BOOGIE NIGHTS, F1: THE MOVIE, THE CONJURING: LAST RITES
Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has a few new releases with two new films and a classic 4K upgrade from the vault. Paul Thomas Anderson is earning more rave reviews and is the talk of award season with his new film One Battle After Another. Back in 1997, he released Boogie Nights which he made when he was in his twenties. It was a soaring look at the rise and fall of a young adult film star played by Mark Wahlberg. It demonstrated his massive vision that was just blossoming at the time. WB partnered with Apple Films for F1: The Movie, which was an incredibly immersive edge of your seat look at the world of F1 racing. They also closed out The Conjuring films with The Conjuring: Last Rites, which marks the final appearance of Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga as Ed and Lorraine Warren.
BOOGIE NIGHTS (1997)
Paul Thomas Anderson’s second film was the ensemble film Boogie Nights. It starred Mark Walhberg who was looking to branch out from music and be taken seriously as an actor. His character, Dirk Diggler, has visions of seeing his name on the marquee as an adult film star. The film presents the rise and fall of Diggler in a very tumultuous industry. It earned 3 Oscar nominations for Best Original Screenplay (Anderson), Best Supporting Actor (Burt Reynolds), and Best Supporting Actress (Julianne Moore). It made Wahlberg a household name, gave Heather Graham her big break, and showed off a whole new side of Burt Reynolds as an actor.
SPECIAL FEATURES *per the press release
Boogie Nights Digital release and 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Disc contains the following new and previously released special features:
- American Cinematheque Panel Night 1 (NEW) – Paul Thomas Anderson and John C. Reilly
- American Cinematheque Panel Night 2 (NEW) – Paul Thomas Anderson
- Commentary: Director Paul Thomas Anderson
- Commentary: Don Cheadle, Heather Graham, Luis Guzman, William H. Macy, Julianne Moore, John C. Reilly, Mark Wahlberg, and Melora Walters
- Additional Scenes
- Michael Penn Try Music Video
- The John C. Reilly Files: Outtakes and Extended Sequences
F1: THE MOVIE (2025)
Top Gun: Maverick director Joseph Kosinski and cinematorgrapher Claudio Miranda reunited to take audiences right into the driver’s seat of F1 racing. Brad Pitt plays right into his slick and charming ways starring as a retired F1 racer. His character, Sonny Hayes, wins a race at Daytona and it almost seems too easy for the veteran racer. He decides to hang it up and retire despite the accolades. It’s not long before he’s approached by his old buddy, Ruben Cervantes (Javier Bardem), who corners him in a rundown laundromat and tries to convince him to get back on the track. Ruben is the owner of a the APX Formula One team and desperately needs to win if he doesn’t want his team sold out under him. He needs Sonny’s history and determination behind the wheel paired with a young rookie named Joshua Pearce. He’s played by newcomer Damson Idris. Sonny agrees, and all eyes are on the unlikely pair at a time when their cocky and arrogant attitudes need to take a back seat for the good of the sport. Kerry Condon gave an incredible performance as their lead technician who is making history as the first female technician of a Formula One team. I’m a little surprised Condon isn’t in more of the conversations for Best Supporting Actress this award season. I do expect the film to do well in the technical categories.
SPECIAL FEATURES *per the press release
- Inside the “F1® The Movie” Table Read
- On June 19, 2023, the cast of F1 joined Director Joseph Kosinski and Producer Jerry Bruckheimer at Silverstone for a table read. As excitement and anticipation builds, the cast reminisce on the momentous occasion and reflect on their friendships.
- The Anatomy of a Crash
- One of the most intense scenes in the film was loosely inspired by FORMULA 1 driver Romain Grosjean’s Bahrain crash in 2020. Take an in-depth look at how this technically challenging scene was filmed practically.
- Getting Up to Speed
- Get the inside track on how Brad Pitt and Damson Idris became racing drivers. Lead driving choreographers Luciano Bacheta and Craig Dolby reveal the hard work and dedication that went into getting the cast behind the wheel and up to speed.
- APXGP Innovations
- Each year, FORMULA 1 teams make serious engineering and technological advancements to their cars. The same can be said for the F1® crew, who worked hard across departments – sound, camera, RF, rigging, stunts and SFX – and found new ways to innovate.
- Making it to Silverstone
- The first days of filming at the Formula 1 British Grand Prix 2023 at Silverstone took months, if not years, of planning and rehearsal of the Grid Walk and Formation Lap scenes. The goal: to shoot live without disturbing the integrity of the race.
- Lewis Hamilton: Producer
- When Joseph Kosinski decided to make a film about the world of F1, the first person he called was 7-time World Drivers’ Champion Lewis Hamilton. Filmmakers discuss Hamilton’s value as a producer, how he influenced the script, his set visits and more!
- APXGP Sets and Locations Around the World (featurette) – 9:17
- Welcome to the APXGP garage, designed to fit perfectly into the F1® paddock for filming across the globe. Go beyond the track to see how F1 teams McLaren, Williams, and Mercedes welcomed cast and crew into their factories and team facilities.
- APXGP and F1®: How it was Filmed (featurette) – 5:53
- The cast and crew had one hour to film the exciting Red Flag sequence. As it was the climax of the film and the true culmination of the partnership between filmmakers and FORMULA 1, all 10 teams and cars flocked to the pit lane to participate!
- Sound of Speed (featurette) – 5:10
- Join Hans Zimmer at AIR Studios for the first recording sessions of F1®’s epic score, with Jerry Bruckheimer joining the session to witness the magic. Zimmer reflects on his desire for the sound of the cars to influence the music of the orchestra.
THE CONJURING: LAST RITES
I don’t think anyone would have guessed that when The Conjuring came out in 2013 that it would spawn three sequels and an entire Conjuring Cinematic Universe. The final film, The Conjuring: Last Rites, marks the final screen appearance (so they claim) of Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga as Ed and Lorraine Warren and follows the true case file of the Smurl family haunting. This is the fourth film in the Conjuring Universe from director Michael Chaves who also made The Nun II (2023), The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It (2021), The Curse of La Llorona (2019),
SPECIAL FEATURES *per the press release
- Last Rites: An Era Ends
- The Conjuring: Crafting Scares
- Michael Chaves: Believer
Here’s a video I made for TikTok
