|
|
| Special Features: |
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Director and Writer Commentary
Weblink
Digitally Mastered Audio and Anamorphic Video
Mastered in High Definition
Widescreen Presentation
Audio: English (Dolby Surround 2.0)
Subtitles: English, French, Portuguese, Spanish, Hindi
Trailers
Filmographies
Interactive Menus
Scene Selections |
| Video Format: |
Anamorphic Widescreen (1.85:1)
[SS-DL]
|
| Languages: |
English (Dolby Surround 2.0)
|
| Subtitles: |
English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Hindi
|
| Captions: |
Yes
|
| Casing: |
1-Disc Keep Case
|
"Love Liza" is one of the most beautiful, quiet, painfully funny films made in recent years. At its center are the almost supernaturally talented Philip Seymour Hoffman, and the equally talented Kathy Bates. Oh, and before I forget, I need to mention Jack Kehler, without whom this film would have leaned much more toward the "tragedy" part of the "Comic Tragedy" subtitle. Of course, no film can survive on talented actors alone, and this one is no exception. Both the writer, Gordy Hoffman, and the director, Todd Louiso, deserve special notice for their complete and utter fearlessness and their tenacity in getting this film made at all. Their struggle is your gain, so you'd better thank them if you ever run into them on the street.
Hoffman stars as Wilson, a man who is struggling with his wife's recent suicide. Wilson sleeps on the hardwood floor outside of his bedroom, spends most of his time alone and withdrawn, and hold in more pain than any one person should deal with. One night, when he is having trouble sleeping, he goes into the bedroom and grabs an extra pillow, under which he finds his wife's suicide note. The rest of the movie deals with Wilson's personal decline over the course of the next few weeks, as he mulls over the question of whether or not to open the note. He takes up tinkering with remote control vehicles, huffing gasoline, and acting crazy, but none of it seems to take the pain away. To give away any more would be a disservice.
In the commentary, Louiso and the Hoffmans talk about the fact that it took five years to secure the film's 1 million dollar budget, and only 24 days to shoot. The film looks as though it cost at least ten times that amount (perhaps much more) and feels as though the shooting schedule gave them enough time to hone everything down to razor-sharp precision. Everything about this film is tight, precise, and absolutely stunning.
All of that said, this film is not for everyone. It is tense, dark, unflinching, and completely devoid of any tendency to judge Wilson. When you have a main character who is huffing gasoline every two seconds, that is not an easy task. Come to think of it, the gasoline thing could put people off, too. However, once people get past it, the reward that "Love Liza" offers is far larger and more important.
Phenomenal movie, better than average disc.
Picture Quality: 10/10
I couldn't see any problems with the picture, and the cinematography by Lisa Rinzler is breathtaking.
Sound Quality: 10/10
Great sound, particularly when one considers how much of this film is silent. There was no noticeable hiss during the quiet moments, and the louder moments had great dynamic range.
Easter Eggs:
No Easter Eggs found during review.
Extra Features: 7/10
The only thing of note is the commentary track, which is well worth a listen. However, the "filmographies" are a copout, and don't really tell the viewer anything new, and the trailers are just trailers.
The Final Word:
A must-see movie. Well worth owning if you can get past the high price.
Michael Dziura
|
American Red Cross volunteers have been deployed to the hardest hit areas of Katrina’s destruction, supplying hundreds of
thousands victims left homeless with critical necessities. By making a financial gift to Hurricane 2005 Relief, the Red
Cross can provide shelter, food, counseling and other assistance to those in need.
