{"id":20849,"date":"2020-07-20T20:38:55","date_gmt":"2020-07-21T03:38:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.cinemastance.com\/?p=20849"},"modified":"2020-07-20T20:38:55","modified_gmt":"2020-07-21T03:38:55","slug":"blu-ray-dvd-roundup-for-july-21st-2020","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cinemastance.com\/?p=20849","title":{"rendered":"Blu-ray\/DVD Roundup for July 21st, 2020"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

It\u2019s time for the latest look at highlights arriving on Blu-ray and DVD. There are all kinds of interesting flicks, both new and old that, are coming your way on disc. So, since you more than likely can\u2019t make it out to 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

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Attraction 2: Invasion<\/em> \u2013 In case you happen to be wondering if there was actually ever was a movie called Attraction<\/em>, it was released back in 2017. The film was a Russian production about a crashed alien spaceship in Moscow and it explored how the citizens react to these new extraterrestrial arrivals. This sequel is set 3 years later and picks up with the arrival of another otherworldly craft. The protagonist from the first movie and other characters must determine if the visitor\u2019s intentions are good. This foreign-language flick is debuting on disc in this part of the world, so there are currently no write-ups available. Online sources indicate that the feature will make little sense if you haven\u2019t seen the original film and also complain that it\u2019s overly talky, stiff and doesn\u2019t provide any thrills until the final act. The cast includes Irina Starshenbaum, Alexander Petrov, Yuriy Borisov and Oleg Menshikov.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Capone<\/em> \u2013 Real-life gangster Alfonse Capone has been\nthe subject of many a film over the years. This biopic follows the figure towards\nthe end of his criminal career and suffering from dementia. Veering back and\nforth between the past and present, Capone remembers events and persons in his\nlife as he attempts to locate a large hidden stash of cash while keeping government\nagents at bay. Critics weren\u2019t particularly impressed by this feature. A grouping\nof them did enjoy the central performance and appreciated the bizarre, unhinged\nantics put on display. However, more suggested that despite a couple of wild moments,\nthe film was a complete misfire that didn\u2019t have much to say and largely wasted\nits onscreen talent. It stars Tom Hardy, Kyle MacLachlan, Linda Cardellini, Jack\nLowden and Matt Dillon. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Marriage Story<\/em> \u2013 Back in December, Netflix premiered\nthis drama from Noah Baumbach (The Squid and the Whale<\/em>, Frances Ha<\/em>,\nWhile We\u2019re Young<\/em>), chronicling the unraveling of a relationship between\na husband and wife and watching how the family manages to adapt afterward. It\u2019s\nnow arriving on disc via Criterion for those who don\u2019t have the streaming\nservice, or would like a high-quality hard copy of the feature. The film was nominated\nfor several Academy Awards including Best Picture (it ultimately won one in the\nBest Supporting Actress category) and the press adored it. There was a tiny\ncontingent who couldn\u2019t get onto the story\u2019s wavelength and couldn\u2019t relate to\nthe characters. Still, the overwhelming majority thought the film was moving, authentic\nand featured incredible performances. The cast includes Scarlett Johansson, Adam\nDriver, Laura Dern, Alan Alda, Ray Liotta and Julie Haggerty. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Our Bodies Our Doctors<\/em> \u2013 This small, indie documentary\nappears to have popped up on disc without much notice. It\u2019s about a group of\nfemale physicians working at various health clinics for women in the states of\nWashington, Oregon and Oklahoma. Viewers witness their daily trials and how\nthey take care of patients in need of abortions. It also details the other health-related\nissues impacting those being treated. There aren\u2019t any detailed reviews in the press\nand this feature appears to be debuting on disc. However, it has played at\nnumerous film festivals over the past year and received very positive reaction.\nIt won Best Documentary at the Portland International Film Festival a Women in\nCinema award in Seattle.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Re: Born<\/em> \u2013 A former government assassin decides to stop\ntaking lives and retires in this Japanese action picture. After spending time\nworking as a shopkeeper, his past catches up to him after his nasty old\ncommander arrives on the scene looking for revenge. In order to leave his dark\nhistory behind, the protagonist must fight off the advances of dozens of\nkillers out to eliminate him. This flick was released a couple of years ago on\nthe other side of the world, but is only now making its way to North America.\nIt has been described as a Japanese John Wick<\/em> and those who have managed\nto check it out have been largely upbeat about the title. They called it an\nentertaining martial arts flick with great choreography and an extended climax certain\nto wow audiences. It features Tak Sakaguchi, Hitomi Hasebe and Masaya Kato.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Recording in Progress<\/em> \u2013 Here\u2019s a documentary that may\nbe of interest to music enthusiasts. This feature takes a look at recording\nstudios and how they are managed and operated. It deals with current music technology\nand how all the elements are used to create the tunes that we hear around us. The\nmovie also looks into recent trends in the industry and new ways in which music\nis being consumed by the public. According to press releases, it boasts interviews\nwith a few name record producers and musicians too, including the likes of\nSteve Albini, Richard Fortus, Steve Lillywhite, Vance Powell and Kristeen Young.\nThe film appears to be making its debut on disc, but should be of interest to\nanyone curious about how a music studio is run. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Resistance<\/em> \u2013 This historical drama is set during World War II. It is based on a true story and follows an aspiring Jewish performer who tries to bring laughter to the faces of children during the bloody conflict. He eventually joins the French Resistance effort, attempting to sneak Jewish kids out of the country before they are rounded up by authorities. Of course, these efforts put the young man and those around him in danger. Reaction was generally split towards this effort. About half thought that the real story was remarkable but said the material was presented in a formulaic and drab manner. Just as many suggested that the movie was a flawed but important tribute to a unique figure\u2019s humanitarian accomplishments. Jesse Eisenberg, Ed Harris, Clemence Posey and Mattias Schweighofer headline the film. To read this site\u2019s review of the picture, click here<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Room<\/em> \u2013 A young couple yearning for a simpler and\nhealthier life leave the city and take up residence in a creaky old house in Maryland.\nWhile investigating the home\u2019s basement, they discover a hidden room that has\nthe power to make anything that they wish for materialize. The pair take full\nadvantage of the gift, only to soon realize that there is a price to be paid\nfor their selfish requests. This independent horror film debuted on Shudder and\nis now arriving on disc. Reviewers generally liked what they saw. A few critiqued\nthe feature for not making the most of the concept and relying on easy scares\nand jolts. Still, the consensus was that this was a moody and effective horror\nflick that delivers enough chills to earn it a recommendation. The leads are\nplayed by Olga Kurylenko and Kevin Janssens. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Samurai Marathon 1855<\/em> \u2013 Also known simply as Samurai\nMarathon<\/em>, this action\/adventure effort is inspired by a real competition\nthat is still held annually in Japan. This adaptation takes viewers back to its\norigins during the feudal era when American imperialists were arriving and\ncausing concern among citizens. One regal figure, feeling that his samurai are\nlazy and ineffectual, demands that they take part in a punishing and deadly marathon\nto prove their worth to their master and country. The foreign-language feature earned\na positive reception. A small group called the end results mixed and didn\u2019t\nthink it had much beyond the novelty of the concept. Thankfully, a large group\nthought the story was fascinating and that this was exciting picture about\nhonor and duty that ended on a high note. Takeru Satoh, Nana Komatsu and Mirai Moriyama play the leads. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Scoob!<\/em> \u2013 Famous but easily frightened crime-solving\ncanine Scooby-Doo returns in this family-friendly, animated outing. In this\nupdate, the dog and his pals Shaggy, Fred, Daphne and Velma investigate claims\nof a sinister figure attempting to raise the ghost dog Cerberus and bring chaos\nto the world. As the gang try to uncover the responsible party and stop them,\nScooby-Doo discovers that he may play an epic an important role in history. The\npress was divided as to the movie\u2019s merits. Almost half said that the picture\nwas colorful, bright, offered something a bit different from the TV-show and\nwould impress kids. Others complained that the movie was well-animated but too\nbusy, with a clumsy script and little about the story that was memorable. The\nvoice cast includes Will Forte, Mark Wahlberg, Jason Isaacs, Gina Rodriguez, Zac\nEfron, Amanda Seyfried, Ken Jeong, Tracy Morgan and Simon Cowell.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Survive the Night<\/em> \u2013 A pair of men seek immediate medical assistance after a robbery gone wrong leaves one of them mortally wounded. They stalk a doctor and take his family hostage, demanding treatment so that they can make an escape. What the criminals don\u2019t realize is that the physician has an estranged, tough-as-nails retired cop for a father, who sets out to assist his relatives in eliminating the threat. Critics ended up panning this little thriller. One or two thought that while predictable, the cast and filmmakers provided aimable-enough entertainment that would distract viewers. However, all the rest stated that the movie was clunky and poorly paced, offering no new twists or exciting moments for its viewers. It stars Bruce Willis, Chad Michael Murray, Shea Buckner, Tyler Jon Olson and Lydia Hull. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Whistlers<\/em> \u2013 This dark crime comedy from Romania follows\nthe exploits of a Bucharest police officer, frustrated with his meager life and\nsmall wages. He decides to take part in a heist with a mysterious woman who may\nbe looking to set him up and take the money for herself. In order to pull off\ntheir elaborate scheme, the two decide to learn a secret language and\ncommunication method involving whistling. Reviewers were largely amused by the\nfeature and gave it a lot of compliments. While one or two described it as\nbeing a bit too exaggerated and filled with an overabundance of plot twists, a\nmuch greater percentage called it a fun and thrilling effort that might actually\nbe about more than it initially lets on. As of right now, this foreign-language\nfilm is being released on DVD only. Hopefully, a Blu-ray will follow. It features\nVlad Ivanov, Catrinel Marlon and Lodica Lazar.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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You Don\u2019t Nomi<\/em> \u2013 Remember the 1995 box office bomb, Showgirls<\/em>?\nIf you don\u2019t, be advised that more and more people have become big fans of this\nnotorious film over the past 25 years. It was an over-the-top flop about a\nyoung woman starting her career in Vegas as a dancer, taking down anyone who\ngets in way until she reaches her dream of becoming a showgirl. This documentary\nfollows the enormous cult that has grown around the flick and its eccentric,\nexaggerated ways. You\u2019ll find background information about the movie, get\ninterview footage with the cast and crew, as well as meet its fans. Naturally, these\nenthusiasts propose a new analysis about what the film represents to them.\nWrite-ups were generally positive. A few said you\u2019d probably be better off just\nwatching the bizarre movie that inspired this doc, but others called it a fun\neffort that may make one consider reevaluating the original film.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

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It\u2019s another busy edition filled with older films getting updated high definition transfers. Arrow Video are delivering a Blu-ray of the US\/India co-production, Bloodstone <\/em>(1988), a low-budget action\/adventure picture likely capitalizing on the success of the Indiana Jones<\/em> series. The story is about a couple honeymooning in India who cone into possession of an enormous ruby. The wife is kidnapped by a criminal mastermind who wants the gem for himself. The husband (who by chance appears to know martial arts) and, curiously enough, his cabbie (an ex-stunt driver) set out to save the couple and retrieve the valuable jewel. This film boasts the English-language debut of Indian star Rajinikanth as the skilled auto expert. Besides the high definition presentation, you\u2019ll get a film historian commentary track, an interview with the producer, a video essay on co-star Rajinikanth, an image gallery and the original screenplay. Sounds like it might be a bit of fun and, at the very least, feature some gorgeous locations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Arrow Academy line is also releasing a Special Edition\nof the award-winning French comedy, Life Is a Long Quiet River<\/em> (1988).\nIt\u2019s considered by many to be one of, if not the<\/em> best satires of its era,\ndepicting two families from different backgrounds who discover that their\nchildren were accidentally mixed up at birth 12-years-earlier. Besides the slick\npresentation, the Blu-ray includes new, updated subtitles, archival interviews\nwith director \u00c9tienne Chatiliez, actor Andr\u00e9 Wilms, co-writer\/co-producer\nFlorence Quentin and producer Charles Gassot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Paramount have been busy over the past couple of months releasing titles in their \u201cParamount Presents\u201d line. This time out, they\u2019re giving a 4K restoration to the hit comedy and disaster movie parody, Airplane!<\/em> (1980). It\u2019s a 40th<\/sup> Anniversary Edition disc that new featurettes including a filmmaker focus talk writers\/directors Jim Abrahams, David Zucker and Jerry Zucker, a Q&A recorded recently at the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood and an isolated score, along with a previously recorded audio commentary featuring the three men. Hopefully this release will inspire the studio to give the same treatment to the hysterical comedy Top Secret!<\/em> (1984), which is also from the same filmmakers and still has never been released on Blu-ray in North America.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The drama, Ghost<\/em> (1990), is another title arriving\nfrom \u201cParamount Presents\u201d. Believe it or not, this box office smash about the\nspirit trying to reconnect with his dead wife and save her from a killer was made\nby wild and wacky Airplane!<\/em> co-creator, Jerry Zucker. You\u2019ll get the\ncommentary and extras from the original DVD release, plus a new filmmaker focus\ndiscussion about the feature the Zucker.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kino are putting out a big assortment of old adventure films on Blu-ray. You can purchase Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves<\/em> (1944), Against All Flags<\/em> (1952), Arabian Nights<\/em> (1942), Buccaneer\u2019s Girl<\/em> (1950), Son of Ali Baba<\/em> (1952) and The World in His Arms<\/em> (1952). Each of these releases contain a new film critic or historian commentary as well as a trailer for the feature. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They are also\ndelivering three powerful, award-winning films by Hungarian director Istv\u00e1n\nSzab\u00f3. The Blu-rays in question include Colonel Redi<\/em> (1985), Confidence<\/em>\n(1980) and Mephisto <\/em>(1981). All three titles have been given 4K\nrestorations created by the Hungarian Film Institute. They also contain extra\nfeatures on the making-of the movies. There\u2019s also a critic commentary present\non the first title from the list. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Criterion have a new Blu-ray of the Iranian\/French co-production\nand Palme d\u2019Or winner, Taste of Cherry<\/em> (1997). It\u2019s about a truck driver\nplanning on committing suicide who must find an assistant willing to bury him after\nhe carries out the deed. The movie has been given a 4K digital restoration and\nincludes a 39-minute sketch version that was presumably made in order to secure\nfeature financing. You\u2019ll also get an interview with an Iranian cinema scholar,\na rare 1997 interview with the writer\/director, trailer and new subtitle translation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Universal have come up with a few interesting titles as well.\nFirst off, they\u2019ve got a new 4K edition of the classic Spartacus<\/em> (1960) from\ndirector Stanley Kubrick. One assumes that beyond the improved picture quality,\nthe extras from previous editions will also be included. They\u2019re also rereleasing\nsome older, out-of-print catalog efforts, including The Danish Girl<\/em>\n(2015), Dragonheart 3: The Sorcerer\u2019s Curse<\/em> (2015), In the Name of\nthe Father<\/em> (1993), Larry Crowne<\/em> (2011) and The Zookeeper\u2019s Wife<\/em>\n(2017).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Genre film distributors Scorpion also have a Blu-ray release.\nThis week it\u2019s Torment<\/em> (1986), a thriller about a serial killer who\nappears to have gotten away with a string of murders. When his family gets together\nfor a dinner, the lead becomes enraged at his soon-to-be son-in-law. The psychopath\nsoon plots to get rid of him, causing plenty of complications and potentially\nrevealing his psychosis. Special features include a brand new 2K master of the\npicture, an interview with the film\u2019s composer and trailers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Finally, Warner Archive are packing four of their made to\norder discs together. They\u2019re calling it the Horror\/Thrillers 4-Film\nCollection<\/em> and it includes a great little mix of genre titles. You\u2019ll get Body\nSnatchers<\/em> (1993), The Hunger<\/em> (1983), Innocent Blood<\/em> (1992) and\nWolfen<\/em> (1981). It\u2019s a good set and this writer has actually found all of\nthese movies enjoyable. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While not as powerful as the original or 70s remake, Body Snatchers<\/em> from Abel Ferrara (Bad Lieutenant<\/em>) has plenty of strong elements, a couple of incredibly creepy scenes and a great supporting performance by Meg Tilly. The Hunger<\/em> from director Tony Scott (Top Gun<\/em>, True Romance<\/em>) is really stylish and includes some early and memorable performances from Susan Sarandon and David Bowie. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Innocent Blood<\/em> is an underrated comedy\/horror picture about mobsters who come into contact with a vampire \u2013 one of the crooks end up surviving an attack, becoming bloodsucker and using their newfound abilities to gain in the criminal underworld. It\u2019s from writer\/director John Landis (An American Werewolf in London<\/em>) and features plenty of laughs, chills and some amazing cameos from famous filmmakers. Robert Loggia is great in it and delivers a couple of excellent monologues as the evil mob boss. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, Wolfen<\/em> is a slick and interesting thriller that features a couple of memorable attack scenes and likable characters played by Albert Finney and Gregory Hines. These movies may not all be classics, but these are very solid films and titles that horror fans will likely enjoy. \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

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

The Forest Man: The True Story of Jadav Payeng<\/em>
Scoob!\ufeff<\/em>
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On the Tube!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

American Experience: George W. Bush<\/em> (PBS)
American Experience: Mr. Tornado<\/em> (PBS)
Castle Rock<\/em>: Season 2
Curb Your Enthusiasm<\/em>: Season 10
Jett<\/em>: Season 1
Masterpiece Mystery: Grantchester: Season 5
Northern Exposure: The Complete Series
Sailing into Love (Hallmark TV-movie) <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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