The Her Blu-Ray is a must if you haven’t seen the movie yet

At the end of last year I decided that the Spike Jonze movie Her was my favorite movie of 2013. Since then, I’ve caught up on a few movies from last year, including the quite good (Saving Mister Banks, Short Term 12), the surprisingly funny (We’re the Millers), and the overrated (Captain Philips). But despite watching some decent movies, I still stick by my decision. Now that the Blu-ray is being released, I think it’s an excellent opportunity to revisit this movie. The movie by Spike Jonze unsurprisingly holds up to repeat viewings, with different themes and motifs emerging just like you can notice new little things from background rewatching it. And it’s not like people have gotten any less attached to their mobile devices since December, or less confused about human interactions.

I still strongly recommend this movie as an extremely well-acted character piece, a funny and poignant romance, and one of the best harder sci-fi films in years. Some people I’ve talked to have had quibbles about the ending, but I personally think it still works. The movie isn’t perfect, but then again no piece of art has that distinction. I prefer supporting these sorts of radical ideas, approaching universal themes and large ideas from the perspective of one individual that’s just one small piece of a very big puzzle. It’s not a family film, as there are scenes and themes too advanced and adult for children, but I think most people may surprise themselves by actually liking this one. There are always going to be haters, but I think there are far better targets for that sort of thing.

The movie looks and sounds great on the Blu-Ray, with an excellent transfer from the big screen. Some of the specific sweeping visuals can’t be replicated the same way, of course, but this is mostly a film in small spaces. The Blu-Ray comes with a few special features but no director’s commentary, although that’s typical for Spike Jonze. Here is what’s been included:

• A Short Film by Lance Bangs: The Untitled Rick Howard Project: Creating Her (24:19) — This a short behind the scenes documentary about the making of the movie, which which was originally called “The Untitled Rick Howard Project.” It’s a fascinating look at movie-making in general and this film in particular. The documentary is done in a pretty artsy way, but I found it quite compelling.
• Love in the Modern Age: Intimate Conversations About Love and Relationships in Our Time (15:10) — This piece was released online as part of the promotion for the movie, and includes various people, including artists, musicians, producers, psychologists, actors, and comedians (like Marc Maron, Moshe Kasher, and Charylne Yi). It consists of a series of fairly personal interviews where people talk about relationships and their personal experiences with love and heartbreak. The difficulty of love in the modern era is touched on, while the use of technology is explored as perhaps a hindrance or problem. A bit overlong in my opinion, and a touch light on anything truly dynamic, but it’s interesting to see people trying to speak honestly.
• How Do You Share Your Life with Someone? (3:56) — This is just a short, evocative trailer for the movie that had also been released as part of the film’s promotion.

Her is available on home video May 6. A Blu-ray was generously provided by Warner Home Video for review.