ELVIS Defies Tradition

ELVIS (Blu-ray Review)

2022 / 159 min

FROM WARNER BROS #InPartnershipwithWB

Review by Stinky the Destroyer😺

I never really liked Elvis, but man, this film was great.

Big, colorful, flamboyant and irresistibly fun, Elvis is more spectacle than traditional biography. Not that the film doesn’t (more or less) accurately chart Elvis Presley’s meteoric rise and depressing fall, but it’s done with such visual and sonic flair that it becomes just as much a celebration of director Baz Luhrman’s unique style as the King’s life & music. And since Presley’s life has already been well-documented in films and books - probably more than any music artist in history - why not elevate the whole thing to the level of Shakespearean tragedy? Who better to do that than Luhrman?

Like the best tragedies, our hero (Austin Butler, in a star-making performance) is on the path to greatness, but destined to pay for it with his life, either by his own doing or forces beyond his control. That force is the infamous Colonel Tom Parker (Tom Hanks), who also serves as the film’s (very) unreliable narrator. The relationship between these two is the crux of the entire narrative, and though Presley is certainly depicted as a flawed character, Parker is the film's unquestionable villain. 

Whether or not Parker was truly as conniving, greedy and vile as the movie suggests doesn’t really matter. From a story standpoint, his self-serving omnipresence gives evil a face, which renders Elvis far more compelling than just another respectful chronicle of a career cut short. Both Hanks and his grotesque appearance are a little over the top, but there’s no denying he’s a morbidly fascinating character. That’s not to say Elvis himself is depicted as a mere victim, a symbol to be mourned yet again. He’s extremely likable, of course, not to mention naïve and easily manipulated. However, Elvis also gets caught up in his own stardom and all the trappings that come with it (though we’re certain Parker is primarily responsible for hastening his demise). 

Butler only superficially resembles Elvis, which is actually a good thing. We don’t need yet-another uncanny impersonation, especially since Presley’s voice and mannerisms have long-since become objects of parody. In fact, with his jet-black hair, lanky frame and eye-liner in early scenes, there’s something almost gothic about his appearance. But since this was the era when Elvis was seen by conservatives as an evil, dangerous influence on America’s youth - and popularizing the “black” music that inspired him - the look perfectly conveys that forbidden fruit aspect of his appeal. While he does sound like the King, Butler’s interpretation allows us to look beyond the image. His performance might even be Oscar worthy.

Elvis, the flying squirrel.

Elsewhere, Buhrman emphasizes certain eras of Elvis’ life more than others, mirroring the highs and lows of the man’s real life career. Hence, the whirlwind success of his early days is given a lot more screen time than his entire decade-long movie career. Those sequences are thrilling, especially the numerous musical performances (by both Elvis and the black artists he admired). Buhrman gives these scenes the manic energy of a modern-day musical, along with the visual flourishes he’s known for. Though Elvis’ music is nothing I’ve personally chosen to throw on my turntable, how the songs are used in the context of the story is very effective, often exacerbating the tone of the scenes in which they’re heard.

Naturally, the second half of the film deals with more somber subjects…not just Elvis’ struggle to stay relevant in a changing musical landscape, but the social unrest of the late ‘60s, which certainly concerned Presley but Parker insisted on steering his career well clear of. It’s with no small amount of irony that the undisputed high point of Elvis’ post-Hollywood career was when he defied Parker to take creative control of his legendary 1968 TV special.

Throughout the film - almost constantly - is Elvis’ music, either performed by the King himself, Butler or modern artists interpreting some of his most enduring songs. Even a few of Elvis’ numbers are remixed for dramatic effect for certain scenes. Purists may balk at Buhrman messing with standards, to say nothing of including new songs in scenes taking place a half-century ago. Hearing Doja Cat usher-in Presley’s Vegas years is admittedly a little jarring. But again, this isn’t a biography in the purest sense. In addition to offering the King’s life as an epic tragedy with heroes and villains, Elvis is a celebration of his music and enduring influence. Presented with loads of panache, it’s a wildly entertaining and ultimately poignant film…for fans, non-fans and newcomers alike.

EXTRA KIBBLES

FEATURETTES - “Bigger Than Life: The Story of Elvis” (making-of); “Rock ‘n’ Roll Royalty: The Music and Artists Behind Elvis”; “Fit for a King: The Style of Elvis”; “Viva Australia: Recreating Iconic Locations for Elvis”

MUSIC VIDEO - “Trouble”

DVD & DIGITAL COPIES

ABE LINCOLN IN ILLINOIS: Massey Makes the Movie

ABE LINCOLN IN ILLINOIS (Blu-ray Review)

1940 / 110 min

FROM WARNER ARCHIVE COLLECTION

Review by Mr. Paws😼

Raymond Massey was pretty much in the Abraham Lincoln business, not only playing him in Abe Lincoln in Illinois on both stage and screen, but several TV programs and at least one other high profile movie (How the West was Won). You might say Massey was to our 16th president what Bela Legosi was to vampires. Sure, he’s done a lot of other stuff, but hey, when you’ve found your niche, why not exploit it whenever the opportunity arises?

Massey is almost the whole show here, and the main reason the film remains watchable. He uncannily resembles Lincoln and instills the character with the folksy, philosophical charm we typically associate with the man. You’d be hard pressed to name any other actor who more convincingly embodied an American president…including Daniel Day-Lewis.

Abe selects his running mate.

But as presented in Abe Lincoln in Illinois, the man’s story isn’t quite as compelling. Not an encompassing biography, the film dutifully chronicles Lincoln’s rise from lowly backwoods shopkeeper to winning the presidency, ending on an ominous note with a final scene of Abe reluctantly boarding the train that’ll take him to Washington. In between are the highlights of his political career, with a few asides to explore his relationships with Ann Rutledge (Mary Howard), who was supposedly his first love, and soon-to-be First Lady Mary Todd (Ruth Gordon). The latter comes across as a little self-serving - maybe even unlikable - but she does provide welcome moments of emotional tension to the narrative.

Ultimately though, this plays sort of like a Cliff’s Notes summary of events that have been well documented. Not only that, Lincoln is depicted as so noble, saintly and above reproach that - despite Massey’s masterful performance - he becomes more of a symbol than a dynamic character. In fact, that final shot practically paints him as a Christ-like figure ready to die for our sins. Hyperbole notwithstanding, though, Abe Lincoln in Illinois remains an enjoyable history lesson that only hard-core cynics could dismiss entirely. Just don't expect any revelations or dramatic fireworks.

EXTRA KIBBLES

ABE LINCOLN IN ILLINOIS LUX RADIO THEATER BROADCAST - From 1940, featuring Raymond Massey.

THE POOP SCOOP: A Criterion First, Brad Pitt Goes to Japan & Way Too Much Christmas

😸WALL-E 4K and Blu-ray Combo Coming 11/22 from Criterion Collection.

WALL•E  (2008), directed by Andrew Stanton, enters the Criterion Collection on 4K UHD this November! A high-water mark of digital animation, Stanton’s prescient vision of a rapidly oncoming dystopian future, packaged within a dazzling pop-science-fiction love story, is an urgent fable for our troubled millennium. Our director-approved edition features two commentaries, a masterclass with Stanton, behind-the-scenes footage, more than a dozen documentaries, deleted scenes, a tour of the Pixar Living Archive, selections from Stanton’s sketchbook, and so much more! A high-water mark of digital animation, this prescient vision of a dystopian future is packaged within a dazzling pop-science-fiction love story, making for an urgent fable for our troubled millennium. It’s the twenty-ninth century, and humans have long since fled Earth for outer space, leaving WALL•E, the last functioning trash-compacting robot, to go about the work of cleaning up a pollution-choked planet, one piece of garbage at a time. When he meets EVE, a fellow automaton sent to detect plant life, the pair are launched on an intergalactic quest to return humanity to Earth. Transporting us simultaneously back to cinema’s silent origins and forward light-years into the future, WALL•E is a soaring ode to the power of love and art to heal a dying world.

