Login

Blu-ray/DVD Roundup for April 3, 2020

Print

Hello and welcome to another look at highlights arriving on Blu-ray and DVD. Once again, it’s a busy week containing a huge blockbuster, as well as some intriguing independent fare. So, since you more than likely can’t make it out to the movies this week, be sure to give one of these titles a try!


Big New Releases!

The Captain - The disaster film genre has been around almost as long as cinema itself and this foreign-language effort from China continues the trend. It is based on an actual incident that occurred in May 2018 on a Sichuan Airlines flight over Tibet. According to reports, the windshield of the plane cracked while in midair, sucking the captain halfway out of the cockpit while many onboard passed out due to low cabin pressure. The movie was an enormous hit overseas and received reasonable notices over here as well.

A small group of reviewers suggested that the film took too long to get where it was going and felt like a corny update of ‘70s disaster flicks like the Airport series. However, most found the film to be an appealing throwback and thought the story itself was quite remarkable. It stars Hanyu Zhang , Hao Ou, Jiang Du and Quan Yuan.

It Started as a Joke - The Eugene Mirman Comedy Festival is the subject of this documentary, which traces the beginning and final show of this popular Brooklyn event. Apparently, the celebration was described as a sincere-and-ironic series of performances that made fun of the trappings of mainstream festival programming. The documentary details the work of the founder and his goals in creating the event. It also details the various celebrities who took part in and performed at the shows.

The press enjoyed the feature. They called the movie a great tribute and Mirman himself a sweet and likable guy who used humor in inventive ways to entertain. The film features interview footage with Michael Ian Black, Kristen Schaal, Wyatt Cenac, Ira Glass, John Hodgman, Kumail Nanjiani, Reggie Watts, Bobcat Goldthwait and many others.

Mystify: Michael Hutchence - Musician Michael Hutchence was the lead singer of the Australian band INXS, who had a string of hit singles in the ‘80s and ‘90s, including songs like “What You Need”, “Need You Tonight”, “Never Tear Us Apart”, and “Suicide Blonde”. Sadly, Hutchence died suddenly under tragic circumstances at the age of 37. This documentary uses archival home movies to detail his life and reveals several pieces of information about the figure that the public didn’t know. One example is a car accident in 1992 that involved a serious blow to the head which reportedly plagued him over his remaining days.

Critics unanimously recommended the film. They suggested that much of the footage on display was enlightening and wisely focused on the figure’s sadness rather than the more salacious aspects of his life.

Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker - The latest and supposedly final (for the time being) film in the Star Wars series picks up with the evil Sith mastermind behind the sinister First Order revealing himself and unveiling his master plan. Naturally, the remaining members of the Resistance must fight a final battle that will determine the fate of the universe. Notices were muted and split down the middle for the finale (actually, it was the worst reviewed of all titles in the franchise). Those who enjoyed the movie stated that while the story was flawed, it was visually impressive and an appropriately grand finale.

Almost as many didn’t think it had much of importance to say, had serious issues with logic and generally felt underwhelming. It stars Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, Domhnall Gleeson, Richard E. Grant and Lupita Nyong’o.


Blasts from the Past!

Shout! Factory is delivering some chills in the form of the Snoop Dogg horror picture, Bones (2001). The rapper plays an inner-city protector whose spirit is raised after a group of teens renovate his old home and turn it into a nightclub. He decides to take revenge on all those who wronged him and ended his life. The movie arrives with a new 4K scan from the negative, contains an interview with director Ernest Dickerson (Juice, Surviving the Game).

There are also interviews with the screenwriter, cinematographer, and make-up effects artists. The Blu-ray also includes an audio track with the star and director, featurettes on the production, deleted scenes with optional commentary, a music video, and plenty of trailers.

Criterion is presenting the classic musical Show Boat (1936) in high definition. Perhaps most famous for the song, “Ol’ Man River,” this title follows the life of a performer on a floating playhouse and the trials and tribulations that span an entire lifetime. Directed by James Whale (Frankenstein, The Invisible Man), this Blu-ray features a restored 4K digital transfer of the film, a 1989 commentary from an American-musical historian, an interview with a biographer of the director, an Academy Award-winning short paying tribute to co-star Paul Robeson, four performances with the sound prologue of the 1929 version of the story, and two radio adaptations (one of which was produced by Orson Welles).


You Know, For Kids!

Here is a selection of releases that may provide some entertainment for younger family members.

Good Night, Gorilla… and More Great Sleepytime Stories (Scholastic)

LEGO Jurassic World: Legend of Isla Nublar

Munster, Go Home! (1966)

SpongeBob SquarePants: Season 11

Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker (2019) (All Previous Star Wars flicks also being made available on 4K Blu-ray)

The Wonderful Adventures of Nils Holgersson (1980 - 1981 Austrian/Japanese Animated Series)


On the Tube!

And you’ll find some TV-themed releases below as well!

LEGO Jurassic World: Legend of Isla Nublar

Midsomer Murders: Series 21

Mr. Robot: The Complete Series

Mr. Robot: Season 4

The Wonderful Adventures of Nils Holgersson (1980 – 1981 Austrian/Japanese Animated Series)

By Glenn Kay
For the Sun