HMV Sale Now On

What's this, two updates in one month!? Wiv zese blog posts yeour spoiling uz!

Well HMV have an amazing sale NOW ON...


..See? And as with all typical sales posts, I thought I'd check in on the very best bargains on offer - just for you, dear reader. This time round there's actually some fantastic bargains on offer, especially in the Boxsets section (some of which are stupidly cheap).

Anyway.. let us begin!

Back To The Future Trilogy Box Set: Collectors Edition - Just £7.99!!!

What an amazing way to kick off the post - an absolute bargain! If you don't already own the trilogy in some format then there's simply no excuse here. I actually went to a comedy show the other day where they were considering this as the best trilogy ever made. It was quite cool of them to go against that other trilogy set in a galaxy far far away, and I have to say that I was almost inclined to agree with them - but then I remembered that it's probably Indiana Jones instead. (Yes, it's a trilogy. No, there wasn't a fourth one. Sssshhhhh...)

Still, the Back to the Future trilogy is GREATNESS ITSELF. Endlessly fun, endlessly rewatchable, and a must have for any DVD collection.

Duuuuh - daduh duh duh dah duuuuuuuuh!

Arnold Schwarzenegger Collection: 4 DVD - Just £6.99!!!

Usually these actor collection series feature some really obscure films, but not so the Arnie collection! Here you have THE perfect encapsulation of the worlds favourite Governator. Just check out the list.. Predator! Commando!! The Terminator!!! Conan The Barbarian!!!! The only ones they're missing are Jingle all the way and Batman and Robin.

To celebrate this awesome collection of action and violence I've decided to create a haiku for each film. It'll be up to you to decide which one belongs with which. I'll even leave a space, for you to fill out at home!

1. _____________
See top one-liners
Explosions and violent death
And let off some steam!

2. _____________
Time Travel Weirdness
Explosions and violent death
Hasta la vista!

3. _____________
Rumble in Jungle
Explosions and violent death
Get to the Chopper!

4. _____________
Loincloths and muscles
Sorcery and violent death
Big fuck-off swords man!

budda budda budda budda...

Peep Show Complete Series Box Set - Just 17.99!!!!!!!

What a deal! Usually you could expect to pick up a single season on DVD for this kind of money - two seasons at a push if you pick it up in a sale.. but five? Given that this is also one of the most popular, critically acclaimed comedies around right now (for good reason too!) then this is an absolute steal!

This is good, this is just like watching a porn film, except I can't see anything, I haven't got a hard on, and I want to cry...

Alfred Hitchcock Complete DVD Box Set (15 DVD) - Just 17.99!!!!!!!

I've talked about Hitchcock a number of times on this blog, namely in my comprehensive Appreciating Hitchcock post I did a while back, but also in another post where I mention this very set, quite rightly pointing out that it was terrific value at just £24.99.. Well now it's just £17.99 and even better value. Along with the Master of Suspense Box Set, I think it's a perfect way into understanding and appreciating this true master of the silver screen.

Incidentally, my favourite Hitchcock films are:

• Rear Window
• Dial M for Murder
• The 39 Steps
  
• Vertigo
  
• Rope
  

Interestingly, 3 of these films are shot in predominantly one location. Rope for instance, takes place in only one room. Even more interesting is the fact that the entire film is made up of only ten shots - lasting up to ten minutes each fact fans. What a pro!

Some films are slices of life, mine are slices of cake

Quentin Tarantino Collection Box Set - Just 12.99!!!

Now we all know Quentin Tarantino is the mac daddy, the king of cool, the voice of a generation.. but have you seen all of his films? This contains his entire back catalog, up to and including Kill Bill 1&2. So all of his proper films basically - and all of that for £12.99! This includes:

• Reservoir Dogs
• Pulp Fiction
• Jackie Brown
• Kill Bill Volume 1
• Kill Bill Volume 2
  

All of them masterpieces in their own way - be it the brutal, hard hitting Reservoir Dogs, the slick, magnum opus of Pulp Fiction, the too kool for skool Jackie Brown or the crazy awesomeness of Kill Bill 1 and 2. Very cool box set!

