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Explicit Ills [Blu-ray]
(Mark Webber, 2008)
Review by Gary Tooze
Production: Theatrical: Phase 4 Films Video: Peace Arch Home Entertainment
Disc: Region: FREE! (as verified by the Momitsu region FREE Blu-ray player) Runtime: 1:27:05.720 Disc Size: 16,564,373,442 bytes Feature Size: 14,655,252,480 bytes Video Bitrate: 19.27 Mbps Chapters: 12 Case: Standard Blu-ray case Release date: July 14th, 2009
Video: Aspect ratio: 2.35:1 Resolution: 1080p Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video
Audio: DTS-HD Master Audio English 1878 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 1878 kbps / 16-bit (DTS Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 16-bit)
Subtitles: English, Spanish, none
Extras: • 4 Trailers (3 in HD)• 'Get Involved' text screens
Bitrate:
Description: In the streets of North Philadelphia, the lives of strangers intersect in a bold and moving semi-autobiographical tale that crosscuts between the many people who struggle in the face of poverty, drugs and the human connection.
The Film: For much of its 87 minutes, “Explicit Ills,” an episodic movie about a number of Philadelphians living, working and often struggling in the same neighborhood, appears to move from life to life without particular reason. Its first-time writer and director, Mark Webber, doesn’t immediately reveal the story’s structure or his intentions: he simply places you among some dozen characters — children and young adults of different colors and with differing economic contexts — without introduction. A young boy buys a soda in one scene, an older boy explains the benefits of a vegan diet in another; one man sells pot while another sells colonics. These are a few of the souls finding and losing themselves in a neighborhood in uneasy transition alongside a bohemian wife (Naomie Harris) who steals puffs off blunts in between yoga poses and a poor mother (Rosario Dawson) trying to care for her asthmatic son. In time, themes (financial distress, self-medication, existential isolation) emerge from their lives, and seemingly casual moments begin to take larger shape, much as the dots in a pointillist painting do as you step back from the canvas. Though some of his visual choices can seem arbitrary (the long shots tend to feel more like art-cinema tics than formally organic), Mr. Webber, working with the talented cinematographer Patrice Lucien Cochet, persuasively transforms a group of portraits into a group portrait. Excerpt from Manhola Dargis at the NY Times located HERE
Despite the meager technical transfer statistics, with the feature taking up less than 15 Gig of the single-layered Blu-ray disc, the image quality on Explicit Ills is quite acceptable. Certain color sequences are, intentionally, overly brilliant - detail is respectable if not stellar and grain is present. I didn't notice any blockiness or intrusive artifacts. I'd say this Blu-ray transfer supports the film adequately if keeping a 'Wow' factor in check.
CLICK EACH BLU-RAY CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920X1080 RESOLUTION
Audio :It's a fairly untested DTS-HD Master 5.1 track at 1878 kbps. There isn't much in the audio is export dramatic separations or bass response (beyond a bit of music). There are optional English and Spanish subtitles and my Momitsu tells me this release is region FREE!
Extras :There are 4 trailers of Peace Arch releases - 3 of which are in HD including one for the feature film. There are a few text screen under 'Get Involved' about the 'Poor People's Economic Human Rights Campaign Outreach' but nothing more.
BOTTOM LINE:
Gary Tooze July 8th, 2009
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About the Reviewer: Hello, fellow Beavers! I have been interested in film since I viewed a Chaplin festival on PBS when I was around 9 years old. I credit DVD with expanding my horizons to fill an almost ravenous desire to seek out new film experiences. I currently own approximately 7500 DVDs and have reviewed over 3000 myself. I appreciate my discussion Listserv for furthering my film education and inspiring me to continue running DVDBeaver. Plus a healthy thanks to those who donate and use our Amazon links.
Although I never wanted to become one of those guys who
focused 'too much' on image and sound quality - I
find HD is swiftly pushing me in that direction. So be
it, but film will always be my first love and I list my
favorites on the old YMdb site now accessible
HERE.
Samsung HPR4272 42" Plasma HDTV Gary W. Tooze
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