Wow, it’s time for a massive edition of highlights arriving on Blu-ray and DVD. Just about every genre is represented, with major studio hits and smaller independent features from around the world. 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!
A Bag of Marbles – This France/Canada/Czech Republic foreign-language production follows a pair of Jewish brothers at the outset of World War II. As Nazi forces invade their town, the boys go on the run to avoid capture and persecution. Reviews for the movie were generally good. A small grouping didn’t find it as thrilling or have the impact of titles with a similar story to tell. However, the majority were quite taken with what they saw. They complimented the movie’s focus on how these events impacted youngsters and thought it was well made. The cast includes Dorian Le Clech, Batyste Fleurial and Patrick Bruel.
Beautifully Broken – Three separate narrative are intertwined in this faith-based film that is set around the Rwandan genocide. The lives of local families in the African nation are displayed and contrasted with another clan in the US who decide to get involved in a refugee program. Notices for this picture were reasonable overall. Several did complain that it lacked subtlety in its approach and the America-set story wasn’t nearly as effective as the other two. Still, slightly more called it a better-than-average religious picture that handled the Rwandan segments effectively. It features Benjamin A. Onyango, Scott William Winters and Emily Hahn.
Change in the Air – A woman arrives in a small town and witnesses an elderly man walk directly into traffic. She immediately rushes to the scene and helps save his life. The woman then disappears before authorities and those around are able to give thanks. Those in the community come together to try and learn more about the area’s new arrival. Critics did not enjoy this faith-based feature. Almost all of them said that while the movie attempted to create a sweet and charming tone, it failed to do so, only coming across as cloying and failing to develop its characters. Rachel Brosnaham, M. Emmett Walsh, Aidan Quinn, Seth Gilliam, Olympia Dukakis and Mary Beth Hurt headline the production.
Elizabeth Harvest – In this thriller, a newlywed is taken to the lavish estate of her husband, a brilliant scientist. She is waited on by staff members and permitted to do whatever she wants… except go into a locked-off room. Of course, the lead can’t help but be curious as to what is really going on behind that door. This effort split the press, receiving slightly more negative write-ups than positive ones. Those who liked it said it didn’t always make sense, but worked as a twisted fairy tale. The rest called the film convoluted and unfocused. It stars Abby Lee, Ciaran Hinds, Carla Gugino, Dylan Baker and Matthew Beard.
God Bless the Broken Road – Here’s yet another faith-based drama making its debut on disc. The story involves the wife of a soldier who is killed in Afghanistan. After being given notice of his passing, she struggles with raising their daughter in his absence. Unfortunately, the press were not taken with this feature. A couple of reviews found it earnest and well-intentioned enough to earn it a pass, but the vast majority complained that it was slow-moving and awkwardly crafted, eventually resorting to sermonizing in order to make its points. The cast includes Lindsay Pulsipher, Jordin Sparks, LaDainian Tomlinson, Robin Givens and Kim Delaney.
The Happytime Murders – Jim Henson’s Muppet creations get a hard R-rated makeover in this dark comedy. It’s set in a world where puppets and humans interact, and follows a disgraced felt cop investigating the slayings of various performers from a TV series. He teams with a gruff human partner to solve the case. Reaction towards the comedy was very poor. Those who appreciated it suggested that its raunchiness impressed them. However, far more commented that it simply wasn’t funny and the story was a slog to sit through. Melissa McCarthy, Maya Rudolph, Joel McHale and Elizabeth Banks headline the film. To read this site’s review, click here.
Howard Lovecraft and the Kingdom of Madness – This made-for-video family animated feature is the third in a series featuring a lead character inspired by writer H. P. Lovecraft and creatures inspired by the author’s writings. This time out, the pint-sized hero must embark on a trek to Antarctic. Once there, he must prevent the monster Cthulhu from rising and bringing the world to ruin. As of right now, no one has seen this follow-up and so there are no reviews available. One assumes that if the previous entries worked for you, this might as well. The voice cast includes Ashleigh Ball, Doug Bradley, Mark Hamill, Sean Patrick O’Reilly and Christopher Plummer.
In Harm’s Way – Also known as Feng Huo Fang Fei in its homeland, this English-language production from China is war picture involving US bomber pilots who took part in the Doolittle raids on Japan. After completing their mission, several realize that they are out of fuel… and one lands in occupied China. A village widow attempts to hide him from enemy forces until he can attempt a daring escape. Reaction hasn’t been all that phenomenal towards this effort. Most have called it well-meaning feature that simply misses the mark and feels too melodramatic. It features Emile Hirsch, Yifei Liu and Fangcong Li.
Martyr – In this drama, a group of friends from an impoverished neighborhood in Beirut are shocked to discover that one of their own has tragically died. They all struggle to deal with the loss and what it means to them. Eventually, the group gather at the funeral to pay tribute to their pal in an unconventional way. There aren’t a great deal of notices available for this foreign-language effort from Lebanon, but the ones that have appeared have been positive. They have described the film as an interesting treatment of themes like grief and loss. Hamza Mekdad and Carol Abboud are credited as the leads.
McQueen – Alexander McQueen was a hugely influential British fashion designer who founded his own label and amassed a great many followers. This documentary details his life, his rise to the top and eventual fade out from the fashion world. It does so using exclusive interviews with close friends and associates as well as revealing footage presenting the artist as something of a tortured soul. Reaction to the film was exceptional. Almost all reviews said it did an excellent job of both displaying the man’s talent and getting behind the curtain to show his life in remarkable detail.
Mission: Impossible – Fallout – The latest chapter in the Mission: Impossible saga picks up where the previous chapter left off. After an assignment goes wrong and a dangerous weapon is lost, Ethan Hunt must go undercover to infiltrate the organization responsible. He finds himself facing off against a familiar foe as he attempts to stop a devastating attack. Critics enjoyed this action picture and gave it very high marks. A small percentage found it too long for its own good, but almost everyone admitted the action and stunts were spectacular and the end result entertaining. It stars Tom Cruise, Henry Cavill, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg and Rebecca Ferguson. To read this site’s review, click here.
The Nun – This spin-off of The Conjuring takes one of the eerie figures featured and tells its origin story. The plot involves a series of strange events occurring at an isolated abbey in Romania. When a priest and a novitiate arrive on the property, they immediately experience supernatural phenomenon and find their lives at risk. The press generally didn’t care for this horror picture. There were a few who thought the jump scares worked, but the consensus was that this was the worst picture in the franchise. Most didn’t think that the movie’s bland story generated much suspense. The cast includes Taissa Farmiga, Demian Bichir and Jonas Bioquet. To read a full review of the picture, click here.
Operation Finale – Set more than a decade after the end of WWII, this drama tells the story of a team of Israeli intelligence agents who learn that a high-ranking Nazi official is alive and well in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The group plots to capture the war criminal and sneak him out of the country for trial. Response towards this film was decidedly mixed, although slightly more positive than negative. Those who panned it stated that the movie never really developed into much more than a basic potboiler and ultimately lacked tension. Slightly more felt that it finished strong and featured good performances. It features Oscar Isaac, Ben Kingsley, Melanie Laurent, Lior Raz and Nick Kroll.
Pick of the Litter – Guide dogs are the subject of this documentary. It follows a group of puppies over two full years as they grow and enter the training process to see which ones can handle the task of serving the blind. As time passes, audiences find out who will make the cut and take on these important positions. Critics adored this little flick and as of right now, it has yet to have received a bad word. According to all, the dogs are utterly adorable and the film has a sweet and genial tone. They also suggested that viewers will more than likely shed a tear as the closing credits roll.
Pope Francis: A Man of His Word – Director Wim Wenders (The American Friend, Wings of Desire, Buena Vista Social Club, Pina) returns to the documentary world, taking on the current Pope as his subject. The film is described as an untraditional biography of the man. Instead it attempts to take us on a personal journey into the figure’s thoughts and ideas. The movie has received mostly positive write-ups. There were a small number who didn’t care for the film and suggested that it doesn’t really reveal a whole lot about the Pope. However, others thought it was enlightening enough to earn it a pass.
Ride – This independent thriller involves a Lyft driver who experiences a very strange and disturbing night out on the job. He picks up a female passenger and then a second, charismatic male client. As the characters talk and reveal more about themselves, tension arises and lives are put at risk. The reaction of the press was very muted. A few appreciated the work of the cast and said it was a well written and decent little indie picture. Unfortunately, others wrote that it struggles to build momentum and ultimately doesn’t deliver much in the way of excitement. Bella Thorne, Jessie T. Usher and Will Brill play the leads.
Song of Back and Neck – Here’s another intiguing independent effort. The story follows a paralegal suffering from extreme back pain that causes him to periodically fall to the ground in agony. Desperate for some relief, he tries Chinese acupuncture and finds it more than helpful. In fact, his tense body parts begin to “sing” as pressure is released. This comedy received decent reviews. About one quarter of notices did complain that while funny, the dramatic elements simply didn’t work. However, the rest were amused by the unusual concept and central performance. It stars Paul Lieberstein, Rosemarie DeWitt, Clark Duke, Paul Feig and Robert Pine.
Support the Girls – Set over the course of a single day, this comedy is centered around the manager of a “sports bar with curves”. A kind-hearted person, she has built relationships with both servers and customers. However, her patience and optimism are put to the test after being forced to deal with several difficulties at exactly the same time. Response was excellent towards this little comedy. There were a few who didn’t enjoy it as much as others, writing that it was a little underwritten. Still, the massive majority found it breezy, loved the characters and believed that the movie even managed to work in a statement or two amidst all the fun. The cast includes Regina Hall, Haley Lu Richardson, Dylan Geula and Zoe Graham.
Til Death Do Us Part – A wife struggles with an obsessive and controlling husband in this suspense picture. In order to escape his clutches, she fakes her own death and tries to start a new life without him. Sadly, her ex isn’t willing to give up that easily and begins to not only hunt her down, but put her life in grave danger. At present, there aren’t many reviews for this title and so there is no reviewer consensus. As a result, anyone interested should probably lower their expectations and not expect a genre classic. It features Taye Diggs, Stephen Bishop, Annie Ilonzeh and Malik Yoba.
Tinker’ – This independent science-fiction thriller involves a reclusive farmer who shuts himself away from the world. One day, he discovers a notebook from his late father that details the work of Nicola Tesla along with a new experiment. The lead discovers that he can make plants grow at an increased rate and decides to use to the process to save his property. However, discovers that there are complications to using the formula. As of right now, there are very few write-ups online. One does suggest that the small film is not well paced and struggles to introduce its fantasy elements. Now curious parties can check it out and decide for themselves. Clyne Crawford headlines the feature.
Viking Destiny – A Scandinavian princess is forced to flee her kingdom after her father is brutally murdered. She moves through the countryside avoiding capture, listening to the advice of Odin and slowly building an army of supporters. With a new crew of Viking warriors, she sets out to take back the throne. This UK production got panned by the press. The odd voice called it an entertaining action picture, but just about everyone else critiqued it for being poorly written, clumsily made and lacking much in the way of production value. It stars Anna Demetriou, Martyn Ford, Terence Stamp and Paul Freeman.
What Keeps You Alive – A married couple decide to celebrate their one year anniversary by spending some time at a remote cabin in the woods that is owned by a family member. As we all know, only good things can happen alone in the wilderness. Naturally, one of them begins behaving strangely and endangers the life of the other as they reveal their clan history. Reaction towards this thriller was positive. A few criticized it for attempting too many twists and ultimately found it difficult to buy into, but the majority called the film well-acted and admired its many attempts to keep things fresh. The cast includes Hannah Emily Anderson, Brittany Allen and Martha MacIsaac.
Winter Brothers – Finally, this production from Iceland/Denmark follows two brothers living through the cold winter in a harsh environment. One is employed as a miner, the other distilling moonshine produced using chemicals taken from his brother’s work. When another miner becomes ill, the alcohol merchant is blamed, leaving the two siblings at odds. Critics were quite positive about this thriller. One or two didn’t think that all the elements worked together well, but generally they believed that the film had an interesting, singular voice and was gripping. It features Elliott Crosset Hove, Simon Sears and Victoria Carmen Sonne.
Blasts from the Past!
Some interesting older titles are arriving in high definition as well. Arrow Academy are presenting a Special Edition Blu-ray of The Serpent’s Egg (1977). This is the only Hollywood film from Swedish director Ingmar Bergman (The Seventh Seal) and stars as a circus performer who ends up experimenting in the fantastic. The feature arrives with a commentary track from star David Carradine, a newly filmed appreciation of the film with a critic, archival featurettes, stills, a trailer and an archival interview with another movie expert.
Kino have several curious Blu-ray titles as well. They include the fascinating, darkly humorous documentary, The Atomic Cafe (1982). It’s about nuclear testing in America and the way it was sold to the general public. The disc also includes a trailer and several propaganda films from the era. I’ll be looking forward to catching up with that one. The studio are also releasing the Michael Caine thriller, The Black Windmill (1974). This Blu-ray includes a film historian commentary, an interview with the cinematographer and other bonuses.
They’ve also got a Special Edition of National Lampoon’s Class Reunion (1982) aka Class Reunion. The Blu-ray of this comedy about a killer wiping out attendees at a high school reunion includes extra features as well, including an interview with co-star Gerrit Graham, trailers and an audio commentary with the director.
Additionally, the distributor are presenting the sci-fi thriller The Puppet Masters (1994) in high definition. The movie is based on a story by Robert Heinlein and is similar in some respects to Invasion of the Body Snatchers. This one also involves a small town slowly overtaken by aliens forces who control their bodies. This release has a recently recorded director and editor commentary, new interviews with cast and crew members, theatrical trailer and a booklet essay on the feature.
Kino also have a Blu-ray of the Ken Wuhl adventure film, Race for the Yankee Zephyr (1981) aka Treasure of the Yankee Zephyr. Finally, they are also releasing the Italian action/adventure flick, The Revolt of the Slaves (1960) aka La Rivolta degli Schiavi. It’s set during the during the Roman Empire. It comes with a theatrical trailer.
You Know, For Kids!
Here are some titles kids may enjoy.
A Frozen Christmas 3
Howard Lovecraft and the Kingdom of Madness
On the Tube!
And here are the week’s TV-themed releases.
Castlevania: Season 1
Doctor Who: Peter Davison: Season 1
The Handmaid’s Tale: Season 2
Royal New Year’s Eve (Hallmark)
Vera: Set 8
Westworld: Season 2
Yellowstone: Season 1