Sarah Michelle Gellar Collection Blu-ray (original) (raw)

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Image Entertainment | 2007 | 2 Movies | 192 min | Rated PG-13, R | Mar 31, 2009

| | | VideoCodec: MPEG-4 AVCResolution: 1080pAspect ratio: 2.40:1, 1.85:1Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1, 2.39:1 AudioEnglish: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1English: Dolby Digital 5.1 English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1English: Dolby Digital 5.1 (less) Subtitles English SDH, Spanish English SDH, Spanish (less) DiscsBlu-ray DiscTwo-disc set (2 BD-25) Playback2K Blu-ray: Region A (B, C untested) | | PriceList price: $23.78New from: $47.99 Buy new on Amazon PriceBuy on:We may earn a commission from purchases made using our links. Thanks for your support!Rating 6.2/10 95 ratings **3%**popularity n/afans | | - | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |

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Sarah Michelle Gellar Collection

(2007)

Sarah Michelle Gellar Collection Blu-ray delivers great video and solid audio in this enjoyable Blu-ray release

No synopsis for Sarah Michelle Gellar Collection.

For more about Sarah Michelle Gellar Collection and the Sarah Michelle Gellar Collection Blu-ray release, see Sarah Michelle Gellar Collection Blu-ray Review published by Martin Liebman on February 2, 2009 where this Blu-ray release scored 3.5 out of 5.

Directors: Lee Jieho

, Marc Klein
Writers: Lee Jieho, Marc Klein, Bob DeRosa
Starring: Sarah Michelle Gellar, Forest Whitaker, Brendan Fraser, Alec Baldwin, James Naughton, Kevin Bacon
Producers: Emilio Diez Barroso, Deborah del Prete, Darlene Caamano Loquet, Gigi Pritzker, Paul Schiff, Darryl Taja

This Blu-ray bundle includes the following titles, see individual titles for specs and details:

Sarah Michelle Gellar Collection Blu-ray Review

Image offers two good films at a nice price.

Reviewed by Martin Liebman, February 2, 2009

Buffy the Vampire Slayer, better known as Sarah Michelle Gellar (or is it the other way around?), has carved herself a nice little niche in the independent filmmaking world since her days of battling demons, vampires, and anything that would threaten her chunk of real estate on the Hellmouth have long since turned to dust. Buffy was a television role that defined a career, much like Kiefer Sutherland's Jack Bauer in "24," William Shatner's James T. Kirk in "Star Trek," or Jane Seymour's Dr. Quinn in "Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman." Like these other actors, Summers, er, sorry, Gellar, has enjoyed a modicum of success outside her hit show, but she will never escape the fame she enjoys thanks to Joss Whedon's perfectly-written fan-favorite series. Both The Air I Breathe and Suburban Girl represent two of the better outings for the star outside of "Buffy," the films not as widely known as some of her other big-screen work, like Cruel Intentions or I Know What You Did Last Summer, but are arguably better overall pictures.

The Air I Breathe
Rating: 3.5/5

Based on a Chinese proverb concerning the four life elements, namely happiness, pleasure, sorrow, and love, The Air I Breathe is the tale of four individuals whose lives are dictated by one of these elements. Forest Whittaker (Vantage Point) is "Happiness," a down-on-his-luck businessman living out the daily grind, waiting for something to ignite what is a routine and depressing life. When he overhears his co-workers discussing a sure-bet horse race with 8:1 odds, he wagers $50,000.00, but the race does not turn out as he hoped. He is given two weeks to pay off the debt by "Fingers" (Andy Garcia, The Untouchables) and must resort to any means necessary to collect the cash, no matter the cost. "Pleasure" is portrayed by Brendan Fraser (The Mummy), a clairvoyant man and a goon working for "Fingers" whose unusual ability is about to let him down for the first (and second) time, one resulting in pleasure, the other in pain, but for him, simply becoming "normal" is pleasure enough. "Sorrow" (Gellar) is a rising pop star who, as a young girl, witnessed the death of her father, and now finds herself under the management of "Fingers" and perhaps in love with "Pleasure." Finally, Kevin Bacon (Flatliners) portrays "Love," a doctor and a man whose stated purpose in life is to love someone completely and fully. He must find someone with a rare blood type to save his college sweetheart who married his roommate. In the film's short 90 minute runtime, each character will firmly display the characteristics of their respective elements as well as experience the other three life elements, all coming together almost as if through destiny.

It's difficult to provide meaningful insight to a film like this because of a plot that is so concise, precisely played out, and quick to develop, that there is no real spot to begin or end a conversation about the movie without giving it away. A closer examination of the picture reveals the finer nuances that serve as the glue that brings the plot together. Take, for example, the way in which Sorrow's father is killed, and parallel that to the final shot of the film. It's not just the superficialities of the story that keep it going; after all, it's easy to spot why each character is so named, and how they fit into the grand scheme of the idea. Instead, it is the finer points of the movie, some of which may not be picked up on during the first viewing, that make The Air I Breathe both an intriguing character study and a film, much like Signs, that takes a look at the cause and effect of the smallest of life's subtleties, the largest and most important of life's dramas, and the total effect they have on the world and many of those in it.

It comes as no surprise that the butterfly was chosen as the symbol for the theme of this film. Like the age-old question that asks if the flapping of a butterfly's wings on one side of the world can bring about massive change on the other side, The Air I Breathe shows, on a much smaller scale than natural disaster, but rather on the scale of human disaster, how all four of the elements -- happiness, pleasure, sorrow, and love -- can bring about one or the other, maintaining a natural balance throughout life. It's not only the mostly strong plot that keeps the film interesting, but the solid performances by its leads. Forest Whitaker steals the show; his natural ability as an actor and the charisma he brings to every role he plays, be it in a standard Hollywood fare flick like Species or in an Oscar-winning performance as seen in The Last King of Scottland. Sarah Michelle Gellar displays a range in this film that finally sets her apart from the spunky Buffy Sommers character, a style of character she also played in Suburban Girl. Brendan Faser, Andy Garcia, and Kevin Bacon all turn in solid performances as well.

Suburban Girl
Rating: 3/5

Brett Eisenberg (Gellar) is an associate book editor for a rather prestigious New York firm. She fancies herself an up-and-comer in that particular world, not only slaving over the manuscripts of James Joyce wannabe's but also going so far as to maneuver books around in the store, placing titles she's edited in more prominent locales. When she meets famous editor Archie Knox (Alec Baldwin, My Best Friend's Girl) at a book signing, the two hit it off almost immediately, sharing a drink, then dinner, then a several month-long romance. Along the way, Archie teaches Brett not only the ways of romance, but also about the hard knocks life inevitably throws into both the career world and in family life, all the while each learn a little something about being better people along the way. Brett and Archie come into the relationship with different sets of baggage, but as the relationship grows, they learn how to better deal with life, and whether their romance lasts or not, each will live life a little fuller at the end of the day for having shared it with the other.

Suburban Girl is not a run-of-the-mill chick flick. In fact, "chick flick" may not even be the appropriate monicker here. Yes, a romance is the center of the story, but the characters are more complex and interesting than those to be found in the everyday, cookie-cutter Sandra Bullock movie. This film is much deeper than a typical romantic comedy, but that's not to say it's profound. Far from it, but there is something going on here that's deeper than the surface story. Archie and Brett are almost polar opposites, sharing only one thing in common--their work. Nevertheless, each finds a missing piece inside the other, though they don't always know what to do with it. For Archie, Brett becomes solace from a troubled history with both women and his daughter, not to mention his addictions, but while he recognizes the vigor and passion he feels when he is with Brett, he still cannot manage to control his vices. Nevertheless, in her, he finds beauty in the world, as stated in the final page Brett is seen editing as the movie concludes. In Archie, Brett finds the one that will let her grow up, who has shown her the kind of companion she needs in life, even though she realizes there is a good chance such a relationship simply cannot be for the long haul. Not only is bringing home a man twice her age to meet her parents awkward, but she discovers that despite his good intentions towards her, his past may be too much of a burden to bear.

Perhaps the weakest link in Suburban Girl is the acting. While it's good enough not to be a distraction, Sarah Michelle Gellar seems in full Buffy Summers mode, continuing to act with a witty charm that worked in Buffy based solely on the style of smart, crisp dialogue Joss Whedon demanded in the Buffy scripts, but the material here just doesn't lend itself well enough to that method of acting. While Gellar was brought in to sell tickets and look pretty, a more accomplished, slightly more serious actress could have elevated the film another notch or two. Still, one may argue that her spunky, still somewhere between-teenager-and-adult place in life is who the character is, and taken in that context, Gellar's performance is fine. The veteran Alec Baldwin is good as expected, and he immerses himself in the role of Archie Knox, making viewers forget that he's an A-list actor who has appeared in hits like The Hunt for Red October, Beetlejuice, and Glengarry Glen Ross. Writer/Director Marc Klein makes his directorial debut here, and it's a solid first effort. He's helmed a picture worth watching, and one that allows the undertones of the story to sneak into the subconscious without beating the viewer over the head with them for ninety minutes. Be on the lookout for his next picture. Hopefully, it will be as good an effort as Suburban Girl.

Sarah Michelle Gellar Collection Blu-ray, Video Quality

The Air I Breathe
Rating: 3.5/5

Image Entertainment presents The Air I Breathe on Blu-ray with an adequate 1080p, 2.40:1 high definition transfer. Much of the transfer, especially in the first segment of the film, has a very nice, realistic, sharp, and clean look. It's not necessarily "cinematic," but there is a sense of realism in the look of the film, including some darker sequences, that make this a fascinating watch. Along with this realism comes fairly high detail; objects appear pleasing to the eye and realistic, be it a silver lamp on a desk or Andy Garcia's tan-colored coat covered in fuzzies. Film grain is to be found here, especially when looking at the film's darkest scenes. Black levels are generally solid, but the darkest scenes that exhibit the most grain tend to look slightly gray. Despite the sometimes dreary look of the picture, colors can be vibrant and healthy; the palette never becomes overblown or dulled, and everything from blues to whites to darker colors appear fairly natural. Nevertheless, the film's darkest of scenes do tend to obscure the image and fine details can become lost in the background, likely due to the dim lighting scheme in many shots. Perhaps the only major complaint one may have with the transfer is that it never "pops" off of the screen. The director-intended image doesn't necessarily lend itself to a Saawaryia-style of three-dimensionality, but even the brighter, more vibrant scenes are never truly eye-catching in their brilliance. Flesh tones appear to be solid. Several select scenes come off somewhat soft around the edges. On the whole, this is a passable Blu-ray transfer that isn't all that memorable (then again, neither is the visual look of the movie), but this is likely to be the best_The Air I Breathe_ will look for quite some time.

Suburban Girl
Rating: 4/5

Image Entertainment brings Suburban Girl to Blu-ray in a very pleasant 1080p high definition image. This 1.85:1 framed movie looks just fine with only a few blemishes here and there. Although the image lacks the kind of depth, clarity, vibrancy, detail, and pop seen in the best transfers, it doesn't fall completely short in any one of those categories, and the final result is wholly satisfying. Color reproduction is very good. While neither faded nor overly exaggerated, colors look natural and clean. Blacks fare very well, and while there are not an abundance of scenes that show them off, they are fairly deep and true. Flesh tones also appear to be natural in presentation. A fine layer of grain permeates the entirety of the film, and it adds a flair and theatrical quality to this already good presentation. Edge enhancement makes an appearance on occasion. Also, several scenes bathed in bright light, especially those in the outdoors, looked somewhat washed out with blooming whites evident. While this is definitely not the best Blu-ray has to offer, the transfer is never an embarrassment to either the studio or the format. Job well done.

Sarah Michelle Gellar Collection Blu-ray, Audio Quality

The Air I Breathe
Rating: 4/5

The Air I Breathe debuts on Blu-ray with a surprisingly effective DTS-HD MA 5.1 lossless soundtrack. The edgy, trendy music heard over the opening credits has a wonderful room-filling effect. It blends into the rears but is decidedly focused in the front and especially in the center channel. Dialogue seemed to be presented a bit low in volume at times. There is a solid surround presence throughout that is palpable but not obtrusive, proving to be the perfect mix for this style of movie. The heavy beats of the music following the horse race in the "Happiness" segment are nearly foundation-rattling in power. There are many instances where the music becomes a heavy, pulsating, "Techno," percussion-based beat, and all instances of this style of music sound fantastic throughout this sound mix. A rain shower scene in "Pleasure" creates a nice, enveloping sound, and a subsequent scene involving an overwhelming crowd of photographers around "Pleasure" provides a unique listen that just might give the less-than-famous of listeners a chance to feel what it must be like to be hounded by the paparazzi. This is by no means a top-notch lossless soundtrack, but it's surprisingly effective and efficient and one that plays very well with the movie's story and visuals.

Suburban Girl
Rating: 3/5

In a most surprising move, Image Entertainment has pulled out all the stops here and included a DTS-HD MA 5.1 lossless soundtrack. While the film certainly isn't demonstration-worthy material from a sonic standpoint, the inclusion of said track shows Image is serious about their high definition releases. As far as this particular mix goes, it is neither stunning nor dull, faithfully reproducing what listeners are meant to hear, which is mostly dialogue and popular music. From the opening credits on, audiences are treated to a varied selection of music, from instrumental to hip-hop to pop, and each tune is faithfully and pleasantly reproduced. The music is focused up front, and while all of it manages to find itself in the rear channels, it never becomes a distraction but rather an addition, encircling the listener with music in a pleasant, definitely not overbearing, fashion. Dialogue, the heart and soul of this picture, is reproduced wonderfully. Alec Baldwin's distinct, raspy, voice hasn't sounded this good since he impersonated Sean Connery in The Hunt for Red October (some things in here don't react well to bullets). This track offers very little in the way of bass, but there are really no scenes that call for it, either. This is a nice, pleasing track, hitting all the right notes, and underwhelming only because the sound design itself seems underwhelming. Then again, it suits the movie just fine, as does this DTS-HD MA track and the Blu-ray disc on which it appears.

Sarah Michelle Gellar Collection Blu-ray, Special Features and Extras

The Air I Breathe
Rating: 2/5

The Air I Breathe comes to life on Blu-ray with a few worthwhile extras sure to please fans of the film. A feature-length commentary track with writer/director Jieho Lee, co-writer Bob Derosa, director of photography Walt Lloyd, and editor Robert Hoffman is the highlight of the extras. Director Lee discusses how his Asian heritage and experience living in America influenced the film, its roots in both the Chinese proverb as well as a nod to the relationship between this film and the classic The Wizard of Oz begins the discussion before the crew gets into the nitty-gritty details of the filmmaking process. There is some insight into the film's lighting scheme, set locations, some real-life situations and ideas that influenced certain segments of the film, and many other interesting tidbits. No doubt, viewers who enjoyed this film will find this track a worthwhile listen that adds to the overall experience of the film. Four deleted scenes entitled The Dreams (480p, 1:20), Living in the Present (480p, 1:18), Tony(480p, 0:41), and The Check-Up (1:47) are included. Concluding the special features is a series of outtakes (480p, 2:07) and the film's theatrical trailer (480p, 2:29).

Suburban Girl
Rating: 2/5

Suburban Girl debuts on Blu-ray with a negligible amount of extras. The primary supplement here is a feature length commentary track with director Marc Klein. He discusses adapting for the screen the short stories _The Worst Thing a Suburban Girl Could Imagine_and My Old Man from the book The Girl's Guide to Hunting and Fishing by Melissa Bank. Simply put, this is a great track. Klein discusses his likes and dislikes in other commentary tracks and how he listened to many of them in preparation for making both the film and this track of his own. He describes the action on-screen but also the reasoning behind each sequence. He's very up front about what scenes he likes and dislikes, shooting schedule difficulties, and an explanation of the exposition in the film. For budding filmmakers, this is a must-listen. For movie fans, this is also a must-listen. Marc Klein has provides a great commentary track here that should be the template on how to approach them. The only other extra available on this disc is the film's theatrical trailer (480p, 1:40).

Sarah Michelle Gellar Collection Blu-ray, Overall Score and Recommendation

Sarah Michelle Gellar won't be remembered for her roles as Sorrow or Brett Eisenberg, nor will The Air I Breathe or Suburban Girl ever be at the top of a list of the actresses' best projects. However, both films are representative of good independent filmmaking; the stories are intriguing and a little different from the Hollywood norm. Much like Pulp Fiction before it, The Air I Breathe intertwines several seemingly unrelated stories and brings them all full circle in a satisfying conclusion. Though not nearly as strong an effort as Pulp Fiction, The Air I Breathe is nevertheless thought-provoking and a solid entry into its genre. While Suburban Girl leaves a bit to be desired, it is a solid film and a fine directorial debut for Marc Klein. It's competent, well-made, and fun on the surface, but leaves open some room for ambiguity as to what's really best for the characters. Klein, of course, throws in his two cents, as he should, but his punctuation is certainly not the final word. Image Entertainment presents both films on Blu-ray with fine picture and audio qualities that befit each film well. Both discs seem slightly lacking in extras, but they each include fine commentary tracks that are worth the effort. Bundled together in this set and coming out to around $10 per film, this collection is, at this price point, worth adding to the burgeoning Blu-ray collection. Recommended.

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