It hurts... it hurts... dick dick dick dick dick dick dick dick dick

So those are my recommendations, but here's what I bought..

Derren Brown: Specials DVD - £11.99

Good solid sorcery and illusion from the greatest warlock of our times. (Oh come on he is a warlock) I find Derren Brown's work infinitely interesting, and I haven't seen a bunch of these, so looking forward to seeing more mind-melting madness!

Scream 1/2/3: Trilogy: 3dvd: Box Set - Just £8.99!!!

This is a bit of a weird purchase for me, as I'm not really a horror fan at all. That said, I think Scream is a truly great film, and I really love how it mashes and messes with conventions of the standard horror flick. I saw Scream 2 once when I was younger and remember being massively scared during a scene set in a car. Scream 3 is inevitably going to be a bit shit, but for this price it still works out at great value! Looking forward to seeing all of these now..

Movies don't make the psycho's, movie's make the psycho's more creative!

The 39 Steps DVD - Just £3.99!!!

Yes, unfortunately this classic Hitchcock feature isn't in any of the collections detailed above, but at just £3.99 you won't be too hard up! It also comes with a documentary about the great man, which I'll be sure to look into and comment upon. Expect something along the lines of "yeah, it was pretty good..". But the film itself, what a cracker! Described by 'Time Out' as "Not only Hitchcock's fastest and funniest film, but one of his most erotic and touching". Not bad!

So upon that last recommendation I will leave you, dear readers. I hope you enjoyed yourselves.

Until next time...

J

How Much Does Blu-Ray Cost?

This post is a first for this particular blog (and possibly the entire internet) as I’m bringing it to you in super hi-def. Pretty cool eh? I’ve harnessed state-of-the-art blogging technologies to really make the words and images stand out. Apparently the finished result is really swish - seeing as it cost me close to £300 I'm sure it will be. In fact some of this post may even be in 3D.

Anyway it’s a good time to introduce it, as I’m now going to take a big retrospective look at Blu-Ray prices throughout time, since the format's humble beginnings many moons ago. Ok so here goes.. “Blu-Ray used to be pretty expensive – but now it’s actually very affordable!”

Fwoo - Ok now that big retrospective analysis has been done, I can get on with what’s going on with the format right now, in the future. Erm... I mean “present”...Well many online retailers are starting to have some cool promotions on many of their Blu-Ray discs now, so this is a perfect time to start building out your Blu-Ray collections in my opinion. Personally I still tend to go for DVD’s with a lot of films – I don’t really understand the added benefit of seeing something like “Superbad” on Blu-Ray as opposed to DVD. However something like Wall.E or Apocalypse Now, or anything truly visual, then I think the added cost is definitely worth it. I went through the top online retailers and had a look at what was on offer, just out of curiosity. It turns out that Play and HMV had some interesting things going on, but I ended up ordering some through Amazon, with their really cool 3 for 2 on selected Blu-ray discs!

HMV – Blu-Ray from just £6.99!!!! - click Here.

Play.com - Blu-Ray Movies from only £7.99!! - click Here.

Amazon - 3 for 2 on selected Blu-ray discs

I just couldn't pass this one up, so here's what I ended up going for:

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford Blu-Ray

This is a film that I initially watched through LOVEFiLM, and despite it being a bloody mouthful, I instantly decreed it a modern classic. Haunting, brooding, and very well made. On top of this it looks absolutely gorgeous in Blu-Ray. I've posted my full LoveFilm review at the bottom of this post, so be sure to check it out - and then follow my example and buy it - you won't be disappointed!

Watch out - there's a train coming!

Raging Bull Blu-Ray

Well - what to say about Raging Bull? It's certainly one of the finest films that Scorsese has ever made, no question about it. It also has one of the biggest powerhouse performances ever, with Robert DeNiro. It's also one of the hardest watches I've ever had to sit through! Not to discredit the film in any way, but as brilliant as it is, it's a very hard watch. So much so in fact that I've only ever seen it once, and it's taken me about 5 years to return to it! However the appeal of seeing some of the imagery in Blu-Ray was too much, so I had to get it.

