With our last full week before the Christmas holiday, there are still several ways to lighten that wallet a bit. From James Cameron asking for more cash, (I'm a) Believer, Bloodlines, Kino Cult, JFK and more.
Welcome to Volume 4 Episode 29 of our weekly release guide. A look at the highlights of what's coming to disc the week of December 17th - December 23rd, as well as a look at announcements from last week.
Just like last week, new releases first, sorted by Rotten Tomatoes ratings, new(ish) releases and then catalog titles.
First up, with an RT score of 22 and an audience score of 59, The Exorcist: Believer from Warner Bros. This one comes as a standard edition, a Best Buy Exclusive SteelBook and a Walmart Exclusive SteelBook.
If scores of 22/59 led the category, it only goes down from there. Pet Sematary: Bloodlines sees an RT score of 22 and an audience score of 45. I saw it on Paramount+ and think those ratings are a bit harsh, but to each their own.
Listed at the top rated release of the week two weeks ago, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds - Season Two gets a standard (non-SteelBook) release this week.
On to the new(ish) release category, Avatar: The Way of Water gets a Collector's Edition. Is this the shortest time frame we have double-dipped on a James Cameron release? Don't get me wrong, with each dip we get a lot more.
And now sort of bridging our way to catalog titles, the original Avatar also gets a Collector's Edition.
And NOT a colector's edition, Avatar gets that SteelBook we should have seen in June when they also released The Way of Water to Best Buy SteelBook. This is the same transfer as the one in June as well, same extras and such. Some sites are posting it as the 'Collector's Edition', which, except for the SteelBook, it is not.
Shout Factory has a pair of releases this week, Stephen King's The Dead Zone, directed by David Cronenberg. I had watched the TV series long before the movie, both are fun. Would love to see the TV series get an HD release as well (hello LionsGate, or boutique label).
And, Oliver Stone's JFK. This one looks like a fat-pack, but the four discs more than anything give it that size. Still, I think the wait for 'that' edition is over with this release.
How about a Kino Cult release, but in 4K? Underworld (1985) debuts this week.
From Arrow Video, a fat-pack release for The Warriors. And just like a few other recent releases, the traditional cover art is available as an Arrow Store exclusive.
Next week we have to s p r e a d o u r w o r d s a bit with just one single title on the docket. Maybe I will post a couple of extra pictures too.
Blu-ray counterparts of the above 4K releases include The Exorcist: Believer, Pet Sematary: Bloodlines and The Warriors.
A loose counterpart, Avatar gets a remastered 3D special edition release.
Some new, some reprints, MGM this week has AmericanEast, The Cutting Edge: Going for the Gold, Eureka (1983) and The Rachel Papers.
The Sandpiper label with the same mission, this week they release High Spirits, Invaders from Mars and The Sure Thing.
LionsGate's thriller of the week is Rumble Through the Dark.
Anime highlights include Carole & Tuesday (Limited Edition), Farming Life in Another World - Complete Collection, Masaaki Yuasa: Five Films and My Hero Academia: Season 6 Part 1.
TV on disc this week brought to us from Kino Lorber includes Columbo: Seasons 1-7 and Monk: Season Two.
Arrow Video has a box set for us this week, Savage Guns: Four Classic Westerns Vol 3.
Shout Factory releases their next Shaw Brothers box set, Shaw Brothers Classics: Vol. Four.
Worthy Mentions: Following the footsteps of the first most excellent box set release, Severin Films this week offers Danza Macabra Vol. Two: The Italian Gothic Collection.
Meg Ryan 2023 romcom What Happens Later comes to us via Decal Releasing.
And if you have been following the Kino Cult series, the next blu-ray of the series releases this week, that title is Sinner.
The blu-ray category (unlike the 4K category) is actually quite normal next week, despite the Christmas holiday.
For those that were waiting for the third movie, Beverly Hills Cop 3 in 4K has finally been announced for February 20th, as well as the trilogy, in 4K.
Arrow Video has revealed its March 2024 slate. US/Canada title The Shootist, US/Canada/UK includes Dark Water 4K and Dark Water 4K (Arrow Video Store Exclusive), and the UK only title City of the Living Dead 4K. The latter title was already done in the USA by Synapse, with a couple of different options available.
Criterion Collection has also revealed their March slate, for blu-rays, All the Beauty and The Bloodshed, The Runner and Saint Omer. For 4K and blu-ray editions, To Die For.
Which titles are you buying this week? Which ones are on your wishlist, be it to buy as an impulse buy or to wait for the right price?
The price of importing can be a pain. Between exchange rates and shipping, you need to really want something when you order.
Germany's Turbine Medien is having a massive sale on some of their biggest hits. Sale ends 12/17/23!
