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'Harry Potter Wizards Collection' Blu-ray Up for Pre-Order[teaser]Yet another Harry Potter set is coming down the pipeline that will include all eight films and new exclusive content later this year. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Warner Brothers is working on 'Harry Potter Wizards Collection' for Blu-ray in 2012. The boxed set contains 31 discs, inclusive of all content ever previously released, in addition to over 5 hours of never before seen special features, in a limited and numbered edition. The collection will also include multiple specially-produced, collectable memorabilia items, including concept art, a Map of Hogwarts and much more! Suggested list price for the Blu-ray set is a very hefty $499.99. You can find the latest specs for 'Harry Potter Wizards Collection' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it is indexed under PENDING.Posted Fri Mar 2, 2012 at 11:00 AM PST by: -
High-Def Holidays - Blu-ware the Ides of Marchby Dick Ward [teaser]March is a month that tends to be associated with green beer, melting snow, and regular colored beer. It's a beer heavy month, but light on traditional holidays. Luckily, we've got plenty of non-traditional holidays to celebrate and some crazy good Blu-rays to go along with them.[/teaser] Irish-American Heritage Month I pride myself on not tackling the obvious holidays each month, and I contend that Irish-American Heritage Month is much different than St. Patrick's Day. To celebrate, the movie that comes right to mind is 'Gangs of New York.' It's not my favorite film, but it captures the struggles the Irish had to deal with when immigrating to the U.S. I also pride myself on being funny, which this last paragraph isn't. So... woozle wuzzle? National Frozen Food Month When some people think of frozen food, their minds go to TV dinners and bags of vegetables that never actually get eaten. For whatever reason - maybe it's because I've had too much coffee and not enough sleep over the past few years - my mind goes straight to Eddie from ' The Rocky Horror Picture Show'. "A rather tender subject. Another slice anyone?" March 1st - Peanut Butter Lover's Day 'Funny People' is one of my current favorite movies and has been since it came out. Apatow's more serious look at the world of comedy is refreshing, and there's a lot that seems so true to life that I'm left wondering if it's some sort of comedy 'Citizen Kane.' I like to recommend this flick wherever I can, no matter how tenuous the link. So here you go - there's a scene in the movie where a dog licks peanut butter off of Adam Sandler's face. March 5th - Multiple Personality Day My mind is blown right now. There are so many movies that I'm waiting to pick up on Blu-ray - many of which were and are popular titles. Little did I know that on May 3rd of last year, one of my favorite little-known comedies made it to Blu-ray. 'Jekyll & Hyde Together Again' is a crazy funny movie starring Mark Blankfield, who you'll at the very least recognize as Blinkin from 'Men in Tights.' Dude's hilarious, and he's quite the singer too. March 6th - Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simon's Birthday Look, I really didn't want to go with the easy gag here. I wanted to talk about the 'Arrested Development' episode in which George and George Michael Bluth are set to pose as The Creation of Adam, but for some reason the series hasn't come to Blu-ray. So whatever, I'm linking to 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.' For what it's worth, the birthday of the real-life Casey Jones is March 14th, so you're getting kind of a double-whammy here. March 9th - Panic Day Hey, I'm all for the celebration of these weird holidays, but if ' The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy' taught me anything, it taught me not to panic. On March 9th, I suggest shirking your Panic Day responsibilities and openly not-panicking. Also watching Sam Rockwell be amazing. March 13th - Uranus Discovered The name of the planet Uranus will never stop being funny. It's childish, but there's no getting around it. Of course, we're expected to act like adults and find laughing at such a sophomoric word to be below us. We know it's funny though, so we invent fictional characters like 'Beavis and Butthead' who laugh at it for us and let us enjoy the silliness through them. Heh-heh, I said "below us." March 22nd - National Sing-Out Day "If you want to sing out, sing out." If for nothing else, I would love 'Harold and Maude' just for that song. Of course, that's not the only reason to love Hal Ashby's incredibly dark comedy - the movie is nothing short of great. On April 17th, the Criterion Collection Blu-ray will hit shelves. March 27th - National "Joe" Day National "Joe" Day is a bit of an odd one. It's not made to celebrate people named Joe, nor does it exist to celebrate the army toys and cartoons from the 80s. "Joe" Day is for people who hate their names. Hate your name? Change it to Joe for the day. It's the sort of day that would help out Michael Bolton in 'Office Space,' though his stubborn personality would certainly mean that he'd expect the other Michael Bolton to change first. March 30th - Doctor's Day There are doctors and then there's The Doctor. As much as I love folks in the medical profession, they're not time travelling aliens, or at least none that I've met are. 'Doctor Who: The End of Time' is a brilliant two-part episode and easily the best of the 'Doctor Who' reboot. It's The Doctor's day - his final adventure. Not only does Tennant leave the series here, but the amazing writer Russell T Davies does too.Posted Fri Mar 2, 2012 at 10:30 AM PST by: -
Top Sales and Rentals: Week Ending February 26th[teaser]It was a stronger week for Blu-ray than the last, thanks in no small part to the latest release from Dreamworks. [/teaser] Last week's Blu-ray sales came in strong thanks to the release of 'Puss in Boots,' which took the number one sales spot and boasted a 40% Blu-ray share. The title also posted a 10% 3D share, which means that one out of ten people that bought 'Puss in Boots' bought 'Puss in Boots' in 3D. Both of those are encouraging numbers, as is the 39% Blu-ray market share that the number two seller 'Tower Heist pulled in. In the rental world, even the best-selling 'Puss in Boots' couldn't knock 'The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn' out of the top spot. The vampire filled film series also took the number three spot in sales, just under 'Tower Heist' and well above 'J. Edgar. 'Puss in Boots' and 'Tower Heist' came in as the number one and two sellers in the Blu-ray format, but 'Lady and the Tramp' is still standing strong on the charts. The Blu-ray exclusive has been out for three weeks now and still claims the number five spot in overall sales. Source: Home Media MagazinePosted Fri Mar 2, 2012 at 10:15 AM PST by: -
'The Big Trail' and 'The Barbarian and the Geisha' Wal-mart Exclusive Blu-rays[teaser]A double dose of John Wayne Blu-rays will be moseying on down to Wal-Mart in May. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, 20th Century Fox will be releasing Raoul Walsh's 'The Big Trail' exclusively at Wal-Mart stores on Blu-ray on May 8. In this sweeping pioneer adventure, a courageous young scout (John Wayne) leads hundreds of settlers across treacherous cliffs, though brutal snowstorms, Indian attacks and buffalo stampedes to their destiny out West. Along the way, he loses his heart to a beautiful pioneer woman (Marguerite Churchill) and never stops trying to win her love. Tyrone Power co-stars in this visually spectacular epic. Presented in Black & White. John Huston's 'The Barbarian and the Geisha' will also be available on the same date. John Wayne stars in this historical drama of one man's successful struggle to open Japan to the western world. "The Barbarian And The Geisha" is the true story of Townsend Harris, who in 1856 was appointed by President Pierce to be the first American consul to Japan. Headquartered in Shimoda, Harris discovers that the Japanese thoroughly mistrust the Americans. Slowly, Harris earns the respect of the local power brokers and townsfolk and is permitted to enter the city of Tokyo. A beautiful Geisha, originally sent to thwart Harris' mission, falls in love with him and finally decides to protect him from harm. Specs and supplements have yet to be revealed, but suggested list price for each Blu-ray/DVD combo pack is $24.99. You can find the latest specs for 'The Big Trail' and 'The Barbarian and the Geisha' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where they're indexed under May 8.Posted Fri Mar 2, 2012 at 10:00 AM PST by: -
Redbox and Universal Re-Up 28-Day Delay Contract Until 2014[teaser]Looks like Universal isn't on board with Warner's insistence for a 56-day window. [/teaser] While Warner insists that anything less than an eight week delay before Redbox is allowed to start renting discs, it's clear that Universal disagrees based on their newly signed agreement with Redbox. The terms of the deal insist on retaining the existing 28-day rental window and in turn offering Redbox discounted discs when that four weeks is up. "The multi-year agreement between Universal Studios Home Entertainment and Redbox represents a win for consumers, Universal and Redbox," says Redbox senior vice president Galen Smith. "Redbox is committed to forging relationships that provide our consumers with affordable and timely access to new release content." Source: EngadgetPosted Fri Mar 2, 2012 at 09:00 AM PST by: -
'Murder Obsession' Blu-ray Dated[teaser]Riccardo Freda's cult 1981 horror film will take a stab at Blu-ray in April. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, RaroVideo is getting ready to release 'Murder Obsession' on Blu-ray on April 10. With enough aliases to fill a hotel ledger, this horror classic by Riccardo Freda focuses on the past and present of Michael Stanford (Stefano Patrizi), a successful actor. His father was knifed to death years ago and now Michael and his girlfriend Deborah (Silvia Dionisio) are going to spend a week-end with Michael's mother. Joining them are the director and crew of a motion picture in the works. Oliver the housekeeper (John Richardson) does not extend a warm welcome to the guests, but that might just be his personality. After everyone is settled in, a deranged killer begins a series of murders. Is the occult at the heart of these killings? Or are Michael's fears about the past starting to come true? Specs and supplements have yet to be revealed, but suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $29.98. You can find the latest specs for 'Murder Obsession' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under April 10.Posted Fri Mar 2, 2012 at 08:00 AM PST by: -
Warpia StreamEZ Makes Any HDMI Output Wireless[teaser]Unlike most streaming devices which use computer USB drives, the StreamEZ takes a signal from any HDMI output, no matter the device. [/teaser] Warpia's new HD video streamer offers something that most don't. It utilizes your HDMI out as its source, instead of a computer's USB port, like most do, including Warpia's previous offerings. The big difference is, of course, that the Stream EZ isn't limited to just computers - it can stream a signal from any HDMI output. Using the StreamEZ you can send a 1080p video signal from your device to your display. It's also capable of sending 5.1 channel surround, so you won't be losing too terribly much in the audio department. It doesn't require software or installation - simply attach the transmitter to the device you want to sent from and the receiver to your display, it's as simple as that. You can pick up the StreamEZ now at a price of $219. Source: eCousticsPosted Fri Mar 2, 2012 at 07:00 AM PST by: -
'Once Upon a Time in Anatolia' Blu-ray Announced and Detailed[teaser]Turkish director Nuri Bilge Ceylan's Grand Jury Prize winner at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival is planned for Blu-ray in June. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Cinema Guild says 'Once Upon a Time in Anatolia' is planned for Blu-ray on June 24. In the dead of night, a group of men – among them a police commissioner, a prosecutor, a doctor and a murder suspect – drive through the Anatolian countryside, the serpentine roads and rolling hills lit only by the lights of their cars. They are searching for a corpse, the victim of a brutal murder. The suspect, who claims he was drunk, can't remember where he buried the body. As night wears on, details about the murder emerge and the investigators' own secrets come to light. In the Anatolian steppes nothing is what it seems; and when the body is found, the real questions begin. The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack, and supplements will include: The Making of Once Upon A Time in Anatolia Documentary (92 minutes), Interview with the director (24 minutes), Anatolia in Cannes: (48 minutes), Visual Essay by Haden Guest, Director of the Harvard Film Archive, theatrical trailer, and a booklet featuring an essay. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $34.95. You can find the latest specs for 'Once Upon a Time in Anatolia' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under June 24.Posted Fri Mar 2, 2012 at 06:00 AM PST by: -
High-Def Digest-Digest: March 1st, 2012by Dick Ward [teaser]The leap year really helped February out. What will probably be the biggest Blu-ray release of the year was announced on the 29th, earning February a place in history. Were it a normal year, those honors would have gone to March. We've got that announcement and plenty of other news from last month here in the High-Def Digest-Digest. And yes, I do labor under the assumption that months fight against one another to be the coolest.[/teaser] Blu-ray News 'The Complete Indiana Jones Blu-ray Collection' Announced for Fall 2012 You didn't think the big announcement was going to be about 'Dirty Dancing,' did you? We're still waiting on the release of some of the biggest action movies of all time, but we'll be getting closer this fall when 'Indiana Jones' finally goes HD. 'Dirty Dancing Collection' Blu-ray Announced With the 'Indiana Jones' movies you get three great movies and one really bad one. The 'Dirty Dancing' collection contains the same amount of terrible movies, but since there are only two, the ratio isn't quite as good. Still, you'll be able to get your Swayze on in HD when May 8th rolls around. 'Being John Malkovich' Dated and Detailed for Criterion Blu-ray When I went to see 'Being John Malkovich' I had no idea what I was in for, I just knew the guy who directed Weezer's music videos made the movie. Turns out a 16 year old me got a dose of Charlie Kaufman's brilliant insanity - something that's explored further in the Criterion Blu-ray due out May 15th. 'Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol' Blu-ray Announced Anyone else notice how 'Mission: Impossible' got completely snubbed at the Oscars? It was an easy pick for sound editing and even more for visual effects. It's also a damn good movie that's going to be hitting Blu-ray sooner than you might expect - April 17th. 'Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close' Announced and Detailed for Blu-ray Max von Sydow picked up a Best Supporting Actor nomination for his role in this Best Picture nominated drama set against the backdrop of the terrorist attacks of September 11th, 2001. You'll find it on store shelves May 27th. Gear and Industry News Blockbuster Will Close 500 Stores in the First Half of 2012 A third of the remaining Blockbuster retail locations will be shutting their doors in the next few months. CEO Joe Clayton seems optimistic that profitable stores will be able to remain open, but these underperforming locations have to go. Over-the-Air TV is Gaining in Popularity Sales of antennas are up in the wake of cord cutting consumers who use the internet as their main source of entertainment. One business in particular expects to double its antenna sales in 2012. Starz Play Leaves Netflix this Week There's a whole lot of good content that's being removed from Netflix this week due to a licensing agreement, or lack thereof, between Starz and Netflix. The streaming service has more on the way, but this big content hit will certainly affect the current customer base. Google TV Patent Shows Voice Control is on the Way Voice control seems impractical when compared to the alternative. It feels like it might be more time consuming than simply using a remote. Being able to call your Google TV while on your way home and set up your favorite show or get some romantic music playing though, that's something we can all get excited about. Class Action Suit Rewards Owners of Busted Samsungs with Free Repairs, Reimbursements and Straight-Up Cash Certain models of Samsung TVs ran into issues with a very specific capacitor. If you happen to have one of those TVs and you ran into the problem you can get a free fix or, if you prefer, money. Videogame News 'Borderlands 2' is Coming September 18th The original 'Borderlands' was an easy pick for my favorite game of 2009 and thanks to the extensive and exciting DLC, it was also my favorite of 2010. 'Borderlands 2' packs new characters, more skills and 96.5% more wub wub. Capcom, Namco and Sega Teaming for... Something. Your guess is as good as ours on this one, or better if you've got a particular talent for guessing things. The group effort was announced by Nintendo and that's about all we know so far. 'Jet Grind Radio' is Coming to XBLA and PSN The Dreamcast favorite is getting an HD makeover for release on the PlayStation Network and Xbox Live Arcade. With all the graphical advances and new cel shading techniques since the original release, this game is certain to look stunning. 'Assassin's Creed 3' Coming Out October 30th Finally we're getting the next installment of the 'Assassin's Creed' franchise. We'll be moving on from the Italian Renaissance to something new. The new game comes out in October so you can expect to see a full reveal of the game when E3 comes around. Team Ninja Will Tame 'Dead or Alive 5' - Possible Crossover with 'Virtua Fighter' Itagaki is off of Team Ninja and, for better or for worse, the fighting game developer is going to try and clean up its act. The next 'Dead or Alive' game will feature toned down sex and violence - the only question is "what else is there?"Posted Thu Mar 1, 2012 at 01:30 PM PST by: -
'Beyond' Dated and Detailed for Blu-ray[teaser]A supernatural thriller starring Academy Award winner Jon Voight will descend on Blu-ray in May. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Starz/Anchor Bay is prepping 'Beyond' for Blu-ray on May 22. When a 7 year-old girl is kidnapped from her bedroom in a small suburb of Anchorage, a detective on the verge of retirement (Voight) with an obsessive hatred for child abductions, anxiously begins the hunt for the culprit. As the trail gets cold and time is running out, the detective forms an unlikely partnership with a mysterious radio psychic (Julian Morris) who claims to have visions of the missing girl. The case takes a disturbing twist when it becomes clear that the most substantial clues all lead towards something outside of the law, past human reason and forever frighteningly 'Beyond.' Combining good old-fashioned story-telling in the style of 'The Sixth Sense' with contemporary films like Peter Jackson’s 'The Lovely Bones,' 'Beyond' proves that the law does not account for everything. The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, a Dolby TrueHD 5.1 soundtrack, and there doesn't appear to be any supplements. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $24.99. You can find the latest specs for 'Beyond' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under May 22.Posted Thu Mar 1, 2012 at 12:00 PM PST by:
