Mike Spring
What’s New in Home Video & Pop Culture – September 22, 2026
Man, what a week! Three huge box office movies plus a classic catalogue blockbuster with the world’s number one movie star, what more can you ask for? Well, how about one of the best graphic novels on the shelves? Read on for details!
In This Week’s Column:
- Toy Story 5 (Blu-ray + DVD + Digital)
- Supergirl (4K Ultra HD + Digital)
- Scary Movie (4K Ultra HD + Digital)
- Interview With the Vampire (4K Ultra HD + Digital)
- I Love Boosters (4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray)
- Landman: Season 2 (Blu-ray)
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Mirage Years 1984-1987 – IDW Classics Collection (Graphic Novel)
Toy Story 5 (Blu-ray + DVD + Digital)
Official Synopsis:
The toys are back in Disney and Pixar’s “Toy Story 5,” and this time it’s Toy meets Tech. Woody, Buzz, Jessie and the rest of the gang’s jobs are challenged when they come face-to-face with Lilypad, a brand-new tablet device that arrives with her own disruptive ideas about what is best for their kid, Bonnie. Will playtime ever be the same?
The Movie:
Toy Story 5 is the greatest movie of all time! Wait a minute, no it’s not; it’s an unnecessary cash grab! No, it’s amazing! No, it’s tired and hackneyed!
Here’s the real scoop: it honestly doesn’t matter what I say about Toy Story 5. The film was a massive global blockbuster, and we are likely going to keep getting Toy Story movies until the end of time. But if you do actually want an opinion, well: here goes: I liked Toy Story 5 quite a bit!
Now, I’m not one of those people who thinks Pixar can do wrong. In fact, over the years, I’ve been one of their bigger detractors, not so much because I dislike their movies, but because so many of them are overrated. There are a lot of Pixar movies that critics rave about as if they’re cinematic genius that I just found okay. Toy Story 5 works really well because it combines characters we love with a new storyline that is at once fresh and familiar. Pitting our beloved Woody and Buzz and friends against a tablet-style kids electronic toy is pretty genius, and there’s a lot of humor that parents will appreciate. And, of course, the animation is visually stunning as always, even in an age where a computer animated film isn’t a novelty anymore.
So you can rest easy, Toy Story 5 is still highly enjoyable. But I suspect you would find that out for yourself that no matter what I said here.
The Bonus Features:
- Feature Commentary with co-director Kenna Harris, production designer Bob Pauley and VFX supervisor Thomas Jordan
- Gag Reel
- Deleted Scenes
- The Toys Are Back in Town
- Casting Playtime
- 50 Buzzes and The Great Escape
- The Lost Toys
Digital Copy Included: Yes
Supergirl (4K Ultra HD + Digital)
Official Synopsis:
When an unexpected and ruthless adversary strikes too close to home, Kara Zor-El, aka Supergirl, reluctantly joins forces with an unlikely companion on an epic, interstellar journey of vengeance and justice.
The Movie:
So, I want to be clear on something: I’m not one of those internet troll guys who hates female superheroes or anything woke. I love female super heroes. Captain Marvel is one of my favorite Marvel movies. I love the first Wonder Woman film. The much-maligned The Marvels? I thought it was a ton of fun! So understand that everything I’m about to say, I say as a fan of the character of Supergirl and female superheroes in general.
I really didn’t like Supergirl. In pretty much any way. I really wanted to, but I didn’t.
Now I should add some additional context. I love female superheroes, but I don’t like James Gunn. And while he didn’t direct this movie, I knew I was going to be in trouble as soon as Supergirl cameo-ed at the end of Gunn’s highly overrated and problematic Superman film. When she crashed in as a drunk belligerent, I thought to myself, “Uh-oh.”
And unfortunately, I was right. There are so many problems with Supergirl, chief among them is that the main character is downright unlikable for at least half the movie, if not more. The villain, who may have been great in Tom King’s comic book on which this movie is based, plays out like a European mid-level gangster who just happens to be an alien. He would be right at home in one of Liam Neeson’s Taken movies. (And in fact, he’s kind of perpetrating the same crime.) Like, that’s the best bad guy we could choose for Supergirl’s big screen outing?
And then there’s Lobo, played by Jason Momoa. To paraphrase Mean Girls, “DC, stop trying to make Lobo happen! He’s not going to happen!” Lobo is not a great character, he feels completely shoehorned in here, and he adds literally nothing to the film. Even his giant cigar looks ridiculous. Like, we can’t even get a cigar right? At least if there’s one bright spot, it’s that Krypto’s role in the film is thankfully pretty small. (Another James Gunn characterization I didn’t care for.)
Look, I know plenty of people who enjoyed Supergirl, and I truly hope you are one of them. As for me, it just had way too much James Gunn influence to work and I wish it had been a lot better.
The 4K Video/Audio:
Supergirl looks and sounds fantastic on 4K Ultra HD. Superhero movies and special effects spectaculars are the kind of thing 4Ks are made for, and this one doesn’t disappoint. Colors are deep and rich, while image clarity is absolutely razor sharp. There’s a cinematic feel to the picture which enhances the overall effectiveness of the onscreen action. The surround soundtrack offers up a lot of directionality and detail, and your satellite speakers will all get a nice workout, as will the bass channel. A terrific effort overall.
The Bonus Features:
- The Making of Supergirl
- Flying Off the Page
- Space is a Bad Neighborhood, Babe
- A Practical Legacy
Digital Copy Included: Yes
Scary Movie (4K Ultra HD + Digital)
Official Synopsis:
Twenty-six years after the original massacre, Cindy, Brenda, Shorty, and Ray get dragged back into the chaos by a brand-new masked killer who clearly never learned when to quit. Marlon Wayans, Shawn Wayans, Anna Faris, and Regina Hall reunite, alongside returning favorites, for the wildly unhinged return to the franchise’s original roots — where every target is fair game and every line gets crossed.
The Movie:
So here’s the good news: I didn’t hate Scary Movie. (Except for the naming convention, which is one of my biggest pet peeves in all of media: stop naming sequels the exact same thing as a previous film! It’s beyond maddening!) I didn’t really like it, either, but I didn’t hate it. Why is that noteworthy? Because I really hated Scary Movie. (See? See how annoying that is? “I hated Scary Movie but I didn’t hate Scary Movie.” Ridiculous.) What I mean is, I know the original film was a mega-blockbuster and it spawned four sequels and people think it was hysterically funny, but I think it’s an incredibly insipid, lowest-common denominator spoof that cost me brain cells when I watched it.
The new Scary Movie isn’t genius-level comedy, but I’ll say this, it isn’t completely terrible, either. By skewering not only the current slate of horror movies (mostly Scream 5, but also films like Weapons, Longlegs, The Substance, Ma, Sinners, and more) but also cancel culture and race relations, there are some fairly funny moments. (The best one for me was an absolutely killer joke about Judd Apatow movies in the opening scene that I 100% agree with.) There are also some nice meta moments that take on the history of the Scary Movie franchise itself, which is kind of fun.
That said, there’s still so much lowbrow humor that isn’t funny. And it’s not just not funny because it’s so lowbrow (although admittedly that’s not my favorite comedy flavor), but the jokes just aren’t funny or are borderline stupid. Still, if you’re a fan of the original Scary Movie films, I see no reason you wouldn’t really enjoy this one, too.
The 4K Video/Audio:
Scary Movie gets a pretty standard movie presentation on 4K Ultra HD. We find a good picture and a satisfactory surround soundtrack. Imagery is clear, the print is clean, and everything looks realistic and natural. It’s not the most vibrant color saturation I’ve ever seen, but it doesn’t seem dull or muted, either. The soundtrack gives us plenty of directional action when needed but focuses mostly on clear dialogue and enhancing the sound effects, which are both represented well. All in all, a solid effort.
The Bonus Features:
- Scream Together
- Fresh Meat
- Wayans World
- Scene Dissection
Digital Copy Included: Yes
Interview With the Vampire (4K Ultra HD + Digital)
Official Synopsis:
In late 20th-century San Francisco, a 200-year-old vampire tells his story–of desire, love, yearning, grief, terror, ecstasy–to a young reporter, weaving the history that has come to be known as Interview with the Vampire. Based on the blockbuster novel by Anne Rice.
The Movie:
I honestly can’t believe it’s taken this long to get Interview With the Vampire on 4K Ultra HD. I mean, Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt, and Kirsten Dunst in a film that was a global blockbuster when it came out? Based on Anne Rice’s iconic novel? How was this not at the top of Warner Bros. catalog list?
But, better late than never, as this week sees the film’s inaugural 4K Ultra HD release. The funny thing about Interview with the Vampire is that I think you forget how good it is over time. Maybe it’s different for other people, but this isn’t one of those movies that I tend to watch all the time. I honestly can’t even remember the last time I watched it. So watching it in 4K was like seeing the film almost for the first time for me.
And I know that there were a ton of Anne Rice fans who didn’t think Tom Cruise was the right casting for Lestat, and maybe they’re right. I never read the books, so I can’t say, but this was Cruise at the height of his powers, and he is mesmerizing here (as any good vampire should be.) And the studio did a good job of not turning the film into some action spectacle filled with car chases and explosions (or horse-and-buggy chases and explosions?) but presenting the film as a supernatural drama/thriller instead, as it should have been.
It’s funny, but for the last year or so I’d been wanting to rewatch Interview with the Vampire, but every time I went to, I’d realize it wasn’t in 4K yet and I decided to wait until it was. I’m glad I didn’t have to wait 200 years.
The 4K Video/Audio:
Interview With the Vampire is some 30 years old, but it looks better than it has any right to on 4K Ultra HD. Nobody beats Warner Bros. When it comes to restoring older movies for 4K, and the care they put into it shows. You’ll notice vibrant colors when appropriate (some scenes in the film deliberately look cooler than others; that’s how it was shot) a sharp picture, and good contrasts. The surround soundtrack offers up some excellent atmosphere and directionality, but its main focus is making sure the dialogue is clear and the music sounds good, and it does those things quite well. It’s hard to complain about any of those things.
The Bonus Features:
- NEW! Eternal Night and Deadly Light
- NEW! Interview with the Vampire: Creating the World
- NEW! Deleted Scenes
- Audio Commentary: Featuring director Neil Jordan.
- Introduction: Featuring Anne Rice, Neil Jordan, and Antonio Banderas.
- In the Shadow of the Vampire: Archival documentary detailing the production.
- Lestat, Louis and the Vampire Phenomenon
Digital Copy Included: Yes
I Love Boosters (4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray)
Official Synopsis:
A crew of shoplifters led by aspiring designer Corvette (Keke Palmer) aim to boost an entire line from fashion icon Christie Smith (Demi Moore) with the help of retail workers from around the world. It’s like community service.
The Movie:
What an incredibly odd movie.
When I first saw the trailer for I Love Boosters, I was immediately like, “No thanks,” because it really did less than nothing for me. But when I found out the movie starred Keke Palmer, Eiza Gonzales, Demi Moore, Will Poulter, and Don Cheadle, I had to at least check it out. And it’s… well, it’s weird. Way weirder than I thought it was going to be, even from a very weird trailer.
For those of you who don’t know, a Booster is someone who shoplifts large amounts of high-end fashion and clothing, and then resells them at a much lower price. Effectively, they’re very organized shoplifters and resellers. At first, the film seems to just be about a group of boosters, the ringleader of whom wants to be a fashion designer and who struggles with loneliness. But then things start to get odd, such as when she imagines a giant building-sized boulder made up of her debts and doubts following her around. And that’s all before we even get to the science fiction element about halfway through the movie. There’s a scene where main character Corvette is running and her legs look like Wile E. Coyote’s nemesis the Roadrunner (which takes place in a skyscraper that was built at a 45 degree angle by accident), you’ve got Don Cheadle in fat suit prosthetics, and there’s an imaginary sex scene that I can only describe as quite disturbing.
That all said, there are also some funny moments, some biting dialogue, and a very strong sense of visual flair from director Boots Riley. This is the kind of movie that I usually would absolutely hate, but I didn’t. It’s like a mash-up of Everything Everywhere All At Once and a Wes Anderson film, but somehow it kind of works. I mean, I certainly didn’t love it, but it was interesting enough to keep me engaged. But, I mean… man, is it odd.
The 4K Video/Audio:
The 4K Ultra HD transfer of I Love Boosters looks very impressive. Color saturation is top-notch, while image clarity is razor sharp. The film is so colorful in so many ways, and the colors here really do feel like they pop off the screen: I don’t want to understate how great they look. The whole image has a sheen to it that gives the film a glossy look, but in a way that reflects the filmmaker’s vision. The surround soundtrack gives you dialogue that never gets lost in the mix, all while retaining a pounding low-end bass channel. All in all, it’s a terrific A/V presentation of an oddball movie.
The Bonus Features:
- Feature Audio Commentary
- The Making of I Love Boosters
- Cast & Crew Interviews:
- Blooper Reel
- Stills Gallery
- Trailers
Digital Copy Included: No
Landman: Season 2 (Blu-ray)
Official Synopsis:
In Season Two, as oil rises from the Earth, so do secrets – and Tommy Norris’s (Billy Bob Thornton) breaking point may be closer than he realizes. Facing mounting pressure from M-Tex Oil, Cami Miller (Demi Moore), and the shadow of his kin, survival in West Texas isn’t noble – it’s brutal. And sooner or later something’s got to break. The Texas-sized drama is driven by a riveting cast of co-stars that includes Andy Garcia as nefarious investor Gallino, Ali Larter as Tommy’s stunning ex-wife, Angela, and Sam Elliott as Tommy’s father, T.L. This 3-disc Blu-ray set includes all 10 episodes from Season Two.
The Show:
One thing I love about post-Yellowstone television is how every single TV show that comes out now has to be a drama that takes place on a ranch in the southwest. That’s really cool.
Okay, clearly I’m feeling a bit sarcastic these days (this week’s column feels a bit curmudgeonly in places, doesn’t it?), and I do find it annoying that literally every new TV show feels like grass has been outlawed in favor of good old-fashioned dirt, but that doesn’t mean none of them are good. Landman might just have the best cast of any of the new crop of “Dusty Ranch and Oil” shows: you’ve got AT&T pitchman Billy Bob Thornton in the lead, but when you add Demi Moore (one of my absolute favorites), Andy Garcia (another favorite), Ali Larter (who never got the appreciation she deserves) and Sam freaking Elliott, what more could you ask for?
And while I didn’t need or want another Oil in the Family (See what I did there? [Someone give this man a raise! – Ed.]) show, Landman is pretty good. It treads familiar ground, but the writing is sold, the cast is amazing, and the drama and action are engaging. This new three-disc Blu-ray release from CBS/Paramount includes all 10 episodes of Season Two, and with Landman: Season Three on the horizon. This is a great way to get caught up.
The Bonus Features:
- Going Deeper: Inside Landman Season Two
- Finding Character in Clothing with Costume Designer Janie Bryant
Digital Copy Included: No
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Mirage Years 1984-1987 – IDW Classics Collection (Graphic Novel)
Official Synopsis:
Go back to where it all started in this pocket-sized collection that includes the first 10 issues of Eastman & Laird’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and the four Micro-Series one-shots by Mirage Studios in one convenient-to-read book!
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles burst onto the comics scene in 1984 and made history! Now is your chance to read the first 10 issues, plus the Raphael, Michaelangelo, Donatello, and Leonardo Micro-Series one-shots by co-creators Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird. Presented as they first appeared in black and white, new readers can experience the comics that started the phenomenon while longtime fans can revisit the series in an all-new format!
Along with Eastman and Laird’s early work, see the first work of Michael Dooney, Ryan Brown, Jim Lawson, and Steve Bissette, who would become longtime contributors to the TMNT series. This IDW Classic Collection presents readers the chance to see where the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles phenomenon started in a convenient 6 x 9 format!
The Book:
Two things I absolutely love: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and a good value for your money in the world of comic books. IDW’s new Compact Edition graphic novel has both of those things, making this new release an absolute must-have.
The digest-sized Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Mirage Years 1984-1987 – IDW Classics Collection measures 6 x 9 inches, but it also weighs in at a whopping 552 pages, all for only $13.99! You get the first ten issues of the original Eastman and Laird Mirage TMNT comics (the best ones of all, in my opinion), plus all four one shot Ninja Turtles stand-alone specials from the same time period: Leonardo, Donatello, Michelangelo, and Raphael (which of course, includes the first appearance of Casey Jones.)
Now, at the smaller size, the original Eastman and Laird artwork (which is very line heavy and very busy) does feel a bit cramped, but never is it unreadable, and the comics are so great that you won’t even care. Even as someone who already has all of the Ninja Turtles comics in various forms (including all of the issues included here in a very expensive hardcover Omnibus edition), I love having this paperback version that I can take on vacation or throw in my backpack when I know I’ll have some downtime. And for only $14 bucks, that’s an unbeatable value. Cowabunga!
The Specs:
- Publisher: IDW Publishing
- Format: Softcover
- Page Count: 552 pages
- Cover Price: $13.99
