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'The Thing (2011)' Announced and Detailed for Blu-ray[teaser]The prequel to John Carpenter's classic horror film will invade Blu-ray in January. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Universal Studios says 'The Thing (2011)' will have a Blu-ray release on January 31. It’s not human. Yet. From the producers of 'Dawn of the Dead' comes the chilling prelude to John Carpenter’s cult classic film. When paleontologist Kate Lloyd (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) travels to an isolated outpost in Antarctica for the expedition of a lifetime, she joins an international team that unearths a remarkable discovery. Their elation quickly turns to fear as they realize that their experiment has freed a mysterious being from its frozen prison. Paranoia spreads like an epidemic as a creature that can mimic anything it touches will pit human against human as it tries to survive and flourish in this spine-tingling thriller. The Blu-ray/DVD/Digital Copy combo pack will feature 1080p video, a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack, and supplements include Commentary with Matthijs Van Heijningen and producer Eric Newman; The Thing Evolves; Fire & Ice; and deleted/extended scenes. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $34.98. You can find the latest specs for 'The Thing (2011)' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's now indexed under January 31.Posted Mon Dec 5, 2011 at 06:00 AM PST by: -
HDD Deal of the Week: 'Toy Story: Ultimate Toy Box Collection' Blu-ray $49.99 at Amazon[teaser]Amazon's deal this week features the Pixar trilogy starring Woody, Buzz, and the rest of the gang! [/teaser] The online retailer is now selling 'Toy Story: Ultimate Toy Box Collection' for $49.99 (50% off suggested retail price). The 10-Disc set includes 'Toy Story,' 'Toy Story 2,' and 'Toy Story 3' all housed inside a spiffy stagecoach toy box packaging. Click here to order yours and this offer is available now through December 11.Posted Sun Dec 4, 2011 at 08:28 AM PST by: -
Bonus View Digest - December 2, 2011Can you believe we've already rounded the corner into December? 2011 is almost over, but The Bonus View keeps plugging along, bringing you the very best in high-def news. Whether it is updates about theatrical releases or the latest television scuttlebutt we've got you completely covered. [teaser]Take a load off for a minute. Stop thinking about the impending Christmas shopping season, and instead sit down and find out what juicy tidbits you may have missed out on this week.[/teaser] Blu-ray News The big news this week was that we were giving away a brand spanking new copy of one of the funniest horror comedies since 'Shaun of the Dead.' You can still enter our 'Tucker and Dale vs. Evil' contest until the end of the day today, so make sure you do. You could end up being the winner. Last week we gave away a copy of J.J. Abrams' 'Super 8.' We're always running free Blu-ray contests, so you'll want to make sure you're keeping up with the blog to find out about our latest giveaways. Make sure you stop by Josh's weekly Blu-ray Highlights column where he details every home video release hitting the market this week. This week saw a very eclectic mix of movies hit store shelves, let Josh guide you to the right ones. Theatrical News As always, Luke Hickman has you covered on the theatrical front. Make sure to check out his Weekend Box Office update along with his discussion about the movies that came out during the long Thanksgiving weekend. And in case you missed them, Luke posted reviews for some of the hottest theatrical openings such as 'The Muppets' and 'Hugo.' E presents another edition of The Trailer Park, previewing two trailers. One for 'Young Adult' and the other from '21 Jump Street.' Finally, you don't want to miss the eye-opening article that Luke posted about Universal executive Ronald Meyer discussing, quite candidly I might add, the "crappy" movies that his studio has made over the years. Home Theater News E is dabbling in a home theater renovation. He's in the process of creating his own home theater personal computer, and this is his first post about how he's planning on doing it. Check it out and see if it gives you ideas on organizing your movie collection. Don't know what the "DTS Bomb" is? Let Josh explain in his article about the annoying audio glitch that happens with certain equipment which is trying to decode the DTS authoring. You'll want to know how to avoid it if you can. Jonesing for something to watch on your streaming service? Well we've got you covered there too. Check out what's playing on the Netflix Stream or VUDU streaming service. Or take reviewer Wayne Rowe's suggestion and check out the movie 'Dutch' in his One From the Vault column. TV Recaps As always, we have a good run down of television recaps to keep you up to date with TV's most popular shows. Make sure you catch our recaps of 'American Horror Story' and 'The Walking Dead.' As 'The Walking Dead' just had its fall finale, the episode's recap sparked quite a bit of debate. If you're a fan of the show you'll want to make your view known in the comments section for sure. As we wait for 'The Walking Dead' to come back in February, Aaron is going to be dissecting each character and calculating their chances of survival. You'll want to check out 'Walking Dead' Character Guide this week, because we profile the Grimes family and wonder if Rick, Lori, and Carl will make it through the zombie apocalypse alive. Videogame News We've always got videogame related articles for you gamers out there to enjoy. This week's Mid-Week Poll focused on videogames and asked about your preference. Do you like single player or online gaming better? Come and let us know with your vote. Dick Ward discusses how Sony killed downloadable Vita games before launch day and also gives a quick rundown of the games that hit store shelves this week. Special Features Seeing that it was Thanksgiving last week, we decided to go the sentimental route and ask the writers of the blog what they were thankful for during the Weekend Roundtable. Warning: Maximum mushiness. Hey us film critics have feelings too alright? Thanks for making this another successful week at the world's greatest HD-centric blog. We hope that you had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend, and that your wallets don't see too much of a dent during the holiday shopping seasons. May you seek out the best deals and always find the best Blu-ray bargains.Posted Fri Dec 2, 2011 at 11:16 AM PST by: -
'Annie Hall,' 'Manhattan,' 'Notorious,' & 'Rebecca' Dated for Blu-ray[teaser]Two more classics from both Woody Allen and Alfred Hitchcock are bound for Blu-ray in January. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, MGM/UA is working on 'Annie Hall,' 'Manhattan,' 'Notorious' and 'Rebecca' for Blu-ray on January 24. Woody Allen's 'Annie Hall' was nominated for four Academy Awards and won for Best Director and Best Picture, while his 'Manhattan' scooped up BAFTA Awards for Best Screenplay and Best Film. Hitchcock's 'Rebecca' starring Laurence Olivier and Joan Fontaine won Oscars for Best Cinematography (Black-and-White) and Best Picture, and 'Notorious' which stars Cary Grant and Ingrid Bergman received a nomination for the Grand Prize at the 1946 Cannes Film Festival. Specs and supplements have yet to be revealed, but suggested list price for each Blu-ray is $24.99. You can find the latest specs for 'Annie Hall,' 'Manhattan,' 'Notorious,' & 'Rebecca' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where they're indexed under January 24.Posted Fri Dec 2, 2011 at 10:45 AM PST by: -
Analyst Michael Pachter Says Netflix is Broken - 11 Million Lost Hybrid Subscribers by 2012[teaser]Of those 11 million, he predicts that seven million will downgrade their plans and the rest will leave Netflix completely. [/teaser] Right now, the future of Netflix is unclear. Things could go one of two very different ways for the company thanks to an incredibly aggressive plan for growth. Netflix is expanding to other countries, acquiring new contentw, and doing everything it can to get new customers, but that may be at the root of the problem. "In our view," writes Michael Pachter of Wedbush Securities, "the company’s business model was broken when it raised prices for its hybrid customers, and continued customer defections will require it to invest ever-increasing amounts in marketing." Pachter suggests that Netflix will lose 11 million hybrid accounts, meaning accounts that subscribe for both disc delivery and streaming. He says that four million will leave the service and the rest will downgrade to just streaming or just discs. This loss is just the beginning of what Pachter says will be a big loss for Netflix. Source: Home Media MagazinePosted Fri Dec 2, 2011 at 10:20 AM PST by: -
'Game of Thrones: The Complete First Season' Blu-ray Announced[teaser]The first season of the acclaimed series based on George R.R. Martin's best-selling novels is coming to Blu-ray in March. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, HBO will release 'Game of Thrones: The Complete First Season' on Blu-ray on March 6. One of the best reviewed shows of the year stars Sean Bean ('The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring') and Lena Headey ('Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles') and currently holds an impressive 9.5/10 rating on IMDb.com. Specs have yet to be detailed, but supplements will include: Seven audio commentaries with cast and crew including David Benioff, D.B. Weiss, George R.R. Martin, Emilia Clarke, Peter Dinklage, Kit Harrington, and more; Character profiles of 15 major characters as described by the actors portraying them; and five behind-the-scenes featurettes. Blu-ray-exclusives include: Complete Guide to Westeros compendium with twenty-four exclusive histories of the Seven Kingdoms; Anatomy of an Episode on "A Golden Crown"; In-Episode Guide that provides real-time background information on each episode; and Hidden Dragon Eggs with never-before-seen hidden content. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is set at $79.98. You can find the latest specs for 'Game of Thrones: The Complete First Season' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under March 6.Posted Fri Dec 2, 2011 at 09:55 AM PST by: -
HDD Deal of the Day: 'Battlestar Galactica: The Complete Series' Blu-ray $94.99 at Amazon[teaser]Today's Gold Box deal at Amazon is the entire run of the re-imagined sci-fi series on Blu-ray! [/teaser] Amazon has reduced the price on the reissued 'Battlestar Galactica: The Complete Series' Blu-ray for $94.99 (68% off suggested retail price. This collection includes all four seasons, the miniseries, 'Battlestar Galactica: Razor,' as well as 'Battlestar Galactica: The Plan.' Click here to be linked to the offer.Posted Fri Dec 2, 2011 at 08:27 AM PST by: -
'On the Bowery' Announced for Blu-ray[teaser]Lionel Rogosin's classic 1957 film is planned for high-definition in February. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Milestone is preparing 'On the Bowery' for Blu-ray on February 7. 'On the Bowery' chronicles three days in the drinking life of Ray Salyer, a part-time railroad worker adrift on New York s skid row. When the film opened it 1956, it exploded on the screen, burning away years of Hollywood artifice, jump-starting the post-war American independent film movement and earning an Oscar nomination. Now gloriously restored by the Cineteca di Bologna, 'On the Bowery' is both an incredible document of a bygone era and a vivid and devastating portrait of addiction that resonates today just as it did when it was made. Specs have yet to be finalized, but supplements will include: Introduction by Martin Scorsese; The Perfect Team: The Making of On the Bowery documentary; Complete and restored version of Rogosin's Good Times, Wonderful Times; Five short featurettes; and trailer. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray set is $39.95. You can find the latest specs for 'On the Bowery' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under February 7.Posted Fri Dec 2, 2011 at 08:00 AM PST by: -
'The Whistleblower' Blu-ray Announced and Detailed[teaser]The heart-pounding political thriller will expose Blu-ray's truth in January. [/teaser] In an early retailer announcement, 20th Century Fox has revealed 'The Whistleblower' is coming to Blu-ray on January 24. Inspired by true events, 'The Whistleblower' has been met with praise by critics and heralded at the Palm Springs International Film Festival (“Best Narrative Feature”), Seattle Film Festival (“Best Director”) and Whistler Film Festival (“Best Film,” “Best Narrative Feature”). Academy Award winners Rachel Weisz ('The Constant Gardner') and Vanessa Redgrave ('Julia') head a powerful cast that includes Oscar® Nominee David Strathairn ('Good Night and Good Luck') in writer-director Larysa Kondracki’s harrowing dramatic thriller. When Nebraska cop Kathryn Bolkovac (Weisz) accepts a U.N. peacekeeper position in post-war Bosnia, she uncovers a deadly sex trafficking ring. After learning that fellow peacekeepers and military contractors are involved in the ghastly practice and its cover-up, Bolkovac risks her own life to save the lives of others and expose the corruption. With masterful acting and a heart-racing plot, 'The Whistleblower' is an acclaimed film inspired by actual events and includes stellar supporting performances from Benedict Cumberbatch (“Sherlock”), Monica Bellucci ('The Matrix Reloaded') and David Hewlett (“Stargate: Atlantis”). The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack, and supplements include cast and crew interviews. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $29.99. You can find the latest specs for 'The Whistleblower' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under January 24.Posted Fri Dec 2, 2011 at 06:00 AM PST by: -
