It’s another very, very busy week for DVDs and Blu-rays with numerous options. As always, this column exists to inform readers of the highlights and help them find something to rent or purchase. Be sure and click on any of the links to read full feature film. 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!
Black Nativity: Extended Musical Edition – Well in advance of December, this telling of the Nativity story already came to DVD and Blu-ray back in April, but distributor Fox is releasing a new cut that is significantly longer and contains more musical numbers. If you felt that the theatrical version movie lacked enough proper gospel tunes, then rejoice because this is for you (the theatrical version is also included). The original version divided the press and this version isn’t likely to get any different of a response. It stars Forest Whitaker, Angela Bassett, Jennifer Hudson, Tyrese Gibson, Nas and Mary J. Blige.
Edge of Tomorrow – This futuristic sci-fi action thriller follows an arrogant media consultant who finds himself on the front lines during a massive alien invasion. Through a chance encounter, he discovers that he can reset the day every time he is killed. The movie wasn’t a hit domestically in theaters, but it got some of the best reviews of the summer. Critics almost unanimously called it a energetic, intense and surprisingly humorous flick featuring spectacular action. Tom Cruise, Emily Blunt, Brendan Gleeson, Bill Paxton and Noah Taylor lead the cast. Strangely, the film seems to have undergone a name change for its home video release. It’s now appears to be titled Live Die Repeat: Edge of Tomorrow. Weird… anyway, read the site’s original review here.
The Grand Seduction – A fishing village suffering greatly from a poor economy conspires to convince a large corporation to move into town and build a factory. The rouse reaches absurd proportions when they learn they must convince a doctor to live there full time to seal the deal. For the most part, reaction to this low-key Canadian comedy was mixed with a few more reviewers taking on a positive stand. While some found it awkward and sappy, others found it to be sweetly enjoyable, buoyed by the work of the quirky cast. It features Brendan Gleeson, Taylor Kitsch and Gordon Pinsent. Read our full-length review of the movie right here.
Houdini – This biographical miniseries from the History Channel got a fair amount of press when it aired a few weeks back. Adrien Brody plays the famous magician as viewers experience his rise to fame and untimely end. Reviewers weren’t particularly fond of the effort, with many complaining that the drama was too soapy and saddled its lead with a superficial script. A few were more positive, describing it as a fun series that may not have depth, but still entertains with its dramatic sleight of hand.
Jack and the Cuckoo-Clock Heart – Visionary film director Luc Besson (La Femme Nikita, Leon, Lucy) produced this French/Belgium animated title. Set in the late 1800’s, it follows a boy who has his frozen heart replaced with a cuckoo-clock. Things are fine until the lead falls in love and his inner clock begins to act up. While not many have seen it outside of France, this family film comes well regarded by those who have found it – they claim it has its own distinct and captivating visual style. This particular release features a dubbed English language version.
Million Dollar Arm – A sports agent in financial trouble discovers a cricket player in Mumbai and attempts to land him a position on a major league baseball team. Reviews were mixed for this live-action Disney flick, but more critics fell on the side of modest recommendation. Many commented that it was a bland and predictable effort that overplays sentiment and borderline patronizes other cultures. Regardless, some felt that the work of the cast was strong enough to be effective and earn it a pass. Jon Hamm, Aasif Mandvi, Alan Arkin and Bill Paxton star.
A Million Ways to Die in the West – Another big summer release that underperformed was this gross out western comedy. The story involves a modern-thinking farmer terrified of death forced to face off against a nasty outlaw. It received mostly pans, with many calling it a vanity project that allowed writer/director/star Shane McFarlane (creator of Family Guy) to mug shamelessly. Still, a few thought it earned enough laughs to save the day. The movie features impressive backup from the likes of Charlize Theron, Amanda Seyfried, Liam Neeson, Neil Patrick Harris, Giovanni Ribisi and Sara Silverman – it also features a few surprise cameos. Read the website’s original full-length review here.
Obvious Child – This independent romantic comedy scored with critics a few months back and may be worth checking out. It follows a twenty-something woman whose personal and professional life falls apart after she learns that she is pregnant. It stars Jenny Slate, Gaby Hoffman and David Cross. Reviews stated that it while the plot itself is familiar, the approach was far more honest and believable than many films of its ilk. They also found Slate charming in the lead role.
Sharknado 2: The Second One – Well, if you missed it on TV or just want to see it again and again, SyFy is now giving you the opportunity to own this intentionally bad sequel to the intentionally bad Sharknado. The “story” follows the heroes from the first film as they travel to New York City, just as another Sharknado storm approaches. The press were mixed on the follow-up – some felt fans would enjoy the outrageousness, but others found its efforts to be cheesy far too forced. Honestly, aren’t bad movies more fun when they’re simply misguided instead of being lazily made? Ian Ziering, Tara Reid, Vivica A. Fox, Mark McGrath and Kari Wuhrer star, but the movie also features plenty of cameos.
Supermensch: The Legend of Shep Gordon – Movie star Mike Myers directs this documentary about the legendary entertainment manager/promoter. Along the way, he interviews numerous clients and gets behind-the-scenes stories of how the subject made several Hollywood careers. Critics were mostly positive about the film. They wrote that while the movie is overly enamored of its subject, the stars tell fascinating industry stories that are endlessly entertaining. Interviewees include Alice Cooper, Anne Murray, Sylvester Stallone, Michael Douglas, Willie Nelson and Emeril Lagasse.
Tasting Menu – Finally, this Spanish/Irish production is a romantic comedy about a couple in the middle of a divorce. When a restaurant reservation made a year earlier approaches. the two agree to one last meal during the establishment’s final night. One assumes wackiness ensues. Reviews were quite poor for this effort, with almost all stating that the effort wasn’t funny or its characters engaging enough to really recommend. It stars Jan Cornet, Claudia Bassols and features a supporting turn from Stephen Rea.
Blasts From the Past!
Okay… this is one the busiest weeks in memory. In fact, it’s almost impossible to sum in a few short paragraphs, but here goes.
First off is Fox’s re-release of Ridley Scott’s 1979 horror classic, Alien. The Alien: 35th Anniversary Edition Blu-ray arrives with many extras from previous editions, but not the really good stuff (the lengthy documentary from the previous box set is not included). The only new additions are an Alien Illustrated Comic reprint and some illustrated art cards. Frankly, you’re better off forking over the cash for the entire Alien Quadrilogy Blu-ray set. The documentaries are phenomenal and worth the extra dough.
The studio is pulling an even more blatant double-dip with their Sideways: 10th Anniversary Blu-ray. It’s a great comedy, but if you already own it you don’t need to bother with this release. This edition includes the exact same extras as the version released five years ago. They include an audio commentary with the director and star Paul Giamatti as well as some deleted scenes that didn’t make it into the final cut.
Thankfully, Fox has put a lot more effort into their Kingdom of Heaven: Ultimate Edition. It sure sounds like the final word on director Ridley Scott’s 2005 epic that depicts the 12th century Crusades. This is a two disc Blu-ray containing all three cuts of the film and more than 9 hours of bonus features.
They are also releasing a grouping of classic musicals on Blu-ray. Titles include 1955’s Oklahoma (the disc contains both versions of the movie shot using different camera processes) as well as the 1956 Yul Brenner effort, The King and I. Additionally, they’re also putting out the 1958 effort, South Pacific (this release contains the theatrical and longer Roadshow version of the movie).
If that isn’t enough singing and dancing, you can get a jump on the Christmas season with the 1942 Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire flick Holiday Inn. The Paramount Blu-ray features a digital re-mastering of the Irving Berlin musical that introduced the world to the seasonal tune “White Christmas”. The popularity of the song inspired a movie of the same name a few years later.
Most readers who were a child in the 80s fondly remember director Wolfgang Petersen’s 1984 fable, The NeverEnding Story. Warner Bros. are marking its latest birthday with The NeverEnding Story: 30th Anniversary. The Blu-ray contains a newly re-mastered version of the film and 5.1 audio mix. Don’t expect anything else in the way of special features, though. Also being released the same day is its much lesser 1990 sequel, The Neverending Story 2: The Next Chapter (the title of which also underwent a slight capitalization alteration). It’s been newly transferred too, but its sole extra is a trailer. No word on the third film in series, so you’ll have to keep on waiting for that one.
Disney is bringing an animated classic to Blu-ray with Sleeping Beauty: Diamond Edition. Truthfully, the latest edition of the 1959 title contains the same transfer as the previous Blu-ray that has already been described as “perfect” by members of the press. It doesn’t port over all the special features from the last release (only the commentary and a couple of documentaries), but it does come with one brand new and notable extra – three never-before-seen deleted scenes, totally about 13 minutes. If you don’t own the film, that may be enticing enough to warrant a purchase.
Detective flicks are all the rage at Kino this week. They’re delivering the 1967 Michael Caine private-eye flick Billion Dollar Brain, as well as the hard-nosed, star-studded 1996 effort Mulholland Falls. That period film features Nick Nolte, Melanie Griffith, Jennifer Connelly and loads of other familiar faces. But that’s not all – Robert De Niro and Robert Duvall play a priest and a cop teaming up to solve a murder in the 1981 film True Confessions. And Lou Diamond Phillips stars as… you guessed it… a police detective in The First Power, a silly horror/thriller about a satanic killer that was released in 1990. Watch out Lou, there’s something right around the corner! The odd title out is the 1964 heist comedy Topkapi featuring the great Peter Ustinov.
Criterion have an impressive Blu-ray of the early Alfred Hitchcock thriller Foreign Correspondent. The disc features a brand new restoration of the 1940 film, a full radio version performed by Joseph Cotton as well as interviews with the great director and plenty of other bonuses.
Those with an interest in true crime will get a kick out of the DVD of the 1975 TV movie The Legend of Lizzie Borden, starring Elizabeth Montgomery (of the classic series Bewitched!). The story has been told many times since, including a recent TV movie with Christina Ricci, but this version is still the definitive telling of the true story.
If horror, sci-fi and cult are more your speed, Lions Gate are bringing the 1989 giant monster flick Godzilla Vs. Biollante to Blu-ray. In this effort, the big green lizard battles what amounts to a giant plant. It’s still a good time, though. Vinegar Syndrome are bringing a trashy B-movie to Blu-ray. Raw Force aka Kung Fu Cannibal is a trashy exploitation flick from 1982 in which a group of martial arts students on a secluded island must fight resurrected corpses, cannibal monks and an undead Hitler.
Sony is also making a couple of cheesy horror flicks from their back catalogue available once again. Like Warner Archive titles, the movies will be professionally burned to DVD-R upon order. Brainscan is a 1994 effort starring Edward Furlong as a horror movie fan and computer nerd who must deal with a cyber-killer that pops out of a CD-ROM game (remember those?). In the 1995 flick Screamers, Peter Weller plays one of a group of soldiers on a mining planet who do battle with spinning mechanized blade-wielding devices out to kill all humans. Neither of these efforts are particularly strong, but they offer some laughs to viewers nostalgic for some goofy and dated scare flicks.
Back in the 60s and 70s, there was a real resistance to the trials of modern life and movies about returning to nature were quite popular. Among the most successful was The Adventures of the Wilderness Family. The 1975 release followed an LA family who give up city life and move to a cabin in the remote Rocky Mountains. Despite being constantly attacked by pumas and wolves, they seem to enjoy it. The family grows closer, learn to appreciate the outdoors and share a picnic lunch with a wild bear. Lions Gate is releasing a DVD pack featuring the original as well as its 1978 and 1979 sequels. The package is called Adventures of the Wilderness Family Triple Feature. And here’s a brief note to avoid any some confusion. While the movies are packaged as The Adventures of the Wilderness Family 1, 2 and 3, the sequels were really called The Further Adventures of the Wilderness Family and Mountain Family Robinson. Not sure why the title changes on the box were necessary.
Finally, MGM is bringing a few noteworthy titles to home video. Duck, You Sucker! aka A Fistful of Dynamite aka Once Upon a Time in the Revolution is an effective Spaghetti western starring James Coburn as an explosives expert out to rob a bank with some bandits. Although is isn’t as well known as his other genre titles (The Good, the Bad and the Ugly and Once Upon a Time in the West), famed director Sergio Leone was responsible for this entertaining 1971 flick .
Fans or those curious in the work of 80s action icon Chuck Norris might want to pick up the 3 Chuck Norris Favorites Blu-ray. It contains a sampling of the star’s more memorable titles – Delta Force, Lone Wolf McQuade and Code of Silence. Personally, the 1983 title Lone Wolf McQuade made quite an impression on my young brain. It’s an entertainingly cheese-ball flick that featured Norris as a Texas Ranger. Between scenes of the character living like an utter slob in a trailer, he battles with a nasty villain played by the David Carradine. It’s funny stuff that also made for an awesomely over-the-top movie poster.
You Know, For Kids!
Just like all of the other categories, the list of children’s films is pretty full, including some classic Disney titles, old family flicks, cartoons and Sesame Street releases.
Adventures of the Wilderness Family Triple Feature
Adventure Time: Season 4
Alpha & Omega 2 – A Howl-iday Adventure
Animaniacs: Wakko’s Wish
Cartoon Network: Gumball & Friends
DC Super-Villains Justice League: Masterminds of Crime
Dragon Ball Z: Battle of the Gods
Hey Arnold! Stoop Kid and Other Stories
Ice Age: The Complete Collection
It’s A Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie (2002 TV movie)
Jack & the Cuckoo Clock Heart
Paw Patrol: Winter Rescues
Pokemon Heroes
Regular Show & Friends
Rick & Morty: Season 1
Scooby-Doo Mystery Incorporated: The Complete Season 2
Sesame Street: Elmo’s Super Numbers
Sesame Street: Big Bird & Friends
Sleeping Beauty: Diamond Edition
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – The Beginning: The Complete 1st Season
Woody Woodpecker & Friends: Holiday Favorites
On the Tube!
There’s plenty to choose from this week, including the first season of The Wonder Years. This program debuted in 1988 an became a popular hit with critics and audiences. Reportedly, the reason for the DVD delay involved clearing the music rights for the numerous 60s tunes. Those who have loads of cash can pick up the complete series from Time-Life. In the meantime, here’s a period interview with Regis Philbin getting the scoop on the show with star Fred Savage.
American Horror Story – Coven: Season 3
Adventure Time: Season 4
Afterlife: Series 2
The Almighty Johnsons: Season 1
Ancient Aliens: Season 6, Vol. 1
Bates Motel: Season 2
Doomsday Preppers: Season 4
Duck Dynasty: Season 6
The Following: Season 2
The Great Train Robbery (2013 mini-series)
Hemlock Grove: Season 1
In the Flesh: Season 2 (BBC)
Murder She Wrote: Season 9
Murder She Wrote: Season 10
Murder She Wrote: Season 11
Murder She Wrote: Season 12
Perry Mason Movie Collection: Volume 4
Psych: The Complete Series
Regular Show & Friends
Republic of Doyle: Season 2
Rick & Morty: Season 1
Vikings: Season 2
When Calls the Heart: Lost & Found (Hallmark TV movie)
When Calls the Heart: A Telling Heart (Hallmark TV movie)
When Calls the Heart: The Dance (Hallmark TV movie)
The Wonder Years: Season 1