Friday, January 15, 2010

Upcoming Blu-ray releases

Yup, I’ve joined the HD crowd. Thanks to a Christmas gift from little brother I’m now exploring the world of Blu-ray. Here then is a quick look at what to find in regards to comic book based titles over the next few months.


Whiteout
Release date: January 19th 2010
Based on the comic by Greg Ruka and Steve Lieber. Kate Beckinsale plays a Deputy Marshal assigned to Antarctica, who has to solve the continents first murder. The long delayed film wasn’t very well received - I frequently hear the word ‘predictable’ associated with it.

Also, don’t look for it at Netflix for another 28 days, that service worked out a deal with Warners where it agreed not to rent their new discs for the first month of release (In exchange Netflix gets to stream a bunch of flicks from Warners catalog)

Extras include
* Additional scenes
* The Coldest Thriller Ever Story – A 'Making of' feature
* Freeze Frame: From Page to Screen
* Digital Copy


Surrogates
Release date: January 26th 2010
Based on a graphic novel where people experience a nice safe life through surrogates. This film comes from the director of TERMINATOR 3 and stars Bruce Willis as an FBI agent who must re-enter reality to solve a murder.

Extra include:
* Commentary by Director Jonathan Mostow
* Deleted Scenes
* A More Perfect You: The Science Of Surrogates
* Breaking The Frame: A Graphic Novel Comes To Life
* I Will Not Bow Music Video By Breaking Benjamin


Planet Hulk
Release date: February 2nd 2010
Marvel’s newest direct to disc release. The Hulk is exiled to a distant planet where he makes like Spartacus.

Extras Include
* Opening Sequence: Thor: Tales of Asgard
* Audio commentary by Supervising Producer Joshua Fine and Screenwriter Writer Greg Johnson
* Audio commentary by Director Sam Liu, Character Designer Philip Bourassa and Key Background Painter Steve Nicodemus
* “A Whole World of Hurt: The Making of Planet Hulk” featurette
* “Let the Smashing Commence!: The Saga of Planet Hulk” featurette
* “Rise Up” Astonishing X-Men music video
* “Watch Your Step” Spider-Woman music video
* Wolverine and the X-Men: “Wolverine vs. Hulk” episode
* Spider-Woman: Agent of S.W.O.R.D motion comic
* Astonishing X-Men: Gifted motion comic
* Digital copy


The Phantom
Release date: February 9th 2010
The feature starring Billy Zane makes its way to Blu-ray from Lionsgate. Unfortunately there’s been no report of extras on the release


Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths
Release date: February 23rd 2010
The newest direct to disc release from DC sees the JLA squaring off against their evil doppelgangers. The real reason I'm excited about this is that the Blu-ray offers up a 12 minute DC Showcase short, "The Spectre". He is God's spirit of vengeance and one of my favorite characters.

Other Extras include:
* A First Look at next DC Universe Movie – “Batman: Under the Red Hood”
* Green Lantern * Superman/Batman Public Enemies First Look
* Wonder Woman: The Amazon Princess
* "The New World" - Extended Cut
* Bruce Timm's Top Picks (episodes from JLU)
* DC TV Pilot Episodes (Live -Action)
1 Wonder Woman - (previously on Wonder Woman S1 release)
2 Aquaman - (never before released)