This week’s new releases are a little skimpy but still keen. The big one worth mentioning is The Expendables 2, which contains a Herculean dose of testosterone, machismo, and asskick. Those three qualities are probably not found in the new Ken Burns documentary The Dust Bowl or the new non-Ken Burns movie Santa Paws 2: The Santa Pups. (The third Expendables movie should incorporate the bratty kid from Over the Top, but the role should be played by Nicolas Cage. You know this to be true.) Also, Big Tits Zombie.
Lots going on with re-releases. The biggie is the Tarantino XX box set. This is an eight-film collection selected by Tarantino himself to represent his 20-year film career. Another biggie for curious cineastes is the Criterion release of Heaven’s Gate. This notorious western bomb from Michael Cimino apparently isn’t so bad in this restored 219-minute cut. Criterion is also putting out a cool set of Japanese horror/sci-fi films from Shochiku studios. The set is called “Eclipse Series 37: When Horror Came to Shochiku,” and it includes Goke, Body Snatcher from Hell.
Also on the re-release end, the gorgeously depressing Grave of the Fireflies makes its Blu-ray debut, allowing you to experience soul-crushing sadness in high definition. The That’s Entertainment trilogy is also getting released on Blu-ray, allowing you to watch clips of things you’ll never get to. There’s also Hard Core Logo, which I’m interested in checking out since it’s supposed to be This is Spinal Tap for the hardcore/punk scene.
Check out the full list of releases after the cut, where you can meet me halfway across the sky.
New releases
Archers Of Loaf – What Did You Expect? (DVD)
Big Tits Zombie (DVD)
Bringing Up Bobby (DVD. Blu-ray)
The Expendables 2 (DVD, Blu-ray)
Ken Burns: The Dust Bowl (DVD, Blu-ray)
Santa Paws 2: The Santa Pups (DVD, Blu-ray)
They’re Out of the Business (DVD)
Re-releases
Christmas Comes Home to Canaan (Blu-ray)
Cinderella II: Dreams Come True / Cinderella III: A Twist In Time (DVD, Blu-ray)
Eclipse Series 37: When Horror Came to Shochiku (The X from Outer Space; Goke, Body Snatcher from Hell; The Living Skeleton; Genocide) [Criterion] (DVD)
Grave of the Fireflies (Blu-ray)
Hard Core Logo (Blu-ray)
Heaven’s Gate [Criterion] (DVD, Blu-ray)
Judas Kiss (Blu-ray)
Patti Smith – Live at Montreux 2005 (Blu-ray)
The Pete Walker Collection (House of Whipcord, Die Screaming Marianne, The Comeback, Schizo) (Blu-ray)
Puppet Master 2 (Blu-ray)
Puppet Master III: Toulon’s Revenge (Blu-ray)
Puppet Master 3-Disc Set (Blu-ray)
Ramrod (DVD, Blu-ray)
Tarantino XX 8-Film Collection (Blu-ray)
That’s Entertainment! Trilogy (Blu-ray)
The Trap (DVD, Blu-ray)
