Flight of the Conchords: The Complete Collection in August

Source: HBO

It's a Kiwi invasion!

For the first time HBO is releasing both seasons of Flight of the Conchords in one glorious DVD collection on August 24th. Follow the misadventures of Jemaine and Bret as they try to change the American music industry as "New Zealand's 4th most popular folk parody duo".

This musical, comedic and sometimes classically tragic tale of two friends trying to make it big in the city was wildly entertaining even if the show itself was short lived.

Flight of the Conchords: The Complete Collection DVD set comes with hours of extras that are sure to be entertaining, some of which are exclusive to this new release.

Extras Include:

• Flight of the Conchords: One Night Stand; a live 30-Minute special that takes you back to the beginning.
• Flight of the Conchords: On Air; a short documentary featuring Bret and Jemaine at their funniest.
• Dave's Pawn Shop Commercials; a series of fake TV ads with a lot of energy and even more ridiculousness.
• New Zealand Consulate Meetings; Bret, Jemaine and their manager Murray's series of important band meetings.
• Deleted Scenes and Alternate Takes

No word yet on a Flight of the Conchords Blu-ray release, so if you have been waiting on that it may still be awhile.

I was trying to decide on what my favorite moments from the series were, and it really comes down to the musical numbers and this is easily my favorite song to sing along too:

Date Night in August

Source: Blu-ray.com

On August 24th you can have a nice quiet evening with your significant other and enjoy Date Night on Blu-ray and DVD.

Starring Steve Carell and Tina Fey, Date Night is a wild journey resulting from a normal couples night on the town going anything but normal. Hilarity does ensue. Besides Carell and Fey Date Night has an impressive supporting cast including Mark Wahlberg, Mila Kunis, James Franco and Common among others.

This release will come complete with extended cut of the film that you did not see in theaters with a ton of extras to keep you busy in case your own date goes south.

Blu-ray Extras Include:

• Digital Copy of Date Night
• Gag Reel
• Deleted and Extended Scenes (Including the epic car chase)
• Directing Off Camera
• Date Night PSA's
• Audio Commentary with director Shawn Levy
• Directing 301 with Shawn Levy
• Disaster Dates with the Cast
• Steve and Tina Camera Tests
• Live Lookup

DVD Extras Include:

• Gag Reel
• Extended Car Chase Scene
• Directing Off Camera
• Date Night PSA's
• Audio Commentary with Shawn Levy
• Directing 301 with Shawn Levy

Bonus Picture: Topless Marky Mark for the ladies

Kurt Russell, Baseball and My Hometown!

So I just found out that my podunk hometown just got a new semi-pro Baseball team!

Go Walla Walla Sweets!

I am pretty stoked because this means I will actually have something to do when I am back home this summer when I am not working or sitting in a movie theater. But this also reminds me of some unique family history, so pull up a chair because this anecdote is pretty cool!

Years ago we used to have another team called the Walla Walla Padres, and guess who was on that team in the '70's? If you said Hall of Famer Ozzie Smith you would be correct, but this is a blog that deals with movies so go on guess again!

Kurt Russell is who!

No joke! He apparently played about half a season in Walla Walla back in '72 and batted a respectable .325! That in itself would be some cool trivia, but remember this is family history.

Now this little yarn gets even better still! Apparently the players would be invited to eat with local families, probably as both a way for the Padres to keep in touch with their fans and to keep the players fed and happy.Two birds with one stone and all that noise ...

So anyway, my mom's family hosted a couple of the young players from the Walla Walla Padres to dinner at some point in '72 and guess who came with an appetite?!

Freaking Kurt Russell is who!

Apparently they enjoyed a fine meal and my aunt's homemade desert, some sort of cake, and packed away some serious vittles. By all accounts Kurt Russell was "a very polite, nice young man."

That's right! Snake Plissken ate and my grandparents house and had seconds.

Damn straight he did!

Why Blockbuster Is In Trouble

Source: Gizmodo

This, my friends, is a direct quote from the mouth of Blockbuster CEO Jim Keyes ... hold on to your pants:

"I don't have to figure out how to get it from my Nintendo machine to the screen. I know I can do it, but I don't want to - it makes my head hurt to think about it."

Wow.

Mr. Keyes up there is of course referring the complex act of inserting the Netflix disc into a Wii and the apparent headache that the entire process induces. If I had stock in Blockbuster I probably wouldn't for much longer. That above quote may be excusable for, say, my grandmother to utter but a CEO of a company that specializes in video rentals?

This actually explains a lot about Blockbuster and how it hasn't exactly been proactive in competing with online streaming services like Netflix. Blockbuster recently pulled off something of a media embargo and has exclusive rights for 28 days on new releases, but that is far from enough to keep them competitive in the rental market.

Yes it is true, Blockbuster now has a mailing service similar to Netflix and has a kiosk system similar to Redbox but it apparently has no plans to go digital as this candid interview with Jim Keyes proves.

CEO Jim Keyes is obviously a firm believer in the old school rental train of thought, he has had to be, and while I still feel that going and renting a hard copy of a flick still has its place it is by no means the most convenient method. Blockbuster needs to do something drastic if it is going to survive this new age of instant gratification, streaming is the future and it is time for the people like Mr. Keyes who run the company to come to terms with this fact.

G.I. Joe: The Movie in July

Source: MovieWeb

"Yo, Joe!"

July 27th will see the final chapter in the 1980's G.I. Joe cartoon series on both Blu-ray and a newer special collector's DVD release.

G.I. Joe: The Movie portrays the final conflicts between our favorite real American heroes against the sinister forces of COBRA. Red and blue lasers will fly as a new group of rough and ready Joe rookies look for ways to prove themselves to the battle hardened veterans on the team.

Knowing may be half the battle, but the other half is extras!

Extras Include:

• Audio Commentary with Story Consultant Buzz Dixon
• The Final 8 "Knowing Is Half The Battle" Public Service Announcements that weren't on the previously released DVD Box Set
• Original Printable Screenplay
• Art Gallery

I remember making my mom rent this movie for me on multiple occasions ... I am sure Blockbuster would kill for that kind of return customer now.

For your viewing pleasure I present to you the G.I. Joe PSA's ... completely unaltered, completely.

Shogun Assassin in August

Source: Blu-ray.com

It is nice to see smaller studios starting to release their own Blu-rays, especially when the films are so awesome.

Shogun Assassin: 30th Anniversary Collector's Edition is actually two Japanese films condensed and re-released into one samurai slash-fest. The classic American version of the film is actually the first two segments of the popular Lone Wolf and Cub series and is a must own for any fan of Japanese cinema.

The independent studio AnimEigo is starting off their Blu-ray catalog the right way with an August 24th release of the classic tale of a ronin turned Japan's deadliest assassin who is known only by his ominous name: Lone Wolf.

Extras Include:

• Audio Commentary with producer David Weisman, illustrator Jim Evans and actor Gibran Evans (the English voice of Daigoro)
• An interview with Samuel L. Jackson, about his love for Shogun Assassin and samurai in general, shot specifically for this release.

For those of you playing at home, Shogun Assassin is the movie that is being watched toward the end of Kill Bill: Volume II.