The Kings of Summer focuses on the exploits of a trio of teenagers – Nick Robinson, Gabiel Basso, and Moises Arias. As a swan song to their childhood years, the group strikes out on their own and attempts to build a house. The cast is rounded out by Parks & Recreation’s Nick Offerman, Megan Mullaly (Will & Grace), and Alison Brie (Mad Men, Community). The film looks back to the halcyon days of Ferris Bueller Can’t Lose and Stand By Me, all while taking up the overall zeitgeist of the current period. This means that The Kings of Summer is able to speak well to contemporary audiences.
The special features that are present in this release provide viewers with a great deal of additional context about the film. The commentary is laid down by writer Chris Galletta, cast members including Moises Arias, Nick Robinson, and Gabriel Basso, and director Jordan Vogt-Roberts. This commentary provides illumination about different sides of the film’s inception and creation, while an additional set of deleted scenes (about 15 minutes in all) do a tremendous job in filling in the questions that viewers have about The Kings of Summer after the first run-through. A final inclusion – Frankly Speaking with Frank Toy – collects the most memorable lines uttered in the film into one 80 second clip.
A Blu-Ray copy of The Kings of Summer will run interested individuals about $23-28. Take a look at Sony’s Blu-Ray website for further information about their releases and the list of titles that will be available through the holiday period.
Rating: 8.7/10
The Kings of Summer Blu-Ray Review / 2013 Sony / 95 Minutes / http://www.sonypictures.com/bluray
John Sargeant, writing on NeuFutur as Sargeant, is the founder and editor-in-chief of NeuFutur Magazine, where he has covered independent music, PC hardware, consumer tech, and gaming culture since 1998. With over 25 years of continuous digital publishing experience, he has written thousands of hands-on game and record reviews, conducted in-depth hardware field testing, and analyzed digital media monetization trends. His work prioritizes first-hand evaluation and long-term product testing.
Beats: Independent Music, PC Gaming & Peripherals, Consumer Tech, Webmaster Tools
Testing & Ethics: All hardware, software, and media reviews are conducted through hands-on evaluation in accordance with NeuFutur’s editorial independence standards; sponsored consideration is strictly excluded from editorial ratings.
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