Blu-ray Review A Few Words About A few words about...™ - Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. -- in Blu-ray (1 Viewer)

[Robert Harris]

I didn't grow up with the works of Judy Blume, and none of my friends read them, as they were too old by the time the books arrived.

I did, however, go through the metamorphosis with one of my best friends, who happened to be a girl. We shared everything. So in a way I can relate to the film.

This is a film that I normally might not review, and in this situation put it on screen for two reasons.

1. Awards season, and I watch everything toward the concept of voting, and finding the good stuff.

2.Lionsgate's Blu-ray is a rara avis. It's a small story, in a reasonably insular environment - no car chases, no helicopter or jet fly-overs - AND IT'S ENCODED FOR DOLBY ATMOS!

As a huge Atmos fan, I had to hear this.

But here's the shocker. It's actually a terrific little film, as directed by Kelly Freeman Craig, and the lead performance by your Abby Ryder Fortson, is a standout.

Shot with a Sony in 6k, and finished in 4k, the down-razzed Blu-ray looks absolutely gorgeous in 2. I can't imagine what might have been accomplished by bringing this out in 4.

While the market for the film may have been pre-teen and tween girls, the film is actually a pleasure to watch as an adult.

Shot by Tim Ives, with a score by Hans Zimmer.

No grain. Beautiful digital imagery. Great color.

For those with an Atmos setup, an interesting experiment is to sample with only your Atmos speakers, and see how things work. You'll find that it's very delicate.

Image – 10

Audio – 10 (Dolby Atmos)

Pass / Fail – Pass

Plays nicely with projectors - Yes

Worth your attention - 7.5

Slipcover rating - 3 (it replicates the paper insert, but it's glossy, and that scores a point)

Recommended


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[battlebeast]

Mr. Harris, are you a member of the Academy?

 

[jayembee]

While the market for the film may have been pre-teen and tween girls, the film is actually a pleasure to watch as an adult.

The best children's and young adult books and movies are the ones that adults can appreciate for reasons that may or may not be the same as a kid's. Kevin Sullivan's Canadian TV productions based on Lucy Maud Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables, and related books, are splendid. They (both the original books, and the TV series) were made for the children's/young adult market, but I was in my 30s when the shows were done, and I loved them nonetheless. Still do.

I keep meaning to pick up a copy of this Blume adaptation, but haven't gotten around to it yet.

 

[Robert Harris]

Mr. Harris, are you a member of the Academy?

I am.

 

[Tino]

I can't imagine what might have been accomplished by bringing this out in 4.

I can. It looks and sounds terrific in 4K/Dolby Atmos on iTunes!

 

[battlebeast]

I am.

That’s awesome!

A member of the Academy I’ve actually talked to!

 

[Kyle_D]

I am not-at-all the target audience for this film, and yet I ended up including it in my top 10 of 2024, ranking it well ahead of some of the year’s buzzier festival titles and awards contenders. Glad it’s getting some recognition and attention here.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

Really enjoyed this film. I would highly recommend

 

[Robert Harris]

That’s awesome!

A member of the Academy I’ve actually talked to!

That and twenty bucks will get you a burger at McDonald's.

 

[bujaki]

That and twenty bucks will get you a burger at McDonald's.

They are much cheaper in the Dallas area.

 

[sbjork]

That and twenty bucks will get you a burger at McDonald's.

My nearly 90-year-old father still always says "that plus 50¢ will get you a cup of coffee." He hasn't adjusted for inflation in many decades, and at this point, it's pretty clear that he never will!

 

[Tino]

I can. It looks and sounds terrific in 4K/Dolby Atmos on iTunes!

Speaking of….it’s currently on sale for $4.99 on iTunes.

 

[Sam Favate]

I saw this at the suggestion of my wife, who was a fan of the book. She loved it. I was appreciative of it at first, not thinking it was "my kind of movie," but it was actually an excellent film. Not what I expected, so the lesson is to step outside what you're used to. I'd watch it again.

Oh, and Abby Ryder Fortson? She was amazing. One of the best performances from a child actor I've ever seen.

Thanks to all of you on HTF who sang the film's praises. You're why I let myself watch it.

 

[haineshisway]

Unfortunately, you could not get most Academy members to even be bothered to watch their damn screeners or digital - they would not do it - no interest. Disgusting. I've been trumpeting this as the best film of last year since last October. It's more than a terrific little film - it achieves every single thing it sets out to achieve. It's wonderfully directed by a director, like most of last year's crop, who is not waving her arms screaming LOOK AT ME!!! It has a lovely score by Hans Zimmer that's a real throwback to the kinds of scores Michael Gore wrote for Terms of Endearment and Defending Your Life. The actors are superb. It's like pulling teeth to get people to watch it, but amusingly, once they do they love it. What's not to love - a literate script brought to the screen simply and effortlessly. Shame on the Academy, shame on the DGA, shame on the WGA and shame on SAG/AFTRA. BTW, for those who care about such things, it remains the only film from last year that holds a 99% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The ONLY film.