{"id":21986,"date":"2021-01-18T22:12:48","date_gmt":"2021-01-19T06:12:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.cinemastance.com\/?p=21986"},"modified":"2021-01-18T22:12:48","modified_gmt":"2021-01-19T06:12:48","slug":"blu-ray-dvd-roundup-for-january-19th-2021","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cinemastance.com\/?p=21986","title":{"rendered":"Blu-ray\/DVD Roundup for January 19th, 2021"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Welcome back to another look at highlights coming your way\non Blu-ray and DVD. Despite it being the middle of January, it\u2019s a remarkably\nbusy edition with plenty of notable flicks coming your way. So, since you can\u2019t\nor likely shouldn\u2019t head out to the movies this week, be sure to give one of\nthese titles a try.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Big New Releases!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/www.cinemastance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/DVD-always-and-forever.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-21987\" width=\"222\" height=\"125\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Always and Forever<\/em> \u2013 A successful woman with a wonderful\njob and husband revisits her past after she hears that a close childhood friend\nhas been found dead. The unfortunate news reunites the protagonist with many\nfigures from her past. Soon, they all receive threats from an unknown stalker\nand the woman decides to try and figure out what might be inspiring the actions\ntaken against the group. It appears that this independent thriller is debuting\non disc, so at present there aren\u2019t any reviews available for this feature. As\na result, those interested in this tale will have to watch it with about as\nmuch information as the main characters in the story. It stars Cynthia\nAddai-Robinson, Robbie Jones, Aundrea Smith, Loretta Devine, Wood Harris and Lauren London.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignright is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/www.cinemastance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/DVD-assassins-doc-1024x556.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-21988\" width=\"292\" height=\"158\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Assassins<\/em> \u2013 This documentary details the death of\nNorth Korean leader Kim Jong Un\u2019s brother. The sibling was murdered in a\ncrowded Malaysian airport, causing a media frenzy and all sorts of speculation\nabout what occurred. Eventually, two young women at the scene were investigated\nand charged with murder. The filmmakers attempt to determine whether they were\nthe killers or pawns in a more elaborate scheme. This film received plenty of\nraves from the press. In fact, every write-up about it has been positive. The\nconsensus is that the story itself is remarkable and the moviemakers uncover\nsome incredible details about the event that will keep viewers captivated\nthroughout. As of right now, the documentary is being released exclusively on DVD.\nA Blu-ray will hopefully follow in the coming months. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/www.cinemastance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/DVD-born-to-be-doc-alt-1024x594.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-21989\" width=\"274\" height=\"158\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Born to Be<\/em> \u2013 Here\u2019s another documentary that has received a lot of praise. It follows the emotional and physical journey of several subjects who decide to undergo the surgical process of transitioning. Viewers follow the New York-based applicants as they begin the procedure. They also witness how recent changes in state laws are helping each person deal with health insurance costs and service needs. As mentioned previously, the feature was very well received. Reviewers described it as a series of short episodes that effectively detail the various challenges involved in transitioning. They called it a heartfelt, humanistic, enlightening and straight-forward look at the people involved and the complications involved, along with a moving reflection on each individual\u2019s journey. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignright is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/www.cinemastance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/DVD-cliimb-ski-life-1024x571.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-21990\" width=\"296\" height=\"164\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>The Climb<\/em> \u2013 A man decides to make a horrible confession\nto his best friend while biking with him in the mountains. Only days before his\npal ties the knot, he admits that he recently had an affair with his pal\u2019s\nbride. Naturally, everything falls apart, including their own relationship.\nSome time later, the two damaged men are reunited and try to mend fences. But\nwhen the broken-hearted groom announces he\u2019s marrying a new woman, the\nprotagonist begins to cause even more friction. The press really enjoyed this\nindependent feature. A small group found these self-destructive men frustrating\nto watch and didn\u2019t appreciate the film\u2019s humor. However, the majority liked\nthe cast and were amused by the twisted bromance on display. The flick is\ncurrently arriving on DVD only, but hopefully a Blu-ray will also appear in the\ncoming months. The cast includes Michael Angelo Covino, Kyle Marvin and Gayle\nRankin. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/www.cinemastance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/DVD-dead-reckoning.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-21991\" width=\"266\" height=\"149\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Dead Reckoning<\/em> \u2013 Looking for a teen-centric thriller\nthat mixes romance with a terrorist plot? This feature involves two youngsters\non the island of Nantucket who fall for each other and end up in a whirlwind\nsummer relationship. However, the lovestruck boy\u2019s brother arrives from Europe\nand learns that his sibling is plotting an attack on US soil. So, the teen\ndecides to do whatever he can to stop the plot and save the island residents.\nAs you might have imagined, reviewers have not been kind towards this picture.\nOne or two called it an entertaining B-movie thriller. However, all others\ndescribe the film as a dull and ineffective drama with neither element working\nwell. It features K.J. Apa, India Eisley, Scott Adkins, James Remar and Sydney\nPark.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignright is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/www.cinemastance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/DVD-dreamland-car.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-21992\" width=\"290\" height=\"163\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Dreamland <\/em>\u2013 Set during the Great Depression, this\nthriller follows a teenage bounty hunter in Texas who focuses his efforts on\nhunting down a female bank robber. He locates the wounded figure and decides to\ntreat her injuries before turning her in. As he gets to know the woman better,\nhe falls in love with her, complicating the situation. The protagonist must\ndecide whether to turn the criminal in or escape off with her. Reaction was\nslightly more positive than negative for this title. A sizable group said that\ndespite the fine cast, the story was not memorable and said that at times the\nfeature didn\u2019t appear to know what it was trying to say. Still, slightly more\ncommented that the photography was impressive and the leads carried the film\nover its rough patches. It stars Margot Robbie, Finn Cole, Travis Fimmel,\nGarett Hedlund and Kerry Condon.&nbsp; <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/www.cinemastance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/DVD-hearts-and-bones.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-21993\" width=\"271\" height=\"153\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Hearts and Bones<\/em> \u2013 A war zone photographer is the focus\nof this Australian drama. While back at home prepping a public retrospective of\nhis work, he is approached by a happily married Sudanese refugee. The visitor asks\nthat the protagonist not include images from a massacre that occurred in his\nhome town 15 years earlier. A friendship forms, but the relationship is\nchallenged when the journalist makes a shocking discovery. Notices were good\nfor the feature. One or two found it too low-key for their liking. However,\nmost stated that this was a well-acted and engaging drama. They noted that\nwhile it wasn\u2019t perfect, the movie took a personal approach to the refugee\ncrisis and helped paint a picture of the challenges some immigrants go through.\nThe cast includes Hugo Weaving, Andrew Luri and Hayley McElhinney.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignright is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/www.cinemastance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/DVD-into-the-void-forest-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-21994\" width=\"263\" height=\"147\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Into the Void<\/em> \u2013 After zombies have taken over the\nworld, a survivor manages to find refuge and safety with a hidden colony. After\nliving there for an extended period of time, he discovers that his ex-lover\n(also living at the site) has taken ill. When superiors forbid him from taking\naction and finding help, he decides to disobey them and ventures out into a\nland filled with the undead and violent strangers. There haven\u2019t been a lot of\nreviews for this picture, but the few that have popped up online have been reasonably\ngood. They claimed that this is an indie film more interested in its characters\nthan the undead menace and wisely focuses on the lead trying to cope with caring\nfor a person in a declining state of heath. The cast includes Ioan Sebastian\nTirlui and Molly Dyson.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/www.cinemastance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/DVD-kid-detective-car.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-21995\" width=\"283\" height=\"161\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>The Kid Detective<\/em> \u2013 This comedic mystery tells the\ntale of a famous kid-detective, well-known for solving low-stakes crimes in his\nyouth. Now an adult in his 30s, his life hasn\u2019t progressed as he had hoped it\nwould. He\u2019s still doing the same thing and drinking himself to sleep every\nnight. However, when a new client hires him to solve the murder of her\nboyfriend, the protagonist tries to rise to the challenge, only to find himself\nin over his head. Overall, critics were amused by this feature. A small\npercentage suggested that the script didn\u2019t do enough with the interesting\nconcept and was a missed opportunity. However, the majority of write-ups stated\nthat the movie was a fun, low-key neo-noir with solid turns from the cast. It\nstars Adam Brody, Sophie N\u00e9lisse, Wendy Crewson, Jonathan Whittaker and Sarah Sutherland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignright is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/www.cinemastance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/DVD-martin-eden-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-21996\" width=\"281\" height=\"157\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Martin Eden<\/em> \u2013 The well-regarded novel by Jack London\nabout social classes gets a new and unique adaptation in this foreign-language\nfeature. It shifts the story from the US to Italy and follows a young working\nman who yearns to be a writer. Despite being from a lower-class background, he\ndecides to educate himself and fight against the ridged system that oppresses\nhim. However, after finding success, his actions begin to comes into conflict\nwith his original ideals. The press was very taken with this period drama.\nThere was a group who didn\u2019t like the changes from the source material and were\nconfused by the ideas being communicated. Still, the vast majority were engrossed\nby the lead actor\u2019s performance and called it a passionate and ambitious film\u2026\nthat may find itself being rewarded with an Oscar nomination for Best\nInternational Feature. The cast includes Luca Marinelli, Jessica Cressy and Marco Leonardi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/www.cinemastance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/DVD-max-cloud-alt.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-21997\" width=\"282\" height=\"167\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Max Cloud<\/em> \u2013 Also known as <em>The Intergalactic\nAdventures of Max Cloud<\/em><strong>, <\/strong>video games serve as the inspiration for\nthis UK production. It\u2019s about a teen who opens a portal into a gaming universe\nand gets locked up in an intergalactic prison. In order to escape, she must\nfight her way out against some dangerous villains. The lead also learns that to\nwin, she must also receive help from a player on the outside. Specifically, a close\nfriend who is not nearly as good at gaming as she is. This independent\nadventure\/comedy flick split reviewers. Almost half wrote that the movie was\ntoo slowly paced and the gags hit and miss, eventually becoming tiresome and\nrepetitive. Slightly more liked the concept and described it as a fun and\nentertaining homage to video games with some very creative moments. Scott\nAdkins, John Hannah, Isabelle Allen, Lashana Lynch and Tommy Flanagan headline the feature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignright is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/www.cinemastance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/DVD-miss-juneteenth-sitting-fixed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-21998\" width=\"285\" height=\"166\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Miss Juneteenth<\/em> \u2013 This tale follows a former beauty\nqueen and single mom with a rebellious teenager. When the daughter decides to\nenter the town\u2019s beauty pageant, her mother attempts to prepare her for the competition.\nConflict arises between the two as the parent shares her feelings, not just on\nthe big night, but all her own regrets and frustrations in life. The press\nresponded positively towards this low-key drama. They really liked the\nperformances, felt that the movie addressed a great many issues and added credibility\nto the story by avoiding any easy or simple solutions for the characters. This\npicture is being released on DVD exclusively, but perhaps a Blu-ray will follow\nin the coming months. It stars Nicole Beharie, Kendrick Sampson, Alexis\nChikaeze and Lori Hayes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/www.cinemastance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/DVD-polterheist-1024x620.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-21999\" width=\"263\" height=\"158\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Polterheist <\/em>\u2013 A pair of frustrated and dimwitted\ngangsters decide to murder their mobster boss. Little do they know that the\nkingpin has stolen a large sum of money and that thugs want the stash back. In\norder to get enemies off their back, the leads are forced to take extreme\nmeasures. They hire a psychic medium and force her to contact their dead boss\nso they can find the missing cash. Of course, things don\u2019t go as planned and\nthe group find themselves in over their heads. This comedy from the UK won some\nawards at independent film festivals. It hasn\u2019t received a great many write-ups\nin this part of the world, but the ones that have appeared online are positive.\nReviewers called the movie a lot of fun and thought that it could soon develop\na cult following. The cast includes Jo Mousley, Sid Akbar Ali, Jamie\nCymbal and Pushpinder Chani.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignright is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/www.cinemastance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/DVD-rolling-thunder-review-bob-dylan-fixed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-22000\" width=\"276\" height=\"155\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Rolling Thunder Review: A Bob Dylan Story by Martin\nScorsese<\/em> \u2013 Back in 1975, Bob Dylan began what became one of his most iconic\ntours. The artist set out to play more intimate venues in smaller towns. He\ndevised an elaborate stage show with his opening acts that created a carnival\natmosphere at every stop. Using rare archival footage, interviews and other\nediting tricks, filmmaker Martin Scorcese (<em>Raging Bull<\/em>, <em>Goodfellas<\/em>,\n<em>The Aviator<\/em>, <em>The Irishman<\/em>) tells the story behind this famous\nseries of shows. The documentary hit theaters back in 2019 and is now debuting\non Blu-ray courtesy of Criterion (it also comes loaded with extras for those\nwho enjoy bonus features). Notices for the picture were excellent, calling the\nmovie brilliantly edited and stating that it effortlessly showcases the onstage\ncharisma of Dylan and just how amazing the tour was. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/www.cinemastance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/DVD-spacewalker-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-22001\" width=\"264\" height=\"148\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Spacewalker <\/em>\u2013 Also known as <em>Spacewalk<\/em>, this\nRussian feature is set in the 1960s. Based on a true story and produced by\ndirector Timur Bekmambetov (<em>Wanted<\/em>, <em>Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter<\/em>),\nit details an early event in the Space Race involving the competition between\nthe US and USSR to mark the first successful space-walk. Two cosmonauts and\ntheir pilot are sent out in a tiny spacecraft to fly into orbit and accomplish\nthe mission, but must contend with life-threatening challenges along the way.\nThe movie won several awards in its homeland during its release in 2017, but\nhasn\u2019t been seen by many in North America. A few notices have appeared recently\nand they were both recommendations. They said that the movie was very tense and\nexciting, also complimenting the excellent cinematography and special effects.\nIt features Evgeniy Mironov, Konstantin Khabenskiy and Vladimir Ilin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignright is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/www.cinemastance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/DVD-spiral-01-fixed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-22002\" width=\"293\" height=\"163\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Spiral<\/em> \u2013 A same-sex couple move to a small town,\nwhich they hope will be a better environment for their teenage daughter. While\nthe locals initially seem pleasant and helpful, it soon becomes clear that\nsomething sinister is going on and that the lives of the new arrivals are in imminent\ndanger. This picture was produced by the online streaming service Shudder and\nis now making its debut on disc. Reviewers gave the movie generally strong\nmarks. About one quarter of them thought that the story fell apart by the close\nand that the project simply wasn\u2019t as memorable as it could have been. However,\neveryone else thought it was creepy and that it cleverly used the horror movie formula\nas a metaphor to address deeper themes. The cast includes Jeffrey\nBowyer-Chapman, Ari Cohen, Jennifer Laporte, Ty Wood and Lochlyn Munro.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/www.cinemastance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/DVD-state-of-texas-vs-melissa-1024x601.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-22003\" width=\"296\" height=\"174\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>The State of Texas vs. Melissa<\/em> \u2013 This documentary\ntells the story of Melissa Lucio, who was the first Hispanic woman in Texas to\nbe sentenced to death. After 10 years in prison on death row, filmmakers tell\nher story and chronicle her final appeal. In the process, the movie exposes the\nflawed process and its impact on inmates. The movie received solid write-ups.\nThere was a small contingent who commented that the feature wouldn\u2019t end up\nchanging anyone\u2019s feelings about the subject. However, the majority said that\nwhile the movie sometimes struggled with whether it should focus on the woman\nor the justice system itself, the message was important and that it clearly details\na great deal of wrongful acts on the part of those running the system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignright is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/www.cinemastance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/DVD-toys-of-terror-1024x539.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-22004\" width=\"298\" height=\"156\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Toys of Terror<\/em> \u2013 Just before the holiday season, a\nfamily moves into a spooky old mansion with a dark past. While the parents\nfocus their attention on renovating the home, the children explore the property\nand find an old chest in the attic. Inside, they discover that the trunk is full\nof magical toys that come to life. The kids are initially thrilled, but that\nchanges when it becomes clear that the playthings are violent and plan on\nkilling the entire household. At present, this title appears to be arriving exclusively\non DVD. Critics who have seen the flick haven\u2019t had a favorable reaction to it.\nThey write that while the concept is intriguing, the movie\u2019s tone is completely\nwrong and the end result comes off as neither darkly humorous or frightening.\nIt stars Kyana Teresa, Georgia Waters, Verity\nMarks, Dayo Ade and Saul Elias.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/www.cinemastance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/DVD-wander-stars-1024x598.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-22005\" width=\"300\" height=\"174\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Wander<\/em> \u2013 This thriller involves a private detective\nwith a troubled past that involves the tragic death of his daughter. When he\u2019s\nhired to investigate an odd case in a quiet town involving a deceased individual,\nhe soon believes that he\u2019s uncovered a conspiracy\u2026 that not only involves the\ncase he is working on, but also the passing of his own child. He attempts to\nfigure out if his assumptions are correct or if he\u2019s simply losing his mind.\nThe press was mixed-negative about this feature. Some admired the work of the\nlead actor and called the movie entertainingly bizarre. However, a larger\npercentage felt that the odd events were simply too far out there to engage them\nin the film. Currently, this title is only being made available on DVD. The\ncast includes Aaron Eckhart, Tommy Lee Jones, Katheryn Winnick and Heather\nGraham.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Blasts from the Past!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignright is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/www.cinemastance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/DVD-joint-security-area-poster.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-22006\" width=\"213\" height=\"270\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There\u2019s plenty of interesting older titles arriving on\nBlu-ray this week. Arrow Video are releasing the award-winning <em>JSA: Joint\nSecurity Area<\/em> (2000), an international feature from Chan-wook Park (<em>Oldboy<\/em>,\n<em>Thirst<\/em>, <em>The Handmaiden<\/em>) about gunfire breaking out between troops\nat the neutral zone between North and South Korea. A team of investigators have\nto come in and sort out what really happened before war breaks out. The Blu-ray\nincludes a critic commentary, an interview with an Asian cinema authority about\nthe movie, two archival featurettes about the making-of the film, archival\nintroductions to the feature from cast members, footage from the opening\nceremony, music videos and more. Stay tuned, as a review of the disc will\nappear on this site shortly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Shout! Factory are going back into their vaults to rerelease\nsome of their most popular titles in 4K Blu-ray. This week, they\u2019re giving John\nCarpenter\u2019s <em>Prince of Darkness<\/em> (1987) and <em>They Live<\/em> (1988) an\nupdated image using the highest possible resolution. The first movie is about\ngrad students investigating a cannister hidden in the basement of a church that\nmay contain Satan himself. And the second flick involves a working man who\ndiscovers that the upper classes are actually aliens who are running the world.\nThey\u2019re both great genre pictures and a whole lot of fun. These discs contain\nall of the extras from previously editions and old technical specs as well as a\n4K version of the movie with a new Dolby Atmos Audio option.&nbsp; <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/www.cinemastance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/DVD-prince-of-darkness.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-22008\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mill Creek have a couple of flicks arriving on Blu-ray at discounted prices. <em>Accepted<\/em> (2006) stars Justin Long and Jonah Hill as slacker high school students who can\u2019t get into university and decide to start their own school instead. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/www.cinemastance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/DVD-blue-monkey-poster-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-22012\" width=\"186\" height=\"254\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Your Highness<\/em> (2011) is another wacky comedy set in a fantasy world with knights and wizards. It boasts a great cast including Danny McBride, James Franco, Natalie Portman, Toby Jones, Justin Theroux and Zooey Deschanel. The Mill Creek Blu-ray contains the Unrated version of the film. I must admit, this one was something of a guilty pleasure of mine when it came out and may be a fun one to revisit, especially given the reasonable prices that this distributor&#8217;s titles sell for. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Dark Force Entertainment are presenting the low-budget Canadian horror\/comedy <em>Blue Monkey<\/em> (1987) in high definition. Made in the style of 1950s monster movies, it follows a gardener who accidentally comes into contact with a strange bug larva. He arrives at a nearby hospital, where the larva grows into a giant killer insect that ends up attacking the staff and patients. No word on whether or not the Blu-ray contains bonus features, but it does feature a remarkable cast that includes Steve Railsback, Joe Flaherty, Sarah Polley, John Vernon, Don Lake and Robin Duke. The actors alone make one want to give it a shot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignright is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/www.cinemastance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/DVD-batwoman-fixed-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-22015\" width=\"298\" height=\"200\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">VCI have a Double Feature Blu-ray containing two Mexican genre\nflicks featuring masked wrestlers. <em>The Batwoman<\/em> (1968) appears to be an\nillegitimate knock-off of the DC comic book character. It\u2019s a superhero tale in\nwhich the female lead character fights crime, including a mad scientist and his\narmy of human-fish hybrid monsters. <em>The Panther Women <\/em>(1967) follows\nheroes doing battle with a group of ladies who are part of a Satanic cult. Apparently,\nthe movies have been restored in 4K from the original negative for their\nBlu-ray debut and it comes with an English-language audio track (no word on\nwhether the original Spanish track is included).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Disaster movies fans will be pleased to hear that Sony\nPictures is releasing a 4K edition of <em>2012<\/em> (2009). From director Roland\nEmmerich (<em>Stargate<\/em>, <em>Independence Day<\/em>, <em>Godzilla<\/em>, <em>The Day\nAfter Tomorrow<\/em>), the visual effects extravaganza follows an all-star cast of\ncharacters trying to survive a series of global catastrophes. And for those\ncurious about what Emmerich is up to these days, he\u2019s currently shooting\nanother disaster picture called <em>Moonfall<\/em> that should hit theaters by\n2022.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/www.cinemastance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/DVD-slap-shot-fixed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-22018\" width=\"278\" height=\"157\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Universal Pictures are releasing a group of older Blu-ray releases that have gone out-of-print or needed a repressing. A wide variety of titles in various genres are being made available again at discounted prices. The titles being offered this week include <em>Battleship<\/em> (2012), <em>Casper<\/em> (1995), <em>Dracula Untold<\/em> (2014), <em>Glass<\/em> (2019), <em>Homefront<\/em> (2013), <em>Mile 22<\/em> (2018), <em>Mortal Engines<\/em> (2018), <em>Skyscraper <\/em>(2018), <em>Slap Shot<\/em> (1977) and <em>Triple 9<\/em> (2016). For those interested, <em>Slapshot<\/em> may be the highlight of the bunch. It\u2019s arguably the best hockey flick ever made (<em>Goon<\/em> is pretty solid as well) and one of the best sports comedies that you\u2019re ever likely to see. The feature stars Paul Newman and Michael Ontkean. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And finally, distributor The Film Detective is presenting a\n4K restoration of the horror movie, <em>Giant from the Unknown<\/em> (1958). It\u2019s\na silly little B-film about a psychotic Spanish conquistador who is frozen in\nice, reawakens in modern day California and goes on a violent rampage. The\nBlu-ray includers two commentaries. One is with a film historian and the other\nfeatures one of the co-stars talking about his experiences on set. It also\ncomes with some bonus interviews and trailers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>You Know, For Kids!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here are some new releases for the kids.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Charlie&#8217;s Colorforms City: Meet Charlie!<\/em> (Netflix) <br><em>Floogals<\/em>: Season 1 <br><em>PAW Patrol: Rubble on the Double<\/em> (Nickelodeon)   <br><em>Scooby-Doo and Guess Who?<\/em>: Season 1 <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>On the Tube!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And here are the week\u2019s TV-themed releases. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Bartender<\/em>: Season 1 (2006 Japanese Anime)  <br><em>Driving While Black: Race, Space and Mobility in America<\/em> (PBS)  <br><em>Floogals<\/em>: Season 1  <br><em>NOVA: Can We Cool the Planet?<\/em> (PBS)  <br><em>Scooby-Doo and Guess Who?<\/em>: Season 1 <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-youtube wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=XAXBb4fVh8A\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-youtube wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Prince Of Darkness (1987) - Official Trailer\" width=\"1290\" height=\"968\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/PkBSEWy8WfY?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-youtube wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Blue Monkey (1987) - Trailer HD 1080p\" width=\"1290\" height=\"726\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Xt3sH80lj2U?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-youtube wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Slap Shot Official Trailer #1 - Paul Newman Movie (1977) HD\" width=\"1290\" height=\"968\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/MUuEWI6F3dQ?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Welcome back to another look at highlights coming your way on Blu-ray and DVD. Despite it being the middle of January, it\u2019s a remarkably busy edition with plenty of notable flicks coming your way. So, since you can\u2019t or likely shouldn\u2019t head out to the movies this week, be sure to give one of these [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":22019,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[162,206,687,1160,1836,1900,3067,3117,3193,3336,5216,5406,6268,6382,8298,8987,9888,10342,10343,11095,13307,13472,13966,14055,14705,14710,14741,16243,16373,17299,18335,18507,18704,18785,18868,19995,20283,20683,21186,21825,22293,22730,23170,23571,23691,23953,24676],"class_list":["post-21986","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-dvdblu-ray-reviews","tag-162","tag-206","tag-accepted","tag-always-and-forever","tag-arrow-video","tag-assassins","tag-blu-ray","tag-blu-ray-dvd-roundup-for-january-19th-2021","tag-blue-monkey","tag-born-to-be","tag-dark-force-entertainment","tag-dead-reckoning","tag-dreamland","tag-dvd","tag-giant-from-the-unknown","tag-hearts-and-bones","tag-into-the-void","tag-january-19","tag-january-19th","tag-jsa-joint-security-area","tag-martin-eden","tag-max-cloud","tag-mill-creek","tag-miss-juneteenth","tag-new-blu-rays","tag-new-dvds","tag-new-releases","tag-polterheist","tag-prince-of-darkness","tag-rolling-thunder-review-a-bob-dylan-story-by-martin-scorsese","tag-shout-factory-4k","tag-slap-shot","tag-sony","tag-spacewalker","tag-spiral","tag-the-batwoman","tag-the-climb","tag-the-film-detective","tag-the-kid-detective","tag-the-panther-women","tag-the-state-of-texas-vs-melissa","tag-they-live","tag-toys-of-terror","tag-universal-pictures","tag-vci","tag-wander","tag-your-highness"],"blocksy_meta":{"styles_descriptor":{"styles":{"desktop":"","tablet":"","mobile":""},"google_fonts":[],"version":8}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cinemastance.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21986","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cinemastance.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cinemastance.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cinemastance.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cinemastance.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=21986"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/cinemastance.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21986\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cinemastance.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=21986"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cinemastance.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=21986"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cinemastance.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=21986"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}