Welcome to another look at some of the highlights arriving on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and DVD. In recent months, there have been some slow weeks and very busy weeks. This edition is jam-packed with major Hollywood features, international and independent efforts, as well as tons of older films being given major image upgrades. You’re guaranteed to find something of interest here. So, if you can’t make it out to the movies this week or need to stay indoors for a few days, be sure to give one of these titles a try!
BIG NEW RELEASES!
ALL THAT BREATHES: Photographed in India, this documentary follows two brothers in New Delhi who decide to rescue birds of prey being harmed by urban pollution in their city. The crew captures the ins and outs of their personal lives, as well as the struggles and successes in attempting to form relationships with various avian species. In the process, viewers see the interconnection between man and bird.
This picture was nominated for Best Documentary Feature and received acclaim from the press. In fact, it has yet to be given a negative review. They all wrote that the movie was thoughtful and beautifully shot, suggesting that it showed the problems of modern cities and emphasized that all forms of life need to be kind and considerate of one another in order to survive. Criterion is releasing the film on Blu-ray and on DVD.
AMANDA: A well-off, sheltered but isolated 25-year-old lives at home with her family. She has never had any friends but secretly yearns for them. When those in the household try to force her to socialize with others who are her own age, the lead decides to search for a childhood acquaintance. She becomes determined to make this person her best friend and tries to grow as a human being in the process.
This international Italian-language effort was very well received by critics. One or two did state that while they laughed, they didn’t feel any connection with or care for the characters. Everyone else thought it was a hilariously awkward but gentle coming-of-age film that was quite unlike anything they had seen before. Some also made note of the elegant cinematography.
It stars Benedetta Porcaroli, Galatéa Bellugi and Giovanna Mezzogiorno.
AMELIA’S CHILDREN: An adult man who was taken as a child and permanently separated from his family receives a call from a twin brother who says he has spent years searching for him. The thrilled protagonist is excited to meet his long-lost relatives, traveling to Portugal with his girlfriend. But after arriving, neighbors warn the man about the family’s past and the couple begin to fear for their lives.
This Portuguese chiller earned a mixed reception in North America, with slightly more negative notices than positive ones. Those who liked it said that it was tense and found it grimly amusing to see the hero being manipulated by those around him. Yet, the majority called the picture uninspired, suggesting there were no surprises in the story and no effective shocks.
For the time being, this is a DVD-only release. The cast includes Carloto Cotta, Brigette Lundy-Paine, Anabela Moreira, Alba Baptista and Rita Blanco.
ANATOMY OF A FALL: At a French chalet, police are called to investigate a mysterious death. A man has plunged from the top floor and died on the driveway below. His wife, a writer who is difficult to get along with, is immediately considered a suspect. Their son is also questioned about what he might have seen. The spouse ultimately ends up being charged with the murder, causing conflict with her son as the trial progresses.
This French feature was praised and it ended up being nominated for a Best International Film Academy Award. A few called it a flat courtroom drama that felt icy and didn’t result in a strong emotional response. However, everyone else was fascinated by the storytelling and trying to get a read on whether or not the main character was guilty. They noted the fantastic performances and how it depicted a crumbling marriage.
Sandra Hüller, Swann Arlaud and Milo Machado Graner headline the feature.
ARTHUR THE KING: Based on a true story, this tale follows an adventure racer who embarrasses himself during a big moment in a competition. After some time away, he decides to put together a team of old enemies and new friends to take the prize. They meet great obstacles along the way and come across an unusual companion who tags along… a stray dog. The animal continues to follow them around the lengthy trail and inspires them to be better people.
Reviews were more positive than negative. Almost one-third found the feature uninspired in its execution with regards to race scenes, as well as emotionally manipulative in the way it handled the animal moments. Still, most liked the overall message and stated that this was one instance in which following a familiar formula worked. They liked the cast and dog and rallied behind the team.
It stars Mark Wahlberg, Nathalie Emmanuel, Simu Liu, Ali Suliman and Paul Guilfoyle.
BOB MARLEY: ONE LOVE: Reggae singer/songwriter Bob Marley is the subject of this musical biopic. Set in 1976 with Jamaica in political turmoil, star Marley, his band and family are targeted by assassins. He and the group leave the country and begin writing a new album that brings them worldwide acclaim. Still wanting peace for his countrymen, he considers returning home and performing while dealing with unexpected health issues.
This drama earned a mixed reception from the press. Nearly half thought the lead performance was strong and that the film’s music and message was a treat to hear. Alas, slightly more thought that the storytelling wasn’t as dynamic as the songs and that the picture didn’t paint a detailed enough portrait of the musician.
There will be various editions of the film available, including a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray Steelbook, a regular 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray combo and a standalone Blu-ray. The cast includes Kingsley Ben-Adir, Lashana Lynch, James Norton, Tosin Cole and Umi Myers.
DAMAGED: When a serial killer terrorizes Edinburgh, Scotland and leaves investigators baffled, UK authorities ask a Chicago detective who handled a similar case years earlier to help them out. He arrives and is teamed up with a local cop. The two must get over their initial differences and work together to catch the murderer before he strikes again.
Write-ups for this thriller were not strong. Almost one-third of them believed that the cast was engaging and the story efficiently managed, keeping them guessing until the close. Sadly, most described the film as dull and overly dark to the point that it came across as more silly than scary. They didn’t think it built up much tension and became a chore to get through.
The movie stars Samuel L. Jackson, Vincent Cassel, Gianni Capaldi, Laura Haddock and John Hannah.
IN THE LAND OF SAINTS AND SINNERS: Set in Ireland in the 1970s, this tale follows a World War II veteran and widower living quietly in a small Irish village. Of course, his life isn’t all that mellow, as he has spent years working as a hit man for a mob boss. One day, a woman arrives determined to find the lead. She and others who are involved in the ongoing Northern Ireland conflict soon make their presence and violent intent known.
Notices for this drama crime/thriller were very strong. A handful called the story predictable and called the tone too grim for their tastes. Yet the consensus was that this picture was its star’s best effort in a few years. They noted that the interesting, understated lead character was surrounded by a great cast and that the morally gray picture was suspenseful and compelling to watch.
Liam Neeson, Kerry Condon, Jack Gleeson, Colm Meaney, Desmond Eastwood and Ciarán Hinds headline the picture.
KNOX GOES AWAY: An elderly hitman learns that he is suffering from a rapid form of dementia. With little time left before his mind completely fades away, he is visited by his estranged adult son. Panicked, the son explains that he has just murdered another man for hurting his daughter (the lead’s granddaughter) and needs assistance to cover the crime up. With police closing in, the assassin tries to keep it together long enough to complete the task.
Critics gave this picture more recommendations than pans. Slightly more than one-third of reviewers disliked it, calling it gimmicky, the plot overly complicated, and the pacing slow. Still, more thought that the worsening condition added suspense to the story. They noted that the central performance was amazing and the film worked very well as a twisty, hard-boiled thriller.
It features Michael Keaton, Al Pacino, James Marsden, Marcia Gay Harden and Suzy Nakamura.
KUNG FU PANDA 4: As this sequel begins, the titular bear is still yearning for more adventure. When he is told that he should now become a community leader and train a disciple to take his role, he balks at the idea. When a new threat to the land emerges, the protagonist decides to square off against the individual. But along the way, he meets a quick-witted thief and the pair team up to save the land.
Notices were not as strong for this chapter as previous entries, but it still earned a majority of recommendations. A fair number of reviewers thought the humor in this entry wasn’t as sharp and that the story was unmemorable. Yet more referred to it as effective family entertainment with enough funny jokes and rousing bits of action to entertain viewers young and old alike.
There are various editions of the film available, including a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray combo, a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray combo, a single Blu-ray, a Blu-ray and DVD Steelbook, and a four-movie collection Blu-ray pack. The voice cast includes Jack Black, Awkwafina, Viola Davis, Dustin Hoffman, James Hong, Bryan Cranston, Ian McShane and Ke Huy Quan.
OUT IN THE RING: The history of queer identity in professional wrestling is the subject of this documentary. Starting in the 1940s and 50s, the filmmakers examine early appearances of LGBTQIA+ characters in the ring, following trends through the height of wrestling in the 80s all the way to the present day. Archival footage is used along with interviews of performers, those who worked with them in the ring, fans, historians and journalists. All share their insight on this subject.
The picture hasn’t been seen by many critics, but all of those who have watched it enjoyed what they saw. They all called it an entertaining, inspirational and important examination of queer performers in the profession with excellent stories from all those involved.
The movie includes discussions with Cassandro, Chyna, Pollo Del Mar, Kaitlin Diemond and many more in the industry.
QUANTUM COWBOYS: This animated science-fiction/comedy is set in the 1870s and follows two drifters wandering through Southern Arizona trying to find a frontier musician. In the process, they meet and befriend a woman trying to recover her land. While trying to help her, viewers are treated to 12 different universes (each featuring its own style of animation) and their conversations about philosophy and time theory.
This independent production played the festival circuit in 2022 and is now arriving on disc. A small number of reviews for the film have appeared and are all encouraging. They state that it takes a bit of time to get used to, but that the movie is an original and inventively trippy effort with wonderful imagery and interesting themes, including the creation of memories.
The voice cast includes Kiowa Gordon, Lily Gladstone, John Way, David Arquette, Frank Mosely, Gary Farmer, Neko Case and Alex Cox.
RED RIGHT HAND: A man trying to live a quiet life is informed that his sister has died. He ends up taking in his niece and helping his widower brother-in-law. Unfortunately, thugs soon arrive at the door. It seems that the relations owe a huge monetary debt to a powerful underworld figure. This crime boss says that the protagonist can pay her back by providing muscle for her crew. He initially agrees, but eventually decides to fight back in order to protect his sister’s family.
Response was mixed towards this independent action/thriller. Almost half called it a well-produced B-picture that was slick and fun to watch thanks to its great cast. Still, slightly more thought that the performances weren’t quite enough to overcome the predictability of the story and overly familiar characters.
It stars Orlando Bloom, Andie MacDowell, Garret Dillahunt Wilder and James Lafferty.
SASQUATCH SUNSET: This narrative captures one year in the life of a most unusual family. Specifically, a unit of sasquatches living in the Northern Californian woods and hiding from human society. Viewers see their social bonds, witness them foraging for sustenance, as well as note how they deal with others of their kind. It features no dialogue, just “bigfoots” going about their bizarre daily rituals.
This oddball feature earned more positive write-ups than negative ones. A portion complained that there was too much gross-out humor and that the repetitiveness of the story eventually became tiring. However, the majority called the film so weird that they couldn’t help but praise it for its audacity. They stated that it did win them over, providing memorable moments and plenty of humorous insight on living in isolation and co-existing with the environment.
Underneath all the make-up, the picture features Jesse Eisenberg, Riley Keough, Christophe Zajac-Denek and Nathan Zellner.
SLEEPING DOGS: An ex-homicide detective suffering from memory loss is forced to revisit an old case. The man imprisoned for the crime who is facing a death sentence maintains his innocence and the lead begins to question the evidence. Obviously, he has difficulty remembering exactly what occurred, but becomes determined to make things right and solve the mystery.
This crime picture was a co-production between the U.S. and Australia. Reaction to the movie wasn’t particularly strong. More than a third of those who saw it thought the film was an effective modern noir, bolstered by the lead actor and a twisty script. Yet the majority commented that the project was overly morose, dimly lit and clumsily put together in an unsatisfying manner.
For the time being, this is a DVD-only release. Russell Crowe, Karen Gillan, Martin Csokas and Tommy Flanagan headline the picture.
THE TIGER’S APPRENTICE: A young boy living in San Francisco is shocked to discover that his grandmother is a protector of a magical phoenix egg. After she passes away, the youngster is recruited by her old trainer (who is a tiger) to take over the role. When a sinister force emerges and threatens all of humanity, the boy must stand tall and team up with other fighters who have connections to the Chinese zodiac.
The press was split about this animated feature. Almost half complained that the story was formulaic yet overly rushed, resulting in underdeveloped characters. The same number and a few more liked the voice cast, the use of humor and commented that it featured striking visuals that would appeal to kids. For the time being, this is a DVD-only release.
Henry Golding, Brandon Soo Hoo, Lucy Liu, Sandra Oh, Michelle Yeoh, Leah Lewis, Sherry Cola, Patrick Gallagher and Bowen Yang provide voices for the film.
]YOU KNOW, FOR KIDS!
Below is a list of the latest kid-friendly discs.
Bluey Season 3 (BBC) DVD
Kung Fu Panda 4 (Universal Studios) 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray, Blu-ray and DVD, Walmart Exclusive with Blu-ray, DVD and Kid-Sized Training Chopsticks, and Kung Fu Panda: 4-Movie Collection Blu-ray
Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go – It All Adds Up (NCircle) DVD
The Tiger’s Apprentice (Paramount) DVD
ON THE TUBE!
And all of the week’s TV-themed releases can be found here.
Bluey Season 3 (BBC) DVD
Dante: Inferno to Paradise (PBS) DVD
Maryland (Masterpiece) (PBS) DVD
Monk Season 7 (Kino) Blu-ray
Mr. Bates vs the Post Office (Masterpiece) (PBS) DVD
Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go – It All Adds Up (NCircle) DVD
VISIT: WWW.CINEMASTANCE.COM
By Glenn Kay
For the Sun
