This Week on Blu-ray: October 19-25

For the week of October 19th, Universal Pictures Home Entertainment is releasing Back to the Future: The Ultimate Trilogy on Blu-ray and 4K UHD Blu-ray across numerous editions. The classic adventure trilogy made Michael J. Fox a star and is released both to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the original film and just in time for "Back to the Future Day" (October 21st, of course). Universal have gone all out for this one with new 4K masters for UHD and Blu-ray, as well as Dolby Vision, HDR10+ and Dolby Atmos audio for all three films on the UHD format. Additionally, plenty of different packaging options are available, including DigiBook, Amazon Exclusive (with levitating Hoverboard replica), and even a Best Buy Exclusive SteelBook. While the Blu-rays in the 4K set wil also be remastered, those who just want the 1080p discs can go for their own Blu-ray-only Digibook, too. Whichever edition you go for, there will be a dedicated Blu-ray bonus disc with over an hour of brand new content. An entire breakdown of the contents and extras is available here.

Reviewing the newly remastered original film, Martin Liebman writes that "If fans were hoping that Universal would use the occasion of Back to the Future's 35th anniversary to overhaul the movie for high definition, to move past the studio's previously acceptable, but ultimately lackluster, Blu-ray effort, then those fans are going to be delighted. "History is going to change," Marty says in the movie, and indeed Back to the Future now looks stunning. Gone is the filtered and flatter appearance that was best suited for standard definition DVD. Universal has overhauled the film to give it a very natural, unabashedly filmic appearance. Grain is intact, complimentary and somewhere between fine and dense but always organic." Speaking about the Dolby Atmos track, he continues: "Music is one of the critical elements in play and it does not disappoint. "Power of Love" blasts through the speakers with phenomenal detail and full-stage spread. "Johnny B. Goode" has never enjoyed such richness, detail in every note and lyric, and full immersion throughout the stage. Alan Silvestri's timeless score flows from the speakers with utmost precision to both spacing and fidelity. As with other elements, it's not discreetly above but the supports from those channels, as well as the surround-back speakers, only allows for fuller immersion into the music. Big action effects delight, particularly as the DeLorean zips down streets as it approaches 88 miles per hour. Some gunshots hit hard, punches land with authority, and even when Marty's head hits concrete the effect proves as squeamishly authentic as ever. Dialogue is clear, well prioritized, and center focused. It's a dream!"

Next for Universal is the seventh installment of their long-running Tremors franchise, Don Michael Paul's Tremors: Shrieker Island. Starring Michael Gross, Jon Heder, Richard Brake, Caroline Langrishe, and Jackie Cruz, this seventh installment finds Burt (Gross) Burt leading an all-out war against larger, faster, and terrifyingly intelligent Graboids and swiftly multiplying Shriekers when a group of wealthy trophy hunters genetically modify Graboid eggs to create the ultimate hunting experience. Released to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the horror-comedy series, Tremors: Shrieker Island includes the extras "The Monsters of Tremors", "Tremors Top 30 Moments" and "The Legend of Burt Gummer".

Next up, Paramount continues its Paramount Presents lineup with Jan de Bont's The Haunting (1999). This remake, adapted from both the 1963 film and its 1959 source novel The Haunting of Hill House, stars Liam Neeson, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Owen Wilson, Lili Taylor, and Bruce Dern. Paramount's Blu-ray features a new 4K remaster of the film and a new Filmmaker Focus featurette with de Bont. In his Blu-ray review, Martin Liebman writes that "[The Haunting] arrives on Blu-ray with an exceptional 1080p transfer. The image is perfectly true to its natural filmic roots, holding fast to a light, flattering, and consistent grain structure. The result is an image that looks brand new, straight out of theaters, untampered, perfect in every way".

Also this week, RLJ Entertainment releases Julius Berg's The Owners, starring Maisie Williams, Sylvester McCoy, and Rita Tushingham, The Owners centers on a group of friends think they found the perfect easy score - an empty house with a safe full of cash. But when the elderly couple that lives there comes home early, the tables are suddenly turned. A making of featurette is also included. RLJ will also release Eugene Kotlyarenko's film Spree, starring Joe Keery and Sasheer Zamata, about a rideshare driver who intends to murder his passengers. A director's commentary is included amongst the extras.

Finally, Well Go USA releases RZA's Cut Throat City, starring Eiza Gonzalez, Wesley Snipes, Terrence Howard, Kat Graham, and Isaiah Washington. The story of four boyhood friends from New Orleans' Lower Ninth Ward who return after Hurricane Katrina to decimated homes, no jobs, and no help from FEMA. Out of options, they reluctantly turn to a local gangster, who offers them one shot at turning their situations around—by pulling off a dangerous heist in the heart of the city.When the job goes bad, the friends find themselves on the run, hunted by two relentless detectives and a neighborhood warlord who thinks they stole the heist money.