New on DVD/Blu-ray in Bulgaria in November 2011

Movie of the month 1

Sunny Film Video / Sony

Агент Солт / Salt - Jolie kicking ass! What's not to like? Perhaps the plot? ***

2012 / 2012 - Roland Emmerich - the destroyer not only of Earth but of good movies too **

Ченгета в резерв / The Other Guys - Wahlberg and Ferrell team up. The latter is god, you know? ****

Безпощадно / Faster - Faster to the Fast and Furious 5 **

Карате Кид / Karate Kid - A retro guilty pleasure. Watch it just to make comparisons with the recent remake **** (only on BD)

Карате Кид 2 / Karate Kid 2 - We could have done it without this sequel though ** (only on BD)

Железен план / Armored - Better arm yourself with booze before trying to sit through this **

Отстреляй бившата / Bounty Hunter - Go eat a bounty instead of watching this pile of sh.. *

Легион / Legion - Don't let it invade your home! *1/2

This Is It! - This is definitely not it, Michael would have disapproved. ** (only on BD)

Как да разбера / How Do You Know - Or how an overcomplicated plot has reached to the screens. **1/2

Жена на заем / Bring It On - Adam Sandler to the max, it's stupid and all the fun for it. ***

Film of the month 2

A+ / Disney, Fox, Universal & Independent

Монте Карло / Monte Carlo - Selena Gomez taking the Hilary Duff way. Hilary who? I hear you say... *1/2

Невероятното приключение на Шарпей / Sharpay's Fabulous Adventure - Yes, the best from HSM has its own adventure! Avoid *

Пингвините на Мр. Попър / Mr. Popper's Penguins - Jim Carrey doesn't have it anymore, but the film is okay ***

Мечо пух / Winnie the Pooh - Surprising sweet, as quality honey ***1/2

Warner

Хари Потър и Даровете на смъртта: Част 2 / Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows Part 2 - The magic is all around us *****

Поредният ергенски запой / The Hangover 2 - The same as part one - what's not to like? ****

The ratings:

***** Perfect

**** Unmissable

*** Fine (just give it a try)

** So-so (for genre aficionados only)

* Stay away

New on DVD/Blu-ray in Bulgaria in October 2011

Film of the month

Sunny Film Video / Sony

On blu-ray & DVD:

Облачно с кюфтета / Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs - It will make you hungry, but ratatouille this Sony animation is not ***1/2

Книгата на Илай / Book of Eli - Dark and slick, with one or two good performances ***

Социалната мрежа / The Social Network - Watch it again just to see why JT should be a bigger movie star *****

Бурлеска / Burlesque - A great premise wasted. Only for X-tina devotees **

Туристът / The Tourist - The biggest stars + a hot new director from Europe = *

Ловен сезон / Open Season - Cute at moments, but it's a season better stayed closed ** (only on blu-ray)

Свещеник / Priest - A CGI vampire mess, oh and Legion will come in November *

Зеленият стършел / Green Hornet - Funny and inventive - it's the superior green comic-based movie this year ****

Битка: Лос Анжелис / Battle: Los Angeles - Better than the critics want you to believe ***1/2

План Б / The Break-up Plan - Oh, just buy the CD instead *1/2

Съквартирантката / The Roommate - Even living in Studentski Grad offers more thrills...**

Палавата класна / Bad Teacher - Funny and rude, what to want more from a Diaz vehicle ***1/2

Хана / Hanna - Great pace, great director, great story, great soundtrack. Simply among the best for 2011 - *****

A+ / Disney, Fox, Universal & Independent*

(on BD or DVD, it's up to you to find out...)

