These are the 31 Movies You Can Watch and Thrive by in January 2022. What’s the purpose of this? Nothing. I’m just annoyed by the sheer volume of people that don’t watch anything that predates Obama’s Presidency.
Movie #1) Star of David Beautiful Girl Hunter from Impulse Pictures
Impulse Pictures sends Blu-ray full of 1970s and 80s Asian boobs and furburgers that make screenshots difficult to display. While it’s cool that we’re getting these Nikkatsu movies released to near completion, the fanbase for these titles is very narrow. But, we appreciate each and everyone of you. In fact, we’re planning a deeper dive with a Nikkatsu hub in 2022. Many people research these movies online and can’t find resources about these movies.
This Blu-ray comes with a commentary, interviews and subtitles that can be removed. Pretty snazzy. Make it one of the 31 Movies You Can Watch in January.
Movie #2) The Awakening is one of the 31 Movies You Can Watch in January 2022
Rebecca Hall and Imelda Staunton headline The Awakening. What follows is a real supernatural look at a young boy who was scared to death. Built to run like supernatural horror of the British tinged 70s, it’s quite a movie to enjoy. I’m not familiar with Nick Murphy, but I really enjoy his direction. The Blu-ray comes with deleted scenes, interviews and featurettes!
Make it one of the 31 Movies You Can Watch in January.
Movie #3) Every damn version of Dune that Arrow released in 2021
2021 was the year where everyone was told to love Dune by the nerds in their life. Suddenly, everyone became a Herbert scholar and shoved down their love of a 1984 bomb down our throats. Thankfully, the Dune 4K and Blu discs looked amazing from Arrow. You get a ton of special features and near perfect A/V Quality. Totally enjoyed it.
Make it one of the 31 Movies You Can Watch in January.
Movie #4) Legend is still one of Ridley Scott’s best films
Legend is one of the earliest movies I can remember seeing. While I loved seeing both cuts of the movie in HD and getting all of these special features, I was still annoyed by why we didn’t get a 4K release. Film restoration is a big deal and it’s impacting movies in recent decades as well. The disdain for anything older than 20 years is sickening and I’m glad we got people like Arrow taking care of these films. That’s why it’s one of the 31 Movies You Can Watch in January.
Movie #5) Children of the Corn gets a solid 4K release from Arrow
Children of the Corn is a middle of the road King story with many middlin’ film adaptations. So, why is it one of the 31 Movies You Can Watch? Well, because you get one of the best 4K transfers that Arrow put out in 2021. There’s also the sheer volume of special features and material to give context to Malachi and all of those other scamps. Great stuff.
Movie #6) Vanilla Sky really isn’t a confusing movie, but it’s one of the 31 Movies You Can Watch
Vanilla Sky isn’t that complicated. While you make this one of the 31 Movies You Can Watch in January 2022, pay attention to the ending. Everything happened and that which skews is happening in Tom Cruise’s coma dream. Still, you’re getting commentary, featurettes, trailers and even more with this set! Paramount Presents is the best thing to happen to Paramount in ages and I hope they keep it up throughout 2022 and beyond.
Movie #7) My Stepmother is An Alien has aged oddly
My Stepmother is an Alien excited me when I saw Arrow was releasing it in December 2021. Why is it one of the 31 movies you can watch? Mainly because I haven’t seen it since I was 10 and just wow. I have a theory about Richard Benjamin movies being dated by the time they hit video. Still, this feels like something an old person would make to impress their stepkids.
You get way more special features than I knew ever existed for the movie. So, that’s cool. Plus, the 1080p transfer is sharper than it’s been since theatrical run.
Movie #8) Phantom of the Mall: Eric’s Revenge requires more of my attention
Phantom of the Mall: Eric’s Revenge has been teased for a bit. Why is it one of the 31 movies you can watch? Well, it was always one of those cult movies that I never saw as a kid, but had people blowing up online. Mac’s Dad and Pauly Shore are in it, so that’s fun for people that like playing the casting equivalent of Where’s Waldo.
What’s so great about this Limited Edition Blu-ray is that you’re getting every possible cut of the movie. Couple that with the stellar A/V Quality and it’s one of the best Arrow Video releases of 2021. Check it out!
Movie #9) Mill of the Stone Women is one of my favorite 2021 discoveries
Mill of the Stone Women is a movie I’ve been meaning to watch for awhile. Why is it one of the 31 movies you can watch? Well, it’s famous for being the first Italian horror movie shot in color. Beyond that, it’s a slightly faked book adaptation that leans more in fairy tales than traditional horror sources.
The Arrow Blu-ray comes loaded with the French, US and Italian versions of the film. It’s impressive and loaded with more special features than I knew existed for the movie.
Movie #10) Casanova, Last Love is the latest Benoit Jacquot movie to hit Blu-ray
Casanova, Last Love is the latest movie from Benoit Jacquet. While I have mixed feelings towards modern French cinema, Jacquet has a style that feels classic yet true to where French cinema is heading. Vincent Lindon does his best in the title role, but the movie belongs to Stacy Martin. Martin finds new ways to mine material out of being a high class prostitute. The Blu-ray comes with no special features.
It’s also why it’s one of the 31 Movies You Can Watch this month.
Movie #11) Broadcast Signal Intrusion is the indie film I watched the most in December, that means you must make it one of the 31 Movies You Can Watch in January 2022
Broadcast Signal Intrusion is the reason I love Dark Sky Films. It’s also why it’s one of the 31 Movies You Can Watch this month. Harry Shum Jr has come a long way from Glee, as he stars in a mature take on the supernatural. Part Frequency and Part Creepshow episode, the film finds new way to make static video interference scary.
The Blu-ray comes with a commentary from the director and Harry Shum which helps explain away a few points. Big surprise and I totally loved it.
Movie #12) Corridor of Mirrors was the British answer to Cocteau. If you’re under 30, this means nothing to you.
Corridor of Mirrors is British gothic horror at its best. It’s director Terence Young’s first movie, but don’t expect anything like Dr. No from it. While heavily influenced by Cocteau’s work in post war France, you also get Christopher Lee’s film debut. That’s a fun way of letting you know the movie is old as Hell. There are no special features, but it’s smart vintage cinema.
It’s also why it’s one of the 31 Movies You Can Watch this month.
Movie #13) Ragtime was the first adult movie I was forced to read the novel repeatedly before I got to watch it. Love that Doctorow
Ragtime gets the Blu-ray it deserves. You get new deleted and extended scenes on disc, plus a brand new conversation with the screenwriter. What I enjoyed the most was getting the Director’s Cut workprint on the second disc. A lot of Randy Newman’s cut music returned, but it also fleshed out the story more to give time to Doctorow’s work. I can also see how Altman was supposed to direct the movie by seeing the longer cut. Still, Milos Forman made it work.
Movie #14) The Deceivers proves Pierce Brosnan had a life before Bond
The Deceivers is a Merchant Ivory Classic that was largely forgotten until rediscovered by the Cohen Group. Why is it one of the 31 movies you can watch? What kills me is the lack of special features for a film like this. Hell, Ismail Merchant made a book based on the level of research he did for the movie. What’s also cool for the Star Trek nerds is that Nicholas Meyer directed it, so you got that going for you.
Movie #15) Fury is one of the darkest movies of the 1930s. But, it stars Spencer Tracy!
Fury is a movie I first discovered in the Warner Brothers’ Controversial Classics collection. Why is it one of the 31 movies you can watch? Director Fritz Lang wanted to make an American movie with the urgency of his bigger German works. What he did was create a damning hit piece on how many Americans were being victimized by growing lynch mobs.
Warner Archive loads up the Blu-ray with a commentary and trailer as the special features.
Movie #16) Lullaby of Broadway is all singing, all dancing and all Doris Day!
Lullaby of Broadway is the kind of blind spot movie that Warner Archive always surprises me with monthly. Why is it one of the 31 movies you can watch? It’s a jukebox musical if you can call it that. Basically, tons of Broadway standards while also serving as a mother/daughter relationship story. Warner Archive doesn’t include any special features on the disc. Still, it’s pretty impressive.
Movie #17) The Gang / Three Men to Kill is premium Delon
The Gang and Three Men to Kill deserves your full attention. Why is it one of the 31 movies you can watch? Both of these movies are from director Jacques Deray and give you a chance to see Alain Delon at his peak from 1977 to 1980. It’s amazing that Cohen is finding ways to restore these movies and bring them into wider release in America.
The 1080p transfers are smooth, as well as the lossless audio tracks. I just wish we got special features.
Movie #18) Night Shift gets a proper release from Warner Archive
Night Shift finally gets a Blu-ray for those Michael Keaton completists. Why is it one of the 31 movies you can watch? Well, it’s from a time when you could release an adult comedy about prostitution and how people can become friends over it. Light-hearted to the point of almost becoming a dramedy, the film is super famous for helping to launch Shelley Long and Michael Keaton to that next level.
Plus, you get a trailer and you get to hear the classic That’s What Friends Are For in stunning DTS-HD 2.0 master audio. Somebody should do a Ladd Company boxset.
Movie #19) Mad Love is vintage Peter Lorre
Mad Love is killer early Peter Lorre cinema. Why is it one of the 31 movies you can watch? Well, not only do you have Karl Freund direction, but it’s also Lorre’s American film debut. Playing with classic horror tropes, Lorre’s Dr. Gogol does some body modifications. That being, he gives his crush’s husband the hands of a murderer.
Logic be damned, the hands drive the man mad and what we have is a 68 minute romp through the hilarity of unrequited emotions. The Blu-ray comes with a fun commentary and trailer.
Movie #20) The Ghost Ship / Bedlam is a crazy double feature
The Ghost Ship and Bedlam are two short early 40s movies setup like a double feature. Why is it one of the 31 movies you can watch? Bedlam is a historical fiction about the old British insane asylum. Boris Karloff does some bang-up work there. The Ghost Ship is a shipbound murder tale about any insane Captain.
The Blu-ray comes with a commentary on Bedlam and trailers.
Movie #21) Eye of the Devil is one of the few Sharon Tate movies I never saw until 2021
Eye of the Devil is killer British horror right before the Pastoral craze of the 1970s. Why is it one of the 31 movies you can watch? Well, Terry Southern helped with the script and that’s always a plus. But, it’s a fascinating take on the haunted house movie with a degree of real world supernatural elements tied into the mix.
Donald Pleasence, Sharon Tate, David Hemmings and David Niven are always good for a genre movie time. I just wish we got special features with this one. It seems like a solid commentary could only help.
Movie #22) The Last of Sheila has a weird fanbase
The Last of Sheila has a crazy history based on co-writers Stephen Sondheim and Anthony Perkins’ wild mystery parties. Why is it one of the 31 movies to watch? Well, because it’s one of the coolest mysteries to pour out of the 1970s. Mature and gritty, while playing against a lavish oceanscape…produces quite the movie.
The Blu-ray comes with a commentary and trailer. The A/V Quality is on par with Warner Archive’s best work in 2021. Highly recommended.
Movie #23) Ivanhoe is a classic adventure from Warner Archive
Ivanhoe is the early 1950s epic of chivalry brought to Blu-ray with stunning pomp. Why is it one of the 31 movies you can watch? The Blu-ray comes with a vintage Tom and Jerry cartoon and trailer. That way, you can imagine you’re back in 1952. Watch out for the Polio, Timmy!
The A/V Quality is pretty sharp. We took a bunch of screenshots to expound upon later in full.
