Welcome back to another look at highlights arriving on Blu-ray and DVD. Once again, it’s a jam-packed edition once with tons of films in just about every genre to choose from. So, since you likely can’t or shouldn’t be going out to the movies, be sure to give one of these titles a try!
Big New Releases!
2067 – In this science-fiction flick, a utility worker listening to his radio receives a mysterious signal. He is told that in order to change the course of history and save the world from a massive environmental disaster, he must leave his ailing wife behind and travel into the future. The reluctant protagonist must venture into the unknown and see if he can make a difference. This Australian feature wasn’t very well-received by the press. A small group admired what was accomplished on a limited budget and thought it had some interesting ideas and elements. However, the majority complained that despite the noble efforts of the cast, the script itself was clunky and the story was presented in a confusing manner. It stars Kodi Smit-McPhee, Ryan Kwanten, Sana’a Shaik and Deborah Mailman
Aggie – Art collector and philanthropist Agnes ‘Aggie’ Gund is the subject of this documentary. The filmmaker, who happens to be the daughter of the woman being chronicled, details what inspired her mother to use her experience as a dealer in the art world to promote social justice causes. This includes convincing the owners of one of the most valuable artworks in the world to donate sales proceeds to a charity devoted to reforming the American criminal justice systems. Critics liked the feature, although they weren’t overwhelmed by it. Many wrote that it was a sweet ode to the tireless efforts of an admirable women. Still, several also complained that there wasn’t much drama or tension on display and that it felt like the filmmaker was too close to and in awe of her subject.
The Broken Hearts Gallery – Still hurting after being dumped by her boyfriend, a 20-something New York art gallery assistant comes up with a novel idea to help her move on. She decides to curate a museum pop-up space to display trinkets and mementoes from her dissolved relationship. Word of mouth grows and soon the lead finds new friends who have or are also want to participate in the project. Reaction towards this romantic comedy was generally upbeat. A minor contingent thought the story was bland and that the movie would only appeal to those in the same demographic as the lead character. Still, the consensus was that this was a fun and enjoyable little film with charming performances. It features Geraldine Viswanathan, Dacre Montgomery, Utkarsh Ambudkar, Molly Gordon, Sheila McCarthy and Bernadette Peters.
Cicada Song – This independent feature follows a determined woman in small town America who sets out to search for her Latina lover and a migrant child who have both disappeared. Naturally, over the course of her quest, the protagonist learns a dark secret about the town and is left for dead in the wilderness. The woman must endure the natural elements and make her way back to civilization. This little thriller played at several festivals over the past year and won a few awards. There aren’t a great many reviews available yet, but a few have popped up online. They have been positive, stating that the indie film is well-made, chilling and has some important points to make about bigotry. The cast includes Lyndsey Lantz, Jenny Mesa, Kim Reed and Joseph Bottoms.
Death of Me – A couple’s exotic vacation to the coast of Thailand takes a decidedly unpleasant turn when they get black-out drunk and make a shocking discovery the next morning on their camera. They discover footage of the husband murdering his still-living wife. With a typhoon closing in, the two try to reconstruct events from the previous evening and figure out what the bizarre and perhaps supernatural footage means. Response towards this horror picture from Darren Lynn Bousman (Saw II, Saw III, Repo! The Genetic Opera) wasn’t positive overall. A few liked the cast and found the movie stylish and creepy. Still, most described the events on display as repetitive and suggested that the story didn’t really come together. It stars Maggie Q, Luke Hemsworth and Alex Essoe.
The Devil Has a Name – In this drama, the nasty executive of an oil company goes toe-to-toe with a farmer suing her company for poisoning his land. She attempts to outwit her foe, but in the process accidentally begins exposing not only her own criminal activities, but those of the entire oil industry. Edward James Olmos (lead actor in the TV-series Battlestar Galactica) directed this feature, which didn’t find much love from the critics. A few noted that the movie presented its characters in a unique and complex way and had an important message. However, most thought the movie was a little heavy-handed in execution and didn’t make the most of its intriguing concept. This film is being released only on DVD, but hopefully a Blu-ray will follow. The cast includes Kate Bosworth, Chivonne Michelle, Katie Lynn McDowell, Alfred Molina, David Strathairn, Kathleen Quinlan and Haley Joel Osment.
