Blu-ray Movie Reviews

Shy New Orleans cookware salesclerk Georgia Byrd (Queen Latifah) finds out she has less than a month to live when diagnosed with terminal cancer. Determined not to live her last days in depression, she sets out on a dream vacation to a European resort spa without no worries of paying for the trip. You go girl!

Other than some pacing issues during the second act, Last Holiday is a fun film that really showcases the talent of Queen Latifah and her ability to carry a film. There are some funny moments, especially when she decides to hit the slopes for the first time.

The AVC encode is a big upgrade over the DVD release from 2006, although there are still occasional moments of edge enhancement. Black levels are solid with adequate shadow detail, but the material isn't that difficult to render given the well-lit environments. Detail is superb, especially in close-ups and the location shots in Europe.

The dialog-heavy Dolby TrueHD 5.1 soundtrack is about what you'd expect from a romantic comedy, with little to no creativity in the sound design. The surround speakers rarely come to life for anything other than ambience, and the LFE channel is virtually silent throughout.

The bonus materials contain three featurettes and two deleted scenes, all in standard definition, with the only HD feature being the theatrical trailer. Nothing to write home about, that's for sure.

Better than most romantic comedies, Last Holiday is certainly enjoyable and has a commendable HD presentation. Latifah shines in the starring role, and if you're looking for a change of pace that will please your wife or significant other, give it a spin.

Release Date: December 30, 2008

Movie: 6/10
Picture: 8/10
Sound: 6/10

Review System

Source
Panasonic DMP-BD55

Display
JVC DLA-RS1 projector
Stewart FireHawk screen (76.5" wide, 16:9)

Electronics
Onkyo Pro PR-SC885 pre/pro
Anthem PVA-7 Amplifier
Belkin PF60 power conditioner

Speakers
M&K S-150s (L, C, R)
M&K SS-150s (LS, RS, SBL, SBR)
SVS PC-Ultra subwoofer

Cables
Monoprice HDMI cables (source to pre/pro)
Best Deal analog-audio cables
PureLink HDC Fiber Optic HDMI Cable System (15 meters) from pre/pro to projector

Acoustical treatments from GIK Acoustics