Genre Watch: February 2010 (Week of 02/21 – 02/27)

Posted by Vault Master on February 24, 2010

Egads! I can’t believe this month is just about over, can you? Greetings once again cult movie lovers; here is the final batch of genre releases for the month of February 2010. This is actually an OK week for us, with a good variety of DVDs & Blu-rays plus one (hopefully) good remake in theaters. Here’s what we get:

(All DVDs and Blu-ray discs that are mentioned in this article hit store shelves on Tuesday, February 21st. All theatrical films mentioned here will be released in theaters on Friday, February 27th, 2010!)

THIS WEEK’S NOTABLE DVD & BLU-RAY RELEASES:

The Crazies [Blu-ray] – Bill Lustig’s Blue Underground DVD label releases one of George Romero’s few non-zombie films on Blu-ray, just in time for the snazzy-looking Hollywood remake. A military cargo plane carrying a deadly virus crashes near a small town, leading to mass hysteria, murder, and major societal breakdown. Will the military manage to keep the “Trixie” virus contained? Will a small group of survivors struggle through the blockades to freedom? You’ll just have to watch and see! The Blu-ray boasts an all new high-def transfer taken from the original film stock (so there’s no reason it shouldn’t look more amazing than Blue Underground’s already impressive DVD release) and comes with these features: Audio commentary by Director George A. Romero, TV Spots, Trailers, and an interview featurette entitled The Cult Film Legacy of Lynn Lowry. Suspiciously missing from the Blu-ray (as far as I’ve seen) are the poster & still gallery and George Romero biography that were on the previous DVD release of The Crazies. It’s not like the movie and other extras take up the entire disc, so what gives?

Dead Snow [DVD & Blu-ray] – Finally, this hilarious and fun zombie action / comedy comes to DVD & Blu-ray for non-Blockbuster Video consumers! A motley crew of friends go up to a secluded skiing cabin and run afoul of an army of flesh-eating zombie Nazis! Hilarity and over-the-top violence ensue! I rented this film a few months back and it was definitely far more entertaining than I could have imagined. I am quite excited that it is finally available and highly recommend this foreign zombie film. Both the DVD and Blu-ray (which naturally has better picture and sound) apparently have the same exact extras, which include trailers, outtakes, and no less than five making-of featurettes that chronicle the film’s creation, its troubled shoot, and its eventual screening at the Sundance Film Festival.

Poultrygeist: Night of the Chicken Dead [Blu-ray] – Lloyd Kaufman’s irreverent and highly unpolitically correct horror/comedy/musical which follows a dorky fast food employee named Arby, who takes up a position at a newly christened fast food shop that was built atop an ancient Indian burial ground. This film is sleazy, offensive, repulsive, and I freakin’ love it! The Troma crew makes no apologies for its antics and dishes out the sort of jokes, sex, and gore that we’ve come to expect from them. The new Blu-ray release of Poultrygeist features serviceable audio and video (c’mon guys, this is really the best you could do for your first official Blu-ray release?), but makes up for that with a buttload of extras. Check out this review from Blu-ray.com to get the skinny on the impressive list of special features!

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THIS WEEK’S CULT BLU-RAY RELEASES:
The Box
Cirque du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant
* The Crazies (1973)
* Dead Snow
Ichi the Killer
Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths
* Poultrygeist: Night of the Chicken Dead
Sorority Row

THIS WEEK’S CULT DVD RELEASES:
The Alcove
Beyond Sherwood Forest
Bleach, Vol. 25
Blood for the Muse [The Omega Edition]
The Box
Brides of Blood
The Caretaker
Cirque du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant
Dairugger Collection One
* Dead Snow
Fernando Arrabal Collection 2
Horror of the Blood Monsters
The Internecine Project
Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths [Single disc and 2-disc editions]
The Last Grenade
Maria-Holic: Complete Collection
Meteor Apocalypse
The Mikels’ Bloodbath Collection
Quickies
Ryuji the Yakuza
Satan’s Sadists
Sorority Row
Spaghetti Western Bible, Vol. 4: Trinity
Taxi Hunter
Tower of Druaga: Part Two – The Sword of Uruk

THIS WEEK’S NEW THEATRICAL RELEASES:
The Crazies – A viral outbreak in a small town turns victims into crazed (almost zombi-like) killers. The military quickly moves in and cordons off the town and puts the warring populace under quarantine. Naturally the sh*t hits the fan and normal survivors find themselves fighting a two-front war against their bloodthirsty neighbors and a trigger-happy military. This movie looks like it’ll be fun and scary and I expect it to be far superior to the 1973 George Romero classic. (Especially if they actually use Gary Joules’ “Madworld” in the soundtrack.) Hell or high water, you can bet I’ll be seeing this on Friday.


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Defendor – SON OF A BITCH! This is only playing in Los Angeles with no word on a wider release. That really ticks me off because this looks like a great spoof of superhero films. Woody “I was awesome in Zombieland” Harrelson plays a simple-minded fellow who dresses up as a superhero at night and sweeps the streets in search of the elusive (and fictional) villain, Captain Industry. I want to see this movie so badly, but only you lucky folks in LA will get the chance to enjoy it this weekend. For that, you get my envy and my loathing.


Well that’s it for this month b-movie fans. Next week ushers us into the month of March which can come in like a lion and go out like a lamb or vice versa. And according to what I’ve read, the cult movie releases are charging in like a (Nemean!) lion! Next week boasts a damned good list of DVD & Blu-ray releases (The Wraith gets a nice Special Edition DVD; Clash of the Titans hits Blu-ray as does The Neverending Story) and Tim Burton’s odd-looking Alice in Wonderland arrives in theaters to enchant (i.e. give nightmares to) a whole generation of children! That’s it for this edition of Genre Watch, so check back next week for the full list of flicks that you cult movie fans will drool over! – Vault Master

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Genre Watch: February 2010 (Week of 02/14 – 02/20)

Posted by Vault Master on February 17, 2010

Greetings b-movie fans and a Happy (belated) Valentine’s Day to you! This week is pretty rough all around, with barely anything worth mentioning coming to DVD and Blu-ray. Theatrically, your newest choice is Leo DiCaprio’s new mystery/thriller, so you may just want to fall back on last week’s new releases or just wait until The Crazies comes out next Friday. Here’s what’s new:

(All DVDs and Blu-ray discs that are mentioned in this article hit store shelves on Tuesday, February 16th. All theatrical films mentioned here will be released in theaters on Friday, February 19th, 2010!)

THIS WEEK’S NOTABLE DVD & BLU-RAY RELEASES:

Black Dynamite [DVD & Blu-ray] – Michael Jai White (star of the awful live-action Spawn movie) redeems his entire career with this hilarious parody of blaxploitation cinema! Kung-fu cop Black Dynamite fights to get “smack” off the streets and stop a madman from giving all the black men of America “Little Richards.” From start to finish this movie is a laugh riot and I can’t recommend it enough! The DVD of Black Dynamite has an audio commentary by the director and cast, deleted & alternate scenes, and two featurettes. The Blu-ray has all of those extras plus one additional featurette and BD-Live content.

Dragonball Z: Dragon Box 2 [DVD] – Season two of the popular Dragonball Z anime. This newly released set has all the episodes from season two, now newly remastered and fully uncut. The set comes with a 48-page collector’s booklet and as far as I know is otherwise barebones.

Halo Legends [DVD & Blu-ray] – This eight-episode anthology chronicles the adventures of Master Chief and his fellow Spartan warriors as they battle the invading forces of The Covenant. The DVD comes in single-disc and two-disc special editions, the latter of which contains an audio commentary by the film makers, a making of featurette, and the “Halo Evolved” featurette which chronicles the birth and rise of the Halo game series. The Blu-ray contains all of those extras, plus has an additional featurette entitled “Halo: The Story So Far.”

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THIS WEEK’S CULT BLU-RAY RELEASES:
* Black Dynamite
Claymore: Complete Series Box Set
* Halo Legends
Heroic Age: Complete Series
Ran

THIS WEEK’S CULT DVD RELEASES:
13Teen
20th Century Boys 2: The Last Hope
* Black Dynamite
Case Closed: The Phantom of Baker Street Movie
* Dragonball Z: Dragon Box Two
* Halo Legends
Hellhounds
Melies Encore: 26 Additional Rare and Original Films by the First Wizard of Cinema (1896 – 1911)
Naruto Uncut Box Set: Season Two, Vol. 1
Ninja Assassins: 4-Film Set
Phantom Racer
Quiet Nights of Blood and Pain
Red Hook
Scooby-Doo: Abracadabra Doo
She’s Crushed
Spectacular Spider-Man 6
Spectacular Spider-Man 7
To Love-Ru: Collection 2
Zorro and the Scarlet Whip Revealed

THIS WEEK’S NEW THEATRICAL RELEASES:
Shutter Island – Leonardo Dicaprio stars as U.S. Marshall Teddy Daniels, a federal officer that is seeking out the whereabouts of an alleged murderess that escaped the mysterious and creepy “Shutter Island.” This is supposed to be a pretty good mystery/thriller, but truthfully I have no interest in seeing it. If you need a horror or fantasy fix, you can still spend your money on Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief or The Wolfman. PS – Ben Kingsley is obviously the villain of Shutter Island. Watch the trailer and tell me otherwise.

Yeah, this is a pretty lousy weak for us cult movie fans, but fear not for next week is… slightly better! The Crazies hits the big screen (while the George Romero original makes its Blu-ray debut), the Woody Harrelson superhero comedy Defendor makes its big screen debut (in Los Angeles only?! Damn it!), and we get a decent, though still disappointing release slate of cult DVDs and Blu-rays (Dead Snow, Poultrygeist: Night of the Chicken Dead, Cirque du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant, et al.). Check back next week, same Genre Watch time, same Genre Watch channel to get further details! – Vault Master

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Genre Watch: February 2010 (Week of 02/07 – 02/13)

Posted by Vault Master on February 10, 2010

Hello b-movie fans and welcome to the pre-Valentine’s Day edition of The B-Movie Film Vault Genre Watch. I’d like to tell you that there’s plenty of stuff coming out that would make a great gift for the cult movie fanatic in your life, but sadly this is a lousy week for DVD & Blu-ray releases. Luckily we get two cool flicks in theaters that would be perfect date movies for folks like us. Here’s what to expect:

(All DVDs and Blu-ray discs that are mentioned in this article hit store shelves on Tuesday, February 9th. All theatrical films mentioned here will be released in theaters on Friday, February 12th, 2010!)

THIS WEEK’S NOTABLE DVD & BLU-RAY RELEASES:

Dante’s Inferno [DVD & Blu-ray] – Based upon the highly-anticipated game God of War 3 err… I mean, Dante’s Inferno, this new anime feature tells the tale of a knight named Dante who charges blindly through the nine layers of Hell in order to save the innocent soul of Beatrice, the woman he loves. This animated feature is a bit of an oddity and features six different directors who utilize six different animation styles (much like the animated Batman: Gotham Knight), as well as six different DVD & Blu-ray covers. (Wait…. 6, 6, and 6…. egads! This movie is ee-vil!) Both the DVD and Blu-ray are pretty bare bones with only a Dante’s Inferno video game trailer and “five animatics” comprising the extras. My copy is on its way and I can’t wait to watch it!

Dead Tone [DVD] – A new horror film that is based on a true story (or most likely, an urban legend) about a group of prank callers who get more than they bargain for when they erroneously dial up a psychotic madman! I’ve heard a few good things about this movie, and the inclusion of Rutger Hauer in the cast has me interested enough to give it a look. (If anything, it at least seems like it’d be a worthy rental.) The film is featured in widescreen; I couldn’t find any info about the DVD extras.

The Phantom [Blu-ray] – Billy Zane stars as the titular hero (a.k.a. The Ghost That Walks) in this awful superhero flick. The movie’s main problem is that A.) The Phantom is kind of on the dull side
and should have been played by someone else and B.) Billy Zane, not Treat Williams, should have portrayed the villain, Xander Drax. Still, I find this to be an enjoyable little flick and have gladly added it to my growing Blu-ray collection! The film is featured in a gorgeous 2.35:1 widescreen transfer with 7.1 HD-Master Audio. Sadly there are no extras, but for a very low price tag ($9.99 – $14.99) this is a more than worthy purchase.

The Running Man [Blu-ray] – Ah-nuld Schwarzeneggar stars in this hilariously awesome adaption of a Stephen King novel of the same name. Arnold plays Ben Richards, a soldier with a conscience that is thrust into a life or death game show after he disobeys orders to fire on civilians. This is one gloriously cheesy film that should not be missed by Arnold fans! Besides having superior audio and video quality over the previous DVD releases, the Blu-ray features two audio commentaries, two featurettes, and a theatrical trailer. At a relatively low cost (same price range as The Phantom) you really can’t go wrong in picking this one up. “Killian! Sub-Zero is now just plain zero!”

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THIS WEEK’S CULT BLU-RAY RELEASES:
* Dante’s Inferno
* The Phantom
* The Running Man
Stargate SG-U: 1.0
The Time Traveler’s Wife

THIS WEEK’S CULT DVD RELEASES:
9 Lives of Mara
Blade of the Ripper
Bushido! The Cruel Code of the Samurai
Butchered
* Dante’s Inferno
* Dead Tone
Forest Warrior
Gabriel
Gaigaigar Season 1 Litebox
Lo
Maneater
Naruto: Shippuden, Vol. 6
Operation: Blast!
Polar Storm
Sliders: The Third and Fourth Seasons
Soul Eater: Part 1
Stargate SG-U: 1.0
Stephen Romano Presents Shock Festival
The Time Traveler’s Wife

THIS WEEK’S NEW THEATRICAL RELEASES:
Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief – I can’t friggin’ wait for Clash of the Titans, so until then, I guess I’ll have to get my modern Greek mythology fix with this latest family-friendly film from Director Christopher Columbus. Percy Jackson (what a wussy name!) discovers that he is the bastard son of Poseidon (God of pools and spas!) and must somehow end a feud between Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades before the world is destroyed. This looks like a fun flick that just falls short of being epic, and I look forward to seeing it.


