Story Synopsis:
As one of New York’s most celebrated chefs, Kate (Zeta-Jones) is well suited to prepare the most delicious quail with truffle sauce anyone’s ever tasted. But when she is asked to raise her recently orphaned niece Zoe (Breslin), she finds herself a completely clueless surrogate parent. With the help of a newly hired junior chef, Nick (Eckhart), Kate has No Reservations as she begins to navigate the unfamiliar and confusing world of fish sticks and school supplies. (Stacey Pendry)
DVD Picture:
The anamorphically enhanced 2.36:1 DVD is hampered by noticeable compression artifacts that can be a major distraction. Many scenes look very soft because of the high levels of compression, and “mosquito noise” is often a distraction. The image generally looks noisy. Black levels are fairly adequate, but shadow delineation is limited. White levels occasionally can bloom, but colors can be nicely balanced. Edge enhancement is noticeable over higher contrast transitions, but the high levels of compression generally make it a non-factor. (Danny Richelieu)
Soundtrack:
The Dolby® Digital 5.1-channel soundtrack favors the front three screen channels for the majority of the presentation, although the surround channels can be used to create a fairly believable soundstage at times. Dialogue fidelity can be good, but there are many times when it sounds edgy and distorted as well as forward sounding. Shuffling noise can be heard at times throughout, as can high-pitched ringing from time to time. (Danny Richelieu)
