By Bob Bloom
The following titles are being released on Tuesday, July 17, unless otherwise noted:
Disobedience (Blu-ray + digital) Details: 2018, Universal Studios Home Entertainment Rated: R, sexual content The lowdown: Rachel Weisz and Rachel McAdams star in this drama set in a London Orthodox Jewish Community about the estranged daughter of the rabbinic leader of the community who returns home after his death. There, she reconnects with two childhood friends, a young man who is heir apparent to her father’s place, and the young woman with whom she had an affair, which forced the daughter to leave the community. McAdams’ Esti and Alessandro Nivola’s Dovid are now married, but that does not stop Esti and Weisz’s Ronit from reigniting their passions. The movie, directed by Sebastián Lelio, who helmed the Academy Award-winning foreign language film, “A Fantastic Woman,” brings a sensitivity to this story that explores the boundaries of faith and sexuality. The movie garnered an 84 percent fresh rating at Rottentomatoes.com. Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 2.39:1 widescreen picture; English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio; English SDH and Spanish subtitles.
Rampage (Blu-ray + DVD + digital) Details: 2018, Warner Home Video Rated: PG-13, action violence and destruction, language, crude gestures The lowdown: This is a big, dumb, snack-munching, creature-feature monster movie that asks nothing of you, but to sit back, relax and enjoy the improbable ride. The only people who may be offended by the film are the residents of Chicago, who could protest seeing their downtown being leveled by a trio of genetically-mutated animals — a giant gorilla, a giant wolf that can sprout wings and fly, and a humongous crocodile that can swallow vehicles in a single gulp. The movie is silly, for sure. Its major flaw is that it does not embrace the ridiculous premise wholeheartedly. “Rampage” takes itself a bit too seriously, trying to claw its way as a straight sci-fi, big beasty excursion. Keeping it from going over the cliff is the charisma of Dwayne Johnson as primatologist Davis Okeye, and Jeffrey Dean Morgan as government agent Harvey Russell. The film is based on an arcade game, which explains why some sequences of titanic animals swatting various vehicles on land and in the air seem so cartoonish. “Rampage” is a guilty-pleasure outing, easily digested. It’s like a visit to a cinematic amusement park — a nice diversion to simply pass the time away. Technical aspects: Blu-ray: 1080p high definition, 2.40:1 (16x9 enhanced) widescreen picture; English Dolby Atmos TrueHD, 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, 5.1 descriptive audio and French and Spanish 5.1 Dolby digital; English SDH, French and Spanish subtitles; DVD: 2.40:1 (16x9 enhanced) widescreen picture; English and French 5.1 Dolby digital; English SDH, French and Spanish subtitles. Don’t miss: Bonus materials include a featurette on how the arcade game was transformed into a movie, a gag reel, deleted scenes, a behind-the-scenes look at cast members preparing for some of the stunts, a behind-the-scenes examination of the special effects and the climactic battle, a look at filming in Chicago and a look at bringing George the gorilla to life.
I Feel Pretty (Blu-ray + DVD + digital) Details: 2018, Universal Studios Home Entertainment Rated: PG-13, sexual content, partial nudity, language The lowdown: The premise of this Amy Schumer comedy is that self-esteem triumphs over beauty, but every plot point in the film basically retreats from its core theme. Schumer’s Renee struggles with feeling insecure and inadequate, until she takes a spill at a gym, bumps her head and wakes up with enough self-confidence to populate an entire city. Renee suddenly believes she is beautiful and capable of anything. And with this new outlook, she sets out to get her dream job, a boyfriend and fearlessly live the life she believes she deserves. Unfortunately, the script cannot live up to the potential of what the movie wants to say, nor can it sustain Schumer’s fine performance. The majority of critics believed the film was a cop-out, thus its bland 32 percent fresh rating at Rottentomatoes.com. Technical aspects: Blu-ray: 1080p high definition, 2.40:1 widescreen picture; English 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, English 2.0 DVS and Spanish 5.1 DTS digital surround; English SDH and Spanish subtitles; DVD: 2.40:1 anamorphic widescreen picture; English and Spanish 5.1 Dolby digital and English 2.0 DVS; English SDH and Spanish subtitles. Don’t miss: Extras include an interview with cast members reflecting on what it means to be pretty, a gag reel and deleted scenes.
The Good Place: The Complete Second Season Details: 2017-18, Shout! Factory Rated: TV-PG The lowdown: A two-disc set featuring all 13 episodes of the hilarious NBC series starring Ted Danson and Kristen Bell. The second season finds Danson’s inept Michael trying to cover up his failure to torture Bell’s Eleanor and her friends, Chidi, Tahani and Jason. Michael must contrive another plan, or his soul will be damned for eternity. Desperate, Michael turns to Eleanor for help. This is a laugh-out-loud show that is thoroughly entertaining. It is abetted by Danson’s performance and his chemistry with Bell. Technical aspects: 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen picture; English 5.1 Dolby digital; English closed-captioned subtitles. Don’t miss: Bonus options include extended episodes, commentaries on select episodes, a gag reel and a visual effects reel.
The Leisure Seeker Release date: July 10 Details: 2018, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment Rated: R, sexual material The lowdown: Helen Mirren and Donald Sutherland star as a runaway couple who take off in their RV on a road trip from their home in Boston to the Ernest Hemingway Home in Key West, Fla. En route, the couple recapture their passion for life and each other. The performances by Mirren and Sutherland are much better than the screenplay, which plays more like a road movie than a character study. Critics were unimpressed with the movie, giving it a 36 percent fresh rating at Rottentomatoes.com. Technical aspects: 2.39:1 anamorphic widescreen picture; English, Spanish and English description track 5.1 Dolby digital; English SDH, English and Spanish subtitles. Don’t miss: Supplemental options include a making of featurette and a conversation with Mirren and Sutherland.
Traffik (Blu-ray + Ultraviolet) Details: 2018, Lionsgate Home Entertainment Rated: R, violent and disturbing material, language, drug use, sexual content The lowdown: Paula Patton and Omar Epps play Brea and John, a couple whose weekend getaway at a secluded mountain estate goes terribly south after they discover the hidden world of a brutal biker gang. Brea and John are joined by friends Darren (Laz Alonso) and Malia (Roselyn Sanchez) in a fight for survival against a gang that will go as far as necessary to protect its secrets. The movie received a limited theatrical release, garnering a 26 percent fresh rating at Rottentomatoes.com, with just six of 23 reviews favoring the feature. Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 2.40:1 (16x9 enhanced) widescreen picture; English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio and English descriptive audio; English SDH, English and Spanish subtitles. Don’t miss: A making of featurette and a behind-the-scenes look at the production design are the major bonus offerings.
Other titles being released on Tuesday, unless otherwise indicated: 1/1 (Blu-ray + DVD + VOD) (Gravitas Ventures-Narrator Entertainment) Across the River (DVD + digital download + VOD) (Random Media) Baja (Gravitas Ventures) The Case of the Scorpion’s Tale (Blu-ray) (Arrow Video) Doom Asylum (Blu-ray) (Arrow Video) Woman Is the Future of Man + Tale of Cinema: Two Films by Hong Sangsoo (Blu-ray) (Arrow Academy)
FOR KIDS OK K.O.! Let’s Be Heroes: T.K.O. (Cartoon Network-Warner Home Video)
DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, STREAMING or VOD Bronx S.I.U. (Urban Movie Channel-Amazon Prime, July 19) Bed of Roses, Series 3 (Acorn TV, July 23) Birds of a Feather Christmas Special (Acorn TV, July 23)
Coming next week: Ready Player One A Matter of Life and Death
I am a 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. My movie reviews also can be found at Rottentomatoes: www.rottentomatoes.com.