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DISCussion: New on DVD and Blu-ray (10.8.2013)


Both Star Wars Trilogies are being re-released onto Blu-ray once again. Our Recommendation of the week is the original trilogy which has commentaries and interviews from George Lucas and cast and crew.

First Release
- Much Ado About Nothing (2013) (DVD and Blu-ray)
- The Hangover Part III (DVD and Blu-ray)
- After Earth (DVD and Blu-ray)
- Batman: The Dark Knight Returns: Deluxe Edition (DVD and Blu-ray)
- The Purge (DVD and Blu-ray)
- Europa Report (DVD and Blu-ray)
- Curse of Chucky (DVD and Blu-ray)
- Chucky: The Complete Collection (DVD and Blu-ray)

Re-Release
- Star Wars Trilogy Episode IV - VI (Blu-ray)
- Star Wars Trilogy Episode I - III (Blu-ray)
- The Exorcist (1973) (Blu-ray)
- Stalag 17(1953) (Blu-ray)
- Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life (1983) (Blu-ray)
- Fantastic Voyage (1968) (Blu-ray)


Star Wars Trilogy Episode IV – VI (Blu-ray) *Recommendation of the Week*

Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope (1977)
Written and directed by George Lucas
Starring: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Peter Cushing, Alec Guinness, James Earl Jones

Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
Directed by Irvin Kershner
Written by Leigh Brackett, Lawrence Kasdan (screenplay), George Lucas
Starring: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Billy Dee Williams, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker, David Prowse, James Earl Jones, Frank Oz

Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi (1983)
Directed by Richard Marquand
Written by Lawrence Kasdan, George Lucas (screenplay), George Lucas (story)
Starring: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Billy Dee Williams, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker, Ian McDiarmid, David Prowse, James Earl Jones, Peter Mayhew, Frank Oz

The original Star Wars Trilogy is one of the most beloved movie trilogy, pleasing generations of fans. This series changed the blockbuster scene and filmmaking in general, made George Lucas and Industrial Light & Magic in Hollywood powerhouses and most importantly of all gave us some of the most memorable characters and moments in movie history.

Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope (1977)
Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes):
93% (excellent)
Metacritic Rating:
91/100 (excellent)
Entertainment Fuse Score: 9.4/10

Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes):
96% (excellent)
Metacritic Rating:
78/100 (very good)
Entertainment Fuse Score: 10/10

Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi (1983)
Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes):
79% (very good)
Metacritic Rating:
52/100 (average)
Entertainment Fuse Score: 8.1/10

DISC DETAILS

DVD Special Features: Audio Commentary for Each Movie with George Lucas, Cast and Crew; Audio Commentary for Each Movie from Archival Interviews with Cast and Crew

Amazon Price:
$39.96 (Blu-ray)


A number of movies are being released including Joss Whedon’s adaptation of Much Ado About Nothing and The Dark Knight Returns. Movies like Stalag 17 and The Exorcist are being re-released onto Blu-ray.


Much Ado About Nothing
(2013)
(DVD and Blu-ray)

Directed by Joss Whedon
Written by Joss Whedon (screenplay), William Shakespeare (play)
Starring: Amy Acker, Alexis Denisof, Reed Diamond, Nathan Fillion, Clark Gregg, Fran Kranz, Sean Mahar, Jillian Morgese

Joss Whedon is best known for creating TV shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Firefly and writing and directing The Avengers. His follow-up movie was a real change of pace, a modernized adaptation of Much Ado About Nothing, a tale of love, comedy, tragedy and political treachery.

Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes):
84% (very good)
Metacritic Rating:
78/100 (very good)
Entertainment Fuse Score: 9.0/10 (read our review)
 
DISC DETAILS

Amazon Price:
$12.86 (DVD), $19.99 (Blu-ray) 


The Hangover Part III
(DVD and Blu-ray)

Directed by Todd Phillips
Written by Todd Phillips, Craig Mazin (screenplay), Joe Lucas, Scott Moore (characters)
Starring: Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis, Ken Jeong, Heather Graham, Jeffrey Tambor, Justin Bartha, Jamie Chung, John Goodman

The Hangover Trilogy is a clear example of diminishing returns, with each entry receiving less critical praise and the third movie was the weakest at the box-office and with critics.

