10 New to Netflix
“About Schmidt“
“American Sniper“
“Chicken Run“
“Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon“
“Dear White People“
“How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies“
“How to Train Your Dragon“
“Jurassic World“
“Night on Earth“
“The Room Next Door“
14 New to Blu-Ray/DVD
“Anora” (Criterion)
Criterion and Neon’s collaboration has paid off in the past, but never quite as quickly as releasing a bonus-laden edition of the most recent Best Picture winner less than two months after taking home the most prizes at the Academy Awards. Ignoring the questionable cover art, this is an excellent release for arguably the best film of 2024, a movie that I worry was actually hurt by its haul of trophies but that I stand by as a phenomenal piece of work. Of course, the Criterion edition is STACKED, including two new commentaries, interviews, making-of material, and more. It’s hours of bonus features for one of the essential films of the 2020s, and now one of the best 4K physical releases of the year.
Special Features
- New 4K digital master, supervised by director Sean Baker and producer Alex Coco, with 5.1 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack
- One 4K UHD disc of the film presented in HDR and two Blu-rays with the film and special features
- Two audio commentaries: one featuring Baker, Coco, producer Samantha Quan, and cinematographer Drew Daniels, and the other featuring Baker and actors Yura Borisov, Mark Eydelshteyn, Karren Karagulian, Mikey Madison, and Vache Tovmasyan
- New making-of documentary
- New interviews with Baker and Madison
- Cannes Film Festival press conference
- Q&A with Madison and actor-stripper Lindsey Normington
- Deleted scenes
- Audition footage
- Trailers
- English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing and English descriptive audio
- PLUS: Essays by film critic Dennis Lim and author Kier-La Janisse
“Basquiat” (Criterion)
Julian Schnabel’s love letter to his friend Jean-Michel Basquiat is one of the most interesting films of its era, a personal and political statement that intertwines the artistry of its director and its subject. The always excellent Jeffrey Wright gives one of his best performances as Basquiat, and Schnabel surrounded him with artistic souls in David Bowie, Dennis Hopper, Benicio del Toro, Courtney Love, Parker Posey, and much more. Even the score to this film, co-written by John Cale, hums with creativity. It’s an underrated piece of work that I hope will find a new audience three decades later thanks to this excellent release with a 4K restoration overseen by Schnabel himself.
Special Features
- New 4K digital restoration of the 2024 black-and-white version of the film, supervised and approved by director Julian Schnabel, with 5.1 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack
- One 4K UHD disc of the 2024 black-and-white version presented in Dolby Vision HDR and one Blu-ray with the film and special features
- Audio commentary featuring Schnabel and writer and curator Giulia D’Agnolo Vallan
- New 4K digital restoration of the 1996 theatrical version
- New interview with actor Jeffrey Wright
- Interview from 1996 with Schnabel and actor David Bowie
- Trailer
- English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
- PLUS: An essay by film scholar Roger Durling
Almost certainly the runner-up in the Best Picture category at the Oscars this year, and the winner for Best Actor for Adrien Brody, “The Brutalist” comes to physical media exclusively via the A24 shop. Their exclusive line of Blu-ray releases have been an interesting development, unavailable at stores or major outlets, but worth tracking down through the most beloved film studio working today. Having said that, this release feels a little minor for such a major film, including an informative commentary from the great Lol Crawley, and a history-driven featurette, but little more about the making of the movie. Director Brady Corbet seemed truly exhausted by the awards circuit last year, so maybe he just wants the film to speak for itself, but it’s hard to believe that this isn’t a placeholder for a more extensive special edition that’s eventually to come.
Special Features
- Filmmaker Commentary with Director of Photography Lol Crawley
- “The Architects of The Brutalist” Featurette (25 minutes)
- Six Collectible Postcards with architectural renderings by Ákos Sógor
Warner Bros. practically buried this horror flick in January with little marketing or advance buzz, but quality movies find their audience. Drew Hancock’s debut is a clever dissection of gender roles and advancing technology, told via a script that often zigs when you expect it to zag. I’m not sure what it’s saying about love in the AI era is all that deep, but it’s one of those rare movies that’s just consistently entertaining from minute one until its final shot. Sophie Thatcher and Jack Quaid play a couple headed to a weekend getaway when … no, you know, this one works best the less you know about where it’s headed. Just take the ride.
Special Features
- I Feel, Therefore I Am – Could a robot have more humanity than a human? Delve into the complex relationships at the heart of “Companion” with Jack Quaid and Sophie Thatcher.
- Love, Eli – Harvey Guillén and Lukas Gage explore the fun, lighthearted relationship of Patrick and Eli. Explore their supposed first encounter at a costume party and how that develops into a unique love.
- AI Horror – Director Drew Hancock breaks down the fusion of slasher and sci-fi elements in “Companion” and how this is the perfect recipe for the wild and unexpected horrors humans can inflict upon AI.
I was a bigger fan of this Best Picture nominee than a lot of my colleagues, impressed by James Mangold’s confident direction that isn’t content merely to play the Greatest Hits, instead endeavoring to convey how much Bob Dylan shifted the landscape at a time when it greatly needed moving. Chalamet has never been better, and he’s nearly matched by Barbaro and Norton, all three of them Oscar nominated. Fox released a pretty standard Blu-ray for the Oscar darling (at least in nominations…it didn’t win anything) but it does include a commentary by Mangold, an underrated filmmaker in general and an eloquent speaker on his craft.
Special Features
- Audio Commentary by James Mangold
- The Making of A Complete Unknown:
- The Story
- Timothée Chalamet as Bob Dylan
- The Supporting Cast
- The Design
What if you mashed up a rom-com and a slasher pic? You’d get this clever, twisted little genre flick, a movie that doesn’t have much to say but screams loud enough to be entertaining. Josh Ruben’s film tells the story of the Heart Eyes Killer, who slices and dices couples on Valentine’s Day. As he has returned for his annual murder spree, an advertiser named Ally (Olivia Holt) stumbles into a new colleague named Jay (Mason Gooding) and begins a more traditional rom-com arc. The way the two intersect is a bit predictable, but this is a well-paced piece of entertainment that should find a loyal audience on Blu-ray and DVD.
Special Features
- Murders & Meet Cutes: The Making of Heart Eyes
- Gag Reel
- Deleted & Extended Scenes
- Filmmaker Commentary
“Jean de Florette“/”Manon of the Spring“
Claude Berri released a two-part film in 1986 that adapted the 1963 novel The Water of the Hills, which itself was inspired by a 1952 film by Marcel Pagnol. Three of the most prominent French performers of their era (or any really) in Gerard Depardieu, Daniel Auteuil, and Yves Montand star in this two-part epic now available in one release from Criterion with new 4K restorations overseen by the films’ D.P. The set is a little bare in terms of special features but it does include a 2018 documentary on Berri and a 2017 doc about the making of these films, two of the most critically beloved of their era. Roger himself was a fan of the films, noting Berri’s exploration of “the relentlessness of human greed, the feeling that the land is so important the human spirit can be sacrificed to it.”
Special Features
- New 4K digital restorations, supervised by director of photography Bruno Nuytten, with 5.0 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtracks
- In the 4K UHD edition: Two 4K UHD discs of the films and two Blu-rays with the films and special features
- Claude Berri: The Card Dealer (2018), a documentary on director Claude Berri’s life and career
- The Force of Destiny (2017), a documentary about the making of the films
- Trailers
- New English subtitle translations
- PLUS: An essay by film scholar Sue Harris
“Last Breath”
Alex Parkinson loves the story of Chris Lemons, first co-directing a 2019 documentary about the deep-sea diver’s miraculous survival after becoming trapped hundreds of feet underwater in 2012 and then adapting it into a feature starring Woody Harrelson and Simu Liu. It’s a solid dad film, a movie about overcoming impossible odds that’s also still a little dramatically flat. It avoids so many Hollywood pitfalls but feels almost cold due to its lack of expected melodrama. Still, it’s effective on its own terms, an undeniably well-made piece of survival drama, even if I bet the documentary is the more thrilling option.
Special Features
- Audio commentary with the filmmakers
- Into the Deep: Making Last Breath
“The Long Kiss Goodnight” (Arrow)
Shane Black and Renny Harlin’s 1996 action flick was considered a pretty big disappointment at the time, critically and commercially, but I was always a fan of this movie’s go-for-broke attitude, and the great turns from Geena Davis and Samuel L. Jackson that anchor it. Someone at Arrow must have felt the same because they have lavished this movie with one of the densest releases of the year to date, including a new 4K restoration overseen by the company and approved by Harlin. Not enough? How about two commentaries, including one from RE contributor Walter Chaw? New interviews, a visual essay, a great collector’s booklet, a postcard, a sticker! The folks at Arrow are nuts. And I love em for it.
Special Features
- Limited edition packaging with reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Sam Hadley
- Illustrated collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by Clem Bastow, Richard Kadrey, Maura McHugh, and Priscilla Page
- Seasonal postcard
- Thin Ice sticker
- DISC ONE – 4K BLU-RAY
- NEW 4K RESTORATION by Arrow Films from the original 35mm negative approved by director Renny Harlin
- DOLBY VISION/HDR PRESENTATION OF THE FILM
- Original DTS-HD MA 5.1, stereo 2.0. and new Dolby Atmos audio options
- Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
- Brand new audio commentary by film critic Walter Chaw
- Brand new audio commentary by film critics Drusilla Adeline and Joshua Conkel, co-hosts of the Bloodhaus podcast
- Theatrical trailer
- Image gallery
- DISC TWO – BLU-RAY
- Symphony of Destruction, a new interview with stunt co-ordinator Steve Davidson
- Long Live the New Flesh, a new interview with make-up artist Gordon J. Smith
- Girl Interrupted, a new interview with actress Yvonne Zima
- Amnesia Chick, a new visual essay by film scholar Josh Nelson
- The Mirror Crack’d, a new visual essay by critic and filmmaker Howard S. Berger
- A Woman’s World, a new visual essay by film scholar Alexandra Heller-Nicholas
- Deleted scenes
- Archive promotional interviews with director Renny Harlin and stars Geena Davis, Samuel L. Jackson and Craig Bierko
- Making Of, an archive promotional featurette
- Behind the Scenes, archive EPK footage from the filming of The Long Kiss Goodnight
“One of Them Days”
What a fun movie this is. Basically a gender-swapped variation on “Friday,” it’s a playful comedy that’s much smarter than it may first appear, as evidenced by its excellent comic timing from first frame to last. Of course, it helps to have a STAR like Keke Palmer in the lead, whose undeniable screen presence is matched by a fun turn from SZA across from her in most scenes. The plot of “One of Them Days” (something about rent money) doesn’t matter nearly as much as the tone, which produces smiles from beginning to end. In a time of great distress, we need an escape every now and then, and this is one of the most purely enjoyable films of 2025 to date.
Special Features
- One of Them Gag Reels
- Dream Team
- Block Party: The Cast
- What’s In My Bag with Lucky
“Paddington in Peru”
When Paul King left this franchise, it undeniably lost a bit of its magic, but everyone’s favorite marmalade-loving talking bear still has his charms. It felt like Sony kind of buried this film stateside, quietly releasing it in January 2025, which means a lot of Americans probably haven’t seen it yet. It was a HUGE hit in its home country, and has actually made almost $200 million worldwide, leading to a fourth Paddington adventure already going into production. Long live Paddington!
Special Features
- The Making of Paddington in Peru
- Set Tour: The Browns’ House
- Set Tour: The Home for Retired Bears
- Create Your Own Adventure Map and Friendship Bracelet
- “Let’s Prepare for Paddington” Sing-Along
“Prince of Broadway” (Criterion)
Criterion knew that “Anora” would get the most attention in their April releases, and so they have smartly used that launch to cast a light on one of Sean Baker’s earliest works, this underseen 2008 gem about a New York City hustler who is introduced to the son he never knew existed. There are a number of reasons to add this film to your personal Criterion collection, including a commentary with Baker himself, a 4K restoration, and documentaries, but my favorite reason is the excellent essay from our very own Associate Editor Robert Daniels, who brings his wit and insight to bear on a film that deserves both.
Special Features
- New 4K digital restoration, supervised and approved by director Sean Baker and restoration supervisor Alex Coco, with 5.1 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack
- Two audio commentaries: one featuring Baker and the other featuring producer and cowriter Darren Dean, associate producer and actor Victoria Tate, and actor Karren Karagulian
- New introduction by Baker
- Archival interviews with Baker and actor Prince Adu
- Two documentaries on the making of the film
- Restoration demonstration featuring Baker and Coco
- Trailers
- English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
- PLUS: An essay by film critic Robert Daniels
“Some Like It Hot” (Criterion)
They just don’t get much better than this, a movie that’s as funny today as it was over 65 years ago. Billy Wilder caught lightning in a bottle when he cast Jack Lemmon, Tony Curtis, and Marilyn Monroe in a story of two musicians who have to dress as women to stay alive. Yes, the gender roles are dated but try to appreciate this film through a 1959 POV and just admire the incredible chemistry and comic timing of the cast. Criterion has released this film before and have now given it in update into the 4K branch of their empire.
Special Features
- 4K digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack
- Alternate 5.1 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack
- One 4K UHD disc of the film presented in Dolby Vision HDR and one Blu-ray with the film and special features
- Audio commentary from 1989 featuring film scholar Howard Suber
- Program on Orry-Kelly’s costumes for the film, featuring costume designer and historian Deborah Nadoolman Landis and costume historian and archivist Larry McQueen
- Three behind-the-scenes documentaries
- Appearances by director Billy Wilder on The Dick Cavett Show from 1982
- Conversation from 2001 between actor Tony Curtis and film critic Leonard Maltin
- French television interview from 1988 with actor Jack Lemmon
- Radio interview from 1955 with actor Marilyn Monroe
- Trailer
- English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
- PLUS: An essay by author Sam Wasson
“Tombstone”
When Val Kilmer passed last month, fans started citing their favorite performances by the magnetic star. Is it one of the early comedies like “Real Genius” or “Top Secret”? The blockbusters like “Top Gun” or “Batman Forever”? Or maybe it’s this Western that is so beloved that this 4K steelbook edition has actually sold out already at a number of online vendors. Be patient and search for a copy of this lovingly packaged edition that also includes several previously available special features. But we’re really just here for Val.
Special Features
- The Making of Tombstone
- An Ensemble Cast
- Making An Authentic Western
- The Gunfight At The O.K. Corral
- Director’s Original Storyboards: O.K. Corral Sequence
- Trailers & TV Spots
