This week’s releases include an early animated story from acclaimed filmmakers; an alien abduction; a spiral into madness; and an illegal success tale.
Fire in the Sky (Blu-ray)
In 1975, logger Travis Walton (D.B. Sweeney) and his co-workers encountered a UFO. His pals were able to flee — but Walton was not so lucky. Whisked aboard the strange craft, he was subjected to a painful, unearthly medical study. This is the amazing tale of that ordeal … and of the contempt and ridicule endured by Walton and his friends as they tried to convince others of this otherworldly experience.
Between TV, movies and tabloid magazines, everyone has heard the tales of people being abducted by aliens and many have subsequently scoffed at the ridiculousness of such an event. This movie is based on true events in which a group of men are disbelieved in-person about their friend’s abduction and suspected of his murder when no can find him following his unexplained disappearance. The friends, who include Robert Patrick and Peter Berg, carry the guilt of leaving him behind, but stick to their story in the face of all the skepticism and accusations. The film doesn’t glamourize or exaggerate Travis’ encounter, though it does depict a stark and frightening experience.
Special features include: interview with director Robert Lieberman; interview with actor D.B. Sweeney; interview with actor Robert Patrick; interview with composer Mark Isham; photo gallery; and theatrical trailer. (Shout Factory)
Hero (Blu-ray)
When brothers Ma Wing-jing (Taksehi Kaneshiro) and Ma Tai-cheung (Yuen Wah) flee their impoverished homeland to seek their fortune in Shanghai, they at first find more grinding penury when they are forced to work as lowly coolies. However, Wing-jing soon becomes embroiled in the seedy world of big city triads and his once insignificant life becomes an arrogant lust for power.
This narrative will cause some audiences to recall Scarface as a young immigrant sees an easier road to success by joining the criminal underworld. The stories are also somewhat similar until a turning point in the narrative, marked by betrayal, reminds Wing-jing of his ethics and those he values but had discarded in pursuit of power. There’s a number of captivating fight sequences, particularly as the young upstart sets out to prove himself, accepting a challenge from the current boss. The politics of the coup requires a bit more attention to follow, but its execution is quite attention-grabbing.
Special features include: commentary by kung fu experts Mike Leeder and Arne Venema; alternate shots from Taiwanese version; and trailers. (88 Films)
Panda! Go Panda! (Blu-ray & DVD)
Mimiko is a cheerful, young girl who is left on her own while her grandmother is away. When little Panny Panda and his father Papanda stumble into her home, Mimiko welcomes them in as her new family. Adventures ensue as Mimiko discovers the challenges of taking care of her new cuddly friends.
This release celebrates the 50th anniversary of the loveable characters brought to the screen by animation legends Isao Takahata and Hayao Miyazaki before they would go on to co-found the acclaimed production company, Studio Ghibli. Mimiko is brimming with positivity, in spite of the difficult hand she’s been dealt. When Panny and Papanda enter her life, she sees it as an opportunity to form a new family in her grandmother’s absence. The humour comes from the inevitable pitfalls of living with a couple of pandas, even in a country obsessed with the creatures. There are two playful tales included, filled with hijinks and cuteness.
Special features include: “From Mimi to Heidi, From Papanda to Totoro” interview; “Panda! Go Panda! Exhibit ~ The Impact of Hayao Miyazaki’s Image Boards”; conversation with Isao Takahata and Hayao Miyazaki in 1994; and trailers. (GKIDS & Shout Factory)
Vampire’s Kiss (Blu-ray)
Living in the big city is enough to drive anyone bats, and the pressure of it proves too much for Peter Loew (Nicolas Cage). At the peak of his career, yet in the depths of despair, his life is in turmoil until he meets Rachel (Jennifer Beals), the woman of his dreams. During their first night together, Rachel takes more than his heart — she takes his blood too — and from that moment on, Peter Loew believes he is a vampire. What is it about Rachel that makes him feel this way? Is she really a blood-lusting creature of the night? Or just a product of his fevered imagination? Because if it turns out he is really a vampire, then there’s more than just his life at stake!
Cage’s fascination with Dracula has been widely publicized, particularly after he stayed in the famed vampire’s castle. Therefore, it’s not surprising he would be attracted to this role, though it’s not a traditional bloodsucker narrative — this is the eccentric tale of a man going mad. While it’s humorous, it’s also very dark. Cage’s portrayal of Peter as a narcissist with a weird, pretentious accent is both uncomfortable and compelling. His spiral into insanity is delirious and eventually wretchedly terrifying. From his plastic, cartoonish fangs to his imaginary aversion to sunlight to his makeshift coffin, it’s all very over-the-top, frighteningly delusional and one of Cage’s most underrated performances.
Special features include: commentary with actor Nicolas Cage and director Robert Bierman; photo gallery; TV spots; and theatrical trailer. (MVD Rewind Collection)
