While some corners of the internet still shout that “physical media is dying” into the void, collectors know that nothing could be further from the truth. Major studios may be playing it a bit safer with a greater focus on licensing to boutique labels, but this has led to an avalanche of lavish, carefully curated presentations that far outclass anything that would be released from any of the big players. It feels like every week we get a jaw-dropping 4K UHD upgrade or a box set that could contend for “best of the year” status in any year.

With a mixture of exciting new favorites and beloved classics on 4K UHD, Blu-Ray and DVD, it has never been a better time to be a fan of physical media. We know it can be overwhelming trying to find that perfect gift for a loved one, so this year we decided to take the stress out of shopping by providing a helpful list of some of our favorite movies and television shows that dropped in 2025.

We approached this list assuming that everyone has some of the bigger new releases, so no Superman or Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning here, but instead we focused on highlighting the hidden gems of the year that might have slipped by your radar. Without further ado, we present the 2025 GVN Holiday Gift Guide…

Out Of This World

’90s Comic Book Upgrades From Arrow Video

For nerds who remember when comic book movies were a novel concept…

It was just last year that beloved boutique label Arrow Video and legendary movie studio Warner Bros. embarked upon their first major licensing deal with one another, and physical media fans have been in heaven ever since. The Warner vaults are filled with some of the most iconic films and genre standouts, and each month has provided us with incredible upgrades that have given these titles the premium treatment they deserve.

Two of the most exciting releases from this year have been from non-traditional comic book adaptations receiving decked-out releases that went the extra mile to make sure audiences got the ultimate presentation at home. First up was the 4K UHD Blu-Ray debut of the dark comic book adaptation Spawn starring Michael Jai White. The new release was derived from a 4K restoration of the 35mm Original Camera Negative in Dolby Vision featuring both the Director’s Cut and the Theatrical Version. It includes commentary tracks, interviews, making-of featurettes, and more. While it is not a perfect movie, this upgrade allows viewers to appreciate all of the cool aspects thanks to this stunning package.

Arrow closes out this year with the wildly anticipated release of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Trilogy on 4K UHD Blu-Ray. Launching in 1990, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles became a box office phenomenon, fusing martial arts action, streetwise humor and the groundbreaking animatronics of Jim Henson‘s Creature Shop. The 1991 sequel The Secret of the Ooze doubled the stakes, doubled the pizza! Rounding out the trilogy, 1993’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III sends the heroes in a half shell back to feudal Japan in a time-travel adventure. The new set features brand new 4K restorations of all three films in Dolby Vision, new commentary tracks and interviews, posters and memorabilia, and more. Even in our wildest dreams, we could not have imagined such a grand release.

An overview of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray release of Spawn can be found here.

An overview of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray release of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Trilogy can be found here.

Mamoru Hosoda Goes 4K UHD

For those wanting to explore anime beyond Studio Ghibli…

Last year, GKIDS announced it had acquired the North American distribution rights to the Mamoru Hosoda catalog of films. The director has become an undeniable force in Japanese animation who is entrenching himself as one of the greats. GKIDS previously released the Academy Award- and Golden Globe-nominated Mirai (2018), and the critically lauded Belle (2021), which became Hosoda’s highest grossing film to date in North America. The director Mamoru Hosoda’s six features have all been nominated for, and five have been awarded, the Japan Academy Prize for “Animation of the Year.” Hosoda remains the only Japanese animation director outside of the famed Studio Ghibli to receive an Academy Award nomination for Best Animated Feature.

This year, the label collaborated with Shout! Studios to upgrade Hosoda’s early film catalog to 4K UHD Blu-Ray in impressive SteelBook releases available exclusively from Amazon. The first title in the series to receive a reissue was the digital action-romance Summer Wars, which tackles themes many associate with the filmmaker, including society’s relationship with technology, along with his signature emotional exploration that allows the movie to land on a deeper level. This was followed by Wolf Children, offering a deep emotional throughline that resonates in terms of familial bonds and exploring your personal identity. Finally, we have The Girl Who Lept Through Time, a science fiction romance film that gives you all of the magic you expect from the filmmaker.

A review of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray release of Summer Wars can be found here.

A review of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray release of Wolf Children can be found here.

Get more information about The Girl Who Lept Through Time 4K UHD Blu-Ray release here.

Peter Cushing as Doctor Who (4K UHD Blu-Ray)

For the uncle stuck in the past…

A very exciting thing happened in 1965: British film legend Peter Cushing took on the role of everyone’s favorite timelord. This was the first big-screen film adaptation of British TV’s most iconic sci-fi hero, and the first time Dr. Who was ever seen in color! Dr. Who and the Daleks and its follow-up Daleks’ Invasion Earth 2150 A.D. may not have been constructed to connect to any ongoing storylines on the small screen, but they did provide the opportunity for some ambitious sci-fi outings on a larger scale.

Thanks to Severin and their collaboration with StudioCanal, these films have been newly restored in 4K from their original Techniscope negatives and presented in Dolby Vision to look and sound better than ever before. Not only that, but these releases are packed to the brim with new and archival supplements including multiple commentary tracks, documentaries, interviews, and more.

Get more information about the Total Extermination: The Peter Cushing Doctor Who Collection 4K UHD and Blu-Ray release here.

International Sci-Fi Tales From Deaf Crocodile

For your adventurous cousin looking to get their brain scrambled…

There is no label surprising us more on a yearly basis with their curation than the fine folks at Deaf Crocodile, and 2025 may have been the most exciting year yet for them. Take one look at the selection from this year, and you will instantly see the fondness for sci-fi tales in all of its forms. The first installment in the Treasures of Soviet Animation series brings interstellar tales such as The Mystery of the Third Planet, The Return, and The Pass. Go further into the world of animation with the psychedelic odyssey The Cathedral Of New Emotions on Blu-Ray, which follows a commune of Berlin stoners and intellectuals who get set adrift in space in 1972 in a packing container clutched in a giant flying hand. We have legendary artist Bill Plympton’s zany and outrageous Mutant Aliens on Blu-Ray which follows the return of a missing astronaut who survived in space for two decades on a planet populated by aliens who resemble human body parts.

There are also live-action sci-fi outings like the DEFA double feature of Signals: A Space Adventure and In The Dust Of The Stars which will make you rethink what you know about epic space operas. Hungarian time travel tale Sirius takes us back several decades with a delightful blend of classic sci-fi storytelling and yearning romance. Deaf Crocodile closes out the year with one of their most ambitious releases to date with the mysterious 2551 Trilogy from Austrian artist and director Norbert Pfaffenbichler. Described as “Mad Max run amok in the Mütter Museum”, these films are a combination of avant garde cinema, post-apocalyptic sci-fi / horror / monster action, dystopian political nightmare, and silent cinema techniques. This set is overflowing with special features including commentary tracks, short films, interviews, visual essays, and more.

A review of the Blu-Ray release of Treasures of Soviet Animation: Vol. 1 can be found here.

A review of the Blu-Ray release of The Cathedral Of New Emotions can be found here.

A review of the Blu-Ray release of Mutant Aliens can be found here.

A review of the Blu-Ray release of Signals: A Space Adventure and In The Dust Of The Stars can be found here.

A review of the Blu-Ray release of Sirius can be found here.

Get more information about the 2551 Trilogy Blu-Ray release here.

Dogma: 25th Anniversary (4K UHD Blu-Ray)

For those who reside in the View Askewniverse…

Unavailable for far too long on physical media, Kevin Smith’s hilarious, controversial fan-favorite celebrates its 25th anniversary in immaculate 4K for the first time, newly remastered in HDR with Dolby Atmos audio. The film focuses on angels Bartleby (Ben Affleck) and Loki (Matt Damon) — tossed out of Heaven, exiled to Wisconsin, and pilgrimaging to a cardinal’s (George Carlin) “Buddy Christ” New Jersey church. The crafty angels plan to exploit a divine loophole once they arrive that will facilitate their heavenly return. But their gambit’s success has a downside: the end of God…and the universe! Aiding and bedeviling Bartleby and Loki are Salma Hayek as Serendipity, the stripper muse; Chris Rock as Rufus, the 13th apostle; Alan Rickman as the seraph Metatron; Jay and Silent Bob (Smith, Jason Mewes) as irreverent prophets; and Alanis Morissette as God herself. The new release is filled with new and archival special features including a feature-length documentary.

