New to View: Jan. 31
By Bob Bloom
The following titles are being released on Tuesday, Jan. 31, unless otherwise noted:
Bones and All (Blu-ray)
Details: 2022, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment
Rated: R, strong and bloody violent content, nudity, language, sexual content
The lowdown: This is a road-trip love story about two young people who share a unique obsession that keeps them on the margins of society.
That these two people — wonderfully brought to life by Taylor Russell (outstanding as the young sister in 2019’s “Waves”) and the always dependable Timothée Chalamet — also are into cannibalism makes director Luca Guadagnino’s film more appetizing (sorry, could not resist).
Guadagnino, who directed the tender “Call Me By Your Name,” offers another romance between people society would consider not just outsiders but repellant.
While “Bones and All” offers a few graphic sequences, the cannibalism is not the movie’s main focus. Guadagnino is more interested in the growing relationship between Russell’s Maren and Chalamet’s Lee, their interactions with each other, others who share their fixation and their interactions with “normal” people.
The movie is set in the 1980s, a time before cellphones and social media, so people such as Maren and Lee could live under the radar.
It is dark and disturbing, but never morbid. It’s also soulful and mournful with a sweetness that you can almost taste. Most critics agreed, awarding the movie an 82 percent fresh rating at Rotten Tomatoes.
This is a work of beauty and brutality held together by performances that will stay with you for a long time.
Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 1.85:1 widescreen picture; English Dolby Atmos TrueHD, Dolby digital descriptive audio and French and Spanish 5.1 Dolby digital; English SDH, French and Spanish subtitles.
Don’t miss: Bonus features include a look inside the making of the movie, the vision of the film, an “Outsiders in Love” featurette and profiles of the main characters.
Violent Night: Collector’s Edition (Blu-ray + DVD + digital)
Release date: Jan. 24
Details: 2022, Universal Pictures Home Entertainment
Rated: R, strong bloody violence, language, sexual references
The lowdown: Santa Claus shows you what happens when you are naughty in this action-thriller from the producers of “John Wick.”
A team of mercenaries break into a wealthy family compound on Christmas Eve and take everyone hostage.
But Santa is on the grounds and he is a bad-ass.
The movie is crammed with very bloody and violent images, but is grounded by David Harbour’s performance as Santa.
The film, which earned a 73 percent fresh rating at Rotten Tomatoes, should join “Die Hard” and “Krampus” as fun Christmas viewing.
Technical aspects: Blu-ray: 1080p high definition, 2.39:1 widescreen picture; English 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, 2.0 DVS, French 5.1 DTS digital surround and Spanish 7.1 DTS-HD; English SDH, French and Spanish subtitles; DVD: 2.39:1 anamorphic widescreen picture; English, French and Spanish 5.1 Dolby digital and English 2.0 DVS; English SDH, French and Spanish subtitles.
Don’t miss: Extras include deleted and extended scenes, behind-the-scenes featurettes and a commentary track.
The Lady from Shanghai (Blu-ray)
Details: 1948, Kino Lorber Studio Classics
Rated: Not rated
The lowdown: Orson Welles wrote, directed and starred in this classic film noir feature along with his then-wife Rita Hayworth.
Welles, speaking with an Irish accent, portrays seaman Michael O’Hara who is hired to work on a yacht belonging to the rich and disabled Arthur Bannister (Everett Sloane). Also on board is Bannister’s femme fatale wife, Elsa,
The movie is very plot heavy as it features a complex murder-for-hire plot, a fake murder and various double crosses.
The movie was heavily edited and reshoots were ordered by Columbia Pictures studio boss Harry Cohn, who hated Welles’ original cut. Cohn also was angry that Welles had Hayworth cut her auburn hair and dye it platinum blonde.
The film is best remembered for its remarkable hall of mirrors shootout during the finale, a sequence that — again, on orders from Cohn — was cut from its original length to about three minutes.
Still, the movie came to be appreciated much later, earning an 84 percent fresh rating at Rotten Tomatoes.
Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 1.37:1 full-screen picture; English 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio monaural; English subtitles.
Don’t miss: Bonus options include comments by film noir historian Eddie Muller, a 2000 interview with filmmaker Peter Bogdanovich and three commentary tracks.
Dawn of the Dead: Collector’s Edition (4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray)
Details: 2004, Scream Factory
Rated: R, gore, strong violence, language, sexual situations
The lowdown: This remake of George A. Romero’s sequel to “Night of the Living Dead” abandons most of Romero’s social commentary but keeps the gore and violence.
The movie, with an updated screenplay by James Gunn and directed by Zack Snyder, focuses on a group of survivors who hole up in a shopping mall while a mysterious virus transforms people into mindless, flesh-eating zombies.
The cast includes Sarah Polley, Ving Rhames, Jake Weber, Mekhi Phifer and Ty Burrell.
The film is scary, savage and disturbing, earning a 76 percent fresh rating at Rotten Tomatoes.
The three-disc set features the unrated cut of the movie, which is nine minutes longer than the theatrical cut, on 4K UHD and Blu-ray discs and the theatrical version on the second Blu-ray disc.
Technical aspects: 4K: 2160p ultra high definition, 2.35:1 widescreen picture; English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio and stereo; English SDH subtitles; Blu-ray: 1080p high definition, 2.35:1 widescreen picture; English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio and stereo; English SDH subtitles.
Don’t miss: Extras include a commentary track with Snyder, an introduction by Snyder to the director’s cut, a look at creating exploding heads, various behind-the-scenes featurettes, an “Undead and Loving It” mockumentary, interviews with Burrell, Gunn and Weber, deleted scenes and a look at the special effects.
The Italian Job (4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray)
Details: 1969, Kino Lorber Studio Classics
Rated: G
The lowdown: Michael Caine heads the cast of this comedy-caper feature about a crew of crooks who plan to rob a heavily armed shipment of gold bullion.
One of the parts of the crooks’ plans is to cause a massive traffic jam in Turin to help thwart any police pursuit as well as using Mini Coopers, Jaguars and a bus.
The first part of the movie, dealing with planning the heist, is rather slow, but picks up after the robbery and the subsequent chase.
The movie, in which the Mafia, also offers a not-so-dangerous menace, features the legendary Noel Coward as well as Benny Hill, Raf Vallone, Tony Beckley, Rossano Brazzi and Maggie Blye.
The film, which received an 81 percent fresh rating at Rotten Tomatoes, was written by Troy Kennedy Martin (“Kelly’s Heroes”) and directed by Peter Collinson. The movie was remade in 2003.
Technical aspects: 4K: 2160p, 2.35:1 widescreen picture; English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio; English subtitles; Blu-ray: 1080p high definition, 2.35:1 widescreen picture; English 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio monaural; English subtitles.
Don’t miss: Extras include two commentary tracks, three behind-the-scenes documentaries, a featurette on the Mini Coopers and a deleted scene.
The Grandmaster of Kung Fu (Blu-ray)
Details: 2019, Well Go USA Entertainment
Rated: Not rated
The lowdown: The movie, set during the final years of the Qing Dynasty, finds China facing military threats from the outside world.
This makes it difficult for citizens to maintain their traditional way of life. Tensions increase to the point of war when Japan’s plot to seize the martial arts stronghold of Tian Jin is discovered.
Huo, a respected and heroic martial arts master is forced to fight a feared Japanese military commander in a life-or-death battle for control of the city.
The movie contains the prerequisite amount of martial arts action to satisfy fans of the genre.
Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 16:9 (enhanced) widescreen picture; Mandarin 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio; English subtitles.
Maigret: Season 2 (Blu-ray)
Details: 1961-62, Kino Classics
Rated: Not rated
The lowdown: Rupert Davies returns as George Simenon’s Commissaire Jules Maigret, the dogged French detective of Simenon’s popular novels.
In the three-disc set, containing all 13 episodes of the second season of this series, Maigret faces many challenges in solving some perplexing cases.
The casting of Davies was enthusiastically approved by Simenon himself.
Fans of Maigret and detective stories in general will enjoy this smart and entertaining series.
Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 1.33:1 full-screen picture; English 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio monaural; English SDH subtitles.
Don’t miss: The main extra consists of Canadian Christmas intros.
The Asphyx (Blu-ray)
Details: 1972, Kino Lorber Studio Classics
Rated: PG
The lowdown: A British supernatural thriller set in Victorian England centering on a scientist, Sir Hugo Cunningham (Robert Stephens, “The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie,” “The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes”), a scientist who utilizes an experimental photographic device to capture what appears to be the image of the Asphyx — the ancient Greek spirit of the dead.
Cunningham enlists the help of his adopted son, Giles (Robert Powell, “Mahler,” “Jesus of Nazareth”), in conducting further experiments. Cunningham conceives of a way to harness the Asphyx and thus gain immortality.
Sir Hugo, unfortunately, forgets the lesson every scientist in science fiction and horror movies learns — defying the laws of God and nature lead to dreaded and deadly consequences.
The Blu-ray includes the 86-minute theatrical release and an extended 99-minute cut of the movie culled from a U.S. release print.
Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 2.35:1 widescreen picture; English 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio monaural; English SDH subtitles.
Don’t miss: A commentary track with novelist-critic Kim Newman and writer-editor Stephen Jones is the main bonus component.
“The Lukas Moodysson Collection” (Blu-ray)
Details: 1998-2013, Arrow Video
Rated: Not rated
The lowdown: I have never heard of Swedish filmmaker Lukas Moodysson until I received this six-disc set. And I must say, his movies are provocative and singular.
The seven films in this set include “F..king Amal” (1998, released in the United States as “Show Me Love”), “Together” (2000), “Lilya 4 Ever” (2002), “A Hole in My Heart” (2004), “Container” (2006), “Mammoth”(2009) and “We Are the Best” (2013).
These movies cover such topics as gay issues, love and lust and punk rock.
Moodysson’s movies do not conform to any specific genre; they all seem to embrace his view of the world.
Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 1.85:1 widescreen picture (“F..king Amal,” “Together,” “Lilya 4 Ever,” “A Hole in My Heart,” “Container” and “We Are the Best”) and 2.39:1 widescreen picture (“Mammoth”); Swedish 5.1 and 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio; English subtitles.
Don’t miss: Extras include interviews with Moodysson, several of his actors and crew members; appreciations; a short film by the director; deleted scenes; behind-the-scenes featurettes; and Swedish and English narrations for “Container.”
Sesame Street: Elmo & Tango: Furry Friends Forever (DVD)
Details: 2023, Shout! Kids-Sesame Workshop
Rated: Not rated
The lowdown: Elmo adopts a puppy named Tango, who loves music is smart and energetic. And through Tango, more furry friends are made in the neighborhood.
The DVD features such special guests as Jon Batiste, Kacey Musgraves and Keke Palmer.
The DVD looks at new friends and adventures and provides new songs.
Youngsters will enjoy all the furry and funny goings-on and learn lessons about taking care of pets.
Technical aspects: 1.33:1 full-screen picture; English Dolby digital; Spanish subtitles.
Don’t miss: Bonus features include “Furry Friends Forever: Elmo Gets a Puppy” and “Elmo’s World: Pets.”
Other titles being released on Tuesday, unless otherwise indicated:
Exceptional Beings (DVD & digital & VOD) (Freestyle Digital Media)
Heretic (DVD & VOD) (Indican Pictures)
Next Exit (DVD & VOD) (Magnolia Home Entertainment)
Yu Yu Hakusho: 30th Anniversary Box Set (Crunchyroll)
DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, STREAMING or VOD
A Violent Life (Kino Lorber)
Alive (Gravitas Ventures)
The Asphyx (Kino Now-Amazon)
Blood (Vertical Entertainment)
Maigret: Season 3 (Kino Lorber)
Pamela, a Love Story (www.netflix.com/pamela) (Netflix)
Petit Mall (Dark Star Pictures)
FEB. 1
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (Marvel Studios)
FEB. 2
Freeridge (www.netflix.com/freeridge) (Netflix)
Skinamarink (Shudder)
FEB. 3
Body Parts (Shout! Studios-Level Forward)
Dear Edward: Episodes 1-3 (Apple TV+)
Little Dixie (Paramount Pictures)
Ocean Boy (Gravitas Ventures)
On Wings of Eagles (Tubi)
Servant: Season 4, Episode 4 (Apple TV+)
She Is Love (Brainstorm Media)
Shrinking: Episode 3 (Apple TV+)
Shtetlers (Film Movement)
Take Me to the River (Amazon)
Truth Be Told: Season 3, Episode 3 (Apple TV+)
TwoTwo (Good Deed Entertainment)
Coming next week: Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
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.