Movie theaters may be opening again, but not everyone’s ready to go back. And if the kids are stuck at home, purchases, rather than rentals, start to look better and better for the inevitable repeat viewings. But with so many, it’s hard to know where to begin or what to afford. In this ongoing series, Superhero Hype takes a look at some of the better selections and deals Amazon.com has running as of publication time. Please note that all deals are subject to change or sell out at any time based on supply and demand. These are the deals for Aug 9.
Time Bandits (The Criterion Collection) [Blu-ray]
$25.95
Terry Gilliam‘s epic fantasy skillfully blends his Monty Python comedy roots with his larger-scale imagination. Time-traveling dwarves on the run from the Supreme Being steal a map of time holes, and take a young boy with them on adventures through history and legend. But the embodiment of Evil seeks the map as well. An all-star cast includes Sean Connery as King Agamemnon, John Cleese as Robin Hood, David Warner as Evil, and Ralph Richardson as the Supreme Being.
Hellboy II: The Golden Army [4K Blu-ray]
$22.09
Though it unfortunately ends on a cliffhanger for a threequel that will never be, Guillermo del Toro‘s second foray into Mike Mignola’s comics is more audacious fantasy than the first. It’s full of rebel fairies, trolls, steampunk creatures, angels of death, and scariest of all, Seth MacFarlane voicing a German-accented cloud of gas.
A Quiet Place Part II [4K Blu-ray]
$24.66
Like a theme-park haunted house, A Quiet Place Part II walks the viewer through immersive environments, periodically interrupting the suspense with big jump scares. More monsters mean more fun, as the mythology of John Krasinski’s noiseless apocalypse unfolds further.
The Transformers: The Movie 35th Anniversary Limited Edition Steelbook [4K UHD] [Blu-ray]
$21.99
The ’80s childhood fave may feel more cynical than some remember. But for what it was the filmmakers went impressively big, with better animation and an all-star cast. Check out our review.
Zack Snyder’s Justice League (4K Ultra HD) [Blu-ray]
$30.99
They did it. They released it. Now what?
Venom [Blu-ray] 4K + Blu-ray + Digital
$19.07
Before Carnage gets unleashed, catch up on the original Tom Hardy Venom. It’s like Sony wanted to make a ’90s style antihero movie, but nobody told Tom Hardy, who showed up doing a Marlon Brando impersonation, semi-romancing his own sentient dark side. Adding physical comedy to body horror, and voicing both Venom and Eddie Brock, Hardy becomes a one-man odd couple. It may not be the comics, but it’s a compelling watch.
Beetlejuice [4K Blu-ray]
$12.99
It’s showtime! This looks like one hell of a deal for purgatory’s top bio-exorcist. Bring home the ghost with the most in the movie that first brought Michael Keaton and Tim Burton together…and remains their best film. Early star turns from Alec Baldwin and Winona Ryder also stand out.
Legend (2-Disc Limited Edition) [Blu-ray]
$34.99
Loaded with extras, this Arrow release of Ridley Scott’s dark fairy tale should become the definitive copy, since enough original high-resolution elements don’t exist sufficient for 4K. Includes both the U.S. theatrical release and the director’s cut, so you can choose Tangerine Dream or Jerry Goldsmith on the soundtrack. And decide if you prefer an ending where Tom Cruise and Mia Sara fall in love, or choose to stay just friends. Regardless, most will probably buy it for Tim Curry as the massively, literally horny Lord of Darkness.
The Thing [4K Blu-ray]
$31.95
At a research station in Antarctica, Kurt Russell must take on a shape-shifting alien that sometimes looks exactly like his colleagues, and others like a horrific mass of tentacles, claws, fangs, and flayed skin. Under-appreciated in 1982, it’s now rightly considered a horror classic, and one of the best remakes (or re-adaptations) of all time.
Scott Pilgrim vs. The World (4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + Digital)
$16.99
For Scott Pilgrim to win the heart of the lovely Ramona Flowers, he must deal with all her emotional baggage first. Literally, by engaging in video game-style combat with all her evil exes. Director Edgar Wright’s masterpiece (so far) is one of the more audacious comic adaptations ever made, and to quote the tagline, an epic of epic epicness.
