Saving Private Ryan [Blu-ray]
Paramount / 1998 / 170 Minutes / Rated R
Street Date: May 04, 2010
Genres: War, Action
Starring: Tom Hanks, Matt Damon, Tom Sizemore, Edward Burns
Director: Steven Spielberg
Plot Synopsis:
Winner of five Academy Awards® including Best Director, the film also captured Oscars® for Cinematography, Film Editing, Sound and Sound Effects Editing. More than 70 critics and critics' groups in New York, Chicago, Dallas Ft-Worth and Great Britain named the film Best Picture of the Year, while the Los Angeles, Toronto and Broadcast Film Critics honored it with both Best Picture and Best Director awards. In addition, Spielberg received his third Directors Guild of America Award, the American Legion "The Spirit of Normandy" Award, a USO Merit Award from the USO of Metropolitan Washington, as well as the highest civilian public service award from the Department of the Army. Selected for more than 160 Top Ten lists, Saving Private Ryan's other honors include Golden Globes for Best Picture (Drama) and Best Director, the Producers Guild of America Award and ten nominations from the British Academy Film Awards. Saving Private Ryan was the top-grossing motion picture of 1998.
Seen through the eyes of a squad of American soldiers, the story begins with World War II's historic D-Day invasion, then moves beyond the beach as the men embark on a dangerous special mission. Captain John Miller (Tom Hanks) must take his men behind enemy lines to find Private James Ryan, whose three brothers have been killed in combat. Faced with impossible odds, the men question their orders. Why are eight men risking their lives to save just one? Surrounded by the brutal realities of war, each man searches for his own answer - and the strength to triumph over an uncertain future with honor, decency and courage.
Nine [Blu-ray]
Sony / 2009 / 118 Minutes / Rated PG-13
Street Date: May 04, 2010
Genres: Musical drama
Starring: Daniel Day-Lewis, Penelope Cruz, Kate Hudson, and Marion Cotillard Director: Rob Marshall
Plot Synopsis: "Be Italian!" comes the thundering command from one of the catchiest songs in
Nine, and the movie version of this Broadway musical hit is undeniably solid on that point. It's drenched in cool cars, glamorous Italian threads, and cozy Roman neighborhoods, all circa 1962. That, you will note, is the vintage of Federico Fellini's classic film
8 ½, the source for both the stage show and Rob Marshall's frantic musical picture. As in the Fellini, the story revolves around film director Guido Contini, a glamorous public genius who's expected to begin shooting his expensive new movie in a few days. The only problem is, the maestro has no idea what his next film will be about, and he spirals through a week of mistresses, cigarettes, and robust fantasy as he avoids the subject. Marshall's approach to musicalizing this massive case of writer's block is to shunt the songs off into the giant studio where the sets for Guido's new movie have been built; the idea, presumably, is to frame them so the audience isn't perturbed by the old-movie convention of characters breaking into song in the middle of a scene. Fair enough, maybe, but did the numbers themselves have to be so aggressively vulgar? All of Guido's women have their turn to vocalize (and invariably writhe around in slutty underwear): Marion Cotillard plays his faultless wife, Penélope Cruz a hot-tempered mistress, Nicole Kidman his elegant star, Kate Hudson a horny journalist, Black Eyed Peas member Fergie the voluptuous beachside prostitute of Guido's childhood. And that's not the end of Guido's feminine carousel; Judi Dench plays his loyal costumer, and Sophia Loren lends her iconic stature to the role of Guido's mother. The man himself is played by Daniel Day-Lewis, who doesn't have the sheer movie-star presence of Mastroianni in
8 ½, even if he creates an intriguing visual figure--all bony intensity and nicotine jags. The film's empty flash is quickly numbing, and even fans of the original musical will likely find it a chore sorting through the glitz. On the upside, it may make you want to watch
8 ½ again.
Disc Features:BD Exclusive: movieIQ™+sync with the "Nine" Playlist: Get real-time information on the cast, crew, music and also email yourself a list of favorite songs from the film.
Commentary with Director Rob Marshall and Producer John DeLuca
8 Featurettes
BD Exclusive: Sophia Loren Remembers Cinecittà Studios
BD Exclusive: Screen Actors Guild Q&A
3 Music Videos
Tooth Fairy [Blu-ray]
20th Century Fox / 2010 / 120 Minutes / Rated PG
Street Date: May 04, 2010
Genres: Comedy
Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Julie Andrews, Billy Crystal
Director: Michael Lembeck
Plot Synopsis: Dwayne Johnson stars as Derek Thompson, one of the toughest hockey players around - until he's sentenced to one week's hard labor as the world's most unlikely tooth fairy! Even though he must sport frilly wings and learn the magical tricks of the trade from his silver-winged superiors (Julie Andrews and Billy Crystal), Derek's determined to do the job his way and prove he's got what it takes!
Leap Year [Blu-ray]
Universal / 2010 / 100 Minutes / Rated PG
Street Date: May 04, 2010
Genres: Romantic comedy
Starring: Amy Adams, Matthew Goode, Adam Scott, and John Lithgow Director: Terry Gilliam
Plot Synopsis: When Anna’s (Amy Adams) four-year anniversary to her boyfriend passes without an engagement ring, she decides to take matters into her own hands. Inspired by an Irish tradition that allows women to propose to men on Leap Day, Anna follows Jeremy (Adam Scott) to Dublin to propose to him. But after landing on the wrong side of Ireland, she must enlist the help of the handsome and carefree local Declan (Matthew Goode) to get her across the country. Along the way, they discover that the road to love can take you to very unexpected places.
Back Catalogue/ Other Blu-ray Releases:
Robin Hood
Letters To Juliet
Just Wright
Great disc, terrible film
