Now in Theaters:
Babylon (*** ½) Damien Chazelle (La La Land, Whiplash) masterfully directs this tale of the early days of tinseltown that manages to remain compelling for its entire 189-minute running time. Brad Pitt and Margot Robbie are just two of the performers turning in some really good performances in the film. It’s worth mentioning, however, that this film depicts the sordid side of Hollywood in all of its gory detail and may not be everyone’s cup of tea. If you’re able to get on its wavelength it’s a fascinating piece of filmmaking and highly recommended, especially for film buffs.
Margot Robbie in Babylon
Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Not Reviewed) The long-awaited biopic of the pop superstar finally arrives in what is presumed to be a less than forthcoming take on the singer’s life considering it has received a PG-13 rating.
Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (Not Reviewed) The latest spin off to feature the character from the animated Shrek film franchise-over a decade since the last entry-also makes its debut in time for the holidays.
New to Disc:
Scream/Shout Factory:
Wargames (1983) Matthew Broderick stars and John Badham directs the classic tale of a computer whiz who nearly starts WWIII, now arriving in a new 4K UHD edition. All of the previous extras have been ported over from the Blu Ray edition.
Kino:
The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 (1974) Walter Matthau and Robert Shaw star in this fondly remembered thriller about the efforts to thwart a gang of armed terrorists from hijacking a train, now getting its first ever 4K UHD upgrade. Extras include a new commentary along with the previously issued features.
Kaddish (1984) A young Jew comes to terms with his father’s traumatic history in this highly regarded documentary film from filmmaker Steve Brand, now getting a 4K restoration and featuring new interviews.
Worst to First: The True Story of Z100 New York (2021) is a new documentary illuminating the history of the legendary New York radio station and its rise to the top. Extras include deleted scenes.
Cinema’s First Nasty Women (1898-1926) is a new collection featuring fourteen hours of silent films spread across four discs that deal with such subjects as gender politics, labor protests and the like. Extras include documentaries about the subjects behind and in front of the camera.
Other releases this week include the Warner Brothers 4K and Blu Ray disc release of the HBO series, House of the Dragon (2022), the Disney/Fox Blu Ray release of the well-reviewed The Banshees of Inisherin (2022) and the Universal 4K and Blu Ray release of another critical fave, Todd Field’s Tar (2022).
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