Remember how I had trouble getting inspired to pick up one of last weeks new Blu-ray releases? Well, let me tell you, that’s so far from being an issue this week. There’s actually just way, way too many quality discs coming out over the next few days, from a couple of new Criterion releases, an Oscar winner and the biggest box office blockbuster of 2009. This is a going to hurt my wallet something fierce.
1. AVATAR
Yes, ladies and gentlemen, the King of the Box-office world has another hit on his hands and its this weeks number one Blu-ray! But before you get too excited and rush out to your local video shop to grab up a copy of Avatar on Blu today, remember that its release date is actually a couple of days from now, Earth Day, April 22. The disc itself is a bare-bones affair, sporting only the film in 1080p on the Blu-ray and standard-def on DVD, with nary an extra in sight. You’ll have to wait until November for the full featured, multi-disc, bonus feature-replete edition of the film, if that’s the kind of thing you prefer. Still, though this isn’t a perfect release, the amount of heat surrounding it assures it the number one slot this week.
2. Two From Criterion: VIVRE SA VIE, SUMMER HOURS
The only reason that these two new releases from Criterion aren’t in the number one slot is because Avatar looks to be the biggest film of all time. But rest assured, both easily trump the 3D other-world epic in terms of over-all quality. The two films have little in common, aside from country of origin. Both are French films, but Vivre sa Vie is a classic Godard film from 1962 while Summer Hours is a contemporary effort from director Olivier Assayas, released in 2008. Buy the Godard for the incredible visual design and the lovely Anna Karina. Buy Summer Hours for its honest, naturalistic style and the wonderful, beautiful Juliette Binoche.
3. CRAZY HEART
I still haven’t seen Crazy Heart but god damn do I love me some Jeff Bridges. He won the ‘Best Actor’ Oscar for his performance here. The film also won ‘Best Original Song’ for ‘The Weary Kind’. Those seem like two pretty good reasons to give this disc a shot.
At one point dubbed ‘The Greatest Film of All Time’, Battleship Potemkin is a silent gem, crafted by genius filmmaker Sergei Eisenstein. While its been in the public domain for quite some time, this Blu-ray release comes to us from Kino International, who have already delivered an exemplary example of what Blu-ray can do for films that are nearing the century mark (Keaton‘s The General) and will continue to do so when they release a Blu-ray edition of the new restoration of Fritz Lang‘s Metropolis later on this year.
I wasn’t a huge fan of Steven Spielberg‘s Minority Report when I saw it in theatres, lo, those many years ago. But you know what? This new Blu-ray has made a convert out of me. I’m not sure if its the film itself or absolutely pitch-perfect transfer and encode that made me really enjoy it this time around but I found that I was eating up every moment of the film. The production design, music, photography – everything here is so wonderful and well thought out. And looks as good as it ever will on this incredible Blu-ray. On any other week, this release would probably have garnered the number one slot. Highly recommended!
Worth a look: THE YOUNG VICTORIA
Worth a look: THE LOVELY BONES
ALSO AVAILABLE ON BLU-RAY THIS WEEK
Clicking an image will take you to Amazon.com where you can learn more about and purchase the Blu-ray disc:
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