DVD and Blu-ray Releases for November 9th, 2010

November 8, 2010

It's a week of box office disappointments on the home market with Charlie St. Cloud, Ramona and Beezus, and Scott Pilgrim vs. The World coming out. (There is one box office hit coming out this week, but given its reviews, the less said the better.) However, while none of them really found audiences during their theatrical releases, two of the three earned excellent reviews, and Scott Pilgrim's Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack is worthy of the Pick of the Week honors.

2010: The Year We Make Contact - Buy from Amazon
We are rapidly running out of time for the title of this film to come true.

Note: This Blu-ray made its home market debut on the 26th of October.

Alien Anthology - Blu-ray - Buy from Amazon
The first two films of this franchise are widely considered two of the best of the genre, but what about the other two? And is this Blu-ray box set worth the price? Read our review for my opinion.

Antichrist - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Laws Von Trier has made some unusual films in his day, and this one is no exception. Critics were evenly split on the film with many praising the visuals, while others complaining about the extreme violence in the movie. The DVD and Blu-ray have plenty of extras, but even if you are interested in this movie, start with a rental, as it is certainly not for everyone.

Blu-ray Releases - Buy from Amazon: Antichrist: Criterion Collection, Charlie St. Cloud, The Chosen One, A Christmas Carol, The Christmas Collection, Damned by Dawn, Depeche Mode: Tour of the Universe, Doctor Who: Season Five, The Dry Land, Eric Clapton - Crossroads Guitar Festival 2010, Grown Ups (Blu-ray / DVD Combo Pack), Grown Ups, Holiday Classics Collection, Hunt to Kill, Knucklehead, Locked Down, Love Ranch, Metalocalypse: Season Three, Oceans 11: 50th Anniversary, Ramona and Beezus, Robin-B-Hood, Rock & Rule: 25th Anniversary Edition, Scooby Doo 1 & 2, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, Sherlock: Season One, Superman/Shazam: The Return of Black Adam, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: Runnin' Down a Dream, Tremors, and Xam'd: Collection 2
Mixed week in terms of Blu-ray releases with the biggest theatrical hit, Grown Ups, being quite a terrible movie and hardly worth owning on High Definition. On the other hand, Scott Pilgram vs. The World is coming out, which should cause multiple Nerdgasms in many people. On a side note, how many times is Rock & Rule coming out on Blu-ray? I swear this is the third time.

The Boondocks: The Complete Third Season - Buy from Amazon
I've had bad luck getting screeners for this show in the past, but hopefully the third time's the charm.

Californication: The Third Season - Buy from Amazon
I reviewed the previous two seasons and I will get to the latest season as soon as the screener arrives.

Note: This DVD made its home market debut on the 2nd.

Care Bears: Giving Festival Movie - Buy from Amazon
The latest DVD release from the popular franchise, which has lasted about 25 years now. How does this DVD compare to the others I've reviewed? Check out our review to find out.

Charlie St. Cloud - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
The High School Musical franchise was a cultural phenomenon among its target audience, but so far the main cast members haven't had a lot of success since then. Ashley Tisdale arguably has had the best post-HSM career, as it seems likely Hellcats will be renewed for a second season. On the other hand, this film was a box office disappointment and a critical flop. Extras on the DVD include an audio commentary track, deleted scenes, behind-the-scenes, interview with Zac Efron, etc. The Blu-ray is BD-Live enabled, but it costs $7 more, which is a bit much for this type of film. That said, unless you are a hardcore fan of the lead, it's not worth anything more than a rental. In fact, calling it a rental might be too much.

Christmas Releases - Buy from Amazon: Bing Crosby: The Television Specials Volume 2 - The Christmas Specials, A Christmas Carol (Blu-ray), The Christmas Collection (Blu-ray), and Holiday Classics Collection (Blu-ray)
Not a busy week for Christmas releases with only four worth mentioning, and three of those include the same film (the 1984 version of A Christmas Carol).

Doctor Who: The Complete Fifth Series - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Despite near constant cast changes, the show remains strong. However, as with most BBC imports, the price-per-minute is quite high. At least there are a lot of extras to compensate, while the Blu-ray is a good deal compared to the DVD.

The Elia Kazan Collection - Buy from Amazon
Elia Kazan directed some of the greatest movies ever made and won Oscars for On the Waterfront and Gentleman's Agreement. He was also one of the first people to cooperate with the House UnAmerican Activities Committee, which kind of taints his career. Also of note, while there are some films making their DVD debut this week, there's also a lot of double-dips here. So, overall value depends on how many you have and how many you would be willing to pay for.

Eric Clapton - Crossroads Guitar Festival 2010 - DVD or Blu-ray
This two-disc set includes four hours of performances by Eric Clapton with a veritable cornucopia of guitar legends from rock, blues, country, etc. with Bill Murray as M.C. It has a lot of the same people that were at the 2004 and 2007 concerts, but $22 for four hours on DVD or $30 for the Blu-ray is still a good deal.

Grown Ups - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Arguably Adam Sandler's biggest hit earning more than $260 million worldwide. (Big Daddy earned more domestically, while there's the issue of ticket sales.) However, it is also arguably Adam Sandler's worst movie. Most critics complained about the film's lowbrow humor and forced sentimentality, but I guess his fans disagreed. The DVD has very little in the way of extras (one featurette and outtakes) but the Blu-ray has an audio commentary track, alternate lines, additional featurettes, etc. It's worth the price of the upgrade, but the movie is skippable, so it's all moot.

Ice Blues: A Donald Strachey Mystery - Buy from Amazon
A gay detective thriller from the Donald Strachey franchise. They have yet to produce a box office hit, but are obviously doing better business on the home market, because they keep making more movies. The question is whether or not they have any mainstream appeal or if they are strictly for their target audience. I won't be able to answer that question till the screener arrives.

Jean-Michel Basquiat: The Radiant Child - Buy from Amazon
This documentary earned excellent reviews and opened extremely well, but despite holding well its second weekend of release, it never managed to expand to any significant degree. If you are a fan of the artist, then the DVD is worth picking up. And if you've never heard of him, this film will try and make you a fan.

Knucklehead - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
The WWE tries to make a family friendly film. It works about as well as you would expect, which is to say, it is a disaster.

Ladies & Gentlemen: The Rolling Stones - Deluxe Edition - Buy from Amazon
A massive, limited edition, DVD that features the Stones during their 1974 Exile On Main Street US tour, which many argue is their best performance ever. This is an expensive DVD with a list price just two pennies shy of $100, but it includes five hours of concert performances and extras, plus physical extras like photobook, scarf, and even two film cells from the film. This would make an awesome gift, even if you can't justify spending that much money on yourself.

Note: This DVD made its home market debut on the 26th of October.

Lewis Black: Surviving the Holidays - Buy from Amazon
Lewis Black's angry rants tend to have a less than TV friendly edge to them. So how well will his humor translate to a PG environment? Check out our review for my opinion.

Lie to Me: Season Two - Buy from Amazon
Just waiting on the screener for this show.

Locked Down - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
The lastest film from the TapouT label. How does this one compare to releases from the past? Read our review to find out.

Love Ranch - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Taylor Hackford has made a lot of great films over the years, including the Oscar-winning Ray. However, despite the compelling subject matter and the impressive cast, this movie was a dud. Its reviews explain its poor box office performance, while its poor box office performance explains the small selection of extras (audio commentary track and deleted scenes). At least the Blu-ray doesn't cost any more than the DVD and its a real bargain. That said, unless you are a fan of the cast, this one is safely skippable.

Metalocalypse: Season Three - DVD or Blu-ray
One of the most normal shows on Adult Swim, and by that I mean it has a fully formed plot and it is not just a series of randomness. It is absolutely worth picking up, but the Blu-ray is rather expensive compared to the DVD, and this is not a show that is likely to shine in High Definition.

MST3K: Volume XIX - Buy from Amazon
The latest release for MST3K includes four more episodes from the show's decade plus run, as well as some physical extras. But is it worth the price? Read our review for my opinion.

Puppet Master Collection - Buy from Amazon
I love this low-budget franchise, but didn't they put out a complete collection last year? I guess with the latest installment coming out, that one is now out of date.

Ramona and Beezus - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Still waiting on the screener for this one, but its reviews are promising. I just hope the studio didn't skimp on the extras because of the poor box office performance.

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray / DVD Combo Pack
Edgar Wright's follow-up to Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz. The film wasn't able to live up to the buzz, at least not at the box office, but does it deserve to find a larger audience on the home market? Check out our review to find out.

Sherlock: Season One - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
A modern adaptation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's most famous creation. In fact, Sherlock Holmes is so famous that a lot of people think he's real. Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman star as Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson respectively in this BBC production, which has been earning some stellar reviews. On the other hand, it is quite expensive for a TV on DVD release, as season one is only three 90-minute episodes. There are audio commentary tracks and a making of featurette, so it is at least worth checking out.

The Super Hero Squad Show: Quest For The Infinity Sword: Volume 2 - Buy from Amazon
Is this a show that is aimed at younger kids? Or one that can be enjoyed by adults as well? Or perhaps a combination of the two: Drunken College Students. Check out our review for my opinion.

Superman/Shazam: The Return of Black Adam - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
A series of four short films, three of which were already released on different special edition DVDs / Blu-rays. Releasing them this way just seems too much like a cash grab. Also coming out this week is Secret Origins: The Story of DC Comics, which is likely the better deal for most fans, as they likely picked up the special editions when they first came out.

Three and Out - Buy from Amazon
Mackenzie Crook plays a train engineer that has two fatal accidents in two weeks after people walked in front of his train. At first, this is depressing; however, when he learns a third accident will result in mandatory retirement, and 10 years of salary, he starts looking for a suicidal man to help him. It's a British film and given the subject matter the black comedy might not be for everyone, but I'm looking forward to getting a screener.

Ticked-Off Trannies With Knives - Buy from Amazon
An homage to the Grindhouse Revenge flick that generated some controversy because of the name. And for good reason, as "Tranny" is almost always used as a derogatory term. The director argue that it was an empowering film, as the "Trannies" in question were able to fight back against those that wronged them. I'm not sure I buy that line of reasoning, but I can't judge without seeing the movie. It could be accurate, or it could be post hoc justification. Anyhoo... Doing homages to B-movies is hard, but the few reviews online suggest the filmmakers did a good job. If you are interested in the genre, it might be worth checking out, but start with a rental first.

TV Series Megaset - Buy from Amazon: Golden Girls, Hi-5, and Scooby Doo, Where Are You?
Only three megasets this week, and two of them are for kids shows. On a side note, that Scooby Doo box set looks awesome. That's the way you sell a full series Megaset. (It helps that the people most interested in a Megaset for that show would be adult collectors and not kids.)

Note: This DVD made its home market debut on the 26th of October.

War of the Worlds: Season Two - Buy from Amazon
It took five years from when the first season came out on DVD till the second season was released. That said, the two seasons were so different, it was almost like they were two different shows. So which was better? Read our review to find out.

Whale Wars: Season 3 - Buy from Amazon
The continuing adventures of the Sea Shepherd organization, which is dedicated to ending illegal whaling. This season the group had the Ady Gil, the futuristic looking vessel on the cover of the DVD. Even if you are not that interested in their mission, that ship might entice you to watch the show.

Note: This Blu-ray made its home market debut on the 12th of October.

Wolverine and the X-Men - Blu-ray - Buy from Amazon
After reviewing almost every DVD this series put out, and there were a lot, I finally got a chance to review the Blu-ray. Was it worth the wait? Check out our review to find out.

Yoga for the Rest of Us: Easy Yoga for Arthritis - Buy from Amazon
According to Amazon.com, this DVD is in the top ten list of new releases this week. Wow. Slow week.


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Filed under: DVD and Blu-ray Releases, Home Market Releases, Ice Blues: A Donald Strachey Mystery, Ramona and Beezus, Grown Ups, Love Ranch, Rock & Rule, 2010, Antichrist, Knucklehead, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, Charlie St. Cloud, Jean-Michel Basquiat: The Radiant Child, Three and Out