Elvis (4K UHD Blu-ray Review)
September 14th, 2022 by Brandon Peters
One of the summer’s bigger success stories with no tie to some IP franchise was that of Baz Luhrmann’s return with ELVIS. The film finished the big money season just outside the top 5 at #6, which looks pretty impressive as it clocked ahead of stuff like Lightyear. It may have some Oscar aspirations with the successful run when next year rolls around. But for now, you can pick it up on home video on the 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray format. Elvis was released on September 13th and comes with an Atmos track as well as a slew of extras to dig into after the film finishes. You may order yourself a copy by using the paid Amazon Associates link that follows this review at the bottom of the page.
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Taking the summer 2022 movie season by storm, the world came together to watch the trip of a lifetime as Mrs. Harris Goes To Paris. Dr. Strange can go to the Multiverse, Tom Cruise to the Danger Zone, but the true thrills came from Harris taking on Paris. Kidding aside, the delightful dramedy (it REALLY is, check it out!) arrived on Blu-ray on September 6th. The release comes with a redeemable digital code. Special features on it include deleted and extended scenes as well as the all important gag reel. You can order yourself a copy at a really good price currently, by using the paid Amazon Associates link that follows the review.
Pixar finally returned to theaters after taking a mostly Covid-related “direct to streaming on Disney+” hiatus with Lightyear, the sort of offshoot origin story for one of the lead Toy Story characters. And it didn’t really set the box office aflame, being one of the more big name disappointments that came around. Its been on Disney+ for a bit now, but you can own it on the best format available when it arrives on 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray with a Dolby Atmos track and a slew of extras to make for a nice, full experience. You can pre-order yourself a copy to own when it hits shelves on September 13, by using the paid Amazon Associates link the follows the review at the bottom of the page.
As promise almost exactly a year ago, Paramount Home Entertainment will be releasing the long awaited and desired Director’s Edition of Star Trek: The Motion Picture. For the better part of the first half of the year, this version has been a Paramount+ exclusive. Now, the film will be getting its home video release on 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray. Complete with a Dolby Atmos track and array of new bonus features (Including a very introspective documentary on this cut), it will be available on September 6th. This is even different that the DVD version of this from 2001 as it had to have the effects redone as well as the sound. An extensive remastering and perhaps final version of the film is one to have in the collection and you can do so by using the paid Amazon Associates link that follows the review.
Jurassic World: Dominion sees a conclusion to the Jurassic World series as well as a capper on the Jurassic Park movies as a whole (til someone makes more). Bringing the original cast into the fold to meet the new characters led by Bryce Dallas Howard and Chris Pratt, the film was one of the biggest of the summer and just about nabbed a billion dollars worldwide. Universal put it on 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray, standard Blu-ray and DVD back on August 16th. The film comes with a DTS:X track and extras that include the short prequel film to Dominion, a visual effects featurette and a decent length Making Of doc. You can order yourself a copy of the movie by using the paid Amazon Associates link that follows the review.
For September, Warner Archive Collection will be welcoming Rachel, Rachel to Blu-ray. It feels like its cashing in on the recent documentary series, The Last Movie Stars. Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward joined their stellar talents on this powerfully human movie, he debuting as director, and she gives one of her hallmark screen performances. Both won New York Film Critics and Golden Globe awards for their work, and the film garnered four Academy Award nominations including Best Picture. The Newmans teamed afterward on other masterful films, but for tenderness, insight, and artistry, none surpassed Rachel, Rachel. You can pre-order the brand new Blu-ray of the film by using the paid Amazon Associates link that follows the review. The release date is September 6th.
Back in March, Shout! Factory released 2021’s Mamoru Hosoda film Belle to Blu-ray for the very first time. That release was a pretty fine one, with lots of nice, lengthy and in-depth bonus features. However, on August 30th, they are already going for a pretty nifty upgrade on the title by debuting it on the 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray format. Aside from the uptick in image transfer and presentation, you’ll also be getting a Dolby Atmos track (Both for the original Japanese language track and the English dub). There are some more featurettes that will be in tow as it has an extra bonus disc. Its also getting put in some special packaging that’ll carry some other physical goody collector items to round out the “Collector’s Edition”. You can pre-order it on the Shout! Factory website or by using the paid Amazon Associates link that follows the review.
Scream Factory took a stab at a Collector’s Edition of Neil Marshall’s Dog Soldiers seven years ago and are back to upgrade it with a 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray version. Armed with a new transfer and bonus features, this is bringing in a similar disc to the Second Sight 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray coming out in the United Kingdom at the very same time. Arriving the day after that one on August 23rd. This has the new transfer from the original camera negative that was approved by Neil Marshall himself and the director of photography. Marshall sits down for a career retrospective and we get some historical context type interviews/essays for the other new bonus features. You can order yourself a copy of this new Dog Soldiers – Collector’s Edition by using the paid Amazon Associates link that will be there when you scroll to the bottom of this review.
One of summer’s most profitable movies this year has been Scott Derrickson’s return to original horror with The Black Phone. Reuniting with Ethan Hawke and C. Robert Cargill, Derrickson tells a tale of child abduction with supernatural zest set upon the late 1970s. The biggest bummer about it coming out on home video now is that its going the path of standard Blu-ray and no 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray release. Unless you’re Michael Myers, it appears Blumhouse is going to continue the straight to Blu-ray and maybe later a 4K (Get Out) release down the road a little later. This Blu-ray does come with plenty of supplemental material as well as a digital copy and that always highly coveted DVD disc. The Black Phone arrives on August 16th, and you can pre-order yourself a copy to own by using the paid Amazon Associates link below the review.
A staple of the Lionsgate home video catalog has been Dirty Dancing releases. Though it be DVD, Blu-ray or 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray, this is one of the titles they’ll repackage discs countlessly. Last year, it debuted on 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray in a limited edition steelbook, exclusive to Best Buy. Well, now it will be consumable for the masses on the optimal format. On August 23rd, you’ll be able to purchase the film’s 35th Anniversary Edition in a standard amaray case with a slipcover featuring some new key art. All the bonus features, menu art and yada yada remain the same as the one that came out on its 34th anniversary. If you missed out or didn’t know about that one, well, here we are with the regular bells and whistles version. You can pre-order yourself a copy of this edition by using the the paid Amazon Associates link after the review.
Scream Factory has been on a mission to update previous Collector’s Edition Blu-rays that rocked our world many moons ago onto the 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray format. It makes for a perfect time to upgrade and also to revisit some of these that maybe haven’t been picked up since they had last come out. Going back through the films and the extras and brushing back up on things is quite fun. Case in point, Paul Schrader’s Cat People is back from them with a brand new 4K transfer and all of its lovely extras back in tow. It’ll be here to own on August 30th. You can pre-order using the Shout! Factory website or by clicking on the paid Amazon Associate’s link that follows the review at the bottom of the page.
Early on into the 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray era, there was a Director’s Definitive Edition release of Michael Mann’s Heat onto standard Blu-ray that everyone picked up anyway but was baffled why an upper echelon title didn’t just hit up the new format with a new edition that had a 4K restoration. Well, after 5 years of waiting, we are finally getting that 4K release of that version of the film. Heat’s debut on 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ay will be a 3-disc set that carries over that standard Blu-ray edition with all the goods. There aren’t any new features exclusive to this one (which isn’t necessary). The release is set to arrive on August 9th. You can get yourself a copy by easily scrolling down to the end of this review and clicking on the paid Amazon Associates link that follows.
Child’s Play 3 caps off the original run of films that would actually follow that title moniker. From here on out, everything would just be labeled “of Chucky” with the TV show merely called Chucky. This film isn’t the most popular of the bunch, but there’s a nostalgic good in its fit into the series and it still delivers many of the goods that you enjoy in the first two films. Scream Factory is giving it all the love you could want though with a brand new Collector’s Edition and bumping the film to 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray. Available on August 16th, this new edition contains a load of brand new interviews, including Perrey Reeves, scenes from the television cut and two commentary tracks. You can order yourself a copy by using the paid Amazon Associates link that follows the review at the bottom.
Scream Factory has your horror August jackpot in the form of bringing the first 3 Child’s Play films to 4K Ultra-HD for the first time. Child’s Play 2 has largely been one of the most popular entries, many preferring it to the original even. One thing it hasn’t had before is some love on the home video front. For the first time, we are getting a Collector’s Edition treatment to the film in the form of commentary, interviews and deleted scenes. It’s long been overdue for the movie and will be available for you to have on August 16th. You can order yourself a copy by using the paid Amazon Associate’s link following the review. Also available that same day are the original film and Child’s Play 3 on 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray for the first time as well.
Paramount Presents continues to be one of the most fun and varied lines of specialty Blu-ray releases month in and month out. Case in point the throwback beach party movie from 1987, Back to the Beach, is debuting on the format in this line. Releasing August 9th, its being giving the typical Presents line packaging, but also the tradition filmmaker focus interview and a new 4K restoration just for this release. The comedy’s filmmaker focus will be none other than its director, Lyndall Hobbs. Pre-order yourself a copy to have for at or around release day by using the paid Amazon Associates link following the review.
Scream Factory got their hands on the original Child’s Play six years ago and put out a boffo Collector’s Edition of the film, finally giving it some justice in the extras department, to go with a new transfer. Now, they get to introduce Chucky to the 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray format. Rather than just coast on what they had, they’ve put in overtime! No only is there a new transfer, but they’ve remixed for Dolby Atmos and added five brand new interviews including major players like Don Mancini, Alex Vincent, Chris Sarandon and David Kirschner! Now a 3-Disc set, it will be available, along with Child’s Play 2 and Child’s Play 3 on 4K Ultra-HD on August 16th. Get yourself a pre-order in using the Shout Factory site of the paid Amazon Associates link that follows the review.