Movie #24) The Thin Man Goes Home is the newest Thin Man entry from Warner Archive
The Thin Man Goes Home is either the fourth or fifth Thin Man movie. After awhile, it’s easy to lose count. Why is it one of the 31 movies you can watch? I just checked, it’s the fifth Thin Man movie. Basically, the series was moving away from spy fiction and turning into a sitcom at this point.
The Blu-ray comes with a Robert Benchley comedy short, classic cartoon and trailer as the special features. That’s why it’s one of the 31 movies you can watch.
Movie #25) The Protege has a fanbase that I’m not in, but it looks great in 4K
The Protege snuck into theater during last summer and blew people away. Why is it one of the 31 movies you can watch? Well, it’s not that original. But, it’s a Maggie Q led action movie in stunning 4K UHD. Seriously, Lionsgate is sneaking some winners out the door in their 4K realm. Michael Keaton and Samuel L. Jackson shine in supporting roles.
The 4K UHD comes with commentary, featurettes, 1 deleted scene and a trailer.
Movie #26) I have a lot more to say about The Wolf of Wall Street in 4K UHD
Wolf of Wall Street is one of the best Scorsese movies of the last 20 years. Why is it one of the 31 movies you can watch? The main reason is I love the red flag movies that makes the Betas rage out against the Movie Chads. The other reason is because Paramount simply kills it on the older films coming to 4K UHD.
You get all of the special features from Blu-ray with a digital code for a 4K copy on the go. But, that reference quality 2160p transfer is why you buy it. You will believe that Margot Robbie is standing in a doorway.
Movie #27) Red Angel is a rather dark film out of Arrow
Red Angel is like MASH, but only if it were directed by Bergman. Why is it one of the 31 movies you can watch? The Blu-ray releases on January 18th, but it’s well deserving of a pre-order. You get a visual essay and a few featurettes on the special features. But, the real reason to watch is the movie.
Quite devastating and full of unending horrors of war, Red Angel will start your year on a morbid note.
Movie #28) Tex Avery brings the Screwball Classics in Volume 3
I love these Tex Avery Collectons, so I made sure to check out the third volume when offered on Blu-ray. Why is it one of the 31 movies you can watch? You get multiple cartoons from the WWII era and well into the 1950s. Plus, you get Crackpot Quail as a special feature.
The A/V Quality is spectacular, but if you’re the kind of parent that gets upset by Hitler showing up in your cartoons, then this might upset you.
Movie #29) Some Come Running brought up a lot of thoughts in me, so prepare to see it twice in short order
Some Came Running is one of the best Frank Sinatra dramas. Why is it one of the 31 movies you can watch? Well, Shirley MacLaine delivers a career best performance. Plus, the movie elevates a lot of what Sinatra and Dean Martin did well together. I never read the source novel by James Jones and I feel the desire to pick it up now.
The A/V Quality is spectacular. Plus, you get a featurette and trailer as the special features.
Movie #30) Corinth Films presents A Collection of Historical Drama
Corinth Films repackages five of its best World Cinema historical dramas. Why is it one of the 31 movies you can watch? Well, I think it’s the only one actually releasing in January 2022. I feel we’ve seen Haberman, The Chronicles of Melanie and Remembrance on the site in the past.
But, this DVD package is meant to pull together five serious adult dramas for you to watch in January 2022. The DVD comes with no special features.
Movie #31) Mary Stevens M.D. is pure Pre Code melodrama from Warner Archive
Mary Stevens M.D. is one of the 31 Movies You Can Watch this January 2022. It’s also why it’s one of the 31 Movies You Can Watch this month. The Blu-ray comes with no special features. But, I love seeing the Pre-Code Warner Brothers movies arriving from Warner Archive.
It’s a melodrama that runs between how professional women worked with me and finding love during the Great Depression. I have more thoughts on this that we will tackle later.
