New to View: Nov. 7
By Bob Bloom
The following titles are being released on Tuesday, Nov. 7, unless otherwise noted:
Gran Turismo (Blu-ray + digital)
Details: 2023, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Rated: PG-13, intense action, strong language
The lowdown: Another movie based — how close or loosely is not explained — on a true story of gamer Jann Mardenborough.
The teenage Mardenborough is a skillful Gran Turismo player. His abilities have won him a series of Nissan competitions to become a real race-car driver.
He is teamed with Jack Salter (David Harbour), a failed former driver, and Danny Moore (Orlando Bloom), an idealistic motorsports executive.
Together, they take on the most elite sport in the world.
The film, directed by Neil Blomkamp, offers some exciting stunts, but almost crashes because of cliches and formulaic tropes.
Still, the film garnered a 65 percent fresh rating at Rotten Tomatoes.
Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 1.90:1 widescreen picture; English and French 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, English, French and Spanish 5.1 Dolby digital and 5.1 Dolby digital audio description tracks; English SDH, English, French and Spanish subtitles.
Don’t miss: Bonus options include deleted and extended scenes, and featurettes on the visuals, action and stunts and the automobiles.
Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning, Part One (4K Ultra HD + digital)
Release date: Oct. 31
Details: 2023, Paramount Home Entertainment
Rated: PG-13, intense sequences of violence and action, language, suggestive material
The lowdown: This sequel is a cinematic thrill-ride, overflowing with death-defying stunts, fierce hand-to-hand combat sequences, exciting car chases, far-flung locales and narrow escapes.
But, at its core, “Dead Reckoning” is hollow and sagging. It feels as if we’ve seen all of this before — even as the stakes are raised with an almost omniscient opponent — to a level above any other iteration in the series. It also feels loosely sewn together, with too many closeups, which probably is a consequence the filming completed under COVID pandemic restrictions.
This time, the mission of Tom Cruise’s Ethan Hunt is the destruction of an artificial intelligence known as The Entity that can steal secrets from and take control of any computer as well as manipulate reality.
It seems that, for much of the movie, Hunt and his allies are like dogs chasing their own tails. A lot of movement and running occur, but not much of it seems to advance the story.
Director Christopher McQuarrie, along with co-writer Erik Jendresen, appear to have constructed “Dead Reckoning” around showcasing Cruise’s penchant for performing daredevil stunts. And while these may thrill audiences, they appear more as distractions than as part of the overall plotline.
Despite its flaws, the movie is truly entertaining and exciting — even, after 163 minutes, when you are physically exhausted. The film contains several spectacular heart-in-your-throat sequences, and Cruise does his upmost to delight you with his derring-do.
The movie did garner a 96 percent fresh rating at Rotten Tomatoes, so who am I to quibble?
Technical aspects: 2160p ultra high definition, 2.39:1 widescreen picture; English and French Dolby Atmos, French and Spanish 5.1 Dolby digital and English 5.1 Dolby digital audio description; English SDH, English, French and Spanish subtitles.
Don’t miss: Extras include a commentary track with McQuarrie and editor Eddie Hamilton, plus featurettes on the stunts, locations and other behind-the-scenes extras.
Shortcomings (Blu-ray)
Release date: Oct. 17
Details: 2023, Sony Pictures Classics
Rated: R, language, sexual material, brief nudity
The lowdown: Actor-writer-director Randall Park helmed this romantic dramedy centering on Ben (Justin H. Min), a struggling filmmaker who lives in Berkeley with his girlfriend Miko (Ally Maki), who works for a local Asian-American film festival.
As his day job, Ben manages an art house movie theater. He spends the rest of his time obsessing over unavailable blonde women, watching Criterion Collection DVDs and eating in diners with his best friend, Alice (Sherry Cola), a lesbian grad student with a serial dating habit.
When Miko moves to New York for an internship, Ben is left on his own, beginning to explore what he thinks he might want.
This engaging and energetic movie, which garnered an 84 percent fresh rating at Rotten Tomatoes, is a very funny character study with Park providing a light touch as director.
Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 1.85:1 widescreen picture; English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio and 5.1 Dolby digital audio description track; English SDH, English, French and Spanish subtitles.
Fargo: Collector’s Edition (4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray)
Details: 1996, Shout! Studios
Rated: R, graphic violence, language, sexual content
The lowdown: Some movies stick with you; no matter how many times you have seen them, they never appear to grow old.
“Fargo” is one of those movies. It’s a crime thriller, but also a character study as a sunny and very pregnant small-town police chief investigates three murders in her jurisdiction.
Frances McDormand Police Chief Marge Gunderson is unforgettable. Despite the killings she is trying to solve, she remains upbeat and dogged. Gunderson is no Dirty Harry, but she gets the job done.
As the two criminals, Steve Buscemi and Peter Stormare are brutal, yet funny in that they are a mismatched pair of thugs.
William H. Macy’s performance as the husband who has his wife kidnapped so he can collect the ransom from his wealthy father-in-law is as inept a criminal mastermind as you can find.
All in all, “Fargo,” written by Joel and Ethan Cohen and directed by Joel Cohen, is a pleasurable feature you can enjoy over and over.
Technical aspects: 4K: 2160p ultra high definition, 1.85:1 widescreen picture; English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio; English SDH subtitles; Blu-ray: 1080p high definition, 1.85:1 widescreen picture; English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio; English SDH subtitles.
Don’t miss: Bonus materials include a commentary track with director of photographer Roger A. Deakins, a “Minnesota Nice” featurette; an interviews with the Coens and McDormand and an “American Cinematographer” article.
It! The Terror from Beyond Space: Special Edition (Blu-ray)
Release date: Oct. 24
Details: 1958, Kino Lorber Studio Classics
Rated: Not rated
The lowdown: This low-budget science-fiction-horror thriller deals with the crew of a spaceship returning from Mars to Earth with Commander Edward Carruthers (Marshall Thompson), the sole survivor of an earlier mission to the Red Planet.
Carruthers is suspected of killing his crew for their food and water rations. He insists that a humanoid life form was the culprit. But the crew of the rescue ship does not believe him.
Before taking off back to Earth, it is discovered that an escape hatch had been left open, allowing the creature easy access to the ship — and its crew.
One by one, the crew members are killed — sucked dry of their bodily fluids.
Finally believing Carruthers, the crew tries various means, including hand grenades, gas grenades and electrocution, to kill the creature, but they have no effect.
The monster, played by former B-Western and serial star Ray “Crash” Corrigan — who made a side living appearing in movies in an ape suit of his own design, is finally dispatched.
“It!” has been cited as an inspiration for the iconic sci-fi movie “Alien,” and a few similarities do turn up.
Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 1.85:1 widescreen picture; English 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio monaural; English SDH subtitles.
Don’t miss: Bonus materials include a trio of commentary tracks — one with film historians Tom Weaver, Larry Blamire and David Schecter, a second with film historian Craig Beam and a third with film historian-screenwriter Gary Gerani, and a featurette about the movie, “tidbITs: Ephemera from Beyond Space,” with Beam.
Lion-Girl (Blu-ray)
Details: 2023, Cleopatra Entertainment-MVD Visual Entertainment
Rated: Not rated
The lowdown: A post-apocalyptic action-drama that takes place after mysterious meteors that emit a mysterious ray strike the Earth, ushering in an age of horrific beasts known as “ANOROC,” who hunt and kill humans for their life force.
The planet’s lone — and last — defender is an individual known as Lion-Girl, a superhero Yakuza fighter.
This Japanese sci-fi-fantasy feature will interest fans of those genres.
Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, widescreen picture; English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio.
Don’t miss: Extras include a commentary track, a conversation with Japanese manga legend Go Nagai, a making of featurette and a question-and-answer session with cast members.
Warhorse One (Blu-ray)
Details: 2022, Well Go USA Entertainment
Rated: R, violence, language
The lowdown: A movie set shortly after the 2021 withdrawal of U.S. military forces from Afghanistan.
The story centers on the lone surviving member of a SEAL team after its helicopter is downed en route to a rendezvous point.
The survivor must traverse hostile territory and insurgents to get his one remaining charge — a traumatized young girl — to safety.
The movie received a limited theatrical release.
Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 16:9 enhanced widescreen picture; English DTS-HD Master Audio; English SDH subtitles.
Don’t miss: A commentary track is the main extra.
A Bullet for Sandoval (Blu-ray)
Details: 1970, VCI Entertainment-MVD Visual Entertainment
Rated: PG, violence
The lowdown: Academy Award-winner Ernest Borgnine is the featured name in this spaghetti Western about a John Warner, Confederate soldier who, with two friends, leaves camp on the eve of battle to travel to Mexico to be with his pregnant woman who is about to give birth.
When he arrives at the hacienda of his lover’s father, Don Pedro Sandoval (Borgnine), he learns that she died in childbirth. Not only that, but the enraged Sandoval only wants to kill the gringo.
Considered a deserter by the Confederate Army, Warner takes his newborn child and wanders away. The baby later dies of cholera. The embittered rebel continues wandering and soon gathers a band of renegades and misfits who begin to terrorize northern Mexico.
The loot he is amassing means nothing to Warner who is obsessed with settling the score with Sandoval.
The Blu-ray features the Spanish-language and original U.S. theatrical versions of this violent Western.
Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 2.35:1 widescreen picture; English and Spanish LPCM monaural; English SDH subtitles.
Don’t miss: A commentary track with filmmaker Alex Cox and extended English dialogue sequences comprise the extras.
There Goes the Neighborhood (DVD)
Details: 2022, IndiePix Films
Rated: Not rated
The lowdown: Filmmaker Ian Phillips’ documentary looks at gentrification efforts in New York City that have been discussed and implemented over the past few decades.
This new movement, which has taken hold in New York and other cities, has caused hardships for low-income residents through radical transformations and displacement.
New York City is going through a period of “hyper-gentrification” unseen anywhere else in the world. And this documentary looks at the consequences of this movement as well as portraits of communities and activists who are fighting back and resisting the greed and corruption that are eroding the city’s diversity and culture.
Technical aspects: 16:9 enhanced widescreen picture; English 2.0 Dolby digital.
The Gamblers (Blu-ray)
Details: 1970, VCI Entertainment-MVD Visual Entertainment
Rated: G
The lowdown: A group of professional card sharks team up on a luxury liner hoping to swindle a wealthy aristocrat of his fortune.
The movie features several twists and turns that detour the gamblers’ schemes to fleece their pigeon, who discovers that the I.O.U. the aristocrat signed is worthless.
The cast includes Suzy Kendall, Don Gordon, Stuart Margolin, Richard Woo and Faith Domergue.
Technical aspects: 1080p high definition, 16:9 enhanced widescreen picture; English LPCM monaural; English subtitles.
Other titles being released on Tuesday, unless otherwise indicated:
The Loch Ness Horror (DVD & VOD) (Uncork’d Entertainment)
The Miracle Club (Blu-ray) (Sony Pictures Home Entertainment)
Operation Napoleon (DVD & VOD) (Magnolia Home Entertainment)
The Red Shoes: Next Step (DVD & digital & VOD) (4 Digital Media)
South Park: The Complete Twenty-Sixth Season (Blu-ray & DVD) (Paramount Home Entertainment)
South Park: The Streaming Wars (Blu-ray & DVD) (Paramount Home Entertainment)
The Unknown Country (Blu-ray & DVD) (Music Box Films)
DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, STREAMING or VOD
Dumb Money (Sony Pictures Home Entertainment)
Ghosts of the Void (Speakeasy Films)
Girls on Film (Breaking Glass Pictures)
Jezabel (Omnibus Entertainment)
Open (Virgil Films)
Pencils vs. Pixels (Strike Back Studios-Hideout Pictures)
Scrapper (Kino Lorber)
Stranded (Wild Eye Releasing)
NOV. 8
Black Cake: Episode 4 (Hulu)
The Buccaneers: Episodes 1-3 (Apple TV+)
The Morning Show: Season 3, Episode 10 (Apple TV+)
NOV. 9
Colin From Accounts: Episodes 1 & 2 (Paramount+)
NOV. 10
Adventures of the Naked Umbrella (Level 33 Entertainment)
For All Mankind: Season 4, Episode 1 (Apple TV+)
Birth / Rebirth (Shudder)
Dicks: The Musical (A24)
The Dirty South (Cineverse)
Jezabel (Omnibus Entertainment)
Kane (Saban Films)
Lessons in Chemistry: Episode 6 (Apple TV+)
The Other Zoey (Brainstorm Media)
Rumble Through the Dark (Lionsgate Home Entertainment)
Screwdriver (Buffalo 8)
Share? (XYZ Films)
Showdown at the Grand (Shout! Studios)
Weird: The Al Yankovic Story (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.