Hello and welcome to another look at highlights arriving on Blu-ray and DVD. It’s another extremely busy edition with tons of titles in just about every genre imaginable. So, if you can’t make it out to the movies this week or need to stay indoors, be sure to give one of these titles a try!
BIG NEW RELEASES!
ANGRY NEIGHBORS: A retired writer living in a quiet community in the Hamptons becomes enraged when a multimillionaire buys the property next door and begins building an ostentatious mansion. The scribe declares war on the new owner and does everything he can to prevent the lavish project from being completed. Oh, and during his mission, the man’s pet dog begins speaking to him and attempting to offer some counseling.
This picture received a very limited release last month and is now arriving as a DVD-only title. There don’t appear to be any reviews available at present for the film, which is not a great sign for the quality of the finished product.
BONES AND ALL: This unusual feature from filmmaker Luca Guadagnino (Call Me by Your Name, the 2018 Suspiria remake) combines elements of drama, horror and romance. Set on the backroads of America, it follows a teen with a very unusual condition. After being forced to fend for herself, she befriends a young man with the same problem. They set out on a journey to find estranged family members and learn more about themselves, finding danger at every turn.
The overall response to this effort was positive. A small number of reviewers commented that the mix of gore and romance didn’t sit well and that there weren’t any memorable revelations. Still, everyone else thought it was an interesting take on a passionate and all-consuming love affair between two youngsters. They stated that the shocks and drama all worked to keep things unpredictable.
CRIMES OF THE FUTURE: The latest from director David Cronenberg (The Brood, Videodrome, The Dead Zone, The Fly, Dead Ringers, Naked Lunch, Crash, eXistenZ, A History of Violence) is set in a disturbing future where humans have embraced synthetic augmentation and welcome procedures that transform their bodies. A celebrity decides to publicly document a series of operations that will metamorphosize himself into a new and strange lifeform.
Cronenberg enjoys pushing buttons and shocking audiences and critics reacted favorably to his latest feature. About one-fifth of reviewers were disgusted by what they saw, thought it was derivative of his earlier efforts, and called it a slog. However, the consensus was that this was Cronenberg effectively using body-horror to provoke audiences and offer a bleak analysis on celebrity, art and other subjects.
WHEN I CONSUME YOU: A New York-based, 20-something brother and sister who grow up depending solely on each other find their lives taking a positive turn when new opportunities arise. But a strange (and perhaps even supernatural) figure appears and begins stalking them. Curiously, the pair seem to have an idea of exactly who is after them. They decide to take a stand and enact revenge against their pursuer.
Critics generally enjoyed this independent genre film. A small contingent didn’t think that the story was exciting and that events sputtered out during the final act. However, the majority felt that the movie was well-acted and did a solid job of communicating how siblings attempt to deal with family trauma and personal demons.
YOU KNOW, FOR KIDS!
Here are some titles that young kids might enjoy.
“Sesame Street: Elmo & Tango - Furry Friends Forever” (Shout!) DVD
“The Smurfs” (2021): Season 1, Volume 3 (Nickelodeon) DVD
“Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go – Musical Fun” (Ncircle) DVD
ON THE TUBE!
And here are the week’s TV-themed releases.
“Backstrom” Season 2 (Acorn) DVD
“The Great” Season 1 (Paramount) Blu-ray
“The Great” Season 2 (Paramount) Blu-ray
“Maigret” Season 2 (Kino) Blu-ray
“The Smurfs” (2021): Season 1, Volume 3 (Nickelodeon) DVD
VISIT: WWW.CINEMASTANCE.COM
By Glenn Kay
For the Sun
