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Blu-ray Has a 'Death Wish'[teaser]The first three sequels to the Charles Bronson action/thriller will take no prisoners on Blu-ray in August! [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, MGM/UA will be bringing 'Death Wish II,' 'Death Wish 3,' and 'Death Wish 4: The Crackdown' to Blu-ray on August 14. Charles Bronson says "no dice" to punks, bringing his own kind of vigilante justice to the streets as the heroic Paul Kersey. The original 'Death Wish' (a Paramount title) has yet to be announced for the format. Specs, supplements, and suggested list price for the Blu-rays have yet to be revealed. You can find the latest specs for 'Death Wish II,' 'Death Wish 3,' & 'Death Wish 4' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where they're indexed under August 14.Posted Thu May 24, 2012 at 08:00 AM PDT by: -
'Stallone Three-Film Collector's Set' Announced for Blu-ray[teaser]Three films from Sylvester Stallone will be packaged together in a Blu-ray box set in August. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Lionsgate has revealed 'Stallone Three-Film Collector's Set' is planned for Blu-ray on August 14. Just in time for the theatrical release of his highly anticipated action film, 'The Expendables 2,' this collection features three of Stallone's most memorable hit films 'Cop Land,' 'Rambo: First Blood' and 'Lock Up,' together for the first time. 'First Blood' features include: Two audio commentaries (Sylvester Stallone and First Blood novelist David Morrell); Drawing First Blood behind-the-scenes featurette; deleted scenes; and advanced trivia track. 'Lock Up' will include: Making-of Lock Up behind-the-scenes featurette; Sylvester Stallone profile Behind-the-scenes interviews with the cast; and theatrical trailer. 'Cop Land' includes: Commentary with writer/director James Mangold, producer Cathy Konrad, and actors Sylvester Stallone and Robert Patrick; deleted scenes with optional commentary; Cop Land: The Making of an Urban Western behind-the-scenes featurette; and storyboard comparison. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $24.99. You can find the latest specs for 'Stallone Three-Film Collector's Set' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under August 14.Posted Thu May 24, 2012 at 06:00 AM PDT by: -
'Casa de mi Padre' Announced and Detailed for Blu-ray[teaser]The Spanish Will Ferrell comedy is slated for Blu-ray in July. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Lionsgate says 'Casa de mi Padre' is coming to Blu-ray on July 17. Armando Alvarez (Ferrell) has lived and worked on his father's ranch in Mexico his entire life. When the ranch begins to struggle with its finances, Armando's younger brother Raul (Diego Luna, Contraband) comes to the rescue and brings his beautiful fiancée, Sonia (Genesis Rodriguez, Man on a Ledge). Raul is a successful international businessman, who shows promise for helping save the ranch; when Armando falls for Sonia, and Raul's business dealings turn out to be shady, the Alvarez family finds themselves in a full-out war with each other and with Mexico's most feared drug lord, Onza (Gael García Bernal, Babel). The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack, and supplements include: Commentary with Matt Piedmont, writer/producer Andrew Steele, and Will Ferrell; behind-the-scenes featurette; actor Pedro Armendáriz Jr.'s final interview; four "Commerciales" starring Will Ferrell, Diego Luna, Genesis Rodriguez, Efren Ramirez, and Nick Offerman; "Fight for Love" music video performed by Will Ferrell and Genesis Rodriguez; and deleted scenes. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $24.99. You can find the latest specs for 'Casa de mi Padre' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under July 17.Posted Wed May 23, 2012 at 12:00 PM PDT by: -
'Christopher Nolan Director's Collection' Blu-ray Boxed Set Announced[teaser]Five of the acclaimed director's films will be boxed up together on Blu-ray in June. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Warner will release 'Christopher Nolan Director's Collection' on Blu-ray on June 26. This set includes 'Memento: 10th Anniversary Edition,' 'Insomnia,' 'Batman Begins,' 'The Dark Knight,' and 'Inception.' The 7-disc set is expected to be a repackage of the previous discs and new supplements will include: Forty-page photo book with images and behind-the-scenes information from the five films; Ten collectible photo cards; and a Movie Cash voucher good for $8 off the cost of a Dark Knight Rises ticket. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray set is $49.99. You can find the latest specs for 'Christopher Nolan Director's Collection' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under June 26.Posted Wed May 23, 2012 at 10:00 AM PDT by: -
'Untamed America' Blu-ray Announced[teaser]Another nature documentary miniseries will be available on Blu-ray in July. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, National Geographic is readying 'Untamed America' for Blu-ray on July 10. Outside the concrete jungles and just minutes from our own backyards, another world is fighting, thriving, and surviving. Witness the elegance, power, and speed of a world rarely captured in National Geographic's 4-hour miniseries event focused solely on the Americas. Scaling mountains from north to south, crossing harsh, dry deserts, trekking through forests and circling the coasts, Untamed Americas takes a fresh look at life, death, familiar creatures and scientific revelations. Featuring rarely-filmed animals and never-before-seen behaviors, Untamed Americas presents the great outdoors just outside our own backyards as you've never seen them before. Specs and supplements have yet to be revealed, but the suggested list price for the 2-disc set is $39.99. You can find the latest specs for 'Untamed America' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under July 10.Posted Wed May 23, 2012 at 08:00 AM PDT by: -
