What’s New in Home Video & Pop Culture – March 25th, 2025 – Tommy Boy, Shameless, Delicatessen, Venom, Antiviral and more

Tommy Boy

This week is very catalogue-heavy, with several new 4K releases as well as a Complete Series television release. There’s some good stuff to be found here, even if not all of the movies are household names. Dig in and discover something that’s old but new!

In This Week’s Column:

• Tommy Boy (4K Ultra HD Steelbook + Blu-ray + Digital)
• Shameless: The Complete Series (DVD)
• Delicatessen (4K Ultra HD)
• Antiviral (4K Ultra HD)
• Venom (4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray)
• The Daredevils & Ode To Gallantry: Two Venom Mob Films (Blu-ray)
• Elmo’s World: Elmo Loves to Giggle (DVD)

Tommy Boy (4K Ultra HD Steelbook + Blu-ray + Digital)

The Movie: 

“Fat guy in a little coat…!”

I feel like I could literally just write that for this section of my review and it would be everything you need to know. I wouldn’t go so far as to say that Tommy Boy is a comedy classic, but it sure is a lot of fun.

The film sees the late Chris Farley play the bumbling son of a midwestern auto parts salesman (specifically car brake shoes) team up with the company’s accountant (David Spade, at his David Spade-est) to try and save the company when his father dies. There’s an evil stepmom (Bo Derek) and stepbrother (Rob Lowe) in the mix as well, and the film turns Into a combination buddy/road trip comedy as they try to sell as many brake shoes as they can to save the day.

Admittedly, Tommy Boy isn’t the most original movie ever made, and to some extent your enjoyment of it will stem from how much you like both Chris Farley and David Spade, as they are on screen an awful lot of the time. But for as much silliness as there is on screen, there’s a los a lot of really funny moments, and its hard to deny that Farley and Spade always did work together well.

Out this week on 4K in a nice Steelbook edition to celebrate the movie’s 30th anniversary, Tommy Boy is a pretty nice release. There are no new bonus features, but there is a nice collection of archival material included.

The 4K Video/Audio:

Tommy Boy is still a medium-budgeted comedy from 30 years ago, so it’s not like it suddenly looks brand new, but you’ll notice brighter colors, a sharper picture, and good contrasts. There is a relatively active soundtrack (mostly making sure the dialogue is clear and the music sounds good) that also offers up some ambient surround activity to help fill in the soundfield. It’s hard to complain about any of those things.

The Bonus Features: 

• Commentary by director Peter Segal
• Tommy Boy: Behind the Laughter
• Stories from the Side of the Road
• Just the Two of Us
• Growing Up Farley
• Storyboard Comparisons
• Deleted and Extended Scenes
• Alternate Takes
• Gag Reel
• Photo Gallery
• TV Spots & Theatrical Trailer

Digital Copy Included: Yes 

The Wrap-Up:

I’ve always liked Tommy Boy even if it’s never quite risen to the ranks of being a true favorite for me. Because of that, it’s been several years since I rewatched the film, and I have to admit, I had a heck of a lot of fun doing it. Sometimes it takes a nice anniversary reissue home video release to make you re-appreciate how much fun a movie is.

Shameless: The Complete Series (DVD)

The Show: 

I was a bit late to the Shameless party, I’ll admit. The good news is, with or without me, William H. Macy’s hit Showtime series continued to chug along for an amazing eleven seasons. Now, the entire series has been collected into one whopping DVD box set, out this week from Warner Home Video.

The show sees William H. Macy star as Frank Gallagher, the patriarch of a family with six kids who feature a wide range of personalities. Frank is a screw-up and a drunk, and it’s up to his oldest daughter Fiona to raise the rest of the family, which — as you would guess — leads to some occasional chaos. And by ‘occasional,’ I mean constant. This, in turn, results in a lot of black humor, but also mixed in are some truly dramatic moments as well. The show may be a comedy, but it’s not a traditional laugh-a-minute sitcom with a laugh track and a studio audience. It’s a much more in-depth show than that.

I never became a die-hard fan of the show while it was on the air like some people did, but maybe that’s because I missed the first few seasons and had to jump in halfway. Being able to go back and start the proceedings over from the start, I can say that I definitely have a deeper appreciation for it. There’s still an element of chaos that taxes my limits a bit, so I don’t think it’s ever going to be a true favorite for me, but I do enjoy it quite a bit. A lot of that comes from the cast, which includes not only Macy but also the excellent Emmy Rossum, a pre-The Bear Jeremy Allen White, Justin Chatwin, and Emily Bergl.

Shameless: The Complete Series is a nice chunky box set that includes all 134 episodes from all 11 seasons on 34 discs.

The Bonus Features: 

• Bringing Shameless to America
• Shameless: Bringing the FUN to Dysfunctional
• The Art of Acting Drunk
• Where the Streets Have No Shame
• Being Gallagher
• Gentrify This!!!
• Shameless Last Call

Digital Copy Included: No 

The Wrap-Up:

Shameless: The Complete Series is a nice release, but I’m a little surprised that it’s only on DVD and not also available on Blu-ray, especially since almost all of the seasons were originally available on Blu-ray. That complaint aside, this is still a great way to go back and experience the entire show from start to finish.

Delicatessen (4K Ultra HD)

The Movie: 

Director Jean-Pierre Jeunet might be more well known for his mainstream fare such as Alien: Resurrection and Amelie, but he got his start with the cult classic Delicatessen, an oddball movie if ever there was one.

The story takes place in a dystopic future in which food is scarce and conditions are livable but on the squalid side. In one small apartment in a small city block, we meet the residents of a building that is run by a butcher. The only problem is that he keeps secretly butchering the building’s handymen and feeding them to the residents. When his newest handyman arrives, the butcher’s daughter begins to fall for him, and this leads to all sorts of complications.

Of course, Jeunet is not known for simply making films with a straightforward narrative, and Delicatessen is a prime example of that. The movie is visually unique, as the residents of the building are portrayed in ways that visually tie them all together. There’s one scene in which the entire building begins to operate in synch to a couple’s lovemaking; it’s brilliant, slapstick-y, and mildly disturbing, all at the same time. That’s Jeunet’s entire film in a nutshell.

This week, Severin Films continues to show why they’re one of the better boutique home video studios by bringing us Delicatessen on 4K Ultra HD for the first time.

The 4K Video/Audio:

The audiovisual upgrade for Delicatessen on 4K is definitely noticeable, even if the film does show its age a fair amount. Imagery is nice and clear and the film definitely doesn’t look like its over 30 years old. Colors are an odd thing in this case, as the movie features a palette that has a strong earth-tone filter to it, so think lots of oranges, reds, yellows, and browns throughout. But within that framework, there’s a lot of nuance in the tones that do exist.  The surround soundtrack is relatively good affair, as it keeps dialogue and music clear and un-muddied, so no complaints there. There is some surround activity to fill in what’s happening on screen, but you won’t think your been transported into the film or anything.

The Bonus Features: 

• Audio Commentary With Co-Director Jean-Pierre Jeunet
• Interview With Co-Directors Jean-Pierre Jeunet And Marc Caro
• Fine Cooked Meats – The Making Of Delicatessen
• Copains Comme Cochons – Interview With Co-Director Marc Caro
• The Tale Of ‘Terry Gilliam Presents Delicatessen’ – Interview With Terry Gilliam
• Trailer

Digital Copy Included: No 

The Wrap-Up:

Films that are this off the beaten path aren’t always my cup of tea, and while I can certainly appreciate the talent on display here, I can’t say this is a movie I’m going to rush to watch again. That said, this new 4K Ultra HD release from Severin Films is a terrific package for fans of Delicatessen.

Antiviral (4K Ultra HD)

The Movie: 

I feel like it’s required anytime you’re discussing Brandon Cronenberg’s movies to disclose that, yes, he is the son of David Cronenberg. Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, let’s discuss his film debut instead.

Antiviral sees us 15 minutes into the future, whee fan obsession with celebrity has reached new heights. One company in particular sells illnesses harvested directly from the celebs, which fans can have themselves infected with in order to literally suffer from the same illness as their favorite luminaries. An employee at this company, Syd, wants to develop his own virus, but finds himself caught up in circumstances beyond his control when the company starts to crack down on its employees.

While this might sound like a traditional dystopic future, maybe even like a Gattaca or something like that, Cronenberg — at least in his first movie, which he both wrote and directed — clearly was influenced by his father. There’s a body horror element to the movie that gets more intense as it goes on, and not all of the imagery is pleasing to the eye. That said, there’s no denying Cronenberg’s visual acumen and his ability to really make you feel like this world — which honestly might not be that far away — is really occurring, all while still maintaining the slightly science-fiction vibe of it all.

This week, Severin Films releases the 2012 movie on 4K Ultra HD for the first time, and it’s an excellent release for fans.

The 4K Video/Audio:

Antiviral is a movie that’s shot well and looks quite good in 4K, especially thanks to some presumed restoration work done on the print. There’s a lot of stark blacks and whites in this film, but it’s not IN black & white. It’s a full-color movie with a color palette that reflects the future that it’s set in. When the film does veer towards more natural hues, colors are vibrant and pop quite a bit. Everything is crisp and clear and the identity of the movie is really enhanced by the transfer. The surround soundtrack largely focuses on dialogue, but it does create some eerie and atmospheric sounds throughout that also enhances the tension of the film.

The Bonus Features: 

• Audio Commentary With writer/director Brandon Cronenberg and director of photography Karim Hussain
• Broken Tulips – A short film written And directed By Brandon Cronenberg
• Anatomy Of A Virus – Making-of featurette
• Reviving A Dead Cell – Brandon Cronenberg and Karim Hussain discuss the restoration
• Brandon Cronenberg: A First-Time Director’s Vision
• Deleted Scenes with optional commentary by Brandon Cronenberg and Karim Hussain
• First Meeting – With actors Caleb Landry Jones Aad Sarah Gadon
• The Design Of Antiviral – Interview with production designer Arvinder Greywal
• Manufacturing Celebrity – EPK with cast and crew
• Trailer

Digital Copy Included: No 

The Wrap-Up:

Antiviral probably isn’t for everyone; hell, I enjoyed it but it’s still not the kind of movie I’m going to revisit often. But there’s no denying the talent Brandon Cronenberg put on display with his debut film, and this new 4K Ultra release from Severin is terrific celebration of that.

Venom (4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray)

The Movie: 

Before you ask, “Why is Mike reviewing a Spider-Man spin-off movie that came out seven years ago?” let me explain that this is not THAT Venom. This is a different kind of Venom entirely.

Released in 1981, Venom is instead a kidnapping thriller crossed with a creature feature about a young boy who goes to the pet store to pick up a harmless pet snake but instead comes home with a black mamba, the deadliest snake in the world, thanks to a box mix-up. When he arrives home, he’s held hostage for ransom but the snake gets loose in the building and… well, you can probably figure out what happens from there.

The film is a low-budget affair and despite a terrific cast that includes Klaus Kinski, Oliver Reed, Niccol Williamson, Sterling Hayden and Sarah Miles, it never really takes off and lives up to its full potential. It’s fun as a sort of ticking time bomb thriller with a deadly snake element, but it feels like the movie was rushed and it never quite gels. (Perhaps this has to do with reports that director Piers Haggard took over helming duties from Tobe Hooper early on in the production.)

This week, Blue Underground brings us a new home video version of Venom, which sees the film on 4K Ultra HD for the first time and includes a copious amount of extra features as well.

The 4K Video/Audio:

Venom has been restored and remastered and this release comes with both a 4K Ultra HD disc and a Blu-ray Disc. The 4K Ultra HD adds some punch to the proceedings, notably in terms of the colors taking on more vibrant hues and the image clarity looking as good as a film from the early-1980s could. The audio is presented via a 5.1 DTS-HD surround soundtrack that largely focuses on dialogue, making sure it remains present in the mix and never sounding too hollow or tinny. There are some directional effects, but it’s not the most nuanced mix in the world. All in all, it’s a solid presentation for a film that probably didn’t have the best source material to work with.

The Bonus Features: 

• Audio Commentary with Director Piers Haggard
• Audio Commentary with Film Historians Troy Howarth, Nathaniel Thompson and Eugenio Ercolani
• Fangs For The Memories – Interview with Editor/Second Unit Director Michael Bradsell
• A Slithery Story – Interview with Makeup Artist Nick Dudman
• Mamba Memories – Interview with Author & Critic Kim Newman
• Pick Your Poison – Interview with The Dark Side’s Allan Bryce
• Trailers & TV Spots
• Newly expanded Poster & Still Gallery
• Collectible Booklet with essay by Michael Gingold

Digital Copy Included: No 

The Wrap-Up:

I love movies like Venom, and even though it’s not the strongest entry into the genre, it’s a fun enough ride. This new 4K release offers so much bang for your buck that it’s hard to pass it up.

The Daredevils & Ode To Gallantry: Two Venom Mob Films (Blu-ray)

The Movie: 

I’m a pretty big Asian action cinema fan, but I’ve still only seen a fraction of the movies that make up the genre. The 1970s and ‘80s Asian film scene were so productive that it’s almost impossible to see every movie that came out during that time. Even a revered figure like Chang Cheh, “The Godfather of Hong Kong Cinema,” for example, put out a whopping 21 films between 1980 and 1988. Twenty-one films! That’s crazy! The good news, though, is that two of those movies are collected here in this new Blu-ray set from Eureka Entertainment (well, technically one of them is from 1979, but that’s neither here nor there.)

The Daredevils sees a man out to avenge his father, a military commander who was murdered by a fellow soldier with a shady background in an effort to take over his estate. Ode to Gallantry, meanwhile, sees a lone martial artist named Mongrel drawn into an struggle between several warring martial arts clans after he stumbles across the Black Iron Token, which entitles the owner to have any wish granted by a deadly kung fu master.

The “Venom Mob” mentioned in the disc’s title were a group of martial arts performers who formed in 1978 for one of Chang’s films, then continued to make over a dozen movies with the director. These two earlier movies are packaged together here and I hope it’s the first in perhaps a series of releases that might collect them all. Both of the films included here, while steeped in some of the cliches of the era’s martial arts movies, are a lot of fun.

The Bonus Features: 

• New audio commentaries on both films by East Asian film expert Frank Djeng and martial artist/filmmaker Michael Worth
• New audio commentaries on both films by action cinema experts Mike Reeder and Arne Venema
• New Interview with Hong Kong cinema expert Wayne Wong
• Limited Edition Collector’s Booklet

Digital Copy Included: No 

The Wrap-Up:

Not only are the two films collected here both great action movies from their era, but the release itself is a terrific effort by Eureka, with great package art, a nice slipcover, an essay booklet, and more. I really like what they’ve done here and I hope we’ll see more of it in the future.

Elmo’s World: Elmo Loves to Giggle (DVD)

The Movie: 

For those with little ones at home, this latest Elmo’s World release is aimed squarely at the preschool set. Elmo Loves to Giggle is the latest collection of Elmo-centric Sesame Street spin-off Elmo’s World episodes.

This collection has a little less of a theme than some of the previous DVD Releases, but basically each episode sees Elmo “laughing along with some of their favorite furry friends from Sesame Street.” With that theme in mind, we also get guest appearances from the wonderfully wacky Kate McKinnon of Saturday Night Live and Barbie fame and comedian/actress Ilana Glazer of Broad City and Babes, as well as musicians Alessia Cara and Josh Groban. As a result, we get a mix of segments with many other recognizable Sesame Street characters and a lot of humor that will appeal to little ones.

With two solid hours of content, it’s hard to find anything to fault about this collection for parents or kids. There are 10 episodes included here, all of which are appearing on DVD for the first time, so there’s no recycled content.

The Bonus Features: 

• Share the Laughter
• Preview Clips from other Sesame Street releases

Digital Copy Included: No 

The Wrap-Up:

As always, the Elmo’s World DVDs offer up a ton of bang for your buck, and it’s hard to argue when you’re a parent who wants something your kids can watch and take up some of their time but not have to feel bad about letting them watch. I’ll always be a fan of Sesame Street and I’m glad they continue to put out DVDs for today’s youngest audience members.