Rajorajorajo | 15 Nov 2011 | 482 Views | 4 Likes | 0 Dislikes

The DVD/BLU RAY Shed: November 15

This is probably the best collection of DVD/Blu Ray releases we’ve ever covered in one single article ever since we started talking about DVDs and Sheds way back when. So much good stuff released today under the ‘need to have’ category! And the obligatory crappy new release, of course. I mean, we’ve gotta bitch and complain about SOMETHING, amirite?

TODAY’S MOSTLY AWESOME BLU RAYS ARE:

West Side Story: 50th Anniversary Collection
Dir. Jerome Robbins & Robert Wise

This is in my all-time top ten. Hell, it’s in my top FIVE... It’s an adaptation of a hugely successful Broadway musical which in turn was an adaptation of Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet. The film is the perfect marriage of gorgeous composition, great choreography, dynamic camera work and kintetic, rhythmic editing, which must be seen by anybody claiming an interest in filmmaking. Plus great music and Natalie Wood, for cryin’ out loud... Check out my love letter here.

Looney Tunes: Platinum Collection Vol. 1
Various

If I need to explain to you why the first ever Blu Ray collection of Warner Bros. Looney Tunes cartoons is pretty much the best thing ever then there must be something seriously wrong with you. Are you feeling ok? Do you want me to call an ambulance? What we’re dealing with is a collection of historically significant animated shorts that have been restored and are presented here in high-definition. Take an advil and make room on your Blu Ray shelf already. ‘Nuff said.

Spy Kids: All The Time in The World
Dir. Robert Rodriguez

According to Matt Brown: “If you have a child of sub-normal intelligence who likes to scratch things, this movie might be for your child.” Granted, he was talking specifically about the “4D” theatrical presentation of this film, though this home video release doesn’t even have THAT going for it, so if you buy this it must mean your kids are of sub-normal intelligence. Deal with THAT.

Giorgio Moroder’s Metropolis
Dri. Fritz Lang (& Giorgio Moroder, I guess)

The imagery of German expressionist Fritz Lang’s iconic 1927 film will forever be linked with the infancy of the motion picture medium. It’s a super-important dusty old sci-fi epic about a robot lady, and it spent years and years deteriorating in somebody’s basement until the 1980s when a brilliant electronic music genius (with 3 academy award-winning film scores to his name) dug it up, remastered it, changed the frame rate and composed a contemporary ‘pop’ score to lay over top of it. Purists may have hated it, but you can’t tell me that it isn’t worth a look - especially if you’re even slightly into Pat Benetar and Freddie Mercury. Now on Blu ray - exciting!

Criterion Collection: Three Colours - Blue White Red
Dir. Krzysztof Kieślowski

We're not smart enough to talk about these movies so we turn things over to guest-reviewer Marc Saint-Cyr of rowthree.com:

For the final portion of his impressive career, Polish director Krzysztof Kieślowski delivered an incredible gift to the world of art cinema: the Three Colors trilogy. From Juliette Binoche’s odyssey of life after loss in Blue (1993) to Zbigniew Zamachowski’s quest for revenge in an economically-charged Warsaw in White (1993) to Irène Jacob’s odd yet touching bond with Jean-Louis Trintignant in Red (1994), each film delivers a fantastically involving experience – all of which turning out to be beautifully, brilliantly connected in a true masterclass of visionary storytelling. The new, supplement-rich set from Criterion Collection will surely entice many to dive back into this philosophical treasure chest of wonders.

- Marc Saint-Cyr

Nicely put, Marc! Check out Marc's reviews of each film here, here and here!

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