Hello and welcome to another look at highlights arriving on Blu-ray and DVD. It’s another busy week with big Hollywood films and award-winning independent fare. So, if you can’t make it out to the movies this week or need to the stay out of public places, be sure to give one of these titles a try!
BIG NEW RELEASES!
THE ARTIST’S WIFE – For many years, the wife of a famous artist puts her own painting career on hold to assist her spouse. While preparing his latest exhibition for display, his behavior becomes erratic and he is diagnosed with dementia. The lead attempts to prevent this information from going public before the show and must also decide whether it is time to start creating her own original works once again. This drama received a limited release a year or so ago and is now arriving on disc. Reaction towards it was slightly more positive than negative. Those who disliked it wrote that the story and stakes were underdeveloped and the drama was uninvolving. But the majority thought the cast made up for the screenplay deficiencies and called it an intriguing character study. It stars Lena Olin, Bruce Dern, Juliet Rylance, Avan Jogia and Stefanie Powers.
THE AVIARY – After spending years in a cult under the control of a charismatic but deranged guru, two women decide to break free of his hold. They sneak out of their remote compound in the desert and attempt to hike their way to freedom. As the heat climbs and supplies dwindle, the pair become fearful and paranoid that they are being followed. But are their lives in danger, or are they simply hallucinating? Film critics gave this effort more praise than pans. A significant contingent did complain that the film’s screenplay lacked noteworthy surprises or revelations. However, more called it an effective low-budget production that featured some excellent performances and captured the lingering effects of being in a cult. This is currently a DVD-only release. The cast includes Malin Akerman, Lorenza Izzo and Chris Messina.
CHARLOTTE – This animated biographical feature details the life of Charlotte Salomon, a talented young German-Jewish painter who lived in Berlin during the beginning of the Second World War. When anti-Semitic policies and views are introduced, the lead’s prospects become bleak. She is eventually forced to flee and make a new start in France. Unfortunately, it isn’t long before Nazi forces invade and threaten the lives of the protagonist and those she loves. The press gave this movie more positive write-ups than negative ones. About one-third of articles commented that the movie didn’t paint a detailed or deep enough picture of their subject or her personal struggles. The rest said that while depressing, the story was effectively told, detailed some complicated aspects of Salomon’s life, and would inspire many to check out her work. The voice-talent includes Keira Knightley, Marion Cotillard, Brenda Blethyn, Jim Broadbent, Sam Claflin and Henry Czerny.
FANTASTIC BEASTS: THE SECRETS OF DUMBLEDORE – The latest prequel/spin-off from the Harry Potter universe follows timid “Magizoologist” Newt Scamander and young professor Albus Dumbledor as they square off against evil wizard Gellert Grindelwald. With the villainous figure’s power growing ever stronger, Dumbledor asks Scamander and his friends to undertake a dangerous mission to help save the wizarding world. Reaction towards this follow-up was relatively tepid and mixed. Nearly half of reviewers did comment that it was an improvement over the previous installment, featured a few thrills and would entertain franchise enthusiasts. However, more called it a rather bland entry that didn’t wrap plot elements up excitingly or effectively. They suggested that the franchise had officially outstayed its welcome. It features Eddie Redmayne, Jude Law, Mads Mikkelsen, Ezra Miller, Dan Fogler, Alison Sudol and William Nadylam.
FIRESTARTER – Whoa, that was fast! This picture opened at cinemas six weeks ago and is now debuting on disc. It’s the second adaptation of the popular horror novel by Stephen King. The story involves a little girl who discovers that she has the power to create fire. She and her dad go on the run from a sinister federal agency who want to kidnap the lead, harness her powers and use her as a weapon of mass destruction. The movie received terrible reviews during its theatrical run. Those who gave it a pass liked the concept and said the special effects were impressive (a few of them also admitted to not being familiar with the source material). But the vast majority called the movie dramatically flat, choppy and nonsensical at times. Zac Efron, Ryan Kiera Armstrong, Sydney Lemmon, Kurtwood Smith, John Beasley and Michael Greyeyes headline the movie.
HELLO BOOKSTORE – Shot during the pandemic, this documentary follows a small independent bookstore in Massachusetts and its eccentric owner. Considered a landmark in its hometown, locals do everything they can to support the shop and prevent it from going out of business. Viewers also meet the owner himself and see how he and customers helped the shop weather the storm for an extended period of time. Critics liked the movie, although they stopped short of praising it. A small number thought that while well-intentioned, it wasn’t very insightful or interesting in showing how businesses endured the pandemic. Regardless, the majority felt uplifted and inspired by what they saw, ultimately calling the movie sweet and likable. This title will be available exclusively on DVD.
INSPECTOR IKE – This independent comedy apes the style of cop shows from the 1970s. The world’s greatest detective is asked to investigate the murder of a famous New York stage actor. In order to get close to the potential killers, he goes undercover and pretends to be a new performer joining the theater troupe. He is forced to use new and unusual techniques to befriend and question the cast in order to discover the responsible party. So far, members of the press who have seen this flick have uniformly enjoyed it. They called it a very close emulation of TV programs from the era and wrote that it was dryly funny from beginning to end. A few even said that they hoped there would be more films in the future featuring the amusing character. It stars Ikechukwu Ufomadu, Matt Barats, Ana Fabrega, Grace Rex and John Early.
MOSQUITO STATE – A lonely Wall Street data analyst hoping to impress his coworkers and bosses at an office party begins to find his consciousness being twisted by two unusual entities. One is a pesky mosquito that tries to influence his behavior, while the other is a spirit-like and mysterious woman whom he encounters at the celebration. As things progress, the lead’s behavior becomes more unpredictable. This picture debuted on the Shudder streaming service and is now debuting as a DVD- only release. Slightly less than half of the reviews noted that while the movie was an interesting experiment, it didn’t come together or make an effective point. Still, slightly more appreciated it as an intriguing and unique “body horror” film. The cast includes Beau Knapp and Charlotte Vega.
MOTHERING SUNDAY – Based on the award-winning 2016 novel by Graham Swift, this British period drama is set in the 1920s after the end of WWI. It details the life of a young woman working as a servant on a large estate. On the annual day in which the staff are given a holiday, she sneaks off to see her secret lover who is engaged to be married. As the day progresses, events occur that change the entire course of her life. This picture earned favorable reviews from outlets. A small percentage couldn’t get on its wavelength and didn’t care for the way in which the chronology of events jumped around. Regardless, the consensus was that the film was an excellent adaptation that captured the way in which people deal with grief and tragedy throughout their lives. It features Odessa Young, Josh O’Connor, Colin Firth, Olivia Colman and Sope Dirisu. Read a full review of the film here.
THE ROSE MAKER – In this comedy from France, one of the country’s greatest horticulturalists faces tough times when her rose business begins failing. While imminent foreclosure looming, she turns to her secretary for help. The assistant makes some desperate calls to keep them going, hiring three inexperienced ex-convicts to help them save the business. Response towards this foreign-language title was almost uniformly upbeat. Only one reviewer in North America gave it a thumbs down, saying it was predictable and corny. Everyone else stated that the movie was a low-key, warmhearted, funny and incredibly charming effort that also benefited from gorgeous photography. For the time being, this is currently a DVD exclusive release. Catherine Frot, Manel Foulgoc, Fatsah Bouyahmed and Olivia Côte headline the feature.
SEE FOR ME – A young blind woman who wants to assert her independence is asked to house sit at an impressive estate. She agrees, but not long after settling in comes under attack from a group of dangerous robbers. Thankfully, she has a special app on her cell that connects her to an operator who can use her own phone camera to assist callers. This person attempts to guide the lead and help her survive the invasion. This independent thriller was well-received by genre critics. A limited contingent complained that while competently produced, the protagonist wasn’t very likable and the story wouldn’t surprise viewers or leave a lasting impression. Still, the majority liked the concept and wrote that the movie was a fun and engaging thriller that added a twist or two to a familiar formula. It stars Skyler Davenport, Laura Vandervoort and Kim Coates.
THE WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD – If this title sounds familiar, that’s likely because it was recently nominated for Academy Awards in the categories of Best International Film and Best Original Screenplay. It details several years in the life of a Norwegian woman in Oslo. Over this period of time, she attempts to figure out who she is and what she wants out of life, both personally and professionally. But her life is messy and complicated, leading to both disastrous and joyous moments. As you might have already guessed, the movie received raves. Only a tiny handful of reviewers didn’t get it, saying it was hard to discern the movie’s point and felt unfocused. Everyone else suggested that the intent was to display a human life authentically, displaying all the lead’s strengths and weaknesses during her struggle. They also said it was beautifully acted. The cast includes Renate Reinsve, Anders Danielsen Lie and Herbert Nordrum.
BLASTS FROM THE PAST!
This edition is just as busy if you’re looking for something older. Arrow Video may have the biggest title of the week with their Special Edition of the cult hit, True Romance (1993). Written by Quentin Tarantino (Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood) and directed by Tony Scott (Top Gun, Crimson Tide), the story follows a young outcast who meets and falls for a call girl. When he tries to free the woman from the control of her pimp, violence occurs and the two protagonists end up on the run from the mob and the law. It’s an effective film that benefits from a great cast that includes Christian Slater, Patricia Arquette, Dennis Hopper, Gary Oldman, Brad Pitt, Christopher Walken, Samuel L. Jackson and many more.
There are many different editions, including a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray, as well as a standalone Blu-ray ray. All discs come with both the theatrical version and the director’s cut with incredible new image transfers. Extras include four audio commentaries (one with Scott, another with Tarantino, a third with Slater and Arquette and a fourth track with a film historian), select scene commentaries with Dennis Hopper, Val Kilmer, Brad Pitt and Michael Rapaport, a brand new select scene commentary by Bronson Pinchot and Saul Rubinek, cast and crew interviews, deleted scenes, an alternate ending and a ton of publicity material. This release sounds incredible.
AFGA, or American Genre Film Archive is releasing The Films of Doris Wishman: The Twilight Years Blu-ray box set. This female filmmaker made numerous exploitation films in the 1970s and this set contains seven movies, including The Amazing Transplant (1970), Love Toy (1971) Keyholes are For Peeping (1972), Deadly Weapons (1974), Double Agent 73 (1974), The Immoral Three (1975) and Let Me Die a Woman (1977). The movies have been given 2K restorations and come with film critic commentaries and other bonuses.
Canadian International Pictures are presenting a Blu-ray double-feature of sorts containing two hour-long efforts Buster Keaton Rides Again (1965) and Helicopter Canada (1966) (pictured above and to the right). Both were created to promote the country of Canada. The first is a travelogue of sorts that features Keaton performing some physical comedy, while the second contains footage shot from the sky during the nation’s centennial celebration. It comes with several commentaries and other shorts produced in Canada during the era.
Pink Flamingos (1972) is a notorious cult comedy from director John Waters (Polyester, Hairspray, Serial Mom). Criterion are now presenting it on Blu-ray. It’s about a character who is named “the filthiest person alive” by a tabloid paper and the efforts of others in town to outdo this person and take the crown. The movie is perhaps most famous for a stomach-churning scene at its close. You’ll get a 4K transfer of the film, a 1997 and 2001 commentary from Waters, a new conversation with the director, a tour of the locations, deleted and alternate scenes, a trailer and more.
Deaf Crocodile Films are premiering a Blu-ray of the Russian fantasy flick, Ilya Muromets (1956) aka The Sword and the Dragon in North America. These colorful old pictures are quite remarkable to watch as they present famous myths and legends from Eastern Europe. It comes with a film historian commentary. Those looking for Japanese genre films can pick up Uzumaki (2000) on Blu-ray courtesy of Discotek Media.
Fun City and Severin are presenting the enjoyable comedy The Coca-Cola Kid (1985) restored in 2K. The Blu-ray was an exclusive through the Severin website, but is now being made available everywhere. The movie stars a young Eric Roberts as a Coca-Cola salesman heading to Australia to build the brand abroad. He meets with an unexpected amount of resistance. The disc includes tons of archival and new interviews, including a recent talk about the movie with Roberts himself.
Film Noir: The Dark Side of Cinema is a new Blu-ray box set that contains Big House U.S.A. (1955), A Bullet for Joey (1955), He Ran All the Way (1951), Storm Fear (1955) and Witness to Murder (1954), as well as theatrical trailers for the movies.
The distributor is also putting out the early Stanley Kubrick thriller Killer’s Kiss (1955). This is a 4K Ultra HD only release, so don’t purchase it if you can only play regular Blu-rays – it won’t be included.
However, you can purchase the excellent George Clooney/Jennifer Lopez crime feature Out of Sight (1998) as a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray set (it is also available as a stand-alone Blu-ray). Directed by Steven Soderberg (Erin Brockovich, Ocean’s Eleven, Traffic, Logan Lucky). It’s about a bank robber who kidnaps a US Marshall and falls in love with her. Extras include a new commentary with the director and the screenwriter, a documentary on the making-of the movie, deleted scenes and more.
Karate Girl (2011) is a Japanese film that is arriving on Blu-ray from Media Blasters. It involves a female high-school student who happens to be a martial arts expert. The disc includes a new English dub of the title for those who don’t or can’t read subtitles and other supplements.
A few Eddie Murphy titles will be premiering on Blu-ray this week. This includes the rom-com Boomerang (1992) Paramount and the period gangster comedy Harlem Nights (1989). The latter was a box-office flop, but it does feature a hilarious supporting turn from Arsenio Hall as a crook with an unusual tic.
The studio’s prestige line Paramount Presents is delivering The First Wives Club (1996) on Blu-ray. Goldie Hawn, Bette Midler and Diane Keaton play women out to get revenge on their nasty spouses. The movie also features Maggie Smith, Sarah Jessica Parker and Dan Hedaya. This disc contains a 4K restoration of the film, a featurette with the screenwriter, a trailer and fold-out packaging with the poster for the title.
Fans of low-budget genre pics can purchase a Blu-ray of the shot-on-video hacker flick No Resistance (1994) from Satan’s Core. Severin is releasing The Big Sleazy – Jack Weis Double Feature Blu-ray which contains Crypt of Dark Secrets (1976) and Death Brings Roses (1975). The set will contain extras like film historian commentaries. They also have a high-definition disc of the dark comedy Hey, Stop Stabbing Me! (2003). This release includes commentaries, another feature called Sledgehammers at Dawn and many other extras.
Finally, Shout! Factory are putting out a couple of Blu-ray titles that will be available exclusively through their own official website. The first is The Flesh Eaters (2964), which is about a group whose plane is forced to land on a remote island filled with aquatic, flesh-eating microbes. The film arrives with a 2K restoration, an alternate cut of the movie, interviews, outtakes, promotional materials and more.
They also are releasing The She-Creature (1956) about a prehistoric human monster wreaking havoc in a town. The Blu-ray includes a Mystery Science Theater 3000 episode that deals with the film, as well as a radio spot and photo gallery.
YOU KNOW, FOR KIDS!
There’s not a lot for kids this week, but here is what is being made available for youngsters.
Scooby-Doo! and Guess Who?: The Complete Second Season (Warner Bros.) DVD
ON THE TUBE!
And here are all of the week’s TV-themed releases.
American Experience: Plague at the Golden Gate (PBS) DVD
A-Team: The Complete Series (1983-1987) (Universal) Blu-ray
Charmed: The Complete Series (1998-2006) (Paramount) Blu-ray
The Christmas Cure (Hallmark) DVD
Doctor Who: Eve of the Daleks & Legend of the Sea Devils (2022) (BBC) Blu-ray
Hollington Drive: Series 1 (Sundance) DVD
The Mistletoe Promise (Hallmark) DVD
NOVA: Determined – Fighting Alzheimer’s (PBS) DVD
Rocco Shiavone: Ice Cold Murders: Season 2 (2018) (Kino) Blu-ray
Scooby-Doo! and Guess Who?: The Complete Second Season (Warner Bros.) DVD
Trinity: Classically Irish (PBS) DVD