6.3 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
Kenya is a successful African-American lawyer in her mid-thirties whose personal life is not going as well as her career. While she's attractive and intelligent, Kenya has rather high standards and isn't willing to settle for a man who isn't everything she wants. While attending a party, Kenya is introduced to Brian, a landscape architect who handles the gardening at her host's mansion. Brian is immediately and obviously attracted to Kenya, through she doesn't feel the same way at all. However, she likes his work and hires him to refurbish her garden; before long, he asks her out on a date, and against her better judgment she accepts. While Kenya and Brian have little in common, in time they hit it off, and a romance begins to blossom between them. However, Brian happens to be white, which ruffles some feathers among Kenya's friends and family, who try to find her a more suitable, African-American suitor.
Starring: Sanaa Lathan, Simon Baker, Mike Epps, Donald Faison, Blair UnderwoodComedy | 100% |
Romance | 89% |
Drama | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English SDH
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 3.5 | |
Extras | 1.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
What makes a good romance story? Is it the chemistry between the lead characters? The setting in which they meet? The circumstances that conspire to keep them from living their happily ever after? Or is it the perfect combination of these things, harmoniously fine-tuned with believable characters who wear their problems and conflicts on their sleeves, allowing the audience a glimpse not into a fairy tale romance (such as Beauty and the Beast) but instead into a real life, real world, relatable story (such as No Reservations)? Something New captures that perfect blend and creates a realistic romance that leaves audiences with a tangible, believable, yet still heartfelt story of love without all of the fluffy fairy tale fantasies standing in for the human heart.
Unlike some other recent Universal RomCom types to debut on Blu-ray, Something New's 1080p transfer isn't really all that bad. The image is, almost always, very warm. Skin tones border on hot, and there's a pervasive amber tint to the movie. A few scenes offer a contrasting coolness in reprieve, but expect a substantially warm, bordering hot, contrast as the rule. Colors still pop with authority in bright daytime scenes. Saturation is fine within the movie's warm tonal push. Details are very impressive. Skin textures are pleasantly complex, clothes are firm and refined, and environments are very sharp. Light grain is retained throughout the entirety. Softness is rarely a distraction, and digital processing and print wear are largely absent. This is a very solid, very enjoyable presentation from Universal.
Something New's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack is fairly basic. The film is propelled by dialogue, which presents with good center-focused clarity and prioritization. Minor atmospheric effects blend nicely with the spoken word, helping to recreate various environments with clarity but not intrusiveness. Surrounds are used sporadically in these instances as the fronts carry the bulk. There are a few standout moments in the track. A dance number in chapter four offers some impressive low end intensity and wide, engaging musical cues across the front. The surrounds are generally used in a more complimentary fashion. The track certainly has the ability to power up as the moment demands and present its essentials with minimal interruptive flow. This is a good overall presentation from Universal.
Universal's Blu-ray release of Something New contains two featurettes. No "top menu" is included. The supplements, and setup options, must
be accessed in-film via a crude pop-up menu.
Something New doesn't reinvent the romance wheel, but it's a capable Dramedy that explores the heart overcoming the odds, in this case the artificial boundaries of skin color. It's a movie that's at once both humorous and sincere. It's very well acted and one of the better films of its kind. Universal's Blu-ray isn't a mess, but neither is it first-class. Solid enough picture, decent multichannel lossless sound, and a pair of featurettes offer some value to any fan of the film, but this one is best purchased only at a good sale price point.
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