Blu-Ray Reviews: Saving Private Ryan and Minority Report!

Saving Private Ryan
Written by: Robert Rodat
Directed by:  Steven Spielberg
Starring: Tom Hanks, Tom Sizemore, Edward Burns, Barry Pepper, Adam Goldberg, Vin Diesel, Giovanni Ribisi, Jeremy Davies, Matt Damon, Ted Danson, Paul Giamatti, and Dennis Farina (pay attention and you'll see Bryan Cranston and Nathan Fillion too!)
Special Features:  Introduction from Steven Spielberg, Featurettes: Looking Into the Past, Miller and his Platoon, Boot Camp, Music and Sound, Parting Thoughts, Re-creating Omaha Beach, Making
Saving Private Ryan,  Into The Breach: Saving Private Ryan, Theatrical and Rerelease Trailers in HD, and Shooting War: WWII Combat Photographers; hosted by Tom Hanks

From the box:

Internationally acclaimed by critics and audiences alike, Saving Private Ryan, directed by Steven Spielberg, is an unforgettable film achievement that has had a profound and lasting impact throughout the world.  Winner of five Academy Awards - including Best Director (Spielberg) - Saving Private Ryan also garnered two Golden Globe Awards for Best Motion Picture (Drama) and Best Director.

Seen through the eyes of a squad of American soldiers, the story begins with World War II's historic D-Day invasion, then moves beyond the beach as the men embark on a dangerous special mission.  Captain John Miller (Tom Hanks) must take his men behind enemy lines to find Private James Ryan (Matt Damon), whose three brothers have been killed in combat. Faced with impossible odds, the men question their orders: Why are eight men risking their lives to save just one? Surrounded by the brutal realities of war, each man searches for his own answer - and the strength to triumph over an uncertain future with honor, decency, and respect.

It is considered, by many people, to be one of the greatest war films of all time and finally, Steven Spielberg's epic Saving Private Ryan has arrived in High Definition Blu-Ray.

With superior picture and sound, Saving Private Ryan is a sight to behold on the format.  It's simply stunning. The opening scenes alone are mind blowing.  You;ll think bullets are zipping past your head as you watch.

The film is just as poignant and important as when it was first released.  A technical marvel, an emotional, touching, and nerve-wracking experience.  Saving Private Ryan is Spielberg at his best.

The cast is fantastic top to bottom. The picture is just jaw=dropping and the sound, well, you just have to sit there and experience it to believe it.

The two disc set includes numerous riveting special features related to both the film and the War itself including behind the scenes featurettes, trailers, and a fascinating documentary on WWII Combat Photographers hosted by Tom Hanks.

You may have heard that recently this release was recalled due to a glitch in production. Paramount has bent over backwards to ensure that anyone who purchased the original recalled disc is able to exchange it and get the best possible Blu-ray experience. If you head out and purchase this film, as you should, make sure there is a yellow barcode. If you've already purchased it and do not have the yellow bar code, check the instructions after the Rawr!

If there is any film that is a must own on Blu-ray it is Saving Private Ryan.  It's films like this that prove just how great this format really is.

Saving Private Ryan is available now.


Minority Report
Written by: Scott Frank and John Cohen  Based upon the Short Story by Philip K. Dick
Directed by Steven Spielberg
Starring: Tom Cruise, Colin Farrell, Samantha Morton and Max Von Sydow
Special Features: Featurettes: The Future According to Steven Spielberg, Inside the World of Precrime, Philip K. Dick, Stephen Spielberg and Minority Report, Minority Report: Future Realized, Minority Report: Props of the Future, Highlights from Minority Report:From The Set, Minority Report: Commercials of the Future, PreViz sequences, and more.


From the box:

Tom Cruise, Colin Farrell, and Max von Sydow star in this explosive, action-packed sci-fi thriller from acclaimed director Steven Spielberg! Experience the excitement of Minority Report like never before with this all-new Blu-ray edition packed with hours of special features and presented with a stunning high-definition picture and sound.  When pre-crime detective John Anderton (Cruise) is identified as a future murderer, he must race against his own specialized police department and time itself to prove his innocence of a crime he has yet to commit!

I loved this movie when it was released. I was super excited to see it and enjoyed every second of it.  A few years later, I love it just as much as then.  It's such a great ride.

Seeing the film on Blu-ray is like seeing it for the first time.  The picture is flawless and the sound is so rich and deep.  The set is jammed with features including several behind the scenes featurettes and much more.

This is certainly one of my favorite Spielberg flicks.  It hits every mark perfectly and is one hell of a fun flick to watch. Spielberg has crafted some gorgeous action sequences with effects that are off the charts.

The acting is great with everyone from Tom Cruise on down giving us strong performances and creating believable and life-like characters.

The story is still fascinating to me.  The idea of detecting crime before it is committed is extraordinarily intriguing. Is that something in our future? Who knows.

What I do know is that this is a fantastic movie that is even better on Blu-ray and has a rightful place on your shelf.

Both of these great Steven Spielberg classics, Saving Private Ryan and Minority Report, are available now.


Click the Rawr! for information regarding the Recall of the Saving Private Ryan Blu-ray.

HOLLYWOOD, CA (May 12, 2010) - Paramount Home Entertainment today announced that it is recalling the Sapphire Series Blu-ray edition of Saving Private Ryan recently released in North America, the United Kingdom and the Benelux countries due to an audio synch error that occurred during Technicolor’s authoring process. Although Technicolor employs comprehensive quality control measures, in this instance the issue was not detected prior to replication.

"Technicolor has been a valuable partner to Paramount Home Entertainment, and both Paramount and Technicolor are committed to providing the highest quality product to consumers," said Dennis Maguire, President, Paramount Pictures Home Entertainment Worldwide. "Our Sapphire Series was created to present our greatest films with the finest picture and sound quality available. Saving Private Ryan is a five time Academy Award® winning film including Best Director from one of America’s most acclaimed filmmakers so we are recalling this edition to ensure that every Blu-ray disc honors Steven Spielberg’s vision."

Technicolor has set up the following toll-free numbers for consumers who have already purchased the Saving Private Ryan Sapphire Series Blu-ray, which provides details on how they can receive a replacement copy -- US and Canada: 888-370-8621, UK: 08000-852-613. Consumers can also return the Blu-ray to the stores where they purchased the product to receive a replacement. Technicolor expects to have replacement discs available at retail no later than Tuesday, May 18.