Welcome to another look at highlights arriving on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and DVD. There are a number of major releases this week, as well as plenty of interesting independent and classic films too. 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!
ANACONDA – Two best friends who loved the 1997 movie Anaconda as children feel disappointed in their adult careers. One is an actor landing bit jobs in commercials, while the other shoots wedding videos. When one of the pair announces he has secured the rights to the movie, they decide to shoot an ultra-low-budget reboot. However, after renting a boat and sailing on the Amazon, the leads and their crew encounter a truly enormous snake that wants to eat them all. Reaction towards this comedy was split, with slightly more members of the press panning the movie than recommending it. Almost half enjoyed the new premise, appreciated the relationship between the two leads, and thought the movie delivered enough laughs to earn a recommendation. However, slightly more felt that it wasn’t funny enough, also complaining that it took too long to get to the title characters and it simply didn’t work. The movie can be purchased as a 4K Ultra HD-only Steelbook or a standalone Blu-ray. It stars Jack Black. Paul Rudd, Steve Zahn, Thandiwe Newton, Deniela Melchior, Selton Mello, Ione Skye and a cameo from an original cast member.
THE CHORAL – Set during World War I, this tale involves a Choral Society in Yorkshire, England that has lost most of its male members to the army. In order to keep the group going, the leaders decide to audition and recruit much younger members into their fold. They also decide to hire a new choral master who may be hiding a dark past. In the end, the group do all they can to continue making music together. Reviews for this historical drama were good, though not exceptional. About one-third of write-ups noted that while well-intentioned, the screenplay buried its most important story and ended up feeling pleasant but unmemorable. Still, the majority commented that the performances were very good, the music beautiful and that the picture was a nice was to spend a couple of hours. The cast includes Ralph Fiennes, Roger Allam, Mark Addy, Alun Armstrong and Robert Emms.
DAVID – This faith-based animated family musical is a follow-up to a five-part television miniseries called Young David. This feature follows the main character, now a teen living on a farm and protecting his family’s sheep from hungry lions and other animal invaders. In the process, he develops incredible skills with a slingshot. When an army appears with a nine-foot-tall giant, the youngster decides to square off against the large foe. Notices for the movie were generally good. Slightly more than one-fifth of reviews stated that the animation was good, but the musical numbers were weak and that the movie was underwhelming. The majority noted that the animation was excellent and the story engaging, summarizing that it would impress those looking for faith-based entertainment. The voice cast includes Ashley Boettcher, Asim Chaudhry, Brandon Engman, Mick Wingert and Phil Wickham.
GOOD BOY – This independent supernatural horror movie is told from a unique perspective… that of a canine. A man with a chronic lung disease moves to his late grandfather’s country home along with his dog. The pooch immediately senses that something is wrong, watching his owner slowly come under a sinister influence. It does all it can to investigate the situation and protect its master from evil forces. Critics rated the movie very highly. A small contingent stated that after a strong beginning, the movie became repetitive and quickly ran out of steam, limping slowly towards an unexciting finale. All others believed that the film offered a very unique point-of-view that was fascinating to watch. They appreciated the sound design and spooky atmosphere the feature created. It stars Indy (the dog), Shane Jensen, Arielle Friedman and Larry Fessenden.
THE HOUSEMAID – After being paroled for a manslaughter conviction, a woman struggles to gain employment. She does, eventually, find a job as a live-in maid for a wealthy Long Island-based family. The lead soon senses something is off about her employers, but can’t say much and has no power due to her criminal record. She eventually discovers what has previously occurred at the household and learns their secrets are more dangerous than hers. This hit movie earned solid reviews from the press. About one-fifth of them suggested that the film was schlocky and that its themes of toxic masculinity were bluntly handled and too predictable given all the recent, exceptional movies on the same subject. Still, everyone else called the film a great time, with stylish photography and plenty of fun twists and turns that would keep viewers entertained. The film can be purchased in a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray combo or as a standalone Blu-ray. Sydney Sweeney, Amanda Seyfried, Brandon Sklenar and Elizabeth Perkins.
IS THIS THING ON? – An amicably divorced couple try their best to separately raise their two boys and maintain a friendly relationship. He finds an outlet for his frustrations in stand-up comedy, beginning to share his feelings about separation and raising kids as part of his set. After a rough start, he begins to find his footing and starts to earn a small following, as well as friends within the comedy community. When his ex-wife discovers that he’s not only a comic, but is performing material based on their lives, it creates further tensions in the family. Notices were very strong from this comedy/drama. A small number of reviewers suggested that the exes were a little too well-meaning and that the movie lacked edginess or bite as a result. All others complimented the cast, stating the star also sold the dramatic beats well. They also liked the film’s use of stand-up as a way of dealing with situations like divorce. The film is available in a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray combo pack. It stars Will Arnett, Laura Dern, Andra Day, Bradley Cooper (who also served as director) and Amy Sedaris.
LONE SAMURAI – A 13th century samurai finds himself stranded on a remote island after a shipwreck. Wounded, he considers suicide, until a group of cannibal natives arrive and take him hostage. The protagonist decides that he does not want to be eaten, and musters the will to fight back and escape. They send their greatest warriors to hunt him down, and the lead used his skills and katana sword to take them all on. The film has only been seen by a handful of critics in North America, and the reaction has been tepid. A few called the movie an ambitious throwback to early samurai pictures, complimenting the photography and noting that the fight scenes were impressively put together. Unfortunately, more believed that the picture didn’t embrace its pulpy concept, and instead felt pompous instead of fun and dynamic. The movie is available as a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray combo and a standalone Blu-ray. The cast includes Shogen, Yayan Ruhian and Rama Ramadhan.
NOT WITHOUT HOPE – Based on a true story, this faith-based thriller involved a group of friends taking a vacation in Mexico. They agree to head out together on a deep-sea fishing excursion, only for an unexpected storm to arrive and capsize their boat. The group must work together to try and contact help before hypothermia and other sea-related issues cause them to pass away. And because this is a religious feature, the men use their faith to keep their hope of rescue alive. This picture earned mostly positive reviews. About one-quarter wrote that the initial scenes at sea were well delivered, but that the characters weren’t as well developed as hoped for and that the film left audiences stranded well before the close. Still, most commented that this was a decent disaster picture and a nice tribute to the survivors. Some also noted that the photography felt immersive, like you were hanging off of the boat with the group. For now, this is a DVD-only release. Zachary Levi, Josh Duhamel, Quentin Plair, Terrence Terrell, Marshall Cook and JoBeth Williams headline the film.
REBUILDING – This independent drama begins with a cowboy’s ranch going up in flames due to a devastating wildfire. He ends up in a FEMA camp with his daughter, along with other families in the area who have experienced the same hardships. The protagonist is forced to begin anew with the others. In the process, he begins building new relationships and a community, bringing a newfound sense of hope for the future. The press ranked this drama highly. A lone voice or two complained that the story moved at a glacial pace and that the overly low-key tone meant that the picture didn’t deliver the kind of drama they had hoped for. Still, everyone else thought this was a beautiful ode to ranchers and their ability to adapt during the worst of times. They also appreciated the excellent performances and authentic feel of the movie. It features Josh O’Connor, Lily LaTorre, Meghann Fahy, Amy Madigan and Kali Reis.
RETURN TO SILENT HILL – Based on the video game Silent Hill 2, this supernatural horror film is the third in a series of Silent Hills movies and is intended to be a reboot of the franchise. A man receives a letter from who may be his lost love, asking him to return to the title town. He finds his way there, only to discover that the place is not only a maze-like blur of the place he remembers, but also full of terrifying monsters. Write-ups for this picture weren’t very good. One-third of reviewers called the movie stylish and atmospheric, noting that it effectively delivered a nightmarishly surreal vision of a man’s guilt that would appeal to fans of the game. Alas, everyone else described the movie as a disappointment that didn’t deliver the required scares or a relatable protagonist to follow through the journey. The title is available as a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray combo, a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray Amazon exclusive Steelbook, a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray Walmart exclusive Steelbook, and a Blu-ray-only release. Jeremy Irvine, Hannah Emily Addison, Robert Strange, Evie Templeton and Eva Mackin headline the picture.
