Home Entertainment NewsBlu-ray News

In-home Releases: January 23, 2018: GROUNDHOG DAY, GEOSTORM, HUSBAND’S AND WIVES, JIGSAW, & More

In-home Releases: January 23, 2018

New films and TV shows have been released on DVD, Blu-ray, 4K Ultra, and Digital HD today (January 23, 2018), including new Criterion Collection films. Some of these releases are on single discs while others come in large collections, filled with extras, behind-the-scenes footage, and cloud capabilities. Below you find a listing of those films and TV programs.

Our Picks of the Best DVDs, Blu-rays, 4K Ultras, and Digital HDs Out Today

Groundhog Day
Jigsaw
Geostorm
Thank You For Your Service
The Killing Of A Sacred Deer
Teen Titans: Season 1
Husbands and Wives
Dragonwyck

Advertisement
 

Thoughts on This Week’s In-home Releases

Groundhog Day, being released for the first time on 4k Ultra, is one of the most celebrated comedy’s of all time, and leads my pick for the number one release this week.  Bill Murray had already proven himself as a strong comedian by that point, but his ability to capture both the black comedy elements and the drama required elevated what could have been a forgettable comedy into something unique with deep thematic resonance.  The film asks us would you want to live the same day, over and over again?  Some people would love not to age, but that comes with a price.  Directed by the late Harold Ramis who gave us some of the best comedy’s of the 80’s (Ghostbusters, Vacation, Stripes) the film is the perfect blend of sardonic comedy and philosophical questions.

Another release from an older film is Twilight Time’s limited release of Woody Allen’s 1992 Husband’s and Wives on Blu-ray.  Tackling themes and ideas that are recurrent throughout his filmography (marriage, guilt, aging, neurosis) the film is a grim psychological look at two couples and their failing marriages.  The acting is sublime, particularly from Judy Davis and Sydney Pollack, and the way the film is told in a mockumentary quick-edit style is an intriguing departure from Allen’s usual wide-angle long takes.  Allen has been in the news recently for all the wrong reasons, but if one is able to separate the art from the artist, this film is definitely worth a watch and is a strong entry in his canon.

With regards to new releases, this week is fairly unimpressive.  Jigsaw (the 8th film in the Saw franchise) comes out six years after the falsely-titled Saw 3D: The Final Chapter and continues the series’ trend of forgoing anything resembling character development and story, and instead gives audiences exactly what they expect.  It’s a shame, because this was a strong year for horror films and their fans, including Get Out, It, and Split to name a few.  The film bombed at the box office, and did not inspire critics so here’s hoping the studios put this franchise to bed.

Geostorm continues Gerard Butler’s descent into mediocrity.  The film has an intriguing concept and the first twenty minutes are promising, but it quickly develops into your standard blockbuster action flick with an over-use of CGI.  I respect the guy for making money on playing essentially the same character in every movie, but I would like to see him challenge himself with an independent film that will let him explore a wider range.

I did not see Thank You For Your Service, but it got solid word-of-mouth and may be worth a look renting.

Let us know your thoughts and which new In-Home Releases for January 23, 2018 you plan on purchasing (or renting) below in the comments section. Readers seeking more In-Home release news can visit our Home Entertainment News Page. Want up-to-the-minute notifications? FilmBook staff members publish articles by Email, Twitter, Tumblr, Google+, and Facebook.

FilmBook's Newsletter

Subscribe to FilmBook’s Daily Newsletter for the latest news!

Thank you for subscribing.

Something went wrong.

Kyle Steininger

Born and raised in Chicago, Kyle has loved movies ever since his father took him to the theater to watch Home Alone. Since then, he has developed a passion for films and everything about them from watching endless DVD extras, interviews with cast/crew, and attending screenings of older films when available. Some of his favorite directors include Kubrick, Fellini, Scorsese, Tarantino, Leone, and Nolan.
Back to top button
Share via
Send this to a friend