We Bought a Zoo

The Blu-ray presentation of "We Bought a Zoo" by 20th Century Fox stands as a testament to the studio's commitment to delivering high-quality home video releases. The film's 1080p/AVC-encoded transfer is a visual feast, showcasing the meticulous work of renowned cinematographer Rodrigo Prieto. Shot on 35mm, the richness of the natural world captured in the movie is translated perfectly to the screen, with a fine grain structure that adds a subtle, organic texture without being distracting. The clarity of the video is exceptional across the board, revealing intricate details in characters' faces and attire. Furthermore, the lighting and color grading gorgeously reflect the warm, vibrant essence of the California setting, with creamy yellow highlights, serene blue skies, and verdant greens contributing to a breathtaking palette. Skin tones, black levels, and contrast are all rendered with precision, ensuring a viewing experience that's as true to the director's vision as possible.

Despite its near-perfect video quality, a few minor flaws do emerge, notably in the form of slight aliasing on tight patterns such as shirts and chain link fences, which appear three times during the presentation. However, these instances are brief and largely overshadowed by the disc's overall crispness and clear imagery. The AVC MPEG-4 transfer excels in bringing out even the most minute details, like individual hairs and facial pores, enhancing the film's realism. The natural lighting is utilized masterfully, enriching the visual experience by highlighting textures from animal fur to fabric. Colors are deeply saturated, making scenes vibrant and lifelike, further emphasized by excellent black levels and natural skin tones.

The technical prowess of this Blu-ray extends beyond just its visual aesthetics. A considerable amount of space on a dual-layer disc ensures that compression issues such as banding or artifacts are non-existent. Additionally, common pitfalls like edge enhancement and digital noise reduction (DNR) are noticeably absent, preserving the filmic integrity of Prieto's cinematography. Each scene, from detailed close-ups to expansive landscapes, benefits from this meticulous attention to detail. While a handful of aliasing moments prevents this release from achieving pure perfection, it undoubtedly sets a high bar for home video presentations, allowing viewers to immerse themselves fully in the heartwarming narrative and stunning visuals of "We Bought a Zoo.

The "We Bought a Zoo" Blu-ray's audio presentation, specifically through its lossless DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track, exhibits a surprisingly immersive experience for a film that isn't action-packed. This well-crafted audio mix adeptly balances clear and dynamic sound, predominantly utilizing the front channels while effectively employing the rear speakers to enhance the ambiance with subtle but immersive outdoor sounds such as wind, rain, and animal noises. Moreover, the soundtrack, a significant aspect courtesy of Cameron Crowe's well-known predilection for integrating music into his films, showcases an enchanting blend of Jónsi's score along with various pop/rock tracks. These elements are beautifully spread across the channels, creating a room-filling presence when the volume is appropriately adjusted. Dialogue remains distinct amidst this rich soundscape, complemented by multiple language options and a family-friendly mix that eschews the film’s sparse profanity.

The audio options presented with this release cater to a broad audience, from the main English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio track to alternative Dolby Digital 5.1 dubs in French and Spanish, and a special Dove.org-approved family-friendly variant. The meticulous attention to the music's integration stands out, highlighting Jónsi’s contribution as crucial to the film’s emotional depth. The spread of musical themes across the audio channels enhances the narrative's impact, ensuring that the audience is fully engrossed in the cinema Crowe envisioned.

However, despite the strengths in musical and ambient integration, there's a noted room for improvement in capturing the full depth of environmental sounds, preventing the audio track from achieving perfection. While effects are robustly mixed through every channel—offering lifelike experiences from schoolyard chatter to animal interactions—the track falls just short of a flawless rating due to a slight lack in environmental sound dynamics. Still, the overall audio presentation significantly contributes to the movie-watching experience, ensuring that "We Bought a Zoo" resonates profoundly with its audience through an engaging and meticulously crafted auditory landscape.

The Blu-ray extras for "We Bought a Zoo" provide a deep dive into the film's production process and the real-life story it's based on, offering a mix of technical insight, humor, and behind-the-scenes details that will likely appeal to fans and cinephiles alike. The audio commentary invites an unexpectedly entertaining perspective from JB Smoove, whose anecdotes, albeit outlandish, complement director Cameron Crowe and editor Mark Livolsi's discussions on the film's making, revealing both technical considerations and a unique view on the artistic decisions behind the scenes. The deleted and extended scenes showcase the evolution of the film through its various edits, while "We Shot a Zoo" stands out as an exhaustive making-of documentary. Special features like "Their Happy Is Too Loud" and "The Real Mee" add significant value by delving into the musical score's creation and the true story of the zoo, respectively. Overall, these extras offer a comprehensive look at the filmmaking process, enriched by personal insights and quirky commentary that both inform and entertain.

Extras included in this disc:

• Audio Commentary: Features director Cameron Crowe, editor Mark Livolsi, and actor JB Smoove.
• Deleted & Extended Scenes: Twenty scenes offering insight into different cuts of the film.
• We Shot a Zoo: A five-part documentary covering nearly every element of production.
• Their Happy Is Too Loud: Focuses on the score creation by Sigur Ros frontman, Jonsi.
• The Real Mee: Benjamin Mee discusses the zoo's history and his experience running it.
• Gag Reel: Even this is set to the inspirational tunes of Jonsi.
• Photo Gallery: A collection of stills by Neal Preston.
• Theatrical Trailer
• Sneak Peeks

We Bought a Zoo," directed by Cameron Crowe, is an unabashedly heartwarming affair that tells the story of the Mee family's unusual venture into zoo ownership as a means to overcome their grief and bring them closer together. Set against the backdrop of sunny California, Matt Damon's portrayal of Benjamin Mee, a widowed father struggling with recent life upheavals, delivers an emotionally compelling narrative with the help of a strong ensemble cast, including Scarlett Johansson's winsome yet gritty zookeeper, Kelly Foster. Despite its pivot from the memoir's original English setting to the more visually appealing American countryside, the film maintains its core of authenticity, reflecting on family dynamics and personal healing.

However, the film does not shy away from its fair share of criticisms, being described as too tidy and verging on the treacly territory with overly sentimental moments that sometimes feel unearned. Its attempt to tackle themes of loss and new beginnings is often undercut by its preference for a comfy, populist tone, leading to a narrative that's engaging yet predictably safe. Crowe's penchant for leveraging a finely curated soundtrack to underscore emotional beats is present, but at times it seems to force-feed feelings rather than enhancing the storytelling organically. This approach may cater well to audiences seeking undemanding entertainment but leaves those hoping for a more nuanced exploration slightly wanting.

Despite its predilection for playing it safe, "We Bought a Zoo" still manages to charm with its genuine performances, particularly from Damon, and moments of well-crafted dialogue that echo Crowe's distinctive style. The film navigates the challenges of moving forward from loss with a blend of humor and warmth, creating a family-centric narrative that resonates. While it may not rank as Crowe's most groundbreaking work, it stands as a testament to his ability to craft feel-good cinema that aims straight for the heart.

The Blu-ray release of "We Bought a Zoo" delivers a visually stunning experience, elevating the film's presentation significantly. While the movie itself is a feel-good dramatic comedy that tells the story of a grief-stricken father finding new purpose alongside his family, it may not break new ground cinematically, echoing sentiments and themes found in films like "The Descendants". However, what it might lack in originality, it compensates with heartwarming execution and a strong sense of familial togetherness. It's an accessible choice for family movie nights, providing a decent blend of warmth and mild entertainment without stepping too far outside the comfort zone.

The technical aspects of this Blu-ray are where it truly shines. The video quality is described as nearly flawless, bringing the beautiful cinematography and vibrant visuals to the forefront with exceptional clarity and sharpness. The audio presentation compliments this with equally high quality, especially notable in its handling of Jónsi’s moving score, which adds a significant emotional layer to the film. The Blu-ray is packed with nearly three hours of special features in high definition, including feature commentary, which enriches the viewing experience and offers substantial value for enthusiasts and fans of Cameron Crowe’s work.

In conclusion, the Blu-ray edition of "We Bought a Zoo" stands out more for its technical merits and special features than for the film's artistic innovation. It represents a sterling example of how a home release can enhance and complement the original cinema experience, especially for those seeking a family-friendly film with genuine emotion and a feel-good vibe. Whether for Crowe’s loyal followers or for those seeking a comfortable movie night pick, this release confirms its place as a must-own Blu-ray, marrying superior audiovisual quality with heartfelt storytelling.