As part of the year-long celebration of Warner Bros. Studio’s 100th anniversary, Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment has announced “The Maltese Falcon” for the first time in 4K resolution and High Dynamic Range (HDR). This Humphrey Bogart film noir classic originally released in 1941 and marked the memorable directorial debut for the great John Huston. The film still holds up extremely well, and this beautiful new edition highlights many of the reasons why. Read my full review of the film HERE.

This 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and Digital edition of “The Maltese Falcon” hits shelves April 4th, 2023. See below for a full synopsis and features breakdown of this brand new combo-pack.

OFFICIAL SYNOPSIS

Year: 1941

Rating: NR

Runtime: 101 minutes

Directors: John Huston

Starring: Humphrey Bogart, Mary Astor, Gladys George, Peter Lorre, Sydney Greenstreet, Peter MacLane, Lee Patrick, Ward Bond, Jerome Cowen

Academy Award winner Humphrey Bogart stars in this classic film noir as tough San Francisco private detective Sam Spade in the classic, convoluted story of Spade’s involvement with a deadly band of international thieves who will lie, double cross and murder to obtain a small, jewel-encrusted statue known as The Maltese Falcon. Sam Spade’s (Bogart) partner, Miles Archer (Jerome Cowan), accepts a job protecting a young woman (Mary Astor). Neither Spade nor Archer believe the woman or the story she tells them, but they do believe her money. Then, when Archer is murdered, Spade’s search for the killer drags him in the web of lies and death spun by the desperate people seeking The Maltese Falcon.

The 1941 film is directed by John Huston in his directorial debut. The screenplay is by Huston and is based on the 1930 novel by Dashiell Hammett. The film stars Humphrey Bogart, Mary Astor, Gladys George, Peter Lorre, Barton MacLane, Lee Patrick, and Sydney Greenstreet.

The Maltese Falcon was nominated for three Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor (Sydney Greenstreet) and Best Adapted Screenplay (John Huston). Considered one of the greatest films of all time, it was one of the first 25 films selected by the Library of Congress to be included in the National Film Registry for being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.”

BONUS FEATURES

The Maltese Falcon Ultra HD Blu-ray contains the following previously released special features:

• Commentary by Eric Lax
• “Warner Night at the Movies”
  • “Sergeant York” Trailer
  • “New Highlights of the Roosevelt Churchill Parley” (newsreel)
  • “The Gay Parisian” (1941 WB short)
  • “Meet John Doughboy” (1941 WB cartoon)
• The Maltese Falcon: One Magnificent Brid
• Becoming Attractions: The Trailers of Humphrey Bogart
• Breakdowns of 1941 (WB short)
• Make-up Tests
• 2/8/43 Lux Radio Theater Broadcast
• 9/20/43 Screen Guild Theater Broadcast
• 7/3/46 Academy Award Theater Broadcast
• Trailers
  • 1936 “Satan Met a Lady”
  • 1941 “The Maltese Falcon”

Ultra HD Blu-ray Languages: English, Spanish, French

Ultra HD Blu-ray Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish, Parisian French

High on my 2023 anticipated list is “Master Gardner”, the new crime thriller written and directed by Paul Schrader. I’m always onboard for a new Schrader film, and his last two movies behind the camera (“First Reformed” and “The Card Counter”) were among my favorites from their years. The film had its world premiere last September at the Venice International Film Festival. With its official release nearing, a new trailer has dropped and I love what we’re shown.

Joel Edgerton plays a brilliant and devoted horticulturist who works at an extravagant garden estate owned by a dignified dowager played by Sigourney Weaver. When the gardener is forced to take on his employer’s troubled niece niece (Quintessa Swindell), dark secrets from his past slowly start to boil to the surface. From the trailer it’s clear that Schrader is taking his story to some interesting places. And Edgerton looks to be a perfect fit for the role he’s taking on. I can’t wait to see it.

“Master Gardener” hits theaters May 19th. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.

Wes Anderson is….an acquired taste. And it’s a taste that I have fully acquired. His movies have their very own style and his humor resembles no other. His upcoming movie “Asteroid City” looks, feels, and sounds like a Wes Anderson movie. From color palette, to wacky setting, to an A-list cast of Anderson regulars. There’s also some compelling new faces that should be a lot of fun. Yesterday Focus Features dropped the official movie poster. Today they shared the first trailer and it’s pretty incredible. Wes Anderson fans rejoice.

“Asteroid City” takes place in a tiny American desert town during the 1950s as parents and students from across the country gather for a Junior Stargazer convention. It starts as a well-meaning event to promote scholarly competition and to commemorate a particularly funny past event. But it turns to chaos after something resembling an alien encounter ends up with the town being quarantined. A veritable who’s who of talent pop up in the trailer including Tom Hanks, Scarlett Johansson, Jeffrey Wright, Maya Hawke, and Jason Schwartzman. The film also features Margot Robbie, Tilda Swinton, Willem Dafoe, Jeff Goldblum, Bryan Cranston, Hong Chau, and Adrien Brody among others. I’ll be there on opening day.

“Asteroid City” lands in theaters on June 16th. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.

A new Wes Anderson movie is always going to be on my must-see list. His latest feature “Asteroid City” is looking to be right up my alley. The film is set in a fictional American desert town circa 1955 where students and their parents from across the country gather for an annual junior Stargazer convention. An eye-catching group of Anderson regulars and some striking new faces fill out the star-studded cast. Meanwhile the setting and concept alone looks to be prime territory for a Wes Anderson comedy. With the first trailer landing today, Anderson and Focus Features have dropped the movie poster. Whatcha think?

DIRECTOR – Wes Anderson

WRITER – Wes Anderson

STARRING – Tilda Swinton, Tom Hanks, Adrien Brody, Margot Robbie, Rupert Friend, Jason Schwartzman, Scarlett Johansson, Bryan Cranston, Jeff Goldblum, Hope Davis, Jeffrey Wright, Liev Schreiber, Tony Revolori, Matt Dillon, Edward Norton, Steve Park, Willen Dafoe, Maya Hawke, Steve Carell, Hong Chau, Jake Ryan, Fisher Stevens, Sophia Lillis

RELEASE – June 16, 2023

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has announced the home video release of “Missing” from co-directors Nick Johnson and Will Merrick. This taut, savvy, and thoroughly gripping tech thriller is the spiritual successor to 2018’s “Searching”, similarly telling its story through phone calls, text messages, FaceTime, home movies, security cameras, web browsers, etc. It’s a fast-paced and absorbing ride that keeps us hooked on every virtual detail. You can read my FULL REVIEW of the film HERE.

This Blu-ray and Digital edition of “Missing” hits shelves March 28, 2023. See below for a full synopsis and features breakdown of this brand new combo-pack.

OFFICIAL SYNOPSIS

Year: 2023

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 110 minutes

Directors: Will Merrick and Nick Johnson

Starring: Storm Reid, Nia Long, Joaquim De Almeida, Ken Leung, Amy Landecker, Daniel Henney

From the minds behind “Searching” comes “Missing”, a thrilling roller-coaster mystery that makes you wonder how well you know those closest to you. When her mother (Nia Long) disappears while on vacation in Colombia with her new boyfriend, June’s (Storm Reid) search for answers is hindered by international red tape. Stuck thousands of miles away in Los Angeles, June creatively uses all the latest technology at her fingertips to try and find her before it’s too late. But as she digs deeper, her digital sleuthing raises more questions than answers…and when June unravels secrets about her mom, she discovers that she never really knew her at all.

BONUS MATERIALS

BLU-RAY AND DIGITAL

• Deleted Scenes
• Hunting for the MISSING Easter Eggs
• Behind-The-Scenes Featurettes:
  • Storm Reid and the Challenge of MISSING
  • Misdirects, Online Crimes and the Social Media Mystery
  • The Screens that Rule Our Lives
• Filmmaker Commentary

Blu-ray and DVD include a digital code for movie and bonus materials as listed above, redeemable via Movies Anywhere for a limited time.

SPECS

Feature: 1080p High Definition / 1.78:1 / Color

Audio: English 5.1 DTS-HD MA, French (Doublé au Québec), Spanish, English & French (Doublé au Québec) – Audio Description Tracks 5.1 Dolby Digital

Subtitles: English, English SDH, French, Spanish

Netflix in conjuction with capelight pictures has announced the release “All Quiet on the Western Front” on home video. This attractive 2-disc Limited Collector’s Edition Mediabook contains both the 4K UHD and Blu-ray versions of the movie along with a 24-page booklet. The film is a stunningly made epic-scaled polemic from director Edward Berger who delivers some of the grittiest and most visceral battle sequences ever put to film. Yet, much like the classic 1929 novel that inspired it, the human cost always remains the movie’s focus. Read my full review of the film HERE.

This handsome new 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray Collector’s Mediabook Edition of “All Quiet on the Western Front” hits shelves on March 28th, 2023. See below for a full synopsis and breakdown of the bonus features.

OFFICIAL SYNOPSIS:

Year: 2022

Rating: R

Runtime: 147 Minutes

Directed by: Edward Berger

Cast: Felix Kammerer, Albrecht Schuch, Aaron Hilmer, Moritz Klaus, Edin Hasanovic, Adrian Grünewald, Thibault De Montalembert, Devid Striesow, Daniel Brühl

Producers: Malte Grunert, Daniel Dreifuss, Edward Berger

Executive Producers: Daniel Brühl, Thorsten Schumacher, Lesley Paterson, Ian Stokell

Written by: Edward Berger, Lesley Paterson, Ian Stokell

Based on the Novel by Erich Maria Remarque

Spring 1917. 17-year-old Paul Bäumer (Felix Kammerer) and his friends are extremely eager to go to war, to beat the French soundly and march to Paris victorious. This is how the boys imagine it. This is the war they are promised by their principal in a rousing speech. With jubilation, fanfare and song, the “youth of iron” marches off – for Emperor, God and Fatherland.

The enthusiasm, however, does not last long. When they arrive at the Western Front after days of marching. It’s pouring rain. The trenches are filling up and fast becoming a swamp. But the French do not wait to attack. Flares rise up, brightening no-man’s land with a surreal beauty. Until all hell breaks loose again and the French bombard the trenches.

What follows portrays Paul and his comrades’ first-hand experience of how the initial euphoria of war turns into horror, suffering and fear as they desperately fight for their lives in the trenches.

Winner of 4 Oscars including “Best International Film”, “Best Cinematography”, “Best Original Score, and “Production Design”.

Winner of 7 BAFTAs including “Best Film”, “Best Director”, “Best Film Not in the English Language” and “Best Adapted Screenplay”.

Special Features:

• 24-page booklet
• Making-of Featurette
• Theatrical trailer
• Teaser

The 4K UHD features the original German audio (with English subtitles) in Dolby Atmos audio of the original and 4K Dolby Vision image for the perfect picture and sound quality. The mediabook packaging comes with a 24 page booklet that includes “SHARING THE GERMAN PERSPECTIVE“ – a conversation with director Edward Berger and “A MACHINE OF DEATH UNLIKE ANY EXPERIENCED BEFORE” – an interview with historian and professor Daniel Schönpflug on the historical background of All Quiet On The Western Front.

Language & Audio Options:

UHD: Dolby Atmos German, DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 English, Dolby Digital 5.1 French, Spanish, Italian, Turkish, Polish, Ukrainian, Czech, Hungarian and Spanish (Latin America); Audio descriptions Dolby Digital 2.0: German, English, French, Spanish, Italian and Spanish (Latin America)

Blu-ray: Dolby Atmos German, DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 English, Dolby Digital 5.1 French, Spanish, Italian, Turkish, Polish, Ukrainian, Czech, Hungarian and Spanish (Latin America); Audio descriptions Dolby Digital 2.0: German, English, French, Spanish, Italian and Spanish (Latin America)

Subtitles:

English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Spanish (Latin America), Portuguese, Dutch, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish, Turkish, Polish, Ukrainian, Czech and Hungarian; SDH: English, German and Spanish (Latin America)

Aspect Ratio:

UHD: 2.39:1 (4K, Dolby Vision, HDR10) BD: 2.39:1 (1080p)