A Star Is Born: Special Encore Edition

Ready for an Encore?

A Star Is Born Encore arrived June 4. It will be on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital. The Blu-Ray and DVD will also have the theatrical version.

ENCORE

A Star is Born Encore offers almost 12 extra minutes to the movie. 

Do the 12 minutes change anything drastic? 
My take - No. 

Most of the additions go towards longer performances and some never-before-seen footage.

- The opening song 'Black Eyes' is longer and so is the song 'Alibi.'
- When Ally sings 'Shallow' for the first time in a parking lot, it lasts a few more seconds. 
- The wedding sequence includes the song, "Is That Alright,' which was only featured on the soundtrack. There was no performance in the theatrical version.  
- Other never-seen song snippets. (These are all within a minute length.) - Jack and Ally writing a new song called 'Clover.' Jackson in the studio singing 'Too Far Gone' and Jackson and Ally have a jam session for 'Midnight Special.'

There are also a few extended and never-before-heard dialogue.
 - Jackson's and Noodles (Dave Chappelle) first conversation has a few extra words. 
- There is a brief zipline scene with Jackson and Ally.
- During the Roy Orbison Tribute, it shows Jackson and the singer, Marlon Williams, having more of a conversation. 

TAKE

Would I buy it? Yes. If I had never seen the movie. 

A Star is Born is still my contender for the best movie that I have watched in 2019. I still like the music, too.

But casual viewers may not even notice the difference with the Encore version. (I actually had to search the Internet for some of the scene additions.) 

For my viewing experience though, the extra music is cool. I didn't really feel like I missed out on the extended dialogue scenes. 

The hardcore fans, who want a little bit more of Jackson and Ally, may find the 12 minutes to be exciting and worthwhile.

The Special Features only have Musical Moments.

Below is my February Movie Take, when I saw the film for the initial Blu-Ray and DVD release.

STAR

A Star Is Born is essentially the fourth time this story is being told. There is the 1976 version with Barbra Streisand and Kris Kristofferson. The 1954 movie with Judy Garland and James Mason. And the original goes back to a 1937 film with stars Janet Gaynor and Fredric March - but it had nothing to do with music. Gaynor played an actress with a big dream.

All have the same title - A Star Is Born.    

Bradley Cooper decided he wanted to take on the task of this new version. He went all in, too. He earned his acting, directing, writing and producing credits.

He cast Lady Gaga, in her first leading role. She played the struggling singer, Ally, whose star may be on the rise. There is also Andrew Dice Clay, Dave Chappelle and Sam Elliott to round out the cast. Rami Gavron and Anthony Ramos also have roles.

Cooper and Gaga wrote original songs for the movie. This also includes a handful of artists, like Lukas Nelson (Willie Nelson’s son), Jason Isbell and Mark Ronson.

All songs were recorded live during filming, too. No lip-syncing, nothing recorded beforehand.   

Most critics and audiences seem to agree that the movie was worth a look. It has a 90% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. It made over $209 million in North America and $421 million worldwide.

A Star Is Born brought the acclaim and countless award nominations. Won Best Original Song - Shallow - at the Golden Globes. (The official music video has nearly 300 million views on YouTube. Plus countless covers which most recently includes Kelly Clarkson.)

The movie won three acting awards at the National Board of Review. This is for Bradley Cooper, Lady Gaga and Sam Elliott. It also won two Grammys including Best Pop Duo/Group Performance.  

The movie was nominated for eight Academy Awards. This includes Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Sound Mixing and Best Original Song.

The movie only took home a single Oscar. But it was for the one that a lot people figured would be the obvious category win - Best Original Song for Shallow. The award went to Gaga and co-writers Mark Ronson, Andrew Wyatt and Anthony Rossomando.

So, yes, Lady Gaga is now an Oscar winner. Gaga's performance of the song with Cooper at the Oscars managed to be one of the more talked-about moments of the night.

TAKE

Would I buy this film? Yes.

It’s so well-done, it may just be one of the best movies I’ve watched in 2019.

But it’s safe to say it’s not a family-friendly movie with an R rating. There’s plenty of language through 136 minutes, and the story is not always an easy watch. There are issues like love, heartbreak, substance abuse/addiction and mental health/illness to deal with.

I can’t say I was ever really a Lady Gaga fan. I don’t mind some of her songs, but I never got excited to listen to them.

But I think A Star Is Born made me appreciate her musical talents a little bit more. There is no doubt, the Lady can sing.   

There is a scene in a parking lot with Cooper. She sings a small part of Shallow with no music. She sounds impressive.

It a little bit surprising how good Cooper is as the musician, Jackson Maine. A man whose music career isn’t exactly going smoothly. Rocket Raccoon is pretty cool from Guardians of the Galaxy, but I think this is Cooper's best work since American Sniper. (2014.)    

For original music, they really aren’t bad songs. You may even want to listen to some of them a second time. (I have already.)

Will the movie be for everybody? Probably not. But you may just find something to like. I think the award nominations feel earned and deserved.

SPECIAL FEATURES OVERVIEW

Jam Sessions and Rarities

- Baby What You Want Me To Do

- Midnight Special

- Is That Alright

It hits a little bit below 10 minutes. ‘Baby What You Want Me To Do’ and ‘Midnight Special,’ you get a behind-the-scenes look of singing. It's blended in with footage that appears to be cut from the movie. ‘Is That Alright’ is a music-video which may be wedding song material for some people.

The Road to Stardom: Making A Star is Born

Roughly 30 minutes. The first 5 minutes is standard behind-the-scenes stuff. But things get more interesting as Bradley and Lady Gaga discuss musical ideas with Lukas Nelson and Mark Ronson. Acting with Sam Elliott, Andrew Dice Clay and Anthony Ramos. Cooper also tells of his directing choices and how that went.    

Music Videos and Musical Moments

There are the music videos for Shallow, Always Remember Us This Way and Look What I Found, I’ll Never Love Again. You can also pick specific music moments from the movie to watch again.

Warner Brothers Home Entertainment

Isn't It Romantic: A PG-13 World

What if you woke up in a world of a romantic comedy?

Isn’t It Romantic arrived on May 21. It’s on the Blu-Ray Combo Pack and DVD. The Digital format appeared early on April 30.

ROMANCE

Isn’t It Romantic grossed over $48 million in North America. There are no worldwide numbers. The film ended up internationally on Netflix.

It did manage a 69% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Which is still enough to land a ‘Fresh,’ if it counts for anything.

From New Line Cinema - Rebel Wilson leads the cast with Liam Hemsworth, Adam Devine and Priyanka Chopra. Todd Strauss-Schulson is behind the camera. The story and screenplay are by Erin Cardillo.

TAKE

Would I buy this film? Yes. I would give it a try, eventually.

If you ever sat through a romantic comedy or looking for a date movie. Isn’t It Romantic could be worth the look.  

It’s a breezy 88 minutes - with credits. The movie definitely doesn’t overstay its welcome.

Wilson is Natalie. Hemsworth is Blake, a handsome client; Devine as her co-worker and best friend, Josh; and Chopra as Isabella, a model and a yoga ambassador.

Natalie is a New York City architect. She is a cynic to love, but after an encounter with a mugger, she hits her head. She wakes up in a world that is more of a nightmare.

A Romantic Comedy.  

Before Natalie crosses paths with her mugger. She, of course, rattles of all those romantic comedy tropes, which makes those films so horrible to her. So, the movie eventually pokes fun and plays up the tropes while embracing them, too.

The magical kiss in the rain. Love scenes cutting to the next morning. The fashion montage. The stereotypical gay friend who supports the leading lady, no matter the time of day. The musical number where everyone in the room somehow knows the same choreography.

And, I found it to be silly, funny and a little heartwarming. It wasn’t Oscar entertainment overall, but I enjoyed it more than I thought I would.     

I had no idea how Natalie would make her escape from the Romantic Comedy World, which kept my curiosity as well.

The cast all seemed to have good chemistry. And they were willing to embrace those romantic comedy tropes. I think Liam Hemsworth was the biggest surprise. He was funny and I’ve mostly seen him in action/drama movies.   

It may be a romantic comedy. But it's kind of nice to see a romantic comedy with a twist, every now and then.     

SPECIAL FEATURES OVERVIEW

The special features are very slim.

I Wanna Dance! (4 minutes, 35 seconds)

There is more than one dance sequence in the movie. One specific song of I Wanna Dance With Somebody by Whitney Houston. The director and cast talk about it.

Deleted Scenes (6 minutes, 45 seconds.)

- Deleted scenes. More for curiosity than anything. Nothing totally surprising on what was cut.

Warner Brothers Home Entertainment

The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part

Throwback thought. Can you believe it is already five years since ‘Everything is Awesome’ first got stuck in your head?

The LEGO Movie: The Second Part arrives on May 7. It’s on everything from the 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack, the Blu-Ray Combo Pack, DVD Special Edition. The Digital format appeared early on March 19.

SURPRISE

The success of The LEGO Movie surprised many. It landed in the Top 5 of the most popular movies of 2014.

This led to two spin-offs - The LEGO Batman Movie and The LEGO Ninjago Movie.

Now, The LEGO Movie: The Second Part. It has pretty much of the cast and crew of the original returning with some newbies.

Chris Pratt as Emmet; Elizabeth Banks as Lucy/Wyldstyle; Will Arnett as LEGO Batman; Alison Brie as Unikitty; Nick Offerman as MetalBeard; and Charlie Day as Benny. They are joined by Stephanie Beatriz and Tiffany Haddish as new characters Queen Watevra Wa’Nabi and General Mayhem. And Maya Rudolph as Mom.      

The Second Part ended up with an impressive 87% on the Rotten Tomatoes with a $190 million worldwide gross. The sequel or the spin-offs have never been able to reach the box office mark set by the original movie. ($469 million worldwide.)

The director was Mike Mitchell, taking over from, Phil Lord and Christopher Miller. Lord and Miller are still producers and they wrote the screenplay. Trisha Gum was the animation director.

TAKE

Would I buy this film? No.

But if you’ve enjoyed - or watched - any of the LEGO movies, it is worthwhile for the look. At 107 minutes (if you count some lengthy credits.) It’s not a long investment.

Certainly, there will be kids or even young-at-heart, who won’t mind watching.

Was I entertained with The Second Part? Yes.

Yet, I’ve watched it once now. It feels like that’s enough.

It’s been interesting at some of the changes behind-the-scenes since 2014. Lord and Miller are now Oscar-winners. They were producers of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. And not one viewer saw Chris Pratt in Guardians of the Galaxy or Jurassic World when The LEGO Movie came out.

(Pratt even voices a new character, Rex Dangervest, who kind of pokes fun at some of these changes for him.)

 If you are reading this, you should know The LEGO Movie twist. I won't go into much detail of it.

The animated world of LEGO is not as it appears. They don’t try to hide it in The Second Part. either. We see flashes of this throughout the movie, but we don’t get a fuller look until closer to the end.        

The world of Bricksburg has changed to Apocalypseburg. Everything isn’t as awesome anymore. There are invaders from outer space. Wreaking everything faster then it can be rebuilt. It takes the gang on a more cosmic adventure.

The animation remains wild and fun to look at. The silliness and craziness dynamics of LEGO remains. (Don’t think too hard about the story logic.) There is humour. The voice work is still spot on. There are new songs too, but nothing that felt as catchy as ‘Everything is Awesome.’   

