Welcome to another look at some of the highlights arriving on Blu-ray and DVD. There are a couple of major releases coming your way this week, as well as some interesting independent efforts. 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!
THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF MAGICAL NEGROES: A young African-American man is recruited into a secret group of black people with magical powers. They tell him that they use their gift to make white people as comfortable as possible, all so that race-related conflict can be avoided. The protagonist is assigned to befriend and help a stressed-out white man at his job. However, complications arise when the hero falls for a woman at the workplace, taking his attention away from his duties.
Critics were unimpressed with this fantasy/comedy. About one-quarter stated that after a slow start, the satirical elements started to work and that it ultimately charmed them. Unfortunately, the majority thought the story was too busy with comedy and romantic subplots. They wrote that the end result felt slight, lacking any sort of bite or memorable comments on its themes.
It stars Justice Smith, David Alan Grier, An-Li Bogan and Eric Lutz.
DESTROY ALL NEIGHBORS: An aspiring musician struggles for years to complete his debut post-progressive rock LP while working at a recording studio. Just about everyone has stopped believing in his dream and frayed nerves appear to be getting the better of him. After deciding to confront a noisy neighbor, he accidentally kills the man. The lead begins hallucinating as he attempts to rid himself of the body and cover his tracks.
This horror/comedy debuted on the Shudder streaming site and is now arriving as a DVD-only release. Overall, the press was positive about the picture. Close to one-third of reviews complained that the story became repetitive and they became tired of the gross-out humor. Still, the consensus was that while a bit unruly there was plenty here to enjoy and that the hilarious cast members made the most of the material.
It features Jonah Ray, Kiran Deol, Thomas Lennon, Alex Winter and Kumail Nanjiani.
DUNE: PART TWO: Finishing off the story introduced in Dune: Part One, this follow-up begins after the fall of House Atreides by the sinister Harkonnen. Hero Paul escapes into the deserts of Dune with his mother and finds friends in the local population of Fremen. As the villains hunt for and attempt to wipe out the remaining population, the heroes plot to take them down and free themselves.
Response to the picture was excellent and the picture’s worldwide box office is currently the largest of any film this year. A small number did call the film slow-moving and overly solemn in tone. However, the overwhelming majority thought it was a phenomenal adaptation that delivered stunning action and thrills, jaw-dropping imagery and expertly delivered themes about the dark side of being a leader.
The cast includes Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Javier Bardem, Josh Brolin, Austin Butler, Florence Pugh, Dave Bautista, Christopher Walken, Léa Seydoux, Stellan Skarsgård and Charlotte Rampling. Multiple editions of the title are being released in a variety of formats, including a 4K Ultra HD edition, a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray Steelbook, a Blu-ray, as well as a 4K Ultra HD combo pack of part one and two and a Blu-ray version of both chapters.
A HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS: A small town hardware store owner spends years yearning to own a run-down fixer-upper that has been slowly falling apart over the years. Her friend, a real estate agent, finally arranges for her to purchase the home. But after she moves in, the recently divorced heir to the property shows up with his son. The group are forced to live together in the locale while legal matters between them are sorted out. Eventually the two leads begin to develop feelings for each other.
This little Hallmark-style romance debuted on streaming sites a few months ago, but is only now arriving on disc. Very few critics actually watched the picture when it debuted, so there really aren’t any reviews available for the film. Interested parties will have to go in and watch it cold.
Shannon Elizabeth and Daniel Cudmore headline the picture.
IMAGINARY: Anyone ever had a close bond with their teddy bear during their childhood? This horror picture follows a young girl who owns one such toy and converses with it. When the kid grows up, she leaves it behind and eventually becomes a children’s author. After the woman returns home with a new husband and his two daughters, one of her stepdaughters takes an extreme liking to the old bear. It soon becomes clear that the stuffed animal is alive and wants revenge for being abandoned.
Reaction toward the picture wasn’t very strong. About one-quarter of write-ups thought that while flawed, it delivered a few jolts and delivered an effectively wild climax. However, the overall consensus was that the picture delivered nothing but clichés from better chillers and didn’t make a lasting impression.
It stars DeWanda Wise, Tom Payne, Taegen Burns, Pyper Bruan, Matthew Sato, Veronica Falcon and Betty Buckley.
ISTIKHARA, NEW YORK: A young American Muslim dreams of becoming a Broadway actor. In order to achieve his goal, he moves to New York City. Of course, he finds it hard to catch a break and finds himself working as a food delivery courier instead. Trouble arises when his job is put in jeopardy. Along the way, he meets new people and tries to find his way in the big city.
This independent feature played at a few film festivals back in 2022. Word seems to have been upbeat (there have been a few news articles on the picture), but it had trouble finding a distributor. The film is now debuting on disc as a DVD-only release. No one has seen or officially reviewed the film just yet, so there is currently no critical consensus on it.
The cast includes Nabeel Masood, Faizan Kareem and Kelly McCready.
NORYANG: DEADLY SEA: This historical epic from South Korea tells a chapter in the life of Yi Sun-sin, a famed Korean admiral and military general who rose to prominence in the late 1500s. When Japanese forces including 500 ships sail the Noryang Strait during the Imjin War, the aging protagonist plots and leads his fighters in battle against the enormous and intimidating enemy force.
This actually appears to be the third film in a trilogy featuring Sun-Sin, following 2014’s The Admiral: Roaring Currents and Hansan: Rising Dragon in 2022. There haven’t been many reviews for the movie in this part of the world, but the few that have appeared are positive. They all called it a thrilling war epic that effectively closed a trilogy and presented a full picture about the subject and his remarkable military accomplishments.
It features Kim Yoon-seok, Jeong Jae-yeong and Yeo Jin-Goo.
ONE LIFE: Sir Nicholas ‘Nicky’ Winton is the subject of this British biopic. In the months leading up to World War II, this young London broker visits Prague, Czechoslovakia and sees Jewish children and their families living in destitute conditions and readying for a Nazi invasion. He decides to help get as many children as he can out of the country before forces invade. In the process, 669 kids are rescued. In 1988, the now elderly man is still haunted by the fates of those he wasn’t able to rescue in time. When he’s invited onto a BBC television show, many of the grown kids appear to thank him, allowing him to come to terms with feelings of guilt and grief.
Notices were excellent for this picture. A few members of the press thought the picture was overly sentimental and failed to deliver a detailed portrait of Winton. Everyone else thought the cast was exceptional, the story powerful and that it was an important tribute to a little-known hero. They also commented that it would bring many to tears.
Anthony Hopkins, Johnny Flynn, Lena Olin and Romola Garai headline the picture.
QUEEN TUT: This drama/comedy from Canada follows a young Egyptian man who comes to live with his estranged father in Toronto after the death of his mother. His dad is heavily involved in the local church, but the closeted lead would rather spend time developing his dressmaking skills. He finds new friends in the LGBTQIA+ community and tries to help them save their drag queen bar before it is purchased by a developer and turned into condos. He eventually takes on a drag persona himself.
This independent picture earned some award nominations at the Canadian Screen Awards (which is the Canadian equivalent of the Oscars), but hasn’t been seen by many in the U.S. Reviews that have appeared have been generally upbeat, calling the film cute, funny and heartwarming. For the time being, this is a DVD-only release.
It stars Alexandra Billings, Ryan Ali, Thom Allison Kiriana Stanton and Dani Jazzar.
YOU KNOW, FOR KIDS!
If you’re looking for kid-friendly entertainment, this is your best bet this week (and it’s probably for older kids).
My Adventures with Superman Season 1 (Warner Bros.) DVD
ON THE TUBE!
Below is a list of the TV-related releases coming your way.
American Experience: The Cancer Detectives (PBS) DVD
Hallmark 2-Movie Collection: Love in the Great Smoky Mountains: A National Park Romance & 3 Bed, 2 Bath, 1 Ghost (Hallmark) DVD
Masterpiece: Alice & Jack (PBS) DVD
My Adventures with Superman Season 1 (Warner Bros.) DVD
VISIT: WWW.CINEMASTANCE.COM
By Glenn Kay
For the Sun
