Welcome to another look at the latest highlights arriving on Blu-ray and DVD. This is a big week with some high-profile features, as well as interesting international and independent fare. So, if you can’t or shouldn’t be heading out to the movies this week, be sure to give one of these titles a try!
BIG NEW RELEASES!
DEATH ON THE NILE – The newest adaptation of the Agatha Christie mystery novel sees detective Hercule Poirot visiting Egypt and being invited to a lavish wedding. Naturally, someone of note is murdered during the elaborate ceremony. After questioning the attendees, it becomes clear that everyone may have harbored some ill-will towards the victim, making the lead’s job all the more difficult. This feature received more positive write-ups than negative ones. Those who didn’t care for it found it hammy and unmemorable. Still, more were impressed by the cast and production value on display. They called it a fun and agreeable thriller and appreciated the added backstory for the protagonist. The movie can be picked up as a 4K UHD and regular Blu-ray set, or one can purchase the Blu-ray on its own. It stars Kenneth Branagh, Gal Gadot, Armie Hammer, Emma Mackey, Annette Bening, Tom Bateman, Ali Fazal, Russell Brand, Sophie Okonedo, Letitia Wright, Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders. To read a full review of the movie, just click here.
DESPERATE RIDERS – In this western, a grizzled loner rescues a young man from a card-game shootout. The new acquaintance tells the man that his mother has been kidnapped by an outlaw and that he needs help protecting the rest of his family. The tough guy agrees and the duo try to hunt down the nasty figure. Along the way, they team up with another woman who has escaped the killer and is looking for revenge. Not many have seen this picture, but a couple of reviews have popped up online. These notices haven’t been overly complimentary, calling the story routine and predictable. They also suggest that everyone involved appeared to be simply going through the motions. It features Trace Adkins, Drew Waters, Vanessa Lee Evigan, Sam Ashby, Victoria Pratt, Cowboy Troy and Tom Berenger.
THE ICE DEMON – A man is found in the middle of a snowy forest and is taken to a hospital in a coma. His ex-wife is called in, who reports that she hasn’t seen or heard from him in over 10 years. She and their daughter talk to the figure in his hospital bed and try to wake him up. Meanwhile, the woman’s current partner is displeased and distressed by the situation. Further tension arises when supernatural events begin occurring within their household. This Russian foreign-language feature hasn’t been seen by many in this part of the world. There have been a small number of negative reviews posted on websites. They complain that the pacing is slow, focusing too much on family drama and also suggest the decisions and actions of the characters are illogical and unrelatable. Alina Babak, Olga Lomonosova, Aleksey Rozin, Gleb Kalyuzhnyy and Igor Khripunov headline the picture.
THE IMMORTAL – Those looking for more world cinema can also try this feature from France. This movie is a spin-off of a hit French crime show called Gomorrah that originally aired in 2014. As the title suggests, it follows a mobster who has the power of immortality. The central character goes into exile, frustrated that he can’t lead a normal existence. In order to feel alive again, he gets involved in a fracas that threatens his empire. There aren’t many write-ups available for this feature either, but the ones that have appeared are upbeat. One or two were disappointed that not all of the characters from the show returned for this follow-up. However, most said it was an unpredictable ride with all sorts of wild twists and turns that would impress fans of the program. The cast includes Marco D’Amore, Gennaro Di Colandrea and Nello Mascia.
JOCKEY – In this independent feature, an aging, injury-plagued horse jockey strives to win one last title for a trailer and friend who has purchased what appears to be a championship horse. It’s an agonizingly painful process that is further complicated when another young jockey arrives claiming to be the rider’s son. The jockey takes the young man under his wing, leading to further conflicts as the big race day approaches. The press gave this drama very high marks. A handful couldn’t quite connect with the characters and found it an emotionally cold feature that didn’t resonate. The vast majority commented that it all felt incredibly authentic and believable from beginning to end. They elaborated by saying that while the approach to the material was low-key, it was still a moving feature with incredible performances. It stars Clifton Collins Jr., Molly Parker and Moises Arias.
THE LONG NIGHT – A New Yorker searching for parents she has never known finds information that they might be living in the deep south. She convinces her boyfriend to take a trip with her to investigate these claims. But soon after arriving, the pair find themselves being pursued and kidnapped by a cult who want to make them part of a twisted ceremony believed to bring about the apocalypse. Critics were not impressed with this independent horror feature. A few enjoyed the film’s use of dark humor and were grimly amused with what they witnessed. But the consensus was that the feature was derivative and dull, picking elements from better genre pictures and pasting them together in an unsuccessful fashion. The cast includes Scout Taylor-Compton, Nolan Gerard Funk, Deborah Kara Unger and Jeff Fahey.
PARALLEL MOTHERS – The latest offering from Spain’s Pedro Almodovar (Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, All About My Mother, Volver, Pain and Glory) follows two single women who meet at the hospital. Both have been dealing with accidental pregnancies. One is excited about giving birth, while the other is scared about the future. Their experiences together create an unexpectedly close link between the pair. This foreign-language feature earned raves from the press and was nominated for multiple Academy Awards, including Best Actress and Best Score (but, strangely enough, not Best International Feature). A tiny number stated that the story and various subplots didn’t fit together well. Everyone else complimented the lead performance as exceptional and thought the movie effectively mixed melodrama with striking visuals. It features Penélope, Aitana Sánchez-Gijón, Milena Smit and Israel Elejalde.
SCREAM – Some 25 after a brutal series of slayings by the original “Ghostface” killer, a new lunatic begins targeting a group of college students in the same town. The kids investigate the patterns behind the murders and ask for advice from survivors of previous instalments. The entire group learn that to survive, they will have to use their knowledge of various horror movies trends. The fifth movie in this popular series is the first not to be directed by late horror legend Wes Craven or written by Kevin Williamson. Regardless, it received more upbeat notices than negative ones. About one quarter of write-ups thought this entry was one-too-many, noting that the new characters weren’t interesting and that the characters made too many questionable decisions for a flick poking fun at the genre. Still, more thought it was an effective update with some clever observations that would deliver what horror fans required. Neve Campbell, Courtney Cox, David Arquette, Melissa Barrera, Kyle Gallner, Mason Gooding, Mikey Madison and Dylan Minnette headline the film. Here’s a link to a review of the picture.
TO WHAT REMAINS – According to records, more than 80,000 Americans were declared missing-in-action during World War II. This documentary tells the story of a small team of scientists, historians and military veterans who are trying to find the remains of various ship and planes lost during the ordeal. Viewers see their efforts and discoveries as they attempt to bring closure to the families of those still waiting to learn what happened to their relatives. The picture earned decent reviews from critics. One or two didn’t think that the documentarians pieced the story together as well as they could have and felt that the movie could have left a bigger emotional imprint. Still, more described the film as compelling, stating that the various stories being presented would be sure to leave an emotional mark on anyone watching it.
VICIOUS FUN – This independent horror/comedy is a homage to 80s genre cinema. It involves a reporter working on a story for a magazine about serial killers. After tailing his research subject too aggressively, the protagonist finds himself unwittingly trapped in a self-help group for serial killers. With no way to escape, he’s forced to befriend them and fit in so that he doesn’t become another victim. The picture won some prizes at genre film festivals and reaction towards it was favorable. A few complained that the jokes missed the mark and that the writing could have been sharper than it actually was. Regardless, the vast majority called it fun (much like the title of the movie promises), noting that it was well-paced and effectively blended laughs and scares in equal measure. It stars Evan Marsh, Amber Goldfarb, Ari Millen, Julian Richings, Robert Maillet, Sean Baek and David Koechner.
BLASTS FROM THE PAST!
If you get a kick out of martial arts movies, Arrow Video are presenting The 8 Diagram Pole Fighter (1984) as a “Special Edition” Blu-ray. This Shaw Brothers production from Hong Kong begins with a battle that wipes out a family patriarch and his two sons. His one surviving boy joins a monastery. When he learns that his sister has been taken by enemies, he decides that he must fight to rescue her and take vengeance on the outlaws responsible. The picture has been given a 2K restoration and the disc includes a film historian commentary, a newly filmed critic appreciation of the title, interviews with the cast members recorded in 2004, a short that commemorates the life of one of the stars (who passed away during production), alternate opening credits and plenty of publicity materials.
