|
|
In Short: Excellent DVD for the little-seen 1996 crime comedy.
The Movie:
I suppose that all actors have their low points. For Cameron Diaz, "Feeling Minnesota" certainly seems like her least successful choice in an otherwise successful career. It probably looked good on paper; hip crime-thriller/comedy starring a cast of big names: Keanu Reeves, Dan Ackroyd, Delroy Lindo, Vincent D'Onofrio, Courtney Love, etc. The movie is frequently a little too offbeat for it's own good, awkwardly going between comedy that doesn't work and violence that seems a little too grim (or a little too silly, as the brothers throw rocks at each other across a highway.)
The move stars Cameron Diaz as Freddie, a woman forced by a drug kingpin named Red to mary Sam (Vincent D' Onofrio), whether she likes or not. Sam is more than happy with the arrangement, Freddie certainly isn't. In steps Jjaks(Reeves), the unfortunately named brother of Sam. There's something between Jjaks and Freddie (or maybe she just sees him as a way out), and before long, the two find themselves on their way to Vegas, her vision of paradise. Of course, Sam and his associates are following them.
The movie has quite a few minor as well as major plot twists. Some of them work, some are them are hardly believeable. I guess what makes this movie so hard to watch is that there's not a single sympathetic character in the entire bunch. Some of the film was also meant to be a comedy, but the only time the humor works is in the slapstick portions, such as the two brothers pelting each other with rocks and cursing at each other from across a highway. Other than that, the rest of the movie's pretty grim. Performances are alright, especially the two leads.
The DVD
VIDEO:
Well, I'm not a fan of the movie, but I'm certainly a fan of the image quality on this DVD. New Line has always done excellent work in terms of image quality, but on their last few releases, in my opinion, their work looks even stronger. This certainly isn't a colorful movie, but the color palette presented looks fine and natural. The occasional bright color, like the waitress uniform that Courtney Love's character wears, are enjoyably vibrant. Images are quite clear and crisp, looking razor sharp and solid throughout. Detail is very good, and flesh tones are accurate.
The only flaws that I really noticed is that the picture has a slightly "flat" feel to it, and the occasional instance of shimmering. Other than that, this is an excellent looking image and fine work from New Line. A pan/scan edition is also included. The 2.35:1 widescreen edition is anamorphic, like all of New Line's releases. Choice of aspect ratio can be made from the main menu.
SOUND: "Feeling Minnesota" is a very basic affair in terms of audio, with the entire movie being almost completely dialogue driven. The musical highlight is during the opening credits, with Johnny Cash singing "Ring Of Fire". Again, it's pretty much all dialogue, which sounds clear and without problems.
MENUS:: Non-animated, although nicely stylish main menu art.
EXTRAS:
Trailer: The original trailer is included, and the audio is Dolby 5.1.
Final Thoughts Another instance of a good DVD presentation of a not-so-good movie.
The Film 70/C- = (350/500 possible points)
Video 91/A = (364/400 possible points)
Audio: 83/B = (332/400 possible points)
Extras: 70/C- = (210/300 possible points)
Menus 75/C = (150/200 possible points)
Value: 83/B = (249/300 possible points)
TOTAL POINTS:1655/2100
Average:79%/C+
|
