Welcome back fellow geeks, Blu-ray collectors and movie buffs!
If you are looking for another Steven Spielberg film to be added to your 4K Blu-ray collection, be aware that the 2002 sci-fi film Minority Report (starring Tom Cruise) will be released on 4K Blu-ray format on December 9, 2025.
This is what the regular edition of Minority Report 4K Blu-ray looks like.
The good news here is that Minority Report will have native 4K visuals and pre-orders for the 4K Blu-ray – specifically the regular edition and the Steelbook edition – are being accepted online here and here.
For the newcomers reading this, the only way to watch Minority Report in high-definition was its 2010 Blu-ray release. The upcoming 4K Blu-ray will have one 4K Blu-ray disc containing the film and a Blu-ray disc containing extra stuff.
To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt of the Blu-ray.com announcement. Some parts in boldface…
Paramount Home Media Distribution will release on 4K Blu-ray Steven Spielberg’s Minority Report (2002), starring Tom Cruise, Colin Farrell, Samantha Morton, Max von Sydow, and Lois Smith. The release is scheduled to arrive on the market on December 9.
Description: John Anderton, a Washington, D.C. detective in the year 2054 working in “Precrime,” a special unit of the police department that arrests murderers before they have committed the actual crime. Precrime bases its work on the visions of three psychics or “precogs” whose prophecies of future events are never in error. When Anderton discovers that he has been identified as the future killer of a man he’s never met, he is forced to become a fugitive from his own colleagues as he tries to uncover the mystery of the victim-to-be’s identity.
Special Features and Technical Specs:
DISC ONE – 4K BLU-RAY
DOLBY VISION/HDR PRESENTATION OF THE FILM
DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track
Optional English, Spanish, and French subtitles for the main feature
DISC TWO – BLU-RAY
The Future According to Steven Spielberg
Inside the World of Precrime
Philip K. Dick, Steven Spielberg, and Minority Report
Minority Report: Future Realized
Minority Report: Props of the Future
Highlights From Minority Report: From the Set
Minority Report: Commercials of the Future
Previz Sequences
From Story to Screen
Deconstructing Minority Report
The Stunts of Minority Report
ILM and Minority Report
Final Report
Production Concepts
Storyboard Sequences
Original Trailers
The rear of the Minority Report 4K Blu-ray.
Posted below are the technical details of Minority Report 4K Blu-ray from its Blu-ray.com page.
Video
Codec: HEVC / H.265
Resolution: Native 4K (2160p)
HDR: Dolby Vision, HDR10
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
Audio
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
French: Dolby Digital 5.1
Spanish: Dolby Digital 2.0
Subtitles – English, English SDH, French, Spanish
Discs – 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray Disc, Two-disc set (1 BD-50)
Digital – Digital copy included
Packaging – Slipcover in original pressing
Playback – 4K Blu-ray: Region free
I am personally interested in the upcoming 4K Blu-ray release of Minority Report. I first saw that movie at the local cinema (note: it has officially closed down after years of neglect and deterioration) and I ended up being entertained and intrigued by its tone and Spielberg’s direction. Without spoiling the plot, I can say that the film is pretty cerebral and its scenes of spectacle were pay-offs to the build-ups.
Inspired by one of the sci-fi tales of the late Philip K. Dick, Minority Report is not exactly a film to watch for fun only as it will compel you to think about the conflicts between destiny and predictions, crime and law enforcement, and most notably the debate about arresting people who only thought about committing crime but did not execute it. Another good reason to watch it is the combined talents of Spielberg and Tom Cruise, and there is a lot of depth – including expository dialogue – to the script.
The scheduled December 2025 release of the 4K Blu-ray of Minority Report is quite timely. Today, a lot of moviegoers and some fans of Tom Cruise felt burned up with the Mission: Impossible film franchise. As for Spielberg, there has been nothing groundbreaking nor interesting about the films he directed over the past several years. Times like these, you’ll have to go back to the previous works of Spielberg and Cruise to enjoy something and Minority Report can fill that void.
Tom Cruise, Samantha Morton and Steven Spielberg behind the scenes. (photo source – IMDB.com)
If you are a 4K Blu-ray collector who has not yet seen Minority Report, better avoid watching any of the movie reaction videos or retro reviews or retrospectives of the film on YouTube.
Watch out for Minority Report 4K Blu-ray on December 9, 2025.
If you wish to join a group of movie enthusiasts and talk about cinema, cinematic trends, Blu-ray releases and more relevant stuff, visit the Movie Fans Worldwide Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/322857711779576
Welcome back my readers, YouTube viewers and all others who followed this series of articles focused on YouTube videos worth watching. Have you been searching for something fun or interesting to watch on YouTube? Do you feel bored right now and you crave for something to see on the world’s most popular online video destination?
I recommend you check out the following topics and the related videos I found.
#1 Saving Private Ryan reaction videos – I still remember the day I saw Steven Spielberg’s Saving Private Ryan in the local cinema in 1998. It was a mesmerizing war movie experience. Considering its acclaimed status, commercial success and impact on pop culture, it is not surprising that the movie is the subject of many movie reaction videos on YouTube. That being said, I spotted a few must-see videos. If you have not seen the movie yet, watch it first. Otherwise, enjoy the videos below.
#2Woke game companies panic as gamers reject their games – There is no doubt that the woke virus and the pathetic DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) have infected a lot of video game companies, most notably Ubisoft and Electronic Arts. This explains why several video games ended up as creative promotions of identity politics, woke concepts and feminist garbage done at the expense of quality and fun. That being said, a lot of gamers collectively rejected the woke games by not buying them, as well as avoiding future woke releases. Be aware of the latest trends in video games by watching Adam Post’s analytical video below.
#3 US President Trump’s plan for the American takeover of the Gaza Strip – I can clearly say that US President Donald Trump’s announcement of a plan for America to take over the Gaza Strip (which is physically located within Israel and borders Egypt in the southwest) to redevelop it was both totally surprising and very ambitious. For decades now, Gaza has been a hot spot of Islamic terrorists – notably Palestinian terrorist group Hamas – who were able to arm themselves heavily, launched countless attacks against Israel, and even enriched themselves by abusing the countless humanitarian donations they received. That being said, Trump’s plan makes a lot of sense and if implemented (only after Israel concludes its war against the terrorists), it could change the tone of the Middle East. Watch and learn the details from the video below.
#4 Democrats keep getting dumber and dumber – Ever since Donald Trump returned as President of the United States, the remaining Democrats in power only turned more chaotic and dumber. In his show, Ben Shapiro explains in detail why the Democrats have gotten dumber. Watch the video below.
#5 Trump’s ban and the trans hysteria – In case you missed the news, US President Trump signed an executive order that banned men from participating in women’s sports events. In short, men who identify as women (read: transgender) are not allowed to compete with the real women in their sports activities. Since then, the transgendered mob and LGBTQ have turned chaotic. Very clearly, the Satanic Leftists do NOT care about fairness in sports, do NOT care about the protection of women, and they do NOT care about common sense! Watch and learn from the videos below.
#6 VKunia reacts to Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol – Remember back in 2011 when Tom Cruise had a successful return with Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol? Since then, the Hollywood superstar kept coming back as Ethan Hunt in more sequels and the Mission: Impossible film franchise still remains essential for both Cruise and Paramount. Witness how the 2011 MI movie impacts VKunia in her reaction video below.
#7 PatmanQC examines the history of the Superman arcade game – Back in 1989, I played the Superman arcade game developed by Taito. Even though it was repetitive and had generic villains to fight with, it was still a fun experience for me. Looking back at it, it was one of the early Superman-related video games that was made with fun and quality in mind. It even came with the iconic theme from the movie. To learn more about the history of the Superman arcade game, watch PatmanQC’s video.
#8 GoodBadFlicks examines The Cannonball Run – Released in 1981, The Cannonball Run is a action-comedy movie inspired by a real-life cross-country outlaw road race. The film had a huge cast that includes Roger Moore, Burt Reynolds, Farrah Fawcett, Jackie Chan and others. To learn more about what made the movie fun to watch and what else inspired its creation, watch GoodBadFlicks’ video below.
Welcome back readers, fellow geeks and electronic gaming fans!
In this edition of the Retro Gaming Ads Blast (RGAB) series, we will take a look at another batch of retro gaming print ads – including arcade flyers – from the 1980s and 1990s.
For the newcomers reading this, Retro Gaming Ads Blast (RGAB) looks back at the many print ads of games (console, arcade, computer and handheld) that were published in comic books, magazines, flyers, posters and newspapers long before smartphones, social media, the worldwide web and streaming became popular. To put things in perspective, people back in the 1980s and 1990s were more trusting of print media for information and images about electronic games and related products.
With those details laid down, here is the newest batch of retro gaming print ads for you to see and enjoy…
1. Raiders of the Lost Ark game print ads
The print ad with strong Indiana Jones imagery.
The print ad with the movie theater exterior image and the small image of the Atari 2600 console.
Directed by Steven Spielberg, Raiders of the Lost Ark was one of the best adventure movies ever made as well as the start of the iconic character Indiana Jones. Given its huge commercial success, an official video game adaptation for the Atari 2600 was released in 1982 and game designer Howard Scott Warshaw even met with Spielberg during the game’s development.
To promote the game, Atari released two print ads – one ad had a movie theater exterior visual concept to emphasize they have the official video game adaptation based on the movie while the other ad showed the game’s official artwork and game box cover while emphasizing a savings offer. Atari really did what they could to sell a game while riding on the success of Raiders of the Lost Ark.
2. Phoenix print ad
Even without any screenshots, this print ad’s art still gives viewers a clear idea of what to expect.
Similar to what they did with Galaxian and Joust, Atari made this print ad promoting Phoenix which was a 2D sci-fi shooting game that was similar with Space Invaders in design. Colorized, hand-drawn artwork resembling the 2D sprites of the game was done to capture the attention of people. The art is so good, it made up for the lack screenshots of the game.
3. Moon Patrol arcade flyer
Front of the Moon Patrol flyer.
The other side of the arcade flyer.
Moon Patrol was a 2D sci-fi side-scrolling adventure game first released in the arcades in 1982. To sell the game to arcade operators, publisher Williams created the North American arcade flyer that heavily used hand-drawn comic book-style artworks on both sides while using available space on the other side for the descriptive text, contact details and the image of an arcade machine. What is very clear is that no screenshots of the game were shown to stand out which explains why a lot of hand-drawn art was used. The picture of the machine showing a screen of Moon Patrol was the closest thing to see a screenshot on this flyer. Personally, I really like the style and quality of the hand-drawn artwork as it made the flyer look lively.
4. Paperboy arcade flyers
The arcade flyer showing the Paperboy machine and screenshots. The hand-drawn art is nice.
This one uses comedy showing a grown man riding a bike as a paper delivery “boy”.
I really like the stronger emphasis on the in-game graphics of Paperboy which dominates the space. What you see is what you get in the arcade.
The first time I ever played the classic Paperboy was in the arcade inside a Las Vegas hotel way back in 1989, and it sure was a challenging yet fun experience. Before its arcade debut in 1985, the developers took a lot of risks making the game which includes coming up with a bicycle handle bar for each machine to have. To promote the game, Atari made at least three arcade flyers that creatively emphasized what the game’s concept was about, how did it play, why does the machine have bicycle handlebars and why players can expect fun. Atari’s promotional efforts paid off as Paperboy became a huge hit in the arcades not only in America but also in Japan.
5. Frogger multi-platform print ad
This print ad is still amusing to look at.
After Frogger became a hit in the arcades, Parker Brothers secured the rights to port the game on Atari consoles, the Intellivision, TI-99/4A, vic-20, the Commodore computers and ColecoVision. To promote their Frogger ports, the single-page print ad was made showing a player in the foreground playing in front of screens that each showed what the game looked like on each platform. Parker Brothers found tremendous success selling 4 million copies of Atari 2600 version of Frogger at a time when there were only 13 million units of Atari 2600 in existence. By the year 2005, video game sales of Frogger reached 20 million worldwide across different platforms.
6. Predator 2 print ad
This is one very edgy print ad as used an official image from the movie.
If there is anything memorable about the 1990 film Predator 2, it is the fact that it had the story and the alien hunter itself within a metropolitan setting. That being said, the Sega Genesis Predator 2 video game had a suitable design of shooting and adventuring within the urban settings. This video game ad really captured the vibe of the movie (even showing the reddish human skull with spine on the Predator’s left hand) and clearly showed what gamers could expect. This old ad is still captivating to look at and its edgy approach is still intact.
7. Atari Jaguar print ad
Did you ever own an Atari Jaguar console?
When I was reading video game magazines back in the 1990s, I always found print ads of the Atari Jaguar intriguing to look at. I was very young when I first played the Atari 2600 and its games at home, and later played some Atari games in the arcade. To me, seeing Atari Jaguar print ads like this one gave me moments of nostalgia and it made me wonder if Atari knew what it was doing with their so-called 64-bit game console. They did what they could to promote their console and the games within this 2-page print ad.
8. Vs. print ad
This print ad easily reminds me of the 1990s.
By 1997, both the arcades and the video game console market were filled with lots of 2D and 3D polygonal fighting games. Japan was the hot spot of the production of 3D polygon fighting games and the developer Polygon Magic (based in Japan) made Fighters’ Impact which Taito released in Japanese arcades and the PlayStation. The said game was picked up by THQ for a late-1997 release on the PlayStation in America under the title Vs. I never played this game but I heard that the game’s development included gang-oriented characters designed by Marvel Comics artist Kurtis Fujita. This Vs. ad is a lively reminder about the hip-hop fashion that made its way into video games.
9. GoldStar/LG Electronics 3DO print ad
This is a very weird way to market a video game machine.
Back in the 1990s, the South Korean electronics company GoldStar (which was part of the umbrella of LG Electronics) had the license to produce 3DO game consoles with its own style. In some ways, the GoldStar 3DO console looked like a premium console on the outside. Unfortunately, the GoldStar 3DO print ad here had a very sloppy presentation as the ad makers used very weird art of a brain-with-eyes holding a 3DO controller leaving little space left to promote the console and games (without any screenshots). The text description was sloppily done. This is a bad example of promoting video game hardware and games.
10. Pandemonium 2 print ad
I saw this ad but never played the game.
Looking back at 1997, I find it strange that I never got to play Pandemonium 2 on the PlayStation even though I saw its print ad in magazines. I had a lot of fun playing Pandemonium! on the console in 1996 but somehow missed out on its sequel. Looking back at the Pandemonium 2 print ad, I was surprised with how the game developers redesigned the two playable protagonists, especially Nikki who was clearly made to look very sexy. The word “libido” (meaning sexual drive) was deliberately placed above Nikki. The ad also had a hypnotizing mix of colors which I believe was also deliberately done by the ad makers. I can only wonder how the game played.
11. Mission: Impossible print ad
A captivating ad.
In 1990, Ultra Games (a label of Konami) released the Mission: Impossible video game on the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) in America. Developed by Konami, the game was an adaptation of the 1988 TV series and it had an ambitious design with regards to level design and gameplay. To promote the game, the ad makers came up with a visual design showing the game’s box (which had a nice painted art on the cover) on the foreground and several screenshots resembling TV monitors on the background. Even by today’s standards, this print ad still looks good and captivating even if you are not too familiar with Mission: Impossible on TV.
12. The Lawnmower Man Sega CD and Genesis print ad
Are you fan of The Lawnmower Man movie?
Back in 1992, there was a lot of buzz generated by the movie The Lawnmower Man as it had a disturbing concept that involved virtual reality and, more notably, author Stephen King sued the filmmakers to remove his name from the title because the film differed so much from the source material. Of course, those developments did not stop the production of video game adaptations of the movie. This print ad promoting the Sega CD and Sega Genesis versions of the game heavily used the images of CyberJobe which were among the most memorable images from the film. Looking at the ad, the ad makers could have made the screenshots look a little larger to really sell the games.
13. Ground Zero: Texas print ad
The shotguns really made this ad eye-catching.
I never played the Sega CD video game Ground Zero: Texas but I knew that it was one of those games that heavily relied on video footage while giving players moments to interact. Back in 1993, there was an increase in the number of video games that carried lots of live action footage to drive the narrative and players were given options in order to progress. What is very notable about the game is not the game design but the very 2-page ad used to promote it. The image showing four people pointing their shotguns towards the viewer was easily the most captivating part of the ad. Even though there was vacant space in between, the screenshots of the game were displayed to be really small.
14. Alien vs. Predator for SNES and Game Boy print ad
This ad caught the attention of a lot of people back then.
Back in 1990, Dark Horse Comics launched the 4-issue mini-series of Aliens vs. Predator which turned out to be a very intriguing and engaging crossover comic book tale featuring two iconic sci-fi species of monsters. The success of the comic books led to the production of many video games which delighted both fans of Predator and Aliens. In 1993, Activision released Alien vs. Predator on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) and the single-page print ad they came up with was engaging to look at. The SNES game box with the fine looking painted art was the main visual highlight leaving just enough space for the descriptive text, the Game Boy cover and two screenshots. Believe it or not, this video game was not related at all with the Alien vs. Predator arcade game and Atari Jaguar console game.
For decades now, I have been living in Alabang and I witnessed how much Muntinlupa City modernized along the way. Bordering Barangay Ayala Alabang is Filinvest City (formerly called Filinvest Corporate City) which itself is home to several business or facilities such as the Filinvest Tent, Commercenter, Acacia Hotel Manila, Crimson Hotel, Westgate and, of course, the wildly popular place to be in – Festival Mall.
For the newcomers reading this, Festival Mall opened in May 1998 with its initial name Festival Supermall. Way back then, out of pure curiosity, I entered the mall for the first-time ever during its soft opening on May 1, 1998 (Labor Day here in the Philippines) as I was already looking for a new place and new discoveries at a time when I got tired of Alabang Town Center (ATC).
Being very new back then, Festival Mall’s presence of retailers or tenants was not yet dynamic as there were still businesses inside that could not open in time for the mall’s opening. I do remember walking down seeing lots of vacant retail spots covered with signs such as “opening soon”, “coming soon” and the like. Back in those days, the Philippine economy and society itself were dampened by the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis.
As the months passed by, more businesses opened and Festival Mall’s early attractions include the X-Site Amusement Center (which already had the indoor roller coaster) and, of course, the brand new cinemas which had several screens operating at a very spacious area on the top floor. I still remember seeing lots of people lining up for tickets and seats to watch Armageddon which ended up as the highest grossing movie of the world in 1998.
Indeed, for more than a decade, Festival Mall’s original cinemas became a favorite destination of mine to watch movies in Alabang and I definitely was not alone. I also remember the times when the said cinemas attracted a whole lot of moviegoers when the annual Metro Manila Film Festival’s (MMFF) opening day (every December 25) happened resulting in long lines. Watch the YouTube videos below…
As you can see in the above videos, Festival Mall’s original cinemas was a hot spot for moviegoers. It should be noted that the mall is strategically located in close proximity to the Alabang Viaduct and the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) which ensures visibility to motorists and accessibility to commuters on a daily basis. The old cinemas were also a hot spot for a variety of small businesses selling different kinds of food and drinks to moviegoers and others who just passed by.
Festival Mall at 25
This past May, Festival Mall turned 25 and its anniversary was highlighted with special events as well and publicity through the media. There were these Festival Mall 25th anniversary feature articles that got published in different newspapers almost simultaneously. In the commemorative article that got published in the Manila Bulletin, President and CEO of Filinvest Development Corporation Josephine Gotianun Yap was quoted which goes as follows in the excerpt below. Some parts in boldface…
“We would not be where we are today without the unwavering support of our customers, merchants, suppliers, and employees who have journeyed with us through the years. It is humbling to think that when we first opened the mall, we only had 30 stores and no anchor supermarket. But thousands of visitors came on our first day, attracted by our amusement centers, cinemas, and food court. And now the mall has 800 tenants and eight leading anchor stores. We value our collaboration with major retailers, which has enabled us to bring together SaveMore, Ace Hardware, Robinson’s Department Store, Handyman, Shopwise, H&M, Decathlon, and Landmark all under one roof. As we build on its strong foundations for the future, we see Festival Mall continuing to serve as a place where time stops for making memories with family and friends,”
As seen above, the Filinvest Development Corporation executive clearly referred to the original cinemas which was one of the early attractions of Festival Mall way back in 1998. As mentioned earlier, Festival Mall today has more modern cinemas located at the expanded area on the same floor but several meters away from the original cinemas. So how does Festival Mall’s original cinemas look like nowadays? Watch the video below…
Yes, indeed the mall’s original cinemas have turned depressing. There are much less customers who pass by the area and many of the businesses that operated within have closed down! As I personally found out, Festival Mall is still using a few screens at the old cinemas for moviegoers while leaving the many others closed and left in the dark. If you think about it carefully, what does the mall management have in mind with regards to all of those cinema seats, sound systems, projectors, screens and other pieces of equipment inside each and every closed screen of the original cinemas?
A closed screen at one end of the original cinemas of Festival Mall. Just imagine what is left of all the hardware (examples: projectors and speakers) and seats inside.
This was a premium place to watch movies at. It had more comfortable seats and better equipment that made the cinematic experience more immersive. It was here where I saw 2001’s Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within.
This is where I used to buy movie tickets for many years. For some time now, the selling of movie tickets here has stopped. To buy tickets, you have to go to the modern cinemas of the mall several meters away by foot at the same floor.
Apart from seeing more of the screens of the original cinemas closed down, the number of small-time businesses that sold different kinds of food and drinks are also gone which is depressing. Those businesses offered moviegoers different choices of what to eat or drink apart from the usual popcorn and drinks sold by the cinema’s concessionaires. I do remember a certain business joint that sold really good coffee (both hot and cold) that is also affordable.
There used to be different kinds of small business joints that sold a variety of food and drinks located on the floor spots at the original cinemas area. Those businesses have since closed down and left.
I remember the times I bought popcorn and drinks at this place before watching a movie. Now there are no food, no drinks and no people selling to customers anymore.
With the way things are right now, walking through the original cinemas area of Festival Mall is lonely and depressing to do. The area is almost lifeless and it easily is the saddest place inside the mall which itself has become a major attraction for shoppers and families. I can only wonder if Festival Mall’s management has any plan to revive the original cinemas area. Will they someday renovate at least a few of the screens and install brand new seats and other equipment to accommodate more moviegoers? Do they plan to attract new businesses to occupy the vacant commercial spaces and floor spaces near the old cinemas?
It would be nice to know if Festival Mall’s management or Filinvest itself has any plan to revive commerce at the original cinemas area which is now the saddest and loneliest part of the mall.
To be very clear with you all reading this, I never worked for a shopping mall nor have I ever worked in the movie theater business. I am a long-time resident of Alabang who often visits Festival Mall for purchasing needed items, dining and availing of services. Watching movies at Festival Mall used to be a big reason for me to spend time at the mall. I know for a fact that operating movie theaters is difficult and attracting people to watch movies on the big screen is tougher because of streaming. It does not help that the COVID-19 pandemic convinced people that watching new movies at home via streaming is the new standard which also made them think that movie theaters are unnecessary.
As a movie enthusiast, I can say out loud that watching a movie inside the cinema is still the best and most definitive way to enjoy watching. The movie theater experience can never be matched by streaming nor could the biggest HDTV at home could ever come close to the size and visual impact of a cinema screen. That being said, I can only hope that Festival Mall could someday revive the movie experience and commerce at their original cinemas area. They already have the modern cinemas at the expanded area but those are only 4 screens.
If you are living here in South Metro Manila and you have been to Festival Mall several times before, what do you think the mall management should do about their old cinemas? Is Festival Mall your favorite place to watch movies in? Do you think that hosting multiple film festivals – both foreign and domestic – each year would justify renovating the old cinemas of the mall?
Author Carlo Carrasco 