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'Sucker Punch: Extended Cut' Dated for Blu-ray[teaser]The epic CGI fantasy will explode on Blu-ray like never before next month! [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Warner Brothers is working on 'Sucker Punch: Extended Cut' for Blu-ray on June 28. The 2011 eye-candy extravaganza didn't go over very well with critics (22% rotten rating on Rotten Tomatoes), but seemed to have a mixed reception among the rest of the crowd. The release will be a Blu-ray/DVD/Digital Copy combo pack and will include the theatrical version as well as an all-new R-rated cut (with 18 additional minutes not seen in theaters) in 1080p, DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtracks, and supplements include a picture-in-picture commentary track with Zack Snyder and Animated Shorts: Sucker Punch Prequel Stories. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $35.99. You can find the latest specs for 'Sucker Punch: Extended Cut' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it is indexed under June 28.Posted Wed May 18, 2011 at 11:35 AM PDT by: -
'Secret Sunshine' Blu-ray Announced and Detailed[teaser]The 2007 Korean romance comedy is in the works for high-definition release in August. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, the Criterion Collection will bring 'Secret Sunshine' to Blu-ray on August 23. A master of intensely emotional human dramas, director Lee Chang-dong is a leading light of contemporary Korean cinema, and his place on the international stage was cemented by this stirring and unpredictable work examining grief and deliverance. The Blu-ray will feature a new 1080p digital transfer supervised and approved by the director, a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack (with new and improved English subtitle translation), and supplements include: New interview with Lee; On the Set of "Secret Sunshine," a video piece featuring interviews with actors Jeon Do-yeon and Song Kang-ho, as well as behind-the-scenes footage; U.S. theatrical trailer; and a booklet featuring an essay by film critic Dennis Lim. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $39.95. You can find the latest specs for 'Secret Sunshine' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under August 23.Posted Wed May 18, 2011 at 10:00 AM PDT by: -
'The Killing' and 'Cul-de-sac' Announced for Blu-ray[teaser]Kubrick and more Polanski are coming to Criterion's Blu-ray library this August. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Criterion says 'The Killing' is planned for Blu-ray on August 16. Stanley Kubrick’s account of an ambitious racetrack robbery is one of Hollywood’s tautest, twistiest noirs. The Blu-ray will feature 1080p, an uncompressed mono soundtrack, and supplements include: New video interview with producer James B. Harris; Excerpts of interviews with actor Sterling Hayden from the French television series Cinéma cinemas; New video interview with film scholar Robert Polito about writer Jim Thompson and his work on The Killing; Restored transfer of Stanley Kubrick's 1955 noir feature Killer's Kiss; New video appreciation of Killer's Kiss with film critic Geoffrey O'Brien; Theatrical trailers; and a booklet featuring an essay by film historian Haden Guest and a reprinted interview with Marie Windsor on The Killing. On the same day, Criterion will also be bringing 'Cul-de-sac' to Blu-ray. Roman Polanski orchestrates a mental ménage a trois in this sly, surreal tale of paranoia from the director’s golden 1960s period. The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, an uncompressed mono soundtrack, and supplements will include: Two Gangsters and an Island, a 2003 short documentary about the making of Cul-de-sac, featuring interviews with Polanski, producer Gene Gutowski, and cinematographer Gil Taylor; Interview with Polanski from 1967; Theatrical trailers; and a booklet featuring an essay by film critic David Thompson. Suggested list price for each of the Blu-rays is $39.95. You can find the latest specs for 'The Killing' and 'Cul-de-sac' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where they are indexed under August 16.Posted Wed May 18, 2011 at 08:00 AM PDT by: -
'Wild Cherry' Blu-ray Dated and Detailed[teaser]The comic tale of bad intentions and the greater good is coming to Blu-ray in June. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Image Entertainment is prepping 'Wild Cherry' for Blu-ray on June 28. Three hot high school seniors (Rumer Willis – “90210”, Tamia Raymonde – “Lost”, Kristin Cavallari – “The Hills”) are shocked to discover their names in a legendary book that pairs the school’s virgins with football players. Outraged, the girls form a pact to maintain their virginity and foil the plot against them. Determined to show the guys who is really in charge of the game of love, they launch a series of hilarious, humiliating pranks to get back at the baffled boys in a hysterical battle of the sexes. Also starring Rob Schneider ('Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo'), Ryan Merriman (“Pretty Little Liars”) and Tia Carrere ('Wayne’s World,' “Curb Your Enthusiasm”), 'Wild Cherry' is a sexy romp of vengeance served cold…using the hottest game of all! The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack, and there doesn't appear to be any supplements. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $29.97. You can find the latest specs for 'Wild Cherry' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it is indexed under June 28.Posted Wed May 18, 2011 at 06:00 AM PDT by: -
'Orpheus' and 'If....' Announced for Blu-ray[teaser]Films from Jean Cocteau and Lindsay Anderson will get the Criterion treatment in August. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Criterion has just revealed 'Orpheus' is being prepared for Blu-ray on August 30. This 1950 update of the Orphic myth by Jean Cocteau depicts a famous poet (Jean Marais) scorned by the Left Bank youth, and his love for both his wife Eurydice (Marie Déa) and a mysterious princess (Maria Casarès). The Blu-ray will feature 1080p, an uncompressed mono soundtrack, and supplements include: Audio commentary by French film scholar James Williams; Jean Cocteau: Autobiography of an Unknown, a 1984 feature-length documentary; Video piece from 2008 featuring assistant director Claude Pinoteau on the special effects in the film; 40 Minutes with Jean Cocteau, an interview with the director from 1957; In Search of Jazz, a 1956 interview with Cocteau on the use of jazz in the film; La villa Santo-Sospir, a 16 mm color Cocteau film from 1951; Gallery of images by French film portrait photographer Roger Corbeau; Raw newsreel footage; Theatrical trailer; and a booklet featuring an essay by author Mark Polizzotti, selected Cocteau writings on the film, and an essay on La villa Santo-Sospir by Williams. Criterion is also readying the 1968 drama 'If....' for Blu-ray on the same date. Before Kubrick made his mischief iconic in A Clockwork Orange, Malcolm McDowell made a hell of an impression as the insouciant Mick Travis, who, along with his school chums, trumps authority at every turn, finally emerging as a violent savior. The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, an uncompressed mono soundtrack, and supplements will include: Audio commentary featuring film critic and historian David Robinson and actor Malcolm McDowell; Episode of the Scottish TV series Cast and Crew from 2003, featuring interviews with McDowell, Ondříček, Rakoff, director's assistant Stephen Frears, producer Michael Medwin, and screenwriter David Sherwin; Video interview with actor Graham Crowden; Thursday's Children (1954), an Academy Award–winning documentary about a school for deaf children, by director Lindsay Anderson and Guy Brenton and narrated by actor Richard Burton; and a booklet featuring an essay by critic David Ehrenstein as well as reprinted pieces by Sherwin and Anderson. Suggested list price for each of the Blu-rays is $39.95. You can find the latest specs for 'Orpheus' and 'If....' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where they're indexed under August 30.Posted Tue May 17, 2011 at 01:00 PM PDT by: -
'Ben-Hur' Blu-ray Details Revealed![teaser]Details are slowly trickling in for one of the greatest epics of all time planned for Blu-ray release this year! [/teaser] As previously reported, Warner Brothers is working on 'Ben-Hur: Ultimate Collector's Edition' for a Blu-ray release sometime in 2011. Directed by William Wyler, the winner of 11 Oscars (including Best Actor, Best Director, and Best Picture) tells the tale of a Jewish prince (Charlton Heston) who is betrayed and sent into slavery by a Roman friend and not only regains his freedom, but also comes back for revenge. For its 50th Anniversary Ultimate Collector's Edition release, the film is being meticulously restored with a newly minted frame-by-frame transfer from the original 65mm negative at a resolution of 6k (six times the resolution of the previous DVD edition). The Blu-ray release will contain two BD-50 Blu-ray discs (or five DVDs in the standard-definition version shown at the end of this article) and loads of special features including the brand new Charlton Heston & Ben-Hur A Personal Journey -- a feature length documentary chronicling the life of the actor while making the film. The feature is composed of behind-the-scenes footage, rare Heston home movies, and much more. Other bonuses include: Ben-Hur, A Journey Through Pictures: An audiovisual re-creation assembled using stills, storyboards, sketches, music, dialogue and other archive materials; Ben Hur: The 1925 Silent Film; 2005 Documentary, Ben-Hur: The Epic That Changed Cinema; 1994 Documentary, Ben-Hur: The Making of an Epic; Original Screen Tests; Vintage Newsreel Gallery; Highlights from the 4/4/60 Academy Awards Ceremony; and a Theatrical Trailer Gallery. Inside the package will also be two collectible books, with the first being "Charlton Heston: The Ben-Hur Diaries" -- an in-depth look at the actor's experiences during filmmaking with personal photos and some of Charlton Heston's sketches. A second book will be packed with rare photographs, production artwork, and reproductions from the original theatrical press book. You can find the latest specs for 'Ben-Hur: Ultimate Collector's Edition' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it is indexed under PENDING.Posted Tue May 17, 2011 at 12:00 PM PDT by: -
'Winter in Wartime' Announced for Blu-ray[teaser]The acclaimed 2008 war drama directed by Martin Koolhoven is planned for Blu-ray this July. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Sony Pictures Classics has just revealed 'Winter in Wartime' will debut on the Blu-ray format on July 26. The film is based on the 1972 novel by Dutch writer Jan Terlouw and follows a Dutch boy's life through the last winter of World War II. The release will be a Blu-ray/DVD combo pack with 1080p video, DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtracks, and the only supplement is The Making of Winter in Wartime. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is still undetermined at this time. You can find the latest specs for 'Winter in Wartime' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under July 26.Posted Tue May 17, 2011 at 10:00 AM PDT by: -
'Conan the Barbarian' & 'Conan the Destroyer' Blu-ray Details and Box Art Revealed[teaser]The pair of Arnold Schwarzenegger sword and sorcery adventures coming to Blu-ray in August have now been fully detailed. [/teaser] As previously reported, Universal is working on 'Conan the Barbarian' and 'Conan the Destroyer' for Blu-ray on August 2. The catalog releases will arrive just in time to gear up for the theatrical release of Marcus Nispel's 2011 remake starring Jason Momoa, Rose McGowan, and Ron Perlman. Both discs will feature 1080p video, DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtracks, and 'Conan the Barbarian' will have the extended cut of the film and supplements will include: Feature Commentary with Director John Milius and Arnold Schwarzenegger, Conan Unchained: The Making of Conan, Art of Steel: Sword Makers and Masters, Conan: From the Vault, Special Effects, The Conan Archives, Theatrical Trailers, My Scenes, and Pocket Blu. The only supplements 'Conan the Destroyer' appears to have is My Scenes and Pocket Blu. Suggested list price for each Blu-ray is $26.98. You can find the latest specs for 'Conan the Barbarian' and 'Conan the Destroyer' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where they are indexed under August 2.Posted Tue May 17, 2011 at 08:00 AM PDT by: -
'Cirque du Soleil: Journey of a Man - 3D' Announced for Blu-ray 3D[teaser]The world-renowned performance troupe comes to Blu-ray's third dimension in June. [/teaser] In an announcement to retailers, Sony is readying 'Cirque du Soleil: Journey of a Man - 3D' narrated by Ian McKellen for the Blu-ray 3D format on June 7. Acclaimed by an audience of over 23 million worldwide, Cirque du Soleil is a distinctive and remarkable troupe that has reinvented and revolutionized the circus arts. Journey of Man is a breathtaking odyssey that follows the stages of human development from birth to maturity, with each stage presented by a Cirque du Soleil act. The signature Cirque du Soleil celebration of color, light, music, and costume combines with a backdrop of various natural and historical landmarks around the world, creating a triumph of artistry beyond compare. From the opening explosion of light and sound that represents the universe's formation, Cirque du Soleil's Journey of Man leads us through the birth of the Universal Child as it travels from childhood through adolescence and manhood on to maturity. An awe-inspiring feast for the senses, incomparable artistry and stylish elegance make this an adventure of a lifetime. Suggested list price for the 3D Blu-ray is set at only $19.95. You can find the latest specs for 'Cirque du Soleil: Journey of a Man - 3D' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under June 7.Posted Tue May 17, 2011 at 06:00 AM PDT by: -
Top 5/Bottom 5: Eddie Murphyby Aaron Peck [teaser]The 80s classic 'Beverly Hills Cop' hits store shelves this week, so we thought it would be a great time to look over the extensive filmography of Eddie Murphy and determine which films are his best, and which of his movies still make us throw up a little whenever we hear them mentioned.[/teaser] After hitting the bigtime on SNL, Murphy started doing some smart comedies interspersed with edgy stand-up tours. He became famous quickly and soon everyone wanted him in their movies. After a few critical and box office successes Murphy's career fell into a pattern of decline, recovery, decline, recovery. By the late 90s he was raking in the money as he committed to one repetitive fat suit movie after another. It's too bad though, because as we saw in his early years, and even as recently as 2006 with 'Dreamgirls,' when Murphy is good, he is very, verygood. Unfortunately, soon after his eye-opening performance in 'Dreamgirls,' he fell right back into his bad habits with 'Norbit.' It's hard to pin Murphy down, and with his recent run of disastrous payday films, it's easy to write him off altogether, but all you have to do is travel back a good decade and a half, when Murphy was still making good movies, and you'll find some really fantastic films. The Best '48 Hrs.' Murphy became a household name during his run on 'Saturday Night Live'. After he'd been noticed he soon started getting pegged for movies. His first was '48 Hrs.' A buddy cop movie that had him starring alongside Nick Nolte. This was his first feature film and still, to this day, remains one of his best. Sure, buddy cop movies are a dime a dozen now, but back in the early 80s this was a somewhat new genre still trying to find its footing. Murphy's performance here is some of the best work he's done in the movies. Period. He still had that edgy side to him. He hadn't been corrupted by Hollywood money and fat suits yet. 'Beverly Hills Cop' Is it okay to call the first 'Beverly Hills Cop' Murphy's opus (of sorts)? No you won't find this movie on AFI's Top 100 list, but this is certainly one of the most memorable movies of the 80s and one of Eddie Murphy's very best roles. Murphy has something here that say, Chris Tucker in the 'Rush Hour' movies does not. He makes this movie fun and enjoyable even though at its heart it's a pretty formulaic cop movie. 'Bowfinger' This oddball comedy is often overlooked, but it shouldn't be. Murphy and Steve Martin, another honorary 'SNL' alum, team up for a hilarious rip of the Hollywood movie scene. Like many of his other films in the Worst section, Murphy actually plays two people here. He simultaneously plays the world's biggest movie star and the world's weirdest nerd. Even though he's totally overacting in the part of Jefferson Ramsey it's strangely okay. It's genuinely funny, and so is the movie. 'Shrek 1 & 2' I didn't include number three for a reason (it stinks). The fourth film is also a good one, so let's just include that in here too. The first two 'Shrek' films were a huge success both at the box office and with critics helped in a large part by the voice of Eddie Murphy. Donkey is consistently one of the funniest parts of these movies. It helps that the first two films are very well written and they hadn't blown through all their jokes yet, but Murphy's high-strung presence in the films really brought them up a notch. Plus Donkey has some of the most quotable lines of the movies. ”We're having waffles!”. 'Trading Places' Man, I just love this movie. Murphy and Aykroyd together was a match made in comedic heaven. Another 80s movie that lives on in our hearts and collective cinematic minds. The story is simple enough, a rich man and a poor man switch lives because of a bet placed by two greedy fat cats who have nothing better to do. After that, hilarity ensues. While the premise isn't all that engaging, the acting from Aykroyd and a young Murphy carry the movie. The Worst 'The Adventures of Pluto Nash' How far the mighty have fallen. 'Pluto Nash' was an unmitigated disaster of epic proportions. With a swollen budget of $100 million, this movie only managed to pull in a little over $4 million domestically and not that much more worldwide. It's considered one of the biggest flops in box office history. I think those figures speak for themselves. Even though Murphy was riding a peak of fame from the 'Shrek,' 'Dr. Dolittle,' and the 'Nutty Professor' movies, no one wanted to see this crap. 'Norbit' I shudder to even think about this cancer of a movie. That's right, that's how horribly bad 'Norbit' is. Right after 'Dreamgirls,' Murphy donned yet another fat suit and set about destroying everything we value about cinema. For the life of me I can't understand why this movie made almost $100 million domestically. That completely befuddles me. The same people who didn't want to go see the trash that was 'Pluto Nash', plunked down their hard-earned money to see this! Oh, and 'Norbit' was actually nominated for an Academy Award for best makeup. Come on people. It's a fat suit, what's so special about that? Yeesh! Please purge this movie from my memory. 'Meet Dave' Another one of Murphy's movies that reminds me of the generic movie posters that line the walls of Tracy Morgan's hangout in '30 Rock.' Just another money-grubbing schlock-fest featuring Murphy raking in the dough while he produces more movie muck. It's true that 'Meet Dave' was a step up from 'Norbit', but that's just not saying much. 'The Haunted Mansion' I'll never forgive Disney for this blunder. One of my favorite rides at Disneyland was loosely used as the idea for another Eddie Murphy movie that made me cringe. It troubles me to think that this movie was in anyway involved or related to the masterful ride at Disneyland. Johnny Depp turned 'Pirates of the Caribbean' into gold. Eddie Murphy and his team turned the Haunted Mansion into, well, this... 'Daddy Day Care' Let's see… Let's take a bunch of moronic guys and put them in charge of infants. That's going to be funny right? No? Well, let's get a recognizable face in there. I know, let's cast Eddie Murphy. Alright, now we've got a movie! Sorry, guys, but it doesn't work like that. If your movie is a piece of junk, throwing in a well-known comedy staple won't keep it from being crappy. On a sidenote, a fun drinking game for 'Daddy Day Care' is taking a swig every time Eddie Murphy pulls his go-to bug-eyed stare whenever some kid is doing something he's not supposed to. Believe me, you'll be having your stomach pumped by the time the movie is over. Murphy has made some great movies, and even nowadays he has found a way to fit in good movies between his not-so-good ones. His filmography is loaded with films, so it was near impossible to put together a list everyone would agree on. I'd say that 'Dreamgirls', 'Mulan', and 'Coming to America' are easily knocking on the door of his best, while movies like 'Vampire in Brooklyn,' 'Boomerang,' 'The Golden Child,' and 'Holy Man' are right there in line for his worst. There's a ton to pick from, so head on over to the High-Def Digest forums and let us know your personal Top 5/Bottom 5 for Eddie Murphy.Posted Mon May 16, 2011 at 03:15 PM PDT by:
