What's New in Home Video & Pop Culture - January 6, 2026

By Mike Spring

on January 6, 2026

What’s New in Home Video & Pop Culture – January 6th, 2026

Well, after a few weeks off for the holidays, the release schedule is back in full swing, and we’ve got a nice collection of home video releases and graphic novels to delve into. If you like mainstream hits, we’ve got you covered, and if you’re a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles fan, you’ll definitely be excited. Check out all the goods below!

In This Week’s Column:

Black Phone 2 (4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + Digital)
Bugonia (4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + Digital)
Boogie Nights (4K Ultra HD + Digital)
Good Fortune (Blu-ray + Digital)
Hazbin Hotel: Season One (Blu-ray)
A Big Bold Beautiful Journey (Blu-ray + Digital)
Devilman Crybaby: Deluxe Edition (Blu-ray)
TMNT Movie 35th Anniversary, TMNT Ultimate Collection Volume 7, and TMNT: The Eastman Covers 2019-2024 (Graphic Novels)
O.C. and Stiggs (Blu-ray)
Saga of the Phoenix (Blu-ray)

Black Phone 2 (4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + Digital)

Official Synopsis:

True evil transcends death and the black phone rings again as The Grabber (Ethan Hawke) torments Finn, the teen who killed him, from beyond the grave by menacing his sister Gwen. Haunted by horrific visions, the teens set out to stop their psychological torture only to uncover a disturbing secret as they confront a killer who has grown more powerful in death.

The Movie:

I really enjoyed the first Black Phone, it was a thriller with a supernatural bent that skirted with being a horror film, but didn’t quite feel like a true fit in that genre. And that’s part of what appealed to me; sometimes, I like a little break from unrelenting horror movies. That said, I wasn’t sure of the need for a sequel or even how the story might lend itself to one. But co-writer/director Scott Derrickson (who helmed Dr. Strange, one of Marvel’s best movies) managed to craft a follow-up that not only works, but it makes sense from a story perspective.

I don’t want to get into spoilers for either film, but suffice it to say that Finn, the kid from the first movie, is now a teenager with, well, some issues, and his younger sister is growing up alongside him. When they start to find themselves haunted by visions that may or may not be connected to their past, they head up to a remote camp and get snowed in by a blizzard. And then… well, let’s just say that bad things start to happen.

The film gets better as it goes. It starts off a little slowly, if I’m being honest, but the intensity ratchets up as it progresses, and by the end I really found myself hooked. This is a great one-two punch of a dark thrillers that may or may not need another sequel. If they do make one, though, I’ll be here for it.

The 4K Video/Audio:

Black Phone 2 is a surprisingly stylish film with a unique look that hovers between cinematic and indie-aesthetic, and that’s represented here with a brand new 4K Ultra HD transfer that looks very impressive. Color saturation presents very real colors, while image clarity is razor sharp. There are scenes that are intentionally fuzzy-looking (for story reasons) and I can say that the 4K replicates the theatrical experience perfectly. The surround soundtrack uses the satellite channels to create a tense atrmosphere and fill in your living room with the sounds of the narrative and the world, but the dialogue never gets lost in the mix. All in all, it’s a terrific A/V presentation of a unique movie.

The Bonus Features:

Deleted Scenes
Dialed In: The Cast of Black Phone 2
A Story Carved in Ice
Frozen in Time
Feature Commentary with Director/Co-Writer/Producer Scott Derrickson

Digital Copy Included: Yes

Bugonia (4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + Digital)

Official Synopsis:

A wildly entertaining psychological thriller, the film follows two conspiracy-obsessed young men who kidnap a powerful CEO they believe is an alien out to destroy humanity. What begins as a paranoid act spirals into a battle of delusions and control—one as viscerally unpredictable as it is provocative.

The Movie:

I’m not generally a fan of Yorgos Lanthimos (Poor Things, Kinds of Kindness), so I had tempered expectations for Bugonia. By the same token, I thought the trailer was at least intriguing enough that I was curious about the film. With Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons leading the cast, I figured maybe this would be the film to finally make me a Lanthimos appreciator.

It was not. I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with it, if I’m being honest. I think the concept is interesting, and there are some absolutely riveting moments between Stone and Plemons. But there were also things I hated about the film; the soundtrack (and more to the point, where and when the music is placed) annoyed the heck out of me, and there are stretches where the film becomes pretty dull. I also found myself thinking that there was one thing about the film’s ending that would make the whole thing work for me if the filmmakers had the audacity to go for it, and yet when they did, I thought the way they went about it was petently ridiculous. Obviously, I won’t spoil anything here, but the choices the director made really took the air out of the ending for me.

So ultimately, Bugonia might be the Yorgos Lanthimos movie I’ve enjoyed the most so far, but that’s a far cry from actually liking it. I suspect a lot of people will think it’s brilliant, but it was quite hit-or-miss for me.

The 4K Video/Audio:

Bugonia looks exactly how I suspect Yorgos Lanthimos wants it to look on 4K Ultra HD. The film has a lot of flat earth tones to it that reflects what’s happening on screen, but there are also moments where the color explodes off the screen, and color saturation manages to be terrific in any setting. There’s a sense of detail and the dreariness of the real world that the 4K imagery really gets across, and the razor-sharp clarity is impeccable. The surround soundtrack doesn’t have a lot to work with but it makes the most of it, featuring strong directional effects and an immersive soundfield when the action picks up, plus a thumping low-end bass that really gives the proceedings some oomph. It’s a very strong A/V presentation from start to finish.

The Bonus Features:

The Birth and the Bees: The Making of Bugonia

Digital Copy Included: Yes

Boogie Nights (4K Ultra HD + Digital)

Official Synopsis:

In this dark, comic drama, a gullible teenager takes a turbulent journey through the worlds of pornography, disco and fleeting stardom in the ’70s, when drugs were in vogue, fashion was in flux and the party never seemed to stop.

The Movie:

There was a period of time when I considered Paul Thomas Anderson to be one of my favorite filmmakers. Starting with the great Boogie Nights, he then cranked out great films like Magnolia, Punch Drunk Love, and There Will Be Blood. That’s a hell of a run! Then The Master came out and started a downward spiral into The Land of Films I Don’t Like.

But among his mixed oeuvre, Boogie Nights remains his most accessible and – for my money, at least – his most enjoyable movie. A blend of comedy and drama set within the world of 1970s/80s pornography, the film boasts a stellar cast and just feels different than most of the other films that were hitting cinemas at the time. Mark Wahlberg makes a case for why he became a box office superstar, while Julianne Moore and Burt Reynolds anchor the film. All the while, familiar and soon-to-be-familiar faces like Heather Graham, John C. Reilly, and Don Cheadle just add to the quality of the film.

Boogie Nights was a critical and awards darling and an early juggernaut on home video. I feel like it’s faded a bit in the public consciousness a bit since its release (maybe because PTA has gone on to make such dreary and capital-I-Important films), but to me, it’s still a masterpiece and I’m thrilled to see it finally debut on 4K Ultra HD.

The 4K Video/Audio:

Boogie Nights is still a medium-budgeted film from 30 years ago, so it’s not like it suddenly looks brand new, but you’ll notice brighter colors, a sharper picture, and good contrasts. There is a relatively active soundtrack (mostly making sure the dialogue is clear and the music sounds good) that also offers up some ambient surround activity to help fill in the soundfield. It’s hard to complain about any of those things.

The Bonus Features:

American Cinematheque Panel Night 1 – Paul Thomas Anderson and John C. Reilly
American Cinematheque Panel Night 2- Paul Thomas Anderson
Commentary with Director Paul Thomas Anderson
Commentary with Don Cheadle, Heather Graham, Luis Guzman, William H. Macy, Julianne Moore, John C. Reilly, Mark Wahlberg, and Melora Walters
Additional Scenes
Michael Penn Try Music Video
The John C. Reilly Files: Outtakes and Extended Sequences

Digital Copy Included: Yes

Good Fortune (Blu-ray + Digital)

Official Synopsis:

A well-meaning but rather inept angel named Gabriel meddles in the lives of a struggling gig worker and a wealthy venture capitalist.

