You know what, I really had a great time watching Andrew Stanton‘s much-maligned John Carter in the theatre. I can plainly see it’s imperfections – and they’re numerous and often critical – but it’s heart is in the right place and, despite it’s problems, it manages to deliver a really fun ride. Take the scissors to about, oh, twenty-minutes of content or so and perform a little bit of creative rearrangement of key scenes and I think this movie would be the bomb. I hate to say it but I’m actually really looking forward to the eventual fan-edits of this bad boy. I have a feeling they’re going to take this really good movie and make it great. The Blu-ray editions of John Carter will be on store shelves on June 5th in 3D and non-3D combo pack variations.

I toyed with the idea of making the headline to this post something like “The Best Movie of All Time FInally on Blu-ray!” but gave up on the sentiment when I came to the harsh realization that most people either haven’t seen or don’t give a rat’s ass about Hayao Miyazaki‘s quiet masterpiece, My Neighbor Totoro. That, or they just outright hate it. But this is, hands down, my all time favourite film. And you haters can just stick it, or, you know, just stop reading now. Because I’m losing my mind over here at the thought of finally getting my hands on a 1080p copy of Totoro! If it looks anywhere near as great as the previous Studio Ghibli Blu-ray discs, it’ll be a revelation. And Lord knows, this film could use a little TLC (I just watched a new-ish 35mm print of it at the Ghibli fest here in Montreal and, well, it wasn’t very pretty…)

There’s so much more out on Blu-ray this week than I was able to screen. If the titles at the top of my list don’t thrill you, scroll down for additional gems like Marky Mark in Contraband, the 5-movie Samurai Assassin set and another awesome Blue Underground release in Killer Nun.

THE INNKEEPERS
(2011, Blu-ray released April 24, 2012 US/May 1, 2012 Can – MSRP $34.98)

THE FILM:

“After over one hundred years of service, The Yankee Pedlar Inn is shutting its doors for good. The last remaining employees – Claire (Sara Paxton) and Luke (Pat Healy)- are determined to uncover proof of what many believe to be one of New England’s most haunted hotels. As the Inn’s final days draw near, odd guests check in as the pair of minimum wage “ghost hunters” begin to experience strange and alarming events that may ultimately cause them to be mere footnotes in the hotel’s long unexplained history.“

SHAME (2011, Blu-ray released April 17, 2012 – MSRP CDN$ 39.99)

THE FILM:

“Brandon (Michael Fassbender) is a 30-something man living comfortably in New York balancing a busy job and active social life. When the wayward Sissy (Carey Mulligan), turns up at his apartment unannounced, Brandon’s carefully managed lifestyle spirals out of control. From award winning director Steve McQueen (Hunger), Shame is a compelling and timely examination of the nature of need, how we live our lives and the experiences that shape us.“