Welcome to another look at some of the highlights arriving on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and DVD. Last week was extremely busy, so things are a bit slower, but there are still a couple of major releases, interesting independents, and great older pictures receiving big upgrades. So, if you can’t make it out to the movies this week, be sure to give one of these titles a try!
BIG NEW RELEASES!
EDDINGTON – The latest from writer/director Ari Aster (Hereditary, Midsommar) is a tale set in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. It follows the mayor of a New Mexico town who decides to enforce a lockdown to prevent more cases. However, the local sheriff angrily disagrees with the orders. This lawman’s family (who are conspiracy theorists) encourage him to run in a mayoral election, leading to escalating confrontations and violence between the two men. The picture combines elements of thrillers, dark comedies and westerns. Reaction towards the film was more positive than negative. About one-third of reviewers complained that the movie didn’t take a side in the arguments presented, focusing on chaos for its own sake. The rest were impressed with the work of the cast and stated that while flawed, this was an ambitious and interesting film showing a fractured America. It will be available on the A24 website either on 4K Ultra HD or Blu-ray. The movie features Joaquin Phoenix, Deirdre O’Connell, Emma Stone, Pedro Pascal, Michael Ward and Cameron Mann.
FREE TIME – With his 30s approaching quickly, a man decides to quit his dull job and try to appreciate life. He embraces spending more time with friends and focusing on his hobbies but soon realizes he really has no idea what else to do with himself. Once he changes his mind, the protagonist isn’t even certain of how to move forward in his career. This independent comedy was well-received by the press. One or two reviewers found the main character annoying and couldn’t relate to his struggles. However, the vast majority did think that the film was accurate and amusing in how it succinctly depicted the struggles 20-somethings at this point in their lives. For the time being, this is a DVD-only release. The cast includes Colin Burgess, Rajat Suresh, Holmes, Jessie Pinnick, James Webb and Rebecca Rose Bulnes.
MARLEE MATLINE: NOT ALONE ANYMORE – This documentary tells the story of actress and activist Marlee Matlin. The picture details her childhood in Illinois, growing up deaf in a hearing family. Initially, she felt isolated from the world around her, until joining a deaf theater group. At 21, Matlin was cast in Kiss of the Spider Woman and won an Oscar for her work. The film shows what followed and the performer’s efforts to raise awareness for the deaf. Notices were almost all positive for this effort. A lone voice or two complained that the film didn’t offer any great insight, only its subject complaining about the movie industry. However, all others stated that Matlin was an inspiring personality and that she and the documentarian (who is also deaf) offered unique insight into their lives and experiences, as well as hopes for the future.
PROJECT GENESIS – Also released under the title Taklee Genesis x Worlds Collide, this science-fiction/action picture from Thailand involves a scientist distressed by the disappearance of her father some 30 years earlier. She returns home to visit her terminally ill mother and discovers the remnants of a CIA project. The lead finds equipment that can allow her to travel to another, alternate timeline and find him. The plot also somehow incorporates giant monsters. This picture hasn’t been seen by reviewers in this part of the world, but there are a couple of online writer-ups available. They are upbeat, noting that for a relatively low-budget film, it had big ideas and likable characters. Apparently, many of the visual effects look decent and the action is exciting. But they also mention that the picture is too long and could’ve been streamlined and better paced. This is available in a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray combo pack. War Wanarat Ratsameerat and Paula Taylor headline the picture.
RED SONJA – The Marvel comic book warrior Red Sonja has had her share of movie adaptations over the years (most notably in 1985), and now she is back in this reboot. A young woman’s village is destroyed by a tyrant. She is captured, picked out to be a gladiator and learns to fight like a warrior. The protagonist eventually unites other outcasts in the kingdom to destroy the ruler and his minions. Critics were only slightly more positive than negative on this version of the story. Almost half commented that the budget was too slim and it suffered from poor visual effects. They also noted that the humorless tone didn’t help matters. Still, slightly more wrote that even though the movie was uneven, the lead performer’s charisma helped the movie deliver enough effective sword-and-sandal mayhem to earn it a recommendation. It stars Matilda Lutz, Robert Sheehan, Wallis Day, Luca Pasqualino and Michael Bisping.
SHARI & LAMB CHOP – Shari Lewis was a ventriloquist and children’s entertainer who became famous for creating a sharp-witted puppet named Lamb Chop that began appearing regularly on Captain Kangaroo in the late 1950s. She is considered a pioneer in her work and this documentary. It chronicles her time growing up in the Bronx and aspiring to become a dancer. An accident changed all that, and she instead became a ventriloquist. Viewers learn about the ups and downs of her career and how she changed children’s entertainment. The press rated this feature very highly. One voice complained that the picture didn’t offer any new insight and that most could get all the info they needed on Lewis by going online. However, everyone else described it as a detailed and passionate portrait of a woman who followed the beat of her own drummer, while still managing to change the entertainment industry for the better. For now, this is a DVD-only title.
THE SHROUDS – The latest from David Cronenberg (The Brood, Videodrome, The Dead Zone, The Fly, Dead Ringers, Naked Lunch, Crash, A History of Violence and many others) follows the owner of a cemetery who has developed a new business model. A shroud is placed over the deceased, allowing loved ones to, over time, watch the body decompose and become one with the earth. The lead’s own wife is buried onsite, and his business is booming. But suddenly, the cemetery is vandalized, there are signs of industrial espionage, and the lead’s odd past begins to come to light. More reviewers liked this picture than disliked it, although response was all over the place. About one-quarter found the movie slow and frustrating, also saying they had difficulty figuring out the meaning. But the majority, while admitting the film was perplexing at times, was still compelling. They thought it forced viewers to think about mortality, death and grief long after the credits rolled. It features Vincent Cassel, Diane Kruger, Guy Pearce, Sandrine Holt, Elizabeth Saunders and Jennifer Dale.
SOULEYMATE’S STORY – An asylum-seeker living in Paris finds a position as a food delivery cyclist. It’s a busy and demanding job that keeps him on his toes. When he learns that he is being given a chance to secure legal residency (or be turned away) in just two days, he must work, prepare and practice for an interview that will, one way or another, change his life. Response towards this French picture has been uniformly positive. All of those who saw the movie believed that the film was tense and harrowing to watch. They noted that it felt authentic and didn’t resort to sentimentalism or sensationalism. It simply told the truth about the experience of moving to a new country and being forced to relive the past while arguing for the opportunity to stay. The cast includes Abou Sangare, Alpha Oumar Sow, Nina Meurisse and Emmanuel Yovanie.
BLASTS FROM THE PAST!
If you’re looking for something older you also have some options. Arrow Video is presenting a double-feature Blu-ray containing Three (2002) and Three… Extremes (2004). These are a pair of Asian anthology horror pictures from. Each includes a trio of dark and disturbing tales from filmmakers like Kim Jee-woon (A Tale of Two Sisters), Fruit Chan (Made in Hong Kong), Park Chan-wook (Oldboy) and Takashi Miike (Audition). For this Blu-ray set, both movies have been given new 2K restorations. Numerous new and archival cast and crew interviews are included, as well as making-of featurettes and trailers. The second disc also contains a feature-length version of Chan’s episode called “Dumplings”.
If you enjoy the films of Ti West, he’s been on a roll recently. You can now pick up either a 4K Ultra HD or a Blu-ray “Collector’s Edition” mediabook box set called The X Trilogy from A24. It contains the recent and well-regarded horror films X (2022), Pearl (2022) and MaXXXine (2024) starring Mia Goth. No word on whether this version contains any extra goodies besides the new packaging, so interested parties may want to do a bit of research on the discs.
Criterion is releasing a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray, as well as a Blu-ray only edition of the Ken Russell (The Devils, Tommy) cult film Altered States (1980). It’s a trippy effort with William Hurt about a tenured Harvard psychopathologist entering a sensory deprivation tank and conducting experiments on himself in the hopes of discovering an alternate state of being. Bizarre visions and events follow. Specs for this title list a 4K image restoration presented in Dolby Vision, a film historian audio commentary, archival interviews with director Russell and star Hurt, a new talk with the special-visual-effects designer and a trailer. A book is also included with an essay on the movie.
There is a new David Cronenberg film out on disc today, so Criterion is also making A History of Violence (2005) available in a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray combo pack (as well as a standalone Blu-ray). This crime film is based on a graphic novel and involves a smalltown diner owner whose life is upended when he is identified by mobsters who see him on the news. As it turns out, the protagonist has a dark past that now puts his new life in danger. The movie was a critic and was nominated for a couple of Academy Awards. It stars Viggo Mortensen, Maria Bello, William Hurt and Ed Harris.
The new 4K picture restoration for this title was supervised by cinematographer Peter Suschitzky and approved by director Cronenberg. It is also presented in Dolby Vision. An audio commentary with Cronenberg is featured as an extra, along with a new interview with the screenwriter, as well as excerpts of Cronenberg and Mortensen at the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival. A documentary on the production is included, alongside three featurettes, a deleted scene with commentary, a trailer, a booklet with an essay on the movie.
Furious Swords and Fantastic Warriors: The Heroic Cinema of Chang Cheh is Blu-ray box set from Eureka Entertainment celebrating the films of Chinese director Change Cheh. You’ll get Trail of the Broken Blade (1967), The Wandering Swordsman (1970), King Eagle (1971), Trilogy of Swordsmanship (1972), The Iron Bodyguard (1973), Men form the Monastery (1974), Shaolin Martial Arts (1974), The Fantastic Magic Baby (1975) (which, based on the title alone,, I now have to see), New Shaolin Boxers (1976) and The Weird Man (1983). The ten films are presented on five discs and arrive with film historian commentaries, an interview with a Hong Kong film expert on the career of Cheh, video essays and more. There is also a booklet with writing on the movies, and the set includes impressive, newly created cover artwork.
Kino Lorber is delivering some new titles as well. The Ex (1996) is a thriller about a divorced woman who tries to destroy the new life of her ex-husband. It stars Yancy Butler, Suzy Amis and Nick Mancuso and was directed by Mark L. Lester (Class of 1984, Firestarter, Commando, Class of 1999) who considers it one of his favorite films. A new master of the title was approved by Lester, and it features new interviews with Butler and Mancuso, as well as a trailer.
King and Country (1964) aka King & Country is a British drama set at the end of WWI. A Private is charged with desertion and must defend himself in court. A 4K restoration from the original camera negative at Studio Canal was used for this Blu-ray release. It also comes with a film historian commentary, archival cast member interviews, and a trailer.
You can also purchase a Blu-ray of Radioland Murders (1994). Produced by George Lucas, it’s a comedic period murder/mystery about a group of radio performers being killed during a production. They try to keep the show going while figuring out who is responsible. The cast includes Mary Stuart Masterson, Brian Benben, Ned Beatty, Corbin Bernsen, Christopher Lloyd, Jeffrey Tambor, Michael McKean and many more. This disc features a 2K image restoration from the interpositive, a film expert commentary, an interview with co-star Benben, and a trailer.
And William Friedkin’s Rampage (1987) is arriving in a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray set, and as a standalone Blu-ray only. The movie depicts the trial of a man after he commits a murder spree. The release contains 4K restorations of both the director’s cut (from the camera negative) and recut theatrical version (from the interpositive), both presented in Dolby Vision. There is a movie historian commentary, interviews with a cast member and a crime writer, and a trailer.
Paramount Pictures is releasing a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray Steelbook of Æon Flux (2005). It’s a feature length live-action adaptation of a popular animated series that ran on MTV in the early 1990s. The story involves a female warrior who leads a rebellion against sinister forces in control of the world. Charlize Theron plays the lead protagonist. The film has been restored in 4K and is presented in Dolby Vision. You’ll also get special features on the Blu-ray like archival commentaries and more.
The studio is also putting out a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray 40th anniversary Steelbook of the entertaining ensemble comedy, Clue (1988). Shout Factory has also released this title in a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray set full of bonuses, so you might want to compare features on each version before making a purchase. The extras aren’t currently listed on the Paramount Pictures edition.
Speaking of Shout Factory, it’s a busy week for them as well. The stylish Werner Herzog remake Nosferatu the Vampyre (1979) is arriving as a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray set. Apparently, the Klaus Kinski cult film features a new 4K transfer of the original 35mm camera negative (of both English and German versions of the movie). There are two Herzog commentary tracks, a vintage making-of featurette, theatrical trailers and a still gallery. It can also be purchased as a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray Shout “Collector’s Edition” exclusive with extras like a different slipcover and two posters.
You can also pick up a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray combo of The Place Beyond the Pines (2012), an ambitious crime drama with Ryan Gosling, Bradley Cooper, Eva Mendes, Mahershala Ali, Rose Byrne and Ray Liotta. This release contains a 4K restoration approved by director and co-writer Derek Cianfrance (Blue Valentine, Roofman), a Cianfrance commentary track, deleted and extended scenes, and a making-of featurette.
The Oliver Stone crime epic Savages (2012) is arriving as a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray “Collector’s Edition”. It follows two Californian marijuana dealers who get caught up with a Mexican Baja Cartel. The cast includes Taylor Kitsch, Blake Lively, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, John Travolta, Benicio del Toro and Salma Hayek. This set features a 4K picture restoration of the unrated version from the original elements supervised and approved by Stone (and presented in Dolby Vision) on the 4K disc. The accompanying Blu-rays contain both the unrated and theatrical versions (the latter is also restored from original elements) of the title. There is a commentary with Stone and another with the crew, new interviews with cast and crew, deleted scenes and a making-of featurette.
And Warner Bros. is making the superhero classic Superman (1978) available on 4K Ultra HD. It comes with an archival producer commentary, making-of and promo materials. Those interested may want to hold off for a big 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray box set of all the Christopher Reeve titles that will be arriving in a few weeks.
YOU KNOW, FOR KIDS!
Unfortunately, it’s a slow week for kid-friendly titles. Hopefully the next edition will make up for it.
ON THE TUBE!
Below is a list of all the TV-themed releases.
Alfred Hitchcock Presents: The Legacy Collection (Universal) DVD
Alfred Hitchcock Presents: Season 7 (Universal) DVD
Robot Chicken: The Complete Series (Warner Bros.) DVD
Robotech – Part 1: The Macross Saga (1985 animated series) (Crunchyroll, LLC) Blu-ray
When Calls the Heart: The Series – Seasons 1 – 12 – Collector’s Edition Elite Box Set (Edify FIlms) DVD