Electric Shadow

Disc Roundup: Weeks of 7 & 14 May 2013

Welcome back to an old feature made new. More about how it works at the end of the article.

Individual releases are listed in no particular order. Assume Blu-ray on all unless otherwise noted. Click on the links to purchase at Amazon. This supports the site and this feature.

These posts are periodically updated with more info. Follow the Arthouse Cowboy twitter feed for notifications of additions.

The Great Escape

Superman Unbound

Cloud Atlas

3:10 to Yuma (Criterion Collection)

Jubal (Criterion Collection)

Ghostbusters "Mastered in 4K" Blu-ray 

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Disc Roundup (Movies & TV) 6 July


Release of the Week - Fresh from Cinemas A Single Man Colin Firth and Tom Ford deserve all of the credit they've gotten for this, one of the few 2009 movies with a really long life ahead of them. Blu-ray shows off the designer's eye of auteur-to-be Ford especially well here. I hope to see more from his guiding hand and creative mind. I don't care if he's an egotist. I don't care who he is in private life. I just want the movie to be good. The extras include a Tom Ford commentary and a making-of piece. I eagerly await the tenth anniversary edition with retrospective docs on Firth and Ford's five Oscars (each).
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Disc Roundup (Movies & TV) 22 June


Release of the Week - New Green Zone I feel it's safe to say that Paul Greengrass and Matt Damon's latest collaboration is one of the most unfortunate victims of "project coding" thus far this year. Calling it "Jason Bourne Goes to Iraq" is lazy, ignorant, and above all, inaccurate. Alleged "critics" who used this language should be brought up in front of a Film Critics' Society Tribunal and stripped of their titles and advertisers. If you've actually seen the movie and stick to that line, then you're just as accurate in saying that State of Play was "Daredevil Goes to Washington".
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Disc Roundup (Movies & TV) 15 June


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.
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Disc Roundup (Movies & TV) 8 June

 

 

Non-English Release of the Week
Power Kids
Colleague and friend William Goss is quoted (after some editing) on the cover of this violent Thai movie with Muay Thai-trained children going after terrorists. Mr. Goss is correct to use adrenaline-laced terms to describe the movie. It's a sharp, thrilling little 77-minute thing really gets cooking after the requisite Thai melodrama setup. It truly belongs right next to Ong Bak and Chocolate on my Blu-ray shelf. This movie is one of the reasons I love that Magnet/Magnolia is around. These movies would find no buyer that'd get the movies seen in the US. Here's the trailer, and I defy you to not be interested:

Release of the Week - New
Shutter Island
I liked Shutter Island very, very much, and when I reviewed it after BNAT last year, I invoked the name of HItchcock for a very specific reason. The style of filmmaking evoked that era, and more specifically, the very best of that era. Likewise, the twisting plot echoed those films. Even knowing where it ends, the movie can be enjoyed thoroughly if you can just give in to your trust and doubt everyone and everything at the same time. That is sadly a very difficult thing for modern moviegoers to do. We spoil everything: good, bad, and in-between. Everyone in the Information Age is in a knowledge arms race to appear more aware of more things to others. It became commonplace in the less-connected era to hear "what a twist" about a hit movie. Now, you hear "dude, I saw that coming from a mile away, and never before has a movie relied so fucking much on a twist."

The Blu-ray looks and sounds scrumptious (to be expected) and includes a couple of longish featurettes that total almost 40 minutes. The first is about the adaptation and characterization, and the second is about the real world of psychiatric care in the 50's. That latter piece thankfully talks a fair amount about how itchy a trigger finger docs had to perform lobotomies.

Release of the Week - Catalog Movie New to Disc
Word Is Out: Stories of Some of Our Lives
This now 30-year-old documentary was the first to really talk about the experience of being homosexual in America. The movie is an interesting cultural touchstone in that it really comes from the infancy of not merely what is considered "queer cinema", but the portrayal of homosexuality on film whatsoever. These days, we have gay main characters on sitcoms and dramas that aren't over-the-top, flaming queens. We've come a long way.

The good folks at Millarium Zero (Milestone Films' sister company) have issued a DVD of the UCLA remastering of the landmark doc, complete with a very interesting Word is Out Then and Now: Thirty Years Later documentary that runs just over 25 minutes and revisits the film's 26 subjects. A couple of additional reflective bits in the extras run about nine minutes each, and a quick bit with the Executive Producer is just two minutes long. If you're curious but don't want to outright buy it, then add it to your Netflix queue or ask a local video store (they do exist in some places) to order a copy.

Release of the Week - Catalog New to Blu
Caddyshack
The AV upgrade here is solid, with appropriate grain level throughout and solid detail in the picture. This looks about as good as I think the movie can on this format, considering that style and era in which it was shot and the very celluloid-y look on display here. It's soft in places, but mid-budget comedies from this time period just have those minor telecine flaws. Those few spots are brief and barely noticeable.

All supplemental materials from the previous edition are carried over. The only added extra is an 80-minute Bio Channel documentary on the making of the movie. It's good, though the various "recap after commercial" bits show off just how much regurgitated info we see on TV these days. Today also marks the movie's On Demand/Digital Download premiere.

Release of the Week - Catalog TV (tie)
Ghost Writer Season 1
Family Matters Season 1
Growing up, both of these shows meant a lot to me in that they represented the real USA that I saw all around me growing up, and not the otherwise whitewashed one found on almost all network TV of the 80's and 90's (and even today...look at NBC's mostly-white "More Colorful" lineup). Ghost Writer's premise is kinda weird for a PBS show: a group of kids can communicate with a ghost by writing with special pens. They solve mysteries and all sorts of things. It encouraged those in my generation who saw it to write and be creative, which was wonderful. PBS in Dallas, unfortunately, regularly re-ran the same ten episodes or so all the time.

This is the first time I've seen the original, longest version of the opening. The shorter one everyone remembers is far superior. Family Matters wasn't originally "The Urkel Show" that it became. Jaleel White's annoying neighbor character became ultra-popular in the middle of the first season. Hence, the sitcom saw the family that was supposed to be the focus moved into the background, ironically (or not) portrayed on the cover of the first season DVD. Reginald VelJohnson portrayed one of TV's most indelible father figures of any color as the principled and caring Carl Winslow.

Also notable is that a different actress played little sister Judy in the first episode than the rest of the series. That character went upstairs in a later episode and was never heard from again.

Music Release of the Week
Not The Messiah
I don't really cover music/concert discs, but the Monty Python connection here brought this onto my radar. Imagine Monty Python's Life of Brian put to music in the style of Handel's Messiah. This is well worth a look for opera dorks and Python fans alike. I never thought I'd hear "Biggus Dickus" uttered in the Royal Albert Hall. The extras include a decent "production week" behind the scenes mini-doc.

Movie New Releases
Shinjuku Incident (DVD only)
Doubt Jackie Chan or slander him as you will, but check this out and get ready to eat a feast of crow. I would have liked to see a Blu-ray from the company that invented the technology, but oh well.

From Paris With Love
Bugfuck movie with Travolta and Rhys-Meyers. Worth a rental for the craziness of Travolta's near-Battlefield Earth wacky performance, but it's not a standout in much of any respect.

IMAX Horses
A disc for this one is on its way, and I'll cover it as soon as it arrives.

180 South: Conquerors of the Useless

Direct to Video
The Cry of the Owl
Based on a Patricia Highsmith novel, this movie answers the question "where did Julia Stiles go?". I'm watching it tomorrow and will report back on it later in the week.

The 41-Year-Old Virgin Who Knocked Up Sarah Marshall and Felt Superbad About It
This is one of those amalgam "spoof" movies. You know, the ones that have been terrible for almost all of their history. The opening few minutes are full of dildo gags (one literal) and a dig at Sarah Silverman that is so misplaced that it feels like an inside hate-on. I didn't make it all the way through the movie after a bit, just skimming forward.

Lead Bryan Callen was most recently seen by the masses as the Wedding Chapel owner in The Hangover. He's probably best-known from his stint on MadTV. He's a solid comic, and a good guy from those I know who know him or have worked with him. I also remember him as one of the most notable one-off guest stars on Frasier. He was "The Chicken", a shock jock DJ that showed up in the "Radio Wars" episode.

Noureen DeWulf was the best part of Ghosts of Girlfriends Past, and I unfortunately missed her in The Tacqwacores at SXSW. Strand picked up Tacqwacores, so I'll get to see it eventually. She and Callen are really talented people that rise above the Apatow Mashup Spoof material as much as is possible.

Metal Man
A 2008 movie that is, sadly, not all about the Mega Man 2 villain with a buzzsaw on his head.

Catalog Movies New to Disc
TCM Spotlight Charlie Chan Collection (DVD only)
Dark Alibi
Dangerous Money
The Trap
The Chinese Ring
I covered this one here just earlier today.

Animation Express
This includes all the following shorts: Madame Tutti-Putli, Spare Change, Forming Game, The Spine, Hungu, The Man Who Slept, Rosa Rosa, How People Got Fire, Rains, Robes of War, Retouches, Drux Flux, Subservience, Sleeping Betty, Invasion of the Space Lobsters, The Necktie, Sainte Barbe, Come Again in Spring, Paradise, HA'Aki, Vive la Rose, Here and There, Land of the Heads, Flutter, Runaway, Engine 371

Bob Hope Thanks For the Memories Collection (DVD only)
Thanks for the Memory
The Cat and the Canary
The Ghost Breakers
Nothing But the Truth
The Road to Morocco
The Paleface

Catalog New to Blu
Happy Together
The reactions of people who I trust make me feel good about this one.

The Illusionist
Yeah, yeah, it isn't fair to compare this to The Prestige. Life isn't fair, folks. I didn't hate the movie at all, but it felt very much like a Saturday afternoon rental/cable movie then and it does now. Part of what put me off was the Americans-doing-European-accents thing, which I'm on record hating. I'll update this if/when my review copy arrives.

Reissue/Repackaging
Cinema Pride Collection
The Children's Hour
La Cage Aux Folles
My Beautiful Laundrette
The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert
The Birdcage
Bent
The Object of My Affection
Boys Don't Cry
Kissing Jessica Stein
Imagine Me & You
More on this release and a similarly-packaged Elvis set later this week.

TV New Releases
Curb Your Enthusiasm Season 7
Nip/Tuck (Final) Season 6

UK TV New to Region1
BBC Earth's Oceans (DVD only)
Why in the world any BBC nature doc would go DVD only astounds me at this point.

Catalog TV
The A-Team Complete Series
This comes in a van-shaped box.

Disc Roundup (Movies & TV) 1 June


Release of the Week - Catalog Movie New to Disc Charley Varrick (DVD only) We've seen a fair number of Walter Matthau work hitting DVD in the last year, and that makes me really happy. For years now, very little of his filmography could be found on DVD. Most of what was available was made up of his later-life comedies.
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Disc Roundup (Movies & TV) 11 May

The Disc Roundup is making a comeback, as I want to trim down my overall number of posts, but localize disc coverage and at once make the content more substantive. Standalone reviews and little bits will still pop through, but only as time and merit dictate. Assume that all titles are Blu-ray and DVD unless otherwise noted.

Release of the Week - Catalog New to Blu (tie) M (The Criterion Collection) I'm crowning this title sight-unseen based on recent track record of Criterion's B&W releases. All supplements from the DVD reissue are present along with the English language version, once thought to be lost. Rock N Roll High School (The Roger Corman Collection) Shout! Factory is kicking off their Roger Corman Collection with one of his highest-profile and most beloved movies. Shout! has informed me that a copy is in the mail to me, so I'll follow up once I've had my eyes on it.

Release of the Week - Catalog TV Daria: The Complete Series They had to replace some music due to music rights complications (the plague of many an MTV property). I haven't received a copy yet, but a friend and major Daria devotee assures me that it's every bit as satisfying as MTV's The State collection from last year. Release of the Week - Movies New Release Daybreakers The Speirig Brothers are among the genre filmmakers out there that really know what they're doing. I was shut out of a Fantastic Fest press screening of this movie that I had put on my schedule and was told I was clear for. I was given the thumbs down by the flack at the door, because I hadn't "signed up to do an interview with talent". I said, "fine, I'd love to, I just didn't think I would have time to talk with them and didn't want to abruptly no-show or cancel on you." To that, I got a "sorry, we're all full" from the rep who obviously didn't understand the definition of the word "publicity". Being fully cognizant of how little influence I have as just one guy, I didn't kill myself to get into the public Closing Night screening (which was sold out anyway). I also missed it in first run because there was too much going on at the time. I trusted in the Speirigs putting together something worth watching, and figured that I'd just wait for DVD/Blu. Aside from the eleven million trailers in-between popping in the disc and the main menu, the disc is nicely put together. Extras include commentary with the directors and Steven Boyle (creature designer), a printed note from the directors in the case (a rarity these days), a feature-length Making of Daybreakers doc, Speirig Bros. short The Big Picture, picture-inpicture animatics and storyboards during the feature, and the requisite digital copy. A nice package overall, complimenting a worthy new entry into the vampire genre. [Note: future DR installments will feature more mini-reviews like this]
From Hammer Films' Sword of Sherwood Forest
Release of the Week - Catalog Movie New to Disc Bandit of Sherwood Forest (1946) Prince of Thieves (1948) Rogues of Sherwood Forest (1950) Sword of Sherwood Forest (1960) Sony put together four of the 52 film incarnations of Robin Hood in concert with the Ridley Scott-ified version of the legend premiering at Cannes this week. I'll have a screencap-laden spread on these titles tomorrow. Movie New Releases Edge of Darkness I dearly love the original miniseries starring Bob Peck, which Warner put out last year. I didn't catch this one in first run, and plan on spinning it in the coming days. North Face (DVD only) Legend of the Tsunami Warrior Tidal Wave Malice in Wonderland (DVD only) Magnolia & Magnet have this trio of curiosities out today. Tsunami Warrior and Tidal Wave are South Asian titles that interest me, but I'm just aware of their existence. Into the rental queue they go. Legion This is worthy of skipping according to friends. I can't see making the time, myself. Catalog New to Blu The Karate Kid Collection (The Karate Kid I & II) I have a healthy amount of nostalgia attached to these movies, as I re-watched them many, many times on VHS as a kid. The AV transfers are solid, and it recreates the theatrical experience as best as I'd gather is possible. All previous extras from the most recent DVD editions are preserved. Added for Blu-ray is a fact/trivia track. I'll have more to say relative to these movies and the upcoming Chan-headlined remake. The Edge Mamet, Baldwin, Hopkins, and Bart the Bear: a wonderful combination. I haven't gotten my hands on this disc, though I was told I'd have it by now. Such are the troubles associated with moving and being of a million different comp lists. The Magnificent Seven Collection (The Magnificent Seven, Return of the Magnificent Seven, Guns of the Magnificent Seven, The Magnificent Seven Ride!) I've only seen the first two in the series, but have to say I'm tremendously impressed with MGM/Fox Home Video putting them all out in HD simultaneously. I haven't managed to get my hands on this yet, so I can't speak to the transfer quality on them. They're westerns, so I'll end up tracking the box down sooner or later. Hang 'Em High Ditto for this one: gotta have it as both a solid Eastwood-headlined western and as an enjoyable revenge movie. The Man in the Iron Mask (1998) I have no interest in revisiting this, one of the big stunt casting bores of the 90's. Marked For Death (1990) These are Seagal's finest 94 minutes. Reissue/Repackaging Kid With the Golden Arm (1980) The original US DVD edition of this was apparently taped off of a TV screen. This has to be some sort of improvement, right? Robin Hood: Men in Tights History of the World Part 1 High Anxiety Blu-rays of these all came out as part of the Mel Brooks Collection. Now you can get them separately. The box set comes out cheaper per disc if you want all the movies in it. Catalog Movies New to Disc One Deadly Summer (L'ete Meurtrier [1983]) "French movie arrives on Region 1 DVD for the first time": a headline not often written. The Cantinflas Collection El Circo El Senor Fotografo El Gendarme Desconocido El Mago Si Yo Fuera Diputado A Volar Joven Los Tres Mosqueteros The "Mexican Chaplin" Cantinflas' movies have been available on extremely poor quality bootlegs in the US for years, but Sony has finally released them properly. I haven't been able to look at these discs in advance, but I've not seen a terrible DVD or Blu mastering job by Sony in years. More titles will come to their Cantinflas series this summer. TV New Releases Raising the Bar Season 2 Catalog TV The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Season 5 I'm prepping a short Will Smith then and now bit for tomorrow (emphasis on short). Larry McMurtry's Streets of Laredo Larry McMurtry's Dead Man's Walk thirtysomething Season 3
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Disc Roundup (Movies & TV) 19 Jan 2010


Demian Bichir in his alternately chilling and thrilling portrayal of Fidel Castro in Steven Soderbergh's Che
New Release of the Week Che: The Criterion Collection (Blu-ray & DVD) Review (22 Dec 2009) Catalog DVD Release of the Week Chantal Akerman in the Seventies: Eclipse Series 19 Foreign Language Release of the Week My Fuhrer (DVD only) Catalog Blu-ray Upgrades of the Week Boogie Nights & Magnolia (Boogie has been Best Buy-exclusive since 15 Dec 2009) Specialty Release of the Week Red Cartoons: Animated Films from East Germany Catalog New to Blu-ray Smokin' Aces Catalog New to DVD Robert Altman's Streamers Kingdom of the Spiders starring William Shatner Direct to DVD/Blu-ray Smokin' Aces 2: Assassin's Ball The Keeper (DVD only) New Release (Blu-ray & DVD) Whiteout Pandorum Gamer I Can Do Bad All By Myself The Burning Plain According to Greta No Impact Man Across the Hall New Release (DVD only) Outrage Chevolution Angus, Thongs, and Perfect Snogging Blood Creek Blu-ray/DVD "Flipper" Double-dips The Bourne Identity The Bourne Supremacy The Bourne Ultimatum Downloading Nancy Goliath Onimasa The Drummer Frontrunner a l'aventure Like Stars on Earth Catalog TV Release of the Week (tie) Renegade Season 1 21 Jump Street Season 1 They tied because now there's proof they existed. TV New Release of the Week Aziz Ansari: Intimate Moments for a Sensuous Evening (Blu-ray & DVD) TV New Release (Blu-ray & DVD) Weeds Season 5 Artie Lange: Jack and Coke TV New Release (DVD only) Defying Gravity Season 1 Damages Season 2 BBC New Tricks Season 2 BBC Waking the Dead Season 4 The Game Season 2 TV Catalog (DVD only) BBC Cranford: The Collection (Cranford & Return to Cranford) BBC Return to Cranford BBC Jonathan Creek Season 4 thirtysomething Season 2 Law & Order Season 7 Dallas Season 12 Disc Roundup is posted each week and updated as reviews are posted on individual titles. Unless otherwise noted in the linked reviews, assume that screener copies of titles reviewed were provided by the respective studio.
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Disc Roundup (Movies & TV) 12 Jan 2010


8 1/2 screen capture from DVD Beaver's review
Catalog Blu-ray Upgrade of the Week 8 1/2: The Criterion Collection Top New Releases of the Week The Hurt Locker (Blu-ray & DVD) Review The Brothers Bloom (Blu-ray & DVD) Review Moon (Blu-ray & DVD) Catalog New to Blu-ray Cliffhanger Last Action Hero Billy Jack Direct to DVD Wrong Turn at Tahoe New Release (Blu-ray & DVD) In the Loop Fame Halloween 2 Post Grad I Can Do Bad All By Myself The Burning Plain New Release (DVD only) Big Fan Departures Passing Strange Amreeka By the People: The Election of Barack Obama The Reluctant Saint Downloading Nancy Goliath Onimasa The Drummer Frontrunner a l'aventure Like Stars on Earth Universal Vault Series (Amazon.com-Exclusive DVD Manufactured On-Demand) 40 Pounds of Trouble A Bronx Tale A Good Man in Africa The Black Shield of Falworth Blue Collar The Brass Bottle The Chalk Garden Death Takes a Holiday Dragnet (1954) Gambit Gold Diggers: The Secret of Bear Mountain The House of the Seven Gables The Incredible Shrinking Woman Kitten with a Whip The Last Remake of Beau Geste The List of Adrian Messenger The Perfect Furlough Pure Luck Resurrection Ruggles of Red Gap Shout Shoot Out (1971) Spawn of the North Stick Tell Them Willie Boy is Here

TV New Release of the Week The Simpsons Season 20 (Blu-ray & DVD) TV New Release (DVD only) BBC Robin Hood Season 3 Top Gear Season 11 Top Gear Season 12 Kathy Griffin: She'll Cut a Bitch Jon & Kate Plus Eight Season 5 Make It or Break It Season 1 Volume 1 10 Things I Hate About You Season 1 Volume 1 TV Catalog (DVD only) ER Season 12 Becker Season 3 Transformers Season 2 Volume 2 Disc Roundup is posted each week and updated as reviews are posted on individual titles. Unless otherwise noted in the linked reviews, assume that screener copies of titles reviewed were provided by the respective studio.
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Disc Roundup (Movies & TV) 05 Jan 2010

Disc Roundup is going through a substantial paring-down in 2010 so that I can focus on individual title coverage and get these posted in a more timely fashion. Since I don't get my hands on every disc in advance of release, I'll come back and add a link to individual reviews of titles once they're posted.

Movies New Release of the Week Lorna's Silence (DVD only) New Release Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (Blu-ray and DVD) Review The Final Destination (Blu-ray and DVD) Review 50 Dead Men Walking (Blu-ray and DVD) Trucker (DVD only) Loren Cass (DVD only) Catalog New to Blu-ray 10 Things I Hate About You 10th Anniversary Edition (also DVD) Review The Green Berets Dogtown & Z-Boys Riding Giants Cheaper by the Dozen 2 Television New Release of the Week American Experience: The 1930's Catalog Release of the Week Super Friends! Season 1 Volume 1 Catalog Blu-ray Upgrade of the Week Battlestar Galactica Season 1 New Release Chuck Season 2 Big Love Season 3 The Philanthropist Complete (UK) Catalog Mighty Mouse: The New Adventures Complete Disc Roundup is posted each week and updated as reviews are posted on individual titles. Unless otherwise noted in the linked reviews, assume that screener copies of titles reviewed were provided by the respective studio.
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Disc Roundup (Movies) 12.01.09


New Release of the Week A Christmas Tale The Criterion Collection I haven't been able to see this disc yet (though I have watched the movie). I probably won't have a chance until months down the road. I'm handing it release of the week honors due to the extraordinary treatment of a current arthouse film by Criterion. Blu-ray Upgrade of the Week Gimme Shelter The Criterion Collection From my review: "One of the unsung successes of Criterion's catalog Blu-grades has been the startling clarity of the new lossless audio tracks. Even on a substandard audio system (like mine, I must admit), you can effortlessly detect the difference between the "good for a DVD" track full of hiss and the lossless pool of pure sound."

