Category: DVD/BLU-RAY

Keeping the celebration going, "Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo" made its theatrical debut only seven months after the release of the original film. Not that a breakdance movie is particularly difficult to piece together in a short amount of time, but during an era of three-year-long waits between franchise chapters, the speed of this release was alarming, clearly signaling that Cannon Films wasn't about to leave money on the table. If the kids wanted a second helping of Kelly, Turbo, and Ozone, Yoram Globus and Manahem Golan were more than happy to provide it, once again stymieing the competition during the curiously dance-feature-heavy year of 1984. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Never one to let a trend slip through his fingers, producer Menahem Golan quickly jumped on the opportunity to make a movie based on the breakdancing craze that swept across the nation in the 1980s. Golan's Cannon Films sprinted to the finish line with 1984's "Breakin'" with hopes to beat the competition, "Beat Street" (which took a more sobering look at hip hop culture), to the punch. Cannon won the war, transforming the feature into a sizable hit (keep in mind that the movie outgrossed "The Terminator" that year). While such production determination is interesting, "Breakin'" certainly has its issues, struggling with dramatic concerns as it spends most of its energy on musical numbers and street dance choreography. However, technical and emotional limitations aside, the picture has a certain spirit that's hard to deny, providing a look at bodies in motion as they quake, roll, and spin their way around the frame, keeping the feature's batteries charged long enough to make the effort easily digestible and, at times, terrific escapism. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

1971's "Man of Violence" (billed on the print as "Moon") represents co-writer/director Pete Walker's continuing exploration of the gangster genre, arriving soon after "The Big Switch." Acquiring a slightly larger budget and considerably more ambition, Walker expands his scope with "Man of Violence," trying to achieve a crisscrossing sense of antagonism and sexuality, using the dying light of Swinging London to his advantage, allowing for a darker but still unbearably paced picture that struggles to fill its permissive 109 minute run time. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Working his way out of the nudie movie business, 1968's "The Big Switch" represents writer/director Peter Walker's effort to redirect his career, trying to make a down and dirty impression with this British gangster picture. With its emphasis on violence and nudity, it's easy to see what Walker was after with "The Big Switch," hoping to tantalize audiences with exploitative elements he spent his early years perfecting. Missing from the film is any type of pace and conflict, lumbering along, waiting for the periodic burst of aggression to snap it awake. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

What began life as a "Downton Abbey" knockoff has built a home of its own. ITV's "Mr. Selfridge" graduates to its third season, with the mission for this year becoming one of separation. Initially conceived as a drama about the inner workings of the world's most famous department store, the series has decided to jump ahead five years (avoiding expensive World War I recreation demands), branching out with established characters, most not even involved with the business anymore. In short: there's little store in the show about a store. It's a bold creative leap for what's been a punishingly mediocre effort for two seasons, trying to stimulate ratings by changing the view. New supporting players add some spice to the bland concoction, but "Season 3" doesn't reveal a level of ambition necessary to take the program seriously. In fact, it indulges a soap opera atmosphere with renewed determination, keeping "Mr. Selfridge" simple, overcooked, and, at times, dismally performed. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

I don't have concrete proof that the Golden Globes are a rigged awards ceremony, but when Jacqueline Bisset took home a statue in 2014 for her supporting performance in "Dancing on the Edge" (where the actress was subjected to an obstacle course on her way to the stage), it was clear that something had to move the needle on a program that barely received attention during its original broadcast in 2013. Bisset doesn't deliver subpar work in the series, but she's barely memorable, blending in with the rest of this bland and overlong show, which wheezes through six episodes. Created by playwright and screenwriter Stephen Poliakoff, "Dancing on the Edge" aims to combine murder mystery suspense with period restraint, yet the writing is more consumed with stretching simple ideas, employing flimsy characterization and a leaden pace to pass for regality. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

As a twisty crime picture, 1964's "Woman of Straw" is a slow-burn affair, attempting to beguile audiences with a little heat generated between stars Gina Lollobrigida and Sean Connery (in the same film year, the actor would conquer the globe with "Goldfinger"), and incite some hatred for Ralph Richardson, who plays a broadly loathsome character. The movie doesn't offer an especially tight screenplay, content to draw out the obvious for as long as possible, but as a mid-level thriller with a few interesting left turns, "Woman of Straw" manages to satisfy, perhaps best appreciated when it dives into abhorrent behavior. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

How does one even recommend a documentary about the history of cancer? The title alone, "Cancer: The Emperor of All Maladies," establishes its severity, promising six hours of heartbreaking tales concerning loss and struggle. And the show does offer that level of gut-punch realism, but it's also superbly crafted and critically informational, with director Barak Goodman setting out to demystify cancer through an examination of its rise to prominence. The disease touches the lives of everyone, but instead of encouraging fear and ignorance, "Cancer: The Emperor of All Maladies" (adapted from the Pulitzer Prize-winning book by Dr. Siddhartha Mukherjee) takes the subject head-on, using extensive research, visual evidence, and personal details to dissect the science, celebrate breakthroughs, and reflect on a time not so long ago when a cancer diagnosis was an automatic death sentence. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

