It’s time for another look at new Blu-rays and DVDs arrivals. This week is a quiet one for big Hollywood titles, but it does promise some interesting independent films as well as another truckload of older features getting high definition upgrades. So, since you likely can’t or shouldn’t go out to the movies this week, be sure to give one of these titles a try!
Big New Releases!
Alien Addiction – A young man living in a small town in the Waikato district of New Zealand get the surprise of his life when an alien spacecraft crashes nearby. He takes the UFO’s two occupants to his home and the group get along famously, developing a close personal relationship in the process. Unfortunately, experts tracking down aliens soon arrive and threaten to reveal the man’s secret to the world. This wacky comedy is described as having a similar vibe to early Peter Jackson titles like Bad Taste and Braindead. There currently aren’t a great many write-up in this part of the world, but the ones that have appeared online from other parts are quite positive. They state that while the stoner gags do get repetitive, the movie is amusing and provides plenty of chuckles. It features Jimi Jackson, Thomas Sainsbury, Jojo Waaka, and Harry Summerfield.
The Legend of Tomiris – This Kazakhstan production is a historical epic. Told from the point of view of Greek historian Herodotus, it details the life of Queen Tomiri, leader of the Massagetae people. This woman not only trained herself to be a great warrior, but fought off invading forces led by Cyrus the Great, King of Persia. In fact, she eventually defeated his army and fought her enemy on the battlefield. This picture won a prize at the L’Étrange Festival in Paris earlier in the year. The movie hasn’t been seen by a lot of critics outside of attendees at the festival. One or two articles have popped up online, describing it as a good film with impression production design. However, they did warn that it was overlong and as a result not as exciting as it could have been. Almira Tursyn, Adil Akhmetov and Erkebulan Dairov headline the feature.
Loves Me, Loves Me Not – This little independent comedy involves a woman desperately looking for Mr. Right. Unfortunately, her goal turns out to be far more difficult than originally thought. Over the course of the running time, the protagonist finds herself on a series of strange and comical misadventures with potential mates who all seem to be either inappropriate, unobtainable or unmanageable. The press synopsis describes the movie as Looking for Mr. Goodbar meets Sex and the City. This feature is premiering on disc and as a result there are absolutely no press write-ups for it. So, like the lead character on one of her dating adventures, those interested will have to go in cold and hope for the best. The cast includes Isabelle Chester, David DeLuise, David Chokachi and Paul Rodriguez.
Sea Level 2: Magic Arch – Back in 2011, a Malaysian straight-to-video animated family movie called Sea Level aka SeeFood was released. The story involved a group of marine creatures trying to stop human poachers from stealing eggs. After nearly a decade, a sequel is being released. This follow-up is presumably a direct continuation of the original. However, at present there is literally no information confirming this or the story in general. No plot, no description, only a tag line written on the cover that says, “From a writer of Toy Story”. Other than the movie being something of a knock-off of Finding Nemo, your guess is as good as mine as to what it all entails. The picture is being released on DVD only from LionsGate and they’re also making it available as a Double-Feature DVD with the first flick. There isn’t even any information who was involved in the English language voice-overs, so readers should approach with caution.
The Silencing – Frustrated with the modern world and still reeling from the disappearance of his daughter, a reformed hunter decides to live in isolation and run a wildlife sanctuary. Of course, he doesn’t stay a recluse for long after coming across a young girl and saving her from a serial killer. Much to his chagrin, authorities arrive and ask for his help in catching and bringing the psychopath to justice. Reaction towards this independent thriller wasn’t particularly strong. One or two wrote that the feature was a passable little thriller with a few interesting characters. Unfortunately, everyone else seemed to agree that there was nothing about the that was original and that this was a strictly by-the-numbers affair. It features Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Annabelle Wallis, Hero Fiennes Tiffin and Zahn McClarnon.
Welcome to Sudden Death – This unexpected arrival is described as a sequel to the 1995 Jean-Claude Van Damme action flick, Sudden Death. I’ll be honest and say that I was very amused by the original, which featured a fireman at the Stanley Cup hockey playoffs saving his children, the President and an arena full of hockey fans from a gang of nasty terrorists. This follow-up has an entirely new cast and follows a security guard battling some tech-savvy thugs who decide to take hostages inside of a basketball arena. As of right now, this is a DVD-only release through Universal and it has yet to be shown to critics. One can only hope a character gets involved in a martial arts fight wearing a mascot uniform like in the original film. It stars Michael Jai-White, Michael Eklund, Sabryn Rock, Anthony Grant and Nakai Takawira.
Blasts from the Past!
While it’s slim pickings this week for new releases (don’t worry, folks, the next few weeks will be better), there are a truckload of interesting older titles receiving high definition upgrades.
First up is a fun cult item. Severin are finally releasing a notorious film for the first time ever in this part of the world. Cruel Jaws (1995) aka Jaws 5: Cruel Jaws is an Italian Jaws knock off that was advertised in some international territories as a sequel to the classic series. Hollywood studio Universal discovered that shark clips from the series (as well as similar movies) had been inserted in the picture and got upset, preventing its release in North America for decades. Severin have finally managed to transfer the movie to Blu-ray and are giving it a release … although it might get pulled again. The movie itself is entertainingly terrible and features plenty of unintentional laughs (as well as having a lead who looks a lot like wrestler Hulk Hogan), making it a midnight favorite. Besides being remastered and uncut in HD for the first time ever, the disc includes the unreleased extended Japanese cut, a featurette study in “Sharkspoitation” flicks, an interview with one of the cast members and a trailer. Pick it up while you can!
The same distributor is also putting out a Blu-ray of another Italian genre flick, Massacre in Dinosaur Valley (1985). This one follows the survivors of a plane crash in the Amazon who must make their way through the jungle to reach safety and fight off wild animals and cannibals. This release includes a 4K restoration of the uncut version from the original camera negative, interviews one of the cast members and another with the co-writer. You’ll also get deleted scenes and the film’s trailer.
Speaking of cannibals, Synapse will be making Indonesia’s first and only foray into cannibal films available in high definition as well. The movie is called Primitives (1980). The vault negative was located in Jakarta and has been remastered, and the release comes with an interview with the producer as well as the screenwriter, along with an alternate title sequence and trailer.
Watch out for Aunt Martha! AFGA are putting out a Blu-ray of Sometimes Aunt Martha Does Dreadful Things (1971), an eccentric drive-in genre flick about a psychotic, cross-dressing bank robber. The movie has been given a 2K preservation from the only 35mm print in existence, comes with a film historian commentary, as well as some bonus movies (The Drag Queen’s Ball) and shorts (Gay-In III, Caught in the Can) and trailers for other genre titles with an LGBT theme.
Shout! Factory are releasing a Collector’s Edition Blu-ray of the horror flick, Ghost Ship (2002). It follows a team of salvage experts who find an ocean liner at sea and make the terrible mistake of climbing onboard. The disc includes a new director commentary and recently recorded interviews with cast member Isaiah Washington, as well as the producer and make-up effects supervisor. You’ll also receive several featurettes on various elements of the production, a music video and a trailer.
Those looking for kid-friendly entertainment can now pick up a 20th Anniversary Edition of Thomas and the Magic Railroad (2000), the cinematic spin-off of the popular series featuring Alec Baldwin and Peter Fonda. This edition includes a two-part documentary with the writer/producer/director of the film, interviews with several cast members (including Baldwin) and the score composer, as well as deleted story lines and a behind-the-scenes reel.
Fun City Editions are an offshoot if Vinegar Syndrome and have announced themselves as a new boutique label outfit in the Blu-ray game. They have an impressive, limited edition title coming your way this week in the form of Alphabet City (1984). This movie is about a gang member who attempts to stand up against his mafia bosses after they tell him to burn down a well-populated tenement building in his neighborhood. The disc features an elaborate embossed slipcover and includes the movie newly scanned & restored in 2K, a commentary track with the director and the writer, an interview with star Vincent Spano, a video essay on the movie and plenty of publicity materials.
Kino also have a great many new Blu-rays available for purchase. Their films include the Donald Sutherland/Sean Penn heist comedy Crackers (1984), which includes a new film historian commentary. They are also releasing the WWI picture Five Graves to Cairo (1943) on disc, which has been restored in 4K and also comes with an informative audio track that gives details about the production.
Additionally, they have two titles from filmmaker Azazel Jacobs. The GoodTimes Kid (2005) is a love story claimed to have been made and edited on stolen film (and has been restored in 2K), while Momma’s Man (2008) follows a man who returns home to his suffocating mother. Both features include director commentary tracks and an assortment of additional bonus features.
If you watched any movies on cable or VHS in the 80s, then you’ll likely be familiar with Gotcha! (1985), a comedy starring Anthony Edwards as a student/paintball enthusiast who travels with his class to Europe and accidentally gets himself involved with a spy, played by Linda Fiorentino. This was one of those movies that found a following after its original run at theaters and is now making its debut on Blu-ray. Anyone who picks it up will receive a director commentary and a second audio track featuring an entertainment journalist. You’ll also get a trailer.
Another Blu-ray option is the Cuba-set Robert Redford drama, Havana (1990). This one comes with a film critic commentary track. And they have the Maurice Chevalier/Jeanettte MacDonald musical comedy, Love Me Tonight (1932). This Blu-ray includes a 4K restoration of the movie, a film historian commentary, clips and newsreels of the two stars performing, excerpts of deleted scenes and a feature on how the movie was censored before its release.
The Milagro Beanfield War (1988) is a comedy/fantasy with Chick Vennera, Ruben Blades and Sonia Braga that was directed by Robert Redford. It was a well-regarded feature that ended up winning an Oscar for best original score. The plot involves a farmer squaring off with a shady developer and authorities after one of their water valves breaks on his land, showering it with water and causing his crops to grow. It comes with a commentary track featuring Vennera and a movie expert, along with a trailer.
They also have a Blu-ray of Variety (1983), described as a landmark independent film from Bette Gordon that challenges common notions about femininity and sexuality. It’s about a woman who sells tickets at an adult movie theatre. The release includes a 2K restoration of the film, an audio commentary with Gordon, a short by the filmmaker, as well as stills and publicity materials.
Criterion are delivering some heavyweight titles as well. The Elephant Man (1980) is a personal favorite. It is based on the true story of John Merrick, a disfigured man who was made to perform as a circus freak. When a doctor discovers Merrick and asks to study him, the physician learns that his guest is incredibly intelligent and sensitive. Directed by David Lynch (Blue Velvet, Twin Peaks), the movie was nominated for 8 Academy Awards. It is an incredible film with memorable performances by John Hurt as the title character and Anthony Hopkins as his doctor. Criterion are presenting a 4K restoration of the film along with archival interviews of most of the cast and crew, a 2001 documentary about the movie, an audio recording of a 1981 Q&A with Lynch, and footage of the filmmaker meeting with critic Kristine McKenna and reading from Room to Dream, a 2018 book they coauthored. Sounds like a fantastic disc.
If you’re interested in world cinema, then you should definitely pick up Martin Scorsese’s World Cinema Project, No. 3. These sets include some personal favorites of director Scorsese. This particular volume includes After the Curfew (1954), Dos Monjes (1934), Lucia (1968), Pixote (1981), Soleil O (1967) and Downpour (1972). As with the other sets, it is also full of extra and the host will explain what he loves about the movies as well as what to look out for while you watch them.
On a completely different note, Dark Force are releasing some genre flicks on Blu-ray. They include The Banker (1989) with Robert Forster and Drive-in Double Feature #8, which contains the martial arts titles Chinese Hercules (1973) and Bruce’s Ninja Secret (1988) aka Bruce’s Secret Kung Fu, which is a compilation of clips from various kung-fu flicks. The distributor also has Death Rage (1976), featuring Yul Brenner taking down bad guys Dirty Harry-style. This disc has a new restoration of the fully uncut version of the feature, a vintage trailer and an old commercial with Brenner telling you to quit smoking.
Fans of Lucio Fulci (Zombie, The Beyond) can now purchase a Blu-ray of the sword and sorcery epic, Conquest (1983) courtesy of Code Red. There’s a new 2019 remaster of the film and extras include two interviews with the star of the feature and a trailer.
Scorpion are delivering a Blu-ray of Trick Baby (1972) aka Double Con, a blacksploitation picture about a Philadelphia con man using a diamond scam to get revenge on his wealthy oppressors. He soon learns that his target has connections to the mafia, complicating matters. Special features include a director interview as well as publicity materials.
And Vinegar Syndrome have plenty Blu-rays as well. The first is the thriller The Caller (1987) with Malcolm McDowell as a strange man tormenting a woman living alone in the middle of the woods. The movie has been newly scanned in 2K from the 35mm interpositive. Additionally, it comes with a director interview, an audio interview with the writer and a still gallery.
Pandemonium (1982) is a parody of slasher movies and involves a class of cheerleaders being murdered by a mysterious killer. It features an impressive cast that includes Tom Smothers, Carol Kane, Judge Reinhold, Paul Reubens, Phil Hartman, Edie McClurg and many others. This film has also been given a 2K restoration and the extras are identical to the previous Vinegar Syndrome release.
And Spellcaster (1988) is a supernatural thriller from Charles Band starring Adam Ant. The specs for this release are the same as the previous titles. This Blu-ray is a limited edition that is only available on the official Vinegar Syndrome webpage.
Best Buy have licensed a few popular genre titles and are releasing them in 4K with exclusive Steelbooks. The first is a Double Feature of Evil Dead (1981) and Evil Dead 2 (1987). The second is for John Carpenter’s Halloween (1978) and the third contains the Oscar-winning sequel, Mad Max: Fury Road (2015). As mentioned previously, these metallic editions are only available at Best Buy.
Universal are dropping another giant pile of reissued discs on the world, so we’ll just run through them all right here. The first is a 2-Movie Collection Blu-ray of Abominable (2019) and The Boss Baby (2017). They have a box set called Bloomhouse of Horrors 10 Movie Collection, which contains The Purge (2013), Ouija (2014), The Boy Next Door (2015), Unfriended (2014), The Visit (2015), Split (2016), Get Out (2017), Happy Death Day (2017), Truth or Dare (2018) and Ma (2019).
They also have Blu-rays of the comedies, The Boss (2016) and Bad Moms (2016), as well as the action sequel, Death Race 2 (2010). Additionally, there’s another 2-Movie Collection pack containing Dolittle (2020) and A Dog’s Journey (2019). You can also purchase the Dreamworks 10-Movie Collection, which contains Blu-rays of Abominable (2019), The Boss Baby (2017), The Croods (2013), Home (2015), How to Train Your Dragon (2010), Kung Fu Panda (2008), Madagascar (2005), Shrek (2001), Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron (2002) and Trolls (2016). If action pictures are more to your liking a 2-Movie Collection containing Hobbs & Shaw (2019) and Skyscraper (2018) is also available.
And there’s more! The Focus Features 10-Movie Spotlight Collection box set presents Lost in Translation (2003), Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004), Pride & Prejudice (2005), Brokeback Mountain (2005), Atonement (2007), Burn After Reading (2008), Moonrise Kingdom (2012), The Theory of Everything (2014), On the Basis of Sex (2018) and Harriet (2019) on Blu-ray, while the Illumination Presents: 10-Movie Collection contains Despicable Me (2010), Hop (2011), The Lorax (2012), Despicable Me 2 (2013), Minions (2015), The Secret Life of Pets (2016), Sing (2016), Despicable Me 3 (2017), Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch (2018) and The Secret Life of Pets 2 (2019).
If you already own the Steven Spielberg classic Jaws (1975) and are looking for more, you can now purchase the Jaws 3-Moive Collection, which presents all of the official follows-up (obviously, Cruel Jaws isn’t included so you’ll have to pick that one up separately if you so desire). You’ll get Jaws 2 (1978), Jaws 3 (1983) and Jaws: The Revenge (1987) on Blu-ray. Then you can have a not-so-great-shark-movie fest. On the thriller front, Universal have also reissues the recent remake of The Mummy (2017) and the comedy sequel, My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 (2016).
The studio is also releasing the Universal 10-Film Action Collection, which contains number action pictures from the studio alongside the Universal 10-Film Sci-Fi Collection. You can look them up to find out which films are included. Lastly,they are putting out three themed 2-Movie Collections. The first is a Blu-ray that includes music-centric flicksYesterday (2019) and Pitch Perfect (2012), the second is a DVD set containing the kid-friendly supernatural filmsThe House with a Clock in Its Walls (2018) and Casper (1995), while the third is another DVD collection that has Good Boys (2019) and Role Models (2008) on it.
Music fans can purchase a Blu-ray of Us + Them – Roger Waters Concert through Sony Legacy. This tour featuring the ex-Pink Floyd front man was spectacular and now those who want to revisit the performance or see it for the first time can now do so in high definition.
And finally, Warner Archive are putting out few made-to-order Blu-rays. The first is a 2-Film Collection containing Genesis II (1973) with Alex Cord and Planet Earth (1974) starring John Saxon. They also have the western Jeremiah Johnson (1972) and the war picture Memphis Belle (1990), which follows a group of young pilots on a dangerous bombing raid. It features plenty of familiar faces in the cast.
You Know, For Kids!
There are lots of goods old and new are arriving for youngsters.
Abominable / The Boss Baby 2-Movie Collection
Dolittle / A Dog’s Journey 2-Movie Collection
Dreamworks 10-Movie Collection – Abominable, The Boss Baby, The Croods, Home, How to Train Your Dragon, Kung Fu Panda, Madagascar, Shrek, Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron, Trolls
The House with a Clock in Its Walls / Casper 2-Movie Collection DVD
Illumination Presents: 10-Movie Collection – Despicable Me / Hop / The Lorax / Despicable Me 2 / Minions / The Secret Life of Pets / Sing / Despicable Me 3 / Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch / The Secret Life of Pets 2
PAW Patrol: Mighty Pups Super Pack! (Nickelodeon)
Sea Level / Sea Level 2: Magic Arch Double Feature
VeggieTales: All the Silly Songs – 60 Favorites
On the Tube!
And here are the week’s TV-themed releases.
The Bob Newhart Show: The Complete Series
Frontline: Opioids, Inc. (PBS)
Hip Hop: The Songs That Shook America – Documentary Series
Humboldt: The New Season (Canadian TV Special)
Penny Dreadful: City of Angels: Season 1
Space Adventure Cobra: The Complete Series (anime)
Stargirl: Season 1
Supernatural: Season 1
Supernatural: Season 2
Supernatural: Season 3