Welcome to another look at some of the week’s highlights arriving on Blu-ray and DVD. It’s another busy edition with award-winning features, high profile efforts, family fare and more. So. If you can’t make it out to the movies this week or need to stay indoors, be sure to give one of these titles a try!
BIG NEW RELEASES!
ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT – Based on the classic 1929 anti-war novel, this German drama follows a young soldier who joins the military to fight in WWI Initially, he and his friends are arrogant about going into battle, but that changes as he arrives on the frontlines and engages in battle. The traumatic experiences slowly break him down until he realizes the untruths he has been told and begins to understand the futility of war. This Netflix feature won a lot of praise and was nominated for several Academy Awards (it ended up winning best International Feature, Original Score, Cinematography and Production Design). Most critics appreciated what they saw. A small contingent thought it was dramatically inert, disliked new scenes involving negotiators and called it a weak adaptation of the book. However, the majority wrote that the movie was a grisly, powerful and technically accomplished redo with a message that still feels relevant today. They also complimented the performances. It stars Felix Kammerer, Albrecht Schuch and Daniel Brüh.
AMERICAN RAPSTAR – This documentary details a new group of rappers who have emerged by avoiding the traditional distribution route. Instead, they are using the streaming service Soundcloud to control their own music and upload it to the public themselves. According to the press synopsis, the filmmakers interview the biggest stars from this movement, who have become the most culturally disruptive force in hip hop, shocking the world with rambunctious antics and rebellious punk energy. There aren’t many reviews for this title yet, but a few positive write-ups have appeared. These notices suggest that while the film takes a standard approach to presenting its subject and informing viewers about this movement, it’s interesting and makes for a good introduction to plenty of new faces on the scene. The movie includes Interviews with Smokepurpp, Lil Xan, XXXTentacion, Lil Peep and Bhad Bhabie.
BATMAN: THE DOOM THAT CAME TO GOTHAM – The latest title in DC’s animated superhero franchise is this stand-alone film. It is inspired by a 1920s set comic book series by Mike Mignola, Richard Pace and Troy Nixey. After accidentally unleashing ancient supernatural forces, Batman returns to Gotham to try and clean up his mess. After the powerful villains initially prove unstoppable, the caped crusader must team with enemies like Green Lantern, Ra’s al Ghul, Mr. Freeze, Killer Croc and Two-Face to eliminate the threat. This title is being released in a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray set or as a stand-alone Blu-ray. So far, the response has been good. The limited number of press members who have seen it state that the movie stays true to the source material and delivers plenty of effective action, as well as some very creepy moments. The voice cast includes David Giuntoli, Tati Gabrielle, Gideon Adlon and Jeffrey Combs.
BEAUTIFUL BEINGS – A misfit teenager in Iceland struggles to fit with his classmates and finds himself being bullied. As it turns out, his mother is an eccentric clairvoyant, which doesn’t do much to endear the lead to others his age. After befriending a few other young men dealing with similar issues (including abuse from family members), they decide to form a group. The inexperienced youngsters strike back against their tormentors and become aggressive, causing more problems for themselves. Critics generally enjoyed this foreign-language drama. A handful complained that it brought little that was new to the story of young men dealing with uncontrolled anger. They claimed that some of the messages were confusing and contradictory. Still, the consensus was that the movie was well-acted, had some interesting supernatural twists and effectively detailed the struggles of social outcasts. It features Áskell Einar Pálmason, Viktor Benóný Benediktsson, Snorri Rafn Frímannsson, Birgir Dagur Bjarkason and Ísgerður Elfa Gunnarsdóttir.
BLUE’S BIG CITY ADVENTURE – Based on the popular Blue’s Clues children’s television series, this family film features Storybook World resident Josh being cast in a Broadway show. He and his dog Blue head out to New York City. Unfortunately, Josh forgets his notebook and the pair get lost. They try to survive by singing, dancing and befriending locals. In the meantime, characters from home recover the item and attempt to get it back in Josh’s hands. This effort debuted on Paramount’s streaming service, and members of the press were pleased by it. A couple complained that the story wasn’t interesting and that they never even got a sense of why Josh wanted to star on Broadway. Still, everyone else called the movie upbeat family fare that would impress preschoolers with plenty of colorful images and fun musical numbers. For the time being, this is a DVD-only release. The cast includes Joshua Dela Cruz, Donovan Patton, Traci Page Johnson, Steve Burns and BD Wong.
