If you buy 4K discs, starting this month you will begin to feel big time wallet fatigue. But remember, if you want the studios continue to releases your favorites on disc, your obligation is to purchase them. If you purchase them via our links we can continue to provide you with the news and reviews that you have (hopefully) come to look forward to and enjoy. We appreciate your continued support.
Welcome to Volume 2 Episode 20 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/Digital Releases-
Normally we start with catalog titles first. There are so many to cover that I will break from the norm and list the single new release title first.
Space Jam: A New Legacy gets a pair of releases, a standard edition and a Best Buy Exclusive Steelbook. That SteelBook is coined to look like the original movie's SteelBook, pretty blah.
Most of this week's catalog releases all have a 'horror' theme, which is pretty appropriate for the month of October.
American Psycho gets a reissue as a Best Buy Exclusive SteelBook. Decent design, the slip cover acts as a mask. You're welcome by the way, I had bought the standard release literally before this release was announced.
Another reissue, but in reverse. Originally available as a SteelBook or as a multi-movie collection, The Hunt for Red October now gets a single sku standard edition release.
Next, Universal Classic Monsters Icons of Horror Collection gets a box set release that contains Dracula (90th Anniversary), Frankenstein (90th Anniversary), The Invisible Man and The Wolf Man (80th Anniversary) along with a bunch of extras. If that's not enough, also vying for your attention, individual SteelBook releases of Dracula, Frankenstein and The Wolf Man. I suspect they passed (for now) on one for The Invisible Man because it is not celebrating a milestone. Completionists will have to import it if they want it (for now).
Ha-ppy ha-ppy hal-o'ween. Finally, Michael Myers in 4K. Scream Factory is releasing Halloween (1978), Halloween II, Halloween III Season of the Witch, Halloween 4 The Return of Michael Myers and Halloween 5 The Revenge of Michael Myers. These releases are all pretty packed with extra features. Will they release all five (and beyond) as a single set? Maybe, but probably not.
HD Blu-ray/Digital releases-
Space Jam: A New Legacy gets a blu-ray release, a Target Exclusive Edition and a double-feature blu-ray release.
From Paramount, Audrey Hepburn: 7-Movie Collection. It's a nice way to have seven of her movies in one set. The only new title to the mix though is Paris When It Sizzles. From the 'MOD' label, Dead Again, Perfume: The Story of a Murderer, The Time Machine (2002) and What Lies Beneath.
CBS TV via Paramount releases the 2020 mini-series The Stand and a double feature featuring both the 2020 and classic series.
From Sony, Escape Room: Tournament of Champions as a blu-ray, not 4K disc. Sort of figured a new release would have both.
Warner Archive Collection releases the long awaited Night Shift (1982) and Tex Avery Screwball Classics: Volume 3 this week. Under the standard label, The Nevers, Season 1 Part 1 gets released this week.
A week wouldn't be complete without a Criterion Collection release. This week there is just one title, Japanese horror Onibaba.
Animation/Anime highlights include Golden Kamuy: Season Three, The Irresponsible Captain Tylor: TV Series, Little Vampire, Nakaimo-My Little Sister Is Among Them!, Night of the Animated Dead and Tamayomi: The Baseball Girls.
Notable announcements from last week:
LionsGate has made it official, Ran will be making its way to 4K disc as a Best Buy Exclusive SteelBook. It will feature English and Japanese DTS-HD MA 5.1 Audio. Currently it is sitting at $20... not bad for a 4K SteelBook!
Speaking of Best Buy, they have an order link and have revealed cover artwork for The Wolf of Wall Street's 4K SteelBook. It's not listed as an exclusive so an Amazon link will likely be available soon. Check out the front cover here, but I warn you, it's pretty hideous.
Sony Pictures has announced a Karate Kid 4K collection. It will feature the original three Karate Kid movies starring Ralph Macchio and Pat Morita. Our wallets cannot get a break any time 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?
You can practice your Wax On and Wax Off just in time for the holidays!
Sony will bring John G. Alvidson's Karate Kid Trilogy to 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray on December 7th in a deluxe 6-Disc set!
The Karate Kid Collection - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray
Each film in the set arrives with Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos audio along with bonus features.
Take a look at the press release for all the gory details:
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Mark December 7th on the calendar. The latest adventure of Rick and his wayward grandson Morty and their wild intergalactic adventures hits Blu-ray in a two-disc plus Digital release from Warner Brothers. In addition to all ten 22-minute episodes - you're getting a full slate of bonus features:
Coming Soon (like, the end of this week) - OCTOBER! As 'holidays' go, there's just something about Halloween.
For historical tidbits this week, in 1954 The Tonight Show debuts with host Steve Allen, then 8 years later Johnny Carson takes over. Hamlet directed by and starring Laurence Olivier opens at Park Avenue Cinema in 1948, then goes on to win Best Picture in 1949. MacGyver debuts on ABC in 1985. The Flintstones debuts in 1960.
Welcome to Volume 2 Episode 19 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/Digital Releases-
This week we see another reprieve for 4K discs. There are just a couple of titles listed this week.
From Arrow Video, Children of the Corn gets the 4K Special Edition treatment. For Arrow Releases, this means it is mostly a movie-only release, with limited extras. If you would like a heftier version, there is a trilogy available to import, which includes the first movie in 4K, and the first two sequels in HD, along with a little bit of swag.
Getting a reissue this week as a Best Buy Exclusive SteelBook, Rob Zombie's 3 From Hell.
The Transformers: The Movie 35th Anniversary gets a standard case release this week.
For NEW content, just when you thought the series was over, The Forever Purge comes along and gets a 4K disc this week.
HD Blu-ray/Digital releases-
As far as quantity of Blu-ray titles, this week is virtually identical to last week.
Blu-ray counterparts first, The Forever Purge gets a Blu-ray/DVD combo as well as the expected 5-Movie Collection. The Transformers: The Movie 35th Anniversary also gets a blu-ray release as well this week.
On to new stuff. LionsGate's lone release of the week is an action/drama titled Twist.
From the Warner Archive Collection, The Marx Brothers in A Night at the Opera.
Criterion Collection has more than one release this week. First, a drama/war film titled The Damned, featuring several language options and a handful of extras. The other release this week is Melvin Van Peebles: Four Films. It is a 5-disc collection featuring the man that jolted independent cinema. For the latter, Melvin just passed away last week. My fear is that this will be bought up by resellers, as when someone passes, their works get bought up in droves.
Anime highlights this week include 10 Tokyo Warriors - The Final Battle, Case Closed: The Darkest Nightmare, Robotech - Collector's Edition, Robotech - Part 1 (The Macross Saga) and To Love Ru Darkness 2 - Complete Collection.
Honorable Mention: Severin Films brings us Drop Dead Fred to the U.S. this week.
Notable announcements from last week:
Warner Bros. has revealed that the 2021 Sci-Fi/Thriller Reminiscence will be released on 4K disc and blu-ray on November 16th. It will feature a Dolby Atmos track and several extras.
From the looks of listings on Amazon, MVD Visual will be distributing Twilight Time titles. Twilight Time was bought out by Screen Archives Entertainment. The Man from Hong Kong, Messalina, Seven Deaths in the Cat's Eye and Venom (1971) aka The Legend Of Spider Forest appear to be in the first batch. These titles were released earlier this year on the Screen Archives site, they will be released on December 14th by MVD.
Arrow Video has announced their December slate of titles. This batch currently has no 4K titles listed so our wallets might just get a break. The only actual new title is My Stepmother Is an Alien. Giallo Essentials gets a 'Yellow Edition'.
Jungle Cruise now has a Best Buy Exclusive SteelBook in the mix. We have order links for that one, the standard 4K and the blu-ray, and the street date is confirmed to be November 16th.
Arrow Video's release of Legend has been delayed two weeks. I had it in this article, but literally two days before publish, it got delayed. It would also appear several titles that were 'released' a couple of weeks ago were quietly delayed to October 12th. Just an observation, Arrow's supply chain seems more impacted than other studios. Do they have a bit too much wishful thinking instead of what is realistic?
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?
Year after year this keeps happening. In the build-up to the holidays, all of the major studios and boutique houses unload their best stuff. Fan favorites, obscure gems, and the latest theatrical releases (if they got one) all crush online retailers and brick and mortar stores - and decimate our wallets. After an already intensely expensive September, October is setting up to be a record-breaker. If you have anything left in the bank that's not earmarked for food or bills, we've assembled the new U.S. Domestic releases and some of the import titles from the E.U. we're looking to cover ASAP. As always, your pre-orders are much appreciated!
Not to start things off too slowly for the spooky season, Scream Factory is unleashing the first five entries of an intensely popular slasher franchise, Universal is unloading four of their most cherished classic creatures, some new SteelBooks hit, as well as a silly follow-up to a popular 90s kids' movie all hit the format.
After the September Shuffle, Sony picks up with one of their most anticipated releases of the year, A Stephen King classic, an incredible Arthurian adventure, a fan-favorite Tarantino WWII epic, and a hilarious Ryan Reynolds action/comedy round out the big stuff for the second week of the month.
Not slowing down any, this third week of the month is dominated by Hannibal Lecter, G.I. Joes, DC Animated adventures, Shyamalan's latest, a deadly assassin, a Wes Craven classic, along with one of Brian de Palma's best. with an Italian horror classic from Lamberto Bava and Dario Argento, with Coppola's Viet Nam saga getting a new SteelBook release.
A big box of hobbits, a creepy blind guy, one of the darkest exploitation films ever made, a war between werewolves and vampires, another classic Argento thriller, a starving Dracula, and some of the worst superheroes save the world in the final week of October!
UPDATE 10/12/21 - The Middle Earth Ultimate Collection 4K UHD Blu-ray Set has been rescheduled for release on November 16th, 2021.
As is the case with all imports, we do our best to cover what doesn't make it here stateside - that can be a bunch or it can be only a few each month. The X-factor is always shipping. It can take a long time for titles to cross the pond, get through customs, and finally arrive on our doorstep. But here are a few that we've got our eyes on:
This one is a mark of some frustration. Apparently, only the EU territories will be getting The Invisible Man as a separate SteelBook release. We'd hoped that it would come to the U.S. along with the other three Universal Classic Monsters in solo SteelBooks at Best Buy - but no dice. I'm sure it will come eventually, but if you want individual releases of these movies on your shelf, you're going to have to import this one.
This one again will be time-dependant, it likely wouldn't arrive on our doorstep before November but we're going to try to get work it into our schedule ASAP.
We're hoping to get an advance Check Disc from Studio Canal for this release, but again we'll cover it as soon as we can.
I have this one on order now from Zavvi and hope to have it on hand soon to give full coverage! Sadly this one doesn't look to be getting a U.S. release date any time soon.
Well, that's what we have for you this month - hope this guide helps! Again, this is a packed month of amazing fan-favorite titles. And as we've already seen a number of these titles may get moved around or experience some unfortunate shipping delays from retailers. Supply is short and there's a big demand these days for this kind of content. If any more release delays hit we'll update our listings as soon as we can.
Thank you again for all of your pre-orders. They really do go a long way towards keeping our little operation up and running.
In a great big back-patting session, Disney is calling November 12th "Disney+ Day" and to celebrate they're giving subscribers a few new treats.
First up - Shang-Chi And The Legend of the Ten Rings moves away from being a theatrical exclusive - and to date the biggest Pandemic release - and is hopping onto the streaming platform without any extra charge to your subscription. Now we expect news of the film's physical disc release for DVD, Blu-ray, and 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray to be announced anytime now, if they follow the Cruella roll out to "free" Disney+, that'd put Shang-Chi in line for an early December Disc release.
Next - Disney's Jungle Cruise starring Dwayne Johnson, Emily Blunt, and Jack Whitehall jumps ship from the Premium Access format to full free-to-all-subscribers status. One could argue this was a title hurt most by Disney's hybrid release so it'll be interesting to see how this does over the long haul and when the physical release hits four days later on November 16th. Folks were pretty split with this one, some loving the easygoing action-adventure, others hoping for something better and more from the studio that brought us Pirates of the Caribbean... and four sequels that gradually got worse and worse with each installment.
After that - the Disney+ exclusive soft reboot of Home Alone - Home Sweet Home Alone will hit the platform. Honestly, that title just sounds like a nightmare hybrid of Home Sweet Alabama and Home Alone. Given the Mouse House likes to keep their exclusives on the platform, this latest burn of nostalgia-kush likely won't see a disc release anytime soon - or ever.
Keep an eye out for our disc reviews of Shang-Chi and Jungle Cruise! We might review Home Sweet Home Alone, that'll depend on if it's any good or not but my god do I hate writing that title out in full.
As always thank you for reading our stuff and placing those pre-orders! They really do go a long way towards keeping this little operation alive and going.
For those that have to have titles the week they come out, it's another painful week for the ole bank account. If you're fighting cabin fever, it's still pretty cheap treatment.
Historical events from this week in history, Maverick premieres on ABC television in 1957 starring James Garner, Man from U.N.C.L.E. premieres on NBC-TV in 1964 and Walt Disney World's 200-millionth guest enters the gates in 1985.
Welcome to Volume 2 Episode 18 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/Digital Releases-
Again, because of the multiple skus per movie, this week looks huuuuge.
Catalog titles first...
Notable import Monday, StudioCanal releases a 'Vintage Classics' edition of 1963's The Servant. As always with these releases, expect to see a ton of extras and a bit of swag to top off the package.
From Universal Pictures, A Clockwork Orange debuts on 4K disc, both as a standard release and as a Best Buy Exclusive SteelBook.
Unbreakable becomes available to 4K disc, again as a standard edition and as a Best Buy Exclusive SteelBook. With this release, the trilogy is complete again!
Moving on to new releases now, live-action Cruella debuts with a whole slew of options. Choose a standard release, a Best Buy Exclusive SteelBook, a Walmart Exclusive and a Target Exclusive.
And the last 4K title this week, F9: The Fast Saga. And guess what? A'yup, available as a standard release and as a Best Buy Exclusive SteelBook. For a store that has eliminated 90% of their movie section from their stores, Best Buy still seems fixated on offering exclusives. At least we don't have to import from Zavvi to get essentially the same package.
HD Blu-ray/Digital releases-
Quite an extensive list of blu-ray releases this week. It's hard to pick the highlights with so many release to sort through.
Blu-ray counterparts first. Cruella and a double feature that includes Cruella & 101 Dalmatians. F9: The Fast Saga also gets a blu-ray counterpart.
From Paramount, the next 'Paramount Presents' title Breakdown streets this week. This one is spine number 26 in the series. Their standard label offers Blue Chips, Crocodile Dundee: Triple Feature, Hardball, The Longest Yard (2005) and Necessary Roughness.
From Warner Bros, Batwoman: The Complete Second Season is available this week. This one got a rough start, but Season 2 makes the show manageable again. Warner Archive releases The Naked Spur starring James Stewart and Janet Leigh. Also a more recent film, Straight Time with Dustin Hoffman, and The Window, a 40's film-noir release.
Arrow Video reissues The Beast and Immoral Tales, no more forking out $80+ from a marketplace seller.
From LionsGate, the next Vestron Collector's release Dementia 13 is available. From their standard label, a comedy titled Lady of the Manor.
Criterion Collection's releases of the week are Love & Basketball and Throw Down.
Anime highlights include Boruto: Naruto Next Generations - Set 10 (Boruto Back in Time), Dusk maiden of Amnesia - Complete Collection, Muhyo & Roji's Bureau of Supernatural Investigation - Season 1 and Sonic Boom: The Complete Season 2.
Horror Collectors should look for a mega-set, The Dungeon of Andy Milligan from Severin Films.
Honorable Mentions: Kino Lorber releases Bird on a Wire with Mel Gibson and Goldie Hawn. Partner label Code Red releases Pufnstuf.
Friday releases are all arts releases.
Notable announcements from last week:
A bit of classic TV will be heading your way shortly. CBS/Paramount has revealed that MacGyver: The Complete Collection will be released (finally) on November 2nd. Although they appear to be BD-R discs, it still is a way to own the entire series on physical disc.
And from Universal Studios, The Incredible Hulk: The Complete Series will be released on October 29th.
Best Buy has posted retail links for Who Framed Roger Rabbit 4K and 4K SteelBook. Also posted are links for Free Guy, available on October 12th as a blu-ray, 4K combo, Target 4K Exclusive and 4K combo Best Buy SteelBook.
FUNimation has posted a handful of new anime titles for December. I suspect the list will grow very soon.
The Wolf of Wall Street meets 4K disc from Paramount on December 14th.
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?
After a robust and busy November, The Criterion Collection slows things down a tad with their December 2021 release slate.
Previously announced, The Red Shoes - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray will hit shelves and online retailers on December 14th
The Red Shoes, the singular fantasia from Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, is cinema’s quintessential backstage drama, as well as one of the most glorious Technicolor feasts ever concocted for the screen. Moira Shearer is a rising star ballerina torn between an idealistic composer and a ruthless impresario intent on perfection. Featuring outstanding performances, blazingly beautiful cinematography by Jack Cardiff, Oscar-winning sets and music, and an unforgettable, hallucinatory central dance sequence, this beloved classic, dazzlingly restored, stands as an enthralling tribute to the life of the artist.
4K UHD + BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES
• 4K digital transfer from the 2009 restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray
• One 4K UHD disc of the film presented in Dolby Vision HDR and one Blu-ray with the film and special features
• Introductory restoration demonstration featuring filmmaker Martin Scorsese
• Audio commentary from 1994 by film historian Ian Christie, featuring interviews with actors Marius Goring and Moira Shearer, cinematographer Jack Cardiff, composer Brian Easdale, and Scorsese
• Profile of “The Red Shoes,” a 2000 documentary on the making of the film, featuring interviews with members of the production team
• Interview with director Michael Powell’s widow, editor Thelma Schoonmaker Powell, from the 2009 Cannes Film Festival
• Audio recordings from 1994 of actor Jeremy Irons reading excerpts from Powell and screenwriter Emeric Pressburger’s novelization of The Red Shoes and the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale “The Red Shoes”
• Publicity stills and behind-the-scenes photos
• Gallery of memorabilia from Scorsese’s collection
• The “Red Shoes” Sketches, a 1948 animated film of Hein Heckroth’s painted storyboards, with the Red Shoes ballet as an alternate angle
• Trailer
• English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
• PLUS: An essay by critic David Ehrenstein and a description of the restoration by UCLA film archivist Robert Gitt
Next, Regina King adapts Kemp Powers hit play One Night In Miami - arriving December 7th. This looks to be a Blu-ray only release at this time, but if Uncut Gems proves anything (beyond impressive Adam Sandler's acting chops) it's that release plans can change very suddenly and for the better.
Adapted by Kemp Powers from his acclaimed play, the feature directorial debut of Academy Award–winning actor Regina King puts viewers in a room with four icons at the forefront of Black American culture as they carouse, clash, bare their souls, and grapple with their places within the sweeping change of the civil rights movement. February 25, 1964, has gone down in history as the day that the brash young boxer Muhammad Ali (then known as Cassius Clay) defeated Sonny Liston, but what happened after the fight was perhaps even more incredible: Ali, civil rights leader Malcolm X, NFL great Jim Brown, and “King of Soul” Sam Cooke all came together at a Miami motel. Electric with big ideas and activist spirit, One Night in Miami . . . plunges us into the midst of an intimate, ongoing conversation—and a defining moment in American history.
DIRECTOR-APPROVED SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES
• New 4K digital transfer, approved by director Regina King, with 5.1 surround DTS-HD Master
Audio on the Blu-ray
• New conversation between King and filmmaker Kasi Lemmons
• New conversation among King, screenwriter Kemp Powers, and critic Gil Robertson
• Conversation between King and filmmaker Barry Jenkins from a 2021 episode of The Director’s Cut – A DGA Podcast
• New program featuring King and actors Kingsley Ben-Adir, Eli Goree, Aldis Hodge, and Leslie Odom Jr.
• New program on the making of the film, featuring King, Powers, director of photography Tami Reiker, editor Tariq Anwar, producer Jody Klein, costume designer Francine Jamison-Tanchuck, and set decorator Janessa Hitsman
• New program on the film’s sound design, featuring sound editor and mixer Andy Hay, sound mixer Paul Ledford, and music producer Nick Baxter
• English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
• English descriptive audio
• PLUS: An essay by critic Gene Seymour
Last up for the month, The Criterion Collection will be giving 1969's The Learning Tree its deserved place on Blu-ray with a December 14th release date.
With this tender and clear-eyed coming-of-age odyssey, the renowned photographer turned filmmaker Gordon Parks not only became the first Black American director to make a Hollywood studio film, he also served as writer, producer, and composer, resulting in a deeply personal artistic achievement. Based on Parks’s own semi-autobiographical novel, The Learning Tree follows the journey of Newt Winger (Kyle Johnson), a teenage descendant of Exodusters growing up in rural Kansas in the 1920s, as he experiences the bittersweet flowering of first love, finds his relationship with a close friend tested, and navigates the injustices embedded within a racist legal and educational system. Exquisitely capturing the bucolic splendor of its heartland setting, this landmark film tempers nostalgia with an incisive understanding of the harsh realities, hard-won lessons, and often wrenching moral choices that shape the road to self-determination of the young Black man at its center.
SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES
• New 2K digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray
• New documentary on the making of the film, featuring artist and critic Ina Diane Archer, curator Rhea L. Combs, and filmmakers Ernest R. Dickerson and Nelson George
• New conversation, moderated by film scholar Michael B. Gillespie, between artist Hank Willis Thomas and art historian Deborah Willis about the influence of director Gordon Parks
• My Father: Gordon Parks (1969), a documentary made on the set of The Learning Tree, narrated by Gordon Parks Jr., and featuring interviews with Gordon Parks Sr. and members of the cast and crew
• Diary of a Harlem Family and The World of Piri Thomas, two 1968 films on which Parks played creative roles, with a new introduction by Combs
• Unstoppable (2005), a documentary featuring producer Warrington Hudlin in conversation with Parks and filmmakers Ossie Davis and Melvin Van Peebles
• Trailer
• English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
• PLUS: “How It Feels to Be Black,” a 1963 Life magazine photo-essay by Parks, and an excerpt from the director’s 2005 book A Hungry Heart: A Memoir
That's it for this month - some great movies in the pile for sure. And, given that this last quarter appears to be a very fluid release frame with multiple street date changes already, if anything comes up with Criterion's December 2021 slate we'll update our listings ASAP.
These aren't yet up for pre-order but we expect them to be soon.
Thanks again for your pre-orders. They really do go a long way towards helping a little operation like ours keep going.
They told me when your kid goes to school they're gonna come back with colds, but damn - I didn't expect to get laid out like that for two days! In that time a whole mess of great flicks and shows got announced for 4K UHD and Blu-ray. So Instead of doing giving these individual announcements because there are just too many, we're giving you a big ol' list of new title announcements!
First up - the one I've been waiting forever to see come to Blu-ray and now I don't have to import! After being available on Blu-ray in Europe for a few years now, it's nice to see the big green guy cross the pond Stateside spread out on 19-discs. No official word, but it doesn't look like the sequel television films will be included - due October 26th:
Well, the Lionsgate SteelBook releases just keep coming. Now, I'm not against the practice necessarily, but this is getting kinda expensive! Mel Gibson's return to directing is the latest addition to that growing collection on November 2nd:
One of the best animated DC films is moving on up to 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray November 9th:
The first of Sony's unlikely series of groundbreaking CGI animated feature films is now also getting the 4K UHD upgrade, but if they didn't re-render the entire film the benefits may be a bit dodgy. Coming November 16th:
Universal made the latest creepy M. Night Shyamalan film official for Blu-ray, 4K UHD, and a Best Buy SteelBook for October 5th:
Not that this film was exactly calling for a sequel, but we got one with little to no fanfare. This drops on Blu-ray and 4K Ultra HD on October 26th.
One of Martin Scorsese's funniest films - and shockingly horrifying - gets a welcome upgrade to 4K UHD on December 14th just in time for Christmas!
The Wolf of Wall Street - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray
Now the big news of the day is Warner Brothers will be dropping a guzzolene tank of Mad Max on all of us this November 2nd.
for the few of you out there that haven't yet picked up any of the Mad Max films on 4K Ultra HD...
And with that, that's all the news that's fit to print. The day is still early so some more announcements are likely, but for now, this list is the biggest and best of the best. We don't have full details on all of these - the Mad Max films haven't been officially announced yet even though retailers are taking pre-orders. But as soon as we get all the gory details we'll update our listings ASAP.
Thanks again for all of your pre-orders. Each pre-order goes a long way towards keeping our little operation up and running.
Mid-September already, where oh where has the time gone? Speaking of 'time,' this week in history, Lone Ranger debuts on ABC-TV back in 1949 and Australia gets its first broadcast TV station.
Welcome to Volume 2 Episode 17 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/Digital Releases-
Before getting down to business, has anyone gotten their Justice League from last week? Mine is the Best Buy SteelBook. I got a 'delayed' email instead of a 'your package has shipped' email. Amazon has also emailed me about the Star Trek 4K collection, requiring me to approve the delay, of about 3-5 weeks they say. Replication issues?
Okay, let's get our catalog titles listed first. Much anticipated title The Shawshank Redemption debuts to 4K as both a standard edition and as a Best Buy Exclusive SteelBook. Does this mean The Green Mile will follow shortly? Could be!
Semi-random release from Paramount, Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters also debuts to 4K this week. More 4K discs, I'll take it!
Moving to new releases, from Universal Pictures look for The Boss Baby: Family Business. It has been 4 years since the previous film.
The new release with the most buzz is undoubtedly Marvel's Black Widow. Naturally with a Disney label release there are the usual offerings, a standard edition release, a Best Buy Exclusive SteelBook and a Target Exclusive Edition. The Target edition returns to the traditional gallery book. Their recent releases had theater or art cards in them instead.
HD Blu-ray/Digital releases-
Just like last week, a below average week for Tuesday releases. Guess that's OK with the next 3 weeks being big weeks and that 4K is pretty big the next couple of months.
Blu-ray counterparts first, The Boss Baby: Family Business get a standard release and a double-feature release that includes the first movie. I don't own the first one in 4K, will they at some point switch the double-feature option to 4K instead of blu-ray?
Also look for Marvel's Black Widow as a blu-ray release if you opt out of the 4K combo.
From LionsGate, a modern Western titled Catch the Bullet, Jay Pickett's last movie made. The trailer looked pretty good for this one, even knowing there are people paid to make trailers good. Also at the end of the alphabet, a comedy/crime release titled Zola.
Another Arrow Video 'fat-pack' to look for that will probably sell out pretty fast, Cold War Creatures: Four Films from Sam Katzman. Between all the great 4K releases in general and these Arrow Video blu-ray releases, it's really hard to pick and choose! Then there's Arrow 4K to muddy our decisions even more! Also from Arrow Video, Death Screams get a release this week as well.
Scream Factory's highlight this week is a Collector's Edition for Alone in the Dark. They're also releasing the next two LAIKA Studios titles, see the anime releases below.
Criterion Collection's single release this week is the Crime/Drama/Romance titled Mona Lisa, from 1986. Again, having grown up with HBO in the house, I cannot say for certain that I remember this one, but it's Criterion, which means it will rate 5-stars and be a great presentation.
Warner Archive brings us Mare of Easttown, an HBO series and the 1940 film Santa Fe Trail starring Errol Flynn.
Anime highlights include Black Clover: Season 3 Part 5, which following tradition, Part 5 can be bought as a standard release or a release that includes an art book. Girls und Panzer das Finale - Part 1, Kubo and the Two Strings - LAIKA Studios Edition, Mr. Osomatsu - Season 2 and ParaNorman - LAIKA Studios Edition close out the category.
Honorable Mention: Kino Lorber releases Arabesque starring Gregory Peck and Sophia Loren.
Friday is pretty busy if you count the 'August' Imprint Films import releases. They were delayed a couple of weeks but are on track to release now.
Notable announcements from last week:
Warner Bros has announced they will be releasing Sex and the City: The Complete Series to blu-ray on November 2nd. This set will include the entire TV series plus the movies. Continuing with Warner, Night Shift (1982) will be released on blu-ray on October 5th and the Justice League animated Injustice will be released on blu-ray and 4K disc on October 19th. And the 2021 film The Suicide Squad gets a 4K release, 4K SteelBook and a blu-ray release, all with a tentative date of October 26th.
Universal Pictures has dated the film Stillwater for blu-ray release on October 26th.
Shout! Factory's November batch now also includes Come True, Dracula: Dead and Loving It, The Eight Hundred, Little Fish, M. Butterfly, My Salinger Year, Old Henry and The Show (2020).
Discotek and Sentai Filmworks next batch of titles have also been revealed. Check out the October November release calendar for more. A few of the Sentai releases are lacking English dubs.
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?
