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'The Darkest Hour' Announced for Blu-ray and Blu-ray 3D[teaser] The electrifying science-fiction thriller is coming in April. Pre-orders are now available for the Blu-ray and Blu-ray 3D. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Summit Entertainment will release 'The Darkest Hour' on Blu-ray on April 10. 'The Darkest Hour - 3D' will also be available on the same date. Emile Hirsch ('Speed Racer,' 'Into the Wild'), Max Minghella ('Ides of March,' 'The Social Network') and Olivia Thirlby (TV’s “Bored to Death,” 'Dredd') star in this story of five young people who find themselves stranded in Moscow and fight to survive in the wake of a devastating alien attack. With Moscow’s classic beauty as the backdrop, 'The Darkest Hour' features mind-blowing special effects from the minds of visionary filmmakers Timur Bekmambetov ('Wanted') and Chris Gorak ('Fight Club,' 'Minority Report'). The suspense never lets up as the invaders begin their assault on Earth, targeting the planet’s power supply. Once the credits roll, see what happens next in 'The Darkest Hour: Survivors,' an all-new short film following the rebel resistance around the globe! The fight continues as freedom fighters in Tokyo, Malibu and Afghanistan work together to develop new technology and strike a major blow to the alien invaders. Specs have yet to be detailed, but supplements will include: Commentary with Chris Gorak, All-new short film "The Darkest Hour: Survivors", The Darkest Hour: Visualizing an Invasion featurette, and deleted/extended scenes. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $30.49 and the Blu-ray 3D is $34.99. You can find the latest specs for 'The Darkest Hour' and 'The Darkest Hour - 3D' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where they're indexed under April 10.Posted Mon Mar 12, 2012 at 08:00 AM PDT by: -
Panasonic Details 2012 HDTVs - High-End Plasma and LED out in April and May[teaser]You'll have to wait a bit for the high-end stuff, but the rest of Panasonic's sets are out this month. [/teaser] Panasonic has plenty of HDTVs hitting the market this year, including the UT50 and XT50 plasmas as well as the E50 LED model which are all out this month. The ST50 and E50 offer a 1080p resolution and access to Viera Connect. All of the new sets can show you a 3D picture, but the XT50 does it in 720p. The ST50, which is available now in 50" and 55" sizes with a new 60" model launching this month. The ST50 line offers the full package, including built-in Wi-Fi, Viera Connect, a 1080p resolution and 3D capabilities. There are a few features to improve the picture in there too, including the Infinite Black Pro panel, 2500 Focused Field Drive and fast switching phosphors. If you want to go even bigger with it, you'll be able to get a 65" model in April. The ET5 series is a big move for Panasonic. It's the first polarized 3D TV the company is putting out and the 47" and 55" inch versions are available this month. You'll have to wait until April for the 42" model. Source: Biz JournalsPosted Mon Mar 12, 2012 at 07:00 AM PDT by: -
'The Tim Burton Collection' Blu-ray Dated[teaser]The Blu-ray boxed set featuring seven movies from the twisted director will arrive exclusively at Amazon in May. [/teaser] As previously reported, Warner Brothers is working on 'The Tim Burton Collection' for Blu-ray that will only be sold at Amazon, and now the date looks to be May 1. Celebrate some of Tim Burton’s best filmss with this 7-movie Blu-ray collection featuring an all-new premium hardcover book. Fan-favorite films include: *Pee Wee’s Big Adventure *Beetlejuice *Batman *Batman Returns *Mars Attacks! *Corpse Bride *Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Suggested list price for the Blu-ray set is $59.99. You can find the latest specs for 'The Tim Burton Collection' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under May 1.Posted Mon Mar 12, 2012 at 06:00 AM PDT by: -
HDD Deal of the Week: Fox Triple Feature Blu-rays $14.99 at Amazon[teaser]Fill out your Blu-ray collection with an assortment of Fox 3-packs at Amazon! [/teaser] Amazon is selling four different Fox triple features for only $14.99 each (70% off suggested list price). Choose from: 'Sci-Fi 3-Pack ('Jumper,' 'Independence Day, 'I Robot')' 'Marvel 3-Pack ('Fantastic Four,' 'Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer,' 'Daredevil: Director's Cut')' 'Muscle 3-Pack ('Alien vs. Predator,' 'Predator,' 'Commando')' 'Extreme Action 3-Pack ('Live Free or Die Hard,' 'Ronin, 'The Siege')' This deal is valid now through March 18.Posted Sun Mar 11, 2012 at 09:47 AM PDT by: -
Bonus View Digest - March 9, 2012This week went by so fast I almost forgot completely about writing The Bonus View Digest. Luckily, in my early morning stupor I somehow remembered that today is Friday and our readers are probably waiting close to their computers for the Digest to pop up. So, I downed some caffeine and got to work. Let's see what happened this week. Blu-ray News [teaser]The big news on the blog right now is that today is the last day to enter the contest to win a free Blu-ray copy of 'Puss in Boots.' If you haven't entered yet, please do so. It's a free Blu-ray. How could you go wrong?[/teaser] TV Madness With March Madness gearing up we started up our own tournament, filled to the brim with badass TV characters ready to do battle with whoever stands in their way. We started things off with a look at the bracket and a few tournament statistics that we thought were cool going into the contest. This week we had a Clark Kent Playoff to see which Clark could find his way into the tournament. It was fun. Which one would you have voted for? It may surprise you to see who won. Also check out the newest matchup that has been posted which will be available for voting until Monday. Hulk Hogan's Hurricane Spencer goes up against 'Covert Affairs' spy Annie Walker. In the other matchup serial killer Dexter Morgan battles martial arts master Caine to see who advances to the next round. Make sure to vote. Theatrical News This week Luke saw and reviewed Disney's new sci-fi epic 'John Carter' and also took the time to see the lesser known romantic comedy 'Friends with Kids.' In The Trailer Park E reiterated how much of a sucker he is for movies starring Mila Jovovich, which is why he's excited for another new 'Resident Evil' film. In Aaron's Posterizing post this week he covered a number of new movie posters including 'The Raid' and 'Brave.' Make sure to read all the way through, however, to find out if Aaron was able to redeem himself from last week's bitter disappointment when he tried to buy a 'Lonesome Ghosts' from Mondo. TV Recaps As always we have a bunch of recaps waiting for you along with our thoughts on a couple series premieres. The premieres this week included the new ABC comedy 'GCB' and NBC's new drama starring Jason Issacs called 'Awake.' See what Josh had to say about them. Also, this week we have a new recap for 'The Walking Dead,' along with two recaps for 'Alcatraz.' Special Features In this week's Mid-Week Poll we asked you if you lend out your movies to others, or do you ferociously guard them from the outside world? In the Weekend Roundtable last Friday we discussed the topic of hosting the Oscars, and if you had the final say in the matter who would you pick?Posted Fri Mar 9, 2012 at 11:00 AM PST by: -
'W.E.' Dated and Detailed for Blu-ray[teaser]The love story directed by Madonna will sweep Blu-ray off its feet in May. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Starz/Anchor Bay is prepping 'W.E.' for Blu-ray on May 1. Madonna’s Academy Award® nominated film (2011 Best Achievement in Costume Design, Arianne Phillips) delivers an elegantly stylish and beautifully dramatic look into the lives of two fragile yet passionate women intertwined across the decades. In 1998, New Yorker Wally Winthrop (Abbie Cornish) becomes enamored with what is believed to be the greatest romance of the 20th century – King Edward VIII’s (James D’Arcy) surrender of the crown for the woman he loved, the chic and charismatic American, Wallis Simpson (Andrea Riseborough). 'W.E.' has received numerous accolades, including a 2011 Academy Award® nomination for Best Achievement in Costume Design (Arianne Phillips, 'Walk the Line'). The film won a 2012 Golden Globe® Award for Best Original Song (Motion Picture) for the song “Masterpiece”, and was nominated for a 2012 Golden Globe® Award for Best Original Score (Motion Picture) as well. The film’s lead actress, Andrea Riseborough, was honored with a 2011 Spotlight Award™ at the Hollywood Film Festival. Baz Bamigboye, film critic for the Daily Mail, hailed 'W.E.' as “one of the best dressed movies of the year.” Geoffrey Macnab, film critic for The Independent, described 'W.E.' as “visually inventive with sheer zest and craftsmanship.” Wrote ELLE Magazine’s Nojan Aminosharei, “Andrea Riseborough’s performance is a gem. A dynamic portrayal of Wallis Simpson.” “Andrea Riseborough is superb!” added The Wall Street Journal’s, John Anderson. The Blu-ray/DVD/Digital Copy combo pack will feature 1080p video, a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack, and a making of featurette. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $39.99. You can find the latest specs for 'W.E.' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under May 1.Posted Fri Mar 9, 2012 at 10:00 AM PST by: -
NBC and YouTube will Stream the 2012 Summer Olympics[teaser]Every single Olympic event will be streamed live, not just the big ones. [/teaser] One of the big problems with televised Olympic coverage is that one channel can only show one event at a time. Even a few channels can't capture everything that's going on over the two weeks or so that the games run. This year, NBC and YouTube are teaming for a solution to that problem. No matter what event you want to watch, no matter how obscure or unpopular, you'll be able to watch it streaming live on YouTube. Can't watch it live? The games themselves, interviews, televised events and web-exclusive content will all be available to watch on demand. Olympics junkies will be able to watch over 3,000 hours worth of sporting events on their televisions, PCs, phones and tablets - better get comfy! Sure sounds better than the Comcast hording of the coverage last time, right?! Source: EngadgetPosted Fri Mar 9, 2012 at 09:00 AM PST by: -
