New Video Releases for the Week of May 11, 2010
New Releases:
Edge of Darkness (DVD & Blu-ray)
The return of Mel Gibson. I’ve missed him more than I could possibly express. I even watched Paparazzi and The Singing Detective (The Singing Detective was actually pretty good) to try to fill the void his 7 or 8 year absence from acting left in my heart.
Flickchart’s Global Ranking: #5638
Total Times Ranked: 1477
Percentage of Times Won: 54.11%
Users Who Have It In Their Top 20: 0
Directly rank it against (scroll over for match-up):
Good • Average • Terrible
Daybreakers (DVD & Blu-ray)
People seem to like this one quite a bit. The story of a human blood shortage during the reign of future vampires definitely has me intrigued.
Flickchart’s Global Ranking: #4569
Total Times Ranked: 2661
Percentage of Times Won: 55.17%
Users Who Have It In Their Top 20: 3
Directly rank it against (scroll over for match-up):
Good • Average • Terrible
Legion (DVD & Blu-ray)
People don’t seem to like this one quite as much but I’m willing to give it a shot. Since time began, Dennis Quaid’s movies have always seemed to possess a special kind of crazy that makes them worth watching. Also, color me surprised that both this movie and Daybreakers have been ranked more than Edge of Darkness. I’m only 23 but do kids these days not know how amazing Mel Gibson is?
Flickchart’s Global Ranking: #8528
Total Times Ranked: 1550
Percentage of Times Won: 37.18%
Users Who Have It In Their Top 20: 5
Directly rank it against (scroll over for match-up):
Good • Average • Terrible
Classics and Re-Releases:
Hang ‘Em High (Blu-ray)
I consider myself to be a scholar of the hardened squint of the cinematic bad-ass, and Eastwood’s squint in Hang ‘Em High is definitely in the top 3 of all time. He starts squinting about 10 minutes in and never stops, it’s a wonder to behold. The story is simple, Clint is wrongly hanged and survives, then goes out to get his revenge. The soundtrack is absolutely bananas, I’d almost call it avant-garde even, but it kinda works in its own nonsensical way. Very strong flick.
Flickchart’s Global Ranking: #2427
Total Times Ranked: 3610
Percentage of Times Won: 36.56%
Users Who Have It In Their Top 20: 2
M (Blu-ray)
This is an absolute classic in every way, shape, and form. Peter Lorre is amazing, as always. It’s pretty remarkable that Fritz Lang was able to create the blueprint film for both the Thriller and SciFi genres.
Flickchart’s Global Ranking: #1845
Total Times Ranked: 13927
Percentage of Times Won: 63.97%
Users Who Have It In Their Top 20: 69
The Karate Kid (Blu-ray)
Flickchart’s Global Ranking: #361
Total Times Ranked: 50204
Percentage of Times Won: 35.62%
Users Who Have It In Their Top 20: 119
The Karate Kid, Part II (Blu-ray)
Flickchart’s Global Ranking: #1145
Total Times Ranked: 11159
Percentage of Times Won: 22.07%
Users Who Have It In Their Top 20: 6
The Magnificent Seven Collection (Blu-ray)
The first is another undisputed Classic. I’ve tried to sync my schedule but have yet to be able to watch the other three on TCM, these Blu-rays should solve that issue. I think the greatest missed opportunity in movie history was not remaking the Magnificent Seven in the early 90’s with Arnold, Bruce, Sly, Clint, etc…
Flickchart’s Global Ranking: #930
Total Times Ranked: 20670
Percentage of Times Won: 41.72%
Users Who Have It In Their Top 20: 58
Return of the Seven (1966)
Guns of the Magnificent Seven (1969)
The Magnificent Seven Ride! (1972)
With Ridley Scott’s Robin Hood coming out this week, we get treated to a slew of classic (and generally forgotten) Robin Hood films. I am most excited for Sword of Sherwood Forest, which is a Robin Hood film made by the legendary Hammer Films with Peter Cushing in it. If you have the $8 a piece these are going for, I’d definitely recommend that one, and the others at least sound like interesting takes on the story.
Sword of Sherwood Forest (1960, DVD)
Rogues of Sherwood Forest (1950, DVD)
The Bandit of Sherwood Forest (1946, DVD)
The Prince of Thieves (1948, DVD)
Marked for Death (Blu-ray)
Flickchart’s Global Ranking: #2765
Total Times Ranked: 2437
Percentage of Times Won: 26.03%
Users Who Have It In Their Top 20: 2
The Man in the Iron Mask (Blu-ray)
Flickchart’s Global Ranking: #1980
Total Times Ranked: 17298
Percentage of Times Won: 32.57%
Users Who Have It In Their Top 20: 23
The Edge (Blu-ray)
Flickchart’s Global Ranking: #1593
Total Times Ranked: 5631
Percentage of Times Won: 24.64%
Users Who Have It In Their Top 20: 4
A Mel Brooks trio of releases:
Mel Brooks is definitely hit or miss for me. These three reside more on the “miss” side of the spectrum, especially High Anxiety which is just awful.
High Anxiety (Blu-ray)
Flickchart’s Global Ranking: #2280
Total Times Ranked: 3617
Percentage of Times Won: 38.56%
Users Who Have It In Their Top 20: 2
History of the World, Part I (Blu-ray)
Flickchart’s Global Ranking: #1100
Total Times Ranked: 14227
Percentage of Times Won: 38.35%
Users Who Have It In Their Top 20: 23
Robin Hood: Men in Tights (Blu-ray)
Flickchart’s Global Ranking: #483
Total Times Ranked: 37852
Percentage of Times Won: 27.83%
Users Who Have It In Their Top 20: 82
Direct-To-Video:
Netflix Instant Watch:
Friday May 14th