The end of the year has arrived, punctuating another physical media buying month. December featured a smattering of different titles, including big-budget films from 2023, like “The Creator” and “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny,” as well as classics like Oliver Stone’s “JFK” and “Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory.”
One of the biggest releases of the month, and my personal favorite, was the 25th Anniversary 4K release of James Cameron’s “Titanic.” It’s a huge deal that this cinematic achievement has finally gotten a 4K release, with more Cameron titles coming to the format soon. “The Nun II” got an international Steelbook with some fantastic artwork, and just as I was a fan of Disney’s releases of WandaVision and Loki, the first two seasons of “The Mandalorian” are just as impressive.
December was likely our last month of getting simultaneous Steelbook releases from Best Buy and Walmart, with “The Exorcist: Believer” marking the end of the era. Best Buy also released the original “Avatar” in a 4K Steelbook, along with Collector’s Editions containing tons of features included. Stephen King had a good release month, with “Creepshow: Season 4,” “Stand By Me,” “Silver Bullet,” “The Dead Zone,” and “Pet Sematary: Bloodlines” all getting various releases. Arrow Video released their 4K “Child’s Play” Collection and a 4K Box Set of “The Warriors.”
Shout Factory also had several releases that I picked up in December, with the 4K Steelbook of “Point Break,” the 4K of “Silver Bullet,” “The Dead Zone,” “Clue,” and “JFK,” plus a Blu-Ray release of “Last Man Standing,” featuring Bruce Willis, and an updated to 4K Shout Select of “The Man In The Iron Mask,” another Leonardo DiCaprio film. Nicolas Cage also saw two of his movies hit shelves this month, with “The Retirement Plan” and “Butcher’s Crossing.” My least favorite release of the month was likely “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem” because the Best Buy Exclusive Steelbook was a bit plain for a film with such a visual style. Next month, I’m looking most forward to the delayed 4K of “Oldboy,” the Lionsgate Steelbook of “Silent Night,” and Kino Lorber’s “Kindergarten Cop” on 4K.
DECEMBER 5, 2023
The Color Purple (1985)
International 4K Steelbook
Warner Bros. Pictures
Creepshow: Season 4 (2022)
Blu-Ray
RLJ Entertainment
Fog City (2023)
Limited Edition 4K Steelbook
WithAnO Productions
Indiana Jones and the Dial Of Destiny (2023)
Best Buy Exclusive 4K Steelbook
Walt Disney Pictures
Kandahar (2023)
International Limited Edition 4K Steelbook
Leonine Films
The Nun II (2023)
Int’l Limited Edition WB100 4K Steelbook
Warner Bros. Pictures
Point Break (1991)
Collector’s Edition 4K Steelbook
Shout Factory
Rio Bravo (1959)
Int’l Limited Edition WB100 4K Steelbook
Warner Bros. Pictures
Ronin (1998)
Int’l Capelight Exclusive 4K Steelbook
Capelight Pictures
Silver Bullet (1985)
Collector’s Edition 4K Ultra HD
Shout Factory
Stand By Me (1986)
4K Steelbook
Sony Pictures
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds
Season 2 (2023)
Limited Edition 4K Steelbook
Paramount Pictures
Titanic (1997)
25th Anniversary 4K Collector’s Edition
Paramount Pictures
Young Guns (1988)
Best Buy Exclusive 4K Steelbook
Lionsgate
RELEASES ON MY RADAR
DECEMBER 12, 2023
Clue (1985)
Shout Select #152 4K Collector’s Edition
Shout Factory
The Creator (2023)
4K Ultra HD
Walt Disney Pictures
Dumb Money (2023)
Blu-Ray
Sony Pictures
Elf (1997)
Ultimate Collector’s Edition
International WB100 4K Steelbook
Warner Bros. Pictures
Fremont (2023)
Blu-Ray
Music Box Films
The Great Ziegfeld (1936)
Warner Archive Blu-Ray Collection
Warner Bros. Pictures
Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio (2022)
4K Ultra HD
Criterion
Hail Caesar (1994)
MVD Rewind Collection
MVD Visual
The Mandalorian: Season 1 (2019)
Limited Edition 4K Steelbook
Walt Disney Pictures
The Mandalorian: Season 2 (2020)
Limited Edition 4K Steelbook
Walt Disney Pictures
Moonage Daydream (2023)
International Limited Edition 4K Steelbook
Universal Pictures
Passages (2023)
Blu-Ray
MUBI
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem (2023)
Best Buy Exclusive 4K Steelbook
Paramount Pictures
The Wailing (2016)
4K Ultra HD
Well Go USA
The Wandering Earth II (2023)
International 4K Steelbook
Cine-Asia
Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory (1971)
International 4K Steelbook
Warner Bros. Pictures
RELEASES ON MY RADAR
DECEMBER 19, 2023
Avatar (2009)
Best Buy Exclusive 4K Steelbook
Walt Disney Pictures
Avatar (2009)
Collector’s Edition 4K Digipack
Walt Disney Pictures
Avatar: The Way Of Water (2022)
Collector’s Edition 4K Digipack
Walt Disney Pictures
The Chucky Collection (1988-2022)
International 8-Film 4K Collection
Arrow
The Dead Zone (1983)
4K Collector’s Edition
Shout Factory
Doctor Who: 60th Anniversary Specials (2023)
International Blu-Ray Steelbook
BBC
The Exorcist: Believer (2023)
Best Buy Exclusive 4K Steelbook
Universal Pictures
The Exorcist: Believer (2023)
Walmart Exclusive 4K Steelbook
Universal Pictures
JFK (1991)
Shout Select #55 4K Collector’s Edition