Welcome to another look at highlights arriving on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and DVD. Last week was a busy edition, which often means things slow down a bit the following week. As such, most of the new titles here are independents. There are plenty of older titles being issued too, meaning there is still plenty to choose from. So, if you can’t make it out to the movies this week or need to stay indoors for a few days, be sure to give one of these efforts a try!
BIG NEW RELEASES!
1521 – Also known as 1521: The Quest for Love and Freedom, this period drama is set in Cebu, a province in the Philippines. The plot follows a Spanish explorer and his crew arriving on the island, seeking to start trade relations with the local leader and eventually establish his own rule. Residents are immediately weary of the man and don’t trust him. As tensions escalate, a native princess and one of the Spanish soldiers fall in love. They try to hide their secret affair from everyone. This independent film has a troubled production and there were disputes between cast and crew. It had a limited release and there weren’t many reviews of the final product. Among those that did appear, there were complaints about a lack of historical accuracy. Many found the modern embellishments jarring and stated that it took them out of the picture. The film stars Danny Trejo, Bea Alonzo, Hector David Jr. and Costas Mandylor.
CREEPYPASTA – For those unfamiliar with the term “Creepypasta,” it generally refers to horror stories that can be found on the internet. This writing is sometimes accompanied by pictures and/or videos hoping to convince readers of the tale’s authenticity (although most are now aware that these “urban legends” are fictional). The plot of this film involves an amnesiac who finds himself in an abandoned house. In order to figure out what’s happening, he searches the location, discovering and reading stories from a “creepypasta” author who has gone missing. The lead begins to lose his mind in the process. Few have seen this independent chiller and, thus far, write-ups have been weak. Many state that the film is well-produced, but complain that there are too many segments that aren’t fully developed. As a result, only a couple of them make an impression. The cast includes Anthony T. Solano, Eva Isanta and Silvia Casanova.
GREEN BORDER – This foreign-language drama is said to be based on real events and is set in a swampy region located on the border between Poland and Belarus. The story follows refugees from the Middle East and Africa attempting to find a way into the European Union. A group of asylum seekers are lured into this perilous area by propaganda released by Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko. They encounter a border guard and an activist, and everyone’s life is put at risk in the process. Released in its homeland under the title Zielona Granica, the movie earned mostly raves from critics around the world. A few believed that while the intent was admirable, the plot’s repetitive acts of cruelty were difficult to endure. All others called the movie powerful and harrowing, accurately depicting the horrors that refugees endure. They also commented that the movie made an important political statement in the process. It features Jalal Altawil, Maja Ostaszewska, Behi Djanti Atai and Tomasz Wlosok.
MAMA BEAR – A young widower struggles to raise his young son after his wife and daughter are killed in a tragic accident. Things get worse when a sinister paranormal force begins making its presence known in their home. If that wasn’t bad enough, the protagonist is suddenly arrested for a mysterious murder that may have been caused by the evil entity. Desperate for help, the lead contacts his estranged, ex-con brother-in-law to help save them. This independent chiller was produced in 2022 and received a limited release before it was eventually picked up for distribution on streaming services and on disc. There are currently no notices available for the film, so those interested will have to go in cold and hope for the best. Matthew Simmons, Angelic Granger, Bunnie Rivera and Jordan Matlock headline the picture.
TOMORROW BEFORE AFTER – Here is another low-budget independent vying for your attention. It’s a co-production between Columbia, Canada and the US and is a science-fiction picture set in a post-apocalyptic world. A young woman travels the landscape with an abandoned dog, hoping to find friendly survivors and make a fresh start on the decimated planet. When she learns that she is somehow pregnant, the woman struggles to make sense of the situation and starts to question her own sanity. This is another picture that hasn’t been seen by the North American press. It did get a release in Columbia earlier in the year and received a few decent write-ups, but is debuting on disc and on streaming platforms in this part of the world. The movie stars Natalia Reyes and Blake (the dog).
TRUST IN LOVE – An L.A.-based record producer finds his personal and professional life falling apart at the beginning of this indie drama. He hasn’t produced a hit record in years, his wife has just left him and is fighting for custody of the kids, and one of his children is struggling with their sexuality. Despite feeling defeated, the lead is advised by a friend to do everything he can to keep his family together (and maybe produce a hit record in the process). This picture is from the director of the recent Emile Hirsch film Walden (he also co-wrote the Swedish and American versions of The Invisible from 2002 and 2007). Response at film festivals has been strong, with the picture winning numerous awards and prizes, but it is only now debuting on disc. The cast includes Jimi Petulla, Logan Arditty, Sydney Bullock, Natasha Wilson, Rx Ahn and Jeremiah Blakely.
YOU’LL NEVER FIND ME – This tale follows an eccentric, middle-aged man living in a trailer park. One night during a storm, he hears an unexpected knock on his door. A mysterious young woman asks to use his phone. The man agrees, but before long she asks for a ride into town. The man questions the lady’s reasons for picking his door and she asks about his past as well. Eventually, eerie details about the characters and their motivations are revealed. This indie Australian chiller was picked up for distribution by Shudder. After being made available to stream on their site, it is now arriving on disc. The press appeared to enjoy the film. A small number felt that while it had its moments, the movie was slowly paced and used obvious genre devices. But the vast majority stated that the feature was well acted, beautifully shot, atmospheric and tense throughout. Brendan Rock, Jordan Cowan and Elena Carapetis headline the picture.
BLASTS FROM THE PAST!
If you’re looking for something older on disc, you have plenty of options. Last week, Arrow Video released a Blu-ray box set of When Titans Ruled the Earth containing the films Clash of the Titans (2010) and Wrath of the Titans (2012). This week, the 4K Ultra HD only edition is arriving on store shelves. The pictures follow Greek hero Perseus (played by Sam Worthington) doing battle with the Kraken, Medusa, the Minotaur and more. They co-star Liam Neeson as Zeus and Ralph Fiennes as Hades.
Bonuses are the same, which include numerous featurettes on the production, as well as deleted scenes and promo materials. Best of all, there is a new extra on both films with the producer going into detail about putting the movies together. Read this site’s review of the set here.
Criterion is releasing the well-regarded feature Not a Pretty Picture (1976) on Blu-ray. This is an early effort from writer/director Martha Coolidge (Valley Girl, Real Genius, Rambling Rose) that mixes narrative and documentary elements to examine the trauma of date rape. The picture has been given a 4K digital restoration supervised by Coolidge. It also comes with an interview with the filmmaker, a 1974 documentary the director made about her grandmother, as well as a film critic essay on the movie and its importance in cinema.
Swedish Boarding School Girls (1979) is an R-rated French/Swiss comedy about a group of attractive students using their charms to manipulate those around them. Full Moon Features is releasing the picture on Blu-ray. The picture was transferred from the director’s original negative and is being presented fully uncut for the first time in North America.
The well-received LGBTQ comedy A Very Sordid Wedding (2017) is also arriving on Blu-ray from Gravitas Ventures.
Kino is delivering a number of Blu-rays as well. The Apartment (1996) is a French thriller with Vincent Cassell and Monica Bellucci about a man who hears the voice of a lost love and becomes obsessed with finding her. The disc features a film historian commentary and a trailer.
If you enjoy British thrillers, you can pick up the double-feature Blu-ray Peril & Distress: And Soon the Darkness/Sudden Terror (1970) which contains two films made in 1970. Both titles have been restored in 4K. Each film contains a director commentary and a movie historian audio track, as well as trailers and radio spots. The first group of copies sold also come packaged in a slipcase.
And Prime Cut (1972) is appearing in a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray combo pack, as well as in a Blu-ray only edition. It’s about an underworld enforcer hunting down a mob boss who owes money. The cast includes Lee Marvin, Gene Hackman and Sissy Spacek. The improved picture is from a 4K scan of the original camera negative. Additionally, there is a film historian commentary, a second track featuring a Lee Marvin biographer, and a trailer.
Since fall is almost here, Lionsgate is teaming up with major retailer Walmart to put out a series of genre Blu-rays in exclusive Steelbooks with fancy covers. You can now purchase Hannibal Rising (2007), I Spit on Your Grave (2010), Leatherface (2017), Sinister (2012), the creepy Australian effort Wolf Creek (2005) and the clever horror/comedy You’re Next (2011) in this elaborate packaging. Additionally, Texas Chainsaw (2013) is being made available in both a single Blu-ray Steelbook or a Blu-ray 3D and Blu-ray Steelbook.
Paramount Pictures is putting out a few notable catalog titles on Blu-ray. The first is a rerelease of the Oscar nominee Doubt (2008) starring Meryl Streep and Philip Seymour Hoffman. On an entirely different note, the Rodney Dangerfield comedy Ladybugs (1992) is also reappearing on the format. The same goes for the Gwyneth Paltrow/Anthony Hopkins/Jake Gyllenhaal drama Proof (2005).
