Home Market Releases for April 3rd, 2018

April 3, 2018

It’s a short week for one reason: Star Wars: The Last Jedi, which came out last week, but it is still scaring away top-notch releases. There are only a couple of first-run releases coming out this week, Father Figures and Insidious: The Last Key. However, there are also a few films in the main section that wouldn’t even be included in the secondary releases on a normal week. There are a trio of Pick of the Week contenders, including Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, but that’s a late review. The best of this week’s releases are Jane and My Hero Academia Season Two, Volume One. Both are absolutely worth picking up, but in the end, I went with My Hero Academia.

13 Reasons Why: Season One - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD
I’m of two minds when it comes to this TV show. On the one hand, it does a good job dealing with a difficult subject. On the other hand, don’t use suicide as a plot point in a show aimed at teens, because it can lead to copycat suicides.

80's Overdrive: 6 Movie Collection - No Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
Normally we don’t include collections like this, unless they are a franchise collection. They are not even included in the secondary Blu-ray releases, because of how low they are in the sales ranks. However, this week, this is one of the ten best selling new releases of the week.

Animalympics - No Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD
An animated TV movie from 1980 celebrating the Olympics. There are no reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, but the user reviews on Amazon are very positive. ... It’s a slow week and I have to pad out the list somehow.

Chesapeake Shores: Season 2 - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD
Video on Demand
A Hallmark Channel original TV series. It has one review on Rotten Tomatoes, which is more that most Hallmark Channel original TV movies get.

Father Figures - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray Combo Pack
Video on Demand
One of the worst movies of last holiday season, both in terms of reviews and box office numbers. Extras include some outtakes and some deleted scenes. Skip it.

Framed for Murder: A Fixer Upper Mystery - No Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD
Video on Demand
A Hallmark Channel original movie with no reviews on Rotten Tomatoes.

Half Magic - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD
Video on Demand
Heather Graham makes her directorial debut with this film. Its reviews are mixed, but perhaps it will do well enough to get her another shot. There’s definitely potential here.

Insidious: The Last Key - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Video on Demand
One of the bigger hits of the year so far and if you are a fan of the franchise it is worth picking up. If you are not a fan, the reviews suggest you should stay far away. Also coming out this week is a franchise box set, but it is only on DVD.

Jane - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD
Video on Demand
I really thought this film would win the Oscar for Best Documentary. It is still one of the best-reviewed films released in 2017. The lack of extras hurts its overall value, but it is still a Pick of the Week contender.

A Place To Call Home: Season 5 - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD
Video on Demand
Good news / bad news for fans of this Australian drama series. The fifth season of this show comes out on DVD this week and the six season begins in August. Unfortunately, that will be the show’s last season.

Tokyo Ghoul - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray Combo Pack
A live-action adaptation of the Anime / Manga of the same name. Its Tomatometer Score is over 80% positive, but the average score given by the critics is just 6.3 out of 10, so while most critics liked it, few loved it. This could be because it is quite extreme in nature. It is a Japanese horror film about flesh-eating ghouls, so you can probably figure out if you are in the target audience for this movie. If you are not, stay far away.

Blu-ray Releases - Buy from Amazon:
Ballers: The Complete Third Season - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray Combo Pack
Basmati Blues - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Beast of Burden - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
For the Love of Benji - No Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray Combo Pack
Like Me - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Looking Glass - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Sinfonía erótica - No Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray Combo Pack
A Study in Terror - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray Combo Pack
Sweet Virginia - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Uta No Prince-Sama: Legend Star - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Sweet Virginia is the best of a weak list of Seconday Blu-ray releases

4K Ultra HD Releases - Buy from Amazon:
No 4K releases this week. This is not surprising, as there were no top-notch releases in general.

TV on DVD Megasets - Buy from Amazon:
Sherlock Holmes in the 22nd Century - No Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD
Calling this a Megaset is kind of cheating, as the cartoon only lasted 26 episodes over two seasons.

Video on Demand - Buy from Amazon:
According to Her - No Reviews - Video on Demand
The Commuter - Reviews - Video on Demand
Kung Fu Traveler - No Reviews - Video on Demand
A Place in Hell - Reviews - Video on Demand
The Post - Reviews - Video on Demand
The Post is the only secondary VOD release that stands out as worth picking up.

C.S.Strowbridge

Filed under: DVD and Blu-ray Releases, Home Market Releases, A Place in Hell, Star Wars Ep. VIII: The Last Jedi, Half Magic, Father Figures, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, The Commuter, Insidious: The Last Key, The Post, Tôkyô gûru, Jane, Looking Glass, Beast of Burden, Like Me, Basmati Blues, According to Her, Insidious, Heather Graham