Seven Samurai – The Criterion Collection (4K UHD Blu-ray Review)
Like Godzilla, the other Criterion Collection film recently released on 4K UHD, Seven Samurai also turns 70 this year. It’s been treated to a full-on 4K restoration that was toured worldwide in theaters. Often regarded as the “Best Japanese Film of All Time” and one of the greatest and most influential films in cinema history, Akira Kurosawa’s epic samurai action classic is easily one of my favorite films. Whether it’s the story, the characters, the action, the grand sweeping nature of the film, or just the excitement and fun that comes with this story, it is satisfying in pretty much any way I look at it, along with being as essential as plenty of other classics, be it Citizen Kane, The Battle of Algiers, or 2001: A Space Odyssey. Now presented with a new restoration, the film looks better than ever at home, with the continued presence of the terrific extras that have accompanied previous releases.
–
Continue reading ‘Seven Samurai – The Criterion Collection (4K UHD Blu-ray Review)’
The 80’s were an influential time for horror films, especially the slasher subgenre. Between 1978’s Halloween through to the 90’s there was an unending slew of films showing doomed teenagers losing their lives over the course of a creepy night. Few were original, but some were truly unique. Does unique mean good you ask? Not typically, but that doesn’t mean those unique slashers don’t have a place in horror fans’ hearts. Silent Night, Deadly Night is a very unique slasher itself. Debuting 40 years ago, the film was once the stuff of controversy based on the marketing of the film. Read on about the film, it’s legacy and this new Collector’s Edition from Shout Studios/Scream Factory!
Time has flown by when you are looking at the 10th Anniversary edition of Interstellar. The ahead-of-its-time Christopher Nolan masterpiece has been on 4K Blu-ray since 2017. Using the same 4K and Blu-ray discs and adding a new piece to the legacy bonus features Blu-ray and giving collectors a beautiful piece of collectible is the name of the game with this release. Read more on the new set and read Brian White’s exceptional legacy review inside!
The Alien franchise has gone through many phases. 1979’s Alien remains the ultimate in sci-fi and horror. 1986’s Aliens epitomizes the mixture of sci-fi and action. 1992’s Alien3 fuses all three genres. There are also inferior sequels, and some prequels that depending on who you talk to are either great or terrible. When Alien: Romulus was announced it was originally slated for a Hulu release. Seeing the potential and the enthusiastic early response, Disney called a great shot, and the film got a theatrical release. The film was a well-received hit, ushering in a melding of old-school Alien fans and newcomers just learning about the previous films. So, where on the Alien-O-Meter does Alien: Romulus sit? Find out more in the review but watch out for flying facehuggers.
Media fandom is something sacred to the people who revel in it. Trekkies, Star Wars Nerds, Twi-hards… There’s something about fandom that has spread much further than the niche conventions that once were. Way back in 1999, Galaxy Quest touched on the idea of fandom with an accurate portrayal that wasn’t all parody. Its genuine representation of media fandom has made the film a bit of a cult hit. It would seem that many Trekkies saw themselves in the early and climactic convention-based scenes. So, after 25 years, how does Galaxy Quest hold up? Find out more while I figure out if there is such a fandom for Galaxy Quest now!
For lack of a better word, families are a trip. Children feel like their siblings are favored over them. Mothers feel envious of a son’s bonding with their father. Daughters resent mothers for their inherent similarities. Fathers want their sons to follow in their footsteps in exacting ways. A trip, right? In Albert Brooks’ Mother, we use an experiment to find out just how deep those “mommy issues” can get. The Criterion Collection released Mother along with Real Life, and with my own recent pickup of the film, I felt compelled to write about it! Read more below and see if you can relate to Albert Brooks’ John Henderson.
Home invasion/stalker films will always put me on edge. The horror ones, such as Halloween that involve serial killers will always have me shouting at the screen. Thrillers like Panic Room are tense wonderful exercises in testing my blood pressure. I love these types of films. Mike Flanagan’s Hush sits somewhere in between horror and thriller and did nothing to calm my nerves while I watched it. So where does the film sit in my critical view? Find out more about the film and Shout Studios/Scream Factory’s 4-Disc collector’s edition 4K UHD Blu-ray below!
When I see or hear about action films about assassins, I feel like they’re either going to go the way of the dark such as something like John Wick or we will get a film in the style of the silliest of Guy Ritchie films. A kindred spirit film to Kill Bill perhaps? I like the subgenre, but there’s always that one or the other feeling. The Killer’s Game is the latest assassin action flick to hit cinemas and now, very quickly, 4K UHD Blu-ray. Another of Lionsgate’s not so successful films of 2024, The Killer’s Game came with no fanfare when it was released to theaters barely 2 months ago. Did the film deserve more than it got? Find out below, and don’t forget to watch out for stalking assassins!
Over my 5 years at whysoblu.com, you may have read about my love for legendary filmmaker Alfred Hitchcock. Vertigo is in my Letterboxd top 4 and has a special place in my heart as one of the first films I ever watched to the point of analyzing it. Among others include the usual suspects for the incredible auteur: Rear Window, The Birds, Notorious, Rebecca, Strangers on a Train and so many others. And then there’s North By Northwest. A genre-hopping masterpiece, the film takes the viewer on an unexpectedly funny adventure that truly has kept people on their toes for 65 years. Celebrating that milestone this year and finally arriving on 4K UHD Blu-ray, read on to find out how the classic film fares on the best physical format!
It’s hard for me to imagine a cinematic world without The Terminator. The iconic cyborg tale turns 40 years old this year, and astonishingly, we are only 5 years away from the 2029 that he travelled from. I also hold The Terminator in high regard that the first film was one of the things that terrified me as a child, but also its incredible sequel, T2, is the first R-rated movie I was allowed to see, at age 5. Read more on the timeless and timely classic below. I’ll also include some related links to the Terminator universe that we’ve shared here over the years!
In 1994, The Crow was officially released following the shocking and tragic on-set shooting and death of Brandon Lee. Filming continued with doubles and the film was dedicated to Lee’s memory. The film became an iconic independent film that spawned some direct-to-video sequels and a soundtrack of Industrial Rock that pleased fans of the genre. This reboot of The Crow began its creative stages way back in 2008. I say that because we will revisit that tidbit later in our review. So read on for more about this new telling of The Crow and be on the lookout for more on the film and it’s 1994 counterpart too!
M. Night Shyamalan has attempted since his earlier films to create stories that we haven’t seen before.Even if the premise is like something we’ve seen, the film is almost always unique. This includes films that aren’t necessarily that great, and some really incredible films. Where does Trap lie in his filmography? How unique is the setup of a serial killer seeking escape in the middle of a huge concert? Find out now, and don’t forget to check out recent reviews for 
After The Sixth Sense, I believe that Signs may be M. Night Shyamalan’s biggest success to date. The creepy aliens-on-earth story struck similar emotional chords at The Sixth Sense did and gave Mel Gibson and Joaquin Phoenix some excellent moments of acting. Now the film is 22 years old, so I wonder – Does the film have the same impact that it did in 2002? Read more about Signs in the review and in case you missed it, check out our review of The Sixth Sense 
The first film released in VistaVision and a HUGE spectacle in 1954, White Christmas is undoubtedly a staple in many film fans’ holiday viewing queue. For me, White Christmas started as the movie my mother would show us to make us nod off on Christmas Eve and now is the one I can’t wait to watch as soon as Thanksgiving ends. Now celebrating 70 years, the film has made its way to 4K UHD thanks to Paramount Home Entertainment. Read more on my love of the film below as well as the excellent 4K presentation too!
By no means am I a video game afficionado. I can honestly say the last game I played was Grand Theft Auto: Vice City on a PSII that I HAD to have. I had other games, but I only ever played this one. I wasn’t very good at the game and my attention span for gaming had never been the best. Despite my distaste for gaming, I still am easily aware of video games and Borderlands is a series of games that I know of. Don’t ask me anything about it though, but the title, I know for sure! All kidding aside, I was intrigued when Eli Roth’s film adaptation was announced. With a huge cast of recognizable talent and what seemed like a nice sized budget to make something big and fun for the spring, I was immediately ensconced when I saw the negative press and the abysmal box office returns. Read more about the film below and what happens to be a reference grade 4K Blu-ray!
