Welcome to another look at some of the highlights coming on Blu-ray and DVD. This edition has so many movies that it is hard to keep track of them all. You’ll certainly find plenty of horror features as well as many other genres. So, if you can’t make it out to the movies this week or need to stay indoors for other reasons, be sure to give one of these titles a try!
BIG NEW RELEASES!
BATMAN AND SUPERMAN: BATTLE OF THE SUPER SONS – The latest direct-to-disc DC animated superhero feature follows the exploits of Jonathan Kent and Damien Wayne, the two sons of Superman and Batman. When the young Kent discovers that he has powers like those of his dad and that Bruce Wayne’s boy is following in his father’s footsteps, the two teens team up to protect their parents from an alien threat. Interested parents should note that this title is rated PG-13 and isn’t for little kids. There haven’t been many reviews so far, but the ones that have appeared online have been upbeat. Articles suggest that while not for children, it isn’t quite as heavy as recent outings and features some impressive action, thrills and humor. The voice cast includes Jack Dylan Grazer, Jack Griffo, Troy Baker, Travis Willingham and Laura Bailey.
BODIES BODIES BODIES – After learning that a hurricane is approaching their state, a group of wealthy 20-somethings decide to stay behind and throw a party during the storm. After partaking in copious amounts of booze and drugs, they decide to take part in a murder/mystery game and broadcast themselves playing. When one of the players ends up dead, the others turn on each other while attempting to find out who was responsible. Critics generally liked this horror/comedy. A small number thought that the film was overhyped and didn’t deliver. They said its targets were obvious and that the end result wasn’t overly funny or scary. However, most described it as a fun and entertaining genre picture. They liked the young cast and thought the movie might end up becoming a cult classic. It stars Amandla Stenberg, Maria Bakalova, Myha’la Herrold, Rachel Sennott, Lee Pace and Pete Davidson.
BORIS KARLOFF: THE MAN BEHIND THE MONSTER – Boris Karloff was an English actor who made a name for himself portraying monsters in early horror pictures. Among his many iconic performances, he starred in Frankenstein (1931), The Mummy (1932), The Bride of Frankenstein (1935), The Walking Dead (1936), The Body Snatcher (1945), Isle of the Dead (1945), The Raven (1962), Black Sabbath (1963), Targets (1968) and even provided the voice of The Grinch in the animated classic How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1966). This documentary tells his life story and examines the impact that his performances made on the horror genre. The press gave it high marks, stating that it was a well-researched, informative and interesting film that would also inspire genre fans to seek out more titles. Interview subjects featured include Guillermo del Toro, Ron Perlman, Stefanie Powers, Christopher Plummer, Peter Bogdanovich, John Landis, Lee Grant, Joe Dante, Roger Corman and Norman Jewison.
BULLET TRAIN – After seeking therapy for his line of work, an unlucky hit man decides to try and complete future jobs without spilling any blood. He is assigned to board a bullet train in Japan and locate a briefcase. It seems like a simple job, but he discovers that several other killers are onboard. Before long, chaos reigns on the train and the travelers find themselves fighting to survive. This action/comedy received slightly more positive reviews than negative ones. Those who disliked it found the movie too frenetic and didn’t think that the gags and gory fight scenes landed. Slightly more stated that they were entertained and won over by the wild, stylish movie. They called the cast engaging, the action outrageous and the quips very funny. The cast includes Brad Pitt, Joey King, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Brian Tyree Henry, Andrew Koji, Hiroyuki Sanada, Michael Shannon, Bad Bunny, Zazie Beetz and Sandra Bullock. Read a detailed review of the movie here.
CARMEN – Set in the 1980s on the island of Malta, this tale begins in a small village and follows a 50-year-old woman who has spent her life caring for her brother, who is the local parish priest. She decides to make a new start after the church abandons her. She ends up moving and being mistaken for a new priest. While taking on new responsibilities, the lead begins to see the world around her in a different light. This drama is based on a true story and earned excellent notices. In fact, there aren’t any critical write-ups at this time. All write-ups have complimented the movie as a warm-hearted, feel-good feature about a reserved woman finding a new purpose. They also called the lead performance exceptional. Natascha McElhone, Michaela Farrugla, Steven Love and Richard Clarkin headline the movie.
THE DEER KING – This animated feature from Japan is a period piece set near the end of a vicious war. With only one small territory left to conquer, a cruel emperor sends wild dogs with a plague to finish his enemies off. An enslaved former soldier and a young girl survive the attack and try to find freedom in the vast countryside. They make new friends and try to find a cure for the disease, but as the villainous force approaches, they must make a final stand. Reaction was divided towards this picture, although it did receive a few more recommendations than pans. Negative pieces wrote that there was too much exposition, that the story was too bleak and it all felt repetitive. Still, the majority thought it was beautifully animated and called it dark and depressing, but powerful. The release includes a Blu-ray and DVD with the original Japanese and English audio tracks.
EASTER SUNDAY – A Filipino-American decides to visit his parents to celebrate Easter Sunday in this comedy and interacts with his large, extended family. Many of his relatives are eccentric and the lead must carefully navigate some bizarre situations and conversations as the weekend progresses. Based on the life experiences of stand-up comedian Ko Joy, the film had trouble connecting with critics. Close to half of them said that after a rough start, the picture started improving and the jokes began to land thanks to the charismatic lead. Still, more complained that the movie was shot like a TV sit-com and the weak story hindered its attempts to deliver laughs. Besides Joy, the movie stars Eugene Cordero, Tia Carrere, Asif Ali, Jimmy O. Yang, Lou Diamond Phillips and Jay Chandrasekhar (who also directed the picture)
FALL – Two best friends and climbers decide to take on a major challenge by scaling a 2000-foot-tall abandoned radio tower. They get to the top without issue, but a mistake leaves them stranded on top with no way down. The pair are put to the ultimate test as they try to survive without the necessary supplies, dropping temperatures and other obstacles. Initial reaction to this genre picture was good. A small number commented that the story was absurd and filled with inconsistencies that left them frustrated. Still, the majority of reviewers stated that while the story wasn’t anything exceptional, there were some vertigo-inducing visuals and that it moved at a quick pace. Viewers should note, however, that more and more negative notices have been popping up recently, complaining that the climbing details are completely wrong and ludicrous. The cast includes Grace Caroline Currey, Ginny Gardner, Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Mason Gooding.
FLUX GOURMET – This independent horror picture involves a group of students at an institution devoted to the study of food and food-related pursuits. A collective there decides to start a band but can’t decide on a name. With a deadline for their project looming, they become embroiled in various power struggles. One of the members begins suffering from a gastrointestinal disorder and decides to use it as part of the project, leading to further disturbing situations as events progress. The press really liked this chiller. A small number thought it was more gross than scary or suspenseful and couldn’t get onto its wavelength. But the vast majority claimed that they hadn’t seen anything like it, complimenting the dark humor, unsettling psychedelic imagery and unique voice. It features Asa Butterfield, Gwendoline Christie, Ariane Labed, Fatma Mohamed and Richard Bremmer.
HOCKEYLAND – According to this documentary, Minnesota is the US state that produces more NHL players than any other. A pair of rival high school teams from nearby towns are captured on film as the teenage players try to garner attention from scouts and square off against each other in the playoffs. The showdown is incredibly stressful, pushing the players to their limits. Response was strong towards this title. A couple of reviewers complained that because the movie kept shifting its focus between teams, it was hard to get a detailed or deep picture of the kids. Still, the consensus on the title was that while the storytelling was a little formulaic, there were some individuals who did stand out and that the overall effect of the film was illuminating and interesting.
THE INNOCENTS – Scandinavia has produced its fair share of creepy horror movies, including Nightwatch (1994), Let the Right One In (2008), Antichrist (2009), Thelma (2017) and Border (2018) to name but a few. The latest tells the story of a group of children living in a community who all discover that they possess unique supernatural powers. They begin to help each other develop these gifts. When parents get involved, the kids begin acting out and some begin to use their gifts in uncontrolled and disturbing ways. The press loved this foreign-language title. One or two called the movie gimmicky and thought it didn’t present a believable story. Everyone else thought it was incredibly disturbing and did an excellent job of building suspense and showing how anyone can turn and use their talents for evil. Rakel Lenora Flottum, Alva Brynsmo Ramstad, Sam Ashraf, Mina Yasmin Bremseth Asheim and Ellen Dorrit Petersen headline the movie.
KINGSLAYER – This UK production is described as a historical action film about Richard the Lionheart aka Richard I of England. For those unfamiliar with this figure, as a teen he commanded his own army and fought against various enemies in foreign lands before ascending to the throne and becoming the King of England. He served his country from 1189 until his death in 1199. This biopic tells a story about the future king learning the responsibilities of leadership and surviving a treacherous ambush. Very few have seen this picture and the online write-ups aren’t exactly stellar. Most have called it a clunky B-movie that doesn’t tell the story effectively and struggles from budgetary restraints. Stuart Brenna stars (as well as writes and directs) and the supporting cast includes John Rhys-Davies, David Hayman, Ryan Gage and Carolina Carlsson.
LA LLORONA – An aging war criminal with a past as a military general begins to develop paranoia in this horror picture from Guatemala. As he is put on trial for the crimes he committed, he begins worrying not about the charges, but the deceased returning as the titular spirit and taking revenge on him. Over the course of the film, the man’s family is also forced to deal with his awful acts. This movie was the country’s official submission for Academy Award consideration in 2021. It has been available on streaming platforms for a year or so and is now premiering on disc through Criterion and the press had plenty of praise for it. A tiny contingent said it ineffectively mixed serious drama and horror tropes, but everyone else complimented it for its strong performances, boldness in combining fantastical elements with an examination of the effects of genocide. It features Maria Mercedes Coroy and Sabrina De La Hoz.
MACK & RITA – A 30-year-old homebody decides to break out of her comfort zone and attend the bachelorette party of a friend. However, the conservative figure is shocked to find herself suddenly transformed into herself at age 70. Strangely enough, the experience is completely freeing as the woman decides to act on every impulse she had bottled up while attempting to return to her previous self. In the process, she becomes a media sensation. Reaction towards this comedy was poor. One quarter of reviewers liked the lead performer and concept, calling it an upbeat comedy with a positive message. All others wrote that the script wasted the idea with lame slapstick gags and sentimentality. It stars Diane Keaton, Taylour Page, Elizabeth Lail, Loretta Devine and Simon Rex.
ORPHAN: FIRST KILL – Remember the horror film Orphan from way back in 2009? If you don’t it featured a psychotic child who was not as she initially appeared to her adopted family. The next chapter in this series is a prequel detailing the history of the maniac. Viewers witness her escape from an Estonian psychiatric facility and go on the rampage as she arrives in America and is adopted by another wealthy family. Reaction could have been a lot worse for this title. In fact, it received more recommendations than negative reviews. Those who disliked it called it a silly and entirely unnecessary addition that didn’t thrill or scare them. Still, more were amused and suggested the makers knew they were telling a ridiculous story and intentionally went over-the-top with every aspect in order to make it enjoyable. Isabelle Fuhrman, Julia Styles and Rossif Sutherland play the leads.
PAWS OF FURY: THE LEGEND OF FRANK – A dog who dreams of becoming a samurai wanders into a village of cats. When the felines explain to the protagonist that a nasty villain plans on invading their town and taking it for himself, he sees it as an opportunity to fulfill his ambition. A reluctant trainer decides to help the pooch become a hero. This animated family flick split critics almost down the middle. Nearly half criticized it as being an awful rip-off of Kung-Fu Panda filled with terrible gags and stereotypes. But just as many commented that the movie was well-animated, quickly paced and enjoyably wild, featuring enough off-kilter humor to keep the attention of any viewer. The voice cast includes Michael Cera, Samuel L. Jackson, Ricky Gervais, Mel Brooks, George Takai, Aasif Mandvi, Gabriel Iglesias, Djimon Hounsou and Michelle Yeoh.
THE POSSESSED – An exorcist with an exceptional gift for communicating with the dead begins to feel the pressure of years spent fighting demons. With the number of possessions increasing and the victims getting closer and closer to his inner circle of family and friends, he finds himself overwhelmed. That is, until he meets the girlfriend of his nephew, a young woman who has the same gift. When a new and dangerous case arises, the exorcist takes the lady with him and attempts to help train her to join him in his quest. There currently aren’t a lot of reviews for this independent Australian genre flick. One or two say it provides some above-average performances and delivers a few chills for B-movie enthusiasts. It features John Jarratt, Lincoln Lewis, Angie Kent and Lauren Grimson.
RUMBLE – Set in a world where wrestling is the most popular sport and the athletes are monsters, this tale follows a teenager who wants to follow in her dad’s footsteps and become a trainer. After finding an underdog candidate with the raw skills to be a champ, she tries to help him become a champion. This animated film for families was released at theaters last December and is only now arriving on Blu-ray. The movie’s critical reception was mixed. Almost half thought that while it wasn’t an animated classic, it did feature entertaining gags and impressively animated monster battles that would enthrall kids. Unfortunately, just as many and a few more thought it featured a bland script that didn’t generate much excitement and overall felt lackluster. Will Arnett, Terry Crews, Geraldine Viswanathan, Roman Reigns, Tony Danza, Becky Lynch, Susan Kelechi Watson, Stephen A. Smith, Ben Schwartz and Michael Buffer provide voices for the film.
A SHAUN THE SHEEP MOVIE: FARMAGEDDON – Here’s another animated title that has been around for a few years but is only now debuting on Blu-ray. This sequel to the Oscar-nominated 2015 Shaun the Sheep Movie features the titular animal encountering aliens after their spaceship crashes on the farm. Stranded, he and the other animals attempt to help them escape back to their home planet before humans find out about them. This follow-up has been on Netflix for some time and was nearly as well-received as the original film. One or two thought it was well-produced but only for kids. Everyone else commented that it was charmingly rendered with loads of cute gags and extremely likable characters. And like the original, this movie was also nominated for Best Animated Feature at the Academy Awards. The voice cast includes Justin Fletcher, John Sparkes, Amalia Vitale and Kate Harbour.
THREE WISHES FOR CINDERELLA – Looking for an international take on the Cinderella story? You could give this Norwegian effort a try. According to the press synopsis, this adaptation is set in the snowy mountainous wilderness and features the put-upon lead dealing with a wicked stepmother and stepsisters. It appears that Cinderella finds magical acorns that give her the ability to make wishes. As expected, she ends up attending a ball and wins the heart of a handsome prince. The visuals look very lavish and the movie earned plenty of positive buzz in its homeland, winning Norway’s equivalent of an Oscars for Best Children Film and Best Costumes. The disc includes the original language track with subtitles and an English dub of the movie. It stars Astrid S, Cengiz Al and Ellen Dorrit Petersen.
TWO WITCHES – A couple expecting their first child go out for dinner and have an awkward encounter with a creepy old woman. Following the unexpected meeting, they begin experiencing strange phenomena, with the wife suffering from strange and disturbing visions. The pair soon learn that they are dealing with witches and are forced to take extreme measures to protect themselves. This independent horror picture has generally been well-received by those who have seen it. A few have complained that the movie’s story is a little muddled and that it relies too much on jump-scares. Still, most found the film atmospheric and thought it delivered enough jumps and surprises to earn it a recommendation. Rebekah Kennedy, Kristina Klebe and Tim Fox headline the movie.
BLASTS FROM THE PAST!
There are just as many great older titles arriving on Blu-ray. If you like action films, you should definitely consider picking up the underrated No Escape (1994) aka Escape from Absolom. Unearthed Films and MVD Visual are debuting this feature on Blu-ray for the first time in North America. Ray Liotta stars as a prisoner in the future who is sent to an island of convicts. Once there, he must fight to survive and try to find a means of escape. The movie includes a lot of talent in front of and behind the camera and is very effective in not only delivering thrills, but also developing its characters. And it has a memorable villain. The disc includes production featurettes and tons of publicity materials, along with new interviews with screenwriter Joel Gross, producer Gale Anne Hurd (The Terminator, Aliens, Tremors) and director Martin Campbell (GoldenEye, The Mask of Zorro, Casino Royale). Read a full review of the disc here!
88 Films is releasing a Blu-ray of the Jackie Chan action extravaganza, Dragons Forever (1988). He plays a lawyer who ends up uncovering a criminal conspiracy within the organization he works for. He ends up squaring off against some nasty bad guys. Sammo Hung and Yuen Biao co-star and there are a couple of incredible fight scenes in the picture. You’ll get three different cuts of the movie restored in HD, a film historian commentary, rare outtakes and behind-the-scenes footage, deleted scenes, a special on the legacy of the stunts featured in the movie, and tons of other bonuses.
Arrow is releasing the “Limited Edition” Blu-ray box set, Gothic Fantastico: Four Italian Tales of Terror and ss you might have already imagined, it includes four Italian genre flicks. Specifically, The Blancheville Monster (1963), Lady Morgan’s Vengeance (1965), The Third Eye (1966) and The Witch (1966). As with other titles from this distributor, it comes with extras including multiple film expert commentaries and video essays on the movies. The set also contains a book with essays on the titles.
Criterion is presenting a Blu-ray of the Japanese horror picture, Cure (1997). The plot involves a detective investigating a series of disturbing slayings in which the killer has carved sometime into the victims. The picture has been given a new 4K remaster supervised by the cinematographer and the disc includes a conversation with the director, interviews with the cast, a 2003 discussion with the filmmaker and some publicity materials.
The Eyes of Laura Mars (1978) is a thriller starring Tommy Lee Jones and Faye Dunaway that was written by John Carpenter (Halloween). Kino is releasing a Blu-ray of the title. You’ll also get an audio commentary from director Irvin Kirshner (The Empire Strikes Back), a making-of and plenty more
You can also pick up the Blu-ray box set, Film Noir: The Dark Side of Cinema X, which contains Flesh and Fury (1952), The Square Jungle (1955) and World in My Corner (1956). All three discs contain 2K restorations of the movie and film historian commentaries.
Happy Birthday to Me (1981) is a memorable slasher film about students being slain at an academy in horrifically violent ways. The movie stars Melissa Sue Anderson and Glenn Ford and this new disc includes tons of trailers and ads for the film, as well as new interviews with co-star Tracey E. Bergman and a commentary track with co-screenwriter Timothy Bond.
Anyone who enjoyed the all-star comedy Tropic Thunder (2008) can now pick up a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray edition containing the theatrical and extended 2 cuts of the film. You’ll also get all of the previously released extras, including deleted scenes, outtakes and more.
And Kino is putting out The Werewolf of Washington (1973) on Blu-ray. Dean Stockwell stars in this film about a press assistant to the President who discovers that he is a werewolf. This 4K restoration of the director’s cut of the movie was prepared by the director just before his passing last year.
Just in time for Halloween, Paramount is making a 20th Anniversary Limited Edition Blu-ray Steelbook available for The Ring (2002), which was the popular US remake of the Japanese ghost story about a videotape that kills anyone who watches it within one week. Naomi Watts starred in this version.
Sandpiper Pictures is making some Woody Allen titles available on Blu-ray. They include the great comedy Broadway Danny Rose (1984) and The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985). The latter, about a character (Jeff Daniels) who pops off of a movie screen and romances a depressed woman during the Great Depression, is one of the filmmaker’s best titles from this era in his career. They are also releasing Radio Days (1987), which features a man recounting memories from his childhood (the kid version of the narrator is played by Seth Green).
Scorpion is making some low-budget genre pictures available on Blu-ray. You can pick up the flick Doctor Death: Seeker of Souls (1973) about an immortal magician targeting victims to prolong his own life. The movie is restored from the original camera negative and comes with a commentary track by star John Considine, as well as other extras. Island of the Blue Dolphins (1964) is an adventure film that tells the story of a Native American girl who is abandoned on a tiny island and befriends a wild dog.
For zombie movie enthusiasts, The Return of the Living Dead (1985) is one of the best titles out there. The darkly funny and creepy film features a varied group of individuals at a medical supply building and nearby cemetery who come under attack from the undead. Shout! Factory is giving the film a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray release with improved picture quality and all of the previously released bonuses. If you’ve never picked up this movie before, there’s no excuse not to now.
Sony would like you to know that the documentary American Movie (1999) is available on Blu-ray. It’s a great non-fiction feature about two eccentrics setting out to make their own horror movie. A great deal of humor ends up being derived from the pronunciation of the title of their project.
The studio is also debuting the period drama The Razor’s Edge (1984) on Blu-ray. It’s about a war veteran searching for meaning in life and is based on the classic novel by W. Somerset Maugham. Bill Murray starred in this film adaptation and at the time, no one was ready or willing to see the performer as a dramatic lead. The movie flopped, but if memory serves it actually isn’t bad and serves as a reasonably effective conversion of the story.
Universal Pictures is presenting a 40th Anniversary 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray of one of their most popular movies. E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial (1982) was a smash that stood as the highest grossing film of all time for many years. It is now getting an upgraded picture and the set comes with plenty of previously released extras and newly created material, including a recently produced retrospective of the title and its lasting legacy, as well as a new interview with director Steven Spielberg (Jaws, Close Encounters of the Third Kind). There are three editions, so be sure to read the specs to make sure you get the edition you want.
Finally, Visual Vengeance is releasing the ultra-low-budget, shot-on-video campy horror flick, Moonchild (1994) on Blu-ray. It’s about a werewolf super-soldier who stops a plot to overthrow the United States. The disc comes with more extras than can be listed here. The release also includes a CD featuring music from the movie.
YOU KNOW, FOR KIDS!
Here are some titles that the kids may enjoy.
E.T.: The Extraterrestrial (1982) 40th Anniversary (Universal) 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray
Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank (Paramount) Blu-ray
PBS Kids: Discovery Days Double Feature – Elinor Wonders Why and Dinosaur Train (PBS) DVD
Pokemon: The Movie: Secrets of the Jungle (Warner Bros./Netflix) Blu-ray
Rumble (Paramount) Blu-ray
A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon (Shout! Factory) Blu-ray
Three Wishes of Cinderella (Shout! Factory) Blu-ray
ON THE TUBE!
And here are all of the week’s TV-themed releases!
The Christmas House 2: Deck Those Halls (Hallmark) DVD
Christmas in Harmony (Hallmark) DVD
DC’s Legends of Tomorrow: The Complete Series (Warner Bros.) Blu-ray
Doctor Who: Colin Baker: Complete Season 1 (BBC) Blu-ray
Evil: Season 1 (Paramount) Blu-ray
Evil: Season 2 (Paramount) Blu-ray
The Flash: Season 8 (Warner Bros.) Blu-ray
The Thing About Pam (Mini-Series) (Universal) Blu-ray