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You are here: Community Film Blu-ray/DVD Roundup for January 3, 2020

Blu-ray/DVD Roundup for January 3, 2020

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It’s a quiet time as the year comes to an end, which should allow Blu-ray and DVD enthusiasts out there the opportunity to catch up with a few flicks they might have missed. Still, there are a handful of new releases that may be worth checking out. 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!

An Innocent Kiss - This little independent South Carolina-set comedy follows an eccentric family going through some difficulties. A struggling husband and wife find their marriage falling apart. It becomes even more strained after the unexpected arrival of the lead’s brother, an oddball who seems to cause havoc wherever he goes. The group’s bizarre antics affect the lives of everyone in the small town.

This title has played a film festival or two, but is essentially making its debut exclusively on DVD. There aren’t many reviews currently available, although at one festival it was referred to as a kind-hearted and good-natured little film boasting an appearance from a Hollywood legend. The cast includes Burt Reynolds, R. Keith Harris, Whitney Goin and Michael Abbott Jr.

Bully - A heavy-set high-school student is mercilessly tormented by a bully and his pals. While being roughed up on his way home, the youngster encounters a professional ex-boxer who decides to not only befriend the boy, but offer a few pointers on fighting back against his nasty schoolmates. The lead is introduced to various associates of the pugilist and begins training in order to defend himself. This comedy is another title that played some independent film festivals in 2018 (where it was nominated for and won several awards), but it hasn’t been seen by most critics or audiences yet.

So curious readers will just have to take a chance and give it a go without reading any reviews. It stars Tucker Albrizzi, Ron Canada, Danny Trejo, Vicent Pastore, Jack DiFalco and Emma White.

Heritage - Here’s another little film that is making its debut on disc with little fanfare. According to the press release, this action picture is about an ex-CIA officer who becomes determined to find out what happened to one of his lost colleagues. As his detailed investigation progresses, the lead is taken into the mountains of East Germany, where he uncovers a conspiracy that not only exposes Soviet-era secrets, but also new information about his own family. The film is listed as being in both German and English, so viewers should expect some subtitles.

Every other aspect about this film is unknown. It features Jake Koeppl, Luisa Wietzorek and Drake Shannon.

Blasts from the Past!

It’s also a quiet week for catalogue titles, with the biggest release being a title from earlier in the month that ended up being delayed. Severin had scheduled The Peanut Butter Solution (1985) Blu-ray to be put out two weeks ago, but apparently there was some sort of issue and it was held up for a couple of weeks.

The Peanut Butter Solution is a really odd little children’s film from Canada that has inspired as many nightmares as it has sparked imaginations. After many years, the movie has maintained a small, but ever-growing fan base. It’s about a kid who receives such a fright from a pair of ghosts that he loses all of his hair. He attempts to concoct a magic formula involving peanut butter to grow it back, but discovers that it works too well.

Severin is now releasing a Blu-ray featuring two cuts of the film alongside plenty of extras. You’ll get a new commentary with the producer and star of the film, as well as interviews with cast and crew and a talk about this unusual French-Canadian production company and their other fascinating features (one hopes that The Dog Who Stopped the War and Tommy Tricker and the Stamp Traveller will also get high definition upgrades in the future). Can’t wait to catch up with this oddball effort.

You Know, For Kids!

If you’re looking for something new for the kids, this is your only choice until next week.

The Peanut Butter Solution (1985)

 

On the Tube!

And here are the week’s TV-themed releases…which is actually just one title this time out.

Nature: Undercover in the Jungle (PBS)