Oz the Great and Powerful is the latest Blu-ray 3D title from Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment, released for a June 11th, 2013.

The film is based on L. Frank Baum’s Oz novels, though it also pays homage to the 1939 MGM film The Wizard Of Oz.

The film is set 20 years before the events of the books, and focuses on Oscar Diggs, who arrives in the Land of Oz and is believed to be the great wizard who is destined to restore order in Oz.

Oz the Great and Powerful 3D the Movie

The films opens in 1905, where Oscar Diggs works as a small-time magician in a traveling circus in Kansas.

While a storm approaches, Oscar’s magic show goes very badly and then the circus strongman learns that Oscar has flirted with his wife.

The strongman chases Oscar, forcing him to escape in a hot air balloon that is sucked into the tornado.

The tornado dumps him in the Land of Oz, where he meets the witch Theodora.

Theodora believes him to be a great wizard prophesied to overthrow the Wicked Witch who killed the king of Oz.

On the way to the Emerald City, Oscar flirts with Theodora, who innocently falls in love with him.

They also meet flying monkey named Finley, who pledges a life debt to Oscar when he saves Finley from a lion.

At the Emerald City, Oscar meets Theadora’s sister Evanora, who is skeptical of Oscar being the foretold wizard.

Evanora tells Oscar that the Wicked Witch resides in the Dark Forest and can be killed by destroying her wand, the source of her power.

On the way to the Dark Forest, Oscar and Finley come across a young, living china doll whose home and family were destroyed by the Wicked Witch.

But things are not all as they seem in Oz, and as the movie plays out, Oscar must decide if he is just a simple magician, or if he is in fact destined to be The Wizard of Oz!

Oz the Great and Powerful had an interesting goal, to be a prequel to one of the most well known films in history.

This new film certainly goes a long way to recreate the Land of Oz, and the story sets the scene pretty much perfectly for the events of the original film.

Again we start with a narrow screen monochrome sequence that opens up to widescreen and glorious ‘Technicolor’ as we explore the Land of Oz.

The film has a pretty good heart, and Oscar certainly has a big character arc, with his strong self interest fading in favour of the greater good of the people of Oz.

The spirit of the original Oz movie has been well captured.

Overall I enjoyed the film, and have new motivation to re-watch the original, which has a 3D release planned for later this year.

The cast includes James Franco in the role of Oscar, along with witches Mila Kunis, Rachel Weisz and Michelle Williams, and voice actors Zach Braff and Joey King.

Oz the Great and Powerful 3D was directed by Sam Raimi, who started out with low budget films like The Evil Dead and Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn, but is probably most famous for his Spider-Man: The High-Definition Trilogy.

Reviews for the movie were predominantly positive, with a Rotten Tomatoes score of 60% and an IMDb score of 6.6/10.

Oz the Great and Powerful 3D was successful in the cinema, exceeding its budget by taking in $233.7M at the US box office.

Oz the Great and Powerful 3D on Blu-ray 3D

The video on the disc is a stereo MVC 1080p encode at 23 Mbps, and is presented in its original aspect ratio of 2.40:1.

The movie opens in black and white 1.33:1 aspect ratio, though is still in 3D.

The film has great saturated colours to align with the original film, and looks excellent throughout.

The 3D stereoscopic effect is also strong throughout, with quite a few out of screen effects

See the details page for Oz the Great and Powerful 3D for full resolution PNG screen captures taken directly from the disc.

The main audio is lossless DTS-HD Master Audio with 7.1 channels – 24 bits resolution at 48 kHz.

The disc is a dual layer BD50, with 44.6 GB used and is coded for All Regions.

Oz the Great and Powerful 3D on Blu-ray 3D – The Bonus Features

This release is different from previous Disney Blu-ray 3D titles in that it does not include the regular Blu-ray or even a DVD of the movie.

It does include a Digital Copy download (there is no Digital Copy disc) that is compatible with  iTunes however.

This omission has two detrimental side effects for the avid film fan.

Firstly there is not a copy of the movie that can be viewed on a regular Blu-ray home theater system.

Many folks have a second or even third television that is not 3D capable and unlike some 3D titles, this Blu-ray 3D disc will not play in a regular player.

So it cannot be watched in other rooms on a regular Blu-ray or DVD based system.

Perhaps the biggest issue from my perspective though is that it appears to completely lack any of the supplemental features of the regular release.

I think that this is a big oversight on Disney’s part.

