Nothing Like the Holidays Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		3.5
Extras		2.5
Overall		3.5

Nothing Like the Holidays Blu-ray Movie Review

A different sort of Christmas movie makes for a decent Blu-ray release from Starz.

Reviewed by Martin Liebman October 21, 2009

I just want to enjoy Christmas with my family.

Nothing says the Holidays quite like family and family drama. For the Rodriguez family, this Christmas is unlike any other; it's a time of new beginnings, old wounds, surprise revelations, bitterness, and regrets, but through it all the spirit of the holiday brings with it a chance for renewal, for redemption, for the power of the season and the bond of family to wipe the slate clean once and for all. Indeed, there's Nothing Like the Holidays for all things family, and this 2008 Holiday Drama captures the topsy-turvy world of family get-togethers and all that implies with a simplicity, charm, and heart that's a product of the pull-no-punches realism inherent to the story. Because it's neither magical nor all that funny, Nothing Like the Holidays isn't destined to be the next great Christmas movie. What it is, however, is a portrait of America, a snapshot of a slice of life for one family that shares in common perhaps not an ancestry with the majority of viewers but certainly experiences that define not just a time of year but a lifetime's worth of memories, goals, heartaches, accomplishments, and plenty of love and understanding that's the common bond and the source of strength through the good times and the bad, both around the Christmas dinner table and through the years.

Nothing like a good meal.

It's a time of great cheer. The Puerto Rican-proud Rodriguez family is finally reuniting for Christmas. Jesse (Freddy Rodríguez) is returning home from Iraq to a hero's welcome but as a man wounded both physically and emotionally; lawyer Mauricio (John Leguizamo) and his career-minded and non-Puerto Rican wife Sarah (Debra Messing) arrive only to be pestered about their future plans and whether or not those plans involve children; and Roxanna (Vanessa Ferlito) arrives back home to Chicago from the glamour of Hollywood where she's up for a major role in a new show that's slotted to follow "Desperate Housewives." Surrounded by several other friends (Jay Hernandez) and family (Luis Guzmán) members, there's nary a dull moment, particularly when mother Anna (Elizabeth Peña) reveals information that threatens to tear the family apart and father Edy (Alfred Molina) keeps to himself a secret that's equally damaging. Through the drama, the food, the music, the love, the loss, and everything in between, the family must turn within to find peace and goodwill in a time of great upheaval.

In a nutshell, Nothing Like the Holidays covers the expected familial angles of love, loss, hurt, and confusion, but through the down times it's the spirit of the holidays and the bond of family sees the Rodriguez clan through thick and thin. The point of the film isn't to wallow in despair or, on the other end of the spectrum where most Christmas movies may be found, pretend that the season brings about zany laughs or picture-perfect Norman Rockwell scenes around the tree with a rumbling fire in the background. No, Nothing Like the Holidays truly is nothing like the Holidays; it's far more honest, genuine, and interesting than the typical -- albeit moving, charming, and downright hilarious fare that rightfully sits atop the heap of seasonal pictures -- sorts found on cable television and that see re-releases on home video year after year, but its departure from genre norms doesn't make it much, if any, less of a movie. Though the story can sometimes feel weighty, it never comes across as disingenuous. The film has a strong command of its story, and supported by a fantastic ensemble cast, the familial hardships that define the movie are met not with a shrug of the shoulders but rather a genuine concern for the family's well-being and future together.

Though its story may not be all that original or its characters particularly memorable, Nothing Like the Holidays nevertheless works because of an honest simplicity to its material and several incredibly natural performances from its cast. The collection of talent seems right at home in the film; their ability to interact with one another not through a script on a page or standing over a marker on the floor but instead through an unseen but plainly felt spirit and energy that flows through the picture serves as its defining attribute. The Rodriguez family feels like family, like they've known one another their whole lives. Characters emote particular traits, and other characters react to them -- no matter how quirky, subtle, or obnoxious they may be -- and take them at face value and go with a natural flow as if they've come to accept each family member's idiosyncratic ways years before and understand perfectly what life in the family is all about. By extension, the audience feels like a welcome visitor and participant rather than merely a detached observer; when the characters hurt, the audience hurts; when the characters feel joy, the audience feels joy. The ebb and flow of the movie and all its developments are never hindered by a forced or contrived feel. Nothing Like the Holidays is as real as they come; it's genuine, honest, and simple filmmaking at its best.

Nothing Like the Holidays Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Nothing Like the Holidays arrives on Blu-ray with an above-average 1080p, 2.35:1-framed transfer. Generally, the transfer delivers solid depth, wonderful color reproduction and finely detailed objects. The film's warm appearance -- lending to the entirety of the image a reddish/orange tint that carries over into flesh tones -- might turn some viewers off. Nevertheless, colors are generally strong; whether a bright red Santa Claus suit, a yellow garment, or any number of colors seen in backgrounds scattered throughout the film, there's never a dull moment, nor any instances where colors take on a terribly unnatural appearance despite the red/orange push. The color scheme does reflect the mood of the film and the seasonal setting nicely; interiors -- particularly the nicely-appointed Rodriguez home that boasts plenty of wooden accents -- feels inviting as a result. Detail is generally exceptional, particularly in smaller objects; the food on the table in several scenes, for example, is nicely detailed and looks good enough to eat. However, the image does go a bit soft here and there which tends to reduce fine detail. Also featuring a sprinkling of natural grain throughout, Nothing Like the Holidays delivers a quality -- but not quite reference -- film-like 1080p transfer.

Nothing Like the Holidays Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Nothing Like the Holidays features a technically proficient but sonically uninteresting Dolby TrueHD 5.1 lossless soundtrack. This is the very definition of a nuts-and-bolts sort of soundtrack; it gets the job done but delivers not a single memorable moment, but that's all right. This isn't a Transformers film, and what's heard is what's meant to be heard. This soundtrack is front-heavy and dialogue-oriented, and there's never an issue with spoken word discernment. There are a few scattered sound effects that deliver a welcome reprieve from the doldrums of the track; dueling chainsaws in one scene -- one a rather large piece of equipment and the other a puny, rusted thing -- both deliver the expected roar and whimper, respectively, and make for one of the funnier scenes in the film. Several minor ambient effects are scattered about the soundtrack, playing across the front with virtually no discernible rear-channel presence. Several Latin beats heard throughout are delivered with the expected level of definition throughout the entire dynamic range. By no means a bad soundtrack but merely an uninteresting one, Nothing Like the Holidays sounds fine on Blu-ray.

Nothing Like the Holidays Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Nothing Like the Holidays gift wraps a basic assortment of supplemental materials. First up is a feature-length commentary track with Actor/Producer Freddy Rodriguez, Director Alfredo De Villa, and Producer Robert Teitel. This is a solid, generally engaging track; the participants share their knowledge of the locations and the authenticity the locations bring to the film, the strengths of the cast, the spirit and tone of the story, and much more. Listen for a brief conversation with actor Luis Guzmán early in the track. Next up is Picture-in-Picture Insider Exclusive With the Cast, a feature that contains cast and crew speaking over the film in a small secondary video window that pops up intermittently over the film. Nothing Like a Family: Cast Reunion (1080i, 11:44) features the cast recalling their experiences on the film. It seems strange to have a "reunion" less than a year after the film's release, but fans should enjoy seeing the stars reminiscing. Also included is a series of bloopers (1080p, 15:04), the film's theatrical trailer (1080p, 2:31), and additional 1080p trailers for Paper Heart, Pandorum, Henry Poole is Here, and Sunshine Cleaning. Also included on disc two is a digital copy of Nothing Like the Holidays, though it is, unfortunately, not Mac compatible.

Nothing Like the Holidays Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

A different sort of Christmas movie, Nothing Like the Holidays delivers neither heavy doses of Holiday magic nor zany Comedy, instead choosing to tell an honest, down-home tale of love, loss, hope, and everything in between as one family struggles to come to terms with a myriad of problems in the midst of what's supposed to be the most joyous of seasons. Despite its weighty subject matter, Nothing Like the Holidays never becomes bogged down by what can be depressing developments. On the contrary, the strength of the cast and its ability to feel like a real family provides reassurance that all will work out, whether it does or not. In the end, Nothing Like the Holidays won't be for everyone's taste, particularly considering its Christmas setting, but viewers that give it a chance just might be pleasantly surprised by the genuine emotion and heartfelt honesty the film emotes. This Starz Blu-ray release comes as a rather standard package. Featuring a solid 1080p transfer, an adequate lossless soundtrack, and an average assortment of extra goodies, Nothing Like the Holidays is easily worth a rental, and fans of the film or its cast shouldn't be reluctant to pick it up. Recommended.