Written and compiled by The Film Nest guest contributor “FightinIrish” (peep him in the Comments section)
“Quantity” is the key word in Blu-ray this week. Not necessarily huge titles I expect to see people beat each other down to get to this week, but the odds are increased that a title you’ve been waiting for resides in this week’s list. Four documentaries are contained, a couple Keira Knightley starrers and a bevy of other big and small-named titles for you.
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A sequel to the greatest film ever directed, by master of cinema Uwe Boll, and if you can’t smell the sarcasm from 10 miles away, well I can’t do nothing for ya. The first film was “based,” and I use that loosely, off a semi-successful video game franchise that set the genre for the “Resident Evils” and “Silent Hills” of the late 90s and beyond. This time we get Rick Yune of The Fast and the Furious fame as our lead man. Can you feel the excitement and tension? If so, you must be duct-taped to a chair with a gun to your head. It’s doubtful this film is bringing those feelings to you.
Supplements: Yet to be announced
One of two films this week to star Miss Keira Knightly, this time in a 30s era love film about love, lies and their consequences. I haven’t seen this one myself, but this is the same director behind Pride & Prejudice so I figure it’s done rather well. I’ve heard a bunch about a long-take shot that’s supposed to be glorious.
Supplements: Deleted Scenes with Commentary By Director Joe Wright, Feature Commentary With Director Joe Wright, Bringing The Past to Life: The Making Of Atonement, From Novel to Screen: Adapting A Classic, From Novel to Screen: Adapting A Classic
The film that started it all, and by all I mean a Broadway musical and a crappy remake, so you take what you get. We probably all know the basis of this story, so why rehash it for no reason? Either way, if you HAVE to see a version of Fame, then check this one out and forget the update Interesting how a film named “Fame” didn’t do that for any of its actors…
Supplements: Class reunion commentary with branching video highlights and featuring director Alan Parker and co-Stars Lee Curreri, Laura Dean, Gene Anthony Ray and Maureen Teefy, Vintage featurette: On Location with Fame, Featurette: Fame Field Trip – visits the school that inspired the movie, Q&A interviews with director F. Gary Gray and producer Patricia Charbonnet, Theatrical trailer, CD Sampler with four songs from the movie soundtrack
As you may have heard, Michael Jackson is dead, so all humor and jokes pointed at him must stop, even though six months ago they were fair game and everyone had a good laugh. Because of this, I cannot add humor of any kind to this synopsis for fear of being shamed. Had Michael not died I might have been inclined to check this concert (that this film is a rehearsal for) out, seeing as how as a kid of the 80s I grew up on MJ’s good music. But such wasn’t to be the case so this is the closest thing that I, and the rest of you, will get.
Supplements: Two making-of documentaries, Eight featurettes, All-new Smooth Criminal vignette, Making Smooth Criminal featurette, All-new Thriller vignette, BD-Live, movieIQ, ‘This Is It’ Interactive Playlist
A few weeks back we gave you notice of the Blu-ray release of director Wim Wenders Criterion release of Wings of Desire. It’s another week and another Criterion release for the man. Paris, Texas is an interesting character study film following a man in the search for his son. Harry Dean Stanton, of Alien fame, and Dean Stockwell, better known as “Al” from Quantum Leap, star as the father looking for his son and his brother who’s raising the son. As opposed to Wings of Desire, this one’s in English, so bonus points for that. As always, expect top notch work on this Blu-ray thanks to Criterion.
Supplements: Audio commentary featuring Wim Wenders, Behind-the-scenes photos by Robin Holland, Theatrical trailer, A booklet featuring an essay by film critic Nick Roddick and interviews with Stanton, writer Sam Shepard, and actors Nastassja Kinski and Dean Stockwell, Interview with Wenders by German journalist Roger Willemsen, Excerpts from the 1990 film Motion and Emotion: The Road to “Paris, Texas”, New interviews with filmmakers Allison Anders and Claire Denis, Cinéma cinémas: “Wim Wenders Hollywood April ‘84”, Deleted scenes and Super 8 home movies, Gallery of Wenders’s location-scouting photos, from his book Written in the West
The Jane Austin classic released in theaters and not that bad of a movie. This is a film I feel most people will be watching with their female significant other. Not always the case is this is an enjoyable enough film that we males won’t feel bad about having graced our vision.
Supplements: Feature Commentary With Director Joe Wright, Conversations With The Cast, Jane Austen: Ahead Of Her Time, A Bennet Family Portrait, HBO First Look: Pride & Prejudice, The Politics Of 18th Century Dating, The Stately Homes Of Pride & Prejudice
Although I’ve grown weary of the Saw series and the torture porn genre in general, I somehow happen to find myself sitting in front of the new annual installment in the Jigsaw-overseen franchise. This is undoubtedly one of the best entries in the series (I’d put it after only 1 and 2), with a somewhat weak visual style, but a great story mired in the very topical health-care industry. If you can stomach it, it’s something worth seeing.
Supplements: Audio Commentary with Producer Mark Burg and Executive Producers Peter Block and Jason Constantine, Audio Commentary with Director Kevin Greutert and Screenwriters Patrick Melton & Marcus Dunstan, “Jigsaw Revealed” featurette, “The Traps of SAW VI” featurette, “A Killer Maze: Making SAW GAME OVER” featurette, Music videos from the bands Mushroomhead, Memphis May Fire, Hatebreed and Suicide Silence, Original theatrical trailer, Lionsgate Live™ * (requires profile 2.0 player), Touch and Metamenu Remote™ enabled
An interesting documentary about the 3-day concert in Zaire leading up to the “Rumble in the Jungle.” For those of you who don’t know this was the boxing match in ‘74 between Ali and George Foreman, it’s probably one of the greatest showings of human will and spirit in the ring. With concert footage of the great B.B. King, and a pre-jail-rape James Brown, this is a disc that I truly want to see.
Supplements: Commentary with director Jeffrey Levy-Hinte and music/festival producer Stewart Levine, Deleted scenes
An underwhelming sci-fi action film from Bruce Willis. Seems to me that it borrowed too much from films that came before it like The Terminator series, The Matrix series, A.I., I Robot and even Wall-E. Jonathan Mostow has done some films that I enjoyed, so I’m a bit surprised that this didn’t go over as well. Not a horrible film, just nothing particularly special.
Supplements: Audio commentary with director Jonathan Mostow, Breaking Benjamin’s “I Will Not Bow” music video, Deleted scenes, A More Perfect You: The Science of Surrogates, Breaking the Frame: A Graphic Novel Comes to Life
Though I’ve yet to see Drew Barrymore’s directorial debut, I remain intrigued by its premise. I do my best to avoid female-empowerment stories, especially when coming at the expense of the male gender, this doesn’t appear to adhere to such criteria. A likeable lead in Ellen Page is a good entry point in what looks to be a fun film.
Supplements: Alternate Opening, Deleted and Extended Scenes, Writers Draft with Shauna Cross. Digital Copy
Another documentary this week. This time an IMAX film about the ocean, its inhabitants and its dependence on us and how we depend on it. In the paraphrased words of Obi-Wan Kenobi from Phantom Menace, “We and the ocean form a symbiotic circle. What happens to one of you will affect the other. You must understand this.” Would like to see how IMAX films hold up on smaller screens. I have to believe a lot of the impact of the visuals will be lost, even on our 46 and 55 inch HDTVs.
Supplements: Interview with the Directors, Kwazulu Natal During the Run, Behind-the-scenes, Recording Wild Ocean, Shooting Wild Ocean, Who, What & Where, Film Trivia Quiz, Trailers
For those of you who love exploitation films, here’s a nice little slasher-type flick from the 70s. With a name like Toolbox Murders, one can only imagine the different methods and devices used as a means of torture for our cinematic enjoyment. Or maybe not. You’ll just have to get it and see.
Supplements: Audio Commentary, Interview, Trailer
A great documentary, but really a historical footage film, done by A&E. Probably the closest thing any of us will ever get to seeing and feeling what it was like to be in World War II. Supposedly over three thousand hours of footage was used as source given the ol’ HD treatment and we’re left with a 2-disc set that’s everything most anyone will ever need to see to experience the magnitude that was The Great War.
Supplements: Yet to be announced
