Champions (Blu-ray) Review

[David Vaughn]

Studio: Universal
Release Date: May 2, 2023
 Rating: PG-13
 Film:  4/5
 
 Plot
 A hilarious and heartwarming story of a former minor-league basketball coach who, after a series of missteps, is ordered by the court to manage a team of players with intellectual disabilities. He soon realizes that despite his doubts, together, this team can go further than they ever imagined.
 
My Thoughts
I love sports movies so I was pretty sure I’d enjoy this one before hitting “play” on my Panasonic Blu-ray player. The film is a remake of the 2018 Spanish film Campeones, which Executive Producer and star Woody Harrelson loved and decided that he wanted to be a part of the new film He stars alongside Cheech Marin, Ernie Hudson, and Kaitlin Olson, who all do a great job in their supporting roles. The true stars of the film though are the real-life disabled young adults who are the focal point of the film. Many of them were first-time actors and they do an amazing job of touching your heart and you can’t help but root for them to win it all.
 
The presentation on Blu-ray is competent, but I can’t say I loved it. There are times when the picture is a bit too dim and flat. I thought maybe it was my new projector, but I did some visual tests after the film and came to the conclusion that the gamma on the disc is a tad too dark, especially in the interior scenes—outdoor scenes looked great. The DTS-HD MA 5.1 track makes good use of the surround speakers and overall imaging was very good. Furthermore, the soundtrack is loaded with some great tracks and the musical presentation is outstanding.
 
Video 4/5 (AVC)
 Audio 4.5/5 (DTS-HD MA 5.1)
 
 Special Features:
·        12 Deleted Scenes
·        Keeping it Friendly
·        Woody and the Team
·        Casting the Friends
·        Feature Commentary with Director Bobby Farrelly

 

 Conclusion
 I had heard good things about this film before sitting down to watch it and it met every one of my high expectations. It’s a feel-good movie with plenty of laughs and a ton of heart. In fact, grab some tissue because there are a couple scenes that should bring a tear to your eye. The video presentation could have been slightly better, but the stellar audio makes up the difference. Highly recommended.  
 

 Reference Review System:
 JVC DLA-RS3100 4K Ultra High-Definition Front Projector
(Calibrated with Portrait Displays CalMAN color calibration software & C6-HDR Meter from Portrait Displays)
Stewart Filmscreen - Firehawk 110” 2.35:1 Screen
Trinnov Altitude 16 Audio/Video Processor
ATI AT527NC Powering Bed Channels
ATI AT524NC Powering Atmos Speakers
Kaleidescape Strato + Server
Panasonic DP-UB820 Ultra HD Blu-ray Player
System Controller: URC MX-990
M&K S-150 THX Ultra (R-C-L Speakers)
M&K SS-150 x4 (Surround Speakers)
Atlantic Technology IC6-OBA x 4 Overhead Speakers
SVS PC-Ultra Cylinder Subwoofer
SVS SB3000
HSU VTF-15H MK2 Subwoofer
M&K Sound X15+ Subwoofer
Mini DSP HD controlling all subwoofers
Audioquest and Monoprice - Audio/Video/Speaker Cabling
PureAV PF60 Power Conditioner

[SRW1000]

Thanks for giving attention to these smaller movies that are easy to overlook.  Sounds like it definitely worth a rental and added it to my queue.

Scott

[David Vaughn]

Thanks for giving attention to these smaller movies that are easy to overlook.  Sounds like it definitely worth a rental and added it to my queue.

Scott

Scott,

It's a very touching story. I think you'll enjoy it. 

[Paul Heroy]

Another thanks for putting this on our radar. Definitely some times when a story/movie like this is something we need. On the wishlist it goes!

[bmoney]

I’m in!  Thanks for the recommendation 

[DLCPhoto]

I watched it last night - streaming on Peacock, not disc. Interestingly, ATV showed it as DV/HDR, but when I started it, it was SDR only. I switched to my Roku Ultra, and it streamed in HDR. The picture quality was stunning at times - incredible detail, colors wonderfully saturated, with a 3D appearance in so many scenes.

The movie itself was quite enjoyable. I had my doubts when it first started, and there weren't too many surprises along the way, but it was a nice departure from some of my usual viewing.

Thanks for the recommendation, Dave - I've come across some good movies based on your experiences.

[David Vaughn]

I watched it last night - streaming on Peacock, not disc. Interestingly, ATV showed it as DV/HDR, but when I started it, it was SDR only. I switched to my Roku Ultra, and it streamed in HDR. The picture quality was stunning at times - incredible detail, colors wonderfully saturated, with a 3D appearance in so many scenes.

The movie itself was quite enjoyable. I had my doubts when it first started, and there weren't too many surprises along the way, but it was a nice departure from some of my usual viewing.

Thanks for the recommendation, Dave - I've come across some good movies based on your experiences.

Thanks for chiming in. Funny that on streaming that have HDR/4K while it's only available on Blu-ray on disc. SMH

Glad you've found some good movies to watch

[SRW1000]

Finally got around to watching this last night, and my wife and I enjoyed it.  There are some spots in the script that are a bit on the clunky side, but that's OK.  The primary focus of the movie is on the players, and they really shine here, with each of them having a chance to show their individuality and unique charm.

I particularly liked the climactic ending, that really got to the genuine heart of the movie.

Recommended for anyone else that hasn't seen it yet.  There are quite a few deleted scenes that help answer some plot points that were left open, and the behind-the-scenes features were worth watching for a glimpse of how much fun it looks like they had filming this.

Scott

[David Vaughn]

Finally got around to watching this last night, and my wife and I enjoyed it.  There are some spots in the script that are a bit on the clunky side, but that's OK.  The primary focus of the movie is on the players, and they really shine here, with each of them having a chance to show their individuality and unique charm.

I particularly liked the climactic ending, that really got to the genuine heart of the movie.

Recommended for anyone else that hasn't seen it yet.  There are quite a few deleted scenes that help answer some plot points that were left open, and the behind-the-scenes features were worth watching for a glimpse of how much fun it looks like they had filming this.

Scott

I have a good friend with a Down Syndrome kid and this film and The Peanut Butter Falcon really show the reality of the disease and how everything is "black and white" and no shades of gray. If you haven't seen that film, I highly recommend it (it's actually a better film than this one).