Home Market Releases for September 27th, 2016

September 27, 2016

Captain America: Civil War

It is a pretty good week on the home market with a few releases worth picking up. The biggest of these is Central Intelligence, but while it is worth picking up, it isn’t a contender for Pick of the Week. There are some smaller releases that were up for that title, including The Shallows, An American Werewolf in London and The Innocents. However, in the end, I went with Captain America: Civil War. The Blu-ray screener arrived late, and I held off on naming it Pick of the Week when it came out for that very reason.


An American Werewolf in London: Restored Edition - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
One of the best horror films ever made and it features some of the greatest makeup effects in movie history. The Blu-ray has plenty of extras and features a newly restored version of the movie. It is easily worth picking up and a contender for Pick of the Week.

Note: This Blu-ray made its home market debut on the 20th.

Beauty and the Beast: 25th Anniversary - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray Combo Pack
Video on Demand
One of the best animated films ever made; however, it is not the first time the film has been released on Blu-ray. I previously reviewed its Blu-ray debut and it was the Pick of the Week then. Will this version also be the Pick of the Week? Read our review to find out.

Bill & Ted's Most Excellent Collection - Excellent Adventure: Reviews and Bogus Journey: Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
I’m not sure how I feel about this box set, because it costs a lot for what is really just one and a half good movies. There are a ton of new extras, so much so that is it worth picking up for fans of the films, but the price precludes it from being a contender for Pick of the Week.


Note: This Blu-ray made its home market debut on the 13th.

Captain America: Civil War - Buy from Amazon: DVD, or Blu-ray Combo Pack, or 3D Combo Pack
Video on Demand
The 13th installment of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. So far, not one of these films bombed with critics or at the box office. This film was a monster hit, but was it also a critical smash? Check out our review for my opinion.

The Catch: Season 1 - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD
Video on Demand
It’s my job to pay attention to these things, but I have no idea what the show is. In my defense, its rating in its key demographic was under 1.0 by the end of the first season, so a lot of people haven’t seen it.

Central Intelligence - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD, Blu-ray, 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + Digital HD discs 1-2
Video on Demand
One of the better films to come out this summer, but not a classic. Come to think about it, most comedies that have been released this year fit into that description. There haven’t been many bad comedies, but also not a lot of great comedies either. Most of those released have been like Central Intelligence and are hybrid comedies. There have been Action / Comedies, like The Nice Guys, or Sci-fi / Comedies, like Ghostbusters, etc. Extras include an audio commentary track, deleted / extended scenes, outtakes, etc. Definitely worth picking up, but not quite Pick of the Week material.


Eat That Question: Frank Zappa in His Own Words - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD
Video on Demand
A documentary about Frank Zappa that uses his own words from archival interviews and such. The reviews are amazing and it is a Pick of the Week contender based just on its reviews. On the downside, there doesn’t appear to be any extras.

Grimm: Season Five - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Video on Demand
This show has been earning mostly good reviews, but its ratings have always been mediocre. It is getting a sixth and final season, but as a midseason replacement. The extras are good, but not enough to lift it to a Pick of the Week contender.

Highlander: 30th Anniversary - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray Combo Pack
Video on Demand
I previously reviewed this film when it came out on Blu-ray five years ago. Is this new Anniversary Edition worth the upgrade? If not, is it at least worth picking up if you missed the original release? Read our review for my opinion.

Hunt for the Wilderpeople - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD
Video on Demand
DO NOT BUY THIS DVD! It comes out on Blu-ray on the 25th of October, so wait for that. If you can’t wait, it is a $5 VOD rental.

Indian Summers: Season 2 - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
I usually complain about the price of British imports, as they usually are only several hours long and cost more than a full season American release would. This show is almost 9 hours long, which is the same length as half a season of an American Drama and it only costs about the same amount. That’s better, but still a lot to ask. Fortunately, the reviews suggest it is worth it for fans of the genre.


The Innocents - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD, Blu-ray
Video on Demand
A movie about a group of nuns who were victims of war crimes near the end of World War II, and a doctor who helped take care of them. It is one of the best films on this week’s list, but its subject matter is difficult to deal with.

Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates - Reviews
- Buy from Amazon: DVD, Blu-ray + DVD + Digital HD discs 1-2, 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + Digital HD discs 1-2
Video on Demand
This film has a great cast and an interesting setup; however, not enough jokes land to be worth picking up. If you like the subgenre of delayed adulthood comedies, then it is worth a rental. It is only $6 on VOD.

MST3K: Volume III - No Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD
This show is being re-released with a more reasonable price. The original releases were $50 per four-movie box set, while these are $32. That’s still expensive on a price-per-minute basis compared to other TV on DVD releases, but not bad if you think of them as four TV movies.

The Neon Demon - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Video on Demand
This is a film that was called a classic by a lot of people, but there were just as many people who walked out on it. That kind of divergent opinion is intriguing. Unfortunately, while I requested a screener, it has not yet arrived. Given the split in opinion, I would rent it first, but also have a backup just in case you are one of the people who would have walked out of the theater. Extras include an audio commentary track, a short featurette on the soundtrack, and an even shorter featurette about the film.

Reign: The Complete Third Season - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD
Video on Demand
The first season has 45 reviews on Rotten Tomatoes with 25 of them being positive. The second season there were only six and the third season there were only 2. Granted, every review for the past two seasons has been positive, but I think it says more that most critics have just given up on the show.


The Shallows - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD, Blu-ray, 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray discs 1-2
Video on Demand
One of the best horror / thriller movies of the year. I was really hoping for a screener, but I was told a couple of weeks ago that wasn’t going to happen. That’s too bad, because not only is the film one of the most tense movies of the year, but it really shows Blake Lively can act. Extras include four featurettes and some deleted scenes, which isn’t a ton, but it is a shallow week, so it is a Pick of the Week contender.

Warcraft - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray + DVD + Digital discs 1-2, 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + Digital HD discs 1-2, Blu-ray 3D + Blu-ray + Digital HD discs 1-2
Video on Demand
One of the worst movies of the summer, it was also one of the biggest bombs... at least it was domestically. It made enough in China that there might be a sequel that is focused almost entirely on that one market. There are a lot of extras, especially on the Blu-ray, but none of them are really substantial. There are enough here that if you liked the movie it is worth picking up, but if you never saw the movie and especially if you’ve never played the game, avoid it.

Blu-ray Releases - Buy from Amazon:
Beyond the Valley of the Dolls: The Criterion Collection - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Blood Diner - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
Cell - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
Chopping Mall - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
Dekalog - No Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Howard Lovecraft and the Frozen Kingdom - No Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray Combo Pack
Joe Bonamassa: Live At The Greek Theater - No Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Lady in White - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
Monster High: Welcome to Monster High - No Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray Combo Pack
Private Lessons - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Ripper Street: Season 4 - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Slugs - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
Valley of the Dolls: The Criterion Collection - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
The best secondary Blu-ray release of the week is Dekalog; however, the one I’m most interested in is Beyond the Valley of the Dolls: The Criterion Collection. It is the epitome of cult classic.

4K Blu-ray Releases - Buy from Amazon:
Everest - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: 4K Combo Pack
The Shallows - Reviews - Buy from Amazon:4K Combo Pack
There are only two 4K releases this week, but at least Everest makes sense. It is a big, visually impressive movie that needs to be seen as big as possible. On the other hand, until 4K TVs are standard, they are not worth paying extra for.

TV on DVD Megasets - Buy from Amazon:
Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever - No Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD
This isn’t technically a full-season Megaset, but it is the closest we have this week. It’s a six-disc, 16-hour box set.

Video on Demand - Buy from Amazon:
All Hallows’ Eve (2016) - No Reviews - Video on Demand
Complete Unknown - Reviews - Video on Demand
Desert Cathedral - No Reviews - Video on Demand
Ghostbusters - Reviews - Video on Demand (Extended) or Video on Demand (Theatrical)
Ice Age: Collision Course - Reviews - Video on Demand
In the Shadow of the Hill - No Reviews - Video on Demand
Independence Day: Resurgence - Reviews - Video on Demand
Kamikaze ‘89 - Reviews - Video on Demand
Laid in America - No Reviews - Video on Demand
The Lost Key - Reviews - Video on Demand
Love Between the Covers - Reviews - Video on Demand
The Seventh Fire - Reviews - Video on Demand
Songman: The Untold True Story of Jim Croce - No Reviews - Video on Demand
Ghostbusters is the biggest VOD release of the week. It is also earning surprisingly good reviews. That first trailer was crap. Whoever cut that needs to be fired.

Filed under: DVD and Blu-ray Releases, Home Market Releases, Valley of the Dolls, Central Intelligence, Ghostbusters, Warcraft, Independence Day: Resurgence, Ice Age: Collision Course, Captain America: Civil War, The Nice Guys, Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates, The Neon Demon, The Lost Key, The Shallows, Howard Lovecraft & the Frozen Kingdom, Hunt for the Wilderpeople, Complete Unknown, Les Innocentes, Eat That Question: Frank Zappa in His Own Words, The Seventh Fire, Love Between the Covers, Laid in America, Songman: The Untold True Story of Jim Croce, All Hallows’ Eve, In the Shadow of the Hill, Blood Diner, Desert Cathedral, Bill & Ted, Marvel Cinematic Universe, Blake Lively, Frank Zappa