Posted Wed Feb 23, 2011 at 01:00 PM PST by Dick Ward
February is often seen as a down time for movies, both in theaters and on retail shelves. Heck, with the weather the way it's been the last few weeks, most folks don't want to leave the house any more than they have to. You don't have to go anywhere to catch up on the biggest stories of the last few weeks though. They're all right here in the High-Def Digest-Digest.
Blu-ray News:
'Stanley Kubrick Limited Edition Collection' Announced For Blu-ray!
The collection will include nine films, two of which - 'Barry Lyndon' and 'Lolita' - have never before been released in high definition. You'll see it
hit shelves on May 31.
'Solaris' Announced For Blu-ray
The 1972 science fiction classic from Andrei Tartovsky will be released on Blu-ray on May 24 and will include an audio essay, interviews, deleted
scenes, and a booklet with an essay by Akira Kurasawa.
'Tron' and 'Tron Legacy' Blu-rays Officially Announced!
Most Blu-ray releases are simple, but the release of 'Tron' is a bit confusing. You can pick up the movies individually or packaged together in 2D or
3D. There's also a $99 ultimate box set if you're so inclined.
'The Great Dictator' Salutes Blu-ray!
Well before the United States got involved in the second World War, Charlie Chaplin was taking shots at Hitler in the film 'The Great Dictator.' The
Criterion Collection Blu-ray comes out May 24th with commentary, a documentary, and amazing box art by Olly Moss.
'The Secret of NIMH' and Both 'All Dogs Go to Heaven' Films Announced for Blu-ray!
Don Bluth will never be a household name, but his films sure are. His first solo film, 'The Secret of NIMH,' and the classic 'All Dogs Go to Heaven'
will be hitting Blu-ray on March 29.
MGM and Sony Deal - More Bond Blu-rays on the Way?
Sony's going to be handling distribution for MGM films and discs, starting with the two new Bond films. Fans have high hopes that this will lead to
the release of movies in the series that haven't gone Blu-ray yet.
Premium VODs May Come With DVD/Blu-ray
Video on Demand seems to be the way studios want to go, but the cost of premium VODs seems incredibly high. To offset that, you may be getting a DVD
or Blu-ray along with that VOD.
Other News:
Best Buy's Buyback Program - Not Such a Good Buy
The trade-in program currently being offered by Best Buy isn't as good of a deal as it may seem up front.
Sony Launches Streaming Music Service "Music Unlimited"
Sony adds streaming music to their Qriocity experience. It's a relatively cheap and easy way to get streaming music to your home theater devices.
Amazon Launches Free Streaming Video for Prime Subscribers
If you're paying for Amazon Prime, your subscription just got a whole lot better. Over 5,000 titles are now available for free!
Redbox Subscription Streaming Plans are Official
The folks at Redbox have confirmed that they'll be offering a streaming subscription service in the near future. Partners are unannounced, but Walmart
and CinemaNow are the prime suspects.
More Than 150 Criterion Collection Films Come to Hulu Plus
Hulu Plus just got a whole lot more appealing. Not only are Criterion Collection films on Hulu Plus, but supplements are on the way.
The Bonus View:
Oscar Live-Blog This Sunday!
The whole crew will be on to cheer on the deserving winners, boo the ones that the Academy gets wrong and to crack wise on the parts of the ceremony
that will undoubtedly deserve it.
Robot Overlords - 1 / Pathetic Humans - 0
IBM and their computer Watson show just how close we're coming to the robot apocalypse.
'Guitar Hero' is Finished - Anyone Surprised?
One of the biggest new franchises in recent years has been put on hold indefinitely.
The latest news on all things 4K Ultra HD, blu-ray and Gear.