The Wolfman – FINALLY! Universal’s redo of the classic movie monster is here! Benicio del Toro stars as Lawrence Talbot, a nobleman that ends up succumbing to a curse that we’re all quite familiar with. With an all-star cast (Anthony Hopkins, del Toro, Hugo Weaving, et al.), effects by Rick Baker (!!!), and music by Danny Elfman, I can’t see how this movie could possibly fail. Then again…. it is directed by Joe “Jurassic Park III” Johnston…..

I hope all you b-movie gals enjoy your Valentine’s Day weekend, and I really hope that you go easy on your menfolk and approve of The Wolfman as being a proper date movie. Check back next week for yet another low dose of b-movie goodness on DVD & Blu-ray, with Halo: Legends, Cabin Fever 2: Spring Fever, and Black Dynamite being the biggest titles of the week. Shutter Island opens in theaters next Friday, but truthfully who even cares? I’m personally keeping a watchful eye on the 26th of this month because The Crazies hits screens and looks to outdo the George Romero original! Well, that’s all for now, so check back next week for another edition of the award-winning (not really) B-Movie Film Vault Genre Watch! – Vault Master

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Genre Watch: February 2010 (Week of 01/31 – 02/06)

Posted by Vault Master on February 2, 2010

After weeks of nothing, we finally get hit the first deluge of awesome cult DVD and Blu-ray releases! There’s a lot here, so I hope you’ve been saving up your spare change gang! Sadly, theaters are devoid of anything interesting this week, but fear not for Universal’s remake of The Wolfman is finally going to hit the big screen next Friday! Here’s what we’ve got this week:

(All DVDs and Blu-ray discs that are mentioned in this article hit store shelves on Tuesday, February 2nd. All theatrical films mentioned here will be released in theaters on Friday, February 5th, 2010!)

THIS WEEK’S NOTABLE DVD & BLU-RAY RELEASES:

House of the Devil [VHS, DVD, & Blu-ray] – A college sophomore named Samantha takes up a babysitting job for a creepy couple. Soon after accepting the job, she finds herself trapped in the middle of nowhere, in a creepy house, on the night of a lunar eclipse. It turns out that Cain from Robocop 2 (Tom Noonan) and his wife are going to sacrifice Sam in a Satanic ritual, so now she must fight her way out of the “House of the Devil!” The Blu-ray and DVD both come with two feature-length commentaries featuring writer / director / editor Ti West and other cast and crew, a theatrical trailer, deleted scenes, and two making-of featurettes. Also, if you’re in a nostalgic “retro” sort of mood, you can pick up the DVD / VHS combo of the film. (This has to be like the first new VHS title in what? Six or seven years?! Craziness!)

Ong-Bak: Thai Warrior [Blu-ray] – Tony Jaa’s debut film impressed the Hell out of the world and is now in the high-def format! A young man named Ting travels to Bangkok to retrieve the stolen head from his village’s sacred statue. Along the way he engages in the most amazingly choreographed fight scenes to ever be filmed and crushes one opponent after another with his lightning fast knees and elbows! The Blu-ray is pretty much only coming out to go with the new sequel and has all the same extras as the old DVD release. Extras include: Live Tony Jaa And Stuntman Performance, The Movements Of Muay Thai, featurette, French Rap Music Video With Tony Jaa, Making Of Music Video, and B-Roll (Taxi Stunts, Legs Ablaze Fight Sequence, Arena Fight Sequence).

Ong-Bak 2: The Beginning [DVD & Blu-ray] – Since this Tony Jaa flick didn’t see a wide theatrical release, I had to procure a copy through other means. While it isn’t as good as the original film or Tony Jaa’s 2005 epic, Tom-Yum Goong (a.k.a. The Protector), this “sequel/prequel” has a healthy dose of martial arts battles amidst its somewhat confusing plot. Blu-ray and two-disc special edition include these extras: HDNET: A Look at ‘Ong-Bak 2′, multiple making-of and behind-the-scenes featurettes, a sneak peek at footage from the upcoming Ong-Bak 3, interviews with Tony Jaa and the rest of the cast and crew, and finally, the international theatrical trailer.

Planet Hulk [DVD & Blu-ray] – Iron-Man, Doctor Strange, and several of Earth’s other heroes decide to put Hulk on a spacecraft and send him to a distant, deserted planet because he keeps causing too much trouble on Earth. Their plans go awry when Hulk trashes his ship and crash-lands on a planet called Sakaar where he becomes a gladiator and eventually the savior/king of the fragmented peoples of Sakaar. This incredibly fun animated film stays close to its source material and is a must have for anyone that’s a fan of the Incredible Hulk! The Blu-ray and two-disc special edition DVD include the following extras: Two audio commentaries, music videos, two making-of featurettes, two motion comics, “Wolverine vs. Hulk” episode from “Wolverine and the X-Men,” and a sneak peek at the opening sequence from Thor: Tales of Asgard!

Universal Soldier: Regeneration [DVD & Blu-ray] – Jean Claude Van Damme and Dolph Lundgren return in this sequel, which pits “Unisol” vet Luc Devereaux against his old nemesis and another new unstoppable soldier. It sounds terribly cheesy, but I like the other Universal Soldier flicks (guilty pleasures) so I’d readily give this one a chance. The DVD and Blu-ray contain an audio commentary with star Dolph Lundgren and director John Hyams and “Behind the Lines” featurette.

Zombieland [DVD & Blu-ray] – Easily one of the best horror / comedies I’ve ever seen, Zombieland is an amazingly fun film and I can’t recommend it enough. The Blu-ray boasts an audio commentary with the cast, director, and writers, an exclusive “Behind the Graveyard” behind-the-scenes picture-in-picture track, deleted scenes, PS3 Wallpaper, MovieIQ (trivia?), and several making of featurettes. The DVD has pretty much the same extras except that (according to Amazon) it contains a special feature entitled “Woke Up Dead Episode “Up and At ‘Em” that does not appear to be on the Blu-ray. Weird….

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THIS WEEK’S CULT BLU-RAY RELEASES:
Doctor Who: The Complete Specials
Doctor Who: The End of Time, Parts 1 & 2
Doctor Who: The Waters of Mars
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
Hellboy: Sword of Storms & Blood and Iron
* House of the Devil
The Man from Earth
*Ong-Bak: Thai Warrior
* Ong-Bak 2: The Beginning
Pan’s Labyrinth
* Planet Hulk
Spiral
* Universal Soldier: Regeneration
* Zombieland

THIS WEEK’S CULT DVD RELEASES:
Batman: The Brave and the Bold, Vol. 3
The Dead Sleep
The Delightful Forest
Doctor Who: The Complete Specials
Doctor Who: The End of Time, Parts 1 & 2
Doctor Who: The Waters of Mars
Dragonball: Season 3
G.I. Joe – The Real American Hero: Season 1.3
The Good Sisters
Heroes Shed No Tears
* House of the Devil (VHS & DVD Bundle!)
The Limb Salesman
* Ong-Bak 2: The Beginning (Single disc & Two-disc Widescreen Collector’s Edition)
* Planet Hulk (Single disc & Two-disc Special Edition)
Ramen Fighter Miki
She-Wolf of London: The Complete Series
Skull Man: Complete Collection
TCM Greatest Films Collection: Sci-Fi Adventures
* Universal Soldier: Regeneration
The Wolf Man (Universal Legacy Series – Special Edition)
Wolverine & The X-Men: Fate of the Future
* Zombieland

THIS WEEK’S NEW THEATRICAL RELEASES:
Ugh! Week two of absolute nothingness! Hurry up February 12th; I want to see The Wolfman!

We slip back into a comatose state next week with a dismal display of DVDs and Blu-ray discs: The Running Man and The Phantom make their Blu-ray debuts while the Dante’s Inferno anime makes a splash as the only seemingly worthwhile NEW release to digital home video. (Note: The totally awesome-looking Dante’s Inferno video game streets on 02/09!) The good news though is that Universal is finally releasing The Wolfman in theaters after months of setbacks and release date changes! I’m just hoping that it is as good as it looks, but how can it possibly be bad with such an astounding cast (Hugo Weaving, Benicio del Toro, Anthony Hopkins) and makeup and effects by legendary Rick Baker?! Well that’s it for this week b-movie fans; check back next Tuesday for your next weekly dose of the B-Movie Film Vault Genre Watch! – Vault Master

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Genre Watch: January 2010 (Week of 01/24 – 01/30)

Posted by Vault Master on January 25, 2010

Sorry for the lack of updates lately b-movie fans. I sort of burned myself out in December, but I am going to be making a comeback in the very near future. In any case, this week boasts an impressive slate of DVD releases, but sadly, there’s nothing Genre Watch-worthy hitting theaters. And we only get two Blu-ray discs this week? What gives?! Read on to see what’s new…

(All DVDs and Blu-ray discs that are mentioned in this article hit store shelves on Tuesday, January 26th. All theatrical films mentioned here will be released in theaters on Friday, January 29th, 2010!)

THIS WEEK’S NOTABLE DVD & BLU-RAY RELEASES:

Pontypool [DVD] – Finally, you don’t have to rely on Blockbuster to see this fantastic quasi-zombie film. Set in a small, quiet, snowy town called Pontypool (located somewhere in Canada), this film focuses on a handful of people in a radio station that bear witness to a strange plague that is turning the locals into mindless killers. What makes this different from other “infected” and zombie films is the method of infection: The English language. Certain words just sort of “click” with people and turn them into enraged psychopaths. Naturally, this does not bode well for the folks that are confined, and broadcasting from, a radio station! I had the pleasure of watching this late last year, and thoroughly enjoyed its originality and amazing performance by Stephen McHattie. “Pontypool” easily gets my recommendation. As for extras and disc specs…. I have no idea. At the very least, expect widescreen picture, 5.1 surround sound, a trailer, and maybe a commentary and/or a few featurettes.

Rifftrax: Plan 9 From Outer Space LIVE! [DVD] – I am tempted to buy this just to recall the great time I had at the live nationwide screening of this show! Mike Nelson, Kevin Murphy, and Bill Corbett hilariously eviscerated Ed Wood’s sci-fi “classic” before a live audience in Nashville, Tennessee and transmitted their first-class riffing to roughly five-hundred theaters. If you weren’t lucky enough to catch the show last October, here’s your chance to enjoy it in the comfort of your own home! Also includes a hilarious short called “Flying Stewardesses,” a musical interlude with Jonathan Coulton, and other fun goodies!

Surrogates [DVD & Blu-ray] – Bruce Willis stars in this neglected and overlooked sci-fi film as a federal agent out to solve a murder in a world where nearly everyone walking around is a robotic “avatar” used by real people who are safely living at home. (Sort of like a mixture of “I, Robot” and “Gamer.”) The Blu-ray disc is packed with extras including deleted scenes, audio commentary with Director Jonathan Mostow, “I Will Not Bow” music video by Breaking Benjamin, and two featurettes. The DVD offers significantly less with only the director’s commentary and Breaking Benjamin music video as extra features. Both feature the same 2.40:1 widescreen transfer, but naturally the Blu-ray will look and sound better.

The Toolbox Murders [Blu-ray] – A deranged handyman begins slaying the “immoral” women living in his apartment building with any and all of the tools in his possession, including: claw-hammers, screwdrivers, power drills, and a friggin’ nailgun! All of this slasher goodness is featured uncut in a fully restored high-def transfer made from the original negatives! This fantastic release from Blue Underground includes the following extras: TV Spots, Radio Spots, Original Theatrical trailer, an interview with Star Marianne Walter, and an audio commentary with producer Tony Didio, Director of Photography Gary Graver, and star Pamela Ferdin. I’ve always been curious about this title, so maybe now is the time to pick it up and see this exploitation classic in perfect crystal clarity!

Troma’s War (Tromasterpiece Edition) [DVD] – A jetliner crashes into the coast of a secluded Caribbean island that is home to an army of terrorists who plan on taking over the United States. Armed with only their wits, the survivors of the plane crash battle the forces of evil in this twisted and ridiculously violent Troma classic! Extras on this disc include: Audio commentary by Lloyd Kaufman (ported over from 1998 DVD release), interviews with cast & crew during the film’s 10th anniversary celebration, the original theatrical trailer, Kill-O-Meter option that allows you to see all 300+ deaths in under ten minutes, and a handful of other throwaway extras. It’s worth buying if you’re a Troma fan and don’t own this flick, but otherwise, just stick with the good ole fashioned DVD release from ‘98!

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THIS WEEK’S CULT BLU-RAY RELEASES:
* Surrogates
* The Toolbox Murders

THIS WEEK’S CULT DVD RELEASES:
8 Million Dollars
2081 | Based on Kurt Vonnegut’s “Harrison Bergeron”
Adventures of Robin Hood (Collector’s Tin with 20 Episodes)
Bad Biology
Birthday Mail / Kokurri-San
Blade of the Immortal: No Virtue in Forgiveness Volume 3
Cult Horror Collection (The Skull, The Man Who Could Cheat Death, The Deadly Bees)
Demonic Toys 2
Doctor Death Seeker of Souls
Dolph Lundgren Triple Feature (Direct Action, Retrograde, Direct Contact)
The Double Born
Fireball
Five Element Ninjas
Godkiller: Walk Among Us #2
Hard Revenge Milly: Hyper Violence Collection
Ikki Touson Dragon Destiny, Volume 2
InAlienable
Lady Ninja Kasumi Volume 5
Lost City Raiders
Madness
Naruto Shippuden: Box Set 1
Neo Angelique Abyss: Season 1
* Pontypool
* Rifftrax: Plan 9 From Outer Space LIVE!
Rifftrax: Planet of Dinosaurs
Rifftrax: Shorts-tacular Shorts-stravaganza
Rifftrax: Voodoo Man
Rifftrax: Wild World of Shorts
Sands of Destruction: The Complete Series
* Surrogates
Tears of Tiara: Collection 2
* Troma’s War (Tromasterpiece Collection)
Wushu

THIS WEEK’S NEW THEATRICAL RELEASES:
Nothing new this week. But have no fear because you can still go see Daybreakers, The Book of Eli, and/or Legion.

