Six titles will be available from The Criterion Collection this April featuring a 4K upgrade of "the best moon movie ever made".
First up on the 4K front, For All Mankind - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray will be getting a 4K/Blu-ray combo release on April 26th.
In July 1969, the space race ended when Apollo 11 fulfilled President John F. Kennedy’s challenge of “landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the earth.” No one who witnessed the lunar landing will ever forget it. Twenty years later, Al Reinert constructed a documentary that imparts the unforgettable story of the twenty-four astronauts who participated in the Apollo mission to land on the moon—told in their words and in their voices, using the images they captured. With its awe-inspiring, otherworldly footage and a haunting atmospheric soundtrack by Brian Eno, For All Mankind stirs us with a profound sense of compassion for the “pale blue dot” that is our home, and it is still the most radical, visually dazzling work of cinema that has been made about this earthshaking event.
4K UHD + BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES
The other five titles are Blu-ray only starting with the rock-and-roll 1950s musical The Girl Can't Help It starring Jayne Mansfield on April 19th.
In 1956, Frank Tashlin brought the talent for zany visual gags and absurdist pop-culture satire that he’d honed as a master of animation to the task of capturing, in glorious DeLuxe Color, a brand-new craze: rock and roll. This blissfully bonkers jukebox musical tells the story of a mobster’s bombshell girlfriend—the one and only Jayne Mansfield, in a showstopping first major film role—and the washed-up talent agent (Tom Ewell) who seeks to revive his career by turning her into a musical sensation. The only question is: Can she actually sing? A CinemaScope feast of eye-popping midcentury design, The Girl Can’t Help It bops along to a parade of performances by rock-and-roll trailblazers—including Little Richard, Fats Domino, Julie London, Eddie Cochran, the Platters, and Gene Vincent—who light up the screen with the uniquely American sound that was about to conquer the world.
BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES
Also on the 19th comes the fantastical comedy Miracle in Milan from director Vittorio De Sica.
Renowned filmmaker Vittorio De Sica followed up his international triumph Bicycle Thieves with this enchantingly playful neorealist fairy tale, in which he combines his celebrated slice-of-life poetry with flights of graceful comedy and storybook fantasy. On the outskirts of Milan, a band of vagabonds work together to form a shantytown. When it is discovered that the land they occupy contains oil, however, it’s up to the cherubic orphan Totò (Francesco Golisano)—with some divine help—to save their community from greedy developers. Tipping their hats to the imaginative whimsy of Charles Chaplin and René Clair, De Sica and screenwriter Cesare Zavattini, adapting his own novel, craft a bighearted ode to the nobility of everyday people.
BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES
On the 26th, the directorial debut of twins Arie and Chuko Esiri Eyimofe (This Is My Desire) is set for a Blu-ray release.
This revelatory, award-winning debut feature from codirectors (and twin brothers) Arie and Chuko Esiri is a heartrending and hopeful portrait of everyday human endurance in Lagos, Nigeria. Shot on richly textured 16 mm film and infused with the spirit of neorealism, Eyimofe (This Is My Desire) traces the journeys of two distantly connected strangers—Mofe (Jude Akuwudike), an electrician dealing with the fallout of a family tragedy, and Rosa (Temi Ami-Williams), a hairdresser supporting her pregnant teenage sister—as they each pursue their dream of starting a new life in Europe while bumping up against the harsh economic realities of a world in which every interaction is a transaction. From these intimate stories emerges a vivid snapshot of life in contemporary Lagos, whose social fabric is captured in all its vibrancy and complexity.
BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES
Next, Bertrand Tavernier directs Dexter Gordon in the critically-acclaimed jazz film ’Round Midnight which will be released on Blu-ray on April 26th.
’Round Midnight is a love letter from director Bertrand Tavernier to the heyday of bebop and to the Black American musicians who found refuge in the smoky underground jazz clubs of 1950s Paris. In a miraculous, sui generis fusion of performer and character that was nominated for an Oscar, legendary saxophonist Dexter Gordon plays Dale Turner, a brilliant New York jazz veteran whose music aches with beauty but whose personal life is ravaged by addiction. Searching for a fresh start in Paris, Turner strikes up an unlikely friendship with a struggling single father and ardent jazz fan (François Cluzet) who finds his life transformed as he attempts to help the self-destructive musician. Herbie Hancock’s evocative, Oscar-winning score sets the mood for this definitive jazz film, a bittersweet opus that glows with lived-in, soulful authenticity.
BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES
Finally, Alex Cox's blistering biopic Walker leads off the month on April 12th.
A hallucinatory biopic that breaks all cinematic conventions, Walker, from British director Alex Cox, tells the story of nineteenth-century American adventurer William Walker (Ed Harris), who abandoned a series of careers in law, politics, journalism, and medicine to become a soldier of fortune and, for many months, the dictator of Nicaragua. Made with mad abandon and political acuity—and the support of the Sandinista army and government during the contra war—the film uses this true tale as a satirical attack on American ultrapatriotism and a freewheeling condemnation of “manifest destiny.” Featuring a powerful score by Joe Strummer and a performance of intense, repressed rage by Harris, Walker remains one of Cox’s most daring works.
BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES
These titles aren't available for pre-order yet but we will post an update when they are ASAP. As always, thank you for your support and pre-orders!
Mid way through January already, how are your New Years Resolutions working for ya? I try not to go into anything unrealistic myself!
Welcome to Volume 2 Episode 35 of our weekly release guide. A look at the highlights of what's coming to disc this week, as well as a look at announcements from last week.
4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Releases-
Just like last week, it looks like a pretty busy week considering it is January.
Getting the new release first, Last Night in Soho comes to us via Universal Pictures. There appears to be no SteelBook domestically at this time. Zavvi UK has one, and HMV has a variant slip-case release.
Everything else this week are catalog titles. Be grateful for the smaller labels.
Criterion Collection's A Hard Day's Night sees a 4K upgrade.
Blue Underground's release of The Toolbox Murders debuts on 4K disc this week.
All other 4K discs this week are reissues of some sort.
Requiem for a Dream gets a fancy sleeved package Best Buy Exclusive SteelBook release.
Akira gets a less elaborate package, 4K/Blu-ray combo release.
Deep Red also gets a disc only, swag-less release.
Lastly, Tobey Maguires Spider-Man Trilogy gets a standard / non-Digibook release as well.
Blu-ray releases-
Just like every week, let's get the blu-ray counterparts posted first. Only one this week, from Universal, Last Night in Soho.
Also from Universal, The Addams Family 2 (animated) gets a blu-ray only release. And, TV's Annie Live! comes to physical release.
The next Vestron Video release comes via LionsGate, Candyman 3: Day of the Dead.
From Warner Archive Collection, Edge of Darkness (1943) and Song of the Thin Man.
Criterion's blu-ray release this week is a documentary type film titled Time.
From Arrow, Red Angel and Shock are on track to be released on Tuesday, don't be surprised by last minute changes though.
Powerhouse Films / Indicator Series releases for January are this week and include The Blockhouse, The Brute, Girl Stroke Boy and Hoffman.
Anime highlights include Assault Lily BOUQUET - The Complete Season, Grenadier: The Beautiful Warrior, Taisho Baseball Girls (Season 1) and Tower of God.
Honorable Mention:
ClassicFlix Restorations delivers The Little Rascals: Volume Four this week. Thus far they have done a good job on this series.
Notable announcements from last week:
Anyone that bought Jack Frost 2 (myself included) a few weeks back be aware there will be a replacement disc in the works soon, stay tuned for more info. The copy you have is fine, but apparently an unedited 16:9 full stereo mix was unearthed and will be coming our way.
Some Like It Hot 4K gets pushed back to February 8th.
Additional Paramount catalog titles for the next couple months are Spontaneous, Crocodile Dundee in Los Angeles, 200 Cigarettes and Kids in the Hall: Brain Candy.
There is word that Disney will be preparing a 4K disc release for Tombstone towards the 4th quarter 2022, but that's just a rumor. I'm still hoping to see Heat in the next few months, on a BD100 disc please.
There is also word that the original Candyman is getting a 4K disc later this year.
Saved the best news for last. Paramount Home Video is releasing The Godfather Trilogy on 4K disc. Read the news story here for more details.
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?
In looking at upcoming releases, this is probably the slowest I have seen it in a very long time. Pre-orders on Amazon currently occupy 13 pages, not too long ago there were 30 pages worth. But hey, it's 1st quarter, so at the moment, no reason for alarm. Your best course of action is to continue to buy discs that you want to keep the medium alive. Just like any business, if you still got the demand, you make the product.
Welcome to Volume 2 Episode 34 of our weekly release guide. A look at the highlights of what's coming to disc this week, as well as a look at announcements from last week.
4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Releases-
Considering it is January, this week is uncharacteristically (I think I made up a word) huge for 4K disc releases. New releases first:
The 2021 Sci-Fi epic Dune arrives as both a standard edition and as a Best Buy Exclusive SteelBook. Hope my SteelBook arrives intact because preorders are sold out as procuring a replacement could get expensive. A sequel has been green-lit so expect more greatness in the future.
What's touted as part of the 'new trilogy,' Halloween Kills also gets a double release, a standard edition and a Best Buy Exclusive SteelBook. This release also includes an alternate ending.
