Home Entertainment Guide: February 2023

10 NEW TO HBO MAX

"All That Breathes"
"Casino Royale"
"Catch Me If You Can"
"Edge of Tomorrow"
"Empire of Light"
"Godzilla vs. Kong"
"The Silence of the Lambs"
"Superbad"
"Taxi Driver"
"The Terminator"

10 NEW TO NETFLIX

"Bad Boys"
"Call Me by Your Name"
"Eat Pray Love"
"Flushed Away"
"The Founder"
"It"
"Julie & Julia"
"The Lord of the Rings" trilogy
"The Pursuit of Happyness"
"The Woman King"

12 NEW TO BLU-RAY/DVD

"Black Panther: Wakanda Forever"

Phase 4 was rough for the MCU, but this sequel is widely considered one of the standouts from their weakest chapter to date. Angela Bassett is likely to win an Oscar in a few weeks (and the film landed four other nods too), and the film made almost a billion dollars worldwide. While some critics lamented how the film mishandled its themes, including ours, it was one of the few movies of Phase 4 that felt like it reached a satisfied audience, even if it didn't have the same cultural impact as the first. It's also worth noting that Disney/Marvel has cut no corners with the Blu-ray release, recognizing that they have to provide something to get their fans to buy it instead of just watching it on Disney+. And so there's a commentary with director Ryan Coogler, co-writer Joe Robert Cole, and cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw; a gag reel; numerous featurettes; and even deleted scenes. 

Buy it here 

Special Features
Gag Reel - Take a look at some of the lighthearted moments on the set of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
Audio Commentary - Listen to Ryan Coogler, Joe Robert Cole, and Autumn Durald Arkapaw discuss the film.
Featurettes
Envisioning Two Worlds – Uncover the making of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever through the lens and leadership of co-writer/director Ryan Coogler, production designer Hannah Beachler, and costume designer Ruth Carter.
Passing the Mantle – Follow the evolution of the Black Panther through the films. In tracing Shuri, Ramonda, and Riri's journeys through the film, this featurette explores what legacy ultimately means in Wakanda and how it will resonate with MCU viewers for years to come.
Deleted Scenes           
Outside The Scope – Okoye has a shocking standoff with Ayo and the Dora Milaje. Aneka makes a challenging decision.
The Upstairs Toilet – Ross infiltrates the NSA in disguise in an attempt to uncover information.
Daughter of the Border – After a conversation with her Uncle, Okoye is faced with a daunting choice.
Anytime, Anywhere – In Haiti, Shuri and Okoye share a bittersweet moment.

Now streaming on:

"The Boxtrolls" and "Kubo and the Two Strings"

I miss LAIKA. The genius stop-motion company had one of the best runs of any animation studio in history for a decade, from 2009's "Coraline" through at least 2016's "Kubo and the Two Strings," and arguably one beyond to 2019's underrated "Missing Link," a decent family film that only pales when compared to the four movies before it from the company. The brilliant Travis Knight ("Kubo") is working on a live-action film now called "Wildwood" and then reportedly returning to animation with "The Night Gardener," but that's probably a few years away. Until then, revisit the peak of this influential company with two of its best films getting gorgeously packaged steelbook editions with new 4K remasters of each. All of the other material has been imported, and they can now complete a collection with the steelbooks of "Paranorman" and "Coraline" that came out last year. Yes, these movies seem to get re-released often, but it's worth it if it keeps LAIKA in the public eye while we anxiously await their return.

Buy it here 

"The Boxtrolls" Special Features
NEWLY REMASTERED IN 4K
DOLBY VISION/HDR PRESENTATION OF THE FILM
NEW DOLBY ATMOS AUDIO TRACK
Inside LAIKA – Discovering the Characters of The Boxtrolls with Never-Before-Seen Test Footage
Inside LAIKA – Revisiting the Puppets with LAIKA's Animation Team
Feature-Length Storyboards
Foreword by Ramin Zahed, the Editor in Chief of Animation Magazine
Audio Commentary with Directors Graham Annable and Anthony Stacchi
The Making of The Boxtrolls
Original Featurettes
Optional English, French, and Spanish subtitles for the main feature

"Kubo" Special Features
NEWLY REMASTERED IN 4K
DOLBY VISION/HDR PRESENTATION OF THE FILM
NEW DOLBY ATMOS AUDIO TRACK
Feature-Length Storyboards
Inside LAIKA -Revisiting the Puppets with LAIKA's Animation Team
Inside LAIKA—Confronting the Epic Challenges of Kubo and the Two Strings
Audio Commentary with Director/Producer Travis Knight
"Kubo's Journey"
Original Featurettes

Now streaming on:

"Chicago"

Rob Marshall and Bill Condon's adaptation of the hit 1975 Broadway musical remains one of the most surprising Oscar stories for this old-timer. It won six Oscars, including Best Picture, becoming the first musical to do so since 1968 ("Oliver!") and the last to do so. Is "Chicago" the best musical of the last half-century? I don't think most people would answer yes, but it struck lightning in 2002, riding a resurgence for the form to international success. It's also a film that I've discovered has a VERY loyal fan base. When it comes up as a potential answer to bad Best Picture winners, defenders always rise to action on social media. Those are the ones who should be happy to know that Marshall's film has received a new repackaging in a striking steelbook release (that surprisingly doesn't include a 4K remaster but does include three hours of bonus features and a commentary). 

Buy it here 

Special Features
Feature Commentary with director Rob Marshall and screenwriter Bill Condon
Chicago in the Spotlight – A Retrospective with Cast and Crew
Bringing Chicago to Life: Adapting the Broadway Musical to Film
Developing the Screenplay: Collaborating with Bill Condon
Casting the Movie: Finding Actors Who Can Sing and Dance
The Extended Cast: The Great Dancers of Chicago
Rehearsals: The Best of Times
Rob Marshall: Born to Direct
Marty Richards: In Remembrance
Neil Meron and Craig Zadan: Renowned Musical Producers
The Magicians Behind the Camera: Colleen Atwood – Dion Beebe – John Myhre
The Best of Broadway: The Choreographers
The Director's Cut: Musical History is Made
The 75th Academy Awards: And the Oscar goes to…
The 85th Academy Awards: A Walk Down Memory Lane
The Relevance and Impact: The Aftermath of the Modern Day Musical
Extended Musical Performances
"And All That Jazz"
"When You're Good to Mama"
"Cell Block Tango"
"We Both Reached For The Gun"
"Mister Cellophane"
"All I Care About"
"All I Care About" with Richard Gere
"Nowadays" with Renée Zellweger
"And All That Jazz" with Catherine Zeta-Jones
"I Can't Do It Alone" rehearsal
"Nowadays/Hot Honey Rag" rehearsal
"We Both Reached For The Gun" rehearsal
"Cell Block Tango" rehearsal

Now streaming on:

"Dazed and Confused" (Criterion)

One of the most important American films of the '90s was given the Criterion treatment years ago, but now Richard Linklater's masterpiece has a 4K restoration that was supervised by both the filmmaker and the cinematographer Lee Daniel. The film was a commercial misfire when it was released in 1993 but quickly ascended the list of the best high school movies ever made. It's a loving ode to a bygone era when days and nights could be wasted with friends in ways that shape lifetimes to come. If you haven't seen it in the three decades since it was released (God, I'm old), then you owe it to yourself to see it now through adult eyes. "Dazed and Confused" is incredibly observant about its characters, giving each of them rich, believable detail even with minimal screen time. I adore it.

Buy it here 

Special Features
New 4K digital restoration of the director’s cut, supervised and approved by director Richard Linklater and cinematographer Lee Daniel, 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 of the film with special features
Audio commentary featuring Linklater
Making “Dazed,” a documentary by Kahane Cooperman
Rare on-set interviews and behind-the-scenes footage
Footage from the ten-year-anniversary celebration
Audition footage and deleted scenes
Trailer
English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
PLUS: Essays by critics Kent Jones, Jim DeRogatis, and Chuck Klosterman; reprinted recollections of the filming from cast and crew; and character profiles from the Dazed and Confused companion book; as well as the original film poster by Frank Kozik

Now streaming on:

"Decision to Leave"

When I saw Park Chan-wook's latest thriller at TIFF this year, sandwiched between two other Cannes films, I think I underappreciated it due to the overwhelming sense of being at a festival for the first time since early 2020. It's a haunting movie that's undeniably made by a master who has been working at the top of his game for years now. What strikes me about Park's work is its precision, the sense that every single design choice, camera angle, line of dialogue, furtive glance, and more have been very carefully considered. It's also cool to see the great folks at MUBI finding a new kind of success. This is actually their first Blu-ray release, and it's a nice one with a solid transfer and enticing special features. Keep it up, guys.

Buy it here 

Special Features
Introduction with Park Hae-il and Tang Wei
Interview with dierctor Park Chan-wook
Moments of Decision to Leave - featurette
Behind the scenes in Cannes
Park Chan-wook's Movie Going Memories

Now streaming on:

"Empire of Light"

It's been a long time since I've seen a piece of Oscar bait fail to catch a fish as much as Sam Mendes' period drama about a woman (Olivia Colman) who struggles with mental illness and daily life working in a movie theater in a coastal town in the 1980s. Colman is fantastic, and the film looks and sounds great, but it's ultimately hollow. In fact, it's like Roger Deakins' poetic lensing and Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross' lovely score hurts the film by giving it unearned self-importance. Everyone involved will move on to something more interesting (I'm very eager to see where the young Micheal Ward goes next), making this a forgotten footnote in movie history. Note: This movie is also on HBO Max, and the lack of special features on the Blu-ray makes it tough to suggest a purchase for anyone but the most diehard physical media collectors.

Buy it here 

Special Features
Creating Empire of Light – Go behind the scenes of this personal film with writer-director Sam Mendes, and uncover the story's origins and the director's love of cinema. See how the perfect location was found to rebuild a classic movie theater that had the cast in awe.

Now streaming on:

"The Fabelmans"

Steven Spielberg is still dropping masterpieces a half-century into his career. In 2022, he released one of his most personal films, a coming-of-age story about a young man who first learns that filmmaking can allow him to control his dreams and then that the lens isn't always honest. I know it's been nominated for dozens of awards, but "The Fabelmans" still feels underrated to me. It will only grow in esteem as viewers learn that it's not a love letter to cinema—it's a reckoning with the form's limitations, and it allows Spielberg to confront the roles that his parents played in his life and apologize for how he might have let them down. One more thing: This film is so technically marvelous. Spielberg has been showing off in that regard recently, finding just the right rhythms in this and "West Side Story," even though they're radically different. This is one of the best films of the 2020s so far.

Buy it here 

Special Features
The Fablemans: A Personal Journey - Featurette
Family Dynamic - Featurette
Crafting the World of the Fablemans - Featurette
Original trailer
Optional English SDH, Spanish, and French subtitles for the main feature

Now streaming on:

"Hollywood Shuffle" (Criterion)

People didn't pay enough attention to Robert Townsend's comedy about the hustle needed to make it in the heavily white film industry of the 1980s, but "Hollywood Shuffle" has grown in esteem over the years. It's a wonderful choice for the Criterion Collection. Actor/co-writer/director/producer Townsend himself oversaw the 4K restoration for this movie about a man just trying to break through in an industry that sets up different hurdles for Black actors. Townsend reportedly based the story of Bobby Taylor on his own life, when he was told he wasn't "Black enough" to get certain parts. He pops up on the new release with a brand-new audio commentary and new interviews with the stars. There's also a great essay from the brilliant Aisha Harris.

Buy it here 

Special Features
New, restored 4K digital transfer, approved by writer-director-actor Robert Townsend, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack
New audio commentary featuring Townsend
New interviews with actors Rusty Cundieff, Anne-Marie Johnson, and Bobby McGee
Radio program featuring Townsend in conversation with film critic Elvis Mitchell
Trailer
English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
PLUS: An essay by critic Aisha Harris

Now streaming on:

"Romeo and Juliet" (Criterion)

Criterion has fallen into some unusual controversies lately with their timing, including last month's release of "The Adventures of Baron Munchausen" not long after Sarah Polley's revelations about that feature's unsafe working conditions, and their new release of Franco Zeffirelli's "Romeo and Juliet." Last month, stars Olivia Hussey and Leonard Whiting filed a lawsuit against Paramount Pictures for half a billion dollars regarding the film's nude scenes (they were 16 and 17 when it was filmed, respectively). That story will now haunt a movie that was very successful at the time, winning Oscars for Best Cinematography and Best Costume Design and getting nods for Best Director and Best Picture. It was a box office success too, which feels like a product of a different era. The Criterion release has a 4K restoration but feels a little slight on special features, including only a bit of archival material and nothing that feels urgently new or must-own.

Buy it here 

Special Features
4K digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack
Excerpt from the 2018 documentary Franco Zeffirelli: Directing from Life
Interviews with actors Olivia Hussey and Leonard Whiting from 1967 and 2016
Trailer
English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
PLUS: An essay by scholar Ramona Wray

Now streaming on:

"Strange World"

It's too bad that Don Hall's Disney adventure film failed to find an audience when it was released theatrically back in November of last year. The film reportedly cost close to $200 million and has yet to make half of that worldwide. Yikes. It's been called the first Disney animated bomb since 2007's "Meet the Robinsons," another movie I kinda like! Yeah, this one didn't deserve its dark fate. Sure, some of the story beats are familiar, but Hall and his team have done more with character and world design than these movies are usually allowed to do. I think this one will find an audience over time, and anyone who's in the small club with me now will admire that the Blu-ray release is typically strong with a great transfer, robust audio track, and detailed special features.

Buy it here 

Special Features
DOLBY ATMOS AUDIO TRACK
Anatomy of a Scene: Creating A Strange World – Learn about Walt Disney Animation Studios' creative process through a single, visually stunning scene as the filmmaking team puts all of their imagination – and more – on the screen.
Strange Science – Jaboukie Young-White (voice of Ethan Clade) hosts an exploration of how Walt Disney Animation Studios artists were inspired by real science to create Strange World.
Creature Feature – Journey into the world beneath Avalonia and meet some of the terrifying, slimy, gassy ­– and sometimes cute – creatures that inhabit this Strange World.
The Hidden Secrets of Strange World – Uncover the references and characters from some of your favorite Walt Disney Animation Studios films hidden throughout the film, along with some fun facts and behind–the–scenes stories of how Strange World was made.
Outtakes – Go behind the glass as we join the cast of Strange World inside the recording booth for some fun, flubs and outtakes.
Deleted Scenes
The Ballad of Jaeger Clade
Lightning Lynx
Funerals and Promises
Ethan and Searcher