DVD and Blu-ray Releases for May 19th, 2015
May 19, 2015
The home market is a lot stronger than it has been in weeks, but that is almost entirely due to the release of American Sniper on DVD and Blu-ray Combo Pack. On the other hand, it is not the best release on this week's list. There were many of contenders for Pick of the Week, including Girlhood and Limelight, but in the end I went with Orange Is the New Black: Season 2.
American Dad: Volume 10 - Buy from Amazon: DVD
American Sniper - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray Combo Pack
Beauty and the Beast: Season 2 - Buy from Amazon: DVD
Blu-ray Releases - Buy from Amazon: Bette Midler: The Rose, Cymbeline, Evil Eye, Flawless, Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man, It the Terror From Beyond, Laurel and Hardy: The Flying Deuces, Limelight, Maya the Bee, Ninja Scroll, The Osterman Weekend, Peter Benchley's Creature, Poltergeist II and III, and Stigmata
Call the Midwife: Season 4 - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
C.P.O. Sharkey: Season 1 - Buy from Amazon: DVD
Doctor Who: The Cybermen - Buy from Amazon: DVD
Duck Dynasty: Season 7 - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Girlhood - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Glee: Season 6 - Buy from Amazon: DVD
Hot Tub Time Machine - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray Combo Pack
Leviathan - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray Combo Pack
Orange Is the New Black: Season 2 - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Strawberry Shortcake: Berry Best in Show - Buy from Amazon: DVD
Ten - Buy from Amazon: DVD
WWE: It's good to be the King: The Jerry Lawler Story - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Zombeavers - Buy from Amazon: DVD
I've reviewed some releases of this show in the past and while I liked some episodes, I found the quality too inconsistent to recommend wholeheartedly.
This is the biggest hit released in 2014 and up until this past weekend, the biggest hit of 2015. It was also a major player during Awards Season, although its reviews don't justify that. A Tomatometer Score of just 73% positive is no where near high enough to warrant a Best Picture Oscar nod, for instance. The extras are good, with two featurettes with a running time of roughly an hour. However, that's not Pick of the Week good.
How is this show still on the air? Its reviews are embarrassing, even for CW.
This film had mixed signals. The reviews were weak, but it earned a lot of awards during its Film Festival run. Were the critics right? Or did it deserve all of those awards? Read our review for my opinion.
Of the secondary Blu-ray releases on this week's list, Limelight is the best. In fact, it is a contender for Pick of the Week. On the other hand, if you like Anime, then Ninja Scroll is a must have.
A BBC Drama that is set in the late 1950s and early 1960s and focuses on a group of nurses. The reviews have been amazing (although there are not enough reviews for a Tomatometer Score for the latest season). The price-per-minute is a little high and the extras only include some interviews, but this is still better than average for British imports.
A show that lasted two seasons from 1976 to 1978. It stars Don Rickles as the the titular Chief Petty Officer. It is a good showcase for his insult humor, but it didn't find a large enough audience to stick around.
Great show, but they release way too many DVDs for the average fan to keep buying them.
I hate reality TV in general and this show in particular.
A French film about a high school girl, Marieme, who is struggling with her home life and school. She drops out and joins a female gang and later starts a relationship with an older man. The reviews are stunning. On the other hand, the only extra is an interview with the lead actress. Even so, it is a contender for Pick of the Week.
Glee started out earning strong ratings and great reviews. However, by season three, its reviews started to decline and the ratings soon followed. By the end, its ratings were below average for the CW. Also coming out this week is the Complete Series Megaset.
Unnecessary sequel. It bombed at the box office and was savaged by critics. Even if you loved the first movie, you can safely skip this one.
A film from Russia that earned an Oscar nomination for Best Foreign-Language Film. Its reviews suggest it should have won. Extras include an audio commentary track, making of featurette, etc. It is definitively worth picking up and a contender for Pick of the Week.
Netflix is on a roll. They have produced so many amazing shows recently that it is hard to believe that only a few years ago the idea of making a TV series for Video on Demand was alien. This show's reviews remained Award-worthy during season two and the extras on the DVD and Blu-ray are solid. (There are audio commentary tracks on two episodes and four featurettes.) Easily the best release of the week and the Pick of the Week. On a related note, if you have Netflix, check out Daredevil as well.
When a lot of people talk about this movie, they talk about the extended catfight that takes up the second half of the movie. Does the first half work? Does the catfight actually entertain? Check out our review for my opinion.
Strange Magic - Buy from Amazon: DVD
This film is only coming out on DVD and there is no high definition release to go with it. I find that very odd. Granted, the movie bombed, both in theaters and with critics, but still, I'm shocked that there is no Blu-ray coming out this week.
The screener arrived a couple of days late, but I got to the review over the weekend. What episodes are on the DVD? And is it worth the price? Read our review to find out.
The latest DVD from this math-themed educational show. What episodes are on the DVD and is it worth the asking price? Read our review to find out.
A low-budget, terrible and strange horror movie. Is it worth checking out for fans of the genre? Or does the low budget prevent the filmmakers to get their vision across? Check out our review to find out.
TV on DVD Full Series Megasets - Buy from Amazon: Boardwalk Empire, Glee, and NewsRadio
Boardwalk Empire is one of the best shows from recent years, while NewsRadio and Glee both had tragedy hit their respective casts.
I haven't watched the WWE or any professional wresting in decades, so I have no idea who Jerry Lawler is. It does sell very well, so it is important to mention it.
A low-budget horror film about zombie beavers. Its reviews are better than its premise suggests, but it is still only for genre fans.
Filed under: DVD and Blu-ray Releases, Home Market Releases, Hot Tub Time Machine 2, American Sniper, Before I Disappear, Leviafan, Strange Magic, Bande de filles, Roommate Wanted, Zombeavers, Ten, Limelight, Don Rickles, Karidja Toure