Toy Story 4 is a pleasant surprise.

After 2010’s Toy Story 3 provided a satisfactory conclusion to the then-trilogy of films that began with 1995’s Toy Story and continued with 1999’s Toy Story 2, I thought we had seen the last of Woody, Buzz Lightyear, and the rest of Andy’s toys, but this latest release is a welcome addition to the storyline, moving it in a new direction.

The first two films dealt with the life and adventures of Andy’s toys. The third film dealt with the grown Andy giving up his toys which end up with a little girl named Holly. In the fourth film, Holly creates her own favorite toy. Made from a plastic spork, Holly names it “Forky.” The story revolves around the relationship between Woody and Forky and Woody’s reunion with his old friend, Bo Peep. In the end, it’s Woody who leaves his “kid,” not the other way around. Will it be the end of the toy stories? Will we get another one ten years from now when most of the voice actors will be dead or in nursing homes? Only time will tell.

The original Toy Story was nominated for three Oscars and its first sequel, Toy Story 2, was nominated for one in the days before Best Animated Feature became a category of its own. Neither won a competitive Oscar, but the original did win a Special Achievement Oscar for creator John Lasseter.

Toy Story 3 was nominated for five Oscars and won two, for Best Animated Feature and Best Song “We Belong Together.” It was the tenth year of existence for the Best Animated Feature. Will Toy Story 4 be nominated and will it win in the nineteenth year?

Toy Story 4 is available on Blu-ray, 4D Blu-ray and standard DVD.

If you thought that last year’s Hereditary was too much, you will want to steer clear of director Ari Aster’s Midsommar, which is even more gruesome. Even worse, this one commits the cardinal sin of being dull and boring until we get to the predictable climax which at least provides something to look at. Released at 2 hours and 27 minutes, the film was reportedly cut by 30 minutes to a void an NC-17 rating. Aster promises a future video release with the missing footage restored.

The film stars Florence Pugh (Lady Macbeth) and Jack Reynor (Sing Street) as a mismatched young couple. She has issues, he considers her a nag even though he loves her. She follows him and his friends to Sweden where they grow further apart, their relationship ending in disaster. Aster claims his visual references for the film include 1947’s Black Narcissus, 1971’s Macbeth, and 1979’s Tess but it’s hard to see any of them in the finished product. The film it most resembles is 1973’s The Wicker Man but that one moved to its doom at a much faster pace.

Midsommar is available on Blu-ray and standard DVD.

Barry Sonnenfeld’s 1991 live-action version of The Addams Family was first released on Blu-ray in 2013. Its 1993 sequel Addams Family Values has not previously been released on Blu-ray but the two films have long been available as a set on standard DVD. Both have now been released on Blu-ray and are being sold either separately or as a package.

The new release coincides with the release a new animated version. Based on the 1960s TV series of the same name, as well as Charles Addams’ cartoons, Sonnenfeld’s films still sparkle with their dry wit and charm. Anjelica Huston is the mother, Morticia, picking up from Carolyn Jones with Raul Julia as the father Gomez, picking up from John Astin. Christopher Lloyd is Uncle Fester, picking up from Jackie Coogan. Christina Ricci and Jimmy Workman are the kids, Wednesday and Pugsley, picking up from Lisa Loring and Ken Weatherwax. Joan Cusack and Carol Kane join the cast in the sequel.

It’s nice to have them back.

Two classic miniseries have been given Blu-ray releases.

1978’s Holocaust was a landmark TV production originally telecast over four consecutive nights in April 1978. The saga of a Jewish family’s struggle to survive the horror of Nazi Germany’s systematic marginalization and extermination of their community provided several legendary actors with some of their finest roles. Among them were top-billed James Woods the year before his breakout screen role in The Onion Field, Meryl Streep several months before her breakout screen role in The Deer Hunter, and Michael Moriarty five years after his breakout screen role in Bang the Drum Slowly. Also featured in prominent roles were stage veterans Fritz Weaver (Marathon Man) and Rosemary Harris (The Boys from Brazil) and popular young stars Joseph Bottoms (The Dove), Tovah Feldshuh (Brewster’s Millions, and Blanche Baker (Sixteen Candles). David Warner (The Omen) and Sam Wanamaker (The Spy Who Came in from the Cold) had major supporting roles. Nigel Hawthorne (The Madness of King George) and Ian Holm (Chariots of Fire) stood out in less prominent roles.

The four episodes cover the years 1935-1940; 1941-1942; 1942-1944 and 1944-1945 running the gamut of the Nazi stranglehold on Germany in which the lives of the fictional Weisses and Dorfs intersect dramatically. Called by many the greatest miniseries of all time, it’s an extraordinary experience that shouldn’t be missed.

Holocaust was nominated for 15 Emmys and won 8. Its wins included those for Best Limited Series, Best Actor (Michael Moriarty), Best Actress (Meryl Streep), and Best Supporting Actress (Blanche Baker). Among those also nominated were Fritz Weaver for Best Actor, Rosemary Harris for Best Actress, Sam Wanamaker and David Warner for Best Supporting Actor, and Tovah Feldshuh for Best Supporting Actress. Michael Moriarty and Rosemary Harris won Golden Globes for their performances.

Stephen King’s The Stand was also a landmark four-episode miniseries, telecast over four nights with the first two episodes shown back-to-back with a day’s break between the last two. It was nominated for six Emmys and won two for Makeup and Sound Mixing. The end-of-the-world drama starred Gary Sinise (Forest Gump) and Molly Ringwald (Pretty in Pink). A longer TV series based on King’s novel is planned for 2020.

This week’s new releases include Stuber and The Queen of Spades.