New Release Terminator Salvation (Blu-ray & DVD) Blu exclusives: Maximum Movie Mode, Director's Cut & Theatrical versions Featurettes: The Moto-Terminator, Re-forging the future This movie relies so much on prior knowledge of the franchise that it's a severely mixed bag. I'll get more into it next week. They already did the live director "watch-along" in which McG proclaimed his intent to make two more Terminator movies. He also expounded on the theory of the cinema, saying that in movies, "first there's the sound, and then there's the picture". Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian (Blu-ray & DVD) Feature Commentary, 12 Deleted Scenes (including Alternate Ending), 6 Featurettes, Gag Reel, 3 "Monkey" featurettes, DVD version, Digital Copy I was bored out of my mind the first time I watched this. I've come around only slightly due to the "maybe kids will like being literate" hope that also came after watching the first one. Erudition is an endangered species. The Deleted Scenes feature a lot of cut stuff involving Christopher Guest's Ivan the Terrible that I liked a lot more than most of the movie. The Alternate Ending puts in a tag with (not-a-spoiler alert) Dick Van Dyke, Mickey Rooney, and Bill Cobbs that one would assume leads into the all-but-certain third movie. The Monkey featurettes are the most worthy of one's time, in that they take a look at the life of the monkeys in the movie. The in-character featurettes are worthless. I might put the commentary on while cleaning the house at some point. Flame and Citron (DVD only) Ride Around the World (Blu-ray & DVD) This was an IMAX feature. The time crunch of the week and weekend is also pushing a writeup of this to next week. Paper Heart (Blu-ray & DVD)

Catalog New to Blu The Mask of Zorro I unapologetically enjoy this movie very, very much. I've still yet to watch the sequel, because I expect to be let down. The picture and audio quality here are top notch, as can be expected from Sony. Gremlins This was a Target exclusive until now. Secondhand Lions The Green Mile Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels Snatch Catalog The Jazz Singer Disc Roundup (Movies) is posted each week at some point, depending on how many discs there are to get through. Unless otherwise noted, assume that screener copies of titles reviewed were provided by the respective studio.
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Disc Roundup (Movies) November 2009

There's a certain point when you get so far behind that you feel like you're ahead. I've yet to discover that alternate dimension. The last month has been full of frustrating conflicts and the usual seasonal malaise. I've got to get the previous month worth of Roundups posted so I can move on.

A lot of what's to come below will be extremely brief, but I've either already written this stuff up, it doesn't really require much depth, or I haven't touched the release in question. The TV version of this item will run later today, and the first week of December will be up by the morning. Week of 11.03

Catalog Blu-ray Upgrade of the Week North by Northwest (Blu-ray & DVD) "I didn't think I'd be as stunned as I was within the opening minutes of watching Warner's North by Northwest Blu-ray..." Full review here. New Release of the Week Food, Inc. (Blu-ray & DVD) Good on Magnolia for picking this one up, and good for it being Oscar shortlisted. New Release G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (Blu-ray & DVD) I don't know when or why I'd make time for this one. The Taking of Pelham 1-2-3 (Blu-ray & DVD) This movie is better than you might think. I Love You, Beth Cooper (Blu-ray & DVD) A horrible movie with a too-old-for-the-part lead guy. Avoid this at all costs. Aliens in the Attic (Blu-ray & DVD) The most annoying thing about this disc is the forced intro before the movie, where High School Musical star Ashley Tisdale says "hey guys, it's me Ashley Tisdale, hope you enjoy watching Aliens in the Attic. blahblahblah". It's not optional, it just plays when you tell the disc to "Play Movie". The guy who plays her boyfriend in the movie is an extremely gifted physical comedian. Kevin Nealon, Andy Richter, and Tim Meadows make the most of what they have to work with. I must admit that Doris Roberts doing wire-fu was fun. The movie isn't really that bad compared to all the family-friendly PG junk cranked out each year. Catalog New to Blu Wings of Desire The Criterion Collection Howard's End The Criterion Collection Both of these, based on friends and colleagues' accounts, are rather wonderful. I'll have to catch up with them down the road. It's a Wonderful Life Forrest Gump I dashed off some thoughts on these here. The picture on both is exceptional. Wonderful Life splits the shameful colorized version onto its own disc. A Christmas Carol I have no idea how good of a job VCI did on this. This Alistair Sim-starring version is a favorite of many. They include a DVD of the film with the Blu-ray (smart). Rocky: The Undisputed Collection As I said earlier, the transfers on these are "as close as I've seen to 'a film print at home'...Yes, they're grainy, but that's how they're supposed to look." Love Actually I'm a sucker for a couple sequences in here. I was recently-single when I first saw it, and every manipulative, cloying moment worked on me back then. Say Anything From my review: "The contents are worth the upgrade, but that cover is going to chain me to a desk to Photoshop my own." Catalog Columbia Film Noir (DVD only) The Big Heat / 5 Against the House / The Lineup / Murder by Contract / The Sniper The only title previously on legitimate (non-public domain, lousy transfer) DVD is The Big Heat. The Sniper has never been on DVD (in the US at least). The Claudette Colbert Collection (DVD only) Three-Cornered Moon / Maid of Salem / I Met Him in Paris / Bluebeard's Eighth Wife / No Time for Love / The Egg and I These titles are all new to DVD with the exception of The Egg and I, previously available as part of The Adventures of Ma & Pa Kettle Volume 1. Reissue White Christmas (DVD only) Paramount added some bells and whistles to this double dip. Direct to Video Command Performance (Blu-ray & DVD) Dolph Lundgren + military action movie he directed himself. Not Forgotten (DVD only) Simon Baker and Paz Vega in a movie I gather isn't necessarily that bad. Hardwired (DVD only) I'll watch this one this week. It stars Cuba Gooding, Jr. and Val Kilmer, with a supporting turn by the excellent Michael Ironside that the box and press release don't go into detail about. Gooding's wife dies and he wakes up to find he's been implanted with a mind-control device that forces him to kill people. Kilmer is some sort of corporate weirdo tracking Gooding's every move. Oddly, Kilmer looks dorky and disheveled on the back cover but clean-cut and handsome on the front. Week of 11.10

Vintage Blu-ray Upgrade of the Week The General I've only taken a little more time to play with this disc since I wrote about it here, but I've gotten all the way through watching the movie now. The picture quality really holds up nicely throughout. New Release of the Week UP (Blu-ray & DVD) I covered both this and Monsters here. New Release Must Read After My Death (DVD only) This looks really intriguing. Suppressed suburban secrets and the facade of normality wrestle one another in this found media documentary. The filmmaker's grandmother left an amazing archive of stuff behind. The only thing he added were his own voice reading correspondence and editing. It's going into the top tier of my "Where Do I Find the Time For This Thing I Find Interesting?" list. Watchmen: The Ultimate Cut(Blu-ray & DVD) I think I'll stick with the Director's Cut if and when I need to re-watch this thing. The Ugly Truth (Blu-ray & DVD) This movie spends away whatever moral high ground Katherine Heigl thought she had when she called her role in Knocked Up "sexist". The Alternate Endings are the same morally compromised garbage as the regular one. The Accidental Husband (DVD only) My The Moral Of entry on this one sums up how I feel about the movie. The Answer Man (Blu-ray & DVD) I hadn't heard of this one until I saw it on the release list. It looks interesting. Spread (Blu-ray & DVD) The Merry Gentleman (Blu-ray & DVD) Ballast (Blu-ray & DVD) Catalog New to Blu Heat I've set aside time to do a side-by-side comparison in the two cuts this week. I'll report back. Near Dark Now with Twilight-esque cover! Logan's Run The Negotiator Covered here. Monsters, Inc. Godzilla (USA) Red Heat Week of 11.17

