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'Blade Runner: 30th Anniversary Collector's Edition' Blu-ray Announced[teaser]Celebrate the 30th anniversary of Ridley Scott's sci-fi masterpiece with two different releases arriving on Blu-ray this October! [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Warner Brothers is preparing 'Blade Runner: 30th Anniversary Collector's Edition' for Blu-ray on October 23. “The #1 Sci-Fi Film of all time” marks it’s return post 10 month moratorium with an all new 3-Disc Blu-ray/DVD and UV 30th Anniversary commemorative gift set. Revisit the illustrious Final Cut on Blu-ray, DVD and get a UV copy of the feature. Additionally, the gift set features an all new concept spinner car for your collection, action Lenticular and a 72 page art production book with never-before-seen Ridley sketches, poster art and photos from the set. Specs have yet to be revealed, but the release will include four finished versions of the film including The Final Cut, The rare Workprint feature version, Documentary: Dangerous Days: HD Stills Gallery (with more than 1000 archival images), and over 10 hours of additional bonus content. Suggested list price for the boxed set is $64.99. A 36-page digibook release (minus all of the swag) will also be sold separately for $34.99 You can find the latest specs for 'Blade Runner: 30th Anniversary Collector's Edition' and 'Blade Runner: 30th Anniversary Collector's Edition (Digibook)' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where they're indexed under October 23.Posted Wed Jul 18, 2012 at 01:00 PM PDT by: -
'Rosemary's Baby' Blu-ray Dated and Detailed[teaser]The 1968 horror classic is getting the Criterion Blu-ray treatment just in time for Halloween! [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Criterion will proudly present 'Rosemary's Baby' on Blu-ray on October 30. In the decades of occult cinema Roman Polanski’s ungodly masterpiece has spawned, it’s never been outdone for sheer psychological terror. The Blu-ray will feature a new 1080p digital transfer, an uncompressed monaural soundtrack, and supplements include: New interviews with Polanski, actor Mia Farrow, and producer Robert Evans; Komeda, Komeda, a feature-length documentary on the life and work of jazz musician and composer Krzysztof Komeda, who wrote the score for Rosemary's Baby; 1997 radio interview with author Ira Levin from Leonard Lopate's WNYC program New York and Company on the 1967 novel, the sequel, and the film; and a booklet featuring an essay by critic Ed Park and Levin's afterword for the 2003 New American Library edition of his novel, in which he discusses its and the film's origins. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $39.95. You can find the latest specs for 'Rosemary's Baby' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under October 30.Posted Wed Jul 18, 2012 at 12:00 PM PDT by: -
'Men in Black III' Announced for Blu-ray and Blu-ray 3D[teaser]The Agents are back in their third adventure on Blu-ray and Blu-ray 3D this fall. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Sony will be bringing 'Men in Black III' to high-definition in a Blu-ray/DVD/Ultraviolet Copy combo pack on November 30. 'Men in Black III - 3D' (2D included) will also be available on the same date. In Men in Black™ 3, Agents J (Will Smith) and K (Tommy Lee Jones) are back... in time. J has seen some inexplicable things in his 15 years with the Men in Black, but nothing, not even aliens, perplexes him as much as his wry, reticent partner. But when K's life and the fate of the planet are put at stake, Agent J will have to travel back in time to put things right. J discovers that there are secrets to the universe that K never told him -- secrets that will reveal themselves as he teams up with the young Agent K (Josh Brolin) to save his partner, the agency, and the future of humankind. The Blu-ray/DVD/UV Digital Copy combo packs will feature 1080p video, a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack, and supplements include: Spot the Alien Game; 3D Models of MIB Techology; The Making of Men In Black 3; Men In Black: 1960's vs. Today; Creating the Visual Effects; Scene Investigation; Progression Reels; "Back In Time" Music Video by Pitbull; and Converting to 3D (3D - BD 3D exclusive). Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $40.99 and $55.99 for the Blu-ray 3D. You can find the latest specs for 'Men in Black III' and 'Men in Black III - 3D' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where they're indexed under November 30.Posted Wed Jul 18, 2012 at 10:00 AM PDT by: -
