Recommend: “This,” “Surrogates,” “Whip”

After slim pickings last week, a better crop of movies I can recommend this week:

• 1.) “This is It” (Sony, $39.95) – my favorite movie of year by far (longer review under “Picks” here); Blu-ray takes it up a notch w/ following notable bonus features:
  – 16-minute poignant but not maudlin “Memories of Michael”
  – 40-minute “Staging the Show”: welcome movie extension;
  loads of fascinating prep footage and dialogue
  – 10-minute dancer auditions; see MJ through eyes of professional admirers
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• 2.) “Surrogates” (Disney, $39.99) – exciting futuristic thriller concept set in world where everyone has their own lookalike robot to do daily activities while owner controls them from home.
  – Bruce Willis always enjoyable
  – engaging throughout;
  – great stunts;
  Extras include:
  – four deleted scenes
  – music video “I Will Not Bow”
  by Breaking Benjamin
  – science of surrogates featurette
  -
• 3.) “Whip It” (Fox, $39.99) — Fun story of rebellious teen who secretly defies her mother’s beauty pageant push and joins a rough roller derby team.
  – Movie and Ellen Page feel like sequel to “Juno”
  – Great cast: Daniel Stern, Juliette Lewis,
  Drew Barrymore, Marcia Gay Harden
  & Jimmy Fallon as announcer
  – minimal bonus features: extra scenes

Other notable new releases:

• “Saw VI” (Lionsgate, $39.99)
  - R-rated theatrical cut in full-screen; and unrated widescreen director’s cut
  Extras:
  – two audio commentaries
  – three making-of featurettes
  – multiple music videos