The Last Stop in Yuma County Blu-ray Review

 

• Director ‏ : ‎ Francis Galluppi
• Actors ‏ : ‎ Jim Cummings, Jocelin Donahue, Richard Brake, Barbara Crampton
• Subtitles: ‏ : ‎ English, French Canadian
• Language ‏ : ‎ English (Stereo), English (DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1)
• Studio ‏ : ‎ Well Go Usa
• MPAA rating ‏ : ‎ R (Restricted)
• Country of Origin ‏ : ‎ USA
• Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 1
• Media Format ‏ : ‎ Blu-ray
• Run time ‏ : ‎ 1 hour and 31 minutes
• Release date ‏ : ‎ July 16, 2024

        On one hand, I am glad that independent films like The Last Stop in Yuma County can still get made, since the industry has been so drastically altered by the shifting landscape of the Sundance Film Festival, not to mention the industry changes brought by the age of streaming. On the other hand, even for someone who loves edgy narratives and is a lifelong fan of the Coen brothers and their darkly comedic take on film noir narratives similar to this, I could not defend some of the choices made within The Last Stop in Yuma County. Maybe some lines should never be crossed, but I think the larger issue here is the manner in which they are crossed. What begins as an enjoyable little single-location crime film turns into an exercise in despair and grief, though the filmmaker doesn’t seem entirely aware of the impact of every decision.

 

Founders Day Blu-ray Review

 

• Director: Erik Bloomquist
• Actors ‏ : ‎ Devin Druid, Emilia McCarthy, Naomi Grace, Olivia Nikkanen, William Russ
• Studio ‏ : ‎ MPI Home Video
• Country of Origin ‏ : ‎ USA
• Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 1
• MPAA rating ‏ : ‎ R (Restricted)
• Media Format ‏ : ‎ Blu-ray
• Run time ‏ : ‎ 106 minutes
• Release date ‏ : ‎ June 4, 2024

 

        Horror and satire have often been an effective pair in the hands of skilled filmmakers, but the efforts to behind Founders Day feel as sincere as the politicians depicted in the storyline. Perhaps I have just seen too many slashers, but the twists all seemed easily predicted and the execution of the genre’s simplest pleasures are rote and uninventive. While I can’t say for sure whether the filmmaking was inept or lazy, I can say that it was often bad enough to be distracting. Or maybe the problem is that there was nothing in Founders Day good enough to distract from the bad.

 

Io Capitano Blu-ray Review

 

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• Director ‏ : ‎ Matteo Garrone
• Actors ‏ : ‎ Seydou Sarr, Moustapha Fall
• Subtitles: ‏ : ‎ English
• Studio ‏ : ‎ Cohen Media Group
• Aspect Ratio ‏ : ‎ 1.85:1
• MPAA rating ‏ : ‎ NR (Not Rated)
• Country of Origin ‏ : ‎ Italy
• Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 1
• Media Format ‏ : ‎ Blu-ray
• Run time ‏ : ‎ 2 hours and 1 minute
• Release date ‏ : ‎ May 28, 2024

        There’s no question that immigration has been a hot-button political topic worldwide in recent years, but director Matteo Garrone (Gomorrah) wisely takes a humanist approach to the topic with his latest film, Io Capitano. Nobody likes being preached to while watching movies, even those of us who appreciate more than the simple escapism of Hollywood genre films. Instead, we like to be told stories with characters we can connect with, and that is what Io Capitano excels at above all else. The fact that the story Garrone is telling happens to resemble the reality of many humans living on this planet today only adds to the power of the storytelling.

 

Blind War Blu-ray Review

 

• Director ‏ : ‎ Huo Sui Qiang
• Actors ‏ : ‎ Andy On, ZiXiong Li, Xing Yang, Hanyang Wang
• Subtitles: ‏ : ‎ English, French Canadian
• Language ‏ : ‎ Mandarin Chinese (DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1), Mandarin Chinese (Stereo)
• Studio ‏ : ‎ Well Go USA Entertainment
• MPAA rating ‏ : ‎ NR (Not Rated)
• Country of Origin ‏ : ‎ China
• Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 1
• Media Format ‏ : ‎ Blu-ray
• Run time ‏ : ‎ 1 hour and 48 minutes
• Release date ‏ : ‎ June 11, 2024

        There has been a longstanding tradition of blind heroes in action films, long before Donnie Yen made it his signature in sequels and spin-offs for popular franchises like Star Wars and John Wick. Even before Daredevil was created on both page and screen, there have been iconic action films featuring sight-impaired heroes. The Zatoichi samurai franchise lasted 25 films, and that doesn’t even include the multiple remakes and rip-offs. Blind War carries on this tradition within an action movie nearly able to pass itself off as a Hong Kong bullet-ballet action film from the 1990s if it weren’t for the occasional cheap CGI.

 

Creation of the Gods: Kingdom of Storms Blu-ray Review

 

• Director ‏ : ‎ Wuershan
• Actors ‏ : ‎ Kris Phillips, Li Xuejian, Huang Bo, Yu Shi
• Dubbed: ‏ : ‎ English
• Subtitles: ‏ : ‎ English, French Canadian
• Language ‏ : ‎ Mandarin Chinese (DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1), Mandarin Chinese (Stereo), English (DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1), English (Stereo)
• Studio ‏ : ‎ Well Go Usa
• MPAA rating ‏ : ‎ NR (Not Rated)
• Country of Origin ‏ : ‎ China
• Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 1
• Media Format ‏ : ‎ Blu-ray
• Run time ‏ : ‎ 2 hours and 28 minutes
• Release date ‏ : ‎ May 28, 2024

        It is difficult to convey the significance of the classic Chinese fantasy novel Fengshenyanyi to Western Civilization. Not only is it among the most popular fantasy novels, it is also the only mythical epic in Chinese literature history to have originated from real historical events, while also including rich fantasy that includes gods and monsters. Because of this, the novel has been adapted numerous times, but the Creation of the Gods trilogy is the first time the novel has been filmed consecutively.

 

Coup de Chance Blu-ray Review

 

• Director ‏ : ‎ Woody Allen
• Actors ‏ : ‎ Lou de Laâge, Niels Schneider
• Subtitles: ‏ : ‎ English
• Studio ‏ : ‎ MPI Home Video
• MPAA rating ‏ : ‎ PG-13 (Parents Strongly Cautioned)
• Country of Origin ‏ : ‎ USA
• Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 1
• Media Format ‏ : ‎ Blu-ray, Subtitled
• Run time ‏ : ‎ 93 minutes
• Release date ‏ : ‎ May 21, 2024

 

        Woody Allen has had a long and complicated career as a filmmaker. There was a time when he was considered one of the most prolific and significant American filmmakers, known and recognized for his romance-heavy comedies, nearly always set in the city of New York. But along with controversies in his personal life in recent decades, Allen also changed his career path by leaving the United States to make movies in Europe. This led to an initial resurgence in his career, though it has been a decade since the filmmaker has received the level of critical praise and attention his films were once afforded. While Coup de Chance won’t do much to change the trajectory of Allen’s career, it will make a nice footnote in his filmography.

 

The American Society of Magical Negroes Blu-ray Review

 

• Director ‏ : ‎ Kobi Libii
• Actors ‏ : ‎ Justice Smith, David Alan-Grier, An-Li Bogan, Rupert Friend
• Dubbed: ‏ : ‎ Spanish
• Subtitles: ‏ : ‎ English, French, Spanish
• Studio ‏ : ‎ Studio Distribution Services
• MPAA rating ‏ : ‎ PG-13 (Parents Strongly Cautioned)
• Country of Origin ‏ : ‎ USA
• Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 1
• Media Format ‏ : ‎ Blu-ray, Subtitled
• Run time ‏ : ‎ 1 hour and 45 minutes
• Release date ‏ : ‎ May 14, 2024

 

        When The American Society of Magical Negroes released its theatrical trailer featuring a scene in which scared white people are purported to be more dangerous than any other animal on the planet, it was met with a lot of backlash. Some were offended by the prejudicial response to a historically racist society, and while it is true that two wrongs don’t make a right, they do make for mildly amusing satire. But it’s all handled lightheartedly, and I was never offended, even without the use of magic to placate me. Unfortunately, the ending loses sight of what makes the film enjoyable and halts the plot for a speech as preachy as the one given in Barbie.

 

One from the Heart: Reprise Blu-ray Review

 

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• Director: Francis Ford Coppola
• Actors ‏ : ‎ Frederic Forrest, Teri Garr
• Studio ‏ : ‎ Lionsgate Home Entertainment
• MPAA rating ‏ : ‎ R (Restricted)
• Country of Origin ‏ : ‎ USA
• Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 1
• Media Format ‏ : ‎ 4K, Digital_copy, Blu-ray
• Run time ‏ : ‎ 1 hour and 47 minutes
• Release date ‏ : ‎ May 7, 2024

 

        While it is difficult to imagine a movie like Moulin Rouge ever existing without the experimentation of Francis Ford Coppola’s One from the Heart first occurring, that does not make his unique musical vision a success. While boldly creative and undeniably unique, One from the Heart is also a messy movie that doesn’t work any better after forty years, even with new footage and an alternate edit approved by Coppola. The characters are still unsympathetic and the plot overly simplistic, though it now seems clearer that the real star of the film was the production design, all constructed on the stages of the historic Zoetrope studios in Hollywood.

 

Noryang: Deadly Sea Blu-ray Review

 

• Director ‏ : ‎ Kim Han-min
• Actors ‏ : ‎ Kim Yun-seok, Baek Yoon-sik, Jung Jae-young, Huh Joon-ho
• Language ‏ : ‎ Korean (DTS 5.1)
• Studio ‏ : ‎ Well Go Usa
• MPAA rating ‏ : ‎ NR (Not Rated)
• Country of Origin ‏ : ‎ USA
• Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 1
• Media Format ‏ : ‎ Widescreen
• Run time ‏ : ‎ 2 hours and 32 minutes
• Release date ‏ : ‎ May 14, 2024

        As the third and final film in the trilogy about the nautical battles of Korean admiral and military general Yi Sun-sin (Kim Yoon-seok), Noryang: Deadly Sea has the likely benefit of audience familiarity. Not only are most audience members likely familiar with the historical figure following the first two films, but they also understand the approach to these narratives taken by director Kim Han-min. Along with a meticulous dedication to historical accuracy, Noryang: Deadly Sea follows the structure first established by The Admiral: Roaring Currents (2014) and the follow-up film, Hansan: Rising Dragon (2022), dedicating the first half to character development and setting up the plot before shifting to battles at sea.

 

Monolith Blu-ray Review

 

• Director ‏ : ‎ Matt Vesely
• Actors ‏ : ‎ Lily Sullivan
• Subtitles: ‏ : ‎ English
• Language ‏ : ‎ English (DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1)
• Studio ‏ : ‎ Well Go Usa
• MPAA rating ‏ : ‎ R (Restricted)
• Country of Origin ‏ : ‎ Australia
• Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 1
• Media Format ‏ : ‎ Blu-ray
• Run time ‏ : ‎ 1 hour and 34 minutes
• Release date ‏ : ‎ April 23, 2024

        Independent genre films often face the difficult task of competing with the large budgets afforded similar films produced with studio money. Because of this, independent filmmakers have to get even more creative with their narratives and the execution of genre expectations. While Monolith creates an effective chamber piece out of common science-fiction narrative tropes, with only slight variation, the execution is about as exciting as one might expect from a film set entirely in a single location.

 

Monster Blu-ray Review

• Director ‏ : ‎ Hirokazu Kore-eda
• Actors ‏ : ‎ Sakura Ando, Eita Nagayama, Soya Kurokawa, Hinata Hiiragi, Yuko Tanaka
• Studio ‏ : ‎ Well Go Usa
• MPAA rating ‏ : ‎ PG-13 (Parents Strongly Cautioned)
• Country of Origin ‏ : ‎ USA
• Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 1
• Media Format ‏ : ‎ Widescreen
• Run time ‏ : ‎ 2 hours and 6 minutes
• Release date ‏ : ‎ April 9, 2024

        Continuing the tradition of filmmakers like Yasujirô Ozu, acclaimed Japanese director Kore-eda Hirokazu has a subtle and understated approach to storytelling, even with narratives that could easily slip into melodrama. At the heart of every Hirokazu film is an empathetic presentation of the human experience, regardless of whether the story is focused on a universally relatable situation or something extraordinary, like the premise of Like Father, Like Son (2013). Even when the narrative stretches what is believable, somehow Hirokazu manages to make it feel like a slice of life with the realism captured by his execution.

 

Lisa Frankenstein Blu-ray Review

 

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• Director ‏ : ‎ Zelda Williams
• Actors ‏ : ‎ Kathryn Newton, Cole Sprouse, Liza Soberano, Henry Eikenberry
• Subtitles: ‏ : ‎ Spanish, French
• Studio ‏ : ‎ Studio Distribution Services
• MPAA rating ‏ : ‎ PG-13 (Parents Strongly Cautioned)
• Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 1
• Media Format ‏ : ‎ Blu-ray
• Run time ‏ : ‎ 1 hour and 42 minutes
• Release date ‏ : ‎ April 9, 2024

 

        I can imagine how Lisa Frankenstein may have been praised for its creativity and originality had it been made at the height of screenwriter Diablo Cody’s initial fame. Following the rags-to-riches (or stripper-to-screenwriter) storyline that resulted in Juno winning an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay, Cody wrote the feminist horror film Jennifer’s Body, and a decade and a half later is claiming that Lisa Frankenstein exists in the same cinematic universe. However, there are several problems with this claim and the film directed by Zelda Williams.

 

Baby Assassins 2 Blu-ray Review

 

• Director ‏ : ‎ Hugo Sakamoto
• Actors ‏ : ‎ Akari Takaishi, Saori Izawa, Joey, Tatsuomi Hamada
• Subtitles: ‏ : ‎ English
• Language ‏ : ‎ Japanese (DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1), Japanese (Stereo)
• Studio ‏ : ‎ Well Go Usa
• MPAA rating ‏ : ‎ NR (Not Rated)
• Country of Origin ‏ : ‎ Japan
• Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 1
• Media Format ‏ : ‎ Blu-ray
• Run time ‏ : ‎ 1 hour and 42 minutes
• Release date ‏ : ‎ April 2, 2024

        While I wasn’t entirely sold on the first Baby Assassins movie, the impressive fight choreography and execution in the final sequence was more than enough for me to forgive the narrative meandering that preceded it. Baby Assassins 2 seems to have learned some good lessons from what didn’t work in the first film, with more action spread throughout the narrative rather than reserved primarily for the climax. Unfortunately, the film also never reaches the same heights as achieved by the jaw-dropping final battle in the first installment. The resulting film sequel may be more consistently enjoyable, but also doesn’t come close to being as unforgettable as the original.

 

Driving Madeleine Blu-ray Review

 

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• Director ‏ : ‎ Christian Carion
• Actors ‏ : ‎ Line Renaud, Dany Boon, Alice Isaaz
• Subtitles: ‏ : ‎ English
• Studio ‏ : ‎ Cohen Media Group
• Aspect Ratio ‏ : ‎ 2.35:1
• MPAA rating ‏ : ‎ NR (Not Rated)
• Country of Origin ‏ : ‎ France
• Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 1
• Media Format ‏ : ‎ Blu-ray
• Run time ‏ : ‎ 1 hour and 30 minutes
• Release date ‏ : ‎ March 19, 2024

 

        There is something distinctly European about movies where two strangers cross paths and form a deep connection over a brief period of time. These narratives exist in other cultures as well, but the French are particularly adept at these slice-of-life narratives. Or perhaps it is less about the nationality of the filmmakers and more about the approach to life, because American filmmaker Richard Linklater built Before Sunrise (1995) and each of its sequels upon this premise, setting each installment in a different European city. Driving Madeleine is a distinctly French film about the bond formed between an elderly woman and her taxi driver on cross-town journey to a nursing home, warmheartedly depicting the ways in which strangers can have a deep impact on our lives however brief the encounter.

 

Polar Rescue Blu-ray Review

 

• Director ‏ : ‎ Lo Chi Leung
• Actors ‏ : ‎ Donnie Yen, Cecilia Han, Jia Bing, Tang Xu
• Subtitles: ‏ : ‎ English
• Language ‏ : ‎ Mandarin Chinese (DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1), Mandarin Chinese (Stereo)
• Studio ‏ : ‎ Well Go Usa
• MPAA rating ‏ : ‎ NR (Not Rated)
• Country of Origin ‏ : ‎ China
• Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 1
• Media Format ‏ : ‎ Blu-ray
• Run time ‏ : ‎ 1 hour and 43 minutes
• Release date ‏ : ‎ March 26, 2024

        There seems to be a consistent pattern with martial arts action stars in Hong Kong and China, where they inevitably reach an age where their physicality is in decline and choose that time to make a purely dramatic film. Jackie Chan had the historical drama, 1911 (2011). Jet Li made Ocean Heaven (2010). And Donnie Yen has followed suit with Polar Rescue (previously titled Come Back Home), a film steeped in melodrama surrounding a child gone missing in a mountain snowstorm. Melodrama often works best when paired with other elements like action and suspense, but even these sequences are not enough to distract from the contrived and emotionally manipulative plot points of Polar Rescue.

 

Born to Fly Blu-ray Review

 

• Director ‏ : ‎ Liu Xiaoshi
• Actors ‏ : ‎ Wang Yibo, Hu Jun, Yu Shi, Zhou Dong Yu
• Subtitles: ‏ : ‎ English
• Language ‏ : ‎ Mandarin Chinese (DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1), Mandarin Chinese (Stereo)
• Studio ‏ : ‎ Well Go Usa
• MPAA rating ‏ : ‎ NR (Not Rated)
• Country of Origin ‏ : ‎ China
• Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 1
• Media Format ‏ : ‎ Blu-ray
• Run time ‏ : ‎ 2 hours and 8 minutes
• Release date ‏ : ‎ March 26, 2024

        The impact of a successful blockbuster can be felt around the world, especially when they come from Hollywood. Because of this, these successes also often end up affecting films released in foreign film markets. Given the timing of the Chinese aircraft action drama, Born to Fly, it seems highly unlikely that the success of Top Gun: Maverick did not play a large role in the film’s development. Unfortunately, the filmmakers seem to have learned the wrong lessons from the Tom Cruise film, imitating similar story elements while completely dismissing the approach to filmmaking. The awe-inspiring practical effects of Top Gun are traded in for CGI that is often less than believable, making this feel more like a cash-grab imitation than a sincere effort to tell a good story.