Posted Sun Apr 17, 2022 at 12:00 PM PDT by D. LaFontaine
With the Easter weekend, this week is what you can call a slow week for new releases. What started out as a religious holiday has evolved into a commercial to sell stuff, candy, stuffed animals, egg hunts, gift baskets and other 'fun' events. I always look forward to a traditional 'boiled dinner' myself and Reese' peanut butter eggs. Admit it, Christmas has turned into decorating the house, a tree and gift giving.
Welcome to Volume 2 Episode 48 of our weekly release guide. A look at the highlights of what's coming to disc this week, as well as a look at announcements from last week.
If you don't mind importing, Arrow Video releases Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer on Monday. No word at this time if this well ever get a U.S. release.
There are zero new releases this week. But there's a few catalog releases to ponder.
From LionsGate, the 2011 film The Cabin in the Woods gets a spiffy slipcover edition SteelBook at Best Buy. A side note is that these editions also include a digital code that unlocks the 4K stream. Maybe when we entered our codes years ago LionsGate wasn't offering the 4K stream, and unlike some of the others, they did not automatically upgrade you.
From Sony Pictures, a SteelBook release that includes Heavy Metal / Heavy Metal 2000. Keep in mind that Heavy Metal 2000 is an HD blu-ray, not a 4K, but that's OK. Most of us will be buying this for the original movie any way!
And last but not least, Kino Lorber gives us In the Heat of the Night in 4K. This thriller stars the late Sidney Poitier and set new boundaries when it was filmed. Be aware that this film is in 4K but the color grading is SDR, but this is still no doubt the best this film has ever looked!
Blu-ray releases-
There are no blu-ray counterparts of the abovementioned titles. So let's get right down to what is worth checking out.
From Universal Pictures, 2021 drama/musical/romance Cyrano. And in what I think is a first, Gravitas Ventures has partnered with Universal to release The King's Daughter, which is listed as an adventure/family film.
From Criterion Collection, two titles this week. First a comedy/musical titled The Girl Can't Help It. And second, a drama from Italy titled Miracle in Milan.
It probably feels like 'forever' since the last Jackass movie, but hey, Paramount has you covered with Jackass Forever.
Arrow Video brings us Rogue Cops and Racketeers: Two Crime Thrillers from Enzo G. Castellari.
A thriller from Vertical Entertainment titled The Desperate Hour starring Naomi Watts arrives this week.
Obligatory appearance from LionsGate this week delivers The Exorcism of God, a recent horror/thriller and The Humans, a drama from 2021.
Anime highlights include Bottom-Tier Character Tomozaki - The Complete Season, Gekidol - The Complete Season, The God of High School - Season 1, LBX Girls - The Complete Season, Needless: Complete Collection, Only Yesterday [SteelBook], The Tale of The Princess Kaguya [SteelBook] and That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime: Season Two Part 01.
From Scream Factory comes the 1962 adventure/horror Night Creatures starring Peter Cushing. If you love the new cover art, you will have to settle for the standard release (with slipcover) as the direct copy from Scream! Factory's shop that comes with a poster is sold out!
Honorable Mention: Kino Lorber has a couple of W.C. Fields titles this week. They are Man on the Flying Trapeze, You Can't Cheat an Honest Man and You're Telling Me!.
As mentioned last week, The Batman is coming in May, May 24th to be exact. Looks like the Walmart Exclusive is the one that I am most excited for so far.
Turning Red is also coming on May 3rd, it too has the usual assortment of retailer exclusives as well. Don't even ask, just like all other Disney releases, Dolby Vision is NOT on the disc, and it is doubtful they will use a BD100 disc (if needed). Hope Disney is reading this, your 4K customer base would really like to give your releases an A+ but these two business decisions are what holds you back.
Paramount is adding more catalog titles for June/July. In addition to First Wives Club as a Paramount Presents release, titles thus far include Rough Cut, Boomerang, The Hunted and Harlem Nights. No doubt more will be added as the days go by. One more piece of Paramount news, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom is getting a new 4K SteelBook. These new steels thus far are, in my opinion, what they should have released in the first place. I'm not a fan of the cover art of the Best Buy exclusive set but still begrudgingly bought it.
88 Films will be releasing Dragons Forever on blu-ray and 4K disc. The action film stars Jackie Chan. Also on regular blu-ray, Flying Guillotine 2 and Martial Club.
Kino Lorber will be releasing a new 4K disc for The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974). If you have never seen original version, it is a well made movie.
In case you missed the news, a lot of titles previously released by Twilight Time have been getting releases by a company named Sandpiper Films. On the docket so far and in the near future are Eye of the Needle, Salvador, Tom Sawyer (1973), Under Fire, Nicholas Nickleby, Posse, American Pimp, Hawaii, The Cutting Edge: Chasing the Dream, Bound For Glory, Baby Boom, Salsa, The Man in the Moon and It's My Party.
Universal has a couple of TV shows coming to disc, Hacks: Season One, La Brea: Season One and The Sinner: The Complete Series. The TV series Ray Donovan gets a movie on 4K disc and blu-ray on May 24th.
Mill Creek is releasing SeaQuest DSV The Complete Series on July 19th(ish). Previously you had to import this show, the one from Koch Media in Germany is a nice looking set but is likely region locked.
Which titles are you buying this week? Which ones are on your wishlist, be it to buy as an impulse buy or to wait for the right price?
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