It is the 25th anniversary of the popular family movie The Princess Bride, and to celebrate fans can grab the newest Blu-ray edition, featuring commentaries from the director and author/screenwriter, a music video and three featurettes.
First Release
- Dark Shadows (DVD and Blu-ray)
- Red Lights (DVD and Blu-ray)
- People Like Us (DVD and Blu-ray)
- The Hole (DVD and Blu-ray)
- Flying Swords of Dragon Gate (DVD and Blu-ray)
- The Lady (DVD and Blu-ray)
- Peace Love & Misunderstanding (DVD and Blu-ray)
- Shifty (DVD)
Re-Release
- Cinderella (1950) (DVD and Blu-ray)
- Cinderella Trilogy (Blu-ray)
- Iron Sky (2012) (DVD and Blu-ray)
- In the Mood for Love (2000) (Blu-ray)
- The Princess Bride (1987) (Blu-ray)
- Annie (1982) (Blu-ray)
- Pet Sematary (Blu-ray)
- Masters of the Universe (Blu-ray)
The Princess Bride (1987) (Blu-ray) *Recommendation of the Week*
Directed by Rob Reiner
Written by William Goldman
Starring: Cary Elwes, Robin Wright, Mandy Patinkin, Chris Sarandon, André the Giant, Peter Falk, Fred Savage
The Princess Bride is one of the most highly regarded movies from the 1980s, a beloved family fantasy that has delighted many people. It is now 25 years old and it has earned a new release on Blu-ray.
William Goldman adapted his own novel for Rob Reiner (This is Spinal Tap) to direct. A grandfather (Peter Falk) tells his sick grandson (Fred Savage) a story that is passed from father to son. They are quickly soaked into a story about Buttercup (Robin Wright), a princess who is kidnapped by Prince Humperdink (Chris Sarandon). But her childhood friend Westley (Cary Elwes) sets out on a quest to rescue her with a thief, a brawny giant and a swordsman.
Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 96% (excellent)
Player Affinity Score: 9.3/10
DISC DETAILS
DVD Special Features: Audio Commentary by Rob Reiner; Audio Commentary by William Goldman; As You Wish: The Story of The Princess Bride; Cary Elwes Video Diary; Miraculous Makeup; The Dread Pirate Roberts: Greatest Pirate of the Seven Seas; Love is Like a Storybook; The Princess Bride The Untold Tales featurette; The Art of Fencing featurette; Fairytales and Folklore featurette; Original theatrical trailer; Easter Eggs
Amazon Price: $11.99 (Blu-ray)
Score (DVDTalk.com): N/A
There are a large number of movies coming out onto DVD and Blu-ray, the major ones being Tim Burton’s adaptation of Dark Shadows, People Like Us and the horror-thriller Red Lights. The big re-releases of the week are Disney’s Cinderella and the Criterion re-release of the Hong Kong movie In the Mood of Love.
Dark Shadows (DVD and Blu-ray)
Directed by Tim Burton
Written by Seth Grahame-Smith (screenplay), John August, Seth Grahame-Smith (story), Dan Curtis (TV series)
Starring: Johnny Depp, Michelle Pfeiffer, Helena Bonham Cart, Eva Green, Jackie Earle Haley, Jonn Lee Miller, Chloë Grace Moretz, Bella Heathcote
Dark Shadows is an adaptation of supernatural soap from the 60s and it took the king of gothic cinema, Tim Burton, to direct. Burton was able to assemble an all-star cast, led by his regular collaborator, Johnny Depp.
Barnabas Collins (Depp) was a wealthy 18th Century playboy who ended up crossing the wrong person, a witch named Angelique (Eva Green). Angelique turned Barnabas into a vampire and locked him in a coffin for 200 years. Barnabas awakens in 1972 when he finds that the Collins clan has fallen on hard times and turned into a dysfunctional family. It is up Barnabas and the family matriarch Elizabeth (Michelle Pfeiffer) to bring the family back to its former glory.
Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 39% (poor)
Player Affinity Score: 6.0/10 (read our review)
DISC DETAILS
DVD Special Features: The Collinses: Every Family Has Its Demons
Additional Blu-ray Special Features: Becoming Barnabus; Welcome To Collinsport!; Reliving a Decade - Angelique: A Witch Scorned; Alice Cooper Rocks Collinsport!; Dark Shadowy Secrets; A Melee of Monstrous Proportions; Dark Shadows: The Legend Bites Back; Dr Hoffman and Elizabeth discuss Barnabas; David and Barnabas discuss Dinosaurs; Carolyn and Victoria; Girl talk; Police warn Willie and Barnabas; Dr Hoffman offers Victoria help
Amazon Price: $14.96 (DVD), $17.99 (Blu-ray), $22.99 (Blu-ray/DVD Combo)
Score (DVDTalk.com): Content 2 stars, Video 4.5 stars, Audio 5 stars, Extras 2 stars, Replay 2.5 stars (out of 5). Rent It.
Red Lights (DVD and Blu-ray)
Written and directed by Rodrigo Cortés
Starring: Cillian Murphy, Sigourney Weaver, Robert De Niro
The horror-thriller Red Lights is Rodrigo Cortés’ follow up movie to his one-man psychological thriller Buried. Tom Buckley (Cillian Murphy, Batman Begins) and Margaret Matheson (Sigourney Weaver) are professional skeptics who debunk psychics and other supernatural phenomena. But a famous psychic, Simon Silver (Robert De Niro), comes out of retirement after 30 years and Tom sets out to disprove him despite Margaret’s warning.
Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 29% (bad)
Player Affinity Score: N/A
DISC DETAILS
DVD Special Features: N/A
Additional Blu-ray Special Features: Cast and Crew Interviews; Making of Red Lights; Behind the Scenes; International Trailer
Amazon Price: $14.99 (DVD), $14.99 (Blu-ray)
Score (DVDTalk.com): Content 2 stars, Video 4 stars, Audio 4 stars, Extras 2.5 stars, Replay 1.5 stars (out of 5). Rent It.
People Like Us (DVD and Blu-ray)
Directed by Alex Kurtzman
Written by Alex Kurtzman, Jody Lambert, Roberto Orci
Starring: Chris Pine, Elizabeth Banks, Olivia Wilde, Michelle Pfeiffer, Mark Duplass, Jon Favreau
Alex Kurtzman is best known as the writer of movies like Star Trek, Transformers, Mission: Impossible III and the TV show Alias. He has now moved into the director’s chair, writing the screenplay with his regular partner Roberto Orci and newcomer Jody Lambert.
Star Trek star Chris Pine stars as Sam, a 20-something salesman whose father has recently died. When Sam tries to sort out his father’s estate he discovers he may have an older sister, Frankie (Elizabeth Bank), and sets up to befriend her, without telling her who he is.
Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 56% (average)
Player Affinity Score: 4.0/10 (read our review)
DISC DETAILS
DVD Special Features: Audio Commentary -- With Director Alex Kurtzman And Actors Chris Pine And Elizabeth Banks; Select Scene Commentary -- With Director Alex Kurtzman And Actress Michelle Pfeiffer
Additional Blu-ray Special Features: Number One With A Bullet: The Story Behind People Like Us -- Inspired By True Events, Filmmakers Alex Kurtzman And Roberto Orci, Best Known For Making Big-Budget Sci-Fi Action Movies, Go Back To Their Roots And Make A Small Film From The Heart; Taco Talk -- Chris And Elizabeth Do Extended Improvisational Takes, While Chris Fulfills A Fantasy Of Shooting At His Childhood Favorite Local Taco Stand, The Legendary Henry's Tacos; Deleted Scenes; Bloopers; Select Scene Commentary -- With Director Alex Kurtzman And Actress Michelle Pfeiffer
Amazon Price: $17.99 (DVD), $22.99 (Blu-ray)
Score (DVDTalk.com): N/A
The Hole (DVD and Blu-ray)
Directed by Joe Dante
Written by Mark L. Smith
Starring: Teri Polo, Chris Massoglia, Haley Bennett
The Hole is a 3D fantasy horror movie from Gremlins director Joe Dante. Despite positive reviews, The Hole took two years to earn a limited release in American theaters.
Susan (Teri Polo, Meet the Parents) is a single mother who moves from New York to the small town of Bensonville with her two sons, 17-year-old Dane (Chris Massoglia) and 10-year-old Lucas (Nathan Gamble, Dolphin Tale). The only interesting thing in the town for Dane is his next door neighbor, Julie (Haley Bennett). But in the new house is a strange, padlocked trap door that could lead some form of evil being released.
Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 81% (very good)
Player Affinity Score: 7.0/10
DISC DETAILS
DVD Special Features: N/A
Amazon Price: $9.99 (DVD), $19.99 (Blu-ray)
Score (DVDTalk.com): N/A
Flying Swords of Dragon Gate (DVD and Blu-ray)
Written and directed by Tsui Hark
Starring: Jet Li, Zhou Xun, Chen Kun
Flying Swords of Dragon Gate is a 3D martial arts movie and a remake of Dragon Gate Inn and New Dragon Gate Inn. Jet Li stars as Zhao, a mysterious swordsman who protects a pregnant woman as they search for a lost city in the desert.
Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 67% (good)
Player Affinity Score: N/A
DISC DETAILS
DVD Special Features: N/A
Amazon Price: $14.99 (DVD), $24.99 (Blu-ray)
Score (DVDTalk.com): N/A
The Lady (DVD and Blu-ray)
Directed by Luc Besson
Written by Rebecca Frayn
Starring: Michelle Yeoh, David Thewlis, Jonathan Woodhouse
Aung San Suu Kyi is of course one of the most respected and influential democracy campaigners and politicians in the world. French director Luc Besson (Leon) has taken on the challenge of bringing her story to the screen and Michelle Yeoh (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) played the iconic woman.
This biopic focuses on Aung San Suu Kyi’s relationship with her husband Michael Aris (David Thewlis, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban) as the Burmese military junta set out to keep them apart because of her political activities.
Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 34% (poor)
Player Affinity Score: N/A
DISC DETAILS
DVD Special Features: N/A
Amazon Price: $19.29 (DVD), $25.31 (Blu-ray)
Score (DVDTalk.com): N/A
Peace Love & Misunderstanding (DVD and Blu-ray)
Directed by Bruce Beresford
Written by Christina Mengert, Joseph Muszynski
Starring: Catherine Keener, Jane Fonda, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Elizabeth Olsen, Chace Crawford, Nat Wolff
Catherine Keener plays Diane, a Manhattan divorce lawyer who is devastated when her husband divorces her. She moves upstate to Woodstock with her two teenage children, Zoe (Elizabeth Olsen) and Jake (Nat Wolff) to live with her hippy mother (Jane Fonda). In the town, Diane forms a relationship with a local carpenter (Jeffrey Dean Morgan), Zoe forms one with a local butcher (Chace Crawford, Gossip Girl) and Jake is able to start his first film project.
Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 29% (bad)
Player Affinity Score: N/A
DISC DETAILS
DVD Special Features: N/A
Amazon Price: $12.99 (DVD), $14.99 (Blu-ray)
Score (DVDTalk.com): N/A
Shifty (DVD)
Written and directed by Eran Creevy
Starring: Riz Ahmed, Daniel Mays, Jason Flemyng, Nitin Ganatra, Francesca Annis
Shifty is a low-budget British urban-set film that featured top British actors Riz Ahmed (Four Lions), Daniel Mays (Made in Dagenham) and Jason Flemyng (Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels) and it was met with a high critical praise.
Ahmed stars as the title character, Shifty, a cocaine dealer in London whose friend Chris (May) is about to be disowned by friend and Shifty himself has to outsmart another dealer who is attempting to set him up.
Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 96% (excellent)
Player Affinity Score: N/A
DISC DETAILS
DVD Special Features: $HIFTY EPK; BEHIND THE SCENES INTERVIEWS; BEHIND THE $HIFTY SCENES; $HIFTY MUSIC VIDEO FEATURING RIZ MC, SWAY AND PLAN B
Amazon Price: $19.99 (DVD)
Score (DVDTalk.com): N/A
Cinderella (1950) (DVD and Blu-ray)
Directed by Clyde Geronimi, Hamilton Luske, Wilfred Jackson
Written by Ken Anderson Perce Pearce, Homer Brightman, Winston Hibler, Bill Peet, Erdman Penner, Harry Reeves, Joe Rinaldi, Ted Sears (screenplay), Charles Perrault (fairy tale)
Starring: Ilene Woods, Eleanor Audley, Verna Felton, Rhoda Willian, James MacDonald, Luis Van Rooten
Disney has been re-releasing a lot of its classic animated movies onto DVD and Blu-ray recently. Their adaptation of Cinderella is the latest movie to earn the honor. The story is well known to people who have not even seen the film, as Cinderella (Ilene Woods) is slave to her wicked stepmother and step-sisters. But the answer of her prayers come in the form of a fairy godmother (Verna Felton) who gives her the chance to go to a prince's ball.
Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 97% (excellent)
Player Affinity Score: 8.0/10
DISC DETAILS
DVD Special Features: "Tangled Ever After Animated Short; Behind the Magic: A New Disney Princess Fantasyland; Diane Disney Miller Intro
Additional Blu-ray Special Features: Diane Disney Miller Intro; Personalized Digital Storybook: Bibbidi-Bobbidi-You (Disney Second Screen Experience); The Magic of the Glass Slipper: A Cinderella Story; DisneyView; Classic DVD Bonus
Amazon Price: $19.96 (DVD), $22.99 (Blu-ray), $27.99 (Blu-ray/DVD Combo)
Score (DVDTalk.com): N/A
Cinderella Trilogy (Blu-ray)
Cinderella (1950)
Directed by Clyde Geronimi, Hamilton Luske, Wilfred Jackson
Written by Ken Anderson Perce Pearce, Homer Brightman, Winston Hibler, Bill Peet, Erdman Penner, Harry Reeves, Joe Rinaldi, Ted Sears (screenplay), Charles Perrault (fairy tale)
Starring: Ilene Woods, Eleanor Audley, Verna Felton, Rhoda Willian, James MacDonald, Luis Van Rooten
Cinderella II: Dreams Come True (2002)
Directed by John Kafka
Written by Jill E. Blotevogel, Tom Rogers, Jule Selbo
Starring: Jennifer Hale, Corey Buron, Russi Taylor, Christopher Daniel Barnes, Gina La Piana
Cinderella III: A Twist in Time (2007)
Directed by Frank Nissen
Written by Steve Bencich, Ron J. Friedman, Eddie Guzelian, Robert Reece, Colleen Millea Ventimila, Daniel Berendsen
Starring: Jennifer Hale, Lola Sanchez, Susan Blakeslee, Lesli Marghertia, Corey Burton, Tami Tappan
As well as the original Cinderella being re-released, you can also own the trilogy box set that features the two straight-to-DVD entries in the series, the critically panned Cinderella II: Dreams Come True and the much better received Cinderella III: A Twist in Time. A Twist in Time is the last straight-to-DVD sequel Disney made to their classic movies and it is considered the best/least worst of the lot.
Cinderella (1950)
Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 97% (excellent)
Player Affinity Score: 8.0/10
Cinderella II: Dreams Come True (2002)
Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 0% (awful)
Player Affinity Score: N/A
Cinderella III: A Twist in Time (2007)
Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 67% (good)
Player Affinity Score: N/A
DISC DETAILS
DVD Special Features: "Tangled Ever After Animated Short; Behind the Magic: A New Disney Princess Fantasyland; Diane Disney Miller Intro; Personalized Digital Storybook: Bibbidi-Bobbidi-You (Disney Second Screen Experience); The Magic of the Glass Slipper: A Cinderella Story; DisneyView; Classic DVD Bonus
Amazon Price: $59.99 (Blu-ray)
Score (DVDTalk.com): N/A
Iron Sky (2012) (DVD and Blu-ray)
Directed by Timo Vurensola
Written by Michael Kalesniko, Timo Vurensola
Starring: Julia Dietze, Christopher Kirby, Götz Otto, Peta Sergeant, Stephanie Paul, Udo Kier
Iron Sky started life as a trailer with the tagline “In 1945 The Nazis went to the Moon. In 2018 they are coming back.” What resulted was an Internet phenomenon and so the Finnish filmmakers set out to make Iron Sky into a real movie and even got 10 percent of its budget from public donations.
In the dying days of World War II, a secret Nazi space program was launched to colonize the dark side of moon. 70 years later an African-American astronaut (Christopher Kirby, The Matrix Reloaded) discovers their base and the Nazi fuehrer (Udo Kier, Blade) plans to invade Earth.
Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 37% (poor)
Player Affinity Score: 4.0/10 (read our review)
DISC DETAILS
DVD Special Features: N/A
Amazon Price: $14.85 (DVD), $17.32 (Blu-ray)
Score (DVDTalk.com): N/A
In the Mood for Love (2000) (Blu-ray)
Written and directed by Wong Kar-wai
Starring: Tony Leung, Maggie Cheung
In the Mood for Love is a highly regarded movie from Hong Kong, winning and being nominated for a large number of awards. Its wins include the Best Actor prize at the 2000 Cannes Film Festival, five Hong Kong Film Awards, a César Award and a British Independent Film Award for Best Foreign Language Film.
In 1962, Chow (Tony Leung, Infernal Affairs) is a junior newspaper editor in Hong Kong who moves into a new building with his wife. His neighbor is Li-zhen (Maggie Cheug, Hero). Both their spouses spend a lot of time away from home and Chow and Li start to form a friendship. But when they find out their spouses have both had affairs, the pair set out to comfort each other through their pain but must avoid being unfaithful themselves.
Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 88% (excellent)
Player Affinity Score: N/A
DISC DETAILS
DVD Special Features: High-definition digital restoration, approved by cinematographer Mark Lee Ping-bin, with 5.1 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack; “In the Mood for Love,” director Wong Kar-wai’s documentary on the making of the film; Deleted scenes, with commentary by Wong; Hua yang de nian hua (2000), a short film by Wong; Archival interview with Wong and a “cinema lesson” given by the director at the 2001 Cannes Film Festival; Toronto International Film Festival press conference from 2000, with stars Maggie Cheung Man-yuk and Tony Leung Chiu-wai; Two new interviews with critic Tony Rayns, one about the film and the other about the soundtrack; Trailers and TV spots; Plus: A booklet featuring an essay by novelist and film critic Steve Erickson and the Liu Yi-chang story that provided thematic inspiration for the film
Amazon Price: $34.86 (Blu-ray)
Score (DVDTalk.com): N/A
Annie (1982) (Blu-ray)
Directed by John Huston
Written by Carol Sobieski (screenplay), Charles Strouse, Martin Charnin, Thomas Meehan
Starring: Aileen Quinn, Albert Finney, Carol Burnett, Tim Curry
Annie is very popular musical that has been on Broadway, been made into a movie twice, and Jay-Z and Will Smith are currently producing a remake for Smith's daughter to star in. The 1982 version was met with a mixed critical reaction, but there is a big nostalgic factor for this movie as an orphaned girl in the 1930s, Annie (Aileen Quinn) gets adopted for a week by business tycoon with heart of gold, Oliver Warbucks (Albert Finney).
Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 50% (average)
Player Affinity Score: 7.0/10
DISC DETAILS
DVD Special Features: Original Movie Art Gallery; Talent Files
Amazon Price: $12.85 (Blu-ray)
Score (DVDTalk.com): Content 2.5 stars, Video 4.5 stars, Audio 4.5 stars, Extras 2 stars, Replay 2.5 stars (out of 5). Rent It.
Pet Sematary (1989) (Blu-ray)
Directed by Mary Lambert
Written by Stephen KIng
Starring: Dale Midkiff, Fred Gwnne, Denise Crosby, Brad Greenquist, Miko Hughes, Blaze Berdahl
The legendary horror novelist Stephen King adapted his own novel, Pet Sematary, for then-young director Mary Lambert to helm. In a countryside town, a young family, The Creeds, move into their new home. But there is a problem: it is next door to a pet cemetery built on top of a Native American burial ground.
Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 47% (average)
Player Affinity Score: 7.0/10
DISC DETAILS
DVD Special Features: Commentary by director Mary Lambert; Stephen King's Pet Sematary: Stephen King Territory; Stephen King's Pet Sematary: The Characters; Stephen King's Pet Sematary: Filming the Horror
Amazon Price: $14.99 (Blu-ray)
Score (DVDTalk.com): Content 2.5 stars, Video 4.5 stars, Audio 4.5 stars, Extras 2 stars, Replay 2.5 stars (out of 5). Rent It.
Masters of the Universe (1987) (Blu-ray)
Directed by Gary Goddard
Written by David Odell, Stephen Tolkin
Starring: Dolph Lundgren, Frank Langella, Meg Foster
He-Man and the Masters of the Universe was a very a popular cartoon and toy line in the '80s and it ended up earning a live-action movie adaptation. On the planet Eternia, the evil Skeletor (Frank Langella) ends up taking control of Castle Grayskull and holds the Sorceresses of Grayskull (Christina Pickles). The planet’s greatest hero, He-Man (Dolph Lundgren), ends up getting transported to Earth and he has to find a way to get back home to topple Skeletor.
Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 13% (awful)
Player Affinity Score: N/A
DISC DETAILS
DVD Special Features: Audio Commentary by Director Gary Goddard
Amazon Price: $13.86 (Blu-ray)
Score (DVDTalk.com): N/A
