New DVD and Blu-Ray Releases to Crave: Jane Eyre Battles The Conspirator and One Wicked Priest

By Chris Kavan - 08/16/11 at 10:38 AM CT

This week, movies come in all sorts of interesting genres. Whether or not those genres interest you is entirely another matter, but at least we get some variety.

1) While I have a bad feeling this looks a little too much like the absolutely average Legion (not to mention sharing the same director and lead actor), Priest, while maybe not the best film being released this week, is still going to be the one I'm most likely to seek out and watch. Am I expecting to be blown away by the story and characters? Hell no - all I want is to be entertained for an hour or so and Priest looks like it should fit that bill.

2) Robert Redford is behind the camera instead of in front of it for The Conspirator. After Lincoln was assassinated, there was a huge effort to track down anyone who may have been involved in the plot that killed the president. This film focuses on the lone female charged - Mary Surratt - and her trial. While the subject sounds intriguing, the presentation looks like it will be a bit on the dry side for my tastes. If you like historical dramas, this will be a better fit.

3) Fans of more classic fare will also appreciate the latest adaptation of Charlotte Brontė's literary masterpiece Jane Eyre. Mia Wasikowska and Michael Fassbender take on the main roles here. Can I say this version is any better or worse than previous versions? No - that would require me to have watched the dozen or so other versions, and this one, to compare. I will leave that up to viewers who have more patience than I.

4) For those who dare take on the challenge of sitting through mediocre romantic comedies, Something Borrowed is calling your name - like a whisper in a dark, empty basement "watch me.... waaaatch meeeeee... (add ominous music here). I have a hard time sitting though most so-called rom-coms and this one looks particularly excruciating. Don't let me ruin it for you - the movie can do that all on its own.

5) Finally, if you need something to keep the kids distracted - Hoodwinked Too! Hood vs. Evil is here to save the day, just make sure you're not roped into watching it as well. For a movie that didn't do very well to begin with, I'm surprised it warranted a sequel. By all accounts, there isn't anything improved upon this second time around, so why even bother with it? Hollywood continues to astound me with their complete lack of caring for honest movie-goers. So sit the kids down and let them have their fun - but for anyone over ten or so, best to look somewhere else.

On the Blu-Ray front, I'm happy to announce that the Dude is still abiding - this time in high-def glory. The Big Lebowski
makes its Blu-Ray debut, and I bet every hair on Jeff Bridges' scruffy face looks amazing. Plus, it remains on of my favorite comedies of all time. If you haven't experienced it yet - might as well get to it now that it looks better than ever. While they're also coming out in standard DVD, the Criterion releases of The Killing and Cul-de-sac are best experienced in the better format. The Killing is Stanley Kubrick's third film and considered on of the best crime films of the 1950s. Extras are abundant, including an entire other film (Kubrick's Killer's Kiss). Cul-de-sac sees Roman Polanski sees a criminal take refuge in a castle where he encounter a husband and wife and thus begins a tale of shifting identities in this darkly comic thriller.

There are plenty of other great films to enjoy - visit the FilmCrave New DVD Releases and FilmCrave New Blu-Ray Releases pages to find all the new movies coming out this week.