Note that we’ve reviewed many of these titles here at The Bits, so feel free to check our Reviews Database to read more about them. And if you’d like to weigh in with your own picks, you can do so right now on The Digital Bits’ Patreon page (click here to subscribe and share your choices)!

I think the list below will inspire discussion, and with luck it will also call your attention to a few titles you might have overlooked. We hope you enjoy it!

BILL HUNT

(in no particular order)

• Civil War (4K UHD – A24/Lionsgate) – The cinematography here is absolutely spectacular and the 4K disc delivers it in reference A/V quality, then tosses in a terrific “making of” documentary courtesy of Charles de Lauzirika to boot.
• Conan the Barbarian (4K UHD – Arrow Video) – A beloved and legendary genre favorite finally gets the epic 4K remaster it’s always deserved and the result is a must-have release on the format.
• Frank Capra at Columbia Collection (4K UHD – Sony) – Show of hands: Who expected to get Submarine (1928) and Dirigible (1931) in 4K along with titles like It Happened One Night, Mr. Deeds Goes to Town, Lost Horizon, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington & more? This set is twenty films of pure cinephile delight.
• The Searchers (4K UHD – Warner Archive) – One of John Ford’s best films. One of John Wayne’s finest performances. Arguably the greatest Western of the classic Hollywood era. And it’s Warner Archive’s first ever 4K release. Did I mention it’s also a VistaVision title with reference-quality remastering? This, in my humble opinion, is the Best Disc of 2024.
• The Keep (4K UHD – Vinegar Syndrome) – Another show of hands: Who expected this seldom-seen “holy grail” to arrive on remastered disc, much less in 4K? It’s not a great film, but it is one of Michael Mann’s earliest films and it’s certainly an interesting one.
• Seven Samurai (4K UHD – BFI/Criterion) – This is my personal favorite film of all time. It’s also the legendary director Akira Kurosawa’s finest and most influential work. And though the original camera negative no longer exists, BFI and Criterion have taken two slightly different approaches to presenting Toho’s new 4K remaster on disc. And frankly, if you’re a fan, both discs are worth having.
• Chinatown: Paramount Presents (4K UHD – Paramount) – Roman Polanski’s neo-noir classic is one of the greatest films of all time, and Paramount’s 4K restoration was spectacular. If you’re a serious student of the cinema, some titles simply must be seen and studied carefully, and this is one of them.
• The Hitcher (4K UHD – Second Sight) – Never in a million years did I think The Hitcher would be released in 4K. And though it took a while for Second Sight to dot all the I’s and cross all the T’s, they not only nailed the restoration, they’ve created a boatload of fine extras to make it worth the wait.
• Stop Making Sense (4K UHD – A24) – It’s arguably the best concert film of all time, and A24 worked with The Talking Heads—as well as the fine remastering team at American Zoetrope—to not only nail the 4K image but to create a sublime Dolby Atmos experience. This film had people dancing in the aisles in theaters in the 1980s (myself among them) and it was a delight to see history repeat in 2024 via IMAX.
• Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (4K UHD – 20th Century/Sony) – This is a very good film. It’s a solid 4K disc. But the real delight here is one of the best special features in recent memory: A complete alternate version of the film on Blu-ray that allows you to compare the finished film with the raw “unfinished” production footage featuring the actors performing in mocap suits. 20th Century’s Steve Asbell moved heaven and earth to make this possible, and it was damn sure worth it.

Honorable Mentions:

• Dune: Part Two (4K UHD – Warner Bros.) – My favorite new-release film of the year would be in my top ten for sheer A/V quality but for the fact that Warner Bros. decided to put extras on the 4K disc and to include no Blu-ray in the package (which is where all the extras should have been).
• Little Darlings (4K UHD – Cinématographe/Vinegar Syndrome) – I mean, come on. This film was on nobody’s bingo card for 2024, and Cinématographe introduced themselves in style with it by crafting a beautiful bespoke package.
• Looney Tunes Collector’s Choice Volumes 3-4 (Blu-ray – Warner Archive) – With so many volumes, it’s easy to overlook these gems, but Warner Archive keeps releasing these classic animated shorts with the goal of making sure we eventually get every single one in HD.
• Andor: The Complete First Season (4K UHD – Lucasfilm/Buena Vista) – The best Star Wars release of the Disney era meets 4K with all twelve episodes included in maximum video data rates on 100GB discs. I wish the extras were better, but still.
• North by Northwest (4K UHD – Warner Bros.) – Any title filmed in VistaVision should look spectacular in 4K, and the team at Warner Bros. Motion Picture Imaging knocked this one out of the park.
• The Terminator (4K UHD – MGM/Warner Bros.) – It’s easy to forget that 2024 began with a long-awaited James Cameron Blu-ray and 4K release wave. But it wasn’t until The Terminator (released just last month) that it felt like Cameron and Lightstorm finally hit the sweet spot of 4K remastering via AI.
• Gunfight at the OK Corral (4K UHD – Kino Lorber Studio Classics) – KLSC released a ton of great 4K catalog titles in 2024, but this one is as representative of their quality as any. A great film with a beautiful 4K presentation.
• White Christmas (4K UHD – Paramount) – The very first feature film released in VistaVision format—which Paramount invented—finally gets the love it deserves in 4K, and the result is spectacular.
• The Primevals: Ultimate Collector’s Edition (Blu-ray – Full Moon) – This is another “holy grail” title that’s been cooking since the 1970s, that was completed posthumously, and that cinephiles have long been waiting for.
• The Conversation (4K UHD – StudioCanal) – Another important film gets a beautiful 4K remaster.
• Hundreds of Beavers (Blu-ray – Cartuna) – Gonzo filmmaking meets a boutique label deluxe treatment on disc with a ridiculous amount of extras.
• Rocky: Ultimate Knockout Collection (4K UHD – MGM/Warner Bros.) – It took a while for Warner Bros. to get these films right in 4K, but they finally did and it’s worth noting.
• The Case of the Bloody Iris (4K UHD – Celluloid Dreams) – New label Celluloid Dreams’ output is modest, but the care with which they handle their titles is worth celebrating.

TIM SALMONS

• Bwana Devil (Blu-ray 3D – Kino Lorber Studio Classics) – You’re going to find a commonality in the titles I’ve chosen this year in that many have never been available on home video before, or if they had, in lesser presentations. Case in point is Arch Obler’s Bwana Devil, featuring a full 3D restoration by the magicians at 3-D Film Archive. It’s a knockout presentation, and one that I’d personally been waiting a long time to place on my shelf.
• The Conan Chronicles (4K UHD – Arrow Video) – John Milius’ Conan the Barbarian and Richard Fleischer’s Conan the Destroyer are mainstays in my video library, and though Universal had done a nice enough job for their DVD and Blu-ray releases, Arrow’s UHDs blew them right out of the water, improving upon them in every way.
• The Hitcher (4K UHD – Second Sight) – A film that many a genre fan had pined for a proper release of since the earliest days of Blu-ray, Robert Harmon’s The Hitcher finally debuted this year with a stellar 4K presentation and a bounty of extras in tow.
• Peeping Tom (4K UHD – Criterion) – Michael Powell’s Peeping Tom is another one of those cases where the original Criterion DVD was long out of print, and shortly after StudioCanal announced their 4K release in Europe and the UK, Criterion soon followed, and it was well worth the wait. It’s a stunner, and it’s a film that desperately needs more eyes on it.
• The Primevals: Ultimate Collector’s Edition (Blu-ray – Full Moon) – The late David Allen’s long-term science fiction fantasy project The Primevals was a dream come true for stop-motion and adventure film fans as it was thought to never be completed, let alone released. That finally came to pass in 2023, and in the following year, it would see several Blu-ray releases from different distributors, including an oversized deluxe edition from Full Moon that whet the appetite of even the most jaded DVD and Blu-ray collector.
• The Searchers (4K UHD – Warner Archive) – The announcement of a 4K release of John Ford’s The Searchers was like a thunderbolt out of the physical media heavens. Many film fans site it as one of their favorites, regardless of what their genre bent is as it’s an all-time masterpiece, and Warner Archive’s 4K debut is a must-own.
• The Silence of the Lambs (4K UHD – Arrow Video) – Though Kino Lorber had done a fine job with their 4K release of Jonathan Demme’s classic The Silence of the Lambs, Arrow Video’s UK-exclusive presentation trumps it entirely with superior video and audio, and a fine selection of extras.
• Super Mario Bros.: Trust the Fungus – Collector’s Edition (4K UHD – Umbrella) – It’s hard to believe that many years after seeing Rocky Morton and Annabel Jankel’s extremely cult favorite Super Mario Bros. that it would be given the deluxe treatment on Ultra HD. Kind of wild to fathom, and the folks who put together the Trust the Fungus edition really went all out with a top notch presentation, an alternate cut of the film, audio commentary and extras galore, deluxe packaging, and a massive book of bonus material. Regardless of how you feel about the quality of the film itself, this is still an amazing release.
• Trick of Treat: Limited Edition (4K UHD – Red Shirt Video) – I’m starting to repeat myself, but here we are again with another title, Trick or Treat, that was relegated to hard-to-find low res DVD with the home video rights in complete limbo. Thanks to the efforts of Red Shirt Pictures’ Michael Felsher, all was set right and a 3-Disc Limited Edition 4K release of the film sold out in just a few days. Quite the feat for a film that only a select few know about, and those who do know love it.
• White Christmas (4K UHD – Paramount) – One of the most gorgeous films ever made, Michael Curtiz’s and Irving Berlin’s holiday classic White Christmas is a powerhouse in 4K, featuring a full scan and restoration of the original VistaVision camera negative. It’s another must-own, and likely to be a perennial holiday watch.

Honorable Mentions:

• Blazing Saddles (4K UHD – Warner Bros.) – Mel Brooks’ all-time comedy classic Blazing Saddles soars in 4K, but it also contains one of my favorite Dolby Atmos soundtracks from any release. If you’re not listening to cowboys sitting around a campfire, eating beans and farting in 7.1, well you’re just missing out entirely.
• The Cat and the Canary (1927) (Blu-ray – Eureka) – As a sucker for classic mystery and suspense thrillers, Paul Leni’s 1927 version of The Cat and the Canary was more than a welcome surprise from Eureka. Although it’s been adapted many times over for TV and film, this silent Universal “old dark house” original is the way to go. Accept no substitutes.
• Colt .45: The Complete Series (Blu-ray – Warner Archive) – These days, getting any television show from any time period on Blu-ray is reason to celebrate, and Colt .45 certainly fits that bill. It’s a classic TV Western series presented in superior quality, which was a welcome surprise since the show had never been officially available on home video before, nor had it been seen much in syndication.
• Deadpool & Wolverine (4K UHD – 20th Century/Sony) – By far the most recent title on this list, Shawn Levy’s massive hit Deadpool & Wolverine also carries a top of the line presentation in 4K, while also having given the Marvel Cinematic Universe a major shot in the arm when it needed it the most.
• Hanna Barbera’s Superstars 10 (Blu-ray – Warner Archive) – The TV films in the Hanna Barbera’s Superstars 10 series were some of my favorite animated films in my youth, so it was mind-blowing to see them all finally collected together in such high quality. They’re also available separately, but come on. You’ve got to have them all, right?
• Hellraiser: Quartet of Torment (4K UHD – Arrow Video) – The rights to the Hellraiser series have been spread across several distributors over the years, meaning that fans have had to buy multiple releases in order to get them all. Thankfully, some of that has been remedied and we now have a gorgeous 4K release of the first four films in the series, which many would put forth are the only ones worth putting on one’s shelf. Even if that is the case, Quartet of Torment is a beautiful addition to anyone’s library.
• The Long Good Friday (4K UHD – Criterion) – Both Anchor Bay Entertainment and Criterion had released The Long Good Friday on DVD many years prior, but it was in dire need of a 4K remaster, and Criterion finally came to the rescue in the US. Arrow had released the film on UHD in the UK, but we finally got the film back in print in Region A territory this year, and in a dynamite release to boot.
• Seven Samurai (4K UHD – Criterion/BFI) – Longtime fans of Akira Kurosawa’s Seven Samurai have continued to debate the pros and cons of Criterion’s and BFI’s UHD releases of the film, citing differences in their respective video presentations and extras packages; but no matter which release you own, be thankful that we all have access to any 4K presentations of the film, regardless of one’s choice of ownership.
• Shawscope: Volume Three (Blu-ray – Arrow Video) – Arrow continues to create beautiful Shaw Brothers Studio Blu-ray boxed sets with the Shawscope series, highlighting a cross section of some of the best and the underappreciated films that the company made during their extended tenure.
• The Thin Man Collection (Blu-ray – Warner Archive) – Although Warner Archive had previously released The Thin Man films in separate Blu-ray releases since 2019, they finally gave those of us who wanted them all in one fell swoop a chance to do so with The Thin Man Collection, containing all six films in the series with lovely presentations in slimmer packaging, leaving more room on your shelf for more titles!

STEPHEN BJORK

(in no particular order)

• Columbia Classics 4K Ultra HD Collection: Volume 5 (4K UHD – Sony)
• The Primevals: Ultimate Collector’s Edition (Blu-ray – Full Moon)
• The Conversation (4K UHD – StudioCanal)
• Stop Making Sense: Deluxe Collector’s Edition (4K UHD – A24)
• The Chronicles of Riddick (4K UHD – Arrow Video)
• Godzilla Minus One (Godzilla Store Exclusive) (4K UHD – Toho)
• I Walked with a Zombie/The Seventh Victim (4K UHD – Criterion)
• The Hitcher (4K UHD – Second Sight)
• Ruslan and Ludmila (Blu-ray – Deaf Crocodile)
• Phase IV (4K UHD – Vinegar Syndrome)
• The NeverEnding Story: 40th Anniversary Limited Edition (4K UHD – Imprint)

Honorable Mentions:

• The Searchers (4K UHD – Warner Archive)
• Chantal Akerman Masterpieces (Blu-ray – Criterion)
• Chinatown: Paramount Presents (4K UHD – Paramount)
• Blazing Saddles (4K UHD – Warner Bros.)
• Bound (4K UHD – Criterion)
• 3 Godfathers (Blu-ray – Warner Archive)
• Felidae (4K UHD – Deaf Crocodile)
• Seven Samurai (4K UHD – BFI)
• Opera: Limited Edition (4K UHD – Severin)
• Nostalghia (4K UHD – Kino Lorber)
• Capricorn One (Blu-ray – Imprint)
• Bwana Devil (Blu-ray 3D – Kino Lorber)
• The Tune (Blu-ray – Deaf Crocodile)
• The Keep (4K UHD – Vinegar Syndrome)
• A Bridge Too Far (4K UHD – Imprint)

STUART GALBRAITH IV

(in alphabetical order)

• Bandits of Orgosolo (Vittorio De Seta, 1961) (Blu-ray – Radiance Films)
• The Bat Whispers (Roland West, 1930) (Blu-ray – VCI)
• Bwana Devil (Arch Obler, 1952) (Blu-ray – Kino Lorber)
• Classic Tokusatsu Collection (various, 1959-69) (Blu-ray – Shout! Factory)
• Columbia Noir #6: The Whistler (various, 1944-48) (Blu-ray – Powerhouse Films)
• Ennio (Giuseppe Tornatore, 2024) (Blu-ray – Music Box Films)
• The Facts of Murder (Pietro Germi, 1959) (Blu-ray – Radiance Films)
• The Golden Coach (Jean Renoir, 1952) (Blu-ray – RaroVideo)
• The Old Oak (Ken Loach, 2023) (Blu-ray – Zeitgeist Films)
• The Small Black Room (Michael Powell & Emeric Pressburger, 1949) (Blu-ray – Studio Canal)

DENNIS SUELING

(in alphabetical order)

• 8mm (Blu-ray – Imprint) – Private investigator Nicolas Cage must discover the meaning of a troubling film found by a widow in her late husband’s safe.
• Body and Soul (Blu-ray – Kino Lorber Studio Classics) – John Garfield plays a young man from modest beginnings who is lured into professional boxing by the promise of fame and fortune, but comes to realize the real values in life.
• The Boy in the Woods (Blu-ray – Kino Lorber) – In Nazi-occupied Poland, 12-year-old Max escapes deportation and must survive in the forest to avoid detection and certain death.
• Dogfight (Blu-ray – Criterion) – Young marine River Phoenix is part of a bet with his buddies to bring the ugliest girl they can find to a party, but when he picks Lili Taylor, he comes to realize there’s more to a female than good looks.
• For Your Consideration (Blu-ray – Warner Archive) – A mockumentary of show business with perfect casting: Catherine O’Hara as a self-deluded actress, Eugene Levy as the worst talent agent in the world, Fred Willard as a distracted TV entertainment journalist, Harry Shearer as a sad sack actor, and Christopher Guest as a beleaguered director.
• Lennon NYC (Blu-ray – Via Vision) – This documentary covers the last years of John Lennon’s life in New York City, his anti-war activism, temporary separation from Yoko Ono, fight against deportation, and ability to find privacy from a voracious media. Yoko Ono provides reminiscences.
• The Mask of Fu Manchu (Blu-ray – Warner Archive) – This campy horror film of the early 1930s stars Boris Karloff as the master criminal of the title, and he chews up the scenery with his outlandish costumes and Asian make-up. But it’s Myna Loy who steals the show as his sadistic daughter.
• No Country for Old Men (4K UHD – Criterion) – This superb adaptation of the Cormac McCarthy novel directed by Joel and Ethan Coen stars Josh Brolin, Javier Bardem and Tommy Lee Jones in a dark tale of stolen drug money and a determined attempt to retrieve it.
• Speak No Evil (Blu-ray – Universal) – A family that accepts an invitation from a gregarious man they meet on vacation turns out to be not quite the person they thought he was, and realize they have placed themselves in peril.
• The Throwback (Blu-ray – Kino Lorber) – A pleasant surprise. This comedy stars Justina Machado as a bank employee so traumatized by a robbery that she regresses to her college years, much to the astonishment of her husband. Machado plays two versions of herself and nails all the gags in this comedy with heart.

SAM COHEN

(in no particular order)

• The Keep (4K UHD – Vinegar Syndrome)
• Gregg Araki’s Apocalypse Trilogy (4K UHD – Criterion)
• Vixen! (4K UHD – Severin Films)
• The Searchers (4K UHD – Warner Archive)
• The Case of the Bloody Iris (4K UHD – Celluloid Dreams)
• Little Darlings (4K UHD – Cinématographe/Vinegar Syndrome)
• The Third Man (4K UHD – Studio Canal)
• Stop Making Sense (4K UHD – A24)
• The Holy Virgin vs. the Evil Dead (Blu-ray – 88 Films)
• Through the Looking Glass (4K UHD – Melusine)

JOHNNIE YOUNG

(in alphabetical order)

• The Abyss: Ultimate Collector’s Edition (4K UHD – 20th Century/Buena Vista)
• Capricorn One (Blu-ray – Imprint)
• The Exorcist: 50th Anniversary Ultimate Collector’s Edition (4K UHD – Warner UK)
• The Hitcher (4K UHD – Second Sight)
• The Keep (4K UHD – Vinegar Syndrome)
• Little Darlings (4K UHD – Cinématographe/Vinegar Syndrome)
• The NeverEnding Story: 40th Anniversary Limited Edition (4K UHD – Imprint)
• Red Rock West (Blu-ray – Cinématographe/Vinegar Syndrome)
• The Searchers (4K UHD – Warner Archive)
• Stop Making Sense (4K UHD – A24)

Honorable Mentions:

• Aliens: Ultimate Collector’s Edition (4K UHD – 20th Century/Buena Vista)
• City of Hope (Blu-ray – Sony)
• Conan the Barbarian (4K UHD – Arrow Video)
• The Dark Crystal: Limited Edition Collector’s Set (4K UHD – Shout! Factory)
• Galaxy Quest (4K UHD – Paramount)
• Hardware Wars (Blu-ray – MVD Rewind)
• Hellraiser: Quartet of Torment (4K UHD – Arrow Video)
• Labyrinth: Limited Edition Collector’s Set (4K UHD – Shout! Factory)
• Paper Moon (4K UHD – Criterion)
• True Lies: Ultimate Collector’s Edition (4K UHD – 20th Century/Buena Vista)

MICHAEL COATE

(in no particular order)

• 1982: Greatest Geek Year Ever! (Blu-ray – MVD Rewind)
• Icons Unearthed: Star Wars (Blu-ray – Mill Creek)
• Stop Making Sense (4K UHD – A24)
• Inside Out 2 (4K UHD – Pixar/Sony)
• North by Northwest (4K UHD – Warner Bros.)
• The Searchers (4K UHD – Warner Archive)
• The Wild Robot (4K UHD – DreamWorks Animation/Universal)
• The Fall Guy (4K UHD – Universal)
• Friends: The Complete Series (4K UHD – Warner Bros.)
• Seinfeld: The Complete Series (4K UHD – Sony)

--END--

All right, that’s all for 2024. Trust me when I say that 2025 is going to be the biggest, best, and most exciting year for the 4K Ultra HD format yet. I’m not kidding—the titles that are coming over the next twelve months are going to thrill you, surprise you, and put a massive hurt on your bank accounts.

Until then, thanks for reading the site, thanks for supporting our work in whatever ways you can, and thanks for continuing to buy and enjoy your favorite movies and TV titles on physical discs!

From all of us here at The Digital Bits, have a very happy and safe New Year!

- Bill Hunt

(You can follow Bill on social media on Twitter, BlueSky, and Facebook, and also here on Patreon)