Starship Troopers Blu-Ray

Call it rubbish if you want, but Starship Troopers is a bloody entertaining film! I mainly got this because it's perfect for an upcoming film night I'm planning - but regardless this is a film I could watch loads of times and have a good time with - Would you like to know more?

Honourable mentions and recommendations

If you don't fancy any of those, here are my recommendations for the best of the rest:

The Fountain Blu-Ray

This may sound stupid, but I already own this film on DVD, and had to really struggle over whether or not to buy it on Blu-Ray as well because I like it that much. Darren Aronofsky and Clint Mansell re-team to create an awe-inspiring epic masterpiece. I managed to dig out an old review I did on another blog, and you can find that at the bottom of this post as well..

The Corpse Bride Blu-Ray

Vintage Tim Burton stop motion. Very well done, very cool look and feel to it. Great fun!

Sunshine Blu-Ray

Sunshine is one of those truly intelligent, truly atmospheric sci-fi films that come along oh so rarely. In my opinion it sits right up there with the very best, including Alien, 2001 and Silent Running. It has a bit of a weird ending, but this can't ruin the rest of the film which is frankly fantastic. Danny Boyle is one of the most gifted filmmakers working today - FACT. Oh, and I bet it looks amazing in Blu-Ray!

On a side note, I've heard amazing things about the upcoming 'Moon' with Sam Rockwell - this is right up there on my most anticipated for 2009!

Cloverfield Blu-Ray

This film was misunderstood by a lot of people, but in my opinion it's a brilliant film. It has its flaws, sure, but it's also one of the most chaotic and involved films I've seen in a while. Pure visceral cinema. For my LoveFilm review please check out the bottom of this post..

The Fly Blu-Ray

I shouldn't have to describe this - it's brilliant.

The 40 Year Old Virgin Blu-Ray

Probably one of the most pleasant surprises I've had when watching a film. There was me expecting a purile laugh(less)-fest, when it suddenly proved me completely wrong. Consistently laugh-out loud funny, and well recommended - Although not sure I'd buy it on Blu-Ray..

Bad Santa Blu-Ray

I would like to go on record and announce this as the greatest christmas film ever made! If you like your comedy dark, and find the idea of a drunken Santa pissing himself, swearing like a trooper, and beating up nativity sets in front of crying kids funny, then this is the film for you!

I'm going to end this post there, as I can't be arsed writing any more. I'm not sure exactly what I was trying to say in the above epic post, but er... at least it's something. I hope you didn't find it too boring. For those with a bit more stamina, you may want to check out the relevant LoveFilm reviews below:
--------------------------------

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford - Review

I'm not sure a film has held my attention like this one did in quite some time. Simply put this is a breathtaking film - It's absolutely beautiful to look at (not just because I saw it in blu-ray) and the story and interplay between all the characters is absolutely gripping throughout, with a somber melancholic tone that always undulates beneath the surface. All of the supporting cast are perfect. Brad Pitt portrays Jesse James as a completely ruthless and mean son of a bitch, but you can see the demons that he suffers. He can't trust anyone, and his only friendships are kept through fear. It's Casey Affleck who holds the screen though. His portrayal of Robert Ford is perfect, as a bit of a dreamer and hero-worshipping weirdo, but with tones of sadness and repression in him as well. I'll definitely be keeping an eye on writer/director Andrew Dominik, as he surely has the makings of a fantastic career ahead of him. The story is gripping, the cinematography is stunning, the score is haunting and brooding - and it's simply essential cinema.

Five Stars out of Five

--------------------------------

Cloverfield Review

First Off - I cannot understand how so many people can rate this film poorly. You can't know the concept of the film beforehand and then criticise it for not conforming to typical movie conventions. What's been done with Cloverfield, is to take a fairly simple disaster concept, but to turn it on its head and show it all through the various characters perspectives. So you don't see the bigger picture and you don't get all the answers - but the result of filming it in this manner means that all of the action and all of the human emotion is that much more real, and more shocking.

And I think they've captured it all perfectly. Not only do you feel like it could actually happen, it also manages to instill in you the sort of panic that the characters are feeling. And the story is setup well enough to ensure that you're invested with the characters before the action kicks off. Shaky camera is not an excuse. If you criticise this film based on shaky camera then you're missing the point entirely - believe me, I was engrossed enough throughout to not notice it in the slightest.

So where does it fall down? Well, you could bring up the point that nearly all of the cast are gorgeous and successful, but you can probably let that slide. My main problem was with one of the main characters who we spend the most time 'behind the camera' with. He's likable enough at first, but after a while his constant 'Dude... what's going on... oh man... dude, what's happening??' antics can grate a bit. Despite that though, this is a daring, exciting, edge of the seat thriller, and you should definitely experience it!

Holy Shit!!!

--------------------------------

The Fountain Review

I've just finished watching The Fountain, which is a giant, disparate, beautiful experience of a film.. It's essentially a story of a man and his dying wife, only tangled up through time and space and with a big dose of mythology chucked at it. If you watch it from a completely subjective standpoint, and let the mood and story sort of wash over you then you can have a great time with it. The imagery is breathtaking, and if you can excuse one or two bizarre/pretentious moments then the story is actually really touching and effective. Hugh Jackman through this film (and films like the Prestige) has proved his worth, and is definitely one of the actors of his generation, top show!

I rate it five nebulas out of five! Truly unique!

Michel Gondry 2: More Videos Before and After

You know, in my first ever (proper) post on this site, I detailed my top 10 favourite DVDs of all time. Looking back at them I probably didn't really pick them properly - they were essentially my favourite films and DVD sets and didn't account for a lot of important things..

However one set I don't begrudge putting in there was the Michel Gondry Work of Director Series DVD. Out of the entire Director series, I found his set to be the best, with the most imagination, creativity and content. Well lucky for us fans, because he's just released a second DVD independently on his own website!!

Michel Gondry 2: More Videos Before and After

It features, surprisingly enough, more videos from his catalogue that didn't make the cut on the previous DVD, and videos from his career since. Here's a taster, and a particular favourite of mine:


Watch Steriogram - Walkie Talkie Man in Music | View More Free Videos Online at Veoh.com

It even features the classic video for 'Knives Out' by Radiohead, which wasn't allowed on the first DVD by the band, because they apparently hated it. How bizarre is that? It's incredible!



Anyway I absolutely can't wait for this one. You have to order from America through his official website, but it's apparently region free which is good. You can also pay with PayPal so you don't need to sign up to anything else. To check it out, go here.

Also to see more news on the DVD, and for some more info about Michel Gondry and his current projects you should check out the following cool article over at AICN: http://www.aintitcool.com/node/40764

Until next time you crazy kids!

- Jimmy

If you walk through the garden..

Hello readers,

Now I'm going to do something a bit different today with this blog post - I'm going to educate. You see I often ramble on about all kinds of random junk on this thing, but very rarely do I ever impart true wisdom unto you all. Well today all that's changed as I say to you now....

You MUST watch the Wire.

Now this is a bit of a weird one, because despite all the ridiculous amount of critical acclaim this TV show has received, it's still ridiculously under-watched. It's so frequently described as the best show on TV, but in truth it's much more closer with the statement 'The best show on TV... that noone has ever seen'. This is about to change of course, as it's currently being shown on BBC2 each and every night - the whole five seasons back to back.


If you think you can keep up with it on BBC then I urge you to do so, but be sure to give it your full attention as it will pay you back many times over. The other alternative is to buy the DVD box sets online, as I currently am. This way you can afford to take your time with them, savour them, and enjoy them exactly when you want to. It also means that you don't have to worry about staying up until 11.20pm every night to catch them! I went into HMV on Oxford Street the other day and noticed that they were selling them for about £30. However the very same box sets on the HMV website are selling for just £15 each. And for what you get out of it, that's a damned bargain!

All the online retailers feature them at about the same prices - HMV, Play and Amazon. Alternatively you can go for the uber whole series box set in one go, but it actually doesn't work out any cheaper - how lame is that?

Tonight I actually finished the second series, and it made me sad, as I know it made a lot of other friends sad. Not necessarily because of the story, but simply because we know that we only have 3 more left before it's all over - and we want to delay that day for as long as possible! The first season was truly excellent, but by the second season you can start to see a much bigger story taking place, and it carries a bigger emotional punch to it.

Powerful, brilliant, intelligent, gripping, absorbing, laugh out loud funny, completely tragic, completely real. It's all this and more - so what more to say other than - BUY IT.

Ps: Bring on season 3!! I literally cannot wait for the postman to come knocking!

- Jimmy

The DVDs Every Man Should Own

A few weeks ago Short List magazine (shortlist.com) had a feature called "The DVDs Every Man Should Own", and they invited 5 critics from various big-time publications to offer up their top five. Quite why they didn't think to invite me I don't know, but whatever..

The only problem with the feature is that they seemed to have completely mis-communicated the idea to the critics, because some of the options are RUBBISH. I mean honestly, is Mary Poppins a film that every man should own do you think??

So in order to set this gross injustice straight, I have provided my own list. Feel free to read along whilst drinking beer, scratching your nuts and grunting in approvement..

THE (REAL) DVDS EVERY MAN SHOULD OWN

1. The Alien Quadrilogy

You know, I don't know of a single bloke whose life wouldn't be more enriched by the awesome power of Aliens. The Alien Quadrilogy has to be the best DVD set EVER MADE. Firstly you have one of the greatest sci-fi horror films of all time with Alien, Ridley Scott's slow burning masterpiece. Then it's on to Aliens, Jim Cameron's sci-fi action masterpiece - surely in the running for one of the best sequels ever made. Then, while the next two films in the saga aren't nearly as good, they're both fun and enjoyable in their own right - and they still have kick-ass aliens in them!

Weirdly this DVD set is always stupidly cheap with many online retailers. Check out a previous post about it here. Now the Alien Quadrilogy is being sold at HMV for just £9.99 with free delivery. I can't even begin to explain to you how crazy that is - You must buy it!

"GAME OVER MAN... GAME OVER!"

2. Predator Special Edition Collection

Knock Knock! Yet another iconic franchise, with brutal action, iconic monsters and wicked one liners. This 4 disc edition DVD has both Predator 1 and 2 Special Editions in it, and has all kinds of kick-assery. Just note that while both the Alien and Predator franchises make the cut, by no means should the two ever cross! If new films are ever made, then they should only be allowed to be touched by talented directors with a passion for the material - which is why the announcement of Robert Rodriguez's 'Predators' comes as such a cool piece of news!! (Read more here) Damn I can't wait for that one..

"STICK AROUND!"

3. The Terminator Collection

As much as I enjoyed Terminator 3, it by no means hits the classic status of the first two films - which are precisely what you get in this boxset, in special edition form! Arnold Schwarzenegger has never been better, Jim Cameron has never been more balls to the walls, and action and story rarely come together so well. But which is the better? Why, Terminator 2 of course - which I would like to put out there as the greatest action film of all time. Disagree? Comments below please!

GET... OUT!

4. The Star Wars Trilogy

Any bloke worth his mettle should own this series in at least some format, and I would like to suggest the following as the best choice - the entire classic trilogy in one boxset. It has some seriously annoying re-touches and contributions from George Lucas (Gredo shooting first, Hayden fucking Christenson replacing the original Darth Vader ghost!) but you can't knock the overall awesomeness of the Star Wars trilogy. It has everything - heroes, anti-heroes, iconic villains, sage demented puppets, a girl in a gold bikini, explosions(!) lightsabers(!) Jedi's(!) and, er... ewoks. Ignore the second lot of films, which in my opinion are utter wank. Just remember, don't give in to hate!

