Blu-ray Movie Reviews

Surely Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig are two of the more interesting people working in Hollywood right now. With his diverse mile-long résumé and her Oscar nomination (for co-writing Bridesmaids) and indie cred, plus their shared Saturday Night Live pedigree, we never know quite what we’ll get next from them. The Skeleton Twins is not their first big-screen pairing, but it’s their most significant, as they play same-age sibs Maggie and Milo, estranged for the past 10 years and now suddenly reunited as they grapple with their own issues. The entire cast is top-notch, and the humor grows from the subtlety of the performances. But it’s when Hader and Wiig are together that the movie truly shines, bringing both comedy and drama as dark family secrets are confronted.

At first I thought the color would only be restrained in the opening home-movie-style prologue, but the palette is somewhat muted throughout, although the blue of Wiig’s eyes is at times a vibrant standout. This is surely not a reference-quality disc, as many shots seem to have a softness to them, and yet certain details are frequently razor-sharp, such as pores in the close-ups and especially the textures of clothing. Shafts of hazy sunlight and bits of dust are appreciable, although I found the curious, undeniable layer of grain on the 2.4:1 image to be a bit much.

Don’t be fooled, as I was, by the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 designation on the back cover: This soundtrack is definitely front-heavy, but that’s not such a bad thing. Dialogue is crucial here, and it is almost always clear, while the full, wide spread across left/center/right has a pleasing, natural presence. It almost makes up for the fact that every time I checked the surround speakers, even during busier moments when I was expecting at least a little involvement, they were silent. Nuances such as room tone can be readily heard at times, and can change from scene to scene.

Since cast and crew brought great enthusiasm to this project, the extras now reflect that passion. There are two audio commentaries by director/co-writer Craig Johnson. Also included are a dedicated making-of, an amusing (and uncensored) gag reel, an array of alternate takes and actor improvisation, in addition to 16 minutes of deleted scenes with optional commentary. A code for a high-definition UltraViolet Digital Copy is supplied as well.

Blu-Ray
Studio: Lionsgate, 2014
Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1
Audio Format: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
Length: 93 mins.
MPAA Rating: R
Director: Craig Johnson
Starring: Bill Hader, Kristen Wiig, Luke Wilson