Home Entertainment Guide: November 2024

Great new stuff on Blu-ray and streaming, including Speak No Evil, Trap, and a Criterion edition of The Shape of Water.

Dec 3, 2024 - 05:00

10 NEW TO NETFLIX

"Dheepan"
"The Fast and the Furious" (and most of the franchise)
"Focus"
"Rob Peace"
"Silverado"
"The Sisters Brothers"
"Superbad"
"Take Shelter"
"The Whale"
"Whiplash"

13 NEW TO BLU-RAY/DVD

"Beetlejuice Beetlejuice"

Nothing ever dies. No one knows that better than Beetlejuice. Over three decades after Tim Burton's beloved original, the director finally made a follow-up, and the result is one of the biggest films of 2024. Produced for around $100 million, it's already made over $450 million worldwide, and it's already available for purchase on 4K Blu-ray. It's a massive hit, and a reminder to Hollywood of the selling power of nostalgia. There's nothing quite like it. The Blu-ray is a solid WB release with their typically great HDR (they're arguably the best in the biz when it comes to new 4K) and a rare commentary from Burton himself.

Buy it here

Special Features:

Audio Commentary by director Tim Burton
The Juice is Loose! The Making of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
The Ghost with the Most: Beetlejuice Returns
Meet the Deetz
Handbook for the Recently Deceased
Shrinkers, Shrinkers Everywhere!
An Animated Afterlife: The Stop-Motion Art of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
'Til Death Do Us Park

"Drag Me to Hell"

Hate to sound old but why don't we get movies like this Sam Raimi genre banger anymore? Keep your elevated horror and just give me another thrill ride that lives up to its title as much as "Drag Me to Hell." Alison Lohman stars as a woman who is cursed after doing her horrible job as a mortgage officer. She will be tortured for three days and dragged to Hell. Let's go! The fact that Raimi made this gem basically with all of the money he earned from his "Spider-Man" trilogy is a great Hollywood story. And I love that Scream Factory has given this 2009 flick the treatment it deserves with not just a new 4K restoration but an extensive new documentary about the making of the film that features most of the major players, including the now-controversial Lohman herself.

Buy it here

Special Features:

DISC ONE - 4K BLU-RAY: Unrated And Theatrical Version
NEW 4K RESTORATION from the original DI film negative approved by Sam Raimi and editor Editor Bob Murawski
DOLBY VISION/HDR PRESENTATION OF THE FILM
Optional English subtitles
DISC TWO - BLU-RAY: Unrated Version
NEW 4K RESTORATION from the original DI film negative approved by Sam Raimi and editor Editor Bob Murawski
NEW "Pardon My Curse: Making Drag Me To Hell" — Extensive Behind-The-Scenes Documentary Featuring New And Archival Interviews With Co-Writer/Producer Ivan Raimi, Actors Alison Lohman, Dileep Rao And Lorna Raver, Director Of Photography Peter Deming, Production Designer Steve Saklad, Artist Christian Cordella, Make-Up Effects Designer Greg Nicotero, Editor Bob Murawski, Composer Christopher Young, And More!
Optional English subtitles
DISC THREE - BLU-RAY: Theatrical Version
NEW 4K RESTORATION from the original DI film negative approved by Sam Raimi and editor Editor Bob Murawski
"To Hell And Back" – Interview With Actress Alison Lohman
"Curses" – Interview With Actress Lorna Raver
"Hitting All The Right Notes" – Interview With Composer Christopher Young
Production Video Diaries Featuring Behind-The-Scenes Footage And Interviews With Sam Raimi, Actors Alison Lohman And Justin Long, And More
Vintage Interviews
Theatrical Trailer
TV Spots
Image Gallery
Optional English subtitles

"Funny Girl" (Criterion)

Musical fans rejoice! There aren't a bunch of them in the Criterion Collection, so this 4K release of the 1968 William Wyler classic, featuring the debut of a young performer named Barbra Streisand is a reason to celebrate. Streisand reprises her Broadway role in the story of the life of Fanny Brice in a movie that would go on to become the highest-grossing film of 1968. Streisand won Best Actress for her debut (famously tying Katharine Hepburn for "The Lion in Winter") and the movie has gone on to have one of the most enduring fan bases in the history of the musical. In 2006, the AFI named it one of the 20 Greatest Movie Musicals of all time and it's regularly made lists like that since. Criterion pulled an amazing feat and got Babs herself to sit down and talk about the film and its legacy. There's also an archival interview, great essay, featurettes, and a new conversation with the son of William Wyler and TCM host Alicia Malone.

