Welcome to another look at the latest highlights arriving on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and DVD. It’s another busy week with a wide variety of releases in many genres. 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!
BEAST OF WAR – After completing boot camp, a group of young Australian soldiers sail to serve their country during World War II. However, their ship is sunk by enemy forces. A group of survivors take shelter on a raft and wait for help. But they soon find their craft being pushed further into the ocean and discover a hungry great white shark circling them. The leads do their best to survive attacks from both above and below. This Aussie feature is from the director of the 2024 giant killer spider movie Sting and critical reception to this effort was generally good. A very small contingent did state that the film suffered because of its low budget and the story felt repetitive. Still, everyone else described the picture as excellent B-movie fun that was genuinely tense and featured impressive practical effects. It stars Mark Coles Smith, Joel Nankervis, Sam Delich and Lee Tiger Halley.
DEAD OF WINTER – After her husband passes away, a woman decides to fulfil his last wish and spread his ashes at the northern Minnesota where they first met. She travels out in the middle of winter and the trip out is rougher than expected. Things get worse when the protagonist witnesses a kidnapping attempt. She attempts to save the hostage as well as herself from the sinister couple responsible for the crime. This thriller earned generally favorable reviews from the press. Almost one-quarter complained that there were too many flashbacks detailing the lead’s relationship with her husband, which slowed down the pacing and made the film less suspenseful. But the majority complimented the work of the lead performer and other cast members, stating that they made the characters believable and helped make this an effective chiller. The cast includes Emma Thompson, Judy Greer, Marc Menchaca and Laurel Marsden.
GOOD FORTUNE – A guardian angel frustrated with his low-ranking position in Heaven decides to break established rules. He literally appears before a mortal man struggling to make ends meet. The spiritual figure tries to convince this man that an honest life is better than immense wealth and has him switch places with a venture capitalist. Not only does the plan backfire, but the angel is demoted and must live on Earth. The three involved in this scenario end up working together to return to their old lives. Response was upbeat towards this comedy. Almost one quarter of reviewers felt that the movie could have done with an edgier streak and instead was overly earnest in its messaging. Regardless, most thought that the leads were very charming and that the picture delivered plenty of laughs while presenting an important message about how difficult it is to make ends meet in today’s world. This title is available as an Amazon exclusive 4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray Digipack. Seth Rogen, Aziz Ansari, Keke Palmer, Keanu Reeves and Sandra Oh headline the film. Read a full review of the movie here.
I’M STILL HERE – Winner of Best International Film at the last Academy Awards, this drama received a DVD-only release some months back, but is now debuting on Blu-ray. 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 and her husband, an ex-politician and civil engineer, living with their children at a beachside home. One day, the military raid their residence, taking the husband, 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 that was 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. It stars Fernanda Torres and Selton Mello.
LONDON CALLING – A London-based hitman botches a job that ends up killing his boss’ wife’s cousin. He hides out in Los Angeles, but feels compelled to try and return to England in order to reunite with his son. The lead asks a new employer to help him accomplish his goal. The gangster agrees, but only if the protagonist performs an assassination during the trip… while also acting as a babysitter for the employer’s socially awkward teenage son. Naturally, the pair get into a lot of trouble over the course of their travels. Notices were split on this action/comedy. Almost half thought it was an interesting, modern take on the buddy picture with some good performances, funny moments and a memorable soundtrack. But the same number and a few more felt that this picture was a bland and routine effort that didn’t offer any surprises or big laughs. It features Josh Duhamel, Jeremy Ray Taylor, Rick Hoffman, Aiden Gillen, Neil Sandlands and Arnold Vosloo.
OMNISCIENT READER: THE PROPHECY – In this Korean science-fiction thriller, an avid reader whose favorite novel depicts an apocalypse begins to recognize the same ominous signs from the book occurring in real life. Sure enough, a deadly threat arises that encourages the public to turn on each other. The protagonist uses everything he knows about the story to survive the onslaught, and maybe even save the world in the process. This foreign-language feature hasn’t been seen by many critics in North America, but a few write-ups have appeared online and are mixed. Almost half of them note that while the film doesn’t quite live up to its potential, there are some entertaining action scenes and slick visuals. Slightly more commented that the story was clumsily put together, lacked excitement and didn’t possess relatable characters or a deeper message. The cast includes Ahn Hyo-seop, Chae Soo-bin and Lee Min-ho.
RABBIT TRAP – Looking for inspiration for their latest album, married musicians move from their London flat to a small cottage in Wales. They begin hearing unusual noises in the forest and record fascinating new sounds that have never been heard before. The two wonder if it isn’t some kind of mystical spell and the pair become obsessed with understanding its origins. Soon, they have completely forgotten about their music and start losing touch with reality. This independent folk horror picture earned slightly more negative reviews than positive ones. Almost half were impressed and thought the film cast an eerie spell on them. They were disturbed while also feeling caught up in the mystery being depicted. Alas, more thought that atmosphere ended up being the only positive on display. They were ultimately left cold and a little confused by the surreal events and couldn’t determine what it all meant in the end. The film stars Dev Patel and Rosie McEwen.
A SAVAGE ART: THE LIFE AND CARTOONS OF PAT OLIPHANT – Pat Oliphant is an artist whose cartoons are famous for satirizing American presidents and other powerful world leaders. At certain times in history, some have even considered him a threat to the American system. This documentary tells Oliphant’s beginnings in Australia, his move to the U.S., and his five-decade spanning career. Viewers see his art, the controversy his work created in making fun of figures considered beyond reproach, and the death threats he frequently receives from extremists. Reaction to the picture was generally positive. A few voices suggested that the movie didn’t go into enough detail on the artist, delivering only a surface level examination of the man and his work. Still, the vast majority called the movie extremely timely and stated that it praised an important figure who spent a career fighting authority in a unique and creative way.
THE STRANGERS: CHAPTER 2 – This sequel to a 2024 remake of the 2008 home invasion chiller begins with the survivor of the previous installment receiving treatment in hospital. Before she can even leave, the masked killers from the previous story arrive to try and finish the job they failed to do the first time around. They maniacs pursue the protagonist through several venues, in the process revealing a bit more about their unknown history. The press disliked the original film, and their reaction was just as negative for this follow-up. A small number did find the movie tense, stating that the action was very well shot, the performances strong and the story more intriguing than the previous entry. Still, most commented that the movie still followed predictable genre tropes. They also noted that, because it is the middle chapter in an already completed trilogy of films, this chapter doesn’t offer any kind of satisfying finale or closure. The cast includes Madelaine Petsch, Gabriel Basso and Ema Horvath.
BLASTS FROM THE PAST!
Looking for something a bit older? Well, Radiance Films is delivering a “Limited Edition” Blu-ray of the South Korean feature Splendid Outing (1978). Don’t be fooled by the title. This arthouse horror picture follows a successful businesswoman from Seoul who takes a trip to a remote island and is kidnapped by one of the residents. She’s forced to endure all kinds of physical assaults while trying to convince the villagers that she is actually a famous entrepreneur. The movie deftly deals with women’s issues of the era (and today, for that matter) and is very well-regarded. This film has been given a 4K imager restoration for this release and arrives with a film historian commentary, an interview with a director who worked with the star of this film, and a discussion with the assistant director. You’ll also get a visual essay called Island Women of Classic Korean Cinema that talks about several movies made in this mold. And it comes with a booklet featuring essays on the feature. Read a full review of the disc right here.
Back in 2023, Arrow Video released a fantastic “Limited Edition” of the fantastic Brain De Palma gangster picture Carlito’s Way (1993) starring Al Pacino. The 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray is now being repressed and put out as a “Special Edition” for those who missed it the first time around. Expect the spec to be exactly the same as the previous version.
Rosa (1986) is arriving on Blu-ray from 88 Films. This Hong Kong production stars Sammo Hung and is an action/comedy about two graduates of a police academy bumbling their way through their first big case. Besides a new 2K picture restoration taken from the original camera negative, you’ll get a film historian commentary track, image gallery and original trailer, packaged with a 40-page book with writing on the title.
