8.1 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
In 1980s Dublin, 14-year-old Conor (Ferdia Walsh-Peelo) is looking for a break from a home strained by his parents’ relationship and money troubles, while trying to adjust to his new inner-city public school where the kids are rough and the teachers are rougher. He finds a glimmer of hope in the mysterious, über-cool and beautiful Raphina (Lucy Boynton), and with the aim of winning her heart he invites her to star in his band’s music videos. There’s only one problem: he’s not part of a band…yet.
Starring: Lucy Boynton, Maria Doyle Kennedy, Aidan Gillen, Jack Reynor, Kelly ThorntonComing of age | 100% |
Music | 64% |
Drama | 64% |
Period | 25% |
Comedy | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.38:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English SDH, Spanish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
UV digital copy
Region A (C untested)
Movie | 5.0 | |
Video | 3.5 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 1.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
As children and teenagers of the 80s inch towards and become firmly entrenched in middle age and start making films, it's no surprise that their decade is starting to become more and more prominent in film as a new retro landscape in which to tell their stories. Fresh with nostalgia and budding with personal experience, movies like Ping Pong Summer and Everybody Wants Some!! have dazzled in their loving recreations of a time and place that is now approaching the age of "ancient history," at least considering how fast the world is changing in what is otherwise less than a blink-of-an-eye timeframe in the grand scheme of things. Director John Carney's (Once) Sing Street is the latest, and arguably greatest, of this new wave of 80s time capsule films. Sort of like the Almost Famous for those who call the 80s their formative years, the film captures the interconnected life force of life, love, and music that all revolve around one another as a record, the soundtrack -- the heartbeat -- of life then and, even in today's otherwise seriously different world, now.
The brothers.
Sing Street's 1080p transfer isn't the sharpest on the block, but it gets the job done. Rather noisy at times and a little unkempt around the edges, definition is nevertheless fine, with more heavily constructed attire revealing satisfyingly intimate attention to detail. General facial textures are adequately revealing, as are some of the rougher locations around the film, like an alley, a seaside walkway, the recreation area outside the school, and even some of the more run-down interiors inside the school. Clarity is decent enough, but the image as a whole just has a little bit of a second-rate look about it, lacking the absolute sharpness and precision viewers have come to expect from flagship digitally shot films granted top-tier transfers on the format. Colors are fairly well saturated, particularly all of the splashier, more vibrant makeup accents. Even the colder locations around the film, where blues and grays tend to dominate, appear nicely defined and authentic. Black levels appear fine and flesh tones never too far from normal. All in all, this is a fairly presentable image, but hardly in the top-tier.
Sing Street performs on Blu-ray via a well-versed DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack. Music is aggressive, particularly along the front, where clarity and definition soar. Surrounds are engaged, never overbearing but making for a solid, and fluid, supportive element. Both vocal and instrumental definition are first-rate. Minor supportive din around the school yard nicely saturates the stage, while gentler seaside ambient effects flow through with lifelike definition. A few support details ring in, literally, with excellent realism and placement: the school bell is probably the most prominent. Dialogue drives much of the film beyond music. It's perfectly prioritized and situated neatly in the front-center portion of the stage. As with musical lyrics, speech is clear and lifelike.
Sing Street contains three bonus features. A UV digital copy code is included with purchase.
Sing Street is a special, magical film. It's beautifully constructed, practically flawless from script to screen. Moving -- soulfully and toe-tapping both -- and well versed in its place and time, the film will certainly hold a special place in the hearts of those who found, and continue to express themselves through, 80s culture and music. It's also for anyone who has ever fallen in love, felt that spark, and done whatever it takes to keep it ignited. A wonderful film through-and-through. Anchor Bay's Blu-ray is a little skimpy in terms of extra content. Video is fine and audio is strong. Highly recommended, based largely on the strength of the film, one of this year's absolute finest.
2016
2016
2017
2016
2012
2010
1993
2014
Director's Edition | The Bootleg Cut
2000
2012
1995
2015
Special Edition
1973
2013
2000
2016
2012
1985
Vi är bäst
2013
2009