New to View: April 23
By Bob Bloom
The following titles are being released on Tuesday, April 23, unless otherwise noted:
Destroyer (Blu-ray + DVD + digital)
Details: 2018, Fox Home Entertainment
Rated: R, violence, language, sexual situations, drug use
The lowdown: “Destroyer” is an unappealing mess, distinguished only by a grubby and gritty performance by Nicole Kidman.
But even her turn as detective Erin Bell leaves you cold. Bell is a burnt-out shell of a human being; she’s unkempt and disheveled and looks like she has been sleepless for a year or more.
Early in her career, Bell was part of an undercover operation that went badly — and its consequences have been haunting her ever since.
When she learns the gang leader responsible for the tragedy has come out of hiding after many years, she tracks down the other members of his crew to learn his whereabouts.
Along the way, director Karyn Kusama takes us on an existential journey through Bell’s bleak past.
Because you have no inducement to care about most of the people with whom Bell interacts, you don’t watch “Destroyer” as much as slog through it.
An odor of unpleasantness permeates the entire movie, which is off-putting. Mostly everything about this movie is morally ugly and corrupt.
Even the notion of Kidman as a tough, uncompromising and brutal cop is not an incentive to sit through this drama. Watching Bell battle her demons to atone for her past is painful — yet boring, especially since Bell remains constant throughout. She is a brooding, mumbling, avenging angel — seeking revenge rather than justice.
Despite fully committing to her part, Kidman cannot elevate “Destroyer” above underwhelming. It is a depressing, impersonal endeavor that will leave you callous and unmoved.
I am in the minority in my opinion of the film, as critics gave it a 73 percent fresh rating at Rottentomatoes.com.
Technical aspects: Blu-ray: 1080p high definition, 2.40:1 widescreen picture; English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio and 5.1 descriptive audio; English SDH and Spanish subtitles; DVD: 2.40:1 widescreen picture; English 5.1 Dolby digital and 5.1 descriptive audio; English SDH and Spanish subtitles.
Don’t miss: Bonus offerings include a making of featurette and two commentary tracks.
Farinelli (Blu-ray)
Details: 1994, Film Movement Classics
Rated: R, adult themes, sexual content
The lowdown: This Golden Globe and Academy Award-nominated foreign film is a historical drama about the famed 18th-century opera singer Farinelli.
Farinelli, was castrated as a child to preserve what was described as his angelic voice.
He toured the royal courts of Europe with his brother, Ricardo, who also was a composer.
The bond between the two is very strong, as they share everything — including lovers.
But rivalry and obsession threaten to create a wedge between the brothers.
Farinelli, whose real name was Carlo Maria Michelangelo Nicola Broschi, was considered one of the greatest opera singers in history.
The movie will appeal to fans of opera as well as those who enjoy lush period pieces.
Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 1.85:1 widescreen picture; French and Italian 2.0 Dolby digital; English subtitles.
Don’t miss: Bonus components include a making of featurette, behind-the-scenes interviews and an essay about the movie by Kenji Fujishima.
Shameless: The Complete Ninth Season
Details: 2018-19, Warner Home Video
Rated: Not rated
The lowdown: A multidisc set featuring all 14 ninth-season episodes of this popular Showtime series starring Emmy-winner William H. Macy.
The major story arc during the season focuses on the political activity that hits Chicago’s South Side as Macy’s Frank Gallagher sees a way to make some money by giving voice to the underrepresented working people of his community.
Meanwhile, daughter Fiona (Emmy Rossum) attempts to build on her successful real estate business, while Debbie (Emma Kennery) fights for equal pay and Carl (Ethan Cutkosky) ponders attempting West Point.
As required by the FTC, I must post the following disclaimer: “Warner Bros. Home Entertainment provided me with a free copy of the DVD I reviewed in this column and blog post. The opinions I share are my own.”
Technical aspects: Widescreen picture; English Dolby digital stereo; English SDH subtitles.
Don’t miss: Deleted scenes comprise the major bonus offerings.
“Noir Archive Film Collection: Volume 1: 1944-54” (Blu-ray)
Details: 1944-54, Kit Parker Films-Mill Creek Entertainment
Rated: Not rated
The lowdown: A three-disc set featuring nine fine examples of the film noir movement that exploded in post-World War II America.
Film noir presented a darker view of society than was fed the public in most mainstream movies.
Eight of the nine titles offered in this set were produced by Columbia Pictures on modest budgets and mostly with second-tier stars.
The movies in the set are: “Address Unknown” (1944) starring Paul Lukas; “Escape in the Fog” (1945) with Otto Kruger and Nina Foch; “The Guilt of Jane Ames” with Rosalind Russell, Melvyn Douglas and — believe it or not — Sid Caesar; “The Black Book” (1947) with Robert Cummings and Richard Basehart; “Johnny Allegro” with George Raft, Foch and George Macready; “711 Ocean Drive” (1950) with Edmond O’Brien, Joanne Dru and Kruger; “The Killer That Stalked New York” (1950) with Evelyn Keyes; “Assignment — Paris” (1952) with Dana Andrews and George Sanders; and “The Miami Story” (1954) with Barry Sullivan and Luther Adler.
Noir fans will definitely enjoy the upgraded versions of these cinematic gems.
Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 1.85:1 widescreen and 1.37:1 full-screen pictures; English 1.0 DTS-HD Master Audio; English SDH subtitles.
The House of the Seven Gables (Blu-ray)
Details: 1940, Kino Lorber
Rated: Not rated
The lowdown: This Universal Pictures adaptation of the classic Nathaniel Hawthorne novel features a strong cast headed by George Sanders, Vincent Price, Margaret Lindsay, Cecil Kellaway, Dick Foran and Alan Napier.
The story centers on family betrayal as Sanders’ Jaffrey Pyncheon frames his brother, Clifford (Price) for the death of their father, so he can cheat his brother out of his inheritance.
Clifford is sent to prison, where he befriends Matthew Holgrave (Foran), a descendant of the Maule family, with whom the Pyncheons have been feuding for years.
The two must work together to foil Jaffrey and set things right.
The movie is a very good adaptation of the novel and was well received upon its release.
Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 1.37:1 full-screen picture; English DTS-HD Master Audio; English subtitles.
Don’t miss: A commentary track by film historian Troy Howarth is the major bonus offering.
Scream and Scream Again (Blu-ray)
Details: 1970, Kino Lorber
Rated: R, violence, nudity
The lowdown: Despite its cast of horror film legends Vincent Price, Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing, this feature is rather dull and disappointing.
A serial killer is on the loose in London. He drains the blood of his victims, but for what purpose?
It seems that a group of sadistic mad scientists are plotting to take over the world — one severed limb at a time by creating a race of emotionless beings that can be controlled.
Despite its pedigree, the move is a letdown.
However, this Blu-ray compensates by offering the American and British versions of the movie.
Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 1.85:1 widescreen picture; English DTS-HD Master Audio; English SDH subtitles.
Don’t miss: A commentary track and a “Trailers From Hell” episode comprise the extras.
The Strange Door (Blu-ray)
Details: 1951, Kino Lorber
Rated: Not rated
The lowdown: Charles Laughton was not the most subtle of actors; he glowered, mugged and shouted, but, still, was usually enjoyable.
Even in his Academy Award-winning performance in “The Private Life of Henry VIII,” he struts and bellows throughout. And in his most famous role, that of Captain Bligh in 1935’s “Mutiny on the Bounty,” he does not hide his sadistic and brutal nature.
Which brings us to “The Strange Door,” a 1951 Universal Picture made on a modest budget in which Laughton plays an evil French nobleman,, the Sire de Maletroit, who hates his brother, played by Paul Cavanagh, so much that he imprisons him in the castle dungeon.
To make matters worse, he decides to ruin the life of his niece, played by Sally Forrest, by forcing her to marry a rogue, played by the nondescript Richard Stapley. His plans are thwarted when Stapley’s character isn’t as bad as he appears, and he and the niece actually fall in love.
The nobleman is aided by his abused servant, Voltan, a wasted Boris Karloff, and the lovers are also put in the dungeon.
Everything, of course, works out for the best as the Sire meets his just reward.
The movie was not a high point in either the careers of Laughton or Karloff. However, fans of the two may want to add it to their collections.
Technical aspects: 1.37:1 widescreen picture; English DTS-HD Master Audio; English SDH subtitles.
Don’t miss: An informative commentary track by film historians Tom Weaver, David Schecter and Dr. Robert J. Kiss is the major extra.
Justice League vs. The Fatal Five (Blu-ray + DVD + digital)
Release date: April 16
Details: 2019, Warner Home Video
Rated: PG-13, science fiction violence, bloody images, language, partial nudity
The lowdown: This latest animated DC adventure finds Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman battling Fatal Five members Mano, Persuader and Tharok, who are terrorizing Metropolis while seeking budding Green Lantern Jessica Cruz.
With her unwitting help, they plan to free their comrades, Emerald Empress and Validus, so they can carry out their sinister scheme.
The Justice League members, however, discover a strange ally in Star Boy, whose power is off the charts.
The members wonder if he holds the key to defeating the Fatal Five.
Technical aspects: Blu-ray: 1080p high definition, 1.78:1 (16×9 enhanced) widescreen picture; English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio and French 5.1 Dolby digital; English SDH and French subtitles; DVD: 1.78:1 (16×9 enhanced) widescreen picture; English and French 5.1 Dolby digital; English SDH and French subtitles.
Don’t miss: Extras include a featurette exploring the feelings of anxiety, depression and other emotions that heroes, like the rest of us, must battle and overcome; a look at how diverse the DC heroes have become; a commentary track; sneak peaks at “Justice League Dark” and “Justice League vs. Teen Titans” and two cartoons from the DC vault.
Tickled
Details: 2016, Magnolia Home Entertainment
Rated: R, language
The lowdown: This very strange documentary follows journalist David Farrier who, after stumbling upon a “competitive endurance tickling” video online, reaches out to request a story from the company.
The answer he receives only piques his interest more: the send mocks Farrier’s sexual orientation and threatens legal action if he digs any deeper.
Farrier, doing what any competent journalist would do when confronted by a bully, travels to the hidden tickling facilities in Los Angeles and uncovers a wide network known for harassing and harming the lives of people who protest their involvement in these films.
The more Farrier investigates, the stranger the entire affair gets as he discovers secret identities and criminal activities.
Farrier and co-director Dylan Reeve use every resource and strategy they can devise to get to the bottom of this bizarre situation.
This is a very odd documentary that may make you uncomfortable, but it is difficult not to watch.
Technical aspects: 1.85:1 widescreen picture; English 5.1 Dolby digital.
The Land Unknown (Blu-ray)
Details: 1957, Kino Lorber
Rated: Not rated
The lowdown: Actor-stuntman Jock Mahoney stars in this creature feature about a Navy expedition sent to explore a mysterious warm-water region hidden in the ice of Antarctica.
A fierce storm drives the expedition members into a cloud bank and their helicopter is disabled.
They descend through the heavy fog into a deep chasm where they find a tropical landscape filled with prehistoric animals and carnivorous plants.
The expedition members fight to survive while trying to repair the helicopter. They also discover another person, the last survivor of an earlier expedition, stranded in this strange land. He kidnaps the only woman member of the expedition.
The survivor, played by character actor Henry Brandon, is crazed and desperate, but he may be the main hope for escaping this primordial hell.
The movie, one of the last creature features of the 1950s, features fine special effects.
Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 2.35:1 widescreen picture; English DTS-HD Master Audio; English SDH subtitles.
Don’t miss: Bonus materials include an animated image gallery and a commentary track with film historians Tom Weaver and David Schecter.
Other titles being released on Tuesday, unless otherwise indicated:
Death Is a Number (Juno Film Selects-MVD Visual Entertainment)
The Gospel According to Andre (Magnolia Home Entertainment)
Hagazussa (Blu-ray) (Doppelganger Releasing-Bloody Disgusting)
Living Dark (Monarch Home Entertainment)
Naples in Veils (DVD & VOD) (Breaking Glass Pictures)
Scared Stiff (Blu-ray) (Arrow Video)
Target: St. Louis (IndiePix Films)
Terrific Torment (Juno Film Selects-MVD Visual Entertainment)
Replicas (Lionsgate Home Entertainment, April 16)
FOR KIDS
Tito and the Birds (Shout! Studios)
DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, STREAMING or VOD
I Think You Should Leave with Tom Robinson (Netflix)
The Prodigy (Fox Home Entertainment)
Leaving Neverland (HBO Home Entertainment, April 29)
Ms. Fisher’s Modern Murder Mysteries (Acorn TV, April 29)
Off the Beaten Path with Kate Humble (Acorn TV, April 29)
Outside the Bubble: A Road Trip with Alexandra Pelosi (HBO Home Entertainment, April 29)
Rumpole of the Bailey: Series 4 & 5 (Acorn TV, April 29)
Strike Back: Season Six (HBO Home Entertainment, April 29)
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. My movie reviews also can be found at Rottentomatoes: www.rottentomatoes.com.