The Best New Blu-Ray Releases: Poor Things, Aquaman And The Lost Kingdom, Aliens, And More
Holy smokes, we've got a jam-packed Blu-ray round-up for you today! There are a lot of titles worth scoping out below, including Emma Stone in "Poor Things," the final DCEU movie "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom," the new 4K release of James Cameron's "True Lies," "Aliens," and "The Abyss," the Criterion 4K release of Nicole Kidman in "To Die For," the new musical remake of "The Color Purple," the sexy rom-com "Anyone But You," the heartbreaking wrestling drama "The Iron Claw," a 4K box set for "The Ring" trilogy, and a Blu-ray release of the miniseries adaptation of Stephen King's "The Shining."
So let's get to it, and remember: keep spinning those discs.
Poor Things
While I would've preferred to see Lily Gladstone take home the Best Actress Academy Award for "Killers of the Flower Moon," Emma Stone's Oscar-winning work in "Poor Things" is phenomenal; it's arguably her best performance. In Yorgos Lanthimos' dark comedy, Stone is Bella Baxter, a woman raised from the dead with the brain of her unborn baby sewn up into her skull. The film follows her journey of discovery as she grows, matures, and becomes her own person, clashing with a world of idiotic men (like a scene-stealing Mark Ruffalo, playing a cad who whisks Bella away from home on a trip full of sex, food, and emotional growth). Funny, strange, and unapologetically horny, "Poor Things" is a unique experience all around. It's not my favorite Lanthimos film (that would still be his excellent "The Favourite," which also featured Stone), but it's perhaps the most ambitious film the Greek filmmaker has made yet, and Stone's extraordinary work is the key to film's success.
Special features:
Featurettes
- Possessing Beauty – The Making of Poor Things. Join Yorgos Lanthimos, Emma Stone, cast and crew in the making of this fantastical film. Explore the costumes, makeup and prosthetics in detail. Take a tour with Willem Dafoe and see how Godwin and Bella's home mirrors and accommodates them both.
Deleted Things
- Brothel Doctor
- Alfie's Chapter
- Bella's Notebook
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom
I love, love, love James Wan's "Aquaman." It's a big, colorful, unapologetically silly action-adventure with heart, and it has an octopus playing the drums. With my fondness for the first film in mind, I had high hopes for the sequel, "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom." Sadly, the follow-up is a huge letdown. While there's some fun stuff here and there — the "buddy cop" vibes between Jason Momoa's Aquaman having to team up with his enemy brother Orm (Patrick Wilson) are a plus — the film feels clumsy and oddly flat, even as Wan tries to throw a bunch of new colorful worlds our way. Rumor has it the flick underwent massive reshoots, and based on the weak final effort, I believe it — this feels like a film made by committee, which is not how I'd describe the first movie.
Special features:
Finding the Lost Kingdom
- Go behind the scenes as director James Wan reveals how he and the cast and crew pulled off their biggest endeavor yet, an epic sequel to the largest grossing film in the history of DC.
Aquaman: Worlds Above and Below
- When the filmmakers set out to create a sequel that eclipsed the original in scale and scope, they knew they would have to send Arthur and the rest of the cast to all kinds of new wild and wonderful worlds both above and below the sea.
It's a Manta World
- Black Manta is more powerful than ever now that he has discovered the Lost Kingdom of Necrus and taken possession of the Black Trident. From inspiration to execution, filmmakers reveal how they leveled Black Manta up to the realm of supervillains.
Necrus, The Lost Black City
- Ages ago the great battle for the earth took place here, in this legendary lost Atlantean city. Discover how the filmmakers created the Black City from its "surface city" concept and its inhabitants: Undead Necrusians (Zombies), to its execution.
Escape from the Deserter World
- From idea to execution, explore how the filmmakers created this barren desert landscape and the Deserter Prison, how its creatures and inhabitants were brought to life, and how they planned and executed the daring Orm "breakout" sequence.
Brawling at Kingfish's Lair
- The Citadel is the last frontier of the ocean, a deep trench filled with sunken old ships, stacked high like a rusty city. From concept to completion, discover Kingfish's Lair, a bar within, where the worst of the worst hang out.
Oh TOPO!
- The Tactical Observation and Pursuit Operative Octopus is a living legend and all-time fan favorite. Director James Wan and the filmmakers discuss the decision behind bringing TOPO back to the sequel and its promotion to Arthur's on-screen sidekick.
Aliens, True Lies, and The Abyss 4K
At long last, three James Cameron classics — "The Abyss," "Aliens," and "True Lies" — have received the 4K treatment. But these releases come with a catch — A.I. was used in some of the upgrading, and there have been complaints that they sap the films of their visual flair. Indeed, the "True Lies" transfer in particular has a smoothness that feels distracting at times. But your mileage may vary. Personally speaking, I didn't find the new 4K sheen to be that bad. Do I miss the film grain? I sure do. But I also was never distracted to the point where I found the films to be unwatchable. It helps that these are three of Cameron's most enjoyable movies and a reminder that he used to do so much more than play in the world of "Avatar." (Listen, I think the "Avatar" movies are fine, but I'd love to see Cameron make a non-"Avatar" movie again, a scenario that seems very unlikely at this point).
Aliens special features:
- Theatrical and Special Edition versions of Aliens
- Direct Access to New/Additional Scenes from Special Edition
- 2003 Audio Commentary by James Cameron and the Cast and Crew
- Final Theatrical Isolated Score
- Composer's Original Isolated Score
- The Inspiration and Design of Aliens
- Superior Firepower: Making Aliens
- 57 Years Later: Continuing the Story
- Building Better Worlds: From Concept to Construction
- Preparing for Battle: Casting and Characterization
- This Time It's War: Pinewood Studios, 1985
- The Risk Always Lives: Weapons and Action
- Bug Hunt: Creature Design
- Two Orphans: Sigourney Weaver and Carrie Henn
- Beauty and the B*tch: Power Loader vs. Queen Alien
- The Final Countdown: Music, Editing and Sound
- The Power of Real Tech: Visual Effects
- Aliens Unleashed: Reaction to the Film
- Superior Firepower: Making Aliens Enhancement Pods
- Without Sigourney Weaver
- Origins of Acheron
- Building Hadley's Hope
- Cameron's Design Philosophy
- Finding an Unused Power Plant
- Cameron's Military Interests
- Working with Sigourney Weaver
- The Importance of Being Bishop
- Paul Reiser on Carter Burke
- The Paxton/Cameron Connection
- Becoming Vasquez
- On Set: Infiltrating the Colony
- Props: Personal Light Unit
- Simon Atherton Talks Weapons
- Praising Stan Winston
- Test Footage: Chestburster
- Fighting the Facehugger
- Test Footage: Facehugger
- Stan Winston's Challenge
- Test Footage: Queen Alien
- Stan Winston's Legacy Cameron's Cutting Edge
- Sigourney Weaver's Triumph
- Re-enlisting with Cameron
- From Producer to Stunt Double
- Pre-Production
- Development: Original Treatment by James Cameron
- Footage: Pre-visualizations: Multi-angle Videomatics (with audio commentary by miniature effects supervisor Pat McClung)
- Angle 1: Videomatic
- Angle 2: Videomatic/Final Shot Comparison
- Pre-visualization: Storyboard Archive
- Conceptual Art: The Art of Aliens
- Gateway Station and Colony
- Vehicles and Weapons
- Aliens
- Casting: Cast Portrait Gallery
- Production
- Photography
- Production Image Galleries
- Preparing for Filming
- The Narcissus
- Gateway Station
- Colony Life
- The Solaco
- Arrival on Acheron
- Main Colony Complex
- Ripley Rescures Newt
- Final Battle and Epilogue
- Continuity Polaroids
- Weapons and Vehicles
- Stan Winston's Workshop
- Production Image Galleries
- Footage
- Colonial Marine Helmet Cameras
- Video Graphics Gallery
- Weyland-Yutani Inquest: Nostromo Dossiers
- Photography
- Post-Production and Aftermath
- Footage
- Deleted Scene: Burke Cocooned
- Deleted Scene Montage
- Photography
- Image Galleries
- Visual Effects
- Music Recordings
- Premiere
- Special Shoot
- Image Galleries
- Miscellaneous
- Laserdisc Archives
- Main Title Exploration
- Theatrical Trailers
- Teaser Trailer
- Theatrical Trailer
- Domestic Trailer
- International Trailer
- Footage
True Lies special features:
- Documentary: Fear Is Not an Option: A Look Back at TRUE LIES–Unveil the explosive behind-the-scenes secrets of TRUE LIES with the cast and crew as they share untold tales of daring stunts, cutting-edge technology, and the comedic genius that brought this spy-thriller to life.
- Archives: Script, Artwork, Marketing–Dive into the production secrets of True Lies with these exclusive behind-the-scenes documents and more.
The Abyss special features:
- NEW Deep Dive: A Conversation with James Cameron (HD 32:23)
- NEW The Legacy of The Abyss (HD 24:39)
- Under Pressure: Making The Abyss (SD 59:37)
- Archives (Slideshow)
- Table of Contents
- Introduction
- The Writer/Director and Screenplay
- Development and the Production Team
- The Design Team
- The Storyboarding process
- Character Development and Casting
- Costume Design
- Training for the Production
- Filming Underwater
- ROVs and Video in The Abyss
- Production Chronology
- The Montana
- The Benthic Explorer
- Deepcore 2
- Flatbed
- Cab One and Cab Three
- NTI Scount and Manta
- Pseudopod
- Fluid Breathing and the Deep Suit
- The NTIs
- The Wave
- The NTI Ark
- Editing, Sound and Music
- Publicity/Advertising/Marketing
- The Restoration
- Closing Commentary
- Acknowledgments and Credits
To Die For
The film that made Nicole Kidman a real star, "To Die For" is Gus Van Sant's darkly funny story of tabloid fodder run amock, and it's now on 4K thanks to the Criterion Collection. Inspired by the true story of Pamela Smart and featuring a killer screenplay from Buck Henry ("The Graduate"), "To Die For" finds Kidman playing Suzanne Stone, a woman who dreams of becoming a star journalist despite the fact that she doesn't seem to have much talent. In her quest to become famous, Suzanne befriends three teenage losers (Joaquin Phoenix, Casey Affleck, and Alison Foolland) and hatches a plot to kill her boring husband (Matt Dillon). Kidman is electrifying here, playing Suzanne as a woman driven to near insanity by her own bubbly ambition. There's a reason this is considered her breakout role: she's fantastic at playing up Suzanne's borderline sociopathic impulses with a bright, shining smile.
Special features:
- New 4K digital restoration, approved by director Gus Van Sant and director of photography Eric Alan Edwards, with 5.1 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
- Audio commentary featuring Van Sant, Edwards, and editor Curtiss Clayton
- Deleted scenes
- Trailer
- English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
- PLUS: An essay by film critic Jessica Kiang
The Color Purple
Based on the novel by Alice Walker and its Broadway musical adaptation, "The Color Purple" tells the heartbreaking but ultimately triumphant story of Celie (Fantasia Barrino), a Black woman forced into an abusive marriage when she was still just a child. Celie struggles to find the strength to stand up for herself, befriends the headstrong Sofia (Danielle Brooks, who is fantastic here), and falls in love with the singer Shug Avery (Taraji P. Henson). This material was adapted once before to the screen (minus the music) by Steven Spielberg, and now Blitz Bazawule is behind the camera. "The Color Purple" is handsomely mounted and features some stellar performances, but there's a lack of movement that hampers things. While Bazawule is wise enough to give us grand musical numbers presented in big wide shots, the camera movement is sluggish; it lacks a certain, much-needed rhythm. Still, the acting is strong across the board, and that might be enough for some viewers to embrace this new adaptation.
Special features:
- Creating The Color Purple: A Bold New Take on the Beloved Classic
- Join the director, Blitz Bazawule, filmmakers and cast on their high-stakes, high intensity, heart-stopping, and awe-inspiring odyssey to bring Alice Walker's beloved novel to life.
- Hell Yes! The Iconic Characters of The Color Purple
- The cast, producer Oprah Winfrey, and director Blitz Bazawule explore the characters – their personalities and intricate interpersonal dynamics, as well as their relatability and lasting impact – and how the actors connected and grew as performers.
- In The Flow: Creating The Color Purple's Biggest Musical Moments
- Rehearsal footage reveals what it took director Blitz Bazawule, producer Scott Sanders, Quincy Jones, the cast, and the music team to push through the stumbles and missteps and hone all the rough edges to get each musical number exactly right.
- A Story For Me: The Legacy of The Color Purple
- The cast and filmmakers discuss the importance of Alice Walker's novel – its timelessness and how it has touched so many, from book to landmark 1985 film to 2005 Broadway musical – and what it means for them to be a part of this bold new film.
Anyone But You
Can super hot people Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell save the rom-com? They can certainly try! Will Gluck's "Anyone But You" is loosely inspired by Shakespeare's "Much Ado About Nothing," and finds its extremely good-looking leads as a pair who meet cute and have a great night together before a misunderstanding leads them to become bitter enemies. As fate, and movie-plotting, would have it, the two end up together at a destination wedding. There, their friends and loved ones contrive to get them together. But Sweeney and Powell learn of this plot and decide to have a little fun by pretending they're madly in love. As you can probably guess, the pair eventually stop pretending and do fall for each other. "Anyone But You" isn't very good — it's far too predictable, and it's never as funny as it should be. But Sweeney and Powell are so likable, and yes, so attractive, that you end up enjoying what the film has to offer in the end. Now somebody get these two a better script.
Special features:
- He Said She Said
- Everyone Down Under
- Outtakes & Bloopers
- Deleted Scenes
- ASMR Pickup Lines
- Aussie Snacks
The Iron Claw
The tragic story of the Von Erich wrestling dynasty is the subject of Sean Durkin's frequently heartbreaking "The Iron Claw." Wrestler Fritz Von Erich (Holt McCallany) raises his sons Kevin (Zac Efron), Kerry (Jeremy Allen White), David (Harris Dickinson), and Mike (Stanley Simons) to follow in his footsteps and enter the ring. But a lack of real love pushes his boys to the extreme, and one terrible tragedy after another seems to befall the family, as if they've been cursed. This is frequently brutal subject matter, but it's made compelling by a group of strong performances. Efron in particular has never been better than he is here, playing the eldest son who struggles mightily with his family's dark legacy.
Special features:
- Brotherhood Is Forever: Making Iron Claw
- Cast and Crew Q&A
- Theatrical Trailer
The Ring Collection
Gore Verbinski's 2002 "The Ring" might be a remake, but it's also one of the best horror movies of the 2000s. Adapting 1998's Japanese film "Ring," Verbinski's "The Ring" is about a cursed videotape that kills anyone who watches it. While investigating the death of her niece, a reporter (Naomi Watts) gets ahold of the tape and, of course, watches it. Now she's got seven days to find out where the tape came from and why it exists before she ends up dead. The film deftly blends mystery and horror to create an overwhelming sense of palpable dread.
And then they made two terrible sequels. "The Ring Two" brought back Watts and even drafted Hideo Nakata, the director of the original "Ring," to helm the film. But whatever dark magic that worked for the 2002 film had seemingly evaporated with the sequel. Things got even worse with the third film, titled "Rings," which has some interesting ideas — cursed people deliberately making others watch the film in order to survive — that don't add up to much. Now, all three films are in one 4K box set from Shout Factory. Is it work owning all three films? Maybe not, but it is worth scooping up the set to get the excellent original film on 4K, and who knows? Maybe one night you'll suddenly have the urge to watch "The Ring Two."
Special features:
DISC ONE: THE RING (2002) (4K UHD):
- NEW 4K Scan Of The Original Camera Negative Supervised And Approved By Gore Verbinski
- In Dolby Vision (HDR-10 Compatible)
- Audio: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 & 2.0
DISC TWO: THE RING (2002) (BLU-RAY):
- NEW 4K Scan Of The Original Camera Negative Supervised And Approved By Gore Verbinski
- Audio: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 & 2.0
- NEW "Ghost Girl Gone Global"
- "Don't Watch This" – Collection Of Deleted Footage
- Rings – Short Film That Uncovers The Terrifying And Secret Connection Between The Ring And Its Sequel
- "The Origin Of Terror"
- Cast And Crew Interviews
- Theatrical Trailer
DISC THREE: THE RING TWO (2005) (4K UHD):
- NEW Theatrical Version – 4K Scan Of The Original Camera Negative
- In Dolby Vision (HDR-10 Compatible)
- Audio: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 & 2.0
- NEW Audio Commentary With Film Critics Emily Higgins And Billy Dunham
DISC FOUR: THE RING TWO (2005) (BLU-RAY):
- NEW Theatrical Version – 4K Scan Of The Original Camera Negative
- Unrated Version Of The Film
- Audio: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 & 2.0
- NEW Audio Commentary With Film Critics Emily Higgins And Billy Dunham (Theatrical Version Only)
- Rings – Short Film That Uncovers The Terrifying And Secret Connection Between The Ring And Its Sequel
- Deleted Scenes
- "Fear Of Film: Special Effects"
- "Faces Of Fear: The Phenomenon"
- "Samara: From Eye Of Icon"
- "The Power Of Symbols"
- The Making Of The Ring Two
- Theatrical Trailer
DISC FIVE: RINGS (2017) (4K UHD):
- NEW 4K Master
- In Dolby Vision (HDR-10 Compatible)
- Audio: English DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 & 2.0
DISC SIX: RINGS (2017) (BLU-RAY):
- NEW 4K Master
- Audio: English DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 & 2.0
- Deleted/Extended Scenes
- "Terror Comes Full Circle"
- "Resurrecting The Dead: Bringing Samara Back"
- "Scary Scenes"
The Shining
It's widely known that Stephen King hates Stanley Kubrick's adaptation of "The Shining." King spent decades complaining about Kubrick's film, and then he finally got a chance to do things his way thanks to a miniseries. So how does King's take on his famous novel stack up, as directed by Mick Garris? Eh, it's not great! To be fair, it's not a total disaster, but this adaptation is often so literal that it becomes a chore. Still, Garris and company deserve credit for even attempting this. And while he's no Jack Nicholson, Steven Weber is quite good as the doomed alcoholic Jack Torrence. Overall, "The Shining" miniseries is an interesting experiment, and now it has the Blu-ray treatment thanks to the folks at Shout Factory.
Special features:
- NEW 2K Scan From The Interpositive*
- Audio: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Stereo
- Audio Commentary By Author Stephen King, Director Mick Garris, Cast Members Steven Weber And Cynthia Garris, And Select Crew
- 11 Additional Scenes
*To provide the most complete version of the film, a few scenes have been upgraded from the best available, non-Interpositive source.