On the Shelf: ‘Thunderbolts*,’ ‘The Phoenician Scheme,’ Classic Comedies, and Underrated Gems Land On Physical Media This Week
A lot of films releasing on this last week of July, including a film from the biggest franchise in modern cinema, a new feature from director Wes Anderson, landmark comedies of the 1970s/1990s, and some underrated feature films from the Warner Bros. archive that deserve their moment in the sun to shine.
As Marvel is releasing their third feature film of the year in Fantastic Four: The First Steps, they are releasing the film that kicked off the summer with Thunderbolts*on 4K Blu-ray. After finding themselves ensnared in a death trap, seven disillusioned castoffs must embark on a dangerous mission that will force them to confront the darkest corners of their pasts. In our review from May, our own Karen Peterson called Thunderbolts* a film that “lives up to the title of popcorn movie.” The other 2025 release for this week is the latest feature film from Academy Award winning filmmaker Wes Anderson, The Phoenician Scheme. After another close run in with death, wealthy businessman Zsa-zsa Korda appoints his only daughter, a nun, as sole heir to his estate. As Korda embarks on a new enterprise, they soon become the target of scheming tycoons, foreign terrorists and determined assassins. In my review out of the Cannes Film Festival, I proclaimed Anderson’s latest whimsy to be a wonderful addition to “the strongest era of Anderson’s career,” featuring “some of the best production design of the year from Adam Stockhausen” and “a superb breakthrough performance from Mia Threapleton.” With the Criterion Collection about to release most of Anderson’s films on 4K for the first time, now is the perfect time to pick up The Phoenician Scheme, one of the best films of the year.
With the way things are going these days, who doesn’t need a good laugh. Three classic comedies are being released on 4K Blu-ray are being released in the format for the first time on home video, with the first being a film we covered on a recent episode of Director Watch earlier this year, A New Leaf. In Elaine May’s directorial debut, Henry Graham (Walter Matthau), a confirmed bachelor with a zest for luxuries, receives the shocking news that he is now broke. Henry’s spirits are low as he returns to his town-house to discuss the situation with his butler, Harold who suggests marriage as a way out. And this is when he finds a the rich but aloof Henrietta (May) and his heart and desires start to blur in contradiction with one another, resulting in a masterpiece from the acclaimed writer-director. From Shout Factory, they are releasing one of the best comedies of the 1990s from one of the biggest movie stars of the era in Jim Carrey, Ace Ventura: Pet Detective. The zany pet detective takes on the case of a mission dolphin from an NFL team as they are on the verge of playing in the Super Bowl. Wild and over-the-top, Carrey puts on a performance of a lifetime, crafting the most memorable character of his career, with jokes flying freely every minute.
The following year, Adam Sandler started his legendary run of hits following his successful time as a Saturday Night Live cast member. From Kino Lorber, Billy Madison follows the titular character embodied by Sandler, an heir to a multi-million dollar estate, who has to go back to school and complete grades 1 through 12 in 24 weeksotherwise he would lose his inheritance. Filled with ridiculous, childish humor, it’s a staple of Sandler’s stable of comedies, one that I’ve seen multiple times growing up and look forward to catch up with again as this comes home. If you are underwhelmed by his Happy Gilmore sequel, go ahead and pick up this film to tickle your Sandler funny bone.
Over at Warner Bros., they have a slew of re-releases being delivered this week, with a great mix of classic films from their Archive Collection as well as some underrated gems from the last twenty-five years. Speed Racer, the technicolor family sports spectacle from Lilly and Lana Wachowski races its way back to the shelves; considered a financial, critical failure back in 2008 is now considered by many fans of the director, sibling duo to be the best film in their filmography. If you are looking for a romantic-comedy and are loving the resurgence of Hugh Grant over the past couple of years, then you should pick up the delightful Music and Lyrics, co-starring everyone’s favorite daytime talk show host Drew Barrymore, featuring so many catchy, 80s-esqu songs.
After having a crazy 2025 with two films already released and one premiering at TIFF later in September, catch up with another wonderful film director Steven Soderbergh with Ocean’s Twelve, a meta-sequel to his smash heist film where Daniel Ocean recruits one more team member so he can pull off three major European heists. Lastly, while we talk about some of the greatest director’s on the planet all the time, it is hard to ignore the talents of the great Spike Jonze, who with four films has the quality of someone who has made dozens and dozens of films. In 2009, he released his lest-discussed film in his career, the big screen adaptation of the classic children’s novel from author Maurice Sendak. Following the adventures of a young boy named Max who, after being sent to bed for misbehaving, imagines that he sails away to Where the Wild Things Are. Max is loved by the wild creatures who make him their King, though he soon longs to be back home with his family. It’s a beautiful film that recently ranked by the AwardsWatch team as one of the best films of the last twenty-five years, which is a perfect time to pick up this titles.
Other Notable Releases for the Week of July 28, 2025 include:
Algiers (1938, Blu-ray, Film Masters)
Brainstorm (1965, Blu-ray, Warner Archive Collection)
Bright Leaf (1950, Blu-ray, Warner Archive Collection)
Dirty Work (1998, 4K Blu-ray, Vinegar Syndrome)
Ghost of Girlfriends Past (2009, Blu-ray, Warner Bros.)
Generation Kill (2008, Blu-ray, Warner Bros.)
Hiding Out (1987, 4K Blu-ray, Kino Lorber)
The Invention of Lying (2009, Blu-ray, Warner Bros.)
Jade (1995, 4K Blu-ray, Vinegar Syndrome)
John Q (2002, Blu-ray, Warner Bros.)
Melinda (1972, Blu-ray, Warner Archive Collection)
My Dog Skip (2000, Blu-ray, Warner Bros.)
The Golden Child (1986, 4K Blu-ray, Vinegar Syndrome)
To Catch a Thief (1955, 4K Blu-ray Steelbook, Paramount Pictures)
We’re No Angels (1989, Blu-ray, Cinématographe)
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