CODE OF THE ASSASSINS – This feature from China premiered a little while back on the streaming service Hi-Yah! and is now arriving on Blu-ray. The story follows a man who is trained to be an assassin, but can’t follow through and fails to strike down his first assigned target. He becomes a fugitive from his order and goes on the lam, with several killers and fellow students in pursuit. As he runs, he uncovers a conspiracy between several martial arts schools. Also known as Song of the Assassins, response towards this Mandarin-language title has been all over the place. Some have called it overly complicated, featuring too many characters and distractingly poor visual effects. But just as many stated that the movie was over-the-top fun, delivering stylish and beautiful visuals that were to watch. They also complimented the action choreography. It stars Shaofeng Feng, Jun Hu, Chen Jin and Norman Chu.
FATHER STU REBORN – Back in April of 2022, the R-rated Mark Wahlberg faith-based biopic Father Stu was released. It told the story of a boxer-turned-priest who was inspired to join the Catholic Church, but met with resistance because of his uncouth ways. The movie garnered a mixed reception. After playing in cinemas and being released on home video, Sony Pictures set out to put together a PG-13 edition, editing out almost all of the cussing (which apparently totaled nearly 200 swear words). For those curious, it seems that some elements, including a crash and a romance, haven’t been significantly altered. The updated edition was re-released in movie theaters in late December. Now, this version of the film is arriving as a DVD-exclusive (no Blu-ray has been announced). It features Walhberg, Mel Gibson, Jacki Weaver, Teresa Ruiz and Malcolm McDowell. Read a review of the R-rated version here.
MISSING – In recent years, there have been several films set entirely on computer screens and cell phones. This title is a sequel to the 2018 thriller Searching that features a similar scenario, but new characters. When a Los Angeles-based teenager learns that her mother has gone missing while vacationing with a boyfriend in Columbia, the youngster uses cell phones, social media and every available resource to locate her. The consensus on this thriller was upbeat. A small contingent did comment that the screen-only formatting left everything feeling contrived and phony. But while most admitted that the story pushed the limits of believability, they ultimately appreciated the attempt, as well as some story twists. These reviewers also thought the cast was excellent and it was better than similar efforts. The cast includes Storm Reid, Joaquim de Almeida, Ken Leung, Amy Landecker, Daniel Henny and Nia Long.
PLANE – A commercial aircraft pilot has the worst day of his life when lighting strikes during a flight and takes out an engine. He manages to land on an island nation, only to learn that they are in a warzone. When his passengers are taken hostage, the hero teams up with an accused murderer (who happened to be on his flight) to free those on the plane and escape with their lives. This action picture earned more positive notices than negative ones. Almost one-quarter of reviews called the movie preposterous yet strangely dull and routine in execution. They stated that it wasn’t much better than a direct-to-disc title. However, the majority asserted that the cast was good and that it provided enough B-movie thrills to entertain action film enthusiasts. The title can be purchased as a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray combo or a stand-alone Blu-ray. It stars Gerard Butler, Mike Colter, Tony Goldwyn, Yoson An, Evan Dane Taylor, Daniella Pineda and Paul Ben-Victor.
THE SON – This drama focuses on a divorced man dealing with a hectic job and raising a new baby with his partner. Things get more complicated when the lead’s ex-wife arrives and tells him that their teenage son has been acting strangely. She says that he no longer wants to stay with her and asks the protagonist if he wouldn’t mind taking him in until he improves. He agrees and tries to help his son, but finds their relationship strained as the youth shows suicidal tendencies. This feature from Florian Zeller (director of the award-winning drama The Father) didn’t not fare well with the press. A small contingent wrote that the movie was an interesting if downbeat study of depression with strong lead performances. However, most took issue with the film, calling it stagy, melodramatic with too many over-the-top scenes that lacked authenticity. The cast includes Hugh Jackman, Laura Dern, Anthony Hopkins, Vanessa Kirby and Zen McGrath. Read a full review of the film here.
THE WEAPON – A tough guy appears out of the blue and starts wiping out Las Vegas-based biker gang meth labs, leaving nothing but corpses behind. Through flashbacks, viewers begin to learn who the figure is and why he is seeking revenge. Of course, leaders of the criminal organization send out every goon they have to kill the main character before he arrives at their doorstep. There currently aren’t many reviews for this low-budget action title and the ones that have appeared so far have been uniformly negative. They note that despite a decent cast, the editing is confusing, the dialogue terrible and the fight scenes poorly staged and edited together. It sounds like in the end viewers may also experience some suffering. For the time being, this effort will only be available on DVD. Tony Schiena, Donald Cerrone, James Chalke, Bruce Dern, Sean Patrick Flannery and Cuba Gooding Jr. headline the film.
WHO DONE IT? THE CLUE DOCUMENTARY – This documentary is about the 1985 comedy Clue that was based on the popular board game of the same name. The underrated, very amusing comedy/mystery boasted a stellar cast and crew. Oddly enough, it also featured three completely different endings depending on what theater you happened to see it at. Unfortunately, the movie tanked at the box office, but over the years the movie has found a cult following. One obsessive fan attempts to talk with as many cast and crew members as he can about their experience on the picture. While he misses Tim Curry, Christopher Lloyd, Martin Mull and co-writer John Landis, he does manage to interview Colleen Camp, Jeffrey Kramer, Michael McKean, Lee Ving, Lesley Ann Warren and director Jonathan Lynn (who would go on to helm My Cousin Vinny and The Whole Nine Yards). So far, reviews state that the movie is virtually homemade and some of the fan footage is a bit much. They do, however, concede that there are some funny stories from the subjects and that the doc will appeal to those who enjoy the original film.
BLASTS FROM THE PAST!
It’s another busy week for older films receiving high-definition upgrades. Arrow Video is presenting the Hong Kong action/comedy/drama Knockabout (1979) on Blu-ray. This film was directed by Sammo Hung (who also co-stars) and follows two con artist brothers who get in over their heads after asking to be trained by a kung-fu master. It features some incredible fight sequences and an early lead role for Yuen Biao (Millionaires’ Express, Righting Wrongs, Eastern Condors, Dragons Forever, Once Upon a Time in China). The disc contains two cuts of the movie with 2K restorations, as well as the original language track (with multiple English subtitle tracks) and two choices of English dubbed audio. Added extras include two film historian commentary tracks, archival interviews with Sammo Hung, Bryan “Beardy” Lueng Kar-Yan, and “monkey style” kung-fu Grandmaster Chan Sau Chang. There is also a deleted scene, a theatrical trailer and a reversible sleeve. Here is a detailed review of the disc.
If thrillers are more to your liking, you can also pick up a Blu-ray of Black Sunday (1977) from Arrow Video. This disaster movie from John Frankenheimer (Birdman of Alcatraz, The Manchurian Candidate, The Train, Seconds, Grand Prix, Ronin and many others) is about a deranged US VietNam veteran planning to crash a blimp during the Super Bowl and kill all 80,000 attendees. It stars Robert Shaw and Bruce Dern and was based on the book by Thomas Harris (Red Dragon, The Silence of the Lambs), who also co-wrote the screenplay. Bonuses include a film scholar commentary, a visual essay on the movie, an hour-long documentary on Frankenheimer from 2003, an image gallery, as well as a reversible cover with original and newly created art for the movie.
AGFA (American Genre Film Archive) is delivering a Blu-ray of the fun documentary, GLOW: The Story of the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling (2012). GLOW was the first all-women pro-wrestling league and interviewees share their experiences during its run from the mid-1980s to early-1990s. This disc contains an archival commentary track with Billy Corgan of The Smashing Pumpkins and GLOW wrestlers Little Egypt, Matilda the Hun and Hollywood. It also comes with a Q&A from a film festival, outtakes, a trailer and 70-minutes of vintage glow matches, skits and music videos.
Wild Reeds (1994) is arriving on Blu-ray from Altered Innocence. It’s a French coming-of-age drama about the romantic lives of four teenagers. This release comes with a video essay on the movie, an interview with a cast member, a double-sided poster with an essay on the film, and plenty of trailers for the title.
The movie studio A24 has their own online shop, and if you happen to go there you can pick up an exclusive from them. It’s a Collector’s Edition “Digibook” of The Lighthouse (2019) with Robert Pattinson and Willem Dafoe. The release contains a sharper-looking 4K Ultra HD disc of the movie (it doesn’t look like a Blu-ray is included).
Going back to wrestling documentaries, you can also purchase a Blu-ray of Hitman Hart: Wrestling with Shadows (1998) from Canadian International Pictures. It contains the well-regarded feature that chronicles Bret Hart’s experiences in the WWE (which was called the WWF at the time). Additionally, it comes with a commentary track with Hart, new interviews with the figure and the movie’s director, archival interviews with Hart and the filmmaker. You will also get a non-fiction 47-minute film called The Life and Death of Owen Hart (1999) detailing Bret’s brother, who was also a pro-wrestler for the same organization.
Chilly Scenes of Winter (1979) is a bittersweet romantic comedy with John Heard and Mary Beth Hurt about a civil servant willing to do anything to rekindle a past relationship. Apparently, the studio wasn’t thrilled with this movie’s dark ending, so they insisted on a happy finale for the film. When it didn’t play, they changed their minds and put the original denouement back in. Criterion is releasing a Blu-ray of the proper version of the film with a 4K picture restoration, a program featuring producers Griffin Dunne, Mark Metcalf and Amy Robinson, a 1983 documentary about director Joan Micklin Silver, a 2005 interview with the filmmaker, as well as the upbeat final sequence that was eventually removed.
Discotek Media is delivering a Blu-ray of Another (2012), a Japanese live-action feature. It is based on an animated series about a young student who meets and befriends a student whom no one else can see. No extras are currently listed for this release.
If you’re a member of the Disney Movie Club, you’ll be happy to know that Cinderella (1950) is being released as part of an Ultimate Collector’s Edition series exclusive through their ordering service. This edition contains a 4K Ultra HD disc, a Blu-ray and a DVD of the animated classic along with tons of extras.
The Seven from Texas (1964) aka Hour of Death aka Seven Guns from Texas is arriving on Blu-ray from Dorado Films. It’s a western that was a co-production between Spain and Italy about a man who is released from prison and must contend with the fact that his fiancee has married another man. Violence eventually erupts (and I suppose at least five more people get involved in the fracas).
The Parker Posey comedy Party Girl (1995) is being released on Blu-ray from Fun City Editions. This well-regarded independent comedy/drama follows a debt-ridden young woman in New York who takes a job as a library clerk to make ends meet and turn her life around. The movie has been given a 4K restoration and comes with a new interview with the director, a recently recorded discussion with star Posey, talks with the music supervisor, as well as the co-writer and co-producer. It also comes with publicity materials and more.
Kino is delivering several Blu-rays as well. They include the Joel McCrea western Border River (1954). Extras include a film historian commentary and trailer. Counselor at Law (1933) stars John Barrymore as an attorney who learns that his wife has been cheating on him. The bonuses on this title are the same, and you’ll also get an upgraded 2K master of the movie itself. If I Had a Million (1932) is a comedy about an elderly tycoon who decides to give his fortune away to random strangers, only to be bombarded with requests from oddballs. It stars Gary Cooper, Charles Laughton, W.C. Fields and George Raft. The disc features a film authority commentary and a trailer.
A few years back, Kino released a Blu-ray of the Irish horror film Rawhead Rex (1986), which was based on a short story by Clive Barker. If memory serves, the movie wasn’t particularly good, but it has sold well and thus a new 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray edition is being put out. It presents the film with an upgraded restoration in 4K from the original camera negative, as well as all of previously released bonuses, including a director commentary, cast and crew interviews and more.
