The Film
Ask anyone and they'll tell you: I love to eat. Too much? Probably. But there's just something about a particularly savory stew or a just-baked baguette with brie that makes everything seem right with the world - even if only for the few minutes while some remains on your plate. Culinary icon Julia Child felt the same way, but her substantial renown came from what she did with that love of food. She used it to transform not only herself, but American attitudes towards cooking and what was possible in one's very own kitchen.
Nora Ephron's Julie & Julia is "based on two true stories," as the tag line reads. In the wake of September 11, NYC resident and aspiring writer Julie Powell decided to spend a year cooking her way through all 524 recipes in Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking." Along the way, she wrote a blog to document the adventure. The abundantly cute Amy Adams is our Julie. While Julie reads about the life and loves of Julia Child, Ephron gives us a charming, historical look at the subject of Julie's obsession, played to perfection by Meryl Streep.
The Picture
Sony brings Julie & Julia to Blu-ray sporting an absolutely delicious 1080p AVC transfer. Julie's story, which takes place in modern day New York, has a subdued and gritty texture, partially due to the Queens exteriors Ephron chose for the film. However, the Julia story, which takes place in 1940's Paris, looks absolutely sumptuous. From the cobblestone streets at the local market to the charming bistros where Julia and her husband (Stanley Tucci) dine, everything during these sequences shines. The disc's high defintion image exudes exceptional fine detail and boasts a thoroughly three-dimensional look. Black levels - most noticeable in the New York scenes - are sufficiently deep and skin tones appear completely natural.
The Sound
While this is hardly the disc you'll trot out to impress your friends at parties, Julie & Julia features a suprisingly immersive and active soundtrack. Presented in DTS-HD Master Audio, this lossless 5.1 track features plenty of convincing ambient sounds, whether they be on the streets of New York or a Parisian marketplace. Music is light and airy and dialogue remains intelligible throughout.
The Extras
Unlike too many "behind the scenes" and "making of" -type featurettes, the segments presented on this Blu-ray Disc are actually interesting. Part of that is because they wisely focus on the true stories behind the film and interviewees include Julia Child's family members as well as the real life Julie Powell.
One of the most interesting segments is called "Julia's Kitchen." This HD featurette is hosted by three women from the Smithsonian - "Team Julia" as they're known - and they talk about how they met with Julia and were ultimately permitted to excise Julia's entire kitchen from her Cambridge, MA home and re-assemble it for all to see at the Smithsonian.
As they've done with other new releases lately, Sony allows you to watch Julie & Julia in "movieIQ" mode, which provides scene-specific information about the film, its actors and more via BD-LIVE and your internet connection. This disc takes things an interesting step further, allowing you to have Julia's recipes for what's being prepared on-screen emailed to you, after you supply an email address at the onset of the feature. Unfortunately, I couldn't get this piece to work on my Sony Blu-ray player (BDP-N460) or my Blu-ray-equipped Sony VAIO notebook PC, so my guess is that the BD-LIVE functionality for this disc isn't fully operational yet. I'll report back with an update once the disc officially streets on December 8th, if not sooner.
Final Thoughts
If you love to cook or love the person who cooks for you, Julie & Julia is definitely worth a spin. When you factor in Sony's superb technical presentation plus this disc's entertaining assortment of extras, you have the recipe for a perfect evening at home. Bon Appetit!
Product Details
Where to Buy:
| Overall | |
|---|---|
| Video | |
| Audio | |
| Movie | |
| Extras |
