Home Market Releases for June 26th, 2018

June 26, 2018

As long time readers know, summer is the worst time of the year for the home market. Summer blockbusters are taking up everyone’s attention and it is still too soon for the rush of TV on DVD releases. The biggest first-run release of the week is Acrimony, which is only for Tyler Perry fans. As for the best of the rest, there are a handful of Pick of the Week contenders, including two Anime titles. To be more accurate, only one of them came out this week, as it took a couple of weeks for my screener of My Hero Academia: Season Two, Volume Two: Limited Edition Combo Pack to arrive. It is the Pick of the Week.

Acrimony - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Video on Demand
This isn’t the usual Tyler Perry film, but while I applaud him taking a risk, the reviews here are no better than his usual fair.

The Addiction: Special Edition - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
Lili Taylor stars as a university student who is attacked by a vampire and becomes one herself. It’s one of Abel Ferrara’s best films and the special edition is loaded with extras, old and new. On the other hand, Abel Ferrara is divisive enough that it’s too risky for Pick of the Week.

Black Lightning: The Complete First Season - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Video on Demand
This show got off to a great start and it is already one of the best super hero shows on TV at the moment. Extras include a behind-the-scenes featurette, making of featurette, the show’s Comic-Con panel, deleted scenes, and outtakes. I would have loved an audio commentary track or two, but this is enough to be a contender for Pick of the Week.

Christmas In Evergreen - No Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD
... Why is there a Christmas release in June?

The Endless - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Two brothers who grew up in a UFO cult return as adults to get closure. However, the more they learn, the more they begin to suspect the cultists were right. This film’s reviews are amazing and the extras are just as impressive for a limited release. There’s an audio commentary track, four making of / behind-the-scenes featurettes, and deleted scenes. It is easily worth picking up and a contender for Pick of the Week.

Escape Plan 2: Hades - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray Combo Pack
Video on Demand
The first film was just fine, it you like this genre. However, it didn’t do well in theaters, so I’m not sure why it is getting a sequel. I’m not surprised the sequel debuted on VOD, on the other hand.

Female Trouble - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
This is not quite John Waters’ most infamous movie, but it is close. If you like his work, then this is a must have. On the down side, there are only two new extras to the Blu-ray, both of which are interview featurettes.

Hunter x Hunter: Set 4 - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
One of the best-reviewed shows on My Anime List. It’s average score given out by the users of that site is over 9 out of 10. There are only a handful of shows and movies that have done better. This is even more impressive, as the setup and art style make it seem like the typical Shōnen Anime title about a plucky young boy who is off to try and be the very best like no one ever was, but the plot is deeper than it first appears. The Blu-ray has some interviews, but otherwise it has the standard Anime extras (textless credits and some promotional materials).

Last Man Standing - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: The Complete Fifth Season or The Complete Sixth Season
This show got canceled due to contractual issues. (It was made by Fox, but airs on ABC, which is owned by Disney.) It did get revived, but the reviews are weak enough that there’s almost no appeal outside its target audience.

The Martian Chronicles - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
This is the 1980 TV mini-series based on the Ray Bradbury book. It’s not very good. Even Ray Bradbury himself called it boring. I guess if you watched the show as a kid and want to see it again it is worth renting, but that’s as far as I can go with my recommendation.

The Mick - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: The Complete First Season or The Complete Second Season
This show earned mixed reviews, struggled in the ratings, and was canceled after just two seasons.

Sakura Quest: Part One - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray Combo Pack
This Anime focuses on Yoshino Koharu, a small town girl who moved to Tokyo to get away from her small town. However, she has trouble finding a job and gets desperate enough to take a job as Chupakabura Queen in a small town. When she finds out she only got this job as a result of mistaken identity, she first decides to leave, then decides to stick it out for a couple of days, then the town and the residents begin to grow on her. I was only able to catch the first three episodes when they originally aired, but I did really enjoy the show and I might pick up the Blu-ray now while waiting for the second part to be released in August.

Sleepless in Seattle: 25th Anniversary Edition - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
A classic of the Rom Com genre is getting a 25th Anniversary Edition release this week. If you like Rom Coms and have never seen this film, then check it out. Unfortunately, the only new extras on this edition are some deleted scenes. Disappointing.

Super Fly - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
Why is this coming out two weeks after the remake and not two weeks before?

Blu-ray Releases - Buy from Amazon:
A Breed Apart - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
Clockwork Planet: The Complete Series - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray Combo Pack
The Colossus of Rhodes - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
The Curse Of The Cat People - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
Garo Special: Beast Of The Demon Night - No Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
Gemini - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Grimoire Of Zero - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
Kenka Bancho Otome - Girl Beats Boys: The Complete Series - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
The Pink Panther Cartoon Collection: Volume 2 - No Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Prison School: Live Action - No Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray Combo Pack
Spinning Man - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Strawberry Panic: The Complete Series - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Terminal - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Tommy Shaw: Sing For The Day! - No Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
Virgin Spring: Criterion Collection - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
There are a lot of Anime titles on this week’s list, including two live-action adaptations. However, Virgin Spring is the clear pick here.

4K Ultra HD Releases - Buy from Amazon:
Groundhog Day - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack
Jack Reacher - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack
Mission: Impossible - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack
Mission: Impossible 2 - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack
Mission: Impossible III - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack
Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack
Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack
Lots of 4K Ultra HD releases this week, almost all of them starring Tom Cruise.

TV on DVD Megasets - Buy from Amazon:
No TV on DVD Megasets on this week’s list.

Video on Demand - Buy from Amazon:
Gemini - Reviews - Video on Demand
Isle of Dogs - Reviews - Video on Demand
I’m hoping to get a screener for Isle of Dogs, but it has not yet arrived.

C.S.Strowbridge

Filed under: DVD and Blu-ray Releases, Home Market Releases, The Addiction, Gemini, The Endless, Acrimony, Spinning Man, Terminal, Escape Plan 2: Hades, The Martian Chronicles, Tom Cruise, Lili Taylor, Abel Ferrara, Tyler Perry, Annabella Sciorra, John Waters, Ray Bradbury