The BEST 4k BLURAY Boutiques of 2024

[@AVAPopCulture]

Why don't I post CHAPTER time stamps? The biggest reason I don't is that I am here for the discussion, vibes, nostalgia and to basically hang out with friends and talk movies...there are plenty of channels and blogs for AI generated type lists, that's not what I'm about...Another big reason I dont put chapters on videos like this is when people skip the first part where I set the parameters for the list or rankings, there will usually be a tons of questions or angry comments about things I answered or explained in the part they skipped in their hurry to get to the list...and I try to answer all comments but that is not always easy...I also try to explain my thought process and criteria so that everyone can understand what I am basing the list on...

[@thatotherretroguy]

For me in the UK, Arrow had a pretty damn good year with Trick R Treat, Demolition Man, The Last Starfighter and The Great Escape 4Ks, all of which take pride of place in my collection. 88 Films American Pie 4K was a must buy as it was a pretty good edition, and it helps that the picture was phenomenal. But special mentions must go to Imprint and Umbrella in Australia, for Super Mario Bros and The Neverending Story, though they were pricey, but I got both on 4K and Intruder on blu ray. US wise, Blue Underground knocked it out of the park for Franco Nero's High Crime, absolutely pissing all over StudioCanal's UK release which was horribly cut. All the best for 2025, mate.

[@AVAPopCulture]

This is a big one! Which boutique was the best in 2024? What do they do best and what do they need to work on? We are going to decide right here so pop that tape in, let's go do this!

[@RobertQuant]

Heyy 😅chase I know u champion Arrow video for best releases but I still would of taken more points off Cause they still need to work more on their special features for the prices of $40 or more on their new titles They need add more special features and work on getting the actors involved for new interview Arrow needs to contact the actors and get new interviews with them for the special features sometimes the special features they add are the old ones and add nothing new besides the director involved that’s it That’s my opinion they need to make more effort if they want people buying their movies for high prices

[@AVAPopCulture]

@@RobertQuant I dont champion anyone... I get nothing from anyone or anything like that...I have not reason to champion anyone...I scored these on separate days without looking at the previous scores...I tried to stay as objective as possible... as far as Special Features, I have tried repeatedly to explain to people, from a filmmaking/business perspective that special features are a crapshoot... there are tons of variables you're not thinking about including SAG rates, renewal of SAG residuals to actors, and general costs of doing them...if Special Features cost 50k to do, then they are going to have to sell 1200 units just to recoup that cost ...and not every actor or director will do them ...there is so much more than "they should do this because we want it"...most people wouldnt be happy if they passed the cost of those onto us in the retail price

[@RobertQuant]

@@AVAPopCulture it’s understandable but from arrow video it looks like most of the directors are involved in these new scans so I don’t see why the actors can’t be involved but cost is 1 major factor like u said or they weren’t available but for these high prices it has to be worth it

[@statuecollector5723]

Great video my friend. Watched the whole thing and I just wanted to say top tier rank video. Bravo!

[@AVAPopCulture]

@statuecollector5723 thank you so much! I put a lot of time and thought and preparation into it

[@maxpaynethehero]

Great video, Chase. One thing about Criterion is that almost everyone buys their movies during either the Barnes and Nobles sale or Criterion flash sale. Since Criterion does not do limited edition stuff, there is no hurry in buying their movies.

[@AVAPopCulture]

that's true and I mentioned that BUT then that means they are way overpricing the rest of the time, so that takes off points on pricing in my opinion... if they can sell and make profit at 24.99 then there is no reason to mark it at $49.99 the rest of the time...

[@AVAPopCulture]

and thank you!!

[@maxpaynethehero]

@@AVAPopCulture Totally agree. Their retail prices are ridiculous.

[@user-KUSTOM3MDB]

. . I'm liking you talking about the boutique companies, would love to hear what you know about all the sources of 4-K and blu-ray movies. That info is hard to look up, so time consuming for most folks. These breakdowns were awesome, learned a lot. .Thank you for doing this. . . 😎

[@josephwing2758]

Enjoying the informative video Chase. Thanks brother.

[@AVAPopCulture]

Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it!

