On Blu-ray This Week: July 6 to July 12, 2008

Caped crusaders (both live and animated), earthquakes, temple ruins, filial drama…this week’s new Blu-ray offerings is well-rounded enough to snag fans of horror flicks, slice of life and Japanese anime, among others. But it’s mostly a Batman week, so if you’re a big follower of the Dark Knight’s exploits then there are at least two or three Blu-ray releases that you shouldn’t miss out on. Check out the list in the full article

 

It’s that time of the week again when we rummage through the stack of new Blu-ray releases, and this time we’re going to see some Caped Crusader action in Gotham City. Last week already brought the classic Batman movie that starred Adam West, and now we’re going to see two very modern depictions of everyone’s favorite Dark Knight.

The first one is Christian Bale’s debut as Batman in Warner Bros.’s Batman Begins. A full featured take on the Dark Knight’s origins, Batman Begins offers a glimpse on what could have been the events that shaped the calculating – and sometimes cold – custodian of Gotham City. From the fable of how his parents’ deaths pushed him over the edge, to his struggle to save Gotham from The Scarecrow, Batman Begins is a good silver-screen interpretation of the legend.

Batman Begins is also available in a special edition gift set, which includes a 32-page concept book, a comic book adaptation of the movie’s sequel The Dark Knight, and exclusive movie footage along with the movie.

   

 
That’s not the end of the Batmania, however. This week will also see the release of Batman: Gotham Knight, a compilation of six animated features based on the Batman Mythos. Gotham Knight is something that you shouldn’t miss, since this is a fresh new take on the legend rendered in Japanese anime style. All of the animated shorts take place in between the events of the live-action films Batman Begins and The Dark Knight.

Meanwhile, fans of psychological horror will have a ball with the unrated edition of The Ruins, a tale about a group of friends who, as their idyllic Mayan vacation ends, stumbles into the ruins of an ancient Mayan temple. There isn’t much gore in this horror flick; viewers will experience more terror through tension as characters succumb helplessly to their fates brought about by an angry Mayan mob, creeping vines, and other assortment of horrific elements.

If you want a more realistic sort of horror – that is, not of the gore or supernatural sort but of force majeure – then the double feature of mini-series 10.5 Apocalypse and Category 7: End of the World will make you glued to the edge of your seat.

The story of 10.5 Apocalypse revolves around a major earthquake that ravages Los Angeles, which triggers the split of the continent itself due to the sudden awakening of ancient fault lines that run throughout the entire continent. Unfortunately for the characters in 10.5 Apocalypse, earthquakes aren’t their only problems. The catastrophic tremors also trigger a series of  disasters that also include volcanic eruptions and tsunamis.

It’s quite the smorgasbord of natural calamities, but if you’re hankering for more examples of Nature’s godly wrath then you can turn to the other half of this double feature, Category 7: The End of the World featuring Gina Gershon as Judith Carr, the newly-installed director of FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency).

Instead of tackling seismic disasters, Category 7 focuses on an intense storm that plagues Chicago and other places in the world, including Paris and Egypt. This two-part feature also has a interesting religious twist to it, courtesy of a Christian televangelist who uses the disaster – and does not hesitate to kidnap Carr’s child – to win over converts.

Those who want a dose of drama can turn to Sleepwalking, starring Nick Stahl. James Reedy, (Stahl) a rather complacent and unambitious man, finds himself suddenly becoming the guardian of his niece after her mother (Charleze Theron) abandons her. He eventually forms a bond with the young girl, and James’ fear of having to give up his niece to a foster home causes him to take action and face the ghosts of his family’s past.

If any of the above features are too much for your heart, you can always kick back and relax with the last two Blu-ray releases for this week. Fans of the soul band Earth Wind & Fire and jazz-rock band Chicago may want to check out the Blu-ray version of one of their past hit concert tours, Live at the Greek Theatre.

But if you’re more into progressive or symphonic rock, then you may want to check out their Blu-ray compilation of their live performance, Lovely to See You, Live. This particular Blu-ray re-release includes 20 of their songs recorded also at the Greek Theatre.

Well, that’s it for this week’s Blu-ray releases – expect the next issue to come around on the same day next week. As always, happy viewing.