Bluray News

The latest news on all things 4k Ultra HD, Blu-ray and Gear.
No Rest For The Wicked (Or the Good) - HDD's 4K UHD & Blu-ray Shopping Guide, Mar 17, 2024

 Yeah, as we somehow survived the barrage of titles last week, we get that one-two punch that carries into this week. You really didn't need to make that mortgage payment anyway, did you?

 Welcome to Volume 4 Episode 42 of our weekly release guide. A look at the highlights of what's coming to disc the week of March 17th - March 23rd, as well as a look at announcements from last week.

 

4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Releases-

 This week is a good news bad news week in the 4K category. The good news, there are no new releases pining for your attention. The bad news, there are a lot of great catalog/boutique labels that are pulling at your purse strings that much harder. Resistance is futile.

 Import Monday includes several titles. First from Second Sight, a pair of "fat-pack" limited edition releases, Green Room and Possessor. You can also get those as standard editions as well if you are not down with the swag, Green Room and Possessor. I am a sucker for these Second Sight fat-packs. I don't mind giving Diabolik DVD my business, but the going price of $50 a piece price tag is something to balk at. That actually is cheaper than buying directly from Amazon UK and my orders do not get regularly canceled.

   

 

 From 88 Films, their take on The Amityville Horror (1979).

 

 On to Domestic Tuesday. Beginning with Kino Lorber, the drama/thriller Changing Lanes is up first, and it stars Samuel L. Jackson and Ben Affleck.

 

 And next on the 'inevitable' release docket, The Manchurian Candidate (2004). When we saw the original 1962 version come out, it was merely a matter of time. Which version do you prefer? This time though it wasn't the original studio releasing one and Kino Lorber the other.

 

 Scream Factory is the next label this week and they have a trio of skus coming Tuesday. The first two are considered remakes, we get Child's Play (2019) and Carrie (2013).

   

 

 Delayed from 3 months ago, but finally seeing light of day, The Ring Collection materializes this week. Not too long after I imported the trilogy from Germany on blu-ray, this was announced. The story of my life. Hopefully The Grudge films is next?

 

 Under the same house, but with the "Select" Label, Shout releases K-19: The Widowmaker to 4K disc.

 

 Arrow Video has the original Japanese release of the film titled Dark Water. Also available as an Arrow Store Exclusive Cover Edition. Does this mean that Scream Factory will do the English language remake? We went from Ringu to The Ring, so maaaayybe.

 

 Also from Arrow Video, a standard edition to Witness. This one sold out pretty fast as a limited edition, so here is a swagless release.

 Import Wednesday comes from the land down under via Umbrella Entertainment with Dead End Drive-In: Collector's Edition. A standard edition will be available at Amazon US in a couple of weeks.

 Donning a 4K slip SteelBook Edition, Barb Wire gets a release from Turbine Entertainment. Follow our link to the article to decide which one is best for you.

 

 Next week the spigot is still blasting, Paramount Presents, Indicator, Criterion and more!

 

Blu-ray releases-

 There are no blu-ray counterparts of the above 4K releases, that wallet in your pocket thanks you.

 TV on disc include The Act: The Complete Limited Series, Doctor Who: The Daleks in Color and Suits: The Complete Series.

 

 From Janus Contemporarires this week, the documentary Lynch/Oz debuts to blu-ray disc.

 

 From Criterion Collection, foreign drama The Runner.

 

 Under the Sony Pictures Classics label comes Shadow Magic, a drama/romance from 2000.

 

 Next week's domestic blu-ray release calendar is APOCALYPTIC! I don't think you could possibly prepare yourself unless you win the lottery.

 There are some Umbrella Entertainment imports available Wednesday. We will post domestic links when they become available as standard releases.

Notable announcements from last week:

 Criterion Collection has announced their June slate of titles. For 4K, the titles are Blue Velvet, Bound and Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas. For blu-ray, titles are Bound, Querelle, The Underground Railroad and Victims of Sin. When I imported Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas via Arrow Video, I knew it was inevitable that Criterion would do it, but I am not disappointed with my Arrow release one bit.

4K Release Calendar

2K/BD Release Calendar

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 Criterion Collection Reveals June 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray and Blu-ray Releases

The Criterion Collection's June release slate includes 4K UHD Blu-ray upgrades of David Lynch's Blue Velvet and Terry Gilliam's Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas; Lana and Lilly Wachowski's Bound on both Blu-ray and 4K Blu-ray; and Blu-ray editions of Rainer Werner Fassbinder's Querelle, Emilio Fernández's Victims of Sin, and the limited-series The Underground Railroad from Barry Jenkins.

It's that time of the month again - Criterion announcements!  We have an interesting batch this time with two 4K upgrades, one title hitting both formats, and a few more Blu-rays including a limited series - The Underground Railroad. Which ones will you be adding to your library?

On June 4, Terry Gilliam's Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas will receive a 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray + Blu-ray upgrade.

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas - The Criterion Collection  4K Ultra HD Blu-ray

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray - The Criterion Collection 

It is 1971, and journalist Raoul Duke barrels toward Las Vegas—accompanied by a trunkful of contraband and his slightly unhinged Samoan attorney, Dr. Gonzo—to cover a motorcycle race. What should be a cut-and-dried journalistic assignment quickly descends into a feverish psychedelic odyssey. Director Terry Gilliam and an all-star cast, headlined by Johnny Depp and Benicio Del Toro, show no mercy in bringing Hunter S. Thompson’s excoriating dissection of the American way of life to the screen, creating a film both hilarious and savage

DIRECTOR-APPROVED 4K UHD + BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES

  • New 4K digital restoration, supervised and approved by director Terry Gilliam, presented in the aspect ratio of 2.39:1, with 2.0 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack
  • Alternate 5.1 surround soundtrack
  • One 4K UHD disc of the film presented in Dolby Vision HDR and one Blu-ray with the film and special features
  • Three audio commentaries: one with Gilliam, one with actors Johnny Depp and Benicio Del Toro and producer Laila Nabulsi, and one with author Hunter S. Thompson
  • Deleted scenes, with optional commentary by Gilliam
  • Selection of Thompson correspondence, read on camera by Depp
  • Hunter Goes to Hollywood, a short documentary
  • Program about the controversy over the screenwriting credit
  • Profile of Oscar Zeta Acosta, the inspiration for Dr. Gonzo
  • Collection of artwork by illustrator Ralph Steadman
  • Excerpt from a 1996 Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas audio recording featuring filmmaker Jim Jarmusch and actor Maury Chaykin
  • Documentary from 1978 featuring Thompson and Steadman
  • Storyboards, production designs, stills, and trailer
  • English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
  • PLUS: An essay by critic J. Hoberman and two pieces by Thompson

    Cover illustration by Ralph Steadman

Arriving on June 11 comes Rainer Werner Fassbinder's Querelle to Blu-ray.

Querelle - The Criterion Collection 

Querelle - The Criterion Collection 

Conjured from the unholy meeting of two iconoclastic queer artists, Rainer Werner Fassbinder’s final film audaciously raises Jean Genet’s controversial novel to the level of myth. In an expressionistic soundstage vision of a French seaport town—bathed in fiery reds and complete with phallic spires—a strapping sailor and unrepentant criminal (Brad Davis) comes ashore to arouse passion, rivalry, and violence among the libidinal denizens drawn into his orbit. Enacted with dreamlike stylization by a cast of international stars, including Jeanne Moreau and Franco Nero, Querelle finds Fassbinder pushing his taboo-shattering depiction of gay desire to delirious extremes.

BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES

  • Restored high-definition digital master, approved by director of photography Xaver Schwarzenberger, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack
  • New interview with critic Michael Koresky on director Rainer Werner Fassbinder's aesthetics and visual storytelling
  • Rainer Werner Fassbinder—Last Works, a 1982 documentary by Wolf Gremm
  • Trailer
  • English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
  • PLUS: An essay by critic Nathan Lee

    New cover by Astra Zero

Next on June 18, Emilio Fernández's Victims of Sin will arrive in stores on Blu-ray.

Victims of Sin - The Criterion Collection 

Victims of Sin - The Criterion Collection 

A treasure of Mexico’s cinematic golden age, this deliriously plotted blend of gritty crime film, heart-tugging maternal melodrama, and mambo musical is a dazzling showcase for iconic star Ninón Sevilla. She brings fierce charisma and fiery strength to her role as a rumbera—a female nightclub dancer—who gives up everything to raise an abandoned boy, whom she must protect from his ruthless gangster father. Directed at a dizzying pace by filmmaking titan Emilio Fernández, and shot in stylish chiaroscuro by renowned cinematographer Gabriel Figueroa amid smoky dance halls and atmospherically seedy underworld haunts, Victims of Sin is a ferociously entertaining female-powered noir pulsing with the intoxicating rhythms of some of Latin America’s most legendary musical stars.

BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES

  • New 4K digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack
  • New interview with filmmaker and archivist Viviana Garcia Besné
  • New interview with cinematographer Rodrigo Prieto on the work of Gabriel Figueroa
  • Archival documentary on cine de rumberas, featuring interviews with actor Ninón Sevilla
  • Trailer
  • New English subtitle translation
  • PLUS: An essay by scholar Jacqueline Avila

    New cover by Lauren Tamaki

Lana and Lilly Wachowski's Bound will arrive on both 4K Blu-ray and Blu-ray on June 18.

Bound - The Criterion Collection 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray 

Bound - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray - The Criterion Collection 

Before they blew the world’s mind with The Matrix, Lana and Lilly Wachowski delivered a jolt of pure pulp pleasure with their hyperstylish debut, which puts a deliciously sapphic spin on a crackerjack caper premise. When butch plumber Corky (Gina Gershon) catches the eye of alluring femme (fatale) Violet (Jennifer Tilly), little does she know she’s about to be drawn into both a torrid affair and a high-stakes heist that will pit the pair against the mob. With crackling dialogue, luscious neonoir cinematography, and live-wire performances by Gershon, Tilly, and Joe Pantoliano, Bound is a genre-reimagining joyride that keeps both the tension and the erotic heat rising through each crazily careening twist.

DIRECTOR-APPROVED 4K UHD + BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES

  • New 4K digital restoration, supervised and approved by cinematographer Bill Pope, with 5.1 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack
  • One 4K UHD disc of the film presented in Dolby Vision HDR and one Blu-ray with the film and special features
  • Audio commentary featuring directors Lana and Lilly Wachowski; actors Gina Gershon, Joe Pantoliano, and Jennifer Tilly; editor Zach Staenberg; and technical consultant Susie Bright
  • New video essay by film critic Christina Newland
  • Six interview programs featuring Gershon, Pantoliano, Pope, Staenberg, Tilly, actor Christopher Meloni, composer Don Davis, title designer Patti Podesta, and film scholars Jennifer Moorman and B. Ruby Rich
  • Trailers
  • English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing

    New cover by Drusilla Adeline/Sister Hyde Design

David Lynch's Blue Velvet will be getting its long-awaited 4K UHD Blu-ray upgrade on June 25.

Blue Velvet - The Criterion Collection 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray 

Blue Velvet - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray - The Criterion Collection 

Home from college, Jeffrey Beaumont (Kyle MacLachlan) makes an unsettling discovery: a severed human ear, lying in a field. In the mystery that follows, by turns terrifying and darkly funny, writer-director David Lynch burrows deep beneath the picturesque surfaces of small-town life. Driven to investigate, Jeffrey finds himself drawing closer to his fellow amateur sleuth, Sandy Williams (Laura Dern), as well as their person of interest, lounge singer Dorothy Vallens (Isabella Rossellini)—and facing the fury of Frank Booth (Dennis Hopper), a psychopath who will stop at nothing to keep Dorothy in his grasp. With intense performances and hauntingly powerful scenes and images, Blue Velvet is an unforgettable vision of innocence lost, and one of the most influential American films of the late twentieth century.

DIRECTOR-APPROVED 4K UHD + BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES

  • 4K digital restoration, with 5.1 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack, supervised and approved by director David Lynch
  • Alternate original 2.0 surround soundtrack
  • One 4K UHD disc of the film presented in Dolby Vision HDR and one Blu-ray with the film and special features
  • The Lost Footage, fifty-three minutes of deleted scenes and alternate takes assembled by Lynch
  • “Blue Velvet” Revisited, a feature-length meditation on the making of the movie by Peter Braatz, filmed on-set during the production
  • Mysteries of Love, a seventy-minute documentary from 2002 on the making of the film
  • Interview from 2017 with composer Angelo Badalamenti
  • It’s a Strange World: The Filming of “Blue Velvet,” a 2019 documentary featuring interviews with crew members and visits to the shooting locations
  • Lynch reading from Room to Dream, a 2018 book he coauthored with Kristine McKenna
  • English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
  • PLUS: Excerpts by McKenna from Room to Dream

    Cover by Fred Davis

And finally, June 25 will also bring Barry Jenkins' The Underground Railroad to Blu-ray.

The Underground Railroad - The Criterion Collection 

The Underground Railroad - The Criterion Collection 

A monumental reimagining of American history, Barry Jenkins’s adaptation of Colson Whitehead’s Pulitzer Prize–winning 2016 novel is a harrowing and rhapsodic journey through a still-echoing past. Weaving together historical fiction with moments of magical realism, The Underground Railroad is a full sensory immersion into the world of Cora (Thuso Mbedu), who, fleeing slavery, embarks on a treacherous quest for freedom—and is menaced by violence, supported by a clandestine community fighting for liberation, and haunted by the people she loses along the way. With images of searing power and stirring poetry, Jenkins delivers an epic saga of survival and resilience that pushes the limited-series format to new heights of cinematic transcendence.

DIRECTOR-APPROVED FOUR-BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES

  • 4K digital master, approved by cowriter-director Barry Jenkins, with Dolby Atmos soundtrack
  • Alternate stereo soundtrack
  • New audio commentary featuring Jenkins and, on select chapters, cinematographer James Laxton and lead editor Joi McMillon, with an introduction by the director
  • New graphic-novel adaptation of “Genesis,” an unfilmed chapter of The Underground Railroad written by Jenkins and Nathan C. Parker, with an introduction by Jenkins
  • The Gaze, a companion film by Jenkins, with a new introduction by the director
  • Deleted scenes
  • Seven teasers made by Jenkins, with a new introduction by the director
  • Building “The Underground Railroad,” a short program featuring Jenkins and production designer Mark Friedberg discussing the creation of the train-station sets
  • English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing and English descriptive audio
  • PLUS: An essay by critic Angelica Jade Bastién

    New cover by Antonio Stella

Pre-orders for The Criterion Collection's June releases should be available soon 

Falling Into The Financial ABYSS - HDD's 4K UHD & Blu-ray Shopping Guide, Mar 10, 2024

 Between this week and next, you might need to draw from your equity line of credit if you truly buy everything you want. Those three James Cameron titles finally (maybe?) hit the streets, three new title releases, and more. And that's just the 4K category. If you are budgeted to buy just 4 titles this week, you will probably buy the 3 Cameron releases, so which one is your 4th title?

 Welcome to Volume 4 Episode 41 of our weekly release guide. A look at the highlights of what's coming to disc the week of March 10th - March 16th, as well as a look at announcements from last week.

4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Releases-

 In general, we normally post the new releases first. But this week is not a normal release week. Let us begin with the three James Cameron titles we have waited decades for to hit blu-ray, but now (maybe) get them in 4K and blu-ray in the same package. BONUS! My reluctance to say they are finally here is that I do not have them in my hands, nor have I seen them in retailer back rooms yet either. Some merchants have even pushed the street date to next week, which tells me the ETA in their stock rooms will be Monday afternoon, or Tuesday if we're lucky.

 The Disney company has overused the term Ultimate Collector's Edition, but this week all three Cameron titles don that label, for a good reason. Dolby Vision, BD100 discs, lots of extras, this batch has it all.

 First in the trio of releases, the title that got a remaster a couple of years ago and was on Prime video among other sites and had a lot of us speculating a future release, The Abyss finally arrives. Finally my video wall will have this one, Deepstar Six and Leviathan all over again! At press time Amazon's stats say they sold over 10K+ copies in the last month.

 

 Next in our trio of James Cameron releases, Aliens. In addition to it being a serious action thriller, the scene that sticks out the most to me in a comical sense was Bill Paxton's character saying "Game Over Man!" Amazon's stats show 7K+ were ordered last month.

 

 Someone pinch me, the third title is here (maybe) and hopefully is a major upgrade to that blu-ray we had to import from Spain, referring to True Lies. Don't be 'stuck' in the van unless it has a big screen and a killer sound system, grab your copy NOW, if you can find it. Just like Aliens, 7K+ were ordered last month alone.

 

 And now back to our regularly scheduled programming, let's see what New Releases we are getting this week.

 First from Warner Bros, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. Ranked 35% on Rotten Tomatoes, but with an 81 audience score, not sure what to really think about this one. You can also/alternately snag a Walmart Exclusive Steelbook.

    

 

 Also from Warner Bros, The Color Purple (2023) get a 4K disc release, and this one ranks 82% on the Tomatometer, with an audience score of 95. What does the remake do that the original does not? The simplest answer is it adds elements from the stage musical. Hopefully by press time we will have a review ready.

 

 And the third (and final) new release 4K this week is Disney's Wish - Walmart Exclusive SteelBook. When it was originally announced we expected a standard 4K from the Disney Movie Club. In light of recent news of the club closing its doors, that is not happening.

 

 On to catalog titles, first with Dreamworks Animation, Kung Fu Panda. With Kung Fu Panda 4 hitting theaters, releasing the first 3 only make sense. Now if they would release the TV Series to blu-ray! (hint hint)

 

 The Shout Select label this week is offering Quigley Down Under. Tom Selleck NOT driving a Ferrari? Yeah, he did do that.

 

 From Paramount, because they were so successfuly, reprints of SteelBooks of Dragonslayer, Event Horizon and The Running Man are available this week.

 Now then, that wasn't too damaging, was it? If there were multiple box sets, one would say YES. Next week is a bunch of boutique label releases, we finally get The Ring Collection, more Shout Factory, Kino Lorber and Arrow Video.

 

Blu-ray releases-

 Blu-ray counterparts of the above 4K releases include Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom and The Color Purple (2023) from Warner Bros, and Wish from Disney. You can also get the Aquaman 2-Film Collection from Warner Bros.

 The rest of the blu-ray category looks pretty crowded, so best of luck resisting temptation on a spending spree.

 New release from 20th Century Studios and Searchlight Pictures, Poor Things. Available in 4K via streaming, getting just a blu-ray is slightly infuriating and more common now that Disney owns the Fox label. Could be worse I suppose, DVD only!

 

 New rom-com from Sony Pictures with Anyone But You. I'd swear this came out a couple of weeks ago, but apparently not.

 

 From Universal Pictures, The Prince of Egypt: The Musical.

 Get your fill of action and suspense with I.S.S. from Decal Bleecker. While we are on sub-labels and action films, Freelance comes out from Relativity Media. And the Michael Mann biography/drama Ferrari comes via Neon.

 Ever heard the names John Wayne, Lauren Bacall or Ron Howard? How 'bout Don Siegel ? This week from Arrow Video we get all four with The Shootist (Limited Edition).

 

 Warner Archive Collection has a couple of titles for us this week, Colt .45: The Complete Series and Looney Tunes Collector's Choice: Volume 3.

 

 Boutique label Criterion Collection has a pair of blu-ray releases this week. First, 1941's fantasy romance All That Money Can Buy (a.k.a. The Devil and Daniel Webster). Then, shifting gears to a documentary, Laura Poitras’s All the Beauty and the Bloodshed.

 Anime highlights include Akiba Maid War: Complete Collection, The Legendary Hero Is Dead! - The Complete Season, One Piece: Season Thirteen - Voyage Six and  Suzume: Movie, which is also available as a Limited Edition and as a Walmart Exclusive SteelBook.

 

 TV on disc other than Warner Archive Collection also includes All Creatures Great and Small - Season 4, Rick and Morty: Season 7, also available in a SteelBook EditionSonic Prime: Season One and Stephen King's The Shining (1997).

 

Notable announcements from last week:

 Shout Factory has announced much of their May releases. In no particular order, look for blu-rays of The Island of Dr. Moreau Collector's Edition (1996), Dracula 2000 and Orphan, and for 4K, look for The Addams Family 1&2, Gretel & Hansel and Killer Klowns from Outer Space, which the latter will also have a SteelBook release.

 Disney is releasing more Disney+ content to blu-ray and 4K disc. Andor, Moon Knight, Obi-Wan and Falcon and the Winter Soldier are coming April 30th.

 Jason Statham's The Beekeper is coming to blu-ray and 4K disc on April 23rd.

4K Release Calendar

2K/BD Release Calendar

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?



Rom-Com 'Anyone But You' Arrives Only On Blu-ray March 12

The romantic comedy Anyone But You starring Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell will be available on Blu-ray from Sony Pictures Entertainment on March 12.

In the edgy comedy Anyone But You, Bea (Sydney Sweeney) and Ben (Glen Powell) look like the perfect couple, but after an amazing first date something happens that turns their fiery hot attraction ice cold - until they find themselves unexpectedly thrust together at a destination wedding in Australia. So they do what any two mature adults would do: pretend to be a couple.

Anyone But You - Blu-ray

Anyone But You  

The Blu-ray + Digital includes lossless 5.1 audio and the following supplements: 

  • He Said She Said
  • Everyone Down Under
  • Outtakes & Bloopers
  • Deleted Scenes 
  • ASMR Pickup Lines 
  • Aussie Snacks

Pre-orders for Anyone But You are up and here is the full press release:


BRING HOME THE COMEDY THAT EVERYBODY IS TALKING ABOUT!

“One Of The Most Charming Big Screen Rom-Coms In Years!” - Esther Zuckerman, GQ

Anyone But You Blu-ray

NOW ON DIGITAL AND AVAILABLE ON BLU-RAY MARCH 12

SYNOPSIS

In the edgy comedy Anyone But You, Bea (Sydney Sweeney) and Ben (Glen Powell) look like the perfect couple, but after an amazing first date something happens that turns their fiery hot attraction ice cold - until they find themselves unexpectedly thrust together at a destination wedding in Australia. So they do what any two mature adults would do: pretend to be a couple.

Featuring the revitalized, phenomenon hit single “UNWRITTEN” by Natasha Bedingfield!

DISC DETAILS AND BONUS MATERIALS

BLU-RAY™, DVD & AND DIGITAL EXTRAS 

• He Said She Said

• Everyone Down Under

• Outtakes & Bloopers

• Deleted Scenes 

• ASMR Pickup Lines 

• Aussie Snacks

Blu-ray™ & DVD includes a digital code for movie and bonus materials as listed above, redeemable via Movies Anywhere for a limited time. Movies Anywhere is open to U.S. residents age 13+. Visit MoviesAnywhere.com for terms and conditions.

CAST AND CREW

Directed by: Will Gluck

Produced by: Will Gluck, Joe Roth, and Jeff Kirschenbaum

Story by:  Ilana Wolpert

Screenplay by: Ilana Wolpert and Will Gluck

Executive Producers: Alyssa Altman, Jacqueline Monetta, Catherine Bishop, Natalie Sellers, Charlie Corwin, Sidney Kimmel, Mark O’Connor, Sydney Sweeney, Jonathan Davino

Cast: Sydney Sweeney, Glen Powell, Alexandra Shipp, GaTa, Hadley Robinson, Michelle Hurd, Dermot Mulroney, Darren Barnet and Rachel Griffiths

SPECS

Run Time: 103 minutes

Rating: R for language throughout, sexual content and brief graphic nudity.

Blu-ray™: 1080p High Definition / 1.85:1 • Audio: English, French (Doublé au Québec), Spanish 5.1 DTS-HD MA, English & French (Doublé au Québec)- Audio Description Tracks 5.1 Dolby Digital  • Subtitles: English, English SDH, French, Spanish • Mastered in High Definition • Color • Some of The Information Listed May Not Apply To Special Features.

DVD: 1.85:1 Anamorphic Widescreen • Audio: English, French (Double au Quebec), Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital, English & French (Double au Quebec)- Audio Description Tracks Stereo • Subtitles: English, English SDH, French, Spanish • Color • Some of The Information Listed May Not Apply To Special Features.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

X: @SonyPicsHomeEnt, @AnyoneButYou

Instagram: @SonyPicturesHomeEntertainment, @AnyoneButYouMovie

Facebook: facebook.com/SonyPicturesHomeEntertainment, facebook.com/AnyoneButYouMovie/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/sonypictures

Resources: anyonebutyou.movie 

ABOUT SONY PICTURES HOME ENTERTAINMENT

Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation. SPE's global operations encompass motion picture production, acquisition, and distribution; television production, acquisition, and distribution; television networks; digital content creation and distribution; operation of studio facilities; and development of new entertainment products, services and technologies. Sony Pictures Television operates dozens of wholly-owned or joint-venture production companies around the world. SPE’s Motion Picture Group production organizations include Columbia Pictures, Screen Gems, TriStar Pictures, 3000 Pictures, Sony Pictures Animation, Stage 6 Films, AFFIRM Films, and Sony Pictures Classics. For additional information, visit http://www.sonypictures.com/corp/divisions.html

  

Night Swim: Collector's Edition Splashes to Blu-ray on April 9

The supernatural thriller Night Swim from the producers of M3GAN is getting a Blu-ray on April 9 from Blumhouse, Atomic Monster & Universal Pictures Home Entertainment.

Digital arrives on March 12.

The producers of M3GAN high dive into the deep end of supernatural horror with NIGHT SWIM. Wyatt Russell stars as a former major league baseball player, forced into early retirement by a degenerative illness, who moves into a new home with his wife (Oscar® nominee Kerry Condon) and their two children. The new home comes complete with a backyard swimming pool, but a deep secret surfaces and unleashes a malevolent force that will drag the family into the inescapable depths of terror.

Night Swim: Collector's Edition 

Night Swim: Collector's Editiono 

The Blu-ray + DVD + Digital combo pack includes lossless 7.1 audio and the following supplements: 

  • MASTERS OF FEAR – Horror legends Jason Blum and James Wan discuss why they chose to collaborate on this project, what drew them to this story and why first-time director, Bryce McGuire, was the perfect man for the job.
  • DEMONS FROM THE DEPTHS – Dive into the world of special effects and learn how the creatures in NIGHT SWIM were created to withstand the trials of filming underwater.
  • INTO THE DEEP – Go beneath the surface and hear from cast and crew on the physical and technical work that went into creating a movie that contains so many underwater sequences.
  • MARCO POLO – Director Bryce McGuire breaks down the pivotal scare scene and how the film took a simple children’s game and turned it into a nightmare.
  • FEATURE COMMENTARY with Co-Writer/Director Bryce McGuire 

Pre-orders for Night Swim: Collector's Edition are up and here is the full press release:


       

NOW WITH EXCLUSIVE BONUS CONTENT, EXPERIENCE THE SUPERNATURAL THRILLER FROM THE PRODUCERS OF M3GAN

YOURS TO OWN ON DIGITAL MARCH 12, 2024,
BLU-RAY™ AND DVD APRIL 9, 2024
FROM BLUMHOUSE, ATOMIC MONSTER &
UNIVERSAL PICTURES HOME ENTERTAINMENT

Universal City, California, March 5, 2024 – From James Wan’s Atomic Monster (The Conjuring franchise, Insidious franchise) and Blumhouse (The Black PhoneHalloween franchise) comes NIGHT SWIM, available to own with brand-new bonus content on Digital March 12, 2024 and on Blu-ray and DVD April 9, 2024 from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. NIGHT SWIM has been hailed as “a satisfying plunge into backyard terror” (Joshua Rothkopf, LA Times) and “remarkably effective” (Alissa Wilkinson, New York Times). Now own the Collector's Edition, with all-new bonus features, including a behind-the-scenes look at filming the underwater pool sequences, transforming 'Marco Polo' into an eerie game of terror, and more.
 
The producers of M3GAN high dive into the deep end of supernatural horror with NIGHT SWIM. Wyatt Russell stars as a former major league baseball player, forced into early retirement by a degenerative illness, who moves into a new home with his wife (Oscar® nominee Kerry Condon) and their two children. The new home comes complete with a backyard swimming pool, but a deep secret surfaces and unleashes a malevolent force that will drag the family into the inescapable depths of terror.
 
NIGHT SWIM is directed by Bryce McGuire (Writer/Director of Original Short) and stars Kerry Condon (The Banshees of Inisherin, “Better Call Saul”), Wyatt Russell (Everybody Wants Some!!Overlord), Amelie Hoeferle (The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes), Gavin Warren (The Unbreakable Boy, “Fear of the Walking Dead”) and Jodi Long (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, The Hot Chick).
 
BONUS FEATURES on DIGITAL, BLU-RAYTM AND DVD:

  • MASTERS OF FEAR – Horror legends Jason Blum and James Wan discuss why they chose to collaborate on this project, what drew them to this story and why first-time director, Bryce McGuire, was the perfect man for the job.
  • DEMONS FROM THE DEPTHS – Dive into the world of special effects and learn how the creatures in NIGHT SWIM were created to withstand the trials of filming underwater.
  • INTO THE DEEP – Go beneath the surface and hear from cast and crew on the physical and technical work that went into creating a movie that contains so many underwater sequences.
  • MARCO POLO – Director Bryce McGuire breaks down the pivotal scare scene and how the film took a simple children’s game and turned it into a nightmare.
  • FEATURE COMMENTARY WITH CO-WRITER/DIRECTOR BRYCE MCGUIRE
For more information on NIGHT SWIM, please visit:

 Website: 
https://www.uphe.com/movies/night-swim
Press Release: https://www.uphe.com/press-release/night-swim-press-release
Trailer: https://uni.pictures/NightSwim_Trailer
Facebook: /NightSwimMovie |/UniversalPicturesAllAccess
X: @NightSwimMovie | @UniAllAccess | @Blumhouse
Instagram: @NightSwimMovie | @UniAllAccess | @Blumhouse | @AtomicMonster
Tiktok: @universalallaccess
#NightSwim
FILMMAKERS:
Cast: Wyatt Russell, Kerry Condon
Casting By: Terri Taylor CSA, Sarah Domeier Lindo CSA
Music Supervisor: John Bissell
Music By: Mark Korven
Editor: Jeff McEvoy
Production Designer: Hillary Gurtler
Director Of Photography: Charlie Sarroff
Executive Producers: Michael Clear, Judson Scott, Ryan Turek
Produced By: Jason Blum, James Wan p.g.a.
Screen Story By: Bryce McGuire & Rod Blackhurst
Screenplay By: Bryce McGuire
Directed By: Bryce McGuire

 

TECHNICAL INFORMATION BLU-RAYTM:

Street Date: April 9, 2024
UPC Number: 191329258002 (US) / 191329258026 (CDN)
Layers: BD 50
Aspect Ratio: 16:9 2.39:1 Widescreen
Rating: PG-13 for terror, some violent content and language.
Languages/Subtitles: English, French Canadian, and Latin American Spanish
Sound: English (DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 for Feature, Dolby Digital 2.0 for bonus content), French Canadian (DTS Digital Surround 5.1), and Latin American Spanish (DTS-HD High Resolution Audio 7.1)
Run Time: 01:38:12

Amélie Dreams Up a Limited Edition Blu-ray SteelBook on March 26

Sony is packing up Jean-Pierre Jeunet's French comedy-fantasy Amélie starring Audrey Tautou and Mathieu Kassovitz inside a limited edition Blu-ray SteelBook on March 26.

The Blu-ray includes the ALL-NEW: Jean-Pierre Jeunet Looks Back featurette.

Bursting with imagination and having seen her share of tragedy and fantasy, Amélie is not like the other girls. When she grows up, she becomes a waitress in a Montmartre bar run by a former dancer. Amélie enjoys simple pleasures until she discovers that her goal in life is to help others. To that end, she invents all sorts of tricks that allow her to intervene incognito into other people's lives, including an imbibing concierge and her hypochondriac neighbor. But Amélie's most difficult case turns out to be Nino Quicampoix, a lonely sex shop employee who collects photos abandoned at coin-operated photobooths.

Amélie Limited Edition Blu-ray SteelBook

Amélie Limited Edition SteelBook 

DISC DETAILS & BONUS MATERIALS 

  • Special Features:ALL-NEW: Jean-Pierre Jeunet Looks Back (Blu-ray Exclusive)
  • Commentary with Director Jean-Pierre Jeunet
  • The Look of Amélie
  • Q&A With the Director
  • Q&A With the Director and the Cast
  • An Intimate Chat With Jean-Pierre Jeunet
  • Fantasies of Audrey Tautou      
  • Cast Auditions
  • Home Movie: Inside the Making of Amélie
  • Storyboard Comparisons
  • The Amélie Scrapbook 
  • Trailer

Pre-orders for Amélie Limited Edition SteelBook are up and here is the full press release:


THE MODERN ROMANTIC FAVORITE COMES HOME
AVAILABLE ON DVD 
AND AS A LIMITED EDITION BLU-RAY™ STEELBOOK
MARCH 26TH
SYNOPSIS
Bursting with imagination and having seen her share of tragedy and fantasy, Amélie is not like the other girls. When she grows up, she becomes a waitress in a Montmartre bar run by a former dancer. Amélie enjoys simple pleasures until she discovers that her goal in life is to help others. To that end, she invents all sorts of tricks that allow her to intervene incognito into other people's lives, including an imbibing concierge and her hypochondriac neighbor. But Amélie's most difficult case turns out to be Nino Quicampoix, a lonely sex shop employee who collects photos abandoned at coin-operated photobooths.
DISC DETAILS & BONUS MATERIALS 
BLU-RAY DISC™
  • Feature presented in high definition
  • French DTS-HD MA 5.1
  • Special Features:
    • ALL-NEW: Jean-Pierre Jeunet Looks Back (Blu-ray Exclusive)
    • Commentary with Director Jean-Pierre Jeunet
    • The Look of Amélie
    • Q&A With the Director
    • Q&A With the Director and the Cast
    • An Intimate Chat With Jean-Pierre Jeunet
    • Fantasies of Audrey Tautou      
    • Cast Auditions
    • Home Movie: Inside the Making of Amélie
    • Storyboard Comparisons
    • The Amélie Scrapbook 
    • Trailer
DVD
  • Feature presented in standard definition
  • French Dolby Digital 5.1
  • Special Features:
    • Commentary with Director Jean-Pierre Jeunet
    • The Look of Amélie
    • Q&A With the Director
    • Q&A With the Director and the Cast
    • An Intimate Chat With Jean-Pierre Jeunet
    • Fantasies of Audrey Tautou      
    • Cast Auditions
    • Home Movie: Inside the Making of Amélie
    • Storyboard Comparisons
    • The Amélie Scrapbook 
    • Trailer
CAST AND CREW
Directed By: Jean-Pierre Jeunet
Screenplay By: Guillaume Laurant and Jean-Pierre Jeunet, Dialogue By Guillaume Laurant
Produced By: Claudie Ossard
Cast: Audrey Tautou, Mathieu Kassovitz, Rufus, Lorella Cravotta, Serge Merlin, Jamel Debbouze, Claire Maurier, Clotilde Mollet, Isabelle Nanty, Dominique Pinon, Artus de Penguern, Yolande Moreau, Urbain Cancelier, Maurice Benichou


SPECS
Run Time: Approx. 122 minutes
Rating: R for sexual content
Blu-ray Feature Picture: 1080p High Definition, 2.35:1
Blu-ray Feature Audio: French (PAR) 5.1 DTS-HD MA
DVD Feature Picture: Standard Definition, 2.35:1 Anamorphic Widescreen
DVD Feature Audio: French (PAR) 5.1 Dolby Digital
The Calm Before The Storm, It's HDD's 4K UHD & Blu-ray Shopping Guide, Mar 3, 2024

For people like me, I look forward to 4K releases, and I tell ya, this week is a great week to prepare ourselves for what next week is going to bring! It's sort of a calm before the storm. Keep both hands on the wheel as we get through this week and into next.

Welcome to Volume 4 Episode 40 of our weekly release guide. A look at the highlights of what's coming to disc the week of March 3rd - March 9th, as well as a look at announcements from last week.

4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Releases-

 Walmart Monday has Brawl in Cell Block 99, Children of the Corn (2020),  Mayhem and Prisoners of the Ghostland available as 4K Walmart Exclusive SteelBooks.

   

 

 Just TWO releases this week in this category on Tuesday. First, from Universal and another upgrade to a recently released blu-ray, action/thriller The 355.

 

 

 And second, from Paramount and a straight-up double-dip of sorts, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, but as a standard edition (rather than from the 'Paramount Presents' line.) Relatively sure these are the exact same discs as the previous release, check out the review to see if it's right for you.

Next week could be walletmageddon, walletpocalypse, bank breaker, credit card maxxer, need a new line of credit, insert witty financial pun here, all of the above! Those James Cameron titles we have been eagerly awaiting for for YEARS, the next Aquaman, The Color Purple remake, Wish, a bunch of Shout Factory titles, and more!

 

Blu-ray releases-

 Blu-ray counterparts of the above 4K releases? Look to the past, we already have them.

 The volume of blu-rays this week is also lower than normal. Not gloom and doom, there are plenty of preorders still on the books, this week is just slow like the 4K category.

 Walmart Monday brings exclusive SteelBooks, this week look for Kickboxer, Little Monsters, Shivers and V/H/S/Triple Feature.

 

  Anime highlight this week includes just RWBY: Ice Queendom - The Complete Season.

 

 Shout Factory brings back a memorable to me title, Over the Edge. What I remember most is how much havoc these kids did.

 

 I know we are all itching for this in 4K, and anything (it seems) related to James Wan and/or Blumhouse seems to be hit or miss (mostly miss). SAW 10-Film Collection 20th Anniversary Edition is available Tuesday. A fancy looking set with all 10 films in it.

 Honorable mention: This one from Oscilloscope is getting a fair amount of attention with some of the Hollywood circles. Classified as a fantasy horror, Moon Garden is on track for a Tuesday release.

 

 Amazon US has the February batch of Imprint titles available Friday, they are Children of HeavenThe Dresser, Face to Face  (Ansikte Mot Ansikte), I'm Not Scared (Io Non Ho Paura), A Man in Love (Un Homme Amoureux) and Mountains of the Moon.

Notable announcements from last week:

 Glory is coming to 4K SteelBook from Sony Pictures on June 4th.

 The Departed has been finalized for a release date to 4K disc on April 23.

4K Release Calendar

2K/BD Release Calendar

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?



Good Burger 2 Cooks Up a Blu-ray Release on March 26!

The comedy Good Burger 2 from Paramount+ and Nickelodeon and starring Kenan Thompson and Kel Mitchell is headed for Blu-ray on March 26.

Digital is available today.

Calling all dudes—buckle up, because the new adventures of Ed and Dex start now! Your favorite fast-food duo is back and serving up nostalgic laughs and new antics in Good Burger 2. Follow Dexter Reed (Kenan Thompson) and original cashier Ed (Kel Mitchell) as they reunite in the present day at fast-food restaurant Good Burger with a hilarious new group of employees. Dexter is down on his luck after another one of his inventions fails. Ed welcomes Dex back to Good Burger with open arms and gives him his old job back. With a new crew working at Good Burger, Dex devises a plan to get back on his feet but unfortunately puts the fate of Good Burger at risk once again.

Good Burger 2 - Blu-ray 

Good Burger 2 

The Blu-ray includes lossless 5.1 audio and the following supplements: 

  • Home of the Good Bloopers (Extended Version)
  • The Comfort Food Classic
  • Behind the Scenes with Kenan and Kel
  • MEAT the Employees
  • Q&A with the New Crew
  • Employee Training Video
  • Good Burger 1 Movie Recap

Pre-orders for Good Burger 2 are up and here is the full press release:


WELCOME BACK TO GOOD BURGER IN THE ALL-NEW MOVIE!

Good Burger 2

GOOD BURGER 2

Available on Digital February 27, on Blu-ray ™ and DVD March 26, 2024

  

LOS ANGELES – February 27, 2024 – Join Ed, Dex, and their hilarious new crew of employees in the brand-new movie Good Burger 2! After a rough patch in his career and a few failed inventions, Ed is reunited with his old friend Dex who graciously offers him his old job back at Good Burger. The entertaining dynamic duo is back working together and getting up to their old shenanigans, this movie is packed with fun cameos, humor, heart, and friendship. Get ready for a hilariously good time at the iconic fast-food joint, Good Burger!

 

Good Burger 2 will be available on Digital February 27, on Blu-ray ™ and DVD on March 26 from Paramount Home Entertainment and Nickelodeon Home Entertainment, for the suggested retail price of $19.99 (Blu-ray ™) and $12.99 (DVD).

Good Burger 2 synopsis:

Calling all dudes—buckle up, because the new adventures of Ed and Dex start now! Your favorite fast-food duo is back and serving up nostalgic laughs and new antics in Good Burger 2. Follow Dexter Reed (Kenan Thompson) and original cashier Ed (Kel Mitchell) as they reunite in the present day at fast-food restaurant Good Burger with a hilarious new group of employees. Dexter is down on his luck after another one of his inventions fails. Ed welcomes Dex back to Good Burger with open arms and gives him his old job back. With a new crew working at Good Burger, Dex devises a plan to get back on his feet but unfortunately puts the fate of Good Burger at risk once again.

 

Good Burger 2 is executive produced by Kenan Thompson and Kel Mitchell. It was penned by Kevin Kopelow & Heath Seifert and James Smith III. Phil Traill (The Middle, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Single Drunk Female) directs.

Good Burger 2 DVD Bonus Features: 

Home of the Good Bloopers (Extended Version)

The Comfort Food Classic

Behind the Scenes with Kenan and Kel

MEAT the Employees

Q&A with the New Crew

Employee Training Video

Good Burger 1 Movie Recap

Good Burger 2 fast facts:

Street Date: March 26, 2024

DVD: 191329261286 (US)

Blu-ray ™: 810134949706 (US)

DVD Audio: Dolby Digital English 5.1

Blu-ray ™ Audio: Dolby Digital English 5.1

US Rating: Not Rated

US M.S.R.P.: $12.99 (DVD) & $19.99 (Blu-ray ™)

About Paramount+

Paramount+, a direct-to-consumer digital subscription video on-demand and live streaming service, combines live sports, breaking news and A Mountain of Entertainment™. The streaming service features an expansive library of original series, hit shows and popular movies across every genre from world-renowned brands and production studios, including BET, CBS, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, Paramount Pictures and the Smithsonian Channel. Paramount+ with SHOWTIME®, the service's cornerstone plan, is also home to SHOWTIME® content, including scripted hits and critically acclaimed nonfiction projects and films. This premium plan includes unmatched events and sports programming through the local live CBS stream, including golf, basketball and more. All Paramount+ subscribers have streaming access to CBS News Network for 24/7 news and CBS Sports HQ for sports news and analysis

 

For more information about Paramount+, please visit www.paramountplus.com and follow @ParamountPlus on social platforms.

 

About Nickelodeon

Nickelodeon, now in its 44th year, is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The brand includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer products, digital, location-based experiences, publishing, and feature films. For more information or artwork, visit http://www.nickpress.com. Nickelodeon is a part of Paramount’s (Nasdaq: PARA, PARAA) global portfolio of multimedia entertainment brands.

 

About Paramount Home Entertainment 

Paramount Home Entertainment (PHE) is part of Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC), a global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment.  PPC is a unit of Paramount (NASDAQ: PARA, PARAA), a leading global media and entertainment company that creates premium content and experiences for audiences worldwide.  The PHE division oversees PPC’s home entertainment and transactional digital distribution activities worldwide. The division is responsible for the sales, marketing, and distribution of home entertainment content on behalf of Paramount Pictures, Paramount Animation, Paramount Television Studios, Paramount Players, MTV, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central and CBS and applicable licensing and servicing of certain DreamWorks Animation titles.  PHE additionally manages global licensing of studio content and transactional distribution across worldwide digital distribution platforms including online, mobile and portable devices and emerging technologies.

 

Book That Dentist Appointment - HDD's 4K UHD & Blu-ray Shopping Guide, Feb 25, 2024

 With the final week of the month essentially here, March will bring us all sorts of things. An excuse to be Irish, an uptick in disc releases, major college basketball action, Spring. What does March mean for you?

 Welcome to Volume 4 Episode 39 of our weekly release guide. A look at the highlights of what's coming to disc the week of February 25th - March 2nd, as well as a look at announcements from last week.

4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Releases-

 Before we kick off Tuesday's slate, let's look at Monday. Nope, not for imports either, but rather a new term, 'Walmart Monday.' Walmart Exclusive SteelBooks of previously released catalog titles (mostly Shout! Factory or RLJ Entertainment) all appear to have Monday street dates. That pattern is not just this week either, but coming weeks. Titles this week include Creepshow, Dragonheart, The Magnificent Seven (1960) and Platoon.

    

 

 Moving on to Tuesday, the new release this week is Wonka from Warner Bros. Alternately, there is also a Walmart Exclusive SteelBook available.

    

 

 Next and on to catalog titles, from Warner Bros., Steven Soderbergh's Contagion. Is it a drama, is it a thriller? YES.

 

 Kino Lorber has a pair of releases this week with an early Stanley Kubrick work, Fear and Desire. And, the 1957 edition of Gunfight at the O.K. Corral with Burt Lancaster and Kirk Douglas.

    

 

 From Vinegar Syndrome, the general release of The Horrible Dr. Hichcock. If you want the release with the limited edition slipcase, follow the link in the description, or follow this link.

 Sort of echoing Dr. Hichcock, Southern Comfort also gets a standard release, with the original limited release available here.

 From the Vinegar Syndrome partner label Cinématographe, a well represented release of Little Darlings. Amazon is offering this special release too, so there is no need to visit VS if this is all you would like to purchase.

 

 From Criterion Collection, The Roaring Twenties. Just reading the first paragraph of David's review has me off the fence and ready to order this one. (Like the well dressed men with Tommyguns wasn't enough?)

 

 Somewhat of a double-dip, All Quiet on the Western Front now becomes available in a SteelBook. No doubt the same exact discs as the mediabook release from last March.

 And lastly, available Friday the BFI import of The Wages of Fear. This title was released on February 19th, but we found an Amazon US link when the Amazon UK link became unavailable for purchase.

 Oh-Oh, there is more. As a last 3.5 second release announcement, Universal has decided to grace us with Illumination animated title Migration for a release this week. Quack Quack!

 

 Another slow(ish) week next week. Meanwhile March 12th is going to be ridiculously busy with those James Cameron releases, more catalog titles and THREE new release titles.

 

 Blu-ray releases-

 Blu-ray counterparts of the above 4K releases include Wonka, available in a standard edition and as a Target ExclusiveFear and Desire and The Roaring Twenties. Added at the last second is Migration from Universal.

 Now then, the blu-ray category itself looks quite busy this week.

 New comedy from Sony Pictures with Anyone But You.

 

 In the comedy horror department, LionsGate has Dream Scenario with Nicolas Cage. Also available this week in the Western genre, The Night They Came Home.

 

 From Searchlight Pictures, the blu-ray release of Next Goal Wins.

 

 TV on disc this week includes Fear the Walking Dead: The Complete Eighth Season and Monk: Season Four.

 Anime highlights this week include (gotta love the length of some of these titles) Chillin' in My 30s After Getting Fired From the Demon King's Army: The Complete Season, Dual! Parallel Trouble Adventure, Extreme Dinosaurs - Complete Series, Hand Maid May - Complete Collection and I've Somehow Gotten Stronger When I Improved My Farm-Related Skills - Complete Collection and Puss 'N Boots: Around the World.

 

 Collectors of Kino Lorber's Film Noir box sets can get Film Noir: The Dark Side of Cinema XVII this week.

 Honorable Mention: From Radiance Films and available for the first time on blu-ray worldwide, the drama/history Allonsanfan.

 Friday imports available via Amazon US include both Imprint and Umbrella titles:

 

 

Notable announcements from last week:

 Reported by The Digital Bits and other outlets, Disney is shutting down their movie club and getting out of the physical media business. Now that the shock is over, what does this mean? In this case they are partnering with Sony to do future releases. Time will tell if this is a positive thing or a negative. Will Sony have more autonomy to release catalog titles from Fox? Will Sony release a 4K where otherwise Disney would have done a standard blu-ray? Will we finally be rid of the BD66 HDR10 Atmouse shell? Will this just be a glorified licensing agreement where Sony has to beg Disney for rights to produce a disc? I also have doubts of future inclusion of digital codes, afterall, they're trying to push their monthly subscription fees on us. One last thing... what becomes of Disney Movie Insiders, their rewards site? We will no doubt know more in the coming weeks or months, so stay tuned.

 We now have a street date for the 4k releases of Brandon Lee's The Crow from Paramount, that would be May 7th. The next Paramount Presents release will be a 4K of Sergio Leone's Once Upon a Time in the West. Expect that one a week later, May 14th.

 Sony Pictures will be releasing Steel Magnolias to 4K as a 35th Anniversary Edition on April 23rd.

 Arrow Video has revealed their May 2024 slate. For the US and Canada (and UK on select titles), titles include Narc, blu-ray and 4K skus, Crimson Peak 4K, Pandemonium blu-ray and Night Falls on Manhattan. For the UK exclusively, a 4K release of The Long Good Friday.
 Kino Lorber adds new titles to their up and coming list quite regularly. The one that stood out last week to me was the 1955 release of The Ladykillers to 4K and blu-ray. I very strongly considered the StudioCanal Vintage Classics release from several years ago.

 

4K Release Calendar

2K/BD Release Calendar

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?



Complete Your Collection Screwheads! - Where to Find Sam Raimi Films on Blu-ray or 4K UHD

If it weren't for the sheer talent and genius of Sam Raimi, it's not entirely certain that the modern horror and comedy genres would have ever met, fallen in love, and had a successful marriage to this day. Raimi started in the horror genre with his childhood friends shooting 8mm movies in their back yards. Once they finished school they made their first feature and with an iconic quote from horror maestro Stephen King, "The Ultimate in Grueling Terror," The Evil Dead set up Sam Raimi for life. But he wasn't just a pioneer in independent horror filmmaking. Throughout his long career, Raimi has directed numerous films of all genres. But he always remained true to himself with his unique visual style and ability to cross-pollinate genres with comedy. These efforts eventually led the indie horror director to make one of the biggest films of all time - Spider-Man

But here in the physical media world, it's universally known that Raimi's films have enjoyed release after release on physical media. Some films have enjoyed multiple releases on any given format. How many of us have bought Evil Dead II or Army of Darkness? If you started with VHS and worked your way through DVD, Laserdisc, Blu-ray, Bootleg, Collector's Editions, Steelbooks, and 4K Limited Editions you've picked up those films dozens of times by now. So for Raimi fans or newcomers aiming to complete their collections - where can you get Sam Raimi films on Blu-ray or 4K UHD?

The Evil Dead (1981)
Nobody can go anywhere without finding a copy of The Evil Dead in some form or fashion. There have been so many releases that it's almost impossible to start at the beginning. Right now the best options are in 4K releases. There was a solo release for the film itself with great artwork that comes with the 4K and Blu-ray Discs but that set has gone out of print. There is a smattering of duo discs with the first two Evil Dead films as well on Blu-ray. But the main attraction for those horror aficionados is the Groovy Collection which has the first two films and the TV Series Ash VS.

The Evil Dead is inside a great keepsake box with amazing new artwork and discs. Now the odd part about all of the Evil Dead films is the wealth of bonus materials that come with them and those hilarious commentary tracks with Raimi and his cohort Bruce Campbell. Those DVD copies of Evil Dead and Evil Dead II keep the original mistakes and visual blemishes intact, but on the Blu-rays and 4K releases, those mistakes have been fixed and the images cleaned up to perfection.

Most of the extras have transferred over onto the Groovy Collection, making it the ultimate way to view Evil Dead currently. Now there was an HMV Exclusive Cine Edition to Evil Dead in the UK, but the only difference here was that the version came with a poster and lobby cards. As more movies come out and these films are Physical Media mainstays, we're sure this film and its sequels will see more solo releases in the future, but for now - 

Crimewave (1985)
Everyone in the horror world was clamoring for more horror and Evil Dead from Raimi, Tapert, and Campbell. But before the iconic sequel, Raimi made a spoofy crime caper comedy called Crimewave with the help of his friends - the Coen Bros. Like a perfect Milford Man, a lot of people have seen nor heard of this film, but in 2013, Shout! Factory released it on Blu-ray. It's fairly easy to find still but does not have budget pricing. However, the premium is for all the commentary tracks and extras with Bruce Campbell here. The Region B release from Indicator is also available with new artwork. 

Evil Dead II (1987)
The world got lucky when Raimi and Campbell came back and re-imagined their instant classic horror film with a sequel that added Three Stooges humor to the gore and terror. Still to this day, most people say this sequel is the better of the trilogy and is perhaps one of the best sequels ever made. And like above, Evil Dead II has been released dozens of times over the years and has many of those same releases as The Evil DeadAnd again, it'd appear the solo 4K UHD with Blu-ray has gone out of print so the Groovy Collection is currently your best value for the first two films including the complete Ash vs Evil Dead Series

Darkman (1990)
Darkman brought Liam Neeson, Sam Raimi, and Frances McDormand together in his first outing at making a superhero type of movie. A lot of this film was translated later into Spider-Man in 2000. But Darkman was finally released in 2010 in one of those early years of Blu-ray. But it wasn't until 2014 that Scream Factory made the big Collector's edition Blu-ray with tons of new bonus material. And now in 2024, Scream Factory gave it new life in 4K with some new extras as well.