By the end, there is still some good dose heart to with this LEGO gang.    

My LEGO Ranking

The LEGO Movie

The LEGO Batman Movie

The LEGO Movie: The Second Part

The LEGO Ninjago Movie

SPECIAL FEATURES OVERVIEW

There is an 'Everything is Awesome Sing-along' version of the film.

- Commentary

It depends on your interest. It’s not for every viewer.

- They Come in Pieces: Assembling The LEGO Movie 2 (8 minutes, 49 seconds.)

- I kind of appreciate that the filmmakers had no intention of rushing the sequel - if it was to happen at all. While most of the cast tell their thoughts of the movie.

My interesting pick for the special features.

- Emmet’s Holiday Party: A LEGO Movie Short (2 minutes, 17 seconds.)

- If you are feeling festive for Christmas time. Emmet tries to brighten some spirits. I believe this was online, too.

LEGO Sets in Action - (2 minutes, 17 seconds)

- There is no talking. Just Lego animation of scenes from the movie.

LEGO Designers (3 minutes, 30 seconds)

- Designers take a closer look at some of the sets available to play with from the movie.

- Promotional Materials

The usual - Turn Off Cellphone items. For home viewing, even though they are not very long, are kind of meh. I've seen the movie, why watch how it was promoted?

- Outtakes and Deleted Scenes (12 minutes, 21 seconds.)

I didn’t see this as outtakes. I also saw outtakes as bloopers. But the deleted scenes included some that did not have completed animation. 

Warner Bros. Home Entertainment

The Mule: Eastwood's Screen Return

The Mule is inspired by a true story.

It’s Clint Eastwood’s first time as actor and director in 10 years. The last was Gran Torino (2008).

The Mule arrived on April 2. It’s on everything from the 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack, the Blu-Ray Combo Pack and DVD. The Digital format appeared early on March 19.

TRUE

The Mule released in late 2018, continues Clint Eastwood’s streak of true story themed films to six-in-a-row. (The 15:17 To Paris, Sully, American Sniper, Jersey Boys and J.Edgar.)

The Mule, obviously, isn’t a fact-based tale but takes inspiration from the story of World War II veteran Leo Sharp. He became a drug courier in his 80s for the Sinaloa Cartel. Mr. Sharp was even a subject of a New York Times story.

Stats say the film is a rebound for the 88-year-old Eastwood.

The Mule scored a 70% on Rotten Tomatoes and banked over $168 million at the worldwide box office. The 15:17 to Paris - released earlier in 2018 - appears to be deemed a miss by many with only $57 million worldwide and a low 23% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Oscar-winner Eastwood directed and starred alongside a cast of fellow Oscar nominees from Bradley Cooper (his follow-up to A Star Is Born), Laurence Fishburne, Michael Peña, Dianne Wiest and Andy Garcia.        

The screenplay is by Nick Schenk.

TAKE

Would I buy this film? Yes - eventually.

If you liked anything by Clint Eastwood, it is certainly worth the look. He has not been acting since 2012’s Trouble With the Curve.

Is it the best picture quality movie? Maybe not. But the story carried by Mr. Eastwood drew me in.

Eastwood plays Earl Stone, who is not by any means a pleasant man. A man who tended to put work above everything else. To the point, he didn’t show up for his own daughter’s wedding (Played by Clint’s real daughter, Alison.) Eventually, when it seems like everything is going wrong, Earl is offered a job that simply requires him to drive.

But he soon realizes he is a drug courier for the cartel. The more he decides to drive. The more complications.

Bradley Cooper is a supporting character this round, after doing the heavy lifting in A Star is Born and even Eastwood's American Sniper. He partners with Michael Peña. Cooper is DEA agent Colin Bates. And Agent Bates investigation may uncover more than he expected.         

Overall, it is a Clint Eastwood movie. Clint still has the acting chops after all these years being offscreen. The rest of the supporting cast handles well from the family drama scenes to the menacing cartel, to the DEA investigation, to just Clint driving.  

