Welcome back to another look at some of the highlights arriving this week on Blu-ray and DVD. It’s another busy edition with features arriving in just about every genre imaginable. So, if you can’t or shouldn’t be heading out to the movies this week, be sure to give one of these titles a try!
BIG NEW RELEASES!
BLEED WITH ME – This independent horror picture follows a young woman struggling to make friends. The outsider is thrilled when a lady invites her on a winter getaway at an isolated cabin in the woods. As anyone who has every watched this kind of a movie knows, it turns into a terrible experience. The guest begins discovering strange incisions on her arms and begins experiencing hallucinations. She starts to suspect that she is being drugged and that her new acquaintance is stealing her blood. The press liked this effort, which originally debuted on the Shudder streaming service. A small number complained that the filmmaker didn’t end the story in a satisfactory manner. Still, the majority claimed the movie was a creepy and effective psychological chiller that would send shivers down the spine. This is a DVD only release. Lee Marshall and Lauren Beatty headline the film.
CYRANO – The Cyrano de Bergerac tale gets another adaption. This one is based on a stage play with elements of a musical thrown into the mix. A sharp-witted man is convinced to help another woo a beautiful woman by crafting beautifully written love letters. However, the lead also shares romantic feelings for the lovely lady and must overcome his own self-doubt in order to express his admiration. This period feature earned excellent reviews and was nominated for an Academy Award in the category of Costume Design. A small contingent commented that they didn’t care for the songs and thought the movie attempted to incorporate too many new elements. Regardless, the vast majority said that patient viewers would find the movie undeniably charming and extremely enjoyable, also calling the lead performance phenomenal. It stars Peter Dinklage, Haley Bennett, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Ben Mendelsohn, Bashir Salahuddin and Monica Dolan.
THE DESPERATE HOUR – A recently widowed mother decides to go out for a jog in the woods as her son and daughter head off to school. While running in the wilderness, she hears that a shooter is on the loose at her kid’s learning institute and that the town has been thrown into chaos. In real time, we watch the protagonist race back to try and rescue her children from their classrooms. Unfortunately, there were more critics who had issues with this thriller than there were who liked it. The positive ones stated that the movie was tense and that the lead performance was so grounded that it carried the viewer past any narrative holes. But as mentioned, more disliked watching a character run, talk and text on their cell phone for the majority of the running time. They said the technique took away from the drama and tension of the situation. The cast includes Naomi Watts, Colton Gobbo and Sierra Maltby.
THE EXORCISM OF GOD – An American priest commits a horrific sacrilege while taking part in an exorcism to free a young woman from the control of a demon. He then moves to Mexico, spending nearly 20 years quietly helping residents in a village. But one day, another episode occurs with a child possession. The lead figures out that the demon he squared off with so long ago has returned. The two square off one final time and in doing so, the priest realizes that to win, he may have to sacrifice his faith. Response towards this horror picture was slightly more upbeat than negative. Almost half suggested that the film took itself far too seriously and didn’t deliver enough new thrills to justify its existence. Still, more thought the movie did deliver thrills and had a memorably wild final act that did surprise them. Will Beinbrink, Maria Gabriela de Faria, Joseph Marcell and Raquel Rojas headline the film.
FALLING FOR FIGARO – This romantic comedy from the UK features a woman with an unusual dream… to be an opera singer in the Scottish Highlands. The lead’s ambitions ultimately put an end to her relationship. So, in order to make her dreams come true, she quits her job and travels north to take lessons with an opera singer and an eccentric former diva. Once there, sparks fly when she meets a handsome student training for a vocal competition. The film received more positive write-ups than negative ones. A few said that the movie hit all the expected beats and, as a result, felt a little flat. Regardless, the majority called it a sweet, good-natured flick with a charming cast and some hilarious supporting performances. Right now, this is an exclusive-to-DVD release from the distributor. It stars Danielle Macdonald, Joanna Lumley, Hugh Skinner, Gary Lewis and Shazad Latif.
GHOSTS OF THE OZARKS – Those who enjoy both horror pictures and westerns may find this independent feature to their liking. The period tale involves a young doctor who is asked to tend to the residents of a remote town in the Ozark Mountains of Arkansas. He is initially impressed with the beautiful sights, but soon discovers the pleasant town is being tormented by a sinister supernatural presence. Slightly more than half of critics complimented the movie. Those who had issues claimed that the pacing was poor and the social commentary didn’t hit the mark. Still, more were positive and noted that the central story was original. They also wrote that the movie was atmospheric and deftly melded different genres into a strong, unified whole. This picture is also a DVD-only release for the time being. It stars Thomas Hobson, Phil Morris, Tara Perry, Tim Blake Nelson, David Arquette and Angela Bettis.
