Blu-Ray & DVD Review Round-Up: ARRIVAL, HOUSE: THE COLLECTION, THE EDGE OF SEVENTEEN, TOMBOY & More
A selection of new blu-ray and DVD releases. This time around:
Amy Adams and Jeremy Renner prepare for an Arrival, Hailee Steinfeld is on The Edge Of Seventeen, Arrow Films presents House: The Collection, Michelle Rodriguez is given a (Re) Assignment in Tomboy, The Beaster Bunny visits, The Resident moves in and Michael Caine and Lewis Collins hunt down Jack The Ripper.
Blu-ray Review: Arrival
Denis Villeneuve’s Arrival delivers a thought-provoking science fiction drama with excellent performances from Amy Adams and Jeremy Renner. Adams plays a linguist tasked with making contact with aliens who arrive on earth, but her emotional attachment to the job has some far-reaching consequences. This is a well composed piece which must make for a nice change of pace from the superhero flicks that Adams and Renner have worked on in recent years.
Special Features:
The blu-ray comes with some interesting and detailed documentaries.
DVD Review: The Edge of Seventeen
Hailee Seinfeld delivers a great performance in this witty and well written teenage drama. The Edge Of Seventeen has a John Hughes vibe, with well drawn characters and some spot-on dialogue. Woody Harrelson is on-hand to offer some splendidly sarcastic support. This is a teen movie for people who don’t like teen movies. Recommended.
Blu-ray Review: House: The Collection
The House franchise is a totally bonkers horror series that works because each one is so different. All these films have their own merits but there is a drop in quality as the series progresses. However, they’re an enjoyable bunch of flicks featuring some nice humour and about 2/6 of the cast of Cheers!
Special Features
Arrow Video once again goes above and beyond with this stunning package. Documentaries, outakes commentaries and much more – this is everything you can imagine and much more.
DVD Review: Tomboy
Walter Hill does his usual tough guy noir – with a serious twist. Michelle Rodriguez is a hitman who is turned into a woman by Sigourney Weaver‘s mad doctor. Cue revenge. Hill’s film is pure pulpy B-movie, but it does have a certain charm in how its presented. It’s silly, but worth seeking out.
DVD Review: The Beaster Bunny
The Beaster Bunny is one of the worst films Movies In Focus has seen in a long time. It’s supposed to be silly and kitsch, but it’s just not worth watching. Avoid at all costs.
DVD Review: The Resident
A look at mental health as much as it is a haunted house horror, The Resident is a solid chiller that’s more about tension that it is about scares. It contains many of the genre’s well worn tropes (bumps in the night, lonely woman, clueless husband), but it does have some solid moments. The acting is also above par for this type of low budget film.
DVD Review: Jack The Ripper
Michael Caine and Lewis Collins star in this highly entertaining 1988 TV mini-series about the infamous Jack The Ripper murders. This is a handsomely produced show, which creates some impressive tension across its 3 hour (and 2-part) running time. Caine is his usually charismatic self and he has a good foil in Collins. The supporting cast is rounded-up with Jane Seymour, Armand Assante, Susan George and a host of familiar faces from British television. Jack The Ripper is like a good mystery book and once you’re hooked you’ll see it through until the end!
Special Features
You get scenes from an aborted version of the series which would have starred Van der Valk’s Barry Foster in the Michael Caine role. A real curio.
