6.5 | / 10 |
Users | 3.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.5 | |
Overall | 4.2 |
The story begins with Pierre, a young man unexpectedly confronted with his own mortality. For the next 24 hours, his tour through the city will weave with those of his beloved sister, his neighbours (some known, some not), their friends and workmates, and their interconnected stories of love, familial bonds, loneliness and compassion come together in unexpected ways.
Starring: Juliette Binoche, Romain Duris, Fabrice Luchini, Albert Dupontel, François CluzetDrama | 100% |
Foreign | 91% |
Romance | 37% |
Comedy | Insignificant |
Video codec: VC-1
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.34:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
French: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
French: Dolby Digital 5.1
French, English
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region B (locked)
Movie | 4.5 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.5 |
Following a familiar route - a colorful collage of individual stories where jaded characters struggle with personal demons - Cedric Klapisch's latest, "Paris" (2008), is yet to pen a North American release date. Across the Atlantic, however, the film was well received by the French critics and scored high with aficionados primarily due to the solid contribution by the lead duo Duris-Binoche. A terrific soundtrack adds plenty of flavor to this beautifully-lensed film as well. With optional English subtitles. Region-B "locked".
Romain Duris as Pierre
Presented in an aspect ratio of 2.34:1, encoded with VC-1 and granted a 1080p transfer, Cedric Klapisch's Paris arrives on Blu-ray via French distributors Studio Canal.
I was very much looking forward to seeing this film given my positive experience with the director's previous works, typically very expressive and intelligently composed film, and I was definitely not disappointed. The French distributors have provided a competent transfer of very high quality, which certainly compliments Paris quite well. The color-scheme is very convincing and above all perfectly balanced. The gorgeous vistas from the City of Lights look terrific without even a smidge of color-bleeding. The picture is well defined, fresh-looking, and free of heavy noise filtering. Some of the indoor scenes look slightly softer than some of the outdoor panoramic vistas, but the transfer most certainly reveals a balanced look, which I believe replicates the theatrical look of the film flawlessly. Furthermore, you will immediately be able to tell that Paris is a very recent film, as the actual transfer is simply immaculate - you won't notice any debris, dirt, or damage. On the other hand, detail is just as impressive, allowing one to truly be immersed into the hectic Parisian lifestyle. (Note: This is a Region-B "locked" Blu-ray disc. Therefore, you must have a native Region-B or Region-Free PS3 or SA in order to access its content).
There are two audio tracks on this Blu-ray release: French DTS-HD Master 5.1 and French Dolby Digital 5.1 mix. For the record, Studio Canal have provided optional English and French SDG subtitles for the main feature. When turned on, they split the image frame and the black bar below it.
Paris is a wild roller-coaster of complex scenes where comedy and drama are intertwined exceptionally well. Logically, often times when the camera follows closely the multiple characters and jumps from one scene to another, the audio effects could be quite surprising (for example, the transition from the cabaret scene to the hospital in the beginning of the film). Unsurprisingly, the DTS-HD Master is leaps and bounds ahead of the Dolby Digital 5.1 mix. It is fuller, richer and overall a lot ore dynamic. On the other hand, the dialog is crystal clear and very easy to follow. I also did not detect any pops, cracks, or hissing to report in this review.
The following supplemental materials are available on Paris (please keep in mind that these are all in standard-def PAL format, hence, you will not be able to access them as of this moment if you are using a region-A PS3 or SA):
Original Theatrical Trailer
Making Of
Deleted scenes with a commentary by Cedric Klapisch
Alternate scenes with a commentary by Cedric Klapisch
Discussing Paris
The decors, music, and script
Paris continues Cedric Klapisch's fascination with multi-layered, notably complex stories. Rising French star Romain Duris is once again on board next to the always elegant and fascinating to behold Juliette Binoche. While Paris does not reach new heights, its story is very strong, with a distinctive flavor, providing a glimpse at the City of Lights in a manner rather similar to Diane Thompson's Oscar-nominated Fauteuils d'orchestre. Fans of contemporary Gallic cinema should certainly seek to add this film to their collections. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
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