Time for another look at all of the highlights arriving on Blu-ray and DVD. It’s another incredibly busy edition, with so many titles that it would impossible not to find something to your liking. You can also click on any links you see to read full reviews. So if you can’t make it to the movies this week, be sure to give one of these titles a try!
Big New Releases!
7 Guardians of the Tomb – In this China/Australia co-production, a group of archeologists unearth an ancient labyrinth and tomb containing a mummified emperor from China. Unfortunately, they soon realize they’ve released a sinister power, forcing them to fight giant spiders and undead creatures in order to escape. This elaborate adventure flick didn’t garner much enthusiasm from the press. They were very disappointed in what they described as a routine and perfunctory script, saying that there was nothing that cast could do to elevate such clunky source material. It stars Kellan Lutz, Bingbing Li, Kelsey Grammer and Stef Dawson.
Backstabbing for Beginners – Based on a true story, this independent thriller involves a young program coordinator at the United Nations who uncovers a conspiracy involving the oil reserves of Iraq. After discovering that his predecessor may have been murdered after discovering the same plot, he begins to suspect that his own life may be in danger. This title hasn’t earned a big release and the reviews that have come out haven’t been very inspiring. One wrote that while the performers were above average, the story was a bit muddled and unexciting. It features Theo James, Ben Kingsley, Jacqueline Bisset, Rossif Sutherland and Rachel Wilson.
Bombshell: The Hedy Lamarr Story – Many know Hedy Lamarr from her various roles as a Hollywood movie star, but this documentary also details her secret work as an inventor during World War II. After her days on set, the picture tells of her efforts to invent a complicated radio system called “frequency hopping” that would ultimately help Allied forces sink Nazi Uboats and win the war. Reviews were good overall. Some complained that the movie’s animated sequences were a strange choice and didn’t fit with the feature. Still, most stated that any effort highlighting the woman’s incredible life, even if flawed, were certainly welcome.
Dear Dictator – This independent comedy involves a teenager who becomes penpals with a British-Caribbean dictator. When the political figure is forced to flee after an uprising, he decides to hide at the girl’s suburban home in America. While staying there, he begins coaching the youngster on how to overthrow the popular girls at her own high school. Critics didn’t think a whole lot of the end results. They called it a very formulaic effort that should have made more of its comic possibilities, instead of opting for obvious, teen-centered jokes. The cast includes Michael Caine, Odeya Rush, Katie Holmes, Seth Green and Jason Biggs.
Den of Thieves – A determined but amoral cop vows to take down a criminal outfit planning to rob the Federal Reserve. When the detective exerts pressure on a young recruit of the crooks and pushes him to turn on his partners, the story takes some twists and turns as the heist begins. This action/thriller earned mixed notices, with a few more negative write-ups than positive ones. A percentage thought that there was enough bombast and fun to earn the movie a pass, but more found it to be overlong, middling fare that didn’t compare favorably to its inspirations (essentially, Michael Mann’s Heat). It stars Gerard Butler, Pablo Schreiber, O’Shea Jackson Jr., 50 Cent and Meadow Williams. To read the site’s review of the film, click here.
Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool – Based on a true story, this romantic drama involves actress Gloria Grahame and her relationship with a much younger man. Older and ill, she returns to Liverpool to visit her ex-lover and his family. It soon becomes clear that the performer’s condition is very serious and the young man does his best to comfort her. The press enjoyed the film. While sources admitted it was a straightforward tale, many were impressed by the two lead performances. The cast includes Annette Bening, Jamie Bell, Julie Walters and Stephen Graham. It appears that this title is arriving exclusively on DVD for the time being. No word yet on a Blu-ray release.
Forever My Girl – Romance film fans may be interested in this melodrama about a country music star who chooses fame over his fiancée and leaves her at the alter. After more than a decade, he returns home for the funeral of a childhood friend and encounters his ex-bride… awkward! Regardless, sparks fly once again as the singer must come to terms with those he left behind. Reviews were quite poor for this effort. A few suggested that it would please its target audience, but most stated that the characters were less-than-likable and that there was little in the way of sparks generated between the leads. It features Alex Roe, Jessica Rothe, John Benjamin Hickey and Travis Tritt.
