Blu-ray Movie Reviews

I've been a huge fan of Michel Gondry's direction in both music videos and motion pictures for sometime now. The trailers for Be Kind Rewind made this film out as a bit more inventive than it turned out to be but it still showcases Gondry's knack for storytelling and imagination. After a struggling video stores inventory of VHS tapes are erased by a magnetized Jack Black, Black and Mos Def recreate famous films by request using a home video camera. The local community gets behind the duo when the Hollywood big wigs cry foul due to copyright laws. The film does a great job of capturing the spirit of films and how a great story goes beyond a production budget.

The HD presentation is an average effort for New Line and not quite as stunning as some of their more recent work. Despite Gondry's flare for style you won't find a lot of glitz in this film. The film's palette is a bit drab at times with colors that can be slightly dull. Color rendition improves as the story progresses suggesting the director intended the film to display the mood. Detail and dimension are good but fine object detail seems to be lacking at times. The master seems unnaturally clean as well suggesting the presentation may have been cleaned up a bit resulting in a softer image than we're used to seeing from newer films. While I still think this is a good looking presentation, it fell a bit short of the better HD transfers I've seen in detail and depth.

The DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 mix is a lot of fun and continues New Line’s trend of outstanding audio presentations. The film's score and soundtrack are a lot of fun and the mix does a great job of mixing them with the subtle ambiance of the environments and the playful dialogue. Dynamic range is a bit laid back overall but there are a few moments when the lower end is a bit more pronounced. The rear channels don't seem to get too much activity in this mix but there are moments when their presence is noticed. Dialogue is balanced nicely with the rest of the mix and timbre is quite natural.

The supplements and menus do a great job of sticking with the theme of the film. You'll get some production features, interviews and a look at the location the film was shot in. There is also a tribute to Fats Waller and a great set of "sweded" theme songs.

Despite being a big fan of Gondry's past films, this one fell a bit short of my expectations. There is still plenty to like here though and I love the heart of the story. The video presentation left me wanting a bit but the rest of the package was solid.