DVD/BD Release List – 11/09/10

By Noel Murray | November 9, 2010 | 1:00pm

Aux Features DVD

Another huge week of DVD and Blu-ray releases is upon us, as retailers stock the shelves in advance of the gift-giving season. The biggest release today is undoubtedly Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World, the critically divisive adaptation of the beloved graphic novel series. Even if you think you’d be inclined to hate it, it’s worth giving Scott Pilgrim a look; the characters are frequently annoying and the story makes very little sense, but it’s one of the most visually imaginative movies of the year. And if you already like Scott Pilgrim, you may want to put aside some extra cash and pick up the first series of Sherlock, the delightfully entertaining Sherlock Holmes revamp that’s populated by equally quirky characters and almost as much stylistic daring. (Granted, the two projects aren’t very similar beyond those points, if only because the characters in Sherlock are smart and useful; still, the sensibility’s not far off.)

Beyond those two, it’s a big week for box sets, from the massive collection of films by director Elia Kazan (packaged with a Martin Scorsese documentary about same) to the latest batch of Mystery Science Theater 3000 DVDs (all with a Monster or Devil theme). You could also buy the complete run of Scooby Doo, Where Are You?, which comes packaged in a van, or the first season of the excellent TNT drama Men Of A Certain Age, which doesn’t. Or the complete run of the acclaimed PBS docu-series Circus. Or the documentary I Knew It Was You, about the too-short career of actor John Cazale. But since we’re on the subject of critically divisive films with a lot of visual flair, we’d be remiss if we didn’t mention Lars von Trier’s staggering horror film Antichrist, which comes out from Criterion today. It’s goofy and disturbing in equal measure, and likely to gain in esteem as the years go by and the initial shock and confusion caused by the film wears off. Let’s start the healing process now.