A teenage delinquent (Miya Cech) befriends a surly magician (Rhea Perlman) who helps her navigate her inner demons and dysfunctional family with sleight of hand magic. A coming-of-age comedy that touches on unlikely friendships, grief and finding hope in the darkest moments.

For in-depth thoughts on Marvelous and the Black Hole, please see my colleague Jessica Gonzales’ review from its original theatrical release here.

Also, be sure to check out our interview with director Kate Tsang here.

Video Quality

Marvelous and the Black Hole comes to Blu-Ray in an AVC encoded transfer courtesy of MVD Entertainment that is simply lovely. While the film might not feature much beyond some standard suburban landscapes, these environments really pop in high definition. Not only do the textural details render cleanly, but the lush greenery leaps off the screen while other hues in certain outfits likewise add a bit of vibrancy. Things get a touch more interesting in the fantasy elements that take on a classic black-and-white film aesthetic which comes through with great precision. This presentation is quite gorgeous and offers a stable image quality throughout. Skin tones look natural throughout the runtime. There is no evidence of compression artifacts or other digital nuisances outside a very minor bit in the darkest sections of certain interiors. I do not see how this disc could have been improved significantly. Fans of the film will not be disappointed.

Audio Quality

The Blu-Ray disc comes with both a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and LPCM 2.0 track that conjures a very gentle mood that transports you into this story. This is a very subdued film, but the track does come alive with the environmental sounds. The wonderful score and other musical moments are showcased beautifully here with a gently enveloping use of the surround speakers. The dialogue comes through crystal clear without ever being overpowered by any other sounds. The sound design is directionally accurate with all of the sounds positioned just right in the mix. This is not an action-heavy film so the activity in the low end is very sparse, but certain moments add a bit more texture than others. This is a lovely sounding release that brings the movie to life perfectly.

Special Features

Behind The Scenes Clip: A 37-second look at the green screen work implemented to create the magical black-and-white fantasy moments.

Photo Gallery: A collection of stills from the film along with behind-the-scenes photos.

Theatrical Trailer: The minute-and-a-half trailer is provided here. There are also trailers provided for Guncrazy, Edmond and The Fabulous Baker Boys.

Final Thoughts

Marvelous and the Black Hole is a touching debut feature from Kate Tsang which provides a character dynamic that is all too rare in cinema. The relationship between the characters played by Miya Cech and Rhea Perlman may seem familiar at first, but it evolves in really thoughtful ways that allow both of them to be three dimensional. These two performances, along with the remainder of the ensemble, are pulled off without a hitch, always keeping you deeply invested in the journey. MVD Entertainment and FilmRise have released a Blu-Ray featuring a strong A/V presentation and a couple of brief supplemental features. Any fan of independent cinema should make an effort to track this one down as soon as possible. Recommended

Marvelous and the Black Hole is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray and DVD.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: MVD Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.