The Review at a Glance: (max score: 5 )
Film:
Extras:
Audio/Video total rating:
( Max score: 100 )
83
Studio and Year: 20th Century Fox - 2006
MPAA Rating: R
Feature running time: 102 Minutes
Genre: Dramedy
Disc Format: BD-50
Encoding: AVC (MPEG-4)
Video Aspect: 2.40:1
Resolution: 1080p/24
Audio Format(s): English DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio, Spanish/Portuguese DTS 5.1, French Dolby Digital 5.1
Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish, Mandarin, Korean, Cantonese, Thai, Portuguese
Starring: Greg Kinnear, Toni Collette, Steve Carell, Paul Dano, Abigail Breslin, Alan Arkin
Directed by: Jonathan Dayton & Valarie Faris
Music by: Mychael Danna featuring music by Devotchka
Written by: Michael Arndt
Region Code: A
Blu-ray Disc release Date: February 3, 2009
"No one gets left behind"
Film Synopsis:
Take a hilarious ride with the Hoovers, one of the most endearingly fractured families in comedy history. Father Richard (Greg Kinnear) is desperately trying to sell his motivational success program...with no success. Meanwhile, "pro-honesty" mom Sheryl (Toni Collette) lends support to her eccentric family, including her depressed brother (Steve Carell), fresh out of the hospital after being jilted by his lover. Then there are the younger Hoovers - the seven-year-old, would-be beauty queen Olive (Abigail Breslin) and Dwayne (Paul Dano), a Nietzsche-reading teen who has taken a vow of silence. Topping off the family is the foul-mouthed grandfather (Alan Arkin), whose outrageous behavior recently got him evicted from his retirement home. When Olive is invited to compete in the "Little Miss Sunshine" pageant in far-off California, the family piles into their rusted-out VW bus to rally behind her - with riotously funny results.
My Take:
I really enjoy films that feature well drawn characters built around an intelligently written story that has just the right touch of humor blended with drama that offers viewers a fly on the wall look at people in everyday situations. That is not to say that the situations experienced by the Hoover's in this film are something that people deal with everyday. I mean that these are fallible people who are faced with familial issues that to them represent significant challenges. How they deal with them and how we can all relate or identify (at least on some level) that makes it intriguing to watch. Writer Michael Arndt's script masterfully sucks you into the Hoover's problems. Character development is essential to understanding the tone of the film and he has done a wonderful job in quickly establishing the relationship between them and connection to the audience. Just when you think you have it figured out and know which direction things are going he throws on another layer. The ensemble cast simply owns these characters which is of course a large part of its success. Abigail Breslin is a scene stealer and gives a touching and genuine performance as Olive. That is taking nothing away from Collette, Kinnear, Dano, Carell, and of course Oscar winner Alan Arkin. Directorial team Jonathan Dayton and Valarie Faris do an outstanding job with this heartwarming, perfectly paced dark comedy about a dysfunctional family that sticks together and leaves no one behind.
Parental Guide:
The rating is for language and some sex/drug content.
AUDIO/VIDEO - By The Numbers:
REFERENCE = 92-100 / EXCELLENT = 83-91 / GOOD = 74-82 / AVERAGE = 65-73 / BELOW AVERAGE = under 65
**My audio/video ratings are based upon a comparative made against other high definition media/blu-ray disc.**
(Each rating is worth 4 points with a max of 5 per category)
Audio: 78
Video: 88
(Each rating is worth 4 points with a max of 5 per category)
Little Miss Sunshine comes to Blu-ray from Fox featuring 1080p AVC encoded video that has an average bitrate of 30 mbps and lossless DTS-HD Master Audio sound that has an average bitrate of 3.9 mbps.
This is an excellent video presentation that features resplendent colors that are vividly depicted with natural rendering and lustrous quality. Fleshtones are on the creamy side but are nicely delineated so that the slight tonal characteristics among the cast were discernible. Images had definable texture that highlighted the fine detail present in facial features, hair and clothing. The long range and wide angle shots of the mountains and landscapes along the highway had crisp focus and three dimensional depth. Blacks were stable with good dynamic range and contrast was punchy without washing out white detail. Grain was well preserved with a consistently apparent texture that was never intrusive. One or two backgrounds exhibited what appeared to be digital noise but I couldn't say that it was directly related to the encoding. It was minor and would more than likely be overlooked unless you were looking for it. The DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack seemed like overkill for a dialogue driven film like this but I applaud Fox for employing lossless audio on all of their Blu-ray disc releases. The soundtrack delivered crisp, full bodied dialogue in a mostly frontal presentation that offered a few splashes of light ambience through the surround channels. There was little low frequency detail mixed to the subwoofer but in this film there really isn't a steady call for it. The blend of music, voices and sound effects through the front channel speakers was rendered with excellent clarity, fair dimensional perspective and above average depth. It never sounded thin or dynamically starved and based upon the elements in the recording sounded just fine.
