‘Girl on a Chain Gang’ on Blu-ray April 19!
March 28th, 2022 by Gerard Iribe
Cinedigm announced today that The Film Detective, the classic film restoration and streaming company, in partnership with Something Weird Video, will release the exploitation classic Girl on a Chain Gang (1966) on special-edition Blu-ray and DVD, April 19. From famed shlock distributor-producer-director Jerry Gross, who made his directorial debut with Girl on a Chain Gang, a stirring feature about small-town hate. William Watson, Julie Ange and Ron Charles star in this shocker about three young people who are framed, arrested and tossed into jail by corrupt Southern police. Continue reading ‘‘Girl on a Chain Gang’ on Blu-ray April 19!’
March 24, 2022 – Eagerly anticipated by Star Trek fans for over two decades, Star Trek: The Motion Picture—The Director’s Edition will make its long-awaited debut exclusively on Paramount+ on April 5, 2022, in celebration of First Contact Day. The film will be available to stream on Paramount+ in 4K Ultra HD on supported devices and platforms. The newly restored film will subsequently arrive on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray in September from Paramount Home Entertainment. In addition, fans will have the opportunity to see the restored version of Star Trek: The Motion Picture—The Director’s Edition on the big screen for the first time when Fathom Events and Paramount Pictures bring it to theaters for an exclusive two-day event on May 22 and May 25. Tickets will go on sale Friday, April 8 at FathomEvents.com.
Paramount Pictures’ The Lost City hopes to be the kind of adventure/rom-com that would easily score at the box office during the 2000s. Times may have changed (even without a pandemic), but movie stars should still be able to open a Romancing the Stone-type film for the modern era, right? The Sandra Bullock vehicle was even originally pitched with her co-star from The Proposal, Ryan Reynolds, in mind. Mr. Deadpool certainly would have had a different kind of character than the hunky but not exactly witty one Channing Tatum plays, but the truth is it wouldn’t matter either way. Bullock has always had great chemistry with pretty much anyone: Clooney in Gravity, Kidman in Practical Magic, and the 
During the 80s and 90s, erotic thrillers were a sound investment for any major studio. Films like 9 1/2 Weeks, Fatal Attraction, Basic Instinct, and Indecent Proposal were events. All but one of those films was directed by Adrian Lyne. Hard-R, adult-skewing movies were an active part of the cultural conversation. In the past two decades, Lyne has only directed one other film, 2002’s Unfaithful, starring Diane Lane. Lyne’s particular brand of highly charged sensual kicks could be considered a relic of a bygone era if they weren’t so well made and, frankly, memorable. Still, in an age overwhelmed by audience-friendly superhero flicks, could a simple story about a jealous husband and his promiscuous spouse top the box office like the movies that made household names out of Glenn Close, Sharon Stone, and Demi Moore? We’ll never know… okay, so actually we do, and the answer is no. Lyne’s latest will be debuting this weekend exclusively on Hulu. Deep Water pairs Ben Affleck and Ana de Armas: two stars ready to raise their body heat.
Based on Agatha Christie’s beloved 1937 novel, director Kenneth Branagh and an all-star cast bring new life to one of the most popular murder mysteries of all time. Critics and audiences alike have praised the exquisite Death on the Nile for its stunning cinematography, rich storytelling and outstanding ensemble cast. Available on Digital March 29 and on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and DVD on April 5.
When it comes to new home video formats, few films and film series are as hotly anticipated to make their debut as The Godfather Trilogy. Holding off until its 50th anniversary, these brand new restorations of Francis Ford Coppola’s cinematic epic will be arriving on March 22nd. Coming to you in a fancy bells and whistles limited edition set as well as a standard one (Which honestly is in a pretty nice package), the films have been meticulously restored for 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray. They contain bonus materials, both new and old. You’ll also find three different cuts of 1990’s The Godfather, Part III, including the 1991 cut and 2020’s The Godfather Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone, which serves as the preferred version of the film according to this set. Pre-orders are already currently up and available, and you can make sure to get yourself a copy by using the paid Amazon Associates link that follows the review.
Kenneth Branagh finally brings his personal passion project to the screen. Belfast has been something Branagh has wanted to make for a time. Semi-autobiographical, the film is about a little boy growing up in a torn community, not sure where to turn, what to think is right and how to navigate life with so many sudden changes. Pair this with a Van Morrison soundtrack and passion project completed. Released on 3/8, Belfast is already available for purchase! Read more on Belfast inside and be sure to click the paid link should this film strike your fancy.
Since development as a series was announced way back in 2013, Halo has miraculously kept Steven Spielberg on board as executive producer. There was never a chance The Beard would direct but keeping the live-action version of one of the biggest video game franchises of all time at Amblin Entertainment was enough to keep yours truly hopeful. Now that the 26th-century sci-fi tale has arrived on Paramount+, home of Star Trek, is there enough streaming space in the universe for another hero who (mostly) keeps his helmet on? Time will tell, but who needs Grogu when an assault by the Covenant boasts one of the most brutal openings in television. Suit up, Master Chief, you’re gonna need a weapon. 
Directed by Brian De Palma and nominated* for four Academy Awards®, the acclaimed drama THE UNTOUCHABLES makes its 4K Ultra HD debut on May 31, 2022 from Paramount Home Entertainment. Originally released on June 3, 1987, THE UNTOUCHABLES celebrates its 35th anniversary this year and remains a must-see masterpiece featuring visionary filmmaking and exceptional performances from an outstanding cast. Robert De Niro as mob warlord Al Capone and Kevin Costner as law enforcer Eliot Ness are unforgettable in a glorious, fierce, larger-than-life depiction of good versus evil on the streets of Prohibition-era Chicago.
While we have two labels putting out Thriller: A Cruel Picture this year, Synapse Films announced and has released theirs first. Later this summer, Vinegar Syndrome will debuting the film on 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray with a different transfer and extras. Synapse Film’s Blu-ray was released on March 8th. They previously had put the film on DVD in two different editions. The DVD featuring the censored US cut They Call Her One Eye is included in this release and the extras from their 2-Disc edition are ported over here. Vinegar Syndrome’s release is going to come with a heftier price tag, so I imaging Synapse Films is putting theirs out for a more affordable option for folks or for that attractive, quick pickup at the convention booth. Nonetheless, if that’s you or you’d like to support them, you can order a copy from their site or the paid Amazon Associates link following the review.
What do you get when you pack a lot of female star power into an international spy thriller and roll it all into one? You get The 355, I guess. Simon Kinberg directs 4 leading ladies and a 5th for mysterious intrigue too. But does it delve deep into a meaningful, action-packed thriller, or does it melt into the cinematic equivalent of chocolate and mustard? Read on further down and if you feel so compelled to score a copy, a paid Amazon link will be waiting for you at the end of this review… Buckle up kids, it’s gonna get rough and tumble.
One of the biggest gaps in cult movie collecting over the years, and especially in the realm of 1980s sword and sorcery schlock is the aptly titled 1982 film The Sword and the Sorcerer. That’s getting taken care of now by none other than the folks over at Shout! Factory. And care indeed. In time for its 40th anniversary, the film is not only getting a Blu-ray release, but a 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray one to boot! Piling on is a load of brand new interviews from those like Albert Pyun, Kathleen Beller and many others. Its a heck of a release for those who have been hungering for this pre-Conan fantasy flick to have an updated release. You’ll be able to land it on March 15th. You can do so by going to Shout! Factory’s store on their website or by using the paid Amazon Associates link that follows this very review.
Nominated for four Academy Awards this year, Guillermo del Toro’s remake of the 1947’s Nightmare Alley will be coming to 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray on March 22nd. Currently playing on Hulu and HBO Max, the film was released over the Christmas holiday season last year to much acclaim abut little in the dollars. However, its been great seeing the distributors still getting these films out there and seen. And even better, still giving us the physical media option as well. Nightmare Alley will come equipped with a Dolby Atmos track as well as three little featurettes to go along with a digital code. You can see for yourself why del Toro is one of the best we have when you order it for yourself. You can do so using the paid Amazon Associates link following the review below.
At some point, in our IP driven entertainment society, it was going to be The Matrix’s turn to be resurrected for the sake of being resurrection. Thankfully, it was resuscitated from the breath of the maker. Arriving day and date in theaters and HBO Max, The Matrix Resurrections was unleashed with plenty of people having plenty of opinions on it. Truly divisive, it brought some interesting conversations regarding it. At the end of the day, that’s better than boring and safe, even if some of my best colleagues/friends and I are on polar opposite ends of the spectrum on it. Warner Bros brought it to 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray on March 8, complete with an Atmos track and a handful of featurettes featuring interviews with the cast and crew of the film. Where’d you side with the film? Are you going to be picking this up or are you #NotMyMatrix? If you’re of the former, you can use the paid Amazon Associates link that follows the review to land your copy if you’d be so kind.
