Blu-ray Alert: May 5-11

Houston – we have a winner!

This week’s Blu-ray blast from the past is Apollo 13, a 1995 release that’s been given an outstanding 1080p spruce-up for its 15^th anniversary.

It’s one of a slew of back-catalogue HD must-haves from Universal and Paramount that’s due on Wednesday.

The others are Elizabeth and its Golden Age sequel, the Keira Knightley period dramas, Atonement and Pride & Prejudice, and the special edition of the under-rated Stardust that comes with a writer/director’s commentary, a making-of hour and five deleted scenes.

Less impressive is this week’s line-up of new releases, unless you have a bent for bottom-of-the-barrel comedies (Old Dogs, Did You Hear About the Morgans?), Nicolas Cage in crazed good cop-bad cop mode (Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans) or Hilary Swank on auto-pilot (Amelia).

Of curiosity value is Nine, the new musical from Chicago’s Rob Marshall with a Fellini-esque twist that’s worth a look just to see if Penelope Cruz can out-sizzle Baker Boys babe Michelle Pfeiffer on a piano top.

Also due Wednesday are the Garfield movies, with WWII Lost Films: WWI in HD to ship on Friday, and One Night Only: Barbra Streisand and Dire Straits – Alchemy: Live on Monday.