Now in Theaters:
American Fiction (***) Geoffrey Wright shines in debuting director Cord Jefferson’s tale of a failed writer who opts to pander to trends with his latest novel and finds himself an overnight success in the process. Jefferson must be commended for his insights into the current state of our culture.
Photo: Coraline (Erika Alexander) and Thelonious “Monk” Ellison (Jeffrey Wright) in American Fiction.
New to Disc:
Shout Factory:
Forced Vengeance (1982) Chuck Norris is a security expert seeking revenge on those who killed his friend and boss in this actioner.
Kino:
Please, Not Now (1961) Roger Vadim directs this tale of a model (Brigitte Bardot) who goes after the girl who stole her man. Extras include new commentary.
Universal:
The Holdovers (2023) Paul Giamatti is a boarding school instructor tasked with babysitting students who can’t get home during the holiday weekend of 1970 in what is my pick for best film of 2023. There are a few bonus featurettes.
Photo: Dominic Sessa and Paul Giamatti in The Holdovers.
MPI:
The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet Seasons 13 and 14 make their way to DVD from the label with new remasters of each episode authorized by the Nelson estate. Sold separately, each set contains 26 episodes. There are no extras.
Film Rise:
The Dick Van Dyke Show: The Complete Series has been reissued on DVD by the label and includes the bonus documentary, The Dick Van Dyke Show Remembered.
Radiance Films:
The Facts of Murder (1959) A police investigator finds himself embroiled in a robbery turned murder case in this Italian crime thriller. Extras include a new documentary, interview and a video essay.
Criterion:
The Apu Trilogy (1955-59) Indian filmmaker Satyajit Ray’s groundbreaking series of films covering the maturation and coming of age of an Indian child comes to 4K for the first time ever in this new set that retains all of the previously issued extras.
Film Movement:
Recent DVD releases from the label include Into the Weeds, which documents one man’s fight against chemical giant Monsanto, and the period drama, Before Now and Then, which deals with the intimacy two women share in war torn Indonesia of the 1960s.
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