Kit Kittredge: An American Girl Blu-ray Review

The video presentation of "Kit Kittredge: An American Girl" on Blu-ray displays a fusion of vivid colors and slight enhancements that bring to life its 1930s setting, albeit with a handful of inconsistencies. Presented in 1080p via the VC-1 codec at an average bitrate of around 18 MBPS, the movie showcases bright, eye-popping colors that, while slightly exaggerated, create a visually pleasing palette. However, skin tones come across as naturally pale and lack the subtle defining character, leaning more towards a less lifelike appearance. The contrast is artificially boosted, providing dynamic highlights in well-lit scenes without significantly compromising white detail. Despite these enhancements, the overall resolution experiences variability, with sharpness peaking in certain segments to deliver impressive texture and dimensionality, yet occasionally dipping into softer, less detailed imagery, particularly noted in closer shots like the one in chapter 14.

The movie's visual flaws are somewhat balanced by its solid black levels and well-preserved grain structure, contributing to an acceptable dynamic range even when the depth of the blacks doesn't hit the mark of being truly 'inky.' Although the film's detail at times struggles to showcase a definitive high-definition experience—sometimes barely surpassing what one might expect from an upconverted DVD—the effort to maintain fidelity to the original source material is evident. Scenes displaying facial close-ups or utilizing a golden hue to age the film visually stand out, further enhanced by an absence of digital imperfections such as edge enhancement, artifacting, or noise reduction (DNR).

Technically speaking, while this Blu-ray release may not meet the highest expectations for visual quality, particularly for enthusiasts looking for a consistently sharp and detailed high-definition experience, it manages to provide a viewing experience that's largely acceptable. Especially considering its target demographic, the video quality—with its solid handling of colors and occasional depth—should prove to be non-distracting. The discrepancy between the intention for visually striking scenes and their execution can be noticeable; however, it doesn't significantly detract from the enjoyment of the film's narrative and aesthetic charm.

The audio presentation of the "Kit Kittredge: An American Girl" Blu-ray, featuring a Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack, delivers competently on several fronts but leaves room for improvement in terms of audio depth and surround sound engagement. The mixes do an excellent job with dialogue clarity, positioning it predominantly in the center channel, ensuring that spoken words are intelligible and crisp against the backdrop of the film's Depression-era music. The front soundstage handles the bulk of the audio, with well-executed directional cues and panning effects that offer a decent sense of space. However, the surround channels are underutilized, primarily serving to extend the film's score and some atmospheric sounds, failing to fully immerse the viewer in the movie's auditory environment.

The soundtrack's reproduction of music has a warm, inviting quality that adds to the overall ambiance without overpowering dialogue or essential on-screen activities. This balance is crucial for maintaining engagement with the film's narrative and characters without any auditory element becoming overly dominant or distracting. Nonetheless, the absence of a lossless audio option on this release is a noticeable drawback that detracts from what could have been a more vibrant and detailed audio experience. The limitations of the lossy Dolby Digital mix mean that certain nuances in the music and ambient sounds might not be as pronounced as they would with lossless support.

Critics and audiences alike may find the soundstage somewhat lacking in dynamism due to these limitations, particularly when considering the potential for a more layered and immersive soundscape that utilizes all channels more effectively. The consensus reflects a missed opportunity to enhance the film's period setting through a more nuanced use of ambient noise and background details, which could have contributed to a richer viewing experience. While the current audio presentation does its job adequately, there's a clear consensus that future releases would benefit significantly from embracing lossless audio formats to fully capture the auditory essence of the film's thematic content and setting.

The Blu-ray release of "Kit Kittredge: An American Girl" offers minimal extra content, primarily catering to fans of the American Girl franchise. The extras consist of an American Girl Movie Trailer Gallery, showcasing trailers for other films in the series such as Felicity, Molly, and Samantha, underlining the commercial drive behind these productions. Furthermore, the inclusion of a Digital Copy Bonus Disc provides a standard definition version of Kit Kittredge that can be transferred to portable devices, ensuring viewers can enjoy the film on-the-go. Presented in 480p with Dolby Digital 2.0 audio, these extras offer a basic, yet satisfactory enhancement to the overall movie experience for devoted followers of the American Girl series, albeit with a noticeable focus on promoting additional merchandise tied to the franchise.