 

🚄BULLET TRAIN on 4K, Blu-ray & DVD October 18 from Sony Pictures.

One of the best - and funniest - action movies of the year, David Leitch's Bullet Train (2022), starring Brad Pitt, Joey King, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Zazie Beetz, and Michael Shannon is coming to 4K, Blu-ray & DVD October 18. This release will also include 9 collectible character cards. In Bullet Train, Brad Pitt stars as Ladybug, an unlucky assassin determined to do his job peacefully after one too many gigs gone off the rails. Fate, however, may have other plans, as Ladybug's latest mission puts him on a collision course with lethal adversaries from around the globe – all with connected, yet conflicting, objectives – on the world's fastest train...and he's got to figure out how to get off. From the director of Deadpool 2, David Leitch, the end of the line is only the beginning in a wild, non-stop thrill ride through modern-day Japan.

 

✈TOP GUN: MAVERICK on Digital now and 4K/Blu-ray 11/1 from Paramount

After more than 30 years of service as a top naval aviator, Pete “Maverick” Mitchell (Tom Cruise) is where he belongs, pushing the envelope as a courageous test pilot. Yet, Maverick must confront the ghosts of his past when he returns to TOP GUN to train a group of elite graduates and comes face-to-face with Lt. Bradshaw (Miles Teller), the son of his former wingman, "Goose". Bitter rivalries ignite as the pilots prepare for a specialized mission, which will require the ultimate sacrifice from those chosen to fly it. TOP GUN: MAVERICK is the #1 film of 2022 with over $1.3 billion in worldwide box office and the highest grossing film of the producer/actor Tom Cruise’s acclaimed career.  Hailed as “spectacular” (Brian Truitt, USA Today), “breathtaking” (Don Kaye, Den of Geek) and “jaw-dropping” (Sean O’Connell, Cinemablend) TOP GUN: MAVERICK lands on Digital August 23, 2022 and on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and DVD November 1 from Paramount Home Entertainment. 

🎄Lifetime’s ULTIMATE HOLIDAY MOVIE COLLECTION arrives on DVD November 1 from Lionsgate

Looks like I won't be seeing Mama Cat again until next year. experience the best this holiday season has to offer as Lifetime®’s Ultimate Holiday Movie Collection arrives on DVD November 1 from Lionsgate, exclusively at Walmart. Featuring 50 holiday-themed stories of love, family, friendship, and Christmas magic, Lifetime®’s Ultimate Holiday Movie Collection will be available for the suggested retail price of $69.98 for DVD. There’s never been so much merriment in one movie collection! Featuring fifty LIFETIME holiday movies and countless hours of comfort and joy, this specially curated set will be the gift that keeps on giving — season after season.

TIN CAN is Worth Opening

TIN CAN (Blu-ray Review)

2020 / 104 min

FROM EPIC PICTURES

Review by Fluffy the Fearless😺

I’ve always enjoyed a good “trapped” film. You know, those which primarily take place in a single confined setting, with desperate characters whose only goal is to get out. I suppose Hitchcock’s Lifeboat is the granddaddy of them all, but beginning with 1997’s Cube, I’ve been particularly infatuated with the sci-fi-tinged variations, especially those which don’t spoon-feed the viewer a lot of upfront exposition…so we’re trying to figure out what the hell is going on - and why - right along with the characters.

It seems like there’s been a lot of these things popping up in the past decade or so, especially on streaming services. The great ones, such as Cube, Oxygen and The Platform, are conceptually intriguing examples of efficient storytelling and creative production design on a limited budget. Though it may take more than a single viewing to appreciate, Tin Can is another excellent trapped movie with a disturbing scenario.

There’s a nasty pandemic called the Coral virus that’s rapidly spreading throughout the population. Not exactly lethal, the disease slowly and methodically takes over the entire body, physically changing the subject into something decidedly not human. Lab researcher Fret (Anna Hopkins) discovers a cure, but before she can share her findings, she’s knocked out and taken away by a mysterious assailant. An unspecified amount of time later, Anna awakens inside a dimly-lit metal canister, hooked up to catheters, feeding tubes and IVs. Worse yet, there doesn’t seem to be a way to get out.

Anna eventually hears others who are similarly trapped, including estranged boyfriend John (Simon Mutabazi), co-worker Darcy (Amy Trefry) and angry, cantankerous Wayne (the always great Michael Ironside). Save for the occasional flashback, we hardly see the others. The first two acts are presented almost entirely from Anna’s point of view as the group tries to deal with their predicament, during which time the narrative slowly reveals what’s happening: The infected are placed in stasis in these canisters, either until a cure is found or they’re removed and disposed of. Anna, however, is not infected and begs to be released, mainly because she’s the only one who knows the cure.

We all have that one creepy neighbor.

To elaborate much further would be to ruin some of the nasty surprises in store, but I will say that the film does a tremendous job building dread, not just the implications suggested by the narrative - that the cure might be worse than the disease - but through claustrophobic atmosphere, grungy production design and some truly icky body horror. The story is often confusing - sometimes maddeningly ambiguous - but upon further reflection afterwards, the pieces actually fit together quite nicely. Whereas many “trapped” films tend to drop the ball with an underwhelming (or ridiculous) denouement, the payoff in this one is logical, plausible and wonderfully unnerving.

The narrative is a little draggy during the first act, but there’s more action in the film than its concept would suggest, especially once Anna attempts to take control of her dire circumstances. Featuring a solid performance by Hopkins under confined conditions, and a bit of timely social commentary thrown in for good measure, Tin Can is a dark, gruesome good time.

EXTRA KIBBLES

MAKING OF FEATURETTE

2 MUSIC VIDEOS - “The Last Bell Does Toll”; “ZAUM - The Enlightenment (Part 1)”

AUDIO COMMENTARY - By director Seth A. Smith

Human Traffic on PARADISE HIGHWAY

PARADISE HIGHWAY (Blu-ray Review)

2022 / 115 min

FROM LIONSGATE

Review by Tiger the Terrible😼

Sally (Juliette Binoche) is a lonely middle-aged trucker who sometimes engages in illegal smuggling to protect her incarcerated brother, Dennis (Frank Grillo). Just prior to his release, she agrees to one more job. When the cargo turns out to be a 13 year old girl being sold by human traffickers, she refuses, at least until they threaten her brother’s safety.

At the drop-off point, the girl, Leila (Hala Finley), finds Sally’s shotgun and shoots the buyer. They immediately flee the scene, with Sally unsure what to do next. Not only has she - and Dennis - run afoul of the traffickers, surly retired FBI agent Gerick (Morgan Freeman) and wet-behind-the-ears partner Finley are now investigating the murder.

You can probably figure out what happens next. Sally’s maternal instincts kick in, bonding with Leila while (improbably) evading criminals and cops. Elsewhere, Freeman’s character is yet another older, wiser mentor - perhaps a little grumpier - while Grillo once-again plays a hunky scumbag. Since neither are really stretching themselves, we kinda know what their characters are gonna do. I suppose the biggest casting surprise might be Binoche, who doesn’t usually appear in stuff like this. She's good, but not remarkable.

"Who's gonna narrate my life, kid?"

The story itself moves in fits and starts. Relatively light on action, there are slow stretches which might test the viewer’s patience, such as a lengthy truck-stop stay-over during the middle act that ultimately serves as a chance for everyone to (equally improbably) catch up with our protagonists. And considering the grim subject matter, the film only superficially addresses the atrocity of human trafficking. Most conflicts and complications are wrapped up a little too neatly to be convincing.

