THE SPECIAL EDITION: 12.08.09

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT ADDING NETFLIX TO THE HOME VIDEO COVERAGE?

Netflix Instant View and various Video on Demand services are changing the way that we view our home entertainment. As I spotlighted last week, Netflix Instant View had a handful of Universal titles available online before their retail bows. I’m willing to bet that the readership also noticed this.

Given the game console base for the Instant View service and the various folk who only view entertainment online, I feel that we’re missing out on something. Therefore, I propose adding a Netflix/Hulu/Google Video section for new home entertainment additions.

What have been your experiences with these services in the past? How often do you find yourself checking out Instant View before hitting the video store? I’m going to toy around with this for the next few weeks. If it seems viable and something that you’re interested in, I’ll have the sub-section ready to go by the first week of January 2010.

COMING SOON TO YOUR HOME THEATER

1. Facing Ali arriving
   on DVD from Lionsgate on December 29th. 

Three-time World Heavyweight Champion Muhammad Ali defeated almost every top
fighter of the golden age of boxing. Now, through the untold stories of his
opponents in the fights that defined him, experience “The Champ” like never
before.  Facing Ali
turns the cameras on some of Ali’s biggest rivals including George Chuvalo, Sir
Henry Cooper, George Foreman, Joe Frazier, Larry Holmes, Ron Lyle, Ken Norton,
Earnie Shavers, Leon Spinks and Ernie Terrell providing a fresh and impactful
perspective on the famed boxer, the sport, talent and courage.  

Critics
have declared Facing
Ali a winner, stating about the film, “One of the year’s best and most inspiring
documentaries.  Once it starts punching, it doesn’t stop – just like
Ali.” (artistdirect.com), “pays great
homage to Mr. Ali” (Plume Noire) and “offers a compelling format to a well-chronicled story
of an iconic figure” (Sportsandcinema.com).  The DVD contains knockout
bonus materials including animated trivia cards for each of the boxers, three
featurettes – looking at the fighters and their experiences with Ali, the making
of the film and the unique way this book was adapted for the screen as well as
the process used to restore and upgrade the archival fight footage to HD
quality. 

THE CRITERION COMPLETION PROJECT (114 out of 495)

The
Chewer
Nation has been having fun with the little monthly challenges I’ve
thrown down. I’ve got a new one that just might take us through the end
of 2009. What I want us all to do is to review The Criterion
Collection. But, there’s a catch. The number of words you can use will
be determined by the spine number.

Due to length, click on the titles to access the spine specific reviews.

1. Grand Illusion
2. The Seven Samurai
3. The Lady Vanishes
4. Amarcord
5. The 400 Blows
6. Beauty and the Beast
7. A Night to Remember

8. The Killer

9. Hard Boiled
10. Walkabout

11. The Seventh Seal
12. This is Spinal Tap
13. The Silence Of The Lambs
14. Samurai I: Mushashi Miyamoto
15. Samurai II: Duel at Ichijoji Temple
16. Samurai III: Duel at Ganryu Island
17. Salo or The 120 Days of Sodom
18. The Naked Kiss
19. Shock Corridor
20. Sid & Nancy
21. Dead Ringers
22. Summertime
23. Robocop
24. High and Low
25. Alphaville
26. The Long Good Friday
27. Flesh for Frankenstein
28. Blood for Dracula
29. Picnic at Hanging Rock

30. M

31. Great Expectations
32. Oliver Twist
33. Nanook of the North
34. Andrei Rublev
35. Diabolique
36. The Wages of Fear
37. Time Bandits
38. Branded to Kill
39. Tokyo Drifter
40. Armageddon
41. Henry V
42. Fishing with John
43. Lord of the Flies
44. The Red Shoes
45. A Taste of Cherry
46. The Most Dangerous Game
47. Insomnia
48. Black Orpheus
49. Nights of Cabiria
50. And The Ship Sails On
51. Brazil
52. Sanjuro
53. Yojimbo
54. For All Mankind
55. The Unbearable Lightness of Being
56. The 39 Steps
57. Charade
58. Peeping Tom
59. The Night Porter
60. Autumn Sonata
61. Monty Python’s The Life of Brian
62. The Passion of Joan of Arc
63. Carnival of Souls
64. The Third Man
65. Rushmore
66. The Orphic Trilogy
67. Blood of the Poet
68. Orpheus
69. Testament of Orpheus
70. The Last Temptation of Christ
71. The Magic Flute
72. Le Million
73. Cleo from 5 to 7
74. Vagabond
75. Chasing Amy
76. Brief Encounter
77. And God Created Woman
78. The Bank Dick
79. W.C. Fields – Six Short Films
80. The Element of Crime
81. Variety Lights
82. Hamlet
83. The Harder They Come
84. Good Morning 
85. Pygmalion
86. Eisenstein Box Set – The Sound Years
87. Alexander Nevsky
88. Ivan the Terrible – Parts I and II
89. Sisters
90. Kwaidan
91. The Blob
92. Fiend without a Face
93. Black Narcissus
94. I Know Where I’m Going
95. All That Heaven Allows
96. Written on the Wind
97. Do the Right Thing
98. L’Avventura
99. Gimme Shelter
100. Beastie Boys Video Anthology
104. Double Suicide
108. The Rock
116. The Hidden Fortress
121. Billy Liar
147. In the Mood for Love
151. Traffic
157. The Royal Tenenbaums
175. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
186. Stolen Kisses
187. Bed and Board
188. Love on the Run
191. Jubilee
247. Videodrome
267. Kagemusha

and so on and so on.

Post your Criterion reviews on the CHUD message board.

AK 100: 25 Films By Akira Kurosawa (The Criterion Collection)
The Brigitte Bardot Classic Collection
The Cinder Path
Clannad: After Story, Collection 2
Coraline (Gift Set)
The Cove
Destroyed In Seconds (The Discovery Channel)
Dhani Tackles The Globe: Season One
Dog Eat Dog
The Dog Who Saved Christmas
Drawn In Blood
A Finished Life: The Goodbye And No Regrets Tour
Friday: The Complete Animated Series
The Fugitive: Season Three, Vol. 2
Get Smart: Season Five
Ghosted
Gozu (Two-Disc Collector’s Edition)
Harry Potter And The Sorceror’s Stone (Ultimate Edition)
Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets (Ultimate Edition)
Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince (One-Disc Standard Edition)
Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince (Two-Disc Special Edition)
Harry Potter: Years 1-6
Hey Arnold! Season Five
Hollywood, Je T’aime
Home Movie
Hooking Up
Humble Pie
InAlienable
The Jerry Lewis Show Collection
Johnny Mercer: The Dream’s On Me
The Judy Garland Show Collection
Julie And Julia
Legendary Gangsters: 5-Movie Collection
Leonard Bernstein: Omnibus
Lion’s Den
Lost: The Complete Fifth Season (Standard Edition)
Lost: The Complete Fifth Season (Dharma Initiative Orientation Kit)
Lost: The Complete Seasons 1-5 Bundle
Lost Treasure Of The Maya
McLeod’s Daughters: The Original Movie
Monster: Box Set 1
Moonlight Serenade
Moribito: Guardian Of The Spirit, Pt. 4
Moribito: Designer Box (Empty)
Naruto: Shippuden, Vol. 4
Paperback Dreams
Perry Mason: Season Four, Vol. 2
Plaguers
Prima Ballerina
Public Enemies (One-Disc Standard Edition)
Public Enemies (Two-Disc Special Edition)
Redwoods
Rescue Me: Season Five, Vol. 2
Runaway
School Rumble: The Most Awesomest Collection!
Shank (Theatrical Cut)
Shank (Unrated Director’s Cut)
Sherlock Holmes Double Feature: The House Of Fear/The Pearl Of Death
Sherlock Holmes Double Feature: The Spider Woman/The Voice Of Terror
The Skeptic
Slam Bang
Somers Town
Soupy Sales: The Complete Collection
SpongeBob SquarePants: Season Six, Vol. 1
This Beautiful City
World’s Greatest Dad

BLU-RAY: IT’S GETTING CHEAPER

The Alphabet Killer
Behind The Mask: The Rise Of Leslie Vernon
BluScenes: Coral Reef Aquarium
The Bruce Willis Blu-ray Collection
Coraline (Gift Set)
Cyclops
Harry Potter And The Sorcerer’s Stone (Ultimate Edition)
Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets (Ultimate Edition)
Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince (Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack)
Harry Potter: Years 1-6
IMAX: Animalopolis
Jack Brooks: Monster Slayer
Julie And Julia
Knut And Friends
Lost: The Complete Fifth Season (Standard Edition)
Lost: The Complete Fifth Season (Dharma Initiative Orientation Kit)
Lost: The Complete Seasons 1-5 Bundle
Lost Treasure Of The Grand Canyon
Public Enemies (Two-Disc Special Edition)
Red Mist
Sands Of Oblivion
36
UFC: The Ultimate 100 Greatest Fights
UltraMarathon Man: 50 Marathons, 50 States, 50 Days
Walled In
While She Was Out
World’s Greatest Dad

A MOMENT TO SHILL

SPEND YOUR MONEY!

NEW RELEASES


*Blu-Ray prices are in BOLD BLUE

Public Enemies                                                     $16.99 $22.99 $22.99
Harry Potter and The Half Blood Prince               $15.99 $26.99  $19.99
Lost: The Complete Fifth Season                         $37.99  $47.99
Julie and Julia                                                      $16.99  $22.99  $25.99
Harry Potter: Ultimate Collector Editions             $15 (individual)  $44.99 $89.99 (boxset) 
                                                                                 
$7.50 DVD Sale

Jingle All the Way: Family Fun Edition
Harry Potter and Chamber of Secrets
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

$10 DVD Sale

A Christmas Story
New in Town
Enchanted
National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets

$14.99 PRE-WRAPPED DVDS

Star Trek (2009)
Monsters vs. Aliens
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
GI Joe: Rise of Cobra

TV on DVD Sale

V: The Complete Series                              $9.99
Flight of the Conchords Seasons 1 or 2         $16.99
30 Rock: Season 3                                    $24.99
The Office: Season 5                                 $26.99
Fringe: Season 1                                       $26.99
Two and a Half Men: Season 6                     $22.99
The Big Bang Theory: Season 2                    $22.99
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia: Season 4    $18.99
Heroes: Season 3                                      $32.99
True Blood: The Complete First Season          $32.99
Bones: Season 4                                       $29.99
House: Seasons 1-5                                    $29.99 each