If you love classic movies and have been waiting - and waiting - to enjoy them in the splendor of 4K UHD, 2022 was your year. After tantalizing fans with a few isolated releases over the past few years (Universal led the way with its superior Alfred Hitchcock and Classic Monsters Icons of Horror collections, while Warner’s eye-popping edition of The Wizard of Oz, Paramount’s sumptuous My Fair Lady, and Sony's Columbia Classics 4K Ultra HD Collection, Volume 1 and Volume 2 earned well-deserved plaudits), many studios - big and small - at last fully embraced the idea of presenting classics in 4K in 2022. All I can say is, it’s about time!
And while I know it takes time to get these cinematic gems restored and remastered so they'll hold up under the unforgiving 4K microscope, I also believe studios don't prioritize even the most renowned films of the 1930s, ’40s, ’50s, and ’60s when a new format debuts. Classics took forever to arrive on DVD, Blu-ray, and 3D, and 4K UHD was no exception. In fact, the Ultra High-Def wait was so interminable, many rabid fans like myself began to wonder if any classics ever would be released in the format at all. Would the high cost of remastering, painstaking restoration process, and smaller market share prevent studios from adding classics to their 4K catalogues, especially when so many classic titles had yet to even enjoy a Blu-ray release?
Thankfully, no. After Criterion finally waded into the 4K classic waters with Citizen Kane and The Red Shoes late last year, Kino Lorber grabbed the baton and ran with it. Their Studio Classics line unveiled a plethora of excellent 4K UHD releases in 2022, and though major studios like Warner, Sony, Paramount, and Universal couldn’t match Kino’s output, the quality of their releases remained stellar. While Criterion continues to produce 4K UHD discs, its slate of Golden Age classics in the format has lagged well behind Kino, much to the disappointment of classics aficionados. That said, fans of Ultra HD and Hollywood classics had a lot to smile about in 2022.
THE APARTMENT (1960) - Kino Lorber Studio Classics
What's most notable about this 4K UHD presentation of writer-director Billy Wilder's Oscar-winning comedy-drama that skewers office and sexual politics is its lack of High Dynamic Range. The Apartment is the only title in this list that isn't enhanced by either HDR or Dolby Vision, and - much to my amazement - it doesn't matter a damn. The crisp, vibrant transfer immerses us in New York's concrete corporate jungle and makes the pitch-perfect performances of Jack Lemmon, Shirley MacLaine, and Fred MacMurray resonate more strongly. The Apartment won five Oscars, including Best Picture, Director, Original Screenplay, Art Direction-Set Decoration, and Editing, and was nominated for five more, and this terrific disc showcases every aspect of this funny, moving, and searing film like never before.
CASABLANCA (1942) - Warner Home Video
We waited a loooong time for this one. From the moment 4K UHD came on the scene, classic movie fans salivated at the prospect of seeing one of the all-time great movies in the format. Well, just in time for Casablanca's 80th birthday, Warner Home Video finally delivered, and the disc was worth the wait. Incredibly film-like, razor sharp, and packed with fine detail, the HDR transfer struck from a 4K 16-bit scan of the best-surviving nitrate elements outshines every other home video release of this Best Picture Oscar winner that tells arguably the most captivating World War II story in Hollywood history. Iconic images abound - Bogie in his trench coat, Bergman's watery eyes, Paul Henreid passionately singing "La Marseillaise," the sardonic Claude Rains smirking in his military finery, tubby Sydney Greenstreet cackling in his fez hat, an oily Peter Lorre squealing "Reeeeck! Reeeeck!", Dooley Wilson crooning "As Time Goes By" while tinkling the ivories... None of them have looked or sounded any better than they do here. If you have a 4K setup, you need Casablanca in Ultra High-Def in your collection.
DOUBLE INDEMNITY (1944) - The Criterion Collection
"From the moment they met, it was murder." Double Indemnity is the granddaddy of all film noir thrillers and the gold standard by which countless copycats and wannabes are judged. Writer-director Billy Wilder's blistering adaptation of James M. Cain's novel about an adulterous couple who plot to bump off the woman's sour husband and collect the sizable insurance spoils never fails to cut like a knife, no matter how many times we've seen it, and it fits 4K UHD like a glove. Barbara Stanwyck, Fred MacMurray, and Edward G. Robinson ignite the screen, and the inky blacks and crisp whites in Criterion's lush yet film-like Dolby Vision HDR transfer create a seductive noir mood that intensifies the sexual tension and ruthless nastiness of this irresistibly nefarious tale. Nominated for seven Oscars, including Best Picture, Director, Actress, Screenplay, Cinematography, Sound, and Music Score, Double Indemnity remains the pinnacle of film noir, and this delectable 4K UHD rendering from Criterion allows us to savor every ferocious bite.
FROM HERE TO ETERNITY (1953) - Columbia Classics 4K Ultra HD Collection, Volume 3
Don't get me wrong, director Fred Zinnemann's stark, stirring adaptation of James Jones' bestselling novel about a U.S. Army outfit in Hawaii in the months before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor looks fantastic in 4K UHD, but it's the Dolby Atmos soundtrack that really earns this Best Picture Oscar winner a spot on this list. A 70-year-old movie with a Dolby Atmos track??!! I couldn't believe it either, but it makes this timeless film almost feel like a contemporary release. As my colleague Matthew Hartman astutely noted in his review, don't "staple this against something like Top Gun: Maverick, that wouldn’t be a contest, but for a film of this vintage, Sony is proving with some care and attention that a massive multi-channel track can work wonders for a classic." He continues, "From grunts clacking pool cues in the officer’s club to drilling in the courtyard to the climactic surprise attack sequence, this mix is quite something. Channel spacing is pitch-perfect allowing enough activity to occupy the front, side, and rear channels and bleeding into the overheads without sounding forced, cheap, or inorganic. One could swear it was always presented in Atmos." Dolby Vision HDR also heightens the intensity of the climactic aerial attack and enhances the power of the nuanced performances of Burt Lancaster, Montgomery Clift, Deborah Kerr, Frank Sinatra, and Donna Reed, all of which were nominated for Oscars. (Yes, that famous beach scene with the waves crashing over Lancaster and Kerr as they passionately embrace looks stunning, too.) For now, From Here to Eternity, which won a whopping eight Oscars and was nominated for five more, is only available as part of Sony's Columbia Classics 4K Ultra HD Collection, Volume 3, but hopefully a stand-alone release is planned.
IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT (1934) - Columbia Classics 4K Ultra HD Collection, Volume 3
One of the oldest films yet to receive the 4K UHD treatment, It Happened One Night, the first of only a handful of movies to win Oscars for Best Picture, Director, Actor, Actress, and Screenplay, is a revelation in the format. It's also Hollywood's first bona fide romantic comedy and the blueprint from which almost all subsequent romcoms have been constructed. Director Frank Capra's rollicking battle of the sexes depicts the incessant fireworks between a sassy runaway heiress (Claudette Colbert) and cocky newspaperman (Clark Gable) as they bumble and stumble their way up the East Coast, bickering and sparring before they inevitably fall in love. Though the Dolby Vision HDR transfer occasionally emphasizes the heavier grain structure of vintage films, the picture looks remarkably vivid and silky most of the time without appearing artificially enhanced. Much of It Happened One Night takes places at night, but the dense blacks don't shroud fine details and the increased clarity and contrast heighten depth. This impeccable transfer proves early films can indeed benefit from 4K UHD upgrades, and we can only hope it will inspire the release of more 1930s movies in the format. Like From Here to Eternity, It Happened One Night is only available as part of the Columbia Classics 4K Ultra HD Collection, Volume 3 for now, but it would behoove Sony to release it separately later this year.
PATHS OF GLORY (1957) - Kino Lorber Studio Classics
Stanley Kubrick fans hit the jackpot in 2022, thanks to Kino releasing three of the legendary director's early films in Ultra High-Def. Both Killer's Kiss and especially The Killing, which just missed making this list, look terrific in 4K UHD, but the crown jewel of the trio is without question Paths of Glory. One of the most realistic and devastating war movies of all time tells the true-life tale of an innocent group of World War I German soldiers who become scapegoats after a disastrous mission threatens the standing of their pompous, egomaniacal commanding officer. The dazzling Dolby Vision HDR transfer, which was struck from a 4K scan of the original camera negative, puts us in the filthy, putrid trenches and on the muddy battlefield strewn with casualties. The smoke, grit, gore, debris, exploding shells, and deafening noise are all brilliantly rendered, as are the close-ups of Kirk Douglas, who files one of his most intense and magnetic portrayals, Adolphe Menjou, George Macready, and Ralph Meeker. Paths of Glory wields immense power and Kino's 4K UHD disc provides an immersive cinematic experience that heightens the film's impact and celebrates the young Kubrick's artistry and innovation.
TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD (1962) - Universal Pictures Home Entertainment
Gregory Peck won a well-deserved Best Actor Oscar for his thoughtful, measured portrayal of Atticus Finch, a small town lawyer who defends a black man against a scurrilous charge made by a white woman in director Richard Mulligan's classic adaptation of Harper Lee's immortal novel. The top-notch HDR transfer brings out all the details in the dusty, sleepy town of Maycomb, Mississippi and enhances the intimate moments that make the movie resonate. To Kill a Mockingbird is about honor, integrity, prejudice, and acceptance, and though those ideas and principles don't instantly scream 4K, they become strangely more impactful when we feel like we're in the same room and breathing the same air as the film's characters. Ultra High-Def isn't just for big-budget action blockbusters, sci-fi odysseys, and effects-laden superhero movies, and To Kill a Mockingbird, with the same quiet dignity that defines the film, proves that.
TOUCH OF EVIL (1958) - Kino Lorber Studio Classics
One of 2022's most eagerly anticipated classic releases was Kino's 4K UHD presentation of director Orson Welles' masterful film noir Touch of Evil. The gripping tale of a corrupt and vindictive cop who locks horns with a narcotics agent over a mob murder in a sleazy Mexican border town brims with Wellesian style and nail-biting tension and is buoyed by riveting performances from Charlton Heston, Janet Leigh, Joseph Calleia, Akim Tamiroff, Marlene Dietrich, and Welles himself. Universal mangled the movie prior to its release, prompting an irate response from Welles and two re-edited versions (one of which was created decades later) that more fully reflect his original vision. All three cuts of Touch of Evil are included in Kino's three-disc special edition, and all three boast stunning Dolby Vision HDR transfers that belie the film's difficult history. The two alternate versions look remarkably cohesive, despite the use of multiple sources, with rich blacks, palpable depth, and sublime close-ups combining to create an image that's "so immersive, so sharp, so filmic, so balanced, so impressive, and such a pleasure to watch, I can't imagine anyone with the capability to play 4K UHD discs not wanting to add this set to their collection."
SINGIN' IN THE RAIN (1952) - Warner Home Video
Along with Casablanca, Singin' in the Rain sat atop scads of upgrade wish lists when Ultra High-Def debuted. It took a while, but in honor of the movie's 70th anniversary, Warner at last released in 4K UHD what many rightfully call the greatest musical ever made. And to quote the title song, what a glorious feeling it was! This uproarious, exhilarating, and nostalgic look at Hollywood's rocky transition from silent to sound pictures contains an array of breathtaking numbers that showcase the peerless terpsichorean talent of Gene Kelly, Donald O'Connor, Debbie Reynolds, and Cyd Charisse. The film's yummy Technicolor palette and sumptuous sets and costumes look fantastic in 4K, and the splendiferous HDR transfer boosts appreciation for not only the illustrious cast, but also MGM's entire Arthur Freed Unit, which elevated the humble musical to a lofty, sophisticated art form. As I wrote in my review, "Warner has always done Technicolor proud in its Blu-ray transfers, but the hues in this 4K UHD transfer with HDR take the cake...and make us want to eat it, too...To say [the film's] Blu-ray transfer is kind of like Kansas and the 4K UHD transfer is like Dorothy opening the door and entering Oz is a bit of an exaggeration, but you get the idea. Once you see Singin' in the Rain in the splendor of 4K UHD with HDR...you will never, ever watch the Blu-ray again."
SOME LIKE IT HOT (1959) - Kino Lorber Studio Classics
"You had me at Marilyn Monroe in Dolby Vision." That's how I opened my review of Kino's 4K UHD upgrade of Billy Wilder's classic cross-dressing, gender-bending screwball comedy about a couple of manic musicians (Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon) who join an all-girls band to evade the vengeful grasp of a vindictive mobster (George Raft). Monroe sparkles in this side-splitting farce, and Kino's terrific Dolby Vision HDR transfer allows us to drink in her inimitable vivacity, vulnerability, and doe-eyed allure. (It also inspires longing for Marilyn's color movies to be released in the format. C'mon Fox, get on the ball!) As I wrote in my review, "Everything that's good about [Criterion's] 2018 restoration is that much better here - heightened clarity and contrast, greater depth, denser black levels, brighter whites, and sharper fine details all enhance the incredibly film-like picture...What's so exhilarating about Kino's transfer is the way it captures, reflects, and transmits the kinetic energy that permeates almost every frame of Some Like It Hot." Few comedies are as laugh-out-loud funny, and Kino's excellent presentation ensures we'll be howling for years to come.
A few other classic titles released in 4K UHD in 2022 merit mention. Kino's Ultra High-Def upgrades of The Killing (1956), director Stanley Kubrick's gritty, mesmerizing heist flick with Sterling Hayden and Elisha Cook Jr., and In the Heat of the Night (1967), director Norman Jewison's explosive murder mystery with racial overtones with Sidney Poitier and Rod Steiger, made significant splashes, as did Warner's impressive UHD presentation of Giant (1956), director George Stevens' mammoth adaptation of novelist Edna Ferber's ode to Texas starring Rock Hudson, Elizabeth Taylor, and James Dean. Even without HDR, Kino delivered an exceptional release of the iconic World War II POW epic The Great Escape to 4K Ultra HD along with the Clint Eastwood Spaghetti Westerns A Fistful of Dollars and For A Few Dollars More. With so many great releases, it's nearly impossible to catalog and rank them all, but the 10 titles above are the essentials of any growing 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray collection.
2022 was a banner year for classics in 4K UHD. And as I raise a glass to these glorious discs, here’s hoping 2023 yields an even greater bounty of classics in Ultra High-Def. We've waited long enough.
The explosive action films starring Keanu Reeves will be available in a 4K UHD Best Buy exclusive SteelBook collection on February 28.
The iconic, action-packed, three-film John Wick Stash Book Collection – SteelBook® Box Set arrives on 4K Ultra HD™ + Blu-ray™ + Digital SteelBook February 28 from Lionsgate. Starring legendary actor Keanu Reeves (The Matrix franchise, Point Break, Speed) and featuring Primetime Emmy® Award nominee Ian McShane (“Deadwood,” Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides), the John Wick trilogy follows a former hit man who is forced back into the criminal underworld he had abandoned. When housed in the outer box, the three SteelBooks form a replica of John’s killer “stash book” from John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum. Each SteelBook is emblazoned with detailed imagery specific to the film within, and each is numbered (1, 2, or 3) to signify its place in the series while enhancing its “hardcover book” look. The Best Buy exclusive John Wick Stash Book Collection – SteelBook Box Set will be available for the suggested retail price of $99.99.
The release includes all previous features and Dolby Atmos soundtracks and as mentioned this set will only be available at Best Buy.
John Wick Stash Book Collection – SteelBook Box Set (Best Buy Exclusive)
Check out the full press release:
John Wick 1-3 Stash Book Collection 4K Ultra HD SteelBook®
4K Ultra HD™ + Blu-ray™ + Digital SteelBook
Street Date: 2/28/23
SRP: $99.99
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The iconic, action-packed, three-film John Wick Stash Book Collection – SteelBook® Box Set arrives on 4K Ultra HD™ + Blu-ray™ + Digital SteelBook February 28 from Lionsgate. Starring legendary actor Keanu Reeves (The Matrix franchise, Point Break, Speed) and featuring Primetime Emmy® Award nominee Ian McShane (“Deadwood,” Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides), the John Wick trilogy follows a former hit man who is forced back into the criminal underworld he had abandoned. When housed in the outer box, the three SteelBooks form a replica of John’s killer “stash book” from John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum. Each SteelBook is emblazoned with detailed imagery specific to the film within, and each is numbered (1, 2, or 3) to signify its place in the series while enhancing its “hardcover book” look. The Best Buy exclusive John Wick Stash Book Collection – SteelBook Box Set will be available for the suggested retail price of $99.99.
OFFICIAL SYNOPSIS
A retired hit man is forced back into the underground world of assassins when he embarks on a merciless journey to hunt down his adversaries. With the skill and ruthlessness that made him an underworld legend, John Wick fights to overcome the world’s top hit men and women in his quest for revenge and redemption in this stylish, electrifying action series.
JOHN WICK: When sadistic young thugs senselessly attack John Wick — a brilliantly lethal ex-assassin — they have no idea that they’ve just awakened the boogeyman. With New York City as his bullet-riddled playground, Wick embarks on a merciless rampage, hunting down his adversaries with the skill and ruthlessness that made him an underworld legend.
JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 2: Legendary hit man John Wick is forced out of retirement again by a former associate plotting to seize control of a shadowy international assassins’ guild. Bound by a blood oath to help him, John travels to Rome, where he squares off against some of the world’s deadliest killers.
JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 3 – PARABELLUM: Super assassin John Wick has a $14 million dollar price tag on his head after killing a member of the High Table, the shadowy international assassins’ guild. Now excommunicado, and with any army of the world’s most ruthless hit men and women on his trail, John must find a way to survive in this third chapter of the adrenaline- fueled action series.
CAST
Keanu Reeves The Matrix franchise, Point Break, Speed
Primetime Emmy® Award Nominee
Ian McShane TV’s “Deadwood,” Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger
Tides
Lance Reddick White House Down, Godzilla vs. Kong, TV’s “Resident Evil”
Academy Award® Winner
Halle Berry Monster’s Ball, Moonfall, Kingsman: The Golden Circle
Ruby Rose TV’s “Orange Is the New Black,” SAS: Red Notice
Academy Award® Nominee
Laurence Fishburne The Matrix franchise, Mystic River
Asia Kate Dillon TV’s “Billions” and “Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur”
STEELBOOK SPECIAL FEATURES
JOHN WICK
JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 2
JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 3 – PARABELLUM
PROGRAM INFORMATION
Year of Production: 2014-2019
Title Copyright: John Wick © 2014 Poquito Productions, LLC. John Wick: Chapter 2 © 2017, John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum © 2019, Artwork & Supplementary Materials ®, ™ & © 2023 Lions Gate Entertainment Inc. and related companies. All Rights Reserved.
Type: Catalog
Rating: JOHN WICK: Rated R for strong and bloody violence throughout, language and brief drug use.
JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 2: Rated R for strong violence throughout, some language and brief nudity.
JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 3 – PARABELLUM: Rated R for pervasive strong violence, and some language.
Genre: Action
Closed-Captioned: N/A
Subtitles: English, Spanish Subtitles, French Subtitles (John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum only), English SDH
Feature Run Time:
JOHN WICK: 101 Mins.
JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 2: 122 Mins.
JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 3 – PARABELLUM: 130 Mins.
Technical Specs:
JOHN WICK 4K Ultra HD Format: 2160p Ultra High Definition 16x9 (2.40:1) Presentation
JOHN WICK 4K Ultra HD Audio: English Dolby Atmos
JOHN WICK Blu-ray™ Format: 1080p High Definition 16x9 (2.40:1) Presentation
JOHN WICK Blu-ray™ Audio: English Dolby Atmos
JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 2 4K Ultra HD Format: 2160p Ultra High Definition 16x9 (2.40:1) Presentation
JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 2 4K Ultra HD Audio: English Dolby Atmos
JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 2 Blu-ray™ Format: 1080p High Definition 16x9 (2.40:1) Presentation
JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 2 Blu-ray™ Audio: English Dolby Atmos
JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 3 4K Ultra HD Format: 2160p Ultra High Definition 16x9 (2.39:1) Presentation, Dolby Vision
JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 3 – PARABELLUM 4K Ultra HD Audio: English Dolby Atmos
JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 3 – PARABELLUM Blu-ray™ Format: 1080p High Definition 16x9 (2.39:1) Presentation
JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 3 – PARABELLUM Blu-ray™ Audio: English Dolby Atmos
The critically-acclaimed musical comedy and Best Picture winner from Rob Marshall is getting a SteelBook edition for the film's 20th anniversary on February 7th
Winner of 6 academy Awards- Chicago is a dazzling spectacle cheered by audiences and critics alike! At a time when crimes of passion result in celebrity headlines, nightclub sensation Velma Kelly (Catherine Zeta-Jones) and spotlight seeking Roxie Hart (Renée Zellweger) both find themselves sharing space on Chicago's famed Murderess Row! They also share Billy Flynn (Richard Gere), the town's slickest lawyer with a talent for turning notorious defendants into local legends. But in Chicago, there's only room for one legend!
The release doesn't appear to have anything new aside from the SteelBook packaging, as the bonus materials are all legacy features.
Chicago 20th Anniversary Blu-ray SteelBook
Order your copy today and here is the full press release:
Winner of six Academy Awards®, including Best Picture, director Rob Marshall’s musical sensation CHICAGO celebrates its 20th anniversary this year with a new, Limited-Edition Blu-ray™ SteelBook™, arriving February 7, 2023 from Paramount Home Entertainment.
Originally released wide on January 24, 2003, CHICAGO was nominated for 13 Academy Awards and won not only Best Picture, but also Best Supporting Actress for Catherine Zeta-Jones, Best Art Direction, Best Costume Design, Best Film Editing, and Best Sound.
A thrilling adaptation of the Broadway musical, the film boasts sensational performances from Zeta-Jones, Renée Zellweger, Richard Gere, Queen Latifah, John C. Reilly, Christine Baranski, and more. Filled with electrifying musical numbers, wildly entertaining satire, and plenty of razzle dazzle, CHICAGO remains a must-see cinematic spectacle.
The Limited-Edition Blu-ray SteelBook includes access to a Digital copy of the film and boasts over three hours of legacy bonus content, including commentary with director Rob Marshall and screenwriter Bill Condon, an extensive look at the film with cast and crew interviews, plus extended musical performances. Bonus content is detailed below:
Steamboat Willie and nine other Walt Disney Animation Studios classic shorts will be available on home video next month on February 7 in celebration of Disney's 100th anniversary.
Celebrate 100 magical years of Disney with this collectible compilation of animated shorts! Mickey and Minnie share their memories in new introductions to these 10 wonderful stories, which have entertained generations of children and adults alike. Included is the iconic "Steamboat Willie," the first cartoon with synchronized sound, in which the character of Mickey Mouse was first introduced as a deckhand on a riverboat commanded by the tyrannical Captain Pete. Also included are "Brave Little Tailor," featuring Mickey as a medieval tailor given a daunting task. In "Mickey’s Delayed Date," the tardy mouse relies on his faithful pup Pluto to get him to a dance with Minnie. "Hawaiian Holiday" finds Mickey and his pals vacationing on a beautiful island. Then along with friends, Mickey and Minnie glide through a romantic date on a frozen river in "On Ice." And catch five more delightful stories in this legacy collection.
The Blu-ray/DVD/Digital Copy Combo Pack includes a 2.0 soundtrack with all-new introductions by Mickey and Minnie.
Mickey & Minnie: 10 Classic Shorts - Volume 1
Pre-orders should be available shortly but here is the full press release:
CELEBRATE 100 MAGICAL YEARS WITH MICKEY AND MINNIE!
Collect A Piece of Animation History When
Mickey & Minnie 10 Classic Shorts – Volume 1
Arrives on Blu-ray™ and DVD February 7
BURBANK, CA (January 10, 2023) – Walt Disney Animation Studios today announced that Mickey & Minnie 10 Classic Shorts – Volume 1 will soon be available to audiences to enjoy at home. This new collection gathers together ten classic animated shorts for the first time, including the iconic “Steamboat Willie,” and features all-new introductions from Mickey and Minnie for each short.
This release is part of the planned releases coming in 2023 to celebrate Disney's 100th anniversary.
It will be available to purchase on Blu-ray and DVD from February 7.
Film Synopsis
Celebrate 100 magical years of Disney with this collectible compilation of animated shorts! Mickey and Minnie share their memories in new introductions to these 10 wonderful stories, which have entertained generations of children and adults alike. Included is the iconic "Steamboat Willie," the first cartoon with synchronized sound, in which the character of Mickey Mouse was first introduced as a deckhand on a riverboat commanded by the tyrannical Captain Pete. Also included are "Brave Little Tailor," featuring Mickey as a medieval tailor given a daunting task. In "Mickey’s Delayed Date," the tardy mouse relies on his faithful pup Pluto to get him to a dance with Minnie. "Hawaiian Holiday" finds Mickey and his pals vacationing on a beautiful island. Then along with friends, Mickey and Minnie glide through a romantic date on a frozen river in "On Ice." And catch five more delightful stories in this legacy collection.
Product Specifications
Street Date
Physical: February 7, 2023
Product SKUs
Physical: Blu-ray Combo Pack (Blu-ray + Digital Code) & DVD
Feature Run Time
Approx. 83 Minutes
Rating
Not rated
Aspect Ratio
Digital: 1.78:1
Physical: 1.78:1
U.S. Audio
Blu-ray: English 2.0 Dolby Digital, Spanish 2.0 Dolby Digital, French 2.0 Dolby Digital
DVD: English 2.0 Dolby Digital, Spanish 2.0 Dolby Digital, French 2.0 Dolby Digital
Digital: English 2.0 Dolby Digital, Spanish 2.0 Dolby Digital, French 2.0 Dolby Digital
U.S. Subtitles
Blu-ray: English SDH, Spanish, French
DVD: English SDH, Spanish, French
Digital: English SDH, Spanish, French (some platforms)
Ryan Coogler's epic tribute to Chadwick Boseman and Marvel's T'Challa arrives on digital February 1. It will also have three retailer exclusives on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray, and will also be available on Blu-ray and DVD on February 7.
Diehard fans will have their choice between two Best Buy 4K SteelBooks or a Wal-Mart exclusive that includes an enamel pin. The 4K UHD will include Dolby Atmos. Check out our theatrical review HERE.
Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett), Shuri (Letitia Wright), M’Baku (Winston Duke), Okoye (Danai Gurira) and the mighty Dora Milaje (including Florence Kasumba), fight to protect their nation from intervening world powers in the wake of the death of their beloved King T’Challa. As the Wakandans strive to embrace their next chapter, the heroes must band together with the help of War Dog Nakia (Lupita Nyong’o) and Everett K. Ross (Martin Freeman) if they are to forge a new path for the kingdom of Wakanda. Marvel Studios’ Black Panther: Wakanda Forever was written by Ryan Coogler & Joe Robert Cole and directed by Ryan Coogler.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever - Blu-ray
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever 4K - SteelBook 1
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever 4K - SteelBook 2
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever 4K Walmart Exclusive
Pre-orders should be available soon... below are all of the PR details
Film Synopsis
Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett), Shuri (Letitia Wright), M’Baku (Winston Duke), Okoye (Danai Gurira) and the mighty Dora Milaje (including Florence Kasumba), fight to protect their nation from intervening world powers in the wake of the death of their beloved King T’Challa. As the Wakandans strive to embrace their next chapter, the heroes must band together with the help of War Dog Nakia (Lupita Nyong’o) and Everett K. Ross (Martin Freeman) if they are to forge a new path for the kingdom of Wakanda. Marvel Studios’ Black Panther: Wakanda Forever was written by Ryan Coogler & Joe Robert Cole and directed by Ryan Coogler.
Bonus Features*
Gag Reel
Audio Commentary
Featurettes
Deleted Scenes
*Bonus features vary by product and retailer
Cast
Angela Bassett as Queen Ramonda
Letitia Wright as Shuri
Winston Duke as M’Baku
Danai Gurira as Okoye
Florence Kasumba as Ayo
Lupita Nyong’o as Nakia
Martin Freeman as Everett Ross
Tenoch Huerta as Namor
Michaela Coel as Aneka
Mabel Cadena as Namora
Alex Livanalli as Attuma
Dominique Thorne as Riri Williams
Directed by
Ryan Coogler
Produced by
Kevin Feige, p.g.a.
Nate Moore, p.g.a.
Executive Producers
Louis D’Esposito
Victoria Alonso
Barry H. Waldman
Screenplay by
Ryan Coogler
& Joe Robert Cole
Story by
Ryan Coogler
Music By
Ludwig Göransson
Product Specifications
U.S. and Canada Street Date
Digital: February 1, 2023
Physical: February 7, 2023
Product SKUs
Digital: 4K UHD, HD, SD
Physical: 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack (4K UHD + Blu-ray + Digital Code), Blu-ray Combo Pack (Blu-ray + Digital Code) & DVD
Feature Run Time
Approx. 161 minutes
Rating
U.S.: Rated PG-13
Canada: Rated PG
Aspect Ratio
Digital: 2:39
Physical: 2.39:1
U.S. Audio
4K: English Dolby Atmos and 2.0 Descriptive Audio, and Spanish 7.1 Dolby Digital Plus
Blu-ray: English 7.1 DTS-HDMA and 2.0 Descriptive Audio, and Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital
DVD: English and Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital, and English 2.0 Descriptive Audio
Digital: English Dolby Atmos (UHD only, some platforms), English 5.1 & 2.0 Dolby Digital, Spanish 5.1 & 2.0 Dolby Digital, French 5.1 & 2.0 Dolby Digital, English Descriptive Audio 2.0 Dolby Digital (some platforms)
Canada Audio
4K: English Dolby Atmos and 2.0 Descriptive Audio, and French 5.1 Dolby Digital
Blu-ray: English 7.1 DTS-HDMA and 2.0 Descriptive Audio, and French 5.1 Dolby Digital
DVD: English and French 5.1 Dolby Digital, and English 2.0 Descriptive Audio
Digital: English Dolby Atmos (UHD only, some platforms), English 5.1 & 2.0 Dolby Digital, Spanish 5.1 & 2.0 Dolby Digital, French 5.1 & 2.0 Dolby Digital, English Descriptive Audio 2.0 Dolby Digital (some platforms)
U.S. Subtitles
4K: English SDH, Spanish
Blu-ray: English SDH, Spanish
DVD: English SDH, Spanish
Digital: English SDH, French, Spanish (some platforms)
Canada Subtitles
4K: English SDH, French
Blu-ray: English SDH, French
DVD: English SDH, French
Digital: English SDH, French, Spanish (some platforms)
Hope you had a good kick off to 2023. Some of the release buzz in the home video/disc industry is very exciting, we will share news as it goes from tentative/rumor to something concrete. My Disney/Fox wish this year is for them to use BD100 discs when a release merits it, and to use Dolby Vision on the disc itself, not a streaming exclusive. Maybe with the original Avatar supposedly coming to disc later this year, that will start a trend.
Welcome to Volume 3 Episode 34 of our weekly release guide. A look at the highlights of what's coming to disc the week of January 8 - January 14, as well as a look at announcements from last week.
No new releases in this category this week, but we do have (maybe) three titles to look at.
First from Sony Pictures, not quite a double-dip, how about Groundhog Day? This time around a Dolby Vision pass has been added, and it comes in a SteelBook package.
Next from Scream Factory, a more recent Universal Pictures film gets a 4K upgrade, Ouija. When they decided making board games into movies I was a bit skeptical, but thus far they have been entertaining.
OK, the reason I uttered 'maybe' in the first sentence, from 88 Films, Dragons Forever with Jackie Chan. This one has been inserted into multiple previous weeks' articles only to be removed at press time because it got delayed each time. I did see social media posts with discs in their hands so I think it is safe to call it good this time around and to expect to see it on Tuesday!
Next week, Irish grassland, twice the peril, acrimony of an adult male and Carpenter Steel.
The single blu-ray counterpart of the above titles this week (maybe) is Dragons Forever from 88 Films.
Unfortunately, LionsGate this week doesn't offer any Bruce Willis action (but next week is a different story), they do have a comedy titled Angry Neighbors though.
New drama from Universal titled She Said. As of press time Amazon still listing this as a July release, but official word from Universal (and retailer back rooms) does/do in fact state January 10th.
TV on disc includes Fear the Walking Dead: The Complete Seventh Season, Good Girls: The Complete Series and The Man Who Fell to Earth: Season One.
The latest franchise SteelBook from Paramount this week is Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter.
From the Criterion Collection, Imitation of Life, a 1934 melodrama.
Warner Bros' label Warner Archive Collection has Our Dancing Daughters and Rancho Notorious this week.
Special Interest film from Sony Pictures Classics, The Return of Tanya Tucker: Featuring Brandi Carlile debuts to disc this week.
Anime highlights include Boruto: Naruto Next Generations - Set 14 (Kawaki), Himouto! Umaru-chan R, Obey Me! - Season 1, Platinum End - Part 1 and Waiting in the Summer: Complete Collection.
Arrow Video gives us their take on The Dunwich Horror, previously it was part of a double feature from Scream Factory. Not done there, look for a Sonny Chiba box set titled The Executioner Collection.
Shout Factory has revealed most of their March 2023 titles. I would expect an animated/anime title or two to be added, but here's what we have so far: 4K includes Dead Silence, The Exorcist III, Streets of Fire and Wanted. For blu-ray, look for Crazy People, Critical Condition, Dr. Giggles, Razorback and Sorry, Wrong Number.
Amazon already has a listing for the blu-ray of M3GAN. I really hope a 4K gets added to the choices too. I would guess a March release date on this one.
Warner Bros. will be releasing Training Day to 4K and 4K Best Buy SteelBook on February 28. This release is packaged under their Warner 100 packaging.
Disney is also celebrating 100 years. For 4K, Best Buy is offering SteelBooks of many animated releases spaced throughout 2023, as well as the original Star Wars trilogy on May 2nd. BD100 discs with Dolby Vision, right? One can hope and dream I guess. Check out our 4K release calendar link, click 'Show All Releases' if necessary, then search for Disney 100 to see what is there so far. At this time it looks like their Disney 100 label on blu-ray is limited to the Disney Movie Club and Walmart, but that can't be right, can it?
As always, we appreciate you playing your orders via our links, it helps keep our little operation going.
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?
Happy New Year! What are you most looking forward to this year in the home video category? Finally seeing The Abyss and the original Avatar on 4K BD100 Dolby Vision disc? Getting that new OLED and/or Atmos setup? Ten-Gig fiber internet so you can reliably stream 4K?
Welcome to Volume 3 Episode 32 of our weekly release guide. A look at the highlights of what's coming to disc the week of January 1st - January 7th, as well as a look at announcements from last week.
The first full week of 2023 has not one, but TWO new release titles in the 4K category.
First from Warner Bros., another DCEU release titled Black Adam, this one stars Dwayne Johnson and comes as a standard edition, a Best Buy Exclusive SteelBook and as a Walmart Exclusive Pop Vinyl edition.
From LionsGate, Prey for the Devil, which falls in the horror/thriller category.
From Criterion Collection, The Adventures of Baron Munchausen. All I need to know is it is a Terry Gilliam film, just take my money!
Cats (2019) *might* be getting a release this week, or it might get an official announcement to be released next month only to show a release date of this week when we get to next month. Confused?
Next week, Puxatawny Phil gets steely, Yesja and maybe 88-days have elapsed for one title while they've just begun for another.
Blu-ray counterparts for the above titles? Terrifier 2 was released last week, with the (unconfirmed) possibility there is a SteelBook at Walmart, Black Adam comes via Warner Bros, Prey for the Devil via LionsGate and The Adventures of Baron Munchausen gets a Criterion Collection blu-ray release.
Ain't gonna lie, we don't have a lot to work with this week to fluff the blu-ray releases section. Sometimes it is about the quality and not the quantity.
New drama from Universal Pictures titled Armageddon Time, with an all-star cast including Anthony Hopkins, Anne Hathaway and Jeremy Strong
Did not see a lot of these films pop up so this one might be right for you if you follow the monarchy, Elizabeth Windsor, a documentary about the world's longest ever serving queen.
Anime highlights include just Sabikui Bisco - The Complete Season and Sasaki and Miyano - The Complete Season.
Paramount offers up Star Trek: Prodigy: Season 1 this week. Not sure what to think of this one based on the trailer, but I certainly will take a look, mostly because I am a Trekkie.
Certainly not Bruce Willis but definitely action, Vertical Entertainment has The System (2022) this week.
This week Amazon U.S. offers up Imprint Films' December releases;
Nothing major announced this past week, being the week between Christmas and New Years, there is no surprise here.
Universal Studios did announce the film She Said for a January 10th release date. Amazon still has it listed for July, but they will come around.
Some of the botique labels have been busy adding titles for March(ish) street dates. Let's also not forget to keep our eyes peeled for Vinegary Syndrome's 2023 Subscription Offer in the next week or so.
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?
Have you been nice this year? Did Santa bring you movies or new gear? How true they are, the "Twelve Pains of Christmas" by the talented Bob Rivers. At the close of this week, we countdown to 2023! Welcome to Volume 3 Episode 31 of our weekly release guide. A look at the highlights of what's coming to disc the week of December 25th - December 31st, as well as a look at announcements from last week.
New releases this week starts out with Halloween Ends, which is available as a standard edition, a Walmart Exclusive and a Best Buy Exclusive SteelBook. The Zavvi cover edition comes on January 16th. You can also get the trilogy (2018 - 2022) in a single package as well.
This one surprised me a bit, when the announcement dropped there was a lot of buzz. Talking about Terrifier 2, and the only way to get the 4K is from Best Buy. This might make me have to watch the first film to see what's up.
Kino Lorber this week has Paul Newman's 1994 film Nobody's Fool, which is based on Richard Russo's novel by the same name.
Blu-ray counterparts first, and this week it means every title above. Halloween Ends, the 2018-2022 trilogy, Terrifier 2 and Nobody's Fool.
Anime highlights include Digimon Adventure Season 1, Goodbye, Don Glees!, Lupin the 3rd Farewell to Nostradamus, Project A-ko 3, Seven Days War - Movie and She Professed Herself a Pupil of the Wise Man - The Complete Season.
LionsGate delivers a bio/drama titled Lamborghini. Yup, it's *that* Lambo.
Mystery behind this one, from Universal, Prancer: A Christmas Tale. This one was supposed to be released December 27th, and right up til a few days ago, it was still listed as such. Now it is listed as a release date of November 29, so, a month ago. My joke was going to be "just in time for (50% off) Christmas (sales)."
Honorable mention: If you got Nobody's Fool because you're a Newman fan, Kino Lorber has a blu-ray of Twilight (1998) to fill your Newman library.
If you are OK with importing, Turbine Media has Knight Rider - 40th Anniversary Edition this Friday. There are enough differences with their set (including more discs/higher bitrate) to strongly consider this one.
Paramount has officially announced Dragonslayer for 4K SteelBook and standard editions with a date of March 21.
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 his first project since parting ways with Warner Brothers, Christopher Nolan is set to blow up the summer box office with Oppenheimer
Christopher Nolan's latest opus is set to debut in theaters July 21st, 2023 - read the full details below:
Written and directed by Christopher Nolan, Oppenheimer is an IMAX®-shot epic thriller that thrusts audiences into the pulse-pounding paradox of the enigmatic man who must risk destroying the world in order to save it.
The film stars Cillian Murphy as J. Robert Oppenheimer and Emily Blunt as his wife, biologist and botanist Katherine “Kitty” Oppenheimer. Oscar® winner Matt Damon portrays General Leslie Groves Jr., director of the Manhattan Project, and Robert Downey, Jr. plays Lewis Strauss, a founding commissioner of the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission.
Academy Award® nominee Florence Pugh plays psychiatrist Jean Tatlock, Benny Safdie plays theoretical physicist Edward Teller, Michael Angarano plays Robert Serber and Josh Hartnett plays pioneering American nuclear scientist Ernest Lawrence.
Oppenheimer also stars Oscar® winner Rami Malek and reunites Nolan with eight-time Oscar® nominated actor, writer and filmmaker Kenneth Branagh.
The cast includes Dane DeHaan (Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets), Dylan Arnold (Halloween franchise), David Krumholtz (The Ballad of Buster Scruggs), Alden Ehrenreich (Solo: A Star Wars Story) and Matthew Modine (The Dark Knight Rises).
The film is based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning book American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer by Kai Bird and the late Martin J. Sherwin. The film is produced by Emma Thomas, Atlas Entertainment’s Charles Roven and Christopher Nolan.
Oppenheimer is filmed in a combination of IMAX® 65mm and 65mm large-format film photography including, for the first time ever, sections in IMAX® black and white analogue photography.
Nolan’s films, including Tenet, Dunkirk, Interstellar, Inception and The Dark Knight trilogy, have earned more than $5 billion at the global box office and have been awarded 11 Oscars and 36 nominations, including two Best Picture nominations.
Genre: Epic Thriller
Cast: Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, Robert Downey, Jr., Matt Damon, Rami Malek, Florence Pugh, Benny Safdie, Michael Angarano, Josh Hartnett, and Kenneth Branagh
Written and Directed by: Christopher Nolan
Produced by: Emma Thomas, Charles Roven and Christopher Nolan
Happy Hanukkah, Merry Christmas, or whichever holiday you partake in this time of year, best wishes to you. Just think, 2023 is literally around the corner.
Welcome to Volume 3 Episode 30 of our weekly release guide. A look at the highlights of what's coming to disc the week of December 18th - December 24th, as well as a look at announcements from last week.
There's no other way to say it other than this week is all about House of the Dragon: Season 1. Available as both a standard edition and as a SteelBook edition. If you opt to import it, Amazon UK has an exclusive SteelBook that is almost identical, but has a sleeve with character cards in it. If you were 'lucky' enough, a major big-box retailer may have put these out early, as in, last week.
Universal/Focus Features and their short-date announcements, they just added Tár by academy award nominated filmmaker Todd Field and starring two-time Oscar-winner Cate Blanchett to Tuesday's releases.
On to catalog titles, from Kino Lorber, The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974). Having seen the remake originally, I was pleasantly surprised how well the original was made, especially considering it to be a 1974 film.
Shall we play a game? WarGames comes to us via Shout! Factory. Made during the height of the Cold War, it was definitely a heavy topic at the time. In a way, it still is. No slipcover for this one, if that's a deciding factor.
Next week an October 'holiday' concludes, not my jester and scary follow-up.
Blu-ray counterparts of the above titles to get a release this week are House of the Dragon: Season 1 and Tár.
Not going to really add too much 'fluff' here, it's a slow week for releases. January 3rd we will probably have to 'fluff' it as much as possible.
New comedy/drama from Fox Searchlight titled The Banshees of Inisherin.
Last week I mentioned there were more SandPiper releases this week. SandPiper is the label that has been reissuing a lot of Twilight Time exclusives and othr similar titles that would have been TT releases. This week look for The Bridge at Remagen, Holiday Heart, The Hawaiians, The Hospital, Moll Flanders and Wild Bill (1995).
A comedic superhero type film from Paramount titled Secret Headquarters with Owen Wilson and Michael Peña.
Anime highlights include Carole & Tuesday - Complete Collection, Chaika the Coffin Princess - Complete Series, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba: Entertainment District Arc, My Hero Academia: Season 5 Part 2, which comes as a standard edition and a limited edition, Requiem of the Rose King - Part 1, Scarlet Nexus - Season 1 Part 2 and Teasing Master Takagi-san 3 - Complete Collection.
You really did not think we would go a week without LionsGate and/or Bruce Willis, did you? This action/thriller is titled Paradise City, and as an added bonus, John Travolta stars with Willis.
I wouldn't count on this one being on time, but Tales of the Walking Dead: The Complete First Season is still listed for Tuesday with no cover art or description, so expect a delay.
88 Films has revealed that In the Line of Duty: I - IV will be coming in May.
Warner Bros. has announced Bones and All will be coming January 31.
Criterion collection's March releases have been announced, check out the article here.
Arrow Video has also announced their March releases, no 4K for the U.S., only the UK, but what we do get is Black Sunday, The House That Screamed and Knockabout.
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?