On to back catalog titles, first from Paramount, 1992 action/drama Juice, available as a standard edition and as a wide-release SteelBook edition.
Finally, from Kino, The Great Escape gets a 4K disc release. Previously, Criterion had released a 4K scan blu-ray edition.
Blu-ray releases-
Just like every week, let's get the blu-ray counterparts done first.
Dune gets a standard release, a Walmart Exclusive release and a 3-D release. It would be nice if the Walmart Exclusive were a 4K combo, that's a handsome package in its own way. I feel that that is Walmart's decision, not Warner Bros.
Halloween Kills also gets a standard blu-ray release via Universal Pictures.
Anime highlights include A3! Season Autumn & Winter, El-Hazard: The Alternative World Collection, Heaven's Lost Property The Movie: Eternally My Master and Strike Witches: Road to Berlin Season 3.
Criterion Collectors look for The Celebration this week.
Kino Lorber brings us war film The 7th Dawn starring William Holden. Burt Reynolds 'safe cracker' film Breakin In gets a nod as well. Not done with Reynolds yet, Impasse also gets a disc release. I've never seen Michael Caine and Shirley MacLaine in the same film, but Kino shows us they were in Gambit. Partner label Scorpion Releasing delivers Dario Argento's The Card Player.
Friday releases? All Arts/Opera.
Notable announcements from last week:
We did expect it to be a dead week last week, but we do in fact have some buzz.
Warner Bros. has slated a domestic release for The Green Mile on February 22nd. See our news story here for the details. Looks like if you don't need the digital streaming code then the Zavvi Exclusive version is the ultimate experience.
Kino also added details for their 4K release of The Apartment, March 8th specifically. It will be 4K SDR, but you can still bet it is going to look stunning. There will also be a blu-ray release as well.
Paramount Pictures has a handful of catalog titles recently added for February - April, more will probably be added this week as well. In no particular order look for Hey Arnold! The Movie, In Dreams, Nick of Time, Intersection, Orange County, Soapdish, The Rugrats Trilogy Movie Collection, EuroTrip (Unrated Editrion) and Let It Ride. The next Paramount Presents release will be Ordinary People on March 29th.
From Peter Jackson and via the Disney label, The Beatles: Get Back gets a 3-disc blu-ray collector's edition on February 8th.
We have also got order links up for all the various skus for Disney's Encanto. With a release date of February 8th, a standard blu-ray release will be overshadowed by a multitude of 4K skus that include a standard edition, Best Buy Exclusive SteelBook, Target Exclusive Lithograph Art Edition as well as a Walmart Exclusive that includes a pin.
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?
Welcome to 2022 (officially). Are we looking forward to anything specific this year (movies or otherwise)? There's another recent story about The Abyss getting a new 4K scan, with a wishful disc release coming sometime sooner than later, which we kind of alluded to in August. At this point every time every time I read such a story I'm like 'yeah yeah yeah, blah blah blah,' we've had our hopes up so many times before.
Welcome to Volume 2 Episode 33 of our weekly release guide. A look at the highlights of what's coming to disc this week, as well as a look at announcements from last week.
4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Releases-
Another slow week on the 4K disc front, but that's to be expected.
In an odd Sunday release date, Disney brings us Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. We've already reviewed it, do take a look. Overseas the entire collection is available in 4K, so we can bet the remaining films will get there eventually in the U.S..
And from Shout! Factory/GKIDS, Weathering With You gets a simpler more basic release this go round. If the disc is the same as the previous release, it is region A locked to boot. What were they thinking to lock this disc?
Blu-ray releases-
For blu-ray, we actually have more titles this week than next, albeit many are from small indie houses, which is quite OK.
From 20th Century Studios (Disney) comes horror film Antlers. Already looking like it's hard to find.
Screen Media (maybe) releases Black Friday, the horror / comedy with Bruce Campbell.
RLJ/Image entertainment releases The Djinn. The trailer made it look pretty good, then again, don't most of them? Though, another cool looking cover that's a victim of the Rotten Tomatoes logo.
Weekly anime highlights include Canaan (Season 1) Complete Collection, My Next Life as a Villainess, All Routes Lead to Doom! (Season 1) Complete Collection and One Piece: Season Eleven - Voyage Six.
Y'all didn't think we would go a week without a LionsGate release did ya? In the thriller category, Zeroes and Ones starring Ethan Hawk.
Honorable Mentions: Kino Lorber digs deep for a big of film-noir starring Edward G. Robinson and Burt Lancaster, titled All My Sons. Also this week from Kino, Alfred Hitchcock's Rich and Strange.
There are no Friday releases this week.
Notable announcements from last week:
Warner Archive's next batch of titles has been revealed. The titles are Edge of Darkness (1943), Gold Diggers of 1933 and The Three Musketeers (1948). Look for them late January and in to February. Also from Warner Bros., the 2021 Will Smith film King Richard will be released both on blu-ray and 4K combos on February 8th.
Warner Bros. overseas is prepping The Green Mile as a Zavvi Exclusive deluxe 4K SteelBook giftset, with a March 7th street date. Will the (rumored) 2/22 release for the U.S. also include a deluxe giftset like that one? Warner Bros has done U.S. giftsets before for 4K releases before but they did not look so inclusive.
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?
As we close out the year, we hope you've had a good 2021 overall, despite some of the issues that are out there, including a stressful pandemic. What will 2022 bring from a home video perspective? Very hard to say, but as long as we continue to purchase the discs we want, so far it looks like it could be a promising year. I bought in to the Vinegar Syndrome subscription for 2022 and so far their line up has a few excellent titles in the works. With other labels on board with 4K, I look forward to seeing where it takes us.
Welcome to Volume 2 Episode 32 of our weekly release guide. A look at the highlights of what's coming to disc this week, as well as a look at announcements from last week.
4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Releases-
There is one, single solitary release this week. It is the week between Christmas and New Years day so that is kind of expected.
Discotek offers up Robot Carnival this week. It probably is the best this collection of animated films has ever looked. We reached out to Discotek about the specs of this title because they indicated 'region A' locked, which sounds like an error, but they had not responded. There are several other previously released 4K titles out there that are region-locked. So if you're looking at importing, verify first or make sure your player has region-free BD capability (which is how a 4K region lock is enforced apparently).
Blu-ray releases-
Just like the 4K category, the blu-ray category is just as slow.
Under the Shout! Factory label, action film Castle Falls starring Dolph Lundgren and Scott Adkins.
20th Century Studios releases The French Dispatch this week, a comedy/drama with a few names we should be familiar with.
Twilight Time movies has transformed a little bit, previously you could only buy direct from them or SAE. SAE bought out the label and distributed them exclusively going forward. This week however they are offering a few titles via Amazon. They are Messalina, The Man from Hong Kong, Seven Deaths in the Cat's Eye and Venom aka The Legend Of Spider Forest.
For Anime, Goblin Slayer: Season One (SteelBook) gets a general release - it was previously a Best Buy Exclusive. Also from Discotek, Samurai Troopers: The Complete Collection.
If you've watched Arrow Video's release of Shawscope Volume One get pushed back multiple times, the wait *might* be over. At press time, it is indeed on track to come out Tuesday. The Shaw Brothers set up their own brand of movies in the 1970s that still hold up today.
Notable announcements from last week:
Mill Creek Entertainment will be releasing Magnum PI: The Complete TV Series (1980-1988) on Blu-ray, with an ETA of March 22nd.
FUNimation's March slate of anime releases have been added to the release calendar. With the exception of Dr. Stone Season 2, I am unfamiliar with the titles, but I'm sure anime fans will see a few others they know.
Eastern Promises will be getting a 4K disc release from Kino Lorber on March 22nd as well.
It looks like March might be the month to start feeling 4K wallet fatigue with all the titles one must get to keep up!
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?
Ever since Season 3 Episode 21 of Mystery Science Theater 3000 where Joel and the Bots riffed Santa Conquers the Martians, the Patrick Swayze Christmas has become the best way to celebrate the festive but usually very stressful holiday season. It spreads holiday cheer while sparing people the drama of sticking to classic traditions. But for those who somehow missed that magical host segment, how do you spread such an important form of holiday cheer? It turns out there are three important rules to follow.
Crow T. Robot (with lyrics by Mike Nelson) created an iconic Christmas carol based on the 1989 classic Road House. In the film, there is an important scene where Swayze's world-famous bouncer Dalton takes the job to clean up The Double Deuce and he addresses the current employees. After firing the troublemakers, he gives it to them straight laying out his three rules. These three rules are essential for having a truly successful Patrick Swayze Christmas and a happy holiday season.
The holidays are always chaotic. Trying to bring everyone together is stressful enough without select family members bringing those extra delights. You have to be prepared. If your aunt only brings an already opened bag of potato chips as her only dish to pass - have green bean casserole on standby. If your younger cousin shows up uninvited with his new girlfriend - have extra folding chairs. If your uncle starts saying what he thinks about the current administration at everyone in earshot - subscribe to ESPN+ so you can keep his brain distracted and mouth closed.
If someone brings non-alcoholic beer, homemade fruitcake, or fat-free eggnog - take it outside. You don't need to put that out on the table. Chances are whoever brought it is dumping it on you because they don't want it. If you're lucky, neighborhood stray cats will drink the eggnog, squirrels will eat the fruit cake, and you can use the non-alcoholic beer to water the tulips you planted earlier in the fall.
If your grandpa says he thinks the turkey is dry, be nice. If your grandma says she never wanted kids and your mother or father were accidents, be nice. Whatever happens, be nice. But there are limits. When your mother says Die Hard isn't a Christmas movie - politely correct her by turning it on with the volume cranked all the way up to nicely remind her. But when your sister's bratty pre-teen kid tells you the knockoff brand television they got cheap on a Black Friday deal is better than your top-of-the-line properly calibrated 70" 4K UHD HDR television with full Atmos/DTS:X sound system, you don't have to stand there and take that crap. But be as nice about it as you possibly can.
While these three rules are essential, a customary viewing of Road House is highly recommended. Now that the Shout Select Collector's Edition is out of print, if you don't have a DVD or Blu-ray on hand, you can stream Road House with your Amazon Prime membership.
If you can't watch Road House for your Patrick Swayze Christmas - appropriate alternate titles include:
To Wong Foo, Thanks For Everything! Julie Newmar 
And of course, no Patrick Swayze Christmas is complete without a festive recital of the classic carol. So these are the lyrics to (Let's Have) A Patrick Swayze Christmas from MST3K:
LET'S HAVE A PATRICK SWAYZE CHRISTMAS
(Lyrics by Michael J. Nelson)
Open up your heart and let the Patrick Swayze Christmas in.
We'll gather at the Roadhouse with our next of kin.
And Santa can be our regular Saturday night thing.
We'll decorate our barstools and gather round and sing.
Oh, let's have a Patrick Swayze Christmas this year!
Or we'll tear your throat out and kick you in the ear!
It's my way or the highway, this Christmas at my ba-ha-haar.
I'll have to smash your kneecaps if you bastards touch my car!
I got the word that Santa has been stealing from the till.
I think that that right jolly old elf better make out his will, ohh,
Oh, let's have a Patrick Swayze Christmas, one and all.
And this can be the haziest...
This can be the laziest...
This can be the Swayziest
Christmas of them aaallllllllll!
On behalf of everyone at High-Def Digest - I want to thank everyone for dropping by, reading our reviews and news, and occasionally sharing your thoughts with us. It's been a crazy year what with insurrections, pandemics, vaccines, third, fourth, and fifth waves, Squid Game, varients, and HBO Max. It's been a heck of a year and insanely stressful times for all of us. I hope you found the humor in this little piece and had a good time with it - maybe even cracked a smile or had a nice laugh or two. With all the love we can muster, we want everyone to have a safe and festive holiday and an equally safe New Year. Hopefully, 2022 not only brings some sense of "normal" to the world but also some kickass new movies to see in the theater along with some long-awaited fan-favorite titles on Blu-ray and/or 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray... looking at you The Abyss.
Be good out there - and thanks again!
The Christmas holiday is THIS Saturday and the first day of Winter for the Northern Hemisphere is Tuesday, it certainly doesn't mean nothing is going on in the world of movie releases. We do expect this week and next to be slow weeks for new title announcements, so episodes 32 and 33 will likely have very little content.
Welcome to Volume 2 Episode 31 of our weekly release guide. A look at the highlights of what's coming to disc this week, as well as a look at announcements from last week.
4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Releases-
The release that gets the most attention this week is Daniel Craig's last film as Agent 007, this one is titled No Time To Die. Available in several options, the Standard Edition, the Best Buy Exclusive SteelBook, and the Limited Edition Giftset. Unless you got your orders in early, you will likely be getting the standard edition, or seeking the third party market. Will the rest of the catalog get a 4K upgrade, knowing that Amazon now owns the MGM library? I hope so, but have my doubts. Walmart had an early release for this movie, Friday December 17th.
And from Warner Bros, The Many Saints of Newark, a movie based on The Sopranos universe.
Blu-ray releases-
Moving on to blu-ray releases, a bit slower than last week, but still a few to pick from. Getting to the HD counterparts first, both No Time to Die and The Many Saints of Newark get blu-ray releases. I hope retailers and studios read this, No Time to Die also get Target Exclusive and Walmart Exclusive releases, with what I consider much better cover art, but as a 4K consumer, I feel slightly dissed by this decision to not make them 4K exclusives.
From Universal Pictures, the 2021 drama Blue Bayou.
From Sony, the TV series Resident Evil: Infinite Darkness - Season One gets a blu-ray release.
When was the last time you remembered a week without a LionsGate action release? This week look for Fortress, a film that has Bruce Willis opposite of Chad Michael Murray.
Arrow video might be releasing Giallo Essentials (Yellow Edition) this week, but again, supply chain issues are plaguing them especially hard, don't be surprised to see this in a few weeks.
Weekly anime highlights this week include A3! Season Spring & Summer, Alice in Borderland: Complete Collection, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba the Movie: Mugen Train, High School of the Dead: Complete Collection [SteelBook], Princess Tutu: Complete Collection [SteelBook] and Project A-Ko.
The Shout! Collector's Edition label brings us The Vampire Lovers.
Honorable Mention: The Film Detective is releasing a handsome looking set titled The Sherlock Holmes Vault Collection. It covers multiple Sherlock Holmes movies from the 1930s.
Notable announcements from last week:
If you have been following the release calendar, you will notice we have decided to move Hotel Transylvania: Transformania to the 'postponed' category. The studio never officially announced this title, it was Amazon that had it listed for 12/21. I would expect a January 11th or 18th release myself.
I was looking forward to enjoying Jack Frost 2 on blu-ray from MVD in time for Christmas, but that title has been delayed yet again, this time to January 11th. It's not really a Christmas movie, but I've always associated it in the same category as Silent Night, Deadly Night. Jack Frost is also slated for the same day (previously released by Vinegar Syndrome.)
Disney's Encanto has gets a street date of February 8th and comes with the usual slew of skus. A blu-ray edition, 4K Standard, Best Buy Exclusive 4K SteelBook and the Target Exclusive 4K Edition.
The Criterion Collection has announced their March titles, which include a couple of 4K releases. The titles are Adoption, The Flight of the Phoenix (1965), The Last Waltz (both blu-ray and 4K/blu-ray combo editions), Le Cercle Rouge - 4K/Blu-ray Combo and Love Jones.
Shout Factory will be releasing The Sword and the Sorcerer on 4K/blu-ray combo on March 15th. If I am not mistaken this was stuck on an Anchor Bay DVD, it never made it to blu-ray. Also coming in 2022, they have secured the rights to release The Core as part of their Shout Select line.
Arrow Video has revealed their March 2022 titles. The titles are An American Werewolf in London - Limited Edition 4K, Come Drink With Me, Mary Shelley's Frankenstein - 4K, Mary Shelley's Frankenstein - 4K [Zavvi Exclusive SteelBook], RoboCop - Limited Edition 4K, RoboCop - 4K [Limited Edition SteelBook] and To Sleep So As To Dream.
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?
With two full weeks remaining until Christmas, how are you feeling as far as being ready? Truthfully, half my immediate family have become Scrooges, so it's become much easier to shop year-to-year. Except for mom, I am ready!
Welcome to Volume 2 Episode 30 of our weekly release guide. A look at the highlights of what's coming to disc this week, as well as a look at announcements from last week.
4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Releases-
Quite an assortment of titles to pick from this week. Getting to the new releases first, The Last Duel gets a standard release from 20th Century Studios. There was a SteelBook in the mix early on, but that has either been delayed at the last second or we have not gotten an order link for yet. The Disney company is known for pretty short order windows.
And from Sony Pictures, Venom: Let There Be Carnage gets a standard edition release and a Best Buy Eclusive SteelBook.
On to catalog releases, first from Paramount, The Wolf of Wall Street gets a standard edition release and a general release SteelBook edition, which in my opinion is absolutely hideous. But hey, to each their own, I won't judge you if you dig it.
The next Criterion Collection 4K release is here this week, I'm talking about The Red Shoes. I am wondering how this will look, as the description touts it as a 'Technicolor feast.'
Arrow video may or may not be releasing a more economical, single disc edition of Dune and a swagless edition of Donnie Darko. With delivery issues hitting them the hardest, those dates literally could change at any moment.
Blu-ray releases-
If you saved any cash after shopping the 4K category, this week's blu-ray category has the most titles of the month.
Just like always, getting the blu-ray counterparts listed first, The Last Duel and Venom: Let There Be Carnage will be available. Also available, Venom / Venom: Let There Be Carnage (Double Feature). Little by little, multi-features get 4K releases as well, but not this one.
Sony Pictures releases a Netflix animated adventure titled The Mitchells vs the Machines.
LionsGate brings us their two latest action films, American Sicario and Dangerous. I've been wondering what Danny Trejo has been up to these days.
Warner Archive's classic release this week is the 1952 drama film Ivanhoe.
From Universal, the 2021 action/thriller The Card Counter.
For animated and anime releases, Cartoon Saloon's Irish Folklore Trilogy from Shout Factory, which offers several titles previously released, but in a nice looking collector's set. Actual anime, Dr. Stone: Season 1 (Supposed to be a Best Buy Exclusive SteelBook until 2/15, but Amazon is showing a 12/14 release date), One Piece - Collection 28, Rent-A-Girlfriend: Complete Collection and Robotech - Part 3 (The New Generation).
Kino Lorber brings us some star power, a Marlon Brando feature titled Bedtime Story and a Tony Randall / Burl Ives film titled The Brass Bottle.
Criterion Collection's blu-ray release this week is The Learning Tree, a drama from 1969.
Honorable Mention: ClassicFlix has been releasing The Little Rascals Collections quite regularly now (Volume 4 is in Janaury.) This week, they are bringing us The Abbott and Costello Show: Season 1. Amazon's order link is dead at the time of this writing, but it should go live any time. Other sites list the title for preorder so the date should be accurate.
Notable announcements from last week:
A handful of announcements worth mentioning from last week.
Paramount will be releasing a 4K disc (with digital code) of John Carpenter's Escape From L.A. on 2/22. As you may recall, Shout! Factory did the most recent blu-ray release.
Sony has announced a 4K combo release for Looper with a street date of 2/15. Yes, you can thank me for taking one for the team, I made an impulse buy on Zavvi for the SteelBook with slip and no sooner did I get a ship notice, this announcement arrived. It is said in the industry that the color timing for the U.S. release is supposed to be retinkered to be more accurate. Sounds like a possible double-dip for me already, UGH. Sony has also added a 4K SteelBook edition for Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City that is a general release (not Best Buy exclusive.)
Kino Lorber will be releasing Orson Welles' Touch of Evil as a 4K disc combo or a blu-ray edition on 2/15.
I was right a week back about supply issues likely impacting The Andy Griffith Show Complete Series set. Delivery date is trending towards the end of the year, I wouldn't doubt if it goes into January. Maybe they sold more copies than anticipated, which would be a good sign.
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?
Cyber Week: DONE. In case you're wondering, I did buy the subscription for Vinegar Syndrome releases for 2022!
The Christmas/Holiday season is just a few weeks away! Have you completed your obligatory viewing of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer yet? Or some other favorite Christmas/Holiday movie, be it a classic or something newer, even Die Hard!
Welcome to Volume 2 Episode 29 of our weekly release guide. A look at the highlights of what's coming to disc this week, as well as a look at announcements from last week.
4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Releases-
This category is mostly about the catalog titles, which is OK because there are some good ones. Let's reveal the new release first though:
Clint Eastwood is still at it, this week's disc release is Cry Macho, released by Warner Bros. As an action movie fan, I am pretty sure I will enjoy this Western/Drama, Eastwood is certainly a hall of famer with great vision and talent. One can bet there will be a SteelBook internationally or later on as a reissue.
And from 20th Century Studios (via Disney), the animated title Ron's Gone Wrong. This one breaks the normal model of offering a SteelBook and a Target exclusive, AND is also at the moment available for preorder from Amazon.
OK then, on to the catalog titles category. Sticking with the Disney company, Who Framed Roger Rabbit gets a 4K upgrade, both as a standard edition and as a SteelBook release. I personally am not a fan of that rather plain looking, overly yellow SteelBook, but I am sure it probably appeals to some.
Next, from Sony, The Karate Kid Collection. This includes the original Karate Kid movie and the two sequels, but not the new reboot movie. When the original movie came out to 4K disc I actually held off in the hopes that (at least) all three would get a 4K release. My order was placed as soon as this got listed.
From Shout!/Scream Factory, Krampus: The Naughty Cut. Another title I ordered once it got listed.
One of my most anticipated releases of the week, JCVD stars in the action film Hard Target, released by Kino Lorber. Hopefully with KLSC releasing this one it means that JCVD will get additional blu-ray and 4K releases in the future.
If you missed out on the import for Running Man a month back, now you can get it from Amazon.de (Germany). Does this mean a domestic release is coming? Really hard to say. This one has a Friday release date.
Blu-ray releases-
This week is the second busiest week of the month. In our weekly tradition, getting the blu-ray counterparts out of the way first, Cry Macho, Ron's Gone Wrong and Hard Target all get concurrent releases.
Keeping with JCVD, Mill Creek is offering Street Fighter in a SteelBook package this week. I still got the laserdisc in a storage bin somewhere.
From the Warner Archive Collection, Angels with Dirty Faces gets a blu-ray release.
Distributed by Paramount but from CBS Home Entertainment, The Andy Griffith Show: The Complete Series debuts on blu-ray disc. Although not DS9, it does give us another physical blu-ray release of a TV series, which is always good. With supply chain issues, I've got my doubts on this one arriving at your door step on December 7th, but sometime in December is likely.
