The Soloist

The AVC-encoded 1080p HD transfer of 'The Soloist' is extremely heavy on detail, providing us with a near flawless HD presentation. Contrast is particularly strong, with each and every color appearing vivid and perfectly saturated. Interior and Exterior scenes shine in their own ways. The interior scenes feature great shadow delineation, while the exterior scenes feature fantastic lighting and detail, with nothing appearing washed out or overly saturated.

The wonderfully detailed close-ups of Foxx reveal every errant freckle on his face and every scraggly hair on his head. Perhaps the definition is too good when it comes to showing the absolute squalor some of the homeless people of L.A. live in, but that's the point of the film, not to hold back. The visuals, like the film, are unapologetic.

• Audio Commentary - Director Joe Wright, who is as charming and as talkative as Downey, takes on this commentary by himself. While it's always nice to have other people in the commentary so there's more of a discussion, Wright makes the most of it. This is one of the better commentaries with a solo commentator. Wright offers information on shooting locales and praise for all of the actors. He does tend to wander around while he's commentating, but it's actually pretty amusing like when out of nowhere he starts talking about the breast size of one of the supporting actresses.
  
• An Unlikely Friendship: Making 'Soloist' (HD, 19 min) - This is a standard "making-of" piece that is far too short to offer any real in depth information. Interviews with the cast and crew give us an idea of what it was like making the picture, but more than 20 minutes is needed to really dig deep into the film and the true story behind it.
  
• Kindness, Courtesy, and Respect: Mr. Ayers + Mr. Lopez (HD, 5 min) - Lopez and Ayers sit down and you can instantly see the friendship the two have built. Even though this feature is short, it shows the personalities and interaction the two have with each other. It is a fascinating friendship and this feature offers a tiny glimpse of what it's like.
  
• One Size Does Not Fit All: Addressing Homelessness in Los Angeles (HD, 10 min) - We delve into the seriousness with this feature. Spotlighting the rampant problem of homelessness in L.A., this feature gives us a look at what it's like to live in the LAMP community. It's a sobering reminder that even in America's most affluent cities, extreme poverty not only exists, but is a huge problem.
  
• Julliard: The Education of Nathaniel Ayers (HD, 4 min) - A short featurette that gives us a little insight into what Nathaniel was taught at Julliard.
  
• Beth's Story (HD, 2 min) - This is an animated short that deals with some of the problems facing the homeless, especially how it affects individuals lives and personalities. Many times we may just think of homeless people as a faceless mob who can't take care of themselves, this short will set you straight.
  
• Deleted Scenes (SD, 10 min) - There's quite a bit here, the most interesting being the scenes of Nathaniel battling his paranoia in its early stages.