It’s time for another look at new releases coming your way on Blu-ray and DVD. Once again, there is an interesting mix of big Hollywood releases and independent fare. So, if you can’t or shouldn’t be heading out to the movies this week, be sure to give one of these titles a try.
BIG NEW RELEASES!
THE BOY BEHIND THE DOOR – This chiller follows a 12-year-old and his best friend who are abducted on their way home from school. After breaking free from his confinement, one of the youngsters gets into the hallways and tries to find a way to locate and rescue his pal. He soon discovers that this kidnapper also has a cohort, making it even harder to avoid capture, get out and find help. Response towards this horror picture was very strong. One or two were frustrated by the choices made by the main characters, saying their bad decisions only occurred to keep everyone in peril. However, all others called the protagonists likable and the movie remarkably tense, noting that genre fans would undoubtedly be impressed. It stars Lonnie Chavis, Ezra Dewey, Kristin Bauer, Scott Michael Foster and Micah A. Hauptman.
ENEMIES OF THE STATE – Matt DeHart and his family is the subject of this documentary. The young man came from a family in the US military and took a position as an intelligence analyst, eventually making claims that he had found documents implicating the CIA in a horrific hoax. He was discharged from his job and later arrested for receiving child pornography. The filmmakers talk with DeHart and tell his bizarre story. It involves espionage, corporate secrets and how the US government targeted his family. Reviews were good but not exceptional for this feature. Those who disliked the film said that it was impossibly difficult to discern truth from fiction and that the ends result was confusing. The majority said that while the film was muddled with contradictory conspiracy theories, it was fascinating to watch and would leave viewers questioning everything they saw. This is a DVD-only release.
JOHN AND THE HOLE – A creepy 13-year-old gets a nasty idea after discovering a large unfinished bunker in the woods near his home. He decides to drug his well-to-do parents and older sister and hold them hostage inside the area. They awaken confused, trying to convince their son to let them out. In the meantime, he attempts to divert suspicion as various people drop by to visit family members. This arthouse thriller received slightly more recommendations from critics than it did pans. A number of write-ups did suggest that the feature was pretentious and too low-key, lacking any suspense and tension. However, more complimented the performances and stated that the movie was an eerie and, at times, darkly funny coming-of-age picture. It features Charlie Shotwell, Michael C. Hall, Taissa Farmiga and Jennifer Ehle.
PROJECT ‘GEMINI’ – After a virus wipes out most of the human population, a group of survivors are launched into the deepest regions of outer space in the hopes of terraforming a new world. As it turns out, they have been led to this planet after recovering a secret ancient alien artifact. The journey goes badly and the crew find themselves trapped on a hostile world where they begin dying mysteriously. Currently, there aren’t a great many write-ups for this Russian film (which apparently was shot years ago and was extensively reshot) and the ones that have appeared have been less-than-complementary. They make the case that the movie looks very slick and has decent special effects, but that the story and acting are wooden. They also commented that the plot borrows heavily from films like Alien and Prometheus, but isn’t nearly as effective. The cast includes Egor Koreshkov, Dmitriy Frid and Alyona Konstantinova.
RED ROCKET– This dark comedy from the writer/director of the award-winning indie films Tangerine and The Florida Project tells the story of an ex-adult film star and con man who returns to his hometown in Texas after losing everything. His old friends and neighbors can barely tolerate him after hearing about his exploits for many years, but he does make a connection with a high school student. Their relationship creates further tension within his circle of acquaintances. The press gave this effort high marks. A small contingent thought the movie was overlong and that story meandered too much. Still, the consensus was that the characters were nefarious but that the performances were charming. They ultimately found the grimly comic ride amusing. Simon Rex, Suzanna Son, Bree Elrod and Brenda Deiss headline the feature.
RIFKIN’S FESTIVAL – A retired ex-film professor, movie snob and hypochondriac travels with his publicist wife to the San Sebastian Film Festival in Portugal. Once there, he teases and makes fun of the moviemaker whom his spouse represents, causing tension in his already strained marriage. He wanders around town and meets a friendly young doctor, causing him to question his relationship and the choices he has made in life. The latest from Woody Allen split critics, with slightly more giving the movie negative reviews than positive ones. Close to half suggested that while it wasn’t the best title in the filmmaker’s catalog, this was a beautifully shot and likable homage to classic cinema with a few interesting observations about aging. Alas, more complained that the film wasn’t sharp or edgy enough and felt like a very average effort. It features Wallace Shawn, Gina Gershon, Louis Garrel and Christoph Waltz. To read a full review of the movie, click here.
SIGNAL: THE MOVIE – Signal was a hit 2018 Japanese TV series (which itself was a remake of a 2016 South Korean TV show) that incorporates science-fiction elements into its crime story. The show is about a two police officers from different eras who help each other with unsolved cases using walkie-talkies that can communicate through time. This feature picks up where the show left off. In the present day, one cop investigates a highway accident resulting in the death of a high-level government official. The case requires assistance from the other officer living 15 years in the past. The movie and TV show haven’t been seen by many in North America, so there aren’t many write-ups available. One that has popped up online says the movie isn’t as effective as the series, but another calls the feature a fun mystery. Kentarô Sakaguchi, Kazuki Kitamura and Michiko Kichise headline the feature.
WEST SIDE STORY – This remake of the 1957 stage musical and the Best Picture Oscar-winning 1961 feature film comes from Steven Spielberg (Jaws, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Schindler’s List, Jurassic Park, Saving Private Ryan, Lincoln). It details the rivalry between two teenage gangs of different ethnic backgrounds and a love affair that blooms among two members with connections to the separate groups. Critics were impressed with the feature and it has been nominated for 7 Academy Awards. A small handful critiqued the movie for being a nostalgic copy of the original movie that didn’t update the themes and felt rather unnecessary. Still, the consensus was that the picture was a technical marvel with great music and performances and that it would ultimately wow viewers. It stars Ansel Elgort, Rachel Zegler, Ariana DeBose, David Alvarez, Rita Moreno, Brian d’Arcy James and Corey Stoll.
BLASTS FROM THE PAST!
There are a ton of older titles arriving in high definition as well. Arrow Video put out a wonderful Blu-ray Special Edition of the great horror/comedy An American Werewolf in London (1981) a year or so ago. Now they are rereleasing it as a Limited Edition 4K Ultra HD. If you already have the Blu-ray then you’re fine, but if you have a 4K set-up you can now see the picture and all of the bonuses with even sharper picture quality.
Shout! Factory are delivering two titles as well. The first is a Collector’s Edition of Nightmare (1964). Pictured above and to the left, it’s a British chiller from Hammer Productions about a boarding school student haunted by nightmares of her deranged mother. The movie is a well-reviewed cult item and the Blu-ray includes a new 2K scan of the picture, a film historian audio commentary, interviews with genre critics about the movie, discussions with various cast and crew members, a making-of, as well as plenty of publicity materials.
If fantasy films are more to your liking, the distributor also have The Sword and the Sorcerer (1982) in a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray set. It’s a fantasy picture in the mold of Conan the Barbarian (which had just arrived at theaters and was a big hit). The 4K Ultra HD disc includes the movie with a director commentary track. The Blu-ray contains the same scan of the picture at a slightly lower resolution, plus the commentary, interviews with the director, the co-writer/co-producer, the editor, various make-up and special effects artists and a tribute to one of the stuntmen who worked on the feature. You’ll also received trailers and a TV spot.
Code Red are delivering the kinky cop movie Dirty O’Neil (1974) aka The Love Life of a Cop with a 2K restoration and a trailer. They also have the cheesy, all-star disaster picture Starflight: The Plane That Couldn’t Land (1983) aka Starflight One, which originally aired on TV. In the latter title, a hypersonic commercial jet makes its maiden voyage. An accident sends it into orbit and the pilots have to figure out how to get the plane and passengers back to Earth. It stars Lee Majors, Hal Linden, Lauren Hutton, Ray Milland, Tess Harper and Terry Kiser. The disc promises a 2K transfer of the film and the theatrical trailer for international markets where it played in cinemas.
Criterion has Le Cercle Rouge (1970), a well-regarded French heist flick starring Alain Delon. This release includes a 4K Ultra HD disc and a Blu-ray. It comes with segments from a 1971 TV episode featuring the director, interviews with the assistant director and an expert on the filmmaker, on-set and archival footage from the shoot and a trailer.
The Whistle at Eaton Falls (1951) is also arriving on Blu-ray courtesy of Flicker Alley. The story involves a newly appointed manager of a factory who is immediately told to lay off a large number of employees (who happen to be friends and associates). He has to find a way to fix the finances of the company and save as many jobs as he can. Directed by Robert Siodmak (The Spiral Staircase, The Killers), this little-seen film received plenty of positive reviews among those who managed to find it. It stars Lloyd Bridges, Ernest Borgnine, Murray Hamilton and Dorothy Gish. Besides a 2K restoration of the picture, the Blu-ray includes a film historian commentary, a personal reminiscence from the grandson of the director, a demonstration of the restoration process, a track with the motion picture score, recordings of a couple of songs from the movie, an image gallery, a trailer and a booklet essay.
Kino have some interesting Blu-rays too. Farewell (1930) aka Abschied is an early, silent comedy/drama feature also from Robert Siodmak about a man who receives a job offer in another city and worries that telling his fiancée about it will complicate and ruin their relationship. But gossip and rumors from others cause even more friction between them. The Blu-ray presents a restored picture, a film critic commentary and an alternate “happy” ending.
They also have the David Carradine motorcycle race flick, Fast Charlie, The Moonbeam Rider (1979). The picture has received a 2K restoration and the disc also includes a film critic commentary and a trailer. Man’s Favorite Sport? (1964) is Rock Hudson romantic comedy about a lure and tackle salesman who hates the sport, but is forced by his employers to participate in a fishing tournament.
The distributor is also rereleasing the Orson Welles classic, Touch of Evil (1958) as a Special Edition. It comes with new and impressive 4K restorations of three different cuts of the movie (on three separate discs) presented in the highest possible quality on Blu-ray. Each version comes with a film expert commentary track as well as featurettes on the production. They also have the musical/drama Zoot Suit (1981), a tale about a Los Angeles gang who are tried and sentences for a murder they did not commit. Besides the movie, you’ll get an interview with the writer/director, a historian commentary and a trailer.
Lionsgate are presenting another title in their popular Vestron Collector’s Series Blu-ray line. This week, it’s the comedy Dream a Little Dream (1989) with Corey Haim, Corey Feldman, Jason Robards, Piper Laurie, Meredith Salenger and Harry Dean Stanton. The plot synopsis states that an accident puts the consciousness of an elderly dream researcher into the body of a bratty teenager.
Paramount have plenty of Blu-rays as well. They include the drama The Accused (1988) with Jodie Foster and Kelly McGillis, the action flick Aeon Flux (2006) starring Charlize Theron and the drama, Babel (2006). They also are putting out the two animated Peanuts movies Bon Voyage, Charlie Brown (and Don’t Come Back!) (1980) and Race for Your Life, Charlie Brown (1977). If you’d like the two other titles, a box set containing all four flicks came out some time ago and can still be purchased.
They are also delivering Shooter (2007) in a 15th Anniversary Steelbook package that presents the film exclusively in 4K Ultra HD (no Blu-ray is present). You can also pick up Sonic the Hedgehog (2020) in a Steelbook Bonus Stage Edition pack. This includes a 4K Ultra HD disc and a Blu-ray of the hit flick. And the studio is also rereleasing a DVD of Eddie Murphy: Raw (1987), the hit stand-up comedy feature.
Sandpiper Pictures are presenting Blu-rays of the Hughes brothers’ documentary American Pimp (1999) and the drama It’s My Party (1996) with Eric Roberts and Gregory Harrison.
Sony have been upgrading a few sets of movies for the 4K format. The latest is The Amazing Spider-Man Collection, which contains The Amazing Spider-Man (2012) and The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014), with Andrew Garfield in the title role. This is 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray set. But if you don’t want both versions, you can also just pick up a Blu-ray only set.
The Incredibly True Adventures of Two Girls in Love (1995) is arriving on Blu-ray courtesy of Strand Releasing. It’s a love story of two young women from very different social and economic backgrounds.
Finally, Universal are putting out bare-bones editions of several of their catalog titles. They include 12 Monkeys (1995), Anna Karenina (2012), Brazil (1985), By the Sea (2015), Crimson Peak (2015), Dallas Buyers Club (2013), Dawn of the Dead (2004), Death Race 2050 (2016), Elizabeth (2007), Flipper (1996), For a Good Time, Call… (2012) (which includes 2 cuts of the film), I Am Ali (2014) and The Ottoman Lieutenant (2017).
YOU KNOW, FOR KIDS!
Here are a few titles that may appeal to kids.
Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood: Playtime with Daniel! (PBS) DVD
Pokemon: The Series: Black & White Rival Destinies: The Complete Season
The Proud Family: The Complete Series & Movie DVD
ON THE TUBE!
And here are all the TV-themed releases coming your way.
American Experience: Riveted: The History of Jeans (PBS) DVD
Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood: Playtime with Daniel! (PBS) DVD
Head of the Class: Season 4 DVD
Hearts Down Under (Hallmark Channel) DVD
Pokemon: The Series: Black & White Rival Destinies: The Complete Season
The Proud Family: The Complete Series & Movie DVD
Vikings: The Complete Series Blu-ray
Vikings: Season 6, Volume 2 Blu-ray or DVD