Mildred Pierce – The Criterion Collection (Blu-ray Review)
Michael Curtiz, the acclaimed journeyman director of films such as Casablanca, The Adventures of Robin Hood and Yankee Doodle Dandy, finally finds one of his films as a part of The Criterion Collection with Mildred Pierce. An ambitious mix of film noir and melodrama, this acclaimed 1945 film marked a career comeback for Joan Crawford, who would go on to win a Best Actress Academy Award. Based on the hardboiled James M. Cain novel, the film is now heralded as a classic for its handling of Crawford’s character, the strong casting choices, blend of domestic drama with murder mystery and many other elements. Now everyone can dive into this Criterion Blu-ray release and revisit this story of maternal sacrifice.
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In the history of cinema, we’ve been through many teachers with challenging students or schools altogether. It usually winds up in a happy renaissance for both the teacher and the students, overcoming their lifestyles and whatnot to unlock a knowledge based key to a world they never imagined they could be a part of. Hell, you know what Coolio sang about. Now, when it comes to horror, I’m not sure there are many scary teachers that put the spin on this, but here’s a new one for you in The Lesson. First-time feature helmer Ruth Platt “comes out swinging as an intelligent directorial force with this debut” (DreadCentral.com) that “ramps up the tension dramatically and results in a solid horror coming-of-age film that features one of the scariest teachers ever put on screen” (Bloody-Disgusting.com)! The Lesson makes its debut on Blu-ray on March 7th.
During horror’s heyday of the 1980s, one particular genre seems to flourish more than it ever has since. The horror anthology became popular mainly after Creepshow burst onto the scene. Doing multiple shorts in one film has been a sort of lost art that fans have been clamoring for and in recent years its made a bit of a comeback in the indie/VOD scene. Deadtime Stories is one such anthology from the 1980s, bombing at the box office then later likely finding an audience on home video. And for you, that audience, Scream Factory, as they’ve done many times before, has rescued it to Blu-ray. 
Nocturnal Animals is a flick I knew nothing about prior to seeing theatrically last year. I had never heard of it before so when the press screening invite arrived in my inbox it was very much a surprise to me. I saw that Amy Adams was in it and decided to give the trailer a spin. She has been in everything else last year (
Ang Lee is one of modern cinemas most celebrated and colorful directors when it comes to his filmography. He has constantly challenged himself, pushed boundaries and always seems ahead of the curve. Things he does that seems odd, taboo or weird now end up becoming somewhat a bit of normalcy later on. Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk is his latest foray down that road. And yes, there’s a movie here, a plot, actors and all the like, but its not been the buzz and discussion for the film at all. Lee has instilled the highest framerate ever used on a film; 120fps. The talk of this movie was all about that technological movement and nothing to do with the film. For its 4K UHD Blu-ray debut, the frame rate is being cut in half to 60fps; a home video landmark (Still a big deal considering, in some theaters The Hobbit films were 48fps). People will get a chance to see this for themselves when the film releases on Valentine’s Day, February 14th. 
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Hey Trekkies! Its that time again where we witness Paramount reissuing all the Star Trek series in new bundles or editions. Well, not new editions, because we’re always trying to get the most miles on the discs we’ve owned. This winter/spring we’re privy to new complete collections of Deep Space Nine, Voyager and Enterprise. Enterprise is the only one coming to Blu-ray probably…well…ever. Last week broke a terrific story I’m sure you saw on the insane amount of effort to restore The Next Generation and the reasons why time, money and demand just aren’t there for Deep Space Nine and Voyager (Bummer, yes, so don’t scoff at the DVD sets you’ve been holding off on, pick them up). Here today, we are glossing over the complete set of the most recent Star Trek TV show (Until Discovery launches), Enterprise! 
To keep the totally rad 80’s movies kick going, this week sees a special edition of my regular column of all things five-star film past – welcome to Forgotten Friday Flick! Since the good folks over at Mill Creek Entertainment decided to finally release the film I’ve chosen here on a more lush than VHS Blu-ray format I thought why not kill two birds with one critical stone. The result – a film review and Blu-ray review rolled into one for your reading convenience! That’s right folks! Not only do you get the full review of my favorite produced by Michael Mann 80’s misfit flick for Forgotten Friday Flick time, but you also get a bird’s eye view into the Blu-ray specs on the latest release ala Mill Creek to boot. So let’s get the team together, form a bond and become one of the five fingers ala…Band Of The Hand!