After Alan’s (Zach Galifianakis) father dies the Wolfpack go on a roadtrip to cheer him up. But the Wolfpack end up crossing a ruthless gangster, Marshall (John Goodman) who demands the group find Mr. Chow (Ken Jeong) and takes Doug (Justin Bartha) hostage to ensure they enact his wishes.

Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 19% (awful)
Metacritic Rating: 30/100 (poor)
Entertainment Fuse Score: 3.5/10 (read our review)

DISC DETAILS

DVD Special Features: Replacing Zach: The secret auditions; After the massive success of The Hangover and The Hangover Part II, Todd Phillips has had enough of the bad-boy antics of Zach Galifianakis, and goes about secretly auditioning actors to replace Zach, forever altering the course of Hangover history; The Wolfpack's Wildest Stunts; Witness the biggest stunts and action sequences in the entire series, including zip-lining over Las Vegas Boulevard and dangling off the Caesars Palace sign; Pushing the limits; The cast and crew relive the hilarious and awkward moments of working with children and animals who ignore everything you say, and poop wherever they want; Inside focus: The real chow; Is Ken Jeong really Leslie Chow?; Extended scenes; Outtakes

Amazon Price: $17.99 (DVD), $22.99 (Blu-ray)


After Earth (DVD and Blu-ray)

Directed by M. Night Shyamalan
Written by Gary Whitta, M. Night Shyamalan (screenplay), Will Smith (story)
Starring: Jaden Smith, Will Smith

Will Smith is one of the biggest stars in the world, but his starring vehicle for his son, Jaden, After Earth ended his box-office streak and should be the final nail in M. Night Shyamalan’s filmmaking coffin. It was a movie that criticized for its poor acting, special effects and for its possible Scientologist message.

In further Earth becomes uninhabitable due to environmental and ecological disaster. 1,000 years later humanity moved to Nova Prime, but battle the Ursas, predatory creatures that can sense fear. General Cypher Raige (Will Smith) is a military hero and the only man to be without fear and can ‘ghost’. But when Cypher and his son Kitai (Jaden Smith) end up crashing on Earth it up to the teenager to find a rescue beacon on the hostile planet.

Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 11% (awful)
Metacritic Rating: 33/100 (poor)
Entertainment Fuse Score: 6.3/10 (read our review)

DISC DETAILS

DVD Special Features: A father's legacy - Jaden and Will Smith on and off screen; 1,000 years in 300 seconds - on location with the cast and crew; The nature of the future - explore the beautiful landscapes where After Earth was filmed; Xprize After Earth challenge - the winning team's video, with an introduction by Jaden Smith

Additional Blu-ray Special Features:
Alternate opening - a never-before-seen version of the film's opening sequence, created using state-of-the-art animation; Building a world - a glimpse into the creation of the After Earth universe; The animatics of After Earth - never-before-seen storyboards and animatics; Pre-visualizing the future - a next-generation approach to action sequences

Amazon Price:
$17.96 (DVD), $19.99 (Blu-ray)


Batman: The Dark Knight Returns (Deluxe Edition) (2013) (DVD and Blu-ray)

Directed by Jay Oliva
Written by Bob Goodman (screenplay), Frank Miller (graphic novel)
Starring: Peter Weller, Ariel Winter, David Selby, Wade Williams, Michael Emerson, Mark Valley

Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns is one of the most celebrated graphic novels ever and one of the most popular Batman storylines. Warner Premier adapted The Dark Knight Returns into two direct-to-DVD animated movies. Now both parts are coming together in one movie as we follow an aging Bruce Warne (Peter Weller) don the cape once more as Gotham descends into anarchy, but also ends up clashing with the American government and Superman (Mark Valley).

