Blu-ray/DVD Roundup for May 23rd, 2023

May 23, 2023

Welcome to another look at the latest releases arriving on Blu-ray and DVD. This edition includes a couple of major studio titles, as well as some interesting independent fare. So, if you can’t make it out to the movies or need to stay indoors for a while, be sure to check one of these titles.

BIG NEW RELEASES!

CONSECRATION – This chiller from the UK involves a woman who receives word that her brother, a priest, has died unexpectedly. Finding the news shocking, she decides to investigate what happened and travels to his parish in Scotland. It doesn’t take long before she uncovers a murder plot, frightening secrets and a sinister plan that is somehow connected to her own past. The press had a mixed reaction to the final product, with slightly more giving it negative reviews than positive ones. Those who appreciated the movie said that the cast made up for the screenplay’s failings and called the movie a creepy and an effective slow-burn. Naysayers commented that there wasn’t much tension and the film simply reused scare techniques from other, better horror movies. It stars Jena Malone, Danny Huston, Ian Pirie, Janet Suzman and Thoren Ferguson.

CREED III – The third Creed tale in this popular series catches viewers up with Heavyweight boxing champion Adonis Creed. Recently retired, he has found success running an academy that trains future title-winners. Things get tense when a childhood friend appears out of the blue. The figure explains that he has just been released from prison and insists Creed help him land a professional bout. As it turns out, the ex-con is an angry brute who injures competitors – the protagonist decides he must reenter the ring and end his pal’s comeback. Response towards the film was generally positive. There were a few voices who complained that the story was formulaic and struggled to generate tension as a result. Still, most found the movie engaging, writing that the central adversary was compelling and that the boxing scenes were creatively shot. The cast includes Michael B. Jordan (who also directed), Tessa Thompson, Jonathan Majors, Wood Harris and Phylicia Rashad. To read a review of the film, click here.

THE FIST OF THE CONDOR – While most martial arts movie fans expect their international action fare to arrive from Asia, this effort from Chile provides a different backdrop. The Spanish-language feature follows a group of fighters from across the world searching for a secret book that will grant them incredible power. As events progress, the quest turns into a showdown between a peaceful warrior and his own brother, who wants revenge on his sibling for a past dispute. Overall, critics were upbeat about the movie. A small number felt that while the fights were entertaining, whenever the characters tried to emote it all felt silly. Still, the vast majority found the leads charismatic and enjoyed the way the combat scenes were shot and put together. They believed it would appeal to action film enthusiasts. Marko Zaror, Eyal Meyer, Gina Aguad and Fernanda Urrejola headline the feature.

LAST SENTINEL – Here’s another genre film from UK producers. This one is set after climate change has caused oceans to rise and completely cover all but two continents. A skeleton crew of soldiers providing the last line of defense at a remote sea outpost become concerned when their tour of duty comes to an end and no one arrives to relieve them. Instead, a mysterious ship suddenly appears and edges closer to the concerned group. Write-ups weren’t particularly enthusiastic about this effort. One-third admired the work of the cast, called it low-key but very tense and also enjoyed the anti-war message it unexpectedly ended up delivering. Unfortunately, the majority found this tale dreary and stated that it didn’t deliver the necessary chills or excitement to recommend. It stars Kate Bosworth, Lucien Laviscount, Thomas Kretschmann and Martin McCann.

PETITE MAMAN – An 8-year-old girl loses her grandmother in this French drama. Her parents take her to the deceased matriarch’s home in order to clean out its contents. The youngster heads out into the surrounding woods and befriends another young girl building a treehouse. This process helps the child come to terms with the passing and experience the grieving process. Despite being released at theaters in mid-2022, it is only receiving a North American disc release now from Criterion. The foreign-language film from Céline Sciamma (Portrait of a Lady on Fire) earned raves last year, as well as many awards from critic groups. A few didn’t believe that it carried an emotional impact and found it sweet but otherwise unmemorable. However, everyone else described the finished movie as incredibly powerful and moving. They described it as beautifully shot yet authentic, especially in its depiction of the main mother-daughter relationship. The movie features Joséphine Sanz, Gabrielle Sanz and Nina Meurisse.

THE RESURRECTION OF CHARLES MANSON – A young couple trying to make their break in Hollywood receive word about an upcoming production that is a Charles Mansion biopic. They decide to shoot and edit an audition tape together at an Airbnb in the desert, but soon find themselves in the company of a real occult leader. Fantasy and reality begin to intertwine in dangerous ways. This film was only recently released on streaming platforms and as such there are very few reviews currently available for it. Those that have popped up online suggest that the movie is intriguing, but not particularly scary and lacks a palpable sense of tension. For the time being, this is a DVD-only release. The cast includes Frank Grillo, Jamie King, Sarah Dumont, Katherine Hughes and Sydelle Noel.

SHAZAM! FURY OF THE GODS – This sequel to 2019 DC Superhero hit Shazam! finds teenager Billy Batson and his friends still in possession of special suits that can turn them into flying adult crime fighters. Despite having developed their abilities over the past few years, the group find themselves overwhelmed by the powerful Greek warrior Hespera, who wants the powers of her ancestors (which are in the suits) returned to her. The kids must find a way to eliminate the threat. This follow-up wasn’t as well received as the original and split the press. Those who gave it a pass stated that while in many ways it felt like a retread of the first film, it still had some epic battles and fun moments. Just as many commented that this follow-up was all very safe and stale, also noting that the jokes didn’t feel nearly as fresh this time out. Zachary Levi, Helen Mirren, Lucy Liu, Asher Angel and Djimon Hounsou headline the title.

V/H/S/99 – The latest chapter in the long-running independent horror anthology franchise is set in 1999. It brings together another collection of disturbing tales presented to viewers like they are watching an old VHS tape. This feature doesn’t have a wraparound, instead simply moving from one segment to the next. One tells the story of a prank-pulling punk band who get attacked, another details a sorority prank gone wrong. There’s also a disturbing children’s game show, a peeper video, and a trip to Hell itself. The press was generally positive about the movie. One-quarter of reviewers thought the series had run out of ideas and didn’t find this effort pulse-pounding or remotely scary. However, the consensus was that the flick expertly recreated the feel of the late 90s and that there were some effective individual segments. It stars Jesse LaTourette, Keanush Tafreshi and too many more to list here.

BLASTS FROM THE PAST!

If you’re looking for something a little older, there are plenty of options as well. Film Movement is releasing a Blu-ray of the Japanese comedy Warm Water Under a Red Bridge (2001). The story involves a treasure hunter who arrives at a fishing village and has a passionate affair with a local woman who has a bizarre condition. Critics like Roger Ebert wrote positive pieces about the movie. The disc includes a new restoration of the title, a video essay about the film and an illustrated booklet.

Kino is putting out a couple of noteworthy titles. My Man Godfrey (1957) is a much beloved comedy (and remake of a 1936 feature) about a scatterbrained socialite who hires a derelict from the docks to be her butler. Of course, he’s much smarter than she initially assumes and his status within the family quickly rises. David Niven plays the title character. The Blu-ray contains a 2K picture restoration, a film critic commentary and a trailer.

Soundies: The Ultimate Collection is a Blu-ray box set containing 4 discs with more than 200 film shorts featuring jazz, country-western, folk and early rock n’ roll performances. The release includes a 44-page booklet with details about each short, as well as an introduction by the series curator, multiple interviews with cinema scholars and a talk with an expert on jukebox short films made in the 1940s.

Lionsgate is giving Best Buy an exclusive title for release. It’s a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray of the Jason Statham action film Crank (2006). The star plays an assassin who is injected with a serum that will kill him if his heart rate drops, so he has to go on a wild rampage to quickly and violently tie up loose ends in his life. One assumes that the 4K disc will feature a picture upgrade and the Blu-ray will contain all of the previously released bonuses.

A couple of months ago, Paramount Pictures released a 35^th Anniversary Blu-ray of the Arnold Schwarzenegger action pic The Running Man (1987). This week, a 4K Ultra HD version is arriving on the market. It doesn’t come with the Blu-ray, so this edition is only for 80s action flick enthusiasts with the highest possible video home-viewing set up.

Christophe Gans is a French filmmaker who made a name for himself in the 1990s with the interesting and stylish Crying Freeman (1995), a live-action adaptation of the popular Japanese comic book. This title earned some fans abroad, but strangely enough has never been released in North America at theaters or on any format. His follow-up was the critically well-received Brotherhood of the Wolf (2001), which was released in this part of the world but struggled to find an audience. At least this feature eventually did earn a cult following. Shout! Factory are now releasing a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray Collector’s Edition of the film. It’s a period effort set in France with Samuel Le Bihan, Marc Dacascos, Vincent Cassel and Monica Bellucci about a pair of skilled hunters who are hired to track and kill a mysterious creature that is slaughtering locals. Overall, it is another effective genre film with some jolts, memorable characters and loads of style to burn.

Studio Canal is delivering Shout! Factory with a new high-quality picture restoration of the director’s cut of the feature on 4K and Blu-ray. The set also comes with a Blu-ray bonus disc with an extensive making-of featurette, a second making-of feature, a discussion with the author of the book the film is based on, deleted scenes and theatrical trailers. Nice to see this underappreciated feature getting a little more exposure in North America.

Finally, Warner Bros. is rereleasing their Blu-ray of the recent animated family film The Addams Family (2019). It’s the exact same disc that appeared a few years back.

YOU KNOW, FOR KIDS!

Here are some titles that may appeal to youngsters in the household.

The Addams Family (2019 film) (Warner Bros.) Blu-ray

Gigantosaurus – Dino Discovery (Ncircle) DVD

Pokemon The Series: Master Journeys: Complete Season (Warner Bros.) DVD

ON THE TUBE!

And these are the week’s releases related to TV shows.

Bonanza: The Official Complete Series (Paramount) DVD

Decectorists: Movie Special (Acorn) DVD

Detectorists: Complete Collection 2023 (All 3 seasons plus Movie Special) (Acorn) DVD

Go On: The Complete Series (Mill Creek) DVD

Pokemon The Series: Master Journeys: Complete Season (Warner Bros.) DVD