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"ROMEO + JULIET" Blu-ray Review by Kevin Carr MOVIE: **** (out of 5 stars) BLU-RAY EXPERIENCE: **** (out of 5 stars) Rated PG-13 Studio: 20th Century Fox Back to DVD Review Home |  |
WHAT IT’S ABOUT
Visionary director Baz Luhrmann takes a new look at the classic William Shakespeare tragedy “Romeo and Juliet.” As the second installment in his honored Red Curtain Trilogy, the play is adapted to modern-day Los Angeles. Leonardo DiCaprio plays Romeo Montague, whose family is at odds with the Capulets. Yet he meets Juliet Capulet and falls in love with her before learning she is from the forbidden family. Two star-crossed lovers face a tragic fate in this colorful and visually brilliant adaptation.
WHAT I LIKED
My first introduction to Baz Luhrmann’s work was his epic romance “Australia,” which I enjoyed but wasn’t blown away. Now that Fox has re-released the last two films in his Red Curtain Trilogy, it has been a treat to finally experience them. And with Disney re-releasing the first part (“Strictly Ballroom”) in November, this makes a great purchase on Blu-ray.
To someone my age, most of my exposure to “Romeo and Juliet” has been reading the play in high school or watching the adaptation with Olivia Hussey. Those are, of course, quality works, but it’s really cool to see this film in the modern (or at least late-90s) world. Being a timeless classic, the story works today as much as it did hundreds of years ago.
What differentiates this film from so many other previous adaptations is the visionary style of Baz Luhrmann. With his theatrical experience under his belt, he deals with the original source material with plenty of respect. It’s not a rewritten “West Side Story” version but the play itself told in a different setting.
Luhrmann is definitely a visual director, and even when the story isn’t moving forward, his films are a treat to watch. They are full of color and dynamic movement that brings the viewer into the film. Luhrmann achieves a hyper-real experience but still allows the actors to shine through and relate to the audience.
Of course, one of the best things about “Romeo + Juliet” is that it is probably the most relateable adaptation to a younger audience. Even though this film is more than ten years old, it’s modern elements are still something kids can connect with. On the whole, it’s a fantastic introduction to Shakespeare for the novice and the young.
WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE
What’s not to like about Shakespeare. Sure, it’s loaded with cliches, but that’s because this was the story that started a lot of these cliches. You can find flaws all you want in the film, but it’s more elements of a story that is hundreds of years old.
I know some Shakespeare purists may criticize “Romeo + Juliet” for being a little too frenetic or hyper-real. There’s a few “Parker Lewis Can’t Lose” sound cues, but those are more an element of the 90s than anything else.
BLU-RAY FEATURES
The new Blu-ray includes a wealth of special features, taking advantage of the new format. First and most immersive is the “Shaking Up Shakespeare” picture-in-picture mode which includes an audio commentary and behind the scenes information.
There’s also uncut footage from the Luhrmann Vault, which includes vintage elements of the behind-the-scenes. A featurette “Romeo + Juliet: The Music” examines the modern music score. Finally, there’s filmmaker and other interview galleries, plus access to BD-Live and Live Lookup via IMDb.
WHO’S GOING TO LIKE THIS MOVIE
Luhrmann fans and those who want to see a modern adaptation of Shakespeare.
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"MOULIN ROUGE!" Blu-ray Review by Kevin Carr MOVIE: ***** (out of 5 stars) BLU-RAY EXPERIENCE: **** (out of 5 stars) Rated PG-13 Studio: 20th Century Fox Back to DVD Review Home |  |
WHAT IT’S ABOUT
The curtain falls on Baz Luhrmann’s Red Curtain Trilogy with the Oscar-nominated “Moulin Rouge!” Starring Ewan MacGregor and Nicole Kidman as lovers who meet in the exotic Moulin Rouge club in Paris. He is a writer, and she is the star performer. However, when she is promised to an investor who will pull the Moulin Rouge out of financial ruin, they must make their affair secret and do what they can to save their theater.
WHAT I LIKED
I never saw “Moulin Rouge!” when it was first released in the theaters. It came out right before I started doing movie reviews, and I never caught it after the award season push. With almost ten years passing after it was released, I have finally had a chance to see it. And as someone who multitasks all the time, it was impossible to watch “Moulin Rouge!” while doing anything else.
The film is so visually stimulating, it is impossible to look away. Luhrmann’s use of hyper-reality and amazing colors makes this film one of the best I have seen in the last ten years. It should have won the Oscar for Best Picture. I know I’m a little behind the times making that statement, but I have to admit that I was blown away by this film.
The music is brilliant and energetic. Unlike the musicals of the past, which tend to drag and have their slow songs at times, “Moulin Rouge!” gives a full theatrical experience by not overstaying its welcome with the songs. And even then, they are creatively plucked from our collective pop culture that we get to hear amazing renditions of them in a turn-of-the-century Paris backdrop.
Like Luhrmann’s “Romeo + Juliet,” there’s a lot of cartoonish elements to the presentation, including goofy sound cues and slapstick humor. Normally this annoys me in a film, but with the ultra hyper-real nature of “Moulin Rouge!” (a place that existed but never in the version that is presented) makes all of this okay.
WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE
I have no complaints. This was a brilliant film that, along with “Chicago,” helped revitalize and differentiate modern musicals.
BLU-RAY FEATURES
This new Blu-ray includes “Spectacular, Spectacular,” a picture-in-picture presentation with commentary along with behind-the-scenes footage and stills. There’s also a bunch of featurettes from the Luhrmann Vault from previous releases.
New material includes the featurette “A Creative Adventure” and an introduction by Luhrmann. Additional featurettes include “The Stars,” “The Writers,” “The Design,” “The Dance,” “The Music,” “The Cutting Room” and “The Making of Moulin Rough!”
There’s also access to BD-Live and Live Lookup via IMDb.
WHO’S GOING TO LIKE THIS MOVIE
Fans of the Red Curtain Trilogy.
