Blu Tuesday: “Andor” and More

Blu Tuesday is a weekly column where we review the newest Blu-ray and 4K releases, along with a brief rundown of the included bonus material, to determine whether they’re worth buying, renting or skipping.

Pick of the Week: “Andor: The Complete First Season”

“Rogue One” is arguably the best “Star Wars” movie to be made under the Disney banner, so it’s certainly fitting that this prequel series from Tony Gilroy also happens to be one of the best “Star Wars” TV shows to date. A tense and gritty political thriller about the birth of the Rebellion, “Andor” takes a decidedly different approach to the typical “Star Wars” story by trading lightsabers and big space battles for a grounded examination of life under authoritarian rule. As such, the show is much more of a slow burn than fans may be used to, but while it takes some time to get going, it’s ultimately a very rewarding experience. Boasting excellent writing and great performances from Diego Luna, Denise Gough and Stellan Skarsgård (among others), “Andor” proves that there are other ways to tell a “Star Wars” story without sacrificing what fans love most about the franchise.

Extras include a series of production featurettes on making the series. FINAL VERDICT: BUY

Also Out This Week:

“Ocean’s Trilogy” — Steven Soderbergh is one of the most celebrated filmmakers of his generation, delivering critically acclaimed movies like “Traffic” (for which he won an Oscar), “Erin Brockovich” and “Sex, Lies and Videotape,” but for my money, the “Ocean’s” films — made between 2001 and 2007 at the height of his career — are the best things he’s ever done. It’s also one of the better movie trilogies of the modern era. Though 2004’s “Ocean’s Twelve” is the weakest of the bunch, all three films are immensely entertaining crime capers that are fueled by the amazing chemistry among their ensemble casts, particularly the trio of George Clooney, Brad Pitt and Matt Damon. All three movies have been remastered with the participation of Soderbergh for this new 4K release, and although they look better than ever, it’s the films themselves that are the real draw, as you just don’t get these kinds of fun, star-powered vehicles very much anymore. Extras include an audio commentary by Soderbergh and a making-of featurette for all three films, as well as some deleted scenes, additional featurettes and more. FINAL VERDICT: BUY

“Mean Girls” (2024) — You’d be forgiven if you weren’t aware that the new version of “Mean Girls” is a musical since Paramount seemed hell-bent on concealing that important detail from the film’s marketing campaign. I’m not entirely sure why, either, since it’s the only thing that differentiates this reimagining from the original. The musical numbers (pulled from the Broadway show on which the movie is based) are pretty hit-and-miss, and the same goes for the cast as well. Auliʻi Cravalho is the clear standout as Janice, though Reneé Rapp also does a good job of channeling Rachel McAdams as queen bee Regina, and Busy Philipps is perfectly cast as her mom. With that said, “Mean Girls” works best when it fully embraces its musical component, delivering an experience that, while not as fresh and iconic as the 2004 film, still manages to amuse in similar ways. Extras include a trio of behind-the-scenes featurettes and a gag reel. FINAL VERDICT: RENT

“Mean Girls” (2004) — 2004’s “Mean Girls” is without a doubt one of the defining films of the early naughts — a perfect storm of talent, timing and a sharply funny script that remains highly quotable to this day. Though it’s very much a product of its time, “Mean Girls” has become the quintessential teen comedy of a generation, as it perfectly captures the high school experience and the social hierarchies that lie within. The cast is impeccable (especially Rachel McAdams in a career-making turn), the characters feel authentic, and there’s no shortage of laughs. Granted, a 4K release probably wasn’t necessary, as it’s not the type of movie that benefits greatly from upgraded visuals, but it’s not a bad way to celebrate the film’s 20th anniversary. Extras include an audio commentary by director Mark Waters, writer Tina Fey and producer Lorne Michaels, as well as some behind-the-scenes featurettes, bloopers, deleted scenes and more. FINAL VERDICT: RENT

“Madame Web” — Sony has been desperately trying to build their own Spider-Man cinematic universe since the debut of Tom Holland’s version of the iconic webslinger in the MCU, but it’s gone about as well as you’d expect for a franchise that’s missing its most important character. The “Venom” movies are pretty forgettable apart from Tom Hardy’s performance, while last year’s “Morbius” was an unmitigated disaster on every level. “Madame Web” isn’t any better — a superhero movie with no real superheroes that’s plagued by wooden acting, terrible dialogue and an uneventful story lacking in stakes. The various Spider-Women (played by Sydney Sweeney, Isabela Merced and Celeste O’Connor) only appear in costume twice, and both instances are just visions, which might feel like a slap in the face if “Madame Web” wasn’t already such an embarrassing mess. Extras include a behind-the-scenes look at making the film, a deleted scene, a gag reel and more. FINAL VERDICT: SKIP

Disclosure: Bullz-Eye was provided a copy of the above titles for review purposes.