“Jaws” has seen endless re-releases on VHS and DVD, and it makes one wonder if it’s really worth double, triple or quadruple-dipping into your wallet for this classic movie which we’ve seen hundreds of times already. But Universal Pictures, in celebration of the studio’s 100^th anniversary, has decided to give many of their classic movies a digital upgrade, and “Jaws” was at the top of the list. The end result however has Steven Spielberg’s 1975 classic looking and sounding better than ever, and it’s going to be very hard to find another Blu-ray release in 2012 that’s better than this one.

Indeed, the excitement many fans have had regarding the imminent release of “Jaws” on Blu-ray once again shows how incredibly popular this film remains over 30 years after it first appeared in theaters. This is one of those movies that is impossible to get sick of as it never ceases to be boring even if you know what’s going to happen. It’s a thrilling spectacle which was brilliantly conceived by Spielberg, and Roy Scheider, Richard Dreyfuss and Robert Shaw were perfectly cast in their unforgettable roles. It digs deep into our fears of what’s in the water, and that fear has not abated since this movie’s initial release.

Spielberg still refuses to do commentary tracks for any of his movies, but the wealth of extras that Universal Pictures provides for us more than makes up for that. Some of the extras from previous releases are here such as the documentary on the making of “Jaws” which remains one of the best of its kind. “Jaws” first became famous for all the things that went wrong during its production, especially with the mechanical shark that never seemed to work. Also included is the movie’s original theatrical  trailer which was conspicuously missing from the 30^th anniversary DVD.

Universal Pictures has also added some new extras to this release as well. One of the most interesting is “Jaws: The Restoration” which chronicles the movie’s meticulous restoration which was done from the 35mm original film elements. It’s amazing what can be accomplished with today’s technology, and “Jaws” looks fabulous in this high resolution format. Those who weren’t around when this classic first came out wondered what it looked like back then, and this Blu-ray release gives you a very good idea of that.

My favorite extra on this release however is the inclusion of Erik Hollander’s documentary “The Shark Is Still Working,” its title a riff on that radio transmission Richard Dreyfuss kept hearing over the crew members’ walkie talkies:

“The shark is not working. Repeat, the shark is not working…”

“The Shark Is Still Working” not only looks at the troubled production of “Jaws,” but it also looks at the impact it had not only upon its release, but years after it as well. Scheider narrates it, and there appearances by as Kevin Smith, Robert Rodriguez and Eli Roth who look to this movie as a major inspiration for them becoming filmmakers. There’s also footage of festivals held in this movie’s honor, and of how Martha’s Vineyard still looks the same as it did when “Jaws” was made there all those years ago.

I have personally tried to slow down on my purchase of any home entertainment for financial reasons, and also because I keep running out of shelf space for DVDs and Blu-rays. But this release of “Jaws” was impossible to pass up as the love we all have for this movie remains never ending. I say this after every remastered movie I see, but “Jaws” has never looked better than it does here. For those who love this movie as much as I do, this Blu-ray release is a must see and a reminder of how impossible it is to get sick of this particular movie.

Well-Go USA Entertainment has send us over a copy of their latest release "The Front Line". The film is available in stores now, but Film Arcade.net has a Blu-Ray to giveaway.

To enter: send us an email to facontest@gmail.com with your name and address.

Please put "The Front Line" in the subject line of the email.

Contest Ends: May 31st, 2012 and is open to US residents only.

Plot Synopsis:

Towards the end of the Korean War an uneasy ceasefire is ordered, but out on the Eastern front line of the Aerok Hills fierce fighting continues. A race to capture a strategic point to determine a new border between the two Koreas is the ultimate prize.

A bullet is then found in the body of dead company commander of the South Korean army. The bullet that killed the company commander belongs to the South Korean army. Lieutenant of the Defense Security Command Kang Eun-Pyo (Shin Ha-Kyun) is ordered to go out into the Eastern front line and investigate the murder. When Kang Eun-Pyo arrives in the Aerok Hills he is surprised to find his old friend Kim Soo-Hyuk (Ko Soo) commanding troops in the Aerok Hills. Kang Eun-Pyo believed Kim Soo-Hyuk was dead.

In their younger years, Kim Soo-Hyuk was a meek student, but he eventually became the leader of Aerok company as a lieutenant. The situation in the Aerok company raises many flags in the eyes of Kang Eun-Pyo. Soldiers wear North Korean uniforms inside due to the cold weather, a 20-year-old leads troops as a captain and the reappearance of his old friend Kim Soo-Hyuk. The countdown to the ceasefire begins as the lives of countless soldiers fall to the wayside ...

"The Front Line": Official Trailer

Image Entertainment send us over information regarding one of their upcoming releases
"35 and Ticking". The film stars Nicole Ari Parker (Soul Food, Brown Sugar), Tamala Jones (“Castle”, One on One), and Kevin Hart (Not Easily Broken, 40 Year-Old Virgin). "35 and Ticking" hits DVD and Blu-Ray on September 13th.

Press Release:

On September 13, from One Village Entertainment, a division of Image Entertainment, comes 35 and Ticking, a funny and uplifting story about the value of friends and family, of settling down and settling for what’s best. Boasting a stellar cast and fresh off its theatrical release, 35 and Ticking will be available on DVD for an SRP of $27.97 and on Blu-ray™ for an SRP of $29.97. Bonus features on the DVD and Blu-ray™ include a behind-the-scenes featurette, deleted scenes and a photo gallery.

Long-time friends Victoria, Zenobia, Clevon, and Phil have grown into their separate lives, but they have still arrived at the same crossroads. They are all approaching their mid-thirties, and each are struggling to build a family. While Zenobia (Nicole Ari Parker, Soul Food, Brown Sugar) is still looking for the perfect man, Victoria (Tamala Jones, “Castle”, One on One) is married to a younger man who doesn't want children. Clevon (Kevin Hart, Not Easily Broken, 40 Year-Old Virgin), shy and inexperienced, still dreams of the perfect woman, and Phil’s (Keith Robinson, Dreamgirls) wife is more interested in partying than parenting. All four of them try to rectify their romantic lives, while their biological clocks tick away...

The incredible cast also includes Wendy Raquel Robinson (“The Game”), Darius McCrary (“The Young and the Restless”), Meagan Goode (Saw V, “My Wife and Kids”), Luenell (“Californication”) and Dondre Whitfield (“The Ghost Whisperer”, “Cold Case”). Hilarious and poignant, 35 and Ticking is a lively and honest comedy about the desire for domestic bliss.

Some great news that came today for those who have been waiting a very long time for the "Scream" trilogy and "Pulp Fiction" to finally make its debut on Blu-Ray, as Miramax has found a distributor to distribute most of their classic titles.

Press Release:

LIONSGATE, a leading diversified filmed entertainment studio, Studiocanal and Miramax announced today that they have entered into a worldwide home entertainment distribution deal. Under the long-term deal, Lionsgate and Studiocanal will distribute more than 550 titles from the renowned Miramax film library via DVD, Blu-ray, EST and Internet Video On Demand (VOD), in addition to cable VOD internationally.

Lionsgate will partner with leading international distributor Studiocanal to distribute Miramax titles in the UK and Europe. The announcement was made by Steve Beeks, President and Co-Chief Operating Officer of Lionsgate, Olivier Courson, Chief Executive Officer of Studiocanal and Mike Lang, Chief Executive Officer of Miramax.

"The Miramax library will be one of the most treasured jewels in our home entertainment crown," said Beeks. "With our longstanding commitment and expertise in aggressively managing library titles, we are thrilled to bring together under one roof such Miramax film icons as Shakespeare in Love, The English Patient, Pulp Fiction and Good Will Hunting with our existing classics such as Dirty Dancing and Monster's Ball to create what is unquestionably one of the most powerful and prestigious filmed entertainment libraries in the world. We are looking forward to working with Mike and his incredible team on this exciting venture."

"We are pleased to expand our existing partnership with Lionsgate to encompass this exciting new venture with Miramax," said Courson. "The Miramax library features some of the best of American independent cinema, representing a wonderful mix of creative excellence, award winning films and commercial successes. The Miramax slate is a perfect fit for Studiocanal's core values and vision and we believe it will resonate with European audiences."

"With their expertise and success in the home entertainment marketplace, we consider both Lionsgate and Studiocanal to be the perfect partners to distribute these films," says Lang. "We are thrilled to have the opportunity to collaborate with them as we work to expand the availability of our library across all platforms to reach new audiences around the world."

The first home entertainment release under the deal will be The Switch in the US, the romantic comedy about friendship, fertility and family, starring Jennifer Aniston and Jason Bateman, which will be released on Blu-ray, DVD, VOD and available for digital download on March 15th.

The deal with Miramax continues to build on Lionsgate's tremendous success distributing third party product from some of the most prominent libraries in the world, including Studiocanal. Consisting of approximately 13,000 motion picture titles and television episodes, Lionsgate has one of the largest and most prestigious libraries in the entertainment industry with titles including Dirty Dancing, Memento, Monster's Ball, Crash and Rambo. Lionsgate has noted that the Company has achieved record library revenue for five consecutive years through a combination of organic replenishment and strategic acquisitions and distribution deals, despite a challenging marketplace.

Dark Sky Films recently send us over information for the Unrated DVD and Blu-Ray release of Adam Green's Hatchet II, which hits shelves on February 1st.

HATCHET II picks up right where the original Hatchet ended. The quiet but hot-tempered Marybeth (Danielle Harris, Halloween) barely escapes the clutches of the mysterious Crowley (Kane Hodder, Friday the 13th), who has already murdered all of Marybeth's friends and other vacationers in New Orleans swamp country.

Marybeth recruits a team of hired guns and returns to the bayou to exact her revenge, but quickly discovers that even with an army of hunters at her side the murderous fury of Crowley cannot be contained. Ultimately, it will be up to Marybeth alone to defeat the seemingly indestructible Crowley, but not before learning the truth about a twisted secret he shares with her own family.

The film stars some of the most iconic names in horror including Kane Hodder (aka Jason Voorhees), Tony Todd (Candyman), Tom Holland (Director of Child's Play), R.A. Mihailoff (aka Leatherface) and scream queen Danielle Harris (Rob Zombie's Halloween, Stake Land).

BONUS FEATURES:
"Hatchet II: Behind the Screams"
Trailers, Teaser, TV Spot, Radio Spot
Production Audio commentary track featuring writer/director Adam Green, Cinematographer Will Barratt, and Make-up Effects Supervisor Robert Pendergraft
Cast Audio commentary track featuring writer/director Adam Green and actors Kane Hodder and Tony Todd
First Look: Hatchet II (Blu-ray exclusive)
Meet the FX Team (Blu-ray exclusive)

HATCHET II - Arriving on Blu-ray & DVD on February 1, 2011!

For more information this film, you can visit the film's official website at: http://www.hatchet2.com/ or its official facebook page at:http://www.facebook.com/HatchetII

"Hatchet II": Dvd Trailer

Academy Award^® winner Angelina Jolie (Best Supporting Actress, Girl, Interrupted, 1999) stars as a CIA agent on the run after a defector accuses her of being a Russian spy in the international box-office action-packed event SALT. The Deluxe Unrated Edition Blu-ray^™ and DVD, debuting on December 21 from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, will include three versions of the film including the original theatrical film plus two additional unrated extended cuts not seen in theaters with two alternate endings. A Theatrical Edition DVD will also be available. Extensive bonus materials include filmmaker commentary and multiple featurettes that take viewers behind-the-scenes on the adrenaline-pumping thrill ride of the year.

SALT will be available on Deluxe Unrated Edition Blu-ray^™ for $34.95 SRP, Deluxe Unrated Edition DVD for $28.96 SRP and Theatrical Edition DVD for $28.96 SRP.

Synopsis:

As a CIA officer, Evelyn Salt (Angelina Jolie) swore an oath to duty, honor and country. Her loyalty will be tested when a defector accuses her of being a Russian spy. Salt goes on the run, using all her skills and years of experience as a covert operative to elude capture. Salt’s efforts to prove her innocence only serve to cast doubt on her motives, as the hunt to uncover the truth behind her identity continues and the question remains: “Who is Salt?”

Directed by Phillip Noyce (Clear and Present Danger, Patriot Games), SALT also stars Liev Schreiber (X-Men Origins: Wolverine) and Chiwetel Ejiofor (2012, Talk to Me) and was written by Kurt Wimmer. Lorenzo di Bonaventura and Sunil Perkash produced, with Ric Kidney and Mark Vahradian serving as executive producers.

DVD and Blu-ray Bonus Features Include:

§ Filmmaker Commentary

§ “The Ultimate Female Action Hero”

§ “Spy Disguise: The Looks of Evelyn Salt”

§ Radio Interview with Director Phillip Noyce

Exclusive Blu-ray^™ Bonus Features Include:

§ “SALT: Declassified – An undercover look at the secrets of making Salt”

§ “The Real Agents”

§ “The Modern Master of the Political Thriller: Phillip Noyce”

§ “False Identity: Creating A New Reality”

§ movieIQ

§ Spy Cam: Picture in Picture Track - Discover how the stunts and action were created. With pre-visualization sequences, storyboards, and behind-the-scenes interviews with filmmakers, cast and crew you can uncover the truth behind Salt!

SALT is rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action. Runtimes are as follows:

Theatrical Version – approximately 100min

Unrated Director’s Cut - approximately 104min

Unrated Extended Cut - approximately 101min

Black Dynamite
Year: 2009
Director: Scott Sanders
Studio: Apparition Releasing / Sony Pictures
Stars: Michael Jai White, Salli Richardson-Whitfield, and Byron Minns
MPAA Rating: R
Running Time: 88 Mins





“Black Dynamite” is a film that I’ve been curious about for while from the retro looking posters to the film trailer. The film is both, a homage and parody to the blaxploitation films of the seventies, where such films as “Shaft” “Coffy” and “Foxy Brown” did business at the multiplex. But still, I had a sense that it was going to be fun time considering that the trailer made me laugh. Man, I was very right on that assumption.

The film is about a slick, smoothest, womanizing and baddest former C.I.A. known as “Black Dyanmite”. He’s taking down drug dealers and going after the man, after they gunned down his brother. Soon he discover that the man has a plan of his own, by moving heroin to the orphanages and flooded the streets with adulterated malt liquor that does damage to anyone that drinks it. But “Black Dynamite is willing to the fight the man through the blood-soaked streets to honky house in this send of seventies blaxploitation.

Movie Review:

Black Dynamite is a very funny parody of seventies blaxploitation and kung fu films. Writer/director Scott Sanders does a very good job making this a very fun film to watch. He does that, by capturing the way that this film looks. This film had a vibe that giving the feeling that his came right out of the blaxploitation era, from the look of the film to the placement of the 70’s like music. Also, I liked the way that Sanders using montages for most of the action scenes. It’s done that way that the action comes off as homage to those films, as it also helps move the flow of the film along. He does that because this is a low budget film and if the sequences were played out in its entirety, then the sequences wouldn’t work. The acting here was over the top, but Sanders can get away with it here, because this is more of a comedy, than a straight up action film. Also, by making the performances over the top, it helps make the dialogue more effective and funny.

