New DVD and Blu-Ray Releases to Crave: Get Mooned by Transformers or Make a Ben-Hur Upgrade

By Chris Kavan - 09/27/11 at 07:02 PM CT

After a rush last week, it seems all other new releases cower in fear of the summer blockbuster titan that is Transformers.

1) As the only major (new) film getting released, hopefully you like lots of eye candy and action, because that's pretty much all you're going to get with Transformers: Dark of the Moon. While I do think this is an improvement over the second entry, this movie is still pretty much all flash and just a hint of substance. Of course, we are talking Michael Bay here, so you should at least know what you're getting yourself into. If you crave action, this will fit the bill.

2) It only took 50 years, but we're finally getting a 50th- Anniversary Edition of Ben-Hur. Some modern audiences may thing it moves a bit too slow for their tastes (probably the same ones who pre-ordered Transformers) but this is a film that truly lives up to the word "epic". Heck, the chariot race scene alone is worth watching the film for, but if you can drag your eyes away from the latest video game or Jersey Shore episode, the story is quite good. The religious aspect isn't overbearing and Charlton Heston is at the top of his game. Totally worth the upgrade if you don't already have it.

3) Criterion comes through once again with two new films: Carlos is an intense, detailed look into the man known as "The Jackal" - it's running time may scare some people off, but with a man as interesting and notorious as Carlos, it deserves the attention. Special features include interviews and a making-of documentary. From a modern epic to a classic chiller/morality tale, The Phantom Carriage is Victor Sjöstrom's silent Swedish films about life, death and the choices we make between - and a film that inspired Ingmar Bergman to pursue directing himself. Besides commentary, there is also interviews and a booklet with this one.

On the Blu-Ray front, the bugs are back in town when Mimic hits the street. I always thought of this as a second-tier sci-fi/horror film. While it wasn't terrible, it also wasn't that good. For the price, however, it's a pretty damn good deal. Fans of the 80s (and studios looking to cash in before the remake) will be happy to hear that the original Footloose is ready to show off some high-definition dance moves. I have a feeling the remake is going to be a sad affair, and I would much rather relive this slightly cheesy, yet fun, version of the story. Hopefully you like horror, as the two-fer A Nightmare on Elm Street 2 & 3 makes you never want to sleep again while Basket Case is just incredibly bizarre and hilarious. I would expect these around Halloween, but I guess some movies just can't wait their turn.

There are plenty of other films to discover, just visit the FilmCrave New DVD Releases and FilmCrave New Blu-Ray Releases pages today.