Now in Theaters:
Ghostlight (*** ½) One of the best theatrical offerings I’ve seen this year, an emotionally engaging and completely engrossing tale of a middle-aged manual laborer attempting to deal with the death of a child by suicide in the unlikeliest of ways. By playing Romeo in a local theater production of Romeo and Juliet after being recruited by an aging actress in the play. The emotional journey of the film’s protagonist is what forms the basis of the film which made me misty eyed on more than one occasion. A richly rewarding experience for anyone attempting to deal with loss and/or disappointment or fans of great indie cinema.
Keith Kupferer in Ghostlight
Janet Planet (**) Fans of director Kelly Reichhardt (Old Joy, First Cow) will likely warm to this highly praised film by playwright Annie Baker, the coming-of-age tale of an 11-year-old girl living with her single acupuncturist mom and set in 1991. The film’s languid pacing, however, may be as much of a deterrent for some as it was for me. If you don’t enjoy watching sod grow, then you may find it as hard to engage with the film as I did. A film in which two minutes of screen time is given to the burning and disposal of a tick, to cite one example of the style found therein.
New to Disc:
Criterion:
Blue Velvet (1986) David Lynch’s critically lauded small town thriller debuts in the 4K format this week courtesy of the label. Extras from the previous Blu Ray release have been ported over.
Shout/Scream:
Matinee (1993) Joe Dante’s affectionate and winning look at movie going in the early 60s, set against the Cuban Missile Crisis of fall 1962, comes to the 4K format in a newly remastered set that also includes a few new bonus features along with the archival ones.
Paramount:
The two animated feature films from Trey Parker and Matt Stone, the co-creators of the South Park TV series, debut on 4K UHD this week in separate new editions. South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut (1999) includes two versions of the film along with commentary, music video and trailers. Team America: World Police (2004) includes featurettes and deleted scenes along with the upgrade in picture.
Warner Brothers:
Purple Rain (1984) The feature film debut of Prince makes the 4K leap with a terrific new audio/video makeover and retains some, but not all, of the features from previous editions.
Warner Archive:
Mr. and Mrs. Smith (1941) One of the few comedies to be directed by Alfred Hitchcock, this delightful screwball tale stars Carole Lombard and Robert Montgomery as warring spouses who find their union null and void through a technicality. Extras include classic cartoons and featurettes.
The Flash: The Original Series (1990-1991) All 22 episodes of the fondly remembered series makes its way to Blu Ray this week in a long awaited and newly remastered multi disc set.
Other new releases from the label this week are the love triangle, The Shining Hour (1938), starring Robert Young, Joan Crawford and Melvyn Douglas, the WW II drama, Act of Violence (1948), starring Van Heflin and The Man I Love (1947), a drama starring Ida Lupino as a torch singer tangling with mobsters and assorted unsavory figures.
Radiance:
Bandits of Orgosolo (1961) A peasant turns to the life of a bandit after being wrongfully accused of murder in this well regarded Italian import now newly restored. Extras include new interviews.
Sympathy for the Underdog (1971) After a prison stint, a gang leader tries to regain his prominence and power in this Asian import. Extras include a commentary and visual essay.
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