Home Market Releases for January 22nd, 2019

January 24, 2019

We’re getting close to the monster hits from fall finally coming out on the home market. Closer, but we are not quite there yet. This week’s biggest release is First Man, but it is not the best. The race for Pick of the Week came down to three contenders: Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, The Hate U Give, and JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Set Three. It was a close race, but in the end The Hate U Give won out.

Best-F(r)iends: Volume 1 and Volume 2 - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
No. How can people turn a terrible movie into a career?

citrus: The Complete Series - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray Combo Pack
Yuzu Aihara is a high school freshman who has to go to a new all-girl school because her mother remarried. The first day of school, she meets and falls in love with Mei, who turns out to be her new step-sister. There are worse Anime shows out there, but there are also far, far better ones as well.

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels: Collector’s Edition - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
I was really hoping to get a screener for this film. I will be buying it, as it is one of my favorite films of all time. There are not a lot of extras for a Collector's Edition, but there is a new interview with the co-writer, as well as vintage audio commentary track, featurette, and more. It is a Pick of the Week contender, especially if you are as big a fan of conmen movies as I am.

DreamWorks Animation
Chicken Run - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
Joseph: King of Dreams - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
The Road to El Dorado - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
A Dreamworks triple-shot. Of the three, Chicken Run is the only one I would really recommend; although I do think The Road to El Dorado is underrated.

Fuller House: Season Three - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray Combo Pack
I’m surprised this show has lasted four seasons so far. (Season four was released in December.) The reviews are not good, but I guess nostalgia is a powerful draw.

How to Train Your Dragon
How to Train Your Dragon - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack
How to Train Your Dragon 2 - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack
The latest installment in the franchise comes out here at the end of February, so it makes sense to release the first two films on 4K ahead of that release. Also coming out this week is a DVD Box Set and mini-movie collection.

Johnny English Strikes Again - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray Combo Pack
Video on Demand
This film went nowhere here at the box office, but it did well enough in its native U.K. and other international markets that it likely broke even. The extras are much better than expected, given its box office performance, so if you like the film, it is worth owning. If you haven’t seen it, but liked the previous films in the franchise, then it is worth checking out. After all, while the reviews are not good, they are not significantly worse than the others’ reviews were.

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Set Three - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
This isn’t the best season in the show’s run, but it is close enough that it is a contender for Pick of the Week, even with the lack of extras on the DVD / Blu-ray. There are some physical extras in the limited edition, so fans of this Anime franchise will want to grab it right away. If you haven’t seen the franchise, then start with season one. It’s worth getting into.

Killjoys: Season Four - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Video on Demand
The fourth and penultimate season of this show hits the home market this week. The show started out strong and a lot of people think it is getting better. The lack of extras prevents it from being a Pick of the Week contender, on the other hand.

Land Of The Lustrous: The Complete Series - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
An Anime series about two beings, Gems, who don’t fit into their society because of they physical nature. They find a connection with each other and try to find ways to be more than what others say they are. The reviews are excellent and even with the lack of substantial extras, it is worth picking up.

Mikey and Nicky: The Criterion Collection - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
A gangster film from the 1970s that has John Cassavetes and Peter Falk play two friends, the former of whom is in trouble with the mafia and needs the latter’s help. Extras include a new making-of featurette, new interviews, and an archival interview from 1976. It is certainly worth picking up.

One Piece: 3D2Y - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray Combo Pack
This is a TV special from one of the longest-running Anime series of all time. On the one hand, its reviews are excellent. On the other hand, I’m not sure there are many non-fans that will suddenly decide to jump into the show now.

Blu-ray Releases - Buy from Amazon:
10 to Midnight - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
4 Months, 3 Weeks, 2 Days: The Criterion Collection - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
American Renegades - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Beast of the Water - No Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Cobra - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
Death Note / Death Note: The Last Name Double Feature - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray Combo Pack
Death Note: Light Up the New World - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray Combo Pack
The Giant Behemoth - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
Hataraki Man - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
Pandora in the Crimson Shell Ghost Urn: The Complete Series - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
Road House 2: Last Call - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
Waterworld - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
There are a lot of really bad movies on this week’s list of secondary Blu-ray releases. 4 Months, 3 Weeks, 2 Days is the biggest exception.

4K Ultra HD Releases - Buy from Amazon:
First Man - Review - Buy from Amazon: 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack
The Hate U Give - Review - Buy from Amazon: 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack
How to Train Your Dragon - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack
How to Train Your Dragon 2 - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack
Oceans 3D: Our Blue Planet - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
Oceans 3D: Our Blue Planet is the ideal 4K release, as nature documentaries tend to shine in high definition.

Video on Demand - Buy from Amazon:
Bohemian Rhapsody - Reviews - Video on Demand
Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch - Reviews - Video on Demand
El Cap Report - Reviews - Video on Demand
The Girl in the Spider’s Web - Reviews - Video on Demand
The Girl in the Spider’s Web - Reviews - Video on Demand (4K)
Nowhere Mind - Reviews - Video on Demand
The Sisters Brothers - Reviews - Video on Demand
The Traveler - No Reviews - Video on Demand
Widows - Reviews - Video on Demand
There’s a good selection of secondary VOD releases, including The Sisters Brothers and Widows, both of which are worth checking out.

C.S.Strowbridge

Filed under: DVD and Blu-ray Releases, Home Market Releases, 10 to Midnight, Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch, Widows, Renegades, The Sisters Brothers, First Man, The Girl in the Spider’s Web, Bohemian Rhapsody, The Hate U Give, Johnny English Strikes Again, Oceans: Our Blue Planet, Beast of the Water, El Cap Report, Nowhere Mind, Johnny English, How to Train Your Dragon, Best F(r)iends, John Cassavetes, Peter Falk