Finally, a smaller week of new Blu-ray releases! But the good stuff this week is actually great. There aren’t a whole lot of clunkers in the mix. Aside from my Top 5, there’s also a reissue of Pixar‘s Cars, a boxed set of Harry Potter‘s and a pricey wooden box of Sharpe episodes on Blu ($350?! Really?! I love just about everything Sean Bean but I’ll wait for the single disc releases of these, thank you very much.) Also, take note that the Battle Beyond the Stars Blu-ray is nowhere to be found on the Shout Factory website nor can I find an official announcement about the disc anywhere, though it’s clear it’s headed to shops soon (UPDATE: Shout! Factory has now confirmed a July release date). I have a feeling Amazon just jumped the gun and listed it for release today. I’ve included it below just in case…

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1. HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS PART 1

“Harry, Ron and Hermione set out on their perilous mission to track down and destroy the secret to Voldemort’s immortality and destruction – the Horcruxes. On their own and on the run, the three friends must now rely on one another more than ever…but Dark Forces in their midst threaten to tear them apart. Meanwhile the wizarding world has become a dangerous place. The long-feared war has begun and the Dark Lord has seized control of the Ministry of Magic and even Hogwarts, terrorizing and arresting all who might oppose him. The Chosen One has become the hunted one as the Death Eaters search for Harry with orders to bring him to Voldemort…alive. “

Um, do I even need to say anything here? New Harry-effing-Potter on Blu-ray! This might not be a gigantic, deluxe Ultimate Collector’s Edition set but armed with a killer hi-def transfer, Maximum Movie Mode and tons of other special features this bad boy is pretty tough to pass up this week. I don’t know about you, but I’m going to want to brush up on my Part 1 before hitting the theatres to take in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 on July 15 (and if you can’t wait that long, you can watch a sneak peek of the next film on this Blu-ray).

The only real bad news about this release is that you’ll have to wait until later this week, Friday the 15th to be exact, to get your hands on it.

Special Features:

• Maximum Movie Mode: join host Jason Isaacs (Lucius Malfoy), and other members of the cast and crew, on an interactive journey through Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1. Plus, revisit important moments from the previous films to prepare for the final battle that takes place in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2.
• Exclusive sneak peek of a scene from the upcoming film Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2
• Dan, Rupert and Emma’s Running Competition: while filming the escape scene from the Snatchers in Swinley Forest, Dan, Rupert and Emma engage in a little competition of their own. With colorful commentary by Director David Yates, see the competitive spirit on set and this hilarious rivalry between the three leads.
• The Seven Harrys: see how Daniel Radcliffe recreated the personalities of the different characters that transform into Harrys in the Privet Drive scene.
• On the Green with Rupert, Tom, Oliver and James: accompany Rupert Grint (Ron Weasley), Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy), Oliver Phelps (George Weasley) and James Phelps (Fred Weasley) for a round of golf and get a glimpse into their 10-year friendship that developed while making the Harry Potter films.
• The Wizarding World of Harry Potter Promotional Trailer: join Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson and other cast members from the Harry Potter films on their first visit to the Grand Opening of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
• Additional scenes
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1: Behind the Soundtrack

AMAZON: $22.99

2. LE CERCLE ROUGE and WHITE MATERIAL

Criterion is releasing two brilliant French films on Blu-ray today – one, a classic heist film from 1970 and the other, a modern look at the fall of European colonialism in Africa through the eyes of a woman who risks everything by refusing to let go. Both Jean-Pierre Melville‘s Le Cercle Rouge and Claire Denis‘ White Material have received boffo transfers from Criterion, making the former an easy upgrade from the previously available DVD and the latter and must-have on Blu. I’ve got a lengthy review of the Melville up now, so check it out for more detail on the disc. I’ll update this blurb with a link to the White Material review as soon as I get it posted.

READ MORE: Le Cercle Rouge Blu-ray Disc Review

AMAZON: $27.99 each

3. THE INCREDIBLES

“Known to the world as superheroes, Mr. Incredible and Elastigirl, Bob Parr and his wife Helen were among the world’s greatest crime fighters, saving lives and battling evil on a daily basis. Fifteen years later, they have been forced to adopt civilian identities and retreat to the suburbs to live “normal” lives with their three kids, Violet, Dash, and Jack-Jack. Itching to get back into action, Bob gets his chance when a mysterious communication summons him to a remote island for a top secret assignment. He soon discovers that it will take a super family effort to rescue the world from total destruction. “

How do you review Pixar’s The Incredibles on Blu-ray without saying over and over again that it looks incredible and sounds incredible and the sheer amount of special features on the discs is… well, you get the idea. This Blu-ray is a no-brainer. It just looks stunning, zapped onto disc straight from the digital source files. And it sounds equally as amazing, sporting one of the most robust and active DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 ES I’ve had the pleasure to lay ears on. Special features are way (read: way way way) too numerous to mention here but rest assured, DVD owners won’t feel hosed when updating to Blu. Along with all the extras from the DVD, you’ll find brand new content including the fantastic ‘The Incredibles Revisited: Filmmaker Roundtable‘ – a 22-minute sit-down with the folks responsible for making the film, looking back on the struggles to bring it to the big screen.

AMAZON: $24.99

4. FAREWELL

“In 1981, Colonel Grigoriev of the KGB (real name – Vladimir Vetrov), disenchanted with what the Communist ideal has become under Brezhnev, decides he is going to change the world…

Discreetly, he makes contact with a French engineer working for Thomson in Moscow and little by little passes on documents to him – mainly concerning the United States – containing information which would constitute the most important Cold War espionage operation known to date.

“

The third French film on the list this week, Farewell is probably the one that’s going to slip through the cracks, going unnoticed. But I’m here to tell you, you’re really missing out by not giving this film a chance. Director Christian Carion (Joyeux Noel, Une hirondelle a fait le printemps) delivers a subtle, smart espionage thriller that really takes its time ratcheting up the tension. This isn’t a spy adventure in the James Bond sense, but a quiet story about a disenchanted man with little to lose, attempting to change his world and the chaos those efforts bring to his innocent contact and family.

The cinematography by Walther van den Ende (Farinelli, No Man’s Land) is arresting. Beautiful. And is well translated to Blu-ray in a transfer that retains detail while often looking quite soft (an artistic choice in this case). The French language DTS HD 5.1 audio track is clean and clear, with a lot of open space for Clint Mansell‘s dreamy, tense score to breath (listen for hints of The Fountain score through the music in the closing credits.) It’s a shame that there aren’t any special features on this disc. It could really use a little documentary, a commentary track or even some text to help put the events of the film into context. I’m sure everyone would appreciate a little brush-up on their Cold War history, right?

AMAZON: $29.99

5. MARWENCOL

“Outside a small bar in Kingston, NY, Mark Hogancamp was beaten nearly to death, his memories wiped away. Seeking recovery, he builds Marwencol, a miniature World War II-era town filled with doll versions of his friends, fantasies, and even his attackers. As he documents the town’s dramas with his camera, the dolls become living characters in an epic tale of love, adventure, resurrection and revenge. When his photos are discovered by the art world, Mark is suddenly forced to choose between the safety of his imaginary world and the real world he s avoided since the attack. Winner of over a dozen awards, including two Independent Spirit Awards and Best Documentary of the Year from Boston Society of Film Critics.“

Marwencol was one of the finest documentaries of the past year and makes its way to Blu today in a feature-packed edition. Don’t get too excited about the transfer on this bad boy as much of the source material is ugly interlaced video. It is what it is. As rough as the video might look, the stills are pixel perfect in 1080p. The really good stuff here is the abundance of extra goodies on the disc, including eight additional Marwencol story sequences, deleted scenes, Mark Hogancamp’s reaction to the film, an introduction by film critic Elvis Mitchell and a lot more.

AMAZON: $31.49

ALSO AVAILABLE ON BLU-RAY THIS WEEK
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