Welcome to another look at some of the highlights arriving this week on Blu-ray and DVD. It’s an extremely busy edition filled with many titles including Hollywood blockbusters and notable independent fare. So, if you can’t make it to the movies or shouldn’t be heading out right now, be sure to give one of these titles a try!
BIG NEW RELEASES!
AGENT GAME – This thriller involves a clandestine US government organization that kidnaps potential terrorists and secretly interrogates them in other countries. When a new member is tasked with grilling a suspect, the person initially follows orders. But after the job goes horribly wrong and they are blamed for the failure, it becomes clear that the operation may have been a set up and that no one in the program can be trusted. Most critics weren’t impressed by this effort. A small handful thought that the cast made up for the story’s familiarity and referred to it as fast-paced fun. Unfortunately, the majority said the screenplay was convoluted and that the end product was bland and unmemorable. Mel Gibson, Jason Isaacs, Dermot Mulroney, Katie Cassidy, Adan Canto and Barkhad Abdi headline the film.
THE BATMAN – The latest reboot of the familiar DC comic book superhero presents a darker, grittier and younger version of the Caped Crusader. After a sadistic killer begins wiping out various high-profile figures in Gotham City, Batman decides to put his investigative skills to the test and find out who is responsible. As he follows the clues, he also comes into contact with a number of familiar nemeses. The press generally liked this new take. A small contingent found it overlong and too brooding for their tastes, also criticizing the story itself for being predictable and not offering any unexpected twists. All others appreciated the grimmer approach and liked the emphasis on Batman as a detective out to solve a mystery. They also called the movie visually dazzling. It stars Robert Pattinson, Zoe Kravitz, Jeffrey Wright, Colin Farrell, Paul Dano, John Turturro, Andy Serkis, Peter Sarsgaard and Barry Keoghan. Want to know more? Read a full review of the film here.
THE BEATLES AND INDIA – This documentary details British band The Beatles and their experiences in India beginning in 1968. Feeling pressure of being the most popular musicians in the world, the group traveled to the country to take part in a Transcendental Meditation program. For some of them, it was a life-altering experience that also influenced their songwriting. Using rare archival footage, photos and accounts from others who were present with them, viewers find out more about what happened and how it affected future projects like The White Album and other solo works. There aren’t a great many write-ups for this feature yet, but the ones that have appeared online have been positive. They suggested that the movie was interesting, informative and commented that it was enlightening to hear various memories from Indian locals and journalists.
THE BURNING SEA – Enjoy disaster movies? Then this foreign-language feature from Norway may be right up your alley. It comes from the makers of the well-received efforts The Wave and The Quake, which were released in 2015 and 2018. In this tale, an oil drilling platform near the country’s coast suddenly collapses into the sea. Experts and government officials discover that a large fissure is opening on the ocean floor, putting the entire planet in danger. This effort didn’t earn quite as many raves as the previous two genre flicks, but it did receive good notices. Those who panned the film said it was too familiar, also calling the characters bland and the environmental message too bluntly delivered. Still, the consensus was that it was very well made, had great special effects and delivered more disaster movie thrills than many recent Hollywood features. The cast includes Kristine Kujath Thorp, Henrik Bjelland and Rolf Kristian Larsen.
LUNANA: A YAK IN THE CLASSROOM – Here’s another curious title from another part of the world. A teacher in Bhutan ignores his work duties as he prepares to emigrate to Australia. His superiors punish the man by sending him to work in a remote village in the Himalayas with no electricity or teaching supplies. Naturally, the task is incredibly difficult, but he soon begins to form personal relationships with children and locals and ultimately finds himself wanting to stay. While this 2019 feature is only now arriving in this part of the world, it received a great deal of praise from the press. In fact, there are currently no negative reviews for the feature. They all called it a moving and sweet tale with plenty of chuckles. They also wrote that it was impossible not to be charmed by the film. This is currently a DVD only release. It stars Sherab Dorji, Ugyen Norbu Lhendup and Kelden Lhamo Gurung.
MEASURE OF REVENGE – As a Broadway actress prepares for her final on-stage appearance, she is told that her son has died from an accidental drug overdose. The performer doesn’t believe the report and decides to investigate the matter herself. She tracks down her son’s drug dealer, who is equally surprised to hear of her client’s death and also wants to help uncover the truth. They team up to find the responsible party and enact revenge. This thriller received poor notices. A very small contingent stated that the leads were engaging enough to warrant a viewing. All others called the film a bomb, claiming that the story was ridiculous and that it was awkwardly handled. For those still curious, this is a DVD only release. The cast includes Melissa Leo, Bella Thorne, Jake Weary, Adrian Matinez, Roma Maffia and Kevin Corrigan.
RAY DONOVAN: THE MOVIE – This feature spin-off of the Ray Donovan Showtime television series claims to serve as a finale for the canceled crime show. Picking up where season 7 left off, members of the Donovan family find themselves being drawn back to Boston to take care of and eliminate some loose ends. As they do so, secrets about their past and true motivations are finally revealed. Most critics gave the film a recommendation. A tiny number complained that it wrapped things up too abruptly and lacked a big, exciting finale. All others thought that while the movie didn’t provide all the answers hoped for, the performers were great and the story did enough to clarify the lead character’s motivation. They all felt it provided a fitting and satisfying close. Liev Schreiber, Eddie Marsan, Dash Mihok, Pooch Hall, Kerris Dorsey, Katherine Moening, Kerry Condon, Jon Voight and David Patrick Kelly headline the film.
STUDIO 666 – Fans of the Foo Fighters will be thrilled to see this horror/comedy starring the band. They decide to rent and live in an Encino mansion to record their 10th album, but problems arise when it becomes clear that the home is haunted by a sinister supernatural force. The spirit targets front man Dave Grohl, first causing writer’s block and then possessing the musician, leading to death and dismemberment. Apparently, your enjoyment of the film will likely have a lot to do with how much you like the group. Slightly less than half of reviewers didn’t think the band members were natural actors and complained that the final result wasn’t funny or scary enough. Still, the majority thought it was a lot of fun, liked the music and stated that the gruesome deaths were some of the most inventive and amusing in recent horror history. It features Dave Grohl, Taylor Hawkins, Nate Mendel, Rami Jaffee, Pat Smear, Chris Shiflett, Whitney Cummings, Jeff Garlin, Will Forte, Lionel Richie and John Carpenter.
TED K – Unabomber Ted Kaczynski’s life is chronicled in this biopic that is reported based on the actual figure’s diaries. The plot follows the disgruntled former university professor as he retreats into the woods of Montana. In complete seclusion, his frustration soon becomes radicalized. He begins committing local acts of sabotage that eventually lead to a series of horrifying and deadly terrorist bombings. The press found the feature compelling. There were a few who thought the picture took too many liberties with events and didn’t give them a clear picture of the individual. However, the overwhelming majority were extremely impressed with the lead performance, calling it mesmerizing and saying that the movie painted a detailed picture of the man and what caused him to lose his mind. It stars Sharlto Copley, Drew Powell, Christian Calloway and Tahmus Rounds.
UMMA – A woman living a quiet life on a farm in America learns about the passing her estranged mother in Korea. When the remains of the deceased arrive at the household, the lead becomes haunted by memories of the parent. She fears that she is turning into her mother and that this negative influence will ruin her own relationship with her daughter. Despite the protagonist’s best efforts, her personal relationships ultimately become strained. Overall, response towards this thriller was negative. About one third appreciated the restrained approach and emphasis on psychological horror, stating the movie was creepy. Unfortunately, the consensus was that despite a strong central performance, the film was a cliched misfire and didn’t deliver the required tension or scares. Sandra Oh, Fivel Stewart, Dermot Mulroney and Odeya Rush headline the picture.
X – This homage to low-budget horror movies of the 1970s follows a group of aspiring filmmakers in Texas. They rent a cottage on a remote farm, secretly hoping to shoot a pornographic movie. After arriving, the team become unnerved by the very strange behavior of the property owners. Tensions arise within and around the group, leading to deadly consequences as violence erupts. The title earned a lot of raves from critics and was highly praised. One or two commented that the movie was simply a simulation of earlier genre films and didn’t offer anything new or substantial. Yet everyone else countered that criticism, stating that while it paid homage to horror films of the era, it did offer a fresh take on the material and featured well-written and interesting characters. The cast includes Mia Goth, Jenna Ortega, Martin Henderson, Brittany Snow, Owen Campbell, Stephen Ure and Kid Cudi. Read a full review of the movie here.
BLASTS FROM THE PAST!
Those interested in something a little older this week have plenty of options as well. Arrow Video are presenting a Special Edition Blu-ray of the Hong Kong martial arts classic, One-Armed Boxer (1972). It’s about a student of a martial arts academy. When the school is targeted by local mobsters, the master and attending the institute are slaughtered, with the exception of the wounded protagonist. Years later, this one-armed survivor makes it his mission to fight and eliminate all of those responsible for the deaths. The movie has been given a 2K image restoration, a film expert commentary and a career retrospective of star/writer/director Wang Yu. You’ll also get stills from the movie and trailer gallery featuring Hong Kong and international previews for the movie, as well as more than 30-minutes of other Wang Yu titles.
They are also presenting the erotic cult thriller Wild Things (1998), featuring Kevin Bacon, Matt Dillon, Neve Campbell, Denise Richards, Theresa Russell, Robert Wagner and Billy Murray. It’s an enjoyably pulpy effort about a cop investigating accusations of rape by two students against their guidance counselor. Of course, there’s much more going on beneath the surface and the flick is filled with double and triple crosses as hidden motives are revealed. You can pick it up in either a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray set or as a stand-alone Blu-ray. Both come with restorations of the theatrical version and director’s cut, a new audio commentary with director John McNaughton (Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer, Mad Dog and Glory), an archived commentary with the filmmaker and crew, recently recorded interview with McNaughton and co-star Denise Richards, a making-of, outtakes and a trailer.
