We all knew this was coming. We all knew Criterion was going to hit us with a killer line-up of titles this November, in preparation for the holiday sales blitz. And we were pretty sure from all the hints they’ve been dropping the past few weeks that Krzysztof Kieślowski‘s brilliant, moving Three Colors (or Colours, as we prefer here in Canada) Trilogy would be on the docket. So here it is, come to pass, this whopper of a Blu-ray announcement which is comprised of not one but two amazing 3-disc boxed sets due to drain my bank account in a couple of months time.

Speaking of Bergman’s Fanny and Alexander, the other multi-disc behemoth in the bunch, this reminds me that it’s definitely time to revist my now super-extra-outdated list of Top 10 Criterion DVDs that deserve a Blu-ray upgrade. You’ll note that this announcement has taken care of numbers 5 and 2 from the list, leaving scant few titles remaining as DVD only. Fanny and Alexander and Wes Anderson‘s Rushmore are truly gorgeous films and we’re incredibly lucky to be able to see and own them in what will no doubt be reference quality high-def transfers from Criterion. Now don’t you think it’s just about time for them to serve us up a heaping helping of The Last Temptation of Christ and Brazil on Blu? Huh? I’m so damn greedy…

I should also add that I’m a little taken aback by the inclusion of Sidney Lumet‘s 12 Angry Men in the announcement. This is unexpected but amazing news not only on its own merit, being picked up for the collection, but for the inclusion of the Schaffner “Studio One” TV version of the story on the disc. I love Lumet but Schaffner’s my boy. His Planet of the Apes, Patton and Papillon are still favourites. All right, so are Lumet’s Dog Day Afternoon and Network but don’t get me started on my issues with Serpico. Just don’t do it!!

Rounding out the new announcements, Criterion is reissuing Jean Renoir‘s classic The Rules of the Game. I don’t see any differences in their listing of special features on the disc yet but the fact that this bad boy has new cover art and is being published alongside a re-issued, lower priced DVD hints that there’s got to be some difference. Time will tell…

THREE COLORS TRILOGY
(November 15, 2011 – MSRP $79.95)
Video: 1.85:1 1080p
Audio: DTS-HD Master Audio

Special Features:

• New high-definition digital restorations with DTS-HD Master Audio
• Three cinema lessons with director Krzysztof Kieślowski
• New interviews with composer Zbigniew Preisner; writer Krzysztof Piesiewicz; and actors Julie Delpy, Zbigniew Zamachowski, and Irène Jacob
• Selected-scene commentary for Blue with actress Juliette Binoche
• Three new video essays, by film writers Annette Insdorf, Tony Rayns, and Dennis Lim
• Kieślowski’s student short The Tram (1966) and his fellow student’s short from the same year The Face, which features Kieślowski in a solo performance
• Two short documentaries by Kieślowski: Seven Women of Different Ages (1978) and Talking Heads (1980)
• Krzysztof Kieślowski: I’m So-So . . . (1995), a feature-length documentary in which the filmmaker discusses his life and work
• Two multi-interview programs, Reflections on “Blue” and Kieślowski: The Early Years, with film critic Geoff Andrew, Binoche, filmmaker Agnieszka Holland, cinematographer Sławomir Idziak, Insdorf, Jacob, and editor Jacques Witta
• Interviews with producer Marin Karmitz and Witta
• Behind-the-scenes programs for White and Red, and Kieślowski Cannes 1994, a short documentary on Red’s world premiere
• Original theatrical trailers
• New and improved English subtitle translations
• PLUS: A booklet featuring essays by critics Colin MacCabe, Nick James, Stuart Klawans, and Georgina Evans, an excerpt from Kieślowski on Kieślowski, and reprinted interviews with cinematographers Sławomir Idziak, Edward Klosinski, and Piotr Sobocinski

FANNY AND ALEXANDER
(November 8, 2011 – MSRP $59.95)
Video: 1.66:1/1.33:1 1080p
Audio: TBA

Special Features:

• High-definition digital restorations of the television and theatrical versions of Fanny and Alexander
• High-definition digital restoration of Ingmar Bergman’s feature-length documentary The Making of “Fanny and Alexander”
• Ingmar Bergman Bids Farewell to Film, a sixty-minute conversation between Bergman and film critic Nils Petter Sundgren recorded for Swedish television in 1984
• Audio commentary on the theatrical version by film scholar Peter Cowie
• A Bergman Tapestry, a documentary featuring interviews with cast and crew
• Costume sketches and footage of the models for the film’s sets
• Stills gallery
• Theatrical trailer
• Optional English-dubbed soundtrack for the theatrical version
• PLUS: A booklet featuring essays by documentarian and film historian Stig Björkman, novelist Rick Moody, and film scholar Paul Arthur

