Blu-ray Movie Reviews

"Stupid is as stupid does," says Forrest Gump as he discusses his relative level of intelligence with a stranger while waiting for a bus. Despite his sub-normal IQ, Gump leads a truly charmed life, with a ringside seat for many of the most memorable events of the second half of the 20th century. Entirely without trying, Forrest teaches Elvis Presley to dance, becomes a football star, meets John F. Kennedy, serves with honor in Vietnam, meets Lyndon Johnson, speaks at an anti-war rally at the Washington Monument, hangs out with the hippies, defeats the Chinese national team in table tennis, meets Richard Nixon, discovers the break-in at the Watergate, opens a profitable shrimping business, becomes an original investor in Apple Computers, and decides to run back and forth across the country for several years. Meanwhile, as the remarkable parade of his life goes by, Forrest never forgets Jenny, the girl he loved as a boy, who makes her own journey through the turbulence of the 1960s and 1970s that is far more troubled than the path Forrest happens upon.

It is hard not to love this timeless heartwarming tale. Such a personal story yet so epic in scope, Forrest Gump is one of those films that just leaves a mark on you forever. It had been awhile since I’d seen this one and I found myself loving every minute of it. The performances here are amazing and the production still stands up wonderfully.

The third film to be released under the Sapphire Series banner Forrest Gump receives a solid A/V presentation. The Blu-ray has a very film-like presentation that can be a bit soft from time to time but the natural detail and film grain are preserved beautifully. Colors are slightly muted but retain the look of the periods depicted in the film. The special effects hold up well but aren’t as seamless as they looked when this first hit theaters. I didn’t notice any signs of digital noise reduction or ringing. The DTS-HD soundtrack is impressive. This film came out shortly after the move to discrete 5.1 in theaters and it seems like a lot of films were amping up their sound design considerably. There is some great low bass extension here and the mix has a very open and airy feel that really fills up the room nicely.

The two-disc set includes plenty of production features that look at the film, its popularity and everything that went into the production. There are pieces on the groundbreaking visual effects, the sound design and the film’s story and main character. You also get a look at the outstanding soundtrack of the film, which was one of my favorites back when it was first released. A feature commentary is also included.

A film for the ages, Forrest Gump is cinema and storytelling at its best. This Blu-ray release does a great job with its A/V presentation making it an easy recommendation.