Harry Potter ‘Maximum Movie Mode’ Blu-ray clips unveiled

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Warner Brothers has revealed a sneak peak at one of the seven ‘Maximum Movie Mode’ scenes included on the eagerly awaited ‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1’ Blu-ray Disc, released throughout Europe in April.

Earlier this year we brought you news that the film was set to make its BD debut and noted the new function would be worth waiting for. You can check out Entertainment Weekly’s exclusive clip.

‘Maximum Movie Mode’ allows Potter enthusiasts to access the ins and outs of plots and characters spread across the saga in an informative guide lead by actor Jason Issacs, who plays the evil Lucius Malfoy. Alongside filming techniques and production facts it includes commentary from director David Yates and stars Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson and Tom Felton.

We’ll be sure to keep you up to speed on any additional Blu-ray announcements so stay tuned. If you’re excited for the final installment due in cinemas soon why not head over to Warnerbros.com for a special behind-the-scenes clip.

Entertainment Weekly has the full story.

‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ Trilogy sets sail on Blu-ray

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There’s more than a galleon’s worth of fun in Disney’s new ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ Blu-ray Disc collection, and US website Monsters and Critics agree having given the fantasy saga a big thumbs up in a recent review.

The swashbuckling adventure charts the heroics of Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) an eccentric rogue of a pirate who dives head first into the lives of the Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightley) and wannabe buccaneer Will Turner (Orlando Bloom). Overflowing with sword fighting, treasure hunting and mutinous pirates galore, the whirlwind tales are sure to satisfy the whole family from the haunting beginning to the rip roaring conclusion.

So what makes the experience even better on Blu-ray? Monsters and Critics praise the outstanding picture quality and stunning audio soundtrack on the seven BD set saying:

‘In the Blu-ray format, these beautiful films become even more stunning, and we are captured once again by the humour, the adventure, the fun and the fantasy of setting sail in the Caribbean.’

They also highlight the fantastic range of bonus features split across the pack and point out that a clip of the fourth installment, due in cinemas this summer, is a nice little extra seventh disc.

The ‘Curse of the Black Pearl’ includes features ‘An Epic At Sea’ and ‘Fly on the Set’ which uncover behind-the-scenes secrets and look at the technicalities of filming a blockbuster at sea. ‘Dead Man’s Chest’ offers a theatrical or interactive version of the film, features ‘Captain Jack from head to toe’ presented by Johnny Depp and ‘Mastering the Blade’ which examines the art of sword fighting. ‘At World’s End’ has a ‘Bloopers of the Caribbean’ reel, a special set tour called ‘Enter the Maelstrom’ and fantastic short ‘Keith and the Captain’ in which Johnny Depp and Keith Richards pair up to give viewers their insights on life as a pirate.

So if you’re looking for extravagant sets, impressive stunts and a date with some of film’s most fascinating characters, ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ provides a rollicking journey to the ends of the Earth and back and could most definitely be a welcome addition to your Blu-ray collection.

Click here for the full review. In the mean time, we’ve included the new ‘Pirates Of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides’ trailer below for you to feast your eyes on.

‘The Fighter’ delivers a knock-out blow on Blu-ray Disc

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Blu-rayDefinition.com has reviewed ‘The Fighter’ on Blu-ray Disc and awarded it a glowing 4.5 star review, great news for fans of the boxing tale who eagerly await its arrival on European shores in June.

The early biopic of Massachusetts boxer Micky Ward (played by Mark Wahlberg) scooped two of the most sought after statues at the 2011 Oscars. Best Supporting Actor went to Christian Bale for his turn as Micky’s washed up drug addict brother Dicky and Best Supporting Actress to Melissa Leo in her role as the boys’ manipulative mother.

So what makes ‘The Fighter’ such a winner on Blu-ray?

Blu-rayDefinition.com praises the powerful script and David O Russell’s superb direction for lifting it into the realm of great boxing movies such as ‘Rocky’ and ‘Raging Bull’. Alongside its superb picture quality on BD, they drew particular attention to the clarity of dialogue and raw HD Master Audio soundtrack, with the reviewer saying:

‘Every blow lands with an authoritative thud and draws you into the intensity and excitement of the moment. The surround channels are quite active and low frequencies are nicely extended.’

Alongside the quality of the film they also praise the exclusive BD extras which include interviews with the real life friends and family of the characters. And the overall verdict?

‘A triumphant and inspiring sports film, The Fighter will go down as a classic of the genre deservedly so and this excellent Blu-ray release from Paramount is a great way to experience it. Highly recommended.’

Click here for the full review.

‘127 Hours’ climbs onto Blu-ray Disc

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Extremely striking and beautifully shot, Danny Boyle’s Oscar-nominated ‘127 Hours’ is one hell of a story and soon European audiences will be able to experience the epic tale on Blu-ray Disc when it hits the shelves on 6th June.

Based on the incredible experience of rock climber Aron Ralston (played by James Franco), the film accounts his fateful 2003 adventure into the remote canyons of Utah.

The package will come with a BD and DVD copy of the movie, and several special features exclusive only to the BD which include behind-the-scenes commentaries from Boyle and screenwriter Simon Beaufoy alongside an array of deleted scenes – one of can be viewed here.

So if you’re a keen traveller, an adrenaline junkie or just a film lover keen on escaping to the breathtaking landscapes of the movie, ‘127 Hours’ could make the perfect addition to your Blu-ray library.

Cinema Blend has the lowdown on the US release.

Blu-ray Monday Giveaway: Unstoppable

[tweetmeme source= “blurayreporter” only_single=false]For this week’s Blu-ray Monday we’re giving away a Triple Play copy of ‘Unstoppable’.

An unmanned cargo train carrying toxic waste hurtles across the Pennsylvanian countryside. With only veteran engineer Frank (Denzel Washington) and rookie conductor Will (Chris Pine) on hand to avert catastrophe, director Tony Scott gives us a master class in pulse-racing action and high octane stunts as the duo fight to prevent disaster.

As usual with Blu-ray Monday, you have two chances to win. For your first entry, simply retweet the following post on Twitter: Tweet this

Then for a second entry, leave a comment on this post answering the following question:

‘Unstoppable’ pairs well established screen actor Denzel Washington with newcomer Chris Pine. If film partnerships such as Al Pacino and Marlon Brando in ‘The Godfather’ or Matt Damon and Robin Williams in ‘Good Will Hunting’ show us anything, its that a novice can often bring out the best in a seasoned professional and visa versa. If you could choose a fledgling actor to star alongside a movie legend who would you pick and why?

To make it easier for us to contact you, leave your Twitter details with your comment.  We look forward to your suggestions!

The Green Hornet flies onto Blu-ray Disc

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There’s a new hero in town. And he doesn’t wear tights.

Plucked from the pages of a comic book and sculpted by the minds behind ‘Superbad’ and ‘Pineapple Express’, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment is proud to announce ‘The Green Hornet’ will land in a Triple Play Blu-ray 3D pack in the UK on May 2nd and the rest of Europe shortly after.

Oscar winning director Michel Gondry subverts the classic comic book genre placing Seth Rogen in the leading role of Britt Reid, a reluctant heir to LA’s most respected media empire. Alongside his father’s inventive employee Kato (Jay Chou) and new secretary (Cameron Diaz), Britt realises this is his opportunity to make a difference to the city by fighting crime. The only trouble is he’ll have to break the law to do it.

‘The Green Hornet’ will be available in a three disc pack containing a BD 3D, a 2D BD and DVD copy of the movie. Special features exclusive to the BD 3D include a 3D animated storyboard detailing the intricate planning needed to shoot many of the film’s high octane action sequences. Exclusive 2D BD features include deleted scenes, a gag reel, featurettes such as ‘Trust Me’ with comment from Gondry and ‘The Black Beauty: Rebirth of Cool’, and a game enabling users to edit their own car chase scene.

MTV has the full story. We’ve embedded ‘The Green Hornet’ trailer below. Enjoy!

Extended versions of Lord of the Rings get limited edition BD release

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Get the champagne on ice Tolkien fans…

Warner Brothers and New Line Cinema have announced plans to release a limited edition Blu-ray Disc box set of all three extended versions of the Lord of the Rings saga. No distribution date has been set so far but a colossal range of special features and the box art have appeared online.

Grossing £2.3 billion at cinemas worldwide the Oscar winning adaptation follows Frodo Baggins (Elijah Wood) a lowly Hobbit from a quiet shire in his quest to destroy the one ring of power. Featuring a superb soundtrack, Academy Award winning special effects and a stellar cast including Sir Ian McKellen, Liv Tyler, Viggo Mortensen and Christopher Lee, the momentous box set will guarantee to have the whole family longing to return to a HD Middle Earth time and time again.

BD special features confirmed include:

‘Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring’

Over 30 minutes of footage incorporated into the theatrical release
Commentary by Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, and Philippa Boyens
Commentary by the design team
Commentary by the production/post-production team
Commentary by 10 actors, including Elijah Wood and Ian McKellen

‘Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers’

Extended edition incorporating 43 minutes of footage into the film
Commentary by Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, and Philippa Boyens
Commentary track by the design team
Commentary track by the production/post-production team
Commentary track by 16 cast members, including Elijah Wood, Sean Astin, Andy Serkis, John Rhys-Davies, Orlando Bloom, Christopher Lee, Bernard Hill, and Miranda Otto
Costas Botes documentary: The Two Towers: Behind the Scenes

‘Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King’

Extended edition incorporating extra 50 minutes of footage into the film
Commentary by Peter Jackson and writers Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens
Commentary track by the design team
Commentary track by the production/post-production team
Costas Botes documentary: The Return of the King: Behind the Scenes

Slash Film has a full list of features.

We’re sure the countdown to this epic trilogy will be fantastic news for film fans, but will the prequel ‘The Hobbit’ meet expectations? Let us know what you think.

Blu-ray Monday Giveaway: Skyline

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For this week’s Blu-ray Monday we are giving away a copy of the visually stunning, alien invasion drama ‘Skyline’.

Directed by the Strause Brothers, whose previous special-effects work includes ‘Avatar’, ‘Titanic’ and ‘300’, this apocalyptic blockbuster makes fantastic Blu-ray viewing. With fast paced action and spectacular fight sequences, ‘Skyline’ follows a group of friends desperate to escape an armada of spaceships that appear in the sky one night.

As usual with Blu-ray Monday, you have two chances to win. For your first entry, simply retweet the following post on Twitter: Tweet this

Then for a second entry, leave a comment on this post answering the following question:

Skyline’s alien assault on Los Angeles makes it Blu-ray debut as cinema audiences watch the city take another extra terrestrial pounding in Battle: Los Angeles. It’s clear we’ve been fascinated by the possibility of life outside our universe for generations, creating urban legends such as Area 51 as well as screen classics like ‘Independence Day’, ‘Invasion of the Body Snatchers’, ‘District 9’ and ‘The X Files’. With the little green men returning to our screens in a big way, we’d like to know what your favourite alien invasion movie is, and why?

To make it easier for us to contact you, leave your Twitter details with your comment.  We look forward to your suggestions!

Disney reveals exclusive clips from upcoming Tangled Blu-ray

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A princess, a tower and a shimmering mane of golden locks longer than three football pitches… There’s only one possible fairytale that fits this bizarre description, and it’s Disney’s ‘Tangled’.

In anticipation of its debut on Blu-ray Disc later in the year, Walt Disney Pictures has released a plethora clips from the release and TheHDroom has scooped up the best bits in a sneak peek of what to expect.

An alternate opening, two featurettes and fun fact shorts are all that’s been revealed so far, but if these are anything to go by the bonus features for the expected BD3D and 2D BD versions of the movie will be a rollercoaster ride of fun for the whole family.

TheHDroom has the full catalogue of clips, but we’ve included the alternate opening one below for your amusement. If you’ve seen the movie in cinemas, let us know what you think!

Blu-ray Monday Giveaway: Jackass 3

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For this week’s Blu-ray Monday we are giving away a Triple Play copy of ‘Jackass 3: The Explosive Extended Edition’.

Celebrating madness and mayhem, the entire Jackass crew including Johnny Knoxville, Bam Margera and Steve-O are back with more hysterical stunts. Facing wild animals, flaming motorbikes and bungee rope toilets the gang reach new heights in pursuit of the ultimate experience in a journey that’s guaranteed to have all who watch in stitches.

As usual with Blu-ray Monday, you have two chances to win. For your first entry, simply retweet the following post on Twitter: Tweet this

Then for a second entry, leave a comment on this post answering the following question:

From the Austrian ski slopes of ‘The Spy Who Loved Me’ to the voodoo mines of ‘Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom’, stunts have captured our imaginations and left a lasting impression on movie goers around the world. Whether it’s wacky, visually stunning or just plain dangerous, we’d like to know what your favourite movie stunt sequence is and why?

To make it easier for us to contact you, leave your Twitter details with your comment.  We look forward to your suggestions!