360 [Blu-Ray]

City of God director Fernando Meirelles helms yet another film about interconnecting storylines from around the world. However, this time his latest effort tackles the subject of infidelity and how one's selfish actions can not only affect their loved ones, but also cause a ripple effect, affecting others from different countries and cities. In one plotline, viewers witness a character's infidelity lead his heartbroken girlfriend into the arms of a recently paroled sex offender. In another, an unhappily married woman's feelings for another man are responsible for her crooked and degenerate husband finding happiness while she ends up jobless and alone. Unlike Closer, which examined the frailty of romantic relationships in a cleverly orchestrated way, 360 plays more like an extreme cautionary tale, delivering disjointed and undeveloped storylines with unrealistic results. Fortunately, the performances are strong and some few and far between moments, such as Anthony Hopkins' touching monologue in an AA group or a disturbing scene with Ben Foster`s character trying to control his sexually violent tendencies in a hotel washroom, make 360 shine at certain intervals. While 360 may have an intriguing premise and its star-studded cast perform well onscreen, the film is unfortunately full of too many convoluted storylines to be effective. The Blu-Ray release makes Adriano Goldman`s cinematography stand out even more, although the special features are particularly unmemorable. "The Making of 360" and "A look at 360" recycle the same footage and interviews, with the cast and crew discussing their characters and attraction to the script while also bragging about working with the acclaimed director. The only feature that's somewhat entertaining is the behind-the-scenes segment, which shows the filming process and how it was on set between the actors, cast and crew.