{"id":19681,"date":"2019-12-17T00:05:43","date_gmt":"2019-12-17T08:05:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.cinemastance.com\/?p=19681"},"modified":"2019-12-17T00:05:43","modified_gmt":"2019-12-17T08:05:43","slug":"blu-ray-dvd-roundup-for-december-17th-2019","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cinemastance.com\/?p=19681","title":{"rendered":"Blu-ray\/DVD Roundup for December 17th, 2019"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Hello and welcome to another look at highlights arriving on\nBlu-ray and DVD. It\u2019s another jam-packed edition filled with releases in a wide\nvariety of genres. 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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Abominable<\/em> \u2013 A teenager finds an escaped Yeti on the rooftop of her Shanghai apartment and decides to help get him home in this animated family film. She and her friends set off to the Himalayas to find his family, attracting the attention of several parties desperate to recapture this rare and mythic creature. Reviews were generally good for this movie. A percentage of critics did complain that the script played it too safe with the story and felt the end results were a little bland. However, more thought it was gorgeously animated and believed that young kids would be impressed. The voice cast includes Chloe Bennett, Eddie Izzard, Sarah Paulson, Tsai Chin Tenzig Norgay Trainor and Albert Tsai. To read this site\u2019s review of the picture, click here<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Acceleration<\/em> \u2013 In this low-budget action thriller, a Los\nAngeles mob boss is double-crossed by his most trusted agent. He vows to get\nrevenge on her and takes the woman\u2019s son hostage. The villain forces his ex-agent\nto complete a series of violent and dangerous tasks within a single night in\norder to make amends for her disobedience. Of course, the gangster doesn\u2019t take\nthis mother\u2019s anger and desperation into account, leading to a climactic\nshowdown between the two parties. This effort is headed straight-to-DVD and so\nthere aren\u2019t any write-ups available. Interested viewers would be wise to find\na way to rent the feature before purchasing it. The cast includes Natalie Burn,\nSean Patrick Flannery, Dolph Lundgren and Danny Trejo.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Ad Astra<\/em> \u2013 An astronaut is tasked with a dangerous mission to the outer reaches of the solar system and find his father who disappeared in space some 30 years earlier. He learns from officials that his missing dad may have gone mad and that the doomed expedition now threatens the safety of the entire universe. Overall, the press was quite taken by this introspective sci-fi adventure. While a small group did critique the movie for being slow-moving and having an icy, unemotive hero, the majority complimented the performances and attention to character, also remarking that the production design and visuals were incredible. It stars Brad Pitt, Tommy Lee Jones, Ruth Negga, Liv Tyler, Donald Sutherland and Loren Dean. To read a full review of the film, click here<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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American Woman<\/em> \u2013 Told over the course of 11 years,\nthis independent drama follows a mother whose teenage daughter suddenly\ndisappears and leaves her alone to raise a grandson. The plot shows the stress\nand strain as the protagonist continues on without her offspring, as well as what\nfollows when the truth about what happened is finally revealed. Notices were\nalso positive for this effort. A tiny contingent appreciated the lead performance\nbut thought the screenplay needed work and found that it was overloading on\nangst. Still, most were blown away the work of the star and called the movie a\ncompelling drama that keeps your attention throughout. It features Sienna\nMiller, Christina Hendricks, Aaron Paul, Will Sasso, Amy Madigan and Sky Ferreira.\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Black Spruce<\/em> \u2013 Also known as Through Black Spruce<\/em>,\nthis Canadian independent drama tells the tale of the disappearance of a Cree teenager\nfrom a Northern Ontario town. Her family is traumatized by the event, inspiring\nthe sister of the vanished person to set out and find her lost sibling.  The trail leads to a boyfriend living south in\nToronto, and his criminal entourage. Reaction towards this effort was mixed.\nSome called the film gritty and admired its focus on the characters over the crime\nitself. Just as many were frustrated by this approach and didn\u2019t feel that they\ngot the answers they wanted to the story\u2019s central mystery. Tanaya Beatty, Brandon\nOakes, Kiowa Gordon, Graham Greene and Tantoo Cardinal headline the feature. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Downton Abbey<\/em> \u2013 The hugely popular period British television series gets the big screen treatment in this follow-up that details a new story involving the Crawley family and their staff. It starts with an announcement that the King and Queen will be arriving at the family estate and follows as arrangements are made to host royalty and see that everything goes smoothly. Of course, complications arise over duties and the penitential safety of their guests. Response was upbeat towards this feature. While a tiny faction suggested that it played like an extended episode of the TV show, far more were happy to see these characters return and wrote that grand scale and new story made an impression. The cast includes Hugh Bonneville, Maggie Smith, Michelle Dockery, Laura Carmichael, Jim Carter, and well, almost all of the show\u2019s other cast members. To read a review, click here<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Ever After<\/em> \u2013 This German horror picture is set a couple\nof years after the spread of a zombie epidemic. When two survivors in one city become\nfearful after an outbreak occurs near them, they decide to travel to another community\nthought to be safer. Of course, it\u2019s a harrowing journey that takes them into\nthe Black Forest, where they must rely on nature to survive and come to grips with\ntheir own pasts. Known as Endzeit<\/em> in its homeland, most of the press found\nthis to be a decent entry in the genre. One or two didn\u2019t think it delivered\nthe expected chills, but far more complimented the performances and thought it provided\nenough interesting arthouse twists on the zombie formula to make it worthwhile.\nGro Swantje Kohlhof, Maja Lehrer and Trine Dyrholm play the lead roles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Feast of the Seven Fishes<\/em> \u2013 An Italian family comes\ntogether and preps a celebratory Christmas feast in this indie drama\/comedy\/romance.\nAll of the clam members have issues to overcome. In particular, the lead, who\nwonders if he\u2019ll ever find love. He perks up with the fetching arrival of his\ncousin\u2019s friend, but realizes he\u2019ll have to compete with other shindig attendees\nif he wants to win her heart. This small picture has played various film festivals\nand received solid write-ups\u2026 most are complimentary, in fact. One or two\nreviewers wrote that the movie was sincere but predictable. Still, almost all\nothers have suggested that the cast are incredibly likable and the movie is a\nnice, enjoyable little holiday flick. It stars Skyler Gisondo, Madison Iseman, Josh\nHelman and Joe Pantoliano. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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In God I Trust<\/em> \u2013 Here\u2019s another little independent\nproduction arriving on Blu-ray and DVD. Little is known about it and the box synopsis\nis short and simple; redemption, violence and faith define a young black man, a\nreckless white nationalist, and a pair of traveling vacationers during a random\nencounter in northern Idaho. The movie has played at several film festivals across\nNorth America and Europe, receiving a few awards and honors along the way.\nAlas, it appears to be making its wide release debut on disc, so there aren\u2019t\nmany reviews floating around just yet. Curious parties will just have to take a\nchance on it. The cast includes Marc Senior, John Cassini, Steven Roberts,\nBilal and Melissa Roxburgh. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Overcomer <\/em>\u2013 When a manufacturing plant closes down in\na small town, many residents decide to pack up and leave the area. This story\nfollows the coach of the successful high school basketball team. With the local\ntalent pool drained and his job in jeopardy, the protagonist decides to coach\ncross-country, meeting an aspiring athlete with natural talent and ultimately training\nher. This faith-based drama split the press. About half of reviews noted that\nit was sweet and thought it would appeal to its target demographic. Just as\nmany stated that the picture lacked subtlety and came across as a corny and at\ntimes sermonizing endeavor. If features Alex Kendrick, Priscilla C. Shirer,\nShari Rigby and Ben Davies.    <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Rambo: Last Blood<\/em> \u2013 The fifth entry in the Rambo<\/em>\nseries finds the character attempting to live a quiet life on a farm with an adopted\nfamily. When his teenage daughter decides to visit her father in Mexico and\ndiscovers that he is part of a drug cartel operation, she is taken and sold by\nhuman traffickers. Naturally, Rambo decides to head down, free her and wipe out\nthose responsible. The latest entry in this franchise wasn\u2019t as well-received\nas earlier installments. A few admired that the 73-year-old star for continuing\nto flex his muscles onscreen and called the film a fun B-movie. However, most\nthought the heavy tone dragged down proceedings and mentioned the picture\nresorts to some ill-advised and ugly stereotypes. It also features Paz Vega,\nSergio Peris-Mencheta, Adriana Barraza and Yvette Monreal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Road to Edmond<\/em> \u2013 Here\u2019s another faith-based picture that has been described as a road-movie. A new pastor who decides to support a gay member of his youth group is sent away for a week by his disapproving superiors. He encounters and decides to ride along with a driver heading home to bury his recently deceased dad (who happens to also be in the vehicle). Together, the pair discuss various aspects of theology and religion. This is an independently made, low-budget effort that is debuting on disc, so there currently aren\u2019t many write-ups. The few that have appeared online say that while the movie is heavy on dialogue and has some awkward sections, it also presents some progressive ideas to churchgoers. Nathaniel Welch and Tripp Fuller headline the feature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Spider in the Web<\/em> \u2013 An aging spy takes on one last\nmission and investigate the activities of a company believed to be selling chemical\nweapons. A mysterious woman enters his life and the lead begins to question the\nreports that have been sent his way. When a young agent is sent to tail him, the\nspy is forced into determining who is actually telling the truth. This suspense\npicture earned reasonable reviews from the press. Some commented that the movie\nwas dialogue-heavy and lacked the necessary thrills, but most commented that\nwhile it was no masterpiece, this was a well-acted feature that attempted to\nemulate the style of a John Le Carr\u00e9 tale. It stars Ben Kingsley, Monica Bellucci,\nItay Tiran and Hilde Van Mieghem.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Trick<\/em> \u2013 This horror picture begins with a masked\nkiller massacring his classmates at a Halloween costume party. Assumed dead,\nthe mysterious figure reappears over the following years, leaving more victims behind.\nAs the holiday approaches once again, the cop who thought he had shot the\noriginal assailant becomes obsessed with stopping the rampage and readies\nhimself for another night of terror. Word from reviewers on this effort has\nbeen mixed-negative. While a few concluded that it was a fast-paced and fun genre\npicture, more mentioned that it didn\u2019t make the most of its concept and suggested\nthe script would have benefitted from more cutting humor. The cast includes Omar\nEpps, Vanessa Aspillaga, Jamie Kennedy and Tom Atkins<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Western Stars<\/em> \u2013 Bruce Springsteen is the subject of\nthis music documentary. Specifically, his recent album Western Stars<\/em>,\nwhich is the 19th<\/sup> studio record in his catalog and one of his most\npersonal. The feature includes the artist performing the songs live, and is\naccompanied by archival footage of Springsteen as well as his own narration\nabout the meanings contained. One might think of it as a cinematic version of\nthe album. Reaction was very positive towards this endeavor. A small group suggested\nthat while they were fans of the Boss, they weren\u2019t sure if this approach really\nworked. However, the overall consensus was that the music was great and movie\nfelt especially intimate, bringing fans closer than ever before to the artist.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Where\u2019s My Roy Cohn?<\/em> \u2013 This documentary details the\nlife of nasty master manipulator, Roy Cohn. Cohn was a lawyer who made a new\nfor himself acting as counsel and creating demagogues of figures like Joseph\nMcCarthy and later, Rupert Murdoch and Donald Trump. The film gives viewers a\nlook at how he has helped influence the public, leading to the current and\nunsettling state of affairs in the United States. Reviewers were impressed by\nthe non-fiction feature. A small group complained that other than providing an\noverview of the man\u2019s life and disturbing actions, it didn\u2019t end up offering any\nsolutions. Still, most thought it was a frightening and unsettling portrait of\na malicious personality. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

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Holy cow, are a lot of older features getting a high\ndefinition upgrade. Arrow Video are releasing The Complete Sartana <\/em>(1968\n\u2013 1970) Blu-ray box set, containing 5 movies featuring the character. The\ntitles included are If You Meet Sartana… Pray for Your Death<\/em>, I Am\nSartana, Your Angel of Death<\/em>, Sartana’s Here… Trade Your Pistol for a\nCoffin<\/em>, Have a Good Funeral My Friend… Sartana Will Pay<\/em> and Light\nthe Fuse… Sartana is Coming<\/em>. These were Italian westerns made on the\nheels of the Man with No Name series, featuring a similar character. They\u2019ve been\ngiven 2K restorations and come with multiple commentaries from film historians\nand western experts \u2013 hopefully they\u2019ll go over who thought up the great titles\nfor these pictures. You\u2019ll also get interviews with some of the cast and crew\nas well as promotional image from the films. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They also have Female Prisoner Scorpion: The Complete\nCollection<\/em> (1972 \u2013 1973). The Blu-ray set features 4 Japanese movies about\na woman who seeks revenge after being unjustly locked away by authorities. You\u2019ll\nsee her taking bad guys down in Female Prisoner #701: Scorpion<\/em>, Female\nPrisoner Scorpion: Jailhouse 41<\/em>, Female Prisoner Scorpion: Beast Stable<\/em>\nand Female Prisoner Scorpion: #701’s Grudge Song<\/em>. The collection also\nincludes critic appreciations of the films, talks with crew members and\ntrailers for the films. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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MVD Visual are releasing a couple of crime dramas on Blu-ray.\nThe first is A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints<\/em> (2006) through their\nMarquee Line. This drama features a great cast that includes Robert Downey Jr.,\nShia LaBeouf, Chazz Palminteri, Dianne Weist, Channing Tatum and Rosario\nDawson. They also have another all-star feature in Shade<\/em> (2003), which features\nStuart Townsend, Thandie Newton, Gabriel Byrne, Jamie Foxx, Melanie Griffith\nand Sylvester Stallone in supporting roles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shout! is really delivering the horror movie goods this\nweek. The first Blu-ray is for the Bela Lugosi chiller, Murders in the Rue\nMorgue<\/em> (1932). It\u2019s based upon the Edgar Allan Poe story and arrives with\ntwo separate film historian commentaries as well as a trailer and still\ngallery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The second is a Collector\u2019s Edition Blu-ray of the Stephen\nKing werewolf pic, Silver Bullet<\/em> (1985). It\u2019s about a little kid and his\nsister who suspect that a monster is responsible for a series of monthly murders\nin their community. The siblings are ultimately targeted by a werewolf and do\ntheir best to survive its wrath. The movie arrives with a new producer\ncommentary, some recent interviews with the editor and a cast member. It also\nincludes an interview with actor Everett McGill, a featurette on the make-up effects,\nan archived audio commentary with the director and plenty of publicity materials.\n  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If Hammer Films are more to your liking, you can now pick up\na Blu-ray of their final production, To the Devil a Daughter<\/em> (1976).\nInfluenced by The Omen<\/em>, this picture is about an excommunicated priest\nand Satanist who are attempting to use a young girl as the representative of Satan.\nThis release includes a new film historian audio commentary as well as a couple\nof featurettes on the production, the end of Hammer Films and a theatrical\ntrailer.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shout! are also releasing a Blu-ray box set called the Universal\nHorror Collection: Volume 3<\/em>. It contains some lesser-known but entertaining\nhorror features like Tower of London<\/em> (1939), Man-Made Monster<\/em>\n(1941), Horror Island<\/em> (1941) and The Black Cat<\/em> (1941). All of the\ntitles include film historian commentaries and few other extras. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Peanut Butter Solution<\/em> (1985) is a really odd little children\u2019s film from Canada that has inspired as many nightmares as it has sparked imaginations. It’s a movie that doesn’t shy away from darker elements absent from most family fare. After many years, the movie has maintained a small but ever-growing fan base. It\u2019s about a kid who receives a fright from a pair of ghosts and loses all of his hair. He attempts to concoct a formula involving peanut butter to grow it back, but discovers that it works too well. Severin is now releasing a Blu-ray featuring two cuts of the film alongside plenty of extras. You\u2019ll get a new commentary with the producer and star of the film, as well as interviews with cast and crew and a talk about this unusual French-Canadian production company and their other fascinating features (one hopes that The Dog Who Stopped the War<\/em> and Tommy Tricker and the Stamp Traveller<\/em> will also get high definition upgrades in the future). Can\u2019t wait to catch up with this oddball effort. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Kino have plenty of Blu-rays coming your way as well. They\ninclude the German war drama and 1981 Best Foreign Language Film Academy Award-nominee,\nThe Boat is Full<\/em> (1981). It arrives with a director audio commentary track.\nThey also have the comedy Heartbreak Hotel<\/em> (1988) about a teenager who\nkidnaps Elvis Presley to for his mother, but ends up befriending the singer.\nThis disc includes a commentary with an entertainment journalist. I failed to\nmention this last week, but Kino have also released the drama Iceman<\/em> (1984)\non Blu-ray. It\u2019s about a team of scientists who discover a living Neanderthal.\nDirector Fred Schepisi provides a commentary as well as a film critic. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mad Love<\/em> (1995) was a romance flick starring Drew\nBarrymore and Chris O\u2019Donnell. It also arrives with an entertainment journalist\ncommentary. The distributor is also making the Don Johnson\/Melanie Griffith drama\nParadise<\/em> (1991) available on Blu-ray. This disc contains a film\nhistorian audio track with the feature. A Sunday in the Country<\/em> (1984)\nis a French drama arriving on Blu-ray with a director commentary. And White\nSquall<\/em> (1996) is also arriving. It tells the story of a teacher and some\nprep school student who get caught in a storm while out sailing. It comes with\na production featurette and a trailer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A few companies are re-releasing some of their classic\nhorror titles on DVD. This week, Blue Underground are making the 4K restoration\nof their serial killer flick Maniac<\/em> (1980) available, as well as the 40th<\/sup>\nAnniversary Special Edition 4K restoration of Zombie<\/em> (1979). If you want\nto own the films but aren\u2019t ready to purchase the Blu-ray version, I suppose\nthis is a more cost-effective alternative.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Additionally, Full Moon Pictures are putting out a re-mastered\n30th<\/sup> Anniversary DVD of their amusing slasher pic, Intruder<\/em>\n(1999). It\u2019s about a killer at a grocery store who begins wiping out the staff one\nnight while they\u2019re closing down and is equal parts humor and graphic horror. Sam\nRaimi, Ted Raimi and Bruce Campbell all make brief appearances. Again, while\nyou might be better off with the Blu-ray, this lower-cost DVD might appeal to\nthose just wanting to give the flick a chance.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

VCI are releasing a couple of Mexican classics on Blu-ray. Those titles include the drama La Barraca<\/em> (1945) as well as the melodrama, Una Familia de Tantas<\/em> (1949). Both have been given 4K restorations for their high definition debuts. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Sony are reaching into their vaults as well and pulling out\nsome interesting flicks. They have a Blu-ray of the underrated Jim Carrey dark\ncomedy, The Cable Guy<\/em> (1996). The studio is also making the David Mamet\ncrime film, Heist <\/em>(2001), available. On a completely different note, you\ncan also pick up a 30th<\/sup> Anniversary Edition of the comedy, Look\nWho\u2019s Talking<\/em> (1989), which features a baby narrating and commenting to the\naudience on events occurring around him. And if period dramas are more to your\nliking, The Remains of the Day<\/em> (1993) is now available on disc. No word\non what extras, if any, will be included, but in some cases just having these out-of-print\nand hard-to-find titles on Blu-ray will be enough for fans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finally, Flicker Alley have a Deluxe Edition of the Lloyd\nBridges film noir, Trapped <\/em>(1949). The movie has been given a new restoration\nand comes with a mini-documentary on the film\u2019s creation, as well as a feature\non the direct and a film historian audio commentary. This company\u2019s discs\nalways look impressive and should please anyone out there waiting for this\ntitle to hit Blu-ray<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Here are some titles that may appeal to kids.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Pink Panther Cartoon Collection<\/em>: Volume 6<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

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

Frontline: On the President\u2019s Orders<\/em> (PBS)
Fuller House<\/em>: Season 4
Killjoys<\/em>: Season 5
Nature: The Serengeti Rules<\/em> (PBS)
The Ornament of the World<\/em> (PBS)
The Pink Panther Cartoon Collection<\/em>: Volume 6 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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