‘Escape Room’ Sequel Delivers More Thrilling Danger Rooms (Movie Review)
July 14th, 2021 by Peter Paras
As Sony’s follow-up to 2019’s surprise hit, Escape Room: Tournament of Champions is more of the same, but I’m certainly not complaining. Returning players, along with some new faces, will need to be lightning-fast problem solvers, or else they might get zapped, buried alive, or worse. The stakes are higher, and the rooms are way bigger. Post-pandemic, most of the best movies I’ve returned to theaters for have been of the horror/thriller variety and with good reason. We might be sitting a few seats away from each other, but all those shrieks and chuckles make for a collective good time at the local multiplex. So let’s find the next clue and jump in.
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Experience the cinematic event, where the streets are made of music and little dreams become big, when “In the Heights” arrives for Premium Digital Ownership at home on July 30. The film is directed by Jon M. Chu (“Crazy Rich Asians”) and fuses Lin-Manuel Miranda’s (Broadway’s “Hamilton”) kinetic music and lyrics, starring Anthony Ramos (“A Star is Born,” Broadway’s “Hamilton”) and Corey Hawkins (“Straight Outta Compton,” “BlacKkKlansman”). The film will also be available on 4K, Blu-ray and DVD beginning on August 31.
Hailed by critics and audiences alike and Certified Fresh by Rotten Tomatoes®, John Krasinski’s “exhilarating” (Sean O’Connell, Cinemablend), and “nerve-shredding” (Tim Grierson, Screen International) thriller A QUIET PLACE: PART II debuts on Digital July 13, 2021 and on 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack, Blu-ray and DVD July 27 from Paramount Home Entertainment. Plus, fans can experience the whole Abbott family saga with the 2-Movie Collection, available to buy exclusively on Digital or Blu-ray with bonus content on both films.*
Just in time to commemorate the 55th anniversary of the September 8, 1966 airing of the very first Star Trek episode, Paramount Home Entertainment and CBS Home Entertainment will debut the following new releases for every fan’s collection on September 7, 2021.
July’s contribution to the Paramount Presents line is kind of a beautiful two-fer. One is a film that had a prior release with a subpart transfer and the other has never been on Blu-ray before. And together, they both make and complete a series of film. Walter Hill’s 48 Hrs and Another 48 Hrs starring Nick Nolte and Eddie Murphy will be getting the fancy editions featuring new interviews with Walter Hill. Both are getting brand new 4K restorations as well. This early edition of what would become the buddy cop genre will be landing on shelves (maybe?) on July 6th. This review will cover the sequel, Another 48 Hrs. You can pre-order using the paid Amazon Associates link below to land yourself a copy of this new Blu-ray if you so please. 
July’s contribution to the Paramount Presents line is kind of a beautiful two-fer. One is a film that had a prior release with a subpart transfer and the other has never been on Blu-ray before. And together, they both make and complete a series of film. Walter Hill’s 48 Hrs and Another 48 Hrs starring Nick Nolte and Eddie Murphy will be getting the fancy editions featuring new interviews with Walter Hill. Both are getting brand new 4K restorations as well. This early edition of what would become the buddy cop genre will be landing on shelves (maybe?) on July 6th. This review will cover the first film, 48 Hrs. You can pre-order using the paid Amazon Associates link below to land yourself a copy of this new Blu-ray if you so please.
Just in time for LeBron James long awaited take on the Looney Tunes meets NBA superstar big screen adventure, Warner Bros is giving the original Michael Jordan starring Space Jam its 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray update. As has been proven over the last decade or so, there is a fondness or nostalgia for any given cinematic property from someone’s childhood. I’d never imagined the original Space Jam would be anything more than a footnote/fun fact in the storied career of Michael Jordan, but if you check out social media, you’ll find its some sort of beloved classic to a generation in the same way Hook has turned out to be. But, if the film makes people happy, then so be it, what’s the harm in that. The original Space Jam will be available July 6th. You can pre-order it to secure yourself a copy by using the paid Amazon Associates link following the review.
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Witness the chilling terror and unknown evil when “The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It” arrives for Premium Digital Ownership at home on July 23. The film is directed by Michael Chaves (“The Curse of La Llorona”) and stars Vera Farmiga (“Annabelle Comes Home,” TV’s “Bates Motel”) and Patrick Wilson (“Annabelle Comes Home,” “The Nun”). The film will also be available on 4K, Blu-ray and DVD beginning on August 24. “The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It” was produced by James Wan and Peter Safran, who have collaborated on all the “Conjuring” Universe films. The film also stars Ruairi O’Connor (Starz’ “The Spanish Princess”), Sarah Catherine Hook (Hulu’s “Monsterland”) and Julian Hilliard (Wandavision, TV’s “Penny Dreadful: City of Angels” and “The Haunting of Hill House”). 
This Halloween will be like no other…. It’s coming to you in 4K UHD! It’s been 43 years since the John Carpenter’s 1978 classic Halloween hit theaters and changed the horror genre forever. Now it – and its immediate sequels – can be experienced like never before as it is presented in the best video and audio quality ever. Scream Factory™ has announced 4K UHD releases of the first 5 Halloween films, marking the North American 4K UHD debut for Halloween II, III, 4 and 5. In an exciting nod to fans, Halloween (1978) (Collector’s Edition) (4K UHD) features a return to the original camera negative for the first time! Each of these beloved, iconic films will be released in a limited-edition rigid slipcase, and will include a Blu-ray™ of the film as well as previously existing bonus features. 
Boogie is another in a long line of “sports dramas.” The price of fame, romance, and the inevitable showdown at the end… Yep, it’s all there. But does it hold up the formula or bring it down? Eddie Huang breaking out of his producer’s chair to write and direct has delivered this entry, which became available on Blu-ray way back in early June! Check out my thoughts as I go in depth, and if the mood strikes you, go ahead and click the link at the end to get yourself a copy of Boogie.
Escape to the beautiful Italian seaside town of Portorosso when Disney and Pixar’s “Luca” arrives on digital, 4K Ultra HD™, Blu-ray™ and DVD on Aug. 3. The release touts a variety of bonus features including never-before-seen featurettes, deleted scenes and two alternate openings.
The other western coming this month from Warner Archive Collection is the 1968 Anthony Quinn/Charles Bronson starring film Guns For San Sebastian. To contrast with the other western Blu-ray coming out this month from Warner Archive Collection (There Was A Crooked Man…), Guns For San Sebastian is spaghetti western production. Little be it known that this was one of the few actually shot in Mexico instead of Italy. The release comes with a little vintage featurette and the trailer in its debut. You can land yourself a copy by using the paid Amazon Associates link that follows the review.
A new edition to the Vestron Video Collector’s Series, the tongue-in-cheek vampire film Sundown: The Vampire in Retreat arrives on Blu-ray™ (plus Digital) August 17 from Lionsgate. Sundown: The Vampire in Retreat stars Golden Globe® nominee David Carradine (2005, Best Supporting Role – Motion Picture, Kill Bill: Vol.2), Maxwell Caulfield (Grease 2, “The Colbys,” A Prince for Christmas), Morgan Brittany (Gypsy, Gable and Lombard, TV’s “Dallas”), Bruce Campbell (The Evil Dead, Evil Dead 2, Army of Darkness, TV’s “Ash vs Evil Dead”), and Golden Globe® nominee Jim Metzler (1983, Best Supporting Role – Motion Picture, Tex). Sundown: The Vampire in Retreat will be available on Blu-ray™ (plus Digital) on August 17th. 
Warner Archive Collection in the month of June once again has itself a nifty lineup of classics. And that group that includes some westerns and musicals also features a Humphrey Bogart film making its way to Blu-ray for the very first time. Bogey this time will have the Sturt Heisler helmed film Chain Lightning debuting. It was base on a story written by famous black listed writer Lester Cole. You’ll be able to grab this one when it arrives on the format on June 22nd. And if you’re wanting to pick this one up while also feeling so very generous to the site, you can use the paid Amazon Associates link following the review to land yourself a copy.
Warner Archive Collection continues its seemingly effortless crusade to do some of the finest restoration on classic cinema of all eras and genres and bring it to Blu-ray for the first time month in and month out. Plenty of westerns of all types have been given their due in this line. A few of them come this month of June. One of which is 1970’s There Was Crooked Man… starring Kirk Douglas. Considering the big cast of Douglas, Henry Fonda, Burgess Meredith, Lee Grant, Warren Oates, Michael Blodgett, John Randolph paired with it being directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz; I’m surprised it took this long to make its way to the format. Nonetheless, it made its debut on June 8th. You can order yourself a copy today using the paid Amazon Associates link following the review. 
Incredible to think Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory is 50 years old. So obviously its time for its candidacy for the 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray format to come to present itself. Warner Brothers is giving us a brand new edition, though its mainly for the new 4K transfer of the film. It looks as if they’ll just be carrying over the previous edition’s standard Blu-ray which is where you’ll find the extras. All well enough, what more can folks say about it on the bonus materials (Aside from wondering who the hell wants this Timothee Chalamet prequel thing they are dumping money into). The Gene Wilder classic arrives on the format June 29th. It’s available for ordering now and you can do so by using the paid Amazon Associates link following the review.
