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A Stained Glass Christmas with Heavenly Carols (Widescreen) [Blu-ray]

Clare Swindlehurst — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 12:34:21 +0000

This unprecedented Christmas release features high definition views of the world's most beautiful stained glass Nativity artwork, holiday scenery and churches accompanied by more than 150 minutes of the season's most treasured Christmas songs by choirs, symphonies, and soloists - all in Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound and shot in 1080i HD. This release features two soundtracks - one of 25 selected Christmas carols and the other of highlights of Handel's Messiah. SOUNDTRACK ONE: CHRISTMAS CAROLS 1. Joy to the World 2. Silent Night 3. The First Noel 4. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing 5. O Come, All Ye Faithful 6. Away In A Manger 7. Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring 8. Sans Day Carol 9. Mary Had a Baby 10. Bring a Torch Jeneatte & Isabella 11. O Holy Night 12. I Saw Three Ships 13. Unto Us Is Born A Son 14. Good King Wenceslas 15. Nativity Carol 16. Ave Maria 17. In Dulci Jubilo (Christ Was Born For This) 18. O Come, O Come Emmanuel 19. Oh Little Town Of Bethlehem 20. It Came Upon A Midnight Clear 21. Here We Come A Caroling 22. Greensleeves (What Child Is This?) 23. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen 24. Angles We Have Heard On High SOUNDTRACK TWO: HIGHLIGHTS FROM HANDEL'S MESSIAH 1. Hallelujah! 2. Overture 3. Comfort Ye 4. Every Valley 5. And the Glory of the Lord 6. Thus Saith the Lord of Hosts 7. But Who May Abide 8. Behold! A Virgin Shall Conceive 9. O Thou That Tellest Good Tidings to Zion 10. He Shall Feed His Flock 11. I Know that My Redeemer Liveth 12. For Unto Us a Child is Born 13. And Suddenly There Was With The Angel a Multitude 14. Glory to God 15. Rejoice Greatly, O Daughter of Zion 16. His Yoke is Easy 17. Behold! The Lamb of God 18. All We, Like Sheep 19. Hallelujah! 20. The Trumpet Shall Sound 21. Amen

Mr Magoo’s Christmas Carol [Blu-ray]

Clare Swindlehurst — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 05:12:46 +0000


Studio: Uni Dist Corp (music) Release Date: 11/16/2010

The Polar Express [Blu-ray]

Clare Swindlehurst — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 22:09:21 +0000

Destined to become a holiday perennial, The Polar Express also heralded a brave new world of all-digital filmmaking. Critics and audiences were divided between those who hailed it as an instant classic that captures the visual splendor and evocative innocence of Chris Van Allsburg's popular children's book, and those who felt that the innovative use of "performance capture"--to accurately translate live performances into all-digital characters--was an eerie and not-quite-lifelike distraction from the story's epic-scale North Pole adventure. In any case it's a benign, kind-hearted celebration of the yuletide spirit, especially for kids who have almost grown out of their need to believe in Santa Claus. Tom Hanks is the nominal "star" who performs five different computer-generated characters, but it's the visuals that steal this show, as director Robert Zemeckis indulges his tireless pursuit of technological innovation. No matter how you respond to the many wonders on display, it's clear that The Polar Express represents a significant milestone in the digital revolution of cinema. If it also fills you with the joy of Christmas (in spite of its Nuremberg-like rally of frantic elves), so much the better. --Jeff Shannon DVD features The most intriguing feature on the two-disc DVD is probably the six-minute sequence featuring a new song performed by the two engine-room characters, Smokey and Steamer. The animation is crude and the song is nothing special, but it does preserve the dual performances of Michael Jeter (he played both characters), who passed away during filming. One of the striking aspects of The Polar Express is its use of motion-capture technology to turn real actors into animated characters, and that is examined in a significant portion of the five-part 11-minute featurette, in the "look at" Tom Hanks's multiple performances, and in an Easter egg that offers a side-by-side comparison of the actors in their motion-capture suits with the finished film in the "Hot Chocolate" number. There's also a live performance of Josh Groban singing "Believe" followed by an interview segment with him and composer Alan Silvestri, author Chris Van Allsburg providing a five-minute capsulization of his career, a PC game demo, and a kids' set-top game. The version of the film on DVD is the standard theatrical version, not the 3-D version seen in IMAX theaters. --David Horiuchi The World of The Polar Express The book by Chris Van Allsburg The Soundtrack The Magic Journey (Polar Express the Movie) (book) Stills from Polar Express (click for larger image)

A Christmas Carol [Blu-ray]

Clare Swindlehurst — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 17:43:54 +0000

In the same year that he directed a handsome version of The Scarlet Pimpernel for television, Clive Donner also made this worthy 1984 small-screen production of the Dickens tale. George C. Scott can't quite muster a decent English accent, but he does bring some new colors to this movie's interpretation of Scrooge, making the character less nasty for the sake of nastiness and more a product of a life of lovelessness. The supporting cast is first-rate, and the production is far more handsome than most TV fare. --Tom Keogh

A Christmas Carol [Blu-ray]

Clare Swindlehurst — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 03:11:11 +0000

This is the desert-island choice of the many versions of A Christmas Carol, with a magnificent, full-bodied portrayal of Ebenezer Scrooge by Alastair Sim that leaves everyone else in the dust. Lean and direct, this film's version of the story wastes no time trying to impress viewers with the magical nature of the spirits' visitations. Director Brian Desmond Hurst keeps the focus on Scrooge's life story, beautifully simplifying and underscoring the theme of lost women with a haunting musical refrain from the folk song "Barbara Allen." Sim's commitment to the role is at times astonishing; his Scrooge's Christmas-morning ecstasy is a marvel of giddy technique. Watch for Patrick Macnee (Steed in The Avengers) as the young Jacob Marley--the actor made his screen debut in this 1951 production. --Tom Keogh On the DVD This ultimate collectors' edition is crammed with special features, on both discs. Film (and Charles Dickens) fans won't want to miss a single screen. The audio commentary by Marcus Hearn and George Cole adds depth and perspective to Alastair Sim's amazing performance, and the groundbreaking special effects for the time. Cole also gives a homey remembrance of working with Sim during World War II and living in the English countryside to avoid the Blitz. One of the most compelling extras is a short bio of George Mintner, the film's executive producer who would go on to found his own successful distribution company, Renown Pictures. An unlikely film mogul, the British Mintner was shy and bookish, but managed to build a reputable mini-studio in the '50s, out of the Hollywood limelight. He produced mostly B-movies, though after A Christmas Carol (originally titled Scrooge), he produced another Dickens adaptation, The Pickwick Papers. There's a great mini-bio of Dickens, who grew up in the poverty that later fascinated him in his writings. Other extras include the colorized version (what were people thinking back in the '80s?), cast bios, original trailers, and a feature that more film companies might want to consider, an optional narration for the blind. Nothing is left out for film fans--God bless us, every one. --A.T. Hurley

Disney’s A Christmas Carol (Four-Disc Combo: Blu-ray 3D / Blu-ray / DVD / Digital Copy)

Clare Swindlehurst — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 06:25:49 +0000

Fans of Robert Zemeckis's brilliant special effects, and of Jim Carrey's transformative acting abilities, will be swept away by their collaboration in the stunning A Christmas Carol. Perhaps more surprising is that Charles Dickens purists will also be impressed and captivated by this version of the oft-told tale--which is dark, complex, and in its way, uncompromising. Which is all to say that this Christmas Carol is an instant holiday classic, easily taking its place alongside the Alistair Sim version, the Patrick Stewart version, and even the Mr. Magoo version of the tale of Ebenezer Scrooge and his ultimate holiday redemption. Carrey is dazzling as not only Scrooge, the most miserable, and miserly, man in 19th-century England, but as the Ghosts of Christmases Past, Present, and Future. As with The Polar Express, Zemeckis animates the film over the actors' physical performances onscreen, but here, the emotion is intact--even heightened by the spiffy effects. Joining Carrey in the cast are terrific players, including Gary Oldman (Bob Cratchit, Tiny Tim, and the ghost of Marley), Cary Elwes, Bob Hoskins, and Robin Wright Penn. But the heart of the film is Carrey, whose dramatic acting has shone in films like The Truman Show and Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events. The emotional connection Carrey makes with his characters is what brings Dickens's classic alive--and what connects the viewer with the true spirit of the holidays. "God bless us, every one." --A.T. Hurley

The Polar Express (Single Disc Blu-ray 3D/Blu-ray Combo)

Clare Swindlehurst — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 23:45:22 +0000

Elf [Blu-ray]

Clare Swindlehurst — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 21:36:20 +0000

Elf is genuinely good. Not just Saturday Night Live-movie good, when the movie has some funny bits but is basically an insult to humanity; Elf is a smartly written, skillfully directed, and deftly acted story of a human being adopted by Christmas elves who returns to the human world to find his father. And because the writing, directing, and acting are all genuinely good, Elf is also genuinely funny. Will Ferrell, as Buddy the adopted elf, is hysterically sincere. James Caan, as his rediscovered father, executes his surly dumbfoundedness with perfect aplomb. Zooey Deschanel, as a department store worker with whom Buddy falls in love, is adorably sardonic. Director Jon Favreau (Swingers) shepherds the movie through all the obligatory Christmas cliches and focuses on material that's sometimes subtle and consistently surprising. Frankly, Elf feels miraculous. Also featuring Mary Steenburgen, Bob Newhart, Peter Dinklage, and Ed Asner as Santa Claus. --Bret Fetzer

National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation [Blu-ray]

Clare Swindlehurst — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 11:40:54 +0000

You know exactly what you're getting in National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation: another goofball, slapstick comedy of chaos and catastrophe with Clark Griswold (Chevy Chase) and family. This time, there's no traveling involved: Clark and Ellen (Beverly D'Angelo) prepare for a nice Christmas with the kids (played by none other than Juliette Lewis and Roseanne star Johnny Galecki), when their home is invaded by backwoods cousin Eddie (Randy Quaid) and his brood, along with assorted other crazy and/or stuffy relatives. Complications, of course, are inevitable. The film is preceded by National Lampoon's Vacation (1983) and National Lampoon's European Vacation (1985) and followed by National Lampoon's Vegas Vacation (1997). Directed by Jeremiah Chechik, who went on to do Benny & Joon and the Sharon Stone remake of Diabolique. --Jim Emerson

Essential Holiday Collection (The Polar Express / National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation / Elf / A Christmas Story) [Blu-ray]

Clare Swindlehurst — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 11:12:21 +0000


ESSENTIAL HOLIDAY COLLECTION 4 PACK/BLU-RAY (BLU-RAY DISC)

My Magic Elf » bluray

A Stained Glass Christmas with Heavenly Carols (Widescreen) [Blu-ray]

Other visitors found this post when searching for

Mr Magoo’s Christmas Carol [Blu-ray]

The Polar Express [Blu-ray]

A Christmas Carol [Blu-ray]

A Christmas Carol [Blu-ray]

Disney’s A Christmas Carol (Four-Disc Combo: Blu-ray 3D / Blu-ray / DVD / Digital Copy)

The Polar Express (Single Disc Blu-ray 3D/Blu-ray Combo)

Elf [Blu-ray]

National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation [Blu-ray]

Essential Holiday Collection (The Polar Express / National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation / Elf / A Christmas Story) [Blu-ray]