THE HUMANS – Adapted from a Tony Award-winning play, this independent comedy/drama (supposedly with thriller elements) follows a man who gathers three generations of his Pennsylvania family together. He throws a Thanksgiving celebration for them all at his daughter’s apartment in Manhattan. But things are not well in the world and the event becomes tense as darkness falls, threatening noises are heard outside and the group begin to air their fears and grievances. This effort earned a lot of paise from critics. A small group did suggest that a lot of story elements were being juggled and that they didn’t all fit together effectively. Still, the consensus was that the ensemble cast were excellent and that the bleak story would keep viewers on the edges of their seats throughout. Richard Jenkins, Amy Schumer, Steven Yeun, Jayne Houdyshell, Beanie Feldstein and June Squibb headline the movie.
JACKASS FOREVER – While it may be hard for some to believe, it has been 22 years since the debut of the Jackass television series and 20 years since the first movie graced cinema screens. Those unfamiliar with these titles should know that they feature a group of pranksters doing outrageous and, at times, incredibly dangerous and painful-looking stunts. The latest feature involves a new round of outrageous gags featuring some of the original stars and a few new crew members. It appears that the press couldn’t help but enjoy what they saw. A tiny number called the stunts revolting and hard-to-stomach. But everyone else couldn’t help but be amused by the craziness presented. They also thought the fact that the main figures were getting older added some tension and extra concern for their well-being. The movie features Johnny Knoxville, Steve-O, Chris Pontius, Dave England and Jason ‘Wee Man’ Acuña.
THE KING’S DAUGHTER – Based on the 1997 fantasy novel “The Sun and the Moon” by Vonda N. McIntyre, this fable involves a young woman who is hired by King Louis XIV of France to compose music for him. She accepts the position and arrives at his palatial estate to begin work. But once there, the protagonist learns that the king is searching for eternal life and that he may be holding a mermaid prisoner so that he can use her in a mystical ceremony. This movie was shot in 2014 and then shelved for several years before finally getting a release earlier this year. Reaction towards it was poor. A few thought it would entertain kids and stated that the cinematography and production design were stunning. Sadly, everyone else thought it was a choppy mess with corny dialogue and too many elements that weren’t properly developed. It stars Pierce Brosnan, Kaya Scodelario, William Hurt, Benjamin Walker, Rachel Griffiths and Bingbing Fan. Read a full review of the film here.
THE LEDGE – Two friends who enjoy climbing decide to take a trip to a remote mountain in this UK thriller. As you might have already guessed, this turns out to be a very bad idea. While in the wilderness, they discover that they are staying next to a group of partying friends. One of them attacks the pair, ultimately committing murder. The friend records the crime and the men decide to kill her as well. She realizes that her only escape is by climbing the face of the mountain on her own. Reaction towards this independent thriller was more negative than positive. A small number said the photography was impressive and that there were enough tense moments to earn the movie a recommendation. Still, most complained that the characters were poorly written and that the concept was underdeveloped and padded out far too long. This is a DVD-only release, The cast includes Brittany Ashworth, Ben Lamb, Nathan Welsh, Louis Boyer, Anaïs Parello and David Wayman.
SEE YOU THEN – This story involves two characters who once dated in college but ultimately went their separate ways in life. Years later, the two get back in contact and decide to reunite and catch up. The conversation starts off in a pleasant enough manner, but as they reveal more about themselves, one reveals some startling truths about their relationship and the real reason for their breakup. This LGBTQ drama earned a lot of praise from reviewers and won awards at film festivals. So far, there has only been one downbeat write-up, with a lone critic suggesting that there simply was too much chatting to keep them engaged. All the others called the feature compelling and well-acted, also noting that some of the points made about the issues these characters face in their regular lives were eye-opening. This is a DVD-only release. Pooya Mohseni and Lynn Chen headline the film.
