-
'Piranha 3DD' Blu-ray Announced and Detailed[teaser]What jiggles, splashes, and has millions of sharp-pointy teeth? Find out when the campy horror film spawns this September! [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Starz/Anchor Bay will unleash 'Piranha 3DD' on Blu-ray on September 4. A sequel to 'Piranha 3D' – the 2010 reboot of the fan-favorite franchise from the ‘70s – 'Piranha 3DD' stars Danielle Panabaker ('The Crazies,' 'Friday the 13th'), Katrina Bowden (TV’s “30 Rock”), David Koechner ('Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy,' 'Get Smart'), David Hasselhoff (TV’s “Baywatch,” “Knight Rider”), Christopher Lloyd ('Piranha 3D,' 'Back to the Future'), and Gary Busey ('Lethal Weapon,' 'The Buddy Holly Story'). Directed by John Gulager ('Feast') and written by Marcus Dunstan and Patrick Melton (the writing team behind four 'Saw' titles). 'Piranha 3DD' incorporates the classic elements of the teen horror/exploitation movies of the 1970s, packed with ferocious flesheaters, scantily-clad young victims, and bizarre and exciting twists and turns. Whereas 'Piranha 3D' took place on a lake, the 2012 sequel is set at a water park, complete with water slides and a lazy river – the perfect places for piranha mayhem! Back for more outrageous fun, Christopher Lloyd reprises his role as the eccentric piranha expert. The Blu-ray 3D/Blu-ray/DVD/Digital Copy combo pack will feature 1080p video, a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack, and supplements will include: Commentary with the filmmakers, The Story Behind the DD, The Hofftastic World of David Hasselhoff, Wet and Wild with David Koechner, Busey's Bloopers, Short film: A Lesson with John McEnroe, and deleted scenes. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray 3D combo pack is $29.99. You can find the latest specs for 'Piranha 3DD' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under September 4.Posted Thu Jul 12, 2012 at 10:00 AM PDT by: -
Viacom Pulls Free Online TV Shows in Response to DirecTV[teaser]The shows have been replaced with an ad calling out to viewers to call DirecTV and demand the channel be returned. [/teaser] Yesterday, DirecTV released a statement saying that one of the big problems with paying more for Viacom programming is that some of the most popular shows, including The Daily Show, The Colbert Report, Jersey Shore and more are available for free online. In response to that, Viacom has removed all of those shows from the internet. Viacom says that these free episodes are intended to be a sort of advertisement for affiliates, but has removed them since, as Multichannel News writer Todd Spangler puts it, "DirecTV is marketing internet video destinations as an alternative to the full networks." "Once again it's viewers who suffer when media companies stall in their negotiations," says John Bergmayer, staff attorney at consumer-advocacy group Public Knowledge. "Viacom has decided to take a service away from all Internet users in its attempt to punish DirecTV. It is apparent that Viacom puts little stock in the Internet and the online future of video if it is willing to use all Internet users as a pawn in its negotiations." Source:Multichannel NewsPosted Thu Jul 12, 2012 at 09:00 AM PDT by: -
'I, Robot - 3D' Dated for Blu-ray 3D + Comic Con Exclusive[teaser]The 2004 Will Smith sci-fi epic is coming to Blu-ray 3D in October, and an exclusive collector's set will also be available in very limited quantities at San Diego Comic-Con. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, 20th Century Fox is working on 'I, Robot - 3D' for Blu-ray 3D on October 23. But for fans making the annual trek to San Diego for Comic-Con, Fox has created something special for you - a Limited Edition Collectible I, ROBOT Head, inspired by the film and jam-packed with goodies for robots and humans alike. The limited run of 250 serialized I, ROBOT heads is available for pre-order only at Fox booth #4313 for a special price of $99.99 and includes the all-new revolutionary 3D Blu-ray, a DVD version of the film and a bonus DVD disc chock full of extras. Specs, supplements, and suggested list price for the regular Blu-ray 3D release is still undetermined at this time. You can find the latest specs for 'I, Robot - 3D' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under October 23.Posted Thu Jul 12, 2012 at 08:46 AM PDT by: -
'The Viral Factor' Blu-ray Dated[teaser]The critically-acclaimed Hong Kong thriller starring action icons Jay Chou and Nicholas Tse is spreading to Blu-ray this August! [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Well Go USA is prepping 'The Viral Factor' for a Blu-ray release on August 28. Rising superstars Jay Chou ('The Green Hornet,' 'True Legend') and Nicholas Tse ('Shaolin,' 'The Stool Pigeon') team up in award-winning Director Dante Lam’s ('The Beast Stalker,' 'The Stool Pigeon') all-action, bio-terror thriller. The film also stars Andy On ('White Vengeance,' 'Three Kingdoms') and Bing Bai ('Shaolin') in the story of an International Security Affairs agent (Chou) who gets caught up in a deadly, international crime ring developing biological weapons. The release includes a new English dub. Specs have yet to be revealed, but supplements will include a making-of featurette and cast and crew interviews. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $29.98. You can find the latest specs for 'The Viral Factor' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under August 28.Posted Thu Jul 12, 2012 at 08:00 AM PDT by: -
'Big Easy Express' Blu-ray Announced[teaser]Emmett Malloy's music documentary released on iTunes on June 26 is coming to Blu-ray in July. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, 52bn Holdings Inc is working on 'Big Easy Express' for a Blu-ray release on July 24. 'Big Easy Express,' directed by Emmett Malloy ('Under the Great White Northern Lights'), is a film documenting indie folk heroes Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, Tennessee’s Old Crow Medicine Show, and Britain’s acclaimed Mumford & Sons, as they climbed aboard a beautiful vintage train in California, setting out for New Orleans, Louisiana ona the Railroad Revival Tour in April 2011. Part road movie and part concert film, 'Big Easy Express' bears witness to the birth of a new musical era. With poignancy and beauty, Malloy documents these incredible musicians as they ride the rails and wow the crowds, from Oakland...to New Orleans. The film was SXSW's Headline Audience Award winner this March and has continued to have closing and opening night showings at various film festivals including Silverdocs, Los Angeles Film Festival, and more. The Blu-ray/DVD combo pack will feature DTS-HD master audio 5.1 and uncompressed 2.0 soundtracks and supplements will include an interview with the director, deleted scenes, still gallery, and a trailer. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $16.99. You can find the latest specs for 'Big Easy Express' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under July 24.Posted Thu Jul 12, 2012 at 06:00 AM PDT by: -
The Best Comedy Blu-rays of 2012, So Far...by Aaron Peck [teaser]Our "So Far…" series continues since we've come to the halfway point of 2012. We've already covered this year's best action movies on Blu-ray, so let's hit up some of the funniest movies that have been released on the format this year.[/teaser] Below you'll find my list of the movies that made me laugh more than most this year. Some are darker than others, but all of them are funny in their own way. 10. 'Goon' Hockey and comedy haven't gone so well together since 'Slap Shot.' This movie starring Jay Baruchel, Sean William Scott, and Liev Schreiber is nasty, brutal, bad-mouthed fun. If you like your hockey fights bloody and your dialogue salty then look no further than 'Goon.' It came to fruition without much fanfare at all, but chances are good you'll be cheering by the end. Okay, that sounded ridiculously corny. How about this: Sean William Scott beats the shit out of people and it's really funny? Was that better? 9. 'Carnage' Based on the play 'God of Carnage,' Roman Polanski's 'Carnage' features a perfect cast for a one-room set (Jodie Foster, John C. Reilly, Kate Winslet, and Christoph Waltz). Even though they spend much of the movie yelling and screaming at each other the comedy is found in the subtext. The realization that these so-called adults haven't progressed at all past juvenile delinquency is funny indeed; in a rather morbid way of course. 8. 'Wanderlust' It's hard to admit that Paul Rudd can do any wrong, especially nowadays with his string of R-rated comedies which have run the gamut of pretty funny ('Role Models') to downright friggin' hilarious ('Knocked Up'). 'Wanderlust' falls somewhere in the middle. This was a movie that I wasn't really anticipating being as funny as it was. Paul Rudd transplanted to a hippie commune, er, intentional community, made room for all kinds of laughs. The moment when Rudd tries to psyche himself up to have sex with Malin Ackerman by talking to himself in the mirror remains one of the only comedic scenes this year that has brought tears to my eyes from laughing so much. 7. 'Young Adult' Comedy can be dark, and it doesn't get much darker than 'Young Adult,' the story of an egotistical misanthrope played by Charlize Theron who goes back to her hometown to win back her high school boyfriend. While there is plenty of drama in 'Young Adult' there are also plenty of laughs, albeit they're more like "should I really be laughing at that" laughs. Theron's performance here is reason enough to see it. 6. 'The Guard' Speaking of dark comedy, 'The Guard' has all the dry Irish wit you'll be able to handle. This is Gleeson's finest darkly comedic role since 'In Bruges.' Anyone who liked 'In Bruges' will adore 'The Guard' like I did. This is one of those movies that you have to watch multiple times because there are sure to be jokes you may have missed the first time around, what with Gleeson's thick accent and all. 5. '21 Jump Street' Did I expect this remake of a somewhat popular 80s television show to be any good? Hell no. Next thing I knew I was laughing and I couldn't stop. What was this? A remake with Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill that was genuinely funny? It was suddenly like the world didn't make sense anymore. I felt dizzy. '21 Jump Street' is the poster movie for not judging a movie before you have a chance to see it. 4. 'The Muppets' One of my favorite theatrical releases of 2011 became one of my favorite Blu-ray releases of 2012. Jason Segal's adaption of 'The Muppets' franchise was spot-on in humor, comedic timing, and character understanding. You could tell that he was a fan of Jim Henson's Muppets long before he put pen to paper for this movie. His love for the characters shows. Plus, each one of the movie's songs is borderline brilliant in humor and emotional tone. 3. 'The Artist' Sure it's got its emotional tugs here and there, but deep down 'The Artist' is one of the most wonderfully made romantic comedies out there. There are plenty of laughs to go along with the tears. As far as I'm concerned its Academy Award was well deserved. Who says comedies don't have a chance at the Oscars? 2. 'The Gold Rush' There aren't many black-and-white 87-year-old films that can still reproduce the same joy and heartfelt laughter that they inspired when they were first released. High-Def Digest reviewer Luke Hickman watched Charlie Chaplin's 'The Gold Rush' with his five-year-old daughter who laughed all the way through it. Consider that for a second. In a world filled with a bombardment of seizure-inducing cartoons and unfunny kid-oriented sitcoms, a kid can still find joy in a black-and-white movie from the 20s. That's amazing and a true testament to Chaplin himself. 1. 'Monty Python and the Holy Grail' Ah, the comedic Holy Grail itself. I could spend the rest of this paragraph quoting its immortal lines one after the other, and you'd soon realize that this is indeed one of the funniest movies ever filmed. 'Holy Grail' is one of those films that no matter how much you've watched it, you can stick it in and watch it again (like 'The Princess Bride'). 'Holy Grail' offers endless enjoyment so it was rather nice to see it finally offered in high definition this year. Like all lists, this one is relative, but it should give you a good idea of what kind of comedy we've already had on Blu-ray this year. Please let us know which comedies this year would make your top ten. Follow the link below and join the discussion in the forums.Posted Wed Jul 11, 2012 at 01:20 PM PDT by: -
'Freelancers' Announced and Detailed for Blu-ray[teaser]Robert De Niro teams up with Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson in the police thriller coming to Blu-ray in August. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Lionsgate says 'Freelancers' is coming to Blu-ray on August 21. Multi-platinum recording artist and rising Hollywood film star Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson ('Get Rich or Die Tryin') adds to his growing resume as an actor with his portrayal of Malo, the son of a slain NYPD officer who joins the force only to discover the villainous story behind his father's death. Jackson is surrounded by an all-star supporting cast that includes two-time Academy Award winner Robert De Niro ('Raging Bull,' 'The Godfather Part II') and Best Actor winner Forest Whitaker ('The Last King of Scotland'), who head up the band of rogue New York City cops that recruit Jackson and his partners into their corrupt ranks. The film also features two-time Emmy Award winner Dana Delaney (TV's "China Beach"). The Blu-ray will feature 1080P video, a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack, and supplements include: Commentary with director Jessy Terrero and Curtis Jackson; Behind-the-scenes interviews with Jessy Terrero, producer Randall Emmett, writer L. Philippe Casseus, and actors Curtis Jackson, Forest Whitaker, Beau Garrett, Malcolm Goodwin, Ryan O'Nan, & Anabelle Acosta; Extended interviews with Terrero, Randall Emmett, L. Philippe Casseus, and actors Curtis Jackson, Forest Whitaker, Beau Garrett, Malcolm Goodwin, Ryan O'Nan, & Anabelle Acosta. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $24.99. You can find the latest specs for 'Freelancers' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under August 21.Posted Wed Jul 11, 2012 at 12:00 PM PDT by: -
'The Dick Van Dyke Show: The Complete Series' Announced for Blu-ray[teaser]All 157 episodes of the classic 1966 series are being boxed up for Blu-ray this October! [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Image Entertainment has slated 'The Dick Van Dyke Show: The Complete Series' for Blu-ray on October 30. Welcome one of TV's funniest couples ever into your living room. You'll be laughing hysterically as you join Rob Petrie (Dick Van Dyke) struggling with the ups and downs of work and home, aided and agitated by his lovely wife Laura (Mary Tyler Moore). Adding to the fun are Rob's wisecracking co-workers Sally (Rose Marie) and Buddy (Morey Amsterdam), long-suffering Mel Cooly (Richard Deacon) and hot-tempered boss Alan Brady (Carl Reiner). Winner of 15 Emmy Awards, 'The Dick Van Dyke Show' is consistently ranked among the top TV comedies of all-time and renowned for its top-notch cast and stellar writing. Now enjoy each episode in pristine high-definition for the first time! The Blu-ray boxed set will include 15 discs with Dolby Digital Mono soundtracks and while supplements haven't been detailed yet, the Blu-ray packaged will likely include the same content as the DVD set including: Audio Commentaries by Carl Reiner, Dick Van Dyke, Rose Marie and Larry Mathews; Audio Commentaries with Ann Morgan Guilbert, Garry Marshall, Don Rickles & More; Head of the Family - Original Series Pilot; Interviews with Cast and Producers; Mary Tyler Moore Appearance on Dick's Variety Series; Original Commercials Featuring the Cast and Network Promos; Dr. Mark Sloan Meets Rob Petrie in an Episode of Diagnosis Murder; A Full-Length Danny Thomas Show Episode with Morey Amsterdam as Buddy Sorrell; Emmy Award Telecast Clips Honoring The Dick Van Dyke Show; The Dick Van Dyke Show Cast Reunion from Comic Relief (1992); The Full-Length CBS Special: The Dick Van Dyke Show Remembered; Dick Van Dyke Sings the Theme Song in an Appearance at The Hollywood Bowl; Exclusive and Never-Before-Seen Rehearsal Photos Taken by Roddy McDowall; Rare Rhearsal Footage; And Much More! Suggested list price for the Blu-ray set is $349.98. You can find the latest specs for 'The Dick Van Dyke Show: The Complete Series' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's now indexed under October 30.Posted Wed Jul 11, 2012 at 10:00 AM PDT by: -
Viacom Pulled from DirecTV[teaser]Apparently, Viacom is looking for a 30 percent rate increase. DirecTV, as you might imagine, isn't down with that. [/teaser] The sad fact of being a satellite TV subscriber is that you have to deal with seemingly constant struggles for content. Dish has been dealing with the loss of content thanks to their new DVR and now DirecTV faces the loss of channels due to a licensing agreement. "We have been very willing to get a deal done," says DirecTV EVP of Content Derek Chang, "but Viacom is pushing DirecTV customers to pay more than a 30% increase, which equates to an extra $1 billion, despite the fact that the ratings for many of their main networks have plummeted and much of Viacom's programming can be seen for free online." "We proposed a fair deal that amounted to an increase of only a couple pennies per day, per subscriber, and we remained willing to negotiate that deal right up to this evening's deadline," says Viacom in a statement. "However, DirecTV refused to engage in meaningful conversation." Source: Multichannel NewsPosted Wed Jul 11, 2012 at 09:00 AM PDT by: -
'Etta James: Live at Montreux 1993' Blu-ray Announced[teaser]The late singer's 1993 concert performance will be available on Blu-ray in August. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Eagle Rock has set 'Etta James: Live at Montreux 1993' for Blu-ray on August 28. Etta James made many appearances at the Montreux Jazz Festival across her long and distinguished career from her first concert in 1975 through to her last in 2008. This Blu-ray focuses on the concert from 1993 when she was at her absolute peak and complements it with selected tracks from many other Montreux appearances. It features many of her best loved tracks and songs that she is particularly associated with. Etta James was one of the most respected performers of her generation. In a career stretching over 60 years she was inducted into the Rock n Roll Hall Of Fame and the Blues Hall Of Fame, won 3 Grammys and received many more nominations and was named Female Blues Artist Of The Year on no less than 14 occasions. Sadly, Etta James passed away after a long illness in January 2012 and this Blu-ray is a fitting tribute to one of the greatest female vocalists of the 20th century. Track Listing: 1) Funky Good Time 2) Hold On, I'm Coming 3) I Just Wanna Make Love To You 4) I'd Rather Go Blind 5) How Strong Is A Woman? 6) A Lover Is Forever 7) Beware 8) Hard To Handle 9) Just One More Day 10) Come To Mama 11) Why I Sing The Blues Bonus: Over 90 minutes of additional tracks from other Etta James performances at Montreux: 1975: 1) Respect Yourself 2) Drown In My Own Tears 3) W.O.M.A.N. 4) I'd Rather Go Blind 1977: 1) Medley: At Last / Trust In Me / A Sunday Kind Of Love 1978: 1) Take It To The Limit 1989: 1) Tell Mama 2) Something's Got A Hold On Me 3) Breaking Up Somebody's Home 4) I Got The Will 5) Sugar On The Floor 1990: 1) Your Good Thing Is About To End. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $19.98. You can find the latest specs for 'Etta James: Live at Montreux 1993' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under August 28.Posted Wed Jul 11, 2012 at 08:00 AM PDT by:
