Blogcritics The critical lens on today's culture & entertainment
This column took a break last week as yours truly spent a few days in Las Vegas helping to represent Blogcritics at the first ever BlogWorld and New Media Expo. Instead of doing a re-cap of the releases here, I'll refer you to Chris Beaumont's column. He liked Ratatouille, which is in my Netflix queue as we speak. Overall, last week seemed to have more to offer than the current crop.
I was hoping that this week might yield at least a release date for season three of Battlestar Galactica, but there's still no news on that front. I'd like to ask Santa to put that set under my tree this year, and with Thanksgiving right around the corner, a release date isn't really too much to ask for, is it?
Of the recent theatrical releases making their way to DVD this week, Shrek the Third and Ocean's Thirteen are the most notable. I've seen neither of these in the theater — I liked the first Shrek just fine, but never saw a need for a sequel or two. Ocean's Thirteen might be worth a rental, though; I do like George Clooney, and a well-done caper film is usually entertaining, so I think this one rates at least a rental.
In a nod to the upcoming holiday, Paramount Home Video has released a two-disc collector's edition of the perennial Frank Capra favorite, It's A Wonderful Life. Given that the only addition here is a colorized version of the film (blasphemy!), you can probably spend your money on something else if you already own a copy of this film. If you don't already have a copy, I highly recommend watching it the way Capra shot it — in black and white.
Speaking of perennial favorites, this week also brings the release of a 20th anniversary edition of The Princess Bride, one of the most watchable, quotable, and entertaining films ever made. I realize this is the fourth release for this one (I've got one of them myself), and I'm not sure if the extras are different enough to warrant a re-purchase, but if you inexplicably don't already own this one, what are you waiting for?
If more challenging fare is to your liking, The Criterion Collection has released a seven-disk, restored edition of Rainer Werner Fassbinder's 15-hour work, Berlin Alexanderplatz. Based on a German novel by Alfred Doblin, the work was originally produced as a mini-series for German television in 1980. The set includes, among other things, a new high-definition digital transfer from a 2006 restoration, several documentaries, and improved English subtitles. A pricey set, this would make a nice gift for the serious film student on your list.
I've never seen so much as an episode of Gilmore Girls, but I do know that the show has its fans. If you're among them, you'll be glad to know that Gilmore Girls: The Complete Series is now available for your living room viewing. In much the same way that the first two seasons of Battlestar Galactica are available. But season three? Not so much…
Here's the long list. Take a look and see what I might have left out:
2 Hitmen – (2006)
Absolute Wilson – (2006)
Addams Family, The – Complete Series
Adventures of Swiss Family Robinson 2 Pack (2pc) – (1998)
Africa: The Serengeti (IMAX) [Blu-ray] – (1994)
Alaska: Spirit of the Wild (IMAX) [Blu-ray] – (1997)
Amazing Grace – (2006)
America: The War Years 1943-1945 from Tunis to Tokyo – (2007)
An Angel Named Billy – (2007)
Antarctica: An Adventure of a Different Nature (IMAX) [Blu-ray] – (1991)
Australia: Land Beyond Time (IMAX) [Blu-ray] – (2002)
Avenging Angel – (2007)
Backfire – (1987)
Berlin Alexanderplatz – Criterion Collection – (1983)
Best of the Funniest Moments of Comedy (3pc) – (2007)
Beyond Elvis' Memphis – (2007)
Black Books: The Complete 3rd Series – (2001)
Black Emanuelle's Box, Vol. 2 (1976-1978) – (2007)
Black Mass – (2007)
Blade of the Phantom Master: Shin Angyo Onshi
Bloodhounds of Broadway – (1952)
Blue's Clues: Blue's Room: World Travelers – (2007)
Britten – Turn of the Screw – (2007)
Cannibal Man – (1973)
Cannibals – (1979)
Christmas in Rome – (1993)
Christmas Time In South Park
CIA: Exiled – (1993)
Close Encounters of the Third Kind (30th Anniversary Ultimate Edition) – (1977)
Club Eutanasia – (2004)
Creature from the Hillbilly Lagoon – (2005)
Cut Sleeve Boys – (2005)
Cyberpunk Collection
Da Vinci's Inquest – Season 2 – (1998)
Dark Water Rising – (2007)
Day One – (1989)
Dead Lenny – (2006)
Dear Pillow – (2004)
Deceit – (2006)
Driftwood – (2006)
Final Assignment – (1980)
Flywheel (Director's Cut) – (2003)
Fox Legend – (1991)
Frog Song – (2005)
From the Beginning to the End, Vol. 2 – (2007)
Future of Food, The – (2004)
Ghost Rider (Extended Cut) – (2007)
Gilmore Girls – The Complete Series Collection – (2007)
Gilmore Girls – The Complete Seventh Season – (2006)
Girl Next Door, The – (1953)
Glue (Sub Dol) – (2006)
Golden Boy, The – (1939)
Holiday Hypnosis – (2005)
Hollywood War: Pearl Harbor – (2007)
Hollywood War: War in the Pacific – (2007)
Hoodz: Death Around the Corner – (2007)
Horror Rises from the Tomb – (1972)
I'm from Hollywood – (2007)
In a Day – (2006)
Innocence – (2004)
It's A Wonderful Life (Two-Disc Collector's Set) – (1947)
Jerome Bixby's The Man from Earth – (2007)
Jesus: The Lost Years – (2007)
Johnny Cash Christmas 1976 – (2007)
Johnny Cash Christmas 1977 – (2007)
La Vie en Rose – (2007)
Last Sentinel, The – (2007)
Le Grand Meaulnes – (2006)
Legend of Seven Monks (Full Sub) – (2006)
Littles, The – Complete Series – (1984)
Loreley's Grasp, The – (1973)
Masters of Horror: Dream Cruise – (2007)
Masters of Horror: Season 1, Vol. 3 [Blu-ray]Mat Mashers – (2007)
Melrose Place – The Third Season – (1992)
Miami Vice: The Complete Series
Midnight Movies – (2005)
Mobile Warfare – Modern Land Warfare – (2007)
Mountain Of The Cannibal God – (1979)
Naruto the Movie: Ninja Clash in the Land of Snow – Deluxe Edition – (2004)
Nature: Chimpanzees – An Unnatural History – (2007)
Nature: Defenders of the Wild (6pc) – (2007)
Nature: Great Hunters (6pc) – (2007)
Nature: Raptor Force – (2007)
New Adventures of Black Beauty – (1990)
Newsreel History Of The Third Reich- Volume 12, A – (2007)
No Request – (2007)
Northern Exposure – The Complete Series
Nude Vampire, The – (1969)
Ocean's Thirteen
Ocean's Trilogy – (2004)
Panzers, The – (2007)
Paris, Je T'Aime (Two Disc Limited Collector's Edition) – (2006)
Perry Mason: The Second Season Vol 2
Pokémon – Season 1 Part 2 – (2007)
Prarie Home Companion Duets
Premonition, The – (2006)
Pride & Prejudice (Deluxe Two-Disc DVD Gift Set) – (2005)
Prime Cut – (2007)
Princess Bride, The (20th Anniversary Edition) – (1987)
Prison Break – Season 1 [Blu-Ray] – (2005)
Puro Duranguense, Vol. 2 – (2007)
Rebellion of Thought – (2007)
Redneck Kings of Comedy – (2007)
Respect Yourself-Stax Records Story
Revenge Of Teenage Vixens From Outer Space, The – (1986)
Rise of the Dead – (2007)
Samurai 7 : Broken Alliance v.6 – Viridian Collection
Samurai 7: Empire in Flux v.5 – Viridian Collection
Satanic Sluts – (2007)
Secrets of Jaime Maussan – (2007)
Sexploiters (1965), The – (1968)
Shrek the Third – (2007)
Shrek Trilogy (Shrek / Shrek 2 / Shrek the Third), The – (2001)
Shura No Toki – (2004)
Silent Blood Night
Simon Boccanegra – (1991)
Simoun – Vol. 1 – Choir of Pairs – (2007)
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight – (1973)
Smetana – The Bartered Bride – (2007)
Somebody Help Me – (2007)
Sonic X: New World Saga
Spongebob Squarepants – Spongebob's Atlantis SquarePantis
Stargate Atlantis – The Complete Seasons 1 – 3
Tale of Two Cities, A – (1980)
TaleSpin, Volume 2 – (1990)
Tennis, Anyone? – (2005)
Things That Hang from Trees – (2006)
This is England – (2006)
Tony Bennett: The Music Never Ends (Two-Disc Special Edition) – (2007)
Ugly Duckling and Me – Yard Party, The – (2005)
Ultimate Force – (2006)
Up the Shambles – (2007)
Urban Justice – (2007)
Waiting for the Man – (1997)
Welcome to the Grindhouse (Las Vegas Lady / Policewomen)
Welcome to the Grindhouse (Superchick / Hustler Squad)
Welcome To the Jungle – (2003)
White Rainbow – (2004)
Wing and a Prayer, A – (2003)
With a Song in My Heart – The Jane Froman Story – (1952)
Wonderful Christmas, A – (2006)
Zorro: Return to the Future – (2007)
