New to View: May 23
By Bob Bloom
The following titles are being released on Tuesday, May 23, unless otherwise noted:
Creed III (4K UHD + Blu-ray + digital)
Details: 2023, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment
Rated: PG-13, intense sports action, violence, strong language
The lowdown: Michael B. Jordan does double duty as star and director in this third movie about boxing champion Adonis Creed.
Creed is on top of the world professionally and personally, enjoying his career and family life.
But Creed’s past catches up with him in the person of childhood friend Damian Anderson (Jonathan Majors), a former boxing prodigy, who had served a long prison sentence.
Anderson is eager to prove he deserves a shot to succeed in the ring. Eventually, the two former friends must face off in the ring, with Creed putting his future on the line against a fierce opponent who has nothing to lose.
The film, which earned an 89 percent fresh rating at Rotten Tomatoes, is visually exciting and energetic, with wonderful fight choreography. The film’s backdrop may center on boxing, but “Creed III” is a story of heartache and regret.
Technical aspects: 4K: 2160p ultra high definition, 2.39:1 widescreen picture; English Dolby Atmos-True HD, English Dolby digital descriptive audio and 5.1 English, French and Spanish; English SDH, French and Spanish subtitles; Blu-ray: 1080p high definition, 2.39:1 widescreen picture; English Dolby Atmos-True HD, English Dolby digital descriptive audio and 5.1 English, French and Spanish; English SDH, French and Spanish subtitles.
Don’t miss: Bonus materials include a featurette on Jordan as both actor and director, deleted scenes and a look at the dynamics between Jordan’s Adonis and Majors’ Damian.
Shazam! Fury of the Gods (4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + digital)
Details: 2023, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment
Rated: PG-13, sequences of action, violence, language
The lowdown: Billy Batson, whose alter ego is the superhero, Shazam!, returns with his foster brothers and sisters who are in a continual struggle learning how to balance being teenagers with adult superhero alter egos.
They also must deal with a trio of ancient and angry gods who have arrived on Earth in search of the magic stolen from them long ago.
So, Billy and his compatriots are thrust into a battle to save their superpowers, their lives and, possibly, their world.
You’d think with the fate of the world in the balance, Billy would seek some help — or at least advice — from other sups such as Superman, Green Lantern or Wonder Woman.
But, nope, Billy and his family take on this mission without outside assistance.
The movie doesn’t really add much to what was offered in the original. The presence of Dame Helen Mirren, Lucy Liu and Rachel Zegler as, respectively, Hespera, Kalypso and Anthea add some weight to the movie, which is saturated with CGI creatures and effects.
The movie, did not really excite critics, who gave it a 49 percent fresh rating at Rotten Tomatoes.
Technical aspects: 4K: 2160p ultra high definition, 2.39:1 widescreen picture; English Dolby Atmos-TrueHD, English Dolby digital descriptive audio and 5.1 English, French and Spanish; English SDH, French and Spanish subtitles; Blu-ray: 1080p high definition, 2.39:1 widescreen picture; English Dolby Atmos-TrueHD, English Dolby digital descriptive audio and 5.1 English, French and Spanish; English SDH, French and Spanish subtitles.
Don’t miss: Bonus components include a commentary track with director David F. Sandberg, featurettes star Zachary Levi, on creating the sequel, the Rock of Eternity, the Shazam! Family reunion, a series of scene breakdowns, a look at the trio of goddesses and the mythology of Shazam! And deleted, alternate and extended scenes.
Fist of the Condor (Blu-ray)
Details: 2023, Well Go USA Entertainment
Rated: Not rated
The lowdown: A martial arts action feature from Chile that deals with a sacred manual hidden by the Incas in the 16th century when their empire was falling to Spanish conquistadors.
The manual contained the secrets behind the Incas deadly fighting technique.
After being safeguarded for several centuries, the manual is at risk of falling into the wrong hands. To that end, its rightful guardian must battle the world’s most deadly assassin to protect the manual’s secrets.
The movie is a showcase for martial arts star Marko Zaror.
The fight sequences are exciting and the story is solid, earning the movie a 91 percent fresh rating at Rotten Tomatoes.
Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 2.00:1 widescreen picture; Spanish 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio; English subtitles.
Don’t miss: A behind-the-scenes featurette is the major extra.
Violent Streets (Blu-ray)
Details: 1974, Film Movement Classics
Rated: Not rated
The lowdown: In this yakuza crime thriller, a retired underboss gets pulled back into a life of crime when some of his old partners demand control of his nightclub.
During this same time, a crime war breaks out after a high-profile kidnapping, again forcing the retired gangster into his old life.
This pulp feature, with many graphic killings, was directed by Hideo Gosha, who gained fame through his various samurai movies.
Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 2.39:1 widescreen picture; Japanese LPCM monaural; English subtitles.
Don’t miss: Extras include a featurette on Gosha, a video essay about the movie and a booklet with an essay about the film.
Other titles being released on Tuesday, unless otherwise indicated:
Bullets for the Bad (DVD & VOD) (Indican Pictures)
Go On: The Complete Series (DVD & digital) (Mill Creek Entertainment)
The Resurrection of Charles Manson (DVD & digital) (Mill Creek Entertainment)
Seal Team: Season Six (DVD) (Lionsgate Home Entertainment)
The Swan Princess: A Fairy Tale Is Born (DVD & digital) (Sony Pictures Home Entertainment)
V/H/S/99 (Blu-ray & DVD) (RLJE Films)
MARCH 14
Love Letters (Kino Lorber Studio Classics)
MAY 26
Cracked (DVD & VOD) (Film Movement)
DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, STREAMING or VOD
Afghan Dreamers (Paramount+)
Day Zero (Well Go USA Entertainment)
Exorcism in Utero (Breaking Glass Pictures)
Fangs Out (Stadium Media-Summer Hill Films)
How I Met Your Father: Season Two, Part B, Episode 1 (Hulu)
John Wick: Chapter 4 (Lionsgate Home Entertainment)
Joy House (Kino Lorber)
Prehistoric Planet: Season 2, Episode 2 (Apple TV+)
Victim/Suspect (www.netflix.com/victimsuspect) (Netflix)
The Worst Ones (Kino Lorber)
MAY 24
The Clearing: Episodes 1 & 2 (Hulu)
High Desert: Episode 4 (Apple TV+)
Platonic: Episodes 1-3 (Apple TV+)
Prehistoric Planet: Season 2, Episode 3 (Apple TV+)
Saint X: Episode 7 (Hulu)
Ted Lasso: Season 3, Episode 12 (Apple TV+)
The Ultimatum: Queer Love: Episodes 1-4 (Netflix)
MAY 25
FUBAR (www.netflix.com/FUBAR) (Netflix)
Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies: Episode 9 (Paramount+)
Prehistoric Planet: Season 2, Episode 4 (Apple TV+)
MAY 26
City on Fire: Episode 5 (Apple TV+)
Country of Hotels (Terror Films)
Days of Daisy (Good Deed Entertainment)
Influencer (Shudder)
Killer Kites (Film Hub)
Prehistoric Planet: Season 2, Episode 5 (Apple TV+)
Silo: Episode 5 (Apple TV+)
What’s Love Got to Do With It? (Shout! Studios)
I am a founding member of the Indiana Film Journalists Association. I review movies, 4K UHD, 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.