Blu-Ray Review Round-Up: Late Spring 2011 - Part 2

Continuing with our Spring fever Blu-Ray marathon, we’re giving you the home entertainment details on the last Harry Potter film, Natalie Portman’s Oscar winning performance and the most recent Narnia movie!

From Warner Brothers Home Entertainment

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows- Part 1 – Blu-Ray/DVD and Digital Combo Pack

We’re coming down the home stretch on the “Harry” movies and the s**t is about to really hit the fan!  Out to find and destroy Voldemort’s powerful Horcruxes, Harry, Ron and Hermione are on the road and on the run with adult problems and enemies dead set on murdering them. They also have their own relationship challenges, some caused by the horcruxes mental control and others just by the trials of grown-up relationships.

Special Features: Exclusive on the Blu-Ray disc is "Maximum Movie Mode," a picture-in-picture feature (small screen while you watch the movie) which is hosted by “baddie” Jason Isaacs. It has “Focus Point” featurettes that have their own menu.  "The Last Days of Privet Drive," covers the last time we’ll see Harry’s adoptive family and the actors who played them share memories. "Hagrid's Motorbike," talks about designing Hagrid’s “ride” and touches on a sequence with Daniel’s stunt double. "Magical Tents!” gives you the set decorator and production designer talking about their work on the film.

"Death Eaters Attack Cafe," centers on a wand battle and bringing that to life. "Creating Dobby and Kreacher," is very interesting as we see how, in the past Dobby was a tennis ball on a stick on set and, for this film, a little person was there on set for Dan and pals to react to. The voice actor who plays Dobby is also included. The Return of Griphook" features tiny Warwick Davis who talks about his banker goblin and the make-up used on him.

You also get the BD-Live feature if you go on the net.

On Disc 2 (Blu-Ray) you get more featurettes: "The Seven Harrys," is a brief examination of the scene in which everybody appears as Dan Radcliffe. Cute.  "On the Green with Rupert, Tom, Oliver and James," presents Rupert Grint, Tom Felton, and Oliver and James Phelps on the golf course golfing and talking about their friendship over the years. "Dan, Rupert and Emma's Running Competition," shows the stars running like crazy and the director talking about how competitive they could be.  "Godric's Hollow/The Harry and Nagini Battle," and "The Frozen Lake," are making-of featurettes on those two scenes.

Eight “Additional Scenes” are quite nice and add to character development. More Dan and pals can’t hurt. "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1: Behind the Soundtrack," is a brief look at the film’s music.

We also get a quick look at the grand opening of the Universal Orlando, Florida attraction "The Wizarding World of Harry Potter,". Quite cool if you haven’t been there especially.

“A Sneak Peek at Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2” is the opening scene of the final film (Part 2) and that’s cool. but it wasn't included for us on this set as a precaution by the filmmakers to keep it from "leaking" too soon.

On Disc 3 is the standard DVD which also looks good.

Wrapping Up:  Let’s face it, if you are a “Harry” fan you’ve gotta have all the movies and the Blu-Ray version is the best-looking way to go. However, we can’t help but expect that there will be another set out that will include both parts of the final movie. Ya might wanna wait.  If you can’t, then this set contains some fun extras and looks great. This Part 1 film is plenty depressing but has its great character relationship moments and some fun as well. Worth a buy or gift unless you wanna wait for a two-movie set later on.

From 20^th Century Fox Home Entertainment

Black Swan – Blu-Ray & Digital Copy

Natalie Portman won an Oscar for portraying the emotionally-fragile, driven, perfectionist ballerina whose mental illness finally conquers her in this beautifully-photographed, well-acted thriller set in the world of professional dance.

Special Features:  There is also a 3-Disc version available at Target Stores but we got the two disc set. A really good documentary “Metamorphosis” puts you behind-the-scenes on set where you can watch the actors at work and between scenes and see the entire production process, shot on a low budget. Everything is here; story discussions, actors working out etc. This is a really great Making-Of feature; one of the most complete and candid that I’ve seen. It is broken down into sections:

“Behind the Curtain” -  focuses on the ballet done in the film “Swan Lake” and the rehearsals and dancing. Natalie and the other actors comment. We see Natalie with choreographer  Benjamin Millepied. Do we see sparks flying even then?  There is another dancer doing some of the dances and we are told Natalie’s head was superimposed in post but we don’t really know how much dancing the actress did. This Blu-Ray doesn’t clear that up. “Production Design: talks about the look of the movie, locations etc. and “Costume Design” shows you the unusual costumes and Laura and Kate Mulleavy (of Rodarte) talk about the dance costumes they designed. Cool!

“Ten Years in the Making” has Natalie and director Darren Aronofsky talking about the long development of the story which Darren pitched to Natalie ten years ago. There are clips from the film. Interesting. “Preparing for the Role” and “Dancing with the Camera” focus on Natalie’s dance preparation and execution. Wish these were longer.

“Fox Movie Channel Presents” is the TV show which zeroes in on profiles of Natalie and Darren as well as Barbara Hershey, Vincent Cassel . Kind of promoting the film but interesting also.

The DVD contains only the excellent “Metamorphosis” making-of featurette

Wrapping Up: Most everyone I know either loved or hated this movie. I found it a very interesting descent into madness as we watch the fragile star ballerina “lose it” bigtime. With a mom like the Barbara Hershey character, we can see why! For the squeamish, there are some girl-on-girl scenes but nothing is actually “shown”.

This is a very visceral, disturbing film and don’t expect a happy ending but I couldn’t take my eyes off of it or Natalie’s performance. Mila Kunis is also very good as is the long-missing Wynona Ryder as the dance star Natalie’s character replaces. This one is very worth a rental and a buy for fans of ballet, offbeat thrillers or Natalie Portman!

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader – Blu-Ray/DVD/digital Combo Pack

In the continuing Narnia story, Edmund and Lucy Pevensie and selfish, complaining cousin Eustace are taken back to Narnia via an ocean painting that comes to life. They end up on King Caspian’s cool ship the Dawn Treader where warrior mouse Reepicheep and the crew need help on their mission to reunite seven swords belonging to seven royals or dark forces will consume the land.

Eustace is turned into a dragon and, as such, helps save the day and the gang travels to exotic islands on their quest which finally leads them to their hero/protector the Great Lion Aslan who tells them that this will be the last visit for Lucy and Edmund since they have now grown up.

Special Features:  The packaging is very pretty and includes some nifty color postcards. You get to the extras by navigating around on a map of the islands in the film plus a “Dawn Treader” section. Each area contains different extras.

Under the “Dawn Treader” section you have “King Caspian’s Guide to the Dawn Treader,” a short bunch of clips the show you the different locations on the detailed ship.

“The Secret Islands: Untold Adventures of the Dawn Treader” is an animated extension of Dawn Treader adventure with beautiful artwork from the novel and narrated by Caspian (Ben Barnes).

Two Fox Movie Channel “In Character” segments include chats with Liam Neeson, Georgie Henley and Will Poulter.  In the Fox Movie Channel’s piece “Making a Scene” you learn how the actors actually filmed getting sucked into the ocean painting. Director Michael Apted also comments.

Under the “Magician’s Island” division you get more into on the island and the funny Dufflepuds with the big feet. There is an “Audio Commentary” with Director Apted and the producer giving more information about the island and the Dufflepuds. You can also access the Audio Commentary featuring Apted and the producer which is kind of dry but does talk about changes from the novel.

“Goldwater Island” gives you info on dragons and Eustace as one. The “Lone Islands” centers on Minotaurs. There are four “Deleted Scenes “ which are good for character development and fun to watch but would have slowed down the film. You get some cast and crew interviews (short) in “The Epic Continues”.

“The Dark Island” gives you special effects info on the creepy sea serpent which, originally, was more attractive and less scary. The White Witch and island are covered.  “Portal to Narnia” is more on the “sucked into the painting” sequence and shows more about how it was filmed. Lots of water on set was involved. “Good vs. Evil: Battle on the Sea” in a more in-depth story of the big sea serpent battle and more art and interviews. This is pretty cool.  

“Ramandu’s Island,” contains info on Reepicheep, Aslan, and the beautiful “light goddess” Liliandil.  There is also a game (pretty easy) called “Seven Swords Match Game” and more visual effects with optional comments by director and producer. There are a few more featurettes if you use BD-Live and you also get the DVD of the film and a Digital Copy for your other devices.

Wrapping Up: The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader isn’t a perfect film. It gets repetitive as the gang goes from island to island gathering swords but it’s cool to see Georgie Henley more grown up and wondering if she is as pretty as her sis and it’s fun to watch the annoying Eustace (well-acted by Will Poulter) have to turn into a dragon to find out that he can be a true hero. The film is fun adventure without being a classic and this combo pack is a great way to visit the islands and remember the series.