Matt Damon is right: the world of cinema was better off when DVDs were commonplace, selling millions of copies, allowing studios to profit from non-profitable films when they were released in theaters. We do not say that buying physical format is a form of activism, but almost. Don’t believe what you read here and there, collecting is not a form of fetishism. Whether it’s a matter of wanting to keep the films you love close to you, of being sure to be able to watch them when you want (let’s not forget that the platforms can weigh down the films on their schedule at will , even their own); whether it’s because we like the object, that we want to support an industry, that we like to lend films… It doesn’t matter. Buying movies is always good. Every month, we will now come back to the most significant releases of the last few days. Since the start of the school year, a bunch of beautiful editions have surfaced, with new releases, 4K releases, or even rarer films finally brought up to date. Whether you like blockbusters or authors’ proposals, French, American or elsewhere films, horror or comedy, documentaries or nanars: there will be something for everyone. If you have already been offered beautiful boxes for Christmas, perhaps these can give you other gift ideas. The Christmas gift list of our film journalist who loves to collect lots of stuff See also on KonbiniAguirre, the wrath of God, by Werner Herzog (Potemkine, Blu-ray/DVD)Potemkine has already offered us magnificent editions of the works of Herzog. We think of Fitzcarraldo, which has been sitting next to our TV for many months. But the publisher is doing well by releasing Aguirre, one of the greatest and most important Herzog/Kinski, in a sublime steelbook. All accompanied by extras ranging from shorts from the filmmaker to comments on the film. In short, an already cult edition. Birdy, by Alan Parker (Wild Side, Blu-ray/DVD) The superb friendship film by Alan Parker (Pink Floyd: The Wall, Mississippi Burning, Midnight Express) between two former soldiers from Vietnam, a mute income and dreaming of being a bird and the other being stared, well deserved this sublime boxed edition with illustrated booklet and a new Blu-ray master. At the height of this Grand Prix at Cannes 1985, therefore. On the other side of the sky, by Yusuke Hirota (Arte Éditions, Blu-ray) The first feature film by Japanese filmmaker Yusuke Hirota gave a little slap to anyone who saw the film. This adaptation of the children’s tale (“Poupelle and the city without sky”) took us by surprise, so full of life and energy was it, in the form of a real ecological fable, while having a background of hope on the importance of believing in your dreams. Its Blu-ray version is essential, both for the film and for the bonuses presented in the special version. House of Dragon season 1, (Warner Bros., 4K/Blu-ray) Who has never had a GoT marathon again at over the years? We all know the happiness of immersing ourselves and re-immersing ourselves in this universe. The start, very promising despite its obvious flaws, of the first spin-off of HBO’s flagship series, lets us predict future great marathons. So as long as it’s in 4K, right? The year of the shark, by Ludovic Boukherma and Zoran Boukherma (Jokers, Blu-ray/DVD) Marina Foïs, a shark, Jean-Pascal Zadi, Kad Merad , blood and a comedy like you don’t see enough of in France.The cinematographic adventure of the Yellow Cruise, by André Sauvage (Carlotta, Blu-ray/DVD)There’s only Carlotta to bring out a something as crazy as the Yellow Cruise movie, with a big 400-page book telling the story of that movie and the expedition behind it. Namely a mission financed by André Citroën for more than a year to connect Beirut to Beijing in so-called half-track vehicles – despite political conflicts, car problems or complex weather. A film that was supposed to be promotional for the car brand came out, which was completely re-edited, for the first time available on Blu-ray. A little piece of the great history of cinema, neither more nor less. Petrov’s fever, by Kirill Serebrennikov (Condor, Blu-ray) only a DVD release at the time. But while we are waiting for his new feature, presented at Cannes in 2022 (Tchaikovsky’s wife), now Condor has the good idea to finally offer the film – which visually is really an explosion of ideas – in Blu- ray. Essential, therefore. The Lives of Others, by Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck (ESC, Blu-ray) same) had never had a Blu-ray release, only DVD. It’s now done, to the delight of moviegoers and the most curious, ready to have their hearts broken by this cold spy. the paper, there is everything for the film to be cult. Already, because it is signed Fukasaku, to whom we owe on the one hand the series of yakusa films Combat without code of honor, but especially the great Battle Royale, which marked pop culture with a hot iron. But also because at the time of its release, it was a huge hit in Japan, which at the time was the biggest budget in the history of Japanese cinema, which even had a spin-off series. But here it is, Carlotta had to bring it out for us to discover the Japanese response to Star Wars, released in 1978, with a crazy visual richness, and which well deserved a Blu-ray release. The Nights of Mashhad, d ‘Ali Abbasi (Metropolitan FilmExport, Blu-ray/DVD) A thriller of rare tension, which marked our Cannes 2022 (and our film year in general), with disconcerting violence — and which received, quite rightly title, the best actress award for Zahra Ami Ebrahimi. It was obvious when we saw it that we needed it in our DVD library.Nope, by Jordan Peele (Universal, 4K/Blu-ray)One of the greatest films of 2022, from a writer who has already become a household name horror cinema (and the seventh art, in general) and which must be seen on the biggest of screens, in the best possible quality. Nope in 4K, so that’s a big yes. Rambo, by Ted Kotcheff (StudioCanal, 4K/Blu-ray) The franchise isn’t the most interesting. Largely because the sequels failed to realize that the first wasn’t just a pro-US militaristic national security movie. On the contrary. It may have taken time to recognize the qualities of the first and the message of a muscular feature film, certainly, but which speaks more of the PTSD of the soldiers who left for Vietnam than anything else. And it well deserved a 4K output, frankly.
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