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<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nTHE ASSESSMENT \u2013 This independent science-fiction drama is\nset in the near future. The story involves a couple who yearn to be parents. In\norder to do so, they have to go through an elaborate interview process with a\ngovernment official. They are placed under observation for seven days, so that\nall aspects of their lives can be graded in order to see if they are deemed\nsuitable for procreating. The entire experience gets increasingly disturbing as\nprivate aspects of their relationship come under intense scrutiny. Overall,\nthis feature earned passing marks and was well-received. A small number\ncommented that while the concept was excellent, the end product was emotionally\ncold, uninvolving and wasn\u2019t very well-versed in its subject. Still, the vast\nmajority called the film a stylish, clever and enjoyably demented thriller with\nexceptional performances that should spark conversation among viewers. It stars\nAlicia Vikander, Elizabeth Olsen, Himesh Patel and Indira Varma.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nBROKE \u2013 A rodeo rider takes a hard fall off of a bronco in\nthis contemporary western\/drama. After recovering from physical trauma and\nrelying on painkillers to help him cope, he is told by others that it is time\nto change professions. He struggles with this potential life change, and things\nget even worse when he finds himself caught outdoors and alone in a blizzard.\nCritics rated this feature highly. One or two complained that the movie was so\nfocused on its lead\u2019s psychological state that it didn\u2019t do an effective job of\nestablishing or maintaining tension. But all others were deeply impressed by\nthe work of the cast and called the film a quiet but powerful slow-burn,\nexamining the trials of a man at a crossroads in life. For the time being, this\nis a DVD-only release. The cast includes Wyatt Russell, Dennis Quaid, Auden\nThornton, Mary McDonnell and Tom Skerritt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nA DIFFERENT MAN \u2013 An aspiring actor with a condition called\nneurofibromatosis (causing facial disfigurement) doesn\u2019t have the confidence to\ntell his playwright and neighbor that he has feelings for her. When he learns\nabout an experimental medical procedure that could alter his appearance, he\ndecides to try it. Stunned by the results, the lead fakes his own death,\nassumes a new identity, and begins fulfilling his dreams. Soon, he is cast in\nthe lead role of a play about his own life, created by his neighbor. As the\nprotagonist assumes the role, his old issues bubble to the surface. This\nindependent feature was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Make-up, and it\nwon a Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy. The press was quite\ntaken by the movie as well. One or two suggested that it veered between dark\ncomedy and thriller and suffered from an inconsistent tone. Everyone else\nthought the film was an incredible, thought-provoking satire that effectively\ntook on all sorts of interesting themes like identity and disability with\nrazor-sharp wit. For now, this title is being released as an A24 exclusive\nBlu-ray only available on the studio website. It features Sebastian Stan,\nRenate Reinswe, Adam Pearson and Miles G. Jackson.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nTHINGS LIKE THIS \u2013 This independent LGBTQ+ romantic-comedy\nfollows two men who share the same name. They meet by chance, realize they\nattended middle-school together, and agree to go out together. Unfortunately,\nthe date goes disastrously wrong, resulting in a trip to the hospital. The two\nstill find themselves attracted to one another, but struggle with their own\ndifferent personal insecurities as they attempt to make a connection. The\npicture has only been seen by a handful of critics, but the overall reaction to\nit was upbeat. A couple of write-ups critiqued the movie as being\nwell-intentioned but overly sentimental and difficult to take seriously. Still,\nthe majority stated that this was a sweet and charming effort that overcame\ngenre tropes thanks to its well-realized and likable performers. They also\ncomplimented the indie film as being slickly produced. Max Talisman, Joey\nPollari, Jackie Cruz, Charlie Tahan, Cara Buono and Eric Roberts headline the\nfilm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
BLASTS FROM THE PAST!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Looking to catch up with something a little older? This\nweek, Criterion is putting out a Blu-ray of Midnight <\/em>(1939) with\nClaudette Colbert, Don Ameche and John Barrymore. This is a rom-com about a\nbroke showgirl who finds prestige and fortune after impersonating a Hungarian\ncountess. The film is presented with a new 4K picture restoration, a film\nhistorian commentary, 1969 audio excerpts with the director, a Lux Radio\nTheatre adaptation from 1940 and a trailer. A booklet is also included with an\nessay on the title<\/p>\n\n\n\n Pictured above and to the left, Thelonious Monk Straight, No Chaser<\/em> (1988) is a documentary about famous jazz musician Thelonious Monk. It contains rare concert footage taken between 1967 and 1968 and also tells the life story of the artist. Interviewees include the musician\u2019s manager, as well as several family members. The movie is being released on Blu-ray with a new 4K restoration. The disc lists a director introduction to the picture, a new interview with the son of Monk, a program about the making of the film with crew members as additional bonuses. It also comes with a trailer and an essay in the accompanying booklet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Eureka Entertainment is presenting some notable Hong Kong\nfilms on Blu-ray. The first is a double-feature release from the Shaw Brothers\ncalled Exact Revenge<\/em> that contains The Eunuch<\/em> (1971) and The\nDeadly Knives<\/em> (1972). The first feature is about a man who seeks revenge\nafter the country\u2019s emperor calls for his death. The second follows a hero\nfighting for the honor of his lover after Japanese thugs arrive and threaten\nher family. There will only be 2000 copies of this release, which will contain\nHD presentations of the titles, a film historian commentary on each picture, as\nwell as a booklet with new writing on the movies and a slipcase with new\nartwork for the set.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hong Kong 1941<\/em> (1984) is a World War II drama\nstarring Chow Yun-Fat and Cecilia Yip about a Hong Kong-based couple trying to\nsurvive after Japanese forces invade and occupy their country. It was nominated\nfor several awards in its homeland and won Best Cinematography. For this\nBlu-ray, the title has been given a 4K restoration, a movie expert commentary\ntrack, a video essay on the picture and its impact on Hong Kong cinema,\narchival interviews with the stars and a trailer. It also comes with a booklet\ncontaining new writing on the title, all packaged in a slipcase with new\nartwork. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Kino is having a busy week as well. Horror fans will be\nhappy to see DeepStar Six<\/em> (1989) arriving in a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray\ncombo pack. This feature from Sean S. Cunningham (Friday the 13th<\/sup><\/em>)\ninvolves researchers in an underwater base who must deal with a deep-sea\ncreature that sneaks into their facility and attacks the crew. This picture was\npart of a trend of undersea thrillers that included The Abyss, Leviathan,\nLords of the Deep<\/em> and The Rift<\/em> which all arrived at cinemas in 1989.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This effort is actually pretty serviceable, with some tense\nmoments and a few noteworthy endings for the supporting cast. Studio Canal has\ngiven the film a 4K restoration from the original camera negative that is\npresented in Dolby Vision. The discs contain a new horror historian commentary\ntrack, an archival commentary with director Cunningham and the visual effects\nsupervisor, and a screenwriter audio track. An isolated score is also included,\nas well as interviews with make-up and monster effects crew, a talk with the\nstunt coordinator, discussion with co-stars Greg Evigan and Nancy Everhard, an\ninterview with stunt coordinator Kane Hodder, the original EPK, extended\ninterview clips, behind-the-scenes footage, and promo materials.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The effective low-budget horror film I, Madman<\/em> (1989)\nis being reissued on Blu-ray by Kino (a previous version was available through\nShout Factory). This tale follows a bookstore clerk who discovers that the\nvillain in one of the books she is reading may be coming out of the pages. The\ndisc contains a commentary track from director Tibor Takacs (The Gate<\/em>)\nand the film\u2019s artistic supervisor, as well as a visual essay on the movie, a\nmaking-of featuring interviews with the cast and crew, behind-the-scenes\nfootage and a trailer. The first set of copies arrive in a slipcover.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Law and Order<\/em> (1932) is a western with Walter Huston\nthat is essentially an adaptation of the Wyatt Earp story (with name\nalterations). This picture is arriving on Blu-ray with a 4K image restoration\nfrom Universal Pictures, a film historian commentary, another western picture\ncalled Without Honor<\/em> (1932) and a commentary for that feature.\nAdditionally, there is an on-camera conversation with a film expert about the\nfeatures. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Promise Her Anything<\/em> (1966) is a rom-com about a\nwoman with a baby who attempts to hide the infant from a potential suitor she\nis interested in. The movie stars Warren Beatty and Leslie Caron and this\nBlu-ray features a 4K picture restoration from Paramount Pictures\u2019 original\ncamera negative, as well as a movie historian commentary track.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can also pick up a Blu-ray of the comedy\/drama Rock,\nPretty Baby!<\/em> (1956) in which Sal Mineo plays an aspiring musician\nattempting to make it in the L.A. music scene. Universal Pictures has provided\nKino with a 4K picture restoration from the original camera negative, and the\ndisc also contains a film historian commentary and a trailer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The classic, Oscar-winning romantic-comedy Sabrina (<\/em>1954)\nwith Humphrey Bogart, Audry Hepburn and William Holden is getting a 4K Ultra HD\nand Blu-ray combo release. It follows two brothers from a wealthy family\nfighting for affection from the family chauffeur’s daughter. The film is being\npresented in 4K with a new restoration from the original Paramount Pictures\ncamera negative in Dolby Vision. Extras include two film historian\ncommentaries, a number of featurettes on the movie, an archival documentary on\nthe production and a trailer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Lionsgate is adding a couple of titles to their Lionsgate Limited Exclusive line, which are available only through their website. They\u2019ve already put out some fantastic discs, and this week they are putting out an 80s hit that has never been available on Blu-ray. All of Me<\/em> (1984) is a comedy with Steve Martin and Lily Tomlin. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In the film, Martin plays a lawyer handling the last will of a wealthy and temperamental client. When she passes away, the woman ends up possessing half of the lawyer\u2019s body, leading to comedic complications. Martin delivers a fantastic performance as he attempts to stay in control of his body. This is a Vestron Collector\u2019s Series Blu-ray that presents the movie in its proper aspect ratio on disc for the first time. It comes with a film historian commentary, an interview with screenwriter Phil Alden Robinson, two video essays on the movie, a theatrical trailer, teaser trailer, TV spots and a still gallery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In celebration of its 25th<\/sup> anniversary, Lionsgate\nLimited is also putting out a 4K Ultra HD-only Steelbook of Way of the Gun<\/em>\n(2000). This film marks the directorial debut of Christopher McQuarrie (Jack\nReacher<\/em>, the last four Mission: Impossible<\/em> films) and involves a\nkidnapping plot that doesn\u2019t go as planned. The cast includes Ryan Phillippe,\nBenicio Del Toro, Juliette Lewis, Taye Diggs and James Caan. The release\npromises a 4K image restoration presented in Dolby Vision, two new featurettes\non the movie, a director commentary, an isolated music track with the score\ncomposer, cast interviews, storyboards and script of a deleted scene, as well\nas publicity materials.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Annihilation of Fish<\/em> (1999) is arriving on\nBlu-ray from Milestone. James Earl Jones stars as a Jamaican widower suffering\nfrom psychological problems that include visions of a demon. At a boarding\nhouse, he grows close to another resident while attempting to get a handle on\nhis problems. Lynn Redgrave plays the female lead. For this release, the movie\nhas been given a 4K restoration and arrives with a director commentary, a\n55-minute title from the filmmaker called The Final Insult<\/em> (1997), a\nQ&A with the director, and a re-release trailer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Some time ago, Vinegar Syndrome released a 4K Ultra HD \u201cLimited Edition\u201d of the BMX bike movie, Rad <\/em>(1986). Mill Creek Entertainment is now releasing it as a \u201cCollector\u2019s Edition\u201d Blu-ray (no 4K disc is included in this version). It\u2019s a very silly title about a teen hoping to win a big BMX race, while his mom pesters him to ignore the competition and study for final exams. Bill Allen, Bart Taylor, Talia Shire, Jack Weston, Lori Loughlin and Ray Walston headline the title. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The movie has become a cult item, and this edition boasts an all-new feature length documentary on the film. It also comes with an interview with the screenwriter, a look at the career of director Hal Needham (Smokey and the Bandit, The Cannonball Run, Megaforce, Stroker Ace<\/em>) as well as archival interviews with cast and crew, a Q&A session with the screenwriter and cast members, a behind-the-scenes featurette, and a music video.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019ve been on social media recently, you\u2019ve likely\ndiscovered that a major title from Universal Pictures is celebrating its 50th<\/sup>\nanniversary. Specifically, that movie is Steven Spielberg\u2019s Jaws<\/em> (1975),\nabout a great white shark terrorizing residents and tourists around an island\ncommunity. Simply put, this is one of the greatest and most iconic suspense\npictures ever made. The \u201c50th<\/sup> Anniversary Edition\u201d is arriving as a\n4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray set, as well as a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray Steelbook. It\ncomes with most, if not all, previously released bonuses on the numerous\nversions that have come out over the years. This includes a fantastic\ndocumentary on the movie, deleted scenes and outtakes, a look at the impact and\nlegacy of the film, and much, much more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You might also be aware that a new Jurassic World<\/em>\nmovie is arriving at cinemas for the Independence Day holiday. To get fans\nprepped, you can pick up the original Jurassic Park Trilogy<\/em> in a 4K\nUltra HD Steelbook package. The later Jurassic World Trilogy<\/em> is also\navailable for purchase as a 4K Ultra HD Steelbook. And for those who simply\nwant more Steelbooks on their shelves, you can also pick up individual 4K Ultra\nHD Steelbooks of the first trilogy. This includes Jurassic Park<\/em> (1993), The\nLost World: Jurassic Park<\/em> (1997) and Jurassic Park III<\/em> (2001). And,\nif you\u2019re only a fan of Jurassic World<\/em> (2015) you can also pick up a\nstandalone 4K Ultra HD Steelbook of that title. Press materials claim that the\ndiscs are packed with hours of extras, including documentaries on the various\nfilms, archival materials, commentaries and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Warner Bros. is putting out the Looney Tunes Collector\u2019s\nVault: Volume 1<\/em>, a two-disc Blu-ray set containing 50 cartoons made by the\nstudio between 1930 and 1969, with some featuring famous characters like Bugs\nBunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, and many more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And Warner Archive is making the Blu-ray set Gary Cooper\n4-Film Collection<\/em> available. It contains Sergeant York<\/em> (1941), Friendly\nPersuasion<\/em> (1956), Love in the Afternoon<\/em> (1957) and The Hanging\nTree<\/em> (1959).<\/p>\n\n\n\n YOU KNOW, FOR KIDS!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019re looking for something kid-friendly, this is your\nonly option (and it should be noted that some of these cartoons are uncut and\nfrom a different era, so some of the material may not be suitable or\nappropriate for younger viewers).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Looney Tunes Collector\u2019s Vault: Volume 1<\/em> (1930 \u2013\n1969) (Warner Bros.) Blu-ray<\/p>\n\n\n\n ON THE TUBE!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n And below is a list of the week\u2019s TV-themed releases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Call the Midwife<\/em>: Season 14 (BBC) DVD<\/p>\n\n\n\n Murder, She Wrote<\/em>: The Complete Series and 4\nTV-Movies (Universal Studios) Blu-ray<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.cinemastance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/DVD-Thelonius-Monk-Straight-Chaser-fixed.jpg\")
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