Get more information about the Dogma 4K UHD Blu-Ray release here.

Life, Animated

Peanuts: Ultimate TV Specials Collection

For anyone to whom you need to prove you are not a blockhead…

Since Charles Schulz first introduced the kid with the zigzag shirt, fans of all ages have loved the Peanuts gang. This 75th-anniversary compilation features 40 TV specials that celebrate the charm and humor that have established Charlie Brown, Lucy, Linus, Snoopy and their friends as cultural treasures. Watch your most beloved specials – and discover new favorites – in this comprehensive collection. This set includes favorites such as A Charlie Brown Christmas; It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown; A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving; and It’s the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown; along with deeper cuts like She’s a Good Skate, Charlie Brown; It Was a Short Summer, Charlie Brown; and There’s No Time for Love, Charlie Brown. If you know a Peanuts fan, you could not ask for a better gift idea this holiday season.

Get more information about the Peanuts: 75th Anniversary Ultimate TV Specials Collection Blu-Ray release here.

Groundbreaking Anime

For those who feel that American animation is too vanilla…

Anime fans have been really thriving this year due to a good mixture of brilliant new works coming to our screens and old gems getting the respect they finally deserve. Some of the most exciting releases of the year have come from Anime Limited including the release of Ghost In The Shell: SAC_2045: Season 2 featuring all 12 episodes of the sophomore season in a 3-disc Blu-Ray collection including a 100-page artbook, 4 art cards, an 11.7” x 16.5” poster and insightful bonus features

GKIDS always seems to deliver some incredible releases every year. The most prominent would have to be one of the biggest properties in the world with Arcane: League of Legends – Season 2 on 4K UHD Blu-Ray featuring all nine episodes from the second installment in Dolby Vision. The release also comes with an entire disc dedicated to bonus features. This is not the only hit series as Dan Da Dan: Season 1 arrives on Blu-Ray with all the episodes from the debut season and an impressive array of supplements. The series is an electrifying, action-packed love letter to sci-fi and horror with the heart of a ruthlessly funny teen rom-com.

You also have the critically acclaimed Grave of the Fireflies on Blu-Ray from director Isao Takahata, one of the most emotionally devastating movies from Studio Ghibli. Ghost Cat Anzu is a whimsical slice of life in which a young girl finds herself in rural Japan with a giant ‘ghost cat’, a notorious layabout tasked with looking after her. The animation is a pleasure to observe, and the emotional beats blend well with the humor.

Get more information about the Ghost In The Shell: SAC_2045: Season 2 Blu-Ray release here.

Get more information about the Arcane: League of Legends – Season 2 4K UHD Blu-Ray release here.

A review of the Blu-Ray release of Dan Da Dan: Season 1  can be found here.

A review of the Blu-Ray release of Grave of the Fireflies can be found here.

A review of the Blu-Ray release of Ghost Cat Anzu can be found here.

Aesop’s Fables – The 1920s, Volume 1

For your neighbor who thinks the Looney Tunes are too mainstream…

Long before Paul Terry found success with Mighty Mouse, he spent the 1920s producing the Aesop’s Fables series starring his original character Farmer Al Falfa and an endless cast of violent, funny animals. Loosely connected to those ancient tales and bookended with a “sugar-coated pill of wisdom,” the cartoons were an all-encompassing umbrella of new dynamics and concepts. In Aesop’s Fables – The 1920s, Volume 1, Cartoon Logic has meticulously assembled and restored 20 Paul Terry cartoons, giving the animation pioneer his first high definition silent film collection, and showcasing why Walt Disney once said he had hoped to one day make animated shorts as good as Aesop’s Fables. Volume 1 features cartoons ranging from the birth of the series in 1921 to 1928’s Dinner Time (the first theatrical cartoon with synchronized sound ever released). Each short comes with an optional commentary track by animation historians.

Get more information about Aesop’s Fables – The 1920s, Volume 1 Blu-Ray release here.

Perfect Blue (4K UHD Blu-Ray)

For your anime bestie who knows ball…

With sophistication and a haunting edge, the groundbreaking psychological thriller Perfect Blue has frequently been hailed as one of the most important animated films of all time and a prescient vision of fame in an online world. When pop star Mima quits singing to pursue a career as an actress, her handlers begin turning up murdered. Haunted by visions of her former self, Mima’s reality and fantasy meld into a frenzied paranoia that threatens to shatter her identity forever.

Now, the directorial debut of acclaimed director Satoshi Kon (Paprika, Tokyo Godfathers) comes to 4K UHD for the first time with a 3-Disc Collector’s Edition set. Special features accompanying the 4K release of the critically-acclaimed film include a new, extended lecture by Satoshi Kon, as well as the “Angel of Your Heart” recording session and full English version, cast and crew interviews, and theatrical trailers and TV spots. This limited edition Collector’s Edition also includes a new 132-page book, a poster, and 10 art cards, enclosed in a deluxe oversized rigid slipcase.

Get more information about the Perfect Blue 4K UHD Blu-Ray release here.

Looney Tunes & Hanna-Barbera on Blu-Ray

For your cousins who cannot agree if it’s wabbit season or duck season…

There is no dispute. The Warner Bros. catalog contains some of the funniest animated outings of all time. From its classic cartoon stars – Bugs Bunny, Tweety and Sylvester, Porky Pig, The Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote, to name but a few – are the most popular of all time. There has been some inconsistency when it comes to home video releases in the past, but the past few years Warner Archive has stepped in to establish a line intended to signify that the utmost care is being put towards preserving these cinematic gems.

The Looney Tunes Collector’s Vault series is here to make sure audiences are getting uncut cartoons in the best possible A/V quality, many of which have never been released on home video before. The first volume released this year built off the success of the Collector’s Choice sets without repeating anything that was included previously.  The label also revisited two iconic characters with the mind-blowing release of the Tom & Jerry: The Golden Era Anthology set featuring all 114 theatrical cartoon shorts, the entire series, as originally released to theaters by MGM during the Golden Age of Hollywood.

This is not the only Hanna-Barbera property that got a 5-star release this year, as the label released collections for iconic characters such as Huckleberry Hound and Magilla Gorilla along with more obscure outings such as Frankenstein Jr. and the Impossibles and Touché Turtle and Dum Dum. All of these sets and more are destined to please audiences of all ages.

Get more information about Looney Tunes Collector’s Vault: Volume 1 on Blu-Ray here.

Get more information about Tom & Jerry: The Golden Era Anthology on Blu-Ray here.

Get more information about Frankenstein Jr. and the Impossibles: The Complete Series on Blu-Ray here.

Get more information about Wait Till Your Father Gets Home: The Complete Series on Blu-Ray here.

Get more information about The Magilla Gorilla Show: The Complete Series on Blu-Ray here.

Get more information about Wacky Races: The Complete Series on Blu-Ray here.

Get more information about The Huckleberry Hound Show: The Complete Series on Blu-Ray here.

Everybody Was Kung Fu Fighting

Jet Li 4K UHD Collection

For those who know that Jet Li’s career did not start with Lethal Weapon 4…

As a part of the new Hong Kong Cinema Classics imprint that launched this year, we got some amazing releases highlighting icons of Hong Kong action cinema. Few stars shine as brightly as Jet Li; renowned for his graceful and fluid fighting style, Li’s illustrious filmography has established him as an international superstar. The 10-Disc Jet Li Collection 4K UHD + Blu-ray set includes five of Jet Li’s seminal Hong Kong classics: Fist Of Legend, Tai Chi Master, Fong Sai Yuk, Fong Sai Yuk II, and The Bodyguard from Beijing. Each film has been scanned in stunning 4K from the original camera negatives and is presented in Dolby Vision. A must-have for collectors, action and martial arts enthusiasts, and cinephiles, this collection contains new interviews, new audio commentaries, vintage featurettes, and more.

Get more information about The Jet Li Collection on 4K UHD Blu-Ray here.

Eureka Spotlights Chang Cheh

For those who need a crash-course in Hong Kong cinematic excellence…

Eureka Entertainment has continued to be a godsend for physical media enthusiasts as it has expanded into America, especially with a particular focus on output from Hong Kong, and the range of gems they have unearthed from this area of the world is astounding. Distinguished by his penchant for bloodshed and a thematic concentration on the bonds of brotherhood and masculine sacrifice, Chang Cheh is one of the most prolific and accomplished directors ever to emerge from the Hong Kong film industry. Often hailed as the “Godfather of Hong Kong cinema,” he enjoyed a career spanning six decades and worked in a multitude of genres, from Chinese opera to kung fu films via wuxia pian, historical epics and tales of the supernatural.

This year, the label brought us two new epic collections exploring the work of the famed filmmaker. First, there was The Magnificent Chang Cheh featuring The Magnificent Trio and Magnificent Wanderers on Blu-Ray, each featuring a commentary track and a visual essay. This was followed later in the year by Furious Swords & Fantastic Warriors: The Heroic Cinema of Chang Cheh featuring ten films from the legendary filmmaker on Blu-Ray. Each film has a commentary track with additional interviews and video essays.

An overview of the Blu-Ray release of The Magnificent Chang Cheh can be found here.

An overview of the Blu-Ray release of Furious Swords & Fantastic Warriors: The Heroic Cinema of Chang Cheh can be found here.

Hong Kong Cinema Classics Crime Box Sets

For your grandpa who always bets on black…

The Hong Kong Cinema Classics line from Shout! Studios has yielded some box sets that have brought some unforgettable crime films to physical media fans. Chief among these is the action-packed A Better Tomorrow Trilogy. This legendary and highly influential saga, whose impact shaped cinema both in Hong Kong and Hollywood, brought filmmakers John Woo and Tsui Hark to new heights of fame and launched star Chow Yun-fat to superstardom. Featuring brand-new 4K scans and an arsenal of bonus features, all three A Better Tomorrow epics are presented like never before.

Audience can also celebrate the popular gambling and crime drama subgenres of Asian cinema with Hong Kong Gamblers & Gangsters, which presents six films that deal out intrigue and thrills in equal measure. Taking viewers from the glitz and glamor of the casino floors to the seedy underbelly of the city streets, this collection is one you won’t want to bet against. Films include Casino Tycoon I & II, Challenge of the Gamesters, Destiny’s Champion, Godfather From Canton, and Loving You.

Get more information about A Better Tomorrow Trilogy on 4K UHD Blu-Ray here.

Get more information about Hong Kong Gamblers & Gangsters on Blu-Ray here.

Shinobi: Volume 2

For your friend who is always popping up out of nowhere…

Three more spectacular tales of ninja action arrive in this continuation of the hugely influential series. This time, Raizo Ichikawa (Shinobi 1-3) stars as Mist Saizo, a ninja with a grudge who won’t rest until he has assassinated the supreme leader, the Tokugawa shogun. directed by three of the Daiei Studio’s top period action specialists, these films feature epic battles, ingenious spycraft and thrilling ninja fights. Shinobi continues to deliver plenty of thrills and intrigue in this second volume of ninja goodness. Compared to your normal martial arts fare, this series feels very calculating and mysterious in the best way. There are times when you want blunt action, but it is also rewarding to watch these masters sneak around and carry out their tasks with barely a footprint left. This arc of this section of the franchise is quite layered and enveloping in a way that will have you plowing through it. If we get any future volumes, we will devour them with glee!

A review of the Blu-Ray release of Shinobi: Vol. 2 can be found here.

Chow Yun-Fat on 4K UHD Blu-Ray

For those who want to see a Hong Kong cinema fan shed a tear…

Chow Yun-fat was one of the major figures from Hong Kong cinema who was able to transition to international superstardom, and the Hong Kong Cinema Classic imprint from Shout! Studios has been invaluable when it comes to getting his major work properly presented on 4K UHD Blu-Ray. First up was City on Fire, a story of an undercover cop torn between his duty as a police officer and his loyalty to his friends on the wrong side of the law. The film from director Ringo Lam comes features a new 4K scan in Dolby Vision and a wealth of bonus features.

This was followed by the one-two punch of long-requested John Woo classics. Hard Boiled finds the star as a cop hell-bent on bringing down the gun smugglers responsible for his partners’ death, and The Killer gives him the role of a hitman who accidentally blinds an innocent woman during a hit and is determined to get her surgery to help her regain her sight. Both 4K UHD Blu-Ray releases feature a new 4K scan in Dolby Vision and a plethora of bonus features.

Get more information about City on Fire on 4K UHD Blu-Ray here.

Get more information about Hard Boiled on 4K UHD Blu-Ray here.

Get more information about The Killer on 4K UHD Blu-Ray here.

Shaw Brothers Classics

For those who get nostalgic for bad cable television lip-syncing…

The amount of Shaw Brothers entertainment that has popped up over the last few on Blu-Ray is frankly staggering after the company was so inconsistent when it came to American physical media back in the day. Shout! Studios has especially jumped in with both feet when it comes to the Hong Kong production company by releasing four more volumes of their Shaw Brothers Classics series. The year started off with Volume 5 which featured another 11 classic martial arts films from the famous library, followed by Volume 6 and Volume 7 with the same number of new additions, culminating with a 12-film set for Volume 8 to close out the year. From swordplay to hand-to-hand combat, these films showcase the stylish and spectacular action and storytelling that made Shaw Brothers the gold standard in martial arts mayhem!

Get more information about Shaw Brothers Classics: Volume 5 on Blu-Ray here.

Get more information about Shaw Brothers Classics: Volume 6 on Blu-Ray here.

Get more information about Shaw Brothers Classics: Volume 7 on Blu-Ray here.

Get more information about Shaw Brothers Classics: Volume 8 on Blu-Ray here.

Laughter Is The Best Medicine

The Mask (4K UHD & Blu-Ray)

For your brother who only speaks in movie quotes…

From beloved genre filmmaker Chuck Russell, the director of Eraser, The Blob, and A Nightmare on Elm Street Part 3: Dream Warriors, comes The Mask, the wildly inventive live-action comic book adaptation with Looney Tunes flair, and one of the most iconic comedy films of the 1990s. With groundbreaking visual effects, off-the-wall humor and non-stop energy, The Mask is now available restored from the 35mm Original Camera Negative in Dolby Vision with Dolby Atmos and original audio tracks. The Jim Carrey comedy classic comes with two commentary tracks, a video essay, interviews, deleted scenes, and more. Carrey more than showed off his wide range of talents here opposite the sizzling screen debut of Cameron Diaz. This has been a film that has never been treated properly on physical media, so we are thrilled that Arrow Video has afforded it the level of care it deserves.

Get more information about The Mask on 4K UHD Blu-Ray here.

Cinematographe Brings the Laughs

For your fun aunt who got you into theater…

There has been no sophomore slump for the breakout boutique label Cinematographe, which launched in 2024 as a new Vinegar Syndrome sublabel and quickly became a personal favorite thanks to their curation and the care they take with their releases. While they release a fair amount of gritty dramas, it would be a grave mistake to pass up their comedic offerings. One of the best releases from any label this year is the 4K UHD debut of A New Leaf, the first feature written and directed by noted playwright and comedian Elaine May. The film is a darkly hilarious and endearing film that reveals the brilliance of its indomitable creative force.

We also had the Blu-Ray debut of Last of the Red Hot Lovers, an often overlooked entry in the career of the great Neil Simon. The writer has a way of taking serious topics and finding the humorous, human element at the crux of everything. Alan Arkin is one of the best to ever do it, and he is a treasure here with a trio of women who act as his counterparts. The same could be said for Joy of Sex, an unfairly overlooked piece of the career of the great Martha Coolidge. Making its debut on Blu-Ray, the film delivers measured and considerate depictions of the high school characters, while still being really funny and absurd in a way that never feels too outlandish for an otherwise grounded affair.

A review of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray release of A New Leaf can be found here.

A review of the Blu-Ray release of Last of the Red Hot Lovers can be found here.

A review of the Blu-Ray release of Joy of Sex can be found here.

Laurel and Hardy – The Restored Features, Volume 1

For your boss who knows their comedy history…

During the mid-1920s, Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy were both hard-working comedians for producer Hal Roach making silent movie audiences laugh—but doing so as individual actors. The duo started performing as a team in 1927s Putting Pants on Philip, and before long their two-reel comedies were leading the pack at Roach fueled by their great popularity with moviegoers. Four years later, Roach gave the pair a shot at features and this collection contains their first two: Pardon Us (1931, theatrical version) and Pack Up Your Troubles (1932). Restored by ClassicFlix, Pardon Us finds Stan and Ollie as guests of the state (prison) after foolishly selling a policeman some of their homemade beer. Restored by the UCLA Film & Television Archive and The Film Foundation, Pack Up Your Troubles finds The Boys overseas during World War I and letting loose with their patented brand of comic mayhem. If you have a fan of the iconic duo in your life, they will be blown away to find this under the tree.

Get more information about Laurel and Hardy – The Restored Features, Volume 1 on Blu-Ray here.

Gut-Busting Kino Studio Classics Favorites

For your dad who says “They don’t make them like they used to”… 

Kino Lorber Studio Classics has had a banner year when it comes to both their incredible 4K UHD and Blu-Ray output. Things have been especially fruitful on the comedy front with an avalanche of releases from the ’90s and 2000s and beyond. Legendary comedians have been getting the star treatment on 4K UHD such as John Candy and the release of Uncle Buck, Mike Myers and the release of Wayne’s World 2, Bill Murray and the release of Kingpin, and Adam Sandler and the release of both Happy Gilmore and Billy Madison. That’s not even going into cult classics like Xanadu, Coneheads, Mousehunt, and Road Trip. All of these have been restored from a 4K Scan of the 35mm Original Camera Negative with Dolby Vision and a host of new and archival special features.

There are some exciting 4K UHD releases closing out the year including the Seth Rogen alien flick Paul, Jack Black and his absurd wrestling comedy Nacho Libre, beloved family films Babe and Babe: Pig in the City, the Alec Guinness Masterpiece Collection, four Pink Panther films, and four Abbott & Costello films with classic Universal monsters.

Also newly out on Blu-Ray is the hilarious documentary I’m George Lucas loaded with special features, the 1930s comedy The Gracie Allen Murder Case, Dolly Parton and Burt Reynolds classic Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, mystery comedy Radioland Murders, Michael Keaton comedy Gung Ho, spoof comedy Repossessed, and multiple Peter Sellers outings including Heavens Above, Two Way Stretch, I’m All Right Jack, and The Wrong Arm of the Law.

Get more information about these releases by clicking the titles above.

Freaked + The Idiot Box

For your brother-in-law who was a teenage burnout… 

It could not have been a better year to be an Alex Winter fan. Two notorious, hard-to-find projects were treated with the utmost care by two of the best boutique labels in the game this year, and the results are a dream. First, we had the 4K UHD Blu-Ray release of Freaked from the folks at Umbrella Entertainment. The film is an extremely ambitious genre delight that offers a twisted perspective with pretty consistent laughs and even a bit of heart. The makeup effects alone are mesmerizing enough to potentially convince impressionable younger viewers to want to get into the field themselves. It’s a really fun time, and it is a blessing to finally have it easily accessible once again. Umbrella Entertainment has released a 4K UHD Blu-Ray featuring a glorious A/V presentation and an overwhelming array of special features.

If that release somehow does not satiate you enough, you can also seek out The Idiot Box from Severin Films. In 1991, MTV green-lit a new sketch program from co-creators/writers/directors/stars Tom Stern & Alex Winter that promised “some of the most astounding, bizarre and alarming comedy” ever broadcast. From God’s Mighty Anvil and The Huggins Family to Lockjaw and Eddie the Flying Gimp from Outer Space – with a cast that included Lee Arenberg, Flea, Ricki Lake, William Schallert, Boo-Yaa T.R.I.B.E., Academy Award nominee John Hawkes and GWAR – experience the “weirdly hilarious” and now legendary icepick to the skull of humor that enraged parent groups, made network executives very nervous and led directly to Stern & Winter’s feature film debut FREAKED. This collection gathers all 6 episodes and the rarely seen Best-Of for the first time ever, sourced from the original MTV masters with short films, outtakes and more curated by Stern and Winter.

A review of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray release of Freaked can be found here.

Get more information about The Idiot Box on Blu-Ray here.

Bring It On (4K UHD Blu-Ray)

For your niece who has school spirit…

Bring It On is the ultimate cheerleading movie, starring the dazzling trio of Kirsten Dunst, Gabrielle Union and Eliza Dushku. The Toro cheerleading squad has spirit, spunk, sass and a killer routine that’s sure to land them the national championship trophy for the sixth year in a row. For newly-elected team captain, Torrance (Dunst), the Toro’s road to cheer glory stumbles when she discovers their perfectly choreographed routines were stolen from a hot hip-hop squad across town. Now the squad must scramble to find a new routine to compete in this year’s competition. The feature has been lauded for being a rare teen film to address issues of systemic inequality, cultural appropriation, and intersectional feminism–and it’s hilarious. The film is celebrating its 25th anniversary with a 4K remaster from the 35mm Original Camera Negative approved by director Peyton Reed. We love it when a beloved comedy is given the 4K treatment, and Shout! Studios has made those dreams come true.

Get more information about Bring It On on 4K UHD Blu-Ray here.

This Is A Time For Action

Southpaw (4K UHD Blu-Ray)

For your weirdly aggressive neighbor…

From acclaimed director Antoine Fuqua (Training Day) and screenwriter Kurt Sutter (TV’s Sons of Anarchy), Southpaw tells the riveting story of Billy “The Great” Hope, reigning Light Heavyweight Boxing Champion of the World (Academy Award- nominee Jake Gyllenhaal). Billy seemingly has it all with an impressive career, a beautiful and loving wife (Rachel McAdams), an adorable daughter (Oona Laurence), and a lavish lifestyle. When tragedy strikes and his lifelong manager and friend (Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson) leaves him behind, Hope hits rock bottom and turns to an unlikely savior at a run-down local gym: Tick Willis (Academy Award®-winner Forest Whitaker), a retired fighter and trainer to the city’s toughest amateur boxers. With his future riding on Tick’s guidance and tenacity, Billy enters one last epic fight as he struggles with redemption and to win back the trust of those he loves. The film has been given a 4K UHD upgrade courtesy of Lionsgate faturing Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos audio for an unparalleled viewing experience. 

Get more information about Southpaw on 4K UHD Blu-Ray here.

Wild Style (4K UHD & Blu-Ray)

For your uncle who likes to reminisce about REAL hip hop…

In early 1980s New York City, independent filmmaker Charlie Ahearn and downtown artist Fred Brathwaite ventured uptown with the aim of capturing an exciting new underground scene that was happening in the South Bronx, a scene that featured graffiti artists, breakdancing b-boys and two turntables and a microphone. The result was Wild Style, and to many viewers it was their first glimpse of the musical and cultural phenomenon called hip-hop. In this unique hybrid of fiction and documentary, the story of lone graffiti artist Lee “Zoro” Quiñones trying to achieve success on his own terms is brought to vivid life with support by Fred “Fab 5 Freddy” Brathwaite, Sandra “Lady Pink” Fabara and Patti Astor, and with historic music performances by such luminaries as Grandmaster Flash, Busy Bee, The Fantastic Five, The Cold Crush Brothers and The Rock Steady Crew.

To create the score, Chris Stein (Blondie) would collaborate with Brathwaite to produce the actual breakbeats to be used in the film, an inspired decision that would provide a source of obsession among crate diggers for decades to come. Endlessly sampled, imitated and debated, Wild Style is the truest portrait of the hip-hop scene during its early years, and remains one of the most important music films ever made. Arrow Video presents an exclusive new 4K restoration with hours of brand-new bonus features, vintage interviews and featurettes.

Get more information about Wild Style on 4K UHD Blu-Ray here.

Drop Zone (4K UHD Blu-Ray)

For your girlfriend’s dad who is a bit too into the 4th of July…

Drop Zone is a true gem of action cinema that has been somewhat overlooked over the years. Thankfully, this is now rectified thanks to Cinematographe with an unbelievable 4K UHD Blu-Ray release. The film is a prime example of the fun that can be had from unfettered ‘90s action excess. Do we believe that the creatives cooked up a plot simply to feature a lot of cool skydiving stunts? Yes. Do we care? No! There is no reason for this narrative to revolve around a skydiving competition, but it tackles the proceedings so earnestly that we cannot help but have a blast. The performances from Wesley Snipes and Gary Busey are dialed in perfectly to what the material requires, and the action is directed with such style by John Badham that you will be cheering in your seat. Cinématographe has delivered a 4K UHD Blu-Ray from a 4K restoration of the 35mm Original Camera Negative with Dolby Vision and thrilling new supplements.

A review of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray release of Drop Zone can be found here.

The Grey (4K UHD Blu-Ray)

For your college friend who delusionally thinks he could live off the grid…

Liam Neeson squaring off against a pack of vicious wolves? You can stop drilling because you have struck oil! Speaking of the liquid gold, in the movie, a group of oil-rig roughnecks are left stranded on the sub-arctic tundra after their plane experiences a complete mechanical failure and crashes into the remote Alaskan wilderness. The survivors, battling mortal injuries, biting cold and ravenous hunger, are relentlessly hunted and pursued by a vicious pack of rogue wolves. The picture is directed by Joe Carnahan, and also stars Frank Grillo, Dermot Mulroney, and James Badge Dale. The new release from Shout! Studios comes exclusively in SteelBook form with a new Dolby Vision transfer and an archival audio commentary track with the filmmaker. If you want a film that will benefit from deeper black levels and a tighter grasp on the highlights, this is a good one to throw into your player and turn your brain off during.

Get more information about The Grey on 4K UHD Blu-Ray here.

Cheyenne: The Complete Series

For your grandma who thinks Clint Walker was “quite handsome”…

In the 1950s, a posse of popular Warner Bros. TV Westerns galloped into American living rooms: Maverick, Sugarfoot, Bronco, Lawman, Colt .45. The sagebrush rage began with Cheyenne, an epic series of gunblazing action and panoramic prairie vistas that ran for seven top-rated seasons and helped turn a nation of accountants, sales clerks, and kids into armchair cowpokes. The source of Cheyenne’s significant popularity was its charismatic and heroic leading man, Clint Walker, who rose to instant TV-star fame as Cheyenne Bodie, six-and-a-half feet of cowboy brawn, courage and integrity. The series is highlighted by early television appearances of such future stars as James Garner, Edd Byrnes, Alan Hale, Jr., Dan Blocker, Lee Van Cleef, Michael Landon, Lorne Greene, Angie Dickinson, Connie Stevens and Ellen Burstyn. This Blu-ray collection contains all 107 episodes of the series, all meticulously remastered from 4K scans of the original camera negatives.

Get more information about Cheyenne: The Complete Series on Blu-Ray here.

Shin Godzilla (4K UHD Blu-Ray)

For your nephew who has never watched an international film…

Godzilla has had a pretty decent surge in popularity over the last decade, thanks to some earth-shaking movies from around the world that showed the big man causing mayhem for citizens. A fan-favorite from this era is Shin Godzilla, a relatively stripped-down affair that is now getting a 4K UHD upgrade courtesy of GKIDS.  “Something has surfaced in Tokyo Bay. As the Prime Minister of Japan pleads with the public to remain calm, a horrific creature of tremendous size makes landfall in the city, leaving death and destruction in its wake. Then it evolves. The government assembles a motley task force to combat the monster when an envoy from the US Department of State delivers a folder of classified documents. On its cover is written: “GODZILLA.” From visionary directors Hideaki Anno and Shinji Higuchi, Shin Godzilla offers a thrilling origin story to one of cinema’s greatest creations. Propelled by astounding visual effects and rapid-fire dialogue, this installment is equal parts pulse-pounding action film and venomous political satire, worthy of the franchise’s towering history.

Get more information about Shin Godzilla on 4K UHD Blu-Ray here.

So Dramatic

Oliver Stone on 4K UHD

For your brother who likes to share “interesting” political articles to the group chat…

Few collaborations in the physical media space have pleased us as much as the apparent love affair between the team at Shout! Studios and filmmaking legend Oliver Stone in recent years. While last year was great for his ’80s and ’90s output with 4K UHD upgrades of JFK, Natural Born Killers, and Born on the Fourth of July, this year brought us into the new millennium. The range of subject matter being tackled with these 4K UHD upgrades has been impressive.

Going chronologically, we have the historical epic Alexander starring Colin Farrell as the titular conqueror Alexander the Great alongside Angelina Jolie, Val Kilmer, Jared Leto, Rosario Dawson, and Anthony Hopkins. We fast-forward to a modern tragedy with World Trade Center, led by Nicolas Cage and Michael Peña, which has been given tons of new supplements.

We leap over to action crime thriller Savages starring Taylor Kitsch, Blake Lively, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Benicio del Toro, Demián Bichir, Salma Hayek, and John Travolta. Stone wades into the political sphere again with the biographical thriller Snowden, starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Edward Snowden. Fans of early Oliver Stone are not left out to dry, as the label also released the ’80s war drama Salvador starring James Woods as an American journalist covering the Salvadoran Civil War. We won’t be mad if this trend continues next year with some of the remaining holes in the filmography

A review of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray release of Alexander Revisited: The Final Cut can be found here.

Get more information about World Trade Center on 4K UHD Blu-Ray here.

Get more information about Savages on 4K UHD Blu-Ray here.

Get more information about Snowden on 4K UHD Blu-Ray here.

Get more information about Salvador on 4K UHD Blu-Ray here.

Heartache Feels Good with Fun City Editions

For your mother-in-law who is an easy crier….

We could write a book about all of the reasons we love Fun City Editions, but a key factor in our devotion to them is their ability to make us feel something. And we are not talking about shock or disgust—they have a track record of rescuing stories that deal with matters of the heart. One of our favorite discoveries of the year was the coming-of-age drama Racing with the Moon starring Sean Penn, Elizabeth McGovern, and Nicolas Cage. The film is a moving coming-of-age story that gets to the heart of things without being overly sentimental or cloying. It has been remastered from a new 4K scan of its original 35mm camera negative for this worldwide Blu-ray debut. There is also Baby It’s You, a story about the messy realities of young love featuring Rosanna Arquette and Vincent Spano from filmmaker John Sayles. You won’t want to miss acting legends Robert De Niro and Meryl Streep in Falling In Love, a film that challenges you to decide if you are willing to root for a couple that blooms out of betrayal. It is a very good film that deals with thorny subject matter with great care. Fun City Editions has delivered a Blu-Ray featuring an outstanding A/V presentation and a worthwhile commentary track. If you love relationship dramas, FCE has you covered.

A review of the Blu-Ray release of Racing with the Moon can be found here.

A review of the Blu-Ray release of Baby It’s You can be found here.

A review of the Blu-Ray release of Falling in Love can be found here.

Getting Dramatic with Kino Studio Classics

For those looking for uncovered gems and polished-up favorites…

As previously mentioned, Kino Lorber Studio Classics has consistently delivered titles month after month that made our jaws drop and our hearts flutter. Especially when considering their dramatic offerings, it has been a banner year for the label. One long-awaited title was the 4K UHD Blu-Ray debut of Sabrina starring Audrey Hepburn, Humphrey Bogart, and William Holden. The film arrives on the format with a 4K Scan of the Original Camera Negative in Dolby Vision with a nice array of new and archival special features. Another major title for the format was the Oscar-winning drama Howard’s End with Anthony Hopkins and Emma Thompson. This was not the only Oscar player on their radar as the classic western Shane starring Alan Ladd arrived with an upgrade. The label also scored the Chinatown sequel The Two Jakes from director and star Jack Nicholson newly restored on 4K UHD Blu-Ray.

Things also got a bit more thrilling on 4K UHD Blu-Ray with titles like The Ninja Trilogy, available as a box set or individually. It was a double dose of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson with The Rundown and Walking Tall. The prison boxing drama Undisputed finally got a proper release for stars Wesley Snipes and Ving Rhames. You can get your pulse pounding with the Christopher Lee thriller Scars of Dracula or the silent-era drama The Cat and the Canary.

Throughout the year, the label has resurrected some under-the-radar gems on Blu-Ray including the Costa-Gavras political drama Hanna K., the twisted killer drama Frightmare, the engaging documentary Riefenstahl, the biographical drama Frances with Jessica Lange, the Italian police drama Young Violent Dangerous, the second installment of the French Noir Collection, and so many more waiting to be discovered.

Get more information about these releases by clicking the titles above.

Slowing It Down with Hong Kong Cinema

For your overtly erudite best friend…

The Hong Kong Cinema Classics line offers more than just nonstop action for fans of this area of international cinema. You will want to take note of Hong Kong New Wave Essentials on Blu-Ray. The three films in this collection — Alex Law’s Painted Faces, Johnnie To’s The Story Of My Son, and Stanley Kwan’s Women — feature performances from Hong Kong Cinema legends Sammo Hung, Chow Yun-fat, Damian Lau, and Cheng Pei-pei, and represent just a few of the many highlights from this important movement in filmmaking. With the Blu-Ray release of the Chinese Ghost Story Trilogy set, you get a deliriously zany trio of genre-bending classics. There is also the 4K UHD Blu-Ray debut of Peking Opera Blues which follows the outrageous fallout of a jewel heist. The release comes from a 4K scan of the Original Camera Negative with new and archival special features.

Get more information about Hong Kong New Wave Essentials on Blu-Ray here.

Get more information about the Chinese Ghost Story Trilogy on Blu-Ray here.

Get more information about Peking Opera Blues on 4K UHD Blu-Ray here.

The Ghost of Peter Sellers

For your coworker who always talks about a cool documentary they just watched…

Documentaries are often in the running for some of our favorite viewing experiences every year, and Severin Films brought one to Blu-Ray that really impressed on multiple fronts. The Ghost of Peter Sellers takes us back to 1973. Peter Sellers – then at the peak of his box-office power and comedic genius – invited Peter Medak – whose recent smash The Ruling Class had been nominated for the Palme d’Or and an Oscar – to direct a 17th century pirate epic called Ghost in the Noonday Sun. But with soon-to-be-discovered nightmares that included an unfinished script (re-written by co-star and fellow comedy legend Spike Milligan), rough seas, sinking ships and Sellers’ own wildly erratic behavior, the production became an unprecedented catastrophe. The barely completed film was dumped into very limited release, and the director’s career and spirit were nearly destroyed by the experience. Over four decades later, Medak revisits this personal and professional fiasco to search for answers – and possibly redemption. The new release comes with additional supplements including audio interviews and a visual essay.

Get more information about The Ghost of Peter Sellers on Blu-Ray here.

Oscar Winners From Shout! Studios On 4K UHD

For those whose favorite season is awards season…

Shout! Studios has been on a hot streak of releasing Oscar-winning movies on 4K UHD Blu-Ray this past year. Anytime we can get a Best Picture winner upgrade is a win, so celebrating the 10th anniversary of Spotlight was a nice development. The film starring Michael Keaton, Mark Ruffalo, and Rachel McAdams is the gripping true story about the Pulitzer Prize-winning investigation that uncovered a scandal that rocked one of the world’s oldest and most trusted institutions. Recent Best Picture nominee The Holdovers received a 4K UHD upgrade, so viewers can add this to their holiday rotation in the best quality. The film earned an Oscar win for Da’Vine Joy Randolph, who starred alongside Paul Giamatti and Dominic Sessa. Everyone’s favorite madman Nicolas Cage earned an Oscar for his heartwrenching role in Leaving Las Vegas, opposite Elisabeth Shue. Now on 4K UHD Blu-Ray, the film has been presented with a 4K Transfer of the Original Super 16mm Camera Negative in Dolby Vision. And, while not actually an Oscar-nominated film, The Place Beyond the Pines is a winner in our hearts as one of our favorite films of the 2010s. The film starring Ryan Gosling, Bradley Cooper, and Eva Mendes is presented with a 4K presentation in Dolby Vision. Any cinephile would be thrilled to receive these as a gift.

Get more information about Spotlight on 4K UHD Blu-Ray here.

Get more information about The Holdovers on 4K UHD Blu-Ray here.

Get more information about Leaving Las Vegas on 4K UHD Blu-Ray here.

Get more information about The Place Beyond the Pines on 4K UHD Blu-Ray here.

Sleep With A Light On

Household Horror from Lionsgate Limited

For your significant other who you are leaving alone for the weekend… 

Your home should be a sanctuary from all of the horrors of the world, but Lionsgate Limited released a couple of titles this year that remind you that evil can lurk within. On the 4K UHD front, we have Eli Roth’s skeezy home invasion thriller Knock Knock starring Keanu Reeves, Lorenza Izzo, and Ana de Armas. In this film, a devoted family man is home alone when two stranded, mysterious women show up asking for help, leading to a sadistic, twisted game of seduction, manipulation, and temptation. There is also the psychological thriller Hider in the House from the Vestron Video line on Blu-Ray. The film is directed by Matthew Patrick and stars Gary Busey, Mimi Rogers, and Michael McKean. When a couple and their two kids move into their dream home in an idyllic suburban community, they have no idea it is about to become their worst nightmare. Unbeknownst to them, a deranged criminal psychopath — released after 18 years in a mental institution for the brutal murder of his parents — had taken up residence in the attic of their recently built home. The release comes with new special features.

Get more information about Knock Knock on 4K UHD Blu-Ray here.

Get more information about Hider in the House on Blu-Ray here.

The Descent (4K UHD Blu-Ray)

For your friend who is into extreme sports….

Few theatrical experiences linger in our minds as much as the first time we saw The Descent from director Neil Marshall in a pitch black theater, instantly solidifying itself as one of our favorite horror movies from this century. This was 20 years ago, and Lionsgate Limited has taken the opportunity to celebrate the notable anniversary with a fresh 4K UHD Blu-Ray release that has been long-requested by fans. The film follows six women who become trapped in a remote, Appalachian cave after a rockfall blocks their exit. As they push on, praying for a way out, they realize there is something else lurking under the earth — and they are its prey. Experience this shocking horror classic that combines claustrophobic dread with relentless terror, now in stunning 4K. The release comes in Dolby Vision with both the Theatrical Cut and the Extended Cut, plus new and archival supplements. Being terrified has never felt so good.

Get more information about The Descent on 4K UHD Blu-Ray here.

Severin Makes You Say “WTF”

For those who feel Hollywood productions are too tame…

Severin Films has kept their reputation this year as purveyors of all things weird and totally twisted. One of our favorite discoveries from them this year was the award-winning 2011 breakthrough film Kill List from writer/director Ben Wheatley. It will now blow you away like never before in UHD for the first time ever: When an on-edge family man and unemployed contract killer accepts a new assignment of 3 separate targets, the list will drag him to the edge of madness and plunge him into the depths of Hell. The film has been newly scanned in 4K from the 35mm digital intermediate negative with over 6 hours of new and archival special features.

You also cannot go wrong with the unsettling tale Dead Sleep. Academy Award nominee Linda Blair stars in this Ozploitation shocker based on the real-life Chelmsford Hospital horror that led to 24 deaths, stunned ’80s Australia and rocked the world of mental healthcare forever: A new nurse arrives at a private clinic and discovers that the renowned resident psychiatrist is treating short-term patients with a combination of coma-like sedation and electroconvulsive therapy. But when these unorthodox procedures trigger dozens of tragedies, she’ll risk her own life to expose decades of malpractice and murder. Tony Bonner co-stars in this still-potent true crime chiller directed by Alec Mills, newly scanned in 4K from the original camera negative by StudioCanal.

Get more information about Kill List on 4K UHD Blu-Ray here.

Get more information about Dead Sleep on Blu-Ray here.

The Devil Went Down to Shout! Studios

For the horror fanatic in your life who never misses mass…

The lucky ones among us will have a devilish time this Christmas thanks to Shout! Studios. First up, we have the anime series Devilman Crybaby: The Complete Series on Blu-Ray, based on Go Nagai’s manga series Devilman. Devils cannot take form without a living host. However, if the will of an individual is strong enough, they can overcome the demon and make its power their own, becoming a Devilman. Weak and unassuming, Akira Fudou has always had a bleeding heart. So when his childhood friend Ryou Asuka asks for his help in uncovering devils, Akira accepts without hesitation. However, to Akira’s surprise, the place they go to is Sabbath: an immoral party of debauchery and degeneracy.

Amidst bloodshed and death, demons possess the partiers, turning their bodies into grotesque monsters, and begin wreaking havoc. In a reckless attempt to save his best friend, Akira unwittingly merges with the devil Amon and becomes a Devilman, gaining the power to defeat the remaining demons. Though it grants him great power, this new partnership awakens an insatiable and primeval part of Akira. Having the body of a devil but the same crybaby heart, Akira works alongside Ryou, destroying those who harm humanity and his loved ones. This Deluxe Edition release comes with the 10 episodes of the series and an incredible art book.

If you need more of the supernatural, you can scope out the Arnold Schwarzenegger oddity End of Days from director Peter Hyams on 4K UHD Blu-Ray. All hell breaks loose when Arnold battles the ultimate evil in this supernatural action/thriller. When burned-out former New York City cop Jericho Cane is assigned to security detail for a mysterious stranger (Gabriel Byrne, Hereditary), he thwarts an assassination attempt. During the follow-up investigation, Jericho and his partner (Kevin Pollak, The Usual Suspects) save the life of a terrified young woman (Robin Tunney, The Craft), whose destiny involves death, the fate of mankind, and the devil himself. Now it’s up to Jericho to protect not only the woman, but also his very soul as he comes face to face with the most powerful enemy imaginable. This oft-overlooked film has been newly restored in 4K from the Original Camera Negative and presented in Dolby Vision.

Get more information about Devilman Crybaby: The Complete Series on Blu-Ray here.

Get more information about End of Days on 4K UHD Blu-Ray here.

’70s Horror On 4K UHD

For those who find nothing more terrifying than the Nixon era…

There is something about ’70s horror that is difficult to top. Severin Films is particularly amazing at exploring this decade and releasing titles we have been clamoring for on 4K UHD Blu-Ray. Just this past Black Friday, the label announced a pair of titles that made our head spin. The first showstopper was A Bay of Blood from the legendary Mario Bava, a film that redefined the giallo and birthed the slasher genre. Now Severin brings 3 separate versions – The English Release, The Original Italian Release and The Italian Re-Release – of this classic to UHD for the first time: When a wealthy countess is murdered for her bayfront real estate, it will lead to the systematic slaughter of ruthless developers, greedy heirs and bad neighbors. Claudine Auger (THUNDERBALL), Luigi Pistilli (YOUR VICE IS A LOCKED ROOM…) and Laura Betti (HATCHET FOR THE HONEYMOON) star in the shocking film also known as BLOOD BATH, TWITCH OF THE DEATH NERVE, CARNAGE and LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT PART II – featuring landmark gore effects by 3x Oscar winner Carlo Rambaldi (ALIEN) and an equally brilliant score by Stelvio Cipriani (BARON BLOOD). All 3 versions have been scanned in 4K from superior vault elements with nearly 5 hours of new & archival Special Features and a Bonus Soundtrack CD.

Then they hit us with the horrific deep cut The Devil’s Rain on 4K UHD Blu-Ray. Take an all-star cast – including William Shatner, Ernest Borgnine, Eddie Albert, Keenan Wynn, Tom Skerritt, Ida Lupino and even John Travolta in his movie debut – at their most hellishly over-the-top. Add one of the most visually inventive filmmakers of the era – director Robert Fuest, of THE ABOMINABLE DR. PHIBES and THE FINAL PROGRAMME fame – and thrust them into one of the strangest horror movies of all time featuring Church of Satan founder Anton LaVey as Technical Advisor. Watch in infernal awe as it all hurtles towards the most eye-popping, flesh-melting finale in drive-in/grindhouse history. Now experience the film like never before, scanned in 4K from the original camera negative for the first time ever and oozing with over 4 hours of Special Features – including a new audio commentary – approved by Lucifer himself! These two titles may not actually make it in hand before Christmas, but they are perfect for the horror fan in your life who doesn’t mind an IOU.

Get more information about A Bay of Blood on 4K UHD Blu-Ray here.

Get more information about The Devil’s Rain on 4K UHD Blu-Ray here.

Adapt Or Die

Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas (4K UHD Blu-Ray)

For the person in your life who could use an attitude adjustment… 

Discover the true meaning of the holiday season with Imagine Entertainment’s live-action adaptation of the beloved classic, Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas on 4K UHD and Steelbook from Universal. To celebrate its 25th anniversary, the film returns in a stunning newly remastered edition featuring Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos for an enhanced home viewing and listening experience. This special release also includes over 30 minutes of brand-new bonus content exploring the making of the beloved holiday classic. Starring Jim Carrey as The Grinch, Academy Award-winning director Ron Howard reimagines one of the most enduring holiday stories of all time. Why is The Grinch such a grouch? No one seems to know, until little Cindy Lou Who (Taylor Momsen) takes matters into her own hands and turns both Whoville and the Grinch’s world upside down and inside out. It is one of our favorite holiday traditions, and we are happy to now own it in its ultimate form.

Get more information about Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas on 4K UHD Blu-Ray here.

Cinematic Adaptations From The Criterion Collection

For your cousin who has their Criterion Closet choices locked and loaded…

The Criterion Collection has had a good year of bringing wondrous adaptations to our shelves with the utmost care. An early favorite from this year was the 4K UHD double feature of Jean de Florette and Manon of the Spring, Claude Berri’s masterly two-film adaptation of a literary work by the legendary Marcel Pagnol. Spanning three generations in the lives of two families. Pagnol has an uncanny way of getting to the heart of characters with his text, and Berri confidently translates it to the screen in a manner that is never less than gripping. There was also the one-two punch of The Three Musketeers and The Four Musketeers in a splendid 4K UHD Blu-Ray set. Alexandre Dumas’s immortal tale of adventure and camaraderie received perhaps the finest of its numerous screen adaptations with this two-part swashbuckling spectacular from A Hard Day’s Night director Richard Lester. The direction of Lester may be a bit too slapstick for some, yet there is a clear sense of vision, scale, and brutality in the combat as you witness the story unfold in grand fashion.

Ed McBain’s detective novel King’s Ransom got a splashy new adaptation this year when Spike Lee presented Highest 2 Lowest, but Criterion also made sure the original Akira Kurosawa version High and Low starring Toshiro Mifune received the proper respect with a new 4K UHD Blu-Ray release. Kurosawa moves effortlessly from compelling race-against-time thriller to exacting social commentary, creating a diabolical treatise on class and contemporary Japanese society. Putting his own luxuriantly stylized spin on the classic hard-boiled novel by William Lindsay Gresham, master fabulist Guillermo del Toro conjures a sordid, seductive portrait of America on the cusp of World War II in his version of Nightmare Alley. Bradley Cooper effortlessly inhabits a mostly irredeemable figure, although it is Cate Blanchett who shows up and steals the movie away from him. It is quietly one of the most invigorating features from the filmmaker, and the technical achievements of the crafts are impossible not to appreciate. The Criterion Collection has released a glorious new 4K UHD Blu-Ray with a top-notch A/V presentation and some rewarding special features, including an extended black-and-white director’s cut.

A review of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray release of Jean de Florette and Manon of the Spring: Two Films by Claude Berri can be found here.

A review of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray release of The Three Musketeers and The Four Musketeers can be found here.

A review of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray release of High and Low can be found here.

A review of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray release of Nightmare Alley can be found here.

Sean Connery As James Bond In 4K UHD

For those who feel Bond peaked 60 years ago…

The action, the intrigue, the women… The films and THE Bond that established the enduring franchise. Experience the spy thrillers that made Sean Connery immortal like you’ve never seen them before in stunning 4K for the first time. This collection of six James Bond films starring Sean Connery as 007 includes Dr. No, From Russia With Love, Goldfinger, Thunderball, You Only Live Twice and Diamonds Are Forever. After many different, inconsistent releases over the years, these movies have been carefully restored in 4K from the Original Camera Negative in Dolby Vision with Dolby Atmos and the original mono audio tracks. All of this is intended to allow this series to look and sound its absolute best.

Get more information about Sean Connery 6-Film Bond Collection on 4K UHD Blu-Ray here.

Pride & Prejudice 20th Anniversary (4K UHD Blu-Ray)

For those who need a night in with the girls…

Academy Award nominee Keira Knightley stars in the greatest love story of all time, Pride & Prejudice. When Elizabeth Bennet (Knightley) meets the handsome Mr. Darcy (Matthew Macfadyen), she believes he is the last man on earth she could ever marry. But as their lives become intertwined, she finds herself captivated by the very person she swore to loathe for all eternity. Jane Austen’s masterpiece novel comes to life in the film that critics and audiences adored. Directed by Joe Wright in his feature directorial debut, this beloved adaptation celebrates 20 years of enchanting audiences with a new Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos presentation in either a standard version or a Collector’s Edition that replicates the feeling of holding a classic novel filled with great behind-the-scenes material that fans will not want to miss.

Get more information about Pride & Prejudice on 4K UHD Blu-Ray here.

Catch-22 (4K UHD Blu-Ray)

For your progressive grandfather who thinks the world is a bit “topsy turvy”…

In 1970, audiences were treated to an American satirical comedy war film adapted from the 1961 novel Catch-22 by Joseph Heller. In creating a black comedy revolving around the “lunatic characters” of Heller’s satirical anti-war novel set at a fictional Mediterranean base during World War II, director Mike Nichols and screenwriter Buck Henry worked on the film script for two years, converting Heller’s complex novel to the medium of film. The cast included Alan Arkin, Bob Balaban, Martin Balsam, and Richard Benjamin, in addition to a massive, impressive ensemble. The film has long been missing in HD, so the excitement was palpable when Shout! Studios jumped straight to 4K UHD Blu-Ray featuring a 4K restoration of the Original Camera Negative in Dolby Vision. The release comes with new and archival supplements such as commentary tracks.

Get more information about Catch-22 on 4K UHD Blu-Ray here.

Battle Royale on 4K UHD

For the person who is a bit too ruthless at Thanksgiving dinner…

It is the 25th anniversary of the iconic dystopian thriller Battle Royale, and Lionsgate Limited is celebrating with an exciting 4K UHD Blu-ray Steelbook release. Directed by Kinji Fukasaku and based on the novel by Koushun Takami, the film stars Tatsuya Fujiwara, Aki Maeda, Taro Yamamoto, Chiaki Kuriyama, Kou Shibasaki, Masanobu Ando, and Beat Takeshi. In the near future, the economy has collapsed, unemployment has soared, and juvenile crime has exploded. Fearful of their nation’s youth, the Japanese government passes The BR Law: Each year, a 9th grade class is sent to a remote island where they will be locked into exploding neck collars, given a random weapon, and forced to hunt and kill each other until there is only one survivor left. The 4K UHD Blu-Ray features both the Theatrical Cut and the Director’s Cut of the film in Dolby Vision, along with new and archival special features.

Get more information about Battle Royale on 4K UHD Blu-Ray here.

The Bigger The Better

Luc Besson 9-Movie Collection

For those who want a little bit of everything in their cinematic diet…

A major cinematic visionary is given his time in the spotlight thanks to Sony with the Luc Besson 9-Movie Collection, featuring nine movies on Blu-Ray, with six of those films also on 4K UHD Blu-Ray in Dolby Vision. This collection includes Le Dernier Combat, Subway, The Big Blue (two cuts), La Femme Nikita, Atlantis, Leon: The Professional (two cuts), The Fifth Element, The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc (two cuts), and Angel-A. Travel into space, deep underwater, into battle, and beyond with unforgettably stylish and exhilarating film experiences from the world-renowned director. This set is stacked with archival special features including documentaries, featurettes, interviews, and more. This lavish, limited edition set, complete with a stunning outer box, is another award-worthy effort from the studio.

Get more information about the Luc Besson 9-Movie Collection on 4K UHD + Blu-Ray here.

Shawscope: Volume 4

For those in your life with witchy energy… 

The most consistently excellent series in physical media returns with the most outrageous, haunted action films in Shawscope Volume 4, a Limited-Edition Blu-ray box set containing 16 movies from the vault of Hong Kong’s legendary Shaw Brothers Studios: Super Inframan, Oily Maniac, Battle Wizard, Black Magic, Black Magic Part 2, Hex, Bewitched, Hex Vs. Witchcraft, Hex After Hex, Bats Without Wings, Bloody Parrot, The Fake Ghost Catchers, Demon of the Lute, Seeding of a Ghost, Portrait In Crystal, and Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.

Shawscope Volume 4 features epic heroes with superpowers, supernatural skills, and magical spells to go with their iconic wuxia and martial arts moves. All the movies feature new 2K restorations by Arrow Films from the original negatives. The limited edition box set is packed with hours of special features, collectible packaging, and newly commissioned extras.

Get more information about Shawscope Volume 4 on Blu-Ray here.

Getting Depraved With Severin Box Sets

For your friend who defaults to incognito mode… 

Severin Films has another pair of unbelievable releases – something for the freaks (said affectionately). First up, we have High Tension: Four Films by Lamberto Bava. In the late ’80s, Lamberto Bava agreed to direct a four-part anthology series for Italian TV under the title High Tension. But when executives saw the completed features’ extreme themes and graphic violence, their broadcast was blocked for nearly a decade, and they have only existed as grey market bootlegs since. Severin Films now presents their official worldwide Blu-ray premiere: Tomas Arana stars as a horror director stalked by evil forces in The Prince of Terror, written by Dardano Sacchetti and featuring grisly FX by Sergio Stivaletti. In The Man Who Wouldn’t Die, adapted from a short story by poliziotteschi novelist Giorgio Scerbanenco, the survivor of a home invasion seeks vengeance. Daria Nicolodi stars in School of Fear about a student academy with a dark secret. And in the giallo shocker Eye Witness, Barbara Cupisti stars as a blind woman who sees a murder. All four films are scanned in 2K from the original camera negatives with Italian and first-time ever English tracks, plus over 5 hours of Special Features and a Soundtrack CD curated by Simon Boswell featuring music from High Tension, The Mask of Satan, Demons 2, Delirium and more.

If you are looking to give a gift that is a bit more worldly, we have Danza Macabra: Volume Four — The Italian Gothic Collection. Italian Gothic takes some very unexpected turns down cobwebbed corridors with this all-new quartet of classics, now restored in 4K for the first time ever. Queen of Italian Horror Barbara Steele stars in Massimo Pupillo’s grisly Terror-Creatures From the Edge, presented in both its U.S. and Italian versions on 3 discs. Director Filippo Walter Ratti melds classic gothic tropes with explicit ’70s sexuality in Night of the Dmaned. Mark Damon and Rosalba Neri consummate the ultimate Satanic mayhem in The Devil’s Wedding Night from director Luigi Batzella and cinematographer/2nd unit director Joe D’Amato. And Hollywood legend Carroll Baker stars in Corrado Farina’s pop art erotic shocker Baba Yaga, a 4-disc set that includes the first-ever release of a Piero Umiliani soundtrack compilation. All four films have been scanned in 4K from their original camera negatives with more than 12 hours of new and archival Special Features curated exclusively for this collection.

Get more information about High Tension: Four Films by Lamberto Bava on Blu-Ray here.

Get more information about Danza Macabra: Volume Four — The Italian Gothic Collection on 4K UHD Blu-Ray here.

The X Trilogy On 4K UHD

For the person in your life who is going to be a star…

Over the past few years, director Ti West and actor Mia Goth have been busy crafting an iconic horror character for the current generation. Now, fans can come together for The X Trilogy, a lavish set that brings together X, Pearl, and MaXXXine in one 4K UHD Blu-Ray package. Each film takes us on a journey throughout the decades that typically yields deadly consequences. There is also a 64-page booklet with a new essay by Jon Dieringer, unreleased concept art, costume sketches, behind-the-scenes photography, original poster and VHS artwork created as set dressing for the films, and more, alongside over 90 minutes of making-of featurettes and new commentary tracks on all three films. The 4K UHD Blu-Ray releases will come with Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos audio.

Get more information about The X Trilogy on 4K UHD Blu-Ray here.

Blaxploitation Classics On 4K UHD

For those who need a crash course in a cinematic movement…

From the drive-in to 4K and Blu-ray, the heavy-duty action of the ’70s subgenre known as “Blaxploitation” has thrilled and captivated audiences for decades. Shout! Studios dazzled us this year with two explosive six-film collections of some of the coolest movies to ever hit the streets. Blaxploitation Classics Collection: Volume 1 featured genre legends Pam Grier, Fred Williamson, Isaac Hayes, and Yaphet Kotto, with features such as Across 110th Street, Black Caesar, Hell Up in Harlem, Coffy, Sheba Baby and Truck Turner. These tough-as-nails and unbelievably hip classics of the subgenre — presented here on both Blu-ray and 4K Ultra High Definition.

With Blaxploitation Classics Collection: Volume 2, we saw the 4K UHD debuts of Foxy Brown, Friday Foster, Cotton Comes to Harlem, Bucktown, Slaughter and Slaughter’s Big Rip-Off. Between these two sets, you have some of the best that the genre has to offer, whether you are a die-hard fan or a newcomer to this corner of cinematic treasures.

Get more information about Blaxploitation Classics Collection: Volume 1 on 4K UHD + Blu-Ray here.

A review of the Blaxploitation Classics Collection: Volume 2 release on 4K UHD + Blu-Ray can be found here.

Disclaimer: Some studios have supplied copies of these releases free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this post are the honest reactions of the author.