Home Market Releases for March 1st, 2016
March 2, 2016
There are some really good releases on this week's Home Market Release Report, including many that either won or were competing for Oscars, like Creed, Room, etc. However, once you get past the cream of the crop, there isn't much in the way of depth. Most of the Oscar contenders are Pick of the Week Contenders, but the best release by far is The Adventures of Bob & Doug McKenzie: Strange Brew on Blu-ray. This is the greatest movie ever made.
4K Blu-ray Releases - Buy from Amazon: Ender's Game, The Expendables 3, The Last Witch Hunter, The LEGO Average, Mad Max: Fury Road, Pan, San Andreas, and Sicario
Barbie: Spy Squad - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray Combo Pack
Creed - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
The Danish Girl - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
The Fall: Series Two - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Legend - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray Combo Pack
LEGO Releases - Buy from Amazon: DC Comics Super Heroes: Justice League: Cosmic Clash and Star Wars: Droid Tales
Miss You Already - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
My Big Fat Greek Life: The Complete Series - Buy from Amazon: DVD
The Night Before - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Video on Demand - Buy from Amazon: Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip, Carol, Sisters, and The Tribe
Youth - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
There are a lot of 4K releases coming out this week. In theory, the improved picture should be worth it. However, in practice, most people's eyesight isn't good enough to tell the difference because of how far back the typical person sits from their TV. 4K computer screens make sense, but not 4K TVs.
The Adventures of Bob & Doug McKenzie: Strange Brew - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
This is the greatest movie ever made and I will fight anyone who says otherwise. True story... one summer, Movie Central, the local movie cable channel was showing Strange Brew. There is a minimum Canadian content rule for Canadian channels and because there are so few Canadian movies made, they played Strange Brew 28 times in one month. I decide to watch this movie every time it came on. I may have seen this movie more than any other movie every made and I still love it. I've pre-ordered it and I might review it when it arrives, assuming I have the time.
The Americans: Season 3 - Buy from Amazon: DVD
I put in a request for a screener for this title. However, I did the same the first two seasons and I didn't get them, so I will likely not get this one either. The reviews remain incredible, so if you are a fan of the genre (spy dramas) then it is worth picking up.
This is part of the one of the most popular Direct-to-DVD franchises currently still going. I've never watched one of these DVDs and there are no reviews on Rotten Tomatoes. That said, these things do incredibly well on the sales chart, sometimes outselling wide releases, so clearly there are lots of fans out there.
One of the best wide releases of 2015 and it should have been an Oscar winner. Sylvester Stallone was robbed, as the Oscar voters went with the safe Oscar-bait choice. There are not a lot of extras on the DVD or the Blu-ray, just a couple of featurettes and some deleted scenes, but that's still enough to be worth picking and enough to be a contender for Pick of the Week.
This movie is going to be really uncomfortable to watch in a few years, as trans rights march forward it is going to be regrettable that Eddie Redmayne played such an important trans historical figure. There's only one featurette on the DVD and Blu-ray, which isn't enough, even for a limited release.
A fun show where drunk people tell historical stories while famous actors act out what happened. I don't think this show will have a long shelf life, because it has a high concept. But has it already overstayed its welcome? Read our review for my opinion.
Video on Demand
A British suspense show. Like most similar shows, the reviews are outstanding, but the price-per-episode is a little high, because there are only six episodes.
This movie features an incredible performance by Tom Hardy, but the script doesn't give enough to any of the other cast for them to shine as well. Even so, if you are a fan of Tom Hardy, it is worth a rental.
I might get the Droid Tales DVD to review, but if it is on its way, it is late.
This film did well, both with critics and in limited release, but it isn't a great movie, nor did it have breakout success at the box office. Add in the better than average extras and it is worth picking up.
This release has good timing, as My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 comes out at the end of the month.
An R-rated Christmas Comedy. There are a few entries in this particular subgenre. This one earned good reviews, but not great reviews, while its extras are solid. (It's mostly making of featurettes and extended / deleted scenes.) Called it a solid rental, leaning towards a purchase.
Room - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
This film picked up 94% positive reviews and its star, Brie Larson, picked up her first Ocsar. Obviously it is a contender for Pick of the Week. The extras include an audio commentary track and a trio of making of featurettes. That's almost enough to win the title of Pick of the Week, but not quite.
I would rent Sisters, but wait to buy Carol.
This film is clear Oscar-bait. It's a reviews were good, but not great. It is still worth picking up, but it's not a Pick of the Week contender.
Filed under: DVD and Blu-ray Releases, Home Market Releases, The Adventures of Bob & Doug McKenzie: Strange Brew, The Danish Girl, The Night Before, Sisters, Room, Creed, Carol, Youth, Legend, Miss You Already, Barbie: Spy Squad, Tom Hardy, Brie Larson, Rick Moranis, Eddie Redmayne, Sylvester Stallone, Max von Sydow, Dave Thomas