Lewis Black: In God We Rust Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		3.5
Audio		3.5
Extras		1.5
Overall		3.0

Lewis Black: In God We Rust Blu-ray Movie Review

A must-own for Lewis Black fans.

Reviewed by Martin Liebman September 11, 2012

You're starting to freak me out.

The best comedy simply points out the obvious, usually in an exaggerated delivery but never exaggerating the facts of the case, the story of life, or the absurdity of man's march towards wherever the heck it is he's going with all his attention focused on Farmville and nude airport scanners and wasting his time with pointless holidays. Yet not everyone sees the humor in everything. Maybe it's their standing in life, maybe it's a lack of experience (or too much experience), or maybe it's just as simple as differing tastes. Comedian Lewis Black knows all of this all too well, approaching his audience honestly and without the slightest bit of hesitation as to who he is or what it is his show will and will not be. Love the humor? Great. Enjoy. Hate it? Sit down and listen, anyway.

Black on stage.

Lewis Black opens by speaking on his own style. Is he "funny?" Is he a "traditional comic?" Does the audience have any f-ing idea what it is it's in for? Black finds the comedy in everyday things, modern technology and politics and the new way of life, or he at least comments on them in a humorous fashion while he aims to keep his head from popping off his shoulders in frustration and anger. He drops plenty of F-bombs -- that's just who he is -- as he covers technology, politics, and anything and everything that gets in his way of living the life he wants. He discusses the national political discourse, which he compares to the obnoxious sound of incessantly barking dogs. He speaks on a previous engagement in Wendover, Nevada and subsequently offers his thoughts on Valentine's Day, politics, terrorism, and technology. He's quick on his feet and, for those who can relate to his style for find the humor (or sorrow) in what he speaks, then In God We Rust is a must-watch.

Lewis Black performs In God We Rust from Minneapolis, Minnesota. He warns his audience that it cannot truly be prepared for him coming into the performance hall completely unaware of who he is beyond "comic" or merely piecing together clips from previous routines from television or the Internet. Black is a one-of-a-kind performer to be sure, not necessarily a nontraditional comedian but definitely a man with his own style, a unique perspective, and a humorous self-deprecation, pointing out how he dreads looking in the mirror every morning and remembering he's still himself, for example. The audience sees him once or twice, live, and that's it. He has to live with who he is 24/7. To be sure, he's a performer who commands respect and demands to be heard in his entirety, not in bits and pieces (so forego that chapter select button and watch from the start!). The presentation's simple; Black uses all of two props which are basically just held in his hand at points in the show. The camera angles are few but effective, allowing Black to dominate the show without any intrusive whiz-bang technology that he might very well dislike, anyway.

The following chapters comprise Lewis Black: In God We Rust:

• Warning
• Wendover
• Valentine's Day
• War on Terror
• Distracted/Jersey Shore
• Apps
• LSD
• Sushi
• Body Scanner
• iPhone
• Droid
• Old
• Same Arguments
• Facebook
• Farmville
• Third Party

Lewis Black: In God We Rust Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Lewis Black: In God We Rust arrives on Blu-ray with a proficient but unremarkable high definition transfer. Generally, it's crisp and well-defined, with strong facial and clothing details evident in close-up shots of the performer. There's not much in the way of bright color; a large red cube hovering in the background and Black's similarly-colored necktie are the only splashes beyond the dim and dull to be seen. Black levels are sturdy, though certainly a bit noisy over crowd shots. Light banding creeps up from time to time over this HD video image, and there's a subtle softness to some of the distance shots. This is the very definition of a stale but effective transfer. There's nothing here to dazzle, but this image is well-assembled and holds up nicely enough from beginning to end.

Lewis Black: In God We Rust Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Lewis Black: In God We Rust features a satisfactory DTS-HD MA 5.1 lossless soundtrack. Generally, the track yields impressive results. Crowd noise is loud, but not obnoxiously so, at reference volume. It nicely envelops the listener, and even if there are moments when the thunderous applause, laughter, and even a few boos near the end sound a bit muddled, the cumulative effect is fine, and the sense of being one of the crowd in the auditorium makes the track worthwhile. Black's speech is even and crystal-clear, gently reverberating about the auditorium at times but usually focused up the center, where it should be. As with the video, this is an unremarkable track in the grand scheme of things, but listeners should enjoy without picking up on too many flaws or lamenting the absence of more pronounced or artificial effects that would only detract from, not enhance, the show.

Lewis Black: In God We Rust Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Lewis Black: In God We Rust contains the following four supplemental features:

• The Walk Out (1080p, 2:06): Black discusses people walking out of his show and reacts when a couple leaves.
• Photo Gallery (1080p, 5:02): Stills from around the show set to music.
• Audience Participation (1080p, 6:50): Black responds to audience reaction.
• Promo Shoot Outtakes (1080p, 4:52): Clips from before the show, some of which feature Black's parents.

Lewis Black: In God We Rust Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Comedy is the great example of the subjective. It's difficult to universally recommend (or not recommend) Lewis Black: In God We Rust, but it is simple to say that audiences with an open mind and no real aversion to swearing should give him a try. It's rather funny stuff -- subjectively speaking -- but for those who try it, stick with it through to the end and don't be fast to dismiss Black partway through his show. Paramount's Blu-ray release of Lewis Black: In God We Rust features acceptable video and audio. A few extras are included. Fans should purchase, newcomers should first rent.