This week’s releases include 007’s last hurrah; a new foe for an alien and his host; a different kind of post-war drama; an exceptional animated trilogy; a prequel to a popular TV series; a holiday classic remastered; and a few film noir tales.
The Card Counter (Blu-ray & Digital copy)
An ex-military interrogator turned gambler (Oscar Isaac) is haunted by the ghosts of his past decisions.
Opting to go by the alias William Tell, the gambler is highly intelligent but the horrors of his past actions weigh heavily on his conscience. Moving from casino to casino prevents him from dwelling anywhere or on anything too long — until he comes face-to-face with a living reminder of those transgressions (Tye Sheridan) and is determined to find redemption by saving him from himself. This isn’t the first time Isaac has portrayed the strong silent type, but this character is far more tormented. Meanwhile, Sheridan plays a young man who can’t see he’s in over his head. Tiffany Haddish embraces a non-comedic role and proves she’s more than capable of performing even without a laugh track.
Special features include: “A High-Stakes World.” (Universal Pictures Home Entertainment)
Cartoon Saloon’s Irish Folklore Trilogy (Blu-ray)
The studio’s first film, The Secret of Kells, is a beautifully rendered tale of a master illuminator and his young apprentice, followed by Song of the Sea, the adventure of a mythical seal-child and her brother on a quest to save the spirit world, and their latest triumph, Wolfwalkers, follows a young huntress and her friendship with a free-spirited wolf-girl.
All of these films are extraordinarily beautiful. They each tell stories about shapeshifters, but are still wholly different from each other. In the first tale, an orphaned boy defies his uncle to take up a cause of great importance and enlists the help of a forest creature to complete the task. In the second, a boy that resents his younger sister is confronted with the possibility of losing her and must recall the lore of his childhood to save her. Wolfwalkers was deservedly nominated for a Best Animated Feature Academy Award last year, relaying the enchanting story of two girls who help each other rediscover their place in the world. The packaging is also fitting of the artful films, presented in a storybook format in a hardcover box.
Special features include: The Secret of Kells — commentary with filmmakers; “Voices of Ireland”; “Director’s Presentation”; “Pencil-to-Picture”; “Aisling at the Oscars”; Song of the Sea — commentary with filmmakers; behind-the-scenes featurette; “The Art of Song of the Sea”; animation tests; Wolfwalkers — commentary with filmmakers; “Voicing Wolfwalkers”; “How to Draw Demonstrations”; “The Music of Wolfwalkers”; “Behind “Running With The Wolves””; trailers; Bonus Disc — Song of the Sea animatic with director’s commentary; The Secret of Kells animatic with director’s commentary; Wolfwalkers animatic with director’s commentary; and reading of Pangur Bán by Mick Lally. (GKids & Shout Factory)
Film Noir: The Dark Side of Cinema V (Blu-ray)
Because of You (1952) — Blonde bombshell Christine Carroll (Loretta Young) finds out too late that her fiancé Mike Monroe (Alex Nicol) is a gangster — and she’s his unwitting accessory. Emerging from prison with dark hair and an interest in nursing, she becomes a nurse’s aide in a war hospital and soon marries a battle-fatigued patient, Steve Kimberly (Jeff Chandler). The happy couple have a daughter, Kim, but Christine’s secret past threatens to tear her family apart when Mike reappears, forcing Christine to help him escape across the Mexican border.
Outside the Law (1956) — Ex-con Johnny Salvo (Ray Danton) is given the chance to redeem himself, and revenge the murder of an old Army buddy, by going undercover and helping the authorities break up a ring of international counterfeiters who will stop at nothing, including murder, to protect their operation. But first, Johnny must earn the respect of his Treasury-man father (Onslow Stevens) and the trust of his buddy’s widow (Leigh Snowden).
The Midnight Story (1957) — When beloved priest, Father Tomasino, is murdered in a San Francisco alleyway, traffic cop Joe Martini (Tony Curtis) vows to catch the killer. Ordered off the case by homicide detective Kilrain (Ted de Corsia), Martini turns in his badge and investigates alone. He follows a hunch that Italian restaurant owner Sylvio (Gilbert Roland) could be involved and decides to hide his previous life as a cop in order to become friendly with his suspect’s family. But as Martini starts to unravel the truth behind Father Tomasino’s murder, he falls in love with the suspect’s cousin (Marisa Pavan), and his world is torn apart by old and new loyalties.
These are classic, black-and-white film noir pictures in which pessimism and fatalism reign. In the first picture, Christine builds herself a better life only to have her ex destroy it, forcing her to restart one more time. In both of the latter two pictures, the protagonist must befriend his targets and gain their trust to get justice, which obviously complicates matters. Johnny Salvo infiltrates the counterfeit operation and is the focus of a shootout as a result. The Tony Curtis feature is probably the most cynical as Joe becomes very close to the family to investigate the priest’s murder, making any revelations a betrayal of their trust. The conclusions of the first and third film are very impactful twists of fate, while the second movie has a satisfying action ending.
Special features include: commentary for Because of You by film historian Samm Deighan; commentary for Outside the Law by film historian Richard Harland Smith; commentary for The Midnight Story by Professor and Film Scholar Jason A. Ney; and theatrical trailers for all three features. (Kino Lorber Studio Classics)
Hell Hath No Fury (Blu-ray)
One woman single-handedly takes on the might of the German war machine, the French resistance and a band of US infantrymen. Branded a traitor by her countrymen, French national Marie DuJardin (Nina Bergman) is rescued by American soldiers on one condition: to survive, she must lead them to a cache of gold — before the Nazis return to claim it for themselves.
This movie depicts the ugliness of the end of the war as the US soldiers “liberate” Marie, rescuing her from a lynch mob set on punishing her for her perceived treason. They treat her rudely, not even offering her clothes since hers were taken. Via flashbacks, audiences see how she came to know the location of the gold, while also leaving audiences to judge whose side she was really on during the war. Of course, the treasure hunt is complicated by many unexpected visitors and a failure to remember its exact location. The film feels unnecessarily slow and it’s difficult to stay engaged, though there are a few key moments that will draw viewers back into the picture for brief periods. The film’s conclusion is interesting, but everyone will have to judge for themselves if it’s worth it.
There are no special features. (Well Go USA Entertainment)
The Long Goodbye (Blu-ray)
Private eye Philip Marlowe (Elliott Gould) faces the most bizarre case of his life when a friend’s apparent suicide turns into a double murder involving a sexy blonde, a disturbed gangster and a suitcase full of drug money. But as Marlowe stumbles toward the truth, he soon finds himself lost in a maze of sex and deceit — only to discover that in L.A., if love is dangerous… friendship is murder.
This is definitely not your typical Philip Marlowe picture as director Robert Altman transports the gumshoe detective to the ‘70s. Marlowe is drawn into two different investigations, one of which plunges him into the eccentric world of drugs and art. At a beautiful wife’s behest, Marlowe locates her drug-addled husband who’s being manipulated into very risky situations. Domestically, Marlowe has a cat and interesting neighbours who help each other with errands. In spite of being transported to another era, Marlowe has no trouble navigating these treacherous waters. However, his hard-boiled roots show with the shocking conclusion in which he confronts the suspect and definitively solves the case. Rather than try to equal Humphrey Bogart, Gould finds his own version of Marlowe to portray and it works very well in his new surroundings.
Special features include: commentary by film historian Tim Lucas; “Rip Van Marlowe” with Robert Altman and Elliott Gould “Vilmos Zsigmond Flashes The Long Goodbye”; “David Thompson on Robert Altman”; “Tom Williams on Raymond Chandler”; “Maxim Jakubowski on Hard Boiled Fiction”; “American Cinematographer” 1973 article with animation; radio spots; TV spots; and theatrical trailers. (Kino Lorber Studio Classics)
The Many Saints of Newark (Blu-ray & Digital copy)
Young Anthony Soprano (Michael Gandolfini) is growing up in one of the most tumultuous eras in Newark’s history, becoming a man just as rival gangsters begin to rise up and challenge the all-powerful DiMeo crime family’s hold over the increasingly race-torn city. Caught up in the changing times is the uncle he idolizes, Dickie Moltisanti (Alessandro Nivola), who struggles to manage both his professional and personal responsibilities — and whose influence over his nephew will help make the impressionable teenager into the all-powerful mob boss we’ll later come to know: Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini).
This prequel to The Sopranos is set apart from the TV series as it focuses on a character only highly spoken of in the show, Uncle Dickie. Viewers are given a glimpse of why Tony idolized his uncle, as well as watch how he came to meet his demise. In addition, the movie features younger versions of many of the series’ beloved characters, which is a challenge for the actors who must portray personalities with which fans are already well-acquainted. Outside of its connection to the long-running show, the picture feels like any other gangster movie. It shows the family, the husband’s mistresses, the internal rivalries and the shady business dealings. As the city burns over racial tensions with police, the relationship between the Italian and Black gangs are strained. In the end, it’s a good extension of the series’ world, while also featuring a noteworthy performance by James Gandolfini’s son who plays the younger Tony.
Special features include: deleted scenes; making-of featurette; and “Sopranos Family Honor.” (Warner Bros. Home Entertainment)
No Time to Die (4K Ultra HD & Digital copy)
James Bond (Daniel Craig) has left active service and is enjoying a tranquil life in Jamaica. His peace is short-lived when his old friend Felix Leiter (Jeffrey Wright) from the CIA turns up asking for help. The mission to rescue a kidnapped scientist turns out to be far more treacherous than expected, leading Bond onto the trail of a mysterious villain (Rami Malek) armed with dangerous new technology.
Every time he thinks he’s out, they drag him back in. This time it’s not MI6 requesting Bond’s help, but an old friend who has no other trustworthy options. The assignment involves a very exciting pairing with an attractive new agent (Ana de Armas) who keeps Bond on his toes. Unfortunately, the former secret agent continues to have bad luck in love, once again finding himself single and on-mission. Bond was gone long enough that some things have changed at the agency, though the jobs themselves are still equally dangerous. Highlights of this film include an assassination attempt, a high-tech bioweapon, a souped-up Aston Martin, and an unexpected connection to the past. This is officially the end of Craig’s Bond era, and director Cary Joji Fukunaga alongside an excellent cast ensure he gets a proper send-off.
Special features include: “Anatomy of a Scene: Matera”; “Keeping It Real: The Action of No Time to Die”; “A Global Journey”; “Designing Bond”; and “Being James Bond.” (Universal Pictures Home Entertainment)
The Ten Commandments 65th Anniversary Edition steelbook (4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray & Digital copy)
The film tells the story of the life of Moses (Charlton Heston). Once favored in the Pharaoh’s (Yul Brynner) household, Moses turned his back on a privileged life to lead his people to freedom.
This is an incredibly rare case in which director Cecil B. DeMille directed the silent 1923 version of the story, then revisited the same narrative in 1956 to make an epic, four-hour blockbuster still watched around the religious holidays. Though the original film is two hours long, it’s essentially split into two pictures: one is the telling of Moses and the commandments, and the other is a morality tale in which the characters break the commandments and suffer the consequences. While many of the scenes depicted in the black-and-white film are recreated in the remake, it significantly expands on the story. A rare introduction at the beginning of the film informs audiences the following narrative portrays Moses’ life before God spoke to him and due to its length, an intermission is included. The remake was shot in Egypt and the Sinai with one of the biggest sets ever constructed for a motion picture, resulting in a picture that’s survived the test of time.
Special features include: commentary by Katherine Orrison, author of “Written in Stone: Making Cecil B. DeMille’s Epic, The Ten Commandments”; newsreel of New York premiere; and theatrical trailers. (Paramount Home Entertainment)
Venom: Let There Be Carnage (Blu-ray, DVD & Digital copy)
In search of his next big story, journalist Eddie Brock (Tom Hardy) lands an exclusive interview with convicted murderer and death row inmate Cletus Kasady (Woody Harrelson), who discovers Eddie’s secret and becomes the host for Carnage, a menacing and terrifying symbiote. Now, Eddie and Venom must get past their contentious relationship to defeat him.
In this sequel, the unusual super pair must battle yet another evil symbiote, being driven around by a notorious criminal, which inherently equals a lot of havoc. The enduring romance between Kasady and his childhood sweetheart (Naomie Harris) is an unexpected aspect of the story and actually makes the villain element better. On the other hand, Brock’s ongoing pining for Anne (Michelle Williams) is less endearing this time around. It’s almost surprising to have a comic book movie under two hours at this point, but it’s also refreshing and very well-suited to this narrative. Brock’s character is already established, so time is instead dedicated to his still evolving relationship with Venom. Kasady is an exciting personality, so audiences will have fun riding shotgun with him and Carnage, although the finale is somewhat lacking.
Special features include: deleted scenes; “Eddie & Venom: The Odd Couple”; “Sick and Twisted Cletus Kasady”; “Concept to Carnage”; “Let There Be… Action”; and outtakes and bloopers. (Sony Pictures Entertainment)
