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Blu-ray/DVD New Release Roundup for July 3, 2020

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It’s time for another look at highlights hitting store shelves on Blu-ray and DVD. This is an interesting edition with plenty of wild and wonderful features coming your way. So, since you likely can’t make it out to the movies this week, be sure to give one of these titles a try!

 

BIG NEW RELEASES!

16 SUNRISES: Those looking for a little adventure can’t travel much further than the setting for this French documentary, which takes viewers into space. Also known as 16 Levers de Soleil, the movie follows French astronaut Thomas Pesquet and his mission aboard the International Space Station, orbiting the Earth at a height of roughly 400 kilometers (or about 250 miles). He spent six months up there at the end of 2016 and the film includes some of his thoughts and experiences, along with hundreds of hours of incredible 6K footage taken by the subject and his crew. The movie played at various French film festivals and was released in cinemas there at the end of 2018.

It’s debuting on disc in this part of the world. While viewers here won’t get to see it on the big screen, at least they will get to check it out on their TVs.

BULL: A troubled young teen from the wrong side of the tracks gets herself into trouble after breaking into her neighbor’s home and causing damage. As it turns out, the man living nearby turns out to be a bull rider. She begins fixing his place and earning some extra cash by helping him out at his work. The protagonist is introduced to the world of black rodeos and begins to develop an interest in the sport.

The press gave this drama high marks. One or two found the film too slow-moving for their liking. However, the vast majority thought that the performances were excellent and the film was a remarkable character study that accurately depicted the trials that similar people are faced with on a daily basis. It is arriving exclusively on DVD only right now, although hopefully a Blu-ray will soon follow.

The movie stars Rob Morgan, Amber Havard and Yolonda Ross.

FOUR KIDS AND IT: Based on the Jacqueline Wilson children’s book, this family flick from the UK involves a couple who decides to go on vacation and introduce their kids from previous marriages to one another. After some awkward introductions, the youngsters visit the beach and discover a little supernatural creature called a Psammead who grants wishes. They find themselves teaming up to fight a sinister figure out to capture the Psammead and use the creature for his own nefarious ends. The UK press was generally split on the end results, although there were a few more recommendations than pans.

Those who disliked what they saw, said it wasn’t as clever as the book and had less-than-stellar visual effects. The more positive voices stated that it was enjoyably silly, quickly paced and benefited from a great cast. Matthew Goode, Paula Patton and Russell Brand headline the picture, while Michael Caine provides the voice of the Psammead.

THE GHOST OF PETER SELLERS: We’ve all heard stories about troubled film productions. This documentary from Peter Medak (The Changeling, The Krays, Romeo is Bleeding) tells the story of a failed project in which he was directly involved. In 1973, Columbia Pictures gave young filmmaker Medak the funding to make a big pirate movie called Ghost of the Noonday Sun with a cast that included Peter Sellers, Spike Milligan and Liza Minelli. Unhappy with his director, Sellers began to sabotage the shoot, leading to legendary conflicts.

The completed film was never released in theaters and the director’s career stagnated for years as a result. Medak admits to still being hurt by the experience. Treating this feature as a therapeutic experience to get over these events, he revisits the feature, showing footage and sharing memories of the shoot and what went wrong. The movie won awards at film festivals in 2019 and earned raves from critics.

They called it a heartbreaking and incredibly detailed depiction of a disastrous film production. For the time being, it is only being released on DVD and on streaming platforms.

SKI BUM: THE WARREN MILLER STORY: Warren Miller was a man who loved to ski ... and make movies about skiing. Initially shooting himself and friends skiing and snowboarding as a way to improve their technique, the man began making documentary flicks in 1950 to promote the industry and continued to do so for his entire life. This documentary honors the trailblazer. The filmmakers managed to interview the figure only months before his passing, going over his life and telling his story (as well as showing some of the most impressive bits from his features).

He also details the challenges involved in creating a very specific industry all by himself. There aren’t a lot of reviews for this title yet, but a couple that have appeared online are upbeat. They call the picture a sweet and effective tribute to a remarkable and unique talent.

STREET SURVIVORS: THE TRUE STORY OF THE LYNYRD SKYNYRD PLANE CRASH: Those who know classic rock will likely be familiar with the music of Lynyrd Skynyrd and the tragedy that befell them when, in 1977, a chartered jet flying them to a concert ran out of gas and crashed. The pilots and numerous members of the band and their management team perished in the ordeal. Using stories told by drummer and survivor Artimus Pyle, this independent dramatic biopic details the events leading up to the fateful day and its aftermath. The picture has had a troubled history, with a few other group members and survivors attempting to block its production.

The reviews suggest that the movie feels exaggerated and goes out of its way to lionize Pyle (he even provides all the narration for the film). Now audiences can decide for themselves if what’s onscreen is accurate. It features Ian Shultis, Taylor Clift and Jon Briddell.

BLASTS FROM THE PAST!

The Kino Classics line is presenting the German picture, Paracelsus (1943). This film is about a scientist trying to prevent a plague from sweeping through the country. It comes with a movie expert track which describes ways in which the filmmaker was attempting to subtly tell a humanistic and subversive story while working under the Nazi regime.

A week almost never goes by with Criterion not delivering another impressive disc. This time out, they have the powerful Russian anti-war film, Come and See (1985). It’s about a teenager who joins a resistance movement to fight the Nazis during WWII. His idealistic visions of being a soldier are torn apart as he endures bloody horrors and unimaginable carnage.

The distributor states that the Blu-ray includes a 2K digital restoration of the film, a new interview with legendary cinematographer and fan Roger Deakins (Skyfall, Sicario, Blade Runner 2049, 1917) on the movie’s photography, a documentary series from the late 1970s about survivors from the war and the genocide they witnessed, and 2001 interviews with the film’s director, star, and production designer. You’ll also get a making-of, a new interview with the director’s brother and a trailer.

Finally, Japanese anime fans can pick up the sci-fi picture Crusher Joe – The Movie (1983) on Blu-ray from Discotek Media. Apparently, this title is considered one of the best animated features of its era.

YOU KNOW, FOR KIDS!

Here are all of this edition’s kid-friendly titles.

Four Kids and It

ON THE TUBE!

And these are the west TV-themed releases.

Miss Fisher and the Crypt of Tears

Wild Palms (Blu-ray of 1993 TV-miniseries)

VISIT: WWW.CINEMASTANCE.COM

By Glenn Kay
For the Sun