Tanner Hall Blu-ray Review

"Tanner Hall" delivers an exceptional 1080p Blu-ray transfer that will impress any viewer. The film boasts breathtaking clarity, revealing the picturesque cinematography in all its splendor. The image is sharp and highly detailed, showcasing fine details impressively, from the intricacies of building exteriors to the warm wooden accents inside school buildings. Textures are meticulously rendered, allowing viewers to appreciate the complexity of clothing and facial features throughout the movie. The color palette is steady, with a golden tinge that adds warmth to faces and scenes without compromising the balance of outdoor greens, bright red apples, and other vibrant colors. Black levels are spot-on, providing depth without crushing details or turning into dark grays. A light grain structure adds a handsome, cinematic finish.

The 1080p/AVC MPEG-4 transfer in a 1.78:1 aspect ratio successfully captures the autumnal setting of the northeastern United States, with fall colors symbolically representing the maturation changes within the girls. The transfer is clean and free from print defects, maintaining sharpness and detail except when focus issues arise as actors move out of focal distance. Blacks are generally deep but slightly falter in a few night scenes where black clothing merges with shadows. Highlighting the film's richness, colors like the popping red dress worn by Ferny late one evening stand out remarkably well.

Some minor video quality flaws do exist. Notable digital noise occurs during the film's opening and closing shots, and there's a brief moment where slow motion settings were not readjusted for regular shooting, causing a choppy effect reminiscent of "Saving Private Ryan," which feels out of place in "Tanner Hall." Despite these minor issues, the Blu-ray transfer remains a visually engaging experience, emphasizing the film's aesthetic appeal.

The audio presentation of "Tanner Hall" on Blu-ray features a Dolby TrueHD 5.1 lossless soundtrack that is both steady and effective. While not an extravagant showcase, it supports the material admirably. The soundtrack provides clear and transparent audio, with clichéd musical notes rendered airy and spacious, approximating a live performance. Nevertheless, some of the Rock/Pop tunes appear slightly cramped, lacking the same vitality as other musical elements in the film. Atmospherics are well-placed, primarily favoring the front soundstage but still proving sonically effective in creating a realistic New England setting with sounds like chirping birds and rustling leaves. Dialogue is consistently clear and focused in the center channel, with certain classroom scenes featuring immersive echoes around the virtual room.

The sole listening option available is the 5.1 English Dolby TrueHD track, which boasts an unexpectedly high quality for a low-budget title. The film opens with a soft overture enveloping all channels, effectively setting the mood. Mara's narration, delivered in a typical teenage monotone, is centrally located with perfect clarity. The rear channels are adeptly utilized to create environmental ambiance, with echoing splashes in bathroom scenes, breeze and rustling leaves in outdoor settings, and large classroom acoustics featuring distinct end-of-class bells. Although there are minor issues such as slight vocal echoes in two early scenes shot in confined spaces, the overall balance of music, vocals, and effects remains harmonious and well-distributed across all channels.

The Blu-ray release of "Tanner Hall" offers a limited yet insightful array of special features, complementing the film's experience. The audio commentary from writers, producers, and directors Tatiana Von Furstenberg and Francesca Gregorini stands out as a compelling component, providing detailed discussions on the roles, casting, and shooting process. This commentary is an invaluable resource for viewers interested in the behind-the-scenes aspects of the film. Additionally, the included trailer serves as a brief introduction to the movie, giving potential viewers a taste before committing to a full viewing.

Extras included in this disc:

• Audio Commentary with Writers/Producers/Directors Tatiana Von Furstenberg and Francesca Gregorini: An in-depth discussion on roles, casting, and the shooting process.
• Trailer: A brief introductory preview of the film.

Tanner Hall is an attempt at a quirky dramady encapsulating the coming-of-age journey of four girls at an all-girls boarding school. Sadly, it suffers from a lack of originality, succumbing to an uninspired imitation of films like "Juno," with its overused techniques such as voiceovers and maudlin popular tunes. Directors Tatiana von Fürstenberg and Francesca Gregorini, perhaps keen to replicate a stylistic success, fail to inject any new spirit into the narrative.

The film's narrative revolves around childhood friends Fernanda (Rooney Mara) and Victoria (Georgia King), who navigate the murky waters of adolescence, forbidden love, and shaky friendships within the confines of Tanner Hall. Mara delivers a steady performance as the lead character, Fernanda, who finds herself entangled in a relationship with an older, married man (Tom Everett Scott). Other plotlines include Kate (Brie Larson) seducing an older professor and Lucasta (Amy Ferguson) exploring her sexual identity. However, the film's incoherent structure stretches these potentially engaging stories thinly across an uneven script. As one story gains some traction, another abruptly interrupts, leaving audiences unfulfilled and underwhelmed.

The film's setting in beautiful New England, despite being well captured by its cinematography, fails to evoke a true sense of isolation or meaningful character evolution within the confines of the school. The characters are disappointingly flat, reduced to single-dimensional traits that are glossed over in favor of quirky wholes. While the cast performs commendably with what little they're given—Rooney Mara, in particular, shows promise—their efforts cannot salvage a story that ultimately feels predictable and generic. "Tanner Hall" had the potential for greatness but ends up as a frustratingly derivative effort that fails to leave a lasting impression.

"Tanner Hall" presents a visually captivating experience with masterful 1080p video quality that truly enhances the film's tone and mood. The attention to visual detail is impressive, capturing the nuances and subtleties of the film's setting and characters. On the audio front, the lossless soundtrack stands out for its fullness, balance, and dynamic range, effectively utilizing almost all channels consistently to create an immersive auditory experience.

However, despite its technical prowess, "Tanner Hall" struggles mightily in the storytelling department. The film's plot meanders through a series of clichéd events typical of a coming-of-age story set in a single-sex boarding school, leading to an underdeveloped narrative with scattered themes and unclear purpose. The promising cast delivers, yet their potential is stifled by the lackluster script that fails to fully flesh out the characters. The film appears more concerned with emulating the stylistic elements of more successful films like "Juno" rather than crafting its unique identity.

In conclusion, while the audio and video quality of "Tanner Hall" are commendable, they are not enough to compensate for the movie's weak storytelling and character development. The extras are minimal, featuring only an audio commentary track and a trailer. Though it showcases technical strengths, the film's overall execution leaves much to be desired, making it suitable as a rental at best.