Home Market Releases for October 1st, 2019

October 3, 2019

It’s a great week for home market releases with a couple of monster hits coming out. Spider-Man: Far From Home was already named Pick of the Week when it came out on VOD and the DVD / Blu-ray / 4K lives up to that title. Meanwhile, Toy Story 4 is the best release of the week, but it is only coming out on VOD and I don’t like giving the Pick of the Week title to VOD releases. This leaves Maiden and That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime: Season One, Part 1 as the Pick of the Week contenders. It is a close race, but the latter has better extras on its Blu-ray and that was the tiebreaker.

Addams Family Collection - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
The franchise ran for two installments in the early 90s and earned good reviews, but the second film was a box office disappointment, so they didn’t get a third film, at least not one that made it to theaters. So do the films hold up?

For the most part, yes. The first film has Gomez and Morticia welcome an impostor pretending to be Fester into their home. The fake Fester is there to steal the Addams’ family fortune, but he’ll have to survive being part of the Addams family in order to do so and the only thing more dangerous than being an impostor is being being a member of the family. This film has some pacing issues and not all of the supporting characters have enough to do, but overall, it is a fun ride. Raúl Juliá and Anjelica Huston are simply marvelous in their roles and as much as I like the original show, they might be the best actors in these roles.

In the sequel, Fester, who turned out to be the real Fester, finds love with Debbie. Sadly, she’s after his money and in order to get it, she sends Wednesday and Pugsley to summer camp, where two camp consolers, Becky and Gary, try to make them normal. This is the better of the two movies as it flows better and the entire family has more to do, so there are no weaker subplots to get through. I’m surprised it didn’t do as well at the box office, but perhaps the lack of novelty was an issue this time around.

Sadly, there are no extras on the Blu-ray. You can also buy the two movies separately, but the Collection is the much better deal.

Anna and the Apocalypse - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD
Video on Demand
Normally, I would just lump this in with the other Christmas releases, but I’m actually getting a screener for this release and it looks really good.

Avatar & Legend of Korra Complete Series Collection - No Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
I’ve previously reviewed these shows before and loved both of them. Korra isn’t as consistently good, but I think it does a good job living up to the original. This box set is just the previously released Blu-ray complete series collections with a new mini-comic featuring a story for each show. It isn’t worth the double-dip if you have the previous collections, but it is worth the upgrade if you only have the DVDs. I would argue it was made to be a Christmas gift more than something you purchase for yourself. This time of year is loaded with releases like that.

Black Clover: Season 2 - Part 1 - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray Combo Pack
An Shonen Anime about an unlikable protagonist set in a generic fantasy world. Next.

Chernobyl - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
A TV mini-series about the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. The show earned incredible reviews and was one of the big winners at the Emmys. There are a dozen “featurettes” on the Blu-ray, but since the average running time is barely 2 minutes, it is a case of quantity over quality. Even so, it is worth picking up, but not quite a Pick of the Week contender. It’s close. It is so close, that I’ve gone back and forth on whether or not to name it a contender.

FLCL: Progressive - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD
This is a wild one. FLCL: Progressive is a sequel to FLCL, which came out nearly 20 years ago. FLCL was an early Anime import by the Cartoon Network and was beloved here more than in its native Japan. Progressive continues the story, but it doesn’t stand out as much for two reasons. Firstly, it’s because it isn’t as fresh and original. Sequels are almost never as fresh or original as the first installment, because that’s how words work. Secondly, Anime has become a lot more popular in those years and it is a lot easier to watch a ton of it, as opposed to be something completely new. It is still worth checking out at the very least and I would recommend buying it. I will have a full review out hopefully within the week.

The Gangster, The Cop, The Devil - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
A South Korean gangster film that earned near perfect reviews. The Blu-ray doesn’t have a lot of extras, not enough to be a Pick of the Week contender, but more than enough to be worth picking up.

The House of Hitchcock Collection: Limited Edition - No Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
This is the kind of release that is made for gift giving. Fans of Alfred Hitchcock likely have most, if not all of these movies on DVD or Blu-ray already, so it might not be worth the double-dip, but it is cool enough that it would be fun to open on Christmas day.

Maiden - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Video on Demand
A documentary about the first all-female crewed sailboat in the Whitbread Around the World Race. The reviews are amazing and the extras are great for a documentary. It is easily a Pick of the Week contender.

Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
An OVA from 30 years ago that is part of one of the longest running Anime franchises of all time. It’s a great week for Anime fans and fans of the Mecha genre should be excited to grab this one right away. It is not only an excellent installment in the franchise, it is also a time capsule of sorts for how Anime has changed in the last 30 years.

Sesame Street: 50 Years and Counting - No Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD
A two-disc collection from Sesame Street that is a perfect stocking stuffer. The first disc has just over three hours of segments that focus on the characters with lots, and I mean lots of songs. It has been decades since I’ve watched this show, but I found myself singing along to more than a few of these. The second disc has just under three hours of segments, but this time they are focusing on important plot points that have happened over the years. The death of Mr. Hooper is a prime example of this. Explaining death to Big Bird is one of the most powerful moments in the show’s history. This makes a perfect gift for kids of the right age, or for parents who have kids the right age, or just as a nostalgia kick.

