Please see the release calendar for releases from countries outside the US.
It's difficult to imagine that educational programming would represent some of the best selling Blu-ray content, but that is exactly what BBC's Natural History Unit has managed to accomplish with their epic and jaw-dropping films. Today Warner is releasing their latest accomplishment titled Human Planet, which once again explores our planet and exposes it so meticulously, that it is if one has been given plane ticket with no destination or monetary restrictions.
For the Human Planet Blu-ray review , staff reviewer Kenneth Brown commented, "Human Planet tells a very human story. More than seventy very human stories actually, most of which take place in villages and regions where iPods and smart phones would be cast aside in favor of culture, community and shared experience." He continues, "With a terrific video presentation, an involving DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track and more than 100-minutes of behind-the-lens featurettes, the Blu-ray edition of Human Planet, like Planet Earth and nearly a dozen BBC-born nature series before it, is worth owning."
The nature of the Criterion Collection is to expose lesser known films to a more general audience in the closest way possible to the original intent. But every once in a while, they are able to get their hands on a more well known film and present in a way that everyone agrees a studio could never replicate. Today, they are releasing the Brian De Palma film Blow Out starring John Travolta. Of course, the fact that Amazon is currently this and other Criterion releases on sale today isn't hurting its sales numbers.
Staff reviewer Svet Atanasov commented in his Blow Out Blu-ray review , "A lot of people like to compare Brian De Palma's Blow Out to Alfred Hitchcock's films and Michelangelo Antonioni's Blow-Up, but the film has its own identity and unique message." He continues, "As expected, Criterion's Blu-ray release of Blow Out is of exceptionally high quality."
A recent surge of anime material is led by the Blu-ray release of Eden of the East Movie I: The King of Eden which is out today. Picking up where the popular Eden of the East television series left off, fans will likely be jumping out of their seats at the opportunity to snag a copy of this film in high definition. Some other anime titles getting released today on Blu-ray include The Girl Who Leapt Through Time and K-On! Vol. 1.
For the Eden of the East Movie I: The King of Eden Blu-ray review staff reviewer Jeffrey Kaufman concluded, "Eden of the East: The King of Eden and its companion film (included on this Blu-ray) Air Communication are two intriguing entries in the anime canon, and they both deserve major kudos for not trodding the same old anime territory of aliens, mechas and atomic destruction. Both outings have several lingering questions which haven't yet been answered definitively, and the ultimate success of the franchise is going to rise or fall on the third film, Eden of the East: Paradise Lost, which has yet to be released on Blu-ray in the United States."
And finally today, Criterion Collection is releasing Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas on Blu-ray. The film had previously been released by Universal on Blu-ray, but Criterion was able to once again get distribution rights to the film and have revisited the film to tweak the video presentation. All in all, staff reviewer Svet Atanasov proclaims, "Criterion's transfer is clearly the better one. This becomes painfully obvious if one projects Criterion's Blu-ray release on a large screen and then compares it to Universal's Blu-ray release." A double-dip is in order.
Blow Out has just been ordered (together with 17 other Criterions I didn't own that is on sale at Amazon right now )
Will be ordering some of the other releases when they drop in price a bit: South Park, Fear and Loathing (time for a new 50% off at B&N soon?), El Topo and Holy Mountain.
Betty Blue will have to wait until they release the DC! I have it on DVD and it is a wonderful film to lose time in. Seriously, I didn't even realize that 3 hours had passed when I watched the DC the first time...
Glad I cancelled my pre-order and waited for Amazon to drop the price on South Park; it would have shipped yesterday and cost me another $5. Don't start taking your pre-order customers for granted, Amazon!
@Toasterlad. They did the same for me with the Ultimate Tron box, I sent a mail to them and asked if they shouldn't have lowered the price to reflect the currently lower price. I got the following reply from them:
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When you pre-ordered the DVD, the price we chargeed when we shipped it to you was be the lowest price offered by Amazon.com between the time you placed your order and the release date. If the price changed before the item ships, you'll see the updated price in Your Account. If the price changes after your shipment is already being prepared, you'll receive a refund within 24 - 48 hours of the release date.
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A couple of days later I got the $4 difference refunded. I cannot say if they would have done so if I hadn't contacted them (I'll try that next time if the same happens) but I feel they did right by me.
If you (or anybody else) need to contact them in regards to them not honoring the lowest price, it might be a good idea to mention that the Release Date isn't the same as Amazon's Shipping Date...
Sorry for hogging the thread, I'll give it back now, I don't think it was too damaged
@Bholst: Upon further review of the pre-order price guarantee policy, it DOES state that the guarantee is good until the end of the day the item is released, so I have no doubt they would have reimbursed me as they did you, had I let the original order stand. Thanks for the info.
My bad, Amazon! We still cool? You know I love ya!
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