{"id":20425,"date":"2020-05-04T12:07:22","date_gmt":"2020-05-04T19:07:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.cinemastance.com\/?p=20425"},"modified":"2020-05-04T12:07:22","modified_gmt":"2020-05-04T19:07:22","slug":"blu-ray-dvd-roundup-for-may-5th-2020","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cinemastance.com\/?p=20425","title":{"rendered":"Blu-ray\/DVD Roundup for May 5th, 2020"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Welcome back to another look at highlights arriving on\nBlu-ray and DVD. Once again, it\u2019s a very busy edition featuring some\nhigh-profile films alongside smaller, independent features. So, since you can\u2019t\nmake it out to the movies this week, be sure to give one of these titles a try!\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

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Arkansas<\/em> \u2013 Based on the bestselling book by John\nBrandon, this dark comedy follows a pair of buddies who are park rangers by day\nand drug couriers at night. They work for a mysterious criminal kingpin whom\nthey have never met. When one of the pair starts a relationship with a\ncoworker, it sets off alarm bells among those in the illegal organization,\nleading to imminent danger from their unknown and violent employer. It appears\nas though this title is debuting on disc and through streaming platforms due to\nthe Coronavirus outbreak, so there aren\u2019t many reviews currently available. One\nthat did pop up suggests that this is a solid little picture that benefits greatly\nfrom an excellent cast. This picture was directed by Clark Duke, who co-stars\nwith Liam Hemsworth, Vince Vaughn, John Malkovich, Michael Kenneth Williams and\nVivica A. Fox. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Becoming<\/em> \u2013 A recently engaged young couple decide to\nhead out on a road trip. It\u2019s an unfortunate decision, as the man crosses paths\nwith an evil force that chooses to use him as a host by possessing his body.\nSuddenly, the nice guy begins to change, losing his identity and becoming a\nthreatening and potentially psychotic presence. His significant other is forced\ninto determining what is happening to her partner and how to remove the sinister\nspirit from his core. This science-fiction thriller looks to be debuting on\ndisc, so at present there are absolutely no write-ups for it. Curious genre\nfans will just have to go in cold. As such, they should likely approach this\ntitle with caution. The cast includes Tony Kebbell, Penelope Mitchell and Jason\nPatric.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Better Days<\/em> \u2013 This foreign-language feature from\nChina involves a bullied teenager studying for her college entrance exams. With\nher entire future hinging on the results of the test and other cruel students\nmaking her life miserable, the teen starts an unexpected friendship with a\nsmall-time crook. The two make a deal to help each other out, but end up\ngetting themselves placed in the center of a local murder investigation.\nCritics were quite taken with this dramatic thriller. In fact, as of right now\nthere aren\u2019t any negative critiques for it in this part of the world. While\nmost admitted that the material and themes were delivered in an on-the-nose\nmanner, they stated that the picture was well-acted, had strong visuals and\nmake an emotional impact. It features Dongyu Zhou, Jackson Yee, Fang Yin and Jue\nHuang.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Bloodshot<\/em> \u2013 Based on the popular comic book, this\ntale follows a soldier who dies in battle and is brought back from the dead by\na shady corporation. He\u2019s turned into a cyborg of sorts, becoming nearly\nunstoppable and able to heal himself at will. Following the procedure, the\nprotagonist is told he must take on a series of covert special missions for his\nrescuers. However, our hero is not sure if he can trust the company who has\nreanimated his mind and body. Well, if you weren\u2019t prepared to plunk down $20\nto stream this very recent comic book adaptation online over the past few weeks,\nyou can now rent or pick up the disc instead. The press didn\u2019t have much that\nwas good to say about the film. A small contingent called it silly fun that\nreminded them of 80s action pictures. Still, the vast majority noted that the\nscreenplay didn\u2019t do much with the concept, repeated all the genre tropes and the\nmovie was generally unmemorable. It stars Vin Diesel, Elza Gonzalez, Sam\nHeughan, Tony Kebbell and Guy Pearce. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Exorcism at 60,000 Feet<\/em> \u2013 If you\u2019re looking for some cheesy fun, this tongue-in-cheek horror\/comedy might be right up your alley. Travelers on a transatlantic flight find their lives and souls in grave danger after demonic possession spreads through the cabin and causes chaos on the flight. A rabbi, a priest and the surviving airline crew team up to perform various exorcisms on passengers and eliminate the menace in order to help land the plane safely. This flick appears to be premiering on disc, but it did play a few horror film festivals over the past year where it met with a jovial reception and won a few prizes. Sounds like this may be made in a vein similar to Snakes on a Plane<\/em>. The picture also features plenty of familiar faces, including Robert Miano, Bia Ling, Lance Henriksen, Bill Moseley, Kevin J. O\u2019Connor and Adrienne Barbeau. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Greed<\/em> \u2013 Satirizing the world of the obscenely\nwealthy, this comedy follows a fashion mogul billionaire who decides to throw a\nlavish 60th<\/sup> birthday bash for himself in a five-star hotel on the\nGreek island of Mykonos. The event is covered by a journalist writing a\nbiography on the deplorable figure, who presents the selfish lead\u2019s rise to\npower and criminal efforts to expand his fortune while others suffer. Reviewers\nwere split on the end results. Close to half commented that the story may have been\noverstuffed, but that it was filled with righteous anger and benefitted from a\nstrong lead performance. However, just as many complained that the plot wasn\u2019t\nfocused or funny enough to earn it a recommendation. Steve Coogan, Isla Fisher,\nShirley Henderson, Sophie Cookson, Asa Butterfield and David Mitchell headline\nthe picture. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Gretel & Hansel<\/em> \u2013 Most readers will be familiar\nwith the famous Brothers Grimm fairy tale. In this version, a starving sister\nand brother head into the forest and come upon a house filled with food, as\nwell as a nasty witch who would like nothing more than to eat them for dinner.\nCornered and trapped, the pair must work together to free themselves before\nthey are devoured. It seems that a higher percentage of critics appreciated\nthis version than disliked it. Negative voices said that while the movie looked\nimpressive, it was extremely bleak and downbeat, eventually turning into a slog\nto sit through. Still, the consensus was that the picture was an impressive\nupdate on the story that oozed creepiness and impressed with its gorgeous\nphotography. The movie stars Sophia Lillis, Samuel Leaky, Alice Krige, Jessica\nDe Gouw and Charles Babaloa.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Heading Home: The Tale of Team Israel<\/em> <\/a>\u2013 This documentary tells the true story of the Israeli national baseball team. It shows the origins and history of the organization in addition to their slow improvement over the years (which culminates in their qualification for the 2017 World Baseball Classic tournament). The players take a journey to South Korea to complete in the major event for the first time ever and deal with the pressures involved with a team that has struggled to be successful. Notices were decent for this non-fiction feature. A group thought that while it was an amusing and inspiring story, the movie didn\u2019t go into much depth and lacked real gravitas. Still, slightly more commented that this was a fun and entertaining underdog story that would bring plenty of smiles to the faces of viewers.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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I Still Believe<\/em> – Christian music mega star Jeremy Camp is the subject of this biopic. In it, the struggling singer befriends a fellow musician and then fall in love with his new pal\u2019s girlfriend. Naturally, it creates a rift and, while she also has feelings for Camp, the woman ends up breaking off their burgeoning romance. The pair are reunited when the woman contracts terminal cancer and their struggles inspire the artist to write music that reaches a wider audience. Members of the press had mixed feelings about this faith-based drama. Almost half thought that the movie\u2019s heart was in the right place and noted that the leads had onscreen chemistry. The rest felt that the film was slowly paced and predictable, hitting all the expected beats and failing to generate much drama. It features K.J. Apa, Britt Robertson, Melissa Roxburgh, Nathan Parsons, Gary Sinise and Shania Twain. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Jesus Rolls<\/em> \u2013 This spin-off from the fantastic\nCoen Brothers cult flick The Big Lebowski<\/em> focuses on Jesus Quintana, up of\nthe earlier film\u2019s memorable supporting characters. After being released from\nprison, this ex-con joins forces with an old friend and a local hair salon\nemployee. The trio make a series of bad decisions, taking part in a series of\npetty crimes (no word on whether he heads back to bowling alley). Sadly,\ncritics weren\u2019t nearly as receptive to this feature as they were to the film\nthat inspired it. A few wrote that the story was unpredictable and that they\nenjoyed watching the character, even if the story rambled. Still, the consensus\nwas that the movie was dramatically flat and awkwardly put together. The cast\nincludes John Turturro, Bobby Cannavale, Audrey Tautou, Christopher Walken, Jon\nHamm, Pete Davidson and Susan Surandon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Lancaster Skies<\/em> \u2013 Set during World War II, this UK\nproduction follows a Spitfire pilot who discovers his brother has died in\nbattle. Angry and solitary, the lead is then tasked with flying a Lancaster\nbomber in a dangerous mission over Berlin. The ship\u2019s crew, also smarting over\nthe death of their own skipper, clash at first. However, but are forced using\ntheir common experiences to relate and overcome their differences in order to\nget the task completed. It\u2019s a low-budget film that didn\u2019t receive a lot of\nreviews during its limited engagement in British cinemas. Those who did see it\nthought that the filmmakers tried to do something a little different and focus\non the inner turmoil of it characters, but criticized it for lacking a sense of\npalpable tension. Jeffrey Mundell, David Dobson, Kris Saddler and Joanne Gale\nheadline the film. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Lodge<\/em> \u2013 In this horror picture, a father decides to invite his girlfriend to a family vacation at a remote cabin in the woods. Bad idea! When a work-related emergency arises, the dad is forced to leave his partner alone with the children. It\u2019s already an uncomfortable situation and when an unexpected snowstorm traps the woman and kids in the hut, she\u2019s forced to deal with trauma and other uncomfortable situations. This film is the English-language US film debut of the makers of the disturbing Austrian effort, Goodnight Mommy<\/em>. It received generally positive notices. There was a small contingent who thought the characters ended up making so many poor decisions that it lost viewers. Still, the majority felt that the picture was beautifully shot and had an unsettling atmosphere that provided the creepy goods. It stars Riley Keough, Jaeden Martell, Lia McHugh, Richard Armitage and Alicia Silverstone.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Ordinary Love<\/em> \u2013 The protagonists in this drama are a\nmiddle-aged couple who, after several decades of marriage, know each other as\nwell as they know themselves. When the wife is diagnosed with cancer, the two\nset out to try and overcome the sudden, disturbing prognosis. The lengthy and\nstressful treatment process forces the husband to confront with what could\nhappen if his spouse were to succumb to the illness. This small, independent\ndrama appears to be premiering exclusively on DVD this week. It seems a strange\ncall given that reviews were excellent. Only one or two criticized the low-key\napproach and stated that the movie could have done with more theatrics.\nEveryone else called it a beautifully acted, authentic and humanistic take on a\nsituation that many must eventually face. The cast includes Liam Neeson, Lesley\nManville, Amit Shah and David Wilmot.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Road to Mother<\/em> \u2013 Despite good reviews and awards,\nsometimes it can take a while for a foreign-language picture to find its way to\nthis part of the world. Such is the case with this Kazakhstani drama that was\nproduced in 2016, but is only now debuting on Blu-ray in North America. It\u2019s\nthe story of one family, starting in 1930s and spanning three generations as\nthey live through happiness as well as periods of war and tragedy. There aren\u2019t\na lot of write-ups yet for the title in this part of the world, but response in\nits homeland was solid. In fact, the film was the country\u2019s submission to the\nAcademy for Oscar consideration a few years back. Notes in this part of the\nworld stated that the narrative was a bit drawn-out and episodic, but that it was\nwell made and would provide viewers with fascinating insight into the nation\u2019s\nhistory. Adil Akhmetov, Bolat Abdilmanov, Berik Aytzhanov and Aruzhan\nJazilbekova play the leads. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Tigers Are Not Afraid<\/em> \u2013 Another picture that has been\nmaking the rounds on the festival circuit for the past couple of years is this\nMexican effort set against the backdrop of the drug cartel wars. The story\ninvolves a group of orphaned children whose parents were murdered by the\noutfit. Suddenly, they are given three magical wishes. What they choose to do\nwith their newfound power could change their lives both for better or for\nworse. This little fantasy\/horror picture earned plenty of raves during its screenings.\nThe only criticism it received from a few reviewers was that the story itself was\nrepetitive. Otherwise, everyone called the movie a heartfelt effort that was\nfascinating and surreal, with enough ideas and imagery to populate several fantasy\npictures. It features Paola Lara and Juan Ram\u00f3n L\u00f3pez.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

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Plenty of older titles are receiving Blu-ray upgrades as well. Arrow Video have a Special Edition of the French\/British\/Turkish co-production and cult item, White Fire<\/em> (1985). It is described as an over-the-top heist picture about a couple out to steal a priceless diamond. Their plan gets more complicated when a pushy stranger arrives insisting that the pair must know something about the disappearance of a local prostitute. Apparently, chainsaws play a role in the proceedings. The flick stars Robert Ginty (The Exterminator<\/em>), Belinda Mayne (Krull<\/em>) and Fred Williamson (Black Caesar<\/em>, From Dusk Till Dawn<\/em>). Besides the new high def presentation, this Blu-ray arrives with a film critic commentary, as well as interviews with the writer\/director, editor and Williamson. Arrow\u2019s discs are always packed with fascinating information as well as analysis. This effort will likely be just as entertaining as their previous releases. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kino have plenty of features coming your way as well. The\nfirst Blu-ray is for Brighton Rock<\/em> (1948), a UK crime flick and thriller\nabout a small-time criminal in over his head. Richard Attenborough takes on the\nlead role. This disc includes a film historian commentary track and trailers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Some months ago, the company began releasing sets of films\nfrom the 1930s containing social messages about drugs, crimes and other illegal\nactivities. Of course, the movies were exaggerated and are more known for their\nstrange excesses and the odd, out-of-date ideas being delivered. The latest\nBlu-ray release is Forbidden Fruit Volume 4<\/em>. It contains two features\nabout illicit drug-use, Marihuana<\/em> (1936) and Narcotic<\/em> (1933).\nApparently, just about every vice (and some you probably wouldn\u2019t have even\nthought of) is depicted by the filmmakers over the course of the story. This\ndisc contains multiple audio commentaries from experts and historians about\nthese weird titles and well as trailers and short social hygiene films warning\nthe public about various drug-related vices. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The second disc is called Forbidden Fruit Volume 5<\/em>.\nThis one contains what the distributor claims are two of the strangest and most\nunsettling efforts from the period\u2026 Tomorrow\u2019s Children<\/em> (1934) and Child\nBride<\/em> (1938). One is an expos\u00e9 of eugenics, and the second involves a\ncrusading schoolteacher attempting to halt a marriage between two young\nstudents. Once again, you\u2019ll get two audio tracks from experts on this genre,\nas well as a trailer gallery. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

On a completely different note, you can also pick up a Blu-ray of the British murder\/mystery, An Inspector Calls<\/em> (1954). Along with a who-done-it plot, it apparently tears apart upper-crust society. The disc arrives with a film expert commentary, an interview with a cast member and some trailers. The drama, Me, Natalie<\/em> (1969) is also being made available on the format. This Golden Globe-nominee stars Patty Duke as an awkward teen finding her way in the world. It also featurs the first onscreen appearance of Al Pacino. The title has been given a new HD master and arrives with bonus trailers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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They also have the Ealing film noir classic, Pool of\nLondon<\/em> (1951). This one comes from director Basil Dearden (Dead of Night<\/em>)\nand has a great reputation as being an excellent thriller. Those who pick up\nthe UK title will get an entertainment journalist audio commentary, a segment\ndetailing various locations used in the film, a cast member interview and some trailers.\nAdditionally, you can purchase the Jason Robards romantic comedy, A Thousand\nClowns<\/em> (1965) on Blu-ray. This release includes a new 2K master, an\ninterview with the feature\u2019s co-star and the film\u2019s preview trailer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you are a historian enthusiast, you may be interested in\nwhat Shout! Factory have to offer this week. They are releasing the documentary\nD-Day: Normandy<\/em> (2014) on Blu-ray. Narrated by Tom Brokaw and presented\nin 4K, this feature blends multiple cinematic techniques to give a new\nperspective on the event and show the history and military strategy behind the\nraid. The disc comes with bonus interviews the director, historical advisor and\nBrokaw himself. Apparently, there are additional extras about the war that are\nincluded on this disc. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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It wasn\u2019t a big hit at theatres or with critics, but\nUniversal are still giving the Keanu Reeves samurai flick 47 Ronin<\/em>\n(2013) a 4K Blu-ray upgrade for big screen TVs. And Sony are offering a new\ndisc containing The Mask of Zorro<\/em> (1998) in 4K. The latter feature,\nstarring Antonio Banderas, Anthony Hopkins and Catherine Zeta-Jones, was\nwell-received by the press and public and should entertain enthusiasts of the\nlegendary character.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

And there\u2019s more! Criterion have a box set arriving called Eric\nRohmer\u2019s Six Moral Tales<\/em> (1963 – 1972). It contains six movies from the\nprolific French new wave director. Included you\u2019ll find The Bakery Girl of\nMonceau <\/em>(1963), Suzanne\u2019s Career<\/em> (1963), La Collectionneuse<\/em>\n(1967), My Night at Maud\u2019s<\/em> (1969), Claire\u2019s Knee<\/em> (1970) and Love\nin the Afternoon<\/em> (1972), which are all arriving with 2K restorations. Additionally,\nyou\u2019ll also receive a TV episode about Rohmer and his work, four shorts from\nthe filmmaker, an interview with the director from 2006, and several other\narchived discussions with cast and crew members. There\u2019s also an afterword to\nthe movie presented by filmmaker Neil LaBute (Your Friends & Neighbors<\/em>,\nNurse Betty<\/em>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cohen Media Group are delivering Women Make Film: A New\nRoad Movie Through Cinema<\/em> (2018) on Blu-ray. According to the press\nrelease, this is a documentary that spans 13 decades and five continents in\norder to give a guided tour of the art and craft of movies as told by female\nfilmmakers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finally, New Blood Entertainment are putting out an Unrated\nDirector\u2019s Cut of the horror picture, The Expedition<\/em> (2008). Personally,\nI\u2019ve never seen the movie and know little about it, but those who enjoy the\nflick can now own it in high definition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Here are some upcoming DVDs that may appeal to little tykes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bee Geniuses: Bee-Volution<\/em> (to be released on May 8th<\/sup>)
Mother Goose World: Sleeping Beauty<\/em> (to be released on May 8th<\/sup>) <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

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

Baptiste<\/em>: Season 1 (PBS)
Gunsmoke<\/em>: The Complete Series
Gunsmoke<\/em>: The Final Season
Home by Spring<\/em> (Hallmark Channel TV-Movie)
Humans<\/em>: The Complete Series
NOVA: Polar Extremes<\/em> (PBS)
Ray Donovan<\/em>: Season 7
Red vs Blue: Singularity<\/em>: Season 17 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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