Today seems to be Disney day, as without exception all of the releases worth mentioning are coming from Disney.

To start we have the Blu-ray/DVD combo 4 pack of Fantasia and Fantasia 2000.  Fantasia was a movie whose brilliance I didn’t understand as a child, I only knew that I liked the vague memories I had of it.  Watching it again on Blu-ray I was actually impressed by it’s brilliance and how far ahead of its time it was, and the purpose of it.  Watching it again, I was completely enamored by the concept and I hope that Disney does more like this.

The film opens up with an orchestra assembling in that beautiful world of 1940 Technicolor (which looks utterly amazing in Blu-ray) and a narrator steps out and explains the concept.  Fantasia is different artists renditions of their impressions of music.  An orchestra is employed to simulate the experience of going to the symphony and that’s really what the movie is all about.  You’re going to the symphony and watching different artists interpret the movements of the music.  Sometimes it tells a story and sometimes it doesn’t.  I watched this with my kids and they were enamored by it, wanting to go to more symphonies if possible.  (They’ve been to a couple and they love silent films, so maybe they’re exceptions to the rule).

It makes me sad to see that Disney only attempted to use this formula once more and it was in 2000’s sequel.  It’s good, too, and also looks gorgeous in full 1080.  But this kind of film is perfect for kids of today.  It forces them to just sit and pay attention to beautiful music and imagery and hopefully get them to foster a healthy respect for classical music and art.

Another thing I was surprised by was that one of the pieces of music was set to imagery that showed the Big Bang Theory and single-celled organisms and their evolution into dinosaurs and the extinction of the dinosaurs.  The narrator, Deems Taylor, explained evolution and the Big Bang as both science and fact.  The fact that this wasn’t controversial in 1940, but would be unthinkable in today’s charged climate shows how far we’ve slid away from sense and reason in today’s world.  I mean, consider that…  What would happen if a Disney cartoon appeared today and talked about evolution as fact so casually?  There would be riots in the street.

I would recommend this film to any music lover, lover of animation, or film buff.  The animation and colors hold up strikingly and I want desperately to see Disney embark on more experiments of this nature.

Instead of experiments like that, Disney gave us another film out today, a live action adaptation of the silent piece in the original Fantasia, The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, starring Jay Baruchel and Nicolas Cage.  I haven’t seen it yet and have been told it’s much, much better than I’m expecting, but I just wanted to throw that out there.

The next three Disney releases today are documentaries that I’ve been dying to see and will now have a chance to.  The first is Waking Sleeping Beauty, which tells the tale of the rebirth of Disney Animation in the 1980s.  You can watch The Big Movie Mouth-Off review of that film “>here.

The next is Walt and El Grupo, which tells the tale of Walt Disney’s sojourn to South America with a group of animators.  The thing is, they were asked to go by the government on the outset of World War II to act as cultural spies.  Two great pieces of Disney history came out of the trip, including The Three Cabelleros, making this a fascinating documentary.

The third is the tumultuous story of The Boys.  This documentary tells the story of The Sherman Brothers and their rifts through creative life.  Maybe you haven’t heard of them specifically, but you’ve heard their music.  They wrote “Supercalifragilisticexpealadocious”, the Jungle Book’s “I wanna be like you”, “It’s a Small World” and more.

Disney is coming back to their roots with documentary programming that is compelling and it’s great to see them back in form across the board.  Between this and Tangled’s release in theatres last week, they’re on a roll.

And I would be remiss in being a Star Wars fan if I didn’t mention that Vampires Suck came out today.  It stars The Clone Wars’ Anakin Skywalker, Matt Lanter in an Edward Cullen sort of role.

It always amazes me how few things come out the week of the biggest shopping day of the year.  But there are a few gems in the release list today and we’ll start with Batman Beyond: The Complete Series.  This show is arguably the best of the DC animated TV shows.  From it’s stylized opening by Darwyn Cooke to its grim vision of the future of Gotham.  With Kevin Conroy returning as an elderly Bruce Wayne and Will Friedle taking the part of Terry McGinnis, the young boy who finds out Bruce’s startling secret and dons the mantle of the bat, this series boasts one of the strongest voice casts of the entire DCU and one of the most compelling looks at Gotham.

The complete series is worth picking up.  The only thing you need after this is the Return of the Joker full length movie they made for this series.  It’s hands down the best DCU film ever made, but it is only half as good if you haven’t seen the show.

Seeing this show makes me miss it that much more and makes me wonder why they cancelled it.  (It also makes me wonder why they’d put Adam Beechen on writing duties for the comic…  Ugh…)

Next on the list is the restored version of Fritz Lang’s Metropolis on Blu-ray.  This is something I need to acquire.  It had a theatrical run that I literally blinked and missed.  I’m still sad about that.

The last thing this week is a must buy.  For $10.99 you get a double-Blu-ray of Total Recall and Terminator 2.  That’s literally a price you can’t pass up.  If you buy anything on my list this week, it should be this.  The price is just right.

There’s also a two pack of the only two Rambo movies worth watching, the first and the last, for the same price.

My guess is they’re stocking stuffers.

ALSO!  For one today only, the complete (to this point) collection of Harry Potter films on Blu-ray is less than $40 on Amazon.

Until next week!

The first pick this week is the Criterion Collection’s release of Charlie Chaplin’s Modern Times. This is the last time that Chaplin would play the Little Tramp character that made him famous and it’s a masterpiece, just like the rest of his work. If you’re not familiar with Chaplin, than you’re missing a giant hole in your knowledge of film.

Next on the list is the independent documentary film Best Worst Movie, which is about the cult classic Troll 2.

There’s yet another release of Avatar coming out today. It’s a three-disc set and contains all of the extended scenes featured in the most recent theatrical release, an even longer cut not shown in theatres and more. There’s also tons of documentaries and more than 45 minutes of deleted scenes.

It don’t really understand how you can make Avatar, add a half an hour to it, and then still have more than 45 minutes worth of deleted scenes, but that’s what this release, somehow.

The second season of The Twilight Zone hits Blu-ray today. Do I really need to say more about that one?

The last thing I’m putting on the list today is Grant Morrison: Talking With Gods. It’s a documentary about Grant Morrison. I haven’t seen it, so I can’t vouch for it’s quality, but it’s very comic book related, so I would be remiss if I didn’t draw any attention to it here.

You can watch the trailer “>here.

We’ll be back next week!

This massive 352 page tomb By Glen Kay is packed with information on zombie films from the very beginning of the craze in the 1930’s up to the 00’s. Most of the films are reviewed with a synopsis, rating, and some good information on availability.

It’s a bit surprising to see what is considered a proper zombie film but almost everything dealing with the living dead is included in the book. I’ve never considered Creep Show a zombie movie but this book points out how wrong I’ve been, even listing a scene from the ‘fathers day’ segment as an example of one of the creepiest visuals the genre has to offer.

The majority of reviews are in-depth outlining plots with production notes and sometimes telling you if the movie belongs in the genre or if it was simply given a zombified title to cash in on the craze. Conveniently listed by year of release some of the movies are briefly mentioned without detailed information because the book contains such an overwhelming list.

Including foreign and non English language films is a real strong point here, and shows the diversity of the films available and just how broad the authors knowledge is. Aside from the obvious Italian movies there are several more European and Asian films mentioned that I had no idea existed. Not putting them in a separate category really makes this book fun to read straight through, and television zombie appearances are also mentioned including the Simpsons.

Original and production artwork from VHS and movie posters are scattered throughout the book along with interviews from film makers, actors, and make-up artists. There are a some insightful real world stories from people who have been zombie extras and they elaborate on how difficult, fun, and time consuming it can be. Even though this book came out in 2008 it needs to be revisited by old and new zombie fans who are gaining interest because of the Walking Dead television series.

If you have a substantial zombie film library or consider yourself an expert check this book out anyway. The list of top films included is well done and chances are there’s more than a few great films you’ve missed. I thought this would sit around as another coffee table piece but after just two weeks the cover is tattered from being so well read. Now it’s time to hunt down a few obscure films and fill up the netflix cue with old favorites.

May I suggest AMAZON

There are a lot of big releases today, but no bigger than Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World. With a Blu-ray, a DVD, and a digital copy (and a free bonus downloadable movie of your choice), there is really no excuse to not buy this. This is one of the best films of the year, hands down. Edgar Wright and his cast nailed the feel and look of the comic book and told a comic-book movie story in the style of a video game the likes of which the world has never seen. On Blu-ray, the sharp colors and fast action pop in a way I haven’t really seen in a Blu-ray. And I found myself watching this over and over and over again, both with and without my kids. This is one of their favorite movies now, too.

It’s infectious and much be watched repeatedly. This is honestly one of those discs, like Star Wars, where I’ll probably own multiple copies because I’ll have worn previous copies out.

This release collects a host of bonus features in addition to the multi-format copies, making it a must buy this week.

(You can read my full review of the film here. And check back tomorrow for interviews with Edgar Wright and Kieran Culkin)

Next on the list is Season Five of Doctor Who. This is Matt Smith’s inaugural season as the Doctor and I couldn’t be more excited to get to it. I’m a recent convert to Dr. Who and am this close to being caught up and this DVD set is going to get me there just in time for the Christmas episode next season.

If you haven’t jumped on the Doctor Who train, trust me, it’s not too late. Start with the first series from 2005 and you’ll be hooked.

DC Animation brings us their newest short this week, Superman/Shazam: The Return of Black Adam. Packaged on a Blu-ray with all the other shorts they’ve included on other releases (The Spectre, Jonah Hex, and Green Arrow) and four handpicked episodes of various DCU shows by Bruce Timm makes this disc a steal at less than $20. Androidika should have a full review soon.

Mystery Science Theatre 3000 fans have reason to rejoice with the release of another box set of films. This one includes Ed Wood’s classic “Bride of the Monster” whose financing was chronicled in Tim Burton’s best film (Ed Wood). They’re just as funny as you remember and this set comes with an action figure.

For all of you cinephiles out there, Cary Grant’s Arsenic and Old Lace is being rereleased today as well. There are few finer examples of comedy film ever made and I suggest you pick it up.

The Sean Connery/Michael Caine adventure classic The Man Who Would Be King is being re-released again today as well. This is welcome news since my originally DVD is double sided. Much like a laserdisc, you have to flip it mid-film. It’s not even that long of a movie. It is incredible, though, and any fan of adventure films, Sean Connery, or Michael Caine should pick up this John Huston classic.

The last movie on the list today is the Blu-ray release of the original (superior) Ocean’s 11, starring Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, Jr., and the rest of the Rat Pack. This is a great film and works a lot better than the Soderbergh remake. It’s well worth picking up.

If there is one thing DC has been nearly flawless in lately, it would be their animated movies. And Superman/Shazam: The Return of Black Adam is no exception. It is based very loosely off of 2005’s Superman/Shazam: First Thunder mini series by Judd Winick and Josh Middleton. I say loosely in that while it does show the origin of Captain Marvel and the first time he meets Superman, the villains are completely different. In the comic we get Dr Sivana, Eclipso, and an evil cult. Here in the DVD we get Black Adam, who is possibly the best known Captain Marvel villain.

The animation in this movie is gorgeous! It is very close to the style of Josh Middleton, who penciled the mini series this was based off of. It has kind of an anime type feel to it, but not completely anime.

The story follows Billy Batson, a poor kid living on his own in Fawcett City. He meets up with Clark Kent who is doing a story on Billy’s situation. During their meeting Black Adam attacks because Billy has been marked to be the Wizard Shazam’s champion. And after that the movie is one long and awesome fight, which sees Billy get his powers and become Captain Marvel.

The voice acting was pretty good in this short. We get George Newburn returning as Superman. He had previously voiced Superman on the Justice League animated Series. We also get Jerry O’ Connell as Captain Marvel, Arnold Vosloo as Black Adam, James Garner as the Wizard Shazam, and Zach Callison as Billy Batson. I thought all of the voices were spot on.

Now you may be wondering why you should pick this up if its only a short. Well this disc also includes three other shorts that have previously been released with other DC animated movies, but the versions on this disc are extended versions. Included on this disc are the Jonah Hex, Spectre, and Green Arrow shorts. And for those of you that enjoy blu ray, if you get it in that format you will also get extra episodes from past DC animated series featuring the characters from the shorts.

Overall I really enjoyed this and would recommend trying it out!

It hits the streets tomorrow. You can order it from Amazon now!

I’m such a dickweed… I watched this movie on DVD with the intention of reviewing the DVD… but I completely forgot to check what special features that were on the disk… therefore the review is based entirely on the movie itself… Since it was the first time I’d seen the film I think this is the most important part. I might update this post at a later interval after I watch the special features… Anyway… the review…

The Killer Inside Me, stars Casey Afleck, whom I’d never seen in a performance before, but whom I’d heard good things about… and also starring Jessica Alba, whom is attractive, which sums up anything I’ve ever heard about her or her acting. It was directed by Michael WinterBottom, which as you can read is a silly name… He has directed a lot of things in the past, but nothing that would prepare him for a film about a lying cheating murderer… In my opinion.

The film follows Casey Afleck around, who is a sheriff’s deputy in a small town, it begins with him being sent on a simple errant to remove Jessica Alba’s character from town, because she is a prostitute. But rather than throwing her lousy no-good ass out of town, you find that he is remarkably attracted to JESSICA ALBA…. weird..  They end up sleeping together continually… Another small detail about their sleeping together, is that they both are sexual deviants that derive pleasure from violent sex… Which is basically the beginning, and things eventually get more complicated and dramatic as he begins to kill people and attempts to get away with it, but remains in the very small town, where he is a prime suspect…

In many ways, this film reminds me of the Talented Mr. Ripley, in that there is a lot of suspense built around thinking the main character should flee town to avoid the drama that surrounds him… Although, I have to say, Casey Afleck’s character isn’t very likable, and so therefore I never really had a strong sense that I wanted him to get away, just that he was an idiot for not doing so.

I didn’t take that much from this movie… the action wasn’t exquisite… if you’re looking for violence, there are really only two scenes that would fit this criterion… one near the beginning, and one closer to the end… (Unfortunately the first one made me laugh out loud.) I was a little disappointed, because I didn’t feel like I was taken into the mind of the killer… which seemed to be an expectation that I had from reading the title… The script wasn’t fabulous, but I really think the problem with the film is that it was too slow for no reason… it sounds weird, but I would have preferred to see someone like J.J. Abrams direct this film… I don’t think the acting was really good or bad… it’s kind of hard to assess, since I think the script was a real problem, but I still think Casey Afleck did a fine job… Jessica Alba is pretty gorgeous and you get to see her buttock and partial boobs. So, if that’s your thing, you might check out this film for that reason alone. Finally, I will mention that the twist at the end didn’t work for me… not because it wasn’t awesome… but because it was poorly handled and I didn’t care.

I’m sorry film, you looked good, were basically competently directed and acted, but I didn’t think you were that great. You have received 6 out of 10 stars… you certainly exist… good bye.

You can buy the DVD at Amazon through this link!

First on the list being released today is Disney’s Toy Story 3. Pixar outdid themselves with this film. They truly did. After Toy Story 2, I wasn’t sure they could cram any more heart or care into a film about these toys and I was proven wrong in every way. Following Buzz, Woody, and the gang to their final adventure through a day care and eventually to their final fate. This film is a tearjerker, and I know a lot of people who were too macho to go see it in the theatres and have been waiting for this release to watch it in the privacy of their own home where they can cry unseen. It’s worth every penny you’ll spend on it.

The Blu-ray looks fantastic, as it does with every Pixar release. They’ve really set a standard in home video picture quality and they manage to exceed it with every subsequent release.

The Day and Night cartoon that was featured before the film theatrically has a spot on this DVD and is one of the most clever and beautifully executed shorts in animated film history and I was incredibly pleased to see it again.

All of this is combined into a 4 disc package (Blu-ray, Special Features, DVD, Digital Copy) that make it a hard to resist purchase for anyone.

An old school favorite of mine is hitting a Blu-ray release today: The Bridge on the River Kwai. Starring William Holden and Alec Guinness, this World War II film directed by David Lean is perhaps one of the finest of the genre.

If you’ve never seen it before, I give it my highest recommendation.

The next big, important release of the week is a Blu-ray release of The Goonies. The DVD release of the Goonies was pretty special, including a great video commentary that reunited the whole cast of the film and Richard Donner as they recorded their thoughts and memories of the film.

One of my biggest guilty pleasures of my childhood is getting a Blu-ray release today: Highlander. Starring Sean Connery, Clancy Brown, and Christopher Lambert, and featuring a great soundtrack by Queen, this is one of the best sci-fi action movies the 80s had to offer. This release is the directors cut, which features some great scenes cut from the theatrical edition that take place during Connor’s time in World War II, among others.

Highlander II came out, also, but let’s all just forget that movie ever happened.

And those are my picks for the day.

It has been a while since I’ve written a DVD column, but they were seemingly popular and readers asked for it back.  So here I am with the column, back in all of its glory.

This is actually a great week to be back.

The first and most important release today is Clone Wars Season 2 on DVD and Blu-ray.  This season stepped up the game from the already great Season 1 and delivered better animation, better stories and a return to form for Star Wars, bringing fans who’d lost interest because of their inability to enjoy the prequels back into the fold.  I’ve reviewed every episode of this show on this site and this season started great and ended even better.

Next we have the Back to the Future trilogy on Blu-ray.  This is a great set of movies and I really don’t need to tell you twice why you should own it.  The box set even includes footage of Eric Stoltz in the role of Marty McFly.  He was replaced by Michael J. Fox 5 weeks after they started filming.

Next we have the Alien Anthology on Blu-ray.  These are four movies that would benefit greatly from the Hi-Def treatment and you’d be surprised how well the third and fourth installments hold up.  In fact, I almost prefer them to the second installment.  Alien is still the perfect movie to watch for Halloween, it’s still incredibly scary and one of the best horror/drama films ever made.

Next is the hilarious Venture Bros. Season 4, Part 1.  If you’re not watching this show, there’s something wrong with you.  (Admittedly, I haven’t seen this season, but I’ll be able to catch up now that the DVD is out.)

A must-own for any collector: The Criterion Blu-ray release of Stanley Kubrick’s Paths of Glory.  This is one of Kubrick’s best.  It’s an emotional and thrilling story set in the trenches of France during World War I.  Kirk Douglas offers one of the best performances of his career and Criterion delivers high quality in all of their Blu-ray transfers.

Next is a must for any Silent film fan: The Complete works of Chaplin at Keystone studios.  This is a collection of 34 Chaplin classics.  Worth every penny.

This isn’t a definitive list of everything available, but only my picks.  If there’s anything you think I missed, be sure to comment below or on the forum!

We’ll see you next week with a whole new batch of releases!

You may be asking youself, “Why is Arse-Bot writing about this?” Well, it’s simple, I’m sure there are more than a few closet Twilight fans out there in BSR! Land who would like to be in the know of when this hits DVD shelves, and who am I to neglect them of this information? So, for all of you responsible for bringing this horrible age of mopey, whiney, pussy-ass, don’t-drink-human-blood, pedophile “Vampires” upon the rest of the population, here you go.

It’s coming to DVD December 4, 2010. There’s two editions, a single disc, and – for all you true Twitards out there – a two-disc edition. The two-disc edition will probably feature a fuck-ton of special features that aren’t worth my time copying and pasting here. But I’m not an unreasonable man, so here.

Also, becuase I am such a nice guy, for all of you out there who would like to go waste another $8.50 to see this in theaters, it’s coming back to theaters on September 13. Why? Because apparently that’s Bella’s birthday. In case you’re wondering, the appropriate response to that statement is, “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.”

Judas, I can’t wait for the last movie to come out so this nightmare will end . . .

Wast this necessary? Absolutely not. Did this entertain Arse-Bot for 10 minutes? Yes it did.