blu-ray posts (Subscribe to this feed)
JBO: Joystiq Box Office, November 2 - November 6
by Kevin Kelly 
{ Nov 6th 2009 at 8:30PM }
We can't be gaming all the time, despite our best efforts, and from time to time we'll actually take advantage of the movie-playing abilities on our gaming systems. JBO features our top picks for XBL, PSN, Netflix's Watch Instantly and Blu-ray each week.
Recommendation of the Week:
The Shield: The Complete Series (DVD [What, no Blu-ray?] $159.95, lower at many retailers)
Vic Mackey isn't the first hardass cop to come down the line and smack miscreants into place, but he's definitely one of the most effective and most memorable. If you haven't had the pleasure of watching Michael Chiklis in The Shield, then this has your name all over it. If you have ... well, your name is still on it. It's the complete series, filled with extras, and packaged to look like a nifty coffee table book, embossed with a copy of the misaligned badge logo from the opening of the show. Forget everything else, this is hands down one of the best cop shows ever created, and it captures the underbelly of Los Angeles perfectly. Some people would argue that Los Angeles is all underbelly. Hopefully that means there's plenty of Mackey to go around.
As usual, we'll see you at the popcorn sta -- well, actually, we won't see you at all. But you catch our drift. Plus, be sure to tell us what you'll be watching, or what you've seen recently that bowled you over.
Recommendation of the Week:
The Shield: The Complete Series (DVD [What, no Blu-ray?] $159.95, lower at many retailers)Vic Mackey isn't the first hardass cop to come down the line and smack miscreants into place, but he's definitely one of the most effective and most memorable. If you haven't had the pleasure of watching Michael Chiklis in The Shield, then this has your name all over it. If you have ... well, your name is still on it. It's the complete series, filled with extras, and packaged to look like a nifty coffee table book, embossed with a copy of the misaligned badge logo from the opening of the show. Forget everything else, this is hands down one of the best cop shows ever created, and it captures the underbelly of Los Angeles perfectly. Some people would argue that Los Angeles is all underbelly. Hopefully that means there's plenty of Mackey to go around.
Halo Legends Blu-ray dated Feb. 9, 2010; perfect fanboy storm approaches
by Richard Mitchell { Nov 5th 2009 at 2:27PM }
Now, we'd like to think that this generation of consoles is far enough along that this news won't ruffle any fanboy feathers. Then again, we'd also like to think that HD DVD, in all its awesomeness, is poised for a comeback. Just remember, Halo fans, Blu-ray discs are not your enemy. Cliffhangers are.
JBO: Joystiq Box Office, October 26 - October 30, Horror Edition!
by Kevin Kelly { Oct 30th 2009 at 9:00PM }
We can't be gaming all the time, despite our best efforts, and from time to time we'll actually take advantage of the movie-playing abilities on our gaming systems. JBO features our top picks for XBL, PSN, Netflix's Watch Instantly and Blu-ray each week.
Halloween looms right around the corner! In preparation for a spook-tacular weekend full of fun and frights, we present you with an all-horror edition of Joystiq Box Office. Although in all honesty, nothing tops Trick 'r Treat from a couple of weeks ago. You owe it to Halloween to check that out. Of course, being the geeks that we are, we'd also like to remind you that Battlestar Galactica: The Plan is now out on Blu-ray, DVD, PSN, and the Xbox Marketplace. It's not their best work, but hey ... it's more Battlestar Galactica!
Recommendation of the Week:
Monsturd (Netflix Watch Instantly)
Yes, this is seriously a movie. A fugitive on the run accidentally falls into a sewage tunnel, which is also where a chemical company has been dumping their toxic waste. As a result, he becomes Monsturd: half-man, half-poop. I kid you not. There have been poop monsters in movies before, like the transformed Chet in Weird Science and the Golgathan from Kevin Smith's Dogma, but nothing compares to Monsturd. It's actually not a bad send-up of the classic 50s frightfilms, and the tagline for the movie is "Don't get caught with your pants down!" How can you go wrong?
A lot of you have been asking about the pricing on certain Xbox releases. For instance Red Cliff is 800
($10) to rent in standard definition, as opposed to the normal rental price of 320 ($4) for SD. The reason for this is that it has not yet been released in theaters, and is exclusive to the Xbox 360, Amazon, and certain VOD outlets. The film actually opens on November 18, so the added price is for the benefit of seeing it early.
As usual, we'll see you at the popcorn sta -- well, actually, we won't see you at all. But you catch our drift. Plus, be sure to tell us what you'll be watching, or what you've seen recently that bowled you over.
Halloween looms right around the corner! In preparation for a spook-tacular weekend full of fun and frights, we present you with an all-horror edition of Joystiq Box Office. Although in all honesty, nothing tops Trick 'r Treat from a couple of weeks ago. You owe it to Halloween to check that out. Of course, being the geeks that we are, we'd also like to remind you that Battlestar Galactica: The Plan is now out on Blu-ray, DVD, PSN, and the Xbox Marketplace. It's not their best work, but hey ... it's more Battlestar Galactica!
Recommendation of the Week:
Monsturd (Netflix Watch Instantly)Yes, this is seriously a movie. A fugitive on the run accidentally falls into a sewage tunnel, which is also where a chemical company has been dumping their toxic waste. As a result, he becomes Monsturd: half-man, half-poop. I kid you not. There have been poop monsters in movies before, like the transformed Chet in Weird Science and the Golgathan from Kevin Smith's Dogma, but nothing compares to Monsturd. It's actually not a bad send-up of the classic 50s frightfilms, and the tagline for the movie is "Don't get caught with your pants down!" How can you go wrong?
A lot of you have been asking about the pricing on certain Xbox releases. For instance Red Cliff is 800
($10) to rent in standard definition, as opposed to the normal rental price of 320 ($4) for SD. The reason for this is that it has not yet been released in theaters, and is exclusive to the Xbox 360, Amazon, and certain VOD outlets. The film actually opens on November 18, so the added price is for the benefit of seeing it early. God of War III demo included on District 9 Blu-ray
by JC Fletcher { Oct 28th 2009 at 10:30AM }
While District 9 and God of War 3 are united in that they're both things that people presumably want to see, it strikes us as odd that this rather random collection is the first Blu-ray/game demo pairing for SCEA. The Watchmen movie and game actually related to one another in some way, and they came on separate discs.
JBO: Joystiq Box Office, October 19 - October 23
by Kevin Kelly { Oct 23rd 2009 at 8:30PM }
We can't be gaming all the time, despite our best efforts, and from time to time we'll actually take advantage of the movie-playing abilities on our gaming systems. JBO features our top picks for XBL, PSN, Netflix's Watch Instantly and Blu-ray each week.
Recommendation of the Week:
Red Cliff (VOD, Amazon, and Xbox 360: 800 ($10) SD to rent)
John Woo is back! And thankfully this isn't the John Woo who directed Paycheck or Windtalkers. This is more like the Hard Boiled, Hard Target John Woo ... just on a massive scale. It's an epic film based on actual historic events and battles that took place in China around 208 AD. Chinese audiences were treated to a four hour long version that was split into two parts, and it has become the highest grossing film in Chinese history. American audience are getting a version that's been heavily edited down to 2.5 hours, but it is still well worth watching. Three epic battles, stealth, trickery, and martial arts action. Plus it reunited John Woo with actor Tony Leung who co-starred in Hard Boiled with Chow Yun-Fat. Don't balk at the running time, because it is worth every minute. Check out an exclusive clip of the movie over at Cinematical.
A lot of you have been asking about the pricing on certain Xbox releases. For instance Red Cliff is 800 ($10) to rent in standard definition, as opposed to the normal rental price of 320 ($4) for SD. The reason for this is that it has not yet been released in theaters, and is exclusive to the Xbox 360, Amazon, and certain VOD outlets. The film actually opens on November 18, so the added price is for the benefit of seeing it early.
As usual, we'll see you at the popcorn st -- well, actually, we won't see you at all. But you catch our drift. Plus, be sure to tell us what you'll be watching, or what you've seen recently that bowled you over.
Recommendation of the Week:
Red Cliff (VOD, Amazon, and Xbox 360: 800 ($10) SD to rent)John Woo is back! And thankfully this isn't the John Woo who directed Paycheck or Windtalkers. This is more like the Hard Boiled, Hard Target John Woo ... just on a massive scale. It's an epic film based on actual historic events and battles that took place in China around 208 AD. Chinese audiences were treated to a four hour long version that was split into two parts, and it has become the highest grossing film in Chinese history. American audience are getting a version that's been heavily edited down to 2.5 hours, but it is still well worth watching. Three epic battles, stealth, trickery, and martial arts action. Plus it reunited John Woo with actor Tony Leung who co-starred in Hard Boiled with Chow Yun-Fat. Don't balk at the running time, because it is worth every minute. Check out an exclusive clip of the movie over at Cinematical.
A lot of you have been asking about the pricing on certain Xbox releases. For instance Red Cliff is 800
($10) to rent in standard definition, as opposed to the normal rental price of 320 ($4) for SD. The reason for this is that it has not yet been released in theaters, and is exclusive to the Xbox 360, Amazon, and certain VOD outlets. The film actually opens on November 18, so the added price is for the benefit of seeing it early. PSA: Microsoft not planning Blu-ray drive for 360
by Richard Mitchell { Oct 22nd 2009 at 6:55PM }
Clearing the air, Microsoft's Larry Hryb (a.k.a. Major Nelson) has gone on the record saying that the company has "no plans" for a 360 Blu-ray drive, adding that Ballmer was actually referring to Blu-ray drives for PCs. Hryb reiterates -- as did Ballmer -- that the main push for the Xbox 360 will be streaming media, noting specifically that the upcoming Dashboard update will bring instant 1080p streaming, a feature of the Zune Video Marketplace.
Now, say it with us (one more time): Blu-ray isn't coming to the Xbox 360.
JBO: Joystiq Box Office, October 12 - October 16
by Kevin Kelly { Oct 16th 2009 at 10:30PM }
We can't be gaming all the time, despite our best efforts, and from time to time we'll actually take advantage of the movie-playing abilities on our gaming systems. JBO features our top picks for XBL, PSN, Netflix's Watch Instantly and Blu-ray each week.
Recommendation of the Week:
Black Dynamite (In actual theaters -- get out of the house and treat yourself!)
Remember Michael Jai White? The dude played Spawn in the forgettable movie, and was seen without makeup or a mask as Gambol in The Dark Knight. However, you've never seen him as a jive-talkin', nunchuck-swingin', butt kickin', fro-wearin' guy who gets results. From the website: "When 'The Man' murders his brother, pumps heroin into local orphanages, and floods the ghetto with adulterated malt liquor, Black Dynamite is the one hero willing to fight all the way from the blood-soaked city streets to the hallowed halls of the Honky House." You owe it to yourself to see an amazing return to blaxploitation.
As usual, we'll see you at the popcorn st -- well, actually, we won't see you at all. But you catch our drift. Plus, be sure to tell us what you'll be watching, or what you've seen recently that bowled you over.
Recommendation of the Week:
Black Dynamite (In actual theaters -- get out of the house and treat yourself!)Remember Michael Jai White? The dude played Spawn in the forgettable movie, and was seen without makeup or a mask as Gambol in The Dark Knight. However, you've never seen him as a jive-talkin', nunchuck-swingin', butt kickin', fro-wearin' guy who gets results. From the website: "When 'The Man' murders his brother, pumps heroin into local orphanages, and floods the ghetto with adulterated malt liquor, Black Dynamite is the one hero willing to fight all the way from the blood-soaked city streets to the hallowed halls of the Honky House." You owe it to yourself to see an amazing return to blaxploitation.
JBO: Joystiq Box Office, October 5 - October 9
by Kevin Kelly { Oct 9th 2009 at 9:30PM }
We can't be gaming all the time, despite our best efforts, and from time to time we'll actually take advantage of the movie-playing abilities on our gaming systems. JBO features our top picks for XBL, PSN, Netflix's Watch Instantly and Blu-ray each week.
Recommendation of the Week:
Anvil: The Story of Anvil (DVD: $24.98 MSRP, cheaper at most retailers)
Just for the record, I'm not a fan of heavy metal. It's just never been my thing. But this documentary about a band you've never heard of just came out on DVD, and it's one of the most moving, amazing movies I've seen in a long time. You'll laugh, cry, play some air drums or guitar, and ultimately be won over. Steve "Lips" Kudlow channels more emotion in this movie than most actors ever do in their lives, and you'll understand why he's kept this failed band going for 30 years. By day he works at a depressing school catering job, and in his spare time he and longtime childhood friend (and drummer) Robb Reiner rock as heavy metal band Anvil. The film chronicles their history, a failed European tour, and what life is like for the flipside of Metallica or Slayer. Highly recommended.
As usual, we'll see you at the popcorn st -- well, actually, we won't see you at all. But you catch our drift. Plus, be sure to tell us what you'll be watching, or what you've seen recently that bowled you over.
Recommendation of the Week:
Anvil: The Story of Anvil (DVD: $24.98 MSRP, cheaper at most retailers)Just for the record, I'm not a fan of heavy metal. It's just never been my thing. But this documentary about a band you've never heard of just came out on DVD, and it's one of the most moving, amazing movies I've seen in a long time. You'll laugh, cry, play some air drums or guitar, and ultimately be won over. Steve "Lips" Kudlow channels more emotion in this movie than most actors ever do in their lives, and you'll understand why he's kept this failed band going for 30 years. By day he works at a depressing school catering job, and in his spare time he and longtime childhood friend (and drummer) Robb Reiner rock as heavy metal band Anvil. The film chronicles their history, a failed European tour, and what life is like for the flipside of Metallica or Slayer. Highly recommended.
JBO: Joystiq Box Office, September 28 - October 2
by Kevin Kelly { Oct 2nd 2009 at 9:40PM }
We can't be gaming all the time, despite our best efforts, and from time to time we'll actually take advantage of the movie-playing abilities on our gaming systems. JBO features our top picks for XBL, PSN, Netflix's Watch Instantly and Blu-ray each week.
Recommendation of the Week:
Jim Henson Double Feature: Labyrinth and The Dark Crystal (PlayStation 3 - Blu-ray disc, $27.95 MSRP per movie, cheaper at most retailers)
Both of these classic Jim Henson movies have been released on DVD before, but this is their first time to Blu-ray, and the first time they've looked so good. Whether it's a magical world full of Skeksis, Gelflings and ultra-powerful crystals, or a magical world full of David Bowie, Bogs of Eternal Stenches and Jennifer Connelly (hubba hubba), the imagination that Jim Henson put into his movies was amazing, especially in a day and age before CGI. One interesting note is that when the Jim Henson Company sold the Muppets to Disney, they retained the rights to Labyrinth and The Dark Crystal, amongst other properties. They've been working on another Dark Crystal film, and I sure hope it comes to theaters one day.
As usual, we'll see you at the popcorn st -- well, actually, we won't see you at all. But you catch our drift. Plus, be sure to tell us what you'll be watching, or what you've seen recently that bowled you over.
Recommendation of the Week:
Jim Henson Double Feature: Labyrinth and The Dark Crystal (PlayStation 3 - Blu-ray disc, $27.95 MSRP per movie, cheaper at most retailers)Both of these classic Jim Henson movies have been released on DVD before, but this is their first time to Blu-ray, and the first time they've looked so good. Whether it's a magical world full of Skeksis, Gelflings and ultra-powerful crystals, or a magical world full of David Bowie, Bogs of Eternal Stenches and Jennifer Connelly (hubba hubba), the imagination that Jim Henson put into his movies was amazing, especially in a day and age before CGI. One interesting note is that when the Jim Henson Company sold the Muppets to Disney, they retained the rights to Labyrinth and The Dark Crystal, amongst other properties. They've been working on another Dark Crystal film, and I sure hope it comes to theaters one day.
