Tag Archives: Richard Ayoade

2104 film The Boxtrolls comes to 4K in February

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The 2014 Laika Studios stop-motion animated film “The Boxtrolls” is officially coming to 4K UHD Blu-ray in standard and 4K UHD Blu-ray SteelBook limited edition forms on February 28th via Shout! Factory.  The film, co-directed by Graham Annable and Anthony Stacchi, featured the voice talents of Isaac Hempstead Wright, Ben Kingsley, Richard Ayoade, Nick Frost, Tracy Morgan, Jared Harris, and Toni Collette.

The movie has received a new 4K restoration.  Tech specs will include a 2160p video presentation in the 1.85:1 aspect ratio with HDR10 and Dolby Vision forms of high dynamic range and a new Dolby Atmos sound mix.  The 4K releases of the film in standard and SteelBook form will both come as a “combo pack” with the Blu-ray Disc counterpart included.  The bonus materials set to be included with the releases are listed below.

  • “Inside LAIKA” – Discovering The Characters Of The Boxtrolls Featuring Rare Test Footage
  • “Inside LAIKA” – Revisiting The Puppets With LAIKA’s Animation Team
  • Feature-Length Storyboards
  • Character Art and Concept Art Photo Gallery
  • Foreword By Ramin Zahed, The Editor In Chief Of Animation Magazine
  • Audio Commentary With Directors Graham Annable And Anthony Stacchi
  • “Dare To Be Square” – The Making Of The Boxtrolls
  • Original Featurettes
  • Art & Essay Mini-Book

UPDATE:  You can now find the 4K UHD Blu-ray and 4K UHD Blu-ray SteelBook both available for preorder over at retailer Amazon.  The limited edition 4K UHD Blu-ray SteelBook is available for preorder over at retailer Walmart as well as directly via Shout! Factory’s online store.  Stay tuned for a preorder for the standard 4K release at respectable retailers soon.

Pixar film Soul on 4K UHD Blu-ray and Blu-ray in March

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The 2020 Pixar film “Soul” is coming to 4K UHD Blu-ray and Blu-ray Disc on March 23rd via Disney according to Home Media Magazine. The film, directed by Pete Docter and co-directed by Kemp Powers, features the voice talents of Jamie Foxx, Tina Fey, Graham Norton, Rachel House, Alice Braga, Richard Ayoade, Phylicia Rashad, Donnell Rawlings, Questlove, and Angela Bassett. The tech specs for the release have yet to be detailed, but you should expect a 4K presentation with HDR10 and a Dolby Atmos sound mix. It is known that the releases will both come in the form of a “combo pack” meaning that the 4K UHD Blu-ray will include its Blu-ray counterpart, the Blu-ray will include its DVD counterpart, and each will come with a digital code (copy) of the film. No retailers have yet listed either the 4K UHD Blu-ray or the Blu-ray for preorder, but stay tuned for an update.

It’s mentioned [here] that retailer Best Buy will be getting an exclusive 4K UHD Blu-ray SteelBook and that retailer Target will be getting an exclusive 4K UHD Blu-ray Gallery Booklet packaging release. Again, stay tuned for when those get listed. The bonus materials on both home video releases of the film include the following.

  • Filmmaker Audio Commentary
  • Deleted Scenes with an Introduction
  • “Not Your Average Joe” — About how filmmakers crafted the story of Joe, Pixar’s first black leading character
  • “Astral Taffy” — A look at the artistry and technical innovation that went into creating the sets and characters in the world of Soul
  • “Pretty Deep for a Cartoon” — An examination of the philosophical questions posed by the film
  • “Into the Zone: The Music and Sound of Soul” — An exploration of how the film uses music to enhance Joe’s journey
  • “Soul, Improvised” — A look at how the filmmakers finished the film during the pandemic
  • “Jazz Greats” — Giants of the jazz world who consulted on Soul share their passion and wisdom about what music is and does for us all.