I SELL THE DEAD: (2008) "It seems like most horror films these days either go with hyperactive “scares” or banal boredom in the name of “subtlety” ala Paranormal Activity. I Sell the Dead reminds us that a middle ground exists. It’s a genre flick that doesn’t assault the senses with rapid cuts and visual gimmicks but also still finds the time to give us excitement and intrigue. The DVD provides mediocre visuals, good audio and a nice collection of supplements. Horror fans should give this one a look." Starring Dominic Monaghan, Ron Perlman. MPI Home Video, $19.98, 3/30/2010.

BITCH SLAP - UNRATED: (2009) "While Quentin Tarantino and a few others create effective 70s throwback flicks, the folks behind Bitch Slap can’t pull off their not-so-lofty goals. Despite lots of action and many sexy women, the movie turns into a surprisingly dull affair; it throws a great deal of tawdry material at us but none of it actually entertains. The DVD provides very good picture, erratic but usually positive audio, and some interesting supplements. If you want to see a exciting, sexy action flick, look elsewhere, for Slap isn’t a winning entry." Starring Julia Voth, Erin Cummings. Fox, $22.98, 3/2/2010.

GALAXY QUEST [BLU-RAY]: (1999) "If you never grabbed the Deluxe Edition DVD, the Blu-ray is the way to go. It’s not a tremendous quality increase over the Deluxe Edition DVD, but it offers improvements in visuals and audio as well as one good new supplement. If you did buy the DE, though, I find it harder to advocate a purchase of the Blu-ray; it’s nice but it’s not a consistent step up from the DVD." Starring Tim Allen, Sigourney Weaver. DreamWorks, $29.98, 11/17/2009.

THE TWILIGHT SAGA - NEW MOON - SPECIAL EDITION: (2009) "I liked Twilight and figured New Moon would continue the story in a positive way. Unfortunately, it seems too long and too slow, as it never becomes engaging or dramatic. The DVD provides decent to good picture and audio along with a few tasty supplements. Nothing I say here will keep Twihards from their date with Bella, Edward and Jacob, but I think the film disappoints after the relative pleasures of the first flick." Starring Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson. Summit Entertainment, $32.99, 3/20/2010.

THE NEGOTIATOR [BLU-RAY]: (1998) "Despite a clever concept and an excellent cast, The Negotiator never becomes anything memorable. It comes across as a rote cop thriller without enough inventiveness to make it zing. The Blu-ray provides decent but unspectacular picture and audio along with a few decent extras. You might give the movie a look if it turns up while you channel-surf, but I don’t think it’s worth more investment than that." Starring Samuel L. Jackson, Kevin Spacey. Warner, $28.98, 11/10/2009.

ARMORED [BLU-RAY]: (2009) "Although I didn’t expect Armored to reinvent any action wheels, I hoped it’d be a lively caper flick. Unfortunately, it lacks creativity and seems too “by the numbers” to become anything exciting and memorable. The Blu-ray boasts excellent visuals as well as good audio and some generally forgettable supplements. I can’t say that I dislike Armored, but I can’t find much positive to say about it." Starring Matt Dillon, Jean Reno. Sony, $38.96, 3/16/2010.

THE BLIND SIDE [BLU-RAY]: (2009) "Why did The Blind Side earn about $250 million at the box office and snare Sandra Bullock an Oscar? I don’t know. While the movie provides enjoyable “feel good” entertainment, little about it stands out from its genre crowd, so I can’t figure out why it struck it so big. The Blu-ray provides very good picture but comes with average audio and supplements. This is an acceptable release for an entertaining but unmemorable flick." Starring Sandra Bullock, Quinton Aaron. Warner, $35.98, 3/23/2010.

Colin Jacobson (Publisher and Senior Reviewer): colinjacobson@dvdmg.com

David Williams (Webmaster and Reviewer): dwilliams@dvdmg.com