We get a huge slate of releases this week and I would have been happy enough with just the finale to Battlestar Gallactica.
Pick of the Week
Battlestar Galactica: Season 4.5
The bittersweet ending of the best show on TV is now available on DVD and thankfully it comes with a slew of new features to console me in this time of remorse. The episodes come with two commentaries, one from Ronald Moore that he released online while the show was airing and another with his cohort David Eick and many with Edward James Olmos for the DVD release. The set also includes multiple features covering the arc of the show and its conclusion, and a feature with Bear McCreary the composer of the show’s score, which was good enough that I will probably be buying a CD of his work on the show.
Also, The Complete Series is available in a collectible Cylon Head case and includes all the seasons, the opening mini-series, and the film Razor. This is also available in Blu-ray, which wasn’t a release format until now, so you can catch up in HD.
Fast & Furious (Two-Disc Special Edition)
The original four lead actors return to the franchise that almost lifted them to superstardom. It features all the car chase action that you expect and the DVDs include all the prerequisite car and stunt featurettes that you could want. If you grab the Two-Disc edition or the Blu-ray as they come with a Digital Copy.
Miss March
A raunchy sex comedy from the Whitest Kids U’Know sketch comedy group which I review in greater detail here.
Dragonball: Evolution
Justin Chatwin, who played the annoying son in War of the Worlds, was cast in the surprisingly non-Asian role of Goku in Dragonball: Evolution. The film was supposed to cash in on the show’s popularity and make some sick money, and to be safe they cast martial arts great ChowYun-Fat as Master Roshi and cult hero James Marsters as the villain Lord Piccolo. Instead, they got a huge bomb that releases quietly today on DVD. Apparently, they fear it may have been due to the deletion of the letter Z in the title so you will note that the DVD is called the “Z” edition so there is no misunderstanding. The Blu-ray alone comes with a Digital Copy if you were planning to pick it up.
Angel of Death
Zoe Bell made a name for herself as the stunt woman for Uma Thurman in Kill Bill and Lucy Lawless in Xena Warrior Princess and after Quentin Tarantino started casting her in his films she has been getting some juicy action roles of her own. This film follows a tired path of a Hitman gone soft who decides to turn “good” but with excellent stunt work and some solid supporting actors including her old doppelganger Lucy Lawless this might be a fun ride on DVD.
Streets of Blood
Val Kilmer and Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson star as two cops who go rogue to keep gang activity at bay with an emphasis on shotgun justice. I have a weakness for Kilmer, who is getting weirder by the day, but the inclusion of 50 Cent and an over-acting Sharon Stone will likely keep me at bay just as effectively as a shotgun.
Bart Got a Room
A quirky indie comedy about a nerdy kid who books a hotel room for prom night, but can’t quite secure a girl to go with him. The movie would likely be a miss without comedy heavyweights Cheryl Hines and William H. Macy playing his recently divorced squabbling parents.
Green Lantern: First Flight (Two-Disc Special Edition)
This animated feature covers the origins of Hal Jordan’s Green Lantern as he is trained and then betrayed by Sinestro (did you not see someone named Sinestro betraying you in advance?). The Two-Disc edition comes with some nice features on the lore of the character from famed writer Geoff Johns and even includes an episode of Duck Dodgers titled “The Green Loontern” along with a Digital Copy of the film.
The Union: The Business Behind Getting High
This pot documentary was well received on the festival circuit and while it might not be as funny as Super High Me from Doug Benson it will probably be a lot more informative. The questions around the legalization of pot are rising as states like California are beginning to look at it as a possible savior to their economic woes, so this doc might be hitting at just the right time.
TV and Reissues
Bad Lieutenant: Special Edition
Harvey Keitel’s stunning turn as a crooked cop in Bad Lieutenant is one of the highlights of his storied career, so I am really excited to be able to grab up a nice special edition of the film with a few new features including a Director’s Commentary and a retrospective documentary with exclusive interview footage.
Dollhouse: Season One
The Joss Whedon show remains on life support and has been renewed for a thirteen episode run this fall. This DVD set comes with all the first season episodes including the original pilot which was scrapped and wasn’t aired and five featurettes. The big attraction is the inclusion of the thirteenth, unaired episode, “Epitaph One.” I am a huge Whedon fan and I could barely watch this show, however it did get stronger toward the end of the first season and like a dog to its own vomit I will be returning this fall with high hopes.
Doctor Who: Planet of the Dead
One of the last specials to feature David Tennant as the Doctor makes it’s way to DVD and also marks the first Doctor Who Blu-ray release.
Torchwood: Children of Earth
The sister show of the BBC’s Doctor Who had a 5 part mini-series for a third season which was titled “Children of Earth.” If you like Doctor Who and would enjoy an upgrade in general adult content this show which airs later in the night is for you. This show also gets a Blu-ray release.
This Is Spinal Tap (Blu-ray)
Rock your Blu-Ray to 11, one of the greatest comedies of all time is being released for your High Def enjoyment.
Spectacular Spider-Man: Complete First Season
This youth oriented incarnation of the Spider-Man series is set in his High School years and airs on either Kids WB or Disney depending on where you live. It is a good series for introducing kids to the Marvel hero.
Jim Breuer: Let’s Clear the Air
The Half Baked star returns to Stand-Up with a special that should be airing on Comedy Central. However, he tells a few stories in the set that were not conducive to commercial breaks so I recommend the DVD for Breuer fans in order to get the whole unedited show.
Richard Pryor: Live & Smokin’
Richard Pryor’s 1971 special cleaned up for DVD to join his other classic specials like Live on the Sunset Strip and Here and Now.
Life On Mars: Series 1
The original and more successful version of Life on Mars from the UK makes its way stateside. I may check it out because I was really enjoying the US version until it was cancelled.
Knight Rider – Season One
This is the first season of the remade Knight Rider and not the camp classic starring David Hasselhoff. It was not picked up for a second season and was shortened to seventeen episodes prior to cancellation, so this is effectively the Complete Series. The set includes a few features on the update especially the Ford sponsored touch up done to KITT.