City Island—Anchor Bay (Blu-ray)

Video: 3.5/5
Audio: 4/5
Extras: 2/5

Vince Rizzo is a lifelong resident of the tiny, tradition-steeped Bronx enclave of City Island. A family man who makes his living as a corrections officer, Vince longs to become an actor. Ashamed to admit his aspirations to his family, Vince would rather let his fiery wife Joyce believe his weekly poker games are a cover for an extramarital affair than admit he's secretly taking acting classes in Manhattan. When Vince is asked to reveal his biggest secret in class, he inadvertently sets of a chaotic chain of events that turns his mundane suburban life upside down.

The HD presentation reveals a nice balance of fine detail and natural photography. The film has a very film-like look with a pleasant grain structure and good depth. Colors don’t have any garish look and stylization is kept to a minimum. The soundtrack provides a nice sense of ambiance but this is a pretty front heavy mix that keys in on dialogue and subtle atmospheric cues. The score blends in to the background and adds a bit of body to the mix.

Extras include a feature commentary with the director and Andy Garcia. You also get a look at the cast and crew and some deleted scenes.

This is a very charming and funny character piece with excellent performances and a heart felt story. Definitely worth a look!

X