New in Theaters:
Film: The Living Record Of Our Memory (***) This lively and informative documentary from filmmaker Ines Toharia charts the course of film preservation and why it’s so important by giving the viewer a history lesson and illuminating the dangers of not preserving our cinematic past. There’s also a lengthy discussion of digital and its place in the history of cinema. Interview subjects in the film include such luminaries as Ken Loach, Martin Scorsese and Ridley Scott. Highly recommended for serious film buffs. (The film recently screened in LA and NY and will be available more widely in May).
John Wick 4 (Not Screened) Keanu Reeves continues to settle scores as the main character, the major difference this go round being that he’s allotted nearly three hours in which to do it. And to think it all sprang from a simple film about a man avenging his dog’s death.
New to Disc:
Lionsgate:
The Whale (2022) Brendan Fraser’s Oscar winning turn as a morbidly obese man attempting to come to grips with the losses in his life and attempting to make amends with his daughter is now available on disc in the Blu Ray format accompanied by a few featurettes.
MPI:
All Quiet on the Western Front (2022) The recent Best Picture nominee has received a 4K disc release from the label which is handsomely packaged in the form of a 24 page book. Extras include commentary, featurettes and trailer. 
Arrow:
Black Sunday (1977) Director John Frankenheimer’s outstanding adaptation of the Thomas Harris novel, about the efforts to stop a crazed war vet with plans to bomb the Super Bowl, makes its Blu Ray debut with a beautiful new transfer, a featurette, booklet and commentary.
Scream/Shout Factory:
Exorcist III (1990) Original Exorcist scribe William Peter Blatty’s continuation of his initial story-he serves as writer and director here-makes the leap to 4K in a new edition that retains previous extras found on the Blu Ray release. Among them a reconstructed cut of Blatty’s original vision of the film.
Also making their way to 4K from the label this week are the horror entry, Dead Silence (2007) and the action opus, Wanted (2008).
Kino:
New entries from the label this week include the westerns, Tomahawk (1951) and Border River (1954) and the John Barrymore drama dealing with infidelity, Counsellor at Law (1933). Extras include new commentaries.
Paramount:
G.I. Joe: Retaliation (2013) The sequel starring Channing Tatum gets a steelbook 4K release this label and retains previous extras.
Criterion:
Chilly Scenes of Winter (1979) John Heard is a man who simply can’t move on from his last failed relationship in this film that didn’t connect on its initial release and has now found an appreciative audience. Previously issued on Blu Ray from Twilight Time and long out of print, the new Blu Ray edition includes the previous extras along with some new ones.
Questions/comments? [email protected].
Film: The Living Record Of Our Memory