Hostiles – This western follows a stiff and mean Army Captain who is ordered against his will to escort a dying Cheyenne war chief to tribal lands. Along the way, the group encounter a woman whose entire family has been slaughtered by a different tribe. The disdainful and distrustful captain is forced to examine previously held views on the war chief as they all face off against attacking foes. This movie received generally good notices, although there were some caveats. About a quarter found it too ponderous and the dialogue too clunky to really hit the mark, but the others were impressed by the performances and called it an effective neo-western. It stars Christian Bale, Rosamund Pike, Wes Studi, Ben Foster and Timothee Chamalet.
Maze Runner: The Death Cure – The final installment in the Maze Runner franchise finds its teen protagonist joining up with a rebel outfit. In an attempt to save their community, they break into the walled city of the sinister WCKD organization. Once there, they face their foes and get the answers to the questions that have plagued them since being trapped in the labyrinth. Press reaction to this finale was mixed, with more negative notices than positive ones. Some appreciated the themes and thought it a fitting close for the young adult series. However, the majority found it curiously heavy and lacking in energy. Dylan O’Brien, Kaya Scodelario, Thomas Sangster, Giancarlo Esposito, Aiden Gillan, Barry Pepper and Patricia Clarkson headline the film. To read a full review, click here.
Paddington 2 – This sequel to the 2014 hit finds the title bear doing his best to adapt to his new life in London. While attempting to earn money for a family present, he’s framed for a crime he didn’t commit and sentenced to prison. As his adopted family attempts to clear his name, Paddington considers breaking out with the assistance of some new cellmate friends. Reaction to this follow-up was incredible. In fact, it has a unique distinction of not having received a single pan by critics. They uniformly called it a heartfelt, funny, beautifully shot family film, perfect for both kids and adults. The cast includes Ben Whishaw (as the voice of Paddington) Hugh Grant, Brendan Gleeson, Hugh Bonneville, Sally Hawkins, Julie Walters and Jim Broadbent. To read a review, click here.
The Strange Ones – Two men travel across the American landscape in this independent thriller. Along the way, their mysterious behavior causes questions as to who they might be and what they intend to do while on the road. Eventually, secrets are revealed and their motivations become clear. Reviews for this effort were mixed-positive. All believed that the film did a solid job of establishing a feeling of foreboding. Some thought that it didn’t ultimately go in a satisfying direction, while others liked the conclusion and enjoyed having something to ponder afterward. It features Alex Pettyfer, James Freedson-Jackons and Emily Althaus. This title is currently only being made available on DVD.
Blasts from the Past!
It’s an incredibly busy week for older titles hitting Blu-ray. Horror/sci-fi cult fans will likely be thrilled to hear that Arrow Video are releasing Killer Klowns from Outer Space (1988) in high definiton with a new transfer taken directly from the original film negative. The story involves the arrival of a spaceship filled with aliens that resemble clowns. They go on the rampage in a small town using circus and clown props on their victims. The disc comes with more extras than can be described here. If you want to find out more, your best bet is to click the link here and read the site’s official review of the new Blu-ray.
If Spaghetti Westerns are your thing, then you’ll be happy to hear that Arrow are also putting out a Blu-ray double feature called A Pistol for Ringo & The Return of Ringo: Two Films by Duccio Tessari. Both of these title were released in 1965 at the height the genre’s popularity. They’re also well regarded, with many citing the impressive scores from Ennio Morricone. The films have been given a 2K restoration from the original camera negative, critic audio commentaries for the two films, archival interviews with a pair of cast members and a technician on the film, and publicity materials.
Olive Films also have some noteworthy releases. Hope and Glory (1987) is an Oscar-nominated, period drama detailing the actions of a family in London at the onset of WWII. It mostly follows a youngster and how he reacts to the events occurring around him. You can read all about the release here.
The distributor are also putting out the acclaimed drama, Joe (1970). It’s about two angry conservatives who eventually go on a murder spree, taking out hippies. Of course, things don’t end up panning out very well for the pair.
On a lighter note, they also have the comedy/drama, Mermaids (1990) a coming-of-age tale about a young woman and her eccentric family members. It stars Cher and Winona Ryder and you can read a review of the disc here.
Action fans may be happy to learn that Shout! Factory have a “Collector’s Edition” Blu-ray of the Jean-Claude Van Damme dystopian/sci-fi/martial-arts flick, Cyborg (1989). The movie has been given a 4K scan and arrives with a audio commentary from the director. It also includes a new making-of feature that includes numerous cast and crew members (every it seems, except Van Damme), as well as a make-up and special effects featurette. The disc also includes extended interviews that were used in the excellent Electric Boogaloo: The Wild, Untold Story of Cannon Films documentary from a couple of years ago.
And there’s more arriving courtesy of the same distributor. They are also releasing a Blu-ray of the occult thriller, Daughters of Satan (1972). On a completely different tact, Shout! are putting out the bizarre (and probably very dated) comedy Doctor Detroit (1983). That one features Dan Aykroyd as a professor who accidentally winds up taking on the persona of a pimp. This release includes a new interview with the film’s director and a commentary track featuring the moviemaker and a pop culture historian. The release also contains loads of publicity materials. Finally, they have the submarine-set disaster picture, Gray Lady Down (1978). It features Charlton Heston, David Carridine and other stars trapped under the sea and requiring rescue.
Kino have a Blu-ray of the zombie horror flick, The Boneyard (1991). This title has been difficult to locate for a long time. The plot involves some coroners, a cop and a psychic who attempt to deal with demons who are possessing the bodies of cadavers. It’s perhaps most famous for featuring Phyllis Diller as a morgue attendant whose dead poodle takes part in the rampage. The disc features an HD restoration with color correction taken from the original negative, along with a filmmaker commentary and interviews with the cast and crew.
In addition, they are releasing selected episodes from a pair of animated series; The Dogfather (1974-1976) and Misterjaw (1974-1975 – 34 Cartoons).
The Kino Classics line is bringing The Holy Mountain (1926) to Blu-ray. They’re also delivering the sci-fi/horror B-movie, The Maze 3D (1953). It’s about a series of strange events occurring in the hedge mazes outside a Scottish castle. I have always been curious about this one and it should be fun for those whose TVs afford them the luxury of watching movies in the third dimension. Finally, the distributor are also introducing Ruby Gentry (1952) and A Woman’s Devotion (1956) to high definition.
But that’s not all. Criterion have a pair of releases as well. You can now pick up a new 4K Blu-ray of Jim Jarmusch’s Dead Man (1995), an eccentric, star-studded western featuring Johnny Depp. Extras include a Q & A with the director, footage of musician Neil Young working on the score, new interviews with actors, footage of cast members reading poetry, deleted scenes, location scouting photos and a commentary with the film’s production designer and sound mixer.
The Virgin Suicides (1999) is also coming to Blu-ray. This title marks the first feature from director Sophia Coppola, and its a haunting tale revolving around a group of siblings in a suburban home. This edition arrives with a new 4K restoration of the film, new interviews with cast and crew, a 1998 documentary on the production, a short from Coppola and a music video featuring the French band, Air (who composed the score). If you haven’t seen it, this is really good arthouse are that is well worth your time.
Finally, Classicflix are releasing Blu-rays of Down Three Dark Streets (1954) and 5 Steps to Danger (1957). They’re a pair of well regarded and hard-to-find film noirs. And Cheesyflix have a DVD of the science fiction B-movie, War of the Planets (1977).
You Know, For Kids!
Loads of stuff is arriving this week for the youngsters (and those who were young in the 60s and 70s).
The Dogfather
Gumby: The Best of Gumby
Misterjaw (1974-1975 – 34 Cartoons)
Mr. Peabody & Sherman WABAC Adventures: Volume 2
Power Rangers: KyuuKyuu Sentai GoGoFive: The Complete Series
Rocky & Bullwinkle & Friends: The Complete Season 1
Rocky & Bullwinkle & Friends: The Complete Season 2
Rocky & Bullwinkle & Friends: The Complete Season 3
Rocky & Bullwinkle & Friends: The Complete Season 4
Rocky & Bullwinkle & Friends: The Complete Season 5
Wacky Races: Start Your Engines!: Season 1, Vol. 1
On the Tube!
And here are highlights of the TV-themed releases arriving on store shelves.
1864 (Danish Mini-series)
Gumby: The Best of Gumby
Impossible Builds: Volume 1 (PBS)
Jesus: Countdown to Calvary (PBS)
Monster Croc Wrangler: Season 3 (National Geographic)
Mr. Peabody & Sherman WABAC Adventures: Volume 2
NATURE: Animals with Cameras (PBS)
POV: Bill Nye: Science Guy (PBS)
Power Rangers: KyuuKyuu Sentai GoGoFive: The Complete Series
Saltwater: Atomic Shark
Shameless: Season 8
Unforgotten (Masterpiece Mystery): Season 1 (PBS)
Unforgotten (Masterpiece Mystery): Season 2 (PBS)
Wacky Races: Start Your Engines!: Season 1, Vol. 1