Great Movies
10 NEW TO HBO MAX
"Belfast"
"Belle"
"Blow Out"
"Blue Velvet"
"Ex Machina"
"The Exorcist"
"JFK"
"Pulp Fiction"
"Sideways"
"Under the Skin"
10 NEW TO NETFLIX
"Eyes Wide Shut"
"Ferris Bueller's Day Off"
"Flight"
"The Hunt for Red October"
"Men in Black"
"The Nice Guys"
"Skyfall"
"Spider-Man 2"
"The Town"
"Uncharted"
10 NEW TO BLU-RAY/DVD
Scott Derrickson ("Sinister") returned to horror after his time away in the MCU and delivered one of the biggest hits of 2022, a legitimate word-of-mouth success that has grossed over $150 million worldwide and counting. Ethan Hawke is phenomenal as the villain in this adaptation of the short story of the same name by the legendary Joe Hill. What I like about "The Black Phone" is its gritty textures, never shying away from actual violence, whether it's committed by a serial killer or an alcoholic father. It also features some strong young performers, especially Mason Thames and Madeleine McGraw.
Special Features
Feature commentary by producer/co-writer/director Scott Derrickson
Deleted Scenes
Ethan Hawke's Evil Turn
Answering the Call: Behind the Scenes of The Black Phone
Devil in the Design
Super 8 Set
"Shadowprowler" - a short film by Scott Derrickson
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"Buck and the Preacher" (Criterion)
In 1972, the legendary, Oscar-winning actor Sidney Poitier made his directorial debut with this subversive Western, which starred the superstar alongside Harry Belafonte and a phenomenal Ruby Dee. He revealed a subtle depth as a filmmaker, finding just the right stately rhythm for a piece that was a clear reference point for Jordan Peele's "Nope" (you can see the poster for it in the house in a few scenes). Now a part of the Criterion Collection, this feels like a film that's perfectly timed for a reappraisal, a half-century after it was released.
Special Features
New 4K digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack
New interview with Mia Mask, author of Black Rodeo: A History of the African American Western
Behind-the-scenes footage featuring actor-director Sidney Poitier and actor-producer Harry Belafonte
Interviews with Poitier and Belafonte from 1972 episodes of Soul! and The Dick Cavett Show
New interview with Gina Belafonte, daughter of Harry Belafonte
English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
PLUS: An essay by critic Aisha Harris
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"Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind"
One of the best films of the 2000s has finally been given the 4K treatment, overseen by ace cinematographer Ellen Kuras. The Kino Lorber 4K edition now on shelves looks richly restored with nice color depth and no degradation. It looks like it could have come out today. It's also nice of Kino to include a new interview with Kuras alongside the numerous previously available special features like deleted scenes, interviews, a music video, and featurettes. As for the film, it's still a stunner, a moving meditation on love and memory with a career-best performance from Jim Carrey and a top-tier one from Kate Winslet.
Special Features
NEW 4K RESTORATION OF THE FILM
NEW DOLBY VISION/HDR GRADE color-graded by Cinematographer Ellen Kuras
Audio Commentary by Director Michel Gondry and Screenwriter Charlie Kaufman
NEW Memory Light - Interview with Cinematographer Ellen Kuras
A Look Inside Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind: Step into the minds of the filmmakers in this behind-the-scenes look at the film
A Conversation with Jim Carrey and Michel Gondry: The star and director reflect on their favorite on-set moments
A Conversation with Kate Winslet and Michel Gondry
Inside the Mind of Director Michel Gondry
Anatomy of a Scene: Saratoga Avenue
Deleted and Extended Scenes
The Polyphonic Spree "Light & Day" music video
Lacuna Infomercial
Theatrical Trailer
Optional English Subtitles
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Paul W.S. Anderson will likely be best remembered for his "Resident Evil" franchise but his best film remains this 1997 sci-fi/horror flick that's basically a grisly haunted house movie wherein the house has been replaced by a spaceship. Laurence Fishburne, Sam Neill, Kathleen Quinlan, and Joely Richardson star in an "Alien" riff that centers a spaceship that has reappeared after going missing in orbit around Neptune. The rescue crew discovers something close to a portal to Hell in this film that owes as much to Lovecraft as it does to Giger. Somewhat dismissed on release, "Event Horizon" has developed a stronger following every year, and that should be amplified further by this beautiful 4K steelbook set, a must-own for fans of the film.
Special Features
4K RESTORATION OF THE FILM
DOLBY VISION/HDR PRESENTATION OF THE FILM
Audio commentary by director Paul W.S. Anderson and producer Jeremy Bolt
The Making of Event Horizon - Five featuurettes
The Point of No Return - The filming of Event Horizon with director commentary
Secrets with optional director commentary
The Unseen Event Horizon - the unfilmed rescue scene, plus conceptual art
Original trailer
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"Flatliners"
Forget the lame remake and stick with the Joel Schumacher original, a film that has been given a lavish 4K treatment by the geniuses over at Arrow. They went to cinematographer Jan de Bont for the 4K restoration from the original negative of this 1990 horror film about a group of medical students who go too far when it comes to deciphering the greatest unknown since the beginning of time: what happens when we die. They conduct experiments that fracture the line between life and death in a film that has only grown more popular since its release. It's a perfect pick for Arrow, who not only include the 4K version for the first time but brand new special features, including a commentary and interviews. That new artwork is killer too.
Special Features
NEW 4K RESTORATION from the original negative, approved by director of photography Jan de Bont
DOLBY VISION/HDR PRESENTATION OF THE FILM
Audio: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and 2.0 surround soundtracks
Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
Brand new audio commentary by critics Bryan Reesman and Max Evry
The Conquest of our Generation, a brand new video interview with screenwriter Peter Filardi
Visions of Light, a brand new video interview with director of photography Jan de Bont and chief lighting technician Edward Ayer
Hereafter, a brand new video interview with first assistant director John Kretchmer
Restoration, a brand new video interview with production designer Eugenio Zanetti and art director Larry Lundy
Atonement, a brand new video interview with composer James Newton Howard and orchestrator Chris Boardman
Dressing for Character, a brand new interview with costume designer Susan Becker
Theatrical trailer
Image gallery
Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Gary Pullin
First pressing only: Illustrated collector's booklet featuring new writing on the film by Amanda Reyes and Peter Tonguette
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"Heat"
Released in conjunction with the launch of the excellent novel Heat 2, this special edition 4K version of the Michael Mann classic is for anyone who hasn't added this 1995 masterpiece to their collection and only them. The film was already available in 4K and the special features on this release were previously available except for the Academy Panel reunion with the stars and Mann. Still, if you haven't seen "Heat" in a long time, correct that oversight with a rewatch. It's held up marvelously, a taut cat-and-mouse that highlights not just the depth of its leading men but the incredibly craftsmanship of its creator.
Special Features
PREVIOUSLY REMASTERED IN 4K
HDR PRESENTATION OF THE FILM
DTS-HD MASTER AUDIO 5.1 TRACK
Academy Panel reuniting Mann, Pacino and De Niro and moderated by Christopher Nolan
Toronto International Film Festival Q&A with Mann
Audio Commentary by Michael Mann
The Making of Heat
True Crime
Crime Stories
Into the Fire
Pacino and De Niro: The Conversation
Return to the Scene of the Crime
Additional Footage - Deleted Scenes
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"Hotel Du Nord" (Criterion)
A pre-WWII drama that really shaped French cinema, "Hotel Du Nord" centers the residents of an increasingly rundown Parisian hotel, highlighting two couples. Carne's gorgeously shot film tells the tale of a young couple who plan a murder-suicide that goes wrong, an event that brings a prostitute and her pimp into their orbit. It's a beautiful slice of '30s realism that's also imbued with a sense of Carné's poetic sensibility. The new restoration on the Criterion release is a subtly perfect one, never drawing attention to itself, and the new conversation with Jean-Pierre Jeunet (whose "Delicatessen" was clearly influenced by this flick) is an insightful one.
Special Features
New 2K digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray
New conversation between filmmaker Jean-Pierre Jeunet (Amélie) and journalist Philippe Morisson
Television program from 1972 on the making of the film
Documentary from 1994 on the life and career of director Marcel Carné
Trailer
New English subtitle translation
PLUS: An essay by film and theater scholar Edward Baron Turk
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Critics may have hated the latest "Jurassic World" movie but audiences ate it up, turning the event picture into one of the highest grossers of 2022. Universal has wasted little time getting it to home audiences before the end of the Summer, even including an extended cut of the movie that has 14 additional minutes on a flick that was already WAY too long. Apologies to anyone looking for an analysis of that extended cut here but I couldn't devote five hours to this movie this week, especially given how clunky and choppy I found the theatrical cut anyway. Still, it's worth noting for fans of this film that Universal has treated them very well, loading up the home release with tons of special features about its production (none of which explain how it lacks the heart or wit of even the last sequel, but I digress).
Special Features
DOLBY VISION/HDR PRESENTATION OF THE FILM
DOLBY DTS:X AUDIO TRACK
EXTENDED VERSION – An extended cut of the film with 14 minutes of additional footage featuring more dinosaurs, action, iconic character moments and an alternate opening
BATTLE AT BIG ROCK – Directed by Colin Trevorrow, the short film takes place one year after the events of JURASSIC WORLD: FALLEN KINGDOM in Big Rock National Park.
A NEW BREED OF VFX – VFX supervisor David Vickery and the magicians at ILM discuss the incredible visual effects work featured in JURASSIC WORLD DOMINION.
DINOSAURS AMONG US: INSIDE JURASSIC WORLD DOMINION
TOGETHER FOR THE FIRST TIME - Cast and filmmakers discuss the evolution of the franchise and the special union of characters from JURASSIC PARK and JURASSIC WORLD.
UNDERGROUND DINO MARKET - Join filmmakers for a tour of the amazing dino market set and discover how they brought it to life.
MAYHEM IN MALTA - A behind-the-scenes look at the Atrociraptor rooftop chase and Owen's harrowing motorcycle ride through the narrow streets and alleyways of Malta.
SCARY REAL
SPIT TAKE: THE RETURN OF THE DILOPHOSAURUS - Live-action dinosaurs supervisor John Nolan and his team reveal how they created the impressive Dilophosaurus animatronic.
INSIDE THE DIMETRODON - Learn how the filmmaking team operated the terrifying Dimetrodon animatronic and hear from Laura Dern and Sam Neill on what it was like working with it.
CREATING A PLAGUE - Laura Dern and Bryce Dallas Howard discuss the enormous locusts featured in JURASSIC WORLD DOMINION and the creature effects team reveals how they were created and deployed.
PASSING THE BATA..N- Discover the craftsmanship behind the realistic-looking Beta animatronic and hear from Chris Pratt and Isabella Sermon on why they enjoyed working with it.
GIGA-BITE - Go behind the scenes with the cast of JURASSIC WORLD DOMINION as they are introduced to the biggest star of the film, the Giganotosaurus, for the very first time.
FINAL NIGHT - Witness the emotional final night of filming with the cast and crew of JURASSIC WORLD DOMINION.
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Kino Lorber loves releasing early Stanley Kubrick films ("Paths of Glory" is getting a re-release in a couple weeks too) and the 4K restoration of the master's 1956 noir is their latest offering. It's a new restoration from the original negative, although it's hard to discern too much of a difference to this eye from the Criterion edition of the same film. Perhaps more interesting to buyers who may already have this flick is the new audio commentary that unpacks the production of and influences on this film, one of Kubrick's early greats.
Special Features
NEW 4K RESTORATION OF THE FILM FROM THE ORIGINAL CAMERA NEGATIVE
DOLBY/VISION HDR PRESENTATION OF THE FILM
NEW Audio Commentary by Author/Film Historian Alan K. Rode
Theatrical Trailer
Reversible Art
Limited Edition O-Card Slipcase
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"Men"
Alex Garland's third film as a writer/director turned out to be his first real critical stumble, a movie that didn't get nearly the praise of "Ex Machina" or "Annihilation." It's pretty easy to see why. This is a crazy movie, and it doesn't quite come together like his previous works. Jessie Buckley is typically great as a grieving woman whose husband killed himself after a fight. She goes to a country estate to decompress and ends up in a pagan nightmare in which Rory Kinnear plays every man in the area, each more monstrous than the former one. It's a visually striking film for sure but the script feels a rewrite or two away from working. Even the best filmmakers in history have missed a time or two and I'm happy that Garland is undeniably still swinging for the fences even if this one is more of a strikeout than a home run.
Special Features
Rebirth: The Making of Men
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Brian Tallerico is the Managing Editor of RogerEbert.com, and also covers television, film, Blu-ray, and video games. He is also a writer for Vulture, The Playlist, The New York Times, and GQ, and the President of the Chicago Film Critics Association.
