Great Movies
10 NEW TO NETFLIX
"Dark Waters"
"The Equalizer"
"The Gentlemen"
"The Peanut Butter Falcon"
"Shrek"
"A Simple Favor"
"Sing Street"
"Starship Troopers"
"Traffic"
"Upgrade"
12 NEW ON BLU-RAY/DVD
"All That Breathes" (Criterion)
One of the best documentaries of the 2020s has been given the Janus Contemporaries treatment, the new branch of Criterion that's releasing recent arthouse critical darlings like "EO" and "Godland." My love for Shaunak Sen's lyrical and gorgeous film is well-recorded, but I've found interesting how much this film seems to be lasting while others fade into memory. I've had a few people mention they saw it recently over just the last few months (it's on Hulu, so that helps) and this Blu-ray release should bring it to an even wider audience. As I wrote in October 2022 when it was theatrically released, "“All That Breathes” isn’t just a gorgeously poetic display of the natural world but a reframing of why these things should matter not just to people as devoted as Nadeem and Saud but to all of us."
Special Features
Meet the Flimmakers, a new interview with director Shaunak Sen
Trailer
"Anatomy of a Fall" (Criterion)
Justine Triet's "Anatomy of a Fall" has had a remarkable year, premiering at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival, where it won the Palme d'Or and began a stretch of arthouse movie dominance for basically another twelve months. The run included successful screenings at the major Fall festivals like TIFF before a release that made a small fortune for this kind of movie (grossing over $35 million worldwide on a budget that was a fraction of that total) and landing on dozens of top ten lists. It capped an awards season run with an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay (to go with nominations for Picture, Director, and Actress). And now it's landed where it belongs in the Criterion Collection, accompanied by a new interview with Triet, deleted scenes, audition footage, and a short program about Messi the dog. A commentary would have been nice, but this is still an impressive encore for a film that had a truly impressive run.
Special Features
2K digital master, with 5.1 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack
New interview with director Justine Triet
Deleted and alternate scenes with commentary by Triet
Audition footage of actors Milo Machado Graner and Antoine Reinartz and rehearsal footage of Machado Graner and actor Sandra Hüller
Short program about the dog who plays Snoop, featuring trainer Laura Martin
Trailer
English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing and English descriptive audio
PLUS: An essay by critic Alexandra Schwartz
Guillermo del Toro's Gothic masterpiece is almost a decade old, coming out just before the beloved director went on an awards-heavy run with more widely acclaimed projects like "The Shape of Water," "Nightmare Alley," and "Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio." While this deeply underrated and gorgeous piece of work gets somewhat lost in its filmmaker's remarkable career, Arrow Films is out here doing the very hard work to keep it in the conversation. I went in-depth on the standard Blu-ray release version of this back in 2019, and this edition is the same outside of the 4K version of the film, one of the most visually striking of its era. Basically, if you don't own "Crimson Peak," this is now the definitive version to pick up.
Special Features
DOLBY VISION/HDR PRESENTATION OF THE FILM, approved by director Guillermo Del Toro
Original 7.1 DTS:X and 2.0 DTS Headphone:X audio
Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
Optional Descriptive Video Service® (DVS®) for the visually impaired
Audio commentary by co-writer and director Guillermo del Toro
The House is Alive: Constructing Crimson Peak, a feature-length documentary with cast and crew interviews and extensive behind the scenes footage
Spanish language interview with Guillermo del Toro
The Gothic Corridor, The Scullery, The Red Clay Mines, The Limbo Fog Set; four featurettes exploring different aspects of Allerdale Hall
A Primer on Gothic Romance, the director and stars talk about the key traits of Gothic romance
The Light and Dark of Crimson Peak, the cast and crew talk about the film's use of color
Hand Tailored Gothic, a featurette on the film's striking costumes
A Living Thing, a look at the design, modelling and construction of the Allerdale Hall sets
Beware of Crimson Peak, a walking tour around Allerdale Hall with Tom Hiddleston
Crimson Phantoms, a featurette on the film's amazing ghosts
Kim Newman on Crimson Peak and the Tradition of Gothic Romance, an interview with the author and critic
Violence and Beauty in Guillermo del Toro's Gothic Fairy Tale Films, a video essay by the writer Kat Ellinger
Deleted scenes
Image gallery
Original trailers and TV spots
Double-sided, fold-out poster
Four double-sided postcards
Limited edition packaging designed by Crimson Peak concept artist Guy Davis
Limited edition 80-page, hard-bound book featuring writing by David Jenkins and Simon Abrams, an archival interview with Guillermo del Toro, and original conceptual design illustrations by artists Guy Davis and Oscar Chichoni
"The Crow"
One of the most influential films of the '90s is now three decades old. Paramount has celebrated its anniversary with a special 4K premiere of Alex Proyas's work, a new restoration of the cult hit. Based on the 1989 comic book of the same name, "The Crow" became a pop culture sensation before it was released because of the tragic on-set passing of its star, Brandon Lee. In his final performance, Lee plays a rock star who comes back from the dead to find the people who killed him. A remake with Bill Skarsgard is on the horizon (coming out August 23rd), but it has a high bar to clear given how much this film influenced and reflected goth culture at the time. It looks great in 4K, and the release includes a few new special features and a ton of archival ones.
Special Features
NEW 4K RESTORATION OF THE FILM
NEW Shadows & Pain: Designing The Crow
Angels All Fire: Birth of the Legend
On Hallowed Ground: The Outer Realm
Twisted Wreckage: The Inside Spaces
NEW Sideshow Collectibles: An Interview with Edward R. Pressman
Audio Commentary with Director Alex Proyas
Audio Commentary by Producer Jeff Most and Screenwriter John Shirley
Behind the Scenes Featurette
A Profile on James O'Barr
Extended Scenes:
The Arcade Bombing
The Funboy Fight
The Shootout at Top Dollar's
Deleted Footage Montage
Trailer
"Fletch"/"Fletch Lives"
There was a time, young readers, when Chevy Chase was one of the biggest stars in the world. His reputation as a notorious jerk has forever damaged the way a lot of people view his heyday. Still, the truth is that a lot of his '70s and '80s comedies have held up well, including films like "Foul Play," "Vacation," and 1985's consistently clever "Fletch," recently released in a special edition from Kino Lorber, and accompanied by the miserably bad 1989 sequel "Fletch Lives." All but completists should skip the sequel, but "Fletch" still kinda rules, a perfect distillation of Chase's smarmy charm and deft comic timing. In many ways, it's the ultimate Chevy Chase movie.
Special Features ("Fletch")
NEW 2K RESTORATION FROM AN INTERPOSITIVE
NEW Audio Commentary by Entertainment Journalists/Authors Bryan Reesman and Max Evry
Just Charge it to the Underhills: Making and Remembering Fletch – 2007 Featurette with Actor M. Emmet Walsh, Actor Richard Libertini, Actor Tim Matheson, Screenwriter Andrew Bergman, Actor George Wyner, Actor Larry Flash Jenkins, Actress Dana Wheeler-Nicholson, Producer Alan Greisman, Producer Peter Douglas, Editor Richard Harris, First Assistant Director Wolfgang Glattes, Associate Producer/Production Manager Gordon Webb and Featurette Producer Jason Hillhouse (26:32)
The Disguises: From John Cocktoaston to Harry S. Truman – 2007 Featurette with Makeup Artist Ken Chase, Hair Stylist Bunny Parker, Screenwriter Andrew Bergman, Actress Dana Wheeler-Nicholson, Actor Tim Matheson, Actor Larry Flash Jenkins, Producer Peter Douglas, Producer Alan Greisman and Associate Producer/Production Manager Gordon Webb (4:53)
Favorite Fletch Moments – 2007 Featurette (2:35)
Chevy Chase: Reba Merrill Profile – 1985 Interview with Chevy Chase (3:41)
4 TV Spots
Theatrical Trailer (Newly Mastered in 2K)
Optional English Subtitles
"Girlfight" (Criterion)
It's always fun to see a film that launches a new talent that one knows they'll be watching for years to come. I vividly remember seeing "Heavenly Creatures" and feeling that way about Kate Winslet, for example. And while it didn't have quite the same lightning strike sensation as that film, I remember marveling at the places Michele Rodriguez would go after seeing her film debut in Karyn Kusama's 2000 film "Girlfight," just inducted into the Criterion Collection in a new 4K edition supervised by the director and D.P. Patrick Cady. It's a powerful drama about a high school student who decides to become a boxer, anchored by strong direction from Kusama but truly coming to life through Rodriguez's captivating, natural performance. While she's consistently underrated and always understands the assignment, even in blockbusters like the "Fast & Furious" movies, she's arguably never topped her nuanced work here.
Special Features
New 4K digital restoration, supervised by director Karyn Kusama and director of photography Patrick Cady, with 5.1 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack
Audio commentary featuring Kusama
Body and Soul: Karyn Kusama on “Girlfight,” a new program on the film by Alexandre O. Philippe
Interviews with editor Plummy Tucker and composer Theodore Shapiro
Storyboard-to-film comparison with commentary from Kusama
Trailer
English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
PLUS: An essay by author Carmen Maria Machado
"High Noon"
4K restorations of films as old as Fred Zinnemann's "High Noon" can be almost disorienting. There's a part of me that feels like Westerns from the '50s should look dirty and grainy, but that's probably just because I grew up watching them on VHS on an old-fashioned small TV. I'm often disappointed when classic movies look over-polished for modern machines. Still, Kino Lorber is one of the best at avoiding that problem, maintaining the right amount of grit and grain for their classic films. For this, they returned to the original camera negative and chose to accompany their restoration with two new audio commentaries and some archival featurettes from previous releases. "High Noon" is an essential Western, one of the most important in the history of the genre. And this is now the best way to own it.
Special Features
DISC ONE - 4K BLU-RAY
NEW 4K RESTORATION OF THE FILM FROM THE ORIGINAL CAMERA NEGATIVE
DOLBY VISION/HDR PRESENTATION OF THE FILM
NEW Audio Commentary by Author/Film Historian Alan K. Rode
NEW Audio Commentary by Film Historian/Writer Julie Kirgo
Optional English Subtitles
DISC TWO - BLU-RAY
NEW 4K RESTORATION OF THE FILM FROM THE ORIGINAL CAMERA NEGATIVE
NEW Audio Commentary by Author/Film Historian Alan K. Rode
NEW Audio Commentary by Film Historian/Writer Julie Kirgo
A Ticking Clock: Featurette (5:53)
A Stanley Kramer Production: Featurette (14:00)
Imitation of Life - The Blacklist History of High Noon: Featurette (9:27)
Ulcers and Oscars - The Production History of High Noon: Featurette (12:02)
Uncitizened Kane: Featurette (11:01)
The Making of High Noon: Featurette (22:11)
Theatrical Trailer
Optional English Subtitles
Limited Edition Reversible Art and Slipcase
"Narc"
Man, I miss Ray Liotta. He was such an instinctually great actor, a performer who could sell urgency in a way that didn't feel manufactured. That urgency is in every line reading of his in the underrated "Narc," a movie that came out in a wave of "Training Day" wannabes in the 2000s that deserves the reappraisal coming its way via a fantastic new 4K release from Arrow. Going back to the original camera negative, this version of "Narc" looks phenomenal, washed in a dingy blue in a way that's effective instead of being distracting. In that palette are two excellent performances from Liotta and Jason Patric (another performer whose prime I miss) as two cops trying to solve the murder of an undercover officer by any means necessary. The release includes a bunch of new special features on a second disc, including new interviews with director Joe Carnahan, the DP, and the costume designer, along with a ton of archival featurettes, including one in which the great William Friedkin acknowledges the influence of his work on this project. Almost halfway through 2024, this is one of the best 4K releases of the year.
Special Features
NEW 4K RESTORATION FROM THE ORIGINAL CAMERA NEGATIVE
DOLBY VISION/HDR PRESENTATION OF THE FILM
Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Nathanael Marsh
Double-sided poster featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Nathanael Marsh
Illustrated collectors' booklet featuring new writing by Michelle Kisner, producer Diane Nabatoff and archival interviews and articles
DISC ONE - FEATURE
High Definition presentation
Newly restored original stereo audio and Dolby Atmos surround audio
Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing
Archival feature commentary with director Joe Carnahan and editor John Gilroy
Brand new introduction from director Joe Carnahan
DISC TWO - EXTRAS
Shattering the Blue Line, a newly filmed interview with director Joe Carnahan
Shooting Narc, a newly filmed interview with director of photography Alex Nepomniaschy
If You Live Another Day, a newly filmed interview with actor Krista Bridges
The Journey of the Costume, a newly filmed interview with costume designer Gersha Phillips
Making the Deal, a vintage promotional featurette looking at the making of the film
The Visual Trip, a vintage promotional featurette looking at the look of the film
The Friedkin Connection, a vintage promotional featurette interviewing William Friedkin and discussing the connections between his body of work and Narc
Shooting Up, a vintage promotional featurette looking at the making of the film
Vintage EPK interviews with Joe Carnahan, Ray Liotta, Jason Patric, Diane Nabatoff, Alex Nepomniaschy and Willliam Friedkin
Theatrical trailer
Image gallery
"Night Falls on Manhattan"
When you have a career that includes masterpieces like "12 Angry Men," "Network," and "The Verdict," it's incredibly easy for your "just good" movies to get overlooked by history. When people want to watch Sidney Lumet, they have so many great choices. But that doesn't mean his 1996 "Night Falls on Manhattan" isn't worth your time, especially in a collector's edition from the fine folk over at Arrow. This Andy Garcia drama about an attorney battling corruption in the NYPD has been restored from the original negative. It includes mostly archival bonus features, but they rock because they include a Lumet commentary track. Any chance to hear from one of the best directors who ever lived should be taken.
Special Features
NEW 2K RESTORATION FROM THE ORIGINAL CAMERA NEGATIVE
Original lossless 5.1 surround and 2.0 stereo audio
Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing
Archive commentary by director Sidney Lumet
Archive commentary by actors Andy Garcia and Ron Leibman, with producers Josh Kramer and Thom Mount
The Directors: Sidney Lumet, an hour-long archive documentary from 2002 featuring interviews with Lumet, Garcia, Leibman, Jack Lemmon, Rod Steiger, Christopher Walken and others
On-set interviews with Lumet, Garcia, Dreyfuss, Olin, Holm and Leibman
Behind-the-scenes footage
Theatrical trailer and TV spots
Limited Edition packaging featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Tom Ralston
Illustrated collectors' booklet featuring new writing on the film by Nick Clement and original production notes
"Peeping Tom" (Criterion)
One of the best thrillers ever made was recently restored in 4K and re-inducted into the Criterion Collection. If you haven't seen Michael Powell's "Peeping Tom," remind yourself while you're watching it that it was made in 1960. To say it was ahead of its time would be a massive understatement given how much this film influenced literally hundreds of thrillers that would follow in its twisted footsteps. Deeply controversial at the time, it took history to come around to "Peeping Tom," which is now widely recognized as one of the best British films ever made. The Criterion edition includes an interview with the great Thelma Schoonmaker, who also recently spoke to our own Monica Castillo about the film. Read it here.
Buy it here B0CVYR69F6
Special Features
New 4K digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack
One 4K UHD disc of the film presented in Dolby Vision HDR and one Blu-ray with the film and special features
Two audio commentaries, one featuring film historian Ian Christie and one featuring film scholar Laura Mulvey
Introduction by filmmaker Martin Scorsese
Interview with editor Thelma Schoonmaker
Documentary about the film’s history, featuring interviews with Schoonmaker, Scorsese, and actor Carl Boehm
Documentary about screenwriter Leo Marks
Program on the film’s restoration
Trailer
English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
PLUS: An essay by author Megan Abbott
The best concert film ever made was released in theaters last September by A24 and the fine folk at that company have now released a 4K collector's edition of that remastered version that's absolutely a must-own. The audio mix at home isn't quite as breathtaking as the theatrical experience I had at TIFF when I saw the premiere, but it's remarkably close. As someone who knows this movie by heart, it's never sounded this good in my living room, and the 4K video transfer is a beauty too. As for bonus material, there's an archival commentary with Demme himself, the music video for "Once in a Lifetime," an interview/conversation with the band, and extended cuts of the film that include "Cities," "Big Business" and "I Zimbra," a version of the movie once included on laserdisc but not since. I love almost all Talking Heads, but prefer the theatrical cut to the extended. But the truth is that all "Stop Making Sense" is great. You need to order this one.
Special Features
Bonus Tracks - 'Cities', Big Business' / 'I Zimbra'
One hour band press conference
Audio commentary with the band and Jonathan Demme
3 Audio Mixes: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 Feature Film Mix, DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 Studio Mix, PCM 2.0 Stereo Mix
Once in a Lifetime music video
"Three Revolutionary Films by Ousmane Sembene"
Around five or six years ago, Criterion faced some severe criticism about the abundance of mostly white, mostly European, mostly male filmmakers in their collection, and it's been apparent how much they've been trying to correct their oversights. Take this fantastic three-film collection from one of the most important filmmakers in history, the African artist Ousmane Sembene. Building off the theatrical exhibition of his films last year, Criterion includes three films of Sembene's from the 1970s: "Emitai," "Xala," and "Ceddo." There's also a documentary about the making of the final film in the series and a new conversation about them with the founder of the African Film Festival. I wish that Criterion would have gone a little deeper and released a massive Sembene set like they have for some other world masters. But that likely could be an issued related to rights. This is a good start.
Special Features
New 4K digital restorations of all three films, with uncompressed monaural soundtracks on the Blu-rays
New conversation between Mahen Bonetti, founder and executive director of the African Film Festival, and writer Amy Sall
The Making of “Ceddo,” a 1981 documentary by Paulin Soumanou Vieyra
New English subtitle translations
PLUS: An essay by film scholar Yasmina Price
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.
