George Lucas’ gloriously nostalgic ode to his own childhood is given a 4K release to celebrate its 50th Anniversary. And while the film is every bit the wonderful paean to friends, youth and possibility it always was, it now sadly looks anything but a low-budget film from 1973…for better or for worse…
Burdened by the weight of previous film versions, Spider-Man: Homecoming still manages to tell a fresh new story, with decent characters and fluid integration into the MCU, and with a stellar 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray release.
Disney's live-action retread of its classic animated feature Beauty and the Beast is a hit and miss affair that fails to compete with either the original or innovative live-action spin-offs like Maleficent.
Joe Dante's fantastic sci-fi action comedy thriller is a timeless 80s classic alongside Back to the Future, making its UK Blu-ray bow here with a steelbook release.
Back when Smith, Lawrence and Bay were all happy to embrace unabashed, unrestrained fun without pretentious aspirations clouding the vision, we got Bad Boys.
The Purge: Election Year rounds out a trilogy which has gone from strength to strength, delivering a politically-infused thriller leagues ahead of its home invasion horror origins.
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Movies & TV Shows
Agent Carter Season 2 Blu-ray Review
by Cas Harlow
Whilst Agent Carter's short-lived Marvel prequel series goes out with less of a bang and more of a whimper, at least it does so in glamorous 40s Hollywood style.
Mining its own back-catalogue for revisions and remakes, Disney revisits Pete's Dragon to wonderfully homely effect, and gives us another demo Blu-ray release.
Despite the commercial decisions dictating its plot twists, this has far more heart than anything Michael Bay has directed, earning a much-deserved 30th Anniversary Blu-ray release.
Jon Favreau's live action vision of the original Kipling tale is certainly a labour of love, marrying visual majesty with impassioned performances, imbued with the same magic that made Disney's classic animation so beloved.
Using a 300: Rise of an Empire template, Winter's War adopts a prequel/sequel approach to continuing the story from Snow White and the Huntsman.
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Movies & TV Shows
Batman: The Killing Joke Blu-ray Review
by Cas Harlow
Alan Moore’s 28 year old one-shot, The Killing Joke, is arguably the best Joker-centric graphic novel ever published, but it was never long enough to be adapted into a feature film.
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice - Ultimate Cut Blu-ray Review
by Cas Harlow
There’s something undeniably seminal about pairing up DC’s two biggest hitters and even if the Ultimate Cut doesn't smooth out all the myriad flaws, this is an impressive Blu-ray release for a milestone event film.
Title-changes aside, this is another great effort from Disney, delivering smart laughs and colourful but clever chaos and once again hitting home with the young and old. And the Steelbook Blu-ray release is a stunner inside and out.
Not just the greatest Star Trek movie, The Wrath of Khan is arguably one of the greatest movies of all time, and this new Blu-ray release does it justice.
The sequel to Olympus Has Fallen fails to even deliver retro 80s-style one-man-army action in a world of shifting geo-political landscapes. At least the Blu-ray is solid, even if there is no DTS:X track in the UK.
Wild, witty, brash and bloody, Deadpool is a real labour of love brought to marvelous life by long-term fanboy Ryan Reynolds and delivered up on a tremendous Blu-ray release.
A rare and elusive remake/reboot/spin-off which not only stays faithful to its legacy but also forges its own compelling path, Creed could very well be the start of its own memorable franchise, and it's Blu-ray release is a knockout.
Engaging but over-indulgent, Tarantino's foray into duplicitous murder mystery hooks you in the build-up, but doesn't deliver in its pay-off. Thankfully it impresses in every other respect on Blu-ray.
In what may well be his last martial arts-centric lead role, legendary Hong Kong action star Donnie Yen returns to one of his most memorable characters, that of Bruce Lee’s mentor, Ip Man.
Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens Blu-ray Review
by Cas Harlow
Undoubtedly better than anybody could have ever expected, this resoundingly good reboot breathes new life into the Star Wars franchise, and Disney's Blu-ray release continues to impress as it hits UK shores.
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2 Blu-ray Review
by Cas Harlow
Although the flaws only further emphasise the fact that these two parts could have been combined into one, Mockingjay Part 2 remains a fitting enough conclusion to a solid franchise and this is a good, if not exceptional, release to close things out.
Blending a Land Before Time setting and theme with a typically innovative Pixar twist or two, their latest animated feature makes for a top tier Blu-ray release with superb video, audio and extras as well as an impressive steelbook package to boot.
Scorsese’s 1986 sequel to The Hustler may be a highlight in the latter half of Newman’s celebrated career but this Blu-ray steelbook release is a disappointment.
There’s some strong world-building here, so it's a shame to realise that the flawed efforts of the director and unrealistic enthusiasms of the star have probably killed this franchise before it even got started.
Despite any misgivings about the film, the Blu-ray of SPECTRE offers an impressive picture and sound, satisfying most fans as they complete their Bond collection.
Crimson Peak blends ghosts, horror and romance but fails to excel beyond its lavish gothic trappings. Still, the Blu-ray disc is largely excellent and even includes a DTS:X soundtrack.
Stylish and atmospheric, yet eminently faithful to the original text, Justin Kurzel’s sophomore mastering of the classic Shakespeare tragedy Macbeth is an accomplished, resonant piece.
Thrumming with a violent intensity, Denis Villeneuve’s latest mystery thriller pulls no punches in its assault on South American drug cartels, and this UK Blu-ray release pulls no punches with its presentation.
Bloated and blunt, Bay’s blockbuster sequel lost much of the freshness of the first outing but nevertheless proved that more from these Bad Boys was welcome. This Zavvi Exclusive Steelbook marks the only way to pick up the long-awaited film by itself on Blu-ray.
Despite providing not one, but two, striking central performances, even Tom Hardy's committed efforts can't quite make Legend a memorable gangster film, although its Atmos-enhanced Blu-ray release certainly makes a strong impression.
Visually striking, Everest eschews both Cliffhanger-style adventure and most disaster movie tropes in favour of a more documentary approach to the 1996 tragedy.
Alex Garland's directorial debut is a thought-provoking sci-fi film and our Blu-ray review now includes an exclusive first look at the DTS:X soundtrack.
You might start off wondering "what's all the fuss about, it isn't that bad" but by the end of this 90 minute mess you'll realise something seriously went wrong here.