The holidays are here, which means things are slowing down on the Blu-ray and DVD front. However, there are still a few options arriving including a couple of noteworthy features. So, since you can’t or likely shouldn’t go out to the movies this week, be sure to give one of these titles a try!
Big New Releases!
Boys vs. Girls – Set in 1990, this comedy takes viewers to a summer camp undergoing a big change after 70 years of operation. Due to financial issues, the camp director is forced into making the main campus and activities co-ed. He tries to sell the head counsellors on the money-saving idea, but learns his two employees have just gone through a romantic fallout themselves. It sets off a battle of pranks between the boys and the girls, with each wanting to gain dominance and control of the camp. This independent feature appears to have gotten lost in the shuffle during the pandemic and received little in the way of press. However, the movie did win awards at various comedy festivals in Hollywood, Chicago, London and Miami. Those who saw it called the flick playful and fun. It stars Kevin McDonald, Colin Mochrie, Eric Osborne and Rachel Dagenais.
The Craft: Legacy – This sequel to the 1996 cult horror flick about teens using witchcraft to get revenge on their enemies features a new trio of students who take up the practice. As in the original, they also want to bring harm to those who have done them wrong, but need a fourth member to complete their ritual. So, the group recruit a new arrival in town in order to accomplish their goals. Response was mixed towards this follow-up, with slightly more negative response than positive. Those who liked it thought that it was a decent update that added some progressive elements to appeal to its core demographic. However, slightly more said that the characters weren’t well written, the climax didn’t deliver the necessary thrills and that the movie wasn’t very entertaining. The cast includes Cailee Spaeny, Zoey Luna, Gideon Adlon, Lovie Simone, David Duchovny, Michelle Monaghan and original co-star Fairuza Balk.
GetAWAY – An aspiring actress with a broken heart is convinced by her best friend to take a bit part in a slasher movie. They head out to the woods and get ready to begin shooting the feature with the production team. However, someone on set appears to be taking the story too seriously and starts recording themselves murdering members of the cast and crew. The protagonist and others on set struggle to survive and fight among themselves as they try to identify the psychopath. This title had a very limited release at operating cinemas a couple of months back and is now arriving this week on disc (and presumably on streaming platforms). It doesn’t look like anyone in the press managed to catch it, so there aren’t any reviews available yet. Emma Norville, Danielle Carrozza and Kyle Mangold headline the feature.
Jiu Jitsu – Who wouldn’t want to spend the holidays watching a goofy action movie starring Nicolas Cage? This title features a young Jiu Jistu expert suffering from amnesia after a confrontation with an unusual, otherworldly being. He is rescued by the leader of an ancient order of fighters and is told that their group convene together every six years to fight off alien invaders. The young man joins in the epic battle to kick the butts of sinister forces. Response from critics was mixed-negative. A small grouping enjoyed the silliness on display and called it B-movie fun. However, more thought that the feature focused on the wrong performers and could have used significantly more time with leader Cage and the more established cast members. Alain Moussi, Marie Avgeropoulos, Juju Chan, Rick Yune, Tony Jaa and Frank Grillo also appear in the movie.
Kajillionaire – The shy, adult daughter of a pair of con-artists is forced to live on the fringes of society and take part in some bizarre schemes. The eccentric comedy follows the lead as a new stranger is charmed into joining the family and taking part in their odd scams. Initially jealous, the daughter attempts to separate herself from her controlling parents and in the process is surprise to start forming a close bond with the new arrival. Reviewers were very positive about this little feature. A percentage found it too quirky and off-kilter for their tastes and didn’t find it all that amusing. Still, most enjoyed the cast and thought that this was an interesting, offbeat effort that tried to empower its naive protagonist. While this movie got plenty of attention during its run, for now it is only being made available on DVD. It stars Evan Rachel Wood, Gina Rodriguez, Richard Jenkins and Debra Winger. To read this site’s review of the feature, click here.
Loves Spell – Here’s a low-budget title from independent distributor Gravitas Ventures that is making its debut on disc and through streaming platforms. Other than some sites listing that it is a UK production, there is very little information available about the movie. The only thing that can be found right now is a synopsis from the studio. It states that Treyvon has everything… well, almost everything. He’s got a fast car, good city job, model looks – even a good sense of humor and a body to die for. Take a look at the latest Teddy Moutinho interview on this website. The only thing missing is that one special somebody. Clearly, the pitch makes it sound like a romance film, but there aren’t any write-ups available to confirm anything about the picture. So, those interested will have to go in cold and find out for themselves. The cast includes Kane Brown, Jessica-Jane Stafford, Donna Preston and Verona Rose.
The Place of No Words – This unique fantasy film involves a young boy dealing with a death. When he asks family members where we go and what happens when our lives end, the adults are initially unsure of how to respond. The question ultimately sets the family off on a strange adventure into fantasy realms in order to find the answer. This picture played and won awards in 2019 at several film festivals around the world. Word from the press was also upbeat. A small grouping thought that the movie was pompous and too downbeat for a family flick. However, more admired what the filmmakers were attempting to accomplish and thought that even if it didn’t all work, this was interesting movie that would make an impression on viewers. Mark Webber, Teresa Palmer, Bodhi Palmer and Nicole Elizabeth Berger headline the picture.
Shortcut – Obviously, if you’re in a horror flick, you should never go to a cabin in the woods… but that wouldn’t make for much of a movie. This film also warns you not to take a bus in the wilderness either. The plot involves five teenage friends who decide to take a ride to an undisclosed location in the forest. They soon find themselves being attacked on the road by a monstrous bat-creature. This is an English-language Italian/German co-production that garnered a split reaction from critics. Almost half stated that the monster and effects were good, but that the movie didn’t create much tension and ended up breaking down well before it reached its destination. However, just as many called it an effective creature feature with plenty of mood and atmospheric that didn’t outstay its welcome. It features Jack Kane, Zander Emlano, Zak Sutcliffe, Sophie Jane Oliver and Molly Dew.
The War with Grandpa – The relationship between a youngster and his grandfather comes under some strain after the senior is forced to move into the family home. After being given the boy’s bedroom, the child announces his displeasure and declares war in order to reclaim his space. Pranks between the two escalate until they are forced to deal with ramifications of their actions. This family comedy was largely panned by reviewers. One or two commented that it wasn’t a great film, but noted that any picture an entire household could watch together was welcome during this grim period. Everyone else thought the family might be better off playing a board game. They called this effort a series of badly delivered slapstick gags, also suggesting that the impressive cast deserved much better. It stars Robert De Niro, Uma Thurman, Rob Riggle, Oakes Fegley, Cheech Marin, Jane Seymour, Christopher Walken and Laura Marano. To read a full review of the flick, click here.
You Cannot Kill David Arquette – This documentary follows actor David Arquette, who has appeared in well over 100 movies and also spends a great deal of time producing and directing. Back in 2000, the wrestling fan starred in the comedy Ready to Rumble and ended up appearing on WCW, where he won the World Heavyweight Championship title. Audiences did not appreciate seeing Arquette earn the title. This feature chronicles his attempt to return to the WCW and earn the respect of wrestling enthusiasts. The movie earned a lot of praise from reviewers. A few called the mid-life crisis being depicted phony and believed the movie was essentially a big prank. However, most called it a wild, entertaining and sometimes awkward-to-watch wrestling doc that kept viewers engaged throughout. Patricia Arquette, Courtney Cox, Rosanna Arquette and Ric Flair also appear. As of right now, this title is being made available on DVD only, so Blu-ray collectors will have to wait a while longer before picking it up.
Blasts from the Past!
Naturally, things are winding down as the year nears its end, so there are less catalog titles receiving Blu-ray upgrades. At least anime fans will be happy. FUNimation are presenting a Special “Limited Edition” Blu-ray of the iconic Japanese animated feature, Akira (1988). Set in an alternate future after the end of WWIII, a rebuilt Neo-Tokyo struggles with poverty and despair and a young biker takes to the streets to fight back against his oppressors. He’s kidnapped by government forces and used for experiments, but breaks free with new and dangerous psycho-kinetic powers on a scale never witnessed before. The movie has been remastered on disc in 4K and comes with a few bonuses including a storyboard collection and trailers as well as other extras.
Warner Archive are digging into their vaults to deliver some classics. This week, their new made-to-order Blu-rays include The Best Years of Our Lives (1946), It Happened on 5th Avenue (1947) and James Stewart rom-com, The Shop Around the Corner (1940), which was later remade in 1998 as You’ve Got Mail starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan.
Finally, I don’t usually write about these kinds of releases, but since there isn’t much else arriving, I’ll also mention some import Blu-rays coming your way. These products are manufactured for use in other parts of the world and have specific Region Coding. For example, Blu-ray Region A is exclusively for discs released in North America, while England and Australia releases are Blu-ray Region B. This is because the ownership and distribution rights of some movies are owned by different parties in other parts of the world. To play a disc from Europe or elsewhere, it means that you need a special “all-region” Blu-ray player to properly read and play the material. They’re not easy to come by, and typically, those who pick up these specially adapted devices do so in order to get rare films that aren’t available in their particular part of the world.
The Australian outfit called Imprint is releasing a few titles on Blu-ray this week, which can be purchased on Amazon. They have a Blu-ray of the Sean Penn/Christopher Walken drama At Close Range (1986), which is currently out of print in the US. They are also releasing the Kenneth Branagh thriller, Dead Again (1991), another title that is unavailable on high-definition disc in North America. And they have another rarity in the form of the alien abduction drama, Fire in the Sky (1993) which tells the story of a group of men who claim to have been beamed aboard a UFO. Additionally, the company are releasing The Deep (1977) and Year of the Dragon (1985), Blu-rays which are readily available from other distributors here in North America.
The UK distributor Powerhouse – Indicator are also presenting a unique title in the form of Breakout (1975). It’s a Charles Bronson action movie about a pilot hired to free a prisoner in Mexico.
These imports are often a little more expensive than the average disc and when you pick one up, you’re always running the risk of having a domestic label announce its own North American Blu-ray release, but sometimes it’s the only way to get hold of a favorite movie.
You Know, For Kids!
Sorry, it looks like a slow week for kids, but new material should be arriving in the coming weeks.
On the Tube!
And here are the TV-themed titles coming your way.
The 100: The 7th and Final Season
NOVA: A to Z – The First Alphabet: How Writing Changed the World (PBS)