Entertainment Fuse Score: 7.5/10 (read our review)

DISC DETAILS

DVD Special Features: Masterpiece: Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns, new documentary Her Name Is Carrie...Her Role Is Robin documentary Batman And Me: The Bob Kane Story Superman Vs. Batman: When Heroes Collide The Joker: Laughing In The Face Of Death From Sketch To Screen: Exploring The Adaptation Process With Jay Oliva From The DC Comics Vault: 5 Bonus Cartoons Digital Comic Excerpts From The Graphic Novels Batman: The Dark Knight Falls And Batman: The Dark Knight Returns By Frank Miller

Amazon Price:
$16.99 (DVD), $19.96 (Blu-ray)


The Purge
(DVD and Blu-ray)

Written and directed by James DeMonaco
Starring: Ethan Hawke, Lena Headey, Max Burkholder, Adelaide Kane, Edwin Hodge, Rhys Wakefield, Tony Oller, Arija Bareikis

In the year 2022, crime and unemployment in the United States are at an all-time low. The way this is achieved there is an annual 12-hour animosity called “The Purge” where all crime is allowed. James Sandin (Ethan Hawke) is a security businessman who faces a moral dilemma when a man (Edwin Hodges) breaks into his gated community and his family have to choose between saving the man or giving him to the hordes.

Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes: 38% (poor)
Metacritic Rating:
41/100 (average)
Entertainment Fuse Score: 7.0/10
 
DISC DETAILS

DVD Special Features: Surviving The Night: The Making Of The Purge featuring exclusive interviews with Ethan Hawke, Lena Headey and more!
 
Amazon Price: $19.99 (DVD), $22.99 (Blu-ray)


Europa Report (DVD and Blu-ray)

Directed by Sebastián Cordero
Written by Philip Gelatt
Starring: Anamaria Marinca, Karolina Wydra, Michael Nvqvist, Daniel Wu, Sharlto Copley, Christian Camargo

Europa Report is a sci-fi movie that follows a privately funded mission for a manned mission to Europa, one of the moons of Jupiter when a hidden ocean is discovered and could potentially have life. But when technical failure leads to the crew facing one of their greatest physical and mental tests.

Europa Report features the likes of Sharlto Copley (District 9) and Michael Nvqvist (The Millennium Trilogy).

Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 77% (very good)
Metacritic Rating: 68/100 (good)

DISC DETAILS

Amazon Price: $14.96 (DVD), $17.99 (Blu-ray)

Score (DVDTalk.com): Content 3.5 stars, Video 4 stars, Audio 3.5 stars, Extras 2 stars, Replay 3 stars (out of 5). Recommended.


Curse of Chucky (DVD and Blu-ray)

Written and Directed by Don Mancini
Starring: Brad Dourif, Fiona Dourif, Danielle Bisutti, A Martinez, Brennan Elliot, Chantal Quenelle

Curse of Chucky is the sixth movie in the Child’s Play series. Made as an attempt to bring the Child’s Play series back to its horror roots, Curse of Chucky focuses on Nica (Fiona Dourif, True Blood), a wheelchair bounded woman, who has to bring her family together for her mother’s funeral and she soon suspects her niece’s doll played a part of it.

Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes):
67% (good)

DISC DETAILS

Amazon Price:
$17.99 (DVD), $22.99 (Blu-ray)

Score (DVDTalk.com):
Content 3 stars, Video 4.5 stars, Audio 4.5 stars, Extras 3 stars, Replay 3 stars (out of 5). Recommended.


