DVD and Blu-ray Releases for July 5th, 2011

July 5, 2011

It's a terrible week for new DVD and Blu-ray releases with no first run releases of note. There's not even an abundance of limited releases, TV on DVD releases, or catalogue releases to pick up the slack. The best-selling release according to Amazon.com is 13 Assassins on Blu-ray and it is also arguably the best. It's really the only competitor for Pick of the Week.

13 Assassins - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
A historical epic from the same director that brought us Ichi the Killer. This isn't Takashi Miike's usual genre, but how well does he handle the change? Read our review for my opinion.

According To Jim: Season Four - Buy from Amazon
This show was on air for eight seasons, and of those eight, season four did the best in the ratings at the end of the year, finishing in 44th place. Was it also the best season in terms of quality? Check out our review to find out.

BloodRayne: The Third Reich - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
I might get a copy of this film to review. The film could be better than the original was and still be unbelievably bad. But hopefully it will at least be watchable example of low-expectations cinema. And there's always a chance it will be a pleasant surprise.

Blu-ray Releases - Buy from Amazon: 13 Assassins, BloodRayne: The Third Reich, Das Boot, Four Wedding and a Funeral, Gettysburg / Gods and Generals (Limited Collector's Edition), Hannie Caulder, Hobo with a Shotgun, K-On: Volume 2, Mobile Suit Gundam 00 the Movie: A Wakening of the Trailblazer, Of Gods and Men, Overboard, Ratatouille, The Sacrifice, Wake Wood, and Wall-E
This week's list of Blu-ray releases are as weak as the DVD releases with not a lot that rise to the level of being worth a mention. Das Boot is the only real exception.

Boy Meets World: Season Six - Buy from Amazon
After this DVD, there's just one more season of this show yet to be released on DVD. Fans will be happy to get one more year closer to completing their collection, but will they enjoy this season more or less than previous ones? Read our review for my opinion.

The Cape: Complete Series - Buy from Amazon
This show started out okay in terms of ratings, but by the time it was canceled, they were lower than some cable shows. Reviews were only mixed, so if you didn't see the show, it's probably best you don't bother. There's little point in checking out a show on DVD when you know it was canceled before the main storylines were developed.

Dynasty: Season Five - Buy from Amazon: Volume One and Volume Two
I was never a fan of soap operas and selling the season in two separate volumes on the same day feels like a naked cash grab. Can't support that.

Empire of Assassins - Buy from Amazon
I've seen countless low-budget martial arts movies and at this point a film has to be pretty special to stand out. Does this film have what it takes? Check out our review for my opinion.

Eureka: Season 4.0 - Buy from Amazon
A great show and a very good season, even compared to the strong average it has maintained so far. However, I'm not happy with the split-season release. It's still worth picking up, but I'm sure the price-per-minute would be better with full-season sets.

Gettysburg / Gods and Generals (Limited Collector's Edition) - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Neither film was a big hit at the box office, but with the 150th anniversary of the Civil War, it makes some sense to release a limited edition box set. At least the Blu-ray is selling quite well.

Hobo with a Shotgun - Buy from Amazon: DVD, Two-Disc Collector's Edition, or Blu-ray
This film barely made any noise at the box office, especially if you discount the $500,000 it made in its native Canada. However, is this a case of a target audience being just too small, or was the film just not worth checking out? Read our review for my opinion.

Mannix: Season Five - Buy from Amazon
Mike Conner continues to punch he way through another season, and continues to get knocked out a lot along the way. So how does this season compare to the previous ones? Check out our review to find out.

The PJs: Season Two - Buy from Amazon
When this show first aired, it was surrounded by controversy. Looking back many years later, is it still controversial? Can it thrive on its own merits? Read our review for my opinion.

Season of the Witch - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Just a quick note that I've updated the original review, since the Blu-ray arrived.

Southland: The Complete Second Season (Uncensored) - Buy from Amazon
This season the show moved from NBC to TNT. Fans will be happy it is continuing and will likely want to support it by buying the DVD. However, it is expensive, especially since there are few episodes.

Transformers: The Japanese Collection: Headmasters - Buy from Amazon
When the original cartoon ended in the United States, the Japanese decided to ignore the series finale and create several more TV series based on the popular toy line. The first of these was Headmasters. Will fans of the Transformers want to see how the Japanese did things? Check out our review to find out.

Victorious: Season One, Volume One - Buy from Amazon
I'm admittedly outside this show's target demographic. However, I've seen enough similar shows to be able to tell when one is working and one is not. Does this show work? Read our review to find out.

Wake Wood - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Just a quick note that I'm still waiting on the screener for this film. Hopefully it will arrive soon.

Witchville - Buy from Amazon
A SyFy Original Movie. Is it as bad as the average SyFy Original Movie? Check out our review for my opinion.


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Filed under: DVD and Blu-ray Releases, Home Market Releases, WALL-E, Ratatouille, Four Weddings and a Funeral, Overboard, Gods and Generals, Gettysburg, Season of the Witch, Des Hommes et Des Dieux, Jûsan-nin no shikaku, Hobo with a Shotgun, Bloodrayne: The Third Reich