6.1 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
An overlooked middle child finds himself in the unexpected spotlight when he realizes his family's terrible Christmas day keeps repeating. As the only one experiencing the day over and over, he decides to use his unique gift to give the holidays a makeover and his family a Christmas they will never forget.
Starring: Zachary Gordon, Molly Parker, Rick Roberts (I), Wesley Morgan, Peter DaCunhaFamily | 100% |
Fantasy | 36% |
Holiday | 15% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.78:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 16-bit)
English SDH
25GB Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (1 BD, 1 DVD)
Digital copy
DVD copy
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A, B (C untested)
Movie | 3.0 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 0.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
Released in 2013, Pete's Christmas recycles Groundhog Day for a tween audience, but with a much bigger holiday. The film is a Canadian production that was acquired and distributed by family-fare specialists Walden Media and ARC Entertainment, which markets young people's entertainment through a partnership with Wal-Mart. (Perhaps not coincidentally, the retailing giant receives notable product placement.) Though derivative and somewhat predictable, the film is strong enough and has sufficient appeal to surge again in sales during the holiday season.
Pete's Christmas was shot by Canadian cinematographer Colin Hoult (The Strain). Specific
information about the shooting format was not available, but the production appears to be digital
and the lighting has the style of a typical TV production for The Hallmark Channel, where the
film aired. ARC's 1080p, AVC-encoded Blu-ray features a sharp and detailed image that remains
bright and cheerful even when everything in Pete's life is going wrong. The whites of the snow in
the many outdoor scenes are accurate without overemphasis (and snow, in its many guises, plays
a big part in Pete's Christmas), and black levels appear to be accurate throughout. There is plenty
of fine detail throughout the Kidder household, which is seen from multiple angles and in
numerous versions as the day keeps repeating with variations introduced by Pete's interventions.
Excursions into town reveal a picturesque village that could be the stand-in for a contemporary
Bedford Falls.
With no extras to take up any space, ARC has mastered Pete's Christmas with an average bitrate
of 27.61 Mbps, which is more than sufficient to avoid artifacts.
The 5.1 audio mix for Pete's Christmas, encoded on Blu-ray in lossless DTS-HD MA, isn't notable for surround effects. The rear speakers provide environmental ambiance and intensify a few visceral moments (such as Pete getting knocked down in a holiday football game, before he memorizes the opposition's moves and learns to dodge them), but otherwise the action is largely front-oriented, with emphasis on the dialogue, which is always clear. The cheerful score is by Lesley Barber (You Can Count on Me).
Except for the film's trailer (1080i; 1.78:1; 1:41), the disc has no extras. At startup, it also plays trailers for Return to Nim's Island, Dear Dumb Diary and Storm Rider, which can be skipped with the chapter forward button and are not otherwise available once the disc loads.
Pete's Christmas is well-made PG-13 family fare that shouldn't bore the adults, at least on the
first viewing. If the kids get hooked, however, multiple viewings may find the parents slipping
out of the room. Bill Murray's acerbic presence was essential to the humor of Groundhog Day's
constant repetition, and Zachary Gordon is no Bill Murray (is anyone?). While lacking in extras,
the Blu-ray is a solid presentation from ARC and is, for the kids, recommended.
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