Cold War 2 (Blu-ray)
A suspected criminal mastermind escapes from police custody, throwing the city into turmoil. With the police department now divided, rival police chiefs are forced to take their fight to the streets of Hong Kong — with deadly consequences.
This is a hard-nosed Chinese cop drama in which everyone seems to be a little dirty, but those who believe in justice are determined to put the worst of the offenders in jail. The sequel picks up some time after the first film with Sean Lau now serving as police commissioner. There is a lot of finger-pointing and suspicions to sort through, particularly in the first act; for a brief period, it feels as if everyone is a suspect. However as the good and bad characters begin to sort themselves out, the story and deceptions become much more complex. Chow Yun-Fat plays a clever lawyer who finds himself unwittingly pulled into the political tug-of-war occurring in the city’s backrooms and the infrequent action sequences match the intensity of the verbal warfare.
Special features include: “A Powerhouse Cast”; “The Story”; “The Three Powers”; and “VFX and Action.” (Well Go USA)
Colors (Blu-ray)
In the ‘hood, all that matters are your colours. Bob Hodges (Robert Duvall) is a seasoned street cop who has learned a lot from long experience while his new, young partner, Danny McGavin (Sean Penn), has learned nothing — yet knows it all. Forced to work together in the L.A.P.D.’s renowned C.R.A.S.H. anti-gang unit, they set out to investigate a brutal gang murder. Hated and hunted by both sides, the cops soon find themselves trapped in the middle of a turf war. With nowhere to turn, they are ambushed, double-crossed and shot at in a take-no-prisoners street battle. As the violence escalates, these two diametrically opposed men must come to terms with one important fact — to stay alive they must come together.
Set in Los Angeles in the late ‘80s, this film represents the police’s perspective of the gang wars that were engulfing the city. The opening text informs viewers there were more than 600 street gangs with approximately 70,000 members in the area; however, the nearly 400 gang-related deaths per year is what really got under the cops’ skins. Hodges does his job, investigating murders and drug trafficking, but he’s not interested in turning over every rock and busting every small-time offender. McGavin, on the other hand, treats all gang members like they’re the scum of the earth, personally offending him with their illegal activities. The interview with writer Michael Schiffer provides some understanding how and why the film came to fruition, but the one with the retired officer who consulted on the film is far more insightful.
Special features include: unrated cut of the film, including footage restored from the international cut and the original home video cut; “A Cry of Alarm”; and “Cops and Robbers.” (Shout Select)
Ice Age: The Great Egg-Scapade (DVD & Digital copy)
Business is booming at Sid’s (John Leguizamo) new egg-sitting service, but when the dastardly pirate bunny Squint (Seth Green) steals the eggs, Manny (Ray Romano), Diego (Denis Leary) and the rest of the gang take off on a daring rescue mission that turns into the world’s first egg hunt.
The moment Manny and Diego see Sid’s new venture, they’re just waiting for the moment it’s all going to go wrong… besides the logistical problem of a small creature trying to simultaneously care for multiple eggs. However, the re-emergence of Squint is somewhat of a surprise — though he’s the only plausible stand-in for the Easter Bunny amongst the already existing characters. The manner in which filmmakers imagine the origins of the egg hunt and painted eggs is actually very amusing and creative, while remaining entirely true to the story world and its characters. Since the movie is only 20 minutes long, the bonus features are packed full of Scrat’s adventures and other videos from previous releases.
Special features include: “Ice Age: Collision Course Cosmic Scrat-tastrophe”; “Ice Age – The Story So Far”; six Scrat shorts; and “Lost Footage.” (Fox Home Entertainment)
Jack Reacher: Never Go Back (Blu-ray, DVD & Digital copy)
Jack Reacher (Tom Cruise) returns to enforce his bold brand of justice. When Army Major Susan Turner (Cobie Smulders) is framed for treason, Reacher discovers she’s the target of a massive government conspiracy. With help from Turner and a mysterious new ally, Reacher risks everything to take down a powerful organization that will stop at nothing to protect its secrets.
There isn’t a significant difference between Cruise’s Mission Impossible character and Reacher, except the former is somewhat cooler and has access to more gadgets. Nonetheless, Reacher has all the physical skills necessary to takedown multiple opponents surrounding him in a dark alley or shooting at him from multiple positions. Turner also proves very capable in life-or-death situations, occasionally the first at the scene and unwilling to stay on the sidelines during a fight. Smulders’ appearances in the Marvel movies has positioned her as quite the action hero. This picture often elevates story over action as Reacher and Turner form a dysfunctional family unit with a young woman they’re trying to protect. Consequently there are several emotional moments, which also lead to the most predictable conclusion.
Special features include: “Reacher Returns”; “An Unexpected Family”; “Relentless: On Location in Louisiana”; “Take Your Revenge First: Lethal Combat”; “No Quarter Given: Rooftop Battle”; “Reacher in Focus: With Tom Cruise and Photographer David James.” (Paramount Home Media Distribution)
The Lesson (Blu-ray)
Fin (Evan Bendall), a lone teen from a broken family, gets caught up in the wrong crowd of delinquent kids. When Fin and his friend, Joel (Rory Coltart) act up in class, their English teacher (Robert Hands) decides to teach them a lesson they will never forget.
There isn’t a lot of story unfolding in this movie. There’s a feeble attempt to demonstrate Fin is a good kid at heart and has just had a difficult childhood, but it’s not very convincing. Moreover audiences only see the incident that pushed the teacher over the edge, but are meant to assume it’s only after years of abuse that he’s decided to get revenge. The abduction is sudden as is the escalation of violence committed against the teenagers. Their custody consists of a lot of shouting, sadistic threats and fear-induced learning. The crude English class is rather tedious, even though some may also find it informative. In between their lessons, viewers watch Fin’s family react to his disappearance and eventually walk into the most unlikely coincidence.
There are no special features. (Scream Factory)
The Level (Blu-ray)
Detective Sergeant Nancy Devlin (Karla Crome) is a good cop with a dark secret: she’s loyal to drug trafficker Frank Le Saux (Philip Glenister), who is like a father to her. But when their clandestine meeting turns violent, leaving Frank dead and Nancy with a bullet wound, Nancy fears her double life may soon be exposed. Assigned to investigate the crime, Nancy must track down Frank’s killer while concealing her role — and her injury — from her enigmatic new partner, DS Gunner Martin (Noel Clarke), and her old friend, DS Kevin O’Dowd (Robert James-Collier).
Nancy is trying to keep a lot of balls in the air during this investigation. She’s attempting to conceal her connection to the victim from her colleagues; suppress her involvement in Frank’s murder from his family; figure out who’s trying to kill her; determine if another officer is betraying her; and convince her undercover contacts she’s on their side. It’s a very messy case and Nancy repeatedly finds herself lucky to have just evaded detection. In the meantime, in the wake of Frank’s death his family and business associates are trying to sort out his assets. There’s clearly untrustworthy characters sniffing about, but his naïve kin don’t seem to know any better. This miniseries is a little too complex for its own sake, making it difficult to become invested in the characters since viewers are too busy trying to keep track of what’s happening.
Special features include: behind-the-scenes featurettes. (Acorn TV)
Lonestar: Stevie Ray Vaughn 1984-1989 (DVD)
In the mid-1970s, when Stevie Ray Vaughn first emerged as a modern blues guitarist with unparalleled ability and passion — skills which distinguished his playing from that of just about all his contemporaries — the blues world he represented had little impact in the mainstream marketplace. So despite his obvious gifts, he struggled to secure a record deal. But by the time his debut album, 1983’s “Texas Flood,” was finally released, the tide had turned and Vaughn not only became an international phenomenon, but was also of paramount importance in the revitalization of the blues genre. The film traces and reveals the full, previously untold story of Vaughn’s glory years, the period between the release of his debut album and his tragic death in a helicopter crash in 1989.
Even though the interviewees gathered for the film were close to Vaughn, including his fiancée, manager and bandmates, it doesn’t feel like a very intimate portrait of the guitarist. There is some wonderful insight into album recordings, including a great story of just barely capturing the end of an epic recording session before the tape ran out, as well as descriptions of his battle with addiction. But the focus is on his talent and the productive years leading up to his death rather than the man behind the music. There is also the possibility that this documentary feels incomplete because it is meant to be paired with Rise of a Texas Bluesman – Stevie Ray Vaughan 1954 – 1983.
There are no special features. (MVD Visual)
Miss Hokusai (Blu-ray, DVD & Digital copy)
As all of Edo flocks to see the work of the revered painter Hokusai, his daughter O-Ei toils diligently, creating the paintings sold under her father’s name. Shy in public, in the studio O-Ei is brash and uninhibited. Seeking to come into her own as an artist, O-Ei sets out into the bustling city of Edo (present-day Tokyo), where she encounters spirits, dragons, courtesans and rival artists.
This animated feature is based on the historical manga, Sarusuberi, by a renowned female artist, Hinako Sugiura. Both the original creator and filmmakers went to great lengths to create an authentic representation of the time period, while taking several liberties with O-Ei’s character to expand on specific aspects of her life. The father-daughter relationship depicted is strained as their respect for each other as artists conflicts with their distaste for each other’s personalities. Rather than a single, linear narrative, the tale unfolds episodically as O-Ei practices her erotic illustrations, dotes over her sickly younger sister, fends off the advances of a competing artist and explores nearby paranormal activity. The animation style is beautiful and mature, complementing its subject matter and honouring its sources.
Special features include: feature-length making-of documentary. (Universal Pictures Home Entertainment)
Moana (Blu-ray, DVD & Digital copy)
Moana (Auli‘i Cravalho) is a spirited teenager who sets sail on a daring adventure to save her people by recruiting the help of larger-than-life demigod Maui (Dwayne Johnson).
This is undoubtedly one of the studio’s best and most distinctive animated movies. It begins in the hero’s infancy and traces her progression into a capable chief-in-waiting; in spite of only being a teenager, Moana is already able to make thoughtful decisions for the betterment of her tribe. While Moana is powerful but subtle, Maui is loud and charismatic. He loves to hear himself speak and being the centre of attention — mostly because he thinks it’s impossible for anyone to pay attention to anything else in his presence. Cravalho instils the character with a great sense of confidence and courage that is balanced against her still youthful vigour and spirit. Moreover, she proves very capable of holding her own next to the naturally magnetic, and in this case extra boisterous, Johnson. He manages to make Maui’s arrogance charming and bumps the whole energy of the film up a few notches.
Special features include: commentary by directors Ron Clements and John Musker; deleted scenes; theatrical short film “Inner Workings”; Maui mini-movie “Gone Fishing”; “Voice of the Islands”; “Things You Didn’t Know About …”; “Island Fashion”; “They Know the Way: Making the Music of Moana”; “The Elements of …” explores the technical achievements behind some of the effects; deleted song “Warrior Face”; music video by Alessia Cara for “How Far I’ll Go”; “How Far I’ll Go Around the World”; and “Fishing for Easter Eggs.” (Disney Home Entertainment)
Star Trek: Voyager: The Complete Series (DVD)
Captain Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) and the crew of the U.S.S. Voyager as they embark on a 75-year journey back to Earth.
Janeway is the first female captain featured in the franchise and she proves to be a fair and logical choice not guided by her emotions as one would fear. In the first episode, the Voyager crew meets the Ocampa and the Kazon — two alien species they would encounter multiple times throughout the series. Forced to decide between the fate of her crew and that of the Ocampa, Janeway makes the difficult choice to strand her crew on the other side of the galaxy. Since this part of space has been unexplored by the Federation, many of their alien encounters are with new species not yet introduced in the Star Trek universe. They are nearly destroyed several times, a member of the crew is framed for murder, the Q race once again requires their attention and they take on several rescued Borg drones. The last episode is an entertaining mix of the crew’s past and future that eventually provides satisfying closure to their epic journey.
Special features include: “Voyager: Time Capsule: Kathryn Janeway”; “Red Alert! Amazing Visual Effects”; “Voyager: Time Capsule: Seven of Nine”; “The Borg Queen Speaks”; “Delta Quadrant Make-up Magic”; and “Coming Home: The Final Episode.” (Paramount Home Media Distribution)
Trespass Against Us (Blu-ray & Digital copy or DVD)
Three generations of the Cutler family live as outlaws in their own anarchic corner of a rich countryside. Chad Cutler (Michael Fassbender) is heir apparent to his bruising criminal father, Colby (Brendan Gleeson), and has been groomed to spend his life hunting, thieving and tormenting the police. But with his own son, Tyson (Georgie Smith), coming of age, Chad soon finds himself locked in a battle with his father for the future of his young family. When Colby learns of Chad’s dreams for another life, he sets out to tie his son and grandson into the archaic order that has bound the Cutler family for generations. He engineers a spectacular piece of criminal business involving a heist, a high-speed car chase and a manhunt, which leaves Chad bruised and bloodied and with his very freedom at stake.
Just seeing Fassbender and Gleeson together on screen is a treat since both actors are so talented and committed to their characters. Colby’s need to prevent Chad from building a better life for himself and his family is incredibly frustrating, yet no one seems capable of treating him with the contempt he deserves — he’s just too damn charming. Yet each time Chad is drawn back into one of his father’s schemes, the audience pities him on the one hand, but also sees this life is an unfortunate part of who he is on the other. The look of enjoyment on his face when he’s evading the police or wreaking havoc is unmistakeable; but the pain it causes him to expose his son to this lifestyle is equally evident.
Special features include: “Blood Bonds: On the Set of Trespass Against Us”; and “Heartfelt: Director Adam Smith on The Chemical Brothers.” (Elevation Pictures and Lionsgate)
We Are the Flesh (Blu-ray)
A young brother and sister, roaming an apocalyptic city, take refuge in the dilapidated lair of a strange hermit. He puts them to work building a bizarre cavernous structure, where he acts out his insane and depraved fantasies. Trapped in this maddening womb-like world under his malign influence, they find themselves sinking into the realms of dark and forbidden behaviour.
This is one of those relentless, unapologetic, gritty arthouse-type films that would thrived on the grindhouse circuit or with the midnight crowds who revelled in Pink Flamingos and El Topo. Once the teenagers meet the hermit, it doesn’t take long for things to get weird; and not long after that, it jumps off the rails. Dealing with incest, necrophilia, cannibalism and religion via trippy, psychedelic sequences and a manmade inferno, the film pushes through boundaries to confront audiences with scenes that will make many uncomfortable, shocked and/or confused. There is a definite focus on the suppression of taboo desires, from red meat to sex, and the pressure to resist temptation versus the madness of giving into every one of them.
Special features include: new interviews with director Emiliano Rocha Minter and cast members Noé Hernández, María Evoli and Diego Gamaliel; a new video essay by critic Virginie Sélavy; two short films by Emiliano Rocha Minter: Dentro and Videohome; stills gallery; theatrical trailer; and reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork. (Arrow Video)
