Home Market Releases for July 19th, 2016
July 18, 2016
This week, the home market is led by Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, at least in terms of box office dollars. It is far from the best in terms of reviews. That’s not to say there are no high quality releases this week. In fact, there are five Pick of the Week contenders, six if you include Belladonna Of Sadness, which came out last week, but the screener arrived late, so the review didn’t get published till the weekend. In the end, I went with To Have and Have Not on Blu-ray as Pick of the Week. However, Orphan Black: Season Four earns the seldom awarded Puck of the Week, as the best Canadian release.
The 100: Season Three - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
It’s also coming out on an overpriced exclusive, which is really not worth the money.
Bitten: Season 3 - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray Combo Pack
Demolition - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray Combo Pack
Elvis and Nixon - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
The Magicians: Season One - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Miles Ahead - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
O.J.:Made in America - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray Combo Pack
Orphan Black: Season Four - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
The Perfect Match - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Person of Interest: Season Five - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray Combo Pack
Royal Pains: Season Eight - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD
Underdogs - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD
Blu-ray Releases - Buy from Amazon:
4K Releases - Buy from Amazon:
Video on Demand - Buy from Amazon:
Video on Demand
This show started off with good reviews and the few critics who still review it all like it, so that’s a good sign. It has never been a major hit, but has been doing well enough to survive on the CW. Additionally, the extras on the DVD / Blu-ray are better than expected. If you like the show, it is worth picking up.
Video on Demand
I was forced to watch this movie on VOD, because one of the people I game with watched it in theaters and demanded others in our group see it, so he’s not the only one to suffer. I’m only doing a review, because I don’t want others to suffer needlessly. Read our review and heed my warning.
Belladonna Of Sadness - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray Combo Pack
This film was a financial flop when it first came out, but has since developed a loyal following. Are these people correct? Was it unfairly overlooked more than 40 years ago? Check out our review for my opinion.
Video on Demand
The film started its run with weak reviews and never became a hit ending after three seasons. If you like the cast, then it is a fine time-waster, but there are better options out there in this genre.
Video on Demand
This film earned some good pre-release buzz, at least compared to most limited releases; however, it opened with mixed reviews and in way too many theaters. It quickly disappeared from theaters and I fear most people reading this even forgot it was released. It is worth checking out, but for most a rental will be enough.
Video on Demand
A movie about the time Elvis wanted to be a undercover DEA as part of Nixon’s war on drugs. ... No seriously. This happened. There was talk that this film would open wide, but it was yanked down to select cities and it bombed in limited release. Extras include an audio commentary track and a featurette on the true story. I really hope it finds an audience on the home market.
Kill Zone 2 - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Video on Demand
The latest from Tony Jaa didn’t find an audience in theaters here, but it made nearly $100 million internationally. The film wowed critics and fans of the genre will certainly want to pick it up. In fact, with a three-part making of featurette and deleted scenes, it is worth picking up, even if you are neutral on martial arts action films and it is a contender for Pick of the Week.
Video on Demand
I watched the first few episodes of this series, before getting distracted, so missed out on the rest of the season. I liked what I saw and will likely try to catch up on the show. The extras on the DVD and Blu-ray are limited to just a single featurette, some deleted scenes, and outtakes. If you like the show, then it is worth picking up, but it is not a contender for Pick of the Week.
Video on Demand
A biopic about Miles Davis co-written, directed, and starring Don Cheadle. It was the actor’s directorial debut and it earned good reviews, but not great reviews and limited releases need great reviews to thrive. Extras include an audio commentary track, a making of featurette, and a Q&A session from Sundance. It’s worth picking up, but not a contender for Pick of the Week.
This is the Documentary series and not the Emmy-nominated TV mini-series. This series wasn’t nominated for an Emmy for a very simple reasons, it aired too late in the year to qualify. If you haven’t seen it, but are interested in the story, then it is worth picking up.
