No Reservations HD DVD (Scott Hicks, 2007)

Warner (USA)
2.40:1 1080p
104 minutes
Audio: DD+ 5.1 English, DD+ 5.1 French, DD+ 5.1 Spanish
Subtitles: Optional English, English SDH, French, Spanish
Extras: Emeril Live; Unwrapped

Released: 4 March 2008
HD DVD case
24 chapters

2007’s No Reservations is based on the early-1990s German film Mostly Martha. In both movies, a perfectionist chef gains custody of her niece after her sister dies in a car accident. The niece doesn’t have much of an appetite even though her aunt concocts tasty dishes. However, the chef and a sous chef manage to draw the little girl out of her shell, and the chef and the sous chef fall in love with each other.

A plot synopsis makes both movies sound similarly maudlin and trite, but they’re actually rather different. I attribute their differences to cultural sensibilities. Mostly Martha felt like a Teutonic movie. I may be stereotyping, but Mostly Martha had a straightforward, no-nonsense edge. On the other hand, No Reservations is typical pandering Hollywood fare. The American re-make presents the main character as cute, lovable, and always right even when she’s being unreasonable. This is in contrast to the German version, which isn’t afraid to have characters tell the protagonist that she’s wrong about many things.

Catherine Zeta-Jones is a talented, exciting actress, but she can’t carry a movie. The same goes for Aaron Eckhart, who provides great support in many movies but isn’t quite believable as a leading man. Therefore, No Reservations doesn’t quite achieve the “lift” that one senses with the best romantic comedies. To some degree, rom-coms are fairy tales; Zeta-Jones is too serious and Eckhart is too goofy for viewers to imagine themselves in their shoes.

Video:
Although a new movie, on HD DVD, No Reservations looks like an undistinguished program shot by merely competent (or bored) filmmakers. The 2.40:1 1080p video transfer is clean and smooth but dull and muted in several spots. Some outdoors scenes are flooded with surprisingly harsh sunlight. In this case, the movie itself is to blame for an un-inspired picture.

Audio:
These days, just about every high-profile movie is given the 5.1 treatment, but movies like No Reservations don’t need all that juice. The DD+ 5.1 English track is a glorified stereo mix. Dialogue and music are the main participants up front, with the rears and the subwoofer doing little work.

You can also watch the movie with DD+ 5.1 French and DD+ 5.1 Spanish dubs. Optional English, English SDH, French, and Spanish subtitles support the audio.

Extras:
Well, this is a movie about cooking, so Warner packaged the movie with episodes from two TV cooking shows--Emeril Live and Unwrapped. The episodes flogged the movie for its Summer 2007 theatrical release, and they’re amiable, inoffensive fluff.

--Miscellaneous--
This HD DVD was released on 4 March 2008. The SD DVD and Blu-ray counterparts were released on 12 February 2008.

The Blu-ray version is basically identical to the HD DVD version. The SD DVD version is the same as the SD DVD side of this combo disc. In addition to reduced technical specs (2.40: 1 anamorphic widescreen & 1.33:1 P&S video; DD 5.1 English, French, & Spanish audio; English, French, & Spanish subtitles), the SD DVD has only the Unwrapped episode as well as previews for other movies.