7.5 | / 10 |
Users | 4.8 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.9 |
Everywhere you look, love is causing chaos. From the bachelor Prime Minister of the United Kingdom who, on his first day at 10 Downing Street, falls in love with the girl who brings him his tea, to a hopeless sandwich delivery guy who doesn't think he has a chance with the girls in the U.K., so he heads for Wisconsin. From aging rock stars, to a stony headmistress, to a monolingual Portuguese housemaid, love arrives in many forms, shapes and sizes. Here, ten separate -- but intertwining -- stories of love all lead up to a big climax on Christmas Eve, proving that love is the driving force in all of these people's lives.
Starring: Alan Rickman, Bill Nighy, Colin Firth, Emma Thompson, Hugh GrantRomance | 100% |
Comedy | 79% |
Holiday | 32% |
Drama | Insignificant |
Video codec: VC-1
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
Spanish: DTS 5.1
French: DTS 5.1
German: DTS 5.1
Italian: DTS 5.1
English SDH, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Dutch
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
BD-Live
Region free
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 3.5 | |
Extras | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
Whenever I get gloomy with the state of the world, I think about the arrivals gate at Heathrow Airport. General opinion's starting to make out that we live in a world of hatred and greed, but I don't see that. It seems to me that love is everywhere. Often, it's not particularly dignified or newsworthy, but it's always there. Fathers and sons, mothers and daughters, husbands and wives, boyfriends, girlfriends, old friends. When the planes hit the Twin Towers, as far as I know, none of the phone calls from the people on board were messages of hate or revenge. They were all messages of love. If you look for it, I've got a sneaky feeling you'll find that love actually is all around.
Cynics may scoff, cinephiles may brace for sappy impact, but Love Actually -- Oscar nominated screenwriter Richard Curtis' directorial debut -- is actually a charming, unexpectedly irresistible romantic comedy that represents a rarity in the genre. Its script is both breezy and weighty, its performances hilarious and heartwrenching, its actors witty and honest. In spite of an arguably indulgent deluge of characters and plotlines, Curtis manages to tell a refreshingly simple tale; one filled with passion and whimsy, humor and heartache. It's a bit bloated and, like most ensemble comedies, falls flat on occasion, but is nevertheless an endearing odyssey into the most essential human emotion.
Awkward...
Universal's 1080p/VC-1 transfer isn't particularly flashy or striking, but it is quite impressive, offering romcommers rich colors, natural skintones, deep blacks, and a notable upgrade from its standard DVD counterpart. While the film's scenes bound between starkly lit exteriors and warm interiors, Michael Coulter's ever-evolving Christmas palette is strong and stable throughout. Sure, contrast is a bit hot at times (especially during the first act), but the image remains altogether vibrant and attractive. Detail, though slightly inconsistent on occasion, is satisfying as well, delivering decent textures, revealing delineation, and sharp edges. Discerning videophiles will notice the studio has applied some minor noise reduction -- look to Ejiofor and Knightley's wedding for the most noticeable instances -- but it's thankfully kept to a minimum. A faint grainfield is still present, and there isn't any significant artifacting, crush, banding, print damage, or ringing to muck up the proceedings. Will home theater enthusiasts pop in Love Actually to wow their friends and family? No, nor should they. However, fans will find a competent, reliable, and commendable transfer fine-tuned for their viewing pleasure.
Can a chatty romantic comedy and its faithful but front-heavy DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track surpass expectation and woo audiophiles? When Love Actually's music kicks in, absolutely. Both the film's orchestral score and pop-infused soundtrack sound wonderful, filling every speaker with rewarding tones and satisfying swells. However, when the music subsides, all that remains are conversations, whispers, laughs, and pithy banter, hardly the makings of a sonic powerhouse. Beyond bass beats, LFE output is subtle and subdued; beyond strings, rear speaker activity is limited to light ambience; beyond horn runs, the soundscape is only punctuated by dialogue. Of course, anything more would undermine the integrity of the original mix, rendering Universal's lossless track a somewhat underwhelming but thoroughly respectful offering. There are moments of note -- Rickman and Thompson's shopping trip drops the listener in the middle of a bustling mall, a children's holiday play features convincing auditorium acoustics, and Neeson and Sangstar airport run is suitably involving -- but prepare yourself for an inherently limited, oft-times two-dimensional experience.
The Blu-ray edition of Love Actually includes all of the special features that appear on Universal's 2004 DVD release, as well as a few extras that were only available overseas. I do wish the studio had upgraded all of the film's supplemental content with high definition video, but the features are nevertheless candid, thoughtful, and worth some investment.
Love Actually is smart, funny, and surprisingly poignant, sidestepping the usual genre pitfalls to weave a rather thorough exploration of the human heart. Yes, Curtis makes a few missteps along the way, but his romantic comedy is a hilarious holiday treat worthy of its place in any romcom addict's collection. Universal's Blu-ray release is impressive as well, besting its standard DVD counterpart with a strong video transfer, a faithful DTS-HD Master Audio track, and a healthy collection of special features. At such a low pricepoint, it's a great release to add to your high definition library this holiday season.
10th Anniversary Edition | US Version
2003
10th Anniversary Limited Edition | Collectible Ornament
2003
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1999
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2011
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1989
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35th Anniversary
1989