"About Time". A Review Of The 2013 Film Now On A 2014 BLU RAY.

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ABOUT TIME the 2013 Movie on on BLU RAY

"…Big Cupboards Are Very Useful…"

Richard Curtis' Sixth Film "About Time" (2012) opens with a killer monologue that establishes Tim’s largely crackpot family living out an all weathers idealized existence in a house by the sea in Cornwall. Book-loving table-tennis playing Father and unsentimental solid Mum are portrayed by the formidable British talent of Bill Nighy and Lindsay Duncan - while Tim’s scatological but adorable sister Catherine (nicknamed Kit Kat) kisses her equally absent-minded Uncle Desmond on the cheeks at every possible opportunity (lovely work by Lydia Wilson and Richard Cordery). But then Tim ("too skinny…too ginger…") gets called into Dad’s library on his 21^st birthday to be told the big secret – all the males in the family can travel back in time to their own past and alter/relive it (you can’t shag Helen of Troy unfortunately – too far back - damn). All you need to do is to find a dark place somewhere (dialogue above), clench your fists, think about the time and place you want to be – and boom - you’re suddenly there.

At first Tim uses this newfound tool to fix his nerd-like behaviour with Polly in a New Year’s Eve Party blunder (a midnight kiss he should have engaged in first time around) and second - he deftly rubs suntan lotion into the bikinied-back of the visiting American lustbucket Charlotte (the stunning Margot Robbie) instead of spilling it all over her like a twat. But then Tim twigs that he can use his cupboard jaunts to get to his real quest – the 'motherlode' – love. And after he meets the magical American girl Mary (Rachel McAdams) in the London cellar of a blind person's café – Tim (Brendan Gleeson’s son Domhnall Gleeson) realizes that this woman is his future and must bend all things (including time) to that purpose. And on it goes to moving in, marriage, children, car-crash scares with sister Kit Kat and medical problems with a father who can manipulate the clock too but not outrun it…

This is Richard Curtis so when "About Time" is funny – it’s blindingly so. Tom Hollander’s character Harry gets the lion’s share of great lines. Blocked writer and perpetual curmudgeon Harry points to a picture - "This is my daughter. Would you like to have sex with her? Apparently everyone else has…" As his new much-anticipated West End Play bombs because two huge stage actors go dry – Tim nips back in time and 'does' both so that they remember their lines and 'genius' appears in the newspaper reviews instead of 'disaster of Titanic proportions' (short but priceless cameos from Richard Griffiths and Richard E Grant). And of course there's the music score with beautifully chosen songs by Paul Buchanan of The Blue Nile and members of The Waterboys busking on the London underground. All seems well – all the boxes are ticked - but then there are those one-too-many 1 to 4 star reviews for this movie – some even loathing it from a height.

“About Time” has its problems for sure…about half way through - the endless ducking back in time starts to become tedious (more than a passing resemblance to "Groundhog Day") and the story gets darker to a point where it doesn’t seem to know what it is anymore. And all too many scenes feature tea by the beach and skimming stones and pretty London locations that no mere mortal can afford. Worse – its hard to believe the dweeb lead would ever score a babe like Mary or Charlotte in the real world (so credibility is stretched throughout) and all those clunky nerd mannerisms that once seemed so endearing start to irritate instead of please. But – and this is again a Richard Curtis film – there’s truly beautiful and touching scenes in amongst all the forced madcap – moments with his sister and father – moments with his children – moments with his friend Rory (Joshua McGuire) where he savours life and all that surrounds them instead of being too busy to notice it…

Defaulted to 1080p Widescreen 2.40:1 - there are bars above and below – but even stretched the picture quality is really lovely - especially on the coastal home scenes and the night locations in the West End. Audio channels are English DTS-HD 5.1, French, Italian, German, Spanish DTS Surround 5.1 and finally English Audio Description 2.0. Subtitles include English SDH, French, Italian, German, Spanish, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Icelandic, Norwegian, Portuguese, Swedish and Arabic.

The extras are impressive and very enjoyable:

1. Four Deleted Scenes with introductions by Richard Curtis

2. Blooper Reels: Making Movies Is A Serious Business

3. About Tim and Time Travel

4. The World Of Richard Curtis

5. "The Luckiest" Music (a short piece about Ben Folds and his new version of the song)

6. Ellie Goulding “How Long Will I Love You” Video

7. Feature-length commentary with Director Richard Curtis and Actors Domhnall Gleeson, Bill Nighy, Vanessa Kirby (who plays Joanna – Mary’s friend), Lydia Wilson and Tom Hollander

"Four Weddings And A Funeral", "Notting Hill", "Bridget Jone's Diary", "The Boat That Rocked" and especially "Love Actually" – I'd say that’s a pretty impressive run. I don’t know if "About Time" will get the repeated viewings those illustrious predecessors do – but it has more real charm in it than most trite rom-coms and the theme of his father's love and loss moved me more than I care to admit to.

There are some who see Richard Curtis and his writing as a Great British National Treasure. Well I'm Irish and I'd be one of them. Spend a few hours with "About Time" – it will reward you for doing so…

"Four Weddings And A Funeral". A Review Of The 1994 Film Now Reissued On A 2012 BLU RAY.

