It’s time for another look at highlights arriving on Blu-ray and DVD. Once again, there are a ton of titles coming in from just about every genre imaginable. 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!
3 from Hell - Those familiar with Rob Zombie’s horror flicks House of 1000 Corpses and The Devil’s Rejects will be excited to see this follow-up featuring the trio of psychotic killers known as the Firefly family. While they all seemingly died in the previous installment, it is revealed that the gang survived and has actually been spending the past decade behind bars. Naturally, they escape and head to Mexico, causing more violence and bloodshed. Critics were split on the third chapter in the series. Half thought that it was an effective and memorable exploitation film that would please fans.
However, just as many thought this film was running on fumes from the start and felt that events really petered out by the finale. It stars Sheri Moon Zombie, Bill Moseley, Sid Haig, Jeff Daniel Phillips, Richard Brake and Dee Wallace.
Already Gone - A lonely teenager and graffiti artist with an abusive stepfather decides to take steps to escape his terrible situation by stealing the family car. His dad’s girlfriend decides to tag along. Not long after leaving, the pair realizes that drug money has been left in the vehicle. Even worse, their car suddenly breaks down in a small Colorado town.
When they’re helped by a local artist and the girlfriend of the lead’s father falls for a man who has taken them in, jealousy builds, while the stepfather closes in. This picture received a very limited release a couple of months ago. Although there weren’t many reviews, the ones that did appear said the protagonist was likable and the material well handled. The cast includes Tyler Dean Flores, Seann William Scott and Justine Skye.
The Art of Self-Defense - This dark comedy involves a timid bookkeeper who is attacked on the street by a motorcycle gang. Feeling emasculated, he decides to join a karate school to build up some confidence and stop the attacks from ever happening again. However, as he becomes more involved in his sensei’s social circle, he begins to realize that this new world is no less disturbing, as the group embodies hyper-masculine and violent traits. The press gave this effort a lot of praise.
A small contingent couldn’t get on its wavelength and wrote that it was pretty direct in its attacks. Still, the overwhelming majority had only good things to say about the feature, suggesting that it was a sharp-witted, well-acted and very unique flick. It features Jesse Eisenberg, Alessandro Nivola, Imogen Poots and David Zellner.
At War - Also known as En Guerre in its homeland, this French foreign-language drama depicts the struggles of a group of factory employees. After signing a contract with company owners and accepting a pay-cut in order to guarantee their job safety for five more years, the executives suddenly shut down the location. A representative for the 1100 employees tries to save their jobs and finds out the motivation for this unexpected decision. Notices were good overall for the feature.
About one quarter of them thought that while events were tense, some of the elements were bluntly presented and repetitive. Most believed that while it wasn’t subtle, the film was relatable and passionately made, offering some powerful moments. Vincent Lindon and Mélanie Rover headline the feature.
Crawl - Watch out for alligators! Set in Florida during a hurricane, this horror picture begins with a young student rushing home to get in touch with her missing father. She arrives at his desolate and flooded out property to find it overrun with alligators. The protagonist tries to locate her dad and survive the onslaught of hungry reptiles as they break in and chomp at everything in sight. This little picture surprised reviewers and earned a great deal of positive response.
A small group did state that the characters did too many silly things for them to empathize with them. Still, the clear consensus was that this was a remarkably enjoyable B-movie that benefited from its menacing, toothy antagonists, and provided a non-stop barrage of thrills and chills. It stars Kaya Scodelario, Barry Pepper and Morfydd Clark.
Deviant Behavior - After playing at a horror film festival in Texas, this independent chiller is being released as a DVD and on streaming platforms at the same time. Harkening back to the ‘80s, it is described as a slasher pic about a masked killer on a mission to become the most attractive woman in the region. Of course, to do this, various ladies are targeted by the psychopath. A private detective hunting for the responsible party discovers the villain’s lair and attempts to put a stop to these reprehensible activities.
There aren’t any reviews for this title at this time, so horror fans will just have to take a chance on it (although they may be wise to wait until others comment on its quality). Eric Rodrigue, Tania Monroy and Alex Heatherley take on the lead roles.
Devil’s Revenge - Here’s another low-budget creeper that is making its debut specifically on disc. According to the press synopsis, the feature is about an archeologist in Kentucky who returns home after a failed expedition to find an ancient relic in a cave. He begins having dreams of a bird-like creature and comes to the natural and very scientific conclusion that the location must actually be a gateway to Hell. He decides to return to the site once again with his family in tow so he finds the item, destroys it, and saves the world.
There aren’t any write-ups for this title and it sounds pretty silly, but maybe it’ll provide some laughs for viewers in the right frame of mind. The cast includes Apollo Bacala, Jason Brooks and Jackie Dallas, as well as a guest appearance from William Shatner.
Doubting Thomas - When a black baby is unexpectedly born to a white couple, a family begins to fracture and accusations are made between the parents, leading to an examination of their beliefs and the racial bias in their town. This small picture played several little film festivals last year and received some positive buzz. However, it is debuting in limited release at theaters and premiering on disc at almost the same time. Right now, there don’t appear to be any critic reviews posted.
Some bloggers have written that the movie is well-intentioned, but has some uneven performances and is overly somber, so those interested in the film may want to approach it with caution. It features Will McFadden, Sarah Butler and Jamie Hector.
Inside Lehman Brothers - The U.S. housing crisis is the jumping off point for this documentary. A French journalist looks back at what happened ten years ago and focuses on the bankruptcy of the Lehman Brothers global financial firm and the global recession that followed. She attempts to determine who was responsible and the details of what happened in an effort to prevent it from happening again. Reviewers had good things to say about the information presented.
One write-up didn’t care for how the information was presented. All the others thought it detailed many unheard stories and explained the turmoil very clearly, so that anyone could understand disturbing actions taken by the firm that wound up causing financial disaster.
Liam Gallagher: As It Was - Oasis was a huge rock act in the ‘90s with numerous hit albums (What’s the Story Morning Glory? being their biggest seller in these parts) and sold out arenas worldwide. In this documentary, Liam Gallagher, the lead singer and co-front man shares his story of their meteoric rise to the top of the charts. Along the way, he details the squabbles with his brother (who served as the main songwriter in the group), as well as the various legal troubles and issues they had to overcome. It also details the artist’s solo career and success away from the group.
The picture earned decent, but not exceptional marks from the press. Some commented that it was too fawning and served as little more than a promo piece for the artist. Still, many found the subject interesting and wrote that it would appeal to fans.
The Lingering - This horror picture hails from Hong Kong (where it was called Ku Zak) and tells the story of an evil spirit. It begins with a young boy and mother spending New Year’s Eve at home and waiting for the family patriarch to come home. The child begins seeing a strange figure, and the night ends in tragedy. Many years later, the grown boy inherits the estate.
When he returns to the house to get things in order, the visions and memories return. Unfortunately, most media outlets have yet to see this picture and online reviews from the public have been less than stellar. Most complained that it wasn’t very coherent and resorted to nothing more than an extended series of jump scares. Viewers can make up their own minds. Bob Yin-Pok Cheung and Kai-Chung Cheung headline the feature.
Night Hunter - A serial killer in Minnesota who targets women is terrorizing a community in this thriller…and it seems as if some of his pursuers are a little off, too. According to the plot summary, there’s a judge who spends his nights as a vigilante, hunting down sex offenders and castrating anyone who might be responsible. A grizzled lieutenant steps in to get to the bottom of it and stop all of the violent acts being committed. Critics roundly panned this rather silly-sounding flick.
One or two were amused by the odd twists presented. However, almost everyone else described the events depicted as ridiculous, over-the-top and, in some sequences, unintentionally humorous. It stars Henry Cavill, Ben Kingsley, Alexandra Daddario, Stanley Tucci, and Nathan Fillion.
Pig Hag - In this independent comedy/drama, a woman in her mid-30s feels pressure from those around her to finally settle down and start a family. At a concert, she thinks she may have found the right man, but soon realizes that his intentions are not the same as hers. The protagonist discusses her problems with gay friends, who try to coach her on what to do next. In the process, they all attempt to deal with concepts and societal expectations placed upon women.
This small film earned some positive reaction from reviewers. The general comments were that it was a sweet indie movie with well-drawn characters that does a thoughtful job of raising several gender issues. The cast includes Anna Schlegel, Tony Jacksha and Nate Stoner.
Stuber - This action/comedy follows a weak-willed, mild-mannered Uber driver who picks up the gruffest of passengers. His fare turns out to be a hardened, violent cop who has just undergone eye surgery. When the detective gets a big lead on a murder case, he insists on being chauffeured around the city to meet with various witnesses and criminals, pulling the driver into a series of extraordinarily dangerous situations. This buddy film split the press, with slightly more panning the film than praising it.
Those who enjoyed the film suggested that after a rocky start, it found its feet and the interplay between the two leads delivered plenty of laughs. The rest just didn’t find the gags funny and suggested that nothing much about it stood out. It features Dave Bautista, Kumail Nanjiani, Mira Sorvino, Natalie Morales, Iko Uwais, Betty Gilpin and Karen Gillan.
Teen Titans Go! Vs. Teen Titans - This animated superhero entry featuring the Teen Titans (as seen in the 2018 theatrical release, Teen Titans Go! to the Movies) features young and old versions of Robin, Beast Boy, Cyborg, Raven and Starfire squaring off against each other. Of course, they soon learn that they have been manipulated by sinister forces into fighting themselves and must work together to stop the villains. This follow-up to the movie was made exclusively for the Blu-ray/DVD market, so there haven’t been many write-ups yet. However, the ones that have appeared are upbeat.
They say that like the TV series and previous movie, the flick is a lot of fun and mixes superhero antics with laughs in equal measure. The voice-cast includes Scott Menville, Greg Cipes, Khary Payton, Tara Strong, Hynden Walch, Rhys Darby and Weird Al Yankovic.
Blasts from the Past!
It’s another jam-packed week of releases for fans of older titles. Arrow is releasing Killer Nun (1979) as a Blu-ray Special Edition. Believe it or not, there is an entire genre of horror films called "nunsploitation" films and this release is one of the most famous titles. It’s an Italian flick about a psychotic, drug-addicted nun victimizing all those serving under her.
The disc includes a 2K restoration of the feature from the original camera negative, a new commentary from Italian genre film experts, a video essay on “nunsploitation” movies, as well as interviews with the director, the editor and actress Ileana Fraia. You’ll also get Italian and international trailers, an image gallery and a collector’s booklet.
If low-budget martial arts pictures are more to your liking, you might want to give the MVD Collector’s Edition Blu-ray of My Samurai (1992) a try. The story involves a young boy who witnesses a gang shooting and turns to martial arts to help defend him against a group of mobsters. This release comes with the extended cut of the film and the original R-rated version. There are also new interviews with the stars and cast members, a photo gallery and trailer present on the disc.
AGFA is putting out a 2-disc Blu-ray and DVD Special Edition of Scary Movie (1991). It’s a little comedy/horror film about a young man who begins to believe that an escaped madman is hiding in a neighborhood house of horrors. The film barely got released outside of a few film festival screenings, but has become a curio due to the fact that the star was a young John Hawkes, who has since become a well-respected and Oscar-nominated performer. This set includes a 2K preservation of the movie from the original 16mm camera negative, as well as a director commentary, two short flicks from the filmmaker, a teaser trailer, and some behind-the-scenes photos.
The Leg Fighters (1980) aka The Invincible Kung Fu Legs aka Nan Bei Tui Wang is an independent martial arts film from Hong Kong starring Tao-Liang Tan that has developed a cult following over the years. VCI has a Blu-ray of the feature under their new imprint, The Pearl Collection. They’ve given the kung-fu flick a new 2K restoration from an original 35mm Chinese print and have packed the disc with extras.
You’ll get a segment showing original film memorabilia and behind the scenes photos, a discussion with Dan Halsted (curator of Portland’s Hollywood Theater Kung Fu Night), an audio commentary by filmmaker, actor and Kung Fu Film fan Michael Worth, the original theatrical trailer to Nam’s The Hot, The Cool and The Vicious, and a visit with director Lee Tso Nam
Shout! Factory always has something interesting coming around and this week is no exception as they present an elaborate Deluxe Edition box set called The Omen Collection (1976 - 2006). As you might have guessed, it includes The Omen (1976), Damien: Omen II (1978), The Final Conflict (1981), the TV movie, Omen IV: The Awakening (1991), and the 2006 remake of the original. For those unfamiliar with the series, the 1976 original from Richard Donner (Superman, The Goonies, Lethal Weapon) is a genre masterpiece that should be on the shelf of any horror movie buff. The sequel also has some enjoyable moments.
The third chapter is weaker, but features Sam Neill in an early role as the grown-up Damien Thorne. The TV movie and remake both have their fans, although this reviewer wouldn’t count himself among them. The set looks incredibly impressive, including a 4K transfer of the 1976 classic from the original negative, new interviews with cast and crew members, a new audio commentary with a special project consultant, and all of the previously released features including three separate audio commentaries with the director, director and editor, and film historians. And that’s not all.
The other movies come with new bonus interviews and images along with all the old goods on the other features as well. In fact, there are more extras in this set than can possibly be listed here. If you’re in any way curious about it, you should most definitely pick it up.
Kino has several new Blu-rays coming your way. The first is a Special Edition of the thriller And Soon the Darkness (1970). The story involves two female cyclists in France. When one of them disappears, the other has to find out what happened to her before it’s too late. This disc comes with a filmmaker commentary and a film historian track, as well as publicity materials. The distributor is also putting out The Bloody Brood (1959), a crime flick about a pair of beatniks.
The Queen of Spades (1949) is a UK horror picture about a woman who makes a deal with the Devil to be a master card player. When she’s murdered by another card shark, she begins to terrorize him. This Special Edition Blu-ray has an intro with director Martin Scorcese, and the release also includes a film critic analysis, a 1951 interview with director Thorold Dickerson, as well as a 1968 intro by filmmaker Dickerson. Kino has another Special Edition in the form of the UK thriller, The Mind Benders (1963). You’ll find a film historian audio commentary and a trailer on this disc.
If modern comedy/dramas are more to your liking, you can pick up A Simple Twist of Fate (1994) on Blu-ray with Steve Martin. This disc includes a trailer. And the studio is putting out the thriller, Sudden Terror (1970), about a boy who witnesses an assassination and then must go on the run with his sister before he is hunted down by the killers. This Special Edition Blu-ray includes filmmaker and movie critic commentaries, trailers, and an interview with the star.
Warner Archive is releasing something special this week through their made-to-order Blu-ray line. The Fearless Vampire Killers (1967) is a great little satire about a professor and his assistant who travel to an enormous castle in Transylvania and do battle with the vampire Count Krolock and his undead pals. This effort from director/co-writer/co-star Roman Polanski is very funny and has been out-of-print for over a decade. It’s nice to finally see it make its Blu-ray debut.
Speaking of horror, Haxan (1922) is arriving on Blu-ray courtesy of Criterion. This interesting film from Sweden and Denmark takes a different approach to horror and presents its findings in a fictionalized documentary form. Rather than presenting demonic terrors, it’s split into segments that detail witchcraft through the ages and detail all of the irrational fears and hysteria that have been levied on the order. The movie has been given a new 2K digital restoration, is presented with music from the 1922 Danish premiere and includes a film scholar audio commentary. You’ll also get an abbreviated version of the feature released in 1968, a director introduction, outtakes and other extras.
And there’s more. Oscilloscope is presenting a Blu-ray of The Hours and Times (1991), a fictionalized account of what may have happened between John Lennon and Beatles manager Brian Epstein during a holiday together in 1963.
Universal is releasing a Dreamworks: Ultimate Holiday Collection (2005 - 2017) set that features many famous animated feature leads in holiday-themed short films. One of the groups featured is the characters from the Madagascar series, and their animated films are being bundled together in Madagascar: The Ultimate Collection (2006 - 2014), which contains four movies. The studio is also releasing a Blu-ray of the Restored Edition of Spartacus (1960) that presumably included all of the extra conversations involving snails and oysters.
Finally, Paramount is delivering the box set, Star Trek: Picard Movie & TV Collection (1994 - 2002), which should impress any Patrick Stewart enthusiasts. You can also pick up a Blu-ray of the Bing Crosby/Danny Kaye holiday classic, White Christmas (1954).
You Know,
For Kids!
Here are some selections that may appeal to kids.
Dreamworks: Ultimate Holiday Collection (2005 - 2017) nine holiday-themed shorts featuring Trolls, Shrek, Kung-Fu Panda and others
Madagascar: The Ultimate Collection (2006 - 2014) four movies
Teen Titans Go! Vs. Teen Titans
On the Tube!
And you’ll find some TV-related highlights below.
Doctor Who: John Pertwee: The Complete Season 4 (1972 - 1973)
The Haunting of Hill House (Netflix)
The Returned: Season 2
Twin Peaks: The Television Collection
Ultra Q: The Complete Series (1966 - 1967)
Ultraman: The Complete Series (1966 - 1967)
By Glenn Kay
For the Sun
