JBO: Joystiq Box Office, September 28 - October 2
by Kevin Kelly 
{ Oct 2nd 2009 at 9:40PM } 
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.
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.
Xbox Live Video Marketplace (Xbox 360)
The House of the Devil (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)
The Big LebowskiThis 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.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
WiredKnight: Keeper of Threads @ Oct 2nd 2009 9:46PM
Labyrinth used to be soooo scary when I was a kid. I was never able to watch the whole thing until a few years ago...
Fullmetal Salchemist @ Oct 2nd 2009 9:54PM
What's really scary is how apparently obsessed Jim Henson was with David Bowie's prominent bulge.
ProgHead @ Oct 2nd 2009 10:55PM
Recently the last movie I saw was Heat (for the first time) I had heard about the movie some years ago, but never bothered to check it out, and I went to film school. You know how it is in europe, people inf film schools and the students within are more pseudo-intellectual about the choice of movies we tend to see, but I was blown away by the movie. Funny thing and gaming related, is that I've been playing recently GTA4 and I played that bank heist mission, and in the next day I saw Heat, which has a bank heist part, and I could really see the similarities visually and conceptually for both scenes. Awesome Rockstar.
On another note, The Labyrinth was and still is a favorite of mine, since I was like 8 years old. The movie is just full of magic, and nowadays, nostalgia. Last time I saw, I felt like a kid again, and then in the end of the movie, in the last scene at Jeniffer Connoly's room, you just feel like your inocence was taken, and that you simply cant go back to being a kid, and imagining all those amazing characters in the movie, were actually real.
Oh well... dunno If I explained myself well.
Mazrael @ Oct 3rd 2009 2:04PM
David Bowie + Bulge + HD = reacurring nightmares...
THE HEAVY @ Oct 2nd 2009 9:47PM
Heavy like big things. Big Lebowski has a good title. I shall watch this film for first time with Sasha.
Bubbameister33 @ Oct 2nd 2009 10:11PM
Good choice.
Alton Brown [ XBL: LordToastington, Soon-To-Be-PSN: OrIsItAltonBrown] @ Oct 2nd 2009 9:50PM
I have a serious question. Is Eraserhead available from Nexflix on XBL?
Alton Brown [ XBL: LordToastington, Soon-To-Be-PSN: OrIsItAltonBrown] @ Oct 2nd 2009 9:54PM
To clarify, I don't have Netflix, but a friend of mine is planning a cult horror movie marathon and wants to know.
waynski1457 @ Oct 2nd 2009 10:09PM
Yes it is.
Alton Brown [ XBL: LordToastington, Soon-To-Be-PSN: OrIsItAltonBrown] @ Oct 2nd 2009 10:15PM
Eraserhead Baby thanks you.
http://blogs.houstonpress.com/hairballs/eraserhead6.jpg
Markez @ Oct 3rd 2009 1:33AM
Watched that a few months ago. It was um, pretty... eh, remarkable? Some rather deep symbology in that flick. I have Inland Empire in my instant queue as well but have yet to watch it.
Autobot @ Oct 2nd 2009 9:54PM
UNRELATED QUESTION:
People are bitching about the Blu-ray format with games on PS3. Then I thought "The PS3 has a DVD drive, so why don't they make games in DVD format? Wtf?"
Can someone answer my question?
Alton Brown [ XBL: LordToastington, Soon-To-Be-PSN: OrIsItAltonBrown] @ Oct 2nd 2009 9:56PM
I imagine to support their own format, as well as the much larger amount of data storage Blu-Ray is capable of.
Tom Kalinske, CEO. @ Oct 2nd 2009 9:58PM
Well, seeing as how the game cases all say 'Blu-Ray' on them..and it's a Sony console...and there are obvious storage and durability advantages for Blu-Ray's...
Autobot @ Oct 2nd 2009 9:59PM
I meant Multi Platform games.
and not many games used all 50GB.
Alton Brown [ XBL: LordToastington, Soon-To-Be-PSN: OrIsItAltonBrown] @ Oct 2nd 2009 10:00PM
Using two formats is silly, that's why.
WiredKnight: Keeper of Threads @ Oct 2nd 2009 10:01PM
You don't have to use all 50 gb to need a blu-ray disc, just have to use more than 9.
Tom Kalinske, CEO. @ Oct 2nd 2009 10:02PM
I would imagine Sony mandates Blu-Ray be used. Plus, if Sony is pressing the games, they're definitely going to make them Blu-Ray discs.
deathxrebirth (PSN: deathxrebirth) @ Oct 2nd 2009 11:34PM
Who are these said people, and why are they bitching?
Tom Kalinske, CEO. @ Oct 2nd 2009 11:47PM
Read: Xbox Fanboy's
yolarrydabomb @ Oct 3rd 2009 1:01AM
becasue sony going to bundle 5 games into a Blue-Ray disc so you dont have to get off your lazy ass change disc's
xbox is using dvd format.
why not the LS2LS7? @ Oct 3rd 2009 3:54AM
Because to get useful data rates on DVD you have to spin them very quickly. That makes DVD drives very loud. You can easily notice this on the 360. Either Sony didn't want to spin discs that fast because of noise or because they wanted to cheap out on the drive, but the PS3 doesn't spin DVD discs quickly enough to get the transfer rates needed for HD gaming (it tops out at 4X because that's as fast as the PS2 spun DVD discs).
Blu-ray has a transfer rate of 36mbit/sec at 1X (PS3 is 2X, for 72mbit/sec), while a DVD is only about 10.56mbit/sec at 1X.
The fact that up until a year ago, Sony pressed the vast majority (over 80%, IIRC) of all Blu-rays made probably had something to do with it too.
bongoes the Black Lantern @ Oct 2nd 2009 10:04PM
TOY STORY 1 AND 2 3D DOUBLE FEATURE BABY!!!
Jocaju @ Oct 2nd 2009 10:09PM
$15 HD or $10 SD to rent House of the devil?
That's a bit high for a rent.
Miku @ Oct 2nd 2009 10:17PM
That's what I was thinking. Is that a typo or are they actually trying to charge you $15.00 to rent an HD movie?
Tez @ Oct 2nd 2009 10:36PM
Makes the PSN video store seem almost rational.
Kevin Kelly @ Oct 3rd 2009 10:33AM
Well, it's a first-run movie. Xbox has been doing this quite a bit. The film just screened at a film festival, and hasn't been released on home video yet. You're seeing a movie that hasn't been released in theaters yet at home. It comes to theaters on October 30th, so you're paying to see it weeks early.
Bubbameister33 @ Oct 2nd 2009 10:18PM
Brick was a really good movie.
David @ Oct 3rd 2009 9:29AM
Brick? Are you talking about the one with Joseph Gordon-Levitt?
If so, I agree, that was a pretty good movie.
Fallout 3's Nerd Rage perk ftw!
MystileArmor @ Oct 2nd 2009 11:03PM
For those who might not know: Till October 21st, they have the season premiere of Dexter season 4 on Netflix.
Just figured I'd share it with my fellow Joystiqers.
Xav de Matos @ Oct 2nd 2009 11:42PM
http://twitpic.com/4o4t5
Autobot @ Oct 3rd 2009 8:12AM
Hahaha
JP @ Oct 2nd 2009 11:46PM
I loved "The Dark Crystal". It's one of those movies I distinctly remember from my childhood. Excellent movie. (There's talk of a sequel brewing...)
Markez @ Oct 3rd 2009 1:35AM
Watched Manda Bala on instant. Decent documentary about Brazil. Not great, but better than average.
Levi (God Hand Defense Force) @ Oct 3rd 2009 2:19AM
Brother's Bloom is finally out? I've been wanting to see that.
I watched "Colossus: The Forbin Project" tonight. I love Sci-Fi movies from the 70's, and this was a good one. Handing over the controls of your country's nuclear weapons to a computer system is never a good idea.
sjenky @ Oct 3rd 2009 4:25AM
I saw Martyrs last week.. good lord.. that movie messed me up, I just stared at the ceiling for an hour when it was over. When I came to, I watched the trailer for Precious, which got me so upset that I just started crying in the supermarket.
Any movies (or games) that can get me emotionally distressed this weekend? :-D
GRT @ Oct 3rd 2009 11:46AM
Dark Crystal and Labyrinth Blu-ray were both $20 on my local Best Buy yesterday. Dunno if sale prices are chain-wide or not.