Blockbuster movies are online weeks before their DVD/Blu-ray release as Fox extends its Digital HD program to Australia.For several years the movie houses have been promising to reduce the so-called "piracy window" between when a movie appears in the cinemas and when it is available to buy. This wait is seen by some people as a key factor behind movie piracy, especially when Australians are forced to wait longer than Americans and then expected to pay more simply because they're Australian.Back in 2012, 20th Century Fox kicked off its "Digital HD" program in the US, offering movies for sale as digital downloads several weeks before you could buy them on DVD or Blu-ray. Ridley Scott's Alien prequel Prometheus was the first cab off the rank – available for download on September 18, more than three weeks before the disc hit the shelves.Digital HD is not a great name because you could be forgiven for thinking that high-definition is the selling point, rather than the early release date. The haphazard approach to early releases, from all the movie studios, has also clouded the issue.
We've seen early releases pop up on Apple's iTunes store for a while in Australia but there don't seem to be any hard and fast rules.Digital HD is supposedly kicking off in Australia this month but 20th Century Fox has offered a handful of early releases in the past. What's changed is that EzyFlix is the first Australian retailer to officially adopt the Digital HD tag, although the movies are also available via iTunes, Google Play, Xbox Video and the Sony Entertainment Network.EzyFlix's upcoming release schedule from various movie houses includes; It's great to see the movie houses responding to the piracy threat by actually meeting demand rather than calling in the lawyers or offering pathetic gestures like Australia's Digital Content Guide. It will be interesting to see how much of an impact the early release approach has on piracy.There is one interesting entry on that list, Tinker Bell and the Pirate Fairy, which might not be to your taste but highlights the delays which Australian movie fans still face.
The latest Tinker Bell movie came to Australian cinemas on June 26, in time for the school holidays, but at the time it was already on Netflix – which saved some Aussie parents a few bucks. Tinker Bell and the Pirate Fairy was released in US cinemas on February 13, came out on DVD on April 1 and hit Netflix on April 29. Admittedly it's not as popular as something like the The Lego Movie, but why did it take six weeks to come to DVD in the US and 20 weeks in Australia? Until the movie houses stop treating Australians as second-class citizens they'll always face the problem of Aussie movie fans bending and breaking the law.Are you more likely to hand over your money for a movie thanks to early release programs like Fox's Digital HD? If not, what would it take to win you over?G Movies on DVD DVD New ReleasesDVDs by DateDVDs Coming SoonBlu-rayClear FiltersSort byRelease DateMost PopularCritic RatingFilter by GenreAll GenresActionAdventureAnimatedBiographyKidsComedyCrimeDocumentaryDramaFantasyHistorical dramaHorrorMusicalRomanceRomantic comedyScience fictionThrillerWarWesternFilter by RatingAll RatingsGPGPG-13RNC-17DVD Releases by MonthJanuary 2017February 2017March 2017April 2017May 2017June 2016July 2016August 2016September 2016October 2016November 2016December 2016Most Popular Articles
Warner Bros. has set the release dates for the next three “Lego” films through 2018, with the first an untitled Batman Lego movie that will bow on Feb. 10, 2017. Warners has also moved the Lego spinoff “Ninjago” from fall 2016 to Sept. 22, 2017, and dated “The Lego Movie Sequel” for May 18, 2018. “We are very excited about dating our upcoming Lego animated features, which already have a worldwide fan following, built on the foundation of the first film,” said Dan Fellman, president of domestic distribution at Warner Bros. “These three films already in the pipeline are just the beginning of a creative and diverse animation slate that will be delighting audiences for years to come.” Last October, Warner Bros. chairman-CEO Kevin Tsujihara unveiled a slate that included 10 DC pics, three “Harry Potter” spinoffs and a slew of “Lego” features and made it clear that these franchises would play a major role in Warner Bros.’ model for the next half decade.
“The Lego Movie,” released last year, was a hit both critically and commercially, grossing $468 million worldwide.Warner Bros. Home Entertainment and the LEGO Group recently announced the release of LEGO Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu – Season 5 in February 2016. This is excellent news for those who have been following the LEGO Ninjago story and collecting the DVDs. Below is the press-release with more details about the upcoming DVD release. The hit television series, LEGO Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu, is back for its’ fifth season. LEGO Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu – Season 5 will be available on February 16, 2016 on DVD for a $19.97 SRP. After peace was restored at the end of season four, season five introduces new evil enemies and new adventures for the Ninja. In an epic quest to save Lloyd from Morro, the Elemental Master of Wind, the powerless Ninja will travel to the city of Stiix. The Ninja need to decipher three clues in order to find the Realm Crystal before Morro releases his master, the Preeminent, a monstrous deity from the Cursed Realm seeking to curse all of Ninjago. W
ill the Ninja find the Realm Crystal before Morro and save Lloyd? Or will the Preeminent be unleashed? “We are thrilled to release the fifth season of LEGO Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu,” said Mary Ellen Thomas, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Vice President, Family & Animation Marketing. “With tremendous fan support for this series over the years, we know fans will be excited for this next season of LEGO Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu on DVD.” Directed by Michael Hegner (A Fish Tale, The Flight Before Christmas) and Justin Murphy (The Flight Before Christmas, Cosmos: A SpaceTime Odyssey) LEGO NINJAGO: Masters of Spinjitzu – Season 5 is also supported by a dedicated cast, featuring Jillian Michaels, Vincent Tong, Michael Adamthwaite, Paul Dobson, Brent Miller, Kirby Morrow, Kelly Metzger, Mark Oliver, Brian Drummond, Michael Kopsa, Ian James Corlett, Kathleen Barr, and Scott McNeil, all of who have been staples in the ongoing series since the beginning. LEGO Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu – Season 5 on DVD includes ten 22-minute episodes: