My Two Cents
All right, today’s news post here on The Bits will be brief, as I’m working to complete my review of HBO’s Game of Thrones: The Complete Series in 4K Ultra HD.
There’s a LOT of content to cover in the set—but knock wood—I should have my thoughts finished by this evening. The set is impressive, I’ll say that much right now. Great 4K image quality (with both Dolby Vision HDR and HDR10), stunning Atmos sound, and it’s loaded with extras—including much of the content that was on exclusive retailer bonus discs previously. More later. The set streets tomorrow.
Also today, I posted a review over the weekend of Richard Gray’s Robert the Bruce (2019) in 4K, the Braveheart semi-sequel featuring actor Angus MacFadyen reprising his role as the title character. It’s a modest but I think quite good film that I’ve reviewed on Blu-ray previously. Now you can get it from Germany in 4K Ultra HD and it’s actually available on Amazon US right now for just $28.
You can read the review here and order the disc via this link. [Read on here...]
Afternoon, folks. We’ve got a few things for you today to close out the week.
First up, we have a trio of new Blu-ray reviews...
Tim has posted his thoughts on Scott Beck and Bryan Woods’ Haunt (2019) from Ronin Flix.
And Dennis has taken a look at Jan de Bont’s The Haunting (1999) from the Paramount Presents line, as well as Herbert Ross’ The Secret of My Success (1987) on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics.
I’m also about to get my hands on a pretty significant Q4 4K Ultra HD release later today, so (with luck) I’ll be working on a review of the title over the weekend.
No, it’s not Lord of the Rings or The Hobbit, but let’s just say winter is near. So watch for an update over the next few days. [Read on here...]
All right, first things first today: I’m pleased to report that we did not have to evacuate from these wildfires here in SoCal after all. But it was a long night while we waited to find that out. Thankfully, when I stepped out this morning, it appeared that the fires had moved farther away from us, not closer. And this afternoon the evacuation orders all around us were lifted. So... whew!
It’s going to take a couple days to get back to normal around here, but I count that as a good problem to have, considering the alternative.
Now then... the big news today is that our industry and retail sources are telling us that Sony Pictures Home Entertainment is quietly preparing to release Neill Blomkamp’s Elysium, Rian Johnson’s Looper, and Andrew Niccol’s GATTACA in 4K Ultra HD early in 2021. Elysium and Looper are already available digitally in 4K, and a few European retailers have listed GATTACA for physical 4K release in March. [Read on here...]
Okay, we’ve just heard back from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment on that audio issue with The Flintstones: The Complete Series on Blu-ray (see our review here, which notes the specific issue with the audio on Episode 17 found on Disc One). Warner has confirmed the issue, corrected it, and is now setting up a disc replacement program. They ask people to contact this email address to arrange a replacement disc:
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Include in your email the following details:
- Full Name
- Phone number
- Email address
- Mailing address where the replacement disc should be shipped
It sounds like the fixed discs are being produced now. [Read on here...]
We have a little bit more interesting release news for you to check out today (by way of closing out the week)...
First of all, our friends at Arrow Video have just announced their January 2021 slate of home video titles, and it’s pretty terrific. It starts with UK only Blu-ray releases of Jaume Balagueró and Paco Plaza’s [Rec] and Park Chan-wook’s Oldboy. Oldboy will also be released on 4K Ultra HD (in the UK only), but remember that 4K discs are not region locked.
Next up, Arrow is releasing Park Chan-wook’s JSA: Joint Security Area and Richard Kelly’s Southland Tales on Blu-ray Disc in the UK, US, and Canada.
Finally, those of you who missed out of Arrow’s recent (and fast selling) Gamera box set (reviewed here on The Bits) will be pleased to know that its films are being reissued on Blu-ray (again in the UK, US, and Canada) in a more wide-release configuration. Three SKUs will be available: Gamera: The Heisei Era (3 films plus a documentary and the Gamera the Brave film as a bonus) as both a wide-release box set and as a Steelbook, and Gamera: The Showa Era (8 films) as a wide-release box set. Obviously, you won’t get all the swag their original big box included, but at least this gives more of you access to the films in HD. [Read on here...]