The Rooftop (2013/Well Go USA Blu-ray)

Picture: B Sound: A- Extras: D Film: A-

Jay Chou is Wax, a drifter with out a cause and a resident of the poor, but happy community of the rooftop citizens, but upon meeting the girl of his dreams, Sian (a movie star), his world is turned up side down. As he does everything, from singing to dancing, to impress her, and to just have a good time with her. But then he has to deal a spoiled, jealous movie star who wants Starlet for himself and a rival gang who want to take over the community in The Rooftop (2013).

Not to be confused with the 1989 Robert Wise film of the same name, but with more than a little bit of the same plot, Chou also directs this tale of a free-spirited martial artist and he protects his community, friends and those he cares about from the gangs, bullies and debt collectors. Sian (Hsin Ai Lee) is a rising young star who is working to pay her father's debts. Wax decides to joins the acting troupe as a stuntman, in order to get closer to Starlet. However the jealous movie star of the film has other plans for Starlet and gets in their way and tries to ruin Wax's reputation. While he and Starlet's relationship is encouraged and supported by his friends and community, his fighting skills have little defense against the gossiping tongues, but when gang leader stages a revolution, Wax must fight to save Starlet when she becomes a hostage.

The movie was a lot like Grease with a Romeo and Juliet/West Side Story plot: a young man and woman from two different classes falling for each other and must over come the odds. As the character tries to get the girl he pretends to be a gentleman, keeping her from the fighter side of his nature, but ironical must use his fighting skills to save her in the end. The film was beautiful and well choreographed with a lot of funny and amusing singing and dancing. The town, scenes, community village were however a bit too neon to look realistic, but then it is a musical.

The 1080p 2.35 X 1 digital High Definition image looks like the musical film version of Hairspray more than a little and like that film, this is shot in the Super 35mm film format with its own heightened and stylized color with a fine transfer meant to evoke Classical Hollywood musicals (especially those produced in three-strip Technicolor) and though the color has some limits, this is a fine transfer (almost as good as Hairspray, reviewed elsewhere on this site) and could not look much better than it does here. The DTS-HD MA (Master Audio) 5.1 lossless mix is even more dynamic with the capacity to more than handle the music, sound effects dialogue and any fantasy designs the filmmakers come up with. Too bad we don't get any extras.

- Ricky Chiang