Welcome back. It’s another big week with plenty of great new releases on Blu-ray and DVD… all of the highlights are listed below. As always, feel free to click on any links to read more about many of the flicks featured. 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!
Armed Response – In this horror picture, a military team disappear while guarding a top secret interrogation facility. When a new group of soldiers arrive to investigate, they come face to face with strange supernatural phenomena that they must battle to survive. Unfortunately, critics disliked this independent flick. They suggested that while the premise offered potential, the screenplay didn’t offer much in the way of character development and ultimately resorted to dull genre tropes. It stars Wesley Snipes, Anne Heche, Dave Annable and Gene Simmons.
Baby Driver – The latest from cult director Edgar Wright (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, The World’s End) involves a young getaway driver working for a criminal outfit. When the hero attempts to break free and finally leave the organization, he’s manipulated into participating in a big heist with some unhinged personalities. The movie was a big hit at the box office and with reviewers. They found it witty and were impressed with the driving stunts, backed by and cut to numerous catchy tunes. The cast includes Ansel Elgort, Jon Bernthal, Jon Hamm, Elza Gonzalez, Lily James, Kevin Spacey and Jamie Foxx. To read a full review, click here.
The Beguiled – This remake of the eerie 1971 Clint Eastwood thriller is a period tale set against the backdrop of the Civil War. A soldier from the North is wounded in battle and taken in by the residents at a Southern boarding school for girls. Soon, tensions and jealousies arise and events take a very dark turn. Reaction to the movie was positive overall. A few found it a little too reserved and didn’t think it matched the original, but many more called it beautifully shot and atmospheric, with plenty of interesting subtext. It was directed by Sofia Coppola (The Virgin Suicides, Lost in Translation) and features Nicole Kidman, Kirsten Dunst, Elle Fanning and Colin Farrell.
Brave New Jersey – Set in 1938, a small town in New Jersey reacts to the famous Orson Welles radio broadcast of War of the Worlds. Believing the Martian invasion described over the airwaves to be real, the characters all react to the crisis in different ways. This independent comedy earned split notices from reviewers. A portion of them found it to be a fun and fluffy concoction with a few good laughs. However, a little more than half thought that it should have been more outrageous and wringed more humor out of the amusing concept. It stars Anna Camp, Sam Jaeger, Raymond J. Barry and Tony Hale.
California Typewriter – Old-fashioned typewriters are the subject of this documentary. Not only do viewers learn about the history of the writing instrument, but they meet enthusiasts who describe how this old technology inspires them and hear about why they continue to use it regularly. While this may not seem like dynamic material for a film, the press enjoyed it. The movie has been described as a shaggy but enjoyably loving tribute to a disappearing apparatus that used to be essential piece of equipment. Interviewees include Tom Hanks, John Mayer and Sam Shepard.
Deep – This Spain/USA/ Belgium/China co-production is a futuristic animated feature about a group of brilliant sea creatures living in the deepest parts of the ocean. After their home is destroyed, a young octopus sets out to find he and his friends a new place to live, passing through the underwater ruins of the Titanic and New York City during their travels. Not many have seen it in this part of the world and reaction in other areas was muted. All admired the ecological theme, but criticism was directed at the crude jokes and some inappropriate violence. The voice cast includes Justin Felbinger, Jess Harnell and Phil LaMarr.
Fallen – A teenage girl is accused of a crime she didn’t commit and is sent away to a reform school. Once there, she befriends and finds herself attracted to a boy also attending the institute. As it turns out, he’s a fallen angel, putting the lead in a difficult position as she attempts to sort out her feelings for him and another being. This movie is based on a young adult novel and didn’t appear to impress critics. A few stated that it was too faithful to its source material, and others complained that it was burdened by over-the-top melodrama and a confusing story. It stars Lola Kirke, Addison Timlin, Joely Richardson and Jeremy Irvine.
The House – In this wacky comedy, a family discover that the scholarship they counted on to pay for their daughter’s university education has been terminated. In an attempt to make up for the lost funding, they start an underground casino in their own home, leading to increasingly outrageous scenarios. The press wrote that viewers shouldn’t place any bets on this one. They commented that despite the talented cast and a few sporadic laughs, the movie was uneven and didn’t land enough jokes to earn it a recommendation. The cast includes Will Ferrell, Amy Poehler, Jason Mantzoukas, Nick Kroll, Allison Tolman and Jeremy Renner.
The Lure – Here’s an eccentric one. This Polish arthouse horror/comedy (also known as Córki Dancingu) involves a pair of mermaid sisters in Warsaw who join a cabaret. One falls for a man, while the other decides to dine on the human population. Apparently, this feature is also a musical. In general, reviewers enjoyed what they saw. There were a few who couldn’t connect with the story or strange characters, but the vast majority found it stunningly shot and bizarrely hypnotic, noting that while it didn’t always make sense, it was a completely unique viewing experience. It features Marta Mazurek, Michalina Olszanska and Kinga Preis.
Maudie – The biopic chronicles the life of Nova Scotia folk painter Maud Lewis. The woman’s struggles with rheumatoid arthritis resulted in a challenging life, with family and community members thinking of her as little more than a incapable nuisance. After taking up residence with a local outcast, she begins painting, develops more self-confidence and starts to find a fan base for her work. This drama earned solid notices. A few took issue with the abusive behavior on display by some of the characters, but most thought the feature was a winning tribute to the real life artist that boasted an excellent lead performance. The movie stars Sally Hawkins, Ethan Hawke and Kari Matchett. To read a full review, click here.