If you've been following Turbine's social posts, over the last couple of weeks they have been marking down a lot of their releases with some nice discounts. Each sale was a limited frame for a small selection of titles and you had to move fast before you missed out. But now that we're in the final run for the holiday shopping, Turbine is doing fans a huge favor by opening up all of the previous sale price deals on those select titles now through December 17th. We dug through the list and found some great gems that we had reviewed in the past that are well worth adding to the collection:
The Six Million Dollar Man
Originally $87.99 - now only $65.99
The Bionic Woman
Originally $87.99 - now only $58.99
Now if you want both series, the deal gets really nice -
The Bionic Box: Six Million Dollar Man and The Bionic Woman
Originally $163.99 - now only $109.99
Northern Exposure: The Complete Series (Includes the correct music!)
Originally $87.99 - now only $58.36
The Princess Bride - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray (Standard Edition)
Originally $28.99 - now only $18.99
An American Werewolf in London - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray (Standard Edition)
Originally $38.99 - now only $25.99
Blu-ray Media Books Also Available:
An American Werewolf In London German Artwork Blu-ray Mediabook
An American Werewolf In London German VHS Artwork Blu-ray Mediabook
Candyman - 4k Ultra HD Blu-ray Mediabook Cover B
Originally $38.99 - now only $25.99
The Hills Have Eyes - 4k Ultra HD Blu-ray Mediabook Cover D
Originally $38.99 - now only $25.99
Henry: Portrait of the Serial Killer - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Mediabook Video Cover
Originally $38.99 - now only $25.99
From a Whisper to a Scream - Blu-ray Mediabook The Offspring Cover
Originally $43.99 - now only $24.99
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray (Standard Edtion)
Originally $34.99 - now only $23.99
Leatherface - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray (Standard Edition)
Originally $27.99 - now only $18.99
Other cool stuff we saw on sale that we haven't reviewed:
The Return of the Killer Tomatoes Blu-ray Mediabook Cover D
Texas Chainsaw Massacre - Uncut Triple Feature Blu-ray (TCM, TCM 2, & Leatherface)
Bad Boys 40th Anniversary Blu-ray Mediabook
And there's a whole lot more on sale, but these were the real highlights of titles we've either reviewed personally or would love to add to the collection. Again the sale ends December 17th so grab the good stuff while you can.
Happy Collecting!
We did warn you last week, there is no other way to say it, this week's ultrahd (and blu-ray) guide may be ultra-dangerous to your wallets. We have a couple of notable imports, Cowabunga! (pizza sold separately), more Disney+ to disc, FNAF, Netflix movie to disc, and a ton more, and that's just 4K. Blu-rays are also coming out the ears with more than 60 titles.
Welcome to Volume 4 Episode 28 of our weekly release guide. A look at the highlights of what's coming to disc the week of December 10th - December 16th, as well as a look at announcements from last week.
Import Monday kicks off with a new release first, The Wandering Earth II as a UK SteelBook from Cine-Asia. According to their FaceBook page, there will be an English dub on this release, just like their prior blu-ray release. It is unknown at this time if Well Go USA will follow through with a 4K release in the near future, but for now they have just a blu-ray scheduled.
Next, not a long wait from the Part 1 release, Nadia: Secret of the Blue Water: Part 2 is available on Monday.
After a short delay, Child's Play Collection from Arrow UK is also available on Monday. Read the disclaimer before buying. It's a nice looking set, adding a 4K disc from Shout Factory for the first movie would be a pretty simple solution.
Delayed until January, Second Sight's release of High Tension. Maybe by then Criterion (or LionsGate) will also announce a US release.
On to domestic releases, and starting with new releases first, and sorted by Rotten Tomatoes rankings seems the be a good way to proceed.
If you were ready to shout cowabunga!, you were correct in the rankings. Scoring at 96%, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem. This one is available as a Standard Edition, a Standard SteelBook Edition and as a Walmart Exclusive SteelBook Edition. Odd that both SteelBooks have the same cover art, but that's OK.
Next, another streaming exclusive coming to disc, Disney's The Mandalorian, which gets a RT score of 90%. This series is available as a SteelBook, season sold separately, Season One and Season Two.
Next, scoring a 66 at RT, sci-fi/war film The Creator, available via 20th Century Studios.
The final new release of the week is Five Nights at Freddy's. This one scored a 31 at RT, but audiences felt it was an 87. It's that critic<>average Joe disparity we are seeing here. Work of art, NO, fun film, YES.
How about a new(ish) release section this week?
Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio comes to us from Netflix and via the Criterion Collection.
And another streaming to disc feature, Weird: The Al Yankovic Story comes to us from The Roku Channel and via Shout Factory. Thank me for this release, I imported the Umbrella Entertainment version way back when.
Now for catalog titles, Clue (1985) comes to us via Shout Factory.
Kino Lorber has a pair of releases this week, John Woo's action/crime film Face/Off, and the horror/mystery Suspect Zero.
Well Go USA has 4K upgrades of The Man from Nowhere and The Wailing.
Decal Releasing is offering up Oldboy (2003/Directed by Park Chan-wook) on a Collector's 4K disc as well that looks very much like an A24 shop release. Previous blu-ray releases did contain English dubs, so there is a good chance this one will as well.
From Sony Pictures, Spike Lee's School Daze: 35th Anniversary.
Arrow Video's The Warriors got a pushback to December 19th.
Turbine Media Group has The Last Emperor available on Friday in several different options.
Next week, Believer, Bloodlines, Kino Cult, JFK, more Avatar!
Blu-ray counterparts of the above 4K releases include Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, The Mandalorian: The Complete First Season, The Complete Second Season, The Creator, Five Nights at Freddy's, Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio, Weird: The Al Yankovic Story and Suspect Zero.
Sony Pictures has the 2023 comedy/drama Dumb Money this week.
New this week from Paramount, PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie. Glad to see a blu-ray of this and not DVD only, unlike the two most recent live-action Monster High movies. This isn't 1995, our big screens demand blu-ray or better, thank you.
From the Warner Archive this week, Anna Christie, Gentleman Jim, The Great Ziegfeld, Looney Tunes Collector's Choice: Volume 2, Madame Bovary, A Midwinter's Tale, Saving Grace and Tarzan, the Ape Man.
Anime highlights include A Couple of Cuckoos Season 1 Part 2, I'm the Villainess So I'm Taming the Final Boss and One Piece - Collection 33.
From Criterion this week, The Red Balloon and Other Stories: Five Films by Albert Lamorisse.
Debuting to blu-ray via Arrow Video, The Day of the Locust.
Arrow Video Shaw Brothers sets this week include Shaw Brothers Presents: The Basher Box, Shaw Brothers Presents: Four Films by Chang Cheh and Shaw Brothers Presents: Four Films by Lau Kar-Leung.
If you have been piecing it together one at a time, this week Shout Factory has Shaun The Sheep: The Complete Series.
Worthy mention: If you seek all things 3D, this week Kino Lorber releases The Man Who Wasn't There to the format. As before, digital 3D and analyph.
Next week in the blu-ray category, a return to normal volume.
I won't say NOTHING happened last week, but it was slow, as expected for the time of year. Lots of onesie twosie reveals, mostly from boutique labels.
Which titles are you buying this week? Which ones are on your wishlist, be it to buy as an impulse buy or to wait for the right price?
The comedy/drama based on the Book “The Antisocial Network” by Ben Mezrich and starring Paul Dano, Pete Davidson, Vincent D’Onofrio, America Ferrera, Nick Offerman, Anthony Ramos, Sebastian Stan, Shailene Woodley, and Seth Rogen arrives on Blu-ray on December 12.
Digital is already available.
Dumb Money is the ultimate David vs. Goliath tale, based on the insane true story of everyday people who flipped the script on Wall Street and got rich by turning GameStop (yes, the mall video game store) into the world’s hottest company. In the middle of everything is regular guy Keith Gill (Paul Dano), who starts it all by sinking his life savings into the stock and posting about it. When his social posts start blowing up, so does his life and the lives of everyone following him. As a stock tip becomes a movement, everyone gets rich – until the billionaires fight back, and both sides find their worlds turned upside down.
The Blu-ray will feature lossless 5.1 audio and supplements include:
Pre-orders for Dumb Money are up and here is the full press release:
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You really didn't expect a slowdown in titles the week after what many merchants now call Cyber Week, did you? This week offers the final Indiana Jones with Harrison Ford, another season of Strange New Worlds, James Cameron's Titanic, and more! Which disc are you buying this week and which edition of Titanic will it be?
Welcome to Volume 4 Episode 27 of our weekly release guide. A look at the highlights of what's coming to disc the week of December 3rd - December 9th, as well as a look at announcements from last week.
There are three new release titles this week, no doubt overshadowed by the behemoth of the week, Titanic. So before we get to that, let's list the new releases by order of Rotten Tomatoes scores.
The adventures of Captain Christopher Pike and crew continues with Star Trek: Strange New Worlds - Season Two from Paramount Entertainment. This initial release is in a SteelBook package while the standard case got pushed back to a later date next month.
Next, decent scores from audiences and critics alike, Disney releases Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, which is available as a standard edition, a Best Buy Exclusive SteelBook and a Walmart Exclusive Edition.
And the third new release this week is The Kill Room, distributed by Shout Factory, which according to RT got barely better than 50% among critics and audiences. Having not seen it, I gotta ask, how many times does Samuel L Jackson say his signature phrase?
And now on to catalog titles, and back to our original question, which version of James Cameron's Titanic will you be buying this week? The Standard Edition or the Limited Edition? My Heart Will Go On, and My Collection Will Grow On as well! In two more weeks, we get special editions of both Avatar movies, then in March 2024 we finally see Cameron's other long-awaited 4K releases.
From Warner Bros, The Color Purple with Danny Glover, Whoopi Goldberg with Oprah Winfrey. As recent Warner Bros cover arts go, this one is pretty decent, they have had a few hideous ones.
When you see a Richard Gere movie what do you think? If you said Romance, you're on track this week to buy Days of Heaven from the Criterion Collection.
From Universal, 2016 comedy Office Christmas Party.
From Shout Factory, Point Break (1991), available as a Standard Collector's Edition and as a Best Buy Exclusive SteelBook.
Also from Shout Factory this week, a Collector's Edition of Silver Bullet.
Another Sony Pictures Dolby Vision in SteelBook case upgrade, this time Stand by Me.
Last 4K title of the week, Young Guns from Lionsgate. This one is available as a Standard Edition and as a Best Buy Exclusive SteelBook. Any hopes for the sequel to this movie to get released on 4K goes to Sony Pictures as they own the rights to it.
Next week's ultra 4K UHD calendar is Ultra-Harmful to your wallet with a couple of notable imports, Cowabunga!, more Disney+ to disc, FNAF, Netflix movie to disc, and a ton more.
Blu-ray counterparts of the above 4K releases include Star Trek: Strange New Worlds - Season Two, with a standard edition and a SteelBook edition, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny and The Kill Room.
The rest of this category is somewhat slow, but there is also an Imprint Films Friday this week.
From Criterion Collection, the 1961 crime/thriller Blast of Silence.
TV on disc this week includes Babylon 5: The Complete Series, Creepshow: Season 4, Northern Exposure: The Complete Series and The Odd Couple: The Complete Series.
Anime highlights include Bibliophile Princess Complete Collection and Utawarerumono: Mask of Truth. And if you got a spare $550 laying around, Code Geass - Collector's Edition (CrunchyRoll Store Exclusive).
Sandpiper has a few reprints of previously out of print releases, Blacula, Breakin', Breakin 2 and Thunder Road.
Special Interest title this week, A Disturbance in the Force. A documentary about a made for TV special that much of society wants to forget. And there is the group that wants everything there is to do about it.
Imprint Films' November batch is available on Amazon US on Friday, titles for the month are:
>The Man in Half Moon Street (1945) – Imprint
Just like the 4K category, next week will be quite painful to your wallet if you shop blu-rays.
Last week was a week in which final details were posted for various releases. Slow overall though.
Paramount has revealed that Beverly Hills Cop 3 will be hitting 4K disc in February. The completionist in me says I am grateful, even if it wasn't (in my opinion) the best of the series. Also, Footloose is on track for a 4K release in February as well.
Netflix series Wednesday: The Complete First Season will be coming to blu-ray early 2024. Hopefully this is in early initial sneak peek and they (Warner bros) also does a 4K release.
Which titles are you buying this week? Which ones are on your wishlist, be it to buy as an impulse buy or to wait for the right price?
Resist all you want, you will buy every disc featured in this guide. You cannot escape fate.
With the holiday meal in your rearview, this week offers up Wandavision, Barbarella, Tremors 2, The Sandman Season 1, The Monster Squad and so much more, what's on your dessert plate this Cyber Monday week?
Welcome to Volume 4 Episode 26 of our weekly release guide. A look at the highlights of what's coming to disc the week of November 26th - December 2nd, as well as a look at announcements from last week.
New releases this week actually consist of two television shows that originated on streaming services. Both of these are available on streaming with Dolby Vision, but the disc is in HDR10. A bit frustrating, but the discs should still look better.
First, Disney+ series WandaVision: The Compete Series.
And Second, Netflix series The Sandman: The Complete First Season and brought to us via Warner Bros..
On to catalog titles, somewhat alphabetically, somewhat by label.
From Arrow Video, a trio of releases, with several choices. First, Barbarella, the adventure/sci-film starring Jane Fonda. If you prefer an original poster cover version instead, you can get that from Arrow Video's Storefront.
Also from Arrow Video, Tremors 2. Again, a less teal colored cover art is available from the Arrow Video Store directly.
And lastly, somewhat of an oddity from Arrow Video, Michael Mann's Blackhat. What made it odd is that it appeard to have gotten a release, but then was held back so that they could add the Director's Cut to the blu-ray pack-in. Follow our link, read the review and decide for yourself. It has Michael Mann going for it, a blind buy by me.
Boutique label Severin Films has general releases of Count Dracula (1970) with Christopher Lee and 'cult/eurotrash' films Zombie Holocaust / Doctor Butcher M.D..
