Trying a slightly different format here, as I come back from a much-longer-than-intended hiatus from this column. I’m sorry about that. Apparently getting married takes up some significant time. Who knew? Anyway. I’m also moving the bulk of this post over to Row Three, with just highlights here. So click here to read the full post, though I will warn you, in the interest of time, I’ve had to cut down the amount of obscure films I include as well as some of the links.

New Release Pick of the Week

Take Shelter
A man starts having premonitions, vision, and dreams of an impending storm and begins going to great lengths to prepare for what he senses is coming. His family is already fragile; will they be able to withstand what his paranoia does to them, or is he perhaps right in his fears? A striking central performance from Michael Shannon grounds this film, both a devastating depiction of depression and a legitimately intense impending doom film. An impressive second film from Jeff Nichols, with yet another solid turn from Chastain.
2011 USA. Director: Jeff Nichols. Starring: Michael Shannon, Jessica Chastain.

Catalog Pick of the Week

All Quiet on the Western Front Collector’s Series
One of the greatest anti-war films ever made, and only showing its age a little bit around the edges. The story of an idealistic German schoolboy who enthusiastically joins the army (along with his classmates) at the beginning of WWI discovers that war is not glory, it’s hell. This collector’s edition includes a brand-new restoration of the film on both DVD and Blu-ray and a 40-page hardcover book with reproductions of rare memorabilia, posters, promo materials, and stills. Special features also include an introduction by Robert Osborne, a rare silent version presented by Library of Congress, and two Universal featurettes.
1930 USA. Director: Lewis Milestone. Starring: Lew Ayres, Louis Wolheim.

Netflix Instant Catchup

On Row Three, I’ve included highlights from the past several weeks, since DVD Triage went on hiatus. Here’s just the top two rows of those. Lots of good stuff.

A bunch of summer release movies out this week that I…didn’t see. Seriously, I haven’t seen any of the new releases this week. Except the Dragon Tattoo films, and those are extended from the versions I saw. So there’s a lot of “I’m hoping to see this sometime…” in this post. Thankfully, I HAVE seen the two Criterion releases and I can recommend them wholeheartedly, and there are also some very excellent choices coming on Instant Watch, including all the James Bond films. Again.

New Release Picks of the Week

The Help
This seemingly innocuous little film about domestic race relations in the 1950s gathered a fair bit of critical controversy over the summer, but audiences generally loved it. I’m curious to check out the hullabaloo myself.
2011 USA. Director: Tate Taylor. Starring: Emma Stone, Viola Davis, Bryce Dallas Howard, Jessica Chastain.
Amazon DVD | Amazon Blu-ray | Netflix

Cowboys & Aliens
Across the board negative reviews or not, I can’t shake my interest in checking this out, at the very least to see how bad a trainwreck it is. Are we talking Wild Wild West level horrific here?
2011 USA. Director: Jon Favreau. Starring: Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford.
Amazon DVD | Amazon Blu-ray | Netflix

The Debt
The second film out this week with Jessica Chastain, who was in eleventy billion movies this year, a flashback structured spy film that got a mixed reaction, but I’m still down to give it a shot.
2010 USA. Director: John Madden. Starring: Sam Worthington, Helen Mirren, Jessica Chastain.
Amazon DVD | Amazon Blu-ray | Netflix

Dragon Tattoo Trilogy: Extended Edition
Now this sounds interesting. The second and third Dragon Tattoo films were apparently chopped down for theatrical release here, and these are the full versions that were on Swedish TV – 30-50 minutes longer. Here the whole trilogy is split into six segments, like a miniseries. Curious if this improves parts 2 and 3.
2009 Sweden. Director: Niels Arden Oplev, et al. Starring: Noomi Rapace, Michael Nyqvist.
Amazon DVD | Amazon Blu-ray

OTHER NEW RELEASES
The Hangover Part II (2011 USA, dir Todd Phillips, stars Bradley Cooper, Zach Galifianakis; Blu-ray/Netflix)
Mr. Popper’s Penguins (2011 USA, dir Mark Waters, stars Jim Carrey, Carla Gugino; Blu-ray/Netflix)
Point Blank (2011 France, dir Fred Cavayé, stars Gilles Lellouche, Roschdy Zem; Blu-ray/Netflix)
A Christmas Wedding Tail (2011 USA, dir Michael Feifer, stars Jennie Garth, Brad Rowe; Netflix)
A Christmas Wish (2010 USA, dir Craig Clyde, stars Edward Herrmann, Kristy Swanson)
The Love We Make (2011 USA, dir Albert Maysles, stars Paul McCartney; Blu-ray/Netflix)

Classic Picks of the Week

Design for Living
One of Ernst Lubitsch’s best films, a late pre-Code about a love triangle that the participants try to resolve by simply all living together as “friends.” A bit scandalous for the time, carried off with wit, sophistication, and a bit of naughtiness by the sparkling cast.
1933 USA. Director: Ernst Lubitsch. Starring: Fredric March, Gary Cooper, Miriam Hopkins.
Amazon DVD | Amazon Blu-ray | Netflix

Histoire(s) du Cinema
Jean-Luc Godard’s extended documentary about the history of cinema – something I’ve wanted to get my hands on for a long time. I’m sure it will be just as biased and idiosyncratic as the rest of his work, which for me will probably increase my enjoyment of it. :)
1997-2004 France. Director: Jean-Luc Godard.
Amazon DVD | Netflix

OTHER CLASSIC RELEASES
The Falcon Mystery Movie Collection Vol. 1 (1943 USA, dir Irving Reis, et al, stars George Sanders)
Reach for the Sky (1956 USA, dir Lewis Gilbert, stars Kenneth More, Muriel Pavlow; Netflix)

Blu-ray Picks of the Week

The Lady Vanishes Criterion
One of Hitchcock’s finest British films (pretty near the top of all his films, to be honest) gets the Blu-ray upgrade treatment. It’s been too long since I’ve seen it; this is definitely a tempting release.
1938 UK. Director: Alfred Hitchcock. Starring: Margaret Lockwood, Michael Redgrave, Paul Lukas.
Amazon Blu-ray | Netflix

OTHER BLU-RAY RELEASES
Tora! Tora! Tora! (1970 USA, dir Richard Fleischer, et al, stars Jason Robards, Joseph Cotten; Netflix)

Click here to read on!

This week I can blame at least part of the lateness of this post on the windstorm and subsequent power outage that hit my area last night just as I was sitting down to finish it up. Ah, well. There are a WHOLE BUNCH of new releases this week, both crappy and solid, mainstream theatrical releases and indie/festival hits. But there’s not much of anything else, even on Instant Watch. The studios must be cranking out their recent releases in preparation for the holiday season.

New Release Picks of the Week

Tucker and Dale vs. Evil
I’m so pleased that this film got theatrical and DVD distribution; it’s one of the most enjoyable horror/comedy hybrids in recent years. A pair of well-meaning rednecks on vacation at their cabin in the woods get mistaken for backwoods murderers by a group of college kids. Some easy laughs, but overall clever and fun.
2011 USA. Director: Eli Craig. Starring: Tyler Labine, Alan Tudyk.
Amazon DVD | Amazon Blu-ray | Netflix

Cave of Forgotten Dreams
My vote for best 3D film still falls to Herzog’s exploration of the Chauvet Caves, which should also be fascinating without the 3D. Herzog goes on some intriguing philosophical tangents, but by and large lets the ancient and beautiful cave paintings speak for themselves. Also on Instant Watch.
2010 USA/Germany. Director: Werner Herzog.
Amazon DVD | Amazon Blu-ray | Netflix

The Future
Hard to believe this is only Miranda July’s second feature, but it’s a very strong one, with a couple’s relationship faltering because of their sudden awareness of their own mortality. Sounds heady, and it is, but it’s also very human, dark, and memorable.
2011 USA. Director: Miranda July. Starring: Miranda July, Hamish Linklater.
Amazon DVD | Netflix

Another Earth
I didn’t care for this sort of sci-fi existential crisis film as much as most people did, but I think I do owe it a rewatch – there were lots of elements I liked, I just found the tone and pacing offputting. But I’m in the minority.
2011 USA. Director: Mike Cahill. Starring: Brit Marling, William Mapother.
Amazon DVD/Blu-ray | Netflix

One Day
Reviews for this were not as strong as I’d hoped and I skipped it in theatres, but I’m still interested in checking it out on the strength of the cast and Scherfig’s previous work (An Education).
2011 USA/UK. Director: Lone Scherfig. Starring: Anne Hathaway, Jim Sturgess.
Amazon DVD | Amazon Blu-ray | Netflix

Sorry for running a little late this week. I hope those of you in the US had a good food coma day yesterday; I certainly did! There are some great releases out in theatres this week, but there’s a few things to keep you busy at home, too, both new releases and classics, plus a solid chunk of new (or renewed) Instant Watches.

