It's yet another very slow week on the home market. Boy, I feel like a broken record saying that every week, but it is true. It's especially true this week, as I'm having trouble picking out any release that is worth of Pick of the Week. In the end I went with a Doctor Who release. There are three of them coming out this week, but Story 153: The Happiness Patrol is the only one that is truly good, as opposed to the other two, which are weak installments that have a few fans that defend them.

The Big C: Season Two - Buy from Amazon
Laura Linney won a Golden Globe for her performance in the first season of this show and earned a nomination for season two. That's not the only award / nomination the show has earned during its two seasons, even if its haul was off a little during season two.

Blu-ray Releases - Buy from Amazon: 42nd Street Forever, Beautiful Wave, Dirty Dancing: 2-Film Collection, Front Line, Ganja & Hess, Gremlins 2, Guin Saga: Complete Collection, La Haine (The Criterion Collection), Humans Vs. Zombies, and Murder Obsession (Follia Omicida)
La Haine is really the only secondary Blu-ray release of interest this week.

3D Blu-ray Releases - Buy from Amazon: Shock Labyrinth and Underworld: Awakening
Underworld is the big 3D release this week, but Shock Labyrinth is made by the director of Ju-on, so it is more interesting to me.

Bobcat Goldthwait: You Don't Look The Same Either - Buy from Amazon
One of a handful of screeners I'm waiting on. I'm looking forward to watching this stand-up concert DVD almost as much as I'm looking forward to seeing his new movie.

Chuck: Season Five - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
This TV series earned a number of award nominations and even a few major wins; however, it struggled to find an audience during its five-year run. It was on the bubble for cancellation for almost its entire run. It finally ended last season, but now it is finishing its run on DVD and Blu-ray. If you are a fan, there's no reason to not complete your collection. If you never saw the show to begin with, give it a try.

Cold War - Buy from Amazon
A six-disc DVD release for the award-winning 1998 CNN documentary about the Cold War.

Dirty Pair: Original Features - Buy from Amazon
This is one of the first Anime series I ever watched. It's been too long since I last saw it to make a definitive statement on its quality, but I remember it fondly. On a side note, "Dirty Pair" isn't a reference to adult material. The two lead characters, Yuri and Kei, are private security consultants and their methods tend to result in a lot of collateral damage. Their bad reputation leads to this nickname.

Doctor Who - Buy from Amazon: Story 107: Nightmare of Eden, Story 151: Dragonfire, and Story 153: The Happiness Patrol
Three more stories from one of the longest running TV shows in the history of TV. Nightmare of Eden is an anti-drug story that some think is a little to ham-fisted, while the enemies look too cuddly to be effective. Others like the kitsch appeal. Dragonfire is part of the 24th season, which some consider the worse season in the show's run. On the other hand, many consider this episode to be the best of that season. The plot involves dragons. Awesome. But the budget was too low to handle the script. The Happiness Patrol is the best of the three stories coming out this week and is about a place where happiness is mandatory and sadness is punishable by death. All three have plenty of extras and are good value for the money.

Elvira's Movie Macabre: Wild Women - Buy from Amazon
Every time an offer to review an Elvira release arrives, I request a screener right away. I have never gotten a screener. Maybe this one will arrive late, but I'm not holding my breath.

Fantasy Island: Season Two - Buy from Amazon
The screener for the first season of this show never arrived, so I don't think this screener will either. The show was known for its two leads, as well as the parade of guest stars. I don't know how well it has aged in the 30 years since it first aired, but there is certainly an element of nostalgia here.

The Genesis Code - Buy from Amazon
A faith-based film involving hockey and science. It was made two years ago, but it is only coming out now and with no reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, it is clearly aimed solely at its niche market.

LEXX: Season Two - Buy from Amazon
Still waiting for the screener to arrive. Hopefully it will get here soon.

Love's Everlasting Courage - Buy from Amazon
The latest movie based on the novels by Janette Oke, although this film is not based on any particular Janette Oke novel, and still is part of the same movie franchise. It's a faith-based film with a family friendly audience in mind and it should please those in the target audience.

Mother's Day - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
This film opened with mixed reviews on Friday, which means it is practically a direct-to-DVD release. However, despite earning more negative reviews than positive ones, it is still better than the two wide releases coming out this week. If you are a fan of the cast or the genre, then it is worth checking out. However, with just an audio commentary track, maybe start with a rental.

Underworld: Awakening - Buy from Amazon: DVD, Blu-ray, or 3D Blu-ray Combo Pack
This was the biggest hit in the franchise, but the reviews are weak. On the other hand, a 29% positive Tomatometer Score is just average for the franchise. I guess what I'm trying to say is this, if you liked the other films in the franchise, this one will also be worth checking out. The DVD has an audio commentary track, deleted scenes, behind-the-scenes featurettes, and a music video. The Blu-ray has a Picture-in-Picture, so it is worth paying the extra $3. Meanwhile, the 3D Blu-ray costs $5 more, which is also a good deal over the Blu-ray. Also coming out this week is a Blu-ray Box Set, which is only $40 for four movies. Worth it, if you don't have any of the other movies on high definition yet.

Vegas: Season Three, Volume One - Buy from Amazon
I've reviewed some of the past seasons of this show. It's lighthearted fun, for the most part, but not very memorable. Nostalgia might help lift it to a purchase for some.

The Vow - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
A Romantic drama starring Rachel McAdams and Channing Tatum as a couple trying to recover after a devastating car crash in which she loses all memory of him. The film's reviews were really bad, but sadly on par with a lot of these films in these genres. The extras on the DVD and the Blu-ray include the usual suspects (audio commentary track, deleted scenes, featurettes, etc.) and it is worth checking out if you are a fan of the actors and / or genre. But there are a lot better options out there.

WWE: WrestleMania XXVIII - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
I can't tell you how old I was when I last watched wrestling, but I can tell you these DVDs / Blu-rays tend to sell quite well in comparison to other sports releases. Although the WWE isn't a sport. (They don't even make that claim.)

- C.S.Strowbridge

Date posted: 2012-05-07