{"id":25812,"date":"2022-12-20T22:32:31","date_gmt":"2022-12-21T06:32:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.cinemastance.com\/?p=25812"},"modified":"2022-12-20T22:32:31","modified_gmt":"2022-12-21T06:32:31","slug":"blu-ray-dvd-roundup-for-december-20th-2022","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cinemastance.com\/?p=25812","title":{"rendered":"Blu-ray\/DVD Roundup for December 20th, 2022"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Welcome to another look at some of the highlights arriving\non Blu-ray and DVD. Due to the upcoming holiday, this edition isn\u2019t quite as\nbusy as others, but it does contain two major Oscar contenders and a few\nalternate releases. So, if you can\u2019t make it out to the movies this week, need\nto spend time indoors or require some recovery time from festivities, be sure\nto give one of these 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\/2022\/12\/DVD-Banshees-of-Inisherin-alt-fixed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-25813\" width=\"281\" height=\"171\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"text-align:left\">THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN \u2013 Set in Ireland on a remote island, two villagers and longtime friends reach an impasse when one of them decides to suddenly end their friendship. Shocked and saddened, one of the men tries to figure out what they did wrong. Tensions arise when he refuses to let their relationship end and extreme measures are taken by both figures. Critics were very impressed by what they witnessed and almost all of them raved about this very dark comedy\/drama. In fact, it is one of the highest-rated titles of the year. A small number of reviews didn\u2019t enjoy the feature and had problems deciphering its movie, calling it bizarre and unrelatable. Everyone else was blown away by the writing and performances. They stated that the film was eccentric and could be analyzed in various ways, making it all the more compelling. It stars Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, Kerry Condon and Barry Keoghan. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.cinemastance.com\/the-banshees-of-inisherin-is-one-of-the-years-best-films\/\">Read a full review of the movie right here.<\/a><\/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\/2022\/12\/DVD-Lonliest-Boy-in-the-World-fixed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-25814\" width=\"298\" height=\"164\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">THE LONELIEST BOY IN THE WORLD \u2013 Described in publicity\nmaterials as a humorous mash-up of a fairy tale and horror film, this UK\nproduction follows an awkward teen struggling to make friends. Instead of trying\nto socialize, he decides to make some new acquaintances by digging them up out\nof the grave. He gets a shock the following morning when the bodies come to\nlife as zombies and he must keep everyone out of trouble. Reactions towards\nthis feature were mixed-negative overall. About a third of write-ups\ncomplimented the cast as being likable and appreciated the cinematic references\npeppered throughout the story. But the majority thought the message was overly\nfamiliar and that the humor was too broad and flatly delivered to make an\nimpression. The cast includes Max Harwood, Hero Fiennes Tiffin and Susan\nWokoma.<\/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\/2022\/12\/DVD-Paradise-City-fixed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-25815\" width=\"258\" height=\"149\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">PARADISE CITY \u2013 This action picture tells the story of a\nbounty hunter on the job in Maui. After being shot and vanishing, he is\npresumed dead by authorities. The man\u2019s son and an ex-partner arrive to find\nout what happened and seek vengeance on the responsible party. Before long, the\ntrail leads them to a nasty power broker and his hoods. This picture features a\ndirector with action experience in Chuck Russell (<em>The Mask, Eraser, The\nScorpion King<\/em>) and a familiar cast, but it wasn\u2019t well liked by the press.\nOne reviewer enjoyed watching the cast having fun and gave the movie a pass on\nthat basis. Everyone else described the movie as unexciting and the screenplay\npredictable. They noted that the cast couldn\u2019t really overcome the substandard\nscreenplay. Bruce Willis, John Travolta, Stephen Dorff, Blake Jenner and Amber\nAbara headline the film.<\/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\/2022\/12\/DVD-Secret-Headquarters-fixed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-25816\" width=\"302\" height=\"172\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">SECRET HEADQUARTERS \u2013 This kid-centric tale involves a\nyoungster in suburbia struggling to get on with his divorced dad. After his pop\nleaves home for a work conference, the kid decides to throw a party to try and\nimpress his schoolmates. During the celebration, they discover a secret lair\nbeneath the home filled with gadgets and the lead learns that his father is a\nsuperhero. They use the various items at home to have some fun, but draw the\nattention of a nefarious villain in the process. This PG-rated family feature\nreceived slightly more negative notices than positive ones. Those who liked it\nthought that while predictable, the various items used would impress and\nentertain children. Slightly more complained about the script, saying that the\ncharacters weren\u2019t well written, it tried to appeal to too many age groups and\nthat the gags didn\u2019t make a lasting impression. It features Owen Wilson, Walker\nScobell, Jesse Williams, Keith L. Williams, Momona Tamada and Michael Pena.<\/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\/2022\/12\/DVD-Tar-new-fixed-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-25817\" width=\"270\" height=\"151\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">T\u00c1R &#8211; This character study follows the famous but difficult and demanding conductor of a major German orchestra. As she prepares for a book launch and a new performance, pressure begins to mount personally and professionally. Accusations are made about her past and a controversial speech inspires even closer examination of her ethics and morals. Reaction was very positive towards this feature and there is plenty of Oscar buzz surrounding the lead performance. A small contingent found the movie icy and slow. They also disliked the lead character so intensely that they couldn\u2019t get engrossed in the story. However, the consensus was that the acting was phenomenal and that the movie served as an unpredictable and compelling tale about abuse of power that would have viewers discussing and debating the themes long after it finished. It stars Cate Blanchett, Noemie Merlant, Nina Hoss and Mark Strong. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.cinemastance.com\/tar-takes-time-to-develop-but-eventually-hits-some-sharp-notes\/\">Read a detailed piece on the film by clicking this link.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>BLASTS FROM THE PAST!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There aren\u2019t as many older releases this week, but a few\ndistributors are delivering something interesting in time for the holidays.\nKino is releasing the <em>Cinema\u2019s First Nasty Women<\/em> set on Blu-ray. It\ncontains four discs of 99 genre-spanning American and European silent films\nmade by women between 1898 and 1926. Because these shorts were made in Pre-Code\nHollywood and in international territories, the subject matter and material is\nsurprisingly complex and adult. During this period there were no rules as to\nwhat could appear in films and many would frankly deal with violence,\nsexuality, and other subjects that were later considered taboo. These discs\ninclude the various movies with a score, along with film historian commentaries\nas well as some featurettes.<\/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\/2022\/12\/DVD-Taking-of-Pelham-One-two-Three-Subway-fixed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-25819\" width=\"320\" height=\"186\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>The Taking of Pelham One Two Three<\/em> (1974) is one of\nthe great action\/thrillers of its era and Kino is upgrading their previous\nedition by presenting it in 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray with an improved picture.\nFor those unfamiliar with the title, it deals with the hijacking of a New York\nCity subway car. The criminals inside threaten to kill hostages if their ransom\ndemands aren\u2019t met, leaving the transit chief to try to outwit the crooks. It stars\nWalter Matthau, Robert Shaw, Martin Balsam, Hector Elizondo, Tony Roberts and\nJerry Stiller and is a remarkably tense picture that includes great atmosphere,\nperformances and a memorable score. In addition to an upgraded picture and all\npreviously released bonuses, it also comes with a new movie historian\ncommentary track.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sandpiper Pictures is making several Blu-rays available too.\nThis week, their titles include the George Segal\/Robert Vaughn World War II\nmovie, <em>The Bridge at Remagen<\/em> (1969). You can also pick up <em>The\nHawaiians <\/em>(1970), which features Charlton Heston as a sea captain who\nattempts to start a pineapple plantation.<\/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\/2022\/12\/DVD-Holiday-Heart-fixed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-25820\" width=\"323\" height=\"188\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you\u2019re looking for a drama, you can pick up a Blu-ray of\nthe well-regarded but not-well-known award-winning TV-movie <em>Holiday Heart<\/em>\n(2000) with Ving Rhames and Alfre Woodard. Rhames plays a drag queen who\nattempts to help a young girl and her drug addicted mother break free from\ntheir drug dealer. <em>The Hospital<\/em> (1971) features George C. Scott as a\nsuicidal chief of medicine in a New York teaching at a hospital. When a group\nof patients start dying, he is distracted enough to try and find the murderer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Moll Flanders<\/em> (1996) is a period drama about a young\nwoman who escapes a nunnery and tries to make a life for herself on the dangerous\nstreets of London. It stars Robin Wright, Morgan Freeman and Stockard Channin.\nAnd Jeff Bridges stars as the legendary lawman <em>Wild Bill<\/em> (1995) in this\nwestern biopic that details his relationship with Calamity Jane.<\/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\/2022\/12\/DVD-WarGames-control-room-fixed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-25821\" width=\"305\" height=\"192\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Shout! Factory is giving a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray release to the thriller <em>WarGames<\/em> (1983), which was made just as computers were being introduced. It was a huge summer box-office hit back in the day and impressed critics as well. The story involves a teenager gaming enthusiast who hacks into the central computer for the US military and accidentally starts playing a game with the system AI that may result in World War III.\u00a0 Matthew Broderick plays the main character. The movie was nominated for three Academy Awards (Best Original Screenplay, Best Cinematography and Best Sound) and this edition includes an upgraded picture with a 4K scan of the original camera negative. It also comes with all previously released extras like a director\u2019s commentary and numerous featurettes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Finally, Universal is rereleasing a Blu-ray of <em>Jonah: A\nVeggieTales Movie<\/em> (2002) which sees the characters lost on the high seas.\nIn addition to all the familiar bonuses, this disc also includes a sing-along\nsong feature.<\/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 titles that might appeal to kids (please note\nthat <em>Secret Headquarters<\/em> is for older children).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Fruit Salad Big Show: The Wiggles \u2013 Live in Concert<\/em>\n(Kino) DVD<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Jonah: A VeggieTales Movie<\/em> (2002) (Universal) Blu-ray<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Secret Headquarters<\/em> (Paramount) Blu-ray<\/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 you\u2019ll find all of the week\u2019s TV-themed releases below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>American Hostage<\/em> (PBS) DVD<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Becoming Frederick Douglas<\/em> (PBS) DVD<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Harriet Tubman: Visions of Freedom<\/em> (PBS) DVD<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>House of the Dragon<\/em>: Season 1 (Warner Bros.) 4K HD\nUltra &amp; Blu-ray or Blu-ray<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Maigret<\/em>: Season 1 (1960-1961) (Kino) Blu-ray<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>NOVA: Saving Venice<\/em> (PBS) DVD<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Tales of the Walking Dead<\/em>: Season 1 (RLJ\nEntertainment) Blu-ray<\/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\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"The Taking of Pelham One Two Three Official Trailer #1 - Walter Matthau Movie (1974) HD\" width=\"1290\" height=\"726\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/ep518FVHKIU?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\">\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=4Q5uyoE0Hm4\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=\"WarGames Official Trailer #1 - Dabney Coleman Movie (1983) HD\" width=\"1290\" height=\"726\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/hbqMuvnx5MU?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 to another look at some of the highlights arriving on Blu-ray and DVD. Due to the upcoming holiday, this edition isn\u2019t quite as busy as others, but it does contain two major Oscar contenders and a few alternate releases. So, if you can\u2019t make it out to the movies this week, need to spend [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":25823,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-25812","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-dvdblu-ray-reviews"],"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\/25812","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=25812"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/cinemastance.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25812\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cinemastance.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=25812"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cinemastance.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=25812"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cinemastance.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=25812"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}