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What’s New in Home Video & Pop Culture – March 24, 2026 – Is This Thing On, Running Man, Star Trek, Godzilla, & More!

Mike Spring

By Mike Spring

 on 

What’s New in Home Video & Pop Culture – March 24, 2026

It’s another wide range of titles this week, with hit movies, catalogue classics, and hidden gems, along with some awesome graphic novel releases. Check out all the fun stuff that’s out this week below!

In This Week’s Column:

Is This Thing On? (4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + Digital)

Official Synopsis:

As their marriage quietly unravels, Alex (Will Arnett) faces middle age and an impending divorce, seeking new purpose in the New York comedy scene, while Tess (Laura Dern) confronts the sacrifices she made for their family—forcing them to navigate co-parenting, identity, and whether love can take a new form.

The Movie: 

Is Is This Thing On? a bad movie or just a badly made movie? I’m still not sure. 

So here’s the deal: the film is a drama about stand-up comedy, and I don’t want to say that you can’t make a drama about stand-up comedy, but it’s not the choice I would make. Now, some would argue, “But wait! This movie is a comedy!” to which I would argue, “Well, then shouldn’t it be funny?” (To be fair, it’s also largely about divorce.)

The big issue for me is the filmmaking. As directed by Bradley Cooper (who also co-stars as an annoying character that is named Balls for apparently no reason whatsoever), the film is going for a sort of cinema verité/handheld style that is certainly trendy, but also incredibly annoying. We spend an inordinate amount of time watching the backs of people’s heads or people walking and not talking or close-ups of actors’ faces that are held way too long. The way the stand-up scenes are shot is pretty awful, and there are scenes that feel like they just end abruptly in the middle rather than coming to completion. Almost every time I found myself getting really annoyed with the film, it had to do with the directing or writing or cinematography. 

So what else is there? Well, Will Arnett and Laura Dern give great performances as the couple in the midst of a divorce, although I have serious doubts that Arnett’s character would become as popular as he does based on the stand-up sets in the film. I get that his jokes and delivery style are meant to reflect his regular guy ethos, but he never really gets better, and his big 10-minute set opening for Dave Attell is actually his worst set by far. Audiences in the film seem way more forgiving than real New York City audiences would. 

I wish I liked Is This Thing On? more, as there’s a lot of talented people involved with it, but I just found it a misfire from start to finish. 

The 4K Video/Audio:

As much as I didn’t like the filmmaking on display here, I will say the movie looks outstanding on 4K Ultra HD. The presentation here really works for that realistic approach Cooper is aiming for and everything looks clean and crisp but yet lived-in and real. Color saturation is at a premium and the picture has “character, if you know what I mean.” The surround soundtrack is limited only by the fact that this is a largely dialogue-driven movie with next to no music, but the speakers do fill in the atmosphere of the comedy clubs nicely and dialogue is well-centered and natural sounding. It’s a strong technical presentation overall. 

The Bonus Features: 

Digital Copy Included: Yes

The Running Man [1987] (Blu-ray + Digital)

Official Synopsis:

The Running Man” is the top-rated TV show in the future, where condemned criminals fight for survival. Arnold Schwarzenegger stars as a police pilot, wrongly accused of the massacre of innocent civilians, who finds himself it’s latest contestant. Can he defeat a series of bizarre adversaries, clear his name, and take down the show’s smarmy emcee (Richard Dawson)? With Maria Conchita Alonso, Jesse Ventura, and Yaphet Kotto; based on a story by Stephen King.

The Movie: 

With Glen Powell’s Running Man remake having just hit video after its theatrical run, it would make sense that Paramount would want to revisit the original 1987 Arnold Schwarzenegger hit on home video as well. 

So this week sees what is, as far as I can tell, just a straight up re-release of the 35th Anniversary Edition of The Running Man (1987) on Blu-ray. Once again, this release comes sans any extra features, which feels like an odd choice for a movie where earlier home video versions of the film included audio commentaries and featurettes. The only thing this version includes is a digital copy. 

None of that, of course, takes away from the cheesy fun of the original movie, which sees Schwarzenegger up against a coterie of colorful hunters (as well as the American people) who are trying to kill him before he can survive long enough to collect the prize. This has always been mid-level Schwarzenegger to me; it’s a film I loved as a kid but it’s not exactly subtle or nuanced. Still, it’s an enjoyable movie and fun to revisit if you don’t already own it. 

The Bonus Features: 

There are no bonus features on the disc. 

Digital Copy Included: Yes

Not Without Hope (DVD)

Official Synopsis:

Based on a true story, friends Nick, Will, Marquis, and Corey’s boat capsizes in the Gulf of Mexico. Battling storms, sharks, and hypothermia, they fight to survive as the Coast Guard mounts a daring rescue to bring them home.

The Movie: 

There are so many things about Not Without Hope that surprised me. The first one is that it was directed by Joe Carnahan, who’s made a living mostly out of gritty cop dramas and action thrillers. The second is that the story happened in real life and I honestly don’t remember hearing about it. The third is that a movie starring Zachary Levi and Josh Duhamel and directed by Carnahan only received a DVD release, not even a Blu-ray release. (Which is shame.)

The story tells the true tale of two NFL players, Corey Smith and Marquis Cooper, along with two of their friends, who set out on a fishing trip on the spur of the moment. As is wont to happen in these situations, the weather turns and their boat capsizes. The film follows the men’s attempts at survival as well as the rescue attempts the coast guard makes. 

Zachary Levi has been dipping his toes into faith-based films in recent years, and with the title of this movie, I had suspected that maybe this was a Christian movie in disguise, but it’s a pretty straightforward survival drama/thriller. I wish I had been able to watch it in high def on Blu-ray or 4K, especially since Carnahan is such an accomplished filmmaker, but I still enjoyed Not Without Hope quite a bit. 

The Bonus Features: 

There are no bonus features on the disc. 

Digital Copy Included: No

Cutter’s Way (4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray)

Official Synopsis:

The laid-back Californian gigolo Richard Bone (Jeff Bridges) finds himself suspected of murder when he happens to see the wrong thing at the wrong time: the body of a young girl being dumped into a garbage can. Bone’s friend, the capricious and paranoid Vietnam veteran Cutter, (John Heard), begins to suspect a conspiracy behind the killing, with local oil tycoon J.J. Cord (Stephen Elliott) at its center. He persuades a reluctant Bone to try and take Cord down, leading to a sinister escalation of events that will change their lives forever. Featuring stunning performances from its leads, and pitch-perfect direction from Ivan Passer, the cynical and devastating Cutter’s Way is one of the defining films of the post-Vietnam, post-Watergate era – a defiant howl of frustration at the corruption of the American dream, and one of the most essential California noirs ever made. 

The Movie: 

Even as someone who is pretty versed in film and cinema history, there are times you have to just admit that you can’t have seen every movie ever made. So while I feel like I’m very familiar with Jeff Bridges’ filmography, Cutter’s Way was a movie that had escaped my radar completely. Not only have I never seen it, but I’d never even heard of it before. 

But Radiance Films has heard of it, and they’ve released it as one of their super deluxe limited edition 4K Ultra HD releases, which is quite stunning. And that’s the crux of my review here: there are two things to consider. One is the movie and one is the home video release. 

The movie itself is very much a product of its time. In the post-Vietnam era, Cutter’s Way acts as a throwback to the 1970s-era conspiracy movies like The Parallax View and 3 Days of the Condor, but is a little more grounded in the grimy, seedy world of Los Angeles than world-shifting conspiracies. It’s hard to find a likable character in the movie, and the film has a dark, tough mood that’s hard to really embrace as someone watching it in 2026 instead of 1981. 

But the Radiance 4K release…? Oh man, that is another story entirely. Wrapped up in a hard case featuring gorgeous painted artwork (similar to what Radiance did with their amazing Blue Sunshine release) and packed alongside an 80-page book, everything from the physical appearance of the package to the copious extra features that are included are top notch. I’m not sure the film itself is good enough to warrant such a treatment, but it truly is a stunning package all around. 

The 4K Video/Audio:

I was kind of expecting the film quality to be on the weaker side because this is a film that’s 45 years old and doesn’t appear to have a big budget. But I was pleasantly surprised by how great the movie looks. Picture quality is crisp and clear, imagery is sharp, and the scenes vary by setting. Meaning the daytime scenes in the sun are bright and colorful and never look washed out, while the nighttime scenes are cool and dark but still visible, with a thin layer of grain to retain the cinematic feel. The soundtrack won’t win any awards, but dialogue is clean and never muddy, so all around this is a win.

The Bonus Features: 

Digital Copy Included: No

Picture of a Nymph (Blu-ray)

Official Synopsis:

Shih Erh (Yuen Biao, Knockabout), a Taoist monk disciple, takes in a scholar named Tsui Hung-Chuen (Lawrence Ng, To Be Number One) after he inadvertently burned down his house after battling a demon. Shih Erh and his master Wu Men-Chu (Ma Wu, Kickboxer) house and attempt to protect Tsui from the demons and spirits that lurk nearby; however, Tsui encounters a benevolent female ghost named Mo Chiu (Joey Wang, A Chinese Ghost Story), who is confined to the hands of the wicked King Ghost (Elizabeth Lee, Widow Warriors). As Tsui falls in love with Mo Chiu, he paints a portrait of her, which the spirit uses to conceal herself from the King Ghost’s clutches.

The Movie: 

Also in the “awesome special edition” category this week is Picture of a Nymph from 88 Films. This is also a collector’s edition that comes boxed with a deluxe booklet and features stunning new artwork and a nice collection of bonus features, and it should thrill fans of this particular movie or genre. 

Released in 1987, Picture of a Nymph is a lighthearted action/fantasy romance set in ancient China. It starts with a young scholar falling in love, which is pretty benign. But then he accidentally releases a vengeful demon (as tends to happen in these kinds of films) and paints his lover’s soul into a painting to protect her (as one does.) From there, it’s an action spectacle that includes lots of humor and culminates in a pretty spectacular finale that sees a major battle (minor spoiler alert!) with all of our characters battling it out in Hell as time is running out. It’s pretty fantastic, even if some of the special effects are a bit dated. 

As mentioned, this is another terrific box set release that includes a full-color booklet, a hard outer shell box, and a handful of special features. This is the way home video releases should all be!

The Bonus Features: 

Digital Copy Included: No

Helter Skelter (Blu-ray)

Official Synopsis:

Model and fashion idol Lilico (Erika Sawajiri) is used to being the centre of attention – the living epicentre of her own universe and of a multimedia-saturated hyperreality in which everything is airbrushed and color-adjusted to perfection. When she begins to suffer traumatic side effects from her repeated illegal cosmetic surgery sessions, she finds fame comes at a cost, as she is plunged into a nightmarish world where her sense of self-image and identity begins to fracture.

This lurid body horror, based on a manga by Kyoko Okazaki and directed by critically acclaimed photographer and filmmaker Mika Ninagawa (Sakuran), is a candy-colored nightmare, presenting both an assault to the senses and to the picture-perfect world of the fashion and advertising.

The Movie: 

88 Films has another release this week with Helter Skelter. Not to be confused with anything Beatles-related, this is a more recent movie than Picture of a Nymph, having been released in 2012. Interestingly, it wouldn’t be a stretch to claim that Helter Skelter perhaps influenced 2024’s cult hit The Substance.

The film concerns a supermodel who is starting to feel some ill effects of the illegal cosmetic surgery she’s been undergoing, and… well, things don’t exactly go smoothly. It’s based on a manga by Kyoko Okazaki and it has that feel of a comic book brought to life. Now, personally body horror has never really been my thing, I’ll admit. Maybe it’s just because I’m a tad on the squeamish side, but I’ve always found it a little more on the disturbing side than I tend to enjoy. 

Helter Skelter works pretty well, though. It’s bright and colorful and kinetic, and it moves at a pretty good pace. And it’s a recent enough movie that the themes of social media and influencing are present, which makes it feel a little more evergreen. It wasn’t a slam dunk for me, but it’s a great release (loaded with bonus features) of an interesting movie. 

The Bonus Features: 

Digital Copy Included: No

Star Trek Discovery Omnibus (Graphic Novel)

Official Synopsis:

Four graphic novels that let fans of the Paramount+ series dive deeper into the world of Star Trek: Discovery! This omnibus collects Star Trek: Discovery—The Light of Kahless, Star Trek: Discovery—Succession, Star Trek: Discovery—Aftermath, and Star Trek: Discovery—Adventures in the 32nd Century.

In The Light of Kahless, journey back in time to a decade before Captain Kirk and the Enterprise set out on their five-year mission, when the United Federation of Planets is locked in conflict with the mysterious Klingon Empire. But just who are these formidable foes? By Kirsten Beyer, Mike Johnson, and Tony Shasteen.

In Succession, the crew of the U.S.S. Discovery visited the infamous Mirror Universe, and they didn’t like what they found. Now journey deeper into the alternate reality, and uncover more about the Mirror versions of Michael, Saru, Ash, Paul, and Sylvia as they learn that “Succession” can be a truly dangerous concept. By Kirsten Beyer, Mike Johnson, and Angel Hernandez.

In Aftermath, after the disappearance of the U.S.S. Discovery, Captain Pike and Chancellor L’Rell seek to forge a peace treaty between the Federation and the Klingons. But when a new enemy threatens to sabotage the negotiations, Spock must reclaim his place in Starfleet to save his friends and prevent the outbreak of a new war! By Kirsten Beyer, Mike Johnson, Tony Shasteen, and Angel Hernandez.

In Adventures in the 32nd Century, explore the far future of Star Trek in these adventures set after the U.S.S. Discovery’s jump forward in time at the end of season two! By Mike Johnson and Angel Hernandez. Also collects the Annual and Captain Saru one-shot. 

The Book: 

Wow, IDW has been pumping out the Star Trek Omnibuses recently. In just the past six months, I’ve reviewed Omnibuses of Deep Space Nine, Strange New Worlds, Voyager, and Picard, and now we add Star Trek: Discovery to the mix!

Now, I’m not complaining about that, because as I’ve stated many times in the past, I love me some Star Trek. And while it took me a while to find my footing with Discovery, I eventually became a big fan of the show. This new Omnibus is one of the biggest of the Star Trek releases so far, weighing in at a whopping 440 pages. That gets you four Discovery multi-issue stories, as well as an annual and a short story. 

As with the show itself, which felt a little bit like it reinvented itself every season, each of these stories has a different flavor. One is a more traditional Discovery story, one takes place after the show’s time jump and focuses on characters other than the main characters, while one dives deep into the far future universe. Discovery was always a more challenging show to understand and get into, so it’s no surprise that the comic book stories are a little more dense, but overall I think they do a good job of going deeper into the Disco universe. By and large, these are successful stories by a coterie of established IDW Trek writers and artists. Definitely worth a read for Star Trek: Discovery fans!

The Specs: 

Godzilla Library Collection: Volume 6 (Graphic Novel)

Official Synopsis:

The Library Collection series continues with three standalone graphic novels: Cataclysm, Godzilla in Hell, and Oblivion! The Godzilla Library Collection is a comprehensive line of books that will collect every Godzilla comic series by IDW!

In Cataclysm, by Cullen Bunn and Dave Wachter, years have passed since a monster apocalypse nearly destroyed mankind. Now it is merely a distant, nightmarish memory for Hiroshi, an elder in one of the few remaining tribes of humans. Little does Hiroshi know that the apocalypse is not over, and that his memories of the past may yet save the future!

In Godzilla in Hell, Godzilla meets its greatest adversary of all time—the impossible tortures of Hell! Each issue of this miniseries sees Godzilla enter a new level of the underworld to do battle with the impossible by various creators, including James Stokoe, Bob Eggleton, Ulises Fariñas, Erick Freitas, and more!

In Oblivion, by Joshua Hale Fialkov and Brian Churilla, a scientist has created a portal to another dimension—one where monsters rule supreme! An expedition begins into a world where hope has died and Godzilla is the unrivaled King of the Monsters. But what happens when a baby kaiju hitches a ride back to the original, monster-less dimension? 

The Book: 

I have honestly loved every Godzilla Library Collection trade paperback that IDW has released to date, but the new Volume 6 might be my favorite of the run. This ongoing series of massive trade paperbacks are reprinting the entirety of the IDW catalog of Godzilla comic books in order. 

The previous volumes have been made up of a mix of either multiple shorter series or bigger, longer multi-part series. Volume 6 returns to the mix and match format by collecting three separate Godzilla series, including the one I was the most excited to read: Godzilla in Hell. Which is exactly what it sounds like: it’s Godzilla, in hell, fighting other monstrous creatures. It’s a mind trip and a visual spectacle and an action triumph all in one. I had read one or two issues of the series when it originally came out but never got to experience the full run until now, and I loved it!

In addition to Godzilla in Hell, Godzilla: Cataclysm comes from the powerhouse team of Cullen Bunn and Dave Wachter. The story starts off in a post-Godzilla apocalyptic world, and I won’s spoil where things go from there, but suffice it to say that it’s a wild ride. Finally, Oblivion is by Joshua Hale Fialkov and Brian Churilla, and it offers up a kind of alternate-history version of the Godzilla legend, and it’s also a fascinating story. 

