Hello and welcome back to another look at highlights arriving on Blu-ray and DVD. There’s plenty to choose from in this edition, with box office hits and Academy Award nominees. So if you can’t make it out to the movies this week, be sure to give one of these titles a try!
Big New Releases!
The Appearance – After a monk dies in a disturbing manner and a witch is blamed for the killing, an Inquisitor is sent out to investigate. Considered a rational man of science, the lead soon begins to think that perhaps something threatening and supernatural is occurring at the site. The monk ponders what to do in order to save the locals. This independent period horror picture has yet to have been reviewed by the press. Those posting write-ups on internet were mixed in their response. Some found it atmospheric, but others have called it a slow-moving picture that doesn’t generate much suspense. The cast includes Jake Stormoen, Kristian Nairn and Adam Johnson.
At Eternity’s Gate – Vincent van Gogh is the subject of this art house drama. The narrative focuses on the struggling artist’s adventures to France. While painting, he is visited by friend and fellow artist Paul Gauguin. Vincent also begins to black out and experience health and psychological problems which lead him into a troubling mental state. The picture claims to take an interpretive approach, using the painter’s notes to try and give a sense of what he might have been going through. Critics generally appreciated the picture. Some did find it ponderous and less-than-involving. However, most appreciated the lead performance (it earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor). It stars Willem Dafoe, Mads Mikkelsen, Emmanuelle Seigner and Oscar Isaac.
Bayou Caviar – Thespian Cuba Gooding Jr. leads the cast and makes his directorial debut in this crime flick about mobsters in Louisiana. Gooding Jr. plays an ex-boxer who is hired by the head of a crime family to take down a rival head with the release of a scandalous video of the competitor’s son-in-law. This indie feature didn’t manage to catch fire with columnists. One or two liked the cast and though it was entertainingly nasty. Unfortunately, the general consensus is that it drags and many of the twists don’t come off as all that surprising or shocking. The movie also features Richard Dreyfuss, Famke Janssen, Lia Marie Johnson, Gregg Bello and Katharine McPhee.
Bohemian Rhapsody – This hit musical biopic follows the rise of rock band Queen and its lead singer, Freddy Mercury. It depicts how they met up and their meteoric rise to stardom, as well as the struggles the lead singer faced with drugs and his own sexuality. Of course, it’s also chock full of classic tunes. Reaction to the picture was good, although not great (strange considering it has been nominated for several Oscars including Best Picture). Many thought the lead performance was so wonderful that it earned the movie a recommendation, but a percentage also complained that the biopic was generic and needed to explore its subjects in far more depth. Rami Malek, Lucy Boynton, Gwilym Lee, Ben Hardy, Joe Mazzello and Aiden Gillen headline the film.
The Bouncer – An aging ex-bodyguard struggles to raise his 8-year-old daughter after the unexpected passing of his wife. When he takes a job as a nightclub bouncer and a security guard position at a strip club, he discovers that he is working for a Flemish crime boss. Local police try to coerce the hero into being an informant, while the mobster makes his own threats. The lead must do everything he can to survive and keep his daughter safe. There aren’t any notices yet for this gritty French/Belgian thriller, so interested parties will just have to take a chance. It stars Jean-Claude Van Damme, Sami Bouajila and Sveva Alviti.
The Front Runner – Gary Hart is the subject of this drama that chronicles his ill-fated presidential campaign in 1988. The well-liked politician quickly leads the polls after deciding to make the move from Democratic Senator to President. But when reporters get wind of an extramarital affair, the attacks begin and the nominee’s run rapidly unravels. Critics were mixed-positive about the final results. Some found it enlightening and wrote that the story was extremely relatable to today’s audiences. A smaller contingent complained that the movie wasn’t critical enough of Hart or his behavior. Now viewers can decide for themselves. The cast includes Hugh Jackman, Vera Farmiga, J.K. Simmons and Alfred Molina.
The Happy Prince – Here’s another biopic drama, this time depicting the life of poet and playwright Oscar Wilde. The picture begins with the writer on his deathbed, critically reminiscing and examining his past relationships with lovers, friends and family… as well as his life in England, France and Italy. The press generally enjoyed the picture. A smaller group found it all a bit melodramatic and state that the movie didn’t present Wilde’s life in a unique or interesting way. Still, more appreciated the performances, thought the lead character was a fascinating figure and enjoyed watching Wilde made interesting and cutting comments about his own life. It features Rupert Everett, Colin Firth, Colin Morgan, Emily Watson and Tom Wilkinson.
Narcissister Organ Player – This documentary aspires to give viewers a look at the life of American performance artist Narcissister. The artist is said to explore sexual fetishism and use it on stage to critique racial and gender stereotypes. The film focuses on a recent performance, which follows the artist as she travels through her own body using puppets. The show earned good marks, though not exceptional ones. Some thought that while intriguing, the performance itself didn’t speak to them and didn’t tell much of a story. Slightly more admired it for simply doing its own thing; they believed that fans would be taken by the unusual work on display.
Nobody’s Fool – A woman recently released from prison vows to get her life back on track and decides to reconnect with her buttoned-up and stiff sister. Naturally, their very opposite personalities result in some comic miscues. And when the ex-con discovers that the new man her sister has met online may be trouble, even more difficulties arise. Critics weren’t overly enamored with this comedy, the latest from writer/director Tyler Perry. A few thought that the leads managed to eke a few laughs out of the material, but the majority thought that the story was messy, the plotting uneven and the writing weak. It stars Tiffany Haddish, Tika Sumpter, Omari Hardwick, Mahcad Brooks and Whoopi Goldberg.
Possum – This British terror picture follows a disgraced puppeteer who returns to his hometown after a scandal. As it turns out, many of his problems are the result of childhood abuse and trauma by his mean stepfather, as well as from a disturbing marionette of a spider. The protagonist’s mental faculties become even more unstable as he begins having bizarre visions of the arachnid. Reviews were very strong for this psychological horror picture. One or two couldn’t get onto its wavelength, but almost all others called it an exceptionally acted and chilling picture that perfectly emulates scary British chillers from the 70s. The cast includes Sean Harris, Alun Armstrong, Simon Bubb and Andy Blithe.
Shoplifters – An eccentric family in Japan make their way through life by stealing various necessities from stores. When a young girl from a troubled family shows up and persists in hanging around, they end up taking her in. Surprises are slowly revealed about this unusual and eccentric group and difficulties arise as their activities begin to put each other at risk. This movie received raves from the press and was nominated for a Best Foreign Language Film Academy Award. It has been described as a memorable character study of people on the fringes of society and the unexpected ways in which they come together to try and help each other. It features Lily Frankie and Sakura Ando.
Tejano – This independent crime thriller involves a young man from South Texas who works in the fields and takes care of his ailing grandfather. After falling in love with a Mexican woman, they plan to move away, but the grandpa’s health takes a turn for the worse. This forces the man to make extra money by acting as a mule for a drug cartel across the border. Currently, there aren’t a lot of reviews for this title, but the ones that did pop up were positive. They have described the picture as an effective, twisty little low-budget effort. Patrick Mackie, Roland Uribe, Mayra Leal and Adrian Gonzalez headline the film.
Under the Eiffel Tower – A man going through a mid-life crisis decides to travel with his friend’s family to Paris and take in all the sights. Things get incredibly awkward when he falls for his pal’s 26-year-old daughter and then proposes to her on the trip. Naturally, things spiral downward from there. This dark comedy earned mixed notices from the press. About half had trouble getting on the film’s wavelength and found the troubled characters difficult to root for. The others appreciated the awkwardness on display and thought it presented enough laughs to make up for a formulaic story. It stars Matt Walsh, Judith Godreche, Reid Scott, Michaela Watkins, David Wain and Gary Cole.
Blasts from the Past!
Lots of great older titles are being given a high definition upgrade. Arrow Video are delivering a Special Edition Blu-ray of the incredibly creepy, disturbing, wince-inducing horror flick, Audition (1999). This film from Takashi Miike (Ichi the Killer, 13 Assassins) follows a reserved man looking for a new wife. At the advice of a friend, he goes about it the wrong way… and ends up paying dearly for it. The disc includes a 2K restoration of the film from original vault elements, a director and screenwriter audio commentary, a new commentary from a Miike biographer, a director introduction to the film, a new interview with the filmmaker, interviews with the stars, an appreciation of Japanese cinema from a film critic and trailers.
They also have a Special Edition of the cult flick, Horror Express (1972). This incredibly fun monster movie stars Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing as passengers on the Trans-Siberian Express who come face to face with an otherworldly creature. It’s a hoot and the disc includes a new 2K restoration of the film (take it from me, it’s never looked so good), a film critic audio commentary, interviews with the director and numerous crew members and tons of other bonuses. You can read a full review of the disc here.
Shout! Factory also have some Blu-rays of note. Rom-com fans will appreciate Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994), one of the best flicks of its kind. This 25th Anniversary Edition includes a new 4K scan of the feature, and a new interview with the movie’s cinematographer. You’ll also get a director and producer audio commentary, documentaries and making-of featurettes, deleted scenes and promotional material.
Those looking for something different and less romantic can now pick up The Poison Ivy Collection (1992 – 2008) on Blu-ray. These films follow a teenager luring the patriarch of a wealthy family into trouble. Drew Barrymore starred in the original. The set includes four movies and in some cases presents both the R-rated and Unrated cuts, along with other bonuese.
Shout! also have a Collector’s Edition of the slasher picture, Valentine (2001). This Blu-ray comes with a new 2K scan of the original film elements, approved by the director and cinematographer. It also comes with a new director commentary and recent interviews with cast and crew members. Additionally, all material from previously released DVDs of the film, including deleted scenes and other commentaries are included. If you like the movie, this release is for you.
And Kino have a selection of new Blu-ray releases as well. Their titles include the Burt Lancaster film noir, Desert Fury (1947). The genre can be a lot of fun, and this pulpy effort comes with a film historian commentary, which should add a bit of extra information about the production. Additionally, you can pick up the Candice Bergen drama, The Group (1966). And Kino also have a double-feature Blu-ray release that pairs The Haunted Castle (1921) along with The Finances of the Grand Duke (1924).
Criterion fans have an interesting option in the impressively shot Douglas Sirk melodrama, All That Heaven Allows (1955). The Rock Husdon picture arrives with a new 2K digital restoration that should make all of those colors pop even brighter. It also comes with film scholar commentary, interviews, clips from documentaries on Hudson and Sirk as well as other extras.
Warner Archive also have a pair of Blu-rays coming your way. They include Starsky & Hutch (2004), which features Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson and Snoop Dog putting a comic spin on the TV series. Jason Bateman, Vince Vaughn, Juliette Lewis, Matt Walsh and many others are also featured in the cast. Apparently, the movie has been given a spiffy new 2019 master and the release includes all of the extras included on old DVDs of the film.
Additionally, Warner Archive are releasing the classic monster movie, The Thing from Another World (1951). This one has always been tricky to find, so not only is it a welcome release, but the studio have also gone out of their way to clean up the image with a new transfer.
Finally, Synapse are releasing Popcorn (1991) as a Steelbook Collector’s Edition Blu-ray. This cult movie follows a group of kids who are hunted by a psycho while running a horror movie marathon. It’s another hard-to-locate title that is finally getting a high definition release.
You Know, For Kids!
There isn’t much for young tykes, but here’s what is coming your way.
Pondemonium: Three Movie Collection
On the Tube!
And these are the week’s TV-themed releases.
AckleyBridge: Series 2
American Experience: The Swamp (PBS)
Bang: Series 1
Father Brown: Series 7
Frontline: Documenting Hate (PBS)
The Good Place: Season 2
Nightflyers: Season 1
Rick and Morty: Seasons 1 – 3