DVD and Blu-ray Releases for August 2nd, 2011

August 2, 2011

It's not a particularly strong week on the home market with only two first-run releases of note. Coincidentally, I'm waiting on screeners for both Rio and Soul Surfer. While both are likely worth checking out at the least, the latter's Blu-ray / DVD Combo Pack is the best bet for Pick of the Week. Normally I'd like to wait till the screener arrives before handing out that honor, but there is a pretty big gap between first and second place this time around.

Better Off Dead - Blu-ray - Buy from Amazon
Ferris Bueller's Day Off - Blu-ray - Buy from Amazon
Two 1980s films being released and re-released on Blu-ray this week. One is considered one of the best of its genre, the other is mostly forgotten. Are either worth picking up on Blu-ray? Read our review for my opinion.

Blu-ray Releases - Buy from Amazon: Better Off Dead, Conan the Barbarian, Conan the Destroyer, Copycat, Eastbound & Down: Season One, Eastbound & Down: Season Two, Exporting Raymond, Fistful of Dollars, For a Few Dollars More, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, Part 5, Heart: Live, Magnificent Seven, Marvel Knights: Iron Man & Spider Woman, The Name of the Rose, The Perfect Game, Quarantine 2: Terminal, Return of Magnificent Seven, Rifftrax: Live! House on Haunted Hill, Rifftrax: Live! Reefer Madness, Rio, Sleepers, Soul Surfer, Spy Kids, Spy Kids 2: Island of Lost Dreams, Spy Kids 3: Game Over, Stake Land, and Zen: Vendetta / Cabal / Ratking
It's not a great week for Blu-ray releases and after Rio there's very little that looks like it will make much of an impact in terms of sales. On the other hand, this time of year, most weeks don't have a film like Rio coming out. On a side note, I hope to get a few of the catalog titles to review, including Fistful of Dollars and For a Few Dollars More.

Blu-ray 3-D releases - Buy from Amazon: The Final Destination
The next installment in the franchise comes out in the next few weeks, so the timing of this release is good, but that price is too high.

Dear Lemon Lima - Buy from Amazon
I really liked the trailer when this film first hit theaters, but despite the reviews, it wasn't able to find an audience. Hopefully that will change on the home market, but I won't know if it is worth renting or purchasing till after the screener arrives. I'm cautiously optimistic.

Eastbound & Down: The Complete Second Season - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
I've found that Danny McBride is best in small doses, so I'm not a fan of this show. The show is ending at the end of the third season, but I'm not sure if that's due to low ratings or due to the creators wanting to move on.

Everwood: The Complete Fourth Season - Buy from Amazon
Good show, but fans are probably not happy with the long time between DVD releases. It's fine to release a current show once a year, but not a catalogue title. Those should be released no more than every six months, and even faster is not a bad idea.

Exporting Raymond - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
This documentary never found an audience in theaters, but will audiences on the home market be more receptive? Read our review for my opinion.

Garrow's Law: Series 2 - Buy from Amazon
A Courtroom Drama and a Costume Drama. It's a good show, but even compared to other TV on DVD imports, it's costly on a price-per-minute basis.

Jesse Stone: Innocents Lost - Buy from Amazon
Tom Selleck has played Jesse Stone in seven movies now. Is the latest worth picking up for fans of the series? Will newcomers be able to jump in? Or should they start from the beginning? Check out our review to find out.

John Pinette: Still Hungry - Buy from Amazon
The follow-up to I'm Starvin'. John Pinette is a popular stand-up comic, but I'm only ambivalent about his work. I don't dislike him, but I only think he's average.

Last Night - Buy from Amazon
Great cast, mixed reviews, and poor box office numbers. It should perform better on the home market, even if a rental will be enough for most people.

Marvel Knights: Iron Man & Spider Woman - Blu-ray - Buy from Amazon
This came out of a Best Buy exclusive earlier in the month, and now it is coming out in general release. I hope to get a screener shortly.

The Music Never Stopped - Buy from Amazon
Opening in limited release is never easy and very few films manage to expand significantly. This film never really had a chance, as it barely avoided the Mendoza Line before fading away. Does it deserve a better fate on the home market? Check out our review to find out.

MST3K Vs. Gamera: Mystery Science Theater 3000, Vol. XXI [Deluxe Edition] - Buy from Amazon
Still waiting on the screener for this DVD, but I've reviewed the Gamera movies when they were released on DVD, so I'm really looking forward to the watching MST3K treatment.

NCIS - French-language Releases - Buy from Amazon.ca: Season One, Season Two, Season Three, and Season Four
Francophones rejoice! Four seasons of NCIS are coming out with an optional French-language track, not to mention French subtitles. Are these worth picking up? Check out our review to find out.

The Perfect Game - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
This film opened last year in select cities but bombed, missing the Mendoza Line. It did sneak across the $1 million milestone before it faded out of theaters, but that was still below expectations. Worse still, since it came out last year, those who wanted to see it but didn't get a chance probably forgot it was ever in theaters.

Pie in the Sky: Series 5 - Buy from Amazon
Richard Griffiths stars as a cop who retired to start his own bakery, which had been a dream of his. However, he's blackmailed by his old boss to help on particularly hard cases. (He's innocent of any wrongdoing, but his boss has some evidence that would reopen an internal affairs investigation and that could cost him his pension, or worse.) It's a great show, especially if you like British mysteries. But, like most import TV on DVD releases, the price-per-minute is rather high.

Quarantine 2: Terminal - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
One of several releases on this week's list where I'm stuck waiting for a screener. I reviewed the related [REC] 2, which is the sequel to [REC], which was remade as Quarantine. Although [REC] 2 and Quarantine 2 have nothing in common.

Rio - Buy from Amazon: DVD, Two-Disc DVD, or Blu-ray / DVD Combo Pack
One of the bigger hits of the spring, this film also earned good reviews. Unfortunately, the screener has not arrived, so I can't tell if it is worth checking out, worth picking up, etc.

Soul Surfer - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray / DVD Combo Pack
An inspirational story that was based on real life events. The film was a bigger hit than expected, while its reviews were exactly split down the middle. Which side will I agree with? Won't know till the screener arrives.

Spy Kids Trilogy - - Blu-ray: Spy Kids - Buy from Amazon, Spy Kids 2: Island of Lost Dreams - Buy from Amazon, and Spy Kids 3: Game Over - Buy from Amazon
It has been a decade since this franchise first hit theaters, but it is finally coming out on Blu-ray. Was it worth the wait? Read out review for my opinion.

Stake Land - Buy from Amazon: DVD, Two-Disc DVD, or Blu-ray
Still waiting on the screener for this DVD, but I'm optimistic.

Streetwalkin' - Buy from Amazon
I don't think it is unfair to suggest that this film is being released to take adantage of Melissa Leo's recent Oscar win. However, that's not necessarily a bad thing. Perhaps it doesn't matter why it is coming out, as long as more people get to see it. Is that the case? Read our review to find out.

The Super Hero Squad Show: The Infinity Gauntlet Vol. 1 - Buy from Amazon
A Marvel cartoon for kids. (I personally put it at the same level as SpongeBob.) Still waiting on the screener for this DVD, but I've enjoyed some of the past releases.

United States of Tara: Season Three - Buy from Amazon
The third season of this show turned out to be the last season for the show. Did it go out on a high note? Or did they add yet another Alter? Check out our review to find out.

Yellow Brick Road - Buy from Amazon
Just a quick note that the screener is late and I'll get to the review ASAP after it arrives.


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Filed under: DVD and Blu-ray Releases, Home Market Releases, Spy Kids, Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over, Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Sleepers, Conan the Barbarian, Copycat, Conan the Destroyer, Better Off Dead..., The Name of the Rose, Per qualche dollaro in più, Per un pugno di dollari, Last Night, Rio, The Perfect Game, Soul Surfer, Exporting Raymond, Dear Lemon Lima, Yellowbrickroad, The Music Never Stopped, Quarantine 2: Terminal, Stake Land