As always, it is another busy week with plenty of choices in a wide variety of genres. Be sure to click on any links to read full length reviews of the titles being summarized. So if you can’t make it out the movies this week, be sure to give one of these flicks a try.
Big New Releases!
Belle – This UK produced period tale tells the true story (with some embellishments) of an aristocratic woman of mixed race attempting to find a husband in rigid 18th century society. Most reviewers praised the film. While there were a few complaints that the approach was a little too mannered, they called the drama engaging, the subject matter interesting and complimented the technical elements including set design and costuming. It stars Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Tom Wilkinson, Emily Watson and Matthew Goode.
Breathe In – A foreign exchange student moves in with a family and sexual tension arises between she and the head of the household in this independent romantic drama. Guy Pearce, Felicity Jones, Amy Ryan and Kyle MacLachlan headline the cast. Reaction to this title was split. Some members of the press called it melodramatic and ponderous, while others stated that the palpable chemistry between Pearce and Jones made up for any flaws in the story.
Filth – A drug-addicted and bigoted policeman out for a promotion uses a murder investigation to turn colleagues against each other and solidify his appointment in this very dark British effort. James McAvoy plays the lead, supported by Jamie Bell, Jim Broadbent and Imogen Poots. Critics called McAvoy’s performance brave and stunning, resulting in more positive reviews than negative. However, all have written that your enjoyment of the film will be dependent on how much nastiness you’re willing to sit through – reportedly, the movie’s title is a more than appropriate moniker.
Frankie & Alice – In this independent suspense/drama, a go-go dancer with three separate personalities tries to maintain control over her two alter egos before they assume control of her actions. Critics knocked it, saying that despite the best efforts of its stars, this strange feature feels like a TV movie-of-the-week with a script that displays too much in the way of histrionics. It stars Halle Berry, Stellar Skarsgard and Phylicia Rashad (Mrs. Cosby from The Cosby Show!).
Hateship Loveship – This indie film meshes drama and comedy. It follows a mysterious, shy maid who enters a strained family’s home. Once there, the household’s teenage daughter attempts to punish her recovering drug-addict father by inventing a fake, online relationship between he and his new employee. The impressive cast includes Kristin Wiig, Guy Peace, Hailee Steinfeld, Nick Nolte and Jennifer Jason Leigh. It got some very mixed reactions – many praised Wiig’s work, but found the tone too slow and measured to be truly engrossing.
A Haunted House 2 – Inspired by the latest stream of horror films, this sequel to one of the most poorly reviewed films of 2013 was inundated with even worse reactions. It follows its man protagonist as he and his new family find themselves under attack by the same spirits. Okay… critics described it (in their words, not mine) as unfunny, repulsive, repugnant, contemptible, dumb and depressing. Sounds like a winner! It stars Marlon Wayans, Jaime Pressly, Gabriel Iglesias and Cedric the Entertainer.
Locke – This one-man, one set show features a man driving to an undisclosed location after work because of a serious and life-changing mistake. Along the way, he takes calls and attempts to minimize the personal and professional fallout. This unusual effort garnered uniformly excellent reviews – despite the limitations of the concept, they wrote that the film works thanks to the captivating and gripping work of it lead man. It stars Tom Hardy… and… well… his car. Read the site’s full length review right here.
Muppets Most Wanted! – This family-friendly flick and sequel to the 2011 hit sends Kermit the Frog to a Russian Gulag while an evil criminal lookalike takes his spot and attempts to act out a nefarious plot. It wasn’t as big a success at the box office as its predecessor, but almost all of the press still enjoyed it even if they admitted it wasn’t quite as hilarious as the previous entry. We didn’t review it here, but from a personal standpoint, it’s a strong sequel. It may be more focused on the Muppet characters than human ones, but it still provides plenty of laughs and a few amazing musical numbers (including a hilarious parody of a love ballad sung by the villain). The movie features Tina Fey, Ty Burrell, Ricky Gervais, Ray Liotta, Jemaine Clement and more cameos than you can possibly imagine.
Proxy – The plot of this low budget, independent horror movie involves a pregnant woman who is attacked on the way home from her obstetrician and joins a support group. Just as she’s fitting in with her new friends, she discovers a horrible secret about them. This effort received a wide variety of mixed responses. Apparently, it features some interesting surprises and unexpected twists, but many felt that the two-hour flick suffered from a drawn out, overlong and unfocused narrative.
Rage – B-movie fans may be interested in this thriller about businessman with a dark past who must rescue his daughter from some nasty kidnappers. Of course, he calls in some old friends to mete out justice. It stars Nicholas Cage, Rachel Nichols, Danny Glover and Peter Stormare. Despite the potential for some low-brow laughs, the movie received a majority of pans, with reviewers calling it pedestrian and dull. Even worse, they suggested that it didn’t even feature an entertainingly over-the-top Cage performance.
The Railway Man – This drama is based on autobiography of a WWII prisoner-of-war. It tells his story as he decides to enact revenge on his captor decades after the end of the conflict. The movie received decent notices upon its release, but not raves. While the press found the work of the actors strong and the message noble, the time jumping narrative distanced many of them and they found the film’s sentimentality forced. The cast includes Colin Firth, Nicole Kidman, Hiroyuki Sanada and Stellan Skarsgard.
Summer in February – The last title of the week is this UK period romance about an artist who falls for two different woman at the same time and can’t make up his mind over who to ultimately pick. Sounds like a tough problem… The effort received a lot of negative press during its limited release. Apparently, the scenery is pretty to look at, but the routine story features very unlikable characters and the pace borders on sleep-inducing. It features Domenic Cooper, Emily Browning, Dan Stevens and Hattie Morahan.
Blasts From the Past!
Disney is releasing a stack of catalogue titles to Blu-ray – they will be detailed in the You Know, For Kids! section below.
On a completely different note, Shout! Factory have spared no expense to bring another cult item to Blu-ray through its Scream line. The 1980 comedy/horror flick Motel Hell features a farmer/motel owner/ who kidnap travelers and use them as a secret ingredient in his popular smoked ham dish. It’s actually a black comedy famous for its bonkers finale which features a protagonist in a battle with the chainsaw-brandishing villain (who also happens to be wearing a big pig head). As always, besides the new transfer the disc features plenty of extras including a new commentary with the director, new interviews with the cast and other featurettes on the film.
If you love 70’s tough guy action, you can’t go wrong with Charles Bronson. Kino is bringing two of his titles to Blu-ray this week.
The plot to Mr. Majestyk is kind of hilarious just to read. Bronson essays the role of a watermelon farmer who gets on the bad side of some local mobsters and a nasty labor racketeer. Carnage ensues (no doubt to both the villains and his crop of tasty melons). Frankly, I somehow missed this title over the years. It sounds like one I should catch up with as soon as possible.
The second title of note is the 1975 western Breakheart Pass, in which Bronson plays a prisoner aboard a train out to deliver medical supplies to a nearby fort. When the passengers start turning up dead, it’s up to the convict to figure out what’s going on and who is responsible. The Blu-rays of these two efforts feature new transfers of the films in full frame (which is their original aspect ratio, believe it or not!).
Actor Gary Busey may now be most famous for his bizarre and crazy antics in interviews and at award shows. However, long ago he wasn’t just a strong actor, but was even nominated for Best Actor in the excellent 1978 musical biopic, The Buddy Holly Story. Twilight Time is making the Blu-ray of this title available in a very limited edition of 3,000. It also features a commentary track with the film’s director and Busey and isolated score. Not only is it notable for being a effective and sweet story, but much of the music was performed live by the cast and captured in one or two takes.
Another highlight arriving from the distributor is the goofy 1962 Elvis Presley musical Follow That Dream (also limited to 3,000). Elvis plays a song-crooning member of a lower-class family. They run out of gas while on the road, decide to live near the highway shoulder and partake in some musical numbers, much to the consternation of local authorities.
Fans of “The King” will also be happy to hear that Warner Bros. is releasing a couple of Blu-rays starring the singer, including one of his most famous titles. Viva Las Vegas features Elvis as a waiter/race car driver who finds himself distracted from the race by Anne Margaret. Musical numbers and goofy banter ensues. It’s been released on Blu-ray before – this 50th Anniversary edition features a new 40-page booklet with promotional materials and photos.
New to Blu-ray is the 1970 documentary Elvis: That’s the Way It Is, featuring the jumpsuit-clad singer in concert and featured in interviews. Features from the DVD release are carried over.
Criterion gives the special edition treatment to the 1984 John Cassavetes drama Love Streams. The director stars with Gena Rowlands and Seymour Cassel, who play emotionally wounded siblings attempting to deal with very serious personal problems. The Blu-ray highlights include a new restoration, as well as interviews with the participants and a documentary on Cassavetes.
You Know, For Kids!
It’s an embarrassment of riches for children’s entertainment this week. 
In addition to the latest Muppets film, Disney is releasing several classic titles on Blu-ray in special edition packages. This includes the trippy 1971 live action flick (that also features animated characters) Bedknobs and Broomsticks, as well a compilation of classic animated shorts called The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad/Fun and Fancy Free. They include The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (a personal favorite) and Wind in the Willows shorts along with some classic Micky Mouse shorts (including the famed 1947 short Mickey and the Beanstock). As if that isn’t enough, the 1997 animated feature Hercules and 1999 release Tarzan are also arriving on the Blu-ray format. Additionally, the well-received Disney documentary Bears hits home video.
The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad/Fun and Fancy Free (Disney Blu-ray)
Batman: Assault on Arkham
Bears (Disney Nature)
Bedknobs and Broomsticks (Disney Blu-ray)
The Berenstain Bears – Teddy Bear Picnic
Hercules (Disney Blu-ray)
Looney Tunes Platinum Collection – Volume 3
Muppets Most Wanted!
Peppa Pig: The Balloon Ride
Power Rangers Megaforce – A Battle to the Finish
Tarzan (Disney Blu-ray)
Young Justice: The Complete First Season
On the Tube!
It’s a slim week for TV shows, but here’s what is available. Sadly, there are no notable television clips to post, so instead I’ll show an official video for a song from Muppets Most Wanted! (performed by songwriter Bret McKenzie). Enjoy!
Bitten: The Complete First Season
Blacklist: The Complete First Season
Ghost Hunters: Season 9, Part 1
Gunsmoke: Season 10, Volume 1
The Marx Brothers TV Collection
The Science of Stupid (National Geographic)
Young Justice: The Complete First Season