It is an R film, too. Besides a small risqué sequence - there’s the usual coarse language, drug talk and threats of violence expected in a 116-minute story called The Mule.

It may not be Oscar-worthy overall, but out of Clint’s 2018 work - I pick The Mule over The 15:17 to Paris.

SPECIAL FEATURES OVERVIEW

The DVD only has the Toby Keith music video.  

Nobody Runs Forever: The Making of The Mule (10 minutes, 58 seconds.)

- This is the usual behind-the-scenes reel. Clint Eastwood talks about making the movie. His daughter Alison talks about being in the movie. Even talk about the clothes Clint wears, which are actually from some of his past films.

   

Toby Keith’s Don’t Let the Old Man In Music Video (2 minutes, 52 seconds.)

- The song plays during the end credits of the movie. Toby Keith wondered how Clint Eastwood kept up his schedule and stamina at the age of 88. Clint’s answer - “He said, ‘I just get up every morning and go out. And I don’t let the old man in,’ ” Keith recounts. “And I thought, I’m writing that.” 

Warner Brothers Home Entertainment

Aquaman: Splish Splash

Little Mermaid? Not found here.

Aquaman arrived March 26. It’s on everything from the 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack, the Blu-Ray Combo Pack and DVD. The Digital format appeared early on March 5.

ADVENTURE

Jason Momoa’s turn as Aquaman already got an introduction in 2017’s Justice League.

There’s no Batman, Superman or Wonder Woman found in this film.

Aquaman scored a 65% on Rotten Tomatoes - enough for a ‘Fresh’ rating. While the result may lead to mixed reviews among critics, it didn't deter audiences.

Aquaman saw over $1.1 billion - yes, with a B - at the worldwide box office. This tally makes it the biggest DC 'Extended Universe' movie on the world stage. Even DC movies overall besting Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight Trilogy, only slightly. 

So, Box Office Mojo stats call Aquaman the fourth biggest movie of 2018. Avengers: Infinity War, Incredibles 2 and Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom are the top three.

Director James Wan (The Conjuring) films an ensemble cast. This includes Amber Heard, Willem Dafoe, Patrick Wilson, Dolph Lundgren - Creed II! - Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Oscar winner Nicole Kidman, Ludi Lin and Temuera Morrison.  

The screenplay by David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick and Will Beall. The story is by Geoff Johns, Wan and Beall. The characters from DC’s Aquaman created by Paul Norris and Mort Weisinger.

TAKE

Would I buy this film? Yes - but I wouldn’t be in a hurry.

It’s more for anybody who has liked Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman or even the Marvel movies.

If none of those movies have interest you, then maybe best to stay away.

Aquaman is the ‘origin’ story. There is a quick mention to Steppenwolf, the villain of Justice League, but the 143-minute movie is Aquaman.

There is a lighthouse keeper named Tom Curry. Meets a girl named Atlanna, who just so happens to be the Queen of Atlantis. They have a son named Arthur.

Arthur grows up and becomes known as Aquaman. Problems begin to arise within the seven kingdoms and Princess named Mera seeks him out. Aquaman is meant to be king and restore order. But does the reluctant man, really want to see Atlantis and become king?  

If you’ve seen enough of these superhero movies, you may already know the answer. But it’s still fun to watch. Jason Momoa seems to be enjoying the role of Aquaman with flashes of humour throughout the movie.

Since a large chunk of the movie is set underwater, the visual effects for the characters and the creatures of the deep are quite impressive. According to the special features, some of the filming techniques have never been done before. The action is packed as well. Even tossing in a message about, perhaps, the world should pay a tiny bit more attention to the water.

So, Aquaman may feel familiar and isn't my favourite superhero movie around. As there are a lot in the genre now. But you may just be entertained.

And I may not be in a rush to watch Aquaman again. I have no problem with Aquaman 2.

SPECIAL FEATURES OVERVIEW

There is over an hour of special features. There is probably a little bit something for the super fans and more casual. While some give that extra insight. For me, it was too much to watch in one sitting.

Going Deep Into The World of Aquaman (19 minutes, 28 seconds.)

- This is one of the more interesting features as it focuses on the filming of the movie and what they did to try to achieve those underwater shots.

   

Becoming Aquaman (13 minutes, 3 seconds.)

- Jason Momoa talks about being cast in the film, to the filming, to Comic-Con, to the premiere of the movie.

James Wan: World Builder (9 minutes, 31 seconds.)

- Director James Wan and the production team discuss the creating of the Atlantis world from scratch.

Aqua Tech (5 minutes, 42 seconds.)

- Focuses on the technology, obviously, that was created for Atlantis.

  

Atlantis Warfare (4 minutes, 40 seconds.)

Villaneous Training (6 minutes, 31 seconds.)

The Dark Depths of Black Manta (6 minutes, 39 seconds)

- Black Manta introduction in the comics, to the movie version and design.

Heroines of Atlantis (5 minutes, 31 seconds)

- The focus is on Queen Atlanna and Mara. And why Queen Atlanna makes up the emotional spine of the movie.

Kingdoms of the Seven Seas (6 minutes, 59 seconds)

- Dolph Lundgren highlights the seven kingdoms within the movie and what is going on with them.  

Creating Undersea Creatures (7 minutes, 15 seconds)

- A more in-depth look at the creatures in the movie.

A Match Made in Atlantis (3 minutes, 12 seconds)

- Jason Momoa and Amber Heard discuss their characters relationship in the movie. Even calling it a sprinkle of Han Solo and Leia.

Scene Study Breakdowns (10 minutes, 15 seconds)

- There are three scenes to cover. A submarine, Sicily, and the Trench.

The submarine is the opener, Sicily offers up some stylish camera work, including a one-take and the Trench, the more horror-movie aspect.

Exclusive Sneak Peek of Shazam! (3 minutes, 27 seconds)

- More or less a longer scene, that is in the trailer but shown much differently in the movie. Shazam tries to figure out his new powers. 

Warner Brothers Home Entertainment

Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald - Wizarding World

It’s a return to the Wizarding World.

Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald arrives today! It’s on everything from the 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack, the Blu-Ray Combo Pack and DVD. The Digital format appeared early on February 15.

The 4K Ultra HD and the Blu-Ray Combo have an extended cut. It's more than seven minutes added and is only available with the digital download code.

WIZARD

J.K. Rowling, obviously, is the author behind the popular Harry Potter series. Harry’s story was meant to be finished though.

The return to the Wizarding World happened in 2016. It was Rowling’s first-ever screenplay with Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. Newt Scamander (Oscar-winner Eddie Redmayne) is the centre of the action.

Like Creed II, Beasts is a spin-off as it is still set in the world of Harry Potter.

There was no mention of Harry Potter though. The tale takes place in 1926. There are connections if you look hard enough. Newt Scamander is one of them. He set out to write the book, ‘Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.’ It was required reading for Harry’s first year at Hogwarts.

(There’s a quick glimpse of the book’s release in the new movie.)

Fantastic Beasts managed 75% on Rotten Tomatoes and over $814 million worldwide. It is the first of an intended five-movie series.  

The Crimes of Grindelwald (a wizard with another Potter connection) struggled as a follow-up. Grindelwald hit a measly 36% on Rotten Tomatoes and finished at $653 million worldwide. While it is a much bigger haul than a movie like Creed II, the result is the lowest of the Wizarding World films.      

The story shifts to 1927. Rowling returned as writer and David Yates as director. Most of the ensemble came back with some newbies. There’s Johnny Depp, Redmayne, Jude Law, Katherine Waterston, Dan Fogler, Alison Sudol, Ezra Miller, Zoe Kravitz, Callum Turner, Claudia Kim, William Nadylam, Kevin Guthrie, Carmen Ejogo and Poppy Corby-Tuech.

