Welcome to another look at highlights arriving on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and DVD. Last week was remarkably busy so this edition is slower, but there is one big title and some interesting independent fare to choose from. So, if you can’t make it out to the movies this week or need to stay indoors for a few days, be sure to give one of these titles a try!
BIG NEW RELEASES!
AMERICAN FICTION – An African-American author and professor becomes frustrated that his acclaimed works aren’t selling. After being told that his recent manuscript isn’t “black enough” and seeing other writers achieve great success using stereotypes, the lead decides to play a prank. He creates a fake persona and creates a work that contains all of these elements he despises. The protagonist is shocked to see the book become a critical darling and hit with the masses and must figure out what to do next. This picture earned plenty of raves and was nominated for several Academy Awards, ultimately winning Best Adapted Screenplay. A tiny number of critics complained that the script’s complaints were simplistic and didn’t find it humorous. Everyone else thought the movie was a sharp and biting satire with well-written characters, great performances and plenty of laughs and drama. They thought it would offer the viewer plenty to think about afterwards. It stars Jeffrey Wright, Tracee Ellis Ross, Issa Rae, Sterling K. Brown, John Ortiz and Erika Alexander.
DEATH ON THE BORDER – Based on a true story, this tale follows an ex-cop and her partner who become frustrated by a human trafficking operation on the Mexican/American border. Unable to stop it during their employment, they decide to fake their own deaths and take up arms against the villainous organization. A priest decides to assist them with their plan of retribution. This picture received a very limited release before appearing on disc and streaming sites. There haven’t been many reviews for it and the ones that have appeared online have been lukewarm at best. These notices suggest that while the issue is important, the feature awkwardly jumbles stilted dialogue, action and a religious message that fails to engage the viewer. For now, this is a DVD-only release. The cast includes Shannon Elizabeth, Eric Roberts, Danny Trejo, Frank Whalley and Kika Magalhães.
LAROY, TEXAS – This independent crime/comedy follows a hardware store owner in a small Texas town. When he discovers that his wife has been cheating on him, he purchases a pistol and decides to head to a motel to kill himself. Before he can carry out the deed, a stranger enters his car. The individual mistakes the lead for a hitman and hands over money to murder a local. Things get complicated when he clumsily tries to carry out the plan, drawing the attention of police and the assassin. This picture was a festival hit and earned nothing but praise from the press. Everyone thought the cast and writing were top notch and had a great time witnessing the characters get into trouble. Many even commented that it reminded them of the early work of the Coen Brothers (Blood Simple, Fargo). It features John Magaro, Steve Zahn, Dylan Baker and Galadriel Stineman.
MARS EXPRESS – Those who appreciate animated fare made for an older audience might want to investigate this French effort. Set in the year 2200, the plot involves a private detective and his android partner who are hired to locate a notorious hacker. The trail leads them to Mars, where they uncover a conspiracy involving brain farms that could change the future of the universe. This foreign-language effort was extremely well-received and didn’t get a single negative review. All write-ups stated that it was an excellent science-fiction murder/mystery that featured strong visuals, interesting plot twists and a deeper meaning about artificial intelligence that left a poignant mark on the viewer. The voice cast includes Léa Drucker, Mattieu Amalric, Daniel Njo Lobé and Marie Bouvet. This Blu-ray includes the original French audio track with English subtitles and an English language dub.
NOWHERE SPECIAL – In Northern Ireland, a dad raising a four-year-old on his own discovers that he has a terminal disease. With little time left, he becomes determined to find a nice family who will give his boy the best future possible. The father doesn’t want his son to be aware of why this is happening, hoping to enjoy their time together, but the complicated process requires the two to visit and gently discuss whom they like best. Released in other parts of the world in 2021, this international production took a bit of time to find US distribution. It won several awards in its homeland and received nothing but raves from reviewers. They all wrote that while the story had the potential to be corny, the screenplay and performances were brilliant and the film was a heartbreaking but beautifully realized drama. James Norton, Daniel Lamont, Carol Moore and Valene Kane headline the picture.
PIAFFE – A foley artist is a film technician who creates background noises for films during post-production. This tale involves one such individual working on a television commercial. The woman tries tirelessly to get the perfect sound of a horse to accompany the visuals, but becomes so obsessed that she suffers a nervous breakdown. When her introverted sister arrives to help out, she not only suffers the same issues but discovers a horse tail growing out of her. This foreign-language fantasy/drama from Germany received generally upbeat notices. A handful were baffled by the picture, stating that they couldn’t get on its wavelength and found the exercise pretentious. However, the majority wrote that the movie was a visually striking meditation on gender roles that took plenty of chances but kept them engaged throughout. It stars Simone Bucio, Sebastian Rudolph and Simon Jaikiriuma Paetau.
THE PRESENT – In this family science-fiction feature, a family receives a rickety wooden grandfather clock as an heirloom. One of the young boys in the household happens to be a genius and discovers that it can be used to manipulate time. When he and his siblings learn that their parents are separating, they decide to use the clock to prevent their mother and father from leaving each other. This family-friendly independent effort earned more positive reviews than negative ones. About one-quarter complained that while well-produced, the picture was overly silly and sentimental. They wondered how the filmmakers managed to land the well-known stars. Still, most thought that the picture was likable, good-natured fluff that had enough zip to entertain both parents and kids. The cast includes Isla Fisher, Greg Kinnear, Ryan Guzman and Shay Rudolph.
RELAX, I’M FROM THE FUTURE – Speaking of time travel, this independent comedy from Canada suggests that it can be far more difficult to change history. A figure claiming he is from the future appears and meets a local. He tells her that something very important needs to happen soon to correct a big problem in the future, but has a hard time communicating exactly what should occur. The woman feels sorry for him and offers to help, yet the questions only pile up during the mission. Members of the press enjoyed this picture. A very small contingent called the movie excessively quirky and didn’t appreciate its oddball sense of humor. Regardless, most thought the lead was phenomenal and had a hilarious time watching him dispel popular ideas about time travel while trying, and often failing, to successfully accomplish his goals. For the time being, this is a DVD-only release. It features Rhys Darby, Gabrielle Graham, Julian Richards and Janine Theriault.
BLASTS FROM THE PAST!
If you’re looking for something older, you have plenty of options. American Gigolo (1980) is being made available from Arrow Video in 4K Ultra HD (as well as a 4K Ultra HD ”Arrow Exclusive” edition on their website), or on Blu-ray. This picture from noted writer/director Paul Schrader (Blue Collar, Light Sleeper, First Reformed) was a big hit during its original run and detailed the life of an image-obsessed male prostitute. When he is framed for a murder that he didn’t commit, he discovers that both his clients and friends in the business aren’t interested in helping him.
It’s a very effective and stylish picture that is a very accurate reflection of the early 1980s. Richard Gere stars in the movie with Lauren Hutton. Besides the dazzling 4K picture restoration, you’ll get a film critic commentary track, a new interview with Schrader, discussions with co-stars Hector Elizondo and Bill Duke. There’s also an interview with the editor, as well as the camera operator. Featurettes include an analysis of the Giorgio Moroder score, a look at the fashion landscape of the film and the era and a ton of publicity materials. Additionally, there is a foldout poster and reversible sleeve with new and original art for the movie, and the most elaborate edition comes with six postcard-size art card reproductions and an illustrated collector’s booklet with writing on the movie. A full review of the release can be found by clicking this link.
A few months back the distributor released the Battles Without Honor and Humanity box set containing five Japanese Yakuza movies made between 1973 and 1974. A “Standard Edition” is now arriving with all the films and most of the extras in a smaller package.
Criterion is giving the wonderful thriller Bound (1996) a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray upgrade (a Blu-ray only version is also available). The picture stars Jennifer Tilly and Gina Gershon as two women who fall for each other and try to escape the clutches of a mobster (played by Joe Pantoliano). It’s a clever and tense picture featuring great performances that marked the directorial debut of the Wachowskis (The Matrix series). In addition to the improved picture quality, it comes with a commentary track featuring the directors, cast members and crew. There is also a new video essay on the picture, six interview programs with cast and crew, more featurettes on the title designer and critics on the importance of the film, and trailers.
The distributor is also putting out a Blu-ray of Victims of Sin (1951). This Mexican effort combines crime film with melodrama and musical to tell the story of a nightclub dancer who comes to the aid of an orphaned boy and tries to protect him from a mobster. The film has been given a new 4K restoration and this release includes an interview with a movie archivist on the feature, a talk with the cinematographer and an archival documentary on the picture.