[@williamdriver1959]

I don’t think umbrella does there own restoration either. Im sure it’s hard to have your own in house though.

[@thelastmoviestanding]

"today we are here to do a big one" 😂 said the exact same thing after Taco Bell the other day 😂😂

[@AVAPopCulture]

@@thelastmoviestanding 🤣😂

[@benbelzer8303]

Thanks Chase. This is perfect timing for me to hear your take on this because, as I've said, I'm getting into physical media for the first time in my life and it's great to know this info. I literally wrote down what you said, so I can go back and look at the ranking when I buy movies from these boutiques. So far, from what you've mentioned in the past and what I've personally looked into myself, I find Scream Factory/Shout tends to have a selection I really like. I love that you added where to get a good Demons 4k because I will buy that one. Question, since Demons is an Italian movie, does it matter what type of 4k player for my TV I have (or is this a U.S. based production place putting out the DVD and that doesn't matter?) I'm new to this and I remember you saying something about region-free player something something. I'm so glad I figured out my specific genres too for organizing my movies, which is what I personally will stick to when I buy my physical media...otherwise I would have no sense of organization and I would lose interest in investing in it at all. I added Fantasy to my tight group. So now as my genres for collecting, I have: Horror, Westerns, Sci-Fi, pre Hays Code films, films specific to Roger Corman, and I have added Fantasy to my list (too many fantasy films I love). Fantasy is a fun genre. Thanks again, Chase. Like I said, the timing of this video is perfect for me, since I've only just begun.

[@AVAPopCulture]

Glad the video helped! thanks for watching my friend! and to answer your question, no it doesnt matter! it is an American release but even if it wasn't, 99.9% of all 4k discs are region free!

[@benbelzer8303]

@AVAPopCulture thanks Chase.

[@cobwebschannel]

Really enjoyed this, brother!

[@AVAPopCulture]

thanks man! I worked on this one a long time...actually scored them on different days, wrote the scores down and put them in a folder so I didnt look at them all together and be tempted to alter the scores hahaha! I tried to go in as fair as possible! btw, it is killing me that I havent gotten to go to see Nosferatu yet! my son's football tournament is over tomorrow so we are going tomorrow night!

[@cobwebschannel]

@@AVAPopCulture Hell yeah! Hope you enjoy!

[@ungraduatedmedia]

Good ranking- can’t say I disagree too much at all. Great vid bud and Happy New Year! Excited for 2025 and more physical media! Just wish Arrow was still including the bluray with the 4k…that sucked when they stopped doing that. Just recently I think…

[@AVAPopCulture]

yeah that is one of my big issues with them! they don't include the bluray ...they sell the blurays and 4ks separately...not a fan of that at all at their price points! and thank you my friend! happy new year to you too!! I am really excited to hit the ground running on a full new year!

[@MyFireVideos]

Nice work, Chase! I liked your ranking system.

[@AVAPopCulture]

I think it makes sense for me to do it that way, at least it did in my head LOL thank you!

[@MyFireVideos]

@AVAPopCulture i liked that it was your own subjective system. I would have done it differently, which is what made it so enjoyable!

[@MixedRaceJace]

Your channel gives me everything I like and want to see with physical media content. Rankings, opinions, and creativity considering your personal artistic side. Would really like to know what you'd call your boutique company, the logo you'd have for the company and what films you'd restore to bring in buyers. Fantastic video.

[@AVAPopCulture]

Thank you for the great feedback! that's the kind of stuff I love to hear! I never wanted to just do 1 thing because I like it all! so that's what I wanted to bring! I’ve been thinking about those things, I have been narrowing it down on a name for the company BUT just like my channel, Id go after any type of movie that I like to watch! not any 1 thing... I'd also make it a point go go after underseen independent films!

[@dansanfrisco]

I actually like that Criterion keeps the same artwork BR to 4K. You are not forced to pick because of different artwork and can decide based solely on the scan quality. I also like that they are not limited in number until the license is up. The other boutiques play those games of different artwork and packaging and numbered limited edition releases that I am not a fan of those sales tactics.

[@AVAPopCulture]

the problem with that is, they want to charge above premium prices and they arent putting premium effort into it in regards to packaging, artwork, extras, or even restorations considering they dont do most of them in-house... making limited editions that actually sell out isnt a sales tactic, they are just limited collector's items...now, if they said there is only 1000 and they sold them and kept re-releasing 1000s more, then yeah, that is nonsense sales tactic...but when slips, editions, etc are limited and they sell out, they are actually limited and their is a prestige and pride of ownership from a collecting standpoint

[@endresee]

Good vid! I might rank some of these differently though. I’d give Kino Lorber a very high score for price since they do like 4 sales a year during which you can get almost any 4K they have for $18 and most blu-rays for $10 or less. Criterion for me would be very high because almost everything they release is worth watching and they have predictable sales where 100% of their stock is sold at reasonable prices, and they virtually never sell out so you can wait for the sales, and you always get at least a booklet with a good essay. Vinegar syndrome is tough because their product is always high quality except for the quality of the actual films, which is probably the most important thing. A lot of the movies release are “bad” and not of interest to a general audience. I’m glad they’re out there but you’ve got to do a lot of research to find the diamonds in the rough. The same is true to a lesser extent for Arrow. Lots of great movies but a fair amount of mediocre films being sold at premium prices. And it just bothers me that they don’t include blu-rays with their 4ks and that their sale prices are still pretty high.

[@AVAPopCulture]

@endresee I mentioned the Kino Lorber sales, but it's not fair to give an extra bump for a boutique on pricing when they overmark their stuff 8 months out of the year and then have a really good sale the other 4 months. So the pricing's all over the place... If I have to wait to a certain month or 2 of the year to buy from them because otherwise they're very expensive, Then you gotta kind of ding them for their prices. It is the same thing with criterion.

[@endresee]

That’s fair. Bottom line is however the rankings shake out and whatever your personal taste may be it’s been a great year for physical media!

[@andrewbrown3070]

Good stuff Chase!

[@AVAPopCulture]

thank you!!

[@markgreene1162]

I appreciate your indepth analysis and explanation of each label and why you put them where you do, and the reasoning. I think you are fair in you're assessment. I disgree though, with one particular label. I think you ranked this one to low. That's your number ten pick Imprint. For me they've climbed up the list big time. Perhaps I don't have many of their releases. I have about forty imprint titles.I do concur, the only knock is their pricing. Here's my top five. 1. Arrow 2. Vinegar syndrome 3. Kino lorber 4. Shout factory 5. Imprint. This is one of my favorite videos you've done so far, thanks.

[@AVAPopCulture]

@markgreene1162 I appreciate that! I like Imprint but their price points are out of control and the shipping situation is horrendous...they have to address those issues in my opinion and they have to widen their selection and they'd shoot up the list for me

[@RobertHarbitzII]

I knew about shout back when they were doing nick toons. They were my first. thank you for your honesty. Uncle Bill is wrong if you know what I mean when I’m saying this.

[@williamdriver1959]

I like them guys but they are wrong a lot lol. They seem like cool guys though.

[@ahaubert80]

That was a fun video! I liked how you used a scoring system to try to be objective. I get what you mean about Criterion and Kino, and their sale pricing. I don't love their regular pricing, but their sales are frequent and consistent enough that I think most people in our community rarely pay full price for any of their titles. My ranking of the boutique labels in 2024 would be: 1) Arrow Video 2) Vinegar Syndrome 3) Scream Factory 4) Kino Lorber 5) Second Sight 6) Criterion Collection - 7) Synapse Films / Red Shirt Pictures 8) Terror Vision 9) Umbrella Films 10) Severin Films Honorable Mention to Celluloid Dreams, as Case of the Bloody Iris was a homerun, but they couldn't make my list because it was their only release of the year.

[@TheCultureVultures.]

Great video as always. My favorite boutique of 2024 that you may be sleeping on as it didn't make the list or honorable mentions is Deaf Crocodile. Their packaging since July on their deluxe editions is outstanding at a very reasonable price point. The movies all seemed interesting, if I had seen them browsing the shelves at Blockbuster I would have rented them. I should have signed up for a subscription as I ended up buying all of them anyway. Except for "In the Moscow Slums"... although I might pick that up at some point just to be a completist.