New Release Picks of the Week

Super 8
J.J. Abrams’ nostalgia love letter to 1980s Amblin Entertainment loses itself a bit in the last act to unnecessary bombast, but still remains one of the more enjoyable films of the year.
2011 USA. Director: J.J. Abrams. Starring: Joel Courtney, Elle Fanning, Kyle Chandler.
Amazon DVD | Amazon Blu-ray | Netflix

The Devil’s Double
Worth seeing for Dominic Cooper’s excellent double role as Saddam Hussein’s psychopathic son and the man who unwillingly becomes his body double.
2011 USA. Director: Lee Tamahori. Starring: Dominic Cooper, Ludivine Sagnier.
Amazon DVD | Amazon Blu-ray | Netflix

OTHER NEW RELEASES
Conan the Barbarian (2011 USA, dir Marcus Nispel, stars Jason Momoa, Ron Perlman; Blu/Netflix)
Sarah’s Key (2011 France, dir Gilles Paquet-Brenner, stars Kristin Scott Thomas; Blu-ray/Netflix)
Spy Kids 4: All the Time in the World (2011 USA, dir Robert Rodriguez, stars Jessica Alba; Blu-ray/Netflix)
Carjacked (2011 USA, dir John Bonito, stars Maria Bello, Stephen Dorff; Blu-ray/Netflix)
The Green (2011 USA, dir Steven Williford, stars Cheyenne Jackson, Jason Butler Harner; Netflix)
Helldriver (2010 Japan, dir Yoshihiro Nishimura, stars Minoru Torihada, Eihi Shiina; Blu-ray/Netflix)
Ice Age: A Mammoth Christmas Special (2011 USA, stars Ciara Bravo, Queen Latifah; Blu-ray)
Love Begins (2011 USA, dir David S. Cass Sr, stars Wes Brown, Julie Mond; Netflix)
A Madea Christmas: The Play (2011 USA, dir Tyler Perry, stars Tyler Perry, Tony Grant; Blu-ray/Netflix)
Making the Boys (2011 USA, dir Crayton Robey, stars Edward Albee, Candis Cayne; Netflix)
Nova: Fabric of the Cosmos (2011 USA, dir Paula S. Aspell, stars Brian Greene; Blu-ray)

Classic Picks of the Week

12 Angry Men
One of late director Sidney Lumet’s greatest films, with Henry Fonda leading a group of jurors from a facile “guilty” declaration through a more thorough and less prejudicial line of reasoning.
1957 USA. Director: Sidney Lumet. Starring: Henry Fonda, Ed Begley, Lee J. Cobb.
Amazon DVD | Amazon Blu-ray | Netflix

Since I missed last week’s DVD Triage post because of AFI Fest, I went ahead and lumped some of last week’s bigger releases, both DVD/Blu and Instant Watch, into this post. So if you see some of them and go “hey, that came out LAST week!”, you’re right. It did. In the interest of time I skipped a lot of direct-to-DVD stuff or Instant Watches I hadn’t heard of. I also skipped a bunch of possibly intriguing Warner Archive releases – they released a whole bunch last week, including a lot of lesser-known Bette Davis films. Anyway, there’s a good variety of stuff hitting shelves and streams either last week or this – let me know what you’re planning to pick up!

New Release Picks of the Week

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2
One of the biggest and most successful fantasy franchises in recent memory comes to a close with this film, which was a fitting ending for a series I’ve loved very much both in book and film form. It doesn’t give any quarter to newbies, though, so don’t jump into it if you haven’t seen the other films or read the books.
2011 UK/USA. Director: David Yates. Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson.
Amazon DVD | Amazon Blu-ray (movie only) | Amazon Blu-ray (2-disc) | Netflix

Great Directors
Angela Ismailos interviews some of her filmmaking idols about their careers and filmmaking philosophies. It’s an eclectic group of directors, and it’s fascinating to hear their thoughts juxtaposed together. Also on Instant Watch.
2011 USA. Director: Angela Ismailos. Starring: Angela Ismailos, Bernardo Bertolucci, Catherine Breillat, Liliana Cavani, Stephen Frears, Todd Haynes, Richard Linklater, Ken Loach, David Lynch, John Sayles, Agnes Varda.
Amazon DVD | Netflix

OTHER NEW RELEASES
Beginners (2011 USA, dir Mike Mills, stars Ewan McGregor, Christopher Plummer; Blu-ray/Netflix)
Bellflower (2011 USA, dir Evan Glodell, stars Evan Glodell, Tyler Dawson; Blu-ray/Netflix)
The Change-Up (2011 USA, dir David Dobkin, stars Ryan Reynolds, Olivia Wilde; Blu-ray/Netflix)
Larry Crowne (2011 USA, dir Tom Hanks, stars Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts; Blu-ray/Netflix)
Putty Hill (2010 USA, dir Matt Porterfield, stars Sky Ferreira; Netflix)

