By Bob Bloom The following titles are being released on Tuesday, Nov. 17, unless otherwise noted:
Summerland (Blu-ray) Details: 2020, IFC Films-MPI Media Group Rated: PG, thematic content, suggestive comments, language, smoking The lowdown: This British drama set during World War II centers on Alice, a reclusive writer living a solitary life on the seaside cliffs of southern England. Her life is upended when Frank, a young evacuee from London whom she discovers that she had adopted, appears at her front door. Alice, at first, is resistant, but as time passes, she realizes that she and Frank have much common ground. The movie stars Gemma Arterton as Alice, Lucas Bond as Frank as well as Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Tom Courtenay. Many critics singled out Arterton’s solid performance for the film’s positive reception. The movie earned a 77 percent fresh rating at Rotten Tomatoes. Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 2.39:1 widescreen picture; English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio and 2.0 English description audio; English SDH and Spanish subtitles. Don’t miss: Bonus materials include a behind-the-scenes look at the movie and interviews with cast members and filmmakers.
Grace of My Heart (Blu-ray) Details: 1996, Scorpion Releasing-Kino Lorber Rated: R, language, drug use, sexual content The lowdown: This engaging, and somewhat overlooked, feature was inspired by the career of singer-songwriter Carole King. Illeana Douglas stars as Edna Buxton, a young woman from Philadelphia who wants to be a singer. Winning a contest, she heads to New York with a recording contract, but is quickly discarded. In the dumps, she is hired by music producer Joel Millner (a wonderful John Turturro) as a songwriter, who changes her name to Denise Waverly and cajoles her to write a string of doo-wop hits. The movie traces Denise’s career from the late 1950s through the early 1970s. It also looks at the influence of the men in her life, including Eric Stoltz as her songwriter-partner-first husband Howard Cazsatt, music writer John Murray (Bruce Davison) and singer-songwriter-producer Jay Phillips (Matt Damon), loosely based on the Beach Boys’ Brian Wilson. The film meanders here and there, until Denise finally finds her own voice. The movie earned a 75 percent fresh rating at Rotten Tomatoes. Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 1.85:1 widescreen picture; English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio; English SDH subtitles. Don’t miss: Supplemental options include a featurette on the creation and making of the movie, deleted scenes and a commentary track with writer-director Allison Anders.
Ulysses (Blu-ray) Details: 1954, Kino Lorber Studio Classics Rated: Not rated The lowdown: Kirk Douglas stars as the hero of Homer’s “Odyssey” in this semi-cheesy Italian production that follows the Trojan War hero’s quest to return to his kingdom of Ithaca and who is thwarted by the gods because of his arrogance. Along the way, Ulysses and his crew must deal with a man-eating cyclops, deadly sirens and the evil witch, Circe. At home, Ulysses’ loyal wife, Penelope (Sylvana Mangano), must contend with a group of suitors who have invaded her home and are pressuring her to choose one of them as her new husband. The movie also costars Anthony Quinn as the most dangerous and evil of Penelope’s would-be husbands. The Blu-ray offers the English and Italian versions of the movie. Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 1.37:1 full-screen picture; English 2.0 DTS-HD monaural; English subtitles. Don’t miss: The major bonus component is a commentary track by film historian Tim Lucas.
Silent Running (Blu-ray) Details: 1972, Arrow Video Rated: G The lowdown: Bruce Dern stars as botanist Freeman Lowell in this ecological-themed, futuristic science-fiction feature. After all botanical life on Earth ends, Lowell maintains a greenhouse on a space station as a way of preserving plants for future generations. He is assisted by a small human crew and three robots. When Lowell receives orders to destroy the greenhouse, he rebels, which puts him at odds with his fellow crew members. Only his robots support his decision. Together, they take whatever steps they deem necessary to preserve their greenery. The movie is a bit simplistic, but also intimate and thoughtful, with Dern giving a standout performance. Technical aspects: 1.85:1 widescreen picture; English DTS-HD Master Audio monaural; English SDH subtitles. Don’t miss: Extras include two commentary tracks, including one with director Douglas Trumbull and Dern; an isolated music and effects track; a look at the development of the screenplay; archival special features, including a making of featurette and interviews with Trumbull and Dern; and an insert booklet.
Dragnet (Blu-ray) Details: 1954, Kino Lorber Studio Classics Rated: Not rated The lowdown: In this big-screen adaptation of the popular radio and television series, Sgt. Joe Friday (Jack Webb, who also directed) and his partner, Officer Frank Smith (Ben Alexander), investigate a gangland slaying. Evidence puts the spotlight on mobster Max Troy and his trigger-happy henchman Chester Davitt. To help with the case, Friday enlists the aid of policewoman Grace Downey (Ann Robinson, “War of the Worlds”). The film, like the television series, emphasizes procedure rather than action which, even at 89 minutes, makes for slow going at times. The cast also includes Richard Boone and Dennis Weaver. The Blu-ray features the full-screen and widescreen versions of the movie. Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 1.75:1 widescreen and 1.37:1 full-screen pictures; English 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio monaural; English subtitles. Don’t miss: A commentary track by film historian Toby Roan is the major extra.
You’re Looking at Me Like I Live Here and I Don’t (DVD) Details: 2010, IndiePix Films Rated: Not rated The lowdown: A documentary that was filmed entirely inside an Alzheimer’s care unit and the first told from the perspective of someone with this insidious and devastating disease. The movie focuses on feisty septuagenarian Lee Gorewitz. We eavesdrop on her philosophical thoughts on various topics while, at the same time, we see her struggling to navigate the confusion created by the disease. Despite its sad subject matter, the movie is charming mostly because of Gorewitz’s personality. Technical aspects: 16:9 widescreen picture; English Dolby digital.
Hero on the Front (DVD) Details: 2018, Omnibus Entertainment Rated: Not rated, war violence The lowdown: This World War I drama is based on the deeds of an actual hero, Anibal Milhais, one of several thousand Portuguese soldiers taking part in the Battle of Lys. During the battle, Milhais’ unit was ordered to retreat, but Milhais ignored his superior’s orders and stayed in the trenches. Armed with a Lewis light machine gun, he single-handedly fought off waves of German troops, thus saving the lives of countless Allied soldiers. Even 25 years later, Milhais remained haunted by his war memories, believing he did not deserve any fame or recognition for his deeds. Technical aspects: 2.39:1 widescreen picture; Portuguese 5.1 and English 2.0 Dolby digital; English subtitles.
Other titles being released on Tuesday, unless otherwise indicated: Bang Bang (DVD & digital) (Indican Pictures) The Chronicles of Melanie (DVD) (Corinth Films) A Girl Missing (DVD) (Film Movement) Monstrum (Blu-ray & DVD & digital & VOD (RLJE Films) Nomad: In the Footsteps of Bruce Chatwin (Blu-ray & DVD) (Music Box Films) Relic (Blu-ray) (Scream Factory) Sleepless Beauty (Blu-ray) (Epic Pictures) Unhinged (Blu-ray + DVD + digital & DVD & digital & VOD) (Lionsgate Home Entertainment) Words on the Bathroom Wall (Blu-ray + digital & DVD & VOD) (Lionsgate Home Entertainment) Delta Rae: Coming Home to Carolina (Blu-ray + DVD + CD) (Cleopatra Entertainment, Nov. 20)
FOR KIDS Weathering With You: Collector’s Edition (4K UHD) (GKids-Shout! Factory)
DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, STREAMING or VOD Cowboys (1922Films) The Nest (IFC Films) The Personal History of David Copperfield (Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment) Playhouse (Devilworks) Roobha (Indican Pictures) Truth Is the Only Client: The Official Investigation of the Murder of JFK (Gravitas Ventures) Cold Call (Sundance Now, Nov. 19) The Princess Switch: Switch Again (www.netflix.com/theprincessswitch2) (Netflix, Nov. 19) Riviera: Season 3, Episode 3 (Sundance Now, Nov. 19) Blindfire (Kandoo Films, Nov. 20) Iron Mask (Lionsgate Home Entertainment, Nov. 20) Team Marco (Samuel Goldwyn Films, Nov. 20) Dear Mandela (Sundance Now, Nov. 23) Paris, Je T’Aime (Sundance Now, Nov. 23) Reunions (Acorn TV, Nov. 23)
Coming next week: The Irishman
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.