The Corner Penthouse

Join me as I do a quick review round-up for the best of this month's new home video releases...

All of the items below have already been released and are available for purchase from Amazon at the links provided. The Corner Penthouse will earn a very tiny commission from your purchase using these links.



• BUY IT: Blu-ray, DVD.

• SYNOPSIS: Jabez Stone (James Craig) is a hardworking farmer trying to make an honest living, but a streak of bad luck tempts him to do the unthinkable: bargain with the devil himself. In exchange for seven years of good fortune, Stone promises "Mr. Scratch" (Walter Huston) his soul. But when the troubled farmer begins to realize the error of his choice, he enlists the aid of the one man who might save him: the legendary orator and politician Daniel Webster (Edward Arnold).

• SPECIAL FEATURES: All of the content below can be found on the Blu-ray disc.

• Audio Commentary - by film historian Bruce Eder and biographer Steven C. Smith, which was recorded for Criterion in 1991 and updated in 2003.
• Version Comparison (4:38) - Highlights some of the differences between the 1941 preview version of the film, which was titled Here Is a Man, and its 1943 rerelease as The Devil and Daniel Webster.
• The Devil and Daniel Webster Reading (33:43) - Alec Baldwin reads Stephen Vincent Benet's original 1937 short story "The Devil and Daniel Webster". This was produced for Criterion in 2003.
• Observations on Film Art (13:05) - Film scholar Jeff Smith discusses the visuals style and structure of the film. This original aired on the Criterion Channel in 2018.
• The Columbia Workshop: "The Devil and Daniel Webster" (1938) (29:51) - Stephen Vincent Benet wrote three short stories about his larger-than-life personification of the historic Daniel Webster. This is a radio dramatization of the first story, featuring music by Bernard Herrmann.
• The Columbia Workshop: "Daniel Webster and the Sea Serpent" (29:47) - Stephen Vincent Benet wrote three short stories about his larger-than-life personification of the historic Daniel Webster. This is a radio dramatization of the second story, featuring music by Bernard Herrmann.
• Restoration Demonstration (6:15) - Before-and-after comparisons.
• Trailer (0:49)

• RATING: Not Rated.

• NOTES: As is usual with Criterion, included in the thick, clear one-disc plastic case is a fold-out booklet featuring an essay by author Tom Piazza and a 1941 article by Vincent Benet, as well as technical credits. The film looks fantastic and has been restored to its original 107-minute glory. A true cinematic classic and another great job by Criterion.

• CREDIT: This item has been provided by The Criterion Collection for review on this site.



• BUY IT: 4K UHD, Blu-ray, DVD.

• SYNOPSIS: Having failed to defeat Aquaman (Jason Momoa) the first time, Black Manta (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II), still driven by the need to avenge his father's death, will stop at nothing to take Aquaman down once and for all. This time Black Manta is more formidable than ever before, wielding the power of the mythic Black Trident, which unleashes an ancient and malevolent force. To defeat him, Aquaman will turn to his imprisoned brother Orm (Patrick Wilson), the former King of Atlantis, to forge an unlikely alliance. Together, they must set aside their differences in order to protect their kingdom and save Aquaman's family, and the world, from irreversible destruction.

• SPECIAL FEATURES: All of the content below can be found on the 4K UHD disc.

• Finding the Lost Kingdom (21:22) - Go behind the scenes as director James Wan reveals how he and the cast and crew pulled off their biggest endeavor yet, an epic sequel to the largest grossing film in the history of DC.
• Aquaman: Worlds Above and Below (9:38) - When the filmmakers set out to create a sequel that eclipsed the original in scale and scope, they knew they would have to send Arthur and the rest of the cast to all kinds of new wild and wonderful worlds both above and below the sea.
• Atlantean Blood Is Thicker Than Water (4:17) - At its core, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is a movie about brotherhood. Explore how Patrick and Jason bonded over the new unexpected alliance between Arthur and Orm and came together both as characters and as friends on and off set.
• It's a Manta World (10:08) - Black Manta is more powerful than ever now that he has discovered the Lost Kingdom of Necrus and taken possession of the Black Trident. From inspiration to execution, filmmakers reveal how they leveled Black Manta up to the realm of supervillains.
• Necrus, The Lost Black City (5:51) - Ages ago the great battle for the earth took place here, in this legendary lost Atlantean city. Discover how the filmmakers created the Black City from its "surface city" concept and its inhabitants: Undead Necrusians (Zombies), to its execution.
• Escape from the Deserter World (8:05) - From idea to execution, explore how the filmmakers created this barren desert landscape and the Deserter Prison, how its creatures and inhabitants were brought to life, and how they planned and executed the daring Orm "breakout" sequence.
• Brawling at Kingfish's Lair (4:07) - The Citadel is the last frontier of the ocean, a deep trench filled with sunken old ships, stacked high like a rusty city. From concept to completion, discover Kingfish's Lair, a bar within, where the worst of the worst hang out.
• Oh TOPO! (2:12) - The Tactical Observation and Pursuit Operative Octopus is a living legend and all-time fan favorite. Director James Wan and the filmmakers discuss the decision behind bringing TOPO back to the sequel and its promotion to Arthur's on-screen sidekick.

• RATING: PG-13 for some language and sci-fi violence.

• NOTES: This is a balls-to-the-wall batcrap crazy film and it knows it. That makes getting through its 125-minute runtime a little easier, though there are still parts that drag. I will say that the day-glow underwater visuals look fantastic in 4K. The first print run includes a slipcover. Give the movie a rental, or check it out if you have a Max subscription, before you buy. The first film, Aquaman (2019), is available on 4K UHD Combo Pack, Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack, individual DVD, and 3D Blu-ray.

• CREDIT: This item has been provided by Warner Brothers for review on this site.



• BUY IT: 4K UHD, Blu-ray, DVD.

• SYNOPSIS: The Mallard family (Kumail Nanjiani, Elizabeth Banks, Tresi Gazal, Caspar Jennings, Danny DeVito) embarks on a journey south for the winter to Jamaica via New York City, only for their well-laid plans to go awry, leading to new friends and unknown horizons. Get ready to take a flight on a hilariously funny, feathered family vacation like no other!

• SPECIAL FEATURES: All of the content below can be found on both the 4K UHD & Blu-ray discs.

• Fly Hard (4:01) - In this "mini-movie" (short film), Chump sheds her tough-as-nails attitude, risking her life to fly through a blizzard and the harrowing streets of New York to return a prized possession to a kind woman from the park.
• Mooned (8:40) - In this "mini-movie" (short film) that follows the events of Despicable Me, Vector and a lost Minion are stranded on the moon, and struggle to get back to Earth.
• Midnight Mission (4:51) - In this "mini-movie" (short film), the Minions will try anything to help Agnes overcome her fear of the dark, even if it involves going into outer space.
• Microphone Madness (3:11) - A fun look behind-the-scenes as the cast record some of their silliest lines.
• Meet The Cast (15:37) - In this series of behind-the-scenes pieces, we learn more about our favorite characters and the legendary comedic voices behind them. Includes "Kumail Nanjiani: Mack", "Elizabeth Banks: Pam", "Keegan-Michael Key: Delroy", "Awkwafina: Chump", "Danny Devito: Uncle Dan", "Carol Kane: Erin", and "Caspar Jennings: Dax & Tresi Gazal: Gwen".
• Taking Flight: The Making Of (5:29) - Migration is an original script so brand-new characters and locations had to be developed, designed, and animated from scratch! Here, filmmakers and crew break down their process to show us what gives this film an entirely new look and feel.
• The Art of Flight (1:58) - Using a series of production phases from storyboards to pre-viz, we peel back the feathers and reveal just what goes in to creating the avian heroes of the film.
• The Sound of Flight (2:57) - Take a closer look at the music of Migration as composer John Powell walks us through his scoring journey.
• How To Draw (10:33) - Learn how to draw four characters. Includes "Mack", "Delroy", "Chump", and "Gwen".
• Build Your Own Pop-Up Book (11:07) - Daddy duck, Mack, likes to tell his two little ducklings some overly imaginative bedtime stories. In this fun "How To" we'll show you how to create a pop-up book so you can tell your very own bedtime stories!
• Calling All Birds (5:34) - They may not have cellphones, but you can call your web-footed friends anytime you want! In this fun How To, we'll teach you how to create and customize your very own set of colorful bird whistles. Includes "The Mack Quack", "The Heron Honk", and "The Chump Chirp".
• Best Nests (5:47) - You don't have to fly south –or anywhere –to find a perfect paradise for your feathered friends. Here we'll teach you how to make the best nest for your pet ducks, or anyone flying by, including a water feeder to keep them hydrated! Includes "Nests" and "Water Feeder".

• RATING: PG for action/peril and mild rude humor.

• NOTES: Ok, this movie looks great in 4K resolution, the animation is spectacular, Carol Kane steals the movie with her performance as Erin, and the movie is breezy and never overstays its welcome. It's a "road trip" movie that, in some ways, felt like a kid-friendly version of National Lampoon's Vacation. My only issue with it is that it's not very memorable. The story just isn't very engaging. It's the kind of film that I doubt I would watch again, even though Universal put together a great package of supplemental materials. The first print run includes a slipcover. The PR folks at Universal sent along an Activity Kit PDF that is worth checking out if you have kids. Download it and print it out, while the link still works.

• CREDIT: This item has been provided by Universal for review on this site.



• BUY IT: Blu-ray.

• SYNOPSIS: From the earliest screen play draft to the excitement when the lights go down in the theater, Icons Unearthed: Star Wars digs up the real story of how the legendary films were made. Filmed everywhere from Tunisia to England, Canada to Italy, all 50 states, this series features a treasure trove of incredible information including Marcia Lucas's first ever on camera interview. Conversations with cast, crew, and experts give us the deepest of dives into how the most iconic movie franchise in history came to be. Featuring interviews with Marcia Lucas (film editor), Anthony Daniels (actor – 3P0), Billy Dee Willaims (actor – Lando Calrissian), Ian McDiarmid (actor – The Emperor), Julian Glover (actor – General Veers), Paul Hirsch (film editor), Phill Tippett (miniatures & optical effects), Rick Baker (makeup artist), Richard Edlund (miniatures & optical effects), and John Dykstra (special effects supervisor).

• EPISODES: All six episodes are on Disc 1.

1. A New Hope: Part 1 (45:02)
2. A New Hope: Part 2 (45:02)
3. The Empire Strikes Back (45:02)
4. Return of the Jedi (45:02)
5. The Phantom Menace (45:02)
6. Attack of the Clones/Revenge of the Sith (45:02)

• SPECIAL FEATURES: All of the content below can be found on Disc 2.

• Marcia Lucas - Complete Interview (3:11:37) - Contains 7 chapters.
• Anthony Daniels - Complete Interview (2:52:57) - Contains 6 chapters.
• Billy Dee Williams - Complete Interview (37:04) - Contains 4 chapters.

• RATING: Not Rated.

• NOTES: This is the six-part "first season" of the Vice television series, as listed at IMDB, which aired from July 12th to August 16th, 2022. Each "season" is a different multi-part "episode" about a single film series. It was made by the same crew who produced The Toys That Made Us and The Movies That Made Us, and if you've seen either of those series, you'll have an idea as to what to expect here. I suspect that even a die-hard Star Wars fan will learn something over the many hours of interviews and information presented here. Now it just waits to be seen if the other 9 "seasons" of Icons Unearthed will be released. The first print run includes a slipcover.

• CREDIT: This item has been provided by Mill Creek for review on this site.



• BUY IT: Blu-ray, DVD.

• SYNOPSIS: A sleuthing, supernaturally infused mystery charting Wednesday Addams' (Jenna Ortega) years as a student at Nevermore Academy. Wednesday's attempts to master her emerging psychic ability, thwart a monstrous killing spree that has terrorized the local town and solve the supernatural mystery that embroiled her parents 25 years ago — all while navigating her new and very tangled relationships at Nevermore.

• EPISODES: The first four episodes are on Disc 1, and the last four are on Disc 2.

1. Wednesday's Child Is Full of Woe (55:51)
2. Woe Is the Loneliest Number (46:45)
3. Friend or Woe (46:09)
4. Woe What a Night (47:31)
5. You Reap What You Woe (49:51)
6. Quid Pro Woe (48:07)
7. If You Don't Woe Me by Now (45:32)
8. A Murder of Woes (50:03)

• SPECIAL FEATURES: None.

• RATING: Not Rated.

• NOTES: This two-disc set includes all eight episodes that were released on Netflix on November 23, 2022. There are no special features, but it's just great to have a Netflix show be released on physical Blu-ray media. I thoroughly enjoyed Wednesday, especially the performance by lead actress Jenna Ortega. I still prefer Christina Ricci, who guest stars in this season, but Jenna is great in the role. The show felt a bit like a CW teen series, like Nancy Drew or Riverdale, but I loved the mystery aspect of the story, so I didn't mind it much. The only part of the show I didn't like was the miscast Luis Guzman as the homeliest Gomez Addams you ever did see. I highly recommend buying a copy of this show. The first print run includes a slipcover. I hope the still-to-be-released Season 2, and all later seasons, also get Blu-ray releases.

• CREDIT: This item has been provided by Warner Brothers (MGM) for review on this site.

If you're looking for more cool stuff to buy, check out all of the other items I've reviewed over the years. I'm sure you'll find something you'll love.