New DVD and Blu-Ray Releases to Crave This Week: Aliens, Fables, Big Mommas & Hall Passes

By Chris Kavan - 06/14/11 at 11:41 AM CT

While none of the big three movies coming out this week may have made the biggest impact in theaters, that doesn't mean they don't deserve your attention. Depending on what genre you have in mind, you could very well find something interesting this week.

1) One I actually saw in theaters - Battle: Los Angeles is essentially Black Hawk Down meets Independence Day. It has that gritty feel of the latter with the addition of extraterrestrial invaders. While it doesn't break any new ground, it is highly entertaining and the cast is actually fleshed out a bit, which is a rarity in this kind of action-oriented film. All and all, a solid choice if you want some sci-fi action in your life.

2) If you would rather see a comedy, Hall Pass is also on the agenda. While I think it looks like Hangover lite, I suppose it would do just fine for a few guffaws. Still, this is one I would have put in the "rental" category from the get go - but if this is your kind of comedy, have at it.

3) In the category of "movies I don't understand the appeal of" Amanda Seyfried puts a Twilight twist on a classic story in Red Riding Hood. The cast looks promising, but that's about all I can recommend. The story is angsty teenage tripe in a medieval setting that vaguely resembles the original tale. I'm not saying I won't watch this, just that my expectations are pretty dismal.

4) In the category of "sequels that shouldn't exist" we also get to bask in the glory of Big Mommas: Like Father Like Son. I was trying to think of something to put a positive spin on this... but I can't. Really, why did anyone think this movie was a good idea?

5) Finally, for those who want a little more action in their life, the martial arts extravaganza Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen will give you that, plus super hero thrills! It sounds like a weird combination to me, but hey, if the story is halfway as good as the action, it's probably going to be fun to watch.

On the Blu-Ray front, for people who like to point their gun in the air and yell NOOOOOO! because you love your friend so much - Point Break serves up enough buddy action to keep you content for days. If one dose of Keanu Reeves just isn't enough, the pre-Matrix technofest Johnny Mnemonic is also available. For cult animation fans, it doesn't get much better than Heavy Metal. It's about as trippy as it gets and you may have to be high to enjoy it - at least it wouldn't hurt. Finally, if you can't wait for the inevitable final box set, you can own the ultimate edition of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince and Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. And people complain that George Lucas releases too many versions of his films. I, for one, will wait for the final product, most likely due out next year in some ridiculously-priced mega set.

To view all the releases in their splendor, please visit the FilmCrave New DVD Releases and FilmCrave New Blu-Ray Releases pages today.