New in Home Entertainment
March 5, 2013
Wreck-It Ralph
Rated PG for some rude humor and mild action/violence
Available on DVD, Blu-ray and Blu-ray 3D
If you are like me and have actually seen all of the Oscar-nominated animated films this year, you are probably also deeply disappointed that Brave won out. It was suggested to me that most of the voters probably didn’t actually see them all and simply guessed that Pixar should win. That is the only thing that makes sense. Oh well. Being released this week having only won every other award given this year is Wreck-It Ralph, a novel and extremely fun Disney film about a video game villain who deeply wants to be loved and respected rather than despised and feared. The movie is very well-written and even better acted. John C. Reilly, Sarah Silverman and many other talented actors lend their unique voices to make this a very entertaining film for both kids and adults. And not only do you get the best animated film of 2013 but the set also comes with the Oscar-winning short Paperman which is a thoroughly enjoyable mini romance. A-
The Intouchables
Rated R for language and some drug use
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
French with English Subtitles
I was as surprised as anyone to see that this French crowd pleaser about a young hoodlum from the projects in Paris who becomes the caretaker for a wealthy quadriplegic is actually ranked #62 in the IMDB Top 250 films of all time. But maybe I shouldn’t be surprised. The film is so darn likable that it becomes incredibly easy to forgive and even ignore its mistakes. The performances by Francois Cluzet (Tell No One) and Omar Sy (Micmacs) are an experience to behold and the chemistry between the two makes the film that much more endearing. It’s hard to imagine someone sitting through this movie without a constant smile on their face and holding back a little tear in their eye. B+
Schindler’s List: 20th Anniversary Limited Edition
Rated R for language, some sexuality and actuality violence
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
I honestly haven’t seen this legendary film since it was in theaters back in 1993. Now, 20 years later, it is just as powerful, just as beautiful and just as difficult to watch. But man is this a fantastic story, perfectly directed by Spielberg with a production to match. The story of Oskar Schindler, a manipulative German businessman who begins the tale by taking advantage of Jews during WWII and ends up risking all to save them is so memorable that I feel like it was completely familiar and part of me, even though I hadn’t seen the movie in two decades. This new version has been restored in high definition and looks and sounds amazing on a big screen television with blu-ray. The only disappointing aspect is that the new special features are all on the DVD portion of the film, but then again, most people would hardly care about that. Being that this is Spielberg’s most important film, I do wish he’d have put up a commentary, but I guess he didn’t feel compelled. A+