Last year, Paramount Presents released the entertaining Wes Craven thriller Red Eye (2005) on 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray. Pictured to the left, this set went out-of-print, but you can now pick up a standard edition from Paramount Pictures with content identical to the previous edition. You’ll get multiple commentary tracks, a making-of, a gag reel and more. The only element from the last release that it doesn’t have is the fold-out packaging with poster art.
Shout! Factory is delivering the dark comedy Death to Smoochy (2002) on Blu-ray. Robin Williams and Edward Norton play children’s show hosts who end up in serious clashes with each other. The film was a bit of a flop during its original release, but has built a following over the past two decades. This release includes a 2K picture restoration, an archived director and cinematographer commentary, cast and crew interviews, behind-the-scenes featurettes, deleted scenes, bloopers and outtakes and tons of publicity material.
The effective remake Evil Dead (2013) is appearing in a 4K Ultra HD “Limited Edition” Steelbook from the same distributor. Both the theatrical and unrated versions of the movie are presented in the highest image quality possible, along with most, if not all, previously released bonuses.
If you grew up in the 1980s, you may have seen the Rankin/Bass animated fantasy musical, The Last Unicorn (1982). It tells the tale of a unicorn searching for others of her kind. Jeff Bridges, Mia Farrow, Angela Lansbury and Alan Arkin provide voices for the narrative. Now, Shout! Factory is putting the movie out in a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray combo pack, as well as a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray Walmart Exclusive Steelbook. It arrives with a film expert commentary, a featurette on the production, highlights from a worldwide screening tour, animated storyboards and a trailer.
And a new version of the 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray combo of the zombie classic The Return of the Living Dead (1985) is being released as a Walmart Exclusive in Steelbook packaging. All the content appears to be the same as in previous editions, the packaging is the only change.
Sony is delivering a special 4K Ultra HD only edition of the teen comedy Can’t Hardly Wait (1998). Jennifer Love Hewitt, Ethan Embry, Charlie Korsmo, Lauren Ambrose, Seth Green and many more appear in this story about a giant party during graduation night for a group of high school students. Besides the major picture upgrade, the release boasts 11 newly uncovered alternate and deleted scenes, six existing deleted scenes, two cast and crew commentaries, a reunion piece from the movie’s 10th anniversary, featurettes, a music video and a trailer.
The China Syndrome (1979) is an Oscar-nominated drama about a reporter discovering major safety violations at a nuclear power plant. Jane Fonda, Jack Lemmon and Michael Douglas star in this picture, which has been out-of-print on Blu-ray for several years. It is now available for purchase on Blu-ray once again.
Universal Pictures is giving the recent Kevin Costner/Diane Lane crime/drama Let Him Go (2020) a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray combo release.
And they are also putting out a “Limited Edition” Blu-ray box set called Tremors: 7-Movie Collection which includes the original and excellent 1990 horror/comedy along with the six made-for-video sequels that followed.
You can also pick up a Steelbook version of the Blu-ray release exclusively from Walmart called Tremors: 7-Movie Collection “Limited Edition” Glow-in-the-Dark edition in which the cover presumably glows in darkness.
And finally, the recent comic book adaptation and hit film Joker (2019) is receiving a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray Walmart Exclusive Steelbook courtesy of Warner Bros.
YOU KNOW, FOR KIDS!
Below is a list of titles that may appeal to kids.
The Last Unicorn (1982) (Shout! Factory) 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray, 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray Walmart Exclusive Steelbook
Paw Patrol & Friends (Import from Canada) (Elevation) DVD
ON THE TUBE!
And here are all of the latest TV-related discs coming your way.
COBRA: Season 3 (PBS) DVD
Hallmark 3-Movie Collection: An American in Austen, Rip in Time, Love Strikes Twice (Hallmark) DVD
Halo: Season 2 (Paramount) 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray combo
Hotel Portofino: Season 3 (PBS) DVD
La Brea: The Complete Series (Universal) Blu-ray
La Brea: Season 3 (Universal) Blu-ray
Paw Patrol & Friends (Import from Canada) (Elevation) DVD
Walker: The Final Season (2021-2024 reboot of Walker, Texas Ranger) (CBS) DVD