This is an entertaining portrait of the early life of Gabriel Bonheur Chanel (Audrey Tautou), an orphan who would build a fashion empire. Known to her friends as Coco, she emerges from an orphanage to a mundane job as a seamstress and eventually ends up as a concubine for an eccentric French aristocrat.

I enjoyed the film, but I was particularly taken with the cinematography featuring lush settings, Oscar-nominated costumes, and the beauty of Audrey Tautou. The color saturation is slightly washed out in most scenes (intentionally), but the fine detail is mesmerizing in the 1080p encode.

Elaborate party

• Chapter 7, 00:42:06
• Detail, depth
• As Coco is speaking with Emilienne (Emmanuelle Devos), notice the detail in the clothing, facial pores, and depth in the scene while the partygoers sip their champagne.

Nice pad

• Chapter 12, 01:18:25
• Detail, depth
• Here's another fabulous image of the Balsan estate. Look at the detail in the architecture, the fallen leaves on the grass, and the differing colors of the roof shingles.

Close-up

• Chapter 13, 01:25:04
• Detail, color saturation
• This is my favorite shot in the film. As the camera zooms in on Coco, savor the amazing detail in the image. Look at the multilayered textures in the fallen leaves, the tweed fabric in her jacket, and the lush emerald moss clinging to the tree.

Release Date: February 16, 2009
Studio: Sony

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