Home Market Releases for July 11th, 2017

July 11, 2017

Underground: Season Two

This week, the home market is led by The Fate of the Furious, which is the number one film both in terms of worldwide box office and alphabetically. It earned well over $1 billion worldwide, but it is losing the charm the franchise thrived on during the past few installments. As for the Pick of the Week, I’m going with Underground, Season Two, or the Two-Season box set.

The Fate of the Furious - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD, Blu-ray Combo Pack, or 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack
Video on Demand
This is the eighth film in the franchise. It is rare for a franchise to last eight installments, so that alone should be an accomplishment. More impressively, it became the first franchise to have two installments reach $1 billion internationally. On the downside, its reviews were the weakest since Fast and Furious and there are some behind-the-scenes dramas that could result in actors leaving the franchise, so I don’t know if the next two installments will be as strong at the box office. Extras on the DVD include an audio commentary track and a couple of making of featurettes, while the Blu-ray has a trio of exclusive making of featurettes. It is worth picking up for fans of the franchise, but not a Pick of the Week contender.

The Fifth Element - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack
Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets comes out in less than two weeks, so it makes sense to release The Fifth Element on 4K this week, as the two films are the most similar in Luc Besson’s filmography. If you don’t own it, it is worth picking up, but the Blu-ray is much cheaper and I’m not sold on 4K.

Gate: Complete Collection - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray Combo Pack
A gate opens in modern day Japan connecting the city to a fantasy world. The Japanese Defense Force travels through the gate and absolutely murders the helpless fantasy empire on the other side. This Anime has a lot in common with the average Michael Bay movie, and yes, that’s an insult. From what I’ve heard, the real world Japanese Defense Force were consultants for the show, so the JDF could not be shown in a negative light. This includes losing any battles, or even really losing any troops. Because of this, there’s no dramatic tension. On the other hand, there’s almost a Pythonesque absurdity that can be entertaining, if that’s what you are looking for.


The Lost City of Z - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Video on Demand
This is one of the bigger limited release hits of the year, although it reportedly cost $30 million to make, so it is going to need a lot of help on the home market to break even any time soon. Extras on the DVD / Blu-ray include an audio commentary track and a trio of behind-the-scenes featurettes. That’s good for a limited release, but not quite enough to be Pick of the Week.


The Magicians: Season Two - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Video on Demand
This show started out well, but there have been some hiccups. (Don’t use rape as a plot point, unless you have something important to say about the subject. If you are just doing it to give the victim a more traumatic story, then don’t do it. If you are doing it to give a different character motivation, then stop writing, forever.) Extras on the DVD / Blu-ray include a behind-the-scenes featurette and some outtakes.

Masterpiece: Prime Suspect: Tennison - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
A prequel to Prime Suspect. Stick with the original.


Norman: The Moderate Rise and Tragic Fall of a New York Fixer - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Video on Demand
Richard Gere stars as the titular character, a small-time political fixer who finally gets his big break. As you can tell from the Tragic Fall part of the title, it doesn’t last. Extras on the DVD / Blu-ray include a short featurette with red carpet interviews and a longer Q&A session. Worth picking up, but not quite worth the Pick of the Week.


A Quiet Passion - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Video on Demand
A biopic of Emily Dickerson starring Cynthia Nixon. The film feels like Oscar-bait, both in terms of content and quality. However, it was released far too early to be remembered during Awards Season. Extras include a Q&A session, a behind-the-scenes featurette, and a booklet of essays. It is worth picking up and a contender for Pick of the Week.


Smokey and the Bandit - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray Combo Pack
I loved this movie as a kid, but it has been a long while since I’ve seen it. From what I remember, it is worth owning. The 40th Anniversary Edition does have some new extras, as well as some old ones and $13 is a deal for a Blu-ray. It’s not a Pick of the Week contender, because there’s not enough new extras.


Smurfs: The Lost Village - Buy from Amazon: DVD, Blu-ray, or 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack
Video on Demand
This film bombed domestically, but did much better internationally. It could break even, but only if it is a massive hit on the home market. Is that likely? Read our review to find out.


Spark: A Space Tail - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Video on Demand
China isn’t a very big market for animated film and they’ve really struggled trying to make their own such films. This one has some of the worst reviews of the year and it is only worth watching out of morbid curiosity.

Species - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
I think the original Species is underrated, but the rest of the franchise is skippable.

Their Finest - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Video on Demand
A World War II film about the British propaganda effort. Gemma Arterton stars as Catrin Cole, a woman hired to give the British propaganda films, “A woman’s touch.” The film’s reviews are excellent, but it struggled to find an audience in theaters. That explains why the only extras are an audio commentary track and a making of featurette. It is still worth picking up, but not Pick of the Week material.

Tom and Jerry Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory - No Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD
Video on Demand
Normally this wouldn’t make the cut, but it is a shallow week on the home market.


Underground: Season 02 - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD
One of the best TV shows of the past couple of seasons, it was nonetheless canceled after just two seasons. You can also buy both seasons in a box set and it is absolutely worth owning.


Blu-ray Releases - Buy from Amazon:
L’argent: Criterion Collection - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Doctor Who: Class - No Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Don't Look in the Basement/Don't Look in the Basement 2 - No Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
Hearing is Believing - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
The Hunting Party - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray Combo Pack
Junjo Romantica: Season One - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
King Solomon's Mines: Miniseries - No Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
Kuma Mika: The Complete Series - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray Combo Pack
The Man From Planet X - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
Mobile Suit Gundam: MS Igloo - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt: December Sky - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Pulse - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray Combo Pack
Roberto Rossellini's War Trilogy - No Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
The Sea Chase - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
Sex Doll - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Shalako - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Star Crystal - No Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Star Slammer - No Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Terror in a Texas Town - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
The Tunnel: Sabotage: Season Two - No Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Violet - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
There’s a lot of Anime this week. On a side note, I put a request for Star Crystal and Star Slammer. They both look like B-movie goodness.

3D Blu-ray Releases - Buy from Amazon:
Again, there are no 3D releases this week. Next week, that changes.


4K Blu-ray Releases - Buy from Amazon:
The Fate of the Furious - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack
The Fifth Element - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack
King Kong - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack
The Fifth Element is the best film on this list.


TV on DVD Megasets - Buy from Amazon:
No TV on DVD Megasets on this weeks list. That’s a little strange.


Video on Demand - Buy from Amazon:
American Fable - Reviews - Video on Demand
A Beginner’s Guide to Snuff - Reviews - Video on Demand
Breakdance Academy - Reviews - Video on Demand
Facing Darkness - No Reviews - Video on Demand
Game Changers - Reviews - Video on Demand
Going in Style - Reviews - Video on Demand
Heartthrob - No Reviews - Video on Demand
Jasmine - Reviews - Video on Demand
LEGO Scooby-Doo! Blowout Beach Bash - Reviews - Video on Demand
Murder She Baked A Peach Cobbler Mystery - Reviews - Video on Demand
Sex Doll - Reviews - Video on Demand
Simple Creature - Reviews - Video on Demand
The Wizard of Lies - Reviews - Video on Demand
Going in Style is the only wide release coming out on VOD this week. However, the original is much better.


Filed under: DVD and Blu-ray Releases, Home Market Releases, Shalako, The Lost City of Z, Smurfs: The Lost Village, The Fate of the Furious, Going in Style, Their Finest, A Quiet Passion, Spark: A Space Tail, Norman: The Moderate Rise and Tragic Fall of a New York Fixer, American Fable, Jasmine, A Beginner’s Guide to Snuff, Sex Doll, Tom and Jerry: Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, Facing Darkness, Hearing is Believing, Murder She Baked: A Peach Cobbler Mystery, Simple Creature, Kidô Senshi Gandamu Sandaboruto Dissenba Sukai, Game Changers, The Hunting Party, Star Crystal, L’argent, Star Slammer, The Wizard of Lies, Breakdance Academy, Heartthrob, Monty Python, Fast and the Furious, Species, Richard Gere, Gemma Arterton, Michael Bay, Luc Besson, Cynthia Nixon