TAKE

Would I buy this film? Yes.

If you had zero interest in Harry Potter up to this point, then I would say no.

Like Creed II again - The Crimes of Grindelwald is a sequel. You might be able to dive in here, but it is probably more enjoyable if you are already familiar - and liked - the other movies. Do you start buying something that is meant as a second part? I don’t think it’s the suggested way to go.

And unlike Rocky and Creed, I do own the Harry Potter books and most of the movies.

Is this J.K. Rowling at her best? Probably not. I mean Harry Potter is a tough contender. Crimes of Grindelwald has a lot more characters introduced. It translates to less screen time for some introduced in the first Fantastic Beasts movie. There is a lot more information to take in as well.

The opening and end moments have the biggest action sequences of the whole movie. The beasts and visuals are well done. While a lot of the film is more dialogue driven. Johnny Depp's big speech near the end, feels quite chilling, in a good way.

Overall though, the story seemed like it was moving pieces to set up the next chapters. If the Harry Potter books are any indication though, Rowling has a plan. According to the special features, she has an entire backstory for how Newt met his assistant Bunty. It never gets mentioned in the movie.   

There are more connections to the Potter series with a return to Hogwarts. There's mentions of Professor Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall, Nagini and Nicholas Flamel.

If you are a serious Potter fan, or more casual, will depend on how much those words above make an impact on you.

And the ending will depend on the type of fan you are. No spoilers here. But you may be surprised, confused or won’t make much difference to you.

(I’m in the surprised/confused category.) It certainly makes me intrigued to find out what happens in Fantastic Beasts 3.  

SPECIAL FEATURES OVERVIEW

There is over an hour of special features. There is probably a little bit something for the super fans and more casual.

J.K. Rowling: A World Revealed (10 minutes, 15 seconds.)

- J.K Rowling discusses Harry Potter and why she set out to do the Fantastic Beasts movies. As for the ending - she says don’t jump to conclusions just yet.

Wizards on Screen, Fans in Real Life (19 minutes, 12 seconds.)

- In the words of Ezra Miller, who plays Credence - this is the more ‘nerdy’ feature. It’s Miller’s and Evanna Lynch (Luna Lovegood from Harry Potter movies) offering commentary and questions on certain scenes. They spend a few minutes of Miller reading passages from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Which may help jogged some fans memories - like mine.

Distinctly Dumbledore (9 minutes, 31 seconds.)

- Discussion of the casting of this younger Dumbledore with Jude Law. Also of Richard Harris and Michael Gambon’s portrayal. J.K Rowling even offers her own thoughts on the Dumbledore and Grindelwald relationship.

The Unlocking Scene Secrets section spans 49 minutes altogether. This is the behind-the-scenes analysis of making the movie. There’s the Hogwarts sequence and why Dumbledore’s classroom may look so familiar. How Newt’s menagerie was developed and also that Bunty backstory. Some insight into Credence, Nagini and why a Circus is worth noting. The construction of Paris - which took builders 9 months before filming even started. How much of the Ministere des Affaires is actually a real set and more about Grindelwald.  

Unlocking Scene Secrets: The Return to Hogwarts

Unlocking Scene Secrets: Newt’s Menagerie

Unlocking Scene Secrets: Credence, Nagini and the Circus Arcanus  

Unlocking Scene Secrets: Paris and Place Cahee

Unlocking Scene Secrets: Ministere des Affaires Magiques

Unlocking Scene Secrets: Grindelwald’s Escape and the Ring of Fire

Deleted Scenes (14 minutes, 23 seconds.)

- They offer some interesting insight but would have added more to the 134 minutes run time. There were also details explained in other parts of the movie. 

Warner Brothers Home Entertainment