Best 4K Blu Ray Movie DVD Releases In 2024
Pop-culture collections have become a personal signifier unlike ever before, and physical media — especially Blu-rays and 4K discs — is no exception. Whether your library is meticulously curated or a clearinghouse for every title no matter how big or small, it tells a story about your interests, appetites, and general passion for entertainment. Moreover, as the industry increasingly veers towards streaming as its primary mode of distribution, these discs still remain the best way to guarantee the availability of many titles, often in the best available presentation.
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Ahead of consumers’ own winnowing of what’s available, Variety has collected its own list of releases worth checking out: there are a few titles arriving on disc after their theatrical or broadcast runs, some upgraded or featuring expanded supplemental material, and still others that have never before been released in a physical format.
American Movie (Sony Pictures Home Entertainment)
American Movie (Sony Pictures Home Entertainment)
Commemorating its 25th anniversary, Chris Smith’s documentary about Mark Borchardt is at once a chronicle of an aspiring filmmaker’s scrappy determination and also a character study about a man whose reach exceeds his grasp. Though it was previously released on Blu-ray in 2022 (for the first time ever), the new edition not only features all of that version’s special features but also “Coven,” Borchardt’s short film, offering viewers an opportunity to see the fruit of his unpolished labor.
Drag Me to Hell (Shout! Factory)
Drag Me to Hell (Shout! Factory)
To be honest, I will stump for this film at any opportunity, but Sam Raimi’s “comeback-to-horror” film has been available more or less consistently since its 2009 release, all of which makes this release special. Not only does it feature a new 4K scan approved by Raimi and editor Bob Murawski, but on top of a library of legacy special features, it includes “Pardon My Curse,” a brand-new two-hour behind-the-scenes documentary about the film.
Heavenly Bodies (Fun City)
Heavenly Bodies (Fun City)
Cult films often fall into familiar genres — horror, sci-fi — but “Heavenly Bodies” has developed a fervent following less because of that than the era in which it was released: the 1980s. A cable and VHS staple whose poster/ cover resembles Adrian Lyne’s “Flashdance” more than a little bit, this drama leveraged the aerobics craze to tell the story of a young woman who dreams of opening her own fitness studio. Marking its first time on home video in over 30 years, Fun City’s disc features a transfer pulled from a 4K restoration, an audio commentary and a new interview with star Cynthia Dale.
Hollywood 90028 (Grindhouse Releasing)
Hollywood 90028 (Grindhouse Releasing)
Among boutique home video labels, Grindhouse Releasing has in its library a couple of huge titles, including Lucio Fulci’s “The Beyond,” Ruggero Deodato’s “Cannibal Holocaust” and my favorite, Juan Piquer Simón’s sublime “Pieces.” But their aptitude for finding thrilling obscurities is second to none, and their new three-disc set for Christina Hornisher’s 1973 film “Hollywood 90028” canonizes an extraordinary movie that will satisfy any slasher fan. A predecessor to other L.A.-based cult classics like “Angel” (much less descendants like “MaXXXine”), the film is not only sourced from a 4K restoration but features audio commentaries, interviews with the cast and crew, and even a CD of the soundtrack by composer Basil Poledouris. This is indisputably the least well-known film in this month’s column, but that also likely makes it the most rewarding to pick up.
A Nightmare on Elm Street (Warner Home Video)
A Nightmare on Elm Street (Warner Home Video)
Wes Craven’s masterpiece (one of them, anyway) comes to UHD with this new edition, featuring a collection of bonus features that have been previously released, and excitingly, an uncut version that’s been released internationally and on certain formats in the past (such as laserdisc) but never before digitally. Craven’s vision remains as chilling and inventive as ever, and it’s never looked better.
The Project A Collection (88 Films)
The Project A Collection (88 Films)
Given how admired Jackie Chan is for his stunt work, it’s been great to see many of his films celebrated with the respect and prestige they deserve, such as “Police Story” and its sequel getting a release from Criterion Collection. 88 Films offers a wide selection of international titles — many released only internationally — but their latest box set collects Chan’s 1983 film “Project A” and its 1987 sequel in a four-disc set featuring multiple cuts of each film, audio commentaries, featurettes, interviews and limited-edition packaging that houses a 100-page illustrated collector’s book.
Shawscope Volume 3 (Arrow Video)
Shawscope Volume 3 (Arrow Video)
No box sets make me more excited than Arrow’s Shawscope series, which will premiere its Volume 3 this October. Along with a 4K restoration of one of the storied studio’s bona fide classics, “One-Armed Swordsman,” the box features 13 other films restored in 2K including two of its sequels as well as an illustrated 60-page booklet filled with essays and articles about the included titles, tons of bonus features and a CD collecting library music cues that were used in the films. Whether you’re a completist adding to your collection or just dipping your toe into classic martial arts cinema, this box offers an incredible landscape to explore.
The Sixth Sense (Disney/ Buena Vista)
The Sixth Sense (Disney/ Buena Vista)
M. Night Shyamalan’s breakthrough film feels like the platonic ideal of a “sleeper hit”: it came seemingly out of nowhere, became the second-highest-grossing film of 1999, received six Oscar nominations, and anointed the filmmaker overnight as the next auteur that the public should follow (if also prepare themselves for his affinity for twist endings). Released alongside “Signs,” the film is presented for the first time in 4K and high dynamic range.
Veep: The Complete Series (Warner Home Video)
Veep: The Complete Series (Warner Home Video)
Over seven seasons, Armando Iannucci’s chronicle of a calculating career politician exposed only too vividly how the sausage gets made in Washington, D.C. Arriving at the perfect time — just ahead of a complicated and contentious election — this box set not only collects the entire series but all of the bonus materials for each episode. Admittedly, it seems unlikely to inspire a lot of confidence during a campaign season in which one of the candidates’ trajectory has more than distantly followed that of Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ Selina Meyer, but if nothing else, the show delivers a lot of laughs and may prepare idealists for the potential realities of American life after November 2024.
Zodiac (Paramount Home Entertainment)
Zodiac (Paramount Home Entertainment)
David Fincher is a filmmaker whose work not only deserves to be seen in 4K, but feels engineered to be. “Zodiac” is now largely considered a masterpiece, but that reputation feels somewhat hard-won after an initial theatrical release that failed to make waves commercially. Paramount’s new release includes a UHD transfer of the film, along with Blu-ray discs that feature legacy bonus content that explores the film and its making in more depth.
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (Paramount Home Entertainment)
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Previously only available as part of the “Paramount Scares” collection, the 4K Blu-ray edition of Tim Burton’s adaptation of Stephen Sondheim’s musical thriller is now available individually, and includes a number of featurettes chronicling the film’s origins on stage, and the process of adapting it for the screen. The film received Oscar nominations for Depp as best actor and costume design, and won for production design. All of those aspects are thoroughly examined in the bonus materials along with pristine presentation of the film.
Late Night With the Devil (IFC Films/ Shudder)
Late Night With the Devil
Starring David Dastmalchian, Colin and Cameron Cairnes’ Spring 2024 breakout unsettled audiences with an inventive take on the stories told in films like “Rosemary’s Baby.” The Blu-ray not only features a commentary track by Dastmalchian, but a Q&A with its directors and behind-the-scenes footage — and if you order the limited-edition steelbook, it comes with a Night Owls air freshener, an autographed photo of the movie’s fictional talk show host, Jack Delroy, a bookmark and more.
Inside Out 2 (Disney/ Buena Vista)
Inside Out 2
Pixar’s “Inside Out 2” will be eliciting even more emotions in 4K Ultra HD. Available in a steelbook set as well as on Blu-ray and DVD, the highest-grossing animated movie of all time will feature new bonus content, including deleted scenes that introduce additional emotions inside Riley’s head that were cut from the film. The physical release also offers a nice reminder of the film ahead of its inevitable awards campaign — not just for animated feature, but likely adapted screenplay and even best picture.
The Dragon Painter (Milestone/ Kino International)
The Dragon Painter
This 1919 drama, which was added to the National Film Registry in 2014, marks one of the earliest (and more than 100 years later, only remaining) films made in Hollywood featuring an all-Asian cast. Restored in 4K for the 2023 San Francisco Film Festival, this star vehicle for actor Sessue Hayakawa (who later appeared in “The Bridge on the River Kwai”) looks better than ever, and features two bonus features, “The Man Beneath” and “His Birthright.” It’s a must for fans of silent cinema and those seeking complex portraits of Asian characters in U.S. entertainment in that era.
Bringing Out the Dead (Paramount Home Entertainment)
Bringing Out the Dead
Written by Paul Schrader, this 1999 film about a melancholy New York City paramedic is among Martin Scorsese’s most underappreciated. Getting a transfer in 4K would probably be enough — it is overdue (and then some) from returning to the cinephile discourse — but the extras on this release are pretty extraordinary: there are featurettes on Scorsese, Schrader, cinematographer Robert Richardson, and stars Nicolas Cage, Patricia Arquette, John Goodman, Ving Rhames, Tom Sizemore and Marc Anthony. Whether or not you decide it joins the ranks of Scorsese’s best, this release is by far the best way to put the film to the test.
Friday the 13th (2009) (Arrow Video)
Friday the 13th (2009) (Arrow Video)
Director Marcus Nispel’s update (technically a remake, but not really accurate in terms of story) of “Friday the 13th” remains one of the best entries in the slasher movie franchise. The original Blu-ray from its release in 2009 included some terrific extras (including a trivia track — always a favorite), but as always, Arrow assembles so much material to accompany their 4K UHD transfer, if both the theatrical and extended cuts of the movie, that it’s a true embarrassment of riches. There are two new audio commentaries, new interviews with Nispel and screenwriters Mark Swift and Damian Shannon, and a video essay defending remakes — using one of the best examples of why horror fans shouldn’t fear them. All of this is accompanied by the legacy bonus content, making this the definitive edition of the film on physical media.
Happiness (Criterion)
Happiness
Todd Solondz’ idiosyncratic, transgressive 1998 film manages to be as shocking as it is hilarious, thanks to performances by Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Jane Adams and Dylan Baker that defy convention at every turn. Criterion’s new 4K disc features a full restoration of the film, presented in Dolby Vision HDR, an interview with Baker as well as a new conversation between Solondz and filmmaker Charlotte Wells (“Aftersun”).
Caligula: The Ultimate Cut (Unobstructed View)
Caligula: The Ultimate Cut
One of the most notorious films ever released, “Caligula” comes to physical media in a new cut that attempts to restore the vision of Gore Vidal’s screenplay and minimize the explicit (and largely superfluous) sexual content that director Bob Guccione injected into the film. Released in a limited, numbered UHD edition, the set comes with two versions of the film (its “Ultimate” cut and the 1980 theatrical version), two commentary tracks, three documentaries and a copy of the film’s soundtrack.
A League of Their Own (Sony Pictures Home Entertainment)
A League of Their Own
Penny Marshall’s 1992 tribute to the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League is set for 4K Ultra HD release featuring a new version transferred from the original camera negative. The release includes Dolby Vision, along with English Dolby Atmos, English 5.1, and English 2-channel surround sound options. The 4K disc features a collection of domestic and international trailers, while the Blu-ray includes an extensive selection of special features, such as a feature commentary by director Penny Marshall and actresses Lori Petty, Tracy Reiner, and Megan Cavanagh, the “Nine Memorable Innings” documentary and several deleted scenes. Fans will also be able to watch three episodes from the 1993 TV series, and Madonna’s music video for “This Used to Be My Playground.” How this didn’t rack up 10+ Oscar nominations during its time is a crime.
Body Double (Sony Pictures Home Entertainment)
Body Double
Calling Brian De Palma’s 1984 film starring Craig Wasson and Melanie Griffith a “murder mystery” is accurate but wildly undersells the glossy, lurid thrills it contains. Celebrating its 40th anniversary, the 4K release features archival interviews with De Palma, Wasson and Griffith, the “Body Double” version of the music video for Frankie Goes to Hollywood’s song “Relax,” a stills gallery and additional featurettes. One of the “if you know you know” films in the director’s body of work, “Body Double” is overdue for the sort of canonization that this release provides, and offers a master class in staging elaborate, gruesome and still sexy sequences.
Collateral (Paramount Home Entertainment)
Collateral
While Michael Mann’s 2006 “Miami Vice” experiences such a resurgence in popularity among cinephiles that it appears to be zeroing in on “Heat”-level canonization, its predecessor in his filmography, this cat-and-mouse thriller starring Tom Cruise and Jamie Foxx, celebrates its 20th anniversary this month. Paramount’s 4K release — by far the best way to view Mann’s digital cinematography — not only features an audio commentary by the filmmakers but a deleted scene and making-of documentary.
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (Warner Home Video)
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
George Miller’s “Mad Max: Fury Road” prequel may have tread only lightly while in theaters, but its 4K UHD Blu-ray gives its fans an opportunity to ride, shiny and chrome, over and over again. Thankfully the production was not quite as arduous as its notorious predecessor; even so, five featurettes further expand the world of the film. Though not included, a “black and chrome” version is also due out this month. If for some reason you don’t own the previous four films, a box set containing the whole series is due in September.
Succession: The Complete Series (Warner Home Video)
Succession: The Complete Series
Few television series seemed to capture the personal, economic and political complexities of the modern media landscape better than Jesse Armstrong’s “Succession,” at least for viewers who could (and likely did) apply its Shakespearean maneuvers to actual media empires like Fox News magnate Rupert Murdoch. This box set compiles all four seasons along with featurettes, character recaps, interviews and more.
Demons / Demons 2 (Synapse Films)
Demons / Demons 2
Even if only for Claudio Simonetti’s incredible score to the first film, Lamberto Bava’s “Demons” is one of the genre’s great underappreciated series. Synapse has had distribution of them on lock for decades, and they’re now delivering the ultimate presentation of both: 4K UHD. The limited-edition set features both films (two versions of the first one), commentaries, documentaries, featurettes and more.
Can’t Hardly Wait (Sony Pictures Home Entertainment)
Can't Hardly Wait [4K UHD] [Blu-ray]
Released in 1998, “Can’t Hardly Wait” felt like a cheeky tribute to the 1980s John Hughes movies that made teen trials into delightful dramatic boilerplate. SPHE’s new 4K disc draws its transfer from the original negative, features HDR and Dolby Atmos mixes approved by co-writers/directors Deborah Kaplan and Harry Elfont, and in addition to collecting a treasure trove of existing bonus content, features 11 newly uncovered alternate and deleted scenes.
Prime Cut (Kino Lorber)
Prime Cut
Featuring fantastic performances by Lee Marvin, Sissy Spacek and Gene Hackman, as well as one of Lalo Schifrin’s great lost scores, this film from “Fletch” director Michael Ritchie is way overdue for reappraisal by cinephile collectors the world over. Featuring a 4K scan of the original camera negative and two brand-new commentaries, this disc gives the film new life, and the best-ever presentation for people to watch it.
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (Disney/ Buena Vista)
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes
Wes Ball’s “Apes” series update extends the franchise timeline back towards the events of the original film while offering some thrilling new possibilities for storytelling. After three installments featuring groundbreaking performance-capture work, this is the first film to include a version of the film that shows audiences what the actors looked like on set before they were replaced by state-of-the-art CGI. Additionally, the set features a documentary about the making of the film and 14 (!) deleted or extended scenes.
The Mexico Trilogy (El Mariachi, Desperado and Once Upon A Time In Mexico) (Arrow Video)
The Mexico Trilogy
Robert Rodriguez’ “Mexico Trilogy” finally gets collected in packaging suitable for its status as a great, gritty film series thanks to Arrow Video. The label not only collects all of the existing bonus materials — including Rodriguez’ invaluable “Ten Minute Film School” featurettes — but adds new interviews with the filmmaker and his collaborators for a proper retrospective look at its tremendous success and influence.
Real Life / Mother (Criterion Collection)
Real Life / Mother
Criterion expands its celebration of Albert Brooks’ small-but-mighty filmography with two new editions of his first film, the reality-TV satire “Real Life” (made before true reality TV actually existed) and his 1996 two-hander “Mother,” co-starring Debbie Reynolds. Both feature new interviews with Brooks and his collaborators as well as promotional materials (including a 3D trailer for “Real Life”) directed by the filmmaker himself.
Femme (Utopia Distribution)
Femme
Though it snuck under the radar during its theatrical release earlier this year, Sam H. Freeman and Ng Choon Ping’s feature directorial debut absolutely deserves to be watched — and inevitably, discussed at length. The disc from Utopia features a stills gallery and a featurette about the film, but the physical disc will absolutely be the best way to watch the duo’s transgressive story of a drag performer who becomes involved with the perpetrator of the homophobic hate crime against them.
Who’s That Girl (Shout)
Who's That Girl [Blu-ray]
After soliciting the underrated ballad “Live to Tell” from Madonna for his underrated 1986 drama “At Close Range,” director James Foley helmed this effervescent star vehicle for the Material Girl. It depends on one’s love for the pop star of whether or not it qualifies as any sort of classic, but a new 2K restoration, paired with a new commentary by film historian Russell Dyball at least guarantees that it will be properly contextualized among her film projects — much less in viewers’ hearts.
Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid (Criterion)
Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid (The Criterion Collection) [4K UHD]
Sam Peckinpah’s final Western (unless you count “Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia,” I suppose) has experienced a bumpy ride en route to proper canonization: after it was panned upon initial release in 1973, rediscovered alternate versions (and eventually, reconstructed new ones) slowly rebuilt its reputation as a languid, meditative and beautiful treatise on the fading myth of the American West. Criterion’s set features three of those versions, two restored in 4K, along with a new audio commentary, a making-of documentary and more.
Civil War (Lionsgate Films)
Civil War 4K + Bluray + Digital AMZ Exclusive [4K UHD]
Alex Garland’s film about a band of combat photographers navigating the uncertain terrain of an America torn apart by civil conflict comes home with a six-part documentary and the film’s theatrical trailer. Divorced (or at least distanced) from the discourse surrounding its release — curiosity and judgment about its refusal to take sides, or explain the back story of its divisions — may help it play better on the small screen. The included documentary explores how Garland was able to create such a vivid and palpable backdrop of war on what may have been A24’s biggest-ever budget (at a reported $40 million), but by Hollywood standards is pocket change.
Rocky I-VI Film Collection (Warner Bros. Home Entertainment)
Rocky 6-Film Collection (4K Ultra HD + Digital) [4K UHD]
As much as “Creed” carried forward the mantle of the “Rocky” franchise, the original films — some of them, anyway — continue to endure as powerfully emotional cinematic experiences. A new 4K set collects not only all six of the “Rocky”-centric titles, but includes director’s cuts of both “Rocky IV” (now titled “Rocky vs. Drago”) and the character’s solo swan song, “Rocky Balboa.” In addition to the films themselves, there’s a documentary about the creation of the “Rocky IV” director’s cut, and a treasure trove of extras on “Rocky Balboa,” giving even longtime fans a chance to experience new material about their favorite (sometime) underdog.
Girl on the Bridge (Kino Lorber)
Girl on the Bridge [Blu-ray]
About a carnival knife thrower (Daniel Auteuil) and the suicidal girl (Vanessa Paradis) who becomes his assistant, Patrice Leconte’s 1999 film explores a vivid and mesmerizing romance, even in black and white. Kino Lorber’s new edition features trailers, an audio commentary by film critic Manuela Lazic and a 1992 short film by Leconte. Criminally underappreciated — especially by cinephiles who like their love stories a little, ahem, sharper-edged.
Farewell, My Concubine (Criterion)
Farewell My Concubine (The Criterion Collection) [4K UHD]
First released in 1993 during the peak of Chinese fifth wave cinema, Chen Kaige’s historical drama about two Peking opera actors remains one of the era’s most beautiful and affecting films. Criterion premieres its director’s cut in 4K for the first time along with a 2003 documentary about the film’s making, a vintage interview with Kaige, and a conversation between Chinese cultural studies scholar Michael Berry and film producer Janet Yang about its artistic inspirations and cinematic impact.
The Crippled Masters (Film Masters)
The Crippled Masters (Special Edition)
As politically incorrect as it is absolutely thrilling to watch, director Joe Law’s 1979 martial arts film follows two men who train in kung fu in order to seek revenge upon the cruel teacher who disabled them. Shaw Brothers fans may find the film slightly less polished than the action epics to which they’re accustomed, but Film Masters’ new disc features a 2K transfer from the original film elements, a commentary track and a new documentary exploring its making and legacy.
Ted Lasso: The Richmond Way (Warner Bros. Home Entertainment)
Ted Lasso: The Richmond Way BD [Blu-ray]
The explosively popular Apple+ series “Ted Lasso” comes to physical media in a set that not only collects all three seasons of the show but includes a limited-edition, double-sided “Believe” poster, available while supplies last.
The Man From U.N.C.L.E. (Arrow Home Video)
The Man From U.N.C.L.E. [Limited Edition]
One of Guy Ritchie’s best films, this 2015 riff on the 1964 television series of the same name features a spectacular cast (including Henry Cavill, Alicia Vikander, Elizabeth Debicki, Jared Harris and, yes, Armie Hammer) and some of the best spy action you’re likely to see outside of the James Bond franchise. Arrow’s fantastic 4K set, which comes in beautiful packaging with a collector’s book and double-sided, fold-out poster, features a new audio commentary, two new interviews, two new featurettes, and an additional library of archival materials exploring the making of the film.
Ennio (Music Box Films)
Ennio [Blu-ray]
Released in theaters earlier this year, Giuseppe Tornatore’s documentary offers an essential portrait of one of greatest film composers of all time, if not the greatest. After that limited run, Music Box’s Blu-ray guarantees that it will come to your corner of the moviegoing world, complete with an interview with Tornatore, behind the scenes footage of Morricone’s office concert, and a deleted scene.
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