"…Damn Fine Filly…"

I recently reviewed the BLU RAY reissue of "Love Actually" - commenting on how beautiful the picture quality had suddenly become over the preceding DVD versions. Well - somebody seems to be taking care of business here too - because the print on this 6 February 2012 reissue of "Four Weddings And A Funeral" is exceptional also - especially given what's gone before.

Filmed in the summer of 1993 and released in the spring of 1994 - Director Mike Newell and Producer Tim Bevan took a big chance on a then largely unknown Hugh Grant as the male lead. Playing Charles - a nice but bumbling 32-year old British bachelor - he's the love interest for the sophisticated and sexy American socialite Carrie (Andie MacDowell hot from her successes in "Green Card" and "Groundhog Day"). With six hundred thousand dollars lopped off their budget and only 38 days to shoot - it cost very little to make - and therefore when it became a global phenomenon it eventually grossed over $250 million in profit worldwide. "Four Weddings..." also made stars of Hugh Grant (and Liz Hurley in 'that' dress at the London premier). It laid the ground for so many British rom-coms to follow - highlighted the classiness of Kristin Scott-Thomas ("The English Patient") - Rowan Atkinson as a comedic genius - John Hannah as the thinking-woman's crumpet - and of course properly launched the 'film' career of England's best scriptwriter - Richard Curtis. It was even nominated for 2 Oscars - Best Film and Best Original Screenplay.

Clarity - starting with spotlessly clean PolyGram Filmed Entertainment and MGM logos - the BLU RAY bypasses a menu and goes straight into the credits - and as the principal characters are established in the opening montage - its clear that some kind of restoration has been done here. It looks really great - bright, clean and amazingly fresh. The picture is also automatically defaulted to a 16.9 aspect - so it fits your entire screen without losing any definition to stretching.

So much is visually improved in this transfer, but moments that stick out include - the scene outside the church after the first wedding where Charles spots Carrie across the churchyard - it's beautifully clear. When they are making their way back from the tent reception - drunk in a Land Rover singing "Stand By Your Man" - and Charles gets out of the car under some trees at night - it's 'so' clear. Charlotte Coleman as Charles' eccentric sister Scarlett and her scary dress sense - orange hat and purple dress - Rowan Atkinson as the trainee priest conducting his first wedding service and blowing almost every line - when Carrie turns up at the end in the doorway in the rain - all of it - just great. There are only a few occasions when you notice slight haze and blocking (Bernard and Lydia getting it on in the bedroom as Charles hides) - but mostly it's a joy to look at and really brings out the summery feel of it all - smartly dressed guests in sunny garden locations etc. It also shows a London landscape that has no Gherkin building, the lovely Lady Di was still with us and a person gave you a Fax number and not an e-mail address.

It's very funny too - the script is fantastic in so many places - Charles describing one of his posh friend's new look "Tom...disastrous haircut..." - Scott Thomas describing the dress of the first bride Laura "...She looks like a big meringue..." - George the boor at the Boatman pub thinking he's in with the American sexpot - "Damn fine filly..." - Charles confiding in Matthew (John Hannah) about fluffing an attempt at wooing the same - "Do you think there really are people who can say...Hi Baby! My name is Charles! And this is your lucky night!" And Matthew replies "Well if there is...they're not English!"

And when actual heart is called for (tears instead of laughter) - Curtis gives John Hannah the speech at Gareth's funeral complete with the W.H. Auden poem "Funeral Blues" at the end ("Stop all the clocks...He was my North, my South, My East and My West…my Sunday Rest…"). It's still evocative to this day. Even the gay relationship between their characters was handled with joy and class and didn't focus on disease and ostracization.

Niggles - we've seen it too many times and it hasn't dated as well as "Love Actually" or "Nothing Hill" when it comes to repeat viewing. The terrible Elton John at the beginning. The lack of language subtitles shows an amazingly cavalier attitude to audiences outside of English speaking countries. The 'Extras' listed below are good - the 2004 versions put out on the DVD double (interviews with Grant, Newell, Callow, MacDowell etc) - but it would have been nice to have something new. But apart from those small points – there’s little else. If only Terry Gilliam's film legacy was treated with such respect and smarts...

To sum up – an evergreen movie and a very satisfying transfer to BLU RAY. So if you've any affection for this great British romcom - then acquire this version of it pronto - especially as its relatively cheap.

Recommended.

PS: this review is dedicated to the memory of the actress Charlotte Coleman who died in 2001 and starred in this film

BLU RAY Specifications:
PICTURE: Widescreen 16.9 Aspect Ratio
AUDIO: English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio
SUBTITLES: English For The Hearing Impaired
EXTRAS:
Audio Commentary with Filmmakers Mike Newell
Four Weddings And A Funeral - In The Making Featurette
The Wedding Planners Documentary
Two Actors And A Director Featurette
Two Promotional Clips (one with Hugh Grant as Lead, then Andie MacDowell as Lead)
Deleted Scenes
Theatrical Trailer