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In this digital-dominated era, the allure of physical media like DVDs and Blu-rays remains robust, transcending mere nostalgia. These formats offer a tangible, personal connection to the artistry of film and television—a curated collection that one can physically handle, showcase, and possess.
As the industry increasingly veers towards streaming as its primary mode of distribution, collecting physical media is becoming a niche yet cherished pastime. It remains the most reliable method to ensure access to a broad spectrum of titles, often in the highest possible quality. A 4K Blu-ray on your shelf guarantees immediate, uninterrupted viewing—free from buffering or service outages—of your favorite films and TV shows in stunning resolution. Moreover, these discs frequently include a wealth of bonus content, ranging from archival gems to freshly produced features that enrich the viewing experience with contextual insights and behind-the-scenes explorations.
For cinephiles, the video and audio fidelity of Blu-ray discs far surpasses the often compressed output of streaming services, delivering a cleaner, more immersive experience.
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The upcoming releases for May, including the blockbuster “Dune Part Two” directed by Denis Villeneuve and timeless classics like “The Crow” featuring Brandon Lee and “Girlfight” starring Michelle Rodriguez, underscore that cinema’s pulse is ever-vibrant. These releases celebrate the enduring spirit of the films, highlighting that regardless of the prevailing trends, the cinematic experience is perpetual and revered.
May 2024
“Dune Part II” (Warner Home Video)
It may be difficult to contain Denis Villeneuve’s operatic vision to the small (or smaller, anyway) screen, but this 4K release, featuring a Dolby Atmos audio track and eight featurettes, will attempt to meet that herculean challenge. After mesmerizing audiences on the big screen, the pristine transfer of this disc offers a new opportunity to explore the moral complexities of young Paul Atreides’ messianic ascent. Releasing May 14.
“Girlfight” (Criterion Collection)
In her striking directorial debut, Karyn Kusama presents the invigorating story of Diana Guzman, dynamically portrayed by Michelle Rodriguez, set in Brooklyn. Oppressed by her father and alienated at school, Diana finds solace in a dilapidated boxing gym that becomes her refuge, offering her an outlet for her frustrations and a new sense of identity. Kusama’s direction skillfully balances the raw, intense boxing scenes with quieter moments of personal growth, emphasizing the film’s theme of self-realization. The authenticity of the setting and the characters’ struggles is vividly brought to life with a new 4K digital restoration, supervised by Kusama and director of photography Patrick Cady. The re-release is enhanced by a 5.1 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack, immersing viewers in the gritty world of the gym and Brooklyn. New interviews with Kusama, editor Plummy Tucker, composer Theodore Shapiro and an essay by acclaimed author Carmen Maria Machado provide deeper insights into the film’s creative process, themes, and cultural impact. Releasing May 28.
“Cry Baby” (Kino Lorber Classics)
In an era when Eisenhower led the nation and Rock ‘n’ Roll dominated the cultural landscape, “Cry Baby” features Johnny Depp as the quintessential bad boy, Wade “Cry-Baby” Walker. Depp’s charismatic rebel character captures the hearts of many with his singular talent for shedding just one tear—a trait that particularly enthralls the girls at his high school. The deluxe 4K UHD and Blu-ray edition brings this vibrant spectacle to the highest visual quality, including the original theatrical cut, now in a brand-new HDR/Dolby Vision master, along with 4K from the original 35mm camera negatives. John Waters’ vision in two distinct versions allows for a deeper appreciation of this cult classic’s artistry and thematic depth. Releases May 28.
“The Crow” (Paramount Home Entertainment)
Broth tragically and triumphantly, Alex Proyas’ directorial debut, an adaptation of James O’Barr’s comic antihero, immortalized star Brandon Lee upon its debut—underscoring the young actor’s charisma and screen presence even as it served as a eulogy for a career that ended far too early. Featuring a new 4K restoration, this new edition pays proper tribute to the film’s achievements and the loss of Lee, with two commentaries, a three-part documentary, extended scenes, and more. Releasing May 7.
“Once Upon a Time in the West” (Paramount Home Entertainment)
The greatest Western of all time? Perhaps. Even if not — and director Sergio Leone himself made a few films equally worthy of consideration for that title — Paramount’s 4K restoration of the 1968 film starring Charles Bronson, Claudia Cardinale, Henry Fonda and Jason Robards showcases its virtues more vividly than ever before. In addition to a ton of legacy bonus material, the reissue features a new commentary track and a featurette where Leonard Maltin sings its praises. Releasing May 14.
“Peeping Tom” (Criterion Collection)
Michael Powell’s 1960 thriller about a photographer who murders women and records their deaths offers one of cinema’s most piercing and thought-provoking examinations of the power of the medium. Long venerated (not least of which because of Criterion’s earlier editions), the distributor offers a stunning new 4K restoration of the film alongside extraordinary insights from the likes of Martin Scorsese and his editor, Thelma Schoonmaker. Releasing May 14.
“The Bad Lieutenant” (Kino Lorber)
One of the 1990s’ most provocative films, Abel Ferrara’s story of a corrupt, gambling, strung-out police detective investigating a rape case has lost none of its power over the years since its release. A New York locations featurette and a new interview with cinematographer Ken Kelsch augments legacy bonus content, including a commentary by Kelsch and Ferrara and a retrospective documentary, on top of a 4K restoration that gives the gritty film a sumptuous new luster. Releasing May 21.
“Sex and Fury” (Discotek Media)
This wild East-meets-West collaboration between “Thriller — A Cruel Picture” actress Christina Lindberg and Japanese pinky violence superstar Reiko Ike must be seen to be believed. Discotek media’s new Blu-ray edition only includes the film’s trailer as bonus material, but the arrival of this cult classic in high definition — much else for the first time on physical media in almost 20 years — instantly shortlists it for anyone who loves 1970s exploitation, and especially fans of its two unforgettable lead actresses. Releasing May 28.
April 2024
“King Kong” (Paramount Home Entertainment)
Excluding spinoffs or crossovers, John Guillermin’s 1976 remake of “King Kong” trails a distant third among films with that title. But it’s not without its charms, including Jessica Lange’s debut performance and the only full-scale Kong ever created (never mind that it barely worked). Featuring both the film’s theatrical cut and an extended TV version running a whopping 46 minutes longer, this 4K release guarantees you can watch its anachronistic (but Oscar-winning!) visual effects more clearly than ever before.
“High Noon” (Kino Lorber)
One of the most famous — and controversial — Westerns ever made, Fred Zinneman’s “High Noon” feels especially ripe for rediscovery in today’s heightened political climate. Kino Lorber’s special edition offers a brand-new HD master from a 4K scan of the original camera negative, two new audio commentaries, and a dense collection of featurettes contextualizing everything from its production to its legacy.
“City of Hope” (Sony Pictures Home Entertainment)
Though a handful of his films have begun to appear in the libraries of the Criterion Collection and elsewhere, writer-director John Sayles remains one of American independent cinema’s most underappreciated voices. Never before released on disc, his 1991 film “City of Hope,” about crime, corruption and redemption in a fictitious East Coast city, arrives on Blu-ray from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment with a new feature commentary by Sayles. An Independent Spirit Award nominee for Best Feature, Sayles’ film is woefully overdue for rediscovery.
“I Am Cuba” (Criterion Collection)
Long withheld from circulation in the U.S. until Martin Scorsese and others mounted a campaign in the 1990s for its restoration, Mikhail Kalatozov’s propagandistic anthology film remains one of the most extraordinary works of cinematographic ambition ever attempted. Newly inducted into Criterion’s pedigreed library, the film is presented in 4K for the first time accompanied by interviews with Scorsese and cinematographer Bradford Young (Oscar-nominated for “Solo: A Star Wars Story”) and the 2004 making-of documentary “I Am Cuba: The Siberian Mammoth.”
“Steel Magnolias” (Sony Pictures Home Entertainment)
Herbert Ross’ 1989 film starring Sally Field, Dolly Parton, Shirley MacLaine, Daryl Hannah, Olympia Dukakis and Julia Roberts celebrates its 35th anniversary this year with a new 4K release featuring remastered picture and sound. Included are legacy bonus features such as a commentary from Ross, the featurette “In Full Bloom,” and ten deleted scenes, as well as the 1990 TV pilot for CBS starring Cindy Williams, Sally Kirkland, Elaine Stritch and Polly Bergen. The film exemplified a particular era of “women’s films” — to be followed by the likes of “Fried Green Tomatoes” — and earned Roberts an Oscar nomination (and Golden Globe win), and its return to disc offers a welcome opportunity to re-experience it — perhaps for the first time in a generation.
“Rolling Thunder” (Shout Factory)
Written by Paul Schrader, John Flynn’s “Rolling Thunder” is a bloody, magnificent tale about a PTSD-afflicted Vietnam veteran (the beautifully taciturn William Devane) who enlists a fellow serviceman (Tommy Lee Jones) to exact revenge on the men who kill his wife and son. Shout Factory complements a new 4K transfer with two audio commentaries and two newly-created featurettes in addition to the film’s legacy content. If you need further incentive to check it out, Quentin Tarantino is reportedly recreating the film’s climatic shootout for his upcoming film about a 1970s film critic.
“The Departed” (Warner Home Video)
Martin Scorsese’s films have really only begun to trickle out onto 4K, but the arrival of the film for which he finally won a Best Director Oscar is a welcome addition to that slim collection. In addition to two featurettes and a whopping nine deleted scenes, each introduced by Scorsese himself, the 4K release includes “Guilt and Betrayal,” a new documentary exploring the origins of the film and its legacy — cinematically and within the director’s expansive filmography.
“Goodbye Uncle Tom” (Blue Underground)
Proper exploitation filmmakers Gualtiero Jacopetti and Franco Prosperi decided in 1971 to draw upon true events to recreate the landscape of antebellum America and depict the conditions that Africans faced under slavery. Whether you feel they shed light on the extraordinary inhumanity of the period or were simply exploiting it in order to provoke audiences, it’s become a truly notorious film, and Blue Underground’s four-disc set includes both its English and Italian versions, a feature-length documentary about its making, featurettes about its directors, composer Riz Ortolani and other collaborators, and a CD of the soundtrack. It’s truly a gobsmacking film in many ways, but this presentation gives audiences a chance to assess it more clearly than ever before — for better or worse.
The “Ocean’s” Trilogy (Warner Home Video)
There are few films in my collection that are more repeatedly watchable than Steven Soderbergh’s “Ocean’s” films — not just fun and star-studded, but absolutely beautiful on screen. This new set offers a welcome upgrade, along with all of the incredible legacy content that audiences have been able to enjoy since they first debuted on disc: commentaries, featurettes and more. If by some chance you don’t already own these films, you no longer have an excuse.
“Andor — The Complete First Season” / “The Falcon and The Winter Soldier: The Complete First Season” / “Obi-Wan Kenobi — The Complete Series” / “Moon Knight: The Complete First Season”
Disney has always maintained a robust presence in the physical media market, so the fact that they’re now issuing hard copies of series that premiered on the company’s streaming service isn’t surprising. But for completists like yours truly, and the few fans of Marvel and/ or Lucasfilm who don’t have a subscription to Disney+, having these series on disc is a godsend. Personally speaking, I’m most excited about “Andor,” which is extraordinarily cinematic and has such beautiful visuals, but having these on the shelf next to theatrical MCU projects offers a new opportunity to view them in the context of a larger storytelling network. That they all come with featurette and documentary content to further explore their worlds is a welcome bonus.
March 2024
“Fear and Desire” (Kino Lorber)
Stanley Kubrick’s long-lost first film first debuted on disc in 2012, following its restoration in 2011 by the George Eastman House. The film joins Kino Lorber’s growing library of 4K-restored classics, this one referenced from a 35mm camera negative, and pairs it with three early short films from the iconic director (also restored). Perhaps most excitingly, this set features for the first time ever the 70-minute premiere cut of the film, which in typical Kubrick fashion, the filmmaker cut after its initial screening. Meanwhile, the set also features two new audio commentaries and trailers for other Kubrick films “Killer’s Kiss,” “The Killing” and “Paths of Glory,” all three of which Kino previously released in 4K. (Feb. 27)
“Wonka” (Warner Home Video)
One of several films released over the holiday 2023 season whose distributor oddly downplayed its status as a musical, Paul King’s origin story about the mischievous chocolatier starring Timothy Chalamet comes home on multiple formats. In addition to a Dolby Atmos audio option, the film is supplemented with featurettes focusing on director King, composer Joby Talbot, production designer Nathan Crowley, costume designer Lindy Hemming, and real-life chocolatier Gabriella Cugno. (Feb. 27)
“Dream Scenario” (Lionsgate)
Even among Nicolas Cage’s idiosyncratic recent output, this film from up-and-comer Kristoffer Borgli (“Sick of Myself”) stands out as wonderfully odd (and oddly timely), about a biology professor who begins appearing in his students’ dreams — to eventually disastrous effect on his waking life. Though it was overlooked during the firehose of awards season, this disc offers a second chance to appreciate the Norwegian filmmaker’s unique perspective. The Blu-ray includes a commentary track from Borgli, a 10-minute featurette and a short collection of deleted scenes. (Feb. 27)
“The Abyss” / “Aliens” / “True Lies” (Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment)
James Cameron spoke to Variety in December 2023 to commemorate the one-night theatrical re-release of “The Abyss,” which preceded the long-awaited 4K remastering of these three of his earlier films on physical disc. Updated versions of “The Abyss” and “True Lies” in particular have eluded collectors almost since the beginning of DVD, but it’s unclear if the versions released on disc will be the same as those that were criticized during their digital releases in December. Even if so, Cameron’s belief that “more is more” promises hours upon hours of bonus materials, some from earlier releases and others looking back contemporaneously. (March 12)
“Ferrari” (Neon/ Decal Releasing)
Michael Mann’s portrait of the automotive legend failed to make waves either at the box office or during awards season, but its debut on disc gives it a fresh start for greater appreciation. The release includes multiple featurettes focusing on Mann himself, the vehicles depicted in the film, the famous Mille Miglia race around which the fate of Ferrari’s company revolves, and the incredible lead performances of Adam Driver and Penelope Cruz. (March 12)
“To Die For” (Criterion)
Gus Van Sant’s 1995 film starring Nicole Kidman shrewdly skewered celebrity obsession at precisely the moment it was becoming a national epidemic. Criterion’s new 4K edition was restored with the approval of Van Sant and cinematographer Eric Alan Edwards, and boasts a 5.1 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack. The Blu-ray edition (included with the 4K UHD disc) features an audio commentary by Van Sant, Edwards and editor Curtiss Clayton, deleted scenes and a trailer for the film. (March 26)
“Primal Fear” (Paramount)
To call Edward Norton’s performance in this legal thriller a “breakthrough” is a wild understatement; playing an altar boy who suffers from multiple personality disorder, the then-newcomer quite literally defined versatility with one unforgettable role. Part of Paramount’s limited-edition “Paramount Presents” series, the 4K release comes in a slipcase that replicates the original poster art for the film, and the disc itself features a new interview with executive producer Hawk Koch and additional legacy content. (March 26)
“Phase IV” (Vinegar Syndrome)
A graphic designer best known for the title sequences he designed for filmmakers like Alfred Hitchcock, Stanley Kubrick and Martin Scorsese, Saul Bass only ever directed one feature himself: the 1974 sci-fi odyssey “Phase IV.” Oddly, its raison d’etre — phase four of its story — was cut out before the film was originally released, and not restored until 2012, but the film has since cultivated admirers leading to a bare-bones release in 2015, and now this deluxe edition in 4K. Vinegar Syndrome pulls out all of the stops for their release, which features newly-restored presentation of both the 84-minute theatrical version and the 89-minute “preview version” now including that fourth phase, a commentary track with film historian Matthew Asprey Gear, a 48-minute documentary by filmmaker Elijah Drenner, a featurette focused on the score and sound design, additional deleted shots and raw footage, and a gallery of promotional materials. (March 26)
“The Warriors” (Arrow)
Until recently, the original cut of Walter Hill’s “Warriors” was largely unavailable after Hill recut an alternate version that transformed the thriller into a comic book come to life. After first releasing an elaborate box set of the film in January as an exclusive as an limited edition featuring the original poster art, Arrow Video is now releasing it everywhere with different packaging and a bounty of extras. Not only does their set include 4K remasters of both the 1979 theatrical cut (in its correct 1.85:1 aspect ratio for the first time) and the 2005 alternate version, but a new commentary track by film critic Walter Chaw, a roundtable appreciation of the film featuring filmmakers Josh Olson (“A History of Violence”) and Lexi Alexander (“Green Street”), interviews with the film’s editor and costume designer, and a profile of composer Barry De Vorzon. (March 26)
“Simon Killer” (IFC Films)
Though it was nominated for the Gray Jury Prize at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival, Antonio Campos’ psychological drama “Simon Killer” was never released domestically on physical media — until now. Costarring Mati Diop, who would go on to direct “Atlantics” in 2019, the film arrives on Blu-ray with a newly recorded commentary by Campos and his co-writer and star Brady Corbet, a separate interview with the filmmaker on the film’s aesthetics, another of his short films, “The Last 15,” and additional materials examining its making and its impact at Sundance. (March 26)