New Blu-ray Reviews
Home- June 24, 2020
The Police Are Blundering in the Dark Blu-ray Movie
La polizia brancola nel buio
Vinegar Syndrome | 1975 | 87 min | Not rated | Apr 28, 2020 | Brian Orndorf
During an outbreak of violent murders in the area targeting young women, a journalist searching for a female friend gone missing ends up in a villa owned by an eccentric photographer.
Crime / Mystery / Sci-Fi / Foreign
The Killer Is One of Thirteen Blu-ray Movie
El asesino está entre los trece
Vinegar Syndrome | 1973 | 95 min | Not rated | Apr 28, 2020 | Brian Orndorf
A widow invites thirteen guests to stay at her rural mansion. She reveals to them that she suspects whoever killed her husband must be one of them. Soon, they too are being murdered one by one.
Mystery / Thriller / Foreign
LEGO DC: Shazam! - Magic and Monsters Blu-ray Movie
Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy
Warner Bros. | 2020 | 81 min | Not rated | Jun 16, 2020 | Martin Liebman
10-year-old Billy Batson shouts a single word and, with lightning bolts flashing, he transforms into Shazam!, a full-fledged adult Super Hero. It doesn't take long for Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman and the rest of the Justice League to take notice and invite the earnest do-gooder to join the team. But to become a member, Billy must reveal his true identity. While fighting off the evil Mr. Mind and Black Adam, Billy learns that he must trust others – and that nothing creates trust like helping those in need. Join the good fight with this giant-sized LEGO DC adventure!
Animation / Comic book
What the Waters Left Behind Blu-ray Movie
Los olvidados
Unearthed Films | 2017 | 98 min | Not rated | May 12, 2020 | Jeffrey Kauffman
The plot revolves around a group of young people that take a trip to the ruins in order to film a documentary about Epecuen. Ignoring the warnings, and after a brief tour, they get stranded...
Horror / Foreign
- June 23, 2020
And Then We Danced Blu-ray Movie
Da chven vitsek'vet
Music Box Films | 2019 | 113 min | Not rated | Jun 23, 2020 | Jeffrey Kauffman
Merab has been training from a young age at the National Georgian Ensemble with his dance partner Mary. His world turns upside down when the carefree Irakli arrives and becomes both his strongest rival and desire.
Drama / Romance / Foreign
The Big Boss Blu-ray Movie
唐山大兄 / Tang shan da xiong / Fists of Fury
Criterion | 1971 | 101 min | Not rated | No Release Date | Dr. Svet Atanasov
A Chinese immigrant working at a Thai ice factory has sworn to an oath of nonviolence. When he discovers that the factory's ruthless higher-ups are running a secret heroin ring and offing their own workers, his commitment to pacifism is put to the test.
Action / Crime / Drama / Thriller / Martial arts / Foreign
Howl's Moving Castle Blu-ray Movie
ハウルの動く城 / Hauru no Ugoku Shiro / Blu-ray + DVD
Shout Factory | 2004 | 119 min | Rated PG | May 12, 2020 | Neil Lumbard
A plain young hatter named Sophie has her life changed when an evil witch transforms her into an old woman. Unable to face her family in such a condition, Sophie runs away in search of a way to become young again. Along the way, Sophie helps a turnip headed scarecrow, who repays her by leading her to the moving castle owned by the dreaded wizard Howl. There she befriends Howl's apprentice Markl, Howl's fire demon Calcifer, and eventually, Howl himself. Sophie then becomes the castle's cleaning lady in an effort to not only find the solution to her problem but to save Howl from his own terrible secrets as well.
Action / Adventure / Anime / Fantasy / Romance / Foreign
Game of Death Blu-ray Movie
死亡遊戲 / includes "Game of Death Redux"
Criterion | 1978 | 101 min | Not rated | No Release Date | Dr. Svet Atanasov
A martial arts movie star must fake his death to find the people who are trying to kill him.
Action / Crime / Drama / Thriller / Martial arts
Grave of the Fireflies Blu-ray Movie
火垂るの墓 | Hotaru no Haka | Remastered Edition
Sentai Filmworks | 1988 | 90 min | Rated TV-PG | Feb 11, 2020 | Neil Lumbard
On the final days of World War II, 14-year-old Seita and his four-year-old sister Setsuko are orphaned after their mother is killed during an air-raid by American forces in Kobe, Japan. After having a falling-out with their aunt, they move into an abandoned bomb shelter. With no surviving relatives and their emergency funds and rations depleted, Seita and Setsuko must struggle to survive their hardships as well as those of their country, which is on the losing end of the war.
Adventure / Anime / Drama / History / War / Foreign
Ponyo Blu-ray Movie
崖の上のポニョ / Gake no ue no Ponyo / Blu-ray + DVD
Shout Factory | 2008 | 102 min | Rated G | May 12, 2020 | Neil Lumbard
A young boy, Sōsuke, befriends a strange looking goldfish whom he names Ponyo. Unbeknownst to Sōsuke, Ponyo is a magic fish who has decided that she wants to live with Sōsuke and the other humans. Unfortunately, Ponyo's decision to give up her underwater life creates a crack in an ancient magic spell, and places the world in danger. Together, Sōsuke and Ponyo must set things right.
Adventure / Anime / Family / Fantasy / Foreign
- June 22, 2020
South Park: The Complete Twenty-Third Season Blu-ray Movie
Paramount Pictures | 2019 | 220 min | Not rated | Jun 23, 2020 | Martin Liebman
The misadventures of four irreverent grade-schoolers in the quiet, dysfunctional town of South Park, Colorado.
Animation / Comedy / Dark humor
The War of the Worlds Blu-ray Movie
Imprint #01
Imprint | 1953 | 85 min | Rated ACB: PG | May 27, 2020 | Dr. Svet Atanasov
A mysterious object has landed in a small California town. The Martian invasion of Earth has begun.
Horror / Sci-Fi / Thriller
Genius Party / Genius Party Beyond Blu-ray Movie
ジーニアス・パーティ / ジーニアス・パーティ・ビヨンド
Shout Factory | 2007-2008 | 2 Movies | 166 min | Not rated | Oct 15, 2019 | Neil Lumbard
A series of short animations by some of Japan's best animators comments to life in this collage of beautiful works of art.
Anime / Foreign
Genius Party Blu-ray Movie
ジーニアス・パーティ
Shout Factory | 2007 | 85 min | No Release Date | Neil Lumbard
Seven short films from different directors. Atsuko Fukushima's intro piece is a fantastic abstraction to soak up with the eyes. Masaaki Yuasa, of MIND GAME and CAT SOUP fame, brings his distinctive and deceptively simple graphic style and dream-state logic to the table with "Happy Machine," his spin on a child's earliest year. Shinji Kimura's spookier "Deathtic 4," meanwhile, seems to tap into the creepier corners of a child's imagination and open up a toybox full of dark delights. Hideki Futamura's "Limit Cycle" conjures up a vision of virtual reality, while Yuji Fukuyama's "Doorbell" and "Baby Blue" by Shinichiro Watanabe use understated realism for very surreal purposes. And Shoji Kawamori, with "Shanghai Dragon," takes the tropes and conventions of traditional anime out for very fun joyride.
Anime / Foreign
Genius Party Beyond Blu-ray Movie
ジーニアス・パーティ・ビヨンド
Shout Factory | 2008 | 85 min | No Release Date | Neil Lumbard
A series of short animations by some of Japan's best animators comments to life in this collage of beautiful works of art.
Anime / Foreign
Edward II Blu-ray Movie
Film Movement | 1991 | 91 min | Rated R | Jun 12, 2018 | Dr. Stephen Larson
Plantagenet King Edward II hands the power-craving nobility a perfect excuse by taking as a lover -- besides his diplomatic wife, the French princess Isabel -- not an acceptable lady at court but the ambitious Piers Gaveston, who uses his favor in bed to wield political influence. The stage is set for a palace revolt which sends the gay pair from the throne to a terminal torture dungeon.
Drama / History / Erotic
The Specialists Blu-ray Movie
Gli specialisti / Drop Them or I'll Shoot | Eureka Classics
Eureka Entertainment | 1969 | 105 min | Rated BBFC: 15 | May 18, 2020 | Dr. Svet Atanasov
Gunman Hud arrives in Blackstone to seek revenge for his brother's death. He discovers the truth behind the lost money of the local bank, but still has to deal with an idealistic Sheriff, a dubious female banker, a one-armed Mexican bandit (who once was his friend) and a bunch of hippie-like youngsters.
Western / Foreign
Thousand Pieces of Gold Blu-ray Movie
Kino Lorber | 1991 | 105 min | Not rated | May 26, 2020 | Neil Lumbard
In 1880's China, young Lalu is sold into marriage by her impoverished father. Rather than becoming a bride, Lalu ends up in an Idaho gold-mining town, the property of a saloon owner who renames her China Polly and plans to sell her as entertainment for the locals. Refusing to become a whore, Lalu ultimately finds her own way in this strange country filled with white demons.
Romance / Western
Underground Blu-ray Movie
Подземље / Podzemlje
Kino Lorber | 1995 | 1 Movie, 2 Cuts | 170 min | Not rated | Feb 20, 2018 | Dr. Svet Atanasov
The story follows an underground weapons manufacturer in Belgrade during WWII and evolves into fairly surreal situations. A black marketeer who smuggles the weapons to partisans doesn't mention to the workers that the war is over, and they keep producing. Years later, they break out of their underground "shelter" --- only to convince themselves that the war is still going on.
Comedy / Drama / Dark humor / Foreign
Romance on the High Seas Blu-ray Movie
Warner Archive Collection
Warner Bros. | 1948 | 99 min | Not rated | Jun 16, 2020 | Randy Miller III
Bon voyage! Georgia Garrett's singing career may not be going anywhere, but she is. She's on a cruise, sailing under the name Mrs. Elvira Kent while the real Elvira secretly stays home to spy on her presumably philandering hubby. Meanwhile, the husband hires a spy to snoop on his supposedly voyaging wife. Doris Day makes her first maiden film voyage, debuting as Georgia in a colorful bauble afloat on romantic seas. The studio surrounds the sunny, overnight screen sensation with top talent: Michael Curtiz directs, the Epstein brothers provide the script, Busby Berkeley guides musical numbers, Jule Styne and Sammy Cahn create the tunes, and co-stars include Oscar Levant and Jack Carson. "It's Magic," Day sings. Yes, it is.
Comedy / Musical / Romance