Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Blu-ray 23rd March Releases

The Blind Side (Limited-Edition Blu-ray/DVD Combo + Digital Copy)

Warner Brothers / 2009 / 128 Minutes / Rated PG-13
Street Date: March 23, 2010

Overall Grade 4 out of 5Recommended






Genres: Drama, based on true event

Starring: Sandra Bullock, Tim McGraw, Kathy Bates, and Quinton Aaron
Director: John Lee Hancock

Plot Synopsis: The Blind Side takes the true story of a young man who went from abandonment to success as a pro-football player and treats it with respect. The movie doesn't oversell what is, on the face of it, already compelling. It's almost impossible to describe the plot without sounding painfully inspirational: Michael Oher (Quinton Aaron, Be Kind Rewind), a hulking but gentle African-American teen in Tennessee, gets taken in by a well-to-do white family; the mother, Leigh Anne Touhy (Sandra Bullock), pushes and mothers the boy, who eventually wins a football scholarship to the University of Mississippi. In the wrong hands, this could have been maudlin, manipulative, and condescending. To the credit of writer-director John Lee Hancock, adapting Michael Lewis's acclaimed book, the result is intelligent, genuine, and alternately funny and moving. Leigh Anne could easily have been grandstanding and virtuous, but Bullock doesn't shy away from her vain and domineering side. The football scenes will be gripping even to non-sports fans because they've been so successfully grounded in Michael's emotional life. The all-around solid cast includes country music star Tim McGraw, pint-sized Jae Head (Hancock), and Kathy Bates as the tutor who guided Michael's academic success. Don't be surprised if you can't keep yourself from watching all the real-life photos of Michael, Leigh Anne, and the rest of the family that are featured in the credits; by the end of the movie, you will care about them all.

Disc Features:
Michael Oher exclusive: rare interview with the pro footballer whose life the film depicts
Sidelines: Conversations on The Blind Side:
-Sandra Bullock and Leigh Anne Tuohy go one-on-one
-Director/screenwriter John Lee Hancock and author Michael Lewis go one-on-one
Acting Coaches: Behind The Blind Side: Six legendary SEC college football coaches come together
The Story of Big Quinton: Actor Quinton Aaron's life story
Additional scenes

The Men Who Stare At Goats [Blu-ray]

Starz/Anchor Bay / 2009 / 94 Minutes / Rated R
Street Date: March 23, 2010







Genres: Drama, comedy

Starring: George Clooney, Ewan McGregor, Kevin Spacey, and Jeff Bridges
Director: Steven Soderbergh

Plot Synopsis: In this comedic look at real life events that are almost too bizarre to believe, reporter Bob Wilton (Ewan McGregor) discovers an experimental top-secret wing of the U.S. military called The New Earth Army, trained to change the ways wars are fought through New Age psychic power. In search of his next big story, Wilton tracks down Lyn Cassady (Academy Award® winner George Clooney), a shadowy figure who claims to be a member of this legion of “Warrior Monks” with unparalleled psychic powers who can read the enemy’s thoughts, pass through walls, and even kill a goat simply by staring at.....

Disc Features:
  • Goats Declassified: The Real Men of the First Earth Battalion
  • Project “Hollywood”: A Classified Report from the Set
  • Audio Commentaries
  • Character Bios
  • Deleted Scenes
  • Digital Copy of the Film
Brothers [Blu-ray]

Lionsgate / 2009 / 105 Minutes / Rated R
Street Date: March 23, 2010

Overall Grade 4 out of 5Highly recommended







Genres: Drama, thriller

Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Tobey Maguire
Director: Jim Sheridan

Plot Synopsis: Captain Sam Cahill (Maguire) is embarking on his fourth tour of duty, leaving behind his beloved wife (Portman) and two daughters. When Sam’s Blackhawk helicopter is shot down in the mountains of Afghanistan, the worst is presumed, leaving an enormous void in the family. Despite a dark history, Sam’s charismatic younger brother Tommy (Gyllenhaal) steps in to fill the family void.

Back Catalogue/ Other Blu-ray Releases:






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