X (Blu-ray Review)
Ever since I caught House of the Devil and it greatly impressed me and refreshed my love of horror, Ti West has had somewhat of a lifetime pass for me from that. And thus, I’ve generally enjoyed pretty much every original film he’s put out when he’s able to cut one. X was his latest, and it really had a terrific trailer and wound up managing to garner lots of curiosity and actually deliver on it. Lionsgate has forgone a 4K release on X, which is a shame. But, it is an A24 title, so perhaps like Midsommar before it, we’ll see a more deluxe limited edition for the film later on in the year for the 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray format (And maybe the Pearl trailer will be back, too?). But for now, you can secure yourself a copy of X, which was released on May 24th, by utilizing the paid Amazon Associates link that follows the review at the bottom.
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Cloak & Dagger is often overlooked when it comes to 80’s child-centric cinema. An espionage thriller for kids that isn’t silly or over the top? How you say? Very well in fact. I was able to sit down with Vinegar Syndrome’s exceptional new 4K Collector’s Edition and take the kid friendly Hitchcockian thriller in. What a pleasant surprise! Read more on director Richard Franklin’s Cloak & Dagger below and be sure to visit vinegarsyndrome.com starting July 1st, 2022 to grab a copy of this unexpected, excellent release.
The Contractor asks a few age-old cinema questions. How does one provide for their family when their livelihood is cut down? How do you do a job you’re not so sure of without first thinking of the consequences of your actions in said job? What will your family think knowing what you do is “less than legal?” Does Chris Pine find those answers in his latest action thriller? Will you, the viewer, be on the edge of your seat or on the edge of pushing the “stop” button? Find these answers and more in our coverage of The Contractor below. Hitting home media on June 7th, The Contractor may be up your alley! Be sure to click the paid Amazon link at the end to grab a copy for yourself!
Grease 2 really couldn’t stand a chance. Despite charismatic performances from Michelle Pfeiffer and Maxwell Caulfield and a bevy of character actors (The ones you’d call “that guy/girl from…” but not by name…), the film suffers from the inevitable sequel tropes. But revisiting this for a 40thanniversary Blu-ray may make you wanna go “back (back) back to school again!” Coming home in steelbook form, Grease 2 begs to be revisited. Read all the details below and don’t forget to click the paid Amazon link to get yourself a copy, cool rider!
You gotta love it as a maestro’s catalog continues to upgrade through to whatever the most up to date format there is for home video. Brian De Palma is slowly but surely upgrading. Milestones help to bump things up to the top, as his film The Untouchables will join Mission: Impossible, Carlito’s Way and Scarface on the format. This notable classic gangster film is the one that nabbed screen legend Sean Connery his Oscar and turned his career around for its third act. You’ll be able to pick this 35th Anniversary Edition up in both a regular and steelbook packaging. All the legacy extras have been carried over and a digital copy is included (No standard Blu-ray disc is included). The Untouchables will grace the shelves (Likely physical and virtual) when it arrives on May 31st. You can pre-order yourself a copy of this bonafide classic by using the paid Amazon Associates link that follows the review.
Its a weird place to be where I don’t really NEED any more Batman, but I’m never going to turn down the opportunity for more Batman either. April finally saw the launch of the latest cinematic iteration of the caped crusader with Robert Pattinson in the role. Director Matt Reeves’ The Batman launched to big time accolades, citing it as the best Batman movie ever as well as audiences embracing it to a good chunk of change at the box office. Warner Bros has already put it out in the digital sphere, with rental and HBO MAX streaming now available, but does us collector’s a favor with a rather nicely packaged 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray release for “eternal” at home consumption. The Batman was release on May 24th and you can order yourself a copy by clicking on the paid Amazon Associates link that follows this very review.
Deemed the debut Paramount+ Original film, Infinite seemed to originally be a movie that had a planned theatrical release. Pandemic notwithstanding, the film came and went on the service, leading me to believe Infinite to possibly be inferior. Read more on the film below, and at the end, be sure to click the paid link to secure your copy of Infinite at a great price!
Warner Archive Collection’s May output contains a pretty interesting release that feels surprisingly not in the Blu-ray catalog already despite such big names attached to it. Directed by Victor Fleming seems pretty notable enough. The fact that its his follow up to Gone With The Wind another. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde boasts the cast of Spencer Tracy, Ingrid Bergman and Lana Turner. All of them playing against type. Two of them probably would be enough to push the needle. Nonetheless, its arriving on the format for the first time on May 17th. The disc features a new HD restoration from the best surviving elements and the original trailer comes with it. You can pre-order yourself a copy using the paid Amazon Associate’s link that follows the review.
Akeem and Semmi returning to America was a dream a lot of Coming to America fans dreamed of. From 1988 on, the original film became a cultural icon, showing a sweeter side of Eddie Murphy, and opening up the door for Murphy to become a multiple character innovator in many films to follow. So, how does this film stack up to the original? Do we want to run back to Zamunda, or stampede away in disappointment. More on that below, of course, and be sure to click the paid link at the end, for a surprisingly affordable pick up!
Paramount has had an interesting roll out here of the Beverly Hills Cop movies on the 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray format. About two and half years ago they rolled out the 3-Movie Collection with 4K restorations, but on standard Blu-ray. That following December, the original came out standalone on 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray alongside a Coming To America 4K release, a remastered Trading Places on standard Blu-ray and the standard Blu-ray debut of The Golden Child. Now, a year and a half later, here’s Beverly Hills Cop II for its 35th Anniversary which has been ready to go for over 2 years now. The hold up certainly wasn’t new bonus materials, but its nice to finally have it here. Will anyone clamor for 3 now? Perhaps an update on the trilogy set in 4K can squeeze that one out. Beverly Hills Cop II: 35th Anniversary Edition arrives on 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray on May 17th. You can pre-order it by using the paid Amazon Associates link after the review.
Candyman took its sweet time coming to Blu-ray in the United Stats. The 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray debut on the other hand? Its coming sort of on the heels of the Collector’s Edition Scream Factory put out a few years ago. And they aren’t slouching with this double dip. A new transfer, and upgraded to Atmos audio track and a new interview filter in to the already stacked bonus features being ported over from the previous release. You can order yourself a copy using the paid Amazon Associates link that follows the review. Candyman, the 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray Collectors Edition from Scream Factory, will be hitting stores on May 24th.
When it was released 25 year ago, Trekkies was somewhat of a revelation and a look into a fan culture like you’ve never seen before. Things you’d only heard about “nerds” actually had bigger and better stories than you could’ve possibly imagined. Flash forward, their interests and convention lifestyle has now become the norm, though this film remains a time capsule and to see how far fandom and events have come. One might be more fond of a more genuine time when things felt like you were coming together for something special with a group of people you didn’t have in your regular life as opposed to just being sold things off the shelves. Shout Factory is celebrating the film at 25 years with its first Blu-ray release that has a 4K transfer, lossless audio and a new featurette with Denise Crosby and Roger Nygard looking back on it. It comes out on May 24th, but you can pre-order yourself a copy using the paid Amazon Associates link following the review.
One of the greatest all time Westerns from one of the greatest all time visionaries of the genre, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance is coming to 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray. Not only that, it’ll mark the first 4K with the Paramount Presents label (Though, Almost Famous could be argued, it didn’t have that packaging). It’s a combo pack with a standard Blu-ray disc housing the extras and comes with a brand new Filmmaker Focus featurette that welcome back Leonard Maltin who is a regular on these. The film will hit stores (well, most likely those being just online ones) on May 17th. You can order yourself a copy for your collection by using the paid Amazon Associates link that follows the review.
“American Flyers,” Rex Reed wrote, “is a fine mixture of romance, humor, and tears with action sequences among the most exciting ever captured on film. It’s guaranteed to increase the viewer’s adrenalin.” Two-time Academy Award® winner Kevin Costner and David Marshall Grant star in the film written by Breaking Away Oscar® winner Steve Tesich and directed by John Badham (Saturday Night Fever), American Flyers is a dazzling, spirit-soaring spectacle. Warner Archive Collection is brought it to Blu-ray for the very first time on April 12th. It includes the film’s trailer as a bonus feature. You can order the film now by using the paid Amazon Associates link that follows the review at the bottom.
