Welcome back to another look at highlights coming your way on Blu-ray and DVD. Looks like there’s a wide variety of choices that include everything from dramas to monster movies. So, since you can’t make it out to the movies this week, be sure to give one of these titles a try!
Big New Releases!
The Cat and the Moon – A teenager is forced into dealing with several family-related problems after his father dies and his mother decides to go into rehab. With no support system, he accepts an invitation to stay with his dad’s old friend, a jazz musician in New York. The experience is an eye-opening one for the young man as he makes new friends and finds a way to endure a difficult period in his life. Reaction towards this independent drama was generally positive. A small group did complain that the pacing was off and it took a long time for the movie to find its footing. However, most complimented the lead performance and stated that the story was unfocused, it actually made the tale more unpredictable and interesting. It features Alex Wolff, Skyler Gisondo, Stefania LaVie Owen and Mike Epps.
A Dog’s Courage – Also known in some parts of the world as The Underdog, this animated feature from South Korea tells the story of a dog that is abandoned by its owner and forced to scrape by living on the streets. The lead finds a pack of stray pooches and joins them in their attempts to redefine themselves without humans and make their own new and loving home. This movie played at several festivals in various countries including South Korea, Taiwan and Japan, where it appeared to earn a positive response. However, there are currently no detailed reviews available in this part of the world, so interested parties will have to throw caution to the wind and go into it cold. The disc itself presents both the original Korean-language version with English subtitles as well as an English-language dub.
Final Kill – This direct-to-disc, low-budget action picture follows an aging protection specialist who wants to retire, but needs to take on one last and very dangerous job in order to pay his debts and be financially secure. Sent to Costa Rica, he must provide safety for a couple who have stolen $8 million dollars from a powerful crime family. Naturally, things heat up when the mobsters discover the hideaway and send killers to wipe everyone out. Only a few notices have appeared online for the movie. While they have noted that it wasn’t as weak as some other direct-to-disc action films, they did state that it took an awfully long time for the movie to get to the central confrontation and felt excessively padded out. It stars Ed Morrone, Randy Couture, Danny Trejo, Billy Zane and James Russo.
The Fittest – If you’re currently cooped up and miss exercising, this documentary will either give you a vicarious thrill or make you feel much worse about being indoors. The subjects are participants in the 2019 CrossFit Games. This competition includes numerous events including aerobics, weightlifting, an obstacle course, as well as surprise challenges like ocean swimming. Male and female winners are declared the fittest people on the planet. Using interviews with past champions who are attempting to repeat as title-holders, other participants and footage from the event itself, viewers are taken on the journey and experience the games firsthand. There haven’t been any write-ups of this non-fiction feature yet, so those who are curious will just have to dive right in without any previous knowledge.
Grass – Shot entirely in black and white, this unique little comedy/drama from South Korea is set in a café and follows a writer typing on her computer and watching various conflicts among several groups seated around her. There’s an older man trying to rekindle a frayed relationship, a young couple who are accusing each other of various crimes, and a filmmaker struggling to realize his next project. Viewers must ascertain whether these stressed people are inspiration for what the lead is writing, or if they are performers acting out the words and thoughts written on the page. Critics were very taken with this little film, calling it a fascinating, fun and cutting movie that harbors deeper ruminations on people-watching and the art of creation. The cast includes Kim Min-hee, Key Joobong and Ahn Jae-hong.
Just Mercy – This biopic tells the true story of a lawyer and Harvard graduate starting a position as a defense attorney in Alabama and hoping to fight for the rights of the wrongfully accused. He is introduced to Walter McMillian, an innocent man on death row convicted of murdering an 18-year-old girl. After looking into the case, the lawyer discovers the series of lies and horrendous acts undertaken by authorities to imprison the man. The press gave this drama very high marks. There were a few who found the storytelling predictable, eliminating tension from some of the events depicted. However, almost all reviewers found the case itself compelling and complimented the exceptional work of the cast members. It stars Michael B. Jordan, Jamie Foxx, Brie Larson, Rob Morgan. O’Shea Jackson Jr. and Tim Blake Nelson. To read a full review of the film, click here.
