Up (Four-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo + BD Live) [Blu-ray]

Up (Four-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo + BD Live) [Blu-ray] Review

Up (Four-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo + BD Live) [Blu-ray] Feature

• From the revolutionary minds of Pixar Animation Studios and the acclaimed director of MONSTERS, INC. comes a hilariously uplifting adventure where the sky is no longer the limit. Carl Fredricksen, a retired balloon salesman, is part rascal, part dreamer who is ready for his last chance at high-flying excitement. Tying thousands of balloons to his house, Carl sets off to the lost world of his child

At a time when too many animated films consist of anthropomorphized animals cracking sitcom one-liners and flatulence jokes, the warmth, originality, humor, and unflagging imagination of Up feel as welcome as rain in a desert. Carl Fredericksen (voice by Ed Asner) ranks among the most unlikely heroes in recent animation history. A 78- year-old curmudgeon, he enjoyed his modest life as a balloon seller because he shared it with his adventurous wife Ellie (Ellie Docter). But she died, leaving him with memories and the awareness that they never made their dream journey to Paradise Falls in South America. When well-meaning officials consign Carl to Shady Oaks Retirement Home, he rigs thousands of helium balloons to his house and floats to South America. The journey's scarcely begun when he discovers a stowaway: Russell (Jordan Nagai), a chubby, maladroit Wilderness Explorer Scout who's out to earn his Elderly Assistance Badge. In the tropical jungle, Carl and Russell find more than they bargained for: Charles Muntz (Christopher Plummer), a crazed explorer whose newsreels once inspired Carl and Ellie; Kevin, an exotic bird with a weakness for chocolate; and Dug (Bob Peterson), an endearingly dim golden retriever fitted with a voice box. More importantly, the travelers discover they need each other: Russell needs a (grand)father figure; Carl needs someone to enliven his life without Ellie. Together, they learn that sharing ice-cream cones and counting the passing cars can be more meaningful than feats of daring-do and distant horizons. Pete Docter (Monsters, Inc. ) and Bob Peterson direct the film with consummate skill and taste, allowing the poignant moments to unfold without dialogue to Michael Giacchnio's vibrant score. Building on their work in The Incredibles and Ratatouille, the Pixar crew offers nuanced animation of the stylized characters. Even by Pixar's elevated standards, Up is an exceptional film that will appeal of audiences of all ages. Rated PG for some peril and action. --Charles Solomon

Stills from Up (Click for larger image)
Walt Disney Pictures and Pixar Animation Studios take moviegoers up, up and away on one of the funniest adventures of all time with their latest comedy-fantasy. Up follows the uplifting tale of 78-year-old balloon salesman Carl Fredricksen, who finally fulfills his lifelong dream of a great adventure when he ties thousands of balloons to his house and flies away to the wilds of South America. But he discovers all too late that his biggest nightmare has stowed away on the trip an overly optimistic 8-year-old Wilderness Explorer named Russell. Their journey to a lost world, where they encounter some strange, exotic and surprising characters, is filled with hilarity, emotion and wildly imaginative adventure.

Toy Story (Two-Disc Special Edition Blu-ray/DVD Combo w/ DVD Packaging)

Toy Story (Two-Disc Special Edition Blu-ray/DVD Combo w/ DVD Packaging) Review

Toy Story (Two-Disc Special Edition Blu-ray/DVD Combo w/ DVD Packaging) Feature

• TOY STORY: SPECIAL EDIT-BD w/DVDAMARAY (BLU-RAY DISC)

There is greatness in film that can be discussed, dissected, and talked about late into the night. Then there is genius that is right in front of our faces--we smile at the spell it puts us into and are refreshed, and nary a word needs to be spoken. This kind of entertainment is what they used to call "movie magic," and there is loads of it in this irresistible computer animation feature. Just a picture of these bright toys reawaken the kid in us. Filmmaker John Lasseter thinks of himself as a storyteller first and an animator second, much like another film innovator, Walt Disney.

Lasseter's story is universal and magical: what do toys do when they're not played with? Cowboy Woody (voiced by Tom Hanks), Andy's favorite bedroom toy, tries to calm the other toys (some original, some classic) during a wrenching time of year--the birthday party, when newer toys may replace them. Sure enough, Space Ranger Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) is the new toy that takes over the throne. Buzz has a crucial flaw, though--he believes he's the real Buzz Lightyear, not a toy. Lasseter further scores with perfect voice casting, including Don Rickles as Mr. Potato Head and Wallace Shawn as a meek dinosaur. The director-animator won a special Oscar for "the development and inspired application of techniques that have made possible the first feature-length computer-animated film." In other words, the movie is great. --Doug Thomas In this 3D computer animated feature, a pull-string cowboy doll is the leader of the toys until the latest, greatest action figure enters the picture. When the toy rivals are separated from thei rowner, they ultimately learn to put aside their differences and work as a team to get back home to the boy they love.

Bonus Features include: Toy Story 3 Sneak Peek: The Story, Buzz Lightyear Mission Logs Blast off, Paths to Pixar Artists, Studio Stories: John's Car, Baby AJ, Scooter Races, Buzz Takes Manhattan, Black Friday The Toy Story You Never Saw

Le Petit Lieutenant / Triple Agent - Combo Pack

Le Petit Lieutenant / Triple Agent - Combo Pack Review

Includes Le Petit Lieutenant and Triple Agent.

A gripping police noir, LE PETIT LIEUTENANT tells the story of Antoine, an ambitious young cop from the provinces who joins a plainclothes crime unit in Paris. Antoine spends his days eagerly awaiting his first assignment, drinking with his fellow detectives and developing an unlikely relationship with his superior, a veteran policewoman with a troubled past. But when the body of a drifter is found murdered along the Seine, a seemingly routine investigation suddenly turns violent and forever changes all their lives.
"An impeccably wrought contemporary police story." – Stephen Holden, The New York Times

True lies are given a historical spin in Eric Rohmer's invigoratingly ambitious Triple Agent. A period tragedy in the vein of the octogenarian French New Wave director's The Lady And The Duke, it's very loosely based on the true story of White Russian Army general Fyodor (Serge Renko) who played a triply duplicitous role as a spy in 30s France, deceiving not only Marxists, Soviets and Fascists but also his long-suffering wife Arsinoé (Katerina Didaskalou) until the forces of history finally caught up with him.

Kill Bill - Volumes 1 & 2 [Blu-ray] (Amazon.com Exclusive)

Kill Bill - Volumes 1 & 2 [Blu-ray] (Amazon.com Exclusive) Review

Kill Bill: Volume 1
Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill, Vol. 1, is trash for connoisseurs. From his opening gambit (including a "Shaw-Scope" logo and gaudy '70s-vintage "Our Feature Presentation" title card) to his cliffhanger finale (a teasing lead-in to 2004's Vol. 2), Tarantino pays loving tribute to grindhouse cinema, specifically the Hong Kong action flicks and spaghetti Westerns that fill his fervent brain--and this frequently breathtaking movie--with enough cinematic references and cleverly pilfered soundtrack cues to send cinephiles running for their reference books. Everything old is new again in Tarantino's humor-laced vision: he steals from the best while injecting his own oft-copied, never-duplicated style into what is, quite simply, a revenge flick, beginning with the near-murder of the Bride (Uma Thurman), pregnant on her wedding day and left for dead by the Deadly Viper Assassination Squad (or DiVAS)--including Lucy Liu and the unseen David Carradine (as Bill)--who become targets for the Bride's lethal vengeance. Culminating in an ultraviolent, ultra-stylized tour-de-force showdown, Tarantino's fourth film is either brilliantly (and brutally) innovative or one of the most blatant acts of plagiarism ever conceived. Either way, it's hyperkinetic eye-candy from a passionate film-lover who clearly knows what he's doing. --Jeff Shannon

Kill Bill: Volume 2
"The Bride" (Uma Thurman) gets her satisfaction--and so do we--in Quentin Tarantino's "roaring rampage of revenge," Kill Bill: Volume 2. Where Vol. 1 was a hyper-kinetic tribute to the Asian chop-socky grindhouse flicks that have been thoroughly cross-referenced in Tarantino's film-loving brain, Vol. 2--not a sequel, but Part Two of a breathtakingly cinematic epic--is Tarantino's contemporary martial-arts Western, fueled by iconic images, music, and themes lifted from any source that Tarantino holds dear, from the action-packed cheapies of William Witney (one of several filmmakers Tarantino gratefully honors in the closing credits) to the spaghetti epics of Sergio Leone. Tarantino doesn't copy so much as elevate the genres he loves, and the entirety of Kill Bill is clearly the product of a singular artistic vision, even as it careens from one influence to another. Violence erupts with dynamic impact, but unlike Vol. 1, this slower grand finale revels in Tarantino's trademark dialogue and loopy longueurs, reviving the career of David Carradine (who plays Bill for what he is: a snake charmer), and giving Thurman's Bride an outlet for maternal love and well-earned happiness. Has any actress endured so much for the sake of a unique collaboration? As the credits remind us, "The Bride" was jointly created by "Q&U," and she's become an unforgettable heroine in a pair of delirious movie-movies (Vol. 3 awaits, some 15 years hence) that Tarantino fans will study and love for decades to come. --Jeff Shannon

The Sorcerer's Apprentice (Three-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo+Digital Copy)

The Sorcerer's Apprentice (Three-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo+Digital Copy) Review

The Sorcerer's Apprentice (Three-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo+Digital Copy) Feature

• SORCERER'S APPRENTICE, THE BLU/DVD/DC (BLU-RAY DISC)

Who doesn't wish they could unleash fire from their fingertips and make mops come to life? The Sorcerer's Apprentice enjoyably captures this fantasy as a young physics student named Dave (Jay Baruchel, She's Out of My League) learns that he's the inheritor of the powers of Merlin--and suddenly finds himself in the middle of a war between two of Merlin's protégés, Balthazar (Nicolas Cage) and Horvath (Alfred Molina, Spider-Man 2). The Sorcerer's Apprentice is a special-effects blockbuster--but it's a pretty good one, not reaching the charmed heights of Pirates of the Caribbean but so much better than Prince of Persia. It runs out of air toward the end, but before that it's jauntily entertaining, with capable dialogue, clever curlicues of plot, and most importantly delightful performances: Cage maintains a light touch, with enough eccentricity to be interesting but not so much that it derails the momentum; Baruchel continues his nerdy hero streak; supporting performances from Toby Kebbell (RocknRolla) and Alice Krige (best known as the Borg Queen from Star Trek) are comic and creepy respectively; Monica Bellucci (Shoot 'Em Up) and Teresa Palmer (Bedtime Stories) are mostly eye-candy but likable nonetheless; and Molina, as ever, is the best thing in the movie, playing silky villainy with effortless aplomb. All in all, good fun. --Bret Fetzer Magic is everywhere in Disney's The Sorcerer's Apprentice-the fun family adventure from the creators of National Treasure. Balthazar Blake (Nicolas Cage) is a modern-day sorcerer with his hands full defending Manhattan against dark forces. When a seemingly average kid shows hidden potential, Balthazar takes his reluctant recruit on a crash course in the art and science of magic to become the ultimate sorcerer's apprentice. Experience more extraordinary thrills, heart-stopping action and spectacular special effects than you can imagine as these unlikely partners show us that the real world is far more magical than we ever knew!

Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Rescue (Two-Disc Blu-ray/ DVD Combo)

Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Rescue (Two-Disc Blu-ray/ DVD Combo) Review

Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Rescue (Two-Disc Blu-ray/ DVD Combo) Feature

• What would you do if you met a fairy? Witness the historical moment when Tinker Bell first meets a human being, and it's not who you think. Years before meeting Wendy and the Lost Boys, Tinker Bell met Lizzy, a little girl with a steadfast belief in the power of pixie dust and the magic land of fairies. During the fairies' summer visit to the flowering meadows of England, two very different worlds

What would you do if you met a fairy? Witness the historic moment when Tinker Bell first meets a human being, and it’s not who you think.

Years before meeting Wendy and the Lost Boys, Tinker Bell met Lizzy, a little girl with a steadfast belief in the power of pixie dust and the magic land of fairies. During the fairies’ summer visit to the flowering meadows of England, two very different worlds unite for the first time and Tink develops a special bond with a curious child in need of a friend. As her fellow fairies launch a daring rescue, Tinker Bell takes a huge risk, putting her own safety and the future of all fairykind in jeopardy.

Experience Disney’s astonishing all-new movie about the true power of faith and friendship. Bursting with excitement and imagination, Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Rescue is magical entertainment for the whole family. You might even learn to fly. TINKER BELL AND THE GREAT FAIRY RESCU - Blu-Ray Movie

The Princess Bride (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo in Blu-ray Packaging)

The Princess Bride (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo in Blu-ray Packaging) Review

From celebrated director Rob Reiner (When Harry Met Sally) and Oscar(r)-winning* screenwriter William Goldman (Chaplin) comes "an enchanting fantasy" (Time) filled with adventure, romance and plenty of "good-hearted fun" (Roger Ebert)! Featuring a spectacular cast that includes Robin Wright (Forrest Gump), Cary Elwes (Liar, Liar), Mandy Patinkin (Dick Tracy) and Billy Crystal (City Slickers), this wonderful fairy tale about a Princess named Buttercup and her beloved is "a real dream of a movie" (People)! *1969: Original Screenplay, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid 1976: Adapted Screenplay, All the President's Men

Ip Man (Two-Disc Collector's Edition) [Blu-ray]

Ip Man (Two-Disc Collector's Edition) [Blu-ray] Review

Ip Man (Two-Disc Collector's Edition) [Blu-ray] Feature

• In the last great war, one man defied an empire.Ip Man is an award winning adaptation based on the life of Ip Man (Donnie Yen), the grandmaster of Wing Chun and later teacher and mentor to widely influential and legendary martial artist, Bruce Lee. Ip Man is set in the 1930s in Foshan, a hub of southern Chinese martial arts just as the Second Sino-Japan war breaks out.  During the war, China

One of the most astonishing displays of martial arts action on film in recent years, Wilson Yip's Ip Man chronicles the life of the eponymous Wing Chun master (Donnie Yen), who would later become instructor and mentor to Bruce Lee. Fans of Ronny Yu's Fearless, with Jet Li, will notice several similarities between the biopics--like Li's Huo Yuanjia, Ip Man is a tireless instructor whose life, largely consisting of training and jaw-dropping spar sessions with any and all, is thrown into chaos with the arrival of Japanese military forces in 1937. He soon draws the interest of the commanding Japanese colonel (Hiroyuki Ikeuchi), who exploits the starving locals by forcing them against his trainees for bags of rice. Ip must then pit his extraordinary Wing Chun against the colonel's karate for his own dignity, as well as the soul of his people.

Were Yip's film simply a series of set pieces featuring Yen's incredible fighting skills, Ip Man would rank among the best martial arts films of the past three decades; the fight choreography, by Hong Kong legend Sammo Hung and Tony Leung Siu-hung (with consultation by Ip's own son, Ip Chun), offers the same sort of eye-popping, rewind-required fist and footwork that Ip's disciple, Bruce Lee, inspired in the '70s, and Jackie Chan, Jet Li, and Tony Jaa displayed in subsequent years; a battle between Ip and 10 black belts, in particular, requires multiple views to absorb the speed and deftness on display. But Ip Man also succeeds as a historical drama inspired by the harsh realities of the Japanese occupation of mainland China, as well as an acting showcase for Yen, who embodies Ip's formidable physical and emotional strengths. The American DVD release of Ip Man from Well Go offers many of the same extras found on the Region 2 UK presentation, including interviews with Yen, Yip, Hung, and most of the cast, plus deleted scenes, an impressive tour of production designer Kenneth Mak's sets and location work, and several brief making-of featurettes. --Paul Gaita Ip Man Collector's Edition (containing over 2 hours of bonus footage) is an award winning adaptation based on the life of Ip Man (Donnie Yen), the grandmaster of Wing Chun and later teacher and mentor to widely influential and legendary martial artist, Bruce Lee. Ip Man is set in the 1930s in Foshan, a hub of southern Chinese martial arts just as the Second Sino-Japan war breaks out. During the war, China is nearly ripped to pieces by racial hatred, nationalistic strife and warfare. Ip Man rose like a phoenix above these ashes as he defied an empire bringing hope to China. Winner of Best Picture and Actor, Ip Man ranks as one of the best martial arts movies of all time!

Old Dogs (Three-Disc Blu-ray Combo Pack w/ DVD + Digital Copy)

Old Dogs (Three-Disc Blu-ray Combo Pack w/ DVD + Digital Copy) Review

John Travolta and Robin Williams star in Old Dogs, the hilarious family comedy that will have you howling. Two best friends have their lives turned upside down when they're unexpectedly charged with the care of seven-year-old twins while on the verge of the biggest business deal of their lives. The clueless bachelors stumble in their efforts to take care of the children, leading to one debacle after another, with a gorilla and some pecking penguins -- and perhaps to a newfound understanding of what's really important in life. Featuring a riotously funny supporting cast including Seth Green, Kelly Preston, Matt Dillon and Lori Laughlin, Old Dogs is a laugh-a-minute comedy filled with heart.

Bonus Features Include Exclusive To Disney Combo Pack: Young Dogs Learn Old Tricks, Exclusive To Disney Combo Pack: Music Video You've Been A Friend To Me Performed By Bryan Adams, Bloopers, Deleted Scenes, Music Video Every Little Step Performed By John Travolta And Ella Bleu Travolta, Audio Commentary By Director Walt Becker, Producer Andrew Panay And Writers David Diamond And David Weissman, DVD Feature Film Plus Bonus, Digital Copy Of Feature Film

The Karate Kid (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo + Digital Copy)

The Karate Kid (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo + Digital Copy) Review

Studio: Sony Pictures Home Ent Release Date: 10/05/2010 Run time: 104 minutes Rating: R

Bambi (Two-Disc Diamond Edition Blu-ray/DVD Combo in Blu-ray Packaging)

