{"id":22478,"date":"2021-04-05T21:03:34","date_gmt":"2021-04-06T04:03:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.cinemastance.com\/?p=22478"},"modified":"2021-04-05T21:03:34","modified_gmt":"2021-04-06T04:03:34","slug":"blu-ray-dvd-roundup-for-april-6th-2021","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cinemastance.com\/?p=22478","title":{"rendered":"Blu-ray\/DVD Roundup for April 6th, 2021"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Welcome back to another look at the latest Blu-ray and DVD\nhighlights coming your way. While this edition isn\u2019t an exceptionally busy one,\nthere are still plenty of notable releases that should pique the interest of\nfilm fans. So, since you can\u2019t or likely shouldn\u2019t be heading out to the movies\njust yet, 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

Acasa, My Home<\/em> \u2013 In this documentary, viewers are introduced\nto a large and eccentric Romanian family. They have been living in the natural\npreserve for over 20 years and for the most part have been cut off from modern\nsociety. The adults and their nine children are eventually chased off the park\nby authorities. Together, the extended family are forced to start anew and\nadapt to life in the big city of Bucharest. This feature earned uniformly\nexcellent notices. Reviewers stated that they were impressed by the access that\nthe filmmakers had to the subjects. They also said that their personal lives\nand story was complicated and fascinating. Additionally, write-ups said the\nmovie was beautifully shot and that it would make one think about their own\nchoices in life.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Barb & Star Go to Vista Del Mar<\/em> <\/a>\u2013 A quirky pair of ladies from a small Midwestern town decide to leave their home for the first time ever and head out on a lavish vacation. Shortly after arriving at their resort, they meet a charming but mysterious visitor and get themselves embroiled in an evil mastermind\u2019s plot to wipe out the city. In general, the press was positive about this wacky comedy. A portion of them complained that the movie was self-indulgent and felt like a series of scattershot sketches stretched out to feature length. However, the majority ended up appreciating the silly humor as an escape from the current state of affairs and thought the two leads\/writers were amusing enough to earn the flick a recommendation. The movie stars Kristen Wiig, Annie Mumolo, Jamie Dornan, Damon Wayans Jr. and Fortune Feimster. To read this site\u2019s review of the movie, click here<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Earwig and the Witch<\/em> <\/a>\u2013 An orphan is adopted by a witch in this Japanese animated feature from Studio Ghibli (My Neighbor Totoro<\/em>, Princess Mononoke<\/em>, Spirited Away<\/em>). The girl learns that her mother was a sorceress too and she is quickly introduced to the world of magic and potions. As the youngster tries to find her place in this new environment, she discovers music and a special song that could bring her true happiness. While Studio Ghibli is noted for its hand-animated fare, this title was created entirely on computers and critics were disappointed by the results. A few called the new approach interesting and thought there was enough charm on display to entertain younger viewers. However, many didn\u2019t like the new look, stating that the story was weak, the characters weren\u2019t well developed and stating that the movie felt more like a Ghibli knock-off than the genuine article. The English-language voice-cast includes Richard E. Grant, Kacey Musgraves, Dan Stevens, Taylor Paige Henderson and Vanessa Marshall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

The Reckoning<\/em> \u2013 This period chiller from\nwriter\/director Neil Marshall (Dog Soldiers<\/em>, The Descent<\/em>, Centurion<\/em>)\nis set during the Great Plague and follows a woman who is unjustly accused of\nbeing a witch and spreading the virus. She is physically and emotionally\ntortured by her captors, which draws the attention of Satan himself, who starts\nto work his way into her mind. While most of the filmmaker\u2019s earlier\nindependent works earned raves from reviewers, most weren\u2019t onboard with this\ntitle. A small contingent complimented the performances and cinematography,\ndescribing the feature as an effective and disturbing genre flick. Still, most\nsaid that while well-intentioned, the abuses depicted were overdone and too graphic\nto endure, making the entire experience a chore to sit through. It features\nCharlotte Kirk, Sean Pertwee, Steven Waddington, Joe Anderson and Ian Whyte. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Shadow in the Cloud<\/em> \u2013 A female WWII pilot is given a\nsecret package and is placed on a B-17 bomber. The crew are surprised by the\nwoman\u2019s arrival and the mystery surrounding her assignment. After taking off\nthe plane is beset with a series of strange and supernatural occurrences that\nleave the entire group paranoid and fearful. The protagonist does her best to\nsave the crew and understand the purpose of her mission. This independent\neffort juggles horror, war and action and the critical consensus was positive.\nA few reviewers couldn\u2019t buy into the concept and found the twists\npreposterous. Still, most complimented what they saw as an enjoyable,\nfast-paced B-movie that didn\u2019t waste any time in delivering impressive,\npopcorn-munching set-pieces. The movie stars Chlo\u00eb Grace Moretz, Nick Robinson, Beulah Koale and Taylor John Smith.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Skyfire<\/em> \u2013 This disaster flick involves a geologist\nwho lost his wife in a tragic volcano eruption. After 20 years, a greedy\ndeveloper turns the site into a popular theme park. After learning that his\ndaughter has invented a new eruption forecasting system and is testing it at\nthe locale, he returns to try and convince her to leave. Of course, the volcano\nimmediately erupts again, causing chaos and destruction. Curiously enough, this\nChinese production was helmed by Hollywood action film director Simon West (Con\nAir<\/em>, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider<\/em>, The Expendables 2<\/em>). The movie\nearned mixed notices, although positive write-ups slightly outnumbered the\nnegative ones. Almost half said that the characters and events were so dopey\nthat they couldn\u2019t recommend it. Still, a great many stated that the action on\ndisplay was thrilling and that the movie was cheesy fun that reminded them of\nflicks like Dante\u2019s Peak<\/em> and Earthquake<\/em>. It features Alice\nRietveld, Xueqi Wang, Hannah Quinlivan, Shawn Dou and Jason Isaacs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Son of the South<\/em> \u2013 Based on a true story and set\nduring the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s, this tale involves the grandson\nof a Klansman who is forced to acknowledge the racism of his culture. He\ndecides to defy those around him and help promote change, fighting against the\nrampant social injustice around him. This project boasts Spike Lee (Do the\nRight Thing<\/em>, BlackKkKlansman<\/em>) as an executive producer, but\nreviewers were split on the final product. Almost half thought the film was too\nformal and heavy-handed in its execution, saying that it wouldn\u2019t make a\nlasting impression on viewers. Still, just as many thought the period piece was\nrelevant and important, had strong performances and was put together in an efficient\nand compelling manner. The cast includes Lucas Till, Julia Ormond, Lucy Hale, Sienna\nGuillory, Shamier Anderson, Brian Dennehy and Cedric the Entertainer.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

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

If you\u2019re looking for older titles, there is plenty to choose from as well. Arrow Video are releasing a Special Edition Blu-ray of Death Has Blue Eyes<\/em> (1976). This B-movie is a European paranormal action thriller about a pair of gigolos working in Greece. The two meet their match after encountering a wealthy woman and her glamorous daughter, who both may have extra-sensory powers. This movie is being presented for the first time ever in HD with a new restoration from the original camera negative. The disc includes widescreen and full screen versions of the movie, an interview with writer\/producer\/director Niko Mastorakis (Island of Death<\/em>, Bloodtide<\/em>, Nightmare at Noon<\/em>) and another with the performer who played the daughter in the movie. You\u2019ll also receive tracks from the original soundtrack, trailers and a stills gallery. Read all about it here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Back in December, Arrow also released a stellar Special Limited\nEdition of the fantastic horror\/comedy, Tremors<\/em> (1990). It sold rapidly,\nso they\u2019re separately re-releasing the 4K and regular Blu-ray versions of the\nfilm for anyone who hasn\u2019t had the opportunity to pick the movie up yet. The\nfilm is well worth your time if you haven\u2019t seen it and the remastering job on\nthe set is incredible. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Kino also have plenty of features to choose from. The first\noption is the Blu-ray box set, Carole Lombard Collection II<\/em>. It includes\nthe films Hands Across the Table<\/em> (1935), Love Before Breakfast<\/em> (1936)\nand The Princess Comes Across<\/em> (1936). The last feature in the package\nhas been given a new 2K master and each film comes with a commentary track\ndetailing information about the production.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They also are releasing a Blu-ray of the silent comedy, The Delicious Little Devil<\/em> (1919) starring Mae Murray and featuring Rudolph Valentino. This disc includes a film historian commentary and a few other clips and newsreels about the movie and the cast. The Lash of the Penitentes<\/em> <\/a>(1936) is an old exploitation movie combining a hastily throw-together narrative with documentary footage of a religious cult. The Blu-ray includes the uncensored and cut versions of the movie, an audio commentary, as well as a trailer gallery. And Kino is putting out a Blu-ray of the German comedy, The Man in Search of His Murderer<\/em> (1931) aka Looking for His Murderer<\/em>. It follows a depressed man who hires an assassin to kill him in the future, only to change his mind soon after making the deal. It also comes with a film historian commentary. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

And you can pick up the Blu-ray box set, Western Classics\nII<\/em>. It contains the films The Redhead from Wyoming<\/em> (1953), Pillars\nof the Sky<\/em> (1956) and Gun for a Coward<\/em> (1957). Movie expert\ncommentaries and tailers are included as bonuses on each disc. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Code Red are presenting a Special Edition Blu-ray of the Italian action flick, Blastfighter<\/em> (1984). It\u2019s about a cop who is released from prison after murdering his wife\u2019s killer. He moves to rural Georgia, but soon squares off against some poachers and a scientist conducting experiments on the animal population. Those who pick it up will receive a commentary track with the star of the movie, new interviews with the cast and crew and a trailer. And for those interested, writer\/director Quentin Tarantino (Reservoir Dogs<\/em>, Pulp Fiction<\/em>, The Hateful Eight<\/em>, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood<\/em>) is apparently a big fan of this little movie. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Scorpion is also offering a couple of new Blu-rays that you can only pick up through the Ronin Flix website. This week, they\u2019ve got the James Caan action flick, The Killer Elite<\/em> (1975). It\u2019s about a CIA agent who is set up by his pal and left for dead. He slowly begins his recovery and sets out for revenge. It also stars Robert Duvall. You\u2019ll get a new 2020 restoration of the feature, a film historian commentary, cast and crew interviews and publicity materials. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Caan also stars in the futuristic (in its day) sports flick,\nRollerball<\/em> (1975). The actor plays an athlete taking part and trying to\nsurvive a popular competitive contest that is a deadly amalgamation of games\nlike football, motocross and roller derby. Scorpion are presenting a new 4K\nscan of the flick and it comes with a commentary from director Norman Jewison (In\nthe Heat of the Night<\/em>, Moonstruck<\/em>, The Hurricane<\/em>), a second\ntrack with the screenwriter, a featurette on the production, an interview with\na stuntman, as well as a trailer and TV spots. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, they are releasing a regular edition Blu-ray\nof the underrated Italian giallo thriller Sleepless<\/em> (2001), from Italian\nhorror veteran Dario Argento (Deep Red<\/em>, Suspiria<\/em>). Like others of\nits ilk, the story involves a retired cop and the grown-up son of a murder\nvictim trying to solve the slaying and identify a serial killer. It comes with\nall the same extras (including a film historian commentary, interviews with\nArgento and the co-writer, set designer and some of the cast). Unlike the\nprevious two Scorpion titles listed, you will be able to pick this release up\nthrough Amazon and other online retailers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Grasshopper are distributing a Blu-ray of the Portuguese\nperiod drama, Francisca <\/em>(1981). Those in the mood for more arthouse fare\ncan also purchase A Woman Like Eve<\/em> (1979) from Cult Epics. This title\nfrom the Netherlands follows a woman who cheats on her husband with another\nwoman. The movie is debuting on Blu-ray in North America with a HD transfer and\nrestoration as well as with an interview the director and publicity materials\nfrom the film\u2019s release. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hansel & Gretel<\/em> (2007) is an extremely\nwell-regarded, South Korean update of the fairy tale which features sinister\nchildren residing in the fabled gingerbread house who are looking for a new\nguardian. Critics called in one of the best chillers of its era during its\noriginal release. Media Blasters are presenting this film on Blu-ray. There\u2019s\ncurrently no word yet on whether this edition will include any bonus features. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

And Universal are also adding a few Blu-rays into the mix.\nThey are putting out the stoner comedy, How High<\/em> (2001) with Method Man\nand Redman. The Last Days<\/em> (1998) is a critically-acclaimed documentary\nabout Hungarian Jews who survived Auschwitz that was produced by Steven\nSpielberg. The studio will be making this title available on Blu-ray as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They are also releasing a Blu-ray of the comedy, Little\nMiss Marker<\/em> (1980), with Walter Matthau and Julie Andrews. Matthau plays a gruff\nbookie who receives a 5-year-old child as collateral on a bet and begins taking\ncare of the youngster. I have no memory of this movie at all, but it seems have\na following and be reasonably well-rated online. Finally, you can also pick up\nthe war\/romance film Tap Roots<\/em> (1948) on Blu-ray, starring Van Heflin,\nSusan Hayward and Boris Karloff. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

There isn\u2019t a whole lot right now for kids, but youngsters\n(and those who were children in the 1980s) may get a kick out of the animated\nseries listed below from Warner Archive. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thundarr the Barbarian<\/em>: The Complete Series (1980 \u2013\n1981) Warner Archive<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

And here are all of the TV-themed releases coming your way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finding Joy<\/em>: Series 2
Love on Harbor Island<\/em> \/ Love Under the Olive Tree<\/em> (Hallmark 2-movie Collection DVD)
NOVA: Beyond the Elements<\/em> (PBS)
Thundarr the Barbarian<\/em>: The Complete Series (1980 \u2013 1981) Warner Archive <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n