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The Criterion Collection Adds 3 New Titles to their December 2021 4K & Blu-ray SlateAfter a robust and busy November, The Criterion Collection slows things down a tad with their December 2021 release slate. Previously announced, The Red Shoes - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray will hit shelves and online retailers on December 14th The Red Shoes, the singular fantasia from Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, is cinema’s quintessential backstage drama, as well as one of the most glorious Technicolor feasts ever concocted for the screen. Moira Shearer is a rising star ballerina torn between an idealistic composer and a ruthless impresario intent on perfection. Featuring outstanding performances, blazingly beautiful cinematography by Jack Cardiff, Oscar-winning sets and music, and an unforgettable, hallucinatory central dance sequence, this beloved classic, dazzlingly restored, stands as an enthralling tribute to the life of the artist. 4K UHD + BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES • 4K digital transfer from the 2009 restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray• One 4K UHD disc of the film presented in Dolby Vision HDR and one Blu-ray with the film and special features• Introductory restoration demonstration featuring filmmaker Martin Scorsese• Audio commentary from 1994 by film historian Ian Christie, featuring interviews with actors Marius Goring and Moira Shearer, cinematographer Jack Cardiff, composer Brian Easdale, and Scorsese• Profile of “The Red Shoes,” a 2000 documentary on the making of the film, featuring interviews with members of the production team• Interview with director Michael Powell’s widow, editor Thelma Schoonmaker Powell, from the 2009 Cannes Film Festival• Audio recordings from 1994 of actor Jeremy Irons reading excerpts from Powell and screenwriter Emeric Pressburger’s novelization of The Red Shoes and the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale “The Red Shoes”• Publicity stills and behind-the-scenes photos• Gallery of memorabilia from Scorsese’s collection• The “Red Shoes” Sketches, a 1948 animated film of Hein Heckroth’s painted storyboards, with the Red Shoes ballet as an alternate angle• Trailer• English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing• PLUS: An essay by critic David Ehrenstein and a description of the restoration by UCLA film archivist Robert Gitt Next, Regina King adapts Kemp Powers hit play One Night In Miami - arriving December 7th. This looks to be a Blu-ray only release at this time, but if Uncut Gems proves anything (beyond impressive Adam Sandler's acting chops) it's that release plans can change very suddenly and for the better. Adapted by Kemp Powers from his acclaimed play, the feature directorial debut of Academy Award–winning actor Regina King puts viewers in a room with four icons at the forefront of Black American culture as they carouse, clash, bare their souls, and grapple with their places within the sweeping change of the civil rights movement. February 25, 1964, has gone down in history as the day that the brash young boxer Muhammad Ali (then known as Cassius Clay) defeated Sonny Liston, but what happened after the fight was perhaps even more incredible: Ali, civil rights leader Malcolm X, NFL great Jim Brown, and “King of Soul” Sam Cooke all came together at a Miami motel. Electric with big ideas and activist spirit, One Night in Miami . . . plunges us into the midst of an intimate, ongoing conversation—and a defining moment in American history. DIRECTOR-APPROVED SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES • New 4K digital transfer, approved by director Regina King, with 5.1 surround DTS-HD MasterAudio on the Blu-ray • New conversation between King and filmmaker Kasi Lemmons • New conversation among King, screenwriter Kemp Powers, and critic Gil Robertson• Conversation between King and filmmaker Barry Jenkins from a 2021 episode of The Director’s Cut – A DGA Podcast • New program featuring King and actors Kingsley Ben-Adir, Eli Goree, Aldis Hodge, and Leslie Odom Jr. • New program on the making of the film, featuring King, Powers, director of photography Tami Reiker, editor Tariq Anwar, producer Jody Klein, costume designer Francine Jamison-Tanchuck, and set decorator Janessa Hitsman • New program on the film’s sound design, featuring sound editor and mixer Andy Hay, sound mixer Paul Ledford, and music producer Nick Baxter • English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing• English descriptive audio• PLUS: An essay by critic Gene Seymour Last up for the month, The Criterion Collection will be giving 1969's The Learning Tree its deserved place on Blu-ray with a December 14th release date. With this tender and clear-eyed coming-of-age odyssey, the renowned photographer turned filmmaker Gordon Parks not only became the first Black American director to make a Hollywood studio film, he also served as writer, producer, and composer, resulting in a deeply personal artistic achievement. Based on Parks’s own semi-autobiographical novel, The Learning Tree follows the journey of Newt Winger (Kyle Johnson), a teenage descendant of Exodusters growing up in rural Kansas in the 1920s, as he experiences the bittersweet flowering of first love, finds his relationship with a close friend tested, and navigates the injustices embedded within a racist legal and educational system. Exquisitely capturing the bucolic splendor of its heartland setting, this landmark film tempers nostalgia with an incisive understanding of the harsh realities, hard-won lessons, and often wrenching moral choices that shape the road to self-determination of the young Black man at its center. SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES • New 2K digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray• New documentary on the making of the film, featuring artist and critic Ina Diane Archer, curator Rhea L. Combs, and filmmakers Ernest R. Dickerson and Nelson George• New conversation, moderated by film scholar Michael B. Gillespie, between artist Hank Willis Thomas and art historian Deborah Willis about the influence of director Gordon Parks• My Father: Gordon Parks (1969), a documentary made on the set of The Learning Tree, narrated by Gordon Parks Jr., and featuring interviews with Gordon Parks Sr. and members of the cast and crew • Diary of a Harlem Family and The World of Piri Thomas, two 1968 films on which Parks played creative roles, with a new introduction by Combs• Unstoppable (2005), a documentary featuring producer Warrington Hudlin in conversation with Parks and filmmakers Ossie Davis and Melvin Van Peebles• Trailer• English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing• PLUS: “How It Feels to Be Black,” a 1963 Life magazine photo-essay by Parks, and an excerpt from the director’s 2005 book A Hungry Heart: A Memoir That's it for this month - some great movies in the pile for sure. And, given that this last quarter appears to be a very fluid release frame with multiple street date changes already, if anything comes up with Criterion's December 2021 slate we'll update our listings ASAP. These aren't yet up for pre-order but we expect them to be soon. Thanks again for your pre-orders. They really do go a long way towards helping a little operation like ours keep going.Posted Wed Sep 15, 2021 at 10:08 AM PDT by: -
I Got Sick - So There's A TON of Blu-ray & 4K News To Catch Up OnThey told me when your kid goes to school they're gonna come back with colds, but damn - I didn't expect to get laid out like that for two days! In that time a whole mess of great flicks and shows got announced for 4K UHD and Blu-ray. So Instead of doing giving these individual announcements because there are just too many, we're giving you a big ol' list of new title announcements! First up - the one I've been waiting forever to see come to Blu-ray and now I don't have to import! After being available on Blu-ray in Europe for a few years now, it's nice to see the big green guy cross the pond Stateside spread out on 19-discs. No official word, but it doesn't look like the sequel television films will be included - due October 26th: The Incredible Hulk - The Complete Series Blu-ray Well, the Lionsgate SteelBook releases just keep coming. Now, I'm not against the practice necessarily, but this is getting kinda expensive! Mel Gibson's return to directing is the latest addition to that growing collection on November 2nd: Hacksaw Ridge - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray SteelBook One of the best animated DC films is moving on up to 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray November 9th: Batman Year One: Commemorative Edition - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray The first of Sony's unlikely series of groundbreaking CGI animated feature films is now also getting the 4K UHD upgrade, but if they didn't re-render the entire film the benefits may be a bit dodgy. Coming November 16th: Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within Universal made the latest creepy M. Night Shyamalan film official for Blu-ray, 4K UHD, and a Best Buy SteelBook for October 5th: Old Not that this film was exactly calling for a sequel, but we got one with little to no fanfare. This drops on Blu-ray and 4K Ultra HD on October 26th. Don't Breathe 2 - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray One of Martin Scorsese's funniest films - and shockingly horrifying - gets a welcome upgrade to 4K UHD on December 14th just in time for Christmas! The Wolf of Wall Street - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Now the big news of the day is Warner Brothers will be dropping a guzzolene tank of Mad Max on all of us this November 2nd. Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray SteelBook Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome - 4K Ulta HD Blu-ray Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray SteelBook for the few of you out there that haven't yet picked up any of the Mad Max films on 4K Ultra HD... Mad Max Anthology 4-Film Collection - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray And with that, that's all the news that's fit to print. The day is still early so some more announcements are likely, but for now, this list is the biggest and best of the best. We don't have full details on all of these - the Mad Max films haven't been officially announced yet even though retailers are taking pre-orders. But as soon as we get all the gory details we'll update our listings ASAP. Thanks again for all of your pre-orders. Each pre-order goes a long way towards keeping our little operation up and running.Posted Wed Sep 15, 2021 at 07:08 AM PDT by: -
Blu-ray & 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Release Guide - September 12, 2021 - September 18, 2021Mid-September already, where oh where has the time gone? Speaking of 'time,' this week in history, Lone Ranger debuts on ABC-TV back in 1949 and Australia gets its first broadcast TV station. Welcome to Volume 2 Episode 17 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. 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray/Digital Releases- Before getting down to business, has anyone gotten their Justice League from last week? Mine is the Best Buy SteelBook. I got a 'delayed' email instead of a 'your package has shipped' email. Amazon has also emailed me about the Star Trek 4K collection, requiring me to approve the delay, of about 3-5 weeks they say. Replication issues? Okay, let's get our catalog titles listed first. Much anticipated title The Shawshank Redemption debuts to 4K as both a standard edition and as a Best Buy Exclusive SteelBook. Does this mean The Green Mile will follow shortly? Could be! Semi-random release from Paramount, Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters also debuts to 4K this week. More 4K discs, I'll take it! Moving to new releases, from Universal Pictures look for The Boss Baby: Family Business. It has been 4 years since the previous film. The new release with the most buzz is undoubtedly Marvel's Black Widow. Naturally with a Disney label release there are the usual offerings, a standard edition release, a Best Buy Exclusive SteelBook and a Target Exclusive Edition. The Target edition returns to the traditional gallery book. Their recent releases had theater or art cards in them instead. HD Blu-ray/Digital releases- Just like last week, a below average week for Tuesday releases. Guess that's OK with the next 3 weeks being big weeks and that 4K is pretty big the next couple of months. Blu-ray counterparts first, The Boss Baby: Family Business get a standard release and a double-feature release that includes the first movie. I don't own the first one in 4K, will they at some point switch the double-feature option to 4K instead of blu-ray? Also look for Marvel's Black Widow as a blu-ray release if you opt out of the 4K combo. From LionsGate, a modern Western titled Catch the Bullet, Jay Pickett's last movie made. The trailer looked pretty good for this one, even knowing there are people paid to make trailers good. Also at the end of the alphabet, a comedy/crime release titled Zola. Another Arrow Video 'fat-pack' to look for that will probably sell out pretty fast, Cold War Creatures: Four Films from Sam Katzman. Between all the great 4K releases in general and these Arrow Video blu-ray releases, it's really hard to pick and choose! Then there's Arrow 4K to muddy our decisions even more! Also from Arrow Video, Death Screams get a release this week as well. Scream Factory's highlight this week is a Collector's Edition for Alone in the Dark. They're also releasing the next two LAIKA Studios titles, see the anime releases below. Criterion Collection's single release this week is the Crime/Drama/Romance titled Mona Lisa, from 1986. Again, having grown up with HBO in the house, I cannot say for certain that I remember this one, but it's Criterion, which means it will rate 5-stars and be a great presentation. Warner Archive brings us Mare of Easttown, an HBO series and the 1940 film Santa Fe Trail starring Errol Flynn. Anime highlights include Black Clover: Season 3 Part 5, which following tradition, Part 5 can be bought as a standard release or a release that includes an art book. Girls und Panzer das Finale - Part 1, Kubo and the Two Strings - LAIKA Studios Edition, Mr. Osomatsu - Season 2 and ParaNorman - LAIKA Studios Edition close out the category. Honorable Mention: Kino Lorber releases Arabesque starring Gregory Peck and Sophia Loren. Friday is pretty busy if you count the 'August' Imprint Films import releases. They were delayed a couple of weeks but are on track to release now. >As Good As It Gets - Imprint Films Limited Edition >Chinese Box - Imprint Films Limited Edition >Days of Heaven - Imprint Films Limited Edition >Double Jeopardy - Imprint Films Limited Edition >Drugstore Cowboy - Imprint Films Limited Edition >Lully - ATYS >The Straight Story - Imprint Films Limited Edition >Wagner - Siegfried Notable announcements from last week: Warner Bros has announced they will be releasing Sex and the City: The Complete Series to blu-ray on November 2nd. This set will include the entire TV series plus the movies. Continuing with Warner, Night Shift (1982) will be released on blu-ray on October 5th and the Justice League animated Injustice will be released on blu-ray and 4K disc on October 19th. And the 2021 film The Suicide Squad gets a 4K release, 4K SteelBook and a blu-ray release, all with a tentative date of October 26th. Universal Pictures has dated the film Stillwater for blu-ray release on October 26th. Shout! Factory's November batch now also includes Come True, Dracula: Dead and Loving It, The Eight Hundred, Little Fish, M. Butterfly, My Salinger Year, Old Henry and The Show (2020). Discotek and Sentai Filmworks next batch of titles have also been revealed. Check out the October November release calendar for more. A few of the Sentai releases are lacking English dubs. 4K Release Calendar 2K/BD Release Calendar 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?Posted Sun Sep 12, 2021 at 12:00 PM PDT by: -
Sony Delays Columbia Classics Vol 2, Underworld 5-Film Collection, and Guns of Navarone 4K Ultra HD Blu-raysGiven how difficult it's become lately to find new releases in stores or online retailers to meet their pre-orders, it's no surprise that Sony is delaying Columbia Classics Vol 2, Underworld 5-Film Collection, and The Guns of Navarone. If you've gone out to your local big-box store and couldn't find either Paramount's Star Trek: 4-Movie Collection or Universal's release of John Carpenter's The Thing or had your online pre-order delayed - we're seeing the side effects of virtually every major studio and boutique label dropping an array of high-demand product all at the same time. The supply chain simply can't keep up with that demand and it also puts a crunch on QC. As such - it looks like Sony is flipping up their release schedule a little to hopefully accommodate for pre-orders and brick and mortar shop stock. So if you were planning to get these titles, you have some schedule readjustments to make. First up - Columbia Classics Vol 2 is getting another delay, this time to October 12th. Next up, while not a HUGE one on most folks' wishlist, Underworld 5-Film Collection is pushed to October 26th. And last, The Guns of Navarone apparently will now drop on November 12th - but that is a Friday and not the standard Tuesday release day, so I don't expect that day to stick either. So far, that's the only big change in Sony's release slate, but of course that could change. We've already seen a number of titles get moved around from all of the studios ahead of the Holiday shopping season and we're likely to see some more movement - especially as more new titles are announced. If anything changes again for either of these three titles, we'll update things and keep you all posted. Thanks again for your pre-orders, they really do go a long way towards keeping our little operation rolling along.Posted Fri Sep 10, 2021 at 07:09 AM PDT by: -
I Spit On Your Grave (1978) Coming to 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray October 26One of the roughest and toughest revenge films ever made is coming to 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Meir Zarchi's I Spit On Your Grave (AKA Day of the Woman) is coming to 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray courtesy of Ronin Flix. Last November, we took a look at their incredible 2-Film Collector's Edition set. Top to bottom, this iconic revenge thriller had never looked or sounded better on home video. Not an easy movie to consume by any stretch, the folks over at Ronin Flix are giving this Exploitation genre classic a new 3-Disc Limited Edition set: I Spit On Your Grave - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray While I absolutely dug everything that Ronin Flix pulled together for their Collector's Edition set, I really only cared about the first film and the documentary. The sequel just didn't do anything for me really, a nice effort but unnecessary. This time around Ronin Flix is keeping things simple and bringing back some impressive artwork in keeping with the original grindhouse marketing. The transfer will be sourced from a new remaster in HDR10 with the 2020 restoration of the original uncut version serving as the baseline. Pre-Order I Spit On Your Grave 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Right now, this release is ONLY AVAILABLE at Ronin Flix - the SRP is $59.99, but if you pre-order you instantly save $15, so not a terrible price. Pretty much in keeping with some of the deluxe 4k releases from Arrow or Blue Underground. Here's what you're getting in the package: In 1978, one film changed the face of cinema forever. Now, 43 years later, the original and notorious I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE (aka Day of the Woman) is back and still refusing to be buried! In this new limited edition 4K UHD 3 disc set, you can re-experience the phenomenon that shocked and divided the world - and influenced an entire genre and generation of filmmakers - in Ultra High Definition. Featuring a brand new 2021 4K HDR Remaster done by Ronin Flix on 4K Ultra HD, the 2020 4K scan and restoration of director Meir Zarchi’s uncut 35mm original camera negative and the restored original mono soundtrack on Blu-ray, a bonus Blu-ray including the feature length documentary Growing up with I Spit on Your Grave (2019) and all of the historical Ronin Flix Blu-ray special features, this landmark 4K Ultra HD set belongs in every cinephiles collection. Camille Keaton (What Have You Done to Solange?, Tragic Ceremony) stars as Jennifer Hills, a young and beautiful career woman who rents a backwoods cabin to write her first novel. Attacked by a group of local lowlifes and left for dead, she devises a horrific plan to inflict revenge in some of the most unforgettable scenes ever shot on film. "One of the most important films in cinema history." - Brittany Jade Colangelo, Film Critic - Fangoria / Bloody-Disgusting “I Spit on Your Grave boldly shoves a topic often reserved for hushed whispers out in the open. It’s every bit as exploitative as the title indicates, in subject matter and technique, but [the films] themes remain timeless. No wonder I Spit on Your Grave has remained a pinnacle of the genre.” - Meagan Navarro, Day of the Woman: Meir Zarchi’s Ultimate Act of Revenge “It's about the strongest 'Take Back the Night' statement ever made. She doesn't just take back the night. She takes back the night, the morning, the afternoon, and steals the clock while she's at it.” - Joe Bob Briggs - Film Critic, “The Drive In”, AMC Shudder Starring Camille Keaton, Eron Tabor, Richard Pace, Anthony Nichols, Gunter Kleemann Special Features: NEW 2021 4K HDR REMASTER done by Ronin Flix, English SDH Subtitles (Feature Presentations Only) and all of the historical Ronin Flix Blu-ray special features: DISC 1 - I Spit on Your Grave (1978) 4K UHD Blu-ray: 4K ULTRA HIGH DEFINITION BLU-RAY 2160P WIDESCREEN PRESENTATION (HDR10) (1:85:1) UTILIZING THE NEW 2021 4K HDR REMASTER done by Ronin Flix, RESTORED DTS-HD MASTER AUDIO MONO, DTS-HD 5.1 SURROUND, DTS-HD 2.0 STEREO, Audio Commentary with writer / director Meir Zarchi, Audio Commentary with Film Critic Joe Bob Briggs DISC 2 - I Spit on Your Grave (1978) Blu-ray: HIGH DEFINITION BLU-RAY 1080P WIDESCREEN PRESENTATION (1.85:1) UTILIZING THE 2020 4K SCAN AND RESTORATION OF DIRECTOR MEIR ZARCHI'S 35 MM ORIGINAL CAMERA NEGATIVE done by Ronin Flix, RESTORED DTS-HD MASTER AUDIO MONO, DTS-HD 5.1 SURROUND, Jennifer’s Journey - the locations of I Spit on Your Grave featurette hosted by writer Michael Gingold, Audio Commentary with writer / director Meir Zarchi, Audio Commentary with Film Critic Joe Bob Briggs, The Value of Vengeance - Meir Zarchi Remembers I Spit on Your Grave, Alternate Day of the Woman Opening Title, Theatrical Trailers, TV & Radio Spots, Still Gallery and Slideshow with Rare & Behind-the-Scenes Photos from the Set DISC 3: Growing up with I Spit on Your Grave (2019) Blu-ray: HIGH DEFINITION BLU-RAY 1080P WIDESCREEN PRESENTATION (1.85:1) OF THE ORIGINAL FEATURE LENGTH DOCUMENTARY, DTS-HD 5.1 SURROUND, EXCLUSIVE Deleted Scenes, Terry Zarchi’s 8mm film starring Camille Keaton, Home Movies – Camille and Meir’s wedding, TrailerPosted Thu Sep 9, 2021 at 10:11 AM PDT by: -
The Suicide Squad Rescuing 4K Ultra HD & Blu-ray October 26thThe worst of the worst is coming to the best of the best home video formats on October 26th James Gunn's franchise relaunch/sequel may not have been the big box office draw Hollywood expected, but it chalked up some favorable notices from critics and fans for its darkly violent sense of humor. Now fans can get ready to add this latest entry in the ramshackle DCEU to their collection with either a Blu-ray, a 4K Ultra HD, or a nifty 4K Ultra HD Blur-ay SteelBook exclusive to Best Buy in the U.S. - take a look: The Suicide Squad - Blu-ray The Suicide Squad - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray The Suicide Squad - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray SteelBook The 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray and 1080p Blu-ray discs are both expected to have Atmos audio with the 4K disc getting a an HDR10 pass - HBO Max previously offered it in Dolby Vision. That seems to be Warner Brother's operating standard these days. Read our The Suicide Squad Theatrical Review For a full list of specs and bonus features, check out the press release from Warner Brothers below: The Suicide Squad COMES HOME TO WARNER BROS. HOME ENTERTAINMENT Premium Digital Ownership debut early on September 17 4K, Blu-ray, and DVD arrive on October 26 Burbank, CA, September 8 – Witness the collection of the most degenerate delinquents in the DC lineup when “The Suicide Squad” arrives for Premium Digital Ownership at home on September 17. The film is directed by James Gunn (the “Guardian of Galaxy” films) from his own screenplay and stars Margot Robbie (“Birds of Prey,” “Bombshell”), Idris Elba (“Avengers: Infinity War”), John Cena (“Bumblebee”), Joel Kinnaman (“Suicide Squad”), and Jai Courtney (the “Divergent” franchise). The film will also be available on 4K, Blu-ray and DVD beginning on October 26. The film was produced by Charles Roven and Peter Safran, with Zack Snyder, Deborah Snyder, Walter Hamada, Chantal Nong Vo, Nikolas Korda and Richard Suckle executive producing. The film also stars Peter Capaldi (“World War Z,” TV’s “Doctor Who”), David Dastmalchian (“Ant-Man and the Wasp”), Daniela Melchior (“Parque Mayer”), Michael Rooker (the “Guardians of the Galaxy” films), Alice Braga (“Elysium”), Pete Davidson (“The King of Staten Island,” TV’s “Saturday Night Live”). On September 17, “The Suicide Squad” will be available for early Premium Digital Ownership at home for $24.99 and for 48-hour rental via PVOD for $19.99 SRP on participating digital platforms where you purchase movies. On October 26 “The Suicide Squad” will be available on 4K, Blu-ray and DVD. “The Suicide Squad” will also continue to be available to own in high definition and standard definition from participating digital retailers. “The Suicide Squad” will also be available on Movies Anywhere. Using the free Movies Anywhere app and website, consumers can access all their eligible movies by connecting their Movies Anywhere account with their participating digital retailer accounts. SYNOPSIS Welcome to hell—a.k.a. Belle Reve, the prison with the highest mortality rate in the US of A. Where the worst Super-Villains are kept and where they will do anything to get out—even join the super-secret, super-shady Task Force X. Today’s do-or-die assignment? Assemble a collection of cons, including Bloodsport, Peacemaker, Captain Boomerang, Ratcatcher 2, Savant, King Shark, Blackguard, Javelin and everyone’s favorite psycho, Harley Quinn. Then arm them heavily and drop them (literally) on the remote, enemy-infused island of Corto Maltese. Trekking through a jungle teeming with militant adversaries and guerrilla forces at every turn, the Squad is on a search-and-destroy mission with only Colonel Rick Flag on the ground to make them behave…and Amanda Waller’s government techies in their ears, tracking their every movement. And as always, one wrong move and they’re dead (whether at the hands of their opponents, a teammate, or Waller herself). If anyone’s laying down bets, the smart money is against them—all of them. 4K, BLU-RAY & DVD ELEMENTS “The Suicide Squad” 4K UHD combo pack and Blu-ray contain the following special features: Gag Reel Gotta Love the Squad The Way of The Gunn It’s a Suicide Mission Scene Breakdown My Guns Bigger Than Yours Scene Breakdown Harley’s Great Escape Scene Breakdown The Fall of Jotunheim Scene Breakdown Starro: It’s a Freakin Kaiju! Bringing King Shark To Life War Movie Retro Trailer Horror Movie Retro Trailer Buddy-Cop Retro Trailer Directors Commentary by Director/Writer James Gunn Deleted & Extended Scenes “The Suicide Squad” DVD contains the following special feature: The Way of The Gunn ABOUT MOVIES ANYWHERE Movies Anywhere is a digital movie platform that enables movie fans to discover, access, and watch their favorite digital movies in one place. Movies Anywhere brings together a library of nearly 7,500 digital movies from Sony Pictures, Twentieth Century Fox Film, The Walt Disney Studios (including Disney, Pixar, Marvel Studios and Lucasfilm), Universal Pictures (including DreamWorks and Illumination Entertainment) and Warner Bros., and will continue to expand the consumer experience as more content providers, digital retailers and platforms are added. By connecting participating digital retailers that include Amazon Prime Video, FandangoNOW, Google Play, iTunes and Vudu, movie fans can now bring together their digital movie collections (whether purchased or redeemed) in one place and enjoy them from the comfort of their living rooms, and across multiple devices and platforms, including Amazon Fire devices; Android devices and Android TV; Apple TV; Chromecast; iPhone, iPad and iPod touch; Roku® devices and popular browsers. Movie fans can also redeem digital codes found in eligible Blu-ray and DVD disc packages from participating studios and enjoy them through Movies Anywhere. Movies Anywhere – your movies, together at last. BASICS PRODUCT SRP 4K UHD Combo Pack $49.98 Blu-ray $39.98 DVD $34.98 Digital Ownership: September 17, 2021 PVOD: September 17, 2021 4K, Blu-ray and DVD Street Date: October 26, 2021 DVD Languages: English, English-ADS, Latin Spanish, Canadian French, Parisian French BD Languages: English, English-ADS, English ATMOS, Latin Spanish, Canadian French, Brazilian Portuguese, Italian 4K Languages: English, English-ADS, English ATMOS, Latin Spanish, Hungarian, Hindi, Tamil, Teleugu, Castilian Spanish, Parisian French, Italian, Polish, Canadian French DVD Subtitles: English SDH, Latin Spanish, Parisian French, Canadian French BD Subtitles: English SDH, Latin Spanish, Parisian French, Brazilian Portuguese, Canadian French, Italian 4K Subtitles: English SDH, Latin Spanish, Parisian French, Castilian Spanish, Norwegian, Swedish, Teleugu, Hungarian, Tamil, Hindi, Italian, Greek, Romanian, Polish, Finnish, Danish, Canadian French Running Time: 132 minutes Rating: Rated R for strong violence and gore, language throughout, some sexual references, drug use and brief graphic nudity DVD: DLBY/DGTL Blu-ray: ATMOS TrueHD, DLBY/DGTL 4K: ATMOS TrueHD, DLBY/DGTL THE CREDITS About “The Suicide Squad” The film is directed by James Gunn (the “Guardian of Galaxy” films) from his own screenplay and produced by Charles Roven and Peter Safran, with Zack Snyder, Deborah Snyder, Walter Hamada, Chantal Nong Vo, Nikolas Korda and Richard Suckle executive producing. The ensemble stars Margot Robbie (“Birds of Prey,” “Bombshell”), Idris Elba (“Avengers: Infinity War”), John Cena (upcoming HBO Max series “Peacemaker,” “Bumblebee”), Joel Kinnaman (“Suicide Squad”), Jai Courtney (the “Divergent” franchise), Peter Capaldi (“World War Z,” BBC’s “Doctor Who” ), David Dastmalchian (upcoming “Dune,” “Ant-Man and the Wasp”), Daniela Melchior (“Parque Mayer”), Michael Rooker (the “Guardians of the Galaxy” films), Alice Braga (“Elysium”), Pete Davidson (“The King of Staten Island,” TV’s “Saturday Night Live”), Joaquín Cosio (“Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse,” TV’s “Narcos: Mexico”), Juan Diego Botto (“The Europeans”), Storm Reid (“The Invisible Man,” “A Wrinkle in Time”, “Euphoria”), Nathan Fillion (“Guardians of the Galaxy,” TV’s “The Rookie”), Steve Agee (“Brightburn,” “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2”), Sean Gunn (the “Guardians of the Galaxy” films, the “Avengers” films), Mayling Ng (“Wonder Woman”), Flula Borg (“Ralph Breaks the Internet”), Jennifer Holland (“Brightburn,” upcoming HBO Max series “Peacemaker”) and Tinashe Kajese (TV’s “Valor,” “The Inspectors”), with Sylvester Stallone (the “Rocky,” “Rambo” and “Expendables” franchises), and Viola Davis (“Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,” “Suicide Squad”). Warner Bros. Pictures presents an Atlas Entertainment/Peter Safran Production, a James Gunn Film, “The Suicide Squad.”Posted Thu Sep 9, 2021 at 04:50 AM PDT by: -
Blu-ray & 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Release Guide - September 5, 2021 - September 11, 2021From here on forward til the holidays, each week becomes more dangerous to your bank account if you're buying 4K discs. But at least, thus far, many of them have been produced at a very high quality, so enjoy! Welcome to Volume 2 Episode 16 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. 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray/Digital Releases- There are TEN SKUs to look at this week, but fortunately there are not TEN movies beckoning you. Reissues first, because, why not? Two more entries from the Alfred Hitchcock 4K set get single releases this week, as standard editions and as SteelBook editions. Rear Window: Standard -- SteelBook. Vertigo: Standard -- SteelBook. Next, John Carpenter's horror classic The Thing. This one is available as a standard release and as a Best Buy Exclusive SteelBook. The cover art of the SteelBook appears to be a new creation. At least it's not an overly yellow or red blob, or Pop Art or something! We knew this next one was inevitable but how it is broken up this time has me wondering. Paramount Home Entertainment is bringing us Star Trek: The Original 4 Movie Collection. Why 1-4 instead of 1-6, I don't know. The first four are my favorite originals any way so it's a great start! (Shameless plug in case they're reading: Deep Space Nine in HD yet fellas??) Some of you may say I have saved the best for last. I'm of course referring to Zack Snyder's Justice League. It was a bit hairy at first with overseas markets getting this one and nothing to be heard from the U.S. offices. The common theme again surfaces here, available as a standard release and as a Best Buy Exclusive SteelBook. But apparently the Best Buy SteelBook option is no longer available - so keep your eyes open at your local stores. Also being offered is Zack Snyder's Justice League Trilogy, which comes in a slipbox package and includes a little bit of swag. HD Blu-ray/Digital releases- Like we do every week, getting the blu-ray counterparts out of the way first. Zack Snyder's Justice League is the only actual one that fits the bill. As far as Star Trek, each title does get a new blu-ray release this week, but it is not clear if they're the same discs or if they were made from the new masters used to make the 4K discs. Universal's MOD label (similar to Warner Archive) is releasing American Pie Presents: Girls' Rules, Because of Him, Can't Help Singing, For the Love of Mary, Something in the Wind, State of the Union and The Woody Woodpecker: Screwball Collection. Also from Universal's general label, 2020's You Should Have Left. Warner Archive's single release this week is Young Sheldon: The Complete Fourth Season. LionsGate brings us a crime/thriller The Gateway (2021). Anime highlights include Bleach: Set 12, Heaven's Memo Pad, In/Spectre Season 1 and One Piece: Season Eleven - Voyage Four. Although it was a bomb when it came out, it has gained some following. Lawnmower Man 2: Beyond Cyberspace gets a regular release this week. Previously it was a Ronin Flix shop exclusive. Film Detective releases A Life at Stake this week. Film Noir fans might know this one. The director and at least one star should be familiar to you. Honorable Mention: Vincent Price is on the docket again this week. Kino Lorber offers us Theater of Blood and The Tomb of Ligeia. Notable announcements from last week: Criterion Collection has revealed another 4K title, this one is Adam Sandler's recent drama Uncut Gems. As to why LionsGate seems to miss out on 4K disc opportunities, who knows, but Criterion should do a bang up job. Warner Bros. will be releasing Middle Earth 6-Film Ultimate Collector's Edition on October 26th. The set is truly a nice looking set, but many people were not expecting this when we bought our existing sets. Is this enough for you to double-dip? LionsGate Home Entertainment has announced 2021's The Green Knight will be released on 4K disc and blu-ray on October 12th. UGH, what an overly RED cover art. Paramount Presents spine number 27 will be Vanilla Sky, and will be available for purchase on November 16th. Shout! Factory will be releasing Krampus in 4K on November 16th. This one is touted to be 'The Naughty Cut.' 4K Release Calendar 2K/BD Release Calendar 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?Posted Sun Sep 5, 2021 at 12:00 PM PDT by: -
The Criterion Collection's Release of Uncut Gems Moves To Nov 23 - AND 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray!If you were planning on picking up The Criterion Collection's release of Uncut Gems on Blu-ray on October 26th, you're going to have to wait a month because it's getting a 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray upgrade! This release features a 4K transfer with Dolby Vision HDR and a Dolby Atmos audio mix approved by the Safdie Brothers. Of course, the standard Blu-ray release is still happening, but why would you get that when you can enjoy this full 4K release instead? Here's a list of disc specs and bonus features: DIRECTOR-APPROVED SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES • 4K digital transfer, approved by writer-directors Josh and Benny Safdie, with Dolby Atmos soundtrack on the 4K UHD and Blu-ray editions • In the 4K UHD edition: One 4K UHD disc of the film presented in Dolby Vision HDR and one Blu-ray with the film and special features • Audio commentary from 2019 featuring the Safdies, writer and editor Ronald Bronstein, and producer Sebastian Bear-McClard • New interviews with cinematographer Darius Khondji, costume designer Miyako Bellizzi, production designer Sam Lisenco, and casting director Jennifer Venditti • Documentaries from 2019 and 2020 on the making of the film and soundtrack • Screen test featuring actors Adam Sandler and Julia Fox • Goldman v Silverman, a 2020 short film by the Safdies, featuring Sandler and Benny Safdie • “Question & Answer,” a 2020 short film featuring the Safdies, Sandler, actor Jason Bateman, and comedy writer Megan Amram • Audition tapes • Deleted and extended scenes, including a full performance of “The Morning” by The Weeknd • Trailers • English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing • PLUS: An essay by film critic J. Hoberman and, for the 4K UHD and Blu-ray editions, a 2020 discussion of the film by the editorial staff of Jewish Currents magazinePosted Tue Aug 31, 2021 at 10:27 AM PDT by: -
The Middle Earth 6-Film Ultimate Collector's Edition 4K UHD Set Coming Oct. 26th6 films were made. Three... three for The Lord of the Rings, the best and most groundbreaking cinematic experience of a generation. Three... three for The Hobbit, the fun but bloated prequel to Peter Jackson's epic trilogy. Six Theatrical Cuts, shorter and to the point for impatient people without attention spans. Six Extended Cuts for people with larger bladders that can put down their phones and who love character development and more nuanced performances. We've owned these movies before. DVD sets. Extended DVD Sets. Blu-ray sets. Extended Blu-ray sets. Extended 4K Ultra HD sets. Fans thought they had it all... but they were all of them deceived. Forged in the dark halls of Warner Brothers - there was another set! A Six-Film 31-Disc Middle Earth Ultimate Collector's Edition to rule them all... ...only not quite because apparently, the really kick-ass appendices from special editions of The Lord of the Rings are not going to be included. [UPDATE 9/9/21] The Good folks over at Warner Brothers have gone and done it and officially announced what we pretty much already knew was coming - The Middle Earth Ultimate Collector's Edition 4K UHD & Blu-ray 31-Disc Set. This also confirms that the extensive legacy appendices bonus features of past DVD and Blu-ray releases will not be included. Each of the six films will be available in the shorter Theatrical Cut and better and longer Extended Cut with Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos audio mixes. Here's the list of new bonus features coming for this set: Cannes Film Festival Presentation Reel Alamo Drafthouse Cast Reunion “The Fellowship of the Ring" - RT: 39:38 (with Billy Boyd, Dominic Monaghan, Sean Astin and Elijah Wood) “The Two Towers" - RT: 32:24 (with Cate Blanchett, Orlando Bloom, Liv Tyler and Viggo Mortenson) "The Return of the King" - RT: 29:48 (with Ian McKellan, Andy Serkis, and Peter Jackson) ... yeah. I'll let you take a moment to let that sink in. . . . You okay now? There are many pluses to this set coming in the form that it is - I dig the packaging, that's pretty slick and we are getting a lot of great material, but like you I agree they are stretching the "Ultimate" namesake a little thin. Here's a badass unboxing video of the set: If you waited to buy the films on 4K, you're getting a pretty good package. But if you're like me and bought the regular sets or the nifty SteelBooks you may want to juggle your options. [original article continues] Well Tolkien Kids - today's the day! Well, actually yesterday night was the day that pre-orders went live, but I have a toddler so I'm only now getting to this news now. We knew this mega set was in the pipeline ever since Warner Bros. released the Lord of the Rings Extended Edition Trilogy and The Hobbit Extended Edition Trilogy on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray last year. In time to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of The Fellowship of the Ring - WB will be releasing their ultra mega Six-Film 31-Disc Middle Earth Ultimate Collector's Edition. As seems to be the standard operating procedure for these things, online retailers are jumping ahead of the studio official announcements to get those lovely pre-orders in ASAP. Unfortunately, this is sticking us in the position of reporting on this set without full specs. Presumably, There won't be any real tech spec differences between the Extended Cut 4K UHD discs and the Theatrical Cut 4K UHD discs with Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos audio - what we don't have in final order are all of the bonus features. It's been reported for quite a while that the lovely and extensive Appendicies of the Extended Edition DVDs and Blu-rays of past sets will not be included here. Also it doesn't appear that the 3-D versions of The Hobbit will be included either. What is included is a 64-page book, an extra bonus disc with footage of the Stephen Colbert-hosted Alamo Drafthouse appearances, and some mini-posters. Sooo with that in mind, WB might be stretching the term "Ultimate" just a little bit. It's very good, you're getting a lot of great stuff all in one box, but maybe not quite everything. We are waiting for the official Warner Bros. Press Release which we expect to drop any time now. Those missing bonus features may well be included on the newly authored 4K discs or with the new 1080p transfer Blu-rays of The Lord of the Rings - but that's just speculation. It'd be a shame for WB to leave out so much great content. So once that PR arrives we'll update our listing and this article and fill in all of those content gaps. Amazon has the set up for pre-order - don't be too shocked that price tag is the full SRP price and we expect online retailers to really dig in and crush the price down. What do you think? Is this the set you've been waiting for? Or are you going to stick with the 4K and Blu-ray sets you already own? Here's the full press release from Warner Brothers: WARNER BROS. HOME ENTERTAINMENTANNOUNCES PETER JACKSON’SMIDDLE-EARTHULTIMATE COLLECTOR’S EDITION 31-Disc Set features the theatrical and extended versions of the six Middle-earth films in 4K resolution with High Dynamic Range (HDR) and on remastered Bu-ray Ultimate Collectors’ Edition also includes Bonus Content never before released for Home Entertainment, collectible packaging, art cards, and more! BURBANK, CA, September 9, 2021 – Celebrate 20 years of adventure and friendship as Warner Bros. releases the Middle-Earth Ultimate Collector’s Edition, timed to the 20th anniversary of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. The 31-disc Ultimate Collector’s Edition of Peter Jackson’s Middle-earth saga contains new special features along with the theatrical and extended versions of all sic films in 4K Ultra HD and on Blu-ray discs remastered from the 4K master. The Ultimate Collector’s Edition will be released on October 26.The Ultimate Collector’s Edition includes the theatrical and extended versions of the six films from New Line Cinema and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures in 4K UHD with HDR - The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, and The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, which won Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay. The Ultimate Collector’s Edition comes in unique “Puzzle Box” collectible packaging and includes a 64-page booklet featuring costumes, photography and production notes from the film, and art cards featuring travel posters and images from iconic locations throughout Middle-earth including The Shire, Lake-Town, Erebor, Anduin, Rohan, Minas Trith, and Rivendell.Also included are the original Cannes Film Festival presentation reel, and footage from the recent Alamo Drafthouse cast reunion featuring director Peter Jackson along with cast members Sean Astin, Cate Blanchett, Orlando Bloom, Billy Boyd, Ian McKellan, Dominic Monaghan, Viggo Mortenson, Andy Serkis, Liv Tyler, and Elijah Wood.4K Ultra HD** showcases 4K resolution with High Dynamic Range (HDR) and a wider color spectrum, offering consumers brighter, deeper, and more lifelike colors for a home entertainment viewing experience like never before. The 4K remastering process was overseen by Peter Jackson. The 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray discs of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, and The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King will feature Dolby VisionTM HDR that dramatically expands the color palette and contrast range and uses dynamic metadata to automatically optimize the picture for every screen, frame by frame. The 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray discs will also feature a Dolby Atmos® soundtrack remixed specifically for the home theater environment to place and move audio anywhere in the room, including overhead. To experience Dolby Atmos at home, a Dolby Atmos enabled AV receiver and additional speakers are required, or a Dolby Atmos enabled sound bar. Dolby Atmos soundtracks are also fully backward compatible with traditional audio configurations and legacy home entertainment equipment. Middle-Earth Ultimate Collector’s Edition contains the following special features: Cannes Film Festival Presentation Reel Alamo Drafthouse Cast Reunion “The Fellowship of the Ring" - RT: 39:38 (with Billy Boyd, Dominic Monaghan, Sean Astin and Elijah Wood) “The Two Towers" - RT: 32:24 (with Cate Blanchett, Orlando Bloom, Liv Tyler and Viggo Mortenson) "The Return of the King" - RT: 29:48 (with Ian McKellan, Andy Serkis, and Peter Jackson) BASICSPRODUCT SRP Ultimate Collector’s Edition $249.99Street Date: 10/26/2021 Ultra HD Blu-ray Languages: English, Latin Spanish, Canadian French, Brazilian PortugueseUltra HD Blu-ray Subtitles: English SDH, Latin Spanish, Canadian French, Brazilian PortugueseRating: All films rated PG-13 except for The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies – ExtendedEdition, which is Rated R for violenceDOLBY ATMOS [CC]Posted Tue Aug 31, 2021 at 06:19 AM PDT by: -
Blu-ray & 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Release Guide - August 29 - September 4, 2021Happy Back To School to the little ones. Did I just say Happy and Back to School in the same sentence? Well, it is the cheapest time of year to buy pens and paper and to get those bonus packs of socks and underwear. Welcome to Volume 2 Episode 15 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. 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray/Digital Releases- New releases first, both from Warner Bros. In the Heights, a modern musical number that did not get any theater hype. I'm curious mostly. The next entry in the Mortal Kombat Legends saga, this one is titled Battle of the Realms and comes available as a standard edition release and as a Best Buy Exclusive SteelBook. Unusual that both show the same exact cover art, but that's not a terrible thing. Awaken, which appears to be an eye-candy release is distributed by Vinegar Syndrome. Looking at some of the preview imagery, again, the 'curious' word makes an appearance once again. And, riigght in mid-sentence, catalog titles are next, Vinegar Syndrome releases Terminal Island to 4K disc this week, currently only available direct from their site. The way the product is described, this title has never been on disc, ever. Arrow Video brings us David Lynch/Frank Herbert's 1984 Sci-Fi extravaganza Dune this week. No doubt timed to coincide with 2021 theatrical release. If you're just now shopping for it, you will either get the Limited Edition 'fat-pack' release that should be available this week or you will be waiting about a month for the Limited Edition SteelBook. If you're eye-balling the Limited Deluxe Edition SteelBook that releases this week, you've probably missed the boat as preorders gobbled them all up. The 'fat-pack' is a handsome release so it would not be a shame to have to settle for it. HD Blu-ray/Digital releases- Just like we do here every week, getting the blu-ray counterparts of the above 4K releases out of the way first. Dune gets a 2-disc Limited Edition Blu-ray release from Arrow Video, and Warner Bros releases both In the Heights and Mortal Kombat Legends: Battle of the Realms. As far as Vinegar Syndrome, this week is their August wave, with most of the titles exclusive to their site. Usually these titles get general release later but with different covers and such. When they released Forgotten Gialli Volume 3, they skipped right over Volume 2. That has been corrected this week. Also from Arrow Video, The Brotherhood of Satan. From Sony Pictures, 2021's sports/drama 12 Mighty Orphans. Universal releases Spirit Untamed: The Movie this week. Might be what we need to lighten the mood a bit. Criterion Collection's release this week is a war drama titled Beasts Of No Nation. LAIKA Studios has a new home, Shout! Factory releases The Boxtrolls and Coraline. These releases are said to be new transfers and contain new extras. Anime Highlights this week include Grimm's Fairy Tale Classics - Season 2, Kakushigoto - The Complete Season, Kenichi: The Mightiest Disciple - The Complete First Season and Vinland Saga - Complete Collection. The Paramount Presents label releases Bugsy Malone this week. LionsGate's obligatory weekly appearance involves Fear the Walking Dead: The Complete Sixth Season. Honorable Mention: Kino Lorber has a handful of Vincent Price releases this week to consider, they are The Comedy of Terrors, The Last Man on Earth, Master of the World and The Raven. Friday releases, a ballet and an opera: >Pablo Picasso At Pompeii: Two Ballets From The Roman Theatre Of Pompeii >Wagner - Wesendonck Lieder; Bruckner - Symp Notable announcements from last week: GKIDS, in association with Shout Factory will be releasing Neon Genesis Evangelion - Ultimate Edition in December. This mega set probably will run around $200 but they don't call it Ultimate Edition for nothing. 20th Century Studios will be releasing Free Guy on or around October 12th on Blu-ray and 4K disc. Arrow Video has revealed their November batch of titles. The titles are The Hills Have Eyes (1977) - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray, Sailor Suit and Machine Gun, Phantom of the Mall: Eric’s Revenge and Mill of the Stone Women. Adjust your belts accordingly. 4K Release Calendar 2K/BD Release Calendar 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?Posted Sun Aug 29, 2021 at 12:00 PM PDT by:
