 This week, headlining the titles coming to Blu-Ray and DVD is perhaps the final theatrical release ever by a noted auteur, and while it’s not alone in terms of being at least somewhat of a quality offering, this is hardly a week to wild about. There’s not really anything else worth mentioning today in any notable way, though it’s not a completely barren slate. It’s simply just the nature of a week when most of the titles are early year releases…the quality of January through March dictates what hits home video as Spring begins to turn into Summer. Considering what some of the past weeks have been like, this is a much better group than that and I’m really just trying not to focus on the dearth that I know exists next week. There’s really only one film in any real contention for top honors today, but it’s one I have no problem recommending to you all. For my PICK OF THE WEEK I opted to go with one of the first few months of 2013′s more high anticipated titles, as you’d probably expect that I would here. You’ll see which movie I’m speaking of at the end of the column as per the usual (though I’m sure you can guess), but right now it’s time for us to dive head on into another edition of Vintage selections. Here we go folks!
Read more on Joey’s DVD Picks of the Week (05/21/2013)…
- Another week has passed, Awards Circuit devotees, and we have not one but two (!!!) brand new Power Hour episodes for your listening pleasure! In the first show, you’ll discover the winners of ACCA 1999 and in the second we round-table critique the hot mess that is Baz Luhrmann’s The Great Gatsby. Go ahead, press that “play” button…I know you can’t resist.
Read more on Circuit Round-Up (Week Ending 5/12)…
Read more on Circuit Round-Up (Week Ending 5/12)…
 This week, we have a pair easy to recommend titles coming to Blu-Ray and DVD, but for a change they’re not coming to the party alone. There are some other films worth mentioning today, even if they’re not especially of the highest quality and I won’t be recommending many of them. In no way is this a top notch slate of releases, but it’s a real step in the right direction when held up against where we’ve been at with the column during the past few weeks. Even having a decision of what to make my top choice is a welcome return to form here. Both of the flicks contending for that honor are underrated and deserving of more attention than they received, but for my PICK OF THE WEEK I opted to go for the even smaller scale of the two. You’ll see what I’m talking about towards the end of the column, but right now it’s time for us to dive into a Vintage selection, so that’s where we’ll begin as usual!
Read more on Joey’s DVD Picks of the Week (04/23/2013)…
 Once again this week, we’re faced with the fact that it’s a very light slate of new releases ladies and gentlemen. On the plus side though, today features one terrific film hitting shelves, and it’s a real saving grace. In fact, it’s one of my Top Ten from 2012, so that certainly says something. Sadly, it’s really the only thing worthwhile this week, something I’m getting just a bit tired of saying more than once a month, but at least the top pick is high quality, which is more than I could say just seven days ago in this very column. That certainly saves this week’s grouping somewhat. For my PICK OF THE WEEK, I was delighted to be able to cite one of my favorite flicks of last year (though it’s actually towards the bottom of Ten, if that works as a hint for you), and I support this choice wholeheartedly. We’ll get to that top notch film in a bit (especially with the dearth of other new releases to talk about at any length), but for now…it’s that time again folks. Yes, it’s time for my Vintage pick!
Read more on Joey’s DVD Picks of the Week (04/16/2013)…
- With an assortment of news and updates coming down the pipeline, there was plenty to discuss last week at The Awards Circuit. Our first order of business was paying tribute to the late and great Roger Ebert, who for many of us has shaped the way we interpret cinema. The staff went around the room on the latest Power Hour, individually revealing our personal experiences with Ebert and his reviews before then moving on to some Oscar® talk. Which directors in 2013 do we think can take it all the way to the Dolby Theatre next March? Listen to the episode and find out! Read more on Circuit Round-Up (Week Ending 4/14)…
Read more on Circuit Round-Up (Week Ending 4/14)…
 This week, there’s two heavy hitters coming to Blu-Ray/DVD, and then…well…there’s everything else. I actually had a first here in the column in regard to my top pick, and that’s something I always enjoy having happen. Essentially, I actually changed my planned selection. As a bit of background information, let me start by saying I normally plan out the releases I want to recommend at least a few weeks in advance. The dates that these movies hit shelves are out there pretty early on, so I try to sort out what the upcoming month would look like. This time around, I had planned to talk a lot about one particular film, but I found that I was already doing so a lot in the days prior (which should be a hint about the identity of one of the two titles in contention), so I opted to give that one second place and go with what would have been my runner up. I feel almost the same about them in terms of how much I like them, though they’re as different as can be. So, for my PICK OF THE WEEK, I went with a flick I haven’t written much about instead of one that I’ve written tons about. You’ll see what I mean in a moment, but first…a Vintage pick!