Roku Launches Updates for the Roku 2, Roku LT and Roku HD[teaser]You'll find new features and improved performance as well as a few ground-laying updates. [/teaser] The latest update to Roku's line of players – already pushing to Roku 2 and Roku LT Players now – adds not only a few nice updates, but lays the ground for future improvements. The biggest change is the optimization of streams and other performance. Players will be more responsive and both MLB.TV and GBTV have received what Roku calls "significant playback improvements." That's bound to please a lot of folks. The feature update might not excite most, but the addition of both Spanish and German languages to the user interface opens Roku players to a whole new market. Lastly, there are quite a few upgrades for developers, all of which lay the groundwork for future improvements and new apps. Source: Roku BlogPosted Wed Jul 18, 2012 at 09:00 AM PDT by: -
'The Santa Clause' & 'The Santa Clause 2' Announced for Blu-ray[teaser]Ho! Ho! Ho! The first two family holiday comedies will be available individually or part of a new trilogy boxed set this October. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Disney/Buena Vista has scheduled 'The Santa Clause' and 'The Santa Clause 2' for Blu-ray on October 16. The Santa Clause Trilogy gift set will also be available on the same date. The family films star Tim Allen as an ordinary Joe who inherits Santa's gig after accidentally killing the real good ol' St. Nick. Specs have yet to be revealed, but 'The Santa Clause' will include: "So You Wanna Be An Elf?" featurette, Making Santa Snacks With Wolfgang, and "The Night Before Christmas" Short. 'The Santa Clause 2' will include: 7 Deleted Scenes, Gag Reel - Bloopers From The Cast, "True Confessions Of The Legendary Figures" - Interviews With Tooth Fairy, Mother Nature, Father Time And Easter Bunny, and an audio Commentary With Michael Lembeck. Suggested list price for each Blu-ray is still undetermined at this time. You can find the latest specs for 'The Santa Clause,' 'The Santa Clause 2,' & 'The Santa Clause Trilogy' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where they're indexed under October 16.Posted Wed Jul 18, 2012 at 08:00 AM PDT by: -
'The Astonishing X-Men Blu-ray Collection' Dated for Blu-ray[teaser]Joss Whedon's acclaimed X-Men stories are coming to Blu-ray in November. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Shout Factory says 'The Astonishing X-Men Blu-ray Collection' will be available on Blu-ray on November 13. The 2-Disc Blu-ray collection boasts all four Astonishing X-Men adventures from Joss Whedon, the mastermind behind the massive hit film Marvel’s The Avengers, and award-winning artist John Cassaday. As one of the most important X-Men stories of all-time, it features over 5 hours of engaging animation combined with non-stop action, as well as all-new cover art illustration by Cassaday. Venture into the minds of Joss Whedon and John Cassady through Marvel Knights Animation based on their Eisner Award winning take on Marvel’s infamous mutant heroes. This must-have 2-disc Blu-ray collection contains: ASTONISHING X-MEN: GIFTED - Can the X-Men protect the world’s mutants against a powerful new alien menace and the “cure” that threatens to rid them of their unique abilities forever? This DVD features the first story arc of the ASTONISHING X-MEN 3-part series. Extensive bonus content includes: a conversation with Joe Quesada and Neal Adams, ASTONISHING X-MEN “Rise Up” music video, ASTONISHING X-MEN – GIFTED trailer, visual history of the characters, behind-the-scenes, Marvel Super Heroes™: What The — ?, artists gallery – John Cassaday, and additional trailers. ASTONISHING X-MEN: DANGEROUS - In the second installment of the Astonishing X-Men arc, the tragic death of a student at the Xavier Institute reveals that a powerful enemy is working from inside the mansion to destroy the X-Men. It’s an enemy who knows all their weaknesses and can predict their every move. This new foe doesn’t want wealth, power or world domination – it only wants them dead. As the X-Men fight for their lives, they learn they’ve been deceived by one of their own. Even if they survive, the team will never be the same. ASTONISHING X-MEN: TORN - This third installment of the Astonishing X-Men story arc brings more action and adventure as Emma Frost’s erratic behavior has the X-Men spinning in a nonstop downward spiral. Will an unlikely union be the final straw? After secretly lying in wait for months, the new Hellfire Club makes its move! ASTONISHING X-MEN: UNSTOPPABLE -Strap yourselves in, folks! The final arc on Astonishing X-Men! After the shocking and brain-smashing events of recent issues, the X-Men are off to protect the Earth from its destruction at the hands of the Breakworld. And when it's all over, nothing will ever be the same! No, really, we mean it! Whedon and Cassaday prove they are more than Astonishing: They are unstoppable! Specs and supplements have yet to be revealed, but suggested list price for the 2-disc set is $34.99. You can find the latest specs for 'The Astonishing X-Men Blu-ray Collection' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under November 13.Posted Wed Jul 18, 2012 at 06:00 AM PDT by: -
The Best TV Blu-rays of 2012, So Far...[teaser]We continue with our look at the year's best releases, so far... This time we're focusing on the Blu-rays we've seen from the realm of television.[/teaser] Television just keeps getting better and better on Blu-ray. This year we've seen a number of releases that have gone above and beyond! Studios like HBO have continued producing demo-quality content, while British television has made a dramatic surge, taking over many of the spots in this top ten list. Then there are the older series, which are getting spruced up like never before as they hit high definition home media. 10. 'Star Trek: The Next Generation – The Next Level' Sure it amounted to a simple advertisement of the future sets of 'Star Trek: TNG' that are coming out soon, but it was a great way to show fans of the series why upgrading to Blu-ray for this show is necessary. I thought it provided a great introduction to what we can expect to see when the series finally starts hitting Blu-ray in its entirety. I, for one, was sold on the extensive amount of time that was put into the show's restoration. It was nice to have a cheaply priced disc that simply let you make up your own mind on if you were going to purchase the more pricey sets later on down the road. With all that said, this is the first one to get kicked off the list once we finally see what Paramount has in store for us when the first season hits Blu-ray. 9. 'Strike Back: Cinemax Season 1' A TV show on Cinemax that wasn't ridiculous softcore porn? Could it be true? Still, it can't be good right? I mean it's on Cinemax. What's that you say? It was originally produced across the pond? Well, they usually make some stand up shows. Maybe I'll give it a try… Hey, that was great fun! It's violent, sexy, and as tense as '24' ever was. Now this is an action show. It feels like it has the budget of a film, rather than that of a TV show. It's exciting, and surprisingly emotional in parts. Really, 'Strike Back' has it all. 8. 'Boss: Season 1' Who knew Kelsey Grammer could be so mean? He's ruthless here. Downright despicable really. 'Boss' is a well-crafted political drama about the mayor of Chicago (Grammer) trying his hardest to hold onto his political power. Starz really reached with 'Spartacus' and seemed to come up with a show that was heavy on the style, but a little light on substance. 'Boss' is every bit as risqué as 'Spartacus,' but with deep characters and worthwhile storylines to match. 7. 'Downton Abbey: Season 2' 'Downton Abbey' took the soap opera formula, stuck it in the pre-war era, and created surprisingly compelling television. On paper this really isn't the type of series I'd even give a chance to. A period drama about servants and the people they serve isn't something that I'm normally be interested in, however, the goings on at Downton sucked me in. It's hard to explain why I enjoy the show so much. I just do (and no, my wife isn't making me say this). 6. 'George Gently: Series 4' If there is one show that Acorn Media puts out that you simply must pay attention to it’s the 'George Gently' releases. 'Gently' is one of the most well-written and well-acted detective procedurals that I've ever come across. Each episode is feature-length, so they're able to build on the characters, creating living, breathing people instead of stereotypical character cut-outs. The show is set in the 60s and routinely deals with hot-button issues of the day. Best of all, the mysteries are almost impossible to predict, and even if you do predict some of it, there are inevitably some surprising twists along the way. 5. 'Breaking Bad: Season 4' It's one of the hottest shows on television right now, and for good reason. Bryan Cranston, usually an actor who plays loveable characters, has gone against type (much like Kelsey Grammer in 'Boss') and has morphed into one of the scariest SOBs in the history of TV. Walter White is certainly a key reason 'Breaking Bad' is such a good show. Not only is Walter White a force on screen, but the entire series is perfectly crafted. To quote reviewer Luke Hickman, "If the Coen Brothers wrote a television series, it would be 'Breaking Bad.'" 4. 'Frozen Planet' Have you watched 'Frozen Planet' yet? No? Why not?! Get on it as soon as you can, because this is another winner from the nature documentary folks at the BBC. They've redefined the nature documentary and have kept producing visually informational docs about the world around us. 