Welcome to another look at highlights arriving on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and DVD. Yet again, this is a busy edition with interesting studio efforts and independent films. 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!
BAMBI: THE RECKONING – If you’ll recall, over the past few years we’ve seen a group of low-budget horror titles based on classic characters that have fallen into public domain. This title, from the producers of Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey, is very, very loosely based on the now royalty-free 1923 novel Bambi (let’s face it, this movie barely resembles that story). After the title animal’s mother is killed, the deer tries to survive on its own. It ends up ingesting toxic waste being dumped in the forest and goes mad. The lead character then encounters a mother and son and decides to, well, kill them. Reaction to the picture was mixed. Almost half called the movie completely awful, also noting that instead of playing into the silliness, it took itself so seriously that it was painful to endure. The same number and a few more called it appropriately grim, with decent make-up effects, and that fans of these kinds of movies would like it. This is a DVD-only release. The movie stars Roxanne McKee and Tom Mulheron.
DRACULA – The latest take on the classic character comes from filmmaker Luc Besson (Leon: The Professional, The Fifth Element). Despite it being a French production, this English-language feature follows Dracula in Transylvania. During a battle, he loses his true love, renounces God, becomes a vampire, and sets out to find the reincarnation of his lost lover. His late partner does appear again hundreds of years later in Paris, and so the count sets out to reclaim her. Naturally, the woman’s fiancé is less-than-pleased about this and teams with a vampire authority to stop Dracula. Critics were generally split on the end results. Almost half suggested the tone was deadly serious at times, and ridiculously campy in other sequences, resulting in an odd, inconsistent adaptation that just didn’t work. The same number and a few more appreciated the look and style of the film, stating that it was a fun, high-energy and unique retelling of the famous novel. The cast includes Caleb Landry Jones, Christoph Waltz, Zoë Bleu, Guillaume de Tonquédec and Matilda De Angelis. Read this site’s review of the movie here.
GOAT – This family animated feature is set in a world of anthropomorphic animals. A small, young goat dreams of making it big in a national “Roarball” league (full-contact basketball, essentially) populated with large and very aggressive athletes. An owner unexpectedly decides to recruit the protagonist and put them on their team. After winning over the other players, the organization begins winning and faces off against their rivals in the championship. The press rated this picture quite highly. A small number complained that the story was overly familiar and predictable, and others found the fast-cutting a bit too intense for children. Still, everyone else was impressed by the imagery and stated that this was a fun and inspirational underdog story that would captivate families. This movie can be purchased as a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray combo or as a standalone Blu-ray. The voice cast includes Caleb McLaughlin, Gabrielle Union, Aaron Pierre, Nicola Coughlan, David Harbour, Nick Kroll, Jenifer Lewis, Patton Oswalt, Jelly Roll, Jennifer Hudson, Sherry Cola, and Stephen Curry.
I CAN ONLY IMAGINE 2 – The Christian band MercyMe are the subjects of this series of biographical films. After the events of the first movie (which was released in 2018), the group has risen to the top of the evangelical charts. However, they struggle to write a song that is as popular as their previous hit. Ten years later, the band’s singer/co-songwriter decides to bring his son on tour. The youngster suffers from juvenile diabetes and struggles to maintain blood sugar levels. Further drama occurs on tour when their opening act discovers that he has been diagnosed with cancer. All of these events ultimately inspire another successful single. Reviews for this picture were a little more positive than negative. Over one-third of notices complained that the movie was overlong and drawn-out, with little tension or spark in the story and a forced message. Still, more did appreciate the story, like some of the characters, called the issues sensitively and believed its target audience would enjoy it. John Michael Finley, Milo Ventimiglia, Sophie Skelton and Arielle Kebbel headline the feature.
MISTRESS DISPELLER – A wife and her cheating husband are at the center of this documentary that occurs in China. Annoyed and frustrated that her spouse disappears after dinner, the woman decides to hire a professional “mistress dispeller” to work her magic. This individual carefully and secretly begins a social relationship with her client’s husband and his mistress, and then subtly sabotages their affair so that all can return to normal. A hidden documentary crew follows the entire process. Reviewers were wowed by this Chinese production. One or two commented that the presence of the makers hindered the actions of those they were following, and didn’t feel like they were seeing a raw picture of what was happening. Everyone else found it to be one of the most compelling and intimate documentaries of the year. They felt that the movie took a fascinating look at relationships, and did show everything going on in the lives of their subjects. These reviewers were also amazed at all that was being captured and shown.
OBEX – This independent, fantasy/science-fiction thriller was shot in black and white, and takes place in 1987. A man living alone with his pet dog is obsessed with TV viewing and his Mac computer. He receives a new, state-of-the-art game (at least, by 1980s standards) and finds himself caught up in it. After loading it up and playing it continuously, the line between reality and the game world gets confused as he tries to stop playing. The press ranked this little title very highly. A few voices suggested that while the concept was excellent, the movie didn’t maximize the concept to its fullest potential and left them disappointed. However, the overwhelming majority stated this was a wonderful, unique, microbudget feature with a clever story that successfully used 80s references to point out that our obsession with computer screens and technology has existed for longer than we might have thought. It stars Albert Birney, Callie Hernandez and Frank Mosley.
REDUX REDUX – A woman whose daughter was kidnapped and murdered decides to go on a deadly mission of vengeance… not only in her own world, but also in parallel universes. Luckily, she has a universe-hopping machine. Unfortunately, it is clear that her repeated journeys have taken a psychological toll. Especially when she notices that everything is the same and nothing goes differently, leading her to question why. Most of those who watched this independent sci-fi/action picture enjoyed it. A very small contingent stated they were tired of plots based around the multi-universe conceit and didn’t think that this story went anywhere interesting with it. Yet almost everyone else thought it played with the idea in new and exciting ways, also providing great characters, breakneck pacing and plenty of interesting themes. For now, this is a DVD-only release. The cast includes Michaela McManus, Stella Marcus, Jeremy Holm and Jim Cummings.
SOLO MIO – This “faith-friendly” romantic-comedy involves a middle-aged man who decides to get married to his fiancé in Rome, Italy. When she leaves him at the altar, he decides to go alone to the series of honeymoon activities that they planned for themselves. The protagonist meets a local woman who agrees to show him around the city. A bond begins to form, but the lead isn’t sure whether to start dating so soon after his canceled nuptials. Reaction towards this picture was good overall. A small number of critics called the film mediocre, and had trouble buying into the concept and the idea of various women falling for him at the drop of a hat. Yet the consensus was that the lead actor was good in his role, the locations were beautiful, and that this was a nice, low-key comedy dealing with the romantic problems of an older demographic. Kevin James, Alyson Hannigan, Nicole Grimaudo and Kim Coates headline the picture.
WUTHERING HEIGHTS – Based on the classic Emily Brontë novel, this period melodrama is set in 18th century England. A family living at the title location takes in an orphaned boy from the streets of Liverpool. Years later, the daughter and young man (who works there as a servant) appear to have a deep, unrequited love for each other. The household has fallen into disrepair, and the drunken patriarch attempts to have his offspring marry into a family of higher standing. Furious, the servant leaves, makes a name for himself, and then returns, leading to high drama. The press was wildly divided about this adaptation, with slightly more recommending the movie than panning it. Almost half called the movie overbaked and ridiculous, departing from the source material in ways that made the characters and situations difficult to endure. The same number and a few more thought that the cast were excellent, the production design and sets were striking, and that it was an amusingly exaggerated melodrama. You can pick up the movie either on 4K Ultra HD or on Blu-ray. It features Margot Robbie, Jacob Elordi, Hong Chau, Shazad Latif, Alison Oliver and Martin Clunes. Read a full review of the feature right here.
YOUNGBLOOD – This is a remake of the 1986 coming-of-age, teen hockey drama of the same name that starred Rob Lowe and Patrick Swayze. The plot involves a kid from Michigan who wants to play professional hockey in the NHL. To do that, he starts in the minor leagues joining a team out of Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. His temper causes problems on the ice, and his coach is less-than-pleased when his daughter starts dating the new recruit. Can the talented kid control his rage, and win over his peers and his coach? This picture earned a more positive reaction than negative (and scored slightly higher marks than the original did, although it wasn’t well received). More than one-third of reviews commented that the movie wasn’t much better than the original, with thinly written characters and a story full of cliches. The rest liked that it tries to abandon its predecessor’s out-of-date approach, and noted that the cast was strong enough to keep them interested and engaged in the story. Ashton James, Blair Underwood, Shawn Doyle, Henri Picard and Tamara Podemski headline the film.
BLASTS FROM THE PAST!
If you’re looking for something older, you’ll find some great options. Arrow Video is releasing a “Limited Edition” 4K Ultra HD of the action picture Blue Thunder (1983). If you grew up in the 1980s, you saw this on VHS a number of times. The plot involves a LAPD helicopter pilot and Viet Nam war veteran with PTSD who patrols the skies and helps officers on the ground. With the Olympics only a year away, a new, militarized piece of helicopter technology is introduced. Officials claim it is solely for the protection of civilians, but the lead suspects otherwise. As the villains start a plot to murder him, the protagonist tries to steal the helicopter in order to prove his point. The picture from John Badham (Saturday Night Fever, WarGames, Stakeout, The Hard Way) stars Roy Scheider, Warren Oates, Candy Clark, Daniel Stern and Malcolm McDowell and hasn’t aged badly. The helicopter stunts and action is jaw-dropping, and the film’s message is still relevant today.
The film has been given a 4K restoration from its original camera negative for this release (with color grading approved by Badham), and is presented in Dolby Vision. The disc contains an archival commentary from 2006 featuring the director, as well as the editor and motion control effects supervisor. Additionally, there is a new interview with Badham, Candy Clark and Malcolm McDowell. A 45-minute retrospective of the production is included, along with a 2006 archival featurette on the production design, 1983 promotional featurette, an extended scene, and promotional materials. It comes packaged with a reversible sleeve containing original and newly commissioned artwork, and a booklet with new writing on the movie. You can read a full review of the release by clicking on this link.
G.I. Samurai (1979) is a Japanese samurai/science-fiction film arriving as a “Limited Edition” Blu-ray. It’s about a military unit that is transported 400 years into feudal Japan and must survive attacks by samurai forces. This film has been given a high-definition 4K transfer and includes the original Japanese version and the uncut English-language edition (called Time Slip). You’ll get a movie expert intro to the movie, a film historian commentary, a critical appreciation of the title, a discussion on the movies by a pair of authors, cast (including Sonny Chiba and Isao Natsuyagi) and crew interviews from 2025, trailers and an image gallery. It also comes with a reversible sleeve with original and newly commissioned art, as well as a booklet with writing on the picture.
Criterion is putting out Stray Dog (1949) as a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray combo, and a Blu-ray-only release. This Japanese crime feature from Akira Kurosawa (Rashomon, Yojimbo, Seven Samurai, Ran) follows a rookie detective who is pickpocketed and loses his pistol. An older officer tries to help him recover the weapon before it can be used in a crime. The film has been restored in 4K and features a movie historian commentary, a short documentary on the production, and a booklet with an essay on the title.
Disney is presenting the animated classic Alice in Wonderland (1951) as a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray set. It’s being done in celebration of the film’s 75th anniversary. Apparently, the Walt Disney Restoration Team spent nine months working on and cleaning up a digital scan of the original nitrate Successive Exposure negatives of the film. The movie was also given a Dolby Vision color boost. There are numerous ‘Backstage Disney’ featurettes on the production, a color TV introduction to the movie from 1959, reflections on the movie, a newly discovered Cheshire Cat song, a Mickey Mouse animated short that played with the title at cinemas, deleted scenes, music videos, various intros to the movie itself, and much, much more.
The Snows of Kilimanjaro (1952) is appearing on Blu-ray from Film Masters. This tale involves an injured writer on safari in the title location reminiscing on his life and experiences. The Oscar-nominated picture stars Gregory Peck, Susan Hayward and Ava Gardner. The picture has been newly restored for this release.
Film Masters is also releasing a newly restored Blu-ray edition of the famous Bela Lugosi horror picture, White Zombie (1932).
Kino is delivering the Richard Widmark western Death of a Gunfighter (1969) on Blu-ray. It features a film historian commentary and a trailer.
If you enjoy the work of Nicolas Winding Refn (Bronson, Drive, Only God Forgives, The Neon Demon), you’ll be pleased to note Magnolia Pictures’ release of The Pusher Trilogy as a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray combo, as well as a Blu-ray-only set. You’ll get Pusher (1996), Pusher II: With Blood on My Hands (2004) and Pusher III: I’m the Angel of Death (2005). These are Danish crime pictures about low-level drug dealers and Mads Mikkelsen is featured prominently in the first two titles. In addition to the upgraded picture, there is a director’s commentary included on the second and third films.
Paramount Pictures is rereleasing the Tom Cruise blockbuster Top Gun (1986) as a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray Steelbook. Expect all of the same features and bonuses as the previous upgrade that was released a few years back, only in fancier packaging.
Conversation Piece (1974) is an Italian existential drama about a retired American professor living in Rome in isolation and contemplating his end. RaroVideo U.S. is putting the movie out on Blu-ray. For this release, the original 35mm camera negative was scanned in 4K. It contains a film historian commentary, an interview and a trailer.
This is a very busy edition for Shout Factory. You can now purchase a Blu-ray double-feature of Crazy Mama (1975) and The Lady in Red (1979), two period crime pictures about female outlaws. The first stars Cloris Leachman, and Pamela Sue Martin has the lead role in the second movie. There are some great bonuses on this release. The first includes an archival commentary with director Jonathan Demme (Something Wild, Married to the Mob, The Silence of the Lambs, Philadelphia) and producer Roger Corman, as well as interviews with the pair and promo materials. The second title boasts archival commentary tracks with director Lewis Teague (Alligator, Cujo, Cat’s Eye) and co-star Robert Forster, as well as producer Julie Corman and screenwriter John Sayles. Trailers are also included.
Deathsport (1978) is a Roger Corman picture that was made by the producer to capitalize on the success of the cult hit Death Race 2000 (1975). It also featured the same star, David Carradine. This story is set in the future and tells the story of criminals used as racers in a motorcycle sport where the riders fight to the death. I don’t believe the movie is anywhere near as effective as the picture that inspired it, but at least you can now pick it up on Blu-ray and decide for yourself. It comes with a commentary from co-director Allan Arkush (who helmed Rock ‘n’ Roll High School and took over the shoot late in production to try and salvage the movie), as well as tons of promotional materials.
Demon of Paradise (1987) is a cheesy, Hawaii-set monster movie produced by Corman and released under his Concorde-New Horizons line of features. Specs on this Blu-ray include a 2K scan of the original camera negative and a trailer.
You can pick up another Corman title with the supernatural teen sex-comedy School Spirit (1985), about a college student who gets into a car accident and returns as a spirit to pursue various female co-eds. This Blu-ray promises a 2K scan of the interpositive and a trailer.
Corman horror fans can also purchase a Blu-ray combo of The Terror Within (1989) and The Terror Within II (1991). In the first title, Andrew Stevens and George Kennedy play scientists trapped in an underground lab with a mutated monster. Stevens returns in this sequel as a survivor who encounters more humans (including R. Lee Ermey) as well as another monster.
And The Warrior and the Sorceress (1984) is a fantasy feature from Corman about a sword-wielding warrior in a loincloth on a strange planet trying to save villagers from an evil sorceress. David Carradine stars in this effort as well. It doesn’t appear that any extras appear on this Blu-ray.
Earlier in this article, I noted the release of Blue Thunder as an Arrow Video “Limited Edition” 4K Ultra HD. Sony Pictures is also putting out Blue Thunder: The Complete Series (1984) on Blu-ray. This was a one-season television series directly inspired by the movie, which featured the tech-heavy, armed, police helicopter being used by a special police force (played by James Farentino, a pre-Saturday Night Live Dana Carvey, Bubba Smith and Dick Butkus) to stop various criminal activities. The show was essentially depicting the chopper in exactly the way that the original film was warning against, but if you just treat it as a silly, action TV program, it does provide some chuckles.
The science-fiction classic It Came from Outer Space (1953) is arriving as a 4K Ultra HD, 3D Blu-ray and Blu-ray Steelbook courtesy of Universal Studios. This title was released a couple of years ago under the Universal Essentials Collection, and is the same product, only now in Steelbook packaging. Apparently, the movie looks wonderful in 4K, so if you didn’t pick up the previous version this is another chance to own it.
Finally, The Loneliest Boy in the World (2022) is being released on Blu-ray from Well Go USA. It’s a British comedy/horror movie about a teen dealing with a zombie outbreak. The movie was released on disc four years ago, but has gone out of print. It is now being reissued for those who missed out on picking it up previously.
YOU KNOW, FOR KIDS!
Below is a list of kid-friendly titles coming your way.
Alice in Wonderland (1951) (Disney) 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray combo
The Amazing World of Gumball: The Complete Series (Cartoon Network) DVD
GOAT (Sony Pictures) 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray or Blu-ray only
ON THE TUBE!
You’ll find an extensive list of the week’s TV-themed releases.
The Amazing World of Gumball: The Complete Series (Cartoon Network) DVD
Blue Thunder: The Complete Series (1984 series) (Sony Pictures) Blu-ray
Gilmore Girls: The Complete Series (2000-2007) (Warner Bros.) Blu-ray
IT: Welcome to Derry: Season 1 (Warner Bros.) 4K Ultra HD Steelbook, 4K Ultra HD only, Blu-ray only
My Life is Murder: Series 5 (Acorn Media) DVD
NATURE: Parenthood: Season 1 (PBS) DVD
Rizzoli & Isles: The Complete Series (Warner Bros.) DVD