Video on Demand
The fifth and final season of this amazing show begins airing next year, but the fourth season hits the home market this week. The show has earned consistently impressive reviews and has cleaned up at the Canadian Screen Awards year-after-year. (The Canadian Screen Awards is a relatively new awards ceremony and is essentially the old Gemini and Genie awards.) Tatiana Maslany has even picked up a couple of Emmy nominations and it is rare for a Sci-fi show to get this kind of Awards Season acclaim. Easily worth picking up and a contender for Pick of the Week.
Video on Demand
This film opened in less than 1,000 theaters and barely made a peep at the box office. It isn’t as bad as its box office numbers would indicate, but that is damning it with faint praise.
Video on Demand
This police procedural was good, but not great, and there are a lot of TV shows in this genre, so you really need to be great to stand out. The fifth season is the last season, so fans will be happy to be able to finish their collection, but sad the show didn’t last longer. You can also buy the complete series Megaset, but it is not a major difference when it comes to the price.
The Return of the Living Dead: Collector’s Edition - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray Combo Pack
One of the best horror / comedies of all time, it is rightfully getting a fully-loaded collector’s edition. However, if you are a really big fan of the movie, head over to Shout!Factory for the Deluxe Limited Edition.
Video on Demand
A summer show that earned mixed reviews, but lasted eight seasons on the air. Clearly it had an audience, even if it was a guilty pleasure for some.
To Have and Have Not - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Video on Demand
The latest Bogart and Bacall film to reach Blu-ray. I’ve bought a number of the previous releases and this one is also on my list to purchase. It’s not as well known as Casablanca, but its reviews are just as impressive. The extras are good, for a film that’s 70 years old, and it is definitely worth picking up and is a Pick of the Week contender.
A Touch of Zen: Criterion Collection - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
One of three Criterion Collection releases coming out this week. Of the three, this is the one that most interests me. It is a classic of the Wuxia subgenre of martial arts movies. Extras include an archival documentary on the movie from 2012, plus new interviews with some of the cast and some filmmakers who were inspired by the movie. Definitely worth picking up and one of several contenders for Pick of the Week.
Video on Demand
This film was supposed to open wide last summer, but was yanked from the schedule at the last minute. You would think there was a major problem with the movie, but the reviews are positive. If you have kids in the right age range, then this is worth checking out. I would start with a rental to seei if it has enough replay value to buy.
Bad Moon - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
Bleach (TV) Set 1 - No Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
Certain Magical Index II: Season Two - No Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray Combo Pack
Children who Chase Lost Voices - No Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
Crimes of Passion - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
Muriel, or The Time of Return - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray Combo Pack
Night and Fog - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray Combo Pack
OUTATIME: Saving the Delorean Time Machine - No Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
A Perfect Day - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Softenni - No Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Where's Poppa? - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Yona of the Dawn: Part Two - No Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
There are a lot of Anime titles on this week’s list of secondary Blu-ray releases. There are also a couple of Criterion Collection releases as well, but if I were to pick just one such title to buy, it would be A Touch of Zen, which I mentioned above.
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: 4K Combo Pack
Man of Steel - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: 4K Combo Pack
Watchmen - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: 4K Combo Pack
Watchmen is the best 4K release this week and it is visual enough to benefit from ultra definition, but unless you eyesight is better than 20/20, you likely won’t be able to tell the difference between 1080p and 4K.
Keanu - Reviews - Video on Demand
Mother’s Day - Reviews - Video on Demand
OUTATIME: Saving the Delorean Time Machine - No Reviews - Video on Demand
Streit’s Matzo and the American Dream - Reviews - Video on Demand
Veep: Season Five - Reviews - Video on Demand
Keanu is the best VOD release this week and I’m hoping to get a screener. Veep is also amazing, but it is my opinion that TV VOD releases should always have the first episode of each season for free. Get people hooked and more people will spend money on the other episodes.
Filed under: DVD and Blu-ray Releases, Home Market Releases, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Demolition, Elvis & Nixon, A Perfect Day, Keanu, Sha po long 2, Miles Ahead, Mother’s Day, The Perfect Match, OUTATIME: Saving the Delorean Time Machine, Kanashimi no Belladonna, Xia nü, Lauren Bacall, Humphrey Bogart, Don Cheadle, Tony Jaa, Tatiana Maslany