New to Theaters:
The First Omen (**) There’s no truth in advertising on this one. This is the sixth film in a series that started with the 1976 original and continued with three sequels and a remake. The First Omen as a standalone film is also a largely by the numbers origin story involving a nun being brought into a conspiracy plot cooked up by the catholic church in the early 70s, albeit with a few gory moments thrown in here and there to keep the horror fans satiated. It lacks the elegance and class that Richard Donner brought to the original film. There’s also an open door for a sequel in case anyone is interested in further chapters.
Photo: Nell Tiger Free in The First Omen
New to Disc:
Paramount:
King Kong (1976) The Dino De Laurentiis remake of the 1933 classic, starring Jeff Bridges and Jessica Lange, comes to 4K for the first time stateside (a foreign 4K release transpired in late 2022) in a new steelbook edition. Unfortunately, the extras that were available in the previous Scream Factory Blu Ray release have not been included and the only thing you get in terms of a bonus is the extended TV cut in the Blu Ray format. Fans of the film may be interested as it is a limited edition.
Scream/Shout Factory:
Lost in Space (1998) The big screen adaptation of the beloved 1960s TV series comes to Blu Ray in a new edition for the first time. The release includes multiple commentaries, deleted scenes and featurettes.
Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey (2023) This horror movie spin on the classic A.A. Milne character makes its Blu Ray debut and includes a trailer and a making of featurette.
Criterion:
Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975) The classic mystery film from director Peter Weir concerning the disappearance on Valentine’s Day 1900 of three Australian school girls comes to 4K for the first time ever in a handsome new edition. Extras include six featurettes and the film’s trailer.
Kino:
The Looters (1955), a western starring Rory Calhoun, along with the comedy You Never Can Tell (1951), which stars Dick Powell, are two of the new offerings from the label this week.
MVD Visual:
Mean Guns (1997) Christopher Lambert and Ice T star in this actioner about a group of criminals attempting to survive after being summoned to a new prison which comes to Blu Ray for the first time. Extras include commentary and new interviews.
18 1/2 (2022) Director Dan Mirvish’s comedy about what might have happened had the infamous missing section of the Watergate tapes been found gets a physical release on DVD. A feature length documentary is also included which documents the attempts of the filmmakers to finish the film during the 2020 pandemic.
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