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Pop and Me
List Price: Unknown [Buy now and save at Amazon]
The Movie:
"Pop and Me" recieved a great deal of interest because of it's concept of a father and son journeying around the world to find out more about the relationships between fathers and sons and ending up finding more about each other in the process. Although it gained buzz because of this interesting concept, the actual documentary is pretty good as well.
Although much of the documentary revolves around the two filmmakers arguing (whether or not to use the wireless mics becomes an issue) and visiting different sights, there are other interesting elements where the two filmmakers talk with various people about their relationships with their father or son, most famously, Julian Lennon. While director Chris seems somewhat weary, his father Richard goes right up to the young man and asks him straight-out if he'd be willing to be interviewed - to the suprise of both, he says yes.
The film often varies; there were times when I think some interviews and emotional moments gained a lot of insight into the father-son relationship. There's also moments in the movie that became a little bit irritating; some of the arguements between Chris and Richard have a generally friendly undercurrent, but some seemingly begin to turn less pleasant as the two become sick of each other at times during their trip.
At the end of it all, "Pop and Me" wraps up well and makes even the parts that began to ramble worthwhile. Although not without some minor complaints, for a couple of people who'd never had any filmmaking experience before, it worked out well.
The DVD
VIDEO: "Pop and Me" looks to be filmed in different formats, but all low-budget; 8mm film looks to be what was used for the majority of the movie. The film is presented full-screen and often varies in its look throughout. Sharpness is decent at times, but the majority of the movie looks soft and detail is often lacking.
Although there is often grain and some marks and scratches on the film, the picture remains watchable. There is no pixelation or shimmering present to distract, although the grain sometimes becomes a somewhat heavy enough to become mildly distracting. Colors are generally natural, but not bold or vibrant. Overall, this is very low-budget material and the presentation reflects that.
SOUND: The film's Dolby 2.0 soundtrack is both good and not as good. Simply, this is documentary audio, so I certainly didn't go into the movie expecting a great deal of activity. Although yes, much of the audio focuses on dialogue, the score sounds really good. Often sounding like a score that would be more at home in an IMAX documentary, it sounds very rich and clear, and the high-quality sound feels sort of separate from the low-budget look of the movie. Otherwise, dialogue remains clear and easily heard, if not always crisp.
MENUS:: Menus are non-animated, with very basic images serving as backgrounds.
EXTRAS:.
Commentary: This is a commentary from Chris and Richard Roe, the "Pop and Me" of the movie. They energetically chat throughout the entire film with few pauses; they mainly talk about the stories behind the scenes, as well as the ideas that came up as the filming went along. They also talk in detail about their thoughts on what the film was going to be like as well as their reactions about what the final film ended up being. It's a fun track with some great stories about the trip that the two went on and the film that they ended up with.
Julian Lennon Interview: This is an extended version of the interview that we see in the film with Julian Lennon that goes on quite a bit further and provides more interesting information.
Deleted Scenes: 5 deleted scenes are included; some of them are interesting and funny. Worth watching.
Final Thoughts:
Positive: MGM's DVD doesn't provide great audio/video quality, but with the low-budget material, it's probably the best the film is going to look. The extras are certainly enjoyable, with a very good commentary and some deleted footage. The price, at $19.99 and less at most stores, is also good. If you're already a fan of the film, it's certainly worth a purchase.
Negative: The film is good overall, but not without some slow moments. Although the price is low - I think most who haven't seen this will find this satisfying to watch once as a rental.
"Pop and Me" recieved a great deal of interest because of it's concept of a father and son journeying around the world to find out more about the relationships between fathers and sons and ending up finding more about each other in the process. Although it gained buzz because of this interesting concept, the actual documentary is pretty good as well.
Although much of the documentary revolves around the two filmmakers arguing (whether or not to use the wireless mics becomes an issue) and visiting different sights, there are other interesting elements where the two filmmakers talk with various people about their relationships with their father or son, most famously, Julian Lennon. While director Chris seems somewhat weary, his father Richard goes right up to the young man and asks him straight-out if he'd be willing to be interviewed - to the suprise of both, he says yes.
The film often varies; there were times when I think some interviews and emotional moments gained a lot of insight into the father-son relationship. There's also moments in the movie that became a little bit irritating; some of the arguements between Chris and Richard have a generally friendly undercurrent, but some seemingly begin to turn less pleasant as the two become sick of each other at times during their trip.
At the end of it all, "Pop and Me" wraps up well and makes even the parts that began to ramble worthwhile. Although not without some minor complaints, for a couple of people who'd never had any filmmaking experience before, it worked out well.
The DVD
VIDEO: "Pop and Me" looks to be filmed in different formats, but all low-budget; 8mm film looks to be what was used for the majority of the movie. The film is presented full-screen and often varies in its look throughout. Sharpness is decent at times, but the majority of the movie looks soft and detail is often lacking.
Although there is often grain and some marks and scratches on the film, the picture remains watchable. There is no pixelation or shimmering present to distract, although the grain sometimes becomes a somewhat heavy enough to become mildly distracting. Colors are generally natural, but not bold or vibrant. Overall, this is very low-budget material and the presentation reflects that.
SOUND: The film's Dolby 2.0 soundtrack is both good and not as good. Simply, this is documentary audio, so I certainly didn't go into the movie expecting a great deal of activity. Although yes, much of the audio focuses on dialogue, the score sounds really good. Often sounding like a score that would be more at home in an IMAX documentary, it sounds very rich and clear, and the high-quality sound feels sort of separate from the low-budget look of the movie. Otherwise, dialogue remains clear and easily heard, if not always crisp.
MENUS:: Menus are non-animated, with very basic images serving as backgrounds.
EXTRAS:.
Commentary: This is a commentary from Chris and Richard Roe, the "Pop and Me" of the movie. They energetically chat throughout the entire film with few pauses; they mainly talk about the stories behind the scenes, as well as the ideas that came up as the filming went along. They also talk in detail about their thoughts on what the film was going to be like as well as their reactions about what the final film ended up being. It's a fun track with some great stories about the trip that the two went on and the film that they ended up with.
Julian Lennon Interview: This is an extended version of the interview that we see in the film with Julian Lennon that goes on quite a bit further and provides more interesting information.
Deleted Scenes: 5 deleted scenes are included; some of them are interesting and funny. Worth watching.
Final Thoughts:
Positive: MGM's DVD doesn't provide great audio/video quality, but with the low-budget material, it's probably the best the film is going to look. The extras are certainly enjoyable, with a very good commentary and some deleted footage. The price, at $19.99 and less at most stores, is also good. If you're already a fan of the film, it's certainly worth a purchase.
Negative: The film is good overall, but not without some slow moments. Although the price is low - I think most who haven't seen this will find this satisfying to watch once as a rental.
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