Open Water 3: Cage Dive – In this sequel to the 2003 indie film hit, a group of Californians venture to Australia in the hopes of getting themselves cast on an extreme reality show. To do so, they decide to grab their cameras and get up close and personal with some great white sharks during a dangerous cage dive. Of course, everything goes according to plan and they land a TV deal… no, they actually find themselves as fish food. A few scattered voices thought this horror flick provided some thrills, but almost everyone else found the characters unlikable and the exercise tedious. It features Joel Hogan, Josh Potthoff and Megan Peta Hill.
Pilgrimage – A group of Monks in 1209 are given the dangerous task of transporting an important religious artifact all the way from Ireland to Rome. With Norman invaders approaching, the group must evade capture and make their way to their destination without losing the valuable relic. The press gave this feature more positive reviews than negatives ones. While some found the grim approach a bit of a slog to endure, more countered that it was a reasonably entertaining adventure that moved at a brisk pace. The cast includes Tom Holland, Richard Armitage, Jon Bernthal and John Lynch.
Top Cat Begins – The 60s Hanna-Barbera animated series gets a feature film adaptation in this Mexican production. Actually, this project is a sequel to a 2011 Top Cat production that didn’t end up getting much of a release in the US and Canada. This follow-up was released in other parts of the world back in 2015 and is now debuting on DVD in the US and Canada. It’s actually a prequel that reveals the origins of the wise-cracking feline. Reaction to the film was poor. Write-ups noted that it did try to maintain the tone of the characters, but called the results dull, even suggesting that it paled in comparison with other animated features making the rounds.
Wish Upon – This horror flick involves a teenager whose dumpster diving father discovers a special box. After receiving it, the lead soon discovers that the object holds magical powers and will grant all of her deepest desires. Unfortunately, she finds that there is a massive price to be paid for getting exactly what she wants. Critics didn’t care for this take on The Monkey’s Paw. A few called it goofy fun, but the press criticized the movie for being rather silly and not delivering the requisite scares. The movie stars Joey King, Ryan Phillippe, Ki Hong Lee and Sherilyn Fenn. To read a full review of the picture, just click here.
Blasts from the Past!
There are also plenty of fun, older titles getting upgrades this week. Shout! Factory have the cult item Dudes (1987) arriving on Blu-ray. It stars Jon Cryer and Daniel Roebuck as a pair of punk music fans who seek justice after their friend (played by Flea) is murdered by rednecks. For many years, this flick has been next to impossible to pick up, reportedly due to music rights clearances. These issues appear to have been resolved. The new Collector’s Edition Blu-ray retains the soundtrack and includes new interviews with the director, stars, writer and producer (these features total nearly 80 minutes) along with publicity materials from its original release. Nice to see this movie finally become available after disappearing for so long.
Doppelganger Releasing are putting out a Blu-ray of the early Wes Craven horror flick, Summer of Fear (1978), featuring Linda Blair. This was originally a popular witchcraft-themed TV-movie that aired on both NBC and CBS, but it was re-titled and released theatrically in Europe. No word on the extras included, but one hopes they would port over the Craven commentary track from the previous DVD release.
It’s A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963) is arriving on Blu-ray courtesy of Criterion. They’ve gone to town on this release, not only transferring the theatrical version to 4K, but also restoring and including the much longer extended cut. There’s a brand new audio commentary featuring fans and enthusiasts, as well as a documentary on the sound design. Additionally, there are hours of other bonus material included on the disc. It looks like the most thorough and extras-laden release of the movie ever.
They also have a Blu-ray of the Orson Welles take on Othello (1951). It also includes 4K restorations of two different cuts of the film, as well as an audio commentary from a Welles scholar along with writer/director Peter Bogdanovich. There are also shorts and documentaries along with plenty of other features.
As for Kino, they have another wide variety of titles coming your way. They include a Blu-ray of Avanti! (1972) with Jack Lemmon and a DVD of the disturbing cop drama, Deadly Hero (1975). On the lighter side, fans can now pick up The Flamingo Kid (1984) with Matt Dillon in high definition. Also arriving on Blu-ray is the Mario Bava cult flick, Kill, Baby… Kill! (1966) and another Italian title, Ray Colt and Winchester Jack (1970). Additionally, they’ve also got a Blu-ray of the Woody Allen comedy, Take the Money and Run (1969).
Finally, ClassicFlix have a Special Edition of the crime movie T-Men (1947) coming to Blu-ray. It arrives with plenty of extras too, including a film historian commentary track.
You Know, For Kids!
Here are some titles that youngsters may enjoy.
Deep
Dink, the Little Dinosaur: The Complete Series (Warner Archive)
Drawn Together: The Complete Collection
Hey Duggie: The Balloon Badge and Other Stories
Justice League Action: Season 1, Part 1
Peanuts Holiday Collection 4K Blu-ray
Peppa Pig: Princess Peppa
Sabrina, the Teenage Witch: Christmas Episodes
Sesame Street: Once Upon a Time on Sesame Street
SpongeBob SquarePants: Season 9
Top Cat Begins
Wild Kratts: Wild Winter Creatures
On the Tube!
Plenty of TV-themed releases are on the way as well.
The Bionic Woman: Season 1
The Bionic Woman: Season 2
The Bionic Woman: Season 3
Dink, the Little Dinosaur: The Complete Series (Warner Archive)
Drawn Together: The Complete Collection
Dynasty: The Complete Series
Everybody Hates Chris: The Complete Series
Frasier: Christmas Episodes
Good Witch: Season 3
Impractical Jokers: Season 5
Ip Man: Season 1
Justice League Action: Season 1, Part 1
The Last Kingdom: Season 1
Murdoch Mysteries: Once Upon a Murdoch Christmas
Reign: Season 4
Sabrina, the Teenage Witch: Christmas Episodes
SpongeBob SquarePants: Season 9