Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar appears in an aspect ratio of approximately 2.39:1 on this Blu-ray Disc. The movie boasted a solid transfer.
Sharpness appeared strong. Only a smattering of wide shots looked a little soft, so the majority of the film became accurate and tight.
Jagged edges and moiré effects created no concerns, and edge haloes were absent. Print flaws remained absent, as we found no specks, marks or other issues.
Vista utilized a fairly stylized palette, with a clear teal/orange orientation. Some of the setting’s tropical hues also came through, though, and the tones felt well-rendered.
Blacks seemed dark and dense, while shadows showed nice clarity. This became a pleasing image.
As for the DTS-HD MA 5.1 soundtrack of Vista, it offered an experience typical of comedies, as the soundfield displayed an emphasis on the forward channels. Music showed nice stereo imaging and moved the songs and score to the back speakers in a minor manner.
Most of the effects tended toward environmental material, though a few sequences added some pep, especially when the “evil genius” side of things emerged. Nonetheless, the majority of the mix stayed dialogue-intensive and without real theatrics.
Audio quality came across as good. Speech seemed natural and distinct, and I noticed no issues related to edginess or intelligibility.
Music was reasonably full, with clear tones overall. Effects were accurate and concise, without distortion or other concerns, and the mix offered strong bass response. Nothing here excelled, but the audio was more adequate for a comedy like this.
A few extras fill out the disc, and we open with an audio commentary from director Josh Greenbaum and writers/actors Annie Mumolo and Kristen Wiig. All three sit together for this running, screen-specific look at story and characters, cast and performances, sets and locations, costumes and hair, stunts, and related elements.
At times, we find some decent nuggets about the movie. However, it feels like we mainly hear about the leads’ wigs and how hot it was during the shoot. Add a lot of happy talk and this becomes a mediocre commentary.
Two featurettes follow, and Making Life a Little Brighter runs nine minutes, 58 seconds. It brings info from Greenbaum, Wiiig, Mumolo, executive producer Margot Hand, production designer Steve Saklad, cinematographer Toby Oliver, and costume designer Trayce Gigi Field.
“Life” looks at the project’s origins and development, story and characters, sets and production design, costumes, and other production topics. This becomes a fairly tight overview.
Casting in Paradise goes for 10 minutes, 53 seconds and offers notes from Wiig, Mumolo, Greenbaum, Hand, and actors Jamie Dornan and Reyn Doi.
As expected, “Paradise” discusses cast and performances. A few useful tidbits emerge, but most of the show offers happy talk.
Next comes a six-minute, 16-second collection of bloopers. It shows a few alternate lines, but most of it sticks with the usual goofs and giggles – lots and lots of giggles, in fact, as that element dominates.
Nine Deleted Scenes span a total of 12 minutes, 41 seconds. A few of these add a little story development, but most just add comedic beats.
Some of these work pretty well. The cut sequences merit a look.
Finally, Fashion Show lasts one minute, 29 seconds and shows various actors in Barb and Star influenced outfits. It’s a creative form of ad for the movie.
Even with good talent and the potential for laughs, Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar becomes a spotty affair. While it throws out the occasional moment of mirth, it seems scattered and erratic too much of the time. The Blu-ray brings good picture and audio as well as a nice array of bonus materials. I wanted to enjoy Vista but the end result disappoints.