And just like that, *poof*, February is in the rear view mirror. Welcome to Episode 41 of our weekly look at the highlights of what's coming to home video. No witty anecdotes or remarks this week, just right down to business.
4K Ultra HD Blu-ray/Digital Releases-
Thus far, it looks like March in general is going to be a slow month for 4K disc releases.
As far a fresh content, this week look for the video-game inspired movie Monster Hunter starring Milla Jovovich. I am quite surprised there are no retailer exclusives or even a line of toys, all of which I think would sell in this case. What kid (or big-kid) wouldn't like to buy a monster action figure? I have not seen this film, but come on, Jovovich, monsters, it will certainly sell a few copies in each sku available! I wish FUNimation would release the rest of the "Ride On" episodes on Blu-ray, but that's a different topic. Agree or disagree with me, I tend to be on the 'sort of like / to really like' video game based movies. Hitman is still near the top of my list, I don't care how awful the reviews were for it.
Next, a reissue, but this time as SteelBook edition. Doesn't appear to be Best Buy Exclusive, but Amazon does not seem to have it available as of this writing.
The 2005 reboot of War of the Worlds starring Tom Cruise & Dakota Fanning. This specific cover has been used on Blu-ray SteelBooks and Metalpaks previously, I like it better than the standard cover.
HD Blu-ray/Digital releases-
March has got five new-release Tuesdays and they all have got a good amount of titles on each one. Let's dive right in on the highlights.
The above mentioned Monster Hunter also gets released on Blu-ray as well.
Shout Factory this week releases another independent action film, this one is titled 400 Bullets.
This week's Anime releases should offer something for everyone. A Rightstuf exclusive titled Ah My Buddha!!, which also has an English dub, Aragne - Sign of Vermillion gets a reissue this week, so no more paying inflated prices from 3rd party resellers, but still no English dub. Want to save a few dollars, Attack on Titan Season 3 this time as a complete set. A Certain Scientific Railgun T, Dragon Ball Z SteelBooks for Season 8 and Season 9 and InuYasha: Set 4 finish out the category.
Rick and Morty: The Complete Seasons 1-4 will be available this week.
Universal Studios releases a 2020 drama/romance titled All My Life this week. Also from Universal, the 2020 comedy/drama Half Brothers debuts on disc.
LionsGate brings us Fatale this week, it sounds a bit like Femme Fatale, but I cannot say for sure if it was based on it or not.
Bob Hope fans be on the look out for Caught in the Draft, My Favorite Blonde and Nothing But the Truth by Kino Lorber.
This one interests me, Disney's trend nowadays is to do live action versions of their animated features. An Italian company did Pinocchio and it looks pretty good. Don't worry, there is an English dub on this disc. For some reason LionsGate is doing the digital release but Samuel Goldwyn is doing the actual disc. Although I prefer physical over digital, had LionsGate done the disc version, it would have also included a digital code.
Notable announcements from last week:
There has been a trickle of new title announcements last week. Although there are a bunch of 'decent' titles announced, I do not consider them major or mass appeal.
What did get announced in the 4K arena though were a few random ones. First up, Tim Burton's Big Fish got a surprise 4K announcement. Expect to see it on May 4th. And next, Paramount has released more details about My Fair Lady 4K and Super 8 4K, both slated for May 25th. Super 8 will be getting a standard release and a SteelBook release. It is unknown at this time if the SteelBook will be a Best Buy eclusive or a general release, but I expect it to be Best Buy Exclusive. Maybe by next week we will have working links for both Paramount releases.
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? Again, except for the major releases, good luck finding them in your local B&M store, but the titles that interest me are as follows: Monster Hunter 4K has already been preordered. I do like the War of the Worlds cover, but not enough to double-dip. Wishlist includes 400 Bullets, Pinocchio, Certain Scientific Railgun T, Dragon Ball Z 8 & 9 SteelBooks, InuYasha #4 and Fatale.
The final full week of February is upon us. For the Northern hemisphere, Spring is just around the corner and tell you what, I certainly look forward to it, February has been more Winter-like than January was. Welcome to Episode 40 of our weekly look at the week's highlights of new releases and upcoming releases news.
4K Ultra HD Blu-ray/Digital Releases-
This week's best seller 4K disc will no doubt be The Croods: A New Age. Having not personally seen it, am not going to pre-judge, I myself generally like these releases. I'm surprised there are no retailer exclusives this time though.
Vinegar Syndrome's general release of The Beastmaster was supposed to happen this week. Our listing will remain for posterity and (Vinegar Syndrome website) purchase link will be updated to Amazon accordingly when it becomes available. Do read our review, it is a "Must Own" release.
Import of significance of the week is Fanny Lye Deliver'd, our link brings you to a domestic seller.
HD Blu-ray/Digital releases-
As far as regular Blu-ray releases, this week has got an above average number. A bunch of them are Miramax reissues, but that just means it's an opportunity to get them at a more reasonable price. I certainly took advantage of the last round of reissues.
Carrying over from the 4K section above, The Croods: A New Age is also available as a Blu-ray/DVD Combo, a 3D Blu-ray Combo and as a Croods/Croods 2 double feature Blu-ray.
LionsGate's obligatory weekly appearance to release a Covid-era new film brings us Silk Road, a story based on true events involving the dark web. Also this week, after a rather short theatrical run, Wrong Turn gets a reboot and this film hits home video. Our review indicates it is worth your time if you enjoy this genre.
Anime highlights of the week include a couple. Discotek releases their February titles this month as well, but they are mostly Japanese language only with English subs. Other titles include Fairy Tail: Part 26, Food Wars! The Fourth Plate and Konosuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World: Complete Second Season + OVA.
Criterion Collection's busiest week of the month as they are bringing us Man Push Cart as well as Chop Shop. The latter is actually a sequel to Man Push Cart. Both are set in New York and no doubt poke a little bit at the culture of the city. And lastly, a drama/romance film titled Smooth Talk, for which I will not even pretend to know what it is about, but if you collect Criterion titles, no doubt it's on your list.
Shout Factory brings us another IFC film, this one is titled Centigrade.
Warner Archive Collection delivers one of those live-action animated hybrids this week titled My Dream Is Yours, which by the way stars Doris Day among others. This is one of the ones I can vagualy remember and it was decent for its time. Sticking with Doris Day and musicals, also look for On Moonlight Bay this week as well. And still going strong with musicals, the 1951 rendition of Show Boat streets this week as well. Also from Warner Archive, a more recent title that celebrates free speech, Pump Up The Volume.
Notable announcements from last week:
Criterion Collection has announced its May 2021 batch of titles. Although every title except one mentions "4K" in their descriptions, it's to merely indicate a 4K Restoration, not a 4K presentation. Look for Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Flowers of Shanghai, Merrily We Go to Hell, Nightmare Alley and Trances to be released on various dates in May. Order links are live.
Friday releases offer us two Music related titles and two Arts related titles, Alice Cooper, The Go-Gos, Cathy Marston: The Cellist, John Gay: Beggar's Opera (2020).
Paramount has officially announced My Fair Lady for 4K disc with a street date of May 4th. The cover art has been updated and partial features are listed. Although we have an Amazon link, the page is temporarily unavailable. Stay tuned though
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 Croods: A New Age 4K is on the top of my list, and I have no doubt it should be available at most stores. I did pre-order the Konosuba release and will likely get the Wrong Turn release also on Tuesday. Keeping it brief, I have an interest in ten or so of the Miramax reissues. More wishlist titles, Fairy Tail #26, New Adventures of Pippi Longstocking, Pump Up the Volume, Puppet Princess and maybe a Friday release or two.
Continuing from last week, more and more new releases seem to be unavailable at local stores if you're looking for something other than crappy, obsolete, low-resolution DVDs. Seriously, the industry and stores wonder why Blu-ray and 4Ks see a decline in sales, it should be pretty obvious why. Compare it to a chicken and the egg or even a famous quote, "if we build it, they will come." Welcome to Episode 39, our weekly look at what's coming out on Home Video.
4K Ultra HD Blu-ray/Digital Releases-
There are no 4K discs slated for this week. Perhaps if Criterion or Disney were on board for catalog titles, there would be something.
HD Blu-ray/Digital releases-
Somewhat average week for Blu-ray releases this week. And here we go....
Shout Factory continues to release Indie films and catalog titles. This week look for A Call to Spy, a biography/drama that tells the story of women spies duing WWII.
Warner Archive Collection releases 1956 comedy/drama classic film Baby Doll. Also, a more recent animated release, Harley Quinn: The Complete First and Second Seasons. Clark Gable's San Francisco also releases this week as well.
When you think H.P. Lovecraft you mostly think of Cthulhu, the TV series Lovecraft Country: The Complete First Season releases this week. Also available as a Best Buy Exclusive SteelBook.
Mill Creek releases their February batch this week, they include Breach, Cowboy Way and The Net Double Feature.
Criterion Collection's release this week is a foreign film titled Mandabi, which no doubt has a following, and myself personally has never heard of, oh well.
LionsGate continues to churn out films during the COVID pandemic, this week look for Fear of Rain, a film of the Drama/Thriller category that no doubt might keep us on the edge of the seat til the end, and then still keep you wondering. Also look for The Informer this week as well, a different genre. And if you're wondering what Paul Hogan's been up to these days, check out The Very Excellent Mr. Dundee.
The randomness and consistency of Anime, this week look for Gourmet Girl Graffiti - Complete Collection, now back in print. Also back in print, Motto To Love Ru - The Complete Second Season. The next reissue of Jojo's Bizarre Adventure, this one subtitled Golden Wind Part 2 streets this week. My Hero Academia Season Four Part Two comes in two different options, a Standard release and a Limited Edition release. Naruto: Set 2 also comes out this week.
Universal releases a thriller this week titled Horizon Line. The synopsis makes me scratch my head however, how does one get totally lost within minutes of takeoff? Might be worth a look, but based on the trends, I doubt you will find it at your local stores.
Notable announcements from last week:
The Disney company has announced a release date for the animated feature Soul to be March 23rd. Of course as this is a new film, it will get a disc release. Disney seemingly ignores its vast Disney (and Fox) library that just itches for releases on disc, recently they released Upside Down Magic on DVD only, despite being available in HD online. Anyway, back to Soul, for 4K SKUs there will be a standard release, a Best Buy Exclusive Edition and a Target Exclusive Edition, as well as a Blu-ray/DVD Combo release. Our links will point to Best Buy as their dispute with Amazon continues indefinitely. Deep rumors are out overseas that Disney will be releasing Michael Mann's Heat, as well as the movie Speed on 4K disc this year. I hope it is more than a rumor, I like both movies and would buy them both. Still no True Lies or Abyss, but it shows the faucet might at least be doing a slow drip.
Warner Bros. announced DC Universe's Justice Society: World War II available as a 4K disc release as well as a Blu-ray release for May 11th. I sort of expect a Best Buy edition with figure to creep up as well. Also, Wonder Woman '84 has its final details posted and a confirmed street date of March 30th, both as a Blu-ray Edition and a 4K Disc. Not done with Warner yet, they also have announced the street date for Supernatural Season 15 as May 25th, but what makes this special is also the Complete Series mega-set they have announced as well. Check it out.
Shout Factory has announced their May slate of titles, which includes all of their various sub-labels. The titles are All About the Benjamins, City Slickers II: The Legend of Curly's Gold, Explorers, Eyes of a Stranger, The Final Stand, The Hand, He Knows You're Alone, King Kong (1976), The Legend of Hei, The Nest (2020) and Wildcats.
There are other 4K discs in the works from the major players as well (Sony, Paramount, Universal) which we will keep you in the loop on. Kino Lorber has also announced they are working on Orson Welles' Touch of Evil.
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? My list is a bit short this week. Finding any of these titles at local stores on anything but low-rez DVD will likely be pointless but ya never know. Am looking at A Call to Spy, Horizon Line, Lovecraft Country Season One and The Very Excellent Mr. Dundee.
Anyone that regularly purchases new releases has likely observed like I have that certain movies are not available in any physical stores. An even larger kick in the face though is that the same titles, the DVD is available for sale. More and more stores are pushing 4K into our faces but they only sell DVDs of new releases? Pixel wise, you could play 24 DVDs on your 4K screen simultaneously. Recent releases absent from stores were Come Play, Fatman and Born a Champion Blu-rays and the 4K of Batman: Soul of the Dragon. Welcome to Episode 38 of our weekly look at what's new to home video. My above rant is abbreviated by the way.
4K Ultra HD Blu-ray/Digital Releases-
In the 4K disc arena, first a reissue, 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi, this time though as a Best Buy Exclusive SteelBook.
Next, making its 4K disc debut, Sci-Fi/Action film Elysium, starring Matt Damon and Jody Foster. Elysium was one of those titles on the survey Sony offered late last year to gauge what customers wanted next.
HD Blu-ray/Digital releases-
Paramount's next "Paramount Presents" releases debut this week, the week before Valentines Day, look for Elizabethtown, a more recent comedy/romance. And the other release is Love Story. I would expect these to be decent presentations and not cash-grabs, I don't think Paramount is looking to tarnish their flagship label.
Keeping with the theme, LionsGate releases the comedy/romance The Right One this week. Not Valentines day, but still Lionsgate, look for Wander Darkly this week as well.
What else does Valentines mean other than to watch My Bloody Valentine, right? Scream Factory now offers it as a SteelBook release.
Arrow Video releases The El Duce Tapes for the first time on Blu-ray.
The Criterion Collection's release of the week is The Parallax View. Another film I must have missed, but it's got creds that make it worth looking at.
From my opening rant, (good luck finding) Freaky and Greenland in stores, released by Universal by the way. We have reviewed the latter in its digital format.
All Creatures Great and Small seems to have a rising following and Season 1 comes out this week. I'm sorry to say I have not watched broadcast TV for quite some time so I am semi-clueless with that regard.
In the Anime/animated category, the sequel to Ne Zha streets this week, it's titled Jiang Ziya. Ne Zha got a 4K release but it looks like the sequel does not. Paramount releases The Little Prince (2015), previously only available as an import.
Baltic/Russian film makers are at full speed ahead and it seems each week we see something from them. This week Scream Factory is releasing a Horror/Sci-Fi titled Sputnik, and yes, it is reported to have an English dub.
Still looking for 3D discs to keep your 3D gear in use? This week, Wings of the Hawk debuts, and our review indicates it was restorted quite well.
Friday releases comprises mostly of arts releases.
Notable announcements from last week:
All of this week's Mondo Macabro releases got delayed a month, look for them now on March 9th. No doubt COVID and other related delays.
Arrow Video has announced their next batch of titles, which span the month of April. As far as 4K, they're prepping a "fat pack" release of Donnie Darko. It seems as though I had just bought their Blu-ray of this one (not to say it was a bad release, I just hate the back-to-back double dips.) The other 4K release on the docket is Battle Royale, but that one's a UK only release. Now for Blu-ray releases, they are (alphabetically) Death Has Blue Eyes, Elvira: Mistress of the Dark (Arrow / SteelBook Edition) and Switchblade Sisters. A Blu-ray release of Battle Royale also remains a UK exclusive and, oddly enough, Clapboard Jungle appears to be a UK and Canada only release.
Warner Archive's March titles include The Bermuda Depths, Crossfire, Damn Yankees, The Great Caruso, Isle of the Dead and Thundarr the Barbarian: The Complete Series. Isle of the Dead was originally to be a Shout/Scream factory release in 2019, looks like that had fallen through. If you remember The Berrmuda Depths it is likely because you know your Rankin and Bass TV!
Warner Bros has announced the 4K release of Godzilla (2014) and it will be available on March 23rd as a Standard Release (with a rather f'ugly cover) and a SteelBook release that looks very much like the Asian import of the Blu-ray SteelBook I bought years ago. The latter, Godzilla's tail was nicely embossed/textured. I recall people complaining how dark the picture was on this movie, I doubt, but really do hope that HDR will change that aspect much. I think the dark look was the intention of the film.
The next 'Paramount Presents' release will be Cecil B. DeMille's The Greatest Show on Earth, expected on March 30th. Featuring another 4K restoration but presented in 2K format. Paramount (unlike DISNEY) at least is releasing multiple catalog titles on Blu-ray that never were available before and offering a handful of actual 4K titles as well from the catalog. My Fair Lady, Super 8 and The Ten Commandments will be on 4K disc soon.
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? I currently have none of this week's titles on preorder, but I'm certainly interested in Elysium 4K. My wish list for the rest of the titles are Freaky, Greenland, Sputnik, Jiang Ziya, Wander Darkly and The Little Prince.
For many of us, the month of February is a welcome sight as it also means Spring is near, being the shortest month of the year, it's that much nearer. Filing your income taxes has been delayed until the 12th at the earliest, what's on your wishlist this year?
Welcome to Episode 37 of our weekly look at what's coming out on home video.
4K Ultra HD Blu-ray/Digital Releases-
This week there is a single 4K disc release, Spike Lee's Do the Right Thing. In addiiton to the 4K and HDR upgrade, this one has got an updated DTS:X audio track. The BD100 disc should indicate there is a decent bit rate as well. Alternately, a Target Exclusive SteelBook is also available as well, and this time Target the the right thing by offering a SteelBook in 4K.
HD Blu-ray/Digital releases-
This week is the slowest week of the month for Blu-ray discs, here are the highlights.
Sammy Davis Jr. releases seem far and few, this week Kino delivers Anna Lucasta, which also stars Eartha Kitt. Another of his films, A Man Called Adam also releases this week as well. Known director James Whale's The Kiss Before the Mirror also debuts this week on Blu-ray, check out our review, buy the disc. Delayed a few times, but now on track for this week, Kino partner Code Red releases The Great Alligator, one of those schlocky fun horror films from the 70s.
Paramount's (new to Blu-ray) catalog batch this week includes Lassie, Mouse Hunt, Small Soldiers & Yours, Mine & Ours (2005). Also, reissues of Ladybugs and Revolutionary Road means these OOP titles can be had again for a reasonable price.
The weekly dose of anime highlights include just Black Clover: Season 3 Part 2 & Twittering Birds Never Fly: The Clouds Gather.
Universal releases Let Him Go, the 2020 Crime/Thriller movie starring Diane Lane and Kevin Costner.
Lionsgate's weekly infusion includes just Love, Weddings & Other Disasters, this one's got a bit of star power in it worth checking out if you like the comedy/romance genre.
Notable announcements from last week:
Shout Factory/GKIDS has announced and added details for the 2020 Studio Ghibli animated film Earwig and the Witch. The feature is directed by Gorô Miyazaki is expected to release on Blu-ray on April 6th. It will be available as a standard release and a SteelBook edition, no word on if 4K is even an option. If it is, it will likely release like Weathering With You did, ie: a couple of months later, and they did warn us beforehand.
LionsGate has announced three more titles for Feb/Mar, they are Don't Tell a Soul, Vanguard and Wrong Turn (2021). Our own Matthew Hartman has reviewed the theatrical release of Wrong Turn, check it out.
Information has been leaked of Universal releasing National Lampoon's Animal House on 4K disc later in 2021. Details are not available as of yet and the cover art is likely temporary (their 4K disc releases generally offer digital 4K streams, not digital HD.)
Kino Lorber's 4K disc release of Spaceballs now has a street date, expect it on April 13th.
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? I did preorder Mouse Hunt and Small Soldiers. Wishlist includes Black Clover S3#2, Ladybugs, Lassie & Sky Sharks. Let Him Go sounds interesting but this could have been a good 4K candidate, it might still be actually, hard to say if they will release in on 4K domestically or overseas. I will also look at Love, Weddings & Other Disasters first, no blind buy there.
The last full week of January 2021 is upon us, and thus far the new disc announcements still remain rather slow. They will ramp up, they always do after the holidays. Welcome to Episode 36 of our week's highlights on what's coming to home video.
4K Ultra HD Blu-ray/Digital Releases-
This week we see three UPCS on 4K disc, animated features at that. First from Warner Bros. look for Batman: Soul of the Dragon, available as a standard release and as a (increasingly more common) Best Buy Exclusive release that includes a figure.
Next, in the anime category, Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro comes at you from Discotek. I do not follow the Lupin series much but it appears to me to be well established and goes quite a ways back, proven by the fact this title is from 1979.
HD Blu-ray/Digital releases-
For Blu-ray releases, this week is probably the busiest week of the month.
Warner Bros also releases Batman: Soul of the Dragon on Blu-ray this week as well. More DC Universe material, Doom Patrol: The Complete Second Season hits home video this week as well. I must have missed the boat, but apparently Snowpierecer got a TV series? Season One is releases this week on Blu-ray.
Warner Archive releases the 1936 vintage film After the Thin Man, perhaps worth a look if you want to complete the entire sequelogy (is that even a word? If not, it should be.) Also from Warner Archive, Good News starring June Allyson & Peter Lawford and The Pajama Game starring Doris Day, and finally Room For One More starring Cary Grant.
Criterion Collection releases foreign film The Ascent this week.
LionsGate keeps cranking them out, at a fair price to boot, look for the action/drama Born a Champion this week.
Universal releases Come Play this week, perhaps the kind of movie you would watch to break cabin fever.
In the anime category, alphabetically, significant releases include Ascendance of a Bookworm - Complete Collection, Case File no221: Kabukicho - Season 1 Part 2, No Guns Life: Season 1 and Sorcerous Stabber Orphen: Season 1.
The next Paramount Presents release becomes available this week, this time The Court Jester, which is also the first time it's been released on Blu-ray anywhere in the world. Thus far this line has been produced fairly well, I just wish they would include 4K where applicable, seeing as how many of their sources are 4K scans. Days of Thunder getting a 4K disc the same day as a Paramount Presents version was released is a good example.
Also from Paramount, albeit a month late, what sounds like a fun take on a Christmas movie, Fatman debuts on disc this week.
Random oddity from AGFA that sounds potentially interesting, The AGFA Horror Trailer Show. Also from AGFA, another interesting plot summary, The Curious Dr. Humpp.
Arrow Video Releases I have been looking forward to after missing out on the mega-box set last year, despite ordering it on DAY ONE!! Gamera comes to us now in snazzy SteelBook packages. The Heisei Trilogy, The Heisei Era and The Showa Era. These appear to be the same discs from the box set but not inclusive of the swag. I really hate mail ordering Steelbooks though. Most of the order pickers and packers are unaware of the care they need in handling and shipping, so good luck not having to return them because of damage. (Note the two 'era' SteelBooks below, side-by-side form a single picture.) Also from Arrow, the 2006 feature starring Dwayne Johnson, Southland Tales comes out this week too!
Grindhouse Releasing now releases the 1968 Burt Lancaster film The Swimmer this week as well, did I miss something? This film has had multiple releases over the years. Someone please educate me, what am I missing?
Friday releases, one concert and one arts/ballet feature.
Notable announcements from last week:
Criterion Collection has announced its April 2021 slate. They missed the deadline to be in last week's update and it looks like April 2021 will not be the month they release their first 4K disc. Any way, the list of Blu-ray for April includes The Furies, History Is Made at Night, Irma Vep, Masculin Féminin and Memories of Murder. Amazon preorder links are already live.
Paramount Pictures Home Entertainment has announced another wave of catalog releases for Blu-ray. The list includes Girls Rule Collection (She's the Man comes to Blu-ray for the first time), The Bad News Bears (1976), The Bad News Bears (2005), The Saint, Snake Eyes (reissue), Tupac: Resurrection and The Tuxedo.
On the same topic, Disney are you reading this? Not only have you abandoned the 4K disc market for catalog titles, but apparently since you've acquired Fox and started Disney +, you have also abandoned Blu-rays as well. I would like to legally own so much of your catalog on Blu-ray, sell them to me! There are so many sites out there selling discs that it's not always clear if they're legit.
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? I have an interest in both 4K titles, but neither are on preorder at this time. Other wishlist items, in order of importance: Doom Patrol Season 2, Fatman, Gamera Heisei Era and Showa Era, Born a Champion, Court Jester and the Friday release of Snow Queen.
Has certainly been an interesting tumultuous month outside of the entertainment industry. The goal of these weekly updates though serves one purpose, home entertainment updates.
Welcome to Episode 35 of our weekly look at the highlights of the week's home video releases.
4K Ultra HD Blu-ray/Digital Releases-
This week we see see three catalog titles hitting 4K disc.
Sony Pictures brings us the Roland Emmerich 2009 disaster film 2012. Films of this nature were never meant to be entirely and scientifically accurate, but they still entertain us for a couple of hours and make us think of how life in our reality could be different. This one has an array of camera sources and a 2K DI, but how Sony produces the final 4K disc, I do not know, you can bet that bare minimum the HDR aspect will improve this release.
Next, a pair of John Carpenter classics from the 80's, Prince of Darkness and They Live, brought to you by Scream Factory. These were restored by StudioCanal and released in the UK in 2018. Scream Factory no doubt took the same source but upped the ante a little bit by adding Dolby Atmos audio. We have done reviews of both releases already and they are favorable, follow the links and check them out. I hope they also release the other two films from the StudioCanal batch in 4K, Escape From New York and The Fog.
HD Blu-ray/Digital releases-
For 2K/HD disc releases this week, there's quite an assortment. As always, the highlights are here.
From Mill Creek, Accepted debuts on Blu-ray for the first time globally. Your Higness gets a Mill Creek reissue in case you missed the actual Universal Pictures release from 10 years ago.
Anime releases every week are expected, it's a huge industry and a fair market across the globe. Shout Factory releases a 15th Anniversary edition of Bartender. Note this does not have an English dub though. Sentai Filmworks releases Blade of the Immortal - Complete Series.
FUNimation brings us Part Two of Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba as well as Season 6 and Season 7 of the Dragon Ball Z SteelBook releases.
2019's Drama/Thriller Dreamland debuts from Paramount this week,
The synopsis sounds interesting, Dead Reckoning is being released by Shout/Scream factory this week. Keep in mind though that a synopsis doesn't paint the whole picture.
Still on track for this week, Arrow Video's reissue of JSA: Joint Security Area. This one is worthy of mention as the previous release is listed for upwards of $100 from 3rd party sellers.
Criterion Collectors should be eager to ponder Rolling Thunder Revue: A Bob Dylan Story by Martin Scorsese, two big names right there.
Notable announcements from last week:
There are a few B movie delays this week, no doubt related to the fact that there are not many places to produce discs any more and the COVID virus.
Warner Archive has announced their February titles, which include Baby Doll, Harley Quinn: The Complete First and Second Seasons, My Dream Is Yours, On Moonlight Bay, Pump Up the Volume, San Francisco, Show Boat (1951), Six by Sondheim and A Tale of Two Cities (1935).
Will you be singing 'Happy Trails To You' when I mention that MVD Rewind Collection will be releasing Mackintosh and T.J. on May 18th? I certainly hope so. So many of the classic westerns need to be preserved and this one is no exception.
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? Slow week for me. I certainly want all three of the 4K releases, I actually preordered the Shout Factory ones on impulse when they were at a pretty low price on Amazon. Also have Demon Slayer Part Two and the DBZ #6 and #7 on order as well.
Ma and Pa Kent from Man of Steel and Batman V Superman reunite for the thriller Let Him Go - now coming to Blu-ray on February 2nd from Universal Home Entertainment. Check out the trailer:
If you didn't check it out during it's Theater At Home run on various streaming platforms, this family thriller hits Blu-ray in a two-disc Blu-ray & DVD set with Digital Copy. No news on a 4K UHD Blu-ray option at this point, there was one rumored a while back but we don't know what happened with that plan.
Preorders for Let Him Go are now live - I wouldn't worry about that initial price point, I'm sure it'll go down well before release day.
Check out the full press release with tech specks below.
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With Rick and Morty Season 5 arriving maybe possibly (who knows really) sometime in 2021 - Warner Brothers collects the previous seasons into one nice convenient box set. This has been their habit throughout the series' run thus far so this isn't too surprising a release. They did a Season 1 & 2 box ser, a Season 1 & 3 box set - and I'm sure eventually after Season 5 arrives - there will be a box set for that too. If you've been on the fence picking the series up, it's still damn funny.
Season 4 wasn't peak material in my book, but it was still pretty damn funny. Those last few episodes saved what was starting out to be a pretty mediocre season. And in case you're worried about extra features or anything like that, these sets are merely collecting the already available discs so nothing new in that regard.
As of this writing, Rick and Morty: The Complete Seasons 1-4 is not yet available for pre-order but should be soon. When it's up we'll update the listing.
Here's the full press release from Warner Brothers Home Entertainment:
Not a lot to really bring front and center this week about the entertainment industry, other than to say welcome to Episode 34 of our weekly look at what's coming to Home Video.
4K Ultra HD Blu-ray/Digital Releases-
There are no 4K discs slated for this week in the U.S. market. This whole month is a bit light actually.
HD Blu-ray/Digital releases-
On the Blu-ray front though, it's an average week. So, without further adieu, let's get right to it.
The anime category has a handful of titles this week worth your time. In no particular order (except maybe alphabetical) they are: Boruto: Naruto Next Generations - Set 8 (Shadow of the Curse Mark), Fruits Basket: Season 2 Part 1, available as a standard edition and as a Limited Edition, Girls und Panzer: This is the Real Anzio Battle!, a movie titled Lupin III: The FIrst available in a standard edition and as a SteelBook,
Mill Creek has another batch of VHS Retro Look titles this week, they are Blind Fury, Crossroads, The Freshman and Like Father Like Son. Also from Mill Creek, the next Ultraman release, this one is titled Ultraman Taro - The Complete Series and is available as a standard edition and as a SteelBook.
If you're a Criterion collector, there is one title this week that I personally know nothing about, Minding the Gap.
Lionsgate has an action sci-fi release titled Skylines. Somehow this one looks familiar but yet it is not, and no, I'm not thinking of Pacific Rim either.
The 2020 horror/thriller Spell comes to you this week from Paramount.
Notable announcements from last week:
Very slow week for announcements, as expected, but with the holidays over they will resume.
Amazon has listed a street date of February 23 for The Croods: A New Age, I probably would accept that as accurate.
Severin films has announced their April slate of titles, some of them were pending since 2012 and were to be released by Scorpion Releasing. The titles are Day of the Animals, Deep Blood, Grizzly and Santa Sangre. The latter will also be available on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray as a 4-disc deluxe editon, look for them under April 27th.
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? One title preordered, the Lupin III SteelBook release. I've got a very short wishlist this week, Buried Alive and Skilines. A couple of the Mill Creek retro titles mildly interest me as well.
In an announcement released yesterday to email subscribers and on the Family Video Website and social media accounts, Keith Hoogland has announced the end of an era. You can read the letter here.
As people moved to the convenience of online streaming platforms to get their movie fixes, the video rental shop business model steadily disappeared. Except for Family Video. Where the dominoes fell fast for chains like Blockbuster and Hollywood Video (where I slung videos from 2008-2010 in Ann Arbor, Michigan) the small spunky upstart managed the impossible - it hung on. Understanding rural areas didn't get the same fast dedicated internet speeds needed for a quality streaming experience, the company adjusted its business model to keep to small towns and cities. But just because they catered to the needs of a smaller local audience, didn't mean they sidestepped new format advancements or tastes.
Where my in-laws live there's a Family Video and while renting something never made sense for how short our visits usually are (and I have vastly different tastes in movies), I always liked to drop in and look around. It was a delightful dip through nostalgic memories complete with raiding the Previously Viewed titles for great deals. I also loved they had a dedicated Criterion Collection section - something I hadn't seen since my Hollywood Video days. Sadly, I won't get to do that again. As COVID-19 swept across the country it knocked out their foot traffic and with precious few new releases coming to disc, they couldn't survive. Lasting over 10 years longer than the likes of Movie Gallery, Blockbuster, or Hollywood Video, Family Video's end effectively closes the last chapter of an era where people actually left their homes to find a new movie to watch for the weekend.
While this doesn't come as much of a consultation, the Family Video website will live on. In recent years they've become a great resource for collectors offering solid deals on previously viewed discs but also great sales from niche and boutique studios. I personally take advantage of their Arrow, Criterion, and most recently their Blue Underground sale. Their regular 50% off Arrow Video sale alone has helped me save a ton while adding some great titles to my collection that I otherwise would have waited on or passed altogether.
So far, I haven't seen any details for closing sales and deals on the store level - if you live near one let us know! One of the worst parts of helping my Hollywood Video close and then visiting subsequent Blockbuster locations was picking through the bones of the shops for titles. But at the same time, I felt like I was preserving a part of a larger collection. I still have several of my old Hollywood Video titles with clunky thick plastic cases and genre stickers covering up part of the spines. Even as I've replaced those titles with Blu-ray or even 4K UHD, I haven't had the heart to let those old memories go. If you're lucky to live near one of these shops that will be closing its doors, see if you can't mask up and make a final visit.
First full week of 2021 right here folks! Have you broken your New Year's resolution yet? Here's hoping this year will be a good one.
Welcome to Episode 33 of our weekly look at the highlights of what's coming out on home video this week.
4K Ultra HD Blu-ray/Digital Releases-
Just a single 4K disc this week, the 2020 Adventure/Comedy Love and Monsters. I don't know enough about this one to comment any further.
HD Blu-ray/Digital releases-
So far it looks like the month of January is pretty evenly divided for Blu-ray releases. Here's the highlights for this week.
Warner Archive brings us The 100: The Complete Seventh and Final Season. Seven seasons seems a compfortable number with a lot of great shows.
With Sir Sean Connery gone, it's fitting to have a reissue of 1975's The Man Who Would Be King, which no doubt is simply a more exonomical package. Maybe one of our readers could comment, is there any basis to this movie and the more recent The Kid Who Would Be King.
In the Anime category, Black Bullet - Complete Collection might be worth your time. R-Rated anime includes Blood Sisters and Devilman - Special Edition, Amazon lists them as next week but the studio's site and other retailers indicate they are out this week.
Kino Lorber has a few noteworthy titles each week, but the one that might catch your eyes is Captain Newman, M.D., starring Gregory Peck & Tony Curtis. A previously delayed title Ingagi comes out this week, but relabeled as one of their Forbidden Fruit titles, this one is Volume 8 for those keeping track. It's dubbed as "the greatest movie hoax" which piques my interest a little.
Kino Partner, Code Red, has a fun 80's title this week, Savage Streets. Those growing up on Vestron Video, MTV when they played music and even HBO when it was in its infancy should remember this one. Kino's other partner, Scorpion Releasing, brings us Tintorera, another shark movie trying to make a buck from the success of Jaws. On its own this one is not a bad movie.
Love and Monsters also gets a Blu-ray release as well.
Criterion Collectors have one release to ponder this week, Three Films by Luis Buñuel, which include The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie, The Phantom of Liberty and That Obscure Object of Desire.
Both Friday releases are Operas, Beethoven: Lenore and The Fiery Angel.
Notable announcements from last week:
The Time Travelers (1964) was slated for this week, but sort of went *poof* with no new date listed.
Another 3D Blu-ray announcement, this time from Kino Lorber, the Kung-Fu action filled title Dynasty. Featuring Digital 3D, analyph 3D and digital 2D, plus restored 4 channel sound.
Monster Hunter now has order links, both for the Blu-ray and the 4K Combo, and has a tentative street date of March 30. I would expect all sorts of retailer exclusives on this one, if not domestically, perhaps overseas.
Castlevania: Season Three just got listed as well, but no official announcements yet. Also, from the same distributer, His Dark Materials: Season Two also got a listing, announcement expected very soon. Season One in my opinion had a much better release in the UK. This show was produced in 4K, so the lack of a 4K disc option annoys one to no end.
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? I do have Blood Sisters, Devilman and Shrine of the Morning Mist on order. Love and Monsters 4K could be an impulse buy. A Gravitas release that I might consider, Nina of the Woods. Savage Streets and Tintorera are distant wish list items.
At the end of the week, we will be saying HAPPY NEW YEAR as we reign in 2021! This could be interesting with a pandemic raging, no Times Square event for sure. Having lived in the country and in the city, there is still a commonality at midnight, that pop pop pop sound of either fireworks or gunshots!
Welcome to Episode 32 of our weekly look at what's coming to home video. Just like last week, the selection is pretty light, if not lighter.
4K Ultra HD Blu-ray/Digital Releases-
There are no 4K releases slated for this week. If we were in the UK I would mention His Dark Materials Season Two.
HD Blu-ray/Digital releases-
In the Blu-ray anime category, Discotek titles dominate. The titles are Battle Athletes TV Series + OVA, Case Closed: The Crimson Love Letter, Devilman Lady - The Complete Series, GinRei The Complete OVA Series, Lupin III: Tokyo Crisis and Thermae Romae - The Complete Series.
FUNimation releases Case File no221: Kabukicho - Season 1 Part 1.
Universal Pictures brings us 2020's Action Crime Drama Honest Thief starring Liam Neeson.
From Sony Pictures, 2020's The Last Shift, considered as a Comedy Drama. The cast should be familar to you any way, might be worth a look.
If you're a Marx Bros. fan, the previously delayed A Night in Casablanca appears on track for this week.
For a Friday release, a previously delayed title, Asia: Symfonia - Live In Bulgaria 2013. Asia was a pretty decent rock back back in their day.
Notable announcements from last week:
Often times I do not post complete announcements from the independent houses, it is is not out of lack of respect, it's that many of the titles have a very limited audience and these weekly posts are highlights. Any way, early this past week Vinegar Syndrome announced Silent Madness 3D with a street date of January 26. I know 3D fans are always looking for new titles so this is big news to such fans. This release includes 2D, digital 3D and analyph 3D. The latter means you put on the colored glasses (included) and view them on any TV.
Details and street date have been finalized for the follow up to the movie Ne Zha, this one is titled Jiang Ziya. No 4K listing yet, hard to say if there will be.
Paramount has announced the next batch of Miramax reissues, they have a street date of February 23rd. What's great is that if you missed your chance to buy these when they originally came out, the reissues are typically a little less money this time around, and you no longer have to have that much desired released dangled in front of you by a third party seller at $100 or more! This batch contains mostly R rated titles and so far they include Chasing Amy, Doubt, The English Patient, Finding Neverland / Ella Enchanted (Double Feature), Frida, Gone Baby Gone, Hostage, Like Water for Chocolate, Rounders, Shakespeare in Love, Sling Blade and Trainspotting.
The 1997 sci-fi masterpiece Gattaca is getting a 4K release, as a SteelBook to boot on March 23rd. Check out our news story here. Also announced for 4K disc, the 2020 video-game based film Monster Hunter and the 2016 video-game based film Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV.
FUNimation has revealed their Late February/March 2021 titles. As expected, the SteelBooks for Dragon Ball Z Season 8 and Season 9 are there. Additionally, Fairy Tail: Part 26, A Certain Scientific Railgun T - Part 1, Attack on Titan: Season 3, BOFURI: I Don't Want to Get Hurt So I'll Max Out My Defense - Season 1 (as a standard release and as a Limited Edition release,) Fruits Basket: Season 2 Part 2 (also as a standard and a Limited Edition release,) One Piece: Season Eleven - Voyage One (first season of this series on Blu-ray,) Black Clover: Season 3 Part 3 (additionally a different SKU with an empty box to hold the entire season,) Asteroid in Love - The Complete Series and Goblin Slayer - Goblin's Crown. Also debuting in May, Phantasy Star Online 2 - Episode Oracle Part 1.
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 only one I preordered was Devilman Lady, Honest Thief and Last Shift are wishlist items, as well a Case File 221 S1P1.
Many of us are celebrating Christmas this week. Have you been nice? What will Santa be bringing you? Welcome to Episode 31 of our weekly look at what's new to home video. Overall a slow week, as to be expected with the Christmas holiday.
4K Ultra HD Blu-ray/Digital Releases-
Akira fans look for the 4K release this week, it includes a fair amount of extras. Beastmaster (1982) is supposed to get a 4K general release this week, but order links from Amazon are still not available, probably next month.
HD Blu-ray/Digital releases-
Warner Archive offers The Best Years of Our Lives, a post-war classic movie about, post-war, this movie won seven Oscars including best picture, so definitely check it out. Warner Archive also brings you a James Stewart holiday classic, The Shop Around the Corner.
Just in time for the Christmas spirit, It Happened on 5th Avenue, read David's review, buy the disc.
If you've been itching for the follow-up movie to The Craft to hit Blu-ray, Sony Pictures brings you The Craft: Legacy. Bryan's review of the digital release gave it 4 out of 5 stars. Maybe not 5-star material, but what is it about Blumhouse movies not even being considered for 4K?
In the anime category, Fairy Tail Part 25 arrives this week, the final season is coming to an end soon!
In what could be considered a Love or Hate movie, The War With Grandpa, with an all star cast of Robert De Niro, Christopher Walken, Uma Thurman, Rob Riggle, Cheech Marin, Laura Marano and Jane Seymour. I'm on the fence and look forward to a review.
Notable announcements from last week:
The Crocodile Dundee character gets another movie, this time from Lionsgate, it's titled The Very Excellent Mr. Dundee and is due Feb 16. Other LionsGate announcements include Love, Weddings & Other Disaster, The Right One and Skylines. As expected, Criterion Collection has announced the rest of their March 2021 titles, none of which I am familiar with, and it looks like March is NOT the month Criterion hops on to the 4K disc bandwagon. Anyway, the titles (with links) are Céline and Julie Go Boating, Defending Your Life, Secrets & Lies and Touki Bouki.
For Anime, Sentai Filmworks has their March titles listed, Viz Video has Nauruto Set 2 listed, Discotek has got their February 23rd titles listed, the one I have been waiting for is KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World!: The Complete Second Season. Hopefully Kemono Friends Season 2 is coming soon.
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? Myself, already ordered is Akira 4K. Interested in The Craft: Legacy and eventually Fairy Tail Part 25 once I decide to get the collection, maybe a complete series box set later? Watching for The War With Grandpa to see if I like it.
Alas, the year is nearing the end and Christmas is just arount the corner. Anything exciting on your list, be it material or otherwise? Have you looked at our Holiday Gift Guide yet?
Welcome to Episode 30 of our weekly look at what's coming to home video.
4K Ultra HD Blu-ray/Digital Releases-
Just a little blurb here, color me shocked to find out the English/UK release of Crash from Arrow Video got delayed to this week from Nov 30. I did take one for the team and order it so you can bet Arrow (or other entity) will announce a USA release about the time I receive my import.
Let's kick off the 4K disc list alphabetically, starting with IP Man Complete Collection. Well, the collection is "complete" until they make a 5th one, but that remains to be seen.
Next on the list is Christopher Nolan's Tenet. Let's face it, Nolan is a good director that makes great films, but just like so many of the greats, there always seems to be something about them that annoys nearly everyone, in this case, it's his unwillingness to embrace directional audio, or hell, even 7.1 for that matter.
Have you enjoyed Arrow Video's presence in the 4K market yet? This week they're releasing Tremors on 4K disc. I would have figured this to be a major enough film that Universal would have done it like they seem to in every format, but apparently not.
Lastly in the 4K disc release list for the week, Blue Underground brings us Vigilante. Thus far they've also made quite a showing for 4K discs!
HD Blu-ray/Digital releases-
For Blu-ray releases this is a somewhat busy week. Maybe that last push for Christmas sales.
Anime has a few noteworthy releases and like previous weeks, let's tackle the list alphabetically. First is Ahiru no Sora - Collection One from Sentai Filmworks. FUNimation offers Ace Attorney: Season Two as a complete set. If you held off on Black Clover, there is an Amazon Exclusive that includes Seasons 1 & 2 in one set, which includes a little swag too. If you've been collectiong the Dragon Ball Z SteelBooks, Season 4 and Season 5 come out this week. Paranoia Agent: The Complete Series is available as a standard edition and as a SteelBook.
Media Blasters is offering Blood Sisters, Devilman and Shrine of the Morning Mist. Studio Ghibli titles seem to keep coming from the woodwork, I really thought GKids had released them all, but nope, this week look for From Up on Poppy Hill.
Criterion Collection continues to release mainstream and obscure titles in HD, this week look for Amores Perros.
UPHE brings us The Expanse: Season Four, this is one of those shows I wish I had time to follow but I always seem to redirect my priorities.
Warner Bros brings us the 2020 film The Wolf of Snow Hollow this week, more werewolf action.
If the 4K versions are not for you this week, Tenet and Tremors get released on Blu-ray as well.
Notable announcements from last week:
Somewhat slow week in the announcements topic, as to be expected during this time of year. Criterion Collection announced World of Wong Kar Wai for a March 23 release date. This of course means the rest of their March announcements will be coming in a day or two. Warner Archive has announced After the Thin Man, Good News, The Man Who Would Be King, The Pajama Game and Room for One More for January 2021.
Universal Pictures has announced a 4K disc release of Spike Lee's Do the Right Thing for Feb 2.
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? I preordered Tremors 4K, Blood Sisters, Devilman, DBZ 4 & 5 and Wolf of Snow Hollow. IP Man Collection 4K and Tenet 4K interest me. Also on the wishlist are the Black Clover set, From Up on Poppy Hill, Paranoia Agent and Shrine of Morning Mist.
December is upon us and so many have already seen snow in Northern Hemisphere, have fun with that. Snuggle up under those blankets or throws and enjoy a movie or binge-watching session.
Welcome to Episode 29 of our weekly look at the highlights if what's coming to home video.
4K Ultra HD Blu-ray/Digital Releases-
Somewhat mixed bag on 4K disc releases this week, perhaps something for everyone.
Kicking off this week, the recently restored by StudioCanal UK, Total Recall (1990). If you didn't order the over the top import, you can order the three-disc standard edition or the Best Buy Exclusive SteelBook that is similar to the UK SteelBook release.
A catalog release by Paramount to ponder, that release being the 2004 action/thriller Collateral.
A recent 2020 film, Possessor comes to you by Well Go USA. Sounds to me like a high-tech for-profit evil-company version of a body snatcher type of movie, could be interesting.
If you opted to wait for the SteelBook release of WestWorld: Season Three, Best Buy's got you covered.
I save this one for last and cautiously say it's finally due this week, after what seems like half a dozen missed release dates, Arrow Academy's first 4K title, Cinema Paradiso. I wouldn't be surprised to see a new date next week.
HD Blu-ray/Digital releases-
Highlights in the Anime category include 7 Seeds - Part One, a complete Season 2 collection of Black Clover, Bleach: Set 9 and Violet Evergarden: The Complete Series, available in a standard release and a Limited Edition release.
A cautiously optimistic insertion of Cinema Paradiso on Blu-ray goes here.
Also available on Blu-ray if the 4K disc is not for you, Possessor.
Kino Lorber brings us Fellini's Casanova after a delay or three. My previous years of growing up with HBO in the house remembers My Science Project playing late night, not a bad movie actually.
Producing lots of movies and still offering something nearly every week, LionsGate releases Smiley Face Killers this week on Blu-ray.
Some week previously I had mentioned that a bunch of Jack Lemmon movies were coming soon. This week starts them with Good Neighbor Sam, Mister Roberts, The Notorious Landlady, Operation Mad Ball, Phffft & Under the Yum-Yum Tree. Tell you what, the film I am still waiting for to hit Blu-ray is the comedy My Fellow Americans, (Kino or Warner Archive, you hear me?) My last updated purchase of that one was on Laserdisc. There is a mismatch between the studio and Amazon regarding the Warner Archive release for Mister Roberts, Amazon indicates next week, WA indicates this week.
Criterion Collection offers two releases this week, foreign film drama Mouchette. and Symbiopsychotaxiplasm: Two Takes by William Greaves.
Notable announcements from last week:
The week really had no major announcements. Some RLJ titles, some Kino Lorber and other independent label items. If you count The Little Prince and The Kid Detective as announcements, then there were a couple.
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?My list is short this week. I ordered Total Recall 4K standard edition, the $15 price is very nice, and from the sounds of it this will be a good release anyway. Everything else is on a wishlist, Collateral 4K, Possessor 4K, Westworld Season 3 4K SteelBook, 7 Seeds Part One, My Science Project, Mister Roberts and Violet Evergarden Complete Series Limited Edition.
Welcome to Episode 28 of our weekly look at what's new in Home Video entertainment.
This month being the last month of what many of us would call a difficult and trying year. On a plus note though, the studios are still cranking out physical media at a rather steady pace.
4K Ultra HD Blu-ray/Digital Releases-
This week you might feel your wallets burn if you're looking to get 4K discs.
Filtering out the eleven "PS5 4K Movie Essentials" reissue releases, the slate is still rather large. It's good to see Sony come to their senses and embrace the fact its gamers want 4K drives in their systems, gamers generally enjoy movies too.
Let's start ou tthe week first with a 4K import offered by Arrow Video, with a Monday street date, David Cronenberg's Crash. Before this year, this movie was not even available on Blu-ray. You might have to visit Zavvi if Amazon doesn't open up ordering for this one.
For domestic 4K discs this week, let's start out with Wesley Snipes' vampire killer epic Blade, available as a standard edition and as a Best Buy Exclusive SteelBook. The sequels have not been announced to 4K, hard to predict if they ever will be, I would guess NO, but if there's enough interest in this one, it's possible. Up next, the HBO mini-series, Chernobyl, and this one is also available as a standard edition and as a Best Buy Exclusive SteelBook. The cover art on the SteelBook is a little too Pop Artsy to me. Keeping the trend, Eddie Murphy's comedy Coming to America, also offered as a standard edition and a SteelBook Edition, this time though the SteelBook is not a Best Buy Exclusive.
Continuing with Eddie Murphy, in a move that made sense, Bevery Hills Cop gets a 4K release. Just like Blade, sequel(s) getting a 4K release probably depends on interest in this one.
Random oddities, two 4K reissues, this time as SteelBooks, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Léon: The Professional. Previously delayed to December 8, but somehow at the last minute now available December 1st, Top Gun is now available in a SteelBook package too. All three Jumanji movies in a Jumanji 3-Film Collection, and lastly in this category, The Equalizer and The Equalizer 2 in a 2-Film Collection.
This week's biggest releases have got Peter Jackson's name attached. I'm referring to his Middle Earth double trilogies. Chronologically (by production date) let's start out with The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Much like two paragraphs ago, the common theme is that it will be available as a standard edition and as a Best Buy Exclusive SteelBook collection. This one was originally slated to get a Limited Edition Giftset, Amazon seems to no longer have it availabe, but Best Buy still does. The other Peter Jackson trilogy, The Hobbit is also available as a standard edition and as a Best Buy Exclusive SteelBook edition. The trend lately with a lot of Warner Bros. catalog 4K releases is that they do not include the Blu-rays, but at least in the case of these two, you have both the theatrical releases and the extended editions. How many of us bought these movies multiple times over the years, first as a theatrical, then as an extended release?
HD Blu-ray/Digital releases-
Fortunately for our wallets, this week's Blu-ray selection is below average.
In the anime category, FUNimation has some 'essentials' releases and Sentai Filmworks has more non-English dubbed releases. What's new from FUNimation though? Dr. Stone: Season One - Part Two, being offered as a standard edition release and as a limited edition release. As a primer for next week, you can get Violet Evergarden I - Eternity and the Auto Memory Doll feature film, in advance of the complete series.
Warner Bros./HBO brings us the reboot of Perry Mason, Perry Mason, The Complete First Season. The Warner Archive Collection releases the Bugs Bunny 80th Anniversary Collection this week, offering 60 Bugs Bunny cartoons, plus 10 more Looney Tunes feature cartoons as an added bonus. I don't think we will ever see War Time Bugs in HD, but I will never say never. Tex Avery Screwball Classics Volume 2 comes out this week according to the studio, but according to Amazon, December 15th. Either way, order from our link and it will show up eventually, <g>.
Criterion Collection this week, they missed the 4K boat on this one, Crash is offered as a Criterion Edition Blu-ray, if it suits you, by all means buy it.
I pity the fool that doesn't remember D.C. Cab, starring Mr. T, offered this week from Kino. I guess you're excused if you're a millennial or later, but it is a memorable film. Kino is offering other titles this week too, check out the listings.
Paramount and CBS TV is releasing Mission Impossible - The Original TV Series this week, the magnitude of this series is huge. Read our review, order the collection.
Also don't forget Popeye, and as I recall this one made it to HD DVD but not to Blu-ray all those years in between.
The Paramount Presents label is offering The Golden Child and Trading Places this week.
Notable announcements from last week:
Paramount has added a few catalog titles to Feb 2. I am pretty stoked to see Mouse Hunt and Small Soldiers on the list. Also added are Lassie, Yours, Mine & Ours and Ladybugs.
Warner Bros. has added season 15, the final season of Supernatural, release date is pending.
Arrow Video announced their February titles late in the week. For the U.S. & UK expect to see The El Duce Tapes and Shogun’s Joy of Torture. For UK only they also are offering Demons 1 & 2 4K, Demons 1 & 2 Limited Edition (fat pack) and Beyond Re-animator. I have no idea if they're negotiating U.S. rights to any of the latter films or if it is a lost cause, sit back and see, if even just until February. Here's a peek at the Demons 4K fat-pack:
Closing out the week's new title announcements, Vinegar Syndrome accounes their January titles. I am not sure if this means January at their own store front and February everywhere else, stay tuned for updates. Currently they're listed for January 19th.
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? First of all, I want to throw out there a "You're welcome!," I'm taking one for the team by importing Crash 4k. Although Criterion seems to have missed the 4K boat by releasing a regular HD Blu-ray this week, my action of importing the 4K means you can probably expext an Arrow Video 4K announcement in a matter of weeks! I also ordered Beverly Hills Cop 4K, Coming to America 4K, Best Buy editions of Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies. Mission Impossible TV series is also en route. High on the wishlist, The Golden Child, DC Cab and Violet Evergarden. Blade 4K is also on the wishlist.
Welcome to Episode 27, or weekly look at the highlights of what's coming to the home video market.
Happy Thanksgiving! At least, to our readers in the USA. This week's release calendar has a fair amount of titles on it, but with possible Black Friday deals, followed up by Cyber Monday, many of us will be pretty selective this week, at least on new releases. Anyone secure their new Xbox or Playstation system last week? Shopped any Criterion or Arrow Video sale titles this month?
4K Ultra HD Blu-ray/Digital Releases-
First on the agenda, if you want what appears to be the most extensive release for Total Recall (1990) in 4K, you will have to import it, it has a Monday release date. You might have to find it on Zavvi if Amazon doesn't have it available. Also available, as a SteelBook but without all the extras, but keep in mind that a domestic release SteelBook is in a couple of weeks that appears identical.
Domestic 4K titles releasing on Tuesday comprises of Deadly Games (Dial Code Santa Claus,) Kino's release of Mad Max and Peninsula. The general release of The Beastmaster was pused back a month as this week's release appears to be a Black Friday Vinegar Syndrome shop release.
HD Blu-ray/Digital releases-
The digital release of Fatman is available this week. I love the premise, it sounds pretty original. Check out Matthew's review. I hope this comes to disc by Christmas, Paramount does have a pre-order for the disc available here.
Where to begin with this week's Blu-ray releases? I guess alphabetically til we see a highlight.
Looks like Anime has the first highlight, with the letter "A". From Sentai Filmworks, Assassins Pride: Complete Collection. Ef: A Tale of Memories - Complete Collection gets a SteelBook release this week. Another letter A, FUNimation releases Azur Lane: The Complete Series on disc this week. Discotek's contributions this week all appear to be in their native Japanese language, no English dubs, except for the Lupin the 3rd movie.
LionsGate brings another Action themed movie titled Ava, this doesn't sound like a unique plot but still could be 96 minutes of decent entertainment. Delayed from last week, a film starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Iron Mask. Good to see Ahnold is still making films, I actually thought of him after watching Clint Eastwood's The Mule the other night, what are some of the older film icons doing today?
The wait for Season Five of Better Call Saul is over this week, presented by Sony Home Entertainment.
I have total respect for the independent studios that license and bring us movies and TV we may never see without their efforts. Kino Lorber is one such company, and if I omit them week to week, it's not from disrespect, it's that the releases of the week might have more limited appeal. This week though, Kino is bringing you Buck Rogers in the 25th Century: The Complete Collection as well as a single disc release of the movie titled Awakening, which launched the TV series. Babylon Berlin: Season 3 releases this week as well. If you're not equipped for 4K, Kino has a new Blu-ray release for Mad Max to appease you instead.
Criterion Collection fans look for Essential Fellini, and right now Amazon is trying to be competitive on the price of these releases. In what would have probably been a good 4K release, The Irishman, starring Robert De Niro, Al Pacino and Joe Pesci. I am grateful to see this release nevertheless, why the originating studio didn't release it is beyond me.
Now, for something completely different, Arrow's releasing He Came from the Swamp: The William Grefé Collection. Again, very competitive price for this right now, go for it!
If you had never imported the Monty Python's Flying Circus mega-set from Network TV, Universal offers a domestic release instead to consider.
Notable announcements from last week:
Cinema Paradiso 4K & Blu-ray versions have been delayed yet again, the new date is December 8th. Greatness takes patience, hope it is worth the wait.
Speaking of Arrow Video, they have completed a deal with Blue Underground to release Django and Texas Adios movies. The Blu-rays were listed previously but pulled. The bigger news is that they will be offering Django on 4K disc, slated for April 27th. No word on Texas Adios in 4K.
Final details and dates have been set for the Warner Archive December 2020 slate.
Sony Pictures has announced 2020 comedy/drama The Last Shift for December 29th. Order link coming very soon.
Order Links from last week's Criterion title announcement are live.
FUNimation has announced their February 2021 titles. Somewhat tepid list, some titles might interest you so check em out any way.
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? For sure am getting the Mad Max 4K release and Criterion Release of The Irishman. If Iron Mask appears at my local Walmart for around $15 (very probable) I will likely get it. I am interested in the Buck Rogers Complete Collection, but with all the box sets I have gotten recently though, it will go somewhere near the top of my wish list. Anime interests this week, Assassins Pride, Azur Lane and the Ef releases.
Although next week is Thanksgiving (USA), retailers across the world have dubbed the day after as Black Friday. This year seems different though, so many retailers are offering deals all month long, some of them are even dubbing it as Black November. Either way, it's a win for consumers, have you bought into any deals this month? Welcome to Episode 26 of our weekly look at the highlights of what's coming out in the home video market.
4K Ultra HD Blu-ray/Digital Releases-
Delayed from a couple weeks ago, but on track for a release this week, as an import with a Monday street date, Dawn of the Dead (1978). Another noteable import, King of New York (1990) also releases Monday. At this time it is impossible to predict if U.S. releases will ever happen on either title.
Domestic releases this week are a bit busy, The Croods, It's a Wonderful Life in a SteelBook package, The New Mutants, as a standard edition and as a SteelBook release, Resident Evil Collection, Weathering With You (Collector's Edition) and lastly, Westworld: Season 3. If you want Westworld in a SteelBook, you need to wait until December 8th.
For a Friday release, this one falls in the Arts/Opera category, Verdi: IlTrovatore. Perhaps any of the Arts releases going to 4K is a huge positive, the Blu-ray releases are always in 1080i instead of 1080p, slightly annoying.
HD Blu-ray/Digital releases-
For Blu-ray discs this week, above average volume.
Sony brings us the 2020 Comedy/Romance The Broken Hearts Gallery this week.
Just in time to save you $80, Arrow Video brings us Beyond the Door. Previous release is listed around the $100 range.
Previously delayed but coming this week, the Shout Select version of Twins. Classic Schwarzenegger/DeVito comedy right there.
LionsGate's appearance in the weekly releases, this week they bring Death of Me. Need some star power? How about Russell Crowe in Unhinged? Lastly, if you visit The Broken Hearts Gallery product page, Amazon will likely suggest this week's Words on Bathroom Walls as an add on purchase.
Warner Archive has an Alfred Hitchcock Collection this week, these 4 movies were previously available individually, to get them as a set meant importing them. If you need Westworld: Season Three on Blu-ray, it's available this week as well.
From The Criterion Collection this week, look for Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai as well as Moonstruck. The latter is getting favorable reviews, click the link, check out our review, buy the disc.
If you like the 1950 movie Rio Grande, you will be please to see it get an Olive Signature treatment this week.
The weekly dose of Anime includes a few gems. Apart from the abovementioned Weathering With You 4K, FUNimation has The Ancient Magus' Bride as a complete series instead of a split set. From Viz Video, what is touted as the 22nd Pokémon movie, which is really a CG remake of the first Pokémon movie from 21 years ago, this one is titled Pokémon: Mewtwo Strikes Back - Evolution.
They might actually arrive this week!!! I am referring to Mill Creek's Hammer Films - Ultimate Collection and the Inner Sanctum Mysteries. I think these were delayed half a dozen times. I would guess disc replication delays were the culprit.
The New Mutants also arrives this week as a Blu-ray + Digital combo in case the 4K set is not for you.
If you've bought a fair share of TV Series complete collections the past few weeks, save room for Mission Impossible: The Original TV Series from Paramount. This one is huge and amounts to around $2 per disc, WOW!
For Friday releases this week, there's quite an assortment of music and arts titles.
Notable announcements from last week:
Ummmm, Disney gave us zero notice about Mulan (2020) and Mulan (1998) coming to 4K disc, and leaked retailer links were quickly removed, only to find out that both these titles were coming on November 10th. Read the news story HERE. Disney's appearance of purposely trying to sabotage physical media is more than annoying. Sorry, but this guy is not buying into streaming for his only source of entertainment, it's still too unreliable and is not as good in quality as a disc. While on the subject, when was the last time you heard about a catalog title announcement from Disney / Fox, 4K or even Blu-ray? [Edit] Guess whose internet was down for 2.5 days after writing the draft of this story? I love telling the provider the problem is in their NOC, for them to schedule a service call any way, to find out the outage affects the entire area the next day.
Delayed to next week, Schwarzenegger's Iron Mask.
Jack Lemmon fan? Sony's got five titles coming and Warner Archive has one. Good Neighbor Sam, The Notorious Landlady, Operation Mad Ball, Phffft and Under the Yum-Yum Tree arrive from Sony on Dec. 8, Mister Roberts arrives from Warner Archive Collection on Dec. 29.
Christopher Nolan's Tenet will be coming on December 15th to 4K disc. A Blu-ray is also announced. Hooray for another 4K disc, Booooooo for Nolan not embracing, or even allowing directional audio, so expect DTS-HD MA 5.1 on that one. Much like Lucas not leaving his films alone (tinkering) or Cameron releasing 25 iterations of Terminator 2, but zero HD or 4K versions of The Abyss or True Lies.
Criterion Collection's February 2021 titles will include Chop Shop, Man Push Cart, Mandabi, The Parallax View and Smooth Talk. I am not familiar with this batch of titles and looks like this month is not the month to announce Criterion's 4K adoption.
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? Pretty much all the 4K releases I want this week, minus the imports. For New Mutants, I prefer the standard edition cover art. I will probably get Moonstruck and Monstrum. Mission Impossible TV series was already ordered weeks ago. I think I will also give the Pokemon movie an order as well, when I had seen The First Movie, I thought it was well done, I hope the story itself wasn't changed much with the new one.
It's time to hunker in your bunker this holiday season and do your best to spread some holiday cheer - while you try not to spread anything else. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic obviously has put a damper on the traditional holiday get-together where everyone travels from miles around to gorge themselves on an impressive spread.
While delivering a full turkey dinner complete with trimmings isn't feasible for everyone; if you're looking to send someone something special - or treat-yo-self for getting through an incredibly tough year, there are options. With most movie theaters across the country closed or only showing a scant few films, the big studios dug deep into their catalogs and pull out a lot of hits for new 4K UHD Blu-rays or give fan favorites their first outing on Blu-ray. And with that, let's dig into our list
While 2020 may have been a bit of a challenge for movie theaters to get hot new titles, 4K UHD Blu-ray fans were treated to a number of in-demand fan-favorite franchises all conveniently packaged in deluxe box sets. If you have someone on your list needing the latest and greatest release of their favorite movies, here's a list of the essential 4K UHD box sets that came out in 2020:
Pre-Order The Lord of the Rings Motion Picture Trilogy 4K UHD Blu-ray
Pre-Order The Lord of the Rings Motion Picture Trilogy 4K UHD Blu-ray SteelBook
Pre-Order The Lord of the Rings Motion Picture Trilogy 4KUHD Blu-ray Gift Set
Pre-Order The Hobbit Motion Picture Trilogy 4K UHD Blu-ray
Pre-Order The Hobbit Motion Picture Trilogy 4K UHD Blu-ray SteelBook
Buy the Back to the Future: Ultimate Trilogy 4K UHD Blu-ray
Buy the Back to the Future: Ultimate Trilogy 4K UHD Blu-ray SteelBook
Buy the Alfred Hitchcock Classics Collection 4K UHD Blu-ray
Buy Game Of Thrones: The Complete Collection 4K UHD Blu-ray
Buy Game of Thrones: The Complete Collection 4K UHD Blu-ray SteelBook
Buy the Columbia Classics 4K UHD Blu-ray Collection: Volume 1
Buy the Resident Evil Collection 4K UHD Blu-ray
Buy the Rambo The Complete SteelBook Collection 4K UHD Blu-ray
Buy the Stanley Kubrick 3-Film 4K Collection
Pre-Order the Ip Man 4-Film Collection 4K UHD Blu-ray
Buy Star Wars The Skywalker Saga 4K UHD Blu-ray
With a lot of extra time spent in the home theater, 4K UHD Blu-ray fans have had a great year for catalog releases. While the franchise box sets were terrific, there were some amazing individual releases that 4K UHD adopters gobbled up and would make great gifts.
Buy Jaws 45th Anniversary 4K UHD Blu-ray
Buy Jaws 45th Anniversary 4K UHD Blu-ray SteelBook
Buy 1917 4K UHD Blu-ray
Buy the 1917 4K UHD Blu-ray SteelBook
Buy the Parasite 4K UHD Blu-ray
Buy Knives Out 4K UHD Blu-ray
Buy the Knives Out 4K UHD Blu-ray SteelBook
Buy the Spartacus 4K UHD Blu-ray
Buy Ford V. Ferrari 4K UHD Blu-ray
Buy Beetlejuice 4K UHD Blu-ray
Buy the Beetlejuice 4K UHD Blu-ray Gift Set
Buy the Beetlejuice 4K UHD Blu-ray SteelBook
Buy Top Gun 4K UHD Blu-ray
Pre-Order Top Gun 4K UHD Blu-ray SteelBook
Buy The Deer Hunter 4K UHD Blu-ray
Buy It's A Wonder Life 4K UHD Blu-ray SteelBook
Buy Ghost in the Shell 4K UHD Blu-ray
Buy Ghost in the Shell 4K UHD Blu-ray SteelBook
Buy Sonic The Hedgehog 4K UHD Blu-ray
Buy the Flash Gordon Limited Edition 4K UHD Blu-ray
Buy Home Alone 4K UHD Blu-ray
Buy the Home Alone 4K UHD Blu-ray SteelBook
Tenet - 4K UHD Blu-ray
Blade - 4K UHD Blu-ray
Coming to America - 4K UHD Blu-ray
Akira - 4K UHD Blu-ray
Tremors - 4K UHD Blu-ray
Cinema Paradiso - 4K UHD Blu-ray
Possessor - 4K UHD Blu-ray
Vigilante - 4K UHD Blu-ray
Total Recall - 4K UHD Blu-ray
Collateral - 4K UHD Blu-ray
Beverly Hills Cop - 4K UHD Blu-ray
Chernobyl - 4K UHD Blu-ray
Léon The Professional - 4K UHD Blu-ray SteelBook
Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon - 4K UHD Blu-ray SteelBook
Buy Mission: Impossible The Original TV Series
Buy the Friday the 13th: The Complete Collection Deluxe Edition
Buy Watchmen: An HBO Limited Series
Buy The Barbara Stanwyck Collection
Buy the Sergio Leone Westerns - Five Film Collection
Buy the Buck Rogers in the 25th Century Complete Collection
Buy the One Missed Call Trilogy
Buy The Good Place: The Complete Series
Buy The Outsider: The HBO Series
Buy the Warner Archive Film Noir 4-Film Collection
Buy the Warner Archive Horror Thrillers 4-Film Collection
Buy the Warner Archive Alfred Hitchcock 4-Film Collection
Buy Fail Safe - Criterion Collection
Buy The War of the Worlds (1953) - Criterion Collection
Buy Moonstruck - Criterion Collection
Buy Bruce Lee: His Greatest Hits - Criterion Collection
Buy The Great Escape - Criterion Collection
Buy The Elephant Man - Criterion Collection
Buy The Grand Budapest Hotel - Criterion Collection
Buy Leave Her to Heaven - Criterion Collection
Buy Come and See - Criterion Collection
Buy Show Boat (1936) - Criterion Collection
Buy The Invisible Man 4K UHD Blu-ray
Buy the V for Vendetta 4K UHD Blu-ray
Buy The New York Ripper 4K UHD Blu-ray
Buy The Day the Earth Caught Fire
Maniac 4K UHD Blu-ray
Pitch Black 4K UHD Blu-ray
Doctor Sleep 4K UHD Blu-ray
House by the Cemetary 4K UHD Blu-ray
The Nightingale
Graveyard Shift
Mystery of the Wax Museum
Shivers
Split Second
Horrors of Spider Island
Tales From The Darkside: The Movie
Buy Play Misty For Me - Kino Lorber Studio Classics
Buy The Wizard Collector's Edition
Buy Pretty In Pink - Paramount Presents
Buy Airplane! 40th Anniversary SteelBook
Buy Kill Them All, And Come Back Alone
Ghost - Paramount Presents
Reflections in a Golden Eye
Sixteen Candles
The Hellbenders
Fatal Attraction - Paramount Presents
The Ten Commandments
Superman: Red Son
King Creole - Paramount Presents
SteelBooks make collecting Blu-rays and 4K UHD Blu-rays a lot of fun as they usually offer much more interesting custom artwork - but you have to take care of them! You don't want other titles rubbing alongside them or dinging into them. G2-size protective cases should fit just about every SteelBook - even ones with an extra plastic slipcover. Tell that collector you care about them and their collection.
Slipcovers not only look great, keep your movie's safe, but they can also increase in value if it's a rare title. Protective cases are essential for any collector.
If you have a movie fan in your home, chances are pretty good they know all about Mondo. On top of amazing limited edition custom posters, Mondo has been churning out high-end collectibles and action figures. The Creature is a recent addition to their shop. Also available in a full-color version. Other figures include Iron Giant, Kratos from God of War, Catwoman, Mr. Freeze, and Rick and Morty to name a few.
So this isn't on Blu-ray, sadly, but it's such a great show and with Netflix's overall video quality being so hit and miss lately - this Complete Series is a great set and a great gift for anyone with a spotty internet connection.
While an Amazon gift card isn't the world's greatest gift, but if you're stuck and you don't know what that movie collector on your list has or needs - this at least lets them get something they know they need on the collection shelf - or help them pre-order a new upcoming release scheduled for after the holidays.
Holidays are normally a great time to get together with family to celebrate, have a great time, and exchange some gifts while eating massive amounts of food and tasty treats. 2020 hasn't been a normal year - not by a long shot. Hopefully, everyone out there is able to have a safe and fun Holiday season - even if you have to celebrate with family virtually or within your closely-knit little pod.
The team here at High-Def Digest wants to wish you all the best and hope you're still able to enjoy yourselves. Thanks for reading and being an awesome group of folks to interact with and enjoy the love of movies and collecting. We hope this list helps make your holiday shopping a little easier - whether you're buying for someone on your list or snagging something fun for yourself.
Happy Holidays Everyone!
- High-Def Digest Team
