Disney; G; 70 minutes

Now available on Blu-ray + DVD + Digital HD combo pack is Disney's Bambi: Anniversary Edition. This marks the very first time the 1942 animated classic has been released on Digital HD. As an added bonus, the combo pack comes a 'free' Collectable Tyrus Wong Lithograph.

Directed by David Hand (supervisor for the other scene directors), the film was based on the book Bambi, A Life in the Woods by Austrian author Felix Salten. The film received three Academy Award nominations: Best Sound, Best Song (for "Love Is a Song") and Original Music Score.

Bambi tells the story of the fawn Bambi, as he explores the wonders of the forest and befriends a rabbit named Thumper and a skunk named Flower. While there are many beautiful things about the forest, there are also many dangers, including hunters.

Bambi learns about the harsh ways of the forest after a tragedy occurs, leaving him to be raised by his father, Great Prince of the Forest. Several years passes by and Bambi is now full-grown, which leads him to learn about romance after he stumbles upon a female deer named Faline.


The Blu-ray contains brand-new extras, as well as classic extras that have appeared on previous releases.

New Bonus Extras are:

• THE BAMBI EFFECT – “Bambi” was full of innovations for its time. Let’s take a look at how those past innovations affected future Disney animated titles all the way up to today.

• STUDIO STORIES: “BAMBI” – Recordings of Walt Disney. Listen in on intimate moments where he discusses the challenges, pitfalls and triumphs during the production of “Bambi.”

• DELETED SCENE: BAMBI’S ICE AND SNOW – Bambi coaxes Thumper and his brothers and sisters to come play on the ice during the first snow.

• DELETED SCENE: THE GRASSHOPPER – A grasshopper confronts Bambi and Thumper and finds himself in quite a predicament.

• BAMBI FAWN FACTS – Think you know everything there is to know about Bambi and his forest companions? Well, it’s time to discover some fun real-life facts about the creatures that live in the forest he calls home.

• OSWALD THE LUCKY RABBIT: “AFRICA BEFORE DARK” – Oswald Short.

• CELEBRATING TYRUS WONG (DIGITAL EXCLUSIVE) – A heartfelt look at the man who played a key role in the success of “Bambi.” Much like Mary Blair and Eyvind Earle, Tyrus Wong had a unique signature style all to his own. The soft water-colored backgrounds and beautiful palettes in “Bambi” were inspired by Tyrus’ concept art paintings.

HBO; TV-MA; 600 minutes

Available today on Blu-ray + Digital HD from HBO Home Entertainment is the critically acclaimed mini-series The Young Pope. Created by the Academy Award winner for Best Foreign Language Film, Paolo Sorrentino, the ten-episode series stars Jude Law, Diane Keaton, Scott Shepherd, James Cromwell, Ludivine Sagnier, Silvio Orlando, Cecile De France, Javier Camara, and Toni Bertorelli.

The Young Pope tells the fictional story of the first-ever American Pope, Lenny Belardo, a.k.a Pius XIII (played by Jude Law). The College of Cardinals elected Lenny, as they thought he would be easier to control than the older and more experienced clerics. However, the Cardinals and the entire world are in for a surprise, as Pius XIII plans on setting his own rules for the Vatican.

By Pius XIII's side is Sister Mary (played Diane Keaton), the nun who became his mother after his parents had abandoned him at a young age. Unlike previous Popes, Lenny refuses to be seen in public and doesn't allow himself to be photographed. He wastes no time announcing strict initiatives for the Vatican, which backfires with the world's followers.


Special Features on the Blu-ray are:

Disney Home Entertainment; PG; 129 minutes

Arriving tomorrow on Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital HD from Walt Disney Home Entertainment is this year's smash-hit Beauty and the Beast. Directed by Bill Condon, the film stars Emma Watson, Dan Stevens, Luke Evans, Kevin Kline, Josh Gad, Ewan McGregor, Stanley Tucci, Audra McDonald, Gugu Mbatha-raw, Emma Thompson, and Ian McKellen.

Based on the Disney's 1991 animated film of the same name (which was based on eighteenth-century fairy tale by Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont), Beauty and the Beast centers on a cold-hearted prince (played by Dan Stevens), who is cursed by an enchantress. The curse turns him into a monstrous beast and also turns all of his servants into household items. The enchantress puts a spell on one single rose. Unless the princes finds true love before the rose's last petal falls, he will become a monster forever.

