Welcome back to another look at highlights arriving on Blu-ray and DVD. Once again, it’s a very busy edition featuring some high-profile films alongside smaller, independent features. So, since you can’t make it out to the movies this week, be sure to give one of these titles a try!
Big New Releases!
Arkansas – Based on the bestselling book by John Brandon, this dark comedy follows a pair of buddies who are park rangers by day and drug couriers at night. They work for a mysterious criminal kingpin whom they have never met. When one of the pair starts a relationship with a coworker, it sets off alarm bells among those in the illegal organization, leading to imminent danger from their unknown and violent employer. It appears as though this title is debuting on disc and through streaming platforms due to the Coronavirus outbreak, so there aren’t many reviews currently available. One that did pop up suggests that this is a solid little picture that benefits greatly from an excellent cast. This picture was directed by Clark Duke, who co-stars with Liam Hemsworth, Vince Vaughn, John Malkovich, Michael Kenneth Williams and Vivica A. Fox.
Becoming – A recently engaged young couple decide to head out on a road trip. It’s an unfortunate decision, as the man crosses paths with an evil force that chooses to use him as a host by possessing his body. Suddenly, the nice guy begins to change, losing his identity and becoming a threatening and potentially psychotic presence. His significant other is forced into determining what is happening to her partner and how to remove the sinister spirit from his core. This science-fiction thriller looks to be debuting on disc, so at present there are absolutely no write-ups for it. Curious genre fans will just have to go in cold. As such, they should likely approach this title with caution. The cast includes Tony Kebbell, Penelope Mitchell and Jason Patric.
Better Days – This foreign-language feature from China involves a bullied teenager studying for her college entrance exams. With her entire future hinging on the results of the test and other cruel students making her life miserable, the teen starts an unexpected friendship with a small-time crook. The two make a deal to help each other out, but end up getting themselves placed in the center of a local murder investigation. Critics were quite taken with this dramatic thriller. In fact, as of right now there aren’t any negative critiques for it in this part of the world. While most admitted that the material and themes were delivered in an on-the-nose manner, they stated that the picture was well-acted, had strong visuals and make an emotional impact. It features Dongyu Zhou, Jackson Yee, Fang Yin and Jue Huang.
Bloodshot – Based on the popular comic book, this tale follows a soldier who dies in battle and is brought back from the dead by a shady corporation. He’s turned into a cyborg of sorts, becoming nearly unstoppable and able to heal himself at will. Following the procedure, the protagonist is told he must take on a series of covert special missions for his rescuers. However, our hero is not sure if he can trust the company who has reanimated his mind and body. Well, if you weren’t prepared to plunk down $20 to stream this very recent comic book adaptation online over the past few weeks, you can now rent or pick up the disc instead. The press didn’t have much that was good to say about the film. A small contingent called it silly fun that reminded them of 80s action pictures. Still, the vast majority noted that the screenplay didn’t do much with the concept, repeated all the genre tropes and the movie was generally unmemorable. It stars Vin Diesel, Elza Gonzalez, Sam Heughan, Tony Kebbell and Guy Pearce.
Exorcism at 60,000 Feet – If you’re looking for some cheesy fun, this tongue-in-cheek horror/comedy might be right up your alley. Travelers on a transatlantic flight find their lives and souls in grave danger after demonic possession spreads through the cabin and causes chaos on the flight. A rabbi, a priest and the surviving airline crew team up to perform various exorcisms on passengers and eliminate the menace in order to help land the plane safely. This flick appears to be premiering on disc, but it did play a few horror film festivals over the past year where it met with a jovial reception and won a few prizes. Sounds like this may be made in a vein similar to Snakes on a Plane. The picture also features plenty of familiar faces, including Robert Miano, Bia Ling, Lance Henriksen, Bill Moseley, Kevin J. O’Connor and Adrienne Barbeau.
