Blu-ray/DVD New Release Roundup for December 5th, 2023

December 5, 2023

Welcome to another look at some of the highlights that will be arriving on Blu-ray, 4K Ultra HD and DVD. There is a big sequel appearing, as well as plenty of quirky independent titles. 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!

ALL JACKED UP AND FULL OF WORMS – In this independent horror/comedy, a janitor working at a seedy motel discovers a stash of hallucinogenic worms. He has visions of a giant tubelike creature and makes friends with a man who owns a moped and believes that he can manifest a baby with a sex doll. Together, they become addicted to these worms and take bizarre and dangerous drug trips. Reaction to the movie was slightly more positive than negative. Nearly half thought the final product was trashy and noted that it couldn’t decide on a consistent tone, resulting in a confused mix of comedy and chills. Slightly more thought that it had the makings of a cult film and delivered wild, funny and sickening moments in a creative and entertaining manner. The movie stars Philip Andre Botello, Sammy Arechar and Betsy Brown.

DADDY DAUGHTER TRIP – A struggling inventor tries to make ends meet by donating blood and taking on odd jobs. Eventually, he and his wife end up having to reside with friends. Desperate to give his daughter the “Spring Break” trip of her dreams, he decides to plan a cost-effective vacation for the two of them that will still deliver on her biggest wishes. This comedy hasn’t been seen by many critics and the single review that has appeared online thus far is negative. The individual writes that while this is clearly a sweet pet project for the star and his real-life daughter, the end result features too many gags that miss the mark and the end product won’t make an impression. For the time being, this is a DVD-only release. The cast includes Rob Schneider, Miranda Scarlett Schneider, Jackie Sandler, Monica Huarte and John Cleese.

ELEVATOR GAME – A young man gets an internship at a company that specializes in creating streaming content on paranormal activity. He suggests they cover a strange local legend about a young girl who disappeared after playing a strange game in an elevator. The group agrees, travels to the site and immediately gets into trouble. Not only do they see evidence of supernatural phenomena, but discover that the intern is the older brother of the child who vanished. This feature premiered on the Shudder streaming service and is now arriving as a DVD-only title. The movie didn’t receive great notices from critics. About one-third thought that after a weak opening, the story improved and delivered some effective and entertaining moments. Yet the majority complained that the end result was bland and ineffective. They also noted that the characters were not as well developed as they could have been. The movie features Gino Anania, Megan Best, Alex Carlos and Nazariy Demkowicz.

INDIANA JONES AND THE DIAL OF DESTINY – Returning to the big screen after a 15-year absence, the latest and final Indiana Jones adventure catches up with the archeologist in the late 1960s, now serving as a professor in New York City. When his goddaughter suddenly appears and asks about the location of an old relic her father was obsessed with, the protagonist attempts to dissuade her from seeking it out. However, sinister forces soon appear looking for the item, and Jones is roped into another globe-trotting quest. This follow-up received more decent reviews than pans, but it still ranked lower than all other films in the series. Roughly one-third of the press commented that it offered a less-effective mash-up of elements from previous entries and, as a whole, didn’t feel necessary. Regardless, the consensus was that the opening sequence was phenomenal and that while the movie didn’t match its predecessors, it provided enough thrills and laughs to earn a recommendation. Harrison Ford, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Antonio Banderas, Karen Allen, John Rhys-Davies, Shaunette Renee Wilson, Thomas Kretschmann, Toby Jones and Mads Mikkelsen headline the picture. There are multiple versions of this title being made available from 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray to standalone Blu-ray in a variety of packaging, so be sure to read up on various editions before making a selection. Read a full review of the film here.

THE KILL ROOM – An art dealer comes into contact with a hitman and his boss. They all come up with an elaborate money laundering scheme that presents the assassin as a new Avant Garde artist. He unexpectedly becomes famous, leading to threats and double-crosses between the group as they try to navigate their unexpected public success. Slightly more critics appreciated this effort than disliked it. Close to half commented that the writing was flat and uninteresting, saying that the movie didn’t make the most of an intriguing setup. But more called the film a sharp and funny satire of the art world with some excellent performances that carried audiences through the predictable story elements. This title will be available individually on 4K Ultra Hd, Blu-ray and DVD. The cast includes Uma Thurman, Joe Manganiello, Samuel L. Jackson, Debi Mazar and Maya Hawke.

SRI ASIH: THE WARRIOR – Also known simply as Sri Asih, this Indonesian superhero film involves a youngster who was born during a volcanic eruption. Tragically, she is separated from her parents during the disaster and grows up alone with anger issues. The lead is later adopted by a wealthy woman who tries to give her a normal life and help her develop a unique set of skills. As she enters adulthood, the lead realizes she is no ordinary human and must decide what to do with her powers. This foreign-language feature hasn’t been seen by many in this part of the world, but those who have watched the title enjoyed it. They called it a slickly made, enjoyable and empowering superhero movie that contained plenty of well-staged fight scenes and thrills. For the time being, this film is only available on DVD. It features Pevita Pearce, Ario Bayu, Christine Hakim and Jefri Nichol.

BLASTS FROM THE PAST!

There are also plenty of titles to choose from if you enjoy older movies. The crowdfunded action/comedy Lumpia with a Vengeance (2020) is arriving as a “Collector’s Edition” Blu-ray and DVD from Alica Way Entertainment. It’s about a figure who uses Filipino food to fight a criminal syndicate. The disc includes a Blu-ray of the movie with a director and cast commentary. There is also a track which allows viewers to hear the film with an enthusiastic sold-out theater audience. The DVD includes the same features, along with a making-of, featurettes, deleted scenes, music videos and an ad campaign.

Criterion is delivering Blast of Silence (1961) on Blu-ray. Pictured above and to the left, the story follows a Cleveland-based assassin who is tasked with killing a mob boss in New York. His assignment becomes more complicated after crossing paths with an old flame and a strange gun dealer with pet rats. The disc arrives with a 60-minute making-of documentary shot in 1990, a collection of Polaroids taken during production, a 2008 visit to the original locations used in the film, a trailer and a booklet featuring an essay on the movie and its importance.

The distributor is also presenting Days of Heaven (1978) as a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray set or as a standalone Blu-ray. This acclaimed drama from Terrence Malick (Badlands, The Thin Red Line, The New World, The Tree of Life, A Hidden Life) is about a laborer who convinces the woman he loves to marry a wealthy farmer in order to claim his fortune. Among other honors, the movie is noted for its gorgeous cinematography. Many outdoor shots were filmed during the magic hour (a brief period of time around sunset). The movie arrives on disc with a 4K restoration supervised by Malick himself, a crew commentary track (Malick doesn’t do commentaries), an audio interview with co-star Richard Gere, discussions with the camera operator, director of photography and co-star Sam Shepard, as well as an essay on the film by a reviewer and a chapter from the cinematographer’s autobiography.

The French crime thriller A Thousand Billion Dollars (1982) aka Mille Milliards de Dollars is arriving on Blu-ray from Kino about a journalist uncovering a plot by an American multinational company to take over local industries. It arrives with a film historian commentary and trailer.

The Ballad of Little Jo (1993) is a period picture based on a true story about a young woman who disguises herself as a boy to survive in the old west. It features Suzy Amis, Bo Hopkins, Ian McKellen, David Chung, Heather Graham, Anthony Heald, Melissa Leo, René Auberjonois and Carrie Snodgress. The disc contains a new master from a 4K scan and includes a director and cinematographer commentary track, as well as an interview with star Amis and a slipcase.

I… For Icarus (1979) aka I… Comme Icare is a French thriller that uses the Kennedy assassination as inspiration in the tale of investigators looking into the death of a political figure. The disc arrives with a film critic commentary and reversible case art.

Additionally, the TV-movie The Questor Tapes (1974) is arriving on Blu-ray. This one was co-written by Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry and involves a superhuman android obsessed with finding his creator. The title has been given a 2K restoration and comes with a film expert commentary, a trailer, a promo spot and a special slipcase.

Tokyo Pop (1988) follows an aspiring singer who decides to hop on a plane and start a career in Japan. She finds love with a musician who wants her to sing in his band. This disc arrives with a director commentary and a re-release trailer.

Those who remember the hit western Young Guns (1988) will be happy to hear that Lionsgate is presenting an upgrade of the film in celebration of its 35^th anniversary. This action-packed take on Billy the Kid stars Emilio Estevez, Kiefer Sutherland, Lou Diamond Phillips, Charlie Sheen, Dermot Mulroney, Casey Siemaszko, Terrence Stamp, Jack Palance and Terry O’Quinn is arriving in a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray set. You can also pick up a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray Steelbook that is a Best Buy Exclusive. Besides the restoration, there is a featurette with new cast and crew interviews, an archived audio commentary with Mulroney, Phillips and Siemaszko, a featurette on Billy the Kid and publicity materials. The Best Buy exclusive comes with character art cards.

MGM is presenting Blu-rays of the Cole and Linda Porter biopic De-Lovely (2004), as well as the Annette Funicello musical comedy Pajama Party (1964), which features an alien trying to fit in during a wild teenage shindig.

The Exiles (1961) is a drama arriving on Blu-ray from Milestone. Based on the real stories of young Native Americans who have moved to Los Angeles, viewers see a group of friends spending a night out drinking, flirting and partying. Despite being completed in 1961, the final product had trouble finding distribution and was rarely seen for 50 years. After being discovered and restored, it wowed festival audiences with its gritty and realistic take on the lead characters. The disc includes short films by director Kent Mackenzie, a commentary track with the producer, audio from a recent screening at UCLA, a 1969 and 2009 documentary about shooting locations, a pair of archived interviews with the director, a re-release trailer and a 1910 short film narrative featuring Native Americans.

Paramount is providing upgrades to a couple of their catalog titles. You can now purchase a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray set of the recent comedy Office Christmas Party (2016). Bonuses will likely be identical to previous editions. You can also pick up an elaborate Collector’s Edition box set of the Oscar-winning Titanic (1997) which contains the film and extras on 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray. A separate 4K Ultra HD only version is also being made available.

Sandpiper Films is rereleasing some out-of-print Blu-ray titles. They include the vampire flick Blacula (1972), the dance features Breakin’ (1984) and Breakin’ 2: Electric Boogaloo (1984), as well as the Robert Mitchum picture, Thunder Road (1958). No word if these discs come with any extras (most titles from this distributor contain only the movie).

When the Keanu Reeves/Patrick Swayze action film Point Break (1991) was originally released, it was only moderately successful. It followed an FBI agent who goes undercover on the beach to take down a group of Southern California surfers who rob banks. Over the years, the movie has built a big cult following and now Shout! Factory is presenting a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray Collector’s Edition, or if you prefer, a Best Buy exclusive 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray Steelbook. In addition to the picture upgrade, the Blu-ray disc includes additional scenes, featurettes on the production and a trailer.

You can also pick up a Collector’s Edition 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray combo of Silver Bullet (1985), based on the novella Cycle of the Werewolf that was written by Stephen King and with colorful illustrations by Bernie Wrightson. The horror movie is set in a small town terrorized by a murderous werewolf. When the creature is sighted by a wheelchair-bound youngster, the boy and his teenage sister try to identify and fight the creature off. The new 4K transfer was taken from the original camera negative. The set includes a new commentary from a pair of podcasters and Stephen King experts. You will also get a commentary with producer Matha De Laurentiis and a director commentary track. There’s an isolated score and an audio interview with the composer, interviews with a supporting cast member, co-star Everett McGill and the editor. Additionally, it comes with a feature on the effects work and a ton of publicity materials.

Also getting an upgrade is Stand by Me (1986), a period coming-of-age drama/comedy based on a novella by Stephen King. This well-regarded effort from director Rob Reiner (This is Spinal Tap, The Princess Bride, When Harry Met Sally) was nominated for an Academy Award (for Best Adapted Screenplay) and is arriving from Sony in a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray Steelbook package. It involves four kids who hear a rumor that a local teen has been hit by a train in the countryside. They head out to find the body and garner attention from the press. Along the way, they end up talking about their hopes and dreams for the future. In addition to the improved picture, the set includes deleted and alternate scenes, an archived picture-in-picture commentary with Reiner and actors Wil Wheaton and Corey Feldman. Additionally, there’s a second director commentary, a making of and a music video.

And finally, Warner Bros. is presenting a 4K Ultra HD edition of The Color Purple (1985). This adaptation of the Alice Walker Pulitzer Prize-winning novel came from Steven Spielberg and starred Whoopi Goldberg, Danny Glover and Oprah Winfrey. It earned a great deal of Oscar nominations after its release. The release includes a featurette on the book-to-screen adaptation, a special on the casting process, a making of, a short on the musical, as well as numerous trailers.

YOU KNOW, FOR KIDS!

Here is a list of the week’s kid-friendly entertainment options.

Rubble and Crew (Nickelodeon/Paramount) DVD

SpongeBob SquarePants: Season 13 (Nickelodeon/Paramount) DVD

Superhero Kindergarten – Outer Space Adventures (NCircle) DVD

ON THE TUBE!

And below is a list of TV-themed releases coming your way.

Babylon 5: The Complete Series (Warner Bros.) Blu-ray

Creepshow: Season 4 (RLJ Entertainment) Blu-ray

Doc Martin: The Complete Collection (Acorn) DVD

Hallmark 2-Movie Collection: A Royal Christmas Crush & Take Me Back for Christmas (Hallmark) DVD

Hallmark 2-Movie Collection: Love in Glacier National: A National Park Romance & The Dog Lover’s Guide to Dating (Hallmark) DVD