Years later, a widow father named Maurice (played by Kevin Kline), gets lost in the woods and stumbles upon the Beast's castle, where he comes upon a rose garden. After attempting to steal a rose to bring back home for his daughter, Belle (played by Emma Watson), the Beast catches Maurice and tosses him into a dungeon.

After finding her father's horse, Belle goes out to look for him, and she too stumbles upon the castle, where she makes a deal with the Beast to take her father's place in exchange for his release.

While the Beast has no other intention than to just keep her imprisoned, his servants have other plans for her. They are hoping that Belle is the one who will help break the Beast's curse, thus turning them all back into their human forms.


The bonus features on the Blu-ray and Digital HD includes:

• Enchanted Table Read – Join the cast for the movie’s elaborately staged table read, complete with singing and dancing to live music, set pieces and more.

• A Beauty of a Tale – Explore the process of transforming a beloved animated film into a new live-action classic.

• The Women Behind “Beauty and the Beast” – Emma Watson introduces several of the talented women in all aspects of production who helped bring this enchanted tale to life.

• Making a Moment with Celine Dion – Celine Dion shares what it’s like to sing “How Does a Moment Last Forever” – and be a part of the legacy of “Beauty and the Beast.”

Mill Creek Ent.; Rated R; 110 minutes;

Now available on Blu-ray from Mill Creek Entertainment is the 1986 Michael Mann produced action-drama Band Of The Hand. Directed by Paul Michael Glaser, the film stars Stephen Lang, Michael Carmine, Lauren Holly, John Cameron Mitchell, Danny Quinn, Leon, and Laurence Fishburne. There are no special features or bonus extras on the disc.

Band Of The Hand centers on five young felons, Ruben Pacecho (played by Michael Carmine), Moss Roosevelt (played by Leon Robinson), Carlos Aragon (played by Danny Quinn), James Lee "J.L." MacEwen (played by John Cameron Mitchell), and Dorcey Bridger (played by Al Shannon), who all get a second chance after being accepted into an experimental rehab program led by a Vietnam veteran named "Indian Joe" Tegra (played by Stephen Lang).

Tegra drags the five felons into the dangerous swamps and forces them to learn how to survive. Afterwards, they work together on restoring a vacant house in a bad neighborhood in Miami. This might all sound good at first, but their actions causes a war with the local drug kingpin named Cream (played by Laurence Fishburne).

Best Buy; Walmart

Now available to own from Lucasfilm on Blu-ray Combo Pack (Blu-ray +DVD+Digital HD) is Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, the first standalone adventure set in the Star Wars franchise. Directed by Gareth Edwards, the film stars Felicity Jones, Diego Luna, Ben Mendelsohn, Donnie Yen, Mads Mikkelsen, Alan Tudyk, Jiang Wen, and Forest Whitaker.

Set just prior to the events that took place in the original movie, Star Wars: A New Hope, Rogue One tells the story of the small group of rebels who stole the plans to the first Death Star, which will eventually finds its way to Princess Leia.

The rebel group consists of Jyn Erso (played by Felicity Jones), Cassian Andor (played by Diego Luna), Chirrut Îmwe (played Donnie Yen), Bodhi Rook (played by Riz Ahmed), Baze Malbus (played by Jiang Wen), and K-2SO (played by Alan Tudyk), all of whom must (Spoiler Alert) sacrifice their lives in the attempt to stop the Empire's greatest weapon - the Death Star.

The special features are a little lacking for this release. There are no deleted scenes, bloopers, or commentaries. However, there are several short behind-the-scenes features.

These bonus features are:

• A Rogue Idea – Hear how ILM’s John Knoll came up with the movie’s concept – and why it’s the right film to launch the Star Wars stand-alone films.

• Jyn: The Rebel – Get to know Rogue One’s defiant, resourceful survivor, and hear what it was like for Felicity Jones to bring her to life onscreen.

• Cassian: The Spy – Diego Luna shares insights into his complex, driven character, who becomes a hero through selflessness, perseverance and passion.

• K-2SO: The Droid – Explore the development of this reprogrammed Imperial droid, from initial pitch and character design through Alan Tudyk’s performance.

• Baze & Chirrut: Guardians of the Whills – Go deeper into the relationship between these two very different characters, with Chinese superstars Jiang Wen and Donnie Yen.