New Video Releases for the Week of April 20, 2010
Here are this week’s new DVD, Blu-ray, and Netflix Instant Watch titles. Obviously, Thursday’s Avatar release is the highlight of the week but the overall slate of releases is strong as well. Select films will include their Flickchart global statistics (where available), as well as three direct links to rank the title against similar movies (one good, one average and one bad) to help nail down where the movie belongs on your chart.
New This Week
Avatar – (Thursday, April 22 – Blu-Ray and DVD)
I broke a 32-month theater-free streak to see this one. Yeah, the tickets were free, but the effort of getting off the warm couch on a cold Midwestern Winter morning shows you the influence this one had on casual theater goers (I watch at least 2 movies a day, but usually from the comfort of my house). It’s a decent movie, but it’s going to be interesting to see how it plays on the small screen when you’ll focus more on the story than the visuals. You might want to exercise some caution buying this bare-bones disc, as a four-disc set is coming in November – although apparently there will be special codes in the box that will let you watch all the upcoming special features online over the coming months.
Flickchart’s Global Ranking: #1115
Total Times Ranked: 62860
Percentage of Times Won: 64.67%
Users Who Have It In Their Top 20: 730
Directly rank it against (scroll over for match-up):
Good • Average • Terrible
Crazy Heart – (Blu-Ray and DVD)
Can’t go wrong with Jeff Bridges.
Flickchart’s Global Ranking: #4200
Total Times Ranked: 1537
Percentage of Times Won: 70.96%
Users Who Have It In Their Top 20: 0
Directly rank it against:
Good • Average • Terrible
44 Inch Chest – (Blu-Ray and DVD)
Grown men do bad-ass things. Apparently it kinda sucks, which is one of the more disheartening bits of movie news this year has brought. Although, its winning percentages on Flickchart look good…
Flickchart’s Global Ranking: #7734
Total Times Ranked: 71
Percentage of Times Won: 63.40%
Users Who Have It In Their Top 20: 0
Directly rank it against:
Good • Average • Terrible
The Lovely Bones – (Blu-Ray and DVD)
I never once saw a commercial for this on TV. Did they just market it to 12 year-old girls? The movie just sort of disappeared. I was so confused by the marketing strategy for a movie with a big-name director, solid actors, and very popular source material.
Flickchart’s Global Ranking: #4623
Total Times Ranked: 1726
Percentage of Times Won: 46.33%
Users Who Have It In Their Top 20: 2
Directly rank it against:
Good • Average • Terrible
The Young Victoria – (Blu-Ray and DVD)
Emily Blunt is stunning. I’m pretty sure she can make a movie like this watchable.
Flickchart’s Global Ranking: #6515
Total Times Ranked: 225
Percentage of Times Won: 68.77%
Users Who Have It In Their Top 20: 0
Directly rank it against:
Good • Average • Terrible
Classics and Re-Releases
Minority Report – (Blu-Ray)
Is it possible that this movie is now underrated? With all the craziness surrounding Tom Cruise, and Spielberg sleep-walking through Indy IV, people seem to forget that this movie is really, really good.
Flickchart’s Global Ranking: #104
Total Times Ranked: 222532
Percentage of Times Won: 43.58%
Users Who Have It In Their Top 20: 2256
Fist of Legend – (Blu-Ray)
This is often called Jet Li’s best movie. I’ve never seen it, but I am definitely interested.
Flickchart’s Global Ranking: #5156
Total Times Ranked: 624
Percentage of Times Won: 66.44%
Users Who Have It In Their Top 20: 2
Battleship Potemkin – (Kino – Blu-Ray)
One of the most influential silent films of all time. Kino’s cover art for the release is also brilliant. Can’t wait to buy this one.
Flickchart’s Global Ranking: #2748
Total Times Ranked: 3852
Percentage of Times Won: 57.51%
Users Who Have It In Their Top 20: 8
My Life To Live – (Criterion – Blu-Ray and DVD)
Criterion can do no wrong in my eyes. I will get around to this one eventually.
Flickchart’s Global Ranking: #6979
Total Times Ranked: 449
Percentage of Times Won: 76.76%
Users Who Have It In Their Top 20: 2
Summer Hours – (Criterion – Blu-Ray and DVD)
Again, Criterion can do no wrong.
Flickchart’s Global Ranking: #6422
Total Times Ranked: 246
Percentage of Times Won: 75.07%
Users Who Have It In Their Top 20: 0
The White Buffalo – (DVD)
Charles Bronson is definitely on the Mount Rushmore of actors with a deadly squint.
Flickchart’s Global Ranking: #6371
Total Times Ranked: 324
Percentage of Times Won: 25.38%
Users Who Have It In Their Top 20: 0
House of the Long Shadows – (DVD)
A horror movie with Vincent Price, Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing in it. If you’ve ever loved any of the three, you’ll understand why this movie is a must buy.
The Honey Pot – (DVD)
I am head-over-heels in love with Rex Harrison right now. I’ve been on a huge Rex-bender lately, and I’m really excited to watch him trick his three mistresses in this movie into thinking he’s dying. Also available on Hulu.
Flickchart’s Global Ranking: #8038
Total Times Ranked: 95
Percentage of Times Won: 18.27%
Users Who Have It In Their Top 20: 0
Direct-to-Video Releases (Watch at your own risk!)
Peacock – (Ellen Page, Cillian Murphy, Susan Sarandon, Bill Pullman)
Deadly Impact – (Joe Pantoliano, Sean Patrick Flanery)
Crimes of Fashion – (Megan Fox, Kaley Cuoco)
My Fake Fiancé – (Melissa Joan Hart, Joey Lawrence)
New on Netflix Instant Watch
Friday, April 23:
Definitely waiting for the four-disc edition…