Ever since Oscar nominations were first announced, people have been buzzing about the Ben Affleck snub. Not to worry; he probably doesn't have the shelf space anyway. The actor/director has been been sweeping up every award since those announcements.
This week, you can decide for yourself who got it right; Argo is coming to Blu-ray. "In the event that it wasn't already blaringly obvious that Mr. Affleck is a force in Hollywood, the cast of Argo underlines it," said our own Mark Grady in his theatrical review.
If you're not interested in the potential Best Picture winner, this week also has a pair of 3D releases, the second season of a monster HBO hit, and the defunct Battlestar Galactica spinoff.
Did we miss one of your favorites for the week? Have something to say about one of this week's new releases? Sound off in the comments below. Otherwise, all of these titles are out as of February 19, 2013, except where noted. Enjoy!
Argo
Ben Affleck still can't seem to escape those Gigli jokes. However, we're guessing he can find solace in the many awards he's picked up for this movie. Based on the real-life events of the Iran hostage crisis, Affleck stars and directs a stellar cast, which includes Bryan Cranston, John Goodman and Alan Arkin.
Argo has swept up a lot of awards this season. Now, Warner Bros. is giving this critically acclaimed film a Blu-ray right before the big show -- next week's Oscars. Expect a spot-on 2.40:1 image, a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track, a standard-def DVD and an UltraViolet Digital Copy. The 2-disc set also has an impressive set of extras, including a trio of shorts, an audio commentary and the documentary, "Escape from Iran: The Hollywood Option." The best of the bunch, however, is a picture-in-picture commentary titled, "Eyewitness Account." [Warner Bros.]
Monsters Inc. 3D
Before you start cursing Disney for what appears to be a double-dip, know that Pixar has added 3D to this classic -- and it works. Of course, it doesn't hurt that the film has a ton of colorful characters, hilarious situations, and the voices of John Goodman, Billy Crystal and Steve Buscemi.
Disney released a Monsters, Inc. Blu-ray back in 2009. The new 5-disc 3D set includes a stellar 1.78:1 image, Dolby Digital EX 5.1 audio, and a brand new Dolby TrueHD 7.1 track. The number of extras included is truly mind-boggling. It should also be familiar to anyone that owns the 2D Blu-ray. However, there are some new tidbits here, including the Toy Story-based short Partysaurus Rex, as well as a few 3D extras. [Disney]
Game of Thrones: The Complete Second Season
The insanely popular HBO show's second season scooped up six Emmys and a ton of new fans. Based on George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire, this season finds the Iron Throne occupied by Joffrey Baratheon, with his mother Cersei and uncle Tyrion in the fray. That said, the Lannister hold on the Throne is under assault on many fronts. Also, a new leader is rising in the wildlings outside the Great Wall, adding new perils for Jon Snow and the order of the Night's Watch.
HBO is giving this season a 7-disc release. Two of those discs spread the season across two double-sided DVDs. The remaining five Blu-rays have the season's 10 episodes with a 1.78:1 image and a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track. There are also tons of special features, including 12 audio commentaries, 19 animated histories, shorts on the actors and characters, an in-episode guide, "War of the Five Kings," plenty of hidden dragon eggs, and more. [HBO]
Top Gun 3D
Almost 27 years after Tom Cruise first took to the friendly skies, Paramount wants you to ride into the danger zone one more time -- and in 3D. The late Tony Scott directed this adrenaline-filled tale about hotshot Navy flyboy Pete "Maverick" Mitchell (Cruise), his days in the Top Gun school, and his love affair with an instructor (Kelly McGillis). The film is known for its action, its very '80s soundtrack and its cast, which includes Val Kilmer, Anthony Edwards, Meg Ryan, Tom Skerritt, Michael Ironside, and Tim Robbins.
Adding 3D into the equation has given this 2.35:1 image a decent amount of pop. However, the best thing about this new release is its room-shaking audio options, which includes both Dolby TrueHD 5.1 and DTS-HD Master Audio 6.1 tracks. Otherwise, the release picks up all of the 2D Blu-ray's extras, including a making-of featurette, videos, storyboards and a selection of other featurettes, as well as a Cruise-free audio commentary. The 2-disc collection also has a Digital Copy and an option for an UltraViolet Digital Copy. [Paramount]
On the Waterfront
He wasn't just a contender and wasn't just somebody; Marlon Brando was an Oscar winner for this 1954 drama. Brando took home the award for his portrayal of a boxer/dockworker who knows a little too much about the mob business. The film won a total of eight Academy Awards, including one for director Elia Kazan, one for supporting actress Eva Marie Saint, and one for Best Picture.
In other words, it was about time that this one got a Criterion release. It was certainly worth the wait, with 1.33:1, 1.66:1 and 1.85:1 versions of the film offering both DTS-HD 5.1 and PCM 1.0 audio tracks. The 2-disc set also has a great selection of extras, including separate documentaries on the film and Kazan, audio commentary, a talk with Martin Scorsese and critic Kent Jones, several new interviews, and more. [Criterion]
Battlestar Galactica: Blood & Chrome
SyFy was hoping that lightning would strike twice, launching another Battlestar-based series. However, Blood & Chrome never made it to air and the network instead launched it as a web series. Now, Universal has collected the shorts into one movie. This prequel takes place during the first Cylon war, with Luke Pasqualino (The Borgias) as a young Captain William Adama.
Universal delivers this spin-off with a 1.78:1 image, a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track, a standard-def DVD, a Digital Copy and an UltraViolet Digital Copy. Otherwise, expect the 2-disc set to include deleted scenes and a short on the special effects. [Universal]
Anna Karenina
Leo Tolstoy's classic comes to the screen -- again. This time, Keira Knightley stars in the title role. Set in Imperial Russia 1874, Anna is part of a tragic (but not too shabby) love triangle, which includes Jude Law and Aaron Taylor-Johnson. Kelly Macdonald, Matthew Macfadyen, Olivia Williams and Emily Watson also star.
No matter how you feel about Tolstoy or period movies, know that Anna Karenina is a truly stunning Blu-ray. Nominated for several Oscars for AV achievements, the Blu-ray has a 2.40:1 image, a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track, and shorts on Tolstoy, the costumes, the director, and more. The 2-disc set also includes a standard-def DVD, Digital Copy and UltraViolet Digital Copy. [Universal]
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