Pixar had been regarded as a studio who could produce high quality original films. Then they dipped their toes into sequels, and for all the sequels they have made, only one can be considered the worst of not only the sequels, but of Pixar’s entire library itself. While Monsters University is definitely a step in the right direction for the studio, after two softball films – Cars 2 and Brave, the film itself is a prequel.

But for fans who are worried that the studio is straying away from original content, Ed Catmull, the President of Pixar, said that the studio is hoping to do an original movie every single year, and sequels every other year.

Monsters, Inc.
5-Disc Blu-ray/3D/DVD/Digital |
3-Disc Blu-ray/DVD
Directed by Pete Docter, Lee Unkrich, David Silverman
Starring John Goodman, Billy Crystal, Mary Gibbs, Steve Buscemi, James Coburn, Jennifer Tilly, Frank Oz
DisneyӢPixar
Release Date: February 19, 2013

Open the door to an exciting new way to experience Monsters, Inc. Pixar’s fantastic fourth film arrives on a new “Ultimate Collector’s Edition,” among Disney-Pixar’s finest releases.

Enter the monster world and forever be enraptured by the fun and heart of one of Pixar’s finest features. By chance you have never watched a frame of this buddy comedy, let me set up the story. Mike Wazowski and his best friend James P. “Sulley” Sullivan reside in Monstropolis, what seems to be your average city – with the exception that both of these beasts are charismatic monsters living in Monstropolis, the monster society. They are employed at Monsters, Inc., the energy factory where scarers like Sulley produce screams. How so? They generate this energy through frightening human children, accessing their worlds through opening doors. More screams equates to more energy. Simple, right? But when one child, which Sulley affectionately names “Boo” creeps into Monstropolis, chaos erupts. Humans are seen as toxic. They cannot exist here, so it seems. But what happens when you form a bond with a child? Tricky.

The world of cinema has not been the same since Stanley Kubrick died in March 1999, several months before the theatrical release of what turned out to be his final film, Eyes Wide Shut. There is no denying that Kubrick’s passing left many a devoted follower of his work in total shock, but the legacy of classic films the director left behind helped them to deal with the loss very well.

One of Kubrick’s most popular movies was his 1980 Stephen King adaptation The Shining and since its release more than three decades ago, the film has been widely hailed as one of the greatest horror movies of all time. It has inspired countless parodies, most memorably being the segment “The Shinning” in the “Treehouse of Horror V” episode of The Simpsons, and documentaries devoted to playfully deconstructing the minutiae of the director’s meticulously crafted vision of terror and isolation in a snowbound Colorado hotel. The box office success of The Shining cemented Kubrick’s reputation as a master filmmaker who could work in practically any genre with amazing results and further established lead actor Jack Nicholson as one of the most unconventional and watchable movie stars in show business and worth every dollar of his generous salary.

Finding Nemo
3-Disc Blu-ray/DVD l 5-Disc 3D/Blu-ray/DVD/Digital
Directed by Andrew Stanton, Lee Unkrich
Written by Andrew Stanton, Bob Peterson, David Reynolds
Starring Albert Brooks, Ellen DeGeneres, Alexander Gould, Willem Dafoe, Brad Garrett, Allison Janney, Stephen Root, Geoffrey Rush, Vicki Lewis, Austin Pendleton, Joe Ranft
Disney-Pixar
Release Date: December 4, 2012

Ready to return to the Great Barrier Reef? Nearly one decade after its initial theatrical release, Finding Nemo 3D swam onto film screens, and now film fans can possess this in their Blu-ray libraries. Mine!

For my thoughts on the brilliant fifth feature from Pixar, read my original review of the movie here. This review is dedicated to all of the special features to be found on the latest version.

Toy Story 2
Blu-Ray 3D Combo
Directed by John Lasseter, Ash Brannon, and Lee Unkrich
Starring Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Kelsey Grammer, Don Rickles
Walt Disney Home Entertainment
Release Date: November 1, 2011

I am a sucker for animation. From Saturday morning cartoons to epic feature films, I have always been drawn to the medium. Disney movies were staples in my household, and we owned a ton of them. In fact, my current DVD/Blu-Ray collection probably has its roots in how I felt when bringing home a new Disney movie on video. Not only did the package contain the film that I loved, but the glossy, white-rimmed boxes were different from all the other VHS cassettes we had. They were a sight to behold, and though the format has changed over the years, Disney has never disappointed in their home video releases. Always at the forefront of trends, Disney/Pixar’s release of Toy Story 2‘s 3D Combo Pack is a beautiful one.