Vintage Blu-ray Upgrade of the Week Gone With the Wind (DVD also) They've finally gotten the color, contrast, and resolution perfect. Recent Blu-ray Upgrade of the Week (tie) Clerks / Chasing Amy / Fight Club I covered the two Kevin Smith films here and have something on its way for Fight Club. New Release of the Week Star Trek(2009) (Blu-ray & DVD) This was lavished with praise here. Trek is one of the very best new release home video titles of the year thus far. New Release My Sister's Keeper (Blu-ray & DVD) My review hits tomorrow, including a look at the alternate ending that sets up a franchise (kidding, kidding). Bruno (Blu-ray & DVD) I'm surprised I ended up defending this movie. Thirst (DVD only) Limits of Control (DVD only) Is Anybody There? (Blu-ray & DVD) Franklyn (Blu-ray & DVD) The Canyon (DVD only) Catalog New to Blu Galaxy Quest Leon: The Professional Sex, Lies, and Videotape Catalog New to DVD Downhill Racer (The Criterion Collection) Jeff has covered this one pretty extensively. The Exiles This is a wonderful addition to any cineaste's film education. Reviewed in full here. Week of 11.24

New Release of the Week (tie) Gomorrah (The Criterion Collection) (Blu-ray & DVD) A raw, brutal movie that demands great treatment. This is yet another addition to my Criterion backlog. Three Monkeys (DVD only) Jeff's gone on about this movie so much I feel an imperative to track this down before the end of the year. Direct to Video Release of the Week The Maiden Heist (DVD only) This is another Yari Film Group movie whose theatrical plans fizzled when the company went under. I haven't watched it yet, but I expect it to at least rent well for the same reason I want to watch it: Walken, Freeman, and Macy star along with Marcia Gay Harden. They could have called it Grumpy Old Heist. I'm glad they didn't. New Release Funny People (Blu-ray & DVD) This is a better movie than its reviews might indicate. It slows in the third act, but is worth the ride. Angels & Demons (Blu-ray & DVD) I'm tackling this one next week before BNAT devours me whole. Shorts (Blu-ray & DVD) I have an individual piece on this one pegged for Wednesday. I want to get into how few movies for kids are really made for kids currently. Santa Buddies (Blu-ray & DVD) Four Christmases (Blu-ray & DVD) I'm sure everyone reading this has been anxiously anticipating my reviews of these titles. I have good news: the wait will be over by Monday. Catalog New to Blu Angel Heart The Monster Squad New Police Story Blood: The Last Vampire (Anime) Frailty Way of the Gun Cujo Air America Ichi the Killer My Brilliant Career Catalog New to DVD Mad Dog Morgan Hopper's Troma classic is finally available on disc. Reissue Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (DVD only) This is the DVD version of the wonderful Blu-ray that came out about 6 months ago. Disc Roundup (Movies) is posted as promptly as is possible, depending on how many discs there are to get through. Unless otherwise noted, assume that screener copies of titles reviewed were provided by the respective studio.
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Disc Roundup (Movies) 10.27.09



New Release of the Week Medicine for Melancholy (DVD only) Barry Jenkins' debut feature starring Wyatt Cenac and Tracey Heggins is one of the few low-budget American independent films that has really delivered on a variety of fronts. The desaturated palette stands out among others who have applied less precise science to their use of the same aesthetic. More important and compelling, however, is how the characters address their feelings about race and identity and how we cling to or reject preconceived notions of them both. I really like this film a great deal. It's rough around the edges and imperfect such that it's raw and refined in just the right places. I'll dig into this more once the copy I have on the way arrives. I have no idea if there are any extras on the disc at all, but it's a better use of the ten bucks you might spend on fast food in the next 24 hours. Catalog Release of the Week Night of the Creeps (Blu-ray & DVD) I reviewed this one earlier today. This is a great presentation of a previously un-findable cult classic. Specialty Release of the Week 42nd Street Forever: Alamo Drafthouse Cinema (DVD only) One of the coolest things about the Alamo Drafthouse is found in the details of its atmosphere. The preshow trailers are often of things it's hard to believe really existed. Synapse Films has collected material hand-picked by the Alamo programming staff and added a full-length commentary over a big batch of trailers you could previously only find at live Alamo events. This disc may not see a second pressing, so if you want it, get it now. New Release

Whatever Works (Blu-ray & DVD) As with all Woody Allen DVDs, there are no extras on this release. Allen was recently quoted as saying he doesn't think he'll come up with another Manhattan or Annie Hall, that those days are behind him. I enjoyed Whatever Works as a sort of performance art/film essay hybrid. I'm afraid some may have had some sort of expectations going in that were underwhelmed, whether of Artiste Woody Allen or HBO's Larry David. Ice Age 3: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (Blu-ray & DVD) Director's Commentary, Unfinished Deleted Scenes, "Walk the Dinosaur" Music Video (sung by Queen Latifah), Scrat Pack Shorts & Featurettes Featurettes: Evolution Expedition, Buck: From Easel to Weasel, Unearthing the Lost World, Fox Movie Channel Presents: In Character with John Leguizamo/Ray Romano/Queen Latifah BD-Live Exclusive: IMdB Live Lookup I tried to be as objective as possible and not think of the copy of UP sitting on my coffee table while I made it through this movie. My background studying Anthropology really came rushing back as I looked on baffled at the different eras of species on display. The Ice Age series has really become the evolution-denier's paradise. If they do a fourth one, I expect it to be something like Ice Age: Hunt 4 the Humans. The undercurrent of "you're nobody without a mate and a of couple 'crazy' single friends" jumps to the forefront of this latest installment that is made slightly bearable by Simon Pegg as Buck the Weasel and a gorgeous sequence in a pouring rainstorm. The featurettes are difficult to pay much attention to, but I really liked one bit where an actual scientist went rogue and brought up the fact that Tyrannosaurus and Baryonyx would likely never run into one another and that Baryonyx was likely an aquatic scavenger. The Scrat sequences and the ones with a bunch of dinosaurs are the best part of the movie. The "plot" isn't terribly interesting, nor does it ever feel like there are stakes in place. There's no suspense or sense of danger whatsoever. Tinker Bell & The Lost Treasure (Blu-ray & DVD) Featurettes: Magical Guide to Pixie Hollow, Pixie Hollow Comes to Walt Disney World Scenes You Never Saw (Outtakes?), Deleted Scenes, The Gift of a Friend" music video This adventure is a lot more bearable than the first DTV Tinker Bell adventure, owing largely to the more established presence of John Lasseter at the helm of Disney Feature Animation. The original one looked and played out like a merchandising opportunity for new dolls, toys, and dresses. I'm still not a-ok with expanding the Tinker Bell universe beyond Peter Pan, but they've gotten better with this one. Rather than just sit around introducing new toys and inventing backstory, there's an actual adventure going on for once. Tinker Bell screws up reviving the tree that produces the pollen--er, Pixie Dust that makes everyone fly, so she has to go out and find a MacGuffin to set everything right. Did I mention that Tink has found herself a wee little boyfriend/love interest? How cute and marketable! Angel & The Badman (DVD only) Someone woke up one morning and decided that the idea of remaking a well-known John Wayne western sounded like a good idea. This stars Lou Diamond Phillips in the Wayne role of Quirt Evans and Luke Perry as Quirt's former parter Laredo Stevens (originally played by Bruce Cabot). Before you cry outright sacrilege, John's grandson Brendan Wayne is featured in a small part. Nah, go ahead and cry about it. The movie aired on TV back on the 5th of July this year. I haven't had a chance to watch it yet, but that's what Thursday mornings are for. I have no faith at all in this, so let's hope it outdoes my expectations. Orphan (Blu-ray & DVD) I reviewed this one here. Fear(s) of the Dark (DVD only) I saw this at Fantastic Fest 2008. Nothing Like the Holidays (Blu-ray & DVD) Il Divo (Blu-ray & DVD) Stan Helsing (Blu-ray & DVD) The Achievers: The Story of Lebowski Fans (DVD only) High School Record (DVD only) Lovecraft: Fear of the Unknown (DVD only) Sauna (DVD only) Battlestar Galactica: The Plan (Blu-ray & DVD) Catalog Z (Criterion Collection) (DVD only) I wish this were available on Blu-ray as well. Reissue March of the Penguins/On the Wings of Penguins Limited Edition Giftset (DVD only) I only requested a review copy of this because I was interested in the second film they're bundling in here. I'll have more on this one on Friday or Saturday from the look of things. Stargate: 15th Anniversary (Blu-ray only) The original disc had mastering issues, and this is one of the first "fix" double dips the format has seen. All reports seem to be that they got it right this time. Disc Roundup (Movies) is posted each week at some point, depending on how many discs there are to get through. Unless otherwise noted, screener copies of titles reviewed were provided by the respective studio. If you think I've missed something, feel free to send me an email.
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Disc Roundup (Movies) 10.20.09

I've highlighted four major "Releases of the Week" that I think are important for one reason or another. I won't be awarding that distinction for the sake of having one each week, but here, it's merited.


