Universal Pictures Home Entertainment is bringing Steven Soderbergh’s exhilarating spy thriller “Black Bag” to home video. Released in theaters in mid-March, “Black Bag” remains one of the best films of 2025 thanks to David Koepp’s razor-sharp script and two dynamic lead performances from Michael Fassbender and Cate Blanchett. But ultimately it’s Soderbergh, whose signature style and pinpoint precision energizes every facet of the storytelling. And now you can bring this gem home.

This new Blu-ray edition of “Black Bag” comes with a digital copy and will be available to purchase on May 13th. See below for a full synopsis of the film as well as release info including a list of special features.

About the Film:

Year: 2025

Runtime: 94 Minutes

Director: Steven Soderbergh

Screenwriter: David Koepp

Cast: Michael Fassbender, Cate Blanchett, Pierce Brosnan, Regé-Jean Page, Marisa Abela, Tom Burke, Naomie Harris, Kae Alexander, Ambika Mod

Rating: R for language including some sexual references, and some violence

From Academy Award-winning Director Steven Soderbergh, “BLACK BAG” is a gripping spy drama about legendary intelligence agents George Woodhouse (Michael Fassbender) and his beloved wife Kathryn (Cate Blanchett). When she is suspected of betraying the nation, George faces the ultimate test – loyalty to his marriage or his country.

Special Features:

• Deleted Scenes
• “The Company of Talent” – In the world of spies, there are no small players. Join the ensemble cast and learn about their distinct character motivations, secrets, and overall creative approach to bringing each role to life under the direction of Steven Soderbergh.
• “Designing BLACK BAG” – Enter the world of espionage and collect intelligence on the production design, costumes, makeup, and special effects that came together to embody the looks of each character and the aesthetic of each space they inhabit.

Debuting in 1997, the Thunderbolts were created for Marvel Comics by Kurt Busiek and Mark Bagley. The idea was a cool one – a team of antiheroes/supervillains taking on missions in their search for something resembling redemption. To no surprise they’ve seen several iterations over the years. Creatives Warren Ellis and Mike Deadato Jr. delivered my favorite which came in the wake of “Civil War” and saw none other than Norman Osborn take the reins.

Now the Thunderbolts have found their way into the Marvel Cinematic Universe through a movie that feels much more in tune with the current MCU product than the comic book source material. Directed by Jake Schreier, “Thunderbolts*” features a handful of MCU leftovers who lack the drawing power to headline their own show or movie. Aside from Sebastian Stan’s Bucky Barnes, all are post-Endgame second and third stringers who range from moderately interesting to mostly forgettable.

In many ways “Thunderbolts*” is yet another superhero team-up movie with many of the same tricks and tropes we’re accustomed to. But Schreier, along with screenwriters Eric Pearson and Joanna Calo, attempt to add some originality by taking the story into some darker directions. Aside from the obligatory action and another uneven MCU villain (more on him in a second), “Thunderbolts*” could easily be considered a two-hour superhero therapy session where a group of damaged misfits semi-wrestle with issues such as trauma, loss, depression, and loneliness.

But sadly the movie’s silliness too often clashes with the seriousness. We get a lot of petty arguing and forgettable banter meant to add layers of humor to the story. At the same time, the filmmakers want to say something serious, relying on fairly obvious metaphors and emotionally wrought flashbacks to present its heavier themes. Unfortunately neither are all that effective, mostly because the characters and their relationships fail to resonate as they’re meant to.

At this juncture in the MCU’s ever-changing timeline, embattled CIA Director Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) finds herself facing impeachment for ordering a series of unsanctioned operations. In an effort to clean up any incriminating evidence, de Fontaine individually dispatches her top covert operatives to a secret mountaintop bunker. Each are given their own mission and are left in the dark about the others.

Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), John Walker (Wyatt Russell), Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen), and Taskmaster (Olga Kurylenko) surprise each other at the bunker and begin fighting it out. Taskmaster is quickly killed with little effort and even less fanfare, further emphasizing how badly Marvel Studios botched this great character. But with the help of Bob (Lewis Pullman), a mysterious man who suddenly appears in the bunker with them, the group realizes they are the evidence de Fontaine means to clean up.

The five are forced to work together in order to escape as de Fontaine and her forces converge on the bunker. Of course the experience quickly and inorganically develops them into a team, especially after they’re joined by Bucky, who is now serving as a freshman congressman, and Red Guardian (David Harbour), Yelena’s estranged father who’s mainly around for comic relief. Meanwhile de Fontaine sets her sights on the troubled Bob who we learn is extremely powerful even if he doesn’t fully realize it.

That’s the main story in a nutshell – a ragtag team going after de Fontaine with Bob caught in the middle. Again, the movie attempts to deal with weightier issues involving mental health, putting the bulk of its focus on the two characters it loves the most. But it never digs deep enough to say much. As for the characters, Pugh is clearly positioned as the lead but at times looks bored and struggles to mine personality out of Yelena. The rest of the team barely register on their own, even Stan’s grumpy Bucky who’s easily the most established of the bunch.

“Thunderbolts*” tries hard but it can’t pull the MCU out of the rut it has been stuck in for some time. It’s a very familiar movie that works hard to be unfamiliar. But the list of nagging issues gets pretty long. The team’s camaraderie often feels more fabricated than natural. Characters get shortchanged. Certain plot developments crumble. And the action tops out at lukewarm. Even its big ending is as shamelessly unremarkable as the asterisk in the film’s title. It left me longing for the MCU’s better days, when heroes were super, action was thrilling, and phases could be remembered without a Wikipedia visit.

VERDICT – 2 STARS

While I wasn’t high on 2022’s surprisingly popular “Barbarian”, its writer and director Zach Cregger showed off real skill and a ton of promise. Warner Bros. Pictures has now released the trailer for Cregger’s anticipated follow-up, “Weapons”. His sophomore film is a horror mystery with a strong cast and a compelling premise. The first trailer does a terrific job setting the table for what is one of the more intriguing films of the year.

“Weapons” has a fascinating setup. One night, at exactly 2:17 AM, an entire class of children suddenly get out of their beds, leave their homes, and wander out into the night. They are never seen again. The community immediately suspects their teacher setting her on an investigation to clear her name. Cregger has described his movie as “bigger”, “weirder”, and “twistier” than “Barbarian”. Hopefully its more cohesive as well. It certainly has a good cast with Josh Brolin, Julia Gardner, Alden Ehrenreich, Benedict Wong, and Amy Madigan starring.

“Weapons” releases in theaters on August 8th. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.

The unlikely duo of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and A24 team up in “The Smashing Machine”, a biographical sports drama from writer-director Benny Safdie. The film tells the true story of former American wrestler turned mixed martial artist Mark Kerr. It sees Johnson undergoing a significant on-screen transformation to play the troubled two-time UFC heavyweight champ. The movie’s much anticipated first trailer really gives us a sense of what Safdie is going for.

“The Smashing Machine” not only follows Kerr’s MMA success but also his personal struggles. In addition to the physical wear and tear on his body, he also battled substance abuse which took its own toll. His issues would effect his relationships, especially with his then wife Dawn Staples (played by the always exceptional Emily Blunt). I really like the look of this both visually and dramatically. It’s good to see Johnson challenging himself and Blunt enhances everything she’s in.

“The Smashing Machine” comes to theaters on October 3rd. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.

Apple Studios have dropped the second trailer for their big budget streaming blockbuster “Fountain of Youth”. The film is an upcoming action adventure heist movie that has a strong resemblance to Nicolas Cage’s “National Treasure” films. It’s directed by Guy Ritchie and written by James Vanderbilt. But its most attractive feature is its cast. John Krasinski, Natalie Portman, Eiza González, Domhnall Gleeson, Carmen Ejogo, and Stanley Tucci round out a fascinating ensemble.

Kransinski and Portman play estranged siblings, Luke and Charlotte Purdue. Through a series of wild events Charlotte is convinced to join her brother on an action-packed journey to find the mythological Fountain of Youth. The movie looks to be a globe-trotting adventure to iconic locations around the world. The latest trailer gives us a better gauge of the movie’s scope as well as a good dose of the humor. Hopefully it has enough to differentiate itself from the classic adventure movies that clearly inspired it. I’ll certainly be there for it.

“Fountain of Youth” premieres May 23rd on Apple TV+. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.

Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment is bringing three fan favorite films from screen legend Clint Eastwood to 4K Ultra HD for the very first time. New editions of “Dirty Harry”, “The Outlaw Josey Wales”, and “Pale Rider” will soon be available to own, each in spectacular 4K with High Dynamic Range and loaded with special features. These are great additions and must-haves for any Eastwood fan.

These new 4K Ultra HD editions of “Dirty Harry”, “The Outlaw Josey Wales”, and “Pale Rider” come with digital copies and will be available to purchase on April 29th. See below for a full synopsis of the films as well as release info including a list of special features.

“Dirty Harry” (1971)

About the Film:

Year: 1971

Runtime: 102 Minutes

Director: Don Siegel

Screenwriters: Harry Julian Fink, R.M. Fink, and Dean Riesner

Cast: Clint Eastwood, Harry Guardino, Reni Santoni, Andy Robinson, John Larch, John Vernon, John Mitchum, Mae Mercer, Lyn Edington, Ruth Kobart, Woodrow Parfrey, Josef Sommer

Rating: R

Academy Award winner Clint Eastwood stars as no-holds-barred San Francisco cop Dirty Harry Callahan in this action thriller that began an action franchise. When detective Harry Callahan is assigned to pay extortion money to a serial murderer, the payoff goes wrong. Now with the life of a 14-year-old girl at stake, Callahan refuses to allow anything–including the law–to keep him from stopping the killer.

The film is directed by Don Siegel. The screenplay is by Harry Julian Fink, R.M. Fink, and Dean Riesner from a story by Harry Julian Fink and R.M. Fink.  The film is produced by Don Siegel.  Dirty Harry stars Clint Eastwood, Andy Robinson, Harry Guardino, Reni Santoni, and John Vernon.

“Dirty Harry” was selected in 2008 by Empire as one of The 500 Greatest Movies of All Time. The film was ranked No. 41 on the American Film Institute’s 100 Years … 100 Thrills, a list of America’s most heart-pounding movies, and Harry Callahan was selected as the 17th greatest movie hero on 100 Years … 100 Heroes & Villains. The movie’s famous quote “You’ve got to ask yourself one question: ‘Do I feel lucky?’ Well, do ya, punk?” was ranked 51st on 100 Years … 100 Movie Quotes.

Special Features:

“Dirty Harry” 4K UHD contains the following new and previously released special features:  

• Commentary by Richard Schickel
• Generations and Dirty Harry – NEW
• Lensing Justice: The Cinematography of Dirty Harry – NEW
• American Masters Career Retrospective: Clint Eastwood: Out of the Shadows
• Clint Eastwood: The Man from Malpaso
• Clint Eastwood: A Cinematic Legacy – Fighting for Justice
• Interview Gallery
  • Patricia Clarkson
  • Joel Cox
  • Clint Eastwood
  • Hal Holbrook
  • Evan Kim
  • John Milius
  • Ted Post
  • Andy Robinson
  • Arnold Schwarzenegger
  • Robert Urich

• Dirty Harry’s Way
• Dirty Harry: The Original

“The Outlaw Josey Wales” (1976)

About the Film:

Year: 1976

Runtime: 135 Minutes

Director: Clint Eastwood

Screenwriters: Phil Kaufman, Sonia Chernus

Cast: Clint Eastwood, Chief Dan George, Sondra Locke, Bill McKinney, John Vernon, Paula Trueman, Sam Bottoms, Geraldine Keams, Woodrow Parfrey, Joyce Jameson, Sheb Wooley, Royal Dano

Rating: PG

Academy Award winner Clint Eastwood stars in and directs this fast-paced Western about the fight for vengeance by a Missouri farmer whose family is murdered in the last days of the United States’ Civil War.

The film is directed by Clint Eastwood. The screenplay is by Phil Kaufman and Sonia Chernus and is based on the novel “Gone to Texas” by Forrest Carter. The film is produced by Robert Daly.  “The Outlaw Josie Wales” stars Clint Eastwood, Chief Dan George, Sondra Locke, Bill McKinney, and John Vernon.

“The Outlaw Josey Wales” was nominated for the Academy Award for Original Music Score. In 1996, it was deemed “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant” by the United States Library of Congress and selected for preservation in the National Film Registry.

Special Features:

“The Outlaw Josie Wales” 4K UHD contains the following new and previously released special features:  

• Commentary by Richard Schickel
• An Outlaw and an Antihero – NEW
• The Cinematography of and Outlaw: Crafting Josie Wales – NEW
• Clint Eastwood’s West
• Eastwood in Action
• Hell Hath No Fury: The Making of The Outlaw Josie Wales
• Clint Eastwood: A Cinematic Legacy – Reinventing the West

“Pale Rider” (1985)

About the Film:

Year: 1985

Runtime: 116 Minutes

Director: Clint Eastwood

Screenwriters: Michael Butler, Dennis Shryack

Cast: Clint Eastwood, Michael Moriarty, Carrie Snodgress, Christopher Penn, Richard Dysart, Sydney Penny, Richard Kiel, Doug McGrath, John Russell, Chuck Lafont, Billy Drago, Jeffrey Weissman, Charles Hallahan

Rating: R

With 1985’s “Pale Rider”, Clint Eastwood returned to the western genre with a vengeance as the movie became the highest grossing western of that decade. Eastwood, who also directed the hit film, plays a nameless stranger who rides into a small California gold rush town (and becomes known as the “Preacher”) where he finds himself in the middle of a feud between a mining syndicate and a group of independent prospectors.

The film is produced and directed by Clint Eastwood and written by Michael Butler and Dennis Shryack.  The film stars Clint Eastwood, Michael Moriarty, Carrie Snodgress, Christopher Penn, Richard Dysart, Sydney Penny, Richard Kiel, Doug McGrath, and John Russell.

Special Features:

Pale Rider 4K UHD contains the following new and previously released special features:  

• The Diary of Sydney Penny: Lessons from the Set – NEW
• Painting the Preacher: Bruce Surtees and Pale Rider – NEW
• Clint Eastwood: A Cinematic Legacy – Reinventing Westerns
• Eastwood Directs: The Untold Story
• The Eastwood Factor