{"id":19632,"date":"2019-12-10T17:03:27","date_gmt":"2019-12-11T01:03:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.cinemastance.com\/?p=19632"},"modified":"2019-12-10T17:03:27","modified_gmt":"2019-12-11T01:03:27","slug":"blu-ray-dvd-roundup-december-10th-2019","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cinemastance.com\/?p=19632","title":{"rendered":"Blu-ray\/DVD Roundup December 10th, 2019"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

It\u2019s time for another look at highlights arriving on Blu-ray\nand DVD. This is a remarkable edition with some very noteworthy new releases\nheaded your way. So, if you can\u2019t make it out to the movies this week, be sure\nto give one of these titles a try.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Big New Releases!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Badland<\/em> \u2013 Set after the Civil War, this western\nfollows a gunslinging detective hired to track down Confederate war criminals.\nWith the country rebuilding and many areas unregulated, the task proves to be\nboth difficult and incredibly dangerous. When a group of crooks target the\nprotagonist and attempt to hunt him down, he must survive the onslaught.\nReaction was split towards this feature. About half thought that it didn\u2019t add\nanything new to the genre and suggested that it could have done with a rewrite.\nJust as many called it was an engaging little effort that payed appropriate\nhomage to the genre. It stars Kevin Makely, Mia Sorvino, Trace Adkins, Bruce\nDern, Wes Studi and Tony Todd.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Big Fat Lie<\/em> \u2013 This documentary from New Zealand\nis about a man who suffers a heart attack and receives open heart surgery.\nAfter his recovery, he investigates the cause of his condition and learns about\nplant-based diets that can help his recovery. Confused that he hadn\u2019t heard of these\nprograms before or been told of the dangers of fat, the man interviews\nprofessors, doctors, New Zealand\u2019s Heart Foundation and Cancer Society, milk\nand beef companies and many others. He attempts to find out why we eat the way\nwe do and what changes we can all make. This film is debuting on disc so there\naren\u2019t any reviews of it as of yet, but it certainly may be of interest to\nthose interested in what they consume. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Death of Dick Long<\/em> \u2013 A band goes through an\nordeal after a crazy night of practice in which one of them dies. Panicked, the\nremaining members are determined to hide the events of the evening and exactly how\nhe passed away. This includes telling falsehoods to the deceased friend\u2019s wife\nand daughter, as well as trying to mislead authorities. However, as events\nprogress, the band find themselves making mistakes and complicating the\nsituation. Overall, critics were positive about the movie. A small grouping\ndidn\u2019t find the events depicted very funny and thought the story rambled. More\nappreciated the dark comedy\u2019s unpredictable approach and thought the cast was\nexcellent. It features Michael Abbott Jr., Virginia Newcomb and Andre Hyland. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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An Elephant Sitting Still<\/em> \u2013 This lengthy,\nforeign-language effort from China takes place in the northern part of the\ncountry and begins with a teenager standing up to a neighborhood bully by\npushing them down a staircase and hospitalizing them. When the school instructors,\nneighbors and authorities with become involved, the teenager finds himself\npursued and ends up on the run. The press recommended this feature. A small contingent\ncouldn\u2019t get on its wavelength and found the nearly 4-hour running time simply too\nmuch to endure. However, most called it a remarkable and consistently\nsurprising protest film and sociopolitical critique that would stay with\nviewers long after the credits rolled. Yucheng Peng, Yu Zhang and Uvin Wang\nheadline the feature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Fanatic<\/em> \u2013 Most know Fred Durst as front-man for\nthe band Limp Bizkit<\/em> \u2013 the musician co-wrote and directed this film\nbased on a personal experience. It\u2019s about a fan of an action movie star who\nfeels cheated out of meeting his personal hero. He discovers where the man lives\nand begins visiting frequently, much to his idol\u2019s concern. Eventually, things\nescalate and the actor comes under assault from his obsessive devotee. Notices\nweren\u2019t particularly strong for this effort. One or two admired the commitment\nof the lead actors to their roles. Still, there were criticisms that instead of\nscary, the end results were incredibly over-the-top and silly. Now viewers can\nmake up their own minds. The cast includes John Travolta, Devon Sawa and Ana\nGolija.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Freaks<\/em> \u2013 A 7-year-old girl is kept by her father inside\nher family home and warned of a sinister threat known as \u201cAbnormals\u201d who live\noutside and will harm her if she leaves. When a stranger arrives at the family\ndoorstep, he provides more information about the outside world, enticing the\nyoungster to venture out and connect with exactly who or what might be in her\nneighborhood. Response towards this sci-fi\/horror film was mostly positive. A\nfew suggested that the movie didn\u2019t make the most of its concept and felt too\nsubdued. However, most complimented it as an above-average genre picture that\nmaintained a tense atmosphere.  It stars\nEmile Hirsch, Bruce Dern, Grace Park, Amanda Crew and Lexy Kolker.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Harvesters<\/em> \u2013 This multi-national co-production is\nset in South Africa and follows a household in the Afrikaans community.\nSpecifically, an emotionally frail young boy living with his family. When the\nchild\u2019s mother decides to adopt an orphan, the son becomes jealous and the two\nnew siblings begin to compete for parental attention. Reviews were strong for\nthis drama. One or two thought the movie was too restrained in its approach and\nneeded to dive into the material with more assertiveness. The vast majority did\nappreciate it, crediting it with being an interesting drama boasting strong\nperformances and visuals. Bretn Vermeulen, Alex van Dyk and Juliana Venter\nheadline the feature. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Hustlers<\/em> \u2013 Inspired by a true story from a New\nYork Magazine<\/em> article, this drama involves a group of strippers who concoct\nan elaborate plan after the 2008 economic collapse. It involves turning the\ntables on their Wall Street clientele and stealing their money. Along the way,\ncomplications arise when others get wind of their actions and try to copy their\nscheme, drawing unwanted attention back to the protagonists. Most critics\nenjoyed the picture. A small percentage suggested that cast were good but that\nthe movie\u2019s argument was quite muddled. Still, far more appreciated the work of\nthe performers and thought It was a well-paced and entertaining feature. The\ncast includes Constance Wu, Jennifer Lopez, Julia Stiles, Keke Parker, Lili\nReinhart and Mercedes Ruehl. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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It Chapter Two<\/em> \u2013 This follow-up to the hit horror film about a group of kids who face off against a sinister, supernatural clown picks up with the same characters now adults. When the malevolent force returns, the group are forced to reunite, reconnect, and square off against the villain one last time. Along the way, they also attempt to resolve some personal loose ends. The press was positive about the movie, although not as enamored as they were by the previous installment. Some suggested that it was too long and didn\u2019t provide nearly as many scares. Still, the consensus was that it was fun to catch up with the adult versions of the children and thought the movie delivered enough thrills and chills to earn a recommendation. It stars James McAvoy, Jessica Chastain, Bill Hader, Isaiah Mustafa, Jay Ryan, James Ransome and Bill Skarsgard. To read this site\u2019s review, click here<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My Voice<\/em> \u2013 Linda\nRonstadt is a hugely successful recording artist who is considered by many to\nbe one of the most talented female singers ever. This picture chronicles her\nhistory and begins as well as her move away from pop music at the height of her\ncareer, in order to embrace a wider variety of musical styles. It details her\ncurrent battle with Parkinson\u2019s disease and recent work, as well as providing\ninterviews with friends and contemporaries like Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris,\nBonnie Raitt, Aaron Neville, Don Henley and others. Reaction was very positive.\nAlthough one or two thought the filmmakers were in too much in adoration of their\nsubject, all thought it was a great time capsule of music from the 70s and 80s that\nalso provided a captivating introduction to the performer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Lucky Day<\/em> \u2013 A safecracker is released from prison and\nreturns home to his wife and daughter, resolving to make a new start in life.\nHowever, his release attracts the attention of old acquaintances, including a\npsychotic French hitman seeking revenge for the death of his brother. The lead\nmust stop the imminent threat and protect his family as sinister forces close\nin. This action picture didn\u2019t sit particularly well with reviewers. A small\namount of them were entertained by the snappy banter and over-the-top\nshenanigans, but most thought it was messily constructed and felt like a series\nof action clich\u00e9s that didn\u2019t provide any memorable moments. It features Luke\nBracey, Nina Dobrev, Crispin Glover, Ella Ryan Quinn, Cle Bennett, Clifton\nCollins Jr. and Davd Hewlett. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Monos<\/em> \u2013 This foreign-language co-production from more\ncountries than can be listed here is set in Columbia on a remote mountaintop. A\ngroup of young commandos are tasked with keeping watch over an American doctor who\nhas been taken hostage; they also engage in social activities and play between\ntheir military duties. After coming under attack, bonds between peers begin to\nbreak and some prey on their own to survive. Reaction was very upbeat towards\nthis dark effort. A few complained that they thought the movie was all style\nand little substance. Yet the overwhelming majority described is as a unique,\nmemorable and visually-stunning descent into chaos that was reminiscent of Lord\nof the Flies<\/em>. Julianne Nicholson, Moises Arias and Sofia Buenaventura play\nthe leads.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Once Upon a Time\u2026 in Hollywood<\/em> \u2013 The latest from writer\/director Quentin Tarantino (Pulp Fiction<\/em>, Django Unchained<\/em>, Kill Bill<\/em>) is a look at Hollywood in the late 60s. Celebrity Rick Dalton finds his career faltering and struggles to regain his foothold in the industry, while his neighbor, actress Sharon Tate, sees her star on the rise after hitting the big screen. Danger arrives when these characters and their Hollywood cohorts come into contact with the Manson Family. The press generally found this feature to be excellent. A tiny contingent did complain about the length and didn\u2019t appreciate its revisionist style. All others called it a beautiful recreation of a bygone era with phenomenal performances that examines and plays with with the remarkable power of movies. It stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie, Emile Hirsch, Timothy Olyphant, Julia Butters, Kurt Russell and many others. To read this site\u2019s review of the feature, click here<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Piranhas <\/em>\u2013 A group of well-armed teenagers in Naples,\nItaly wander the streets and commit various crimes. This includes dealing drugs\nand taking part in assassinations for their boss, a high-ranking member of the\nCamorra mafia. The foreign-language crime-drama details how those from the\nwrong side of the tracks are manipulated by the mob and end up endangering both\nthemselves and their families. Reaction was generally mixed towards this title.\nNearly half of those who saw it described the movie as unique and stylish on a\ntechnical level, but lacking in well-drawn or relatable characters. A few more\ncalled it a chilling look at youth in the criminal underworld that will disturb\nviewers.  The cast includes Francesco Di\nNapoli and Artem Tkachuk. It is also known as La Paranza dei Banbini<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Wrath<\/em> – This period creeper from South Korea\ninvolves the family of a high-ranking government official. After three of his\nsons die, a daughter-in-law arrives at the household pregnant with the unborn\nchild of one of his recently deceased sons. She soon encounters strange and\nsupernatural forces, becoming concerned that the brood is plagued by a sinister\nghost. There aren\u2019t a whole lot of reviews for this foreign-language effort,\nbut the ones that have appeared in this part of the world are fairly positive. One\ndoes state that there\u2019s nothing surprising or noteworthy about the story or\nproduction. However, the majority have described it as a low-key but\natmospheric and well-designed horror picture. It features Seo Young-hee and Son\nNa-eun. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Blasts from the Past!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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There are so many fantastic older titles getting a high definition upgrade this week that it\u2019s going to be difficult to get through them all. Still, I\u2019ll try. Arrow Video have a Special Edition Blu-ray of The Limits of Control<\/em> (2009), a crime\/drama from Jim Jarmusch (Mystery Train<\/em>, Dead Man<\/em>, Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai<\/em>, Paterson<\/em>, The Dead Don\u2019t Die<\/em>) about a mysterious loner in Spain with secret plans. The cast includes Isaach De Bankol\u00e9, Tilda Swinton and Bill Murray. This well-regarded effort arrives on disc with extras that include an interview with a Jarmusch biographer, a visual essay on the film, an archival documentary on the production, a featurette about the locations used, as well as a trailer.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shout! Factory have several Blu-rays arriving as well. The\nfirst is the monster movie, The Abominable Snowman<\/em> (1957). As you might\nhave guessed, it\u2019s about some explorers in the Himalayas who encounter a\ndangerous Yeti. It comes with a new film historian audio commentary, an older\ntrack with the director and screenwriter, a World of Hammer<\/em> episode\nabout star Peter Cushing, a Trailers from Hell<\/em> segment with filmmaker\nJoe Dante, as well as publicity materials for the film.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anne Brancroft has appeared in numerous classics (as well as\nwriting and directing a feature of her own) and the distributor are celebrating\nher contributions to cinema with The Anne Bancroft Collection (1952 \u2013 1987)<\/em>.\nIt\u2019s a massive Blu-ray box set filled 8 titles over a period of 25 years starring\nthe actress. Several of the discs come with bonuses (too much to be listed\nright now), but here are the titles featured \u2013 Don\u2019t Bother to Knock<\/em>, The\nMiracle Worker<\/em>, The Pumpkin Eater<\/em>, The Graduate<\/em>, Fatso<\/em>,\nTo Be or Not to Be<\/em>, Agnes of God, 84 Charing Cross Road<\/em>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Dr. Jekyll and Sister Hyde<\/em> (1971) is an unusual\nhorror picture from Hammer Studios that puts a spin on the old Jekyll and\nHype<\/em> formula. This time out, Dr. Jekyll uses female corpses to create an\n\u201celixir of life\u201d and discovers that it turns him into a fetching, female\nhomicidal maniac. While it hasn\u2019t been the easiest of Hammer titles to locate,\nit is said to be quite good and have a fervent following. The new Blu-ray\ninclude an interview with cast member Martine Beswick, a film historian audio\ncommentary, a cast and crew commentary, a documentary on the picture and other\nbonuses. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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This next release also sounds like a winner for fans of\nclassic horror. The Fly Collection<\/em> (1958 \u2013 1989) <\/em>is a box set\nincluding all five features about the titular monster. This includes the\nVincent Price original, as well as the entertaining follow-ups and the 80s\nremakes. Most of them are really entertaining and even the chapters that aren\u2019t\nas strong as the bonafide classics are a lot of fun to watch. In addition to\nthe entire series, the release includes all of the previously released extras\nas well as new bonuses including multiple commentaries and interviews with cast\nand crew. This looks like a winner \u2013 it\u2019ll certainly end up on my wish\nlist.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fans of Japanese cinema will also be excited by the 2-disc\nBlu-ray release of Millennium Actress<\/em> (2001), considered to be one of\nJapan\u2019s greatest animated titles ever. It\u2019s about a TV interviewer and his\ncameraman who meet a former actress and end up traveling through her memories\nand career. The disc includes an interview with the producers as well as the\nvoice talent. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kino are also inundating store shelves this week with\nBlu-rays from a variety of genres and time periods. First off is the action\npicture, Aces: Iron Eagle III<\/em> (1992). The second is the heist picture, Blue\nCollar<\/em> (1978), starring Richard Pryor and Harvey Keitel and Yaphet Kotto.\nIt includes a director commentary with Paul Schrader (Auto Focus<\/em>, First\nReformed<\/em>) and a trailer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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For those who remember 60s TV, Get Smart <\/em>was a hugely\npopular comedy series that riffed on spies and James Bond. The Nude Bomb<\/em>\n(1980) marked a feature adaptation of the TV-series with star Don Adams\nreturning to take on a nasty foe who wants to remove all clothing from the\nworld. If memory serves, the movie tanked with critics and at the box office\nand has been hard to find since that time. Now, Kino are releasing an extras-packed\nSpecial Edition Blu-ray for those curious. It includes a film historian\ncommentary and one with Sledge Hammer!<\/em> Creator Alan Spencer, deleted and\nalternate scenes, alternate credits, just about every piece of promotional\nmaterial ever created for the movie and more. With bonuses like these, maybe\nit\u2019s time to give the flick another chance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They\u2019re also releasing a Special Edition Blu-ray of the\nDavid Duchovny thriller, Playing God<\/em> (1997). This one comes with a new\nproducer and writer commentary. If you enjoy Burt Reynolds movies, then you can\nalso pick up Stick<\/em> (1985) in high definition. Written by Elmore Leonard\nand featuring a great cast, the movie also includes an incredible stunt or two.\nThis edition includes a film critic commentary track, behind-the-scenes images\nand a trailer. You can also pick up the Melanie Griffith thriller, A\nStranger Among Us<\/em> (1992) on Blu-ray. This Special Edition comes with a new\nscreenwriter audio track. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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And the distributor is also re-releasing the action film Terminal\nVelocity<\/em> (1994) on Blu-ray. I have to be honest and admit that this picture\nwasn\u2019t well received upon its release, but is a guilty pleasure of mine. It\nstars Charlie Sheen as a skydiving instructor who gets himself involved in a\ngame of cat-and-mouse with the Russian Mafia\u2026 and is amusingly unprepared for\nall that the situation entails. I\u2019ve always found the movie quite funny and enjoyable,\nhelped by some great supporting work from Nastassja Kinski, James Gandolfini\nand Melvin Van Peebles. It\u2019s arriving as a Special Edition that includes a new\ncommentary with an entertainment journalist (so I suppose I\u2019m not the only\nperson out there who got a kick out of it). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Cotton Club<\/em> (1984) was a lavish Richard\nGene\/Gregory Hines period drama from director Francis Ford Coppola (The\nGodfather<\/em>, Apocalypse Now<\/em>, The Outsiders<\/em> and many others)\nthat didn\u2019t get a lot of positive notices during its original run. However, LionsGate\nare attempting to change that with an \u201cEncore\u201d edition of the film. Scenes cut\nby the studio have been restored and the entire picture has been newly remastered\nand restored in 4K.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Criterion are finally getting around to releasing a long sought-after film on Blu-ray. Until the End of the World<\/em> (1991) with William Hurt, Solveig Dommartin and Sam Neil may be more remembered by some for its incredible soundtrack that featured U2, R.E.M., Depeche Mode, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds and Talking Heads. However, it was quite interesting and serves as a spectacle to witness. The futuristic (at least, at the time) globe-trotting adventure film from arthouse director Wim Wenders (Wings of Desire<\/em>, Pina<\/em>) involves the world on the brink of an epic disaster and a man traveling across the globe. His job is to take pictures with a special camera that can bring images to life and be implanted into the brain. It\u2019s imperfect, but the second half of the film holds up very well as it examines our obsession and addiction to technology. The film was so long that it was ultimately edited down to 2 \u00bd hours by Warner Bros. for its release. However, many know that the original director\u2019s cut ran 4 \u00bd hours and have been curious to see it. Criterion have finally made that possible. The uncut version has received a 4K digital restoration and includes an introduction from Wenders, multiple interviews with the filmmaker, including a conversation with musician David Byrne. There are also pieces on the movie\u2019s soundtrack, deleted scenes, featurettes on the visual effects and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And there\u2019s more. Scorpion have a Blu-ray of the\ncomedy\/drama, Inside Moves<\/em> (1980) from director Richard Donner (The\nOmen<\/em>, Superman<\/em>, Lethal Weapon<\/em>). The disc includes a new\nremaster of the film along with interviews with Donner and star John Savage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finally, Film Movement are releasing a two-disc double\nfeature Blu-ray of two adventure films from Fritz Lang (Metropolis<\/em>, M<\/em>)\nthat were shot over the same year and set in India. The Tiger of Eschnapur<\/em>\n(1959) and The Indian Tomb<\/em> (1959) are the two movies included, and the\ndiscs arrive with documentaries on their production as well as a film historian\naudio commentary. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You Know, For Kids!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s something that kids may enjoy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ultraseven<\/em>: The Complete Series<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the Tube!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

And these are the week\u2019s TV-themed releases. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

American Experience: The Feud<\/em> (PBS)
Bonanza<\/em>: Season 10, Volume 1
Bonanza<\/em>: Season 10, Volume 2
Death in Paradise<\/em>: Season 8
Father Brown<\/em>: Season 7
The Feud<\/em> (PBS)
FRONTLINE: The Crown Prince<\/em> (PBS)
Gunsmoke<\/em>: Season 16
Gunsmoke<\/em>: Season 17
The High Chapperal<\/em>: The Final Season
Ken Burns Presents: College Behind Bars: A Film by Lynn Novick<\/em> (PBS)
Love on the Slopes<\/em> (Hallmark Made-for-Cable movie)
NATURE: Octopus: Making Contact<\/em> (PBS)
Suits<\/em>: The Complete Collection
Suits<\/em>: Season 9
Ultraseven<\/em>: The Complete Series
The Warrior Tradition<\/em> (PBS) K<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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