The Corner Penthouse

Join me as I do a quick review round-up for the best of this month's new home video releases...

All of the items below have already been released and are available for purchase from Amazon at the links provided. The Corner Penthouse will earn a very tiny commission from your purchase using these links.



• BUY IT: Blu-ray, DVD.

• VIDEOS: Trailer #1, Trailer #2, We're Altogether Addams: Morticia, We're Altogether Addams: Gomez, We're Altogether Addams: Wednesday, Courage To Be Kooky: Outsiders.

• SYNOPSIS: Morticia (Charlize Theron) and Gomez (Oscar Isaac) are distraught that their children are growing up, skipping family dinners, and totally consumed with "scream time". To reclaim their bond, they decide to cram Wednesday (Chloë Grace Moretz), Pugsley (Javon 'Wanna' Walton), Uncle Fester (Nick Kroll) and the crew into their haunted camper and hit the road for one last miserable family vacation. What could possibly go wrong?

• SPECIAL FEATURES: We're Altogether Addams (8:51) - Meet the people behind the voices. Courage to be Kooky (2:41) - See why it's okay to be different (even kooky) with a little help from the cast of The Addams Family 2. The Addams Family Road Trip Checklist (4:04) - In this "How To" vignette, we'll show you everything you need for a successful road trip with the family. From essentials to games, we've got you covered.

• RATING: PG for macabre and rude humor, violence and language.

• NOTES: It's a perfectly serviceable family film, even though the story is nothing to write home about. If you enjoyed the first film - available on Blu-ray and DVD - you'll enjoy this one. The first print run includes an embossed slipsleeve. If you enjoy these characters, be sure to also purchase the 1990s live-action two-film collection Blu-ray (reviewed here), as well as the classic 1964 television series.

• CREDIT: This item has been provided by Universal Studios for review on this site.



• BUY IT: 4K UHD, Blu-ray, DVD.

• VIDEOS: Main Trailer, Final Trailer.

• SYNOPSIS: Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) is a brilliant and gifted young man born into a great destiny beyond his understanding, who must travel to the most dangerous planet in the universe to ensure the future of his family and his people. As malevolent forces explode into conflict over the planet's exclusive supply of the most precious resource in existence - a commodity capable of unlocking humanity's greatest potential - only those who can conquer their fear will survive.

• SPECIAL FEATURES: In the on-disc menus, ignore the first page of special features with the thumbnails. It duplicates stuff from the text list on the second page. Filmbooks (play all, 10:26) - Brief overviews of the four main humanoid tribes and Arrakis' valuable resource "Spice"; includes: "House Atreides", "House Harkonnen", "The Bene Gesserit", "The Fremen", and "The Spice Melange". Inside Dune (play all, 12:25) - A quick glimpse at three key scenes; includes: "The Training Room", "The Space Harvester", and "The Sardaukar Battle". Additional featurettes include: Building the Ancient Future (6:26). My Desert, My Dune (4:50). Constructing the Ornithopters (5:38). Designing the Sandworm (5:40). Beware the Baron (5:00). Wardrobe From Another World (2:52). A New Soundscape (11:12).

• RATING: PG-13 for sequences of strong violence, some disturbing images and suggestive material.

• NOTES: Not to be confused with the 1984 cult classic (reviewed here) also based on the same novel by Frank Herbert. This is a two-part film, of which this is only the first part (even though that's not stated on the packaging). The follow-up was only recently green-lit by Warner Brothers for an October 2023 release. The first print run includes a slipsleeve.

• CREDIT: This item has been provided by Warner Brothers for review on this site.



• BUY IT: 4K UHD Steelbook [Best Buy], 4K UHD, Blu-ray, DVD.

• VIDEOS: Teaser, Trailer.

• SYNOPSIS: Mia (Emma Stone) and Sebastian (Ryan Gosling) are an actress and a jazz musician who are pursuing their Hollywood dreams - and finding each other - in a vibrant celebration of hope, dreams, and love.

• SPECIAL FEATURES: All can be found on each disc. Audio Commentary with writer-director Damien Chazelle and composer Justin Hurwitz. Another Day of Sun: They Closed Down a Freeway (10:36) - How they created the opening scene. La La Land's Great Party (5:08) - How they filmed the lavish party scene towards the beginning of the film. Ryan Gosling: Piano Student (5:03) - How Gosling trained to play the piano. Before Whiplash: Damien Chazelle's Passion Project (10:12) - Cast and crew discuss how Chazelle wrote and conjured up the idea for La La Land before Whiplash was made. La La Land's Love Letter to Los Angeles (6:56) - Examines the locations used in the film. The Music of La La Land (13:32) - The cast and crew discuss the music of the film with on-set footage of the orchestra playing the music. John Legend's Acting Debut (4:40) - How John Legend got the part in the movie. The Look of Love: Designing La La Land (8:48) - The cast and crew discuss how the filmmakers used music, color, and sets to give this unique look to the film. Ryan and Emma: Third Time's The Charm (5:51) - The cast and crew talk about how much chemistry Ryan and Emma have, due to their work on two previous films together. Epilogue: The Romance of the Dream (7:54) - The cast and crew talk about the ending of the film. Damien and Justin Sing: The Demos (1:55, 3:13) - The two play and sing the demos of the songs "What a Waste of a Lovely Night" (1:55) and "City of Stars" (3:13) with behind the scenes footage playing in the background in black and white. Theatrical Trailer 1 (1:35). Theatrical Trailer 2 (1:33). Theatrical Trailer 3 (2:14). Poster Gallery. Song Selection (48:52) - Allows quick access to the film's 15 tunes. There is a Play All option for the featurettes, which runs 1:19:58.

• RATING: PG-13 for some language.

• NOTES: While both of the discs are old (they came out in 2017), the Best Buy-exclusive Steelbook case is new. It's one of the better Steelbook cases I've seen, with some clever ideas at play. The face of the 4K disc is the skyline, while the Blu-ray disc is a moon. Inside the case, the Blu-ray disc sits atop the 4K disc, which gives the impression of the moon sitting over the skyline.

• CREDIT: This item has been provided by Lionsgate for review on this site.



• BUY IT: 4K UHD Steelbook [Best Buy], 4K UHD, Extended Cut DVD.

• VIDEOS: Teaser, Trailer.

• SYNOPSIS: "The Punisher" Frank Castle (Thomas Jane) walks through the world we all know, a world darkened by war, crime, cruelty, and injustice. He has no superpowers to battle the evil he sees - only his fierce intelligence, his years of combat experience and, above all, his iron determination to avenge those wronged by society's villains.

• SPECIAL FEATURES: These are found on the 4K disc only. The included Blu-ray disc, which dates back to 2006, only contains the movie, even though the back of the slipcase incorrectly says otherwise. Audio Commentary with director Jonathan Hensleigh. Deleted Scenes (3:12) - The two scenes are "Introduction of Saints and Sinners Club: Howard, Livia, and Quentin Enter Thru Intro Bobby and John Saint" and "Livia Insults Mickey Duka", with optional commentary from Jonathan Hensleigh. Keepin' It Real: Punisher Stunts (27:45) - The work that went into creating the various action sequences. Army of One: Punisher Origins (12:55) - A look at the character's Marvel beginnings. War Journal: On the Set of The Punisher (29:59) - More behind the scenes footage. Music Video - "Step Up" Performed by Drowning Pool (3:24). Drawing Blood Bradstreet Style (6:22) - The key art for the advertising campaign created by comic artist Tim Bradstreet.

• RATING: R for pervasive brutal violence, language and brief nudity.

• NOTES: Neither disc contains the Extended Cut, which is substantially different from the Theatrical Cut with an entirely new subplot. In the U.S., you can only get the Extended Cut on DVD (see Buy It line above), which is a shame. Instead of just re-packaging the existing 4K and Blu-ray discs, one of which is 15 YEARS OLD(!), this new Steelbook release gave Lionsgate a great opportunity to make new discs that contain both cuts of the film and all of the special features. Don't get me wrong, this is a nice looking Steelbook; especially if you love the color orange. It's just a missed opportunity. Also of note is that there was a sequel with a different actor as Frank: Punisher: War Zone (2008), which is available on 4K UHD and Blu-ray. The first film adaptation of The Punisher (1989) starring Dolph Lungren is only available on DVD in the U.S. If you have a region-free Blu-ray player, you can pick up the Region B releases from Umbrella Entertainment (with multiple cuts of the film) and Anchor Bay (with no special features?).

• CREDIT: This item has been provided by Lionsgate for review on this site.



• BUY IT: DVD.

• SYNOPSIS: Disc numbers are my own creation, as the discs are not numbered. Click on a movie title to view the film's IMDB page to learn who stars in it. DISC 1: Who Was That Lady? (1960) - Ill-advised by a pal, a chemistry professor falsely claims he is an undercover FBI agent in order to cover-up his marital infidelity but his lie, although swallowed by his wife, gets him in trouble with the real FBI, the CIA and the KGB. How To Save A Marriage (And Ruin Your Life) (1968) - When a carefree bachelor tries to get his best friend to drop his mistress and return to his wife, he finds himself with romantic problems as well. DISC 2: The Notorious Landlady (1962) - An American junior diplomat in London rents a house from, and falls in love with, a woman suspected of murder. Under the Yum Yum Tree (1963) - A love-struck landlord tries to convince a pretty tenant to dump her fiancé and give him a chance. Good Neighbor Sam (1964) - To help his divorced neighbor claim a substantial inheritance, a family man poses as her husband. The ruse spills over into his career in advertising, and his recent promotion relies on his wholesome and moral appearance. DISC 3: Baby the Rain Must Fall (1965) - In Texas, a woman and her young daughter head down to another town where the girl's irresponsible, hotheaded and immature father has just been released from prison on parole. Genghis Khan (1965) - During the thirteenth century, the shy Mongol boy Temujin becomes the fearless leader Genghis Khan, who unites all Mongol tribes and conquers most of Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. The Chase (1966) - The escape of Bubber Reeves from prison affects the inhabitants of a small Southern town. DISC 4: Lilith (1964) - A war veteran gets work at a mental institution where he meets the beautiful, but eccentric, Lilith. Mickey One (1965) - After the mob tries to kill him for an unknown reason, a comedian steals the identity of a homeless man and goes on the run. Luv (1967) - About to nervously jump off a bridge, scrawny Harry Berlin is a barely functional human being. Just as he attempts to leap off the bridge, he is distracted by Milt Manville, an old friend from fifteen years ago. Hook, Line and Sinker (1968) - A man is told by his doctor, and best friend, that he has a terminal illness. At his wife's urging, he lives life to the fullest, racking up insurmountable debts. When the damage is done, his friend the doctor tells him that he's not dying.

• SPECIAL FEATURES: None.

• RATING: Varies.

• NOTES: This is a budget release with several unrelated movies, released by Columbia Pictures, from a variety of genres throughout the stated decade. There are two to four films per disc, with four discs total. The discs are stored inside a clear standard-size DVD case with two discs overlapped on the front cover, and the other two overlapped on the back cover. Underneath the discs are the credits block for all of the movies. The back cover gives a brief synopsis for each movie, noting the major stars, next to the original movie poster. The only real negative, besides cramming three or four movies onto a disc, is that each disc is only labeled with movie titles. There are no disc numbers printed on any of the disc faces, so I had to choose my own and wrote them with a silver marker on the discs. Mill Creek released two of these sets, one for the 1960s and one for the 1970s, and both have discs with the same plain white text on a plain back background. Neither set is labeled "1960s" or "1970s", so again, I had to write the decade on each disc face in silver marker so that I'd instantly know which set the disc came from.

• CREDIT: This item has been provided by Mill Creek Entertainment for review on this site.



• BUY IT: DVD.

• SYNOPSIS: Disc numbers are my own creation, as the discs are not numbered. Click on a movie title to view the film's IMDB page to learn who stars in it. DISC 1: The Owl and the Pussycat (1970) - A stuffy author enters into an explosive relationship with his neighbor, a foul-mouthed, freewheeling prostitute. For Pete's Sake (1974) - A housewife tries to finance her cab-driving husband's education. DISC 2: A Walk in The Spring Rain (1970) - The Merediths move to an isolated farm. Mrs. Meredith and the neighbor Will Cade become friends and anticipate becoming lovers. $ (Dollars) (1970) - A bank security expert plots with a call girl to rob three safety deposit boxes containing $1.5 million in cash belonging to three very different criminals from a high-tech security bank in Hamburg, Germany. Fun With Dick and Jane (1977) - When an upwardly mobile couple find themselves unemployed and in debt, they turn to armed robbery in desperation. DISC 3: The Anderson Tapes (1971) - After Duke Anderson is released from prison after ten years for taking the rap for a scion of a Mafia family, he cashes in a debt of honor with the mob to bankroll a caper. The Horsemen (1971) - Drama depicting rural life in contemporary Afghanistan and the Afghani people's love for an ancient traditional sport similar to horseback polo. The Stone Killer (1973) - A top New York detective is sent to Los Angeles where he must solve a case involving an old Sicilian Mafia family feud. DISC 4: Brother John (1971) - A man who returns to his hometown for a funeral may have a much larger purpose in life than those around him can see. Gumshoe (1971) - Nightclub comedian Eddie Ginley puts an ad in the paper as a private eye. The case he gets turns out to be a strange setup and as he digs to the bottom of it his life starts falling apart. The Last Detail (1973) - Two Navy men are ordered to bring a young offender to prison, but decide to show him one last good time along the way.

• SPECIAL FEATURES: None.

• RATING: Varies.

• NOTES: This is a budget release with several unrelated movies, released by Columbia Pictures, from a variety of genres throughout the stated decade. There are two to fours films per disc, with four discs total. The discs are stored inside a clear standard-size DVD case with two discs overlapped on the front cover, and the other two overlapped on the back cover. Underneath the discs are the credits block for all of the movies. The back cover gives a brief synopsis for each movie, noting the major stars, next to the original movie poster. The only real negative, besides cramming three or four movies onto a disc, is that each disc is only labeled with movie titles. There are no disc numbers printed on any of the disc faces, so I had to choose my own and wrote them with a silver marker on the discs. Mill Creek released two of these sets, one for the 1960s and one for the 1970s, and both have discs with the same plain white text on a plain back background. Neither set is labeled "1960s" or "1970s", so again, I had to write the decade on each disc face in silver marker so that I'd instantly know which set the disc came from.

• CREDIT: This item has been provided by Mill Creek Entertainment for review on this site.



• BUY IT: 4K UHD, Blu-ray, DVD.

• VIDEOS: Trailer.

• SYNOPSIS: In a quiet apartment complex in Los Angeles, a deranged handyman goes on a killing spree, savagely murdering 'immoral' women with the tools of his trade - claw-hammers, screwdrivers, power drills and even a deadly nail gun! But these gruesome massacres are just the beginning of this landmark epic of violence and depravity that was vilified by critics, banned by censors, and treasured by splatter fans worldwide.

• SPECIAL FEATURES: The 4K disc only contains the commentaries and the promotional materials. The Blu-ray disc contains everything. Audio Commentary with Producer Tony DiDio, Director of Photography Gary Graver and Star Pamelyn Ferdin. Audio Commentary with Film Historians Troy Howarth and Nathaniel Thompson. Drill Sergeant (20:17) - Interview with Director Dennis Donnelly. Tools of the Trade (26:47) – Interview with Star Wesley Eure. Flesh and Blood (31:16) – Interview with Actress Kelly Nichols. I Got Nailed in the Toolbox Murders (8:08) – Interview with Actress Marianne Walter. Slashback Memories (24:40) – David Del Valle Remembers Cameron Mitchell. They Know I Have Been Sad (19:27) – Video Essay by Film Historian Amanda Reyes and Filmmaker Chris O'Neill. Theatrical Trailer (2:20). TV Spot (0:32). Radio Spots (1:03) - Two spots in total. Poster & Still Gallery.

• RATING: R.

• NOTES: Comes in an embossed slipsleeve utilizing the original theatrical poster artwork. The sleeve is placed over a thick black two-disc case with no literature clips inside.

• CREDIT: This item has been provided by Blue Underground for review on this site.

If you're looking for more cool stuff to buy, check out all of the other items I've reviewed over the years. I'm sure you'll find something you'll love.