Amadeus is the New Blu-ray Pick of the Week

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Thus far this year has been a knockout in terms of physical media releases. Usually, releases didn’t start getting good until about March as January and February were considered low months as everyone was still recovering from spending all that money on Christmas. But dang if every week this year hasn’t been a banger.

I haven’t watched Amadeus in a couple of decades but I remember loving it. And now you get the original version (there was a director’s cut released in 2002 pushing the original cut into obscurity) in glorious 4K UHD. Call that my pick of the week.

But we’ve got some Classic Doctor Who coming out this week, a couple of cool-looking Japanese films, two Criterion releases, and more. Click here to read my full rundown.

Nosferatu (2024) is the Blu-ray Pick of the Week

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The first silent film I ever saw was Nosferatu (1922). I can’t remember how old I was but I wouldn’t have been more than about 14. I didn’t actually see all of it, just the last fifteen minutes or so, but I was knocked out by it. I normally ran away from the very thought of silent films (I wasn’t yet even hip to black and white movies) but something about Max Schreck in all that freaky makeup creeping up on that sleeping girl mesmerized me.

Last year I attempted to start a film club on Facebook. The idea was to take turns picking out movies for everyone to watch and then come back and discuss it at our leisure, through a FB post. The movie I chose was Werner Herzog’s 1979 remake of the film Nosferatu the Vampyre. I don’t know if my friends just didn’t like it or that a film club is a bad idea, but only one person responded to the movie. Personally, I love it.

Nosferatu, of course, was an unauthorized adaptation of Bram Stoker’s Dracula, which has been adapted dozens of times on screen, but there is something about Nosferatu that continues to fascinate.

Robert Eggers recently remade the film and I’m excited to finally get to see it. This new 4K UHD release contains an extended cut and lots of fun extras. I love Nosferatu in its many adaptations and I’m happy to make this new one my Pick of the Week.

Also out this week that looks interesting:

Constantine 4k UHD 20th Anniversary Addition: This comic book adaptation starring Keanu Reeves met with a collective shrug from critics and audiences alike when it first came out but like so many things time has caused many to revisit it and its reputation has only grown. I first saw it on an airplane and thought it was awful, but I revisited it last year and found it to be quite enjoyable if not exactly a masterpiece.

Panic Room 4k UHD Steelbook: Another film that isn’t a masterpiece but is sturdily made, beautifully directed by David Fincher, and a ton of fun to watch. The transfer here was approved by Fincher and it’s got loads of cool-looking extras.

The Social Network 4K UHD: This was the first Blu-ray I ever bought. It was sort of accidental as the first time I watched the film I didn’t like it that much, but the Blu-ray was on sale for like two bucks so I laid my money down. I’ve since come to appreciate the film in a big way, especially now that Zuckerberg has proven himself even more of a monster than the film depicts.

The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim: Animated prequel to the Lord of the Rings movies. It takes its visual inspiration from Peter Jackson’s films. I think it was inspired by some of the other writings J.R.R. Tolkien wrote about Middle Earth, but it is mostly an original story. I’m not deeply steeped in that lore, but I do like those films (still haven’t seen the Hobbit films) so I’ll eventually get around to this.

Drugstore Cowboy: Criterion Collection presents this drug-fuelled road movie from Gus Van Zandt.

Tom & Jerry The Complete Cinemascope Collection is the New Blu-ray Pick of the Week

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As per usual, I’m behind on posting these things. The trouble with posting the things I write on Cinema Sentries to this blog is that I write something over there, but it doesn’t get posted until the owner has a look at it and hits publish. Sometimes, he does that the same day, and other times, he waits a while, depending on when the thing I’m writing about comes out.

Once I’ve submitted it I tend to forget all about it. That’s not too big a deal with most things, but when I’m talking about this week’s new releases it’s a little silly to post it on the Saturday after the release date. Yet here we are.

It was a good release week but I chose a bit of childhood nostalgia for my pick. You can read all about it here.

Juror No. 2 is the New Blu-ray Pick of the Week

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I wonder if when Clint Eastwood finally sheds this mortal coil he’ll be more remembered as an actor or a director. He’s made plenty of great films as one or the other (and more than a few in which he directed himself). I’m not sure I’d be able to choose which one I enjoy the most. He’s had a long storied career, that’s for sure.

Reportedly Juror No. 2 is reportedly the 94-year-old director’s final film. It was well received by critics but sadly got an incredibly small theatrical release before being dumped on Max. It stars Nicolau Hoult as a juror on a high-profile murder case who realizes he has information he could use to sway the rest of the jury in either way he wants.

That’s all I know. That’s all I want to know. As I often say in these things I like going into movies cold, knowing very little about them. The buzz is that this is a very solidly constructed courtroom drama. The kind of thing they don’t make much of anymore. That’s good enough for me to make it this week’s pick.

Wicked: A movie based on a musical based on a book based on a movie. And they say Hollywood is out of ideas. Wicked reimagines the Wizard of Oz from the Wicked Witch of the West’s point of view, delving into her background and discovering why she became so wicked. It was originally a novel that was turned into a Broadway musical, and now it is a movie. I’ve not read the book, or seen the show, but my wife has treated me to some of the music, which is pretty good.

Werewolves: A supermoon turns millions of people into werewolves. Sounds fun.

Punch Drunk Love: Criterion is giving this wonderful PT Anderson film which proved Adam Sandler can actually act, the 4K UHD treatment.

The Sacrifice: Andrei Tarkovsky’s beautiful, meditative film gets the 4K UHD treatment from Kino Lorber. You can read my review of the Blu-ray here.

Oh, Canada: Richard Gere stars in director Paul Schrader’s latest drama about a draft dodger who fled to Canada during the Vietnam War. I’m a big fan of Schrader so I’m excited about this one.

Two Spaghetti Western Classics: Kill Them All and Come Back Alone / The Hellbenders: Kino Lorber brings these two Italian Westerns to the 4K UHD world.

I forgot to link over to Cinema Sentries for last week’s pick, you can read it here if you like.

The Substance is the New Blu-ray Pick of the Week

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I have a friend on Bluesky who I used to know in real life. And by used to know I mean he was a coworker some fifteen years back. We were friendly back then but not exactly friends. I mean we didn’t hang out outside of work or anything. We’ve stayed in touch via social media and once in a while, we’ll have a little chat.

The other day, he messaged me asking if I’d seen The Substance and what I thought. I still haven’t, but as soon as I do, I’ll give him my notes.

I love that. I love that someone I worked with for over a decade is still asking me my opinion on social media. There is a lot wrong with the world right now (and certainly social media is a large part of that) but there is still plenty of cool things.

The Substance is a horror movie about an aging actress using some kind of specialized drug to make herself appear more young and beautiful. Demi Moore has been getting rave reviews. It also stars Margaret Qualley and Dennis Quaid. That’s all I want to know about it but I can’t wait to finally get to watch it.

Also out this week that looks interesting:

Love and Crime: Radiance Films keeps putting out really good films that I’ve never heard of all wrapped up in beautifully produced packages. This one tells four short stories about four famous Japanese murders.

Kill Bill Vol. 1&2, Jackie Brown: Three Quentin Tarantino films are getting cool-looking 4K UHD releases.

Smile 2: This fun horror sequel is getting a cool-looking 4K UHD steelbook release.

The Cell: Arrow Video is releasing this visually arresting thriller in 4K UHD. I don’t remember much about it other than was visually interesting but kind of confusing. So this might be the perfect time to revisit it.

The Grifters: John Cusack stars in this Crime Drama as a man torn between his mother (Angelica Huston) and his girlfriend (Anette Benning) both of whom are notorious grifters. Criterion has the release.

