6.7 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 2.5 | |
Overall | 2.5 |
A hard-living Hollywood actor re-examines his life after his 11-year-old daughter surprises him with a visit.
Starring: Elle Fanning, Stephen Dorff, Laura Ramsey, Chris Pontius, Michelle MonaghanDrama | 100% |
Video codec: VC-1
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
French: DTS 5.1
Spanish: DTS 5.1
English SDH, French, Spanish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
BD-Live
Mobile features
Region free
Movie | 2.5 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 3.5 | |
Extras | 1.0 | |
Overall | 2.5 |
Somewhere is a film about something, although what that is isn't entirely clear. The dehumanizing effect of wealth and celebrity? The transformative nature of parenthood? The restorative power of a child? The perils of emotional isolation? Or is it simply a slice-of-all-too-mundane-life tale that stumbles more often than it succeeds? The building blocks of a poignant, potentially moving film are in place, but Lost in Translation wunderkind Sofia Coppola fails to assemble anything of substance, stumbling into a somewhat redemptive third act after laying an hour of tedious, oft-times irritating groundwork. As usual though, there's no accounting for taste. Somewhere earned top honors at the 67th Venice International Film Festival, walking away with a coveted Golden Lion. Noted filmmakers have praised its idling insight and meditative melancholy, and many a critic has gushed over Coppola's prowess as an evolving independent filmmaker. Some, like the New York Times' A.O. Scott, even went so far as to declare her fourth directorial outing "perfect" and "one of the year's best pictures" (impassioned praise that continues to confound me). But Somewhere isn't either of those things. It's merely a divisive arthouse disappointment from an increasingly divisive arthouse director.
Universal's lovely 1080p/VC-1 transfer isn't going to convert anyone to the high definition fold, but cinephiles will appreciate how closely it clings to Coppola's artistic and aesthetic intentions. While black levels are muted, contrast is inconsistent, skintones sometimes appear unnaturally warm, and the image grows noisier each time the lights go down, every quote-unquote shortcoming traces back to Harris Savides' photography and the underlying tone of the film, nothing more. Colors, though sobering, are nicely saturated and faithfully represented. Detail, though a tad erratic, is teeming with indie charm and revealing nuances; fine textures are convincingly lifelike, edges are clean and confirming, and the film's grainfield is both intact and tasteful. More importantly, the studio's technical encode is a proficient one. Significant artifacting, banding, aliasing, smearing and other unwelcome party-goers are booted to the curb, and Savides' photography is given every opportunity to stand on its own merits. All things considered, Somewhere's Blu-ray presentation will easily please fans of the film and give critics at least one thing to enjoy.
Somewhere relies on atmosphere above all else, and Universal's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track doesn't deviate from Coppola's marching orders. The results are decidedly flat and front-heavy, with only the slightest ambient and acoustic effects surviving the dangerous trek to the rear speakers. Restaurants, hotel lobbies and apartments have a realistic air about them, albeit unfiltered realism as captured by microphones. Air hiss, environmental noise and other distractions aren't uncommon, and voices aren't as crisp, clear or prioritized as they could be. LFE output is kept to a bare minimum as well, and dynamics, directionality and immersiveness all come up short. That being said, Somewhere presumably sounds as Coppola intended it to, making an evaluation of the studio's lossless mix more difficult than it might seem. As it stands, those who appreciate the film and its director's style will be quite satisfied. Everyone else will shrug their shoulders and overlook the qualities Somewhere's sonics possess.
The only special feature available is "Making Somewhere" (HD, 17 minutes), an obtuse bit of back-patting that skims across the production without drawing anything meaningful to the surface. As EPKs go, it's a strangely pretentious one; something Somewhere's detractors will find to be most fitting.
I don't usually yawn while watching a movie. Even the slowest films, if executed properly, have wormed their way into my brain and held my unwavering attention. But Somewhere spends too much time lingering, waiting, resting, waltzing and shuffling, often to little or no effect. Coppola is more interested in her tone than the tale, and far more concerned with making an unmistakably independent film than in making a good one. Lost in Translation remains one of my favorite films of all time, but after sitting through Marie Antoinette and now Somewhere, I'm beginning to wonder if Coppola will eventually join Richard Kelly and M. Night Shyamalan on my ever-growing list of one-hit-wonder directors. (Her saving grace at this point? The Virgin Suicides, a lesser freshman effort that has nevertheless kept her afloat in my mind.) Still, fans of her fourth film will be reasonably pleased with Universal's Blu-ray release. While it lacks supplemental weight, its AV presentation is quite faithful to Coppola's intentions. Ultimately, I'd suggest sticking with a rental. Anything else just might end in heartbreak.
2015
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Special Edtion
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