Mike Spring
What’s New in Home Video & Pop Culture – July 8th, 2025
Since it was a holiday in the United States last week (which is where this reviewer is located), it’s a small week this week. More so because the review copies are slower to arrive around holiday weeks than because there aren’t any releases, but it’s also not a gigantic week for releases, either. As always, there are some choice titles to be found nonetheless. Read on for the details!
In This Week’s Column:
- Lethal Weapon (4K Ultra HD + Digital)
- Grave of the Fireflies (Blu-ray)
- The Stuff (4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray)
- Eephus (Blu-ray)
Lethal Weapon (4K Ultra HD + Digital)
The Movie:
The original classic action movie that launched the Lethal Weapon franchise makes its 4K Ultra HD debut in a sparkling new edition that includes both the original film and a Director’s Cut of the movie. While the Lethal Weapon franchise may or may not ever return to movie screens, it was a huge part of the pop culture landscape in the ‘80s and ‘90s and it turned Mel Gibson into a household name while producing four blockbuster films.
For my money – and in a rarity for most film series – all three of the first three films are equally good. (Actually, Lethal Weapon 3 is my favorite.) But the first one introduces us to the buddy cop duo of Murtaugh and Riggs: one a cranky old cop on the verge of retirement, and one a suicidal hot shot on the verge of breaking down over the death of his wife. What starts off as a simple suicide investigation for these newly-paired partners soon becomes something else entirely: a conspiracy wrapped up in a major crime syndicate who wants to see Murtaugh and Riggs dead.
What makes Lethal Weapon stand out is… well, everything, really. The chemistry between Mel Gibson and Danny Glover. The script, and all the humor it contains. The fantastic action sequences. There really isn’t a weak spot in the film.
This week, we get the 4K Ultra HD debut of Lethal Weapon, which includes the theatrical film but also the Director’s Cut. The Director’s Cut adds about eight minutes of footage back into the movie but I wouldn’t say it drastically changes or improves it. Reportedly, Richard Donner actually prefers the theatrical cut, but it’s nice to have the additional version as a curiosity if nothing else.
The 4K Video/Audio:
It’s hard to overstate how good the movie looks in 4K Ultra HD. Warner Bros. has obviously put some love and care into getting it ready for 4K and it shows. Imagery is razor sharp; I swear you can count the individual pieces of stubble on their faces in most scenes. Colors are vibrant and realistic without looking forced or blown out. The prints have no evidence of damage or residual specks of dirt anywhere to be found. Meanwhile, the surround soundtracks have ensured that fidelity is at a premium, so what could sound aged (the movie is almost 40 years old at this point) sounds crisp and clear. Surround activity is spread as wide as it can without sounding overly forced or artificial. Overall, there’s nothing to complain about in the audio department and the video quality is truly outstanding.
The Bonus Features:
Just two short featurettes for a movie that has seen countless home video releases? This is the only disappointing part of this release. At least they’re both new, but I feel like this is a missed opportunity.
- A Legacy of Inspiration – Remembering Richard Donner (7 minutes)
- I’m Too Old For this… – A Chemistry That Became Iconic (6 minutes)
Digital Copy Included: Yes
The Wrap-Up:
Lethal Weapon is an action classic and one of the defining movies of the 1980s. I love it, I’m thrilled by this release, and I can’t wait for the remaining three films to hit 4K as well!
Grave of the Fireflies (Blu-ray)
The Movie:
For years, I’ve heard people talk about Grave of the Fireflies but had never gotten around to watching it. Largely because it’s usually mentioned in the same breath as the fact that it’s the most horribly depressing movie ever, which is curious because it’s an anime film. And that’s not to say that anime movies can’t tackle serious subjects, because obviously they can and they do, but it’s not often you hear an anime described as incredibly depressing.
Buuuut… I mean, it’s not inaccurate. The film, which was one of the first movies from anime powerhouse Studio Ghibli, follows two war orphans in Japan during World War II. Seita (probably about 12 years old) and his little sister Setsuko (probably about 3 or 4) are left homeless and alone when their town in Japan is completely destroyed by Allied bombers. Their mother perishes in the attack, and Seita is left trying to keep himself and his sister alive with no support system and no help from what’s left of the town. Never mind the fact that the opening scene of the film reveals the fate of the two main characters, but watching them struggle through homelessness, starvation, malnourishment, sickness, and trauma is no easy watch. It’s an incredibly well-made film, and there is a certain touching beauty to it, but man, this is not a feel-good film.
This week, Shout Factory continues to release most or all all of the Studio Ghibli catalog titles with a new Blu-ray release of the film. It’s been released on Blu-ray before but has been out of print for several years, so Shout Factory is doing good work here by keeping it available in a new edition.
The Bonus Features:
- Feature-Length Storyboards
- Deleted Scene Storyboards
- Interview with Director Isao Takahata
- Interview with Roger Ebert
- Promotional Video
- Image Galleries
- Teasers & Trailers
Digital Copy Included: No
The Wrap-Up:
Grave of the Fireflies is one of those movies I can appreciate more than I can say I enjoyed. It’s well-made, touching, and unflinching. Do I want to watch it again? Not anytime soon. But am I glad it’s available in a high quality Blu-ray edition for fans to own? Absolutely.
The Stuff (4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray)
The Movie:
I’m someone who has literally written a book on 1980s cult classic films (you can check it out here, it’s called I Want My Two Dollars: tinyurl.com/80scultclassics), and even I have barely even heard of The Stuff. Like, I can’t say I’m 100% unfamiliar with it, the name tickles the recesses of my brain, but I knew next to nothing about it until now.
Leave it to Arrow Video, one of the best home video distributors around today, to rectify that situation, with their terrific new 4K Ultra HD release of The Stuff, a cult classic masterpiece if ever there was one. The film was released in 1985 and stars Michael Moriarty, Andrea Marcovicci, Garrett Morris, Paul Sorvino, and Danny Aiello. It’s got a bit of a Body Snatchers vibe to it, but in this case, what’s causing people to become “pod people” is The Stuff, a mysterious marshmallow-fluff like substance coming up from the earth. It’s delicious and addictive and quickly becomes the most popular treat on the market, with families throwing out their food and filling their fridges with The Stuff instead. Naturally, a ragtag group of people – including a corporate spy and a young child – must try and stop it from taking over the planet.
What makes the film so much fun is that it knows exactly what kind of movie it is and revels in it. There are several interstitial moments of commercials and promos for The Stuff, all of which were made in that inimitable ‘80s style, and they’re utterly fantastic. There are also some pretty neat special effects to bring The Stuff to life, as it often moves on its own like The Blob. Frankly, I can’t believe I’ve never seen this movie before, but I loved it!
The 4K Video/Audio:
The Stuff is a low-budget movie from 40 years ago, but it looks better than it has any right to on 4K Ultra HD. It’s not like it suddenly looks brand new, but you’ll notice bright colors, a sharp picture, and good contrasts. There is the original mono soundtrack included, but it does a good job of making sure the dialogue is clear and the music sounds good. It’s hard to complain about any of those things.
The Bonus Features:
- Brand new audio commentary by writers and critics David Flint and Adrian Smith
- An early, pre-release cut of the film featuring over 30 minutes of additional footage and a different music score, exclusively remastered by Arrow Films
- Archival audio commentary by writer/director Larry Cohen
- 42nd Street Memories: The Rise and Fall of America’s Most Notorious Street – feature-length documentary with first-hand accounts from an array of filmmakers, including Larry Cohen
- Can’t Get Enough of The Stuff: Making Larry Cohen’s Classic Creature Feature
- Enough is Never Enough – newly edited featurette
- Trailers and TV spots
- King Cohen trailer
- Image gallery
Digital Copy Included: No
The Wrap-Up:
The Stuff is a super fun throwback flick that’s like a cross between The Blob and Invasion of the Body Snatchers. As those are both favorites of mine, it’s not hard to understand why I enjoyed this movie so much. I think you will too.
Eephus (Blu-ray)
The Movie:
Eephus is one of those movies that’s a little bit hard to write about. It was entirely for me, but that’s not because it doesn’t do a lot of things write. Allow me to articulate.
The film (which is named after a rarely-seen pitch in baseball, apparently) is about two recreational baseball teams (whose players are mostly middle-aged-to-older men) who are playing their last game as rivals, as their baseball field is about to be paved over in order for a school to be built. The game goes into extra innings as the players cajole and bond with each other over their love of baseball.
And that’s where the film falls apart a little for me. I’m not a baseball fan; never have been, never will be. And while I traditionally love baseball movies, most of them use baseball as a backdrop for a theme of some sort. Eephus is literally about baseball, and almost the entire movie takes place during a single game. And I just don’t care enough about baseball to get that into it.
But that’s also where the movie shines; if you ARE a baseball fan, you will probably love this movie. Because it treats baseball with a combination of nostalgia and reverence, while acknowledging the passing of time, something none of us can control. I suspect that if you truly love baseball as a sport, Eephus will be something of a grown-up Sandlot for you. It just wasn’t for me.
This week, the film is released on Blu-ray from Music Box Films and it comes loaded with a plethora of bonus features.
The Bonus Features:
- Filmmaker Commentary with director Carson Lund, co-writer/producer Mike Basta and D.P Greg Tango
- Cast Commentary with a raucous lineup of actors from Adler’s Paint and the River Dogs
- Behind the Scenes camcorder video
- Extra Innings Deleted Scenes
- Big Whiffs Blooper Reel
- Pickup Baseball Game at East River Park, NYC
- Storyboards and Image Galleries
- Inside Baseball – Essay by Caden Mark Gardner
- Exclusive Interview with Bill “Spaceman” Lee
- Director Q&A recorded live at Jacob Burns Film Center
- In Conversation with Carson Lund at the Harvard Film Archive
Digital Copy Included: No
The Wrap-Up:
Eephus is a love letter to baseball and a tribute to the people who play it that never made it to the big leagues. It’s a passion project where the passion is clear and I respect that. I will recommend it if you’re a baseball fan, but if you’re not, your reactions to the movie may vary.
