It’s a very busy week for Blu-ray and DVD releases with jus about every kinds of genre represented. That means we had better get right to the highlights. As always, click on any links to read full reviews. So, if you can’t make it out to the movies this week, be sure and give one of these titles a try.
Big New Releases!
5 Flights Up – An elderly couple with growing bills are convinced to put their Manhattan apartment on the market and must deal with the various ramifications in this small indie drama. The flick received all sorts of varied reactions and ultimately split the press. Some called it sweet, moving and topical while others found it an overly sentimental and melodramatic. Guess your reaction will all depend on your own personal taste. At least everyone all liked the cast, which includes Morgan Freeman, Diane Keaton and Cynthia Nixon.
’71 – This UK thriller gained almost unanimous raves from critics earlier in the year. It is about a young British soldier stationed in Northern Ireland during the early 70s. When a violent riot breaks out, he is separated from his team and finds himself lost in the streets of Belfast. From this point forwards, he struggles for survival, unsure of who to trust. Reportedly, the movie avoids addressing the politics involved directly or taking sides. Instead, it serves as an incredibly tense and suspenseful piece exploring the gray morals of all its characters and the utter terror of being caught in a violent confrontation. It stars Jack O’Connell.
Absolution – A government assassin encounters a young woman who has been forced into a human trafficking ring and decides to do something about it in this low-budget action flick. Did I mention that it stars Steven Seagal? Yep, that means his strategy will be to kill everyone. He’s back delivering the beatings in this effort that reviewers called a bland and lazy effort that does little to reinvent the actor. Vinnie Jones and Byron Mann are also featured in supporting roles.
Belle and Sebastian – Based on the beloved European novel (which has been filmed many times over the years), this adaptation of the family tale tells the story of a young boy in the French Alps who befriends a large dog falsely blamed for killing sheep in his village. While being hunted by locals, the two face an even greater threat. This French-language period film was a massive hit in its homeland (there’s a sequel already in the can) and received decent reviews that praised the gorgeous cinematography. Viewers can now check it out and see how well it translates to North American audiences. Felix Bossuet and Tcheky Karyo play the human leads.
For the Emperor – This South Korean action flick follows an ex-baseball player who is manipulated into joining the ranks of a mob-run gambling ring. Of course, the higher he rises within the organization, the more dangerous the situation becomes – apparently, martial arts eventually play a part. There aren’t many reviews of this effort available in this part of the world, so viewers will have to roll the dice themselves to find out what they’re getting.
Kill Me Three Times – Here’s another tale of a hit man who strays from the script (in this case, he botches a job and the target escapes). Naturally, it results in all sorts of unexpected complications. This Australia/US crime caper co-production involves three separate threads that eventually tie together as it progresses. Unfortunately, critics weren’t particularly fond of it. They called the story overly complicated and desperate to impress with twists and turns, but suggested that the end result wasn’t engaging and stranded cast members Simon Pegg, Alice Braga and Bryan Brown in no man’s land.
The Lovers – Despite being directed by Academy Award nominee Roland Joffe (The Killing Fields, The Mission), this epic time-travel fantasy couldn’t muster up much of a theatrical release. In fact, it has been sitting on the shelf for a couple of years before now arriving on DVD. It begins in the future as a marine archeologist attempts a daring rescue beneath the sea. After suddenly being transported back more than 200 years to India, he finds himself falling for a local woman. The press panned the movie, calling the plot confusing and the character motivations baffling. Perhaps there’s a longer cut out there that makes more sense. It stars Josh Hartnett, Tamsin Egerton and Bipasha Basu.
Maggie – Zombies fans should be amused by this riff on the subject matter that stars none other than action hero Arnold Schwarzenegger. He plays a father struggling to care for his zombie-infected daughter as the world around him teeters on the brink of apocalypse. Reportedly, it’s a change of pace for the star and features a serious, mannered and low-key tone (avoiding the trappings of the genre he’s typically associated with). Some found this effort too dark, depressing and slow moving, but more than half called it an interesting and effective, if flawed, take on a popular subject. Abigail Breslin and Joely Richardson co-star.