Първичен код / Source Code - An intelligently delivered and on top of that interesting sci-fi extravaganza ****

Абитурентски бал / Prom - Watch it in May only **

Вода за слонове / Water For Elephants - Better than the critics want you to believe (oh, wait a minute) ***1/2

Цар лъв / The Lion King - Elton John in his best, yes really *****

Цар лъв 2: Гордостта на Симба / The Lion King 2: Simba's Pride - Only for fans of Simba **

Цар лъв 3 / The Lion King 3 - Only for fans of Pumbaa and Timon, and why shouldn't you be ***

Нещо назаем / Something Borrowed - Something better not to be borrowed **

X Men: Първа вълна / X Men: First Class - One of the best comic-based movies in the current Nolan-era. Unmissable *****

Колите 2 / Cars 2 - Pixar has experienced better days. Get rid of Mater next time please. ***

*The independent titles are still to be released. Hmm.

New on DVD/Blu-ray in Bulgaria in September 2011

Movie(s) of the month

!!! Time for a celebration now as Sony returns on the Bulgarian DVD & Blu-ray market in October, for the first time since the collapse of Prooptiki. Expect more in the next DVD feature on the blog !!!

Disney/Fox/Universal/Independent - A+

Бързи и яростни 5: Удар в Рио / Fast Five - A crazy plot + awful acting = great fun - a recipe worth seeking out - **** (also on BR)

Купонът на живота ти / Take Me Home Tonight - Just an okay old-fashioned comedy with Topher Grace and Anna Faris - **1/2

Карибски пирати: В непознати води / Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides - It has taken all bad from the previous two sequels and has dropped the thrilling action. A disappointment on a big scale! ** (also on BR)

Ще срещнеш висок тъмнокос непознат / You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger - Woody Allen not in his best, but still far from his worst ***

Епоха на животните / Animals United - An animated curioso from Germany and a passable family fun ***

Приключенията на Сами / Sammy's Adventures: The Secret Passage - An animated curioso from Belgium and, yes, a passable family fun ***

Гномео и Жулиета / Gnomeo and Juliet - A love story between gnomes, the Shakespeare style, bar the ending. You won't resist its cuteness. *** 1/2

Сбогом мамо - If curiosity has made you watched it on the big screen, nothing can made you spend money on this vanity project gone terribly wrong. *

Star Wars - You know, the movies range between *** and *****. And you know that this is a must for every blu-ray collection. (only on BR)

Аленият прилив / Crimson Tide - Denzel and Gene just shine in high (blue not crimson) definition **** (only on BR)

8 герои / 8 Heroes - Cute as only a Disney family movie could be, but nothing more. *** (only on BR)

Обичам неприятности / I Love Trouble - Julia Roberts meets Nick Nolte in this 1994 thriller, which hardly stands the test of time *** (only on BR)

Да отгледаш Аризона / Raising Arisona - The Coens, the Cage and the five stars ***** (only on BR)

Warner / Pro Video SRL

Супермен: Филмът / Superman: The Movie - Forget the sequels, that's the classic one ***** (only on BR)

Полет над кукувиче гнездо / Onе Flеw Ovеr thе Сuсkоо's Nеst - A must see ***** (only on BR)

Ергени за седмица / Нall Рass - The Farrelly brothers have had better times, but you can spend an evening with this Wilson/Sudeikis comedy ***

NOTE: I'm doing this feature only as a fan of the legal video market in Bulgaria. It shouldn't be considered as promotion or advertising of any of the films as no promotion/review materials have been provided by any of the distributors involved. 

NOTE 2 - All of the aforementioned independent films of A+ were not released at the time of publishing.

The ratings:

***** Perfect

**** Unmissable

*** Fine

** So-so

* Stay away

New on DVD/Blu-Ray in Bulgaria in August 2011

Film of the Month

A+

Скок-подскок / Hop - The Easter bunny comedy that didn't get a cinema release in Bulgaria arrives in... August on DVD. Sweet and occasionally funny, the Vienna screening was worth it... *** 

Агенти на съдбата / Adjustment Bureau - A surprisingly good romantic/sci-fi mash-up. Catch it if you were among the lot who missed it on the big screen. ****

Ваше височество /Your Highness - Another title that skipped the Bulgarian cinemas. It's rude humour is not everyone's cup of tea though. ***

Рио / Rio - Cute and colourful but nothing more. *** (also on blu-ray)

Майло на Марс / Mars Needs Mars - Not as bad as the critics said it was but it's still a B-class animation. **

Warner

Съкър Пънч / Sucker Punch - Unfortunately the DVD transition didn't give the stylish movie any plot. ** (also on blu-ray)

Светлина в тунела / Hereafter - Clint Eastwood not in his best form, but he is still Clint. ***

Градът / The Town - Ben Affleck in his best form, both as director & actor. ****

New on DVD/Blu-Ray in Bulgaria in July 2011

Film of the month

As there is some controversy/confusion (delete as appropriate) regarding the matter who exactly is releasing the Warner titles in Bulgaria, here is the official release schedule of A+, while beneath it you'll find some of the Warner titles which I've seen in the shops over the last month.

A+

New on Blu-Ray/DVD

127 Часа (127 Hours) - A knock-out performance from James Franco and an exquisitely made movie by Danny Boyle -- now a true master of his craft ****1/2

New on Blu-Ray:

Черен лебед (Black Swan) - A true masterpiece for the new decade. Haunting! *****

Пришълецът (Alien) - A classic - *****

Пришълците (Aliens) - Two times a classic - *****

Пришълецът 3 (Alien 3) - Fucked up, but still has its moments - ***1/2

Пришълецът: Завръщането (Alien: Resurrection) - You have the other three, so you must own the lesser one too ***

Правилният избор (All the Right Moves) - Coming from the early Tom Cruise years, it's only for the most passionate fans ***

Warner

Генезис (Inception) - Complicated, meticulously incepted & sublime - *****

С мръсна газ (Drive Angry) - Poor, as all Nic Cage movies lately are - **

Шерлок Холмс (Shrelock Holmes) - Downey Jr. and Law definitely know how to have fun -****

The ratings:

***** Perfect

**** Unmissable

*** Fun

** So-so

* Stay away

New on DVD/Blu-Ray in Bulgaria in June 2011

DVD of the month

A+

New

Речта на краля / The King's Speech (DVD) - It's. Oscar. Worthy. Definitely. *****

Аз съм номер четири / I Am Number Four (DVD & BD) - Not worthy for Potter comparisons, it still has a few good moments ***

Агент ХХЛ 3: Еволюция / Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son (DVD) - No one asked for it, so why? *

Любовта е опиат / Love and Other Drugs (DVD) - Not the most inventive rom-com, but Jake and Anne ooze chemistry. ***1/2

Classics on DVDs

Буги нощи / Boogie Nights - Never has a porno-themed movie been so good *****

Час пик / Rush Hour - Flawed but still comedy gold ****

От глупав по-глупав / Dumb and Dumber - Raise your hand (pocket) if you miss the young Jim Carey *****

Елвис на турне / Elvis on Tour - Documentary for all Presley maniacs ***1/2

Classics on Blu-Rays

Троя / Troy - the BD transition is good, the movie is not ***

Коса / Hair - not among musical's best, still a worthy edition to the genre ****

James Bond on Blu-Ray

Мунрейкър / Moonraker

Мъжът със златния пистолет / The Man With The Golden Gun

Упълномощен да убива / Licence To Kill

Голдфингър / Goldfinger

Tandem

New on DVD

неЧестна игра / Fair Game - Overcomplicated, but still an interesting war conspiracy flick ***1/2

New on DVD/Blu-Ray in Bulgaria in May 2011

DVD of the month

The newest titles on DVDs and Blu-rays in Bulgaria and for the first time since Prooptiki's demise some Warner titles hit the shelves in May this year. Seek them!

A+

Premieres on DVD/Blu-Ray

Секретариат - конят легенда (Secretariat) - This horse racing drama moved past our cinemas and perhaps for a reason. Still has one or two merits, Diane Lane included - **1/2

Пътешествията на Гъливер (Gulliver's Travels) - Hollywood has f*cked up yet another classic, no surprises here *

Път с предимство (Due Date) (DVD&BD) - A failed attempt to repeat the Hangover success. It's a date you'd better skip. **

Черен лебед (Black Swan) - A true masterpiece for the new decade. Haunting! *****

Сексът и градът 2 (Sex and the City 2) (DVD&BD) - It's awful and I liked it! Blame me! ***

Мачете (Machete) - Danny Trejo makes the role of Machete his own. Great fun but not for the easily offended. ****

Убийствен пъзел: Последната глава (Saw: The Final Chapter) (DVD/BD) - Thank Hollywood it's the last chapter! **

Хари Потър и Даровете на смъртта - част 1 (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - part 1) - A step back in terms of excitement but never has a franchise been so consistent in quality. ****

Лов на дребни хищници - A Bulgarian title on DVD! Not so good though! ***

New on Blu-Ray 

Най-дългият ден (The Longest Day) - A war-themed classic, star-stuffed with John Wayne, Henry Fonda, Sean Connery and more ****

Звукът на музиката (The Sound of Music) - The hills are still alive & you know I'm fan of Austria, so no surprises here - *****

Tandem

Premieres on DVD

Пътят на самурая / The Warrior's Way - Not many realised that this martial-arts movie was in the multiplexes last winter, but it's still worth checking out ***1/2

Някъде / Somewhere - The fans of Lost In Translation will devour it, the others will yawn at it. ***1/2

В брой / Cash - Boromir meets Thor, just watch Game of Thrones instead! **

Обитаемият остров / Obitaemyy ostrov - Russian sci-fi from 2008, only for the most passionate about the genre **

The ratings:

***** Perfect

**** Unmissable

*** Fun

** So-so

* Stay away

New on DVD/Blu-Ray in Bulgaria in April 2011

Although no one cares about the legal DVD market in Bulgaria, there are still two companies which albeit all difficulties continue to release DVDs and Blu-rays in our precious country. To honour the efforts of A+ and Tandem to still be on the market, I've decided to start a monthly review on all new/old titles which can be found in the few stores for DVDs in Bulgaria. As you can see from the list below only titles of Buena Vista, 20th Century Fox and Universal are currently released on these shores, as well as some independent ones. Nevertheless, something tells me that the situation will improve soon...

A+

Premieres on DVD/Blu-Ray

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader - Better than the second one, it's Narnia back on its feet ***1/2

Tron: Legacy 3D - The story doesn't get better at home, but at least the 3D (too pricey!) version will be perfect for your new home cinema set ***1/2

Tangled - Among the best Disney princess movies, your children will watch it all over again and you'll have troubles stop laughing ****1/2

New on Blu-Ray

League of Extraordinary Gentlemen - Witness the movie that made Sean Connery finally quit acting in a glorious high def quality. Or better stay away! **

Eragon - A pity attempt to repeat the HP phenomenon, it's one of the worst fantasy adaptations ever! *

Speed - An action classic, compulsory for every film geek *****

Sunshine - One of the weirder Danny Boyle movies, but still a thrilling experience ****

Behind Enemy Lines - Don't let this cross your home lines **

Night Watch/Day Watch - An excellent attempt for Russians to go fantasy, just wish the #3 to come out soon ****

Horton Hears a Who! - It's not Ice Age or even Rio, but still you'll be able to listen to the original version with Carrel and Carrey *** 

The Incredibles - It's Pixar you know! *****

Tandem

Premieres on DVD

Leaves of Grass - A curious little movie, in which Edward Norton plays twins ***1/2

The American - A strange Europe-flavoured Clooney movie, may be too boring for some ***1/2

Stone - The second Norton offer of the month is so pretentious, it will make you sick *1/2

The Resident - It did not get a cinema release here and maybe for a reason **