About the Movie

A must-own for any home entertainment collection, the Blu-ray Combo Pack (Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy) of Oz The Great and Powerful brings the epic adventure to life with its vibrantly colorful picture and sound, and boasts a sensational variety of never-before-seen bonus materials including: “The Magic of ‘Oz The Great and Powerful’ Second Screen Feature” that provides viewers with an immersive opportunity to journey into the fantastical lands of Oz; James Franco’s personal story of his journey to the land of Oz that is produced and directed by the Oscar® nominated star himself; Golden Globe® nominee Mila Kunis’ makeup metamorphosis which is hosted by Academy Award®-winning makeup artist Howard Berger; A back-stage journey through each of the visual effects process that brought China Girl to life including an interview with Joey King; and much more. Additionally, all Blu-ray and DVD products include a digital copy of the film allowing consumers to watch Oz The Great and Powerful at home, in their car, and/or anywhere they go.

The film is directed by Sam Raimi who helmed the record-crushing “Spider-Man” trilogy, and produced by Joe Roth who fashioned Disney’s billion dollar-plus earning “Alice in Wonderland.” “Oz The Great and Powerful” boasts a stellar cast that includes Academy Award nominee James Franco as Oscar Diggs, the predestined wizard; Golden Globe nominee Mila Kunis  as the tormented young witch Theodora; Academy Award winner Rachel Weisz  as Theodora’s older sister, Evanora, the witch who rules over the Emerald City; and three-time Oscar-nominated actress Michelle Williams as Glinda, the Good Witch.

Bonus Features

Blu-ray:

The Magic of “Oz The Great and Powerful” (Second Screen Experience) – An immersive Second Screen experience that details all things Oz. From an interactive map full of secrets and surprises, to an inside look at the spectacular world of Oz. All fans need to do is download the special “The Magic of Oz The Great and Powerful: Second Screen” App (which is free and currently available for immediate download at the iTunes Store for iPads) which provides fans with infinite opportunities to remain connected to their favorite film, its cast of characters and to dive deeper into the magical world of Oz. This App provides exclusive access to invigorating and exclusive content including:

• The Enchanting Characters and Creatures of Oz – From Munchkins and Tinkers to good witches, bad witches, and flying baboons, this piece follows each character and creature of the Land of Oz from inspiration to final outcome.
• The Sounds of Magical Oz – What adds fragility to the sounds of China Girl’s footsteps; ferocity to the tornado; or weight to the flutter of Finley’s flapping wings?
• Sleight of Hand: Zach Braff Puppet Theater – Actor, and voice of Finley, Zach Braff introduces viewers to the Finley mockup.
• Mariah Carey Music Video

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My Journey in Oz by James Franco – A personal story produced and directed by James Franco.

Mr. Elfman’s Musical Concoctions – An interview with composer Danny Elfman unveils his inspiration in scoring “Oz The Great And Powerful.”

China Girl and the Suspension of Disbelief – This feature uncloaks the several forms of movie magic employed to bring China Girl to life, from the initial artwork and character design, to the on-set puppeteering during filmmaking, and finally, through each stage of the visual-effects process; and includes an interview with Joey King, the voice of China Girl.

Before Your Very Eyes: From Kansas to Oz – Production designer Robert Stromberg takes viewers through the set design of the Land of Oz, from sketching his original ideas on a napkin, through to the final set pieces and the accompanying visual effects.

Mila’s Metamorphosis – Lead makeup artist Howard Berger expands on one of the oldest, most tried-and-true forms of movie magic: makeup design and effects.

Walt Disney and the Road to Oz – It is well known that Walt Disney had a fascination with the Land of Oz since he was a child. See how that fascination grew into inspiration as he began planning for his own adaptation of the stories in the classic Baum books.

DVD:
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Walt Disney and the Road to Oz

Our Thoughts

We have never read the Baum books but the story, which is basically how the wizard came to be is very believable. It fits into the world of Oz seamlessly and as and audience we accept the story as truth. We loved the creativity of bot the opening credits and the Kansas section of the story being told in black and white in a small box form similar to the classic The Wizard of Oz movie. The beginning and ending of the movie are both powerful in their own right but the middle of the movie lags a bit. We didn’t totally lose interest but we all felt a dip in the middle of the film.

