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You are here: Community Film Blu-ray/DVD Roundup for Oct. 14, 2022

Blu-ray/DVD Roundup for Oct. 14, 2022

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Welcome to another look at some of the Blu-rays and DVDs arriving on store shelves and rental outlets (if you can find one). With Halloween arriving soon, plenty of genre films are appearing, as well as some notable titles in other genres. So, if you can’t make it out to the movies this week or shouldn’t be out in crowds, be sure to give one of these titles a try!

 

BIG NEW RELEASES!

BEAST: After the death of his ex-wife, a doctor decides to take his teenage daughters to the African Savanna and visit the area where he first met their mother. It starts out as a tense trip, but gets even worse when their vehicle is attacked by a rogue lion. From this point forward, the family and their guide attempt to endure a series of attacks and survive the ordeal.

The general consensus for this thriller was upbeat. Close to one-third of critics didn’t like the characters and found the exaggerated battle between man and beast too silly to appreciate. However, the majority suggested that this was an enjoyably pulpy suspense picture with solid performances and plenty of expertly shot action sequences. They also commented that while they might have been yelling at the screen at times, the movie engaged them more than other genre flicks.

It stars Idris Elba, Sharlto Copley, Iyana Halley and Leah Jeffries.

FROST: In this survivalist horror picture, a pregnant woman decides to visit her estranged father who… yes… lives in the remote wilderness. When her dad suggests driving up to a nearby lake she agrees, but the pair get into a car accident on the way. The woman finds herself trapped in the overturned vehicle. With the sun going down, the father races off to find help for his daughter while she squares off against a hungry wolf.

This feature is debuting on disc and at present there have only been a handful of reviews written about it. Comments appear to be middling so far, with some saying that the movie is suspenseful and makes the most of its limited budget. However, they also warn that the finale doesn’t work and almost ruins some of the goodwill created in the first hour or so. Apparently, the Blu-ray for the movie includes a CD soundtrack.

Devanny Pinn and Vernon Wells headline the feature.

 

HALLELUJAH: LEONARD COHEN, A JOURNEY, A SONG:  Looking for a title that isn’t a horror movie? This documentary explores late Canadian musician Leonard Cohen, focusing on his hit song “Hallelujah” and using it as a storytelling device. Using interview footage with the man and other artists, it details the artist’s life in the early 1980s, what inspired him to write the tune and how it was initially rejected by record labels before eventually becoming a hit. Other artists also discuss their experiences with Cohen during this era.

The press greatly enjoyed this effort. A small number complained that the film needed to focus more on other aspects of Cohen’s life and that the footage was pieced together in an unexciting way. Everyone else thought it was a captivatingly told story about an artist and an iconic song with plenty of interesting discussions and factoids on it and the life of the musician.

MORTAL KOMBAT LEGENDS: SNOW BLIND:  In addition to their running series of animated, direct-to-disc movies based on DC characters, Warner Bros. has also been releasing a number of titles based on the video game “Mortal Kombat,” which have been created in the same manner. This is the third feature in the franchise and involves a villain who leads a group of mercenaries who slaughter their way through villages. A young man is defeated by the group but survives and trains with a kung-fu master to redeem himself and stop the threat.

Very few reviewers have seen it, but write-ups that have appeared have been decent. Many state that the film is violent but effectively rendered and focuses on a lesser-known game character.

The voice-cast includes David Wenham, Manny Jacinto, Yuri Lowenthal and Debra Wilson.

 

BLASTS FROM THE PAST!

It’s as busy a week as ever if you’re in the mood to catch up with something a little older.

The documentary “Every Other Day is Halloween” (2009) is arriving on Blu-ray through Brink. It tells the true-life story of television personality and late-night horror-host Dick Dyszel who appeared on local stations in Washington, D.C.. This edition presents a newly remastered version of the movie and a second feature from the filmmakers called “Bald Headed Blues” about another notable cable horror-host named Dr. Sarcofiguy.

Criterion is putting out a couple of noteworthy Blu-rays as well. The first is the classic comedy “Arsenic and Old Lace” (1944) from Frank Capra (“Mr. Smith Goes to Washington,” “It’s a Wonderful Life”). The movie stars Cary Grant as a writer who specializes in articles about the futility of marriage. When he decides to actually get married, it sets off a series of comedic events involving very disturbing members of his extended family. You’ll get a restored 4K digital transfer of the movie, a film expert commentary, a radio adaptation from 1952 starring Boris Karloff, a trailer and more.

 

Anyone who has paid the fee to join the Disney Movie Club can now pick up a “Frankenweenie” (2012) Blu-ray and DVD combo pack exclusively through the ordering service. This great little animated effort from Tim Burton (“Beetlejuice,” “Edward Scissorhands,” “Sleepy Hollow,” “Corpse Bride”) involves a young boy who decides to bring his pet dog back from the dead.

Kino is releasing plenty of features as well. They have a new edition of the Rutger Hauer action/comedy “Blind Fury” (1989), which follows the exploits of a blind Vietnam vet who becomes a samurai. This one arrives with a screenwriter audio commentary, newly remastered trailer and a special slipcase.

“The Blue Iguana” (1988) with Dylan McDermott and Jessica Harper involves a bounty hunter who is blackmailed by US tax collectors into robbing a bank. The Blu-ray comes with a trailer.

“By Candlelight” (1933) is a well-regarded comedy from “Frankenstein” director James Whale about a maid posing as a member of royalty. The Blu-ray has a 4K restoration of the film and a film historian commentary. “

And there’s more! MVD Visual is delivering some nifty stuff this week, including the chiller “Disturbing Behavior” (1998). The plot follows a teen who discovers that others in his age group are being changed into upstanding citizens by their parents. It stars a young James Marsden and Katie Holmes. The Blu-ray comes with a director commentary, deleted scenes and an alternate ending, as well as publicity materials.

And “Jack Frost 2: Revenge of the Mutant Killer Snowman” is getting a polish with a Collector’s Edition R-Rated Version Blu-ray. Besides a longer, gorier cut of the movie, the disc comes with a film expert commentary, an interview with the man who plays the title killer, an interview with the director, behind-the-scenes featurettes, a music video spoof, a trailer and some fancy box art.

And just in time for Halloween, the studio is presenting the “Paranormal Activity: The Ultimate Chills Collection” box set. The 9-disc set contains seven movies in the series made between 2007 and 2021 and includes an out-of-print 3D edition of “Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension” from 2015. You’ll also get all of the previously released bonuses with the titles, in addition to a definitive feature documentary on the entire series.

VISIT: WWW.CINEMASTANCE.COM

By Glenn Kay
For the Sun