Welcome to another look at the latest titles arriving on Blu-ray and DVD. Once again, there is a big studio release, as well as plenty of interesting 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 movies a try!
BIG NEW RELEASES!
AMITYVILLE KAREN – My goodness, there are an awful lot of Amityville films. Since the 1979 original (based on the bestselling book), there have been more than 35 titles with the word in the title. The latest appears to have little to do with the original location or story. It’s a low-budget, independent effort about a nasty and entitled middle-aged woman who spends her days treating others horribly. After she steals a bottle of wine, she becomes possessed by an evil spirit and goes on a murder spree. It turns out that the booze has a connection to the notorious haunted house. Few have seen this comedy/horror flick. A couple of online write-ups state that there are a couple of amusing murders, but that the script and pacing is poor and the end result is tedious. It features Lauren Francesca and James Duval.
DETECTIVE KNIGHT: ROGUE – The latest low-budget direct-to-disc action picture with Bruce Willis follows a good cop from Los Angeles whose partner is critically wounded during a heist. Determined to catch the masked thieves responsible, the lead follows the trail to New York City. As the threats and violence between him and the criminals escalate, local detectives get involved in the case and discover secrets about the cop. Critics so far have been split on this title. Half stated that it was better than recent efforts featuring Willis, but that the story still didn’t provide enough originality to make it memorable. All others called it just another in a long line of pictures that completely wastes the talent of its cast. The cast also features Lochlyn Munro, Beau Mirchoff and Jimmy Jean-Louis.
DON’T WORRY DARLING – In this thriller, a woman living a seemingly idyllic life in a closed off community begins witnessing strange events. She begins to question why she and other wives don’t know what their husbands do for a living. As the protagonist becomes more determined to find out the truth about the town and what is going on behind the scenes, she comes under attack. Response was muted towards this effort. About one-third of the press thought the visuals were stunning and that the excellent work of the performer kept them engaged. Still, the majority wrote that while the movie looked great, the big twist wasn’t unexpected and that the screenwriters had issues covering plot holes and delivering a logical conclusion. It stars Florence Pugh, Harry Styles, Olivia Wilde, Gemma Chan, Kiki Layne and Chris Pine. To read a review of the movie, click here.
EMERGENCY DECLARATION – A detective investigating a deadly virus gets horrible news when he learns that the terrorist who engineered it has hopped onto an international flight bound for the US. As if that wasn’t bad enough, he learns that his wife is on the very same airplane. When the pilot becomes incapacitated, the hero has to contact the passengers and advise them on how to survive the ordeal. This foreign-language disaster movie from South Korea received more positive reviews than negative ones. Those who disliked the picture stated that it copied just about every disaster movie cliché in the book and offered little that was new or original. Still, the majority found it to be a well-made and tense thriller. They also appreciated the elaborate set and effects (apparently, a 747 was built to scale for the movie and placed on a gimbal to allow for some impressive spins). Song Kang-ho, Lee Byung-hun and Jeon Do-yeon headline the film.
EMILY THE CRIMINAL – In this crime/drama, a young woman has difficulty finding a job to pay her loans, all because of a minor conviction in her past. Desperate, she accepts a position in a credit card fraud ring. Through several dangerous interactions and altercations, the lead soon learns the ropes and begins branching out on her own. As she continues her pursuits, she is targeted by law enforcement, businesses and other criminals. This picture garnered excellent response from the press. A small number complained that it wasn’t as meaningful as it could have been and didn’t effectively critique capitalism. Everyone else thought the lead was phenomenal and her character enthralling. These reviewers also called the film consistently hair-raising and unpredictable. It features Aubrey Plaza, Theo Rossi, Megalyn Echikunwokeand Gina Gershon.
GRAND JETE – This international title from Germany involves an obsessed teenage ballet dancer who abandons everything to focus on her career. After an unexpected pregnancy, she gives her son up and allows her grandmother to raise him. Many years later as an adult, she has transformed into a stern ballet teacher who seems focused on appearance. When she meets her now teenage son, she begins to develop an unhealthy attraction to him. This picture earned a few prizes in its homeland but has had a difficult time reaching audiences or critics in this part of the world (no doubt due to the subject matter). Among those who have seen it, reaction has been favorable. A few have commented that all the characters were unlikable and unrelatable, but the majority stated that the performers were excellent and the photography striking. Sarah Nevada Grether and Emil von Schönfels headline the film.
MONA LISA AND THE BLOOD MOON – A young woman with strange mental powers escapes from a mental asylum and flees to New Orleans. Once there, she befriends a single-mother in dire financial straits. The parent takes the lost figure in, but decides to use her in order to make some fast cash. They begin a criminal enterprise that is initially lucrative, but also draws the attention of the police. Overall response to this unique thriller was upbeat. About one-quarter of critics did comment that the pacing was slow and that the film didn’t manage to drum up much suspense or excitement. Still, the consensus was that the movie was unique and did benefit from its charismatic cast. They also thought it looked great and delivered some big laughs. It stars Kate Hudson, Jeon Jong-seo, Ed Skrein, Evan Whitten and Craig Robinson.
PRANCER: A CHRISTMAS TALE – This family fable is debuting on streaming sites and on disc. The story involves a 10-year-old girl who spends a great deal of her time attending to her recently widowed grandfather. When the extended family gathers for holiday celebrations, a reindeer appears near their home. The patriarch comes to believe that this animal may be magical, while his granddaughter tries to hide his views from attendees, fearing they will send him away to a retirement home. There are currently no reviews available for this picture, so interested readers will have to go in completely blind. However, all should be warned that when something isn’t screened for reviewers, it is often not exceptional. James Cromwell, Darcey Ewart and Sarah-Jane Potts headline the film.
THE SILENT TWINS – June and Jennifer Gibbons were identical twins who grew up in Wales. Completely engrossed in their own world, the pair only communicated with each other and ignored everyone else in the community. This biopic tells their unusual story, depicting who they were and the incredible world they created to escape the reality of their own lives. Notices were positive for this drama co-production between the UK and Poland. There was a group who didn’t like the final result, suggesting that it really didn’t help viewers get into the psyche of the siblings or explain the reasons for their unusual behavior. However, the majority stated that the movie was completely unique and had great visual style. They liked that it didn’t get into specific details and allowed viewers to interpret what was going on for themselves. It stars Letitia Wright, Tamara Lawrence, Leah Mondesir-Simmonds and Michael Smiley.
BLASTS FROM THE PAST!
If you’re looking for something older, you have options as well. Canadian International Pictures is an independent outfit committed to releasing small films from its home country on Blu-ray – they often pair with distributor Severin Films on some of their releases. This week, The Amityville Curse (1990) is arriving in high definition. It’s the fifth Amityville flick and features protagonists trying to purchase and flip the famous property, only to learn that the spirits inside would rather see them dead than get remodeled. The disc includes a film historian commentary, video conference call interviews with the director, the director’s assistant and a cast member, as well as the cinematographer and more.
Cohen Media Group is presenting a couple of new Blu-ray titles. Entre Nous (1983) is a French WWII drama about a Jewish woman in occupied France marrying a soldier in order to escape deportation to Germany. The film has been restored in 4K for this release and arrives with a lengthy director interview and a trailer.
A Knife in the Head (1978) is a German title that follows a man who is shot in the head while following his estranged wife. He has to recover from the incident and piece together fragmented memories to figure out what happened. The disc comes with a director interview and one with the producer of the film.
Those who enjoy giant monster movies may be curious about Legends of Dinosaurs and Monster Birds (1977) from Discotek Media. This Japanese tale involves a village that is menaced by a plesiosaur from the depths of the sea… until another strange creature hatched from an egg shows up on the scene. This is the movie’s first release on Blu-ray and it comes with the original Japanese language track with English subtitles and an English dub.
In the Soup (1992) is arriving on Blu-ray from Factory 25. It’s a comedy about a struggling New York screenwriter that features a great cast including Steve Buscemi, Seymour Cassel, Jennifer Beals and Will Patton. You’ll also get a conversation with the director as well as one of his short films. Additionally, there is a 30 page booklet containing notes from Buscemi, Beals and the director.
Fun City Editions is presenting Cutter’s Way (1981) with Jeff Bridges and John Heard on Blu-ray. The story involves a cynical, wounded Viet Nam veteran who tries to help a friend after they are accused of a murder they didn’t commit. The disc contains a ton of extras like three commentary tracks (one with the author of the original novel, another with film historians and a third with the assistant director and production manager), cast and crew interviews (including Bridges in an audio discussion on the film) and publicity materials.
Kino is releasing the Kirk Douglas crime film Detective Story (1951) on Blu-ray. The movie follows a busy day in the life of a hard-nosed detective. The feature has been remastered for disc from a 4K scan of the original camera negative. Bonuses include a film historian commentary and a trailer.
The distributor also has a couple of Blu-ray box sets arriving on store shelves. Film Noir: The Dark Side of Cinema XI contains A Woman’s Vengeance (1948), I Was a Shoplifter (1950) and Behind the High Wall (1956). The first title has been given a 4K restoration and comes with a film professor audio track, while the other titles are presented with 2K restorations and arrive with trailers.
The second is a two-disc set called French Noir Collection. This release features Speaking of Murder (1957), Back to the Wall (1958) and Witness in the City (1959). All of the films have been restored in 2K by Gaumont Pictures in France.
Additionally, there is the double-feature Blu-ray Inspector Maigret, which presents the French murder-mystery titles PicPus (1943) and Cecile is Dead! (1944). The set includes trailers for the movies.
Joseph Cotton stars in the thriller Peking Express (1951), which is about a group of refugees who must square off against outlaws while fleeing China via a locomotive. This release includes a 4K restoration of the feature from Paramount Pictures, movie critic commentary and a trailer. Speaking of thrillers, The Unguarded Moment (1956) is another suspense picture. Esther Williams takes on a dramatic role as a high school teacher who is stalked by a violent peeping tom. This title includes a 2K film restoration, two film expert commentary tracks and a trailer.
And there’s more! Alma’s Rainbow (1994) is arriving on Blu-ray from Milestone. Pictured above and to the right, t’s a coming-of-age tale about three black women dealing with teen issues like beauty, self-image and the rights they have over their bodies. This movie has been restored in 4K for this release and the disc comes with a panel discussion, an oral history of the film and approximately nine short films from the director made prior to this effort. Sounds like a lot of impressive extras for fans of the movie.
This week, Severin are presenting several genre titles on Blu-ray. Blood Hunt (1985) is a Spanish shocker about a village that hunts down teenage drug addicts as human prey. It is being made available in North America for the first time ever with a 2K scan from the original negative. Libido (1965) is an early “giallo” from Italy involving a young man who becomes a murderer as a result of witnessing his father slay a woman. This film has been given a 2K restoration. It comes with a director interview, a film historian commentary and a trailer.
Mansion of the Living Dead (1982) is a trashy little horror flick from Jess Franco involving vacationing waitresses who encounter undead monks. There is ample blood and nudity in this offering. The Blu-ray features a fully restored picture from original elements. And you can also pick up The Shadowed Mind (1988) is a South African genre flick set in an asylum for the sexually insane (yes, you read that right). The movie was banned by the government during its original release. This edition presents the movie uncut in 2K, scanned from the director’s own 35mm print – the only film element in existence – and featuring a career-spanning interview with the filmmaker.
Shout! Factory occasionally releases Blu-ray titles as exclusives available only on their website. This week The Evil That Men Do (1984) is appearing as one of the above titles. This feature stars Charlies Bronson as a professional hit man who goes rogue and targets a Central American torture ring after they murder a friend. You’ll get both the R-rated and Unrated cuts of the movie, as well as a TV cut, along with a theatrical trailer.
‘R Xmas (2001) is a hard-hitting drama about socialite parents who turn into heroin dealers. They get into trouble when competing outfits target the entire family. Abel Ferrara (Bad Lieutenant, King of New York) made the picture and the disc comes with a director commentary and trailer. Both of these titles are limited to 1500 copies, so pick them up fast if you want them.
Vinegar Syndrome is releasing the wild and surreal Italian slasher flick Blood Delirium (1988) on Blu-ray. An artist searching for the perfect shade of red paint decides to give blood a try. This title arrives with a film historian commentary, an interview with the lead actor and the associate director, as well as the female lead. It also comes with Italian front and end titles and a trailer.
Don’t Open Till Christmas (1984) is an English holiday-themed slasher about an escaped maniac targeting those wearing clothing resembling Santa. The movie has been given a 2K scan and comes with numerous bonuses. There’s a film historian commentary, multiple extended interviews with the director (who stepped in to reshoot and finish the movie after the previous director was fired), as well as with co-star Caroline Munro. You’ll also get a discussion with the daughter of the first director on the project, an archival making-of, deleted and extended scenes, a location tour and publicity materials.
Pictured above, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (1986) is an underrated horror sequel that follows the sinister cannibalistic Sawyer clan in the 80s as they embrace capitalism and open their own food truck business. This creeper took a darkly humorous approach. It was once available through Shout! Factory, but went out-of-print some time ago. Now, Severin is releasing a new limited edition (of 10,000 copies) with a hard case containing the film in 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray. The film has been given a 4K restoration from the original camera negative and comes with a new movie critic commentary. You’ll also get three previously recorded commentary tracks. One is with director Tobe Hooper. Another features the cast and the other has crew members commenting on their experiences. There are also 8 new interviews with various cast and crew, never-before-seen extended discussion footage with Hooper that was shot for Electric Boogaloo: The Wild, Untold Story of Cannon Films, the memorable deleted scenes, and much, much more. This is a must own for anyone who enjoys the series.
The Werewolf Versus the Vampire Woman (1971) is also arriving in a limited edition 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray package. It stars Paul Naschy and is about a werewolf who is accidentally brought back from the dead after a silver bullet is removed from his body. He decides to help humanity by stopping a vampire from wiping out a village. You’ll get three different versions of the movie, a feature length documentary on star Naschy, an interview with the actor’s son, alternate titles, archival articles and behind-the-scenes galleries.
Visual Vengeance is a distributor that releases low-budget shot-on-video titles from the past few decades. Their latest is a Collector’s Edition Blu-ray of Heartland of Darkness (1992). It’s about a journalist who discovers that his new hometown is being controlled by a Satanic reverend and his flock. The film arrives on home video for the very first time in any format and contains bonuses that spotlight the original creators and document the production’s long history.
Finally, Well Go USA is delivering the fantastic South Korean zombie horror flick Train to Busan (2016) in a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray combo package that contains all previously released extras along with new and improved picture quality.
YOU KNOW, FOR KIDS!
Here are some titles that may appeal to kids.
Prancer: A Christmas Tale (Universal) Blu-ray
Sherlock Hound: Complete and Unabridged (1984-1985 Japanese animated series) (Discotek Media) Blu-ray
Tom and Jerry’s Snowman Land (Warner Bros.) DVD
ON THE TUBE!
And you’ll find all the week’s TV-themed releases listed below.
The Borgias: The Complete Series (Paramount) Blu-ray
The Flight Attendant: Seasons 1 & 2 (Warner Bros.) DVD
Ghosts: Season 1 (Lionsgate) Blu-ray
Masterpiece – Annika: Season 1 (PBS) DVD
The Offer (TV Mini-series) (Paramount) Blu-ray
Riverdale: Season 6 (Warner Bros.) DVD
Ron Carter: Finding the Right Notes (PBS) DVD
Sherlock Hound: Complete and Unabridged (1984-1985 Japanese animated series) (Discotek Media) Blu-ray
Westworld: Season 4 (Warner Bros.) 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray or Blu-ray only