Latest VHS and DVD releases from US film distributors

A little while back, I started posting about VHS AND DVD MOVIES released by American distributors. To be honest, I'm just fed up with seeing every single mediocre flick slapped with a "HIT" label on the cover or the poster outside the video rental shop. Look, I get it—they need to make money—but if they're going to try and pass off junk as gold, then I can certainly step up and tell you guys what’s actually worth watching and what’s a total waste of time. What do you think? Is this a good idea? Let me know in the comments if you're down for this kind of stuff!

I mean, I could always just start my own threads and get into some real discussions with everyone else here on the forum.

Wait, am I really doing this...? 😉

No problem at all! I’m more than happy to jump in and join the conversation here.

driftingpilot54 said:A little while back, I started posting about VHS AND DVD MOVIE releases from our local American distributors. To be honest, I’m just fed up with seeing every single mediocre flick slapped with a "HIT" sticker on the cover or plastered on posters outside the local video rental shop. Look, I get it—they need to make a buck—but since they’re constantly trying to pass off junk as gold, I figured I’d step up and give you my own unfiltered take on what’s actually worth your time and what’s total garbage. I’d love to hear your thoughts, though. Does this sound like a useful idea to you all?

Go for it, driftingpilot54! Your reviews are going to be a total hit here. 👏

Hey, driftingpilot54, do you have any idea if our local distributors are actually going to release Aladdin or what? I heard some rumors floating around that they were planning on it, but honestly, I haven't seen a single soul at the video rental shops or even the local stores who knows anything about it.

I don't have any updates on Aladdin just yet, but I'll look into it and let you know what I find. Honestly, seeing how much interest you guys have in this project really made my day! Since you're enjoying it, I’m more than happy to keep posting topics here, and I've actually got some new movie surprises in the works for you soon. Catch you later, Jack!
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VHS AND DVD MOVIE REVIEWS

Since we're talking about distributors and blockbusters...
Like driftingpilot54 says, you gotta make that money. I rented this movie knowing full well it was gonna cost $5.00... I was totally fine paying up just to see the damn thing.

But then I pop in this beautiful UCLA DVD release, and what do I get? Ten freaking commercials before the movie even starts!!!!! Who actually has time for that??? And almost all the bonus features are stripped out??? wtf? Seriously, where is this world even headed?

You pay for the movie $5.00, they shove ten ads down your throat (and god forbid you can skip them) and toss all the extra content in the trash...

A total disaster!!!

driftingpilot54 said:I haven't heard anything concrete regarding Aladdin yet, but I'll definitely look into it and let you know what I find.

sounds good 👍

I’m looking for Mulan. Also, I’d love to find more older films—maybe stuff from the 80s or earlier.

...if I remember right, they've had Mulan on the shelves at Blockbuster for ages...😕 ...

...BTW..driftingpilot54, you gotta be kidding me with that review of vanishing II: Temptation...seriously, there's less propaganda in the Bible than in that movie...

Thanks to everyone for stopping by and leaving comments! I’ll go ahead and answer your questions one by one:
1. Lisa Hill51, I totally feel you on those ads. It makes zero sense why they bombard us like this when they’re supposed to be selling movies, not commercials. The worst part is definitely some of the DVD releases where you can't escape them if you try to watch the movie. But hey, there's no order in this country, is there? Nothing ever seems to run smoothly here. Since UCLA is just a smaller distributor, they're probably just trying to plug some budget holes, though I doubt they're struggling that much.
2. Jacob Moore61 - I should be getting some firsthand info sometime tomorrow. Once I have it, I'll let you know when to expect the review on my blog, as well as when the VHS or DVD will be hitting shelves.
3. Jose Chase2 - You actually gave me a great idea to maybe start working on older films, but I need to get everything ready first. I'm planning some new projects along those lines for this fall, so hopefully, you'll enjoy them!
4. fadedsailor932 - In a way, I see your point. But the movie tries to provide answers to certain facts that should be pretty clear, while simultaneously throwing out questions and scenarios that we really ought to have answers for—but unfortunately, we don't.
Cheers, everyone!
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LATEST VHS AND DVD RELEASES

I have a suggestion:

You know, I should probably say a little more about all those extra goodies you get on the DVD, like the audio commentaries and that whole side of things. It really makes such a difference when you can actually sit back and hear the creators break down their process, doesn't it?

...
For example. Cecil B. Demented Honestly, I think the movie becomes so much more enjoyable when you watch it alongside a commentary track by John Waters.

Hey driftingpilot54!
Look, when distributors label movies as hits—they aren't necessarily lying!
Take the Texas Chainsaw Massacre remake, for example. It pulled in over $100,000,000 worldwide, which is an absolutely massive number, you have to admit!
Just because it only drew a handful of people in our local theaters here doesn't change the fact that it made a killing overseas.
The real joke is how we define "hits" based on domestic box office numbers. Only a tiny few films make that cut every year. To me, movies like Jerusalem, Walk the Line, Monsoon Wedding, 21 Grams, and Mary Magdalene are absolute masterpieces. They are true hits, even if people around here unfortunately don't recognize them as such...
I would definitely put them in the hit category 😁

Hey there, neonfalcon6,
When I talked about certain movies being labeled "hits," I wasn't talking about actual box office smash hits. I was talking about the little tricks video rental stores play. They take a new release and brand it as a massive hit just so they can jack up the rental price (moving from $4.00 to $5.00). Honestly, distributors aren't any better; they're pros at this kind of thing. And let's be real—the plot descriptions on the back of the box almost never tell you what the movie is actually about.
As for identifying the genuine classics? I couldn't agree with you more. I personally gave Jerusalem a 9/10. If you're interested, you can check out my full review of that film over on my page.
Anyway, thanks to you and everyone else for the comments.
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LATEST VHS AND DVD RELEASES

driftingpilot54 said:Hey, neonfalcon6.
When I talk about calling certain movies "hits," I’m not talking about actual box office numbers. It's just a gimmick rental shops use. They grab a new release and slap a "hit" label on it just to jack up the rental price. You know what I mean? $4.00 Hey. $5.00 Distributors aren't any better, honestly. They can be pretty sneaky about it. I was just thinking how the plot summary on the back of the box rarely tells you what the movie is actually about.

It’s the same old story... I could make a top ten list for my local Blockbuster where 90% of it is actual data, but then I throw in a few personal favorites in that last 10% and suddenly those rental numbers skyrocket. It works the same way with a movie like *Beauty and the Beast*—if we get three or four copies in stock, people immediately assume it’s some massive blockbuster or a masterpiece and start renting it like crazy. At the end of the day, distributors can manufacture a hit, but honestly? So can the video store owners.
So, on that Blitz or Duplicata post, they list like five movies that are supposedly "blockbuster tier"—massive hits, at least—but I honestly haven't heard much about three of them until now. 👎

Honestly, this is exactly why I decided to start doing movie reviews—it’s a chance to actually be useful. You could call me a "compassionate jerk," but here's my take: in an era where money is tight for so many people, if you're going to scrape together a little cash for some entertainment, you should at least spend it on something worth watching—a truly great film.
That’s my philosophy, and I’m pretty sure most of you feel the same way, right?
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LATEST VHS AND DVD RELEASES

What are you guys even talking about? What do you mean, Mulan or Aladdin?

Those have been sitting in video rental stores for years... unless maybe you're specifically talking about some new DVD release.

A I’m pretty sure Mulan is on DVD too, since I’ve got a decent DivX copy with American subtitles.

driftingpilot54 said:Honestly, this is exactly why I started doing movie reviews—because I get the chance to help out. You could call me a sympathetic jerk, but I think that since times are tough for so many people right now, if they're going to scrape together whatever little cash they have left for entertainment, they should at least spend it on something actually good.
That's my goal, and I hope most people feel the same way.

...I get that, but let's be real: most people are still gonna pick "Beauty and the Beast" by Segal over something like "Jerusalem"... That's just life. I have clients—architects, professors, intellectuals—who technically should prefer something like "Dogville," but they'll grab a Segal flick instead if you give them a quick, logical reason: "I just want to shut my brain off and relax for ninety minutes."
At the end of the day, Jackie Chan is always going to be a bigger hit at the local video store than, I don't know, a Coen brothers movie.

Look, it's true, but there’s a catch. People just want to unwind and zone out when they watch a movie—they aren't looking to strain their brains, right? It really is just one big vicious cycle.

Is it just me, or is this blog totally broken right now??? 😕