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4K UHD & Blu-ray Shopping Guide Feb 5, 2023 - Wa-Wa-Kanda Edition
Posted Sun Feb 5, 2023 at 12:00 PM PST by D. LaFontaineWith February upon us, we are getting that much closer to the Summer Movie Season. It was rather cold this most recent weekend, were you cooped up with some free screen time? What did you watch?
Welcome to Volume 3 Episode 36 of our weekly release guide. A look at the highlights of what's coming to disc the week of Febrary 5th - February 11th, as well as a look at announcements from last week.
4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Releases-
There are two new releases this week in the 4K category. First from Disney's Marvel Studios brand, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. We have got some options with this one, they are the standard edition, a Walmart Exclusive edition and TWO Best Buy Exclusive SteelBooks, a Wakanda Art Cover Edition and a Talokán Art Cover Edition. The swag-induced Zavvi UK Import is scheduled February 15th.
Switching over to the DC Universe, Warner Bros. releases the animated movie Legion Of Super-Heroes.
From Shout Factory, the comedy Bubba Ho-Tep, which stars Bruce Campbell. Check out Bryan's review and then place an order.
From Criterion Collection, a foreign film collection titled Three Colors, which features three films by the director Krzysztof Kieslowski.
A newcomer to the 4K disc category, Lightyear Entertainment has The Return of Swamp Thing, to which Bryan gives pretty good marks. Do check out the review.
LionsGate has another translucent slipcover style SteelBook only @ Best Buy with the comedy/horror/romance Warm Bodies.
Staying with Best Buy exclusives, the first of the 'Disney 100' line is due to come out this week, as an exclusive SteelBook of Encanto. This particular style of artwork has been used elsewhere across the globe, and this set is likely the exact same discs as before, so don't hold your breath for Dolby Vision and BD100 discs any time soon. What you gain from the previous edition is a collectible SteelBook with alternate cover art.
Next week, an Odd Planet, Aesop's guys and how we was.
Blu-ray releases-
Blu-ray counterparts of the above category includes Black Panther: Wakanda Forever as a standard edition from Disney/Marvel and Legion Of Super-Heroes from Warner Bros.
The blu-ray category this week is a bit light, here are the highlights...
From Arrow Video, the sci-fi thriller .Com for Murder. And, a little on the lighter side of horror, The Vagrant with Bill Paxton.
New comedy/drama from Universal Studios titled Spoiler Alert.
Doubling back from the topic of Disney 100 (Encanto above), if you didn't get it last month via the Disney Movie Club, it is now available as a general release, Disney 100 labeled release Mickey & Minnie: 10 Classic Shorts - Volume 1. Walmart this week has a few exclusives to offer to blu-ray and the Disney 100 line as well. These editions are similar to the Disney Movie Club exclusives but they also include Collectible Pins. Look for exclusive editions of Beauty and the Beast (1991), Frozen, The Little Mermaid, Mickey & Minnie: 10 Classic Shorts - Volume 1, Moana and Toy Story. The DMC also offers Zootopia to the same line, I wouldn't be surprised to see it offered at Walmart, it's just not listed yet. I wonder if these are going to be online only or perhaps part of the Wakanda Forever display.
Anime highlights include just two titles (3 skus) with Horimiya: The Complete Season, which is available as a standard edition and as a limited edition and How NOT To Summon A Demon Lord: Season 2.
We don't often mention double-dips (this one has had 5 previous releases actually), but Paramount is releasing a SteelBook of the musical Chicago. The artwork is a bit flashier than previous releases, so it might be worth a look. Following their pattern, does this mean a 4K is next? For new stuff from Paramount, TV on disc includes just Joe Pickett: Season One.
Honorable Mention: Specialty label RoninFlix has an action/horror worth peeping out, it's titled Becky. Not done there, also look for the Jet Li 2 Movie Collection, which includes Fist Of Legend & Tai Chi Master. We are getting Jackie Chan from Shout Factory, so why not?
Notable announcements from last week:
Shout Factory's various labels have announced (most of) their April releases, they are Envy, Flashback (1990), Endangered Species (1982), New Gods: Yang Jian, Bless the Child, The Jackie Chan Collection, Vol. 2 (1983 - 1993), Midnight Run 4K, The Haunting of Julia 4K and The People Under The Stairs 4K.
Kino Lorber will be delivering Kindergarten Cop to 4K soon, likely late April or early May.
It has also been all but confirmed that there are currently no plans on releasing M3GAN to 4K disc. Not sure if it being a Blumhouse release has much to do with it, but a lot of their titles skip the 4K disc route. Wouldn't the R-Rated cut be an awesome treat for 4K? Maybe the studio will see the demand here and add it before an actual announcement is made, they did release The Purge movies after all.
Which titles are you buying this week? Which ones are on your wishlist, be it to buy as an impulse buy or to wait for the right price?
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The next phase (of evolution) - 4K UHD & Blu-ray Shopping Guide Jan 29, 2023
Posted Sun Jan 29, 2023 at 12:00 PM PST by D. LaFontaineAs we exit the month of January and enter the month of February, what movies are you anxious to see come to disc? Avatar - The Way of Water has surpassed 2-Billion dollars, which means no doubt it will stay in the theaters awhile longer til they decide on a home video release date. There is lots of speculation on James Cameron movies finally hitting the 4K and HD disc formats this year. Yeah, we've heard that one before, right? But it might be true this time!
Welcome to Volume 3 Episode 35 of our weekly release guide. A look at the highlights of what's coming to disc the week of January 29th - February 4th, as well as a look at announcements from last week.
4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Releases-
There is one new release this week, it was already released to blu-ray in August but now we get a 4K upgrade. A David Cronenberg film that is (surprisingly) not released by Criterion, it's titled Crimes of the Future.
On to catalog titles, from Scream Factory, Zack Snyder's Dawn of the Dead (2004). As remakes go, this one is worth grabbing.
From Vinegar Syndrome, a general release of Road House. Note that the general release has a different package. If you wish to get the premium edition in the linked review, visit Vinegar Syndrome.
From Kino Lorber, the original 1969 edition of The Italian Job.
In the double-dip department, Event Horizon, but in a regular uhd case instead of a SteelBook.
Lastly, from Vinegar Syndrome's adult-film line (Peekarama), a release titled The Young Like It Hot / Sweet Young Foxes.
Next Week, dark cat two, blue suede, more DC animated, bog beast comes back, blue-white-red, temperate masses and Disney-100 begins!
Blu-ray releases-
This category has been a bit light the past few weeks, but it appears to be returning to normal this week. There is one single blu-ray counterpart of the above listed titles, that would be The Italian Job (1969) from Kino Lorber.
TV on disc includes The Great: Season One, The Great: Season Two and Maigret: Season Two.
From Criterion Collection this week, Bergman Island. I cannot personally attest to this film, but it's got some recognizable names behind it, worth checking out.
New horror/romance from Warner Bros. titled Bones and All.
Arrow Video has a 6-disc box set this week titled The Lukas Moodysson Collection.
Staying with Box Sets, there are two from the Powerhouse Films Indicator Series line, Enter Santo: The First Adventures of the Silver-Masked Man and Magic, Myth & Mutilation: The Micro-Budget Cinema of Michael J Murphy, 1967-2015.
Catalog titles from Paramount debuting to blu-ray, Big Night, Gallipoli and Young Sherlock Holmes [SteelBook].
Anime highlights include Ascendance of a Bookworm - Season 3, City Hunter: Movie & TV Special Collection, Virtua Fighter - The Animated Series and Yu Yu Hakusho - 30th Anniversary Box Set, which you may have to order from Best Buy as Amazon is SOLD OUT (?)
Honorable mention: Kino Lorber is releasing the gothic horror The Asphyx to blu-ray this week. It appears to be the best release of this title to date, do check it out.
Notable announcements from last week:
From Disney, the classic animated Cinderella is getting a 4K release on or around March 28th. Official word has not dropped yet. Here's hoping they finally adopt Dolby Vision on disc.
Amazon has listed Dreamworks Animation The Prince of Egypt for 4K release on March 14th.
It would also appear that Flashdance is getting a 4K release on April 11th from Paramount.
Arrow Video's domestic slate for April includes The Assassination Bureau, Heart of Dragon and Lovers Lane for blu-ray release. Of their April slate, Naked Lunch is getting a 4K release in the UK.
Powerhouse Films and the Indicator Series will be releasing The Shiver of the Vampires and Two Orphan Vampires to blu-ray and 4K on April 25th.
Which titles are you buying this week? Which ones are on your wishlist, be it to buy as an impulse buy or to wait for the right price?
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Six More Weeks of Winter? - 4K UHD & Blu-ray Shopping Guide Jan 8, 2023
Posted Sun Jan 8, 2023 at 12:00 PM PST by D. LaFontaineHope you had a good kick off to 2023. Some of the release buzz in the home video/disc industry is very exciting, we will share news as it goes from tentative/rumor to something concrete. My Disney/Fox wish this year is for them to use BD100 discs when a release merits it, and to use Dolby Vision on the disc itself, not a streaming exclusive. Maybe with the original Avatar supposedly coming to disc later this year, that will start a trend.
Welcome to Volume 3 Episode 34 of our weekly release guide. A look at the highlights of what's coming to disc the week of January 8 - January 14, as well as a look at announcements from last week.
4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Releases-
No new releases in this category this week, but we do have (maybe) three titles to look at.
First from Sony Pictures, not quite a double-dip, how about Groundhog Day? This time around a Dolby Vision pass has been added, and it comes in a SteelBook package.
Next from Scream Factory, a more recent Universal Pictures film gets a 4K upgrade, Ouija. When they decided making board games into movies I was a bit skeptical, but thus far they have been entertaining.
OK, the reason I uttered 'maybe' in the first sentence, from 88 Films, Dragons Forever with Jackie Chan. This one has been inserted into multiple previous weeks' articles only to be removed at press time because it got delayed each time. I did see social media posts with discs in their hands so I think it is safe to call it good this time around and to expect to see it on Tuesday!
Next week, Irish grassland, twice the peril, acrimony of an adult male and Carpenter Steel.
Blu-ray releases-
The single blu-ray counterpart of the above titles this week (maybe) is Dragons Forever from 88 Films.
Unfortunately, LionsGate this week doesn't offer any Bruce Willis action (but next week is a different story), they do have a comedy titled Angry Neighbors though.
New drama from Universal titled She Said. As of press time Amazon still listing this as a July release, but official word from Universal (and retailer back rooms) does/do in fact state January 10th.
TV on disc includes Fear the Walking Dead: The Complete Seventh Season, Good Girls: The Complete Series and The Man Who Fell to Earth: Season One.
The latest franchise SteelBook from Paramount this week is Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter.
From the Criterion Collection, Imitation of Life, a 1934 melodrama.
Warner Bros' label Warner Archive Collection has Our Dancing Daughters and Rancho Notorious this week.
Special Interest film from Sony Pictures Classics, The Return of Tanya Tucker: Featuring Brandi Carlile debuts to disc this week.
Anime highlights include Boruto: Naruto Next Generations - Set 14 (Kawaki), Himouto! Umaru-chan R, Obey Me! - Season 1, Platinum End - Part 1 and Waiting in the Summer: Complete Collection.
Arrow Video gives us their take on The Dunwich Horror, previously it was part of a double feature from Scream Factory. Not done there, look for a Sonny Chiba box set titled The Executioner Collection.
Notable announcements from last week:
Shout Factory has revealed most of their March 2023 titles. I would expect an animated/anime title or two to be added, but here's what we have so far: 4K includes Dead Silence, The Exorcist III, Streets of Fire and Wanted. For blu-ray, look for Crazy People, Critical Condition, Dr. Giggles, Razorback and Sorry, Wrong Number.
Amazon already has a listing for the blu-ray of M3GAN. I really hope a 4K gets added to the choices too. I would guess a March release date on this one.
Warner Bros. will be releasing Training Day to 4K and 4K Best Buy SteelBook on February 28. This release is packaged under their Warner 100 packaging.
Disney is also celebrating 100 years. For 4K, Best Buy is offering SteelBooks of many animated releases spaced throughout 2023, as well as the original Star Wars trilogy on May 2nd. BD100 discs with Dolby Vision, right? One can hope and dream I guess. Check out our 4K release calendar link, click 'Show All Releases' if necessary, then search for Disney 100 to see what is there so far. At this time it looks like their Disney 100 label on blu-ray is limited to the Disney Movie Club and Walmart, but that can't be right, can it?
As always, we appreciate you playing your orders via our links, it helps keep our little operation going.
Which titles are you buying this week? Which ones are on your wishlist, be it to buy as an impulse buy or to wait for the right price?
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Hulu Expands 4K Streaming Support to More Devices
Posted Wed Oct 16, 2019 at 01:30 PM PDT by Steven Cohen -
LG Introduces New CineBeam 4K UHD Projector Model
Posted Fri Sep 13, 2019 at 12:30 PM PDT by Steven Cohen -
Amazon Prime Day Deals: 4K Ultra HD & 1080p Projectors
Posted Mon Jul 15, 2019 at 02:05 PM PDT by Steven Cohen -
LG Launches Amazon Alexa Support on 2019 ThinQ TVs
Posted Tue May 28, 2019 at 05:15 AM PDT by Steven Cohen -
Epson Details Pro Cinema 6050UB 4K PRO-UHD Projector
Posted Tue May 7, 2019 at 01:05 PM PDT by Steven CohenThe new model serves as the company's most advanced 4K home theater projector so far.
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Epson Launches New Home Cinema 5050UB and 5050UBe 4K PRO-UHD Projectors
Posted Tue Apr 9, 2019 at 04:30 AM PDT by Steven Cohen -
HDD Gear Deals: VIZIO Offers Spring Savings on 4K TVs & 5.1 Sound Bar
Posted Fri Apr 5, 2019 at 12:55 PM PDT by Steven Cohen -
Samsung Details 2019 QLED 4K TV Lineup
Posted Mon Feb 11, 2019 at 06:35 PM PST by Steven Cohen -
Optoma Debuts P1 Smart 4K UHD Projector with Integrated Sound Bar
Posted Thu Jan 10, 2019 at 12:00 PM PST by Steven Cohen -
Samsung Reveals New MicroLED Displays
Posted Sun Jan 6, 2019 at 07:00 PM PST by Steven Cohen -
High-Def Digest's Top 10 4K Ultra HD Blu-rays of 2018
Posted Fri Dec 28, 2018 at 03:11 PM PST by M. Enois Duartehere are our picks for the best 4K Ultra HD Blu-rays of 2018 that rightly belong in your go-to demo collection.
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LG Announces New CineBeam Laser 4K Ultra Short Throw Projector
Posted Fri Dec 21, 2018 at 08:35 AM PST by Steven Cohen -
Samsung Unveils 2019 "The Frame" & "SERIF" 4K QLED Lifestyle TVs
Posted Tue Dec 18, 2018 at 06:00 PM PST by Steven Cohen -
RCA's CES 2019 Lineup Includes 78" & 70" 4K Ultra HD TVs and More
Posted Wed Dec 12, 2018 at 01:30 PM PST by Steven CohenThe company is celebrating its 100th anniversary with its latest collection of home theater products.
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FandangoNOW Releases List of Top 44 Movies Film Fans Want to Stream in 4K
Posted Tue Nov 6, 2018 at 02:15 PM PST by Steven Cohen -
Google Play Announces Free 4K Upgrades for Previous Digital Movie Purchases
Posted Tue Oct 23, 2018 at 09:00 AM PDT by Steven CohenThe service is now offering complimentary 4K upgrades for supported digital titles in your library.
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Amazon Announces New Fire TV Stick 4K with HDR10+, Dolby Vision, and Dolby Atmos Support
Posted Wed Oct 3, 2018 at 05:45 AM PDT by Steven CohenThe new media stick is the first device of its kind to support both HDR10+ and Dolby Vision.
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