Welcome to another look at some of the highlights arriving on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and DVD. The last edition was jam-packed with big titles, so things have slowed down… to almost a crawl. Still, there are a few efforts arriving that might be worth a look. So, if you can’t make it out to the movies this week or need to stay indoors for a few days, be sure to give one of these titles a try!
BIG NEW RELEASES!
ANOTHER HAPPY DAY – This independent comedy/drama follows a new mother struggling to adapt to the radical shift in her life. She considers herself awful at being a parent and feels like she has no one to rely on. When the lead asks her mom to travel across the country and help out, she is turned down, but is put in contact with her uncle’s ex-wife. The cantankerous, elderly relative causes even more difficulties, but the new relationship somehow seems to help the lead find her way. This picture has played festivals and was recently picked up for release on disc and streaming sites. There aren’t many notices for the picture, but those that have appeared call the film a realistic, relatable and amusing portrait of motherhood and the daily struggles experienced. For the time being, this is a DVD-only release. It stars Lauren Lapkus, Carrie Coon, Marilyn Dodds and Jean Elie.
DOWN BELOW – A preacher in a small town goes on a rampage, murdering a group of his parishioners on Christmas Eve. 20 years later, the story has been hidden from locals and almost forgotten. But when the same man appears once again as a demonic spirit during the holiday season and begins haunting and tormenting citizens, a woman feels compelled to act. She sets out to find out what actually happened years ago and stop the maniac taking lives from beyond the grave. At present, no members of the press have seen this independent picture. So, similarly to the lead character’s predicament, there is little information about the horrors that may await us. One might want to hold off a bit on picking this title up until reviews do become available. The cast includes Eric Roberts, Alexis Knapp, Doug Jones, Bai Ling, Hutch Dano and Greg Kriek.
END OF THE ROPE – If westerns/crime films are more to your liking, you can give this indie effort a try. Set in North Dakota during the 1930s and reportedly based on a “true story”, this picture begins with the mysterious disappearance of an entire family. A sheriff attempts to solve the crime, but must deal with angry locals who believe that a young man had something to do with it. The protagonist finds his back against the wall as a mob decides to hang the suspect. This picture is debuting on disc and streaming platforms this week, and so there currently are only a couple of write-ups available. They aren’t exactly glowing articles either. The reviews state that while the picture aspires to tell an epic tale, its limited funding derails the effort. Apparently, the movie is slowly paced and dramatically inert. It features Joseph Gray, Chris Bylsma, Nick Saxton, Joseph Bezer and Tiffany Cornwell.
LITTLE BROTHER – After his older sibling attempts to kill himself once again, a young Seattle man is instructed by an exasperated father to travel to Albuquerque and collect the family member. The lead is told to escort his brother back home so that a family intervention can take place. As the two very different individuals drive north together, they talk about the suicide attempt and how to move forward, sometimes reaching heartfelt and humorous conclusions. There aren’t a great many reviews for this independent drama yet, but the ones that have appeared seem upbeat. While a few suggest that the picture is overly sentimental at times, most were impressed with the performances and writing, calling the movie a sensitive and engaging look at how a family deals with mental illness. Daniel Diemer, Philip Ettinger and J.K. Simmons headlines the film.
NATIONAL ANTHEM – Here is another independent drama coming your way. This tale involves a 21-year-old ranch worker living in New Mexico. He has difficulty getting on with his mother and doesn’t really feel like he fits in anywhere. After joining a community of queer rodeo performers, the protagonist begins to find his place in the world and a future for himself. Critics were very positive about this drama. A small number commented that the characters and story were predictable and superficial. However, every other review was impressed by the lead’s complicated journey and self-discovery. They thought it was well-acted, beautifully shot and had intriguing characters. For the time being, this is a DVD-only release. It stars Charlie Plummer, Eve Lindley, Mason Alexander Park, Rene Rosado and Robyn Lively.
SEBASTIAN – This European production follows a 25-year-old writer living in London. In order to get the details right for his debut novel about sex workers, he decides to start a double-life and work as one. The lead’s experiences begin to alter his perceptions and he finds himself enjoying it more than anticipated. When the book is almost finished, complications arise as elements of his real life and clients are included in the work. Notices were more positive than negative for this drama. About one-quarter of reviewers stated that, ironically, the end result didn’t feel authentic and that as the story progressed it turned into a series of tropes. But most believed that the tone and voice of the piece was original and that the movie showed a more relatable side to sex work than they anticipated. It features Ruaridh Mollica, Hiftu Quasem, Jonathan Hyde and Ingvar Sigurdsson.
BLASTS FROM THE PAST!
If you’re in the mood for something a little older, a few options are available. Kino is presenting the sport film-noir Body and Soul (1947) on Blu-ray. It follows a pugilist who finds himself in trouble when an unethical promoter gets involved in this career. The cast includes John Garfield, Lilli Palmer and William Conrad. The disc includes a 4K picture restoration and a film historian commentary track. The contents come in a slipcase.
Burn, Witch, Burn (1962) aka Night of the Eagle is a British chiller about a sociology professor who becomes frustrated when he learns that his wife owns charms and takes part in magic rituals to protect them. He burns these items, but soon realizes that his work rivals may really be dabbling in the occult and looking to do him in. This release also includes a 4K restoration of the UK and US versions (via seamless branching) that has been taken from the original camera negative. The Blu-ray features a commentary with screenwriter Richard Matheson, an interview with star Peter Wyngarde. It also comes with trailers, reversible art with both titles and a slipcase.
First Love (1977) is also arriving on Blu-ray. This drama chronicles the pains of first love, specifically between a college student and his older girlfriend, who has been in a relationship with an older man. The movie has a remarkable cast that includes William Katt, Susan Dey, John Heard, Beverly D’Angelo, Robert Loggia and Swoosie Kurtz. A new 4K restoration from the original camera negative was used for this disc and it includes a commentary track with Katt and a slipcase.
If you want some recently-produced low-budget westerns, Lionsgate is reissuing Blu-rays of the features Brimstone (2016), Diablo (2015), Forsaken (2015) and A Night in Old Mexico (2013), the latter of which is headlined by Robert Duvall.
The distributor is also putting out a Blu-ray rerelease of the hockey-sequel Goon: Last of the Enforcers (2017), which is a follow-up to the amusing 2011 original.
And the recent horror film Imaginary (2024), about a stuffed bear seeking revenge on the woman who left it behind after she grew up, is being given a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray Steelbook. This release is a special exclusive that is only available for purchase at Amazon.
Paramount Scares Volume 2 is a new 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray box set containing four genre titles from the studio vaults. You’ll get Friday the 13th: Part II (1981), Breakdown (1997), World War Z (2013) and Orphan: First Kill (2022) with the best possible image quality and presumably all the extras available from previous releases. Breakdown (pictured above and to the right) in particular is an entertaining thriller and the Blu-ray set from a few years back is already out-of-print, so this may be the only way at present to own it.
You can also pick up a Blu-ray of the Julia Styles rom-com The Prince and Me (2004).
Finally, Shout Factory is delivering a “Collector’s Edition” Blu-ray of As Above, So Below (2014). Set in Paris, the story features a group of urban explorers who trek into the underground catacombs and can’t find their way out. It comes with new interviews with the co-writer/director and co-writer/producer, a making-of and a trailer.
And the very entertaining remake of The Blob (1988) is being rereleased on 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray in an exclusive Steelbook. The discs and all bonuses should be exactly the same as in earlier versions, just in new packaging.
YOU KNOW, FOR KIDS!
Looks like it’s a slow week for kid-friendly releases, so hopefully next week will be an improvement.
ON THE TUBE!
Below is a list of all the TV-themed discs coming your way.
Designated Survivor: The Complete Series (Lionsgate) Blu-ray
The Gilded Age: Season 2 (HBO) DVD
Hell on Wheels: The Complete Series (Lionsgate) DVD
The West Wing: The Complete Series (Warner Bros.) Blu-ray