Blu-Tuesday: February 16

Black Sheep returns this week to highlighting the most exciting BD titles to grace store shelves on Tuesday's. This first Tuesday sees the release of a 2010 Oscar nominee for Best Costume Design, the 20th anniversary release of a contemporary classic and the film the Toronto Film Critics Association called the best of 2009.

GOODFELLAS

Director Martin Scorcese has another potential hit on his hands with the upcoming SHUTTER ISLAND coming out this weekend. Twenty years ago, he made what many of his fans would consider to be his last great film, GOODFELLAS. Sure, THE DEPARTED was a strong film but it is no match for this mafia tale. Warner Bros. has packaged this edition in one of their gorgeous BD books but if it were my anniversary, I wouldn't be too happy with the party I was just thrown. There is no question as to whether the film itself, starring Robert De Niro, Ray Liotta and Joe Pesci, stands the test of time but this new BD edition is no different whatsoever, in terms of extras or transfer, than the original BD release from 2007. If you don't own it already, now is clearly the time to change that. If you do, then really the only new thing you're getting is the book.

COCO AVANT CHANEL

Audrey Tautou (AMELIE) embodies the great fashion icon, Coco Chanel, in COCO AVANT CHANEL from French director, Anne Fontaine. If a film about fashion only manages to score one Oscar nomination in the Costume Design category, then I guess it succeeded where it was supposed to. And while it may not have seen any other love from the Academy, it certainly found a great deal of admiration from North American audiences. While it wasn't exactly my cup of tea, fashion admirers will find a lot to feast their eyes on.

HUNGER

I'll make this quick because I've just realized that this amazing film is finally available to own on BD and I don't own it yet! I must get to the stores before they close so I'll just say that this Criterion collection of Steve McQueen's debut feature, HUNGER, promises to honour the film the way it most certainly deserves. This is not an easy film to watch but with Michael Fassbender leading the way through this account of I.R.A. leader, Bobby Sands's infamous hunger strike, it is a film that will find your stomach turned and yet somehow hungry for more.

ALSO AVAILABLE:

LAW ABIDING CITIZEN (2009)
(Starring Gerard Butler and Jamie Foxx)

BLACK DYNAMITE (2009)
(Modern cult favorite)

REVANCHE (2008)
(Criterion collection of Gotz Spielman film)

LOLA MONTES (1955)
(Criterion collection of Max Ophuls film)

DIRTY HARRY COLLECTION (1971-1988)
(Includes: DIRTY HARRY, MAGNUM FORCE, THE ENFORCER, SUDDEN IMPACT and THE DEAD POOL)