New Release of the Week They Killed Sister Dorothy (DVD only) This was one of the best documentaries I saw over 18 months ago at South by Southwest 2008. The saints at First Run Features picked it up for DVD release after it got on the Oscar shortlist for the Feature Documentary award. The only extra I'm aware of on this one is an Update featurette. I'll get my hands on it at some point soon I'm sure. Everyone should put it in the top tier of their Netflix queue so that Netflix will buy a bunch of copies. Vintage Catalog Blu-ray Upgrade of the Week Easy Rider (Blu-ray only) The transfer on this disc makes me feel good about owning an HDTV, let alone a Blu-ray player. This needs to be on the "need to get" list once you know you're going Blu. Recent Catalog Blu-ray Upgrade of the Week Monsoon Wedding (Blu-ray & DVD) I don't trust anyone with movies shot on 16mm blown up to 35mm and transferred to Blu-ray except for Criterion, and this release is a great example of why. New to DVD Catalog Release of the Week Sherlock Holmes: The Archive Collection (DVD only) Sherlock Holmes' Fatal Hour: Arthur Wontner, 1931. Lost in Limehouse: Olaf Hytten as Sheerluck Jones, 1933. Limejuice Mystery: Herlock Sholmes marionettes, 1930. Sting of Death: Boris Karloff as the mysterious Mycroft, 1955. The Man Who Disappeared: John Longden as Sherlock, 1951. A Case of Hypnosis: Prof. Lightskull the chimpanzee! 1952. Strange Case of Hennessy: Cliff Edwards as Silo Dance, 1933. The Speckled Band: Alan Napier as Sherlock, 1949. The Copper Beeches: Georges Treville, 1912, with special musical score. Man With The Twisted Lip: Eille Norwood, 1921, with special musical score. The Screaming Bishop: Hairlock Combs cartoon, 1944. Bonus Film starring Basil Rathbone as an army officer in The General's Boots from 1954 If you aren't excited by the contents of this set, I'm not certain you have a pulse. Based on my rudimentary research, most if not all of the content in this set has never been available on DVD in the US before now. I haven't touched this thing yet, but at $22.49, I'll have it as soon as Amazon can get it here. I'm eager to see what picture quality is like. New Release

Cheri (DVD only) The Making of Cheri, Deleted Scenes Cheri is very intellectually provocative, beautifully art-directed and staged. It's the kind of arthouse movie that's going extinct right before our eyes. Michelle Pfeiffer plays Lea, a courtesan with a legendary reputation as the best of the best who takes on teaching the ways of romance to the 19-year-old son (Rupert Friend) of a former adversary (Kathy Bates). They fall for each other, much to the surprise of them both. The ensuing friction caused by their explosive sexual chemistry and conflicts with each other and society at large make for a substantive experience. With regard to aging, neither wants to get older and proceed to a new stage in their lives: for him, adulthood, and her, the days after youth. Cheri is a rich, multi-course meal made with only the finest ingredients. I was hoping they'd release this one on Blu-ray, with all the lovely colors and textures present. It'll happen eventually, but for the time being, at least it's out there. Wrong Turn 3: Left for Dead (Direct to Blu-ray & DVD) Deleted Scenes Featurettes: "Action, Gore and Chaos!", "Brothers in Blood", "Three Finger's Fight Night" I love that this direct-to-video second sequel is pitched on its cover as "too violent for theaters". It's almost defensive, if it weren't sort of endearing. I also love that the press release refers to the extras as "horrific". I do not think that means what they think it means. In this installment of the mutant hillbilly cannibal franchise, the family of man-eaters are pitted against a gang of convicted murderers who've escaped their prison transport. I can't wait for the sequel, in which Three Finger and his family fight half-men, half-animals. Maybe the fifth movie can work in some dinosaurs. I kid, but you'd be surprised what comes out of Hollywood these days. The movie was shot in Romania and directed by the illustrious director of such Sci Fi Channel classics as Cyclops and Rock Monster, the cast is all unknowns trying to find a horror movie that will actually get them some work. I'm going to try my best to get through all three of these movies in the near future. I can't guarantee I won't walk out on them in my living room, but I will try. Blood: The Last Vampire (Blu-ray & DVD) Featurettes: The Making of Blood: The Last Vampire, Battling Demons: Behind the Stunts Blu-ray Exclusive: Storyboard Gallery, BD-Live connectivity The anime this is based on is actually very good. This movie falls into the Dragonball bin of bad anime adaptations, unfortunately. Saya is a 400-year-old, half-vampire samurai who has spent centuries hunting full-blooded vampires. She works for a secret society called The Council. They send her off to a military base, where she encounters Onigen, the most powerful vampire of all. "Oni" is Japanese for "demon", by the way. The Stunts featurette with Corey Yuen is far more diverting than the feature, frankly. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (Blu-ray & DVD) I grew up a fan of the cartoon, but I really can't bring myself to care about this movie or its predecessor at all (I've yet to watch either one). Catalog New to Blu Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory I covered this one here. It's a port of the HD-DVD, and that's about it, aside from a little cleanup work I think I saw and the admittedly thin "book" portion of the case. Ichi the Killer (DVD also) Escaflowne: The Movie Waterworld This is the Theatrical Cut, with nary a mention of the Extended Cut. It's probably better to never watch this movie again. Reissue Planes, Trains, and Automobiles: "Those Aren't Pillows!" Edition (DVD only) This is an abominable name for anything. I won't bother until this is on Blu-ray, even with new extras. I think Paramount is shooting themselves in the foot by not having a Blu-ray of this available in time for the holidays. Disc Roundup (Movies) is posted each week at some point, depending on how many discs there are to get through. Unless otherwise noted, screener copies of titles reviewed were provided by the respective studio. If you think I've missed something, feel free to send me an email.
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Disc Roundup (Movies) 10.13.09


New Release of the Week Objectified (Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital Copy) One of my favorite films from SXSW 2009 is now available through so many methods of distribution that it's really rather stunning. A documentary about industrial design theory doesn't sound like the sexiest thing in the world on paper, but I'll be damned if it isn't unique. Seek this film out. Catalog Release of the Week Natural Born Killers (Blu-ray & DVD) Covered here. A really outstanding transfer and edition of a memorable film from the 90's. New Release

The Proposal (Blu-ray & DVD) Alternate Ending with Optional Commentary, Deleted Scenes, Outtakes, Feature Commentary with director Anne Fletcher and writer Peter Chiarelli, Digital Copy Blu-ray Exclusive: an Additional Deleted Scene Betty White kept me awake while I watched this. Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds are likable enough, and there are some good bits in the script, but everything was so far-fetched, from the plot to the lighting of faces against the green screen scenes. It was nowhere hear as bad as Ghosts of Girlfriends Past, but I really didn't find it memorable in the least. The extras do a great job of showing how really utterly horrible the movie could have been. Even though I love Niecy Nash (Reno! 911), it's definitely for the better they cut the botched original ending they had that featured her prominently. New World Order (DVD only) A conspiracy theorist documentary that played SXSW this year, it mostly focuses on Austin's own Alex Jones, radio host, "documentary" maker, and celebrity among his peers. Hori Smoku Sailor Jerry (DVD only) A doc that played SXSW 2008 about the tattoo pioneer (depending on who you ask). I wish the rum with his name on it didn't make me want to vomit. Drag Me to Hell (Blu-ray & DVD) Land of the Lost (Blu-ray & DVD) Fighter (DVD only) Catalog New to Blu The Craft Director's Commentary, Deleted Scenes with Optional Commentary Featurettes: Conjuring The Craft, Behind the Scenes of The Craft The transfer looks sharp and crisp, just like I'm assuming it did in theaters when I was 13. Seriously, though, the effects hold up rather well, and the resolution upgrade is a whole different world than what I remember first seeing on tape. Stop Making Sense South Park: Bigger, Longer, and Uncut How the Grinch Stole Christmas Screwballs Catalog Jack Brown Genius (DVD only) Co-written and executive produced by Peter Jackson, I'll have more on this one after I've watched it. Hardware (Blu-ray & DVD) The cult classic is finally on disc. Happy Birthday To Me I've seen the trailer to this one so many times at the Alamo Drafthouse, I'm amazed it's only just now hitting DVD. Disc Roundup (Movies) is posted each week at some point, depending on how many discs there are to get through. Unless otherwise noted, screener copies of titles reviewed were provided by the respective studio. If you think I've missed something, feel free to send me an email.
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Disc Roundup (Movies) 10.6.09

The past couple weeks of Disc Roundup columns will be hitting throughout Monday, with Fantastic Fest reviews and other items interspersed.

New Release of the Week Not Quite Hollywood (DVD only) Feature Commentary with director Mark Hartley and various OZploitation Auteurs 17 Deleted and 4 Alternate Scenes Interviews: Brian Trenchard-Smith (by Quentin Tarantino), Director Richard Franklin (Audio only) Funding Pitches from Quentin Tarantino & John D. Lamond, Image Gallery, Original Theatrical Trailer One of the reasons this documentary succeeds so well is that it tells the story of Aussie exploitation cinema as well as it evangelizes individual auteurs and films. This movie is the master class on Aussie exploitation cinema from the 70's and 80's that had never really existed outside conversations between cinephile friends. The doc traces these movies from their beginnings to their decline. This movie has contributed to more than one friend picking up an addiction to tracking down every film made by Brian Trenchard-Smith.

Barry Humphries, screenwriter, actor, and close associate of Dame Edna Everage
The extras are among the most comprehensive and worthwhile of any single new release this year. The Extended and Deleted Scenes are great whether you watch them right after the feature or pick up with them later on. The feature commentary, however, is great to watch immediately after the feature. The Tarantino/Trenchard-Smith interview is all right, but rambles off-topic (big surprise). Among my favorite extra is an easter egg anecdote of Bob Ellis, an Australian critic, slagging off Peter Weir. Just thinking about one of the things he said in particular makes me chuckle. The movie is great, and it's one of those "own, don't rent" titles. Amazon has it for $15.49. Catalog Release of the Week Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (Blu-ray only) It's beautiful, and the extras are Pixar-quality when it comes to design and content. Reviewed here. New Release

Mirageman (DVD only) Behind the Scenes featurette From my review: "A young man named Maco (Marko Zaror) and his kid brother are orphaned after their parents are killed in a brutal attack. Maco is mistaken for a masked superhero by TV reporter he saves, and Maco's little brother becomes obsessed with this new vigilante. "The team behind Kiltro got back together for another round of South American martial arts action in Mirageman. They also brought Mandrill, their newest film, to Fantastic Fest this year. Unfortunately, I couldn't get in to either show. They also apparently announced that this very movie was going to be remade in English and 3-D. The action in this original is taut and well-choreographed, but it never really rises above martial arts film tropes, so don't expect a revelation. On the other hand, it's nice to have a fight movie that has nothing to do with Thai boxing, ninja, or Chinese kung fu." Trick R Treat (Blu-ray & DVD) It's impossible to find this movie anywhere. I still haven't had a chance to get my hands on the thing. The movie is really well-made and the most fun I've had with a horror movie in a long time, but I don't want to unreasonably raise anyone's expectations as many already have. This movie is not the second coming of horror. It's a breath of very fresh air, without a doubt. The Creepshow-style anthology structure works well. There's thankfully some gender role reversal in places, which is a rarity in the genre known for helpless, whorish women. The format of the film and the world writer/director Mike Dougherty has created lends itself nicely to sequelization that wouldn't get stale the way Saw has (like so many slasher series from the 80's). Could it have taken the title of "the" Halloween movie series away from Saw? In 2007, yes it could have. Saw was at its weakest from franchise fatigue going into Saw 4, but taking risks has never been the modus operandi of the studio system. The same goes for 2008 in terms of opportunity. 2009 is turning into the Year of Paranormal Activity simply because no one has tried to take on Saw for years and Paramount strapped on their balls this time. Unlike Saw or Paranormal Activity, Trick R Treat is something my wife can actually sit through and not be uneasy and uncomfortable afterward. TRT's got its squirm-inducing moments, but it earns them and doesn't make you wallow in misery. Suspense and mythology win out over vivisections and induced night terrors. It's worth a rental at the least and a purchase if you can find it. I'll review the Blu-ray when I can actually get my hands on it. Year One (Blu-ray & DVD) Theatrical and Unrated Cuts, Alternate Ending, Deleted Scenes, Extended/Alternate Scenes, Line-O-Rama, Gag Reel, Feature Commentary with director Harold Ramis, Jack Black, and Michael Cera Featurettes: Year One: The Journey Begins, Making-of, Sodom's Got 'Em, Leeroy Jenkins: The Gates of Sodom Blu-ray Exclusives: Year One Cutting Room, Real-time info track via BD-Live, In-Movie BD-Live messaging I really, really was dumbfounded at how intellectually hilarious this movie was. By that, I mean that it wasn't conventionally funny, but academically comment-generating. "Ah yes, I see, here they are jousting at the ridiculous patrilneal, tribal society of the time and the unsustainable moral code of the era. How observant and witty." Notice there were no indications of actual entertainment in there. I really enjoyed just about every moment of the film spent with Cain (David Cross), but that about covers it. I'll have something more substantive about the DVD/Blu-ray itself when I have a chance to dig into the extras. Did they cut a bad movie out of the makings of something decent? Dark Country (DVD only) Commentary by director Thomas Jane, screenwriter Tab Murphy, and producer Patrick Aiello Featurette: Journey to Dark Country Thomas Jane makes his feature directing debut and stars in Dark Country alongside Lauren German and Ron Perlman. Jane and German play a couple who find a car accident survivor whom they save and then subsequently flips on them. The trailer, DVD case, and anything you read about the movie make no bones about the fact the couple does the guy in and tries to cover it up so that they can't be held responsible for the murder, however in the right they may have been. The movie carries no critic quotes, which either means no one saw it or no one liked it. Assassination of a High School President (DVD only) I missed this one but have heard nothing but praise for it, mostly from people who act or seem to wish they were still in high school. My Life in Ruins (Blu-ray & DVD) I'll probably never see this movie in whole or part. The Children (Blu-ray & DVD) A very popular Fantastic Fest 2009 title that I'm hopefully catching up with soon. It's Alive (2009) (DVD only) I don't understand how anyone put effort or money into a remake of It's Alive (1974). Seventh Moon (Blu-ray & DVD) A Fantastic Fest 2008 movie I walked out of before it started when I saw there were only about 8 people in the audience for its second show. Catalog New to Blu Contact Audition A Charlie Brown Christmas How the Grinch Stole Christmas Horton Hears a Who Wolf Out of this bunch, I'll probably pick up A Charlie Brown Christmas and Contact before long. It's nice the rest are on here, but none are absolute "gotta-haves". Catalog

