By Bob Bloom The following titles are being released on Tuesday, Jan. 26, unless otherwise noted: Come Play (Blu-ray + digital) Details: 2020, Universal Studios Home Entertainment Rated: PG-13, terror, frightening images, language The lowdown: Oliver, a lonely young boy desperate for a friend, finds refuge in his cell phone and tablet. When a mysterious entity uses Oliver’s devices against him to enter our world, the boy’s parents must fight to save their son from the monster. The film’s scares are intermittent and the use of monster POV shots are old-hat by now. Critics were divided about the movie’s impact, awarding the film a 56 percent fresh rating at Rotten Tomatoes. Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 2.39:1 widescreen picture; English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, English 2.0 DVS and French and Spanish 5.1 DTS digital surround; English SDH, French and Spanish subtitles.
The Climb (DVD) Release date: Jan. 19 Details: 2020, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment Rated: R, language, sexual content, nudity, drug use The lowdown: This comedy is a strong about friendship and the challenges of maintaining a relationship with some who is more a hindrance than a supporter. The film mixes laughs, with some sadness; it also has some cringe-worthy moments. Yet the movie, told through a series of vignettes, feels genuine and the relationship between its two protagonist rings true. A vast majority of critics also believed that, awarding the movie an 89 percent fresh rating at Rotten Tomatoes. Technical aspects: 200:1 anamorphic widescreen picture; English 5.1 Dolby digital, English audio description track and Spanish 5.1 Dolby digital; English SDH, English, French and Spanish subtitles. Don’t miss: Bonus options include deleted and alternate scenes, a commentary track and an original short film.
The Kid Detective (DVD) Release date: Jan. 19 Details: 2020, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment Rated: R, language, drug use, violence, sexual references, nudity The lowdown: Adam Brody stars in this dark comedy about a once-famous kid detective, who now as a 31-year-old adult, continues to solve the same kind of trivial cases between bouts of hangovers and self-pity. His life changes when a young woman hires him for an adult assignment — discover who murdered her boyfriend. The movie, which earned a 79 fresh rating at Rotten Tomatoes, is part crime story as well as an interesting character study. Brody’s performance helps propel the movie. Technical aspects: 2.39:1 anamorphic widescreen picture; English 5.1 Dolby digital; English SDH and English subtitles.
Batman: Soul of the Dragon (4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + digital) Details: 2020, Warner Home Entertainment Rated: R, violence The lowdown: This DC Universe Elseworlds adventure is set in the 1970s where we find Bruce Wayne training under a master sensei. Wayne and his fellow students, who include Lady Shiva, Ben Turner and Richard Dragon, bond. Years later, the students must reunite to take down a deadly criminal organization. The animated adventure’s influences include Bruce Lee’s “Enter the Dragon” and DC’s own “Batman Begins.” Still, it is a decent addition to the roll of movies made available by the DC Universe. Technical aspects: 4K: 2160p 4K Ultra HD, 1.78:1 widescreen picture; English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio and Spanish 2.0 Dolby digital; English SDH and French subtitles; Blu-ray: 1080p high definition, 1.78:1 widescreen picture; English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio and French and Spanish 2.0 Dolby digital; English SDH, French and Spanish subtitles. Don’t miss: Supplemental materials include a featurette on the early 70s, its culture, cinema and impact on “Soul of the Dragon”; a featurette on producer Jim Krieg’s funniest in-character appearances; a sneak peek at the upcoming “Justice Society: World War II”; a look back at two earlier DC features; and two Batman episodes from the DC Vault.
Synchronic (Blu-ray) Details: 2019, Well Go USA Entertainment Rated: R, language, drug content, violence and bloody images The lowdown: Two New Orleans paramedics, Steve (Anthony Mackie) and Dennis (Jamie Dornan), must deal with a series of strange and gruesome accidents and deaths tied to a new and mysterious party drug, called Synchronic, found at some of the scenes. Things get personal for the friends when Dennis’ oldest daughter disappears and Steve accidentally uncovers a terrifying secret about the psychedelic used in the drug. This is an entertaining science-fiction thriller, despite a couple of subplots that are not that fully developed. Critics were impressed enough, though, to give the movie an 81 percent fresh rating at Rotten Tomatoes. Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 2.39:1 widescreen picture; English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio; English SDH subtitles. Don’t miss: Extras include a commentary track, a making of featurette, a behind-the-scenes previsualization, a VFX breakdown, deleted scene and alternate ending.
