New On DVD – June 16, 2009
Posted June 16, 2009 12:00 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Friday the 13th Killer Cut (Blu-ray) CityNews.ca Pick of the Week – I’m a hardcore fan of the Friday the 13th series. I’ve seen all of them multiple times (even Jason X). So when I heard there was going to be a remake (or retelling) I didn’t know what to expect. Either it was going to be great and bring back masked killer Jason Voorhees in full force or it would suck like a majority of the sequels. To my delight, the filmmakers handled it well and gave us a Friday the 13th not only worth watching but also worth owning on DVD. I enjoyed it in the theatre ( read my review here) but for some reason these slasher flicks are always better in your living room with the lights out. The Killer Cut release on Blu-ray is definitely the one to get for true fans. It includes both the theatrical and extended cut of the film (about ten extra minutes), an in-depth look at Jason called Rebirth of Jason Voorhees, additional scenes, picture-in-picture trivia track, The 7 Best Kills and the featurette Hacking Back/Slashing Forward which looks at what made the original film so successful and why it’s good to reboot the series. It also includes a digital copy of the film and BD Live features. Film *** out of 5 stars. Blu-ray **** out of 5 stars.
One Week – My second Pick of the Week. One Week is one of the finest Canadian films I’ve seen thanks to writer/director Michael McGowan understanding what it takes to tell a story Canadians want to see. The film starts with Ben Tyler (Joshua Jackson) being diagnosed with cancer. Does he call off his upcoming wedding to fiancee Sam (Liane Balaban)? Does he go for treatment right away? What would you do? Ben decides to buy a motorcycle and drive from Toronto to Vancouver to figure it out. Along the way he smokes marijuana with Gord Downie of The Tragically Hip, visits all the giant monuments we seem to have an abundance of (the Big Nickel in Sudbury, World’s Largest Dinosaur in Alberta to name a few) and touches the Stanley Cup. Although the film is a great tour of Canada (and shows us how beautiful our country is), the story is universal and will appeal to a wide audience (unlike other Canadian films like My Winnipeg). One Week also proves what a brilliant actor Joshua Jackson can be given the right material. Special features include a making-of featurette, photo gallery, screening Q & A and an interview with Michael McGowan and crew. Available on regular DVD and Blu-ray. Film **** out of 5 stars. Blu-ray/DVD *** out of 5 stars.
Lost: The Complete First and Second Seasons (Blu-ray) – Lost is a show made for Blu-ray. I’ve tried endlessly to get into the series on television and never could. Seeing it in crystal clear high-def has me glued to the screen and I now get what all the fuss is about. The show is great and I’m officially hooked (when are the other seasons coming to Blu-ray?)! Great writing, characters and cast. With Father’s Day around the corner this could be the perfect gift for dear old dad. Although The Complete First and Second Season are sold separately I say jump in and get both (if you’re already a fan it’s a no-brainer).
Special features for Lost: The Complete First Season on Blu-ray include Lost Revealed – flashbacks and deleted scenes, making-of the pilot episode Welcome to Oahu, The Art of Matthew Fox, Lost @ Comicon, Lost: On Location, bloopers, spoofs, commentary, Before They Were Lost auditions from the cast and more. Blu-ray **** out of 5 stars.
Special features for Lost: The Complete Second Season on Blu-ray include Fire & Water: Anatomy of an Episode, Lost: On Location, The Official Lost Connections, Mysteries, Theories and Conspiracies, Secrets from the Hatch, deleted scenes, bloopers and more. Blu-ray **** out of 5 stars.
More new releases this week: Ghostbusters (Blu-ray), Miracle (Blu-ray), The Greatest Game Ever Played (Blu-ray), Morning Light, The Secret Life of the American Teenager Season Two
Top image: Joshua Jackson in One Week. Courtesy Mongrel Media.