You can also pick up the Van Hefflin western Tomahawk (1951) on Blu-ray. Hefflin plays a scout who tries to prevent a war between the Sioux and US Army. The disc comes with a film historian commentary and trailer.
If you enjoy stand-up comedy, Mill Creek is delivering Mike Birbiglia Stand-Up Spotlight – 2 Comedy Specials on DVD. Additionally, the Jim Gaffigan Stand-Up Spotlight – 2 Comedy Specials is also getting a DVD release. They both contain popular specials featuring the funnymen.
And G.I. Joe: Retaliation (2013) is coming from Paramount in a special Steelbook that contains a 4K Ultra HD disc and a Blu-ray of the title. Apparently, the extended cut is present in this release only on the Blu-ray disc.
And there’s more! You can pick up a Blu-ray of the independently produced, ultra-low-budget shot-on-video feature Deep Undead (2005) courtesy of Satan’s Core. It’s about a diver who ends up in over his head investigating the waters near a nuclear power plant. You’ll get the original cut and an extended version of the film, a writer/director commentary track, a cast and crew Q&A, an archival making-of, an alternate ending, outtakes, a short film and publicity materials.
Severin is having a busy week. Attack Force Z (1981) is an action feature about Australian commandos embarking on a secret mission against Japanese forces. The cast includes Sam Neill, Mel Gibson and John Phillip Law. This Blu-ray includes a near 30-minute interview with the producer and talks with a few supporting actors, in addition to a slide show of stills and a trailer.
You can also pick up the 2-disc Blu-ray release, Blood on Melies’ Moon (2016) from Italian genre filmmaker Luigi Cozzi (Starcrash, Hercules, The Adventures of Hercules). The story involves a murder that occurs in the basement of the Profondo Rosso museum/store in Rome and the efforts of Cozzi himself to solve the crime. He uncovers a connection between the killing and inventor Louis Le Prince, who is now believed to be the man who really invented the movie camera. In addition to the film, you’ll get an introduction to the movie with Cozzi, the bonus movie The Little Wizards of Oz (2018), several making-of featurettes and FantastiCozzi (2016), a documentary on the filmmaker.
Severin is also releasing The Devil’s Game (1981), the final project from legendary Italian genre film director Mario Bava (Black Sunday, Black Sabbath, Blood and Black Lace, Planet of the Vampires, Danger: Diabolik, A Bay of Blood, Lisa and the Devil). In actuality, this title was a very well-reviewed 6 episode, 60-minute TV mini-series from several directors, but Bava’s episode earned the most praise and is considered a masterwork. The mini-series has been discovered and remastered for Blu-ray and comes with a film historian commentary, an interview with Lamberto Bava (Mario Bava’s son and the director of Demons and Demons 2), as well as the cinematographer.
If that wasn’t enough Italian fun, you can pick up The Five Days (1973) aka Five Days of Milan in a set that contains a 4K Ultra HD presentation as well as a Blu-ray and a CD of the score (or as a standalone Blu-ray). This is something of a lost film of Dario Argento (Deep Red, Suspiria) that is an epic dark comedy about the 1848 siege of Milan, following the adventures of a thief and a baker trying to avoid capture by the invading Austrian army. It flopped in its homeland and didn’t get much of a release in the rest of the world. The movie is finally debuting for the first time in North America. Specs include a 4K restoration of the film, a historian commentary track, in addition to interviews with Argento, screenwriter Luigi Cozzi, executive producer Claudio Argento, as well as other members of cast and crew. It also comes with publicity materials and more.
And, the distributor is putting out Violent Streets: The Umberto Lenzi/Tomas Milian Collection on Blu-ray, which contains the action flicks Almost Human (1974), Syndicate Sadists (1975), Free Hand for a Tough Cop (1976), The Cynic, The Rat and the Fist (1977) and Brothers Till We Die (1978). This release also includes a CD and each film is restored in 2K and comes with tons of bonuses including commentary tracks and interviews.
Shout! Factory is also having a busy week. Their first title is a Collector’s Edition of the killer ventriloquist dummy movie Dead Silence (2007) that includes a 4K Ultra HD disc and a Blu-ray of the film. The 4K Ultra HD disc is of the theatrical cut and the release also boasts a Blu-ray of the theatrical and unrated versions (which is prompting some outcry from horror fans, who wanted a 4K version of the uncut edit). At least this set comes with new interviews with director James Wan (Saw, Insidious, The Conjuring, The Conjuring 2), the film’s screenwriter, the ventriloquist dummy creator, and all previously released extras.
The Exorcist III (1990) Collector’s Edition contains a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray of the theatrical cut and an additional Blu-ray with the director’s cut. This sequel to the 1973 horror classic, written and directed by The Exorcist author William Peter Blatty (based on his own 1983 book, Legion) has a few good jolts. In fact, one particular scare at the end of a long, static shot is among the best cinematic jolts of the 1990s. Besides the improved picture quality, all previously released bonuses are here, including a feature-length documentary on the production.
The James McAvoy/Angelina Jolie action picture Wanted (2008) is also getting the 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray treatment from the distributor.
And the rather poor Hawaii-set monster movie Demon of Paradise (1987) is being released on Blu-ray as a Shout! Factory exclusive that can only be purchased on their website. It contains a new 2K scan of the movie and a trailer.
VCI is presenting the Gloria Swanson romantic comedy Tonight or Never (1931) on Blu-ray. The story follows an engaged opera singer who is told she will never be the top in her field until she experiences true love. Other features on the disc have not been listed.
Vinegar Syndrome also has a giant list of new Blu-rays that are all chock full of extras. The first is the fun Hong Kong picture, Bio-Zombie (1998) which is something of a comic update of George Romero’s Dawn of the Dead and has a few laughs. You can also pick up the low-budget effort Curucu, Beast of the Amazon (1956), which features a bizarre-looking monster. The Devonsville Terror (1983) stars Donald Pleasance as a professor investigating a witch’s curse in a small New England village. All of these Blu-rays include bonuses and the specifics can be found on the distributor website.
The distributor is also releasing the cult film Freeway II: Confessions of a Trickbaby (1999) as a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray set. Pictured above and to the right, this sequel to the 1996 film Freeway involves a new set of characters who go on a violent rampage. Natasha Lyonne, Vincent Gallo and David Allen Grier headline the film. It contains tons of treats including a feature-length making-of documentary.
Mexican Gothic: The Films of Carlos Enrique Taboada contains the films Poison for the Fairies (1984), Darker Than Night (1975) and Rapina (1975). These titles involve bewitched children, revenge-seeking spirits and murderous thieves. It arrives with 4K restorations of the movies and several video essays on the films and their importance in Mexican cinema.
You can also purchase tons of new Vinegar Syndrome exclusives through their website, like the action picture Dog Tags (1987) and Gina (1975), an early genre flick from French-Canadian Denys Arcand (The Decline of the American Empire, Jesus of Montreal, The Barbarian Invasions), who would eventually win a Best Foreign Language Film Oscar for the last title listed above.
YOU KNOW, FOR KIDS!
It’s a great week for family-themed entertainment. Check out all the titles listed below.
Blue’s Big City Adventure (2022 Blue’s Clues Movie) (Nickelodeon) DVD
Cinderella (1950) (Disney Movie Club Exclusive) 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray and DVD
Duck Dodgers: The Complete Series (2003 – 2005) (Warner Bros.) Blu-ray
Frozen Planet II (TV Mini-Series) (BBC) 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray
Paw Patrol: Aquapups (Nickelodeon) DVD
ON THE TUBE!
And here are all of the week’s releases of TV series.
Chucky: Season 2 (Universal) Blu-ray
Doctor Who: William Hartnell: Season 2 (BBC) Blu-ray
Duck Dodgers: The Complete Series (2003 – 2005) (Warner Bros.) Blu-ray
Frozen Planet II (TV Mini-Series) (BBC) 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray
Gaslit: The Complete Limited Series (Universal) Blu-ray
Maigret: Season 4 (Kino) Blu-ray
Paw Patrol: Aquapups (Nickelodeon) DVD
Rick and Morty: Season 6 (Warner Bros.) Blu-ray
Survivor: Season 43 (CBS) DVD