As if the state of physical media hasn’t been dire enough lately, there are now rumblings that Walmart may be getting out of the game by the end of the year. After Best Buy announced they were no longer selling movies, Walmart quickly stepped in and filled the gap, at least in selling SteelBooks in their stores. However, a few months into offering designated spots for them in their stores, it was clear that they would not be keeping them stocked or replenishing them as they sold out. With Target also downsizing most of its movie sections in stores, it seems like the market for physical media may move solely to online sales. The question remains whether or not Walmart will continue selling 4Ks, Blu-rays, and DVDs through their online store once they commit to not selling them in stores.
A few 2024 theatrical titles hit shelves in August, including “The Bikeriders,” “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga,” and “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes,” all of which received 4K Ultra HD releases. While “The Watchers” was put out on 4K and Blu-Ray in the United States, an international SteelBook was also available. Some other international titles that came in were the Second Sight 4K Box Set release of “You’re Next,” A24’s “The Zone of Interest” in a 4K SteelBook with the original poster art on the cover, and Arrow Video’s release of “The Silence of the Lambs.” The last three Film Vault SteelBook releases also arrived, including “Apollo 13,” “The Shawshank Redemption,” and “Blade Runner.” About the artwork, one of my favorite SteelBook releases from August was the international release of “Atomic Blonde,” which pops with its neon colors.
Another of my favorite SteelBook releases was “Drive,” which also sported neon colors. And, if this is indeed one of the final times Walmart puts out SteelBooks, they did an excellent job with the partnership they did with Bloody Disgusting and the horror titles that received the same blood-splattering artwork. My favorite of the collection is the deep red of the “Sinister” SteelBook, which pops a little more than all the others. I bought fewer Kino Lorber titles this month, only purchasing “Prime Cut.” However, I bought more from Shout Factory in August, buying seven titles, including the 4K releases of “Poltergeist II: The Other Side” and all three “Bill and Ted” films, plus the 4K SteelBooks for “Evil Dead,” “The Last Unicorn,” and “The Return of the Living Dead.” I wish Sony would have done something more special for the release of “Can’t Hardly Wait,” like a SteelBook, but no matter what, I’m happy it got released on 4K.
AUGUST 6, 2024
Atomic Blonde
2017
International 4K Ultra HD + Blu-Ray Steelbook
Universal
Bill & Ted’s Most Triumphant Trilogy
1989-2020
6-Disc 4K Ultra HD + Blu-Ray Set