Welcome to another look at the latest Blu-rays and DVDs arriving on store shelves. There is plenty to choose from in this edition, including a major release featuring a popular Marvel superhero. 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!
BULLET PROOF – This crime thriller follows a thief who decides to steal millions in cash from the hideout of a violent and cruel mob boss. He also decides to steal a car on his way out. After hurrying away, the figure discovers that the pregnant wife of the hood is hiding in the vehicle (and presumably hoping to escape from her spouse). The duo team up and try to evade hit men and mobsters who are hot on their tail. Response was poor towards this independent effort. A few thought the film was well-paced and provided enough action in it to entertain. Unfortunately, everyone else called the movie generic and complained that the characters weren’t charismatic enough to keep them involved in the predictable story. It stars Vinnie Jones, Lina Lecompte, James Clayton and Janvier Katabarwa.
CINEMATOGRAPHER – Readers curious to know about the role of a movie cinematographer (also known as a director of photography) might be interested in this documentary. It details the art of filmmaking and the work of the crew members who work with directors. light the sets and capture the action with the camera. According to the press synopsis, this movie includes stories and clips from some of the greatest films from the 1970s and 1980s. However, a few online reviews that have popped up suggest the focus is on journeyman cinematographer Donald Morgan (who shot I Wanna Hold Your Hand, Used Cars, Christine and Starman) and his experiences working with filmmakers Robert Zemekis and John Carpenter. Again, there aren’t many reviews for the picture, but those curious about the job may find it to be of interest.
A FLASH OF BEAUTY: BIGFOOT REVEALED – Monster fans and cryptozoologists are the target demographic for this low-budget documentary focusing on the history of the Bigfoot legend. It covers famous accounts of the hairy beast and the creature’s importance among indigenous cultures. Naturally, the movie also includes interviews with real people who believe they have sighted this strange figure. This one has been available on the Tubi streaming service and now appears to be receiving a release on disc. There aren’t any critical reviews for the movie, only a few from online outlets. Naturally, those have been positive, stating that beyond some issues with the finale, it’s an entertaining and informative look at the history of Bigfoot. Skeptics will likely not be nearly as impressed.
THE HOUSE ON THE LOST OF THE CAPE – Known in its homeland as Misaki no Mayoiga, this bizarrely titled animated feature is from Japan. The story follows a 17-year-old girl who runs away from home. She encounters and befriends a mute 8-year-old with a sad backstory. The pair encounter a strange, elderly woman at a famous home called Mayoiga that caters to lost travelers. Their experience in this surreal environment actually begins to heal them as the days pass. The movie received slightly more upbeat notices than negative ones. Those who disliked the film had difficulty grasping onto the story and thought that the fantasy elements didn’t merge well with the drama. Still, most stated that it was a well-animated and sweet tale with a nice message about healing and overcoming tragedy. The disc contains a Japanese language version with English subtitles and an English audio dub.
THE MUNSTERS – For those unfamiliar with the property, The Munsters was a cult TV-series that ran from 1964 until 1966 on CBS and competed with The Addams Family (which aired during the same period on ABC). This feature reboot was made for the direct-to-disc market and retells the tale of a friendly family of monsters in California. Specifically, it tells the origin story of Herman and Lily Munster in Transylvania and how they end up moving to the US. Lucky for them, when they arrive in America with their family on Halloween, the residents believe these new arrivals are merely in costume for the holiday. Online critics are widely divided on this feature. A few didn’t find it funny and called the visuals garish and overbearing. Just as many praised it as an effective and loving homage that provides plenty of laughs and fun. If you’d like to check the movie out before buying, it will also be streaming on Netflix. It was directed by Rob Zombie (better known for his R-rated horror titles like House of 1000 Corpses, The Devil’s Rejects, The Lords of Salem). Richard Brake, Sheri Moon Zombie, Jeff Daniel Phillips, Daniel Roebuck and Jorge Garcia headline the film.
SATOR – A struggling family living in a secluded forest struggle to make sense of a horrific and unexpected death. Driven to find answers, one of them investigates and discovers that a sinister presence is living among them. Even worse, it has been influencing their behavior over several years. The protagonist must convince his family of the nasty entity and band them together to square off against it. Critics were generally impressed by this chiller. A handful of reviews stated that the movie was too downbeat and that they found it a chore to endure. But everyone else complimented the film as being an atmospheric slow-burn with incredible visuals. They wrote that it slowly but surely engages the viewer and chills them to the bone. It features Michael Daniel, Rachel Johnson and Aurora Love.
SOUND OF METAL – This drama actually came out at theaters in 2019 through Amazon Studios and has remained exclusively on the Amazon Prime streaming service since that time. It is now finally debuting on Blu-ray. The story involves a drummer on tour with his girlfriend who begins experiencing severe hearing problems. Soon after, he learns that the condition is permanent. Frustrated, confused and unable to work in his chosen profession, he is asked to attend a special camp and come to terms with his condition to help forge a new life. The film was a critical hit and was nominated for several Academy Awards, including Best Picture. It ultimately won prizes for editing and sound. Reviewers also praised the lead performance and called the film a powerful drama that would resonate with many. It stars Riz Ahmed, Olivia Cooke, Paul Raci, Lauren Ridloff and Matthew Amalric. Here’s a full review of the movie.
THOR: LOVE AND THUNDER – The latest from Marvel Studios is the fourth title in the Thor series. After a menacing and powerful figure named Gor the God Butcher appears and vows to wipe out all gods (including the title character), the protagonist must team up with other heroic crusaders and stop the villain before he wipes them all out. Along the way, he must also reconnect with his ex-girlfriend and address unresolved issues. This follow-up earned more positive write-ups from the press than negative ones, although most admitted that it didn’t measure up to the previous entry. Those who didn’t care for the movie complained that it juggled tones inefficiently and that the humor felt forced and ineffective. Still, the majority thought it was amusing and also featured a memorable and threatening villain. Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Christian Bale, Tessa Thompson, Taika Waititi (who also directed the movie) and Russell Crowe headline the picture. Read a full review of the movie here.
BLASTS FROM THE PAST!
It’s a staggeringly busy week for new Blu-rays of older features, so let’s get right to it!
AGFA is releasing The Films of Doris Wishman: The Moonlight Years box set on Blu-ray. Doris Wishman was a female exploitation movie-maker with a surrealistic bent. The release contains 2K restorations of 9 titles, including Bad Girls Go to Hell (1965), The Sex Perils of Paulette (1965), Another Day, Another Man (1966), The Hot Month of August (1966), My Brother’s Wife (1966), Indecent Desires (1968), A Taste of Flesh (1967), Too Much Too Often (1968) and Passion Fever (1969). Several other bonuses are present on the discs, including commentary tracks from historians, trailers and more.
Arrow is delivering a Blu-ray of the Japanese A Fugitive from the Past (1965). It’s about a criminal who leaves his past behind, only to be embarrassed 10 years later when figures from his past reemerge. You’ll get the complete and restored 183-minute cut of the movie, plus an introduction and scene-specific commentaries from Japanese cinemas experts. Publicity materials are also included on the disc.
Pictured below and to the right, Liza the Fox-Fairy (2015) is a fantasy/comedy from Hungary about a lonely nurse who befriends the ghost of a Japanese pop star whom she is a big fan of. When the spirit becomes jealous of his fan and causes all those who become attracted to the protagonist to die, she sets out to break the curse. This title was popular on the festival circuit, but had difficulty securing an international distributor and is now finally arriving on Blu-ray. It comes with interviews, storyboards, an audio essay on the movie, a music video and a trailer.
Cohen Media Group is presenting A Knife in the Head (1978) on Blu-ray. This West German effort follows a bio-geneticist who is shot. He awakens from a coma with memory loss and is told that he is a terrorist. The hero decides to prove his innocence and find out who set him up. The foreign-language film has been given a 4K restoration and comes with interviews with the director and the executive producer. You’ll also get some trailers.
Speaking of movies from abroad, Criterion is delivering Martin Scorsese’s World Cinema Project, No. 4. With a Blu-ray and DVD combo set. It contains six picks from the director that were made in countries around the world. The package includes Chess of the Wind (1976) from Iran, Kalpana (1948) from India, Mina Moto (1975) from Cameroon and the Argentinian film Prisioneros de la Tierra (1939). You’ll also get Sambizanga (1972) from Angola and Two Girls on the Street (1959) from Hungary.
The slasher Streets of Death (1988) is arriving on Blu-ray from Culture Shock Releasing. It follows a documentary crew hunting down a psychopath targeting sex workers. Bonuses include tons of interviews with cast and crew, a commentary track from grindhouse cinema experts and a behind-the-scenes gallery.
Discotek Media has the Japanese film Shogun’s Samurai – The Yagyu Clan Conspiracy (1978) starring Sonny Chiba. After a Shogun dies under mysterious circumstances, his two sons battle each other to take his place. The film was directed by Kinji Fukasaku (Battle Royale, The Green Slime) and the Blu-ray contains the original Japanese audio with English subtitles, historical notes on the movie and trailers.
Natural Enemies (1979) features Hal Holbrook and Louise Fletcher and tells the story of a man who creates an elaborate plot to murder his wife and children. Fun City Editions is delivering the Blu-ray. You will get a 2K restoration of the film, along with a film critic commentary, a lengthy interview and introduction to the movie with the director, an alternate ending and a trailer.
Distributor Kino have plenty of great selections as well. When it was first released, the Bruce Willis comedy Hudson Hawk (1991) was a critical and box-office bomb (bad trailers for the movie didn’t help matters). But over the years, opinions on it have softened and the movie has developed a large cult following. This is especially true of people who appreciate the movie’s unique sense of humor, poking fun at big action blockbusters (this reviewer would agree with them). It co-stars Danny Aiello, Andie MacDowell, James Coburn, Richard E. Grant, Sandra Bernhard and David Caruso. This Special Edition Blu-ray contains the film, a commentary from director Michael Lehmann (Heathers, The Truth About Cats & Dogs), a making-of featurette, an interview with Sandra Bernhard, a music video, deleted scenes and two theatrical trailers.
You can also pick up a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray set of the fantastic crime/comedy In Bruges (2008). It’s about a pair of hitmen (played by Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson) who are sent to the Belgian city of Bruges to await instructions after an important assignment. It’s a wonderful buddy movie with great dialogue, engaging characters and beautiful locations. Besides the upgraded picture quality (the creation of the new master was supervised by the cinematographer), you’ll get all of the extras from previously released editions.
The Inner Life of Martin Frost (2007) is a comedy/drama that details an artist’s creative process. David Thewlis takes on the lead role. The movie is arriving on Blu-ray with a 98-minute special on director/novelist Paul Auster, a booklet interview with the filmmaker and a making-of featurette.
Jason’s Lyric (1994) is a crime/drama starring Allen Payne, Jada Pinkett Smith, Bokeem Woodbine, Eddie Griffin and Forest Whitaker that is also arriving in high definition. This Blu-ray comes with a trailer.
The Chocolate War (1988) is an impressive film adaption of the stirring 1974 Robert Cormier young adult novel. It involves a new student at a Catholic high school who is pressured by instructors and the mob-like student council to sell chocolates as part of their annual fundraising campaign. The lead refuses to take part, leading to threatening and cruel behavior from those around him. While some initially took issue with changes made from the original text (particularly the ending, which is equally powerful and, in some respects, even grimmer than the source material), most critics come around to the move over time and now appreciate its artistry. The Blu-ray is being released as part of the MVD Rewind Collection. It arrives with a director commentary, a filmmaker interview, a trailer and a collectible mini-poster.
Paramount is making the effective comedy Mean Girls (2004) available on Blu-ray in special “steelbook” packaging.
And the latest in the Paramount Presents line is a classic science-fiction 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray double feature set containing The War of the Worlds (1953) and When Worlds Collide (1951). The first film may be the most famous alien invasion feature ever made, while the second is an enjoyable genre flick with disaster movie elements. Both pictures won an Academy Award for their groundbreaking visual effects. If you enjoy and appreciate classic science-fiction films, this set is a must-own. Like other movies in this line, it comes with the fold-out box art.
The Great Kidnapping (1973) is an Italian thriller arriving on Blu-ray from Raro Video. It follows a gang who kidnap wealthy young men and a cop who will literally stop at nothing to take them down. It comes with an interview with a “tough-guy film” expert.
