{"id":31765,"date":"2025-08-05T01:38:15","date_gmt":"2025-08-05T08:38:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.cinemastance.com\/?p=31765"},"modified":"2025-08-05T01:38:15","modified_gmt":"2025-08-05T08:38:15","slug":"4k-ultra-hd-blu-ray-dvd-roundup-for-august-5th-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cinemastance.com\/?p=31765","title":{"rendered":"4K Ultra HD\/Blu-ray\/DVD Roundup for August 5th, 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Welcome to the latest look at highlights arriving on 4K\nUltra HD, Blu-ray DVD. The previous update was jam-packed, and as a result this\none isn\u2019t as busy. However, there is a notable theatrical release, a few\nindependents, and plenty of classics being upgraded. So, if you can\u2019t make it\nout to the movies this week, be sure to give one of these titles a try!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

BIG NEW RELEASES!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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BARRON\u2019S COVE \u2013 When his son is found dead, a distraught\nfather is interviewed by police. During the interview, the officers mention two\nboys who were seen with the youngster that may have had something to do with\nhis death. Furious, the dad kidnaps one of the youths, takes the kid to a\nremote location, and begins to grill him for answers. As the police conduct a\nmanhunt, a local politician tries to manipulate events to his personal\nadvantage. This independent thriller earned slightly more positive notices than\nnegative ones. Almost half thought the movie wasted an excellent concept and\nonly delivered a formulaic and over-the-top melodrama. The same number and a\nfew more called the movie compelling, finding the characters well-developed and\nthe performances strong. This is a DVD-only release. Garrett Hedlund, Hamish\nLinklater, Brittany Snow, Stephen Lang, Tramell Tillman and Christian Convery\nheadline the film.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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FRIENDSHIP \u2013 A socially awkward executive and suburban husband is encouraged by his wife to introduce himself to a new neighbor. He\u2019s immediately taken by the figure, a charming TV weatherman with a wild streak. The lead pursues a friendship with disturbing intensity. His actions eventually turn everyone against him, and the man\u2019s attempts to repair the damage result in even more uncomfortable and extreme behavior. This dark comedy was well-received by the press. A small number had trouble relating to the protagonist and were not entertained by the story\u2019s cringe-inducing interactions. Everyone else was impressed with the work of the cast. They called the feature unsettling enough to both keep them engaged and wondering how far things would go. Additionally, they commented that the screenplay effectively poked fun at our obsession with being liked by others. This film stars Tim Robinson, Paul Rudd, Kate Mara, Jack Dylan Grazer and Meredith Garretson. Read a full review of the movie here. <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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MEETING WITH POL POT \u2013 This foreign-language international\nproduction is partially based on true events. It is set in 1978 and follows\nthree French journalists who are invited by the Khmer Rouge to visit Cambodia\nand interview leader Pol Pot. When they arrive, the area looks ideal, but the\nlonger they spend there, the more they see the government as a brutal regime\ncommitting large scale genocide against its people. The journalists begin to\nfear for their lives. Response from critics was very good, and the country of\nCambodia entered it for consideration as Best International Film at last year\u2019s\nAcademy Awards (it didn\u2019t end up making the final nominees). One or two noted\nthat the director is primarily known for his documentary work, and that this\nnarrative take wasn\u2019t as powerful. Still, the majority called the film\neffective and an honest depiction of an extremist regime and their horrific\nacts. They also wrote that it incorporated real footage in a powerful manner.\nFor the time being, this is a DVD-only release. The cast includes Ir\u00e8ne Jacob,\nGr\u00e9goire Colin, Cyril Gue\u00ef and Bun-Hok Lim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH \u2013 A young man suffering from\npsychological disorders believes that he has witnessed a kidnapping. He reports\nthe events to police, but they don\u2019t believe him. The frustrated individual\nreturns home and remembers that his ill-tempered neighbor used to be an\nofficer. After asking for assistance, the cranky figure, who is actually a\nretired security guard, reluctantly agrees and the two attempt to solve the\nmystery. Response to the final product was more positive than negative. Almost\none-third of reviewers complained that, while well-intentioned, the film did\nnot present mental illness in a believable or sensitive way, using it as a plot\ndevice for a run-of-the-mill crime story. Still, more stated that they\nappreciated the sharp dialogue and interplay between the two protagonists,\ncalling the film low-key but intriguing.  For now, this is a DVD-only\nrelease. It features Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Jack Quaid, Malin Akerman, Jonathan\nFuller and Cecile Cubilo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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RENT FREE \u2013 Two best friends living in Austin, Texas hit\nrock bottom. With no money, girlfriends or any future prospects, the young pals\nwork together and concoct a scheme that will help them spend an entire year\nliving \u201crent free\u201d until they can get back on their feet. This scam involves\nmanipulating family, friends and strangers. It starts off effectively, but the\npair eventually come to see that the plan may have negative side effects. This\nindependent comedy fared very well at film festivals and earned a lot of praise\nfrom those who saw it. They stated that the coming-of story was witty, had\nbelievable characters, and delivered some unpredictable twists. Additionally,\nthey were impressed by its sweetness and overall message. This title is only\navailable on DVD for the time being. Jacob Roberts, David Trevi\u00f1o, Molly\nEdelman and Zeke Goodman headline the film.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

BLASTS FROM THE PAST!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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If you\u2019re looking to watch something a bit older, you\u2019ll\nfind some great options. Criterion is presenting The Burmese Harp<\/em> (1956)\nin a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray pack, along with a standalone Blu-ray. This is a\nJapanese film set at the close of World War II. After the country surrenders to\nthe British in Burma, a Japanese soldier is sent to tell a trapped battalion to\ngive themselves up. Unfortunately, the unit refuses to comply and the lead must\nconcoct an elaborate plan to make them obey. It involves disguising himself as\na Buddhist monk. The movie is noted for its stunning cinematography and unique\napproach to dealing with the end of the war. This film has been given a 4K\ndigital restoration, interviews with director Kon Ichikawa and actor Rentaro\nMikuni, as well as a trailer and an essay on the feature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fires on the Plain<\/em> (1959) is another title from the\nsame director that is arriving as a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray combo and a Blu-ray\nonly release. This effort is set during World War II and follows a Japanese\nprivate lost in the Philippines, suffering from tuberculosis and descending\ninto psychological and physical horrors while he tries to find assistance. The\nfilm has been given a new 4K digital restoration for this release and arrives\nwith an introduction from a Japanese film scholar, a program featuring interviews\nwith director Kon Ichikawa and actor Mickey Curtis, as well as an essay on the\ntitle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Film Masters is releasing a Blu-ray of the drama, Class\nof \u201974 <\/em>(1972). This tale follows four young college students trying to cram\nin as much life experience as they can during their studies. They all get\ninvolved in various romantic relationships and share their experiences with\neach other as they navigate their futures.  This \u201cLimited Edition\u201d arrives\nwith a film historian commentary and liner notes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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IFC Films enjoyed a great deal of success recently with the\nhorror film, Late Night with the Devil<\/em> (2023). Set in the 1970s, it\u2019s\nabout a talk show host who must deal with a guest who may be possessed. The\nfeature is now coming out as a \u201cLimited Edition\u201d 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray\nSteelbook. Besides bonuses from previous editions, the release comes with a\nNight Owl\u2019s logo air freshener, an autographed photo of Jack Delory, and a\n\u201cConversations with the Devil\u201d bookmark.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kino Lorber is presenting the Sam Peckinpah film Convoy<\/em>\n(1978) in a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray set. Kris Kristofferson plays a trucker who\nleads others on a mission to take down a nasty sheriff who has wronged another\ndriver. It\u2019s a bonkers movie, but does include some very dangerous-looking\ntruck-related stunts and driving scenes. Ali MacGraw, Ernest Borgnine and Burt\nYoung also appear in the movie. The release boasts a 4K restoration from the\noriginal camera negative presented in Dolby Vision, a new film critic\ncommentary, an archival commentary with Sam Peckinpah historians, and a second\ntrack with a scholar about the director. There is also a 74-minute documentary\nabout the movie that was made in 2013, video essays, three lost scenes, several\nfeaturettes on the production, a ton of promotional materials like hundreds of\nstills and trailers, radio spots and a TV commercial.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Paramount Pictures is putting out a title that will be\nnoteworthy to anyone who grew up in the 1980s. The movie is Better Off Dead<\/em>\n(1985) and it is arriving in a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray Steelbook. This comedy\nstars a teenage John Cusack as a high schooler whose girlfriend breaks up with\nhim and begins dating a jock. The lead contemplates various ways of killing\nhimself, only for his plans to go consistently wrong. It\u2019s a unique comedy with\nplenty of over-the-top and outrageous humor. Much of the film works better than\nyou might expect. One of the most entertaining running gags involves the local\npaperboy, a threatening kid who is determined to collect $2 dollars from the\nlead\u2019s family. There aren\u2019t any notes on this release as far as bonuses go, but\nat least you can now pick the film up again with improved picture quality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can also purchase a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray combo of the\nclassic, Sunset Boulevard<\/em> (1950). The incomparable Billy Wilder (Double\nIndemnity, Ace in the Hole, Sabrina, Witness for the Prosecution, Some Like It\nHot, The Apartment<\/em>) directed this picture about a cash-strapped\nscreenwriter who is contacted by a silent Hollywood film star. He goes to her\nmansion and accepts a job as a script doctor on what she believes will be her\ncomeback film. The protagonist endures all kinds of strangeness and even danger\nin the process. The film stars William Holden and Gloria Swanson and was\nnominated for 11 Academy Awards and won for Best Screenplay, Art Direction and\nScore. This 75th<\/sup> anniversary release marks the film\u2019s 4K Ultra HD\ndebut. It has been newly restored from the best possible elements (the\nbest-looking dupe negative in existence, as the original negative has been\npermanently lost). In addition to a generally sharper image, jump cuts from the\nprevious restoration have been repaired and the sound has been significantly\ncleaned up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Shout Factory is delivering the Shaw Brothers Classics:\nVolume 7<\/em> Blu-ray box set. It includes The Imperial Tomb Raiders<\/em>\n(1973), The Shadow Boxer<\/em> (1974), Legend of the Bat<\/em> (1978), The\nSpiritual Boxer<\/em> (1975), Heaven Sword and Dragon Sabre<\/em> (1978), Heaven\nSword and Dragon Sabre 2<\/em> (1978), Shaolin Handlock<\/em> (1978), Swordsman\nand Enchantress<\/em> (1978), The Proud Twins<\/em> (1979), A Deadly Secret<\/em>\n(1980) and Heroes Shed No Tears<\/em> (1984). The set states that you\u2019ll also\nget new film historian commentaries on all the titles, as well as interviews,\nand promotional materials for the features.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those who enjoy Japanese animated films can now pick up Wolf\nChildren<\/em> (2012) as an Amazon exclusive 4K Ultra HD Amazon Steelbook (a\nregular Blu-ray is also available for purchase). It follows a woman who falls\nin love and has children with a wolf man. In addition to the film presented in\nthe highest possible quality, you\u2019ll also get a making-of featurette and\ntrailers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finally, the online retailer Terror Vision is making a pair\nof low-budget genre films available on Blu-ray exclusively through their\nwebsite. You can purchase The Devil\u2019s Sword<\/em> (1984) and The Children\nof Violent Rome<\/em> (1976). Check them out to find more information on extras.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

YOU KNOW, FOR KIDS!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not much for little tykes this week, but the next edition\nshould offer something new for youngsters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ON THE TUBE!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Below is a list of the latest TV-related releases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1923<\/em>: Season 2 (Paramount Pictures) Blu-ray<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hallmark 6-Movie Collection: The Magic of Lemon Drops,\nLove Strikes Twice, My Dreams of You, Timeless Love, An American in Austen, The\nBirthday Wish<\/em> (Hallmark) DVD<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mayberry Man – The Series<\/em>: Season 1 (BMG) DVD<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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