Shout Factory has Death Wish (2018) and Tales from the Darkside: The Movie coming to 4K disc this week.
Another well known boutique label, Vinegar Syndrome has 4 general release titles this week, Blood Sucking Freaks, East End Hustle, Mark of the Devil and Mother's Day.
Team Kino Lorber keeps pumping them out, this week look for The Monster Squad.
Paramount has a little comedy for ya with The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! starring Leslie Nielsen. Bring on the rest, and Airplane! while we are it it.
And the final 4K of the week, Discotek has Street Fighter II: The Animated Movie (1994).
Next week might have fewer titles, but it doesn't mean a break for your wallet any time soon. The latest Indiana Jones, another season of Strange New Worlds, James Cameron's Titanic, and more!
Blu-ray counterparts of the above 4K releases includes WandaVision: The Compete Series, The Sandman: The Complete First Season, Barbarella, Tremors 2, Blackhat and The Monster Squad. That's quite a few actually.
There are a lot of blu-ray titles to get through this week, but almost every one of them is special interest. Here are some of the highlights.
From 20th Century Studios, A Haunting in Venice. The other two films of this series got 4K discs, just another frustration to air.
TV on disc includes Ancient Aliens Season 18, Monk: Season One and World on Fire: Season Two.
Anime highlights include Crying Freeman The Animated OVA Series, Fist of the North Star the Legends of the True Savior: Legend of Yuria/Legend of Toki and Management of a Novice Alchemist.
The Kino label has a few special edition releases this week, mostly upgrades in the bitrates (BD50 disc instead of BD25) and inclusion of a slipcover. Titles include The Carpetbaggers, The Conformist, The Emerald Forest, The Last Tycoon and Valmont.
As far as a Friday release, Amazon US will have Frank Herbert's Dune: Complete Collection available from Umbrella Entertainment.
As expected, last week was a slow week for announcement news.
Universal has a pair of announcements, The Exorcist: Believer will be released on December 19th, while Five Nights at Freddy's will release on December 12th. These are nearly zero-day announcements, as usual.
Our Amazon links for James Cameron's December batch of Avatar releases are live. Do check out the article for a refresher.
Arrow Video has revealed their February slate. For North America, blu-ray releases of Fear is the Key and The Shaolin Plot. For the UK, 1978's Invasion of the Body Snatchers in both 4K and blu-ray formats. Body Snatchers was done by Kino Lorber in 2021, the Arrow release of course offers the familiar fat-pack format. Other than that, it is unknown if the AV presentation will be any different.
We have also filled in the blanks on a couple of upcoming Kino 4K releases as details have become available.
Which titles are you buying this week? Which ones are on your wishlist, be it to buy as an impulse buy or to wait for the right price?
Film Masters' next title in The Filmgroup series features Roger Corman's 1961 horror cult classic The Devil's Partner newly restored in 4K and will be available on Blu-ray on January 16.
The release will also include Creature from the Haunted Sea (1961) plus a new interview with the legendary Roger Corman.
Release synopsis:
Corman and his brother, Gene, founded The Filmgroup to distribute their own films. While the company did produce the majority of its films, including the cult classic Creature From the Haunted Sea, it also occasionally acquired projects by other filmmakers, as is the case with The Devil's Partner (1961). From director Charles R. Rondeau, the film is a macabre tale of an elderly man who regains his youth after making a deal with the devil. During the summer and fall of 1961, the two films were often paired as a double feature.
Half Man, Half Beast, He Sold his Soul for Passion — Director/actor Edgar Buchanan (best known as Uncle Joe on Petticoat Junction) appears in this supernatural thriller about an old codger trying to reclaim his youth, employing black magic to lure a woman away from his rival. The film also stars Jean Allison, Richard Crane and Ed Nelson. This well-crafted, independent feature has been hailed for its atmosphere and as a pioneering film in the devil worshiping subgenre made popular in the ‘70s.
Made in 1958, The Devil’s Partner languished with no release date until it was picked up and distributed by The Filmgroup, becoming a steady presence on the drive-in circuit, often appearing in tandem with Creature from Haunted Sea, another Corman classic from the golden age of drive-in schlock.
This spoof of spy/gangsters/monster movies stars Anthony Carbone as a gangster and smuggler who decides to kill members of the ship’s bungling crew and blame their deaths on a legendary sea creature. What he doesn’t know is that the creature is actually out there! Also starring Betsy Jones-Moreland and Academy Award-winning screenwriter Robert Towne (Chinatown) under the pseudonym Edward Wain.
The film was conceived when Corman finished shooting The Last Woman on Earth in Puerto Rico and discovered he had enough film left over to make another film. He enlisted long-time associate Charles B. Griffith, who—legend goes—had six days to write the script. Ever the pragmatist when it came to budget, Corman recruited locals to appear in this film as extras.
The Devil's Partner + Creature From The Haunted Sea Double Feature
The Blu-ray presents both films in their theatrical aspect ratio of 1.85:1 plus 1.37:1 television format and supplements include:
Pre-orders for The Devil's Partner (1961) + Creature From The Haunted Sea (1961) Double Feature are up
Leave no schlocky film untouched. Leave no riff behind. Mystery Science Theater 3000 Season 14 is coming and you can help make it happen while enjoying the classic MST3K Turkey Day Marathon!
As we mentioned in our review of the Kickstarter Backer-exclusive of MST3K Season 13, this beloved cult classic show has survived and endured for decades. Moving from one network to another, moving from one streaming service to its own dedicated online theater, this show has gone on for thirty-five years and thirteen hilarious seasons. Like recent past seasons, a new crowdfunding effort is underway to fund Season 14. How many episodes will we get? Well, that’s all up to you and the rest of the Misties out there.
Just like past efforts, depending on if the campaign reaches $4.8 million, $6.1 million, or $7.4 million, fans will be able to enjoy either 6, 9, or 12 new episodes! On top of that we get new shorts, and more “surgically enhanced” classic episodes. If you’ve spent any time around the Gizmoplex, you may have noticed some of the classic episodes are curiously looking a little better these days - and that’s why. Not only could we get more new episodes but our past favorites can undergo a bit of a restoration effort so they’re in better shape than those tape masters of old.
Series creator and steward for this new generation of MST3K Joel Hodgson has already announced three of the intended targets for the new season - and they’re not resting on their laurels. As confirmed over at Movieweb, this next season will take on Roger Corman’s 1978 dystopian sci-fi B-movie gem Deathsport starring David Carradine and Playboy’s Claudia Jennings. Next up is another Corman classic and cult favorite Battle Beyond the Stars! But for the third announced film, they’re taking on the mother of all incredibly entertaining bad movies - Ed Wood’s Plan 9 From Outer Space!
But those fan contributions are needed to get these (and hopefully many more new episodes) made. Moving away from Kickstarter to Showmaker, Joel and the crew behind the new MST3K have a new home for their crowdfunding effort. Click the SOL to see for yourself.
Now you can simply give a few bucks to help the cause, or you can sign up for a slew of perks and swag items to score you some sweet, sweet MST3K goodies or get exclusive access to production meetings or even set visits! There are digital-only options, Gizmoplex memberships, Sticker sets, Magnet sets, pins, hats, and of course, you can pre-order the Season 14 DVD or Blu-ray box set with proceeds going directly to the production. No fussy “backer level” unlocks to get certain items, you can pick and choose what you want (or nothing and just give them monies) and that’s how you help fund the next season!
And keeping with tradition - the MST3k Turkey Day Marathon will be underway this Thursday for a special 48-hour 24-episode run. So when you’re taking a break from stuffing your face and/or watching the Lions wipe the turf with the Packers (sorry Greenbay fans), you can click into your favorite streaming outlet and watch classic and recent episodes of Mystery Science Theater 3000. It should be streaming on their various channels, but you add the ShoutTV app to your smart television or set box. You can go right to the MST3K website or you can check this handy chart for app availability:
That’s all the news that’s fit to print fellow misties. Remember to turn your lights down where necessary and share the tapes. Maybe this time next week we'll be celebrating the news that we've got more episodes of Mystery Science Theater 3000 on the way!
With Black Friday towards the end of the week, and the US celebrates the Thanksgiving Holiday on Thursday, it is very uncharacteristic for so many 4K titles to be released on such a week. From the latest Expendables, the second half of Barbenheimer, the latest Saw film, catalog title with Richard Kimble, Stalag 17, and so much more! Did you save any money for your holiday meal, or Black Friday, or Cyber Monday? This week is another whopper!
Welcome to Volume 4 Episode 25 of our weekly release guide. A look at the highlights of what's coming to disc the week of November 19th - November 25th, as well as a look at announcements from last week.
With new releases first, let's post them by order of Rotten Tomatoes scores.
It seems only fitting that the other half of Barbenheimer (Oppenheimer) takes first place under our Rotten Tomatoes (RT) criteria. This film ranked very high among audiences and critics (currently 91/93). Available in Standard Edition, Best Buy Exclusive SteelBook and WalMart Exclusive Icon Edition packages. For an amusing image (and article) about Barbenheimer, head on over to Wired Magazine.
With two more new releases this week, you would be wrrriight if you guessed Saw X to have the higher RT score (89 audience/80 critics). Surprisingly, LionsGate did not opt for a SteelBook option here.
