Mike Spring
What’s New in Home Video & Pop Culture – May 19, 2026
We’ve got some exciting titles this week, including two killer graphic novels, some awesome 4K releases, and one of my favorite cult classics! Dig in for the full breakdown!
In This Week’s Column:
- The Bride! (4K Ultra HD + Digital)
- Reminders of Him (Blu-ray + Digital)
- Speed Racer (4K Ultra HD + Digital)
- Fallout: Season Two (4K Ultra HD)
- Fresh Kill (Blu-ray)
- The Yeti (Blu-ray)
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures Compendium: Volume 2 (Graphic Novel)
- 30 Days of Night: Deluxe Edition – Volume 3 (Graphic Novel)
The Bride! (4K Ultra HD + Digital)
Official Synopsis:
A lonely Frankenstein (Bale) travels to 1930s Chicago to ask groundbreaking scientist Dr. Euphronious (five-time Oscar nominee Annette Bening) to create a companion for him. The two revive a murdered young woman and The Bride (Buckley) is born. What ensues is beyond what either of them imagined: Murder! Possession! A wild and radical cultural movement! And outlaw lovers in a wild and combustible romance!
The Movie:
How do you make a Bonnie & Clyde-themed Frankenstein movie and just pass on all the obvious names? Bonnie & Stein? Frankie & Bride? I mean, they’re right there!
Okay, I’m deflecting, because I hate when a movie comes out that has a good message that I have to write terrible things about. The Bride is a postmodern feminist story, and it tackles themes of the victimization and marginalization of women, which are all important themes to explore. However, as written and directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal – who I genuinely respect and admire — I really, really disliked this movie.
Let’s start with the technical side of things before I get into bigger issues. It’s a shame the budget on the film was apparently so low that the cinematographer couldn’t afford LIGHTS. Because this is one of those movies where every scene is so damned dark that you can’t see what’s going on for half the film. Outside of a few brightly lit daytime/outdoor scenes, the filmmakers went the “natural/realistic light” route that is so trendy these days. It’s trendy, and it’s also terrible. THE! LIGHT! IS! COMING! FROM! THE! SAME! PLACE! AS! THE! MUSIC!!! Making a movie dark because it’s “natural” DOES NOT MAKE IT BETTER! Let me see what’s happening on the screen! [Deep breath.]
Okay, then there’s the story. So the film starts off with the disembodied ghost of Mary Shelley, writer of the original Frankenstein novel, talking to the audience and then possessing the body of a 1930s lady named Ida who is the girlfriend/plaything of a wannabe mobster. Mary Shelley’s voice gets Ida killed, but she’s then resurrected by a mad scientist who’s implored to do so by a lonely Frankenstein. So… Mary Shelley wrote Frankenstein as a work of fiction but then resides in a world where Frankenstein is real? Okay doke. The resurrected Ida seemingly has a version Tourette’s, as she just spouts out a bunch of stream-of-consciousness words and phrases around all of her actual dialogue, which gets really tiresome.
And then the film continually blurs the boundaries between what’s actually happening and what is fantasy. There’s a sort of musical number about two-thirds of the way through the film that makes no sense whatsoever as to why it would be happening, and as a viewer, you’re like, “Wait… is this happening? Or is it in the character’s imagination?” The whole thing is a mess.
That being said, I liked Peter Sarsgaard and Penelope Cruz’s characters as the detectives on the case of Frankenstein and The Bride, and there’s no denying that Jessie Buckley’s performance is pretty amazing. The film gets more lucid as it goes, and the very ending of the film won me over a little bit. But by and large, I spent a lot of The Bride rolling my eyes, even if I can recognize that there’s a lot of talent at work to bring an important message to the screen.
The 4K Video/Audio:
It’s hard to judge the video quality here because it’s so affected by the too-dark cinematography. I can say that imagery is razor sharp, and in the few scenes where you can see what’s going on, the colors really do pop. But I spent half the movie struggling to discern anything that was happening outside the little light that was provided. The surround soundtrack, however, is outstanding, giving equal weight to the dialogue, the surround effects, and the music (which is an integral part of the film.) The surround speakers are constantly active and it really added an extra dimension to the movie.