Bambi (Two-Disc Diamond Edition Blu-ray/DVD Combo in Blu-ray Packaging) Review

Bambi (Two-Disc Diamond Edition Blu-ray/DVD Combo in Blu-ray Packaging) Feature

• BAMBI:DIAMOND EDITION BLU-RAY IN BD (BLU-RAY DISC)

It always comes up when people are comparing their most traumatic movie experiences: "the death of Bambi's mother," a recollection that can bring a shudder to even the most jaded filmgoer. That primal separation (which is no less stunning for happening off-screen) is the centerpiece of Bambi, Walt Disney's 1942 animated classic, but it is by no means the only bold stroke in the film. In its swift but somehow leisurely 69 minutes, Bambi covers a year in the life of a young deer. But in a bigger way, it measures the life cycle itself, from birth to adulthood, from childhood's freedom to grown-up responsibility. All of this is rendered in cheeky, fleet-footed style--the movie doesn't lecture, or make you feel you're being fed something that's good for you. The animation is miraculous, a lush forest in which nature is a constantly unfolding miracle (even in a spectacular fire, or those dark moments when "man was in the forest"). There are probably easier animals to draw than a young deer, and the Disney animators set themselves a challenge with Bambi's wobbly glide across an ice-covered lake, his spindly legs akimbo; but the sequence is effortless and charming. If Bambi himself is just a bit dull--such is the fate of an Everydeer--his rabbit sidekick Thumper and a skunk named Flower more than make up for it. Many of the early Disney features have their share of lyrical moments and universal truths, but Bambi is so simple, so pure, it's almost transparent. You might borrow a phrase from Thumper and say it's downright twitterpated. --Robert Horton For the first time ever, the wonder, music and majesty of one of Walt Disney's greatest triumphs comes alive in glorious detail through the magic of Blu-ray high definition! Now Bambi, Walt Disney's beloved coming-of-age story, will thrill a new generation of fans with its breathtakingly beautiful animation, soaring music and characters who will touch your heart-Bambi, the wide-eyed fawn, his playful pal Thumper, the loveable skunk Flower and wise Friend Owl. Plus, all-new immersive game and special features that reveal the extraordinary creative process behind the making of this timeless classic take you deeper into Bambi's world than ever before.

Walt Disney's Bambi is an experience you will never forget-now more brilliant than ever on Blu-ray.

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (Blu-ray + DVD Combo Pack)

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (Blu-ray + DVD Combo Pack) Review

This combo pack features a Blu-ray copy of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring in high definition and a standard DVD version of the film.

Assisted by a Fellowship of heroes, Frodo Baggins plunges into a perilous trek to take the mystical One Ring to Mount Doom so that it and its magical powers can be destroyed and never possessed by evil Lord Sauron. The astonishing journey begins in the first film of director/cowriter Peter Jackson's epic trilogy that redefined fantasy filmmaking. This imaginative foray into J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-earth won 4 Academy Awards® and earned 13 total nominations, including Best Picture.

Specifications

- Video: 1080p High Definition / 2.4:1

- Audio: DTS-HD Master Audio - English 6.1; Dolby Digital Español 2.0

- Subtitles: English SDH & Español

Justin Bieber: Never Say Never (Two-Disc DVD/Blu-ray Combo)

Justin Bieber: Never Say Never (Two-Disc DVD/Blu-ray Combo) Review

Justin Bieber: Never Say Never is the inspiring, entertaining and intimate look at the life and meteoric rise of pop phenomenon Justin Bieber. From small town boy to global super-star, Never Say Never follows Justin Bieber’s journey from his early years, to his rise from break-out internet sensation to global super-star, culminating with a sold-out show at the famed Madison Square Garden. More than just a concert, Never Say Never is a captivating, cinematic event featuring all-star musical talent including, Usher, Jaden Smith, Ludacris, and more!

True Grit (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo + Digital Copy)

True Grit (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo + Digital Copy) Review

True Grit is a powerful story of vengeance and valor set in an unforgiving and unpredictable frontier where justice is simple and mercy is rare. Mattie Ross (Hailee Steinfeld), is determined to avenge her father's blood by capturing Tom Chaney (Josh Brolin), the man who shot and killed him for two pieces of gold. Just fourteen, she enlists the help of Rooster Cogburn (Academy Award® Winner Jeff Bridges), a one-eyed, trigger-happy U.S. Marshall with an affinity for drinking and hardened Texas Ranger LaBoeuf (Academy Award® Winner Matt Damon) to track the fleeing Chaney. Despite their differences, their ruthless determination leads them on a perilous adventure that can only have one outcome: retribution.