DISNEY's "MARS NEEDS MOM" didn't fare well at the box-office, but will it win over a larger audience with the new blu-ray3d release? Based on a beloved children's book, the plot focuses on Milo, a young boy having to mature fast in order to literally save his mom's life, after she's been kidnapped by Martians. Stowing away on the spaceship that's taken her, Milo builds allies on the planet, and finds that the Martians led by "Supervisor," are intent on utilizing Milo's mom's mothering traits by transferring them to robots, ensuring these hard-to-deal with Martian adolescents are well cared for.  Of course, being a Bob Zemeckis production, a lot more is thrown into the story, as other characters, including that of a martian girl, "Ki," uncover nefarious on-goings and try to liberate young Martians from the tyranny of their oppressors. What was likely a wonderfully, well illustrated bedtime story, has been given so much filler, in order to make a full-length film, that it suffers under its own weight.

There are some nice moments. Milo's growing appreciation and love for his mom, should please any adult viewers, and some creative/funny moments are really smile-inducing. But, there are a fair share of scenes built around characters in peril, which may come close to traumatizing for the youngest viewers. With the various sub-plots unfolding, "MARS NEEDS MOMS," would benefit from a shorter "director's cut," because even at 88 minutes, it's still a good 20 minutes too long. However, the sluggish part actually begins about 30 minutes in, so the last 30 minutes of "MARS NEEDS MOMS," actually picks up speed, and engages the audience, young and old, in a way that leaves them satisfied, but wishing the entire film had been just as good. While not overly complicated, the middle portion of the film had a lot of narrative that could've been edited, making it a tighter, and more entertaining film. "MARS NEEDS MOMS" is a lot better than the plethora of stupid "family" targeted films released in 2011, but some fine tweaking and it may have been something standing beside the best of PIXAR releases. As it stands, "MARS NEEDS MOMS" will entertain the whole family, but some of them, depending on age, a great deal more! The best PIXAR films entertain young and old with the same amount of fanfare! It's a big difference.

DISNEY has released the blu-ray3d version as part of a special "4pack" edition. This includes the blu-ray3d, blu-ray(non-3d version), dvd and digital copy. The correct 2.40:1 aspect ratio has been provided for this AVC MPEG-4 1080p release.  Colors are extremely vivid! Rarely have colors on any "blu-ray3d" format release been this rich!(not that so many have been released yet!)  While the blu-ray3d format inherently brings with it, at best, a slightly darker image than its blu-ray(non-3d)counterpart, colors are considerably brighter in this presentation than on various blu-ray3d releases from other studios, thus far. Additionally, the contrast is nearly flawless! Watching this blu-ray3d release compared to "MONSTERS VS ALIENS" is amazing! The blacks are so much deeper with this release, and detail is so much more impressive! While there are plenty of scenes wherein the "3d" component of the presentation doesn't make any difference, the image seldom appears flat. And, there are many scenes wherein the "3d" really enhances the action, making the increased depth that much more amazing to take in.  Unlike some of the currently available blu-ray3d releases, there aren't any obvious artifacts or crosstalk problems affecting this release! When compared to the blu-ray(non-3d)release included here, other than a minimally darker image, color and detail are on par with one another. It's a great looking blu-ray and an even more fun blu-ray3d presentation!

DISNEY has provided a DTS-HD MA 7.1 mix. (That's right, "7.1!!!")  While the earlier moments of the film may underwhelm the audience anticipating an immersive experience, things turn around as soon as Milo takes off in the spaceship. So, this low-key buildup actually pays off! As Milo's adventure begins, so does the calvacade of panning/bass and discrete effects, designed for maxium pay-off with terrific precision. There are plenty of great lossy mixes out there, even on mediocre films. But, seldom has the care and precision to the fidelity of a mix been as impressive as it is on what's been achieved in the design for this release. Seriously, it would not be surprising to find the sound design for "MARS NEEDS MOMS" nominated for an Oscar! Great job! Even those theater owners with systems limited to a 5.1 layout, there's more to enjoy with this release than most!

A bonus "Picture-in-Picture" option is offered, allowing for the optional audio commentary with the writer/director and two main actors. It's a little too cumbersome for most audiences, and certainly dull for youngsters. However, the variety of video content available for this "P-I-P" presentation is kind of fun.

Deleted scenes are presented in full HD!  Some appear finished and others pre-finished. While generally entertaining, none of these would've benefitted a film already needing tightening.

A blu-ray3d exclusive deleted scene, running only a minute is also offered. While it's too short to make any difference, some may prefer the execution of the scene offered over the one chosen for the theatrical presentation.

As already mentioned, a digital copy, dvd and regular blu-ray(with extras) is also part of the "blu-ray3d" release.