Criterion is presenting the Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger rom-com I Know Where I’m Going (1945) as a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray combo, as well as a standalone Blu-ray. The movie follows an engaged woman who gets stranded in the Scottish Hebrides while on her way to her wedding. She ends up meeting and falling for a naval officer trying to help the woman get to her destination. This release contains a new British Film Institute 4K restoration of the film that was supervised by Martin Scorsese and editor Thelma Schoonmaker Powell. There is a movie historian commentary track included, as well as a restoration demonstration, behind-the-scenes stills narrated by Schoonmaker Powell, a 1994 documentary on the title, a photo essay on the picture dealing the film’s locations. Additionally, the disc features home movies from Michael Powell’s Scottish expeditions narrated by Schoonmaker Powell, and essays on the feature and its importance.
Salaam Bombay! (1988) is also getting a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray combo and a standalone Blu-ray release. The Cannes film festival winner from Mira Nair involves a child trying to survive and thrive in a downtrodden section of Mumbai, India. This title promises a 4K restoration of the film supervised and approved by the director, also presented in Dolby Vision. There is a commentary track with Nair and the cinematographer, a new conversation with the filmmaker and the score composer, archival interviews with the screenwriter and the cast, and a program about the Salaam Baalak Trust, a program to support the street children of Mumbai. A trailer is also included.
Disney is delivering a spiffy 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray set of the animated family feature, The Emperor’s New Groove (2000). David Spade and John Goodman provide the voices for this tale about a Peruvian emperor who is turned into a llama by an adviser and, with the help of a friendly llama-herder, must regain the throne. Curiously enough, besides the 4K image upgrade this title doesn’t appear to contain any bonus features.
Triple Threat: Three Films with Sammo Hung is a new Blu-ray set from Eureka Entertainment containing the Hong Kong productions The Machu Boxer (1974), Paper Marriage (1988) and Shanghai, Shanghai (1990), all starring Hung. You will get brand new 2K restorations of the Hong Kong theatrical cuts of all the pictures, as well as film historian commentaries, a new interview with the director of Paper Marriage, trailers, a collector’s booklet, a slipcase, and more.
Barbara Stanwyck stars in the mystery/comedy Lady of Burlesque (1943), now arriving on Blu-ray from Film Masters. She plays a dancer who ends up investigating the strangling of a coworker after she is accused of slaying. The lead teams up with a comic at the club to solve the crime. Specs on the disc include a 4K film restoration from archival elements, a movie expert commentary and a trailer.
Kino Lorber is presenting Dan Curtis’ Gothic Tales on Blu-ray, which presents the ABC TV-movies The Picture of Dorian Gray (1973) and The Turn of the Screw (1974). Besides the well-reviewed productions, there is a television historian introduction to the titles, two expert commentary tracks on the first feature, as well as a single TV-authority commentary on the second, and a promotional short for the second production featuring Curtis and actress Lynn Redgrave.
One of the first and best horror anthologies ever made is the Ealing Studios effort Dead of Night (1945), which is now arriving in a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray combo set. The film tells five mostly chilling tales (one of them is more comedic than the others) and a disturbing wraparound segment that will make a lasting impression on any genre fan. In fact, the ventriloquist dummy segment is legendary. As noted, the British film has been given a 4K restoration and is presented in Dolby Vision. The release also promises a film historian commentary, and a 76-minute documentary on the production.
The hilarious Jack Black comedy Nacho Libre (2006) is also getting a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray set. This effort from Jared Hess (Napoleon Dynamite, A Minecraft Movie) tells the story of a cook at a monastery who desperately wants to be a Lucha Libre wrestler. Viewers witness him attempt to make his dreams come true. The release promises a new 4K master of the film sourced from the original camera negative that is presented in Dolby Vision. There is a new interview with co-star Ana de la Reguera, an archival commentary with Black and Hess, several featurettes on the production, a behind-the-scenes musical performance from Black, deleted scenes, and publicity materials.
Lionsgate is putting out a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray combo of the comedy Dogma (1999) from writer/director Kevin Smith. The plot involves two angels who are kicked out of heaven and to extremes to find a way back. It stars Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Linda Fiorentino, Salma Hayek, Jason Lee, Jason Mewes, Alan Rickman, Chris Rock, George Carlin and many more, including Smith himself. The set boasts a 4K restoration of the film presented in Dolby Vision, a new intro with Smith, a new feature-length documentary about the making of the movie, a new featurette with the cinematographer, a recent Q&A session with the cast and crew, trailers for the 25th anniversary of the feature, as well as just about every legacy extra from all of the older releases of the picture. A “Limited Edition” Steelbook version of the release will also be available exclusively through the Lionsgate Limited website.
The phenomenal documentary Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker’s Apocalypse (1991) is arriving from the distributor on 4K Ultra HD. In it, Eleanor Coppola followed husband Francis Ford Coppola around on the set of the ambitious and troubled production of Apocalypse Now. The end result was incredible, but the movie was a tough one to make and this documentary details all the challenges the cast and crew faced. You’ll get a 4K picture restoration presented in Dolby Vision, along with a making-of documentary on, well, the making-of documentary.
The Jake Gyllenhaal boxing drama Southpaw (2015) is arriving in a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray combo pack that will be an Amazon exclusive Steelbook. Apparently, the 4K picture upgrade is presented in Dolby Vision, and bonuses include a featurette on the production, a Q&A with Gyllenhaal, as well as co-stars Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson and Rachel McAdams, deleted scenes, an extended training montage and a trailer.
There are also a couple of Lionsgate Limited website exclusives arriving this week. The first is for a 4K Ultra HD Uncut version of the bloody satire American Psycho (2000). Christian Bale stars as the title character, a psychotic Wall Street yuppie who obsesses over and rationalizes his favorite things in life, which might include murder. You’ll receive a new analysis of the film for its 25th anniversary, a new interview with director Mary Harron (I Shot Andy Warhol, Daliland), a recently completed look at the film’s visual aesthetic, all previously released bonuses including two filmmaker commentaries, deleted scenes, and much more. A CD with music from the movie is also included.
The massively popular cult Japanese picture Battle Royale (2000) is arriving as a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray Steelbook. If you haven’t seen it, a high school class is taken to an isolated island and forced to participate in a deadly game in which only one person can survive. This picture inspired numerous imitations, but still stands as the best of the bunch. The is a 25th anniversary edition that includes both the director’s cut and theatrical version for the first time in 4K and presented in Dolby Vision. Besides new bonuses like an interview with the son of late director Kinji Fukasaku and a new featurette on the film, you’ll get legacy special features like a making-of, a press conference, footage from its Tokyo Film Festival premiere, audition and rehearsal footage, a documentary on the shoot, featurettes, promo materials and more.
Paramount Pictures recently released the classic disaster movie parody film Airplane! (1980) on 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray as part of a now out-of-print Zucker Brothers box set. Now, you can pick up the film on its own. Top Secret (1984) is another great comedy that was in the release and can also be purchased on its own in a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray combo pack.
Catch Me If You Can (2002) was a Steven Spielberg docudrama based on the life of a clever conman. This hit picture starred Leonardo DiCaprio as the character and Tom Hanks as the FBI agent tracking him down. It is now arriving from the studio in a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray set, as well as a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray Steelbook. The improved image is also presented in Dolby Vision and comes with archival extras including a look at the casting process, the scoring of the film, a look at the man the story is based on, as well as the work of the FBI in trying to catch him, in addition to promo materials.
Minority Report (2002) is another Steven Spielberg effort arriving exclusively as a 4K Ultra HD Steelbook, and a regular 4K Ultra HD disc. This science-fiction feature stars Tom Cruise as a police man who uses a seer to catch criminals before they commit crimes. When he’s unexpectedly accused of a future murder, he must avoid capture and find out why. Once again, this release delivers improved 4K picture quality in Dolby Vision and all kinds of archival bonus material.
If you like your home entertainment steamy, Severin Films is presenting Emmanuelle (1974) as a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray set or as a standalone Blu-ray. It follows a woman who embarks on a series of sexual adventures. The release comes with 4K restorations of both the theatrical and director’s cut of the film, a movie historian commentary, a French trailer, numerous archival cast and crew interviews and promo materials.