Read more on Joey’s DVD Picks of the Week (3/26/2013)…
 This week, we have one of those interesting situations where some of my favorite 2012 titles are coming to Blu-Ray and DVD along with some of my least favorite. Neither of those films that I don’t care for made my Bottom Ten, but they were both incredibly undeserving of the acclaim that they received. As for those two top tier flicks, one received some Oscar attention and a spot on my Top Ten list, while the other is an incredibly underrated work in my eyes. This didn’t set up too hard of a fight for top honors, since one is clearly the best offering today, but I do want to mention that there’s definitely a high level second choice this week. You’ll see that soon enough though, so for now lets focus on the PICK OF THE WEEK. My choice is one of the most recent Best Picture bridesmaids, and one that perhaps deserved even more love than it got. What title am I referring to? You’ll see soon enough, but for now, it’s time for a Vintage pick folks!
Read more on Joey’s DVD Picks of the Week (3/19/2013)…
 This week brings the second go around for the new version of the column. You all chimed in with your thoughts on the revamp, and I’m pleased to say that it was an overwhelming success. The one thing I noticed was that the Vintage picks were missed, so they’re back this week folks, and they won’t be going anywhere! As for the films coming out today, it’s one of the more crowded fields this year, complete with a few Oscar cited flicks in the bunch. They’re not going to be my top choice, but they certainly have their fans. For my PICK OF THE WEEK, I’m actually opting to go with a rather underrated movie, one that I believe very few even saw. I was so over the moon about this piece of cinema that it very nearly made my Top Ten of 2012 list and I was even quoted in the film’s marketing. What movie is this, you ask? Well, you’ll find out a little later on in the column, but for now we’re going to start with many of you asked for…the return of the Vintage pick!
Read more on Joey’s DVD Picks of the Week (3/12/2013)…
 This week, I’m trying something a bit different for the column folks. Just about everything you know and (hopefully) love about my DVD Picks are still here, but the packaging is getting a bit of switch. I’m also adding a few details and contemplating dropping my Vintage picks. That one I’m pretty much leaving up to you all, so if you don’t want me to have that section of the column go, let me know. Today I’m going to not have it as a test run, but it may very well be back. As for the new things, I’m going to be giving you a little bit more information about the titles hitting Blu-Ray and DVD each week, along with highlighting a more diverse slate of flicks. Yes, I’ll even be listing the TV releases along with certain Blu-Ray debuts/re-releases (which when apt will be filed as a special “Double Dip of the Week”), so there’s truly something for everyone. As for the PICK OF THE WEEK, that’s still going to be here of course, it’s just going to be at the bottom of the article now, which allows for a little more suspense as well as space to talk more about it. It should be good stuff all around, but for now, why don’t we just dive right in and see how the 2.0 version of the column works for everyone! Read more on Joey’s DVD Picks of the Week (3/05/2013)…
 When deciding on which of this week’s releases to give the top citation to, I had one of the hardest decisions in a long time folks. A pair of movies coming to Blu-Ray/DVD today are among my favorites of 2012, and while both just missed my Top Ten list, one came in literally at #11 and the other is right there in the Top 15, so I really racked my brain on which to choose. It’s a great thing when I struggle into the night with my top choice, so I’m definitely not complaining, just stating it right there at the top of the column so you all know. Overall, it’s a really strong week, with those two flicks joining another high quality title to form one of the better trios I’ve recommended in some time. For my PICK OF THE WEEK though, I had to make a decision about what film I wanted to get the slight nod. One contender was for my money the best foreign film of the year, while the other was an endlessly fascinating acting clinic by one of the best filmmakers of his generation, and both of the movies had lead performances that were among my five favorites of the year. Which did I wind up choosing? Well, I opted to take the simplest way out in the end and go strictly by what I ranked four spots higher in my complete rankings of the 290 films I saw last year (found here). The movie that got that ever so slight nod is the following: Read more on Joey’s DVD Picks of the Week (2/26/2013)…
