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Blockbuster UK Ends Up Shutting 129 of 528 Stores[teaser]The rest of the company will be restructured in a way that makes Blockbuster appealing to buyers. [/teaser] It was hoped, as it always is, that when Blockbuster UK entered administration – like a British version of bankruptcy – that no one would need to be laid off and all of the company's stores could remain open. After reviewing the books though, it seems that's not the case. Lee Manning of Doloitte, the risk management firm that's in charge of the Blockbuster UK administrative process, has decided that a total of 129 stores must close in order for the company to move forward. "Having reviewed the portfolio with management, the store closure plan is an inevitable consequence of having to restructure the company to a profitable core which is capable of being sold." Source: Home Media MagazinePosted Mon Jan 21, 2013 at 09:00 AM PST by: -
'Richard III' Announced for Blu-ray[teaser]Laurence Olivier's 1955 drama will claim the throne on Blu-ray this April. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Criterion says 'Richard III' will hit Blu-ray on April 9. With 'Richard III,' director, producer, and star Laurence Olivier brings Shakespeare’s masterpiece of Machiavellian villainy to mesmerizing cinematic life. The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, an uncompressed mono soundtrack, and supplements will include: Audio commentary by playwright and stage director Russell Lees and John Wilders, former governor of the Royal Shakespeare Company; Interview with actor Laurence Olivier from a 1966 episode of the BBC series Great Acting, hosted by theater critic Kenneth Tynan; Gallery of behind-the-scenes and production stills and posters, accompanied by excerpts from Olivier's autobiography, On Acting; Twelve-minute television trailer featuring footage of Olivier, producer Alexander Korda, and other cast and crew from the film; Trailer; and a booklet featuring an essay by film critic Amy Taubin. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $39.95. You can find the latest specs for 'Richard III' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it is indexed under April 9.Posted Mon Jan 21, 2013 at 08:00 AM PST by: -
'Earth's Final Hours' Dated for Blu-ray[teaser]The Syfy apocalyptic thriller will destroy Blu-ray in April. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Starz/Anchor Bay will release 'Earth's Final Hours' on Blu-ray on April 2. When bizarre radiation storms suddenly erupt, defense systems are wiped out, polar outposts are incinerated and space debris blasts holes clear through our planet. Now a tough federal, a cool government scientist and his rebel genius son have uncovered a magnetospheric nightmare that could stop the Earth’s rotation. Do a disgraced inventor and an archaic satellite hold the sole keys to our survival, or is the clock ticking towards the annihilation of mankind? The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, a Dolby TrueHD 5.1 soundtrack, and there doesn't appear to be any supplements for this release. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $24.99. You can find the latest specs for 'Earth's Final Hours' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it is indexed under April 2.Posted Mon Jan 21, 2013 at 06:00 AM PST by: -
HDD Deal of the Week: 'The Man With No Name Trilogy' Blu-ray $18.99 at Amazon[teaser]The classic trio of Clint Eastwood spaghetti westerns is once again on sale at Amazon![/teaser] The online retailer is selling 'The Man With No Name Trilogy' for $18.99 (53% off suggested list price). The trilogy includes 'A Fistful of Dollars,' 'For a Few Dollars More,' and 'The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly.' This offer is valid from now through January 27. Click here to Pick up this recommended set for your Blu-ray library now!Posted Sun Jan 20, 2013 at 09:36 AM PST by: -
Weekend Roundtable: Worst Movies Made by 2013 Oscar NomineesSure, they're getting lauded with accolades now, but this year's Oscar nominees haven't always been renowned for award-caliber filmmaking excellence. In this week's Roundtable, we take a look at some of the worst movies made by the Oscar-nominated actors and directors from the Class of 2013. Join us to discuss in the blog today.Posted Fri Jan 18, 2013 at 12:00 PM PST by: -
Blockbuster UK is Being Sold[teaser]The company has entered administration and is now up for grabs, either in parts or in full. [/teaser] We haven't heard too much out of Blockbuster in the US recently, but there are big things happening over at Blockbuster UK. The company has been going through hard times and has entered administration – essentially an alternative to liquidation. The plan is to sell off Blockbuster, in parts or in whole. "The core of the business is still profitable and we will continue to trade as normal in both retail and rental whilst we seek a buyer for all or parts of the business as a going concern," says Lee Manning of Deloitte's Restructuring Services. He stresses that one of the big concerns of the restructuring is to save as many jobs as possible. This marks one of several large UK retailers that have had trouble recently, including camera seller Jessops which entered into Administration only to close its doors completely. Source: BBCPosted Fri Jan 18, 2013 at 11:00 AM PST by: -
'Boss: Season Two' Announced for Blu-ray[teaser]The second season of the series starring Kelsey Grammer is bound for Blu-ray in April. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Lionsgate says 'Boss: Season Two' is coming to Blu-ray on April 9. After nearly losing his career, his family and his mind, Mayor Tom Kane's (Kelsey Grammer) grip on Chicago is as powerful as ever. With high doses of medication, he's able to beat back the physical symptoms of his debilitating brain disease, but it comes at a cost. Kane is left with intense and uncontrollable neurological side effects. Despite the delusions, Kane breaks ground on the O'Hare Airport expansion and looks toward his next endeavor: protecting and repairing his legacy. With the astute counsel of new aides Mona Fredricks (Sanaa Lathan) and Ian Todd (Jonathan Groff), he plans to remove and rebuild a long forgotten housing project, now home to gang activity and rampant corruption. Fully aware of Kane's illness, his wife Meredith (Connie Nielsen) finds herself questioning who holds the key to preserving her position of power. While their daughter, Emma (Hannah Ware), who is a product of their loveless, political marriage, battles her own destructive demons. Without his longtime advisors Ezra Stone (Martin Donovan) and Kitty O'Neil (Kathleen Robertson), and his political protégé Ben Zajac (Jeff Hephner), the odds continue to stack against him. As corrupt heads roll and his list of enemies grows, Kane's virtuous actions begin to erode the very foundation of power he's worked a lifetime to build. In order to maintain it, Kane must govern as he always has: ruthlessly. The 2-disc set will feature 1080p video, a DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 soundtrack, and supplements include: Audio Commentaries on Select Episodes and a Behind-the-Scenes Season Two Featurette. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is still undetermined at this time. You can find the latest specs for 'Boss: Season Two' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under April 9.Posted Fri Jan 18, 2013 at 10:00 AM PST by: -
'Lay the Favorite' Blu-ray Dated and Detailed[teaser]The gambling film from two time Academy Award®-nominated director Stephen Frears ('The Queen,' 'High Fidelity') will place the odds on Blu-ray in March. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Starz/Anchor Bay will release 'Lay the Favorite' on Blu-ray on March 5. Get ready to get lucky! Professional odds-maker Dink (Bruce Willis) is running a small-time sports gambling enterprise when a former stripper named Beth (Rebecca Hall) promises to help him score big — and turns his world upside down. With his connections and her knack for numbers, the lucrative business of sports betting will never be the same. Catherine Zeta-Jones and Joshua Jackson round out the talented cast of misfits who are willing to risk everything for their dreams. Sly and sexy, heart-warming and hilarious, 'Lay the Favorite,' directed by Stephen Frears, delivers laughs and thrills in this vivid exposé of the world of gambling based on the Beth Raymer’s best-selling memoir, “Lay the Favorite: A Memoir of Gambling.” The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack, and supplements will include: Audio Commentary With Director Vic Armstrong and Producer Andy Armstrong; Alternate Ending With Commentary By Vic Armstrong and Andy Armstrong; New Interviews With Vic Armstrong, Andy Armstrong and Actors Dolph Lundgren And Kristian Alfonso; and Theatrical Trailer. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $29.99. You can find the latest specs for 'Lay the Favorite' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under March 5.Posted Fri Jan 18, 2013 at 08:00 AM PST by: -
'Repo Man' Bound for Blu-ray[teaser]Alex Cox's 1984 cult classic is getting the Blu-ray treatment in April. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Criterion is working on 'Repo Man' for Blu-ray on April 16. A quintessential cult film of the 1980s, Alex Cox’s singular sci-fi comedy stars the always captivating Harry Dean Stanton as a weathered repo man in desolate downtown Los Angeles, and Emilio Estevez as the nihilistic middle-class punk he takes under his wing. The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, an uncompressed mono soundtrack, and supplements will include: Audio commentary featuring Cox, executive producer Michael Nesmith, casting director Victoria Thomas, and actors Sy Richardson, Zander Schloss, and Del Zamora; Interviews with Cox, Richardson, and Zamora; producers Peter McCarthy and Jonathan Wacks; actors Olivia Barash, Dick Rude, Miguel Sandoval, and Harry Dean Stanton; musicians Keith Morris and Iggy Pop; and Sam Cohen, the inventor of the neutron bomb; Deleted scenes; The complete "cleaned-up" television version of the film, prepared by Cox; Trailers; and a booklet featuring an essay by critic Sam McPheeters; an illustrated production history by Cox, with his original comic and film proposal; and a 1987 interview with real-life repo man Mark Lewis. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $39.95. You can find the latest specs for 'Repo Man' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it is indexed under April 16.Posted Fri Jan 18, 2013 at 06:00 AM PST by: -
'Naked Lunch' Dated and Detailed for Blu-ray[teaser]David Cronenberg's most important meal of the day joins Criterion's Blu-ray Collection in April. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Criterion has revealed 'Naked Lunch' will be released on Blu-ray on April 9. In this adaptation of William S. Burroughs’s hallucinatory, once-thought unfilmable novel Naked Lunch, directed by David Cronenberg, a part-time exterminator and full-time drug addict named Bill Lee ('Robocop’s Peter Weller) plunges into the nightmarish Interzone. The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, a DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 soundtrack, and supplements will include: Audio commentary featuring Cronenberg and actor Peter Weller; Naked Making Lunch, a 1992 television documentary by Chris Rodley about the making of the film; Special effects gallery, featuring artwork and photos alongside an essay by Cinefex magazine editor Jody Duncan; Collection of original marketing materials; Audio recording of William S. Burroughs reading from his novel Naked Lunch; Gallery of photos taken by poet Allen Ginsberg of Burroughs; and a booklet featuring reprinted pieces by film critic Janet Maslin, director Chris Rodley, critic and novelist Gary Indiana, and Burroughs. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $39.95. You can find the latest specs for 'Naked Lunch' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it'is indexed under April 9.Posted Thu Jan 17, 2013 at 12:00 PM PST by:
