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'Full Metal Jacket: 25th Anniversary Edition' Blu-ray Date Change[teaser]Stanley Kubrick's acclaimed war drama getting a 25th Anniversary digibook double dip is now coming in August. [/teaser] As previously reported, Warner Brothers was going to release 'Full Metal Jacket: 25th Anniversary Edition' in a Blu-ray digibook on July 3, but now the date has been changed to August 7. Our review for the Deluxe Edition can be viewed here. This Blu-ray release will include the same supplements as the previous release including audio commentary by Adam Baldwin, Vincent D'Onofrio, R. Lee Ermey and critic/screenwriter Jay Cocks; Full Metal Jacket: Between Good and Evil featurette; theatrical trailer; and exclusive to this release will be Stanley Kubrick's Boxes Documentary. The 'Full Metal Jacket: 25th Anniversary Edition' also includes 44-page digibook packaging with a personal letter and intimate reflections from star Matthew Modine, as well as behind-the-scenes photos specifically selected for this release. You can find the latest specs for 'Full Metal Jacket: 25th Anniversary Edition' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's now indexed under August 7.Posted Fri Jul 6, 2012 at 06:00 AM PDT by: -
Blu-ray Becomes A 'Battleground'[teaser]It's a bad day to be a bank robber when the action-packed fight for survival hits Blu-ray this August. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Well Go USA says 'Battleground' will have a Blu-ray release on August 28. Hugh Lambe ('End of the Line') stars as “The Hunter” in Director Neil Mackay’s action-thriller 'Battleground.' The film also stars Bryan Larkin ('The Red Machine'), Bob Cymbalski ('Deathdealer.com'), Mark Munro ('The Shadow in Red'), Damon White ('Savage'), Robert Nolan ('Lucky 7') and newcomer Frank Ieraci as robbers trapped and on the run from a trigger-happy hunter in an isolated forest laced with deadly traps. Specs and supplements have yet to be revealed, but suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $24.98. You can find the latest specs for ''Battleground' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under August 28.Posted Thu Jul 5, 2012 at 12:00 PM PDT by: -
'White Vengeance' Announced for Blu-ray[teaser]The critically-acclaimed martial arts epic from award-winning director Daniel Lee is planned for Blu-ray in September. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Well Go USA is working on 'White Vengeance' for Blu-ray on September 4. Based on a true period in Chinese history, Leon Lai plays “Liu Bang,” with Feng Shaofeng as “Xiang Yu,” the legendary warrior brothers in Director Daniel Lee’s ('14 Blades,' 'Three Kingdoms') medieval war epic 'White Vengeance.' Yifei Liu ('The Forbidden Kingdom'), Zhang Hanyu ('Bodyguards and Assassins'), Anthony Wong ('Legend of the Fist'), Jordan Chan ('The Dragon Pearl') and Andy On ('The Viral Factor') round out the star-studded cast in the story of two brothers contending for success and power during the fall of the Qin Dynasty. Specs have yet to be revealed, but supplements include cast and crew interviews and trailers. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $29.98. You can find the latest specs for 'White Vengeance' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under September 4.Posted Thu Jul 5, 2012 at 10:00 AM PDT by: -
'Produced by George Martin' Announced for Blu-ray[teaser]The 2011 documentary originally broadcast to great acclaim as part of the BBC’s “Arena” series will bow on Blu-ray in September. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Eagle Rock Entertainment will bring 'Produced by George Martin' to Blu-ray on September 11. Truly, George Martin has had a career like no other. In the early ‘50s, he joined EMI/Parlophone and started working on orchestral music, music for children and single handedly pioneered a range of hugely successful comedy records with Peter Sellers, Spike Milligan, Peter Ustinov and others. Then, in 1962, he signed The Beatles and everything changed. Together, George Martin and The Beatles revolutionized pop music and recording techniques, forging probably the greatest producer/artist collaboration there will ever be. 'Produced By George Martin' features numerous classic clips of the artists he has produced, and new interviews with many of them including Sir Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Michael Palin, Jeff Beck, Rolf Harris, Cilla Black, Millicent Martin and Bernard Cribbins. A fascinating man, and a compelling film. Specs haven't been revealed yet, but supplements will include over 50 minutes of additional interviews not included in the TV broadcast featuring contributions from Rick Rubin, T-Bone Burnett, Howard Goodall, Jimmy Webb and Ken Scott. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray will be $19.98. You can find the latest specs for 'Produced by George Martin' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under September 11.Posted Thu Jul 5, 2012 at 08:00 AM PDT by: -
'Starship Troopers: Invasion' Dated and Detailed for Blu-ray[teaser]An all-new CGI animated chapter in the sci-fi franchise will attempt to kill 'em all on Blu-ray this August. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Sony will unleash a 'Starship Troopers: Invasion' on Blu-ray on August 28. A distant Federation outpost Fort Casey comes under attack by bugs. The team on the fast attack ship Alesia is assigned to help the Starship John A. Warden stationed in Fort Casey evacuate along with the survivors and bring military intelligence safely back to Earth. Carl Jenkins, now ministry of Paranormal Warfare, takes the starship on a clandestine mission before its rendezvous with the Alesia and goes missing in the nebula. Now, the battle-hardened troopers are charged with a rescue mission that may lead to a much more sinister consequence than they ever could have. The Blu-ray/UV Digital Copy combo will feature 1080p video, a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack, and supplements will include: Filmmaker commentary; The Making of Starship Troopers: Invasion - Genesis behind-the-scenes featurette; The Making of Starship Troopers: Invasion archive; Gag Reel; and a Blu-ray exclusive conceptual art gallery. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray will be $29.99. You can find the latest specs for 'Starship Troopers: Invasion' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under August 28.Posted Thu Jul 5, 2012 at 06:00 AM PDT by: -
The Best Action Blu-rays of 2012, So Far...by Aaron Peck [teaser]As we step into July, we realize that the year is half over, and that we've already seen a wide variety of Blu-ray releases hit store shelves in 2012. In an effort to point out the most worthy titles once again, we bring your our "The Best Blu-rays of 2012, So Far...…" series where we highlight the releases that are definitely worth your money and time.[/teaser] As we reached the half-way point of 2012, we finally started to get a lot of movies that came out around the 2011 holidays. Coupled with a few movies that have seen theatrical and Blu-ray releases in the same year, we bring you a list of the best action movies released on the format so far. 10. 'Safe House' Whenever Denzel Washington is running around killing bad guys I think that it deserves a mention in the best action releases of the year list. The biggest problem with 'Safe House' is its shaky-cam atheistic, which makes many of the action scenes appear unnecessarily messy. However, there are some good shootouts and chase scenes, even though the camera is bouncing up and down. Plus, Denzel is blowing people away. Still, the incessant shaky-cam bumps it all the way down to the last spot on the list. 9. 'Chronicle' I fought with putting 'Wrath of the Titans' in this spot simply because of its CG-fueled action scenes featuring some extremely eye-pleasing creatures, but I opted to go with a film that was a bit smarter and a little more fun to watch. 'Chronicle' may not be something you'd think of as an "action" movie per se, but it does have quite a bit in it. The way the action is constructed in 'Chronicle' is far smarter than it had any business of being. As a found-footage film I don't think we expected much in the way of good action sequences, but I for one was pleasantly surprised. The climactic battle at the end was a lot of fun to watch. 8. 'Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows' I never felt like the action scenes in the first movie made a whole lot of sense. Guy Ritchie's lightning-fast editing techniques made it hard to follow along with the action as a whole. Here action still happens at the same extremely fast pace, but it seems a little more coherent all the way around. Especially with Ritchie's penchant for slowing down the action as bullets wiz passed Holmes and Watson. There were a lot more action-oriented scenes this time around. Coupled with demo-quality audio and video, 'A Game of Shadows' is definitely one of the best action movie Blu-ray releases of the year. 7. 'Redline' Resident Blu-ray reviewer Steve Cohen had many great things to say about the anime title 'Redline' when it came to Blu-ray. When discussing the action contained in this high-octane anime he said, "The animation style is fluid and fast paced, with lots of action packed sequences that absolutely wow with visual delights." With nearly perfect scores in the audio and video department, anime fans and action fans both have something to celebrate with this balls-to-the-wall animated action thriller. 6. 'The Grey' A few people poo-pooed 'The Grey' because it didn't have enough action in it. Not all action movies need to be packed to the brim. The key here is that the action scenes feel real and genuinely scary. They are effective, and the movie does a fantastic job ratcheting up the terror as the wolves close in on Liam Neeson and his group. Singing the praises of Neeson's performance, reviewer Michael S. Palmer said, "'The Grey' again proves why Liam Neeson is one of the best action stars we have today. His screen presence is weighty and grounded; this guy can do anything and make it seem real and logical." Again, it's Liam Neeson fighting wolves. How can this not be awesome? 5. 'Battle Royale: The Complete Collection' With all the talk of 'The Hunger Games' this year, it was kind of easy to forget about the lesser known Japanese movie 'Battle Royale' where a group of school kids are sent to a 'Huger Games'-esque place where they must kill each other in order to be the last person standing. What was great about this release was that fans got both the theatrical and extended cuts of the movie, both of which received five-star ratings from reviewer Nate Boss. The collection wavered a little on video presentation, but other than that this collection provided a fantastic, action-filled movie full of as much gore as you can possibly imagine. 4. 'Lethal Weapon Collection' It's the quintessential buddy-cop franchise and it finally found its way to Blu-ray in May. All four films were included. Sure the quality of the movies sort of went down as the franchise wore on, but the first two films are downright classics when it comes to talking about prototypical 80s action awesomeness, and part 4 has its moments. 3. 'Drive' Some would argue that 'Drive' really isn't an action movie. While it may have more of an art film feel to it, there are still some stark, vicious bouts of action in the movie that make it so much fun to watch. The key to the brief but brutal action scenes is the way the movie ratchets up the suspense before the violence. It may not be filled with explosions and wall-to-wall gun battles, but its subtle action scenes are just as effective as some of cinema's best shootouts. 2. 'Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol' I really wish there was a way to recreate the feeling I had in IMAX when I first saw 'Ghost Protocol'. When that camera panned out over the ledge of the Burj Khalifa as Tom Cruise began to scale the outside windows I literally felt a bout of vertigo in the theater. At home, not so much. It's a good thing that the rest of the movie has such wonderfully staged action scenes. The action in the movie is never hampered by incessant shaky-cam or incomprehensible editing techniques. Even though I didn't have the sheer feeling of vertigo I experienced in the theater, there is still plenty of action and suspense in this movie to keep anyone interested and invested in the story. 1. 'Haywire' Man I love this movie. I can't say enough good things about the absolute brutal action scenes. Go through and watch the special features and you'll see huge stars like Michael Fassbender actually taking punches and being kicked through glass windows. The action scenes in this movie are unrivaled by anything else that has come out this year (except 'The Raid'). 'Haywire' foregoes any sort of editing nonsense and goes straight for the jugular. It's almost hard to watch some of the scenes because it appears as if they're really beating the crap out of each other. The way that Steven Soderbergh films these action scenes is something to behold, it really is. These actors are actually taking a physical beating instead of faking it. I can't get enough of 'Haywire.' Until 'The Raid' comes to Blu-ray, this list stands as some of the best action Blu-rays that have been released in 2012. You can't go wrong with any movies on this list, but the next half of 2012 looks just as (if not more) promising. So, while we're waiting on 'The Raid,' the 'Bond 50' box-set, and the release of 'Indiana Jones', these ten movies should curb your action appetite. What have been some of your favorite action movie releases of 2012? Did we miss something that simply must be in people's collections? Let us know in the forum by clicking on the link below.Posted Tue Jul 3, 2012 at 03:10 PM PDT by: -
HDD Interviews 'Safe House' Writer David Guggenheimby Luke Hickman I love a good action movie. I'm not talking those cheesy, dumb, overly serious things that used to pass as action movies in the '80s – I'm talking about good, solid action movies. Sadly, they've been on the decline. It's not all that often that we're handed one with strong quality. February gave us one of the best action flicks in a long time - 'Safe House.' The story was strong (despite an expected twist). The action was great. The movie had both style and substance. And it was a success. Although it was just six percent away from a "fresh" Rotten Tomatoes rating, it killed it at the box office. 'Safe House' opened in the number two spot upward of $40 million (which is great for February), only to take the number one spot for its second and third weekends. 'Safe House' remained in the Top 10 for seven consecutive weeks and grossed over $202 million worldwide. [teaser]'Safe House' marks the first feature film for exploding writer David Guggenheim. Universal greenlit and fast-tracked this project (which you'll read more about in the interview that follows), which quickly made Hollywood take notice.[/teaser] For a new guy, Guggenheim has some pretty huge prospects on the horizon. If he keeps moving onward and upward – which I truly believe he will – then things will only get more exciting. Guggenheim recently took a few minutes out of this packed schedule to talk 'Safe House,' to explain what it feels like to finally land on the Hollywood map, and to give us a sneak preview of what to expect in the near future. I hope that as you read this interview, you'll feel the excitement, energy, gratitude and humility that exude from his words. Enjoy. HDD – Luke Hickman: Hi, David. David Guggenheim: Hello. HDD: How are you holding up after doing rapid fire interviews today? David Guggenheim: It's crazy, you know - but it's fun. I like doing them on the street, so I'm walking now, getting some air. It's all good. HDD: I think I'm your last interview for the day, so let's knock this out. Will you tell me a little bit about your writing education and history, how you got into it? David Guggenheim: Well, I'm a New Yorker. I grew up on Long Island. I went to school for writing at NYU. I've been writing since I was a kid. I was around seven years old when I wrote my first couple scripts. My first real stuff went out when I was in college. And it didn't sell. It came as humanly close as possible to selling, but it was the wrong place – the right place at the wrong time. Ever since then, it's been me sending out scripts – like six or seven scripts that went out to studios – that came really close to selling, but none of them ever did. And finally, 'Safe House' is the first one that sold. HDD: I've got to tell you – I dug it. David Guggenheim: Well, thanks! HDD: We haven't had an action movie of that caliber in a long time. David Guggenheim: And that's what I was going for – a sort of cool, visceral, original action movie. They just don't make them anymore. It's old school. HDD: And it looks great on Blu-ray too. David Guggenheim: Right?! It looks incredible on Blu-ray. HDD: Where did you get the idea and your inspiration for 'Safe House?' David Guggenheim: I'm a huge spy film fan. That's my favorite genre, which is why 'Safe House' is sprinkled with James Bond references throughout the whole movie. I have always been looking towards writing something in that vein. Up until now, I hadn't done it. I'd never written an actual spy movie. I thought about the idea of 'Safe House,' which I'd heard referenced before – it's common knowledge that these things actually exist – and I thought, 'That's such a provocative title. What if this place that's supposed to be your safe haven becomes the most dangerous place? That's something. I've got something going here.' And then I started thinking, 'Who works there? Well, it's this kid who has never been out in the field before.' I can identify with those sorts of characters. … I like the guy who doesn't know how to fight. So then I have to put him in a situation: 'What if we then pair him with the complete opposite? We put him with the most sociopathic expert spy. We have them going on the run, sort of learning from each other as they go on this journey – making it more of a "road movie" than anything else. Throw in action, gun fights, explosions, really cool hand-to-hand combat sequences. HDD: What was it like having 'Safe House' greenlit? You say this was your first script purchased, so how satisfying did it feel to know that it was going to be made? David Guggenheim: The movie literally came out [in theaters] two years after it sold. It was insane. We sold it, and literally a year later we were in production, and a year later – I got spoiled. That's the downside. I got so spoiled from it because … that's not exactly how that works. Usually. I was going, "I just sold it. How are they getting it made already? They're really making it! They're not just talking about getting these actors, they want to make this movie." That was really cool. Again, it wasn't based on a pre-existing title or anything like that – I thought it was going to be a very small-budget movie, by they ballooned it. HDD: Did they invite you to be present for the shoot? David Guggenheim: Yeah. They did. I was shooting a pilot that I wrote at the time, so I couldn't be there the whole time. The minute we wrapped [the pilot], I jumped on a plane. … It worked great. They involved me through the film, after the filming and during post [production]. It was really great. They were really cool. HDD: How does the final product compare to the way you wrote it? Does it look the way that you visualized it? David Guggenheim: It really does. I pictured it just short of a '70s movie. That's how I try to write. I go for those high-concept '90s movies, then think … 'How would this have looked in the '70s era?' I think [the director] took it around in a cooler way, but it's definitely fast and visceral. When people are shot, they get shot. When someone gets punched, they have to react to that punch. … It makes it more exciting that way. HDD: Where are those old scripts that you were pitching around Hollywood? Are you still working on them? David Guggenheim: I don't usually like going back. Usually there's a reason why something didn't sell, sometimes it's a timing issue. Sometimes I think that I have just gotten better. I've thought about dusting off some, but why not just move forward and do some new stuff. But, oddly enough, there was one that I wrote seven or eight years ago called 'Medallion' that got picked up independently and made because of 'Safe House.' It's now called 'Stolen.' So that's an example of an old script of mine that someone dug up and said, "Hey, let's make this into a movie." HDD: When was that filmed? David Guggenheim: They were literally shooting at the same time that we were shooting 'Safe House' and the pilot. All three were shooting at the same time, but I'm not sure what their plans are for it. I think that they're still doing work for – I know that Simon West was directing and I know that he's also doing 'The Expendables 2,' so he's pretty busy right now. … I really have no idea [what they're doing with it], but I imagine that [it's on the back burner for now]. HDD: Did they not keep you as involved with 'Stolen' as you were with 'Safe House?' David Guggenheim: They asked me to be, but I was honestly so busy that I couldn't. Unfortunately, I couldn't be as involved as I would want to, but they were cool, asking me if I wanted to go down there [for the shoot] and check it out. Everyone involved in that movie was awesome too. I've got no complaints. HDD: I notice that you have at least four scripts that are in some form of production right now. David Guggenheim: They're all in various stages of development. One is really close to shooting. One we are hoping will be really close to shooting in the next couple of months. One is about to land a director – but I can't say who that director is until he signs his name. And the other one were are just developing. So they are all in various stages of development. HDD: Can you talk at all about those scripts? Give us a little hint of what to expect? David Guggenheim: Yeah! 'Puzzle Palace' is the first one, the one that's most concrete. That's the one that McG is directing. Most recently he did 'This Means War.' He did the 'Charlie's Angels' movies, 'Terminator Salvation.' It's being produced by [the person] who did all the 'Twilight' movies. It's sort of 'Die Hard'-esque. It takes place in 'Puzzle Palace' in New York City - which is police headquarters. A young man breaks into the building to exonerate his father and gets trapped inside with all the crooked cops who set up his dad. It's more like 'No Way Out' than anything else. It's very cool, very tense. HDD: Sounds awesome. David Guggenheim: Then there's 'Narco Sub,' which Tony Scott is attached to direct. Narcosubs are these real things, the new way that drug dealers are smuggling cocaine into America. They're actually building their own submarines. HDD: Wow. I didn't even know that. David Guggenheim: Yeah, it's cool. It's like no one even knows about it. Occasionally it will pop up in the news, but it's unbelievably "real world." [The movie] is about a down-and-out ex-Navy guy who is sort of forced into commanding one of these subs. HDD: And you've got Tony Scott directing? David Guggenheim: Yeah, Tony Scott. HDD: That's awesome! David Guggenheim: It's cool! It's the ultimate – it's like, we got Tony Scott back in the sub. HDD: That's so cool! David Guggenheim: It's very, very awesome. HDD: And I see that you're doing something with Ron Howard? David Guggenheim: That's right – '364.' That's the one that we're developing, literally, right now. It's kind of a (inaudible) superhero movie. The idea is that, what if you were superhero – but for only 24 hours, just one day, each year. What would you do with your gifts? This one is definitely still in the developmental stage, but hopefully we're going to end up cracking it soon. HDD: I can't wait. I've got to tell you, I really like 'Safe House,' I dig the Blu-ray and I'm looking forward to seeing what you do next. David Guggenheim: That's awesome, man. That you so much. I appreciate it. HDD: You're welcome. And thanks for taking the time to talk to me today. David Guggenheim: Absolutely.Posted Tue Jul 3, 2012 at 12:10 PM PDT by: -
'The Five-Year Engagement' Announced and Detailed for Blu-ray[teaser]The 2012 romantic comedy puts a relationship to the test on Blu-ray this summer. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Universal Studios says 'The Five-Year Engagement' will have a Blu-ray release on August 28. The director and writer/star of 'Forgetting Sarah Marshall' reteam for the irreverent comedy 'The Five-Year Engagement.' Beginning where most romantic comedies end, the new film from director Nicholas Stoller, producer Judd Apatow ('Knocked Up,' 'The 40-Year-Old Virgin') and Rodney Rothman ('Get Him to the Greek') looks at what happens when an engaged couple, Jason Segel and Emily Blunt, keeps getting tripped up on the long walk down the aisle. The Blu-ray/DVD/UV Digital Copy combo pack will include both the 125-minute R-rated Theatrical and 132-minute Unrated Director's Cuts in 1080p video, a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack, and supplements include: Audio commentary (with director/writer/producer Nicholas Stoller, producer Rodney Rothman, writer/star Jason Segel, and stars Emily Blunt, Chris Pratt, and Alison Brie); Deleted, Extended, and Alternate Scenes; Gag Reel; Weird Winton with Jason Segel, Emily Blunt, and Rhys Ifans; Line-o-Rama; and Experiment-o-Rama. Blu-ray exclusives include:Gonorrhea Trouble; Top Chef: Alex Eilhauer; The Making of: The Five Year Engagement; Gastrocule: The Making of; and Turkey: The Making of. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $34.98. You can find the latest specs for 'The Five-Year Engagement' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's now indexed under August 28.Posted Tue Jul 3, 2012 at 12:00 PM PDT by: -
'The Cabin in the Woods' Blu-ray Detailed![teaser]Check out the full details for the acclaimed horror film coming to Blu-ray this September! [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Lionsgate has revealed 'The Cabin in the Woods' is planned for Blu-ray on September 18. Five friends go to a remote cabin in the woods. Bad things happen. If you think you know this story, think again. From fan favorites Joss Whedon and Drew Goddard comes 'The Cabin In The Woods,' a mind blowing horror film that turns the genre inside out. The Blu-ray/Digital Copy combo will feature 1080p video, a DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 soundtrack, and supplements include: Audio commentary with writer/director Drew Goddard and writer/producer Joss Whedon; We Are Not Who We Are: Making The Cabin in the Woods; The Secret Secret Stash two-part featurette; Wonder-Con Q&A with Joss and Drew; An Army of Nightmares: Make-Up & Animatronic Effects; Primal Terror: Visual Effects; and the Blu-ray exclusive It's Not What You Think: The Cabin in the Woods Bonus View Mode. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is still undetermined at this time. You can find the latest specs for 'The Cabin in the Woods' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under September 18.Posted Tue Jul 3, 2012 at 10:00 AM PDT by: -
'Wrong Turn 5: Bloodlines' Blu-ray Up For Pre-Order[teaser]The fifth chapter in the horror franchise of inbred mutant rednecks is in the works for Blu-ray. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, 20th Century Fox will be releasing 'Wrong Turn 5: Bloodlines' on Blu-ray sometime in the near future. A small West Virginia town is hosting the legendary Mountain Man Festival on Halloween, where throngs of costumed party goers gather for a wild night of music and mischief. But an inbred family of hillbilly cannibals kill the fun when they trick and treat themselves to a group of visiting college students. Specs and supplements haven't been revealed yet, but the suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $29.99. You can find the latest specs for 'Wrong Turn 5: Bloodlines' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under PENDING.Posted Tue Jul 3, 2012 at 08:00 AM PDT by:
