It’s time for yet another look at all of the highlights arriving on Blu-ray and DVD shelves. In fact, it seems like just about every genre is represented in this edition, with something for everyone. Be sure to click any links to read full reviews of the various releases. So if you can’t make it out to the movies this week, be sure to give one of these titles a try!
Big New Releases!
78/52: Hitchock’s Shower Scene – The three-minute shower scene from the 1960 classic Psycho is the subject of this documentary, which has been named after the number of camera set-ups and edits used to create the notable sequence. Film critics, movie makers and others detail the history of how it all came to be, as well as the technique and skill involved in putting it together. Critics generally liked the movie overall. A few suggested it got a bit obsessive over every minute detail, but most found it to be informative and entertaining, as well as a great way to introduce movie fans to film analysis and criticism.
Chokeslam – A delicatessen clerk decides to pursue his high school sweetheart in the hopes of winning her affections after learning she’s coming back to town for their high school reunion. However, also discovers that she is now an imposing professional wrestler in a WWE-like league. The press weren’t particularly taken by this independent romantic comedy. A few thought it had a few laughs and was affably sweet. Sadly, while complimenting the cast, the majority didn’t believe the tone was quite right and stated that too many gags ended up missing the mark. It features Chris Marquette, Amanda Crew, Michael Eklund and Mick Foley.
Darkest Hour – This British biopic tells the story of Winston Churchill’s appointment to Prime Minister prior to the beginning of WWII. As tensions rise between the UK and Germany, the leader faces difficult decisions about how to proceed. He must also deal with a group within parliament who want him removed from office. Reaction to the drama was strong. A few commented that the movie had a direct and straight-forward approach that could have done with some livening up, but everyone admitted that the lead performance was first class and Academy Award worthy. The movie stars Gary Oldmen, Lily James, Kristen Scott Thomas and Ben Mendelsohn.
Just Getting Started – Eccentrics at a Palm Springs resort are at the center of this comedy. The plot follows the manager of the establishment, who harbors a secret past. When an charismatic ex-military man shows up, the two butt heads and vie for the affections of another resident. However, they must team up after an assassination attempt is made. The press absolutely hated this picture. They wrote that it was lazily put together, largely unfunny and completely wasted the talents of an impressive cast. Ouch. Now viewers can make up their own minds. It features Morgan Freeman, Tommy Lee Jones, Rene Russo, Glenne Headly and Joe Pantoliano.
Let There Be Light – This faith-based drama involves an atheist famous for his very public beliefs on religion. Suffering from a miserable personal life and a strained relationship with his offspring, the lead eventually gets himself into a serious car accident. He then coverts to Christianity and, presumably, all of his problems soon disappear. Reviews were split for the feature. Most stated that the lead actor gave an above-average performance, but criticized the unending speeches and proselytizing on display, saying it delivered its message with a very heavy thud. The cast includes Kevin Sorbo, Sam Sorbo and Daniel Roebuck.
The Man from Earth: Holocene – Students at a university discover an unusual secret about their favorite professor – he’s a Cro-Magnon man who is 14,000 years old and does not age. This condition forces the teacher to move around regularly and change his identity. The group discuss exactly how to handle the strange situation. This is actually a sequel to a well-regarded independent film from 2007 that was penned by a former Star Trek writer. The follow-up received mixed-positive write-ups. Most stated that it wasn’t as engaging as the original, but they appreciated the work and ideas being explored. David Lee Smith, Vanessa L. Williams, Micheal Dorn and William Katt headline the film.
Murder on the Orient Express – Detective Hercule Poirot gets an update with this new take on the famous Agatha Christie novel. While traveling on a train across Europe, one of the passengers is murdered, forcing the investigator into action. Critics were divided on this take, although it did receive more positive notices than negative ones. All found it beautifully shot and some enjoyed the mystery. Others described it as weaker than the previous film adaptation, saying the lead’s exaggerated facial hair was the only notable addition. Guess its effectiveness might depend on how familiar you are with the source material. It stars Kenneth Branagh, Penelope Cruz, Willem Dafoe, Judi Dench, Johnny Depp, Josh Gad, Derek Jacobi, Michelle Pfeiffer and Daisy Ridley. To read a full review, click here.
Sleeping Giant – This independent, coming-of-age tale involves a boy staying with his family at a lakeside cottage on Lake Superior, Ontario. He makes friends with two other kids in the neighborhood. However, their idea of staving off boredom in the woods is petty crime and trouble-making. When all three set their sights on the same girl, the lead must navigate difficult waters. This little flick received excellent notices. It has been described as well-acted film, authentic and believable in the ways it depicts the wild actions and varied emotional states of youngsters. It features Jackson Martin, Katelyn McKerracher and Nick Serino.
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri – A woman rents out three large billboards and posts a pointed message to police about the unsolved death of her daughter, leading to all kinds of conflict and violence. This Academy Award nominated dark comedy/drama examines the actions of various troubled individuals as they attempt to cope with their grief and anger issues. It earned plenty of praise from reviewers as well as Oscar nods. One or two found its dark and mean approach unfavorable, but almost all were blown away by the performances and sharp dialogue from writer/director Martin McDonagh (In Bruges, Seven Psychopaths). The movie stars Francis McDormand, Woody Harrelson, Sam Rockwell, Abbie Cornish, Lucas Hedges, John Hawkes and Peter Dinklage.
Blasts from the Past!
This is another week filled with an incredible selection of notable titles getting the Blu-ray treatment. Olive Films have several remarkable arrivals. They include the Oscar- nominated Birdman of Alcatraz (1962). It stars Burt Lancaster as a violent crook sentenced to solitary confinement. In the process, he takes up birds as a hobby and begins to find redemption as the years pass. The distributor are also putting out the well-regarded family drama, Five on the Black Hand Side (1973). This one is a domestic drama about an African-American family headed by a domineering barber patriarch, and the numerous tensions within the clan.
And there’s more. Olive are also releasing the Jerry Lee Lewis musical biopic, Great Balls of Fire! (1989) with Dennis Quaid, Winona Ryder and Alec Baldwin. This one depicts all of the performer’s wild eccentricities both on stage as well as in his personal life. You can read a full review of the disc right here. Finally, you can now pick up a Blu-ray of the western/comedy, The Hallelujah Trail (1965). It was made in the spirit of It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World and follows an all star cast (including Burt Lancaster, Lee Remick, Martin Landau, Donald Pleasance and many others) as they all race to retrieve a valuable lost shipment of whiskey.
Arrow Video are delivering the cult horror flick, Basket Case (1982) on Blu-ray. It’s about a young man in New York who cares for his separated Siamese twin brother, whom he keeps in a bin. Of course, the sibling is very violent and out to kill the doctors who failed to care for him, leading to all sorts of carnage. The release includes a 4K restoration of the original 16mm negative, a new commentary with the director and the star, as well as numerous interviews with the cast and crew. It also features clips with critics like Joe Bob Briggs discussing the movie, in addition to outtakes, an animated short inspired by the movie and an early short from the filmmaker. There are more bonuses, but there simply isn’t enough space here to list them all.
Not only that, but they also have the cult unique item, Scalpel (1977). This is one of those titles that was most frequently seen during its early 80s VHS release, but then faded into oblivion after the arrival of DVD. It’s been nearly impossible to find until now. This is a psychological thriller about a mad plastic surgeon who finds a teen beaten and near death. He decides to use his skills to rebuild her face. However, it appears that he really wants to make the girl into his long lost daughter. Arrow Films have given the feature a 2K restoration from the original film elements. The Blu-ray also includes a film historian audio commentary, new cast and crew interviews, as well as various promotional materials. You can read all about the disc here.
A couple of weeks back, this roundup referenced the Jean-Claude Van Damme action picture, Black Eagle (1988). Its release was delayed last minute, so MVD are finally putting out the Blu-ray this week. This is a 2-disc Special Edition Blu-ray/DVD combo of the action picture. Van Damme took the role just before he became an international star. In this early effort, he plays the antagonist, a KGB agent out to steal valuable laser technology from a crashed plane. The CIA’s only hope is a heroic agent played by Sho Kosugi. This release includes the theatrical and unrated cuts of the feature, deleted scenes and several recent interviews with members of the cast and crew. Read a full review of the disc here.
Shout! Factory have a couple of genre flicks arriving on Blu-ray, including Colossus: The Forbin Project (1970). It’s a sci-fi film about the US government building a super-computer to regulate national defense, only to learn that a near identical Russian machine has also been built and the two forms of A.I. have gone rogue. This release has an interview with the lead and a commentary track from author/fan Jeff Bond, as well as a radio spot and trailer.
They also have Gate II (1990) aka Gate 2: The Trespassers on Blu-ray. This sequel to the surprisingly successful low-budget horror picture involves the pal of the main character from the original film. Struggling in high school as an outcast, he decides to try his luck with the dark arts and brings a Satanic minion from another dimension. Naturally, it causes all sorts of mayhem. I don’t recall it being anywhere near as effective as the original, but it may provide a few entertaining moments of terror. Shout! have given the movie a new 2K scan from the interpositive, new interviews with the director and special-effects crew, trailers, video promos and still gallery. So now fans of the series can own the entire series in high definition.
The Sect (1991) aka The Devil’s Daughter arrives via Scorpion Releasing. It’s a strange little Italian horror picture produced by Dario Argento and director by Michele Soavi (Cemetery Man aka Dellamorte Dellamore) about an American schoolteacher in Germany who finds herself potentially hosting the offspring of Satan. The release is supposed to include an interview with a cast member.
Kino have a trio of Blu-ray releases as well. They include the Italian/French/German comedy/drama, The Oldest Profession (1967), an anthology featuring a series of sketches involving prostitution over the ages. Jean-Luc Godard (Breathless) directs one of the segments. They also have the drama The Outlaw (1943) in high definition. This western from Howard Hughes and Howard Hawks revolves around outlaws fighting for the affection of a local vixen. It was notorious in its day for the cleavage on display. Finally, Kino have a Blu-ray of the erotic/thriller, Serpent’s Lair (1995). This one features Jeff Fahey as a married man taunted by a succubus out to drain his lifeforce.
Cheezy Movies have a couple of DVD of some less-than-stellar but fun pictures. The Brainiac (1962) is an incredibly goofy Mexican monster movie about a warlock who performs a ritual during his execution under a passing comet. Naturally, he returns centuries later as the comet returns to torment the descendants of those who killed him. It’s most notable for its remarkably silly creature make-up. The distributor also have a DVD of the low-budget, post-apocalyptic Italian action flick, Warriors of the Wasteland (1983) aka The New Barbarians.
Indicator have a Blu-ray of the Jack Nicholson/Warren Beatty/Stockard Channing romantic comedy, The Fortune (1975). Set in the 1920s, it’s about the various schemes concocted by a pair of con men. The distributor is British, but the disc is being released as All Regions, meaning it can be played in any player around the world.
Finally and on a much more family-friendly note, Disney are releasing the classic animated film, Lady and the Tramp (1955). The two-disc, Blu-ray/DVD combo is part of their Signature Collection and is certain to include plenty of extras.
You Know, For Kids!
Here is, well, the only title geared to children.
Lady and the Tramp (Signature Collection)
On the Tube!
And here are the week’s TV-themed releases.
Diff’rent Strokes: Season 7
Green Acres: Season 5
Macgyver: Season 1
Rebecca Martinsson: Series 1