A culinary legend provides a frustrated office worker with a new recipe for life in Julie & Julia, the true stories of how Julia Child's (Streep) life and cookbook inspired fledgling writer Julie Powell (Adams) to whip up 524 recipes in 365 days and introduce a new generation to the magic of French cooking. Based on two true stories. Based on the book Julie & Julia by Julie Powell and based on the book My Life In France by Julia Child with Alex Prud'homme. (Tricia Spears)
Special features include commentary with Writer/Director Nora Ephron, the following featurettes: Secret Ingredients: Creating Julie & Julia (HD 27:44), Family & Friends Remember Julia Child (HD 47:39), Julia's Kitchen (HD 22:31), and Cooking Lessons, which offers: Poaching Eggs With Julia Child & Jacques Pépin (HD 04:14), Making Hollandaise Sauce With Julia Child & Jacques Pépin (HD 02:38), Mark Peel Prepares Scrambled Eggs (HD 04:50), Suzanne Goin Prepares Braised Short Ribs (HD 05:44), and Steven Lewandowski & Drew Nieporent Prepare Butter Poached Lobster (HD 05:26). Also included is BD-Live interactivity, movieIQ™ with Julia's Recipe Collector, and previews.
The 1.85:1 1080p AVC picture features exterior French locales that photograph wonderfully, with a dimensional quality. Resolution can be excellent and reveals fine facial features and object textures in exteriors and interiors, though, at times the imagery appears a bit soft. The production design is cluttered, with objects that display warm and rich colors that are nicely saturated. Contrast is well balanced, with deep solid blacks and revealing shadow delineation. The overall color scene is warm. Fleshtones appear natural throughout. The picture exhibits a cinematic quality, with fine grain apparent throughout. This is a pleasing picture, full of complexities in colors and textures that is sure to please. (Gary Reber)
The DTS-HD Master Audio™ 5.1-channel soundtrack is conventional and dialogue focused. Atmospheric sound effects enhance the realism. Sound effects are generally subtle in the surround charnels, but the music nicely envelops the soundfield when present. The music is nicely recorded. Dialogue is effectively integrated spatially and is always intelligible. This is a suitable soundtrack, appropriate to the storytelling, with a light music score that carries the otherwise monaural-focused soundtrack. (Gary Reber)