DVD and Blu-ray Releases for July 6th, 2010

July 4, 2010

It's a terrible week for home market releases, at least in terms of potential sales. How bad is it? As I'm writing this, the best selling release on Amazon.com is The Girl With the Dragon Tatoo on DVD. That's not to say it is a bad movie; in fact, it is the Pick of the Week, but it is a foreign language limited release, and those are not exactly known for topping the charts. The Girl with the Dragon Tatoo is the Pick of the Week, but while the DVD is selling better according to Amazon.com, the Blu-ray is the better deal.

Note: This DVD makes its home market debut on the 13th. However, the DVD screener arrived early and I was able to get the review done this week.

The Backyardigans: Operation Elephant Drop - Buy from Amazon
I am way outside the target demographic for this show, but I will admit, when it comes to preschool shows, this is one of the better ones to review. Why? Read out review to find out.

Bitten - Buy from Amazon
Jason Mewes stars as an EMT who sees a woman dying in an alley one day. He manages to save her life and the two fall in low. However, the reason she was dying was because she was attacked by a vampire and she is now becoming one herself. It's a romantic black comedy, which means it is straddling a few too many genres for its own good, but I've seen a few good reviews here and there.

Blu-ray Releases - Buy from Amazon: Brooklyn's Finest, Eyeborgs, The Girl With the Dragon Tatoo, Jason and the Argonauts, Jimmy Hollywood, Ladybugs, Love and Other Disasters, A Single Man, and Steamboat Bill, Jr.
As with DVDs, the list of Blu-ray releases is rather weak this week. There are some interesting releases, including the film that Amazon.com says is the best seller, The Girl With the Dragon Tatoo. Jason and the Argonauts is a personal favorite of mine, while Steamboat Bill, Jr. is a Buster Keaton film from 1928, which is not the usual Blu-ray release. Speaking of Buster Keaton, 16 Comedy Shorts is also coming out this week, but on DVD, so it's a good week for his fans. Also of note, there are a trio of Double-shots also coming out this week: Action, Magic, and Horror. Actually, the "Magic" release is called "Comedy", but I think "Magic" is a better moniker.

Brooklyn's Finest - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
This film has a great cast and was directed by Antoine Fuqua, who previously directed the Oscar-winning Training Day. Unfortunately, his career hasn't reached the same heights since then. This film was seen as his chance to get back to his roots, as it deals with cops and corruption, but missed expectations with critics and at the box office. The DVD and the Blu-ray do have more extras than its box office run suggests with an audio commentary track, deleted scenes, making-of featurette, and more. Call it a solid rental, leaning toward a purchase if you are a fan of the genre. And if you are going to buy, the Blu-ray is good value for the money.

Columbia Pictures Film Noir Classics: Volume 2 - Buy from Amazon
A 5-disc boxed set that includes some classics in the Film Noir genre. Not a whole lot of extras, but there's more than most similar boxed sets have.

Continental Divide - Buy from Amazon
A romantic comedy from 1981 starring John Belushi, which was not his usual genre. It earned good reviews, but it was not a big hit. It was released on DVD a few years ago but it is being repacked this week. Normally I won't have even mentioned it, but this is a slow week.

Doc Martin: Series 4 - Buy from Amazon
Martin Clunes stars as the local doctor in a small town in England who was a highly sought after surgeon, before he developed a fear of blood. Now he is stuck back in his home town working as a GP and hating it. Well, not so much hating it, as hating having to deal with patients. When he was a surgeon, all his patients were unconscious, so he never developed any bedside manners. Or any manners at all. So far the show has only gotten better, which is great news, as Series 5 will start filming in 2010. Can't wait.

Doctor Who - Buy from Amazon: Stories 15 & 16: The Space Museum / The Chase, Story 64: The Time Monster, Story 96: Underworld, and Story 108: The Horns of Nimon
Four more DVDs from the longest running Science Fiction TV series of all time. None are among the best the franchise has to offer, but none of them can be considered weak either. Solidly average. Extras include audio commentary tracks, featurettes, etc. Worth picking up for more fans of the show. On the other hand, with so many DVDs coming out, I can see a lot of fans having to be more selective with this show. This is not a show where you can casually buy every release when it comes out.

Dragnet 1968: Season Two - Buy from Amazon
The second of four incarnations of this TV show that aired over the years. I don't know if it is true for everyone, by the Jack Webb / Harry Morgan version of the show is the one I remember the most. Does it live up to my memories? Check out our review to find out.

E.R.: Season 13 - Buy from Amazon
By the time a show reaches double-digits in terms of seasons, there's little that needs to be said about its DVD releases. Fans just need a reminder that it's coming out, non-fans have already moved on.

Eyeborgs - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Buy from Amazon
A low-budget movie about mobile robotic cameras that spies on everyone in the near future. You know, to combat terrorism. If you are not a terrorist, you have nothing to fear, right? With a name like Eyeborgs, I didn't have high hopes for the film; however, the reviews I've seen online are mostly better than expected. Mostly. If the premise sounds intriguing, it's at least worth a rental. And if you are intent on buying, the Blu-ray is a better deal, as it costs about 10% more than the DVD.

The Game: Season Three - Buy from Amazon
This is the last season the show will appear on CW, as it was canceled by the network. However, it was recently picked up by BET. Was this a wise choice, or should the show have ended? We can't know for sure till the new episodes are aired, but in the meantime, did it end its run on the CW on a high? Read our review for my opinion.

Gamera Vs. Barugon - Buy from Amazon
The second release in the Gamera franchise. These Kaiju films always played second fiddle to the Godzilla movies, but was this fair, or are these movies better than their reputation? Check out our review for my opinion.

The Girl with the Dragon Tatoo - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Based on a series of books, this film is the first of a trilogy. Long before it had an American distributor, the film was earning critical praise and huge box office numbers. Domestically, it made about $10 million, if you include the run in Canada, which is amazing for a foreign language film. Extras are not great, but this is normal for foreign language films (it's harder to do an audio commentary track for a North American release when most people involved don't speak English). There are a couple of featurettes, which is better than nothing. The price is right and the Blu-ray only costs $20. That's Pick of the Week material.

Growing Op - Buy from Amazon
A Canadian coming of age story about a boy living a sheltered life because his parents run a marijuana grow op. I've seen some relatively positive reviews online (there is an aspect of Indie quirk to it) but most people south of the border have likely never heard of it. ... Most people north of the border have likely never heard of it either. But it's worth checking out.

Have Gun - Will Travel: Season Four, Volume Two - Buy from Amazon
One of many shows that can lay claim to being part of the Golden Age of TV Westerns. Can this show stand out, or will it be lost in the pack? Check out our review for my opinion.

Jimmy Hollywood - Blu-ray - Buy from Amazon
This movie was a failure, both at the box office and with critics. However, it has been 16 years since it was first released. Maybe in retrospect it is a better movie that its initial box office run would suggest. Or maybe not. Read our review to see which side of the debate I agree with.

Ladybugs - Blu-ray - Buy from Amazon
This movie is remembered as the one that basically harkened the end of Rodney Dangerfield's box office career, if it is remembered at all. He did make a few movies after this, but he either had smaller roles, or the films failed to earn wide releases. "The film that killed Dangerfield's career." That's a hard reputation to live down, but is it deserved? Read our review for my opinion.

Last Chance to See - Buy from Amazon
Back in 1989, Douglas Adams and Mark Carwardine co-wrote a book and a radio series about a great number of animals that were on the brink of extinction. Twenty years later, Stephen Fry takes over for the late Douglas Adams, as he and Mark Carwardine travel the world giving updates on these animals. Usually it's not pretty. Fans of the original book, Stephen Fry, travelogues, or environmental causes will want to check it out. And if you are a fan of more than one of those, it is worth picking up.

Life on Mars: The Complete Series - Buy from Amazon
I reviewed the American remake of this U.K. series, which I liked, right up till the ending. (In their defense, the show was canceled, so I think the ending was rushed.) However, this version has a completely different ending and it is supposedly better in almost every way. If so, it is worth buying, because the remake was a good show.

Note: This DVD makes its home market debut on the 13th. However, the DVD screener arrived early and I was able to get the review done this week.

Nickelodeon Jr. Favorites: First Day of School - Buy from Amazon
I understand that retailers like to sell the next holiday before the previous one ends, like how Christmas starts in October now. However, this is usually for days people look forward to. Selling a First Day of School DVD just as summer holidays starts seems almost cruel. Or maybe they are doing this for the parents. "Don't worry, summer vacation ends shortly." Regardless of the reason, how well does the DVD stack up next to previous such releases? Read our review for my opinion.

Project Runway: Season 7 - Buy from Amazon
A hugely popular Reality TV series. On the one hand, I will admit it isn't soul crushing like so many in the genre. But on the other hand, I have no interest in fashion. In fact, half my clothes come from Toothpaste for Dinner. (I'm currently wearing the "Corndog" T-shirt, by the way.)

Rhoda: Season Three - Buy from Amazon
One of a handful of spin-offs from the Mary Tyler Moore show. After a rough start on DVD, the past two seasons are worth picking up.

Note: This DVD makes its home market debut on the 13th. However, the DVD screener arrived early and I was able to get the review done this week.

Saturday Night Live: The Best of Tracy Morgan - Buy from Amazon
The first of two SNL re-releases on this week's list. Although it is actually coming out next week. (I've been getting a lot of reviews done early recently. I wonder if that will keep up?) The previous version is still around, and a better price, but that doesn't matter if the DVD isn't worth checking out. Read our review to find out my opinion.

Note: This DVD makes its home market debut on the 9th. However, the DVD screener arrived early and I was able to get the review done this week.

Saturday Night Live: The Best of Will Ferrell - Buy from Amazon
This DVD suffers from the same problem as the Tracy Morgan DVD, i.e. if you are interested in it, it is better to buy the older release. However, is it actually worth buying? Check out our review to find out.

A Single Man - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Colin Firth earned a lot of praise, and even a few major award nominations for his performance in this movie. It wasn't the only praise-worthy aspect of the movie, but it certainly overshadowed almost everything else. The DVD has an audio commentary track and a making-of featurette while the Blu-ray has this and it is BD-Live enabled. Worth picking up, and worth spending the extra money.

Sixgun - Buy from Amazon
Looks like someone fixed the problems on the Amazon.com page; previously the movie was listed as a 15-minute short and not a feature-length film. A 15-minute short would be a hard sell, but does the actual movie have what it takes to find an audience? Check out our review for my opinion.

Squidbillies: Volume 3 - Buy from Amazon
I'm a fan of a lot of Adult Swim shows, but this one is too weird, even for me.

-

Filed under: DVD and Blu-ray Releases, Home Market Releases, Män som hatar kvinnor, Brooklyn's Finest, A Single Man, Love and Other Disasters, Eyeborgs