Release of the Week - New
Youth in Revolt
After watching Sony's new Blu-ray, I'm really very sorry that I missed this theatrically. This regret is augmented by the early references to both Yasujiro Ozu and Jean-Luc Godard's Breathless, one of my Very Favorite Films. Michael Cera does not unleash his "inner badass" as the cover quote advertises, but rather, his inner anarchistic jerk. There's great work all-around in the movie, and the Blu-ray includes audition tapes, cut footage, and a commentary by director Miguel Arteta & star Michael Cera.
Release of the Week - Catalog New to Blu
Mystery Train (The Criterion Collection)
I loved it, can't you tell? I'll be revisiting this in an upcoming Cinema Ozu piece on Ozu & Trains.
Release of the Week - Catalog TV
Supernatural Season 1
The other day, someone or another on Twitter remarked that Supernatural "gets away with an amazing amount of stuff on network TV", and I agree. The wave of more "cinematic" network shows of late justify seeing the early seasons of more series getting the HD treatment. If half of the studios out there paid as much attention to their movies on Blu as Warner Bros. does their TV stuff, we'd all be a lot happier. Features added since the DVD edition include an interactive guide to urban legends covered in the first season as well as a Paley Festival panel discussion that features cast members and creative types. Held over extras include cut and extended scenes, commentary on the pilot and one other episode, a couple of featurettes, and a gag reel.
Animated Release of the Week
Johnny Bravo Season 1 (DVD only)
Long-requested by fans of this standout early original Cartoon Network series, Johnny arrived on two discs that feature a decent amount of extras to supplement the first run of the show. There's a particularly nice little featurette called Bringing Up Johnny Bravo that talks about the genesis of the now-iconic CN series. There are three episodes that include commentary, and the episode "The Sensitive Male!" includes a rare temp track of Seth MacFarlane singing the episode's songs. Two episodes worth of pencil tests are in there as well.
Movie New Releases
Collapse (DVD only)
The movie is sobering, blunt, and depressing to many. It's also one of the more important docs released in the last year.
The Horseman
Burma VJ
Happy Tears (DVD only)
The Book of Eli
I'm behind in watching the rest of this and writing it up. It'll be up in the coming days.
When In Rome
Just terrible. Helps give horrible romantic comedies their bad name.
Air Bud: World Pup
I've enjoyed this title as much as I can by looking at the box art. I bet they didn't cash in on the vuvuzela craze.
Direct to Video
Unthinkable
This just arrived a few days ago, and there's a ton of stuff ahead of it. Samuel L. Jackson plus Michael Sheen plus terrorism thriller equals my interest piqued.
Catalog Movies New to Disc
The Kid With the Golden Arm
The transfer on this one couldn't be as bad as the recorded-off-of-a-TV-lousy one on the old disc.
Catalog New to Blu
Darkman
Looks pretty good (generally)!
Flash Gordon
Scrubbed of all grain within an inch of its life! A scandal! A outrage!
Showgirls
Oh, Showgirls.
Reissue/Repackaging
Enter the Dragon (Blu-ray)
TV New Releases
Lewis Black: Stark Raving Black
Everwood Season 3
Hawthorne Season 1
Secret Life of the American Teenager Volume 4
Family Guy Volume 8
American Dad Volume 5
I'm utterly bored by American Dad, and I not-so-secretly don't hate Family Guy (but it falls into the "easy to watch" category). I'll expand on these sets soon enough.
UK TV New to Region1
Raffles: The Complete Collection
Raffles the Gentleman Thief is a character about whom US audiences are completely oblivious.
Trial & Retribution Set 4
With the cancellation of Law & Order, it's time to import more titles like this one, or Rumpole and the Bailey, or...Law & Order UK (it's real!).
Catalog TV
Leave it to Beaver Season 3
Here's Lucy Season 3
MacGyver: The TV Movies
They missed out on the chance to snag that sweet MacGruber tie-in action. Oh well...