Sandpiper Pictures are releasing more Woody Allen features on Blu-ray this week. You can pick up the impressive Oscar-nominated drama, Interiors (1978), as well as the amusing Stardust Memories (1980) and Zelig (1983). The latter was also nominated for Academy Awards for its striking cinematography and costume design.
Saturn’s Core Audio & Video would like you to know that the no-budget slasher Dead North (1991) is arriving on Blu-ray. It’s described as a head-scratching whodunit that uses some very eccentric and downright baffling creative choices in its narrative. The disc is apparently also packed with extras like audio commentaries, interviews and a remake of the movie from 2012.
Shout! Factory are always good for some fun genre titles. This week, the popular remake of Evil Dead (2013) is receiving the 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray Collector’s Edition treatment. In addition to a picture upgrade of both the theatrical and unrated cuts of the movie, the set includes all of the extras included on previous releases.
The distributor is also making a couple of new exclusives available that can only be ordered through the company website. The first is the grindhouse action/thriller The Hot Box (1972), while the second is the David Carradine fantasy feature, The Warrior and the Sorceress (1984). Both movies have been given 2K restorations for improved image quality.
Sony is also on the 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray set bandwagon this week with all of the following titles receiving impressive new transfers. They have the fantastic science-fiction drama Gattaca (1997) in Steelbook packaging. You can also pick up a 25th anniversary of the teen horror flick, I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997), as well as Jumanji: The Next Level (2019) and the Arnold Schwarzenegger flick Last Action Hero (1993). The latter title is also cased in a Steelbook. Additionally, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019), Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021), Venom (2018), Venom: Let There Be Carnage (2021), Zombieland (2009) and Zombieland: Double Tap (2019) are all appearing in 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray sets.
Vinegar Syndrome is a great company specializing in cult films. They always have exclusives available on their site for a month or so before being released at regular shops (this week includes dozens of new titles if you go to the official website). One of the titles being made available for all retailers right now is the haunted house classic, The Amityville Horror (1979). This is a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray set with a new, sparkling picture.
The same goes for the 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray edition of the thriller Cloak & Dagger (1984). This is a memorable effort for anyone who grew up in the early 1980s. It’s about a child who receives an Atari game cartridge with spy secrets hidden on it. He and his best friend end up being hunted by all sorts of secret agents who want the information. This release has a phenomenal restoration and comes packed with extras, including a commentary with the screenwriter, a new making-of documentary and much, much more.
You can also pick up a double feature of Spaghetti Westerns Hot Snake (1974) and Guns and Guts (1976) that were helmed by Mexican director Rene Cardona III. Both titles are presented with 4K restorations and come with an interview with Cardona.
Additionally, The Incredible Melting Man (1977) is getting the 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray treatment. This low-budget effort features an astronaut who returns to Earth and, well, ends up slowly doing exactly what the title suggests. It comes with a writer/director commentary and interview, a discussion with the script supervisor, a featurette on special effects artists Rick Baker and Greg Cannom and plenty of publicity materials.
Visual Vengeance is giving new life to shot-on-tape horror from previous decades. This week, they have a double feature of Blood of the Chupacabras (2003) and Revenge of the Chupacabras (2005). Like all of their other titles, the discs are packed with bonuses for those who want to know more about how the flicks were made.
And finally, Well Go USA is rereleasing the extras-packed Phantasm 5-Movie Collection, containing all of the movies in the cult horror franchise with loads of extra content.
YOU KNOW, FOR KIDS!
Here is everything available that might impress children.
Krypto the Superdog: The Complete Series (Warner Bros.) DVD
ON THE TUBE!
And you’ll find all of the week’s TV-themed releases below.
Hidden: Series 3 (Acorn) DVD
Krypto the Superdog: The Complete Series (Warner Bros.) DVD
Mayor of Kingstown: Season 1 (Paramount) Blu-ray
NOVA: Ultimate Space Telescope (PBS) DVD
Superman & Lois: Season 2 (Warner Bros.) Blu-ray
Wisting: Seasons 2 & 3 (Shudder) DVD