(If it can be difficult to remember who won the Academy Award for Best Picture, it’s downright mindbending trying to remember everything else it was up against. In An Honor To Be Nominated, I’ll be taking a look back at some of the movies the Oscar didn’t go to and trying to determine if they were robbed, if the Academy got it right, or if they should ever have been nominated in the first place.) [Read on here...]

We’ve got a bunch of stuff to go over today to finish off the week...

First up, though, go see Godzilla this weekend if you get the chance. It’s a pretty good film. It’s not perfect, but director Gareth Edwards definitely gets the Godzilla mystique and he’s crafted an interesting and entertaining film. By the way, when you go, you might also get a look at the new trailer for Christopher Nolan’s forthcoming Interstellar, which I’m cautiously getting excited about.

All right, here at The Bits today, our very own Dr. Adam Jahnke has turned in a fine new JET installment featuring his latest An Honor to Be Nominated, this time looking back at director Robert Altman’s Nashville (1975). Don’t miss it. [Read on here...]

If it can be difficult to remember who won the Academy Award for Best Picture, it’s downright mindbending trying to remember everything else it was up against. In An Honor To Be Nominated, I’ll be taking a look back at some of the movies the Oscar didn’t go to and trying to determine if they were robbed, if the Academy got it right, or if they should ever have been nominated in the first place. [Read on here...]

Even with all the plaudits and platitudes, not enough was written upon the passing of Mickey Rooney. I don’t know, actually, if there could ever be enough.

Lord Laurence Olivier once called Mickey Rooney “the greatest actor of them all,” and Marlon Brando said he was “the best actor in films.” [Read on here…]

All right, we’ve got a nice piece of release news for you guys today, as well as a trio of new Blu-ray reviews for you to enjoy. Let’s have the reviews first…

The good Dr. Jahnke has checked in with his thoughts on a true classic of French New Wave cinema: Jean-Luc Godard’s Breathless, newly re-issued in Dual Disc (Blu-ray and DVD in the same package) by our friends at Criterion.

Also today, I’ve offered up my take on what might be my favorite film of 2013: Alexander Payne’s Nebraska, now available on Blu-ray from Paramount. Having grown up in the Plains States, I can say with some authority that I’ve not seen it so perfectly captured on film since the Coen Brothers’ Fargo. The film is poignant, filled with great character performances, and it’s damn funny too. Nebraska made me laugh hard and often. I hope you enjoy it.  [Read on here…]

All right, we’ve got more great stuff for you here at The Bits today…

First, our own Michael Coate has turned in a new History, Legacy & Showmanship column looking back at The Blue Max, including the film’s original roadshow release and also composer Jerry Goldsmith’s work on the score. This is, of course, in honor of the new Twilight Time Blu-ray release of the film today, as well as La-La Land Records’ excellent new 2-disc soundtrack CD release! Michael even includes an interview with our old friend (and film music historian) Jeff Bond, who wrote a track-by-track analysis of the score for the CD. It’s another great column, so definitely don’t miss it!  [Read on here…]

Happy President’s Day, folks! Otherwise known as the day you may or may not be lucky enough to have off. Whatever your case may be, we’ve got a couple of good things for you today...

First up, Doogan’s Queue for this week is now live in Todd’s Gripe Soda section, running down the week’s Blu-ray and DVD releases. Don’t miss it!

Also today, our own Russell Hammond has posted the weekly Release Dates & Artwork update featuring all the latest Blu-ray and DVD cover art and Amazon.com pre-order links. As always, a portion of anything you order from Amazon after clicking through our links (on the right) goes to help support our work here at The Bits and we really do appreciate it.  [Read on here…]

More good stuff for you today…

First, Dr. Jahnke has posted a BD review of Sony’s The Big Gundown, a great spaghetti western from 1966 directed by Sergio Sollima. Sounds like the disc and its extras are pretty swell too. Don’t miss it.

Also today, our own Michael Coate has posted an update of his History, Legacy & Showmanship column from back on November – It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Retrospective – with a great roundtable interview from some of the folks involved in the film’s restoration and Criterion’s fine new Blu-ray release, including Karen Stetler, the Criterion Blu-ray Disc producer; Robert A. Harris, the restoration/reconstruction producer; Karen Sharpe-Kramer, the widow of producer-director Stanley Kramer; and the team that recorded the audio commentary track: Mark Evanier, Michael Schlesinger, and Paul Scrabo. It’s a great read, so I highly recommend that you give it a look. [Read on here…]

Morning, folks!  Hope you guys are all enjoying your holiday break.  We’ve actually got some Blu-ray announcement news for you today...

First up, Twilight Time has announced the limited Blu-ray release of Zulu (1964), Khartoum (1966), Titus (1999) and Man in the Dark 3D (1953) – 3,000 copies each will be available.  They’ve also revealed that less than 600 copies each remain of Enemy Mine (1985) and Stagecoach (1966).  SRP for these BDs is $29.95 each.  Head to Screen Archives Entertainment to get your copies.  [Read on here…]

I’m back after an unexpected day’s absence there.  I’ve been fighting a flu for the last few days and you know how that goes.  It just caught up with me yesterday.  Luckily, a day’s worth of sleep worked wonders.

To start off today, we’ve got a couple new Blu-ray reviews from Tim Salmons: Criterion’s Eyes Without a Face and La Cage aux Folles.  Methinks, somebody took advantage of Barnes & Noble’s 50% off sale.  LOL!  [Read on here…]