Code Red are delivering The Violent Breed (1984) on Blu-ray. Also known as Razza Violenta, this hard-boiled Italian action flick involves an ex-CIA agent who decides to go rouge and take down a group of KGB agents. The trail leads him to Thailand, where the enemies have a showdown. Harrison Miller stars with Henry Silva and Woody Strode. The disc comes with a 2K restoration of the film and a trailer.
Jigsaw (1962) is a British whodunit about police investigating a murder on the coast of Brighton. Cohen Media Group are presenting the movie on Blu-ray which will be released through Kino.
Speaking of Kino, they also have several Blu-rays arriving for purchase. Armageddon (1977) is a European crime thriller with Alain Delon as a psychologist helping police catch a psychopath with aspirations of being a terrorist. Bonuses include a film historian commentary track and a trailer. The Body of My Enemy (1976) is a French drama about a man who hates the textile barons that seemingly run his town. All that changes when he falls for one of their daughters. But sometime later, the lead discovers the family connections to the mob and is framed for a murder. He attempts to extricate himself from his in-laws. Special features on this disc are the same as those listed for the previous title.
They also have the silent German effort The Indian Tomb (1921). It was written by Fritz Lang several years before he went on to co-write and direct the 1927 science-fiction classic Metropolis. This four-hour, two-part epic follows two adventurers who run afoul of a sinister prince in Bengal. Extras include a 45-minute visual essay from movie historians on the feature.
Of Mice and Men (1968) is arriving on DVD courtesy of Liberation Hall. This is a TV-movie adaptation of the classic novel staring George Segal and Nicol Williamson.
Paramount are digging into their vaults to prepare a couple of comedies. Let It Ride (1989) features Richard Dreyfuss as a man who gets a hot tip on a horse in an upcoming race. But as he places an enormous bet on the outcome, he begins to wonder if his source was all that trustworthy. Those who pick up the Blu-ray will also receive a behind-the-scenes featurette and trailer.
They also have the all-star comedy Soapdish (1991). Pictured above and to the left, it details a day on the set of a famous, long-running soap opera. Viewers see all of the humorous infighting between the producers and leads, as well as the strained relationships between the cast members. Sally Field, Cathy Moriarty, Robert Downey Jr., Teri Hatcher, Kevin Kline, Elizabeth Shue, Whoopi Goldberg, Cathy Najimy and Carrie Fisher headline the picture. The Blu-ray also comes with a behind-the-scenes featurette and a trailer.
Finally, Unearthed Films have a Blu-ray of the independent Japanese feature, 2LDK (2003). It’s about two desperate actresses living together who ultimately turn on one another in shocking and violent ways. The Blu-ray arrives with a commentary track featuring the cast, a making-of, video from a production briefing, a message recorded for the audience, footage from preview screenings, archived interviews and a photo gallery.
YOU KNOW, FOR KIDS!
Here are some new arrivals that may appeal to kids.
Charlie’s Colorforms City: Season 1 (Netflix) DVD
Nick Jr. Spring is Here (Nickelodeon) DVD
Pokemon Journeys: The Series – Destination: Coronation! DVD
Superior 8 Ultraman Brothers (2008) Blu-ray
Ultraman Ultraseven X: The Complete Series Blu-ray
ON THE TUBE!
And you’ll find all of the week’s TV-themed releases listed below.
Before We Die: Season 1 (PBS) DVD
CSI: Vegas: Season 1 Blu-ray
Doctor Who: Galaxy 4 (BBC) Blu-ray
Doctor Who: Tom Baker: Complete Season Six (BBC) Blu-ray
The Handmaid’s Tale: Season 4 DVD
Ken Burns: Benjamin Franklin (PBS) Blu-ray
NATURE: Animals with Cameras: Season 2 (PBS) DVD
Nick Jr. Spring is Here (Nickelodeon) DVD
NOVA: Butterfly Blueprints (PBS) DVD
Of Mice and Men (1968) TV-movie – Liberation Hall DVD
Pokemon Journeys: The Series – Destination: Coronation! DVD
South Beach Love (Hallmark Channel) DVD
Ultraman Ultraseven X: The Complete Series Blu-ray
Up All Night: The Complete Series Blu-ray
You Had Me at Aloha (Hallmark Channel) DVD