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Vengeance Trilogy
(Sympathy for Mr. Vegeance/Oldboy/Lady Vengeance) |
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| I only received this set about nine hours before putting together this round-up so unfortunately I haven’t had time to do anything more than toss away the cellophane, but I am already impressed by the wealth of bonus features.
Oldboy and Lady Vengeance are each three-disc sets while Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance is two discs. The first disc for each is simply the movie itself and the film’s commentaries, which is great and will make for the most disc space for as little compression as possible. Each carries a DTS audio track. Lady Vengeance‘s second disc includes the “Fade to White version” in which the film slowly loses its color until it is monochrome by the end, some refer to this as the “Fade to Black-and-White version” but what’s the difference? Oldboy‘s additional disc contains the three-hour video diary “The Autobiography of Oldboy“. Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance comes with one audio commentary while Oldboy and Lady Vengeance have three each. The bonus feature discs each come stacked with featurettes, deleted scenes and storyboards. Also included is a 32-page color booklet containing photos and essays. If you are a fan of these films and are looking for the ultimate edition I don’t see how you could go wrong picking this one up. The only thing to consider is that the equivalent Blu-ray set will be released on June 15. |
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Broken Embraces
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| The best new film this week is easily Broken Embraces, Pedro Almodovar’s latest entry starring Penelope Cruz and Lluis Homar. You can read my theatrical review here, but if you are any kind of fan of Almodovar’s work this is an easy decision to make. | |
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The Princess and the Frog
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| I really wish I had liked this film more because I am a supporter of 2D animation and was looking at this film to keep the hope alive, but it was simply a disappointment. Disney has put together an impressive Blu-ray package and the film looks and sounds great on the format, but the film itself just falls flat. As I wrote in my theatrical review, “The laughs are limited, the characters aren’t that interesting and the story feels so forced you never really feel its heart beating.” | |
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Armored
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| I am definitely going to check this one out on Netflix. I was excited to see it in theaters, but the studio decided it wasn’t going to screen the film for critics. Those that saw it didn’t give it high marks, but I think it looks like it could be a good bit of B-movie fun. | |
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The Twilight Saga: New Moon
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| This one doesn’t hit shelves until this Saturday, March 20, but I figured it was best to add it now rather than later. I have nothing to say other than the audience for this one is decided, no sense in me making a recommendation as I can’t imagine anyone not already having an opinion on the film. However, if you need my opinion you can read my theatrical review. | |
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Bandslam
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| Summit was criticized for mismanaging this film’s theatrical release, selling it as something of a High School Musical when it apparently is anything but, and they appear to be mishandling the DVD release as well as I didn’t even know this one was coming out today until I began putting this article together and was searching through the bowels of Amazon.com. Nevertheless, this film has an 80% RottenTomatoes rating and seems like it would make for a solid rental in most households and probably a buy for many others. I never saw it so I have no opinion, but if you have one please feel free to share it in the comments below and let others know your thoughts. | |
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South Park: The Complete Thirteenth Season
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| I enjoy “South Park” but ever since I stopped reviewing the latest season releases I haven’t missed them one bit. | |
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The Fourth Kind
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| Ugh, this film annoyed the hell out of me, but I will admit at home it may offer a few scares. Give it a rent and see what you think. Not sure anyone will feel the need to own their own copy though. | |
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Ninja Assassin
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| This is just an awful movie. For a movie about ninjas it sure feels like a stereotypical shoot ’em up actioner, which is where it finds most of its trouble, the two ideas just don’t go together one bit and when you begin mixing the wrong ingredients you come up with a dish not worth serving… cold or otherwise. | |
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Did You Hear About the Morgans?
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| I always get a laugh when I’m putting this round-up together and a film that I completely forgot about is hitting shelves. For some reason there seems to be a certain level of importance when a movie is coming to DVD and Blu-ray, but when you stop for a second and evaluate some of these movies you realize the important thing is to go on with what you were doing and forget some titles ever existed all over again. | |
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Astro Boy
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| Ditto to this title as Summit seems to be unloading their 2009 theatrical stock this week with their third release. This movie was awful to say the least. | |
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EVEN MORE
- Brief Interviews with Hideous Men
- Monk: Season Eight
- Breaking Bad: The Complete Second Season
- Paris
- Twilight in Forks-Saga of the Real Town
- The Wizard of Oz (70th Anniversary Single Disc Edition) [Blu-ray]
- Fallen Angels
- Dillinger Is Dead (Criterion Collection)
LATEST DVD ANNOUNCEMENTS
DVD
- Legion (buy now)
Releasing on May 11, 2010 - The Messenger (buy now)
Releasing on May 18, 2010 - Red Desert (Criterion Collection)
Releasing on June 22, 2010 - Mystery Train (Criterion Collection)
Releasing on June 15, 2010 - Daybreakers (buy now)
Releasing on May 11, 2010
BLU-RAY
- Legion (buy now)
Releasing on May 11, 2010 - The Messenger (buy now)
Releasing on May 18, 2010 - The Spy Next Door (DVD and Blu-ray Combo)
Releasing on May 18, 2010 - The Leopard (Criterion Collection)
Releasing on June 29, 2010 - Red Desert (Criterion Collection)
Releasing on June 22, 2010 - Mystery Train (Criterion Collection)
Releasing on June 15, 2010 - Daybreakers (buy now)
Releasing on May 11, 2010