12 ANGRY MEN
(November 22, 2011 – MSRP $39.95)
Video: 1.66:1 1080p
Audio: uncom­pressed monaural

Special Features:

• New high-definition digital restoration with uncom­pressed monaural soundtrack
• Frank Schaffner’s 1955 television version, with an introduction by Ron Simon, director of the Paley Center for Media Studies
• “Twelve Angry Men”: From Television to the Big Screen, a video essay by film scholar Vance Kapley comparing the Sidney Lumet and Schaffner versions
• Archival interviews with Lumet
• New interview about the director with writer Walter Bernstein
• New interview with Simon about television writer Reginald Rose
• New interview with cinematographer John Bailey in which he discusses cinematographer Boris Kaufman
• Tragedy in a Temporary Town (1956), a teleplay directed by Lumet and written by Rose
• Original theatrical trailer
• PLUS: A booklet featuring an essay by writer and law professor Thane Rosenbaum

THE RULES OF THE GAME
(November 15, 2011 – MSRP $39.95)
Video: 1.33:1 1080p
Audio: uncom­pressed monaural

Special Features:

• Restored high-definition digital transfer
• Introduction to the film by Jean Renoir
• Audio commentary written by film scholar Alexander Sesonske and read by filmmaker Peter Bogdanovich
• Version comparison: side-by-side analysis of the film’s two endings, and an illustrated study of Renoir’s shooting script
• Selected-scene analysis by Renoir historian Christopher Faulkner
• Excerpts from Jean Renoir, le patron: La Règle et l’exception (1966), a French television program directed by Jacques Rivette
• Part one of Jean Renoir, a two-part 1993 BBC documentary by David Thompson
• Video essay about the film’s production, release, and later reconstruction
• Jean Gaborit and Jacques Durand discuss their reconstruction and rerelease of the film
• Interviews with Renoir’s son and assistant cameraman Alain Renoir, set designer Max Douy, and actress Mila Parély
• Written tributes to the film and Renoir by J. Hoberman, Kent Jones,Paul Schrader, Wim Wenders and others
• Improved English subtitle translation
• Plus: A booklet featuring writings by Sesonske, Renoir, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Bertrand Tavernier, and François Truffaut

RUSHMORE
(November 22, 2011 – MSRP $39.95)
Video: 2.35:1 1080p
Audio: TBA

Special Features:

• New high-definition digital transfer of the director’s cut supervised by director Wes Anderson
• Audio commentary by Anderson, cowriter Owen Wilson, and actor Jason Schwartzman
• The Making of “Rushmore,” an exclusive behind-the-scenes documentary by Eric Chase Anderson
• Max Fischer Players Present: Theatrical “adaptations” of Armageddon, Out of Sight, and The Truman Show, staged for the 1999 MTV Movie Awards
• Episode of The Charlie Rose Show featuring Anderson and actor Bill Murray
• Cast audition footage
• Wes Anderson’s hand-drawn storyboards, plus a film-to-storyboard comparison
• Props, posters, behind-the-scenes photos, and other graphic ephemera
• Original theatrical trailer
• Collectible poster
• PLUS: A booklet featuring an essay by film critic Dave Kehr

Related posts

• Top New Blu-ray releases for the Week of November 15 (0)
• Top 5 New Blu-ray releases for the Week of October 12 (1)
• Top New Blu-ray releases for the Week of November 22 (0)
• Top 10 New Blu-ray releases for the Week of February 1 (1)
• The Criterion Collection: The Double Life of Véronique Blu-ray Disc Review (1)

I probably could’ve finished this Top 5 list on time yesterday, but for some reason I had a hell of a time deciding which disc should end up in the number one slot this week! I know, that’s a ridiculous reason to hold an article but… well, you’re right. That wasn’t the only hold up. I also had a long day in the office that kept me from it. Never a dull moment in the world of journalism.

So, here it is now, this week’s Top 5 list, a day late but hopefully still useful to you in deciding which Blu-ray discs to pick up this week. As always, clicking the Blu-ray package art will zip you over to Amazon where every purchase make through our links helps this site stay on its feet. We appreciate every single click and thank you again for continuing to read The Blu-ray Blog.

1. GET LOW

“Academy Award winner Robert Duvall (1983, Best Actor, Tender Mercies) is Felix Bush, the “Hermit of Caleb County,” a man so haunted by his secrets that he has lived in quiet desolation in the Tennessee backwoods for over 40 years. Realizing that he is near his own mortality, Bush decides to have a “living funeral party,” inviting people to tell their stories about him. Enlisting the help of Frank Quinn (Golden Globe winner Bill Murray, 2004, Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, Lost in Translation) and Buddy Robinson (Lucas Black, Legion), Bush goes through a process of self-discovery, allowing him to deal with his past secrets, including ones involving old flame (and new widow) Mattie (Academy Award® winner Sissy Spacek, 1980, Best Actress, Coal Miner’s Daughter). ”

Get Low really came out of nowhere for me. Until seeing a trailer for the film on an earlier Sony Blu-ray disc, I had no idea it existed. It’s the feature film debut of director Aaron Schneider, who previously won an Academy Award for his 2003 short film Two Soldiers, and it’s one hell of an effort. For starters, this thing looks gorgeous. And I guess it should, seeing as how Schneider comes from a background of cinematography. Add to that a brilliant, nuanced script (apparently based on a true story) and a cast that’s beyond reproach and you’ve got a real winner on your hands. One of the best films I’ve seen in ages. And a film that will probably float under the radar, eclipsed by more high-profile releases. What a shame.

Sony affords Get Low a damn-near perfect Blu-ray presentation with rich colours, deep blacks and tons of detail. I can’t get over how beautiful this Blu-ray is. And it sounds just as nice, with a clean, crisp DTS- HD Master Audio 5.1 track that won’t rattle the china but provide a pleasant, well-defined sound stage.

Highly recommended!

SPECIAL FEATURES:

• Commentary with Robert Duvall, Sissy Spacek, Director Aaron Schneider & Producer Dean Zanuck
• The Deep South: Buried Secrets
• Getting Low: Getting Into Character
• A Screenwriter’s Point of View
• Cast & Crew Q&A
• On the Red Carpet

AMAZON: $24.99

2. 3 from Criterion: FISH TANK, SENSO, SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS

Yeah. Three new Criterion Blu-ray discs in one day. What more is there to say? You’re about to break your bank account.

Fish Tank is a modern masterpiece by British director Andrea Arnold (contender for the number one slot this week) and one of the finer films to be released on Blu-ray so far this year. Senso is far from Visconti‘s best film but you’ll want to take in the luscious visuals via this lush Blu-ray transfer. And Sweet Smell of Success is awash in neon-noir city landscapes, painted with biting, smart dialogue from Burt Lancaster and Tony Curtis, looking better than ever on Blu.

All three are highly recommended.

READ MORE: Criterion announces February Blu-ray titles: Senso, Sweet Smell of Success, Fish Tank, Still Walking, Amarcord, The Double Life of Véronique

AMAZON: $24.99 each

3. ALL -TAR SUPERMAN

“Fueled by hatred and jealousy, Lex Luthor masterminds an elaborate plot to kill the Man of Steel – and it works. Poisoned by solar radiation, Superman is dying. With weeks to live, he fulfills his life’s dreams – especially revealing his true identity to Lois Lane – until Luthor proclaims his ultimate plan to control the world with no alien hero to stop him. Powers fading, Superman engages in a spectacular deadly battle with Luthor that could truly trigger the end of Earth’s Greatest Protector. This startling and gripping DC Universe Animated Original Movie stars the voice talents of James Denton, Anthony LaPaglia, Christina Hendricks and Ed Asner.”

I’ll have a full review of this disc up shortly. In short, if you’re a fan of Superman or DC Comics superheroes or animation in general you owe it to yourself to pick up a copy of All-Star Superman. Not only is it a brilliant story that gets to the heart of the character but the disc is packed with some of the best features WHV and DC have conjured up for their line of straight-to-video animated specials thus far.

AMAZON: $17.49

4. MEGAMIND

““A smart, funny and original treat,” Michael O’Sullivan, The Washington Post, Megamind puts a whole new hilarious twist on the superhero movie. Packed with high-flying action and non-stop laughs, the smash hit starring Will Ferrell, Brad Pitt, David Cross and Tina Fey will debut in DreamWorks Animation’s Blu-ray + DVD Combo Pack which includes the all-new comedy-adventure MEGAMIND: THE BUTTON OF DOOM, plus hours of bonus features and exclusive interactive Blu-ray features including picture-in-picture storyboards, behind the scenes footage, interviews, music videos, the lost scene, a comic book creator, an insider tour of Megamind’s Lair, interactive games, and so much more. ”

Megamind actually doesn’t hit the shops until this Friday, February 25th. We’ll be giving away a copy of the Blu-ray disc in the next couple of days so keep your eyes open!!

AMAZON: $19.99

5. BIRDEMIC: SHOCK AND TERROR

“It is a tender love story. A graphic horror shocker. An urgent ecological warning. And around the world, it became the must-see midnight movie sensation of the year: From writer/producer/director/visionary James Nguyen The Master Of The Romantic ThrillerTM comes the story of a sexy lingerie model (Whitney Moore) and a successful software salesman (Alan Bagh) on a weekend getaway to a quaint Northern California town. But when the entire region is attacked by millions of homicidal birds, their picturesque paradise becomes a winged hell on earth. Can mankind now survive the avian onslaught of BIRDEMIC? Hollywood legend Tippi Hedren of Hitchcock’s THE BIRDS co-stars in the global cult movie phenomenon that Videogum says might end up being the greatest film of all time! ”

I haven’t seen Birdemic for myself but it looks like a barrel of fun. The perfect modern late-night film to share, intoxicated with your best pals. I can’t wait to check this one out!

AMAZON: $16.49

ANIME OF THE WEEK: FLCL: COMPLETE COLLECTION

“When the three powerhouse creators of Eden of the East, Gurren Lagann and Neon Genesis Evangelion bumped heads, they spawned the series that broke all the rules – then broke the mold. Naota is a detached sixth-grader afflicted by the pangs of puberty. He’s fooling around with his brother’s ex-girlfriend when a crazed girl on a motor scooter runs him over, brains him with a bass guitar, and moves into his house. This pink-haired girl, Haruko – who claims she’s an alien – hurls Naota into the middle of a mega-corporation’s secret agenda. Oh, and now giant battling robots shoot from his skull. Mix in mind-bending animation and tunes that echo through your cerebellum to top off the trip that will have you falling hard for FLCL. ”

Outside of Macross and the animation of Studio Ghibli, FLCL is the absolute best that Japanese animation has to offer. It’s wild, imaginative and always stunning to look at. There’s more heart and more creativity in each frame of this short 6-episode series than any other I’ve seen in my last twenty-five years of anime viewing. Sadly, I understand this Blu-ray presentation is another up-conversion from FUNimation and far from the most impressive high-def image we’ve seen on Blu. I’d like to see the results for myself before making on the call on the discs but I’ll stand behind the series itself as one of the best ever.

AMAZON: $24.99

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:

Related posts

• All-Star Superman Blu-ray Disc Review (2)
• All-Star Superman Blu-ray announced and detailed (1)
• Criterion announces February Blu-ray titles: Senso, Sweet Smell of Success, Fish Tank, Still Walking, Amarcord, The Double Life of Véronique (1)
• [VIDEO] Three Reasons: Fish Tank – The Criterion Collection (0)
• [VIDEO] Sweet Smell of Success Blu-ray Trailer (0)

Well, this isn’t the most overwhelming Blu-ray release day of the year but there are certainly some incredibly drool-worthy new titles out in shops today. Titles so amazing, in fact, that I’m going to be forced to place my top 3 picks this week all in the number-one slot. They are all must-own discs and I simply can’t rate one above the other!!

1. CRONOS

Cronos has never been my favourite film but it’s a damn important one. It’s the world’s introduction to the modern-gothic vision of Guillermo del Toro. The low-budget gateway into a dark-elegant style that would come to fruition in films like The Devil’s Backbone, Hellboy and Pan’s Labyrinth. This skewed and innovative take on the classic vampire tale is, when viewed in context, quite a marvel.

The gorgeous Blu-ray edition of the film is quite stunning when you consider its indie origins. But then again, you’d expect no less from a Criterion disc, would you? No matter what you think of the film itself, you’ll certainly be impressed with its high-def presentation and the special features that accompany it, which include a couple of excellent commentary tracks, a newly completed short film and a truly magical tour of Del Toro’s home offices and collections.

Highly recommended!

Special Features:

• New, restored high-definition digital transfer, supervised and approved by director Guillermo del Toro and cinematographer Guillermo Navarro, including optional audio with the film’s original Spanish-language voice-over introduction as well as DTS-HD Master Audio
• Two audio commentaries, one featuring del Toro and the other producers Arthur H. Gorson and Bertha Navarro and coproducer Alejandro Springall
• Geometria, an unreleased 1987 short horror film by del Toro, finished by the director in 2010, plus a new video interview with him
• Welcome to Bleak House, a video tour by del Toro of his office, featuring his collectibles and personal work
• New video interviews with del Toro, Navarro, and actor Ron Perlman
• Video interview with actor Federico Luppi
• Stills gallery
• Trailer
• New and improved English subtitle translation, approved by del Toro
• PLUS: A booklet featuring an essay by film critic Maitland McDonagh and excerpts from del Toro’s notes for the film

READ MORE: Criterion announces December Blu-ray titles: Videodrome, Cronos

AMAZON: $29.49

1. VIDEODROME

That’s right. This is a two-Criterion Blu-ray week! Along with Del Toro’s Cronos, the studio is serving up the Blu-ray debut of David Cronenberg‘s classic Videodrome and it looks and sounds so much better than it ever has before. I run hot and cold on Cronenberg’s films but Videodrome has always just worked. A twisted look at the world of the media and how we consume it as it consumes us, the film holds up despite the dated technology on display (I haven’t seen that many VHS tapes in years!)

Criterion serve up the same excellent collection of special features as they did on the previously issued Videodrome DVD but the move here to high-def makes this an easy upgrade. There’s a lot more detail to see, colours pop and there’s a nice overall film-like look to the transfer. Audio is only monaural but uncompressed with more dynamic range than previous offerings.

Highly recommended.

Special Features:

• High-definition digital transfer of the unrated version (with uncompressed monaural soundtrack)
• Two audio commentaries: David Cronenberg and director of photography Mark Irwin, and actors James Woods and Deborah Harry
• Camera (2000), a short film starring Videodrome’s Les Carlson, written and directed by Cronenberg
• Forging the New Flesh, a new half-hour documentary featurette by filmmaker Michael Lennick about the creation of Videodrome’s video and prosthetic makeup effects
• Effects Men, a new audio interview with special makeup effects creator Baker and video effects supervisor Lennick
• Bootleg Video: the complete footage of Samurai Dreams and seven minutes of transmissions from “Videodrome,” presented in their original, unedited form with filmmaker commentary
• Fear on Film, a 26-minute roundtable discussion from 1982 between filmmakers Cronenberg, John Carpenter, John Landis, and Mick Garris
• Original theatrical trailers and promotional featurette
• Stills galleries featuring hundreds of rare behind-the-scenes production photos, special effects makeup tests, and publicity photos
• A booklet featuring essays by writers Carrie Rickey, Tim Lucas, and Gary Indiana

READ MORE: Criterion announces December Blu-ray titles: Videodrome, Cronos

AMAZON: $29.49

1. INCEPTION

Christopher Nolan‘s Inception might have been my favourite Hollywood film of 2010. I’m fully aware of all the character deficiencies and possible plot holes in the script but I don’t care. The film managed an incredible feat, as far as I’m concerned and spent the first three-quarters of the narrative setting it up – a storytelling gag wherein a group of characters live and interact at different speeds within different dream states. It’s a fantastic narrative gymnastic feat that has never been attempted before and I think it succeeds in a marvelous way. Also, I can’t stop listening to Hans Zimmer‘s incredible score for the film. Seriously. Every time I put my iPod on it’s Inception. I think it might be bordering on unhealthy.

I haven’t gotten my hands on the Blu-ray yet but I’m assuming that despite its lack of Maximum Movie Mode it’ll be one of Warner‘s best discs of the year. Really looking forward to it!!

READ MORE: Inception Blu-ray officially announced and detailed

AMAZON: $17.99

4. MADEMOISELLE CHAMBON

There’s a lot of talk about Stéphane Brizé‘s Mademoiselle Chambon being a modern, “French provincial version of Noel Coward‘s Brief Encounter” but that’s selling this wonderful little film short. It’s a thoughtful, sensitive romance that feels wholly original. With it’s pregnant pauses and long silences, the pacing won’t be for everyone but believe me, this small scale film is well worth the watch.

AMAZON: $31.49

5. LOST IN TRANSLATION

Lost in Translation is one of my all time favourite films so I have no choice but to place it in my Top 5 list, despite the fact that I haven’t experienced it on Blu yet. I’m really hoping that Universal has delivered a top tier transfer for the film and at least carried over the special features from the DVD, if not created a whole host of new extras for this release. They haven’t done great work with their standard catalogue releases in the recent past so here’s hoping they’ve got their act together for this one!

AMAZON: $19.99

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:

Related posts

• Inception Limited Edition Blu-ray detailed (1)
• Inception Blu-ray officially announced and detailed (3)
• Criterion announces December Blu-ray titles: Videodrome, Cronos (2)
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Hey, didn’t I just write one of these Top 5 lists, like, yesterday or something?! When the floodgates of Blu-ray releases open wide there’s just no stopping them, huh? Nevermind. I’m still up to my armpits in office work so I’ll just blast through this as quickly as I can so as to get this extremely important list of titles up online to assist you in your time of purchase-decision need!

Ahem…

1. THE MAGICIAN

SPOILER ALERT: I couldn’t find a trailer for my number one pick this week, the new Criterion Collection edition of Ingmar Bergman‘s The Magician, but what I did find is a 7 1/2 minute clip from the film – damn-near the end of the film – with commentary by film-historian and Bergman scholar Peter Cowie (who, coincidentally, contributes a “visual essay” to the Blu-ray disc). If you don’t mind a spoiler or twenty then this lengthy clip will give you a perfect idea of what you can expect from the film.

Look, I understand that Bergman isn’t for everyone. I’d never force my girlfriend to sit through The Magician (“too slow, too old, too black and white”). I don’t think I’d even show this to my mum (who is responsible for my love of film). But being a fan of his work, this is the most exciting new disc hitting shelves today, as far as I’m concerned. I think Bergman is absoutley brilliant. And this dark tale in particular – which pits the magic of a nineteenth-century traveling mesmerist and peddler of potions against the scientific mind of a rational royal medical adviser – is a perfect treat right now in the lead-up to Halloween!

Special Features:

• New, restored high-definition digital transfer (with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray edition)
• New visual essay by Bergman scholar Peter Cowie
• Brief 1967 video interview with director Ingmar Bergman about the film
• Rare audio interview with Bergman conducted in English by filmmakers Olivier Assayas and Stig Björkman
• New and improved English subtitle translation
• PLUS: A booklet featuring an essay by critic Geoff Andrew, a reprinted essay by Assayas, and an excerpt from Bergman’s autobiography Images: My Life in Film

Amazon: $34.99

2. THE DARJEELING LIMITED

I love the films of Wes Anderson. I swear, Rushmore actually improves every single time I watch it. It remains in my Top-10-Criterion-DVDs-that-deserve-a-Blu-ray-upgrade list (a list I desperately need to revisit and update very, very soon). Though it might not be in direct competition with my favourite of Anderson’s films, The Darjeeling Limited, new on Criterion Blu-ray this week, is a fantastic and very original journey through India and three brothers’ awkward attempts to reunite their family.

Full review this weekend!

Special Features:

• New high-definition digital transfer, supervised and approved by director Wes Anderson (with DTS-HD Master Audio on the Blu-ray edition)
• Anderson’s short film Hotel Chevalier (part one of The Darjeeling Limited), starring Natalie Portman, with commentary by Anderson
• Audio commentary featuring Anderson and cowriters Jason Schwartzman and Roman Coppola
• Behind-the-scenes documentary by Barry Braverman
• Anderson and filmmaker James Ivory discussing the film’s music
• Anderson’s American Express commercial
• On-set footage shot by Coppola and actor Waris Ahluwalia
• Audition footage, deleted and alternate scenes, and stills galleries
• Original theatrical trailer
• PLUS: A booklet featuring an essay by critic Richard Brody and original illustrations by Eric Anderson

Amazon: $24.99

3. THREE KINGS

Man, I haven’t seen David O. Russell‘s Three Kings since it was initially released in theatres way back in 1999. I remember it being extremely effective, firing on all story and style cylinders right out of the gate. I’m anxious to check out this new Warner Blu-ray edition of the film to see if it holds up. I have a feeling that a lot of the artistic choices in script and production design/cinematography will feel a bit dated, much like other mid to late nineties films like Natural Born Killers and The Matrix.

Amazon: $18.99

4. HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON

After all the crazy, over the top reviews it’s been getting, I really regret not requesting a review copy of How to Train Your Dragon on Blu-ray. Apparently, this is not only one of the best kids fliks to be released in the last year but one of the most entertaining animated films for adults! If you snap it up, let me know what you think.

Amazon: $22.99

5. I AM LOVE

I didn’t get a chance to see I Am Love but the reviews that it garnered seemed quite positive. I include it on the list for the single reason that gets me excited to see it – the crazy-awesome art direction/production design. I understand that it’s absolutely gorgeous to look at – a feast for the eyes with an incredible sense of design reaching as deeply into the film as its credits and inter-titles. Can’t wait to see this one!

Amazon: $23.49

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:

Related posts

• Criterion announces October Blu-ray titles: Seven Samurai, The Magician, Paths of Glory, House, The Darjeeling Limited (2)
• Top New Blu-ray releases for the Week of November 8 (1)
• Top 5 New Blu-ray releases for the Week of June 15 (1)
• Top 5 New Blu-ray releases for the Week of February 22 (1)
• Top 5 New Blu-ray releases for the Week of December 7 (1)

This is some damn-hot news! I don’t have a lot of time on my hands to wax rhapsodic about it today, but I’ve got to let you know that Amazon has just listed Sofia Coppola‘s brilliant Lost in Translation for release on Blu-ray this December 7th!! I’m so stoked! That’s right – I just wrote the word “stoked.” That’s how out-of-my-mind this news makes me.

