- Photos:
-
You loved the movie, what about the DVD?
Find out as we examine the extras on this week's best movie DVDs...
"MONSTERS VS. ALIENS"
Stars: Reese Witherspoon, Seth Rogen, Hugh Laurie
Director: Rob Letterman ("Shark Tale") and Conrad Vernon ("Shrek 2")
Format: DVD, Ginormous Double DVD Pack, Blu-ray
What we said: "If the difference between a movie and an ad is substantial character, excitement and story, then 'Monsters vs. Aliens' is officially a toy commercial."
Extras: DVD: “Modern Monster Movie Making” and “The Tech of 'Monsters vs. Aliens'” featurettes; deleted scenes; juke box; commentary; trailers for "How to Train Your Dragon," "Shrek: The Musical," "Kung Fu Panda World," "The Penguins of Madagascar," "Shrek the Halls," "Secrets of the Furious Five" and the "Monsters vs. Aliens" video game.
Ginormous DVD Pack: All of the DVD extras plus a second disc with the all-new 3D short “B.O.B.'s Big Break” and four 3D glasses; paddle ball game; Karaoke Music Party.
Blu-ray: All of the Ginormous extras plus a trivia track and “Animator's Corner.”
Worth watching: “B.O.B.'s Big Break” gives you more of that funny guy voiced by Rogen.
Worth skipping: Unless there was an unreleased Led Zeppelin song in the movie we didn't know about, we'll skip the juke box and Karaoke Music Party.
Worth adding: "Monsters vs. Aliens: Mutant Pumpkins from Outer Space," the Halloween special that'll be airing on NBC this Halloween. And undoubtedly released on some "Monsters vs. Aliens: Special Edition DVD" later on.
Buy, rent or ignore: Buy the Blu-ray or two-pack DVD; Ignore the single-disc.
"AWAY WE GO"
Stars: John Krasinski, Maya Rudolph, Maggie Gyllenhaal
Director: Sam Mendes ("American Beauty")
Formats: DVD, Blu-ray
What we said: "A drama trying too hard to be a comedy."
Extras: DVD: Commentary by Mendes and writers Dave Eggers and Vendela Vida; “The Making of 'Away We Go'” and “Green Filmmaking” featurettes.
Blu-ray: The above extras plus BD-Live scene sharing.
Worth watching: While you'll find it interesting, maybe even encouraging, we're really hoping other filmmakers will watch “Green Filmmaking,” about how this movie's production was environmentally friendly.
Worth skipping: No, we don't want to share our favorites scenes with you via BD-Live, leave us alone already.
Worth adding: Given their on-screen chemistry, a second commentary by Krasinski and Rudolph.
Buy, rent or ignore: Rent.
"THE WIZARD OF OZ: 70TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION"
Stars: Judy Garland, Frank Morgan, Margaret Hamilton
Director: Victor Flemming ("Gone with the Wind")
Formats: DVD, Ultimate Collector's Edition DVD, Ultimate Collector's Edition Blu-ray
What we say: There's no place like home…when you're watching this beautifully-restored and extra-filled edition of the classic fantasy film.
Extras: DVD: Commentary; a new 5.1 Surround Sound audio track and the original mono track; sing-a-long track; The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Storybook; “Prettier Than Ever: The Restoration of Oz,” “We Haven't Really Met Properly,” “The Art of Imagination: A Tribute to Oz” and “Because of the Wonderful Things It Does: The Legacy of Oz” featurettes; “Memories of Oz” documentary; Harold Arlen's Home Movies; outtakes; deleted scenes; “It's a Twister! It's a Twister! The Tornado Tests”; “Off to See the Wizard”; 3 Vault Shorts; “Leo Is on the Air” radio promo; “Good News of 1939” radio show; “12/25/1950 Lux Radio Theater Broadcast”; still galleries; trailers.
Ultimate Collector's Edition DVD: All of the DVD extras plus “Victor Fleming: Master Craftsman,” “L. Frank Baum: The Man Behind the Curtain,” “Celebrating Hollywood's Biggest Little Stars,” “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz,” “The Wizard of Oz” and “His Majesty, the Scarecrow of Oz” featurettes; “The Magic Cloak of Oz” and “The Patchwork Girl of Oz,” 1914 silent films; “The Wizard of Oz,” a 1925 feature; “The Dreamer of Oz,” a 1990 TV special; a numbered, collectible Wizard of Oz watch; replica of the film's original budget; “Behind the Curtain,” a mini coffee table book; a reproduction of the original campaign book; digital copy.
Ultimate Collector's Edition Blu-ray: All of the Ultimate DVD extras plus “MGM: When the Lion Roars” documentary.
Worth watching: While this release is worth it for the great restoration alone, the silent films from 1914 and the inclusion of the original mono audio track are also highlights.
Worth skipping: If you're an aspiring filmmaker looking for financing, you might not want to see the numbers on the film's budget (which was big—for 1939).
Worth adding: They included just about everything, except hard cover editions of L. Frank Baum's original Oz novels.
Buy, rent or ignore: Buy.
Other DVDs out this week:
— Madonna tries her hand at directing—no, seriously—with the indie dramedy "Filth and Wisdom"
— Director Steven Soderberg goes back to the sex, lies and videotape for "The Girlfriend Experience" (also on Blu-ray)
— Jennifer Aniston stars in, believe it or not, a romantic comedy called "Management" (also on Blu-ray)
— Kevin Spacey goes from Jung to bong in "Shrink"
Also on Blu-ray:
"Billy Jack"
"The Dark Crystal"
"Henry, Portrait of a Serial Killer"
"Labyrinth"
"Snakes on a Plane"
"Streets of Blood"
"The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" (2003)
Also released:
"Fermat's Room"
"Fireproof" (also on Blu-ray)
"The Hills Run Red"
"Lies & Illusions" (also on Blu-ray)
