This week, Bond is coming back to Blu-ray. Oh boy, did we miss him.
It's been four years, but our hero is back with a vengeance this week, with Skyfall. This is the 23rd James Bond film and Daniel Craig's third. It's also one of the franchise's best, with Javier Bardem playing the bad guy. Our own Ian White got to take a peek at this brand-new release, giving it our BIGGIE award and calling the film "remarkably complex and nuanced for a Bond film and a terrific ride."
Otherwise, this is the week that Bully finally comes to Blu-ray and we see why Helen Hunt has scored her second Oscar nomination. Also, two Showtime series get new releases (with one getting a swansong) and we find out all of The Perks of Being a Wallflower.
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 February 12, 2013, except where noted. Enjoy!
Skyfall
James Bond is back this week -- and boy, have we missed him. This is Bond's 23rd theatrical adventure and Daniel Craig's third. It's also one of the franchise's best received films, with M (Judi Dench) getting a much larger presence and Bond's newest assignment getting a deadly twist. Ralph Fiennes returns, Javier Bardem plays the bad guy, and Naomie Harris gets immortalized as the latest Bond girl.
As the best thing MGM has going on, this is the type of Blu-ray they handle with kid gloves. Expect to see a stellar 2.40:1 image and a matching DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track. There's also a nice collection of extras, including two commentary tracks, promotional spots and a trailer, a glimpse at the premiere, and a 1-hour look at the production. It's a 2-disc set, with a standard-def DVD of the movie, as well as the UltraViolet Digital Copy. [MGM]
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Stephen Chbosky brings his own book to the big screen -- and this week, the small(er) screen. The story follows freshman Charlie (Logan Lerman), who breaks out of his shell with the help of Sam (Emma Watson) and Patrick (Ezra Miller). The indie film went on to be a sleeper hit and has an exceptional supporting cast, including Mae Whitman, Johnny Simmons, Nina Dobrev, Kate Walsh, Dylan McDermott, Joan Cusack, and Paul Rudd.
It's a small film with a decent release, which includes a 1.78:1 image, a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track, a standard-def DVD and an UltraViolet Digital Copy. The 2-disc set also has Chbosky doing a solo commentary track, as well as one with the principal cast. Otherwise, there are two short featurettes and about 23 minutes of deleted scenes. [Lionsgate]
The Sessions
After a few years of questionable choices, Helen Hunt has gotten her groove back, as well as her second Oscar nomination. She stars in this indie as Cheryl, a sex surrogate trying to help paralyzed poet Mark O'Brien (John Hawkes) lose his virginity.
Fox has given the single-disc release a 1.85:1 image, a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track, and an UltraViolet Digital Copy. There are also deleted scenes and shorts on Hawkes and Hunt, the real-life inspiration, the writer/director, and the cast. [Fox]
The Man with the Iron Fists
Hip-hop mogul Rza may be best known as the leader of the Wu-Tang Clan. Here, he makes like Quentin Tarantino (who serves as a producer) with this Kill Bill-style adventure. The story of a hired gun in search of stolen gold includes a lot of kung fu and a hip-hop soundtrack. It's also got Rza himself starring alongside Russell Crowe, Lucy Liu, and Jamie Chung.
This release has a pretty sharp 2.40:1 transfer and a fun DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track. The extras, on the other hand, aren't as "badass" as the movie claims to be. It's got an unrated version of the film, deleted scenes, a 2-minute promo, and 5 minutes of "On the Set with RZA." The 2-disc set also includes a standard-def DVD, a Digital Copy and the UltraViolet Digital Copy. [Universal]
Bully
The controversial, thought provoking 2011 documentary finally comes to Blu-ray, which may get it the larger audience it deserves. It only ran in a limited number of theaters, but managed to create a lot of buzz and a lot of dialogue, displaying the effect of school bullying on five different families.
This isn't exactly the type of film that cries out for HD, but it does include a 1.78:1 image, a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track, and a standard-def DVD. It also has a stellar number of extras, which includes an edited version of the film for younger audiences, deleted scenes, various shorts on the film's subjects and The Bully Project, and much more.
Nurse Jackie: Season Four
Fans of Showtime's original programming will be happy to see our final two releases for the week. The first has Edie Falco back for another season as the pill-popping Nurse Jackie. However, this season, instead of a monkey on her back, she has a new hospital administrator (played by Boardwalk Empire's Bobby Cannavale).
The 2-disc set has a 1.78:1 image, a DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 track, and commentary on a mere three episodes. Otherwise, there's a gag reel, a short on the cast and how they feel about Falco, and a featurette about having Cannavale and his son Jake guest-star this season. [Lionsgate]
Weeds: The Final Season
After eight seasons, Weeds goes up in smoke with these final 13 episodes. Mary-Louise Parker returns for one more round as everyone's favorite pot-dealing, scantily clad, suburban mom. Well, not everyone's favorite. There are plenty of family members and a few outsiders still holding some grudges.
The Season Eight Blu-ray goes out on a high note, with a 1.78:1 image and a DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 track. The 2-disc set also has deleted scenes, a gag reel, three episode audio commentaries with the cast and crew, 6 minutes of "Everyday Advice From Guru Doug," a short about medical marijuana, and a roundtable with show creator Jenji Kohan and producers Roberto Benabib and Matthew Salsberg. [Lionsgate]
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