Welcome to another look at some of the highlights arriving on Blu-ray and DVD.
BIG NEW RELEASES!
ELEMENTAL: The latest animated effort from Pixar and Disney is set in a city where the elements of air, earth, fire and water all live together. A young fire element is expected to take over her parents’ corner store when they retire, but she has trouble keeping her temper under control. When one of her outbursts threatens to close the store for good, she teams up with a water element to save the business. Despite being from and made of completely different elements, romance blossoms between the two.
Reviews were more positive than negative for this feature. About one-quarter didn’t think the romantic story was compelling and suggested that it also missed a lot of opportunities for humor and drama. Still, the majority were impressed by the spectacle and visuals and felt that its sweet and low-key message of love and understanding was effective.
The voice cast includes Leah Lewis, Mamoudou Athie, Ronnie del Carmen, Shila Ommi, Wendi McLendon-Covey and Catherine O’Hara.
THE ENGINEER: Based on a true story from the 1990s, this tale involves the sinister figure Yahya Ayyash, a master bombmaker who used a suicide squad to set up a series of deadly terrorist bombings in Israel. When one of the explosions kills the daughter of an U.S. senator, an ex-Mossad agent is hired to find the figure responsible and his crew. In order to do so, the protagonist recruits a special team of covert agents and the group goes undercover to locate the threat.
So far, this action-thriller has been universally panned by the press. They all wrote that the movie handled real events in a poor manner, noting that the pacing was sluggish, the story formulaic and that the final result lacked any kind of tension.
INSIDIOUS: THE RED DOOR: The fifth title in this franchise is actually a direct sequel to the first and second movies (the previous two films are actually prequels). In the latest entry, the father from the first chapter has repressed all memories of previous events and is separated from his wife. When he and his estranged, college-bound son begin having ghostly visions once again, the two come together to square off against demonic forces.
While the original was well-received, the sequels haven’t gotten great notices and this picture continues the trend. Slightly less than half stated that the creepy atmosphere kept them on the edge of their seats and felt there were enough jolts to entertain genre fans. The rest complained that, despite a good moment or two, this episode didn’t deliver scare and felt too familiar. They concluded that the series has now run its course.
NATTY KNOCKS: Set on Halloween, this tale focuses on a young babysitter looking after a pair of kids while trick or treaters wander the streets outside. The household is soon targeted by a serial killer, who is the son of a B-movie horror legend. The caregiver must use her wits and fighting skills to save the children and turn the tables on the maniac.
The press was split on this title and it received a few more negative write-ups than positive ones. Those who enjoyed it said the cast were excellent, that the film was slick and that it delivered a nostalgia kick emulating horror pictures from the 1970s. Slightly more criticized the picture for borrowing so many elements from other, stronger horror pictures and thought its attempts at meta-horror failed.
RUBY GILLMAN: TEENAGE KRAKEN: A teenage Kraken is the lead in this animated family film. She plays a shy and awkward monster and student desperate to fit in at her new high school. Things get complicated when the sweet-natured protagonist learns that she is next in line to lead her kind as a warrior queen… and that she may have to do battle with power-hungry and popular mermaids whom she attends class with.
The film received more positive notices than negative ones. Those who disliked the picture claimed that the story and writing was cliched and that it didn’t make a strong emotional connection with viewers. Still, more called the film a beautifully animated and enjoyable coming-of-age tale featuring some welcome twists and an important message to stand tall and be yourself.
SYMPATHY FOR THE DEVIL: After receiving a call from his wife that she is in labor, a man drives as fast as he can to the hospital. But before he can get out of his vehicle, a mysterious and armed stranger enters. The unhinged but chatty new arrival demands the driver take him to some unusual destinations, threatening to shoot him or anyone else who gets in their way. As the two talk, the crazed passenger’s motivations are slowly revealed.
This thriller received a wide array of comments, although more were amused than disappointed. Those who didn’t like the picture took issue with the exaggerated storytelling and wanted more character development. Others couldn’t help but be entertained by the engaging and sometimes over-the-top performances, as well as the bizarre and unexpected events depicted on the screen. They called it a stylish, wild and enjoyable B-movie.
It stars Nicolas Cage and Joel Kinnaman.
A THOUSAND AND ONE: A hairdresser and convicted thief loses custody of her child. After serving time, she returns to reestablish contact with her boy. She discovers her youngster is unhappy living in foster care. The lead snatches him away and the two attempt to make a fresh start while avoiding being caught by authorities. However, their relationship becomes complicated after the woman starts a new relationship with a fellow thief.
Overall, critics were impressed by this drama. A small number didn’t find it as compelling as hoped for, also commenting that story segments set late in the feature weren’t as convincing as the 1990s material. However, virtually everyone else wrote that this was a dynamic story with wonderful performances that completely immersed them in the lives of the characters.
YOU KNOW, FOR KIDS!
You’ll find some kid-friendly releases listed below.
Adventure Time The Complete Series (Warner Bros.) DVD
Cats Don’t Dance (Warner Archive) Blu-ray
Lonely Castle in the Mirror (GKIDS) Blu-ray
ON THE TUBE!
The week’s TV-show titles can be browsed below.
Adventure Time The Complete Series (Warner Bros.) DVD
Blue Collar The Complete Series (Warner Bros.) DVD
Darrow & Darrow The Complete Collection (Hallmark) DVD
Doomed Megalopolis: The Last Megalopolis (Japanese anime TV Mini-Series) (Media Blasters) Blu-ray
Family Matters The Complete Series (Warner Bros.) DVD
Interview with the Vampire Season 1 (RLJ Entertainment) Blu-ray
Loki Season 1 (Disney/Buena Vista) Various editions including Blu-ray, 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray/DVD
Mayfair Witch Season 1 (RLJ Entertainment) Blu-ray
Pennyworth The Complete Series (Warner Bros.) Blu-ray
Pennyworth The Third and Final Season (Warner Bros.) Blu-ray
VISIT: WWW.CINEMASTANCE.COM
By Glenn Kay
For the Sun