Displaying items by tag: The Criterion Collection

We’ve got a few interesting things to tell you about today here at The Bits...

First though, an update: We’re continuing to work on more Blu-ray and 4K reviews here. But poor Tim, our reviews editor, has been out of commission these last few days—he lives down in Texas in ground zero of all the not having power, water, or heat due to this big winter freeze. The good news is, he’s back online today, a few burst water pipes worse for wear. So he’ll be checking in again with reviews and on social media over the next few days.

Meanwhile, we have some release news to report this afternoon, beginning with this: Shout! Factory is releasing Ping Zhang’s animated feature film The Legend of Hei on Blu-ray and DVD on 5/11. A Digital release is expected on 4/20.

Corinth Films is releasing Little England on DVD and Digital on 3/16.

Capelight Films will release Fukushima 50 on Digital and VOD on 3/5. [Read on here...]

All right, we’re rounding out the week today with some great release news and some new disc reviews too. First up, those reviews...

I’ve just turned in my thoughts on John Carpenter’s They Live, as recently released in 4K Ultra HD by Scream Factory. Both the UHD and included Blu-ray are mastered from the 2018 4K scan and restoration, and Scream has tossed in a new Dolby Atmos mix to boot. It’s a fine release, so don’t miss it.

I’ve also reviewed Roland Emmerich’s epic disaster flick 2012 on 4K Ultra HD from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, and I’ve given a great little indie release a review on Blu-ray too: Dmitriy Kiselev’s Spacewalker (2017) from MPI Home Video, which tells the story of cosmonaut Alexey Leonov and humanity’s first spacewalk in 1965.

Tim’s also posted a review of William Campbell’s Ingagi (1930), recently released on Blu-ray by Kino Classics as part of their Something Weird line-up. Ingagi is definitely something weird.

And just a heads-up: We’re working on reviews of Prince of Darkness in 4K from Scream Factory, along with the new 4K releases of Spike Lee’s Do the Right Thing from Universal and Lupin the 3rd: The Castle of Cagliostro from Discotek Media, among other titles. So watch for those starting on Monday. [Read on here...]

Evening, folks. We’ve got a quick news update for you here today at the site.

But first, a new disc review: Tim has just posted his thoughts on William Lustig’s Vigilante (1982) on 4K Ultra HD from the good folks at Blue Underground. And it sounds like it’s a pretty terrific release if you like the film, which stars Robert Forster and Fred Williamson. Do check it out.

Also a reminder today: We posted a new History, Legacy & Showmanship column from our own Michael Coate on Friday—a piece that was delayed from the very end of 2020 due to all of the site maintenance we’ve been doing over the past several weeks. This one is a look back at the early 70mm cut of The Empire Strikes Back, featuring a new roundtable discussion with historian and soundtrack producer Mike Matessino along with director Saul Pincus. We think you’ll really enjoy it, so do give that a look here if you missed it.

Now then... there’s not a lot of release news to report today, but we do have a few things worth mentioning. [Read on here...]

Hey everyone! Well... another week is officially in the can and, as promised, I’ve got an update for you on some release news and whatnot.

First up, I wanted to alert you to a 4K Ultra HD deal: Amazon currently has Bong Joon-ho’s Parasite available in 4K for just $11.00 for a limited time only. So click here to order a copy if you’re interested.

Also today, we’ve got a great new History, Legacy & Showmanship column from our own Michael Coate—one that was delayed from the very end of 2020 due to all of the site maintenance we’ve been doing over the past several weeks. This one is a terrific look back at the early 70mm cut of The Empire Strikes Back, featuring a new roundtable discussion with historian and soundtrack producer Mike Matessino along with director Saul Pincus. We think you’ll really enjoy it, so do give that a look here.

Now then, in announcement news today, Severin Films has revealed that it’s working on a new 4K Ultra HD release of Alejandro Jodorowsky’s Santa Sangre (1989) that’s due on 4/27. The title will also be released on Blu-ray and DVD. You can see the cover artwork for the 4K at left. Click here to pre-order on Amazon: 4K, Blu-ray, DVD.

But that’s not the only 4K catalog title we now know is coming from our retail sources... [Read on here...]

We’ve got just a quick post for you today as we’ll be working on reviews for the rest of the day.

But we do have a couple of things to report...

First, today is Disney’s Investor Day, which means the is expected to reveal big plans for Disney+, how the studio will handle its forthcoming theatrical slate for the next year, and what new streaming series and films they have in the pipeline (Star Wars, Marvel, etc). They MIGHT even reveal that long-rumored Disney18+ service expansion, that would see the studio adding R-rated films from Fox to their streaming service (in a section of the service protected from discovery by younger children by a passcode). Whatever news is revealed today, we expect that Disney means to make a big splash—their stock is trading at an all-time high today in anticipation of the news (see this link). Be sure to watch the trades this afternoon as word breaks—Deadline, Variety, and the Hollywood Reporter.

[Editor’s Note: Disney has now confirmed that its Disney+ streaming service has reached over 86 million global subscribers, and that it plans to launch “roughly” 10 new Marvel shows, 10 new Star Wars shows, 15 Disney live-action, Disney animation, and Pixar series, and 15 Disney live-action, Disney animation, and Pixar feature films over the next few years. They’re also integrating a new Star service with Disney+ (for now only internationally) which will include R-rated Fox content. (This appears to be the source of the Disney18+ rumor.) In the US, it appears that R-rated Fox content (from 20th Century Studios and Searchlight) will appear on Hulu.]

Meanwhile, Criterion has just revealed plans to release a new World of Wong Kar-wai Blu-ray collection on March 23, 2021. [Read on here...]

Afternoon, folks! Hope you all had a lovely weekend.

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

I’ve taken a look at Guy Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes (2009) on 4K Ultra HD from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment. It’s a nice (if modest) image upgrade on the format that fans of the film especially should appreciate. HDR gives the proceedings a nice boost.

Also, Dennis has taken a look at David Lynch’s The Elephant Man, which is now available on Blu-ray from The Criterion Collection. Sounds like it’s a very worthy upgrade, mastered from the new StudioCanal 4K transfer. And for those of you wondering, the “missing” fade from the StudioCanal 4K is also missing here. But do keep in mind that Lynch approved the remaster, so it’s possible he made the change himself (meaning it might not be an error).

Now then, we’ve got more reviews coming over the next few days. Two are already to go for tomorrow and more should follow. So stay tuned for that. [Read on here...]

All right, so... I’ve got some interesting follow up on our Disney and Warner news from the past few days.

First though, we’ve got another review for you and more announcement news...

Tim has just turned in his thoughts on Steve Beck’s Thir13en Ghosts (2001), coming soon to Collector’s Edition Blu-ray from Scream Factory. Check that out here.

In release news, Lionsgate has just officially announced the 4K Ultra HD and Digital 4K release of Mamoru Oshii’s landmark anime Ghost in the Shell (1995) on 9/8, as expected. The 4K presentation will include Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos audio (in both English and Japanese, along with the original Japanese 2.0 LPCM audio), as well as both new and legacy special edition material. [Read on here...]

Welcome to the new week!

We’re starting things off today with a new Blu-ray review from our own Dennis Seuling. He’s given Ryan Nicholson’s Gutterballs (2008) a look on disc for you from the folks at Unearthed Films.

This is just a quick update to bring you word that The Criterion Collection has just dropped news of their September Blu-ray and DVD title slate.

And as usual, it’s a good one, including the likes of David Lynch, Claire Denis, Francesco Rosi, Jules Dassin, and more of Martin Scorsese’s World Cinema Project.

The full list includes the following... [Read on here...]

Afternoon, folks! And welcome to Friday. Is anyone else out there as ready for the weekend as we are?

This has been a busy week of just “three steps forward two steps backward” behind-the-scenes work here at The Bits. We got a lot done, but very little of it is visible to any of you. But that’s how it goes sometimes.

We’re all working on more reviews here at the site today (and we will be through the weekend—including War of the Worlds 4K and Days of Thunder 4K), but we do have some interesting release news to report today.

First up, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment and HBO have just set His Dark Materials: The Complete First Season for release on Blu-ray and DVD on 8/4 (SRP $29.98 each). [Read on here...]

All right, to get things started this week, I’ve posted an in-depth review of Paramount’s new Top Gun 4K Ultra HD release. It’s a major picture and sound upgrade of this film on disc. If you go back and compare its image to the 2008 Blu-ray release, I think you’ll really be surprised at how much of a difference the new 4K remaster makes.

Also today, Dennis has turned in a look at Reed Morano’s The Rhythm Section (2020) on Blu-ray, also from Paramount.

Note that reviews of War of the Worlds and Days of Thunder 4K are coming later this week as well, along with several more regular Blu-ray reviews. So be sure to watch for them.

Now then... in announcement news, Criterion has just announced an amazing 15-disc, 39-film Blu-ray box set for release on 8/11: The Complete Films of Agnès Varda! [Read on here...]