Pigeon Kings – Did you know that pigeons can be trained? This documentary takes viewers to South Central Los Angeles and introduces a number of men who breed and teach these birds for competition in the Birmingham Roller Pigeon World Cup. The event requires trainers to encourage a flock of pigeons to fly in unison and perform a series of elaborate maneuvers. This feature follows one particular enthusiast who is attempting to make a comeback after being shamed for past failures by others in his field. The picture has played at several film festivals over the past year and has been nominated for awards in non-fiction filmmaking. Unfortunately, there isn’t much else known about the movie, so bird enthusiasts will have to simply wing it and watch the movie without any prior knowledge.
Talking About Adultery – Here’s another documentary hitting disc. This one attempts to examine why spouses cheat on one another, what happens when one stays from their marriage and how certain couples attempt to deal with infidelity. According to the synopsis, the movie uses very personal and revealing interviews with varied subjects, weaving together over 50 interviews with lovers, husbands, wives, mistresses, and participants in non-traditional, polyamorous relationships, creating a conversation-rich tapestry of intimate interiors and urban landscapes. Press photos about the movie suggest that it also includes a figure wearing a monkey mask. Guess you’ll have to see it for yourself to find out why, since the movie has played at festivals but hasn’t received many write-ups yet.
Underwater – A group of researchers working on the ocean floor for a deep-sea drilling company in the Mariana Trench get a shock when a sudden earthquake threatens their station. With oxygen dwindling, the group attempt to find safety. But of course, the disaster also releases something mysterious from the ocean floor that begins targeting surviving crew members. Overall, critics were split on this creature feature. Almost half said that while the film followed all of the monster movie tropes, it was stylishly shot, well-acted and would impress horror fans. Still, just as many argued that everything in the movie was too familiar and that the set-pieces had been delivered more effectively in other genre pictures. Now viewers can rent it and decide for themselves if it’s scary, silly… or a mix of both. The movie features Kristin Stewart, Vincent Cassell, T.J. Miller, Jessica Henwick, John Gallagher Jr. and Mamoudou Athie.
Blasts from the Past!
It’s a very, very busy week for older films receiving Blu-ray upgrades. Arrow Video are getting the ball rolling with a Special Edition of Sixteen Candles (1984). This seminal comedy from John Hughes (Weird Science, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, The Breakfast Club, Pretty in Pink and many others) tells the story of a high school student juggling her classes, a sister’s wedding and a younger student in pursuit of her. This occurs while she attempts to get the attention of another guy whom she has a crush on. While certainly a product of its era, this is a landmark comedy that established Hughes’ endearingly unique style and teen dialect. With great work from star Molly Ringwald and memorable supporting turns from Anthony Michael Hall, Paul Dooley, Gedde Watanabe, John Cusack and Joan Cusack, it’s a coming-of-age classic and remains one of the best features in his catalog.
The movie has been given a new 4K restoration by Arrow and includes both the theatrical cut and an extended version with an additional cafeteria scene (you can also watch the extra scene separately from the feature if you’re so inclined). The set also includes new interviews with the casting director, actors Gedde Watanabe and Deborah Pollack, John Kapelos, camera operator Garry Kibbe (who would later serve as director of photography for John Carpenter on his many of his films from the late 80s onward), composer Ira Newborn, filmmaker Adam Rifkin (The Chase, Detroit Rock City) who worked as an extra on the feature and shadowed Hughes during the shoot. You’ll also a video essay on the film, an archival documentary on the movie with the cast and crew, as well as all sorts of publicity materials including trailers and stills. And when this movie first hit VHS and TV, the filmmakers didn’t have the rights to use all of the original music. Another extra on this set is that it contains options to watch some of these scenes with the alternate music soundtrack (you’re better off watching the version with the proper tunes as originally intended, but it’s a nifty extra regardless). Overall, this sounds like a must-own for 80s movie enthusiasts and fans of the filmmaker.
Arrow also have a Blu-ray box set called Seijun Suzuki’s The Taisho Trilogy (1980 – 1991), which contains a trio of supernatural dramas. The films featured are Zigeunerweisen (1980), Kageroza (1981) and Yumeji (1991). Naturally, interested parties can rest assured that there are numerous extras included, including new introductions to the movies as well as a critical analysis and appreciation by an expert.
Stray Cat Rock: The Collection (1970 – 1971) is a Blu-ray set of 5 Japanese movies detailing the members of a female gang and their various crime sprees. The flicks included in this Special Edition set are Delinquent Girl Boss, Wild Jumbo, Sex Hunter, Machine Animal and Beat ’71. Those who pick it up will also receive interviews with the star of all 5 films, the man who directed three of the features and other cast members too. Looks like a lot of B-movie fun.
They also have a Special Edition Blu-ray of The Wind (1986), a horror picture about a writer trapped indoors and terrorized by a psychotic killer while a hurricane causes devastation around outside. The original negative has been given a 4K scan approved by writer/director Nico Mastorakis (The Zero Boys, Nightmare at Noon), and you’ll also get an interview with the filmmaker, the complete soundtrack by Hans Zimmer and Stanley Myers, and a load of trailers.
And MVD Visual is debuting a group of thrillers on Blu-ray. Even Money (2006) follows a group of desperate characters (played by Kim Basinger, Danny DeVito, Forest Whitaker, Kelsey Grammer, Tim Roth, Ray Liotta and Carla Gugino) gambling all their savings at a casino. Sylvester Stallone stars in Eye See You (2002) a flick about a detective undergoing therapy treatments at a remote location who must identify a killer within the group. The picture suffered from a troubled production that resulted in a lot of studio-mandated reshoots. This Special Edition of the film includes final version and, for the first time ever, the original director’s cut that the distributor disliked and decided to have reworked and reedited. Sounds like a fascinating bonus. You’ll also get deleted scenes and other extras.
They are also releasing Blu-rays of the Orlando Bloom/Zoe Saldana thriller Haven (2004) and the Sarah Michelle Gellar entry, Possession (2008). In the latter picture, Gellar plays a woman whose husband gets into a car wreck with his brother. Both men are hospitalized in a comatose state. When her spouse’s brother wakes up first, he tries to convince the protagonist that he is actually her husband and has somehow been moved into his brother’s body. This release includes 30 minutes of deleted scenes and other extras.
VCI Entertainment have a Blu-ray of the goofy serial, Jungle Queen (1945), about a group of heroes fighting off Nazi forces in Africa. The elements have been given a 2K scan from the original 35mm film elements.
If that wasn’t enough, Shout! Factory have some exciting Blu-rays as well. The first is the hard-to-find Hammer cult flick, Captain Kronos: Vampire Hunter (1974). The title character squares off against a group of vampires who drain victims of their youth, leaving husks behind. The disc comes with a new film historian audio commentary, a Hammer films in the 70s documentary, a preexisting commentary featuring the director and actress Caroline Munro, as well as a trailer and radio spots.
Homeboy (1988) is a gritty and well-regarded boxing movie about an aging pugilist struggling for one last chance in the ring. The cast includes Mickey Rourke and Christopher Walken. The Blu-ray comes with a trailer and a featurette on the production.
And there’s more! Kino are presenting a Blu-ray of Cattle Annie and Little Britches (1981), a western starring Amanda Plummer and Diane Lane about two female outlaws. On their journey, they encounter other characters, played by legends like Burt Lancaster and Rod Steiger. The movie has been given a new HD master and arrives with an interview with the producer and a trailer.
