New Releases (Across the Board):
Adventures of the Penguin King 3D – Tim Allen narrates this documentary about king penguins on the Antarctic island of South Georgia.
Blue is the Warmest Color – Criterion unloads a major pile of releases this week, and first up is this French 2013 Cannes film Palme d’Or winner based on Julie Maroh’s graphic novel. Major talking points followed this film through the Internet last year, focusing mainly on director Abdellatif Kechiche’s unrealistic take on cinematic lesbian sex. Because of that, the film features an NC-17 rating.
Bullet – Danny Trejo stars as a tough as nails cop who lets his gun (and not his machete) do the talking as he goes head to head with Jonathan Banks. Looks neat enough and it comes with the produced by Robert Rodriguez seal of approval.
Gravity – If you don’t know what this is, hand in your Digital Bits access card and leave. Sandy B. stars as an astronaut stranded in space. Comes in two flavors: 3D Blu + Blu + DVD + UV and Blu + DVD + UV.
Ice Soldiers – Dominic Purcell stars as a scientist hunting the ice lands for frozen Russian super soldiers with a secret splash of Nazi!
Jamesy Boy – This one just screams cliché, but I haven’t seen it; it can’t be a good sign that this was officially theatrically released a month ago. The film follows a young man in and out of the prison system who meets a bad mamba jamba who sets him straight. Weeeeee – based on a true story!
Mr. Nobody: Director’s Cut – Jared Leto stars in this fractured futuristic love story about an old man recounting his life and all the parallel journeys tied to his decisions. This is the full extended cut, and the first time it’s seeing release in America.
Narco Cultura – Photographer turned filmmaker Shaul Schwarz takes a look at the Latin American narco-traffickers, their rising rock star status and the cartels that support them.
Nebraska – Alexander Payne’s multi-Academy Award nominated film about sons, fathers and mail scams.
Thor: The Dark World – Marvel keeps ‘em coming. This one is good, but would have been better with Beta Ray Bill.
Twice Born – Emile Hirsch and Penelope Cruz star in this love story set during the Bosnian War.
Blu-ray Library Reissues:
Breathless / King of the Hill / Tess – Think about this for a second: one company is releasing gorgeous Blu-rays of three incredible films by three incredible filmmakers (Godard, Soderberg and Polanski) all coming on the same day. Damn you and your hatred of my wallet Criterion.
The Shadow: Collector’s Edition – I always enjoyed this stupid movie – and finally, it’s on Blu-ray in a format other than full frame.
TV On DVD (& Blu-ray):
Adventure Time: The Complete Third Season – Finn, Jake and all their friends’ third season adventure come to Blu-ray and DVD – all 26 episodes and a boatload on special features in a case that looks like BEEMO. Nice.
L.A. Law: Season One (DVD) – Steven Bochco’s award-winning series starts to come to DVD.
Legit: The Complete First Season – Jim Jeffries is a funny guy, and his show is not too bad. Hopefully it’ll grow more in the second season. Just wish it wasn’t on FXX.
The Middle: Season 4 (DVD) – Fans of this quirky comedy should be happy; though I’d be upset it’s not on Blu-ray – what’s with that WB?
The Secret Policeman’s Ball (2012) – The comedy and musical extravaganza benefiting Amnesty International and filmed at New York City’s Radio City Music Hall on March 4, 2012 comes out this week. Features performances and appearance by pretty much every funny person ever including Monty Python, Ben Stiller and Beavis & Butthead.
Joins us back here next week and I’ll let you know that 12 Years A Slave, Cold Comes the Night, a Dr. Who special, The Grandmaster, Hours, Spike Lee’s Oldboy and Hunger Games: Catching Fire are come out. Or not – your call.
Either way, keep spinning those discs…
– Todd Doogan