Still, the developing friendship between Sally and Leila has enough charming moments to generate some suspense whenever they’re put in harm’s way. And even though he can do these roles in his sleep, Freeman’s condescending treatment of Finlay is sometimes amusing. For her first feature film, writer-director Anna Gutto’s heart is certainly in the right place, but while Paradise Highway is watchable, it’s never as compelling or thought provoking as a topic like this demands.

EXTRA KIBBLES

MAKING-OF FEATURETTE

AUDIO COMMENTARY - By writer-director Anna Gutto

DELETED SCENES

TRAILER

DIGITAL COPY

MINIONS: THE RISE OF GRU Knows Its Audience

MINIONS: THE RISE OF GRU (Blu-ray Review)

2022 / 87 min

FROM UNIVERSAL

Review by Stinky the Destroyer😼

Apparently, the iron is still hot.

For those who still can’t get enough of those insanely popular Tic-Tac shaped henchmen, here’s more of the same. A sequel to 2015’s Minions, which itself served as both a spin-off and a prequel to the Despicable Me films, Minions: The Rise of Gru definitely preaches to the converted. No one else need apply.

This one takes place in 1976, when Gru is still an impressionable boy with dreams of being a supervillain like his hero, Wild Knuckles, leader of the world-famous crime crew, the Vicious 6. Gru has-since hired the Minions to work for him, mostly maintaining his secret hide-out under the house. 

Wild Knuckles steals a medallion called the Zodiac Stone, which has special powers for which he has nefarious plans. However, he’s betrayed by the rest of the gang - led by Belle Bottom - who take the stone for themselves and leave him for dead. Later, after being belittled during a job interview for the vacant Vicious 6 position, Gru steals the stone and entrusts Otto to take it back to his lair. Instead, Otto trades it for a pet rock, resulting in Gru firing all the minions. The rest of the story involves the minions and the Vicious 6 trying to get the stone first, while Gru begins to bond with his hero.

"Otto, you've obviously forgotten the first two rules of Fight Club."

The plot, of course, is perfunctory. Gru figures more into the story than the previous Minions film, but the little yellow fellows are still the primary focus. In general, their antics are amusing (occasionally endearing) without ever being laugh-out-loud funny. Obviously, results may vary. Fans will undoubtedly get a kick out of every Minion moment. Others will concur that these guys wore out their welcome three movies, a hundred memes and countless tie-in products ago. 

It goes without saying that The Rise of Gru will appeal primarily to kids, but like Minions, this one has some fun with the decade in which it takes place. Numerous styles, pop culture references and slang terms from the era should amuse the older folks, as will the impressive line-up of voice talent. Steve Carell & Pierre Coffin return as Gru and the Minions, while the likes of Taraji B. Henson, Michelle Yoah, Alan Arkin, RZA, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Lucy Lawless, Julie Andrews, Dolph Lundgren and Danny Trejo make up the huge celebrity supporting cast. Sure, some of their roles are gratuitous, but it’s nevertheless fun picking-out famous voices not typically associated with animation.

Minions: The Rise of Gru doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but since it raked in gajillions during its theatrical run and the franchise shows no signs of slowing down, it doesn't really need to. As a film that meets expectations without ever exceeding them, fans of the long running franchise will have no complaints. Everyone else should ask themselves why they’re still reading this.

EXTRA KIBBLES

2 SHORTS - “Post Modern Minions” & “Minions and Monsters”

FEATURETTES - “The ‘70s: Fashion, Food and Funk”; “Gru-vy Animation”; “Minion Martial Arts”

“HOW TO DRAW (& ANIMATE) WITH BRAD ABLESON” - The co-director shows how to draw a Minion, Gru and Stuart.

