F1: THE MOVIE is Fast, Flashy & Familiar

F1: THE MOVIE (Blu-ray)

2025 / 155 min

Warner Bros

#InPartnershipwithWB

Review by Stinky the Destroyer😺

Historically speaking, motorsports haven’t often been given a fair shake in movies, at least in terms of plausibility. Not that there haven’t been some great ones. 1971’s Le Mans was a remarkably realistic depiction of the famous 24 hour race (and you can’t go wrong with Steve McQueen behind the wheel). Despite its soap opera trappings, 1966’s Grand Prix boasts immersive racing sequences that still hold up well today. In balancing action and off-track drama, 2019’s Ford v. Ferrari might be the best one ever made.

But most are to auto racing what Star Wars is to space travel. More often than not, they’re testosterone-driven cartoons anchored by destruction, special effects and rock music. And when not on the track, there’s a soul searching protagonist with something to prove. That ain’t necessarily a deal breaker, since most moviegoers are probably not particularly concerned over a racing movie’s authenticity. After all, Days of Thunder was more Top Gun than Grand Prix, but still a lot of fun.

So to call F1: The Movie this century’s Days of Thunder isn’t intended as total criticism. And comparatively speaking, the racing action in this one makes Tom Cruise’s laps around Daytona look like Talladega Nights. Not only do these sequences feel fast, that’s really Brad Pitt & Damson Idris behind the wheels of those cars and we’re vicariously in the cockpits with them. There’s a greater emphasis on pure speed than crashes & mayhem, and most of it looks like it was done with a minimum of special effects. In terms of pure sensation, the film is a hell of a ride.

Off the track, F1 takes a road well travelled. Pitt plays Sonny Hayes, an aging driver-for-hire who was once a promising Formula One driver until a horrific accident dashed those hopes. He’s approached by old friend/ex-teammate Ruben Cervantes (Javier Bardem) to join his struggling F1 team, APXGP, as a second driver. There’s a lot at stake. His other driver, Joshua Pearce, is a cocky young rookie who has yet to win a race, which puts Ruben at risk of losing his team to investors at the end of the season. Sonny reluctantly accepts the seat, which doesn’t sit too well with Joshua or the rest of the APXGP.

Brad spots a mirror.

There are the usual plot elements…Joshua doesn’t think he needs a mentor. Sonny’s too old, too reckless. Joshua’s concerned with his public image. Sonny’s older, wiser and ultimately the smartest guy in the room, whose “combat”  approach to racing turns out to be just what the team needs. There are setbacks, including conflicts with team members and the usual soul searching after a terrible crash (twice, actually), as well as a conniving board member pulling the strings in an effort to steal the team from Ruben. And of course, we have a romantic subplot between Sonny and APXGP’s car designer, Kate (Kerry Condon). 

Narratively, there aren’t a lot of surprises, and seldom are we all that convinced this is how the real Formula One world operates (despite countless cameos by famous drivers and team owners). But the characters are engaging and the performances are good, with Pitt being especially enjoyable in his role (though he ain’t really stretching himself here). 

Unsurprisingly, F1 is most entertaining during the racing scenes, which are here in abundance, and the action alone makes the movie worth seeing. Like most sports films - especially motorsports films - this one is best experienced in a theater, as some of its visual and sonic impact is inevitably diminished on the smaller screen. Still, it looks and sounds pretty damn good on Blu-ray.

EXTRA KIBBLES

FEATURETTES - Inside the F1: The Movie Table Read; The Anatomy of a Crash; Getting Up to Speed (The two stars learn how to drive); APXGP Innovations; Making It to Silverstone (Silverstone is one of the racetracks); APXGP Sets and Locations Around the World; Lewis Hamilton: Producer; APXGP and F1: How It was Filmed; Sound of Speed (Hans Zimmer’s score).

THE POOP SCOOP: Cuckoos, Cars, Cruise & Creeps

😺ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO’S NEST on 4K UHD november 11 from Warner Bros. Now that the movie is 50 years old, perhaps we can finally forgive it for winning the Best Picture Oscar over Jaws (but probably not). Based on the 1962 novel of the same name by author Ken Kesey, the film is considered by critics and audience to be one of the greatest films ever made.  One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest won all five major Academy Awards (Best Picture – Michael Douglas and Saul Zaentz; Best Actor – Jack Nicholson; Best Actress – Louise Fletcher; Director – Miloš Forman; and Screenplay – Lawrence Hauben and Bo Goldman) and in 1993, the film was deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" by the United States Library of Congress, and selected for preservation in the National Film Registry.

🏁Vroom! Vroom! F1: THE MOVIE on Blu-ray, 4K and DVD October 7 from Warner Bros. Dubbed “the greatest that never was,” Sonny Hayes (Brad Pitt) was FORMULA 1’s most promising phenom of the 1990s until an accident on the track nearly ended his career. Thirty years later, he’s a nomadic racer-for-hire when he’s approached by his former teammate Ruben Cervantes (Javier Bardem), owner of a struggling FORMULA 1 team that is on the verge of collapse. Ruben convinces Sonny to come back to FORMULA 1 for one last shot at saving the team and being the best in the world. He’ll drive alongside Joshua Pearce (Damson Idris), the team’s hotshot rookie intent on setting his own pace. But as the engines roar, Sonny’s past catches up with him and he finds that in FORMULA 1, your teammate is your fiercest competition. Hailing from director Joseph Kosinski and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, “F1: The Movie" is the highest grossing original feature of the year.

🎄Dr. Seuss’ HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS 25TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION on 4K Ultra HD & Steelbook Coming November 11 from Universal.  Discover the true meaning of the holiday season with Imagine Entertainment’s live-action adaptation of the beloved classic, Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas on 4K Ultra HD and Steelbook. For its 25th anniversary, the film returns in a stunning newly remastered edition featuring Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos for an enhanced home viewing and listening experience. This special release also includes over 30 minutes of brand-new bonus content exploring the making of the beloved holiday classic.

🐄EDDINGTON on Blu-ray October 7 from A24. A standoff between a small-town sheriff (Joaquin Phoenix) and mayor (Pedro Pascal) sparks a powder keg as the neighbors feud in May 2020. From Ari Aster, director of Hereditary and Midsommar, the movie stars Joaquin Phoenix, Pedro Pascal, Emma Stone and Austin Butler.

🙀WEAPONS on Digital Now and Blu-ray, 4K & DVD October 14 from Warner Bros. When all but one child from the same class mysteriously vanish on the same night at exactly the same time, a community is left questioning who or what is behind their disappearance. 

😺The Gialli Cult Classic, A HYENA IN THE SAFE, on Blu-ray November 25 from Celluloid Dreams. A Hyena in the Safe has never been officially released in the US. In fact, no English dub exists, and this Blu-ray release will feature the film in its original Italian language with English subtitles exclusively. 

😺NOBODY 2 on Digital Now and 4K, Blu-ray and DVD October 7 from Universal. Bob Odenkirk returns as Hutch, an overworked assassin who just needs a break, in this bareknuckle action-thriller. 

🙀SHUDDER: A DECADE OF FEARLESS HORROR and CREEPSHOW: THE COMPLETE SERIES on Blu-ray November 11 from Shudder. 10 of the streaming service’s best movies in one boxed set. On the same day, Shudder releases all four seasons of their acclaimed anthology series, Creepshow, based on the original film by George A. Romero and Stephen King. 

😹THE NAKED GUN (2025) on 4K, Blu-ray & DVD November 11 from Paramount. Lt. Frank Drebin Jr. (Liam Neeson) follows in his father's footsteps in THE NAKED GUN, directed by Akiva Schaffer. 

🙀David Cronenberg’s THE SHROUDS on Blu-ray & DVD October 21 from Criterion Collection. David Cronenberg returns with one of his most personal films.

🙀A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET 7-FILM COLLECTION on 4K September 30 from Warner Bros. From his first terrifying appearance on Elm Street to his resurrection through nightmares, the collection includes the original seven films. 

😺MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: THE FINAL RECKONING on Digital August 19 and 4K & Blu-ray October 14 from Paramount. Both the digital and physical releases come with hours of bonus content, including behind-the-scenes interviews, exclusive commentary, and deleted footage not seen in theatres.

🛧AIRPORT: THE COMPLETE 4-FILM COLLECTION on 4K and Blu-ray September 30 from Kino Lorber. This 4-Film collection includes all four newly-restored Airport movies, accompanied by new audio commentaries.

Revisiting THE CONJURING in 4K

THE CONJURING (4K UHD)

2013 / 112 min

Warner Bros

#InPartnershipwithWB

Review by Josey, the Sudden Cat🙀

The Conjuring was sort of a breath of fresh air back in 2013. In a genre glutted by remakes, sequels, rip-offs, torture porn, gorefests and PG-13 bubblegum aimed at the mallrat crowd, along came this earnest, atmospheric and genuinely scary horror film that managed to terrify millions with a total on-screen body count of zero (unless you count the poor pooch). You’d have to go all the way back to the original Poltergeist for another film to manage the same feat.

And like Poltergeist, a major reason its scares and tension are so effective is because the film takes the time to get us invested in its characters. Think about it…the entire foundation of the Conjuring films (not the spin-offs) is built around a married couple who in-real-life were basically paranormal con artists. But whether or not we actually buy into their history ultimately doesn’t matter. As depicted in the films, not only are the demons real, Ed & Lorraine Warren (Patrick Wilson & Vera Farmiga) are sincere, dedicated (to their jobs and each other) and above all, extraordinarily likable. 

In an awkward moment, Ed and Lorraine accidentally thread a movie made when they were young and needed the money.

Two solid sequels (with a third around the corner) and a half-dozen inferior spin-offs later, the original film remains the best of the entire franchise, and arguably the best to deal with demonic possession since The Exorcist. Though the intensity, dread and jump-scares don’t have same impact as seeing them the first time (preferably in theaters), The Conjuring is always worth revisiting from time to time. 

Considering its legacy and influence on both the horror genre and popular culture, I’m kind of surprised we’re just now getting a 4K UHD edition. Of course, the film is worth having in any horror collection, but the picture and sound quality of the 2013 Blu-ray version was already pretty damn good, so whether or not it’s worth a 4K upgrade largely depends on one’s set-up (namely the size and quality of your TV). The black tones are a bit deeper, the details a bit sharper, but save for ardent videophiles, the difference might be almost negligible. The DTS-HD 5.1 audio track is the same one featured on the Blu-ray edition, which is good enough that any new mix would probably be superfluous. This one also throws in a couple of brand new retrospective bonus features to entice collectors into upgrading. They’re entertaining but fairly short, meaning the primary appeal of this 4K edition is the video boost.

EXTRA KIBBLES

NEW KIBBLES - Scariest of Them All and Reflections on The Conuring are a couple of retrospective featurettes. Each runs around seven minutes and features interviews with various cast & crew, as well as behind-the-scenes footage.

OLD KIBBLES (carried over from the original Blu-ray) - The Conjuring: Face-to-Face with Fear; A Life in Demonology (short doc about the Warrens); Scaring the “@$*%” Out of You.

DIGITAL COPY

SINNERS: Blues, Booze & Bloodsuckers

SINNERS (Blu-ray)

2025 / 137 min

Warner Bros

#InPartnershipwithWB

Review by Josey, the Sudden Cat🙀

Normally, I don’t really care about how good or bad a movie does at the box office. However, I was truly rooting for Sinners to become a blockbuster. Now that it is one, maybe Hollywood will get the hint that not every big-budget film needs to have superheroes, be a remake or have a Roman numeral in the title. 

Better yet, it’s a horror film, one that breathes new life into a subgenre that ceased being scary a long time ago. Sinners may ostensibly be a vampire film, but there’s so much more going on - both visually and thematically - that it transcends such a label. Part horror, part musical, part historical drama, the movie is thrilling, sexy, bloody, atmospheric and sometimes surprisingly heart-rending. 

The premise is certainly original. Taking place in the deep south in 1932, the Smokestack Twins (both played by Michael B. Jordan) are a couple of enterprising gangsters who return home from Chicago to open a juke joint. What makes Sinners almost immediately engaging is the amount screen time spent establishing these two characters, as well as most of the supporting ones. The most significant of them is their impressionable cousin, Sammie, an budding blues guitarist they recruit to play that night. At the same time, the film immerses the viewer in the setting, culture and music of the era.

In fact, it’s a full 45 minutes before any actual horror creeps into the narrative, when a seemingly congenial Irishman, Remmick, turns out to be a vampire who attacks a couple of Klan members. By the time the joint opens for a raucous opening night party, we’re fully invested in all of these characters and their relationships. The juke joint sequences feature terrific musical numbers, highlighted by a surreal, visually jawdropping montage depicting the evolution of black music - from past to future - in a single extended shot. But because we’ve been made aware of Remmick’s presence, a growing sense of dread underscores the celebration.

Stack gets the cool hat.

The real horror begins when Remmick and recently-turned victims set their sights on those inside the joint, with a particular interest in Sammie (it’s suggested his music may have actually summoned Remmick). What I like about the film’s depiction of vampires is they aren’t complete monsters. Remmick’s Irish cultural leanings are almost as charming they are unnerving (presented through a musical number where his growing legion of bloodsuckers reveal a shared mind).

Jordan is outstanding in a dual role, giving each brother distinct personalities (yet both are tough and intimidating), while Wunmi Mosaku also stands out as Smoke’s love interest and voodoo expert. But really, the entire cast is great. Writer-director Ryan Coogler has put together an smart, tension-filled and emotionally resonant folk horror film that comes to an unexpected conclusion (with a wonderful post-credits scene). If not one of the best horror movies of the last ten years, it’s certainly the best vampire movie.

Though best experienced on the big screen, Sinners looks and sounds outstanding on Blu-ray. The transfer also includes sequences that are presented in a different aspect ratio than the theatrical version, which was apparently Coogler's intention all along for the home video release.

EXTRA KIBBLES

FEATURETTES - Dancing with the Devil: The Making of Sinners is an excellent 30-minute doc featuring writer-director Ryan Coogler and some of the cast; Blues in the Night: The Music of Sinners covers both the score and musical set-pieces; Thicker Than Blood: Becoming the Smokestack Twins shows how special effects and costuming allowed Jordan to play both roles; Wages of Sin: The Creature FX of Sinners goes into the vampire and gore effects; Spirits in the Deep South is a short doc about history of Hoodoo in the region where the movie is set..

DELETED SCENES - Almost 20 minutes’ worth.

DIGITAL COPY

Revisiting LETHAL WEAPON in 4K

LETHAL WEAPON (4K UHD)

1987 / 110 & 117 min (2 versions)

Warner Bros

#InPartnershipwithWB

Review by Mr. Paws😺

Lethal Weapon isn’t the first buddy-cop action film (1974’s Freebie and the Bean might hold that distinction), nor is it the best (I’ll still throw my hat in the ring for the original 48 Hrs). However, it is arguably the quintessential one.

For better or worse, its influence on the action genre was far-reaching and can still be felt today. The list of films obviously inspired by Lethal Weapon runs longer than the Magna Carta. including Tango & Cash, Red Heat, Renegades, Alien Nation, The Hard Way, Midnight Run, The Rookie, Double Team, Bad Boys, The Last Boy Scout, Loose Cannons, Money Train, Ride Along, Rush Hour, Cop Out, The Nice Guys, The Heat…you get the idea. There are literally hundreds more.

Mel Gibson plays Martin Riggs, a psychotic cop whose suicidal tendencies make him fearless during stand-offs; Danny Glover is Roger Murtaugh, his beleaguered new partner and a straight-arrow family man on the verge of retirement. Like every similar movie which followed in its wake, they hate each other at first, but during the course of the story, become best friends while taking down a nefarious crew of heroin dealers.

Of course, the movie is to police work what Star Wars is to space travel. If the movie truly reflected reality, we'd be sitting through Internal Affairs hearings and psychological examinations of Martin Riggs, both conducted to get this psycho-with-a-badge off the streets. But Lethal Weapon was never about plot and plausibility. I’d even be willing to wager many of you reading this probably forgot the plot.

Mel didn't ask how hot dogs were made, but Danny told him anyway.

However, Richard Donner’s humorous approach to the mayhem and the lightning-in-a-bottle chemistry between Gibson & Glover is unforgettable, sustaining the franchise through three sequels (though only the second film really measured up to the first, and actually surpasses it in some aspects). The main protagonists’ personalities and banter are so well-conceived and cleverly written that the story itself almost never matters. It’s also an approach that screenwriter Shane Black would practically base his entire career on (with a surprising amount of continued success).

All this makes Lethal Weapon a landmark action film. Along with Die Hard, it has had a bigger impact on the genre than anything else released in the 1980s. A couple of years shy of its 40th anniversary, the movie is being given a 4K facelift with a disc that features a better overall picture than previous Blu-rays or DVDs, as well as two audio options, a new Dolby Atmos track and DTS-HD 2.0, which preserves the original theatrical mix. Speaking of which, the disc includes both the original and director’s cut, that latter of which is only offered in Dolby Atmos. There are couple of brief new retrospective bonus features, but none of the substantial extras available on previous editions are included. Of course, Lethal Weapon deserves to be in any action collection, but the primary appeal of this 4K edition are the technical upgrades.

EXTRA KIBBLES

THEATRICAL & DIRECTOR’S CUTS - The director’s cut runs about seven minutes longer, and while it’s not necessarily an improvement, one particular scene offers a little more insight on the mindset of the Martin Riggs character.

FEATURETTES - Both of these are new and look like they were put together at the same time, featuring the same cast & crew interviewees. A Legacy of Inspiration pays tribute to the late Richard Donner; “I’m Too Old for This…” takes a look at casting the film.

DIGITAL COPY