Classic Picks of the Week

The Three Colors Trilogy
Film fans have been waiting for Criterion to release this for a very long time, and the wait is finally over! Kieslowski’s interpretation of the French motto “liberty, equality, fraternity” becomes a wonderful set of thematically related films.
1993-1994 France. Director: Krzysztof Kieslowski. Starring: Juliette Binoche, Julie Delpy, Irene Jacob.
Amazon DVD | Amazon Blu-ray | Netflix: Blue / White / Red

The Lion King
After a very successful theatrical rerelease (and accompanying 3D conversion), one of Disney’s best contemporary films comes to DVD again and Blu-ray for the first time. Definitely one for the collection if you don’t already have it.
1994 USA. Director: Rob Minkoff & Roger Allers. Starring: Matthew Broderick, James Earl Jones, Jeremy Irons.
Amazon DVD | Amazon Blu-ray | Netflix

Jean Harlow Collection
A rare box set from the Warner Archive collection, with seven of Jean Harlow’s most notable MGM-era films, from Bombshell to her final film Saratoga, completed after her death in 1937. Other films include The Girl from Missouri, Personal Property, Reckless, Riffraff, and Suzy.
1933-1937 USA. Director: various. Starring: Jean Harlow.
Amazon DVD

The Rules of the Game Criterion
This Renoir film routinely makes critical best lists, hitting the top of the prestigious Sight & Sound list quite often. I need a rewatch on it personally, since I didn’t get much out of it as a green teenager, and with a Criterion blu-ray upgrade, it’s getting more tempting all the time.
1939 France. Director: Jean Renoir. Starring: Marcel Dalio, Nora Gregor, Paulette Dubost.
Amazon DVD | Amazon Blu-ray | Netflix

OTHER CLASSIC/OLDER RELEASES
7 Faces of Dr. Lao (1964 USA, dir George Pal, stars Tony Randall, Barbara Eden; Netflix)
Fanny and Alexander: Criterion Collection (1983 Sweden, dir Ingmar Bergman, stars Borje Ahlstedt, Allan Edwall; Blu-ray/Netflix)
Fashions of 1934 (1934 USA, dir William Dieterle, stars William Powell, Bette Davis)
Juarez (1939 USA, dir William Dieterle, stars Bette Davis, Paul Muni)
The Legend of Lylah Clare (1968 USA, dir Robert Aldrich, stars Kim Novak, Peter Finch)
Metropolis: Moroder Edition (1927/1984 Germany, dir Fritz Lang, stars Brigitte Helm; Blu-ray/Netflix)
Tom Thumb (1958 USA, dir George Pal, stars Bernard Miles, George Pal)

Not a bad week this week, though many of the films fall under curiosity rather than enthusiasm for me, but still. Can’t complain too much about that. With Halloween gone, it’s apparently time to start dumping Christmas direct-to-DVD movies, but we’re also seeing some blu-ray upgrades for GOOD Christmas films, so that’s nice to see. Also note three of TCM’s 4-movie collections, this week focusing on three of classic film’s most memorable couples. There are a good many decent new films on Instant as well, and not too many expirations to look out for, so I call that a good week on the streaming front.

New Release Picks of the Week

Tabloid
I’m not that big a documentary person, but everything I’ve heard about this film just makes it sound incredibly fun, and I’ll definitely get on board entertaining documentaries.
2010 USA. Director: Errol Morris. Starring: Joyce McKinney, Kent Gavin.
Amazon DVD | Netflix

Cars 2
It’s Pixar…it can’t be THAT bad, right? Right? I actually did like the first Cars film quite a bit, but based on reviews, some from people who also liked the first film, this may be Pixar’s first misstep. Still tempted to give it a look, though.
2011 USA. Director: John Lasseter, Brad Lewis. Starring: Owen Wilson, Larry the Cable Guy, Michael Caine, Emily Mortimer, Eddie Izzard, John Turturro.
Amazon DVD | Amazon Blu-ray | Netflix

Crazy, Stupid, Love
This is an incredibly winning cast, and even though I’m usually not into glossy romantic drama/comedy, I’m curious to check this out based on unexpectedly positive reviews.
2011 USA. Director: Glenn Ficarra, John Requa. Starring: Steve Carrell, Julianne Moore, Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone, Marisa Tomei, Kevin Bacon.
Amazon DVD | Amazon Blu-ray | Netflix

Click here to read on!

It seems that distributors have decided to atone for not releasing much interesting last week by releasing a boatload of interesting stuff this week. Seriously, fellas, spread it out a little! I’d like to enjoy putting this column together EVERY week, not just sporadically. But this week could definitely drive me broke if I let it, both with solid new releases and tempting catalog titles.

