Displaying items by tag: Flicker Alley

We’ve got a quick rundown of release news for you to close out the week today, and some new reviews as well. I suspect some of you are interested in a follow-up to the State of 4K and Physical Media editorial we posted on Wednesday. Rest assured, there will be a follow-up, and I hope to get that posted here sometime next week. So stay tuned.

In the meantime, we have several new disc reviews for you to enjoy this afternoon...

Tim has posted his thoughts on John Hughes’ Weird Science (1985) in 4K Ultra HD from our friends at Arrow Video.

Stephen has shared his take on Chad Stahelski’s John Wick: Chapter 4 in 4K UHD from Lionsgate, Brian De Palma’s Blow Out (1981) in 4K UHD from Criterion, and also John Henry Johnson’s Curse of the Blue Lights (1990) on Blu-ray from Vinegar Syndrome.

Dennis has delivered a look at Charles Walters’ Dangerous When Wet (1953) on Blu-ray from the Warner Archive Collection.

And Stuart has weighed in with a look at René Clément’s Joy House (1964) on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics.

Now then, the big news today is that Universal Pictures Home Entertainment has set Wes Anderson’s Asteroid City for Blu-ray and DVD release on 8/15, with the Digital release due next week on 8/11. Extras will include the 4-part The Making of Asteroid City documentary (which includes Desert Town, Doomsday Carnival, Montana and Ranch Hands, and The Players), as well as 2 additional Digital-exclusive features (The Alien and The Roadrunner). You can see the cover artwork at left and also below the break. [Read on here...]

Published in My Two Cents

We’ve got three new disc reviews for you to enjoy today...

I’ve taken a look at Mimi Leder’s Deep Impact (1998) in 4K Ultra HD from Paramount.

And Dennis has turned in his thoughts on Robert Thornby’s The Trap (1922) on Blu-ray from Kino Classics, as well as Billie August’s The House of the Spirits (1993) on Blu-ray from Imprint Films.

In announcement news today, Arrow Video has just revealed their July Blu-ray and 4K slate, which is set to include Lewis Teague’s Fighting Back (1982) on Blu-ray (US and Canada only) on 7/4, the previously-revealed Bruce Lee at Golden Harvest box set on Blu-ray, 4K, and 4K Limited Edition (UK only) on 7/17, Martin Scorsese’s Hugo (2011) on Blu-ray and 4K Ultra HD (US and Canada only) on 7/18, and the Blood Money: Four Western Classics – Volume 2 box set on Blu-ray (UK, US, and Canada) on 7/25. [Read on here...]

Published in My Two Cents

As always, we’ve got more new disc reviews for you today…

Tim has taken a look at Jack Cardiff’s The Long Ships (1964), a Viking adventure film on Blu-ray from Imprint Films in Australia.

And Dennis has turned in his thoughts on Mark O’Brien’s The Righteous (2021) on Blu-ray from our friends at Arrow Video.

In announcement news today, Paramount has made their Paramount Presents Blu-ray of Back to the Beach (1987) official for release on Blu-ray on 8/9. Newly-remastered from a new 4K scan of the film, the disc will include a new Filmmaker Focus featurette with director Lyndall Hobbs that includes previously-unseen home movies from the set. [Read on here...]

Published in My Two Cents

We’ve got one new disc review up here at The Bits today, while we continue our ongoing work to update the website behind-the-scenes...

Tim has posted a look at Random Space Media’s Spider-Man 2-Movie Collection in 4K Ultra HD, which includes Spider-Man: Far From Home and Spider-Man: Homecoming in 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and Blu-ray 3D all in the same package.

But we’ve got a bunch of release news for you today, including a major new title announcement: Sony has just officially set Daniel Espinosa’s Morbius for release on Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K Ultra HD on 6/14, with the Digital release expected on 5/17.

The 4K disc will include Dolby Atmos audio, while the Blu-ray will feature 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio. Both discs will also include outtakes and bloopers, “Nocturnal” Easter eggs, and no less than 5 behind-the-scenes featurettes (among them Defining the Antihero, From Human to Vampire: Visual Effects, Lights, Camera, Action, The Good, Bad & Ugly: Supporting Cast Doing the Stunt Work, and Living Vampire from Comics to Screen). You can see the cover artwork for the 4K and Blu-ray below. [Read on here...]

Published in My Two Cents

All right, we’ve got major new announcements from Shout! Factory and Scream for you today...

For March, the companies have added Jack Smight’s British production of Frankenstein: The True Story (1973) to their 3/24 slate. Shout! is also releasing The Transformers: The Complete Original Series DVD box set on 3/31.

In April, in addition to the Escape from L.A.: Collector’s Edition Blu-ray on 4/28, Shout! and Scream will release Swift and Knives and Skin (for IFC) on 4/7, Homeboy and Captain Kronos: Vampire Hunter on 4/14, The Spider (1958) and The Curse of the Werewolf: Collector’s Edition (1961) on 4/21, and Underdog: The Complete Series Collector’s Edition (DVD), Shatter (1974), and The Lost Continent (1968) on 4/28. [Read on here...]

Published in My Two Cents

Before we get started today, we’ve posted the latest update of the Release Dates & Artwork section featuring all the latest Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K cover artwork and Amazon.com pre-order links. As always, we appreciate it very much when you use our links to order items from Amazon, so thank you for doing so!

Now then, we’ve got more release news for you today…

Universal Studios Home Entertainment has just announced Joe Wright’s Darkest Hour for Blu-ray and DVD release on 2/27, with the Digital release set for 2/6. There is no 4K Ultra HD release currently planned. Extras will include audio commentary by Wright and two featurettes (Into Darkest Hour and Gary Oldman: Becoming Churchill). As some of you know, this film was just nominated for Best Picture in the forthcoming Academy Awards and Oldman was nominated for Best Actor. You can see the cover artwork at left and below. [Read on here…]

Published in My Two Cents
Tuesday, 28 March 2017 15:03

Here’s What’s Wrong with Movies...

I’ve figured out what’s wrong with movies.

This thesis prevailed on me as I went to see the 3-D Imax version of a new picture called The Great Wall. This picture opened to dismal reviews, but the previews had made it look righteous and the effects, I knew, would be fun, and they were and the whole experience wasn’t bad.

And on the way out, I was thinking of all these feckless movie reviewers who get published and why they would trash this movie. I thought to myself: “Why were they so hard on this movie? It’s just a fun “B” picture?”

And then I figured it out. They all are. 90% of what we see in the theaters are “B” pictures with “A” budgets.

Let’s discuss... [Read on here...]


Afternoon, folks! We’ve got some great stuff for you here at The Bits today…

First up, Tim has turned in a review of Shout! Factory’s Mystery Science Theater 3000: Volume IV, which includes the episodes Space Mutiny, Overdrawn at the Memory Back, Girl in Gold Boots, and Hamlet. The disc is now available, so do give it a look.

Meanwhile, we have a new MOS DEF column from Mark A. Altman as well today, in which he takes a look back at his favorite Blu-ray releases of 2016. We’ll have more from Mark later this week too. Enjoy!

In announcement news today, the BIG news is that Disney and Lucasfilm have just officially set Rogue One: A Star Wars Story for Blu-ray Combo, DVD, and On Demand release on 4/4, with a Digital HD release set for 3/24. There’s no word yet of a 4K version, but it appears that Target and Best Buy will have retail-exclusive Blu-ray 3D versions on 4/4 (per Star Wars.com). The Target package appears to match the Star Wars: The Force Awakens 3D Collector’s Edition. The Best Buy package comes in a Steelbook. Walmart will also have exclusive packaging. Extras on the Blu-rays will include 11 behind-the-scenes featurettes (A Rogue Idea, Jyn: The Rebel, Cassian: The Spy, K-2SO: The Droid, Baze & Chirrut: Guardians of the Whills, Bodhi & Saw: The Pilot & The Revolutionary, The Empire, Visions of Hope: The Look of Rogue One, The Princess & The Governor, Epilogue: The Story Continues, and Rogue Connections). Note that the lack of deleted scenes – and we know there are many – or audio commentary suggests that a more elaborate Collector’s Edition BD release is coming later this year. You can see the cover artwork at the left and below. [Read on here…]

Published in My Two Cents
Wednesday, 30 November 2016 16:30

Movie Begats and More

I’ve about decided that a full book could be written regarding just about every produced movie – Lord knows there’s always enough behind the scenes drama to fill a daytime soap. But I love it. Who was supposed to be in what? Who wrote the script? That stuff. The success of X movie produced Y.

OLIVE FILMS

And here’s a story about a Robert Redford motorcycle picture called Little Fauss and Big Halsey, recently released for the first time on home video by Olive Films.

Al Ruddy came to Hollywood in the early 60s and as a young pup sold what has become a classic sitcom called Hogan’s Heroes. Ruddy and Charles Eastman wrote the script for Little Fauss and sold it to Paramount with a then hot director named Sidney Furie (who was bankable because of The Ipcress File and The Naked Runner). Redford was brought on board in the process as was my friend and lifelong Ruddy partner Gray Frederickson. [Read on here...]

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