Search - Chasing Amy: The Criterion Collection on DVD

Cynthia J. (celestialtones) from LIVINGSTON, LA
Reviewed on 1/6/2011...

I personally did not care for this DVD. I only got about 1/3 into the movie and turned it off. Then I relisted for any Affleck fans out there.

4 of 17 member(s) found this review helpful.

Daniel A. (Daniel) from EUGENE, OR
Reviewed on 2/8/2010...

Every character here is only half likable, but even with all the raunchy comedy, this is a highly sincere look at relationships. The absolute funniest scene is the reverse "coming out"scene.

3 of 6 member(s) found this review helpful.

Overpriced Blu-Ray, but the best version available

Matt Stevens | NYC | 12/14/2009

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Blu-Ray, done right, will show all the warts of a film. In this case, CHASING AMY was shot on a larger 16mm format called Super16 and then blown up to 35mm. The natural grain of Super16 will be even larger blown up to 35mm and no doubt that some of that natural grain is apparent on this new Blu-Ray. However, Miramax has seen fit to noise reduce the image a bit in an effort to please people who have no clue what grain is and why it is important. The result is a slightly softened look, but one that is noticeably superior to the older DVD releases. I think Miramax would have served this film better had they stayed away from filtering the grain, but at least they didn't overdue it (examples of that are releases such as PATTON, ZULU, PAN'S LABYRINTH, HAIRSPRAY).



That being said, the Canadian release is grainy and looks sharper, but the compression methods are inferior, so grain is reduced to mpeg artifacting and that results in an artificially sharper image. In the end, the Miramax release is the one to buy and we know it won't have a re-release any time soon as this is from a new 2k master supervised by the cinematographer (who admits he has not seen the actual Blu-Ray release. Directors and cinematographers typically approve a transfer, but that transfer can then have the grain reduced or filtered for BD without their knowledge and that happens a lot).



Fans of the film who already own the DVD should upgrade if they have the spare cash and they can get it at the 35%+ discounted price. If money is tight, hold off until the price comes back down. Waiting pays off. Sometimes staying away from a favorite film for a few years and then going back to it results in a wonderful viewing experience. I stopped viewing HIGHLANDER on DVD years ago, knowing it would hit Blu-Ray at some point. It did (in England) and when I sat down to watch it in HD on a 71 inch screen I was blown away. What a revelation. It was like coming home again.



In the case of CHASING AMY, it had been five or more years for me. It was a wait that made viewing the film again all the more enjoyable."

Smith's best film

Jerry Jancarik Jr. | Pacific Northwest | 11/21/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I've always felt (and still do) that Chasing Amy is Smith's best film. The writing is fantastic, the performances engaging and the story adheres closer to reality than any of his other films. Certain cinephiles are known for disparaging Smith for his rudimentary camera set-ups. In reality, his work is all about the writing and those who obsess over camera angles and visual style are missing the point.



I was a little hesitant to pick this release up after reading the review on [...] that quibbled with the visual quality and transfer. We'll, I put the disc on back to back with the Criterion regular DVD and the Blu-ray is far, far superior in every way. The film was shot on 16mm and so it's never going to look as sharp as other films like Mallrats that had larger budgets. Perhaps without the DVD as reference I would have quibbled too, but clearly this is a HUGE improvement. Perhaps still a little softer than necessary due to grain reduction or whatever but I can live with it.



"

A must see, If you seen Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back

C. Williams | North Carolina United States | 01/04/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is another Jay and Silent Bob series. If you seen Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back and never seen Chasing Amy. Then this is a must. This is the begining of "Bluntman & Chronic". See why Jay and Silent Bob Strike back.

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