This is honestly on of my all time favourite films and while I don’t believe it’s going to be the picture of a perfect Blu-ray disc (not as crisp and detailed as we’d hope, due to the low-budget manner in which it was produced) I’m still excited to have a copy of it in high-def. No details or package art are available yet, outside of the MSRP of $26.98. Pre-order on Amazon now for only $18.99.

I have!

Related posts

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Not a bad week on Blu, if I do say so myself, despite the fact that there are far fewer discs shipping this week than last. The top pick is an obvious one here but maybe not the most exciting high-def release today. For some reason I always seem to find myself having greater anticipation for obscure catalogue titles than the shiny new blockbusters. Perhaps it’s because newer work is almost always guaranteed to look and sound brilliant on Blu-ray, whereas it’s always a thrill to re-experience an old favourite well mastered in 1080p!

1. SHUTTER ISLAND

I really, really wish that I loved Shutter Island a lot more than I did. I mean, it’s a great looking film with some amazing performances and a killer vibe but ultimately it just plays its hand way too early and too fiercely to be as effective as I would like it to be. Nevertheless, even the worst Martin Scorsese film is a work of genius and worthy of checking out. And this is far from the worst Scorsese film.

The Blu-ray from Paramount looks and sounds like a million bucks. Sadly, it’s damn light on special features. But if this is a flik you love and you’re not bothered by the lack of extras you could find a brand new demo disc with this one!

Amazon: $24.99

2. HAPPY TOGETHER

I’m a big Wong Kar-Wai fan and am super excited about getting my hands on Kino‘s new Blu-ray edition of Happy Together. They’ve been doing great work on their high-def transfers lately and when combined with the gorgeous visual style of Wong Kar-wai (and, in this case, the eye of talented cinematographer Christopher Doyle) this disc could be a real stunner. This hypnotic story of a relationship in its final days might not be for everyone but I personally can’t wait to add it to my Blu-ray collection!

Amazon: $18.99

3. CADDYSHACK

Ahhhh, Caddyshack! What can I possibly say about this classic 80s comedy that hasn’t been said a million times over already. To me, this is a work of genius. I understand, however, that my feelings on the matter are dictated by the place this film occupied in my childhood. It was one of those comedies my family would always return to, like the Vacation films or Summer Rental – ridiculous comedies that just happened to strike the right chord with, what I can only imagine, is a genetic predisposition to enjoy a good fart joke. From all appearances, we weren’t alone on this one. Caddyshack is beloved by a lot of people my age. And while the Blu-ray disc might not be the shiny picture of high-def perfection that our number one pick is this week, it’s certainly the finest this film has ever looked. Fans will be more than pleased.

Amazon: $16.99

4. MONTY PYTHON: NOT THE MESSIAH

Not the Messiah sits at the number four slot this week based upon its pedigree alone. I love Monty Python. The films, the television series, the albums. Everything. Now, I haven’t seen this film yet but I’ve got to tell you, it puts the fear in me. It looks to be a music hall re-imagining of the comedy troupe’s finest melodic works. A Python-opera, if you will. And I’m not sure if I even care to see such a thing. But seeing as how it’s written by Python Eric Idle and gets the nod from the rest of the gang, how can I not give it a shot?

Amazon: $19.99

5. ANIMATION EXPRESS

Being a Canadian (and living public-transit distance from the National Film Board headquarters) I was very fortunate to get my hands on Animation Express back in October of last year, when it was released in our country. This appears to be the same great disc in new clothing. If you’re a fan of animation, you’ll want to grab this up as soon as you can. The encode is a steady lower bitrate but it never seems to compromise the visuals. The 39 animated shorts on the disc are fantastic (13 are exclusive to the Blu-ray!) and they really look better than ever. Recommended for all animation fans!

Amazon: $24.99

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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Playing catch up here, with a ton of upcoming release announcements. This post, focusing on a group of comedies coming up from Warner Home Video. I’ve never seen Bogdanovich‘s What’s Up Doc? but I generally love his work, so I’m really looking forward to checking out the Blu-ray. The other three films are family favourites – films we watched so many times we nearly wore out our old VHS tapes, back in the day. Caddyshack is out in June, with the two Vacations and Doc coming in August. Details below:

CADDYSHACK
(July 8, 2010 – MSRP $24.98)
Video: 1.85:1 1080p
Audio: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1

Special Features:

• Feature length documentary: Caddyshack: The Inside Story
• Caddyshack: The 19th Hole
• Theatrical trailer

NATIONAL LAMPOON’S VACATION
(August 10, 2010 – MSRP $24.98)
Video: 1.85:1 1080p
Audio: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1

Special Features:

• Griswold family commentary by Chevy Chase, Randy Quaid, Anthony Michael Hall, Dana Barron, director Harold Ramis and producer Matty Simmons
• Family Truckster featurette gallery

NATIONAL LAMPOON’S EUROPEAN VACATION
(August 10, 2010 – MSRP $24.98)
Video: 1.85:1 1080p
Audio: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1

Special Features:

• Commentary by Chevy Chase

WHAT’S UP DOC?
(August 10, 2010 – MSRP $24.98)
Video: 1.85:1 1080p
Audio: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1

Special Features:

• Scene-specific commentary by Barbra Streisand

• Full-movie commentary by director Peter Bogdanovich
• Vintage featurette: Screwball Comedies… Remember Them?”
• Theatrical trailer

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I really misjudged Fantastic Mr. Fox. The previews and advertisements gave me the impression that it would turn out to be a poorly designed and hollow animated adaptation of a reasonably famous children’s book. I was drastically wrong on both counts. This film and its Blu-ray presentation are beyond good. They’re…ahem…Fantastic!

I had heard tell that writer/director Wes Anderson actually didn’t have much of a hand in the production of Fantastic Mr. Fox, and that the stop-motion animators responsible for bringing the characters to life on a day-to-day basis were forced to take the reigns in his place. After watching the film, I can’t believe that for a moment. Fantastic Mr. Fox feels like an Anderson film through and through. The visual style, the dialogue, the pacing – it’s all trademark Anderson. And it truly is Fantastic.

Adapted from a Roald Dahl (James and the Giant Peach, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) story, Fantastic Mr. Fox is given a very new and modern life, voiced by uber-celeb George Clooney. It’s a similar device to that used in adapting Sendak‘s Where the Wild Things Are to celluloid – animated characters from a children’s book speaking naturalistic dialogue, grounding the film while mining greater depth and complexity from a seemingly simple concept. And it really works here. The visual style speaks directly to the children’s book illustrations that bore it. But the wonderful performances of the very smart script, along with the trademark vintage-Anderson music-mix elevate this film from mere animated fare aimed at children to the sort of well made art-film that even the pop-culture intelligentsia can appreciate.

And Blu-ray fans also have a lot to appreciate with the Fantastic Mr. Fox disc. It’s gorgeous! And it should be with a direct digital-to-digital transfer from Nikon D3 digital still camera footage that exhibits beautiful, rich colours, deep blacks and a ton of detail. While not as overwhelmingly sublime as the visuals, the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 is dynamic and clear. It’s not as immersive as it could have been but nevermind. This front-heavy mix makes Anderson’s musical selections sound great here.

Their isn’t a lot of variety in the Fantastic Mr. Fox special feature set, but the extras on the disc are nothing to shake a tail at! The main feature is a six-part documentary that runs almost 45-minutes and covers every aspect of production from the script to the design to the cast. While it doesn’t quite take the place of a commentary track it is an excellent and fairly candid look behind-the-scenes of the film. There are also a couple of featurettes providing a very brief look at “The World of Roald Dahl” and a 2-minute animated sports lesson in “A Beginner’s Guide to Whack-Bat“. The disc is rounded out with the theatrical trailer and DVD and Digital Copies of the feature film.

Read more: Fantastic Mr. Fox coming to Blu-ray in March

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Despite my love for the films of Wes Anderson there’s just something about this Fantastic Mr. Fox film that didn’t appeal to me when it was released. Maybe it was the hype surrounding it or the feeling that it was another trendy adaptation of a kids book aimed at the hipsters of my generation. As a result, I didn’t end up seeing it in the theatres. And now I regret missing it. Thankfully, I’m going to get another chance on March 23rd, when Fox brings it to Blu-ray! Details below:

FANTASTIC MR. FOX
(MArch 23, 2009 – MSRP $39.99)
Video: 1.85:1 1080p
Audio: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1

Special Features:

* Making Mr. Fox Fantastic:
o The Look of Fantastic Mr. Fox (BD-exclusive)
o From Script to Screen
o The Puppet Makers (BD-exclusive)
o Still Life: Puppet Animation
o The Cast (BD-exclusive)
o Bill and His Badger (BD-exclusive)

* A Beginner’s Guide to Whack-Bat
* Fantastic Mr. Fox: The World of Roald Dahl (BD-exclusive)

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University parapsychologists Dr. Peter Venkman (Murray), Dr. Raymond Stanz (Aykroyd) and Dr. Egon Spengler (Ramis) lose a research grant when their experiment methodology is proven to be bogus. The team decides to go into business for themselves and open ‘Ghostbusters,’ a ghost removal service. After struggling to get on their feet, they are summoned to investigate the strange happenings in Dana Barrett’s (Weaver) Central Park West apartment. What they discover is that all Manhattan is being besieged by ghosts and other worldly demons through a portal in her building.

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