Kill List (2011) is also arriving as a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray set. This is a creepy British chiller about a hit man who takes on a job that goes in a horrific direction. The film marked an early directorial effort from Ben Wheatley (Sightseers, A Field in England, Free Fire). This release contains a new 4K master from the 35mm digital intermediate negative, two commentaries featuring Wheatley, another with the cast, cats and crew interviews, an archival making-of featurette, as well as interviews from the time of the film’s original release, a John Carpenter homage made by Wheatley and a trailer.
If you like killer shark movies, you’ll be excited to learn that you can now own a Blu-ray and CD score combo of the Italian B-movie Monster Shark (1984). Specs state that the original camera negative has been given a 4K restoration for this release. A “sharkspolitation” expert commentary track is included, along with a talk with director Lamberto Bava (Demons) and cast member Michael Sopkiw. It also comes with a trailer.
Also from Italy, a “Standard Edition” Blu-ray of Night of the Sharks (1988) is also available. Treat Williams plays a shark expert in Mexico being hunted by assassins. Thankfully, he knows how to use sharks to his advantage. The Italian film has been scanned in 4K form the only known uncut 35mm print of the film. It also comes with a bonus soundtrack CD and a trailer.
And The Shark Hunter (1979) with Franco Nero is arriving in a Blu-ray and soundtrack CD package. The plot involves a fisherman in Mexico who battles treasure hunters to retrieve a $100 million dollar treasure in the sea surrounded by deadly sharks. This film has been scanned in 4K from the only surviving picture elements and comes with a bonus soundtrack CD and the first-ever on-camera reunion between Nero and the film’s director. A discussion with the producer is also included, along with a trailer.
Shout Factory is rereleasing some of their older 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray combo titles as Steelbooks. This week, Black Christmas (1974), The Grey (2011) and Riddick (2013) can all be picked up in fancy new packaging.
With a reimagining arriving at theaters in only a couple of weeks, Sony Pictures is presenting Anaconda (1997) as a 4K Ultra HD Steelbook. This over-the-top horror flick with Jennifer Lopez, Ice Cube, Owen Wilson and a scenery-chewing Jon Voight has become something of a cult item over the years. Now, the original camera negative has been given a 4K restoration for this new edition. Presented in Dolby Vision, it comes with an interview with director Luis Llosa (Sniper, The Specialist), a co-writer, deleted and extended scenes, and a trailer.
The Robin Williams/Robert De Niro drama Awakenings (1990) is also getting a 4K Ultra HD release from the studio. The film follows a doctor’s experimental treatments of patients suffering from a disease causing a catatonic state. Technical specs on the release include a 4K image restoration presented in Dolby Vision, a making-of featurette, archival cast and crew interviews, and a trailer.
In celebration of its 45th anniversary, Universal Pictures is releasing a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray Steelbook of the classic musical comedy The Blues Brothers (1980). The features on the discs are the same as in the previous 4K release, but in new packaging.
The Jamie Foxx/Jake Gyllenhaal war drama Jarhead (2005) is also getting the 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray treatment to mark its 20th anniversary. This picture from Sam Mendes (American Beauty, Road to Perdition, Skyfall, 1917) depicts the psychological states of soldiers during the Gulf War. It includes tons of archival features like a director commentary, deleted scenes, featurettes and more. A 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray Steelbook of the title will also be available.
And finally, Warner Archive is putting out a Blu-ray of the Errol Flynn title Silver River (1948).
YOU KNOW, FOR KIDS!
Looks like there’s only one kid-friendly choice this week.
The Emperor’s New Groove (Disney) 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray
ON THE TUBE!
And below are the latest TV-related releases.
Dan Curtis’ Gothic Tales – The Picture of Dorian Gray, The Turn of the Shrew (1973 and 1974 TV-movies) (Kino Lorber) Blu-ray
Ultraman Yuletide Collection (Mill Creek) Blu-ray
The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon: Season 3 (RLJ Entertainment) Blu-ray
