Displaying items by tag: Paramount Home Entertainment

All right, we’ve got a couple things to report today...

First up, NBCUniversal’s Fandango service is going to purchase Vudu from Walmart, according to reports in the trades today (see this link at Variety). This is interesting and it doesn’t surprise me. I expect there will be lots of consolidation in the Digital space in the months and years ahead, and I also expect every major studio to try and grow their own footprint in the digital space or to team up with others who have. And of course the Digital category includes not just streaming/subscription services but transactional purchases too. So it makes a lot of sense.

Also today, I’ve been invited—and have just begun—to check out the high-end digital movie service Kaleidescape. I’ll have more on that experience here at The Digital Bits in a few weeks, after I’ve really given it a thorough test and tryout. [Read on here...]

All right, many of you have asked about (or otherwise understandably bemoaned) the lack of big or significant announcements relating to catalog films on 4K Ultra HD lately. So today’s update here at The Digital Bits is about addressing that concern.

And while we still have little in the way of official announcements at the moment, I can confidently report that at least some of titles you’re waiting for are on the way in 2020.

The information in today’s post should be considered unofficial until the studios in question make their actual announcements. But we believe it to be a reliable gauge of titles currently in the production pipeline or planning stages.

First, we know for sure that Disney is going to be releasing Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga on 4K coinciding with the Blu-ray and 4K release of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, likely in March. [Read on here...]

We’ve got a lot of ground to cover today and I had to spend the morning at the DMV, so let’s get right to it...

First up, we have a new review from Tim for you today: Alexandre Aja’s Crawl, now available on Blu-ray from Paramount Pictures Home Entertainment.

We’ve also just posted the weekly update of our Release Dates & Artwork section, featuring all the latest Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K Ultra HD cover artwork and Amazon.com pre-order links. Anytime you order literally anything from Amazon after clicking to them through our links (like this one), you’re helping to support our work here at The Bits and we really do appreciate it. Thank you!

Now then, the big news today is that Paramount has just announced the Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K Ultra HD release of Ang Lee’s Gemini Man on 1/14, with the Digital release expected on 12/23. And here’s the surprise: The 4K Ultra HD will present the film in 60fps, as was the case with Sony’s 4K release of Lee’s Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk. [Read on here...]

All right, we’ve got a good sized regular Blu-ray update for you all today here at The Bits.

First up though, we have a nice 4K Ultra HD surprise from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment… look for them to release a Moon: 10th Anniversary Edition on 7/16. Audio will be Dolby Atmos. In addition to the previous extras included on the Blu-ray in the package, look for three all-new items on the actual 4K disc: Retrospective Conversation with Duncan Jones and Joe Utichi, never-before-seen Deleted Scenes, and a Fan Art Poster Gallery. You can see the cover artwork to the left. We’ve updated our 4K Ultra HD Release List here at The Bits accordingly.

And Lionsgate’s Apocalypse Now: Final Cut, officially due on 4K Ultra HD on 8/27, will include all three versions of the film (the Theatrical Cut, the Extended Cut aka Redux, and the Final Cut) on BOTH Blu-ray and 4K on 4 discs. That’s not a typo, we’ve confirmed it with Lionsgate – all three versions fully-remastered in 4K. The 4K will offer Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos audio, while the Blu-rays will include 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio. Note that, per the press release, the Final Cut audio has also been “enhanced with Meyer Sound Laboratories’ newly developed Sensual Sound a technology engineered to output audio below the limits of human hearing.” [Read on here...]

All right, we’re starting off the new week here at The Bits this afternoon with a whole mess of new Blu-ray and 4K Ultra HD reviews...

First up, I’ve spent the weekend going over Paramount’s Mission: Impossible, Mission: Impossible 2, Mission: Impossible III, and Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation, all in 4K, with a fine-tooth comb. Those reviews are all up now (just click on the title links), and by the end of the day look for my review of Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol in 4K as well. All are worthy upgrades and they street tomorrow.

Meanwhile, Tim has gone in-depth on Arrow Video’s outstanding new The Complete Sartana 5-film Blu-ray box set. So be sure to give that a look as well. [Read on here...]

All right, this is just a quick post today, but it’s an important one...

First up, I’ve just completed my in-depth review of Ryan Coogler’s Black Panther in 4K Ultra HD from Marvel and Disney. As you probably already know, it’s a great installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and an interesting 4K release for a couple of reasons. Do check it out.

I’m currently working on a review of Universal’s The Incredible Hulk in 4K Ultra HD too (speaking of the MCU). What’s more, I expect to have my hands on Paramount’s Braveheart and Gladiator in 4K Ultra HD sometime today. So those reviews will be posted as soon as possible too. Be sure to check back for them. [Read on here...]

This is just a quick heads-up to let you all know that the Mission: Impossible films are becoming available for pre-order on Amazon in 4K Ultra HD with a street date of 6/26 (SRP $31.99 each).

They’re 2-disc sets, which would include the 4K disc and also the previous Blu-ray. We don’t yet have an official announcement with details from them yet, though we can safely presume they’ll also come with Digital Copy and all the legacy BD extras.

Up for pre-order now are:

• Mission: Impossible
• Mission: Impossible 2
• Mission: Impossible III
• Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol
• Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation

Click on the title links above to visit their respective Amazon pre-order pages. The listings don’t yet specifically indicate 4K UHD but the price point ($31.99 is the same as the studio’s 4K price for Braveheart and Gladiator) and 2-disc configuration both strongly suggest it.

We’ve updated the 4K Ultra HD Release List here at The Bits accordingly, and we’ll post final cover art when it’s available.

Stay tuned…

- Bill Hunt

(You can follow Bill on social media at these links: Twitter and Facebook)

All right, the big 4K news continues this week! But first...

We’ve just posted two new disc reviews here at The Bits, including Tim’s thoughts on Terry Gilliam’s Jabberwocky, now available in a fine new Blu-ray edition from Criterion, and also my take on Darren Aronofsky’s challenging Mother! available in 4K Ultra HD from Paramount.

We’ve also got more new disc reviews coming, including several more BD titles from Tim and I have no less than three new 4K Ultra HD reviews coming in the next 24 hours as well, including Sony’s The Dark Crystal. So watch for that starting later today here at the site. [Read on here...]

[Editor’s Note: This feature was first published on the original Bits website back on November 01, 2001. We republish it here for the enjoyment of those who many not have seen it before. We’d like to dedicate it to the memory of our friend George A. Romero.]

You know how they say it never rains in California? Well, they lie. What they mean to say is that it never rains in California... unless you really need to be somewhere. But they also say something about April showers, right? So on this appropriately gloomy morning in April, I’m racing up the 405 freeway in a heavy downpour, running late for an appointment. But not just any appointment. I’ve been invited to sit in on the audio commentary recording session for Paramount’s new Tales from the Darkside: The Movie DVD, with its director, John Harrison, and screenwriter, the legendary George Romero. Who could pass a chance like that up? Certainly not me. [Read on here...]

All right, let’s get the new week started off right, shall we?

I believe I promised you a new column from our own Michael Coate, so here it is. Today being the official 25th anniversary of the original theatrical release of Tim Burton’s Batman, Michael has delivered the latest installment of History, Legacy & Showmanship column: Wings of Change: Remembering Tim Burton's Batman on its 25th Anniversary. It’s well worth a read, as Michael’s column always are, delivering not one but two fine interviews and a wealth of detail. So be sure to check it out today.

And now for that surprise title announcement we mentioned on Friday: Paramount is finally making good on the Star Trek Into Darkness Blu-ray debacle with the 9/9 release of the 4-disc Star Trek: The Compendium Blu-ray box set (SRP $39.99)!  [Read on here…]