The sets and scenery are visually stunning. The Land of Oz is absolutely beautiful and sometimes even breathtaking. The costumes and makeup are very well done, especially the transformation of Mila Kunis into the wicked witch of the west. I loved the character of the wizard because he is such a flawed man who proves to be a strong yet caring individual. My favorite thing in the entire movie was the score. It is perfect and I’m hoping Danny Elfman gets an Oscar for his amazing work. I always enjoy the bonus features because I like getting a glimpse into life on set and how the magic was created.

Oz The Great and Powerful will be a great addition to your family entertainment library. The movie is rated PG and personally, I wouldn’t recommend it for children under the age of 10 due to some of the scary and intense scenes. I have some adult friends that are still afraid of the flying monkeys from the original film, well the flying baboons in this film are much, much scarier.

Disclosure: We received a copy of the Blu-ray combo pack of Oz The Great and Powerful for this review. All opinions are 100% mine.

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The Lone Ranger

Disney announced that they will be debuting a brand-new :90 sneak peek for the highly anticipated Disney/Jerry Bruckheimer Films summer blockbuster “The Lone Ranger” on Sunday, February 3, during the CBS Pregame Show 2:00 PM EST. In conjunction with the release of the new footage, Disney will hold a sweepstakes that offers participants a chance to win prizes provided by SUBWAY® restaurants and Kawasaki.

To participate in The Lone Ranger “Who Will You Ride With on Game Day” Sweepstakes* and get a chance to win prizes for “You and Your Kemosabe,” tune in and follow @LoneRanger on Twitter. For a chance to win, after the sneak peek airs answer trivia questions about the spot correctly and use #LONERANGER in the reply. All correct entries will be entered in a blind drawing for a chance to win a prize pack, such as Kawasaki helmets, SUBWAY® gift cards, and more. Each prize pack includes two prizes, one each for “You and Your Kemosabe.” The sweepstakes will end February 4, 2013, at 3:00 p.m. PST. Entries will also be accepted via email to lonerangersweeps@thaweb.com.

Starting 1/29/13, fans can also text RANGER to Disney** (347639) to receive a Tune In reminder to watch “The Lone Ranger” new footage debut during the CBS Pregame Show and, in addition, receive updates on “The Lone Ranger.”

Check Facebook.com/TheLoneRanger or Disney.com/LoneRanger for more details, or follow @LoneRanger on Twitter.

Iron Man 3

Marvel’s “Iron Man 3” pits brash-but-brilliant industrialist Tony Stark/Iron Man against an enemy whose reach knows no bounds. When Stark finds his personal world destroyed at his enemy’s hands, he embarks on a harrowing quest to find those responsible. This journey, at every turn, will test his mettle. With his back against the wall, Stark is left to survive by his own devices, relying on his ingenuity and instincts to protect those closest to him. As he fights his way back, Stark discovers the answer to the question that has secretly haunted him: does the man make the suit or does the suit make the man?

Starring Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Guy Pearce, Rebecca Hall, Stephanie Szostak, James Badge Dale with Jon Favreau and Ben Kingsley, Marvel’s “Iron Man 3” is directed by Shane Black from a screenplay by Drew Pearce & Shane Black and is based on Marvel’s iconic Super Hero Iron Man, who first appeared on the pages of “Tales of Suspense” (#39) in 1963 and had his solo comic book debut with “The Invincible Iron Man” (#1) in May of 1968.

Oz the Great and Powwerful

Disney’s fantastical adventure “Oz The Great and Powerful,” directed by Sam Raimi, imagines the origins of L. Frank Baum’s beloved wizard character. When Oscar Diggs (James Franco), a small-time circus magician with dubious ethics, is hurled away from dusty Kansas to the vibrant Land of Oz, he thinks he’s hit the jackpot—fame and fortune are his for the taking—that is until he meets three witches, Theodora (Mila Kunis), Evanora (Rachel Weisz) and Glinda (Michelle Williams), who are not convinced he is the great wizard everyone’s been expecting. Reluctantly drawn into the epic problems facing the Land of Oz and its inhabitants, Oscar must find out who is good and who is evil before it is too late. Putting his magical arts to use through illusion, ingenuity—and even a bit of wizardry—Oscar transforms himself not only into the great wizard but into a better man as well.

“Oz The Great and Powerful” is produced by Joe Roth, with screen story by Mitchell Kapner and screenplay by Mitchell Kapner and David Lindsay-Abaire. Grant Curtis, Palak Patel, Josh Donen and Philip Steuer are serving as executive producers. “Oz The Great and Powerful” opens in U.S. theaters on March 8, 2013.

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