Universal Pictures Home Entertainment is bringing “Reminders of Him” to home video. Directed by Vanessa Caswill, this moving romantic drama is written for the screen by Colleen Hoover and Lauren Levine. It’s an adaptation of Hoover’s 2022 best-selling novel that examines being a mother, finding forgiveness, and love’s ability to overcome past mistakes. Malika Monroe (“Longlegs”, “Watcher”) and Tyriq Withers (“Him”, “I Know What You Did Last Summer”) star.

“Reminders of Him” will be available to own on Blu-ray with digital copy on May 19th. See below for a synopsis of the film as well as release information along with a list of special features.

About the Film:

Year: 2026

Runtime: 114 Minutes

Director: Vanessa Caswill

Screenwriters: Colleen Hoover, Lauren Levine

Cast: Malika Monroe, Tyriq Withers, Lauren Graham, Bradley Whitford, Rudy Pankow, Zoe Kosovic, Monika Myers

Rating: PG-13 Sexual content, strong language, drug content, some violent content, and brief partial nudity

Desperate to rebuild her life with a daughter she has never known, Kenna (Monroe) finds unexpected compassion in a secret romance with local bar owner Ledger (Withers). As dangers develop for both of them, Kenna hopes to find a second chance amid unbearable heartbreak. Director Vanessa Caswill (Love at First Sight) tells an unexpected love story rooted in passion, heartbreak, and hope for what’s next.

Special Features:

“Reminders of Him” Blu-ray and digital releases contain the following new special features:

• DELETED SCENES
  • Kenna Meets the Landrys for Dinner
  • Ledger Working on House / T-ball Game
  • Kenna Asks Her Mother for Help
• THE PATH TO REDEMPTION – Uncover Kenna Rowan’s journey of redemption and the parallel love stories that guide her path out of the darkness.
• TURNING THE PAGE – From page to screen, Colleen Hoover’s characters are known worldwide.  Hear from cast and crew why it was so important to have this beloved author turned screenwriter on set.
• OUR ADVENTURE – Get to know the incredible team of filmmakers who brought the film to fruition in this deep-diving making-of.

On this day in 1944 a young George Walton Lucas Jr. was born in Modesto, California. Like so many of us, he grew up loving comic books and science fiction, having a special affection for the Flash Gordon serials. And while he aspired to be a racecar driver, a near fatal accident changed his mind. Filmmaking became his passion, starting in Junior College and on through his time at the University of Southern California. And of course we all know how his career blossomed from there.

Lucas made his feature film debut in 1971 with his dystopian sci-fi thriller “THX 1138”. He followed it up in 1973 with the coming-of-age classic “American Graffiti”. But it was in 1977 that he took an ambitious swing that would change the cinematic landscape in ways he never expected. “Star Wars” took the world by storm and launched what is arguably the most beloved entertainment franchises of all time. He was also instrumental in creating the iconic Indiana Jones character and he founded LucasFilm, LucasArts, THX, and Industrial Light & Magic. But it’s Star Wars that he will forever be known for.

Frequent readers know how much I love Star Wars. As a kid, I watched the original trilogy on repeat. I played with the toys. I read the storybooks. I wore the pajamas. I carried the lunchbox. If it was Star Wars related, I probably had a part. Later, I would watch his prequel trilogy as many times as I could in the theaters; read the Star Wars comics till the covers came off; dove head-first into “The Clone Wars” animated series; and so on. And it hasn’t stopped. Whether it’s on the big screen, small screen, or page, I’m still invested in this sprawling world.

So needless to say, a huge part of my childhood was influenced by the creative force that is George Lucas. And even today, some of my favorite entertainment involves the franchise that he created nearly 50 years ago and that is now carried on by others. For that reason I had to write a small but heartfelt tribute on his 82nd birthday. George Lucas is a name that many of us have revered since taking our first trip to his galaxy far, far away. Happy Birthday Mr. Lucas.

Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment is bringing “The Bride!” to home video via a special 4K Ultra HD SteelBook edition and on Blu-ray and DVD. Written, directed, and produced by Maggie Gyllenhaal, “The Bride!” offered up a new spin on the 1935 horror classic “The Bride of Frankenstein”. Though the movie struggled at the box office, it features a top-notch cast and a very particular sense of style. Now it will be available to own physically and digitally.

“The Bride!” will be available to own on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and DVD on May 19th. See below for a full synopsis of the film as well as release information including a list of special features.

About the Film:

Year: 2026

Runtime: 126 Minutes

Director: Maggie Gyllenhaal

Screenwriter: Maggie Gyllenhaal

Cast: Jessie Buckley, Christian Bale, Peter Sarsgaard, Jake Gyllenhaal, Penélope Cruz, Annette Benning, John Magaro, Matthew Maher, Zlatko Burić, Jeannie Berlin, Julianne Hough, Louis Cancelmi

Rating: R for strong/bloody violent content, sexual content/nudity and language

A lonely “Frank” (Bale) travels to 1930s Chicago to ask groundbreaking scientist Dr. Euphronious (five-time Oscar nominee Annette Bening) to create a companion for him. The two revive a murdered young woman and The Bride (Buckley) is born. What ensues is beyond what either of them imagined: Murder! Possession! A radical cultural movement! And outlaw lovers in a wild and combustible romance!

Special Features:

“The Bride!” Digital release and 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray contain the following new special features:

• Stitching Together The Bride! (8:15)Uncover the artistry behind The Bride! with exclusive footage and revealing interviews. From Maggie Gyllenhaal’s daring direction to the cast’s transformative performances, witness how this modern masterpiece was brought to life. 
• Designing the Look (8:44)From first sketch to final transformation, explore how The Bride!’s unforgettable creatures took shape. With exclusive make-up tests, behind-the-scenes footage, and cast insights, discover the artistry that turned vision into cinematic legend. 
• The Muse and the Reimagined Monster (8:02)In The Bride!, Jessie Buckley and Christian Bale embody the intertwined forces of creation and consequence. Guided by Maggie Gyllenhaal’s vision, their performances reveal how love, pain, and artistry can reanimate even the darkest myths. 
• The Bride! Party (6:15)A bride is always the center of attention—especially this one. Annette Bening, Penélope Cruz, Julianne Hough, John Magaro, and Peter Sarsgaard reveal their deepest thoughts on The Bride, Frank, and the unforgettable film they all leapt to be in.

How’s this for a premise – five twenty-ish ballerinas turn their dance moves into a brutal fighting style as they combat violent gangsters intent on killing them. That’s what director Vicky Jewson serves up with the stylish and fun “Pretty Lethal”. Sound silly? Well it certainly is. But Jewson finds a nice balance by not taking things too seriously but yet never winking at the camera. The tone can be a bit erratic. But the film remains entertaining throughout.

Screenwriter Kate Freund tells a girl-power story that avoids many of the traps that movies of its kind often fall into. It does so because Freund and Jewson stick close to their wild genre-bending vision. The story itself is straightforward to a fault, barely putting any time into developing its world or exploring its characters beyond the archetypes they are. But the genre elements surprisingly click, and the impressive cast fully commits to the blood-soaked chaos that unfolds in the film’s brisk 88 minutes.

“Pretty Lethal” follows a talented yet dysfunctional ballet troupe from Los Angeles who are invited to compete at the prestigious and potentially life-changing Budapest Showcase. Held together by their supportive teacher, Thorna (Lydia Leonard), the five young ladies are prima ballerinas whenever they’re able to put aside their petty differences and work as a troupe. But that’s easier said than done.

The tough outsider Bones (Maddie Ziegler), the pampered rich girl Princess (Lana Condor), the openly religious Grace (Avantika Vandanapu), the sensitive Zoe (Iris Apatow), and her hearing-impaired sister Chloe (Millicent Simmonds) arrive in Hungary with Thorna. But their trip hits a snag after a mixup at the airport forces them to take a clunker of a bus which promptly breaks down on a remote country road.

Realizing they will lose their spot to alternates if they don’t make it to the theater in time, Thorna and her dancers grab their things and set out walking. They eventually arrive at the out-of-the-way Teremok Inn which is ran by its mysterious owner, Devora Kasimer (Uma Thurman). The group gathers in the inn’s restaurant and bar where they make an alarming discovery – in reality, the Teremok is a safe haven for mobsters.

But before they can leave the group has a violent encounter with Pasha (Tamás Szabó Sipos), the psychotic son of a powerful crime boss. Things spiral from there as the five ballerinas are locked inside with a mass of gangsters ordered to kill them before they can escape. Of course our tutu-sporting protagonists learn the hard way that the only way to survive is to work together. So they unleash their own special brand of “ballet-fu”, ferociously using everything from their flexibility to their choreography with delightfully bloody results.

Jewson doesn’t hold back on the violence or the absurdity. It’s hard not to let out a gasp at the brutality of some of the action. At the same time, it’s hard not to laugh at the lethal pirouettes, as ballerina’s armed with razor blades in the toes of their pointe shoes cut through waves of angry wise guys. Meanwhile Thurman chews the scenery in the best of ways, laying on the sinister villainy that’s both menacing and hilarious. Yet she brings an unexpected empathy that adds more layers to her character than first expected.

“Pretty Lethal” is another genre cocktail that has enough self-awareness to keep our expectations in check. We know what it is going in, and Jewson delivers exactly what she promises. I do wish the characters were given more depth, and it would be nice if the world was better defined. But it’s hard not to enjoy the all-in performances, the amusing interplay, the terrific production design, and the stylishly original action that is equal parts visceral and comical.

VERDICT – 3.5 STARS

Horror fans can rejoice. The Evil Dead franchise is returning to the big screen with “Evil Dead Burn”. And by the looks of its gnarly first trailer, the team behind it hasn’t forgotten what has made the series so beloved. Original creator Sam Raimi returns to produce another terrifying chapter of squirm-inducing supernatural horror. Sébastien Vaniček directs and co-writes, with Souheila Yacoub, Tandi Wright, Hunter Doohan, and Luciane Buchanan starring.

“Evil Dead Burn” is the six feature film in the franchise and the third standalone movie since the 2013 loose reboot. It follows Alice (Yocoub) who moves in with her in-laws after the tragic loss of her husband. But after someone reads script from the dreaded Necronomicon, a malicious supernatural force is unleashed on the family. And from what we see in the well-earned red band trailer, the results are exactly what Evil Dead fans have come to expect. It’s obviously not for the faint of heart. But what can I say – I’ll be there day one!

“Evil Dead Burn” hits theaters on July 10th. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.

A couple of months ago Universal Pictures dropped a teaser for what is undoubtedly one of the most highly anticipated movie releases of 2026. Now they have given us the first full trailer for Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey”. The teaser was a terrific cinematic introduction to this ambitious big screen epic. The full trailer gives us a better taste of the film’s dramatic elements. We see more of the sterling cast and we get an even better grasp of the scope Nolan is going for. In a nutshell, “The Odyssey” looks amazing.

Nolan writes, directs, and produces what is the most expensive movie of his already legendary career (estimates have the film’s budget at $250 million). Based on Homer’s classic work, the film chronicles the journey of Odysseus (Matt Damon), the king of Ithaca, as he makes his way home to his wife Penelope (Anne Hathaway) and son Telemachus (Tom Holland) following the brutal Trojan War. His path proves to be full of peril, including encounters with enemy soldiers, massive storms, and mythological creatures. We see a little of it all in the new trailer which is more than enough to get my blood pumping.

“The Odyssey” comes exclusively to theaters on July 17th. Check out the new trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.