All right, first up today we have two more Blu-ray reviews from Tim for you, including his thoughts on Warner Archive’s Doc Hollywood and also Dragonwyck from Twilight Time. Both are worth a look. And a little later today I’ll be back with my review of Sony’s The Dark Crystal on 4K Ultra HD (I’ll add the link here when it’s up).

Now then, the BIG news this afternoon (weren’t we just talking about this yesterday?) is that Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has now officially announced the 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray release of the Wachowskis’ 1999 sci-fi/cyberpunk classic The Matrix on 5/22 (SRP $41.99). The 4K release has been produced from a new 4K scan of the original camera negative, a remaster supervised by the film’s director of photography, Bill Pope. The resulting image has been given HDR color grades in both HDR10 and Dolby Vision, both of which will be featured on this 4K UHD release. Furthermore, the 4K release will feature Dolby Atmos object-based audio. The actual 4K disc will also include a written introduction by the Wachowskis, along with all four previously-available audio commentaries (including the Philosopher, Critics, Cast & Crew, and Composer tracks). [Read on here...]

We’re starting the new week with a trio of Blu-ray reviews from Tim, all three Shout!/Scream Factory titles, including The ’Burbs: Collector’s Edition, The Strangers: Collector’s Edition, and Night of the Seagulls. More are coming tomorrow, so stay tuned.

Now then, we’ve got some interesting news today for you as well...

First up, it appears that Warner’s The Matrix and Fox’s Die Hard, which we’ve mentioned here at The Bits recently are both coming to 4K Ultra HD (see here and here), will street in 4K sometime in May. Neither title is as yet officially announced, but multiple industry sources now are pointing to likely May street dates. And we now have European retail temp cover artwork for The Matrix too, which you can see at left. [Read on here...]

We’re wrapping up the week with no less than four new disc reviews today, including Tim’s thoughts on The In-Laws from Criterion, the Viva L’Italia: Special Edition from Arrow Academy, and the Basket Case: Limited Edition from Arrow Video, all on Blu-ray.

I’ve also posted my thoughts on Justice League in 4K Ultra HD from Warner Bros and DC, a disc that includes both Dolby Atmos audio and Dolby Vision HDR. I’ve also got a review of The Dark Crystal in 4K from Sony coming soon, so be sure to watch for it. [Read on here...]

The big news today is that Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has set 12 Strong for release on Blu-ray Combo and DVD on 5/1, with the Digital release expected on 4/10. Extras on the Blu-ray will include a pair of featurettes (12 Strong: The Making of an Impossible Mission and Monumental Effort: Building America’s Response Monument). It does not appear that a 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray release is forthcoming, though the studio notes that the film will be available digitally in 4K on 4/10.

Also good news: Universal Studios Home Entertainment and GKids are releasing the anime Mary and the Witch’s Flower on Blu-ray and DVD on 5/1. The film was directed by Hiromasa Yonebayashi (The Secret World of Arrietty and When Marnie Was There), formerly of Studio Ghibli. Extras will include the Film Completion Press Conference, a Theatrical Promotional Movie, an interview with the filmmakers, the NTV special Creating Mary and the Witches Flower, and A Special Conversation... Sekai No Owari: Hiromasa Yonebayashi and Yoshaiki Nishimura. [Read on here...]

We begin today with the usual bit of site business here, which includes a trio of new disc reviews...

Tim has checked out Umbrella Entertainment’s region free Blu-ray of The Land That Time Forgot (1975) and I’ve turned in my thoughts on 20th Century Fox’s Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri and Murder on the Orient Express (2017) in 4K Ultra HD. All three titles are work a look, and Murder on the Orient Express is straight-up 4K demo material if you’re looking for such. Watch for my review of Sony’s The Dark Crystal in 4K soon as well.

Also here at the site today, our own Michael Coate has just posted a new History, Legacy & Showmanship retrospective featuring a 55th anniversary celebration of NBC’s classic TV series Mr. Novak. Michael is joined by author and historian Chuck Harter and their discussion is worth your time [Read on here...]