With almost 350 pages of Godzilla action, post-apocalyptic futures, alternate worlds, and Godzilla literally visiting Hell(!), the Godzilla Library Collection: Volume 6 is highly recommended for any fans of the big green lizard!

The Specs: 

Locke & Key: IDW Classics (Graphic Novel)

Official Synopsis:

Hailed as a “modern masterpiece” by The A.V. Club, this new pocket-sized edition (6×9 inches) tells a sprawling tale of magic and family, legacy and grief, good and evil.

Acclaimed suspense novelist and New York Times best-selling author Joe Hill (The Fireman, Heart-Shaped Box) has created a gripping story of dark fantasy and wonder—with astounding artwork from Gabriel Rodriguez—that, like the doors of Keyhouse, will transform all who open it. The epic begins here! This new edition includes Welcome to Lovecraft and Head Games.

Following their father’s gruesome murder in a violent home invasion, the Locke children return to his childhood home of Keyhouse in secluded Lovecraft, Massachusetts. Their mother, Nina, is too trapped in her grief—and a wine bottle—to notice that all in Keyhouse is not what it seems: too many locked doors, too many unanswered questions.

The IDW Classic Collections will collect the six-volume series into three convenient, pocket-sized editions. The second volume will include Crown of Shadows and Keys to the Kingdom; the third volume will include Clockworks and Alpha & Omega. 

The Book: 

IDW continues to bring some of their most popular books to new readers with their awesome, budget-priced (and budget-sized!) IDW Classics Editions line, which sees the company following suit in the latest trend in trade paperbacks in the industry, which is digest sized TPBs at a bargain price – and I’m here for it. This week we get Locke & Key: IDW Classics Edition, and it’s fantastic!

So you get a book that’s slightly smaller than regular comic book size but collects two complete miniseries at well over 300 pages total… all for only 14 bucks!! This is the first of three volumes that will effectively collect the entire Locke & Key saga, and it collects the first two of six miniseries. As for the story itself… well, it’s fantastic. It’s also a little hard to describe. It’s a little bit The Sandman, a little bit The House of Secrets, a little bit Stephen King… and more. It’s written by Joe Hill, who’s a best-selling author in his own right, and the story is captivating right from the very first page. 

Even though there’s two more volumes to come in this series, the fact that you’ll eventually be able to collect the entire 1000-page saga for about $40 is amazing, and I would definitely check it out!

The Specs: 

Pride & Prejudice Coloring Book (Book)

Version 1.0.0

Official Synopsis:

Pride and Prejudice: A Jane Austen Coloring Book Step into the elegant world of Longbourn and Pemberley with this beautifully illustrated coloring book. Designed for Janeites and “cottagecore” enthusiasts alike, this collection brings Jane Austen’s most beloved masterpiece to life through intricate line art and timeless wit.

Whether you are a fan of Elizabeth Bennet’s spirited personality or Mr. Darcy’s brooding charm, this book offers a peaceful retreat into the 19th century. Each page features a classic scene—from cozy manor house interiors and sprawling Derbyshire landscapes to quiet moments in the garden—all waiting for your creative touch.

Features of this Collection:

The Book: 

Coloring books for adults is a trend that’s here to stay, and I’m all for it. While I’m not personally much of a colorist, I love the idea of anything that people can use to decompress, de-stress, and escape the real world for a while. 

This new coloring book from Oak Shire Press focuses on Pride and Prejudice. Yes, THAT Pride and Prejudice. Wrapped up in this 60-page perfectly square book are 30 illustrations – each with a quote from the book! – that capture key scenes and moments. I’m not always sold on coloring books with realistic people in them because they can be hard to color, but the illustration style here is right in that sweet spot where you can try and go ultra realistic or just go crazy and color people purple if you want to without it feeling out of place. The illustrations and book design are quite nice, and it captures the world of Pride and Prejudice well. 

For $9.99, you get 30 illustrations that are complex enough to take a good amount of time to complete but not so complex that your eyes will bug out of your head. Perfect for the Jane Austin fan!

The Specs: 

What’s New in Home Video & Pop Culture – March 24, 2026 – Is This Thing On, Running Man, Star Trek, Godzilla, & More!
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