Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.0

Vox Lux Blu-ray Movie Review

A fantastic sugar-pop rush showcase for Natalie Portman

A surrealistic experience, the mesmerizing Vox Lux is a stunning showcase for actress Natalie Portman. The film is a power-pop ballad of cinema with a number of impressive song selections by one of the absolute best in the business: Sia. The film uses fictional themes for a fictional character in a truly fictional world.

Celeste (Natalie Portman) is a pop superstar who rose to fame from an early age after starting a music career following the tragic events of a violent school shooting in which she was one of the survivors. As the filmmaking begins, young Celeste (Raffey Cassidy) finds fame with the help of her faithful manager (Jude Law) and publicist Josie (Jennifer Ehle). As the story unfolds, the film revolves on Celeste's rise to fame and her personal relationships.

The exceptional music by Scott Walker (Pola X, The Childhood of a Leader) and singer-songwriter Sia are enough reason to see Vox Lux. The music is exquisite and is perfectly played against the visually inventive backdrop of the cinematography by Lol Crawley (On the Ice, Four Lions). The film has dynamic energy in each anthem. The songs were written for Natalie Portman and the end results certainly are undeniably powerful.

Brady Corbet (The Childhood of a Leader) directs the film with a visionary style that brings to life his screenplay (co-written by Mona Fastvold). Filled to the brim with energy and fantastic visuals, the fantastic odyssey of Vox Lux is a stunning cinematic experience that has to be seen to be believed. Cinematic wonders.

Natalie, at the top of her game.

For more information on Vox Lux please refer to the review by my colleague Martin Liebman.

Vox Lux Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Arriving on Blu-ray from Artificial Eye, Vox Lux has received a 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high definition presentation in the original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.66:1 widescreen. The transfer is a beauty for the most part. Colors are exceptional and clarity is superb. The transfer is free from any egregious issues with banding or encoding anomalies. The transfer bears some resemblance to the release from Universal Studios (reviewed by my colleague Martin Liebman).

However, the transfer doesn't appear to be an identical one. The scan has wonderful color reproduction yet black levels were somewhat underwhelming and some sequences appeared grayish in tone. These scenes looked as though they could have been a bit darker and more robust. While the Universal disc reportedly features some boosted black levels, the U.K. release doesn't appear to have the same exact encode. Throughout the entire feature-film, the black levels seemed underwhelming and it seemed to be source-related. This seems a stark contrast to the review of the U.S. edition so it is noted for the sake of comparison.

Please note that there are also select scenes in Vox Lux which feature vintage video-tape quality film footage. These scenes were intentionally filmed in this style as an artistic decision and it is not the result of a poor encode. Artifical Eye has done an excellent job on this release overall (despite the underwhelming black-levels).

Vox Lux Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack seems to bear a striking resemblance to the track included on the U.S. Blu-ray release by Universal Studios. The Artificial Eye Blu-ray release also provides a lossless, 24 bit 2.0 track. For more information on the soundstage please refer to the review on the Universal release by my colleague Martin Liebman.

Vox Lux Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The U.K. release includes a selection of unique supplemental features which were not provided on the U.S. Blu-ray release from Universal. Please refer to the review by my colleague Martin Liebman for more information on the extras included on the U.S. edition.

Exclusive to the Artifical Eye Blu-ray release:

Interview with Director Brady Corbet (HD, 13:34) features the writer-director of Vox Lux exploring his approach to the filmmaking and what it was like to work with Natalie Portman and Sia. The filmmaker delves into the production history and his original concept. Corbet discusses the process of bringing the cast together and convincing Sia to write songs for the film.

Interview with Natalie Portman (HD, 3:51) is a charming session in which the beloved actress delves into her character and the reason she became interested in the project. The interview provides some added insights for fans of the actress to chew on.

Director Bradley Corbet Talks Music (HD, 21:57) is a compelling (and in-depth) interview with the filmmaker of Vox Lux. In this detailed interview, Corbet further details the process of bringing the music to the forefront of the filmmaking: in regards to both the music songs by pop superstar Sia and composer Scott Walker.

Vox Lux Theatrical Trailer (HD, 1:45)

Vox Lux Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Entertaining and stylish from start to finish, the underrated Vox Lux is a must-see cinematic gem with a fantastic performance from Natalie Portman at the front and center of the experience. Featuring stunning music by pop icon Sia, the film is a true sensation. The visuals of the film are outstanding and the style is remarkably bold and visionary. The Blu-ray release features an impressive presentation and some worthwhile supplements. The release comes highly recommended.