Buy it here

Special Features:

4K digital restoration, with 5.0 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack
One 4K UHD disc of the film presented in Dolby Vision HDR and one Blu-ray with the film and special features
New audio interview with star Barbra Streisand
New conversation between director William Wyler’s son David and author and Turner Classic Movies host Alicia Malone
Directed by William Wyler (1986), a documentary on Wyler’s life and career
Archival interview with actor Omar Sharif
Deleted scene featuring Streisand and Sharif
Featurettes from the original theatrical release
English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
PLUS: An essay by author and film critic Michael Koresky

"Godzilla" (Criterion)

Criterion definitely loves Godzilla. Who doesn't? After releasing it on standard Blu-ray and in a great, must-own box set of many Godzilla films, they have finally given the original a 4K restoration. And it's not alone. They've also 4K restored "Godzilla, King of Monsters," the 1956 reworking of the film. There is an audio commentary on both films, interviews with many key players and a modern critic, and a great audio essay about the event that inspired the film in the first place, changing movie history forever. Oh, there's also a great essay from J. Hoberman. If you have the box set, I don't think the restoration is essential enough to get this standalone entry, but if you've been holding off on buying "Godzilla," this is the one to get.

Buy it here

Special Features:

New 4K digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack
One 4K UHD disc of the film and one Blu-ray with the film and special features
High-definition digital restoration of Godzilla, King of the Monsters, Terry Morse’s 1956 reworking of the original, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack
Audio commentary for both movies by film historian David Kalat
Interviews with actors Akira Takarada and Haruo Nakajima and special effects technicians Yoshio Irie and Eizo Kaimai
Interview with legendary Godzilla score composer Akira Ifukube
Featurette detailing Godzilla’s photographic effects, introduced by special effects director Koichi Kawakita and special effects photographer Motoyoshi Tomioka
Interview with Japanese-film critic Tadao Sato
The Unluckiest Dragon, an illustrated audio essay featuring historian Greg Pflugfelder describing the tragic fate of the fishing vessel Daigo Fukuryu Maru, a real-life event that inspired Godzilla
Trailers
PLUS: An essay by critic J. Hoberman

"The Invasion" (Arrow)

For a while, there was a pattern wherein someone adapted the story of "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" for each generation. The '50s got the timeless original, the '70s spawned the incredible Philip Kaufman remake, and the early '90s dropped the underrated Abel Ferrara version. Fourteen years after that, we got the last proper story of the pod people in Oliver Hirschbiegel's take, starring Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig. Seventeen years later, Arrow has taken what is pretty easily the worst "Body Snatchers" riff and treated it like a modern classic. Not only have they imported all the original DVD special features, but they've added a new audio commentary featuring the hosts of the podcast Faculty of Horror, a new visual essay from a film scholar, and another video essay that examines the film as a prophecy of the pandemic. Whoa. It's also got a banger of cover. Arrow rules.

Buy it here

Special Features:

Original lossless DTS-HD MA 5.1 audio
Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
Brand new audio commentary by film critics Andrea Subisati and Alexandra West, co-hosts of The Faculty of Horror podcast
Body Snatchers and Beyond, a new visual essay by film scholar Alexandra Heller Nicholas
That Bug That's Going Around, a new visual essay exploring The Invasion as pandemic prophecy by film scholar Josh Nelson
We've Been Snatched Before, an archival featurette from 2007
The Invasion: A New Story, an archival featurette from 2007
The Invasion: On the Set, an archival featurette from 2007
The Invasion: Snatched, an archival featurette from 2007
Theatrical trailer
Image gallery
Illustrated collector's booklet featuring new writing by film critics William Bibbiani and Sally Christie
Reversible sleeve with original and newly commissioned artwork by Tommy Pocket
Double-sided fold out poster featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Tommy Pocket

"Labyrinth" Collector's Edition

Heads up, Jim Henson fans! Shout Factory has released a pair of the most impressive collector's editions of 2024 in lavish sets for the '80s classics "Labyrinth" and "The Dark Crystal." For buyers who want more than just the movie itself, these sets are showcase items, complete with film-related collectibles. For "Labyrinth," you get an actual crystal ball; for "The Dark Crystal," it's a glass shard. And both sets come with art cards and other physical items to join 4K versions of the film. The David Bowie one is my fave of the two but consider this an entry for both releases. Fans of this column know that I adore when studios go out for those who still collect physical media, and this is one of the coolest releases of the year. Long live, Jim Henson.

Buy it here

Special Features:

Disc One (4K UHD):
NEW Fan Event Q&As with Brian Henson and Toby Froud
NEW Contact Juggling Tutorial
Audio Commentary with conceptual designer Brian Froud
Disc Two (Blu-ray):
Audio Commentary with Brian Froud
"Reordering Time: Looking Back at Labyrinth"
“The Henson Legacy”
“Remembering The Goblin King”
Labyrinth Anniversary Q&A
"Inside The Labyrinth" Making-Of Documentary
"Journey Through The Labyrinth: Kingdom Of Characters”
"Journey Through The Labyrinth: The Quest For Goblin City”
The Storytellers: Picture-In-Picture Track
Deleted and Alternate Scenes including Audio Commentary with Brian Henson
Theatrical Trailer

"Paper Moon" (Criterion)

The complicated legacy of Ryan O'Neal and Tatum O'Neal has somewhat marred the reputation of Peter Bogdanovich's 1973 masterpiece, a movie that won the young Tatum an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. Tatum and Ryan play Addie and Moze in this story of a Depression-era conman that uses O'Neal's dangerous charm to great effect. Criterion has given the film one of their best holiday season packages, complete with a 4K restoration of the film and archival material like a commentary by Bogdanovich himself, a 1973 "Tonight Show" with Ryan and Tatum, and a making-of documentary. It also includes a new video essay by a Bogdanovich biographer and one of the best packages of the year, in part because it includes an essay by one of the best film writers ever, Mark Harris.

Buy it here

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
Audio commentary featuring director Peter Bogdanovich
Introduction to the film by Bogdanovich
New video essay by Bogdanovich biographer Peter Tonguette
Three-part making-of documentary featuring Bogdanovich, production designer Polly Platt, associate producer Frank Marshall, and cinematographer László Kovács
Archival interview with Platt
Excerpts from a 1973 episode of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson featuring Bogdanovich and actors Ryan and Tatum O’Neal
Location-scouting footage with audio commentary by Marshall
Trailer
English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
PLUS: An essay by critic Mark Harris

"Scarface" (Criterion)

Fifty years before Al Pacino changed the legacy of "Scarface" forever, Howard Hawks told a very different version of this story in this 1932 gem, a pre-Code gangster film that takes genuine risks in telling a story inspired by Al Capone, who would have been around and active enough to actually see this movie (which is kind of mind-blowing). Paul Muni plays Tony Camonte, whose rise to the head of the Chicago mob (a la Capone in the late '20s) is chronicled in the Hawks film. It's a controversial film in that it was made before the Production Code but after the Hays Code, which meant that it had to be radically altered on its initial release. In fact, the unaltered version has only been in circulation since 2019, and it's the one given a 4K restoration here. Included on the Criterion set is a new conversation between Megan Abbott and "Scarface" fan Bil Hader, and a new interview with film scholar Lea Jacobs. There's also a great essay by Imogen Sara Smith, one of the best film historians working today.

Buy it here

Special Features:

New 4K digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack
One 4K UHD disc of the film and one Blu-ray with the film and special features
Alternate ending, from the censored version of the film
New conversation with author Megan Abbott and actor Bill Hader
New interview with film scholar Lea Jacobs on director Howard Hawks’s innovative use of sound and editing
English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
PLUS: An essay by critic Imogen Sara Smith

"Seven Samurai" (Criterion)

Criterion loves Akira Kurosawa, having released several films by the master over the last few decades in various forms. However, this is the first time that "Seven Samurai" has been available in 4K, and it's mind-blowing how good it looks. When I was doing some rewatching for my Sight & Sound ballot in 2022, Kurosawa's masterpiece stood out the most for me (and made my list). It truly is the template for so much action cinema that we still watch generations later, a riveting film in its own right that's only become more powerful when one considers the impact it's had on the form. This excellent release includes two audio commentaries, a documentary, and, most impressively, a two-hour conversation between Kurosawa himself and Nagisa Oshima.

Buy it here

Special Features:

New 4K digital restoration, with the original uncompressed monaural soundtrack and an optional 2.0 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack
One 4K UHD disc of the film (in the aspect ratio of 1.37:1) and two Blu-rays with the film (in the aspect ratio of 1.33:1) and special features
Two audio commentaries, one featuring film scholars David Desser, Joan Mellen, Stephen Prince, Tony Rayns, and Donald Richie, and the other Japanese-film expert Michael Jeck
Making-of documentary, created as part of the Toho Masterworks series Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create
My Life in Cinema (1993), a two-hour conversation between director Akira Kurosawa and filmmaker Nagisa Oshima
“Seven Samurai”: Origins and Influences, a documentary looking at the samurai traditions and films that helped shape Kurosawa’s masterpiece
Trailers and teaser
Gallery of rare posters, behind-the-scenes photos, and production stills
PLUS: Essays by Kenneth Turan, Peter Cowie, Philip Kemp, Peggy Chiao, Alain Silver, Stuart Galbraith IV, Arthur Penn, and Sidney Lumet, and an interview with actor Toshiro Mifune from 1993

"The Shape of Water" (Criterion)

One of the biggest "current cinema" releases from Criterion this season is the rare Best Picture winner to be inducted into the collection, Guillermo del Toro's masterful fairy tale, inspired by the filmmaker's love for "Creature from the Black Lagoon," a movie that shaped him from a young age. Criterion has remastered the film in 4K for the first time, supervised by GDT himself, and included a new conversation between Del Toro and the brilliant David Lowery, two filmmakers whose passion is evident in everything they do. It also includes several previously available special features like a documentary about the making of the film and an essay by one of our own writers, the great Carlos Aguilar. The truth is that winning Oscars can often damage a film's legacy by leading to a backlash from those who think Academy Awards always equals overrated. My hope is that people revisit and reassess this truly great film. The Criterion release should help.

Buy it here

Special Features

4K digital master, supervised by director Guillermo del Toro, with 5.1 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack
One 4K UHD disc of the film presented in HDR and one Blu-ray with the film and special features
New conversation between del Toro and filmmaker David Lowery
A Fairy Tale for Troubled Times, a documentary highlighting the film’s production design, performances, special effects, and score
Anatomy of a Scene: Prologue and Anatomy of a Scene: The Dance, both featuring on-set footage and interviews with del Toro
Shaping the Waves, an interview with illustrator James Jean
Masterclass from 2017 on the film’s technical aspects, featuring del Toro and crew members
Trailers
English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing and English descriptive audio
PLUS: An essay by film critic Carlos Aguilar

"A Simple Plan" (Arrow)

Another Sam Raimi movie! It's Raimi season! This might be my favorite non-franchise Raimi film, a brilliant thriller about two brothers (Billy Bob Thornton & Bill Paxton) who find a crashed plane with a ton of cash on-board. They decide to keep the money, and, well, things go downhill fast. An old-fashioned noir with Raimi sensibilities and sharp performances, it's held up remarkably well. One wishes there were more movies like it today, films that don't talk down to adult audiences, and present three-dimensional characters in impossible situations. It's a heartbreaking thriller, and the Arrow release is a stunner. Not only does it include a new 4K restoration, but it has a new audio commentary by RogerEbert.com contributors Glenn Kenny and Farran Smith Nehme, alongside new interviews with major players from the film itself. The new artwork is some of my favorite of the year too. This is a must-own.

Buy it here

Special Features:

NEW 4K RESTORATION from the original negative by Arrow Films, approved by director Sam Raimi
DOLBY VISION/HDR PRESENTATION OF THE FILM
Original DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround audio and optional lossless stereo audio
Optional English subtitles forthe deaf and hard-of-hearing
Brand new audio commentary by critics Glenn Kenny and Farran Smith Nehme
Brand new audio commentary by production designer Patrizia von Brandenstein with filmmaker Justin Beahm
Of Ice and Men, a newly filmed interview with cinematographer Alar Kivilo
Standing Her Ground, a newly filmed interview with actor Becky Ann Baker
Dead of Winter, a newly filmed interview with actor Chelcie Ross
On-set interviews with Paxton, Thornton, Fonda, Raimi, and producer Jim Jacks
Behind-the-scenes footage
Theatrical trailer
Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Matt Griffin
Illustrated collectors' booklet featuring new writing on the film by Bilge Ebiri and an excerpt from the book The Unseen Force: The Films of Sam Raimi by John Kenneth Muir

"Speak No Evil"

I have to admit that when I saw the trailer for the remake of "Speak No Evil," I wondered how they could possibly match the ruthless brutality of the original. Of course, they don't, but that doesn't mean this venture is a complete waste of time. Shifting more from the relentless horror of the original to a more traditional thriller in this iteration, James Watkins's remake is elevated by an excellent cast, especially a phenomenal James McAvoy, who gets under the skin of his monstrous character in a way that's remarkably unnerving. It's one of the best performances of 2024.

Buy it here

Special Features

NUCLEAR FAMILIES – Learn what drew James McAvoy and the rest of the cast to this film, discover what methods they used to embody their roles, and listen as they provide insight into the subtle intricacies surrounding the film's two families.
A HORRIFYING CRESCENDO – Director James Watkins and cast members take you down a dark corridor of psychology as they discuss the navigation of social spaces, dwelling in discomfort, and the grounded horror elements which escalated the story to its formidable final act.
THE FARMHOUSE OF HORRORS – Immerse yourself in the farmhouse and learn how this location was reimagined into a place of nightmares as cast and crew walk you through the different production design and camera elements that added to the eeriness of the film.
FEATURE COMMENTARY WITH WRITER/DIRECTOR JAMES WATKINS

"Trap"

Speaking of great genre performances, Josh Hartnett absolutely slays in M. Night Shyamalan's clever thriller about a serial killer who gets caught at a pop concert. Is it ridiculous? Of course. Has Shyamalan ever actually been to a concert? I'm not sure. The truth is that the issues one has with the believability of this film are secondary to the experience. It's a thriller. Just go with it. And I have to admit to feeling increasing admiration for a filmmaker who continues to make non-franchise, original thrillers in a time when new ideas are increasingly rare supply.

Buy it here

Special Features: