New to View: March 3
By Bob Bloom
The following titles are being released on Tuesday, March 3, unless otherwise noted:
Hamnet: Collector’s Edition (4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + digital)
Details: 2025, Universal Pictures Home Entertainment
Rated: PG-13, thematic content, strong sexuality, partial nudity
The lowdown: Academy Award-winning director Chloe Zhao (“Nomadland”) directed and co-wrote with Maggie O’Farrell, this adaptation of Maggie O’Farrell’s best-selling fictional account of William Shakespeare and Agnes Hathaway’s son, Hamnet, who died at age 11, focusing on his parents’ grief.
The story details Shakespeare’s theatrical drive, which draws him to London, leaving Agnes behind the run the household and raise their three children.
The death of Hamnet, tests the couple’s bond. Yet through grief and resilience, their journey inspires Shakespeare to write his masterpiece, “Hamlet.”
“Hamnet” is driven by the performances of Jessie Buckley as Agnes and Paul Mescal as Shakespeare, as well as Zhao’s subtle and delicate direction, which builds to a euphoric finale.
The movie earned eight Academy Award nominations, including best picture, best director, best actress for Buckley as well as adapted screenplay, original score, production design, costume design and casting.
“Hamnet” earned an 86 percent fresh rating at Rotten Tomatoes.
Technical aspects: 2160p ultra-high definition, 1.78:1 widescreen picture; English Dolby Atmos and French and Spanish 5.1 Dolby digital; English SDH, French and Spanish subtitles; Blu-ray: 1080p high definition, English Dolby Atmos, 2.0 DVS and French and Spanish 5.1 Dolby digital; English SDH, French and Spanish subtitles.
Don’t miss: Bonus components include a commentary track with Zhao; a behind-the-scenes look at the connections forged among the cast members; a featurette on how Zhao inspired her cast, who share their memories of making the film; a behind-the-scenes look at recreating England’s Tutor period.
Zootopia 2 (Blu-ray + DVD + digital)
Details: 2025, Buena Vista-Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment
Rated: PG, action violence, rude humor
The lowdown: Rookie police officers Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde find themselves involved in a twisted mystery when Gary De’Snake arrives in Zootopia and turns the animal city upside down.
To crack the case the officers must go undercover to unexpected and new parts of town where their growing partnership is severely tested.
The color palate and design of the movie, as well as the voice talent, which includes Ginnifer Goodwin, Jason Bateman, Ke Huy Quan, Shakira, Idris Elba, Fortune Feimster, Patrick Warburton, Andy Samberg, David Strathairn, Danny Trejo and Bonnie Hunt, all make for an entertaining experience — one that the kids, especially, will enjoy.
The movie earned a very respectable 91 percent fresh rating at Rotten Tomatoes.
Technical aspects: Blu-ray: 1080p high definition, 2.39:1 widescreen picture; English 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, 2.0 Dolby digital descriptive audio and French and Spanish 5.1 Dolby digital; English SDH, French and Spanish subtitles; DVD: 2.39:1 widescreen picture; English and Spanish 5.1 Dolby digital and English 2.0 Dolby digital descriptive audio; English SDH and Spanish subtitles.
Don’t miss: Bonus options include a behind-the-scenes look at the voice actors recording their characters, a featurette with animator Benson Shun offering some drawing lessons, a look at Easter eggs hidden in throughout the movie, a featurette on Bateman’s work as Nick Wilde, deleted scenes, a look at the traveling snack bar at Disney and a music video by Shakira.
Merrily We Roll Along (Blu-ray)
Details: 2025, Sony Picture Classics
Rated: PG-13, language, drug use, smoking
The lowdown: Playwrights George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart’s original play opened in 1934. It received good reviews, but did not do well financially.
In 1981, Stephen Sondheim, collaborating with former actor George Furth, recreated it as a musical. Again, it did not click so, over the years, the musical was reworked.
Finally, in 2022, “Merrily We Roll Along” succeeded in an off-Broadway venue. It starred Jonathan Groff, Lindsay Mendez and Daniel Radcliffe.
In 2023, it moved to Broadway, where it played for about 300 performances, one of which was recorded live. That show is what this Blu-ray features.
The show basically revolves around the long friendship of three Hollywood friends — Franklin Shepard (Groff), Mary Flynn (Mendez) and Charley Kringas (Radcliffe). The story, by the way, is told in reverse chronological order.
The story moves from fractured adult lives to idealistic youth.
The movie works smoothly with some catchy tunes and solid production values.
At Rotten Tomatoes, the recorded version garnered a 95 percent fresh rating.
Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 1.78:1 widescreen picture; English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio; English SDH, English and Spanish subtitles.
Ella McCay (Blu-ray + digital)
Details: 2025, Buena Vista-20th Century Fox
Rated: PG-13, sexual material, language, drug content
The lowdown: James L. Brooks wrote and directed this feature about an idealistic young woman trying to juggle her imperfect family with her passion for work.
Unfortunately, the movie is not up to the standards of such previous Brooks films such as “Terms of Endearment,” “Broadcast News” and “As Good As It Gets.”
The movie’s narrative seems uneven and, at times, clunky and erratic.
How you feel about it, depends on well you can tolerate Brooks’ sentimentality and, at times, incoherence.
The cast, headed by Emma Mackey as Ella, also includes Jamie Lee Curtis, Albert Brooks, Woody Harrelson, Rebecca Hall, Kumail Nanjiana and Julie Kavner.
Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 1.85:1 widescreen picture; English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, 2.0 Dolby digital descriptive audio and French and Spanish 5.1 Dolby digital; English SDH, French and Spanish subtitles.
Don’t miss: Extras include a behind-the-scenes featurette as cast and filmmakers discuss working with Brooks, deleted scenes, bloopers and a featurette with Brooks and his cast exchanging pleasantries.
For All Mankind: Season 2 (Blu-ray)
Details: 2021, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Rated: Not rated
The lowdown: The second season of this alternate historical series about the space race features 10 episodes over four discs.
In 1969, a Soviet cosmonaut, Alexei Leonov, becomes the first human to land on the moon.
This causes NASA to increase efforts to catch up. And when the Soviet Union includes women in subsequent landings, the United States has no choice but to include women and minorities who, for decades, were ignored as candidates for space exploration.
In its second season, the series, which airs on Apple TV+, viewers see the giant leaps and technology that have facilitated lunar exploration, while NASA astronauts and administrators deal with various professional and personal challenges.
Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 2.00:1 widescreen picture; English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio; English SDH, English, French and Spanish subtitles.
Don’t miss: Commentary tracks on each episode comprise the main bonus content.
Cinderella: In Concert (Blu-ray)
Release date: March 6
Details: 1991, Cleopatra Entertainment
Rated: Not rated
The lowdown: This concert, filmed in 1991 during Cinderella’s Heartbreak Station Tour, features 17 songs by the popular heavy-metal group.
Cinderella was known for its showmanship, precise musicianship and command of the concert stage.
Among the hits performed by the group are “Night Songs,” “Don’t Know What You’ve Got Till Its Gone,” “Shelter Me,” Nobody’s Fool” and “Falling Apart at the Seams.”
The concert film is a treat for fans of the group.
Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 1.33:1 full-screen picture; English 5.1 and 2.0 Dolby digital.
Don’t miss: A music slide show is the major extra.
Other titles being released in the coming week include:
Cobra Kai: The Complete Series (Blu-ray) (Sony Pictures Home Entertainment)
DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, STREAMING or VOD
31 Candles (Level 33 Entertainment)
A Little Prayer (Music Box Films-Prime Video)
All Is Fine in ’89 (Westona Pictures)
Another Gay Sequel: Gays Gone Wild (Breaking Glass Pictures)
Dark Distortion (Breaking Glass Pictures)
The Hermit (Uncork’d Entertainment)
MARCH 4
Drops of God: Season 2, Episode 7 (Apple TV+)
Hijack: Season 2, Episode 8 (Apple TV+)
The Hunt (Apple TV+)
Shrinking: Season 3, Episode 6 (Apple TV+)
MARCH 6
Afterimage (Film Movement+)
Friends Like These: The Murder of Skylar Neese: Episodes 1-3 (Hulu)
Ice Poison (Film Movement+)
The Last Thing He Told Me: Season 2, Episode 3 (Apple TV+)
Monarch: Legacy of Monsters: Season 2, Episode 2 (Apple TV+)
NFT: Cursed Images (Chroma)
Outside Satan (Film Movement+)
Poor Folk (Film Movement+)
Silent Asylum (Film Movement+)
Stray Bodies (Film Movement+)
MARCH 7
Paradis City: Episodes 1-6 (Viaplay)
MARCH 9
Paradise: Season 2, Episode 5 (Hulu)
I am a founding member of the Indiana Film Journalists Association. I review movies, 4K UHD, Blu-rays and DVDs for ReelBob (ReelBob.com), The Film Yap and other print and online publications. I can be reached by email at bobbloomjc@gmail.com. You also can follow me on X @ReelBobBloom, on Facebook at ReelBob and on Bluesky at @bobbloom1948@bsky.social or the Indiana Film Journalists Association. My movie reviews also can be found at Rotten Tomatoes: www.rottentomatoes.com.