Top 5 New Blu-ray releases for the Week of September 21

I started writing this post on Monday. As you can clearly tell, it’s taken me a few days of work, chipping away at it whenever I’ve had a few moments to spare, to get this thing done. But I’m really happy to tell you all about the best new Blu-ray releases this week. There’s some really strong stuff here and a few discs you should be certain not to miss out on. As always, any Amazon purchases made through our links help to support this column and the site on the whole and we thank you for them!

1. CHARADE

I was all ready to give the The Secret in Their Eyes this weeks top spot until I remembered that there was a new Criterion Blu-ray disc available today! And it’s a doosey. Stanley Donen‘s Charade is the ultimate caper film, with enough style and European flair to make you pack a bag and run off to Paris as soon as humanly possible. The plot is ultimately less than completely satisfying but any deficiencies are completely made up for in the casting. Audrey Hepburn is stunning in her Givenchy wardrobe and Cary Grant has never been more suave in a leading role. This is a wonderful, colourful upgrade from the long-available Criterion DVD.

Special Features: Restored high-definition digital transfer with uncompressed monaural soundtrackAudio commentary featuring Stanley Donen and screenwriter Peter StoneOriginal theatrical trailerEnglish subtitles for the deaf and hearing impairedPLUS: A booklet featuring an essay by film historian Bruce Eder

Amazon: $29.49

2. THE SECRET IN THEIR EYES

The Secret in Their Eyes (El Secreto de Sus Ojos) is, without question one of the finest films of the last year and long overdue for a domestic Blu-ray release. In direct competition with Michael Haneke‘s The White Ribbon (also one of our Top Picks on Blu-ray) for the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film this past year, Secret edged out the popular pick to take the prize. And it deserves it.

Director Juan José Campanella brings us a mesmerizing romantic melodrama wrapped in a crime thriller. Adapted from the 2005 novel by Eduardo Sacheri (La pregunta de sus ojos), Secret follows Benjamin Esposito (Ricardo Darin), a criminal investigator attempting to chronicle a past case of brutal rape and murder. When memory fails him, he reconnects with his former crush, Irene Menendez Hastings (Soledad Villamil), the judge from the original case. Romance blossoms as the investigation deepens, danger drawing ever near. You can cut the tension with a knife here!

Highly recommended!

Amazon: $26.99

3. AMERICAN BEAUTY

I can’t believe American Beauty is over ten years old! It seems like only a scant few months ago that I was watching it in the theatre but here we are, eleven years on and it still feels fresh! Former theatre-director Sam Mendes really had a breakout hit here, in his first feature film and has gone on to become a real Hollywood powerhouse since then (he’s even on tap to helm the next James Bond film, if MGM is ever able to sort out its financial situation). Don’t miss out on this new Sapphire Series Blu-ray of the film, featuring all the extras from the previously available DVD and a gorgeous new HD transfer.

Amazon: $19.99

4. ROBIN HOOD

Okay, I know how you all feel about Ridley Scott‘s Robin Hood film. Word on the street is that it’s not much more than a redux of sorts of Scott’s other Russel Crowe epic, 2000s Gladiator – different era, different details, same story. While I haven’t had a chance to see the film yet, I feel fairly confident in recommending even the weakest of Scott’s films. And as much as he might have missed the mark here, I’m sure it’s not half as bad as all the critics are claiming. I expect the Blu-ray to kick some serious ass too!

Amazon: $22.99

5. VIGILANTE

Robert Forster and Fred Williamson star in the 1983 film called Vigilante. That should be enough information right there to send you out to your local BD shop in search of this new Blu-ray from the B-movie geniuses at Blue Underground. It’s a slightly cheesy, slightly exploitative affair with great, understated performances and a score by Star Trek composer, Jay Chattaway. The transfer, as per BU standard, looks stunning when you consider the origin and age of the film. And there are more than enough special features to ensure you got your sixteen bucks worth. Well worth every penny for fans of low budget 80s cinema!

Amazon: $15.99

TV ON BLU

All right, I don’t have a lot of time left to write today, but I need to take this opportunity to tell you how much I enjoyed The Human Target tv show. Not that old, failed series from the 90s, but this new FOX show, that debuted earlier this year and ran a paltry 12 episodes. I don’t think an adventure serial has been more spirited, comedic and inventive on television since…well, hell, I can’t even think of a show that’s ever been this fun! There’s action, conspiracy and romance around every corner in this, one of the finest new shows of the last year. I haven’t had a chance to check out the Blu-ray box set yet but rest assured, as soon as it turns up in my greasy little clutches, I’ll let you know how it fares.

FYI – I’ve never seen a single episode from the other programs but I understand they’re all quite amazing in their own right. So, just to be clear, I’m not saying The Human Target is better than Modern Family, I’m just saying I really enjoyed the hell out of the show and I’m excited to see it on Blu.

ALSO AVAILABLE ON BLU-RAY THIS WEEK
Clicking an image will take you to Amazon.com where you can learn more about and purchase the Blu-ray disc:

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Top 5 New Blu-ray releases for the Week of September 28

It’s the last week of September and probably the finest looking for Blu-ray releases. We might not be seeing the glut of titles from weeks past but the discs hitting the shops today are some of the best you’ll see all year, including some essential catalogue titles and one of the biggest blockbuster hits of this past summer. Here we go!

1. THE THIN RED LINE

If you ask me, everything director Terrence Malick touches becomes pure cinematic gold. But I totally understand that his metered, poetic style of storytelling isn’t for everyone. So this, my strongest recommendation of the week, is really a recommendation for those who can appreciate this film: a thoughtful look at war and the toll it takes on the men who fight the battles, where the camera watching them occasionally gets lost in a slow shot of a leaf, or lingers on a long sunset over a white beach. That’s Malick. Making profound statements through a collection of deliberate, meditative images. The Thin Red Line is one of the most moving and unique war films ever made. And now, it’s one of the most visually arresting Blu-rays produced, thanks to Criterion. This is one of the best high-def presentations of the year. Highly recommended!

SPECIAL FEATURES: New, restored high-definition digital transfer, supervised and approved by director Terrence Malick and cinematographer John Toll with DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrackNew audio commentary by Toll, production designer Jack Fisk, and producer Grant HillInterviews with several of the film’s actors, including Kirk Acevedo, Jim Caviezel, Thomas Jane, Elias Koteas, Dash Mihok, and Sean Penn; composer Hans Zimmer; editors Billy Weber, Leslie Jones, and Saar Klein; and writer James Jones’s daughter Kaylie JonesNew interview with casting director Dianne Crittenden, featuring archival audition footageFourteen minutes of outtakes from the filmWorld War II newsreels from Guadalcanal and the Solomon IslandsMelanesian chantsOriginal theatrical trailerPLUS: A booklet featuring an essay by film critic David Sterritt and a 1963 reprint by James Jones

Amazon: $29.49

2. MERRY CHRISTMAS MR. LAWRENCE

What’s that, you say. Another new Blu-ray disc release from Criterion? That’s right, folks. Two new Criterion discs in one week. And this is another gem. Director Nagisa Oshima‘s Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence has time and place in common with Malick’s Line but focuses not on the fields of war but instead on a P.O.W. camp. Starring David Bowie in a rich leading role that pits him against his captor, Ryuichi Sakamoto (yes, the composer, who not only stars in the film but crafted its amazing score!), Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence also features a young Takeshi Kitano (yes, the famed actor/writer/director/Takeshi’s Castle host!) in his first dramatic role!

Special Features: New, restored high-definition master with DTS-HD Master AudioThe Oshima Gang, an original making-of featuretteNew video interviews with producer Jeremy Thomas, screenwriter Paul Mayersberg, actor Tom Conti, and actor-composer Ryuichi SakamotoHasten Slowly, an hour-long documentary about author and adventurer Laurens van der Post, whose autobiographical novel is the basis for the filmOriginal theatrical trailerPLUS: A booklet featuring an essay by film writer Chuck Stephens and a 1983 interview with director Nagisa Oshima by Japanese film writer Tadao Sato

Amazon: $29.49

3. KING KONG (1933)

Speaking of must-have discs, the new Blu-ray edition of the original King Kong is out in shops today! Warner Home Video presents this bad boy in a gorgeous hardcover digi-book and includes all the incredible special features from the excellent 2005 DVD release. The transfer isn’t going to blow away the casual viewer, as the source material isn’t in sparkling, pristine condition. But if you’re a film fan of any sort, or if you just love the 1933 version of Kong, you’re going to fall in love with this high-def presentation. It’s very, very true to the film and an unquestionable improvement over the previously issued DVD. Though, not to the extent that I would recommend those with smaller screens (40? or less) make the upgrade – outside of some additional clean-ups and a more robust grain structure, and unless you have a very keen eye, I’m not sure you’ll notice much difference on a smaller display. Nevertheless, this is great release. Very highly recommended!

Special Features: Commentary by creature creator Ray Harryhausen and visual effects artist Ken Ralston, with archival sound bites from Merian C. Cooper and Fay Wray I’m Kong: The Exploits of Merian C. Cooper (2005 TCM documentary) The Making of Kong, Eighth Wonder of the World (7-part documentary) The Lost Spider Pit Sequence Creation Test Footage with Commentary by Ray Harryhausen Trailers

Amazon: $24.99

4. IRON MAN 2

Oh, Iron Man 2. I had such high hopes for you. But alas, the genius of your original cinematic outing wasn’t to carry over to your sequel: a sequel that replaces carefully crafted moments featuring strongly motivated characters acting within the logic of the film, with ridiculous, over the top scenes that come out of nowhere, and force out-of-character action to serve plot contrivances. Or to service Marvel‘s eventual Avengers superhero team film.

I’m not saying I didn’t enjoy Iron Man 2. I just know it could have been better if director Jon Favreau had been left to his own devices and not forced to shoehorn Venom into the film. Oh wait…

Amazon: $24.99

5. BATMAN/SUPERMAN: APOCALYPSE

Gahhh!! Another DC Comics animated feature film, direct to Blu-ray (and DVD, if you’re still into those old SD platters.) I didn’t receive my review disc yet so, having not seen it, I can’t recommend it on its own merits. But if past entries in this series are any indication, Superman/Batman: Apocalypse is going to be a shit-ton of fun!

Amazon: $19.99

SPECIAL MENTION: Private Eyes

Oh. Em. Gee. I had completely forgotten about The Private Eyes. I used to love this film when I was a kid. I don’t recall much about it now, in my old age, outside of the fact that my younger-self believed it to be a very Scooby Doo-like live-action film, both funny and spooky, with a great mystery and a couple of daring sleuths (Don Knots and Tim Conway) at the heart of it. Sigh…I miss going to Saturday matinees at the old Park Cinema in Welland…

I haven’t seen the film in years and know nothing of the track record of the studio releasing the Blu-ray so proceed with caution. But if you do pick it up, please let me know what you think!

Amazon: $26.49

ALSO AVAILABLE ON BLU-RAY THIS WEEK
Clicking an image will take you to Amazon.com where you can learn more about and purchase the Blu-ray disc:

View the original article here