Home Market Releases for February 4th, 2020
February 5, 2020
It is a slow week for truly great releases. Both Doctor Sleep and The Nightingale are worth picking up, but not Pick of the Week contenders. Last Christmas is also worth picking up, but only if you like Romantic Comedies with magical realism. As for the Pick of the Week, I’m going with That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime: Season One, Part Two and if you really into Isekai Anime, grab Isekai Quartet: Season One as well.
Arctic Dogs - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Doctor Sleep - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD, Blu-ray Combo Pack, 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack
The Good Liar - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Heartbeeps - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
Isekai Quartet: Season One - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
Last Christmas - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
The Nightingale - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray Combo Pack
Playing with Fire - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray Combo Pack
The movie focuses on a group of Smokejumpers, firefighters that parachute into forest fires to deal with forest fires that are too difficult to get to through more traditional ways. In the opening prologue, we see a team of Smokejumpers led by Jake Carson being cartoonishly heroic. After getting back to their base, they learn that the Division Commander, Commander Richards, is retiring. It is Carson’s dream to become the division commander, just like it was his father’s dream before him. That cause takes a hit when half of the team quits. It’s nothing personal, they just want to move to a bigger team that gets more intense action. This lack of action is bad news for Carson, as it means it is less likely he will get that promotion when Richards retires. To combat this possibility, he calls his ex-girlfriend, Dr. Amy Hicks, and gets her to spot any fires. There’s a cabin on fire that Carson declares is too remote for the locals to get to in time, so they fly off.
This rash thinking turns out to be a wise choice, as there are three kids trapped in the cabin: Brynn, Will, and Zoey. A storm comes before the chopper can get far, so they have to return to the base and take care of the kids overnight. At least that’s the initial plan. Carson certainly wants them gone as soon as possible, but Brynn’s mother texts them saying they can’t get there right away. Because of the Safe Haven law, the firefighters are legally bound to care for the kids until their legal guardians can take them, so the movie becomes a battle of the wills between the four manly firefighters who don’t normally do the domestic thing, and three rambunctious kids. It’s not the worst setup for a movie, so it all depends on the execution.
That’s where we run into problems. I have seen every adult actor in this movie that has more than three lines in multiple other films, from Brianna Hildebrand to Dennis Haysbert and all of them have been much better in everything else they’ve done. The script gives them nothing to work with. Comparing a film to a sitcom is a tired and cliché form of criticism, but frankly it is also very apt in this case and the movie is so lazy and uninspired that I don’t feel the need to try harder in my review. Worse still, the movie is mostly over-the-top in its broad, slapstick humor, but then tries for some unearned heartfelt moments sprinkled throughout the movie. If the film had a better script and more inspired directing, then it could have worked. The core premise wasn’t unique, but it can work, while the cast do their best with the material they are given, but that’s not enough to save the movie.
Extras begin as soon as you put the Blu-ray in your player, as there is a three-minute featurette about the real Smokejumpers. There are also some behind-the-scenes featurettes, the cast reading the director’s diary, deleted scenes, outtakes, and more. It’s a deceptively long list, but they are all short enough to be unsatisfying.
Playing with Fire earned 21% positive reviews, but when I saw the screener solicitation, I thought, “It can’t be that bad.” It is. Only the youngest kids will enjoy the movie and even preteens will likely not be interested.
Several Spike Lee Joints
That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime: Season One, Part Two - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray Combo Pack
Waves - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
White Snake - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray Combo Pack
Christmas Releases - Buy from Amazon:
TV on DVD Releases - Buy from Amazon:
Blu-ray Releases - Buy from Amazon:
3D Blu-ray Releases - Buy from Amazon:
4K Ultra HD Releases - Buy from Amazon:
Video on Demand - Buy from Amazon:
Video on Demand
One of the worst movies of last year. Skip it. Even if you have kids in the right age range, there are better options out there.
Video on Demand
This movie is a lot better than its box office numbers would indicate. I just don’t think enough people who remember The Shining are into seeing horror movies in theaters. The only extras are a trio of making of featurettes. It is still worth picking up, but it is not a Pick of the Week contender.
Video on Demand
This movie has a great cast, but a mediocre script, which results in a movie that is good enough to check out, but nothing more. Additionally, the only extras are a single making of featurette and some deleted scenes. Call it a rental.
This is one of the worst movies ever made. However, it is bad in such a fascinating way that it has to been seen by anyone who is a fan of the “so bad it’s good” genre.
Isekai is a genre of Anime where a person from the real world is trapped in another world, sometimes a video game, sometimes a fantasy setting. In this series, the protagonists from four different Isekai Anime are sucked out of their fantasy worlds and forced to go to a normal high school. Well, normalish. The reviews are great, but you really need to know at least half of the shows to really enjoy this spin-off.
Video on Demand
A romantic comedy with a bit of magical realism. I think it is better than its Tomatometer Score, but I’m a sucker for this type of movie. There are a ton of extras on the DVD / Blu-ray, including two audio commentary tracks. If you like this genre, or the cast, then it is worth picking up.
Video on Demand
This movie earned some of the best reviews of 2019; however, it is too intense for a blind buy. It’s the kind of film you rent, with a back up option just in case. If you did see it and liked it, then the DVD / Blu-ray are worth picking up. There are not a lot of extras, just two making of featurettes that run close to an hour, so it is not a Pick of the Week contender.
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Video on Demand
Video on Demand (4K Ultra HD)
Due to the monthly preview and the Oscar highlights, it is a massively busy week, so I decided to do a spotlight review for this film instead of a full featured review. Also, the movie is really, really bad and I didn’t want to waste any more time on the film by writing a full review.
Clockers - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
Crooklyn - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
Jungle Fever - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
Mo’ Better Blues - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
Summer of Sam - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
Five films from Spike Lee of varying quality levels. All are at least worth checking out, while most are worth picking up. Jungle Fever is the best, so if you are only interested in one, that’s the one to grab.
An Isekai Anime about a man who was stabbed saving his best friend’s life and was reincarnated into a fantasy world as a reward. His last thoughts as he died shaped his new life... and he came out as a slime. The first part of the first season was so good I preordered this one, but it is late. The extras are great with two audio commentary tracks, a video commentary track, and more. It is certainly worth picking up and a Pick of the Week contender.
Video on Demand
This film earned very strong reviews and opened really well in limited release; however, as soon as it tried to expand, its theater count plummeted. Granted, it did get to $1 million, which is better than most limited releases manage, but it will still be seen as busted Oscar-bait by most.
Video on Demand
China isn’t a large market for animated films, so a China-made animated film is worth noting. The movie is good, but not among the best animated films of 2019, while the lack of extras hurts the overall value. It is still worth checking out for the curious and worth buying for fans of animation, but is it not a Pick of the Week contender.
Christmas Scavenger Hunt - No Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD
Write Before Christmas - No Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD
Two Hallmark Channel Christmas movies... in February. I can understand Christmas movies coming out on the home market this time of year, because that’s the normal window from theatrical release to home market release, but Hallmark Channel original movies don’t have such a window and it would just make more sense to release them near Christmas, even if that’s a full year after they first aired.
FLCL: Progressive/Alternative - No Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
Gunsmoke: The Complete Eighteenth Season - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD
Gunsmoke: The Complete Nineteenth Season - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD
Keeping Faith: Series 2 - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Looney Tunes: Parodies Collection - No Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD
Masterpiece: Howards End - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD
Masterpiece: Sanditon - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mania - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD
It’s a slow week for TV on DVD releases. The Looney Tunes release is the only one I’m interested in. Even then, I just want chronological releases from them.
A.D. Police: To Protect and Serve - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: SD on Blu-ray
Dragonheart: Vengeance - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray Combo Pack
Fraternity Vacation - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
Grand Isle - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Here Comes Peter Cottontail - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray Combo Pack
High Strung: Free Dance - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
The House that Jack Built - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Kingdom - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray Combo Pack
Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid: The Complete Series - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: Blu-ray
Mon Mon Mon Monsters! - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
The Oscar - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Rabid - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
Trauma Center - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray
It’s a soft week for new releases with Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid being the only release I’m super interested in. At least I would be, if I didn’t already buy the previous release.
There are no 3D releases this week, but...
Boyz ‘N the Hood - Reviews - Buy from Amazon: 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack
We do have a secondary 4K release this week. It is an amazing movie, but not one that needs to be seen in 4K to be appreciated.
A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood - Reviews - Video on Demand
Jojo Rabbit - Reviews - Video on Demand
Knives Out - Reviews - Video on Demand
Knives Out - Reviews - Video on Demand (4K Ultra HD)
Midway - Reviews - Video on Demand
Midway - Reviews - Video on Demand (4K Ultra HD)
My One and Only - Reviews - Video on Demand
There are not one, not two, but three prime secondary VOD releases on this week’s list. However, all three are worth buying, so I would wait.
Filed under: DVD and Blu-ray Releases, Home Market Releases, Fraternity Vacation, Arctic Dogs, The Nightingale, The House That Jack Built, High Strung: Free Dance, The Good Liar, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, Midway, Jojo Rabbit, Doctor Sleep, Waves, Mon Mon Mon Monsters, Last Christmas, Knives Out, Grand Isle, Playing with Fire, Bai She: Yuan Qi, Rabid, Kingudamu, Trauma Center, Dragonheart Vengeance, Write Before Christmas, Christmas Scavenger Hunt, The Oscar, My One & Only, John Cena, Judy Greer, Dennis Haysbert, Spike Lee, Brianna Hildebrand, Christian Convery, Finley Rose Slater