DVD and Blu-ray Releases for March 3rd, 2015
March 3, 2015
This is not a great week for new releases on the home market. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 1 is by far the biggest new title and its DVD and Blu-ray Combo Pack is going to sell a ton of units. However, its reviews are not up to the level required to make it our Pick of the Week. Conversely, Foxcatcher is award-worthy, but the DVD and Blu-ray Combo Pack doesn't have enough extras to be a Pick of the Week. It seemed like every choice for Pick of the Week wasn't quite up to the level needed, so I'm going to go outside the box and pick To Write Love On Her Arms on DVD, which is a film I've been waiting to see for about three years.
Barbie in Princess Power - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray Combo Pack
Birdman - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Blu-ray Releases - Buy from Amazon: The Band Wagon, Blacula Double-Shot, Blood Car, Calamity Jane, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Exterminators Of The Year 3000, Let's Kill Ward's Wife, Musicals Collection, Outbreak Company: Complete Collection, Ranma 1/2: TV Series, Set 5, Space Dandy: Season One, and Unbreakable Machine
3D Blu-ray Releases - Buy from Amazon: Kiss Me Kate
CHiPs: Season Three - Buy from Amazon: DVD
Da Vinci's Demons: Season 2 - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Jillian Michaels Killer Body - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray Combo Pack
The Last of Robin Hood - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Life Partners - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray Combo Pack
Longmire: Season 3 - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
NFL Super Bowl Champions XLIX: New England Patriots - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Outlander: Season One - Volume One - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Paw Patrol: Marshall & Chase on the Case - Buy from Amazon: DVD
To Write Love On Her Arms - Buy from Amazon: DVD
Transporter: Season 1 - Buy from Amazon: DVD
The Barbie franchise is the biggest franchise in our database, based on the number of releases. This is not really surprising, because they are fast to make and very popular with their target audience. Other than that, there's nothing really notable about this release.
The big winner at the Oscars this year. It also did very well at the box office, for a limited release. Is it worth checking out for the average moviegoer? Or is it designed to appeal to Oscar voters and no one else. Check out my review to find out.
The usual mix of secondary Blu-ray releases including some classics, Anime titles, etc. The biggest release is Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, which is worth owning. I'm not sure it is worth the upgrade, however.
Just the one 3D release this week, and it is a film from 1953. The reviews are excellent.
The latest film from Atom Egoyan, who has made some great films. This is not one of them. Is it as bad as its box office numbers would suggest? Or is it worth a rental? Read my review for my opinion.
We are halfway through the show's run. I'm not sure if it is still a good show, or if it is a case of nostalgia.
A fantasy TV series set during Da Vinci's time and loosely based on his life. The reviews are excellent, but the extras are limited. If you like the show, it is worth picking up, but it isn't Pick of the Week Material.
One of the best-reviewed films of 2014 and a big player during Awards Season. Based on its reviews alone, it is worth picking up. However, the extras are not good with just a making-of featurette and some deleted scenes. That's not enough to be a contender for Pick of the Week.
At the moment, this film is the biggest box office hit released in 2014. However, it is also the weakest installment in the franchise. It still earned overall positive reviews, but it isn't among the best wide releases of the year. The DVD has good extras, while the Blu-ray has plenty of exclusives. Easily worth picking up, but not quite a Pick of the Week contender.
One of the most popular fitness franchises around. Even so, usually I don't talk about these releases, not even as filler. But it is a really shallow week, and it's at least worth a mention.
Kevin Kline stars as Errol Flynn in this movie, which is about the last years of his life and his relationship with Beverly Aadland, played by Dakota Fanning. I like both actors and was interested in seeing this movie; however, its reviews scared me off.
The screener arrived... on Monday. That's technically not late, but not early enough for me to get the review done. Look for it over the weekend.
The third and final season of the show's A&E run. However, it was picked up for a fourth season by Netflix, so I don't think the show's quality will drop next season. The reviews for Season Three are 100% positive at the moment, but there are also only three reviews, which isn't enough to really judge. One mark against it is that there are almost no extras on the DVD or the Blu-ray.
One of the closest Super Bowls and one of the worst play calls at the end.
This is a great TV show; however, the studio decided to split the release into two volumes of eight episodes each. Granted, the first season's run on TV was also split into two parts (part two starts in April) but this still feels like a cash grab. There are enough extras that the price-per-minute isn't too high, but split season puts it out of contention for Pick of the Week.
One of those releases that I would normally ignore, but it is a really shallow week on the home market.
The final film in the Tinker Bell franchise. Does the franchise go out on a high note? Or has the franchise ran out of steam? Read my review to find out.
Kat Dennings stars in this film, which is based on the real-life events of Renee Yohe. The film earned quite a lot of buzz for an Indie film, but never found a theatrical distributor. There is only one review on Rotten Tomatoes, but it is positive. Worth picking up.
Why is this a TV series?
Filed under: DVD and Blu-ray Releases, Home Market Releases, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1, Foxcatcher, The Captive, Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance), The Last of Robin Hood, To Write Love On Her Arms, Life Partners, Tinker Bell and the Legend of the Neverbeast, Barbie in Princess Power, Jillian Michaels: Killer Body, Barbie, Tinker Bell, Hunger Games, Kat Dennings, Atom Egoyan, Dakota Fanning, Kevin Kline