Posted Sat Feb 25, 2023 at 12:00 PM PST by D. LaFontaine
Naval aviators of the 'forgotten war', Antonio Banderas' best known animated character, a star studded crime/thriller, two more Laikas, Rocky Balboa, Denzel Washington trains a rookie and more. This week we might just need to extend our line of credit or empty our savings account, there's a lot of something for everyone.
Welcome to Volume 3 Episode 39 of our weekly release guide. A look at the highlights of what's coming to disc the week of Febrary 26th - March 4th, as well as a look at announcements from last week.
If you want everything 4K, your video rack is going to add quite a few titles. Excluding the import, there are a total of 17 skus. It's not as bad when you do a break down, but it's still rough.
For new releases, first let's visit the "Forgotten War" with another 'first' in Devotion, a true story about the first black Naval aviator. Partaking in the Korean war, two elite pilots turn the tide in a brutal battle.
The other new release this week stars Antonio Banderas in a reprisal role with Puss in Boots: The Last Wish.
Moving right along to catalog titles, sorted by distributor, let's begin with Kino Lorber and Marathon Man, a crime/thriller with the likes of Dustin Hoffman, Laurence Olivier and Roy Scheider.
LionsGate has a double-dip of sense, the John Wick Stash Book Collection – SteelBook Box Set which is only available at Best Buy.
Finally no need to import it, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre comes to us via the MPI Media Group. Available as a standard edition and as a SteelBook edition.
Shout Factory's next batch of Laika Studios releases is available this Tuesday. Look for The Boxtrolls, available as a Standard edition and as a SteelBook edition, and Kubo and the Two Strings, also available as a Standard edition and a SteelBook edition. Thus far these new SteelBooks have had some incredible artwork.
Last, but certainly not least comes Warner Bros., Rocky leads off the pack with Rocky: The Knockout Collection (I-IV), part IV having both the theatrical and director's ultimate cut. If you are for the SteelBooks, Best Buy is sprinkling each film over the next three weeks, this week you get the original film, Rocky.
Also from Warner, Training Day gets a standard edition, a Best Buy Exclusive SteelBook, and if you want to import a much nicer version, a Zavvi Exclusive Premium SteelBook. The latter might not be available to ship directly as of press date as Zavvi is making some changes to how they operate.
From Vinegar Syndrome, the general release of From Beyond. The limited edition is no longer available from their site.
Import Friday brings Possessor Uncut edition, from Turbine media.
Next week has more Rocky, Sony reissues two more SteelBooks with Dolby Vision upgrades and Criterion Collection has a classic melodrama.
The same holds true for blu-ray releases this week, your financial well being is in danger.
Blu-ray counterparts of the above category first, Devotion comes to us from Paramount and for Puss in Boots, we get a standard edition, a Walmart Exclusive and the two-movie collection.
Our favorite action actor Bruce Willis returns this week with the third film of the trilogy, Detective Knight: Independence, which comes to us via LionsGate. In a different genre, think fantasy/horror, B'Twixt Now and Sunrise.
From Warner Bros, late 60s animated release The Adventures of Batman: The Complete Collection debuts on blu-ray.
Sony Pictures has the Whitney Houston biopic Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody.
Criterion Collection has Hollywood Shuffle and Two Films By Marguerite Duras.
If you want to see a Western done Hong kong style, try out Millionaires’ Express from Arrow Video.
Anime highlights include a Fist of the North Star feature, Ghost Stories - Complete Collection, Jujutsu Kaisen: Season 1 Part 1, which is available as a Standard Edition and as a Limited Edition, Revisions: Complete Collection and Sailor Moon R: Complete Second Season.
Honorable Mention: A few weeks ago we saw a handful of 'Disney 100' blu-ray releases at Walmart, which had a special cover art and a limited edition pin. I spotted the same ones (minus the limited edition pin) at Best Buy as well. This week gives us the next wave that includes 101 Dalmatians, The Aristocats, Frozen II, The Jungle Book, Lady and the Tramp, Robin Hood, Sleeping Beauty, Tangled, Wreck it Ralph and Zootopia. No doubt the same editions will be at Best Buy and the Disney movie club.
Amazon U.S. has the February Imprint Films titles available on Friday, they are:
Paramount has officially announced the Star Trek Next Generation films for 4K release on April 4th. There will also be remastered blu-rays available the same day.
Warner Bros. will be releasing Superman I - IV to 4K disc on April 18th. It will include two cuts of Superman II. Also available will be the collection, as an Amazon Exclusive SteelBook.
LionsGate will be releasing Plane (starring Gerard Butler and Mike Colter) to 4K and blu-ray on March 28th.
Arrow Video's May release slate is pretty exciting, for the US/Canada market look for Blackhat, Blackhat 4K, Hand of Death and The Last Starfighter 4K. The UK will be getting Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas 4K as well as The Beta Test on blu-ray.
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?
The latest news on all things 4K Ultra HD, blu-ray and Gear.