Welcome back to another roundup of highlights on Blu-ray and DVD. It’s a busy edition with a lot of films arriving in a variety of genres. Many of them were previously covered on the site; be sure to click on any links to read detailed, full-length reviews. So, if you can’t make it out to the movies this week, be sure and give some of these titles a try!
Big New Releases!
Beyond the Reach – This minimalist independent thriller tells the tale of a businessman on a trip to the Mojave desert with a young guide. Events take a sinister turn when the hired hand learns that he’s the human target of the corporate shark. Critics were mixed about this effort. While they enjoyed the set-up, most felt that the action was too stretched out to maintain consistent suspense. Now viewers can make up their own minds. It stars Michael Douglas as the sinister businessman and Jeremy Irvine as his prey.
Bravetown – Geared towards teens, this romance/drama features a young and talented DJ who is forced to return to his small home town and help out a fledgling high school dance team. Along the way, he must also contend with his estranged father. It has been described as a Nicolas Sparks wannabe effort that fails to match its inspiration. Apparently, it also wastes its strong cast, resorting to schmaltzy sentiment and flag-waving patriotism in an attempt to elicit emotion. Laura Dern, Josh Duhamel, Maria Bello and Lucas Till are featured in the lead roles.
Chappie – A robot with AI is kidnapped by a gang and is taught life lessons in this science-fiction effort from director Neill Blomkamp (District 9, Elysium). The title character also must hide from a company employee who is terrified of the societal implications of a free thinking robot and wants to destroy him. The press were not taken with this effort – they claimed that it looked great but suffered from a heavy-handed approach, numerous plot holes and bad dialogue. Cast members include Hugh Jackman, Dev Patel, Ninja, Yolandi Visser and Sigourney Weaver. Read a detailed review of the film here.
The Lazarus Effect – Frankenstein and Carrie get mashed together in this story about a group of scientists who figure out how to resurrect the dead. When they raise of their own, they suddenly find that the person isn’t the same, possessing psychokinetic abilities and a nasty steak. It received terrible notices. Most write-ups suggested that it was far sillier than it was scary, going through the horror movie motions and lacking any credible scare sequences. Olivia Wilde, Mark Duplass, Donald Glover, Evan Peters, Sarah Bolger and Ray Wise headline the film. To read more about it, click here.
A Master Builder – While Criterion is known more for their reissues of classic titles on Blu-ray, they picked up the distribution rights to this recent indie effort from director Jonathan Demme (The Silence of the Lambs, Rachel Getting Married). Based on a play and filmed in a simple manner, it follows a nasty architect nearing the end of his life who seemingly attempts to make amends for his behavior. Reviews were good for the film, saying that the strong performances maintained interest despite the very dialogue-heavy script. It stars Wallace Shawn, Julie Hagerty, Lisa Joyce and Larry Pine.
Run All Night – Liam Neeson plays yet another tough guy in this hard-boiled action picture about an ex-enforcer who becomes the target of his mobster boss after saving his son from a gangland hit. Reaction was mixed for this effort, although there were a few more positive write-ups than negative. While many felt the story was too familiar and the approach overly dark and gritty, others felt that it resulted in more weight and depth to the characters. The supporting roles are played by Joel Kinnaman, Ed Harris, Common, Bruce McGill and Vincent D’Onofrio. To read more about the movie, click here.
Time Lapse – This independent thriller features a group of friends who discover a camera that can take images from 24 hours in the future. They try to profit from their discovery, but must deal with time paradoxes and villains who want the contraption for themselves. The press were actually positive about this small title that has played to a lot of success on the festival circuit. They called it a fast-moving, interesting and at times unsettling and tense play on the time-travel genre. It stars Danielle Panabaker, Matt O’Leary, George Finn and John Rhys-Davies.
Unfinished Business – A trio of misfits are forced out of their jobs and form their own company. They travel to Germany to try and land a client and save their business, but are forced to deal with a wide assortment of odd personal and professional issues. There were a scant few reviewers who through that his comedy was aiming for something a bit different from the typical gross-out comedy. As such, most reviews were awful, claiming that the movie was unfunny and didn’t deliver on its premise. However, it does boast an impressive cast, including Vince Vaughn, Tom Wilkinson, Dave Franco, James Marsden, Sienna Miller and Nick Frost. To read a full-length review, click here.
Wild Tales – Six separate stories are interspersed in this Oscar Nominated Foreign Language title from Argentina. All involve a stressed out or depressed character yearning for revenge. The story follows their extreme actions and the ramifications their moves have both on their existence and the lives of others. This movie was praised almost unanimously by the press. They described it as a high-energy black comedy that goes to places viewers won’t expect and continuously thrills. Sounds like a crazy ride!
The Wrecking Crew – No, this isn’t a casino heist movie, but rather a documentary about the west coast recording studio responsible for many radio classics of the 60s and 70s. It includes interviews with musicians like Herb Alpert, Cher, Mickey Dolenz, Nancy Sinatra and Brain Wilson among many others. Reaction was good, with most calling it a somewhat slight but nevertheless enjoyable look at the creative forces behind some of the greatest songs ever recorded.
Blasts From the Past!
B-movie enthusiasts can pick up a Shout! Factory Double Feature Blu-ray of the not-so-great monster movies Tentacles (1977) and Reptilicus (1961). Tentacles is a Jaws knock-off that deals with a seaside town (actually, La Jolla, CA) facing off against a large rampaging octopus craving human blood. Acting veterans John Huston, Shelley Winters and Henry Fonda pay the rent by appearing in this very cheesy effort from the director of the so-bad-it’s-good cult flick, The Visitor (1979). Reptilicus features a lizard fossil that grows into a giant monster and rampages through the streets of Copenhagen, Demark. The Blu-ray features trailers for both films.
Kino Lorber has a big group of older flicks being introduced into high definition. These include The Boys in the Band (1970), a Golden Globe nominated, gay-themed drama from director William Friedkin (who would later helm The French Connection and Sorcerer).
If you’re intrigued by Tentacles and Reptilicus or goofy Saturday matinee science-fiction flicks in general, you may find the Blu-ray of The Land That Time Forgot (1975) to your liking. It involves a submarine that gets lost and finds itself docked at an island filled with dinosaurs and Neanderthals.
The Onion Field (1979) is a true crime drama that received a Golden Globe nomination upon its theatrical release. It’s based on a true story about a violent crime and features performances from James Woods, Ted Danson, Ronny Cox and Christopher Lloyd.
Any Chuck Norris fans out there? Then you’ll be happy to see Kino Blu-rays for the films An Eye For an Eye (1981) and Hero and the Terror (1988). The first involves a cop who goes over the edge and vows to take down a drug kingpin any way he can. It co-stars Mako, Richard Roundtree and the late, great Christopher Lee. The latter features Norris as a detective and father-to-be hunting down a dangerous and monstrously huge serial killer.
For cult movie fans, there’s the thriller Malice (1993), which stars Nicole Kidman, Alec Baldwin and Bill Pullman. Its about a couple trying desperately to have children, only to learn that an acquaintance (a doctor renting a space in their house) might be a psychopath manipulating them to his own gains.
Disney are releasing Blu-rays of two Japanese animated films from Studio Ghibli. These include the Oscar-winning Hayao Miyazaki effort Spirited Away (2001) and The Cat Returns (2002).
Perhaps to tie in with their release of A Master Builder, Criterion are also debuting the Wallace Shawn arthouse classic from Louis Malle, My Dinner With Andre (1981). It is exactly as it sounds, with Shawn and theater director Andre Gregory discussing their lives as well as love, death and money. The Blu-ray features a new restoration, an interview with the participants and TV show episode dissecting the film.
Finally, MGM are making some old, lesser known titles available as part of their DVD-R burning on demand series. These include Fearless Frank (1967) and the Frank Zappa flick 200 Motels (1971) (which is inspired by the musician’s many escapades while on tour). Finally, they’re also making the Joseph Bologna comedy Mixed Company (1974) available for order.
You Know, For Kids!
It’s a lean week for kids, but here’s what is being made available.
Caillou: Caillou Helps Out (PBS Kids)
Littlest Pet Shop: Paws For Applause
On the Tube!
There’s plenty to pick from on TV, including the Happy Days spin-off, Laverne & Shirley (1976-1983). This complete DVD set features every episode of the sitcom about two young women struggling to make their way in the world. If you ask me, this was a superior show to Happy Days – Penny Marshall and Cindy Williams were fantastic comedic actresses who brought a hilarious physicality to their roles. It was about as funny as programs got through its first five seasons (up until the pair moved out to Hollywood). In its honor, here’s the original theme.
And before both Happy Days and Laverne & Shirley, producer/director Garry Marshall successfully developed the Neil Simon play The Odd Couple (1970-1975) into a hit television series. The complete show is also coming to DVD, so that program’s opening can be found further down the page. Enjoy!
The Adventures of Robin Hood: Greatest Adventures (TV Guide Classics)
The Best of British Comedy (Dudley Moore, Peter Sellers, Benny Hill, John Cleese, Peter Cook, Spike Milligan)
The Bold Ones – The Senator: The Complete Series
Cesar 911: Season 2
The Cosby Show: Season 7
The Cosby Show: Season 8
Frontline: The Vaccine War (PBS)
Inside the Court of Henry XIII (PBS)
Laverne & Shirley: The Complete Series
Lovejoy: The Complete Collection
Lovejoy: Series 6
Nature: Animal Homes (PBS)
The Newsroom: The Complete 3rd Season
The Odd Couple: The Complete Series
Ozzie and Harriet: Favorite Memories (TV Guide Classics)
Sherlock Holmes: The Complete Series (TV Guide Classics)
Survivor’s Remorse: Season 1
Television Legends: Johnny Carson, Jack Benny & Milton Berle (TV Guide Classics)
Two and a Half Man: Season 12