High-Def Holidays: Ho-Ho-Hi-Def!by Dick Ward [teaser]Need help picking out a few movies for your Christmas marathon? This isn't the list for you. We'll have that list of course, but this one's all about celebrating those holidays that slip under the radar. The weird ones celebrating things that just don't need celebrating. The holidays that you didn't even knew existed.[/teaser] Okay, Christmas people, I'll throw you a bone. 'Die Hard.' Hi Neighbor Month It's true, people don't really talk to their neighbors like they used to. So they want you to say hi. Fine. I say do it one better and make it High-Def neighbor month. Get your player hooked on Blu-ray with my personal favorite disc to date and one that I think really shows the power of the format - 'Star Trek.' Give 'em a taste of what they're missing out on. Read a New Book Month Reading books can take you on wonderful new adventures, teach you lessons about humanity and about yourself, and help you learn the meaning of words like "inconceivable." But why read a book when you could watch 'Princess Bride,' a movie about people reading a book? It's faster than a proper book and has way more Peter Falk. Of course... if you're still dying to read an actual book, why not check out HDD Editor-in-Chief Mike Attebery's latest release: Seattle On Ice available as a $2.99 Kindle edition and $9.50 paperback (Makes a great gift!). December 5th - Walt Disney's Birthday Just seconds after you hit play on a Disney movie you'll see an opener that pulls out to reveal Cinderella's Castle to the music of "When You Wish Upon a Star." It's from "Pinocchio" and is one of the sweetest and most beautiful songs put into a Disney film. December 6th - Ira Gershwin's Birthday Ira who? No, Ira Gershwin. Ira, along with his brother George, is responsible for some incredibly memorable music that you should really know. ' A Star is Born' is debatably the last great work of Ira Gershwin. It stars Judy Garland and James Mason. Also it's great. December 12th - Sinatra's Birthday Boy do I love Sinatra. The man had style, composure, mob ties, excellent comedic timing, and a great voice. All right, the mob ties aren't exactly a plus but the other bits are. As much as I do love the 2001 version, nothing beats Frank, Dean, and Sammy in ' Ocean's Eleven.' December 17th - Underdog day Sean Astin is the king of the underdogs. The absolute king. For starters, he was Rudy in 'Rudy,' a movie about a guy that might just be the ultimate football underdog. But that's not all. He was Mikey in 'The Goonies,' a tale of a group of underdogs who beat out a crime family and saved their home. Not enough? How about his role as the fat, lazy, unwilling Samwise Gamgee from 'Lord of the Rings.' No one thought he'd ever really help out on the adventure but when times got tough he was the one who managed to overcome significant adversity and get Frodo to where he needed to be. See? King of the underdogs. December 20th - Games Day Games play an important part in a lot of movies, from the drunken festivities of 'Beer Fest' to the Ouija board in 'Paranormal Activity.' No other movie completely revolves around a game in the way 'Jumanji' does though. If nothing else, watch the movie for Van Pelt - best character by far. December 28th - Card Playing Day Matt Damon, Edward Norton, John Turturro, Gretchen Mol, Famke Janssen, John Malkovich. That should be all you need to hear about ' Rounders' until you go out and buy it and watch it and love it. Oh, it's about poker. December 29th - Pepper Pot Day I have no idea what a Pepper Pot is, but I know who Pepper Potts is and I know that she's played really nicely by Gwyneth Paltrow in both the original and 'Iron Man 2.' December 29th is also my roommate's birthday, and I'm sure he'd love a Pepper Potts of his own. If anyone knows where I can get a brilliant and sexy personal assistant on the cheap, hit me up. December 31st - New Year's Eve Before the movies started to get funny and long before they added Chris Rock and turned the films into self-parody there was a wonderful and dark movie called 'Lethal Weapon.' It starts just after Christmas and on through New Year's.Posted Thu Dec 1, 2011 at 03:45 PM PST by:
