Academy Award winner Sandra Bullock triumphs in THE BLIND SIDE (Blu-ray & DVD Reviews by John J. Puccio)

—> See Links to our BD & DVD Reviews (below)

"With a career-best performance by Sandra Bullock and a terrific new talent in Quinton Aaron... A compelling portrait of an unlikely bond between two people from opposite sides of the tracks."
—Pete Hammond (Box Office)

"Grounded in the direct, disarming truth of their experience, the movie has a straightforward lack of cheap sentiment that saves it from being either too maudlin or saccharine-sweet."
—(Washington Post)

"An uplifting and entertaining feel-good, fact-based sports drama... Bullock is thoroughly convincing in the role." —Joe Leydon (Variety)

"A movie that inspires." —Paul Chambers, (CNNRadio)

THE BLIND SIDE on DVD and Blu-ray Combo Pack (BD/DVD/Digital Copy) »

Academy Award® Nominee:
Best Picture
Best Actress – Sandra Bullock (update: WINNER)

Golden Globe® Winner: Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role – Sandra Bullock

Screen Actors Guild Winner: Outstanding performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role – Sandra Bullock

Critics' Choice Award Winner:
Best Actress – Sandra Bullock

Burbank, CA — Based on the extraordinary true story, The Blind Side recently arrived (March 23) on Blu-ray and DVD Combo Pack from Warner Home Video. Sandra Bullock stars in this heartwarming real life account of All-American football star Michael Oher.

Teenager Michael Oher is living on his own when he is spotted on the street by Leigh Anne Tuohy. Learning that the young man is one of her daughter's classmates, Leigh Anne invites him to stay at the Tuohy home for the night. What starts out as a gesture of kindness turns into something more as Michael becomes part of the Tuohy family despite the differences in their backgrounds. And as the family helps Michael fulfill his potential both on and off the football field, Michael leads them to some insightful self-discoveries.

From director John Lee Hancock (The Rookie), The Blind Side stars Sandra Bullock (The Proposal, Miss Congeniality, Two Weeks Notice, Speed) in a Golden Globe-winning performance, Tim McGraw (Four Christmases, Friday Night Lights), Jae Head (Hancock), Academy Award® winner Kathy Bates (Misery, Revolutionary Road, About Schmidt, Dolores Claiborne) and Quintin Aaron as Michael Oher.

The Blind Side is the proud recipient of two Academy Award nominations this year including Best Picture and Best Actress (Sandra Bullock - update: WINNER) and took home a Golden Globe award for Best Actress in a Drama (Sandra Bullock). The Blind Side also received a Critics' Choice Award for Best Actress (Sandra Bullock) and nomination for Best Young Actor/Actress (Jae Head) in addition to a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role (Sandra Bullock).

The Blind Side is now available on Blu-ray Combo Pack for $35.99, and on single disc DVD for $28.98.

The Blind Side is also available ON DEMAND through Digital Cable, Satellite TV, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 game consoles and can be downloaded for rental or purchase on iTunes and Amazon Video On Demand.

Teenager Michael Oher (Quinton Aaron) is surviving on his own, virtually homeless, when he is spotted on the street by Leigh Anne Tuohy (Sandra Bullock). Learning that the young man is one of her daughter's classmates, Leigh Anne insists that Michael — wearing shorts and a t-shirt in the dead of winter — come out of the cold. Without a moment's hesitation, she invites him to stay at the Tuohy home for the night. What starts out as a gesture of kindness turns into something more as Michael becomes part of the Tuohy family despite the differences in their backgrounds.

Living in his new environment, the teen faces a completely different set of challenges to overcome. And as the family helps Michael fulfill his potential, both on and off the football field, Michael's presence in the Tuohys' lives leads them to some insightful self-discoveries of their own.

BONUS FEATURES include: (Blu-ray)
• Deleted Scenes
• Acting Coaches: Behind the Blind Side
• The Story of Big Quinton
• Sidelines: Conversations on the Blind Side – Sandra Bullock and Leigh Anne Tuohy
• Sidelines: Conversations on the Blind Side – John Lee Hancock and Athor Michael Lewis
• Exclusive Michael Oher interview
• Bonus Digital Copy of the film
• Bonus DVD Copy of the film (2nd disc)

The DVD edition only includes Deleted Scenes

THE BLIND SIDE — Explore further:
—> Blu-ray Review by John J. Puccio »
EXCERPT: The Academy nominated 2009's "The Blind Side" for Best Picture of the Year, and they awarded Sandra Bullock the Best Actress Oscar for her role in the film. Fair enough. But is the movie really Oscar-caliber material? Not really. While it's a good true-life, inspirational sports film, one I enjoyed, I cannot see it as anything that much better than a dozen other true-life, inspirational sports movies.

And why do so many true-life inspirational films come from the world of athletics? Is it simply because people think of sports figures as heroes? Why not a true-life inspirational movie about an accountant, an insurance agent, or a grocery-store clerk? OK, maybe not. Folks love their sports.

The main thing that sets "The Blind Side" apart from its competition is that it focuses more on the Sandra Bullock character than it does on the sports figure. I suppose that in itself is worth something, though not necessarily an Oscar. Ms. Bullock puts in a fine, moving performance in a serious role, the actress avoiding most of her usual, patented cutesiness; yet it still doesn't seem to me a particularly demanding role. Ah, well, she won the award, and more power to her. She does bring the movie to life.

Indeed, if it weren't for Ms. Bullock's portrayal of the real-life Leigh Anne Tuohy, we probably wouldn't have much of a movie, because the other main character, the real-life football player Michael Oher, is simply sweet and gentle, without much story going for him beyond his adoption into the Tuohy family and their encouragement of his talents. In other words, without Bullock's character, there isn't a lot of story to the story beyond a conventional heartwarming family drama. Which, fortunately, is enough.

For a purported football movie, "The Blind Side" contains relatively little football, but when the sports segments do arrive, they liven up the story considerably. The drama is fine, but the excitement, thrills, and pure entertainment of the football interludes take the movie to another plane. It's also fun to see real-life college football coaches and former coaches play themselves, people like Nick Saben, Lou Holtz, Houston Nutt, Tommy Tuberville, and Phillip Fulmer making guest appearances.

"The Blind Side" can be light, sentimental, and predictable, to be sure, but since it really happened, one can hardly complain. The main thing is that Bullock and company portray the story's characters realistically and sympathetically, with a genuine conviction that is hard to resist. As I've said, while I don't think it's a great film, I couldn't help liking it.

(Click thru the Link above for the full review)

For the review of the DVD edition, click here:
—> DVD Review by John J. Puccio »
EXCERPT: By the time Michael Oher graduated from high school, he was among the most sought-after students in the country by top college recruiters. When he graduated from college, he was among the most sought-after football players by the National Football League. None of it would probably have happened without the love and support of Leigh Anne Tuohy and the entire Tuohy family. Whether this makes the movie worthy of Oscar consideration is another matter, but there is little doubt it is an uplifting and inspirational film.

—> Visit the film's Official Site »
(from Warner Brothers)

—> View the Theatrical Trailer (w/HD) »
(from Apple.com Trailers website)

—> Learn more about Michael Oher »
(the football player who's life is depicted in the movie - from Wikipedia)

"Bullock is an irrepressible hoot... She goes the distance as an unstoppable, well-coiffed, force of determination."
—Michael Rechtshaffen (Hollywood Reporter)

"This is Bullock's movie. She is Leigh Anne to such a degree you forget you're watching one of the best-known actresses around."
—Betsy Sharkey (Los Angeles Times)

Rated PG-13 for one scene involving brief violence, drug and sexual references

Film Synopsis:
Based on the extraordinary true story...
A poor, oversized and under-educated teenager is recruited by a major college football program where he is groomed into an athletically and academically successful NFL prospect.

The Rookie director John Lee Hancock brings another inspirational, true story to the screen with this football drama. Young Michael Oher (Quinton Aaron) has lived a difficult life on the streets, but his luck changes when a rich couple by Sandra Bullock and Tim McGraw) welcomes him into their home. Michael is given the chance to succeed, and his talent at football earns him the honor of All-American offensive left tackle. Co-starring Kathy Bates, this film is based on Michael Lewis's book THE BLIND SIDE: EVOLUTION OF A GAME.

An American teenager in Memphis, whose father was murdered and whose mother was a crack addict, is shuffled through the public school system, despite his low grade point average and absenteeism. But his tremendous size and quickness attracts the interest of a wealthy white couple who take him in and groom him both athletically and academically to become one of the top high-school football prospects in the country.

The Blind Side depicts the story of Michael Oher, a homeless African-American youngster from a broken home, taken in by the Touhys, a well-to-do white family who help him fulfill his potential. At the same time, Oher's presence in the Touhys' lives leads them to some insightful self-discoveries of their own. Living in his new environment, the teen faces a completely different set of challenges to overcome. As a football player and student, Oher works hard and, with the help of his coaches and adopted family, becomes an All-American offensive left tackle.