Children Of The Damned (Blu-ray Review)
Warner Archive Collection released a sweet lot of horror titles back in October. While late to the game on reviewing them, the review copies weren’t sent out til later on. In the current climate of home video physical media distributing, there have been many a fulfilment center delay on titles each and every month. So that’s not too surprising at the end of the day. Nonetheless, still very exciting with what they chose to put out last month. My first bite on the lot is the cult classic, Children of the Damned. The film makes its debut on Blu-ray with a restored picture, lossless audio, a trailer and a commentary track. The official release date for this was October 26th, but its available to order now from the paid Amazon Associates link below.
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Likely due to the upcoming follow up/reboot series as well as the advent of HBO Max and the desire to have HD masters for the series to display on the streaming app, Sex and the City is finally finding itself a Blu-ray upgrade. Warner Bros will be releasing the entire original run of the show plus the two feature films together in one set; Sex And The City: The Complete Series + 2 Movie Collection. This is the first time the show will be on the Blu-ray format and with lossless audio. It appears the extras from the DVD editions of the show will be carried over and the discs for the theatrical release films are the exact same as was released before on Blu-ray. This deluxe package is coming at a solid time for people to revisit, catch up or check out before the new series drops or to make for a great holiday gift for that Sex and the City fan (Who also still enjoys collecting physical media). The set released on November 2nd and is available to order from the paid Amazon Associates link that follows the review.
On October 12, Sony released the Columbia Classics Collection: Volume 2. The set is a follow up to their now out of print and very well received first volume that found many legendary and important films of all types and genres from different eras featuring notable filmmakers and big star turns in the history of Columbia Pictures together on 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray for the very first time. These sets receive immaculate care in terms of restoration and come in fantastic packaging complete with a hardcover mini coffee table book with added essay and high quality photos (You can find my detailed look at the packaging by clicking 
On October 12, Sony released the Columbia Classics Collection: Volume 2. The set is a follow up to their now out of print and very well received first volume that found many legendary and important films of all types and genres from different eras featuring notable filmmakers and big star turns in the history of Columbia Pictures together on 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray for the very first time. These sets receive immaculate care in terms of restoration and come in fantastic packaging complete with a hardcover mini coffee table book with added essay and high quality photos (You can find my detailed look at the packaging by clicking 
On October 12, Sony released the Columbia Classics Collection: Volume 2. The set is a follow up to their now out of print and very well received first volume that found many legendary and important films of all types and genres from different eras featuring notable filmmakers and big star turns in the history of Columbia Pictures together on 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray for the very first time. These sets receive immaculate care in terms of restoration and come in fantastic packaging complete with a hardcover mini coffee table book with added essay and high quality photos (You can find my detailed look at the packaging by clicking 
Crazy to think this December will mark 25 years since Scream hit theaters and became a phenomenon that changed the horror genre. The upcoming fifth Scream film will have more years than between the influencer Halloween when it celebrated 20 years shortly after Scream‘s release. Paramount, the current home video rights holder, is celebrating the milestone with the 25th Anniversary Edition 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray release. A debut on the format, it showcases a new little featurette of reflection from the set of 2022’s Scream. The disc came out back on October 19th, but there have been some fulfilment issues getting this one out there, so some people have it and some don’t. Regardless, you can get your order in for this horror classic by clicking on the paid Amazon Associates link below and ordering a copy for when they are in stock.
Paramount Presents continues to be one of my favorite and more exciting little Blu-ray lines around today. And on November 2nd, they’ll be making a very exciting jump in their catalog with the 100th anniversary edition of the film The Sheik. Its an interesting piece for them to have as not only is it the oldest film to hit the Paramount Presents label, but the first silent film to be put in this lexicon. It’ll feature a meticulous new restoration accompanied by a score composed by Roger Mellon and a film historian providing a verbal essay of sorts on the history of the film. You can pre-order this gem to have on release day by using the paid Amazon Associates link that follows the review of the film below.
One of the more sad under performers at the US box office this year was James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad. Though, it did finish in the top 10 for global box office which is nice. The film was a breath of fresh air compared the that first whatever it was. Its made its way to 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray, landing on shelves October 26th. The film comes loaded with a native 4K image and Dolby Atmos track to support it. There is also a James Gunn commentary and a host of featurettes to line up some nice bonus features. You can order yourself a copy to own (You should, this movie is so weird and fun…and awesome) using the paid Amazon Associates link that follows the review. Doing so also helps out our little site, too.
While I didn’t know much about the film at all prior to seeing the trailer, the fact that a film like The Protégé was getting a big theatrical release excited me. An low key action thriller with a star that isn’t quite a household name (At one movie I saw the trailer with an audience member loudly blurted out “Who the hell is Maggie Q?”) feels like the type of “big new streaming movie of the week” for the like of a Netflix, Amazon or Hulu. Alas, the film made nary a scratch during the pandemic era box office and is making its way to the home video market where hopefully more people will see it. Lionsgate is putting it out on a pretty new 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray release that arrived back on October 19th. Order it using the paid Amazon Associates link below.
It has been rather nice to see M. Night Shyamalan come back into the fold and shake the stigma of him being a has-been filmmaker. Having some well reviewed hits will tend to do that. Moving on from his Unbreakable series, he now sets sights for where his career can now go. First stop is Old, about a magic beach that rapidly ages people. The film was a rather solid hit at the box office this past summer. This high concept horror tale arrived on 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray back on October 19th. It comes with an Atmos track and a nice collection of featurettes and deleted scenes. You can order yourself a copy of the film by using the paid Amazon Associates link that follows the review. It also helps out the site.
Finally, the OGs of cinematic horror, the Universal Classic Monsters, are seeing their time in the…moonlight…for the 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray format. The original outings of Dracula, Frankenstein’s Monsters, the Invisible Man and the Wolf Man arrived in the Icons Of Horror Collection on October 5th. Typically they’ve unleashed a bigger set for their debut, holding out on The Bride of Frankenstein, The Mummy, The Phantom of the Opera and The Creature From the Black Lagoon this time out. Hopefully they are still to come. But, the good news is Spanish Dracula snuck its way on here AND its in 4K Ultra-HD. So this set may boast 4 movies, but in reality it is 5. All previous bonus features are carried over and found on the 4K discs. If you find this review skimpy, its because I’ve covered the monsters plenty before in my writings. If you’re wanting some more detailed stuff you can find it on Why So Blu or my old blog Naptown Nerd. You can order yourself a copy of this set using the paid Amazon Associates link below.
I’m probably not at all alone in this, but I was quite surprised by Escape Room a few years back. A film based on a real life recreation that feels like the film series Saw had inspired was an odd sort of “coming full circle” bit of parody. However, the movie itself provided a lot of B-movie type fun and was an enjoyable fare. So when Escape Room: Tournament of Champions was announced, I said “Bring it on”. Especially with that ridiculous title AND that the trailer featured an equally silly title drop line in it. This next chapter in the series will be coming to Blu-ray on October 5th and features two cuts of the film. There will be a nice little array of bonus features to plop on to the disc as well. If you see yourself a champion of tournaments, and escaping rooms enthusiast, perhaps you’ll pre-order a copy of the film from the paid Amazon Associates link at the bottom of this review. Its not too hard to escape once you click.
One of the year’s finest films, The Green Knight is making its way on to the 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray format, to hopefully continue build audience on this nifty little Arthurian tale. Regardless of whether you liked it or didn’t, its certainly one of the most interesting films of 2021 to check out that got a wider, more mainstream release in the the theater. The Dev Patel film comes with an Atmos track and a nice handful of featurettes to round out the release. Lionsgate is putting out the A24 film as per usual, and you’ll be able to have it to own on October 12th. Preorder links are already live, and you are very welcome to use the paid Amazon Associates link that follows this review at the bottom of the page.
While I missed the boat on the original Space Jam, I understand the idea of trying to cash in on it again, generations later with LeBron James. Its a sort of cute and harmless little bit of nostalgia, kind of like the original was in just coming into existence. The film wound up finding itself some nice success, finishing in the top 10 global earners for the summer and had decent numbers stateside as well as its day and date streaming on HBO Max. Now the fourth quarter is here for the film’s release and its arriving on 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray. It’ll be in a combo pack with the Blu-ray version and have a digital code. Space Jam: A New Legacy will have 4 featurettes and deleted scenes to round out the bonus material. You can pre-order yourself a copy by using the paid Amazon Associates link that follows the review down below.
While we bask in the continued greatness and experience of Once Upon A Time …In Hollywood, there’s plenty of work to be done on the home video catalog for Quentin Tarantino. We don’t have much at all of it on the 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray format. We get a bit of a jump on it this month, as 2009’s Inglourious Basterds makes its way to the format. The film was considered somewhat of a big bounce back for Tarantino after Grindhouse failed to find more than a cult audience. It also introduced much of the world to the wonderful Christoph Waltz. It arrives in a combo pack and retains its bonus features while not adding anything new to the mix for this release. Nonetheless, getting a new 4K remaster of a Tarantino film from Sony is treat enough itself. You’ll be able to own it starting on October 12th and can pre-order yourself a copy by utilizing the paid Amazon Associates link that follows the review at the bottom of the page.
One of my first crushes in my life from my own memory was that of Elvira, Mistress of the Dark. As a child in the 80s, she hosted spooky movies on TV and was a spokesperson for many a beer or other kind of television commercial. Cassandra Peterson in character was the poisoned apple of my young little eye. During he pop culture apex she was given her own starring film. Oddly enough it wouldn’t be for another 13 years that she’d see her second. Elvira’s Haunted Hills. While having a couple screenings, it wound up a direct to video release. Thankfully, the folks at Scream Factory see it fit to celebrate this cult item with a brand new collector’s edition of it featuring a 4K restoration and some new bonus features. The Blu-ray lands on shelves (likely virtual shelves) on October 5th, which gives you plenty of time to order it from the paid Amazon Associates link below to have in time and watch during your spooky season cinema sessions!
The Flash resumed business as usual on the CW this past year, albeit with a later start than normal. But, that was the case for all of their shows as the pandemic caused them to halt and abruptly end their previous seasons and new Covid-conscience shooting methods took a bit more time to get things going. The Scarlet Speedster has long remained the most popular character and show since its debut as the first spinoff of Arrow and now will continue to an eighth season. Where it’s predecessor once close out on an eighth season, The Flash appears like it may continue on. Perhaps the pandemic has extended its life beyond plans. But before that season begins, you can catch up by watching the Seventh Season on Blu-ray when it arrives on October 12th. It features some deleted scenes, gag reel and featurettes. You can own it and add to your collection by using the paid Amazon Associates pre-order link that follows after the review.
One of the summer 2021 box office season’s biggest surprises was the Ryan Reynolds led Free Guy. A film which many of us were very familiar with, seeing the trailer in theaters and online for a quite a long time. That was the case with plenty of movies, but Free Guy sort of stuck out. However, it wound up being a pretty nice hit and was an original film having people wanting to got to the theater to see it. That’s a great thing. The movie being pretty good had something to do with that as well. Now it arrives on 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray from Fox via Disney and you can own it with its Atmos track and assorted bonus features on October 12th.
