We’re coming up on the 60th anniversary of Ultraman’s debut on Japanese television, and the enormous, powerful superhero has experienced many media interpretations over the decades, including the 2022 film, “Shin Ultraman.” He returns to the screen in the animated endeavor, “Ultraman: Rising,” which offers plenty of action for kaiju fans, but co-writer/director Shannon Tindle (“Lost Ollie”) looks to create a more human take on the fantasy creation, merging family issues and the might of monster activity. “Ultraman: Rising” certainly has moments of cuteness as it deals with the antics of a baby kaiju and pressures of parenthood facing the costumed warrior, but there’s some darkness to the feature as well, with Tindle striving to balance all the action fans of the subgenre expect with a slightly more serious tale of generational expectations and responsibilities. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

It’s the Summer of Shyamalan. In August, M. Night Shyamalan returns to screens with “Trap,” revisiting thriller interests after dabbling in semi-horror releases over the last handful of years. Before dad gets a chance to entertain audiences, his daughter, Ishana Night Shyamalan, offers her feature-length directorial debut with “The Watchers,” also handling screenplay duties on this adaptation of a 2021 A.M. Shine novel. Shyamalan also attempts to deliver spooky business with the endeavor, which observes four characters trapped in a dire situation of fantastical imprisonment, and like her father’s recent output, the picture just doesn’t have much in a way of chills or pace to really capture audience imagination. “The Watchers” is atmospheric at times, and the helmer is aided greatly by an active sound design, but it’s a long wait for something special to happen, and while Shine has ideas, Shyamalan struggles to make them come alive. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

“Longing” is a remake of a 2017 Israeli film, with original writer/director Savi Gabizon returning to oversee its English-language refreshing. It’s been turned into a vehicle for actor Richard Gere, who’s a natural fit for a story following a cold, distant businessman learning of a son he never knew and already lost, inspired to track the young man’s footsteps and understand an existence he wasn’t part of. The part plays directly to Gere’s strengths as an actor, and initial expectations for a more mournful journey are nicely disrupted by the helmer, who attempts to manufacture a darker tale of fixation. “Longing” doesn’t always connect as intended, especially in the third act, but Gabizon launches an interesting mystery of behavior with the tale, adding a few turns along the way to keep the viewing experience involving and enjoyably weird before the whole thing sobers up in the end. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

2020’s “Bad Boys for Life” managed to revitalize the franchise for ticket-buyers, becoming the highest-grossing sequel of the series, proving there was still audience interest in the world of supercops Lowry and Burnett. Creatively, new directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Falllah brought nothing fresh to the series, content to ape departing helmer Michael Bay and his brand of visual overkill. “Life” was numbing, overlong, and lacking in humor. There was room for improvement, but the approach clicked at the box office, and Arbi and Bilall (in their first assignment after their “Batgirl” movie was cancelled) are back to business with “Bad Boys: Ride or Die.” The film is basically “Bad Boys for Life 2,” offering a direct sequel to the previous chapter, which, once again, finds the main characters in a whole heap of trouble in Miami, while viewers are treated to the same level of sensory overload and haphazard scripting. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Shark attack movies are now part of release routine, with many filmmakers trying their luck to restore some frights to the exhausted experience of oceanic terror. Director Xavier Gens (“Hitman,” “The Divide,” and “Frontier(s)”) doesn’t have a novel idea for “Under Paris,” but he does have an interesting setting, bringing shark frenzy to France, where teams of cops and activists do battle as a humongous mako makes its way to the Seine river. As most of these pictures go, there’s a race against the clock as the hunt begins, with some looking to destroy the predator, while others seek to protect it during a major event in town. “Under Paris” doesn’t capture attention through originality, but Gens manages to make something mildly fun with the endeavor, which adds periodic violence to delight viewers. It’s not an action-packed viewing experience, but there are surges of panic to work with, and the general novelty of the setting is most welcome. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

“Mothers’ Instinct” is a remake of a 2018 French film from director Olivier Masset-Depasse, which was an adaptation of a 2012 novel by author Barabra Abel. Screenwriter Sarah Conradt is tasked with reviving the material for an American remake, and helming duties are handed to Benoit Delhomme. The respected cinematographer (“The Theory of Everything,” “The Scent of Green Papaya”) makes his directorial debut with “Mothers’ Instinct,” facing a creative challenge with familiar material to some, trying to refresh a story that’s largely dependent on maintaining a level of surprise. There’s a lot going on in the feature, which carries the mood of melodrama but slowly turns into something else, and Delhomme has game actresses in Jessica Chastain and Anne Hathaway, who bring a fine level of itchiness to the movie. The talent brings the endeavor to life, maintaining an appealing atmosphere of disturbing behavior as the story goes to strange places, but not always with confidence. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

For a tale of presidential paranoia and troublemaking, “Shadow Land” is surprisingly small in scale. It plays like a pandemic production, using only the basics in setting and casting to support what’s meant to be a mystery of some sort. Perhaps the screenplay by Ian Corson was something impressive at one point, building a puzzle involving American leadership, a psychologist, and a journalist who all work to define a vague threat hanging around a vacation home. Director James Bamford (“Air Force One Down”) doesn’t have the budget or the time to make a feature of note. He goes generic instead, visibly struggling to manufacture some form of suspense while editorial efforts try to shorten what appears to be a lengthier examination of trouble for all the characters. “Shadow Land” isn’t drearily acted, but it doesn’t piece together as tightly as it could, creating confusion where thrills were originally intended. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

There have been many pictures in recent years detailing the ways of senior citizens looking to reconnect with their youthful days, with slapstick comedy and the bonds of friendship driving these endeavors. And Diane Keaton has starred in most of them. The actress returns to the ways of being wacky with “Summer Camp,” which shouldn’t be confused with “Poms,” “Book Club,” or “Mack & Rita,” but it’s mostly the same type of movie. What’s different here is the setting, following three seventysomething women to a camp reunion where they confront their ages, friendships, and themselves as they try to enjoy a return to the stomping grounds of their teenage years. Written and directed by Castille Landon, “Summer Camp” is meant to be warm and silly, but it’s mostly wearying, offering an incredibly limited imagination for humor, while its sense of characterization is wholly bizarre at times. Perhaps it’s meant to delight a single demographic, but somehow it’s not fun for anyone. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Last year, there was “Nyad,” which examined long-distance swimmer Diana Nyad and her efforts to cross the Straits of Florida, beginning in 2010. “Young Woman and the Sea” shares the story of Gertrude Ederle, who, in 1926, sets her sights on swimming across the English Channel. These are similar investigations of domestic and physical hardships, with “Nyad” trying to manage an abrasive personality. “Young Woman and the Sea” is a Disney production, and it aims for more of an inspirational tale of endurance, following Gertrude’s challenges as she attempts to achieve something few believe a female can accomplish, or should. The picture is an old-fashioned offering of audience-pleasing filmmaking, with director Joachim Ronning (“Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales,” “Maleficent: Mistress of Evil”) and screenwriter Jeff Nathanson (“Rush Hour 2,” 2019’s “The Lion King”) going for big feels with the endeavor, attempting to merge the details of Gertrude’s swim with a broadly cinematic underdog story. And they’ve created quite a charming, exciting movie. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Jim Henson passed away 34 years ago, leaving behind a legacy of creative accomplishments almost impossible to believe. He was an innovator, filled with imagination and drive to realize his creative vision, using his skills in the art of puppetry to generate vivid characters and living worlds. The loss of Henson was tragic on many levels, and while his spirit hasn’t diminished, director Ron Howard sets out to craft a reminder of the man’s towering achievements. “Jim Henson: Idea Man” is a documentary exploring the life and times of the subject, with the production working with a plethora of footage and interviews to manufacture an intimate appreciation of Henson’s universe and his human qualities. Longtime fans are treated to a victory lap-style understanding of greatness, but Howard is also attentive to newcomers, going through the years to identify the growth of inspiration and reinforce the special sensitivity and ambition that defined Henson’s career. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

If one squints hard enough, there’s kinda, sorta a “Friday the 13th” sequel happening in “In a Violent Nature.” Writer/director Chris Nash (who contributed to 2014’s “ABCs of Death 2”) certainly isn’t pursuing a fan film with the project, which follows, quite simply, a masked killer made of unstoppable magic looking to seek revenge on a collection of young people who’ve dared to spoil the lasting memory of his mother. Sounds pretty Jason Voorhees-y, but Nash hopes to put his own stamp on slasher cinema with the picture, which isn’t a slam-bang offering of suspense, but something very stripped down and hostile…when it wants to be. “In a Violent Nature” is not for the impatient, as Nash presents a slow-burn study of a Movie Maniac’s menace, delivering a feature that takes its time with nearly everything it offers. It’s almost a test of endurance during travel sequences, with the helmer looking to subvert the subgenre and also deliver hugely with acts of barbarity. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Going against the tone set by “Bring It On” and its various imitators, director D.W. Waterson looks to bring intensity back to the cheerleading movie. “Backspot” is a Canadian production examining the pressures facing young women as they deal with physical challenges, mental breaks, and the brutality of competition. It focuses on the journey of an athlete fighting to balance her need to impress and the slow erosion of her emotional health, receiving a special shot to prove herself in the big times of high school cheerleading. “Backspot” doesn’t ignore the demands of the sport and the toughness of its coaches, with Waterson attempting to put viewers into the pressure cooker environment, exploring how such intensity wears down the spirit of the main character. It’s an intimate offering of drama, with screenwriter Joanne Sarazen (“Tammy’s Always Dying”) successfully getting close to personalities and difficulties, making for an interesting sit. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

As he slowly backs away from an acting career, Viggo Mortensen has found his way behind the camera. In 2020, there was his work on “Falling,” a tough but meaningful examination of relationships put under the weight of dementia. For “The Dead Don’t Talk,” Mortensen pursues a western, also scripting this story of a partnership between decent people as it goes through trials of trust, separation, and comfort. This isn’t an Eastwood-ian take on revenge, though aggression does play a part in the tale, with Mortensen much more interested in the development of characters as they deal with the joys and misery of life, especially during a time of national unrest. “The Dead Don’t Hurt” is atmospheric and attentive to emotional expression, lacking a brisk pace. The reward for such patience is another deeply felt picture from Mortensen, who delivers a film of grace and personality, offering a few genre kicks between long stretches of behavioral examination. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

The director of “Selah and the Spade,” Tayarisha Poe returns with “The Young Wife,” a tale of the future that explores concerns of today. It’s a smaller feature, working with a limited ensemble and a single location, with Poe trying to offer an artful understanding of life’s decisions as she follows the anxiety rising inside a woman about to embark on her wedding day, feeling all the pressures as she deals with various demands. The screenplay (also credited to Poe) often resembles a theater piece, staying close to these characters and their peculiar ways, while the central celebration triggers many issues to be addressed, often in intimate ways. “The Young Wife” strives to carry a memorable visual approach to best disrupt the staginess of it all, and Poe, working with a talented cast, achieves some understanding of doubt, which acts as an anchor during a day of celebration and reunion. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com