Still in will be interesting to see how well this packaging sells in the marketplace, and whether Disney continues with this approach for future Blu-ray 3D titles, or whether they go back to making a package that covers all of the formats.

Oz the Great and Powerful 3D on Blu-ray 3D – Final Thoughts

Oz the Great and Powerful 3D is a fun film that has strong ties with the original story and movie.

Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment has put together a technically strong Blu-ray 3D release with an excellent 3D presentation of the film.

On the down side, this release lacks the legacy formats of regular Blu-ray and DVD, and as such no supplements are directly available.

There is a Digital Copy code that can be used to download a Digital Copy of the film that is iTunes compatible.

The retail price is $44.99, though you can get it currently at Amazon for $31.45, saving 30%!

Synopsis:

Disney’s fantastical adventure Oz The Great And Powerful, from the director of the Spider-Man trilogy, follows Oscar Diggs (James Franco), a small-time circus magician with dubious ethics. When Diggs is hurled away to the vibrant Land of Oz, he thinks he’s hit the jackpot – until he meets three witches (Mila Kunis, Rachel Weisz and Michelle Williams), who aren’t convinced he’s the great wizard everyone’s expecting. Reluctantly drawn into epic problems facing Oz and its inhabitants, Oscar must find out who is good and who is evil before it’s too late. Putting his magical arts to use through illusion, ingenuity – and even some wizardry – Oscar transforms himself into the great Wizard and a better man as well.

We have a couple of big Blu-ray 3D releases in the Blu-ray Cover Art Gallery for the week of  June 10th 2013.

First up is the fantasy action movie Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters, along with the Limited 3D Edition of Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters from Paramount Home Entertainment.

Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment has Oz the Great and Powerful this week, also with an Oz the Great and Powerful 3D edition.

Disney also has some new animated double feature releases, including Lilo & Stitch / Lilo & Stitch 2: Stitch Has a Glitch, The Emperor’s New Groove / Kronk’s New Groove, and Atlantis: The Lost Empire / Atlantis: Milo’s Return.

Paul McCartney and Wings feature in Rockshow this week from Eagle Rock Entertainment.

Summit Entertainment has The Rock in his latest movie Snitch this week.

For classic cinema, watch for a new release for Enter the Dragon from Warner Home Video this week, as well as Bergman’s Wild Strawberries from the Criterion Collection, and documentary How to Survive a Plague from MPI Home Video.

Television releases include The Dick Van Dyke Show: The Complete Third Season from Image Entertainment,  The Newsroom: The Complete First Season from HBO Home Video and the Netflix original series House of Cards: The Complete First Season from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.

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The Peter Pan film Return to Never Land was recently announced by Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment for release on Blu-ray Disc August 20th, 2013.

This 2002 animated film was produced by DisneyToon Studios in Australia and released by Walt Disney Pictures worldwide.

The film is a sequel to Peter Pan.

The voice cast includes Harriet Owen, Blayne Weaver, Corey Burton and Jeff Bennett.

Return to Never Land was directed by Robin Budd and Donovan Cook.

The film was met with mixed reviews, with a Rotten Tomatoes score of 45% and an IMDb score of 5.6/10.

Return to Never Land earned $48.4M at the US box office.

Planned features for the disc include an 1080p encode along with lossless DTS-HD Master Audio with 5.1 channels.

The retail price is $36.99, or pre-order it from Amazon for $24.96, saving 33%!

Alternatively you can add it to your Blu-rayStats Wishlist.

Synopsis:

Let your imagination soar as your favorite characters from Peter Pan, Disney’s classic adventure, return to Never Land! Now, for the first time through the magic of Blu-ray, experience all the thrilling action with digitally restored picture and spine-tingling high-definition sound! Wendy’s very practical and no-nonsense daughter, Jane, begins the adventure of a lifetime when the infamous Captain Hook whisks her away to the enchanted island of Never Land. It’s up to Peter Pan, Tinker Bell and the Lost Boys to help Jane believe in faith, trust and pixie dust. With the first-ever Lost Girl at his side, will Peter Pan finally defeat Hook and his swashbuckling band of pirates? Share the power of believing with your family in Return To Never Land—now more spectacular than ever on Disney Blu-ray!

The Muppet Movie has just been announced by Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment for release on Blu-ray Disc August 13th, 2013.

The film is the first of a series of live-action musical feature films starring Jim Henson’s Muppets, who had a popular TV show at the time.

The Muppet Movie was originally released in 1979, and this Blu-ray release is being dubbed ‘The Nearly 35th Anniversary Edition’.