That’s all folks! Next week promises more nothingness at the box office, but have no fear because “The Wolf Man” is finally arriving on February 12th! Despite the continued respite of theatrical goodness, your wallets (and purses) may be hard pressed next week because several quality flicks are hitting DVD and Blu-ray, such as Zombieland, Ong-Bak 2, Planet Hulk, and Universal Soldier: Regeneration! Check back next week for the complete list of mouth-watering DVDs and Blu-rays! – Vault Master

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Genre Watch: January 2010 (Week of 01/03 – 01/09)

Posted by Vault Master on January 8, 2010

Welcome to 2010 b-movie fans. Our first official week of this (hopefully) grand new year starts us off light with a very small slate of DVD, Blu-ray, and theatrical releases. This looks to be a continuing trend this month, so save up your spare change and prepare for the deluge of cult releases that will hit us like a ton of bricks come Fall. Here’s this week’s slim pickings:

(All DVDs and Blu-ray discs that are mentioned in this article hit store shelves on Tuesday, January 4th. All theatrical films mentioned here will be released in theaters on Friday, January 8th.)

THIS WEEK’S NOTABLE DVD & BLU-RAY RELEASES:

Chuck: The Complete Second Season [DVD & Blu-ray] – Since I work five nights a week, I miss out on all the good T.V. shows that everyone else at work talks about, like Chuck. The Blu-ray (and DVD?) release boasts a laundry list of extras including “Declassified Scenes,” a Gag Reel, and multiple featurettes that discuss everything from the making of the show, the creation of its “best” action scenes, and a detailed look at the mythology of Chuck.

The Final Destination [DVD & Blu-ray] – The fourth and hopefully final installment of this once great horror franchise has teens eluding Death after they dodge a horrifying 3-D death at a NASCAR race. The Blu-ray has both 2-D and 3-D versions (with two pairs of cheap cardboard anaglyph 3-D glasses! Yay!) and contains the following features: An exclusive look at the new Nightmare on Elm St., two alternate endings, additional scenes, storyboards, “Body Count: The Deaths of The Final Destination” featurette, and additional content via BD-Live. The DVD has both versions of the film and only contains the “additional scenes” as an extra feature.

They Must Eat [DVD] – A social misfit named Sanford is given the task of defending his late Uncle Alistair’s estate from a pack of flesh-eating ghouls. Instead, this moron sort of “trains” the flesh-eating monsters to devour everyone and anyone that has ever wronged him. Hmm… kind of sounds like a sort of redo of The Pit. I couldn’t find much info about this film, but I can at least tell you that the DVD contains the “unrated” version of the film and is featured in widescreen.

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THIS WEEK’S CULT BLU-RAY RELEASES:
Battlestar Galactica: Season One
* Chuck: The Complete Second Season
D. Grayman: Season One, Part One
Dawn of the Dead (Re-release / DVD Combo)
Doom (Re-release / DVD Combo)
End of Days (Re-release / DVD Combo)
* The Final Destination
The Last Starfighter (Re-release / DVD Combo)
Street Fighter: The Movie (Re-release / DVD Combo)
Wicked Lake

THIS WEEK’S CULT DVD RELEASES:
Akiballion: Battlemaids of Akihabara – Complete Collection
Below the Earth’s Surface
* Chuck: The Complete Second Season
D. Grayman: Season 2, Part 2
Dr. Who: The Keys of Marinos (Story 5)
Dr. Who: The Twin Dilemma (Story 137)
* The Final Destination
Hellweek
Ironman: Armored Adventures, Vol. 2
Nighthead Genesis Lite Box
Petite Princess Yucie: Complete Collection
Ravage
Relative Evil
Spree
Superfriends: Season One, Volume One
* They Must Eat
Wu Tang Fury
You’re Under Arrest: Fast and Furious – Collection 2

THIS WEEK’S NEW THEATRICAL RELEASES:
Bitch Slap – A moronic-looking film that is supposed to be an homage to “girl-gangster” films of the 60’s and 70’s. This movie follows the exploits of four busty and violent women who are out to retrieve a diamond stash worth two-hundred million dollars. The only problem is that the diamonds are the property of a deadly underworld kingpin. The massive amounts of cleavage (not necessarily a bad thing) coupled with awful CGI effects has convinced me that this “thinking man’s throwback to B/Exploitation films” isn’t all it is cracked up to be. “Sadly” this one is only hitting theaters in New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco, so I’ll have to wait until it hits DVD to give it any consideration.

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Daybreakers – Finally, something that shows promise and helps those dreaded creatures of the night save face in a post-Twilight world! In the future, humanity is all but replaced as the dominant species on Earth by vampires. However, with humans nearly hunted to extinction (except for a large group of crossbow-toting freedom fighters), the vampires’ stash of blood is becoming dangerously low. While this won’t kill off the bloodsuckers, the lack of blood will surely cause them to revert to mindless killing machines. It’s up to one vampire scientist to either find a blood substitute that will support the world’s population, or team up with the human underground to find a cure for vampirism. This one is looking good and I am definitely going to shell out the money to see it this weekend!!

That’s all we get this week gang, and next week isn’t much better… in fact it sort of sucks. Rob Zombie’s aborted-fetus-of-a-sequel, Halloween II makes its DVD and Blu-ray debut, as does the critically acclaimed sci-fi thriller Moon. In theaters, we get to see a big-screen adaptation of Fallout 3 (just kidding!) called The Book of Eli. This post-apocalyptic film stars Denzel Washington as a lonely man who has been walking across America for over thirty years while protecting the fabled “Book of Eli,” a tome that holds the key to humanity’s survival. Check back next week for another dismal report on cult movie offerings and if you’re in the Northeastern sector of the United States like I am, keep warm! – The Vault Master

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Genre Watch: December 2009 – January 2010 (Week of 12/27 – 01/02)

Posted by Vault Master on January 3, 2010

Greetings and a hearty Happy New Year to all you b-movie fanatics! Sorry for the delay in posting this article, but I’ve been severely under the weather thanks to a nasty flu bug. But I’m back in the saddle and ready to deliver you the news that’s fit to print. Here is our first dose of cult DVDs and Blu-ray discs for the year 2010:

(All DVDs and Blu-ray discs that are mentioned in this article hit store shelves on Tuesday, December 29th. All theatrical films mentioned here will be released in theaters on Friday, January 1st, 2010!)

THIS WEEK’S NOTABLE DVD & BLU-RAY RELEASES:

9 [DVD & Blu-ray] – Humanity’s reign on Earth ends, but luckily nine creepy, sentient, ragdolls have survived. Battling mechanical horrors, these nine set out on their quest to ahm…. do something. This visually stunning film apparently lacks a lot in the plot department, but I’m still curious enough to rent a copy. The Blu-ray contains an audio commentary, deleted scenes, the original 11-minute short that 9 is based on, and several making-of featurettes. I could not find the specs and extras for the film’s DVD release.

Carriers [DVD] – Four teens are on the run from a civilization-destroying pandemic and decide to head for a beach. Naturally things break down and the two couples begin to turn on each other in this direct-to-DVD release. I couldn’t find any info on extras, but I’d at least assume there’s a trailer on the disc. Of course, this was released by Paramount, a studio notorious for chopping down some of the most beloved slasher films ever released.

Jennifer’s Body [DVD & Blu-ray] – Megan Fox plays Jennifer, a hot highschool girl that gets possessed by a flesh-eating demon and the only person that can stop Jennifer’s insatiable appetite is her nerdy best friend. I missed out on this one during its theatrical run, and truthfully I just want to watch this movie to see if Megan Fox shows off her boobage. The Blu-ray comes with two versions of the film (theatrical and unrated) and an audio commentary for both versions. Also included are deleted scenes, a gag reel, a short making-of featurette, and a handful of fun throwaway extras (i.e. Megan Fox Peer Pressure PSA).

Paranormal Activity [DVD & Blu-ray] – A ghost gets pissed at a young couple that attempt to film it’s paranormal activities in this ultra-low-budget film. The DVD and Blu-ray are both bare bones and only come with an alternate ending. I haven’t seen this one yet, but I’m in no real rush. I guess I’m still bitter over the whole Blair Witch snafu back in 1999.

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THIS WEEK’S CULT BLU-RAY RELEASES:
* 9
* Jennifer’s Body (Unrated)
The Marine 2
* Paranormal Activity

THIS WEEK’S CULT DVD RELEASES:
* 9
25 Horror Classics
25 Sci-Fi Classics
Baccano! The Complete Series
Blassreiter: Part 2
Blood Pledge
* Carriers
Case Closed: Captured in Her Eyes
Cheech and Chong’s Nice Dreams & Things Are Tough All Over
Diagnosis: Death
Dragonaut: The Resonance Complete Series Part 2
Evil Offspring
The Final Fright
The First 7th Night
Half-Life
Hansel and Gretel
* Jennifer’s Body
Kid With the Golden Arm
Legend of Lyon Flare Collection 2: Into the Erogoneous Zone
The Marine Two-Pack
The Marine 2
Matilda & The New Adventures of Pippi Longstocking
Muppets from Space & Muppets Take Manhattan
Nuns of St. Archangel
* Paranormal Activity
Princess of Mars
Sword and Musclemen, Vol. 1
Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle: Season 2 Set
Vampire Killers

THIS WEEK’S NEW THEATRICAL RELEASES:
Zip! Nada! Nothing! Go see Avatar or Sherlock Holmes!

This wasn’t exactly a great week for genre releases (nothing in theaters?!) and next week is gonna be a little light on the b-movie goodness as well. Several titles are being re-released in DVD/Blu-ray combo packs including the likes of End of Days, The Last Starfighter, and Doom, The Final Destination (complete with anaglyph 3-D glasses) hits DVD and Blu-ray, and Daybreakers (a non-glittery vampire film) arrives in theaters! Well, that’s all for now; check back in a few days for another dose of Genre Watch goodness! – Vault Master

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Genre Watch: December 2009 (Week of 12/20 – 12/26)

Posted by Vault Master on December 22, 2009

Merry Christmas b-movie fanatics young and old! This is it; this is the week we celebrate the birthday of the big JC, get our homes invaded by a fat jolly old man (who just has to be a diabetic on the verge of having a coronary by now), and spend a few days with friends, family members, and (GULP!) the In-Laws! Sadly it is yet another rough week for us genre fans, but what this week’s release slate lacks in numbers, it makes up for with pure quality! Here is what you can buy for that b-movie freak in your family or, if you’re lucky, here’s what you’ll find under your tree this Thursday:

(All DVDs and Blu-ray discs that are mentioned in this article hit store shelves on Tuesday, December 22nd. All theatrical films mentioned here will be released in theaters on Thursday, December 25th.)

THIS WEEK’S NOTABLE DVD & BLU-RAY RELEASES:

District 9 [DVD & Blu-ray] – An alien ship hovers over Johannesburg, South Africa and an entire bug-like race is found starving within it. At first the stranded aliens are welcomed to Earth, but eventually they are forcibly put into internment camps and subjugated by the governments of the world. Things get insane however once a man named Wikus, who is leading the removal of the “Prawns” to a new camp, gets doused with a DNA-altering substance. As he slowly becomes a Prawn himself, Wikus gets a taste of what he and humanity have been giving to the starved and abused alien beings. And then he finds a kick-ass Prawn Battle-Mech and shows us prehistoric humans how the Prawns do things downtown! The Blu-ray is packed with extras including a director’s commentary, deleted scenes, five featurettes, and a playable demo for “God of War III” (yeah, that’s kind of random). The Blu-ray also has several exclusive features including an interactive aerial map of Jo-Burg, a cinechat option, and a movie IQ feature that allows you to download and view District 9 related film clips, interviews, and more as you watch the film! Here’s hoping I got this one for Christmas; I loved this movie!

A Four Course Meal [DVD] – I don’t know much about this direct-to-DVD title, except that the DVD cover is a throwback to the covers of old classic EC Horror Comics, (e.g. “The Vault of Horror” and “Tales from the Crypt) and that this film is a comedy / horror anthology that involves four tales of cannibalism. The disc features the director’s cut of the film and …. other stuff I guess. Disc specs and extras remain unknown at this time, but regardless, this sounds like it could be a worthwhile DVD rental or purchase.

Guyver: The Complete Series [DVD] – The complete tale of The Guyver, a biological alien weapon that is discovered by a teenager who uses it to defend his family, friends, and love interest from an evil corporation populated by were-creatures. This awesome series has been given a new lease on life and thankfully the storyline begun in the 80s has been completed. Unfortunately, this superior retread has a cliffhanger ending that makes you yearn for more Guyver action! (Curse you!) This is on my list of stuff to pick up after the holidays are over; I must have this set! “GUY-VER!”

ICHI: The Movie [DVD & Blu-ray] – A new take on the blind swordsman legend, this film has way more to do with Zatoichi than Ichi: The Killer. A young blind woman travels across the feudal Japanese countryside in a journey to find the swordsman that raised and trained her. Along the way she cuts a swathe through bandits and falls in love with a brave samurai whose sword skills are lacking. Disc specs and extras are unknown at this time.

The Philadelphia Experiment [DVD] – In 1943, the U.S. government attempts to create a device that will make their naval vessels invisible to enemy radar. Their cloaking device instead creates a rift in time and two unlucky sailors end up stranded forty-one years in the future! Will they be able to find their way back and stop the experiment from taking place?! This is a re-release from Anchor Bay Entertainment; film is in widescreen with 5.1 surround sound; extras unknown.

