{"id":27441,"date":"2023-11-22T00:10:10","date_gmt":"2023-11-22T08:10:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.cinemastance.com\/?p=27441"},"modified":"2023-11-22T00:10:10","modified_gmt":"2023-11-22T08:10:10","slug":"blu-ray-dvd-roundup-for-november-21st-2023","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cinemastance.com\/?p=27441","title":{"rendered":"Blu-ray\/DVD Roundup for November 21st, 2023"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Welcome to another look at highlights arriving on Blu-ray,\n4K Ultra HD and DVD. It\u2019s another busy week with big Hollywood movies in a\nvariety of genres, as well as some intriguing independent features. So, if you\ncan\u2019t make it out to the movies or need to stay indoors for a few days, be sure\nto 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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DRAGON BALL SUPER: SUPER HERO \u2013 Dragon Ball<\/em> is a\npopular Japanese manga series that, since its inception in the 1980s, has\ninspired a media franchise including multiple TV shows and films. The latest\nanimated feature involves a group of villains forming a new version of the\nsinister Red Ribbon Army, led by two androids. The heroic protagonists from the\nprevious installment must reform to fight off the threat. This effort earned\npositive reviews from the press. All of them admitted that a lot of story\ndetails would be hard to follow for new viewers. In fact, they advised watching\nold episodes of the TV series first. A few continued that the character\ndevelopment and repetitive story left a lot to be desired. However, most stated\nthat those familiar with the franchise would appreciate the characters and the\nstriking, stylish amination.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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THE EIGHT MOUNTAINS \u2013 This foreign-language feature from\nItaly follows two young boys from different backgrounds who spend their summers\ntogether in the Italian Alps. After many years apart, they cross paths again\nbriefly as teenagers. They don\u2019t speak, but end up being reunited in their 30s\nat a cottage. Once together, they catch up and talk about the different\ndirections their lives have taken. A tragic incident afterward causes more\nreflection about their lives and unique relationship. This picture won numerous\nhonors at film festivals and was well-regarded by critics. A small number\ncomplained that the pacing was too slow to truly engage them in the story.\nEveryone else called the movie an affecting and bittersweet drama about a\nlong-standing friendship, highlighted by wonderful performances. They also\nwrote that the cinematography was spectacular. It stars Alessandro Borghi, Luca\nMarinelli and Filippo Timi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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EXPEND4BLES \u2013 In the fourth chapter of this action series,\nreturning members of the mercenary squad are sent out to stop a mysterious\nterrorist from stealing nuclear weapons. The group soon find themselves in over\ntheir heads, losing their leader in the process. Desperate for revenge, the\nsurviving members take in new recruits and set out to even the score. Reviewers\nresponded poorly to this sequel. A few enjoyed the action sequences and called\nit a fitting close to the franchise. However, the general consensus was that\nthe film failed to deliver pulse-pounding thrills. They called it silly and\nsuggested that it wasted its cast on a cliched story that had no surprises.\nMultiple editions of this title are available, including 4K Ultra HD and\nBlu-ray combo, a Blu-ray standalone, as well as exclusives from Best Buy and\nAmazon. It features Jason Statham, Sylvester Stallone, Curtis \u201c50 Cent\u201d\nJackson, Megan Fox, Dolph Lundgren, Tony Jaa, Iko Uwais, Randy Couture and Andy\nGarcia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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GODLAND \u2013 Those looking for international fare can check out\nthis drama from Denmark. It is set in the 19th<\/sup> century and follows a\npriest who travels to a remote part of Iceland to build a parish. But the\nlonger he spends in the unforgiving environment, the more he strays from his\ngoals. After struggling to communicate with locals, he becomes isolated and\nmoody, leading to angry outbursts and violent confrontations. Write-ups were\nexcellent for this grim drama. A tiny contingent had trouble figuring out what\nthe point of the movie was and found the main character difficult to relate to.\nEveryone else called it a somber, chilling and visually spectacular effort.\nThey also were taken in by the unpredictable story and the lead\u2019s internal\nstruggles with his religious mission. The cast includes Elliott Crosset Hove\nand Ingvar Eggert Sigurdsson.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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THE JOURNEY: A MUSICAL SPECIAL FROM ANDREA BOCELLI \u2013 Italian\ntenor Andrea Bocelli is one of the biggest names in opera, operatic pop and\nclassical music. This feature-length special follows the performer and his wife\nas they travel on horseback along the ancient Italian road, Via Francigena.\nThey talk about their relationship and what inspires them. Additionally, they\nare joined by other musicians and singers who perform with the singer. This\nfilm was a Fathom Special event earlier in the year and is now being released\non disc. It hasn\u2019t been seen by many, but those who did watch the film enjoyed\nit. They stated that the music was impressive and that the narrative and music\nwas inspirational and soothing. Katherine Jenkins, Clara Barbier Serrano,\n2Cellos, 40 Fingers and many other artists appear in the film.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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MISTER ORGAN \u2013 This documentary follows a journalist and\nfilmmaker who attempts to tell the story of an unknown figure causing havoc in\nhis neighborhood. Apparently, the individual spent years wheel-clamping cars\nparked in front of an antique store. The movie follows the three-year-long\ninvestigation into the figure. It results in the culprit being identified and\n(according to the press synopsis) a trail of multiple court cases, inflated\nclaims of royal bloodlines, ruined lives, and at least one stolen boat.\nResponse was overwhelmingly positive towards this non-fiction feature. A couple\nof reviewers did comment that they wanted to see a deeper investigation into\nthe subject and his psyche. All others thought it was a fascinating and\nultimately grim character study of a very strange and unsettlingly dangerous\nindividual.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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OPPENHEIMER \u2013 The newest picture from writer\/director Christopher Nolan (Memento, The Prestige, The Dark Knight, Inception, Dunkirk, Tenet<\/em>) is a biopic of physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer and his work on the Manhattan Project. Viewers witness his unusual personal relationships, his work over several years developing and designing the atomic bomb, and a tense series of private and public hearings that followed later in his life. This box-office smash was very well-regarded by the press. A small number did write that the film was difficult to follow and found its subject hard to relate to. But the vast majority called it a compelling portrait of a brilliant but complicated and at times unpleasant man who changed the course of history. They also praised the performances and unique storytelling methods used in the film. Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, Robert Downey Jr., Matt Damon, Rami Malek, Florence Pugh, Benny Safdie, Josh Hartnett, Kenneth Branagh, Casey Affleck, Dane DeHann, Alden Ehrenreich, Matthew Modine, Gary Oldman and Tom Conti headline the film. Read a full review of the movie here.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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SAW X \u2013 The latest film in this horror series is a prequel\nset between the events of Saw<\/em> and Saw II<\/em> that unveils more about\nthe killer known as Jigsaw. After learning that he has contracted cancer, he\ntravels to Mexico to take part in a risky experimental medical procedure. When\nthe man realizes that it is all a scam targeting the vulnerable, he decides to\ndesign a series of diabolical traps and torment those involved. Response from\ngenre critics was quite upbeat. A percentage did state that this chapter added\nlittle to what has already been presented, repeated many of the same gags and\ncommented that the film\u2019s attempt to portray the maniacal villain as a victim\nwas odd. Still, the majority claimed that it was an appropriately gross and\nnasty move that would please horror fans with its focus on the central\nantagonist. Some even suggested it was the best sequel in the series. It stars\nTobin Bell, Shawnee Smith, Synnove Macody Lund and Steven Brand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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TORI AND LOKITA \u2013 This Belgian-French foreign-language\neffort tells the story of two young African immigrants who pose as brother and\nsister in order to gain passage into Belgium. The teenage girl is forced to\ntake jobs for the criminal underworld in order to earn money for her younger\nfriend and obtain a proper work visa. When she is sent to work at a cannabis\nplantation and the young boy is left completely alone, both do whatever they\ncan to be reunited. The press generally appreciated this drama. A few voices\nstated that it was a well-intentioned but rough watch that was made even more\nlengthy and unpleasant by the story\u2019s predictable narrative. Yet the general\nconsensus was that the picture was well-acted, tense and focused on portraying\na realistic and disturbing portrait of those forced to make difficult decisions\nin order to survive. It features Pablo Schils, Joely Mbundu, Alban Ukaj and\nTijmen Govaerts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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THE UNKNOWN COUNTRY \u2013 This picture was scheduled for release\nlast month but was delayed at the very last minute. After a devastating loss, a\nMinnesota woman is invited to attend her cousin\u2019s wedding in South Dakota. She\ndrives for several hours and tries to reconnect with her Oglala Sioux family\nmembers. The protagonist decides to retrace a surreal journey that her\ngrandmother took decades earlier and find the exact locale captured in an old\nfamily photo. Along the way, she meets everyday people (some of whom are real\nand not part of the fictional narrative) and hears their stories. Critics spoke\nvery highly of this feature. A tiny number called it unfocused and didn\u2019t like\nthe combination of fictional elements and documentary-like moments. However,\nall others were impressed. They complimented the star and called the movie an\nartistic, moving portrait of a specific region and its people that makes a\npowerful and lasting impression. The film features Lily Gladstone, Raymond Lee\nand Richard Ray Whitman.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

There is plenty to choose from in regards to older features.\nCriterion is releasing the French feature La C\u00e9r\u00e9monie<\/em> (1995) on\nBlu-ray. It stars Isabelle Huppert and Jacqueline Bisset. The story involves a\nshy maid who is encouraged by friends to rebel against her wealthy employers.\nThis film has been given a 4K restoration and arrives with a scene select\ndirector commentary, an introduction from filmmaker Bong Joon Ho (Parasite), a\nmaking of, archival cast and crew interviews, a program from the Criterion\nChannel about offscreen sound, a trailer and an essay on crime fiction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Mean Streets<\/em> (1973) is the first title from legendary\ndirector Martin Scorsese (Raging Bull, Goodfellas, The Departed, Casino, The\nIrishman, Killers of the Flower Moon<\/em>) that follows a small-time hood and\nhis dangerously volatile best friend. Harvey Keitel and Robert De Niro play the\nlead roles. The film is arriving in a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray combo or as a\nstandalone Blu-ray. Besides the spiffy new picture restoration, extras include\na conversation about the film with Scorsese recorded in 2011, a scene-select\ndirector commentary, a visual essay on the movie, an interview with the\ndirector of photography, an excerpt from a 2008 documentary featuring Scorsese\nand the film\u2019s co-writer, a promotional video featuring the director walking\naround the story\u2019s Little Italy locations, as well as a trailer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Special Edition Blu-ray of The Scarlet Letter<\/em>\n(1934) is arriving courtesy of Film Masters. Based on the classic by Nathaniel\nHawthorne, this tale follows a woman who bears a child out of wedlock and\nsuffers public humiliation as a result. The disc contains a 4K restoration of\nthe film from its original 35mm archival elements, a movie professor commentary\ntrack, a featurette on the author, an original production detailing Salem and\nthe story narrated by John Carradine, and an interview with a producer about\nthe title.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Eurocine Collection: Vol. 1<\/em> is a Blu-ray box set\ncontaining six low-budget genre and action pictures from Europe (mostly France)\nthat were released in North America by Full Moon Features. You\u2019ll get Panther\nSquad<\/em> (1984), Angel of Death<\/em> (1987), Mania Killer<\/em> (1987), Night\nof the Eagles<\/em> (1989), Countdown to Esmeralda Bay<\/em> (1990) and Downtown\nHeat<\/em> (1994). The films arrive fully remastered with numerous bonuses and a\npostcard set.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kino is presenting Babes in Toyland<\/em> (1986) on Blu-ray. This holiday themed TV-movie stars a young Drew Barrymore and Keanu Reeves. Barrymore plays a girl who is sent through a portal into a world of living toys and must save the kingdom from a villainous force. The film can be viewed in the old 1.33:1 TV aspect ratio or in 1.78:1 widescreen. It also comes with a trailer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The World War II drama, Stalag 17<\/em> (1953), is arriving\nin a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray combo or as a standalone Blu-ray. William Holden\nwon an Academy Award for his role as a P.O.W. who must uncover a spy in his\ncamp. This film has been given a 4K restoration from the original camera negative\nand comes with two new movie expert commentary tracks, a third audio option\nwith two cast members and the co-playwright of the source material, plus\nfeaturettes and a trailer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Burt Reynolds movie enthusiasts can purchase White\nLightning<\/em> (1973) and its sequel Gator <\/em>(1976) on Blu-ray. In the\nfirst title, the actor plays a Louisiana moonshine seller who, in exchange for\nhis freedom, agrees to help the police take down a similar operation. This film\nis notable for an extended car chase at the close featuring some incredible\ndriving stunts. In the follow up, the protagonist is pulled into another\noperation, this time to take down a corrupt politician. The White Lightning<\/em>\n\u201cSpecial Edition\u201d comes with a film critic commentary, a documentary featurette\non the production, a trailer, a limited slipcase and reversible cover art. And\nthe Gator<\/em> \u201cSpecial Edition\u201d includes a movie expert commentary, a\ndocumentary featurette on the production, publicity materials and a nifty\nslipcase.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Navy Seals<\/em> (1990) is a Charlie Sheen\/Michael Biehn\naction picture arriving on Blu-ray from Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Metrograph Pictures is releasing the French drama\/comedy Four\nAdventures of Reinette and Mirabelle<\/em> (1987) on Blu-ray. It features two\nwomen from different backgrounds who cross paths in Paris and get into a series\nof adventures. It comes with a writer commentary and a trailer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Criminal Acts of Tod Slaughter: Eight\nBlood-and-Thunder Entertainments<\/em> is a \u201cLimited Edition\u201d Blu-ray box set\nfrom Powerhouse\/Indicator. It contains eight titles from the filmmaker,\nincluding Maria Marten, or The Murder in the Red Barn<\/em> (1935), The\nDemon Barber of Fleet Street<\/em> (1936), The Crimes of Stephen Hawke<\/em>\n(1936), It\u2019s Never Too Late to Mend<\/em> (1937), The Ticket of Leave Man<\/em>\n(1937), Sexton Blake and The Hooded Terror<\/em> (1938), The Face at the\nWindow<\/em> (1939) and Crimes at the Dark House<\/em> (1940).  The set\ncomes with 2K restorations of the titles, as well as film historian\ncommentaries, interviews with experts and the great-niece of Slaughter, short\nfilms by the moviemaker, publicity materials and much more. It also includes a\n120-page book on Slaughter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Shout! Factory is presenting The Police Academy\nCollection<\/em> box set on Blu-ray. It contains all of the films in the comedy\nfranchise, including Police Academy<\/em> (1984), Police Academy 2: Their\nFirst Assignment<\/em> (1985), Police Academy 3: Back in Training<\/em> (1986), Police\nAcademy 4: Citizens on Patrol<\/em> (1987), Police Academy 5: Assignment Miami\nBeach<\/em> (1988), Police Academy 6: City Under Siege<\/em> (1989) and Police\nAcademy: Mission to Moscow<\/em> (1994). All the titles have received 2K\nrestorations. Extras include new interviews with producer Paul Maslansky,\nwriters Neal Israel and Pat Proft, actors Lance Kinsey and G.W. Bailey,\ncomposer Robert Folk, assistant director Roger Joseph Pugliese, and directors\nAlan Myerson and Peter Bonerz. You\u2019ll also get an archived commentary track on\nthe first film with stars Steve Guttenberg, Micheal Winslow, Leslie\nEasterbrook, director Hugh Wilson and producer Maslansky. For some reason that\nescapes this reviewer, there is also a film historian commentary on the fourth\ntitle. It also comes with archival featurettes, additional scenes and trailers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sony is releasing Resident Evil: The Complete Collection<\/em>\nin a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray set. It contains higher quality transfers of all\nsix movies made between 2002 and 2017, as well as two cuts of one of the films.\nBonuses should be the same as in previous editions of the films. It all comes\nin a Steelbook case with new art.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Universal Pictures is delivering a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray upgrade of the popular British holiday comedy, Love Actually<\/em> (2003). This very effective all-star effort is adored by many and offers a sharper picture and all special features from earlier editions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The popular Harrison Ford feature film remake of the\ntelevision series The Fugitive<\/em> (1993) is celebrating its 30th<\/sup>\nanniversary with a 4K Ultra HD release from Warner Bros. (a Blu-ray will not be\nincluded). If you enjoy Steelbook packaging, you can pick up a 4K Ultra HD Best\nBuy Exclusive Steelbook of the title.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And finally, Well Go USA is presenting a 4K Ultra HD Train\nto Busan<\/em> (2016) and Train to Busan Presents: Peninsula<\/em> (2019)\n2-Movie Collection, so that all the pulse-pounding zombie mayhem of these South\nKorean titles can be enjoyed with crystal clarity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Unfortunately, this edition is a quiet one for kid\u2019s\nentertainment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

All of the week\u2019s TV-themed releases can be found below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Doctor Who: New Who<\/em> (Collector\u2019s Set 20 Seasons, 1\nMovie made between 2005-2022) (BBC) Blu-ray<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

The Expanse<\/em>: Season 1 (Universal) Blu-ray<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Expanse<\/em>: Season 2 (Universal) Blu-ray<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Expanse<\/em>: Season 3 (Universal) Blu-ray<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Expanse<\/em>: Season 4 (Universal) Blu-ray<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Expanse<\/em>: Season 5 (Universal) Blu-ray<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Expanse<\/em>: Season 6 (Universal) Blu-ray<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Farscape<\/em>: The Complete Series (Shout! Factory)\nBlu-ray<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Last Bridesmaid<\/em> (Hallmark) DVD<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Spy in the Ocean<\/em> (BBC) DVD<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The White Lotus<\/em>: Season 2 (HBO) DVD<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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