According to the Library of Congress, the 1939 film adaptation of the American fairy tale '
The Wizard of Oz' is the most watched film of all time. After a mediocre (but successful) theatrical debut, the film gradually obtained an iconic status through re-releases and annual televised broadcasts - a tradition which is still being observed to this very day. For today's Blu-ray release celebrating the 70th anniversary of the film's release, Warner (who acquire MGM's pre-1986 library) has delivered one of the most stunning Blu-ray releases yet.
For this release, Warner went back to an original three-stripe Technicolor negative and remastered the film in glorious 8k, or about 16 times the resolution of Blu-ray, in order to ensure the highest video quality. And while purist may blast Warner for providing a multi-track soundtrack (the original mono soundtrack is available in lossy Dolby Digital form), the 5.1 TrueHD track is respectful to the film, enhancing visual cues without distracting from it. It is truly one of the best releases from the studio yet.
Staff reviewer Kenneth Brown sums it up perfectly when he says, "'The Wizard of Oz' looks undeniably fantastic. It not only raises the bar for catalog transfers, it rewards enthusiasts and film fans alike with a near-perfect presentation of a stirring cinematic legend."
While he is best known for Kermit and Sesame Street, Jim Henson created two films in the 1980's that allowed him to experiment in both storytelling and performance. Today, Sony is releasing both films – '
The Dark Crystal' and '
Labyrinth' – on two stunning Blu-ray releases. For their time, they look wonderful, but those diving into these films for the first time are hereby warned that you will have put aside your reservations about grain and exposed special effects if you are going to enjoy these films. At the time, they were cutting-edge, but by today's standards they look archaic, and the high definition transfer exposes every flaw.
Audio is similarly wonderful, with the more musical 'Labyrinth' getting the better end of the deal. Owners of the DVDs are advised to upgrade at once – these really are well done catalog titles that leave nothing behind. If this is your first time dabbling in Henson's work outside of The Muppets, then rent first and leave your reservations at the door. These films document the genius that was Jim Henson, and will continue to be family favorites for many generations to come.
‘
Away We Go' bombed at the box office, likely because film-goers were unaware of who was actually behind the film. If they had known that the same director was also responsible for such films as 'American Beauty', 'Road to Perdition', '
Jarhead', and '
Revolutionary Road', they may have given Sam Mendes' film a chance and discovered something they'd truly enjoy. Luckily, Universal gives them a second chance with a solid Blu-ray release. As staff reviewer Kenneth Brown summarizes, “Away We Go may not be for everyone, but I fell in love with Burt and Verona, so much so that I found myself wishing more cinematic couples were as genuine, affectionate, and believable. Universal churns out yet another solid Blu-ray release, this time with an excellent video transfer, a subtle but strong DTS-HD Master Audio offering, and a decent smattering of special features.”
DreamWorks continues to put out some good CG animated features, but fans of the genre are quick to point out that they have still yet to reach the quality of a Pixar production. The same is true with today's Blu-ray release of ‘
Monsters vs. Aliens' which is a fun film that is sure to be a hit with most kids and bearable to most parents.
Beyond that, there are a ton of specialty releases that may or may not appeal to your tastes depending on personal preference. Sony lays out the Christian drama with '
Fireproof' and '
Facing the Giants', while Fox delivers two TV series in '
How I Met Your Mother: Season Four' and '
The Unit: The Complete Fourth Season'. UFC fans will be happy to see another title from that collection, '
UFC: Ultimate Knockouts 7', is being released today while DC Comics fans get some loving from Warner's Blu-ray release of '
Superman/Batman: Public Enemies'.
For a complete listing of all the Blu-ray titles released today,
click here.