By Bob Bloom The following titles will be released on Tuesday, July 24, unless otherwise noted: Ready Player One (Blu-ray + DVD + digital) Details: 2018, Warner Home Video Rated: PG-13, science fiction action violence, bloody images, suggestive material, language The lowdown: “Ready Player One” is a lot of fun. And you’ll get giddy trying to pick out the legion of 1980s’ pop-culture references that inundate the movie. But “Ready Player One” also offers a subtle message about getting lost in technology and ignoring the real world around you. The movie, based on Ernest Cline’s best-selling YA novel, from a screenplay by Zak Penn and Cline, is set in Columbus, Ohio, in 2045. It’s your usual dystopian future in which the world has gone to hell. To escape, most people spend their time in the Oasis, an immersive virtual world where they can be whomever — or whatever — they want. Wade Watts is one of those people. But, he also is different. The young man, who says his father named him Wade Watts because it sounded like a super hero’s secret identity, is obsessed with the late creator of the Oasis — James Halliday. Before he died, Halliday left clues within his world to three hidden keys that will give the player who finds them control of the Oasis. Wade and his friends — known as the High Five — take part in the challenge. Wade, whose avatar uses the name Parzival within the Oasis, also gets help from Art3mis, a legendary player. Together, they begin deciphering Halliday’s clues, allowing Parzival to beat the first challenge and claim a key. Also seeking the keys is Innovative Online Industries (IOI), a corporation that has hired hundreds of players — called Sixers because they are identified by numbers — to compete in Halliday’s challenges. IOI, led by Nolan Sorrento, wants to control Oasis, so it — and he — can profit immensely from it. The major draw of “Ready Player One” is, of course, the hundreds of familiar pop-culture characters, music and images that explode throughout the movie like an erupting volcano. It is no surprise that “Ready Player One” was directed by Steven Spielberg. He and the movie are a perfect fit. Cline’s world and Spielberg’s vision of it mesh as well as John Ford and the Old West. The movie definitely plays into Spielberg’s strength as a storyteller. And despite the near sensory overload of 1980s’ references, Spielberg keeps you interested and focused on the storyline and characters. Critics thought so, giving the movie a respectable 73 percent fresh rating at Rottentomatoes.com. “Ready Player Five” is a total geekfest, with so much thrown at you that it will take a couple of viewings to catch it all. Or, you can watch it frame-by-frame — by utilizing many freeze-frames — to identify the army of Easter Eggs embedded in the movie. Technical aspects: Blu-ray: 1080p high definition, 2.40:1 (16x9 enhanced) widescreen picture; English Dolby Atmos TrueHD, English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, English 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, French and Spanish 5.1 Dolby digital and English descriptive audio; English SDH, French and Spanish subtitles. Don’t miss: Bonus offerings include several featurettes that go behind the scenes and offer Easter eggs about the movie. They include, “Game Changer: Cracking the Code,” “Effects of a Brave New World,” “Level Up: The Sound for the Future,” “High Score: Endgame,” “The ’80’s: You’re the Inspiration” and “Ernie and Tye’s Excellent Adventure.”
A Matter of Life and Death: Special Edition (Blu-ray) Details: 1946, The Criterion Collection Rated: Not rated The lowdown: The legendary British filmmaking team of Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger created this timeless romantic fantasy, set during the last day of World War II, about a British bomber pilot who jumps without a parachute from his burning plane only to survive. David Niven plays the pilot and Kim Hunter plays the American radio operator to whom he delivered what he thought were his dying wishes. In the hereafter, however, alarms sound when it is discovered that a messenger who was supposed to escort Niven’s pilot missed grabbing him in an English fog. Those in charge in the hereafter move to rectify the situation, but the young pilot, who has fallen in love with the American girl, decides he now has much to live for and demands an appeal and a trial. The film is a wonderful imaginative experience that moves between vivid color sequences on Earth and solid black-and-white modernist scenes in the hereafter. Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 1.37:1 full-screen picture; English LPCM monaural; English SDH subtitles. Don’t miss: Extras include a 2008 interview about the film with Martin Scorsese, a 2009 commentary track, an film editor Thelma Schoonmaker, Powell’s widow, a short documentary of the movie’s visual effects, “The Colour Merchant,” a 1998 short film featuring cinematographer Jack Cardiff, a 1986 British TV program featuring Powell, a reconstruction demonstration and an essay about the movie.
Love After Love Details: 2018, IFC Films-MPI Media Group Rated: Not rated The lowdown: A family drama that centers on the reactions of people after the deaths of a loved one. Suzanne (Andie MacDowell), a recent widow slowly begins to seek companionship. Her attempts at dating creating conflicts with her older son, Nicholas (Chris O’Dowd), whose relationship with his girlfriend is melting. At the same time, Suzanne’s younger son, Chris (James Adomian) is dealing with grief in his own way that is worrying his family. The movie is an emotional journey that examines the strength of family ties. Technical aspects: 1.78:1 widescreen picture; English 5.1 Dolby digital; English SDH and Spanish subtitles. Don’t miss: A short film is the major bonus offering.
Super Troopers 2 (Blu-ray + DVD + digital) Release date: July 17 Details: 2018, Fox Home Entertainment Rated: R, crude sexual content, language, drug use, nudity The lowdown: The Broken Lizard comedy team returns in the sequel to the cult favorite. The plot centers on a border dispute between the U.S. and Canada and the team of Vermont Highway Patrolmen are called upon to settle the situation. The humor is a bit low-brow at times and uneven. Your enjoyment quotient depends on your reaction to the first movie. Critics were tepid, giving the movie a 31 percent fresh rating at Rottentomatoes.com. Technical aspects: Blu-ray: 1080p high definition, 1.85:1 widescreen picture; English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, English 5.1 Dolby digital descriptive audio and Spanish and French 5.1 Dolby digital; English SDH, French and Spanish subtitles; DVD: 1.85:1 widescreen picture; English 5.1 Dolby digital and descriptive audio and Spanish and French 2.0 Dolby digital; English SDH, French and Spanish subtitles. Don’t miss: Extras include a making of featurette, extended and deleted scenes and a featurette of Kevin Heffernan: Method Actor.
The Navigator: A Medieval Odyssey (Blu-ray) Details: 1988, Arrow Video Rated: PG The lowdown: Director Vincent Ward’s fantasy about a Griffin, a young boy with psychic powers, who has visions that he believes will help him save his village. The setting is Cumbria in 1348, the year the Black Death was ravaging whole populations. Griffin encourages a small band of men to tunnel into the earth, and when they surface, they are in 1980s New Zealand — a future beyond anything they can believe or comprehend. Despite these challenges, Griffin is determined to complete his quest. The movie, which has become a cult favorite, is a startling brew of medieval fantasy and time travel science fiction that is quite original and compelling. Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 1.85:1 widescreen picture; English LPCM monaural; English SDH subtitles. Don’t miss: Supplemental materials include a profile of Ward, an appreciation of the movie by film critic Nick Roddick and an illustrated booklet.
Memoirs of an Invisible Man (Blu-ray) Details: 1992, Scream Factory Rated: PG-13, language, violence, sexual situations The lowdown: Chevy Chase stars as Nick Halloway, a stock analyst who, after a nuclear accident, is rendered invisible. The movie highlights the effects created by Industrial Light and Magic as Halloway now finds it easy to spy on agents, led by Sam Neill, who put him in his predicament. Halloway’s new ability also allows him to romance a documentary filmmaker, played by Daryl Hannah, is his own unique way. John Carpenter directed this sci-fi comedy, which is a hit-or-miss affair. Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 2.35:1 widescreen picture; English DTS-HD Master Audio monaural; English subtitles. Don’t miss: Extras include outtakes, a featurette on creating the movie’s effects and vintage interviews with Carpenter, Chase and Hannah.
You Will Be Mine Details: 2018, Film Movement Rated: Not rated, sexual content, mature themes The lowdown: This French import centers on a Marie (Judith Davis), a promising young concert pianist, who leaves home to study at the Lyon National Conservatory. Marie, a shy and innocent young woman, moves in with her childhood friend, Emma (Isild Le Besco), who has lived alone since the death of her father. The women quickly form an intimate bond that soon develops into an powerful sexual relationship. Over time, though, Emma grows more and more possessive and controlling, forcing Marie to reconsider her feelings for her friend with her need to flee from Emma’s overwhelming presence. Technical aspects: 1.85:1 widescreen picture; French 2.0 Dolby digital stereo; English subtitles.
Gravity Falls: The Complete Series: Collector’s Edition (Blu-ray) Details: 2012-16, Shout! Factory Rated: Not rated The lowdown: A seven-disc set that contains all 40 episodes of this Disney Channel animated series about twins Dipper and Mabel Pines, who find unexpected adventures when they spend the summer with their great uncle, Grunkle Stan, in the very strange town of Gravity Falls, Ore. Propelling the series is a mysterious book found by Dipper that may help to explain the odd occurrences happening in Gravity Falls. The show enticed several guest stars, including Mark Hamill, J.K, Simmons, Will Forte, Nick Offerman and Nathan Fillion. The series developed a devoted following. Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 1.78:1 widescreen picture; English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio; English SDH subtitles. Don’t miss: Bonus offerings include commentaries on all episodes, a look back featurette with crew and cast members, a featurette with show creator Alex Hirsch and his twin, Ariel, remembering their own summers growing up, deleted scenes, a behind-the-scenes series finale special and interstitial programming between the first and second seasons.
Other titles being released on Tuesday, unless otherwise indicated: Dream Big: Engineering Our World (4K UHD + 3D Blu-ray + Blu-ray + digital) (Shout! Factory) National Parks Adventure (4K UHD + 3D Blu-ray + Blu-ray + digital) (Shout! Factory) The Three-Way Wedding (Film Movement)
DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, STREAMING or VOD Anchors Up! (The Orchard) Breaking In (Universal Studios Home Entertainment) Life of the Party (Warner Home Video) Lliza Shlesinger: Elder Millennia (Netflix) Rock Rubber 45s (Saboteur Media) The Row (Lionsgate Home Entertainment, July 27) Coastal Railways with Julie Walters (Acorn TV, July 30) Love Hurts, Series 1 (Acorn TV, July 30)
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.