Home Market Releases for August 16th, 2016

August 16, 2016

There are a lot of releases on this week’s list, but most of them are like The Angry Birds Movie on DVD, Blu-ray Combo Pack, or 4K Combo Pack. They are good, but not good enough to be a Pick of the Week contender. The best new release is The Fits, but it is only coming out on Video on Demand.

The Adventures Of Paula Peril - No Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray Combo Pack
This film comes out on DVD this week, but if you have Amazon Prime, you can watch it for Free on Video on Demand. I have an Amazon Prime account, but I can’t watch it, because I’m in Canada.

The Affair: Season Two - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD
Season one of this show looked at an affair through the eyes of both the man and the woman. Season two added the viewpoints of the original spouses. The reviews remained strong, but the extras on the DVD are weak. (There are just three featurettes, plus the first two episodes of the unrelated series, Billions.) If you like the show, then it is worth picking up. However, it is not pick of the week material.

The Angry Birds Movie - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD, Blu-ray Combo Pack, or 4K Combo Pack
Video on Demand
This is a second-tier animated film that will please younger viewers, but doesn’t have much crossover appeal with adult fans of animated films. Extras include a lot of smaller featurettes, as well as a few cartoon shorts, deleted scenes, etc. If you are a fan of the movie, then it is certainly worth picking up. If you never saw it in theaters, but have kids in the right age range, then it is worth a rental.

A Cinderella Story: If the Shoe Fits - No Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD
Video on Demand
I mentioned this release when it came out on VOD. Now it’s out on DVD.

God’s Not Dead 2 - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray Combo Pack
Video on Demand
The follow-up to God’s Not Dead. This film earned weaker reviews and performed far worse at the box office. That said, it will likely still appeal to the target audience, Churchgoers. You can also buy both movies as part of a value pack.

Gotham: Season 2 - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Video on Demand
This show had a lot of potential, but its uneven execution is a real problem. The overall reviews for this season are 81% positive, so the average critic still really likes the show. Extras include the ComicCon panel, a featurette on Alfred, one on Victor Fries, and others on the rest of the characters. That’s enough to be worth picking up for for fans, but not a pick of the week contender.

Hell on Wheels - Season 5, Volume 1 - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Video on Demand
The fifth and final season was split into two parts. I hate that on principle, but I really hate it when the price-per-minute radically increases as well. That’s the case here. I would wait till the show is over and try and grab the final two volumes in a cheaper package.

Once Upon A Time: Season 5 - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
The reviews for season four were poor, but season five’s Tomatometer Score jumped to 100% positive. This is partially because the show got better, but also because some of the critics that gave season four a negative review stopped doing reviews of the show. Extras include audio commentary tracks on three episodes, a few featurettes, outtakes, deleted scenes, etc. If you are a fan, then it is certainly worth picking up. However, the inconsistent reviews suggest it is not Pick of the Week material.

The Vampire Diaries: The Complete Seventh Season - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Video on Demand
It looks like season eight will be the final season for this long running show. I was never a fan of the show, but the critical reception has been good and it is impossible for a show to get renewed this many times without having a faithful audience. Extras include a featurette, ComicCon panel, outtakes, and deleted scenes. I really like audio commentary tracks, so having none is a disappointment, but overall this is a good selection of extras.

Blu-ray Releases - Buy from Amazon:
American Ninja - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
American Ninja 2 - No Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
American Ninja 3 - No Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
American Ninja 4 - No Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
Assassination Classroom: Season One, Part Two - No Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray Combo Pack
Blood Blockade Battlefront: The Complete Series - No Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray Combo Pack
The ‘Burbs - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray Combo Pack
The Dream Team - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
Elvis - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
The Great Outdoors - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
Ingrid Bergman - In Her Own Words - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Microwave Massacre - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
The Money Pit - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
Patch Adams - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray Combo Pack
The Pride and the Passion - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Punch Line - No Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Raiders! The Story of the Greatest Fan Film Ever Made - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray Combo Pack
Sailor Moon "Crystal" Set 1 - Limited Edition - No Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray Combo Pack
Sailor Moon "Crystal" Set 1 - No Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray Combo Pack
Saved! - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
Session 9 - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
Trinity Seven - Trinity Seven - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Who Slew Auntie Roo? - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
There are a lot of mediocre Blu-ray releases that are crowding out the good releases. Ingrid Bergman - In Her Own Words is clearly the best, but The ‘Burbs is the film I’m most interested in.

4K Blu-ray Releases - Buy from Amazon:
The Angry Birds Movie - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: 4K Combo Pack
Only on 4K release this week and it is a kids' movie.

TV on DVD Megasets - Buy from Amazon:
Community - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD
Dead Like Me - No Reveiws - Buy from Amazon: DVD
It is a little early for the Christmas shopping season. (On the other hand, I saw Halloween candy at the grocery store, so Christmas begins any day now.) With Christmas comes Full-Series Megasets that are perfect has gifts. Of the two releases here, Dead Like Me is my favorite.

Video on Demand - Buy from Amazon:
The Fits - Reviews - Video on Demand
Love and Friendship - Reviews - Video on Demand
Me Before You - Reviews - Video on Demand
Money Monster - Reviews - Video on Demand
Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping - Reviews - Video on Demand
Shooting the Prodigal - No Reviews - Video on Demand
In my opinion, The Fits is the best release on this week’s list. However, it is so good that you should wait a month and buy it on Blu-ray. The second best is Love and Friendship, but you should also wait and buy it on Blu-ray.

C.S.Strowbridge

Filed under: DVD and Blu-ray Releases, Home Market Releases, American Ninja, American Ninja 2: The Confrontation, American Ninja 3: Blood Hunt, American Ninja 4: The Annihilation, The Angry Birds Movie, Me Before You, Love & Friendship, Jag är Ingrid, Money Monster, Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping, Ratchet and Clank, God’s Not Dead 2, A Cinderella Story: If the Shoe Fits, The Fits, Raiders! The Story of the Greatest Fan Film Ever Made, Shooting the Prodigal