The puppet and voice cast includes Jim Henson, Frank Oz, Jerry Nelson, Richard Hunt, Dave Goelz, Charles Durning and Austin Pendleton.

The Muppet Movie was directed by James Frawley.

The film was loved by critics with a Rotten Tomatoes score of 90% and an IMDb score of 7.6/10.

The Muppet Movie earned $65.2M at the US box office.

Planned features for the disc include an 1080p encode presented at 2.35:1.

The retail price is $26.50, though you can pre-order it from Amazon for $23.84.

Alternatively you can add it to your Blu-rayStats Wishlist.

Synopsis:

Celebrate The Nearly 35th Anniversary of the ultimate frogs-to-riches story with the one that started it all – The Muppet Movie. Laugh along with the mostly-true story of how the Muppets got their start, now for the first time ever in vibrant Blu-ray hi-def picture and sound. From the very first “plunk!” of Kermit’s banjo playing “The Rainbow Connection” (Oscar nominee, Best Original Song, 1979), to they hysterical road trip that brings our fearless frog together with Fozzie, Gonzo, Animal, and most importantly of all, Miss Piggy, join the jam-packed heartwarming hilarity, outrageous antics and big-shot Hollywood cameos. it’s bursting with hilarious bonus extras including an all-new Frog-E-Oke sing-along with your favorite Muppet songs. As Kermit and the gang sing – “Life’s like a movie!” Make The Muppet Movie part of your family, and have the time of your life as the Muppets share laughter and fun with “the Lovers, the Dreamers…and You.”

Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment will continue its releases of classic animation with the August 6th, 2013 arrival of The Sword in the Stone on Blu-ray Disc.

This will be the 50th Anniversary year for The Sword in the Stone, which was originally released to theaters through Buena Vista on December 25, 1963.

The film is the 18th in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series, and it was the last Disney animated film released before Walt Disney passed away.

The voice cast includes Karl Swenson, Junius Matthews, Sebastian Cabot, Norman Alden and Martha Wentworth.

The Sword in the Stone was directed by Wolfgang Reitherman, who was also behind films like The Aristocats, The Rescuers, and The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh.

Reviews for the film were predominantly positive, with a Rotten Tomatoes score of 74%, and an IMDb score of 7.1/10.

Planned features for the disc include an 1080p encode presented at 1.75:1, along with lossless DTS-HD Master Audio with 5.1 channels.

The retail price is $36.99, or pre-order it from Amazon for $25.89, saving 30%!

Alternatively you can add it to your Blu-rayStats Wishlist.

Synopsis:

Disney proudly presents the 50th anniversary edition of a spellbinding and beloved animated classic. Conjure up magical family fun with the humor, adventure and Academy Award-nominated music (Best Score – Adaptation or Treatment, 1963) of The Sword In The Stone – now on Blu-ray Combo Pack for the first time ever! Take an amazing journey with a young orphan named “Wart” and the extraordinary wizard Merlin. According to legend, only someone with the purest character and inner strength can pull the enchanted sword from the stone and claim the throne of England. Armed with new found confidence and the power of friendship, Wart discovers his destiny and learns the best magic is the kind you find inside yourself!

A great week for Gangster movies in the Blu-ray Cover Art Gallery for the week of May 20th.

Top title is the latest season of True Blood: The Complete Fifth Season from HBO Home Video.

Warner Home Video has quite a collection of titles this week, including the new movie Beautiful Creatures.

Lots of classic crime titles too, with the Ultimate Gangsters Collection: Classics, along with individual releases for White Heat, The Public Enemy, The Petrified Forest and Little Caesar.

There is also an Ultimate Gangsters Collection: Contemporary edition and a new anniversary edition of National Lampoon’s Vacation.

Great to see Warner re-releasing some of the earlier titles that didn’t get the best initial Blu-ray treatment this month.

Lionsgate Home Entertainment has new titles too with Arnold Schwarzenegger’s The Last Stand and Stand Up Guys out this week.

Jason Statham fans will like his new film Parker from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment this week.

Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment has a couple of key new Anime titles - My Neighbor Totoro and Howl’s Moving Castle.

Universal Studios Home Entertainment has the Steven Soderbergh movie Side Effects out this week, and the Criterion Collection has Medium Cool this week.

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Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment has dug into their action comedy catalog for a double feature release of Shanghai Noon and Shanghai Knights, new to Blu-ray on May 7th, 2013.