Greed – Satirizing the world of the obscenely wealthy, this comedy follows a fashion mogul billionaire who decides to throw a lavish 60th birthday bash for himself in a five-star hotel on the Greek island of Mykonos. The event is covered by a journalist writing a biography on the deplorable figure, who presents the selfish lead’s rise to power and criminal efforts to expand his fortune while others suffer. Reviewers were split on the end results. Close to half commented that the story may have been overstuffed, but that it was filled with righteous anger and benefitted from a strong lead performance. However, just as many complained that the plot wasn’t focused or funny enough to earn it a recommendation. Steve Coogan, Isla Fisher, Shirley Henderson, Sophie Cookson, Asa Butterfield and David Mitchell headline the picture.
Gretel & Hansel – Most readers will be familiar with the famous Brothers Grimm fairy tale. In this version, a starving sister and brother head into the forest and come upon a house filled with food, as well as a nasty witch who would like nothing more than to eat them for dinner. Cornered and trapped, the pair must work together to free themselves before they are devoured. It seems that a higher percentage of critics appreciated this version than disliked it. Negative voices said that while the movie looked impressive, it was extremely bleak and downbeat, eventually turning into a slog to sit through. Still, the consensus was that the picture was an impressive update on the story that oozed creepiness and impressed with its gorgeous photography. The movie stars Sophia Lillis, Samuel Leaky, Alice Krige, Jessica De Gouw and Charles Babaloa.
Heading Home: The Tale of Team Israel – This documentary tells the true story of the Israeli national baseball team. It shows the origins and history of the organization in addition to their slow improvement over the years (which culminates in their qualification for the 2017 World Baseball Classic tournament). The players take a journey to South Korea to complete in the major event for the first time ever and deal with the pressures involved with a team that has struggled to be successful. Notices were decent for this non-fiction feature. A group thought that while it was an amusing and inspiring story, the movie didn’t go into much depth and lacked real gravitas. Still, slightly more commented that this was a fun and entertaining underdog story that would bring plenty of smiles to the faces of viewers.
I Still Believe – Christian music mega star Jeremy Camp is the subject of this biopic. In it, the struggling singer befriends a fellow musician and then fall in love with his new pal’s girlfriend. Naturally, it creates a rift and, while she also has feelings for Camp, the woman ends up breaking off their burgeoning romance. The pair are reunited when the woman contracts terminal cancer and their struggles inspire the artist to write music that reaches a wider audience. Members of the press had mixed feelings about this faith-based drama. Almost half thought that the movie’s heart was in the right place and noted that the leads had onscreen chemistry. The rest felt that the film was slowly paced and predictable, hitting all the expected beats and failing to generate much drama. It features K.J. Apa, Britt Robertson, Melissa Roxburgh, Nathan Parsons, Gary Sinise and Shania Twain.
The Jesus Rolls – This spin-off from the fantastic Coen Brothers cult flick The Big Lebowski focuses on Jesus Quintana, up of the earlier film’s memorable supporting characters. After being released from prison, this ex-con joins forces with an old friend and a local hair salon employee. The trio make a series of bad decisions, taking part in a series of petty crimes (no word on whether he heads back to bowling alley). Sadly, critics weren’t nearly as receptive to this feature as they were to the film that inspired it. A few wrote that the story was unpredictable and that they enjoyed watching the character, even if the story rambled. Still, the consensus was that the movie was dramatically flat and awkwardly put together. The cast includes John Turturro, Bobby Cannavale, Audrey Tautou, Christopher Walken, Jon Hamm, Pete Davidson and Susan Surandon.
Lancaster Skies – Set during World War II, this UK production follows a Spitfire pilot who discovers his brother has died in battle. Angry and solitary, the lead is then tasked with flying a Lancaster bomber in a dangerous mission over Berlin. The ship’s crew, also smarting over the death of their own skipper, clash at first. However, but are forced using their common experiences to relate and overcome their differences in order to get the task completed. It’s a low-budget film that didn’t receive a lot of reviews during its limited engagement in British cinemas. Those who did see it thought that the filmmakers tried to do something a little different and focus on the inner turmoil of it characters, but criticized it for lacking a sense of palpable tension. Jeffrey Mundell, David Dobson, Kris Saddler and Joanne Gale headline the film.