WE BURY THE DEAD – This Australian horror picture is set on the island of Tasmania. When the US military conducts a military experiment off the east coast of the island, something goes wrong and the town or Hobart is destroyed. Teams arrive to assess the damage, with an American physiologist discovering that those who have not been killed appear to be brain dead. Soon, the braindead and literal dead begin waking up and attacking the team. Reaction towards this independent feature was very good. One or two thought it lacked originality and borrowed too much from earlier zombie movies. However, the vast majority thought the movie was impressive. They called it an extremely well shot, creepy and disturbing chiller that focused on character instead of horror set pieces and left a memorable impression as it dealt with grief and loss. It stars Daisy Ridley, Brenton Thwaites, Mark Coles Smith, Kym Jackson and Matt Whelan.
ZODIAC KILLER PROJECT – This documentary focuses its attention on the unsolved Zodiac killer slayings that occurred around San Francisco, California during the late 1960s. In fact, it follows the filmmaker attempting to make the authoritative non-fiction film on the subject and failing to do so. The movie ultimately turns into an examination of the true-crime genre, and attempts by filmmakers in this field to provide questionable solutions to the cases being depicted. The features earned mostly positive notices from reviewers. One or two chimed in that the film was clever, but shallow exercise that could have summed up its findings in half the time. All others noted that the movie had a sharp edge, really honing in on the expectations of viewers for a very clear and concise analysis and wrap-up of horrific events that often can’t be easily summed up.
BLASTS FROM THE PAST!
If you’re looking for something older, you have plenty of options. Arrow Video is presenting The Birthday (2004) as both a “Limited Edition” 4K Ultra HD and a “Limited Edition” Blu-ray. This Spanish genre picture follows a boyfriend who agrees to visit his girlfriend’s family for a celebration, only to discover that they aren’t who they initially appear to be, and that he has to stop an ancient evil threatening the world.
The film has been restored in 4K from the original 35mm camera negative. It comes with a commentary from director Eugenio Mira (Grand Piano) and star Corey Feldman, as well as a new interview with Mira, a scene breakdown with the filmmaker, a Q&A with the moviemaker and star from the 2024 Austin Fantastic Fest, the original trailer, a 20th anniversary trailer and an image gallery.
Criterion is releasing a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray combo (as well as a standalone Blu-ray) of The Big Risk (1960) aka Classe Tous Risques from French filmmaker Claude Sautet. It’s about an aging fugitive trying to sneak back to Paris with his family after years away, only to discover that his criminal cohorts are more than willing to sell him out. The film has been given a 4K restoration and is presented in Dolby Vision. Additionally, you’ll receive excerpts from a 2004 documentary on the filmmaker, interviews with the screenwriter and author of the original novel, archival interview footage with actor Lino Venture discussing his career, trailers, and essays on the movie.
Testament (1983) is a disturbing American drama about the aftereffects of nuclear war on a community. We see one family in California dealing with radiation sickness and other horrifying side-effects of war. The film is being released on Blu-ray. You’ll receive a 4K image restoration of the movie supervised by the director and the cinematographer, as well as a new conversation between the filmmaker and the author of the original novel that the movie was based on. Two documentaries from the director are also included, along with a look back at the film 20 years later with the cast and crew, an audio recording of the original story, a trailer, and an essay on the movie.
It’s a busy week for Kino Lorber too. America 3000 (1986) is arriving on Blu-ray. It’s a post-apocalyptic feature from Cannon Films about survivors of a nuclear war now living like cavemen. You’ll get a 2K restoration of the interpositive of the movie, along with a writer/director commentary, an interview with co-star Laurene Landon and a trailer.
Dead Again (1991) appeared on the Amazon site early as a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray or Blu-ray only release. If you picked it up before it was shelved, great, but now everyone can purchase the movie. It’s a Kenneth Branagh/Emma Thompson thriller. Branagh is a private detective hired to help an amnesiac figure out her past, only to discover that some of her visions may be from a past life. Amazon states that the film will be available this week, but the official Kino site lists it as being released on March 10th, so a real spiritual medium may be required to figure out if the title is actually arriving (you could also wait and see). If it is released, then you’ll get a 4K scan and restoration of the original camera negative presented in Dolby Vision, an audio commentary with director/star Branagh, a commentary with the producer and the screenwriter, as well as a trailer.
The exploitation film Ilsa, The Tigress of Siberia (1977) is arriving as a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray combo. In this sequel, the title character is working in a Gulag prison camp. The movie has been given a 4K restoration and arrives with a film historian audio commentary, alternate footage from the less-explicit television version, a sidebar conversation about the movie with moxie experts, promo materials. It comes packaged with a slipcover.
Jack Benny Comedy Classics is a Blu-ray set consisting of 2K restorations (from 35mm fine grain prints) of Artists and Models (1937) and Man About Town (1939). Each picture comes with a film historian commentary, and trailers.
K2 (1991) with Michael Biehn and Matt Craven tells the story of a perilous ascent to the top of the second highest mountain on Earth. The film is arriving as a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray combo and a standalone Blu-ray. The discs contain 4K restorations taken from the original 35mm negative that are presented in Dolby Vision. Additionally, bonuses include a film expert commentary track, an interview with the director, and a trailer.
Maigret Sees Red (1963) is a French crime movie arriving on Blu-ray. It boasts a 4K restoration prepared on behalf of StudioCanal, a film historian commentary, and a trailer. Early copies of the disc include a slipcover.
Guillermo del Toro’s monster movie Mimic (1997) is also arriving as a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray combo and a standalone Blu-ray. Mira Sorvino, Jeremy Northam and Josh Brolin star in this feature about an oversized roach terrorizing a community (it’s better than it sounds). The theatrical and director’s cuts are presented in this edition. You’ll get 4K restorations of both versions presented in Dolby Vision that have been approved by del Toro, as well as a director commentary, a film expert commentary, a video prologue with del Toro, featurettes on tie production, three deleted scenes, animated storyboards, a gag reel and a trailer.
Port of Shadows (1938) is a famous French title about a military deserter finding love and trouble in a port city. The film is arriving as a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray combo. Bonuses include a film historian audio commentary, a documentary on the production, and more.
If you head over to the Lionsgate Limited website, you’ll find a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray “Vestron Collector’s Series” edition of The Substitute (1996). Tom Berenger plays an ex-Marine who tries to stop a gang ruling over a Miami high school. This 30th anniversary edition of the movie contains a 4K restoration of the movie presented in Dolby Vision, along with a new interview with the director, a look at the color grading for the feature, a storyboard-to-film exploration and a trailer.
Leprechaun (1993) is also arriving as a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray Exclusive Steelbook from the Lionsgate Limited website. A young Jennifer Aniston plays a youngster who goes toe-to-toe with the mythical creature (played by Warwick Davis). The film has been given a 4K restoration that is being presented in Dolby Vision. Additionally, you’ll get new featurettes on the make-up, as well as behind-the-scenes footage, a discussion of the film’s cult classic status, a copy of the VHS promo screener, archival commentary tracks with the director and with star Davis, a documentary on the series, more behind-the-scenes footage, a trailer and a stills gallery.
Shout Factory is releasing The Boy and the Beast (2015) as a 4K Ultra HD Amazon exclusive Steelbook and Blu-ray. It’s an animated fantasy film from Japan. Features should be identical to previous editions, only in fancier packaging.
Universal Pictures is putting out Jurassic Park (1993), The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997), Jurassic Park III (2001) and Jurassic World (2015) as 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray combos. These have been released before by the studio, but they are now presenting the films with Dolby Vision color upgrades. All other bonuses will be identical to previous versions.
Finally, Warner Archive is delivering the Humphrey Bogart 4-Film Collection on Blu-ray. You’ll get They Drive by Night (1940), Passage to Marseille (1944), Conflict (1945) and Chain Lightning (1950).
And the Tennessee Williams 4-Film Collection Blu-ray set contains A Streetcar Named Desire (1951), Baby Doll (1956), Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958) and Sweet Bird of Youth (1962).
YOU KNOW, FOR KIDS!
Sorry, this week isn’t offering any titles for toddlers, but there should be more arriving in upcoming editions.
ON THE TUBE!
Below is a list of this edition’s TV-themed releases.
For All Mankind: Season 2 (Sony Pictures) Blu-ray
Hallmark Channel 6-Movie Collection = The Perfect Bride, 3 Bed, 2 Bath, 1 Ghost, Make Me A Match, Blind Date Book Club, Legend of the Lost Locket, Villa Amore (Hallmark) DVD
