Australian Blu-ray Importing: August 2012 Buying Guide

Since last time we looked at the 'Guide to Buying Blu-rays from Overseas' last month, the Australian dollar has continued to dance around parity with the US dollar.

Additionally, the ever softening European market has also ensured it remains very strong against the pound, although optimism surrounding the London Olympic Games may bolster it a little. With studios starting to open their catalogues to much anticipated titles, coupled with deep discounting in overseas markets, it's still never been better to import Blu-ray releases.

Let's jump into the latest instalment of the series, covering some of the later titles released overseas, but safe for Australian region coding.

Pulp Fiction

2

Studio: LionsGate Films

Country of Origin: United Kingdom

Purchase: Amazon.co.uk

Region: B

I've always felt that despite being arguably his best work, Quentin Tarantino's follow up to Reservoir Dog is slightly overrated. That's not to say it's bad by any stretch, but new audiences may be slightly deflated after hearing years of fawning over this solid, albeit wholly un-amazing motion picture.

This new UK release, in contrast to the currently available Australian release, features a newly struck, director approved 1080p transfer (which looks quite spectacular), along with a smorgasbord of extras; some old, some new and headlined by a 43 minute roundtable of critics, featuring one who shares a similar opinion to mine.

I can't imagine a better edition coming out in the future, so fans will undoubtedly want to jump in!

Memento

Studio: Twentieth Century Fox/Pathe

Country of Origin: United Kingdom

Purchase: Amazon.co.uk

Region: B

Batman fans have lead the pack in the resurgence of interest in Director Christopher Nolan's back catalogue of titles, but some might have missed his Hollywood debut feature Memento. Well it'd be to their detriment, now that it's available in a great special edition release. Memento is a slick and thought provoking thriller played in reverse, which will have viewers on edge until the very last frame.

Fox/Pathe has struck a solid 1080p transfer which brims with impressive fine detail. Further, this edition of the film also bests the region coded U.S. counterpart Blu-ray, featuring more additional features, including "The Beginning of the End" feature, which plays the entire film in chronological order (albeit in standard definition only).

Cellular

Studio: Warner Brothers Home Entertainment

Country of Origin: United States

Purchase: Amazon.com

Region: A, B, C

Mobile phone technology may have leap-frogged the film by some eight years, but the central premise of the film; a kidnapped mother relying on a dodgy mobile phone call to a complete stranger, is just as compelling as it was on release.

Leading man Chris Evans may have gone from strength to strength with high profile roles in Captain America, which was reprised in this summer's The Avengers, but this remains an early look at his career potential.

Warner have retained all the extra features from the previous DVD release and in a surprising, but welcome move, have updated the deleted scenes and trailer to 1080p.

Zoolander

2

Studio: Paramount Home Entertainment

Country of Origin: United Kingdom

Purchase: Amazon.co.uk

Region: A, B, C

Zoolander was always going to make or break Ben Stiller's career, and I'm happy to report that it's just as hilarious as it was a decade ago.

Stiller plays the fashion model Derek Zoolander, who is fast falling out of favor to the new kid on the block, Hansel (Owen Wilson). Sensing his new found availability, fashion designer Mugatu (Will Ferrell) recruits him to unknowingly assassinate the Prime Minister of Malaysia, as recompense for raising the quality of living in his country, in turn threatening the high profit viability of the entire fashion industry.

Zoolander unfortunately comes devoid of any and all bonus features, including the featurettes, deleted scenes and commentary that featured on the 2002 DVD. Bad Paramount! Still, the film is special, and at a low price it's not a bad buy.