Welcome to another look at highlights arriving on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and DVD. This is a busy edition that includes a number of interesting indie pictures and major upgrades of several classics. 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!
ALPHA – A teenager who lives with her single physician mom decides to rebel and get a tattoo. Later, she begins feeling ill. The student’s mother begins to suspect that her daughter may have contracted a strange disease that slowly turns the infected into marble. As the condition spreads worldwide, the leads become more and more paranoid, trying to determine if the youngster is afflicted and what to do about it. This foreign-language film is a French/Belgian co-production. It received mixed reviews in this part of the world. Almost half complained that the movie was dramatically flat and didn’t answer any of the questions it raised in a meaningful manner. But the same number and a few more called the movie a bold and effective body horror tale, with an unnerving mood and memorably atmospheric moments. It stars Tahar Rahim, Golshifteh Farahani, Melissa Boros and Emma Mackey.
BUSHIDO – In feudal Japan, a noble samurai is falsely accused of a crime he didn’t commit. The ousted figure takes his daughter with him and lives a quiet life in the country, spending his time playing a game called Go. Years later, the truth comes out. The frustrated protagonist, whose professional career and honor had been taken from him, immediately considers taking revenge on the men who wronged him. But he’s torn about leaving his offspring to do so, as well as the fact that he will be separated from his girl after his likely arrest for these murders. This picture was released in its homeland in 2024, and has only recently picked up a US distributor. Despite the delay, word on the movie has been overwhelmingly positive. One or two found the feature slow and overly somber. But everyone else was impressed, stating that it was well photographed, and presented a compelling story about honor and the important choices one must make in life. It features Masachika Ichimura, Kaya Kiyohara,Kyôko Koizumi and Jun Kunimura.
DIRTY HANDS – A criminal in the drug trade takes his hot-headed brother with him during a seemingly routine deal. Unfortunately, the sibling ends up causing a major fracas that leaves an important gangster dead. The lead tries to calm his brother down, deal with a wife who is angry that their family is now endangered, and fight off assassins from his own and enemy factions, all over the course of one night. This independent action/thriller has only been seen by a handful of critics so far, and response has been mixed. Almost half felt that the story was too predictable and didn’t offer enough surprises to keep things exciting. The same number, plus one or two more noted that the performances were stronger than one would expect for a direct-to-disc flick. They liked the interestingly flawed characters and found the action well-staged. The cast includes Patrick Muldoon, Kevin Interdonato, Denise Richards, Michael Beach and Guy Nardulli.
DOCTOR PLAGUE – Genre film enthusiasts may be interested in this UK production. The plot follows a mysterious figure terrorizing London, England. Dressed like an old-fashioned Plague Doctor with a large, pointy mask covering its face, a psychopath targets and executes victims deemed to be of poor moral character. A detective does his best to identify the murderer and stop the person before they slay their latest prey. The picture was released to streaming services a couple of months ago and is now arriving on disc. There are only a couple of write-ups online, and they have been poor. One blogger did refer to the film as a fun popcorn slasher, but the majority suggested that a solid premise and cast were wasted. They criticized the shoddy production, terrible, derivative script, and the awful sound mix. The picture stars Martin Kemp, Peter Woodward, Jeanine Nerissa Sothcott, David Yip and Wendy Glenn.
DRIVE BACK HOME – This drama is set in 1970 and takes place in Canada. It involves a crusty New Brunswick plumber who drives his customers and the people in his life crazy. One day, the man gets a call from his estranged gay brother, who has been jailed in Toronto for having sex in a city park. The angry man goes to bail out his sibling, and the two trade barbs and try not to throttle each other over a thirteen-plus hour car ride home. This picture has won a few awards on the festival circuit over the past year or two. Not many members of the press have seen it, but those who did were positive about it. They all called it a sweet, low-key character piece. The write-ups noted the two excellent lead performances, the film’s quirky humor, and stated that it slowly charmed and won them over as the pair argued their way across the countryside. Alan Cumming, Charlie Creed-Miles, Clare Coulter, Sprague Grayden and Gary Powell headline the film.
MAGELLAN – Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan is the subject of this biopic. Frustrated by a lack of support by the King of Portugal, the figure travels to Spain to convince leaders to fund his journey to find a passage east. They do end up sponsoring his voyage, which turns out to be incredibly difficult. So much so that his crew begins to revolt. There is some respite after reaching Indonesia and its many islands, but Magellan decides to conquer the area, leading to further conflict and despair. The press rated this Portuguese feature highly. A small number of reviewers found the pacing slow and thought that the modernistic touches towards the story didn’t gel together well. However, everyone else complimented the feature’s critique of colonialism and the psychological effects the trip had on the participants. They were also impressed by both the scale, and the way the storytelling still managed to focus on Magellan’s personal trials. The cast includes Gael García Bernal, Ângela Azevedo and Amado Arjay Babon.
MR. K – A traveling magician checks himself into a very strange hotel somewhere in Europe. After spending the night, he unexpectedly discovers that he can’t find the way out. He talks to the staff and others about it, who laugh him off. Then, the protagonist starts to map out the strange, winding corridors and comes to the conclusion that the building is not only holding everyone captive, but is also shrinking. As he becomes more and more incensed by the situation, he wonders if he will ever escape. This English-language picture is a co-production between the Netherlands, Belgium and Norway. Its title appears to suggest that the work of author Franz Kafka may have been an inspiration. The press generally liked the picture. About one-fifth of notices commented that the visuals were impressive, but that they couldn’t find a deep meaning to the story and were disappointed by the ending. Still, the consensus was that this picture was a lot of surreal fun. Most noted that the visuals were striking, the performances were entertaining, and that the movie effectively adapted Kafka-esque themes of isolation, alienation, and the terrors of the world around us. It features Crispin Glover, Sunnyi Melles, Bjorn Sundquist and Fionnula Flanagan.
NO TEARS IN HELL – In Alaska, a serial killer and cannibalistic young man decides to “help” his country by eradicating and devouring runaways and the homeless population. Even more shocking, his biggest supporter turns out to be his mother, who helps him commit crimes in their home and assists him in covering his tracks. A detective and a journalist investigate several local disappearances, slowly getting closer and closer to the horrific pair. This independent chiller is loosely based on an actual individual known as the Siberian Ripper. Reaction towards the film was all over the place, although more ended up recommending the film. A sizable number did suggest that the feature was so horrifying (with seemingly endless torture scenes) that it was difficult to endure. They also noted that the characters weren’t well-drawn or interesting. Still, more were impressed with the performances, describing the feature as grueling but effective as it depicted the harrowing acts of a pair of seemingly inhuman sociopaths. The cast includes Luke Baines, Gwen Van Dam, Tatjana Marjanovic and Audrey Neal.
POOLS – This independent comedy/drama follows a troubled college student. After a personal trauma, the protagonist’s stellar grades drop so much that she is in danger of being expelled. Instead of focusing on her work, the lead, certain that she will be kicked out of school, rallies her friends together for a wild night of celebration. Their plan involves sneaking onto the properties of various high-class homes and using their swimming pools. As the night passes, the student talks with her companions and processes concerns about their futures. The press was generally upbeat about the final results. A small contingent commented that the movie was exceedingly quirky, and that while it dealt with interesting themes, nothing that occurred felt authentic or believable. Still, most were very impressed by the work of the cast, and stated that this was a unique, sweet, funny and well-paced coming-of-age story with interesting characters and situations. Odessa A’Zion, Mason Gooding, Michael Vlamis, Tyler Alvarez, Francesca Noel, Ariel Winter and Suzanne Cryer headline the feature.
BLASTS FROM THE PAST!
If you’re looking for some older features, this is a remarkably busy edition. Radiance Films is releasing the French crime thriller, Solo (1970). The plot follows a group of revolutionaries. When they run into trouble, one of them enlists the help of their violinist brother to help them evade capture. But the siblings end up in great conflict with each other. It’s a well-regarded feature in its homeland that deals with the aftermath of the May 68 civil unrest that shook the country. The picture stars and was directed and co-written by Jean-Pierre Mocky. It has been restored in 4K for this Blu-ray release, and includes a 2018 interview with Mocky, as well as a talk with co-star Anne Delueuze, and an analysis of the picture with Mockey’s former assistant. The disc also comes with a trailer. Click on this link to read a detailed review of the Blu-ray.
La Tête Contre les Murs (1959) is another iconic French picture starring Mocky that deals with the treatment of inmates at a mental institution. A young man who doesn’t get on with his wealthy dad. After stealing from his pop, the son is placed in a horrible institution and must undergo various indignities. Later, he and another inmate attempt to escape to freedom. Like the previous title, this effort has been given a 4K restoration for its North American Blu-ray debut. It arrives with a 2008 Mocky interview, a television discussion with director Georges Franju (Eyes Without a Face) and co-star Charles Aznavour. Additionally, there is another discussion about the feature with a man who was Mockey’s assistant during the production. Read a full review of the disc right here.
Radiance Films is also reissuing some older individual titles from their catalog that have been hard-to-find or were featured in various box sets. You can purchase Blu-rays of The Case is Closed, Forget It (1971), The Day of the Owl (1968), Demon of Mount Oe (1960), Dogra Magra (1988), Ghost of Kasane Swamp (1970), The Haunted Castle (1969), How to Kill a Judge (1975), The Iron Prefect (1977), and Malpertuis (1971), as well as a reissue of the Shinobi Volume 2 set (1974-1965). Also reissued on Blu-ray is Sympathy for the Underdog (1971) and Underworld Beauty (1958).
AGFA is releasing Girl Internet Show: A Kati Kelli Mixtape (2023) as a “Standard Edition” Blu-ray. The feature collects the work of YouTube artist Kati Kelli in one collection. She created several notable shorts and posted them between 2009 and 2019. It arrives with a making-of created for the final short she made before her passing, as well as a bonus short, photo galleries and a web-series.
Alliance Entertainment used to be known as Mill Creek, who were perhaps best known for putting out Blu-rays of titles from the 1970s, 80s and 90s, with covers resembling VHS box art. They don’t come with any extras, but some of their titles are otherwise hard to locate in this format. This week, you can pick up the Brad Davis/Sharon Stone/Adam Ant thriller Cold Steel (1987) in their VHS retro packaging.
Fast Forward (1985) is a film about young, aspiring performers trying to make their mark on Broadway. Lovelines (1984) is a comedy about two high school groups who get into a “Battle of the Bands” competition. Things get complicated when the lead singers of the two groups fall in love. Again, both Blu-rays arrive with VHS retro packaging.
Sunset (1988) is a period comedy/mystery/western from Blake Edwards (The Pink Panther, The Party, 10, S.O.B.) with Bruce Willis and James Garner. You can also purchase the romance White Palace (1990) with Susan Sarandon and James Spader, as well as the drama You Light Up My Life (1977), which won an Academy Award for Best Original Song when it was released. All of these Blu-rays appear in VHS retro packaging.
For those who appreciate Arrow Video, one of their out-of-print releases is being reissued. It is the excellent Sam Raimi thriller, A Simple Plan (1998) which is reappearing as both a “Special Edition” 4K Ultra HD and a “Special Edition” Blu-ray. All bonus features should be identical as those in the 2024 version.
Brainstorm Media is reissuing a “Standard Edition” Blu-ray of the Todd Solondz title Dark Horse (2011). This edition has a couple of extras, like a recent interview with Solondz and a booklet with writing on the movie.
The Rubber Gun (1977) is a comedy/drama that is appearing on Blu-ray from Canadian International Pictures. It follows a Montreal-based college student who writes a controversial paper about the positives of drug use and ends up in the company of many oddball, and even dangerous characters. This is an early effort from Canadian director Allan Moyle (Time Square, Pump Up the Volume, Empire Records). The disc contains a 2K picture restoration from the 16mm A/B negatives, new interviews with Moyle, as well as actor/co-writer Stephen Lack (star of Scanners), the composer, and the cinematographer. There is a post-screening discussion with Moyle, an intro and Q&A from another screening, the original theatrical outro song, an archival stills gallery, a theatrical rerelease trailer, a booklet with writing on the movie, and reversible cover art.
If you’re a John Waters film enthusiast, this is a big week. Criterion is putting out a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray combo (as well as a Blu-ray only edition) of Desperate Living (1977). It follows a housewife who murders her husband and goes on the run with her housekeeper. Things get crazier from there as they move into a shantytown populated by various eccentrics. The film has been given a 4K restoration (which has been approved by director Waters) and comes with a commentary featuring Waters and co-star Liz Renay. You’ll also get a new conversation on the feature with Waters, a Waters-led tour of the Baltimore locations, new cast interviews, a talk with the production designer, a trailer, and an essay on the movie.
You can also purchase Hairspray (1988) as a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray or a standalone Blu-ray. This picture marked the first mainstream hit for John Waters. The plot is set in 1962 and involves a teen who gets on the cast of a local dance party show and begins helping fight for racial integration and equality for all. It was later turned into a hit musical (which was also adapted into a film). Ricki Lake, Divine, Sonny Bono, Ruth Brown, Debbie Harry, Jerry Stiller and many others appear in the movie. This release arrives with a 4K restoration of the film supervised by Waters and presented in Dolby Vision. Additionally, you’ll receive an archival commentary track with Waters and Lake, a new conversation with Waters, as well as Lake and co-star Colleen Fitzpatrick. It also comes with reflections from the cast, deleted scenes, a behind-the-scenes documentary, a “Get to Know John Waters” special from 1987, an interview with the production designer, a trailer, and an essay on the movie.
Don’t Play with Fire (1980) aka Dangerous Encounters of the First Kind is a disturbing crime picture from Tsui Hark (Zu Warriors from the Magic Mountain, Once Upon a Time in China) that is arriving on Blu-ray from Cult Epics. It follows a psychotic teen who witnesses three high school friends commit a crime and flee the scene. She blackmails them to commit horrifying acts on her behalf. This 2-disc “Limited Edition” contains a 2K restoration of the uncut international version of the film, a previously banned Chinese version, a film historian commentary, interviews with cast and crew, and trailers. It’s packaged with a reversible sleeve containing original poster art and a new slipcase art design.
The indie horror picture Beware of the Klowns (2015) is appearing as a “Standard Edition” Blu-ray from ETR Media (which means it no longer has the slipcase from the previous release). The same goes for the “Standard Edition” of Factory25’s Blu-ray for Residency (2023).
The Japanese drama My Sunshine (2024) is arriving as “Standard Edition” Blu-ray from Film Movement, as is the Japanese erotic drama, White River (2023).
And yes, after an elaborately packaged “Special Edition” some time ago, a “Standard Edition” Blu-ray of the well-regarded, Mark Duplass/Sterling K. Brown science-fiction comedy Biosphere (2022) is now available from IFC Films.
The Hong Kong drama My Name Ain’t Suzie (1985) is appearing on Blu-ray from Kani. Once again, this is a “Standard Edition” of a previous release of the film that does not include a slipcover.
Kino Lorber is delivering some exciting new titles this week. The first is a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray of the Clint Eastwood western, Hang ‘Em High (1968). It follows a man who is lynched after being wrongly accused of a crime. He survives the hanging, and sets out on revenge. The original negative has been given a new 4K restoration and is presented in Dolby Vision. A new film historian commentary is included, along with an archival movie expert commentary and a trailer.
The Damon Wayans comedy Major Payne (1995). The star plays a Major struggling with peacetime. He ends up being assigned to command a Junior ROTC group of kids, leading to wackiness. The original negative of the film has been given a 4K restoration for this Blu-ray release, which comes with a commentary with director Nick Castle (The Last Starfighter), and a trailer.
You can also pick up a Blu-ray of the Fred MacMurray western, The Texas Rangers (1936). Universal Pictures delivered a new 4K restoration of the film for this release, which also includes two new film historian commentaries and a trailer.
Leomark Studios is another company that appears to specialize in putting out bare bones Blu-rays of hard-to-find titles. This week, they are releasing the Rodney Dangerfield/Dom DeLuise comedy The Godson (1998). You can also purchase The Last House on Cemetery Lane (2015), The Lost Tree (2016), the wacky killer insect TV-disaster flick The Savage Bees (1976), and Weirdsville (2007).
It appears that the recent critical darling, The Last Showgirl (2024), has gone out-of-print, so Lionsgate Films are reissuing the Blu-ray for those who missed out on it the first time around.
The drama Badland (2007) is arriving as a Blu-ray and CD combo from MVD Visual. It follows a troubled reservist from the Iraq war who can’t cope with life at home. He fakes his death as well as his daughter’s. The pair live on the margins of society while he struggles with a mental breakdown. The disc contains a newly mastered restoration of the film from the camera negative. It also comes with the score on CD, a commentary with the director and the cinematographer, cast and crew interviews, a music video, audition footage and more.
Rising Sun Media is preparing a couple of Blu-rays of independent features. The first is for The Holiday Club (2024), a LGBTQ holiday comedy which has been available to stream for a couple of years but is now arriving on Blu-ray. You can also pick up Netherbeast Incorporated (2007) on Blu-ray from the same distributor.
David “The Rock” Nelson Collection: Volume 3 is arriving as a “Standard Edition” Blu-ray from Saturn’s Core Audio & Video. It’s a group of micro-budgeted independent movies made by a man who some claim to be the “Ed Wood of the 21st century.”
And, again, a “Standard Edition” Blu-ray of Phantom Beirut (1998) is now available from Several Features. This is a well-regarded Lebanese drama about a man returning to his hometown after faking his death and leaving the country.
Shout Factory is releasing The Grey (2011) with Liam Neeson as a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray combo. It came out late last year as a Steelbook, but is now getting a regular release. All of the contents will be identical to the previous version, just in regular packaging.
One title that is making a 4K debut from the distributor is the horror/comedy Slither (2006). This cult horror/comedy, about space slugs that invade a small town and slowly turn the residents into alien monsters, is arriving as a “Limited Edition” 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray Steelbook. The title was written/directed by James Gunn well before he found success with the Marvel Guardians of the Galaxy movie, and it features a great cast that includes Nathan Fillion, Elizabeth Banks, Gregg Henry, Michael Rooker and more. The feature has been given a 4K scan from the 35mm interpositive, supervised by writer/director Gunn and the director of photography. It comes with two Gunn commentaries, one with Fillion, and the other with Fillion and Rooker, as well as tons of cast and crew interviews, deleted and extended scenes with optional director commentary, featurettes on the production, a gag reel, a trailer and more.
The afterlife drama What Dreams May Come (1998) is also getting an upgrade from Shout, arriving as a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray combo under their Shout Selects line. Robin Williams plays a man who dies in a car accident and finds himself in a painterly version of Heaven. When he learns that his widow committed suicide shortly after his death and has been sent to Hell, he decides to travel through the afterlife to find and save her from eternal torment. This release promises a 4K transfer of the 35mm original camera negative presented in Dolby Vision, along with an archival commentary from director Vincent Ward (The Navigator: A Medieval Odyssey, Map of the Human Heart).
Shudder is making Blu-rays of a couple of titles available on their streaming service. You can now own Blu-rays of Blood Relatives (2022) and Teddy (2020).
Sony is delivering high-definition upgrades to some Adam Sandler Pictures. 50 First Dates (2004) is arriving on 4K Ultra HD (no Blu-ray is included). It stars the comedian as a man who falls for an amnesiac (played by Drew Barrymore). In order to maintain their relationship, he must repeatedly win her over again each time that she forgets him. The film arrives on disc with a 4K presentation that is presented in Dolby Vision and approved by director Peter Segal (Tommy Boy, Anger Management). This disc contains an archival commentary track with Segal and Barrymore, featurettes, deleted scenes with optional commentary, a blooper reel, music videos, and a trailer.
Click (2006) features Sandler as a workaholic with no time for his family. That is, until he acquires a magical TV remote that helps him control reality, using rewind features to correct mistakes, and pause, as well as fast forward to cause mayhem. Sony is presenting a 4K Ultra HD release of the movie. You’ll get an HDR/Dolby Vision presentation of the movie approved by director Frank Coraci (The Wedding Singer, The Waterboy), as well as a cast and crew commentary, featurettes, deleted scenes, and a trailer.
Umbrella Entertainment is putting out a “Standard Edition” Blu-ray of the Aussie exploitation flick Desolation Angels (1982) aka Fair Game, about teens being pursued by a psychopath at a resort town. Extra features will be identical to the previous release.
A “Standard Edition” Blu-ray of the genre picture Lifechanger (2018) is arriving from Uncork’d Entertainment.
Finally, Wild Eye Releasing is delivering a Blu-ray of the independent horror picture, Brotherhood of Blood (2007). Victoria Pratt, Jason Connery, Ken Foree and Sid Haig appear in this tale of vampire hunters who lose one of their own to a group of bloodsuckers. They must infiltrate the vampires to recover their friend. This is a “Standard Edition” of the title, but since I don’t recall the “Limited Edition”, I’ll list the features here. You’ll receive a commentary with the director, one with Sid Haig, a director interview, cast interviews, an image gallery, featurettes on the production and trailers.
YOU KNOW, FOR KIDS!
It’s a quiet week for kid-friendly titles, but if you’re desperate you can try the nature special listed below.
NATURE: Becoming Elephant – The Orphans of Reteti (PBS) DVD
ON THE TUBE!
Here is a list of all the TV-themed releases arriving at stores.
I Know What You Did Last Summer: The Complete Series (2021 show) (Sony Pictures) Blu-ray
NATURE: Becoming Elephant – The Orphans of Reteti (PBS) DVD
Silent Witness: Season 29 (BBC) DVD
Twenty Twenty Six (BBC) DVD