Spider-Man: Far From Home - Buy from Amazon: DVD, Blu-ray Combo Pack, or 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack
Video on Demand
Video on Demand (With Extras)
Video on Demand (4K Ultra HD)
The latest installment in the M.C.U. and the first since Endgame completed the Infinity Saga. It has a lot to do, including helping set-up a post Endgame world. Can it handle that task? Does it tell a compelling story at the same time? Read our review to find out.

Also coming out this week is a two-movie box set, as well as a few 4K releases:

Ant-Man - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack
Doctor Strange - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack
Guardians of the Galaxy - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack

That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime: Season One, Part 1 - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray Combo Pack
An Isekai Anime in which an office drone / 37-year old virgin gets killed in a random knife attack while saving his friend’s life. As he’s dying, he’s thinking about what just happened, his life, and his regrets. As he does this, he hears a voice that talks about skills being acquired. He’s cold, so he gets cold resistance. There’s so much blood, so he gets a body that doesn’t require blood. And so forth. He ends up being reincarnated as a slime, the lowliest of the fantasy monsters. However, the skills he acquired allow him to eat anything and grow more powerful depending on what he eats. Our hero, being a nerd, rule lawyers the situation and by the end of the second episode is already overpowered. This is one of the best Anime from the fall 2018 season and since season two begins next year, it is a perfect time to grab the Blu-ray. The extras are excellent for an Anime title with two audio commentary tracks, a video commentary track, promos, and more. It is easily worth picking up and a contender for Pick of the week.

Christmas Releases - Buy from Amazon:
America’s Test Kitchen: Home for the Holidays - No Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD
A Candle in the Window - No Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD
Christmas at Grand Valley - No Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD
Hallmark 4-Movie Holiday Collection - No Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD
Home for Christmas Day - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD
Marrying Father Christmas - No Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD
Once Upon A Christmas Miracle - No Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD
A Veteran’s Christmas - No Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD
There is a flood of Hallmark Channel Christmas releases this week, including one that has a review on Rotten Tomatoes.

TV on DVD Releases - Buy from Amazon:
American Masters: Raúl Juliá - The World's a Stage - No Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD
Beyblade Burst: Season 1 - No Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD
Beyblade Burst: Season 2 - No Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD
Charmed: Season 1 - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD
Cobra Kai: Season 1 - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Doom Patrol: Season 1 - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
gen:LOCK: Season One - No Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Gunsmoke: The Fifteenth Season, Volume One - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD
Gunsmoke: The Fifteenth Season, Volume Two - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD
He-Man and the Masters of the Universe: The Complete Original Series - No Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD
Magical Land of Oz - No Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD
Robin Williams: Comic Genius Set - No Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD
Scooby-Doo! Zombie Island Collection - No Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD
Scooby-Doo! Return to Zombie Island - No Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD
She-Ra: Princess of Power: The Complete Original Series - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD
Sonic Boom: Season One, Volume One - No Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD
Tell Me a Story: Season One - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD
Toys That Made Us: Seasons 1 & 2 - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
The Truth Will Out: Series 1 - No Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD
When Calls the Heart: A Call from the Past - No Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD
When Calls the Heart: Year Six - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD
There are a lot of TV on DVD releases this week, but not much that can be considered top-tier.

Blu-ray Releases - Buy from Amazon:
A Certain Magical Index III: Season Three - Part One - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray Combo Pack
Convenience Store Boy Friends: The Complete Series - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
Doom: Annihilation - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray Combo Pack
Driven - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Encounter - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Ffolkes - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
Framing John DeLorean - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Itsy Bitsy - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Jarhead: Law of Return - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray Combo Pack
Joshiraku: Complete Collection - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray Combo Pack
Lost City of the Jungle - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Nightmare Beach: Special Edition - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
The Other Side of Heaven - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
The Pilgrim’s Progress - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
The Prey: 2-Disc Limited Edition - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray Combo Pack
Saga of Tanya the Evil: The Complete Series - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
Wanted Dead or Alive - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
It’s a case of quantity instead of quality on this week’s list of secondary Blu-ray releases.

3D Blu-ray Releases - Buy from Amazon:
No 3D releases this week.

4K Ultra HD Releases - Buy from Amazon:
D.C.E.U. Collection - No Reviews - Buy from Amazon: 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack
The Death and Return of Superman - No Reviews - Buy from Amazon: 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack
Frozen - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack
Gremlins - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack
Pan’s Labyrinth - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack
The Shining - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack
It is an amazing week for 4K releases, especially if you include the three M.C.U. releases above. Furthermore, all but one of these are worth owning. (There are too many misses in the D.C.E.U. to recommend it.)

C.S.Strowbridge

Filed under: DVD and Blu-ray Releases, Home Market Releases, The Prey, Avengers: Endgame, Toy Story 4, Spider-Man: Far From Home, Stuber, Driven, Framing John DeLorean, Maiden, Prey, The Pilgrim’s Progress, Doom: Annihilation, Low Tide, Marrying Father Christmas, Itsy Bitsy, Jarhead: Law of Return, Walden: Life in the Woods, Karma, Christmas at Grand Valley, Home for Christmas Day, Once Upon a Christmas Miracle, Bonded in Blood, Addams Family, Marvel Cinematic Universe, DC Extended Universe, Joan Cusack, Christine Baranski, Alfred Hitchcock, Anjelica Huston, Raul Julia, Christopher Lloyd, Peter MacNicol, Christina Ricci

Home Market Releases for October 1st, 2019

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