BluTuesday - March 26, 2013
Hey, y’all! Joseph here, and I’m taking a break from watching my NCAA Tournament brackets explode to give you the newest Bluray releases for March 26, 2013. This week’s episode features the great President, dinosaurs, a princess and a commoner, a very devious family, and a “great” Vice President. All buckled up? Let’s get this show on the road.
Lincoln (PG-13)
Rotten Tomatoes rating: 89%
Capturing the danger and excitement of political intrigue, Steven Spielberg’s Lincoln chronicles the final four months in the life of the man regarded as America’s greatest President. Starring Academy Award winner Daniel Day-Lewis in the title role, the untold story focuses on a defining moment in Abraham Lincoln’s life - as commander-in-chief of a country in chaos; as a husband and father afraid of losing his own son to the war; and as a man guided by his conscience to end slavery. With the Civil War nearing conclusion, President Lincoln fights to convince a fractious Congress to pass a Constitutional amendment that will change the course of history. Facing fierce opposition, he wages a battle of strategy, persuasion, and political muscle to build a coalition out of his team of rivals. This film comes in a four disc Bluray/DVD + Digital Copy version, a two disc Bluray/DVD version, and a single disc DVD version. This is one you have to see at least once in your life, and it’s my pick of the week.
Jurassic Park: 20th Anniversary Edition (PG-13)
Rotten Tomatoes rating: 90%
Sidenote: This movie is 20 years old?! Good grief! Okay…back to the review in progress. On a remote island where an amazing theme park with living cloned dinosaurs is located, five people must battle to survive among the prehistoric predators when the security system breaks down and the beasts are released from their enclosures. All three films in the series are being released on Bluray, but this is the best one, so this is the one you get. This new release comes in a two disc Bluray/DVD + Digital Copy + UltraViolet Digital Copy set. I love this movie; it’s great fun, and – if you don’t have a copy of this already – this is the quintessential copy to pick up.
A Royal Affair (R)
Rotten Tomatoes rating: 89%
“A Royal Affair” is the true story of an ordinary man who wins the queen’s heart and starts a revolution. Centering on the intriguing love triangle between the ever more insane Danish King Christian VII (Mikkel Boe Følsgaard), the royal physician who is a man of enlightenment and idealism Struensee (Mads Mikkelsen) and the young but strong Queen Caroline Mathilda (Alicia Vikander), “A Royal Affair” is the gripping tale of brave idealists who risk everything in the pursuit of freedom for their people…and above all, it is the story of a passionate and forbidden romance that changed an entire nation. This film – nominated for an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film – comes in both a single disc Bluray version and a single disc DVD version. This is a beautiful film to watch, from the actors to the scenery. At the very least, it’s worth a rental to see for yourself.
The Borgias: The Second Season
The Borgias is a one-hour drama series based on the infamous Italian Renaissance family The Borgias. Jeremy Irons stars as Rodrigo Borgia, the cunning, manipulative patriarch of The Borgia family who ascends to the highest circles of power within Renaissance-era Italy. The series begins as the family’s patriarch Rodrigo becomes Pope, propelling him, his two Machiavellian sons Cesare and Juan, and his scandalously beautiful daughter, Lucrezia, to become the most powerful and influential family of the Italian Renaissance. And all the power and influence eventually leads to their demise. At this time, the only listings for this series show that it will be released in a three disc Bluray set. I love Jeremy Irons; I loved him in “The Man in the Iron Mask,” and I loved him in “Die Hard With a Vengeance.” Just for that alone, I’ll be watching this.
Veep: The Complete First Season
Former senator Selina Meyer (Julia Louis-Dreyfuss) was a rising star in her party and a charismatic leader who seemed to have unlimited potential. Some pundits thought she might even occupy the White House someday. Then she became vice president. Veep follows the whirlwind day-to-day existence of Vice President Meyer as she puts out political fires, juggles a busy public schedule and demanding private life, and defends the president’s interests, even as she tries to improve her dysfunctional relationship with the chief executive. I know for a fact that this series comes in a three disc Bluray/DVD Combo + Digital Copy set; after that is a mystery. I’m not a huge fan of Julia Louis-Dreyfuss; never got into Seinfeld, so I don’t have any basis for her comedy chops. That being said, I’m willing to try anything once, so I’d be willing to watch this and judge it on its merits.
This wraps up another week of Bluray releases. Got any questions or comments? Did you see something I missed? Feel free to hit me up in the comments section below.
Until next time…