Kino is delivering the German effort Anna Boleyn (1920) on Blu-ray. This historical feature depicts the woman’s ill-fated relationship with King Henry XIII, which ended violently. It comes with a feature-length documentary on the director, Ernst Lubitsch.
Film Noir: The Dark Side of Cinema Vol. XIX is a Blu-ray box set containing Dark City (1950), No Man of Her Own (1950) and Beware, My Lovely (1952). The release contains transfers of the movies from 4K masters, film historian commentaries and trailers.
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer is presenting the over-the-top Bo Derek period romance feature Bolero (1984) on Blu-ray. You can also pick up the James Woods/Sean Young romance The Boost (1988) on the same format. It’s about a businessman who must contend with a drug addiction problem in order to be with the woman he loves.
Paramount is going all-out with the Roman Polanski masterpiece Chinatown (1974) delivering the classic on 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray. It is arriving as part of the Paramount Presents line. For those who haven’t seen this period drama/mystery, Jack Nicholson plays a Los Angeles private investigator who gets in over his head discovering a conspiracy while trying to expose an adulterer. Simply put, it is one of the best movies ever made. Besides the new 4K picture restoration from the original negative, you’ll get the Nicholson directed sequel The Two Jakes (1990), an interview with a film historian on the picture and its legacy, a discussion with a producer who was an assistant director on the movie, and a discussion on a planned second sequel that was never made. There is also an audio commentary with screenwriter Robert Towne, a ton of featurettes on the production, publicity materials, fold out packaging with the original poster art and plenty more.
For those interested in imports, the British label Powerhouse is delivering “Standard Edition” Blu-rays of Obsession (1949), Phantom of the Monastery (1934), The Shop at Sly Corner (1947) and Tomorrow We Live (1942) for the North American market. They all come with upgraded picture quality and a bevy of bonuses.
There’s a definite theme in this week’s releases from Shout! Factory. The first is a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray “Collector’s Edition” of Robocop 2 (1990). This lesser follow-up followed the 1987 action classic and continues the adventures of the title cyborg cop as he faces new criminal and corporate threats. The 4K image was taken from the original camera negative and the disc contains a film historian commentary track and a second commentary with an author and CG supervisor. Additionally, there is a making-of featuring new and vintage interviews with cast and crew. A feature detailing the effects work is present, as well as a talk with the man who created the suit for the title character in the film. There’s a discussion about adapting the story for the film, archival and behind-the-scenes footage of cast and crew, deleted scenes and publicity materials.
And if you’re a completist, you can also pick-up the remake Robocop (2014), which is arriving as a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray combo. For this writer, the latest edition was even more problematic than the first sequel, but the film surely has its fans. Besides a remaster of the film from a digital intermediate, it arrives with a three-part documentary on the making-of the feature, deleted scenes, an Omnicorp product announcement and trailers.
Finally, Sony is presenting a series of catalog titles on Blu-ray. You can pick up the Chris Farley comedy Beverly Hills Ninja (1997), the French/Italian crime picture, The Burglars (1971) and the Best Actor Oscar-winning Jane Fonda/Lee Marvin western, Cat Ballou (1965). On a more recent note, Shotgun Stories (2007) is also appearing on Blu-ray.
Finally, you can pick up a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray 40th anniversary edition of The Karate Kid (1984) in “VHS Collectible Packaging” that replicates the appearance of an old VHS tape. It arrives with all previously released extras, as well as a new commentary track with the creators of the program Cobra Kai and over 30 minutes of raw, unseen footage shot for several scenes that weren’t used in the final product.
YOU KNOW, FOR KIDS!
It’s a slow week for kid-friendly entertainment. Listed below is the nearest thing that may qualify.
The Present (Gravitas Ventures) Blu-ray
ON THE TUBE!
Here are all of the week’s TV-themed releases.
A.I. Revolution (PBS) DVD
Call the Midwife: Season 13 (BBC) DVD
Death in Paradise: Season 13 (BBC) DVD
NCIS: Sydney: Season 1 (CBS) DVD
Romance With a Twist (Hallmark) DVD
Steven Universe: The Complete Collection (Cartoon Network) DVD