{"id":19977,"date":"2020-02-10T23:03:53","date_gmt":"2020-02-11T07:03:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.cinemastance.com\/?p=19977"},"modified":"2020-02-10T23:03:53","modified_gmt":"2020-02-11T07:03:53","slug":"blu-ray-dvd-roundup-for-february-11th-2020","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cinemastance.com\/?p=19977","title":{"rendered":"Blu-ray\/DVD Roundup for February 11th, 2020"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Hello and welcome to another look at highlights arriving on\nBlu-ray and DVD. Like the previous week, there are a great deal of new flicks\narriving on store shelves in a variety of genres. So, if you can\u2019t make it out\nto the movies this week, be sure to give one of these titles a try!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

After She Wakes<\/em> \u2013 This psychological horror film\ninvolves a narcoleptic mother who has lost her infant in a tragic accident. Following\nthe death, she attempts to deal with her grief. However, she starts having strange\nvisions of someone watching her in the night and begins suffering from sleep\nparalysis begin. The condition has adverse effects on the woman and her family\nand they try to find out if the strange figure watching her might be real. This\nindependent title hasn\u2019t played at film festivals and appears to be debuting on\ndisc, so there aren\u2019t any reviews available as of yet. Those curious to find\nout what is going on will have to take a chance on the picture. Nicola Lambo,\nConrad Goode and Micah Joe Parker headline the flick.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Blowing Up Right Now<\/em> \u2013 Set in Los Angeles during the\nonset of a nuclear missile crisis, this low-budget, independent comedy follows\na young couple going through a tense and unfriendly separation. Things get\nworse when they\u2019re forced to board themselves in together while waiting for a potential\nstrike to occur in their neighborhood. There isn\u2019t a whole lot of information\nabout the picture, other than that the director\u2019s credits include episodes of the\nTV mini-series, Empty Spaces<\/em>. Sounds like an interesting enough idea, so\nlet\u2019s hope the team involved can make the most of it. The movie features Danny\nJolles and Sujata Day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Cruel Hearts<\/em> \u2013 Here\u2019s another indie feature arriving\non disc for those looking to enjoy some homemade cinema. This one is a thriller\nabout a guy who discovers that the woman he\u2019s been having an intimate relationship\nwith is married. Not only that, but her husband is a mobster being targeted by\nfederal agents. In order to try and mend fences, the lead comes clean to the\ncrime figure and the two begin to form an uneasy friendship. This title has\nplayed at a few film festivals and is now arriving on disc. There has only been\na single write-up so far, but it is a positive one, calling it an entertaining\nlittle feature with an unusual concept.  The\ncast includes Melora Hardin, Eddie Jemison, Bonnie Root and Marion Kerr. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

First Love<\/em> \u2013 The early part of this week\u2019s edition is\nchock-full of smaller titles. This low-budget drama involves a famous actress who\nsuffers a nervous breakdown and goes into hiding at a Venice Beach property.\nHer estranged twin brother works as a writer and is suddenly forced into making\na big decision. He can either sell a tell-all book about his sister\u2019s life or turn\ndown the cash and focus on trying to help with her rehabilitation. There haven\u2019t\nbeen too many notices yet, and the most notable response is a middling one. It\nstates that the film is nice, but that the dialogue and screenplay feel like a\nfirst draft in need of some fine tuning. Annie Heise, Aaron Costa Ganis and\nArye Gross take on the lead roles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Ford v Ferrari <\/em>\u2013 This Oscar-nominated biopic details the intense rivalry between car manufacturers Ford and Ferrari. Ford hires car designer Carroll Shelby and driver Ken Miles to update and create the fastest car on the road to beat their competition at Le Mans. The two eccentrics end up shaking things up and frustrating their bosses as they attempt to get the job done. The press enjoyed this feature. A very small group complained about the length and didn\u2019t find the story behind the events all that thrilling. However, the vast majority were very impressed with the technical skills on display and thought the cast effectively brought the story to life. It stars Matt Damon, Christian Bale, Jon Bernthal, Caitriona Balfe, Tracy Letts and Josh Lucas. To read this site\u2019s review of the film, click here<\/a>. \u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The Great War<\/em> \u2013 The final days of WWI are the backdrop for this tale, which follows a regimen of African-American \u201cBuffalo Soldiers\u201d trapped behind enemy lines. One of them manages to break free and is teamed with a group of white soldiers to locate and rescue his troop. Critics didn\u2019t have many positive comments about this action drama. One or two thought that while some of the elements were anachronistic, the movie made the most of its small budget. Unfortunately, the consensus was that the limited resources, historical inaccuracies and inability to stage the action effectively hurt the film and made it feel cliched. The cast includes Hiram A. Murray, Aaron Courteau, Bates Wilder, Billy Zane and Ron Perlman.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Greener Grass<\/em> \u2013 Set in a bizarre, surreal and\nbrightly-colored suburbia, this tale follows the lives of two oddly competitive\nsoccer moms. When one of the leads welcomes a new child into the family, her\nbest friend begins to systematically try to take control of her life. While\nthis is going on, a \u201cpsycho yoga teacher killer\u201d causes terror throughout the\nneighborhood. The press was very amused by what they saw in this dark comedy. A\nfew simply couldn\u2019t get on its wavelength and found it too odd to appreciate. Yet\nmost called the film very funny, suggesting it was a unique, mesmerizingly strange\nand a fun satire of the suburbs sure to become a cult favorite. It features\nJocelyn DeBoer, Dawn Luebbe, Beck Bennett and Neil Casey.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Hell on the Border<\/em> \u2013 This western is based on the true\nstory of Bass Reeves, the first black marshal appointed in Arkansas. Newly hired\nand out to prove himself in the position, he is asked to hunt down a vicious and\nthreatening outlaw. As he and another lawman head into the wilderness, they are\nforced to dodge bullets and the deal with racist elements in the region. Reaction\ntowards this picture was mixed. There was a group who liked the leads and\nthought that the movie was a fun, if not entirely accurate, western biopic.\nJust as many stated that the movie resorted to the standard genre tropes and\nnoted that the strong cast deserved a whole lot better. It stars David Gyasi,\nFrank Grillo, Randy Wayne, Ron Perlman and Zahn McClarnon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

In Fabric<\/em> \u2013 Watch out for cursed dresses! This British\nhorror flick starts off at a department store that happens to carry one. The\nmovie follows the clothing as it is passed on to a new owner, a recently divorced\nwoman struggling to make ends meet.  It\nisn\u2019t long before the article seems to cause death and violence upon whomever\nit comes into contact with. Reviews were really strong for the picture. Only a\nfew reviewers disliked it, stating that the concept was over-extended and that\nthe plot ultimately went in the wrong direction. Still, the overwhelming majority\nwrote that this was an extremely stylish, gruesome and darkly funny horror\npicture that also poked fun at fashion and consumerism. Manianne Jean-Baptiste,\nHayley Squires, Leo Bill, Julian Baratt and Steve Cram headline the film.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Line of Descent<\/em> \u2013 A Delhi crime family is at the center\nof this drama. Three brothers fight over the future of their organization, with\none member making arrangements with arms dealers and maneuvering within the\nclan to take control from his siblings. As this occurs, an undercover police\nofficer infiltrates the family and attempts to thwart all of their plans. There\naren\u2019t a lot of reviews for this one in North America yet, but a couple have\npopped up online. One thought it was a misfire that suffered from strange\npacing and the insertion of seemingly random elements. Another liked how the\nfilm focused on the sibling rivalry and thought that the addition of the cop\nlater in the film was an enjoyable surprise. It stars Prem Chopra, Abhay Deol,\nRonit Roy, Neeraj Kabi and Brendan Fraser. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Making Waves: The Art of Cinematic Sounds<\/em> \u2013 Ever watch\nthe Academy Awards and wonder what the difference is between Sound Editing and\nSound Mixing? This documentary deals with the world of film sound and hopefully\nwill answer the above question. Using interviews, movie clips and footage taken\nin the recording studio, it shows how sound designers work to help create a specific\naudio landscape for every movie. Overall, the press really enjoyed this piece.\nOnly one or two complained, saying the presentation of material was lacking.\nEvery other review called it unexpectedly exciting and informative, helping to\ngive any viewer a detailed look at the audio technicians and the amazing skill\nthat goes into their craft. Some of the filmmakers interviewed include Sofia\nCoppola, Ang Lee, David Lynch, George Lucas, Walter Murch, Christopher Nolan and\nSteven Spielberg.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Roma<\/em> \u2013 If you don\u2019t happen to have Netflix and have been\nlooking to catch up with some of their big awards winners, a deal has been\nreached between the streaming service and Criterion for the release of several\ntitles on disc. This week, they\u2019re putting out Roma<\/em>, the winner of last\nyear\u2019s Oscars for Best Director, Best Cinematography and Best Foreign-language Film.\nSet in Mexico City during the early 1970s, it follows the life struggles of a domestic\nworker and the family who employs her. As you might have already guessed, the\nfilm earned nothing but raves. A few did critique its use of long takes and its\nslow pace, but literally everyone called it a gorgeously shot and compelling display\nof the era. It stars Yalitza Aparicio and Marina de Tavira.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Suburban Birds<\/em> \u2013 After a fracture in a suburban community\nopens up from the ground and the neighborhood is cleared out, a team of\nengineers are sent in to investigate. After wandering into abandoned primary school,\none of the crew finds the diary of a student and reads the sad child\u2019s written account\nof a splintering within his social group.  The lead begins to find connections between his\nexperiences and that of the youngsters in the text. This foreign-language co-production\nbetween China and Taiwan earned a positive response from critics. A few thought\nit was too leisurely in its storytelling and could have been 30 minutes\nshorter. However, most complimented the film for creating a quiet, low-key and curious\nmystery that fascinates throughout. It features Lu Huang, Mason Lee and Gong\nZihan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The Wave<\/em> \u2013 An insurance lawyer gets word of an\nimminent promotion and decides to celebrate by taking a trip with his co-worker.\nHowever, after being dosed with a psychotropic drug, he experiences bizarre and\nsurreal visions that fuse his past and present. The protagonist attempts to\nmake sense of it all and determine what around him is actually happening. This independent\nfeature earned more positive write-ups than it did negative ones. The pans said\nthat the movie got bogged down in it surrealness and couldn\u2019t pull everything together\nin a satisfying way. However, the majority called it distinctive and enjoyed\nits weirdness its sci-fi weirdness. Justin Long, Donald Faison, Tommy Flanagan,\nSheila Vand and Katia Winter headline the film. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

West No More<\/em> \u2013 This little documentary follows the\ntrail of two young men who set out to learn about life in Colorado during the\n1860s. They decide to do it by hiking the 500-mile Colorado trail, in order to\nget a sense of the challenges people would have experienced during this era. Apparently,\nthe story starts with the early part of their trek, which initially goes well\nbut begins to go terribly wrong about one-third of the way through. Freezing, beaten\nup by the elements and argumentative, the men stop their massive endeavor. The\npair return a few years later to make amends and come to a conclusion about\nwhat the trip taught them. There are no reviews right now for this title and it\nappears to be debuting on disc, so interested parties will have to take on the journey\nwithout much preparation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

It\u2019s a very busy week for older films receiving high definition\nupgrades. VCI are releasing a Blu-ray of the Mexican horror picture, Even\nthe Wind is Afraid<\/em> (1977). It\u2019s about a college student who has recurring\ndreams about a death in the school\u2019s bell tower. As she learns more about the\nhistory of the site, she begins to wonder if these visions are actually premonitions.\nThis hard-to-find thriller is well-regarded and was remade in 2007. The disc\nappears to carry English subtitles for the Spanish-language feature. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Shout! have a really fun title this week with the Blu-ray Collector\u2019s Edition of My Bloody Valentine<\/em> (1981). This slasher is about a bunch of kids in a small town who get targeted by a psychopathic killer dressed in full mining gear. Could it be one of six miners who were killed in an explosion some decades earlier, or is the responsible party just using the legend as cover? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This independent film from Canada was an attempt to cash-in on the horror craze following the success of Friday the 13th<\/sup><\/em> (1980). In order to stand out, they strove to make the murders more exaggerated and over-the-top than their competition, but the MPAA chopped much of the onscreen violence out. Over the following decades the movie has developed a cult following, with many fans hoping that the uncut footage would eventually be found reinstated. About a decade ago, LionsGate attempted to do this and add in rough elements from the cutting room floor, although the product looked pretty rough. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Shout! have finally done the impossible and are releasing a\n2-disc set which includes 4K scans of the theatrical version and the uncut original\ncamera negative \u2013 which means everything now looks perfect. You\u2019ll get a new director\ncommentary on the unrated cut, as well as interviews with the filmmaker, cast\nmembers, the make-up department and a look at the differences between the two\nversions (apparently, more than two full minutes of eye-popping gore footage was\nexcised from the original release). You\u2019ll also get a panel discussion on the\nfilm featuring everyone involved in the production, a performance of the film\u2019s\nfolk tune about the killer and all of the publicity materials. Sounds like an\namazing disc!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kino have some great stuff as well. First is the Rudolph Valentino\nromance, Blood and Sand<\/em> (1922), about a bullfighter who falls in love\nwith two women. The Blu-ray includes a film historian commentary track, a\nfilmed introduction with Orson Welles, a parody film starring Will Rogers, a\ntrailer, an audio recording of the love theme and footage of the star\u2019s funeral\nprocession (he passed away in 1926 at age 31).  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They are also putting out a DVD of the well-regarded TV-movie,\nLeave Yesterday Behind<\/em> (1978). It stars John Ritter as a polo player who\nis paralyzed from the waist down after being thrown from his horse. Carrie\nFisher and Robert Urich co-star. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Back on the Blu-ray front, you can now pick up the Ivan\nReitman comedy, Legal Eagles<\/em> (1986). This was the filmmaker\u2019s follow-up\nto Ghostbusters and starred Robert Redford as a district attorney who gets involved\nwith a defense attorney (Debra Winger) and her client (Daryl Hannah), who is on\ntrial for murder. The movie was a modest success, but the production was said\nto be difficult and apparently there were reshoots including numerous different\nendings. Alas, that missing footage has not been found and included in this\nedition, but the disc does come with a trailer and making-of featurette. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They also have a sequel in The Sting II<\/em> (1983). This\nfollow-up to the 1973 classic featured neither of the original stars, but tells\nanother boxing-themed con job. Jackie Gleeson, Mac Davis, Teri Garr and Oliver\nReed appear. The Blu-ray comes with a new director commentary and a trailer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Nobody\u2026 and I mean nobody\u2026 is going to mistake the New World\nPictures comedy, Transylvania 6-5000<\/em> (1985), for being a classic. It\u2019s a\nslapstick flick about two tabloid reporters who travel to the title locale and\nmeet up with comic versions of various monsters. However, those who grew up\nwith the movie may have a soft spot for it and will likely be impressed with all\nof the famous faces featured in the cast, including Jeff Goldblum, Ed Begley\nJr., Geena Davis, Carol Kane, Michael Richards, John Byner and many others. The\nBlu-ray features a new 4K restoration of the film (presumably so that it can be\npermanently preserved), a filmmaker commentary, three TV spots and two trailers.\nThat means the movie can finally be enjoyed, \u201c\u2026as you Americans say, until the\ncows come home.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Mill Creek, known for putting out bare-bones but inexpensive\nBlu-rays, have found themselves a nifty little selling point by releasing titles\nwith slipcase packaging that looks exactly like old VHS rental copies. I must\nadmit, it\u2019s a clever idea and the artwork featured looks perfect. This week,\nthey\u2019re putting out several more of their retro-boxed titles, including the underrated\nBruce Willis comedy, Hudson Hawk<\/em> (1991) and the Richard Gere\/Kim\nBasinger thriller, No Mercy<\/em> (1986).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They also have the Jeff Goldblum\/Cyndi Lauper rom-com, Vibes<\/em>\n(1988) on Blu-ray but with its original VHS cover packaging. I completely\nmissed this one during its original run and those old covers certainly make me\nwant to hand over $10 bucks just to see what I missed. One thing that horror\nfans certainly won\u2019t want to pass over is their rerelease with slipcover of When\na Stranger Calls<\/em> (1979). Not only does it have a great retro art, but the\nmovie features one of the most chilling opening scenes in horror film history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Altered Innocence is putting out a Blu-ray of a more recent\nrelease, You\u2019ll Never Be Alone<\/em> (2016). It\u2019s a Spanish-language feature made\nin Chile about a wax-mannequin store owner who tries to help his cross-dressing\nteenage son after the boy suffers a violent attack. The disc includes trailers of\nthe company\u2019s other releases. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Scorpion have the independent crime thriller, The Killing\nTime<\/em> (1987). This one stars Kiefer Sutherland as a psychopath who murders a\ncop who is on his way to start a new job as sheriff in a seaside town. The killer\ntakes up his position in the community while plotting his next move. The movie\nhas been given a brand-new remaster for its Blu-ray debut. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Some independent horror-themed releases are also arriving on\nBlu-ray. Massacre Video has the Hong Kong horror picture, The Devil<\/em>\n(1981) which features a hideously ugly witch tormenting victims using her\nmagical powers. It is arriving uncut with a 4K restoration and includes a video\nversion of the film and a collection of stills as bonuses. Troma fans can pick\nup a 20th<\/sup> Anniversary Edition Blu-ray of Terror Firmer<\/em> (1999).\nIt is a 2-disc set with an updated picture that comes loaded with extras, so\nfans should be pleased with the release. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re interested in B-movie fodder, you can also pick up\na DVD of Destroyer<\/em> (1988) from Cheezy Flicks. This movie stars ex-football\nplayer Lyle Alzado as a serial killer who is given the electric chair but\nsurvive in order to hunt co-stars Anthony Perkins and Deborah Foreman. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Luck be a lady! Warner Archive are finally offering up a few\nof their catalog titles as made-to-order Blu-rays. They include the famous musical,\nGuys and Dolls<\/em> (1955) as well as A Little Romance<\/em> (1979) and the\nperiod music-drama, Sparkle<\/em> (1976).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Here are a few new titles that may appeal to young children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let’s Go Luna! Friendship Around the World<\/em> (PBS)
PBS Kids: 15 Frozen Tales<\/em> (PBS) <\/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

American Experience: McCarthy<\/em> (PBS)
Game of Thrones<\/em>: Season 8 (New Box Art)
Gunsmoke<\/em>: Season 18
Gunsmoke<\/em>: Season 19
Let’s Go Luna! Friendship Around the World<\/em> (PBS)
Love Unleashed<\/em> (Hallmark TV-movie)
NOVA: The Violence Paradox<\/em> (PBS)
Preacher<\/em>: The Final Season
Swamp Thing<\/em>: The Complete Series <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n