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    • BLU-RAY REVIEW

    Soloist, The

    Featured In Issue 142, September 2009

    Picture4.5
    SoundNR
    WSR Score5
    Basic Information on new release titles is posted as soon as titles are announced. Once reviewed, additional data is added to the database.
    (Studio/Distributor):
    Paramount Home Entertainment
    (Catalog Number):
    07148
    (MPAA Rating):
    PG-13
    (Rating Reason):
    Thematic elements, some drug use and language
    (Retail Price):
    $29.99
    (Disc Type):
    Single Side, Dual Layer (BD-50)
    (Widescreen Edition):
    Yes
    (Full Screen Edition):
    No
    (Running Time In Minutes):
    116
    (Color Type):
    Color
    (Chaptered/Scene Access):
    Yes
    (Closed Captioned):
    Yes
    (Regional Coding):
    Not Indicated
    (Theatrical Year):
    2009
    (Theatrical Release):
    Yes
    (Direct-To-Video Release):
    No
    (Disc Release Date):
    08/04/09
    (THX® Digitally Mastered):
    No
    (Director):
    Joe Wright
    (Screenplay/Written By):
    (Story):
    (Music):
    (Director Of Photography):
    (Production Designer):
    (Visual Effects):
    (Costume Designer):
    (Editor):
    (Supervising Sound Editors):
    (Re-Recording Mixers):
    (Executive Producers):
    (Co-Producers):
    (Producers):
    (Academy Awards):
    (Principal Photography):
    (Theatrical Aspect Ratio):
    (Measured Disc Aspect Ratio):
    (Disc Soundtrack):
    Dolby TrueHD 5.1, Dolby Digital 5.1
    (Theatrical Sound):
    (Theatrical Re-Issue Soundtrack):
    (DTS Bit Rate):
    (Dolby Digital Bit Rate):
    (Additional Languages):
    (French Language):
    (Spanish Language):
    (Chinese Language):
    (Subtitles):
    (Cantonese Language):
    (Mandarin Language):
    (Japanese Language):
    (Italian Language):
    (German Language):
    (Portuguese Language):

    Based on the book by Steve Lopez, The Soloist tells the poignant and ultimately soaring tale of a Los Angeles Times newspaper reporter (Downey Jr.), who discovers a brilliant classical street musician named Nathaniel Ayers (Foxx), who has unsinkable passion, and the unique friendship and bond that transforms both their lives. (Gary Reber)

    Special features include commentary with Director Joe Wright; the featurettes An Unlikely Friendship: Making The Soloist (HD 19:37), Kindness, Courtesy And Respect: Mr. Ayers + Mr. Lopez (HD 04:48), One Size Does Not Fit All: Addressing Homelessness In Los Angeles (HD 09:45), and Juilliard: The Education Of Nathaniel Ayers (HD 04:08); the animated short Beth's Story (SD 02:02); five deleted scenes (SD 09:49); and the theatrical trailer (HD 02:33).

    The 1080p AVC picture is nicely rendered. The imagery is purely natural in character, exhibiting warm and rich, vibrant colors. Contrast is well balanced, with deep and solid blacks and excellent shadow delineation. Fleshtones are accurate and reveal fine variations in complexions and skin tones. Resolution is superb, with fine object textures finely resolved and facial features nicely defined. The picture is often dimensional as well. This is a wonderfully sharp and clear picture that is pleasing to view. (Gary Reber)

    The Dolby® TrueHD 5.1-channel soundtrack is superbly recorded and presented. Remarkedly, Nathaniel's voices in his head are impressively suspended in space, with differing heights and locations within the soundfield. The classical musical score is well recorded, and when a full orchestra is heard, the soundstage is wide and deep, with excellent natural low-end response. The sound of newspapers being printed is dynamic, with solid authority in the lower-frequency region. Deep bass is, at times, powerfully energized in the .1 LFE channel to below 20 Hz. The surrounds are often filled with atmospheric sound effects and voices and are aggressively directionalized, enhancing the overall holosonic® experience. Dialogue spatial integration is quite good at times. This is a wonderful soundtrack, with good low-level resolution and fully energized orchestral SPL, for a pleasing experience. (Gary Reber)

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    Moira Joblan
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