Displaying items by tag: Pixar

We’ve got a bunch of ground to cover here at The Bits, so we’re going to post a couple of news updates here today. For the first one this afternoon, we’re going to talk about a new Disney release that was announced on Sunday of all days (naturally, when I was too busy doing a bunch of work around the house to see the press release in time). So let’s get right into it...

Disney has officially revealed a new Disney Legacy Animated Film Collection, featuring 100 animated films from Disney, Walt Disney Animation Studios, and Pixar Animation Studios, which is set to street on 11/14. The box set—which will retail for the whopping price of $1,500—is only going available from Walmart.com, with pre-orders expected to start on 9/18. What’s more, this is obviously an extremely limited release, very likely with just a few thousand copies produced. So if you want it, don’t wait. It will likely sell out very quickly.

The question that must be asked, of course, is: Should you want it? And to help you answer that, we’ve got some exclusive additional details for you...

As announced, the box set will include all 100 films on Blu-ray Disc (more on that in a minute), along with Digital codes for each title, plus “a copy of the original theatrical poster art, a collectible lithograph from Disney Animation’s new musical comedy Wish, and a collectible crystal Mickey ears hat with exclusive Disney 100 engraving.” [Read on here...]

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...]

Welcome to the first full week of December, Bits readers!

We’ve got a couple interesting items to report here today, but first a pair of new disc reviews:

I’ve turned in my thoughts on Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction (1994) in 4K Ultra HD from Miramax, via Paramount. The good news is, whether you buy the Steelbook or the regular Amaray version, the 4K remastering is fantastic. Fans should be very pleased.

I’ve also reviewed Andrew Stanton’s CG-animated classic WALL•E (2008) in 4K UHD from Pixar via the Criterion Collection. The highlight here is that it’s a terrific package and the film looks and sounds great, but the new 4K presentation isn’t really dramatically different than the previous Disney 4K edition—it simply now adds HDR10+ and Dolby Vision metadata. But some of the new special features are wonderful.

More new Blu-ray and 4K UHD reviews are coming soon, as always, so please keep checking back for them! [Read on here...]

All right, sorry for the lack of an update yesterday, but I had a bunch of personal life stuff to take care of, as happens now and again. We’ve got some more disc reviews for you today, along with a bunch of good catalog 4K Ultra HD news. So let’s get to those reviews first, as always...

Stephen has turned in his thoughts on Moustapha Akkad’s The Message (1976) on 4K Ultra HD from Shout! Factory.

Dennis has offered his thoughts on Robert Z. Leonard’s Ziegfeld Girl (1941) on regular Blu-ray Disc from our friends at the Warner Archive Collection.

And Tim has checked in with a look at Nathan H. Juran’s The Brain from Planet Arous (1957) newly restored on Blu-ray from the good folks at The Film Detective.

All three titles are worth a look and more disc reviews are on the way.

Now then, we’ve got some 4K UHD announcement news for you today... [Read on here...]

We’re starting the new week off today with no less than SEVEN new disc reviews that have been posted since Friday, including...

My takes on Al Reinert’s For All Mankind in 4K Ultra HD from the Criterion Collection, Byron Haskin’s Conquest of Space (1955) on Blu-ray from Imprint Films, and Tomas Alfredson’s Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011) in 4K Ultra HD from Kino Lorber Studio Classics, as well as The Little Rascals: The ClassicFlix Restorations – Volume 5 on Blu-ray from ClassicFlix, and Spider-Man: No Way Home in 4K Ultra HD from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment and Marvel Studios.

Also, Dennis has turned in his thoughts on Craig Singer’s 6:45 on Blu-ray from Well Go USA and Stuart Heisler’s Blue Skies (1946) on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics.

Lots more reviews are on the way this week, so be sure to stay tuned for them.

Now then... in announcement news today, the big revelation is that Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has officially set Matt Reeves’s The Batman for release on Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K Ultra HD on 5/24, with the Digital and HBO Max release slated for 4/18. [Read on here...]

All right, we’ll likely have at least one more review for you to check out later today, and we’re all working on more over the weekend. But in the meantime, we have a couple of quick site updates for you and some big announcement news to catch you all up on...

First, our own Michael Coate has delivered a great new History, Legacy & Showmanship column here at The Bits, featuring a look back at the theatrical release of Richard Lester’s Superman II. The retrospective includes an interview with our old friend Jim Bowers of the excellent Caped Wonder website. And we’d like to dedicate the piece to the memory of director Richard Donner, without whom the film would not be possible. So here’s Battle on Planet Houston: Remembering Superman II on its 40th Anniversary. Enjoy!

Also today, we’ve just posted a major update of our Release Dates & Artwork section, featuring lots of new Blu-ray and 4K UHD cover artwork and Amazon.com pre-order links. As always, whenever you order literally anything from the retailer after clicking through to them from one our links, you’re helping to support our work here at The Bits and we really do appreciate it.

Now then, let’s have some news... [Read on here...]

All right, we’ve got a lot of ground to cover today. But first more new disc reviews...

Dennis has taken a look at Jacob Chase’s Come Play (2020) on Blu-ray from Universal.

And Tim has given Mario Landi’s Patrick Still Lives (1980) a spin on Blu-ray from Severin Films.

Watch for more reviews in the next few days.

Now then, we’ve got BIG 4K Ultra HD news for you today, some of it official and most of it unofficial but tentatively confirmed by our various industry and retail sources. So let’s get right into it...

First up, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has officially set Gareth Edwards’ Godzilla (2014) for release on 4K Ultra HD on 3/23. It will feature HDR10 high dynamic range with Dolby Atmos audio. It will also include the previously released special features, among them the 3-part MONARCH Declassified documentary and the 4-part The Legendary Godzilla documentary. You can see the official cover artwork above left and also below. [Read on here...]

We’ve got a bit of interesting 4K Ultra HD news for you today...

First, on the all digital front, Lionsgate has just set Kathryn Bigelow’s The Hurt Locker as Digital only 4K release on 2/4.

It’ll feature Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos audio.

Of course, we know that most of you are physical disc consumers, so we’ve got a street date update for you guys today as well—covering forthcoming Blu-ray and 4K new releases.

The following information comes from studio and retail sources, but none of these titles have actually been announced yet.

So just be aware that the dates listed below could change a little bit still, as often happens before the studio makes their street dates official. [Read on here...]

All right, thanks for your patience while I was away at the end of last week. My father-in-law passed away, so my wife and I flew across the country to attend his memorial and see family.

But there’s a good deal to catch up on today news-wise, so let’s get right to it. First things first...

Yes, we are aware of the rumors that Warner Bros. Home Entertainment is planning to bring The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit films to 4K Ultra HD. They originated on the excellent 4K Filme.de website, which (I’m told) found the titles briefly listed on a Warner B2B website for German retailers. All six films were indicated for release on UHD (with the Extended Editions included) and with a tentative street date given of June 25, 2020. All right, now let’s put this in context...

First of all, there’s no doubt that Warner Bros. is going to release these films on physical 4K Ultra HD. These are literally their most demanded catalog titles on the format. Also, 2021 is the 20th anniversary of Fellowship of the Ring. And Amazon’s new Lord of the Rings prequel series, which reportedly begins production next month and will apparently be in production for two years, is likely to debut on Amazon Prime in late 2022. So the studio is certainly going to want to get those films ready for 4K release by then. [Read on here...]

We’ve got just a quick update for you here at The Bits today, but it’s a good one...

First, Disney has just officially announced the Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K Ultra HD release of Toy Story 4 on 10/8, with the Digital release expected a week earlier on 10/1.

The 4K disc (and digital release) will include Dolby Atmos audio, while the Blu-ray will feature 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio. Expect the physical to offer HDR10 high dynamic range, while the digital 4K has Dolby Vision. Extras will include audio commentary with director Josh Cooley and his team, 4 featurettes (Toy Stories, Woody & Buzz, Bo Rebooted, and Let’s Ride with Ally Maki), a collection of mini-docs on the film’s characters called Toy Box, 6 deleted scenes with optional commentary (including Scamming Playtime, Bo Knows Hippos, Desperate Toys, Knock-Offs, Recruit Duke, and She’s the One) and more. [Read on here...]