This week, we have a slew of new Blu-ray options. However, a lot of them probably look really familiar. Ghostbusters? Spider-Man? The Amazing Spider-Man??
Yes, a lot of these titles are old. And on the surface, some look the same as Blu-rays that you probably have collecting dust on the shelf. Still, we're giving this week's spotlight to Sony's new Mastered in 4K series. If you're an early adopter of 4K TV, you'll appreciate that the studio has remastered 10 classic titles for 4K viewers. Ok, maybe you won't appreciate Angels & Demons or Battle Los Angeles. However, you should be able to find something interesting in the studio's initial lot.
If you haven't made the move to 4K yet, there are plenty of other selections this week. We have Tom Hanks and Halle Berry morphing for the Wachowskis, an early collaboration for Bruce Campbell and Sam Raimi, and yet another incarnation for the Texas Chainsaw Massacre.
Did we miss one of your favorites for the week? Have something to say about one of this week's new releases? Sound off in the comments below. Otherwise, all of these titles are out as of May 14, 2013, except where noted. Enjoy!
Mastered in 4K
Back in January, Sony announced plans to release a slew of classic films for 4K TV viewers. Now the studio has actually delivered, unleashing a total of 10 titles under its Mastered in 4K series. Now, let's be clear about something: What you're getting here is not native 4K content. All of these discs will play on your existing Blu-ray player and you can watch them on your old HDTV. It's just that Sony has spruced up some of its existing Blu-ray releases. The initial offering includes Angels & Demons, Battle Los Angeles, Ghostbusters, Glory, The Karate Kid, The Other Guys, Taxi Driver, Total Recall, Spider-Man and The Amazing Spider-Man. Don't expect to get new extras or anything, but know that each of these selections has been remastered from 4K sources, so they will look nice on your brand-new Ultra-HD TV. [Sony]
Cloud Atlas
Throughout this movie, Tom Hanks and Halle Berry underwent quite a few transformations -- and logged a lot of hours in those makeup chairs. The two megastars teamed up with the Wachowskis (The Matrix) for this look at how someone's actions can impact the past, present and future. Did we get that right? It's sort of confusing!
The movie got mixed reviews and didn't exactly deliver big box-office numbers. However, Warner Bros. has put together a nice set, with a 2.40:1 image and a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track. There's also about 55 minutes' worth of featurettes that cover the stories, the actors and more. The 2-disc set also comes packing a standard-def DVD, the Digital Copy and the UltraViolet Digital Copy. [Warner Bros.]
Dexter: The Seventh Season
With the eighth and final season of Showtime's drama creeping up quickly, you should have plenty of time for a seventh season recap. This one is certainly worth repeat viewing, with Dexter (Michael C. Hall) taking on a new love and a new nemesis, all while his alter-ego is blowing up in his face. Also worth noting are the several smaller plotlines from the season, but you won't find any spoilers here. Just pick it up!
It may be a bit of a tough sell, given this set's absent extras. The one special feature here is an UltraViolet Digital Copy of the upcoming drama Ray Donovan. Of course, there's nothing to do with Dexter here. However, the 3-disc set does have a nice 1.78:1 image and a sharp Dolby TrueHD 5.1 track. [Lionsgate]
3:10 to Yuma: Criterion Edition
This film's 2007 remake got a Blu-ray way before this version. How did that happen? Maybe it had something to do with Russell Crowe and Christian Bale above the title. However, this is the original, with Van Heflin playing a rancher in search of outlaw Glenn Ford -- as well as the reward money associated with his capture. Also important to note is that this 1957 cowboy classic is based on a short story by Elmore Leonard, who has since had adaptations for Get Shorty, Jackie Brown and TV's Justified.
Criterion has treated this classic well, delivering the 1.85:1 aspect ratio and options for a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 mix or the LPCM Mono track. Otherwise, there's a short interview with Leonard, another with Peter Ford, and the trademark Criterion booklet. [Criterion]
Crimewave
Now that all of the Evil Dead movies are out on Blu-ray (except for the remake, which should be coming soon), it's the perfect time to revisit some of Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell's earlier efforts. Sandwiched in between the first two Evil Dead films is this wacky dark comedy about an innocent man framed for murder. It's also important to note that the script was written by the Coen Brothers one year after Blood Simple.
This movie isn't all that polished, but it does get a slight boost from Blu-ray, with a 1.78:1 image and a DTS-HD Master Audio Mono track. It may be worth picking up just for the solo Campbell commentary track, as well as a short highlighting the director's frequent collaborator. Otherwise, the 2-disc set has a little something on lead actor Reed Birney, a piece on Edward Pressman, and the standard-def DVD. [Shout Factory]
Frankie Go Boom
It's hard to imagine a film that's based on YouTube being a classic. Thankfully, this screwy comedy doesn't set its sights all that high. It does have Charlie Hunnam and Chris O'Dowd playing siblings, with Lizzy Caplan, Chris Noth and Ron Perlman filling out the lineup. Besides that cast, however, the film has little going for it and even fewer laughs.
It does have a nice 2.40:1 image though, as well as a decent DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track. There's also a short making-of featurette, deleted and alternate scenes, and a whole 60 seconds dedicated to a pig. [Universal]
Texas Chainsaw 3D
Just when you thought old Leatherface was ready to hang up his chainsaw and sickle, director John Luessenhop (Takers) pulls him out of retirement for yet another installment in this aging horror franchise. This time, our chainsaw-weilding superstar picks up where his 1974 escapades left off, dragging beauty Alexandra Daddario (sometimes literally) into his freakshow. Did you actually need more of a plot description than that?
Lionsgate has put the 3D and 2D versions of this slasher flick on one disc, but that shouldn't dim any of the splatter. The 2.40:1 is pretty sharp and the DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 track should have you sleeping with the lights on for at least a week. There's also a mind-numbing amount of extras, including a piece about the reboot, 6 minutes with Tobe Hooper, an alternate opening, and a slew of other shorts. It also has a whopping three commentary tracks. Seem important now? [Lionsgate]
A Glimpse Inside the Mind of Charles Swan III
This little-known flick is hard to ignore. On the surface, it seems like Charlie Sheen is playing himself again, since his Charles Swan III spends the better part of the film whirling through a trippy downward spiral. However, director Roman Coppola throws in quite the cast for this weird comedy, which includes Bill Murray, Jason Schwartzman, Patricia Arquette, Aubrey Plaza, Katheryn Winnick and Mary Elizabeth Winstead.
The single-disc release has a 1.85:1 image, a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track, and a pair of featurettes. Coppola also sits alone for the film's lone commentary track. [Lionsgate]
Spears & Munsil HD Benchmark: 2nd Edition
This one actually came out at the end of April, but it's absolutely worth mentioning. This is the disc to keep in your arsenal, whether you're a beginner or advanced AV geek. As long as you're interested in setting up your system properly, you're going to want to fork over the $29.97. It has a ton of audio tests and motion patterns to evaluate 120Hz and 240Hz interpolation modes. And if you have the first version, you'll want to hang onto that. However, this latest edition adds in goodies for 3D stereoscopic calibration, as well as evaluation patterns. Enjoy! [Spears & Munsil]
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