Teenager Michael Oher (Quinton Aaron) is living on his own when he is spotted on the street by the Tuohy family. Learning that the young man is one of her daughter's classmates, Leigh Ann (Sandra Bullock) invites him to stay at their home for the night. What starts out as a gesture of kindness turns into something more as Michael becomes part of the family despite the differences in their backgrounds.

In the 2009 NFL draft, Michael Oher's rags-to-riches story reached new heights when he was drafted in the first round by the Baltimore Ravens. I love inspirational sports stories, and this is one of the best I've seen in years. The performances are outstanding, especially by Sandra Bullock, who won her first Oscar for the role, and by young Jae Head, who provides a lot of comic relief in an otherwise dramatic subtext.

The DTS-HD MA 5.1 audio track is solid, but the VC-1 video encode is outstanding, featuring natural photography, exquisite fine detail, and rich color saturation.

Getting into school

• Chapter 2, 0:05:46
• Fine detail
• When Big Tony (Omar J. Dorsey) enters the office, check out the amazing fine detail in the background, especially the individual brushstrokes in the painted doors.

Wingate Christian School

• Chapter 3, 00:09:27
• Detail, color saturation
• As the camera pans down across the arched entry, relish the detail in every brick, the luscious greenery in the landscaping, and the clearly legible inscribed message above the arch.

This team is your family

• Chapter 18, 01:19:31
• Detail
• This is my favorite shot in the film due to its jaw-dropping detail. As the camera zooms in on Michael's face, you can see every bead of sweat as it rolls off his skin.

Release Date: March 23, 2010
Studio: Warner

Movie: 10/10
Picture: 9/10
Sound: 8/10