Extras included in this disc:

• American Girl Movie Trailer Gallery: Features trailers for the Felicity, Molly, and Samantha films.
• Digital Copy Bonus Disc: Standard definition version of the movie for digital download to portable devices.

"Kit Kittredge: An American Girl" makes its way to Blu-ray, bringing the heartwarming tale of a young girl navigating through the difficulties of the Great Depression. Abigail Breslin shines as Kit, a determined and imaginative girl aspiring to be a journalist, amidst her family's financial struggles. The narrative gracefully intertwines the innocence of childhood with the harsh realities of the era, allowing for a portrayal filled with depth and empathy. Directed by Patricia Rozema, the film stands out for its compelling storytelling and splendid cast, featuring Chris O'Donnell, Julia Ormond, and a delightful ensemble, including Stanley Tucci and Joan Cusack. This cinematic piece not only offers an engaging view into the 1930s but also serves as a valuable lesson on resilience and integrity.

Unfortunately, the transition to Blu-ray does not significantly elevate the technical experience of the film. Despite its cinematic quality and star-studded performances, the Blu-ray presentation falls short of expectations typically held for high-definition releases. This aspect underwhelms, particularly for enthusiasts seeking an enhancement in visual and auditory experience that Blu-ray usually promises. However, the film's essence remains untouched; it is a rare gem in children's entertainment that poignantly captures the essence of its period setting while educating its audience about historical adversities.

Breslin's portrayal of Kit Kittredge is commendable, as she brings to life a role model for young viewers through her character's determination and empathy. The ensemble cast adds richness to the narrative, making "Kit Kittredge: An American Girl" a wholesome family viewing experience. Despite its technical shortcomings on Blu-ray, the film's message and quality storytelling prevail, making it an enjoyable watch that transcends beyond mere entertainment to offer insightful reflections on American history and human kindness.

The Blu-ray presentation of "Kit Kittredge: An American Girl" was evaluated using a comprehensive array of high-end audiovisual equipment, including the JVC DLA-RS1x 1080p High Definition Front Projector and Carada Precision Brilliant White 96 Screen for visuals, complemented by an array of high-fidelity audio gear such as the Denon AVR 5308CI THX Ultra 2 Preamp/Video Processor and B&K Reference 200.7 Series 2 seven Channel amplifier. The setup also featured an impressive selection of speakers, including Canton Ergo Series and Axiom Audio QS8 Quadpolar speakers, ensuring an encompassing audio experience. The testing environment was rigorously controlled, utilizing devices like the Furman SPR-20i Stable Power Regulator and Cool Components CP-CP102 cooling package to maintain optimal performance conditions for the equipment.

Despite the exemplary setup, the total presentation outcome for the Blu-ray release underwhelms when considering the expectations tied to such technological sophistication. The film itself, targeting the 6 to 13 age demographic, excels in delivering poignant messages regarding judgment and morality, making it a valuable watch for its intended audience. Parents can anticipate engaging discussions following the viewing, supported by the film's intellectual appeal to younger viewers. However, the technical aspects of this Blu-ray edition do not match up with the caliber expected from a high-definition release. Issues concerning audiovisual fidelity suggest that those who already possess a DVD copy might find the upgrade unjustifiable unless it is obtained at a significantly lower price.

In conclusion, "Kit Kittredge: An American Girl" Blu-ray presentation is a mixed bag. From a content perspective, it's undoubtedly recommendable for its meaningful narrative and potential to spark meaningful conversations between children and their parents. Technologically, however, it falls short of expectations, casting a shadow over its value as a high-definition upgrade. Potential buyers with existing DVD copies should weigh the modest benefits against the cost, keeping in mind the film's virtuous content but technically lackluster execution.