Empty your wallets and check your bank accounts, it’s time to see what’s Now Available To Own for the week of February 25, 2014. Each week we run down new releases in movies, television series, and video games that you can enjoy in the comfort of your own home. Not only that, we provide insights on some of the best deals on the Internets to keep your credit card from crying. On shelves this week, you can find titles such as Gravity, Thor: The Dark World, Blue is the Warmest Color, Adventure Time (Season 3), and more. Check out the complete list of new releases and see if you should buy, rent, Netflix, or pass ’em after the jump.
Blu-Ray Movies
Gravity (Alfonso Cuarón) A medical engineer and an astronaut work together to survive after an accident leaves them adrift in space. Starring Sandra Bullock and George Clooney
If you have to see this movie at home I would highly suggest you get the 3D Blu-ray version. Gravity is an experience that needs to be seen in the theaters, on the largest screen possible, in 3D, but unfortunately the film can’t stay in theaters forever. There’s no denying the fact that Cuarón is a gifted filmmaker and he deserves all of the credit he is being handed down to him for his spectacular achievement for Gravity (Full review here).
And bringing this film to home makes this experience more intimate. But with that said, I can’t really imagine watching this film on a computer screen or a TV any smaller than 50-inches, so for some the adventure may be lacking. However, the special features are practically 10 years in the making. And the short film by Jonás Cuarón makes the journey of Gravity even greater. Having the opportunity to see this filmmaking process and to learn more about how Gravity was made solidifies the value in special features like these. BUY IT! Special features included are:
- Collision Point: The Race to Clean Up Space (Narrated by Ed Harris)
- Aningaaq – A short film by Jonás Cuarón
- Gravity Mission Control
- Shot Breakdowns
- Gravity: Silent Space Version
- Sandra’s Surprise!
Thor: The Dark World (Alan Taylor) When Jane Foster is possessed by a great power, Thor must protect her from a new threat of old times: the Dark Elves. Starring Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston, Stellan Skarsgård
Marvel’s best achievement to date. We knew The Avengers would be a hit, but would a standalone feature for a hero other than Tony Stark fair well? Yes. Yes it does. Although no the deepest character film of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thor: The Dark World has its fun (full review here) and continues Marvel Studios‘ thriving legacy. If you’re a fan of what Marvel is doing The Dark World is a definite BUY, but if you’re on the fence, it is a hard rent if anything. Special features included are:
- Never-Before-Seen Extended and Deleted Scenes
- Gag Reel
- Exclusive Look – Marvel’s Captain America: The Winter Soldier
- A Brothers’ Journey: Thor & Loki
- Scoring Marvel’s Thor: The Dark World with Brian Tyler
- Audio Commentary with Alan Taylor, Kevin Feige, Tom Hiddleston, and Kramer Morgenthau
- And More…
Blue is the Warmest Color (Criterion Collection) (Abdellatif Kechiche) Adele’s life is changed when she meets Emma, a young woman with blue hair, who will allow her to discover desire, to assert herself as a woman and as an adult. In front of others, Adele grows, seeks herself, loses herself and ultimately finds herself through love and loss. Starring Léa Seydoux, Adèle Exarchopoulos, Salim Kechiouche, Aurélien Recoing
As one of my favorite films of 2013, Blue is the Warmest Color is incredible journey about life, love, passion, and growing up. Blue is a beautifully told story told by Kechiche with some of the most real performances of the year. The film cuts deep and is a riveting experience for anyone who has been touched by the power of love. The film is definitely not for everyone, especially with the controversial nudity and three hour run time, but Blue is the Warmest Color is definitely a rewarding experience and I say BUY IT! (Sadly the only distributor is Criterion.) Special features included are:
- New digital master, approved by director Abdellatif Kechiche, with 5.1 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack
- Trailer and TV spot
- New English subtitle translation
- PLUS: an essay by critic B. Ruby Rich
Nebraska (Alexander Payne) An aging, booze-addled father makes the trip from Montana to Nebraska with his estranged son in order to claim a million-dollar Mega Sweepstakes Marketing prize. Starring Bruce Dern, Will Forte, June Squibb, Bob Odenkirk
I will go to my grave in stating that Nebraska, as OK as it was, does not deserve the Oscar hype it has obtained. It’s fine, but it’s not groundbreaking or that fun. It’s an old person playing an old person going into senility and an old woman playing a cooky old woman who says whatever is on her mind. There’s nothing really special about that. WAIT FOR IT ON NETFLIX! The one special feature included is:
- The making of Nebraska
Television on Blu-Ray
Adventure Time: The Complete Third Season (Pendleton Ward) A human boy named Finn and his best friend Jake, a magical, talking dog, set out on their adventures in the magical Land of Ooo. Starring Jeremy Shada, John DiMaggio, Hynden Walch, and Tom Kenny
Adventure Time is one of those shows where I have indulged in clips and have found enjoyable, but have never given it a chance, sadly due to time. I will tackle the beast head on this year, that is one of my goals along with several other shows I am behind on, but as far as I can tell, Adventure Time is a must see show for everyone. Special features included are:
- Making of Here Comes The Devil
- Behind the Visual Effect
- Theatrical Trailer
Video Games
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 (Available for PS3, Xbox 360, Windows) Imagine that you can never die. Picture yourself being so ancient that your number one adversary is the Devil himself. While immortality certainly has its upsides, including unearthly powers and unmatched strength, every immortal comes to a point where eternal rest is the ultimate reward — and Dracula is no exception. Resurrected once again, weakened by time and still captured by his immortal bonds, Dracula awakens to learn that Satan has returned to seek revenge for his centuries-old defeat. Being the Devil, simple vengeance isn’t enough. He plans to bring about the apocalypse, and Dracula has no choice but to re-acquire his powers of old and make a pact with Death to defeat the Devil once and for all and finally gain his eternal rest. To make matters worse, the notorious Belmont clan has entered Dracula’s castle, bearing the truth behind their mysterious ancestry and seeking Dracula’s destruction. Don the immortal shroud and become Dracula as the battle of good vs. evil finally comes to a close.
This summary above seems way too intense to handle. I have never played any Castlevania games myself, but they seem to have a pretty decent cult following. You have to hand it to the developers, they sure know how to create an interesting and detailed concept.
Blu-Ray Deals and Steals
- Pulp Fiction – $7.99
- Hero – $7.99
- No Country for Old Men – $7.99
- You’re Next – $14.99
- National Lampoon’s Vacation – $7.99
- The Fighter – $7.95
- I Love You, Man – $6.96
- 300 – $8
- Braveheart – $6.96
- Gladiator – $8.96
All prices come from Amazon.com and sometime Best Buy. Best Buy, Frys, and Target all price match with Amazon now if you do not want to order online.
What will you be taking home this week, tell us in the comments section below? Check out previous installments of Now Available To Own to see what you’ve been missing.
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Find me on the Twitter @TyRawrrnosaurus
All plot synopses courtesy of IMDb.com