Inglorious Basterds (2009) is the New Blu-ray Pick of the Week

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The other day someone over on Reddit posed a question concerning why we collectors of physical media actually collect physical media. There were a lot of answers. Some indicated their desire to actually own the movies and television shows in their collection (whereas digital licenses can change and be revoked even if you “bought” a copy.) Others noted the superior audio and video quality of Blu-rays and 4K UHD discs. Still, others talked about enjoying audio commentaries and other extras that come with physical copies.

I agree with all of that, but I also must admit I enjoy the collecting aspect of it all. I like browsing stores (both physical locations and digital spaces), looking through the bins, and trying to find something special. I like adding a movie or show to my master list. I like the way they look on my shelves. I even like organizing them on said shelves.

One of the things I love about boutique Blu-ray companies is that they offer something special to the customer. I’m not just buying a movie to watch. I’m buying a collector’s item that comes in a special box with special artwork full of special features.

As I note in my article over at Cinema Sentries I didn’t love Inglorious Basterds the first (and only time) I watched it, but I love the look of this new 4K disc from Arrow Video.

Seven 4K UHD Is the New Blu-ray Pick of the Week

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Christmas time is weird. I mean it is lovely, and wonderful, but it is also like a black hole time warp. We took off for a week around Christmas to visit my in-laws. We came back the Monday before New Year. So I worked for one day and then had a day off. Then I worked Thursday and Friday but things were kind of slow, so there wasn’t actually much to do. Today it was so cold that none of my subcontractors came out to work so yet again a slow day.

It is hard to remember to do anything on a day like this. I almost forgot to write this article. Luckily we are still in the post-Christmas doldrums so there isn’t much coming out.

I’m on record as a pretty big David Fincher fan and Seven is one of my favorite films from him. I love a good serial killer movie and this is one of the very best. I actually just got my copy of this new 4K release of the film and I’ll be writing a review for Cinema Sentries soon so I won’t say any more.

Also out this week that looks interesting:

Yojimbo/Sanjuro 4K UHD: I’m very much on record as being an Akira Kurosawa fan. These two films star Toshiro Mifune as a masterless samurai who outwits pretty much everyone aren’t the best films from the famed director but they might be the most fun to watch.

Drag Me To Hell: Sam Raimi got his start making horror films, then he spent a decade making dramas, westerns, and three Spider-Man films. Drag Me to Hell was his return to horror. It is pretty good too. They’ve made a sequel so naturally it is now getting a 4K UHD release.

Saturday Night: I haven’t watched Saturday Night Live in decades. I periodically toss on clips from a recent show via YouTube and I never find it funny. But back in the day, I loved it. This film about the opening night of the very first show has gotten mixed reviews, but I’m somewhat intrigued.

Conclave is the New Blu-ray Pick of the Week

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I follow a lot of film critics on social media (I’m now on Bluesky if you do that sort of thing you can find me here.) Obviously, film critics talk a lot about movies. Mostly new movies because that’s their job. I don’t really watch new movies. I like old movies. But I do like reading about what new movies are good. Well, reading is a bit of a strong word because I usually don’t read reviews before I watch a movie and I like coming into a movie as fresh as possible. So it’s more like I enjoy hearing the buzz about good new movies enough to make me make a mental note of it and possibly watch it sometime in the future.

Conclave has gotten a lot of buzz. That’s all I know about. Well the people seem to be dressed in Catholic priest attire, and the title insinuates it will be about choosing a new Pope, but that’s really all I know about it. But the buzzing has been strong enough that I really want to see it and I’m making it this week’s Pick (because that means I should be able to watch it soon.)

Also out this week that looks interesting:

Easter Condors: Sammo Hung was a huge name in Hong Kong Cinema in the 1980s and 1990s. He made a lot of movies, many of them goofy. This is his take on a Vietnam action flick. Criterion of all people are releasing it.

Yokohama BJ Blues: Radiance films brings this crime story to us. It is about a detective/blues singer trying to solve his best friends murder and find all sorts of dark secrets along the way.

Golden Harvest 2: Shining Stars: Golden Harvest was kind of a second rate Shaw Brothers studio. They made lots of kung fu flicks but with smaller budget and smaller stars. This is a nice looking boxed set full of eight films.

Seinfeld: The Complete Series 4K UHD: I’m not sure this NBC show from the 1990s really needed a UHD upgrade but here we are. I absolutely loved Seinfeld when it first aired, but something tells me I’d just find it irritating now.

Joker: Folie à Deux: Joker was a massive surprise hit. A sequel was inevitable. It was surprising just how many people seem to hate it. Critics were pretty mixed on the first one but it had a huge fanbase. This sequel seems to have irritated everyone.

Terrifier 3: I know I’m a horror nerd but something about these films just makes me not want to watch them. Everything I read about them indicates they are just a bunch of gore scenes thrown together and I want more than that in my horror.

The Searchers: John Ford’s epic western gets the 4K UHD treatment.

No Country For Old Men 4KUHD is the New Blu-ray Pick of the Week

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I’m a little late with this. I assume pretty much all of you follow my other blog and have heard my tales of illness and woe. Short end of it is I have pneumonia. I’m on the recovery end of it, but it was a rough go of it there for a bit.

The weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas are always bountiful with new releases and this week is no exception. The Coen Brothers are one of my favorite directors and No Country for Old Men is one of my favorite films of theirs. The Criterion Collection is releasing a 4K UHD disc this week so naturally it is my pick, but there are lots of other cool things coming out too which you can read about in my article over at Cinema Sentries.

The Wild Robot is the New Blu-ray Pick of the Week

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Somewhere over the long Thanksgiving break, I managed to do something to my hip. I guess I pulled a muscle, maybe. Or something. Whatever I did, it hurts. Hurts a lot. It hurts when I walk. It hurts when I sit. It really hurts when I twist it a certain way. I’m hoping I just pulled something and that in time it will heal. But if I’m not feeling better in a few days I’ll be going to the doctor.

Also, I woke up this morning with a nasty cold.

We won’t talk about how I have terrible insurance and so I have to live in pain for a few days to justify the expense of going to a doctor.

What we will talk about is this week’s new Blu-rays. I mention my pain as a way to say I don’t really have the energy to get too heavily into any of these releases, but I’m a nerd and that means I have to talk about them a little otherwise I’d be letting my readers down.

The Wild Robot is a new animated film about a robot that finds itself stranded on an uninhabited island. Uninhabited by humans at least. It must learn to live with animals and eventually becomes a surrogate mother to a gosling. It has received wonderful reviews and I’m looking forward to finally catching up with it.

Also out this week that looks interesting:

Alien: Romulus: Basically a mix tape of all the previous Alien movies that never quite justifies its own existence. Still, it is a pretty fun ride.

Aguirre the Wrath of God 4k UHD: Werner Herzog’s mesmerizing tale of Spanish Conquistadors gets a 4K upgrade from Shout Factory. You can read my full review here.

Shaun of the Dead 4K UHD Steelbook: One of my go-to movies when I’m feeling down.

Shawscope: Volume 3: Another incredible package of Shaw Brothers kung fu flicks from Arrow Video. Includes 14 films on 10 discs.

Super Spies and Secret Lies: Three Undercover Classics from Shaw: Eureka Entertainment has three more Shaw Brothers “classics.”

The Sword: A swordsman and a samurai work together to find a blade. I’ll have a full review of this one up soon.

Loki Season Two/Hawkeye Season One/The Mandalorian Season Three/Ahsoka Season One: All of the most recent Disney MCU/Star Wars shows are getting a physical release in 4K UHD. There isn’t a single one that I’d be interested in watching again (or for the first time Lokie Season Two).