{"id":23652,"date":"2021-10-13T20:02:12","date_gmt":"2021-10-14T03:02:12","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.cinemastance.com\/?p=23652"},"modified":"2021-10-13T20:02:12","modified_gmt":"2021-10-14T03:02:12","slug":"blu-ray-dvd-roundup-for-october-12th-2021","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cinemastance.com\/?p=23652","title":{"rendered":"Blu-ray\/DVD Roundup for October 12th, 2021"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Welcome back to another look at highlights arriving on\nBlu-ray and DVD. This is a quieter week than usual, but it does contain a\ncouple of big and notable titles that many will be excited to check out. So, if\nyou can\u2019t or shouldn\u2019t be heading out to the movies just yet, be sure to give\none 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

CASANOVA, LAST LOVE<\/em> \u2013 The historical figure Casanova\nis famous for his many romantic affairs. This French drama offers an updated\ntake on the man and his exploits. It begins with the aging but famous figure\nmeeting an upper-class prostitute. He finds himself unexpectedly drawn to her,\neventually falling helplessly in love. However, she knows his past and keeps\nCasanova at a distance, trying to exert her own power and control over the man.\nThe press was not particularly overwhelmed by this reimagining of the\nwell-known man. A fair number did call the period movie a well-produced and\nintriguing new take on a familiar character. However, the majority claimed that\nthere was no heat or passion on display and that the final product fell flat on\na dramatic level. It features Vincent Lindon, Stacy Martin, Valeria Golino and\nJulia Roy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

FREE GUY<\/em> \u2013 A man living a humdrum, ordinary and repetitive life finally decides to break his routine and approach a woman on the street whom he has a crush on. His newfound behavior surprises everyone and soon the man discovers shocking secrets about the world around him. Mainly, that he is a digital creation living in an online game who has developed the ability to think and reason for himself. He meets new people who are actually avatars of people in the real world and attempts to help them stop a tech guru from deleting the game. Critics were generally amused by this comedy. Some of them did criticize the feature as being unfocused and leaving its lead character on the sidelines for far too long. However, most called it amusing fun and thought that the work of the cast elevated the story\u2019s familiar elements. It stars Ryan Reynolds, Jodie Comer, Joe Keery, Taika Waititi, Lil Rel Howery and Utkarsh Ambudkar. You can also read a full review of the film right here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

THE GREEN KNIGHT<\/em> \u2013 This updated take on the Knights of the Round Table<\/em> legend follows the adventures of Sir Gawain, nephew of King Arthur. After a mysterious and powerful knight appears in Camelot and challenges the proud youngster, Gawain decides to find the figure deep in the forest and prove his worth. Along the way, he meets various unusual people. Through a series of chapters, the lead slowly learns about the moral code and what it takes to be a leader. Response towards the film was generally upbeat. A small number of critics did find this take on the myth too arty and episodic. They stated that the characters were hard to connect with and the various elements did not come together to their satisfaction. Still, the majority called it a beautifully shot, challenging and eccentric existential tale that had them hooked from beginning to end. It features Dev Patel, Alicia Vikander, Joel Edgerton, Sarita Choudhury, Ralph Ineson and Barry Keoghan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

THE LONELIEST WHALE: THE SEARCH FOR 52<\/em> \u2013 Apparently,\nfor years those fascinated with the sea have been seeking out an unusual mammal\nknown as the 52 Hertz Whale. This animal has been repeatedly picked up on\nsonar, calling out on a frequency that no other whale can hear or respond to. A\nteam of researchers set out to learn everything they can about the solitary\ncreature and try to figure out if it can be located in the deep recesses of the\nocean. This documentary received far more positive reviews than it did negative\nones. Those who didn\u2019t care for the feature commented the moviemakers became\ntoo involved in the proceedings and the story ended up being more about their\njourney than it was about the story of the whale. Still, more said that while\nthe previous criticism was a minor issue, the movie was beautifully shot, intriguing\nand left them thinking about the importance of undersea mammals and the art of communication.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

SURVIVE THE GAME<\/em> \u2013 This week\u2019s direct-to-disc action\npicture tells the tale of a cop who is injured during a drug bust. The wounded\nfigure\u2019s angry partner decides to get revenge on the gang responsible, tracking\nthem to an isolated farm in the country. He then drags his maimed friend with\nhim for retribution. However, it soon becomes clear that the crooks are sharper\nthan anticipated. The two officers soon find themselves being hunted down on\nthe property and fighting for survival. As of right now, very few have seen\nthis feature and so there is no consensus as to its quality. A couple of online\nreviews have called it a character-centered and respectable low-budget action\npicture, so perhaps it will be better than anticipated. It stars Chad Michael\nMurray, Bruce Willis, Swen Temmel, Michael Sirow and Kate Katzman.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

BLASTS FROM THE PAST!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

As always, there are plenty of nifty and notable older\ntitles receiving high-definition upgrades on Blu-ray. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

While director Wes Craven is known to horror fans for titles\nlike A Nightmare on Elm Street<\/em>, The Hills Have Eyes<\/em> and the Scream<\/em>\nseries, not all of his movies over the years have been as fondly received. Back\nin the day, he made a film called Deadly Friend<\/em> (1986). This one was\nabout a teenage robotics genius who uses a computer chip to bring a neighbor\n(and girl whom he has a crush on) back from the dead. She goes on the warpath,\nmoving around like a robot and seeking revenge on her abusive father and other\nnasty people on the street. The film didn\u2019t sit well with critics or audiences\nat the time, but its frequent airings on TV slowly developed a cult following. This\ntitle is now debuting on Blu-ray with a 2K scan from Shout! Factory. The\n\u201cCollector\u2019s Edition\u201d includes an interview with star Kirsty Swanson, a\ndiscussion with the screenwriter, a talk with the make-up effects team, an\ninterview with the film\u2019s composer, a trailer and several TV spots. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They also have a Blu-ray of Sin City: A Dame to Kill For<\/em>\n(2014), a comic-book adaptation and sequel to the stylish 2005 hit, Sin City<\/em>.\nThis follow-up presents another series of tales set in an exaggerated, crime-filled\nunderworld. The film wasn\u2019t nearly as well received as the original, but it\ndoes feature a great cast that includes Mickey Rourke, Jessica Alba, Josh\nBrolin, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Rosario Dawson, Bruce Willis, Eva Green, Powers\nBoothe, Dennis Haysbert, Ray Liotta and Jeremy Piven. It doesn\u2019t appear that\nthis particular disc will contain any bonus features.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kino have the Rock Hudson\/Kirk Douglas western, The Last\nSunset<\/em> (1961). This disc comes with a 2K restoration of the film, a movie critic\ncommentary audio track and a trailer. They also have another western in the\nform of Vera Cruz<\/em> (1954). Gary Cooper and Burt Lancaster star in this\nfeature about mercenary gunslingers. The disc boasts a 2K restoration of the\nfilm, a film expert commentary, a trailer (which includes a bonus \u201cTrailers from\nHell\u201d commentary from John Landis and some fancy cardboard sleeve packaging.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

The distributor and this writer are perhaps most excited for\ntheir 4K Ultra HD\/Blu-ray of the Stephen King horror adaptation, Misery<\/em>\n(1990). This famous, Oscar-winning horror feature follows a romance novelist\nwho gets into a car accident and ends up being found by a psychotic fan. The\ninjured lead ends up as her prisoner, forced to write for her while immobile in\nbed. In addition to the updated picture quality, this disc will also include\nall of the previously released extras for the film from earlier Blu-ray editions.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Criterion are presenting High Sierra<\/em> (1941) on\nBlu-ray. It\u2019s about a bank robber who is released from prison. Instead of\nquitting his line of business, he sets out to mastermind one last heist at a\nCalifornia resort. Unfortunately, his compatriots on this job aren\u2019t nearly as\nskilled as he is, leading to danger and conflict. This crime picture starring\nHumphrey Bogart was well-received and won a couple of awards during its\noriginal release from the National Board of Review. The disc features a 4K\nrestoration of the film, Colorado Territory<\/em> (a western remake of the\nmovie from the same director), a conversation between critics on the feature, a\ndocumentary about the director, a 2003 featurette on the production, a 1997\ndocumentary on Bogart, an interview with a film expert on the picture, a 1976\ninterview with the author of the novel the movie is based on, a radio adaptation,\ntrailers and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Code Red have a Blu-ray of The Hound of the Baskervilles<\/em>\n(1978), a comedic and satirical take on the Sherlock Holmes story starring\nDudley Moore and Peter Cook. The disc comes with a theatrical trailer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sony is releasing an elaborate 4K Ultra HD\/Blu-ray box set\ncalled Columbia Classics Collection Volume 2<\/em>. It contains six excellent,\naward-winning films including <\/strong>Anatomy of a Murder<\/em> (1959), Oliver!<\/em>\n(1968), Taxi Driver<\/em> (1976), Stripes<\/em> (1981), Sense and\nSensibility<\/em> (1995) and The Social Network<\/em> (2010). Besides the\nupgraded picture quality, the set also contains all previously released special\nfeatures and at least one new bonus for each title (sometimes a new film\nhistorian commentary, interviews or deleted scenes depending on the feature). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Universal is also excited to presented some titles with upgraded image quality. This week, they have a 4K Ultra HD\/Blu-ray\/Digital Copy of the exceptional crime film, Carlito\u2019s Way<\/em> (1993). It stars Al Pacino as a reformed mobster trying to go straight, but finding unreliable old contacts pushing him back into danger. It\u2019s a visually striking film from Brian De Palma (Scarface<\/em>, The Untouchables<\/em>, Mission: Impossible<\/em>) that will definitely benefit from the tune up. Additionally, the studio is putting out Quentin Tarantino\u2019s WWII opus Inglourious Basterds<\/em> (2009) as an 4K Ultra HD\/Blu-ray\/Digital Copy package. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lionsgate have plenty of Blu-rays as well. First, they are\nputting out the Escape Plan: 3-Film Collection<\/em> Blu-ray. It contains all\nthree movies in the Sylvester Stallone action series made between 2013 and 2019.\nThose looking for something bleaker can pick up a Blu-ray of Viggo Mortensen in\nthe effective post-apocalyptic drama, The Road<\/em> (2009). The studio is\nalso presenting A Single Man<\/em> (2009) and Youth in Revolt<\/em> (2009) on\nBlu-ray.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A while back, Shout! Factory packaged a very elaborate and\nexpensive box set containing all of the films in the Friday the 13th<\/sup><\/em>\nseries. This week, Paramount are putting out a more affordable collection of\nall the titles in the franchise that they produced and released. The Friday\nthe 13th<\/sup>: 8-Movie Collection<\/em> appears to be a \u201cLimited Edition\nSteelbook\u201d that contains the first eight movies made from 1980 until 1989.\nReportedly, this version also contains hours of previously released special\nfeatures contained in the other sets, including deleted scenes, making-of\nfeaturettes, commentaries and more. So, if you\u2019re looking for a more\ncost-effective option to pick up most of the flicks in the famous franchise,\nthis looks like a ideal opportunity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Disney also has some new double-feature Blu-rays of animated\nclassics coming your way. Unfortunately, those interested will have to sign up\nfor the \u201cDisney Movie Club\u201d online to get them. The outlet\u2019s workings are very\nsimilar to the old \u201cColumbia House Record\u201d system, where you sign up, get a few\nfree discs, but must promise to buy several more titles from the studio at full\nprice. This week they are making the Atlantis: 2-Movie Collection<\/em> an\nexclusive on their site. It includes the original animated film Atlantis:\nThe Lost Empire<\/em> (2001) and its straight-to-video sequel, Atlantis:\nMilo\u2019s Return<\/em> (2003). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can also order the Brother Bear: 2-Movie Collection<\/em>.\nIt contains Brother Bear<\/em> (2003) and the made-for-video follow-up, Brother\nBear 2 <\/em>(2006). And, as you might have already guessed, The Hunchback of\nNotre Dame: 2 Movie Collection<\/em> contains the original 1996 Disney animated\nfeature and the made-for-video sequel, The Hunchback of Notre Dame 2: The\nSecrete of the Bell<\/em> (2002). As mentioned previously, these are all \u201cDisney\nMovie Club\u201d Blu-ray exclusives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Harry Potter<\/em> franchise is a massive property for\nWarner Bros. and the studio has decided to combine all of the films from the\noriginal series with the Fantastic Beasts<\/em> movies together in one big collection.\nIt\u2019s called the Wizarding World: 10-Film Collection<\/em> and contains\nevery title from both series made between 2001 and 2018 will be contained on\nthis Blu-ray set.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finally, the Warner Archive line are putting out a\ndouble-feature made-to-order Blu-ray of the classic Val Lewton horror pictures,\nThe Ghost Ship<\/em> (1943) and Bedlam<\/em> (1946). You can order this disc\nthrough Amazon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

YOU KNOW, FOR KIDS!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

All of this edition\u2019s kid-friendly releases are listed\nbelow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Atlantis: 2 Movie Collection<\/em> (2001 \u2013 2003) Disney Movie Club Exclusive
Brother Bear: 2 Movie Collection<\/em> (2003 and 2006) Disney Movie Club Exclusive
The Hunchback of Notre Dame: 2 Movie Collection<\/em> (1996 \u2013 2002) Disney Movie Club Exclusive <\/p>\n\n\n\n

ON THE TUBE!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Black Lightning<\/em>: Season 4
Charmed<\/em>: Season 6
The Flash<\/em>: Season 7
The Haunting of Bly Manor<\/em> (TV miniseries)
Kolchak: The Night Stalker<\/em> (1974 \u2013 1975) <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n