You have to hand it to the folks over at Disney for their timing of their latest releases on Blu-ray. The marketers over at the company decided to release two of their more recent sports movies this week and it really makes a lot of sense. "The Greatest Game Ever Played" comes just in time for the start of the US Open while "The Miracle", based on the dramatic gold medal win by the USA in hockey, comes right after the NHL Stanley Cup Tournament had just concluded. So how are the actual films? Definitely up to Disney standard.

As you watch "The Greatest Game Ever Played" you will learn of a great amateur golfer by the name of Francis Ouimet. Ouimet, a common man playing a sport played by rich men, was cheered on by the nation in the 1913 U.S. Open. Shia LaBeouf stars as Ouimet with Bill Paxton directing. The story portrays Ouimet as man who is gifted at golf but pulled away from the sport by a father who sees no future in the game for a working class man. In the end, Ouimet is rewarded for sticking with the game he loves and prospers because of it.

"The Miracle" was directed by Gavin O'Connor and tells a story that is familiar with any novice sports fan. Kurt Russell gets the nod as the star of the film depicting Herb Brooks who was the head coach of the team. The 1980 USA Olympic hockey team won the gold medal as amateurs against the bigger, faster, and stronger Russians that made Al Michaels declare "Do You Believe in Miracles?". The phrase is famous 30 years later as the unexpected win was more about the Red, White, and Blue defeating the communist country of Russia who were playing with professionally players while the USA were mismatched with college students. The story is worthy of a look back and will entertain both hockey fans and people who don't even like sports.

Both are great tales and classic Disney fare and worth space in your DVD library. The sports movies also would make a great gift for Fathers Day if your dad - another timing coup by Disney.

BluRay Extras for the films include:

Greatest Game Ever Played:

"THE GREATEST GAME EVER PLAYED" comes with a good number of special features. All features are presented in 480i Standard Definition, English 2.0 Dolby Digital and with English SDH, French and Spanish subtitles. Included are:

* Audio Commentary with Director Bill Paxton - Bill Paxton has a very enthusiastic audio commentary, discussing everything from the Kodachrome to the people he hired on staff and is very complimentary. Paxton focuses on the making of the film.
* Audio Commentary with Author, Screenwriter and Producer Mark Frost - While Bill Paxton focuses on the filmmaking end of "THE GREATEST GAME EVER PLAYED", Mark Frost focuses on the history of golf and what transpired at that time. The differences from his book and the film and information on the actual golfers. Very informative commentary.
* A View from the Gallery: On the Set of The Greatest Game Ever Played - (15:22) We learn of how actor Bill Paxton became director and how he himself lived near a golf course and picked up balls for Ben Hogan and how excited of having to become a director of his first film but also his appreciation for golf and a big fan of the original book. We learn about the people involved in the film and interviews with cast and crew. From the Director of Photography, composer, people involved with production and costume design, special effects and more.
* Two Legends and the Greatest Game - (6:59) A featurette about the two men focused on the film, Harry Vardon who is a legendary British golfer and the man that everyone has based their current golf grip on and the first man to professionally endorse a golf product. And Francis Ouimet and how he became a legend for winning the U.S. Open but showing America that you didn't have to be rich to win the game and therefore inspiring many Americans to take up the sport. Also, his friendship with his ten-year-old caddie from when they first took the golf course through their older age.
* From Caddie to Champion: Francis Ouimet - (25:15) An actual black and white featurette from 1965 hosted by Fred Cusick as he interviews Francis Ouimet.

The Miracle

* Audio Commentary by Director Gavin O'Connor, Director of Photography Dan Stoloff and Editor John Gilroy -
* The Making of Miracle - (17:52) Behind the scenes on the making of "MIRACLE". How Director Gavin O'Connor wanted authenticity and the talent needing to go through training camp and having to take the physical hits, having to go through similar grueling conditioning that Coach Herb Brooks put the 1980 Olympic Men's Ice Hockey team through. Having to bring Al Michaels to re-record certain play-by-play calls and much more. Capturing the game from that time period and making things look authentic nearly 25 years later.
* From Hockey to Hollywood: The Actor's Journeys - (27:31) An interesting interview as we get some of the original team members with the actors who are portraying them. The actors talk about their roles and trying to make sure that they were like the actual actors. Original athletes of the 1980 team talking about how the talent were almost like spitting image of them during that time.
* The Sound of Miracle - (10:24) As the Director Gavin O'Connor wanted to create authenticity of the game. It was important to get the sounds of the game incorporated in the film. This featurette shows us how that was done.
* Miracle ESPN Roundtable with Linda Cohn - (41:08) Linda Cohn interviews actor Kurt Russell and 1980 United States Olympic ice hockey team members Mike Eruzione, Buzz Schneider and Jim Craig. From discussions of the comparison of the film and what happened in real life and remembering Coach Herb Brooks and what Kurt Russell did to play the role of the coach.
* First Impressions: Herb Brooks with Kurt Russell and the Filmmakers - (21:13) Herb Brooks passed away before the film was completed but the filmmakers had footage of when they met with Herb Brooks and getting to know the man. Brooks talked about his emotions of being part of the 1960 US Olympic Men's Ice Hockey team but then getting cut before the day of the Olympics and the emotions he head then and also as a coach.
* Outtakes - (4:52) - The bloopers and outtakes from the film.