They also have the silent horror classic, The Golem (1920) aka The Golem: How He Came into the World. It’s a German production that adapts the Hebrew myth of a giant clay warrior created to protect the people. Of course, its greedy creator decides to misuse the figure and the monster ends up going on a rampage. This Blu-ray contains a 4K restoration of the German release version, which includes a historian commentary and a comparison between this cut and the US version. The disc also provides the shorter American cut for those interested.
Jenny (1970) is a drama about a woman and man who take part in a marriage of convenience, but eventually fall for each other as they spend more and more time together. Besides a new 4K master and film expert commentary, you’ll also get a trailer on this Blu-ray. Additionally, Kino are putting out the musical Song of Norway (1970) in high definition. This one has been given a 2K transfer and includes a historian audio track. Also coming to Blu-ray is the Richard Widmark war drama, Time Limit (1957), which has also been upgraded to 2K.
And here’s an amazing release courtesy of Paramount that comes highly recommended – Police Squad!: The Complete Series (1982). This comedy show from the Zucker Brothers (Airplane!, Top Secret) starred Leslie Neilson as a cop doing his less-than-subtle part to stop crime across Los Angeles and occasionally causing more unintentional chaos in the process. The show was hysterical, featuring some amazing slapstick gags and running jokes, but didn’t hit with the public during its original release. It seems that at the time, audiences weren’t ready for the rapid-fire barrage of gags poking fun at cop shows. This set contains all six episodes of the landmark television series in high defintion. Thankfully, the Zuckers were able to resurrect the lead character and concept for The Naked Gun movie series, which were massive box office hits (I suppose by then viewers had come around to the concept).
There are some quirky little B-movies arriving as well. Unearthed Films have the horror picture Gutterballs (2008) on Blu-ray. The story is about a killer terrorizing a group of visitors at a disco bowling alley.
Scorpion are delivering a Blu-ray of the comedy, Uphill All the Way (1986). It’s a comedy about con-men in the old west and stars Roy Clark, Mel Tillis, Burl Ives, Glen Campbell and Frank Gorshin. They’ve given the film a new HD master and have included the trailer as a bonus.
If you’re looking for a classic, you can now purchase Destiny Rides Again (1939) on Blu-ray from Criterion. This one features Marlene Dietrich alongside Jimmy Stewart, who plays a new sheriff trying to clean up a town in the old west. This spoof was very well-reviewed in its day and the distributor has given it a spiffy new clean up with a 4K digital restoration. The disc also includes an interview with a film critic on the picture as well as a Stewart biographer. It also comes with interviews and a radio play version of the title also featuring Stewart.
Série Noire (1979) is an award-nominated crime drama that is arriving on Blu-ray from France Film Movement. This disc has interviews with the director and star as well as a featurette on the movie.
Finally, Warner Archive are introducing a trio of new Blu-rays. The first is for Action of the Tiger (1957), a crime drama starring Van Johnson are a contraband runner who is convinced to help a woman sneak her brother out of Albania. Tin Cup (1996) is a romantic comedy set around the golfing world from Ron Shelton (Bull Durham, White Men Can’t Jump). Kevin Costner and Rene Russo take on the lead roles. Lastly, the studio is putting out the science-fiction miniseries, V: The Final Battle (1984). This was a sequel to an earlier miniseries about a group of aliens invading Earth. They were very popular in their day and the ratings from this one ultimately led to a TV series the following year.
You Know, For Kids!
This week’s child-friendly options are listed below.
A Dog’s Courage
On the Tube!
And here are this edition’s TV-themed highlights.
Balthazar: Series 1
Bottled with Love (Hallmark TV-movie)
Earth’s Sacred Wonders (PBS)
East Lake Meadows (PBS)
The Heart Guy: Series 4
Niall Ferguson’s Networld (PBS)
Police Squad: The Complete Series (1982)
V: The Final Battle (1984)
Witness to Murder: A Darrow Mystery (Hallmark TV-movie)