DISCussion: New on DVD and Blu-Ray (9.23.14)

The studios are gearing up for the approaching horror movie season by releasing the complete Halloween and Saw sagas on Blu-ray. We, however, could not pass up the opportunity to champion the hilarious Neighbors as our Recommendation of the Week. New Release: Neighbors – (Blu-ray, DVD and Instant) The Signal – (Blu-ray, DVD and Instant) The Rover – (Blu-ray, DVD and Instant) The Calling – (DVD and Instant) Re-Release: Halloween - The Complete Collection – (Blu-ray Box Set) Saw - The Complete Collection – (Blu-ray and DVD Box Set) Macbeth (1971) – (Criterion Blu-ray) The Innocents (1961) – (Criterion Blu-ray)   Neighbors – (Blu-ray, DVD and Instant) *Recommendation of the Week* Directed by Nicholas Stoller Written by Andrew J. Cohen and Brendan O'Brien Starring: Zac Efron, Seth Rogan, Rose Byrne Mac (Rogan) and Kelly (Byrne) are adjusting to life after welcoming their baby into their life. When Teddy Sanders (Efron) and his fraternity move in next door, the couple is pushed to their limits of patience. A prank war ensues between the new parents and the frat brothers, causing as much hilarity as headaches. Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 73% (Good) Metacritic: 68 (Good) IMDB: 6.6 (Good) Entertainment Fuse: 7.5/10 (Read our Review) DISC DETAILS Amazon: $19.99 (Blu-ray); $16.99 (DVD); $4.99/$14.99 (Instant Rent/ Buy)   The Signal – (Blu-ray, DVD and Instant) Directed by William Eubank Written by Carlyle Eubank, William Eubank and David Frigerio Starring: Brenton Thwaites, Olivia Cooke, Beau Knapp, Laurence Fishburne Three college students are on a road trip across the country. When the group are contacted by a computer hacker, they are lead to an isolated wilderness; cut to black. When one member, Nic (Thwaites), awakes, he finds himself living in a perpetual nightmare. Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 55% (Rotten) Metacritic: 53 (Okay) IMDB: 6.3 (Good) Entertainment Fuse: 2/10 (Read our Review) DISC DETAILS Amazon: $22.99 (Blu-ray); $17.99 (DVD); $14.99 (Instant Buy)   The Rover – (Blu-ray, DVD and Instant) Directed by David Michôd Written by Joel Edgerton (story), David Michôd (screenplay and story) Starring: Robert Pattinson, Guy Pearce, Scoot McNairy From director David Michôd, The Rover is the highly anticipated follow up to the critically acclaimed Animal Kingdom. Eric (Pearce) is a loner who's had his only worldly possession, his car, stolen by a group of marauding brothers. When he captures one of the boys (Pattinson), he uses his as an informant, and the two men embark on a journey to recover the stolen property. Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 66% (Fresh) Metacritic: 64 (Good) IMDB: 6.7 (Very Good) Entertainment Fuse: 7.5/10 (Read our Review) DISC DETAILS Special Features: Featurette, “Something Elemental: The Making of The Rover” Amazon: $16.99 (Blu-ray); $12.99 (DVD); $4.99/$12.99 (Instant Rent/ Buy) Score (DVDTalk.com): Content: 4 stars(out of 5); Video: 5 stars; Audio: 4.5 stars; Extras: 2.5 stars; Replay: 4 stars. Highly Recommended.   The Calling – (DVD and Instant) Directed by Jason Stone Written by Scott Abramovitch (screenplay) and Inger Ash Wolfe (novel) Starring: Susan Sarandon, Topher Grace, Gil Bellows Susan Sarandon plays a detective in the sleepy town of Fort Dundas, who is called to end the reign of terror of a serial killer. Responsible for a recent influx of murders, the man believes that his quest is being commanded by a higher power. Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 50% (Rotten) Metacritic: 46 (Bad) IMDB: 5.8 (Okay) DISC DETAILS Amazon: $20.98 (DVD); $3.99/ 14.99 (Instant Rent/ Buy) Re-Release: Halloween - The Complete Collection – (Blu-ray Box Set) Directed by John Carpenter (The original film) Written by John Carpenter (screenplay) Debra Hill (screenplay) Starring: Jamie Lee Curtis, Donald Pleasence, Tony Moran The Halloween saga centers around deranged (and supernatural) killer Michael Myers. After being institutionalized for murdering his sister at the age of 6, Michael escapes from an asylum and begins a killing spree that (through the sequels) lasts decades. Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 94% (Excellent) [Halloween 1978] Metacritic: 85 (Excellent) [Halloween 1978] IMDB: 7.9 (Very Good) [Halloween 1978] Entertainment Fuse: 9/10 DISC DETAILS Special Features: All 10 Halloween films with behind the scenes footage and the never before seen producer's cut of Halloween 6: The Curse of Michael Myers Amazon: $109.99 (Blu-ray Box Set)   Saw - The Complete Collection – (Blu-ray and DVD Box Set) Directed by James Wan (Saw I) Written by Leigh Whannell (written and story by) and James Wan (story) Starring: Cary Elwes, Danny Glover, Leigh Whannell The Saw franchise surrounds a serial killer of a different breed. Choosing to “punish” victims for their supposed crimes, he sets up violent games in which the only way to win (your life) is self-mutilation. Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 48% (Bad) [Saw 2004] Metacritic: 46 (Bad) [Saw 2004] IMDB: 7.7 (Very Good) [Saw 2004] Entertainment Fuse: 7.5/10 [Saw 2004] DISC DETAILS Special Features: All 7 unrated Saw films Amazon: $24.99 (Blu-ray Box Set); $16.98 (DVD Box Set)   Macbeth (1971) – (Criterion Blu-ray) Directed by Roman Polanski Written by Roman Polanski, Kenneth Tynan and William Shakespeare (play) Starring: Jon Finch, Francesca Annis, Martin Shaw Roman Polanski's brutal and unflinching take on the classic play by Shakespeare. Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 84% (Very Good) IMDB: 7.4 (Very Good) DISC DETAILS Special Features: New 4K digital restoration, approved by director Roman Polanski, with 3.0 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack on the Blu-ray; Toil and Trouble: Making “Macbeth,” a new documentary featuring interviews with Polanski, producer Andrew Braunsberg, assistant executive producer Victor Lownes, and actors Francesca Annis and Martin Shaw; Polanski Meets Macbeth, a 1971 documentary by Frank Simon featuring rare footage of the film’s cast and crew at work; Interview with coscreenwriter Kenneth Tynan from a 1971 episode of The Dick Cavett Show; “Two Macbeths,” a segment from a 1972 episode of the British television series Aquarius featuring Polanski and theater director Peter Coe; Trailers; PLUS: An essay by critic Terrence Rafferty Amazon: $33.96 (Criterion Blu-ray)   The Innocents (1961) – (Criterion Blu-ray) Directed by Jack Clayton Written by Henry James (novel), Truman Capote (screenplay), William Archibald (screenplay) and John Mortimer (Additional scenes and dialogue) Starring: Deborah Kerr, Peter Wyngarde, Meg Jenkins Jack Clayton's chilling adaptation of Henry James' The Turn of the Screw features Deborah Kerr as an English Governess who moves into the the home of orphaned nobility. The children seem kind at first, but it soon becomes clear that something sinister has a hold on the house – and the children. Critics Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 97% (Excellent) IMDB: 7.9 (Very Good) DISC DETAILS Special Features: New 4K digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray; Introduction by cultural historian Christopher Frayling; Audio commentary featuring Frayling; New interview with cinematographer John Bailey about director of photography Freddie Francis and the look of the film; New piece on the making of the film, featuring interviews from 2006 with Francis, editor Jim Clark, and script supervisor Pamela Mann Francis; Trailer; PLUS: An essay by critic Maitland McDonagh Amazon: $33.96 (Criterion Blu-ray)