New DVD and Blu-ray Releases for the Week of November 9

From the Big Screen:

Reminiscence

photo for Reminiscence (2021) Nick Bannister (Hugh Jackman), a private investigator of the mind, navigates the darkly alluring world of the past by helping his clients access lost memories. Living on the fringes of the sunken Miami coast, his life is forever changed when he takes on a new client, Mae (Rebecca Ferguson). A simple matter of lost and found becomes a dangerous obsession. As Bannister fights to find the truth about Mae’s disappearance, he uncovers a violent conspiracy, and must ultimately answer the question: how far would you go to hold on to the ones you love? Vitals: Director: Lisa Joy. Stars: Hugh Jackman, Rebecca Ferguson, Thandiwe Newton, Cliff Curtis, Daniel Wu, Mojean Aria, Marina de Tavira, Brett Cullen, Natalie Martinez. 2021, CC, MPAA rating: PG-13, 118 min., Science Fiction, US box office gross: $3.890 million, worldwide $19.836 million, Warner. Formats: DVD + Digital Code, Blu-ray + Digital Code, VOD, Digital. 2 stars

Respect

photo for Respect (2021) Based on the life and times of Area Franklin, the singer who would come to be known the world over as the undisputed Queen of Soul; the story follows her from her start as a singer in the choir at her father’s church as a young girl growing up in Detroit. Despite many difficulties in her adult life — bad marriages and other unwise choices — she still managed to keep contributing her natural talent to the music world, becoming one of the art’s most recognizable voices, and producing songs that would be known and enjoyed by many generations. This is the remarkable true story of Franklin’s journey to find her voice in the midst of the turbulent social and political landscape of 1960s America. Vitals: Director: Liesl Tommy. Stars: Jennifer Hudson, Forest Whitaker, Audra McDonald, Saycon Sengbloh, Marlon Mayans, Marc Aaron, Kimberly Scott, Tate Donovan. 2021, CC, MPAA rating: PG-13, 145 min., Music Bio, US box office gross: $24.274 million, worldwide $31.375 million, MGM. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray/DVD Combo, VOD, Digital. Read more here. 2 stars

This Week’s Best Bets:

In 2018, a decade after “Munyurangabo,” his first feature film debuted as an Official Selection at Cannes, Lee Isaac Chung was close to trading in the unpredictable life of an independent filmmaker for a more stable career as a film professor. Yet, before he put the photo for The Early Films of Lee Isaac Chung camera and clapboard into storage, he felt he had one last script to write. This famously became “Minari,” a coming-of-age story inspired by Chung’s experiences growing up the son of Korean-American immigrants in rural Arkansas during the 1980s. The film and its performances drew great acclaim at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival, where it won both the grand jury and audience awards, as well as six Oscar nominations including best picture, director, original screenplay, score and acting nods for Steven Yeun, and for Yuh-Jung Youn, who’d go on to capture the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. It also marked the first time in the Oscars 92-year history that South Korean performers were nominated for acting awards. The slipcased “The Early Films of Lee Isaac Chung” DVD collection showcases a trio of compelling dramas, including “Munyurangabo” (2007), “Lucky Life” (2010) and “Abigail Harm” (2012). On DVD from Film Movement … Horror master Wes Craven achieved critical and commercial success with the likes of “Scream” and “A Nightmare on Elm Street” – but for many genre fans, the director’s seminal 1977 effort “The Hills Have Eyes” (1977) remains his masterpiece. Taking an ill-advised detour en route to California, the Carter family soon run into trouble when their campervan breaks down in the middle of the desert. Stranded, the family find themselves at the mercy of a group of monstrous cannibals lurking in the surrounding hills. With their lives under threat, the Carters have no choice but to fight back by any means necessary. Following on from his notorious 1972 directorial debut “The Last House on the Left,” Craven’s “The Hills Have photo for The Hills Have Eyes UHD [Limited Edition]Eyes” stands alongside the likes of “The Texas Chain Saw Massacre” and “Night of the Living Dead” as one of the defining classics of American horror. In an 4K Ultra HD limited edition, with a brand new 4K restoration of the film, viewable with both original and alternate endings. From Arrow Video/MVD Entertainment. Read more here.“L.A. Story” (1991) is legendary comedian-actor-author Steve Martin’s love letter to the City of Angels. Being in a magical city with predictably pleasant weather can make the life of a meteorologist seem monotonous. When TV weatherman Harris Telemacher (Martin) begins receiving secret messages from an electronic freeway sign, he leaves his longtime girlfriend (Marilu Henner) and embarks on a frivolous romance with a vapid, young model (Sarah Jessica Parker), which ultimately leads him to true love with the woman of his dreams (Victoria Tennant). Beloved by generations of movie fans, “L.A. Story” reminds us that anything is possible, and real love can be found — even in the city of make-believe. In a Blu-ray debut from Lionsgate … Warner Archive has three Blu-ray debuts available this week: “Fury” (1936): Joe Wilson, a wrongly jailed man thought to have died in a blaze started by a bloodthirsty lynch mob, is somehow alive. And dead to all he ever stood for and perhaps ever will. Because Joe aims to ensure his would-be executioners meet the fate Joe miraculously escaped. Spencer Tracy is Joe, Sylvia Sidney is his bride-to-be, and “Fury” lives up to its volatile name with its searing indictment of mob justice and lynching. In his first American film, director Fritz Lang (“Metropolis,” “The Big Heat”) combines a passion for justice and a sharp visual style into a landmark of social-conscience filmmaking … “Ladies They Talk About” (1933): In most prison films, the convicted man is rehabilitated by the love of a woman. Here Barbara Stanwyck plays a woman who becomes rehabilitated by the love of the man who sent her to prison. A prime example of the raw and racy films made before the enforcement of Hollywood’s repressive “production code”, this Warner Bros. title previously released in the “Forbidden Hollywood” series stars Stanwyck as Nan Taylor, a bank robber who gets sent to prison for her role in a bank heist. David Slade (Preston Foster) is the reformer who has fallen in love with her. When her two “partners” are killed in a jailbreak attempt in which she, too, is involved, Nan thinks David is the one responsible for tipping off the authorities. But she soon learns to trust in his love for her, eventually reciprocating and leaving her unsavory past behind … “The Last of Sheila” (1973): A movie kingpin (James Coburn), whose wife, Sheila, was killed by a hit-and-run driver a year before, hosts a cruise aboard his sleek yacht. His guests (James Mason, Raquel Welch, Dyan Cannon, Richard Benjamin, Joan Hackett, and Ian McShane) are all friends (and some lovers) who may know more about Sheila’s death than they’re letting on. An elaborate murder game with Mediterranean ports of call is the itinerary.

From TV to Disc:

“DC’s Legends of Tomorrow: The Complete Sixth Season” (2021) is a three-disc set with all 15 episodes. Having spent last season trying to track down the Loom of Fate, the Legends must now save history from a foe like none they’ve encountered in the past or future. The timeship Waverider’s crew have dealt with monsters, time anomalies, and most recently, villains from Hell, but this season they face something even more challenging and bizarre … space aliens. On DVD, Blu-ray + Digital Code, from Warner … “For the Love of Jason, Series 1” (2020) is a ingle-disc with six episodes. When Jason broke off his longtime relationship, he got caught up in the bachelor lifestyle. Now his friends are settling down, leaving Jason feeling pressure to catch up. From AllBlk … photo for Harvey The classic stage hit and 1950 movie starring James Stewart got “The DuPont Show of the Month” TV treatment in “Harvey” (1958), the story of Elwood P. Dowd, an endlessly pleasant and delightfully eccentric bachelor living in a small town that isn’t aware that its newest citizen is a invisible, 6’3″ white rabbit named “Harvey” that only he sees. After his sister tries to commit him to a mental institution, Elwood and Harvey become the catalysts for the family to heal. Featuring an all-star cast (Art Carney, Larry Blyden, Fred Gwynne, Marion Lorne, Elizabeth Montgomery, Charlotte Rae, Jack Weston), the film master elements were provided by the Paley Center for Media. From David Susskind Archive/MVD Entertainment Group) Read more here.“Snowpiercer: The Complete Second Season” (2020) is a three-disc set with all 10 episodes of the series based on the critically acclaimed graphic novel series and the film from Academy Award-winner Bong Joon Ho (“Parasite”). Seven years after the world has become a frozen wasteland, the remnants of humanity inhabit a perpetually-moving train that circles the globe, where class warfare, social injustice and the politics of survival play out. From Warner.

Buzzin’ the ‘B’s:

“Old Henry” (2021), starring Tim Blake Nelson, Scott Haze, Gavin Lewis, Trace Adkins and Stephen Dorff, is an elevated action-Western about a widowed farmer and his son who warily take in a mysterious, injured man with a satchel of cash. When a posse of men claiming to be the law come for the money, the farmer must decide whom to trust. Defending against a siege of his homestead, he reveals a talent for gunslinging that surprises everyone, calling his true identity into question. On Blu-ray from Shout! Factory. Read more herephoto for The Designated Victim In “The Designated Victim” (1971 — Italy), starring Tomas Milian, Pierre Clementi, Katia Christine, Luigi Casellato, Marisa Bartoli, Ottavio Alessi and Sandra Cardini, a disillusioned advertising executive is lured by a decadent Count into a bizarre plot to kill each other’s unsavory relatives. Stefano, a partner in a company that makes high-end commercials, wants to sell his share of the business and move to South America with his girlfriend, Fabienne. However his wife, in whose name the shares are registered, won’t agree to the sale. Stefano goes to Venice with Fabienne for the weekend to escape his worries. There he meets the mysterious Count Tiepelo. Hearing of Stefano’s business problems the Count tells him about his own brother who is making his life miserable. The Count then makes a startling suggestion – that he will kill Stefano’s wife if Stefano kills the Count’s brother. More amused than shocked, Stefano laughs off the idea. New 4k transfer from the film negative. On Blu-ray from Mondo Macabro … From the golden age of Kung Fu movies, the legendary Shaw Brothers released “The Chinese Boxer” (1970 — Hong Kong), an action-packed tale of revenge, mayhem and flying fists. When his martial arts school is viciously attacked by a rival gang of Japanese thugs, Lei Ming swears to bring them down with violent justice. Written, starring and directed by Jimmy Wang Yu, “The Chinese Boxer” is a fabulously fast-paced feature full of exquisite set-pieces and mind-blowing fight choreography. On Blu-ray from 88 Films … photo for Human Animals “Human Animals” (1983 — Spain), starring Carole Kirkham, Geir Indvard and José Yepes, is set in the aftermath of a cataclysmic nuclear war that has destroyed most of the world’s population, and tells of three survivors – one woman and two men – who wake up on a strange, deserted landscape with no memory of their past lives and without the ability to even speak. The woman and one of the men appear to be brother and sister and are both dressed in formal party clothes. The other man is very different – a moustachioed, leather-jacketed macho type. The trio set off to explore their new home and find a rocky beach where they come under attack from a huge army of crabs. The macho man fights off the crabs, crushing them with rocks before eating their soft flesh. He then turns his attention to the woman and makes violent love to her while her brother looks on, powerless to stop them. A huge dog appears and leads them over the mountains to a lush jungle paradise. They build a hut and learn to make fire and hunt for food. But soon violence, jealousy and above all sex, rear their ugly heads. The men fight one another for possession of the woman. But then, to their horror they discover that the large and now vicious dog has also set his sights on her. Soon there really is trouble in paradise. Brand new 4k transfer from film negative. On Blu-ray from Mondo Macabre … In “A Gift From Bob” (2021), starring Luke Treadaway, Kristina Tonteri-Young and featuring Bob (as himself), Christmas gifts come in all shapes and sizes. For James (Treadaway), a struggling street musician, a very special one arrives in the form of Bob, a strong-willed stray cat who wanders into James’s tiny flat. Bob enriches James’s life, giving him companionship, purpose, and a large, new audience. When Animal Welfare officers threaten to take Bob, the local community rallies to help James and Bob. From Lionsgate. Read more herephoto for It's Nothing Mama, Just a Game In the controversial Spanish film “It’s Nothing Mama, Just a Game” (1974 — Spain), originally released in the US as “Beyond Erotica,” David Hemmings plays Juan, a young hacienda-owner who abuses women due to his traumatic upbringing. His late father was a sadistic tyrant who treated the women who worked on his estates as his personal property. After his father’s death, Juan begins to act out his own fantasies. His favorite “game” is to have the women dress in rabbit fur bikinis while he chases them through the jungle on horseback with a pack of dogs. One day his latest plaything gets caught in a trap and is savaged to death by the dogs. The local people know what’s going on but are powerless to stop it as their livelihood depends on work from the estate. Juan’s mother, Louise (Alida Valli) tries to find a suitable replacement for the dead girl. But Juan has his eyes set on Lola, the beautiful daughter of one of the estate workers. When Lola turns him down, Juan imprisons the girl in an abandoned horse training yard and sets to work breaking down her resistance. But things do not work out the way he planned. Brand new 4k transfer from film negative. On Blu-ray from Mondo Macabre … In “Four Good Days” (2021), starring Glenn Close, Mila Kunis, Stephen Root and Carla Gallo, a long-estranged mother and daughter photo for My Salinger Year navigate the most difficult time of their lives as the mother helps her daughter work through four crucial days of recovery from substance abuse. On DVD, Blu-ray, from Vertical Entertainment … “My Salinger Year” (2021), starring Margaret Qualley, Sigourney Weaver, Douglas Booth, Seana Kerslake, Brian F. O’Byrne and Colm Feore, takes place in New York in the 90s. After leaving graduate school to pursue her dream of becoming a writer, Joanna (Qualley) gets hired as an assistant to Margaret (Weaver), the stoic and old-fashioned literary agent of J. D. Salinger. Fluctuating between poverty and glamour, she spends her days in a plush, wood-paneled office — where dictaphones and typewriters still reign and agents doze off after three-martini lunches — and her nights in a sink-less Brooklyn apartment with her socialist boyfriend. Joanna’s main task is processing Salinger’s voluminous fan mail, but as she reads the heart-wrenching letters from around the world, she becomes reluctant to send the agency’s impersonal standard letter and impulsively begins personalizing the responses. On DVD, Blu-ray, from Shout! Factory.

On the Indie Front”

In “Swan Song” (2021), legendary actor Udo Kier stars as retired hairdresser Pat Pitsenbarger, who escapes the confines of his small-town Sandusky, Ohio nursing home after learning of his former client’s dying wish for him to style her final hairdo. Soon, Pat embarks on a comical and bittersweet odyssey across town to confront the ghosts of his past — and collect the beauty supplies necessary for the job. The film is a comical and bittersweet journey about rediscovering one’s sparkle, and looking gorgeous while doing so. Co-stars Jennifer Coolidge, Linda Evans and Michael Urie. From Magnolia Home Entertainment/Magnet.

Foreign Films:

“The Concubine” (2012 — South Korea) is set during the early Joseon Dynasty in Korea. Hwa-yeon, a minister’s daughter and Kwon-yoo, a commoner, are deeply in love. Yet, when Hwa-yeon is ordered to the royal palace to become the King’s concubine, she and Kwon-yoo attempt to flee. They are intercepted by Hwa-yeon’s father and his men who threaten to kill Kwon-yoo. To save her one true love, Hwayeon agrees to go to the palace as instructed. Five years later, Hwa-yeon is the mother of the heir to the throne, but the King is slowly dying. After his death, the King’s stepmother uses her power to appoint her biological son Sung-won as the successor. Sung-won has been madly in love with the unobtainable Hwa-yeon for years. Now that he must procreate in order to produce an heir to the throne, he can have any woman he wants except Hwa-yeon … which pushes both of them into a dangerous chess game of lust, sex and power. On Blu-ray from Capelight Pictures … photo for Wildalnd In “Wildland” (2021 — Denmark), starring Sandra Guldberg Kampp, Sidse Babett Knudsen, Joachim Fjelstrup, Elliott Crosset Hove and Besir Zeciri, 17-year old Ida moves in with her estranged aunt and her aunt’s grown sons after a car accident kills her mother. The home is filled with physical tenderness and love, but outside of the home, the family leads a violent and criminal life. When an unforeseen murder pressures the family and their loyalty to each other, tension builds as love and violence become impossible to separate. Ida is faced with the same question her mother faced before her: What are you willing to sacrifice for your family? From Film Movement … When Claire, a beautiful but reserved young woman unwittingly provokes the furious jealousy of her evil stepmother Maud, life as she knows it is over in “White As Snow” (2021 — France), starring Lou de Laage, Isabelle Huppert, Charles Berling, Damien Bonnard and Jonathan Cohen. Sent far away from home, Claire awakens, both figuratively and literally, in a small village in the French mountains. As if by magic, her formerly shy demeanor is gone and she is suddenly aware of her feminine power. It’s the beginning of a radical emancipation. As Claire meets the locals and starts to take joy in her sexuality, soon one, two, three … seven men fall under her charm. For the first time in her life she allows herself to indulge in no-strings sex, taking pride in belonging to no one. But then Maud arrives wanting to reconnect, and Claire must decide who to trust — her sophisticated but cold stepmother, or the circle of adoring men that now surround her. On Blu-ray from Cohen Media Group … photo for The Emperor’s Sword During a time of peace, a deadly sword that bestows great power upon its wielder was divided and hidden in “The Emperor’s Sword” (2020 — China), starring Fengbin Mu, Yilin Hao, Qihang Zhao and Qiyu Yang. After the emperor dies, a deranged rebel seizes power and stages a massacre during his search for the blade, leaving only one survivor. Now, the young daughter of a great general is all that stands between a tyrant and his quest for domination. On DVD, Blu-ray, from Well Go USA. Read more here … In “Hope” (2019 — Norway), starring Stellan Skarsgård and Andrea Bræin Hovig, the relationship between artist-partners Tomas (Skarsgård) and Anja (Hovig) is put to the test after Anja gets a life-threatening diagnosis. Norway’s official submission for the 93rd Academy Awards. From KimStim. Read more herephoto for Curiosa In “Curiosa” (2019 — France), starring Noémie Merlant, Niels Schneider, Camellia Jordana and Benjamin Lavernhe, Pierre is a dandy and poet on the verge of fame in 1895 Paris. He and his poet friend Henri are both madly in love with Marie, the cheeky daughter of their mentor, Franco-Cuban poet José-Maria de Heredia. Although she loves Pierre, obeying her father she marries Henri to pay off her father’s debt and to get a better social position. Pierre flees to Algeria and there meets Zohar, with whom he shares a passion for erotic photography. Returning to Paris with her two years later, he finds Marie again, who confesses that he is the one she loves. They start an affair in a cat-and-mouse game that involves their lives and breaking the codes set by society, which will make them one of the best-known writers and poets of 19th-century France. From Film Movement.

Special Interest:

“Tina” (2021) is an intimate look at the legendary queen of rock and roll. The HBO original documentary charts Tina Turner’s rise to early fame, her lifelong personal and professional struggles, and her rebirth as a global phenomenon in the 1980s. Presenting an unvarnished account of her life and career, the documentary combines personal photos, audio tapes, never-before-seen archival footage spanning 60 years and insightful interviews with those who know her — including Angela Bassett, Oprah Winfrey, and Tina’s husband, Erwin Bach — as well as Tina herself. On DVD, Blu-ray, from Warner.

All DVDs and Blu-rays are screened on a reference system consisting of an Oppo BDP-83 Blu-ray Disc Player w/SACD & DVD-Audio, a Rotel RSX-972 Surround Sound Receiver, and Phase Technology 1.1 (front), 33.1 (center), and 50 (rear) speakers, and Power 10 subwoofer.

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