By Glenn Kay
For the Sun
Welcome to another busy edition of new releases on Blu-ray and DVD. There’s plenty on offer this time out, including a high-profile release, as well as some fascinating indie flicks. So, since you likely can’t go out to the movies this week, be sure to give one of these titles a try!
BIG NEW RELEASES!
1275 DAYS: This documentary tells the story of a teenager from Indiana who got involved with the wrong crowd. One evening, he and his four friends attempted to break in to a home they believed was unoccupied. The group was met with gunfire. A youth was killed and the subject of this film was shot in the leg.
Despite actually being unarmed and one of those shot, he and the others were convicted of felony murder and sentenced to 55 years in jail. A crew interviews the remorseful teen and follows his family and local community for three-and-a-half years as they attempt to appeal the conviction and get his prison term reduced. The movie investigates the failings of the juvenile incarceration system. It is debuting on disc, so there aren’t any reviews available.
ANIMATION OUTLAWS: While animated shorts and feature films are common across the world, this documentary details a different time when there wasn’t a lot to choose from besides whatever Disney was releasing. The flick tells the life story or two men named Craig “Spike” Decker and Mike Gribble who founded an animation showcase under the Spike & Mike banner. It allowed audiences to see all kinds of creative work in the field that wasn’t finding wide distribution. Their outlet helped establish the careers of pioneers like Nick Park, Bill Plympton, Peter Lord, Mike Judge, Andrew Stanton and many others. Reviews were good, stating that it was a pleasant ode to underground animation and the work of these two men in helping it reach an audience.
In addition to the names listed above, Seth Green, Weird Al Yankovic and many others provide their comments about the brand.
BACURAU: Set in Brazil in the near future, this narrative feature involves a woman whose grandmother dies. She returns home to her backcountry matriarchal village in order to pay her respects. Upon her arrival, the protagonist is shocked to discover that the town’s water supply has been cut off by enemies. Soon, their entire community disappears from satellite maps, leaving the locals on their own to face off against this dangerous threat.
Critics were very impressed with this Portuguese-language action/thriller, which won several awards at film festivals last year. They called it a bloody, bizarre and compelling modern-day western that also served as an interesting examination of gun-culture and the current political climate in the country itself. The cast includes Bárbara Colen, Sonia Braga, Thomas Aquino, Udo Kier and Jonny Mars.
SUBURBAN WILDLIFE: This drama follows four long-time friends from the suburbs who graduate from high school and realize that all of their lives are about to change. They decide to embark on a road trip through smaller sections of the country (Australia) and come to terms with what will transpire and how it might affect their relationships. This title was screened in its homeland and was even a Best Feature nominee at the 2019 Sydney Film Festival, but hasn’t really played in this part of the world.
That means that interested parties will have to take part in the journey with limited knowledge of what they might encounter. The cast includes Maddy McWilliam, Hannah Lehmann, Priscilla Doueihy and Madeleine Jurd.
VHYES: Some fans of 1980s flicks are really willing to go all-in to recreate the era. This independent comedy is shot entirely on Beta and VHS. It follows the exploits of a 12-year-old who decides to record his favorite late-night programs. He soon learns that he has accidentally taped over his parent’s wedding video, leaving him in a lot of trouble if he can’t figure out what to do about it.
In the meantime, viewers are treated to comedic, ‘80s-set recreations of home shopping clips, censored pornography, and nefarious true-crime tales. Response toward this flick was very upbeat. A contingent did assert that it tried too hard and that the segments and wraparound were uneven. Still, the majority appreciated most of the skits and enjoyed its unpredictable, experimental approach to the material. It stars Kerri Kenney, Thomas Lennon, Charlyne Yi, Mason McNulty, Mark Proksch, Tim Robbins and Susan Sarandon.
BLASTS FROM THE PAST!
Shout! Factory has The Missing (2003) on Blu-ray. This period thriller with western elements from Ron Howard involves a family living in the wilderness of New Mexico being tormented by a hooded phantom. It stars Cate Blanchett, Tommy Lee Jones and Evan Rachel Wood. You’ll get both the theatrical and extended cuts of the movie (the latter has an additional 17 minutes of footage), as well as a director commentary, deleted scenes, an alternate ending, outtakes, behind-the-scenes featurettes, some short films by Ron Howard and a trailer.
Arrow Academy is putting out a Special Edition Blu-ray of the chilling and disturbing war drama, Hiroshima (1953). Using eye-witness accounts from child survivors of the atomic blast, it depicts a story of endurance involving a school impacted by the detonation. Many of those who lived through the event appear in the movie. Extras include an archived interview with one of the stars, a powerful feature-length documentary called Hiroshima Nagasaki Download (2011) with an introduction from the director, as well as a video essay on the film.
YOU KNOW, FOR KIDS!
If you’re looking for some kid-friendly material, here is what is arriving on store shelves.
Berenstain Bears: Bear Family Vacation (PBS Kids)
ON THE TUBE!
And here are the week’s TV-themed releases.
12 Monkeys: The Complete Series
The Greatest Bond (PBS)
Legion of Superheroes: The Complete Series (2006 - 2008 animated series) (Warner Archive)
Love in the Sun (Hallmark TV-movie)
The Magicians: The Complete Series
The Magicians: Season 5
The Red Shadows: Exclusive Series (Sundance Channel)
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