DISCussion: New on DVD and Blu-ray (11.26.2013)

Welcome to another edition of DISCussion, where Entertainment Fuse keeps you up to date on all of the home video releases coming out this week! Our Recommendation of the Week comes curiosity of the Criterion Collection, the box-set of the Zatoichi series. As well as getting 25 movies the boxset also comes with a documentary, a commentary from an expert of Asian cinema and a booklet featuring essays and short stories. First Release - RED 2 (DVD and Blu-ray) - Jobs (DVD and Blu-ray) - Wolf Children (DVD and Blu-ray) - The Canyons (DVD and Blu-ray) Re-Release - Zatoichi: The Blind Swordsman Collection (Blu-ray/DVD) - Sci-fi Triple Feature (Blu-ray) Zatoichi: The Blind Swordsman Collection (Blu-ray/DVD) *Recommendation of the Week* The Tale of Zatoichi (1962) Directed by Kenji Misumi Written by Minoru Inuzuka Starring: Shintaro Katsu The Tale of Zatoichi Continues (1962) Written and directed by Kenji Misumi Starring: Shintaro Katsu New Tale of Zatoichi (1963) Directed by Tokuzō Tanaka Written by Minoru Inuzuka Starring: Shintaro Katsu, Mikiko Tsubouchi Zatoichi the Fugitive (1963) Directed by Tokuzō Tanaka Written by Minoru Inuzuka, Seiji Hoshikawa Starring: Shintaro Katsu, Miwa Takada, Sachiko Murase Zatoichi on the Road (1963) Directed by Kimiyoshi Yasuda Written by Minoru Inuzuka Starring: Shintaro Katsu, Shiho Fujimura Zatoichi and the Chest of Gold (1963) Directed by Kazuo Ikehiro Written by Shozaburo Asai, Akikazu Ota (screenplay), Kan Shimozawa (story) Starring: Shintaro Katsu, Shogo Shimada, Mikko Tsubouchi Zatoichi's Flashing Sword (1964) Directed by Kazuo Ikehiro Written by Shozaburo Asai, Minoru Inuzuka (screenplay), Kan Shimozawa (story) Starring: Shintaro Katsu, Tatsuo Endo, Takashi Etajima Fight, Zatoichi, Fight (1964) Directed by Kenji Misumi Written by Seiji Hoshikawa, Tetsuro Yoshida (screenplay), Kan Shimozawa (story) Starring: Shintaro Katsu, Nobuo Kaneko, Gen Kimura Adventures of Zatoichi (1965) Directed by Kimiyoshi Yasuda Written by Shozaburo Asai, Kan Shimozawa (screenplay), Kan Shimozawa (story) Starring: Shintaro Katsu, Miwa Takada, Eiko Taki Zatoichi's Revenge (1965) Directed by Akira Inoue Written by Minoru Inuzuka (screenplay), Kan Shimozawa (story) Starring: Shintaro Katsu, Norihei Miki, Mikiko Tsubouchi Zatoichi and the Doomed Man (1965) Directed by Kazuo Mori Written by Shozaburo Asai (screenplay), Kan Shimozawa (story) Starring: Shintaro Katsu, Kanbi Fujiyama, Eiko Taki Zatoichi and the Chess Expert(1965) Directed by Kenji Misumi Written by Daisuke Ito (screenplay), Kan Shimozawa (story) Starring: Shintaro Katsu, Mikio Narita, Chizu Hayashi Zatoichi's Vengeance (1965) Directed by Tokuzo Tanaka Written by Hajime Takaiwa (screenplay), Kan Shimozawa (story) Starring: Shintaro Katsu, Shigeru Amachi, Jun Hamamura Zatoichi's Pilgrimage (1966) Directed by Kazuo Ikehiro Written by Kaneto Shindo (screenplay), Kan Shimozawa (story) Starring: Shintaro Katsu, Michiyo Okusu, Kunie Tanka Zatoichi's Cane-Sword (1967) Directed by Kimiyoshi Yasuda Written by Ryozo Kasahara (screenplay), Kan Shimozawa (story) Starring: Shintaro Katsu, Shiho Fujimura, Yoshihiko Aoyama Zatoichi the Outlaw (1967) Directed by Satsuo Yamamoto Written by Koji Matsumoto, Takehiro Nakajima (screenplay), Kan Shimozawa (story) Starring: Shintaro Katsu, Rentaro Mikuni, Ko Nishimura Zatoichi Challenged (1967) Directed by Kenji Misumi Written by Ryozo Kasahara (screenplay), Kan Shimozawa (story) Starring: Shintaro Katsu, Jushiro Konoe, Miwa Takada Zatoichi and the Fugitives (1968) Directed by Kimiyoshi Yasuda Written by Kinya Naoi (screenplay), Kan Shimozawa (story) Starring: Shintaro Katsu, Kayo Mikimoto, Kyosuke Machida Samaritan Zatoichi (1968) Directed by Kenji Misumi Written by Kiyokata Saruwaka (screenplay), Kan Shimozawa (story) Starring: Shintaro Katsu, Yoshiko Mita, Makoto Sato Zatoichi, The Festival of Fire (1970) Directed by Kenji Misumi Written by Shintaro Katsu (screenplay), Kan Shimozawa (story) Starring: Shintaro Katsu, Reiko Ohara, Pita Zatoichi Meets the One-Armed Swordsman (1971) Directed by Kimiyoshi Yasuda Written by Takayuki Yamada, Kimiyoshi Yasuda (screenplay), Kan Shimozawa (story) Starring: Shintaro Katsu, Yu Wang, Watako Hamaki Zatoichi at Large (1972) Directed by Kazuo Mori Written by Kinya Naoi Starring: Shintaro Katsu, Rentaro Mikuni, Hisaya Morishige Zatoichi in Desperation (1972) Directed by Shintaro Katsu Written by Minoru Inuzuka (screenplay), Kan Shimozawa (story) Starring: Shintaro Katsu, Kiwako Taichi, Kyoko Yoshizawa Zatoichi's Conspiracy (1973) Directed by Kimyoshi Yasuda Written by Yoshi Hattori (screenplay), Kan Shimozawa (story) Starring: Shintaro Katsu, Yukiyo Toake, Eiji Okada The Zatoichi series was long running movie series in Japan, spanning 25 movies from 1962 to 1973, following the adventures of Zatoichi (Shintaro Katsu), a blind samurai who pretends to be masseur as travels around Japan during the Edo period. The Tale of Zatoichi (1962) Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 100% (excellent) Entertainment Fuse Score: 10/10 The Tale of Zatoichi Continues (1962) Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 100% (excellent) Entertainment Fuse Score: 10/10 New Tale of Zatoichi (1963) Entertainment Fuse Score: 10/10 Zatoichi The Fugitive (1963) Entertainment Fuse Score: 10/10 Zatoichi on the Road (1963) Entertainment Fuse Score: 10/10 Zatoichi and the Chest of Gold (1964) Entertainment Fuse Score: 10/10 Zatoichi' s Flashing Sword (1964) Entertainment Fuse Score: 10/10 Fight, Zatoichi, Fight (1964) Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 100% (excellent) Entertainment Fuse Score: 10/10 Adventures of Zatoichi (1965) Entertainment Fuse Score: 10/10 Zatoichi's Revenge (1965) Entertainment Fuse Score: 10/10 Zatoichi and the Doomed Man (1965) Entertainment Fuse Score: 10/10 Zatoichi and the Chess Expert (1965) Entertainment Fuse Score: 10/10 Zatoichi's Vengeance (1965) Entertainment Fuse Score: 10/10 Zatoichi's Pilgrimage (1966) Entertainment Fuse Score: 10/10 Zatoichi's Cane Sword (1967) Entertainment Fuse Score: 10/10 Zatoichi the Outlaw (1967) Entertainment Fuse Score: 10/10 Zatoichi Challenged (1967) Entertainment Fuse Score: 10/10 Zatoichi and the Fugitives (1968) Entertainment Fuse Score: 10/10 Samaritan Zatoichi (1968) Entertainment Fuse Score: 10/10 Zatoichi Meets Yojimbo (1970) Entertainment Fuse Score: 10/10 Zatoichi, The Festival Of Fire (1970) Entertainment Fuse Score: 10/10 Zatoichi Meets the One Armed Swordsman (1971) Entertainment Fuse Score: 10/10 Zatoichi at Large (1972) Entertainment Fuse Score: 10/10 Zatoichi in Desperation (1972) Entertainment Fuse Score: 10/10 Zatoichi's Conspiracy (1973) Entertainment Fuse Score: 10/10 DISC DETAILS DVD Special Features: New digital restorations of all twenty-five films; The Blind Swordsman, a 1978 documentary about Shintaro Katsu; New interview with Asian-film critic Tony Rayns; Trailers for all twenty-five films; New English subtitle translations; PLUS: A book featuring an essays, short stories and 25 new illustrations Amazon Price: $199.99 (Blu-ray/DVD) It is a light week of DVD and Blu-ray releases, with the highlights being the action-comedy RED 2 and the critically anime movie Wolf Children. RED 2 (DVD and Blu-ray) Directed by Dean Parisot Written by Jon Hoeber, Erich Hoeber (screenplay), Warren Ellis, Culley Hamner (comic book) Starring: Bruce Willis, John Malkovich, Mary-Louise Parker, Helen Mirren, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Anthony Hopkins, Byung-hun Lee RED 2 is the sequel to 2010's RED as the team of retired spies are called backed into action once again. Since the events of the first movie Frank Moses (Bruce Willis) and Sarah (Mary-Louise Parker) are leading a normal life: yet Sarah is bored. Adventure comes knocking when a Black-ops division of the Department of Defense want to silence Frank and Marvin (John Malkovich) for an operation they conducted in the 70s in the Soviet Union, leading the team to Paris, London and Moscow, causing international incidents on the way. Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 42% (poor) Metacritic Rating: 47/100 (average) Entertainment Fuse Score: 7.0/10 DISC DETAILS DVD Special Features: Closed Caption; Gag reel; Deleted scenes Additional Blu-ray Special Features: The Red 2 Experience" multi-part documentary Amazon Price: $14.96 (DVD), $19.99 (Blu-ray) Jobs (DVD and Blu-ray) Directed by Joshua Michael Stern Written by Matt Whitely Starring: Ashton Kutcher, Dermot Mulroney, Josh Gad, Lukas Haas, J.K. Simmons, Lesley Ann Warren, Ron Eldard, Ahna O'Reilly, John Getz, James Woods, Matthew Modine The world scoffed when it was announced that Ashton Kutcher was going to star as Steve Jobs in a bio-pic about the founder of Apple, and the resulting critical reaction was not much better. Jobs follows the famous inventor and businessman as he journeys from being a college drop-out, to co-founding Apple with Steve Wozniak (Josh Gad, The Internship) and his highs and lows in the company. Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 26% (very bad) Metacritic Rating: 44% (poor) DISC DETAILS DVD Special Features: Deleted scenes The Legacy of Steve Jobs Feature Commentary with Director Joshua Michael Stern Amazon Price: $17.99 (DVD), $22.99 (Blu-ray) Wolf Children (DVD and Blu-ray) Directed by Mamoru Hosoda Written by Mamoru Hosoda, Satoko Okurdera Starring: Aoi Miyazaki, Takao Osawa, Haru Kuroki, Yukito Nishii From Mamoru Hosoda, the director of The Girl Who Leapt in Time and Summer Wars, is his latest anime film, Wolf Children. Wolf Children was an award winning movie in Japan and even won the Audience Award at the 2013 New York International Children's Film Festival. Hana (Aoi Miyazaki) is a university student in Tokyo when she meets Ookami (Takao Osawa), a man who has his own secret and starts a family with him. But when Ookami dies Hana takes her children to a small village and raises them by herself. Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 90% (excellent) Metacritic Rating: 72/100 (good) DISC DETAILS DVD Special Features: U.S. commentary; Stage greetings; June 18, 2012 Japan premiere; June 25, 2012 World premiere in Paris; July 16, 2012 Theme song premiere; July 21, 2012 Opening day greetings; August 7, 2012 "Hana's Day"; PR video Director’s Version 01-02; Original trailer; Original teaser; U.S. trailer; Trailers Amazon Price: $24.99 (DVD), $29.73 (Blu-ray)   The Canyons (DVD and Blu-ray) Directed by Paul Schrader Written by Bret Easton Ellis Starring: Lindsay Lohan, James Deen Directed by Paul Schrader, the writer Taxi Driver and Raging Bull and American Psycho author Bret Easton Ellis comes the critically panned thriller The Canyons about Christian (James Deen) who discovers his girlfriend Tara (Lindsay Lohan) is having an affair with his leading man in his next movie project. Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes: 22% (very bad) Metacritic Rating: 36% (poor) DISC DETAILS DVD Special Features: Creating The Canyons featurettes; Trailer Amazon Price: $22.98 (DVD), $21.23 (Blu-ray) Sci-fi Triple Feature (DVD and Blu-ray) Logan's Run (1976) Directed by Michael Anderson Written by David Zelag Goodman (screenplay), William F. Nolan, George Clayton Johnson (novel) Starring: Michael York, Jenny Agutter, Richard Jordan The Omega Man (1971) Directed by Boris Sagal Written by John William Corrington, Joyce H. Corrington (screenplay), Richard Matterson (novel 'I Am Legend') Starring: Charlton Heston, Anthony Zerbe, Rosalind Cash Soylent Green (1973) Directed by Richard Fleischer Written by Stanley R. Greenberg (screenplay), Harry Harrison (novel 'Make Room! Make Room!') Starring: Charlton Heston, Leigh Taylor-Young, Edward G. Robinson Last but not least is a triple feature of sci-fi movies from the 70s, Logan's Run, The Omega Man and Soylent Green. These movies takes us to a dystopian world where people do not live beyond the age of 30, a world plagued by overpopulation and people survive on a mysterious food and a loose adaptation of Richard Matterson's I Am Legend. Logan's Run (1976) Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 68% (good) Entertainment Fuse Score: 6.5/10 The Omega Man (1971) Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 59% (average) Soylent Green (1973) Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 71% (good) DISC DETAILS DVD Special Features: Logan's Run features: ; Commentary by Michael York, director Michael Anderson and costume designer Bill Thomas and more!; The Omega Man features:; Vintage featurette The Last Man Alive - The Omega Man and more!; Soylent Green features:; Commentary by Richard Fleischer and Leigh Taylor-Young, and 2 vintage featurettes Amazon Price: $13.99 (Blu-ray)