Massive ABBOTT & COSTELLO: THE COMPLETE UNIVERSAL PICTURES COLLECTION On Blu-ray November 19 from Shout! Factory
October 1st, 2019 by Brandon Peters
This holiday season, every Universal Pictures film from the most popular comedy duo of all time comes home when Abbott and Costello: The Complete Universal Pictures Collection hits Blu-ray™ for the first time as a complete collection on November 19, 2019 from Shout! Factory. The Complete Universal Pictures Collection comes loaded with bonus features, including 10 new audio commentaries, a collectible book, and a bonus disc with more than eight hours of content. Celebrating the 80th anniversary of Abbott and Costello’s first film One Night in the Tropics, the massive 15-disc set is the ultimate tribute to two of the funniest and most enduring comedians in contemporary history.
Following last year’s well-received and highly lauded debut of the first Stanley Kubrick film on 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray with 2001: A Space Odyssey, Warner Bros is returning to the well (Or hotel) for more. Coming this year will be probably the next likely choice in his adaptation of Stephen King’s The Shining. Largely looked upon as one of the crowning achievements of not only Kubrick’s career but the entire horror genre, it is getting a brand new 4K transfer and I’m sure is going to look stunning on the format (Keep on reading to find out). Unfortunately, no new extras have been commissioned for this release. BUT, as I’ve become accustomed to, the important thing is just getting the film itself upgraded. And in all honesty, the DVD and Blu-ray formats have already put out much of what we would want already in these films for bonus features (Though, I don’t think a couple more on The Shining would hurt, wink wink). You can return to the Overlook on 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray on October 1st.
The incredible success Steven Spielberg had in the late 70s and 80s was in a word: unprecedented. Only his pal George Lucas could claim similar blockbuster status in the same era. Beyond Spielberg’s great achievements in directing, he also had a knack for spotting budding talent to take on more ideas that would feel “Spielbergian.” After the release of the biggest domestic film of all time, E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial, Spielberg produced many 80s hits like Poltergeist, Back to the Future and Who Framed Roger Rabbit? Smack dab in the middle of the Reagan era is Joe Dante’s 1984 horror-comedy hybrid Gremlins. Fans of the tiny creatures that ought never to be fed at night can scream, “Bright light!” as they should order this new 4K package set for release on October 1. As someone old enough to have seen this on the big screen, I can attest this is the best Gizmo’s adventure has ever looked. But first, the film itself….
Well, score Annabelle. The spin-off has passed its man series The Conjuring now in installments with her third. This gives us an Annabelle Trilogy now. This one was released at a time this past summer that was all about dolls/toys come to life and affecting the lives of youths in certain ways (The Child’s Play remake and Toy Story 4 were released the week before). She did her normal success at the box office (Though on a slight down click). Now Annabelle Comes Home can come to your home on October 8th on Blu-ray. A shame these shadows and fog type movies aren’t taking advantage of the 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray technology and HDR/Dolby Vision because they would look quite stunning I’d imagine. Anyway, the film is available for pre-order now and you are more than welcome to use the Amazon link below to get yourself a copy delivered to you on the day of release.
Warner Archive Collection’s September releases includes the Peter O’Toole film My Favorite Year. The film is inspired by real life instances that happened to the one and only Mel Brooks while writing for Sid Caesar. The film also stars Suspiria icon Jessica Harper and was the feature film directorial debut for actor Richard Benjamin. There are many characters and such based upon real life Hollywood personalities. The film is a pretty popular one, receiving a pretty warm reception when announced finally to be put out onto the Blu-ray format on September 17th. Its available now, which you can secure yourself a copy of this little classic by using the Amazon link that follows the review and also helps this website out a little here and there.
The first time I attempted to watch the 6-minute trailer for DC Universe’s Doom Patrol I lasted about two minutes before turning it off.
Warner Archive Collection’s September slate includes a Robert Wise film, The Set-Up. The film is found to be very influential for many director’s to follow. The Set-Up comes out swinging as one of the great films about the so-called sweet science. Robert Wise directs, shaping real-time events into an acclaimed and unsparing film-noir look at the stale-air venues, bloodthirsty fans, ring savagery and delusional dreams of boxing’s palooka world. Robert Ryan embraces perhaps his fi nest screen hour as Stoker. Audrey Totter, an icon of the noir genre like Ryan, plays Stoker’s steadfast wife. In a sport that would take their last flicker of dignity, the Thompsons are reclaiming theirs. The film was released on September 17th, and you can pre-order using the link below.
One of Guillermo del Toro’s many masterpieces, Pan’s Labyrinth, is wandering on over to 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray on October 1st. For us collector’s, this is a fun problem to have. It feels like yesterday that we just traded it in for the upgraded Criterion Collection edition of the film. Now it feels we are going to bump up the presentation quality but sacrifice some extras. Though, I’m A-okay with holding onto both as the solution, though for some fellow fans, it might not be that simple. Nonetheless, this is an exciting new release from Warner Bros and we can only hope that more surprises like this one are around the corner as 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray continues to be a curious place where not everything is going to be expectedly hitting the format (Midsommar-damnit Lionsgate!). Speak with your wallet, merely based on the title not whether the edition is nit picky perfect or not, and that’s really all we are able to do. Anyway, pre-order this one through the link available below.
It’s been a week since I’ve had a chance to digest All the Feels, the latest release from Fitz and the Tantrums, which is the band’s fourth studio album. I’ve been a mild fan of them for the better part of five years now and finally got to see them live this past summer when I definitely got the Fitz fever. Without question, they put on one of my favorite performances I have had the privilege to experience in person. Their energy is infectious, but does this latest recording bring that same positive punch?
The fear goes deeper in this thrilling, must-see underwater sequel when 47 Meters Down: Uncaged arrives on Digital 4K Ultra HD October 29 and on Blu-ray Combo Pack (plus DVD and Digital), DVD, and On Demand November 12 from global content leader Lionsgate (NYSE: LGF.A, LGF.B). Starring Sophie Nélisse (The Great Gilly Hopkins), Corinne Foxx (TV’s “Beat Shazam”), Brianne Tju (TV’s “Light as a Feather,” “iZombie”), Sistine Rose Stallone (TV’s “Entertainment Tonight”), Khylin Rhambo (TV’s “Teen Wolf,” Ender’s Game), Nia Long (TV’s “Empire,” Are We There Yet?), Brec Bassinger (TV’s “Bella and the Bulldogs”), and John Corbett (The Silence), the terrifying, claustrophobic film has everything you could want from a killer shark movie.
“Every Family Has A Secret…” Bring home After The Wedding on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital November 12th, 2019! Michelle Williams, Julianne Moore and Billy Crudup head a dazzling cast as pasts are brought present, and new discoveries emerge. Discover the secret and more in this stylish and entertaining drama from Sony Pictures Classics!
The Peanut Butter Falcon arrives on Digital November 5 and on Blu-ray (plus Digital), DVD and On Demand November 12 from Lionsgate. The Rotten Tomatoes Certified Fresh™ film, about a young man with Down syndrome who dreams of becoming a professional wrestler, also stars Oscar® nominee John Hawkes (2010, Best Supporting Actor, Winter’s Bone), Zack Gottsagen (Bulletproof), Oscar® nominee and Emmy® winner Thomas Haden Church (2004, Best Supporting Actor, Sideways), and Oscar® nominee Bruce Dern (2013, Best Actor, Nebraska.)
Get ready to be absolutely terrified when Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark arrives on Digital October 22 and on 4K Ultra HD™ Combo Pack (plus Blu-ray and Digital), Blu-ray Combo Pack (plus DVD and Digital), DVD, and On Demand November 5 from global content leader Lionsgate (NYSE: LGF.A, LGF.B). The highly anticipated film adaptation of the iconic book series brings the thrills and chills of some of Alvin Schwartz’s scariest stories to life. Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark is produced by Academy Award® winner Guillermo del Toro (2017, The Shape of Water, Best Director), with screen story by Guillermo Del Toro and Patrick Melton & Marcus Dunstan, written for the screen by Dan Hageman & Kevin Hageman, and directed by André Øvredal (The Autopsy of Jane Doe, Trollhunter). The film stars Zoe Margaret Colletti (Annie, Wildlife, “Rubicon”), Michael Garza (The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1, “Wayward Pines,” “Timeless”), Dean Norris (“Breaking Bad,” “Claws,” “Scandal”), Lorraine Toussaint (Selma, “Into the Badlands,” “Orange is the New Black”), Austin Zajur (Fist Fight, “Wonder Pets!,” “Kidding”), and Natalie Ganzhorn (“The Stanley Dynamic,” “Make it Pop”). 
Power Of Grayskull: The Definitive History Of He-Man And The Masters Of The Universe (Now that’s a lengthy title if I’ve ever seen one), calls to be THE documentary of the one who shouts “I have the power!” Netflix has a fantastic series called The Toys That Made US (FANTASTIC series, especially if you were an 80s kid) which spent an episode focusing on He-Man. Being the prime audiences for that product then and now (With retrospectives), I was immediately intrigued and wanted to see what could be done with an even deeper dive. Which now brings us to Power of Grayskull: TDHOH-MATMOTU for…short? Its arrived on DVD September 3rd from High Octane, which we will now be checking out. Its purely the documentary (With 2 audios) on the disc, so very much in it to win it with the content.
Shaft made his big return to cinemas this summer, but not with much fanfare as when he did back in the summer of 2000. The Tim Story film just cleared over $20 million in box office receipts along with poor reviews from critics (Audiences metrics showed they loved it, though). Many countries only received the film as a Netflix movie though. They should have capitalized on it shortly after the 2000 entry (Which is a pretty damn good film, go seek it out) and made at least 4 of them with Samuel L. Jackson. But, here we are, with him FINALLY reprising his role 19 years later, along with bringing back the original Shaft again for good measure. Kudos to keeping the universe alive and not fully rebooting it in today’s climate. Anyway, the film will be arriving on Blu-ray September 24th, so maybe it’ll find life then and Shaft could return to us in some way, shape or form (He’s no stranger to TV, remember).
Yesterday was a film I went into viewing with a very vague familiarity for the storyline. I knew it was something of a “what-if” story and involved the marvelous music of The Beatles. Leaving my knowledge at that, it doesn’t sound like much. I am very glad that I hadn’t been given too much of the storyline before viewing, as Yesterday proved to be my kind of movie to a T! Comedy, music, mild romance, and really engaging performances proved to be just the right medicine for me this past weekend. Below, I go in-depth on Yesterday which is hitting shelves September 24th!
