{"id":26211,"date":"2023-03-20T14:35:14","date_gmt":"2023-03-20T21:35:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.cinemastance.com\/?p=26211"},"modified":"2023-03-20T14:35:14","modified_gmt":"2023-03-20T21:35:14","slug":"blu-ray-dvd-roundup-for-march-21st-2023","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cinemastance.com\/?p=26211","title":{"rendered":"Blu-ray\/DVD Roundup for March 21st, 2023"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Welcome to another look at some of the highlights arriving\non Blu-ray and DVD. This edition features a big award contender as well as a\nhorror hit and independent fare. So, if you can\u2019t make it out to the movies this\nweek or need to stay indoors, be sure to give one of these titles a try!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

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AN UNLIKELY ANGEL \u2013 This faith-based title tells the story\nof a pregnant workaholic who dreads the idea of becoming a parent. A guardian\nangel is called in for an intervention and appears as a taxi driver at the\nhospital to pick up the new mother and get her to a business meeting. He\ncrashes the car, which results in the protagonist falling into a coma and\nwaking up 6 years later. She sees what has become of her family and is told to\nmake strides to be a mother and better family member. This feature debuted on\nthe religious entertainment streaming platform Pure Flix and is now being given\na DVD-only release. A couple of reviews on religious websites have called it inspiring.\nBut others online have noted that the concept of this project was disturbing\nand the end product ineffective. It features Jillian Murray and Robert Amaya.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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BABYLON \u2013 Set in the 1920s during the early days of Hollywood, this tale involves a young man working at a decadent party filled with celebrities. He\u2019s exposed to their glamorous, over-the-top world and personally befriends a few of the attendees. Viewers are exposed to the rise and fall of the various characters over the following years. It depicts how they dealt with fame and oncoming changes in the industry that threatened their stardom. The movie was nominated for three Academy Awards, but split the press. Almost half of reviewers thought that the film was overlong and suffered from too many subplots. They also claimed it lacked subtlety and delivered contradictory messages about its subject. However, a few more called it funny and fascinating, writing that there were some impressive moments and that it featured beautiful photography. The cast includes Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie, Diego Calva, Jean Smart, Jovan Adepo, Li Jun Li, Lukas Haas and Tobey Maguire. Read a full review of the movie here.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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LEFT BEHIND: RISE OF THE ANTICHRIST \u2013 Looking for more\nfaith-based features? This film is a sequel to the 2014 reboot of Left\nBehind<\/em> (which starred Nicolas Cage), but features an entirely new cast. Set\nafter the events of the last film in which millions of people vanished from\nEarth, the heroic pilot from the first chapter tries to warn others that the\nrapture has occurred. He watches as a new and charismatic leader emerges,\npromising to help the world. Of course, the title of this feature suggests the\nperson\u2019s intentions may, in fact, be sinister. The protagonist must reveal this\nfigure\u2019s real identity. There haven\u2019t been many write-ups of the movie and the\nones that have appeared have been middling to weak (even from religious\npublications). Most say that it\u2019s slickly made, but that the movie is awkward\nin its attempts to mix drama, action and its message. They also took issue with\nthe handling of a strange, COVID-related plot addition. Kevin Sorbo, Mary\nArmstrong, Corbin Bernsen and Neal McDonough headline the flick.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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LEGEND OF GATOTKACA \u2013 Released in its homeland under the\ntitle Satria Dewa: Gatotkaca<\/em>, this action\/adventure flick from Indonesia\nis based in part on an ancient Hindu figure, as well as a recent comic book\nfeaturing an updated take on the character. The film appears to be something of\na superhero story that involves a protagonist born with superhuman powers.\nAfter a demonic figure named Aswatama rises, builds an army and plots to take\nover the world, the adult hero must unlock his abilities and save the planet.\nThere aren\u2019t a lot of reviews from critics for this foreign-language title, but\none or two that have appeared have been upbeat. They suggest that while the\nfeature all feels exaggerated to a fault, the cast is charming and the action\nscenes are skillfully performed and edited, delivering enough wild thrills to\nearn it a recommendation. It stars Rizky Nazar, Yasmin Napper and Omar Daniel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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LULLABY \u2013 A couple move to a new home with their newborn in\nthe hopes of making a fresh start. After opening a book given to them as a\ngift, the mother begins singing a lullaby from its pages. While the parent\ninitially enjoys the melody, she begins having visions of a nasty figure in the\nmirror. The baby also begins acting out. The woman becomes convinced that an\nevil force is trying to take possession of her child. She struggles to maintain\nher sanity and protect the baby. While this chiller is from the director of the\n2014 film Annabelle<\/em>, it didn\u2019t receive a lot of reviews from members of\nthe press. Horror websites have stated that the film is polished and is quite\ntense early on, but ultimately becomes repetitive (apparently, a great deal of\nit revolves around the baby crying endlessly) and that the story falls apart by\nthe time the climax arrives. The cast includes Oona Chaplin, Ram\u00f3n Rodr\u00edguez\nand Liane Balaban.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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M3GAN \u2013 When a toy designer\u2019s sister dies and leaves her as\nguardian of her 8-year-old niece, she is overwhelmed by her new responsibility.\nOut of desperation, the lead decides to kill two birds with one stone. The\nprotagonist gives the child her prototype for a new doll with artificial\nintelligence, hoping it will assist the youngster adapt socially, and in the\nprocess help the designer work out any kinks with her creation. The doll soon\ndisplays a mean streak and goes on the rampage, putting all of the characters\nin danger. This feature was a surprise box office hit in cinemas and also fared\nvery well with the press. A tiny number thought the story resorted to cliches\nand wrote that it didn\u2019t scare them at all. But the vast majority found the\nfilm to be a blast, saying it was predictable but delivered a surprisingly\nenjoyable amount of dark humor and plenty of killer-doll set pieces that were\nfun to watch. It features Allison Williams, Violet McGraw, Ronny Chieng and\nAmie Donald.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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SERIOUSLY RED \u2013 This unusual musical\/comedy\/drama focuses on\na real estate agent who moonlights as a Dolly Parton impersonator. When she\nloses her job, she focuses on her hobby full time, gaining the attention of a\nbooking agent and a popular female Elvis impersonator. The lead unexpectedly\nfinds success, but as she tours and her popularity grows, she begins to feel\nlike a phony and wonders if she should continue. The effort split critics right\ndown the middle. Half of reviewers thought the filmmakers missed out on fully\nrealizing the interesting concept. They didn\u2019t think the humor worked and found\nthemselves uninvolved in the proceedings. The same number were very impressed\nand referred to the movie as campy fun, commenting that the cast was\ncharismatic and that the heart-warming story and music ultimately won them\nover. Krew Boylan, Rose Byrne, Bobby Cannavale, Daniel Webber and Celeste\nBarber headline the picture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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STANLEYVILLE \u2013 A dissatisfied woman quits her job and leaves\nher family after being chosen to participate in a special contest. She is told\nthat she must face off against five competitors for a chance at winning an SUV.\nAfter arriving to compete, the protagonist meets the other oddballs recruited,\nin addition to the eccentric person running the challenge (who isn\u2019t very open\nabout exactly what is happening or how one can win). This very bizarre dark\ncomedy from Canada earned more recommendations than pans. A good number were\nfrustrated by what they witnessed, calling the characters unlikable, the humor\nbroadly played and the entire film too weird for their tastes. However, more\nreviewers appreciated its strangeness. They commented that once you got on its\nwavelength, it became a bold and funny absurdist tale with a lot of social\ncommentary and effective moments. It features Susanne Wuest, Cara Ricketts,\nChristian Serritiello, George Tchortov, Adam Brown and Julian Richings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

If you\u2019re looking for something a little older, there are\nplenty of options as well. ClassicFlix is presenting The Long Wait<\/em>\n(1954) as a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray set. It\u2019s a mystery flick co-written by Mickey\nSpillane that stars Anthony Quinn as a man who suffers from amnesia after a car\nwreck. He also discovers that he is a murder suspect and must go on the lam and\nfind out if he is, indeed, a killer. The package includes a film historian\naudio commentary and an image gallery with rare stills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Criterion is releasing the eerie Inland Empire<\/em> (2006) on Blu-ray. This surreal project from David Lynch (Blue Velvet, Wild at Heart<\/em>, the Twin Peaks<\/em> series and movie) follows an actress who experiences very odd things while trying to get deep into character for a role in a movie. It was shot digitally on cameras from over 15 years ago, lending an odd look to the proceedings. Despite this, the title has been given a 4K restoration. It comes with two films about the director made in 2007, a conversation between star Laura Dern and actor Kyle MacLachlan, 75 minutes of extra scenes, and a short film. Additionally, you\u2019ll get excerpts of Lynch reading from his 2018 book Room to Dream<\/em>, as well as a trailer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Kino is delivering a Blu-ray of the futuristic\npop\/sci-fi\/lesbian\/fantasy feature Flaming Ears<\/em> (1992). It has been\ncalled an audacious extravaganza and the disc presents a 4K restoration and\nalso includes three short films from the director.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lucky Jordan<\/em> (1942) is a drama with Alan Ladd about a\nracketeer drafted to serve in the army. The movie has received a 2K restoration\nfor its Blu-ray debut and arrives with film critic commentary and a trailer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Never Say Die<\/em> (1939) is a Bob Hope comedy about a man\nbeing stalked by a woman who murders husbands for money. The disc includes a 2K\nscan of the film, a movie historian commentary and a trailer. And Thanks for\nthe Memory<\/em> (1938) is another Hope flick about an out-of-work house-husband\nworried that his employed wife will leave him for her boss. Bonuses on this\nBlu-ray include another critic commentary and trailer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Paramount is releasing a major cult item this week with the\nfantasy film, Dragonslayer<\/em> (1981). It\u2019s a fantasy film about a young\nwizard\u2019s apprentice who is unexpectedly required to step in and fight a\nrampaging dragon from causing destruction across the land. You can either pick\nup a Steelbook 4K Ultra HD of the film, a regular 4K Ultra HD edition or a\nBlu-ray. Extras include a 4K restoration approved by director Matthew Robbins,\na commentary with Robbins and fan Guillermo del Toro, and a featurette on the\nvisual effects. It also includes a look back at visual effects of the era, as\nwell as features about the movie\u2019s pre-production, how they created the dragon,\nthe troubles experienced during the shoot, and how they shot the finale. There\nare also cast screen tests and a trailer for the movie. Sounds like an\nincredible release. Just make sure you pick up the right edition, as there are\nno combo packages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And the Paramount Presents line is adding a new title with Red\nEye<\/em> (2005). The feature is receiving the 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray treatment.\nIt\u2019s a very effective, tense thriller from the late, great Wes Craven (The\nHills Have Eyes, A Nightmare on Elm Street, The Serpent and the Rainbow, Scream<\/em>)\nabout a woman who is seated on a flight next to a terrorist. He threatens that\nhe can have her father killed with a phone call if she doesn\u2019t follow his\nspecific instructions. This release includes a new commentary with the film\u2019s\neditor, a special on Wes Craven and his work on the film and a featurette\nincluding interview footage with the director. You\u2019ll also get an archived\ncommentary with Craven, the producer and the editor, a gag reel and much more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Shout! is presenting several cult films on Blu-ray. The\nfirst is Crazy People<\/em> (1990), a comedy with Dudley Moore about an ad man\nwho suffers a nervous breakdown. While getting treatment at an institution, he\ncomes up with an idea to start a new company with other patients that will\nspecialize in direct and honest promotional campaigns. If memory serves, there\nare some funny moments in the feature, including an entertainingly blunt\ncampaign for a horror film. It also stars Daryl Hannah, Paul Reiser, J.T.\nWalsh, David Paymer and Mercedes Ruehl. The disc comes with a trailer for the\nfilm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Critical Condition<\/em> (1987) stars Richard Pryor as a\ncon artist about to go to prison. When he\u2019s taken to a hospital for an\nevaluation, the lead ends up escaping police custody and impersonating a\ndoctor. The supporting cast includes Rachel Ticotin, Rub\u00e9n Blades, Joe Mantegna,\nBob Saget, John Polito and Garrett Morris. This disc also includes a trailer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Giggles<\/em> (1992) is a slasher about a maniacal,\nlaughing maniac who believes that he is a surgeon. After years in an asylum, he\nescapes and returns to his hometown. After moving into his abandoned family\nhome, he starts kidnapping new patients and performing nasty procedures on\nthem. Larry Drake plays the title character. The movie wasn\u2019t well-received\nduring its original run, but appears to have developed a following over the\nyears. This Blu-ray includes a 2K scan of the picture, a new interview with the\ndirector and a never-before-seen discussion with late star Drake. There is also\na featurette on the composer and tons of publicity material for the film.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The distributor is also putting out the film noir Sorry,\nWrong Number<\/em> (1948) with Barbara Stanwyck and Burt Lancaster. This tale\ninvolves a bedridden woman hearing a murder plot over the telephone and trying\nto stop it from occurring. This Blu-ray comes with a new movie expert\ncommentary track, an older commentary with a film noir authority, an\nintroduction to the title by another historian, a making-of, a radio play of\nthe story featuring the lead performers, in addition to a separate filmed\nperformance of the radio play. A trailer and photo gallery are also present on\nthe disc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Chinese suspense picture Suzhou River<\/em> (2000) is\narriving on Blu-ray from Strand Releasing. The story involves a man who gets\ninvolved with and tries to kidnap a mysterious woman. She disappears and he\ngoes to prison for the attempted crime. After being released, he encounters a\nwoman who is either a doppelganger of the female or the woman herself. \nThe disc features a 4K restoration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And finally, Warner Bros. is continuing to put out Rocky<\/em>\nmovies from their recent 4K Ultra HD box set. This single film release is a\nBest Buy Exclusive Steelbook. Rocky IV<\/em> (1985) is the movie arriving with\na 4K Ultra HD disc and a Blu-ray (which wasn\u2019t included in the 4-movie\ncollection).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Sadly, there isn\u2019t much kid\u2019s entertainment this week. The\nnext edition will hopefully rectify this problem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Here are the week\u2019s TV-themed releases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dawson\u2019s Creek<\/em>: The Complete Series (Sony) DVD<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Doc Martin<\/em>: Series 10 (Acorn) Blu-ray<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hallmark 2-Movie Collection: Romance in Style & Road\nTrip Romance<\/em> (Hallmark) DVD<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds<\/em>: Season 1 (Paramount)\nBlu-ray<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vienna Blood<\/em>: Season 3 (PBS) DVD<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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