[@AVAPopCulture]

thank you!! can't say Deaf Crocodile has been on my radar

[@josephwing2758]

There have been times I will purchase movies that have DVD and Blu-ray, it's awesome that you can purchase movies you can get 4K and Blu-ray in one case.

[@benbelzer8303]

I think that's awesome as well! I didn't even know. I wrote down which ones he said do that. 😊

[@AVAPopCulture]

that should be how it is on all of them in my opinion!

[@ColoradoKid303]

Got my Neverending Story shipped from Imprint in Australia and it finally arrived yesterday after over 3 weeks in transit. But boy, it is freaking unbelievable! If you had it at the time you shot this video, Imprint would’ve shot up that list!

[@TheNotoriousNemo]

Great video. Here are some spoiler free time stamps 10. 6:25 9. 8:55 8. 12:12 7. 15:52 6. 20:30 5. 24:45 4. 29:54 3. 35:34 2. 41:19 1. 47:30

[@AVAPopCulture]

thanks! part of the reason I dont put chapters on videos like this is when people skip the first part where I set the parameters of for the list or rankings, there will usually be a tons of questions or angry comments about things I answered or explained in the part they skipped in their hurry to get to the list...and I try to answer all comments but that is not always easy...I also try to explain my thought process and criteria so that everyone can understand what I am basing the list on...

[@c0wg0d]

One big facet that I think should have been included with a score is AVAILABILITY. You can pretty much always get a Criterion or Kino release, but despite my best efforts, it was IMPOSSIBLE to get that Conan set from Arrow.

[@Ghostrecon12]

Kino down fall is no Dolby Atmos... DAYLIGHT NOT GETTING THE DOLBY ATMOS SOUNDTRACK... Made me go order the DAYLIGHT BLU-RAY AT TURBINE!!! BECAUSE THEY HAVE A KICK ASS DOLBY ATMOS SOUNDTRACK, Plus, I'm upgrading the Blu-ray up to an 8K/60 anyway... SONY Legend of the fall was their first picture. Quilty DEBACLE... I THINK LION GATE has some great packages when it comes to their STEELBOOKS... Great presentation, Chase... ☆☆☆☆☆

[@AVAPopCulture]

thanks man! the studios are a whole different ranking system for me lol

[@benbelzer8303]

Chase, did you hear Olivia Hussey passed away? I was just talking about her on your channel last week and how many great films she was in like Black Christmas and Jesus of Nazareth. She was in the TV movie IT as well. She will be missed. She was terrific in Black Christmas which I just watched for the first time this month.

[@AVAPopCulture]

yeah I just saw that...very sad... praying for her family

[@benbelzer8303]

@AVAPopCulture That 1974 original Black Christmas is a really good movie. I remember giving it an A+. 😊 The guy calling from inside the house! Good plot.

[@jcrashmore]

Arrow has become my favorite. Solid releases, reasonable prices and less pretentious than Criterion or some of the other Boutiques.

[@AVAPopCulture]

I think they have to be in anyone's top 3 for sure...

[@johnhyatt4905]

How your taste skews will affect the ranking slightly,as well as how highly you value packaging. I put kino a little higher than you (for me) art cards, posters, stickers, etc. are fun at first but get old before long. But if I love the movie I will watch it over and over. Kino has (other than Criterion) the most diverse selection, I find a lot of movies there that 90% of people have never heard of. Shout/scream is like a trip to the video store in the eighties, even their newer titles are the kind of films you would find front and center at the moment and pop video store. Great list an honest assessment of the boutiques. Other than different people place different value on “the goodies”

[@AVAPopCulture]

@johnhyatt4905 thanks! I tried to apply subjective categories so, for instance, it doesn't matter if you like slips and boxes etc, their performance on those is still part of the whole, if that makes sense

[@sethm.woodiwiss786]

It was pretty much a guarantee Arrow Video was going to be #1 when they came out of the gate with Conan Chronicles (Conan the Barbarian)!!!!!!

[@AVAPopCulture]

@@sethm.woodiwiss786 that was a great release all the way around

[@GenX_in_the_wild]

I don't collect anything but love your videos 😊

[@AVAPopCulture]

Ha! You rock! I love that!

[@HorrorJaume]

I think Umbrella is the greatest boutique because of the free shipping worldwide. Besides their incredible catalogue. I would recommend you Thesis, it has been released by Umbrella this month in two editions. And The Searchers by Warner Archive.

[@AVAPopCulture]

Umbrella doesnt have free shipping to the USA unless you spend over $140 ....otherwise it is nearly $30 to ship o the USA so that is pretty expensive... I want to grab The Searchers for sure!! I havent seen Thesis, I'll have to check it out!

[@HorrorJaume]

@AVAPopCulture Correct! Thanks! I'm always making orders of 2 items and I reach always that amount. I can hardly wait for their Hardware 4K in March....

[@TheDfin25]

Dang, I got Close. I thought your top three would be Arrow, Vinegar, Criterion.

[@AVAPopCulture]

Yeah, it's tough to pick a definitive top 3, but those are all for sure up there! I tried to stay by my criteria I set out!

[@HorrorJaume]

Will it be your first yearly subscription for VS? This will be my second year. I started buying from them in 2017, but they release so much I'm interested or I had a satisfactory viewing that it's worth the ride. Best 2024, besides The Keep, Dr. Hitchcock, Hauntedween, Spanish Ghotic, Phase IV and The Tenant.

[@AVAPopCulture]

this will be my first time ever subscribing! I think it will be a fun ride

[@Beetleejuicee]

Kino over SECOND SIGHT lmaooo - not a chance! Agree with most of this list, but Quality over Quantity for me.. Kino only outs out more movies - Thats it lol. Packaging and disc art is crap. Never do limited or artbwork boxsets or extras or anything lol and still charge the same as a second sight boxset 😂😂. As far as 2024 goes its 6-Kino 5-Criterion 4-Second Sight #1-Vinegar Syndrome

[@AVAPopCulture]

@Beetleejuicee they can't be up higher until they start putting more out... can't compare the times of someone who only runs 10 yards to someone who has to run 500 yards... I dont really remember seeing Kinos in the 45-55 dollar range like the SS boxsets...I may be wrong but I don't usually see them that high... Second Sight fumbled on Blair Witch and you can't have multiple release issues when you're only doing a dozen or so a year... also not a fan of the paper digipacks in the boxsets which are done to save $...I also rated their transfers higher than Kino's but they have to be judged on all the criteria I love SS though...

[@Beetleejuicee]

@@AVAPopCulturei hear you and i respect all that i just think for 2024 I would rearrange the list a little. Arrow was on top but not for 2024 they really dropped the ball. Stopped releasing chunky boxes and charge more for less. Always send damage crap and Scream and Arrow and the WORST customer service and make you beg to take their stuff back that arrives with damage like you are the problem. Vinegar never misses with transfers, never misses with packaging, never misses with art, does all there own stuff, puts out crap and good flicks from our past childhoods, good variety of everything and multitude of different lines and every line they have has amazing packaging and artwork, the only bad part you said is price? So yea rate all the factors lol VS should always be on top year after year and have the most amazing customer service and every single piece i get from them comes in mint condition no damage no bullshit. When they have a mess up on a transfer they send it without question without having to prove anything. They are on top no matter what price. They earned that price which btw is not far off from any of these boutiques. Last year would give it to Arrow this year Arrow cheaped out but VS is almost always the clear winner. I get it you love Scream factory and arrow. And Ken loves Warner Brothers. Its obvious who the favorites are because it swaps all of your opinions a little too much i think. But i respect your opinions

[@AVAPopCulture]

@Beetleejuicee it really isn't about my love for a label...I'm trying to grade them objectively on what they do...if it was just about "love" Vinegar Syndrome would be #1 for me...they don't have the selection that appeals to a wide audience...when you're being objective you have to step back and loo at the wide view, not collector or hardcore fan view...heck even hardcore fans probably don't know 30% of VS titles... Tell me, in an objective way, what the problem is with SF and objectively, as a whole, how they'd be behind Second Sight for instance...

[@AVAPopCulture]

@@Beetleejuicee wait, when did arrow stop releasing chunky boxes? And dropped the ball how? Objectively how? Conan movies Trick r treat FT13 2009 Demolition Man Crimson Peak American Gigolo Chronicles of Riddick To name a few

[@ben99ny69]

As someone who only cares about getting the movie. I like the Kino prices. Kino Lorber has the best prices in the business from what i've noticed. At the lowest; Bluray at $10 and 4K at $18. The slipcovers aren't as limited as its made out to be (though they could be for big films). I got the slipcover on movies that released several years ago. Some of the movies have reversible slip, such as the dressed to kill you used as an example. I think its fair to use the sale price for criterion (same with Kino) as its easy to get them at the 50% off price. They are overpriced, but they don't deal in FOMO so there's no rush. Criterion not dealing in FOMO puts them above the rest. I absolutely hate the tactic other labels use which are limited editions filled with junk and booklet that no one reads and mark them up insanely. Such as arrow, if you miss the limited editions and even the slipcover version, then you are stuck with a standard release with the case being larger than normal which is worse because it makes it difficult to replace in case of damage. This is very subjective, but i trust the films released by criterion and Kino. I don't prioritize any label but i end up with majority of collection being criterion and Kino (granted, could be because streaming tends to stock known films). Its great that these boutique labels put out niche films, but blind buying them at that price is hard to justify and they are niche for a reason.

[@AVAPopCulture]

it is interesting that you "trust" the films released by Criterion and Kino because amongst everyone here, they are about the only ones who do almost none of the the work themselves and unless their films are on sale, they are higher priced for what you get....Criterion only has a "Standard edition" and Kino runs out of slips fast and it is pretty standard with or without it... Limited Editions are not a "tactic"... Limited Editions exists anywhere there is a collector's market or different levels of quality... Take cars for instance... you can buy a base model Chevrolet Suburban OR you can get one that has little bit more bells and whistles and it is the LT version and they make less of those and they charge more...or you can get a LTZ version which has even more extras but there are less of them and they cost more...or you can get the Premiere version which has ever bell and whistle and luxury addition and it costs the most and they make the least amount of them... Nobody is making you buy the most expensive edition of that car and the base model will save you money and get you where you are going BUT is that all you want? Or do you want to get where you are going with the most comfort and style and every extra you can get?...

[@AVAPopCulture]

and I would also add, boasting that there is an unending amount of something isnt the feather in the cap you think... generally, in any walk of life, the more common something is and the easier it is to get, the less valuable it is

[@ben99ny69]

@@AVAPopCulture Why would i care if the work is done by them or not? If the transfer is good then i don't really care who does the transfer (do people even know let alone care?). Its easy to catch the films on sales. Especially when they don't work with limited editions. It helps with budgeting and planning, and you can go in stores to pick them up (not all B&N carry Kino though). Its 50% off, much better than the other labels that are not only insanely mark them up, but don't do as good of sales. I don't care about packaging. The longer i started collecting, the more i realized what a waste of money it is in spending an absurd amount of money for basically extra junk. The criterion standard and Kino + Slipcover look very nice on the shelf. Also, are the slipcover that limited? I got that dressed to kill with the slip in early in 2024 but it came out October 2022. Same with paths of glory, serpico, the apartment, Stalag 13, the killing, the night of the hunter, The train, touch of evil, witness of the prosecution. The problem with limited edition is the fact that they are limited. Why are they limited? Why are slipcovers limited?

[@AVAPopCulture]

@@ben99ny69 you are saying "I, I, I"... that is your personal tastes... I scored these on an objective scale that takes into consideration everything a boutique does or is evaluated on... Limited editions are limited because they include extra things and are premium editions...the standard editions arent limited like that...and some boutiques cannot afford to endlessly print copies of a title and their licenses may be limited to a certain amount or time frame...if you dont like all the extras anyway, why does it matter if they also sell limited editions? and if you have to wait until a sale "month" in order to get a good price, that is a knock against your pricing... who wants to wait until 2 specific months out of the year to buy a movie they want to watch? that is a big knock! it is not a positive... you dont have to care about who does the restorations BUT if some companies are doing the work themselves, that elevates them above those who do not because they are putting more time, effort, money, and care into the product they are selling...Criterion and Kino have more than enough money to do their own restorations but they dont...there really isnt an excuse for that

[@BillTyrrell2345]

I want to personally thank you for going absolutely off on people that shit on Scream/Shout. This is by far my favorite boutique label. Like you said they just don’t miss. Great year end video by the way. By the way after your video yesterday. I went in eBay and purchased your movie Realm of Souls. When I get it, if send it you can you sign it for me.

[@AVAPopCulture]

thank you!!! and that is awesome! for sure I will! and I agree about SF/SS ...I do not understand the hate for them...they do excellent 4ks, give a huge selection, do tons of releases etc etc....

[@Noone-wt5rx]

Criterion packaging sucks vinager and unbrella love the idea u get slipcover in a durable box not having 4k and bluray together is the only thing I hate about arrow

[@williamdriver1959]

I love the people talking junk about your list. They can’t accept that arrow and scream factory just does better restorations than the rest. It’s not all about packaging. Unfortunately that’s all that collectors of today care about.

[@AVAPopCulture]

@williamdriver1959 people have their favorites and they aren't objective because of it...I went through a long process and scored each on individually on different days and didn't look at the previous scores so that I wouldn't be tempted to skew them and this is how it came out... Arrow, SF and VS do the best restorations and I Feel like that is hard to argue against

[@williamdriver1959]

@ I agree. Nobody is wrong with what they like. I still feel most collectors only care about packaging more than the transfer. Good example is everyone hates the 4k of t2 yet tons of the same people bought the steelbook just for the packaging.

[@bachtuna]

Arrow scores were low. Their pricing is great. Demolition Man chunky box was $33 on Amazon. That’s crazy. Selection score is at least a 4. They have been around for a long time and have a large selection. It’s not Criterion or Kino but it’s better movies than Kino

[@AVAPopCulture]

$33 is not what it was when it came out and that is not what it is on their website (so they are overcharging people who buy early and that negatively affects pricing grade too)...their prices cant be great if they are giving you a 4k only release for the same or more than VS or SF are giving you the 4k AND the BluRay for....their selection involves the vast majority of films on bluray and they dont release as many new 4ks and when they do, they'll count releases they released in the UK as "new" and vice versa rather than actually always releasing something new on 4k...you have to take it all into consideration

[@jameslitke451]

Great vid bud purty fair 👍 arrow is also my favorite but let's keep everyone's feet to the fire.bigger.better.cheap😂er.lol😅

[@AVAPopCulture]

@@jameslitke451 100% hold everyone accountable

[@bachtuna]

I heard from numerous sources that the upcoming Arrow release of Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 will be a better restoration than the Vinegar Syndrome 4k from 2022. Not saying 1 release makes them have better restorations but I’m curious if you heard the same? I’ll be double dipping on that title since I love the movie and both releases seem great

[@AVAPopCulture]

@bachtuna interesting because from what I've heard and what they've listed, it is the same transfer...they don't list it as a new restoration

[@bachtuna]

@@AVAPopCulture oh ok I could be wrong just what I heard

[@bachtuna]

Second Sight is 2nd place to Arrow imo. I don’t care if they only put out 15 releases a year they are the best of the best.

[@AVAPopCulture]

@@bachtuna how? They've had to hold up releases and messed up releases when they only do a dozen or so per year... their restorations are behind VS, Arrow, and Scream Factory ... Don't get blinded by the boxsets ...gotta be objective

[@bachtuna]

@ they only hold up releases to make sure they are correct. Any errors they offer replacement discs right away and it doesn’t happen often. I’ve never had an issue with their restorations they always seem great. Their packaging is 1st place that should get 6 pts

[@bachtuna]

Only a fool would ever buy a Kino title on release. All of their 4ks go on sale for like 17.99 on every sale and they have 4 sales a year. They should of gotten a 5 for pricing the best for any boutique

[@AVAPopCulture]

@bachtuna can't have a 5 for pricing just because you have good sales...that means you're over priced the rest of the time....you have to take in the whole thing with every boutique, not just their best or worst aspects

[@bachtuna]

@ only fools buy from Kino or Criterion when it’s not sale time and you can always count on the sales so you can go by just those