Category Archives: DVDs

DVDs, Movies

Director Marina Willer traces her father’s journey as a member of one of only 12 Jewish families to survive the Nazi occupation of Prague during World War II

As the world struggles with the current refugee crisis, a powerful new film serves as a timely look at a family besieged by war who finds peace across an ocean. It’s called Red Trees, a film with “of-the-moment resonance” (The Hollywood Reporter), arrives on Cohen Media Group Blu-ray and DVD, as well as digital platforms, on January 23. Save the date. It’s important.

Award-winning filmmaker Marina Willer creates an impressionistic visual essay as she traces her father’s journey as a member of one of only 12 Jewish families to survive the Nazi occupation of Prague during World War II. Photographed by Oscar nominee César Charlone, the film travels from war-torn Eastern Europe to the color and light of South America and is told through the voice of Willer’s father, Alfred (narrated by Tim Piggot-Smith), who witnessed bureaucratic nightmares, transportations and suicides but survived to build a post-war life as an architect in Brazil.
Sophia Cowley of Film Inquiry says, “With Red Trees, Marina Willer does something both intimate and daring. Its vivid shots ensure the entire film plays out like a series of moving paintings.” “In many ways, this is the most powerful anti-fascist film you will see this or any other year,” wrote Louis Proyect of Counterpunch.org.
CMG’s Blu-ray and DVD of Red Trees include an interview with director Willer.
DVDs, Movies

New York City can be a great city . . . unless Cloverfield returns in 4K

Manhattan is a great city . . . wonderful people, super stores and all the love that’s in the air. It can also be a deadly, frightening city. Remember Cloverfield?  Producer J.J. Abrams’ and director Matt Reeves’ monster hit arrives on 4K Ultra HD for the first time ever.

The flick thrilled critics and audiences alike with its shocking, first-person video account of a horrifying attack on Manhattan by an unknown—and seemingly unstoppable—force.  Relive the mysterious and thrilling story with the sensational picture quality only 4K Ultra HD can deliver.

Need more thrills and chills? Opt for 10 Cloverfield Lane, a two-disc 4K UHD/Blu-ray combo pack with a digital copy. Producer J.J. Abrams’ and director Dan Trachtenberg’s chilling and intense thriller debuts on 4K Ultra HD.

Starring John Goodman and Mary Elizabeth Winstead, the film follows a young woman who survives a catastrophic car crash only to wake up in a survivalist’s underground bunker. He claims to have saved her from an apocalyptic attack that has left the outside world uninhabitable, but as his increasingly suspicious actions lead her to question his motives, she’ll have to escape in order to discover the truth.

Both films from Paramount Home Media Distribution  will be released January 23. It’s worth the wait. Trust us.

 

DVDs, Movies, TV

VERMEER, BEYOND TIME paints an absorbing portrait of the influential artist

Images from his paintings have become part of our collective imagination and are instantly recognizable and include pieces such as “Girl with a Pearl Earring”, “The Astronomer” and “The Geographer”.  The artful documentary Vermeer, Beyond Time (Public Media Distribution, LLC ) explores the life and work of one of the most loved, influential, and well-known artists, Johannes Vermeer. The film is narrated by actor Steve Martin.

In the program, French filmmaker Jean-Pierre Cottet adopts an imaginative and sensitive approach to Vermeer, focusing on not only his work, but also his family life.  Cottet looks at Vermeer’s conversion to Catholicism, his artistic contemporaries, and the wider world of the short lived Dutch Golden Age of the 17th century.

In 1675, overwhelmed by poverty, physically weakened, and humiliated, Vermeer dies at the age of 43. Soon afterwards, his paintings are sold to cover his debts, and Vermeer disappears from memory. His rediscovery some 200 years later has seen his popularity soar, claiming both our hearts and our admiration.

DVDs, Movies

“Rise of the Footsoldier Part II” rises to the occasion and (almost) tops the first flick

Sequels are sometimes as good (if not better) than the flick they follow. Witness the crime-thriller Rise of the Footsoldier Part II, the follow-up to 2007’s cult hit Rise of the Footsoldier. Save the date: Part II arrives on DVD, Digital and On Demand on February 20 from Lionsgate.

Rise of the Footsoldier Part II follows football-hooligan-turned-professional-criminal Carlton Leach, who’s still mourning the loss of his friends and is convinced that it’s only a matter of time before he’s next. For him, the only way out is to go back in and work his way back up the criminal ladder . . . but the higher he gets, the more violent the jobs become, until his quest for power turns into an obsession. With life and family on the line, can he hold his nerves together one last time in order to get out alive?

We ain’t telling.

DVDs, Music, TV

“Havana time Machine” takes viewers to the fertile land of Cuba, hosted by maverick Raul Malo

“Like most Americans, Cuba seems like a dream, a land of rhythm and rum, of Ricky Ricardo and revolutionaries, baseball greats, gangsters, casinos, classic cars and big cigars. But for me, it’s the home I’ve never known, the place that my parents were formed, who in turn formed me. The roots of my musical soul have been reaching for Cuban soil my entire life. And now the reality is beyond my wildest dream.”

So remarks Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter of The Mavericks and bandleader Raul Malo near the start of Great Performances: Havana Time Machine, a pioneering music documentary, one of the first U.S. productions since travel restrictions have opened up in Cuba.

Born Raúl Francisco Martínez-Malo, Jr. to Cuban parents in Miami, the versatile roots-rock music singer embarks on a musical and historical odyssey through the present-day Cuban capital in the program, a US/Cuba collaborative musical showcase.

Hermetically sealed by the Cold War for more than half a century Cuba remains, for the vast majority of Americans, the “Undiscovered Country,” a unique time capsule of cultural traditions, relatively untouched. But the recent thawing of Cuban-U.S. relations is forging new relationships based on collaboration. The evolution of the Revolution creates a unique opportunity for a unique presentation to showcase the tropical kaleidoscope that is Havana’s musical scene, past, present and future.

Documented by richly atmospheric camera work, Malo visits such iconic locales as the grand boulevard, the Paseo del Prado; a small apartment/recording studio in Nuevo Vedado; the Instituto Superior de Arte (ISA); the former farm estate of Ernest Hemingway; and Los Jardines De La Tropical, a once-magical beer garden now overtaken by jungle.  Along with way, Malo has musical encounters with such luminaries as Eliades Ochoa, an original member of the famed Buena Vista Social Club; acclaimed Cuban singer Ivette Cepeda; Sweet Lizzy Project, a modern Latin indie-pop band; and piano-jazz maestro Roberto Fonseca. The beloved band The Mavericks perform music from their highly acclaimed new album Brand New Day (Mono Mundo Recordings).

Si!

DVDs, Movies

Looking for a “toxic” flick? “Accident Man’ is no accident, man

It’s no accident that we stumbled across some great news, especially since we are fans of the underground British comic Toxic! (It was a weekly comic published by Apocalypse Ltd. from March 28, 199 to October 24, 1991, a total of 31 issues. What’s a die-hard fan to do?
Watch the movie. , A deadly hit-man becomes an accidental hero in the pulse-pounding action-thriller Accident Man based on Toxic! It’s available on DVD and Digital February 6 from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.

This darkly humorous and stylishly violent adaptation stars Scott Adkins as Accident Man, a stone-cold killer who must face off against a rogue’s gallery of ruthless assassins in order to uncover the truth about his ex-girlfriend’s murder. Co-starring Ashley Greene, David Paymer and action fan favorites Ray Park, Ray Stevenson and Michael Jai White, Accident Man hits its target with a lethally entertaining combination of explosive fight scenes and hilarious moments.

Killer bonus features include audio commentary with star/producer/co-writer Scott Adkins and co-writer Stu Small and two making-of featurettes. In “Assassin’s Roll Call,” meet the crew of assassins that make it their mission to make their kills look like accidents and hear from director Jesse V. Johnson, Scott Adkins and the cast on how they made every fight look like a work of art in “Violent Ballet: Filming the Fights.”

DVDs, Movies

“Heat and Dust” is given a new 4K digital restoration by Cohen Film Collection

Cohen Film Collection starts the New Year off with another gem: Merchant Ivory Productions’ modern classic Heat and Dust, now on Blu-ray, DVD and digital platforms. The 1983 multi-generational drama—about the clash between modern-day India and its past Raj era of British rule, and starring Julie Christie and Greta Scacchi—has received a striking new 4K digital restoration.

Merchant Ivory’s magnificent film moves effortlessly between the vibrant world of modern India and the magnificent splendors of the Raj. Cross-cutting between two generations, the acclaimed film by the longtime team of director James Ivory, producer Ismail Merchant and screenwriter Ruth Prawer Jhabvala is a sprawling epic of self-discovery and a lush evocation of the prismatic and sensuous beauty of India.
As she searches for answers to the mystery surrounding a long-ago affair between her aunt Olivia (portrayed by Greta Scacchi) and an Indian prince (Shashi Kapoor), Anne (Julie Christie) becomes immersed in the local culture, the pull of the past simultaneously leading her into a clearer view of her own future. Jhabvala adapted her own novel to great effect, and Richard Robbins created the haunting score. The film earned the Merchant Ivory team nine BAFTA nominations and a Palme d’Or nomination at Cannes for director Ivory.
Cohen Film Collection has given Heat and Dust lavish treatment on disc. The two-disc DVD includes a feature-length audio commentary track; the film’s original trailer as well as its 2017 re-release trailer; and the the rarely shown 1975 Merchant Ivory film Autobiography of a Princess, starring James Mason.
The two-disc Blu-ray includes all of the above plus an interview with producer Ismail Merchant, director James Ivory, writer Ruth Prawer Jhabvala, composer Richard Robbins, and cast members Greta Scacchi and Nickolas Grace; the featurette Remember Heat and Dust; a new conversation between Ivory and filmmaker Chris Terrio; and a new on-stage Q&A with co-star Madhur Jaffrey.

 

DVDs, Movies

The naked truth: Two Joseph W. Sarno soft-porn gems have cum out. Bravo!

For those who need a bit on enlightening when it comes to director and screenwriter Joseph W. Sarno, known as the “Ingmar Bergman of Porn” and the “Chekov of Soft-Core”, we offer some bare facts, a dose of the naked truth. Sarno’s early black and white films are praised for their chiaroscuro lighting and their complex psycho-sexual plots, but it was his more explicit art-house film, Inga, shot in Sweden in 1968, that brought him international attention.  Never a fan of explicit triple-X filmmaking, Sarno continued to write and direct adult films through the ’70s and ’80s, often working under a pseudonym or offering his director’s credit to the film’s female lead.

Film Movement Classics has partnered with Film Media and Something Weird to release new HD restorations of two Sarno classics on Blu-ray for the first time: All the Season of Sodom and Vibrations.
For years, only poorly-preserved prints were available for retrospective screenings; now, cinema aficionados will be able to screen Sarno’s classics, restored to a pristine state for optimal viewing. (New 2K theatrical masters were created for each film.) Packaged together, this exclusive collection, also featuring specially-produced extras such as an interview with Sarno himself and audio commentary, will be available on Blu-ray. Other special features include commentary by Film Historian Tim Lucas and Joe’s wife, Peggy Steffans-Sarno and a booklet featuring liner notes from Lucas.
Shot back-to-back with Vibrations in 1968, All the Sings of Sodom has the sexploitation auteur at the top of his game in this penetrating study of ambition, romance and lust set inside the world of fashion photography.  Encouraged by his agent, Henning, a struggling New York City photographer, begins a daring portfolio of his model, Leslie.  But all too soon, jealousies erupt when another model vies for his camera and bed in this elegantly filmed time capsule of late ’60s New York.

In Vibrations, aspiring writer Barbara moves to Manhattan to jump-start her career and sex life, but ends up typing manuscripts.  Alone at night, she listens to the sound of her sexy neighbor as she entertains herself and her friends with the aid of her vibrator.  When her extroverted sister, Julie, comes to town, Barbara is forced to confront her repressed sexual desires.
DVDs, Movies

“A Dog and Pony Show” is the cat’s Meow, a funny, funny film now on DVD

Listen up! The phrase “a dog and pony show” originated in 19th-century America as a term for small traveling circuses that toured through rural areas.
That was then.
Now there’s A Dog and Pony Show (Lionsgate), an uproarious family comedy that tells the story of Dede, a famous performing circus dog who gets left behind when her show leaves town. She’s discovered by Billy, a lonely city kid who’s just moved to a ranch nearby. Billy decides to adopt the vain and arrogant dog, but will she get along with the farm’s eccentric critters, including a sleep-deprived rooster, a gassy cow and a hypochondriac horse? And can Dede outwit the bumbling thieves from a rival circus who are plotting to kidnap the priceless pooch? How fast can you say f-u-n?

Starring Mae Whitman, Ralph Macchio and Mira Sorvino, this charming tale of two best friends–a circus dog and a pony–is filled with valuable life lessons guaranteed to make you sit, stay, roll over– and laugh, often and loudly..

DVDs, Movies, TV

A trio of PBS Distribution DVDs that Start the New Year Off with Must-See Moments

Titles we have seen and will see again:

Martin Luther: The Idea That Changed the World
Luther stepped onto the world stage exactly 500 years ago last fall, as he nailed his 95 Theses to the church door in Wittenberg, Germany. The printing and distribution of the Theses—and other crowd-pleasing critiques of the powerful—quickly made him the most famous person in Europe.

https://youtu.be/2p4QIlHHytY

Martin Luther: The Idea that Changed the World follows this thread, and others, to offer an engaging look at the dramatic moments that shaped Luther’s life: the massive lightning storm that nearly killed him, the bleak self-punishment of his time in the monastery, the corruption that unleashed his anger, his trial before the most powerful man in Europe, and the staged kidnapping that helped him escape the death penalty.
Padraic Delaney stars as Luther. In a quest for authenticity, every word of Luther’s dialogue in the film was taken verbatim from his actual writings and speeches. Similarly, dozens of historians were interviewed, with a careful eye to ensure that all sides of the story are represented.

Mindfulness Goes Mainstream
Mindfulness meditation has gone beyond mainstream into the most unlikely places—from British Parliament to the Marine Corps to Fortune 100 boardrooms—fueled by scientific evidence that confirms its benefits and positive impact on health and well-being. No longer limited to Eastern philosophers or California hippies, mindfulness is now embraced by millions of ordinary people trying to survive in a totally stressed out world.

https://youtu.be/LFzG34zDRn4

More than 1,500 studies have now been published citing how meditation lowers stress, improves heart and lung functionality and dramatically enhances focus and performance. Steve Jobs credited his daily meditation practice with the ability to clear his mind in order to access intuitions that led to the creation of Apple products. Tina Turner attributes meditation as the key to turning her life around. And when the coach and most of the players on the Seattle Seahawks are meditating regularly, we have crossed a tipping point.
And the best news of all is that we don’t need to sit on the sidelines and view mindfulness meditation as a spectator sport. Anyone can do it with remarkable results. In the midst of the busyness and chaos of our lives, bombarded by 24/7 news, we long to find a way to remain calm, balanced, centered and effective. Meditation, one of the oldest methods for cultivating inner calm and stability, has now been proven by modern science to have a positive impact on our health and quality of life.
Mindfulness Goes Mainstream explores mindfulness through the voices of some of the very best teachers, business leaders and experts in the field, focusing on areas where mindfulness has proven to have significant benefits, including stress, anxiety and depression; pain, cravings and mindful eating; focus and performance, and compassion and empathy.

Frontline: Mosul
The program is an extraordinary inside look at the brutal battle to drive ISIS out of Iraq’s second largest city, which some military commanders have described as the deadliest urban combat since World War II.  The people of Mosul endured the repressive rule of ISIS for more than two years. This is the story of the men who fought back–and defeated the Islamic State in their heartland. Filmed on the ground by director Olivier Sarbil over the course of the entire nine-month fight, the program is a stunning look at the high cost of the Iraqi Army’s victory over ISIS in the city—large parts of which have been destroyed, with hundreds of thousands of civilians still displaced.

http://https://youtu.be/aGRsBxgO4j4

A qualifier for this year’s Documentary Short Subject Academy Awards following its theatrical release in Los Angeles this past summer, this vivid documentary follows the experiences of four young soldiers in a team of Iraqi Special Forces tasked with leading the fight to drive ISIS out of Mosul as the terror group held civilians captive there.