'Frozen Planet' features just as much stunning photography as 'Planet Earth' or 'Life.' Some of the time lapse photography in this is simply mind-blowing. Watching the underwater ice crystals form and slowly travel to the ocean floor is some of the best footage I've ever seen in high definition. 3. 'Sherlock: Season 2' I love me some British television, but I think the reimagining of 'Sherlock' in modern times is the best of the bunch. This is a fantastically addictive show with only one flaw – they produce too few episodes. It's a good thing that each episode is feature-film length, however, I still can't get enough 'Sherlock' to keep me satisfied. We've spoken so much about great performances, so Benedict Cumberbatch's Sherlock Holmes cannot be understated. He makes for a delightfully fun, energetic, and sarcastic version of the famous detective. 2. 'Treme: Season 2' Quietly, HBO's 'Treme' does its thing. It doesn't get as much fanfare or publicity as some other TV shows do, but it is, without a doubt, the most human of all the series on television. If you haven't gotten into 'Treme' you really should. It's a complex story about how a wide swath of New Orleans residents begin picking up the pieces after Hurricane Katrina. Plus, both of the seasons that have been put out by HBO have some of the best quality high-def audio that you'll find on a television series. 1. 'Game of Thrones: Season 1' It's the best show on TV. No really, it is. If you don't agree then The Mountain will come looking for you and make you agree. HBO's release of the first season was magnificently put together. Everything from the video, to the audio, to the huge extent of special features, this was an amazing set. If you're a collector of TV on Blu-ray then the first season of 'Game of Thrones' definitely belongs on your shelf. What are some of your favorite television releases of the year? Let us know by following the link below so we can discuss this further in the forums.Posted Tue Jul 17, 2012 at 04:50 PM PDT by: -
'Max Fleischer's Superman: Collector's Edition' Announced for Blu-ray[teaser]It's a bird! It's a plane! No, it's the classic 1941 animated serials coming to Blu-ray this October! [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Vivendi is working on 'Max Fleischer's Superman: Collector's Edition' for Blu-ray on October 9. For the first time ever, this two-disc set presents the original Max Fleischer Superman cartoons in pristine high-definition format. Revered as some of the finest animated cartoons produced during The Golden Age of American animation, 'Max Fleischer's Superman: Collector's Edition' is the focal point of any collector's library, chronicling the introduction of the world's favorite superhero. Heroes may come and go, but the timelessness of the Superman legacy has remained invincible, entertaining generations of the past, present and future. Specs and supplements have yet to be revealed, but the 2-disc set will include a commemorative booklet. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $32.99. You can find the latest specs for 'Max Fleischer's Superman: Collector's Edition' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under October 9.Posted Tue Jul 17, 2012 at 12:00 PM PDT by: -
Sony's New Receiver Packs AirPlay, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and More[teaser]At $499, the STR-DN1030 packs a nice array of streaming features. [/teaser] Sony unveiled a brand new 7.2 channel receiver that packs quite a bit of punch for those that want to stream music, regardless of your source. the STR-DN1030 offers up AirPlay for streaming from iOS devices, Bluetooth for streaming from phones and the like, and Wi-Fi, giving you the option to use Pandora, Slacker, or Sony's own Music Unlimited service. The DN1030 offers, of course, all the things you've come to expect from a mid-price receiver. It upscales to 1080i, sports 3D pass-through, and gives you a 2nd zone of audio. The DN1030 is available for $499 on Amazon. Source: Electronic HousePosted Tue Jul 17, 2012 at 11:00 AM PDT by: -
'Pet Sematary' Blu-ray Detailed[teaser]The 1989 Stephen King horror film arriving on Blu-ray just in time for Halloween has now been detailed! [/teaser] As previously reported, Paramount is releasing 'Pet Sematary' on Blu-ray on October 2. Behind a young family's home in Maine is a terrible secret that holds the power of life after death. When tragedy strikes, the threat of that power soon becomes undeniable. The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack, and supplements include: Commentary by Director Mary Lambert, Stephen King Territory, The Characters, and Filming the Horror. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $21.99. You can find the latest specs for 'Pet Sematary' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under October 2.Posted Tue Jul 17, 2012 at 10:00 AM PDT by:
