SteelBooks reigned supreme in May, as half of the titles I purchased were SteelBooks. The anticipated 4K release of “The Crow” kicked off the month with two versions for the SteelBook art. That wasn’t Paramount’s only SteelBook release, as both “Bob Marley: One Love” and “Star Trek III: The Search for Spock” received Limited Edition releases. Sony contributed a 4K Steel of “American Hustle” while Warner Bros put out a 4K Steel of “American Sniper.” Lionsgate had two Blu-Ray Steels as they re-released their Vestron Video titles, “The Gate” and “The Lair of the White Worm,” with stellar artwork. Plus, two of the best releases of the month were Steels. Shout Factory released a 4K Steel of “Killer Klowns From Outer Space,” and Warner Bros had another new release, with the best film of 2024 (thus far) in “Dune: Part Two.”
Kino Lorber had some delayed titles come out, including “High Noon” on 4K and “Fletch” and “Fletch Lives” on Blu-Ray. I ordered their release of “Cry-Baby,” but as I ordered it with “Bad Lieutenant” (which got delayed), I am still waiting for it to arrive. Arrow Video released an impressive 4K Box Set for the Guillermo del Toro title “Crimson Peak.” There were also several Shout Factory releases I ordered, including the animated “Addams Family” films on 4K, the “Orphan” and “The Island of Dr. Moreau” on Blu-Ray, both with some eye-catching cover art and a 4K upgrade of “Gretel & Hansel.” As if Paramount was winning enough this month, they also put out their latest Paramount Presents title with the 4K of “Once Upon A Time in the West,” the 44th entry into that line. I also went ahead and grabbed Universal’s 4K release of this year’s “Kung Fu Panda 4.”
My favorite release of the month is the Blufans OneClick of “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3,” which I purchased as part of a Group Buy. Coming from China, the set contains no discs, just three Box Sets, some with lenticular artwork, and all containing the same Steelbook. The lenticular Box Set containing Rocket Raccoon’s eye and its reflection is my favorite of the set. The lowest of my favorites was Shout Factory’s “Gretel & Hansel” because of the lack of a Slipcover. My most anticipated for June include the Steelbook for “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire” as well as the “American Gigolo” Box Set from Arrow Video and both “RoboCop” releases from Shout Factory.
MAY 7, 2024
The Addams Family: Double Feature
2019-2021
2-Disc 4K UHD Collector’s Edition
Shout Factory
The Crow
1994
Walmart Exclusive 4K UHD Steelbook
Paramount
The Crow
1994
Limited Edition 4K UHD Steelbook
Paramount
Fletch
1985
Blu-Ray
Kino Lorber
Fletch Lives
1989
Blu-Ray
Kino Lorber
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
2023
International Blufans Exclusive
Premium Collectors OneClick