05/10/11 Recommended New Releases

Not a bad day for new release films...

I Saw the Devil (Kim Jee-woon, 2010) - I have been eagerly awaiting this much-hyped release, which stars Lee Byung-hun as an elite special agent who seeks revenge after a serial killer (Choi Min-sik, of Oldboy fame) claims the agent's pregnant fiancee as his latest victim.

Format: DVD - The two formats sport identical supplements (deleted scenes and a behind-the-scenes featurrette), so I opted for the cheaper of the two. Amazon has it for $15.99. Wal-mart.com is a dollar cheaper.

Blue Valentine (Derek Cianfrance, 2010) - Crosscutting between past and present moments, the film is centered around Dean (Ryan Gosling) and Cindy (Michelle Williams), a young married couple who take one night away from their daughter to try and salvage their waning relationship. Williams received an Oscar nomination for Best Actress.

Format: DVD - Once again, the two formats have the same extras. Wal-mart.com appears to have the best deal on the DVD at $14.96.

 Black Death (Christopher Smith, 2010) - Set in 1348 during the outbreak of the first bubonic plague in England, a knight, Ulric (Sean Bean), leads a small band of soldiers and a monk (Eddie Redmayne) on an assignment to investigate rumors of a hidden village that is immune to the plague and led by a necromancer who can bring people back from the dead.

Format: DVD - Nothing exclusive to Blu-ray, and the DVD can be had for only $10.96 at Wal-mart.com.

The Illusionist (Sylvain Chomet, 2010) - An animated film about a struggling French magician who relocates to Scotland. There, he meets a young girl with whom he sets off on a adventure of discovery that will change both of their lives. The film received an Oscar nomination for Best Animated Feature.

Format: Blu-ray/DVD Combo - For whatever reason, Sony Pictures Classics decided to only release a Blu-ray/DVD combo package instead of issuing a separate release for each format. Amazon and Wal-mart.com have it for $24.99 and $24.96, respectively.

Cropsey (Barbara Brancaccio & Joshua Zeman, 2009) - a documentary in which two filmmakers investigate the mystery surrounding five missing children and Andre Rand - a convicted child kidnapper of Staten Island, New York.

Format: DVD - Only available on DVD. Wal-mart.com has it for $12.96 and Amazon has it for $13.49.














And in continuation of the past few weeks, here is the fifth episode of Mortal Kombat: Legacy: