[What follows is a feature I wrote for The Daily Oklahoman about one of the greatest movie stars and human beings ever… Burt Reynolds]

Maybe it was the mustache. Or the unscripted quips. Or the genteel Southern manner.

Or just maybe it was that laugh, a cackle delivered by one comfortable in his own skin – inviting his audience gut bust with him, as though they were all in a private joke.

That’s our Burt. And he’s, unbelievably, gone.

Fame, according to Jeanine Bissinger, is “often conferred or withheld just as is love, for reasons and on grounds other than merits.” Burt Reynolds earned his fame with raw boned talent and insight into the business of filmed diversion. [Read on here...]

First up today, we’ve got three new disc reviews for you to check out if you’re interested...

Dennis has checked out Gotti from Lionsgate.

David looks at Autumn in New York from the MVD Marquee Classics line.

And Tim has given Arrow Video’s What Have They Done to Your Daughters? a spin. All three are on Blu-ray.

Also, Michael Coate looks back today at Richard Linklater’s Dazed and Confused on the film’s 25th anniversary with author and historian Thomas A. Christie. You’ll find that in his latest installment of History, Legacy & Showmanship. [Read on here...]

Today’s update is a quickie, but we’ve got some good stuff for you.

Let’s get the usual site business out of the way first...

We’ve got three new reviews for you today, including Tim’s take on The Addiction: Special Edition Blu-ray from Arrow, David’s thoughts on Let’s Make Love on Blu-ray from Twilight Time, and Dennis’ look back at Laugh-In: The Complete Fifth Season on DVD from Time Life. All are worth checking out.

Also today, we’ve posted a brand new History, Legacy & Showmanship column from our own Michael Coate, in which he takes a look back at Live and Let Die with a roundtable of Bond experts in celebration of the film’s 45th anniversary. It’s a great retrospective and another fine addition to Michael’s Bond series, so definitely give it a read. We think you’ll really enjoy it. [Read on here...]

First things first today... we have no less than four new Blu-ray reviews for you to check out.

Tim has given John Carpenter’s Memoirs of an Invisible Man a look on disc from Scream Factory. David Steigman has checked in with his thoughts on Take a Girl Like You (1970) from Twilight Time. And Dennis Sueling has turned in his thoughts on Kino’s The Maids (1975) and Olive Film’s Streets of Vengeance.

Also today, we’ve just learned from our retail sources that Mission: Impossible – Fallout is expected to street on Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K Ultra HD on 12/4. Best Buy will have an exclusive Steelbook version. Adjust your plans accordingly. We’ve updated the 4K Ultra HD Release List here at The Bits accordingly.

By the way, before y’all start freaking out: This is very likely TEMP cover artwork (at left and also below) for use by retailers for pre-orders. Don’t assume it’s final until Paramount finally announces the title. [Read on here...]

Let’s start with the big news today... Lucasfilm and Walt Disney Studios have just officially set Star Wars Rebels: The Complete Fourth Season for release on Blu-ray and DVD on 7/31. The Disney XD series, which just won a Saturn Award last night for this its final season, wraps up with all 15 episodes in 1080p HD and Dolby Digital 5.1 audio.

Extras on the Blu-ray set will include six audio commentaries with executive producer Dave Filoni, 3 featurettes (Ghosts of Legend, Force of Rebellion, and Kevin Kiner: The Rebel Symphony), plus 8 Rebels Recon segments. You can see the cover artwork at left and also below.

Before we continue, a quick note: We’ve just updated the Release Dates & Artwork section once more here at the site with all the latest Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K Ultra HD cover artwork and Amazon.com pre-orders. As always, any time you order literally anything from Amazon or Amazon.co.uk (click here) through our links it goes to help support our ongoing work on The Bits and we appreciate it. [Read on here...]

Sometimes it’s wonderful to find someone who hails from the same planet as you. I go to film festivals and am always pleased to find intelligent, well dressed and conversant people on subjects close to my heart. These folks, somewhat like yours truly, are professionals, go to work every day, raise families and live contemplative and productive lives. And, well, like a fool such as I, love, as Pauline Kael once said, “when the lights go down.”

I’ve been extremely lucky – I’ve had mentors and friends who have done their dead level best to educate me in the ways of the world while also sharing their deep and abiding love for everything silver and screen. [Read on here...]

It’s a little bit of a slow news day today, but we do have a couple items of interest for you...

First though, I had the chance to see an impressive new IMAX film last night. Directed by Stephen van Vuuren and narrated by LeVar Burton of Star Trek fame, In Saturn’s Rings is a large-format look at NASA’s Cassini mission to Saturn, made using over 7.5 million real high-resolution images of the planet, its moons, and other astronomical objects, carefully assembled and presented using classical multi-plane animation techniques. The film is aptly named; some of these images are truly breathtaking, putting you right in the middle of the Saturn system. If you’re a space enthusiast or simply love a good IMAX documentary, the film is well worth a look.

It’s now playing at a handful of theaters around the country, with many more screenings to come. And I can tell you, it would make a pretty fine Blu-ray and 4K Ultra HD release at some point too. You can visit the official website here for all the details and you can see the trailer below. Be sure to view it in native 4K if you can for the full effect. [Read on here...]

We’re starting the day with a new Blu-ray review from our own Tim Salmons, who takes look at Antonio Margheriti’s Yor, the Hunter from the Future: 35th Anniversary Edition from Mill Creek Entertainment. The title streeted last Tuesday and is now available. You can read that here.

In release news today, Amazon is now taking pre-orders on 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment’s The X-Files: The Complete Season 11 on Blu-ray and DVD ($29.99 and $19.99). Street date is still TBA.

Our friends over at Twilight Time have announced their April Blu-ray release slate, which is set to include Paul Schrader’s Auto Focus (2002), Philip Dunne’s Blue Denim (1959), Jacques Demy’s Model Shop (1969), and Martin Ritt’s No Down Payment (1957). [Read on here…]

A little preface – I started writing my little nickel and dime pieces for the holidays not before December 25 but after. And I’ll tell you why. How many of us receive as presents gift cards – they’re easily purchased and delivered. However, many have time limits and they’re incredibly easy to lose. Come on, you’ve lost a few, haven’t you?

So, I write up these fabulous video gifts because you have gift money to spend. And please do so.

When I was in the throes of graduation from Purcell Oklahoma High School about 40 years ago, we Seniors observed a tradition that I’m sure in some form or fashion was copied throughout the country – we had to complete a form that listed our personal “likes.” You know, favorite song, favorite type food, favorite movie, etc. [Read on here...]

Evening, folks. Sorry our posts here at The Bits have been a little uneven this week. We had a lost in the family here unfortunately that’s put a little damper on the holiday season and has made it a little difficult getting work done. However, we have been continuing to work on new discs reviews for you guys.

Since Monday, we’ve posted my reviews of Warner’s Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire in 4K Ultra HD (which means we have now reviewed all 8 films in 4K here at The Bits), along with a joint review (by Tim and I) of Peter Jackson’s King Kong: Ultimate Edition in 4K from Universal, and also Tim’s thoughts on the Misery: Collector’s Edition from Scream Factory, the Blood Feast: Special Edition from Arrow Video, and Spotlight on a Murderer from Arrow Academy, all in regular Blu-ray. Tim has more Blu-ray reviews to come (including a look at CBS and Showtime’s new Twin Peaks: A Limited Event Series), and I’m working on reviews of Atomic Blonde and Westworld in 4K, as well as the Speed Racer: Collector’s Edition box set from FUNimation, more of GKids’s Studio Ghibli titles, and other titles. So watch for those in the days ahead. [Read on here…]