Maybe it’s because Disney doesn’t release much on physical media anymore, but whenever they do, it usually feels like an event. August was no exception: the 4K Steelbook of Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World was easily one of the highlights of the month. On the flip side, Disney’s 2025 release of Lilo & Stitch felt a bit underwhelming. Meanwhile, Lionsgate Limited delivered some of the best Steelbooks of the month with High Tension and It Follows, both boasting stunning artwork, while Scream Factory’s alternate slipcovers for Sleepaway Camp II and III were instant pickups.

If I have one ongoing wish for physical media this year, it’s that Kino Lorber would step up their packaging game. Don’t get me wrong—their releases are solid and often feature the original poster art, but the overall presentation is kind of plain. Compare that with A24’s approach: their DigiPacks have a clean, uniform design, complete with that now-iconic barcode on the spine, and they still manage to incorporate poster art in a way that feels fresh. Kino’s line could definitely use a facelift. This month I picked up several of their titles—Coneheads, Happy Gilmore, The Rundown, Scoop, and Xanadu—all fun additions, but the packaging leaves me wishing for more.

August also brought some exciting new releases outside of Kino. Universal’s How to Train Your Dragon box set with a 4K Steelbook was a standout, and while I haven’t cracked into Karate Kid: Legends yet, that 6-film collection was too good to pass up. From Vinegar Syndrome, I grabbed Breaking the Girls and We Might as Well Be Dead, plus two from my watchlist—Revealer and Young & Beautiful—all of which had eye-catching slipcovers. Arrow Video also impressed with their editions of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003) and The Beginning. On top of that, I snagged Steelbooks of Late Night with the Devil, The 40-Year-Old Virgin, and Casper. None of those blew me away, but I was happy to see Sunset Boulevard finally land a 4K release.

Looking ahead to September, my most anticipated pickups are the Steelbook Library Cases for The Dark Knight and the Nightmare on Elm Street collections. We don’t get enough of these, so when they show up, it feels special. I’m also hyped for the 4K release of The Life of Chuck, one of my favorite films of the year. I’ll be double dipping, since I already ordered the international box set. Kino Lorber is also putting out my favorite Yorgos Lanthimos film, Dogtooth, and the artwork actually feels like a step up for them. Beyond that, September is packed with big titles hitting shelves—Superman (2025), M3GAN 2.0, 28 Years Later, Jurassic World: Rebirth, Elio, and Ballerina. And of course, the buzz is building for Disney’s long-awaited 4K releases of Tron and Tron: Legacy ahead of Tron: Ares. Those upgrades are long overdue, and getting two at once feels like a gift.

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