Home Market Releases for December 26th, 2017
December 25, 2017
This Tuesday is Boxing Day, which is a holiday celebrated in Canada, the U.K., and I assume other countries. It is the celebration of boxes. ... I don’t know what it is. According to Wikipedia, “There are competing theories for the origins of the term, none of which is definitive.” ... So it is probably not important. What is important is the total lack of quality DVD and Blu-ray releases. Haikyu: Season 1 is the best release on this week’s list. The Paper is the second best, and it only managed a spot on the Secondary Blu-ray releases.
The Apartment - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Brawl in Cell Block 99 - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD, Blu-ray Combo Pack, or 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack
Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
Flatliners - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Haikyu: Season 1 - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Jeepers Creepers 3 - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Killing Gunther - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Lupin the 3rd: Series 2, Box 2 - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD
Mayhem - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD, Blu-ray, or 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack
The Mountain Between Us - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD, Blu-ray Combo Pack, or 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack
Riddle Story Of Devil: The Complete Series - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD
Terminator 2: Judgment Day - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack
Blu-ray Releases - Buy from Amazon:
4K Blu-ray Releases - Buy from Amazon:
Video on Demand - Buy from Amazon:
When this film came out, it was considered one of the best comedies of all time. Now, it is still considered a great film, but it has a real sense of sadness to it that precludes it from being a real comedy. Amazon had this film coming out on the 19th of December, then it was pushed back to the 26th, and now its release date is “Uhhhh?” When it actually does come out, it will be a Pick of the Week contender.
Video on Demand
Vince Vaughn stars as a former boxer, who went to prison, because he was caught smuggling drugs. While inside, a gang kidnaps his wife and infant child and threatens them, if Vince Vaughn doesn’t kill someone for them. This isn’t an original setup, but the reviews are very good. There are no extras on the DVD, but the Blu-ray has a behind-the-scenes featurette and a Film Festival Q&A session.
A film noir that uses both original footage and recut older footage. The reviews were good, but it bombed in theaters when it first came out. It was just too strange to find an audience in theaters. It definitely has cult appeal, but I’m not sure enough people remember the movie for that to happen. It is one of the best films on this week’s list, but not quite a Pick of the Week contender.
Video on Demand
One of the worst movies of the year. Skip it.
A sports Anime about first-year high school volleyball player who finds out his main rival in middle school is now his teammate. This is one of the best Anime titles of the last decade and anyone who likes sports shows should love this, even if they don’t pay attention to Anime. Sadly, the only extras are clean opening and closing animations. Even so, it is a Pick of the Week contender.
How the $%#@! does Victor Salva still have a career? He molested a child, who was an actor on one of his movies. He filmed it. He was caught with more child porn. He was convicted and went to prison. Anyone who hires him after that would be civilly responsible, if not criminally responsible, if he did something similar. If you lack the moral center to refuse to work with a child molester, the fear of being sued should be enough to get him blacklisted. Sadly, he’s not the only one who has had a career, even after such crimes. I think with the recent rash of scandals, those days are over.
Video on Demand
A group of hired assassins kidnap a documentarian and their crew to record them and provide proof as they go after the most notorious hitman of all time, Gunther. The film’s reviews are mixed and it went nowhere in limited release, which explains why the only extras are some outtakes and deleted scenes. Maybe it is worth a $7 rental, but this feels like a movie you watch on Netflix.
An Anime series from the 1970s. It is a classic, it would have to be to still be remembered 40 years after it first debuted. I really wish this was getting a Blu-ray release. It might be too expensive to remaster it in 1080p. Even so, it is worth picking up.
Video on Demand
Steven Yeun plays a man who was just fired from his law firm when he realizes the building in quarantined, because a virus is driving everyone on the inside violent. He teams up with Samara Weaving to try and survive. Extras include an audio commentary track and a making of featurette. It’s worth picking up, but not a Pick of the Week contender.
Video on Demand
Busted Oscar Bait. This film struggled with critics and at the box office, while the DVD and Blu-ray have limited extras. Call it a rental, at most.
We follow Tokaku Azuma, who is a new girl at a prestigious all-girls high school. However, she’s not just an average student, but one of 12 trained assassins who are sent to the school to kill Haru Ichinose, the young daughter of a member of an influential Japanese family. However, Tokaku falls for Haru and decides to protect her instead of complete her mission. The reviews are only okay, but the price is a lot better compared to most Anime titles.
I’m not sold on 4K. That said, it is becoming more and more common and if you are planning to buy a new TV and it is going to be over 55 inches, then 4K Ultra HD is likely your only option. If this is the case, then this movie would be a great one to show off your new TV.
Barefoot Gen: 1 & 2 - - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
The Disastrous Life Of Saiki K.: Season One, Part One - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray Combo Pack
The Disastrous Life Of Saiki K.: Season One, Part Two - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray Combo Pack
Fletch Lives - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
For Richer or Poorer - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
Manhunt: Unabomber - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
The Paper - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
The Recall - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray Combo Pack
Revolt - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Squid Girl: Premium Box Set - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray Combo Pack
Yowamushi Pedal: The Movie - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray Combo Pack
Out of all of the secondary Blu-ray releases coming out this week, The Paper is the one I’m most interested in. It might be the only one I’m interested in.
There are a few 4K releases this week, but all of them were mentioned above.
Blade Runner 2049 - Reviews - Video on Demand
A Question of Faith - Reviews - Video on Demand
Blade Runner 2049 is a great movie, but I would wait for the Blu-ray.
Filed under: DVD and Blu-ray Releases, Home Market Releases, The Mountain Between Us, Blade Runner 2049, Jeepers Creepers 3, Flatliners, Killing Gunther, Mayhem, A Question of Faith, Brawl in Cell Block 99, Revolt, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Vince Vaughn, Victor Salva, Steven Yeun, Samara Weaving