'A Turtle's Tale: Sammy's Adventures' Blu-ray Announced[teaser]The turtley awesome animated adventure will swim onto Blu-ray just in time for Earth Day! [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Vivendi is about to release 'A Turtle's Tale: Sammy's Adventures' on Blu-ray on April 3. Featuring an all-star voice cast including Melanie Griffith ('Crazy In Alabama'), Kathy Griffin (“My Life on the D-List”), Tim Curry ('Charlie’s Angels'), Anthony Anderson ('Transformers'), and Stacy Keach (“Two And A Half Men”), and based on the actual trajectory of a sea turtle’s life, the film combines delightful family entertainment with important values including friendship and caring for the environment. Experience Sammy’s incredible fifty-year journey across the world as he meets new friends, including his best friend Ray, finds his true love Shelly and discovers how important it is to protect the earth we live on. Heartfelt and fun for the whole family, and highlighted by a soundtrack that includes a collection of celebrated artists such as The Mamas & The Papas, Michael Jackson, and MIKA. Specs have yet to be revealed, but suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $19.97. You can find the latest specs for 'A Turtle's Tale: Sammy's Adventures' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under April 3.Posted Fri Mar 9, 2012 at 08:00 AM PST by: -
Panasonic Announces Pricing for 2012 Blu-ray Players - Most Available Now[teaser]The ones you'll have to wait for are the high-end pieces of the line. [/teaser] Panasonic has announced pricing for its new Blu-ray players, most of which are available now. The BD87 and BD77 are the baseline models, priced at $120 and $90 respectively. If you want to step up a bit from those, you'll find plenty of features, including 3D capabilities. The DMP-BDT320 ($200) and BDT220 ($150) both pack 2D to 3D conversion and access to Viera Connect for all your internet based content. You'll also find 24p output for VODs and an upgraded processor. Those looking for compact will be happy to see the incredibly small DMP-BBT01 which does everything the big players do, but at a fraction of the size. The price, however, is larger. If you want to pick up the BBT01 you'll be shelling out $270. At the top of the line is the BDT500($350), which is made for those who crave high-end audio performance. It utilizes four independent DACs for minimal noise and offers two HDMI outputs so you don't have to send video and audio on the same cord. The BDT500 and BBT01 will be available in May. Source: Slash GearPosted Fri Mar 9, 2012 at 07:00 AM PST by: -
'The Fields' Blu-ray Announced[teaser]The acclaimed thriller starring Academy Award winner Cloris Leachman will scare up Blu-ray in April. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Breaking Glass says 'The Fields' is coming to Blu-ray on April 24. Written by Harrison Smith ('Six Degrees of Hell') and directed by Tom Mattera and David Mazzoni (cult favorite 'The 4th Dimension'), the film also stars Tara Reid ('American Reunion') and newcomer Joshua Ormond (Sundance hit 'Robot and Frank'). Based on actual events, 'The Fields' follows a young boy named Steven during the summer of 1973. Steven (Ormond) is sent to live in the Pennsylvania countryside with his grandparents while his mother (Reid) and father (Faust Checho) work through their marital troubles. Though his grandmother (Leachman) and grandfather (Bev Appleton) are happy to host him, they warn Steven not to enter the cornfields next to their house. Meanwhile, Steven hears news of the notorious Manson Family and their gruesome killing spree. He develops a morbid fascination with the murderous cult and at the same time he can't help but be drawn into the mysterious cornfields. Eventually he enters the fields, where he makes a terrible discovery. Then, menacing noises begin haunting the family from outside at night and soon turn to violence. Though Steven's family tries to protect him, whatever's lurking in the fields is about to make their lives a living nightmare. 'The Fields' enjoyed critical acclaim and audience approval on the festival circuit. Among its awards are: Erie Film Festival (Winner Best Directors, Best Actress for Leachman), Terror Film Festival (Best Feature, Best Actress for Leachman, Best Emerging Actor for Ormond), Philadelphia Terror Film Festival (Best Picture, Sound Design, Score, Emerging Actor for Ormond), and the Buffalo Niagara Film Festival (Best Picture). Film Threat gave 'The Fields' four stars and called it “American gothic suspense at its subtle best.” The Blunt Film Review called it “brilliant,” promising “this film is gonna scare the b’jesus out of you,” and The Independent Critic hailed it as “a heady and complex thriller.” Specs have yet to be revealed, but supplements will include making-of documentary, behind-the-scenes footage, hilarious Leachman outtakes, interviews with the real people involved, and clips from the world premiere. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $24.99. You can find the latest specs for 'The Fields' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under April 24.Posted Fri Mar 9, 2012 at 06:00 AM PST by:
