Home Market Releases for December 20th, 2016

December 19, 2016

Sully

It’s the final Tuesday before Christmas and there are a few big releases that are trying to become last minute gifts. Sully is the best of the big releases, but according to Amazon.com, Dolly Parton's Christmas of Many Colors: Circle of Love is the best-selling new release of the week. I guess a very recent Christmas TV special makes sense near the top, but appearing at the very top it is surprising. As for the Pick of the Week, it is a coin-toss between Sully and Hitchcock/Truffaut on DVD or Blu-ray. Sully won the coin-toss.

Dad’s Army - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD
Video on Demand
This film was a solid midlevel hit in its native U.K., but it went nowhere here and is only getting a DVD release. Even if you are a fan of the cast, I would still wait till you can rent it on VOD.

Doctor Who: Series Eight, Part Two - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD
One of the longest running shows of all time. I’ve never watched the show regularly, so it is hard for me to tell if the show is off its peak in terms of quality. According to Wikipedia, the ninth season had the lowest rating since the original run ended in the 1980s. That’s not a good sign. If you like the show, definitely buy it, because you might be saving it.

The Disappointments Room - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD
You can tell this is a box office disappointment, because it is only being released on DVD and not Blu-ray.

Dolly Parton’s Christmas of Many Colors: Circle of Love - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Video on Demand
The sequel to last year’s Dolly Parton Christmas special, Coat of Many Colors. That special earned great reviews, but this one has not. It’s not bad exactly, but if you thought the first one was just okay, maybe give this one a rental.

Goat - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD
Video on Demand
This film opened in limited release with great reviews, but it was also playing on VOD at the time, so it went nowhere at the box office. I don’t think it performed much better on VOD, because it is only getting a DVD release this week. It is at least worth a rental.

Hairspray Live! - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD
Video on Demand
The reviews for this musical were great, but the ratings were down from last year’s The Wiz. If you liked the previous three such live events, then this one is at least worth a rental, but it is disappointing that it is not getting a Blu-ray release.

Hillsong: Let Hope Rise - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD, Blu-ray
Video on Demand
A concert film about a Christian band from Australia. Who thought this was a good idea? The film isn’t bad, but the band just isn’t popular enough to warrant a $10 million budget and a wide release.


Hitchcock/Truffaut - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
This documentary came out almost exactly one year ago. It is surprising that it took this long to hit the home market. The reviews are amazing and the extras are great, for a documentary. It is one of only two releases that are contenders for Pick of the Week.


The Magnificent Seven - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD, Blu-ray, or 4K Ultra HD
Video on Demand
Out of all of the remakes / reboots / delayed sequels that came out this year, this one is better than most. That’s not saying a lot. It’s good, but not great, and given the cast, I was expecting great. Extras on the DVD include a quartet of featurettes, while the Blu-ray has a couple of exclusive featurettes, deleted scenes, and something called Vengeance Mode. I put in a request to review this one, so hopefully the screener will arrive soon and I can tell you what that is.

Storks - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD, Blu-ray Combo Pack, 3D, or 4K Combo Pack
Video on Demand
A kids movie that did well in theaters, but wasn’t a major hit and it should break even sometime during its home market run. Likewise, its reviews are good, but not great, so it should please its target audience. Extras include an audio commentary track, featurette, deleted scenes, outtakes, and more. It is worth picking up, if you have kids in the right age range. It doesn’t have enough crossover appeal for adult fans of animation.


Sully - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD, Blu-ray Combo Pack, or 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack
Video on Demand
The best movie on this week’s list, although it is not Oscar-worthy, as some have called it, so I don’t think it has been snubbed this Awards Season. Sadly, while it is the biggest and best release on this week’s list, the extras are limited to a trio of featurettes. It is still a contender for Pick of the Week, but mainly because there’s no serious competition.


To Joey with Love - No Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD
Video on Demand
A documentary about Joey and Rory Feek, a singing couple who suffer from a lot of tragedies in just a few years. There are no reviews, but it is selling rather well on Amazon, at least compared to the other new releases.

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

X-Men: Apocalypse - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray Combo Pack
Video on Demand
This Blu-ray came out in early October, but the screener didn’t arrive till November, which was too late to do a review. That said, screeners tend to be scarce this close to Christmas, so it was this or nothing. Was it worth it? Or should I have stuck with nothing? Read our review to find out.

Blu-ray Releases - Buy from Amazon:
31 - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
ESPN 30 for 30 Season Two - No Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
Greater - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Hellraiser: The Scarlet Box Limited Edition Trilogy - No Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
Love and Rockets: Seventh Dream Of Teenage Heaven - No Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
My Love Story - No Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Oasis: Supersonic - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
Wakaba Girl - No Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Oasis: Supersonic is arguably the best secondary Blu-ray release of the week, but I have no interest in the band.

3D Blu-ray Releases - Buy from Amazon:
Storks - Reviews - Buy from Amazon:3D Combo Pack
If your kids loved the movie and love 3D, then this might be worth paying extra for.

4K Blu-ray Releases - Buy from Amazon:
Storks - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: 4K Combo Pack
Sully - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack
Sully is the better movie, but you don’t really need to see it in 4K to appreciate it. Furthermore, 4K isn’t worth it until 4K is standard and you really can’t get 1080p anymore.

Christmas Releases - Buy from Amazon
Dolly Parton’s Christmas of Many Colors: Circle of Love - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Video on Demand
The only Christmas release of the week is also one of the best-selling releases of the week.

TV on DVD Megasets - Buy from Amazon:
Petrocelli - No Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD
The only TV on DVD Megaset on this week’s list is for a courtroom drama that ran for just two seasons in the mid 1970s. Not exactly a major release.

Video on Demand - Buy from Amazon:
Deepwater Horizon - Reviews - Video on Demand
Disorder - Reviews - Video on Demand
I Am Watching You - No Reviews - Video on Demand
Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life - Reviews - Video on Demand
Roseanne for President! - Reviews - Video on Demand
A Tale of Love and Darkness - Reviews - Video on Demand
Deepwater Horizon is the best Video on Demand release of the week, but if you have kids, getting Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life on VOD wouldn’t be a bad way to spend an evening.

Filed under: DVD and Blu-ray Releases, Home Market Releases, A Tale of Love and Darkness, Hillsong: Let Hope Rise, Deepwater Horizon, The Disappointments Room, The Magnificent Seven, Storks, Maryland, Sully, Hitchcock/Truffaut, Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life, 31, Greater, Dad’s Army, Roseanne for President!, Goat, Oasis: Supersonic, To Joey, with Love, Dolly Parton