Bob Le Flambeur [4K UHD, KL Studio Classics]
Bob Le Flambeur [4K UHD, KL Studio Classics]What is it? An aging thief contemplates one final score.
Why see it? Heist films already have a leg up on most other genres as heists, especially when stylized through the camera lens, are just really damn cool. Jean-Pierre Melville explored the world more than once, but this 1956 feature is arguably towards the top of the heap. A platinum-haired Roger Duchesne plays Bob, an older, ex-thief living life one gambling win after the next, but when he gets wind of an enormous fortune behind a casino’s vault he decides maybe he’s not that retired after all. The film oozes atmosphere and style, all caught up in hazy, smoke-filled rooms and dimly lit streets, and while the heist elements are fun, it’s the human aspect that carries the most weight. There’s regret aplenty, and watching Bob as a young woman he “saves” from the street instead connects with a younger man carries tangible pain. It’s just a beautiful film carried as much by mood as by the story and characters.
[Extras: Commentary, documentary]
The Best
The Bikeriders [4K UHD]
The Bikeriders [4K UHD]What is it? A look back at a simpler, engine-revving time.
Why see it? Director Jeff Nichols has never been a filmmaker restrained by genre or topic, and here he sets his eye on a small motorcycle group, from its formation and members to its uncontrollable growth and destiny, and the result is an engaging character piece about people, time, and place. Austin Butler, Tom Hardy, and Jodie Comer all do good work capturing the heart of differing people, those who want a more grounded reality and those who need to wander, and while the film never really pops it has highs and a constant thread that holds you glued to these people and their journey. A good film.
[Extras: Featurettes, commentary]
Demons [4K UHD, Synapse]
Demons [4K UHD, Synapse]What is it? An Italian horror masterpiece.
Why see it? Understand that when I refer to Lamberto Bava’s Demons as an Italian horror masterpiece that I both mean it and know that the term has a special meaning. The film has issues by any normal standards, from the acting to the script, but Italian horror, at its best, creates a whole new world where those things are of little importance. Here it’s a rocking nightmare unfolding in a movie theater as patrons are turned into flesh eating demons. It’s wild, nonsensical, energetic, and incredibly entertaining. Synapse is rereleasing their 4K disc in standalone version after its initial double feature package, and it remains a must-own for fans of gory, hard-rocking thrills.
[Extras: New 4K master, original and US versions, commentaries, visual essay, interviews]
Navajo Joe [KL Studio Classics]
Navajo Joe [KL Studio Classics]What is it? A western with Burt Reynolds as a Native American.
Why see it? Look, Burt Reynolds isn’t Native American, and he most certainly can’t pass as one without assistance, but this was the 60s. If you can get passed that redface issue, this is a darkly fun western from director Sergio Corbucci. It’s a revenge tale, and both the set pieces and action sequences are well crafted and entertaining. It’s a stylish time and equally as messy — Reynolds reportedly signed on thinking he was working with Sergio Leone, and Corbucci joined thinking he would be directing Marlon Brando — but the end result is a good time for fans of revenge, action, and B-movie thrills.
[Extras: Commentary]
The Rest
99 River Street [KL Studio Classics]
What is it? A hack noir! As in cabbies…
Why see it? Kino Lorber continues to be *the* label for fans of film noir from the 40s and 50s. Sure, other labels put out the occasional big set, but Kino has been delivering noirs for the past few years that currently number over a hundred or more. This 1953 feature sees a cabbie fighting for his life after his wife’s dead body winds up in his back seat. On the run and against the wall, he’s about to discover just how much fight he has left in him. It’s a solid watch, nothing fancy or overly memorable, but it satisfies with its various turns and performances.
[Extras: Commentary]
Demons 2 [4K UHD, Synapse]
What is it? The demons, they’re back!
Why see it? Lamberto Bava followed up his classic horror romp with a sequel that hits many of the same notes even as the tune isn’t quite as memorable. Demons infest an apartment building after a late-night movie gives birth to the evil monsters. It’s once again an ensemble — including a young Asia Argento in her first feature film — getting eaten and/or transformed into rampaging demons, and while it doesn’t quite find the magic of the first it’s hard not to enjoy its messy Italian charms. As with the first, Synapse’s 4K UHD looks fantastic highlighting the spooky shadows and colorful grue.
[Extras: New 4K master, commentary, interviews, visual essay]
IF [4K UHD]
What is it? Turns out our imaginary friends from childhood are real.
Why see it? John Krasinski chases his horror hit as director with a family film, and the result isn’t great. The heart is here, and the power of movies means I even got a little misty at times, but Krasinski’s script isn’t quite sure what it’s trying to do. It kicks off in one direction — something for the kids to latch onto — before shifting to become about adults having let go of their imaginary buddies. The effects are a mix of good-looking and dodgy, the laughs are infrequent (although I enjoy Brad Pitt’s cameo), and the end result is a big meh. The big names mostly voice creatures outside of Ryan Reynolds, who voices himself, but it’s Cailey Fleming who stands out performance-wise.
[Extras: Featurettes, gag reel]
Observe and Report [Shout Select]
What is it? A black comedy about mall security.
Why see it? I know what you’re thinking — didn’t Paul Blart: Mall Cop already do the dark comedy about mall security angle? No, no it didn’t. This one comes from Jody Hill and features turns by Seth Rogen, Anna Faris, Ray Liotta, and more familiar faces. Comedy is so subjective, and this is one divisive comedy. Its laughs don’t land for me even as I appreciate the themes at play here, but your luck may vary.
[Extras: New 2K master, commentary, interview, deleted scenes, gag reel]
Also out this week:
Annie Laurie, Le Doulos [4K UHD, KL Studio Classics], Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, The Hangman, June Zero, The Last Emperor [4K UHD, Criterion], Northwest Passage [Warner Archive]
