DVD and Blu-ray Releases for November 19th, 2013

November 20, 2013

There are some good releases this week, but it is also a shallow week. If you look at Amazon.com's list of new releases, by the third or fourth page, you will find more filler than releases worth talking about. On the other hand, there are a number of late releases that finally arrived and I was able to get done. There are a number of contenders for Pick of the Week this week, including Doctor Who Story 29: The Tenth Planet, which is a must have for all Whovians. Kinky Boots is a very fun movie and you can't beat the price of the DVD. On the other hand, the Star Trek: The Next Generation Blu-ray releases for Season Five and Unification are expensive, but worth it for fans. In the end, I went with The World's End on Blu-ray Combo Pack for Pick of the Week.

All is Bright - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
This film opened in limited release in October but at the time its reviews were terrible and as a result, it flopped. Since then, the reviews improved to merely mediocre. If you are looking for a dark comedy Christmas film with Paul Giamatti in it, then it is worth a rental.

2 Guns - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray Combo Pack
This film earned good reviews, but not great reviews. Likewise, it did okay at the box office, but not great. It will need a solid run on the home market to break even. Unfortunately, there's not a lot extras. The DVD has an audio commentary track and a short featurette, while the Blu-ray has a series of additional short featurettes. It's worth checking out, but a rental will be enough for most.

Blu-ray Releases - Buy from Amazon: Assault On Precinct 13 (Collector's Edition), The Bells of St. Mary's, Eve of Destruction, Good Luck Girl!, Hannah Arendt, Maniac Cop 2, Maniac Cop 3, Night of the Comet (Collector's Edition), One Piece Film: Strong World, Rush: Clockwork Angels Tour, Russian Ark: Anniversary Edition, The Slipper and the Rose, Tank Girl, Tokyo Story (Criterion Collection), and Vivien Leigh Anniversary Collection
There are quite a few secondary Blu-ray releases this week, but the Vivien Leigh collection seems the most intriguing.

3D Blu-ray Releases - Buy from Amazon: Ocean Dreams 3D and Planes
Only two 3D releases this week, but Planes could sell well. It's a bigger than expected hit, but it is also aimed at younger kids, so the 3D might not be a big selling point.

Breaking the Girls - Buy from Amazon
A psychological thriller that is like Strangers on a Train with a lesbian twist, as well as a few other twists. Is it worth checking out? Or are there simply too many other similar films? Check out our review to find out.

Bridegroom - Buy from Amazon
A documentary about a gay couple and the aftermath when one of them dies and the other has no legal recognition of their relationship. The film's reviews are excellent and if you want to see a more personal face to the Gay Rights debate, this is an excellent place to look.

C.O.G. - Buy from Amazon
This film earned some good pre-release buzz, but unfortunately the reviews were only good and not great, while it struggled in limited release. If you like character driven Indie comedies, then it is worth checking out, perhaps even picking up.

Christmas Releases - Buy from Amazon: Christmas Angel, Judy Collins: Christmas At The Biltmore Estate, and Danger in the Manger
It's a little late in the Christmas shopping season to release a Christmas movie, which is partially why this week's list is so short.

Crystal Fairy - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Michael Cera has a couple of huge hits with Superbad and Juno, followed-up by a midlevel hit with Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist. Since then, none of his films have matched expectations. (I'm not counting the cameo in This is the End.) This film managed stellar reviews, but it still failed to find an audience in theaters. It is certainly worth checking out, and let's hope this movie marks a return to good movies for Michael Cera.

Doctor Who - Buy from Amazon: Story 29: The Tenth Planet
Still partially incomplete, this DVD is still a must have for fans of the show. To call The Tenth Planet historically important is an understatement. It is the first time the Cybermen appeared, as well as the last adventure for the first doctor and includes the first appearance of the second doctor. Unless a miracle happens and the final episode is found, this is as good as it will get.

Eric Clapton Guitar Festival: Crossroads 2013 - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
A two-disc concert DVD / Blu-ray from Eric Clapton's festival. It is selling surprisingly well, and not just because it is a rather shallow week on the home market.

Jake and the Never Land Pirates: Jake's Never Land Rescue - Buy from Amazon
The latest DVD from this Disney cartoon. The show has earned good ratings and has a lot of fans in the target demographic. It's even a show parents can watch with their kids and not want to run screaming out of the room.

John F. Kennedy Releases - Buy from Amazon: American Experience: JFK, American Experience: JFK (Blu-ray), The Kennedy Half Century, Secrets of the Dead: JFK: One PM Central Standard, and Smithsonian Channel: The Day Kennedy Died
We are right on the anniversary for the JFK assassination, so there are a couple releases dealing with that subject. I'm of two minds about this. On the one hand, it is historical and topical. On the other hand, with so many JFK conspiracy theories, some releases might be ghoulish.

Note: According to Amazon.com, this DVD made its home market debut on the 29th of October. According to the distributor, it came out this week.

Kinky Boots - Buy from Amazon
A British character comedy that didn't win over a ton of critics, not did it find an audience in theaters. Was it really is a miss? Or is it an undiscovered gem? Check out our review for my opinion.

The Little Mermaid II and Ariel's Beginning 2-Movie Collection - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Unless you really love The Little Mermaid or are a Disney completionist, it is safe to give this release a pass.

Lost Girl: Season Three - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Gemini award-winning series about a succubus, Bo, who doesn't want to be the killer succubi are portrayed as in mythology. She also has to deal with the Fae world and the war brewing between the light and the dark forces. If you like fantasy TV, then this is a show you should definitely be watching.

Mad Men: Season Six - DVD or Blu-ray
The Penultimate season for Mad Men. The creative force behind this show needs to be worried about wrapping up storylines. Does this season set up the final season well? Or am I panicking that this show will have a bad ending? Read our review to find out.

My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic: A Pony For Every Season - Buy from Amazon
A very good show that has strong writing and excellent voice acting. This is why it has expanded beyond its traditional target demographic and is more inline with Transformers than with the original My Little Pony.

Paranoia - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
One of the biggest bombs of the summer. It only made $7.39 million during its entire run. Had it made that during its opening weekend, it still would have been a bomb. It would have had to have made that during its opening day to have a chance of breaking even. The extras are not bad, but in no way are they good enough to compensate for its reviews. This is one to avoid.

Planes - Buy from Amazon: DVD, Blu-ray Combo Pack, or 3D Combo Pack
The last digitally animated film released this summer. The lack of direct competition for over a month helped it earn more than $200 million worldwide, but is that the only thing going for it? Check out our review for my opinion.

Star Trek: The Next Generation: Season Five - Blu-ray - Buy from Amazon
And
Star Trek: The Next Generation: Unification - Blu-ray - Buy from Amazon
The next Star Trek: The Next Generation set of releases includes the fifth season, as well as the two-part Unification, which includes the guest appearance by Leonard Nimoy. Are either Blu-rays worth picking up? Or has the show peaked? Read our two reviews to find out.

Note: This Blu-ray made its home market debut on the 5th.

The Three Faces of Eve - Blu-ray - Buy from Amazon
An Oscar-winning film from 1957. It deals with a form of mental illness that was very newly diagnosed and very poorly understood. Does this interfere with the effectiveness more than 50 years later? Is it still worth checking out? Read our review to find out.

The To Do List - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
This film was earning a lot of buzz pre-release, so much so that it looked like it would get a wide release. That didn't happen. In fact, it opened in several hundred theaters, which is the worst way to release a movie. Add in mixed reviews and you can see why it didn't do well in theaters. On the other hand, it is worth a rental.

Touched By an Angel: Ninth & Final Season - Buy from Amazon
Fans of this show will finally get a chance to complete their DVD collection. They should be very happy, because after weak sales for early seasons, it looked like the final seasons would never come out on DVD.

Treme: The Complete Third Season - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
The fourth and final season begins in December, so fans will want to grab this season A.S.A.P. to get caught up. However, since the ratings slip below 500,000 a couple times last season, there are not many fans out there.

TV on DVD Full Series Megasets - Buy from Amazon: The Twilight Zone
Just the one Megaset this week. It's a great show, but this is the Episodes Only edition and the Definitive Collection is the better deal. Buy it fast, because soon it won't be available.

Violet and Daisy - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Good cast plus a bad script equals a weak movie.

Note: This Blu-ray made its home market debut on the 22nd of October.

The Way Way Back - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
One of the summer's biggest limited releases having earned more than $20 million. Is it as good as its box office numbers? Read our review for my opinion.

We're the Millers - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray Combo Pack
This film earned mixed reviews, but it stunned analysts earning $150 million at the box office. The extras on the DVD and Blu-ray are only good (behind-the-scenes, outtakes, deleted scenes, etc.) but if you are a fan of R-rated comedies, this one is worth checking out. I'm not sure it has the replay value to be worth picking up.

The World's End - Buy from Amazon: DVD, Blu-ray Combo Pack
The final film in the Three Flavours Cornetto Trilogy. Can this one possibly live up to its predecessors? Check out our review to find out.

WWE: History of the WWE - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
It's the WWE. That's all I know about it.


-

Filed under: DVD and Blu-ray Releases, Home Market Releases, Kinky Boots, We’re the Millers, Violet and Daisy, The World's End, Breaking the Girls, This is the End, Paranoia, 2 Guns, The To Do List, Disney Planes, The Way Way Back, Crystal Fairy, All is Bright, C.O.G., Eric Clapton: Crossroads Guitar Festival, Chicago, The Three Faces of Eve, Bridegroom, Three Flavours Cornetto Trilogy, Vivien Leigh, Michael Cera, Paul Giamatti, Leonard Nimoy, Anna Silk