Welcome to another look at highlights arriving on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and DVD. This edition features some Academy Awards nominees, big Hollywood hits 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!
BEAM ME UP, SULU – This documentary deals with George Takei, co-star of the original Star Trek television series. Back in 1985, he helped a group of science-fiction enthusiasts make a student fan film and appeared in it, along with late actor and singer James Shigeta. Neither of these major performers requested a fee for their work. Sadly, the footage disappeared and was thought to be lost forever. Yet it has recently been recovered, to the excitement of all involved. The participants and Takei tell the story of how the picture was made and also talk about their careers. So far, only a couple of online critics have seen the movie, but they have been positive. They commented that Star Trek fans would enjoy it, and that it is a sweet feature showing the difficulties involved in putting creative projects together, as well as the lifelong impact the professionals who appeared in the film had on the moviemakers.
CENSOR ADDICTION – If direct-to-disc and streaming efforts are for you, this low-budget science-fiction film may be for you. It is set in a future where crime rates across the US are exploding. A big pharma company creates a drug to curb violent tendencies and it’s a huge success. Realizing peace isn’t good for their bottom line, the creators change the formula to turn people violent. A group of former employees become armed rebels, trying to expose the sinister corporation. Right now, only online reviewers have seen this picture. Their reaction to it has been mixed. Notices suggest that the cast is good and the concept is interesting, but that the budgetary restrictions hinder the film. They note the story doesn’t go into any depth, simply using the idea to create familiar action scenes for its stars. This is a DVD-only title. The cast includes Daniel O’Reilly, Sascha Knopf, Francis Capra, Vanessa Angel and Vernon Wells.
ELLA MCCAY – An idealistic young woman who grew up in a family with ties to politics works as a lieutenant governor in her home state. When her mentor announces that he is leaving for a cabinet position in the presidential administration, the protagonist is told that she will inherit his job as governor. Unfortunately, the lead’s progressive views aren’t popular with the cynics around her, and her complicated family relationships only cause more strain on the job. This period political comedy from James L. Brooks (Terms of Endearment, Broadcast News, As Good as It Gets) was largely panned by the press. One-quarter of write-ups liked the performances and thought the film, with its proactive central character, put a smile on their face. Alas, the vast majority were disappointed in this effort. They thought that the movie felt out-of-touch and unbelievable, lacking the cutting satire and bite that the story required. It stars Emma Mackey, Jamie Lee Curtis, Albert Brooks, Spike Fearn, Woody Harrelson, Rebecca Hall, Ayo Edebiri, Kumail Nanjiani, Jack Lowden and Julie Kavner.
HAMNET – Based on a fiction novel, this story involves young playwright William Shakespeare meeting and falling in love with his wife. They raise a family in the country while he attempts to start a career in London and get his plays produced. After a horrific tragedy strikes, the couple are forced to deal with grief, often coming into conflict with each other because of their different approaches. It all culminates in a stage performance of the writer’s newest work. This picture is nominated for eight Academy Awards, so as you might have guessed, it received a warm reception from critics. A small group called the movie pretentious, didn’t feel emotionally involved in the characters and found the pacing slow. Everyone else stated that it was a brilliantly performed movie. They thought it dealt with the effects of grief in a sensitive and relatable way, making a lasting impression on the viewer. This film is available as a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray combo or a standalone Blu-ray. Jessie Buckley, Paul Mescal, Emily Watson, Joe Alwyn and Jacobi Jupe headline the feature.
MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG – This 1981 Broadway musical (which is based on a 1934 play) tells the story of a composer and his two roommates, one of whom is a lyricist and the other a playwright. Viewers see their story play out over three decades, with relationships being severed as time passes. And since it’s a musical, various songs accompany the story. This 2024 production is considered among the best versions ever produced, and this film is a recording of that show. Write-ups for this picture were extremely upbeat. A few didn’t care for the camerawork and felt that the filmmaker could have done more to make this title feel cinematic instead of simply capturing a stage musical. Still, the majority said that the musical was a classic, and that this picture was incredibly dynamic. They thought it was wonderful that this version has been captured for all to enjoy now and in the future. The cast includes Natalie Machen, Daniel Radcliffe, Jonathan Groff, Lindsay Mendez and Krystal Joy Brown.
MUZZLE: CITY OF WOLVES – This independent action picture is a sequel to the 2023 feature Muzzle, which followed a K9 unit officer seeking revenge on the criminal organization responsible for the death of his canine partner. The protagonist from the first picture now has more dogs and a family, but a nasty figure from his past wants vengeance. Another animal sacrifices itself for the lead and his family, and so the cop once again sets out to stop the enemy. Only a few online critics have seen this picture, and response has been mixed. Half stated that this action film felt generic, repeating most of what occurred in the previous entry and, as a result, the final product lacked thrills. The same number thought that the cast helped elevate the picture over its story issues and liked the cop/dog partnership featured. This is a DVD-only release. It features Aaron Eckhart, Tanya van Graan and Karl Thaning.
THE RUNNING MAN – Based on a 1982 novel Stephen King wrote under a pseudonym, this dark action picture was initially produced as a hit Arnold Schwarzenegger vehicle in the late 1980s. This remake/readaptation tells the story of a man struggling to survive in a futuristic city run by an authoritarian government. In order to make fast cash for his desperate family, he participates in a nationally broadcast game show. The rules are that he must survive for 30 days and avoid capture by a team of armed killers. If he gets caught, he dies, but if he survives, he wins a huge jackpot. After the show begins, he quickly realizes that the odds are stacked against him. The movie earned passable, but not exceptional notices. About four out of ten reviewers wrote that the movie took itself too seriously, missing the mark on its satire and offering a weak finale. But slightly more were impressed by the cast and the action, commenting that the world presented didn’t seem that far off from our current reality. You can pick it up as a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray combo, a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray Steelbook, or a Walmart exclusive 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray 2-Movie Collection (which also includes the 1987 Schwarzenegger film). It stars Glen Powell, Josh Brolin, Katy O’Brian, Jayme Lawson, Michael Pace, Colman Domingo, Emilia Jones, William H. Macy and Michael Cera. Read a full review of the movie here.
ZOOTOPIA 2 – One of the biggest hits of the past year, this Disney animated feature is a follow-up to the 2016 original about a world populated exclusively by animals with anthropomorphic traits. After proving herself in the previous film, a rabbit cop and her fox partner/friend are asked to look into an incident involving a pit viper. The pair still have trouble working together, and things get worse when they are framed for the crime. They are forced to prove their innocence. This movie has been nominated for Best Animated Feature at the Academy Awards and it earned plenty of praise. A tiny contingent thought that the film was filled with too many characters, and was so big and loud that they felt exhausted by it all. But the consensus was that this picture successfully built on the success of the original, delivering even more laughs and excitement than its predecessor. They believed that the entire family would enjoy it. You can pick up the film as a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray Steelbook, or as a standalone Blu-ray. The voice cast includes Ginnifer Goodwin, Jason Bateman, Ke Huy Quan, Fortune Feimster, Andy Sanberg, David Strathairn, Shakira, Idris Elba, Patrick Warburton, Quinita Brunson, Danny Trejo, Alan Tukyk and more.
BLASTS FROM THE PAST!
If you’re looking for something older, there are plenty of options. The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (1983) from Cult Epics was supposed to arrive last week as a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray combo and a Blu-ray-only release, but it was delayed a week. It’s a Japanese effort about a teenage girl who gains the ability to travel through time. Besides the 4K transfer and restoration, a film historian commentary, multiple visual essays, a movie scholar discussion, a music video, promotional material and more are listed as bonuses.
If you appreciate really grim, early 1980s, shot-on-video horror, you can now pick up Faces of Death (1978) as a “Collector’s Edition” Blu-ray Steelbook from Dark Sky Films. The original Faces of Death movie was released on VHS and was sold to audiences as a shocking documentary about the most horrible deaths ever captured on camera. It featured news footage and documentary clips, intercutting staged scenes of bloodshed. The producers suggested they used real footage of carnage, but these claims have been debunked. There currently isn’t much information on bonus features, but one imagines there might be a featurette or two included about the movie and series.
Kino is delivering the Peter Sellers comedy The Prisoner of Zenda (1979) on Blu-ray. It’s a remake of the Bob Hope feature about a European king. When his friends worry for his safety, they switch him with a look-a-like cab driver in London. The disc comes with a film historian commentary and a trailer.
Speaking of Peter Sellers, the distributor released all but one of his Pink Panther titles a few weeks ago. Now they’re releasing that missing title as a 4K Ultra HD only release. The Return of the Pink Panther (1975) is the third movie in the series (and, if you ask me, is the second-best Pink Panther film after A Shot in the Dark) and finds Inspector Clouseau hunting down the titular jewel through France and Switzerland. This release contains a new 4K scan of the 35mm original camera negative that is presented in Dolby Vision. It comes with a film expert commentary, featurettes on co-star Catherine Schell, the production designer, as well as one about Sellers returning to the character after a lengthy absence. Trailers, TV spots, and radio commercials round out the bonuses.
You can also pick up a Blu-ray of the hospital-set drama, The Young Doctors (1961) from Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. The cast includes Fredric March, Ben Gazzara, Dick Clark and Eddie Albert. No specs have been listed for this release.
Mill Creek Entertainment/Alliance Entertainment is giving the Omar Shariff epic Genghis Khan (1965) a Blu-ray release. Again, no extras are listed on the release, but Columbia Pictures is noted on the packaging, and their source materials are usually high quality.
Shout Factory is giving the fun Jaws parody/horror film Piranha (1978) a Collector’s Edition 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray Steelbook release. Pictured to the left, this is a really entertaining genre picture and early effort from Joe Dante (Gremlins, Innerspace, The ‘Burbs, Gremlins 2: The New Batch, Matinee, Small Soldiers). about a secret government project involving mutant piranha who get loose in the nearby lake of a summer camp and cause chaos. It comes with all of the extras from the previous 2022 4K UHD edition, only now packaged in a fancy Steelbook.
Hong Kong movie enthusiasts can also pick up a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray combo of The Swordsman Trilogy. Naturally, you’ll get Swordsman (1990), Swordsman II (1992) and Swordsman III: The East is Red (1993). This one contains only the first title in 4K Ultra HD, scanned in 4K from the original negative and presented in Dolby Vision. A Blu-ray of the film is also included with extras like interviews with the co-director, and cast member Fennie Yuen, along with a career retrospective on the editor, an interview with the executive producer and a talk with a Hong Kong movie authority. The other two sequels are presented on Blu-ray. The first sequel includes an interview with Fennie Yuen and a trailer, while movie three has an interview with the co-director and a trailer.
Finally, Universal Studios is delivering a Blu-ray of The Benny Goodman Story (1956). This is a biopic about the famous jazz clarinet player that stars Steve Allen, Donna Reed and Sammy Davis Jr… It doesn’t look like any bonuses are featured on this release.
The distributor is also presenting the family animated feature Kung Fu Panda 3 in a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray combo pack. The studio has slowly been going through the series and updated them in 4K. This is the last one to get the upgrade, and it comes with previously released features like deleted scenes, production featurettes, a short film and a short film prequel to this effort.
The studio is also boxing all the titles as the 4K Ultra HD Kung Fu Panda 4-Movie Collection set. You’ll get all of the movie exclusively on the format (no Blu-rays are included in this edition).
And you can also purchase The Wild Robot (2024) as a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray Steelbook. The contents are the same as the previous edition, only in fancier packaging.
YOU KNOW, FOR KIDS!
Below is a list of all the kid-friendly titles arriving this week.
Kung Fu Panda 3 (Universal) 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray combo
Kung Fu Panda 4-Movie Collection (Universal) 4K Ultra HD only
The Wild Robot (2024) (Universal) 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray combo Steelbook
The Wingfeather Saga: Season 3 (Angel) Blu-ray and DVD combo
Zootopia 2 (Disney) 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray combo Steelbook, or Blu-ray only
ON THE TUBE!
All the latest TV-related titles can be found here.
All Creatures Great and Small: Season 6 (PBS) Blu-ray
Cobra Kai: The Complete Series (Sony) Blu-ray
Murder Before Evensong (Acorn Media) DVD
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds: Season 3 (Paramount) Blu-ray, 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray “Limited Edition” Steelbook
Talamasca: The Secret Order: Season 1 (RLJ Entertainment) Blu-ray
The Wingfeather Saga: Season 3 (Angel) Blu-ray and DVD combo
