Hi Bryan Here….

Playing catch up.  So this is a say late, but that’s better than a week right?  Well anyway, this is a pretty large week for releases so let us jump right in and get to all the goodies.  Some of the must own blu-rays include ‘Sucker Punch’, Lord of the Rings, plus some other goodies.   As usual, in this article, you will get some info about the disc and the extras that come with the movie as well as a personal opinion about the movie and a link to purchase the film over at AMAZON where you can save quite a bit of money, and it will give a small percentage kick back to this site so we can continue bringing you excellent stories and sales.

Enjoy and Here We Go!!

BLACK MOON (BURAY CRITERION COLLECTION)

Criterion rolls out the red carpet for this strange as hell film, ‘Black Moon’.  It’s part comedy, part sci-fi, part fantasy, and it even has a talking unicorn.  “Louis Malle (The Lovers, Au revoir les enfants) meets Lewis Carroll in this bizarre and bewitching trip down the rabbit hole. After skirting the horrors of an unidentified war being waged in an anonymous countryside, a beautiful young woman (Cathryn Harrison) takes refuge in a remote farmhouse, where she becomes embroiled in the surreal domestic odyssey of a mysterious family. Evocatively shot by cinematographer Sven Nykvist (Cries and Whispers, Fanny and Alexander), Black Moon is a Freudian tale of adolescent sexuality set in a postapocalyptic world of shifting identities and talking animals. It is one of Malle’s most experimental films and a cinematic daydream like no other.”  Definitely worth getting.

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CAMILLE 2000 (BLURAY)

Have not watched this yet, but look at the cover.  Must watch.  “A child of the sixties sexual revolution, beautiful, sensuous Marguerite (Daniele Gaubert) is addicted to sex and money. She is kept by a wealthy man, has a string of young lovers and hosts wild orgies in her luxurious villa. When she falls in love with the handsome bachelor Armand (Nino Castelnuova), he insists on absolute fidelity. Known by her reputation, Armand s controlling father soon intervenes, triggering a tragic turn of events. From Radley Metzger, the essential director of elegant erotic art house, comes the dazzling new 2000 version of Alexandre Dumas The Lady of the Camellias.”

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COWBOY BEBOP: THE MOVIE (BLURAY)

I love this film and series.  So much fun.  Spike is BADASS.  It is so great to see this in HD.  I’ve been watching it too much on DVD or bootleg.  “Mars. Days before Halloween 2071. Villains blow up a tanker truck on Highway One, releasing a deadly virus that kills hundreds. Fearing a bigger, even more devastating biochemical attack, an astronomical reward is offered for the arrest and capture of the person behind the destruction. On the spaceship “Bebop,” Spike Spiegel and his crew of bounty hunters (Jet Black, Faye Valentine, Ed and Ein) are bored and short of cash. But with the news of the reward everything changes. Based on the wildly popular TV series, Cowboy Bebop, the big-screen smash COWBOY BEBOP: THE MOVIE pits Spike and Co. against their deadliest adversary ever. Featuring stunning, state-of-the-art animation, this action-packed sci-fi adventure builds to a breath-taking, nail-biting climax, guaranteed to keep you hanging on the edge of your seat.”

DAWNING (BURAY)

I have never heard of this film nor have I seen it yet, but by reading the reviews on AMAZON and all the buzz about this film, I expect this to be one fucking scary film.  It sounds horrific.  I can’t wait.  “Dawning follows brother and sister Chris and Aurora as they travel to visit their father and stepmom at the family cabin. As the first night unfolds with uncomfortable small talk and tension, tragedy strikes when the beloved family dog is found mortally wounded. Almost immediately a crazed, blood-soaked stranger barges into the cabin and tells the family that he has come to save them… but from what? Though their unwanted guest may just be a lone maniac, menacing noises outside suggest the presence of something far more frightening. It’s not long before the family realizes a dark force is at play – one that wants them all dead by the dawning of the day. Director Gregg Holtgrewe’s Dawning is a psychological thriller that ratchets up the tension as it uncovers the hidden demons that can tear a family apart. With its mysterious and unpredictable plotline, Dawning will rivet viewers until its shocking and disturbing end.”

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THE LORD OF THE RINGS TRILOGY: EXTENDED EDITIONS (BLURAY+DIGITAL COPY)

So happy to have all the films in their extended editions on bluray.  This really is the best way to watch them all.  The only bad thing about this release is that most of the extras are in standard definition and not in HD.  This tells me that at some point in the future there will be a huge release including the Hobbit films that will all be in HD.  But Peter Jackson knows I and all of us will be buying every edition of these films.  Sigh.

The Quest Is Over: All three extended versions in dazzling 1080p and DTS HD-MA 5.1 Audio. Deluxe set includes over 26 Hours of spellbinding behind-the- moviemaking material, including the Rare Costa Botes documentaries, on 15 discs.

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring Extended Edition: With the help of a courageous fellowship of friends and allies, Frodo embarks on a perilous mission to destroy the legendary One Ring.
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers Extended Edition: In the middle chapter of this historic movie trilogy, the Fellowship is broken but its quest to destroy the One Ring continues.
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King Extended Edition: The final battle for Middle-earth begins. Frodo and Sam, led by Gollum, continue their dangerous mission toward the fires of Mount Doom in order to destroy the One Ring.

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Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
Over 30 minutes of footage incorporated into the theatrical release of the film
Commentary by Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, and Philippa Boyens
Commentary by the design team
Commentary by the production/post-production team
Commentary by 10 actors, including Elijah Wood and Ian McKellen
Easter egg: MTV Movie Award Spoof (The Council of Elrod)
Costa Botes Documentary: The Fellowship of the Ring: Behind the Scenes (DVD)
The Appendices, Part 1: From Book to Vision (DVD)

• • Peter Jackson introduction
  • J.R.R. Tolkein: Creator of Middle Earth
  • From Book to Script
  • Visualizing the Story
  • Designing and Building Middle Earth
  • Middle Earth atlas interactive

The Appendices, Part 2: From Vision to Reality (DVD)

• • Elijah Wood introduction
  • Filming The Fellowship of the Ring
  • Visual effects
  • Post-production: Putting it all together
  • Digital Grading
  • Sound and music
  • The Road Goes Ever On…

Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

Extended edition of the film, incorporating 43 minutes of footage incorporated into the film
Commentary track by writer-director Peter Jackson and writers Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens
Commentary track by the design team
Commentary track by the production/post-production team
Commentary track by 16 cast members, including Elijah Wood, Sean Astin, Andy Serkis, John Rhys-Davies, Orlando Bloom, Christopher Lee, Bernard Hill, and Miranda Otto
Easter Egg: MTV Movie Awards clip (Gollum accepting award)
Costas Botes documentary: The Two Towers–Behind the Scenes (DVD)
The Appendices, Part 3: The Journey Continues (DVD)

• • Peter Jackson introduction
  • J.R.R. Tolkein: Origin of Middle Earth
  • From Book to Script: Finding a Story
  • Designing and Building Middle-Earth
  • Gollum
  • Middle-Earth Atlas interactive
  • New Zealand as Middle Earth (map with video location)

The Appendices, Part 4: The Battle for Middle Earth (DVD)

• • Elijah Wood introduction
  • Filming The Two Towers
  • Visual effects
  • Editorial: Refining the Story
  • Music and Sound
  • The Battle for Helm’s Deep is Over

Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

Extended edition of the film, with 50 extra minutes incorporated into the film
Commentary track by writer-director Peter Jackson and writers Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens
Commentary track by the design team
Commentary track by the production/post-production team
Costas Botes documentary: The Return of the King: Behind the Scenes (DVD)
The Appendices, Part 5: The War of the Ring (DVD)

• • Peter Jackson Intro
  • J.R.R. Tolkien: The Legacy of Middle-earth
  • From Book to Script
  • Designing and Building Middle-earth
  • Home of the Horse Lords
  • Middle-earth Atlas: Tracing the Journeys of the Fellowship: interactive map
  • New Zealand as Middle-earth: interactive map with on-location footage

The Appendices, Part 6: The Passing of an Age (DVD)

• • Elijah Wood/Sean Astin/Billy Boyd/Dominic Monaghan intro
  • Filming The Return of the King
  • Visual Effects
  • Post Production: Journey’s End
  • The Passing of an Age
  • Cameron Duncan

THE NESTING (BLURAY)

I have not watched this yet, but it reeks of old Argento and Bava horror films.  I really can’t wait to watch it.  ”

Agoraphobic mystery novelist Lauren Cochran decides to leave the city in an attempt to cure her recent writer’s block. She rents an old Victorian house in the quiet countryside, unaware of its shocking history. As those around her suffer increasingly violent deaths, Lauren begins to unravel the truth: the house was once an infamous brothel now haunted by the victims of a bloody massacre. Will her terrifying phobia allow her to escape from THE NESTING?  Also known as MASSACRE MANSION and PHOBIA, this eerie house of horrors was co-written, produced, and directed by notorious adult filmmaker Armand Weston, and stars Robin Groves (STEPHEN KING’S SILVER BULLET), John Carradine (SHOCK WAVES, THE HOWLING), and Academy Award winner Gloria Grahame (THE BAD AND THE BEAUTIFUL, OKLAHOMA!) in her final film role. Long unavailable on home video, THE NESTING has been newly transferred in High Definition from the original camera negative and is presented here in a never-before-seen Director’s Cut!”

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PEOPLE ON SUNDAY (BLURAY CRITERION COLLECTION)

A truly brilliant and beautiful silent film from 1930.  Criterion knocks this out of the park like always.  “People on Sunday (Menschen am Sonntag) represents an astonishing confluence of talent—an early collaboration by a group of German filmmakers who would all go on to become major Hollywood players, including eventual noir masters Robert Siodmak (The Killers, Criss Cross) and Edgar G. Ulmer (Detour, Bluebeard) and future Oscar winners Billy Wilder (Sunset Boulevard, Ace in the Hole) and Fred Zinneman (High Noon, A Man for All Seasons). This effervescent, sunlit silent film, about a handful of city dwellers enjoying a weekend outing (a charming cast of nonprofessionals), offers a rare glimpse of Weimar-era Berlin. A unique hybrid of documentary and fictional storytelling, People on Sunday was both an experiment and a mainstream hit that would influence generations of film artists around the world.”

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SUCKER PUNCH (BLURAY +DVD+DIGITAL COPY)

‘Sucker Punch’ comes with the bluray, DVD, and digital copy plus the theatrical version and extended version.  The extended version is only about 15 minutes longer.  Originally the theatrical cut was PG-13, but Snyder had to cut that 15 minutes or so footage to get that rating.  The extended cut has that hot and steamy and violent footage that would have given it an R rating.  The extended cut is better I must say.  But ‘Sucker Punch’ is definitely a DEMO worthy blu-ray that I have no doubt you will be showing your friends how awesome your home theater system is.  The audio and video are pretty much perfect, and the Maximum movie mode is very informative and fun to watch.  Sadly the film itself, just isn’t up to par.  It’s all about style and no substance with this one.  But I am definitely highly recommending this film.  It’s beautiful, fun loud, and completely insane.  Enjoy it.  “Born from the creative vision of filmmaker Zack Snyder (Watchmen, 300), this epic action fantasy launches from the vivid imagination of a young girl whose dream world provides the ultimate escape from her darker reality. Locked away against her will, Babydoll (Emily Browning) has not lost her will to survive. Determined to fight for her freedom, she urges four fellow captives – outspoken Rocket (Jena Malone), street-smart Blondie (Vanessa Hudgens), fiercely loyal Amber (Jamie Chung) and reluctant Sweet Pea (Abbie Cornish) – to band together and try to escape their terrible fate at the hands of their captors Blue (Oscar Isaac), Madam Gorki (Carla Gugino) and the High Roller (Jon Hamm).”

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• ‘Sucker Punch’: Animated Shorts (HD, 11 min.) — There are four of these shorts that were used for promotional reasons and viral marketing for the most part.  They are motion comics that give some background to the characters and scenes.  Pretty cool and magnificently animated, but really only worth a viewing.
  

• Behind the Soundtrack (HD, 3 min.) — A look and listen to the score and soundtrack to the film by Tyler Bates and Marius De Vries.  Wish it was longer, but it is okay.

Extended Cut: Maximum Movie Mode (HD, 128 min.) — This is where all the features really are.  In this one little push of a button extra.  Basically if you have seen ’300′ or ‘Watchmen’, and you have watched the Maximum Movie Mode with those films, then this is the same thing.  Basically, you will watch the film and throughout the entire film there is a PiP (picture in picture) box on the screen that enhances.  You are then treated to Zack Snyder, the director of the film, who shows you all the behind the scenes as the film is going on from how they did the FX and model making, to how he did the slow motion photography and everything else in between.  This is completely badass and is required viewing after watching the film on its own.  AWESOME.

ZAZIE DANS LE METRO (BLURAY CRITERION COLLECTION)

A hilarious french comedy with gags and jokes around every corner.  A lot of fun to watch this.  Great comedy.  Criterion outdid themselves again.  “ A brash and precocious eleven-year-old (Catherine Demongeot) comes to Paris for a whirlwind weekend with her rakish uncle (Philippe Noiret); he and the viewer get more than they bargained for in this anarchic comedy from Louis Malle, which treats the City of Light as though it were a pleasure island just waiting to be destroyed. Based on a popular novel by Raymond Queneau that had been considered unadaptable, Malle’s audacious hit Zazie dans le métro is a bit of stream-of-conscious slapstick, wall-to-wall with visual gags, editing tricks, and effects, and made with flair on the cusp of the French New Wave.”

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ZOMBIE HOLOCAST (BLURAY+DVD)

I can’t fucking believe this is in HD.  I have a very old VHS copy of this somewhere haunting one of the rooms.  So you know all those Fulci Zombie Italian films?  Well this is the most insane one.  It has some fucking bat shit crazy gore moments as well as some really funny scenes.  So happy this is out, and it just makes me laugh that this movie got the HD treatment.  SO AWESOME.  “In an effort to expose a flesh-eating cult in New York City, a team of scientists sets out on an expedition to the primitive island of Keto. They are soon trapped in the wilderness, surrounded by a tribe of murderous cannibals and an army of deadly zombies!”

LIVE LIKE A COP, DIE LIKE A MAN (DVD)

I have never seen this movie, but I do love the cover art and it is directed by Ruggero Deodato who directed the infamous ‘Cannibal Holocaust’.  And that alone makes me want to see this.  And I will.  Can’t wait.  I am so wanting this to be good.  I have no idea what it’s about, but it looks like a cop vs. bad guy movie.  Can’t wait.

Well that is it for this week.  Stay tuned for next week for it is the first week of July where you can expect more must own releases.