JBO: Joystiq Box Office, September 28 - October 2
We can't be gaming all the time, despite our best efforts, and from time to time we'll actually take advantage of the movie-playing abilities on our gaming systems. JBO features our top picks for XBL, PSN, Netflix's Watch Instantly and Blu-ray each week.
Recommendation of the Week:
Jim Henson Double Feature: Labyrinth and The Dark Crystal
(PlayStation 3 - Blu-ray disc, $27.95 MSRP per movie, cheaper at most retailers)
Both of these classic Jim Henson movies have been released on DVD before, but this is their first time to Blu-ray, and the first time they've looked so good. Whether it's a magical world full of Skeksis, Gelflings and ultra-powerful crystals, or a magical world full of David Bowie, Bogs of Eternal Stenches and Jennifer Connelly (hubba hubba), the imagination that Jim Henson put into his movies was amazing, especially in a day and age before CGI. One interesting note is that when the Jim Henson Company sold the Muppets to Disney, they retained the rights to Labyrinth and The Dark Crystal, amongst other properties. They've been working on another Dark Crystal film, and I sure hope it comes to theaters one day.
As usual, we'll see you at the popcorn st -- well, actually, we won't see you at all. But you catch our drift. Plus, be sure to tell us what you'll be watching, or what you've seen recently that bowled you over.
Xbox Live Video Marketplace (Xbox 360)
(1200
($15) HD, 800
($10) SD to rent)
Remember all of those classic horror films from the late 70s and early 80s? Movies like Poltergeist, The Amityville Horror, and The Entity? The House of the Devil is a new movie that celebrates those older films, while making you feel like it's a release from 1983 that you just happened to miss at the theater. It nails the era, has occult hauntings and a creepy house, and it'll scare your pants off. This movie screened at Fantastic Fest last week, and the crowds screamed in the appropriate spots. If you're looking for some early October terror, this is for you.
Netflix Watch Instantly (Mac/PC or Xbox Live, subscription required: starts at $8.99 per month)
This Sunday you have a mission. Slip into a t-shirt, shorts and flip flops. Top if off with a robe and head to your local supermarket. Stock up on vodka, Kahlua and half & half, and be sure to pay by check. Head home and mix yourself a batch of White Russians, or if you're not old enough to drink yet, just grab a glass of milk. Sit back, and hit play. If you haven't yet been introduced to the joys of the Coen Bros. movie The Big Lebowski, your time has finally come. Or if you've already seen it, it's a return to cinematic nirvana. There's probably no better way to spend a lazy Sunday afternoon, so mark it eight, Dude, and enjoy.
PlayStation Store (PlayStation 3 or PSP)
The Brothers Bloom
($2.99 HD, $1.99 SD to rent)
Director Rian Johnson's first film Brick premiered at Sundance in 2005, and it's a brilliant film noir set in the present day in a high school. Joseph Gordon Levitt plays the role of the detective it in, and he uncovers an insidious world of high school thuggery. The Brothers Bloom is his second film, and it's all about con men (and women) and the games they play. It feels a bit Wes Anderson-y, but that's not a bad thing, and Japanese actress Rinko steals the scene as a mute con girl.
Blu-ray Disc (PlayStation 3)
Gremlins
($29.99 MSRP, lower at many retailers)
Just in time for the month of horror, Gremlins finally arrives on Blu-ray. I'm not sure if that's a blessing or a curse, because the theme song has been in my head ever since I watched this again recently. There are two commentary tracks, one with the director Joe Dante and the producer and special effects designer, and the other is with Dante and the actors, Phoebe Cates, Zach Galligan, Howie Mandel and Dick Miller. This is almost worth the price alone for the sentimental value. Although it'll make you wonder what the heck Phoebe Cates has been up to lately.
