SF & Genre-related DVD Releases for September 2, 2008

The biggest news for SF fans will be the Blu-ray release of Michael Bay’s “Transformers,” starring Shia LaBeouf. The shape-shifting bots are brought to life in real clarity as never seen in HD that can’t even be experienced on the big screen in neighborhood theaters. The film was a blockbuster summer 2007 hit directed by Bay and executive produced by Steven Spielberg and followed LaBeouf as the teenager who ends up buying his first car that turns out to be one of the Transformers. He soon finds himself in the middle of an age-old battle between the good Autobots and bad ones called Decepticons.

Purchase “Transformers” on Blue-ray.

One of last season’s surprise television hits was the geek-oriented sitcom “The Big Bang Theory.” Now the complete first season becomes available on DVD this Tuesday. The show follows the daily lives of a group of highly intelligent geeks who love any and everything sci-fi and sci-tech. The show is smart, witty and full of great SF one-liner references at just the right times. The show has captured an audience beyond the expected geek crowd and has become a favorite with all audiences. the shows three main stars of this ensemble cast include Johnny Galecki, Jim Parsons and beautiful across the hall neighbor, Kaley Cuoco. All 17 episodes of the first season are available on this three-disc set that includes some behind the scenes stuff and cast interviews.

Purchase “The Big Bang Theory — The Complete First Season on DVD.
Purchase “The Big Bang Theory — The Complete First Season on Blu-ray.

“Ghost Whisperer: The Third Season” starring the beautiful Jennifer Love Hewitt as someone who talks with the dead hoping to ease their transition to the other side as they work with her to complete the unfinished business that is keeping them tied to Earth.

Purchase “Ghost Whisperer: The Third Season” on DVD.

“Supernatural: The Complete Third Season” — continues the story of two brothers, payed by Jared Padelecki and Jensen Ackles, as they resume their battle against ghosts, demons and other creatures from the great beyond.

Purchase “Supernatural: The Complete Third Season” on DVD.

Purchase “Supernatural: The Complete Third Season” on Blu-ray.

A real children’s favorite for over four decades the Charles M. Schultz classic “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” returns in a new DVD edition of the perennial Halloween special. This Remastered Collectors Edition includes a featurette tracing the long history of this classic animated icon.

Purchase “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” on DVD.

Finally, not SF (although the Zen-like nature of the series feels like it sometime) but a real favorite of our Slice of SciFi fans is the release of “Life: Season One,” the story of a detective wrongly accused of murder and sent to prison. After 12 years behind bars new evidence proves his innocence and he is released with a big fat check in the multi-millions given him from the courts. Super rich and back on the force, he secretly begins tracking down clues that will lead him to those really responsible for the murder he was charged with, and it looks like fellow cops, who are now in powerful positions in the city government and police force, were behind it all. Extras include commentary and deleted scenes. “Life,” is truly one of the best from last season and it begins season two this September.

Purchase “Life: Season One” on DVD