DVD and Blu-ray Releases for May 24th, 2011
May 24, 2011
While we have two first run releases coming out this week, the number one seller according to Amazon.com is a specialty release, and the bulk of the interesting titles are Blu-ray catalog releases. Granted, one of the first run releases nearly hit $100 million at the box office, but this is still a really bad sign in terms of overall sales. As far as the best of the best, that's a race between The Kids in the Hall: Complete Series Megaset and Platoon on Blu-ray. I'm going with the former for Pick of the Week, but make sure to check the price, as buying Death Comes to Town and the old Megaset might be cheaper.
The Big Bang - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Blu-ray Releases - Buy from Amazon: Anton Chekhov's The Duel, The Big Bang, The Burning Palms, The End of Poverty, Gettysburg: Director's Cut, Gnomeo & Juliet, Gods and Generals: Extended Director's Cut, Grand Prix, The Great Dictator (Criterion Collection), I Am Number Four (Blu-ray / DVD Combo Pack), I Am Number Four (Blu-ray), Ice Road Truckers: Deadliest Roads: Season 1, Le Mans, Papillon, Platoon, Samurai Champloo: The Complete Series, Solaris (Criterion Collection), Soul Eater: The Meister Collection, and Tigerland
3-D Blu-ray Releases - Buy from Amazon: Gnomeo and Juliet
Blu-ray Digibook Double-Shot: The Terminator - Buy from Amazon and The Usual Suspects - Buy from Amazon
Burning Palms - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Childrens Hospital: Complete First & Second Seasons - Buy from Amazon
Hotel Rwanda - Blu-ray - Buy from Amazon
The Manchurian Candidate - Blu-ray - Buy from Amazon
Marilyn Monroe Blu-ray Double-Shot: The Misfits - Buy from Amazon and Some Like It Hot - Buy from Amazon
Melissa & Joey: Season One, Part One - Buy from Amazon
Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: Mickey's Great Outdoors - Buy from Amazon: DVD or DVD plus Mickey Mote
Public Speaking - Buy from Amazon
Roger Corman Double-Feature Double-Shot - Buy from Amazon: Eat My Dust! / Grand Theft Auto and Fighting Mad / Moving Violation
The Royal Wedding: William & Catherine - Buy from Amazon
Transformers: The Complete Series - Buy from Amazon
The Unknown War: WWII And The Epic Battles Of The Russian Front - Buy from Amazon
Warner Bros. Archives: Buy Direct
So far I've been pleasantly surprised with After Dark's original productions. Will Fertile Ground and Seconds Apart keep up that winning streak? Check out our review to find out.
This film just hit theaters on the 13th of May and there's not much more that needs to be said. The DVD and Blu-ray do have enough extras to not feel bare, but with only one positive review out of 13, that doesn't matter.
There are more catalog titles than first run releases on this week's list, even at the top. And while I Am Number Four will likely be the best-selling Blu-ray of the week, it will also likely be a rather Pyrrhic victory and overall sales will probably not be that impressive. The two films on this week's list I'm most interested in are The Great Dictator and Platoon.
Only one 3-D release this week, and its not exactly a box office powerhouse. (On the other hand, it still has a chance to reach $100 million, if the studio decides to keep it in theaters long enough. However, in order to do so, they will have to give theater owners a real bargain, so it depends on whether they care more about the milestone than pure profit.)
Two amazing movies are came out on Blu-ray Digibooks a couple weeks ago and the screeners arrived last week. Were they worth the wait? Are they worth the upgrade? Check out our review to find out.
An anthology about sex in Los Angeles. The film earned terrible reviews with only one of the five stories winning over most critics. That's certainly not enough to buy the DVD or Blu-ray. That's not even enough to rent.
Imagine a hospital soap opera with sex, but set in a childrens' hospital. The result is an excellent parody of shows like Grey's Anatomy, which seriously deserve to be slapped around.
Some of the very earliest episodes of this show are presented on this DVD. So which ones are there? And is the DVD worth picking up if your kids are fans? Check out our review to find out.
This cartoon features two science fiction / fantasy / comic book nerds who get involved in various adventures that spoof many films in the same genres. This should be perfect for kids, while still entertaining their parents. But does it succeed? Read our review for my opinion.
Low-budget horror films can be a dicey prospect for critics. There tend to be a lot of them, because they are relatively easy to make compared to other genres, and they can be quite profitable. But as such, there is also a lot of coal to dig through before you find any real diamonds. Is this film closer to a diamond or a lump of coal? Check out our review to find out.
The highest-grossing first run release of the week. This film did surprise most analysts by nearly reaching $100 million at the box office, but will it please most audience members? Or is it strictly for the kids? Check out our review for my opinion.
After coming out as a Best Buy exclusive, this Oscar-nominated film is coming out on Blu-ray in wide release. Will those who waited want to buy the film now? Read our review for my opinion.
The latest attempt to start a franchise in the vein of Harry Potter failed to connect, but is this due to some weakness in the movie, or is it just the overwhelming amount of competition over the years? Read our review for my opinion.
After an absence from TV of more than a decade and a half, The Kids in the Hall return. But was it worth the wait? And is the Complete Series Megaset the better deal? Check out our review to find out.
Arguably one of the best pure racing movies of all time. But will it appeal to neophytes? And will the Blu-ray be worth picking up? Check out our review for my opinion.
The latest Disney TV Movie is a combination of High School Musical and American Idol. But will it be anywhere near as popular as those two shows and will its target audience want to buy it? Read out review for my opinion.
One of the most influential political thrillers of all time. It's also an older movie, which means there's a chance its Blu-ray release is less than stellar. Is it showing its age? Check out our review to find out.
Two films from Marilyn Monroe, the first being arguably her best drama and the second being arguably her best comedy. Obviously fans of the actress will want to own these movies, but are the Blu-rays the way to go? Read our review for my opinion.
Just a quick note that I should be getting a screener for this show soon.
Another Disney preschool DVD, which have interactive modes. The Mickey Mote is useful for preschoolers to plays these games without having to deal with the actual DVD remote. But, if you have one already, you can buy the DVD separately.
One of the best-selling releases of the week is a Blu-ray catalog title. That's a bad sign for overall sales. On the other hand, the film did earn eight Oscars nominations and took home four of them. It's obviously a great movie, but does it shine on High Definition? Check out our review for my opinion.
A documentary with Fran Lebowitz simply talking on a variety of subjects, which could be a dull movie, but the execution was great thanks to a fascinating subject and a talented director, Martin Scorsese.
Four more Roger Corman B-movies hit the home market in Double-Features. Eat My Dust! / Grand Theft Auto is the one I would choose if I just wanted a goofy fun time, while Fighting Mad / Moving Violation is more serious in nature. However, all four are worth picking up for fans of Roger Corman.
This is the number one selling DVD according to Amazon.com. You have got to be kidding me. Hell, I'm Canadian so there's a chance one of these people will appear on my money in my lifetime, and I still couldn't give a damn. Also coming out this week is William & Kate: Planning a Royal Wedding, which is even less interesting.
One of two Vietnam War movies on this week's list. It has tough competition, but is it worth checking out? And is the Blu-ray worth renting or buying? Read our review to find out.
Every episode of the original series in a non-Special Edition Box. If you bought the cool 25th Anniversary Matrix of Leadership Edition, there's no reason to buy this one. However, if you missed out, now is a great to to correct that mistake.
A 5-disc, 16-hour documentary on World War II, specifically the Eastern Front between Nazi Germany and Soviet Russia. This part of the war is certainly less known to audiences here, so it could provide some insight, even for those who have seen many other documentary series on the war.
This week sees Warner Bros. release two TV shows on their Manufactured on Demand program, FBI: Season One, Part One and Southland: Season Two. MOD is a good way for studios to release TV shows that might not quite have the fanbase to justify going the usual route.
Filed under: DVD and Blu-ray Releases, Home Market Releases, Platoon, Papillon, The Terminator, Some Like it Hot, Hotel Rwanda, The Usual Suspects, Grand Prix, Gods and Generals, Gettysburg, The Misfits, Tigerland, Gnomeo and Juliet, The End of Poverty?, Burning Palms, I am Number Four, Forget Me Not, Fertile Ground, Seconds Apart, The Big Bang