By Bob Bloom The following titles are being released on Tuesday, Dec. 29, unless otherwise noted:
Honest Thief (Blu-ray + DVD + digital) Details: 2020, Universal Studios Home Entertainment Rated: PG-13, strong violence, crude references, language The lowdown: With the exception of a couple of titles over the past few years, it seems that Liam Neeson has been churning out these formulaic action thrillers in which he’s a one-man army seeking to right a wrong. He is basically taking the paycheck and running to the next movie set. And that is too bad. Neeson has skills, but lately he is not taking many opportunities to apply them. In “Honest Thief,” he plays Tom Carter, who, over the years, has stolen $9 million from small-town banks, while keeping his identity a secret. His transformation begins when he falls in love with Annie (Kate Walsh). He decides to reveal his criminal past and return all the money. But he is double-crossed by the pair of FBI agents who decide to keep the stolen loot for themselves and frame Carter for a murder. Of course, he goes after the two to clear his name and retrieve the money. This lone vigilante stage of Neeson’s career should end; he’s getting too old and the movies continue to get stale. Critics basically felt the same, giving the movie a 40 percent fresh rating at Rotten Tomatoes. Technical aspects: Blu-ray: 1080p high definition, 2.39:1 widescreen picture; English 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio and 2.0 Dolby digital DVS; English SDH and Spanish subtitles; DVD: 2.39:1 anamorphic widescreen picture; English 5.1 Dolby digital; English SDH and Spanish subtitles.
Guncrazy (Blu-ray) Release date: Dec. 15 Details: 1992, MVD Rewind Collection Rated: R, graphic violence, language, sexual content The lowdown: Drew Barrymore and James LeGros star in this very loose remake of Joseph H. Lewis’ 1950 low-budget, noir classic. Barrymore plays Anita, a California teenager with an absentee mother, who becomes pen-pals with imprisoned convict Howard. Howard, who is obsessed with guns, is paroled. He and Anita hook up and, to please Howard, Anita learns about weapons. She later kills her mother’s boyfriend, who is trying to rape her. Howard and Anita go on the run, with the police close behind. The supporting cast of this MVD Rewind Collection release includes Jeremy Davies, Michael Ironside, Joe Dallesandro, Billy Drago and Ione Skye. Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 1.78:1 widescreen picture; English 5.1 Dolby digital surround and 2.0 LPCM monaural and Spanish 2.0 Dolby digital stereo; English and Spanish subtitles. Don’t miss: Extras include a commentary track with director Tamra Davis and Barrymore, two making of featurettes, a profile of Davis and five behind-the-scenes clips.
Cinema Paradiso (4K UHD + Blu-ray) Release date: Dec. 8 Details: 1988, Arrow Academy Rated: PG The lowdown: This two-disc set features the original theatrical version as well as the longer director’s cut of this Academy Award-winning Italian feature that celebrates the power and impact of movies. The story centers on Salvatore, a young boy in war-torn Sicily, and Alfredo, the projectionist at the local movie theater, where Salvatore goes to escape. Alfredo instills the boy with a deep love of cinema that carries over to manhood, where Salvatore takes over as the theater’s projectionist. Alfredo, knowing the young man has talent, convinces Salvatore to leave the small town and pursue his passion for filmmaking. The movie is a treasure, one that touches the heart of movie buffs. Technical aspects: 4K UHD: 2160p, ultra-high definition, 1.66:1 picture; Italian 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio; English subtitles; Blu-ray: 1080p high definition, 1.66:1 picture; Italian LPCM monaural; English subtitles. Don’t miss: Bonus options include a commentary track, a study of the kissing sequence, a documentary about the movie’s director and a short documentary on the making of the movie.
Tremors: Limited Edition (4K UHD + Blu-ray) Tremors: Limited Edition (Blu-ray) Release date: Dec. 15 Details: 1990, Arrow Video Rated: PG-13, violence, language The lowdown: This feature has gained a following because of its 1950s creature-feature vibe that combined horror and humor as a group of small-town residents battle gigantic man-eating creatures that live underground. Kevin Bacon and Fred Ward star as two good ol’ boys who lead the battle against the monsters. The movie, which costars Finn Carter, Michael Gross and Reba McEntire, spawned a series of sequels. These limited edition sets are being released in two formats — one a 4K UHD-Blu-ray combo and the other a standard Blu-ray set. Either way you see it, you will have fun watching as giant worms turn on humans, who fight back with anything they can find or devise. Technical aspects: 4K UHD: 2160p ultra high definition 1.85:1 widescreen picture; English 5.1, 4.0 & 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio; English SDH subtitles; Blu-ray: 1080p high definition, 1.85:1 widescreen picture; English 5.1, 4.1 & 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio; English SDH subtitles. Don’t miss: Bonus options include a commentary tracks, a documentary on the making of the movie, a featurette on the movie’s road to the screen, an interview with director of photography Alexander Gruszynski, interviews with the special effects crew, on-set stories from associate producer Ellen Collett, a featurette on the film’s music with composers Ernest Troost and Robert Folk, a series of overdubs from the television version, a 1995 documentary on the making of the movie, an archival compilation showing the making of the Graboids, an electronic press kit and interviews with Bacon, Gross and McEntire, deleted scenes, the original opening scene, extended interviews with filmmakers, outtakes and three early short films by the makers of “Tremors.”
Chuck Berry: The Original King of Rock ‘n’ Roll (Blu-ray) Release date: Nov. 27 Details: 2018, MVD Visual Entertainment Rated: Not rated The lowdown: A documentary that looks at the life and career of rock ‘n’ roll pioneer Chuck Berry, focusing mostly on his music and his influence on other musicians. The movie is a conventional documentary chronicling Berry’s career, his family and the ups and downs of his life. Among those interviewed in the movie are Keith Richards, Gene Simmons, Alice Cooper, Steve Van Zandt and Nils Lofgren. The film does not break any new ground about Berry, it is simply a celebration of a music icon. Fans will definitely enjoy it. Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, widescreen picture; English Dolby digital. Don’t miss: Extended interviews are the major bonus offerings.
Versus (Blu-ray) Release date: Dec. 8 Details: 2000, Arrow Video Rated: Not rated The lowdown: An escaped prisoner and a mysterious woman must fight for their lives against all kinds of dangers, including undead fighters, in Japan’s Forest of Resurrection. This forest has been the battlefield for the forces of good vs. evil for centuries. This two-disc set includes “Ultimate Versus,” a longer version than the theatrical release of the movie and the option for an English-language version of the film. This is a particular favorite among aficionados of Japanese cinema. Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 1.85:1 widescreen picture; Japanese 6.1 and 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, 2.0 LPCM monaural and English 6.1 DTS-HD Master Audio and 2.0 LPCM monaural; English subtitles. Don’t miss: Extras include three commentary tracks, several behind-the-scenes looks at the movie, deleted scenes, a look at newly shot footage and a booklet.
Tourist Trap (Blu-ray + DVD) Release date: Nov. 24 Details: 1979, PG The lowdown: “The Rifleman” himself, Chuck Connors stars as Mr. Slausen in this low-budget horror outing about the owner of an eerie and deserted wax museum whose life-like figures are very creepy. When four young travelers are stranded near the museum, Slausen welcomes them. They soon realize that Slausen is crazy as he unleashes a horde of psychically controlled mannequins and other evils upon them. The four fight for their lives as shock after shock descends upon them. The movie’s nightmarish finale is a bit of a shock, but not more grotesque than those of other horror-slasher movies of the era. The set features the uncut version of the film on Blu-ray and DVD. It comes in a vintage, repackaged VHS box. Technical aspects: Blu-ray: 1080p high definition, 1.78:1 widescreen picture; English 5.1 Dolby digital; DVD: 1.78:1 widescreen picture; English 2.0 Dolby digital. Don’t miss: The main extra is a Mr. Slausen figurine.
“Survivor Ballads: Three Films by Shohei Imamura” (Blu-ray)” Release date: Dec. 8 Details: 1983-89, Arrow Academy Rated: Not rated The lowdown: This three-disc set can serve as an introduction to Japanese director Shohei Imamura, whose films are not that well known in the United States. The films in this set are “The Ballad of Narayama” (1983), “Zegen” (1987) and “Black Rain” (1989). “The Ballad of Narayama” deals with Orin, a 69-year-old woman still in good health. Unfortunately, her village, where food is scarce and life is very harsh, has a tradition that anyone who lives to 70 is taken to a mountaintop by their children in the dead of winter and left to die. Orin accepts this fate, but before she goes, she has one task to accomplish — finding a suitable wife for her son. “Zegen” is about a man who believes his calling is to manage a series of brothels in Japan and its “colonies.” The movie is a dark comedy in which Imamura is offering a different perspective at his country’s history. “Black Rain” tells the story of a young woman who is in Hiroshima when the atomic bomb is dropped. She survives unscathed. But even though she remains healthy, the stigma of being in Hiroshima haunts her throughout her life. Fans of Japanese cinema will find these selections interesting as well as challenging. Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 1.85:1 widescreen picture; Japanese DTS-HD Master Audio monaural; English subtitles. Don’t miss: Extras include commentary tracks and appreciation featurettes on all three films, an alternate ending on “Black Rain” and interviews with “Black Rain” star Yoshiko Tanaka and assistant director Takashi Miike.
Other titles being released on Tuesday, unless otherwise indicated: Zombie Bro (DVD & digital) (Indican Pictures) Blade: The Iron Cross (Blu-ray) (Full Moon Features, Dec. 10)
DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, STREAMING or VOD Two Ways Home (Gravitas Ventures) Cleaning Up: Episode 1 (Sundance Now, Dec. 31) The Commons: Episode 5 (Sundance Now, Dec. 31) Total Control: Episode 3 (Sundance Now, Dec. 31) 19-2: Series 1 (Acorn TV, Jan. 1) Cobra Kai: Season 3 (www.netflix.com/cobrakai) (Netflix, Jan. 1) Shadow in the Cloud (Vertical-Redbox Entertainment, Jan. 1) Sing Me a Song (Participant, Jan. 1) We Can Be Heroes (www.netflix.com/WeCanBeHeroes) (Netflix, Jan. 1) The Young Victoria (Sundance Now, Jan. 1) A Suitable Boy: Episode 6 (Acorn TV, Jan. 4) The Bone Detective (Acorn TV, Jan. 4) The Crimson Petal and the White (Acorn TV, Jan. 4) Trouble the Water (Sundance Now, Jan. 4) The Wait (Sundance Now, Jan. 4)
Coming next week: Love and Monsters
I am a founding member of the Indiana Film Journalists Association. I review movies, Blu-rays and DVDs for ReelBob (ReelBob.com), The Film Yap and other print and online publications. I can be reached by email at bobbloomjc@gmail.com. You also can follow me on Twitter @ReelBobBloom and on Facebook at ReelBob or the Indiana Film Journalists Association. My movie reviews also can be found at Rotten Tomatoes: www.rottentomatoes.com.