DVD and Blu-ray Releases for July 10th, 2012
July 9, 2012
Like last week, it's another really slow week on the home market. Unlike last week, there is at least one first run release coming out. American Reunion should lead the way in terms of sales, but given its reviews and its box office struggles, it won't be a major player. As for the best new release, there are a few interesting titles, like Dark Shadows: The Complete Original Series (Deluxe Edition). But in the end I went with Adventure Time: Complete First Season is the release I'm most looking forward to seeing. (The screener is late, but I will get to the review ASAP after it arrives.)
Adventure Time: Season One - Buy from Amazon
Alice: The Complete First Season - Buy from Amazon
All In: The Poker Movie - Buy from Amazon
American Reunion - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray Combo Pack
Being Flynn - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Blu-ray Releases - Buy from Amazon: Altered States, The Astronaut's Wife, The Big Band Theory: Season One, The Big Band Theory: Season Two, Bitch Slap, Blade II, Brainstorm, Chariots of Fire, Coma, Duran Duran: A Diamond in the Mind: Live 2011, Frequency, Jimi Hendrix: Jimi Plays Berkeley, Jimi Hendrix: Voodoo Child, Outland, Robert Plant & The Band of Joy: Live from the Artists Den, The Saphead: Ultimate Edition, Senna, Spawn, and Twins of Evil
Burn Notice: Season Five - Buy from Amazon
Cherry Bomb - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Dark Shadows: The Complete Original Series (Deluxe Edition) - Buy from Amazon
Doctor Who - Buy from Amazon: Story 47 - The Krotons and Story 72 - Death to the Daleks
Duck Dynasty: Season One - Buy from Amazon
Fightville - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
The Flowers of War - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
G.I. Joe Series 2: Season 2 - Buy from Amazon
The Glades: Season Two - Buy from Amazon
I Kissed a Vampire - Buy from Amazon
Margaret - Blu-ray Combo Pack - Buy from Amazon
Muddy Waters & The Rolling Stones Live At The Checkerboard Lounge, Chicago 1981 - Buy from Amazon
Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt - Complete Series (Limited Edition) - Buy from Amazon
Quill: The Life of a Guide Dog - Buy from Amazon
Salmon Fishing in the Yemen - Video on Demand
Warehouse 13: Season Three - Buy from Amazon
This is a cartoon that skirts the line between what is for kids and what is for adults. Kids will love it, because it is a colorful show with lots of goofy adventures. But there's a black comedy aspect to it that adults will appreciate. (Finn the Human is the last remaining human after a nuclear holocaust, although they never explicitly say it in the show.) I haven't seen all of the episodes and don't know what the extras are, but I'm really looking forward to getting the DVD to review.
The spin-off from Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore. Both the original movie and TV show are excellent and it lasted nearly a decade starting in 1976. So fans of the show will be able to pick up DVDs for years to come.
A documentary about poker and its rise in popularity. The film earned mixed reviews and struggled at the box office. It should entertain fans of the card game, but won't convert many.
It has been a long time since this franchise was in theaters. There was a chance this film would prove absence makes the heart grow founder, but instead it proved out of sight, out of mind. (The reviews didn't help.) The extras on the DVD are good (audio commentary, deleted scenes, outtakes, featurettes). The extras on the Blu-ray are even better (Picture-in-Picture track, extended / alternative scenes, more featurettes). However, it's only worth picking up if you are a big fan of the franchise.
This film has an amazing cast, but its reviews were merely mixed. It is certainly worth checking out, especially if you are a fan of the cast members, but with only a short making of featurette, a rental will be enough for most.
There are quite a few secondary Blu-ray releases worth checking out. Outland is selling the best, but I'm more interested in Twins of Evil, a Hammer Films horror "classic".
One of my favorite summer shows, but can it continue its strong run? Read our review to find out.
I might get a screener for this film. I'm looking forward to seeing it, because I'm a fan of B-movies / Grindhouse films like this, but there are no reviews to judge the film at the moment.
I was really hoping to get a screener for this show to review, but the number was extremely limited. I'm not surprised given the price. However, if you are a fan of the show and you haven't picked up the previous DVD releases, it is a must have. Without being able to explore the extras, it's hard to say if the price is worth the double-dip, on the other hand.
Two more Doctor Who stories are making their DVD debut this week. They are both good stories, with flaws that prevent them from being great. The Krotons is a little too straightforward and the aliens don't have very well developed personalities. Death to the Daleks has the best antagonist from the series, but some argue this is the worst story they've appeared in. There are plenty of extras on the two DVDs and for fans they were worth picking up.
A Reality TV series about a family who made its fortune in duck decoys and duck calls. I have zero interest in a show like this, but it is in eighth place on this week's list of best selling new releases.
One of countless murder mystery shows that have appeared on TV over the decades. In order to stand out, each one needs a hook. For this show, that hook is its two leads, a priest and a nun. Is it enough to stand out? Read our review to find out.
This documentary earned a lot of buzz, but the reviews were only mixed and it never came close to finding an audience. Worth checking out, if you are a fan of Mixed Martial Arts, but start with a rental.
A big budget Chinese film that had a lot of hype when it was being made, but failed to connect with critics or moviegoers. There are not a lot of extras on the DVD or the Blu-ray, but fans of the genre should give it a rental.
I was not a fan of the show when it originally came out, but there are a lot of people who love this show even today. I might get a screener, but it is late. I have reviewed some of the releases in the past and they are good in terms of technical quality, while there are some extras. Worth picking up, if you loved the show as a kid.
A big city cop moves to a small town in Florida and joins the police. He was expecting a less stressful day, but that plan didn't work out. It's not a bad show, but it is a crowded genre and it doesn't do enough to stand out.
This film is described in the reviews on Amazon.com as a combination of Twilight and either Glee or High School Musical. I'm not sure why that was considered a compliment. There are only two reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, and both are negative. I guess if you really want a musical version of Twilight, it might be worth a rental, but I don't think many people fall under that category.
The penultimate season of the long-running Teen show comes out on DVD this week. At least fans of the show mourning its recent wrap-up will have something to look forward to. Does season four live up to the standard set by the previous season? Or should it have ended before it became stale? Check out our review for my opinion.
This film earned good reviews, but not great reviews, and it struggled to find an audience in limited release. Hopefully it will do better on the home market, but I won't know if it is worth a rental or a purchase till the screener arrives.
Right now according to Amazon.com, this DVD / CD combo pack is the sixth best selling new release of the week. Granted, this is worth owning, but it's still a sign how weak the week's selection is.
This is a title that makes you stop and take notice. It is selling well compared to most Anime titles, but this could be because it is a slow week, not because it is a popular series. My knowledge of the genre is sadly limited. Most of the reviews I've read online are quite positive, but it appears to be a show that won't appeal too far outside of its niche audience.
This show earned better buzz than most limited releases and the reviews were great, but it never came close to finding an audience in theaters. The DVD should perform a lot better, but with no extras, I can't be too enthusiastic with my recommendation.
Just a quick note. The DVD and Blu-ray comes out next week and I hope to get a screener. However, this week it comes out on Video on Demand.
This series looks in on the adventures of a secretive government agency that deals with paranormal artifacts with historical significance. It's one of the biggest hits on SyFy at the moment, and with good reason. There are more than enough extras to lift it to the purchase level. In fact, it is a contender for Pick of the Week.
Filed under: DVD and Blu-ray Releases, Home Market Releases, Blade 2, Chariots of Fire, Spawn, Frequency, Outland, The Astronaut's Wife, Brainstorm, Margaret, Bitch Slap, Altered States, Being Flynn, Salmon Fishing in the Yemen, Senna, Jin líng shí san chai, All In: The Poker Movie, American Reunion, Coma, Fightville, I Kissed a Vampire, Quill: The Life of a Guide Dog, Cherry Bomb