The Best New Blu-Ray Releases: Ant-Man 3, Knock At The Cabin, Thelma And Louise, And More

Hello again Blu-ray fans! It's been a few, but we're back in business with an all-new round-up of some of the best new Blu-ray releases you can find right now. As always, I encourage you to embrace the wonderful world of physical media, because while streaming is convenient, it's not forever. This latest round-up features a not-great Marvel sequel, the latest from M. Night Shyamalan, a Ridley Scott '90s classic, one of the two competing asteroid movies of 1998, a Michael Mann in dude's rock mode, and an underrated erotic thriller from Jane Campion. Keep spinning those discs. 

Oh boy, what a mess. I'll be the first to admit that I've grown weary of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, so perhaps that's clouding my judgment. But in my humble opinion, "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania" is one of the worst things the MCU has ever produced. It's a boring, lifeless affair full of bad jokes and cartoon backgrounds. I don't mean to besmirch the overworked VFX artists who I'm sure crunched around the clock to get the film ready — they do the best they can to create the Quantum Realm and all its fantastical elements. But nothing ever looks real, and when you have your characters running around faux backgrounds the entire time, it kind of ruins things. There's no weight; there's nothing tangible. These characters might as well be running in place in front of a big, visible greenscreen for the entire runtime. 

The plot, such as it is, has Ant-Man, aka Scott Lang (Paul Rudd), sucked into the silly little Quantum Realm along with his snappy daughter Cassie (Kathryn Newton), his boring partner the Wasp (Evangeline Lilly), and her very sleepy parents Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) and Janet van Dyne (Michelle Pfeiffer). There they must do battle with the all-powerful Kang the Conquerer, played by Jonathan Majors. Majors is the sole bright spot in the film, really leaning into his villainous role. But it's kind of hard to enjoy his work now in light of recent abuse allegations (don't be surprised if Marvel recasts this character for future films). In the end, "Quantumania" has no life, and for a film set in a strange new world, that's a problem. Look, I love me some Paul Rudd, but maybe it's time to stop making Ant-Man movies.

Special features:

Gag Reel

• Take a look at some of the fun outtakes on set with the cast and crew of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.

Audio Commentary

• Watch the film with audio commentary by director Peyton Reed and writer Jeff Loveness.

Featurettes

• All in the Family – Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly and Michelle Pfeiffer discuss the complex layers and secrets – yet incredibly strong bond of this heroic family.
• Formidable Foes – Discover how Jonathan Majors, Bill Murray and Corey Stoll bring gravitas to the villains of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. Learn more about how Kang brings a Thanos-level threat to this adventure and the larger MCU.

Deleted Scenes

• Drink The Ooze – Upon entering the Quantum Realm, Scott Lang nervously drinks the ooze.
• I Have Holes – Veb expresses great excitement when he discovers he finally has holes.

What if you could save the entire world from destruction by sacrificing a loved one? That's the question at the heart of M. Night Shyamalan's "Knock at the Cabin," adapted from Paul Tremblay's novel "The Cabin at the End of the World" (which, let's be honest, is a better title than "Knock at the Cabin"). Couple Eric (Jonathan Groff) and Andrew (Ben Aldridge) are on vacation in a cabin in the woods along with their adopted daughter Wen (Kristen Cui). The idyllic vacation is cut short when four strangers, lead by the hulking-but-kind Leonard (Dave Bautista, giving one of his best performances to date), show up clutching scary-looking weapons (or "tools" as Leonard calls them). They take the family hostage and tell them the world is going to end — unless they make a sacrifice. 

Eric and Andrew understandably think this group is nuts, but little by little, a series of events seems to suggest they're telling the truth. Is the end nigh? Shyamalan pulls out all the stops here, working with older lenses, giving us multiple shots where characters look directly into the camera, and even swinging the camera in sync with the weapons as they're brought down with murderous force. It's pretty damn effective, although I will say that the film can't quite stick the landing (the book's ending is far darker; probably too dark for a movie like this). That said, I continue to enjoy this stage of Shyamalan's career, where he's pretty much doing whatever he wants and getting away with it. More of that, please! 

Special features:

• Deleted Scenes
  • They Need Some Time
  • Going to Church
  • Enjoying the Sun
  • Leonard Explains
• Chowblaster Infomercial – Enjoy an extended cut of the TV informercial from the film that features an appearance by M. Night Shyamalan himself.
• Choosing Wisely: Behind the Scenes of KNOCK AT THE CABIN – Examine what drew M. Night Shyamalan to adapt this terrifying story, and how the relationships between characters were unlike any this ensemble cast had ever played before.
• Tools of the Apocalypse – Explore the creation of some of the film's most terrifying props and learn why they play such an important role in the story.
• Drawing a Picture - See how M. Night Shyamalan envisions his shots in advance of ever turning on the camera, through his extensive use of storyboards.
• Kristen Cui Shines a Light – Take a closer look at actress Kristen Cui's dynamic performance as Wen in her film debut.

Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis hit the road in "Thelma & Louise," Ridley Scott's stylish drama about two women fighting back against the terrible men in their lives. The pair head out on a road trip, but when Davis' Thelma is sexually assaulted, Sarandon's Louise shoots the assailant to death. Now the women are fugitives, convinced (probably correctly) that no one will buy their story of self-defense. Now they're trying to make it to Mexico before the law catches up with them. Meanwhile, a sympathetic cop (Harvey Keitel) wants to bring them in alive, even if his colleagues do not. 

With its blend of lush magic-hour cinematography and its feminist angle, "Thelma & Louise" feels just as fresh today as it felt in the 1990s. Davis and Sarandon are great together, with Sarandon's Louise more street-smart than Davis' frequently naive Thelma. Eventually, a young Brad Pitt shows up as a handsome cowboy/thief who takes Thelma to bed before ripping her off, leading the women to commit more crimes in order to score more money. Meanwhile, the fuzz is closing in, with the male cops seemingly furious that these two women would dare fight back and become free spirits on the road. You probably know how the film ends even if you've never seen the movie, but even with this knowledge, the road leading there is no less compelling.

Special features:

• New 4K digital restoration, supervised by director Ridley Scott, with 5.1 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack
• One 4K UHD disc of the film presented in Dolby Vision HDR and two Blu-rays with the film and special features
• Two audio commentaries, featuring Scott, screenwriter Callie Khouri, and actors Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon
• New interviews with Scott and Khouri
• Documentary featuring Davis; Khouri; Sarandon; Scott; actors Michael Madsen, Christopher McDonald, and Brad Pitt; and other members of the cast and crew
• Boy and Bicycle (1965), Scott's first short film, and one of his early commercials
• Original theatrical featurette
• Storyboards and deleted and extended scenes, including an extended ending with director's commentary
• Music video for Glenn Frey's "Part of Me, Part of You," from the film's soundtrack
• Trailers
• English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
• PLUS: Essays by critics Jessica Kiang and Rachel Syme and journalist Rebecca Traister

In the summer of 1998, audiences were given not one but two killer asteroid flicks. One was, of course, Michael Bay's big, dumb "Armageddon." And then there was Mimi Leder's more intimate "Deep Impact." While "Armageddon" is arguably more fun than "Deep Impact," Leder's film is a reminder that not all big blockbusters have to be mindless. It's less about the destruction (although that happens in the big finale) and more about how people would deal with impending doom. With a killer asteroid hurtling towards Earth, a group of astronauts is sent up to save the day. But if that fails, it could mean certain doom. This makes for a surprisingly quiet disaster flick, where characters talk things out rather than just blowing them up. It may not be as action-packed as "Armageddon," but "Deep Impact" deserves to be thought of as more than just "the other asteroid movie from 1998." 

Special features:

• Commentary by director Mimi Leder and visual effects supervisor Scott Farrar
• Preparing For The End
• Making An Impact
• Creating The Perfect Traffic Jam
• Parting Thoughts
• Photo Gallery
• Trailers

What's better than this? Guys being dudes. Michael Mann's "Miami Vice" wasn't a smash hit and the reviews were rather lukewarm when it hit theaters in 2006. But in the years since, "Miami Vice" has garnered a cult following, with viewers (like me!) loving Mann's mix of police procedural and hang-out vibes. Cops Jamie Foxx and Colin Farrell go undercover to catch a drug dealer. In the process, they also have to deal with a gang of white supremacists and more. Along the way, Farrrell's character falls for the girlfriend and business partner of the drug lord, played by Gong Li. Mann is a romantic at heart, and the romance between these two makes for some of the most compelling moments of the film. The new Mill Creek Entertainment release (exclusive to Best Buy in steel book form) contains both the theatrical cut and a director's cut. Which version should you watch? Both of 'em! For my money, the director's cut is slightly better, but the theatrical cut has the better opening scene. But both are worthwhile. So grab a mojito and kick back with "Miami Vice." 

Special features:

• Includes Theatrical Version
• Miami Vice Undercover
• Miami & Beyond: Shooting on Location
• Visualizing Miami Vice
• Behind the Scenes Featurettes
• Feature Commentary with Michael Mann

Jane Campion's "In the Cut" was a box office flop in 2003, and what a damn shame that is. A slinky, sexy, scary erotic thriller, the film saw Meg Ryan trading in her girl-next-door image to play a darker character. Ryan is a teacher who falls for a detective (Mark Ruffalo) who may or may not be a serial killer. This results in a film that's full of sexually charged moments that are broken up by sudden grisly crime scenes. Campion and cinematographer Dion Beebe engulf us in the world of the film, frequently blurring backgrounds so that we are forced to only focus on the leads as they navigate a tricky sexual situation. And now, thanks to Mill Creek Entertainment, the film is finally on Blu-ray here in the U.S., perfect for rediscovery (or discovery, since it seems like no one bothered to see the movie to begin with). My only qualm: this release has zero special features. A shame. 

Special features: 

• None! Disappointing!