By David Weiner
8:00 AM PDT, June 28, 2011
'Sucker Punch,' 'Beastly,' 'Barney's Version,' 'Season of the Witch,' 'The Lord of the Rings' Trilogy Extended Edition on Blu-ray and more in this week's releases.
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'The Lord of the Rings' Trilogy: Extended Edition on Blu-ray
Warner Bros.
'Lord of the Rings' fans rejoice: The Extended Editions are finally available on Blu-ray! Director Peter Jackson's epic, three-part adaptation of the classic J.R.R. Tolkien Middle-earth tale is even more comprehensive with this 15-disc must-have set, containing a treasure trove of more than 26 hours of additional content, including the rare, behind-the-scenes documentaries by Costa Botes with over four-and-a-half hours of footage chronicling the comic antics, personal moments and hardships of making movie fantasy history.
Starring Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Viggo Mortensen, Orlando Bloom, Liv Tyler, Cate Blanchett, Sean Astin and Andy Serkis as Gollum, 'The Lord of the Rings' trilogy follows the adventures of the Hobbit Frodo Baggins and his perilous journey to throw back the magical One Ring into the fires of Mount Doom. The new Blu-ray set contains all three extended editions of 'The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring,' 'The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers' and 'The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King,' amounting to more than two hours of new and extended scenes integrated into the films.
Special features include commentary with Jackson, cast members and numerous production members; a trailer for the 'The Lord of the Rings: War in the North' RPG video game; "The Appendices" Parts 1-6 ("From Book to Vision," "The Journey Continues," "From Vision to Reality," "The Battle for Middle-earth," "The War of the Ring" and "The Passing of an Age"); BD-Live; digital copies of all three extended versions of the films and much, much more.
Starring Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Viggo Mortensen, Orlando Bloom, Liv Tyler, Cate Blanchett, Sean Astin and Andy Serkis as Gollum, 'The Lord of the Rings' trilogy follows the adventures of the Hobbit Frodo Baggins and his perilous journey to throw back the magical One Ring into the fires of Mount Doom. The new Blu-ray set contains all three extended editions of 'The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring,' 'The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers' and 'The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King,' amounting to more than two hours of new and extended scenes integrated into the films.
Special features include commentary with Jackson, cast members and numerous production members; a trailer for the 'The Lord of the Rings: War in the North' RPG video game; "The Appendices" Parts 1-6 ("From Book to Vision," "The Journey Continues," "From Vision to Reality," "The Battle for Middle-earth," "The War of the Ring" and "The Passing of an Age"); BD-Live; digital copies of all three extended versions of the films and much, much more.
'Max Manus: Man of War'
Music Box Films
A mesmerizing, "they don't make 'em like they used to" World War II film, the pulse-pounding 'Max Manus: Man of War' tells the remarkable tale of one of the war's greatest resistance fighters. After fighting against the Russians in Finland in 1939, Norwegian soldier Max Manus (Aksel Hennie) soon finds himself battling the Germans as a pioneer of Norway's resistance movement, becoming one of the most brilliant WWII saboteurs by crippling and sinking German warships. The film is the winner of six Norwegian Academy Awards (including Best Film and Best Actor).
Special features include "Film and Reality," a 45-minute documentary with behind-the-scenes footage, interview snippets with the directors, cast, and crew, and archive interview footage of Manus and his daughter.
Special features include "Film and Reality," a 45-minute documentary with behind-the-scenes footage, interview snippets with the directors, cast, and crew, and archive interview footage of Manus and his daughter.
'Barney's Version'
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Paul Giamatti stars in this whimsical comedy as a charming yet politically incorrect TV producer who meets the love of his life at his wedding -- and she is not the bride. Faced with a tell-all book written by a sworn enemy that illuminates some of the more compromising chapters in his life, Barney's must tell his version of his life story. Also starring Dustin Hoffman, Minnie Driver and Scott Speedman.
Special features include filmmaker commentary; "92nd Street Y Q&A with Paul Giamatti and Annette Insdorf"; and the featurettes "Mordecai Richler: Barney's Version," "On the Red Carpet" and "Behind the Scenes of Barney's Version."
Special features include filmmaker commentary; "92nd Street Y Q&A with Paul Giamatti and Annette Insdorf"; and the featurettes "Mordecai Richler: Barney's Version," "On the Red Carpet" and "Behind the Scenes of Barney's Version."
'The Warrior's Way'
20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
Geoffrey Rush, Kate Bosworth and martial arts superstar Jang Dong Gun star in this entertaining period film that casts Gun as the world's most dangerous fighter. After a lifetime of training in swordsmanship and hand-to-hand combat, Gun refuses to murder an innocent child and flees his homeland to start a new life in the American West. But when his past catches up to him in a dusty town, he must wage a fierce, all-out battle to survive with the help of his new friends.
Special features include deleted scenes and behind-the-scenes footage.
Special features include deleted scenes and behind-the-scenes footage.
'Season of the Witch'
20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
Nicolas Cage stars in this terrifying medieval tale as Behmen, a heroic Crusader who must transport a woman (Claire Foy) -- accused of witchcraft and of being responsible for a terrible plague -- to a remote monastery. As Behmen and his comrade-in-arms Felson (Ron Perlman) make their arduous journey, they find themselves battling a terrifyingly powerful force that will determine the fate of the world.
Special features include a shocking alternate ending; deleted scenes; filmmaker commentary; behind-the-scenes featurettes and more.
Special features include a shocking alternate ending; deleted scenes; filmmaker commentary; behind-the-scenes featurettes and more.
'Beastly'
CBS Films
In this modern-day retelling of the classic Beauty and the Beast fable, 'I Am Number Four' star Alex Pettyfer plays Kyle Kingson, an arrogant, popular and rich teen who always gets whatever he wants. Kyle takes particular enjoyment in humiliating classmates, but when he zeroes in on Goth girl Kendra (Mary-Kate Olsen), she takes revenge by casting a spell which physically transforms him from a hunk to a hideous creature. To break the curse, Kyle must find someone who can love him for who he is, not what he looks like. Can Vanessa Hudgens break the spell?
Special features include an alternate ending; deleted scenes; the featurettes "A Classic Tale Retold: The Story of Beastly" and "Creating the Perfect Beast"; plus the "Be Mine" music video by Kristina and the Dolls.
Special features include an alternate ending; deleted scenes; the featurettes "A Classic Tale Retold: The Story of Beastly" and "Creating the Perfect Beast"; plus the "Be Mine" music video by Kristina and the Dolls.
'Sucker Punch'
Warner Bros.
In this outlandish, action-packed fantasy from '300' and 'Watchmen' director Zack Snyder, Emily Browning plays Babydoll, a young woman incarcerated in an institution by her wicked stepfather. In order to cope, she taps her vivid imagination in order to escape the tortured realities of her life, making her way through a vibrant world filled with fire-breathing dragons, machine gun-toting Samurais and vintage World War I zombie perils. Vanessa Hudgens, Abbie Cornish, Jamie Chung and Jena Malone fight by her side in an effort to evade their captors and the Madam Gorski (Carla Gugino) before the mysterious High Roller (Jon Hamm) arrives.
Special features on the Blu-ray Combo Pack include both the theatrical cut of the film and an extended cut; four animated 'Sucker Punch' prequel stories; Maximum Movie Mode featuring director walk-ons with Snyder; "Behind the Soundtrack"; a digital copy of the film and more. Also available on Video On Demand and digital download with the exclusive bonus features "Empowering the Mind: Sucker Punch Style" and "The Art of Sucker Punch."
Special features on the Blu-ray Combo Pack include both the theatrical cut of the film and an extended cut; four animated 'Sucker Punch' prequel stories; Maximum Movie Mode featuring director walk-ons with Snyder; "Behind the Soundtrack"; a digital copy of the film and more. Also available on Video On Demand and digital download with the exclusive bonus features "Empowering the Mind: Sucker Punch Style" and "The Art of Sucker Punch."