I said it before and I’ll say it again – we all need someone to look up to…though these may not be the guys! Vice Principals: The Complete First Season arrives on Blu-ray and DVD (both with a free digital download copy) on February 7, 2017 and is created by Danny McBride and Jody Hill, creators of HBO’s Eastbound & Down, along with Ben Best. The acclaimed new HBO comedy series tells the story of North Jackson High School and the two people who almost run it, the vice principals. McBride and Walton Goggins (The Shield, Justified) star as the school administrators, who are in an epic power struggle to become school principal. The series also features Georgia King, Busy Philipps, Shea Whigham, Sheaun McKinney, Kimberly Hebert Gregory, Edi Patterson and guest stars Bill Murray and Susan Park. The Vice Principals: The Complete First Season Blu-ray is loaded with exclusive new bonus content including a hilarious blooper reel, never-before-seen deleted scenes and laugh-out-loud audio commentaries with the cast and crew for all nine episodes – check out the review skinny specs below!
In Lionsgate’s vault, as with any other studio, there are some titles that just do good business for them. Lionsgate, of course inherited the Artisan library and Vestron Pictures one when it was in its infancy. Dirty Dancing is one of their staples on the home video market and with the 30th anniversary of the film’s release upon us, its no surprise that a new edition is coming. This marks (In the US alone) the fourth iteration of the Partick Swayze / Jennifer Grey dance classic on home video. While, yea, its always a cash grab, Lionsgate has at least added new supplements (In one previous iteration a new transfer) to make it not just be a new cover. With them having a Vestron Video label (primarily mirroring the Scream Factory model) and Dirty Dancing originally being a Vestron Pictures release, I thought it would have been fun to have done a Vestron Collector’s Series with this one, siding up to the likes of Return of the Living Dead 3 and Chopping Mall. But alas, it was not to be. Those Hungry Eyes settled for just an updated regular Blu-ray line of release. 
Arrival is one of those films that when you first see the theatrical trailer for it just cries out to you. It screams that you must see me. Who knows. Maybe it’s the aliens in the film that called out to me. I don’t know but whatever it was I was smitten by the very first trailer I saw of it. I knew that as soon as I saw 
I could start and stop my film review section right here with Why So Blu reviewer Aaron Neuwirth’s comments on my theatrical review of John Wick where he left the following remarks. “A dude with long hair, a dog, and Mustang beats up Theon Greyjoy. Of course you loved this movie.” He also went on to add that “and he listens to Marilyn Manson! You must have been in heaven.” Let the record show, Aaron knows me well. I was truly in a nirvana-like state throughout the movie’s entire runtime, and I have been salivating ever since for the eventual sequel this February. This is why I’m a reviewer! I already have John Wick on Blu-ray, but now in my grubby hands some weeks before anyone else I have it 4K Ultra HD! I want to shout it from the top of the tallest mountain, I LOVE IT SO! 
Regular, natural pregnancy is scary and a challenge enough for a couple, let alone adding a supernatural element to it. But with Antibirth, they not only give it that slap dash of gross out and weird horror, its done with a bit of a comedic touch too. Making its Blu-ray and DVD debut February 7th, 2017 from Scream Factory, in conjunction with IFC Midnight, Anitbirth also includes psychedelic clips, storyboards and theatrical trailer as bonus features. Spiked with blasts of hallucinatory color, surreal shocks, and subversive comedy, the audacious feature debut from Danny Perez is a no-holds-barred descent into delirium. 
Throughout fairy tale history, Beauty and the Beast is a story that is a well, with directors, writers, studios, theatres and such constantly going back to it. Its been done on the stage, in film, on television and I’m sure in the comic book format as well. My youth had a week to week series back in the day, a modernized version where a Ron Perlman Beast lived in the sewers woo’ing his beauty that was Linda Hamilton. No matter how many, there are only two interpretations that have really stood the test of time and become the “go to” definitive versions. One obviously being the Disney animated film. The other, is the masterpiece of French cinema, Jean Cocteau’s 1946 film. And next year, Disney is doing a live action rendition of their animated feature with Emma Watson and Dan Stevens. Today, we are taking a look at 2014’s French take on the classic story from the director of Brotherhood of the Wolf and Silent Hill. 
Glowingly reviewed by critics, but never finding an audience at the box office, Disney’s Queen of Katwe is making its way to Blu-ray. Based on the vibrant true story of a young girl (Madina Nalwanga) from the streets of Uganda whose world changes when she is introduced to the game of chess, and, as a result of the support she receives from her family and community, is instilled with the confidence and determination she needs to pursue her dream of becoming an international chess champion. I’m not sure what more could have been done, it did open on a rather stacked opening weekend. Maybe a bigger marketing push? Who knows what kept audience interest from seeing this one, but you’ll get a chance to catch it now on home video. 
Pinocchio now is joining the ranks of classic Walt Disney films from its original golden era, seeing their status upgraded to worthy of a double dip with the hip and fresh Signature Edition. Importantly, though, its a really good idea and deal for those who hadn’t own this legendary Disney film before. So, those who didn’t pick it up the first time around and wished upon a star for it to return to stores, now’s your chance. There are no strings to hold you down, so don’t be a jackass this time and pick it up. Disney has added a new array of bonus materials to it, too, so those who may want to upgrade based on that have something new. This set will be available on January 31st, but pre-orders are up and running now. 
