HollywoodChicago.com Blu-Ray Reviews

CHICAGO – The news of Steve Carell’s departure from NBC’s “The Office” after this upcoming season led to much debate as to whether or not the incredible sitcom could survive without its award-worthy star. That discussion probably won’t end until a replacement is named to run Dunder-Mifflin but you can check out the great sixth season, now available on Blu-ray, to form your own opinion.

CHICAGO – How do complete disasters like “Marmaduke” get made? Shouldn’t there be some sort of quality insurance and when a studio sees that a film is this execrable, they are allowed to pull some sort of last-minute ripcord and make sure it’s never inflicted on paying customers? Wouldn’t that be a good use of our tax dollars?

CHICAGO – “Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy” is one of the most beloved comedies of the ’00s, a film that may have failed to crack $100 million on its initial release but has legions of fans who now know the entire script by heart after dozens of DVD and cable viewings. Like many comedy hits, Adam McKay’s directorial debut has been given the gift set treatment complete with collectibles and hours of special features. It’s exclusive to Best Buy for the next few months but we have a look at it for you now.

CHICAGO – With the departure of Adrian Monk (“Monk”), Jack Bauer (“24”) and Jack Shephard (“Lost”) along with the stoppage of the revolving door of personalities at “Law & Order,” there are very few time-tested icons left on television. One of the remaining TV characters that will clearly have a chapter of his own in the history books of the medium is Dr. Gregory House (Hugh Laurie) and his stellar sixth season of the FOX medical drama was recently released in an excellent Universal set.

CHICAGO – It pains me to point out the flaws of “George A. Romero’s Survival of the Dead.” Two of the most influential movies in my entire life are “Night of the Living Dead” and “Dawn of the Dead” and I could write a book on the importance of one of the most essential horror directors of all time. But, despite a fantastic Blu-ray release, “Survival of the Dead” disappoints.

CHICAGO – It’s pretty hard for contemporary audiences to look at a title like “Machine Gun McCain,” and not immediately make a political joke out of it. The most obvious one would be, “What’s the sequel called, “‘Pistol-Packing Palin’?” Of course, this minor cult classic came out long before the 2008 election, and was playing in theaters at the same time John McCain was being held as a prisoner of war in North Vietnam.

CHICAGO – Long past the point when most thought it would be canceled, “The Simpsons” moved into its thirteenth season in the fall of 2001, not quite as clever or culturally relevant as at its peak but still funnier than a lot of television of its time. The first season of “The Simpsons” on Blu-ray with the same caliber of special features as the majority of releases for the most influential cartoon of all time returns the series to the must-buy form it lost with the disappointing “The Simpsons: The Complete Twentieth Season.”

CHICAGO – The great Eagle Rock Entertainment released a pair of concert Blu-rays this week that deserve your attention, especially for serious fans of either of the bands involved. Frank Black, Kim Deal and the rest of The Pixies rock in a pair of shows on “Pixies Live: Acoustic and Electric” and Zakk Wylde (don’t miss our exclusive portrait) proves his guitar-god prowess on “Black Label Society: The European Invasion Doom Troopin’”

CHICAGO – Nicholas Sparks is the Michael Bay of touchy-feely weepies. No matter how derivative or cynically calculating his stories prove to be, they never fail to rake in the dough. Several of his books have been turned into blockbusters, the best of which benefit greatly from the strength of their cast, as in “A Walk to Remember” and “The Notebook.”

CHICAGO – I wonder how the movie history books will remember Brittany Murphy, who died suddenly at the end of 2009. When she went, she had a few films in some stage of post-production and one, the thriller “Abandoned,” makes its way to Blu-ray and DVD this week. The film works about as well as your average straight-to-DVD thriller but distinguishes itself a bit due to Murphy’s underrated acting ability, but this actress deserved a more fitting final note.