New to View: April 28

By Bob Bloom

Because of the coronavirus pandemic, many distributors have closed their warehouses and are not releasing 4K UHD, Blu-ray or DVD titles. Instead, they are offering digital releases of many titles at Movies Anywhere, Amazon and other sites.

The following titles are being released on Tuesday, April 21, unless otherwise noted:
Elvira, Mistress of the Dark
Details: 1988, Arrow Video
Rated: PG-13, adult situations, violence, language
The lowdown: Cassandra Peterson created the character of Elvira, Mistress of the Dark, in the early 1980s and gained fame and a following as a horror film hostess on Los Angeles television.
Her character’s popularity translated into this horror-comedy in which Elvira, quits her job and plans to take her act to Las Vegas, but needs money for the project.
Elvira soon learns that she is set to inherit part of her great-aunt Morgana’s estate. She heads to Falwell, Mass., to claim her inheritance.
The conservative townspeople do not welcome her with open arms. Especially hostile is her Uncle Vincent, a sinister individual who secretly is a warlock and out to steal the family’s spell book for his own evil designs.
The tongue-in-cheek movie is loaded with double entendres, a predictable plot and low-budget special effects. Still Peterson’s personality makes the film enjoyable.
Critics did not fall under Elvira’s spell, giving the film a 47 percent fresh rating at Rotten Tomatoes.
Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 1.85:1 widescreen picture; English 2.0 LPCM monaural; English SDH subtitles.
Don’t miss: Extras include an introduction to the film by director James Signorelli, a making of featurette, three commentary tracks, a behind-the-scenes look at the creation of the pot monster and a booklet about the film.

The Gentlemen (Blu-ray + DVD + digital)
Release date: April 21
Details: 2020, Universal Studios Home Entertainment
Rated: R, graphic violence, language, drug use, sexual references
The lowdown: Though “The Gentlemen” may be about hardened criminals who are not afraid of spilling blood, dealing drugs or blackmailing people, it is a delightful and fun movie with a wry sense of humor.
The movie, directed by Guy Ritchie — who also contributed to the script — is a brash and quick-witted gangster flick in the mode of some earlier Ritchie features such as “Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels” and “Snatch.”
The movie also has an early Quentin Tarantino-esque vibe to it, especially in the one-on-one dialogue sequences that are rife with pop-culture observations and movie references.
And that dialogue was delivered by a first-rate, heavyweight ensemble cast, featuring Matthew McConaughey, Charlie Hunnam, Henry Golding, Hugh Grant, Colin Farrell, Jeremy Strong and Eddie Marsan.
“The Gentlemen” is a rather odd vehicle. The vast majority — hell, basically all the characters — are despicable in one way or another, yet they also are charismatic and likable.
You come to care about most of them and accept, while not condoning, some of their actions.
The film has an appealing swagger that dares you not to like it. And the script’s ability to bring cohesion to a group of disparate characters also helps its cause.
“The Gentlemen” is very enjoyable. Though the movie is violent, no cringe-worthy moments appear. Many last-second cuts to other sequences minimize the viciousness.
The movie offers enough sizzle to keep you cozy during these days of self-quarantining.
Critics enjoyed the movie, awarding it a 74 percent fresh rating at Rotten Tomatoes.
Technical aspects: Blu-ray: 1080p high definition, 2.39:1 widescreen picture; English Dolby Atmos and 2.0 DVS; English SDH and Spanish subtitles; DVD: 2.39:1 anamorphic widescreen picture; English 5.1 Dolby digital and 2.0 DVS; English SDH and Spanish subtitles.
Don’t miss: Bonus materials include behind-the-scenes and best gentlemanly quips featurettes and a glossary of cannabis.

Série Noir (Blu-ray)
Details: 1979, Film Movement Classics
Rated: Not rated
The lowdown: This French feature, based on a story by crime novelist Jim Thompson, is a throwback to the American noir films of the 1940s.
The story centers on door-to-door salesman Franck Poupart (Patrick Dewaere) who, while trying to track down a deadbeat customer, meets Mona (Marie Trintignant), a teenage vixen living with her miserly aunt.
Franck, after being left by his wife and thrown in jail by his boss, agrees to help Mona kill her aunt and abscond with her fortune.
The plan backfires and Poupart’s luck gets even worse as life closes in around him. This is an acclaimed French import well worth viewing.
Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 1.66:1 widescreen picture; French monaural; English subtitles.
Don’t miss: Extras include a featurette about the movie, interviews with Trintignant and director Alain Corneau and an essay about the film.

Other titles being released on Tuesday, unless otherwise indicated:
15 Years? (DVD & VOD) (Breaking Glass Pictures)
The Dreamkatcher (DVD & digital & VOD) (Lionsgate Home Entertainment)
Guns Akimbo (DVD & digital & VOD) (Lionsgate Home Entertainment)
The Sharks (DVD) (Breaking Glass Pictures)

FOR KIDS
SpongeBob Squarepants: Bikini Bottom Bash (DVD) (Nickelodeon-Paramount Home Entertainment)

DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, STREAMING or VOD
Gutterballs (Unearthed Films)
How to Catch a Serial Killer (Sundance Now)
LEGO DC: Shazam! Magic and Monsters (Warner Home Entertainment)
The Photograph (Universal Studios Home Entertainment)
Reawakened (Wild Eye Entertainment)
Rembrandt’s J’Accuse (MVD Visual Entertainment)
Rudyard Kipling: A Secret Life (MVD Visual Entertainment)
A Secret Love (www.netflix.com/secretlove) (Netflix, April 29)
An Engineer Imagines (Music Box Streamlocal, April 29)
Murder to Mercy (www.netflix.com/murdertomercy) (Netflix, April 29)
Dangerous Lies (www.netflix.com/DangerousLies) (Netflix, April 30)
The Restaurant: Season 3, Episode 7 (Sundance Now, April 30)
Sanctuary: Episode 2 (Sundance Now, April 30)
All Day and a Night (Netflix, May 1)
The Duchess (Sundance Now, May 1)
The Half of It (www.netflix.com/TheHalfOfIt) (Netflix, May 1)
Hollywood (www.netflix.com/Hollywood) (Netflix, May 1)
Nightfire (Hewes Pictures, May 1)
The Wretched (IFC Films, May 1)
You Can Count on Me (Sundance Now, May 1)
Gold Digger (Acorn TV, May 4)
It’s Not Yet Dark (Sundance Now, May 4)

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.