The Pact II – This sequel to the relatively successful micro-budgeted horror flick continues the story of the villainous Judas Killer. When a copycat begins murdering locals, an FBI agent teams with a woman who possesses a psychic connection to the antagonist. Notices from terror film critics were poor for this follow-up, stating that the movie doesn’t give audiences interesting characters and ultimately stands as a dull, routine and unnecessary sequel.
The Road Within – While residing at a clinic, teenager with Tourette’s Syndrome loses his mother and then falls for an anorexic patient. Together, the pair escape with a friend and attempt to drive to the Pacific Ocean with the ashes of the young man’s mother. Reviews weren’t exemplary for this comedy/drama. While many felt that it had a few funny moments, most found that the sudden shifts in approach from serious to slapstick muted the message. They felt that it made the character very difficult to connect with. The cast includes Robert Sheehan, Dev Patel, Zoe Kravitz, Kyra Sedgwick and Robert Patrick.
Slow West – This Western tells the story of a Scottish immigrant traveling across the American West in pursuit of the woman he loves. Acting as a guide in his travels is an outlaw, who may have a darker motive for helping the stranger out. The UK/New Zealand independent production garnered excellent write-ups. While quite violent, almost every piece called it an original effort with plenty of unique touches, quirky humor and great performances. Sounds like those with a taste for smaller films have a real treat on their hands. It stars Kodi Smit-McPhee, Michael Fassbender and Ben Mendelsohn.
The Town That Dreaded Sundown – It has already been on Netflix for quite some time, but now this follow-up to the 1976 horror film of the same name is arriving on disc. It involves a new masked copycat killer causing panic for residents in a small Texas town. Critics generally liked this effort, calling it a well-produced sequel that offers numerous nods to the original. Personally, I wasn’t crazy about it – I thought it looked great but found it choppy and unfocused, with too many characters. For this reviewer, the movie didn’t end up generating much suspense. Now viewers can make up their own minds. It features Addison Timlin, Veronica Cartwright, Anthony Anderson, Travis Tope, Gary Cole, Ed Lauter and Edward Herrmann.
Underdog Kids – This family film features a group of inner city kids who learn kung-fu and enter a tournament that pits them against a rival gang of nasty Beverly Hills youths. It’s a straight-to-DVD effort that hasn’t received any reviews as of yet. Adult cast members include Phillip Rhee, Beau Bridges, Tom Arnold and Ted McGinley.
Woman in Gold – Helen Mirren and Ryan Reynolds star in this well publicized drama based on a true story. More than 60 years after escaping Austria during the Nazi occupation, a woman attempts to retrieve personal works of art stolen from her family (and now on display in the Austrian National Gallery). The press were split on this effort – while all thought the intent was good, about half felt that it approached the story in too safe and generic a manner. It also features Daniel Bruhl, Katie Holmes, Charles Dance and Elizabeth McGovern. For a full length review, click here.
Blasts From the Past!
Not only is it a busy time for new releases, but there are plenty of older titles coming to Blu-ray for the first time. Olive Films have several coming this week dating back to the 70s and 80s. Criminal Law (1988) is a well-regarded little thriller starring Gary Oldman and Kevin Bacon. Oldman plays a defense attorney who successfully gets his client off a murder charge, only to find out that the accused may not only be guilty, but is now stalking him.
Ned Kelly (1970) is a curious take on the famous Australian outlaw starring musician Mick Jagger (yes, that Mick Jagger!) in the title role. There’s also the incredibly cheesy Roller Boogie (1979), centered around a group of roller skating teens – the cast includes Linda Blair and James Van Patten. This one should provide plenty of laughs for those in the right frame of mind.
Also from Olive is Street Smart (1987), a gritty suspense flick starring Christopher Reeve and Morgan Freeman about a reporter who fabricates a story about prostitution, only to become the target of a real life pimp who believes himself to be the subject of the article. Wild Thing (1987) is an action/drama written by John Sayles (Lone Star) about a feral kid who grows up in the slums of Manhattan after his parents are murdered. As an adult, he becomes a strange sort of vigilant, stopping crooks from terrorizing locals. These all sound like interesting little movies.
Do you enjoy low-budget action films featuring giant robots fighting one another? Then you’re in luck. Shout! Factory are bringing Robot Jox (1989) to Blu-ray in an impressive special edition. It’s a goofy little movie featuring trained robot jockeys from different nations fighting it out in the ring. There are plenty of special features, from multiple audio commentaries (including one from director Stuart Gordon) to new and archival interviews from cast and crew members about the film. It’s no masterpiece, but it does feature an entertainingly over-the-top villain, as featured in the commercial below.
Kino Lorber have a few interesting Blu-rays as well, including the Boris Karloff horror flick The Crimson Cult (1968), the icky Ed Gein-inspired serial killer movie Deranged (1974) and the Isaac Hayes action film Truck Turner (1974). And Scorpion are distributing a new Blu-ray of the Roger Corman drive-in car racing flick, Pit Stop (1969).
Those looking for something a little classier have options too. Criterion’s Blu-ray of The Killers contains two versions of the Ernest Hemingway hit man story. One from 1946 starring Burt Lancaster and another shot in 1964 with Lee Marvin. Both are highly regarded pictures. The disc features a new high-def digital restoration, interviews with actors and historians talking about both versions, and yet another short film adaptation of the story. If you like your classics gritty, this is a good choice.
Some movies possess a certain “je ne sais quoi” for certain viewers. To be clear, Fire Birds (1990) is not a good movie. It’s pretty downright laughable and therein lies some of its charm. This is a terribly generic action flick about chopper pilots that features so much over-the-top flag waving that it veers into near parody. But it is amusing to watch Nicolas Cage give another strange and surreal performance amidst the genre tropes (it’s almost as if the actor knows what he’s gotten himself into and just wants to amuse himself). The Blu-ray is from Mill Creek Entertainment, meaning it won’t have the greatest picture quality, but it will be selling for a very reasonable price. Bad movie night fans may want to check it out.
Finally, Paramount is releasing Virtuosity (1995) as a Blu-ray from their Catalog line. This tale involves a “virtual” serial killer who attempts to break out of his digital home and into the real world. If memory serves, it wasn’t particularly strong and now that it is 20 years old, will seem particularly dated in its computer technology. Could be good for a laugh, though. The movie stars Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe as the villain.
You Know, For Kids!
Are here are some kid-friendly choices for your perusal.
Belle and Sebastian (French movie)
The Berenstain Bears: Summer Family Fun
Bunch of Playdates (Nickelodeon)
Sesame Street: Count on Elmo
Underdog Kids (movie)
On the Tube!
There are a few interesting choices on TV too. It appears that the BBC have had success in remaking Poldark – the latest take on the story arrives this week. The original Poldark (1975-1977) was a melodrama about an Englishman of nobility returning to his estate after fighting in the American Revolutionary War. He finds his home in taters and must rebuild it to its former glory. Subplots involve numerous romances with the elite, as well as a servant woman. The show garnered a huge cult following – they enjoyed the adventures of the very stuffy lead character (he seemed to have a pickle almost permanently wedged up his butt).
The new version of the story reportedly plays it in just as grandiose a manner. One thing’s for sure, subtle is not a word I’d use to describe either show. In its honor, here is a trailer for the first series (from an earlier DVD release) and the opening titles to the new interpretation. Enjoy!
The Adventures of Black Beauty: The Complete Series (1972-1973)
Archie Bunker’s Place: Season 1
Barney Miller: The Final Season
Bitten: Season 2
The Brokenwood Mysteries: Series 1
Dick Cavett’s Viet Nam (PBS)
First Peoples (PBS)
House of Cards: Season 3
Married With Children: The Complete Series
Married With Children: Season 11
Masterpiece: Poldark
Nature: Mystery Monkeys of Shangri-La
Playing House: Season 1
Witches of East End: The Complete Season 2