DVD and Blu-ray Releases for June 18th, 2013

June 18, 2013

It's another typical summer week on the home market. That is to say, it's a bad week on the home market. There are several first-run releases, the biggest of which was Jack the Giant Killer, which bombed at the box office. There are some limited releases that help the overall quality, but it is still a bad week. As far as Pick of the Week candidates go, Quartet on DVD or Blu-ray is the best choice. One could argue it is the only choice, but there are three Criterion Collection releases that are worth checking out, as well as some horror films, both old and new, that should please genre fans. On a side note, there are six Disney Channel releases on this week's list. That's a little strange.

21 and Over - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray Combo Pack
A low-budget teen sex comedy that earned terrible reviews and barely made any noise at the box office. There are enough extras on the DVD and Blu-ray to avoid feeling barren, but that's not enough to make it worth renting.

American Mary - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
This film earned good reviews, for the genre. However, it was the wrong genre for limited release. It should perform better on the home market and with an audio commentary track and a behind-the-scenes featurette, it is worth picking up for fans of body horror.

Austin & Ally: All the Write Moves! - Buy from Amazon
A Disney Channel TV series about two teens who become famous musicians after one of them posts a song they performed on the internet. The show has earned great ratings and it picked up a Kids' Choice Awards. Obviously a lot of people in the target audience really like the show.

Before Sunrise Double-Shot - Buy from Amazon
The first two films in the Before Sunrise franchise are coming out on a discount DVD. This type of release rarely does well, but currently on Amazon.com, this is in fourth place on the best new releases list. I guess Before Midnight is really helping sales, but this is still a bad sign for the week overall.

Blu-ray Releases - Buy from Amazon: The Amazing Adventures of the Living Corpse, Come Out and Play, Flame of Barbary Coast, Hell's House: Kino Classics Remastered Edition, The Howling, Lifeforce, Marketa Lazarova (Criterion Collection), Of Human Bondage, One Touch of Venus, Retreat, Hell!, Safety Last (Criterion Collection), Showdown at Boot Hill, and Things to Come (Criterion Collection)
There are a number of interesting secondary Blu-ray releases this week, including a couple of Criterion Collection releases I might pick up, Safety Last and Things to Come. There are also some horror films that have a lot of genre fans, Lifeforce and The Howling.

3D Blu-ray Releases - Buy from Amazon: Dino King, Jack the Giant Slayer
Only two 3D releases this week. This includes the biggest first-run release of the week, but it wasn't a big box office hit.

Body of Proof: Season Three - Buy from Amazon
This police procedural show focused on the medical examiner played by Dana Delany. It earned good reviews, for the most part, but struggled to find an audience and was canceled after the third season. If you liked the show, you can drown your sorrow by buying the final season.

The Brass Teapot - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
This film didn't win over many critics and it really struggled at the box office. I'm disappointed, as there are quite a few actors in the movie I really like. Extras include audio commentary track, interviews, and more. This is better than expected, but with a Tomatometer Score of just 26% positive, it is not enough.

Call the Midwife: Season Two - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
A BAFTA award-winning British series about London midwifes in the 1950s. The TV show's reviews are good, but the extras are not strong and the price-per-minute is high. On the other hand, fans of British TV shows are used to this.

Drop Dead Diva: The Complete Fourth Season - Buy from Amazon
I keep putting in requests for this show, but the screener never arrives. Maybe this time I will get lucky. The fans certainly got lucky, because a month and a half after it was canceled, it was brought back, so they will be getting at least one more season.

Note: This Blu-ray made its home market debut on the 4th.

A Good Day to Die Hard - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray Combo Pack
The fifth film in the Die Hard franchise. It didn't earn as much at the box office as many expected. Is it as bad as the box office would indicate? Or was it unfairly overlooked? Read our review for my opinion.

Good Luck Charlie: Enjoy the Ride - Buy from Amazon
A family of five has a new addition, a young girl named Charlie. Her older sister, Teddy, records a video diary for Charlie to help Charlie when Teddy has moved out. The show has been a proven ratings hit and even won a few awards, like the British Academy Children's Awards for Kid's Choice TV show.

Handy Manny: Movie Night - Buy from Amazon
It has been a while since I reviewed a DVD from this series. It is good for preschoolers, which is why it has lasted so long.

Jack the Giant Killer - Buy from Amazon: DVD, Blu-ray Combo Pack, or 3D Combo Pack
This film cost nearly $200 million to make, but almost no one thought it would recover that amount at the box office. Its reviews were a little better than expected, but still below the overall positive level. The DVD has some deleted scenes and outtakes, which is not even enough for a rental. The Blu-ray has a 40-minute making of featurette, but that's still below average for a first-run release.

Jackson Browne: I'll Do Anything: Live In Concert - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
This DVD / Blu-ray is selling surprisingly well. That's not to insult Jackson Browne, but concert films rarely sell well.

Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness - Good Croc, Bad Croc - Buy from Amazon
A TV series based on the Kung Fu Panda franchise. This isn't the first animated movie that has been turned into a TV series, but the success rate for such adaptations are mixed. Is this one of the better shows? Check out our review for my opinion.

The Last Exorcism Part II - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
The original The Last Exorcism earned good reviews and was a surprise hit at the box office. The sequel earned terrible reviews and bombed at the box office. There are better than expected extras on the DVD and even more on the Blu-ray, but that's not enough to raise it to even a rental.

Little Einsteins: Incredible Shrinking Adventure - Buy from Amazon
This preschool show has a lot more educational content than most shows aimed at a similar target audience. Granted, most similar shows only have a few words in another language or very simple vocabulary concepts to deal with.

Movie 43 - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray Combo Pack
Some critics called Movie 43 the worst movie ever made. Now that I've seen it, do I agree with that assessment? Or were the critics unfair? Read our review to find out.

Quartet - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Dustin Hoffman's directorial debut. The film earned great reviews and did extremely well, earning more than $18 million domestically and nearly $50 million worldwide. There are not a lot of extras on the DVD and Blu-ray, just an audio commentary track and a behind-the-scenes featurette. Even so, it is the best release of the week and it is worth picking up.

Rectify: Season One - Buy from Amazon
Aden Young plays a man convicted of rape and murder, but exonerated by DNA evidence nearly two decades later. However, he really struggles with adapting to life on the outside. The reviews are excellent, but you are paying more than $20 for just six episodes.

Scooby-Doo: Mystery Incorporated: Spooky Stampede - Buy from Amazon
The final 13 episodes in the series. The franchise have been very popular for a long time and this DVD is selling well.

Shake It Up: Mix It Up, Laugh It Up - Buy from Amazon
I previously reviewed this show and I liked the energy the two leads brought to the show and it is better than a lot of Tween shows.

Slugterra: Slugs Unleashed - Buy from Amazon
One of three very similar TV shows I've reviewed recently. Does it stand out in a crowded field? Check out our review for my opinion.

Special Agent Oso: The Spy Who Helped Me - Buy from Amazon
I haven't gotten a chance to review this TV show. Maybe the screener will arrive late.

Stephen King's The Stand - Buy from Amazon
The mini-series from 1994. This is better than a lot of Stephen King adaptations. I'm a little surprised it isn't out on Blu-ray.

Stoker - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
This film earned good reviews, but not great reviews. It did well in limited release, but wasn't a breakout hit. The DVD and the Blu-ray have more than enough extras that it is worth picking up, but it isn't quite a Pick of the Week contender.

Wilfred: Season Two - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
The screener just arrived. I'll get to it A.S.A.P.

Workaholics: Season Three - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
When this show started, it earned good reviews, at least within its target demographic, but the ratings really started to drop during season three. I think that was the result of a drop in quality.

WWE: Extreme Rules 2013 - Buy from Amazon
Not a fan of wrestling, but it is selling really well, so I should mention it here.


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Filed under: DVD and Blu-ray Releases, Home Market Releases, Before Sunset, Before Sunrise, Stoker, A Good Day to Die Hard, Quartet, Jack the Giant Slayer, Movie 43, 21 and Over, American Mary, The Last Exorcism Part II, The Brass Teapot, Die Hard, Before Sunrise, Kung Fu Panda, Dustin Hoffman, Dana Delany, Aden Young,