Blu-Ray/DVD Review Round-Up: Late Spring - Part 1
Still got Spring Break fever? Let’s extend those relaxing hours in front of the digital screen of your choice by taking a look at some of the latest Blu-Ray offerings. In Part 1, we’re checking out two animated films; one classic, one recent and a live action, computer assisted Sci-Fi adventure nerdfest from the 1980’s and its updated version.
From Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment
Tangled: Blu-Ray/DVD Combo Pack
Tangled, is Disney’s official 50th animated feature film. We might not see any more “Princess” classics since most boys won’t go see them. Lead character, the roguish Flynn Ryder (voiced by Zach Levy) is a guy’s guy, however so you never know. Tangled was called Rapunzel (voice of Mandy Moore) and it is the classic story of the chick with the very long (in this case, magic) hair isolated in a tower. Flynn, a thief by trade, climbs the tower to hide from the law and ends up with a desperate Princess on a quest to find her roots. Of course, they fall in love on the way.
Special Features: On the Blu-Ray disc we get Mandy and Zach giving us some cute trivia in “Untangled: The Making of a Fairy Tale” we learn that Rapunzel’s hair is supposed to be 70 feet long and learn just how many lit up floating lanterns were used and a lot more trivia and character design. Fun
“Deleted Scenes: three of them and the directors tell us why they were cut. All scenes are a short but fun addition to the story as we see an extended pub sequence, one with Flynn and Rapunzel getting closer and one with a now deleted fortune teller.
“Extended Songs”- are longer versions of two songs. Entertaining but the short versions are fine.
“Two Original Storybook Openings” give us some alternate versions that clue you in on the backstory of missing Princess Rapunzel but jumping right off with cute and feisty thief Flynn doesn’t hurt.
The “50th Animated Feature Countdown” is a series of clips for all 50 Disney animated feature films without anything from Pixar in more recent years but fun to watch some of your favas flash by.
“9 Tangled Teasers” are mini-trailers that promote the film in clever ways. Worth a watch.
On another disc you get the DVD copy of the film.
Wrapping Up:
Tangled is a delightful adventure with some top rate action animation as well as a delightful romance (she decks him twice with a frying pan!) and some very sweet side-kicks in the personas of a horse and a feisty chameleon. This Blu-Ray is the way to go for your collection. It is super crisp and colorful and well-worth the buy and gifting!
Tron: The Original Classic, Tron Legacy and Tron: Legacy 3D – the 2 Movie Collection
Back in the 1980’s, personal computers were kinda a new thing and the idea of what went on 
inside them, inside cyberspace, was an exciting mystery. The makers of the original cyberspace adventure Tron, took audiences inside that world for the first time with the premise that “Programs” could be represented by living beings who were good and bad; winners and losers and raced on a computer “grid” on lightcycles. Visually, the original Tron was way ahead of its time and made use of the first crude computer animation to create a world beyond belief.
Then, last year, Disney created Tron: Legacy, an up-to-date sequel that picked right up where the original left off with programmer Jeff Bridges as Flynn, sucked into his own computer world where his duplicate Clu had become warped and power mad. Flynn’s grown son Sam (cute Garrett Hedlund) has felt abandoned and bitter since childhood when dad “disappeared” without notice. Sam’s own accidental trip into the cyber grid reunites father and son in a battle to keep the bad guys from entering our world. Also kicking serious butt is hot Quorra (Olivia Wilde), another kind of cyber-being who develops “feelings” for Sam.
Special Features: On Disc 1 you get Tron: Legacy and, for me, it looks way better than in theaters due to the “darkening down” that modern 3-D seems to force on films. I could barely see some of the action in the theater but it is crisp and bright here.
Disc 2 contains the extras. “The Next Day: Flynn Lives Revealed” is a 10 minute mini-movie giving us the Flynn backstory but also filling in the years between 1989 and 2009 when Flynn is “missing”. Actor Bruce Boxleitner, who played the original Tron and his alter ego Alan in both films, stars in what looks like a well-done fan film.
“Disney Second Screen” is high tech in that it lets you match your iPad or computer up to the Blu-Ray movie and interact at various times during the film with bonus material. I don’t have an iPad and am not techy enough to do this but I’m sure you are.
In “Launching the Legacy” directors of the original and current film talk about the story and how “Legacy” director Joe Kosinski made a five minute demo reel that was shown at Comic Con to great interest. Thus, the sequel was launched.
“Visualizing Tron Legacy” features the crew from costumes to production design and comparisons with the original. Very interesting.
“Installing the Cast” has some cool interviews with the original returning actors Jeff Bridges and Bruce Boxlietner as well as newbies Garrett Hedlund, Olivia Wilde and Michael Sheen. I found this very worth watching.
“Disc Roars” is hilarious in that it shows the cast and filmmakers at Comic Con recording the audience’s cheers and chants as an audio track for a crowd scene in the film. Funny.
“First Look at Tron: Uprising” is a short glimpse at an upcoming Disney animated series based on the films.
The music video “Derezzed” is fun electronica performed by Daft Punk
On the third disc is the DVD if you don’t have Blu-Ray and it looks great too. It contains the featurettes we’ve described, “First Look at Tron: Uprising”, “Visualizing Tron” and “Installing the Cast”.
The fourth disc is the digital copy of Tron: Legacy for you other electronic devices
The fifth disc contains the original Tron movie on Blu-Ray which looks amazing and like it was made yesterday (except for the dated but still fun computer graphics).
For the original Tron film you get these extras: An “Audio Commentary” with director/writer Steven Lisberger and the producer and special effects gurus who explain their contributions and the, for then, unusual filmmaking process. Interesting.
“The Tron Phenomenon” has cast members of the new and old film talking about how this original movie effected pop culture of the time and inspired many of today’s computer whiz kids to enter the field. Really cool!
“Photo Tronology” was one of my very favorite extras on this whole set in that the original director and his adult son flip through cool, old publicity stills and behind the scenes pix from the original Tron and talk about how the film was an influence on a new generation and more. It’s like you and sitting there with them. Very warm and fuzzy and you learn a lot and enjoy the photos.
These features give you a blast to the past:
“Early Development” features director Steven Lisberger and producer Donald Kushner talking about setting up the story and the whole idea of what world might be inside a computer. “Early Animation” is some test shots. “Computers Are People, Too” takes you inside an early video game, “Early Video Tests” is more early computer animation, “Gallery” is really cool in that you can just flip through a lot of photos and production and costume designs at your own pace.
More early tech extras explore more about the weird light suits in the movie, how the digital images were created and just how huge was the army of then primitive computer effects guys making the film work. Very techie but retro-cool!
“The Making of Tron” is long documentary that runs from concept to pre-production on through to releasing the film. We learn what films and books influenced the filmmakers, etc. You get an electronic music section with two scenes that didn’t end up in the film.
Publicity features give you some “selling” trailers and the “Deleted Scenes” are quite interesting, one kind of romantic and very detailed. Well worth watching.
Details are presented on design of the lightcycles and “recognizers” that were updated for the newer film. You see storyboards as well.
There is a Blu-Ray 3-D disc for those of you who already have a 3-D capable TV and the special glasses to go with it. There aren’t any bonus features on it except 3-D trailers.
Wrapping Up: It’s really fun to watch the original 1980’s film then see how the story continues and the amazing updating of computer graphics since then. The original Tron was a bit more “corny” than its sequel but opened the door to CGI films as we now see them. It was a fun action film and Tron: Legacy has a bit more heart but the same visually sizzling adventure action. If you are into SciFi classics, modern computer-heavy visual action or just a very fast “ride” you need to add these films to your collection or at least rent this duo. You need to see the first film first in order to appreciate how far we’ve come!
The Incredibles: Blu-Ray/DVD and Digital Copy combo pack
In this animated film, first out in 2004, an “ordinary” family has a big superhero secret. Super crime fighters Mr. Incredible (voiced by Craig T. Nelson) and Elastigirl (Holly Hunter) were married with children. When superheroes were outlawed, such “families” had to go “straight”. Mr. Incredible, known as Bob, sold insurance, Elasti, was a stay at home mom with kids Violet (Sarah Vowel), Dash (Sebastian Fox), and baby Jack-Jack. Violet can turn invisible, Dash is a superfast runner and we don’t know about Jack Jack yet.
When Bob is offered the chance to go undercover as Mr. Incredible again, he has to take the chance but, heading the new program is a former fan (Jason Lee) who Mr. “I” pissed off. He now calls himself Syndrome, starts killing former “supers” and grabs Bob. His family has to come to the rescue and use their powers together for the first time.
Special Features: This is a four-disc combo pack. On Disc 1 is the Blu-Ray with two feature-length “Commentaries”; one with Brad Bird, the director and the producer; the other features groups of animators. Bird is proud of the film and it shows. The animators really give you some cool tidbits. (These were on an original DVD release). Also on the original DVD were the short cartoon film “Boundin’” and a new for DVD one “Jack-Jack Attack”. Both are very cute and have optional commentaries. On the new Blu-Ray, you can choose a picture-in-picture feature on “Jack” with storyboards and scenes that connect to the scenes in the big movie.
Also on Disc 1 Blu-Ray is a big roundtable discussion “The Incredibles Revisited” with Bird, producer and animators, production designed, etc. talking about making the film and how they feel now that a few years have passed. You learn why certain story choices were made etc. Very cool extra!
Disc 2 contains all extra features: Some are from earlier DVD release of the film, a selection of making of info that gives you behind-the-scenes and a “Mr. Incredible & Pals” send-up, a big art gallery and a blooper reel. You get an upgraded “Deleted Scenes” and alternate opening with commentary and rough storyboards, a teaser. All very cute and fun.
New for this Blu-Ray are some short features:
“The New Nomanisan: A Top Secret Redevelopment Plan” shows how Syndrome’s secret island is now a resort. Cute. “Plan”, a guided tour of the vacation island paradise, is fun. “Paths to Pixar: Story Artist” focuses on the storyboard artist and story team that shows what these guys do and how some of the got into the biz.
“Studio Stories: Gary’s Birthday: is a silly animated tale from actual production. “Ending with a Bang: Making the End Credits” goes over the process of the cute credits at film’s end. In a “Publicity” area we get some character interviews.
Disc 3 is the DVD version of the movie with the two short films mentioned above included.
Disc 4 is the Digital Copy
Wrapping Up:
“Incredibles” is an earlier Pixar pic that is just a blast; great action, great voice actors, good story, etc. This is a great replacement set for your old DVD. Everything looks amazing in Blu-Ray and, with this set you get a lot of fun new features. Go buy it and gift it!
