DVD and Blu-ray Releases for December 10th, 2013
December 10, 2013
It's a good week / bad week when it comes to new releases. On the positive side, there are a couple big first run releases, a couple big TV on DVD releases, and even a classic film hitting Blu-ray for the first time. On the other hand, the depth is really bad. If you look at Amazon.com's list of best selling new releases, you will find filler on the second page. That's not to say there are no contenders for Pick of the Week. Despicable Me 2 is the best selling release and the Blu-ray Combo Pack or 3D Combo Pack are also among the best, as is Mary Poppins: 50th Anniversary Edition Blu-ray. There are also a few more contenders where I'm waiting for a screener (Berberian Sound Studio, The Hunt, etc.). and it is a busy week for top notch releases. In the end, I went with Despicable Me 2 for that honor, but it was a real coin toss.
Battle of the Year: The Dream Team - Buy from Amazon: DVD, Blu-ray Combo Pack, or 3D Combo Pack
Berberian Sound Studio - Buy from Amazon
Blu-ray Releases - Buy from Amazon: Adore, The Big Gundown, Btooom, Fairy Tail - Movie: Phoenix Priestess, Fairy Tail: Part 7, Gatchaman: Complete Collection, Grey Gardens (Criterion Collection), Jayne Mansfield's Car, Saving General Yang, and Touchy Feely
3D Blu-ray Releases - Buy from Amazon: Battle of the Year: The Dream Team, Despicable Me 2, Doctor Who: The Day of the Doctor, Ocean Giants, Rocky Mountains, and Wild Madagascar
Christmas Releases - Buy from Amazon: Angels Sing and Angels Sing (Blu-ray)
Doc Martin - Series 6 - Buy from Amazon
Doctor Who: The Day of the Doctor - Buy from Amazon: DVD, Blu-ray, or 3D Combo Pack
Futurama: Volume 8 - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
The Great Muppet Caper / Muppet Treasure Island - Blu-ray Double-Shot - Buy from Amazon
The Hunt - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Man of Tai Chi - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty - Buy from Amazon
Sightseers - Buy from Amazon
Teen Wolf: Season Three, Part 1 - Buy from Amazon
TV on DVD Full Series Megasets - Buy from Amazon: The Gene Autry Show
The Ultimate Life - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
A movie so bad that I had forgotten all about, it, and it opened in wide release in September. Even if you are a fan of the genre, you should really avoid this one.
I'm hoping to get a screener for this film. The reviews are funny and it looks like a bizarre, but interesting movie.
The Anniversary Edition of this movie came out on Blu-ray this week, but it is just the old Blu-ray release with a new package. Is it worth picking up if you didn't grab the old Blu-ray? Read our review to find out.
There are a number of secondary Blu-ray releases, but none of them really stand out as must haves.
There are six 3D releases on this week's list, but this includes three edutainment releases and one super bomb, so it is deceptively weak.
Only one Christmas release this week and it is really bad.
One of the biggest hits of the summer and the biggest release of the week. How well does this film live up to its predecessor? And is the Blu-ray release worth picking up? Read our review for my opinion.
One of two British TV series about a doctor that are coming out on the home market this week. This one is decidedly more down to Earth. It stars Martin Clunes as a talented surgeon who develops a fear of blood and moves to a small town to be the town doctor. However, while he's smart, he also has very bad bedside manners. It is a very fun show and definitely worth picking up. According to Amazon.com, it is in the top five best selling new releases for the week (assuming you group all the different releases for a single movie into one).
One of the longest running Sci-fi TV shows of all time. This year was its 50th anniversary and they celebrated with a TV special that was released in theaters in some markets. It is coming out on DVD and 3D combo pack this week. The price is high for a TV on DVD release, but it is actually quite cheap for a movie. Extras include a couple of featurettes, a couple of mini-episodes, and some trailers. It is certainly worth picking up.
The sixth film the in Fast and the Furious franchise. Most films earned poor reviews, but Fast Five reversed that trend. Can the sixth film live up to its immediate predecessor? Or was Fast Five a fluke? Check out our review to find out.
After surviving cancellation once, Futurama has ended for good. I'm still waiting for the screener for this show, so I don't know if it is Pick of the Week material, but every other DVD release was at least worth picking up.
I'm hoping to get a screener for this release. I love the franchise, but I admit it has been a while since I've seen either of these films.
A small town teacher's life is destroyed when a rumor about him begins to spread. The reviews were excellent and I have a funny feeling it will appear on this week's installment of the Holiday Gift Guide.
Keanu Reeves's directorial debut. The road from actor to director is often a rough road, and sadly that's the case here. The reviews were very good, but the film went nowhere at the box office. Extras include an audio commentary track and a making of featurette. That's not enough, but it is still worth picking up.
One of the best films Walt Disney made and the subject of Saving Mr. Banks. Is the Blu-ray worthy of the film? Check out our review for my opinion.
The remake is about to hit theaters, but unless the early reviews were wrong, the original is the superior film. It's a shame it isn't getting a Blu-ray release, on the other hand.
A black comedy about a couple who go on a vacation, which starts out poorly and quickly gets much, much worse. The reviews are stunning, so much so that it might be a contender for Pick of the Week. I won't know till after the screener arrives.
This MTV show wasn't as bad as many feared, but there are still a lot of competition in this demographic (True Blood, Supernatural, The Vampire Diaries, etc.).
You know Christmas is close when the TV on DVD Megasets dry up.
A sequel / prequel to The Ultimate Gift. Neither film earned good reviews and neither film managed to find an audience outside of its target demographic (churchgoers).
Filed under: DVD and Blu-ray Releases, Home Market Releases, Big, Mary Poppins, Muppet Treasure Island, The Great Muppet Caper, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, Despicable Me 2, Fast and Furious 6, Battle of the Year, Jagten, Sightseers, Berberian Sound Studio, The Ultimate Life, Man of Tai Chi, Muppets, Fast and the Furious, Keanu Reeves, Martin Clunes