Happy Halloween! Welcome back to the latest summary of new releases on Blu-ray and DVD. We’ve got a good mix of some big movies and independent fare. Click on any links you see to read more about them. 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!
Anthopoid – Based on a true story, this WWII drama depicts a group of resistance fighters in Czechoslovakia who plot to assassinate Hitler’s third in command. The fighters struggle to pull off their elaborate plan and must come to terms with the likelihood of death in every scenario. More critics appreciated the movie than disliked it. Some called it a grim slog and scoffed at the romantic subplot, but the majority thought it did a solid job of creating a feeling of anxiety and tension. The movie stars Cillian Murphy, Jamie Dornan, Charlotte Le Bon, Anna Gieslerova and Toby Jones. Click here to read a detailed review of the movie.
Bad Moms – A trio of overworked and underappreciated mothers set out to liberate and enjoy themselves. Of course, in the process they butt heads with the president of the local PTA. There were more positive reviews for this title than negative ones. Some complained that the movie didn’t take advantage of its concept and felt rather generic overall, but most enjoyed the chemistry between the stressed out moms. The cast includes Mila Kunis, Kristin Bell, Katheryn Hahn, Chrsitina Applegate, Jada Pinkett Smith and Jay Hernandez. To read this site’s review, click here.
Carnage Park – This independent thriller involves a robbery gone wrong that leaves a pair of crooks and their hostage trapped in a remote area of desert. Things go from bad to worse when a mad gunman begins targeting the group. Notices were mixed for the final product. Nearly half found it too grim and ugly to enjoy, while the remainder called it nasty, but well-plotted and ultimately effective in mimicking exploitation films of the 1970s. It features Ashley Bell, Pat Healy, Alan Ruck, Darby Stanchfield and Larry Fessenden.
Imperium – An FBI agent goes deep, deep undercover to infiltrate a right-wing, white supremacist terrorist group. Naturally, he finds having to fit in with the nasty group and witness their activities disturbing; his reactions threaten to reveal his identity. Reviews were very good for this independent production. Many wrote that the subject matter was timely and that the feature was very tense and often chilling, featuring a great lead performance. It stars Daniel Radcliffe, Toni Collette, Tracy Letts and Sam Trammell.
Nine Lives – In this family comedy, a billionaire workaholic buys his daughter a cat for her birthday. However, on the way home, he gets into an accident and has his consciousness inserted into the feline, giving him an all new perspective on what his family thinks of him. This picture flopped at the box office and with critics over the summer. They stated that despite the talented cast, this was a clumsy, unfunny and forgettable effort. Kevin Spacey, Jennifer Garner and Christopher Walken headline the film.
The Sea of Trees – Remember that cheesy horror flick The Forest about characters visiting Japan being tormented by ghosts in a haunted forest? This drama uses the same inspiration, following a suicidal American who travels to the park, where he encounters another man in a similar state. The two attempt to help each other reconcile their issues and move forward. Despite pedigreed director Gus Van Sant (Good Will Hunting, Milk) at the helm, reviews were terrible. It has been described as ponderous, dull and overly melodramatic. At least it has an impressive cast that includes Matthew McConaughey, Naomi Watts and Ken Watanabe.
Star Trek Beyond – This one was initially supposed to arrive in September, but was delayed. The latest entry in this popular sci-fi series takes the crew of the Enterprise on a rescue mission. Unfortunately, soon after arriving the heroes find themselves under attack, stranded on a remote planet and separated from one another. Critics were fairly positive about this entry. They stated that while the movie wasn’t particularly thoughtful, it was an improvement over the previous chapter thanks to the well-staged action and strong chemistry between cast members. It features Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Karl Urban, Zoe Saldana, Simon Pegg, John Cho, Anton Yelchin and Idris Elba. To read a detailed review of the flick, just click here.
Uncle Nick – In the mood for a lewd and crude holiday-themed comedy? This independent feature follows the drunken title character, who shows up for a family Christmas celebration that results in the exposing of family secrets (as well as other things). Reaction to the feature was split, with half suggesting that the gross-out humor worked enough of the time to earn it a recommendation. The other half felt that the characters and situations were too distasteful to enjoy. It stars Brian Posehn, Scott Adsit, Missi Pyle and Paget Brewster.
Blasts From the Past!
It’s a more subdued week for classic releases, but there are some interesting ones arriving. Shout! Factory have a Blu-ray the musical drama Gypsy (1962), about the life of burlesque dancer Gypsy Rose Lee and her struggles with her domineering stage manager mother. The movie stars Natalie Wood and Rosalind Russell and was nominated for three Academy Awards.
Kino are releasing some Blu-rays as well, both starring Betty Grable. They include the Western comedy The Beautiful Blonde From Bashful Bend (1949) as well as the film noir I Wake Up Screaming (1941).
Like Warner Archives, Sony Pictures are now releasing made-to-order Blu-rays of some of their older and more obscure titles. This week you can now get the very unusual comedy Neighbors (1981), which casts John Belushi as a mild mannered family man. Things go a little crazy when a wild neighbor (played by Dan Aykroyd) moves in next door. It’s not a particularly good flick, but these stars are interesting to watch even when they’re not quite hitting the mark.
Speaking of Warner Archive, they’re also offering some of their titles as made-to-order discs. The campy adventure flick Doc Savage: The Man of Bronze (1975) is one of their most ordered flicks on DVD, so now they’ve upgraded the transfer and are making the movie available in high definition as a Blu-ray. This one is campy in the extreme, so you should be expecting something just a little cheesier than your typical James Bond-type action picture. Actually, scratch that and make it a lot cheesier than many of its ilk.
On the DVD front, you can also pick up the animated feature Cats Don’t Dance (1997). Also from Warner Archive is the skateboarding picture Grind (2003), which features Adam Brody, Jason London, Stephen Root and Brian Posehn. It may be good for a laugh. Additionally, you can also order the fantasy flick Ladyhawke (1985). This one stars Matthew Broderick as a teen attempting to help a woman with a curse be reunited with the knight she loves. Michelle Pfeiffer and Rutger Hauer play the tragic couple separated by magic. Finally, they also have Michael (1996), a comedy with John Travolta playing a angel in the modern world.
You Know, For Kids!
There’s plenty for the kids to enjoy. The highlights are listed below.
Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders
Bob the Builder: Bob’s Winter Build
Care Bears & Cousins: Take Heart
Curious George: The Complete 9th Season
My Little Pony: Equestria Girls: Legend of Everfree
Power Rangers Dino Charge: Hero
Shaun the Sheep: We Wish Ewe a Merry Christmas
Super Sentai: Chouriki Sentai Ohranger: The Complete Series (the inspiration for Power Rangers)
On the Tube!
And here are some TV-themed releases, including the very funny sitcoms The IT Crowd and Schitt’s Creek.
50 Years of Star Trek (History)
Building Star Trek (Smithsonian Channel)
Hell on Wheels: The Complete Series
Hell on Wheels: Season 5, Vol. 2
The IT Crowd: The Complete Series
The Librarians: Season 1
Masterpiece: Durrells in Corfu (PBS)
Outlander: Season 2
Schitt’s Creek: Seasons 1 & 2
The Walking Dead: Season 6