New Blu: Apollo 13, Pirate Radio

A modern classic and a new independent film are two of the most notable new Blu-ray releases this week:

• 1.) Apollo 13: 15th Anniversary Edition (Universal, $26.98) is a timely release with President Obama’s press conference about NASA this week, and great fun to revisit this terrific dramatization of frightening and heroic space flight that went awry.

  — Moving launch of Saturn 5 rocket both emotionally and physically if you have your surround sound cranked up.

  — three great documentaries on making of movie and impact it had on cast, crew, and astronauts, and recap of 45 years in space.

  — fun audio commentary with director Ron Howard and astronaut Jim Lovell and wife Marilyn

  — U-Control once again offers fun and convenient option of having behind-the-scenes and “tech-splanations” pop-up to click and play or read as movie plays.

• 2.) Pirate Radio (Universal, $36.98) is a fun romp in the rebellious days of rock and roll in the 60s off the coast of England aboard a ship being run by kids and young adults broadcasting banned music outside the reach of frustrated government officials.

  — Fabulous soundtrack of great 60s songs from The Kinks and The Who to The Rolling Stones and Jimi Hendrix

  — audio commentary as rowdy and unruly as the movie

  — deleted scenes

  — half-dozen documentaries with most of the terrific cast, including Philip Seymour Hoffman, Kenneth Branagh, Bill Nighy, Chris O’Dowd, and Richard Curtis.