NOW IN THEATERS:
Wild Horse Nine (***) Filmmaker Martin McDonagh returns to familiar territory with this 1973 set tale of two CIA agents (Sam Rockwell, John Malkovich) taking a vacation of sorts on Easter Island. Said vacation taking place in advance of the duo’s anticipation of their involvement in the Chilean Coup, which lead to the ouster of their democratic president in real life. Along the way there are references to the Kennedy assassination, the director’s usual ruminations on life and the expected plot twists found in a film from the Irish playwright/filmmaker. If there’s a complaint to be lodged, it’s that the film feels a little too similar to McDonagh’s earlier efforts. Still, lesser McDonagh is better than the majority of other films out there.
Photo: John Malkovich and Sam Rockwell in Wild Horse Nine
Godzilla Minus Zero (***) The sequel to the Oscar winning Toho studios entry from three years ago, Godzilla Minus One, picks up not long after the events of the previous film. In this entry, again set in the 1940s, the three headed creature Ghidorah appears and threatens to wipe out even more of the Japanese population, coinciding with the reappearance of Godzilla. The human drama gets equal screen time with the surviving characters from the previous film dealing with their own role in ridding the world of this latest threat. The special effects are superb and are better than anything ever seen in an American Godzilla entry. Unfortunately, the film suffers from one too many subplots, but when the creatures are on screen, all is forgiven and the filmmakers deliver the goods.
NEW TO DISC:
Disney:
Two action films starring Nicholas Cage, Con Air (1997) and National Treasure (2004), make their leap to the 4K format in steelbook packaging. No new extras but at least the picture upgrades are fresh.
Criterion:
Shoot the Piano Player (1960) and Marie Antoinette (2006) are two new 4K upgrades the label is offering this week. Both releases include new a nice selection of new and archival bonus features.
Kino:
The anthology film set inside of a hotel and featuring Tim Roth as the bellhop at the center of the stories, Four Rooms (1995), makes its 4K debut this week with new commentaries and interviews.
Radiance Films:
Fantastique: The Dreams and Nightmares of French Cinema (1930-1996) is a new set that delivers just what the title says featuring six films that include offerings from various directors and copious bonus material.
The label is also issuing a 4K upgrade of Mario Bava’s Planet of the Vampires (1965) and Cutter’s Way (1981).
Toy Robot:
The new subsidiary label from Arrow has 4K upgrades of the action films The Corruptor (1999) and Above the Law (1988) on tap this week. In addition to the deluxe packaging and sparkling picture transfers there are a nice selection of bonus goodies on both.
Paramount:
The label is offering the 4K debut of the Peter Jackson adaptation of the best-selling novel, The Lovely Bones (2009), in steelbook packaging.
Sony:
The label is issuing a 4K steelbook release of Memoirs of a Geisha (2005) this week.
88 Films:
The label has Blu Ray debuts of the rarely seen Hong Kong action films, Where’s Officer Tuba (1986) and The Owl vs. Bumbo (1984) being issued this week. There are a few new extras.
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