DVD Releases For January 3, 2012

Time to take a look at a selection of DVD releases for Tuesday January 3, 2012! First DVDs of the year, and it's a pretty great bunch to choose from.

• The Guard (DVD Review) This dark Irish comedy starring Brendan Gleeson & Don Cheadle ranked extremely high on my 2011 Best & Most Enjoyed List and I can without a doubt highly recommend it. Funny as hell and clever to boot, plus it has Mark Strong *and* Liam Cunningham who are fantastic in it. DVD/BluRay combo has great extras including outtakes, extended & deleted scenes, behind the scenes, a short film that inspired the film and a commentary with the director and Brendan Gleeson & Don Cheadle. Pretty freaking snazzy.
• Shark Night (DVD Review) It may, or may not, be that well know but I have a bizarre love of shark films and Shark Night fills the bloody waters of the micro-genre well with lots of scares, water works and even some new twists and turns; and loved the cast - especially Sara Paxton (The Innkeepers), Dustin Milligan (Repeaters), Chris Zylka (Kaboom) and Chris Carmack.
• Don't Be Afraid of the Dark (DVD Review) This remake of the 1970s TV movie of the same name goes strongly for the classic horror movie vibe set in a big, beautiful house. I loved that the protagonist was a really strong little girl and that it had very believable yet unconventional family dynamics. DVD has featurettes on the story, the house and the creatures.
• Contagion One of the many for 2011 that I wish I hadn't missed (I think it came out around TIFF), and it's a science fiction/disaster/virus starring a whole whack ton of great actors from Matt Damon to Kate Winslet and from Gwyneth Paltrow to John Hawkes. I did feel like the trailers showed to much, but I still really wanted to see it.
• Snow and Ashes War drama from writer/director Charles-Olivier Michaud (Sur le Rythme) following a war correspondence who takes on the challenge of recapturing his own escape as his fellow correspondent & photographer has not yet returned. Stars Ryse Corio & David-Alexandre Coiteux.
• Pour l'amour de Dieu French Canadian film set in 1959 Montreal following a young girl who falls for religion as well as a young Father in a love & religion drama. Stars Madeleine Péloquin, Victor Andres Trelles-Turgeon.
• Mildred Pierce The 5-Part HBO series starring Kate Winslet, Guy Pearce, Evan Rachel Wood, Miriam Shor and Halley Feiffer hits DVD
• Red: Werewolf Hunter B-Movie Goodness starring 'The Guild' 's Felicia Day as a Werewolf Hunter. Also stars Kavan Smith ('Eureka'), Greg Bryk, David Reale and Stephan McHattie.
• Ice Quake Natural disaster film with a timely winter setting, I watched this one On Demand over the holidays and it was pretty fun B-Movie if you like 'em chilly and science-y. Stars Brendan Fehr, Jodelle Ferland & Victor Garber, directed by Paul Ziller.
• Spartacus 2 Pack: Blood and Sand and Gods of the Arena Both the original series of 13 episodes plus the Gods of the Arena 6-episode prequel from Starz are hitting DVD in a timely 2-Pack. It's perfect timing to catch up as Spartacus: Vengeance will debut at the end of the month on January 27, 2012.
• Justified Season 2 Timothy Olyphant contemporary western from FX hits DVD and it's third season is also just around the corner as it will debut January 17, 2012.
• Royal Pains: Season Three Volume 1 I'm surprized this one is already on 3rd season DVD as I only started seeing commercials for it recently. I'm not sure if that is because of Canadian schedule difference or the fact that it's a comedy... hard to say.
• I Don't Know How She Does It Sarah Jessica Parker stars as a woman who literally does it all, juggling the many different aspects in her life including work and family, until the possibilities appears to throw her perfection for a loop.