05/31/11 Recommended New Releases

As usual, the holiday week has proven to be lacking in the way of new releases. Only two caught my eye this week, but rest assured that the rest of the month is ripe with quality films making their way to DVD and Blu-ray, with over a dozen noteworthy titles coming over the course of the next four weeks. Furthermore, Next Monday is also the beginning of the Electronics Entertainment Expo (E3), where the latest in gaming will be unveiled. Anyways, on to the new releases:

Biutiful (Alejandro González Iñárritu, 2010) - Receiving Oscar nominations for Best Foreign Film and Best Actor (for Javier Bardem), many have declared this to be renowned director Iñárritu's best film to date. Bardem stars as Uxbal, "a man on the wrong side of the law who struggles to provide for his children on the dangerous streets of Barcelona. As fate encircles him, Uxbal learns to accept the realities of life, whether bright, bad - or biutiful..." (quote taken from the DVD packaging).

Format: DVD - The supplements are the same for both formats, and the DVD is five bucks cheaper - $17.99 - at Amazon. Stores carrying the title should have it on sale for roughly the same price (such as Best Buy and MovieStop).

Prey (Antoine Blossier, 2010) - From IFC Midnight comes this French thriller. "One night, several deer inexplicably hurl themselves against the electric fence of a farm. Discovering deep bites on the animals bodies, the farmer and visiting family members (who have gathered for a tense reunion) penetrate deep into the surrounding forest. They carry guns, expecting to encounter wild predators, but what they are bewildered to find is an environment ravaged by a mysterious evil force. And as the sun slowly sinks away, howling resounds through the forest. The hunters have become prey! This modern-day horror film blends elements of The Descent, Jaws and Deliverance into an original picture of human nature scarier than the darkest woods," (taken from the Amazon.com synopsis).

Format: DVD - Only available on DVD. Amazon has it for $17.99.







Finally, here is the penultimate episode of Mortal Kombat: Legacy: