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.

Can you believe that this year is almost half-over now, my Physical Medians? July is almost here, and we should have been in the swing of what was going to be an amazing year of movies. Instead, we get a year that has been the longest decade of my life.

Still, at least we have our new releases to give us some kind of respite from the ongoing dumpster fire that is this year. Though, once again, this is a very thin week. So let’s get right into our filthy business.

The Immortalizer (1989) “A crazed scientist sends out his mutant creations to kidnap young, beautiful men and women to bring back to his lab so he can replace their brains with those of old, wealthy people.” An interesting looking little medical horror flick from the 80s. I wonder how well it handles the class struggle in that premise. Probably not as well as They Live or Get Out, which had the bonus of racial tensions as well.

Force of Nature (2020) “A gang of thieves plan a heist during a hurricane and encounter trouble when a cop tries to force everyone in the building to evacuate.” Not really a genre movie, but that’s an interesting disaster movie premise. And it’s got Mel Gibson, who keeps trying to make a comeback from his questionable life choices. I’ll skip it.

Orca: The Killer Whale (1977) “Neurotic whaler Nolan faces off with an enraged killer whale after he kills the whale’s pregnant mate.” My mom took me to see this in the theater. I was six. Considering that my dad took me to see Jaws in the theater and I enjoyed it, that’s probably why. I remember the walk to the theater, going up to the balcony, and then there are parts of this movie still seared into my brain. Like the killing of the pregnant whale and the baby whale, Bo Derek getting her leg bitten off as she dangles off the balcony, and the ice crushing SPOILER at the end. I haven’t seen it since the 80s, but it’s still vividly right there in my memory. I’m surprised that I love the ocean, and swimming it it, after the one-two punch of Jaws and this flick.

Anyway, this is pretty much the best of all of the Jaws inspired knock offs, as it at least tries to be a serious piece. After it is Piranha, which is more fun, B movie cheese. But that’s a whole other article. This edition is another SCREAM Factory Collector’s Edition release, and my Pick of the Week.

No, they’re still not paying me.

Four Kids and It (2020) “A group of kids on holiday in Cornwall meet a magical creature on the beach with the power to grant wishes.” Did Michael Caine need his house remodeled? This looks terrible, and that Dove Approved logo seals the deal, for me at least. Hard pass.

Wild Palms (1993) “A multi-national corporation attempts to take over America while small pockets of resistance hold out against rampant technology.” Oliver Stone tries to do Twin Peaks, but with weird tech and Jim Belushi. To be fair, I remember looking forward to this, as it was part of a wave of “Weird Shows” that followed David Lynch’s TV experiment. I don’t remember much about it, except being mainly disappointed. It was too normal to keep your interest, but too weird for the average viewer. I might have to revisit it, just to see how it’s aged.

Lection (2019) “Lection is an indie thriller about a local election in a post-apocalyptic society.” So, it’s a documentary? No cast list, no information at all past that brief write-up, so . . . maybe?

Knife of Ice (1972) “As a thirteen year old, Martha Caldwell witnessed the death of her parents in a terrible railway accident. Barely surviving the tragedy herself, Martha was struck dumb due to the shock. Now an adult, the still mute Martha lives with her uncle Ralph in the Spanish countryside. Martha’s cousin Jenny arrives to be with the family but is quickly stabbed to death. It appears that a sex maniac is roaming the countryside; killing pretty young girls. The already traumatized Martha seems likely to be the next victim but the case turns out to be far more complicated than it would first seem.” A Giallo flick that I haven’t seen, this will be either very good, or very bad. But even bad, it should be watchable.

Other titles of note: Ouija Blood Ritual (2020), Hair (1979), 16 Sunrises (2018)

So, not quite as thin as last week, but still pretty threadbare. But that might be a good thing, as the first week of July is looking pretty packed . . .

Until then, my Physical Medians, 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.

Well, my Physical Medians, it is yet another very thin week for us genre fans. It seems to be either feast or famine for us. So, once more, I shall plug items that I think are worth your time and funds, created by people I know and love.

First up, go take a look at the offerings from Mocha Memoirs Press, run by the smart and charming, Nicole Kurtz. They’re doing a fundraiser that you should check out here. Details: “For over 11 years we have published works by underrepresented voices in science fiction, fantasy, horror, and romance. You can help us continue to do that work by donating to our on-going GoFundMe, buying our books, and sharing, boosting our new releases. If we could get more reviews of our books that would be great too.” Go support black voices, and enjoy some excellent reading material!

Second, check out the writing of DJ Gray, another amazingly talented friend, nay, family, of mine. They are most excellent with the words, and you should check out their Pateron and follow them on Twitter. You won’t look at fairy tales and Neverland the same way again.

Lastly, but not leastly, there’s Falstaff Pride: “To celebrate Pride Month, Falstaff Books is bundling ten of our favorite titles by some of our LGBTQIA+ authors into one collection! Time travel with Emperors, walk the paths of knowledge with blind librarians, bust a gut with a misanthropic vampire, become self-aware with a young necromancer, or hunt monsters with a snarky woman who just wants a vacation. No matter what you love to read, this bundle of diverse stories from incredible authors has something for you!” Falstaff Books publishes some fantastic urban fantasy, action, pulp and other genre stories, and I’ve enjoyed everything I’ve picked up from them. I’m looking forward to the story from my friend Michael Williams, but I’m sure each entry is a winner.

And now that we’re done with all that reading, let’s get on with the video viewing.

House of Wax 3D (1953) “Professor Henry Jarrod is a true artist whose wax sculptures are lifelike. He specializes in historical tableau’s such a Marie Antoinette or Joan of Arc. His business partner, Matthew Burke, needs some of his investment returned to him and pushes Jarrod to have more lurid exposes like a chamber of horrors.” A classic of 50s horror, Vincent Price is excellent (as always), plus we get Charles Bronson in an early role as Price’s henchman. It’s great, even without the 3D gimmick, and I am once more happy to see classic flicks getting a Blu release.

Pennyworth: The Complete First Season (2019) “The story of Alfred Pennyworth, a former special-forces officer living in London and working for Bruce Wayne’s father.” I love that it was a joke in Teen Titans Go to the Movies that Alfred would get a movie before Robin, and then this show was announced. I haven’t watched this, but I hear it’s pretty decent. But still, what’s next, Aunt Harriet the Spy?

Hans Christian Andersen (1952) “A fantasy/musical re-imagining of the life of the great Danish writer of children’s stories. Expelled from his village for distracting the local children from their studies, he travels to Copenhagen, where he falls under the spell of a glamorous opera diva.” Look, the best Danny Kaye (whom I love with all my heart) movie is The Court Jester, hands down, no question. Then The Inspector General. Followed by this movie, which is like saying the third scoop of ice cream isn’t quite as good as the first two. They’re all excellent. (The movies he did with Bing are a whole other category, don’t @ me.) Is it historically accurate? Hardly. Is it a grand time from the golden era of classic Hollywood musicals? Absolutely. So while I patiently wait for Jester to get a deluxe Blu release, I will be enjoying myself while watching this one. And it’s my Pick of the Week.

Dream Demon (1988) “A young woman about to be married begins having terrifying dreams about demons. When she wakes, however, the demons are real and begin to commit gruesome murders.” I know that I’ve said before that I’m a sucker for movies that play around with dreams and reality, be it Dreamscape, Bad Dreams, or that series with the guy with the manicure problem. I haven’t seen this one, but it’s from our fine friends at Arrow Video, so it’s gonna look great. No, they’re still not paying me.

The Spider (aka Earth vs the Spider) (1958) “Teenagers from a rural community and their high school science teacher join forces to battle a giant mutant spider.” A 50s classic from the unforgettable Bert I. Gordon, who brought is some of the best sci-fi/horror cheese of that decade. Is it good? No. Is it fun? Hell yes. Even without Joel and the bots quipping at the thing.

The Vampire Conspiracy (2005) “Five strangers are abducted by a 250 year-old vampire, and placed into a deadly game of wits and endurance. Should they make it through the maze alive, they will receive the vampire’s entire fortune – riches beyond their wildest dreams. Should they fail, they become victims to his hunger and are placed back in the game. The only clues to their salvation are the seven words scrawled on the floor throughout the maze and an insane man who was a participant in the last game. Complications arise, when the group discovers an outside event that makes each of them want the others dead. The situation has changed, and they don’t know whom to fear more, the vampires in the maze, or each other.” Once again, B-R.com gives us a novel-length gist. Still, the premise sounds interesting, and full of people I’m not familiar with, so hopefully it’s good.

A Ship of Human Skin (2019) “A gothic tale of mysticism and violent crime. Two women go out into the fringe of rural culture to seek a revelation. They get trapped in a fierce place, and one murders a man with an ax after she has a vision he is an evil thing. Legend spreads that while locked away in prison, she levitates.” I’m not sure if this is a genre film, or a weird indy psychological drama, but this one had me at mysticism, ax murder, and levitation. B-R.com doesn’t even have a cast list, or who wrote/directed this, so, you know, take your chances.

Other titles of note: NOTHING. Seriously, this is everything, aside from the anime stuff, which I have declined to cover in this venue.

So, yeah, a thin week, but a decent one. 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.

Well, my Physical Medians, it’s another thin week (and looking ahead, that isn’t changing any time soon), which is good for the wallet, but bad for article length.

So, here’s another plug for you all, of something I like, made by a person I like. Go and check out Creative Criticality by Michael Falkner. I met him many years ago at Dragon Con, and I have always been impressed by his intellect, insight, and generosity of spirit. I am very proud to call him my friend.

He does a daily post about interesting historical bits of each day, The Thing About Today, as well as the most excellent Timestamps Project, where he has been watching every episode of Doctor Who, in order, from it’s premier in 1963. He’s now up to the “Modern” era, with the 10th Doctor’s run. Go check him out.

If you have anything you’d like me to take a look at, my Physical Medians, please let me know. I’ve got the space and this soapbox to talk about it here.

Now, let’s get on with our filthy business.

Braveheart 25th Anniversary Edition (1995) “In the late 13th century, William Wallace returns to Scotland after living away from his homeland for many years. The king of Scotland has died without an heir and the king of England, a ruthless pagan known as Edward the Longshanks, has seized the throne. Wallace becomes the leader of a ramshackle yet courageous army determined to vanquish the greater English forces. At the historic battle of Stirling, Wallace leads his army to a stunning victory against the English. Knighted by the grateful Scottish nobles, Sir William Wallace extends the conflict south of the border and storms the city of York. King Edward I is astonished by the unexpected turn of events. Unable to rely on his ineffectual son Prince Edward, Longshanks sends his daughter-in-law Princess Isabelle to discuss a truce with Wallace.” Sure, it’s full of historical inaccuracies, and Mel is kind of a racist nutter, but as South Park said, the man knows story structure. Great performances, especially Patrick McGoohan as a delightfully cruel Longshanks, beautiful cinematography, visceral battles, and a fantastic score, it really is a great movie. Just plug in some elves and dragons, and it would be a great D&D game. It’s getting the 4K treatment for the anniversary, and yes, there’s a Steelbook.

Gladiator (2000) “In the final days of Marcus Aurelius’ reign, the aging emperor angers his son Commodus by making it known that he wants Maximus, a fearsome and respected Roman general, to be his successor. Power-hungry Commodus kills his father and orders the death of Maximus. But the latter flees, only to discover that his wife and child have been murdered by Commodus. Captured, Maximus is forced into slavery, where he is sold to Proximo, a former gladiator who serves as both mentor and slavemaster. Maximus trains as a gladiator in the arena, where his fame grows. He goes to Rome, intent on avenging the murder of his wife and son by killing the new emperor Commodus. Maximus has learned that the one power stronger than that of the emperor is the will of the people, and he knows he can only attain his revenge by becoming the greatest hero in all the empire.” For the record, yes, I was entertained. This one still holds up as a great action/adventure movie, again thanks to great performances from a stellar cast, and director Ridley Scott at the top of his game. Just plug in some elves and dragons, and it would be a great D&D game. It’s getting the 4K treatment, and yes, there’s a Steelbook.

Anyone else just get Déjà vu?

Friday the 13th 40th Anniversary Edition (1980) “Terror and suspense abound in this 24-hour nightmare of blood. Camp Crystal Lake has been shuttered for over 20 years due to several vicious and unsolved murders. The camp’s new owner and seven young counselors are readying the property for re-opening despite warnings of a “death curse” by local residents. The curse proves true on Friday the 13th as one by one each of the counselors is stalked by a violent killer. This film is widely acclaimed for its horrifying and creative murder sequences.” A true classic, this is the movie that defined horror for a decade. It may not be the first Slasher Movie (that’s either Black Christmas or Halloween, depending on who you ask), but it is the Trope Codifier. (Those links take you to TV Tropes, the Black Hole of the internet. So, consider yourself and your free time warned.) One of the titans of horror, Jason has always been my guy (I have so many figures of the masked maniac), and this is the movie that started it all. I already own it in various mediums, including a Blu-Ray set signed by my pick for best overall Jason, Kane Hodder. But, this is an anniversary edition, supposedly with new added unrated footage, and it’s in a limited edition Steelbook, so, yeah, I’ll be getting this, and it’s my Pick of the Week.

The Hills Run Red (2009) “You heard the story. The one about the goriest, bloodiest splatter fest ever, the one made in the ’80s but mysteriously lost. Flash forward to now: Young fright fans search for the secret location where the movie was shot, hoping to find the film. what they find is that the mysterious slasher flick is more than a movie. It’s real. And they’re its newest stars. The Hills Run Red with a whole new level of horror as the terrified cinephiles confront a demented killer who wears a nightmarish babydoll mask. Wait, Babyface is just a character from the movie, right?. Wrong. He’s alive. He’s waiting. And he’s thrilled to meet fans who will die-slowly, gruesomely, shockingly- for his art. Roll camera!” Another meta horror flick, but it’s got William Sadler in it, and an interesting premise, so I’ll probably give this a look. It’s getting the patented SCREAM Factory Collector’s Edition treatment, and no, they’re still not paying me.

Primal Scream (1987) “In the future, a private detective tries to stop a large corporation from mining an element whose side effects include igniting human flesh and destroying internal body parts.” I somehow missed this sci-fi horror flick, and the premise is catchy, so it’s going on my “whenever I have time” list.

Pretty in Pink (1986) “Molly Ringwald is the smart girl from the wrong side of the tracks. Andrew McCarthy is the rich boy who genuinely loves her. And Jon Cryer is… just Duckie. And they are all back in the brand-new “Everything’s Duckie” Special Collector’s Edition of Pretty in Pink! Written by John Hughes and directed by Howard Deutch, Pretty in Pink will take you back to the prom… the laughter, the tears, and that very first kiss.” This movie is so iconic of the 80s that I forget it came out as late as it did in the decade. Sure, it’s not a genre piece, but, as I said, it’s iconic of the era, thanks to the work of John Hughes. If you want to know what it was like back then, watch this movie. And she should have totally gone with Ducky, even though he’s too good for her.

Hyde’s Secret Nightmare (2011) “Henry Chagall is a disgruntled scientist who suffers from impotence. His unfortunate situation leads him, and crippled assistant Hans, to explore unusual methods, including experimentation on fresh corpses. Henry finally succeeds in reanimating a deceased man’s reproductive organs by injecting a volatile fluid. Although it will take a decade to safely use on living subjects, Chagall decides to test the serum on himself.” An Italian erotic horror flick; the reviews state that it’s very bloody/gory in the extreme (including a penis bitten off and spit at the camera), and damn near pornography in its sex scenes, which involve necrophilia (with bonus maggots) at some points. I’m probably going to pass on this one, but I had to share that cover art.

LEGO DC: Shazam! – Magic and Monsters (2020) “10-year-old Billy Batson shouts a single word and, with lightning bolts flashing, he transforms into Shazam!, a full-fledged adult Super Hero. It doesn’t take long for Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman and the rest of the Justice League to take notice and invite the earnest do-gooder to join the team. But to become a member, Billy must reveal his true identity. While fighting off the evil Mr. Mind and Black Adam, Billy learns that he must trust others – and that nothing creates trust like helping those in need. Join the good fight with this giant-sized LEGO DC adventure!” It’s a LEGO™ superhero movie, so it’s probably going to be quite good. And there’s an edition that comes with a Captain Marvel mini-fig, so I’d go for that version, personally.

Other titles of note: Universal Horror Collection: Volume 5 (1941-1945), The Giant Spider Invasion (1975), Kill Mode (2020), Ultraman X Movie/Ultraman Ginga S Movie (2016)

As I said, not a whole lot out this week, but there are a few good picks in there, especially for horror fans. 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.

Well, my Physical Medians, the embarrassment of riches of the last few weeks had to end at some point. Which is good for my wallet! Maybe now I can catch up on some of the things that came out recently.

But that does make for a short article this week, so let me take a moment to plug a few things by people I like, that I think you’ll like as well!

First up, the new video from The Casket Creatures is out, for their song Bloody Mary! It’s a great song, a fun video, and I dare you to watch it five times!

Next up, also on the YouTube, the most excellent Dave of Needless Things has started doing toy unboxing videos, the most recent for a Newt figure from Aliens. They’re great videos, and unlike a lot of reviews on YouTube, he focuses on the toy, not the host’s “wacky” personality. Subscribe to his channel, to his podcast, and I guarantee you’ll be informed as well as entertained.

Oh, and watch the weekly American Sci-Fi Classics Track Quarantine panels. They’re alright.

With all those plugs out of the way, let’s get on with our filthy business.

We Summon the Darkness (2019) “The killing spree of murderous Satanists has already led to 18 deaths throughout America’s Heartland. Three best friends Alexis, Val, and Beverly embark on a road trip to a heavy metal music festival. Naive, they bond with three seemingly fun-loving dudes and soon the group heads off to Alexis’ country home, a very secluded place, for an afterparty. What should be a night of fun and youthful debauchery may instead take a dark, deadly turn. With killers on the loose, can anyone be trusted?” It stars a bunch of people I don’t know, and Johnny Knoxville. So, it has that going for it.

Straight Edge Kegger (2019) “After he thinks his straight edge friends have gone too far, young punk Brad decides to leave them behind when he meets happy-go-lucky partier Sean. He attends his first house party where he meets beautiful Maybe then all hell breaks loose. A group of masked intruders attacks the houseful of drunks and stoners making sure no one gets out alive. It’s up to Brad, Sean and Maybe to save the party in this blood-soaked thrill ride from writer and director Jason Zink.” Indy horror with an interesting premise from a newbie director. This is either really going to rock, or suck. Hopefully rock.

Doctor Who: The Complete Twelfth Series (2019-2020) You know, I’m not even going to bother with the B-R.com inaccurate gist. Here, from Wikipedia: “Jodie Whittaker returns for her second series as the Thirteenth Doctor, an incarnation of the Doctor, an alien Time Lord who travels through time and space in the TARDIS, which appears from the outside to be a British police box. It also stars Bradley Walsh, Tosin Cole and Mandip Gill as the Doctor’s travelling companions, Graham O’Brien, Ryan Sinclair and Yasmin Khan, respectively. The series follows the Thirteenth Doctor and her companions as they meet a new incarnation of the Master and SPOILER, the return of SPOILER, the appearance of SPOILER, the Cybermen, and the secret of the Timeless Child.” I put in the spoiler warnings. You’re welcome. I need to finish watching this season (the first part of this year was rough for me, my Physical Medians…unlike now?), but what I saw, I liked.

The Hunt (2019) “Twelve strangers wake up in a clearing. They don’t know where they are, or how they got there. They don’t know they’ve been chosen – for a very specific purpose – The Hunt.” A politically charged take on The Most Dangerous Game, I’ve heard very good and very bad reviews of this movie. The bad that I’ve heard has kept me from watching it for now, but I know that I’ll eventually give it a look.

The H-Man / Battle in Outer Space (1958-1959) Again, the B-R.com gist is useless, so here from IMDB, H-Man: “When a narcotics deal goes sour and a suspect disappears, leaving only his clothes, Tokyo police question his wife and stake out the nightclub where she works. His disappearance stumps the police – until a young scientist appears who claims that H-Bomb tests in the Pacific, evidenced by a “ghost ship” that has turned up in the harbor, have created radioactive creatures – “H-Men” – who ooze like slime and dissolve anyone they touch.” And for Battle in Outer Space: “The nations of the Earth unite in a common cause to fight off an invader from outer space.” Both of these are classics of Japanese Sci-Fi, and you can now own them both in one convenient set!

White Crane Chronicles (aka Kung Fu Killer I & II) (2008) “A Caucasian monk in Shanghai infiltrates the underworld to find the killers of his spiritual female Grandmaster.” A martial arts TV mini-series with David Carradine and Daryl Hanna that I somehow missed out on. Looking at the reviews, there are probably a few reasons for that.

Other titles of note: House of Many Sorrows (2019), The Dinner Party (2020), Voices (2020)

When I said there wasn’t a lot this week, my Physical Medians, I wasn’t kidding. In fact, my pick of the week for this week is last week’s Steelbook release of Watchmen: An HBO Limited Series.

Black Lives Matter.

Anyway, let me know which of this week’s releases 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.

Summer movie season would normally be fully upon us now, my Physical Medians, but, well…yeah. It’s getting scary out there, my friends. Please stay safe.

While we may not have a lot to see in the multiplex, we have a ton of things coming out for our home collections. So let’s get down to our filthy buisness.

Al Adamson: The Masterpiece Collection (1960-2019) “No synopsis for Al Adamson: The Masterpiece Collection.” Well, thanks much, B-R.com. Ok, for the unaware, Al was a king of B-Grade exploitation flicks in the 60s & 70s. I won’t say that any of them are masterpieces, but he is responsible for a few cult gems. And this collection gives you just about all of them. Included in this set from Severin Films are: “Blood & Flesh: The Reel Life & Ghastly Death of Al Adamson / The Female Bunch / Psycho A Go-Go / Fiend with the Electronic Brain / Blood of Ghastly Horror / Halfway to Hell / Five Bloody Graves / Blood of Dracula’s Castle /Horror of the Blood Monsters / Smashing the Crime Syndicate a.k.a The Fakers /Hell’s Bloody Devils / Dracula vs. Frankenstein / Brain of Blood / Satan’s Sadists / Angel’s Wild Women / The Naughty Stewardesses / Blazing Stewardesses / Girls For Rent / Jessi’s Girls / Nurses For Sale / Black Heat / The Dynamite Brothers / Mean Mother / Uncle Tom’s Cabin / Black Samurai / Death Dimension / Sunset Cove / Cinderella 2000 / Nurse Sherri / Carnival Magic / LOST” Whew! It will set you back a little over two-hundred clams, but if you love Al, cult flicks, or just want a ton of viewing options, this is the ultimate set for you.

Star Trek: Short Treks (2018) “No synopsis for Star Trek: Short Treks.” *sigh* B-R.com, you’re really starting to let me down here! Ok, per Wikipedia: “an American anthology web television series created for CBS All Access by Bryan Fuller and Alex Kurtzman. It originated as a spin-off companion series from Star Trek: Discovery, and consists of several shorts that use settings and characters from that series and the wider Star Trek universe. The shorts are around 10 to 20 minutes long.” From what I can see, this set contains all the shorts except for Children of Mars, which was the lead-in to Picard, so I bet it will be on the set for that show. My personal favorites are The Brightest Star, The Escape Artist, Q&A, and Ask Not. Give this a spin, my fellow Trek fans.

Jaws 45th Anniversary Edition (1975) “When a seaside community finds itself under attack by a great white shark, three men embark on a quest to kill it before it strikes again.” Anyone who knows me knows how much I love this movie. It’s the first movie that I saw in the theater, as my dad thought it was the perfect to take his four-year old son to see. I still clearly remember it, and it shaped my life in many, many ways. You don’t need me to sell you on this classic, and I can’t wait to pick up the Best Buy Steelbook, to go with all the other versions I already own. It’s also available in regular 4K and Blu. And you better believe that it’s my Pick of the Week.

Flash Gordon (1980) “When energy waves pull the moon out of orbit, New York Jets quarterback Flash Gordon unexpectedly finds himself heading for the planet Mongo, where, with assistance from the beautiful Dale Arden and the noble Prince Barin, he will face Emperor Ming the Merciless and rescue humanity.” A true 80s classic, I’m glad to see it getting the respect it deserves. This Best Buy exclusive 4K Steelbook is the version to get in my opinion, but you all know that I’m a sucker for Steelbooks. This movie is also a favorite of Classic Track Irregular Debbie Viguie, so this is her (unknowing) Pick of the Week!

Valhalla Rising (2009) “1000 AD, for years, One Eye, a mute warrior of supernatural strength, has been held prisoner by the Norse chieftain Barde. Aided by Are, a boy slave, One Eye slays his captor and together he and Are escape, beginning a journey into the heart of darkness. On their flight, One Eye and Are board a Viking vessel, but the ship is soon engulfed by an endless fog that clears only as the crew sights an unknown land. As the new world reveals its secrets and the Vikings confront their terrible and bloody fate, One Eye discovers his true self.” I’ve not seen this, but it stars Mads Mikkelsen, so I gotta give it a look.

Love Actually (2003) “Everywhere you look, love is causing chaos. From the bachelor Prime Minister of the United Kingdom who, on his first day at 10 Downing Street, falls in love with the girl who brings him his tea, to a hopeless sandwich delivery guy who doesn’t think he has a chance with the girls in the U.K., so he heads for Wisconsin. From aging rock stars, to a stony headmistress, to a monolingual Portuguese housemaid–love arrives in many forms, shapes and sizes. Here, ten separate–but intertwining–stories of love all lead up to a big climax on Christmas Eve, proving that love is the driving force in all of these people’s lives.” What?! Don’t look at me like that, this is totally a genre film. Rowan Atkinson is totally an angel. You know you love it. Tegan, back me up on this!

Watchmen: An HBO Limited Series (2019) “Set in an alternate history where masked vigilantes are treated as outlaws, Watchmen embraces the nostalgia of the original groundbreaking graphic novel of the same name, while attempting to break new ground of its own.” One of the best pieces of media to happen last year, and damn if it hasn’t become even more relevant, in light of recent events. If you haven’t seen this, you absolutely must, especially now. Available on 4K, Blu, and the obligatory Best Buy Steelbook. Tick tock.

The Blackout: Invasion Earth (2019) “The connection with most of the Earth was suddenly broken. The shocks did not affect only a small part, namely, 10% of the territory of Russia and partially neighboring territories. This part was called the “circle of life.” People conducted a new frontier, set up a defensive perimeter and sent reconnaissance groups outside it. They realized that there was an attack on the Earth, as a result of which almost all living things perished. In order to repel the mysterious enemy, they mobilized the army, and built outposts beyond the perimeter.” There have been some pretty cool genre flicks to come out of Russia, and this one looks interesting. Anyone seen it?

Creepshow: Season 1 (2019) “The fictional Creepshow comic books come to life in this anthology series of terrifying tales hosted by the silent Creepshow ghoul.” Brought to us by Greg Nicotero & Shudder, these 12 tales spread over six episodes were a nasty little treat. Like any anthology show, it has it’s ups and downs, but the ups are very good and the downs were tolerable. And my friend the Award Winning Bobby Nash is an extra in one episode, which just adds another reason to watch!

1BR (2019) “We all have apartment horror stories: annoying roommates, asshole landlords, dilapidated buildings, among many more nightmare scenarios. The search for a nice place to live in a desirable location with reasonable rents, decent neighbors and soundproof walls is more of a challenge than it should be, so when Sarah lucks into a sweet one-bedroom at Asilo Del Mar Apartments, she think she’s hit the jackpot. Situated on a quiet street in Los Angeles, it’s got plenty of space, friendly tenants, group BBQs and even a cute neighbor next door. But this being L.A., all is not what it seems: loud noises start keeping her awake at night; her cat is missing; everyone seems to be a little too helpful and friendly, except for the weirdo, Lester. Soon, Sarah learns she didn’t choose this apartment – it chose her.” Again, I will never understand B-R.com’s decisions on gist-writing. Two big releases get nothing, and this indy horror flick from what appears to be a first time writer/director gets a full paragraph. Nothing against this movie, by the way. It looks interesting, which is why I’m highlighting it here (indy horror is both my bag, and makes me happy more often than not) and I want to see how it is. I’m just baffled by B-R.com. Hey guys, I’m open for hire!

The Gates of Hell (1980) “The Seven Gates of Hell have been torn open, a reporter and a psychic race to close the portals of the damned.” I know that I mentioned this movie last week, and what I said still stands. I bring it up again as this looks like a different edition where it’s not paired up in a double-feature, and has a very cool cover.

Apollo 13 (1995) “Apollo 13 was just another “routine” space flight- until these words pierced the immense void of space: “Houston, we have a problem.” Simply a masterpiece. It captures one of the most important events of the space race, Howard is at the top of his directing game, Hanks and the rest of the cast are phenomenal, and now you can watch it in glorious 4K, Blu, and, yes, a Best Buy Steelbook.

Witches in the Woods (2019) “Jill, a tenacious UMass freshman, abandons her studies for an off-the-grid snowboarding trip with friends. But after the sun has dipped below the horizon, their SUV mysteriously becomes lost in the freshly-logged mountains, eventually running out of gas. As temperatures fall, the group dynamic unravels as a virtual and then literal witch hunt begins.” Another horror flick I haven’t heard of, but the poster and description have my interest.

Other titles of note: They Came from Beyond Space (1967), Extra Ordinary (2019), Everfall (2017), Ghostbusters 1 & 2 (1984-1989), Doom: Annihilation (2019), Snow White and the Huntsman (2012)

Like I said, there is a ton of stuff out this week, my Physical Medians. A metric ton of Steelbooks, but nothing from Shout!/SCREAM Factory, which I’m sure worried some of you that I hadn’t brought them up. Anyway, let me know which of this week’s releases are a must-buy for you, a pass, or which ones I missed!