This week we have a nice mix of films hitting Blu-Ray and DVD for your purchasing and viewing pleasure, though none are quite on the level of my top pick last week (but that’s a real special case, and one I’ll actually be writing more about later this week or early next week, depending on how much Batman overshadows everything else). I will say that this is one of those release slates that pretty much offers something for everyone, so that’s never anything to complain about. Between all of these flicks, you’ll laugh…you’ll cry…you’ll smile…you’ll be disappointed (perhaps in some cases)…etc. Anyway, there are more films in contention for my PICK OF THE WEEK than usual, but I was able to figure out my pick after some careful thought. Eventually, I came to the conclusion that one of the more satisfying indie romantic comedies of the year was my choice. Curious what it is? Of course you are, so I won’t keep it from you. It’s:

Friends with Kids

Jennifer Westfeldt’s indie rom-com is a real charmer, though I’d be lying if I wasn’t hoping for something a little better than I got. It’s very good, but simply not great. The cast is all on point, and if the story isn’t exactly the most original in the world, it’s handled pretty well. I liked this more the second time around, and I’m pretty confident that it’ll appeal to most of you as well. It may not be the best movie of the year, but it’s the best of this particular week. Give it a shot and see what you think!

-Also getting a recommendation from me today is the dramedy Salmon Fishing in the Yemen. I never got around to reviewing it during its main theatrical run (it’s still in a few theaters), though I might now…but in short it’s a charming yet forgettable crowd pleaser. If you don’t mind a little cheesiness, this could be for you. Pick it up and enjoy…

-The rest of the releases this week include the silly sci-fi action flick Lockout (or Space Jail, as it’s affectionately known by many), the decent slapstick comedy reboot The Three Stooges, the mediocre sci-fi drama 4:44 Last Day on Earth, the disappointing comedy Casa De Mi Padre, the disposable suspense flick Intruders, along with the romantic drama Here and the drama Mamitas, which I didn’t see (though I had my eye on the former and will be checking it out at some point). It’s an eclectic mix of films, but all of them underwhelmed in one way or another. I’m not especially sure that anyone will bother to pick these up, but those who choose to, feel free to let us know what you thought of them.

-A special note this week…we have the release of Mel Gibson’s action movie Get the Gringo, which is skipping theaters and going the Blu-Ray/DVD/VOD route today. I’ve heard that it’s a better film than its fate suggests, and I’m going to be checking it out and reporting to you when I do, so if you’re not boycotting Mel, try the movie out along with me.  Perhaps we’ll be pleasantly surprised!

-My Vintage pick, in honor of, yes, you guessed it…The Dark Knight Rises, is…no surprise, the other 2 Batman films from Christopher Nolan. They’re Batman Begins and The Dark Knight. We’ve been writing about this franchise consistently for just about a full month now (I even did an Historical Circuit review of the former, found here), and as you’re reading this I’ll likely be sitting down to finally see the series concluded at my screening, so now’s the time to give them one last watch. Come the weekend, a fire will rise in cinemas…and that fire is The Dark Knight Rises, obviously.

-What will you be watching on Blu-Ray and DVD this week? Discuss in the comments!

About Joey Magidson

When he’s not obsessing over new Oscar predictions on a weekly basis, Joey is seeing between 200 and 300 movies a year. He views the best in order to properly analyze the awards race/season each year, but he also watches the worst for reasons he mostly sums up as "so you all don't have to". In his spare time, you can usually find him complaining about the Jets or the Mets. Still, he lives and dies by film. Joey's a voting member of the Internet Film Critics Association as well. Today the IFCA, tomorrow the world!

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