 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)…
- Just as Cannes 2013 is getting underway, Editor-in-Chief Clayton Davis felt an Awards Circuit Oscar Prediction 2014 update was in order. Check out his complete list of predicted nominees in every major category. According to him, Ridley Scott and his film The Counselor are the ones to beat, along with Bruce Dern for Nebraska, Naomi Watts for Diana, Michael Fassbender for 12 Years a Slave, and the great philanthropist/talk show host/book junkie/occasional actress Oprah Winfrey for The Butler. What do you all think? Be sure to share your own predictions with us as well! Also alongside his predictions, Clayton helps us break down the competition by way of studio assessment in the latest Oscar Circuit piece. Read more on Circuit Round-Up (Week Ending 5/19)…
Read more on Circuit Round-Up (Week Ending 5/19)…
 This week, there’s again somewhat of a shortage in terms of new releases to choose from on Blu-Ray/DVD. It’s not necessarily some sort of atrocious day for movies or anything of that nature, but it’s just not a period where a ton of things are hitting shelves, and honestly this is something that’s going to be more or less the norm during these upcoming summer months. The highest profile title is going to excite some people, but it’s not exactly the type of film that unites folks in any way. It really is in contention for top honors this week mostly due to a lack of competition. I thought about my other choices, but ultimately my PICK OF THE WEEK really wasn’t any sort of choice at all, as you’ll see. I wound up going with the aforementioned notable flick, which some on this site (and staff) love, while others are rather lukewarm on. I like it enough to be okay with this recommendation, but a little more in the way of choice would have been pleasing. Anyway, I’ll reveal that film a little later, but for now, why don’t we dive into the always enjoyable world of Vintage picks!
Read more on Joey’s DVD Picks of the Week (05/14/2013)…
 This week, I have one film that I feel decently good about recommending to you, and a few others that are just “meh”, along with one gloriously bad title bringing up the rear. This really isn’t an especially good slate of titles making up the release day folks, but it’s better than some of the ones we’ve dealt with earlier this year (and one coming up this month…sigh). Just consider what a few of the past weeks have been like when we were at our worse and this doesn’t look nearly as iffy as it might have otherwise. For my PICK OF THE WEEK, I didn’t have too much of a choice, so I opted to go with the film that wound up with a thumbs up from me…shocking, right? You’ll see which movie I’m talking about at the very end of the column as is always the case, but right now it’s time for us to dive head on into another Vintage selection, one that I hope can function as another flick for you all to enjoy at home this week. Here goes nothing!
Read more on Joey’s DVD Picks of the Week (05/07/2013)…
 This week, one of the big Oscar players of last year headlines the titles coming to Blu-Ray and DVD, but it’s thankfully not alone in terms of quality offerings. There’s one other film worth mentioning today, along with a few others that are more mixed in their worthiness, though it’s a light week in terms of quantity. This isn’t particularly a top notch slate of releases ladies and gents, but it’s another continued step in the right direction for the column and continues an upward spike in quality. Considering what many of the past weeks have been like, this is a trend I’m really enjoying and hoping continues indefinitely, even though I know that’s rather unlikely. There were two movies contending for that top honor but only one flick could emerge victorious. For my PICK OF THE WEEK I opted to go with the film that cracked my 2012 Top Ten list, as you’d expect that I would. You’ll see which movie I’m speaking of at the end of the column as per the usual, but right now it’s time for us to dive head on into another Vintage selection. Here we go folks!
Read more on Joey’s DVD Picks of the Week (04/30/2013)…
- Ahoy there, readers of The Awards Circuit! I hope your week was lucrative and filled with a ton of movie-related adventures. On our end, our week began in France. Okay…fine, we weren’t that lucky, but we did discuss the Cannes film festival lineup in the latest episode of Power Hour! Announced as well were your ACCA nominations for the 1999 film year! I’m a bit shocked that The Sixth Sense is more beloved than The Matrix, but hey…gotta love that twist! Polls are open so keep voting and your winners will be announced this upcoming weekend!
Read more on Circuit Round-Up (Week Ending 4/28)…
Read more on Circuit Round-Up (Week Ending 4/28)…
 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)…
- Hello there, Awards Circuit fans! We started things off very ironically by posting the winners of a recent awards show. An awards show this early in the year, you say? Why, yes, the MTV Movie Awards is the red-headed stepchild of the award shows since it airs after the Oscars®, and certainly after everyone’s mostly forgotten about the nominees that had their theatrical run almost a year ago. I will say, however, quality triumphed for once thanks to major wins for The Weinstein’s Silver Linings Playbook and Disney•Marvel’s The Avengers.
Read more on Circuit Round-Up (Week Ending 4/21)…
Read more on Circuit Round-Up (Week Ending 4/21)…
 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)…
 This week, there really isn’t any way around the fact that nothing of note is coming out on Blu-Ray and DVD. I’ve honestly only seen one of the releases, and while I probably liked it more than the average viewer, it’s hardly something that I’m enthusiastic about in any way and never anticipated having to give it top honors for a week. Sadly, today is one of those days, so we have a top pick this week coming strictly by way of default. That’s the way it goes folks, and next week is better, I assure you, with many of the weeks to come being high quality overall. To even things out I’ll try and give the Vintage picks a little more to them than normal, but this is just the sort of day that we have to get through in order to have better ones for the column. Basically, my PICK OF THE WEEK is a highly forgettable if entertaining would be Oscar hopeful that wins the day by virtue of having been seen by me. That title will get its moment in the sun rather shortly, but until then, lets focus in on some of those Vintage picks that just might save the day!
Read more on Joey’s DVD Picks of the Week (4/09/2013)…
- Hello again, Awards Circuit devotees! We began the week by wrapping up WonderCon, the entertainment venue/film festival that Terence Johnson superbly covered. Terence gave us the scoop on Stephen King’s Under the Dome series, relayed to us his experience at the film composers’ panel, and also shared his exclusive audio interview with Teen Wolf composer, Dino Meneghin. Be sure to check out these goodies if you haven’t already! Read more on Circuit Round-Up (Week Ending 4/7)…
Read more on Circuit Round-Up (Week Ending 4/7)…
 This week, there’s one real good quality title among the group coming to Blu-Ray/DVD, and that’s simply about it. It’s one of those release dates that just lacks any studio releases for one reason or another. I’ve never quite seen the logic in not trying to take advantage of light days like this one and making a real push for certain films to get a second life, but that’s me and I’m not a studio head. I do really like the movie that’s getting top honors from me this week though, so the day is hardly a wash or anything of that sort (it also ties into something else going on this week, but I won’t say what it is for fear of spoiling it for a few of you). It’s just one of those columns where it pays to make use of my Vintage pick, or at least more so than usual. I do have lots of good things to say about my PICK OF THE WEEK, so all is not lost folks, not by a long shot. It’s just a more mellow week than usual, all in all. You’ll understand what I’m getting at shortly, but first, why don’t we get to that aforementioned Vintage pick? Off we go into the land of home video!
Read more on Joey’s DVD Picks of the Week (4/02/2013)…
- Hello again, Awards Circuit readers! I hope you all had an enjoyable week, be it celebrating Easter, Passover, or appreciating the simple joys derived from moviegoing. As usual, there was plenty to hunt for at the site this week, though we aren’t in the business of hiding anything worth entertainment value. We began the festivities with a new episode of Power Hour, where much was discussed and announced, including the Top 16 results of March Oscar Madness and a preview of what’s to come from the Tribeca Film Festival. Speaking of large venues, while Tribeca is being covered on one side of the coast, Wondercon also gets the reporter treatment on the opposite shore, courtesy of our very own Terence Johnson. Thanks to Wondercon and Terence, you guys get the early scoop on Warner Bros.’ Pacific Rim and The Conjuring. Read more on Circuit Round-Up (Week Ending 3/31)…
Read more on Circuit Round-Up (Week Ending 3/31)…
 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)…
 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)…
 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)…
 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)…
 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)…
- As the talk of 2012 slowly comes to an end, The Awards Circuit moves forward by embracing the new film year. Joey Magidson and Terence Johnson spent a full nine days in Park City, Utah getting to know the films and filmmakers that could make a huge impact in 2013. Check out their interviews, reviews and daily video blogs for the latest Sundance reports. Be sure to also glance at the Sundance Award Winners, just announced last night. It’s no surprise that the festival’s big awards champion, Fruitvale, is now in the nurturing yet powerful hands of The Weinstein Company.
Read more on Circuit Round-Up (Week Ending 1/27)…
Read more on Circuit Round-Up (Week Ending 1/27)…
Categories: Circuit Round-Up Tags: anna belickis, Awards Circuit Power Hour, clayton davis, J.J. Abrams, Joey Magidson, Joey's DVD Picks of the Week, Joseph Braverman, Mark Johnson, Mike Ward, Nicole Melkonian, Oscar Circuit, PGA Awards, Robert Hamer, Star Wars, Sundance Film Festival, Terence Johnson, Tiff Chai
 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)…
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