Home Market Releases for September 22nd, 2015
September 21, 2015
This week's list is led by Pitch Perfect 2, which was a surprisingly strong performer at the box office. However, its reviews are not up to Pick of the Week levels. The best of the best are dominated by TV on DVD releases, including Modern Family: Season 6, which is the last sitcom I watch every single week. However, it is a double-dip that wins the Pick of the Week honors, Moonrise Kingdom:Criterion Collection. The original Blu-ray didn't have nearly enough extras, but this one corrects that problem.
Blu-ray Releases - Buy from Amazon: Breaker Morant, Busting, Chain of Command, Destructors, Dirty Work, Eaten Alive, Fatal Instinct, The Indian in the Cupboard, Lisa, Mannequin, Mannequin on the Move, The Mighty Quinn, Mister Johnson, Rammstein in Amerika, Rocky Horror Picture Show: 40th Anniversary Edition, Rocky Horror Picture Show: 40th Anniversary Collector's Edition, Sabagebu Survival Game Club, Saint Laurent, Satan Bug, Selector Infected Wixoss, The Sentinel, Space Dandy: Season 2, Tokyo Ghoul: Season One, Turkey Shoot, Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust, and WWE: SummerSlam 2015
3D Blu-ray Releases - Buy from Amazon: Doctor Who: Dark Water/Death in Heaven
Christmas Releases - Buy from Amazon: 5-Movie Christmas Collection and Young Pioneers' Christmas
Last Man On Earth: Season One - Buy from Amazon: DVD
Arrow: Season 3 - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Video on Demand
One of two D.C. Comics hits currently airing on the CW. This one is also earning excellent reviews and the DVD and Blu-ray are loaded with extras. On the other hand, I could never get into the show.
There are a few releases on this week's list that stand out, including The Rocky Horror Picture Show and Lisa, both of which I previously reviewed. I'm surprised Lisa is coming out on Blu-ray, because it was only give a MOD DVD release, not a full DVD release.
Just one 3D release and it is a TV on DVD release. Strange.
It's a slow start for Christmas releases, not that I'm complaining. No Christmas before Halloween. That's my rule.
Flash: Season 1 - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Video on Demand
The latest D.C. Comics turned into a TV show. They haven't had a lot of success in theaters, but their TV shows have been great, mostly. (I still think Gotham missed the mark, despite a good start.) Extras include audio commentary, deleted scenes, outtakes, a few featurettes, and of course the ComicCom panel. It is definitely worth picking up and even a contender for Pick of the Week.
Great show and they are not wasting their time releasing seasons. There's only one more season so go.
A high-concept comedy about a man, Will Forte, who thinks he's the last man alive. He slowly discovers more survivors, but despite there only be four main characters, personality conflicts arise. The reviews are excellent, but the high-concept likely means it will have a short life before jumping the shark.
Modern Family: Season 6 - Buy from Amazon: DVD
Currently my favorite sitcom on TV, although it didn't win the Outstanding Comedy Series this year, breaking its record streak at five. I think the voters were unwilling to give it an unprecedented sixth win in a row, even if it deserved to win for the year. The politics of Awards Season is annoying that way. Extras are excellent with a making of featurette, two featurettes on two of the season's special episodes, behind-the-scenes, deleted scenes, and outtakes. I would have loved an audio commentary or two, but even so, it is Pick of the Week material. I'm hoping to get a screener to review, but Fox releases are almost always a week late. In the meantime, you can check out the Contest.
Moonrise Kingdom: Criterion Collection - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
I previously reviewed this film when it first came out and I loved it. It might be my favorite film from Wes Anderson. I loved the movie, but I was disappointed in the extras. The Criterion Collection release has fixed that mistake with an audio commentary track, interviews, making of featurettes, and more. It is easily worth the double-dip. In fact, it is the Pick of the Week.
Video on Demand
One of the biggest surprise hits of the year. Or at least it would be considered as such, if it weren't released by Universal. They've had such an amazing year that any film of theirs that didn't cross $100 million domestically can be seen as a disappointment. The reviews are good, but not great, while the extras on the DVD are a little light. The Blu-ray does have a lot of additional extras, so it is definitely worth picking up. It isn't quite Pick of the Week material, on the other hand. Also coming out this week is an Aca-Amazing 2-Movie Collection, which is worth picking up, if you only had the DVD for the first film.
Results - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Video on Demand
This film earned reviews that should have been good enough to find an audience in limited release, but it didn't. Now that it is out on the home market, it doesn't appear to be doing any better. Disappointing.
TV on DVD Full Series Megasets - Buy from Amazon: The Cosby Show, Good Times, The Partridge Family, and The Sentinel
The biggest release on this week's list is The Cosby Show, but I can imagine that a lot of people who loved the show when it first aired would be uncomfortable watching it now.
Video on Demand - Buy from Amazon: The Anomaly, Batkid Begins, Big Sky, Breaker Morant, Chain of Command, Dirty Work, Eaten Alive, Escobar: Paradise Lost, The Farewell Party, Fatal Instinct, Insidious Chapter 3, Jojo's Bizarre Adventure, Kindness Is Contagious, Magic Mike XXL, Mister Johnson, Navy Seals Vs. Zombies, Saint Laurent, Satan Bug, Unbranded, and Welcome to Happy Valley
Magic Mike XXL is by far the biggest VOD release on this week's list. It worth a rental.
Walt Disney Animation Studios Short Films Collection - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray Combo Pack
Video on Demand
The screener for this collection of short films arrived nearly a month late. Was it worth the wait? Read our review to find out.
Filed under: DVD and Blu-ray Releases, Home Market Releases, Moonrise Kingdom, Pitch Perfect 2, Magic Mike XXL, Walt Disney Animation Studios Short Films Collection, Wes Anderson, Will Forte