Welcome to another look at highlights arriving on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and DVD. This edition features an array of big Hollywood hits, genre pictures and independent fare. So, if you can’t make it out to the movies this week, be sure to give one of these titles a try!
BIG NEW RELEASES!
APE X MECHA APE: NEW WORLD ORDER – This release is from The Asylum, perhaps best known for the Sharknado series. It is the third in a franchise that began in 2021 with Ape vs. Monster and continued with Ape vs. Mecha Ape, a follow up from 2023. This time out, a group of world leaders raise a monstrous, tentacled creature from the depth of the sea that threatens the world. A giant simian and a robotic ape must team up to stop it. The picture has only been seen by one or two online reviewers. They state that this intentionally campy effort has a slightly bigger budget than recent pictures from the studio and delivers, well, exactly what you’d expect… hammy performances and cheesy, computer-generated creature battle scenes. For the time being, this is a DVD-only release. It stars Ashley Ahlquist, Sean Young, Jared Rivet, Eric Rolland, Ashley Dakin and Jessica DeBonville.
BATMAN NINJA VS. YAKUZA LEAGUE – DC has created yet another in a line of animated films based upon its comic book properties. Their latest is a sequel to the 2018 feature Batman Ninja, which was a story about Batman and other famous characters like Joker, Catwoman, Bane and Harley Quinn, traveling through time to feudal Japan. This tale begins with the protagonist returning home and finding the world slightly different from before. Suddenly, Yakuza begin to literally fall from the sky. The superhero and other costumed figures must find out what is happening and how they can return things to the way they were before leaving. The feature debuted on streaming platforms a couple of weeks ago and is now available to purchase either on 4K Ultra HD or Blu-ray. Online critics who saw it stated that it was a fun, tongue-in-cheek spin on the famous heroes, providing slick, anime-like visuals and exciting action. The voice cast includes Aaron Campbell, Kôichi Yamadera, Yûki Kaji and Kengo Kawanishi.
THE COMEBACK TRAIL – Way back in 2020, this all-star comedy screened at a few film festivals. Its theatrical release was significantly delayed until February 2025 and now it is coming out exclusively on DVD. The plot involves a film producer who, after several box office flops, is in major debt with a mobster. He decides to place a huge insurance policy on the star of his latest production and plot his death in order to get some fast cash. But after seeing rushes, the producer begins to think the project may end up being a masterpiece and wants to save his performer. The press generally panned this effort. About one-third of them commented that the talented cast managed to make them chuckle and thought it would amuse most viewers. Unfortunately, the majority said that while the film had a few laughs, the story was predictable and that failed to satirize Hollywood in a memorable manner. It features Robert De Niro, Tommy Lee Jones, Morgan Freeman, Zach Braff, Eddie Griffin and Emile Hirsch.
GET AWAY – A vacationing family from England decide to visit a remote Swedish island in this horror/comedy. The travelers are immediately taken aback by the strange behavior of locals, who seem to be preparing a ritualistic celebration. Determined to have a good time, the leads refuse to leave, but eventually learn about the area’s dark history and face-off against a serial killer. This horror/comedy was written by and star Nick Frost (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz) and premiered on the Shudder streaming service a few months back. It is now receiving a DVD-only release. Write-ups were quite positive. About one-quarter did find the family so dimwitted that they were irritated, stopped laughing and became tired of the movie. Regardless, most thought the film cleverly mixed humorous and foreboding elements, stating it offered a wild, crazy, over-the-top finale that would please horror fans. Besides Frost, the movie features Aisling Bea, Sebastian Croft, Maisie Ayres, Jouko Ahola, Eero Milonoff and Ville Virtanen.
GREEN AND GOLD – A Wisconsin dairy farmer faces foreclosure in this drama. His granddaughter tries to help him with the property, but has bigger dreams of leaving and making a career in music. When the youngster catches a big break, she worries about leaving him to fend for himself. With nothing left to lose and time running out, the farmer makes a bet on his entire property that the Green Pack Packers will win the Superbowl. Reaction towards this drama that was “inspired by true events” was slightly more upbeat than negative. About one-third of watchers complained that while earnest, the movie was cliched and predictable from the first scene to the very last. Yet, a few more reviewers liked the work of the cast and thought it was a sweet, old-fashioned ode to farmers that was inspirational. For now, this is a DVD-only title. Brandon Sklenar, Craig T. Nelson, M. Emmet Walsh and Madison Lawlor headline the film.
HEART EYES – A maniac who slays couples on Valentine’s Day dressed in an elaborate costume is at the center of this horror/comedy. After moving from city to city each year, a masked antagonist chooses to slice their way through Seattle. A pair of co-workers at an ad agency head out to discuss a project. While bickering, they become the next target. Frustrated that they have been chosen since they aren’t a couple, the two must still overcome their differences and help each other in order to survive. The press gave this genre title high marks. A small number of critics complained that the movie had trouble juggling chills and laughs, didn’t quite make the most of its premise and ran out of steam. But the rest called the feature an amusing romp with an engaging cast that delivered the goods to horror fans and nailed the humor more often than expected. The cast includes Olivia Holt, Mason Gooding, Gigi Zumbado, Jordana Brewster, Michaela Watkins and Devon Sawa. Read a full review of this film here.
I’M STILL HERE – Based on the true story of Eunice Paiva, this tale is set in Brazil during 1970 when the country was run by a military dictatorship. The story begins with Eunice living with her husband, an ex-politician and civil engineer, and children at a beachside home. One day, the military raid their residence, taking the husband for his pro-democracy views, along with Eunice and their teenage daughter. Eunice is eventually released after nearly two weeks of torture and is reunited with family members, but her husband never reappears. She spends the following 25 years attempting to find out what happened. This movie earned rave reviews and recently won an Academy Award for Best International Feature. One or two voices thought the family drama presented was only surface level and were unmoved by the emotional stakes. Everyone else thought the film was a masterpiece, featuring brilliant performances while showing how a household could be torn into disarray by the shocking acts of an extremist government. Surprisingly, this is currently a DVD-only release (one hopes a Blu-ray or 4K Ultra HD will eventually appear). It stars Fernanda Torres and Selton Mello.
A KNIGHT’S WAR – In this independent period fantasy, a brave knight learns of a prophecy about the end of the world. In order to prevent it from occurring, he is tasked with finding and rescuing the “chosen one” from an alternate realm. The hero makes a deal with a mysterious spirit to get in and out of this strange alternate world. He is also given a magical jewel that allows him to die and regenerate. But can he complete his mission before its powers wear off? So far there have only been a handful of notices for this release and they have been mixed. A few suggested that for a low-budget feature, it was ambitious, looked slick and delivered good action for fantasy movie fans. But many criticized the writing and dialogue as being corny and believed that the feature couldn’t quite overcome its financial limitations. It features Jeremy Ninaber, Kristen Kaster, Matthew Ninaber and Kristen MacCulloch.
NIGHT CALL – A charming, mysterious lady visits a young student who works as a locksmith and hires him to help her gain entry to a building. After completing the job, he is grabbed and taken by hoods. They explain to the protagonist that he helped the woman rob them, and that he must find her and return their goods within a short period, or else he will be killed. He races away, trying to find the customer and figure out his next movie. Released in its home country as La Nuit se Traine, this French thriller earned plenty of praise. About one-fifth of reviewers claimed that while the action was good, the characters were superficially drawn and the film failed to make any significant points about its themes. Still, the majority felt that the movie was slick, fast-paced and exciting throughout, building incredible tension and delivering numerous jolts through its running time. For now, this is a DVD-only release. Jonathan Feltre, Natacha Krief, Jonas Bloquet and Thomas Mustin headline the picture.
SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 3 – The third film based on the video game Sonic the Hedgehog finds the title character and his animal pals being attacked by their most dangerous enemy yet. With the fate of the world in the balance, the leader calls upon his human friends (as well as a foe or two) to join forces in order to save the planet. This chapter actually fared quite well with the press. A small number called it more of the same, grousing that it wasn’t nearly as much fun as previous installments and relied on unconvincing CGI effects. However, the consensus was that the film offered higher stakes than previous entries and delivered plenty of thrills, as well as some amusing jokes. They thought it was the best Sonic film yet. This title is available in a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray combo, a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray Steelbook, and a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray Amazon exclusive Steelbook. The voice cast includes Ben Schwartz, Keanu Reeves, Idris Elba and Colleen O’Shaughnessey, along with human stars Jim Carrey, James Marsden, Tika Sumpter, Lee Majdoub, Krysten Ritter, Adam Pally, Natasha Rothwell and Shemar Moore.
STRIKING RESCUE – The latest from Thai martial arts star Tony Jaa (Ong-Bak: The Thai Warrior series) is this Chinese production about a man whose wife and child are murdered by assassins from a crime syndicate. Furious, he goes on the rampage, breaking bones and faces as he exacts revenge on the entire organization. The protagonist also teams with a skilled, fighting teen he encounters along the way. Not too sure where the “rescue” from the film’s title comes into play, but most of the limited number of reviewers who saw the film didn’t seem to mind. One suggested that the story was so bland that even the fight scenes became dull, but all others thought this movie was fun and delivered all of the wince-inducing thrills one could hope for. Besides Jaa, the movie features Philip Keung, Michael Mao, Bo Peng and Xing Yu.
VALIANT ONE – A US military helicopter carrying a tech officer and soldiers flies into the Korean Demilitarized Zone. It accidentally crashes in North Korea, leaving the survivors stranded in enemy territory. The inexperienced tech expert is the highest ranked individual and is forced to take control of the unit, but many among the group question his leadership abilities. He and a supporter work together to try and successfully get everyone out. Reaction was poor towards this war film. A handful did write that the movie was well shot and featured good performances that helped it overcome a thinly written plot. Still, most did agree that the screenplay needed to develop its characters and political intrigue far more than it did. They described the end product as being ordinary with little point to make about its subject. For now, this is a DVD-only release. The cast includes Chase Stokes, Lana Condor, Desmin Borges and Callan Mulvey.
WELCOME TO THE DARKNESS – If you appreciate heavy-metal music, then you might be aware of the English band The Darkness, whose debut album Permission to Land topped the charts in 2003 and scored massive hit singles like, “I Believe in A Thing Called Love,” “Growing on Me,” and many more. A second album quickly followed and then the band vanished for many years, before finally returning to the music scene in 2012. They’ve been rocking ever since (I’ve seen them a couple of times since then and they’re still a blast). This documentary tells their story of what happened after that follow-up record, the fallout, what brought them back together to start the band again, and even the health struggles some of the members have overcome. There have only been a couple of reviews for this doc, but they are positive and it’s a given that if you enjoy the group, then you’ll probably appreciate this documentary.
BLASTS FROM THE PAST!
Looking to catch up with an older title? Well, you have plenty of options. Radiance Films is putting out a “Limited Edition” Blu-ray of the Japanese drama The Eel (1997). After having a psychotic break. murdering his wife and serving a lengthy prison sentence, a man tries to rebuild his life by opening a barber shop and serving some eccentric locals. The film veers between heavy drama and comedy, but was well-appreciated back in the day. In fact, it won the Palme d’Or the year of its release.
This disc arrives with a high-definition transfer of both the director’s cut and theatrical edition. There is a featurette with a film expert going over the film and the career of its director. The filmmaker’s son talks about his dad and there is a special detailing all of the remarkable films from Japan that came out in 1997. A trailer is also included. Read a full review of the release right here.
Criterion is delivering the Hong Kong feature Chungking Express (1994) in a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray combo pack, as well as a standalone Blu-ray. This notable feature was a big deal when it came out, and follows two lonely Hong Kong cops who regularly meet and discuss their personal lives at a take-out food stall run by a charming young woman. Besides the 4K picture restoration approved by the director, this release includes a 2002 interview with the cinematographer, a 1996 TV show featuring the filmmaker and director of photography talking about the feature. Deleted scenes and a trailer is also included.
On a completely different note, B-movie horror fans have a couple of new items arriving from Full Moon Features that were originally only available on DVD. The first is the “Ultimate Stoner Edition” Blu-ray of Evil Bong 3D: The Wrath of Bong (2011). Yes, the title does tell you exactly what you’re getting story- wise. A new 3D transfer of the movie on Blu-ray with two pairs of custom 3D glasses and a “sniff-o-rama” card is included so you can engage even more of your senses with the film. Additionally, a trailer, premiere footage, a fan promo trailer reel, and other film trailers from the studio can be found on this disc.
If you have the money to spare, you can also pick up The Gingerdead Man Movie Collection “Limited Edition” Cookie Tin which contains all five films in the series from the 2005 original to 2021’s The Gingerweed Man (I suppose the character was in that film as well). All the titles are presented for the very first time on Blu-ray. Every disc comes with bonuses like trailers and featurettes, and you’ll also get a blood-splattered Gingerdead Man figure in the special cookie tin packaging.
Fun City Editions is delivering Baby, It’s You (1983) on Blu-ray with a 4K picture restoration. This is a period coming-of-age movie with Rosanna Arquette and Vicent Spano of two high schoolers who fall in love. John Sayles (Eight Men Out, The Secret of Roan Inish, Lone Star) co-wrote and directed the movie. The disc includes a film historian audio commentary, new interviews with Sayles, producers Amy Robinson and Griffin Dunne, as well as actors Arquette, Spano and Matthew Modine. There is also a booklet with a couple of essays on the movie and its significance.
The Barghest (2000) is an independent horror flick from Portland, Maine’s underground film scene about two estranged sisters fighting over an inheritance. Gemini Entertainment is releasing a Blu-ray of the black and white title with a remastered presentation, a director and cast commentary, an alternate color version of the film, stills gallery and a trailer.
If you enjoy John Wayne movies, Kino has you covered. You can now pick up a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray combo (as well as a standalone Blu-ray) of John Ford’s Donovan’s Reef (1963). Wayne stars in this romantic-comedy set on an isle in the South Seas, along with Lee Marvin, Elizabeth Allen and Cesar Romero. The 4K picture restoration comes from the original camera negative, and you’ll also get two film expert commentary tracks, a 1957 short film from Ford called The Growler Story, and a trailer.
Wayne also leads the cast in the World War II film Sands of Iwo Jima (1949) which is also arriving in a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray combo or just a Blu-ray. Just like the previous title, the disc boasts a 4K image restoration from the original camera negative, as well as a film historian commentary, a making-of featurette with noted critic Leonard Maltin, and a trailer.
If you’d prefer a British comedy, Heavens Above! (1963) stars Peter Sellers as a reverend with progressive ideas who upsets his parishioners and the religious hierarchy. This effort arrives on Blu-ray with a film historian commentary.
Lionsgate Limited is a relatively new outlet for Lionsgate. It releases exclusive editions of some of their most popular titles which can only be purchased from their website. This week sees the release of the memorable crime film King of New York (1990) in a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray Steelbook. The 4K restoration in Dolby Vision from the original negative was completed by Arrow Films in 2020 and is approved by director Abel Ferrara and cinematographer Bojan Bazelli. The film itself follows a drug kingpin released from prison who attempts to reestablish control over his empire using any means necessary. It stars Christopher Walken, Laurence Fishburne, David Caruso, Wesley Snipes and Giancarlo Esposito and will impress anyone who enjoys these types of films.
Besides the image improvement, the release arrives with all previously released bonuses from earlier editions, like a director commentary with Abel Ferrara, a crew commentary, a short about the career of Ferrara, an interview with the filmmaker, as well as the producer, a featurette on the production, music videos and publicity materials. New bonuses include a flashback on the film with Walken, as well as co-star Paul Calderón, and another new featurette on the film and its enduring legacy.
A “Standard Edition” Blu-ray of Ninja Terminator (1986) is also arriving courtesy of Neon Eagle Video. This is a wild and crazy martial arts movie from Hong Kong about three students searching for a statue with magical powers. Apparently, the original negative was recently located and transferred in 4K for this release (there is some slight damage on the negative, but this is as good of an image as you’re ever going to get). It comes with two film historian commentary tracks, an interview with the director, a second discussion with the filmmaker and a dubber for the audio track, a featurette on ninja movies from the 80s, a brief talk with star Richard Harrison (who fumes that footage of him in this movie was used in several other pictures without his approval), and a trailer.
Sony is presenting a Blu-ray of the Rio de Janeiro-set romantic-comedy Bossa Nova (2000) with Amy Irving.
The Great Yokai War: Guardians (2021) is coming to Blu-ray from SRS Cinema. This is a Japanese fantasy film about two kids who must stop Tokyo from being destroyed by an angry demon. Curiously enough, this film was directed by Takashi Miike (Audition, Ichi the Killer, 13 Assassins).
Pictured to the left, Blue Sunshine (1977) is a cult title about a new form of LSD running rampant through Los Angeles that turns its users into bald, homicidal maniacs. Synapse Films is releasing a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray “Limited Edition” that also includes a soundtrack CD. It was only available on their website, but can now be purchased everywhere. You’ll receive a 4K picture restoration from the original camera negative, two director commentaries, a new introduction to the feature with the filmmaker, a 2003 director interview, several other discussions with the moviemaker, anti-drug shorts from the late 1960s provided by the American Genre Film Archive. Additionally, the director’s first movie, The Ringer (1972) is included (remastered in 4K from the original camera negative) in this edition. Publicity materials are also contained, and plenty more!
Finally, Warner Bros. is making this a Steven Soderbergh week. His drama The Good German (2006) will be available in a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray combo pack, or as a Blu-ray only release. It stars George Clooney and Cate Blanchett and follows a murder investigation in post-war Berlin that uncovers an elaborate conspiracy.
Additionally, The Informant (2009) with Matt Damon is arriving exclusively on 4K Ultra HD only. This comedy from Soderbergh is based on a true story. Damon plays an American high-ranking corporate whistleblower who goes to the government with an elaborate story, but one that may not actually be entirely true.
Both pictures are now well-regarded by critics.
YOU KNOW, FOR KIDS!
Below is a list of the week’s kid-friendly releases.
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (Paramount) 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray, 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray Steelbook, 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray “Amazon exclusive” Steelbook
The VeggieTales Show: Complete Series (Universal) DVD
ON THE TUBE!
And you can find all the TV-related efforts coming your way right here.
Hallmark 2-Movie Collection: Junebug, His and Hers (Hallmark) DVD
Lioness: Season 2 (Paramount) DVD
NOVA: What Are UFOs? (PBS) DVD
Star Trek: The Lower Decks – The Complete Series (Paramount) Blu-ray