‘Wreck-It Ralph,’ ‘Schindler’s List’ on Blu-ray among new releases

3/7/2013
BY RICH HELDENFELS
AKRON BEACON JOURNAL
A scene from the animated film 'Wreck-it Ralph' featuring the voice of John C. Reilly as Ralph, left.
A scene from the animated film 'Wreck-it Ralph' featuring the voice of John C. Reilly as Ralph, left.

The world of video games has inspired quite a few movies, but it’s hard to think of one as clever as Wreck-It Ralph.

The tale of a video-game villain who wants to be seen as good received overwhelmingly positive reviews, did relatively well at the box office, and was nominated for an Academy Award for best animated feature. (Brave won the Oscar.) The more than able voice cast includes John C. Reilly, Jane Lynch, Sarah Silverman, and Ed O’Neill. The pace is good, and the visuals (especially in Blu-ray) work nicely, particularly when they are used to contrast the styles of different video games.

It became available Tuesday on a standard DVD (Disney, $29.99), a Blu-ray/ DVD combo ($39.99), and a combo adding the 3-D version and a digital copy ($49.99). Extras include deleted and alternate scenes, commercials for video games featured in the movie, and Paperman, which won the animated short-film Oscar. (The combo with the 3-D Ralph also includes a 3-D version of Paperman.)

Also on Tuesday Steven Spielberg’s classic Schindler’s List was released in a restored, 20th-anniversary set (Universal, $34.98 Blu-ray/ DVD/ digital combo, $22.98 DVD/ digital set). One of Spielberg’s greatest films, it is also a thematic companion to his Saving Private Ryan, particularly on the question of sacrifice for others. Oskar Schindler (Liam Neeson, in his best performance) is confronted not only by what he has done, but also whether he could have done more to save Jews from the nightmares of the Holocaust; Private Ryan ends on the question of how people must live to justify others’ sacrifice on their behalf.

The restoration, at least on Blu-ray, is excellent. The extras on the set are from previous releases.

The third-season premiere of Duck Dynasty did extraordinary numbers for A&E, reportedly topping even some broadcast-network shows among young-adult viewers. You can backtrack on the beard-laden phenomenon with Tuesday’s release of Duck Dynasty: Season 2 Volume 1 (Lionsgate, 13 episodes, $19.98 standard DVD). Extras include nine bonus scenes that have not been televised.

Also of note: Tristana, the classic by Luis Bunuel, arrives on DVD (Cohen, $19.98 DVD, $24.98 Blu-ray) in a restored version and package that also includes a booklet, an alternate ending and commentary including Catherine Deneuve, who starred in the movie. The booklet also has selections from a diary Deneuve kept while making the film, about the dueling (and damaging) relationship between a young woman (Deneuve) and an older man (Fernando Rey) who becomes her guardian and her seducer. I saw this the first time when I was in college; it, and especially Deneuve’s performance, has stayed with me ever since.

In case you’re looking for Oscar winners … Argo, winner of the Academy Award for both best picture and best adapted screenplay (by Chris Terrio), is currently available on Blu-ray and DVD. So is a documentary feature Searching for Sugar Man. Life of Pi, from best-director winner Ang Lee, will be on DVD, Blu-ray, and 3-D Blu-ray on Tuesday. Django Unchained (best supporting actor, Christoph Waltz, and original screenplay, Quentin Tarantino) arrives April 16, Les Miserables (best supporting actress, Anne Hathaway) is due March 22. Lincoln, with best actor Daniel Day-Lewis, still has not announced a release date, nor has Silver Linings Playbook (best actress, Jennifer Lawrence).

Down video road

The Sandlot will be released in a 20th-anniversary Blu-ray/ DVD package March 26. The third and fourth seasons of Felicity, the drama series starring The Americans’ Keri Russell, will be reissued May 7.