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<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nAFTERBURN \u2013 After a solar flare causes widespread\ndestruction and loss of power, dictators and warlords take over many parts of\nthe world. A thief is contacted by a wealthy King now presiding over England\nwho wants to reclaim lost and important pieces of civilization\u2019s history in the\nhopes of saving his nation from a \u201cworld of chaos\u201d. The lead is hired\nspecifically to locate and retrieve the Mona Lisa<\/em> by Leonardo da Vinci.\nTo do so, he and a partner enter a dangerous area ruled by a brutal dictator.\nThis action\/science-fiction\/dark comedy has only been seen by a handful of\ncritics, and they all were disappointed with the end results. Most complained\nthat the writing was lazy and the story didn\u2019t deliver anything but cliches.\nThe group also complained that the film wasted an impressive cast. It stars\nDave Bautista, Samuel L. Jackson, Olga Kurylenko and Kristofer Hivju.<\/p>\n\n\n\n AMERICAN CLOWN \u2013 While professional clowns used to serve as\nentertainment at many birthday parties, it recently has become rare to see one\nmake an appearance at a celebration. This documentary chronicles the history of\nthe profession and how its popularity among kids and adults has waned.\nNaturally, horror movies are partly to blame, with many now associating\nPennywise from It<\/em> and the Terrifier<\/em> series as the primary\nexamples of the entertainer. The movie interviews a clown who once worked\nsteadily as an assistant to Ronald McDonald before the entire program was\nshuttered. Celebrities also share their insights into the profession. The film\nis debuting as a DVD-only release and so only a handful of reviewers have seen\nit. They do note that it is an interesting feature that includes incredible\nclips of entertainers as well as fascinating insight into the dying career.\nInterviewees include Bill Irwin, John C. Reilly, David Arquette and Steve-O.<\/p>\n\n\n\n EXIT PROTOCOL \u2013 This independent action film involves a\nhired hit man whose specialty is taking down other assassins. When the lead is\nasked if he ever tires of his job, he protests that those whom he hunts\nessentially have it coming. His views begin to change after his latest target,\na retired killer who just wants a quiet life, outmaneuvers the professional. As\nif that wasn\u2019t bad enough, the hit man discovers that his own boss has put out\na contract on him. The protagonist has to team with his original target to\nsurvive the ordeal. So far, only a handful of online reviewers have seen this\ntitle, which arrived on digital platforms a month or so ago and is now\nappearing on disc. Notices are mixed at best. Most suggest that the cast are\ndecent and some of the action is impressive, but take issue with the story,\nstating there are many plot holes, and note that the overall picture isn\u2019t\nmemorable. The cast includes Scott Martin, Dolph Lundgren and Michael Jai\nWhite.<\/p>\n\n\n\n ICEFALL \u2013 Here is another indie action picture vying for\nyour attention. A sinister team of thieves take hold of $20 million dollars in\nstolen cash, but their plane crashes in the wilds of Montana. A widower living\nin isolation finds the money, and takes the cash to a Native American game\nwarden. The two are immediately attacked by criminals, who will do anything to\nget the loot back. A long and violent chase follows through the snowy\nwilderness. Very few members of the press saw this picture, and most shrugged\nat what they witnessed. One or two thought it was slightly better than most\ndirect-to-streaming and disc efforts thanks to a good cast and scenic setting.\nStill, the majority found that the plot became increasingly ridiculous and that\nnothing in the film made a lasting impression. They also suggested that the\nmoviemakers had likely never experienced real winter conditions, based on some\nof the silliness taking place outdoors. Joel Kinnaman, Cara Jade Myers, Danny\nHuston and Graham Greene headline the film. <\/p>\n\n\n\n IT\u2019S NEVER OVER, JEFF BUCKLEY \u2013 The young life and tragic\nend of musician Jeff Buckley is captured in this documentary. Using previously\nunseen footage and voice recordings of the artist, as well as interviews with\nfamily, friends, ex-girlfriends, musicians and others who knew him, we get the\nstory of what the artist wanted to accomplish with his compositions. The doc\nalso explains how he created his incredible 1994 debut record, Grace<\/em>,\nand what plans he was making for the future before his untimely death at the\nage of 30 (he drowned while swimming in Wolf River Harbor, Tennessee). Almost\neveryone who saw the picture admired it. One or two thought the film focused\ntoo much on his death instead of his contributions to music. However, all\nothers called the movie a touching and powerful documentary that gives more\ninsight into the figure and effectively displayed the lasting effect he had on\nthose around him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n K\u00d6LN 75 \u2013 Speaking of musicians, this biopic drama tells the\ntrue story of Vera Brandes, a teenager and aspiring concert promoter from\nCologne, Germany. In 1975 at the age of 18, she set out to organize a Keith\nJarrett concert all by herself. The drama details her attempts to contract and\nbook noted American jazz pianist and composer Jarrett for a performance. The\nmusician is not an easy figure to book for a performance, but she ultimately\nconvinces him, resulting in a stunning concert. It also presents a dramatization\nof the vinyl release of the show, called The K\u00f6ln Concert<\/em>, which still\nstands as the best-selling piano record of all time. This German feature earned\nexcellent reviews. A small number thought the story could have been told in a\nlooser, more dynamic manner instead of following a traditional biopic formula.\nBut the vast majority wrote that the performances were strong and that patient\nviewers would be blown away by the second half of the title. It stars Mala\nEmde, John Magaro, Michael Chernus and Alexander Scheer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n PLAINCLOTHES \u2013 Set in 1997, this tale follows a promising\nyoung undercover officer working the beat in Syracuse, New York. After losing\nhis dad and his girlfriend, he buries himself in work to try and bury the pain.\nHe is soon given orders by superiors to lure and arrest gay men in a local mall\nbathroom. However, the lead discovers an unexpected connection between himself\nand one of his targets. The cop must decide whether or not to defy his orders.\nNotices were very good for this independent drama. A small number thought the\npicture attempted to tackle too many themes and ideas, eventually succumbing to\nover-the-top melodrama. Still, the consensus was that the picture benefitted\nfrom a great lead performance and was a fascinating slow-burn psychodrama that\ndelivered a memorable finale. The cast includes Tom Blyth, Russell Tovey, Maria\nDizzia and Christian Cooke.<\/p>\n\n\n\n THE SENIOR \u2013 This picture has a long history. Shot and\ncompleted back in 2023, this film switched distributors a couple of times\nbefore being picked up and released by faith-based distributor Angel Studios.\nIt\u2019s a true story about a middle-aged man living with regret over a fight that\noccurred during his final year of college. The linebacker got into an\naltercation with a teammate and was expelled. Nearly 40 years later, he decides\nto finish his degree and play on the college team once again, hoping to make\namends for his past. Critics were more positive than negative about this sports\ndrama. One-fifth did complain that the story was predictable and that the film\nfelt more like a TV-movie than a big screen feature. Still, most did find the\nmovie earnest in its attempts to offer inspiration to viewers. They thought\nthat it generally worked and would entertain its target audience. The movie\nfeatures Michael Chiclis, Mary Stuart Masterson, Brandon Flynn and Rob Corddry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n SHELBY OAKS \u2013 While making a documentary on a supposed\n\u201cghost town\u201d prison, a group of paranormal investigators vanish. The bodies of\nall but one are found, with snippets of footage featuring the team in complete\nand utter terror. 12 years later, the sister of the still-missing researcher\ndecides to make her own documentary on what occurred. Naturally, the project\nresults in the sister and her crew meeting strange people with connections to\nwhat occurred. The trail leads them to the prison with horrifying results. Or,\nwell, disturbing results to just over half of the reviewers who saw the\npicture. Almost fifty percent thought the concept was good, but that the\ncharacters weren\u2019t well developed, and the story lost steam and atmosphere by\nits final act. The same number and a few more felt that there were enough\nvariations on the found-footage genre to keep things entertaining, and found\nthe movie consistently tense. Camille Sullivan, Sarah Durn, Bendan Sexton III\nand Robin Bartlet headline the film.<\/p>\n\n\n\n THE SMASHING MACHINE \u2013 Marc Kerr was a former wrestler and\none of the first major mixed martial arts pioneers competing in the UFC\n(Ultimate Fighting Championship). This biopic tells Kerr\u2019s story as he begins\ncompeting in the league. Between brutal contests, he bickers with his\ngirlfriend and struggles with addiction to body-enhancing drugs, as well as\npainkillers. After hitting rock bottom, the protagonist attempts to rebuild his\nprofessional career at a major tournament in Japan. But can he cut off all ties\nto his troubled past? In general, write-ups for this picture were strong.\nSlightly more than one-quarter of notices did comment that while the\nperformances were remarkable, the narrative wasn\u2019t as exciting and that they\nfailed to connect with the characters. Still, most asserted that the actors\nreally stretched themselves here playing against type, and that the move\naccurately presented the impressive but troubled career of a notable athlete.\nThe picture is available for purchase on 4K Ultra HD only or on Blu-ray only.\nIt stars Dwayne Johnson, Emily Blunt, Ryan Bader and Bas Rutten.<\/p>\n\n\n\n TRON: ARES \u2013 The third film in the Tron<\/em> series\nforgoes the sequel premise set up at the end of the previous follow-up and\ninstead focuses on two company executives attempting to bring digital\nconstructs into the real world. One wants to use emerging technology to\npotentially end world hunger. The other is determined to create a super-soldier\nand find other military applications for the AI. When the more altruistic\nexecutive discovers the all-important code to make digital items survive in the\nreal world, the other attempts to use his weapons to kill her and steal the\ndata. This science-fiction fantasy split the press. Almost half stated that\nwhile the movie looked and sounded great, the story was a mess and the plight\nof the characters wasn\u2019t gripping. The same number and a few more were dazzled,\nwriting that the wild visual effects and incredible score kept them engaged in\nthe narrative. They called the feature enjoyable escapism. The movie can be\npurchased as a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray combo, 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray Steelbook\ncombo, or as a Blu-ray-only release. It features Jared Leto, Greta Lee, Evan\nPeters, Jodie Turner-Smith, Hasan Minhaj, Arturo Casto, Gillian Anderson and\nJeff Bridges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n BLASTS FROM THE PAST!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019re looking for something older, there are a few great\noptions coming your way. Arrow Video is delivering the Steven Seagal action\npicture Under Siege<\/em> (1992) as both a \u201cLimited Edition\u201d 4K Ultra HD and a\n\u201cLimited Edition\u201d Blu-ray. The movie marks one of the star\u2019s best titles. The\nstar plays a cook on a Navy Battleship with nuclear-tipped missiles that is\nabout to be decommissioned. While sailing across the Pacific, a group of\nmercenaries take over the ship. Of course, the heroic cook steps up to take\ndown the threat. This film benefits greatly from its villains (played by Tommy\nLee Jones and Gary Busey) who are in the picture almost as much as the lead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The original 35mm camera negative was scanned at Warner Bros.\u00a0 and is presented in Dolby Vision. A new audio commentary with director Andrew Davis (The Fugitive<\/em>) and writer J.F. Lawton (Pretty Woman, The Hunted<\/em>). There is also a new interview with Davis, recently recorded conversations with co-stars Erika Eleniak and Damian Chapa and a lengthy discussion about the Introvision effects work on the film with supervisor William Mesa. A trailer is also included, along with a reversible sleeve with two original artwork options and a booklet with new writing on the movie. Read a full review of the release right here.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Criterion is presenting a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray combo of\nthe Jim Jarmusch feature, Dead Man<\/em> (1995). This title is an existential\nwestern with Johnny Depp as a man who walks in on a violent situation and ends\nup as an outlaw. The film has been given a 4K restoration approved by Jarmusch,\na Q&A with Jarmusch, footage of Neil Young performing the score, a\ndiscussion with co-star Gary Farmer, readings of William Blake poems by members\nof the cast including Alfred Molina and Iggy Pop, scene select commentary with\nthe production designer and sound mixer, deleted scenes and a trailer. Color\nphotos from the production are also included.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Kino is delivering a Blu-ray of the Jeff Bridges\/Kim\nBasinger drama, The Door in the Floor<\/em> (2004). Based on the novel A\nWidow for One Year<\/em> by John Irving (The World According to Garp, The\nCider House Rules<\/em>), the tale involves a couple who lose their adolescent\nsons in a car crash. The couple deal with their grief in very different ways,\nseparating and embarking on affairs. The disc contains a director commentary, a\nfeaturette on the production, another on author Irving, and a third detailing\nthe creation of an important scene in the film. A trailer is also featured.<\/p>\n\n\n\n K-PAX<\/em> (2001) is another title starring Jeff Bridges.\nHe plays a jaded psychiatrist assigned to treat a man who claims to be from\nanother galaxy and has plenty of facts to back it up. The lead slowly begins to\nwonder if his new, strange patient might actually be telling the truth. Kevin\nSpacey co-stars in the film. This Blu-ray arrives with a director commentary, a\nmaking-of featurette, storyboards, deleted scenes, an alternate ending (which\nwas the first one shot for the film), a detailed set of photographs chronicling\nthe production, and a trailer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Finally, Shout Factory is delivering another John Woo\nclassic in a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray set. Bullet in the Head<\/em> (1990). The\nstory follows three childhood friends who grow up in poverty in Hong Kong. As\nadults, they try to escape their situation by joining a prominent gang. But the\ntrio soon get in over their heads and end up turning on one another. This\neffort came between The Killer<\/em> and Hard Boiled<\/em> and is considered\nanother essential title in the director\u2019s filmography. The release contains a\n4K scan of the original camera negative presented in Dolby Vision. The feature\nis presented on a 4K disc and a Blu-ray, with a movie historian commentary. A\nBlu-ray of extras contains an alternate ending, an interview with Woo, a\ndiscussion with cast member Waise Lee, a talk with the producer, an interview\nwith the editor, and yet another talk with the production planner. A film\nhistorian also appears to discuss the film. Promo materials like trailers and\nan image gallery are also listed as bonuses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n YOU KNOW, FOR KIDS!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Alas, there isn\u2019t anything for little ones this week, but\nthat should all change next time out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n ON THE TUBE!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Below is a list of the week\u2019s TV-related releases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Christmas Quest<\/em> (also includes The Sweetest\nChristmas<\/em>) (Hallmark) DVD<\/p>\n\n\n\n Falling Skies<\/em>: The Complete Series (Warner Bros.)\nBlu-ray<\/p>\n\n\n\n Following Yonder Star<\/em> (also includes The Gift of\nPeace<\/em>) (Hallmark) DVD<\/p>\n\n\n\n Lynley<\/em>: Season 1 (BBC) DVD<\/p>\n\n\n\n Private Princess Christmas<\/em> (also includes My\nGrown-Up Christmas Wish<\/em>) (Hallmark) DVD<\/p>\n\n\n\n Roots<\/em>: The Complete Original Series (Warner Bros.)\nBlu-ray<\/p>\n\n\n\n Royal Flying Doctor Service<\/em>: Season 3 (PBS) DVD<\/p>\n\n\n\n Santa Tell Me<\/em> (also includes Finding Santa<\/em>)\n(Hallmark) DVD<\/p>\n\n\n\n Shameless<\/em>: The Complete Series (Warner Bros.) Blu-ray<\/p>\n\n\n\n Shameless<\/em>: Season 10 (Warner Bros.) Blu-ray<\/p>\n\n\n\n Shameless<\/em>: Season 11 (The Final Season) (Warner\nBros.) Blu-ray<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.cinemastance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/DVD-American-Clown-fixed.jpg\")
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