This week in Blu-ray releases: Australia gets NINE releases while America gets SIX. Who has the better films though?
AUSTRALIA RELEASES
Atlantis: The Lost Empire and its sequel, Atlantis: Milo’s Return, come in a Blu-ray package this week. The first Atlantis had a budget of $120 million and made $186 million worldwide making it a mild success for Disney (the sequel was never released theatrically). Neither of these films can be purchased separately.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4s1bAAGaVc[/youtube]
The Brave One comes to Blu-ray this week. The Jodie Foster Drama Thriller made $69.7 million on an unknown budget. The Blu-ray comes with nothing special.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_PT4zvbhFw[/youtube]
Brother Bear and its sequel, Brother Bear 2, come in another Blu-ray package this week. The Oscar nominated first Brother Bear had an unknown budget but made $250.3 million worldwide. Neither of these films can be purchased separately.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCYkILqkPR0[/youtube]
Django Unchained comes home to Blu-ray. Quentin Tarantino’s Oscar winner made $422.8 million on a budget of $100 million and took home the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for Christoph Waltz and Original Screenplay for Tarantino. Django on Blu-ray comes with an Ultraviolet copy. I liked the Django Blu-ray but it had its problems. Read my review here.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJGUnHvK8nw[/youtube]
Hollywoodland comes to Blu-ray this week. The Adrien Brody Drama made $16.8 million on an unknown budget. The Blu-ray comes with nothing special.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZvDDWQfgFA[/youtube]
Jurassic Park comes to 3D Blu-ray this week. Steven Spielberg’s classic is the current 18th highest grossing film of all time with $969.8 million in the bank on an original budget of $63 million (add an extra $10 million for the 3D re-release). The 3D Blu-ray comes with a 3D, 2D, and Ultraviolet copy of the film. I absolutely loved the IMAX 3D conversion of Jurassic Park, you can read my full impressions here.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CUkz0N3o_s[/youtube]
Peter Pan and Return to Never Land come to Blu-ray this week. Both Disney films were huge hits with the first Peter Pan having a budget of $4 million and making $87.4 million and Return to Never Land having a budget of $20 million and making $109.8 million. Peter Pan can be purchased separately in two different ways (a Blu-ray/DVD combo or a Blu-ray/DVD/Digital Copy combo) or you can buy both films in a combo pack (I don’t know if any DVDs are included and Return to Never Land can not be purchased separately).
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1R7VCHlzPMo[/youtube]
Quigley Down Under comes to Blu-ray this week. The Tom Selleck Western made $21.4 million when it came out in 1990. The Blu-ray doesn’t appear to come with anything special (like an Ultraviolet or DVD copy).
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0RpI0DSocw[/youtube]
Oscar winner Silver Linings Playbook comes to Blu-ray this week. The Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence comedy was a big success with a $21 million budget and over $236 million worldwide (and still counting). Silver Linings Playbook comes with an Ultraviolet copy. I loved Silver Linings Playbook and you can read my full review of the film here.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sAn2a4SQaps[/youtube]
AMERICAN RELEASES
Escape from Planet Earth comes to Blu-ray this week. The William Shatner animation made $68 million on a budget of $40 million meaning it was a mild success for the Weinstein Company. The Blu-ray comes with a 3D, 2D, DVD, Digital, and Ultraviolet copy.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDYXI1QbtFw[/youtube]
A Good Day to Die Hard comes to Blu-ray this week. The fifth Die Hard film had a budget of $92 million and made $304.6 million worldwide. The Blu-ray comes with a DVD, Digital, and Ultraviolet copy.
Also released was the Die Hard Legacy Collection which combines all five films in one package.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wS31VXtYOQI[/youtube]
Identity Thief comes to Blu-ray this week. The Jason Bateman and Melissa McCarthy flick made $173.9 million on a budget of $35 million. The Blu-ray comes with a DVD, Digital, and Ultraviolet copy.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qaES4Ov3F08[/youtube]
Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome was released on Blu-ray. The film had an unknown budget but made $36.2 million in 1985. The Blu-ray comes with nothing special.
Also released was The Mad Max Trilogy and a re-release of the second Mad Max film, The Road Warrior.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BVcEdv6Uyow[/youtube]
The Shadow comes to Blu-ray. The Alec Baldwin action flick had an unknown budget but made $48 million worldwide when it was released in 1994. The Blu-ray comes with nothing special.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkZdvUFSPtw[/youtube]
Warm Bodies comes to Blu-ray. The Nicholas Hoult Drama had a budget of $35 million and made $116.9 million worldwide when it was released earlier this year. The Blu-ray comes with a DVD and Ultraviolet copy.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3ErWNBX9Rc[/youtube]
So which territory won the Blu-ray battle this week? Australia stands at a decent 64% on Rotten Tomatoes while America is at a crappy 43%. Australia takes home the gold…or blu.
WINNER: AUSTRALIA
TALLIES FOR THE YEAR: AUSTRALIA (4) AMERICA (3)
For reviews and more from me, Petey Oneto, you can check out my blog but be sure to check back with Resident Entertainment for more of my posts in the future.