Sanders along with actor/writers Michael Jai White, and Byron Minns make everything in the story work as both a parody and homage to those blaxploitation films. The writers did it by creating fun characters that make you interested in the film and the fact the humor was just that good. The reason it works is the way the dialogue is written. This film is clearly inspired from the films of the seventies, because the way that the characters come off onscreen and that fact the dialogue came out those blaxploitation films. I also laughed a lot here. The reason for that is the way that the writers made the characters very funny in the way that they speak and act to some of the film’s dialogue to which you can’t help it but laugh. I had a fun time watching this film.

Blu-Ray Review:

First on the disc is the commentary track, which features writer/director Scott Sanders along with actor/writers Michael Jai White, and Byron Minns. For the most part this was a good commentary track. They do a good job providing interesting facts on the production, from the locations to the cameos of various actors. They also go into the homages of various blaxploitation films, which this film is inspired from. Also during the course of the track, they all seem like their having a good time recording this track. Laughing at the various mistakes that are noticeable in the film and poking fun at some of the dialogue, which makes the track entertaining to keep your interest.

Next on the disc is “Lighting the Fuse”. It’s a twenty-two minute behind the scenes look of the film. It covers array of topics like the writing of the film to the film production, seventies costume design, the look of the film and the various blaxploitation films in which this film pay homage to. This was surprising a good featurette as it cover more ground of the film, which wasn’t mentioned in the commentary track.

The next featurette is “The Comic-Con Experience” which features Sanders, White, Minns and actress Salli Richardson-Whitfield. It’s an eighteen-minute Q and A session that is moderated by Elvis Mitchell. It goes into the various stories that the cast had during the making of this film. They also share some of their favorite blaxploitation films.

Next is “The 70’s: Back in Action” This featurette is exclusive to the Blu-Ray version. It’s a fourteen-minute feature that goes into era where blaxploitation films were popular. The cast and crew reminisce over the films that they enjoyed during that era of filmmaking. This was a good featurette, as you get a better understanding of how some of these films inspired the making of this one.

Finally this disc wraps up with twenty eight minutes of alternate and deleted scenes, trailers for upcoming Sony releases and Movie IQ which is also a blu-ray exclusive that provides facts about the film, music, and actors.

Final Thoughts.

“Black Dynamite” is one of those films that you just sit back and enjoy is a very fun movie from start to finish. It also has some very good features that will make you understand the various homages that this film pays tribute to. “Black Dynamite” will get you in the groove that you forgive its noticeable miscues and make you laugh throughout.

Review Rating: 4 Stars
Blu-ray Rating: 3.5 Stars

From ComingSoon.net


It's official, Blu-ray Disc it is the winner in the high definition format war. Here is Toshiba's full press release:

Toshiba Corporation today announced that it has undertaken a thorough review of its overall strategy for HD DVD and has decided it will no longer develop, manufacture and market HD DVD players and recorders. This decision has been made following recent major changes in the market. Toshiba will continue, however, to provide full product support and after-sales service for all owners of Toshiba HD DVD products.

HD DVD was developed to offer consumers access at an affordable price to high-quality, high definition content and prepare them for the digital convergence of tomorrow where the fusion of consumer electronics and IT will continue to progress.

"We carefully assessed the long-term impact of continuing the so-called 'next-generation format war' and concluded that a swift decision will best help the market develop," said Atsutoshi Nishida, President and CEO of Toshiba Corporation. "While we are disappointed for the company and more importantly, for the consumer, the real mass market opportunity for high definition content remains untapped and Toshiba is both able and determined to use our talent, technology and intellectual property to make digital convergence a reality."