Paramount's catalog title Beavis and Butt-Head Do America debuts to blu-ray. The Paramount Presents label this week brings us Harold and Maude.
Universal's 2021 action/thriller Copshop gets a blu-ray/dvd combo release this week. Also, Dear Evan Hansen gets a blu-ray/dvd combo, and it would appear the 4K disc has been shelved.
Warner Bros. delivers Rick and Morty: Season 5 in both a standard edition and a SteelBook.
Creepshow: Season 2 gets a release from RLJE/Image Entertainment.
LionsGate's appearance on the weekly calendar gives us The Jesus Music and Last Shoot Out.
If you're not Criterioned out from the recent 4K release batches, One Night In Miami gets a blu-ray this week.
Anime highlights include just Bleach: Set 13 and Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?! Season 3.
Honorable mention: Kino Lorber releases Gomorrah: Season 2 this week and it looks like they're on track to release the ramainder of this series in a short period. There are a few other noteable titles to ponder this week too; Blue Monkey, Get Crazy and Mr. Majestyk.
Notable announcements from last week:
I really thought this section would be completely blank, being that this time frame was Cyber-week.
Shout! Factory has announced a handful of titles for August. The titles are Alligator - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray, Alligator II: The Mutation, Gintama: The Very Final, The Howling - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray, Lipstick, Paranoiac, Slap Shot [SteelBook], Slumber Party Massacre (2021) and Summer School. You can thank me for the domestic release of The Howling in 4K because I took one for the team and imported it! Mind you, my import is a decked out StudioCanal swag-filled edition.
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?
Post Black Friday and rolling into Cyber Monday, how well did you fare? Myself, because the entire month has been a barrage of special deals from all the various retailers, I had to take a moment to evaluate what I really can or cannot pass up. (As of the time of this writing, I have the Vinegar Syndrome Subscription sitting in my cart). Cyber Monday will probably NOT be as big a deal this year, but I could be wrong, right? Walmart is already calling it Cyber Week, I suspect other retailers are doing the same sort of thing.
Welcome to Volume 2 Episode 28 of our weekly release guide. A look at the highlights of what's coming to disc this week, as well as a look at announcements from last week.
4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Releases-
Compared to previous weeks, this week is pretty slow for new 4K discs.
From Disney's Marvel label, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. Keeping with the normal release options, we get a standard package, a Best Buy Exclusive SteelBook and a Target Exclusive 'Art Edition.' No disrespect to Target, but I am not a fan of the look of theirs.
Indie house Gunpowder & Sky release Horror/Mystery Summer of 84.
And indie house Vinegar Syndrome releases monster-flick Ticks.
Blu-ray releases-
An average(ish) week for volume of blu-rays. Getting the blu-ray counterpart release out of the way first, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings comes your way.
From BBC, Eden: Untamed Planet debuts on disc.
From Paramount, Heaven Can Wait (1978) starring Warren Beatty, and a remastered version of Reds (1981).
Warner Bros delivers the 2021 horror/mystery Malignant. The Warner Archive label brings us Party Girl.
LionsGate's weekly appearing includes Saint Maud, a 2019 thriller.
A week does not pass without a look at Anime highlights, and there are quite a few this week. This week look for Akudama Drive: The Complete Season in a standard package and a limited edition, Bungo and Alchemist - Gears of Judgement, and yes they put the extra 'e' in 'judgment', Food Wars! The Fourth Plate - Complete Collection (Premium Box Set) and Kakegurui: Season One Collection. This week is also the week for Discotek's November releases, and wouldn't you know it, the one single title I want doesn't have an English dub.
Honorable Mention: Jet Pilot starring John Wayne and Janet Leigh comes to us via Kino Lorber.
Friday releases are not arts releases, but rather band/concert titles.
Notable announcements from last week:
Severin's Blood For Dracula 4K disc has been pushed back yet again, this time add two more months to the street date. We did a review of this one already so what the exact hold up is is unknown.
Multiple Arrow Video titles have been pushed back again, no doubt production and supply chain issues. At this point when I hear 'The Abyss' I relate it more to the delays that are plaguing some releases rather than that James Cameron movie that seems to have fallen into one.
The 2021 film Dune has a release date of January 11th. But there's more.... a sku for a 3D blu-ray has also been added to release choices.
Arrow Video's February slate has been announced. Titles include Deadly Games (1982) and Lies and Deceit – Five Films by Claude Chabrol. Also, in collaboration with Synapse Films, the next Dario Argento 4K release in their fat-pack release category, Phenonema will appear sometime in March. Although listed as a Synapse Films release, it looks very much so like the previous Argento releases from Arrow this past year.
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?
