A good mix of classic reissues and new thrillers and comedies on Hi-Def Blu-ray Disc this week, the most notable of which are the following:
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1.) “The Breakfast Club” 25th Anniversary Edition (Universal, 26.98) is one of those movies I can watch a zillion times, surely one of John Hughes’ best, if not the best.
Best elements of new editon:
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— Terrific retrospective documentary with fun perspective and anecdotes by Judd Nelson, Anthony Michael Hall, Ally Sheedy, as well as filmmakers Diablo Cody and Amy Heckerling, and others paying tribute to the brilliance and impact of the movie. Sheedy claims the David Bowie opening quote was her suggestion to Hughes.
— Origins of Brat Pack moniker featurette indicates the Brat Packers took it as derogatory and that journalist who coined the phrase undermined their trust and mis-characterized a weekend he spent hanging out with them.
— Fun audio commentary by Nelson and Hall providing good anecdotes and lots of goofiness.
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2.) “After.Life” (Anchor Bay, $34.98) is a story of an undertaker who is either killing people who could be saved or trying to convince them they are dead even though they are talking to him as he prepares them for a funeral service.with t in
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— Solid thriller that keeps you guessing until final credits.
— Three strong performances by high-caliber and appealing actors Liam Neeson, Justin Long, and Christina Ricci.
— Informative and interesting director/co-writer audio commentary by Agnieszka Wojtowicz-Vosloo, only his second production after debut with “Pate” in 2001.
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3.) “James and the Giant Peach” (Disney, $39.99 for Blu-ray/DVD combo) brings Tim Burton’s special edition of his adaptation of the Roald Dahl story about a boy who finds magical adventure inside a peach to Hi-Def Blu-ray for the first time.
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— Fun blend of live-action, stop-motion animation, and CGI visual effects.
— Delightful voice acting by Richard Dreyfuss, Susan Sarandon, and others.
— Interesting simplistic interactive shooting gallery-type game that is challenging to master getting the rhino’s horn to nudge the aunts to spin faster on the ferris wheel.
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“Diary of a Wimpy Kid” The Cheesiest Edition” (Fox, $39.99 for Blu-ray/DVD/Digital Copy set) is a live-action family comedy adaptation of the very popular illustrated novel about a wise-cracking less-than-popular pre-teen’s journal of his challenge to adapt to life in middle school. This will appeal almost exclusively to youngsters and their parents who can relate.
— Clever blend of animated journal entries with live-action.
— Bonus feature 10 deleted scenes (“diary pages”), several of which are amusing
— Director/writer audio commentary offers some interesting anecdotes.
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— By Scott Hettrick