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THIS WEEK’S CULT BLU-RAY RELEASES:
* District 9
* ICHI: The Movie

THIS WEEK’S CULT DVD RELEASES:
Baian the Assassin: Complete Collection
The Devil’s Music
* District 9 (Single and 2-Disc Editions)
* A Four Course Meal
Ghost Machine
* Guyver: Complete Series
* ICHI: The Movie
Kazuo Umezz’s Horror Theatre: Complete (3-discs)
Maid-Droid
* The Philadelphia Experiment
Shattered Lives
Spice and Wolf: Season 1

THIS WEEK’S NEW THEATRICAL RELEASES:
The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus – It seems like everyone cares more about the fact that this new Terry Gilliam film features the final role of Heath Ledger more than the film itself. This odd fantasy flick stars Ledger / Johnny Depp / Colin Farrell / Jude Law as Tony, a stranger who comes to the aid of Dr. Parnassus who, in making a deal with the devil centuries ago, must give up the soul of his sixteen year old daughter, unless the ageless magician can secure five souls before Old Scratch does. This film actually looks pretty nifty and carries Terry Gilliam’s trademark weirdness. (Kind of odd seeing his Monty Python animations being realized in full-on CGI.) I’m not going out of my way to see this one, but if the opportunity presents itself, I’ll gladly give it a watch.

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Sherlock Holmes – Robert Downey Iron Man Jr. stars as the world’s most famous literary detective in this new action-packed film. With his pal Dr. Watson (Jude Law) at his side, Holmes goes after a man named Lord Blackwood, who has somehow returned from the grave to commit a string of murders. Is Blackwood alive and well again? Was his death faked? Is a copycat killer on the loose? Will Sherlock Holmes be able to defeat that huge ’sumbitch’ with the sledgehammer?! Guess I will be finding out the answers to all these questions and more on Christmas Day!

That’s all she wrote for this week b-movie fans; there’s not a whole lot clogging up store shelves this week, but just about everything that was released is worthwhile. Check back next week for the post-Christmas deluge of genre releases. The Spierig brothers’ Daybreakers hits theaters and from what I’ve heard, it is a vampire film worth seeing. As for DVD and Blu-ray, we have a solid slate of releases that include 9, Versus (3-disc Blu-ray!!!), Paranomral Activity, and Jennifer’s Body! Save up your Christmas cash and gift cards because you’ll have plenty to spend it on next week gang! Merry Christmas everyone! – The Vault Master

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Genre Watch: December 2009 (Week of 12/13 – 12/19)

Posted by Vault Master on December 16, 2009

Christmas is almost here b-movie fans; are you ready? Yeah, me neither, but hey, we’ve still got a full week or so before C-Day arrives and that’s more enough time to finish up the grueling task of “Christmas shopping!” Anyway, this week features another dreary slate of genre releases, but there are a couple must-haves mixed in the general riff-raff, and we at least have one movie that may be worth seeing this weekend. Here’s what’s new:

(All DVDs and Blu-ray discs that are mentioned in this article hit store shelves on Tuesday, December 15th. All theatrical films mentioned here will be released in theaters on Friday, December 18th.)

THIS WEEK’S NOTABLE DVD & BLU-RAY RELEASES:

20th Century Boys 1: Beginning of the End [DVD] – I’ve seen this movie pop up on several news sites I frequent on the web (particularly Sci-Fi Japan) and it sounds like it could be an interesting watch. Based on a popular manga series, this film begins in 1969, where a young boy named Kenji and some friends come up with a fictional end of the world scenario and write it in their “Book of Prophecy.” Years later, in 1997, events occur that were written in Kenji’s prophetic book, and soon he and his friends are forced to deal with an apocalypse that they thought they had only dreamed up. As far as I’ve seen, this is a barebones DVD; the film is in widescreen with English and Japanese audio options.

Inglorious Basterds [DVD & Blu-ray] – Quentin Tarantino’s extensively talky war epic that features an alternate take on World War II history. It is enjoyable, though I found it to be a bit too long, and not nearly as action-packed (or as fun) as Enzo Castellari’s 1978 original. Basterds comes in single and two-disc versions on DVD, and a two-disc special edition (with digital copy) on Blu-ray. Since Amazon doesn’t post DVD extras or specs anymore (how annoying) I’ve had to surf around to seek out that crucial info. You can get the lowdown on the Blu-ray release here; the two-disc DVD should have most, if not all the same special features.

The Mel Brooks Collection [Blu-ray] – I love Mel Brooks and dread the day that this beloved comedic film maker shuffles off our mortal coil. This boxed set includes 9l of his feature films including such classics as Blazing Saddles, Spaceballs, and Young Frankenstein. (Dracula: Dead and Loving It and The Producers are all that’s missing here!) Full Blu-ray specs and extras for all nine films in this set can be found here.

Miike Collection [DVD] – This four disc set contains Takashi Miike’s Family 1 & 2 and Bodyguard Kiba 1 & 2. In Family, a hitman known as Lightning Takeshi blows his cover when he takes out a mobster. As revenge, a hit is put on Lightning Takeshi and his family by the Matsuma, but Takeshi’s two brothers, who are bosses in a rival gang, make sure their brother is well protected. The Bodyguard Kiba films revolve around Naoto Kiba, a one-man army that is hired to protect the Soryukai Family from a rival gang. Intense fights and bloody carnage ensue. Tokyo Shock put these titles out back in February 2008, so the extras and specs have probably remained unchanged since then.

Presenting Roger Corman’s …. Best of the B*s Collection 1: Hot Bikes, Cool Cars, and Bad Babes [DVD] – Roger Corman gets an Oscar for his massive filmography and now we get a new four-disc boxed set that boasts several Corman classics that have never been on DVD before. The only thing is that I can’t seem to find out WHAT FRIGGIN’ FILMS ARE IN THE SET! What gives?!

Santa Claus Conquers the Martians [DVD] – There are various DVD releases of this classic b-flick that was made famous by its appearance on Mystery Science Theater 3000. If you haven’t seen it, this film doesn’t really live up to its name: Santa is kidnapped by Martians to bring Christmas to the llittle boys and girls of Mars. In the end, Santa brings joy to Mars, survives repeated assassination attempts by an angry militant alien, and returns home to Earth to fulfill his yearly duty. What makes this particular release different from the rest is that it has horror-host segments featuring Mr. Lobo of Cinema Insomnia fame!

Sherlock Holmes Collection [DVD] – With Robert Downey Jr.’s Sherlock Holmes headed to theaters Christmas Day, it’s not too shocking for something like this to be released. This collection of Sherlock Holmes adventures is made up of the only five-surviving episodes of a BBC TV series featuring Peter Cushing in the lead role.

Star Trek: The Original Series – Season 3 [Blu-ray] – This six-disc set contains every episode of the classic Trek series, and is jammed with numerous featurettes as well as multiple versions of several popular episodes. If you don’t own the previous seasons, have no fear, Amazon.com is offering a bundle that contains the first three seasons of Star Trek. You can order it here!

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THIS WEEK’S CULT BLU-RAY RELEASES:
Basilisk: Complete Collection (Viridian Collection
The Butcher
G-Force (3-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo)
* Inglourious Basterds (2-Disc Special Edition)
* The Mel Brooks Collection
Samurai Champloo: The Complete Series
* Star Trek: The Original Series – Season 3
Star Trek: The Original Series – Seasons 1 – 3

THIS WEEK’S CULT DVD RELEASES:
18 Fingers of Death (Re-release)
* 20th Century Boys 1: Beginning of the End
Beyond Remedy
Bleach, Vol. 23
Bleeding
Case Closed: Last Wizard of the Century Movie
Chai Lai Angels: Dangerous Flowers
Chainsaw Cheerleaders
Criss Angel – Collector’s Edition DVD Set
El Cazador de la Bruja, Volume 1
El Cazador de la Bruja, Volume 2
G-Force (2-Disc Special Edition)
Ghost Hound: Collection 2
Honey and Clover Box Set 2
* Inglourious Basterds (Single & 2-Disc Special Edition)
Mental Scars
* Miike Collection
Murder By Decree
One Piece: Season 2, Fourth Voyage
* Presenting Roger Corman’s… Best of the B*s: Hot Bikes, Cool Cars, and Bad Babes
Red Canyon
* Santa Claus Conquers the Martians (Featuring Mr. Lobo)
* Sherlock Holmes Collection
To Love-Ru: Collection 1
Total Candor
Trunk

THIS WEEK’S NEW THEATRICAL RELEASES:
Avatar – A human soldier is turned into an alien being and set upon the surface of a planet called Pandora that is ruled by a race of magical blue cat people. The soldier is supposed to infiltrate and pave the way for a massive military invasion of the planet, but ends up fighting alongside the indigenous blueberry-colored felines. This movie is getting rave reviews from critics, but will it win over a jaded and overly sarcastic army of moviegoers, reviewers, and bloggers? I’m planning on giving James Cameron’s latest film a chance, I mean hell, it’s going to be in 3-D after all! Still, for a movie with such a huge budget, the effects seem a bit too cartoony… then again, it’ll have battle mechs! I suppose I’ll just have to go see it to make up my mind on wether or not to love or despise this epic sci-fi/adventure.


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Rifftrax Live: Christmas Shorts-Stravaganza! – Mike Nelson, Bill Corbett, and Kevin Murphy will be hitting movie screens across the country on Wednesday, December 16th and Thursday, December 17th to riff on numerous holiday-themed shorts. With special guest, Weird Al Yankovic attending, this show should (amazingly) top their previous Rifftrax Live event! I’ve got tickets and I can’t WAIT to see these guys in action again!


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Well this wasn’t really a terrible week for us cult movie fanatics, but the holiday season is really putting a crunch on our favorite genre. Next week is pretty dismal, with literally a handful of cult movie releases on DVD and Blu-ray (District 9 is the only major release worth noting at this time), but luckily we’ll have two worthwhile(?) movies in theaters on Christmas Day: The big-budget, action-packed, opium-fueled Sherlock Holmes starring Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law, and Terry Gilliam’s latest cinematic oddity, The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus which features the final performance of the late and great Heath Ledger. Check back next Tuesday for the tiny list of genre releases and prepare for the inevitable onslaught of Christmas! – Vault Master

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Genre Watch: December 2009 (Week of 12/6 – 12/12)

Posted by Vault Master on December 8, 2009

Welcome to another edition of the B-Movie Film Vault Genre Watch. I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving b-movie fans, and sincerely hope you enjoyed last week’s slate of cult films because this week…. we’ve got zip, nada, nothing! To be fair, there are a few good titles hitting DVD and Blu-ray but overall, this is an awful week for cult movie releases. Here’s what we’ve got:

(All DVDs and Blu-ray discs that are mentioned in this article hit store shelves on Tuesday, December 8th. All theatrical films mentioned here will be released in theaters on Friday, December 11th.)

THIS WEEK’S NOTABLE DVD & BLU-RAY RELEASES:

AK 100: 25 Films of Akira Kurosawa (Criterion Collection) [DVD] – A comprehensive (linen-bound) boxed set for fans of the late and great Akira Kurosawa. The set lives up to its name and contains twenty-five films, four of which have never been available before. The box also contains a book full of essays about Kurosawa, as well as production info and introductions for each film. This set is extremely pricey, but anything Criterion puts out is almost always worth the hefty cost.

Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon [Blu-ray] – A serial killer planning to lay siege to the town of Glen Echo invites a documentary crew along to chronicle his reign of terror. I couldn’t find any disc specs, but I’m sure that all the extras from the previous DVD release were ported over to the high-def format.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince [DVD & Blu-ray] – Harry Potter and friends continue to learn the art of wizardry at Hogwart’s while protecting themselves from the evil machinations of Lord Valdemort. For the dizzying list of DVD and Blu-ray extras, click here.

InAlienable [DVD] – After his family dies, a guilt-ridden man becomes host to an alien parasite that carries his DNA, and apparently the U.S. government is none to happy about it. I couldn’t find any info about the disc, but I’m sure Anchor Bay has given this new film plenty of love.

Jack Brooks: Monster Slayer [Blu-ray] – After witnessing the death of his family at the hands of a forest-dwelling creature, young Jack Brooks grows up to be a plumber with severe anger issues. His rage is put to the test when a kindly college professor (Robert Englund) becomes possessed by a demon and begins devouring Jack’s fellow classmates. No specs are listed for this Blu-ray disc, but I’m pretty positive that it’ll have all the same extras as the previous DVD release.

Red Mist [Blu-ray] – A creepy janitor is put into a coma after a group of med students pull a prank on him that goes terribly wrong. One of the students attempts to revive him with an experimental formula but that only makes things worse because now the janitor can hop from body to body, and he is craving revenge! As is the case with all the other Anchor Bay releases this week, I couldn’t find out what extras are on this disc.

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THIS WEEK’S CULT BLU-RAY RELEASES:
The Alphabet Killer
* Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon
Coraline Gift Set
Cyclops
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Ultimate Edition)
* Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Harry Potter and the Sorceror’s Stone (Ultimate Edition)
Harry Potter Years 1-6 Giftset
* Jack Brooks: Monster Slayer
LOST: Seasons 1 – 5
The Lost Treasure of the Grand Canyon
* Red Mist
Sands of Oblivion
Walled In

THIS WEEK’S CULT DVD RELEASES:
* AK 100: 25 Films of Akira Kurosawa (Criterion Collection)
Asian Action Extreme (4-Film Collection)
The Brigitte Bardot Classics Collection
Coraline (Limited Edition Gift Set)
Cuidado Con El Angel
Gozu (2-disc Collector’s Edition)
Gun-Kyu
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Ultimate Edition)
* Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince (2-disc Limited Edition)
Harry Potter and the Sorceror’s Stone (Ultimate Edition)
Harry Potter Years 1 – 6 Gift Set
* InAlienable
I Downloaded a Ghost
The Lights
The Limb Salesman
Lost: The Complete 5th Season
Lost Treasure of the Maya
Monster: Box Set 1
Naruto: Shippuden, Vol. 4
Plaguers
Run Bitch Run
Screams in the Night

THIS WEEK’S NEW THEATRICAL RELEASES:
Nothing worth mentioning.

As you can see, this is not a great week for genre releases, but I assure you that next week holds a little more promise. James Cameron’s sci-fi epic Avatar hits the big screen, and Inglorious Basterds comes to DVD and Blu-ray disc. District 9 was supposed to come out as well, but it has since been pushed back to December 22nd. That’s all for now, so check back again next Tuesday for another dose of Genre Watch goodness. And in case you weren’t paying attention… you only have a little over two weeks to finish your Christmas shopping! If you haven’t started yet, then get going because December 25th will be here before you know it! – Vault Master

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