Bonus Features:
Final Thoughts:
Little Miss Sunshine is a film that covers familiar ground but does so in a way that brings a fresh air to it. Its features a family of people that have attributes that give them a genuine feel which helps to make their familial circumstances all the more enriching and at times incredibly funny. It comes to Blu-ray Disc from Fox featuring a nice compliment of bonus features that provide a look into the films production, cast/crew interviews, insights from the creators, and more. Its high definition video quality is superb and represents a decisive improvement over the previous DVD release which when coupled with the additional bonus material make this a highly recommend upgrade for fans. If you have never had the chance to see Little Miss Sunshine this Blu-ray Disc makes a great introduction.
Ralph Potts
AVS Forum Blu-ray Reviews
Reference Review System:
JVC DLA-RS20 1080p High Definition Front Projector
Carada Precision Brilliant White 96" Screen
Oppo 970HD universal disc DVD Player (480i HDMI)
Toshiba HD-XA2 HD DVD Player (HDMI Audio/Video)
Panasonic DMP-BD55K Blu-ray disc Player (HDMI Audio/Video)
Sony Playstation 3 Blu-ray disc Player (HDMI Audio/Video)
Marantz DV7001 Universal Disc Player
Denon AVR 5308CI THX Ultra 2 Preamp/Video Processor
B&K Reference 200.7 Series 2 seven Channel amplifier
Philips TSU9400 Pro Series Touch Panel Remote Control
Canton "Ergo" Series speakers
Axiom Audio QS8 Quadpolar speakers
SV Sound PB-13 Ultra (Rosenut finish)
APC AV S15BLK Power Conditioner/Surge Protector
Furman SPR-20i Stable Power Regulator
Wireworld, VizionWare, Audioquest, Best Deal Cables - Audio/Video/Speaker Cabling
Cool Components - CP-CP102 cooling package
The Review at a Glance: (max score: 5 )
Film:
Extras:
Audio/Video total rating:
( Max score: 100 )
83
Studio and Year: 20th Century Fox - 2006
MPAA Rating: R
Feature running time: 102 Minutes
Genre: Dramedy
Disc Format: BD-50
Encoding: AVC (MPEG-4)
Video Aspect: 2.40:1
Resolution: 1080p/24
Audio Format(s): English DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio, Spanish/Portuguese DTS 5.1, French Dolby Digital 5.1
Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish, Mandarin, Korean, Cantonese, Thai, Portuguese
Starring: Greg Kinnear, Toni Collette, Steve Carell, Paul Dano, Abigail Breslin, Alan Arkin
Directed by: Jonathan Dayton & Valarie Faris
Music by: Mychael Danna featuring music by Devotchka
Written by: Michael Arndt
Region Code: A
Blu-ray Disc release Date: February 3, 2009
"No one gets left behind"
Film Synopsis:
Take a hilarious ride with the Hoovers, one of the most endearingly fractured families in comedy history. Father Richard (Greg Kinnear) is desperately trying to sell his motivational success program...with no success. Meanwhile, "pro-honesty" mom Sheryl (Toni Collette) lends support to her eccentric family, including her depressed brother (Steve Carell), fresh out of the hospital after being jilted by his lover. Then there are the younger Hoovers - the seven-year-old, would-be beauty queen Olive (Abigail Breslin) and Dwayne (Paul Dano), a Nietzsche-reading teen who has taken a vow of silence. Topping off the family is the foul-mouthed grandfather (Alan Arkin), whose outrageous behavior recently got him evicted from his retirement home. When Olive is invited to compete in the "Little Miss Sunshine" pageant in far-off California, the family piles into their rusted-out VW bus to rally behind her - with riotously funny results.
My Take:
I really enjoy films that feature well drawn characters built around an intelligently written story that has just the right touch of humor blended with drama that offers viewers a fly on the wall look at people in everyday situations. That is not to say that the situations experienced by the Hoover's in this film are something that people deal with everyday. I mean that these are fallible people who are faced with familial issues that to them represent significant challenges. How they deal with them and how we can all relate or identify (at least on some level) that makes it intriguing to watch. Writer Michael Arndt's script masterfully sucks you into the Hoover's problems. Character development is essential to understanding the tone of the film and he has done a wonderful job in quickly establishing the relationship between them and connection to the audience. Just when you think you have it figured out and know which direction things are going he throws on another layer. The ensemble cast simply owns these characters which is of course a large part of its success. Abigail Breslin is a scene stealer and gives a touching and genuine performance as Olive. That is taking nothing away from Collette, Kinnear, Dano, Carell, and of course Oscar winner Alan Arkin. Directorial team Jonathan Dayton and Valarie Faris do an outstanding job with this heartwarming, perfectly paced dark comedy about a dysfunctional family that sticks together and leaves no one behind.
