Fantastic Four: First Steps Digital Copy Review

 Fantastic Four: First Steps is the first part of phase six of Marvel Studios’ big screen cinematic universe and is for the most part okay. I state okay because while the film does a good job setting up the retro futuristic alternate Earth our heroes come from, the best parts are when Galactus appears on screen and sadly while I understand less is more, I would have liked a little more of the character in the film even though what we do get is quite good. Ralph Eneson does a fine job making Galactus both menacing and oddly tragic. He is something driven by a never ending hunger. A force of nature that stemps from something that was one not too different from a human, but after thousands of years enslaved to this never ending hunger, he seeks Reed and Sue’s child Franklyn as his salvation and offers to spare Earth in return for the child. When the Fantastic Four deny him his offer, he attempts to take Franklyn by force and then the Earth.

Pedro Pascal is okay as the world’s smartest man and Patriarch of the group, but that’s it. It is my hope that in the upcoming Avengers movies that he will grow into the role more and provide more of a presence on screen. The 4K Ultra HD picture quality is excellent with effective English Dolby ATMOS sound as well as an optional Spanish Language Soundtrack and English Subtitles for the Deaf and Hearing Impaired along with Spanish Language Subtitles encoded as options. HDR and DolbyVision viewing choices are available and per my own preference I watched the film in DolbyVision.

Extra value features include a movie length audio commentary track with Director Director Matt Shakman and the Production Designer that is screen specific. In no addition there are three featurettes that run anywhere between 9 and 13 minutes and and five deleted scenes that can be viewed either individually or as one reel (6:00). Bloopers (2:00) wrap up the bonus content. The interactive menus are well rendered and easy to navigate. 

Fantastic Four: First Steps is available on Digital Copy now on Movies Anywhere and other Digital Platforms.

(C) Copyright 2025 By Mark A. Rivera

All Rights Reserved.

Emmy® Winning Apple Original Series “The Morning Show” is coming to DVD and Blu-ray Seasons 1 & 2 will be available on November 11, 2025

 

October 1, 2025 – New York, NY – Alliance Home Entertainment has announced the November 11thDVD and Blu-ray release date for The Morning Show: Seasons 1 & 2. The Emmy® Winning Apple Original series is being released under the exclusive distribution partnership with FIFTH SEASON.  The Morning Show originally premiered on Apple TV in 2019 with an all-star cast featuring Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon, and Billy Crudup. With 27 total Emmy® nominations, The Morning Show is subversive and deeply relevant with storytelling that tackles subjects like the #MeToo movement, media ethics, and corporate power.

Synopsis: Alex Levy’s (Jennifer Aniston) career is shaken after her co-anchor’s scandal. As rising reporter Bradley Jackson (Reese Witherspoon) challenges the status quo, both navigate fierce rivalries, shifting loyalties, and power struggles amid a turbulent newsroom and evolving media landscape. The Morning Show was created by Jay Carsonand Kerry Ehrin, and stars Jennifer Aniston(Friends, Cake), Reese Witherspoon (Big Little Lies, Little Fires Everywhere), Billy Crudup (Hello Tomorrow!, Almost Famous), Mark Duplass (Creep, The One I Love), Karen Pittman (Yellowstone, Forever), and Néstor Carbonell (Lost, Bates Motel).

Steven Spielberg’s CATCH ME IF YOU CAN and MINORITY REPORT Arrive on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Disc™ for the First Time Each Newly Remastered Film will Also be Available in a Limited-Edition SteelBook® on December 9th

 

September 30, 2025 – New York, NY – Today, Alliance Home Entertainment announced the December 9th release of Catch Me If You Can and Minority Report on 4K Ultra HD and in Limited-Edition SteelBooks. This release marks the first time that the Steven Spielberg films will be available on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Disc in the U.S. and Canada. 

Both Minority Report and Catch Me If You Can were remastered this year in 4K and the sparkling new transfers were reviewed and approved by Spielberg.  The films also will be presented with Dolby Vision and HDR-10 for optimal image quality.  The 4K Ultra HD and Limited-Edition SteelBook presentations will include the feature film on 4K Ultra HD, a Blu-ray with legacy bonus features, and access to a Digital copy of the film.

Originally released in 2002, Minority Report was a global hit hailed as one of the best sci-fi films of the 21st century. The mind-bending thrill-ride based on a story by famed science fiction writer Philip K. Dick stars Tom Cruise (Mission: Impossible), Colin Farrell (The Penguin), Samantha Morton (The Serpent Queen), and Max von Sydow (The Exorcist).  Synopsis:  Acclaimed director Steven Spielberg’s action-packed foretelling vision of the future stars Tom Cruise as Precrime detective John Anderton. When he is "identified" as a future murderer, John must race against his own specialized police department and time itself to prove his innocence of a crime he has yet to commit. Visually stunning and packed with relentless action, it is a cerebral, high-octane ride through a future where free will is under surveillance—and nothing is as it seems.

Legacy Bonus Content Includes: “The Future According To Steven Spielberg,” “Inside The World Of Precrime,” “Phillip K. Dick,” “Steven Spielberg and Minority Report,” “Minority Report: Future Realized,” “Minority Report: Props Of The Future,” “Highlights from Minority Report: From the Set,” “Minority Report: Commercials Of The Future,” “Previz Sequences, From Story To Screen,” “Deconstructing Minority Report,” “The Stunts Of Minority Report,” “ILM and Minority Report,” “Final Report,” “Production Concepts,” “Storyboard Sequences,” and “Trailers.” Starring Leonardo DiCaprio (Titanic) and Tom Hanks (Forrest Gump), Catch Me If You Canalso premiered theatrically in 2002 and was a massive hit with both audiences and critics.  The film maintains a 96% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes® and features an outstanding supporting cast including Martin Sheen, James Brolin, Amy Adams, Jennifer Garner,Elizabeth Banks, and Christopher Walken in a role that earned him an Academy Award® nomination for Best Supporting Actor.  Synopsis:  Fast, funny, and incredibly entertaining, Steven Spielberg directs Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks in this stranger-than-fiction tale inspired by a true story.      Frank W. Abagnale, Jr. is a brilliant young master of deception. Frank didn’t go

Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas on 4K Ultra HD and Steelbook from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment available on November 11, 2025.

 

ALL-NEW 4K & LIMITED EDITION STEELBOOK AVAILABLE ON NOVEMBER 11, 2025

FROM UNIVERSAL PICTURES HOME ENTERTAINMENT

Universal City, California, September 23, 2025 – Discover the true meaning of the holiday season with Imagine Entertainment’s live-action adaptation of the beloved classic, Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas on 4K Ultra HD and Steelbook from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment available on November 11, 2025. To celebrate its 25th anniversary, the film returns in a stunning newly remastered edition featuring Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos for an enhanced home viewing and listening experience. This special release also includes over 30 minutes of brand-new bonus content exploring the making of the beloved holiday classic. Starring Jim Carrey as The Grinch, Academy Award®-winning director Ron Howard and Academy Award®-winning producer Brian Grazer reimagine one of the most enduring holiday stories of all time. Why is The Grinch (Carrey) such a grouch? No one seems to know, until little Cindy Lou Who (Taylor Momsen) takes matters into her own hands and turns both Whoville and the Grinch's world upside down, inside out…and funny side up. Filled with dazzling scenery, special effects, makeup and costumes, this is an adventure "that can make your heart grow three sizes—if you're not laughing too hard!" (Steve Murray, Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

BONUS content AVAILABLE ON DISC & DIGITAL: 25 Years Later: The Gift of THE GRINCH (NEW) – Director Ron Howard, producer Brian Grazer, make-up artist Rick Baker and actor Taylor Momsen look back on the making of the holiday classic and discuss its legacy. Spotlight on Location  Deleted Scenes  Outtakes Who School – An inside look at how actors learned to walk, talk, and move like real Whos from Whoville. Makeup Application and Design – Go behind the scenes to see the elaborate process of creating the Grinch’s iconic look and the Whos’ whimsical styles. Seussian Set Decoration – Explore how Dr. Seuss’s imaginative world was brought to life through colorful, larger-than-life set designs. Visual Effects – Discover the movie magic that blended practical effects with cutting-edge technology to transform Whoville. Music Video: Faith Hill “Where Are You Christmas?” Theatrical Trailer Feature Commentary with Director Ron Howard – Hear stories and insights from director Ron Howard as he reflects on bringing the classic to the big screen.

Tron and Tron Legacy Digital Copies Review.

Tron and its sequel Tron Legacy, are absolutely fantastic looking as 4K Ultra HD digital copy movies available now on various streaming platforms, including iTunes and of course Disney’s Movies Anywhere. You’ll find that in the cast of Tron, the Movies Anywhere version, which also allows you to have your copy of film also available on different platforms simultaneously has more extra value features than the iTunes copy so that’s something very important to keep in mind. Outside of that I have to say that I have never seen the original Tron look as good as it does on digital. It just simply has never looked this good and the DolbyVision picture quality is flawless.

Thankfully, they did not upgrade any of the original 1982 computer generated effects because to have done so would’ve been in my humble opinion a disservice to the fact that the film takes place in1982 and part of its charm is that we’re dealing with 1982 technology that was available to the public at that time.

In addition to this, even when within the world of the grid, you have an amazing sense of clarity when you look at the black-and-white images of the characters superimpose with the animated and or computer, animated effects, and the soundtrack in Dolby Atmos 5.1 really kicks rear. I mean, I could not ask for a better restoration than this and this is a pure digital copy. I could only imagine what the 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Disc must look like.

Since there you would not be dealing with any bandwidth issues and you should  also still have the option of getting a Movies Anywhere Ultra HD digital copy coupons so in that respect, you get both the physical media and the digital media together however, in this age with more and more films becoming digital only releases if you don’t have the room then this is probably the best way to enjoy the best version of Tron I’ve ever seen. In addition to that there is also the sequel Tron Legacy which looked fantastic before and it just simply is more eye-catching than it was when I saw it in Blu-ray 3-D Disc from back in 2010 or 11. 

Overall, I think that for sound quality in picture quality on both of these films deserve a look. Now I will go over the extra value features that are found on both of these digital copies, which are sold separately.

On Tron, the featurettes The Tron Phenomenon (9:00) and Photo Tronology (16:00) are included along with the feature length documentary (1:24.00) are exclusive to the Movies Anywhere version while the Digital Imagery (4:00), Publicity Trailer (1:00) as well as two more archival featurettes appear on both the Movies Anywhere and i’Tunes versions respectively. 

The picture and sound formats; HDR or DolbyVision options coupled with Dolby ATMOS 5.1 Sound in English along with a Spanish Language option as well as English Subtitles for the Deaf and Hearing Impaired and Spanish Language Subtitles are encoded as options.

The same picture and viewing and listening options are available on the sequel Tron Legacy. Tron Legacy is not as impressive as Tron simply because it’s a more recent film so one expects it to look better with the restoration so you’re not gonna notice maybe as much of a jump up in quality that you would with Tron the original film, but that does not mean you will not enjoy the picture quality That is provided by this digital copy. Both films seem more timely today than they were in the past and they are good set up for the upcoming sequel film Tron Ares which opens up at theaters in the United States on October 10, 2025.

Interestingly, all the extra value features found on the movies. Anywhere app are also available on the iTunes version of Tron Legacy. These include the featurettes, Launching The Legacy (10:00), Visualizing Tron (11:00), Installing The Cast (12:00), Disc Roars (3:00) and The Speed Of Light (9:00).

Unless you plan on buying the physical copies that are available at retailers on and off-line, I recommend getting the Disney movies anywhere digital copies of Tron in particular and Tron Legacy because you will get more for your money and you’ll have more options to view it on instead of just iTunes alone. Both Tron and its sequel Tron Legacy are now available as digital copies on Movies Anywhere, iTunes and other digital outlets.

(C) Copyright 2025 By Mark A. Rivera

All Rights Reserved.

Ringo and his All Starrs!

 

Photo Credit - Scott Robert Richie

 

Ringo and the All Starrs - Steve Lukather, Colin Hay, Hamish Stuart, Warren Ham, Buck Johnson and Gregg Bissonette** - joined by musical director Mark Rivera - zoomed in from Riverside Theater in Milwaukee where they are rehearsing for the Ringo & His All Starr Band Tour, which kicks off September 10 at the Chicago Theatre.

 

Fall Tour Dates

September 2025:

10 The Chicago Theatre, Chicago, IL

12 Miller High Life Theater, Milwaukee, WI

13 Bourbon & Beyond, Louisville, KY

17 The Venetian, Las Vegas, NV

19 The Venetian, Las Vegas, NV

20 The Venetian, Las Vegas, NV

21 Ironstone, Murphys, CA

23 Yaamava’ Resort & Casino, Highland, CA

24 The Venetian, Las Vegas, NV

26 The Venetian, Las Vegas, NV

27 The Venetian, Las Vegas, NV

 

Additional Ringo Talking Points: 

+ STARR ART exhibition at Animazing Art Gallery (September 5-October 15) in the Grand Canal Shoppes at the Venetian Resort Las Vegas, his first show since 2019 and his first to feature his original paintings for exhibition and sale (with all artist proceeds going to the Lotus Foundation). 

+ Look Up, Ringo's acclaimed Country album with T Bone Burnett released in January 2025 which garnered him his first UK #1 and saw him chart in the Top 10 on numerous Billboard Charts and make his Grand Ole Opry debut. Ringo and T Bone are currently working on the follow up. 

 

+ Ringo's last book Beats and Threads published by Julien’s Auctions is an unprecedented chronicle of over 70 years of his legendary sonic and sartorial style dedicated solely to his historic drum kits and era defining garments that in time signature made music and fashion history. Features 300 images and offers for the first-time the most comprehensive look at his legendary Beatles-era drum kits containing decades of research-based information with curated and detailed photographs of these pieces of music history.

 

 

ALL STARR LINKS: 

Steve Lukather http://www.stevelukather.com/

Colin Hay https://www.colinhay.com/

Buck Johnson https://www.buckjohnson.com/

Warren Ham https://totoofficial.com/

Gregg Bissonette https://greggbissonette.co/

Hamish Stuart