This week on the Shelf, an Academy Award nominee dreams of the sci-fi movie that never was, a giveaway with Sinister intentions, and HBO’s version of black tar heroin.
A favorite to win the Academy Award for Best Picture, Ben Affleck’s Argo hits Blu-ray today. The true story of a CIA exfiltration specialist rescuing a group of American diplomats during the Iran hostage crisis using a fake sci-fi movie for cover was declassified under the Clinton administration. In 2007, almost a decade after the operation was fully divulged, Wired‘s Joshua Bearman wrote an article detailing the entire affair that would be adapted by Affleck into Argo. The movie is hyper-detailed and appropriately static yet visually rich. The character work done by this fabulous ensemble cast and the quiet, resolute performance from Affleck are icing on this detail-filled cake.
While I may have gone into a 30 minute depression when I realized this wasn’t going to be an X-Men prequel featuring my favorite geneticist, Sinister is the kind of character-driven horror film that is redefining the scare flicks getting made today. Ethan Hawke plays a writer who stumbles upon the home movies left behind by his new home’s previous tenants. Unfortunately for him and his family, they may be the doorway to a pagan god’s personal dimension. We talked to Hawke about his work in Sinister and you can take home one of five copies of Sinister on Blu-ray in our giveaway. Simply enter your email on our contest page and if you’d like extra entries, visit our Facebook, Twitter and Google+ pages. You only have until midnight on February 28th, 2013 to enter.
For those Game of Thrones fans that have the patience to wait for the Blu-ray release of each season, your time has come. Now, you, too can know the joys of finding out just where Daenerys Targaryens’ goddamn dragons are. You’ll get that reference soon enough, as well as want to quote the brilliance that is Peter Dinklage’s delivery of many an epic line. We have until the end of March for you to catch up to us, my friends.
I think I may have abused every Top Gun pun I could think of in our previous contest post. But you still have two days to enter to win a copy of Top Gun 3D on Blu-ray. The film is a must have for 3D TV owners, as the dog fights look absolutely spectacular in their post-converted third-dimension glory. As do the volleyball matches, actually.
Also Out This Week:
Sushi Girl – It’s going to be strange to be at a con without a Sushi Girl panel this year. The little indie-movie that could is finally coming out on Blu-ray today, featuring Luke Skywalker himself, Mark Hamill. During an evening meant to celebrate the return of one of their own from prison, a group of thieves begin turning on each other in a bid to reap the rewards of their past misdeeds.
Battlestar Galactica: Blood & Chrome – If you’re a Battlestar Galactica completionist and have to have this prequel film for your shelf, by all means, pick it up. But if you just want to watch it, Machinima Prime already has it up and free; Stream it on the YouTube app on your PS3, X-Box or however you prefer to stream video. Find out more about Blood and Chrome in our interview with producer David Eick.
Monsters Inc. 3D – Before we all go off to Monsters University this summer, refresh yourself on why we love Sully and Mike with their original adventures with Boo in 3D.
Prison – The ghost of an executed prisoner returns to terrorize a prison and the guard who didn’t disclose that he knew of the prisoner’s innocence in Renny Harlin’s first American picture. The film features Viggo Mortensen in an early role in his career.
The Nest – A small town is forced to contend with mutating cockroaches after an experiment goes bad. What’s worse is that these roaches have a taste for blood. The movie is as cheesy as it is gross, and for that, we love it.
How do you win the giveaway?