DVD and Blu-ray Releases for December 2nd, 2014

December 2, 2014

It is a good week / bad week on the home market. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is the biggest and possibly the best release of the week and the 3D Combo Pack is a Pick of the Week contender. However, there are several other contenders, including two where I'm still waiting for the screener: Legend of Korra: Book Three - Change on DVD or Blu-ray and Star Trek: The Next Generation: Season Seven on Blu-ray. However, in the end I went with Mr. Smith Goes to Washington on Blu-ray.

5 Seconds Of Summer - Up Close & Personal - Buy from Amazon: DVD
Apparently this band started on YouTube and now they have a DVD coming out. Never heard of them.

2014 World Series Champions: San Francisco Giants - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Unlike the special that came out last week, this 8-disc set has full games.

Angry Birds Toons: Season 01 - Buy from Amazon: DVD
I just don't get why this show exists. It really shouldn't.

As Above, So Below - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray Combo Pack
A found-footage horror film, which is a genre that is played out. Additionally, the reviews were weak, while there are almost no extras on the DVD or Blu-ray. Unless you love this genre, you can safely skip this film.

Blu-ray Releases - Buy from Amazon: Fairy Tail: Part 14, The Quatermass Xperiment, Queen's Blade: Beautiful Warriors, and Tales From The Crypt / Vault Of Horror
Not a lot of secondary Blu-ray releases this week, but The Quatermass Xperiment is a Sci-fi B-movie classic.

3D Blu-ray Releases - Buy from Amazon: Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes: Caesar's Warrior Collection
One of the biggest hits of the summer and definitely worth owning, but it is not worth spending an extra $100 for the collector's edition.

Broad City: Season One - Buy from Amazon: DVD
I'm still waiting for a screener for this release. I've never seen an episode. In fact, before I got the request for a screener, I'd never heard of it.

Christmas Releases - Buy from Amazon: A Charlie Brown Christmas 50th Anniversary: Deluxe Edition, Christmas Collector's Set: 15 Holiday Films, Christmas Hits: Volume One, Classic TV: Christmas, Jingle All the Way 2, and Guess Who's Coming to Christmas
Jingle All the Way 2? Dear god, why?

The Congress - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Robin Wright stars as fictionalized version of herself. She needs money to care for a sick child, so she sells her digital rights to a studio. It is a cool concept and the reviews are excellent, but it failed to find an audience in theaters. The extras are on par with other limited releases (audio commentary track and interviews) and it is worth picking up.

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes - Buy from Amazon: DVD, Blu-ray Combo Pack, or 3D Combo Pack
One of the best movies of the summer and one of the biggest hits as well earning more than $200 million domestically and $700 million worldwide. The extras include an audio commentary track, deleted scenes, and several making of featurettes. Definitely worth picking up and a contender for Pick of the Week.

Disney Mickey Mouse: Season 1 - Buy from Amazon: DVD
These are three-minute short films that look like the Mickey Mouse style from the 1930s, but are made today. The DVD says Season One, but because the shorts are so short, the total running time is just over three episodes for a normal TV series, so the price-per-minute is rather high.

Gunsmoke: Eleventh Season - Buy from Amazon: Volume One and Volume Two
A classic TV western, but each season costs too much money.

Happy Days: Season 6 - Buy from Amazon: DVD
This is a great show, but the DVD releases have been bare bones.

Hickey and Boggs - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
I previously reviewed this film when it first came out on DVD. It is not a bad movie, but its release couldn't be worse in terms of timing.

The Hundred-Foot Journey - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
This film opened in August and had a soft opening; however, it had really long legs compared to most wide releases. Is this a sign that the film was better than the marketing? And if so, is the Blu-ray worth picking up? Read our review to find out.

Into the Woods - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
One of my favorite musicals; however, keep in mind that I'm not a fan of the genre overall. The Broadway musical was filmed for TV, so it doesn't look great on Blu-ray, while I don't think there are any extras. Even so, it's worth the $16 to pick up.

Justified: Season 5 - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Every year this show earned amazing reviews and each year I put in a request to get a screener, but they always run out before they get to me. It is loaded with extras, so if you like the show, it is absolutely worth picking up.

Kids for Cash - Buy from Amazon: DVD
A documentary about the Kids for Cash scandal in which a judge was accused of taking bribes to send kids to privately run juvenile facilities. Is the documentary as good as the story is powerful? Check out our review for my opinion.

Kite - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray Combo Pack
A live-action adaptation of a rather brutal Anime. I'm surprised someone would tackle this story, but I'm not surprised the reviews are so bad. Skip it.

Legend of Korra: Book Three - Change - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
I'm still waiting for the screener for this release. I loved the previous season, so I'm really looking forward to seeing this one.

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
One of the best movies of all time. It is a must have for those who like James Stewart, or just political movies in general. The Blu-ray has an audio commentary track, feature-length documentary, and more. It is a Pick of the Week contender.

My Little Pony Friendship Is Magic: Season 4 - Buy from Amazon: DVD
The show isn't quite as good as it once was, but it is still great nonetheless.

One Direction: 'Where We Are' Live from San Siro Stadium - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
I am not a fan of the band, so I don't feel qualified talking about whether or not this concert Blu-ray is worth picking up.

The Simpsons: Season 17 - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
The show was well below its peak by this point, but there are still some funny episodes to watch. On a side note, I wonder how much the Full-season Megaset will cost when it eventually comes out.

Star Trek: The Next Generation - Blu-ray - Buy from Amazon: Season Seven and All Good Things
This series ends its run on Blu-ray this week with the final season and the two-part series finale being released on Blu-ray. I'm still waiting for the screeners for these two releases and I hope they arrive soon.

The Strain: Season 1 - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
A TV series from FX about a parasite that turns people into vampires. It tries to treat the subject with more realism that most genre shows treat vampirism. For the most part, the critics loved the first season. The extras are not great, but it is still worth picking up for genre fans.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Showdown in Dimension X - Buy from Amazon: DVD
The latest incarnation of this franchise is better than most, but I won't be getting a copy of this DVD to review.

Tim Hawkins: That's The Worst - Buy from Amazon: DVD
A stand-up who got his start on YouTube. That seems to be a good place to get famous these days. I must admit, I've never heard of him, but he has put out several DVDs.

TV on DVD Full Series Megasets - Buy from Amazon: Devilman
Just the one TV on DVD Megaset and it is an Anime title.

Young Justice: Invasion - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
DC can't seem to get its act together for theatrical releases outside of Nolan's Batman, but they dominate TV.


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Filed under: DVD and Blu-ray Releases, Home Market Releases, Mr. Smith Goes To Washington, Hickey & Boggs, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, The Hundred-Foot Journey, Kids for Cash, As Above, So Below, The Congress, Batman, James Stewart, Christopher Nolan, Robin Wright