Another week with not a lot of theatrical releases hitting disc (last week was devoid of anything but the fantastic final season of LOST). The end of Summer brings us a classic from the back catalogue and some very good TV releases (lots of TV in the coming weeks).

The Evil Dead
Sam Raimi’s horror classic arrives on blu-ray in a spiffy new edition with some all new features – that’s right, you’re going to have to buy this one again! (I’m on version 3 or 4) This disc has the film in its original 4×3 aspect ratio as well as a widescreen 1.78 version for those who prefer to fill their TV screen. I’m eager to revisit this one and am glad to finally have the complete trilogy on blu-ray!

Sons of Anarchy: Season 2
The gritty feel of The Shield crossed with The Sopranos is probably the best way to describe this show. The Sons are a motorcycle club (gang) who rule the small town of Charming and live by their own set of rules, but the law is right on their heels. I ripped through all 13 episodes of the first season in 1 day and can’t wait to see what Season 2 will bring. The acting is top notch and the storylines are tense and engaging. If you like good drama, you’ve got to check this show out. That’s not all this week, Click here

From the director of “Shaun of the Dead” and “Hot Fuzz” comes Crandall & Mercy’s favorite flick of 2010 so far, “Scott Pilgrim vs. The World.” Anybody who doesn’t immediately go and see this movie deserves to have the highlights punched out of their hair!

The most epic Armchair Directors movie review to date! It’s the review within a review (within a review?) From the director of “The Dark Knight,” Christopher Nolan’s “Inception” causes the pretentious duo a serious reality check. (And for those of you who asked, this also brings the return of the ‘normal’ review format – douche be gone!)
Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Ellen Page, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Cillian Murphy, Tom Hardy, Marion Cotillard, Ken Watanabe, Tom Berenger, Dileep Rao & Michael Caine, featuring music by Hans Zimmer.

What did you think of Nolan’s INCEPTION? Hit the comments. .

All too often moviegoer’s will dismiss a movie simply because it’s a documentary. There are those who seek these films out but sometimes a great movie may sneak by unnoticed. I thought I’d put together a quick TOP 12 of my favourite documentaries from the last ten years. 12 Great Docs that you should see

The Spierig Brothers shit the bed with their latest vampire thriller. Not very classy.

Wow – you know people are on vacation when even the studios aren’t releasing much during the tail end of summer. This week brings us one of the least interesting blu-ray schedule in a long time – with one very notable exception.

Dexter: Season 4
One of the best shows on TV that keeps getting better. The addition of John Lithgow was a stroke of pure genius. The writing is sharp as ever, the performances captivating and they find new and exciting ways to ratchet up the tension. The show looks great in HD and as any Dexter fan can tell you, the jaw dropping finale has set up another rollercoaster season that will get underway in September, so catch up now!

The Last Song
Miley Cyrus + Nicholas Sparks = predictable, harmless tearjerker. Or so I’m assuming, never saw it.

Since this week’s crop of blu-ray releases is so lackluster I wanted to shine a light on two great TV shows making their way to standard DVD only (FOR SHAME!).

Friday Night Lights: Season 4
If you aren’t watching Friday Night Lights yet, you really are missing out on something special. What may have seemed like a cheap “TV show based on Movie” premise has turned into a very rich drama with one of the most natural TV couple’s of all time. The relationship between Coach Eric Taylor and his wife Tami is lightning in a bottle – the perfect marriage of material and actor (finally Emmy took notice!!!!). With one final season yet to air, now is the perfect time to start with season 1 on disc – and for those of us already in the know, revisiting the fantastic fourth season will be a great primer.

Cougar Town: Season 1
Don’t let the horrible title fool you – this was one of the best comedies of last fall. Scrubs’ Bill Lawrence co-created another show that is wackily offbeat and uproariously funny. They realized 3 episodes in that Courtney Cox as a woman on the prowl was the wrong approach and focusing more on the ensemble, the show really came into it’s own. It’s very silly, yet like Scrubs, has some touching moments along the way. It also has a very high rewatch factor, with new jokes to discover each time. Highly recommended.

-You can follow Matthew Crandall on Twitter or find him rooting for the East Dillon Lions on Friday nights.

Behold, the unveiling of www.armchairdirectors.com!
With your own website comes great responsibility and the opportunity for fame and fortune. Unfortunately, it seems success (what little they have had) has gone to the heads of Crandall & Mercy, who now insist on being referred to as “M-Cran” & “Michael Mercy the Third,” the most pretentious, douchey snobs to ever review films.

“It’s snobbering time!”

The pretentious “Douchey Duo” return as they review the newest forgettable rom-com, “The Bounty Hunter,” starring that dude from P.S. I Love You and Rachel Green. Directed by the auteur who brought us the Oscar worthy Ever After, Fools Rush In and Hitch. Is it worth your time? It depends if you enjoy mediocre movies or not. Got an opinion on the flick? Hit the comments!

The first of the original shorts from Armchair Directors.
Michael Mercy’s THE REF! (a 7 part series.)

A highly unlikely soccer referee.

The world’s most collaborative soccer referee.

The Ref tries to get to the bottom of sports-related aggression.

Be sure to check out parts 4, 5, 6 & 7!

Cast:
The Ref: Ray E.J. Porrill
The Jamaican: Cole Taylor
The Serb: Rob Oakman
Writer/Director/Editor/Camera: Michael Mercy
Production Assistants: Aleriel Lear, Ashley Nunn

What did you think of THE REF? Let us know!