New to View: Aug. 1
By Bob Bloom
The following titles are being released on Tuesday, Aug. 1, unless otherwise noted:
Guardians of the Galaxy: Volume 3 (Blu-ray + digital)
Details: 2023, Buena Vista-Marvel Studios
Rated: PG-13, intense sequences of violence and action, language, drug references, thematic elements
The lowdown: Peter Quill, still mourning the loss of Gamora, must inspire his fellow Guardians to help guard the universe as well as save Rocket, who had been badly wounded.
To do so, the Guardians must bring Rocket to Orgocorp, run by the High Evolutionary, the mad scientist who created Rocket.
Part of the movie involves Rocket’s origin story, as his friends travel the galaxy to find the override code that will disable the kill switch embedded in Rocket by the High Evolutionary.
The movie, even at 149 minutes, provides a lively pace. The film garnered an 82 percent fresh rating at Rotten Tomatoes.
Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, Dynamic: 1.85:1 and 2.35:1 widescreen picture; English 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, 2.0 Dolby digital descriptive audio and French and Spanish 5.1 Dolby digital; English SDH, French and Spanish subtitles.
Don’t miss: Bonus options include an overview of the “Guardians” trilogy through the passion of the cast and crew, a featurette about bringing Rocket to life, a gag reel, deleted scenes and a commentary track with director James Gunn.
Rio Bravo (4K Ultra HD + digital)
Details: 1959, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment
Rated: Not rated
The lowdown: “Rio Bravo” is considered one of the best Westerns of, not only the 1950s, but of all times.
The film, directed by Howard Hawks, and starring John Wayne, Dean Martin, Ricky Nelson, Walter Brennan and Angie Dickinson, also makes a political statement.
The movie is a repudiation of Stanley Kramer’s “High Noon,” the classic Gary Cooper Western about a marshal who must — after no one in town will help him — single-handedly face a group of outlaws seeking revenge against the lawman.
Wayne and Hawks disliked “High Noon,” despite the movie winning four Academy Awards, including best actor for Cooper. Wayne believed it was “un-American.” The movie was seen as an allegory about blacklisting in Hollywood and a rebuke of McCarthyism.
“Rio Bravo” plays as a rebuttal to the earlier film. Wayne’s Sheriff John T. Chance has arrested Joe Burdette (Claude Akins) for the murder of an unarmed cowboy. Burdette is the younger brother of powerful rancher Nathan Burdette (John Russell), who bottles up the town while working on a way to free his brother.
Unlike “High Noon,” Chance receives offers from many friends, including Pat Wheeler (Ward Bond), who is bringing a wagon filled with supplies to town. Chance refuses them all, not wanting to get anyone killed.
His only help is his former deputy, Dude (Martin), a drunk who inadvertently caused the killing, and Stumpy (Brennan), an old cripple. Later, Colorado Ryan (Nelson) joins them after Wheeler is killed by one of Burdette’s hired guns.
A subplot is the budding romance between Chance and Dickinson’s Feathers, a gambler. At the time, Wayne was 51 and Dickinson was 27, but the love affair works because of their chemistry.
“Rio Bravo,” which earned a 96 percent fresh rating at Rotten Tomatoes, features clean and sharp visual and audio upgrades. The only criticism of this release is a lack of more bonus features.
Technical aspects: 2160p ultra high definition, 1.85:1 widescreen picture; English 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio monaural and French and Spanish Dolby digital monaural; English SDH, French and Spanish subtitles.
Don’t miss: The main extra is a commentary track by film critic Richard Schickel and filmmaker John Carpenter, whose “Assault on Precinct 13” was inspired by “Rio Bravo.” (Fun fact: Carpenter also edited “Precinct 13” using the pseudonym of John T. Chance.)
Kandahar (Blu-ray + DVD + digital)
Release date: July 18
Details: 2023, Universal Pictures Home Entertainment
Rated: R, violence, language
The lowdown: Gerard Butler stars as Tom Harris, an undercover CIA operative trapped deep in hostile territory in Afghanistan.
After his mission is compromised he, along with his Afghan translator, must fight his way to an extraction point in Kandahar. Along the way, he must avoid enemy forces and foreign spies who are seeking him.
The movie is a simplistic action-thriller that is similar to many other movies in this particular genre. It does touch upon some political awareness about the U.S. involvement in the region.
Technical aspects: Blu-ray: 1080p high definition, 2.35:1 widescreen picture; English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio and 2.0 DVS; English SDH and Spanish subtitles; DVD: 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen picture; English 5.1 Dolby digital and 2.0 DVS; English SDH and Spanish subtitles.
Cinderella: Ultimate Collector’s Edition (4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + digital)
Details: 1950, Buena Vista-Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment
Rated: G
The lowdown: As part of its Disney 100 celebration, the studio is reissuing one of its beloved classic animated features, “Cinderella.”
The story of a young girl forced to work as a servant for her evil stepmother and just as vile spoiled stepsisters is a well-known tale.
Magic envelops the movie, from Cinderella’s Fairy Godmother to the pumpkin coach to the talking mice. It’s a sweet confection of story and song, with a beautiful 4K ultra high-definition upgrade.
Technical aspects: 4K: 2160p ultra high definition, 1.37:1 full-screen picture; English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, 2.0 descriptive audio, French 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio and Spanish 5.1 Dolby digital; English SDH, French and Spanish subtitles; Blu-ray: 1080p high definition, 1.37:1 full-screen picture; English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, 2.0 descriptive audio, French 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio and Spanish 5.1 Dolby digital; English SDH, French and Spanish subtitles.
Don’t miss: Extras include “The Envisioning of ‘Cinderella’ ” viewing option; a making of and “The ‘Cinderella’ That Almost Was” featurettes; a trivia game and other options, all of which have appeared on earlier releases of the movie.
River Wild (Blu-ray)
Details: 2023, Universal Pictures Home Entertainment
Rated: PG-13, violence, bloody images, language, suggestive material
The lowdown: Joey (Leighton Meester) is a whitewater rafting guide scheduled to take a couple of tourists on a thrill-ride adventure.
Joey, however, senses trouble when her brother, Gray (Taran Killam), invites his childhood friend, Trevor (Adam Brody), who has a troubled past, to join the excursion.
It also does not help that Joey and Gray have a strained relationship.
On the journey, they all become stranded in raging rapids and what was once an exciting trip, is transformed into a life-or-death situation.
Meanwhile, someone seems intent on sabotaging the voyage to ensure that shocking secrets remain buried.
To survive, Joey will have to face her fears and everyone on the raft must develop killer instincts before they are torn apart by bickering and deception or face a worse fate by the deadly waters around them.
The film is a semi-remake of a 1994 feature that starred Meryl Streep and Kevin Bacon.
Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 2.00:1 widescreen picture; English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio and Spanish 5.1 DTS digital surround; English SDH, French and Spanish subtitles.
Force of Evil (Blu-ray)
Details: 1948, Kino Lorber Studio Classics
Rated: Not rated
The lowdown: John Garfield stars in this gritty film-noir feature as Joe Morse, a greedy, corrupt and cynical lawyer whose connection to a fearsome racketeer has nearly wrecked his sense of morality.
His participation in a rigged numbers racket could prove disastrous for his high-strung brother — a wonderful performance by character actor Thomas Gomez — whose small-potatoes policy bank stands to go broke when the rigged numbers pay off.
The movie was co-written and directed by Abraham Polonsky, who was a victim of the Hollywood blacklist in the 1950s. “Force of Evil” was his directorial debut, and he did not direct again until 1969’s “Tell Them Willie Boy Is Here,” which starred Robert Redford and Robert Blake.
“Force of Evil’s” supporting cast includes Beatrice Pearson, Western regular Paul Fix and film noir queen Marie Windsor. The movie garnered a 100 percent fresh rating at Rotten Tomatoes.
This 4K restoration was made possible by Paramount Pictures, UCLA and The Film Foundation.
Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 1.37:1 full-screen picture; English 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio; English SDH subtitles.
Don’t miss: Extras include a commentary track and an introduction by Martin Scorsese.
Nevada Smith (Blu-ray)
Release date: July 18
Details: 1966, Kino Lorber Studio Classics
Rated: Not rated
The lowdown: Steve McQueen stars in this revenge Western as a young man whose Native American mother and white father are killed by an outlaw and his gang.
McQueen’s Max Sand, whose character is supposed to be a teenager at the movie’s outset, spends the rest of the movie seeking the outlaw leader, Tom Fitch (Karl Malden) to exact revenge.
Along the way, Max changes his name to Nevada Smith and befriends a gun merchant who teaches him how to shoot straight.
The movie, directed by Henry Hathaway, also features Brian Keith, Arthur Kennedy, Suzanne Pleshette, Raf Vallone, Janet Margolin, Howard Da Silva, Pat Hingle and Martin Landau.
The movie is a sort of prequel to “The Carpetbaggers,” which featured Alan Ladd, in his final movie before his death, as an older and wiser Nevada Smith.
Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 2.35:1 widescreen picture; English 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio; English SDH subtitles.
Don’t miss: A commentary track is the major bonus component.
Assault on Hill 400 (Blu-ray)
Details: 2023, Shout! Studios
Rated: Not rated
The lowdown: A military drama set in 1944 during World War II in which the 2nd Ranger Battalion is tasked with taking the German town of Bergstein and its highly prized and strategic Hill 400.
The hill provides the German army with high ground for its artillery units to rain down shells on Allied troops.
This is a low-budget effort that, at times, displays it shortcomings.
The movie, based on true events, stars William Baldwin, Eric Roberts and Michael Madsen.
Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 2.39:1 widescreen picture; English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio; English SDH subtitles.
Other titles being released on Tuesday, unless otherwise indicated:
About My Father (Blu-ray + DVD + digital & DVD & VOD) (Lionsgate Home Entertainment)
I Am Rage (DVD & digital) (Uncork’d Entertainment)
The Kennedy Incident (DVD & VOD) (Indican Pictures)
The Melt Goes on Forever: The Arts & Times of David Hammons (DVD) (Greenwich Entertainment-Kino Lorber)
DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, STREAMING or VOD
Bad City (Well Go USA Entertainment)
Born in Chicago (Shout! Studios)
Fast X (Universal Pictures Home Entertainment)
The Night of the 12th (Film Movement)
RUB (Entertainment Hub)
The Unabridged Mrs. Vera’s Daybook (NuReality Productions)
Untold: Volume 3 (Netflix)
AUG. 2
The Afterparty: Season 2, Episode 7 (Apple TV+)
Hijack: Episode 7 (Apple TV+)
Physical: Season 3 (Apple TV+)
AUG. 4
Brother (Vertical Entertainment)
Foundation: Season 2, Episode 4 (Apple TV+)
Lola (Dark Sky Films)
Reveille (Buffalo 8)
Swagger: Season 2, Episode 7 (Apple TV+)
The Wendigo (Terror Films)
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.