Welcome to another look at highlights arriving on Blu-ray and DVD. This edition includes several high-profile and interesting independent efforts in a wide variety of genres. 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!
BELLE – This animated film from Japan follows an introverted student living in a small town. Despite not having friends in her normal life, the youngster creates a famous online persona of a globally-beloved singer. One day while performing, she is interrupted by a monstrous creature being chased by vigilantes. She decides to seek out and potentially help this unusual creature both online and in the real world. Response towards the picture was very strong. A small number commented that the film was too long and suggested that it was geared exclusively towards teens. However, the vast majority were impressed, calling it visually striking and noting that the film effectively addressed themes like grief, as well as the potential dangers of spending too much time in online virtual worlds. The disc has a Japanese language track with English subtitles and an English audio edition.
A DAY TO DIE – An ex-military ops officer has his wife kidnapped by a violent mobster in this action picture. He is given one day to pay $2 million dollars for the safe return of his spouse. In order to earn the cash, the lead decides to contact old friends and embark on a series of dangerous heists. Along the way, he squares off with a corrupt police chief who may be assisting the gang leader. There haven’t been a great many reviews for this feature and the ones that have appeared have been uniformly negative. They all complained that the low-budget effort was generic and forgettable, suggesting that a good cast was wasted on a bland and lazy screenplay. The cast includes Kevin Dillon, Bruce Willis, Gianni Capaldi, Frank Grillo, Leon and Brooke Butler.
DEATH VALLEY – Two mercenaries are hired to rescue an imprisoned bioengineer from a secret facility. After arriving, they discover that the individual may have been locked and hidden away from the public for good reason. Almost immediately, they come under attack by an unknown and deadly creature. This feature is an original film from the Shudder streaming service that is now arriving on Blu-ray. Critics were generally upbeat about what they saw. About one-quarter of reviews stated that it reminded them of a Resident Evil film and felt that it didn’t stand out as being particularly original. But the majority thought that while story elements were familiar, the action scenes were well-staged, the monster and make-up effects were impressive and the film served as an entertaining throwback to 1980s horror flicks. Jeremy Ninaber, Ethan Mitchell, Kristen Kaster and Matthew Ninaber headline the film.
INFINITE – A man struggles to process strange visions and memories of places he has never visited. After nearly reaching his breaking point, he discovers a secret organization who may have answers. The lead is told that he is experiencing details from past lives and that these bits of information and experiences can help him in the present. He joins this hidden society and tries to help them stop a previous group member who is threatening to end the world. The press blasted his science-fiction/action film and it was even nominated for a few Razzie Awards. Some outliers argued that despite the flawed plot, the movie delivered fun action and escapism. However, all others complained that the weak and convoluted script confuses rather than thrills and also called it a slowly paced and ineffective feature. It stars Mark Wahlberg, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Sophie Cookson, Jason Mantzoukas, Rupert Friend and Toby Jones.
KICKING BLOOD – Also released under the title, Kicking Blood: A Vampire Love Story, this independent genre film involves a modern-day vampire who falls in love with a recovering alcoholic. She decides to start a relationship and attempts to quit drinking blood, doing everything possible to become a normal human being. Of course, this path is a difficult one and she finds it harder and harder to resist the urge to consume plasma. The general reception towards this independent genre picture was decent. About a quarter of write-ups liked the concept but didn’t think the film came to life, lacking romantic chemistry and chills. Still, most thought the vampirism motif was an interesting metaphor for alcoholism and liked the cast, calling it an interesting and original take on a well-worn genre. Alanna Bale, Luke Bilyk and Benjamin Sutherland headline the feature.
KURT VONNEGUT: UNSTUCK IN TIME – Kurt Vonnegut is a legendary writer famous for novels like Slaughterhouse Five and Breakfast of Champions. This documentary on this figure comes from a man who contacted the writer in 1988 and was granted complete access to his life as well as the opportunity to talk with the man on several occasions. It has taken him 34 years to complete this film (Vonnegut himself passed away in 2007), but it promises to present a full biographical account of Vonnegut’s life, his creative process and thoughts on the world in general. The feature earned plenty of praise. One or two thought the final product distilled too much and believed the final product would have benefitted from a longer running time than 2 hours. However, the consensus was that the movie accurately told Vonnegut’s story and also interspersed some fascinating personal recollections from the documentarian.
LICORICE PIZZA – Inspired by the life of an actual child actor, this 1970s-set coming-of-age tale follows a teen from the San Fernando Valley as he desperately tries to grow up and make a name for himself. On his school photo day, he befriends a 20-something photographer’s assistant who is unhappy with her lot in life. The two get involved in various business schemes involving waterbed companies and pinball arcades, even crossing paths with Hollywood celebrities along the way. This picture was nominated for several Academy Awards and earned plenty of praise during its release. A very small number stated that they couldn’t relate to the characters and thought the story lacked focus. Everyone else called it wonderful, noting it was authentic in capturing the era and presented the fascinating lives of some enjoyably quirky characters. The film features Alana Haim, Cooper Hoffman, Sean Penn, Tom Waits and Bradley Cooper.
THE SADNESS – This horror feature is set in Taipei and begins after citizens return to a normal life following a long pandemic. Everyone pays the price for letting their guard down when a virus mutation suddenly starts moving through the population, turning average, ordinary citizens into bloodthirsty killers. A separated couple must race through the city and try to avoid being infected and/or murdered in order to reunite. The press was taken by this Taiwanese foreign-language picture. A small number said that the movie was depressing, exhausting and a general ordeal to watch. But the vast majority appreciated it for that very same reason. They called it relentlessly disturbing, chilling and boundary-pushing, noting that the feature also made interesting points about the misanthropy that currently exists in our world. Berant Zhu, Regina Lei and Tzu-Chiang Wang headline the feature.
SUNDOWN – At the beginning of this dark drama, a wealthy couple decide to vacation in Mexico with their kids. Shortly after settling in, they receive word from abroad about a family tragedy. According to the plot synopsis, their reaction and choices about what to do next cause tension within the group, eventually leading to bigger arguments and confrontations. The picture was generally well-received by critics. A small percentage complained that they didn’t appreciate some of the filmmaker’s narrative tricks and found the scenes of conflict repetitive. However, the majority were very impressed by the lead performance and argued that it was an incredible character study about an individual with hidden motivations and dark secrets. It stars Tim Roth, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Iazua Larios, Henry Goodman, Albertine Kotting McMillan and Samuel Bottomley.
WYRMWOOD: APOCALYPSE – This sequel to the 2014 Australian zombie movie Wyrmwood: Road of the Dead is set in a world that has been overrun by zombies. A soldier who has dedicated his life to tracking survivors for an organization working on a cure begins to question his orders after he is told to separate a mother from her child for a series of cruel experiments. The protagonist changes allegiances and teams with rebel survivors to fight back. Response was upbeat towards this genre flick. There were only a few who complained that there was too much action in the movie and that it lacked character development or a clear story. The vast majority called it an excitingly over-the-top B-movie treat that delivered laughs and exaggerated gruesomeness in equal measure. Luke McKenzie, Shantae Barnes-Cowan, Jake Ryan, Bianca Bradey, Tasia Zalar and Jay Gallagher headline the film.
BLASTS FROM THE PAST!
There are plenty of interesting older features receiving high-definition upgrades. Arrow Video are releasing a Blu-ray of the slasher film Girls Nite Out (1982). Set at a university, the story involves a group of female students involved in a scavenger hunt on campus. A killer in a mascot costume begins hunting them down, as well as any guys who get in the way. The “Limited Edition” disc includes a 2K scan of the movie from the original camera negative, a film critic commentary track, numerous interviews with cast members, an alternative title card, trailers and a reversible sleeve with new movie artwork. Want to know more? A full review of the disc is available here.
Cohen Media Group have two new Blu-rays coming your way. The first is the French drama Outside the Law (2010), about three Algerian brothers who go their separate ways, only to reunite and come into conflict years later in Paris. The movie was nominated for Best Foreign-Language Picture at the Academy Awards. Special features include a making-of, deleted scenes, a discussion with the director, cast interviews and a trailer.
You can also pick up a Blu-ray of Two Men in Town (2014), a Forest Whitaker/Harvey Keitel drama. It follows an ex-con trying to go straight while being aggressively pestered by the nasty town sheriff. A making-of documentary is included on the release.
The Funeral (1984) is a well-regarded Japanese drama/comedy contrasting traditional and modern family values between generations at the title event. Criterion are presenting the movie on Blu-ray and it comes with many extras, including cast interviews, a program on the film’s director, as well as television commercials that he made prior to the feature.
Kino are delivering some genre movies on Blu-ray. The first is the Italian/US coproduction Violent City (1970). Also released under the title The Family, it’s about a hitman seeking revenge after being double-crossed. The movie stars Charlies Bronson, Jill Ireland and Telly Savalas. You’ll get a 2K transfer of the US cut and a 4K transfer of the Italian version (which is in Italian with English subtitles). It also arrives with a film historian commentary, an interview with the co-writer/director, as well as trailers and TV spots for the flick and other Charles Bronson titles.
The horror picture Without Warning (1980) is also getting a 2K restoration from Kino. It follows an alien invader rampaging through a remote wilderness town and squaring off against Jack Palance, Martin Landau and Neville Brand. This feature was originally released on Blu-ray by Shout! Factory 8 years ago, but is now getting a picture upgrade. It has been scanned in 2K for this edition and arrives with all the previously released extras, like a director commentary, interviews with cast members, the cinematographer, the co-writer/co-producer, the make-up effects team, as well as all sorts of publicity materials.
I’m a big fan of director Walter Hill (The Warriors, Southern Comfort, 48 Hrs., Trespass, Last Man Standing) and Lionsgate are finally making one of his hard-to-find efforts available on Blu-ray through their Vestron Collector’s Edition line. Extreme Prejudice (1987) stars Nick Nolte and follows a crew of rogue soldiers who descend upon a border town for an off-the-books mission. The disc comes with a movie expert commentary, isolated score tracks, tons of cast and crew interviews and loads of publicity materials.
Paramount are delivering a personal favorite on Blu-ray this week. Top Secret! (1984) is a comedy from the Zucker Brothers (Airplane!, The Naked Gun) that features Val Kilmer as an Elvis Presley-esque singer who attempts to help the French Resistance fight Nazis (in between preforming ridiculous musical numbers). The movie is absolutely hilarious. There are memorable tunes, a hilarious prison raid involving a cow and much, much more to enjoy. It is also very quotable and probably has even more gags packed into it than the filmmaker’s other, bigger hits. It’s definitely worth your while if you like wild comedies.
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962) is also arriving courtesy of the Paramount Presents line. This notable western stars Jimmy Stewart and John Wayne. You’ll get a 4K Ultra HD disc and a regular Blu-ray, both featuring a new 4K restoration of the picture. It comes with a “Filmmaker Focus” in which film critic Leonard Maltin discusses the film. You’ll also get a commentary from the late director Peter Bogdanovich, as well as a selected scene commentary with the son of director John Ford. it also comes with tons of featurettes and a cover featuring fold-out poster art.
Scorpion have a Blu-ray of the German/US Roger Corman chiller De Sade (1969), featuring Keir Dullea as the notorious sadist. The movie has been given a 2K restoration and arrives with a featurette on writer Richard Matheson and a trailer.
Shout! Factory are presenting The Craft (1996) in a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray combo package. The film stars Neve Campbell, Robin Tunney, Fairuza Balk and Rachel True as a group of young outcasts practicing witchcraft at their school. The movie comes with all of the bonuses featured on previous editions, as well as a new 4K restoration of the film from the original camera negative. The same goes for the distributor’s presentation of the John Carpenter action classic, Escape from New York (1981) This Collector’s Edition features improved picture quality on both a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray disc, as well as all of the previously released bonuses.
They are also presenting an underseen gem from director Brain De Palma (Phantom of the Paradise, Carrie, Dressed to Kill, Blow Out, Scarface, The Untouchables, Raising Cain, Carlito’s Way, Mission: Impossible) called Femme Fatale (2002). Rebecca Romijn plays a thief whose life spirals out of control after her cover is blown by a photographer. Antonio Banderas plays the man who gets caught up in all the chaos. This twisty thriller is a lot of fun and features wonderful, eye-popping visuals. It has been given a 2K restoration for its Blu-ray debut and includes interviews with co-star Gregg Henry, the film’s editor and tons of featurettes on the movie.
Those looking for combo Blu-ray discs and box sets can pick up The Incredible Hulk (2008) / The Hulk (2003) 2-Movie Collection from Universal. It has the eccentric Ang Lee adaptation of the comic book, as well as the early Marvel Universe Phase 1 title featuring the character (played by Edward Norton).
And Warner Bros. are presenting the Batman: 4-Film Collection containing Blu-rays of the movies made between 1989 – 1997, as well as The Dark Knight Trilogy set. The second box includes all of the films from Christopher Nolan made from 2005 to 2013.
Finally, Warner Archive are making a made-to-order Blu-ray available of the horror picture Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1941). You can order it through Amazon.
YOU KNOW, FOR KIDS!
There aren’t many options this week for kids, but here is what is arriving on store shelves.
Misho & Robin: Season 1 DVD
ON THE TUBE!
And here are all of the week’s TV-themed releases.
American Experience: Flood in the Desert (PBS) DVD
Blood & Treasure: Season 1 Blu-ray
Great Escapes with Morgan Freeman: Season 1 (History) DVD
Help (Acorn) DVD
The Last Kingdom: The Complete Series Blu-ray or DVD
The Last Kingdom: Season 5 DVD
Lucifer: Season 5 (Warner Archives) Blu-ray
Masterpiece: Ridley Road (PBS) DVD
Misho & Robin: Season 1 DVD
NOVA: Augmented (PBS)
Slasher: Flesh and Blood (A Shudder Original Series) Blu-ray
Succession: Season 3 (HBO) DVD