The Movie:

I try to avoid damning movies with faint praise, but sometimes that’s just how things shake loose. Good Fortune, starring Aziz Ansari, Seth Rogen, and Keany Reeves (and written and directed by Ansari) is a pretty enjoyable film. I liked it more than I didn’t. Annnd… that’s pretty much it. I didn’t love it, I wasn’t blown away by it, I don’t know that I’ll rewatch it at any point. But did I like it? Yep.

It’s an interesting film, structurally. The movie sort of takes turns focusing on each of the three main characters. Like, their stories are interwoven, but there are also chunks where one of the three characters takes the forefront for a portion of the film and the others sort of disappear for a bit before shifting its focus to another character. I’m not sure if that’s a good or bad thing, but it was different.

Ultimately, the movie ends the way you’d want it to and it left me with a smile on my face, and that’s what you want from a movie like this. It’s not a laugh-out-loud comedy, but it will make you chuckle and leave you feeling pretty good, and sometimes that’s just got to be enough.

The Bonus Features:

Life Swap: Making Good Fortune
The Los Angeles of Good Fortune
The Clothes Make the Man and the Angel

Digital Copy Included: Yes

Hazbin Hotel: Season One (Blu-ray)

Official Synopsis:

This adult animated musical series follows Charlie, the princess of Hell, as she pursues her seemingly impossible goal of rehabilitating demons to peacefully reduce overpopulation in her kingdom. After a yearly extermination that was imposed by Heaven, she opens a hotel in the hopes that patrons will be “checking out” after proving their souls are redeemable.

The Show:

Hazbin Hotel has become so popular, such a cultural juggernaut, that it almost feels unsafe to do anything but heap glowing praise upon it. Now, don’t worry, I’m not here to tear the show apart or anything like that, but as someone who doesn’t like Rick and Morty, I know what it’s like to be on the wrong end of popular opinion.

So here’s what I’ll say: Hazbin Hotel is a show that does what it does very well. Clearly, it’s working, because the show has become a legit phenomenon. The idea of an animated series set in hell and focusing on a group of characters who are trying to reform (some of whom are trying much harder than others) is a concept rife with possibility. It’s also trying to accomplish that in the most crass way possible. And that’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it is one of those shows that’s like, “HEY! We’re for adults even though we’re animated! We are NOT for kids! And we’re going to throw in every swear word, every X-rated joke, and every sex thing we can to PROVE it to you!” It’s about as subtle as a hammer to the face.

–

That said, the show also has some truly funny moments, and I think the musical numbers are pretty damn amazing. The voice cast is outstanding, and the show is fast-paced and keeps things moving at all times. So, like I said, it’s not like I dislike the show or anything, I just haven’t fallen in love with it the way many people have.

The Bonus Features:

Cast commentary on all 8 episodes
Limited-edition trading card

Digital Copy Included: No

A Big Bold Beautiful Journey (Blu-ray + Digital)

Official Synopsis:

Some doors bring you to your past. Some doors lead you to your future. And some doors change everything. Sarah (Margot Robbie) and David (Colin Farrell) are single strangers who meet at a mutual friend’s wedding and soon find themselves on A Big Bold Beautiful Journey. a funny, fantastical adventure where they get to re-live important moments from their pasts and possibly alter their futures.

The Movie:

About every five years or so, I see a trailer for a movie that just 100% sucks me in, and I become convinced that said movie is going to be a magical and amazing experience. And usually, it is. It happened with La La Land, and that one did turn out to be a magical and amazing experience for me. I got the same kind of vibe from the trailer for A Big Bold Beautiful Journey, a romance/drama with fantasy and comedy elements starring Colin Farrell and Margot Robbie. I absolutely fell in love with the trailer, and I couldn’t wait to watch the film and have a big bold beautiful experience.

Only, that’s not what happened. A Big Bold Beautiful Journey is a film with a lot of good pieces that never quite gels to become more than the sum of its parts. I like the concept of this couple falling in love while revisiting their troubled pasts through a series of magical doors. But the film can’t decide on a tone. Sometimes it’s fun and lively, sometimes it’s sad and somber, and sometimes the script ruins a beautiful moment by just throwing in arbitrary F-bombs that completely undermine that power of the moment. (And for the record, I don’t care that the script has language in it; it’s the quality of the writing that suffers in these scenes that should be really meaningful.)

Farrell and Robbie both give good performances, although I don’t think their chemistry really clicks. It’s not like you can’t buy them falling in love, but I think maybe they play their characters a little too damaged to really feel the connection coming through. Ultimately, I didn’t dislike the movie and there are parts that I really enjoyed, but it’s much too flawed for me to consider it a success.

The Bonus Features:

Love’s Ever-Shifting Landscape: A Relatable Romance
The Magic Behind the Scenes: Crafting the Journey
A Big Bold Beautiful Music Number

Digital Copy Included: Yes

Devilman Crybaby: Deluxe Edition (Blu-ray)

Official Synopsis:

Protagonist Akira Fudou learns from his best friend, Ryou Asuka, that an ancient race of demons has returned to take back the world from humans. Ryou tells Akira that the only way to defeat the demons is to incorporate their supernatural powers, and suggests that he unite with a demon himself. Akira succeeds in transforming into Devilman, who possesses both the powers of a demon and the soul of a human. The battle of Devilman and Akira Fudou begins.

Five-disc set including three discs of featured Blu-ray and two bonus discs including an extra soundtrack remix CD by Kensuke Ushio and an 150-page booklet of making-of animation. Newly illustrated box packaging.

The Movie:

Before I get into the series itself, let me take a minute to just drool over the packaging of Devilman Crybaby: Deluxe Edition, a new box set from Shout Factory. I’m a huge packaging nerd; the easiest way to get me to watch your home video release is to wrap it up in gorgeous packaging. (Yes, I AM a sucker for Steelbooks, why do you ask?) And this box set is absolutely stunning. About the size of a 7-inch vinyl single, the box not only features new black-and-red artwork, but it also comes with a high-quality 156-page book inside the box. Then there are two Blu-rays that contain the 10 episodes of the Devilman Crybaby anime.

Now, let’s get to the show itself. I had heard of Devilman and I even remember reading a few of the manga comics back in the ‘90s, but my knowledge of it was really pretty much non-existent. It turns out it’s a dark fantasy drama/action about a young man who merges with a demon (rather than be possessed by one) who now uses this power to become Devilman, who has the body of a devil but the heart of an angel. With stylish animation and a compelling narrative, I was surprised how much I enjoyed it.

What isn’t surprising is how popular Devilman has become since this show aired in 2018 on Netflix. Anime has become bigger and bigger over the past half decade and Devilman Crybaby has been a driving force in that explosion. Watching this series – in this impeccable box set – it’s not hard to see why.

The Bonus Features:

156-page booklet with making-of and prduction art
Clean Opening

Digital Copy Included: No

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Original Motion Picture Special Edition 35th Anniversary Edition, TMNT Ultimate Collection Volume 7, and TMNT: The Eastman Covers 2019-2024 (Graphic Novels)

Official Synopsis:

TMNT: Movie 35th Anniversary –

Celebrate the 35th anniversary of the original 1990 TMNT movie! The Turtles made their their big screen debut in 1990 in the live action movie Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles! Adapted by co-creators Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird, this edition contains the graphic novel adaptation presented with updated colors. Also included are Kevin Eastman’s rough page layouts, original placement notes for the Archie Comics edition, and the “cut scenes” that were added to the Mirage edition.

TMNT: Ultimate Collection Volume 7 –

The Ultimate Turtle Time Capsule! Dive deep into the origins of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles with this definitive archival collection, packed with rare art, early sketches, and never-before-seen treasures from the legendary days of Mirage Studios! See how it all began, from raw pencil layouts to fully finished covers and paintings, all accompanied by exclusive commentary from co-creator Kevin Eastman. Explore the creative evolution that turned four mutant brothers into a global phenomenon! Plus, exclusive photos from the early Mirage studio and convention appearances capture the energy and DIY spirit that started it all. This is the essential volume for every TMNT fan, collector, and comics historian, a once-in-a-generation look behind the shell! Now presented in softcover.

TMNT: The Eastman Covers 2019-2024 –

This third art book collects TMNT co-creator Kevin Eastman’s comic book cover art for the various IDW Turtles series from 2019 to 2024, including New York Times best-selling title The Last Ronin. Presented in an oversize hardcover measuring 8 × 12.5 inches to showcase all of the art in its total beauty! Following up 2015’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Kevin Eastman Covers (2011–2015) and 2024’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Kevin Eastman Covers (2015–2019), this collection contains Eastman’s cover art from issues #101–150 of the ongoing TMNT series, Urban Legends, The Armageddon Game, the 40th Anniversary Comics Celebration, the best-selling The Last Ronin, The Last Ronin—Lost Years, The Last Ronin II—Re-Evolution, and more! Also featured are black-and-white inked pages, blueline pencil layouts, and alternate versions.

The Books:

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles fans, rejoice! IDW Publishing has put out not one, not two, but THREE amazing TMNT graphic novels over the past couple of weeks. I’ve shared before what a massive TMNT fan I am, and while I don’t always love all of the newest stuff coming out of the IDW TMNT universe, storywise, I can say without hesitation that each of these three releases is a must have.

First up, we have TMMT: Original Motion Picture Special Edition 35th Anniversary Edition. So, waaaay back in 1990 when the very first (and still best) movie was released, Archie Comics and Mirage Comics co-published an adaptation of the film that was written and drawn by TMNT creators Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird. It’s an incredible adaptation of an incredible film, and I remember reading it and re-reading it many times back in the day. This new version includes the entire adaptation reprinted, but this time it adds all of Kevin Eastman’s layouts for the book, effectively doubling the page count. There’s also a cover gallery, making this the most complete and best version of the adaptation ever released.

Next up, we have TMNT: Ultimate Collection Volume 7, the (presumably) final releases in that excellent line of collected editions. Volumes 1 through 6 reprinted all of the original Eastman and Laird comics in their entirety. Volume 7 (now available in softcover since the hardcover is long sold out) acts as an appendix of sorts, featuring tons and tons of developmental artwork by Eastman and Laird, alongside notes, trivia, and commentary by Kevin Eastman himself. It’s a treasure trove of rare artwork and behind-the-scenes material that gives a glimpse into the creation of the turtles in a way we’ve never seen before.

Finally, we have TMNT: The Eastman Covers 2019-2024. This gorgeous oversized hardcover book is a collection not just of Kevin Eastman’s cover art for the last five years’ worth of TMNT books, but it also includes his thumbnails/prelims for every cover as well. And you not only get issues 100-150 of the regular series, but also his variant covers for all the Last Ronin issues, plus a couple of additional TMNT miniseries. If you’re a fan of Kevin Eastman’s artwork, this isn’t just a pin-up book but a comprehensive art collection packed with developmental art that you won’t find anywhere else. Love it!

The Specs:

Publisher: IDW Publishing
Format: Hardcover (Kevin Eastman Covers) and Softcover (Movie 35^th Anniversary & Ultimate Collection 7)
Page Count: 136 pages (Movie 35^th Anniversary), 176 pages (Ultimate Collection 7), 240 pages (Kevin Eastman Covers)
Cover Price: $19.99 (Movie 35^th Anniversary), $29.99 (Ultimate Collection 7), $39.99 (Kevin Eastman Covers)

O.C. and Stiggs (Blu-ray)

Official Synopsis:

O.C. and Stiggs are a pair of sharp teens who carry out a vendetta against middle-class neighbour Mr. Schwab as his insurance company has cancelled O.C’s grandfather’s retirement policy. From characters created by Ted Mann and Tod Carroll of the National Lampoon (the magazine that ushered in the biggest comedy of the era in Animal House), Robert Altman brought O.C. and Stiggs to the screen, a blazing satire of 1980s America. A precursor to delinquent characters like Wayne and Garth and Beavis and Butthead the film has been described as “cooler than Ferris. As savage as the Heathers” (Hunter Stephenson). Beautifully shot with visual anarchy to match its acerbic screenplay, O.C. and Stiggs features a sensational cast including Jane Curtin (Third Rock From the Sun), Paul Dooley (Sixteen Candles), Jon Cryer (Hot Shots!), Dennis Hopper (Blue Velvet), Melvin Van Peebles (Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song) and others, presented on Blu-ray for the first time in the US.

The Movie:

Radiance Films releases a lot of foreign movies in their home video stable, which is a practice I applaud. When I first got my review copy of O.C. and Stiggs, I naturally assumed this was one of them. Imagine my surprise when it turns out that not only is it not a foreign film, but it’s actually a movie by Robert Altman, one of the most critically acclaimed directors of the 20^th century.

Now, critical acclaim doesn’t always translate to fandom for me. I’m VERY hit or miss with Altman’s works, but I thought I had at least either seen or heard of all of his movies. O.C. and Stiggs, however, was an enigma to me. I then assumed it was an early, before-he-was-famous outing, but no, it’s not that either. It came out in 1985 and is effectively Altman’s take on a raunchy teen comedy, although with a little more depth to it than something like Porky’s or Revenge of the Nerds. The movie is filled with many of Altman’s hallmarks: an ensemble cast, colorful characters, goofy gags, and overlapping dialogue. I can’t say it changed my opinion of him as a director, but I actually enjoyed it more than I expected to.

This Blu-ray debut of the film is an outstanding release; It includes a retrospective documentary as a bonus feature that’s as long as the movie itself, so it’s basically like getting two movies for the price of one. Hard to complain about that!

The Bonus Features:

The Water is Finally Blue – The Untold Story of Robert Altman’s O.C. and Stiggs: A new documentary on the making of the film by writer Hunter Stephenson featuring audio interviews with stars Daniel Jenkins, Neill Barry, Paul Dooley, Martin Mull, and Tiffany Heim
New interview with camera operator Robert Reed Altman (2023, 11 mins)
Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Time Tomorrow
Limited edition 32-page booklet featuring new writing by critic Brad Stevens and archival writings by Robert Altman about the film and his approaches to filmmaking

Digital Copy Included: No

Saga of the Phoenix (Blu-ray)

Official Synopsis:

The Holy Maiden of Hell, Ashura possesses immense power that can destroy humanity. Buddhist monks trap her in a deep cave to keep her from falling into evil hands. Kindhearted Abbot Jiku grants her wish to enjoy the human world for 7 days.

The Movie:

While I have watched and reviewed hundreds of Asian film offerings over my career, I do not claim to be an expert on the entirety of Asian cinema. Frankly there’s just too many films and too many genres and subgenres for me to be as well-versed as I would like. Generally, I know which movies I enjoy and which ones I don’t, and that’s usually good enough for me.

Saga of the Phoenix is, apparently, a sequel to a movie called Peacock King, which admittedly I have not seen. I only know this from the research, not because you need to have seen Peacock King to watch Saga of the Phoneix. As with so many mid-80s Chinese offerings, this high concept fantasy action/adventure film is filled with bright colors, magic and sorcery, and action sequences that are visually dazzling. It also means the movie features some cringeworthy dialogue, questionable acting, and pacing issues. It’s not a bad movie at all, but it’s also not one of those films that you watch and consider a hidden gem or an underappreciated masterpiece.

This new deluxe edition Blu-ray release from 88 Films, however, is fantastic. Packaged in slightly oversized box, the disc includes gorgeous new artwork, a squarebound book, an art card, and some cool bonus features. A great pick-up for any Asian film fan.

The Bonus Features: