BluTuesday - December 18th, 2012
Felize Navidad! Joseph here, and I’ve got some great gifts for you in the world of Bluray for December 18, 2012. This week’s episode features summer feelings, memory lapses, a really corrupt cop, trippy bike riding, and the weirdest video game adaptation known to man. Sounds good? Well, step away from the mistletoe and let’s get started.
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days (PG)
Rotten Tomatoes rating: 51%
Everybody’s favorite wimp, Greg Heffley (Zachary Gordon), is back for three times the fun in the latest film based on the super-popular book series! When Greg’s dad (Steve Zahn) threatens to send him to military school if he doesn’t stay out of trouble, Greg finds all-new ways to land himself in the doghouse! For starters, Greg’s in over his head when he pretends to work at the swanky country club where Rowley’s family has a membership. Things don’t go much better on a father-son camping trip with the Wilderness Explorers, and then there’s the Heffley’s new dog, Sweetie, who fetches even more trouble for Greg in this hilarious family film! This movie comes in a two disc Bluray/DVD + Digital Copy set and a single disc DVD set. This is a good family film, and I recommend it for the kiddies.
Total Recall (NR) – NOTE: The theatrical release was rated PG-13
Rotten Tomatoes rating: 30%
First things first…I hate the fact that they released this in theaters as a PG-13 film, when they KNEW they had an R rated film in the can. Now that I have that out of the way…Welcome to Rekall, the company that can turn your dreams into real memories. For a factory worker named Douglas Quaid (Colin Farrell), even though he’s got a beautiful wife (Kate Beckinsale) who he loves, the mind-trip sounds like the perfect vacation from his frustrating life - real memories of life as a super-spy might be just what he needs. But when the procedure goes horribly wrong, Quaid becomes a hunted man. Finding himself on the run from the police - controlled by Chancellor Cohaagen (Bryan Cranston), the leader of the free world - Quaid teams up with a rebel fighter (Jessica Biel) to find the head of the underground resistance (Bill Nighy) and stop Cohaagen. The line between fantasy and reality gets blurred and the fate of his world hangs in the balance as Quaid discovers his true identity, his true love, and his true fate. This movie is being released in three different varieties: a three disc Bluray/DVD + Digital Copy version, a two disc Bluray + Digital Copy version, and a single disc DVD version. I’m sure this would’ve been a good movie to see in theaters, but I wanted to wait for the home release for the reason I listed above.
Killer Joe (NR) – NOTE: The theatrical release was rated NC-17. Released on December 21, 2012
Rotten Tomatoes rating: 77%
“Killer” Joe Cooper (Matthew McConaughey) is a Dallas detective who doubles as a hit-man, with the charm of a Southern gentleman. Chris (Emile Hirsch) hires Joe to kill his mother, in order to collect her life insurance and pay off his debts. When Chris is unable to pay for the service up front, Joe takes Chris’s sister Dottie (Juno Temple) as a retainer until he can be paid. This movie comes in a single disc Bluray version, a single disc DVD version, and – in a first for me – a single disc R rated DVD version. This is a brutal, visceral film, but Matthew McConaughey’s performance is one for the ages. Despite the subject matter, this is my pick of the week.
Premium Rush (PG-13) – Released on December 21, 2012
Rotten Tomatoes rating: 75%
Wilee (Gordon-Levitt) is one of 1,500 bike couriers in Manhattan who rides on the edge by having a bike with no brakes. On this day, Wilee has a delivery that is so valuable that corrupt NYC Detective Bobby Monday (Michael Shannon), who needs the money, begins to chase Wilee throughout the city to get it before the envelope is delivered. This movie comes in both a single disc Bluray version and a single disc DVD version. Despite the hokey subject matter, this looks like plenty of fun. I missed this in theaters, but I look forward to picking this up and giving it a go.
Resident Evil: Retribution (R) – Released on December 21, 2012
Rotten Tomatoes rating: 29%
The Umbrella Corporation’s deadly T-virus continues to ravage the Earth, transforming the global population into legions of the flesh eating Undead. The human race’s last and only hope, Alice (Jovovich), awakens in the heart of Umbrella’s most clandestine operations facility and unveils more of her mysterious past as she delves further into the complex. Without a safe haven, Alice continues to hunt those responsible for the outbreak; a chase that takes her from Tokyo to New York, Washington, D.C. and Moscow, culminating in a mind-blowing revelation that will force her to rethink everything that she once thought to be true. Aided by newfound allies and familiar friends, Alice must fight to survive long enough to escape a hostile world on the brink of oblivion. The countdown has begun. This movie comes in four different flavors: a single disc DVD + Ultraviolet version, a single disc Bluray + Ultraviolet version, a two disc 3D Bluray + Ultraviolet version, and as part of a five disc Bluray set. I don’t like a single one of these movies, so I’ll be passing on it. But, if you like these movies, this is for you.
That’s all I have for now, but from my family to yours, I hope you and yours have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. BluTuesday will be going on a two week break, but I’ll be back with some new stuff for you to ring in the New Year with. So, to that end, if you have any questions or comments for me, hit me up in the comments section below!
Until next time…
