhibits a strong sense of depth and even far background details -- particularly outdoor scenes that showcase the city of Denver -- reveal strong detail, texture, and clarity across the board, and many scenes do well to approximate a three-dimensional appearance. Likewise, clothing -- such as woven sweaters -- are beautifully and realistically rendered. Neither black levels nor flesh tones are problematic, and the transfer is completed by a thin veneer of film grain that rounds out a wonderfully cinematic 1080p image that brings movie theater-quality visuals into the home.
Imagine That arrives on Blu-ray with a good but not necessarily remarkable Dolby TrueHD 5.1 lossless soundtrack. This is a basic, no-nonsense track that does little more than reproduce dialogue and music to crystal-clear effect, but as a Family Comedy, it doesn't need to do much more than that. Olivia's scream as heard several times through the film is delivered with a crisp, high, ear-piecing tone and couldn't sound more lifelike if the girl were letting loose in the living room. The aforementioned music -- and the generally wonderful score courtesy of Mark Mancina (August Rush) in particular -- tends to sweep about the front half of the soundstage and plays with a true-to-life crispness and fidelity that Mancina's superb work deserves. There are a couple of noticeable back channel events, such as Evan's car speeding through the listening area near the end of the movie, but generally, this one remains tightly focused across the front three speakers. Atmospherics are subtle but effective; whether the hustle and bustle of downtown Denver or the goings-on inside the office, ambience remains centered across the front but the track doesn't suffer too terribly as a result. All in all, Imagine That isn't the sort of track that's going to blow anyone away, but it doesn't have to; this Blu-ray presentation is just fine for all that's required of it.
Imagine That features several very-real extras on Blu-ray. First up is a commentary
track
with Director Karey Kirkpatrick and Actress Yara Shahidi. Shahidi continues her charm here,
delivering an enthusiastic and affable commentary. Kirkpatrick leads the discussion; he speaks
on a
nice range of topics, including how he set up the film to deliver a particular point of view, some of
the nuances that made their way into the film, the actors, and even Yara's teeth. This isn't a
must-listen track, but it's certainly one that's worth spending some time with. Yara Shahidi
Set
Tour (1080p, 7:28) features the young actress taking viewers on a tour of the Paramount
lot
as it was set up for the shooting of Imagine That. A Playground of the Mind
(1080p, 9:08) features Director Karey Kirkpatrick recalling his childhood and the importance of
imagination in his life and work. Also chiming in with their thoughts on the importance of
imagination are stars Nicole Ari Parker, Ronny Cox, DeRay Davis, and Martin Sheen.
Getting the Part (1080p, 2:26) is a brief piece that features Director Karey Kirkpatrick
and star Eddie Murphy recalling the inspired choice of Yara Shahidi for the role as Evan's
daughter. Also included is
footage from her screen test. Star Blanket: Native American Influence (1080p, 3:43)
briefly examines the role of the blanket in the film and the true-to-life Native American belief that
inspired this part of the film. The King and His Jesters (1080p, 7:48) features the actors
speaking on the strengths of their director, and the director in turn praising his cast and the
characters they portray. What Were They Really Saying? (480p, 5:03) features some
outtakes from the stock market television analysis footage seen in the background throughout
the film. Also included
are outtakes for Johnny Whitefeather (1080p, 4:54), Evan and Olivia (1080p, 5:31), and five
deleted scenes (1080p, 8:50).
Both funny and heartwarming, Imagine That is an innocent, easygoing, and family-friendly movie that features a good message on the importance of family and the power of the imagination. Eddie Murphy delivers his best performance in his best role in years, and he's surrounded by a strong supporting cast headlined by newcomer Yara Shahidi who herself delivers a magical performance. No, Imagine That won't be up for any Oscars, but it wins the most important things of all -- the audiences' heart -- and nobody can ask more of a movie like this than that. Paramount's Blu-ray release of Imagine That is very good. Featuring a high quality 1080p transfer, a suitable lossless soundtrack, and a nice array of extras, this disc comes enthusiastically recommended for families. Imagine that.
2012
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