“LAIR FLAIR: MAKE YOUR OWN MINION HIDEOUT” - Essentially a montage of the hide-out beneath Gru’s room.

“SUPER STYLE SHOP” - How to make little minion outfits.

CHARACTER PROFILES - Of Gru, Wild Knuckles, Belle Bottom, Master Chow, The Vicious 6 and the “biker.”

EXTENDED SCENE

OUTTAKES

DVD & DIGITAL COPIES 

3:10 TO YUMA (4K SteelBook): Western Feng Shui

3:10 TO YUMA (4K UHD Best Buy Exclusive SteelBook)

2007 / 122 min

FROM LIONSGATE

Review by Tiger the Terrible😸

Here’s one for the real collectors…those who display their movies the same way bookworms make hardcover editions part of their living room feng shui. You know who you are. 

Setting physical aesthetics aside for a moment, 3:10 to Yuma is one of the best remakes ever made, respectful to the spirit of the original while surpassing it in many ways. I would also argue that, so far, it’s the best American western of the 21st Century. In a perfect world, this film would have revitalized the entire genre. 

It helps having James Mangold behind the camera. Both technically skilled and an excellent storyteller, he knows his way around an action film (and a horse) without forsaking character dynamics. In this case, the adversarial relationship between struggling rancher Dan Evans (Christian Bale) and notorious outlaw Ben Wade (Russell Crowe) is the crux of the entire film. 

Dan is a disabled war veteran and struggling rancher on the verge of losing his land to a greedy tycoon. Because he remains passive when threatened, he’s also lost the respect of his oldest son, William (Logan Lerman), who’s infatuated with the outlaw lifestyle. Meanwhile, Ben is captured after a deadly stagecoach robbery. With the rest of his gang ready to kill everyone and spring him, a posse is required to escort Ben to Bisbee, where a train will take him to Yuma to stand trial. Desperate for money - and perhaps to earn some respect - Dan agrees to join the posse for $200.

"I dunno, Dan...that basement looks kinda scary."

The journey comprises the bulk of the narrative, during which time we learn more about both men. Though Dan has good reasons for airing on the side of caution (especially where his family is concerned), his desperation slowly gives way to grim (and foolhardy?) determination, if only to regain his own sense of self-worth. Conversely, Ben is an intelligent, charming man who develops a liking - and respect - for Dan, eventually revealing a moral code of his own. The same can’t be said for his unnervingly ruthless right hand man, Charlie (Ben Foster).

While all the performances are good, Bale and Crowe really shine here, especially the latter. Despite playing a ruthless murderer, he has seldom been more likable. We also gotta give kudos to Foster, who’s truly terrifying, and the late, great Peter Fonda as a grisled old mercenary. Elsewhere, the action scenes are vivid, violent and brilliantly edited…a far cry from the days of Ford and Heflin, but fitting for the gritty tone. The climax, in particular, is a high tension masterpiece, which has Dan - with Ben in-tow - engaged in a running gunfight through Brisbee in a desperate attempt to reach the train. Released in an era when westerns were few and far between - and mostly revisionist in nature -  3:10 to Yuma was a breath of fresh air at the time…an old fashioned tale presented with skill and aplomb by remarkable talent on both sides of the camera. 

So of course it’s worth owning. But keep in mind that not only was 3:10 to Yuma given a great looking 4K UHD release just a few years ago, it included the exact same bonus features listed below. This new SteelBook is strictly for the show-offs, and as such, it’s a great pick up. The case itself features suitably rustic new artwork, with a clear slipcover featuring the title, images from the film and the usual back-cover text info, making his a nifty piece of western feng shui.

EXTRA KIBBLES

4K, BLU-RAY & DIGITAL COPIES

FEATURETTES - “Destination Yuma” (making of); “Outlaws, Gangs & Posses” (brief history, both real and romanticized); “An Epic Explored” (brief history of western cinema); “From Sea to Shining Sea” (transcontinental railroads of the era); “3:10 to Score” (music); “A Conversation with Elmore Leonard” (Leonard wrote the original story).

AUDIO COMMENTARY - By James Mangold.

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THE POOP SCOOP: Upcoming Kibbles!

🙀FALL arrives on Digital on September 27 and Blu-ray + Digital and DVD October 18 from Lionsgate.

For best friends Becky (Grace Caroline Currey) and Hunter (Virginia Gardner), life is all about conquering fears and pushing limits. But after they climb 2,000 feet to the top of a remote, abandoned radio tower, they find themselves stranded with no way down. Now Becky and Hunter's expert climbing skills will be put to the ultimate test as they desperately fight to survive the elements, a lack of supplies, and vertigo-inducing heights in this adrenaline-fueled thriller from the producers of 47 Meters Down. Costarring Jeffrey Dean Morgan. The adrenaline fueling thriller, Fall, arrives on Digital September 27 and Blu-ray + Digital and DVD October 18 from Lionsgate. Written and directed by Scott Mann (Heist, The Tournament).

 

😺THE LIMEY arrives October 11 on 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + Digital SteelBook from Lionsgate.

Oscar nominees Terence Stamp (Billy Budd), Lesley Ann Warren (Victor/Victoria), and Peter Fonda (Ulee’s Gold) team up with the director of Out of Sight and Sex, Lies, and Videotape for this critically acclaimed thriller that Newsday called “a lean and mean treat for savvy action lovers.” British ex-con Wilson (Terence Stamp) arrives in Los Angeles to investigate the mystery of his daughter’s “accidental” death. His prime suspect, the wealthy, heavily guarded music promoter Terry Valentine (Peter Fonda), is no easy target. Propelled into an increasingly brutal search for truth, Wilson, with single-mindedness and terrifying precision, moves unstoppably toward revenge. Vengeance has no boundaries in the crime-drama, The Limey, Directed by Steven Soderbergh, which arrives on 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + Digital SteelBook October 11 from Lionsgate.

🙀LA LLORONA on Blu-ray & DVD October 18 from Criterion Collection.

A country’s bloody history stains the present in the Guatemalan auteur Jayro Bustamante’s transfixing fusion of folk horror and searing political commentary, inspired by the real-life indictment of the authoritarian Efraín Ríos Montt for crimes against humanity. A notorious, now aging former military dictator stands trial for atrocities committed against Guatemala’s Maya communities. While battling legal repercussions and the people’s demands for justice, he and his family are plagued by a series of increasingly strange and disturbing occurrences, seemingly brought on by an enigmatic new housekeeper (María Mercedes Coroy). With a restraint that renders the film’s shocks all the more potent, Bustamante crafts a chilling vision of a nation reckoning with collective harms and the restless ghosts of a past that refuses to die. Mastered in 2K digital, this release includes an interview with director Jayro Bustamante and a making-of documentary.

 

😺ARSENIC AND OLD LACE on Blu-ray & DVD October 11 from Criterion Collection.

Frank Capra adapted a hit stage play for this marvelous screwball meeting of the madcap and the macabre. On Halloween, newly married drama critic Mortimer Brewster (Cary Grant, cutting loose in a hilariously harried performance) returns home to Brooklyn, where his adorably dotty aunts (Josephine Hull and Jean Adair, who both starred in the Broadway production) greet him with love, sweetness . . . and a grisly surprise: the corpses buried in their cellar. A bugle-playing brother (John Alexander) who thinks he’s Teddy Roosevelt, a crazed criminal who’s a dead ringer for Boris Karloff (Raymond Massey), and a seriously slippery plastic surgeon (Peter Lorre) are among the outré oddballs populating Arsenic and Old Lace, a diabolical delight that only gets funnier as the body count rises. Featuring a new 4K restoration, this release also features a new audio commentary and the 1952 radio adaptation featuring Boris Karloff.