 This week, we have a very unique situation. The column features not only my favorite film of 2012 (which also happens to be the frontrunner for Best Picture at the Academy Awards this weekend), but also a movie coming to Blu-Ray/DVD that was presumably so bad that I actually avoided it. Fans of the site know that I almost go out of my way to make sure that bad movies get their just desserts at The Awards Circuit just like good ones, so for me to tap out os seeing something really means a lot. I want to focus on the quality that’s hitting shelves today though, so lets focus our energy there. It’s obviously not going to be a secret what my top pick is, but I’m still thrilled to write more about it. No use delaying it…my PICK OF THE WEEK is the best film I saw last year. You all know what it is, so lets not beat around the bush. It’s: Read more on Joey’s DVD Picks of the Week (2/19/2013)…
- We’re just one week away from the 85th Annual Academy Awards, and the love for Argo continues to pile up even in these last few crucial days. In the latest Power Hour, The Awards Circuit staff discussed how the USC Scripter Awards and BAFTAs — both, of course, went for Ben Affleck’s awards sweeper — affects the Oscar® race. It’s a no-brainer where Argo’s headed, but is Emmanuelle Riva’s surprise victory over Jennifer Lawrence at the BAFTAs a sign that her birthday will be extra special come Oscar night? We shall soon find out.
Read more on Circuit Round-Up (Week Ending 2/17)…
Read more on Circuit Round-Up (Week Ending 2/17)…
Categories: Circuit Round-Up Tags: american idol, Argo, BAFTA, Emmanuelle Riva, joeys dvd pick of the week, Oscar Circuit, oscar predictions 2013, Oscars, oscars will win should win, Quentin Tarantino, Skyfall, USC Scripter, WGA Awards
 This week we have a very diverse and high quality slate of films coming to DVD and Blu-Ray. There’s also one of 2012′s poorest features, but the good far outweighs the bad here ladies and gentlemen. Go figure, both the best and worst choices today are sequels, which doesn’t happen too often around here. There’s also one of the most beloved movies among the readers (and some staff members) of The Awards Circuit, so take note of that too. As for my top choice here, it really was a no contest. For my PICK OF THE WEEK, I opted to go with one of the most satisfying films of last year. It’s a franchise flick, but a top notch one. The flick I’m teasing? It’s: Read more on Joey’s DVD Picks of the Week (2/12/12013)…
- We are now officially two weeks away from Oscar Sunday, which only means The Awards Circuit is working double-time to bring you the latest and greatest in awards news. We started off our charitable offerings with some fun yet informative banter on Power Hour, each of us sharing our thoughts on the state of the race (as in: Argo or Lincoln; ignore ALL else). On top of revealing who went home on Academy Idol — the most shocking elimination of the season, by the way — Editor-in-Chief Clayton Davis was proud to announce your 2012 Awards Circuit Community Award nominees! I hope a vast majority of your votes made an impact on this year’s ACCA lineup. Also, don’t forget to keep voting while the polls remain open! Read more on Circuit Round-Up (Week Ending 2/10)…
Read more on Circuit Round-Up (Week Ending 2/10)…
Categories: Circuit Round-Up Tags: anna belickis, Argo, Awards Circuit Power Hour, clayton davis, Joey Magidson, joeys dvd pick of the week, Joseph Braverman, Mark Johnson, Mike Ward, Nicole Melkonian, Oscar Circuit, Paul Thomas Anderson, Robert Hamer, Side by Side, Sundance, Terence Johnson, Tiff Chai, Top Gun, ves
 This week, we have some of the dichotomy that makes this column so much fun. Yes, some of the better 2012 releases are hitting Blu-Ray/DVD today, but there’s also one of the very worst coming out as well. It’s no secret that I despise terrible films, and all the more so when they’re among the only titles available, but luckily that’s not the case this time around. The crappy flick can safely be ignored due to the relatively strong quality of the rest of the slate. I have a quartet of enjoyable movies that I had to bandy about for my top choice today. I’m always a fan of competition for the #1 slot, so this was a fun week to write up. For my PICK OF THE WEEK, I was able to narrow it down to do films…a slightly dark romantic comedy and a documentary. Most of you are well aware that I had a soft spot for rom-coms and rom-drams as it were, but I wound up going with the doc here. Which one is it? Well, it’s the criminally under-appreciated: Read more on Joey’s DVD Picks of the Week (2/05/2013)…
- Just when The Awards Circuit thought Argo would put the brakes on its steamrolling of the competition, it shocks us again with key victories at SAG and DGA. It’s now abundantly clear that Ben Affleck’s third directorial outing is the frontrunner heading into the Oscar ceremony. Read more on Circuit Round-Up (Week Ending 2/3)…
Read more on Circuit Round-Up (Week Ending 2/3)…
Categories: Circuit Round-Up Tags: anna belickis, Argo, Awards Circuit Power Hour, Ben Affleck, Christian Bale, clayton davis, DGA, Joey Magidson, joeys dvd pick of the week, Joseph Braverman, Mark Johnson, Michael Ward, Nicole Melkonian, Oscar Circuit, Robert Hamer, SAG, seven psychopaths, Sundance Film Festival, Terence Johnson, Tiff Chai
 This week, we have one superior title coming to Blu-Ray and DVD alongside a host of other titles of middling quality overall. I know for a fact that the top choice today is a fan favorite here at The Awards Circuit, so I’m expecting this to be a popular choice of mine. It’s not the only thing worthwhile hitting shelves, but it is easily the best bet for a good time. This doesn’t exactly make my PICK OF THE WEEK much of a secret, but this time around I won’t be around the bush and will get right to it. The film in question is the latest from an up and coming director, one that satirizes the Hollywood screenwriting process in a very unique way. The flick I’m about to fete? Well, it’s: Read more on Joey’s DVD Picks of the Week (1/29/2013)…
 Greetings from Sundance everyone! Yes, despite seeing up to 5 movies in a given day, I’m still committed to bringing this column to you all. This week, we have a ton of Blu-Ray and DVD titles hitting shelves, many of them are among the most interesting of 2012. Of course, one of my very favorite films of last year is out as well, so that’s just the icing on the cake from me. It really doesn’t leave much of a secret as to my top choice today, but I do want to make sure people know that it’s not a slate that’s top heavy. For my PICK OF THE WEEK, I had no trouble deciding to highlight one of the most underrated films of last year. It really deserved not to have been shut out with the Oscars, but that’s just the way the cookie crumbles sometimes. What movie is this? Well, it’s: Read more on Joey’s DVD Picks of the Week (1/22/2013)…
Read more on Circuit Round-Up (Week Ending 1/20)…
Categories: Circuit Round-Up Tags: american idol, anna belickis, Argo, clayton davis, golden globes, Joey Magidson, joeys dvd pick of the week, Joseph Braverman, Kill Your Darlings, Mark Johnson, Mike Ward, Mud, Nicole Melkonian, Robert Hamer, Sundance, Terence Johnson, Tiff Chai
 This week, we have a fair number of titles hitting Blu-Ray and DVD, but not a whole lot of quality features. In fact, things are pretty mediocre, and it’s the first release slate in a while where I can say that it’s mostly about the documentaries coming out today. A bunch of the other flicks out were actually really disappointing, which isn’t unusual to see in general, but is here just in terms of them all coming out at the same time. My top pick this week quickly came down to a choice between docs, and ironically none of them are among my favorites of the year either. I eventually decided, and my PICK OF THE WEEK is going to be a movie that I never spoke about during 2012. It’s still a very entertaining film and one I thought might have been an awards dark horse if things had broken a little bit differently for it. The documentary I speak of? It’s: Read more on Joey’s DVD Picks of the Week (1/15/2013)…
- The only way to sum up the week is with two simple words: Oscar® Nominations. As you might have heard in our special LIVE Power Hour episode, The Awards Circuit staff was more than a little shocked by the unveiling of the nominees. All we kept thinking as the Director’s category was being announced was, “Okay, where’s Bigalow; where’s Affleck?” And when neither appeared, we felt like a sick joke had been played on the prognostication community. But oh no, this was actually the case, and many more snubs and surprises lay ahead for us and the rest of the country. Here’s how you reacted in a special edition of Circuit 3. Also, don’t forget to check how our predictions matched up with the results (for those who are curious, Staff Writer Mark Johnson was this year’s prognostication champion with 89/122 correct predictions).
Read more on Circuit Round-Up (Week Ending 1/13)…
Read more on Circuit Round-Up (Week Ending 1/13)…
Categories: Circuit Round-Up Tags: anna belickis, Ben Affleck, clayton davis, Compliance, critics choice award winners, DGA, Gangster Squad, golden globe predictions, Joey Magidson, joeys dvd pick of the week, John H. Foote, Joseph Braverman, Mark Johnson, Mike Ward, Nicole Melkonian, oscars 2013, Robert Hamer, Sundance Film Festival, Terence Johnson, Tiff Chai
 This week, a pair of potential Oscar nominees hit Blu-Ray and DVD, along with a bunch of other varied titles. It’s not an extraordinarily good day of releases, but it’s hardly a bad one either, which is a victory early on in any year. There’s also a few TV movies worth mentioning…a rarity in this column, but it makes sense this time around, trust me. My top pick isn’t an amazingly hard choice, but I did contemplate going in another direction. In the end, my PICK OF THE WEEK is one of the more divisive flicks of 2012, and one that is hoping to score an acting nomination on Thursday. Many of you know the title already, but for those not on to it yet, here is what it is: Read more on Joey’s DVD Picks of the Week (1/08/2013)…
 This week, we launch 2013 with a small group of Blu-Ray/DVD releases, but among them is one of the best films of last year. There’s also one of the biggest disappointments of 2012, plus one or two other things. It’s obviously not a big week, since it’s the time of year when studios want audiences in theaters more so than at home, but it’s hardly a terrible one either. There is one interesting note about release dates to make mention of before diving into the column. My top pick this week is actually out already, having come out yesterday on the 31st, while everything else is out tomorrow on the 2nd. Go figure, nothing is hitting shelves today. Still, we march on like normal. For my PICK OF THE WEEK, not only was it a no brainer, but I happened to have the opportunity to cite one of my favorite films of the year. It’ll be showing up on my Top 10 list soon, and could be a dark horse Oscar contender. The film I’m speaking of? Well, it’s:
Looper
Rian Johnson’s third outing as a filmmaker also might very well be his best one yet. A thoroughly entertaining and smart sci-fi action/thriller, this flick features strong acting from Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Bruce Willis, and Emily Blunt, as well as some of Johnson’s best directing to date. It’s one of the better films about time travel to date, and I’m just as into it as I was when I wrote my initial rave review (found here) a few months ago. Now that you can add it to your movie collection, I encourage you to do so without delay!
Read more on Joey’s DVD Picks of the Week (1/01/2013)…
- Happy New Year (almost), readers of The Awards Circuit. In less than twenty-four hours, we’ll all be citizens of the year 2013, so get excited! I don’t need a crystal ball to know how many of you spent the last few days of the year. Based on the popularity of our “reaction” thread for Django Unchained and Les Misérables, I daresay much was being debated, loved and thrown to the wolves (nice knowing you, Tom Hooper!) amongst you moviegoers that saw these two awards juggernauts. Read more on Circuit Round-Up (Week Ending 12/30)…
Read more on Circuit Round-Up (Week Ending 12/30)…
Categories: Circuit Round-Up Tags: anna belickis, Bradley Cooper, chasing ice, clayton davis, Daniel Ashtiany, Django Unchained, Jason Clarke, Jeff Orlowski, Joey Magidson, joeys dvd pick of the week, John H. Foote, Joseph Braverman, Les Miserables, Mark Johnson, Michael Ward, Nicole Melkonian, oscar predictions 2013, Promised Land, Robert Hamer, Terence Johnson, The Words, Tiff Chai, Tom Hooper
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