'The Great Mouse Detective: Special Edition' Blu-ray Dated[teaser]The 1986 animated family film is in the works for Blu-ray in September. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Disney/Buena Vista will release 'The Great Mouse Detective: Special Edition' on Blu-ray on September 18. The first Disney animated feature to make extensive use of computer technology, The Great Mouse Detective was based on the children's novel Basil of Baker Street by Eve Titus. The titular hero is Basil, a Holmes-like rodent (complete with deerstalker) who solves crimes in the company of his friend and chronicler Dr. Dawson. Basil and Dawson are retained by the daughter of a mouse toymaker who has been kidnapped by the diabolical Ratigan. The villain hopes to force the toymaker to construct a fake version of the queen who will grant power to the bad guy--or at least, for that part of the world behind the walls of London. Though nearly eliminated by Ratigan, Basil and Dawson trap the villain in the fast-moving mechanisms of Big Ben. By relying on computer animation, Disney was able to keep the budget of Great Mouse Detective down to a manageable size, thus earning back the losses incurred by the studio's previous cartoon feature, The Black Cauldron. Among the talented voice actors utilized in The Great Mouse Detective is Vincent Price, who plays guess what part? (Hint: he ain't Basil). ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi. Specs and supplements have yet to be revealed, but the suggested list price for the Blu-ray/DVD combo pack is $29.99. You can find the latest specs for 'The Great Mouse Detective: Special Edition' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under May 15.Posted Wed May 23, 2012 at 06:00 AM PDT by: -
'Strike Back: Cinemax Season 1' Announced for Blu-ray[teaser]The fast-paced series fueled by breakneck action and heart-pounding suspense is coming to Blu-ray in August. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, HBO has slated 'Strike Back: Cinemax Season 1' for Blu-ray on August 7. 'Strike Back,' the first of several new, adrenaline-charged original dramas to premiere on the network, marked Cinemax's best performance in its time slot in nearly six years. When a resourceful international terrorist group plots a major attack involving a cache of weapons of mass destruction, a charismatic former U.S. Special Forces operative joins forces with a stealth British military unit to stop them. Set in exotic locations such as India, South Africa, England and Chechnya, the series is headlined by two rising stars: Philip Winchester ('Camelot') as Michael Stonebridge, a British sergeant on the elite counter-terrorism team; and Sullivan Stapleton ('Animal Kingdom') as Damien Scott, a former U.S. Delta Force operative who was disgraced and discharged on the eve of the U.S. invasion of Iraq. Rounding out the international cast are Amanda Mealing ('Holby City'), Eve Birthistle ('Silent Witness'), Jimi Mistry ('Blood Diamond') Rhashan Stone ('Episodes') and Richard Armitage ('The Hobbit'). 'Strike Back' marks the first time HBO/CINEMAX has worked with the UK's British Sky Broadcasting Limited to produce an original series. It is a continuation of the six-episode series that aired on Sky in 2010, which was based on the novels of Chris Ryan, the pen name of a real-life former British Special Forces operative. The Blu-ray/DVD combo set will include 1080p video, a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack, and supplements include audio commentaries from stars Philip Winchester, Sullivan Stapleton, Liam Cunningham, Amanda Mealing and executive producer Daniel Perciva. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray set is $59.96. You can find the latest specs for 'Strike Back: Cinemax Season 1' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under August 7.Posted Tue May 22, 2012 at 12:00 PM PDT by: -
'The Hedgehog' Announced for Blu-ray[teaser]The funny and heart-breaking film based on the worldwide best-selling novel "The Elegance of the Hedgehog" by Muriel Barbery is bound for Blu-ray in June. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, NeoClassics Films will be releasing 'The Hedgehog' on Blu-ray on June 12. 'The Hedgehog' is the touching coming-of-age story of Paloma (Garance Le Guillemic), a gifted young girl hellbent on ending it all on her upcoming twelfth birthday. Using her father’s old camcorder to chronicle the hypocrisy she sees in adults, Paloma begins to learn about life from her stuffy building “concierge,” Renée ('French Twist’s Josiane Balasko). When Paloma’s camera reveals an extensive secret library in Renée’s back room, and that the usually gruff matron reads Tolstoy to her cat, Paloma begins to understand that there are allies to be found beneath the prickliest of exteriors. As an unlikely friendship deepens, her own coming of age becomes a much less pessimistic prospect. 'The Hedgehog' was a Washington Post Critic’s Pick and the winner of the Seattle International Film Festival’s Space Needle Award for Best Picture. It also won audience awards at FilmFest DC, the COL-COA (City of Light/City of Angels) Film Festival and Best of Fest at the Palm Springs International Film Festival. 'The Hedgehog' is Mona Achache’s feature film debut. Specs haven't been revealed yet, but supplements include deleted scenes, photo gallery, and a Blu-ray exclusive behind-the-scenes documentary. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $34.98. You can find the latest specs for 'The Hedgehog' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under June 12.Posted Tue May 22, 2012 at 10:00 AM PDT by: -
'Rosetta' and 'La Promesse' Announced for Blu-ray[teaser]Two films from the Dardenne brothers are in the works for Blu-ray in August. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Criterion is preparing the 1999 drama 'Rosetta' for Blu-ray on August 14. The Belgian filmmaking team of brothers Luc and Jean-Pierre Dardenne turned heads with 'Rosetta,' an intense vérité drama that closely follows a poor young woman struggling to hold on to a job to support herself and her alcoholic mother. The Blu-ray will feature a 1080p transfer, a DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 soundtrack, and supplements will include: Conversation between film critic Scott Foundas and filmmakers Luc and Jean-Pierre Dardenne; new interview with actors Émilie Dequenne and Olivier Gourmet; trailer; and a booklet featuring an essay by film critic Kent Jones. The directors' 'La Promesse' will also be available on Blu-ray on the same date. This is the breakthrough feature from Luc and Jean-Pierre Dardenne, who would go on to become a force in world filmmaking. 'La Promesse' is a brilliantly economical and observant tale of a boy’s troubled moral awakening. The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, an DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack, and supplements will include: Conversation between film critic Scott Foundas and filmmakers Luc and Jean-Pierre Dardenne; new interview with actors Jérémie Renier and Olivier Gourmet; trailer; and a booklet featuring an essay by film critic Jones. Suggested list price for each Blu-ray is $39.95. You can find the latest specs for 'Rosetta' and 'La Promesse' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where they're indexed under August 14.Posted Tue May 22, 2012 at 08:00 AM PDT by: -
'Los Lobos: Kiko Live' Dated for Blu-ray[teaser]Celebrate the 20th anniversary of Los Lobos' seminal album in high-definition this August. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Sony will be releasing 'Los Lobos: Kiko Live' on Blu-ray on August 21. Released in 1992, Kiko was embraced by fans and hailed by critics as the band’s defining moment, the album that put Los Lobos back on the innovation track. The album, wrote All Music Guide, “demonstrated the breadth of their sonic ambitions.” Kiko was produced by Mitchell Froom, who received a Grammy nomination for Producer of the Year for his work on the album, and who had previously collaborated with the band on La Bamba. Dubbed “the album of the year” by the Los Angeles Times and the Chicago Tribune, and one of “The Essential Recordings of the ‘90s” by Rolling Stone, Los Lobos also took home an MTV Music Video Award for Breakthrough Video for “Kiko and the Lavender Moon” in 1993. Prior to Kiko, Los Lobos had been “segregating our influences, treating them parochially,” as Steve Berlin puts it: a rockabilly tune here, a Tex-Mex there, some folk, a bit of country, an R&B tune, plenty of classic rock. This time, they decided to take all of those myriad influences out of their separate boxes, toss them into the air and let them fall where they might. “Whatever our unconscious minds’ response was to the stimuli, that was what we wanted. We let our imagination take over and didn’t try to control it.” They began recording new original Hidalgo-Pérez compositions such as “Two Janes,” “Peace,” “Arizona Skies,” “Short Side of Nothing” and “Rio de Tenampa,” self-producing and following their instincts sound-wise. Comments the band’s Cesar Rosas, “With that album we didn’t want to be tied down to all the conventional ways of recording, so we started experimenting and making up sounds.” To date the beloved band from East L.A. has recorded 18 albums, including their most recent studio album, 2010’s Tin Can Trust. They’ve won multiple Grammy Awards, and continue to tour regularly. Born out of the desire to have a community-conscious event celebrating food, culture and music in their hometown, Los Lobos recently held the 1st Annual Los Lobos Cinco de Mayo Festival at Los Angeles’ iconic Greek Theatre. The festival featured performances by preeminent LA bands X and Mariachi El Bronx, among others, with special guests Neko Case, Alejandro Escovedo, Dave Alvin, Phil Alvin, and Flaco Jiménez joining Los Lobos on stage. Next year Los Lobos will celebrate 40 years together, a monumental achievement in a world where bands come and go in the blink of an eye. A rare example of longevity in a volatile music world that stresses style over substance, Los Lobos’ lineup has remained uninterrupted since 1984, when Berlin joined original members Louie Pérez, David Hidalgo, Cesar Rosas, and Conrad Lozano, each of whom had been there since the beginning in 1973. “This is what happens when five guys create a magical sound, then stick together for 30 years to see how far it can take them,” wrote Rolling Stone, and indeed, Los Lobos is a band that continually reboots itself and expands its scope with each passing year, while never losing sight of where they came from. The Kiko 20th Anniversary Edition features bonus material including demo versions of album tracks and live recordings, and new liner notes written by Los Angeles journalist and longtime friend of the band, Luis Torres. Kiko Live captures their February 24, 2006, performance at the House Of Blues in San Diego, CA, where the band performed the critically acclaimed release in its entirety, during a string of shows devoted to the album. Never before released or broadcast, Kiko Live also contains interviews with the band and others involved in the making of the studio album. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray/CD combo is $24.98. You can find the latest specs for 'Los Lobos: Kiko Live' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under August 21.Posted Tue May 22, 2012 at 06:00 AM PDT by:
