New to View: July 23

By Bob Bloom
The following titles are being released on Tuesday, July 23, unless otherwise noted:
Hellboy (Blu-ray + DVD + digital)
Details: 2019, Lionsgate Home Entertainment
Rated: R, strong, bloody and graphic violence, gory images, language
The lowdown: David Harbour takes over as the half-demon superhero in this reboot of the fantasy-action franchise.
In this outing, Hellboy is called to the English countryside to battle a trio of giants. While there, he discovers The Blood Queen, Nimue (Milla Jovovich), a resurrected ancient and evil sorceress who is hellbent on revenge for a past betrayal.
Hellboy is caught in a battle between supernatural and human forces, and he must prevent Nimue from setting in motion events that would destroy the world.
Most critics did not see a need for a reboot of this franchise, and their disenchantment was reflected in their reviews as the film was savaged, earning a cold 18 percent fresh rating at Rottentomatoes.com.
Technical aspects: Blu-ray: 1080p high definition, 2.39:1 (16×9 enhanced) widescreen picture; English Dolby Atmos, English descriptive audio and French and Spanish 5.1 Dolby digital; English SDH, English, French and Spanish subtitles; DVD: 2.39:1 (16×9 enhanced) widescreen picture; English, French and Spanish 5.1 Dolby digital and English descriptive audio; English SDH, French and Spanish subtitles.
Don’t miss: Extras include a three-part documentary on the rebirth of “Hellboy,” deleted scenes and looks at previsualization sequences.

High Life (Blu-ray + digital)
Release date: July 9
Details: 2019, Lionsgate Home Entertainment
Rated: R, disturbing and violent sexual content, sexual assault, nudity, language
The lowdown: A confusing and confounding science fiction feature that, nonetheless, is a very compelling feature that refuses to offer any easy answers.
Robert Pattinson stars as Monte who, with his baby daughter, are the sole survivors of a dangerous mission to the outer reaches of the solar system.
The crew of death-row inmates, led by a doctor named Dibs (Juliette Binoche), all have vanished.
Slowly the mystery of what has happened — as well as the doctor’s sinister motives — unfold, as Monte realizes that he and his daughter most rely on each other for survival.
This is a movie heavily infused with atmosphere. Director Claire Denis refuses to give us all the answers, and maintains a consistent somber, angry and cheerless vibe.
Yet “High Life” is a movie that will hold you in its grip from beginning to end. Critics agreed, giving the movie an 83 percent fresh rating at Rottentomatoes.com.
Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 1.85:1 (16×9 enhanced) widescreen picture; English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio; English SDH and Spanish subtitles.
Don’t miss: Bonus offerings include a making of featurette and behind-the-scenes look at visualizing the movie.

Fast Color (Blu-ray + digital)
Release date: July 16
Details: 2019, Lionsgate Home Entertainment
Rated: PG-13, violence, language
The lowdown: Gugu Mbatha-Raw stars as Ruth, a young woman with supernatural powers, who must flee when authorities learn about her abilities.
She runs to the only place she knows, her family’s farmhouse, which she abandoned many years earlier.
There, while being pursued by the local sheriff, played by David Strathairn, she begins to mend her relationships with her mother, played by Lorraine Toussaint) and daughter (Saniyya Sidney), along the way discovering the true depths of the powers within her.
“Fast Color” is a superhero movie that is more grounded in ordinary life. And while the pacing may be too slow for some, the finale rewards the patience of those who watch through the end.
Critics were impressed with the movie, giving it a solid 81 percent fresh rating at Rottentomatoes.com.
Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 1.85:1 (16×9 enhanced) widescreen picture; English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio; English SDH and Spanish subtitles.
Don’t miss: Extras include a making of featurette and a commentary track.

“Universal Horror Collection Volume 2” (Blu-ray)
Details: 1933-1943, Scream Factory
Rated: Not rated
The lowdown: A four-disc set featuring a quartet of mad men-scientists-horror thrillers spanning 10 years of Universal Pictures releases.
The quartet of films also shows Universal’s change of outlook about its specialized genre releases. The first movie in the set “Murders in the Zoo” (1933) is one of the studio’s programmer releases. It runs 63 minutes and stars Lionel Atwill as an insanely jealous zoologist-sportsman who dispatches his wife’s lovers — real and perceived — in rather grisly fashions.
The cast also includes Gail Patrick, Randolph Scott, Charles Ruggles, John Lodge and Kathleen Burke.
The movie is more along the gothic lines of such later Universal releases as “The Black Cat” and “The Raven,” which featured the combined star power of Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi.
Atwill, a sort of second-string Karloff, seemed to be Universal’s go-to guy for crazy scientists in the 1940s. These releases were more streamlined and formulaic, with lesser budgets than the genre releases of the 1930s.
These titles include “The Mad Doctor of Market Street” (1942), “The Strange Case of Dr. Rx” (1942) and “The Mad Ghoul” (1943) with George Zucco taking the scientist-doctor role. Each of these films run a bit over 60 minutes and include such studio regulars as scream queen Evelyn Ankers, Patrick Knowles, Anne Nagel, Una Merkel, Paul Cavanagh, Samuel S. Hinds, Turhan Bey, Robert Armstrong, Milburn Stone and Shemp Howard.
Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 1.37:1 full-screen pictures; English DTS-HD monaural.
Don’t miss: Extras include commentaries on “Murders in the Zoo” and “The Mad Ghoul” and a featurette on Atwill on “The Strange Case of Doctor Rx.”

1984: Special Edition (Blu-ray)
Details: 1984, The Criterion Collection
Rated: R, violence, sexual content, nudity
The lowdown: Michael Radford directed and adapted this bleak version of George Orwell’s scary parable about totalitarian oppression and the manipulation of people’s minds.
The movie feels more relevant today in the political climate in which government leaders constantly assault us repeated warnings about “fake news” and the dangers of “others” who are not like us.
John Hurt stars as Winston Smith and Suzanna Hamilton plays Julia. Their mutual attraction brings them to the attention of the all-seeing Big Brother who, above all, wants conformity and obedience, as well as total commitment to the state.
Richard Burton, in one of his last roles before his death at age 58 in August of 1984, plays O’Brien, the interrogator and agent of the state who uses devious and brutal machinations to bring the lovers back into the fascistic arms of Big Brother.
The film’s major flaw is that Burton underplays his character too much. The movie may be bleak, but it needed more fire and edginess from Burton to give it a bit more life and menace.
The movie is darker and more harrowing than the 1956 version of the movie that starred Edmond O’Brien and Jan Sterling.
Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 1.85:1 widescreen picture; English LPCM monaural; English SDH subtitles.
Don’t miss: Bonus options include two scores for the film, one by the Eurythmics, the other by composer Dominic Muldowney; interviews with Radford and cinematographer Roger Deakins; behind-the-scenes footage; an interview with David Ryan, author of “George Orwell on Screen”; and an essay about the movie.

Master Z: Ip Man Legacy (Blu-ray + DVD)
Details: 2018, Well Go USA Entertainment
Rated: Not rated
The lowdown: This feature in the Ip Man universe follows Cheung Tin Chi, who was defeated by Master Ip.
Cheung tries to make a new life with his son in Hong Kong, where he waits tables at a bar that caters to expatriates.
Before long, though, the mix of foreigners, money and triad leaders again draw him into the fight.
The cast includes Max Zhang, Tony Jaa, Michelle Yeoh and Dave Bautista.
Genre fans will enjoy this movie and its top-flight actors.
Technical aspects: Blu-ray: 1080p high definition,, 2.39:1 (16×9 enhanced) widescreen picture; Cantonese Dolby Atmos and 7.1 TrueHD, Mandarin 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio and English and French 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio; English, Chinese and French subtitles; DVD: 2.39:1 (16×9 enhanced) widescreen picture; Cantonese, Mandarin, English and French 5.1 Dolby digital; English, Chinese and French subtitles.
Don’t miss: The major bonus component is a behind-the-scenes featurette.

Weird Science (Blu-ray)
Details: 1985, Arrow Video
Rated: PG-13. Language, nudity, adult situations
The lowdown: This sci-fi comedy is not one of John Hughes’ better movies, but it does off some truly wacky moments.
Perennial nerds and losers Gary (Anthony Michael Hall) and Wyatt (Ilan Mitchell-Smith) use the latter’s computer — with the help of a massive power surge — to create their dream woman.
Lisa (Kelly LeBrock) is beautiful, intelligent and has limitless magical powers. She makes the teens’ wishes come true.
But the boys run into problems with Wyatt’s psycho older brother, Chet (Bill Paxton), and two bullies, played by Robert Downey Jr. and Robert Rusler, determined to put Gary and Wyatt back at the bottom of the social ladder.
This release features the theatrical release of the movie as well as extended and edited-for-TV versions.
Technical aspects: !080p high definition, 1.85:1 widescreen picture; English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio and 2.0 LPCM monaural; English SDH subtitles.
Don’t miss: Extras include interviews with supporting actor John Kapelos, casting director Jackie Burch, special makeup creator Craig Reardon and composer Ira Newborn, an archival documentary featuring comments from cast members, filmmakers and admirers of the film, comparisons of the alternate dubs and takes for the TV version and a collectible booklet.

Other titles being released on Tuesday, unless otherwise indicated:
American Beach House (Monarch Home Entertainment)
Bikini Model Academy (Monarch Home Entertainment)
Critters Attacks (Blu-ray + DVD + digital) (Warner Home Video)
Rock, Paper, Scissors (Blu-ray & DVD & digital) (Lionsgate Home Entertainment)

DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, STREAMING or VOD
Leaving Neverland (HBO Home Entertainment)
Pokémon, Detective Pikachu (Warner Home Video)
POMS (Universal Studios Home Entertainment)
Tolkein (Fox Home Entertainment)
Neil Dudgeon’s Top Ten (Acorn TV, July 29)
The Nile (Acorn TV, July 29)
The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes, Series 2 (Acorn TV, July 29)
The Spanish Princess (Lionsgate Home Entertainment, July 29)

Coming next week: The Intruder

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.