And lastly, Expend4bles (Expendables 4), with a bunch of well known talent, a terrible score of 14% among reviewers, but a 71% audience score. You can get this as a Standard Edition, an Amazon Exclusive and/or a Best Buy Exclusive SteelBook. Walmart also has a 4-film SteelBook collection of their own available as well. This franchise to me is like Lethal Weapon, Con Air or Armageddon, I watch them every so often, but leave any critical thinking at the door, and bring in the popcorn (or chicken wings or whatever is your fancy).
Before moving on to deep catalog titles, let's go back to 2022 and distributor CrunchyRoll for Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero. This one also has an Amazon Exclusive SteelBook.
Next from Universal, Love Actually, which is donning a 20th Anniversary Edition.
From Warner Bros and celebrating a 30th anniversary, The Fugitive starring Harrison Ford and Tommy Lee Jones. Altrertantely, you can get this one as a Best Buy Exclusive SteelBook.
Mean Streets is available from Criterion Collection this week, and you guessed it, it had its 50th Anniversary. If swag is your thing, Second Sight UK has a fat-pack currently slated for January 15th which has the same source transfer, but with their usual swag packed edition.
From Kino Lorber, Stalag 17 with William Holden and Billy Wilder. And keeping with the theme, this one had a 70th Anniversary.
On to double-dips of sort. If you bought the Resident Evil Movie Collection a couple of years ago, now you can buy it all over again, but in a SteelBook Package and a Dolby Vision upgrade.
You can also get Train to Busan / Peninsula in a 2-film collection package.
Next week, despite conflicting with Cyber Week, there are actually *more* titles available than this week, Wandavision, Barbarella, Tremors 2, The Sandman Season 1, The Monster Squad and so much more!
Blu-ray counterparts of the above 4K releases include Oppenheimer from Universal Pictures, Saw X and Expend4bles from LionsGate, Mean Streets from Criterion and Stalag 17 from Kino Lorber.
As far as blu-ray releases, someone did get the memo that this is a holiday week that includes Black Friday, so there are fewer titles to choose from.
From Janus Contemporaries via Criterion, The Eight Mountains, Tori and Lokita and Godland are available this week. Under Criterion's own label, La cérémonie.
Anime highlights this week include two super long titles, Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?! Season 4 Part 1 and Peter Grill and the Philosopher's Time Super Extra: Collector's Edition (SteelBook).
Under the Indicator Series label, look for The Criminal Acts of Tod Slaughter: Eight Blood-and-Thunder Entertainments this week.
Another box set delayed a little bit but available this week (I think), Doctor Who: Limited Edition Complete New Who Collector's Blu-ray Giftset.
The Police Academy Collection is available on the Shout Select label this week. Previously the only way to own these movies on blu-ray was to import them, I look forward to seeing how this set compares.
Also from Shout Factory, another box set, Farscape: The Complete Series. Again, same question arises, how does this one compare to the set released over a decade ago?
Honorable Mention: Not exactly AAA material, but Kino Lorber this week has Babes in Toyland. We've seen it on TV enough times, now we can get it on disc!
A very exciting story (for MANY of us) came out on Monday, I am referring to news about those James Cameron titles we have waited decades for! Yup, The Abyss, True Lies, Aliens. And, in a relatively short time, special editions of both Avatar movies. One thing Cameron movies have done to my wallet, they've made it a bit lighter. I have lost count how many time I have bought T2 over the years. Paramount already has Titanic slated for next month in two editions as well. According to Bill Hunt at The Digital Bits, he said Dolby Vision is finally coming to the physical releases. Which, from Disney, no doubt a demand from Mr. Cameron! Even though the official press release says the 4K edition has Dolby Vision, so many times in the past that meant streaming 4K only, so thank you Bill for confirming it with 100% certainty.
Monday was also the chosen day for Criterion to announce their February slate. After Christmas was supposed to be a time to lick our financial woulds and it looks like Criterion has lined up January and February with some solid releases.
Vinegar Syndrome has reminded us that recovering from Christmas expenses might be pretty difficult, Subscriber Week runs January 1 - 7. Take a look at an aricle from Matthew Hartman a couple of years ago. It made me take the leap and subscribe, and I renewed the very next year, with plans on doing it again.
Paramount has announced that a 4K release of Varsity Blues will be available on January 9th.
Sony Pictures has announced a 4K SteelBook for The Raid: Redemption, with a street date of January 16th.
If you were wondering if Sony was going to release another Columbia Classics box set, wonder no more as Columbia Classics Volume 4 is arriving on February 13. Visit the link for the full press release.
Next week I expect this paragraph to be pretty empty, most studios are running on a skeleton crew, smaller labels are getting ready for Black Friday.
Which titles are you buying this week? Which ones are on your wishlist, be it to buy as an impulse buy or to wait for the right price?
