The Best New Blu-Ray Releases: Indiana Jones, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, And More
Wow! Here we are, with the final Blu-ray round-up of 2023! And it's a super-sized edition to close out the year, with a ton of great titles to check out. It's probably too late to add any of these to your Christmas list, but that doesn't mean you can't treat yourself to some new Blu-rays. Go ahead. You deserve it. In this edition, we've got the final "Indiana Jones" movie, a new animated version of those pizza-loving Ninja Turtles, Guillermo del Toro's take on "Pinocchio," a cult classic about some kids fighting monsters, Peter Falk solving mysteries, a rather disappointing legacy horror sequel, an original sci-fi flick from the director of "Rogue One," a biopic parody, a movie about killer animatronic pizza restaurant mascots, and a stone-cold classic from Oliver Stone. So let's get to it, and keep spinning those discs. See ya in 2024!
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny
After the disappointment of "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull," some folks wanted one more Indy adventure so Harrison Ford's whip-cracking archeologist could go out on a high note. Unfortunately, they got their wish in the form of "Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny," a huge box office flop. To be fair, "Dial of Destiny" isn't terrible. It's just kind of ... uninspired. And I think there's a very obvious reason for this: it's not a Steven Spielberg movie. Say what you will about "Crystal Skull," but for all that film's flaws, it still had the power of Spielberg's skill behind the camera. "Dial of Destiny" helmer James Mangold is a solid filmmaker, but he's no Spielberg. As a result, he crafts a serviceable but kind of forgettable swan song for Indy. Which is a pity, because Harrison Ford is quite good here, playing Indy as a man facing his own mortality and dealing with grief and loss. If there's one reason to watch this thing, it's for Ford, who could've phoned his last Indy adventure in, but instead headed into eternity with his dignity intact.
Special features:
The Making of Indiana Jones and The Dial of Destiny
- Chapter 1 – Prologue –Harrison Ford leaps back into action as Indiana Jones! Journey to 1944 as this featurette reveals the filmmakers, characters, stunts, locations, and incredible visual effects that make up the thrilling opening of Dial of Destiny!
- Chapter 2 – New York – Blast off to adventure as James Mangold showcases the re-creation of 1969 Manhattan for the Moon Parade chase. This featurette spotlights Helena (Phoebe Waller-Bridge) as John Williams conducts his beautiful new theme for this compelling character.
- Chapter 3 – Morocco – The man in the hat is back! Explore Morocco as this featurette breaks down the white-knuckle stunts of the medina tuk-tuk chase and hotel brawl. Meet Teddy (Ethann Isidore), Indy's precocious new ally in the hunt for the dial!
- Chapter 4 – Sicily – Meet Renaldo (Antonio Banderas) as he guides our heroes on a perilous underwater treasure hunt! Catch up with Harrison Ford and Phoebe Waller-Bridge on location in Sicily and explore the caverns, traps, and bugs surrounding Archimedes' tomb!
- Chapter 5 – Finale – This featurette breaks down the thrilling climax to the Indiana Jones series. Cast and filmmakers James Mangold, Kathleen Kennedy, Frank Marshall, John Williams, Steven Spielberg, and Harrison Ford bid farewell to one of the greatest heroes of all time.
Score Only Version of the Movie - Listen to John Williams' iconic music on an isolated track as you watch the film
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem
I wasn't exactly itching for yet another take on the "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles," but hey, you know what? "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem" is a heck of a lot of fun. Part of that has to do with the highly inventive animation style, clearly influenced by the similarly-styled "Spider-Verse" films. And part of that has to do with the cast. Specifically, the voices of the Turtles, who are all played by actual teenagers. That lends a certain amount of charm to the proceedings, which involve the Turtles coming out of the sewer and trying to become accepted by the world by performing good deeds, all while becoming real heroes in the process. So if you're a skeptic like me, let me assure you that "Mutant Mayhem" is worth your time. Heck, I'm even excited at the prospect of a sequel. I want more adventures with these characters in this specific world.
Special features:
- TEENage Mutant Ninja Turtles— For the first time the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are voiced by actual teenagers! Hear how each Turtle was cast and how having all four boys record together helped create the authentic camaraderie seen on screen.
- The Mutant Uprising— Get to know the Turtles' mutant antagonists, led by the wild and original character Superfly, voiced by Ice Cube.
- New York, New York: The Visual World of MUTANT MAYHEM— Take a deep dive into the breakthrough visual style of the film's characters and environments and how they evolved over time.
- Learn to Draw Leo—Try your hand at drawing the Turtle leader with this fun tutorial!
Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio
Guillermo del Toro has clout now that he's won a couple of Oscars, which means he's able to get dream projects off the ground. One such project is his stop-motion take on "Pinocchio," co-directed by Mark Gustafson. The film sets the familiar story in Fascist Italy, and borrows more than a few things from "Frankenstein." The end result is a film so charming that it's almost overpowering. Del Toro doesn't shy away from darkness and sadness here, and the dark, grim specter of mortality hangs over the entire film (not for Pinocchio, though, who can seemingly live forever, or at least for a very, very long time, which is its own kind of existential nightmare). The film, originally released by Netflix, now has a gorgeous 4K release from the folks at Criterion.
Special features:
- 4K digital master, supervised by directors Guillermo del Toro and Mark Gustafson, with Dolby Atmos soundtrack
- Handcarved Cinema, a new documentary featuring del Toro, Gustafson, and cast and crew, including the film's puppet creators, production designers, and animation supervisor
- Directing Stop-Motion, a new program featuring del Toro and Gustafson
- New conversation between del Toro and film critic Farran Smith Nehme
- New interview with curator Ron Magliozzi on The Museum of Modern Art's 2022 exhibition devoted to the film
- New program on the eight rules of animation that informed the film's production
- Panel discussion featuring del Toro, Gustafson, production designer Guy Davis, composer Alexandre Desplat, and sound designer Scott Martin Gershin, moderated by filmmaker James Cameron
- Conversation among del Toro, Gustafson, and author Neil Gaiman
- English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing and English descriptive audio
- PLUS: Essays by film critic Matt Zoller Seitz and author Cornelia Funke
The Monster Squad
I have this theory that people around my age (35-40) were either "Goonies" kids or "Monster Squad" kids. Me? I was a "Monster Squad" kid (primarily because "The Goonies" is bad, sorry!). I grew up loving the Universal monsters, so the concept of a movie about all of them together, battling kids, was just too good to resist. And you know what? "The Monster Squad" holds up. Is some of the humor now offensive and dated? Of course. But this is still a nifty little horror-comedy about Dracula trying to take over the world. Who can stop him? Why, a bunch of foul-mouthed grade schoolers, of course! Everything here pretty much works like gangbusters, especially Tom Noonan as a rather sweet, gentle Frankenstein's Monster. If you don't tear up a little at the end when Frankenstein says goodbye to Phoebe, you might be the real monster.
4K UHD Bonus Features:
DISC 1 (4KUHD):
- Brand New HDR/Dolby Vision Master – From a 4K Scan of the 35mm Original Camera Negative
- Audio Commentary by Director Fred Dekker and Cinematographer Bradford May
- Audio Commentary by Director Fred Dekker with Actors Andre Gower, Ryan Lambert and Ashley Bank
- Triple-Layered UHD100 Disc
- Optional English Subtitles
DISC 2 (BLU-RAY):
- Brand New HD Master – From a 4K Scan of the 35mm Original Camera Negative
- Audio Commentary by Director Fred Dekker and Cinematographer Bradford May
- Audio Commentary by Director Fred Dekker with Actors Andre Gower, Ryan Lambert and Ashley Bank
- Monster Squad Forever: Five Part Documentary (79 Minutes)
- A Conversation with Frankenstein – Archival Piece with Tom Noonan (9 Minutes)
- Deleted Scenes (15 Minutes)
- Animated Storyboard Sequence (2 Minutes)
- Stills Gallery (10 Minutes)
- Theatrical Trailer
- TV Spots
- Dual-Layered BD50 Disc
- Optional English Subtitles
DISC 3 (BLU-RAY):
- WOLFMAN'S GOT NARDS (2018) – Documentary Feature Co-Written and Directed by The Monster Squad Star Andre Gower. Starring Shane Black, Fred Dekker, Seth Green, Adam Goldberg, Andre Gower, Heather Langenkamp, Adam Green and Chuck Russell
- Optional English Subtitles
Blu-ray Bonus Features:
- Brand New HD Master – From a 4K Scan of the 35mm Original Camera Negative
- Audio Commentary by Director Fred Dekker and Cinematographer Bradford May
- Audio Commentary by Director Fred Dekker with Actors Andre Gower, Ryan Lambert and Ashley Bank
- Monster Squad Forever: Five Part Documentary (79 Minutes)
- A Conversation with Frankenstein – Archival Piece with Tom Noonan (9 Minutes)
- Deleted Scenes (15 Minutes)
- Animated Storyboard Sequence (2 Minutes)
- Stills Gallery (10 Minutes)
- Theatrical Trailer
- TV Spots
- Dual-Layered BD50 Disc
- Optional English Subtitles
Columbo
There's something comforting about "Columbo," the long-running series in which Peter Falk played Lieutenant Columbo, a detective who seems like a slow-witted bum but who is actually really, really good at his job. There's also the added bonus of the fact that seemingly every criminal Columbo busts is a rich snob — it's a classic slob vs. snobs story! Sure, ACAB, but I think we can make an exception for Columbo, especially when he's taking down snooty upper-class creeps who think they can get away with everything. Every episode of "Columbo" has pretty much the same formula: some big guest star kills someone and covers up the crime. There's no mystery! Then Columbo enters the story and slowly and methodically cracks the case, all while acting like he doesn't have a clue. You'd think this formula would get boring after a while, but somehow, it doesn't. And now, Kino Lorberr has released the first seven seasons of the show on 4K, giving us hours and hours of Columbo butting up against murderers played by people like Donald Pleasence, Johnny Cash, and John Cassavetes. And even a young Steven Spielberg is on the scene to helm the first non-pilot episode. What's not to love here?
Bonus Features:
- REMASTERED IN 4K BY UNIVERSAL PICTURES
- Includes the 1968 Movie-of-the-Week "Prescription: Murder" and the 1971 Pilot "Ransom for a Dead Man"
- Shorter 71-Minute Cut of ÉTUDE IN BLACK
- Optional Music and Effects Tracks for all Episodes
- Episode Guide Booklet
- Newly Commissioned Slipcase Cover Illustration by Tony Stella
- Optional English Subtitles
The Exorcist: Believer
A lot of people grew tired of David Gordon Green's "Halloween" trilogy, and they especially disliked the final entry, "Halloween Ends." But me? I loved "Halloween Ends." I genuinely think it's one of the most interesting "Halloween" sequels ever made. So when bad reviews started flooding in for Green's "The Exorcist: Believer," I remained hopeful. Perhaps this was going to be another "Halloween Ends" situation, where I ended up enjoying something everyone else loathed. Alas, it was not to be — "The Exorcist: Believer" is a huge disappointment. A legacy sequel to "The Exorcist" could work, I guess. But Green and company fail to recapture any of the power of William Friedkin's original film. And the movie's concept — what if there were two possessed girls instead of one?! — is rather lame. There are a few bright spots here and there — Green is able to create some genuine menace during a few early scenes thanks to creative editing, and Leslie Odom, Jr. delivers a solid performance. But one of the film's biggest selling points — the return of Ellen Burstyn! — ends up feeling like a complete afterthought, as if they shot all of Burstyn's scenes in under an hour and cut her a nice paycheck. Maybe that's exactly what happened.
Special features:
- MAKING A BELIEVER – Filmmakers and cast reveal their collective approach to bringing differing perspectives into this drama about synchronized possessions.
- ELLEN AND LINDA: REUNITED – THE EXORCIST: BELIEVER expertly weaves the fates of Chris and Regan MacNeil into its story. Witness a moment of cinema history as these two Hollywood icons meet on-set for the first time in years.
- STAGES OF POSESSION – Hear from Lidya Jewett, Olivia O'Neill, and special makeup FX designer Christopher Nelson as they discuss the physical and mental changes the girls go through as they advance through the possession.
- THE OPENING – The first scene of the film takes place in Haiti, a location far from the rest of the story. Filmmakers and star Leslie Odom, Jr. discuss how this scene sets up the rest of the film.
- EDITING AN EXORCISM – THE EXORCIST: BELIEVER culminates with a riveting exorcism scene featuring all the main characters. Director David Gordon Green and editor Tim Alverson explore the challenges of editing such a big scene.
- MATTERS OF FAITH – Experts in theology weigh in on how they consulted filmmakers to ensure depictions of the religious ceremonies in the film were as accurate as possible.
- FEATURE COMMENTARY – with co-writer/director David Gordon Green, executive producer Ryan Turek, co-writer Peter Sattler, and special makeup FX designer Christopher Nelson.
The Creator
We need more original movies; movies that aren't just reboots, or remakes, or regurgitations of existing IP. And we need movies with budgets that don't break the bank. So "The Creator" should tick those boxes! It cost only $80 million, which is extremely low for this type of movie. And it's an original idea! And yet ... Gareth Edwards' sci-fi epic is weirdly flat. There are things to love here — Edwards remains a director who really understands how to convey scale, and the sci-fi landscapes are stunning. But the story, which involves A.I. and a soldier (John David Washington) tasked with tracking down a mysterious "weapon" (that turns out to be a robot child), is never engaging. Some films are able to coast on vibes alone (look no further than another John David Washington movie, "Tenant," as the perfect example), but "The Creator" can't, unfortunately. Still, I remain interested in Edwards as a filmmaker, and am curious to see what he does next.
Special features:
- True Love: Making The Creator (55 Mins) Join director Gareth Edwards and crew for nearly an hour look behind the scenes. Hear from actors about the filming experience, and learn about the production's documentary-style approach, the innovative camera and lighting work, and much more.
Weird: The Al Yankovic Story
"Weird: The Al Yankovic" is a very funny biopic parody about the king of parody songs, Weird Al. Played here with gusto by Daniel Radcliffe, we follow Al as he becomes a superstar, starting off as a kid really into polka and evolving from there. It's all quite silly, and while "Weird" can't come close to the ultimate musician biopic parody film — "Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story" — it's still mighty enjoyable. The movie doesn't quite keep up its momentum — it's rather one-note, and the jokes start to run dry — but there's such a zany, unapologetically goofy vibe here that you kind of get swept up in it all. As I wrote in my review, "As is the case when enjoying Weird Al's songs, sometimes you just want to laugh your ass off at something very silly, and on that front, 'Weird' delivers."
DISC ONE (4K UHD):
- 4K Master With NEW HDR And Dolby Vision Presentation
- NEW Audio Commentary With Al Yankovic And Director Eric Appel
DISC TWO (BLU-RAY):
- NEW Audio Commentary With Al Yankovic And Director Eric Appel
- NEW Deleted/Extended/Alternate Scenes Hosted By Al Yankovic And Eric Appel
- Movie Promos
- Featurette On The Making Of Weird
- Late Night With Seth Meyers Interview With "Weird Al" Yankovic And Daniel Radcliffe
- IMDb.com "A Plethora Of Cameos"
- Variety.com Interview With Daniel Radcliffe, Evan Rachel Wood, And Eric Appel At The Toronto International Film Festival
- TheWrap.com Interview With "Weird Al" Yankovic And Eric Appel
- Lyric Video – "Now You Know"
- Trailers
Five Nights at Freddy's
Let me preface this by saying I know almost nothing about "Five Nights at Freddy's." I know it's a game, and that's it! I don't know the lore, I don't know the mythology, I don't know any of that crap! So I went into the film with a rather blank slate. And perhaps that's not the best way to view this film, which I'm assuming is geared towards fans. To me, a non-fan, the end result was rather lifeless. The premise involves a guy (Josh Hutcherson) who lands a job as an overnight security guard at Freddy Fazbear's Pizza, an abandoned family pizza joint clearly modeled on Chuck E. Cheese. As it turns out, the place's animatronic mascots are alive — and deadly. All of that sounds fun! But the film itself is rather drab and colorless. I will say that I got a kick out of the killer animatronic mascots, which were created by Jim Henson's Creature Shop. But by the time the end credits rolled, all I could think was, "Well, that movie was not for me." If it worked for you, mazel tov! Pick up the Blu-ray!
Special features:
- FIVE NIGHTS AT FREDDY'S: From Game to Big Screen – Feel the frights of Freddy Fazbear's come alive as the film recreates the game's world with immersive environments and wild surprises that'll haunt longtime fans and newcomers alike.
- Killer Animatronics – Freddy, Bonnie, Chica, and Foxy transform from cute and cuddly into creepy and killer through a combination of costumed performers and cutting-edge puppetry.
- FIVE NIGHTS in Three Dimensions – FIVE NIGHTS AT FREDDY'S takes a two-dimensional game and turns it into a three-dimensional nightmare.
JFK
Here are two true things. One — Oliver Stone's "JFK" is a masterpiece. Two — Oliver Stone's "JFK" is completely full of crap. Stone ignores tons of facts and makes up a bunch of stuff for his epic devoted to the conspiracies surrounding the assassination of John F. Kennedy. Is that good or bad? Or does it matter at all? I'm inclined to say it's not a terrible thing — when we go to a museum and look at a work of art on the wall, our first thought shouldn't be, "Is this painting historically accurate?" The same holds true with movies. Still, there's something to be said for how the film feels so authentic that it's tricked millions of viewers into buying its story completely. Me? I don't buy it. But I also think the film is incredible; a massive work full of jaw-dropping filmmaking and a killer cast. Like this year's "Oppenheimer," "JFK" is essentially a movie about people sitting in rooms talking. But Stone and his team of editors make that exciting using seemingly every trick in the book, all of it aided by Robert Richardson's stunning cinematography. The film, which for my money is Stone's best, is now on 4K in a stellar box set from Shout Factory, and it remains just as magnificent now as it was when it arrived in 1991. It may not tell the whole truth, but it's still one of the best American movies ever made.
Special features:
DISC ONE (4K UHD — DIRECTOR'S CUT):
- NEW 2023 4K UHD Director-Approved Scan Of The Original Camera Negative
- In Dolby Vision (HDR 10 Compatible)
- Audio: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, 2.0
- Audio Commentary With Director, Producer & Co-Writer Oliver Stone
DISC TWO (BLU-RAY — DIRECTOR'S CUT):
- NEW 4K Director-Approved Scan From The Original Camera Negative
- Audio: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, 2.0
- Audio Commentary With Oliver Stone
DISC THREE (BLU-RAY — THEATRICAL CUT):
- NEW 4K Director-Approved Scan From The Original Camera Negative
- Audio: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, 2.0
- Audio Commentary With Oliver Stone
DISC FOUR (BLU-RAY — BONUS FEATURES):
- NEW "One Person Can Make A Difference" – Oliver Stone On JFK
- NEW "Stone Bold" – Cinematographer Robert Richardson On JFK
- NEW "Brave New Worlds" – Editor Hank Corwin On JFK
- NEW "Supporting The Vision" – Co-Producer Clayton Townsend On JFK
- NEW "Re-Creating The Unthinkable" – Special Makeup Effects Artist Gordon J. Smith On JFK
- NEW "The Delicate Hands Of Time" – Dallas Location Manager Patty Doherty Hess On JFK
- 12 Deleted And Extended Scenes/Alternate Ending (With Optional Commentary By Oliver Stone)
- "Assassination Updated"
- "Meet Mr. X: The Personality And Thoughts Of Fletcher Prouty"
- Still Gallery
- Theatrical Trailer