The Film
It's the 10th anniversary for Richard Curtis' romantic comedy, Love Actually. Between that and Christmas coming up, it would seem like perfect timing for a brand new Blu-ray. Despite the last release being only four years old, The Love Actually: 10th Anniversary Edition is ready to be injected into your regular holiday rotation.
Love Actually is a romantic comedy, but it's also considered to be a Christmas movie -- a good one. The great thing about it is that even if you don't like certain characters in the movie, there are like 50 others. In fact, it would take forever to dissect all of the characters and their respective situations. And franky, I just can't do it as well as Curtis does. He actually makes this all-star extravaganza work. After all, he does have Hugh Grant, Liam Neeson, Colin Firth, Keira Knightley, Emma Thompson, Bill Nighy, Laura Linney and countless others doing the work for him.
Sure, it's got love, marriage, a Christmas backdrop and even a bit of comedy (thanks, Bill Nighy!). What more do you need, ya Grinch? Just know that this isn't your typical all-star crapfest. Even if you aren't a rom-com fan, most likely, you're a fan of someone in this film. However you get hooked, get ready to be smitten. Love Actually is a really entertaining film.
Want to feel even more love? Check out Rachel Cericola's 2009 Blu-ray review of Love Actually.
The Picture
Without a doubt, the Love Actually: 10th Anniversary Edition looks splendid. Universal says that it has an all-new digital restoration, but you'd probably need an eagle eye to notice it. Colors are a bit brighter and the details are a little sharper -- enough for me to bump the image's score up a half of a point, anyway. It has a lot of actors and scenery sprinkled throughout and all of those varying skintones and backdrops look really nice in this 2.35:1 transfer. This is probably the best that you'll ever see Love Actually. That said, unless you're a super-fan, an AV perfectionist or both, this new version probably isn't worth an upgrade over the 2009 Blu-ray.
The Sound
The image received a little bump, but Universal has opted to give this 10th anniversary edition the exact same DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 mix -- and that's just fine. It's not exactly the type of movie that would benefit from any type of upgrade, since it's really all about the dialogue and the pop-filled soundtrack.
The Extras
Final Thoughts
Love Actually is a really good rom-com that's worthy of repeat viewing. Writer/director Richard Curtis manages to do something that all-star films like Valentine's Day and New Year's Eve just couldn't do. He actually put that extra-large talent pool to good use instead of using it to crap up the movie. That said, while it's certainly a Christmas favorite, the Love Actually: 10th Anniversay Edition isn't going to put you in a very giving mood -- at least not enough to give over another $20 for this upgrade. The bump in AV is barely noticeable and the lack of new extras will certainly bring out the Scrooge in most fans.
Product Details
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