It's a strange week on the home market. There are not a lot of films on this week's list, but there are more first run releases than normal, while we are also moving into the summer TV schedule, so a lot of those shows are getting home market releases this week, in preparation for their upcoming seasons. The list is top-heavy, not very deep, and lacks contenders for for Pick of the Week. The Secret World of Arrietty is the best release and the Blu-ray looks amazing, but there are not a lot of extras to be found. Likewise, Sherlock: Season Two is a great show, but the DVD and Blu-ray don't have a lot of extras, plus the price-per-minute is rather high for a TV on DVD release. I have high hopes for The Woman in Black, but the screener is late. In the end I'm going with The Secret World of Arrietty, but the other two are Honorable Mentions.

Blu-ray Releases - Buy from Amazon: Beyond, A Bullet for the General, Certified Copy (The Criterion Collection), Dragon Ball Z Kai: Season Two, Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood: 4 OVA's and Comic Theater, Lethal Weapon: The Complete Collection, Planzet, Simply Red: Live at Montreux 2003, Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Alpha, and WWE: The Best of WCW Clash of the Champions
Not a lot in terms of secondary Blu-ray releases. The only one that jumps out as interesting is Certified Copy.

Carol Channing - Larger Than Life - Buy from Amazon
A documentary look at the life and career of Carol Channing. The film earned amazing reviews, but it never found an audience on the home market. Hopefully that will change.

Mutant Girls Squad - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray Combo Pack
From the director of Tokyo Gore Police and Vampire Girl vs. Frankenstein Girl. ... Hmmm, I might have to blind buy this one.

My Babysitter's a Vampire: Season One - Buy from Amazon
A Canadian show about a 13-year old boy who thinks he's too old to need a babysitter, but his mother hires one anyway. As embarrassing as that is, the girl his mom hired is the one he has a crush on. To further complicate things, she's a vampire. The show should please tweens, although I have read some complaints that the action is too much for young kids.

Newlyweds - Buy from Amazon
Two newlyweds, Buzzy and Katie find out their families might be the biggest obstacle to happiness when Buzzy's crazy sister shows up and decides to stay a while, and Katie's disapproving sister starts to fill her her head with thoughts that Buzzy is cheating on her. The film earned good reviews, but not great reviews, and it struggled to find an audience in limited release. Hopefully that will change on the home market.

Perfect Sense - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
An epidemic that steals people's senses ravages the land. One of the scientists looking to cure the disease, Eva Green, falls in love with a chef, Ewan McGregor, but when he becomes one more victim... The film earned mixed reviews and missed the Mendoza Line when the opened. It deserves to perform better home market, but perhaps most should start with a rental.

Red Tails - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray Combo Pack
Based on a true story and one that is worth telling. However, while the film has some great dog fighting scenes, the characters and dialogue are weak. I don't have the screener, so I don't know if I agree with the critics, nor do I know about the extras or the technical presentation.

The River: The Complete Series - Buy from Amazon
The DVD isn't technically called the complete series, but since it was canceled after one season, it might as well be. I really can't recommend the show, because it would be cruel getting someone attached to a show knowing it ends before any of the mysteries are solved.

Rizzoli & Isles: Season Two - Buy from Amazon
Angie Harmon and Sasha Alexander star as the titular Rizzoli, a detective, and Isles, a coroner. The show has earned strong reviews, especially for the two leads, and it is a fun summer series. Easily worth picking up for fans of the genre, although there are a lot of crime dramas to chose from.

Route 66: The Complete Series - Buy from Amazon
I might get this DVD release to review, but since Shout!Factory releases tend to arrive early or not at all, it probably won't arrive at all.

Sade: Bring Me Home - Live 2011 - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
According to Amazon.com, this release is in the top five best selling releases for the week. Granted, this could be a momentary quirk, but even so, its a bad sign for some of the first-run releases that are below it in the chart. That said, Sade is an incredible singer and I hope this Blu-ray sells well.

Also making their Blu-ray debuts this week are Castle in the Sky and Whisper of the Heart, but I'm still waiting for those screeners.

Sherlock: Season Two - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
The BBC series about Sherlock Holmes starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman as Holmes and Watson. The show has earned amazing reviews and is so popular that an American network is making their own version next season. I completely understand this, after all, it is the best selling new release according to Amazon.com, so it has a lot of fans. However, I'm almost certain the American version won't be as strong. That said, fans will always have this show to enjoy.

Survivor - Buy from Amazon: Panama - Exile Island and Guatemala
Ugh. I am not a fan of Reality TV and I am still a little amazed this show has lasted this long. It is still bringing in about 10 million viewers, but that's well below the 20 million to 25 million it was pulling in earlier in its run.

Teen Spirit - Buy from Amazon
Cassie Scerbo stars as a mean high school girl who accidentally dies and is refused entrance into heaven because of all the mean things she did. The only way she can get in is if she does something nice. So she decides to help a social outcast, Lindsey Shaw, win prom queen, even if she doesn't want to win. The movie does borrow from the large collection of clichés from the various genres, but it has enough charm to win over its target audience of tween girls.

Teen Wolf: Season One - Buy from Amazon
When I first heard about this show, my initial thought was disbelief combined with immediate disappointment. However, I have heard that it is better than expected. I won't know if this is a real compliment or damning it with faint praise till after the screener arrives.

This Means War - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray Combo Pack
One of a few screeners that are late. This one combined spy action with a romantic comedy love triangle. The reviews were not good, but perhaps I'll be in the minority. Won't know for sure till after the screener arrives.

The Woman in Black - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray Combo Pack
Another film I hope to review, but I'm still waiting for the screener. Of the first run releases yet to arrive, this is the one I'm looking forward to seeing the most. Not only did it earn good reviews, it is also an old school haunted house horror film from the masters of the genre, Hammer Horror. As long as the Blu-ray is well done, it is Pick of the Week material.

- C.S.Strowbridge

Date posted: 2012-05-22