Criterion are presenting the well-regarded Denzel Washington drama Mississippi Masala (1991) on Blu-ray. It involves an Indian man living in the US who sues the country of Uganda to get back property seized from him by the government. In the meantime, his daughter begins a romance with a black man (played by Washington). The movie has been given a 4K digital restoration for its release on disc. It features a commentary with director Mira Nair, interviews with cast and crew and other bonuses.
Kino have a couple of Blu-rays as well. The first is Flower Drum Song (1961), based on the Rodgers and Hammerstein Broadway musical/comedy. It involves a Chinese stowaway who arrives in San Francisco with her father to meet her fiancé in an arranged marriage. Her future husband is a wealthy nightclub owner who has eyes on a singer in his club, leading to tension between the leads. The disc includes a new 2K master of the film, an audio commentary with the star of the film. It also has featurettes on the music, including one that details that this film was one of the first Hollywood movies to primarily cast Asian actors in leading roles. Additionally, there is a look at the sets and costumes, a segment on Rodgers and Hammerstein, as well as publicity materials.
You can also pick up the music-filled drama Times Square (1980) on Blu-ray. This effort features two teenage girls from different backgrounds who escape from a psychiatric institute, form a punk band and soon have New York by its ears. Tim Curry appears in a supporting role and the movie includes music from The Cars, The Cure, Joe Jackson, Gary Numan and many others. The original camera negative has been newly mastered in 4K for this release and it comes with a film historian commentary, a director commentary with one of the two leads and a trailer.
Steven Seagal completists can pick up the action film A Dangerous Man (2009) on Blu-ray from Liberation Hall.
In celebration of its 30th anniversary, Paramount are releasing the Harrison Ford thriller Patriot Games (1992) as a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray set. Based on the book by Tom Clancy, it follows former CIA analyst Jack Ryan. When the lead happens to interrupt an assassination attempt on a member of British Royal Family by a faction of the IRA, he and his family become targets by the brother of the man who carried out the attack.
If you’re looking for more involving the Jack Ryan character, they are also presenting an 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray set of The Sum of All Fears (2002). Ben Affleck takes over the role and must stop a Neo-Nazi faction from causing a war between the US and Russia.
Scorpion are delivering a Blu-ray of the British drama, Jude (1996). The story details an illicit romance between characters of different social classes and stars Christopher Eccleston and Kate Winslet. It comes with a film historian commentary and a trailer.
And there’s more. Shout! Factory are giving the genre pictures Candyman (1992) and Lifeforce (1985) a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray rerelease so that those with 4K televisions can see the movies with even sharper picture quality. Most of the extras from previous versions will be included in these sets.
They also have a 25th anniversary edition of the documentary, Trekkies (1997). As you might have guessed, it presents some of the world’s biggest and most eccentric Star Trek enthusiasts, while also including interviews with cast members about how they feel about being the object of adoration from those being chronicled. If memory serves, it’s a fun little documentary.
Those who thought the Jennifer Lawrence/Chris Pratt science-fiction epic Passengers (2016) was unfairly maligned by reviewers during its initial release can now pick it up in a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray package courtesy of Sony. The movie will probably look great in 4K, although this critic still had some issues with the story and final product.
And Warner Bros. also have an upgrade of a recent title. The studio is putting out a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray of the well-received James Wan (Saw, Insidious, The Conjuring) horror picture, Malignant (2021). It’s about a woman who experiences visions of brutal murders.
YOU KNOW, FOR KIDS!
There’s plenty of great entertainment for tykes this week. You can find plenty of options listed below.
Blue’s Clues & You! Let’s Learn with Blue (Nickelodeon) DVD
The Loud House: The Complete 3rd Season (Nickelodeon) DVD
Pretty Perfect Kitty-Corn DVD
Teen Titans Go! & DC Super Hero Girls: Mayhem in the Multiverse (Warner Bros.) Blu-ray and DVD Combo Pack
Thomas and Friends – All Engines Go – Best Friends (NCircle Entertainment) DVD
ON THE TUBE!
And here are all the TV-themed releases coming your way.
Doom Patrol: Season 3 Blu-ray
Finding Your Roots: Season 8 (PBS) DVD
Robocop: The Series (1994 TV-series) Blu-ray
The Sinner: The Complete Series (Universal) Blu-ray
The Split: Season 1 (BBC) DVD
The Split: Season 2 (BBC) DVD
Teen Titans Go! & DC Super Hero Girls: Mayhem in the Multiverse (Warner Bros.) Blu-ray and DVD combo