    

Army of Darkness (1992)
Personally, this is my favorite movie of all time - still. I'm 42 years old and Boomsticks, deadites, and groovy one-liners still get me. This movie has been released perhaps the most times out of any Sam Raimi release and for good reason. It's because it's just that good. Through countless DVD versions, including the two-disc limited edition that included the alternate endings and deleted scenes, alternate artwork overs, brown-bag bootleg DVD releases and more. Blu-ray saw the film released countless times as well, along with 4K versions.

But it wasn't until recently that Scream Factory once again released Army of Darkness in a Limited Edition Steelbook Collection in 4K, which is the ultimate way to view the film in any of its formats or versions. No matter if the Scream Factory 4K is the standard affair or the Steelbook, the money that's shelled out for it is entirely worth the extra money. It just depends on what type of artwork or case packaging one prefers.

    

The Quick and the Dead (1995)
If anyone was told that the director of Evil Dead II made a Western film with Leo DiCaprio, Russell Crowe, Gene Hackman, and Sharon Stone, nobody would believe that for a second. But it happened and it was fantastic! However, not a ton of people remember that movie or talk about it, even though it's one of the most fun modern Westerns out there. In 2009 Sony released the film on Blu-ray with zero bonus features. And in 2018, it was released again in 4K with only a couple of minutes of deleted scenes - that's it. This movie begs for the Criterion treatment with that much star power! Maybe Sony will rerelease it with a new SteelBook and load up on those extras?

A Simple Plan (1998)
This Oscar-nominated movie also has an all-star cast and might have been Raimi's answer to his friend's film Fargo about average everyday people, money, and crime. The three Hollywood B's - Bill Paxton, Billy Bob Thorton, and Bridget Fonda all star in this amazing movie which for some reason has NEVER seen the light of day on Blu-ray stateside with foreign markets the only place to import this classy thriller. But for the USA, DVD is the only way to view this film in physical media form. What gives, Paramount? If there was ever a candidate for a Paramount Presents premier release it's A Simple Plan. Japan did just get a new release of this film earlier this month - maybe one is coming our way too? Unless you're aching for it and don't mind importing, the HD disc status for this thriller is MIA (Missing in America). 

For The Love of the Game (1999)
Sam Raimi must have loved Kevin Costner in Baseball films because Raimi made his own with Costner here. The original part comes in how the movie is told, which is during the span of one season-end game where Costner's character is pitching a perfect game as he dissects his past life, his one true love, and retiring. Not a lot of people fell in love with this one, probably due to its over two-hour runtime, but it's sappy, it's Costner, it's Baseball. In 1999, Universal Studios released the film on Blu-ray with a bunch of deleted scenes and a long EPK extra with the cast and crew. Since then - crickets. Is there a Costner/Baseball collection out there? 

The Gift (2000)
Billy Bob Thorton must have fallen in love with Sam Raimi because he wrote the screenplay for this film that starred Cate Blanchett, Keanu Reeves, and Katie Holmes. This brought back Raimi to the horror genre with a supernatural detective storyline that works on a lot of levels. It might not have the gore or fun that his early movies had, but the horror and drama are there. Most recently in 2023 Australia's Imprint Films released the film on Blu-ray, but that has already gone out of print. The film is also available in various EU territories. Sadly, no word on a 4K release yet but maybe for its 25th anniversary? We can hope. 

Spider-Man (2002)
With a career as good as Raimi's up until now, anyone should be so lucky to work with such talented actors and friends and have the success he did. But then 2002 came along and Raimi, the man who made Army of Darkness, raked in over $850 million at the box office for the first live-action Spider-Man film. It made him, Tobey, Kirsten, and Willem household names and ushed in the modern comic book film. Over two decades later, it's still a great movie and has those iconic marks on Raimi's map that inclined his classic car and Bruce Campbell along the way.

Sure the film was remade and rebooted a few times over, but that original trilogy from Raimi still stands tall. After many iterations on DVD, all three films were released in combo packs on Blu-ray and most recently in 2022 in 4K with all of the trimmings. That is the ultimate way to view these films right now until Sony decides to revisit them for new Steelbook editions.

   

Spider-Man 2 (2004)
The success of Spider-Man was legendary and broke box office records at the time. There was no doubt that Raimi was going to make the sequel. He did and it made about the same amount of money the first one did. Like Evil Dead II, most people say this second Spider-Man film is the best of the trilogy. But everyone can remember that car crash sequence through the restaurant window. That's an all-time great sequence, plus Raimi's horror roots come to life in the creation of Doc Ock. The same goes for this film physical media-wise. Blu-rays and most recently the 4K set is the best way to go here. 

      

Spider-Man 3 (2007)
Since Raimi did a bang-up job on the last two films, Sony allowed him to go crazy, which was a mistake. The result was emo-dancing Spider-Man, and way too many villains to count that Spidey had to throw down with. It was met with scathing reviews, but it made the most money out of all three films. Raimi is still proud of it and like the previous two films, this third one sits in the trilogy set in Blu-ray or 4K for the choosing. 

   

Drag Me To Hell (2009)
After Raimi's six years with Spider-Man, he returned to his roots with the balls-to-the-wall horror film Drag Me To Hell. Unfortunately, the movie was PG-13, but that didn't stop Raimi from using gore, blood, and scares to frighten audiences everywhere. Not only that, he brought back the comedy and silly moments here that climaxed in an ending so insane, it must be seen to be believed. This is still a great movie and has been released a few times on physical media. First, there was a special edition of the movie on DVD and Blu-ray in 2012. But in 2018, Scream Factory released their Collector's edition of the film with new artwork and extras and in 2023, Australia's Via Vision Entertainment unleashed their deluxe Limited Edition with Lenticular Cover. While a 4K would be most welcome, either of these two releases on Blu-ray are fantastic purchases. 

   

Oz: The Great and Powerful (2013)
In 2013, Disney hired Raimi to make a prequel to The Wizard of Oz with James Franco, Mila Kunis, Rachel Weisz, Michelle Williams, Zach Braff, and more. The movie follows a young Oz who eventually becomes with wizard. It wasn't exactly great, but it had enough going for it and a ton of Raimi-isms that it made more than its money back in the box office. It's just not that memorable. Physical Media wise, this is a product of when 3D was all the rage, so there are Blu-ray versions still out there with and you can still find the 3D Blu-ray in certain corners but it's not as easy to come by. There is not any 4K talk yet and since it's Disney, that might not happen.

Ash vs Evil Dead (2015)
It became a running joke at comic book and horror conventions that when Bruce Campbell took the stage, nobody was to ask about Evil Dead 4, because the answer was a firm, "NO!" Never say never though, because Raimi, Tapert, and Campbell came back to the Starz and made three amazing seasons of an aging Ash versus the Evil Dead. Raimi even directed the first episode and produced the rest. It was funny, scary, corny, gory, and full of life. These individual seasons are available on Blu-ray, along with a big set of all three seasons in one tight pack. These are also available in the Groovy Collection mentioned above, but they're Blu-ray only. Maybe one day, the 4K of this beloved series will see the light of day but chances are slim. 

   

Doctor Strange and the Multi-Verse of Madness (2022)
The MCU decided to pay tribute to the amazing Raimi by bringing him to direct the sequel to Doctor Strange, which was the first horror film set in the MCU. Yes, it had Bruce Campbell selling pizza and the classic car. Raimi's comeback film to the superhero genre was met with critical praise and a billion-dollar box office treat. There is nothing Raimi can't do. This film saw Blu-ray and 4K release galore, even having their unique versions at various brick-and-mortar retailers with different packaging, gift items, and more. And for the die-hard 3D Blu-ray fans, you could import the film all the way from Japan! 

    


And that brings Raimi up to date with the movies he's directed (for now). Sure, there are tons more that he produced, co-wrote, or did second unit work for but as far as directing is concerned, Raimi has a master resume of entertaining films. One that everyone hopes is not finished yet because he has a lot more fun to have with his friends behind the camera. Let's all hope for more horror, comedy, westerns, and Evil Deads from Raimi.

 

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