Great Movies
10 NEW TO NETFLIX
"99 Homes"
"The Batman"
"Beverly Hills Cop"
"Black Swan"
"L.A. Confidential"
"Lucy"
"Minari"
"Neighbors"
"The Other Guys"
"Wonder Woman"
11 NEW TO BLU-RAY
"Blast of Silence" (Criterion)
This 1961 thriller/noir might not get the attention it has in the current era without the elevation of the Criterion Collection, who released a great standard Blu-ray edition that they have now followed up with a fantastic 4K digital restoration (both in widescreen and full-frame editions). Directed by and starring Allen Baron, this is a unique Christmas movie in its telling of the tale of a hitman who comes back to NYC for a job, but this is a movie that's more about the killer than the victim. As Frankie prepares for his assignment, he gets sucked back into his old life, visiting an old friend and his sister. You know the anti-hero type that's so popular now, especially in TV? "Blast of Silence" is a pioneer in that department. It's a film that plays with noir, comedy, and even existential dread, and it's gorgeous in its visual language, making it perfect for 4K.
Special Features
New 4K digital restoration presented in two aspect ratios, 1.85:1 (widescreen) and 1.33:1 (full-screen), with uncompressed monaural soundtrack
Requiem for a Killer: The Making of “Blast of Silence”
Rare on-set Polaroids
Photos of locations from the film in 2008
Trailer
English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
PLUS: An essay by film critic Terrence Rafferty and a graphic-novel adaptation of the film by acclaimed artist Sean Phillips (Criminal, Reckless, Fatale)
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I could see myself getting a little annoying about this movie over the next few years. It might be my pick for the most underrated of 2023. Sure, the script borrows heavily from superior works, and it's the film's big weakness, but what's so stunning about "The Creator" is its confident, mesmerizing visuals. Gareth Edwards not only transports us to the future, he does so with a visual acumen you just don't see in a lot of blockbusters nowadays. Yes, I would have revised it at least one more time, but I guess I'm just startled that more critics didn't appreciate the craft on display here, and I feel strongly that history will come around to "The Creator" as more and more blockbusters look like they came off a content factory line instead of the deeply human, artistic touch seen here.
Special Features
True Love: Making The Creator (55 Mins) - Join director Gareth Edwards and crew for nearly an hour look behind the scenes. Hear from actors about the filming experience, and learn about the production's documentary-style approach, the innovative camera and lighting work, and much more.
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"Days of Heaven" (Criterion)
It's actually a little surprising that it took Criterion this long to give Terrence Malick's 1978 masterpiece the 4K glow-up. It's so perfect for the form, rich in texture and artistry. Set in 1916, this Great Movie stars Richard Gere, Brooke Adams, and Sam Shepard in the story of a couple who go to work for a wealthy farmer. When they decide to try to con the dying farmer into getting his land, things go sideways, but "Days of Heaven" isn't really about plot as much as it is about mood and visual language. It's a gorgeously conceived and executed drama. And this version was restored with supervision and approval by Malick himself. It also includes some excellent previously available features, including an audio commentary that features the legendary art director Jack Fisk, and interviews with Gere, Shepard, and the master Haskell Wexler.
Special Features
New 4K digital restoration, supervised and approved by director Terrence Malick, camera operator John Bailey, and editor Billy Weber, with 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 featuring Weber, art director Jack Fisk, costume designer Patricia Norris, and casting director Dianne Crittenden
Audio interview with actor Richard Gere
Interviews with Bailey, cinematographer Haskell Wexler, and actor Sam Shepard
English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
PLUS: An essay by critic Adrian Martin and a chapter from director of photography Nestor Almendros’s autobiography
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I'm a bit exhausted by the Adam McKay "quirky political lesson" brand of filmmaking, which makes it so surprising that Craig Gillespie's adaptation of Ben Mezrich's The Antisocial Network works for me. The main reasons are pace (this one never feels as bloated as some of the other McKay-esque films) and cast. The ensemble collected here know exactly what they need to do, especially Paul Dano, Seth Rogen, America Ferrera, Anthony Ramos, and Nick Offerman. There's also something that's nicely compact about the focus, not trying to tell the whole story of finance in the 2020s but what the decisions made around GameStop could mean for the future. Did David beat Goliath here? Not exactly. But these everyday stock buyers made it a little easier for the next David who tries to do so.
Special Features
Fat Cats vs. The Roaring Kitty
Diamond Hand Ensemble
Join the Cast & Discover the Insane True Story!
Deleted Scenes
Filmmaker Commentary
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"Face/Off"
When John Woo made the jump across the pond after the international success of films like "Hard Boiled" and "The Killer," it first appeared like it might not bear the same kind of visceral fruit. Listen, I like "Hard Target" and "Broken Arrow" more than most people, but they aren't exactly action classics. You know what IS an action classic? 1997's "Face/Off," a movie that perfectly translated Woo's kinetic style to the American blockbuster, ably elevated by two of the best genre stars of the era in John Travolta and Nicolas Cage. It helped greatly that Travolta and Cage had such definable action personas, making their personality switch here so much fun. And it's also just a shockingly well-made piece of action filmmaking, something readily apparent in the recent, excellent 4K release from Kino Lorber. Not only has the film been expertly restored, but the release includes a new commentary and two old ones, alongside deleted scenes and a half-dozen other featurettes. Use that money Santa brought you this year for this one.
Special Features
DISC ONE - 4K BLU-RAY
NEW 4K RESTORATION FROM THE ORIGINAL CAMERA NEGATIVE
DOLBY VISION/HDR PRESENTATION OF THE FILM
NEW Audio Commentary by Action Film Historians Mike Leeder and Arne Venema
Audio Commentary by Director John Woo and Writers Mike Werb and Michael Colleary
Audio Commentary by Writers Mike Werb and Michael Colleary
Optional English Subtitles
DISC TWO - BLU-RAY
NEW 4K RESTORATION FROM THE ORIGINAL CAMERA NEGATIVE
NEW Audio Commentary by Action Film Historians Mike Leeder and Arne Venema
Audio Commentary by Director John Woo and Writers Mike Werb and Michael Colleary
Audio Commentary by Writers Mike Werb and Michael Colleary
Seven Deleted Scenes – with Optional Audio Commentary by Director John Woo and Writers Mike Werb and Michael Colleary
The Light and the Dark: The Making of Face/Off Documentary (64:20)
Science Fiction/Human Emotion (9:44)
Cast/Characters (17:22)
Woo/Hollywood (21:34)
Practical/Visual Effects (9:41)
Future/Past (5:56)
John Woo: A Life in Pictures – Featurette (26:03)
Theatrical Trailer (2:08)
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It really was the year that gamers took over Hollywood. After decades of video games being turned into films or TV shows being a punchline, they shot to the top of every chart this year. It wasn't just the bajillion dollars made by "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" or the Emmy nods for "The Last of Us." Did you know that "Five Nights at Freddy's" is the highest-grossing Blumhouse movie EVER, currently around $300 million worldwide? It's insane. The adaptation of the video game of the same name about a guy who stumbles into a nightmare at an arcade populated by possessed animatronic mascots isn't a great movie, but it feels like it could be an important one, part of the story of when video games took over Hollywood in 2023. They're not going away anytime soon.
Special Features
Fire Night's at Fredy's: From Game to the Big Screen - Featurette
Killer Animatronics
Five Nights in Three Dimensions
Original trailer
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"Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio" (Criterion)
It may have won the Oscar, but it still feels like "Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio" remains underrated. Not just one of the best animated films of the last few years, but one of the best films, period, this telling of the classic Carlo Collodi tale perfectly marries the source with the interests and creative passions of its adapter. Del Toro weaves the tale of a puppet who wanted to be a real boy into one of Fascist Italy, allowing it a new political aspect that turns it into a tale of freedom as much as magic. It's also just a gorgeously made film with craft that truly feels like it will stand the test of time. It's often hard to predict what will last, but I'm very confident that people will be watching this film for generations. And the Criterion edition is one of their best of 2023, including a conversation between Del Toro and the brilliant Farran Smith Nehme, and an essay by our very own Matt Zoller Seitz. (Also: Look at that cover art. Gorgeous.)
Special Features
4K digital master, supervised by directors Guillermo del Toro and Mark Gustafson, with Dolby Atmos soundtrack
One 4K UHD disc of the film presented in Dolby Vision HDR and one Blu-ray with the film and special features
Handcarved Cinema, a new documentary featuring del Toro, Gustafson, and cast and crew, including the film’s puppet creators, production designers, and animation supervisor
Directing Stop-Motion, a new program featuring del Toro and Gustafson
New conversation between del Toro and film critic Farran Smith Nehme
New interview with curator Ron Magliozzi on The Museum of Modern Art’s 2022 exhibition devoted to the film
New program on the eight rules of animation that informed the film’s production
Panel discussion featuring del Toro, Gustafson, production designer Guy Davis, composer Alexandre Desplat, and sound designer Scott Martin Gershin, moderated by filmmaker James Cameron
Conversation among del Toro, Gustafson, and author Neil Gaiman
English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing and English descriptive audio
PLUS: Essays by film critic Matt Zoller Seitz and author Cornelia Funke
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"Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny"
How will history remember the final adventure of one of cinema's most iconic heroes? Did it replace the tarnished legacy of "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull"? Or will it be more of a footnote? I fear the latter given there seemed to be more conversation around the financial failure of a movie that cost so much to make than anything up on the screen. Maybe its arrival on the home market could bring about a new group of fans, and I'm curious to see how future generations consider it of a piece with the other four films. For me, it's still a near-miss, a movie with some great ideas and stellar Harrison Ford performance, but clunky staging and CGI. However, I'm such a huge fan of the Spielberg original trilogy that I kinda hope people come around to this one just for history's sake. Start now on Disney+ and Blu-ray/DVD.
Special Features
Chapter 1 - Prologue –Harrison Ford leaps back into action as Indiana Jones! Journey to 1944 as this featurette reveals the filmmakers, characters, stunts, locations, and incredible visual effects that make up the thrilling opening of Dial of Destiny!
Chapter 2 - New York – Blast off to adventure as James Mangold showcases the re-creation of 1969 Manhattan for the Moon Parade chase. This featurette spotlights Helena (Phoebe Waller-Bridge) as John Williams conducts his beautiful new theme for this compelling character.
Chapter 3 – Morocco – The man in the hat is back! Explore Morocco as this featurette breaks down the white-knuckle stunts of the medina tuk-tuk chase and hotel brawl. Meet Teddy (Ethann Isidore), Indy's precocious new ally in the hunt for the dial!
Chapter 4 – Sicily – Meet Renaldo (Antonio Banderas) as he guides our heroes on a perilous underwater treasure hunt! Catch up with Harrison Ford and Phoebe Waller-Bridge on location in Sicily and explore the caverns, traps, and bugs surrounding Archimedes' tomb!
Chapter 5 – Finale – This featurette breaks down the thrilling climax to the Indiana Jones series. Cast and filmmakers James Mangold, Kathleen Kennedy, Frank Marshall, John Williams, Steven Spielberg, and Harrison Ford bid farewell to one of the greatest heroes of all time.
Score Only Version of the Movie - Listen to John Williams' iconic music on an isolated track as you watch the film
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This Peter Hyams action-comedy should be on more lists of the best Chicago movies. It stars Gregory Hines and Billy Crystal as two Chicago cops, and it was released in the prime of the buddy comedy in 1986. Hines never got enough attention as an actor or all-around brilliant entertainer, and this is early enough in Crystal's career that his rough-around-the-edges youth helps the character overall. They have strong comedic chemistry as a pair who are trying to get away from the Windy City to Key West but they have to solve one last case. With supporting turns by Steven Bauer, Jimmy Smits, and Dan Hedaya, it's been relatively forgotten, but the new Kino Lorber release should help correct that oversight.
Special Features
Audio Commentary by Director Peter Hyams
Making-of Featurette
Billy Crystal Outtakes
Selected Electronic Press Kit Scenes
Theatrical Trailer
Limited Edition O-Card Slipcase
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"Stalag 17"
Every Billy Wilder movie that comes into this office is going to make this list, even the ones that aren't considered among the master's best. Kino Lorber has recently restored from the original negative Wilder's 1953 World War II film that won William Holden his Oscar, and it's a fantastic release, rich with special features, including two new audio commentaries with historians and experts on both Wilder's work and WWII. It makes for an unexpected 4K gem, a reminder at how deftly Wilder could entertain, and hardly anyone was more versatile when it came to shifting genres. It's a clever movie that's incredibly well-directed, earning Wilder his fourth of six Oscar nominations for his craft.
Special Features
DISC ONE - 4K BLU-RAY:
NEW 4K RESTORATION FROM THE ORIGINAL CAMERA NEGATIVE
DOLBY VISION/HDR PRESENTATION OF THE FILM
NEW Audio Commentary by Filmmaker/Historian Steve Mitchell and Combat Films: American Realism Author Steven Jay Rubin
NEW Audio Commentary by Film Historian Joseph McBride, Author of Billy Wilder: Dancing on the Edge
Audio Commentary by Actors Richard Erdman and Gil Stratton with Co-Playwright Donald Bevan
Optional English Subtitles
DISC TWO - BLU-RAY:
NEW 4K RESTORATION FROM THE ORIGINAL CAMERA NEGATIVE
NEW Audio Commentary by Filmmaker/Historian Steve Mitchell and Combat Films: American Realism Author Steven Jay Rubin
NEW Audio Commentary by Film Historian Joseph McBride, Author of Billy Wilder: Dancing on the Edge
Audio Commentary by Actors Richard Erdman and Gil Stratton with Co-Playwright Donald Bevan
Stalag 17 - From Reality to Screen: Featurette (22:01)
The Real Heroes of Stalag XVII B: Featurette (24:49)
Theatrical Trailer
Optional English Subtitles
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"Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem"
It's admittedly a low bar, but I think the consensus has formed that this is the best adaptation yet of the Peter Laird and Kevin Eastman comic characters. Heavily inspired by the "Spider-verse" movies, it's a sharp, timely piece of work that appeals directly to its target audience. (My kids love it.) And while I was kinda mixed on it in theaters, I do eagerly anticipate the sequel when the creators can use this vote of confidence to really build on what they've created, a whole-new legacy for beloved characters that have now truly come out of the cinematic sewers.
Special Features
TEENage Mutant Ninja Turtles— For the first time the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are voiced by actual teenagers! Hear how each Turtle was cast and how having all four boys record together helped create the authentic camaraderie seen on screen.
The Mutant Uprising— Get to know the Turtles' mutant antagonists, led by the wild and original character Superfly, voiced by Ice Cube.
New York, New York: The Visual World of MUTANT MAYHEM— Take a deep dive into the breakthrough visual style of the film's characters and environments and how they evolved over time.
Learn to Draw Leo—Try your hand at drawing the Turtle leader with this fun tutorial!
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Brian Tallerico is the Managing Editor of RogerEbert.com, and also covers television, film, Blu-ray, and video games. He is also a writer for Vulture, The Playlist, The New York Times, and GQ, and the President of the Chicago Film Critics Association.
