The “Mamma Mia! packages reprise last December’s release of the hit movie musical on Blu-ray and DVD. This time, the movie comes accompanied by the soundtrack CD and a fan-pleasing 34-page booklette. Given the high quality of audio and video, go with the Blu-ray of “Mamma Mia! The Movie” if possible ($50, $30 on Amazon). There’s also a DVD version ($35, $28 on Amazon).

Meryl Streep, Christine Baranski and Julie Waters put on the super-trouper costumes and channel ABBA, that great hitmaking machine.

The movie version of the queen of jukebox musicals seemed a love-it-or-hate-it affair, but don’t let the critics put you off. This is a terrific entertainment packed with heart and wit.

Nay-sayers pointed to the goofy, high-energy performance of Streep as the ex-hippie mom with three dads on her hands. Yes, she’s over the top but that playful zany spirit is what made “Mamma Mia!” a worldwide hit to begin with. That and those amazingly resilient pop songs.

A treat for ABBA fans is the reworking of the hits by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus with their original backup band. As the songwriters point out in the Blu-ray extras, this is as good as those songs ever sounded musically. (Too bad Universal didn’t go a dance step further and include one of their ABBA greatest hits collections in Blu-ray audio.)

The “Mamma Mia!” singing ranges from gorgeous (starlette Amanda Seyfried) to bloody awful (Waters), making the movie feel at times like a karaoke party for aging stars. Have the Blu-ray pop up the lyrics and see if you can do better than Pierce Brosnan.

The soundtrack that comes with the “Mama Mia!” Blu-ray package hit No. 1 on the album charts last summer. Ironically, ABBA the group never topped No. 14 on the Billboard charts during its existence.

Extras on the double-disc set include a smart commentary by first-time film director Phyllida Lloyd; a featurette on the actors training to sing the Swedes’ deceptively difficult songs; and a bonus deleted scene with Seyfried doing “The Name of the Game.” There’s also a “Gimme! Gimme! Gimme” music video and outtakes. Some are in HD; others in standard definition.

The package comes with some U-Control features, such as “Behind the Hits” and the “My Movie Commentary” track.

On Blu-ray, the eye-popping visuals have considerably more punch than on previous video versions, making A&E’s “The Prisoner: The Complete Series” the definitive collection. This has to be one of the best presentation of a ’60s television show to date.

This one’s a must-buy gift for fans of ’60s spy adventures and sci-fi oddities.

“The Prisoner” burst from the imagination of actor Patrick McGoohan, who previously starred in Britain’s “Danger Man” (“Secret Agent” to the Yanks.) The series tells of a government agent who resigns in anger, only to find himself kidnapped and placed in a seemingly pleasant and colorful retirement home for ex-agents called the Village.

The series covers his attempts to escape and the bizarre wranglings of the bureaucrats assigned to get secrets out of the agent (“No. 6″). Nothing like it has been seen since on a major broadcast network, except perhaps for “Twin Peaks.”

Fans’ hopes for the Blu-ray were high, given the show’s imaginative, odd and colorful sets and costumes, as well as its gorgeous seaside locations. In HD, the op art/pop art imagery of “The Prisoner” leaps from the screen. Colors are bold and vivid. The audio is solid but no match for the visuals.

There are extra features not previously available in the U.S. (but in Britain). They include “Don’t Knock Yourself Out,” a fascinating movie-length documentary about the making of the series.

Creator-star McGoohan, who was in his final years, did not participate, but had this to say:

“If whatever we wanted to say is not already contained within the episodes of the series then I failed in the production of them and any amount of chit-chat now will not make good that omission.”

Indeed, all the drama and excitement are to be found in the 17 episodes, including the controversial series finale.

Here are more of the extra features:

• Two new featurettes, "The Pink Prisoner" and "You Make Sure It Fits!"
• Feature length documentary "Don't Knock Yourself Out," featuring most of the key players in the production. (McGoohan died early this year.)
• A newly restored original edit of the first episode, "Arrival," with an optional music-only track featuring "Wilfred Josephs' complete and abandoned score."
• The original edit of "The Chimes of Big Ben" (The previous box set had a "rare alternate" version of the episode.)
• Commentaries from production veterans on seven episodes.
• Image archive with more than 1,200 stills.

(Updated Nov. 25)

The movie looks great, up to Sony’s high standards. Most of the extras are in high definition as well.

The Blu-ray of “Julie & Julia” brings the chef’s special menu of extras, while the DVD’s selections are basic fare. Both the DVD and Blu-ray are single-disc editions.

The movie is sure to make the Oscars’ expanded best picture list, with Streep almost assured the best actress nod for her work as the famed cook. It’s a great entertainment, touching and funny and inspiring — making it a perfect holiday video.

On the DVD, a commentary from director Nora Ephron and a making-of featurette, “Secret Ingredients: Creating Julie & Julia,” are what’s for extras.

The Blu-ray version adds:

• “Family & Friends Remember Julia Child. This is the best of the featurettes, with many of the key people in Child’s life telling tales and sharing their admiration for the big woman’s big heart. Among them are chefs Sara Moulton, Jacques Pepin and Susy Davidson, as well as Child’s longtime editor Judith Jones. They reveal some unexpected sides: “Julia Child was one of the funniest people I ever me,” Mouton says.
• “Julia’s Kitchen,” a look at the Smithsonian exhibit of Child’s kitchen that figures in the film’s touching final moments. The three women who packed up Child’s famed kitchen and moved it to the museum tell about the process and what they found. A bit long but interesting, with lots of peeks inside Child’s drawers and cabinets.
• “Cooking Lessons” — but of course! These include poached eggs with Julia Child & Jacques Pépin (right out of the film); making Hollandaise Sauce (butter! butter!) with Julia Child & Jacques Pépin; Mark Peel on scrambled eggs; Suzanne Goin on Braised Beef Shortribs; and Butter Poached Maine Lobster (amazing overkill, try it!) from Steven Lewandowski & Drew Nieporent Prepare. The scrambled eggs recipe is simple to follow and gives great results.

There’s also a “movieIQ” feature that allows you to send save recipes and pass them on to friends while watching the movie.

The Blu-ray version of “Julie & Julia” goes for $40 and the DVD for $29.

“Julie & Julia” makes a perfect gift for women and teenage girls who like to cook, as well as hobbyist chefs of all kinds.

This “Star Trek” — a prequel to the events chronicled over the past five decades — is a sensational popcorn movie: exciting, touching and fantastic. In terms of entertainment value, it is this year’s “The Dark Knight.”

Paramount Home Entertainment released the science fiction movie in several versions:

• A three-disc “Star Trek” Blu-ray with a digital copy ($26.49 Amazon);
• A double-disc “Star Trek” DVD with digital copy ($22.99 Amazon);
• and a single-disc “Star Trek” DVD for those who just want the film. ($16.99 Amazon)

Any fan of the series or of just this movie will want the multidisc sets. Looks like they won’t be disappointed, as director Abrams has put together a state-of-the-art set of extra features.

The Blu-ray and DVD both have the essential bonus materials, but the high definition version goes boldly into interactive territory.

The main extra features are:

“A New Vision” featurette — Abrams’ tells how he gave the aging space exploration franchise new life by going back to the future — to the early days of Capt. Kirk, Spock and the rest of the gang.

Deleted scenes — With or without commentary, your choice. Titles include “Spock birth,” “Klingons take over Narada” and “Prison Interrogation and breakout.”

“To Boldly Go” featurette — We hear from Abrams’ collaborators, including the producers and writers.

Plus there’s a look at the aliens, the casting and some console game freebies for the major formats.

The Blu-ray edition of “Star Trek” includes:

“Gene Roddenberry’s Vision” — Director Abrams and longtime “Star Trek” actor Leonard Nimoy talk about the series originator, who died in 1991.

NASA news — A link to the space agency’s latest news, for those with Blu-ray players hooked up to the Internet.

Bonus content — Blu-ray viewers can choose to explore expanded materials while watching the extra features.

Plus, there’s an interactive breakdown model of the Starfleet ship, a discussion of the various spacecraft used in the 2009 “Star Trek” film and a visit to some of the real-world locations Abrams used to create other worlds.

The “Star Trek” sets should please almost all science fiction fans, while Blu-ray enthusiasts should appreciate what could be be a reference-quality presentation, given the movie’s stellar production values.

Fans of the original TV series are in luck, as Paramount has just remastered three seasons with 21st century special effects added. Check out “Star Trek: The Original Series.” ]]> http://dvdgiftguide.com/star-trek-blu-ra/feed/ 0 http://dvdgiftguide.com/star-trek-blu-ra/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/DvdGiftGuide/~3/bLIgjoZIvAc/ http://dvdgiftguide.com/coraline-dvd_blu-ra/#comments Mon, 17 Aug 2009 11:34:57 +0000 admin http://dvdgiftguide.com/?p=197 The deliriously dark animated hit “Coraline” comes to Blu-ray and DVD in 3D, along with four of those funny red-and-blue glasses in every pack.

The 3D experience is perfect for family fun, but high definition purists will be plenty impressed with the outstanding visuals offered by the 2D view.

The animated feature “Coraline” tells the tale of a girl who finds an alternate reality via a passageway in her new house, complete with a creepy new mom and dad who are definitely up to something.

The story harkens back to the spooky days of olde fairy tales, when awful things happened to good kids. Younger children may find “Coraline” too upsetting in spots, but everyone above the age of 6 should love this magnificent adventure.

“Coraline” comes from the mind of Neil Gaiman, who will be familiar to teens who follow graphic novels (“The Sandman”). Gaiman, however, maintains a separate career in making curious entertainments for children, most notably the fine movie “MirrorMask.” He wrote “Coraline” as a children’s book.

Word of mouth on “Coraline” was terrific when it hit theaters last winter. Comparisons to Tim Burton’s “The Nightmare Before Christmas” were inevitable but Gaiman is 100% his own man. The two fantasy purveyors share a director, the stop-motion master Henry Selick, who did helm “Nightmare.”

The voices are by Dakota Fanning (Coraline), Teri Hatcher (the two Moms) and Keith David (the Cat). Also doing the talking are the longtime British comedy team of French and Saunders.

The Universal Studios home video comes with interactive features via “U-Control” and BD Live, such as the option to watch the voice actors at work as the movie plays. There’s a commentary with the director, a making-of featurette and a visit to the recording sessions for “Coraline.”

The double-disc “Coraline” Blu-ray includes a high definition disc and a standard DVD version. The movie can be enjoyed in 3D or 2D as well. Plus, there’s a digital copy. Lots of choices there.

There are single-disc and double-disc DVD versions of “Coraline.” The single edition has the 2D and 3D versions of the film, while the two-disc version adds a digital copy and extra features.

“Coraline” makes a perfect companion for the Halloween season, but will play well right through the holidays.

Rob Reiner’s spoof of rock bands in general and heavy metal morons in particular still hits all of the high comedy notes. While old-school metal has mostly gone out of style, stupidity never fades away. There’s a  universality at work in this movie. We are all Derek Smalls … sort of.

Fox/MGM has debuted “This Is Spinal Tap” on Blu-ray, throwing in a DVD bonus disc with some so-so new material.

Most of the extras are ported over from the special edition DVD of 2000, including the commentary, which the band members do in character. That would be Micheal McKean, Harry Shearer and Christopher Guest, aka the Folksmen.

A generous collection of deleted footage repeats as well, adding up to more than an hour. The deleted scenes date back to the 1994 and 1998 Criterion Collection versions of “Spin Tap,” but they’re worth revisiting. Note the one with marijuana and the singing limo driver, hilarious but wisely left out of the movie. These guys didn’t need drugs to be addled — and kids can appreciate the humor without parental worries.

The Blu-ray (and DVD) extras have everyone in character, including director “Marty DiBergi” (Reiner), who says the band has only itself to blame for looking bad in the film. The band, meanwhile, blames the director for a hack job.

Too bad there wasn’t a second commentary with the actors talking about the film 25 years on, especially since it’s become such a pop culture touchstone. (Or a third or fourth, since the Criterion laserdisc and DVD came with two talks.)

The Blu-ray won’t wow anyone with its video or audio. The movie was shot on 16mm, much of it hand-held. High-def can only do so much, but you’d hope for more. The 5.1 audio does a good job with the bottom (big bottom!) and spits out the dialogue clearly, but again there’s not much of an upgrade from the previous DVD.

The two-hour feature is narrated by Glenn Close, who almost sounds like Mother Earth as she escorts us through two hours of footage of our planet taken from airplanes and helicopters. We see the beauty and, especially at the end, the ravages of mankind’s presence.

It’s a powerful film on many levels, one that’s a must for fans of “Planet Earth,” “Winged Migration” and similar awe-inspiring nature films.

The aerial photography covers more than 50 countries, from frozen lands to scorched Earth.

The movie is long on problems and short on solutions, so don’t expect a feel-good experience, though. It presents a look at life out of balance, as a result of man’s manipulations over the centuries. “Home” is a call to action as much as an entertainment. The geo-politics and the science will leave families with lots to talk about.

The “non-profit” movie debuted on Earth Day, both at wordwide screenings and online, but this is a longer version of the film than seen previously.

Fox Home Entertainment has released “Home” on Blu-ray and DVD, without extras.

The “Home” channel on YouTube has many extra features, so look for a collector’s edition somewhere down the road. The movie’s producer is Luc Besson, known for his visually stunning dramas.

After his first look at the digital restoration done for the DVDs and Blu-rays of “The Godfather: The Coppola Restoration,” Coppola says, “I was astounded at how beautiful it was, how rich the photography was. It’s even more beautiful-looking than I ever remembered.”

Viewers used to previous “Godfather” releases by Paramount will be surprised to see so much of the first movie set in golden tones. The color scheme directions came straight from the legendary cinematographer Gordon Willis, who consulted on the new “Godfather” box set.

Viewers also will be pleased to see some relief in the darkness so evident on previous releases — but of course these are dark movies, intended to be seen that way. The “Godfather” on Blu-ray is like watching a new film.

“There is only one way to print the ‘Godfather,’ and that is dark,” says Hollywood’s top restoration guy, Robert A. Harris, who reworked the first two films.

In addition to the director’s fine commentaries that appeared on the older DVDs, many extras have been ported over from “The Godfather Collection” of 2001. They’re terrific, no problem.

The new extras are on a separate disc: The best is a documentary, “Emulsional Rescue: Revealing The Godfather.” The restorers explain how the original negative of “The Godfather” had long been destroyed, and so they created a beautiful Frankenstein from elements rounded up from around the globe.

Read the DVD Spin Doctor review of the DVD and Blu-ray versions of “The Godfather” collection.

Perfect gift for: Anyone who ever quoted a line from these American classics. That’s about everyone over the age of 30. Gangster movie lovers. Francis Ford Coppola fans.

Buy “The Godfather: The Coppola Restoration Giftset” at Amazon now.

Then, Time Warner had exclusive rights to the complete “U.N.C.L.E.” series for more than a year, selling its ambitious and exhaustive box set via its web site and those late-night TV ads.

Now, Napoleon Solo and Illya Kuryakin are back in action — in video stores and on Amazon — via Warner Home Video. “The Man from U.N.C.L.E. : The Complete Series” makes a fantastic gift for guys who grew up in the Sixties, as well as spy action buffs.

Unlike so many action shows of the era, “U.N.C.L.E.” plays beautifully these days, at least episodes from the first two seasons. Vaughn says in the DVD box set’s extras, “The first year of shows were better. They were adventure and romance with a little bit of humor.

The show’s technique of having an “innocent” involved in the action brought in a swarm of notable guest actors that helped keep things fresh. For example, the black-and-white episode “The Never-Never Affair” enlisted Barbara Feldon as an U.N.C.L.E. secretary looking for fun and adventure. Cesar Romero played a suave bad guy from THRUSH (that’s like SPECTRE, Bond fans). The series always went for humor, but the action had its share of edge.

The quality of images is quite good on “The Man from U.N.C.L.E. : The Complete Collection,” including the early black and white shows.

The series ran from 1964-1968 and made stars of Robert Vaughn and David McCallum as they vamped on the secret agent craze set off by the James Bond movies. McCallum, the cool guy with the long hair, was treated like a Beatle when he tried to do a PR gig in Times Square (and had to flee).

“U.N.C.L.E.” returns packaged in a surprisingly well-made silver attache case that holds every episode from the series’ four seasons — that’s 105 shows including a quickie theatrical movie that ended up repurposed for TV. The many special features in “The Man from U.N.C.L.E. : The Complete Collection” include a 90-minute “reunion” with Vaughn and McCallum, who seem to be longtime pals.

Individual seasons of “U.N.C.L.E.” also are available separately.

Perfect gift for: Baby Boomers, spy guys, classic TV-on-DVD lovers.

Buy “The Man from U.N.C.L.E. : The Complete Series” from Amazon right now.