UNEARTH – After falling on hard times, a man decides that the only way to save his family and their home is to make a deal with a gas an oil company and let them use his land. The leads neighbor warns against it, but soon companies arrive on his property for fracking purposes. Not long after, the family notes a strange substance infecting their soil and influencing their behavior. This independent creeper earned decent notices from critics. About one-third of write-ups suggested that while well-intentioned, the movie focused too much on melodrama within the household instead of its horror elements. However, the majority commented that this ecological terror exercise worked and had a little more going on beneath the surface than a typical genre film. The cast includes Adrienne Barbeau, Marc Blucas, Brooke Sorenson, Allison McAtee and P.J. Marshall.
V/H/S/94 – This sequel was financed by the Shudder streaming service. For those unfamiliar with the series, it is an anthology horror franchise with tales inspired in part by the outmoded home video format. The wraparound involves a police swat team who raid a warehouse belonging to a cult. They find a series of tapes inside the building and watch the bizarre and terrifying tales contained on them. Critics liked this picture more than the previous entry in the franchise. A couple of them felt that this picture delivered more of the same and felt stale. However, most believed that more of the segments worked than didn’t and called it an equally fun and disturbing effort that might be the best in the series. It stars Kimmy Choi, Anna Hopkins, Kyal Legend, Shania Sree Maharani and Christian Lloyd.
WHERE ARE YOU, JAY BENNETT? – Funded through the Kickstarter website, this documentary tells the story of multi-instrumentalist Jay Bennett who was a member of the band Wilco. He played on three of their albums (Being There, Summerteeth and Yankee Hotel Foxtrot) and took part in the recording sessions for the Mermaid Avenue albums that featured newly discovered songs penned by Woody Guthrie. Conflicts within the band led to Bennett being fired and sadly, he died tragically at the young age of 45. This feature details his incredible musical work and influence. This movie is premiering on disc and on streaming platforms this week (along with a special “Record Store Day” release, which means that no one has seen it as of yet. Still, it’s probably safe to assume that if you’re a fan of either Wilco or the artist, you’ll likely appreciate what you see and hear.
BLASTS FROM THE PAST!
There are plenty of interesting upgrades of older titles arriving on Blu-ray this week. Arrow Video have a Rogue Cops and Racketeers: Two Crime Thrillers from Enzo G. Castellari set that contains The Big Racket (1976) and The Heroin Busters (1977). These are pulpy Italian action flicks that have been given new 2K restorations. The set comes with film historian commentaries on both tittles, interviews with the co-writer/director on each feature, numerous cast and crew interviews, trailers and other publicity materials. You’ll even get lobby card reproductions and reversable packaging.
Blue Underground are presenting the Lucio Fulci horror picture Manhattan Baby (1982) on Blu-ray. Pictured to the left, the plot involves an archeologist who opens an Egyptian tomb and accidentally releases a sinister spirit. It possesses a young woman, who then goes on a murderous rampage through New York. This “Special Edition” arrives with interviews with the composer of the score, one of the stars, the make-up effects artist and the co-writer, as well as an interview with an expert on the director. There’s also a live studio performance of some of the score included, alongside posters, stills and a trailer.
My Afternoons with Marguerite (2010) is a French drama with Gerard Depardieu that is arriving on Blu-ray courtesy of the Cohen Media Group. This release also contains trailers.
Criterion have a Blu-ray of the musical The Girl Can’t Help It (1956) with upgraded picture and sound. It’s about a tough hood who hires an agent to turn his stunning girlfriend (Jayne Mansfield in her first role) into a singing sensation. She has a terrible voice, but the agent finds himself falling for the woman as he tries to get her ready for what will be a disastrous stage debut. Little Richard, Fats Domino, Gene Vincent and The Platters are all featured in the movie. Extras include interviews with Mansfield, Little Richard and fan John Waters, a new discussion about the movie with a Mansfield biographer, as well as conversations and audio commentary on the film’s amazing music and performances.
They also have Italian classic Miracle in Milan (1951) from renowned neorealist director Vittorio De Sico. This film was his follow-up to The Bicycle Thief and it’s about a group of vagabonds who attempt to save their shantytown from developers. The Blu-ray features bonuses like archival interviews with the cast and crew, alongside a feature-length documentary on the man who wrote the novel the film was based on, in addition to an analysis on the movie by a scholar.
Girl on a Chain Gang (1966) is a popular exploitation picture about three young ladies who are framed for a crime by a corrupt southern sheriff and then must fight the authorities to survive. This movie has been newly restored for Blu-ray by The Film Detective and arrives with an audio commentary, a featurette on the movie, and a essay about the title included in the booklet insert.
Kino are delivering In the Oscar-winning drama In the Heat of the Night (1967) in 4K Ultra HD only (a Blu-ray of the movie is not included). It follows a black police detective who is mistakenly suspected of a murder in a racially hostile small town. The movie stars Sidney Poitier and Rod Steiger and won Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Sound and Best Editing. Bonuses include a commentary a commentary with director Norman Jewison and some of the cast members, as well as a film historian audio track. Interestingly enough, it also comes with a Blu-ray (but not a 4K Ultra HD disc) containing the sequels They Call Me Mr. Tibbs (1970) and The Organization (1971), along with some featurettes on the movies and trailers.
The French feature The Olive Trees of Justice (1962) is also arriving from the distributor on Blu-ray. This one comes with a short from the director and a trailer. They are also putting out a DVD of the documentary From the Journals of Jean Seberg (1995). And if you like comic actor W.C. Fields, this is your week. You can pick up Blu-rays of Man on the Flying Trapeze (1935), You Can’t Cheat an Honest Man (1939) and You’re Telling Me! (1934). All discs come with new 2K masters of the films. They first and third come with trailers and a vintage documentary on Fields, while the second title includes a film expert commentary.
If you enjoy collecting metallic packaging, Lionsgate are presenting a Best Buy Exclusive 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray Steelbook of the horror/comedy Cabin in the Woods (2011). As mentioned, you’ll have to go specifically to Best Buy in order to find it.
An Academy Award-nominated musical adaptation of Tom Sawyer (1973) is also appearing on Blu-ray through Sandpiper Pictures. This version stars Johnny Whitaker, Jeff East, a young Jodie Foster and Warren Oates. Special features include the musical numbers being available to watch separately and a trailer.
Shoreline Entertainment are presenting the Canadian drama Lola (2001) on Blu-ray. It follows a troubled woman in search of her identity and received some awards in its homeland.
Shout! Factory have some interesting releases as well. The first is a “Collector’s Edition” of Hammer Films’ Night Creatures (1962). This creeper is about a Royal Navy ship crew who are sent to investigate a series of crimes supposedly committed by phantoms. It stars Peter Cushing. The movie has been given a new 2K scan for Blu-ray. It also comes with a film expert commentary, an interview with a movie historian, a talk with the special effects artist on the picture, a making-of, publicity materials and more.
They are also distributing Blu-ray Steelbooks of the Studio Ghibli Japanese animated films Only Yesterday (1991) Steelbook and The Tale of Princess Kaguya (2013). These are both “Limited Editions” that also include numerous extras that will please fans of the films.
Finally, Sony are also dusting off a cult classic and giving it new life. They are presenting the adult animated feature Heavy Metal (1981) as a Limited Edition Steelbook, The set contains a 4K Ultra HD disc and a Blu-ray of the film. Based on the comic book, the plot involves a series of fantasy stories set in the past, future and worlds beyond. The movie features a voice cast that includes John Candy, Harold Ramis, Eugene Levy and Joe Flaherty. This edition has been released celebrates the movie’s 40th anniversary and it comes with lots of extras. They include all-new fan celebrity interviews and reflections from filmmakers like Kevin Smith. It also contains the film’s sequel, Heavy Metal 2000 (2000). Animation enthusiasts will definitely want to pick this title up.
YOU KNOW, FOR KIDS!
Here are some discs that may appeal to youngsters.
The Adventures of Peanut and Pig DVD
The Slugs & Bugs Show: Season 2, Volume 1 DVD
The Slugs & Bugs Show: Season 2, Volume 2 DVD
The Slugs & Bugs Show: Season 2, Volume 3 DVD
The Slugs & Bugs Show: Season 2, Volume 4 DVD
ON THE TUBE!
And you’ll find most of the week’s TV-themed releases listed below.
Advice to Love By (Hallmark) DVD
The Art of the Crime: The Complete First Five Seasons (Gaumont) DVD
Damaged Care (2002) Laura Dern TV-movie DVD
The Horror at 37,000 Feet (1972) William Shatner TV-movie (CBS) DVD
NOVA: Ancient Maya Metropolis (PBS) DVD
The Slugs & Bugs Show: Season 2, Volume 1 DVD
The Slugs & Bugs Show: Season 2, Volume 2 DVD
The Slugs & Bugs Show: Season 2, Volume 3 DVD
The Slugs & Bugs Show: Season 2, Volume 4 DVD
You’re Watching the Video Music Box (Showtime) DVD