Queen of Katwe is a charming, uplifting true life drama featuring some fine performances by Madina Nalwanga and David Oyelowo under Mira Nair’s quality direction. The Blu-ray released by Disney offers up great video, solid audio and a nice selection of bonus material.
Queen of Katwe
(2016)
Genre(s): Drama
Disney | PG – 124 min. – $39.99 | January 31, 2017
Date Published: 02/08/2017 | Author: The Movieman
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PLOT SYNOPSIS
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| Living in the slum of Katwe in Kampala, Uganda, is a constant struggle for 10-year-old Phiona (MADINA NALWANGA) and her family. Her world changes one day when she meets Robert Katende (DAVID OYELOWO), a missionary who teaches children how to play chess. Phiona becomes fascinated with the game and soon becomes a top player under Katende’s guidance. Her success in local competitions and tournaments opens the door to a bright future and a golden chance to escape from a life of poverty. |
SPECIAL FEATURES – 3.5/5 |
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This release comes with a glossy slip cover. Inside is a redemption code for the Digital HD copy. Audio Commentary – Director Mira Nair gives an informative track providing background on the film on the true story as well as filming in Uganda where she currently resides. A bit dry at times, as she could’ve used someone else as a sounding board, it is an interesting listen especially if you’re interested in the story. Queen of Katwe: Their Story (29:39; HD) – This 3-part featurette looks at the making of the movie with behind-the-scenes footage as well as the inspiration behind the story. A Fork, a Spoon & a Knight (13:14; HD) is Mira Nair’s short film about a boy named Robert Katende who grows up to transform a Uganda city into a globally renowned chess sanctuary. Music:
Deleted Scenes (20:25; HD):
Each of these scenes includes introductions by Mira Nair as she explains why these did not make into the final cut, set against behind-the-scenes footage. |
VIDEO – 4.5/5 |
| Queen of Katwe arrives on Blu-ray presented in its original 2.39 widescreen aspect ratio and a 1080p high-definition transfer (MPEG-4 AVC codec). The picture here looks good showcasing both the innate tones of Uganda as well as splashes of colors here and there while skin tones appear natural looking. Detail appears sharp and the transfer is clean, free of any noticeable aliasing or artifacting. |
AUDIO – 4.25/5 |
| The included DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track is basic but effective. The majority of the film is heavy on dialogue with most of the audio coming via the center channel but depth does show with the music/score through the rear speakers. It’s nothing noteworthy but as dramas go, it’s not a bad sounding lossless track. |
OVERALL – 3.75/5 |
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Overall, Queen of Katwe is a charming, uplifting true life drama featuring some fine performances by Madina Nalwanga and David Oyelowo under Mira Nair’s quality direction. The Blu-ray released by Disney offers up great video, solid audio and a nice selection of bonus material. |
Check out some more screen caps by going to page 2. Please note, these do contain spoilers.