Film Reviews by Adam Long

Now in Theaters: 

Book Club: The Next Chapter Mary Steenburgen, Jane Fonda and Diane Keaton return in the sequel to the moderately successful rom-com from several years back. 

New to Streaming:  

Alan Pakula: Going for Truth (***) The producer and/or director of such legendary films as To Kill a Mockingbird, Klute, The Parallax View and All the President’s Men gets his due in this new documentary on the late filmmaker’s life and times. Among those interviewed are Dustin Hoffman, Robert Redford, Jane Fonda and Harrison Ford, to name just a few. Well-made and quite moving at times. A must for fans of 1970s cinema. 

New to Disc: 

Warner Brothers:

Max Fleischer’s Superman (1941-43) The original 17 animated shorts from the legendary animator have been lovingly restored in this new collection pairing them all together on one Blu-Ray disc for the first time. Extras include three new featurettes. Theater, Streaming & Disc

Disney: 

Ant Man and the Wasp:Quantumania (2023) The third film in the Ant Man offshoot of the Marvel franchise gets a Blu Ray and 4K disc release this week with a few new featurettes. 

Criterion: 

Targets (1968) Filmmaker Peter Bogdanovich’s chilling and prescient feature debut is the tale of an ex-vet (Tim O’ Kelly) who snaps and goes on a killing spree. He eventually crosses paths with a retiring horror movie star (Boris Karloff, in one of his final roles) who believes the horrors onscreen can’t compete with the ones in the real world. This skillfully directed film gets its first ever Blu Ray release along with several extras including a commentary, interviews and an essay booklet. 

Film Movement: 

Sweetheart (2022) A lesbian unhappily vacationing seaside with her family, falls hopelessly in love, in this lauded Canadian film. Extras include a short film. 

Samurai Wolf 1 and 2 (1964-66) A ronin finds himself in a web of intrigue in these two spaghetti western influenced samurai films from director Hideo Gosha, now getting a first ever North American Blu Ray release. Extras include a featurette and commentary. 

88 Films: 

In the Line of Duty 1-IV (1986) Recent Oscar winner Michelle Yeoh takes the lead as a cop infiltrating gangs in this series of classic martial arts films that helped make her a star, now collected in one massive Blu Ray box set. Extras include multiple cuts of the films, a 100-page book and commentary. 

Kino:

Two films starring Burt Reynolds and directed by Robert Aldrich are being issued by the label this week. 

Hustle (1975) pairs Reynolds with Catherine Deneuve as a cop attempting to solve the murder of a teenage girl while falling in love with the prostitute who has a dangerous connection to the case. Extras include a new commentary. 

The Longest Yard (1974) now getting its first ever 4K disc release, is the critical and commercially successful pinnacle of Reynold’s early career, a comic tale of a football game between wardens and convicts that presents all sorts of challenges and subplots. Extras include featurettes and commentaries. 

Paramount:

Two films starring Mark Wahlberg get a 4K upgrade this week from the label. They are The Italian Job (2003) and Shooter (2007). The latter was previously issued as a steel book but is now being reissued in a standard edition. No new extras but previous bonus material has been retained.

Questions/comments? [email protected].

Book Club: The Final Chapter