Sony: PS3 disc drive errors not a firmware issue
by James Ransom-Wiley { Oct 1st 2009 at 11:52AM }
Eurogamer has reached Sony for comment, and the console manufacturer has disavowed responsibility for the apparent drive failure, declaring it "not an issue with the firmware." In other words, corresponding repair costs are currently placed squarely on the shoulders of the affected consumers.
We will continue to follow this story as it updates. Stay tuned.
PSP digital copies included with select Sony Pictures Blu-ray releases
by Randy Nelson { Sep 29th 2009 at 5:14PM }
Sony Pictures is trying something different -- and extremely PlayStation-centric -- with its upcoming movie releases on Blu-ray. Home Media Magazine reports that select titles from the label will include a digital copy of the film on the disc that can only be played on a PSP -- in fact, the only way to transfer the movie to a PSP will be via a PlayStation 3.
The first release to incorporate a PSP-only digital copy -- the utterly amazing American Godzilla -- storms streets on November 3. The Ugly Truth, which hits on Blu-ray the following Tuesday, will also feature a PSP version of the film, but will bundle a separate DVD-ROM containing a traditional digital copy that will work on a variety of devices.
It'll be interesting to see what (if any) effect this new strategy will have on PlayStation Store downloads of movies for PSP, especially if Sony Pictures ends up taking this route with most of its releases -- or even if other studios follow suit.
[Via Blu-ray.com]
The first release to incorporate a PSP-only digital copy -- the utterly amazing American Godzilla -- storms streets on November 3. The Ugly Truth, which hits on Blu-ray the following Tuesday, will also feature a PSP version of the film, but will bundle a separate DVD-ROM containing a traditional digital copy that will work on a variety of devices.
It'll be interesting to see what (if any) effect this new strategy will have on PlayStation Store downloads of movies for PSP, especially if Sony Pictures ends up taking this route with most of its releases -- or even if other studios follow suit.
[Via Blu-ray.com]
Star Trek Season 3 Blu-ray includes Star Trek Online bonus costume
by Griffin McElroy { Sep 28th 2009 at 3:42PM }
If the latter clothing choice sounds more in your wheelhouse, you'll be happy to know that a Starfleet Admiral outfit is being offered as a Star Trek Online bonus for purchasers of Star Trek: The Original Series Season 3 on Blu-ray, according to TVShowsOnDVD.com. Not only do you get sweet duds for your character when the game drops in early 2010, but the television episodes will allow you to brush up on other important pieces of Star Trek errata. For instance, you should never hug a Klingon -- or Vulcans, for that matter. In fact, just keep those deep space hugs to yourself, okay?
Gallery: Star Trek Online (7-30-09)
[Via Big Download]
JBO: Joystiq Box Office, September 22 - September 25
by Kevin Kelly { Sep 25th 2009 at 9:45PM }
We can't be gaming all the time, despite our best efforts, and from time to time we'll actually take advantage of the movie-playing abilities on our gaming systems. JBO features our top picks for XBL, PSN, Netflix's Watch Instantly and Blu-ray each week.
This week marks the start of Fantastic Fest at the Alamo Drafthouse in Austin, TX, where this writer will be embedded for the next week. It's a celebration of movies in the vein of geek: sci-fi, horror, anime, weird Asian cult movies and more. With that in mind, we're skewing this week's Joystiq Box Office towards the weird.
Recommendation of the Week:
Ong Bak 2 (Xbox Live Marketplace: 1200 ($15) HD, 800 ($10) SD to buy)
How do you train an orphan to survive? By kicking him into a murky pit full of alligators. If he can survive that, he'll have no problem with the rest of life. That's just the opening scene. The rest of the movie is full of martial arts action, including stunts involving herds of elephants. It's beautifully shot, full of action set in ancient Thailand and goes above and beyond your typical Hollywood fare. Directed, written and starring Tony Jaa, it confusingly has nothing to do with Ong Bak: Muy Thay Warrior. Too bad they didn't give it another name, but rest assured you don't need to see that movie to enjoy this one. In fact, only see that before this if you want to confuse yourself. It's a bit more expensive because it's exclusive online to the Xbox 360 and just hitting theaters as well.
Read for the full list on a system-by-system basis just after the break, where you'll also find a special trailer for Ong Bak 2 to help convince you that you need to give it a shot. As usual, we'll see you at the popcorn st -- well, actually, we won't see you at all. But you catch our drift. Plus, be sure to tell us what you'll be watching, or what you've seen recently that bowled you over.
This week marks the start of Fantastic Fest at the Alamo Drafthouse in Austin, TX, where this writer will be embedded for the next week. It's a celebration of movies in the vein of geek: sci-fi, horror, anime, weird Asian cult movies and more. With that in mind, we're skewing this week's Joystiq Box Office towards the weird.
Recommendation of the Week:
Ong Bak 2 (Xbox Live Marketplace: 1200 ($15) HD, 800 ($10) SD to buy)How do you train an orphan to survive? By kicking him into a murky pit full of alligators. If he can survive that, he'll have no problem with the rest of life. That's just the opening scene. The rest of the movie is full of martial arts action, including stunts involving herds of elephants. It's beautifully shot, full of action set in ancient Thailand and goes above and beyond your typical Hollywood fare. Directed, written and starring Tony Jaa, it confusingly has nothing to do with Ong Bak: Muy Thay Warrior. Too bad they didn't give it another name, but rest assured you don't need to see that movie to enjoy this one. In fact, only see that before this if you want to confuse yourself. It's a bit more expensive because it's exclusive online to the Xbox 360 and just hitting theaters as well.
JBO: Joystiq Box Office, September 7 - September 11
by Kevin Kelly { Sep 11th 2009 at 9:30PM }
We can't be gaming all the time, despite our best efforts, and from time to time we'll actually take advantage of the movie-playing abilities on our gaming systems. JBO features our top picks for XBL, PSN, Netflix's Watch Instantly and Blu-ray each week.
Recommendations of the Week:
Double Impact (Netflix Watch Instantly: Mac/PC or Xbox Live, subscription required: starts at $8.99 per month)
There's a flurry of chopsocky action newly available in the Blu-ray department just after the break, but we just had to show this Jean Claude Van Damme "classic" a little love. He plays twin brothers, separated at birth and reunited to kick some bad guy butt. One is raised in a life of entitlement, and the other lives on the underbelly of society, but when they're together ... it's pure early '90s movie cheese. The tagline along sums it up for you: "One packs a punch. One packs a piece. Together they deliver." But what exactly do they deliver? That question remains unanswered.
Read for the full list on a system-by-system basis just after the break. As usual, we'll see you at the popcorn st-- well, actually, we won't see you at all. But you catch our drift. Plus, be sure to tell us what you'll be watching, or what you've seen recently that bowled you over.
Recommendations of the Week:
Double Impact (Netflix Watch Instantly: Mac/PC or Xbox Live, subscription required: starts at $8.99 per month)There's a flurry of chopsocky action newly available in the Blu-ray department just after the break, but we just had to show this Jean Claude Van Damme "classic" a little love. He plays twin brothers, separated at birth and reunited to kick some bad guy butt. One is raised in a life of entitlement, and the other lives on the underbelly of society, but when they're together ... it's pure early '90s movie cheese. The tagline along sums it up for you: "One packs a punch. One packs a piece. Together they deliver." But what exactly do they deliver? That question remains unanswered.
Blu-ray God of War changes are minimal, doubles up on trophies
by Griffin McElroy { Sep 2nd 2009 at 11:45AM }
If you're put off by the lack of new features, perhaps your raging Trophy addiction will be cause enough to purchase the Blu-ray collection. Hight confirmed that the two games both contain their own unique sets of trophies, adding that there would "probably" be two prestigious Platinum trophies available for hardcore completionists. We shudder to imagine the amount of dismemberment required to obtain these merits. This is us shuddering.