The Lodge – In this horror picture, a father decides to invite his girlfriend to a family vacation at a remote cabin in the woods. Bad idea! When a work-related emergency arises, the dad is forced to leave his partner alone with the children. It’s already an uncomfortable situation and when an unexpected snowstorm traps the woman and kids in the hut, she’s forced to deal with trauma and other uncomfortable situations. This film is the English-language US film debut of the makers of the disturbing Austrian effort, Goodnight Mommy. It received generally positive notices. There was a small contingent who thought the characters ended up making so many poor decisions that it lost viewers. Still, the majority felt that the picture was beautifully shot and had an unsettling atmosphere that provided the creepy goods. It stars Riley Keough, Jaeden Martell, Lia McHugh, Richard Armitage and Alicia Silverstone.
Ordinary Love – The protagonists in this drama are a middle-aged couple who, after several decades of marriage, know each other as well as they know themselves. When the wife is diagnosed with cancer, the two set out to try and overcome the sudden, disturbing prognosis. The lengthy and stressful treatment process forces the husband to confront with what could happen if his spouse were to succumb to the illness. This small, independent drama appears to be premiering exclusively on DVD this week. It seems a strange call given that reviews were excellent. Only one or two criticized the low-key approach and stated that the movie could have done with more theatrics. Everyone else called it a beautifully acted, authentic and humanistic take on a situation that many must eventually face. The cast includes Liam Neeson, Lesley Manville, Amit Shah and David Wilmot.
The Road to Mother – Despite good reviews and awards, sometimes it can take a while for a foreign-language picture to find its way to this part of the world. Such is the case with this Kazakhstani drama that was produced in 2016, but is only now debuting on Blu-ray in North America. It’s the story of one family, starting in 1930s and spanning three generations as they live through happiness as well as periods of war and tragedy. There aren’t a lot of write-ups yet for the title in this part of the world, but response in its homeland was solid. In fact, the film was the country’s submission to the Academy for Oscar consideration a few years back. Notes in this part of the world stated that the narrative was a bit drawn-out and episodic, but that it was well made and would provide viewers with fascinating insight into the nation’s history. Adil Akhmetov, Bolat Abdilmanov, Berik Aytzhanov and Aruzhan Jazilbekova play the leads.
Tigers Are Not Afraid – Another picture that has been making the rounds on the festival circuit for the past couple of years is this Mexican effort set against the backdrop of the drug cartel wars. The story involves a group of orphaned children whose parents were murdered by the outfit. Suddenly, they are given three magical wishes. What they choose to do with their newfound power could change their lives both for better or for worse. This little fantasy/horror picture earned plenty of raves during its screenings. The only criticism it received from a few reviewers was that the story itself was repetitive. Otherwise, everyone called the movie a heartfelt effort that was fascinating and surreal, with enough ideas and imagery to populate several fantasy pictures. It features Paola Lara and Juan Ramón López.
Blasts from the Past!
Plenty of older titles are receiving Blu-ray upgrades as well. Arrow Video have a Special Edition of the French/British/Turkish co-production and cult item, White Fire (1985). It is described as an over-the-top heist picture about a couple out to steal a priceless diamond. Their plan gets more complicated when a pushy stranger arrives insisting that the pair must know something about the disappearance of a local prostitute. Apparently, chainsaws play a role in the proceedings. The flick stars Robert Ginty (The Exterminator), Belinda Mayne (Krull) and Fred Williamson (Black Caesar, From Dusk Till Dawn). Besides the new high def presentation, this Blu-ray arrives with a film critic commentary, as well as interviews with the writer/director, editor and Williamson. Arrow’s discs are always packed with fascinating information as well as analysis. This effort will likely be just as entertaining as their previous releases.
Kino have plenty of features coming your way as well. The first Blu-ray is for Brighton Rock (1948), a UK crime flick and thriller about a small-time criminal in over his head. Richard Attenborough takes on the lead role. This disc includes a film historian commentary track and trailers.
Some months ago, the company began releasing sets of films from the 1930s containing social messages about drugs, crimes and other illegal activities. Of course, the movies were exaggerated and are more known for their strange excesses and the odd, out-of-date ideas being delivered. The latest Blu-ray release is Forbidden Fruit Volume 4. It contains two features about illicit drug-use, Marihuana (1936) and Narcotic (1933). Apparently, just about every vice (and some you probably wouldn’t have even thought of) is depicted by the filmmakers over the course of the story. This disc contains multiple audio commentaries from experts and historians about these weird titles and well as trailers and short social hygiene films warning the public about various drug-related vices.
The second disc is called Forbidden Fruit Volume 5. This one contains what the distributor claims are two of the strangest and most unsettling efforts from the period… Tomorrow’s Children (1934) and Child Bride (1938). One is an exposé of eugenics, and the second involves a crusading schoolteacher attempting to halt a marriage between two young students. Once again, you’ll get two audio tracks from experts on this genre, as well as a trailer gallery.
On a completely different note, you can also pick up a Blu-ray of the British murder/mystery, An Inspector Calls (1954). Along with a who-done-it plot, it apparently tears apart upper-crust society. The disc arrives with a film expert commentary, an interview with a cast member and some trailers. The drama, Me, Natalie (1969) is also being made available on the format. This Golden Globe-nominee stars Patty Duke as an awkward teen finding her way in the world. It also featurs the first onscreen appearance of Al Pacino. The title has been given a new HD master and arrives with bonus trailers.
They also have the Ealing film noir classic, Pool of London (1951). This one comes from director Basil Dearden (Dead of Night) and has a great reputation as being an excellent thriller. Those who pick up the UK title will get an entertainment journalist audio commentary, a segment detailing various locations used in the film, a cast member interview and some trailers. Additionally, you can purchase the Jason Robards romantic comedy, A Thousand Clowns (1965) on Blu-ray. This release includes a new 2K master, an interview with the feature’s co-star and the film’s preview trailer.
If you are a historian enthusiast, you may be interested in what Shout! Factory have to offer this week. They are releasing the documentary D-Day: Normandy (2014) on Blu-ray. Narrated by Tom Brokaw and presented in 4K, this feature blends multiple cinematic techniques to give a new perspective on the event and show the history and military strategy behind the raid. The disc comes with bonus interviews the director, historical advisor and Brokaw himself. Apparently, there are additional extras about the war that are included on this disc.
It wasn’t a big hit at theatres or with critics, but Universal are still giving the Keanu Reeves samurai flick 47 Ronin (2013) a 4K Blu-ray upgrade for big screen TVs. And Sony are offering a new disc containing The Mask of Zorro (1998) in 4K. The latter feature, starring Antonio Banderas, Anthony Hopkins and Catherine Zeta-Jones, was well-received by the press and public and should entertain enthusiasts of the legendary character.
And there’s more! Criterion have a box set arriving called Eric Rohmer’s Six Moral Tales (1963 – 1972). It contains six movies from the prolific French new wave director. Included you’ll find The Bakery Girl of Monceau (1963), Suzanne’s Career (1963), La Collectionneuse (1967), My Night at Maud’s (1969), Claire’s Knee (1970) and Love in the Afternoon (1972), which are all arriving with 2K restorations. Additionally, you’ll also receive a TV episode about Rohmer and his work, four shorts from the filmmaker, an interview with the director from 2006, and several other archived discussions with cast and crew members. There’s also an afterword to the movie presented by filmmaker Neil LaBute (Your Friends & Neighbors, Nurse Betty).
Cohen Media Group are delivering Women Make Film: A New Road Movie Through Cinema (2018) on Blu-ray. According to the press release, this is a documentary that spans 13 decades and five continents in order to give a guided tour of the art and craft of movies as told by female filmmakers.
Finally, New Blood Entertainment are putting out an Unrated Director’s Cut of the horror picture, The Expedition (2008). Personally, I’ve never seen the movie and know little about it, but those who enjoy the flick can now own it in high definition.
You Know, For Kids!
Here are some upcoming DVDs that may appeal to little tykes.
Bee Geniuses: Bee-Volution (to be released on May 8th)
Mother Goose World: Sleeping Beauty (to be released on May 8th)
On the Tube!
And here are the week’s TV-themed releases.
Baptiste: Season 1 (PBS)
Gunsmoke: The Complete Series
Gunsmoke: The Final Season
Home by Spring (Hallmark Channel TV-Movie)
Humans: The Complete Series
NOVA: Polar Extremes (PBS)
Ray Donovan: Season 7
Red vs Blue: Singularity: Season 17