Bordertown: Season 1 (Blu-ray) Details: 2016, Kino Lorber Rated: Not rated The lowdown: A three-disc set featuring the first season of this Finnish crime thriller centering on chief investigator Kari Sorjonen, who has moved to a small town on the Finnish-Russian border to enjoy a more peaceful life after his wife barely survives brain cancer. As the town’s new police chief, Sorjonen has to use all his skills to investigate several murders and hunt for a serial killer who is stalking the community. He soon discovers that these crimes are not only related to each other, but also to his family. The 11 episodes are entertaining and chilling. Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 1.78:1 widescreen picture; Finnish 2.0 DTS-HD; English subtitles.
Southland Tales (Blu-ray) Details: 2006, Arrow Films Rated: R, violence, sexual material, drug content, language The lowdown: Dwayne Johnson stars in this dystopian sci-fi feature who, with the United States under threat of a nuclear attack, begins to plan his next film. He is aided by porn actress Krysta Now (Sarah Michelle Gellar) and troubled policeman Roland Taverner (Seann William Scott). Johnson’s Boxer Santaros is suffering from amnesia, Gellar’s Now also is planning a reality TV project and Scott’s Taverner has developed a split personality. This very strange movie was directed by Richard Kelly, who helmed “Donnie Darko.” This two-disc set features the 145-minute theatrical cut and the 160-minute “Cannes cut,” which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in 2006. Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 2.35:1 widescreen picture; English 5.1 and 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio; English SDH subtitles. Don’t miss: Extras include a three-part documentary, ‘It’s a Madcap World: The Making of an Unfinished Film,” which goes behind-the-scenes of the troubled production; a commentary track with Kelly; an archival making of featurette; an animated short, “This Is the Way the World Ends,” that is set in the movie’s universe; and a booklet about the movie.
Trafficked: A Parent’s Worst Nightmare (DVD) Details: 2020, Virgil Films-Kino Lorber Rated: Not rated The lowdown: A teenage girl goes missing on the eve of her 16th birthday. When the police refuse to help the parents of the girl find her, they turn to John Belton (Dean Cain), a private investigator with a dark past and a reputation for using questionable methods. Belton soon realizes that the girl, Allison (Sophie Bolen), was coerced by a handsome young man she met on social media and had since been trafficked. It is a race against time for Belton to save her. The movie supposedly is based on multiple real-life cases of sex trafficking. The cast also features Kristy Swanson and Mark Boyd as the girl’s parents. Technical aspects: 16:9 (enhanced) anamorphic widescreen picture; English 5.1 Dolby digital; English SDH subtitles.
Nasrin (DVD) Details: 2020, Virgil Films-Kino Lorber Rated: Not rated The lowdown: This powerful documentary was filmed surreptitiously in Iran to tell the story of human rights activist Nasrin Sotoudeh, arrested in 2018, sentenced to 38 years in prison and 148 lashes for representing women who protested Iran’s mandatory hajib law. Nasrin had spent several years fighting for the rights of religious minorities, women, LBGT prisoners, journalists and artists. The movie is narrated by Academy Award-winner Oliva Colman and features interviews with other human rights activists and journalists, including Ann Curry. Technical aspects: 16:9 anamorphic widescreen picture; English and Farsi 2.0 Dolby digital; English, Farsi and Spanish subtitles.
The Changin’ Times of Ike White (DVD) Details: 2019, Kino Lorber Rated: Not rated The lowdown: In 1976, an amazing album entitled “Changin’ Times” was released. The album was notable for the circumstances in which it was recorded — an American prison. The artist was Ike White, a musical prodigy, who was locked up at 19 and was serving a life sentence for murder. This documentary uses never-before-seen archival footage to trace White’s life from inmate to free man and a reinvention of himself as a performer called David Maestro. The movie is a fascinating story of reinvention and the inner demons that drove a man. Technical aspects: 1.78:1 (16x9 enhanced) widescreen picture; English 2.0 Dolby digital; English SDH subtitles.
Other titles being released on Tuesday, unless otherwise indicated: Born a Champion (Blu-ray & DVD) (Lionsgate Home Entertainment) Mean Man: The Story of Chris Holmes (Blu-ray) (Cleopatra Entertainment, Jan. 15)
DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, STREAMING or VOD #Like (Dame Work Inc.) Caged (Shout! Studios) Freaky (Universal Studios Home Entertainment) The Night Caller: Episode 2 (Sundance Now) Cleaning Up: Episode 5 (Sundance Now, Jan. 28) Finding ‘Ohana (www.netflix.com/FindingOhana) (Netflix, Jan. 29) I’ll Be Gone in the Dark (HBO Home Entertainment, Jan. 29) The Night (IFC Midnight, Jan. 29) Notturno (Neon, Jan. 29) A Discovery of Witches: Season 2, Episode 4 (Sundance Now, Jan. 30) The Lady and the Dale (HBO Home Entertainment, Jan. 31) The Swamp (HBO Home Entertainment, Jan. 31)
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.