The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across The 8th Dimension steelbook (Blu-ray)
Neurosurgeon. Physicist. Rock Star. Hero. Buckaroo Banzai (Peter Weller) is a true 80s renaissance man. With the help of his uniquely qualified team, The Hong Kong Cavaliers, Buckaroo is ready to save the world on a moment’s notice. But after his successful test of the Oscillation Overthruster — a device that allows him to travel through solid matter — he unleashes the threat of “evil, pure and simple from the 8th Dimension”… the alien Red Lectroids. Led by the deranged dictator Lord John Whorfin (John Lithgow), the Lectroids steal the Overthruster with the intent of using it to return to their home of Planet 10 “real soon!” But no matter where you go, there Buckaroo Banzai is ready to battle an interdimensional menace that could spell doom for the human race.
This is one of those movies that may cause many to wonder what the creators were smoking when they came up with the concept; but that also makes it one of the most off-the-wall, entertaining pictures of the ‘80s. Without its budget, this film would’ve been a bargain-basement mess of poor effects and goofy characters. But a decent amount of money and a lot of caring, creative people instead make it a movie you’ll tell your friends about simply so they can share in the experience. Lithgow is hilarious, adopting a strange Italian accent and taking advantage of the free reign he was clearly provided. Weller, similarly, is a far cry from his RoboCop character, portraying a hero that also knows how to have a good time.
Special features include: commentary by Michael and Denise Okuda; commentary by director W.D. Richter and writer Earl Mac Rauch; alternate opening sequence (with Jamie Lee Curtis); deleted scenes; “Into The 8th Dimension”; “Buckaroo Banzai Declassified”; and theatrical trailer. (Shout Select)
Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure steelbook (Blu-ray)
The biggest concern for Bill S. Preston, Esq. (Alex Winter) and Ted “Theodore” Logan (Keanu Reeves), two totally excellent dudes from San Dimas, California, has been that their band, the Wyld Stallyns, “will never be a super band until we have Eddie Van Halen on guitar.” But now they’re on the verge of failing history class and Ted’s father is threatening him with military school. To keep the Wyld Stallyns together and save the future, they need to deliver an epic history report, so a messenger named Rufus (George Carlin) arrives in a time traveling phone booth to help them out. As they travel through history they pick up some new friends, like the “Bodacious Philosopher” Socrates, “One Very Excellent Barbarian” Genghis Khan, the “Short Dead Dude” Napoleon and “Noah’s Wife” Joan of Arc, to put on one outrageous presentation.
Though this may have been Winter’s only claim to fame, the role of Ted lovingly haunted Reeves for most of his career. Nonetheless, the film has been beloved for decades, quoted infinitely and is wholly deserving of this special steelbook treatment. According to the interviews in the bonus features, Bill and Ted aren’t actually stoners — they’re just really laidback dudes whose tranquility could inspire a nation. The “butterfly effect” is mostly ignored in this narrative as the duo travel through time, plucking out historical figures like they’re collecting baseball cards. But the out-of-place personalities bring their own level of fun to the film as they quickly adapt to life in modern-day San Dimas, in spite of language barriers and multiple misunderstandings.
Special features include: commentary by star Alex Winter and producer Scott Kroopf; commentary with writers Chris Matheson and Ed Solomon; “Time Flies When You Are Having Fun!”; and theatrical trailer. (Shout Factory)
Black Panther (4K UHD, Blu-ray & Digital copy)
T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman) returns home to the hidden high-tech African nation of Wakanda to succeed to the throne and take his rightful place as king, following the death of his father. But when a man named Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan) appears, T’Challa’s mettle as king — and Black Panther — is tested when he’s drawn into a formidable conflict that puts the fate of Wakanda and the entire world at risk. Pitted against his own family, the king must rally his allies and release the full power of Black Panther to defeat his foes and embrace his future as an Avenger.
Wakandans use the alien mineral, vibranium, for everything — and having secretly harnessed its energy for ages, they’ve built the most advanced (and generally peaceful) society on the planet. The women of the film are fierce and capable, playing active roles in the narrative: one of Wakanda’s key inventors propelling their technology forward is T’Challa’s sister, Shuri (Letitia Wright); Okoye (Danai Gurira) leads an army of strong and capable women who will lay down their lives to protect the king; and although Nakia (Lupita Nyong’o) is not a member of the women warriors, she is an equally smart and capable combatant who uses her skills to help people in Africa and on other continents. Erik is one of the best villains Marvel has brought to the screen. He has a commanding presence as he radiates confidence, anger and righteousness in equal parts. Co-writer/director Ryan Coogler has an excellent handle on every aspect of this film, making it a fresh and exciting addition to the MCU. In addition to ranking as one of the best pictures released by the studio, the movie presents its story with authenticity.
Special features include: commentary by director Ryan Coogler; deleted scenes; director’s intro; “From Page to Screen: A Roundtable Discussion”; “Crowning of a New King”; “The Warriors Within”; “The Hidden Kingdom Revealed”; “Wakanda Revealed: Exploring the Technology”; “Marvel Studios the First Ten Years: Connecting the Universe”; exclusive sneak peek at Ant-Man and The Wasp; and gag reel. (Marvel Studios)
Cocaine Godmother: The Griselda Blanco Story (DVD)
This is a film based on the life of drug lord Griselda Blanco (Catherine Zeta-Jones), a pioneer in the Miami-based cocaine trade.
Pablo Escobar is practically a household name when it comes to cocaine and drug trafficking, but he didn’t gain that reputation without some help. Griselda was a housewife, but she had more ambition than her husband and a mind for breaking the law without getting caught. She builds a criminal empire in which the core members are her family, which makes the tough decisions even tougher. Zeta-Jones portrays a woman who is strong-minded, but in some ways weak willed — particularly when it comes to her personal use of the product. This habit often makes her look haggard, but when she gets a certain look in her eye no one dares to question her. A lot of the scenes regarding exorbitant amounts of money and drug busts are familiar, but the unique part of the story is her matriarchal rule.
There are no special features. (Lionsgate Home Entertainment)
Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool (DVD)
Based on Peter Turner’s memoir, the film follows the playful but passionate relationship between Turner (Jamie Bell) and the eccentric Academy Award®-winning actress Gloria Grahame (Annette Bening) in 1978 Liverpool. What starts as a vibrant affair between a legendary femme fatale and her young lover quickly grows into a deeper relationship, with Turner being the person Gloria turns to for comfort. Their passion and lust for life is tested to the limits by events beyond their control.
This is far from your typical May-December romance — and not because Gloria is the older one in the relationship. For one, there are two timelines: the current one, which is actually 1978, in which Gloria has unexpectedly come back to Turner; and the second, which preceded it by several years, in which the pair first found love. Based on a true story, it’s a very tender portrayal of their relationship, particularly under the present circumstances. And as always, there were things that came between them that were based on falsehoods and presumptions that shine an even melancholier light over the affair. Bening and Bell are a great pair with a lovely chemistry that will make audiences wish they could dance together again.
Special features include: commentary with Paul McGuigan, Barbara Broccoli & Peter Turner; “In Conversation with Annette Bening, Jamie Bell, Paul McGuigan & Peter Turner”; “Annette Bening on Gloria Grahame”; “Elvis Costello Performance & Conversation”; “Making of the Music Video: ‘You Shouldn’t Look At Me That Way’”; Elvis Costello music video, “You Shouldn’t Look At Me That Way.” (Sony Pictures Home Entertainment)
The Forgiven (Blu-ray & Digital copy)
When Archbishop Desmond Tutu (Forest Whitaker) is appointed to head a nationwide investigation, he’s summoned to a maximum-security prison by Blomfeld (Eric Bana), a notorious murderer seeking clemency. Inside the brutal prison’s walls, Tutu is drawn into a dangerous, life-changing battle with the cunning criminal.
This is a movie in which context is especially important since it’s directly related to events that’s brutality are only vaguely described rather than pictured. Tutu and the others on the committee are asked to carry a heavy burden as they must hear of terrible atrocities and then consider pardoning the one who committed them. Blomfeld is the representative of the worst of these violators, yet he appears to be working to aid his own hidden motives. Though the killing was less organized, the comparison to Nazis and their trials are unavoidable… even if some of these men are more repentant. Whitaker and Bana each effectively embrace their roles, but there’s still something banal about this narrative that doesn’t do its subject justice.
There are no special features. (Lionsgate Home Entertainment)
The Greatest Showman (4K UHD, Blu-ray & Digital copy)
Inspired by the story of P.T. Barnum (Hugh Jackman) and the birth of show business, the film follows the visionary who rose from nothing to create a mesmerizing spectacle.
This is a mediocre story with an incredible soundtrack that almost makes you forget the rest of the script is unexceptional. Barnum’s tale is somewhat sanitized so he appears to be the hero who rescues the world’s freaks, giving them a home and, more importantly, respect. However, the acts that comprise the circus are all shown to be truly remarkable people who rise above their physical differences even as life repeatedly tries to relegate them to the shadows. This poise inspires the breakout hit, “This is Me,” which should have won the Oscar for best song in a motion picture. The movie also stars Zac Efron as another man who finds success under the big top, though his character’s heart seems to be more invested than Barnum’s.
Special features include: “The Family Behind The Greatest Showman”; “The Songs”; “The Spectacle”; and music machine with sing-along. (Fox Home Entertainment)
It’s Alive Trilogy (Blu-ray)
In It’s Alive, a proud couple’s bundle of joy is really a newborn terror in filmmaker Larry Cohen’s cautionary trilogy that tapped into environmental fears. The horror grows when multiple child monsters rampage in the first sequel, It Lives Again, as two brave parents try to stop them by becoming the bait for their spree. The now global mutants are rounded up and relocated to a far-flung island in It’s Alive III: Island of the Alive. Will a parent’s greatest nightmare become the world’s gravest fear?
Since Larry Cohen wrote, directed and produced each of these movies, there’s a pretty linear narrative that connects each picture. The first introduces the monstrous baby, though it only ever shows brief glimpses of it. After murdering almost everyone in the delivery room, it goes on the run and on a killing spree. However, since the cause is speculated to be environmental, there was no reason not to expand the phenomenon in later films and reject the idea that it was an isolated incident. All of the films strangely address the rights of living things, particularly those unable to represent themselves. The last picture is likely the oddest, but it goes further to question the humanity of those hunting the creatures vs. the creatures themselves. The bonus feature in which Cohen discusses the films is very insightful as he discusses the fruition of the trilogy and the choices he made regarding the look of the children.
Special features include: commentary with writer/producer/director Larry Cohen; “Cohen’s Alive: Looking Back at the It’s Alive Films”; “It’s Alive at The Nuart,” the 40th anniversary screening with Larry Cohen; interview with special effects makeup designer Steve Neill; still galleries; radio and TV spots; theatrical trailers. (Shout Factory)
Maze Runner: The Death Cure (4K UHD, Blu-ray & Digital copy)
Thomas (Dylan O’Brien) leads his group of escaped Gladers on their final mission. To save their friends, they must break into the legendary Last City, a WCKD-controlled labyrinth that may turn out to be the deadliest maze of all. Anyone who makes it out alive will get answers to the questions the Gladers have been asking since they first arrived in the maze.
Though the first film was interesting, this franchise never really picked up steam and now it goes out with a thud rather than a bang. Thomas and his friends, including what’s left of the adult rebels they previously discovered, are still fighting the good fight against WCKD… though the Gladers’ motives for rescuing groups of helpless children is somewhat selfish. The action sequences are still generally exciting, but this picture feels too drawn out as the filmmakers make one last pass at attaching audiences to these kids… mostly by targeting the favourite amongst them. It ends in a manner that leaves the door open for another sequel, but I don’t think anyone will be going through it anytime soon.
Special features include: commentary by Wes Ball, T.S. Nowlin and Joe Hartwick Jr.; deleted and extended scenes with optional audio commentary; visual effects with optional commentary; “The Final Run”; “Dystopia”; “Allies Reunited”; “A Look Back”; “Going Out on Top”; gallery; and gag reel. (Fox Home Entertainment)
The Post (Blu-ray, DVD & Digital copy)
Determined to uphold the nation’s civil liberties, Katharine Graham (Meryl Streep), publisher of The Washinton Post, and hard-nosed editor Ben Bradlee (Tom Hanks) join forces to expose a decades-long cover-up. But the two must risk their careers –– and their freedom –– to bring truth to light.
It’s difficult to build suspense and intrigue into a movie about a breaking newspaper story, but it has been done to great effect, including the classic All the President’s Men and the Spotlight. The cover-up at the centre of the narrative is mindboggling and certainly in need of illumination, but the manner in which it’s presented is not very engaging. Yet, there are significant risks being taken, intimidation tactics being used to keep the investigation from seeing the light of day and uncommon cooperation between publications; however, these are somewhat brushed aside for scenes of people combing over mountains of papers and banal conversations about the “right thing to do.” The news they’ve stumbled upon is shocking, but you wouldn’t know it by watching this film.
Special features include: “Layout: Katharine Graham, Ben Bradlee & The Washington Post”; “Editorial: The Cast and Characters of The Post”; “The Style Section: Re-Creating an Era”; “Stop the Presses: Filming The Post”; “Arts and Entertainment: Music for The Post.” (Fox Home Entertainment)
Proud Mary (Blu-ray & Digital copy)
Mary (Taraji P. Henson) is a hit-woman working for an organized crime family in Boston, whose life is completely turned around when she meets a young boy (Jahi Di’Allo Winston) whose path she crosses during a professional hit.
This story has been told before, but usually with a male protagonist: a killer-for-hire rediscovers their compassion when they encounter a vulnerable child, resulting in a massive falling out with their employers and a pile of bodies made while earnestly protecting the kid. Mary is a competent badass, but she also has a deep maternal side á la Ripley that challenges some of her long-held loyalties and beliefs. Henson skilfully finds the balance between these two sides of Mary’s personality, though it seems like the action sequences could’ve been turned up a notch or two. Winston is excellent as the boy whose difficult upbringing has created distrust, but has not yet removed all his childhood innocence.
Special features include: “Mary’s World”; “The Beginning of The End”; and “If Looks Could Kill.” (Sony Pictures Home Entertainment)
Two Thousand Maniacs! (Blu-ray)
When a group of Yankee tourists take a detour and wind up in the small Southern town of Pleasant Valley — which has magically rematerialized 100 years after its destruction during the Civil War — they find themselves welcomed by the eager townsfolk as guests of honour at their centennial celebrations. Little do the Northerners know that the festivities are set to include death and dismemberment.
This film served as inspiration for contemporary slasher movies like The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. It was one of the first pictures to employ the basic narrative about a group of unsuspecting kids/tourists being indiscriminately tortured and butchered by bloodthirsty hicks. Although the special effects are somewhat crude, the townsfolks’ brutal nature and malicious intentions are not lost on audiences. What’s more, the manner in which they separate and placate them like lambs to the slaughter is disturbing. It’s unfortunate the ending is a bit weak. The bonus movie isn’t as good as the main film, but it’s still interesting to see another of director H.G. Lewis’ pictures.
Special features include: commentary on by H.G. Lewis; bonus film, 1964’s Moonshine Mountain; introductions to the films by H.G. Lewis; “Two Thousand Maniacs Can’t be Wrong”; “Hicksploitation: Confidential”; “David Friedman: The Gentlemen’s Smut Peddler”; “Herschell’s Art of Advertising”; outtakes; trailers; reversible sleeve featuring original and newly-commissioned artwork by The Twins of Evil. (Arrow Video)