The Bonus Features:
- Stitching Together The Bride
- Designing the Look
- The Muse and the Reimagined Monster
- The Bride Party
Digital Copy Included: Yes
Reminders of Him (Blu-ray + Digital)
Official Synopsis:
Colleen Hoover’s bestselling novel becomes a transformative film about motherhood, forgiveness and the power of love to overcome the worst mistake. Desperate to rebuild her life with a daughter she has never known, Kenna finds unexpected compassion in a secret romance with local bar owner Ledger. As dangers develop for both of them, Kenna hopes to find a second chance amid unbearable heartbreak.
The Movie:
Reminders of Him wasn’t a huge hit, but it certainly wasn’t a flop, either. It grossed $45 million in the US and almost $90 million worldwide. I think it could have been a bigger hit, but for some reason the studios decided they needed to make ALL of Colleen Hoover’s books into movies at the exact same time. Literally, between October of 2025 and March of 2026, we got no less than three Colleen Hoover movies: The Housemaid, Regretting You, and Reminders of Him. I mean, maybe space them out a bit, Hollywood! They figured it out with Nicholas Sparks novels and we settled into a nice one-movie-a-year rhythm for a decade or so there.
The film is a tried-and-true drama, doubling as a tearjerker; this isn’t the kind of movie you make it through with some tissues. The story sees a young woman who caused the death of her boyfriend while pregnant with his child. When she’s released from jail, she starts a relationship with a man who has a connection to the child. If you’ve seen the trailer for the film, you can probably figure out where the story goes, but I don’t want to spoil it here and I think it plays better the less you know.
I enjoyed Reminders of Him for what it is, a melodrama with a story that isn’t simple to figure out where you stand on. The cast is uniformly good, the emotions will resonate, and the movie will keep you engaged from start to finish. It’s not a masterpiece, but if you’re already into the Colleen Hoover genre, there’s nothing here you won’t like.
The Bonus Features:
- Deleted Scenes
- The Path to Redemption featurette
- Turning the Page featurette
- Our Adventure featurette
Digital Copy Included: Yes
Speed Racer (4K Ultra HD + Digital)
Official Synopsis:
The Wachowskis bring a classic anime to the big screen: Matthew Fox, John Goodman, Christina Ricci and Susan Sarandon star with Emile Hirsch as Speed Racer! Fearlessly hurtling down the track, careening around, over and through the competition in his thundering Mach 5, Speed Racer (Emile Hirsch) was born to race cars. But when Speed turns down a lucrative offer from Royalton Industries, he not only infuriates the company’s maniacal owner (Roger Allam) but uncovers a terrible secret–some of the biggest races are being fixed by a handful of ruthless moguls! The only way for Speed to save his family’s business and the sport he loves is to beat Royalton at his own game. With the support of his family (John Goodman and Academy Award winner Susan Sarandon) and his loyal girlfriend, Trixie (Christina Ricci), Speed teams with his one-time rival–the mysterious Racer X (Matthew Fox–“Lost”)–to win the race that took his brother, Rex Racer’s, life: the death-defying, cross-country rally known as The Crucible.
The Movie:
On the back of the 4K release packaging, one of the special features is described as discussing Speed Racer’s, “second life as a cult classic.” And that’s because it IS a cult classic. The reason I’m mentioning this is because when I reviewed the original home video release, all the way back in 2008, I wrote about how even though the film was a huge bomb at the box office, “Mark my words, Speed Racer is destined to become a cult classic.” And now, here we are almost 20 years later, and I was unequivocally right. Speed Racer is a cult classic, and it’s a cult classic because it’s a highly underrated movie that never got the attention it deserved when it first came out.
Now, the film had almost no chance. The first movie released by The Wachowski Brothers (now The Wachowski Sisters) outside of The Matrix franchise, expectations were sky high and I’m sure it was inevitable that it would disappoint people who wanted another Matrix-level film. But what The Wachowskis did so well was take an existing property and adapt it in a way that made it fresh and new and exciting but also paid tribute to the source material. This is a movie for Speed Racer fans, and it’s also a movie for people who have never seen an episode of Speed Racer in their lives.
Of course, what also stood out was the movie’s dazzling visuals, which were ahead of their time. There isn’t a single scene in the film untouched by special effects, and in this case I mean that as a compliment. The film is a treat for your eyeballs, and when you add to that a good story, incredible action sequences, and a terrific cast, the result is pure fun and excitement.
This week sees Speed Racer’s debut on 4K Ultra HD, and not surprisingly, the result is spectacular. This one is a must have for any fans of… well, movies. Let’s just say if you’re a fan of movies, you should have this one in your collection.
The 4K Video/Audio:
Speed racer fans like myself have been breathlessly awaiting a 4K release of the film, and this new disc from Warner Bros. doesn’t disappoint. This is the closest you’ll come to seeing a 3D movie on a television that isn’t a 3D set. Colors pop off the screen, imagery is sharp and textured, blacks are deep and rich, and contrasts are strong. It’s like you’re existing inside an anime cartoon, and it’s breathtaking. Likewise, the surround soundtrack doesn’t gie your speakers a chance to breathe, as they are getting a workout from the very first scene to the last. Well-balanced, active, directional, and nuanced, this mix is everything you could want in a big-budget sci-fi spectacle.
The Bonus Features:
- Fast/Future/Family: Speed Racer Revisited documentary
- Spritle in the Big Leagues featurette
- Speed Racer: Ramping Up featurette
- Speed Racer: Supercharged featurette
- Speed Racer: Car-Fu Cinema featurette
Digital Copy Included: Yes
Fallout: Season Two (4K Ultra HD)
Official Synopsis:
Two-hundred years after the apocalypse, the gentle denizens of luxury fallout shelters are forced to return to the irradiated hellscape their ancestors left behind—and are shocked to discover an incredibly complex, gleefully weird, and highly violent universe waiting for them.
The Show:
Boy, Amazon doesn’t mess around! I feel like Fallout: Season One just debuted on Amazon, like, six months ago, and here we are with Season Two not just out but already hitting home video. Wow! (And kudos to Amazon for putting their hit show on home video for wide release as opposed to keeping it exclusive to their streaming platform.)
The first season of Fallout was weird, wacky, wild, and wonderful. It was intense and dark at times, too. The second season is, not surprisingly, more of the same. The story and characters have started to progress and coalesce more, and it’s easy to see there’s a plan for where things are going. (Since I don’t play the game, I don’t know what that plan is, but maybe it’s more obvious to game players.)
Once again, the second season features a taut 8 episode arc; just enough to tell this next chapter of the story, but compact enough not to drag on and on. From both a visual and storytelling standpoint, Fallout is hitting all the right notes.
The 4K Video/Audio:
Much like Fallout: Season One, Season Two looks and sounds spectacular on 4K Ultra HD, especially considering how good it looks from a production standpoint. The picture is sharp and features outstanding clarity, and the colors lean a little dark but in a way that I suspect is how the show is intended to look. The surround soundtrack is even more impressive. This is a show with no shortage of action, and it’s all represented in a 360-degree soundscape around you. The dialogue is anchored in the center, and the vintage pop soundtrack sounds both bright and warm. Fantastic A/V stuff from Amazon.
The Bonus Features:
- Commentary with Kyle MacLachlan and Aaron Moten
- Welcome Back to the Wasteland Featurette
- New Vegas Featurette
- Fallout: Fake Talk Show
- RobCo Animated Series
Digital Copy Included: No
Fresh Kill (Blu-ray)
Official Synopsis:
A disturbingly prescient ecofeminist parable and a brain-wave-scrambling cyberpunk fantasia, the debut feature from new-media pioneer Shu Lea Cheang merges a bold vision of resistance with an exuberant early-internet aesthetic. In a dystopian-chic New York where sushi joints and toxic-waste sites exist side by side, a lesbian couple (Sarita Choudhury and Erin McMurtry) turn to the hacker underground to solve their daughter’s disappearance, in the process exposing a conspiracy involving corporate greenwashing and tainted fish. Swinging between outré satire and agitprop, Fresh Kill sounds the alarm about a capitalist system that pollutes everything from our waterways to our bodies to our minds.
The Movie:
When the official description for a movie includes terms like agitprop, cyberpunk fantasia, and ecofeminist parable, it makes me nervous. Look, I’m not all that smart, and that kind of description makes me feel like I’m gonna need an advanced degree to understand the movie.
Full disclosure: I have an advanced degree, and I’m still not sure it helped me understand this movie. Fresh Kill is a 1994 hacker conspiracy movie that weaves in story elements about food supply, pollution, and capitalism. Is it heady? Absolutely. Is it an “agitprop cyberpunk ecofeminist parable”? Honestly, I have no idea. I found it interesting and curious, and certainly unlike most other films from either now or the early ‘90s, but can I say I really enjoyed it? No. Can I say I definitely did not enjoy it? Also no. It’s… thought provoking. I suspect it might require repeat viewings to really hone in on what the film is all about.
This week, Fresh Kill joins the vaunted halls of The Criterion Collection, and it fits quite nicely in the Criterion catalog. As usual, you get a remastered picture and sound quality as well as copious bonus features, so it’s a top-notch effort without a doubt.
The Bonus Features:
- New interviews with Cheang and actor Sarita Choudhury
- New program highlighting the 2024 theatrical rerelease of the film and Cheang’s self-distribution
- Discussion with Cheang for the film’s thirtieth anniversary, moderated by scholar Jigna Desai, and presented by the Carsey-Wolf Center at the University of California, Santa Barbara
- LG Guggenheim Art and Technology Initiative profile of Cheang, recipient of the organization’s 2024 award for artist achievement
- PLUS: An essay by artist and technologist Mindy Seu
Digital Copy Included: No
The Yeti (Blu-ray)
Official Synopsis:
During the brutal winter of 1947, a famed adventurer and an oil tycoon vanished without a trace in the remote wilds of northern Alaska. Their children set out on a desperate search to find their missing fathers and the truth behind their disappearance. As the rescue team heads deeper into the frozen wilderness, a terrifying ancient threat takes notice of the trespassing expedition and begins to stalk their every move.
The Movie:
I’m a sucker for a good creature feature, even a low-budget one. The Yeti, the newest movie to tackle one of the most famous cryptozoological creatures of all time, is pretty low budget. And that doesn’t make it bad. But it certainly doesn’t help.
The film takes place in 1947, and the filmmaking and cinematography adopt a style that tries to mimic what old movies look like. I suspect this was done to try and hide some of the low budget nature of the filmmaking rather than for storytelling purposes, and it makes the movie feel more like a SyFy late-night made-for-TV movie than an actual film. Despite the presence of William Sadler, one of my favorite actors, the film never really rises above its low-key origins. It’s pretty standard fare with members of a rescue party disappearing one by one until the climax of the film, but the writing and acting aren’t strong enough to carry a movie that can’t afford any big action set pieces.
I’m not trying to harp on the budget; I’ve seen many a film that way outperformed even the tiniest of budgets. The Yeti just isn’t one of them. For die-hard creature feature fans only.
The Bonus Features:
- Trailers
Digital Copy Included: No
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures Compendium: Volume 2 (Graphic Novel)
Official Synopsis:
Discover every issue from Archie Comics for the first time! Done in the same style as the classic animated TV show, they are presented in a deluxe, oversized hardcover that contains over 650 pages of content!
This series of compendiums collects all issues of the ongoing series, specials, and miniseries from Archie Comics that ran from 1988 to 1995 in recommended reading order, giving fans of the comics a reading experience like never before!
The Book:
IDW could very well have just called this book “My Childhood” and it would have been every bit as accurate. Now, I’m a longtime Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles fan from the earliest days, and I read the black-and-white Mirage comics before I ever came across the Archie comics. But it wasn’t long after I discovered the original comics that I found the Archie series and they became a part of my reading rotation as well. Now, IDW is collecting EVERY single Archie TMNT comic into huge oversized hardcover compendiums, and they’re glorious.
Volume 2 starts in 1988 with issues #18 through #26 of the main TMNT Adventures title. You also get one of the most popular Archie miniseries in the form of the three-issue Mighty Mutanimals mini. There’s also a three-issue April O’Neill miniseries that I didn’t even know existed called The May East Saga. Finally, there are short stories from the TMNT Adventure Specials #4 through #8. All in all, you get over 600 pages of animated Ninja Turtle greatness, all presented in remastered color and in a graphic novel that is larger than the standard comic book trim size. Honestly, this is the best I’ve ever seen these comics look, and I love it anytime a publisher does a complete and chronological collection of a long-running series.
Simply put, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures Compendium: Volume 2 is a must have for any long-time Ninja Turtles fan!
The Specs:
- Publisher: IDW Publishing
- Format: Hardcover
- Page Count: 624 pages
- Cover Price: $99.99
30 Days of Night: Deluxe Edition – Volume 3 (Graphic Novel)
Official Synopsis:
Revisit the vampire tale that kick-started a modern horror comics revival in this third collected deluxe edition. A town plunged into darkness, a group of vampires hungry for blood, and only a husband-and-wife sheriff’s team to stop them. This premise set the stage for an iconic horror franchise that went on to become a feature-length film from Sony Pictures in 2007.
Book Three collects Eben and Stella, Red Snow, and Beyond Barrow. In the waning moments of 30 Days of Night: Dark Days, Stella managed to bring her vampire husband Eben back from beyond…only he came back hungry. Now, for the first time, see what happened next in Eben and Stella, which fills in the black gaps between that tale and Return to Barrow. Written by co-creator Steve Niles and Kelly Sue DeConnick with art by Justin Randall. Then, in Red Snow from co-creator Ben Templesmith, it’s 1941. Hitler’s Operation: Silver Fox has failed, but the war on the Eastern Front drags on as the Russian winter starts to bite. British military attaché Corporal Charlie Keating observes the war from the Soviet side, making sure crucial supplies get through to aid Stalin’s front in the battle against the Nazis. With luck, he too will survive to see the end of the war. But something else is out there, and it’s not the Nazis. In the third story, Beyond Barrow from Steve Niles and Bill Sienkiewicz, after years of attacks and several without, the citizens of Barrow have become united against random attacks on their city by the undead. Unfortunately, the same does not apply outside the town throughout the rest of the mysterious Arctic Circle. Forget everything you ever thought you knew about 30 Days of Night and return to Barrow.
The Book:
The original 30 Days of Night comic book, I’m talking the very first three-issue miniseries by Steve Niles and Ben Templesmith, is one of my all-time favorite comic books. And then it spawned my favorite vampire movie, the underrated (and identically named) 30 Days of Night.
Trying to build off the success of that original miniseries, IDW returned to Barrow in a number of miniseries over the years. For my money, I’ve found that nothing that I’ve read has ever come close to touching the brilliance and excitement of that original miniseries. But that doesn’t mean I’m not always hoping.
The three series represented in 30 Days of Night: Deluxe Edition – Volume 3 are all stories that either I never read because I had stopped picking up the series by then, or I’ve read them and forgotten about them. Either way, I can say that the overall graphic novel experience was a good one. This is probably some of the best 30DON material I’ve read since the original book. The Eben and Stella miniseries is a nice bridge between Dark Days (the first sequel) and Return to Barrow (the next direct sequel.) Red Snow is a Nazi-era story by Ben Templesmith that features the iconic artwork of the original series and makes a cool standalone story. The final story, Beyond Barrow, is a solid read and features artwork by the legendary Bill Sienkewicz, so it’s hard to complain about that.
This awesome hardcover collection is included both a complete cover gallery and an in-depth sketchbook in the way of bonus materials, as well as three complete stories. It’s a great way to dive back into the world of 30 Days of Night once again!
The Specs:
- Publisher: IDW Publishing
- Format: Hardcover
- Page Count: 280 pages
- Cover Price: $29.99
