Phantoms [4K UHD, Scream Factory]
What is it? An ancient evil rises from the earth.
Why see it? Dean Koontz’s Phantoms was the very first of his novels I ever read, and it remains a favorite of mine. This adaptation from the 90s should have been something special, but instead the Weinsteins made one poor decision after the next resulting in some serious miscasting, a weak director, and some terrible editing choices. All of that said, I’m still a sucker for its charms. Two sisters arrive in a small Colorado town only to discover it empty. Well, empty of life, as bodies and limbs are strewn about. It seems some kind of prehistoric creature, one responsible for other mass disappearances in history, has returned. Elements of The Mist and The Blob aren’t hard to spot, but the film finds its own footing with some solid practical effects, that oddball cast, and a commitment to the very cool setup. It’s a fun time, sometimes intentionally, other times not, and while it’s far from a great movie, it’s still one worth watching for genre fans (or fans of the 90s). It’s not a film I ever expected to see get the 4K UHD treatment, but the folks at Scream Factory felt otherwise and have delivered a notable upgrade here.
[Extras: New 4K scan, interviews]
The Best
Brokeback Mountain [4K UHD, KL Studio Classics]
What is it? Two men find love in an unexpected place.
Why see it? Ang Lee’s romantic drama is a beautiful film with a cast, including Heath Ledger, Jake Gyllenhaal, Michelle Williams, and Anne Hathaway working at the top of their game. It won, or was nominated for, numerous Oscars from the acting and directing to the script and cinematography. The fact that it’s also a gay romance about two cowboys who discover a love they weren’t expecting is ultimately the bonus here, as terrific filmmakers bring a love story to the screen the likes of which don’t typically get this kind of top tier production. Kino’s new 4K release highlights the natural beauty of the landscape while also capturing the emotional yearning, affection, and longing on the faces of men who know they can’t have what they know they want.
[Extras: New 4K scan, commentary, making of, interviews, featurettes]
Captain Phillips [4K UHD, steelbook]
What is it? A container ship is targeted by Somali pirates.
Why see it? Paul Greengrass brings his matter-of-fact film style to the true story of a ship attacked by pirates off the coast of Africa. Tom Hanks is at the helm on-screen, and the film is a riveting, thrilling, emotionally charged look at a dangerous assault and the economic impulses that led to it. This is a great film, but the lasting impact comes from Hanks’ performance throughout the film culminating in one of the rawest, most wrenching sequences an actor has delivered. The danger has passed, the drama is over, but shock and stress are unforgiving and omnipresent even after the threat has passed. It’s incredibly affecting. This new 4K UHD brings the siege to sharp and captivating life. Watch out for that steelbook cover, though, as it is incredibly easy to scratch!
[Extras: Commentary, featurette]
Columbo: The Return 1989-2003 [KL Studio Classics]
What is it? The final twenty-four episodes of Lt. Columbo’s mystery reign.
Why see it? The 70s were a great decade for fun television shows with incredibly charismatic leads — Columbo, Rockford Files, others probably — and Columbo maintained that quality when it returned in the late 80s. New guest stars, new mysteries, the same ol’ Peter Falk delivering magic as the grizzled but wise Lt. Columbo. This return was stretched across the years from 1989 to 2003, twenty-four eps across fourteen years, and the joy in watching Falk’s Columbo interact with characters remains as powerfully entertaining as ever. The banter, the cocky killers, the smart detective work, it’s all here, and it is still an absolute blast. Kino brings it all home on Blu with newly remastered episodes from NBC universal, and while this release is devoid of extras, it’s a worthy pickup for fans.
[Extras: New 4K remaster]
Invasion of the Body Snatchers [4K UHD, KL Studio Classics]
What is it? The first feature adaptation of Jack Finney’s classic novel.
Why see it? Finney’s story has been adapted numerous times for the big screen — four times at last count, although I may be missing one — and while the 70s version remains triumphant, this first stab at it is still a winner. Kevin McCarthy takes the lead here as the voice of reason during a subtle alien attack, but what do you do when no one listens to your well-informed ravings? Don Siegel directs, and there’s real tension and dark wonder heading into the third act. Kino’s new 4K captures the black and white photography with crispness and shadows hiding the interstellar evils.
[Extras: New 4K scans, commentaries, interview, featurettes]
The Last Stop in Yuma County
What is it? A group of strangers find themselves caught up in opportunity and danger.
Why see it? This is a nifty little thriller that offers up a fun premise, an eclectic ensemble, and an increasing darkness. Jim Cummings is a traveling salesman hurting for sales, and circumstance has left him hanging out at a smalltown diner when two men fresh from a robbery drop by for the same reason — the town’s only gas station is waiting on a delivery of gas. Bad choices, poor choices, lucky breaks, risky moves, and good ol’ chance all come into play as everything goes from staid to worse. It’s just a low-key good time that turns mean in a heartbeat, and we’re lucky to have it.
[Extras: Commentary, making of]
The Rest
Paternity [KL Studio Classics]
What is it? An avowed bachelor looks for a surrogate to carry his child.
Why see it? Burt Reynolds spent the 70s and 80s bouncing between comedies and tough guy roles, sometimes even mixing the two, and he found success and failure on both sides. This 1981 comedy didn’t exactly set the box-office ablaze, but Reynolds is in his element as a cocky dude, prone to wise-cracks and playfulness, who falls in love with the great Beverly D’Angelo. Add in supporting turns by Paul Dooley, Norman Fell, Lauren Hutton, and more, and it’s an entertaining enough time.
[Extras: New 4K scan, commentary]
When Eight Bells Toll [KL Studio Classics]
What is it? An Alistair MacLean adaptation.
Why see it? My favorite adaptation of an Alistair MacLean novel remains 1972’s Fear Is the Key, and this is the film that came one year prior. This is also closer to the kind of tales most associated with the author, like The Guns of Navarone or Where Eagles Dare. Here it’s Anthony Hopkins as a spy tasked with identifying and stopping those responsible for millions in gold theft, and while some have compared this to a James Bond adventure, I’d argue it rarely feels even close to one. This is more rough and ready, quick to the punch and throw but devoid of the personalities, locales, and gadgetry that typically make up a Bond. It’s still a mildly good time, though, thanks to Hopkins and the general sense that someone new is waiting to be punched on their ass just around the corner.
[Extras: Commentary]
Also out this week:
Black God White Devil [Criterion], Monk – Season Eight, Perfect Days [Criterion], Rocky: Ultimate Knockout Collection [4K UHD], Yvonne’s Perfume
