Welcome to 2024 and a look at the highlights arriving on Blu-ray and DVD. Due to the holiday, this is a quiet week with only a handful of releases. However, one of them is a big one and major awards contender. So, if you can’t make it out to the movies or need to stay indoors for a little while, be sure to check one of these titles out!
BIG NEW RELEASES!
THE HOLDOVERS: This comedy/drama follows a curmudgeonly prep school teacher. After irritating his superior, he is left at the site over the holidays to take care of students who aren’t returning home. The stern instructor and one of his troubled students butt heads and struggle to get along. As time passes, they begin spending more time together and, along with the institute’s cook, try to find common ground.
Reaction was extremely positive toward this feature. A few lone voices didn’t like the movie’s tone and found the plight of the leads manufactured. However, everyone else thought it was a witty and wonderful homage to the character-based films of the 1970s with award-worthy performances, many memorable moments and, by the close, a strong emotional payoff.
It stars Paul Giamatti, Da Vine Joy Randolph, Dominic Sessa, Carrie Preston, Andrew Garman and Tate Donovan.
THE MARSH KING’S DAUGHTER: Based on a hit 2017 novel by Karen Dionne, this thriller involves a woman being forced to face her horrible past. As a youngster, she and her mother were held captive in the marshes by her cruel father. After being caught and imprisoned, the protagonist grows up and tries to live a normal life with her own daughter. One day, she hears that her dad has escaped from prison. In order to protect her child from his clutches, the lead attempts to hunt her father down.
The press was largely negative toward this effort. Slightly more than one-third commented that they had issues with the story, but that the cast were talented enough to earn the picture a recommendation. All others stated that it was poorly paced and didn’t take advantage of the interesting themes, resorting to bland and unbelievable action by the climax.
The cast includes Daisy Ridley, Ben Mendelsohn, Garrett Hedlund, Caren Pistorius and Brooklyn Prince.
BLASTS FROM THE PAST!
If you’re looking for something older, a few interesting options are coming your way.
The Facts of Murder (1959) is arriving on Blu-ray from Radiance Films. This is an award-winning Italian crime/drama from Pietro Germi (Divorce Italian Style) is about a police detective tasked with solving a robbery and a murder that occur within a day of each other on the same apartment floor. The acclaimed film arrives on Blu-ray with a 4K restoration from the original camera negative. Additionally, the disc contains an interview with an expert on the film’s director, a documentary about Pietri and a visual essay on Italian film noir and its evolution over several decades.
Criterion is giving The Apu Trilogy a grand upgrade. This edition contains 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray editions of the classic Indian films Pather Panchali (1955), Aparajito (1956)) and Apur Sansar (1959). The trilogy follows the life of a young boy as he matures into a man of the world. It also includes extras like audio recordings of director Satyajit Ray reading an essay on the movies and talking about them with a film critic. There are also cast and crew interviews, a making-of video essay on the series, a program with a movie maker, producer and teacher talking about the titles. Additionally, it also comes with excerpts from a 2003 documentary about the movie’s composer, a 1967 documentary on the movies featuring interviews with Ray, the cast, and the creative team, footage of Ray receiving an honorary Oscar in 1992 and much more.
If you enjoy purchasing Blu-ray imports from other parts of the world. Imprint is an Australian distributor that has announced a couple of interesting region-free Blu-rays. The first is Islands in the Stream (1977), an adaptation of the Ernest Hemingway novel. It’s about a sculptor living in the Bahamas whose life is turned upside down after his estranged son appears on the brink of World War II. This title is limited to 1,500 copies and comes with a film historian commentary and a video essay on the movie.
You can also pick up the Dustin Hoffman biopic Lenny (1974) from Imprint. This film was directed by Bob Fosse (Cabaret, All That Jazz) and follows the rise and fall of comedian Lenny Bruce. It was nominated for six Academy Awards. This edition includes two movie historian commentaries, a featurette about Lenny Bruce on film, a video essay on the career of co-star Valerie Perrine, an interview with the feature’s editor on his multiple collaborations with Fosse, trailers and more extras. This region-free Blu-ray is also limited to 1500 copies.
Please, Not Now! (1961) is arriving on Blu-ray from Kino. It’s a French title starring Brigitte Bardot as a flighty young model named Sophie who learns that her boyfriend is planning to leave her for another woman. Sophie resolves to either win him back or assassinate her rival. This romantic comedy is from director Roger Vadim (Barbarella, ...And God Created Woman) and arrives with a film historian commentary and a U.S. trailer.
If you’re a fan of the title and aren’t able to pick up or view the 2022 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray edition, Lionsgate is reissuing the Patrick Swayze/Jennifer Grey period romance Dirty Dancing (1987) in Blu-ray and DVD combo package. It is a repackaging of the 30th anniversary edition that came out six years ago and the contents will be identical to that edition.
MGM is also releasing a pair of notable Blu-rays from director Arthur Hiller (The Out-of-Towners, Plaza Suite, Silver Streak). Popi (1969) is a comedy/drama starring Alan Arkin and Rita Moreno. Arkin plays a lower-class man struggling to raise three sons in New York. He hatches a ridiculous plan involving a hoax he hopes will save his family from financial ruin.
Romantic Comedy (1983) is a rom-com with Dudley Moore and Mary Steenburgen. It’s about a man and woman who decide to work together as playwrights and keep their personal lives separate. As time passes, both experience relationship troubles and begin to fall for each other in the process.
Finally, Shout! Factory is giving action fans a Blu-ray of the Chuck Norris feature Forced Vengeance (1982). The performer plays a Hong Kong casino security guard who is forced into violence when a local mob threatens his friends. The disc includes a trailer for the film.
YOU KNOW, FOR KIDS!
It’s a slow week for youngsters, but the following editions will contain more kid-friendly titles.
ON THE TUBE!
Here are all of the week’s TV-released releases.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 2 (Paramount) 4K Ultra HD only
The Wedding Cottage (Hallmark) DVD
VISIT: WWW.CINEMASTANCE.COM
By Glenn Kay
For the Sun
