Video:

The Middle of the World is presented in anamorphic widescreen, the standard for Film Movement DVDs. The picture shows some grain in the bright outdoor scenes, but the color palate is varied and distinct and the gorgeous Brazilian landscapes look as vibrant as possible.

Sound:

The soundscape is presented in 5.1, though the rear channels are almost exclusively reserved for the score. Dialogue is overpowered in some scenes by the "background" score and effects, but it is not a big distraction for those of us that do not speak Portuguese.

Extras:

The Middle of the World has a disappointing lack of extras, especially compared with other discs in the Film Movement series. There is no director's commentary, which is a shame considering the types of obstacles that had to come up in shooting a road movie like this. It would have been nice to hear stories of that kind of production and how the below-the-line team was able to succeed in pulling off a film of this scope.

There is a trailer for The Middle of the World included, but no trailers for other films in the Film Movement series. There are also short biographies for some of the actors involved, along with one for director Amorim.

The most intriguing extra is the short film included, The Ecology of Love. It's a well-made homage to French New Wave filmmaking, but it is most notable for the film debut of Pharrell Williams, best known as the face of hip-hop production team the Neptunes and lead singer of N.E.R.D. As a rapper-actor, Williams is better than P. Diddy and Eve but not quite on Ice Cube's level; he does a solid job as Andre, a filmmaker with a recently-broken heart.

Final Thoughts:

There are aspects of The Middle of the World that work, moments and episodes that are funny or heartwarming. But never do the vignettes ever gel into a full film, which makes for an 85-minute experience that drags and lurches its way to conclusion.