New Release Picks of the Week

Winnie the Pooh
Still one of my favorite movies of the year so far, a simple and perfect throwback to Disney’s classic Winnie the Pooh cartoons, with a wonderful balance of cleverness and whimsy.
2011 USA. Director: Don Hall, Stephen J. Anderson. Starring: Jim Cummings, Craig Ferguson.
Amazon DVD | Amazon Blu-ray | Netflix

Attack the Block
I was afraid this little British genre film couldn’t live up to the incredible hype it’s been getting from the geek bloggers, but it certainly did – great creature design and solid plotting all built around some really strong character arcs. Everything I want in a genre film.
2011 UK. Director: Joe Cornish. Starring: John Boyega, Jodie Whittaker, Nick Frost.
Amazon DVD | Amazon Blu-ray | Netflix

Captain America: The First Avenger
Comic book movies don’t always do a whole lot for me, though I often find them nice throwaway entertainment. I really liked Captain America. Like, a lot. It’s a solid adventure film, comic book tie-in or not.
2011 USA. Director: Joe Johnston. Starring: Chris Evans, Hugo Weaving.
Amazon DVD | Amazon Blu-ray | Netflix

OTHER NEW RELEASES
City of Life and Death (2011 China, dir Chuan Lu, stars Hideo Nakaizumi, Ye Liu; Blu-ray/Netflix)
The Countess (2009 France, dir Julie Delpy, stars William Hurt, Julie Delpy; Netflix)
Father of Invention (2010 USA, dir Trent Cooper, stars Kevin Spacey, Camilla Belle; Blu-ray/Netflix)
Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale (2010 Finland, dir Jalmari Helander, stars Jorma Tommila; Blu-ray/Netflix)
A Serbian Film (2010 Serbia, dir Srdjan Spasojevic, stars Srdjan Todorovic, Sergej Trifunovic; Blu-ray)
Shaolin (2011 Hong Kong, dir Benny Chan, ,stars Andy Lau, Jackie Chan; Blu-ray/Netflix)
Faces in the Crowd (2011 USA, dir Julien Magnat, stars Milla Jovovich, Julian McMahon; Blu-ray/Netflix)
A Little Help (2010 USA, dir Michael J. Weithron, stars Jenna Fischer, Chris O’Donnell; Blu-ray/Netflix)
The People vs. George Lucas (2010 USA, dir Alexandre O. Philippe, stars John Barger; Netflix)
Wrong Turn 4: Bloody Beginnings (2011 USA, dir Declan O’Brien, stars Terra Vnesa; Blu-ray/Netflix)

Classic Picks of the Week

Island of Lost Souls Criterion
I haven’t seen this early version of the Island of Dr. Moreau story, with its mad doctor experimenting on animals and men, but the more I read about it, the more I’m dying to. Check out Criterion’s Three Reasons for yourself.
1932 USA. Director: Erle C. Kenton. Starring: Charles Laughton, Richard Arlen.
Amazon DVD | Amazon Blu-ray | Netflix

Laurel & Hardy: The Essential Collection
Based on my brief perusal of the reviews of this set, sounds like it’s a really solid one, containing most of Laurel & Hardy’s best shorts from throughout the 1930s.
1929-1940 USA. Director: various. Starring: Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy.
Amazon DVD

Tom & Jerry Golden Collection: Volume One
Tom and Jerry aren’t quite as high in my cartoon echelon as Looney Tunes, but there are some mighty solid entries in the series, and looks like MGM is doing right by them in this set, hopefully the first of several.
1940s-1950s USA. Director: various. Starring: Lillian Randolph.
DVD | Blu-ray

OTHER CLASSIC RELEASES
Identification of a Woman (1982 Italy, dir Michaelangelo Antonioni, stars Tomas Milian, Daniela Silverio; Blu/Netflix)

There are a bunch of big-name releases this week, from Bad Teacher to Pirates of the Caribbean 4 to Red State, but I can’t manage to work up much enthusiasm for any of them. In the interest of transmitting information, I’m adding a section of major releases that I haven’t seen, probably won’t see, and have nothing to say about (I will link whatever Row Three reviews are relevant, though). The New York Times doc, though, seems intriguing. So I’ll feature that. A handful of notable stuff coming onto Instant, but November 1 sees a bunch of expirations, especially a TON of classic silents. Looks like Netflix’s deal with Kino has perhaps ended, which is a shame if they don’t renew it by the end of the month – Kino is fast becoming Criterion-level quality when it comes to silent cinema.

New Release Pick of the Week

Page One: Inside the New York Times
I wanted to see this documentary focusing the inner workings of the NYTimes as a kind of microcosm of the (dying) print newspaper business in general, but timing didn’t work out properly. I didn’t hear a lot about it, and some of that was mixed, but I’m still quite curious.
2011 USA, dir Andrew Rossi, stars David Carr, Bruce Headlam.
Amazon DVD | Amazon Blu-ray | Netflix

Major New Releases Presented Without Comment

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
Matt Brown’s review. Cinecast.
2011 USA. Director: Rob Marshall. Starring: Johnny Depp, Penelope Cruz, Geoffrey Rush.
Amazon DVD | Amazon Blu-ray | Netflix

Bad Teacher
Cinecast.
2011 USA. Director: Jake Kasdan. Starring: Cameron Diaz, Justin Timberlake, Jason Segel.
Amazon DVD | Amazon Blu-ray | Netflix

Red State
Kurt’s print review. Kurt’s video review. Cinecast.
2011 USA. Director: Kevin Smith. Starring: Michael Angarano, Michael Parks, Melissa Leo, John Goodman.
Amazon DVD | Amazon Blu-ray | Netflix

Monte Carlo
2011 USA. Director: Thomas Bezucha. Starring: Selena Gomez, Leighton Meester.
Amazon DVD | Blu-ray | Netflix

OTHER NEW RELEASES
A Better Life (2011 USA, dir Chris Weitz, stars Demián Bechir, José Julián; Blu-ray/Netflix)
The Last Circus (2011 Spain, dir Alex de la Iglesia, stars Carlos Areces; Blu-ray/Netflix)
Batman: Year One (2011 USA, stars Benjamin McKenzie, Bryan Cranston; Blu-ray/Netflix)
Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels of a Tribe Called Quest (2011 USA, dir Michael Rapaport, stars A Tribe Called Quest; Blu-ray/Netflix)
The Captains: A Film by William Shatner (2011 USA, dir William Shatner, stars Patrick Stewart; Netflix)

Classic Pick of the Week

Kuroneko: Criterion Collection
I am woefully lacking when it comes to Japanese horror cinema, but judging from Bob’s recent review, this is definitely one to seek out. I usually trust Criterion’s picks anyway, but this b&w ghost story just moved up my to-see list.
1968 Japan. Director: Kaneto Shindo. Starring: Kichiemon Nakamura, Nobuko Otowa.
Amazon DVDAmazon Blu-ray | Netflix

Blu-Ray Pick of the Week

Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory: 40th Anniversary
The film is also being re-released on DVD this week, I believe, but this Ultimate Collector’s edition looks pretty cool. Three discs (Blu-ray, DVD, and a disc of interviews and featurettes), plus a behind-the-scenes book, production correspondence, and various other doodads. I’m not a giant fan of the movie, but for those who are, looks like a nice upgrade.
1971 USA. Director: Mel Stuart. Starring: Gene Wilder, Jack Albertson.
Amazon Blu-ray/DVD Combo

OTHER BLU-RAY RELEASES
Cape Fear (1991 USA, dir Martin Scorsese, stars Robert De Niro, Jessica Lange)
The Crow (1994 USA, dir Alex Proyas, stars Brandon Lee, Michael Wincott)
Darkness Falls (2003 USA, dir Jonathan Liebesman, stars Chaney Kley, Emma Caulfield)
The Goonies (1985 USA, dir Richard Donner, stars Josh Brolin, Sean Astin)
The Guns of Navarone (1961 USA, dir Alexander Mackendrick, J. Lee Thompson, stars Gregory Peck)
Under Suspicion (1991 USA, dir Simon Moore, stars Liam Neeson, Laura San Giacomo)

Television Releases

Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Season 3 (2010 USA, creator George Lucas, stars Matt Lanter; Blu/Netflix)
V: Season 2 (2010 USA, creator Kenneth Johnson, stars Elizabeth Mitchell; Blu-ray/Netflix)

Instant Watch Picks of the Week

The Trip
One of last year’s most enjoyable comedies, with Coogan and Brydon riffing off their real-life personas on a restaurant tour of England. Enough serious moments to lend it weight, but mostly just a nice time with these two guys.
2010 UK. Director: Michael Winterbottom. Starring: Steve Coogan, Rob Brydon.

Nikita: Season 1
Admittedly I stopped watching Nikita early on, but I enjoyed it well enough for an actiony update to the original series, and I heard it improved as the season went on.
2010 USA. Creator: Craig Silverstein. Starring: Maggie Q, Lyndsy Fonseca.

Paranormal Activity 2
Having just watched the first Paranormal Activity a few days ago, I’m not sure I liked it enough to go straight on to PA2, but it’s still nice to have it available, especially with PA3 out in theatres now.
2010 USA. Director: Tod Williams. Starring: Brian Boland, Molly Ephraim.

The Ward
John Carpenter’s newest horror film garnered fairly negative reviews, but on Instant, it might be worth a look.
2011 USA. Director: John Carpenter. Starring: Amber Heard, Danielle Panabaker.

A Town Called Panic
This has been on Instant before, and I usually refrain from featuring the same movies over and over due to the whims of Netflix’s deal-making, but I get such joy from this movie that I have to mention it again. If you like absurdity, stop-motion animation, and deer getting pelted by giant snowballs, look no further.
2009 Belgium. Director: Vincent Patar. Starring: Bruce Ellison, Vincent Patar.

OTHER INSTANT WATCHES
Being Human (2008-2011 UK, creator Toby Whithouse, stars Russell Tovey, Lenora Crichlow)
Boccaccio ’70 (1962 Italy, dir Fellini, De Sica, etc., stars Sophia Loren)
Casino Jack (2010 USA, dir George Hickenlooper. Starring: Kevin Spacey, Barry Pepper)
Damages: Season 3 (2010 USA, creator Glenn & Todd Kessler, stars Glenn Close, Rose Byrne)
Gossip Girl (2007-2010 USA, creator Josh Schwartz, stars Blake Lively, Leighton Meester)
Kiss of Death (1995 USA, dir Barbet Schroeder, stars David Caruso, Nicolas Cage)
The Mask (1994 USA, dir Charles Russell, stars Jim Carrey, Cameron Diaz)
One Tree Hill (2003-2010 USA, creator Mark Schwahn, stars James Lafferty, Sophia Bush)
The Princess of Montpensier (2010 France, dir Bertrand Tavernier, stars Mélanie Thierry, Gaspard Ulliel)
Private Practice (2007-2010 USA, creator Shonda Rhimes, stars Kate Walsh, Tim Daly)
Septien (2011 USA, dir Michael Tully, stars Michael Tully, Robert Longstreet)
The Vampire Diaries (2009-2010 USA, creator Kevin Williamson, stars Nina Dobrev, Paul Wesley)

See all new and upcoming titles.

Instant Watch Expiring Picks

Audition (1999 Japan, dir Takashi Miike, stars Ryo Ishibashi, Elhi Shiina) [10/20]
Bad Boys (1983 USA, dir Rick Rosenthal, stars Sean Penn, Esai Morales) [10/24]
Batman: Under the Red Hood (2010 USA, dir Brandon Vietti, stars Jensen Ackles) [10/25]
K-9 (1989 USA, dir Rod Daniel, stars James Belushi, Kevin Tighe) [10/25]
Montana Belle (1952 USA, dir Allan Dwan, stars Jane Russell, George Brent) [10/25]
Point of No Return (1993 USA, dir John Badham, stars Bridget Fonda, Gabriel Byrne) [10/25]
Harry and the Hendersons (1987 USA, dir William Dear, stars John Lithgow, Melinda Dillon) [10/26]
Mo’ Better Blues (1990 USA, dir Spike Lee, stars Denzel Washington, Spike Lee) [10/26]
Someone Like You (2001 USA, dir Tony Goldwyn, stars Ashley Judd, Hugh Jackman) [10/27]
When in Rome (2010 USA, dir Mark Steven Johnson, stars Kristen Bell, Josh Duhamel) [10/27]
The Education of Charlie Banks (2007 USA, dir Fred Durst, stars Jesse Eisenberg, Jason Ritter) [10/28]
Going My Way (1944 USA, dir Leo McCarey, stars Bing Crosby, Barry Fitzgerald) [10/30]
Let’s Make Love (1960 USA, dir George Cukor, stars Yves Montand, Marilyn Monroe) [10/31]
8 Mile (2002 USA, dir Curtis Hanson, stars Eminem, Brittany Murphy) [11/1]
Aelita, Queen of Mars (1924 USSR, dir Yakov Protazanov, stars Yuliya Solntseva, Igor Ilyinsky) [11/1]
The Affairs of Anatol (1921 USA, dir Cecil B. DeMille, stars Wallace Reid, Gloria Swanson) [11/1]
Alexander Nevsky (1938 USSR, dir Sergei Eisenstein, stars Nikolai Cherkasov, Nikolai Okhlopkov) [11/1]
Assault on Precinct 13 (1976 USA, dir John Carpenter, stars Austin Stoker, Darwin Joston) [11/1]
Benny and Joon (1993 USA, dir Jeremiah S. Checkik, stars Johnny Depp, Mary Stuart Masterson) [11/1]
Berlin: Symphony of a Great City (1927 Germany, dir Walter Ruttmann) [11/1]
The Birth of a Nation (1915 USA, dir D.W. Griffith, stars Lillian Gish, Mae Marsh) [11/1]
Blackmail is My Life (1968 Japan, dir Kinji Fukasaku, stars Hiroki Matsukata, Tomomi Sato) [11/1]
Cabiria (1914 Italy, dir Giovanni Pastrone, stars Lidia Quararita, Gina Marangoni) [11/1]
The Cat and the Canary (1927 USA, dir Paul Leni, stars Forrest Stanley, Arthur Edmund Carew) [11/1]
Destiny (1921 Germany, dir Fritz Lang, stars Bernhard Goetzke, Lil Dagover) [11/1]
Dr. Mabuse: The Gambler (1922 Germany, dir Fritz Lang, stars Rudolf Klein-Rogge, Paul Richter) [11/1]
Earth (1930 USSR, dir Aleksandr Dovzhenko, stars Stepan Shkurat, Semyon Svashenko) [11/1]
For Whom the Bell Tolls (1943 USA, dir Sam Wood, stars Gary Cooper, Ingrid Bergman) [11/1]
The Glass Menagerie (1973 USA, dir Anthony Harvey, stars Katharine Hepburn, Joanna Miles) [11/1]
The Good German (2006 USA, dir Steven Soderbergh, stars George Clooney, Cate Blanchett) [11/1]
Henri Langlois: Phantom of the Cinematheque (2005 France, dir Jacques Richard) [11/1]
The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1923 USA, dir Wallace Worsley, stars Lon Chaney) [11/1]
Ivan the Terrible (1944 USSR, dir Sergei Eisenstein, stars Nikolai Cherkasov) [11/1]
Leaves from Satan’s Book (1921 Denmark, dir Carl Theodor Dreyer, stars Helge Nissen) [11/1]
Look Both Ways (2005 Australia, dir Sarah Watt, stars Justine Clarke, William McInnes) [11/1]
The Lost World (1925 USA, dir Harry O. Hoyt, stars Wallace Beery, Alma Bennett) [11/1]
The Mark of Zorro (1920 USA, dir Fred Niblo, stars Douglas Fairbanks, Robert McKim) [11/1]
Meet Joe Black (1998 USA, dir Martin Brest, stars Brad Pitt, Anthony Hopkins) [11/1]
My Cousin Vinny (1992 USA, dir Jonathan Lynn, stars Joe Pesci, Marisa Tomei) [11/1]
October (1927 USSR, dir Sergei Eisenstein) [11/1]
An Officer and a Gentlemen (1982 USA, dir Taylor Hackford, stars Richard Gere, Debra Winger) [11/1]
One Fine Day (1996 USA, dir Michael Hoffman, stars George Clooney, Michelle Pfeiffer) [11/1]
Orphans of the Storm (1921 USA, dir D.W. Griffith, stars Lillian Gish, Dorothy Gish) [11/1]
Pale Flower (1964 Japan, dir Mashiro Shinoda, stars Ryo Ikebe, Mariko Kaga) [11/1]
The Phantom of the Opera (1925 USA, dir Rupert Julian, stars Lon Chaney, Mary Philbin) [11/1]
Scream (1996 USA, dir Wes Craven, stars Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox) [11/1]
The Sheik (1921 USA, dir George Melford, stars Rudolph Valentino, Agnes Ayres) [11/1]
Spaceballs (1987 USA, dir Mel Brooks, stars Bill Pullman, John Candy) [11/1]
Tattooed Life (1965 Japan, dir Seijun Suzuki, stars Hideki Takahashi, Akira Yamauchi) [11/1]
True Lies (1994 USA, dir James Cameron, stars Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jamie Lee Curtis) [11/1]
Way Down East (1920 USA, dir D.W. Griffith, stars Lillian Gish, Lowell Sherman) [11/1]

See all expiring titles.

Disclaimers

• Amazon links use my affiliate account, and will kick a small percentage of your purchase back to me. You pay the same price you would anyway.
• Not all new releases are available on Netflix immediately. Some studio films have a 30-day release window before Netflix can rent them, and some smaller releases are not picked up by Netflix immediately. Add them to your “saved” queue if you’re interested; that tells Netflix there is demand for the disc.
• Not all new Blu-ray releases are available on Netflix – Netflix usually buys both DVD and Blu-ray editions of new releases, but if a DVD has already been released, they don’t always get the Blu-ray when it comes out later.
• Instant Watch releases are not always 100% accurate – often the data from the API is not fully accurate until the actual day of release. I always check on release day to make sure things actually do hit Instant Watch, but for things that come out later than Tuesday when I publish this post, I won’t be able to tell.
• Instant Watch expirations are not always 100% accurate – sometimes they don’t expire after all, sometimes things expire with little advance warning. I always check to make sure the data is accurate to the best of my knowledge when I publish the post, but things could still change, especially since I’m giving expiration warnings up to two weeks in advance.
• I rely on Box Office Mojo and InstantWatcher for the majority of the data for these posts, so thank you to them for the work they do.