Esther Williams Volume 2 (DVD only) Thrill of a Romance Fiesta This Time for Keeps Pagan Love Song Million Dollar Mermaid Easy to Love The first time any of these Technicolor films have been on DVD, this set is significant for a variety of reasons, not the least being that Fiesta gives us another title starring Ricardo Montalban that wasn't previously available. My writeup on the set is here. Reissue Chinatown: Centennial Collection (DVD only) A cleaned up DVD transfer and new extras are on display here, but I'll wait for a Blu-ray (rumored to hit next year). My Fair Lady (DVD only) Feature Audio Commentary by Art Director Gene Allen, Marni Nixon, and Restorers Robert A. Harris and James C. Katz Vintage Featurettes, Footage, and Audio, "Alternate" Audrey Hepburn Vocals, Poster and Lobby Card Galleries, Rex Harrison Radio Interview, "Comments on a Lady" Featurette, Trailers CBS has re-taken ownership of this title on home video from Warner Bros., who released a lovely (not going to write "loverly" to be cute, sorry) Special Edition a few years ago. This disc does have some extras on it, but not everything that was on the WB SE two-disc set. Most notably missing from the previous edition is the More Loverly Than Ever: My Fair Lady Then and Now documentary. The transfer looks to be the same from a side-by-side comparison. Disc Roundup (Movies) is posted each week at some point, depending on how many discs there are to get through. Unless otherwise noted, screener copies of titles reviewed were provided by the respective studio. If you think I've missed something, feel free to send me an email.
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Disc Roundup (Movies) 9.29.09


New Release of the Week In a Dream (DVD only) 2 Deleted Scenes [2:49], Alternate Ending [3:47], Recommitment short documentary [4:51], Theatrical Trailer Short Films: Cutting Ice to Snow video for Efterklang, Coney Island, 1945, Paints on Ceiling I've been an enthusiastic supporter of Jeremiah Zagar's masterful work of mosaic documentary filmmaking since I saw it a year and a half ago at South by Southwest 2008, before it made the shortlist for Best Documentary feature at last year's Oscars. In a Dream delves into his family history, specifically focusing on his father Isaiah's battles with madness and genius and how those epic wars within himself affect those who love him. Jeremiah turns the camera on his mother and elder brother, but never on himself. Some have inferred that his reluctance to do so is cowardly, or unbecoming of a documentarian. All those people are assholes, idiots, or likely both. The genius of Jeremiah's work is in the intimate distance he achieves and the mystery he inadvertently creates around himself unintentionally. With so much turbulence surrounding his family unit, how could Jeremiah do anything but be the observer in the shadows? Knowing little about him directly and a great deal more about those around him is what makes the movie and its twists all the more compelling and thought-provoking. Isaiah has created building facades and interiors full of mosaic art chronicling the family history, and to his own surprise, son Jeremiah has molded a towering achievement out of 4-5 years of fragments he didn't start out knowing what to do with.

Julia (l.) and Isaiah (r.) Zagar. Click the image to enlarge.
The supplemental materials are all easily re-watchable, including a short hidden one that I watched two and three times after finding it. This is one worth Netflixing if you haven't seen it yet, but be ready to pull out the credit card, because it's very much the kind of discovery you want to share with people. In a Dream is $20 on Amazon, but there's also a very unique Limited Edition version being sold off their website for $60 that they're only doing 500 of total. The additional extras on this version include the following: Deluxe Packaging (designed by Jonah Birns) Autographed 13"x18" Movie Poster (signed by Isaiah, Julia, Zeke & Jeremiah Zagar) Hand-Crafted Isaiah Zagar Figurine Bonus Disc -Even More Deleted Scenes -Rare Jeremiah Zagar Short Films -Short Works by Friends of In A Dream -Original Fundraising Trailer -Interviews, Slideshows and More!! My assumption (as should be yours) is that a larger portion of these sales goes to the filmmakers on top of the fact that the additional extras listed are worth investigating. New to Blu-ray Release of the Week The Wizard of Oz: 70th Anniversary Edition (also on DVD) The picture quality is better than I have ever seen it, and there are tiers of options depending on the amount of extras you care about. This will be, mark my words, one of the big software reasons people will go Blu-ray this year. My photo-inundated writeup of the set can be found here. I'm calling this as easily one of the top 5 disc releases of the year, and we still have two months to go.

New to Blu-ray Release of the Week (honorable mention in the face of Oz) Labyrinth and The Dark Crystal Labyrinth: The Storytellers Picture-in-Picture track (Blu-ray exclusive); Original DVD extras including Commentary and Making-Of Documentary The Dark Crystal: Picture-in-Picture Storyboard Track; Introduction by screenwriter David Odell on Skeksis language; The Book of Thra and Crystal Challenge interactive features; Original DVD extras including Commentary, Documentary, Retrospectives, and Deleted Scenes Sony has really outdone themselves with the transfers on these two Henson Company classics. I've never seen either one of these movies projected, just VHS copies and DVDs, and they both look jaw-droppingly good. Sony is handily maintaining its reputation as one of (if not the) best Blu-ray houses in town, as well they should, having invented Blu-ray in the first place. The all-new Storytellers PiP track on Labyrinth is much more than just the least annoying PiP track I've been subjected to, it's actually quite good. It features interviews with Cheryl Henson, puppeteer Kevin Clash, puppet makers Rollin Krewson and Connir Peterson, actor Warwick Davis, and makeup artist Nick Dudman. Dark Crystal has some interesting new extras, but none quite approach The Storytellers. All the original supplemental material is on both of these. New Release

The Girlfriend Experience (Blu-ray & DVD) Feature Commentary by Steven Soderbergh and Sasha Grey Blu-ray Exclusive: Unrated Alternate Cut The allegory one could apply to this movie is actually pretty universal. Do you sell something? Do you obey a master, corporate or familial? Do you know you're being molded against your nature into someone else's ideal and let it happen due to having no other choice? Sasha Grey, a porn star in real life, portrays Chelsea, a high-end call girl who seems happy with her job. She has a live-in boyfriend who's fully aware of what she does, and whether to cope with what his girlfriend does for a living or due to his own overcompensating personality, he reaches for stars that'll never be within his grasp. The shooting style and fractured chronology reminded me of the sadly forgotten HBO series K Street, which Soderbergh out together. I watched this twice, first the Theatrical Cut and then the Alternate Cut. I didn't have the time to give it a third spin to listen to the Soderbergh/Grey commentary, but I'm trying to find the time this week. The Alternate version gives Glenn Kenny the push he needs over the top in this year's Sleazy Supporting Character Awards. Away We Go (Blu-ray & DVD) Feature Commentary with director Sam Mendes and writers Dave Eggers & Vendela Vida Featurettes: The Making of Away We Go, Green Filmmaking This is the movie I haven't seen that is most frequently-recommended by friends. It drives me nuts that I'm looking at an unopened copy of a new Sam Mendes movie that I don't have time to watch. Based on my tea leaf reading, I have a feeling this is going to do some significant business on video, as a huge potential audience (new parents) mostly stayed away from the theater because that just isn't how they'll see movies for a few years. Monsters vs. Aliens (Blu-ray & DVD) I skipped this in theaters and I'm skipping it on home video. The twenty minutes I saw at BNAT last year were painful. Management (Blu-ray & DVD) I forgot this movie existed. Catalog New to Blu Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer Snakes on a Plane Billy Jack Skipping the one in the middle, are Henry and Billy Jack not perfect examples of how Blu-ray has undeniably arrived as a format? Pushed Back 42nd Street Forever Volume 5: Alamo Drafthouse This one appears to have been pushed back into late October. I can't wait to get my hands on it personally, since I've seen most if not all of the trailers on it in person at the Drafthouse and love all of them, no matter how goofy or outright insane. Disc Roundup (Movies) is posted each week at some point, depending on how many discs there are to get through. Screener copies of In a Dream, The Wizard of Oz, Dark Crystal, Labyrinth, The Girlfriend Experience, and Away We Go were provided by their respective studios. If you think I've missed something, feel free to send me an email.
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