A lot of major awards-season films hit DVD this week, including big Oscar winner The King’s Speech, Best Actress nominee Rabbit Hole, and intimate Sofia Coppola piece Somewhere. Throw in a Blu-ray release for Bambi, and it’s a pretty damn good week on disc. Not too many Instant Watches, but do note Marwencol, which is hitting Instant a couple of weeks after it’s DVD release. A lot of things are hitting on 4/22, but not very much that’s well-known. Check the “also on” list for more that might catch your eye.

BUY

Bambi
One of Disney’s most enduring classics makes its way to Blu-ray, and yeah, I’ll probably buy it again. Thumper would want me to, and I can’t refuse Thumper.
1942 USA. Director: David Hand. Starring: Hardie Albright, Stan Alexander, Peter Behn, Donnie Dunagan, Sam Edwards.
Amazon Blu-ray (includes DVD/digital copy) | Netflix

RENT

The King’s Speech
I did manage to watch this the afternoon of the Oscars, and it’s about what I expected – a solid, well-produced, wonderfully acted inspirational story. It’s not much more than that, though, so I don’t really have any desire to watch it again.
2010 UK. Director: Tom Hooper. Starring: Colin Firth, Helena Bonham Carter, Geoffrey Rush.
Amazon DVD | Amazon Blu-ray | Netflix

Rabbit Hole
I’m still a little miffed that holiday scheduling pretty much kept me from seeing this in theatres, because I remain a huge Nicole Kidman fan and long for her to do films that actually show her talent, and from what I’ve heard, this one does.
2010 USA. Director: John Cameron Mitchell. Starring: Nicole Kidman, Aaron Eckhart.
Amazon DVD | Amazon Blu-ray | Netflix

Somewhere
A new Sofia Coppola film is always reason to rejoice for me, and though this one is a bit less accessible than some of her others, I think the rewards are there – it’s a film of in-betweens, following a successful but detached actor through his daily life, especially his relationship with his daughter.
2010 USA. Director: Sofia Coppola. Starring: Stephen Dorff, Elle Fanning.
Amazon DVD | Amazon Blu-ray | Netflix (5/17)

Ip Man 2: Legend of the Grandmaster
Second film in the series about the martial arts legend who specialized in Wing Chun style and who mentored Bruce Lee. These two films were massively popular in China, and I’m definitely interested in checking them out.
2010 Hong Kong. Director: Wilson Yip. Starring: Donnie Yen, Sammo Hung.
Amazon DVD | Amazon Blu-ray | Netflix

The Way Back
Wow, this snuck out onto DVD quietly. I hardly remember it even hitting theatres, though it was on my radar thanks to Weir and a solid cast. Did anyone here see it? I’m hit or miss with Weir, but always curious.
2010 USA. Director: Peter Weir. Starring: Ed Harris, Jim Sturgess, Saoirse Ronan, Colin Farrell.
Amazon DVD | Amazon Blu-ray | Netflix (4/22)

Kes Criterion
Ken Loach is well-known for his socially conscious filmmaking, and this 1969 film about a working class boy who trains a pet falcon to provide himself some hope and joy in life sounds like it fits right in. It hasn’t ever been released on DVD in the US before, so now’s a perfect chance to check it out. Also on Instant Watch.
1969 UK. Director: Ken Loach. Starring: David Bradley, Freddie Fletcher.
Amazon DVD | Amazon Blu-ray (Netflix

SKIP

Gulliver’s Travels
I don’t dislike Jack Black, and can see a version of Gulliver’s Travels with him not sucking, but from everything I’ve seen, this isn’t it. Oh, well.
2010 USA. Director: Rob Letterman. Starring: Jack Black, Amanda Peet, Jason Segal.
Amazon DVD | Amazon Blu-ray (includes DVD/digital copy) | Amazon 3D Blu-ray (includes BD/DVD/digital copy) | Netflix (5/17)

WATCH INSTANTLY

Marwencol [4/20]
A documentary about a guy who recovers from a coma-inducing beating by creating a miniature WWII-era town in his backyard and losing himself in a fantasy world set in it. I’m kind of fascinated by this idea and curious to see how it plays out.
2010 USA. Director: Jeff Malmberg. Starring: Mark Hogancamp.

The Way Things Go [4/22]
This film consists entirely of a camera following an elaborate Rube Goldberg machine as it goes through its chain of causal events. That’s all there is to it, and it’s a fascinating 30 minutes.
1987 Germany. Director: Peter Fischli, David Weiss.

The Golem [4/22]
The most famous of Wegener’s three films based on the Jewish legend of the Golem, here showing the Golem’s creation in medieval Prague to protect the inhabitants of the Jewish ghetto from eviction and worse. A rather Frankenstein-like sweetness offsets some of the old-fashioned stylistics.
1920 Germany. Director: Paul Wegener, Starring: Paul Wegener.

A Tale of Springtime [4/22]
After his series of Moral Tale films, Eric Rohmer made a series of season-themed films.I have seen none of these, but I like his Moral Tales quite a lot, and am glad for the opportunity to easily branch into his other work.
1990 France. Director: Eric Rohmer. Starring: Anne Teyssedre, Hugues Quester, Florence Darel.

Queen Kelly [4/22]
Erich Von Stroheim’s last major work as a director, never finished according to his wishes (his lot in life, it appears), but still a stunning late silent for Stroheim and Swanson, with even more resonance after Sunset Boulevard.
1929 USA. Director: Eric von Stroheim. Starring: Gloria Swanson.

Senso [4/22]
Luchino Visconti brings his lush filmmaking style to a story of forbidden love in the courts of 19th-century Vienna. I’m not too familiar with Visconti’s work, so I’m looking forward to delving into it here.
1954 Italy. Director: Luchino Visconti. Starring: Alida Valli, Farley Granger.

American Dad!: Volume 6
This is a Seth MacFarlane show I’ve never watched, but it’s all on Instant Watch, so I could if I, you know, wanted to. The latest complete series joins the rest this week.
2010 USA. Creator: Seth MacFarlane. Starring: Seth MacFarlane, Wendy Schaal.

A Farewell to Arms [4/22]
Ernest Hemingway’s story of war and romance set during WWI (and drawn from some of his own experiences). I’ve not been impressed with other Hemingway adaptations, so haven’t sought this one out, but at the cost of free, I might.
1932 USA. Director: Frank Borzage. Starring: Gary Cooper, Helen Hayes, Adolphe Menjou.

The Manxman [4/22]
Another early Hitchcock hits Instant – this is his last silent, I believe, and not one I really know much about. It appears to be a straight drama/romance, rather than a suspenser.
1929 UK. Director: Alfred Hitchcock. Starring: Carl Brisson, Anny Ondra.

EPIRING SOON FROM INSTANT WATCH

A bunch of expirations are scheduled to hit at the beginning of next month, Netflix’s usual time to make major changes to the Instant Watch catalog, so make sure you catch any of those you want to in time. The Up series expires tomorrow, and I realize that the first two films of the series haven’t been on Instant for a while so it’s pretty much impossible to watch the series on Instant if you haven’t started it yet, but I do implore you to watch these films – rent them on disc, whatever. I finished up the last of the series yesterday, and taken as a whole, this is one of the most fascinating things I’ve ever seen put on screen.

Hover over an image to see title and date of expiration.

Other Releases

MOVIES AND MORE
American Dad, Vol. 6 (2011 USA, creator Seth MacFarlane, stars Seth MacFarlane, Wendy Schaal; Netflix)
Born to Raise Hell (2010 USA, dir Lauro Chartrand, stars Steven Seagal, Dan Badarau; Blu-ray/Netflix)
The Fresh Prince of Bel Air: Season 6 (1996 USA, creator Andy & Susan Borowitz, stars Will Smith, James Avery; Netflix)
If God is Willing and da Creek Don’t Rise (2010 USA, dir Spike Lee, stars Gralen Bryant Banks; Netflix)
Street Kings 2: Motor City (2011 USA, dir Chris Fisher, stars Ray Liotta, Linda Boston; Blu-ray; Netflix)

NEW ON BLU-RAY
The Last Legion (2007 USA, dir Doug Lefler, stars Colin Firth, Ben Kingsley, Aishwarya Rai)
Mortal Kombat (1995 USA, dir Paul W.S. Anderson, stars Christopher Lambert, Robin Shou)
Mortal Kombat: Annihilation (1997 USA, dir John R. Leonetti, stars Robin Shou, Talisa Soto)
Short Circuit 2 (1988 USA, dir Kenneth Johnson, stars Fisher Stevens, Michael McKean)
Sweetie Criterion (1989 Australia, dir Jane Campion, stars Genevieve Lemon, Karen Colston)

INSTANT WATCH
The Blue Lamp (1950, dir Basil Dearden, stars Jack Warner, Dirk Bogarde) [4/22]
Carlton-Browne of the F.O. (1959 UK, dir Roy Boulting, Jeffrey Dell, stars Peter Sellers) [4/22]
Clockwise (1986 UK, dir Christopher Morahan, stars John Cleese, Alison Steadman) [4/22]
The Color of Pomegranates (1968 USSR, dir Sergei Parajanov, stars Sofiko Chiaureli) [4/22]
Escape By Night (1960 Italy, dir Roberto Rossellini, stars Giovanna Ralli, Leo Genn) [4/22]
Galileo (1975 USA, dir Joseph Losey, stars Topol, John Gielgud) [4/22]
Ginostra (2002 USA, dir Manuel Pradal, stars Harvey Keitel, Mattia De Martino, Andie McDowell) [4/22]
Heat (1986 USA, dir Dick Richards, stars Burt Reynolds, Peter McNicol, Diana Scarwid) [4/22]
Heavens Above! (1963 UK, dir John & Roy Boulting, stars Peter Sellers, Cecil Parker, Isabel Jeans) [4/22]
Hercules in the Haunted World (1961 Italy, dir Mario Bava, Franco Prosperi, stars Reg Park, Christopher Lee) [4/22]
Impact (1949 USA, dir, Arthur Lubin, stars Helen Walker, Tony Barrett, Brian Donlevy) [4/22]
Just the Ticket (1999 USA, dir Richard Wenk, stars Andy Garcia, Andie MacDowell) [4/22]
Le Professionnel (1981 France, dir Georges Lautner, stars Jean-Paul Belmondo, Jean Desailly) [4/22]
Love, Honor & Obey (2000 USA, dir Dominic Anciano, stars Jonny Lee Miller, Jude Law) [4/22]
Lulu on the Bridge (1998 USA, dir Paul Auster, stars Harvey Keitel, Mira Sorvino, Willem Dafoe) [4/22]
Mad Monster Party (1967 USA, dir Jules Bass, stars Boris Karloff, Phyllis Diller) [4/22]
The Nightcomers (1972 USA, dir Michael Winner, stars Marlon Brando, Verna Harvey) [4/22]
Otello (1986 Italy, dir Franco Zeffirelli, stars Placido Domingo, Katia Ricciarelli)
Patterns (1956 USA, dir Fielder Cook, stars Van Heflin, Everett Sloane, Ed Begley) [4/22]
Personal Services (1987 USA, dir Terry Jones, stars Julie Walters, Shirley Stelfox) [4/22]
Promised Lands (1974 USA, dir Susan Sontag)
Pulp (1972 USA, dir Mike Hodges, stars Michael Caine, Mickey Rooney) [4/22]
Que Viva Mexico! (1932 Russia, dir Sergei Eisenstein) [4/22]
Railroaded (1947 USA, dir Anthony Mann, stars Ed Kelly, Sheila Ryan, Hugh Beaumont) [4/22]
Sadie Thompson (1928 USA, dir Raoul Walsh, stars Gloria Swanson, Lionel Barrymore) [4/22]
Scream, Blacula, Scream! (1973 USA, dir Bob Kelljan, stars William Marshall, Pam Grier) [4/22]
The Serpent’s Egg (1978 USA, dir Ingmar Bergman, stars David Crradine, Liv Ullmann) [4/22]
Spetters (1980 Netherlands, dir Paul Verhoeven, stars Hans van Tongeren, Renée Soutendijk) [4/22]
Stormy Monday (1988 USA, dir Mike Figgis, stars Sean Bean, Sting, Melanie Griffith) [4/22]
The Terror (1963 USA, dir Roger Corman, stars Jack Nicholson, Boris Karloff) [4/22]
To the Devil a Daughter (1976 USA, dir Peter Sykes, stars Christopher Lee, Nastassja Kinski) [4/22]
Two-Way Stretch (1960 UK, dir Robert Day, stars Peter Sellers, David Lodge, Bernard Cribbins) [4/22]
The Water Babies (1978 USA, dir Lionel Jeffries, stars James Mason, Bernard Cribbins) [4/22]
The Whistler Blower (1987 UK, dir Simon Langton, stars Michael Caine, Nigel Havers) [4/22]
Wild in the Streets (1968 USA, dir Barry Shear, stars Christopher Jones, Hal Holbrook) [4/22]
Wild Man Blues (1997 USA, dir Barbara Kopple, stars Woody Allen, Soon-Yi Previn; also Canada)
Woman Times Seven (1967 USA, dir Vittorio De Sica, stars Shirley MacLaine, Peter Sellers) [4/22]

EXPIRING SOON FROM INSTANT WATCH
Agnes and His Brothers (2004 Germany, dir Oskar Roehler, stars Martin Weiss, Moritz Bliebtreu) [4/21]
Alice (1988 Czech Republic, dir Jan Svankmajer, stars Kristyna Kohoutová) [4/21]
American Zombie (2007 USA, dir Grace Lee, John Solomon) [4/21]
Forgiving Dr. Mengele (2006 USA, dir Bob Hercules, Cheri Pugh) [4/21]
The Goebbels Experiment (2005 USA, dir Lutz Hachmeister, stars Kenneth Branagh) [4/21]
Jacob the Liar (1975 Germany, dir Frank Beyer, stars Vlastimil Brodský) [4/21]
A Jihad for Love (2007 UK, dir Parvez Sharma) [4/21]
La Vie Promise (2002 France, dir Olivier Dahan, stars Isabelle Huppert, Maud Forget) [4/21]
The Libertine (1969 France, dir Pasquale Festa Capanile, stars Catherie Spaak, Jean-Louis Trintignant) [4/21]
Unborn in the USA (2007 USA, dir Stephen Fell and Will Thompson) [4/21]
Matinee (1993 USA, dir Joe Dante, stars John Goodman, Cathy Moriarty) [4/22]
Try to Remember: The Fantasticks (2005 USA, dir Eli Kabillio, stars Glenn Close, F. Murray Abraham, Ricardo Montalban) [4/22]
Rollercoaster (1977 USA, dir James Goldstone, stars Timothy Bottoms, Richard Widmark) [4/22]
Life as a House (2001 USA, dir Irwin Winkler, stars Kevin Kline, Hayden Christiansen) [4/26]
Jack (1996 USA, dir Francis Ford Coppola, stars Robin Williams, Diane Lane) [4/27]
Management (2008 USA, dir Stephen Belber, stars Jennifer Aniston, Steve Zahn, Woody Harrelson) [4/27]
Stranded: I’ve Come from a Plane That Crashed on the Mountains (2007, dir Gonzalo Arijon, stars Jose Pedro Algorta, Roberto Canessa) [4/28]
My Lucky Star (1938 USA, dir Roy Del Ruth, stars Sonja Henie, Roy Del Ruth, Richard Greene) [4/30]
Sink the Bismark (1960 UK, dir Lewis Gilbert, stars Kenneth More, Dana Wynter) [4/30]
Way Down East (1935 USA, dir Henry King, stars Henry Fonda, Rochelle Hudson) [4/30]
Alexandra (2007 Russia, dir Aleksandr Sokurov, stars Galina Vishnevskaya, Vasily Shevtsov) [5/1]
Cobra (1986 USA, dir George P. Cosmatos, stars Sylvester Stallone, Brigitte Nielsen) [5/1]
Coma (1978 USA, dir Michael Crichton, stars Michael Douglas, Geneviève Bujold) [5/1]
The Commish: S 1-2 (1991-1992 USA, creator Stephen j. Cannell, Stephen Kronish, stars Michael Chiklis, Theresa Saldana) [5/1]
The Crime of Padre Amaro (2002 Mexico, dir Carlos Carrera, stars Sancho Gracia, Carlos Carrera) [5/1]
Eddie Izzard: Live from Wembley (2009 UK, stars Eddie Izzard) [5/1]
Grumpier Old Men (1995 USA, dir Howard Deutch, stars Jack Lemmon, Walter Matthau) [5/1]
Itty Bitty Titty Committee (2007 USA, dir Jamie Babbit, stars Melonie Diaz, Nicole Vicius) [5/1]
Look Who’s Talking Too (1990 USA, dir Amy Heckerling, stars Kirstie Alley, John Travolta) [5/1]
The Majestic (2001 USA, dir Frank Darabont, stars Jim Carrey, Martin Landau) [5/1]
My Bloody Valentine (1981 USA, dir George Mihalka, stars Paul Kelman, Lori Hallier, Neil Affleck) [5/1]
Othello (1995 UK, dir Oliver Parker, stars Nathaniel Parker, Kenneth Branagh, Laurence Fishburne) [5/1]
Paycheck (2003 USA, dir John Woo, stars Ben Affleck, Uma Thurman, Aaron Eckhart) [5/1]
The Russia House (1990 USA, dir Fred Schepisi, stars Sean Connery, Michelle Pfeiffer) [5/1]
They Call Me Mr. Tibbs (1970 USA, dir Gordon Douglas, stars Sidney Poitier, Martin Landau) [5/1]
Throw Momma From the Train (1987 USA, dir Danny DeVito, stars Billy Crystal, Danny DeVito) [5/1]
Valley Girl (1983 USA, dir Martha Collidge, stars Nicolas Cage, Deborah Foreman, Martha Coolidge) [5/1]
The Year of Living Dangerously (1983 USA, dir Peter Weir, stars Mel Gibson, Sigourney Weaver) [5/1]

Disclaimers

• Amazon links use my affiliate account, and will kick a small percentage of your purchase back to me. You pay the same price you would anyway.
• Not all new releases are available on Netflix immediately. Some studio films have a 30-day release window before Netflix can rent them, and some smaller releases are not picked up by Netflix immediately. Add them to your “saved” queue if you’re interested; that tells Netflix there is demand for the disc.
• Not all new Blu-ray releases are available on Netflix – Netflix usually buys both DVD and Blu-ray editions of new releases, but if a DVD has already been released, they don’t always get the Blu-ray when it comes out later.
• Instant Watch releases are not always 100% accurate – often the data from the API is not fully accurate until the actual day of release. I always check on release day to make sure things actually do hit Instant Watch, but for things that come out later than Tuesday when I publish this post, I won’t be able to tell.
• Instant Watch expirations are not always 100% accurate – sometimes they don’t expire after all, sometimes things expire with little advance warning. I always check to make sure the data is accurate to the best of my knowledge when I publish the post, but things could still change, especially since I’m giving expiration warnings up to two weeks in advance.
• I rely on Box Office Mojo and InstantWatcher for the majority of the data for these posts, so thank you to them for the work they do.