My Two Cents
Greetings, Bits readers—I hope this finds you all well!
You may have noticed that there have been very few updates here on the site this week, and also that we’ve had a lot of downtime in which the site wasn’t working or was slow to load.
There’s a reason for that, which is that we’ve been the target of relentless scaping by AI companies trying to train their LLMs. We’ve taken steps to prevent it in the past, but they don’t seem to care that when they scrape us, it causes significant disruptions for both us and you as readers. So it looks like we’re going to have to take further steps to prevent this going forward.
In the meantime, we’ve got a lot of ground to cover today, as I haven’t been able to post a news update since Monday due to these disruptions.
We’ll start with disc reviews! We’ve had a bunch for you this week, including…
My looks at Jeannot Szwarc’s Somewhere in Time (1980) in 4K from Kino Lorber Studio Classics, David Lynch’s The Straight Story (1999) in 4K from StudioCanal (a joint review with former Bits staffer Dan Kelly), Michael Crichton’s Westworld (1973) in 4K from Arrow Video, and Ted Lasso: The Richmond Way (2020-23) in 4K from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment.
Tim’s review of Lam Nai-Choi’s The Cat (1991) on Blu-ray from 88 Films.
Dennis’ take on Claude Leloch’s A Man and a Woman (1966) on Blu-ray from the Criterion Collection.
Stuart’s thoughts on Jerzy Skolimowski’s The Lightship (1985) on Blu-ray from Imprint Films and Jeffrey Dell and Roy Boulting’s Man in a Cocked Hat (1959) on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics.
And finally, Stephen’s look at Dario Argento’s The Phantom of the Opera (1998) and Emmett Alston’s Demonwarp (1988) in 4K from Vinegar Syndrome, and Ti West’s The Innkeepers (2011) on Blu-ray from Umbrella and in 4K Ultra HD from Second Sight. Whew!
Now, let’s get to the news that’s broken since our announcement of James Cameron’s Avatar: Fire and Ash on Blu-ray and 4K on Monday… [Read on here...]
ACADEMY AWARD WINNER FOR BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
Return to Pandora When Avatar: Fire and Ash Arrives on Digital March 31 and on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, 3D Blu-ray, and DVD May 19
Featuring Over 3 Hours of Never-Before-Seen Extras
BURBANK, CA (March 24, 2026) – Visionary filmmaker James Cameron invites audiences to return to the breathtaking world of Pandora when 20th Century Studios’ Avatar: Fire and Ash arrives on Digital March 31, including Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, and Fandango at Home. The cinematic event continues as the film becomes available to own on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, 3D Blu-ray, and DVD May 19, featuring stunning Dolby Vision picture quality and immersive Dolby Atmos audio that bring the visually spectacular, action-packed adventure home in breathtaking fashion.
Avatar: Fire and Ash continues the franchise’s extraordinary box office momentum, earning $1.5 billion worldwide and ranking among the Motion Picture Association’s top-grossing films of all time. That global success is matched by powerful audience enthusiasm, including a 90% Verified Hot Audience Score on Rotten Tomatoes, alongside major honors for Best Visual Effects from the Academy Awards, BAFTA, and the American Cinematheque, among others. Critics have hailed the film as “a movie event unlike any other” (Ross Bonaime, Collider), with some declaring it “the best Avatar yet” (Matt Hambidge, FandomWire), praising its masterful blend of natural wonder, breathtaking action, and emotional storytelling.
Fans can explore the world of Avatar: Fire and Ash on a deeper level with more than three hours of never-before-seen bonus content, offering an expansive look at the creation of Pandora. The extras dive into the development of Na’vi culture, including the language, design, costumes, and environments, while also taking viewers behind the scenes of the filmmaking process with in-depth looks at performance capture, visual effects, and groundbreaking 3D technology that bring the immersive experience to life. [Read on here...]
All right, as you can see by that headline, we’ve got some big release news for you today! But first, a few more new disc reviews…
Stephen has reviewed William Friedkin’s Jade (1995) in 4K Ultra HD from Imprint Films.
Tim has offered his thoughts on Rod Amateau’s The Garbage Pail Kids Movie (1987) in 4K Ultra HD from Vinegar Syndrome.
And Dennis has shared his perspective on a Jack Benny Comedy Classics double feature of Raoul Walsh’s Artists and Models (1937) and Mark Sandrich’s Man About Town (1939) on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics.
I’ve also got a couple of additional reviews coming tomorrow, so be sure to watch for those.
Now then… you know how lots of people a few weeks ago were saying that if Netflix won the bidding war for Warner Bros. that might mean the end of physical media?
Yeah, maybe not so much.
Not only has Netflix recently let Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein and the animated K-Pop Demon Hunters be licensed to Criterion for Blu-ray and 4K release, today we have even bigger news.
Arrow Video just announced on social media that they’re bringing the most popular Netflix Original series of all time—the Duffer Brothers’ Stranger Things: The Complete Series—to Blu-ray and 4K Ultra HD in July (street date 7/28)! [Read on here...]
We’ve got a pretty exciting post today, if I do say so myself. At least, it’s full of things for which we here at The Bits have serious enthusiasm. And really, what’s a life without enthusiasms anyway?
To start, we’ve got two more new disc reviews for you…
Stephen has taken a look at Ben Wheatley’s Kill List (2011) in 4K Ultra HD from our friends at Severin Films.
And Tim has offered his thoughts on Martin Campbell’s No Escape: Collector’s Edition (1994) in 4K Ultra HD from Umbrella Entertainment.
Now then… and speaking of 4K Ultra HD… the good folks at Lionsgate have just dropped new titles on their Lionsgate Limited website today!
They include Roman Polanski’s The Ninth Gate (1999) in 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray Steelbook, which streets on 4/21. It’s available here for the first time in 4K with Dolby Vision, and includes a new interview with cinematographer Darius Khondji as well as a ton of legacy extras.
Also available on Blu-ray only is the next Vestron Video Collector’s Series title, James Melkonian’s The Stöned Age (1994). Look for that on 4/20 (naturally).
And more new warehouse finds are now available on the Lionsgate Limited website, including Angel Heart, Punisher, Hacksaw Ridge, Ender’s Game, Highlander, and more. [Read on here...]
As we so often do, we’re starting the new week here at The Bits with more new disc reviews, including…
Tim’s look at Riccardo Freda’s The Ghost (1963) in 4K Ultra HD from Severin Films, as well as Louis Malle’s The Fire Within (1963) on Blu-ray from Umbrella Entertainment.
Stephen’s thoughts on Can Evrenol’s Baskin (2015) in 4K Ultra HD, also from Severin.
Dennis’ take on Kenneth Branagh’s Dead Again (1991) on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics, Bruce Robinson’s Withnail and I (1987) on Blu-ray from Imprint Films, and Olaf Ittenbach’s Garden of Love (2003) on Blu-ray from Unearthed Films.
And finally, Stuart’s reviews of George Marshall’s Hold That Blonde! (1945) on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics, as well as Warner Archive’s Robert Taylor Collection on Blu-ray, which includes Devil’s Doorway (1950), Westward the Women (1951), Ivanhoe (1952), and The Last Hunt (1956).
Watch for more new disc reviews here all this week!
Now then, last night was the Academy Awards, and I think it’s safe to say that there weren’t too many surprises in terms of winners and losers. I was certainly glad to see Autumn Durald Arkapaw become the first woman to win Best Cinematography for Sinners, and to see Michael B. Jordan to win Best Actor for the same film.
While I’m talking Michael B. Jordan, this is a good time to mention that he was great in the very first thing I ever saw him in as well, which was NBC’s Friday Night Lights (2009-2011) TV series. The show is fantastic, and it doesn’t get nearly the love it deserves. If you haven’t seen it yet, I highly recommend it. The series brilliantly chronicles small town life in America, and it’s about a lot more than just high school football (though that part is great too). Do give it a look—I think you’ll really enjoy it. [Read on here...]