PG; 107 minutes; Walmart

Arriving on Blu-ray + DVD + Digital HD from Disney Home Entertainment today is the animated blockbuster Moana. Directed by Ron Clements and John Musker, the film features the talented voice cast of of Auli'i Cravalho, Dwayne Johnson, Rachel House, Temuera Morrison, Jemaine Clement, Nicole Scherzinger, and Alan Tudyk.

Moana centers on Moana Waialiki, the daughter of Chief Tui on the small Polynesian island of Motunui. At a young age she was chosen by the ocean to receive the mystical heart that once belonged to the island goddess Te Fit. The heart was originally stolen by the the demigod Maui over a millennium ago.

While their island has always provided enough resources for their tribe, vegetation and fish have now become scarce. Moana recommends sailing pass the reef to search for fish, but Chef Tui denies her request as he believes the ocean is too dangerous to cross.

After finding several boats belonging to ancestors in a cave, Moana, along with her pet rooster Heihei, sails off pass the reef in search for the long lost demigod Maui (voiced by Dwayne Johnson). Moana hopes she can convince Maui to return the mystical heart and save her tribe.

PG-13; 115 minutes; Amazon

Available today on Blu-ray + DVD + Digital HD from Marvel Studios is the fantasy comic book adventure Doctor Strange. Directed by Scott Derrickson, the film stars Benedict Cumberbatch, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Rachel McAdams, Benedict Wong, Mads Mikkelsen, and Tilda Swinton.

Created by Steve Ditko and Stan Lee, Doctor Strange debuted as a comic book supernatural superhero in 1963. The film adaptation stars Benedict Cumberbatch as Dr. Stephen Strange, a brilliant (but arrogant) neurosurgeon who loses the use of his hands after a terrible car crash. After having several unsuccessful surgeries to restore the nerves in his hands, Strange travels to Kamar-Ta to seek out the Ancient One (played by Tilda Swinton), who has been known to help others heal from wounds.

Shortly upon arriving, Strange learns that the Ancient One is a powerful sorcerer, who shows him that magic is real, as well as the astral plane and other dimensions. He learns there are are three buildings called the Sanctums (one in New York City, one in London, and one in Hong Kong) that protects the world from the other dimensions.

Under the guidance of the Ancient One and another sorcerer named Mordo (played by Chiwetel Ejiofor), Strange begins his training as a sorcerer, and hopefully he will one day be able to regain control of his hands. Using his photographic memory, he easily learns their ways and starts to gain magical powers, such as bending time with the mystical Eye of Agamotto.

Unfortunately, Strange also learns there are evil sorcerers, lead by Kaecilius (played by Mads Mikkelsen), who are going to destroy the Sanctums and summon Dormammu of the Dark Dimension.


Blu-ray Bonus Extras includes:

Rated PG; 92 minutes; $39.99; Amazon

Now available on Blu-ray (with Digital HD) and DVD  from Lionsgate Home Entertainment is the family-friendly comedy Middle School: The Worst Years Of My Life. Directed by Steve Carr, the film stars Griffin Gluck, Lauren Graham, Rob Riggle, Thomas Barbusca, Andy Daly, and Adam Pally.


Based on the popular children book series by James Patterson and Chris Tebbets, the film centers on Rafe Khatchadorian (played by Griffin Gluck), a teenager who keeps getting himself kicked out of schools. Rafe's mother (played by Lauren Graham) has had just about enough of his trouble-making ways, and she hopes that transferring him to Hills Village Middle School might change his attitude.


Within minutes of arriving at his new school, Rafe makes enemies with the school bully, "the Killer" (played by Jacob Hopkins) and Principle Dwight (played by Andy Daly). After the principle destroys his sketch book, Rafe vows to disobey every school rule.

Griffin Gluck ("Rafe") stars in Lionsgate Home Entertainment's MIDDLE SCHOOL: THE WORST YEARS OF MY LIFE.

With the help of his new friend Jeanne (played by Isabela Moner) and his invisible friend Leo (played by Thomas Barbusca), he comes up with the "Operation R.A.F.E" plan, which involves exposing Principle Dwight for what he really is - a liar.

Andrew Daly ("Principal Dwight") stars in Lionsgate Home Entertainment's MIDDLE SCHOOL: THE WORST YEARS OF MY LIFE.

BLU-RAY & DIGITAL HD:

• Bringing “The BFG” to Life – Ruby Barnhill (Sophie) hosts a phizz-whizzing journey through the making of “The BFG.” This behind-the-scenes documentary details the film’s progression through interviews with Roald Dahl’s daughter Lucy Dahl, screenwriter Melissa Mathison, executive producers Kathleen Kennedy, Frank Marshall and Kristie Macosko Krieger, and numerous members of the talented cast and crew.

• The Big Friendly Giant and Me – Sophie wasn’t the first “bean” in Giant Country—many illustrations were created as if drawn by a little boy who was there long before Sophie. This charming, in-world short will bring the drawings to life with animation and narration, recounting the friendship and the dreams shared between the boy and the Big Friendly Giant.

• Gobblefunk: The Wonderful Words of The BFG – A whoopsey-splunkers tutorial on the meaning of the gloriumptious gobblefunk in “The BFG.”

• Giants 101 – Jemaine Clement (Fleshlumpeater) and Bill Hader (Bloodbottler) introduce us to the loathsome giants in “The BFG,” along with movement choreographer/motion capture performer Terry Notary, who collaborated with the actors and Director Steven Spielberg prior to filming to develop their movements and character traits.

• Melissa Mathison: A Tribute – An homage to Melissa Mathison, the extraordinary, Oscar®-nominated screenwriter of “The BFG” and “E.T.,” whose talent and heart were as immense as the giants in “The BFG.”

DIGITAL/VOD:

• John Williams: Scoring A Dream – A journey through the film’s concept art and memorable moments, interwoven with the sights and sounds of legendary composer John William’s scoring session.

DVD:

• Gobblefunk: The Wonderful Words of The BFG and Melissa Mathison: A Tribute

PG; 113 minutes; $39.99; Amazon

Now available to own on Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital HD from Walt Disney Home Entertainment is Alice Through The Looking Glass. Directed by James Bobin, the film stars Johnny Depp, Anne Hathaway, Mia Wasikowska, Matt Lucas, Rhys Ifans, Helena Bonham Carter and Sacha Baron Cohen.

In this sequel to 2010's Alice in Wonderland (and based on the characters by Lewis Carroll), Alice Through The Looking Glass picks up three years later where Alice (played by Mia Wasikowska) has been at sea commanding her late father's ship. When she returns home, she learns that her ex-fiancé, Hamish Asco (played by Leo Bill) had taken over her father's company and is threatening to take her family home as well.

Once again, Alice runs away, but this time she follows the butterfly Absolem (voiced by Alan Rickman in his final performance) through a mirror that takes her to Underland. There she learns that her old friend, the Mad Hatter (played by Johnny Depp), has become homesick after finding a mini-hat he had made when he was a child. It seems his family died during the Attack of the Jabberwocky.

After talking to the White Queen (played by Anne Hathaway), Alice decides to search for Time (played by Sacha Baron Cohen) and try to convince him to travel back in time to save the Mad Hatter's family. Unfortunately, things doesn't go as plan, forcing Alice to steal the Chronosphere and travel through time herself.

Of course the Red Queen (played by Helena Bonham Carter) is never too far behind.




Bonus Features includes: