Feedback was strong on last week’s format, so that’s the one we’ll stick with.
| Title | DVD Release(s) | Blu-Ray Release(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 44 Inch Chest | DVD | Blu-Ray |
| Avatar | DVD | Blu-Ray/DVD combo |
| Blaine: There are two important points about the Avatar release. First of all, it actually comes out on Earth Day, Thursday April 22. Secondly, there are virtually no extras on this release. With an extended edition (extended by 12 minutes) due in theatres in July, I believe it’s safe to assume that an extra-laden edition will be available in time for Christmas. | ||
| Basketball Diaries | Blu-Ray | |
| Batman series (Tim Burton era) | Batman, Batman Returns, Batman Forever and Batman and Robin | |
| Blaine: All of these have already been reviewed: Batman, Batman Returns, Batman Forever and Batman and Robin. | ||
| Battleship Potemkin | Blu-Ray | |
| Bleach Vol. 27 | DVD | |
| Crazy Heart | DVD | Blu-Ray |
| Cheech and Chong’s Hey Watch This! | DVD | Blu-Ray |
| Dojin Work Complete | DVD | |
| The Drawn Together Movie: The Movie | DVD | |
| The F Word – Season Four | DVD | |
| Falcon Crest: Season One | DVD | |
| Fist of Legend | Blu-Ray | |
| Alex: This is a re-make of the Bruce Lee film Fist of Fury, which was originally released in the US as The Chinese Connection, and one which tones down the anti-Japanese sentiment of the original film. | ||
| Hercules: The Legendary Journeys Season One | DVD | |
| K-20: Fiend With Twenty Faces | DVD | |
| Alex: Live-Action Japanese film based (loosely) on a character created by Edogawa Rampo – specifically the arch-rival of his detective character, Kogoro Akechi. | ||
| Lovely Bones | DVD | Blu-Ray |
| Merlin: Complete Season One | DVD | |
| Minority Report | Blu-Ray | |
| Naruto Shippuden: Box Set 2 | Regular and Special editions | |
| Orlock the Vmapire 3D | DVD | |
| Blaine: Near as I can figure, this is F.W. Murnau’s Nosferatu transformed into a 3D title. | ||
| Otogi Zoshi: Collection of Ages | DVD | |
| Alex: Series about a group of 5 people attempting to gather 5 magatama (special kinds of beads), in an attempt to save Tokyo from destruction in the Heian period. | ||
| Perry Mason, Season 5 Volume 1 | DVD | |
| Le Portrait De Petite Cossette: Complete Collection | DVD | |
| Alex: Psychological horror OVA series about an artist becoming obsessed over an image in a painting, which turns out to be alive. | ||
| Summer Hours (Criterion Collection) | DVD | Blu-Ray |
| TNA Wrestling: Cross the Line 3-Pack | DVD | |
| Contains the PPVs Turning Point 2009, Final Resolution 2009, and Against All Odds 2010. | ||
| Transformers: Seasons Three and Four | DVD | |
| Vivre Sa Vie (Criterion Collection) | DVD | Blu-Ray |
| Xena: Warrior Princess Season One | DVD | |
| Young Victoria | DVD | Blu-Ray |
Finally, the picks of the week. Alex says, “if you read my review of Avatar, then it shouldn’t surprise you that this is my pick of the week.” Blaine says, “I admit, I haven’t seen Avatar yet. By the time my work schedule allowed it, it was off the 3D IMAX screens that it was made for, and the July reissue had already been announced, so that’s my plan. Going by the rest, the Batman movies are all I’ve seen, but I can’t even recommend the first of those very strongly in the post-Batman Begins and Dark Knight world.”
Watching “Avatar” in 2-D is like watching “Jurassic Park” with claymation. Totally pointless. Nobody watched either of those for the plot. I’m not bashing it – I saw it several times an enjoyed the hell out of it, but it’s really a “wow!” kind of thing, a new technology and movie making technique kind of thing.
I afraid to watch Avatar. I didn’t see it in the theaters, and I’ve heard that it’s like that blond at the bar; Great to look at, but don’t expect much more. That said, we have an 18 month old baby, so seeing it means a babysitter, and we hate dumping our kid on anyone. Do we bother to watch it at home, knowing it’s nothing like the experience at the 3d IMAX showing, but at least we know what people are talking about, or do we wait until they release it in the theater when Inara’s old enough to stay with her sister and they’re re-releasing it?
See my above comment. I wouldn’t bother seeing it not in 3D. I mean, it’s still a somewhat-over-long cgi-laden somewhat-self-indulgent scifi adventure movie, but to me the whole point of that movie was the medium. You know, even if it WAS out in 3D at home, I wouldn’t bother watching it on a screen that’s less than immersive.
I have to watch it in 2d, since I don’t see 3d – I see separate images from each eye which are not fused. I have seen it twice, once in imax and once on a regular screen and enjoyed it both times.
It’s not great, but it is enjoyable.
My three cents: If you’ve waited this long, either see it in 3-D rerelease, or watch at home when it’s available cheap. There’s sort of enough to make it worth seeing, but…. Ah, it’s all been said before.
You guys really know how to sell a movie. ;)
*cough*cough*AvatarMoneyGrabRerelease*cough*cough*
Sorry, had to clear my throat. :-)
I’ve just learned that the first season of Relic Hunter is also available this week, in a release exclusive to Canadian markets. It’s still region one, so U.S. viewers can pick it up here and still watch it. There will be similar Canada-exclusive releases for the rest of Relic Hunter, The (New) Outer Limits, Psi Factor and the unreleased season of Earth: Final Conflict which appear to be coming out in monthly intervals. I’ll get the rest in the columns themselves.