“The Mr. Novak series is among the finest programs to be produced in the 1960s. It ranks with The Twilight Zone, The Dick Van Dyke Show, The Defenders and others as an absolute pinnacle of television production.” — Chuck Harter, author of Mr. Novak: An Acclaimed Television Series

The Digital Bits and History, Legacy & Showmanship are pleased to present this retrospective commemorating the 55th anniversary of the premiere of Mr. Novak, the acclaimed but little seen television series starring James Franciscus (Beneath the Planet of the Apes) and Dean Jagger (Twelve O’Clock High) which ran on NBC from 1963 to 1965.

Highly influential on the education community, the series featured still-timely themes, some early-career directing by Richard Donner (Superman, Lethal Weapon) and Mark Rydell (The Rose, On Golden Pond) and a bevy of now-recognizable guest stars including Ed Asner (The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Lou Grant), Beau Bridges (The Fabulous Baker Boys), Tony Dow (Leave it to Beaver), Walter Koenig (Star Trek), Martin Landau (Mission: Impossible, Space: 1999), June Lockhart (Lost in Space), Burgess Meredith (Batman, Rocky), and Marion Ross (Happy Days). [Read on here...]

All right, the big 4K news continues this week! But first...

We’ve just posted two new disc reviews here at The Bits, including Tim’s thoughts on Terry Gilliam’s Jabberwocky, now available in a fine new Blu-ray edition from Criterion, and also my take on Darren Aronofsky’s challenging Mother! available in 4K Ultra HD from Paramount.

We’ve also got more new disc reviews coming, including several more BD titles from Tim and I have no less than three new 4K Ultra HD reviews coming in the next 24 hours as well, including Sony’s The Dark Crystal. So watch for that starting later today here at the site. [Read on here...]

All right, we’ve got a long weekend of disc reviewing ahead of us here at The Bits. But I wanted to jump in today with a bit of breaking news as well as some more new 4K cover artwork.

First that breaking news... Universal has just set Mamma Mia! The Movie for release on 4K Ultra HD on 5/1. High Dynamic Range will be HDR10 but the disc will feature DTS:X object based audio. Obviously, you’ll also get the Blu-ray (10th Anniversary Edition) too with all extras and a Digital Copy code. You can see the cover artwork below.

Something else I wanted to mention: It seems like a good bet that if Universal is including DTS:X on Mamma Mia! in 4K, the studio’s forthcoming Jurassic Park: 25th Anniversary Collection 4K titles could have it too. Some of the marketing artwork we’ve seen hints at it, but we’ll have to wait and see when Universal makes their official announcement to be sure. Fingers crossed. [Read on here...]

All right, this is just a quick post today with some big release news and updates...

First, Tim’s got a stack of Blu-ray titles he’s working his way through for review, while I’ve got reviews of Three Billboards, Dark Crystal, and Murder on the Orient Express in 4K Ultra HD all in the works. So watch for those to start going up tomorrow and Monday. And sometime late next week… Justice League 4K.

Also here at The Bits, today, we’ve got a new update for you of the Release Dates & Artwork section with lots of fresh Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K Ultra HD cover art and Amazon pre-order links. Remember, whenever you shop Amazon through our links, it makes a big difference for us here in terms of keeping The Bits going. So thank you for doing so!

Now then... the big news today is more 4K: Universal has just revealed its 4-film/8-disc Jurassic Park: 25th Anniversary Collection for release on 5/22 (SRP $79.88), which will include Jurassic Park, Jurassic Park: The Lost World, Jurassic Park III, and Jurassic World each on both 4K UHD and Blu-ray. [Read on here...]

All right, we’ve got three more new Blu-ray reviews for you today...

First up, Tim has checked in with his thoughts on Scream Factory’s The Night Walker and the Warner Archive’s From Hell It Came on Blu-ray. Both are well worth a look, so do check them out.

Also, as promised I’ve turned in my thoughts on Umbrella Entertainment’s Australian Blu-ray version of Frank Herbert’s Children of Dune, which is region free and features 24p (so no PAL audio speed-up). It matches well with Alive AG’s German Frank Herbert’s Dune Blu-ray which I reviewed earlier this week. Do give it a look if you’re a fan. [Read on here...]