The high price of physical media is starting to make the entry point into collecting even more difficult for those wanting to leave streaming.

Physical media has had a rough go of it in 2024. Best Buy completely exiled their supply of DVD’s and Blu-Ray’s to the point that you can’t even buy them online. Target has followed suit with a severely diminished section. Thankfully, Walmart has picked up the slack and even purchased Best Buy’s supply, meaning any of those sweet Steelbooks that Best Buy offered can now be purchased at Walmart. But anyone that’s been in Wally World knows that they take their security very seriously, sometimes at the detriment of collectors. So now one of the last places to buy physical media often has shelves full of dented and bent boxes. Amazon isn’t much better if you’re wanting to go that route. And that’s not even addressing the pricing issue.

I need to make it very clear that I absolutely love boutique labels like Scream Factory, Arrow Video, Vestron Video, and more. They provide wonderful releases that I never in a million years thought we’d actually receive. Hell, I’ve got a copy of The Guyver showing up on 4K in just a few short weeks. I never would have imagined that would happen. And it makes sense to pay a premium for a film that I never thought would actually be released on the platform. But not every film fits these parameters.

The cost of streaming is often a subject of debate because these streaming sites like to increase their prices multiple times a year at this point. And with their crackdown on password sharing, it’s making streaming less appealing than ever. Yet making the switch to Physical is damn near impossible for some people. Let’s just look at 4K Ultra HD Blu Ray players which run, at their cheapest, a whopping $200. Thankfully, modern gaming consoles feature 4K players, but even those run at least $400. Still, there are a lot of gamers out there, so let’s just posit for a moment that a player as an entry point isn’t the end all, be all. But what about the price of an individual movie?

I remember fondly back when movies were released with a base price of $19.99. The first week of sales would often give a few dollars off, so you could usually walk off with a brand-new movie for around $15. Nowadays, I can’t walk off with a brand new Blu-Ray for under $25 the week of release. Make it 4K and push that number up to $30. And happen to miss the opening week price? Well, add another $5 or $10 to the total. Then those sweet Scream Factory releases? $35 at minimum. Sure, there are some exceptions to the rule, and it is a bit more understandable that independent companies such as them would put out more expensive discs. But, on average, we’re paying nearly $10 more than we were just ten years ago on discs.

Even bargain bins have gotten to be so much more niche. The Walmart bargain bin is relegated to mostly simple 480p DVDs versus the days of countless $5 Blu-rays. How else are people supposed to easily access Captain Ron and The Addams Family? As collecting physical media becomes more and more niche and geared towards collectors, companies start to get greedy all in the name of the almighty dollar. Since the general public is no longer buying, they’re instead releasing for collectors. So now a small market is expected to prop up an entire industry. We’re getting the same re-releases we would have gotten years ago, yet now at a premium. Just look at the recently announced Drive 4K Steelbook whose price tag is a whopping $35.

So what can be done about this? Really, we just need to be speaking with our wallets. We can’t allow Physical Media collecting to become what so many others have: a collector’s nightmare. Just look at the sweet Crow Steelbook that released a month ago which almost immediately went out of stock when it went up for pre-order and flooded eBay at absurd prices. They released far fewer copies than they should have and, rather than printing more, decided to increase their value through resellers. (To note, The Crow‘s disc is being put out by Paramount Pictures. Drive‘s by Sony Pictures. Neither has a ton of extras, like you’d find on a label like Arrow Video or Scream Factory. So what’s going on here?) Any shoe collector will tell you how terrible this practice is and we don’t need it in physical media. So make sure to identify companies that are doing it, and avoid them in the future. Teach them a lesson and vote with your wallet.

Now I want to hear from you guys. Do you still collect physical media? What is the most ridiculous price you’ve paid for a movie you wanted? What’s your favorite boutique media seller? Do you think physical media is just too expensive? Let us know in the comments!

Jennifer Lopez’s Atlas dominates the Netflix Top 10 list for the second week in a row, giving her a win after cancelled concert tour.

Jennifer Lopez may have cancelled her summer concert tour less than a month before it was set to begin, but at least she’s got the number one movie on Netflix for the second week running. Right? Atlas is dominating the Netflix Top 10 list for the week of May 27th to June 2nd with 31.6M views, which works out to 63.1M hours viewed.

Atlas finds Lopez starring as a brilliant but misanthropic data analyst with a deep distrust of artificial intelligence, joins a mission to capture a renegade robot with whom she shares a mysterious past. But when plans go awry, her only hope of saving the future of humanity from AI is to trust it. The film was directed by Brad Peyton from a script by Leo Sardarian and Aron Eli Coleite.

