(500) Days of Summer Blu-ray

(500) Days of Summer

 (2009)

Comedy | Drama | Romance



Tom believes, even in this cynical modern world, in the notion of a transforming, cosmically destined, lightning-strikes-once kind of love. Summer doesn't. Not at all. But that doesn't stop Tom from going after her, again and again, like a modern Don Quijote, with all his might and courage. Suddenly, Tom is in love not just with a lovely, witty, intelligent woman -- but with the very idea of Summer, the very idea of a love that still has the power to shock the heart and stop the world. The fuse is lit on Day 1 when Tom, a would-be architect turned sappy greeting card writer, encounters Summer, his boss's breezy, beautiful new secretary, fresh off the plane from Michigan. Though seemingly out of his league, Tom soon discovers he shares plenty in common with Summer. By Day 31, things are moving ahead, albeit "casually." By Day 32, Tom is irreparably smitten, living in a giddy, fantastical world of Summer on his mind. By Day 185, things are in serious limbo -- but not without hope. And as the story winds backwards and forwards through Tom and Summer's on-again, off- again, sometimes blissful, often tumultuous dalliance -- all of which adds up to a kaleidoscopic portrait of why, and how, we still struggle so laughably, cringingly hard to make sense of love and to hopefully make it real.

For more details about (500) Days of Summer on Blu-ray, see the (500) Days of Summer Blu-ray Review

(500) Days of Summer Blu-ray, Video Quality

 


(500) Days of Summer shines on Blu-ray with a 2.40:1 framed, 1080p/AVC-encoded transfer that’s impossible not to fall for. Just as in a relationship, it is sometimes easy to find visual shortcomings in the transfer of a film that you love, so you may notice that (500) Days isn’t exactly the sharpest contemporary film available on Blu-ray. That’s not to say it’s dull, because fine detail is definitely more than adequate—see the tight focus on Zooey’s eyelashes, for example— but the overall look is a little soft at times. (Though, I’d have to say flatteringly so, and in a way that totally suits the feeling of the story.) That said, this is a gorgeously shot film, with a very deliberate color palette that’s almost devoid of primaries, but presents instead a kind of creamy spectrum that reminds me of an old Polaroid. With few exceptions, the image is comprised of neutral tones like off-whites, beiges, and grays, and whenever Summer is present, the film allows a few bold splashes of blue to match her big, beautiful eyes. Black levels are nice and tight while preserving plenty of detail in the shadows—see Tom’s black hoodie—and the well-tuned contrast gives the image a pleasing sense of depth and presence. Fine grain is readily apparent, though minimal, and even the windowboxed sections shot on 16mm look great. Finally, cuddled up on a 50GB dual-layer disc, there are no compression issues or other anomalies to ruin the mood.

(500) Days of Summer Blu-ray, Audio Quality

 


No one expects a romantic comedy to have brain-melting dynamics, whiz-bang-pow cross-channel sound effects, or foundation-shaking bouts of LFE rumble. Usually the best you can hope for is expertly prioritized dialogue, a natural and convincing soundstage, and music that’s tight, detailed, and carries a little bit of heft in the low end. And that’s exactly what (500) Days of Summer’s DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track delivers. For the most part, this is a front- heavy presentation, with balanced, easily intelligible voices carrying on life-altering conversations in the center channel. The surround speakers, however, do get some occasional action in the form of city street and office building ambience, along with a few discrete effects like Tom’s sister’s bicycle whizzing from left to right. The sound design isn’t particularly immersive or engaging, but it is perfectly acceptable for this kind of film, and it’s aided by a terrific selection of music. Both the score and the ample pop songs sound excellent, with a clean, articulate, but not overly bright presence, and solid bass.

(500) Days of Summer Blu-ray, News and Updates

• Today on Blu-ray - December 22nd - December 22, 2009


• Fox Reveals (500) Days of Summer Blu-ray - October 7, 2009

(500) Days of Summer Blu-ray, Forum Discussions

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