DVD and Blu-ray Releases for October 14th, 2014

October 14, 2014

In some ways, it is a great week on the home market, as there are several excellent releases worth picking up. In other ways, it is an even better week, because there are so few releases and almost no filler. The only downside is trying to select a release for Pick of the Week, as there are a number of competitors. One of the biggest releases of the week is X-Men: Days of Future Past on DVD or Blu-ray Combo Pack and it is also one of the best. Other contenders include Mr. Peabody & Sherman on DVD, Blu-ray Combo Pack, 3D Combo Pack, Fargo: Season One on DVD or Blu-ray Combo Pack, and Witching and Bitching on DVD. Strangely, I'm still waiting for the screeners for all four films. In the end, I literally rolled a dice to determine the winner and it was X-Men: Days of Future Past.

2 Broke Girls: Season 3 - Buy from Amazon: DVD
A crude but funny sitcom. I know it isn't as good as Modern Family or the late 30 Rock, but I still laugh. Unfortunately, the DVD releases have never been great, so the overall value is not up to the level of a Pick of the Week.

Blu-ray Releases - Buy from Amazon: Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein, Ace Ventura Double-Feature, Chinese Puzzle, Cauldron of Blood, A Certain Magical Index II, The China Syndrome, The Death Kiss, Desperately Seeking Susan, Fate / Stay Night TV: Complete Collection, Guilty of Romance: Special Edition, Jennifer, Juan of the Dead, Last Embrace, , My Darling Clementine, Mystery Road, Van Damme 5-Movie Action Pack, Whitey: United States of America v. James J. Bulger, Yankee Doodle Dandy, and Zoolander
An eclectic list of secondary Blu-ray releases. There are some interesting titles here, but nothing that screams "must have". My Darling Clementine is the closest to a classic, but I prefer Tombstone, which tells the same story.

3D Blu-ray Releases - Buy from Amazon: Dragonfly Squadron
A "lost" 3D film back in all of its 3D glory.

Christmas Releases - Buy from Amazon: Christmas Ornament, A Holiday Heist, Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood: Daniel Tiger's Happy Holidays, Here Comes Honey Boo Boo: A Very Boo Christmas, Mary of Nazareth, Octonauts: Very Vegimal Christmas, Pawn Stars: A Very Vegas Christmas, Saving Santa, A Snow Globe Christmas, The Snowman, Super Why!: 'Twas the Night Before Christmas and Other Fairytale Adventures, Tickety Toc: Christmas Present Time, TV Guide Spotlight: TV's Merriest Holiday Episodes, A Very Merry Mix-Up, Yo Gabba Gabba: Very Awesome Ygg Live Holiday Show, When Santa Fell to Earth, and White Christmas
Wow. Just too many Christmas releases this week. Some of them are actually great, like White Christmas, but others are pretty weak.

Don't Blink - Buy from Amazon: DVD
A Canadian low-budget horror film. I'm still waiting for the screener and there are no reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, so it is really hard to say if it is good or not. I am cautiously optmistic.

Dracula: Season 1 - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
This show earned mixed reviews and was canceled after a season. I'm sure there are fans who will love to buy the DVD or Blu-ray so they can rewatch the episode. However, if you haven't seen it, it's best to avoid it. You don't want to get sucked into a show that ended after just one season.

Fargo: Season One - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray Combo Pack
When I heard they were going to turn Fargo into a TV show, I was skeptical. However, the end result was amazing, with maybe a misstep or two along the way. (More on that when the screener arrives.) Extras look good with audio commentary tracks on a few episodes, plus some featurettes. It's a Pick of the Week contender for sure.

The Good Witch Collection - Buy from Amazon: DVD
A two-disc, four-movie collection from the Good Witch franchise. It's not the first four films, but the second through fifth films. Strange. Also, the price-per-film is not great for this type of release.

The Honorable Woman - Buy from Amazon: DVD
A British spy mini-series starring Maggie Gyllenhaal. It earned amazing reviews, but it not selling quite as well as the other major releases this week.

Kingpin - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
The Farrelly Brothers suffered through a sophomore slump with this film, both in terms of critical response and box office numbers. However, it did become a hit on the home market. This week it made its debut on Blu-ray and I saw it for the first time. Did I get the appeal? Or was it wise to avoid this film all of this time? Read our review to find out.

Locked In - Buy from Amazon: DVD
This movie was filmed five years ago, but is only getting a release this week. That's a bad sign. Is this movie that bad? Or did it unfairly fall between the cracks? Check out our review for my opinion.

Mercenaries - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
I'm hoping to get a screener for this release. There are a number of action stars in this movie I like. It is made by The Asylum, which isn't a good sign. I choose to remain cautiously optimistic.

Mortal Kombat: Legacy II - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
A Webseries based on the video game of the same name. In many ways, it is better than the movies were.

Mr. Peabody & Sherman - Buy from Amazon: DVD, Blu-ray Combo Pack, 3D Combo Pack
I love the original cartoon and I can't wait to see the movie. (The screener is on its way. It was a holiday up here in Canada, so that might have delayed things.) The reviews were strong and it did quite well at the box office. ($270 million isn't enough to be a monster hit, but it is still a solid worldwide run.) It is worth picking up and if the extras are strong, it could be a Pick of the Week contender. Also coming out this week is The Complete Mr. Peabody & Sherman Collection.

Murdoch Mysteries: Season 7 - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
A Canadian police procedural TV series. It is set in the late 1890s and now the early 1900s with a focus on new at the time forensics. It has been a while since I've seen the show, but I did enjoy the episodes I've seen.

Naruto Shippuden Uncut Set 20 - Buy from Amazon: DVD
One of the few Anime series that tends to place well on the best selling new releases.

Penny Dreadful: Season One - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
This TV series is set in Victorian London and uses a number of characters from British literacy including Dracula, Dorian Grey, Doctor Frankenstein, etc. It's a great setup, but is the execution just as strong? Read our review for my opinion.

Persecuted - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
A faith-based thriller that is so bad that it almost seems like it was made by anti-Christian forces trying to make Christians look bad.

Robot Chicken DC Comics Special 2: Villains in Paradise - Buy from Amazon: DVD
Great show, but there'd better be a lot of extras to justify buying a single episode for $10.

Star Wars Rebels: Spark of Rebellion - Buy from Amazon: DVD
I might get a screener for this TV pilot movie. Hopefully it is at least as good as the Clone Wars series was.

Steven Spielberg Director's Collection - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
An 8-movie collection from Steven Spielberg. Not all of the movies are great and the overall value depends on how many of these films you already have on Blu-ray, but it is at least worth considering.

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: 40th Anniversary Edition - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
One of the first and still one of the best of its genre, but this box set is ridiculously overpriced.

Two and a Half Men: Season 11 - Buy from Amazon: DVD
I like Amber Tamblyn, but not enough to watch this show. This is a sitcom in every negative connotation of the word.

Veggie Tales: Beauty and the Beet - Buy from Amazon: DVD
One of the best faith-based cartoons aimed at kids. It can even be fun if you are not a churchgoer.

White Christmas - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray Combo Pack
This is the second time I've reviewed this movie, but the first time I've seen it on Blu-ray. Is it worth picking up? Is it worth the upgrade? Check out our review to find out.

Witching and Bitching - Buy from Amazon: DVD
I think a screener for this film is on its way. The reviews are excellent, so I'm looking forward to seeing it.

X-Men: Days of Future Past - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray Combo Pack
One of the best-reviewed summer releases and also one of the biggest hits. I don't have the screener yet, but there appears to be about an hour of featurettes on the DVD / Blu-ray, which is enough for a summer blockbuster. Also coming out this week is the Collector's Edition, which includes the movie in 3D.


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Filed under: DVD and Blu-ray Releases, Home Market Releases, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Kingpin, Mr. Peabody & Sherman, X-Men: Days of Future Past, Persecuted, Mortal Kombat, Bobby Farrelly, Peter Farrelly, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Steven Spielberg, Amber Tamblyn