This was a light week for DVDs so I imagine it is a historically weak sales date or someone would have challenged for your spending cash. The scant choices also made picking a DVD of the week really hard.
Pick of the Week
Akira (Blu-ray)
I don’t always point out the Blu-Ray back catalog releases, but I think all self respecting nerds should own this film, and now rich nerds with Bluray players can join the club. And you know I am stretching for a pick of the week when I chose something I can’t even buy myself.
Haunting of Molly Hartley
Have you ever seen a movie that keeps building up to this colossal moment, the moment when the whole movie will come together in a wonderful series of climactic fury? Well this movie builds and builds until it ends, and nothing significant happens…ever. In fact I counted one single legitimate scary moment in the whole film. Avoid at all costs.
The Librarian: Curse of the Judas Chalice
Noah Wyle returns with another family fun Indiana Jones knock off. This is the third in the series following Quest for the Spear and Return to King Solomon’s Mines. After the tragedy that was Indiana Jones 4 maybe this series will find more room to breathe in the genre next to the National Treasure series.
What Just Happened?
Robert DeNiro may have actually been in a good movie this decade. I have heard a range of reviews on the movie but the “Behind the Lines” view of filmmaking these types of movies feature are always interesting to me (example: The Player). The added bonus is having actors like Sean Penn and Bruce Willis ham it up by playing themselves in fictional movies within the movie.
Sex Drive
This is apparently a parody of coming of age comedies like Superbad and American Pie. The trailer seemed hit or miss, but I hear Seth Green steals every scene he is in. I will watch this one eventually if only for Seth Green.
Futurama: Into the Wild Green Yonder
The fourth and possibly final film wraps up the show and once combined with the previous 3 films becomes the loose 5th season. If you are a big Futurama fan I recommend buying this to encourage them to continue making more films.
TV and Reissues
The Last House on the Left
This Wes Craven horror classic is brought back into print on DVD. This is one of the most disturbing movies ever made and should be seen by all horror aficionados.
Ironweed
This is another half forgotten movie finally making its DVD appearance but despite the star power including Jack Nicholson and Meryl Streep (who both got Oscar nominations) they didn’t put together any features for the DVD.
Charlie Chaplin Collector’s Tin Set
Chaplin’s films are available in multiple sets since they are old enough to be in the public domain, so for twelve bucks you can get nine classic Chaplin films on 2 discs with no features. The highlights in this set being The Kid, The Champion, and The Tramp.
Summer Heights High
This is all eight episodes of the Australian comedy that was featured on HBO. It is supposedly cut from the same comedy cloth as other awkward humor shows like The Office, but I want to hear more buzz about it before it jumps unto my radar.
Breaking Bad – The Complete First Season
I have heard a lot of good things about this show, but these short TV seasons always seem to be too expensive to me. This will then go directly to my Netflix queue.