Blu Ray Releases for 02/24/09 Previewed Briefly By Blue

* Akira (Honneamise) - The Citizen Kane of anime, this was transferred to a digital source in a restoration a few years ago so it should look pretty spectacular. I'm a bit over anime but this one is a must buy. A release like this by itself would make the worthwhile, but wait, we're not done yet!

* The Bird with the Crystal Plumage (Blue Underground) - Dario Argento's first giallo is also one of his best, and probably the best entry point into his filmography. Can't wait to see Blue Underground's transfer of this. Now bring on Deep Red and Tenebre!

* The French Connection II (Fox) - Unfairly criticized sequel to the wildly popular first film. It's just different, really, and people wanted more of the same. John Frankenheimer, one of my favorites, directed this. Personally I thought this was a better movie than the original, but I doubt many will agree with me.

* The French Connection (Fox) - William Friedkin's classic. Like I said above, the sequel imo is a better movie but this is easily the more entertaining one. The transfer for this one has been heavily heavily mucked about with by Friedkin, much to the dismay of many online. Basically he desaturated the colors(the real explanation is much more complicated and cool sounding, but these previews are meant to be brief, dammit) and people are saying they look too pastel-like. I guess we'll see. If this were the only release this week I'd get it, but with so many pricey discs showing up that I want, I'll put this off for another time.

* Futurama: Into the Wild Green Yonder (Fox) - The final of four Futurama dtv movies. A shame, the series has really grown on me from my initial dismissal of it as a tepid Simpsons spinoff. Now it's probably my favorite animated tv show of all time.

* Hurricane on the Bayou (Image) - IMAX documentary about Hurricane Katrina narrated by Meryl Streep. People(crazy people) say that the Republicans were behind the Katrina disaster to disenfranchise black people in Louisiana. You'd think though that if the Republicans really had weather controlling powers, they'd pull those out right about now.

* Kill Switch (Momentum) - Steven Seagal movie of some kind.

* The Matador (2008) (City Lights) - Not the Pierce Brosnan movie, but about an actual Matador. Never heard of it.

* Neil Young: Archives Volume One - (1963-!972) (Warner Music Group) - Eh, Neil Young. I mean, I like that one song of his, Heart of Gold, but really when he had his big comeback with Pearl Jam I really seriously did not get it. I still don't. He's not a good guitarist, he's not a terribly great songwriter("keep on rockin in the free world" wtf??!!) and he wasn't that big a deal back in the 60s/70s, was he? Eh. Eh! Whatever.

* Ronin (MGM) - LOVE this movie. The third Must-Buy for me on this list, and I'll buy this one over the others if I have to choose. Probably DeNiro's last good movie, and John Frankenheimer's last great one. Just all-around perfect thriller.

* Vanishing Point (Fox) - Classic 70s car-chase movie referenced in Tarantino's Death Proof.

* What Just Happened (Magnolia) - Another casualty of the "movies about Hollywood tend to suck" curse.

* The Who: Live At The Isle Of Wight Festival 1970 (Eagle Rock) - Eh. Music blu ray, pass.