{"id":24929,"date":"2022-06-28T01:50:38","date_gmt":"2022-06-28T08:50:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.cinemastance.com\/?p=24929"},"modified":"2022-06-28T01:50:38","modified_gmt":"2022-06-28T08:50:38","slug":"blu-ray-dvd-roundup-for-june-28th-2022","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cinemastance.com\/?p=24929","title":{"rendered":"Blu-ray\/DVD Roundup for June 28th, 2022"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Hello and welcome to another look at highlights arriving on\nBlu-ray and DVD. It\u2019s another busy week with big Hollywood films and\naward-winning independent fare. So, if you can\u2019t make it out to the movies this\nweek or need to the stay out of public places, be sure to give one of these\ntitles a try!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

BIG NEW RELEASES!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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THE ARTIST\u2019S WIFE \u2013 For many years, the wife of a famous\nartist puts her own painting career on hold to assist her spouse. While\npreparing his latest exhibition for display, his behavior becomes erratic and\nhe is diagnosed with dementia. The lead attempts to prevent this information\nfrom going public before the show and must also decide whether it is time to\nstart creating her own original works once again. This drama received a limited\nrelease a year or so ago and is now arriving on disc. Reaction towards it was\nslightly more positive than negative. Those who disliked it wrote that the\nstory and stakes were underdeveloped and the drama was uninvolving. But the\nmajority thought the cast made up for the screenplay deficiencies and called it\nan intriguing character study. It stars Lena Olin, Bruce Dern, Juliet Rylance,\nAvan Jogia and Stefanie Powers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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THE AVIARY \u2013 After spending years in a cult under the control\nof a charismatic but deranged guru, two women decide to break free of his hold.\nThey sneak out of their remote compound in the desert and attempt to hike their\nway to freedom. As the heat climbs and supplies dwindle, the pair become\nfearful and paranoid that they are being followed. But are their lives in\ndanger, or are they simply hallucinating? Film critics gave this effort more\npraise than pans. A significant contingent did complain that the film\u2019s\nscreenplay lacked noteworthy surprises or revelations. However, more called it\nan effective low-budget production that featured some excellent performances\nand captured the lingering effects of being in a cult. This is currently a\nDVD-only release. The cast includes Malin Akerman, Lorenza Izzo and Chris Messina.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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CHARLOTTE \u2013 This animated biographical feature details the\nlife of Charlotte Salomon, a talented young German-Jewish painter who lived in\nBerlin during the beginning of the Second World War. When anti-Semitic policies\nand views are introduced, the lead\u2019s prospects become bleak. She is eventually\nforced to flee and make a new start in France. Unfortunately, it isn\u2019t long\nbefore Nazi forces invade and threaten the lives of the protagonist and those\nshe loves. The press gave this movie more positive write-ups than negative\nones. About one-third of articles commented that the movie didn\u2019t paint a\ndetailed or deep enough picture of their subject or her personal struggles. The\nrest said that while depressing, the story was effectively told, detailed some\ncomplicated aspects of Salomon\u2019s life, and would inspire many to check out her\nwork. The voice-talent includes Keira Knightley, Marion Cotillard, Brenda\nBlethyn, Jim Broadbent, Sam Claflin and Henry Czerny.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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FANTASTIC BEASTS: THE SECRETS OF DUMBLEDORE \u2013 The latest\nprequel\/spin-off from the Harry Potter<\/em> universe follows timid\n\u201cMagizoologist\u201d Newt Scamander and young professor Albus Dumbledor as they\nsquare off against evil wizard Gellert Grindelwald. With the villainous\nfigure\u2019s power growing ever stronger, Dumbledor asks Scamander and his friends\nto undertake a dangerous mission to help save the wizarding world. Reaction\ntowards this follow-up was relatively tepid and mixed. Nearly half of reviewers\ndid comment that it was an improvement over the previous installment, featured\na few thrills and would entertain franchise enthusiasts. However, more called\nit a rather bland entry that didn\u2019t wrap plot elements up excitingly or\neffectively. They suggested that the franchise had officially outstayed its\nwelcome. It features Eddie Redmayne, Jude Law, Mads Mikkelsen, Ezra Miller, Dan\nFogler, Alison Sudol and William Nadylam.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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FIRESTARTER \u2013 Whoa, that was fast! This picture opened at\ncinemas six weeks ago and is now debuting on disc. It\u2019s the second adaptation\nof the popular horror novel by Stephen King. The story involves a little girl\nwho discovers that she has the power to create fire. She and her dad go on the\nrun from a sinister federal agency who want to kidnap the lead, harness her\npowers and use her as a weapon of mass destruction. The movie received terrible\nreviews during its theatrical run. Those who gave it a pass liked the concept\nand said the special effects were impressive (a few of them also admitted to\nnot being familiar with the source material). But the vast majority called the\nmovie dramatically flat, choppy and nonsensical at times. Zac Efron, Ryan Kiera\nArmstrong, Sydney Lemmon, Kurtwood Smith, John Beasley and Michael Greyeyes\nheadline the movie.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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HELLO BOOKSTORE \u2013 Shot during the pandemic, this documentary\nfollows a small independent bookstore in Massachusetts and its eccentric owner.\nConsidered a landmark in its hometown, locals do everything they can to support\nthe shop and prevent it from going out of business. Viewers also meet the owner\nhimself and see how he and customers helped the shop weather the storm for an\nextended period of time. Critics liked the movie, although they stopped short\nof praising it. A small number thought that while well-intentioned, it wasn\u2019t\nvery insightful or interesting in showing how businesses endured the pandemic.\nRegardless, the majority felt uplifted and inspired by what they saw,\nultimately calling the movie sweet and likable. This title will be available\nexclusively on DVD.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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INSPECTOR IKE \u2013 This independent comedy apes the style of\ncop shows from the 1970s. The world\u2019s greatest detective is asked to\ninvestigate the murder of a famous New York stage actor. In order to get close\nto the potential killers, he goes undercover and pretends to be a new performer\njoining the theater troupe. He is forced to use new and unusual techniques to\nbefriend and question the cast in order to discover the responsible party. So\nfar, members of the press who have seen this flick have uniformly enjoyed it.\nThey called it a very close emulation of TV programs from the era and wrote\nthat it was dryly funny from beginning to end. A few even said that they hoped\nthere would be more films in the future featuring the amusing character. It\nstars Ikechukwu Ufomadu, Matt Barats, Ana Fabrega, Grace Rex and John Early.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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MOSQUITO STATE \u2013 A lonely Wall Street data analyst hoping to\nimpress his coworkers and bosses at an office party begins to find his\nconsciousness being twisted by two unusual entities. One is a pesky mosquito\nthat tries to influence his behavior, while the other is a spirit-like and\nmysterious woman whom he encounters at the celebration. As things progress, the\nlead\u2019s behavior becomes more unpredictable. This picture debuted on the Shudder\nstreaming service and is now debuting as a DVD- only release. Slightly less\nthan half of the reviews noted that while the movie was an interesting\nexperiment, it didn\u2019t come together or make an effective point. Still, slightly\nmore appreciated it as an intriguing and unique \u201cbody horror\u201d film. The cast\nincludes Beau Knapp and Charlotte Vega.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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MOTHERING SUNDAY \u2013 Based on the award-winning 2016 novel by Graham Swift, this British period drama is set in the 1920s after the end of WWI. It details the life of a young woman working as a servant on a large estate. On the annual day in which the staff are given a holiday, she sneaks off to see her secret lover who is engaged to be married. As the day progresses, events occur that change the entire course of her life. This picture earned favorable reviews from outlets. A small percentage couldn\u2019t get on its wavelength and didn\u2019t care for the way in which the chronology of events jumped around. Regardless, the consensus was that the film was an excellent adaptation that captured the way in which people deal with grief and tragedy throughout their lives. It features Odessa Young, Josh O\u2019Connor, Colin Firth, Olivia Colman and Sope Dirisu. Read a full review of the film here. <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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THE ROSE MAKER \u2013 In this comedy from France, one of the\ncountry\u2019s greatest horticulturalists faces tough times when her rose business\nbegins failing. While imminent foreclosure looming, she turns to her secretary\nfor help. The assistant makes some desperate calls to keep them going, hiring\nthree inexperienced ex-convicts to help them save the business. Response\ntowards this foreign-language title was almost uniformly upbeat. Only one\nreviewer in North America gave it a thumbs down, saying it was predictable and\ncorny. Everyone else stated that the movie was a low-key, warmhearted, funny\nand incredibly charming effort that also benefited from gorgeous photography.\nFor the time being, this is currently a DVD exclusive release. Catherine Frot,\nManel Foulgoc, Fatsah Bouyahmed and Olivia C\u00f4te headline the feature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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SEE FOR ME \u2013 A young blind woman who wants to assert her\nindependence is asked to house sit at an impressive estate. She agrees, but not\nlong after settling in comes under attack from a group of dangerous robbers.\nThankfully, she has a special app on her cell that connects her to an operator\nwho can use her own phone camera to assist callers. This person attempts to\nguide the lead and help her survive the invasion. This independent thriller was\nwell-received by genre critics. A limited contingent complained that while\ncompetently produced, the protagonist wasn\u2019t very likable and the story wouldn\u2019t\nsurprise viewers or leave a lasting impression. Still, the majority liked the\nconcept and wrote that the movie was a fun and engaging thriller that added a\ntwist or two to a familiar formula. It stars Skyler Davenport, Laura\nVandervoort and Kim Coates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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THE WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD \u2013 If this title sounds\nfamiliar, that\u2019s likely because it was recently nominated for Academy Awards in\nthe categories of Best International Film and Best Original Screenplay. It\ndetails several years in the life of a Norwegian woman in Oslo. Over this\nperiod of time, she attempts to figure out who she is and what she wants out of\nlife, both personally and professionally. But her life is messy and\ncomplicated, leading to both disastrous and joyous moments. As you might have already\nguessed, the movie received raves. Only a tiny handful of reviewers didn\u2019t get\nit, saying it was hard to discern the movie\u2019s point and felt unfocused.\nEveryone else suggested that the intent was to display a human life\nauthentically, displaying all the lead\u2019s strengths and weaknesses during her\nstruggle. They also said it was beautifully acted. The cast includes Renate\nReinsve, Anders Danielsen Lie and Herbert Nordrum.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

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This edition is just as busy if you\u2019re looking for something\nolder. Arrow Video may have the biggest title of the week with their Special\nEdition of the cult hit, True Romance<\/em> (1993). Written by Quentin\nTarantino (Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood<\/em>)\nand directed by Tony Scott (Top Gun, Crimson Tide<\/em>), the story follows a\nyoung outcast who meets and falls for a call girl. When he tries to free the\nwoman from the control of her pimp, violence occurs and the two protagonists\nend up on the run from the mob and the law. It\u2019s an effective film that\nbenefits from a great cast that includes Christian Slater, Patricia Arquette,\nDennis Hopper, Gary Oldman, Brad Pitt, Christopher Walken, Samuel L. Jackson\nand many more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are many different editions, including a 4K Ultra HD\nand Blu-ray, as well as a standalone Blu-ray ray. All discs come with both the\ntheatrical version and the director\u2019s cut with incredible new image transfers.\nExtras include four audio commentaries (one with Scott, another with Tarantino,\na third with Slater and Arquette and a fourth track with a film historian), select\nscene commentaries with Dennis Hopper, Val Kilmer, Brad Pitt and Michael\nRapaport, a brand new select scene commentary by Bronson Pinchot and Saul\nRubinek, cast and crew interviews, deleted scenes, an alternate ending and a\nton of publicity material. This release sounds incredible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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AFGA, or American Genre Film Archive is releasing The\nFilms of Doris Wishman: The Twilight Years<\/em> Blu-ray box set. This female\nfilmmaker made numerous exploitation films in the 1970s and this set contains\nseven movies, including The Amazing Transplant<\/em> (1970), Love Toy<\/em>\n(1971) Keyholes are For Peeping<\/em> (1972), Deadly Weapons<\/em> (1974), Double\nAgent 73<\/em> (1974), The Immoral Three<\/em> (1975) and Let Me Die a Woman <\/em>(1977).\nThe movies have been given 2K restorations and come with film critic\ncommentaries and other bonuses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Canadian International Pictures are presenting a Blu-ray double-feature of sorts containing two hour-long efforts Buster Keaton Rides Again<\/em> (1965) and Helicopter Canada<\/em> (1966) (pictured above and to the right). Both were created to promote the country of Canada. The first is a travelogue of sorts that features Keaton performing some physical comedy, while the second contains footage shot from the sky during the nation\u2019s centennial celebration. It comes with several commentaries and other shorts produced in Canada during the era.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Pink Flamingos<\/em> (1972) is a notorious cult comedy from\ndirector John Waters (Polyester<\/em>, Hairspray<\/em>, Serial Mom<\/em>).\nCriterion are now presenting it on Blu-ray. It\u2019s about a character who is named\n\u201cthe filthiest person alive\u201d by a tabloid paper and the efforts of others in\ntown to outdo this person and take the crown. The movie is perhaps most famous\nfor a stomach-churning scene at its close. You\u2019ll get a 4K transfer of the\nfilm, a 1997 and 2001 commentary from Waters, a new conversation with the\ndirector, a tour of the locations, deleted and alternate scenes, a trailer and\nmore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Deaf Crocodile Films are premiering a Blu-ray of the Russian\nfantasy flick, Ilya Muromets<\/em> (1956) aka The Sword and the Dragon<\/em>\nin North America. These colorful old pictures are quite remarkable to watch as\nthey present famous myths and legends from Eastern Europe. It comes with a film\nhistorian commentary. Those looking for Japanese genre films can pick up Uzumaki<\/em>\n(2000) on Blu-ray courtesy of Discotek Media.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fun City and Severin are presenting the enjoyable comedy The\nCoca-Cola Kid<\/em> (1985) restored in 2K. The Blu-ray was an exclusive through\nthe Severin website, but is now being made available everywhere. The movie\nstars a young Eric Roberts as a Coca-Cola salesman heading to Australia to\nbuild the brand abroad. He meets with an unexpected amount of resistance. The\ndisc includes tons of archival and new interviews, including a recent talk\nabout the movie with Roberts himself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Film Noir: The Dark Side of Cinema<\/em> is a new Blu-ray\nbox set that contains Big House U.S.A.<\/em> (1955), A Bullet for Joey<\/em>\n(1955), He Ran All the Way<\/em> (1951), Storm Fear<\/em> (1955) and Witness\nto Murder<\/em> (1954), as well as theatrical trailers for the movies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The distributor is also putting out the early Stanley\nKubrick thriller Killer\u2019s Kiss<\/em> (1955). This is a 4K Ultra HD only\nrelease, so don\u2019t purchase it if you can only play regular Blu-rays \u2013 it won\u2019t\nbe included.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, you can purchase the excellent George\nClooney\/Jennifer Lopez crime feature Out of Sight<\/em> (1998) as a 4K Ultra\nHD and Blu-ray set (it is also available as a stand-alone Blu-ray). Directed by\nSteven Soderberg (Erin Brockovich, Ocean\u2019s Eleven, Traffic, Logan Lucky<\/em>).\nIt\u2019s about a bank robber who kidnaps a US Marshall and falls in love with her.\nExtras include a new commentary with the director and the screenwriter, a\ndocumentary on the making-of the movie, deleted scenes and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Karate Girl<\/em> (2011) is a Japanese film that is\narriving on Blu-ray from Media Blasters. It involves a female high-school\nstudent who happens to be a martial arts expert. The disc includes a new\nEnglish dub of the title for those who don\u2019t or can\u2019t read subtitles and other\nsupplements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A few Eddie Murphy titles will be premiering on Blu-ray this\nweek. This includes the rom-com Boomerang <\/em>(1992) Paramount and the\nperiod gangster comedy Harlem Nights<\/em> (1989). The latter was a box-office\nflop, but it does feature a hilarious supporting turn from Arsenio Hall as a\ncrook with an unusual tic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The studio\u2019s prestige line Paramount Presents is delivering The First Wives Club<\/em> (1996) on Blu-ray. <\/a>Goldie Hawn, Bette Midler and Diane Keaton play women out to get revenge on their nasty spouses. The movie also features Maggie Smith, Sarah Jessica Parker and Dan Hedaya. This disc contains a 4K restoration of the film, a featurette with the screenwriter, a trailer and fold-out packaging with the poster for the title.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fans of low-budget genre pics can purchase a Blu-ray of the\nshot-on-video hacker flick No Resistance<\/em> (1994) from Satan\u2019s Core.\nSeverin is releasing The Big Sleazy \u2013 Jack Weis Double Feature<\/em> Blu-ray\nwhich contains Crypt of Dark Secrets<\/em> (1976) and Death Brings Roses<\/em>\n(1975). The set will contain extras like film historian commentaries. They also\nhave a high-definition disc of the dark comedy Hey, Stop Stabbing Me! <\/em>(2003).\nThis release includes commentaries, another feature called Sledgehammers at\nDawn and many other extras.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Finally, Shout! Factory are putting out a couple of Blu-ray\ntitles that will be available exclusively through their own official website.\nThe first is The Flesh Eaters<\/em> (2964), which is about a group whose plane\nis forced to land on a remote island filled with aquatic, flesh-eating microbes.\nThe film arrives with a 2K restoration, an alternate cut of the movie,\ninterviews, outtakes, promotional materials and more. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They also are releasing The She-Creature<\/em> (1956) about\na prehistoric human monster wreaking havoc in a town. The Blu-ray includes a Mystery\nScience Theater 3000<\/em> episode that deals with the film, as well as a radio\nspot and photo gallery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

There\u2019s not a lot for kids this week, but here is what is\nbeing made available for youngsters. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Scooby-Doo! and Guess Who?<\/em>: The Complete Second\nSeason (Warner Bros.) DVD<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

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

American Experience: Plague at the Golden Gate<\/em> (PBS) DVD
A-Team<\/em>: The Complete Series (1983-1987) (Universal) Blu-ray
Charmed<\/em>: The Complete Series (1998-2006) (Paramount) Blu-ray
The Christmas Cure<\/em> (Hallmark) DVD
Doctor Who: Eve of the Daleks & Legend of the Sea Devils<\/em> (2022) (BBC) Blu-ray
Hollington Drive<\/em>: Series 1 (Sundance) DVD
The Mistletoe Promise<\/em> (Hallmark) DVD
NOVA: Determined \u2013 Fighting Alzheimer\u2019s<\/em> (PBS) DVD
Rocco Shiavone: Ice Cold Murders<\/em>: Season 2 (2018) (Kino) Blu-ray
Scooby-Doo! and Guess Who?<\/em>: The Complete Second Season (Warner Bros.) DVD
Trinity: Classically Irish<\/em> (PBS) DVD <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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