Parental Guide:
The rating is for language and some sex/drug content.
AUDIO/VIDEO - By The Numbers:
REFERENCE = 92-100 / EXCELLENT = 83-91 / GOOD = 74-82 / AVERAGE = 65-73 / BELOW AVERAGE = under 65
**My audio/video ratings are based upon a comparative made against other high definition media/blu-ray disc.**
(Each rating is worth 4 points with a max of 5 per category)
Audio: 78
- Dynamics:
- Low frequency extension:
- Surround Sound presentation:
- Clarity/Detail:
- Dialogue Reproduction:
Video: 88
(Each rating is worth 4 points with a max of 5 per category)
- Resolution/Clarity:
- Black level/Shadow detail:
- Color reproduction:
- Fleshtones:
- Compression:
Little Miss Sunshine comes to Blu-ray from Fox featuring 1080p AVC encoded video that has an average bitrate of 30 mbps and lossless DTS-HD Master Audio sound that has an average bitrate of 3.9 mbps.
This is an excellent video presentation that features resplendent colors that are vividly depicted with natural rendering and lustrous quality. Fleshtones are on the creamy side but are nicely delineated so that the slight tonal characteristics among the cast were discernible. Images had definable texture that highlighted the fine detail present in facial features, hair and clothing. The long range and wide angle shots of the mountains and landscapes along the highway had crisp focus and three dimensional depth. Blacks were stable with good dynamic range and contrast was punchy without washing out white detail. Grain was well preserved with a consistently apparent texture that was never intrusive. One or two backgrounds exhibited what appeared to be digital noise but I couldn't say that it was directly related to the encoding. It was minor and would more than likely be overlooked unless you were looking for it. The DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack seemed like overkill for a dialogue driven film like this but I applaud Fox for employing lossless audio on all of their Blu-ray disc releases. The soundtrack delivered crisp, full bodied dialogue in a mostly frontal presentation that offered a few splashes of light ambience through the surround channels. There was little low frequency detail mixed to the subwoofer but in this film there really isn't a steady call for it. The blend of music, voices and sound effects through the front channel speakers was rendered with excellent clarity, fair dimensional perspective and above average depth. It never sounded thin or dynamically starved and based upon the elements in the recording sounded just fine.
Bonus Features:
- Director's commentary by Jonathan Dayton and Valarie Faris
- Screenwriter's commentary by Michael Arndt with Director's Jonathan Dayton & Valarie Faris
- (HD) Deleted scenes with optional Director/Writer commentary
- Do you wanna talk? - Outtake
- 4 alternate endings with optional Director commentary
- On the road with the Hoover's - The making of Little Miss Sunshine - 18 minutes
- We're gonna make it: A session with Mychael Danna and Devotchka - 3 minute documentary
- Who are the Hoovers - 17 minute feature
- No one gets left behind: The music of Little Miss Sunshine - 10 minute documentary
- 13 Webisodes
- Poster gallery
- Till the end of time - Performed by Devotchka
- Soundtrack spot
Final Thoughts:
Little Miss Sunshine is a film that covers familiar ground but does so in a way that brings a fresh air to it. Its features a family of people that have attributes that give them a genuine feel which helps to make their familial circumstances all the more enriching and at times incredibly funny. It comes to Blu-ray Disc from Fox featuring a nice compliment of bonus features that provide a look into the films production, cast/crew interviews, insights from the creators, and more. Its high definition video quality is superb and represents a decisive improvement over the previous DVD release which when coupled with the additional bonus material make this a highly recommend upgrade for fans. If you have never had the chance to see Little Miss Sunshine this Blu-ray Disc makes a great introduction.
Ralph Potts
AVS Forum Blu-ray Reviews
Reference Review System:
JVC DLA-RS20 1080p High Definition Front Projector
Carada Precision Brilliant White 96" Screen
Oppo 970HD universal disc DVD Player (480i HDMI)
Toshiba HD-XA2 HD DVD Player (HDMI Audio/Video)
Panasonic DMP-BD55K Blu-ray disc Player (HDMI Audio/Video)
Sony Playstation 3 Blu-ray disc Player (HDMI Audio/Video)
Marantz DV7001 Universal Disc Player
Denon AVR 5308CI THX Ultra 2 Preamp/Video Processor
B&K Reference 200.7 Series 2 seven Channel amplifier
Philips TSU9400 Pro Series Touch Panel Remote Control
Canton "Ergo" Series speakers
Axiom Audio QS8 Quadpolar speakers
SV Sound PB-13 Ultra (Rosenut finish)
APC AV S15BLK Power Conditioner/Surge Protector
Furman SPR-20i Stable Power Regulator
Wireworld, VizionWare, Audioquest, Best Deal Cables - Audio/Video/Speaker Cabling
Cool Components - CP-CP102 cooling package