"I'VE GOT A BAD FEELING ABOUT THIS.."

5. Fight Club Special Edition DVD

The First Rule of Fight Club is...

Ah to hell with it! How can I not talk about it? Fight Club is the ultimate film for all real men out there. For all the middle children of history, man. No purpose or place. We have no Great War. No Great Depression. Our Great War's a spiritual war... our Great Depression is our lives. We've all been raised on television to believe that one day we'd all be millionaires, and movie gods, and rock stars. But we won't. And we're slowly learning that fact. And we're very, very pissed off.

So you need a film to reaffirm your own manliness? How can Fight Club not be on the list? Really.. I am Jack's complete lack of surprise..

"THE THINGS YOU OWN END UP OWNING YOU"

So there we have it, the DVDs every man should own! Comments welcome!

- Jimmy

Watchmen: Tales of the Black Freighter

Watchmen: Tales of the Black Freighter is an animated story from the original Watchmen graphic novel. It is the perfect companion piece to the superb Watchmen movie. Voiced by Gerard '300' Butler, the tale features a ships Captain who is hell-bent on saving his hometown after a pirate attack.

Its pretty cheap too - check out these prices!

HMV £6.99 Delivered
Play.com £6.99 Delivered
Amazon £6.98 + Delivery

What's new DVD-Spot?

Howdy ho interwebs, how do??

Today is Mothers Day in the UK, so I thought it would be a very cool idea to do a special Mothers Day themed post - but then I thought, sod it! My mum has a rubbish taste in films, so I'm going to write about some DVD's that I've purchased recently instead!! (What a fantastic son eh?)

Anyway, right off the bat is the HILARIOUS, darkly comic return to form from the Coen Brothers, with Burn After Reading. Now, I don't like to play up the whole 'return to form' thing too much, because I thought films like Intolerable Cruelty and the Ladykillers were actually pretty good - they're just not quite up to the standard of some of their other classics. Burn After Reading may take a little while to get going, but once it does it's an absolute laugh-fest. Brad Pitt probably just about steals the show, but the whole rest of the cast are on top comic form. If you have a penchant for darkly comic films then you should definitely check this out. Sit down at home with it and you'll be sure to have a good time!


Next up is the final installment in the Futurama direct to DVD quadrilogy, with Into the Wild Green Yonder! Now if you've seen any of these recent D2DVD efforts then you may have some inkling as to what to expect. For my review of the first one (Bender's Big Score) then please click here. Personally I've been a little underwhelmed by the latest episodes, and that's a hard thing to say because I'm certainly a fan of the series. But it just seems to me that they tried far too hard in some cases, and I got the feeling that they tried to please too many people rather than doing exactly what they wanted. Either that or the series just doesn't translate as well to feature length episodes.. Anyway, Into the Wild Green Yonder is still worth a look, and certainly still has laughs a plenty - but this isn't classic Futurama by any means. Personally I think you'd be better off buying the complete DVD collection - Just £64.99 at Play.com!


Finally, saving the best until last - LA Confidential: The 2 Disc Special Edition DVD

This is a film that has deserved a special edition makeover for a long time, but has just recently got it. If you don't know already, LA Confidential is a 5 star modern film-noir masterpiece full of corruption, passion and intrigue. It's absolutely essential cinema, and deserves to be seen by all!

The recent special edition brings a whole host of incredible special features, with audio commentaries, making of videos, and even the original TV pilot (which features Keither Sutherland!) If you haven't already seen this then I urge you to - please buy it!


Here are the best prices for the above DVDs:

Burn After Reading
Amazon - £10.98
Play.com - £10.99
HMV - £11.99

Futurama: Into the Wild Green Yonder
Amazon - £9.88
Play.com - £9.99
HMV - £9.99

LA Confidential 2 Disc Special Edition
Amazon - £9.98
Play.com - £9.99
HMV - £9.99

And now to finish off this post I thought I would revel in the awesomeness that is.. the Coen Brothers. Just look at them there.. how awesome are they??

I wanted to get some kind of bright shining light effect going around them but couldn't figure out how. I guess you'll just have to imagine it instead. Do it with an "aaaaaaaaaah!" sound effect in your head too, as in a kind of heavenly radiance sound. Aaaaaaaaaaaaawesome! Aaaaaaaaaawesome!

Next up I will be posting some select reviews from my time using LoveFilm, just because I feel like it. I'm still using the service all the time, but have actually run out of time to review each and every DVD I rent, so I thought I'd post what I have. Until then... stay cool folks! Be excellent to each other! Rock on!

- Jimmy

DVD Spot - Now in Twitter form!

Oh howdy ho interwebs - apologies for the lack of updates recently but I've been extremely busy twittering working lately and have neglected this blog a bit.

Anyway fear not as we have now created an offshoot to DVDSpot on twitter, where you can get up to date ramblings and random thoughts on all things DVD and film related. So please add us and prepare for delight and wonder in upcoming tweets!!
https://twitter.com/DVDSpot

To be honest I'm still new to the whole thing, but am slowly getting my head round it. Hopefully I can incorporate our twitter feed into this blog which would be good. Also should you like to see my personal twitter, you can find me at the following: https://twitter.com/Zero_Star

Stay tuned for (lots of) planned updates happening very soon - We're back baby!!

Jimmy

Edit: Ok we're now live - it's on the right hand navigation at the bottom there.

The Best January DVD Sales

Just before I head off for the New Year, I thought I would do a very brief summary of the best sales coming into January. Note: If you ever want to bulk up your DVD collections then sale season (now) is definitely the time to do it!

Amazon.com
Winter Offers - Up to 70% Off of DVDs!

HMV
DVDs from £3 / Boxsets from £5!

Play.com
Monster Sale - DVDs from only £2.99!

CHOMP!!!

Whenever I buy DVDs in January sales I always tend to find that Play.com have the better deals, so first port of call should be there!

Well, so long to 2008 from all here at DVD-Spot - and here's to a very prosperous 2009!

Happy New Year EVERYONE!

Bottle Rocket Criterion Edition DVD

Hello readers, long time no speak! I trust you all had a fabulous holiday season?

You know time really does fly sometimes doesn't it? It seems like just yesterday that I was getting excited about the new Bottle Rocket Criterion DVD (see that post here). Well, just over a year later and.. hooray! It's finally been released and I have it in my grubby little hands!


I won't blab on about it too much about it (find out why you should buy the film in my previous post) but I will mention a little bit about the extras:

As with all Criterion editions, it's packed with great and informative features, along with really nice artwork and design. This one comes with a booklet based around Dignan's 75 year plan as seen in the film. It's a really nice touch and pretty funny. It also has a review of the film by Martin Scorsese and an essay on it written by (from memory) James L. Brooks. All very good!

It also features:

• Commentary by Wes Anderson and Owen Wilson (I can't wait to hear this one)
• The Making of Bottle Rocket : an original documentary by filmmaker Barry Braverman
• The original 13 minute black and white Bottle Rocket short film from 1992 (you can also see this in my previous post as a YouTube link - crappy quality though)
• Eleven deleted scenes
• Anamorphic screen test, storyboards, location photos, and behind-the-scenes photographs by Laura Wilson
• Murita Cycles, a 1978 short film by Braverman
• The Shafrazi Lectures, no. 1: Bottle Rocket
  

For another post I wrote about buying Criterion DVD's in general, and a kind of brief buying guide, then click here. You'll be pleased to hear that I wasn't charged any extra duty on this one.

For the DVD links to Amazon:
Bottle Rocket Criterion Edition DVD
Bottle Rocket Criterion Edition Blu-Ray

Yep, they're doing them on Blu-Ray too now, cool eh?

Until next time readers, keep it foolish!

- Jimmy