In the meantime, we’ve just posed the most vexing question that any cinephile can possibly be asked on our new Digital Bits Patreon site: “What are your ten favorite films?” It’s kind of funny—I actually thought that would be a quick post, which I’d start my sharing my own list of ten favorite films. But then I actually had to come up with my list of ten favorite films, which quickly became a maddening exercise in having to Sophie’s choice dozens of equally deserving titles to come up with a list of ten I simply couldn’t not include on my list. And the difficulty of that process itself became part of my post on the topic, which ended with me asking for Bits readers to share their favorite ten film lists. We’ve gotten nearly a hundred responses so far, and it’s been fun to read each and every one. So if you’d like to participate in the fun, please consider backing us on Patreon and joining what’s becoming a really terrific little online community for discussing films and physical media!
Now then, our friends at Kino Lorber Studio Classics have just posted some good catalog title updates, including revealing that Roger Michell’s Changing Lanes (2002) is coming to soon to 4K Ultra HD, while Graeme Clifford’s Frances (1982) is coming soon to Blu-ray. What’s more, Jerry Hopper’s Alaska Seas (1954) is coming to Blu-ray on 2/13. And for fans of 4K Ultra HD, the company has finally put a street date on George P. Cosmatos’ Leviathan (1989) and Rod Lurie’s The Last Castle (2001)—look for both titles to arrive on 2/20.
The good folks over at Arrow Video have just announced their March slate, which is set to include Don Siegel’s John Wayne actioner The Shootist (1976) on Blu-ray in the US and Canada, Hideo Nakata’s Dark Water (2002) in 4K Ultra HD in the UK, US, and Canada, and Lucio Fulci’s City of the Living Dead (1980) in 4K Ultra HD in the UK only. The street dates are approximately 3/12, 3/18, and 3/25 respectively.
Umbrella Entertainment has announced a fine March slate as well, which will include Na Hong-jin’s Chaser (2008), Larry Clark’s Bully (2001), and David Moreau and Xavier Palud’s Them (2006) on Blu-ray, as well as Brian Trenchard-Smith’s Dead End Drive-In (1986) in 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray. Look for all of those to street on 3/20.
Paramount has set Frank Capra’s Meet John Doe (1941), starring Gary Cooper and Barbara Stanwyck, for release on 4K Ultra HD on 3/26.
Uwe Boll’s BloodRayne (2005) is coming to 4K Ultra HD on 1/9 from Massacre Video.
88 Films has set The Project A Collection for release on 4K Ultra HD on 4/23, featuring the Jackie Chan titles Project A (1983) and Project A: Part II (1987). The 4-disc set will include considerable extras plus swag (a perfect-bound book and more).
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has set Adam Anders’ Journey to Bethlehem (2023) for Blu-ray and DVD release on 1/16, with the Digital release due on 12/26.
Lionsgate has set Neil Burger’s The Marsh King’s Daughter (2023) for Blu-ray release on 2/2. Lionsgate has also set Francis Lawrence’s The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes (2023) for Digital release on 12/19. The physical media release will follow early next year (street date TBA).
Well Go USA has set Daniel Brown’s Your Lucky Day (2023) for Blu-ray and Digital release on 1/23.
And Milestone Films and Kino Lorber have completed a new 4K restoration of David Schickele’s Bushman (1971) and it seems likely that they’ll roll it out on Blu-ray next year.
Finally today, our old friend Steve Weintraub (aka “Frosty”), editor-in-chief of the excellent Collider movie website, is hosting a fantastic early screening in LA next month of the Season 4 finale of Apple TV’s For All Mankind, which many of you will know by now is one of my favorite TV series. And executive producers Ronald D. Moore, Ben Nedivi, Matt Wolpert, and Maril Davis will be on hand to do Q&A afterword, along with stars Krys Marshall (Danielle Poole) and Wrenn Schmidt (Margo Madison). I will definitely be attending, along with my friend (and Free Enterprise director) Robert Meyer Burnett. If you’re local and interested in being there, the event will be held on Thursday, January 11, at AMC Century City, starting at 7 PM. You can visit this page for a chance to win tickets. Tell ‘em Bill from The Bits sent you!
That’s all for now. Stay tuned...
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