7 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
Sick of the constant bickering between the men in their lives, a group of Lebanese women in a tight-knit community decide to make a stand and tackle the growing religious tensions between Christians and Muslims in their village. To prevent all out conflict, the women take extreme steps to resolve the situation; whether it be hiring Ukranian strippers or faking a miracle in their own village, there is nothing they won't try. Bringing the village back together was never going to be easy but no-one could have imagined it would be this much fun....
Starring: Claude Baz Moussawbaa, Leyla Hakim, Nadine LabakiForeign | 100% |
Drama | Insignificant |
Comedy | Insignificant |
Music | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.34:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
Arabic: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.0
English
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 2.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
Destiny then drove them to find a new way.
Religious conflict extends to the beginning of recorded time and probably well before that. It's evolved only as man and technology have allowed it,
both finding new and ever more destructive ways to further the divide and only expand, not reduce, prejudices and planned and plotted and
executed
verbal and physical attacks on others who merely hold a differing viewpoint. Sectarian violence is probably here to stay, but in one Lebanese village,
depicted in one fictional movie, co-existence is a fact of life, peace is the happy medium, and Christians and Muslims alike get along wonderfully like
good neighbors, not mortal enemies. But
when the men take it upon themselves to create a divide because, well, that's what the world preaches and that's what centuries of conditioning
tells
them to do, the ladies make it their mission in life to ease
tensions and ensure that peace reigns supreme and that the violence that grips the rest of the world -- and is always readily evident even on their
own
borders -- cannot divide and conquer their village and destroy the harmony it holds so dear. Director Nadine Labaki's Where Do We Go Now?
is
a joyous, humorous, dramatic, sincere, and well-made effort meant to show the folly not of differences but rather in allowing those differences to
become
something harmful, something meant to not merely challenge a viewpoint but rather, in time, destroy lives. The movie largely succeeds as a
breezy, fun little diversion
with a purpose, a picture that's unafraid to depict characters taking a few unique measures in an effort to keep the peace.
Trying to decide where to go from here.
Where Do We Go Now? arrives on Blu-ray with another wonderful 1080p high definition transfer from Sony. This image is everything viewers have come to expect from a Sony Blu-ray transfer. The filmed elements are beautifully presented in high definition. A light grain overlay appears over the entire image, offering a pleasing film-like texture throughout the movie. Details are fabulous. The image is steady and crystal-clear, perhaps not quite as infinitely detailed as the very finest and most vibrant and precise Blu-ray discs, but this transfer perfectly reflects the picture's elements with ease. The village is beautifully captured, right down to the sandy and pebbly terrain. Structures are visibly complex in texture, as are clothing lines and facial details. Colors are wonderful, dominated by dusty and flat earthen shades that take on a striking natural appearance. The image is dotted with colorful headscarves that give the movie a splash of color and the transfer some shades to truly show its strengths. Blacks can look a bit washed out at times -- notably at film's start -- but generally they're deep and accurate. Likewise, flesh tones reflect a true, natural shading. The image appears free of any unwanted compression issues, print wear, edge enhancement, or other distracting elements. This is another wondrous high definition presentation from Sony.
Where Do We Go Now? features a DTS-HD MA 5.0 lossless soundtrack. The presentation is polished and aurally effective, opening with beautifully rich, light, airy, well-spaced, and seamless music. These subtle notes, as well as the film's more lively beats, will impress with extravagant clarity and a rich, enveloping presence. The track incorporates plenty of minor environmental ambience that nicely recreates the setting. Subtle breezes, gently rustling leaves, chirping birds, and other natural elements give sonic shape to the Lebanese village. There's an aurally correct sloppiness to the poorly received radio reception and low-grade television speaker output in those few scenes in which their sounds are at the center of this soundtrack. Dialogue plays crisply and clearly from the center, representing the film's driving force that's never lost underneath surrounding effects. Despite the absence of a subwoofer signal, the track comes across as able-bodied and full. This is another fine example of Sony's Blu-ray audio handiwork. Included are optional English subtitles in support of the original Arabic soundtrack.
Where Do We Go Now? contains the following bonus features:
Where Do We Go Now? won't put an end to the world's religious strife, but it shows that taking a stand and making the effort to solve the problem -- no matter how unorthodox the solutions may be -- is preferable to allowing violence to beget more violence, of allowing a peaceful and peace-loving village to devolve into a cesspool of hate and violence, for its land to become as deadly as the mine field that surrounds it. The movie makes light of the solution rather than the problem. It doesn't disparage religion or those who practice any of its variants, but it does speak loudly against divisions becoming more than a mere war of words. It's a fun but meaningful and heartfelt movie that tells a good story and is shaped by strong performances, quality direction, and a wonderful score. Sony's Blu-ray release of Where Do We Go Now? features standout video, superb audio, and a good assortment of extras. Highly recommended.
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