Yep, it's ramping up to be an expensive month for us collectors and enthusiasts. This week in 4K we see a bunch of SteelBooks that we were led to believe were Walmart exclusives, but aren't, an early Steven Spielberg movie titled Duel, Rudy, Equalizer 3 and more.
Welcome to Volume 4 Episode 24 of our weekly release guide. A look at the highlights of what's coming to disc the week of November 12th - November 18th, as well as a look at announcements from last week.
We have no import Monday releases to mention this week. Kicking off New Release Tuesday, The Equalizer 3 with Denzel Washington comes as a Standard Edition, a Best Buy Exclusive SteelBook and as a 3-film Collection. This makes two weeks in a row that Sony breaks the mold and makes their SteelBook release a Best Buy Exclusive instead of a general release. WHY? Did they miss the memo that Best Buy is ending support for movie discs?
Next, from Warner Bros, The Nun II gets a standard edition release. Considered a relatively weak film in the franchise, we would still love to be able to get all of them in 4K. Plus you would get the completionists buyers too. Hint Hint.
Where to go from here with the hefty list if catalog titles? Why not Terms of Endearment, a "Highly Recommended" Paramount Presents release?
Last week had an early George Lucas film, this week we get an early Steven Spielberg release titled Duel. This one comes as a Standard Edition and as a Gruv Exclusive SteelBook and released by Universal Pictures.
Doubling back with Sony, NOT a retailer exclusive and returning to a normal Sony release pattern, Rudy dons a 4K SteelBook release this week. And sort of a double-dip, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse / Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse gets a Collector's Edition release this week.
Criterion Collection this week has The Last Picture Show.
First time to 4K disc, The Twilight Saga 15th Anniversary Edition gets a Best Buy Exclusive SteelBook collection.
Now for that list of SteelBooks from RLJ & Image Entertainment that were originally listed to be Walmart Exclusive SteelBooks, Arizona, Color Out of Space, The Man Who Killed Hitler and Then the Bigfoot (first time to 4K disc in the U.S.) and Sympathy for the Devil, which also debuts to 4K disc.
Next week there are three new releases (Expend4bles, Oppenheimer and Saw X), Harrison Ford stars as Richard Kimble, Stalag 17, Mean Streets and more!
Blu-ray counterparts of the above 4K releases include The Equalizer 3 and The Equalizer 3-Movie Collection from Sony, The Nun II from Warner Bros. and The Last Picture Show from Criterion. Doubling back, The Equalizer 3 also has a Walmart Exclusive SteelBook option. Again, Walmart is opting for a blu-ray exclusive and not a 4K.
The rest of this category has got a decent quantity of releases this week.
From Sony Pictures Classics, The Fog of War: Eleven Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara to a catalog Tri-Star Pictures of Guarding Tess. Lookie, a third release from Sony's catalog, Johnny Five in Short Circuit 2.
Under the LionsGate label, a week almost never passes without an action/thriller release. This week look for Desperation Road in a DVD case that also includes the blu-ray and digital. Still unsure of the strategy of their recent blu-ray in a DVD case releases.
The next Vestron Collectors Series release via LionsGate comes out this week, Blue Steel with Jamie Lee Curtis.
Anime highlights include Bluelock Part 1, Boruto: Naruto Next Generations: Set 16, and a live-action title Spirited Away: Live on Stage.
Under the Warner Archive Label this week, look for In Love and War and Rapa Nui.
For All Mankind: Season One debuts to disc as well this week. This is the more recent highly rated TV series from Apple TV.
More TV on disc includes Justified: City Primeval Season One from Sony and Leave It to Beaver: The Complete Series from Universal.
Shout Factory has martial arts action with The Sonny Chiba Collection: Volume 2.
Just like the last entry in the 4K releases section above, RLJ and Image Entertainment has blu-ray SteelBooks (not Walmart exclusives) for Bone Tomahawk, Clean, I Kill Giants, PG: Psycho Goreman, Vesper and Werewolves Within .
Extra Special Interest: This week the Disney Legacy Animated Film Collection (Walmart Exclusive) streets. If I had a spare $1.5K laying around, I would seriously consider grabbing it.
Next week in the blu-ray category we get sort of a break. Some of us will need it because there is a little think called Black Friday!
Paramount has revealed 4K and blu-ray discs for Pet Sematary: Bloodlines with a December 19th street date. I find it a pleasant surprise to see a 4K of this.
Sony has revealed that Spike Lee's School Daze 35th Anniversary Edition will be getting a 4K release on December 12th.
This section might be a little weak this week but believe me, it's not doom and gloom. There were a lot of smaller announcements and reveals during the week. Check out our release calendar for updates.
Which titles are you buying this week? Which ones are on your wishlist, be it to buy as an impulse buy or to wait for the right price?
