Please see the release calendar for releases from countries outside the US.
Rescued from a direct-to-video death sentence, Toy Story 3 went from a potential embarrassment to an Oscar-worthy sequel with the kind of magic only Pixar can perform. Creating a successful sequel is hard enough; creating one that can stand up to the original is nearly impossible, yet Pixar was able to do just that. For today's Blu-ray release of Toy Story 3, Disney went all out to ensure fans get the ultimate toy experience.
Staff reviewer Kenneth Brown concluded in his Blu-ray review of Toy Story 3, "Toy Story 3 is a modern animated marvel." He continues, "The 4-disc Blu-ray edition is equally rewarding. With an unequivocally stunning video transfer, an unwavering DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 surround track and more than five hours of special features."
Sitting in the number three spot for All Time Domestic Box Office Receipts (adjusted for inflation), The Sound of Music is as popular today as it was when first released 45 years ago. In the era of musicals, it shined brighter than anything around it, and is still a staple of American culture (even though it was based in Germany, go figure). Today's Blu-ray release of The Sound of Music features a new master from the original 70mm negative and a reworked soundtrack.
Nearly 10 years after creating the most elaborate and detailed retelling of America's involvement in Europe during WWII, HBO set out to tackle the other side of the war with The Pacific. Chronicling the stories of three young Marines as they island jumped in support of defense of the Pacific Island nations. The 10-part miniseries is brought to Blu-ray today in a stunning high definition presentation that rivals its critically acclaimed predecessor.
For the Blu-ray review of The Pacific, staff reviewer Kenneth Brown comments, "The Pacific, like Band of Brothers before it, represents a milestone in television miniseries. It not only realistically depicts the horrors of a little known theater of World War II, it honors the heroes of the Greatest Generation, features amazing performances and a moving story, and educates as readily as it engrosses. HBO's 6-disc Blu-ray edition is another must-own studio release."
Fans of David Lean are no strangers to his epic The Bridge on the River Kwai, and it is unfortunate that anyone would be. As far as epics go, it is one of the most relative to general audiences with its story of American and British POWs who are forced to construct bridges for the Japanese military during WWII. Sony brings this historic film to Blu-ray today in beautiful detail fitting its monumental story.
Staff reviewer Martin Liebman concluded in his Blu-ray review of The Bridge on the River Kwai he commented, "The Bridge on the River Kwai is a masterful film and one of but a handful of pictures that could be described as both 'legendary' and 'epic.'" He continues, "The Bridge on the River Kwai is a timeless classic that's been reborn on Blu-ray; the film looks and sounds just as it should and is accentuated by plenty of top-notch extras."
The Sound of Music and The Bridge on the River Kwai - two of the all-time greats.
Can't wait to see Sound of Music on blu - originally shot in 70mm. Other 70mm films on blu have looked FABULOUS (2001: A Space Odyssey, Patton, the special effects shots in Blade Runner...)
Hoping for more 70mm films to make it to blu-ray (West Side Story, Ben-Hur, Lawrence of Arabia, My Fair Lady, Its a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World...)
Bhampton, do you really think that about Toy Story 3? And I'm not criticizing your
opinion, I just wanted to know if it was worth the purchase. I did watch some of it on youtube and
the only scenes that I liked were those with Chuckles the Clown and that was it. The rest was nothing special. That is why i was wondering about your thoughts on the film. Personally, when it comes to blockbusters, I still preferred Night at the Museum 2 compared to Toy Story 3 since Toy Story 3 did not have an interesting beginning and its climax was nothing special. Also, I would appreciate it if you could give me some feedback on whether it is worth the purchase just for those scenes or if I should ignore it completely. Thanks
Picked up, TS3,The Pacific and The Goonies Box Set.
I thought the box set was going to be in some kind of easy to rip cardboard packaging. I was wrong, the box set is pretty nice. But I cant really judge it yet since I havent opened it.
Kwai weighs about two pounds. Has a really sturdy slipcase box and the thickest digibook I've seen. An amazing deal for right around $20 as the film is absolutely one of the best of all-time.
The Sound of Music's restoration is glorious. Amazon delivered me foth TSOM and Kwai yesterday.
I'll be picking up TS3 at a store today. Goonies goes on the wait list for now. I'm fine with a regular case version when ever that comes out.
Toy Story 3 wasn't "rescued from a direct-video death sentence"!--You're thinking of TS2.
TS3 was the one that was going to be Eisner's "fake" Pixar, and may have been instrumental in finally getting him kicked out...Get your Disney history straight.
What a great week for Blu-ray. Going for the Toy Story Trilogy, I hope the boxset is a little better than the picture makes it work. Still, I consider it one of film's greatest trilogys, with Star Wars and Lord of the Rings.
Eventually I'll have to get The Pacific, Sound of Music, Highlander, Goonies, and Bridge on the River Kwai. Hoping for some price drops around black friday.
The Sound Of Music - Digi Book and TS3. Got them as soon as Target opened. $19 for SOM and the $8 coupon for TS3, makes them both well worth the price.
I got TS3 and the Sound of Music (for some reason Amazon delivered this week's pre-orders to me a day early, so I got to watch TS3 last night.) Gonna have to pick up Bridge soon.
Jokerman, just thought I'd weigh in with my opinion, since it's pretty much the opposite of bhampton's. TS3 was easily my favorite of the Toy story films, and I think it stands with the very best that Pixar has done (Wall-E and Ratatouille, in my opinion.) For me it's not the kind of movie where any individual scene stands out to sell the picture, rather its greatness lies in its cumulative impact. The whole being greater than the sum of the parts, I guess. And of course, as the reviewer noted, it looks and sounds fantastic.
