[Editor’s Note: After the recent passing of Eli Wallach, I was surprised to learn that Bits contributor Joe Marchese was an acquaintance of the actor, having worked with him on the stage.

Joe wanted to write a personal remembrance of Wallach for The Bits and we’re very happy to share that with all of you here now.]

[Read on here…]

Okay… we’ve got a few pretty cool things to report today that should kick off July in high style!

First, here at the site today we have a couple of new columns. Todd Doogan has posted his weekly Doogan’s Queue column running down this week’s latest Blu-ray and DVD releases. Our very own Dr. Adam Jahnke has also delivered his weekly Burnt Offerings: MOD DVD column, detailing the latest hand-crafted deep catalog titles from Warner Archive and the Sony Pictures Choice Collection.

Speaking of Jahnke, he’s also turned in a review of Warner’s new 300: Rise of an Empire Blu-ray. Sounds as though the film is exactly what you’d expect. The review is a good read, so do give it a look. [Read on here…]

Well, that’s one more birthday week down. How many more do I have, you think? 5, 12, 40? Kind of a suck-ass question really, so never mind. Don’t send your predictions. Because this is a big travel holiday here in the states, it’s pretty dead in terms of disc media. Pretty much nothing really coming out of note. But if you dig through mucus, you might find some pearls. Here are some bright and shinys for you to entertain yourselves with. [Read on here…]

Things have been quiet on the MOD front these last couple of weeks, so this week’s Burnt Offerings is taking a look at this week’s new releases as well as the titles that came back into print last week from Warner Archive. As ever, these stylish and clickable banners will whisk you away to the shopping portal of your choice where your buying power helps fuel our work here at The Bits. Our appreciation runs deep. [Read on here...]

All right, some quick news updates today...

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has set the CG-animated film Appleseed Alpha for Blu-ray, DVD and digital release on 7/22. The discs includes audio commentary with the filmmakers and an 11-part “making of” documentary.

PBS Distribution is releasing the British sitcom Vicious, starring Sir Ian McKellen and Derek Jacobi, on DVD on 7/8. [Read on here…]

Our very own Dr. Adam Jahnke has weighed today on a topic near and dear to many of you. His latest installment of An Honor to Be Nominated in Jahnke’s Electric Theatre looks back at this little 1977 space fantasy adventure that some of you might have heard of. I’ll let him tell you about it.

Also today, Tim reviews another great Blu-ray release from Shout! and Scream Factory, circa 1983... Sleepaway Camp! Enjoy.

Before we get to the announcement news today, just a quick heads-up: Paramount’s 4-disc Star Trek: The Compendium Blu-ray set, which includes the 2-disc Star Trek (2009) SE and also the new 2-disc Star Trek Into Darkness SE (featuring the IMAX version of the film) is now available for pre-order on Amazon for just $31.99. Click on the link or on the cover artwork below to get your orders in. Street date is 9/9 and rebate details are still TBA. [Read on here...]

(If it can be difficult to remember who won the Academy Award for Best Picture, it’s downright mindbending trying to remember everything else it was up against. In An Honor To Be Nominated, I’ll be taking a look back at some of the movies the Oscar didn’t go to and trying to determine if they were robbed, if the Academy got it right, or if they should ever have been nominated in the first place.) [Read on here...]

We’ve got two more Blu-ray reviews for you to enjoy today, starting with Joe Marchese’s look at Cohen Media Group’s The Vivien Leigh Anniversary Collection, which includes Dark Journey, Fire Over England, Sidewalks of London, and Storm in a Tea Cup. Tim Salmons also checks in with his thoughts on B3MP’s recent Blu-ray release of George Pal and Arnold Leibovit’s 1987 stop-motion gem The Puppetoon Movie. Enjoy! [Read on here…]

We’ve got some good stuff here at The Bits for you today from our staffers...

Tim Salmons has checked in with reviews of a pair of Wes Anderson films on Blu-ray, including Criterion’s upgrade of The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou and Fox’s brand new The Grand Hotel Budapest. They’re two of my favorites and come highly recommended by both myself and Tim, so do check them out. [Read on here…]

Maaaaaan… it’s getting hot out there this final week of June. Maybe Global Warming isn’t some sort of scam. Or maybe it is. I have no idea. I’ll leave it for your truthers and “we actually landed on the moon” debaters to figure that one out.

As for me, it’s my birthday week – so I’m all about me this week and weekend. And then it’s BBQ and beer and more BBQ and even more beer next week during American Fourth of July. It’s gonna be a good next two weeks. For me at least. For you: this week’s disc releases are only “okay” but there’s some good stuff in here. Let’s start with the big title... [Read on here…]