Welcome back to the latest episode of Slipped Discs, where I give you a head’s up on what nerdy stuff is available to come home with you, because I still believe in physical media!

Once more, all this information comes from Blu-Ray.com, but they list everything that will be in the stores, whereas I shall provide you with what I feel is the interesting genre fare.

And boy, we have a lot this week to make up the lack of cool stuff over the last two weeks! So let’s get right into it!

Knives Out The gist: “A detective investigates the death of a patriarch of an eccentric, combative family.” Say what you will about Rain Johnson, (and boy howdy, will the internet not stop saying things about him), the guy knows how to make a mystery. This movie has a rock-star cast, excellent flow, great characters, a tight plot, and was a high point of last year. Well worth buying, it’s out in Blu, 4K, and the usual Best Buy exclusive Steelbook.

Pet Sematary Two (1992) The gist: “The “sematary” is up to its old zombie-raising tricks again. This time, the protagonists are Jeff Matthews, whose mother died in a Hollywood stage accident, and Drew Gilbert, a boy coping with an abusive stepfather.” Poor Edward Furlong just couldn’t catch a break after T2. I mean, the movies he did afterwards weren’t bad, but they weren’t great either. He got more heat than he deserved, to be fair, as it wasn’t totally his fault the movies weren’t the greatest. This one is an ok sequel, and also has Clancy Brown chewing on the scenery, so it’s worth a look. Especially as it’s getting the patented Scream Factory Collector’s Edition treatment.

Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace, Skyfall, Spectre All the Craig Bond movies are getting a nice Blu-Ray and 4K re-release. It’s almost like there’s a new one about to come out. And you don’t need the gist of them from me. Casino is the best, and I can take or leave the others.

Xtro 3: Watch the Skies (1995) The gist “Marines travel to a deserted island to diffuse bombs, only to be terrorized by an alien.” They made three of these crappy flicks? Ah well, this Blu is coming from Vinegar Syndrome in a regular and special edition limited to 2,000 copies. So, get it while it’s hot?

Frozen II The gist “Elsa, Anna, Kristoff and Olaf are going far in the forest to know the truth about an ancient mystery of their kingdom.” Look, I know “Let it Go” is the overplayed hit of 2013, but that’s because it was damn good. And while this movie doesn’t have a breakaway pop hit like that, it’s still a decent movie. There have been a lot of worse Disney sequels. It’s out in Blu, 4K and the obligatory Best Buy Steelbook.

Reigo, the Deep-Sea Monster vs. the Battleship Yamato (2005) The gist “The film, set in World War II, depicts the story of the real-life Japanese battleship, the Yamato, which is confronted in the Pacific Ocean by giant monsters, including the most fearsome of them all, Reigo.” You had me at Kaiju vs Yamato.

Raiga: God of the Monsters (2009) The gist “A giant monster surfaces from the sea among others, and attacks Japan.” Per Wikipedia, this is the sequel to Regio there, and “features a more traditional Godzilla-like kaiju“. So, once more, I’m in.

Better Off Dead (1985) The gist “Lane Meyer is a depressed teen who loses his girlfriend Beth. Her given reason for breaking up is: “Lane, I think it’d be in my best interest if I dated somebody more popular. Better looking. Drives a nicer car.” Anyway, poor Lane is left alone and thinks up treacherous ways of killing himself. He finally meets a French beauty called Monique and falls for her. Simultaneously, he must endure his mother’s terrible cooking which literally slides off the table and his disgusting next door neighbour Ricky (and his mum) while he prepares for the skiing race of his life – to get his old girlfriend back!” To me, there are two directors that defined teen comedies in the 80’s. The first is John Huges. The second, (who I actually like a little more, if you make be pick between them), is Savage Steve Holland. His movies are cutting, subversive, hilarious and just bonkers. This is one of his best, and has a powerhouse cast of John Cusack, David Ogden Stiers, Kim Darby, Curtis Armstrong, and Diane Franklin. This edition is a FYE exclusive Steelbook, and I will definitely be picking it up.

One Missed Call Trilogy The gist “No synopsis for One Missed Call Trilogy” Again, Blu-Ray.com, I’m available, if you’re hiring. Anyway, this set is from Arrow Video, and collects the Japanese originals, not the terrible American remake. The first is actually by Takashi Miike, so it’s worth a look.

The Hunt for Red October (1990) The gist “A new, technologically-superior Soviet sub, the Red October, is heading for the U.S. coast under the command of Marko Ramius. The U.S. government thinks Ramius is planning to attack, but C.I.A. analyst Jack Ryan has a different idea. He thinks Ramius is planning to defect, but he has only a few hours to find him and prove it, because the Russian naval and air forces are trying to find him, too.” The last Cold War movie; a fantastic Sean Connery movie, the best Jack Ryan movie (sorry, Harrison), and probably the best adaptation of a Tom Clancy book, this techno-thriller is an absolute classic. Solid cast, still effective FX, and it’s about time it got a nice 4K release, in a cool Steelbook, no less. One ping, and one ping only.

Color Out of Space The gist “After a meteorite lands in the front yard of their farm, Nathan Gardner and his family find themselves battling a mutant extraterrestrial organism that infects their minds and bodies, transforming their quiet rural life into a technicolor nightmare.” Go read my review here!

Stop Making Sense (1984) The gist “The famous concert movie by rock band Talking Heads, filmed over three nights in 1983 at the Pantages Theater in Hollywood.” Ok, yes, this isn’t exactly a genre film, but it put Jonathan Demme on the map as a filmmaker, and through this movie and their videos, Talking Heads defined a large part of the look and sound of the 80’s. David Byrne is having a bit of a renaissance repurposing this music with his American Utoipa project, so you should check out where it all started.

Other titles of note: Return of Ultraman (1971), Ultraman Orb: The Origin Saga (2016), Zombie Island Massacre (1984), Code 8 (This stars the Amell cousins!), Zombeavers (2014), After We Leave, Gappa: The Triphibian Monster (1967), Spookies (1986), Flesh Eating Mothers (1988), Hollywood Horror House (1970), Paris Is Burning (1990)

Whew! As I said, there is a lot out this week! What a way to close out February. Let me know which of these are a must-buy for you, a pass, or which ones I missed!

Welcome back to the latest episode of Slipped Discs, where I give you a head’s up on what nerdy stuff is available to come home with you, because I still believe in physical media!

Once more, all this information comes from Blu-Ray.com, but they list everything that will be in the stores, whereas I shall provide you with what I feel is the interesting genre fare.

We have another pretty thin week this week, but it is February, so I supposed it’s to be expected. So let’s hop right into it!

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood The gist: “The story of Fred Rogers, the honored host and creator of the popular children’s television program, Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” Not so much a bio-pic of Mr. Rogers (That would be “Won’t You Be My Neighbor”), this movie is more about the effect Mr. Rogers had on people, by way of his relationship with a reporter assigned to do a puff piece on the beloved figure. Inspired by a true story (“Can You Say…Hero” By Tom Junod), powered by a spectacular performance by Tom Hanks, this movie warmed even my black, cynical heart. Just as Mr. Rogers would have wanted. Don’t watch without tissues handy.

And if you don’t think this belongs in a list of genre movies, then you’ve obviously never visited the Land of Make-Believe.

Tex Avery Screwball Classics: Volume 1 The gist: “There were several masters of animation during Hollywood’s golden era. Of the top two geniuses, one created elaborate fairy tales and ornate feature-length fantasias — the other guy was Tex Avery. He just wanted to make you laugh. After helping develop Porky Pig, Daffy Duck and Bugs Bunny for Warner Bros., Avery moved to MGM in 1941 to create a set of comedy masterpieces that defined a new slapstick style for animation.” Tex Avery is a legit legend of animation and comedy. Droopy Dog alone would cement his legacy. He had a distinctive style, a sense of the absurd, and was a pioneer of how far you can push a story and the medium in animation. I will absolutely be picking this up, and so should you.

21 Bridges The gist: “A disgraced detective in the NYPD is given a shot at redemption.” Once more, I gotta wonder who’s writing these blurbs for the website, because this is not a correct gist. Chadwick Boseman is a respected cop who’s pulled in to investigate a police shooting where more is going on than it seems. It has quite a few connections to the MCU, in front of and behind the camera, and it’s a good action/thriller.

Star Blazers 2199: Space Battleship Yamato – The Complete Series (2012) The gist: “No synopsis for Star Blazers 2199: Space Battleship Yamato – The Complete Series.” I swear, I should see if they’re hiring for a blurb writer. It’s the remake series of Star Blazers, aka Space Battleship Yamato depending on which side of the Pacific you live on. I haven’t seen this version, but as a kid I lived for the adventures of Wildstar and the crew of the Argo in their quest to defeat Deslok’s plan to destroy the Earth, so I will probably be checking this out.

The Twilight Zone: Season 1 (2019) The gist: “An updated version of the classic TV series featuring various tales of science fiction, horror and mystery.” One of the non-Star Trek reasons to get CBS All Access, this new series was overseen by Jordan Peele and has mixed reviews. I watched the first episode, and thought it was decent, but also that it was a 30 minute story stretched to 60 minutes. I keep meaning to go back and check out the rest of the season, but life keeps throwing other things in my queue. One day…

Jojo Rabbit The gist: “A young boy in Hitler’s army finds out his mother is hiding a Jewish girl in their home.” Again, this gist does not capture the spirit of the movie. Jojo Rabbit is funny, smart, touching, heartbreaking, uplifting, and simply one of the best movies I’ve ever seen. It covers growing up, family, war, hate, love, hope and so much more. And, again, it’s funny without being silly, serious and poignant when called for, has masterful performances by an amazing cast, got Taika Waititi a well-earned Oscar, and as I said before, it’s my pick for the best movie of 2019. A must-buy. If you haven’t seen it, fix that ASAP.

Other titles of note: Rasputin: The Mad Monk, X The Unknown, The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: The Complete Series, Avatar – The Last Airbender: The Complete Series, Mandy (Steelbook release on 2/19)

Again, not a whole lot, but what is there is really damn good! Let me know which of these are a must-buy for you, a pass, or which ones I missed!

Welcome back to the latest episode of Slipped Discs, where I give you a head’s up on what nerdy stuff is available to come home with you, because I still believe in physical media!

Once more, all this information comes from Blu-Ray.com, but they list everything that will be in the stores, whereas I shall provide you with what I feel is the interesting genre fare.

There’s not really a lot of new stuff out this week, except Ford vs. Ferrari, but as that’s not a genre flick, we shall move on to . . .

My Bloody Valentine (1981) The gist: “Twenty years ago in the sleepy mining town of Valentine Bluffs, a fatal mining disaster occurred on Valentine’s Day while key members of the crew were decorating for a party. The sole survivor of the accident killed the absentee crew members and warned the town never to have another Valentine’s Day celebration. When a group of teenagers decides that the the town has gone without a party long enough and begin planning one, a murderous maniac in mining gear begins dispatching townsfolk in bloody and creative ways.” An icon of the 80’s slasher era, this movie has some fun twists, inventive kills and a decent mystery. Old school horror fans should check out this Scream Factory Collector’s Edition Blu.

Swamp Thing: The Complete Series The gist: “Abby Arcane returns home to Marais, Louisiana, to investigate a deadly swamp-borne virus, where she develops a bond with disgraced scientist Alec Holland. After Holland tragically dies, Abby discovers the mysteries of the swamp and that Holland may not be dead after all.” The DC Universe series comes to Blu-Ray, and will hopefully pick up the following it deserved. I’ve been a fan of Swamp Thing since the Wes Craven movie, then in the legendary comics run by Alan Moore, which heavily influenced this series. It’s a shame we probably won’t get a second season, but at least we have these episodes to enjoy.

Ultraman Orb: The Origin Saga (2017) The gist: “A spin-off to the TV series Ultraman Orb, the prequel introduces the characters Gai Kurenai and Jugglus Juggler, who, legend has it, once fought for the same power.” As an 80’s kid, I loved the original ’66 Ultraman series. Watching the Science Patrol fight various giant monsters, until Hayata finally decided it was time for Ultraman to kick butt just hit all my buttons. This set is apparently a prequel series to a follow-up series, but as long as a guy in silver spandex beats up guys in monster suits, I’m in!

Rambo 5-Film Collection (1982 – 2019) Oh, come on, you don’t need me to give you the gist on this one. Five movies, one great, two good, and two less than good, you already know if you need these Blu-Rays or not.

Transylvania 6-5000 (1985) The gist “Two reporters travel to a strange castle in Transylvania to investigate the apparent reappearance of Frankenstein, and encounter such kooky creatures as the sensitive Wolfman, the horny Vampiress Odette, as well as a whole cast of other weirdos.” The first of two vintage era Goldblum movies being released, this one is a horror spoof in the same vein as “Saturday the 14th“. It’s cheesy, it’s a very 80’s spoof comedy, some of it holds up, some of it doesn’t, and now you can have it on Blu-Ray.

Vibes (1988) The gist: “Psychics Sylvia Pickel and Nick Deezy are hired by a mysterious man to find an ancient treasure in South America. As they trek through Ecuador, their supernatural skills lead them straight into danger, disaster and romance. When the ancient ruins unleash an evil paranormal power, Sylvia and Nick must join psychic forces to save the world.” Our second early-installment weirdness Goldblum, this time teamed with the lovely Cyndi Lauper, and Steve Buscemi as a bonus! This is Goldblum at his young and still kinda twitchy best, and he has great chemistry with Cyndi as two very different kinds of psychics. It’s a very fun romp that was sadly not appreciated at the time. Blu-Ray only, sadly, but it is in one of those faux-VHS slipcases, which is fun.

Robocop (1987) Again, do you really need the gist? Ok: “In the not-too-distant future, a newly transfered Detroit police officer is remade into an indestructible cybernetic cop after being dismembered by a gang of thugs in an abandoned warehouse. Reborn as RoboCop he is programmed to serve and protect the citizens of Detroit and eliminate the rampant crime in the city streets so that a massive city-wide reconstruction project can get under way.” You know it, you love it, and you probably already own it. But this is another special edition from the fine folks at Arrow Video. This is the regular release non-Steelbook edition. That release has been tempting me at Best Buy for a few weeks now, as it has three different cuts of the movie, and all kinds of extras. In fact, I’d only get the version coming out on the 11th if you can’t find the other release, or just only want/need the theatrical cut of the film.

Hudson Hawk (1991) The gist: “Eddie “The Hawk” Hawkins, the world’s most famous cat burglar, who, after 10 years in prison, is ready to go straight. But it’s not going to be easy. The mob and the CIA have conspired to blackmail Eddie and his partner into stealing three da Vinci masterpieces from the most heavily-guarded museums in the world.” Or would you rather swing upon a star? Yes, the movie that almost killed Bruce Willis’ career, now on Blu. It’s stock with the public has gone up as the years have passed, but it’s still . . . a movie that I have seen.

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Diamond is Unbreakable – Chapter 1 (2017) The gist: “A teen gifted with supernatural power discovers the truth behind his cursed and bizarre bloodline, and the evil that lurks within his town.” A live action version of the (I wanna say cult, but is it really cult?) anime, from what I have heard, this movie captures the truly outlandish and, um, bizarre, feel of the original. I haven’t seen it, but I had to include it, just for that title alone.

Heartbeeps (1981) The gist: “Two household robots run away and try to start a family.” Oh, it’s so much weirder than that. One of Andy Kaufman’s few movie roles, he and Bernadette Peters wear innovative makeup (which nearly won Stan Winston the first ever Oscar given out for Best Makeup, but he lost to An American Werewolf in London) that turned them into robots (think the video for Winnona’s Big Brown Beaver by Primus), and I tell you, it’s strange. Even for an 80’s movie, man is it strange. I always expected it to become a cult hit, especially as it’s Kaufman’s final role, but it was too oddball, or maybe not quite oddball enough, for that fate. Anyway, it’s out on Blu, if you’re curious.

Hanukkah (2020) Oh man, strap in for this gist: “Obediah Lazarus is the son of Judah Lazarus, the original Hanukiller. In 1983, Judah terrorized NY for seven nights and was preparing to sacrifice his eight-year-old son, Obediah, on the eighth night. Judah was convinced it was God’s will, like Abraham and Isaac, to sacrifice his only son to God. Luckily for Obediah, police tracked Judah down and stopped the sacrifice, but Judah was gunned down in the process. Warped by hatred with no guidance, Obediah Lazarus becomes a religious extremist, intolerant of non-Jews, “bad Jews”, and those he perceives to be enemies of the Jewish faith. He is about to unleash eight nights of horror. A group of Jewish teens are getting ready to party for the holidays, but are in for a Festival of Frights. With the help of a wise Rabbi, they deduce that the murder victims have violated Judaic law and that their only chance at survival is to embrace their faith.” It’s about time that Hanukkah got the Silent Night, Deadly Night & Black Christmas treatment. From the tagline “From Dreidel to the Grave“, to a cast including Sid Mutha-lovin Haig and Tim Miller, the secondary tag line “Prepare for a Festival of Frights“, and the sheer chutzpah of the film makers for even doing this, I have got to give it props and check it out. It is being released in a regular Blu as well as a special edition (no word on the differences between the two), I think it will sit quite nicely next to my copy of “The Hebrew Hammer.”

Other titles of note: Shutter Island, Terror Firmer, Game of Thrones: The Complete Eighth Season, John Wick Chapters 1 – 3 Combo Pack, When a Stranger Calls, Grave of the Fireflies

That’s a lot of stuff out this week! Let me know which of these are a must-buy for you, a pass, or which ones I missed!