Welcome back to another look at highlights coming your way on Blu-ray and DVD. It’s another busy edition with something in just about every genre imaginable. As always, you can click on any links you see to read more. So if you can’t make it out to the movies this week, be sure to give to give one of these titles a try!
Big New Releases!
Andover – A professor perfects human genetic cloning and decides to recreate his late wife. He soon discovers that the copy isn’t quite the same as his lost love and sets about creating more until he can bring her back exactly as she was. This independent romantic comedy doesn’t have a whole lot of reviews yet, but the ones that have popped up haven’t been complimentary. They suggest it is slow-moving, struggles to find the right tone and doesn’t make a lasting impression. The cast includes Jonathan Silverman, Jennifer Finnigan, Richard Kind and Angela Kinsey.
Different Flowers – In this little comedy/drama, a woman about to enter her 30s comes to a crossroads in life and decides to make some major changes. This involves suddenly leaving her boyfriend at the alter and running off to make her dreams comes true. It only garnered a limited release, but appeared to earn a few positive notices. There were some who commented that it all felt like a poor man’s Runaway Bride, but more called it an amusing character piece that benefited greatly from the relationship between the lead character and her free wheeling sister. It features Shelley Long, Emma Bell and Hope Lauren.
Disobedience – An Orthodox Jewish community shuns a young woman for her attraction to a female friend. Decades later, she returns home and reconnects with the person she was forcibly separated from. Their passion quickly reignites, causing new conflict within the neighborhood. This feature earned high marks from the press. A few found the pacing too slow for their liking, but most complimented the drama for its stellar performances. They also remarked that the movie built up momentum and ultimately delivered a powerful and moving finale. It stars Rachel Weisz, Rachel McAdams, Alessandro Nivola and Cara Horgan.
The Housemaid – Also known as Cô Hầu Gái, this Vietnam/South Korea co-production is set in 1953 and follows an orphaned Vietnamese girl hired to work as a housemaid at a plantation in French Indochina. She falls for and begins a romance with the owner. Unfortunately, the ghost of his late wife is none too pleased and begins terrorizing the new arrival. This horror/suspense flick was a big hit in the South Pacific over the past year and received decent reviews from critics. A few complained that it was derivative scare flick, but more described it as beautifully shot and filled with eerie atmosphere. The cast includes Kate Nhung and Jean-Michael Richaud.
I Feel Pretty – The latest comedy from comedienne Amy Schumer involves a shy and insecure woman who feels inferior to those around her. After a head accident at a local gym, she awakens believing that she is a supermodel and begins to make bold decisions in her life. Write-ups were less than exemplary. There was a small percentage who called it slick and effective rom-com. However, more either had issues with the central premise or just didn’t find the gags as effective or funny as they could have been. The movie also features Michelle Williams, Tom Hopper, Emily Ratajkowski, Busy Phillips and Lauren Hutton. To read this site’s review, click here.
Isle of Dogs – Director Wes Anderson (The Grand Budapest Hotel, Moonrise Kingdom, The Fantastic Mr. Fox, Rushmore) returns to stop-motion animation in this eccentric comedy. Set in Japan, the story involves a virus that results in a mayor forcing all dogs to be quarantined on an island. His nephew decides to travel out there to retrieve his lost pet. The press loved the feature. A small handful who don’t appreciate the filmmaker’s work couldn’t get on board, but all others called it unique, fanciful, heartfelt and beautifully animated. The voice cast includes Bryan Cranston, Koyu Rankin, Ed Norton, Bob Balaban, Billy Murray, Jeff Goldblum, Greta Gerwig, Francis McDormand, Scarlett Johansson and many others. To read a full review, click here.
Rampage – Giant monster movie fans get plenty of action in this feature based on the arcade game of the same name. The plot follows a chemical pathogen that is ingested by a gorilla at a zoo. The simian begins growing and while his trainer attempts to figure out the cause of the spurt and what to do about it, similar events involving other species begin causing trouble. This adventure split reviewers. About half found it silly but had amusing monster action to recommend. The others called it fairly ordinary in execution, with a script and humor that aims too low to make an impact. It stars Dwayne Johnson, Naomi Harris, Malin Akerman and Jeffrey Dean Morgan. Click here to read more about it.
Super Troopers 2 – This sequel to the 2001 cult comedy finds its heroes, a team of Vermont state troopers tasked with overseeing a border dispute with Canada. In between playing practical jokes on themselves, the group attempt to stop an illicit smuggling operation. The press were not overly taken with the shenanigans on display. A small segment enjoyed the characters reuniting after many years apart, but the majority called it a lazy sequel lacking wit and resorting to the same tired old gags. It features Jay Chandrasekhar, Kevin Hefferman, Steve Lemme, Paul Soter, Brian Cox, Rob Lowe and Linda Carter. To read this site’s review of the film, click here.
Traffik – There’s nothing like a romantic getaway in the remote and isolated woods, right? That’s not the case when you’re in a movie. A couple travels out into the wilderness, only to encounter a nasty gang of bikers who begin to torment them. Naturally, things quickly escalate into as the two groups battle it out. The press did not like this thriller. There was a small percentage who appreciated the performances enough to give it a pass, but most suggested that this was an average little B-movie that doesn’t make an impact. The cast includes Paula Patton, Omar Epps, Roselyn Sanchez, Laz Alonzo and Missi Pyle.
Truth or Dare – Also known as Blumhouse’s Truth or Dare, this tale follows a group of college students who travel to Mexico. Once there, they befriend a stranger who convinces them to head out with him to an abandoned property in order to play the game, “Truth of Dare.” Great idea! They soon discover that this supernatural version has real-life consequences and the group are picked off one by one. This horror flick was panned by reviewers. One or two thought it was good for a laugh or two, but the overwhelming majority called it silly, preposterous and unlikely to scare viewers. It stars Lucy Hale, Tyler Posey and Violett Bene.
You Were Never Really Here – This independent feature from art film director Lynn Ramsey (We Need to Talk About Kevin, Morvern Callar) follows a war veteran who makes his living searching the streets for missing girls. When he is hired to use any means necessary to solve his latest case, the man begins to struggle with inner demons and past trauma. The press gave very high marks to this drama/thriller. One or two couldn’t get on its wavelength and found it ponderous to a fault, but almost everyone else called the cast compelling and the material dark and challenging. Joaquin Phoenix, Judith Roberts and Ekaterina Samsonov headline the feature.
Blasts from the Past!
Arrow Video are starting the week by releasing some interesting cult titles on Blu-ray. The first is the Italian/Spanish thriller, The Case of the Scorpion’s Tail (1971). It’s about a cop investigating the murder of a wealthy millionaire. Events take an unexpected turn when the victim’s wife who is a potential suspect also turns up dead. The movie has received a 4K restoration from the original camera negative, new subtitles, an audio commentary with the writer, interviews with the director as well as the star of the picture and a new analysis and appraisal of the film from a couple of critics.
Arrow also have a Blu-ray of the hard-to-find slasher/comedy, Doom Asylum (1987). This one involves a group of teens who decided to party on the grounds of an abandoned asylum. They soon become hunted by a figure who hasn’t yet left the facility. This release includes a 2K restoration of the flick, archival interviews with cast and crew as well as new conversations with the director of photography, make-up effects team and performers in the movie. It also arrives with two commentary tracks, one of which features the film’s screenwriter.
Additionally, the company’s art house division, Arrow Academy, are putting out a Blu-ray of the South Korean features, Woman is the Future of Man/Tale of Cinema: Two Films by Hong Sangsoo. As mentioned, the set includes two highly regarded films (from 2004 and 2005) and includes a new introduction to the features (one of which is from Martin Scorcese), interviews with the actors, featurettes on the production and other bonuses.
Kino have some eccentric features arriving on Blu-ray too. They include the Whoopi Goldberg comedy, The Associate (1996) as well as Frank McKlusky, C.I. (2002) and the Billy Wilder comedy, Irma La Douce (1963), starring Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine.
Criterion have the Blu-ray debut of the first film from Steven Soderbergh (Traffic, Ocean’s 11, Out of Sight, Che, Logan Lucky), Sex, Lies, and Videotape (1989). They’ve given the movie a 4K restoration and a new intro from the director, included a 1988 commentary with Soderbergh, a new documentary on the making-of the film, archived interviews, a deleted scene, a recently recorded conversation with the sound mixers (who have given the film a sonic upgrade) and other extras.
Those with a taste for B-movies may be interested in the new Blu-ray/DVD combo of Enter the Devil (1972). It arrives as a “Limited Collector’s Edition” from Massacre Video.
And Warner Archive have made-to-order copies available of the Paul Newman film, The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean (1972) on Blu-ray. On the DVD front, you can now ask for copies of Flight from Glory (1937), The Steel Fist (1952), Teresa (1951) and Young Dillinger (1965).
You Know, For Kids!
Here are a few titles that may be of interest to kids.
The Emma! and Lachy! Show (The Wiggles)
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic: Rarity
O.K. K.O.! Let’s Be Heroes (Cartoon Network)
On the Tube!
And here are the week’s TV-themed releases.
The Adventures of Dr. Buckeye Bottoms: Season 2
Cooper Barrett’s Guide to Surviving Life: The Complete Series
The Expanse: Season 3
Frontline: Blackout in Puerto Rico (PBS)
Frontline: Trafficked in America (PBS)
The Good Place: Season 2
In My Dreams (Hallmark TV-movie)
Loving Leah (Hallmark TV-movie)
Modus: Season 1
Pitch: The Complete Series
Second Chance: The Complete Series
Son of Zorn: The Complete Series
Sneaky Pete: Season 1
The Tunnel: Vengeance: Season 3 (PBS)
Wayward Pines: Season 2