Thanks Apronikoff, I appreciate the advice, but I still was not convinced by the movie and I did watch it on youtube. I think that the problem is that I was expecting something different than what I saw. Similar to Ratatouille, I did not know what to expect but I enjoyed it on blu ray. Thanks anyway. As for the picture and sound quality I'm sure it looks and sounds good, its just that I'm not a fan of digital video. I still prefer the look of 35 or 65mm film. Thinking back to the look and style of Batman Begins and The Dark Knight. If I do get it I may wait for the price to come down since i don't want the dvd and the coupon is only for the combo pack. I still appreciate the advice.
dmarvin, "Kwai weighs about 2 pounds" - that is awesome.
I went to Borders and wanted to pick it up using my weekly 33% off coupon plus $10 in "borders bucks" that I earned plus 10% off for Borders Plus membership. I was so psyched. But they didn't have it in the store!
I had to "settle" for The Sound of Music instead...
Toy Story 3 and Sound of Music will be waiting for me when I get home. Haven't seen TS3 yet, so I'm looking forward to it. I've been waiting for Sound of Music for a LONG time.
I'll wait for Chitty Chitty Bang Bang to come down a bit.
Can't imagine anyone not liking TS3, especially if they enjoyed the first two. I'd give it a solid A-. For the record, I've liked every Pixar film to varying degrees, with Cars and A Bug's Life being my bottom two and Ratatouille possibly being my favorite.
I told myself that I wasnt buying ANY movies until Black Friday. But now I just splurged on 3 movies via Criterion sale so why not pick up Centurion while im at it?
picked up Toy Story 3 last night at midnight and watched it last night amazing is all i can say....wish i could afford that box set but with the sherk series coming up ill have to wait..plus i already have ts 1,2 anyways pretty light week im happy.
I'm just REALLY happy that TS3 was offered in a "blu-ray only" version. As with every other title in my collection I have no use/want for either a SDVD copy and/or a Digital Copy, and will thankfully be able to pay less for the only version I want of it
no store had White Christmas today i still got the sound of music yesterday at fye and toy story 3 today. I must say the transfer for the sound of music is incredible.
The Sound of Music includes both a BD and a DVD. Is the DVD also made from the new HD master or is it the same as the DVDs that have been available previously.
Also what is the difference between the packages that are labelled "BD + DVD" and "DVD+ BD". Is anything included or excluded from the different sets? Is the only difference the case?
Toy Story 3, The Pacific, The Bridge on the River Kwai, Cars Toon, SLAYER/Big 4
Best week ever on Blu, by far. (Need to get The Sound of Music still, though)
Pretty much what I got this week. Only one I'm holding off on is The Pacific. [Payback for gettting BoB when it was priced high, not getting around to watching it until it was priced low. Oh and there was that dvd version I never watched at all, sigh.]
blu-seven, I spent my 33% off coupon plus $10 in borders bucks on Three Kings. 7 and change. Not really much of a selection, but we knew that going in.
Another HUGE week. Good to get these quality titles stockpiled in stores prior to the holiday rush...
I grabbed:
Toy Story 3
Sound of Music digibook
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Bridge on the River Kwai
The Pacific (actually grabbed it at both Target and Best Buy to get both bonus blus... gotta figure out the best way to dump my extra copy now...)
Will eventually get:
Metallica, etc. Live
Mater's Tall Tales
Picked up my Toy Story 3 today. Went to BB with my coupon and had a little trouble with an uninformed cashier but all was well once he got someone who knew what to do there. My biggest complaint though is that they had all of the combo packs in plastic security cases and half of them had damaged slipcovers. I thought I had grabbed a perfect one, but I just got home and it's got a bend in the bottom. I hate when stores like BB and Target put the Blu's in those cases. Especially ones with slipcovers cuz they all get damaged.
I actually thought The Pacific was pretty boring. I didn't like any of the characters.
In contrast, I've watched Band of Brothers 3 times through and love it.
I've never actually seen The Sound of Music. Maybe I should Netflix it now that it's on Blu-ray. Oh crap, I forgot that Netflix won't get it for a month.
Picked up TS3 this week. Gonna have to wait for the Goonies to go down. As for TS3, easily one of Pixar's best, and one of the best trilogies of all-time (rottentomatoes: 100, 100, 99).
Well...the chatter on this website about Disney Movie Rewards convinced me to set up an account so I could get the TS3 coupon...and I am so glad I did. $18.49 isn't bad for a BD, a BD of Bonus Features, a DVD (which I will give to a friend), and the digital copy (which I will watch on my upcoming flight over Thanksgiving week).
fdm, may I ask the location of your local Borders?
I work near the one in downtown Boston and they have a pretty good selection and usually have most of the latest releases (there are some exceptions). Some of the smaller stores have a much poorer selection. I'm hoping Bridge on the River Kwai makes it into the store soon...
Got TS3 with the coupon
Got SOM at Taget for the Digibook with the coupon
Netflix'd the Pacific (I need to see it first before buying)
and Bridge/Kwai & White X-Mas will wait for hopefully a good Black Friday deal
Toy Story 2 was also rescued to Tim Allen and Tom Hanks from direct to video death when they said the script was too good for a direct to video release. You think that Pixar would be smart enough to realize that Toy Story and direct to video should never be mentioned ever.
and it's amaaaaazing 