The Donut King – The remarkable and bizarre story of Cambodian refugee Ted Ngoy is chronicled in this documentary. After moving to the US, the entrepreneur began a successful donut business that quickly expanded across the state of California. His success story came to screeching halt later in life when Ngoy began living an unnecessarily opulent lifestyle and developed a gambling addiction. The press raved about this non-fiction feature. One or two complained that it could have taken some sharper jabs near the end at the American way of life. Still, others noted that the movie detailed an incredible story and did take a few subtle jabs along the way. This reviewer has also seen the documentary and highly recommends it. It is being released exclusively on DVD right now, but a Blu-ray should follow at some point in the future.
Ghosts of the République – Those looking for more non-fiction viewing choices can also pick up this feature which is making its debut on disc. There currently isn’t a lot of information available about the film, so here’s the press synopsis paragraph about it. The movie follows Aurelien and Nicolas, who, when confronted by France’s conservative surrogacy laws, decide to exhaust their last option by traveling to Las Vegas to start a family of their own through surrogacy. This film demonstrates the extreme lengths many gay couples go to have children, highlighting the ever-expanding and controversial surrogacy industry. Those interested in this documentary can now pick it up on disc through various outlets or find it via streaming services.
The Last Laugh – Stand-up comedy can be a deadly business and this independent flick takes this idea literally. A comedian on the verge of massive popular success heads out to a sold-out theater in order to do his biggest show ever. However, he’s forced into making a terrible choice when it is discovered that a murderer is loose and targeting all sorts of people at the performance. There currently aren’t a lot of reviews available for this title, but the ones that have appeared so far aren’t particularly complimentary. One or two say that this is an entertaining black comedy, but the majority claim the movie doesn’t make the most of its great concept and ends up being bland and forgettable. Steve Vanderzee, Eric Stone, Lowell Deo and Angela DiMarco headline the feature.
Monstrum – Those looking for a little more magic and fantasy in their monster pictures will get some with this foreign-language effort from South Korea. This period effort is set in the 16th century and involves a vicious beast roaming through the streets of a mountain community and terrorizing residents. A loyal subject of the King is tasked with recruiting a team to identify and wipe out the strange threat. It looks like the press had a great time with this flick. One or two complained about the overuse of CGI visual effects, but everyone else thought this was a high-energy, engaging and exciting monster epic that has great action and got better and better as it progressed. The cast includes Myung-Min Kim, In-kwon Kim, Hyeri Lee, Woo-sik Choi and Sung-woong Park.
The New Mutants – This Marvel comic-book adaptation features young superheroes not as well known as Wolverine or Deadpool. The plot involves five young mutants with extraordinary abilities who are taken by a mysterious doctor to a top-secret research facility. While there, they are trained so that they can control their gifts. However, when members of the group begin to suffer from hallucinations, they all begin to wonder if the doctor is good or evil. Unfortunately, this movie was generally panned upon its release earlier in the year. A few did enjoy the picture’s attempt to mash-up superhero and horror tropes in a new way and even thought it might become a cult flick. Still, the majority stated that the film simply didn’t work and felt like a B-movie take on Marvel’s X-Men. It stars Maisie Williams, Anya Taylor-Joy, Charlie Heaton, Alice Braga, Blu Hunt and Henry Zaga.
Nomad: In the Footsteps of Bruce Chatwin – The latest documentary from acclaimed filmmaker Werner Herzog (Fitzcarraldo, My Best Fiend, Grizzly Man, Rescue Dawn, Cave of Forgotten Dreams and many others) is inspired by the director’s personal relationship with Bruce Chatwin, the prolific author of In Patagonia and champion of nomadic lifestyles. Just before his death in 1989, Chatwin presented the director with his own personal rucksack. 30 years later, Herzog goes through contents and sets out on his own journey inspired by his friendship with the deceased figure. This picture earned plenty of praise from critics. One or two wanted more drama and didn’t appreciate the meditative tone. Still, most called it a beautiful and personal story with great photography and plenty of interesting observations.
The Orange Years: The Nickelodeon Story – Over the years, the Nickelodeon network has entertained generations of kids with its wide array of programming. This non-fiction feature details everything about the station, showing how it grew from a small local channel to an international brand that changed programming around the world. The picture documents its rise over the years with the creators, actors and writers from the golden age of Nickelodeon. At present, there aren’t a lot of write-ups for this feature, but some have appeared from film festival screenings. Articles note that the movie actually tries to cram way too much into its brief running time, but admit that it should serve as fun to those who loved the shows that the network aired. The flick features interviews with Mark Summers, Melissa Joan Hart, Kenan Thompson and many others.
Paydirt – An ex-con out on parole gets his old gang back together in order to retrieve a buried bag of cash. It seems that the loot was taken five years earlier from a DEA bust gone wrong. As the gang reunite and head out to locate the goods, they find themselves being followed by a retired Sheriff, as well as members of the cartel that the money was stolen from. Response from the press towards this effort wasn’t kind. A few described it as a diverting enough effort for action B-movie fans. Yet the overwhelming consensus was that the flick was a patchwork of other, better crime pictures and simply felt unimaginative, uninventive and underwritten. The cast includes Luke Goss, Val Kilmer, Mike Hatton, Paul Sloan, Nick Vallelonga and Mirtha Michelle.
Pokémon: Mewtwo Strikes Back – Evolution – Are you a Pokémon enthusiast? Then you likely already know more about this animated title than this writer does. According to the press notes, the story involves a scientific experiment that leads to the clone of the sinister creature Mewtwo. This new arrival sets out to destroy the world and the only ones who can stop it are a boy named Ash and his friendly Pokémon pals. Reviewers in this part of the world had a mixed response towards this title, the 22nd Japanese animated film based on the characters. Those who liked it commented that the visuals were stunning and that those with a soft spot for Pikachu and his buddies would enjoy what they saw. Slightly more thought that it was an unnecessary cash-in. They noted it is a remake of the first animated Pokémon flick from 1998 and said it adds nothing new to the franchise.
Relic – This Australian horror picture follows a woman living in the big city who receives a distressing call that her mother has disappeared. The protagonist and her daughter head out to the remote house where the family matriarch lives. They are relieved when the old lady suddenly reappears, but are disturbed by her unusual behavior. Then the visitors start to experiencing strange and unexplainable phenomena within the home. Critics were impressed by this chiller and gave it high marks. A small group thought that the picture didn’t ultimately do much with its ambitious themes of sickness and decay. Still, most were impressed by the atmosphere and performances, calling the film unsettling and effective. It stars Emily Mortimer, Robyn Nevin and Bella Heathcote. To read this site’s review of the movie, click here.
The Runaways – Three siblings in Northern England find their lives turned upside down after a family tragedy leaves them with their cruel uncle. Desperate and with no where else to turn, they decide to run away, taking the farm’s donkey along with them. They struggle to survive in the harsh wilderness and ultimately become even closer as they attempt to live off the land. This adventure film from the UK won some accolades at film festivals in its homeland, but didn’t impress as many members of the press. A few liked the young performers and called the flick sweet and earnest, but the majority said they were more disturbed than amused by what the young characters were being forced to endure. It features Molly Windsor, Rhys Connah, Macy Shackleton, Mark Addy and Lee Boardman.
Summerland – This UK period drama focuses on a young boy who is sent to live with a reclusive and curt woman on the southern coast while World War II rages in nearby France. After several weeks together, the youngster eventually earns the respect and affection of the eccentric loner. The woman begins to open up and the boy learns more about why she has chosen to live as an outcast. Reaction was generally positive towards this film. Some critiqued the feature for feeling forced and manufactured, even if its heart was in the right place. However, most thought that the excellent performances and impressive photography helped the movie overcome its narrative cliches. The cast includes Gemma Arterton, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Penelope Wilton, Tom Courtenay and Lucas Bond. To read a full review of the feature, click here.
Then Came You – A lonely widow decides to take a trip around the world with her late husband’s ashes and visit some of their favorite places. When she arrives in Scotland, the lead finds herself staying at a mansion run by a widower struggling to keep his business afloat. Sparks fly as the two begin talking and spending more time together. Response towards this rom-com was split. About half of the write-ups called the movie by-the-numbers and forgettable, stating that there wasn’t a great deal of romantic chemistry between the stars. The other half suggested just the opposite, calling the movie charming and likable, while also stating that the conversations between the leads were vibrant and funny. At this time, the movie is arriving exclusively on DVD, so those wanting a Blu-ray will have to wait a while longer. It features Kathie Lee Gifford (who also wrote the film and produced it), Craig Ferguson and Elizabeth Hurley.
Unhinged – We’ve all had bad days in traffic, but this tale takes one unfortunate altercation to the extreme. A mother cuts off a driver while taking her son to school and refuses to apologize to him, not realizing that the man has suffered a psychological snap. He sets out to terrorize the protagonist and her child, chasing them around town and even targeting the female driver’s other family members. Critics were split down the middle on this suspense picture. Half of them called it fast-paced, enjoyed the lead performance and stated that the movie provided the required B-movie thrills. However, just as many complained that it didn’t aspire to more than the basic chills and didn’t find it to be a pleasant driving experience. The movie stars Russell Crowe, Caren Pistorius, Gabriel Bateman and Jimmi Simpson. To read a review of the movie, just click this link.
We Are Little Zombies – This foreign-language drama from Japan follows four orphans who cross paths while at the funerals of each of their parents. The kids form a bond as they try to process their loss and end up forming a band. They become media sensations and their music attracts the attention of both fans and critics. The foursome attempt to figure out how to deal with all the attention while forging ahead with their new life. This picture earned high marks from the press. A small percentage did complain that the filmmakers forced in a lot of jarring animation and computer graphics into the movie, which they found irritating. Still, most called the picture a fresh, energetic and unique attempt to depict young people coping with loss. The cast includes Keita Ninomiya, Mondo Okumura, Satoshi Mizuno and Sena Nakajima.
Words on Bathroom Walls – A teenager yearning to become a chef faces various challenges after being diagnosed with schizophrenic personality disorder. When he is kicked out a school after a violent incident, the young man finds himself alone in a new learning institute. After making a friend and adjusting to a different medicinal regiment, he struggles to decide whether to keep his illness hidden from the new people in his life or come clean and potentially be ostracized. The consensus on this young adult drama was generally positive with some caveats. A portion said suggested that the varied shifts in tones and attempts to wedge humor into the proceedings didn’t work. Regardless, most thought that the actors were solid enough to overcome the story’s hiccups. It stars Charlie Plummer, Taylor Russell, Walton Goggins, Andy Garcia and Molly Parker. To read a complete review of the feature, click here.
Blasts from the Past!
It’s an equally busy week for older films receiving spiffy Blu-ray upgrades. Oliver Films is releasing a Signature Edition of the John Wayne western, Rio Grande (1950), in which the actor plays the leader of a cavalry unit. The disc features a new high-definition digital restoration of the film, a film expert commentary, several recently crafted featurettes on elements of the production as well as a making-of with critic Leonard Maltin and publicity materials. If you’re a fan of old westerns, this package will likely impress.
Horror and science-fiction fans will be thrilled to see that Arrow Video have a couple of new releases. The first is a Blu-ray of the Italian chiller and Exorcist knock-off, Beyond the Door (1974). This effort follows a young pregnant mother who is possessed by Satan and begins exhibiting unusual and terrifying behavior. This is a 2-disc Limited Edition that comes with a 2K restoration of both the uncut version, as well as the US theatrical edition and a feature-length documentary on Italian exorcism features. You’ll also interviews with various cast and crew members, alternate opening titles, trailers, TV spots, radio ads and much more.
They also have a Blu-ray of the sci-fi film, Silent Running (1972). This one is about a man who works alone on a spaceship trying to keep the last remnants of the Earth’s ecosystem alive. It stars Bruce Dern and is generally considered a cult classic. The movie arrives with a new 2K restoration from the original camera negative, a film critic commentary, an interview with an authority on movie scores talking about the audio cues in this feature, a featurette on the writing of the script, another on the visual effects, a conversation with Bruce Dern, an archival on-set documentary, a discussion with the director and plenty more bonuses.
Shout! have a surprise of sorts with a Blu-ray of the hit comedy, Twins (1988), featuring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito as twin brothers. Despite being the 5th highest grossing film of 1988, this feature has never been put out on Blu-ray before. Extras on the disc include new interviews with director Ivan Reitman (Meatballs, Stripes, Ghostbusters, Kindergarten Cop) as well as the screenwriter and some publicity materials.
The distributor is also putting out a Collector’s Edition of Weathering with You (2019), an animated feature from Japan. This boxed edition presents the movie in 4K resolution and includes the CD soundtrack, a 104-page book on the movie, a feature-length documentary on the flick, as well as numerous other added bonuses.
Kino have new Blu-ray releases as well. Dragnet (1954) with Jack Webb is a feature-length spin-off of the famous TV-series in which the famous detective attempts to take down the mob. The film has been given a new 2K master and includes the widescreen and fullscreen TV editions of the feature. It also comes with a film/TV historian commentary and a trailer.
They also have a Blu-ray of the Kirk Douglas sword and sandal epic, Ulysses (1954). This new edition of the Italian film contains a 4K restoration of the picture, a movie expert commentary, both the Italian and English versions of the film, as well as the alternate US credits as bonuses. You’ll also get a selection of trailers on the disc.
The Wonders of Aladdin (1961) is arriving on Blu-ray as well. Donald O’Connor plays the title character as he gets into a series of adventures involving bandits, magicians, Amazon queens and, of course, a genie. The disc includes a 4K master the film as well as an informative commentary track detailing the production.
Criterion have a couple of big titles arriving this week. The first is the stylish independent flick, Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai (1999), about a contract killer for the mob who takes up the ideals of the title Japanese warriors. This cult film from Jim Jarmusch (Mystery Train, Dead Man, Broken Flowers, Only Lovers Left Alive) stars Forest Whitaker and features a score by the Wu-Tang Clan’s RZA. The Blu-ray presents the movie with a 4K digital restoration approved by the director, an isolated music track, a new interview with Jarmusch, a discussion with Whitaker, along with interviews with the casting director and the founder of the USA Shaolin Temple. It also comes with a video essay on the score, a 2000 program on the making of the film, deleted scenes and outtakes, archival interviews and a trailer.
Moonstruck (1987) is an Oscar-winning romantic comedy starring Cher and Nicolas Cage. It’s about an unlucky-in-love New York City bookkeeper who settles and agrees to marry a local man but then begins to question her decision after falling for her future husband’s hot-blooded brother. The movie arrives on disc with a 4K digital restoration and a new talk with screenwriter John Patrick Shanley. This disc also incudes a special with a music scholar about the use of opera music in the feature. You’ll also get an introduction from Cher (recorded in 2003), archival interviews with the entire cast and crew, a separate 2002 discussion with co-star Danny Aiello, an audio track with the screenwriter about the development of the script, a 2006 program about the movie, a 2006 reexamination of the title’s music, and an audio commentary recorded in 1998 featuring Cher, Shanley and director Norman Jewison.
Mill Creek are putting out a couple of noteworthy Blu-ray box sets too. The first is Hammer Films: The Ultimate Collection (1958 – 1971) which collects 20 horror flicks from the studio. There are too many titles to mention here, but it’s a massive set that ends up costing buyers about $4 per movie. If classic drama and suspense are more to your liking, they are also releasing Rita Hayworth: The Ultimate Collection (1940 – 1959), which includes 12 popular movies with the star.
Scorpion are known for their excellent Blu-rays of B-movie and genre films, but this week they have a well-received music-based drama in the form of Grace of My Heart (1996), which stars Illeana Douglas, Matt Dillon and John Turturro. The disc comes with a director audio commentary, a making-of doc, deleted scenes and a trailer.
B-movie fans have plenty to choose from as well. Code Red are making a Blu-ray available for the Italian slasher, So Sweet, So Dead (1972), about a misogynistic killer. The improved image quality is the result of a 2017 restoration.
Additionally, Cinema Guild are delivering the indie drama Beeswax (2009) on Blu-ray.
Flicker Alley are presenting a Blu-ray of the expressionistic German horror-comedy, Waxworks (1924). This title from Paul Leni (The Man Who Laughs) has received a 2K restoration, a film expert commentary, a featurette describing the search for this original cut of the movie, in-depth interviews about the features and some short film by the filmmaker that played before the flick itself when it ran in cinemas.
A few big studios are presenting titles with new 4K transfers this week. Paramount have the Jimmy Stewart classic It’s a Wonderful Life (1946) in 4K, while Universal are releasing a 4K edition of The Croods (2013) just ahead of the upcoming sequel. If you’re a fan of the Resident Evil franchise, Sony are putting out a new box set called Resident Evil: The Complete Collection, which contains all 6 movies in the series. You’ll get Resident Evil (2002), the theatrical and extended versions of Resident Evil: Apocalypse (2004), Resident Evil: Extinction (2007), Resident Evil: Afterlife (2010), Resident Evil: Retribution (2012) and Resident Evil: The Final Chapter (2016) and the package will contain an array of extras too. As you might have guessed, the big selling point is that all the features be presented for the first time in 4K.
Finally, Warner Archive are making a made-to-order Blu-ray set available called the Alfred Hitchcock: 4 Film Collection. It contains four titles the director made for Warner Brothers, including Suspicion (1941), I Confess (1953), Dial M for Murder 3D (1954) and The Wrong Man (1956).
You Know, For Kids!
Here are some releasing that may appeal to youngsters.
The Croods (2013) 4K – Universal
Pokémon: Mewtwo Strikes Back – Evolution
On the Tube!
And TV-show enthusiasts can read about all the latest titles below.
Christmas Recipe for Romance (Harlequin TV-movie)
Franklin & Bash: The Complete Series
MacShayne: Winner Takes All / Final Roll of the Dice
Mission: Impossible: The Original TV Series (1966 – 1973) – 7 seasons
The Nest
Westworld: Season 3