Happy Memorial Day! It’s time for another look at some highlights arriving on Blu-ray and DVD. Be sure to click on any links to read detailed reviews. There are some big ones coming your way. 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!
Ange & Gabrielle – r. Also known as Love at First Child, this French comedy follows a single mother and her pregnant 17 year old daughter. When the mother approaches her daughter’s boyfriend in an attempt to get him to take on some responsibility for the baby, she forms an unexpected relationship with the teenager’s father. There aren’t a lot of notices for this effort, but it has been described online as a harmless and frothy little comedy. The movie stars Isabelle Carre and Patrick Bruel.
Gods of Egypt – This mega-budgeted adventure picture flopped with both critics and audiences earlier in the year. Set in ancient Egypt, the plot involves a mortal hero who enlists the aid of the Gods to fight another who has taken control of his homeland. As mentioned, it received pans upon its theatrical release in February. It was called a corny, cheeseball epic that provided more laughs than thrills and forced its cast to scream in histrionics for the majority of the running time. Now viewers can decide for themselves. The cast includes Gerard Butler, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Brenton Thwaites, Geoffrey Rush, Chadwick Boseman, Elodie Yung, Rufus Sewell and Courtney Eaton.
Horse Money – Described by many as a docu-fiction film, this foreign-language feature and sequel to director Pedro Costa’s Colossal Youth uses unique methods to chronicle the true story of a man named Ventura and his struggles through Portugal’s Carnation Revolution. It won’t be for everyone, but reviews were generally stellar for the film. It was called a fascinatingly dreamlike and poetic effort that requires interpretation but will ultimately reward arthouse film aficionados.
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies – The Jane Austen classic is revamped in this horror/comedy. The tale of love and romance between a young woman and her suitors is further complicated by a zombie outbreak. Reaction was decidedly mixed. Some enjoyed it as a horror romp, while others found the attempts to mix humor and horror uneven and ineffective. The cast includes Lily James, Lena Headey, Jack Huston, Douglas Booth, Matt Smith and Charles Dance. You can find out what this website thought of it in detail right here.
Race – This biopic depicts American track star Jesse Owens and his bid for glory at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin. His competition pits him against athletes under the leadership of Adolf Hitler. Reviews for the film were generally positive, if a bit muted in their praise. The sports drama was written up as a solid and well-acted effort telling an important chapter in history. However, several also called it somewhat glossy and superficial. It stars Stephan James, Jason Sudeikis, Eli Goree, Shanice Banton, Carice van Houten, Jeremy Irons and William Hurt.
Triple 9 – Set in Atlanta, a group of cops are blackmailed by the Russian mob into attempting a big time heist in this tough guy action picture. Besides having the cops on their tail, there also may be a double cross or two in store. The press were evenly split on this title. Some found it overly complicated and the situations a little too grim and ugly, while the other half enjoyed watching the fine cast have fun with the pulpy material. It features Chiwetel Ejiofor, Casey Affleck, Anthony Mackie, Kate Winslet, Woody Harrelson, Clifton Collins Jr., Aaron Paul, Norman Reedus and Gal Gadot. To read a detailed review, click here.
Blasts From the Past!
Like goofy old horror pictures? Blue Underground are releasing a Blu-ray of the British killer snake film, Venom (1979). It features Klaus Kinski and Oliver Reed in a tale about a gang of thugs who enter a wealthy family’s townhouse in London and attempt to take hostages. Unfortunately for all of them, a deadly black mamba is loose in the home and begins killing them one by one. The moral of the story – watch out for snakes (even in fancy city dwellings)! Actually, I feel sorry for that slithering serpent… you don’t want to mess with Oliver Reed. Anyway, the disc comes with director commentary, as well as trailers.
Criterion have a Blu-ray set called Wim Wenders: The Road Trilogy. It collects three early features from the director that include Alice in the Cities (1974), Wrong Move (1975) and Kings of the Road (1976). Of course, these movies are presented with new 4K digital transfers, along with audio commentaries on all of the films, new interviews with Wenders and cast members, outtakes, a film about the restoration process on these titles, additional shorts by the director and many other bonuses.
Roger Corman’s The Terror (1963) is arriving on Blu-ray under the banner of “The Film Detective – Restored Version”. Essentially, the horror picture is getting a high quality upgrade from an original 35mm source, suggesting it’ll look far improved from all previous releases. It’s a period tale about a young officer in Napoleon’s army who follows a mysterious woman to an old castle. The cast includes Jack Nicholson and Boris Karloff.
Finally, Cohen Media have a title by Frederico Fellini. City of Women (1980) is a drama that stars Marcello Mastroianni as a train passenger following a beautiful woman. The disc comes with a documentary on the movie, an interview with the production designer and several more extras.
You Know, For Kids!
Here are some options for kids.
Finding Phil (BBC)
Pokemon Johto League Champions – The Complete Collection
Teen Titans Go!: Season 3, Vol. 1
On the Tube!
And here are this week’s TV themed releases. As always, I’ve included some fun clips related to the week’s releases below. Enjoy!
Finding Phil (BBC)
Grizzly Adams: The Complete Series
The Last Panthers: The Complete Miniseries
Pokemon Johto League Champions – The Complete Collection
Suits: Season 5
Teen Titans Go!: Season 3, Part 1