Finding Neverland [Blu-ray]

Acclaimed superstars Johnny Depp, Kate Winslet, Julie Christie and Dustin Hoffman bring a world of magic to life on Blu-ray Disc®. Dubbed "glorious entertainment" by Rolling Stone Magazine, FINDING NEVERLAND soars higher than ever in this remarkable high definition format. At a career crossroads after his latest play fails, well-known writer James M. Barrie (Depp) meets a widow (Winslet) and her four adventurous boys. Together they form a friendship that ignites the imagination needed to produce Barrie's greatest work – PETER PAN! Feast your eyes on the sumptuous visual brilliance of 1080p while your ears revel in the richness of 5.1 48 kHz, 24-bit uncompressed audio. You will believe – thanks to Blu-ray™ High Definition.

Sweetness that doesn't turn saccharine is hard to find these days; Finding Neverland hits the mark. Much credit is due to the actors: Johnny Depp applies his genius for sly whimsy in his portrayal of playwright J. M. Barrie, who finds inspiration for his greatest creation from four lively boys, the sons of widow Sylvia Llewelyn Davies (Kate Winslet, who miraculously fuses romantic yearning with common sense). Though the friendship threatens his already dwindling marriage, Barrie spends endless hours with the boys, pretending to be pirates or Indians--and gradually the elements of Peter Pan take shape in his mind. The relationship between Barrie and the Llewelyn Davies family sparks both an imagined world and a quiet rebellion against the stuffy forces of respectability, given physical form by Barrie's resentful wife (Radha Mitchell, High Art) and Sylvia's mother (Julie Christie, McCabe and Mrs. Miller). This gentle silliness could have turned to treacle, but Depp and Winslet--along with newcomer Freddie Highmore as one of the boys--keep their feet on the earth while their eyes gaze into their dreams. Also featuring a comically crusty turn from Dustin Hoffman (who appeared in another Peter Pan-themed movie, Hook) as a long-suffering theater producer. --Bret Fetzer