The films were part of Jackie Chans’ move to Hollywood films, and take the Chinese style Kung Fu movie into a Western movie environment.

Of course Jackie also brings his own brand of humour into these action films as well, along with co-star Owen Wilson.

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August 27th, 2013 will mark the arrival of the classic animated movie The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh on Blu-ray from Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment Blu-ray.

The was originally released in March 1977 and is the 22nd animated feature in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series.

The voice cast includes Sterling Holloway, John Fiedler, Junius Matthews, Paul Winchell, Howard Morris, Bruce Reitherman, Jon Walmsley and Timothy Turner.

The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh was directed by John Lounsbery and Wolfgang Reitherman, who were behind other films including The Rescuers and The Aristocats.

The film has a very strong critical reception, with a Rotten Tomatoes score of 91% and an IMDb score of 7.6/10.

Planned features for the disc include an 1080p encode presented at 1.66:1 and Disney Enhanced Home Theater audio (probably DTS-HD Master Audio).

The retail price is $36.99, or pre-order it from Amazon for $25.89, saving 30%!

Alternatively you can add it to your Blu-rayStats Wishlist.

Extras:

• Disney Intermission – Press “pause” during the movie and find out what happens! The narrator invites younger viewers to play along with the Hundred Acre Wood friends in a variety of engaging activities.
• Pooh Play-Along – In this bonus feature, the narrator invites viewers to play along with Pooh and his friends.
• 5 “Mini Adventures of Winnie the Pooh” Shorts: “If I Wasn’t So Small,” “Piglet’s Drawings,” “The Expedition,” “Geniuses” & “The Honey Song”
• “A Day for Eeyore” – Classic Animated Short
• “The Story Behind the Masterpiece” – Making of Featurette
• “The Winnie the Pooh Theme Song” – Performed by Carly Simon

Synopsis:

Experience the very first time Tigger “pounces” Pooh; laugh out loud when Pooh’s rumbly tumbly gets him stuck in a hilariously sticky situation… All your favorite Hundred Acre Wood characters come alive in this timeless motion picture overflowing with rich animation, masterful storytelling and unforgettable songs. Stuffed with extraordinary bonus features including the beloved theatrical short film “A Day For Eeyore,” five “Mini Adventures Of Winnie The Pooh” shorts, Disney’s groundbreaking “Intermission” activity and much more, The Many Adventures Of Winnie The Pooh: The Original Classic will make fans of all ages shout “Hip Hip Pooh-Ray!”

A ton of new releases in the Blu-ray Cover Art Gallery for the week of the 6th of May.

Top title is the crime thriller Jack Reacher starring Tom Cruise from Paramount Home Entertainment.

MGM Home Entertainment has the classic war film The Great Escape this week.

Warner Home Video has a huge slate of titles this week, including  Fringe: The Complete Fifth Season the full series collection with Fringe: The Complete Series.

Warner also has a huge collection of Steelbook releases this week for their top titles, including Watchmen, Batman , and Batman Returns, and Paramount titles including Gladiator, Chinatown, and Face/Off.

Warner also has a catalog release for An Officer and a Gentleman.

Fox Home Entertainment has the new release Safe Haven this week, along with catalog titles like The Verdict and One Hour Photo.

Also watch for thriller Mama from Universal Studios Home Entertainment, along with catalog releases In the Name of the Father and Hitchcock movies Shadow of a Doubt and Saboteur this week.

Lionsgate Home Entertainment has their first 3D conversion release with Gamer 3D this week.

Indie releases include Upstream Color from New Video DVD, Goddard’s Band of Outsiders from Criterion Collection.

Echo Bridge Home Entertainment has a wide range of Miramax catalog titles this week too, including The Grifters , The Hoax , Fresh , Heaven , and Steven Soderbergh’s Full Frontal.

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The Blu-ray Cover Art Gallery for the week of April Fools Day is a little on the light weight side.

The top titles this week come from Fox Home Entertainment, with the ‘epic miniseries’ The Bible and catalog releases for That Thing You Do! and Hello Dolly!.

Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment has put together a 6 movie Blu-ray 3D and Blu-ray collection – the Marvel Cinematic Universe: Phase One – Avengers Assembled – that also features a new supplemental disc.

On the indie side, look for John Dies at the End from Magnolia Home Entertainment, British crime movie The Sweeney from Entertainment One and the Japanese horror Tormented 3D in the Blu-ray 3D format from Well Go USA.

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