As 2019 comes to a close I always like to reflect on my favorite physical releases of year. Consumers seem to be moving more and more to streaming services with the launch this holiday season of Disney Plus being the latest. However, 2019 was also a banner year for physical media as well. Several companies really stepped up their game with incredible packaging, extras and in some cases sparkling new transfers of classic films. I will always make the case of physically owning a copy of a movie because it is permanently in your collection, it won’t be dropped or eventually removed from your shelf.

Being that it is 2019, I decided to list my favorite 19 releases of the year. So sit back relax and let’s watch some movies!

Number 16: Willard (2003)

Scream Factory finally unleashes the underrated, and awesome remake Willard on Blu-Ray

Crispin Glover stars as Willard, a meek and quiet man. Willard lives with his sick mother Henrietta (Jackie Burroughs) and cares for her. Willard works at his family company but that has been taken over by Frank his verbally abusive boss, (the late great R. Lee Ermey). Willard soon finds friends in the rats that live in his house, with one rat named Socrates being a favorite. Willard soon finds a large rat he names Ben, who seems to be one evil rodent. Willard also learns that he can communicate with the rats and uses them to do his bidding. Sometimes with murderous results!

Willard is a remake but don’t let that scare you it is done really well and does a great job following the same structure of the original, but where it sets itself apart is it turns up the horror factor big time. The original ‘Willard” has its moments of horror but it is played more sympathetically, where 2003’s “Willard” is unsettling. Glover steals the movie. He commands the screen with equal parts pathetic and psychotic.

X-Files alum James Morgan handles his first directing job with flair. Crazy angles and a moody atmosphere sell the tale. Just like the original Morgan makes the home a character as well with its dusty rooms and decaying walls.

“Willard” is a fun time. New Line Cinema did a really great job with this remake and in the same year unleashed their great remake of “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre”.

Scream Factory gives “Willard” a brand new 2K scan, and boy does it look amazing. I have the original DVD release of “Willard” and I can tell you this scan blows that one out of the water. Colors look outstanding, with the house looking even more decayed and rotten. Also the costumes look sharp and have much more fine detail. This is a great transfer.

The audio scurries up the pipe with precise sounds and crystal clear dialogue. The sound design for “Willard” is a character by itself and is so important when you are dealing with an animal menace. The mix is so good that you will keep checking behind you to see if your house in infested with rats.

“Willard” is so jam packed with extras that I am surprised that Scream Factory did not give this release its Collector’s Edition brand. Carried over are all the special features that can be found on New Line’s Platinum Release of “Willard”. New to this release are some truly great interviews, one with Director Morgan titled “The Road to “Willard” which is a comprehensive look at Morgan’s career and his involvement in “Willard” Next is my favorite new feature, “Destination “Willard” in which the cinematographer Robert McLachlan who details not only his involvement in “Willard” but other cool horror films like “Freddy vs. Jason”.  There are also 3 commentary tracks, including one with Boone’s Animals for Hollywood employees that is really fun to listen to as they describe the process in making the rats do rat things. After a final count there is over 4 hours(!) of bonus content, not including the commentary tracks!

Any fan of horror or animal attack movies or for strange films should pick up “Willard”!

Film: B+

Video: A+

Audio: A+

Extras: A+

Overall: A