Toshiba will continue to lead innovation, in a wide range of technologies that will drive mass market access to high definition content. These include high capacity NAND flash memory, small form factor hard disk drives, next generation CPUs, visual processing, and wireless and encryption technologies. The company expects to make forthcoming announcements around strategic progress in these convergence technologies. Toshiba will begin to reduce shipments of HD DVD players and recorders to retail channels, aiming for cessation of these businesses by the end of March 2008. Toshiba also plans to end volume production of HD DVD disk drives for such applications as PCs and games in the same timeframe, yet will continue to make efforts to meet customer requirements. The company will continue to assess the position of notebook PCs with integrated HD DVD drives within the overall PC business relative to future market demand.

This decision will not impact on Toshiba's commitment to standard DVD, and the company will continue to market conventional DVD players and recorders. Toshiba intends to continue to contribute to the development of the DVD industry, as a member of the DVD Forum, an international organization with some 200 member companies, committed to the discussion and defining of optimum optical disc formats for the consumer and the related industries.

Toshiba also intends to maintain collaborative relations with the companies who joined with Toshiba in working to build up the HD DVD market, including Universal Studios, Paramount Pictures, and DreamWorks Animation and major Japanese and European content providers on the entertainment side, as well as leaders in the IT industry, including Microsoft, Intel, and HP. Toshiba will study possible collaboration with these companies for future business opportunities, utilizing the many assets generated through the development of HD DVD.

Before I was introduced to Blockbuster online, I was a subscriber to NetFlix. They never really bothered me, but I chose to go over to Blockbuster after they introduced their Total Access program. For a few years now, we've been seeing Blu-Ray and HD-DVD go back and forth, and maybe, this might declare who is the actual winner of the format war. Here is a press release where NetFlix announces they're only stocking Blu-Ray discs.


With the industry now having picked a winner in the face-off between the two competing high- definition DVD formats, Netflix, Inc., the world's largest online movie rental service, today said that it will move toward stocking high-def DVDs exclusively in the Blu-ray format.

Citing the decision by four of the six major movie studios to publish high-def DVD titles only in the Sony-developed Blu-ray format, Netflix said that as of now it will purchase only Blu-ray discs and will phase out by roughly year's end the alternative high-def format, HD DVD, developed by Toshiba.

Since the first high-definition DVDs came on the market in early 2006, Netflix has stocked both formats. But the company said that in recent months the industry has stated its clear preference for Blu-ray and that it now makes sense for the company to initiate the transition to a single format.

"The prolonged period of competition between two formats has prevented clear communication to the consumer regarding the richness of the high-def experience versus standard definition," said Ted Sarandos, chief content officer for Netflix. "We're now at the point where the industry can pursue the migration to a single format, bring clarity to the consumer and accelerate the adoption of high-def. Going forward, we expect that all of the studios will publish in the Blu-ray format and that the price points of high-def DVD players will come down significantly. These factors could well lead to another decade of disc-based movie watching as the consumer's preferred means."

Added Mr. Sarandos: "From the Netflix perspective, focusing on one format will enable us to create the best experience for subscribers who want high- definition to be an important part of how they enjoy our service."While only a portion of Netflix subscribers have elected to receive high- def DVDs, a majority of those subscribers have chosen Blu-ray over HD DVD. As part of the transition to Blu-ray, the company said it will acquire no new HD DVDs but that its current HD DVD inventory would continue to rent until the discs' natural life cycle takes them out of circulation in the coming months.

When Warner Home Video announced last month that by the end of this year it will release high-def titles exclusively in the Blu-ray format, it joined fellow majors Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment and Buena Vista Home Entertainment in endorsing Blu-ray. Currently, the two remaining majors, Paramount Home Entertainment and Universal Studios Home Entertainment, publish in the HD DVD format.

Netflix currently stocks over 400 Blu-ray titles, having recently added popular releases such as "Across the Universe" (Sony), "Gone Baby Gone" (Buena Vista) and the Academy Award nominated "Michael Clayton" (Warner Bros.). Blu- ray titles scheduled for release in the next month or so include the Academy Award nominated "No Country for Old Men" (Walt Disney), "Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story" (Sony) and "Alvin and the Chipmunks" (20th Century Fox).