{"id":26382,"date":"2023-04-25T23:50:21","date_gmt":"2023-04-26T06:50:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.cinemastance.com\/?p=26382"},"modified":"2023-04-25T23:50:21","modified_gmt":"2023-04-26T06:50:21","slug":"blu-ray-dvd-roundup-for-april-25th-2023","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cinemastance.com\/?p=26382","title":{"rendered":"Blu-ray\/DVD Roundup for April 25th, 2023"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Welcome to another look at some of the highlights arriving\non Blu-ray and DVD. It\u2019s another busy week with some interesting and unique\noptions in a wide variety of genres. So, if you can\u2019t make it out to the movies\nthis week 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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BLOOD RELATIVES \u2013 This independent comedy\/chiller is a\nShudder original that premiered on the streaming service. The story follows a\nYiddish vampire and loner who gets a big surprise when a girl shows up at his\ndoor claiming to be his daughter. As it turns out, she is his relation,\nsuffering from the same malady as he and has no one to care for her. The two\nembark on a road trip to see if they can form a familial bond. Response towards\nthis picture was strong. One individual didn\u2019t think that it made the most of\nits premise and was ultimately unmemorable. Everyone else was amused by what\nthey witnessed. They called the movie unique, enjoyed the focus on the\ncharacters and thought it was entertaining. For the time being, this is a\nDVD-only release. It stars Noah Segan, Victoria Moroles, Akasha Villalobos and\nC.L. Simpson.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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THE CIVIL DEAD \u2013 A misanthropic photographer finds himself\nout of work and in a personal rut. While his wife is out of town, he bumps into\nan old friend. The two hang out and the lead invites his pal over to stay. It\nis then when the guest reveals that he has recently died and is actually a\nghost. The spirit insists on helping the protagonist get the bottom of his\nproblems, but tensions arise as the undead figure persists in his efforts. This\nindependent comedy earned plenty of praise and even some awards at film\nfestivals like Slamdance. All critics who saw the feature called it a really\npleasant surprise, stating that it was melancholy, funny and even managed to\ninvolve viewers on an emotional level. They also admired the work of the\ntwo leads (who are friends in real life), saying they paired well together\nonscreen. The cast includes Clay Tatum, Whitmer Thomas and DeMonge Brown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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INVITATION TO A MURDER \u2013 Set in 1934, this tale involves a\nwoman who is invited to the mansion of a reclusive billionaire on an island off\nthe coast of England with five other strangers. The guests attempt to figure\nout what is happening and why, only to discover a body. The lead becomes\ndetermined to find out who is responsible and why, putting her own life in\njeopardy as she questions others and searches for answers. There haven\u2019t been\nmany reviews so far, but press reaction among those who have seen it has been\nweak. That might explain why this mystery is arriving only on the DVD format.\nOne article suggested that the screenplay was heavy on exposition and hokey.\nThey didn\u2019t find the final product dynamic or intriguing. Mischa Barton, Chris\nBrowning, Seamus Dover, Bianca A. Santos, Giles Matthey and Grace Lynn Kung\nheadline the film.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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JESUS REVOLUTION \u2013 This faith-based picture is inspired by a\ntrue story that occurred in the 1970s. It follows a teenage hippie looking for\npeace, love and rock and roll in Southern California. After arriving, he finds\nhimself dissatisfied with the movement and encounters a charismatic\nhippie-street-preacher. The lead and others like him find a spiritual awakening\nin the words of the figure and start their own religious revival. Notices were\nslightly more positive than negative for this feature. Almost half of them\ncomplained that while the movie wasn\u2019t overt in its preaching, it didn\u2019t feel\nparticularly realistic either and was dry and flat in execution. Slightly more\ncomplemented its light approach, as well as addressing issues within the church\nand delivering a few effective moments. It features Joel Courtney, Jonathan\nRoumie, Kimberly Williams-Paisley, Anna Grace Barlow and Kelsey\nGrammer.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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JUSTICE LEAGUE X RWBY: SUPER HEROES & HUNTSMEN PART ONE\n\u2013 Here\u2019s yet another animated feature based on characters from DC comics. This\ntime out, superheroes Batman, Cyborg, Flash, Green Lantern, Superman, Vixen and\nWonder Woman are transported to another world called Remnant where they are all\ntransformed into teenagers. The group befriend local youngsters with special\nabilities and they all try to save this strange world before it is destroyed by\nan evil supervillain. Few have seen this effort so far and it appears to be\npremiering on disc. It so happens that the story has a connection to a RWBY\nanimated TV-series and was produced by the same team who worked on that show.\nOne assumes if you enjoy the program, you might like the feature. The voice\ncast includes Natalie Alyn Lind, Chandler Riggs, Nat Wolff, Tru Valentino,\nAaron Dismuke and Jason Douglas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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KOMPROMAT \u2013 Inspired by a true story, this espionage\nthriller follows an honest French public servant and diplomat who is given a\nposting in Siberia. He is soon targeted by the Russian FSB (Federal Security\nBoard), who make false claims that he is a pederast and arrest him. Realizing\nthat his government can do nothing and that he will be made an example of, he\nendeavors to escape his cell and reach freedom himself. Response was generally\npositive towards this foreign-language feature. About one-quarter of notices\nthought the movie focused too much on the diplomats instead of the lead trying\nto escape and thought it lacked thrills. However, the majority did find it\nsuspenseful. They commented that it was thrilling, focused on characters and\nserved as a powerful warning about the dangers of authoritarianism. It stars\nGilles Lellouche, Joanna Kulig, Mikhail Gorevoy, Alexsey Gorbunov and Elisa\nLasowski.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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MY HAPPY ENDING \u2013 A famous actress checks into a London\nchemotherapy clinic to receive treatment for stage four colon cancer after her\ncomeback West End play is canceled. Initially, she tries to hide her condition\nfrom those who recognize her, but eventually befriends three very different\nwomen going through the same process. They try to help her deal with the\nchallenge and form a close bond in the process. This effort was largely panned\nby reviewers. About one-third of them did think that the subject itself was\nimportant and that the film was well-intentioned and benefited from strong\nperformances. Unfortunately, most thought that everything felt fake. They\ndidn\u2019t think that it managed to find the right tone or make a strong\nimpression. For the time being, this is a DVD-only release. The cast includes\nAndie MacDowell, Miriam Margolyes, Sally Phillips, Rakhee Thakrar and Tamsin\nGreig.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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NEW GODS: YANG JIAN \u2013 This animated feature from Japan is a\nprequel to the 2022 film New Gods: Nezha Reborn <\/em>and is based on a famous\n16th<\/sup> century novel. The story involves a virtuous god who possesses\nan all-seeing third eye that he uses to protect the world. After imprisoning\nhis evil sister, he takes a job as a bounty hunter. A woman sends him out to\nprevent his nephew from stealing a magical lantern with incredible power. The film\nearned more upbeat write-ups than negative ones. A small number critiqued the\nmovie for failing to fully develop its protagonists. They believed that most\nNorth American viewers would be confused with the nearly incoherent story.\nStill, the majority found the movie visually stunning and noted that doing a\nbit of research on the characters beforehand would help viewers understand and\nenjoy it. The English-language voice cast includes Nicholas Andrew Louie and\nChristine Lin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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RETURN TO SEOUL \u2013 A 25-year-old French woman returns to the\ncountry she was born in before her adoption as an infant. She impulsively\narrives in the city of Seoul, South Korea in order to find her biological\nparents. However, as the investigation into her own past progresses, the situation\nbecomes more complicated and she must make a decision as to whether or not to\nmake contact with them. Critics adored this picture and it won several awards\nat film festivals and in Asia. There were only a couple of individuals who gave\nthe movie a negative review, saying that the ending was unsatisfying and that\nit didn\u2019t deliver a strong punch. All others thought it was a fascinating study\nof a character searching for their identity. They also described it as\nunpredictable and felt that the climax was poignant and powerful. Park Ji-min,\nOh Kwang-rok, Guka Han and Kim Sun-young headline the film.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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SOMETHING IN THE DIRT \u2013 Two neighbors living in Los Angeles\nlament their lack of success in their careers. When strange, supernatural\nevents occur in their apartment building, the pair aren\u2019t afraid\u2026 Instead, they\nsee it as an opportunity. The pals decide that documenting the occurrences\nmight bring them fame and fortune. Of course, it becomes clear that they have\nput themselves in great danger and their relationship soon begins to crumble.\nThis very low-budget, independent science-fiction\/comedy was well-received. A\nsmall contingent had difficulty relating to the protagonists and wrote that the\nfeature was overlong and lacked tension. Still, the majority really liked the\ncast and the twisty story, stating that it was compelling and that there were\nplenty of sharp and intriguing moments. It features Justin Benson, Aaron\nMoorhead and Sarah Adina Smith<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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TAMING THE GARDEN \u2013 A powerful man who was once the Prime\nMinister of the country Georgia (the former Soviet Republic) is the subject of\nthis documentary. The movie chronicles his bizarre and fascinating hobby. He\ncollects century old trees (some over 700 feet tall), uprooting them from the\ncountry\u2019s coast to plant in his personal and remote garden. Cameras follow the\nfoliage through its strange journey to a new home as the crew tries to get a\nsense of what the man is doing and why. This picture was released late last\nyear at cinemas and on streaming platforms but is now arriving on disc. The\npress gave it high marks. Only one complained and noted that the film\u2019s subject\nmatter was dull. All others called the movie gorgeously photographed and\nhypnotic to watch, stating that it offered an upsetting and powerful message about\nman altering the beautiful, natural landscape of the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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TRIANGLE OF SADNESS \u2013 This dark satire follows a pair of\nyoung and popular media influencers who are invited to cover a fancy cruise.\nThe two are having difficulties in their relationship and decide to work on it\nwhile on the trip. After boarding, they encounter and spend time with both\nwealthy passengers and the put-upon crew. After an accident shipwrecks the\nvessel, the survivors find the social system uprooted. Those working on the\nboat are suddenly in a position of power and become prone to abusive behavior\nthemselves. This film received a wide variety of responses and seemed to be a\nlove-it-or-hate-it type of experience. However, it did earn several Academy\nAward nominations, including nods for Best Picture, Best Director and Best\nOriginal Screenplay. About one-quarter of critics disliked the characters and\nwhat they were witnessing so much that they couldn\u2019t appreciate the satire.\nHowever, the others (myself included) thought it was devilishly witty and\ncompletely wild. They admired the work of the performers and complimented it as\nbeing grimly twisted, nerve-jangling and impossible to forget.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

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There\u2019s a ton of interesting and excellent older titles arriving on disc this week. Arrow Video is releasing The Assassination Bureau<\/em> (1969) on Blu-ray. This eccentric feature is based on a posthumously released Jack London story about a journalist in the Victorian era who discovers an organization that assassinates evildoers. Shocked by their acts, she gets her publisher to provide funding as she approaches the leader and hires him to put a contract out on himself. Surprised but amused, he agrees with her that some of the team members have become less-than-noble in their motivations and approves the order. She follows him as his own organization tries to hunt him down, learning that the newspaper owner is a member who wants to head the bureau himself. The adventure takes the characters across Europe and the cast includes Oliver Reed, Diana Rigg and Telly Savalas. This movie wasn\u2019t a success during its original run and is a very odd exercise, but it is intriguing and has some fun moments. It comes with upgraded picture quality, a film expert commentary, a 30-minute critical appreciation of the movie and publicity materials. Read a review of the disc here!<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can also pick up Lovers Lane<\/em> (1999) from the\ndistributor. This independent slasher is based on the urban legend of \u201cThe\nHook\u201d and involves a group of teens pursued by the weapon-wielding figure. The\ndisc delivers a 2K picture restoration, a commentary with the writers and\nproducers, a featurette on the legend, as well as an image gallery and\ntrailers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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If you enjoy Hong Kong cinema, 88 Films is delivering Police\nStory III: Supercop<\/em> (1992) in a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray Special Edition\npackage. It presents the Hong Kong and US cuts of this Jackie Chan sequel. His\ncharacter goes undercover to infiltrate a drug ring and teams with a female\nofficer played by recent Oscar-winner Michelle Yeoh. The film is a lot of fun\nand features amazing stunts throughout, including a great finale involving\nhelicopters and a train. It comes with a commentary by a Hong Kong cinema\nexpert, cast and crew interviews, tons of promotional material (including a\n1984 commercial featuring Chan and Yeoh) and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A few years back, director Steve McQueen made five TV-movies\nfor the BBC based on London\u2019s West Indian Community and set between 1969 and\n1982. The collection, known as Small Axe<\/em> (2020), is now being released\non Blu-ray by Criterion. The set contains new masters of the titles Mangrove<\/em>\n(2020), Lovers Rock<\/em> (2020), Red, White and Blue<\/em> (2020), Alex\nWheatle<\/em> (2020) and Education<\/em> (2020), a conversation with the\ndirector, behind-the-scenes featurettes, a documentary on the series, an audio\nconversation with McQueen and trailers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dark Force is putting out several Blu-rays this week as\nwell. If He Hollers, Let Him Go!<\/em> (1968) involves an escaped convict\ngoing to clear his name and becoming part of a murder plot to pull off his\nplan. The movie has been scanned in 2K for this release. Moonlighting Wives<\/em>\n(1966) is about a stenographer who starts her own prostitution ring. This disc\npresents the uncensored version of the film with a movie historian commentary,\na deleted scene and a discussion about the director.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can also purchase a pair of double-feature Blu-ray. The\nfirst one contains Smokey and the Judge<\/em> (1980) and Alien Thunder<\/em> (1974).\nThe second includes Whose Child Am I <\/em>(1976) and Weekend Murders<\/em>\n(1976).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Discotek Media is putting out the suspense film Suicide\nClub<\/em> (2001) on Blu-ray. The Japanese feature involves a suicide epidemic\nsweeping through the country\u2019s youth and the police\u2019s attempts to find out what\nis causing it. It has been remastered for this release.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Powerhouse Films is presenting a \u201cLimited Edition\u201d Blu-ray\nof Jean Rollin\u2019s The Shiver of the Vampires<\/em> (1971), a European effort\nabout a honeymooning couple targetable by vampires. It comes with a ton of\nbonuses including a director commentary, film historian audio track, an\nappreciation of the title, an updated documentary on the making of the movie,\nan introduction to the movie by Rollin, deleted scenes, promotional materials\nand much more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kino is presenting the Dennis Hopper\/Jodie Foster thriller Backtrack<\/em>\n(1990) on Blu-ray. It\u2019s about a murder witness who is followed by a hit man,\nonly to have him fall for her. Hopper helmed the movie and the disc contains a\ntheatrical and director\u2019s cut, a film expert commentary with the screenwriter\nand a trailer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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You can also purchase the disaster-movie parody, The Big\nBus<\/em> (1976). It features a massive, nuclear-powered luxury bus that is\ntargeted by villains who want to blow it up. The driver does his best to\nprevent this from happening. It features Joseph Bologna, Stockard Channing,\nRene Auberjonois, Ned Beatty, Jose Ferrer, Larry Hagman, Sally Kellerman,\nRichard Mulligan, Howard Hesseman and more. For its Blu-ray debut, the original\ncamera negative has been given a 4K scan and transferred to disc. It also comes\nwith a film historian commentary and publicity materials. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Heat<\/em> (1986) is a Burt Reynolds action film written by\nWilliam Goldman (who also penned Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid,\nMarathon Man, All the President\u2019s Men <\/em>and The Princess Bride<\/em>) about\na soft-hearted bodyguard. It comes with a critic commentary, an alternate\nending and a trailer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bruce Campbell fans can pick up the science-fiction\nTV-movie, Terminal Invasion<\/em> (2002). Set at an airport, the star must\nthwart an alien invasion in which the creatures have disguised themselves as\nhumans. Extras include a director commentary and an alien custom test.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Man Who Fell to Earth<\/em> (1976) is a cult feature\nwith David Bowie as an alien becoming fascinated with life on Earth. This\nSteelbook 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray edition is from Lionsgate and is a Best Buy\nexclusive. It also comes with cast and crew interviews, as well as a Bowie\ninterview about the movie from 1977 and a trailer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The New Godfathers<\/em> (1979) is an Italian action movie\nabout the mafia that is being issued by RaroVideo U.S. on Blu-ray. This disc\nincludes the Italian and US versions of the film and a critic discussing the\npicture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sandpiper Pictures is putting out The Crocodile Hunter:\nCollision Course<\/em> (2002), The Fantasticks<\/em> (1995), as well as the\nElvis Presley picture Kid Galahad<\/em> (1962) and the Robert De Niro\/Jane\nFonda drama Stanley & Iris <\/em>(1990) on Blu-ray. These releases don\u2019t\ninclude any extras, but at least you can now own these hard-to-find discs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Severin is releasing the bizarre genre mash-up Accion\nMutante<\/em> (1992) in 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray package. This Spanish feature\nfrom Alex de la Iglesia (Day of the Beast, Perdita Durango, The Last Circus<\/em>)\nis set in a future ruled by good-looking, beauty-obsessed people. A group of\nterrorists with physical and psychological abnormalities set out to cause\ntrouble, though they end up battling among themselves during their mission.\nIt\u2019s a wild one. The feature has been given a 4K restoration from the original\ncamera negative and bonuses include a director commentary, cast and crew\ninterviews, an archival making-of, behind-the-scenes footage, a music video,\nstoryboards and a trailer.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Shout! Factory is making The Jackie Chan Collection:\nVolume 2<\/em> Blu-ray box set available. It contains some great titles. You\u2019ll\nget Winners and Sinners<\/em> (1983), the fantastic Wheels on Meals<\/em>\n(1984), The Protector<\/em> (1985) and Twinkle, Twinkle Lucky Stars<\/em>\n(1985). You\u2019ll also receive the phenomenal Armour of God<\/em> (1986) and its\nimpressive sequel Armour of God II: Operation Condor<\/em> (1991), Crime\nStory<\/em> (1993) and City Hunter<\/em> (1993). You\u2019ll get multiple cuts of\nmany of the titles, as well as interviews, film historian audio commentaries,\npublicity materials and more on all of the movies included. It looks like an\namazing set.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

VCI is presenting The Green Hornet<\/em> (1940) on Blu-ray,\na collection of serials about the famous crime-fighter. The disc also features\nradio episodes from the era, a trivia and photo gallery, as well as an audio\ndiscussion about the character and serial.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vinegar Syndrome is presenting several new Blu-rays as\nexclusives available on their website (at some point they will be made\navailable through other retailers). All of the titles come with numerous extras\nand feature top notch specs. They include Bullets Over Summer<\/em> (1999), The\nCat Creeps<\/em> (1946), Curse of the Blue Lights<\/em> (1988), Five Women\nfor the Killer<\/em> (1974), The Hourglass Sanatorium<\/em> (1973) and Justice\nNinja Style<\/em> (1985). You can also pick up the wild Estonian chiller Kratt<\/em>\n(2020), Lady Street Fighter<\/em> (1981), which is being released with the\nAGFA, Speaking Parts<\/em> (1989), Time of Roses<\/em> (1969), a double-bill\nof Vacation of Terror<\/em> (1988) and Vacation of Terror II<\/em> (1990) and\nThe Zodiac Killer<\/em> (1971), which is another AGFA title.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finally, Warner Archive is making A Lion Is in the Streets<\/em> (1953), One Way Passage<\/em> (1932), Safe in Hell<\/em> (1931), Storm Warning<\/em> (1951) and The Strawberry Blonde<\/em> (1941) available as made-to-order Blu-rays that can be purchased through Amazon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Unfortunately, it\u2019s a slow week for kid\u2019s entertainment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Here are all the TV releases coming your way!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Center Seat: 55 Years of Star Trek<\/em> (TV\ndocumentary series) (Nacelle Company) DVD<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cheers<\/em>: The Complete Series (Paramount) Blu-ray<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Doctor Who: The Jodie Whitaker Collection<\/em> (BBC) DVD<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His Dark Materials<\/em>: The Complete Series (Warner\nBros.) Blu-ray<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His Dark Materials<\/em>: Season 3 (Warner Bros.) Blu-ray<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One Lane Bridge<\/em>: Series 3 (Sundance) DVD<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Small Axe<\/em> (BBC TV-movies) (Criterion) Blu-ray<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Star Trek: The Lower Decks<\/em>: Season 3 (Paramount)\nBlu-ray<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Terminal Invasion<\/em> (2002 TV-movie) (Kino) Blu-ray<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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