Chucky: The Complete Collection
(DVD and Blu-ray)


Child’s Play (1988)
Directed by Tom Holland
Written by Don Mancini, John Lafia, Tom Holland (screenplay), Don Mancini (story)
Starring: Catherine Hicks, Chris Sarandon, Alex Vincent, Brad Dourif

Child’s Play 2 (1990)
Directed by John Lafia
Written by Don Mancini
Starring: Alex Vincent, Jenny Agutter, Gerrit Graham, Christine Elise, Brad Dourif

Child’s Play 3 (1991)
Directed by Jack Bender
Written by Don Mancini
Starring: Justin Whalin, Perrey Reeves, Brad Dourif, Andrew Robinson, Jeremy Sylvers, Peter Haskell, Darkin Matthews, Travis Fine, Dean Jacobson, Matthew Walker 

Bride of Chucky (1998)
Directed by Ronny Yu
Written by Don Mancini
Starring: Jennifer Tilly, Brad Dourif, Katherine Heigl, Nick Stabile, Alexis Arquette, Gordon Michael Woolvett, John Ritter

Seed of Chucky (2004)
Written and directed by Don Mancini
Starring: Jennifer Tilly, Brad Dourif, Billy Boyd, Redman, Hannah Spearritt, Steve Lawton, John Waters

Curse of Chucky (2013)
Written and Directed by Don Mancini
Starring: Brad Dourif, Fiona Dourif, Danielle Bisutti, A Martinez, Brennan Elliot, Chantal Quenelle

The Child’s Play series spans six movies and now all of them are out on a DVD and Blu-ray box-set as we can enjoy everyone’s favorite killer doll.

Child’s Play (1988)
Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes):
66% (good)
Entertainment Fuse Score: 7.0/10
 
Child’s Play 2 (1990)
Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes):
43% (poor)
Entertainment Fuse Score: 6.0/10

Child’s Play 3 (1991)
Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes):
23% (very bad)
Entertainment Fuse Score: 5.5/10

Bride of Chucky (1998)
Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes):
42% (poor)

Seed of Chucky (2004)
Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes):
32% (poor)
Metacritic Rating:
46/100 (average)
Entertainment Fuse Score:

Curse of Chucky (2013)
Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes):
67% (good)

DISC DETAILS

Amazon Price:
$39.96 (DVD), $58.99 (Blu-ray)


Star Wars Trilogy Episode I – III
(Blu-ray)

Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999)
Written and directed by George Lucas
Starring: Liam Neeson, Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman, Jake Lloyd, Ian McDiarmid, Ahmed Best, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker, Pernilla August, Frank Oz

Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones (2002)
Directed by George Lucas
Written by George Lucas, Jonathan Hales (screenplay), George Lucas (story)
Starring: Hayden Christensen, Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman, Ian McDiarmid, Samuel L. Jackson, Christopher Lee, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker, Frank Oz

Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005)
Written and directed by George Lucas
Starring: Hayden Christensen, Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman, Ian McDiarmid, Samuel L. Jackson, Christopher Lee, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker, Frank Oz

The Original Star Wars Trilogy is a beloved movie series ever, but the prequel series is much more divisive as we follow the Anakin Skywalker turn from an innocent young Jedi to becoming the terror of the galaxy.

Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999)
Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes):
57% (average)
Metacritic Rating:
51/100 (average)
Entertainment Fuse Score: 6.4/10 (read our review)
 
Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones (2002)
Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes):
67% (good)
Metacritic Rating:
53/100 (average)
Entertainment Fuse Score: 7.5/10

Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005)
Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes):
80% (very good)
Metacritic Rating:
68/100 (good)
Entertainment Fuse Score: 8.1/10

DISC DETAILS

DVD Special Features: Audio Commentary for Each Movie with George Lucas and Crew; Audio Commentary for Each Movie from Archival Interviews with Cast and Crew

Amazon Price: $39.96 (Blu-ray)


The Exorcist
(1973) (Blu-ray)

Directed by William Friedkin
Written by William Peter Blatty
Starring: Linda Blair, Jason Miller, Ellen Burstyn, Max von Sydow, Lee J. Cobb

The Exorcist is classic horror movie, earning 10 Academy Awards nominations, winning two of them, including a win for Best Adapted Screenplay. It is now celebrating its 40th Anniversary and the Blu-ray re-release has both the Theatrical Cut and Director’s Cut.

Regan MacNeill (Linda Blair) is a 12-year-old who gets possessed by a demon and with nowhere else to go, her mother (Ellen Burstyn) turns to the Catholic Church to perform an exorcism.

Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 87% (excellent)
Metacritic Rating: 82/100 (very good)
Entertainment Fuse Score: 9.2/10

DISC DETAILS

DVD Special Features: Disc 3 Beyond Comprehension: William Peter Blatty's The Exorcist Forty years after his novel was published, the Exorcist's author, Screenwriter and Producer returns to where it all began Talk of the Devil: A never-before-seen documentary with Father Eugene Gallagher While at Georgetown University, William Peter Blatty heard about a true case of possession from Father Eugene Gallagher At the time the film came out, the priest talked at length about exorcism, the true story about Blatty

Amazon Price: $34.96 (Blu-ray)

Score (DVDTalk.com): Content 3 stars, Video 4.5 stars, Audio 4.5 stars, Extras 4.5 stars, Replay 2.5 stars (out of 5). Recommended.


Stalag 17 (1953) (Blu-ray)

Directed by Billy Wilder
Written by Edwin Blum, Billy Wilder (screenplay), Donald Bevan, Edmund Trzcinski (play)
Starring: William Holden, Don Taylor, Otto Preminger

Billy Wilder has made many classic movies during his career, such as Sunset Boulevard, The Apartment and Some Like it Hot. Stalag 17 is another one of his other major movies, a movie that was nominated for three Academy Awards, including a win for Best Actor.

In 1944 two American Prisoner-of-War are killed during an escape attempt from the Stalag 17 PoW camp. Suspicions of an informer within the PoWs ranks are raised and black market dealer Sgt. J.J. Sefton (William Holden) is chief suspect. Sefton has to prove his innocence and find the real informant.

Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes: 97% (excellent)
Entertainment Fuse Score: 8.5/10
 
DISC DETAILS

Amazon Price: $14.49 (Blu-ray)


Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life (1983) (Blu-ray)

Directed by Terry Jones
Written by Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Michael Palin
Starring: Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Michael Palin

Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life is the last movie from the Monty Python team. The Meaning of Life is made a series of sketches as the Monty Python team explore life at its various stages.

Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 89% (excellent)

DISC DETAILS

DVD Special Features: The Meaning Of Monty Python: 30th Anniversary Reunion-; In this hilarious hour-long featurette, John Cleese, Michael Palin, Terry Jones, Eric Idle and Terry Gilliam look back at the last movie they made together and reflect on the meaning of life, death, comedy, recognition and fish.; Sing-Along Version; ; Bonus Features:; Prologue with Eric Idle; The Meaning Of Making The Meaning Of Life; Feature commentary with Terry Jones and Terry Gilliam; Soundtrack for the lonely; Snipped bits; Un film de John Cleese; Education tips; Song and dance; Songs unsung; And Much More!

Amazon Price: $13.99 (Blu-ray)

Score (DVDTalk.com):
Content 4.5 stars, Video 4 stars, Audio 4 stars, Extras 4.5 stars, Replay 4 stars (out of 5). Highly Recommended.


Fantastic Voyage (1966) (Blu-ray)


Directed by Richard Fleischer
Written by David Duncan (adaptation), Harry Kleiner (screenplay), Jerome Bixby, Otto Klement (story)
Starring: Stephen Boyd, Raquel Welch, Edmond O’Brien, Donald Pleasence

Fantastic Voyage is a nostalgic piece of sci-fi from the 1960s as a team of scientists are shrunk down to microscopic size in order save a defector from the Soviet Union.

Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 92% (excellent)

DISC DETAILS

Amazon Price: $19.99 (Blu-ray)

Score (DVDTalk.com): Content 4.5 stars, Video 5 stars, Audio 5 stars, Extras 3.5 stars, Replay 5 stars (out of 5). Highly Recommended.


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