Home Market Releases for November 20th, 2018

November 20, 2018

Crazy Rich Asians

This Friday is Black Friday, one of the biggest shopping days of the year. However, while there will be tons of sales, DVDs and Blu-rays that come out on Tuesday tend not to be part of the sales, because they have only been out for a few days. Because of this, it is usually a slow week on the home market. This is certainly true this year, as there’s only one significant first-run release, Crazy Rich Asians (Buy from Amazon). On the positive side, it is a pick of the week contender. Its only competition for that title is the Criterion Collection release for Some Like it Hot (Buy from Amazon). It was close, but in the end I went with Crazy Rich Asians. On a side note, both are lucky they are in competition for Pick of the Week, as it was going to be K-ON Complete Collection Premium Box Set, but it got pushed back from this week till February. I pre-ordered it in July and I’ve been waiting a long, long time for this box set.

2001: A Space Odyssey - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack
This is one of the best movies ever made and many think it is the best Sci-fi movie of all time. Unfortunately, there’s been problems with the 4K release and it’s been pushed back to December 18th... I hope. This isn’t the first delay and I’m concerned it won’t be the last.


Crazy Rich Asians - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray Combo Pack or 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack
Video on Demand
This is one of the best wide releases of the year and one of the biggest box office hits for a Rom Com in many, many years. There is a sequel in the works and this film’s success will undoubtedly lead to more movies featuring Asian-Americans. Extras include an audio commentary track, making of featurette, deleted scenes, and outtakes. That’s a good selection for a wide release and enough to be a contender for Pick of the Week.


Dog Days - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD
Video on Demand
This Rom Com bombed at the box office. It’s not a great movie, but it is certainly better than its box office numbers would indicate. If you are a fan of ensemble romantic comedies, and are a dog person, then this is worth watching.

The Dawn Wall - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
Video on Demand
One of two documentaries about mountain climbing that earned stellar reviews and cracked $1 million at the box office. There are more extras than most documentaries get, including extended interviews, behind-the-scenes, deleted scenes, etc.

Fancy Nancy: Volume One - No Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD
Video on Demand
Normally we don’t talk about cartoons aimed at preschoolers; however, this release is hovering near the top five new releases of the week. That’s impressive, even during a slow week like this.

Fireworks - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray Combo Pack
Video on Demand
An Anime movie from the same studio that made Your Name. It’s not as good. However, it’s not as bad as its Tomatometer Score would indicate, but it is average at best.

Ingmar Bergman's Cinema: The Criterion Collection - No Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
This is an Ingmar Bergman film festival in a box. Its 30 discs and more than three days long. It is $150, but there’s a lot of value here. This would make an amazing Christmas gift for any fans of the filmmaker.

Kin - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD, Blu-ray Combo Pack, or 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack
Video on Demand
This film failed to connect with critics or moviegoers. There are a lot of extras on the DVD / Blu-ray, especially given its box office struggles. However, there are not enough to compensate for its reviews.

Longmire: Season Six - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD
This show lasted three seasons on A&E and three on Netflix, but this is the end. The reviews were always good and fans of the show will be happy to be able to complete their DVD collection. Also coming out this week is the complete series box set.

The Outer Limits: Season Two - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
This show only lasted two seasons, but as a Sci-fi anthology series it is one of the most influential shows from the 1960s. There are plenty of extras on the Blu-ray, including audio commentary tracks on over a dozen episodes. It’s a must have and was almost a contender for Pick of the Week.


Some Like it Hot - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
This is one of the best comedies ever made. It is one of the best films ever made. There are plenty of extras on the Blu-ray, including an archival audio commentary track, as well as featurettes brand new to this release. I own three copies of the movie and I’m very tempted to make it four with this release.


Christmas Releases - Buy from Amazon:

A Christmas Story Live! - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Ebbie a.k.a. Miracle at Christmas - No Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD
On the Second Day of Christmas - No Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD
Puppy Star: Christmas - No Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD
As we near Christmas, the number of Christmas releases is drying up.


Blu-ray Releases - Buy from Amazon:
Blindspotting - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray Combo Pack
Blood Blockade Battlefront & Beyond: Season Two - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray Combo Pack
Bright Lights, Big City - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray Combo Pack
Candyman: Collector's Edition - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
Fanchon the Cricket - No Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
The Glenn Miller Story - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
The Last Seduction - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
Little Annie Rooney - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
Little Italy - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Mamie Van Doren Film Noir Collection - No Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Orgies Of Edo - No Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
Pioneers: First Women Filmmakers - No Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Streets of Fire - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
Urban Legend - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
Pioneers: First Women Filmmakers on DVD or Blu-ray is a contender to appear on our holiday gift guide. I’m also very interested in the Mamie Van Doren Film Noir Collection.


4K Ultra HD Releases - Buy from Amazon:
Crazy Rich Asians - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack
Kin - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack
Crazy Rich Asians is a great movie, but neither of these films needs to be seen in 4K to be enjoyed.


TV on DVD Megasets - Buy from Amazon:
Hey Arnold!: The Ultimate Collection - No Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD
Rocko’s Modern Life - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD
I love Rocko’s Modern Life. Part of the reason there’s no review this week is that I’ve been spending a lot of time watching movies and TV shows to see if I need to include them in our Holiday Gift Guide. This is one of the shows I’ve been watching. I forgot how many adult jokes they snuck into the show. They are not inappropriate, but there are pop culture references that no kid is going to get.


Video on Demand - Buy from Amazon:
The Happytime Murders - Reviews - Video on Demand
Mission: Impossible: Fallout - Reviews - Video on Demand: Movie Only or With Bonus Features
Number 37 - Reviews - Video on Demand
Operation Finale - Reviews - Video on Demand
I put in a request for a screener for Mission: Impossible: Fallout. Hopefully it will arrive soon. It is by far the biggest secondary VOD release of the week.


C.S.Strowbridge

Filed under: DVD and Blu-ray Releases, Home Market Releases, The Happytime Murders, Crazy Rich Asians, Uchiage Hanabi, Shita Kara Miru ka? Yoko Kara Miru ka?, Kin, Dog Days, Operation Finale, Blindspotting, The Dawn Wall, Little Italy, Puppy Star Christmas, Ingmar Bergman, Mamie Van Doren