Welcome to another look at some of the highlights arriving on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and DVD. This is a busy edition that features a mix of studio pictures, independents and micro-budgeted eccentricities. 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!
AMERICAN STAR – A hitman nearing retirement decides to travel to Spain’s Canary Islands for his final assignment. After arriving, he is told that his mysterious target has left the area and will return in a couple of days. The lead decides to wait it out and take in his tranquil surroundings in the meantime. He quickly finds himself drawn in by the locals, the beautiful surroundings and an impressive shipwreck. When the individual returns, the lead learns that the person may have a connection to his new friends. This film was generally well-received by critics. About one-quarter did state that the plot was predictable and that the style was too slow to make a lasting impression. However, the majority thought the cast were excellent and suggested that the film was an engaging, low-key existential drama. For the time being, this is a DVD-only release. It stars Ian McShane, Nora Arnezeder, Oscar Coleman and Thomas Kretschmann.
THE BEEKEEPER – This tale follows a beekeeper with a secret past living quietly in a Massachusetts barn where he tends to his colony. When the retired teacher who owns the property is taken for all she has by cybercrime scammers and commits suicide, the tenant decides that he has to act. As it turns out, the protagonist was once a special operative who knows exactly how to eliminate the criminal organization responsible. Overall, the response was upbeat towards this action picture. About one-quarter of reviewers thought the film was generic and didn’t take full advantage of its unusual concept, leaving them unimpressed with the proceedings. However, the majority described the film as an entertaining, old-fashioned throwback to action pictures of yesteryear, providing plenty of fun mayhem and thrills. This picture is available in a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray combo or as a standalone Blu-ray. The cast includes Jason Statham, Emmy Raver-Lampman, Bobby Naderi, Josh Hutcherson, Jeremy Irons, Phylicia Rashad and Minnie Driver.
BEFORE THEY VANISH – An elderly rancher who has devoted his life to caring for and preserving the rare Nokota breed of horses gets terrible news from his doctor. After struggling with cancer for many years, he is told that the illness is now terminal and that he has little time left. Knowing that buyers will likely purchase the animals for slaughter and wipe out the horse breed, the protagonist must quickly try to find a way to save them. This independent picture is based on a true story and was given a limited release a few months ago, but hasn’t been seen by many at present. So, curious parties will have to go into the movie without knowing the general feeling about its quality. Christine Carapico McGowan, Elizabeth Carrapico, Yvette Running Horse Collin and Michael Filisky are listed as cast members in this feature.
BETWEEN WAVES – A woman on various medications after the disappearance of her lover starts having visions of him in this science-fiction/drama. She soon begins to suspect that he may have traveled to a parallel universe. While friends suggest that she needs to take more meds as she begins to think about other worlds and whether or not she may even be in the correct timeline. This film from Canada has been making the festival rounds since 2020 and was released at cinemas in its homeland, but has only recently found a US distributor. Members of the press who have seen it have been slightly more positive than negative. Those who didn’t care for it suggested that the movie was confusing and left too many unanswered questions. Others thought while it wasn’t perfect, this was a well-shot and fascinating story about obsession and grief. Fiona Graham, Luke Robinson and Sebastian Deery headline the feature.
DRIVE-AWAY DOLLS – After breaking up with her girlfriend, a free-spirited young woman yearns to leave town and have fun in another city. She convinces an uptight female acquaintance to let her tag along on a road trip delivering a car to Tallahassee. Little do the pair know that they have been given the wrong vehicle to take to their faraway locale. Criminals pursue them as the women drive and form a close friendship. This comedy was co-written and directed by Ethan Coen (of the Coen Brothers, who made Raising Arizona, Fargo, No Country for Old Men and many other critically lauded titles). The press wasn’t overwhelmed by the movie, but did give it more recommendations than pans. About one-third of write-ups complained that the gags were hit-and-miss, the characters weren’t engaging and that the film seemed slapdash in execution. However, the majority thought the eccentric characters were fun to watch. They called elements of the story hilarious and admired the film’s boldness. It stars Margaret Qualley, Geraldine Viswanathan, Beanie Feldstein, Joey Slotnick, C.J. Wilson, Colman Domingo, Pedro Pascal and Matt Damon. Read a full review of the title here.
FATHER OF NATIONS – This independent science-fiction/drama from north of the border is set years after a catastrophic event has put humanity on the verge of extinction. An accident hampers a loner, who is discovered and taken in by a small community of survivors. He and the group do their best to find some kind of purpose, despite being short on supplies and ideas on how to continue long-term into the future. Apparently, the little picture was made over a period of several years. It did get a theatrical release in Canada at the end of 2022 and has recently been picked up for distribution on disc in the US. There currently aren’t many professional reviews for the picture, but online viewers have given their thoughts. While some suggested the film was a bit too long and some of the performances stiff, they commented that it was beautifully shot and dealt interestingly with deep themes. It features Nathan Horch, Ed Ogum, Kyra Macpherson and Lindsay Christopher.
FIRSTNESS – Here’s an independent production that appears to have been shot during the COVID-19 pandemic, before arriving on streaming platforms and now, a few years, on disc. The story follows three characters in the desert. A father struggles with mental illness while traveling with his non-binary son. The pair unexpectedly encounter an ex-con looking for work. Strangely enough, they all start to communicate and come to a deeper understanding of each other. Not many critics have seen the picture, but the ones who did responded positively towards it. They suggested that the movie was strange, dreamy and didn’t seem to follow a traditional storyline. Still, they noted it was sweet, gentle and made points about tolerance and understanding without preaching to the audience. Tim Kinsella, Spencer Jording and Caleb Cabrera headline the picture.
IT’S QUIETER IN THE TWILIGHT – NASA’s Voyager program is noted for the launch of two space probes in 1977. Their creators hoped these instruments would collect new and exciting data from Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune and Uranus and transmit it back to Earth. This documentary deals with the engineers and scientists who made the probes, but garnered little public attention for their work. Now elderly, the group speak about their contributions to the project, also noting that their lives will likely end before those of their creations. Everyone who saw this picture was impressed. They wrote that while a lot of details are unloaded on viewers, they should be able to keep up with the technical talk and understand it all. Compliments were also paid to the film for shining light on the incredible work of the individuals who have put together these metallic travelers and now sent them past their targets into interstellar space.
JUSTICE LEAGUE: CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS PART TWO – This DC superhero animated adventure is a follow-up to the previous chapter that was released on disc a few months ago. It picks up the story about multiple versions of familiar heroes like Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman fighting a powerful and sinister force who threatens to destroy not only the Earth, but all of its parallel universes. This final showdown reveals who comes out on top and survives the ordeal. So far, no members of the press have seen the final product, so there are no opinions about its overall quality. The first film was well-received, so hopefully this sequel can equal or better the previous chapter. The movie is being released in a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray Steelbook and is also being made available as a standalone Blu-ray. The voice-cast includes Jensen Ackles, Stana Katic, Jimmi Simpson, Troy Baker, Jennifer Hale and Lou Diamond Phillips.
MONOLITH – A podcaster is the lone character in this low-budget independent science-fiction drama. Desperate to build an audience, she uses less-than-professional methods to try and get ahead in her field. The central character eventually finds a story lead and talks to a maid who believes that a specific black brick (that her employer has stolen) contains supernatural powers. As the podcaster investigates, she begins to wonder if she has uncovered an incredible conspiracy. Reception for this effort was reasonably good. A small number did suggest that the emphasis on audio over visuals and the confusing nature of the story left them unsatisfied. However, the majority complimented the claustrophobic feel and thought the film was clever, creepy and left them with plenty to think about. Lily Sullivan headlines the feature.
THE NEW CORPORATION: THE UNFORTUNATELY NECESSARY SEQUEL – This documentary is a follow-up to a 2003 effort made the rounds on the festival circuit through 2020 and 2021. The sequel has been available to stream for a couple of years, but is only now arriving on disc in North America. It examines the influence of global corporations in every aspect of our lives, and how they have rebranded themselves over the past two decades, emphasizing giving back as a part of their company policies. However, the filmmakers suggest that for some corporations, this is merely a business tactic to increase privatization and maximize financial profit. The majority of critics liked the movie. A small number stated that while they agreed with many of the ideas, the execution was lacking and it didn’t offer many revelations. Still, most thought it was a compelling feature showing how many companies are more powerful than ever and turning us all into dependent consumers.
ON THE LINE – Set in the UK in 1964, this independent picture involves a young switchboard operator who spends her time connecting calls (and often listening to them for fun). One night, she hears a frightening call from a woman who claims to have been kidnapped. The operator contacts the police while trying to guide the person to safety. In the process, the potential kidnapper gets involved and the protagonist attempts to talk them into surrendering. This picture played the festival circuit through 2023 and arrived on streaming sites in January. Overall, the press had a favorable reaction. A small number noted that the story was too similar to the 2018 Danish film The Guilty and its 2021 Netflix remake, failing to match the intensity of those titles. However, most were impressed by the lead actress and thought it was an effectively told thriller with a couple of effective twists. It stars Victoria Lucie, Royce Pierreson and Harriet Walter.
THE SCORE – Here’s another COVID-19 production that received a 2022 release in other parts of the world and a limited run in North America, but is only now arriving on Blu-ray. It’s an eccentric British crime/comedy/musical about two small-time crooks stopping at a remote diner and readying themselves for a big score. One of the men hits it off with the lone waitress at the establishment and considers escaping with her. His partner is less-than-enthused about the blooming romance. The press in North America were all over the map in their response to the movie. Slightly less than half couldn’t get onto its wavelength, found the musical elements gimmicky and didn’t care for the songs. But more thought that the film was completely original, funny and suspenseful. They found the cast exceptional, loved the tunes and were completely charmed by the picture and its numerous twists. It features Will Poulter, Johnny Flynn (who also wrote the music) and Naomi Ackie.
TETHERED – A blind teenager lives in a cabin and spends his days wandering for food in a remote wooded area. He listens to a tape with instructions from his mother as he does so. The voice encourages him to give back to the forest when taking from it. A mysterious stranger arrives and is given shelter by the youth. This new arrival asks where the loner teen’s family is and asks if he wants to come with him on his travels. But their discussion becomes moot when it becomes clear that something ravenous is living in these woods. This independent horror film earned a limited and streaming release in 2022 and is now arriving on Blu-ray. Sadly, reviewers weren’t upbeat about the feature. A small number called the movie agreeable and thought the premise was interesting. Unfortunately, the consensus was that the film botched a great idea, losing momentum and tension as it stumbled forward. The cast includes Alexandra Paul, Body Brett, Kareem Ferguson, Chris Demm and Jared Laufree.
THEY/THEM/US – Here’s an independent feature that debuted in limited release and on streaming platforms in 2022, but is only now arriving on Blu-ray. The comedy/drama involves two single 40-something parents who try to date while juggling complex relationships with their complicated teens. It also seems the adult pair are into BDSM sex, adding an unusual element into their personal relationship. Overall, the movie was well received by the press. A small number complained that the tone jumped from drama to comedy jarringly and that it tried to incorporate too many story elements together. Still, most enjoyed the performances and admired the small film’s attempts to deal with unique subjects in an unexpectedly sweet and heartfelt manner. Joey Slotnick, Amy Hargreaves, Jack Steiner and Lexie Bean headline the feature.
TOMORROW’S GAME – A teenager heads out with his family to celebrate his uncle’s induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Sadly, the youth doesn’t like the game and has no interest in the event. But after wandering off, he accidentally travels through time. The kid finds himself transported to a 1957 ballpark and witnesses his uncle, an immigrant from the Dominican Republic, making his big-league debut. As the young lead tries to find a way home, he sees the hardships and successes his uncle experienced. This title premiered last summer on streaming sites and is being given a DVD-only release. Not many critics saw the picture, but online reviews have been reasonable. One has commented that the film is cliched, stilted and ineffective. But other online reviews call it a sweet ode for the whole family that celebrates advances made by previous generations. It stars Alejandro De Anda, Miranda Meadows and Paul Rodriguez.
TRENQUE LAUQUEN – This Spanish-language title from Argentina is a 4-plus hour effort that is split into two feature-length sections. When a woman who specializes in the classification of plants and flowers disappears without a trace, her partner and a colleague decide to combine forces to try and locate her. They share memories, find love letters and discover other details about her life, including notes about an apparition on a lake. The research ultimately takes the two on a bizarre and unique trip. Reviewers adorned this quirky drama/mystery. They warned viewers that the story isn’t really about the destination so much as it is about the journey itself. According to the critics, this is an arthouse cult film that travels down an enjoyably deep rabbit hole and allows viewers to get an idea of how unexpectedly complex and layered people can really be. The cast includes Laura Paredes, Ezequiel Pierri and Rafael Spregelburd.
BLASTS FROM THE PAST!
If you’re looking for something a little older, there are plenty of options being made available. Arrow Video is presenting a Blu-ray of The Scarface Mob (1959). This title was originally a two-episode pilot for The Untouchables TV-series that was cut together as a feature for international audiences. The episodes were so successful when they aired that it was also released at theaters in the US (this was back in the day when there was no home video or any other means of rewatching old episodes unless they happened to appear again on the tube). If memory serves, the stylish and violent show was dynamic and thrilling for its era and really made an impression on them. The feature stars Robert Stack as Eliott Ness, a US Treasury agent who is tasked with stopping Al Capone’s criminal empire in Chicago. Capone is played by Neville Brand.
This “Limited Edition” Blu-ray contains a new visual essay on the film and career of director Phil Carlson (The Phenix City Story), another on all of the Eliot Ness movies adaptations, a trailer, a gallery of publicity materials, a reversible sleeve with new and original artwork for the title, six postcard-sized lobby card reproductions, a double-sided fold-out poster with the sleeve art, and an illustrated collector’s booklet with essays on the title. READ A FULL REVIEW OF THE DISC HERE!
Blue Underground is presenting Goodbye Uncle Tom (1971) in a 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and CD set. The Italian film can also be purchased as a Blu-ray and CD combo. From the makers of Mondo Cane, this controversial shocker details American slave trade atrocities. 13-minutes of footage involving race-war politics was chopped out upon its US release. Now, the distributor is presenting the full-length Italian and edited English versions of the film with a 4K 16-bit picture restoration. Extras include two feature-length documentaries on the movie and its directors, interviews with the writers/directors and composer, an interview on the picture with a film academic, a professor, as well as extensive still galleries, behind-the-scenes photos and a CD of the soundtrack. Additionally, the release includes a booklet with a lengthy essay on the movie, an embossed slipcover and a reversible sleeve with alternate artwork for the title.
I Am Cuba (1964) is arriving from Criterion in a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray combo package or as a Blu-ray only release. This anthology features four vignettes detailing Cuban life. The movie has a political bent and is considered a gorgeously photographed hymn to revolution and liberation. Besides the picture upgrade, it comes with a 2004 making-of documentary, a 2003 interview with Martin Scorsese about the title, new appreciation of the picture from cinematographer Bradford Young (Solo: A Star Wars Story, Arrival, Selma) and a trailer.
The Greek spy picture Assignment Skybolt (1968) is coming out on Blu-ray from Dark Force Entertainment. It follows an American secret agent trying to find a hydrogen bomb before foreign agents detonate it and start World War III. The disc contains a 4K picture scan from the original camera negative and a cult movie trailer reel.
Like martial arts pictures? Eureka Classics is presenting a “Limited Edition” Blu-ray (only 2000 will be manufactured) of Jet Li’s Black Mask (1996). The plot involves a librarian-by-day who was part of a secret soldier project making him impervious to pain. He sets out to stop his former commander, who is now a crime boss. The disc presents 2K restorations of the uncut Hong Kong version and the US edition, a commentary with an Asian film expert, a commentary with action cinema experts, a discussion with a stuntman on the film, a talk with a film critic, an interview with a Hong Kong cinema expert, trailers, archival making of featurettes, and a reversible sleeve featuring original poster artwork.
You can also pick up The Cat and the Canary (1927) on Blu-ray. This horror comedy is set 20 years after the death of a millionaire. His surviving relatives are gathered together for a will reading and learn that his niece has been awarded everything on the condition that she is declared legally sane. As this is announced, the group learns that a murderer from a nearby asylum has escaped and is on the property. Apparently, the movie inspired James Whale’s The Old Dark House at Universal Pictures. The film has been restored in 4K for this release and bonuses include two critic commentary tracks, a video essay on the movie, with movie expert interviews, extracts from the play that the film is based on, an endorsement for Lucky Strike cigarettes featuring a testimonial from the picture’s director, a collector’s booklet with writing on the film, and a special slipcase featuring new artwork (on the first 2000 copies sold).
Kino is presenting Forbidden Fruit: The Golden Age of the Exploitation Picture Volume 15 on Blu-ray. This latest disc in the series includes two versions of The Road to Ruin (a silent production from 1928 and a sound version made in 1934). Both follow a woman who pays a price for partaking in drinking, drugs and sex. There are film historian commentaries on both titles and a gallery of exploitation trailers is also included.
Nostalghia (1983) is a well-regarded Russian drama from Andrei Tarkovsky (Solaris). Kino is presenting the movie in a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray combo package and as a standalone Blu-ray. The plot features a homesick Russian intellectual in Tuscany, Italy who has visions while researching a famous composer. Besides the picture upgrade, these discs arrive with a film historian commentary, an interview with the cinematographer, a behind-the-scenes documentary and a re-release trailer.
MGM is rereleasing some out-of-print catalog titles on Blu-ray. You can pick up the effective John Sayles biopic Eight Men Out (1988) that deals with the 1919 World Series scandal. It stars John Cusack, John Mahoney, Micheal Rooker, Clifton James, Michael Lerner, Christopher Lloyd, Charlie Sheen, David Strathairn and D.B. Sweeney.
Pressure Point (1962) is a psychological drama with Sidney Poitier and Bobby Darin about a prison psychiatrist treating an American Nazi sympathizer during World War II.
Milestone is putting out a Blu-ray of the well-regarded independent comedy/drama Household Saints (1993), starring Vincent D’Onofrio, Tracey Ullman and Lili Taylor. It follows the trials of an Italian-American family in New York. The film is restored in 4K and comes with two student films from the director, a 2023 making-of documentary, archival interviews with cast and crew, an interview with the filmmaker and Lily Taylor (courtesy of the Criterion Collection) and a re-release trailer.
Hansel and Gretel (1987) from Cannon Films is arriving from MPI Media Group as a Mediabook Blu-ray and DVD package (you can also purchase a Blu-ray only edition). This is a live-action/musical take on the Brothers Grimm’s Fairy Tale with a cast that includes David Warner, Cloris Leachman. If you watched the Disney Channel in the 1980s, you may already be familiar with it (as it frequently aired on the network).
Enjoy bizarre Dutch television? You can’t get much stranger than The Kingdom, and MUBI is releasing Lars von Trier’s The Kingdom Trilogy on Blu-ray in a seven-disc set. The show follows the supernatural goings on in a hospital. The set contains the original 1994 series, the 1997 follow-up and the recent 2022 edition. You’ll get selected episode commentary from Lars von Trier, a documentary on the show, interviews with the filmmaker and cast, a Danish TV commercial for a tabloid newspaper made by von Trier, and a 28-page companion booklet.
Powerhouse Films is importing a couple of 4K Ultra HD versions of cult films from Jean Rollin. You can now pick up new editions of The Demoniacs (1974) and The Nude Vampire (1970) with the highest possible picture quality. Both releases come with so many extras that they can’t all be listed here. So, if you’re interested, check them out on your favorite retailer site and read all about them.
Synapse is delivering the documentary Graphic Sexual Horror (2009) on Blu-ray. Pictured above and to the left, this disturbing non-fiction film tells the story of a Carnegie Mellon University professor who created a sadomasochistic website that instantly earned 35,000 followers who paid $60 dollars a month to view its content. The site was shut down by the Department of Homeland Security and this picture details what happened. The disc contains newly discovered deleted scenes and interviews not seen in previous releases, as well an interview with the co-director and a promotional trailer.
Rolling Thunder (1977) is arriving in a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray combo set from Shout! Factory. This revenge thriller stars William Devane as a war vet who endured torture at a POW camp. He returns home to find that his family have moved on. When local hoodlums murder his wife and son, he teams up with his best friend to take vengeance. Tommy Lee Jones plays the lead’s pal. In addition to a 4K upgrade taken from the original camera negative, bonuses include two historian commentary tracks, an interview with one of the commentary participants on the film’s director John Flynn (Lock Up, Out for Justice), an interview with the composer, a making-of feature with Willaim Devane, Tommy Lee Jones and screenwriters Paul Schrader and Heywood Gould. You’ll also get publicity materials and filmmaker Eli Roth analyzing the trailer for the movie.
If you prefer dramas, Sony is delivering a 35th anniversary 4K Ultra HD edition of Steel Magnolias (1989). It features a group of women who bond at a beauty salon who bond over their joys and troubles. The all-star cast includes Shirely MacLaine, Olympia Dukakis, Sally Field, Julia Roberts, Dolly Parton, Daryl Hannah, Tom Skerritt, Sam Shepard and Dylan McDermott. There is no Blu-ray in this package, but the 4K Ultra HD disc includes a director commentary, a retrospective featurette, the 1990 pilot for a TV show based on the movie, 10 deleted scenes and a trailer.
Touch (1997) is an unusual effort from Rolling Thunder co-writer Paul Schrader (who also wrote Taxi Driver and wrote/directed Auto Focus and Affliction) about a man who is given the power to heal with only a touch from his hand. When those around learn about his abilities, he is manipulated by exploitative media figures. It features Skeet Ulrich, Bridget Fonda, Christopher Walken, LL Cool J, Gina Gershon, Tom Arnold and Breckin Meyer. Vinegar Syndrome is releasing a Blu-ray of the film as an exclusive on their website. This Mediabook is limited to 5000 copies. The picture has been given a 2K restoration and the disc includes a new video interview with Schrader, a film historian audio commentary, a video essay on the movie, and more written essays on the feature.
Finally, Warner Bros. is rereleasing a Blu-ray of Cyrano (2021) with Peter Dinklage.
Additionally, you can pick up The Departed (2006) from the studio on 4K Ultra HD and as a 4K Ultra HD in Steelbook packaging. This Oscar-winning picture from Martin Scorsese (Killers of the Flower Moon, The Irishman, The Wolf of Wall Street, Casino, Cape Fear, Goodfellas, Raging Bull, Taxi Driver and many others) features Leonardo DiCaprio as an undercover cop infiltrating an Irish criminal organization in Boston. Jack Nicholson, Matt Damon, Mark Wahlberg, Martin Sheen, Alec Baldwin and Vera Farmiga co-star. Besides the picture upgrade, it includes several extras from earlier versions (deleted scenes, featurettes) and a new retrospective featurette. No Blu-ray is included.
YOU KNOW, FOR KIDS!
This week sees the arrival of a couple of new titles that might appeal to kids.
Hansel and Gretel (1987) (MPI Media Group) Mediabook Blu-ray and DVD or Blu-ray only
Tomorrow’s Game (Allied Vaughn) DVD
ON THE TUBE!
Below is a list of the latest TV-themed releases.
Agatha Christie: Lucy Worsley on the Mystery Queen (BBC) DVD
Harley Quinn: Season 4 (Warner Bros.) Blu-ray
Kamen Rider Greats: The Complete Series (Shout! Factory) Blu-ray
NOVA: When Whales Could Walk (PBS) DVD