With "Wolf Hall," the BBC steps into the "Game of Thrones" business, digging into English history to rework known tales of treachery and violence, bringing a new spin to the oft-told tale of King Henry VIII (Damian Lewis) and Anne Boleyn (Claire Foy). Adapted from a pair of novels by Hilary Mantel, the six-episode series strives to find an entry point into the familiar story, settling on the life and times of lawyer Thomas Cromwell (Mark Rylance), whose steely sense of duty and intelligence permitted him access to Henry's kingdom, bearing witness to rampant rumor, accusation, and royal gamesmanship that spilled over to the wrath of Boleyn. "Wolf Hall" isn't about contact highs of swelling drama and twisty turns of fate (after all, there's only one ending to this saga), but slightly agitated interactions among corrupted individuals, with these charge encounters representing the extent of excitement the show is willing to offer. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

The musical "Mamma Mia!" has been celebrated on a global scale, becoming one of the most popular theatrical productions in history, also sustaining outstanding business as a 2009 feature film. While its true fingerprint originates from the music of ABBA, exploring a subgenre known as the "jukebox musical," the story has also captured imagination, romanticizing the idea of an older woman reuniting with three lovers after decades apart, unsure which individual is the true father of her adult daughter. It all appears jovial, madcap, and perhaps a little amorous, but "Mamma Mia!" apparently owes a debt to an obscure 1968 comedy titled "Buona Sera, Mrs. Campbell." Trading Greek islands for an Italian village, the picture creates a farcical take on paternity and long-held affection, only skipping on the ABBA tunes and wild costuming. I'm honestly surprised there wasn't some type of legal action taken against writer Catherine Johnson, who liberally takes from the amiable but overdone "Buona Sera, Mrs. Campbell," reworking its key elements to fit primary dramatic demands of the initial West End production. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

As viewed throughout a multitude of charged filmmaking efforts from the 1970s and '80s (providing an evolution to the classic war movie), most cinematic dissections of the Vietnam War concentrated on the either the early years of the conflict, when morale was high and troops were alert and plentiful, or the thick of the fight, highlighting a drain of innocence and military interest as the reality of the conflict and its hunger for human lives was finally being identified and criticized. Remaining true to its title, "Last Days in Vietnam" avoids a grander scope of military activity, instead paying specific attention to the final, bitter moments of the American presence in Southeast Asia, endeavoring to understand numerous events of pure chaos that erupted once evacuation procedures lost their ability to manage hordes of desperate refugees. A vital piece in the ongoing puzzle of the conflict, "Last Days in Vietnam" is an eye-opening documentary that captures the charged emotions and troubled leadership that fed into an overall sense of panic across the land — a surge of helplessness felt by all sides. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

After the blockbuster release of 1975's "Jaws," the global film industry was eager to cash in on its success, scrambling to find material that played with haunted characters and monster animal attacks. In 1977, producer Dino De Laurentiis developed a few of his own entries in the sudden subgenre, with "Orca" and "The White Buffalo" emerging with stories of bloodshed and revenge, pitting man against an unstoppable enemy. While "The White Buffalo" teases exploitation elements, especially with Charles Bronson in the lead role, the western, directed by J. Lee Thompson, is actually more of a meditation on wild west reputation and aging obsession, more interested in exploring personalities and fragmented communication between recognized foes than dealing with visceral horror. Of course, a gigantic white buffalo does appear in the picture, using its strength and size to mow down and harpoon seemingly innocent humans, but at the feature's core is a quest to capture the ragged edges of Wild Bill Hickok and Crazy Horse, working to understand clouded headspaces as their vivid and violent legends work to stunt their growth as men. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

"A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night" isn't really a narrative-driven picture, it's a collection of influences filtered through writer/director Ana Lily Amirpour. Collecting everything she loves about horror, surrealism, and westerns, the helmer attempts to mold a genre tale that doesn't bother to drop anchor. It's dreamlike and stylized, but "A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night" isn't cohesive, frequently caught up in cinematic references when it should be concentrated on characters. Mix Tape filmmaking is undeniably appealing, but only when there's a sense of leadership behind the production. This is Amirpour's debut feature, and it feels like the work of somebody who's excited to make a movie, but doesn't have the discipline to unify her love of the arts. More Robert Rodriguez than Quentin Tarantino, Amirpour's effort has select moments of striking beauty and originality, but as a whole, the endeavor is more obsessed with obsession than building a steady nightmare. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

When praising a film like "Aquamarine," it's never about creative innovation or shocking turns of fate. Here's a picture that's clichéd up the wazoo, playing directly to a target demographic of young teen girls with its fantasy of mermaid contact and BFF separation. It's not the details that make the movie an engaging sit, it's the way director Elizabeth Allen manages to keep the endeavor spirited and kind, allowing "Aquamarine" to be an offering of wish-fulfillment with restraint, refusing to corrode the effort with unnecessary behavior. It's warmly acted and brightly made, and while it doesn't exactly providing a challenging sit, it comes together quite nicely, managing to tell a bubbly story in a clear way. For this level of PG-intense sleepover entertainment, to remain appealing is no small feat. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Filmmakers are often tempted to treat mental illness as a golden ticket to melodrama, orchestrating extremes of behavior in the name of manipulation, giving actors free reign to create the experience of psychological torture in the broadest manner imaginable. When a rare feature comes along that doesn't indulge overkill, it's cause for celebration. 1962's "David and Lisa" has its share of heated moments, but writer Eleanor Perry and director Frank Perry are careful to treat the characters with respect, searching motivation and instinct with sensitivity and a great degree of understanding. Far from a crude movie of the week, "David and Lisa" manages to isolate internal frustration and troubling interactions, emerging as a story of tentative endearment, but also one of rare comprehension (at least for its time), portraying schizophrenia and obsessive actions with attention to detail, not outbursts. It's an emotionally satisfying picture with limited manipulation. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Cannon Films gives the director of "Death Wish II" a chance to make a period piece, and this is the result. 1983's "The Wicked Lady" should rightfully challenge helmer Michael Winner's base sensibilities, tasked with bringing a costume drama to the screen, yet his blunt ways with cinematic craftsmanship bend the material towards a routine of sex and violence. While not without a few scenes of beguiling madness, the movie spends more time struggling than soaring, grounded by a bizarre lead performance from Faye Dunaway and Winner's dedication to transforming a bawdy story into a Penthouse Letter, with a few softcore scenes breaking up the action. While never intended to be a Merchant/Ivory production, "The Wicked Lady" could use a blast of dignity, often caught trying too hard to be raunchy and ridiculous, lacking proper creative lubrication to carry this semi-farce, kinda-melodrama all the way to the finish line without encouraging a few pained reactions from the viewer. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Maybe you thought your last vacation was bad? 1978's "Long Weekend" is an unnerving reminder that hotels and resorts are perhaps the only way to truly relax in the big, bad world. A horror effort that invests almost completely in atmosphere, "Long Weekend" is a highly effective exercise in slow-burn terror, putting the entirety of its focus on two characters as their extraordinarily troubling camping trip to a remote Australian beach turns into a prolonged test of survival. However, it's not poor planning that comes back to haunt the couple in question, but a karmic explosion of animal retaliation in response to human savagery, allowing the screenplay to explore a different type of suspense. The feature takes time to get where it's going, but the reward is superb tension and unpredictable surges of intensity, with stars John Hargreaves and Briony Behets capturing utter distress as director Colin Eggleston orchestrates an unforgettable downward spiral of sanity, with villainy agreeably dimensional and the great outdoors ruined forever. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

In 2005, actress Lindsay Lohan was at a crossroads in her career. Building a fanbase with Disney fare such as "The Parent Trap," "Freaky Friday," and "Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen," while nurturing a career as a pop star during MTV's last stand as a music-oriented cable channel, Lohan was running out of time, stuck with a starring role in "Herbie Fully Loaded" that played to children while she was breaking into adulthood. Resisting the lure to keep playing young, Lohan elected to make a few grown-up films that reflected her maturity, using 2006 to appear in "A Prairie Home Companion" and "Bobby," while returning to starring duties with "Just My Luck." Positioned as a hip romantic comedy with a heavy lean toward slapstick, the effort provided Lohan with an opportunity to play a savvy businesswoman in the NYC fast lane, take on a more pronounced sexual identity, and mingle with other adults. What "Just My Luck" failed to supply was a sense of humor and a director capable of turning a dreadful script into adequate escapism. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

French director Alain Resnais experienced a powerful, eclectic career before his death in 2014 at the age of 91. With such classics as "Hiroshima mon amour" and "Last Year at Marienbad," Resnais defined a generation of filmmakers, contributing to the rise of the French New Wave with his dignified work. "The Life of Riley" isn't his most triumphant effort, but this adaptation of an Alan Ayckbourn play provides a fitting end to his career, finding the last picture from Resnais touching on themes of life and death, love and loneliness, and the comfort of others. As parting shots go, it's remarkable how fitting the material is to the helmer's personal journey. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Police procedural television shows are a dime a dozen these days, with murder the daily diet for most channels. Inspiration is limited, with productions content to provide comfort through familiarity, tracking cops and baddies with all the enthusiasm of an actor trapped in a multi-year series deal. "Fortitude" seeks to shake up formula by changing locations, moving away from the big city, rooms filled with computer screens, and coldly lit labs to head to the Arctic. Moving the action to a remote village north of Europe, "Fortitude" selects snow and depression to set the mood, approaching its tale of murder and paranoia from a perspective of human survival and community intimacy. It's a cold world out there, with the program endeavoring to use such bleakness to its advantage as it motors through 12 episodes of sex, violence, and observation. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com