Welcome to another look at some of the highlights arriving on Blu-ray and DVD. This edition features a big award contender as well as a horror hit and independent fare. So, if you can’t make it out to the movies this week or need to stay indoors, be sure to give one of these titles a try!
BIG NEW RELEASES!
AN UNLIKELY ANGEL – This faith-based title tells the story of a pregnant workaholic who dreads the idea of becoming a parent. A guardian angel is called in for an intervention and appears as a taxi driver at the hospital to pick up the new mother and get her to a business meeting. He crashes the car, which results in the protagonist falling into a coma and waking up 6 years later. She sees what has become of her family and is told to make strides to be a mother and better family member. This feature debuted on the religious entertainment streaming platform Pure Flix and is now being given a DVD-only release. A couple of reviews on religious websites have called it inspiring. But others online have noted that the concept of this project was disturbing and the end product ineffective. It features Jillian Murray and Robert Amaya.
BABYLON – Set in the 1920s during the early days of Hollywood, this tale involves a young man working at a decadent party filled with celebrities. He’s exposed to their glamorous, over-the-top world and personally befriends a few of the attendees. Viewers are exposed to the rise and fall of the various characters over the following years. It depicts how they dealt with fame and oncoming changes in the industry that threatened their stardom. The movie was nominated for three Academy Awards, but split the press. Almost half of reviewers thought that the film was overlong and suffered from too many subplots. They also claimed it lacked subtlety and delivered contradictory messages about its subject. However, a few more called it funny and fascinating, writing that there were some impressive moments and that it featured beautiful photography. The cast includes Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie, Diego Calva, Jean Smart, Jovan Adepo, Li Jun Li, Lukas Haas and Tobey Maguire. Read a full review of the movie here.
LEFT BEHIND: RISE OF THE ANTICHRIST – Looking for more faith-based features? This film is a sequel to the 2014 reboot of Left Behind (which starred Nicolas Cage), but features an entirely new cast. Set after the events of the last film in which millions of people vanished from Earth, the heroic pilot from the first chapter tries to warn others that the rapture has occurred. He watches as a new and charismatic leader emerges, promising to help the world. Of course, the title of this feature suggests the person’s intentions may, in fact, be sinister. The protagonist must reveal this figure’s real identity. There haven’t been many write-ups of the movie and the ones that have appeared have been middling to weak (even from religious publications). Most say that it’s slickly made, but that the movie is awkward in its attempts to mix drama, action and its message. They also took issue with the handling of a strange, COVID-related plot addition. Kevin Sorbo, Mary Armstrong, Corbin Bernsen and Neal McDonough headline the flick.
LEGEND OF GATOTKACA – Released in its homeland under the title Satria Dewa: Gatotkaca, this action/adventure flick from Indonesia is based in part on an ancient Hindu figure, as well as a recent comic book featuring an updated take on the character. The film appears to be something of a superhero story that involves a protagonist born with superhuman powers. After a demonic figure named Aswatama rises, builds an army and plots to take over the world, the adult hero must unlock his abilities and save the planet. There aren’t a lot of reviews from critics for this foreign-language title, but one or two that have appeared have been upbeat. They suggest that while the feature all feels exaggerated to a fault, the cast is charming and the action scenes are skillfully performed and edited, delivering enough wild thrills to earn it a recommendation. It stars Rizky Nazar, Yasmin Napper and Omar Daniel.
LULLABY – A couple move to a new home with their newborn in the hopes of making a fresh start. After opening a book given to them as a gift, the mother begins singing a lullaby from its pages. While the parent initially enjoys the melody, she begins having visions of a nasty figure in the mirror. The baby also begins acting out. The woman becomes convinced that an evil force is trying to take possession of her child. She struggles to maintain her sanity and protect the baby. While this chiller is from the director of the 2014 film Annabelle, it didn’t receive a lot of reviews from members of the press. Horror websites have stated that the film is polished and is quite tense early on, but ultimately becomes repetitive (apparently, a great deal of it revolves around the baby crying endlessly) and that the story falls apart by the time the climax arrives. The cast includes Oona Chaplin, Ramón Rodríguez and Liane Balaban.
M3GAN – When a toy designer’s sister dies and leaves her as guardian of her 8-year-old niece, she is overwhelmed by her new responsibility. Out of desperation, the lead decides to kill two birds with one stone. The protagonist gives the child her prototype for a new doll with artificial intelligence, hoping it will assist the youngster adapt socially, and in the process help the designer work out any kinks with her creation. The doll soon displays a mean streak and goes on the rampage, putting all of the characters in danger. This feature was a surprise box office hit in cinemas and also fared very well with the press. A tiny number thought the story resorted to cliches and wrote that it didn’t scare them at all. But the vast majority found the film to be a blast, saying it was predictable but delivered a surprisingly enjoyable amount of dark humor and plenty of killer-doll set pieces that were fun to watch. It features Allison Williams, Violet McGraw, Ronny Chieng and Amie Donald.
SERIOUSLY RED – This unusual musical/comedy/drama focuses on a real estate agent who moonlights as a Dolly Parton impersonator. When she loses her job, she focuses on her hobby full time, gaining the attention of a booking agent and a popular female Elvis impersonator. The lead unexpectedly finds success, but as she tours and her popularity grows, she begins to feel like a phony and wonders if she should continue. The effort split critics right down the middle. Half of reviewers thought the filmmakers missed out on fully realizing the interesting concept. They didn’t think the humor worked and found themselves uninvolved in the proceedings. The same number were very impressed and referred to the movie as campy fun, commenting that the cast was charismatic and that the heart-warming story and music ultimately won them over. Krew Boylan, Rose Byrne, Bobby Cannavale, Daniel Webber and Celeste Barber headline the picture.
STANLEYVILLE – A dissatisfied woman quits her job and leaves her family after being chosen to participate in a special contest. She is told that she must face off against five competitors for a chance at winning an SUV. After arriving to compete, the protagonist meets the other oddballs recruited, in addition to the eccentric person running the challenge (who isn’t very open about exactly what is happening or how one can win). This very bizarre dark comedy from Canada earned more recommendations than pans. A good number were frustrated by what they witnessed, calling the characters unlikable, the humor broadly played and the entire film too weird for their tastes. However, more reviewers appreciated its strangeness. They commented that once you got on its wavelength, it became a bold and funny absurdist tale with a lot of social commentary and effective moments. It features Susanne Wuest, Cara Ricketts, Christian Serritiello, George Tchortov, Adam Brown and Julian Richings.
BLASTS FROM THE PAST!
If you’re looking for something a little older, there are plenty of options as well. ClassicFlix is presenting The Long Wait (1954) as a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray set. It’s a mystery flick co-written by Mickey Spillane that stars Anthony Quinn as a man who suffers from amnesia after a car wreck. He also discovers that he is a murder suspect and must go on the lam and find out if he is, indeed, a killer. The package includes a film historian audio commentary and an image gallery with rare stills.
Criterion is releasing the eerie Inland Empire (2006) on Blu-ray. This surreal project from David Lynch (Blue Velvet, Wild at Heart, the Twin Peaks series and movie) follows an actress who experiences very odd things while trying to get deep into character for a role in a movie. It was shot digitally on cameras from over 15 years ago, lending an odd look to the proceedings. Despite this, the title has been given a 4K restoration. It comes with two films about the director made in 2007, a conversation between star Laura Dern and actor Kyle MacLachlan, 75 minutes of extra scenes, and a short film. Additionally, you’ll get excerpts of Lynch reading from his 2018 book Room to Dream, as well as a trailer.
Kino is delivering a Blu-ray of the futuristic pop/sci-fi/lesbian/fantasy feature Flaming Ears (1992). It has been called an audacious extravaganza and the disc presents a 4K restoration and also includes three short films from the director.
Lucky Jordan (1942) is a drama with Alan Ladd about a racketeer drafted to serve in the army. The movie has received a 2K restoration for its Blu-ray debut and arrives with film critic commentary and a trailer.
Never Say Die (1939) is a Bob Hope comedy about a man being stalked by a woman who murders husbands for money. The disc includes a 2K scan of the film, a movie historian commentary and a trailer. And Thanks for the Memory (1938) is another Hope flick about an out-of-work house-husband worried that his employed wife will leave him for her boss. Bonuses on this Blu-ray include another critic commentary and trailer.
Paramount is releasing a major cult item this week with the fantasy film, Dragonslayer (1981). It’s a fantasy film about a young wizard’s apprentice who is unexpectedly required to step in and fight a rampaging dragon from causing destruction across the land. You can either pick up a Steelbook 4K Ultra HD of the film, a regular 4K Ultra HD edition or a Blu-ray. Extras include a 4K restoration approved by director Matthew Robbins, a commentary with Robbins and fan Guillermo del Toro, and a featurette on the visual effects. It also includes a look back at visual effects of the era, as well as features about the movie’s pre-production, how they created the dragon, the troubles experienced during the shoot, and how they shot the finale. There are also cast screen tests and a trailer for the movie. Sounds like an incredible release. Just make sure you pick up the right edition, as there are no combo packages.
And the Paramount Presents line is adding a new title with Red Eye (2005). The feature is receiving the 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray treatment. It’s a very effective, tense thriller from the late, great Wes Craven (The Hills Have Eyes, A Nightmare on Elm Street, The Serpent and the Rainbow, Scream) about a woman who is seated on a flight next to a terrorist. He threatens that he can have her father killed with a phone call if she doesn’t follow his specific instructions. This release includes a new commentary with the film’s editor, a special on Wes Craven and his work on the film and a featurette including interview footage with the director. You’ll also get an archived commentary with Craven, the producer and the editor, a gag reel and much more.
Shout! is presenting several cult films on Blu-ray. The first is Crazy People (1990), a comedy with Dudley Moore about an ad man who suffers a nervous breakdown. While getting treatment at an institution, he comes up with an idea to start a new company with other patients that will specialize in direct and honest promotional campaigns. If memory serves, there are some funny moments in the feature, including an entertainingly blunt campaign for a horror film. It also stars Daryl Hannah, Paul Reiser, J.T. Walsh, David Paymer and Mercedes Ruehl. The disc comes with a trailer for the film.
Critical Condition (1987) stars Richard Pryor as a con artist about to go to prison. When he’s taken to a hospital for an evaluation, the lead ends up escaping police custody and impersonating a doctor. The supporting cast includes Rachel Ticotin, Rubén Blades, Joe Mantegna, Bob Saget, John Polito and Garrett Morris. This disc also includes a trailer.
Dr. Giggles (1992) is a slasher about a maniacal, laughing maniac who believes that he is a surgeon. After years in an asylum, he escapes and returns to his hometown. After moving into his abandoned family home, he starts kidnapping new patients and performing nasty procedures on them. Larry Drake plays the title character. The movie wasn’t well-received during its original run, but appears to have developed a following over the years. This Blu-ray includes a 2K scan of the picture, a new interview with the director and a never-before-seen discussion with late star Drake. There is also a featurette on the composer and tons of publicity material for the film.
The distributor is also putting out the film noir Sorry, Wrong Number (1948) with Barbara Stanwyck and Burt Lancaster. This tale involves a bedridden woman hearing a murder plot over the telephone and trying to stop it from occurring. This Blu-ray comes with a new movie expert commentary track, an older commentary with a film noir authority, an introduction to the title by another historian, a making-of, a radio play of the story featuring the lead performers, in addition to a separate filmed performance of the radio play. A trailer and photo gallery are also present on the disc.
The Chinese suspense picture Suzhou River (2000) is arriving on Blu-ray from Strand Releasing. The story involves a man who gets involved with and tries to kidnap a mysterious woman. She disappears and he goes to prison for the attempted crime. After being released, he encounters a woman who is either a doppelganger of the female or the woman herself. The disc features a 4K restoration.
And finally, Warner Bros. is continuing to put out Rocky movies from their recent 4K Ultra HD box set. This single film release is a Best Buy Exclusive Steelbook. Rocky IV (1985) is the movie arriving with a 4K Ultra HD disc and a Blu-ray (which wasn’t included in the 4-movie collection).
YOU KNOW, FOR KIDS!
Sadly, there isn’t much kid’s entertainment this week. The next edition will hopefully rectify this problem.
ON THE TUBE!
Here are the week’s TV-themed releases.
Dawson’s Creek: The Complete Series (Sony) DVD
Doc Martin: Series 10 (Acorn) Blu-ray
Hallmark 2-Movie Collection: Romance in Style & Road Trip Romance (Hallmark) DVD
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds: Season 1 (Paramount) Blu-ray
Vienna Blood: Season 3 (PBS) DVD