Welcome to another look at some of the highlights arriving on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and DVD. This edition is jam-packed with a ton of major releases, as well as numerous interesting independents. Readers will most certainly find something to their tastes in this edition. 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!
28 YEARS LATER: THE BONE TEMPLE – The latest chapter in the 28 Years Later series picks up where the previous film from 2025 left off. A young boy named Spike is lost on the mainland that is largely populated with the infected. He is discovered by a gang of psychopaths. The leader takes him under his wing and the youngster witnesses the group terrorize and raid the few remaining properties where the uninfected live. When the gang comes across the title location, the young man sees an opportunity to free himself from their grasp. This picture earned favorable notices from the press. A small number complained that this sequel was unpleasant and heavy-handed, lacking the pace or chills of earlier features in the series. Still, the vast majority were impressed with the grim and bleak tone, calling it an effective plea for compassion and noting that it ended with potential for another welcome follow-up. The movie is available as a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray Steelbook, or a standalone Blu-ray. It stars Jack O’Connell, Alfie Williams, Connor Newall, Erin Kellyman and Ralph Fiennes. Read this site’s review of the film here.
CHRISTY – Boxer Christy Martin is the subject of this biopic. The story traces her beginnings in West Virginia. After taking an interest in the profession, this athlete trains and eventually becomes the women’s champion in the 1990s. At the height of her popularity, she suffers a brutal loss and considers giving up on boxing. However, her trainers, close friends and family inspire her to return to the ring and reclaim the title. The press gave this effort more positive reviews than negative ones. About one-third complained that the film followed a routine formula and didn’t offer much depth or insight into its subject, making for an uninspired biopic. But most thought that the performances were excellent and that the fights were well-staged, resulting in a strong biopic that would impress boxing enthusiasts. The cast includes Sidney Sweeney, Ben Foster, Jess Gabor, Merritt Wever, Ethan Embry, Katy O’Brian and Chad L. Coleman.
DIE MY LOVE – This brutal and uncompromising drama from Lynne Ramsay (Movern Callar, We Need to Talk About Kevin, You Were Never Really Here) follows a writer who gets married, moves out to the country, has a child, and begins suffering from post-partum depression. Her behavior becomes more and more unhinged as the months pass and her personal relationships suffer. With little assistance, she eventually commits an extreme and shocking act. This feature earned decent notices, although they weren’t quite as strong for this effort as for the filmmaker’s other titles. One-quarter of write-ups had trouble making sense of what they witnessed, noting that the characters were difficult to relate to and finding it so dreary that it was a slog to endure. Still, most were very impressed with the leads, as well as the striking cinematography. These notices also appreciated that the movie made the audience decipher the story’s meaning, making it engaging throughout. It is available as a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray combo. Jennifer Lawrence, Robert Pattinson, LaKeith Stanfield, Sissy Spacek and Nick Nolte headline the film.
DINOGEIST – A greedy land developer plots to rezone and take control of an unsuspecting community. Unfortunately, he unleashes a supernatural force in the process. The spirits of prehistoric dinosaurs are awakened and go on the rampage, terrorizing both the neighborhood residents and the sinister businessman. A local priest decides to try and stop the threat. This micro-budgeted feature from Wild Eye Releasing (who are also responsible for the Ouija Shark series and Cocaine Shark) is said to be a mix of comedy and horror. Apparently, the story also directly links to the studio’s upcoming sequel, Ouija Shark 3. The feature is debuting as a DVD-only release and hasn’t been seen by critics yet, but those familiar with the company’s output should know what to expect. It stars John Migliore, Deborah Jayne Reilly Smith, Simon Wheeldon, Luke Meneok, Jay MacAulay, Mike Trebilcock and (full disclosure) features an opening voice-over from, well, Glenn Kay.
THE FORBIDDEN CITY – A young woman from China arrives in Rome searching for her missing sister. The trail takes her to the city’s Chinatown district, where she encounters a Chinese mob boss who specializes in sexual exploitation. She also meets the owner of a tattoo parlor, whose dad has disappeared in a similar manner. Members of the hood’s gang threaten the protagonist. They immediately learn that she has exceptional martial arts skills and is ready to break bones in order to recover her sister. Reaction to this action picture was very upbeat. A few felt that after an impressive opening, the plot eventually ran out of gas and the film felt overlong. Still, everyone else liked the characters and commented that the elaborately staged fight scenes were incredible to watch, making for a fun and stylish feature. It can be purchased as a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray combo or a standalone Blu-ray. Yaxi Liu, Enrico Borello, Sabrina Ferilli, Marco Giallini and Luca Zingaretti headline the feature.
GOOD LUCK, HAVE FUN, DON’T DIE – In the near future, the public will become entirely engrossed in their cell phones and fail to realize that a form of Artificial Intelligence has taken over the world. A strange-looking man appears at a Los Angeles diner and explains to the patrons that he is from the future and needs their help to delay the truly horrific events that will soon occur. The figure manages to convince a small group to help him, but they quickly realize that his plans are, after a certain point, incomplete. This science-fiction tale from Gore Verbinski (the first three Pirates of the Caribbean films, Rango, A Cure for Wellness) earned very strong notices. About one-fifth of reviewers didn’t care for its chaotic tone and wanted the story to focus more on the characters. However, the majority called the movie a crazy, sharp and bleak satire that grabbed them from the start and refused to let them go. The movie can be picked up as a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray combo or as a Blu-ray-only release. The cast includes Sam Rockwell, Haley Lu Richardson, Michael Peña, Zazie Beetz, Asim Chaudhry and Juno Temple. You can read a detailed review of the picture here.
JIMPA – This family drama is an international co-production between Australia, the Netherlands and Finland. A mother struggles when her trans nonbinary teen is curious about family history and wants to meet her gay grandfather. The parent agrees to the request, and the two head to Europe to reconnect. However, the reunion brings up both positive and negative feelings from the past. When the teen asks to stay with the granddad, the mom is forced to confront these issues. This drama ultimately split critics. Almost half noted that while well-intentioned and based on the real experiences of the director, the end result was tonally messy, overly sentimental, and unsatisfying. The same number and a few more thought that it was well-acted, asked a lot of interesting questions, and presented interesting and complicated (as well as sometimes difficult) characters in a sensitive light. It features Olivia Colman, Aud Mason-Hyde, John Lithgow and Kate Box.
PRIMATE – Don’t mess around with chimpanzees! A college student and her new school chums decide to visit her family in Hawaii. The lead arrives and takes them to a house on the edge of a cliff, where they meet the protagonist’s family… as well as their adopted pet chimpanzee. The simian is highly intelligent and can even use a tablet to communicate. That night, it is revealed the simian has been bitten by a wild animal. Now rabid, the chimp goes on a rampage, attacking those within the household. The press found this chiller suitably unsettling. Slightly more than one-fifth suggested that while the title had a solid start, it devolved into a typical slasher (only with a primate instead of a maniac) with dopey protagonists, a predictable storyline and poor visual effects. Still, more called the movie entertainingly gnarly, with a memorable antagonist and enough nasty moments to give viewers nightmares. Johnny Sequoyah, Jessica Alexander, Victoria Wyant, Gia Hunter, Benjamin Cheng and Troy Kotsur headline the movie.
RESURRECTION – This unique Chinese/French/American science-fiction epic is set in a strange future. In order to extend life, all living entities have altered their sleep patterns and no longer dream. This is bad news for an odd monster/demon who misses dreaming. In order to continue its existence, the creature has jumped onto celluloid to experience dream-like visions. A woman discovers the monster and watches it jump from movie to movie. In the process, she learns about dreaming and its importance. The movie earned high marks from reviewers. A small number could not get on its wavelength, stating that the surreal narrative was impenetrable and that nothing really hung together or made sense to them. Everyone else was blown away by the visuals on display, calling it an incredible ride and interesting, surreal examination of life and dreams through cinema. The cast includes Jackson Yee, Shu Qi, Mark Chao, Li Gengxi, and Huang Jue.
SEND HELP – An intelligent but shy and awkward corporate strategist is disappointed when her boss retires and a promotion promised to her doesn’t arrive. In fact, the new boss and son of her old employer takes an instant dislike to the lead and treats her poorly. When the two end up on a private jet. When it crashes on a tiny island in the Pacific Ocean, they are forced to survive together and await rescue. Their strained relationship deteriorates, and they begin to act out with shocking hostility. Sam Raimi (the original Evil Dead series, The Quick and the Dead, the original Spider-Man series, Drag Me to Hell) returns to a familiar genre with this feature, and it generally garnered raves from the press. A handful criticized the movie for not siding explicitly with one character and stated that they couldn’t root for anyone. However, everyone else suggested that this was the underlying message and that the movie delivered memorably shocking and darkly funny moments, all thanks to its incredible cast. It is available as a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray combo. The film stars Rachel McAdams, Dylan O’Brien, Edyll Ismail, Dennis Haysbert and Xavier Samuel. Read a full review of the movie right here.
SHELTER – A man living in isolation on an island in the Scottish Hebrides heads out every so often to retrieve supplies from a small boat piloted by a captain and his niece. One day, a storm causes the child to fall overboard. The recluse rescues her and realizes he needs to travel to larger, more populated areas to get medical supplies and clothing. He is soon recognized as a former MI6 agent. Word gets out and villainous parties attempt to hunt the pair down, while the lead explains his background and dangerous past to the girl. This action/thriller earned more positive write-ups than negative ones. About one-third did complain that the end product was uninspired, ordinary and forgettable in every possible way. But most reviewers admired the work of the two leads and thought the pair elevated the material, getting them involved in the tense story. The cast includes Jason Statham, Bodhi Rae Breathnach, Naomi Ackie, and Bill Nighy.
THE STRANGERS: CHAPTER 3 – This sequel and final chapter of a new trilogy (that is a remake of a 2008 horror hit) picks up after the events of the previous installment. The main character continues to find herself being pursued by a group of mysterious masked figures. Having evaded the psychopaths, she uncovers a larger conspiracy in the town setting and ultimately sets out to reveal them to the public and get her revenge. The picture was largely panned by the press. A few appreciated that it provided a reasonably satisfying finale and resolution to its storyline, delivering a few jolts along the way, as well as a message about a town being freed from oppressive control. However, the majority called the movie a complete misfire that didn’t deliver much in the way of tension or shocks, stumbling its way towards the close and leaving viewers unsatisfied with the entire series. It features Madelaine Petsch, Gabriel Basso, Ema Horvath, and Richard Brake.
THIEVES HIGHWAY – A sheriff in an isolated small town discovers a criminal plot to steal and deliver cattle to a mysterious buyer. He investigates several cases of these disappearances in the area with his partner, eventually uncovering a large, unsettling operation. The head of the outfit warns the protagonists to look away or become a casualty. It all leads to a deadly showdown as the main character finds himself stranded and being hunted by baddies. Only a handful of mixed reviews have popped up for this effort, which is arriving exclusively on DVD. A few stated that, despite its brief running time, the picture was predictable and never managed to build much suspense. The same number referred to it as a solid, modern-day update on traditional western themes with a charismatic lead. Aaron Eckhart, Brooke Langton, Lochlyn Munro, Johnny Messner and Devon Sawa headline the film.
BLASTS FROM THE PAST!
If you’re looking for an older title, there is plenty to choose from. Radiance Films is delivering the Italian thriller Confessions of a Police Captain (1971). It stars Franco Nero and Martin Balsam and involves a corrupt cop who may have released a killer from prison so that they can “take care” of a personal matter. The movie has been restored in 2K for this release, and contains the original English and Italian audio tracks. You’ll also get recent cast and crew interviews (including Nero), a trailer, a reversible sleeve with designs based on original posters, a booklet with essays on the movie and an archival interview with the director, Damiano Damiani. Be sure to read a lengthy review of the disc right here.
Romancing in Thin Air (2012) is a Hong Kong/Chinese melodrama about a movie star whose celebrity fiancé leaves him at the altar. Depressed and stumbling around drunk, he ends up in a mountain forest in mainland China and finds himself rescued by the owner of a beautiful, sparsely populated mountain resort. A relationship slowly develops between the pair. This disc contains a high-definition digital transfer of the film, along with a Hong Kong movie historian commentary, a visual essay on the director, a new interview with the screenwriter, behind-the-scenes footage, a making-of featurette, and a trailer. It comes with a booklet featuring new writing on the title, and a reversible sleeve with original and newly commissioned artwork. Read a detailed review of the Blu-ray by clicking on this link.
If you enjoy drive-in monster movie/science-fiction fare, VCI has a Blu-ray for you. It’s called the Creepy-Creatures Double-Feature and it contains The Crawling Hand (1963) and The Slime People (1963), which literally used to play as a double-feature when they were first released. Both titles have been given 4K restorations for this release. You’ll also get a film historian commentary, a video featurette exploring 1950s and 1960s creature features, audio interviews with those who worked on the second feature, as well as a booklet with writing on the two movies. You can read a full review of this release here.
Arrow Video is delivering the Hong Kong thriller The Eye (2002) as a “Limited Edition” 4K Ultra HD release. It’s about a young blind woman who receives a cornea transplant, only to begin experiencing bizarre, supernatural visions. This edition promises a 4K scan of the original 35mm camera negative, presented in Dolby Vision. Bonuses include an interview with the producer, a visual essay on the movie, an archival making-of special with the producers and the cast, a featurette on the directors, as well as trailers and an image gallery. It comes in a reversible sleeve featuring new and original artwork for the title and a booklet with essays on the feature.
Those who appreciate animated shorts from the 1940s and 1950s might want to pick up the Famous Studios Champion Collection from ClassicFlix. These efforts, which haven’t been available for decades, were from the animation wing of Paramount Pictures and played in theaters during the era. They’ve all been given 4K restorations from original studio materials. Besides the 18 shorts, there are option animation expert commentary tracks, two bonus “mostly lost” shorts and production artwork galleries.
Criterion is putting out a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray combo of a huge cult title this week. Point Blank (1967) is a gritty crime movie starring Lee Marvn as a hit man who is double-crossed and left for dead. He survives and decides to get the money owed to him at any cost, with events eventually taking a slightly surreal turn. John Boorman (Deliverance, Excalibur, Hope and Glory) directed this effort that was remade decades later as Payback with Mel Gibson. The film has been given a new 4K restoration presented in Dolby Vision that was supervised and approved by Boorman. Boorman and filmmaker Steven Soderbergh provide a commentary track, and there is an interview with the director, a talk about the movie with a film critic, reflections on the feature from Jim Jarmusch (Mystery Train, Dead Man, Paterson), a program on the architecture in the title, a short documentary on the making-of the film, a 1970 interview with Marvin from The Dick Cavett Show, a trailer, and a booklet with an essay.
Girls (1980) is a French coming-of-age comedy that is being presented as a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray combo, and a standalone Blu-ray from Cult Epics. Anne Parillaud (from Luc Besson’s La Femme Nikita) plays one of a group of teens partying at clubs and evolving into young women. The original camera negative has been given a 4K restoration for this release, which also comes with a film historian commentary, an interview with co-star Isabelle Meijas, the last interview ever recorded with the film’s director Just Jaeckin, as well as a video essay on the filmmaker. Archival interviews with cast and crew are also included, in addition to trailers and the Blu-ray also contains a German cut of the feature.
Deaf Crocodile Films is delivering “Standard Editions” of a couple of earlier releases. You can now pick up Hair High (2004) on Blu-ray and the “Standard Edition” 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray of Song of the Miraculous (2002). Most specs should be identical, just in simpler packaging.
It’s another busy week for Kino Lorber. House Calls (1978), a rom-com with Walter Matthau and Glenda Jackson, is arriving on Blu-ray. The disc contains an entertainment journalist commentary and a trailer.
House of Cards (1968) is a crime neo-noir set in France that stars George Peppard and Orson Welles. It also features a critic commentary and a trailer.
The zombie film The House of Seven Corpses (1974) is being put out as a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray set. A moviemaker shooting a picture at a location where several murders took place raises an undead member of the occult, who begins to terrorize the crew. In addition to the picture upgrade, the release boasts a film historian commentary, an associate producer commentary, Dave & Joe’s “Savage Tracks” commentary, an archival interview with co-star John Carradine, and a trailer. The first group of copies to be sold come with a slipcover.
The Second Twin (1966) is a French/Italian crime/mystery that is also arriving on Blu-ray. A 4K picture restoration was used for this release.
And, action movie enthusiasts can now pick up Stone Cold (1991) as a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray combo. Mullet-brandishing ex-NFL player Brian Bosworth stars in this picture as an undercover agent who infiltrates a sinister biker gang to stop them before they murder the district attorney prosecuting them. Lance Henriksen and William Forsythe chew a lot of scenery as the villains. The movie is utterly ridiculous and has developed a cult following because of the incredibly over-the-top shenanigans on display. It promises a 4K image restoration from the original camera negative presented in Dolby Vision, along with a new commentary from director Craig R. Baxley (Action Jackson, I Come in Peace aka Dark Angel), an action film historian commentary, archival interviews with Bosworth, Henriksen, co-star Arabella Holzbog, and co-star Sam McMurray. The disc also contains TV spots, VHS release ads, a contest challenge spot, and two trailers. Early copies arrive in a slipcase.
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer is delivering a bare bones Blu-ray of Mr. Saturday Night (1992), a drama with Billy Crystal about the life of an acerbic stand-up comedian.
If you head on over to the official Lionsgate Limited website, you can grab an exclusive 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray Steelbook of the thriller The Ninth Gate (1999). Johnny Depp plays a book dealer hired to acquire a rare book that may allow the reader to bring Satan himself back into the world. This is an entertaining picture from Roman Polanski (Rosemary’s Baby, The Tenant) that also features Frank Langella, Lena Olin and Emmanuelle Seigner. The movie is being presented for the first time in North America on 4K Ultra HD with Dolby Vision. It includes a new interview with cinematographer Darius Khondji, as well as legacy special features like a commentary with Polanski, a making-of featurette, storyboard selections, a gallery of Satanic drawings, and EPK with Polanski and Seigner, a EPK talk with Depp, and more recent discussions with Seigner, as well as co-star James Russo.
Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (2004) is getting a “Limited Edition” 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray Steelbook from Shout Factory. This was one of the first movies entirely utilizing actors performing in front of a green screen and having all of the backdrops added via CGI. It’s a black and white feature set in 1939 and involves a pilot trying to save the world from a mad scientist. The cast is impressive and includes Jude Law, Gweneth Paltrow and Angelina Jolie. While technically innovative, I was never a big fan of this picture. However, it has since developed a cult following. This edition features a 4K transfer of the video source materials presented in Dolby Vision, as well as a director and crew commentary, a commentary with the producer, a two-part making-of special, featurettes on the production, the six-minute short that inspired the final product, deleted scenes, a gag reel and trailers.
The Ugly (1997) “Collector’s Edition” Blu-ray is arriving from Unearthed Films. It’s a low-budget independent chiller set in an asylum about a psychiatrist attempting to determine if a serial killer should be released back into the world. Specs listed includes a 4K remaster of the fully uncut version from a 35mm interpositive, an audio commentary with the cast, a short film from the director, a visual essay on the movie, a photo gallery, and trailers.
Universal Studios is presenting Blu-rays of several catalog titles. You can now pick up Here Comes Cookie (1935) with George Burns and Gracie Allen, International House (1933) and Million Dollar Legs (1932) starring W. C. Fields, Mississippi (1935) featuring Bing Crosby and W. C. Fields, and the Charlton Heston movie The Private War of Major Benson (1955).
Visual Vengeance is busy once again, releasing a pair of shot-on-video titles for low-budget genre film enthusiasts. Saurians (1994) is arriving as a “Collector’s Edition” Blu-ray. This feature from Mark Polonia (Cocaine Shark) deals with a group of locals who must fight off a pair of dinosaurs that are released from the depths of the earth after a construction blast. The disc contains a director-approved SD master from the original tape elements, a filmmaker commentary, a making-of, a locations visit, cast and crew interviews, outtakes, raw Super-8 footage from the production, a never-before-released home video version of the title, a director commentary for this alternate cut, a bonus feature The Dinosaur Chronicles (2004) with a Polonia commentary, as well as a making-of, trailers, and more. The packaging contains a reversible sleeve with the original VHS art, and a mini-poster with alternate promo art. This edition also includes a slipcase and a rare, original piece of the Super-8 film from the movie.
If you appreciate cinema involving bloodsuckers, you can also purchase Vampire Time Travelers (1998) as a “Collector’s Edition” Blu-ray. This tale involves college girls fighting vampires while pledging for a sorority. The feature arrives on disc with a director-approved SD master from the original tape elements, a director commentary, filmmaker, cast and crew interviews, a short made by the director, a trailer, a second bonus movie from director called I Know What You Did in English Class (2000) that also comes with cast and crew interviews and a filmmaker commentary. Trailers are also included, as well as a sticker set, a reversible sleeve with art for both titles, and a folded mini-poster.
Finally, Warner Bros. is releasing a “Limited Edition” 4K Ultra HD Steelbook, as well as a regular 4K Ultra HD version of Sleepers (1996). The story involves four friends who pull a prank and are sent to a detention center. 10 years later, they reunite to seek revenge on those who tormented them. The cast includes Brad Pitt, Jason Patric, Billy Crudup, Ron Eldard, Minnie Driver and Robert De Niro. Expect a very impressive new scan of the picture (likely from the original camera negative), and extras like a making-of featurette and another on casting the picture, with many faces who would soon become major stars.
YOU KNOW, FOR KIDS!
Unfortunately, it’s a slow edition for kid-friendly entertainment.
ON THE TUBE!
Below is a list of the week’s notable TV-themed releases.
Abbott Elementary: Season 4 (Warner Bros.) DVD
The Assassin: Season 1 (AMC) DVD
Task: Season 1 (Warner Bros.) Blu-ray
