DVD and Blu-ray Releases for May 28th, 2013

May 28, 2013

It's the day after Memorial Day, which means we are in the summer season, which is a terrible time for the home market. The only first-run release of the week is Dark Skies, which is hardly a major release. There are a few summer TV shows that are coming out on DVD and / or Blu-ray, some of which are interesting. The latest season of Doctor Who is coming out this week, but it is being split, and not just into two parts, so that precludes it from being a Pick of the Week contender. There are not a lot of options for Pick of the Week, but I'm going with Beetlejuice: The Complete Series, but keep in mind there could be some nostalgia at work here and Lore on DVD or Blu-ray is arguably the better release. Meanwhile, Hellbound? on DVD earns the rarely awarded Puck of the Week for best Canadian release.

Beetlejuice: The Complete Series - Buy from Amazon
Cartoons based on live action movies tend to be quite bad. However, Beetle Juice is a rare exception. The reason for this is simple; Tim Burton's sense of style works in animated form just as much as it does in live action. Also coming out is Season One, but I would stick with the Megaset.

Blu-ray Releases - Buy from Amazon: Bedazzled, Dio: Finding the Sacred Heart: Live in Philly 1986, Father Goose, Garbage: One Mile High...Live, Judas Priest: EpitaphLife Is Sweet (Criterion Collection), The Magic Christian, and Rolling Thunder
It really is a slow week. There are no secondary Blu-ray releases that truly stand out.

Bubble Guppies: Sunny Days! - Buy from Amazon
The screener for this show just arrived and I will get to it ASAP, but I need to finish the June Preview first.

Cleopatra - Blu-ray - Buy from Amazon
I might get this Blu-ray to review. I hope so. It is historically important, as it was at one time the most expensive movie to make, and the biggest film of 1963, but it still lost a lot of money. It earned only mixed reviews, but earned nine Oscar nominations, winning four awards. That sets up some conflicted expectations, so I'm looking forward to seeing it.

Covert Affairs: Season Three - Buy from Amazon
Piper Perabo stars as a CIA agent in this summer series. Its reviews are good and it is worth picking up.

Dark Skies - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray Combo Pack
A low-budget horror film that opened wide in February, but that failed to reach the top five during its opening weekend and then quickly faded away. Should it find a more receptive audience on the home market? Read our review for my opinion.

Doctor Who - Buy from Amazon: Season Seven, Part Two: DVD or Blu-ray and The Snowmen: DVD or Blu-ray
One of the longest running shows of all time. There's little that I can say about the show that fans don't already know, and if you aren't a fan now, there's nothing I can say to convince you. I'm a little miffed that they split the Christmas special from the regular season release, which is already split into two parts. But it is still worth the money.

Dorfman in Love - Buy from Amazon
Still waiting for the screener for this DVD. Hopefully it is better than its box office numbers would indicate.

George Gently, Series Five - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Buy from Amazon
Like most British mystery shows, this one is great, but the DVD / Blu-ray is very expensive on a price-per-minute basis.

Note: This DVD made its home market debut on the 7th.

The Great Escape - Blu-ray - Buy from Amazon
There has been some controversy over this Blu-ray release. Nearly everyone loves the movie, but some have eviscerated the release for its bad video quality, while others have praised it. Which side am I on? Check out our review to find out.

Hellbound? - Buy from Amazon
A documentary about Hell and the various interpretations of hell within the Christian faith. Will it appeal to churchgoers? Will it have wider appeal? Read our review to find out.

Longmire: The Complete First Season - Buy from Amazon
Robert Taylor stars as the titular Sheriff Walt Longmire. It's a police procedural / crime drama, which is a really crowded market. It doesn't quite do enough to stand out, but it is worth checking out if you are a fan of the genre. Extras are a little light with some deleted scenes and a making of featurette, so I would start with a rental.

Lore - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
This film earned stellar reviews and did quite well in limited release. It didn't open particularly well, but it had legs most films would kill for. It is certainly worth picking up and it is a contender for Pick of the Week.

The Numbers Station - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
I root for any movie or show with "The Numbers" in its name and I like John Cusack, but this movie is just weak. It's not a complete misfire, but there are too many better options out there.

Red Widow - The Complete Series - Buy from Amazon
This film debuted with a 1.4 rating, which pretty much doomed it from the start. Granted, it was a Sunday show, so rating expectations were not high, but this was bad. Likewise, the reviews were mixed, to be generous, and there are probably not a lot of people itching to rewatch the eight-episode run.

Suits: Season Two - Buy from Amazon
A summer series about two lawyers, only one of whom has a law degree. The other is a college dropout with an eidetic memory. The reviews are mostly good and it is worth checking out for fans of the genre. However, there are a lot of shows in this genre, so even if you are a fan of the genre, it would be impossible to keep up with all of the various shows.

Tiny Toon Adventures, Volume 4: Looney Links! - Buy from Amazon
The fourth and final volume in this series hits the home market this week. This was a great show that featured younger characters that were inspired by the classic Looney Tunes characters. Buster Bunny was very similar to Bugs Bunny, but different enough to be a separate character. Lack of extras on these DVDs is a problem, but it is still worth picking up.

The Ultimate Guide to the Presidents - Buy from Amazon
A History channel DVD release that arrived unexpectedly. It will be a prize in an upcoming Box Office Prediction contest.

WWE: The Top 25 Rivalries in Wrestling History - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Some old-school WWE here. Some of the matches on this three-disc set are nearly 30 years old.


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Filed under: DVD and Blu-ray Releases, Home Market Releases, Cleopatra, The Great Escape, The Numbers Station, Dorfman in Love, Hellbound?, Dark Skies, Lore, Tim Burton, John Cusack, Piper Perabo, Robert Taylor