Although Atlas is sitting pretty on the Netflix Top 10 list, the film hasn’t received the best reviews, and our own Alex Maidy wasn’t impressed. “Atlas is a special effects-laden foray into the most cliched science fiction genre offering I have seen in a long time,” Maidy wrote. “With what is supposed to be a timely tale about artificial intelligence, Atlas throws every trope from the last fifty years of scifi movies as it aims to be Netflix’s attempt at a summer tentpole picture. Underwhelming in every way, Atlas is a directionless and limp mess that wastes the talents of everyone involved.” You can check out the rest of Maidy’s review right here.

The This Is Me… Live Tour was slated to launch on June 26th in Orlando, but Live Nation announced last week that it had been cancelled entirely, saying, “Jennifer is taking time off to be with her children, family and close friends.“ In her own statement, Lopez said, “I am completely heartsick and devastated about letting you down. Please know that I wouldn’t do this if I didn’t feel that it was absolutely necessary. I promise I will make it up to you and we will all be together again. I love you all so much. Until next time…” It’s not entirely clear why the tour was cancelled, but there’s been speculation that it could have to do with poor ticket sales or the rumoured marital issues with husband Ben Affleck.

The Boys showrunner Eric Kripke has given up guessing when the Prime Video series will conclude, but he does have an ending in mind.

Eric Kripke had originally said that he envisioned The Boys lasting “five seasons total,” but the Prime Video series was renewed for a fifth season last month, with no indication it would be the last. Plans obviously change, and while Kripke may not know when The Boys will conclude, he does have an ending in mind for when that day comes.

“You can’t build a show that’s about these two forces of Homelander and Butcher slowly closing in on each other without bringing that to a head,” Kripke told Empire. “Whenever that last episode occurs, I know what happens.” The Boys has been a big success for Prime Video, turning into a full-on franchise with various spin-offs, including Gen V, The Boys: Diabolical, and the upcoming The Boys: Mexico. As the franchise expands, Kripke says he knows how important it is “that we don’t f***ing sell out.“

In a separate interview with Inverse, Kripke acknowledged that he should stop trying to guess how many seasons his shows will last. The most noteworthy example is Supernatural. Kripke had a five-season plan for the series, but it wound up lasting a whopping fifteen seasons. “I have learned since then to not try to call the seasons as the person who, and this is without hyperbole, is literally the most wrong in entertainment history of how many seasons their show should go,” Kripke said. “Someone pointed that out to me and I was like, ‘You’re right. That’s ridiculous. I need to keep my mouth shut.’ And so I will.“

The official synopsis for The Boys season 4: “The world is on the brink. Victoria Neuman is closer than ever to the Oval Office and under the muscly thumb of Homelander, who is consolidating his power. Butcher, with only months to live, has lost Becca’s son and the rest of The Boys are fed up with his lies. With the stakes higher than ever, they have to find a way to work together and save the world before it’s too late.” The new season will premiere on Prime Video on June 13th.

Dave Coulier revealed that his Full House character’s surname, Gladstone, is actually a reference to the effects of pot.

Everywhere you look, everywhere you go, there’s a…joint? Dave Coulier recently revealed how Joey Gladstone – his woodchuck-loving would-be comedian on Full House – got his name. And it is far from being as family-friendly as the Tanner clan was.

Speaking on his Full House rewatch podcast, Dave Coulier said he was given the freedom to add to his character, who helps raise DJ, Stephanie and Michelle. “I got to pick my own last name, did you know that? My character last name…Yeah, Jeff [Franklin, the series’ creator] said ‘I’m trying to get a last name for your character,’ and I said, ‘How about Gladstone?’ and he laughed and goes, ‘All right, sounds good.’” So what’s the origin there? “I always thought it was a funny name. It was almost like, ‘I’m glad that I’m stoned.’ You know, I’m a comedian, so that was what I thought. And so Jeff laughed, and that was it.” Cut. It. Out!

It would have been a little too wholesome for Full House to not have had some behind-the-scenes tales such as Dave Coulier’s…and it has plenty of them. John Stamos, who played Jesse Katsopolis, once revealed that he actually got the Olsen Twins fired because they kept screaming on set, although he later had mercy and requested they be brought back. If you want some other juicy pieces – whether they’re completely true or not – it’s worth checking out the rather laughable The Unauthorized Full House Story, which stars a Temu version of the core cast…although it might take a little gladstoning to really get a kick out of.

Of course, Dave Coulier has some other fun tidbits surrounding his personal life: you oughta know by now that Alanis Morissette found inspiration in their relationship for one of her biggest songs.

Dave Coulier would later reprise Joey Gladstone for a recurring part in sequel series Fuller House, even directing a handful of episodes during seasons two through five.

Full House may have been on the air for eight seasons and nearly 200 episodes, but it was far from being an awards darling. Nearly 20 years after it went off the air, the TV Land Awards rightly nominated it for Quintessential Non-Traditional Family.

Richard Linklater would be down to power up the amp for a School of Rock sequel, provided there is a real reason to do so.

For those about to rock…We encourage you to turn that amp down, because there has yet to be a guarantee that a sequel to School of Rock is taking the stage anytime soon. Now, director Richard Linklater isn’t against the idea –things just have to be right.

Speaking with UNILAD, Richard Linklater said of the potential for a School of Rock sequel, “It has been a long time. There was talk of it years ago but I’d love to work with Jack [Black] again. But there’s got to be a reason. There’s got to be something.” For what it’s worth, Linklater has worked with Black twice since: 2011’s Bernie and 2022’s Apollo 10 1⁄2: A Space Age Childhood. From there, he mentioned the Before movies, saying, “Don’t do it unless there’s an idea, the reason we did two Befores is there was a good idea screaming out, there’s something to express about this.”

On whether or not too much time has passed for people to truly care about a School of Rock sequel, Linklater said, “There’s another type of sequel I usually call the ‘victory lap sequel’. They’re usually out pretty quick, they’re economic, and everyone knows it…We’re way beyond that, so why would you do it unless there’s something specific to tell…There’s always a good idea to be had.” On such ideas, Black did say he would be down to play Dewey Finn again, so long as original writer Mike White was on board. But could he find the time with all that vacationing at the White Lotus?

While we wait for official news on whether or not a School of Rock sequel will ever happen, there have been reunions between the cast and similar celebrations of the movie. That seems like an easy enough launching point for a plot right there…although we know that Linklater, Black and White wouldn’t settle for something so simple.

Do you think there is a big enough audience to warrant a School of Rock sequel or has it just been too long? Let us know if it’s time to rock or not in the comments section below!

A new trailer has been released for MaXXXine, the final chapter in director Ti West’s X and Pearl trilogy, starring Mia Goth

Last Updated on June 6, 2024

MaXXXine, the sequel to director Ti West‘s films Pearl and X, is swiftly approaching its July 5th theatrical release date – and with exactly one month to go before we reach that date, a new trailer for the film has arrived online! You can check it out in the embed above.

MaXXXine is written and directed by West. Mia Goth reprises the role of X survivor Maxine Minx, a burlesque performer and adult film actress with the goal of being a star. The film has the following synopsis: In 1980s Hollywood, adult film star and aspiring actress Maxine Minx finally gets her big break. But as a mysterious killer stalks the starlets of Hollywood, a trail of blood threatens to reveal her sinister past. As you can see in this trailer and the previous trailer, the Hollywood setting even allows for a visit to the Bates Motel.

Goth and singer Halsey are joined in the cast by Kevin Bacon (Tremors), Elizabeth Debicki (Tenet), singer Moses Sumney, Michelle Monaghan (Kiss Kiss Bang Bang), Bobby Cannavale (Netflix’s The Watcher), Lily Collins (Emily in Paris), and Giancarlo Esposito (Breaking Bad. The Hollywood Reporter noted that Esposito is playing an agent for adult film and Z-list movie actors, Debicki’s character is a film director, Monaghan and Cannavale play LAPD detectives, and Bacon plays a private detective.

MaXXXine is being produced by A24, Ti West, Jacob Jaffke, Kevin Turen, and Harrison Kreiss. Mia Goth serves as executive producer. 

If you want to see a preview of MaXXXine before July, A24 will be bringing franchise starter X back to theatres for one night only, on June 18th, and movie-goers who attend those June 18th screenings (tickets are available at THIS LINK) will get to see a preview of MaXXXine after the end credits roll.

There have been rumblings of a fourth movie in this franchise, but this new trailer for MaXXXine calls the film the final chapter in the series… Which, of course, doesn’t mean much when you’re talking about a horror franchise. We’ve seen plenty of “final chapter” movies that weren’t final at all.

Will you be catching MaXXXine on the big screen next month? What did you think of the new trailer? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

Two franchises that have been acquired by Disney have predictably been given their R ratings for all the bloody violence fans have come to expect.

We have reached a point in cinema where two upcoming Disney movies have officially been rated R and it has interestingly come as no surprise. According to FilmRatings.com, Alien: Romulus has officially received its R rating for bloody violent content and language, while Deadpool & Wolverine has also been rated R for strong bloody violence and language throughout, gore and sexual references. More adult-oriented movies with stronger ratings have been released by Disney in the past. However, they would usually be released under different banners like the now-defunct Touchstone Pictures or Hollywood Pictures instead of the actual Magic Kingdom castle.

These two films being given their rightful R ratings was expected as their usual nature and tone in past films would naturally be capitalized on for appeal. Interestingly, both franchises have dabbled in PG-13 territory as the Alien films would get a more adventure-filled entry with the film Alien vs. Predator, as Paul W.S. Anderson would give audiences a more comic-booky installment with the crossover gimmick. Fans of both franchises have criticized that film for being a watered-down version of both properties. So much so that 20th Century Fox would release a hard R sequel that went full on with the horror violence that many came to expect from an Alien and a Predator movie.

Meanwhile, Fox also experimented with a PG-13 cut of Deadpool 2 with a re-edited version that was released in theaters called Once Upon a Deadpool. It was an attempt by Fox to milk more money out of the popular franchise and the sequel that had already been a hit in theaters with its R rating. Deadpool & Wolverine is a pretty special case as its the first R-rated movie in the MCU.

Reynolds admitted he was “surprised” Disney allowed them to be the first R-rated movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. “I hope it doesn’t sound condescending, I’m really proud of them for doing this. I think it’s a huge step for them,” Reynolds said. “I mean, it adds a whole other color to this kaleidoscopic wheel that is that company and the different people that they have been entertaining forever.“ Reynolds continued, “I was surprised though, that they let us go as hard R, but very grateful. I mean there’s no other way to do it.” The actor added that the R rating allowed them “to do anything and everything in a world where anything and everything is possible.”

About the Author

E.J. is a News Editor at JoBlo, as well as a Video Editor, Writer, and Narrator for some of the movie retrospectives on our JoBlo Originals YouTube channel, including Reel Action, Revisited and some of the Top 10 lists. He is a graduate of the film program at Missouri Western State University with concentrations in performance, writing, editing and directing.

The Estate of Jeff Healey is releasing Road House: The Lost Soundtrack, which features 19 songs Healey recorded for the 1989 classic

The 1989 action classic Road House (watch it HERE) recently got a decent enough Prime Video remake that’s set to receive a sequel – which is something the original movie should have gotten around 1991 or so. But no matter what other movies use the Road House title, nothing will ever compare to that ’89 movie… which I have vivid memories of watching at a drive-in during its initial release. To celebrate the 35th anniversary of Road House, the estate of musician Jeff Healey has announced that they’re teaming up with Sony Music and Mondo Music to bring us Road House: The Lost Soundtrack, the complete, previously unreleased soundtrack that Healey recorded for the film.

Road House: The Lost Soundtrack is available to pre-order from the Jeff Healey Estate’s official website and will also be available on all major streaming platforms on June 7th, courtesy of Sony Music. This release features “all twelve songs used in the film itself (eight of which were previously unreleased) as well as seven additional bonus tracks… songs recorded during the Road House sessions, that have never before been released in any format.”

Here’s the track list: 1. On the Road Again – 2. Confidence Man – 3. Long Tall Sally – 4. One Foot on the Gravel – 5. Hear That Guitar Ring – 6. Knock on Wood (feat. Kathleen Wilhoite) – 7. I’m Tore Down – 8. Roadhouse Blues – 9. Travelin’ Band – 10. White Room – 11. Hoochie Coochie Man – 12. When the Night Comes Falling from the Sky – Bonus Tracks: 13. Killing Floor – 14. I Just Want To Make Love To You – 15. Red House – 16. Around & Around – 17. Foxey Lady – 18. Back In The USA – 19. Angel

Directed by Rowdy Herrington from a screenplay by R. Lance Hill (credited as David Lee Henry) and Hilary Henkin, Road House has the following synopsis: Dalton is a lightning quick martial arts expert and the best bouncer in the business. He has been shot, stabbed and kicked around all in the line of duty, and may be in line for more punishment on the door when he gets hired to transform the Double Deuce from a seedy joint into a sophisticated night-club. First he must tackle the ambitions of a ruthless crime boss, whose greed and lust for power are legendary.

The film stars Patrick Swayze, Kelly Lynch, Sam Elliott, Ben Gazzara, Kevin Tighe, Red West, Sunshine Parker, Marshall Teague, John Doe, Kathleen Wilhoite, Terry Funk, Anthony De Longis, Travis McKenna, Keith David, John William Young, Julie Michaels, and Michael Rider, with Jeff Healey as musician Cody.

The Estate of Jeff Healey (who, sadly, passed away in 2008) provided the following statement about Road House: The Lost Soundtrack: “This project has been simmering for well over a decade, and a great deal of blood, sweat and tears have been poured into this one.  We’re beyond thrilled that is it finally making its way into the light. With Sony’s blessing (and endless support), we did a deep dive into their vaults. We were given full access to all the original tapes, the original dozen that were in the film, and an additional seven bonus tracks that were recorded in the same sessions. All have been painstakingly remixed and remastered from the original multi-track elements (except for two songs in which the master tapes had been lost to the sands of time – these required some extra love to bring up to the standards of the rest…). This is a Healey Estate joint from top to bottom; from audio production and restoration, to extensive liner notes and rare photos. We poured our hearts into this project and we hope you enjoy it.“

Will you be buying Road House: The Lost Soundtrack? Let us know by leaving a comment below.